TNA Impact on Spike TV
Taped May 26 in Orlando, Fla.

[Q1] The opening video aired... Mike Tenay and Don West introduced the show and hyped the X Division King of the Mountain and the other main matches...

1. Christian Cage and Rhino defeated Booker T and Rhino by DQ in 5:00. Rhino gored Booker late and went for a cover. Team 3D ran in and broke up the pin attempt for the DQ finish. Team 3D set up a table in corner o the ring. A.J. Styles ran in to save Cage and Rhino.

Styles took the mic, acknowledged his history with Cage, and said he hopes that he and Cage can be on the page at some point. He turned his attention to the heels and told them to pass along the message that he's going to beat the piss on him at the pay-per-view. "I'm not out to pin Kurt Angle, I'm out to hurt Kurt Angle," Styles said. He referred to Tomko as Angle's new best or butt buddy and said he was going to take care of him tonight.

Jim Cornette came out and said he's tire of watching the heels beat on Styles "like a drag queen at a tractor pull." Cornette booked Styles vs. Tomko with Kevin Nash as the special referee...

Powell's POV: Did A.J. just say "butt buddy" or "best buddy?" I sure hope it was the latter because the former doesn't belong on TV. The actual match was good. However, it felt too soon for Booker and Roode to be teaming. I realize they're both heels now, but it wasn't that long ago that Roode struck Booker's wife. It's not like the storyline is that Booker has turned on his own wife.

Jeremy Borash interviewed Samoa Joe following the TNA Champion's workout. Joe said he's going to ask Kevin Nash what his intentions are...

[Q2] [C] Backstage, Angelina Love and Velvet Sky cut a promo. Sky said she has pimples on her ass that are more appealing than the "marks" in the stands. They referred to ODB as a "butch." Good promo. After they left, Awesome Kong and Raisha Saeed showed up and cut a promo about Kong's $25,000 challenge...

Powell's POV: Butt buddies, drag queens, and butches?

2. ODB pinned Velvet Sky (w/Angelina Love) in 4:15 Before the match, ODB poured her spit cut onto Sky. They brawled into the crowd. They brawled their way back into the ring. Love interfered at ringside, but ODB eventually fought through it and scored the clean pin.

Afterward, Roxxi ran out to help ODB. Gail Kim ran out with her knee wrapped and dominated the heels. However, a heavyset woman (Mickie Knuckles) ran out and helped Sky and Love. West immediately assumed the new woman was "muscle" for Sky and Love. After the new woman laid out Kim, Sky and Love placed a brown paper bag over Kim's head...

Powell's POV: The new woman has a really low budget look. I can't believe they let her appear on the show when she was wearing green gym shorts and a tank top.

Highlights aired from Jay Lethal's bachelor party with heels and babyfaces in attendance... [C]

[Q3] [C] West hyped upcoming house shows... Eric Young's search for Elvis continued. at Graceland. He left a ticket for the pay-per-view on an Elvis statue... At ringside, the announcers ran through the pay-per-view lineup...

The third part of Tenay's interview with Sting aired. Sting discussed his past with Ric Flair. "I don't know anyone who has given more to the sport than Ric Flair," Sting said. He compared Flair to Brett Favre... [C]

Powell's POV: I'm just not sure what they're trying to accomplish with these interviews. How did that help Sting?

[Q4] 3. Kaz defeated Chris Sabin and Curry Man and Johnny Devine and Jimmy Rave in a King of the Mountain match for a shot at the TNA Title. Early in the match, Devine performed a moonsault off the top of the cage onto Kaz and Sabin at ringside. [C] Sabin pinned Rave and then winked at the camera like a tool. The announcers explained that Sabin is eligible to hang the X and win the match. Meanwhile, Rave entered the penalty box.

Rave's time in the box expired. He went back to getting his ass kicked by Sabin. [C] After the break, Kaz pinned Rave. However, Devine rolled up Kaz for a quick pin, which forced Kaz to join Rave in the penalty box.

[Q5] With two men in the box, Devine fought with Sabin while Curry sat in the corner for a minute or two. Curry got involved and hit the spice rack on Devine and pinned him. Curry had a shot to hang the X, but Kaz got out of the penalty box and stopped him. Kaz took the X and hung it himself to win the match...

Powell's POV: It was a good move to put a King of the Mountain match on television to give viewers an idea about what the match is all about.

Awesome Kong and Raisha Saeed walked to the ring for their fan challenge. Jeremy Borash went to ringside and spoke to Amber O'Neal, Becky Bayless, and Daffney. Borash admitted he recognized Bayless and Daffney. He acknowledged Daffney's past in WCW, but he did not acknowledge Becky's Ring of Honor history. Daffney said she's been working all over the world since Borash saw her in WCW. Of the three women, Kong selected Daffney, who brought a mouthguard with her... [C]

4. Awesome Kong defeated Daffney in a $25,000 challenge match. Mostly Kong, who finished off Daffney with a powerbomb.

Powell's POV: Cool to see Daffney again after all this time.

