TNA Impact on Spike TV
Live from Las Vegas, NV

[Q1] A video package featuring the superstars in a rain storm as well as classic footage was shown. The voice over guy put over the significance of TNA moving into high definition...

A new opening video aired. Mike Tenay and Don West welcomed us to the Hard Rock Café in Las Vegas. The HD looks great but it looks like there are only about 200 people there. There is a nice sized screen at the top of the entrance ramp...

The Beautiful People with Cute Kip made their way out to the ring. Is it a coincidence they brought out Velvet first for the first show in HD? The only thing better would be Meghan in HD, or in person, but either way works. Both Velvet and Angelina cheated on their boyfriends with the middle rope on their way into the ring...

1. Christy Hemme defeated Velvet Sky (with Angelina Love and Cute Kip) in 2:43. After grounding Velvet, Christy climbed the ropes, knocked out Cute Kip with a right hand, and hit the splits kick for the win...

Twill's Two Cents: Surprisingly decent opener. The crowd was hot for this.

Tenay and West ran down the many matches on tonight's card...

JB interviewed Kurt Angle backstage. Angle looked drunk and had a nearly finished drink in his hand. Angle said he had an announcement that would trump Mick Foley's announcement. Angle said he made some phone calls and the deal was done.

JB and the camera turned to reveal Booker T and Sharmell. Booker cut a promo about lions running in packs. Next to Booker and Sharmell was Kevin Nash. Nash said Joe did not respect him or Scott Hall. Booker repeated "RESPECT" over and over again. Angle said there was one more person in their group.

Sting, in a suit and sunglasses, revealed himself and said they have been asking the young guys for respect. Starting tonight, they would no longer ask for it; they would demand it. Sting walked away. Angle stood up and made a toast to the "Main Event Mafia."... [C]

Twill's Two Cents: I am glad they finally pulled the trigger on this and I love the name of the faction. Anything with "Mafia" in it works for me.

[Q2] Lauren waited outside for Mick Foley. Foley pulled up in a turquoise and white Volkswagen Bug. Foley said his announcement was bigger than big and he would make the announcement later tonight...

Booker T and Sharmell came out. This crowd loves the heels; they chanted for Velvet earlier and did the same for Booker here. Booker opened the suitcase and took out a bag. Why did he just not carry around a bag? Booker pulled out a sweet looking red championship belt. Of course, he told us it was the TNA Legends Championship. He introduced himself as the champion but Christian Cage interrupted and came out to the ring...

Seriously, the building is so small, Cage could have ordered a drink from the top rope and the waitress could have handed it to him. Cage called Booker a bad "Lil John impersonator." He said a legend is someone that demands respect but Booker has not done that. Cage questioned the legitimacy of the title since Booker just invented it.

Booker said tonight was a celebration. Christian responded with his Lil John impersonation. Booker said tonight was about Christian. He said "in my country," Christian is a legend. He invited him to join the MEM. Christian respectfully said no and challenged Booker to a match for the Legends Championship at the Turning Point pay-per-view. Cage said in his country, that was a challenge. Booker said yes, but if he defeated Cage, Cage would have to join the Main Event Mafia. Cage smiled and walked away...

Twill's Two Cents: Another solid segment. We all assumed that Booker would defend the title against a young guy, but I like this angle with Cage and what decision he ultimately is going to make. This has nWo-like intrigue to it. Good stuff.

Lauren interviewed Matt Morgan and Abyss. Morgan told Abyss he would not be wrestling tonight because he was suffering from 3rd degree burns to 10% of his body. Abyss called Morgan his dearest friend. Abyss said his therapist told him to think for himself. Does that make any sense? Abyss said they would win tonight and then go after Kurt Angle. Morgan said he had it handled and walked away. Abyss said he had to do something about Angle... [C]

[Q3] JB interviewed Jeff "I only have one shirt" Jarrett backstage in his suite. Jarrett said he would let Mick Foley make the big announcement and Angle would eventually get over wanting him back in the ring again...

