By Jason Powell

TNA Impact on Spike TV
Taped at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla.

[Q1] The show opened with a recap from last week... The show is called "The Con Game"... Ring announcer Jeremy Borash introduced Mick Foley, who came out in street clothes while Mike Tenay and Taz checked in on commentary. Foley wished viewers happy holidays and then called out Ken Anderson. Anderson came to the ring.

Foley told a humorous story about the time he, Anderson, and Miss America visiting an injured soldier. Foley attempted to talk Anderson out of wrestling despite his concussion issues. Anderson thanked Foley, Matt Morgan, and the fans for their concern, but implied that it's his life.

Anderson said Foley is calling him a liar by not believing that he's been cleared. He said there's an old saying that if you can't get along, then get it on. Morgan's entrance music played and he headed to the ring in street clothes. Morgan has the Tyson Kidd hair patch going in the front only he has a full head of hair beyond that.

Morgan said one of the first things he learned is that you can't trust anyone in the wrestling business. Morgan said that he wanted to make it clear to Anderson that when the bell rings for their match at Genesis, it's on. He said it doesn't matter whether Anderson is 50 percent or 100 percent, he's coming at him.

Anderson said he's an asshole and will do whatever it takes to get through Morgan to get to Jeff Hardy. Anderson got up set and said that he and Morgan don't have to wait until Sunday (oops, wrong week, Anderson). "Really?" Morgan asked. They squared off and teased fighting.

Jeff Hardy's music played and interrupted the in-ring drama. Hardy said Anderson is 100 percent and so is Anderson. Hardy said they will compete on opposite sides of a tag match. He said he's picked partners for both men. The announcers quickly chalked up Hardy's match making abilities to the power of Immortal...

Backstage, Eric Young acted like Moses. Orlando Jordan entered the room dressed as Baby New Year and told Young that he's actually Father Time. Jordan asked if the wrap on Young's head was mistletoe and moved in toward him. The oblivious Young said it was something else from his mother's garden... The announcers hyped the rest of the show...

Powell's POV: I'm happy TNA is taking the head trauma issue seriously, but weekly concern over Anderson is getting to be overkill. Everyone played their parts well and everyone got a good crowd reaction, but I feel like I'm watching a rerun. By the way, why would Hardy interrupt a potential fight between Anderson and Morgan if he wants them at each other's throats?

[Q2] [C] An ad for Genesis focussed on the Morgan and Anderson match...

Powell's POV: I like the sports-like vibe they used for the commercial. That's the direction I'd like to see TNA move toward across the board.

1. Robert Roode (w/James Storm) pinned Chris Sabin (w/Alex Shelley). Despite both tag partners being at ringside, they did not get involved. Sabin went for a springboard DDT, but Roode blocked it and hit a spinebuster for the clean pin...

Backstage, Rob Van Dam was talking about having to face a mystery partner and wanting to get his hands on Jeff Hardy... [C]

Powell's POV: I expected more from the tag match. It wasn't a bad match, but they never shifted into another gear. The live crowd never really got into the match either. It wasn't a bad match, just not up to my admittedly high expectations for Roode and Sabin. That said, it was nice to get a clean pin and no interference from the partners.

[Q3] Backstage, Young was sitting on Jordan's lap and they were still dressed in their costumes. Shark Boy's music played and he entered in Stone Cold mode. Shark Boy said he'd like to be on Impact more. He noticed that Young was wearing the TNA Title and assumed he had enough stroke to help him out...

Borash introduced Rob Van Dam, who came to the ring in his gear. Van Dam said it was clear to everyone that Eric Bischoff is the man in charge of the company for the time being. He said the fact that he was in the ring waiting for a mystery opponent is another Bischoff mind game. Van Dam said there will be no stopping him in his quest to get his hands on Jeff Hardy...

Powell's POV: The bulk of the live crowd in the hard camera shot appears to be students from a high school. I believe many have been there before. It's a good move to get them in camera view because it makes the product look cooler than if the regular Impact Zone dwellers were in camera view. I guess lines like that may explain why I have such a hard time getting Impact taping reports.

2. Rob Van Dam pinned Robbie E (w/Cookie) in 2:10 Van Dam got the clean pin following the Five Star Frogsplash. Afterward, Jeff Hardy appeared on the screen and said RVD would get his revenge in due time. Hardy said RVD would have to defeat an opponent he selected for him at Genesis in order to get a title match... [C]

Powell's POV: Hardy mentioned Abyss carving up RVD. The opponent could be him, but I hope not. For what it's worth, Matt Hardy mentioned in the interview he did with Brian Fritz that his WWE release went into effect a couple weeks before WWE put the news online. If that's the case, then his 90-day noncompete would expire before Genesis. I think they'd be making a bigger deal out of it if it was him, though. By the way, I dig the Robbie E and Cookie act. I don't give a damn about "Jersey Shore," but Robbie and Cookie will be fine without the spoof element of their characters.

Backstage, Sarita hyped her strap match with Velvet Sky...

[Q4] Kazarian headed to the ring dressed in a suit and was escorted by a pair of attractive women. He entered the ring by himself for a promo while they remained at ringside. Kazarian cut a promo about Jay Lethal. He mocked Lethal's childhood home and said his family was so poor they had to bring the garbage in.

Kazarian joked that Lethal's brothers are named Keenan Ivory and Damon Lethal, and his sisters are Whitney and Beyonce Lethal. Ugh. Kazarian blamed Jay Lethal's mommy for something. Sorry, I was dozing off. Lethal hit the ring, but Kazarian punched him with an object in his hand and laid him out...

Powell's POV: The good news is that Kazarian's confidence has grown to the point that he can stand in the ring and deliver a promo. The bad news is that he or whoever is writing his jokes has a lousy sense of humor. He kept waiting for heat from the crowd, but they were too busy groaning.

Mick Foley entered a room and confronted Ric Flair and Eric Bischoff. Foley complained about they way they were playing with Anderson's brain. Foley said Anderson and Morgan deserve to know who they are facing so they know who to train for. Flair said he and Bischoff run the company. He said he could have Flair locked up in jail.

Foley said he doesn't have the power to change the match, but he had hoped to play to a softer side of both men that doesn't exist. Foley said he would watch the match at ringside to keep an eye on both of them. Flair told him not to get hurt while he's at ringside...

Powell's POV: The babyfaces look like pussies via Foley expressing those concerns. Concussions are serious business, but I have to question whether this is registering with the viewers at home. It made for good television early on, but it is getting repetitive. I get the feeling there are a lot of people saying or thinking, "Shut up and wrestle."

[Q5] 3. Sarita defeated Velvet Sky in a strap match in 3:30. They did the bit where both women touched three corners. Sarita ended up pulling Velvet over her back. The idea was that she was supposed to stumble backward and win in a fluky manner based on what the announcers were saying, but it wasn't executed very well.

After the match, Sarita whipped Sky with the strap. Angelina Love came out and ran off Sarita. The announcers put over that Sarita has been on a roll lately...

Backstage, Young and Jordan's New Year's party continued. Brian Kendrick showed up as stoned as Van Dam appeared to be earlier. Wait, that's just Kendick's character. Young accidentally knocked over some party goods on a table. Jordan asked where the girls are at... [C]

Powell's POV: I wish WWE and TNA would resolve to end lame ass holiday party comedy skits once and for all.

HIghlights aired from during the break of Velvet Sky throwing a fit and storming off while Angelina Love was left speechless in the ring... Backstage, Love attacked Sarita. When Sarita made a comeback, Winter showed up and threw her off. Winter tended to the fallen Love...

Powell's POV: I know they share the same first name, but since when do Angelina Love and Angelina Jolie have the same lips?

A video took a look back at 2010... A shot aired of Jeff Jarrett walking backstage. Tenay said Jarrett's open MMA challenge was up next... [C]

[Q6] Backstage, Douglas Williams was talking to a cameraman about not having a tag partner for a match. Brutus Magnus, er, Magnus entered the room and said that Williams has been there since day one, so he's there for him tonight if he needs a tag partner...

Jeff Jarrett made a Kurt Angle-style entrance from under the stage. His security and training partner joined him onstage to serve as an MMA-like entourage. He did the whole MMA routine at ringside before entering the ring.

Jarrett took a mic and recalled Amazing Red saying he had a little brother who would face him. He called for "Opie" to come out so he could send him back to Mayberry. The high school kids in the crowd laughed their asses off at the ultra-hip and modern reference. Or not. Okay, so everyone probably knows who Opie is.

Red came out. Jarrett said Red's brother is probably scared, so he would turn his back and give him the first shot. Jarrett got down on his knees with his back toward the entrance. Red's "brother" came out. He's a bigger guy with similar hair. Jarrett turned around and had a look of shock on his face when he saw Red's brother...

4. Jeff Jarrett fought Amazing Red's Brother to an apparent no-contest in 3:00. Tenay reminded viewers that Jarrett has $100,000 on the line in the open challenge. Red's brother applied the ankle lock, but Gunner and Murphy pulled Jarrett from the ring. Jarrett tried to sneak back in with a guitar, but Red took it and smashed it. Jarrett fled to ringside and his posse held him back.

Powell's POV: As I told Dot Net Members in audio recently, Red's storyline brother is a wrestler who has taken part in several dark matches at the Impact Zone. Shouldn't Jarrett lose the match and the money via DQ? I guess they just dubbed it a no-contest or something.

