TNA Impact on Spike TV Taped in Orlando, Fla.

[Q1] Highlights of Lockdown Aired. This week’s title is “Cactus Crosses the Line…”The Impact intro aired…

Talon’s Take: I like the new title graphic. The whole Cross the Line theme looks more professional than what they had before.

Impact opened as Jeff Jarrett made his way to the ring with the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. He immediately introduced the new World Champion. Mick Foley came out and thanked Jeff and the fans. He then thanked Dirk the cameraman and even put the camera on him. Foley said his pain from Lockdown was physical while Sting’s was emotional. Foley said we wouldn’t see the Stinger in the Impact Zone for a while. The fans chanted loudly that they wanted Sting. Jeff Jarrett then presented Foley with the championship. Jarrett said six months ago when Foley came to TNA nobody thought they would be here. Jarrett said Foley originally wanted to concentrate on the young guys but today Foley is the World Champion.

Jarrett announced that at Sacrifice there would be a Four-Way Match for the World Championship where the three challengers would have to sacrifice something important to them just to get in the match. The one who is pinned in the match would sacrifice to whomever pins them. Foley asked who TNA Management was around here? Foley implied that Jarrett was jealous of him for being World Champion. Foley said he was no longer a soldier but rather the general of the TNA Army. Mike Tenay mentioned that Jarrett suffered a torn hamstring at Lockdown, Foley booked Jeff Jarrett tonight in a “Cactus Jack Smack Attack” match where Foley selects the weapons to be used. Foley then announced it would be Jeff Jarrett vs. Scott Steiner tonight and Foley would be on commentary…

Talon’s Take: Finally we open Impact without the Main Event Mafia. Good opening teasing the dissension between Foley and Jarrett and announcing the main event for Sacrifice which sounds interesting.

Backstage Lauren was with the Beautiful People. Velvet kept throwing confetti at Lauren. Velvet teased that tonight they would throw the biggest celebration party this side of Hollywood…[C]

[Q2]Don West interviewed Team 3D. Brother Ray thanked the fans and Beer Money for their match at Lockdown. Ray said they wanted to make the tag team scene in TNA even greater. Team 3D announced that starting tonight they would present “Team 3D’s Invitational Tag Team Tournament.” The winner of the tournament would receive a trophy, 100,000 dollars and a shot at their tag team championship…

Talon’s Take: At least someone cares about Tag Team wrestling.

1.Beer Money defeated Lethal Consequences in 5:20. Mike Tenay mentioned that Beer Money didn’t have a rematch clause for the tag team titles. Beer Money’s demeanor was very serious for this matchup. Beer Money gained control early on due to a cheap shot but Lethal Consequences fought back with suicide dives to the outside. Beer Money hit a spinebuster/backstabber combination on Creed. A mid-ring collision between Creed and Storm allowed hot tags to the partners. Lethal Consequences with a series of nice tag team moves. Robert Roode kicked out of the Lethal Combination. Beer Money hit the DWI for the win…

Talon’s Take: Nice match! I am excited to see what kind of tag team will be in this tournament. Let’s hope eventually the X Division gets as much attention.

Jeremy Borash was in the Main Event Mafia’s locker room. Kurt Angle spoke up and said Team Jarrett didn’t beat them at Lockdown because they beat themselves. Scott Steiner apologized to Kurt saying it’s his fault for trusting Jeff Jarrett. Steiner claimed that their twenty years of friendship is down the drain. Kurt Angle said he wouldn’t want to be Jeff Jarrett right now…[C]

[Q3] Jeremy Borash was backstage with Jeff Jarrett. JB told Jarrett that Scott Steiner was pissed off. Jarrett responded by saying he didn’t give a damn about Scott Steiner. Jarrett said at Lockdown he made a business decision. He said “Screw Steiner, Screw the Main Event Mafia and Screw Mick Foley.” Eric Young then barged into the office and asked him what he needed to do to get noticed. He said he was handpicked by Sting and he had two X Division Championships taken from him. Jarrett said he had more important things tonight. He asked when it was his turn. Jarrett told EY that Holiday didn’t have a tag team partner due to travel issues so Young can partner with him. He told EY to go find Holiday…

Talon’s Take: A graphic was shown moments later that Jethro Holiday was none other than Trevor Murdoch. What a horrible signing!