2. Sheik Abdul Bashir defeated Jay Lethal to retain the X-Division Championship in 1:47. Dutt attacked Lethal before the opening bell. Lethal hit a Suicide Dive onto Bashir on the floor. Lethal went for and missed the top rope elbow. Bashir hit the WMD for the win...

Twill's Two Cents: What in the hell was that? Lethal won the Steel Asylum to lose a title match in less than two minutes?

Lauren interviewed AJ Styles and Samoa Joe backstage. Styles was not ready for this promo. He stepped it up a bit and made the point that this whole situation was about TNA and not any one individual. Joe went face to face with the camera and pushed Styles out of the way. He said he would take Nash's career and anyone that tried to help him out... [C]

[Q4] A vignette aired featuring the Suicide character. He looks like La Parka in an updated suit...

Rhino punked Sheik Abdul Bashir backstage. He accepted his open challenge and said he would have him deported. Rhino then turned his back to Bashir and received a kick to his testicles. Bashir hit him with a microphone and put his hands on Lauren. He took off and Lauren tended to Rhino...

James Storm and Jacqueline came out for the tag team gauntlet match. David Penzer explained the rules of the match for what seemed like ever. I am still not sure what exactly is going on here... [C]

3. Beer Money (with Jacqueline) defeated Team 3D in a tag team match that started as a gauntlet match that included LAX and Matt Morgan and Abyss in :48. Brother Ray came out next and Storm attacked him right when he entered the ring. Okay, elimination takes place when someone goes over the top rope and to the floor. Once four participants are left, they will have a regular tag team match with a weapon being legal. The weapon is determined by your text votes.

Robert Roode came out third, giving Beer Money a short advantage. Brother Devon came out fourth to even up the sides. Team 3D was over huge with the crowd. Hernandez came out fifth and was able to hit moves on all four opponents. Team 3D hit a Doomsday Device (sort of) on Hernandez. Homicide came out next and hit a double missile dropkick to Team 3D.

Morgan was the next one out. He eliminated Homicide, Devon, and Hernandez within thirty seconds. Abyss came out and Morgan tried to send him to the back. Morgan was eliminated by Beer Money. The fans voted for tables being legal. This is a mess. Devon is back in the match now and I don't think Abyss ever entered the match. The clock counted down on screen but it shouldn't have.

[Q5] Devon and Ray tried to set a table on fire but Abyss stopped them. Abyss then almost set the table on fire but Team 3D eliminated him. This made it a tag match between Beer Money and Team 3D. Team 3D hit the 3D on Roode through the table but Jacqueline pulled the referee out of the ring. Storm spit beer in someone's face to score the pin... [C]

Twill's Two Cents: That was terrible. No one knew the rules. The table should not have been introduced until the actual tag match began but Abyss was not eliminated yet. They did not explain what would have happened if members of different teams were in the final four. Ugh; they should have planned that one out a little better. FYI, the last tag match is what I used for the match time.

Kurt Angle came out to the ring. David Penzer was shown in HD. He wears an earring. He's not as cool as Harrison Ford. Angle said tonight was historic because of the birth of the Main Event Mafia but he did not forget about Jarrett. He said he would pay a visit to Jarrett's daughters. He called Jarrett out and Jarrett obliged...

Jarrett said the talent roster in TNA was better than ever. He said he was passing the torch and Angle should do the same. Jarrett put over Joe, Styles, Lethal, and the Machine Guns. He said Angle will have to accept no for an answer and many people would love a piece of Angle. Abyss stood behind Angle and attacked him as Jarrett looked on. Angle fought back and ran into a Blackhole Slam. Either Abyss dropped him or Angle slithered out. Either way, Angle improvised very well...

Twill's Two Cents: Could we please leave Jarrett's daughters out of this? Nobody needs to see little Jaren selling an ankle lock.