The announcers hyped the Anderson and partner vs. Morgan and partner tag match... [C]

[Q7] Backstage, Jarrett said he wants to make some tweaks to the MMA challenge. He said he doesn't want tall awkward guys, so the opponents have to be his height or shorter. He said he wants it known as an exhibition, and his opponents have to sign waivers to clear the company. Bischoff said he liked it...

5. A.J. Styles and Rob Terry defeated Douglas Williams and Magnus in 4:55. The announcers put over the fact that Magnus and Williams are former tag champs. They stated that Terry is taking the place of Matt Morgan as the muscle in Immortal. In the end, Styles used Williams's finisher to get the clean pin on Magnus... [C]

Powell's POV: I like that Styles used Williams's finisher, just as Williams used the Styles Clash to beat Styles in their last pay-per-view match. The problem with the match was that the high school girls (and maybe others) were cheering for Styles and his crowd-pleasing offense. If he's going to use those moves as a heel, he has to go the extra mile to turn the fans against him.

The Young and Jordan party continued. Tara and Generation Me showed up together. A fight broke out over God knows what. Kendrick stopped it by saying he had a message. He said it was only gas...

Powell's POV: This party is beyond f'n stupid. WWE does campy holiday parties, so TNA does it too? If you're going to mimic WWE, then be a little more selective.

[Q8] Madison Rayne came out wearing an evening gown with a group of men wearing tuxedos. They all did this choreographed bit with their hands as part of her entrance and then she fell back into the arms. I suddenly have this strange desire to order Genesis and race out to buy TNA house show tickets. Okay, not really.

Once in the ring, Madison smiled and waved to the crowd. She then screamed at SoCal Val to bring her the mic. Madison eventually threw a fit. She went so high pitched with her screaming that I don't even know what she was yelling about. She settled down and claimed that her dress cost $79,000. The fans taunted her, so she told them to shut up.

The fans eventually responded by chanting, "Shut up" at Rayne. Madison referred to Mickie James as a "hardcore country slut." Is there any other type of hardcore country girl? Just saying. That was Mickie's cue, as her music played and she headed to the ring to confront the annoying Rayne.

Mickie told Madison to shut up and punched her. Mickie roughed up Madison and tore off her dress, leaving Madison in her bra and panties. The embarrassed Madison ran backstage while Mickie smiled and played to the live crowd... [C]

Powell's POV: Madison's growth as a performer has been a lot of fun to watch, but she was not good here. The screaming was annoying in a turn the channel way, not in a good heat way. I still prefer Mickie the athlete to Mickie the hardcore country wrestler.

Mick Foley joined the announcers on commentary for the main event... Ring introductions took place for the main event tag match...

[Overrun] 6. Matt Morgan and Devon defeated Mr. Anderson and Bully Ray in 5:25. The gimmick is that Hardy picked the partners for Morgan and Anderson. Yes, Bully Ray is Brother Ray's name now that he's a singles wrestler. Devon wanted Ray to tag into the match. Ray teased interest, but then moved his hand when Anderson tried to tag him in.

Bischoff led Gunner and Murphy onto the stage. The security guards walked over to the announcers desk and told Foley he had to leave. Foley got up and teased leaving peacefully, but then he attacked security.

TNA Reaction

Foley was out when Reaction started. The announcers said he was hit over the head by a nightstick. Tenay said that's a dangerous issue for Foley to be struck over the head. In the ring, Ray was getting his shots in on Devon. Taz noted that Ray was picking his spots.

Anderson and Morgan ended up in the ring together. Anderson DDT'd Morgan, but Morgan came back moments later with a chokeslam. A short time later, Morgan went for a discuss clothesline on Ray, but he moved and Anderson took the shot. Morgan covered Anderson and made the pin.

The announcers questioned whether that shot to Anderson's head was accidental or not. Morgan tried to help Anderson to his feet, but Anderson was pissed off. Anderson yelled and then stormed away to conclude the match and our coverage...

Powell's POV: I didn't like seeing Ray and Devon touch before their pay-per-view showdown. Granted, Ray picked his spots and it was all about putting heat on him, and I'm not even excited about the Team 3D feud, but that should have meant more.

The Anderson and Morgan part of the match did not get me excited about watching them face off at the pay-per-view. Why should I care if Morgan accidentally hit Anderson or not? I guess it would make him a hypocrite if he did given everything he's said about concussions, but the announcers questioning whether it was intentional seems out of place given the way the move played out.

Overall, this felt like a throwaway show. It forwarded some of the stories slightly but not in a meaningful way. I can't stress enough how awful those backstage party skits were. Most holiday party skits in wrestling are lousy, but it's such a sports entertainment thing that it makes TNA look like a cheap knockoff. TNA fans should feel like the company innovates rather than emulates. Thanks for watching along with me tonight. I'll have more to say in the TNA Impact Hitlist on Friday.

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