We saw a video of Mick Foley after winning the World Champion. He was bragging to his kids’ bus driver about winning the World Championship…

In the MEM Locker Room Lauren was with Booker T and Kevin Nash. Nash said he would get Booker his Legends Championship. Sharmell and Jenna Morasca then started to argue about staring at Nash…[C]

Cameramen followed Mick Foley again who went into some sort of diner. Foley called some girls’ boyfriend for her…

Talon’s Take: These are okay segments but Foley doesn’t need any more attention than what he was getting.

[Q4]Back in Jeff Jarrett’s office Jeremy Borash and the TNA Founder were joined by AJ Styles and Daniels. Daniels thanked Jeff Jarrett for bringing him back to TNA. Jarrett told Daniels that it was he and AJ who made everything worth it. Jeremy Borash that got distracted with the Knockouts Ladder Match and Jeff told him to Knock himself out…

2.Sojourner Bolt defeated Taylor Wilde in a Ladder Match in 3:10. This is for an eventual Knockouts Title shot. Taylor sent Sojo into a Ladder early on. It was announced that Slammiversary would be in Detroit this year. Taylor Wilde went for the contract but Sojo backdropped her off the ladder. Sojo pulled out brass knux which Don West called “shiny tape”. Both would climb the ladder but Sojo knocked out Taylor and grabbed the contract…[C]

Talon’s Take: Why do they keep putting gimmick matches on TV without proper build or time? Why is Sojo getting another title shot when her last one wasn’t well received? These questions need to be asked.

We are back in the King of the Mountain’s office with Jarrett and JB. They are interrupted by referee Slick Johnson who said Jeff’s daughter called and it’s important. Johnson mentioned that it had to do with school…

Talon’s Take: What the hell does this have to do with wrestling?

Madison Rayne and Velvet Sky were in the ring for the official Beautiful People Championship Celebration. They talk about the Knockouts Trading Cards. They then introduced the Knockouts Champion, Angelina Love who made her way to the ring. Mike Tenay said Madison Rayne was an official member of The Beautiful People. Velvet said she was proud of her. Love went on to thank all of her fans for their support. She said times are hard for the fans with all the burger joints going out of business and for them to lose their trailers. She finished with “they like me they really like me.” Velvet brought out some dancing boys who danced and started to strip for the Beautiful People. Awesome Kong made her way to the ring as TBP (The Beautiful People) retreated to the back. Awesome Kong then hit the Awesome Bomb on one of the dancers…[C]

Talon’s Take: I am happy that Angelina Love is champion because it will hopefully freshen up the division. Love was funny here but overall the segment wasn’t very good. It wasn’t much of a celebration.

[Q5] Another video of Foley aired where he got a massage. Foley gave the masseuse a one dollar tip but she caught him. Foley then gave her a twenty dollar tip.

3.AJ Styles defeated Kevin Nash by DQ to retain the Legends Championship in 5:45. AJ Styles has a modified theme song. AJ attacked the knee of Nash early on. Nash knocked AJ off the top with an elbow shot. Nash hit a Walking Side Slam for two. AJ attempted a comeback but was hit with a big knee from Nash. AJ with a flying forearm for two. Nash went for a chokeslam but AJ fought out and hit a Pele for yet another two count. AJ went for a springboard 450 but Kevin rolled out of the way. Booker T came to the ring and as Sharmell distracted the ref Booker hit the Axe Kick. Unfortunately for them the ref saw it and Disqualified Nash…[C]

Talon’s Take: Again the match doesn’t get enough time. A match like this deserves a good eight to twelve minutes.

[Q6] We saw that during the break Jenna Morasca and Sharmell were arguing and being split up by Nash and Booker T…

4.Eric Young and Outlaw Jethro Holliday defeated Team No Limit in 3:30. Kiyoshi and Sheik Abdul Bashir accompanied No Limit to the ring. Holliday got a poor reaction. Holliday hit a big Full Nelson Slam for a two. Team No Limit battled back at Naito hit a missile dropkick. No Limit continued to isolate Holliday. Yujiro went for an elbow drop but Holliday stuck his boot up and made the hot tag. Sheik Abdul Bashir and Kiyoshi tried to interfere but Young fought them off. EY then picked up the win with a Cruicifix…

Talon’s Take: Okay debut for Holliday. Hopefully this new push for EY continues. Don’t hold your breath though.