Mick Foley was shown walking around the Hard Rock Café... [C]

[Q6] An ill-timed "Cross the Line" featuring Kurt Angle aired. These are solid videos but they don't want to undo the segment they just had...

A video package illustrating the Awesome Kong vs. Taylor Wilde feud aired. Lauren interviewed Raisha Saeed as Kong looked on. She said tonight would not just be Wilde's last match against Kong, it would be Kong's last match, period. JB interviewed Taylor Wilde in a bathroom. How did he get access to go in there? Taylor said Kong would have to end her career to take her title...

Awesome Kong and Raisha Saeed made their ring entrance... [C]

4. Awesome Kong (with Raisha Saeed) defeated Taylor Wilde to win the TNA Knockout Championship in 3:22. Is there a story behind that salute Taylor does? Is she starring in "The Marine 2" with John Cena? Kong hit a closeline as a counter to a missile dropkick for a nearfall. Rivaling "Let's go Taylor, let's go Kong" chants were heard.

Kong hit a chokeslam for a two count. Taylor reversed an Awesome Bomb into a facebuster. Taylor hit a missile dropkick for a nice nearfall. Saeed distracted Wilde, allowing Kong to hit the Awesome Bomb for the win...

Twill's Two Cents: Finally! Kong should not need help from Saeed, but they did not want to completely bury Taylor either. Glad to see the belt off of Taylor.

[Q7] The Main Event Mafia wished Kevin Nash and Sting good luck in tonight's main event, which apparently, is next... [C]

Nick Bockwinkel was shown at ringside. Nice. I always had the utmost respect for Bockwinkel...

5. Sting and Kevin Nash defeated AJ Styles and Samoa Joe in 6:39. For what it's worth, Styles came out last. Styles and Nash began the match. Joe tagged in and Nash tagged out. Joe got the best of Joe before tagging in Styles. Nash tagged in and worked on Styles going into the break... [C]

Style remained on the receiving end of the offense of Nash and then Sting coming back from the break. Nash and Joe finally met in the ring. Nash hit a series of punches and a senton for a two count. After Sting was disposed of by Joe, Nash hit Joe with the belt for the win...

Twill's Two Cents: The young guys looked good but the old guys looked gassed. That was a weak finish.

Styles attacked Sting and Nash after the bell. Joe applied the rear naked choke to Nash. Angle and Booker came out to kick the absolute crap out of Styles and Joe. Both of them bladed. The MEM stood tall in the middle of the ring...

[Q8] Mick Foley's major announcement is next. This better be good... [C]

Foley came and declared it "major declaration time" in TNA. Foley told us what he and Jeff Jarrett talked about. Foley revealed he had made a lot of money but was also the most frugal person to ever lace up a pair of boots. Jarrett offered Foley an opportunity to make an investment since he made a lot of money and spent very little of it.

Angle's music hit and he came out with the MEM. Angle came forward alone and approached Foley. Angle made reference to Foley saying he was going to "take a Kurt and wipe his Angle." Angle headbutt Foley across the bridge of the nose. Kurt asked Foley if he thought it was funny now.

Foley stood up and said it was funny because Kurt just headbutt his new boss. Foley bought into TNA and became a "major stockholder." Foley acted like he was going to give Vince McMahon's "you're fired" line but he said "you're free" instead. He said Angle was free to continue working for TNA if he wanted to.

Foley gave a very passionate promo saying he believed in his investment and believed in TNA. He referred to a long history between the two of them. He said they lived through a lot of history in WWE and new history was going to be made in TNA. Angle looked on genuinely. He asked Angle if he wanted to make history or be history. Confetti showered Foley in the ring as Angle retreated back with his crew...

Twill's Two Cents: Well, that was pretty good actually. With Jarrett coming forward admitting he actually owned the company on TV, this could be a cool "blurring the line" type of situation with Foley. Dare I say TNA has some direction?

What did you think of the show? Never mind the glitz and glamour, the steak tonight was very good and much more important than the sizzle. Let me know what you thought by emailing me at dotnetrich@gmail.com.

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