TNA Global Impact 2 on Spike TV
Taped in Tokyo, Japan

[Q1] A video aired with footage of last year’s event and hype for this year’s event. Interviews with Kurt Angle, Kevin Nash, and Alex Shelley were shown. Team 3D verbally sparred with Togi Makabe and Toru Yanu before they brawled at their press conference... [C]

Twill’s Two Cents: These events are truly special; especially with 40,000 plus people in attendance. I hope this show is no different.

Kurt Angle and Kevin Nash were shown arriving at the Tokyo Dome. Angle said he wanted to show that the Main Event Mafia dominated the United States and the entire world. The Machine Guns gave their thoughts on what it would mean to them to win the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championships...

1. The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) defeated No Limit (Yujiro and Naito) to win the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championships in 15:25. Mike Tenay and Don West were on commentary for the event.

West pointed out that Japanese crowds are not quiet; they are “more respectful” by not being as loud as American crowds. In an impressive spot, Shelley stood on the second rope and held it open as Sabin hit a suicide dive onto Naito... [C]

[Q2] Back from commercial, the Guns continued to impress with their speed and double team moves. Shelley bled the hard way from the nose. Naito hit a hands free high cross body from the top rope and followed with a dropkick. Yujiro tagged in and scored a nearfall on Shelley. Sabin was able to tag in, but No Limit hit a series of double team moves for a few nearfalls.

With all four men in the ring, Naito set up for a moonsault, but Shelley stopped him and put him in the tree of woe. He hit the hesitation dropkick. Shelley accidentally closelined Sabin and No Limit took advantage. Naito missed a corkscrew moonsault on Sabin. The Guns hit a double thrust kick for a long two count. The finish came with the Guns hitting a combination Sliced Bread/powerbomb from the top for the win...

Twill’s Two Cents: Tenay and West referred to this match as what you would see in the TNA X Division. Well, this was much better than what the current X Division is offering. That was pretty nonstop action for the fifteen minutes. They could have sold and gone for thirty minutes. Very fun match and the crowd was very impressed. The Guns pulled out some moves I have never seen them use in TNA.

After the match, Shelley was shown being interviewed in the press conference room. He said they were the greatest Jr. Heavyweight tag team in the world and it would be over their dead bodies when they lost the titles... [C]

[Q3] Footage was shown of sound bites from both Kurt Angle and Kevin Nash...

2. Kurt Angle, Kevin Nash, Masa Chono, and Riki Choshu defeated Giant Bernard, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii, and Karl Anderson in 7:09. Nice job by West saying Chono and Nash were stable mates as members of the nWo back in the 90s. Bernard was Albert in WWE. Choshu was an Olympian in 1972 and was credited with originating the Scorpion Death Lock (Sharpshooter).

Bernard and his team focused their attack on Choshu. Choshu fought back and hit his famous lariat, which is a damn good one. Bernard and Nash fought to the floor. Angle then took over his team. He hit released Germans on the other three opponents. He applied the ankle lock on Anderson and Anderson tapped as the “go to commercial” music was playing... [C]

Twill’s Two Cents: Well, that was suspect post production. The match was nothing too special, but it was cool to see Chono and Choshu in the ring. This was more of a name spectacle and allowing the fans to see the big names instead of a top quality match. I enjoyed it though and I love that Angle came out looking strong. He really is the best in the world.

[Q4] The narrator called Team 3D the “undefeated 20-time tag team champions.” Did I hear that right? Team 3D put over the IWGP Tag Team Championships and said outside of Madison Square Garden, the Tokyo Dome is the place any professional wrestler would want to have a match...

3. Team 3D defeated Togi Makabe and Toru Yanu to win the IWGP Tag Team Championships in a hardcore match in 11:06. Tenay said Team 3D had never lost in Japan. Okay, that makes sense. West revealed the show was probably taped in January or early February because he said Makabe and Yanu won the belts “almost a year ago in February.” Giant Bernard and Tomko were the former champions. Makabe hit a huge suplex on Ray to gain control for his team... [C]

Back from commercial, Brother Ray hit a double closeline on both of his opponents. They scored a couple of nearfalls on Yanu as Devon dealt with a bloody forehead. They showed footage of a spike piledriver on Devon, on a chain, on a chair, and on the floor during the break. Ouch. They did the “Get the tables” spot, but the crowd didn’t know it.

The audience did get behind Team 3D though. They pulled out and set up a cheap looking table. Makabe and Yanu put Ray through the table for a two count. Ray fought back and put Makabe through another table for a two count. The chain came into play and everyone ate it. Makabe tried to use it again, but ran into a 3D and new champions were crowned...

Twill’s Two Cents: Good hardcore match. The atmosphere and crowd make events like this seem very special. I know Vince McMahon doesn’t do anything outside of WWE, but I like that TNA and New Japan have this relationship. It really gives the term “world” and “world champion” a whole new meaning.

What did you think of the show? Feel free to let me know by shooting an email to dotnetrich@gmail.com.

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