In the back Lauren was with AJ. AJ then saw Samoa Joe saying goodbye to someone in a black truck. Joe had a black towel over his head. AJ asked why Joe couldn’t return his calls. Joe said they weren’t friends, there was only his Nation of Violence…[C]

Talon’s Take: I like the character Samoa Joe portrays. When he goes heel it will be even better. So they are teasing dissension between Joe and AJ now. Does anyone get along in TNA?

[Q7] Lauren and Abyss were in Dr. Stevie Richards. Lauren kept confronting Stevie. Stevie asked Lauren why she didn’t have compassion for him as well since he was a recovering addict. Stevie asked Lauren to help him make Abyss better…

Talon’s Take: I am interested to see where this goes?

Weapons were all over the ring in preparation of the main event. West and Tenay spoke about the upcoming Live Events…

Mike Tenay sat down with Daniels. Daniels said talked about his friendship, the X Division and his absence from TNA. Daniels talked about the Main Event Mafia and how they thought they were bigger than TNA but he couldn’t accept that. Daniels said it’s time to prove he belongs in the upper echelon of TNA…

Talon’s Take: Great interview putting over what TNA should be!

A camera showed Cactus Jack who made his way to the ring for the main event…[C]

Again with Mick Foley who was signing autographs for the fans. He ran from a fan which was kinda funny…

5.Jeff Jarrett defeated Scott Steiner in a “Cactus Jack Smack Attack” Match in 10:00. Mick Foley joined Tenay and Don West on commentary. There was barbed wire on a section of the ropes. Jarrett started things off with a few kendo stick shots to Steiner. He used one of the fan’s signs which turned out to be a road sign. A pogo stick came into play by Scott Steiner who began bouncing on it. A mail box and a plastic Santa Clause got used as well. Steiner hit a suplex where Jarrett hit his elbow on the concrete as we went into commercials.[C]


[Q8]Back from the break Jeff Jarrett sent Scott Steiner into a chair in the corner. Jarrett was going to send Steiner into the barbed wire but Steiner reversed into a Belly to Belly. Don West made fun of Vince McMahon by using the “reprehensible” line when Jarrett hit a move Foley commonly uses. Foley kept on talking about ratings. Jarrett went for the Stroke onto a chair on Steiner but Scott reversed. Steiner went for the Steiner Recliner but Jarrett low-blowed him for a 2-count. Jarrett went up top but Scotty caught him up there and hit a top rope Samoan Drop. Steiner then locked in the Steiner Recliner successfully but Jarrett got to the ropes. Jarrett smashed a guitar over the head of Steiner followed by The Stroke for the win…

After the match Kurt Angle ran down to ringside and attacked Jeff Jarrett. He hit Jarrett with a nice Angle Slam. He then locked Jarrett in the Ankle Lock while Scott Steiner locked in the Steiner Recliner. Mick Foley then came into the ring with a chair and cleared the Main Event Mafia from the ring. All of a sudden Foley turned around and hit Jarrett with the chair. We went to commercials as Foley stood over Jarrett…[C]

Talon’s Take: Match was solid for a hardcore match. The Foley turn was expected and predictable.

Back from break we saw what just happened. AJ Styles and Daniels were in the ring with Jarrett. Jarrett grabbed a mic and said he knew Mick Foley was a whack-job 6 months ago. He said this is now personal. He said the next time he sees Foley. He will stick a pink slip up his ass.

Familiar music hit and like what happened at Lockdown, when the lights came on Bobby Lashley stood at the top of the stage and stared down at the good guys. Kurt Angle and Scott Steiner then clapped for Lashley. The show came to a close with Jarrett, Daniels and AJ looking on in wonder…

Talon’s Take: There was some good about this show but I think as for quality, it is down a notch from before Lockdown. The Tag Team Invitational is exciting and I do kind of like what they are doing with Foley but there is enough backstage crap to bring the quality of the show down.


Tell me what you thought by emailing me at Talon_DR@yahoo.com

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