TNA Impact taping
Orlando, Fla.
Report by Dot Net reader Michael from the U.K.

My girlfriend and I are on holiday in Florida so went along. Firstly, I hadn't read the BFG spoilers, but they recapped Jeff Hardy's heel turn before the show.
 
Jeremy Borash did a great job hyping the crowd. The Impact Zone is really small and was at least 50 percent filled of tourists such as us. The show, IMO, was absolutely horrible. 90 percent talk, very little action.
 
The opening segment saw Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff come down. Hogan can barely move. They called out Abyss and then Jeff Jarrett. Jeff Hardy was out next. His explanation was pathetic. Something about him being the antichrist. The crowd still gave him a face reaction. Jarrett blamed Dixie Carter. Abyss just loves Hogan.

Fortune interrupted and teased a big brawl, before Ric Flair and Hogan hugged. Flair was hilarious. They all blamed Dixie Carter for what has happened.
 
1. Madison Rayne defeated Tara to win the TNA Knockouts Title. Tara laid down for Madison. Mickie came out to a solid reaction and attacked Tara, but it came across as weak.
 
Sting and Nash were shown backstage. They came out and refused to join Team Hogan. Nash said it's because he's no longer all about the money, Sting said it's because he loves TNA. (Faces and heels seem to change daily in TNA?)
 
Kurt Angle came out and teased he wouldn't retire because he wasn't pinned. Jarrett interrupted him and they had a great back and forth, including chat about Karen Angle. Angle called her a slut. It ended with security beating on Angle and Jarrett busting him open by the announcers. Taz stopped the brawl. Although it didn't look great from where we were, I think it'll be hot on TV with the real life situation between the two. Angle was helped to the back. Interesting use of Taz.
 
Something happened with The Beautiful People and some chick from Jersey Shore. It ended with a brawl between Jersey Shore chick and someone called Cookie and Robbie. Hooooooooorrible. We very nearly left at this point. The crowd hated it. There were "Who are you?" chants. Funny.
 
At this point we were asked to move to the hard camera side because it was too sparse. We declined because my girlfriend didn't want to.
 
2. Samoa Joe defeated Abyss by DQ after about two minutes. RVD made the save, Joe bladed.
 
RVD called out Hardy. Bischoff came out, set RVD vs. Kennedy for main event.
I begged girlfriend (now virtually asleep) to stay to watch some actual wrestling.

3. Fortune defeated D'Angelo Dinero in a handicap match. The Pope beaten by all of Fortune other than Matt Morgan in a handicap match. It lasted maybe three or four minutes. It was Ok. It seemed to be prelude to a Pope vs. AJ Styles feud.

4. Mr. Anderson fought Rob Van Dam to a no-contest. The main event was good for five or six minutes. Serious Anderson refused to do his usual announcing schtick. Bischoff came down after RVD missed frog splash. The referee was made to leave by Eric. Hardy ran in, hit both wrestlers with chairs, set chair on Kennedy's arm and twist of fated RVD onto it. Anderson sold like crazy. Cool spot, but by my calculations, there isn't a single match on this week's Impact with a clean finish.
 
The crowd started to drift away. They constantly asked people to make more noise, but it came across as pretty dead to me.
 
Notes: To be honest, it seems a shame to have guys like Angle and Hardy wrestling in front of 200 real fans and a bunch of tourists who couldn't care less, but there you go. At least I got to see Ric Flair. That was cool. Still, maybe Matt Hardy can save TNA! Needless to say, we aren't going back tonight!

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