TNA Impact on Spike TV
Taped in Orlando, Fla.

[Q1] The show opened with a video that focussed on Sting vs. Kurt Angle... The title is "Foley Fires Up Founder"... The opening video aired... Mike Tenay and Don West introduced the show and hyped "pay-per-view quality matches." They hyped Samoa Joe vs. Scott Steiner and Booker T in a first blood match, and Angle vs. Sting...

Mick Foley walked to the ring with the TNA Title draped over his shoulder. Tenay said Foley's fingerprints are all over the show. The artists formerly known as the Main Event Mafia security accompanied Foley to the ring. They were still wearing their MEM shirts. Foley was wearing a Jeff Jarrett t-shirt.

Foley said he knew there would come a day when the TNA Title would be taken away from him. However, he said Jarrett has taken away something from him he thought he'd have forever - his smile. Foley called out Jarrett "for a hard decision." Jarrett's music played and he headed out to the ring.

Foley said he wears Jarrett's t-shirt as a sign of respect for him as a man and what he's done with TNA for the wrestling business. He said that makes his decision even tougher. Foley said he tried to give Jarrett a second chance, but then he assaulted a referee "and a senior citizen" in referee Earl Hebner.

Mick announced that Jarrett was fined and suspended without pay from TNA. West said Jarrett was getting off easy. Jarrett said he wouldn't just stand there and let Foley make a mockery of him and the entire company. "Mick, your comedy act is over right now," Jarrett said. Jarrett started to leave the ring, but Foley called him back.

Foley impersonated the Three Stooges and then got intense. He reamed out Jeff for punching Hebner. Foley said it was time for Jarrett to pay the band. Jarrett said Foley has gone way too far. Mick said it was Jeff who went too far. Foley said they could do it the easy way or the hard way, but either way he was removing Jarrett from TNA.

"Well, Mick, it looks like we're gonna have to do this the hard way," Jarrett said. He wound up to punch Jarrett, but the security guards attacked him. The security crew roughed up Jeff with repeated punches while Foley backed up the ramp and encouraged them over the mic. Jarrett finally came back with a double clothesline and then hit them both with chairshots. West said Jarrett was out of control and crazy.

Foley stood on the ramp and shook his head. "You've left me no choice, Jeff," Foley said. "Once I regain my composure, I will singlehandedly throw you out of the Impact Zone." Jarrett said down on the chair and motioned for Foley to come get some. Foley made the same gesture back to Jarrett...

Powell's POV: Good opening segment. I wish Foley would just go full fledged heel, though. He's showing more heel tendencies than ever, but he never insults the fans. Go all the way with it. The security guys fit nicely with this role, but they have zero charisma. I like the tension between Jarrett and Foley.

Backstage, Lauren interviewed Team 3D. They spoke about The British Invasion. Devon said that if you draw first blood with Team 3D, you'll drown in your own blood. Lauren looked off camera. Brother Ray acknowledged that Raven was sitting on the floor. He said Lauren should be worried about Raven because he's crazy, but he wouldn't do anything then. Team 3D hyped their title match with Beer Money. After they walked away, Lauren ran away in fear of Raven, who was still sitting there...

Powell's POV: I haven't covered Impact live recently, so I figured I'd jump in and have some fun. Talon Robinson is also covering the show, so there's a double dose of Live Coverage tonight. Enjoy.

[Q2] [C] Backstage, Borash interviewed Jarrett, who said he's apologized to Hebner repeatedly for losing his temper and striking him last week. Jarrett said he's human and made a mistake. Jarrett said that he was going to leave on his own accord until Foley vowed to remove him from the building. "I'm here, I'm waiting, let's see you do it, big boy," Jarrett said...

Powell's POV: Good promo. Short, sweet, and right to the point.

1. Alex Shelley and Jay Lethal (w/Chris Sabin, Consequences Creed) beat Team 3D in a non-title match in 7:40. Lethal came out in the old school Macho Man trunks with the sparkly robe. He does a great job with the impersonation, but it's just so played out. West heeled it up by defending the British Invasion by saying they're not doing anything Team 3D hasn't done in the past.

West turned his attention to Suicide by saying he doesn't care who it is as long as it doesn't turn out to be Glenn Gilbertti. Funny. Late in the match, Sabin and Creed ran in just to get bumped by Brother Ray. Later, the British Invasion ran out, but Team 3D roughed them up. Doug Williams got loose and hit Devon from behind with the Money in the Bank (or whatever the hell it is) briefcase, which enabled Shelley and Lethal to get the win. Tenay questioned where Beer Money was at when they should have been helping Team 3D...

Powell's POV: West has some funny lines, but his heel act needs some work. He uses a tone that makes it sound like he's trying to be humorous, so it's hard to really believe anything he says. Worse yet, it can be distracting from the in-ring act. Meanwhile, Tenay's line about Beer Money felt really forced and it seems silly that they're supposed to race out there in less than 20 seconds to save Team 3D.

Backstage, Foley rallied his security forces. He had the Mafia Security guys and a slew of TNA security. He told them all that Jarrett could be armed and dangerous...

Powell's POV: Again, I want Foley to stop being cute and go all the way heel. He's entertaining, but he doesn't have heat. Enough of the tweener comedy antics.

[Q3] [C] Backstage, Foley and his posse tracked down Jarrett, who pointed out that Foley claimed he was going to do it singlehandedly. Foley clowned around and told jokes. Mick asked Jarrett to walk away before he got hurt. Jarrett said he'd leave before he did something he'd regret. Jarrett said Foley should reevaluate his position in TNA before he finds out what his real role is. After Jarrett walked away, Foley said he knows his role and it's the World Hvt. Champion...

Tenay and West hyped Tara vs. Madison Rayne, Shane Douglas vs. A.J. Styles, the first blood match, and the Sting vs. Angle main event... Backstage, Borash interviewed Booker T and Scott Steiner. Booker was over the top, Steiner said he'd break Joe's legs and then make him bleed... [C]

Powell's POV: Two more heels who spend too much time clowning around. Again, they're both funny and it's fun at times, but they really need to focus on putting legit heat on the heels.

[Q4] 2. Samoa Joe defeated Scott Steiner and Booker T in a first blood match in 11:50. Actually, it's a Nation of Violence first blood match. Whatever the hell that means. West pointed out that Joe had to make Booker and Steiner bleed. Steiner worked against Joe to start the match. The referee walked around with a white towel and dabbed the heads of the wrestlers to see if they were bleeding. West said he's interviewing Joe next week and vowed to find out who his advisor is.

Steiner grabbed a pipe from underneath the ring, but Joe cut him off. Joe put a trash can over Steiner head and then hit it repeatedly with the pipe. Steiner was bleeding when the ref took the can off his head at 4:30. He was noticeably bleeding, but the referee still dabbed his head with the towel.

With Steiner eliminated, Booker's music played and he came out with Sharmell, so apparently Sting's edict regarding the women being out of the Mafia didn't last long. She kissed Booker on the stage and stayed there. The show cut to commercial while Booker made his entrance. [C]

Powell's POV: I crack up whenever TNA has a first blood match because of the towel thing. The referee can't just look at the head of the wrestlers to see whether they're bleeding? Someone over-thought this concept.

Back from the break, Booker and Joe were already fighting at ringside. Joe eventually picked up the pipe and nailed Booker in the gut. The announcers said the blow could cost internal bleeding. The referee dabbed the towel on Booker's mouth and he was bleeding, so that ended the match... [C]

Powell's POV: Hey, couldn't they have gone with the condom in the mouth blood spot when the Guns caught all that hell for not wanting to blade? Anyway, the Steiner finish was great. The big dents Joe left in the trash can by hitting it with the pipe looked violent and painful. The Booker finish was weak. I'm surprised they didn't reverse the order to end the match on a high note. The Mafia is looking really weak right now.

[Q5] The announcers recapped the Joe match... Backstage, Lauren stood by as Sting, Kurt Angle, and trainers tended to Booker and Steiner. There was a bunch of commotion and she promised updates. The camera pulled back and showed Raven sitting on the floor in the background...

Powell's POV: Good use of Raven. He doesn't have to say anything and he's still compelling tonight.

3. A.J. Styles defeated Shane Douglas in a non-title match in 5:10.. Shane worked the match wearing long trunks and a black t-shirt with the sleeves cut off. He had a farmer's tan. They ended up fighting at ringside when Styles dove onto Douglas. A.J. came up limping. He rammed Douglas into the ring post. The announcers spoke about how an ankle injury could limit Styles more than anyone in TNA because of his in-ring style.

Styles hit the Pele Kick at 4:30 and went for the cover, but Douglas got a foot on the ropes. A short time later, Styles rolled Douglas into an armbar. Douglas tapped out immediately. West said Shane hasn't been in the ring in three years so you wouldn't expect to see him beat Styles.

After the match, Douglas attacked Styles from behind. Daniels ran out and hit Shane with a series of punches and kicks. Shane picked up his towel and hit Daniels. He revealed a pair of handcuffs were wrapped in the towel. He handcuffed Daniels to the ropes and took a few shots. Samoa Joe ran out and Shane fled...

Powell's POV: What was the point of that? They should have kept Douglas out of the ring until Slammiversary when he might be in better shape. At the very least, he can hit the tanning booth between now and then. I'm guessing he didn't get a lot of notice before they called him, so I don't want to be too tough on him. I'm more critical of TNA bringing him in for a pay-per-view match and having him lose clean beforehand. I don't understand that move.

A Slammiversary pay-per-view video aired... Backstage, Lauren was on a cell phone running in fear while the camera followed her. She ran inside the women's bathroom. Raven showed up and took a seat outside the door. Screams could be heard coming from inside the room. Still, Raven sat expressionless and even looked at his hand. Daffney left the room and Lauren could be seen laid out on the floor... [C]

Powell's POV: Classic Raven. I love what they're doing with him tonight.

[Q6] Tenay set up a shot of Taylor Wilde searching for Daffney backstage. She ran after her with a lead pipe while Raven and Stevie Richards sat on the floor. Daffney got the better of the exchange and was screaming while she roughed up Taylor. Stevie stood up and stopped her. "I'm sorry, Taylor, but that's all the time we have for this week," Stevie said in a calm voice. Stevie and Daffney walked away together while Raven sat on the floor admiring his cuticles...

Powell's POV: The saga with Dr. Stevie and his patients is flawed, but I like the dynamic with Stevie, Daffney, and Raven.

Backstage, Angelina Love complained to Borash that the Beautiful People set was missing. Taylor Wilde did a funny bit about Borash using "the noun lovely" to describe Tara. Madison Rayne snuck in a comment at the end to hype her match with Tara... [C]

Powell's POV: Cute segment. Love wanted their thrones for her butt. Borash said they couldn't get the set so he'd have to accommodate her butt. Funny. I hate to say it, but Madison isn't adding much to the Beautiful People act. Then again, they're not giving her much of a chance either.

The latest training video with ODB and Cody Deaner aired... Backstage, Borash interviewed Angle, who put over Joe for doing what he said by taking out Nash, Steiner, and Booker. He said it was down to him and Joe, and he told Joe to bring it. Angle headed into his locker room and slammed the door. Borash asked about Angle's match with Sting through the door...

Ring introductions for the Tara vs. Madison Rayne match took place...

[Q7] 4. Tara beat Madison Rayne (w/Angelina Love, Velvet Sky) in 4:15. Rayne bailed to ringside where the Love and Sky comforted her. Tara (a/k/a Victoria) grabbed the ropes and kicked her into her partners. Rayne scored a near fall with a neckbreaker and got in a minute of offense. Later, Tara jiggled and played to the crowd before hitting a standing moonsault for a near fall. She came back with the Widow's Peak and scored the clean pin...

Powell's POV: So far so good with Tara. I dig the entrance music. Love and Sky were great afterward as they flashed Tara nasty, jealous looks.

Backstage, Eric Young complained to Jeremy Borash that everyone is taking advantage of him. Borash said Young needs to stop feeling sorry for himself. Young slapped him across the face and Borash fell to the ground to sell it... [C]

Powell's POV: Short, sweet, and effective. The longtime comedy character is now one of the only heels who isn't going for laughs.

Backstage, SoCal Val debuted as an interviewed. Daniels cut her off and intensely stated that he'd give Shane Douglas his roster spot if he can beat him at the pay-per-view. Daniels said Douglas had to get his "ratty ass out of my company" if he lost the match...

Powell's POV: All these backstage segments and no focus on what should have been built up as a major television main event. Strange.

5. Kurt Angle pinned Sting in a King of Mountain qualifier in 16:55. After a couple minutes of back and forth action, the show cut to commercial.

[Q8] [C] Angle took control of the match and maintained it when they went to yet another commercial. [C] After the break, Sting came back with a couple of Stinger Splashes and a suplex for a near fall.

Later, Matt Morgan ran out and bickered with the referee while Sting was pinning Angle. Sting turned his attention to Morgan, who dropped off the apron. He popped back onto the apron a few seconds later and clotheslined Sting from behind while the ref was focussed on Angle. Kurt hit the Angle Slam and scored the pin.

After the match, Morgan clapped for Angle and entered the ring. Angle figured out what happened and shoved Morgan, who shoved him back and knocked him down in the process. Several referees entered the ring to separate the two as the show closed...

Powell's POV: Wow, a TNA main event with two top guys ends with outside interference. Knock me over with a feather. It never fails. I enjoyed most of tonight's show, but the main event didn't get the build it deserved and the outside interference happens too often.

In this case, at least Morgan's involvement and Angle's reaction was somewhat surprising. Let me guess, it will turn out to be a swerve and Angle and Morgan were actually in cahoots? Thanks for watching with me tonight. Don't forget that Talon Robinson also covered the show, and Rich Twilling will be by on Friday with the TNA Imapct Hitlist.

Dot Net Members will be listening to the Dot Net Weekly audio show on Friday with roughly 90 minutes of Jason Powell and Rich Twilling discussing Umaga, Vickie Guerrero, Batista, and all the latest news in pro wrestling. You can gain access to all Dot Net Audio and the many perks of membership for only five bucks per month by visiting the Dot Net Members' Signup Page.

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