An Abyss vignette aired from inside the mental hospital. He said "three more day" several times, as in he has only three more days until he'll be released from the mental facility... At ringside, Tenay and West said Abyss plans to be at the pay-per-view on Sunday...

[Q6] Backstage, Lauren interviewed Kevin Nash, who was holding a baseball bat. Samoa Joe stormed into the room and yelled at Joe while questioning his motives. Nash told Joe to take the bass out of his voice. "I have to take care of my investment," Nash said. Joe took exception to being referred to as Nash's investment. Nash said he's done what's best for Joe's career. Nash turned his back and invited Joe to take a swing. Joe spun Nash around and said he wouldn't need the belt or for Nash to spin around next time... [C]

At Lethal's bachelor party, Sonjay read telegrams from groomsmen Koko Ware, George Steele, Kamala, who each indicated they would be at the wedding. Sonjay introduced the stripper, Kip James, who danced in a cage while Sonjay spanked his ass and tucked money in his shorts...

Powell's POV: TNA has also announced that Jake Roberts will appear at the pay-per-view. Wow, I think PWTorch.com columnist Bruce Mitchell was right about the TNA creative team.

5. LAX and Matt Morgan (w/Hector Guerrero, Salinas) defeated James Storm and Lance Hoyt and Kip James in 6:10. Tenay announced that ODB and Gail Kim and Roxxi vs. Velvet Sky and Angelina Love and Mickie Knuckles (he called her by name) has been added to the pay-per-view.

[Q7] Morgan walked the ropes and performed a power move. Then he celebrated and walked into a top rope move by Hoyt. I thought heels only did that. Morgan hit an awkward looking F5 on James for the win. Good action, though...

Backstage, Borash interviewed Scott Steiner, his mini, and Ru Paul. Borash tried to interview Williams, but Steiner did the talking. Steiner said Kaz has taken everyone to the limit in TNA, but asked who he's beaten. Petey tried to talk and got pissed when Borash said they were out of time...

Powell's POV: Doesn't Kaz have a title match next week on Impact? Way to sell next week's main event, Scotty.

Split screen shots aired of Kurt and Karen Angle. Kurt was supposedly in Hollywood on the set of his new movie, and Karen was at home in Pittsburgh. Kurt blamed Karen for their split. Kane tried to cry and said all she ever wanted to Kurt, but he loved himself and his career more than his wife and children. Kurt accused her of sleeping with Styles. She denied it. Kurt stood up and flipped out. Kurt vowed to break every bone in A.J.'s body until the truth comes out...

Powell's POV: Karen should avoid the crying act because it's really annoying. She's usually very good, but crying just isn't her thing.

Backstage, Borash interviewed a pissed off Styles, who said he's done explaining himself to Angle. "Screw you," I'm done," he said... [C]

Powell's POV: Nice promo. If a non-fan walked into the room and saw the promo they'd probably laugh at how corny all the yelling was, but screw them. It was logical for A.J. to be so upset given the accusations and attacks. Borash did a nice job of acting surprised by A.J.'s intensity.

[Q8] At the bachelor party, Ace Young introduced a birthday cake on wheels. Christy Hemme popped out and the men booed. Sonjay pulled a giant snake out of a gift box and announced that Jake Roberts will be at the pay-per-view...

Powell's POV: Wow, I forgot Styles and Tomko were wrestling tonight. Honestly, I did. There were a few plugs, but all the storyline attention was on Styles vs. Angle. It's great to hype the pay-per-view, but they should have saved this match for a time when they could have done it justice since these two are former tag champs with a long history.

6. A.J. Styles pinned Tomko in 8:20 with Kevin Nash as special enforcer. Styles ran from one side of the ring and flipped over the top rope onto Tomko at ringside to open the match. A.J. dominated the early action, but Tomko backflipped Styles to ringside just before the break. [C]

Robert Roode ran out to help Tomko, but Nash cut him off. Booker T ran out and Nash also punched him out. Back inside the ring, Styles hit the Pele kick. A.J. followed up with a frogsplash and scored the clean pin.

Afterward, Booker, Team 3D, Roode, and Tomko ganged up on the babyfaces. Christian, Rhino, and then Samoa Joe ran out to even the sides. Nash wound up to strike Booker with a chair, but accidentally hit Joe. Nash tried to console Joe, but Joe pushed him away...

A video showed the various King of the Mountain winners and asked, "Who's next?" Highlights showcased the various pay-per-view matchups...

Powell's POV: Great energy from A.J. He's absolutely sensational as a babyface. I'm still surprised that TNA gave away a Styles vs. Tomko match without much buildup. I'm always happy to see clean finishes and it's good to see A.J. getting the huge babyface push, but I would have saved that particular matchup for a week when it could have been the primary focus. That being said, this was good go-home show that did a great job of setting up Styles vs. Angle. I could have done without all the homoeroticism, but I guess that's TNA for you. I'll have more to say about the show tomorrow in the TNA Impact Hitlist.

RECOMMEND THIS ARTICLE: