TNA Impact on Spike TV
Taped in Orlando, Fla.

[Q1] Highlights aired from last week and showcased the Sting vs. Kurt Angle feud... A shot aired of Kurt Angle backstage leaving his dressing room. Mike Tenay said we were about to find out how Angle would respond to being removed from the Impact Zone by Jeff Jarrett... The opening montage aired...

Tenay hyped Sunday's Destination X pay-per-view and hyped the Sting vs. Angle main event. For tonight's show, he hyped a six-man elimination tag team match...

Kurt Angle made his entrance and headed to the ring for a promo. Tenay said he was flying solo because Don West had not arrived, nor provided an explanation for his tardiness. Angle said Jeff Jarrett wanted to show him up in front of his "butt buddies" by throwing him out of the building. He said Jarrett knows that he's sick in the head.

Angle invited Jarrett to come out so that he could show the fans just how crazy it is. "Tonight, it's you, Jeff," Angle said. "This Sunday it's Sting." Angle called out Jarrett again. "Do you have any balls or are you just a chickenshit?" he asked.

Jeff Jarrett walked out with his guitar in hand. Jarrett walked toward the ring, but Mick Foley and B.G. James cut him off and asked him to leave the building and go back to the hotel rather than face Angle. They eventually talked him into leaving.

Foley took the mic and asked what the hell is wrong with Angle. "Have you lost your mind, Kurt?" Foley asked. "Whatever happened to that Olympic hero I met ten years ago?" Foley climbed in the ring and addressed Angle. He said he invested his own money in TNA because he believes in young guys like A.J. Styles, Samoa Joe, and even Angle himself.

"Inside this ring, Kurt, you might be the best I've ever seen," Foley said. "The more I saw of you, the more I saw the real you." He said Angle would do anything to keep his spot even if TNA crumbled down around him. Foley said he thought he could reason with Booker T, Kevin Nash, and Scott Steiner, but they're as bad as Angle.

Foley said the only person he can still reason with is Sting. He said Sting has figured it out. He predicted that Sting would leave Destination X as the TNA Champion, which would cause a shift in power. Foley said that if Angle still wants to fight someone, he could fight him. "Take your best shot," Foley yelled. "Take it! Take it! And give me the opportunity to Cactus Jack your ass."

Angle and Foley went nose-to-nose, but Angle backed off. Foley flashed him a crazed grin. Angle left the ring, and Tenay said Kurt had a calculated look on his face that "scared the hell out of me"...

Backstage, Jeremy Borash held the mic while Jim Cornette spoke to Sting. Corny said he answers to more people than just Jarrett and Foley. He said management was upset because there's a locker room full of wrestlers who aren't getting matches and aren't getting paid.

Corny asked Sting to give anyone in the locker room a chance to face Angle. He said he was going to give Kurt the same opportunity to pick someone to face Sting. He said Sting could be in the corner of the wrestler he chooses, just as Angle could be in his wrestler's corner...

Powell's POV: Good opening segment that covered a lot of ground. I like the idea of Sting and Angle picking their opponents. I had to laugh when Cornette said he answers to just more than Jarrett and Foley. How many on-air authority figures does this company have? I laughed even harder when Corny was talking about the poor wrestlers who don't get a chance to work. Wasn't the Mafia angle was supposed to elevate those wrestlers? Anyway, it was a good 15 minutes that set the stage for the rest of the night.

[Q2] [C] Another TNA "For The Record" graphic thanked fans for helping TNA set another viewership record...

Powell's POV: Yeah, but how many Facebook friends does TNA have?

Backstage, Lauren introduced Jenna Morasca, who was with Mick Foley. She said her favorite wrestler is Kevin Nash. Lauren asked what she did with the million dollars she won on "Survivor." She responded, "I invested it to make millions more." Foley cut her off and they walked away together...

Powell's POV: There's your new TNA female investor. Sigh.

After Foley and Jenna walked off, Matt Morgan showed up with a bag of tacks. Lauren said Morgan wouldn't take part in the tacks match because he's made progress in therapy. Morgan said he wouldn't take no for an answer. He got in her face, grabbed her ass, and said he gets whatever he wants whenever he wants...

1. Rhino defeated Sheik Abdul Bashir in 3:45. Tenay ran through the show lineup again. He said something about Sting's wrestler facing Angle's wrestler, so I'm not sure what the hell is going on. Don West arrived and joined Tenay on commentary. They bickered and Tenay accused West of being hungover.

"It smells like a brewery out here at the broadcast table," Tenay said. West said he noticed the same thing when he walked by ring announcer Dave Penzer. Funny. In the ring (as if that matters anymore), Rhino scored the clean pin on Bashir.

Bashir caught Rhino with a low blow after the match. He headed to ringside and retrieved a chair. Bashir struck Rhino with the chair and then placed his headdress over Rhino...

Powell's POV: Tenay made it clear that Angle's wrestler will face Sting's wrestler. I like the idea I thought I heard better. To make things more confusing, they are having a tag match where the teams get to pick additional partners. It's like theme week in TNA.

Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviewed The Beautiful People, who were sitting on their thrones with Madison Rayne and Kip James stood between them. Angelina Love and Velvet Sky said tonight is Rayne's official initiation. They said they'd be at ringside for whatever is taking place...

[Q3] [C] Backstage, Borash stood by while Steiner told Angle that he and Booker were already in a match. Nash pointed out the tube in his arm and said he couldn't wrestle the match. Angle instructed security to go find the guy who wants to represent him...

A video recapped A.J. Styles beating up Booker T on a weekly basis just to prove he's a legend. Really... Backstage, Cornette told Booker that he would give him his toy belt back if he signed a waiver that said he wouldn't call the cops or press charges. Booker signed it and said he wants to kick Styles's ass. Corny pulled out another contract for a Destination X match with Styles. Booker was reluctant, but Corny goaded him into signing...

At ringside, the announcers ran through the pay-per-view lineup and said the finals of the "win a night with ODB" contest would take place at the pay-per-view. The Ultimate X match is officially Alex Shelley vs. Chris Sabin vs. Suicide vs. Jay Lethal vs. Consequences Creed...

Backstage, Eric Young asked Sting for the opportunity to wrestle for him. Sting said he couldn't let Young go out there because of Angle's state of mind. Young said he doesn't agree with the way the Mafia treat people, but he never stopped believing in Sting. Young begged Sting to give him the same spot that Ric Flair gave Sting. "Since you put it like that, how could I deny that?" Sting asked. They shook hands... [C]

Powell's POV: I guess we should have seen that one coming a mile away.

A Samoa Joe video aired. He said he was dubbed the future of wrestling. He said he lived up to the hype initially, but then something went wrong. He said it was time to shake things up and do things the way they're supposed to be done. He said that the Nation of Violence begins in three days at the pay-per-view and nothing will ever be the same...

West plugged upcoming live events, and then took turns with Tenay hyping television matches... Backstage, Lauren interviewed Jay Lethal and Consequences Creed. She said they could pick their partners for an eight-man tag match. Lethal said they were choosing "Morales and Santana." LAX entered the room and cut a promo...

[Q4] [C] Backstage, Angle tried to recruit Kiyoshi to be his wrestler. There was a communication breakdown, so Angle kicked Kiyoshi and told him he's worthless. Oh, the No Limit team was standing behind Kiyoshi...

2. Matt Morgan and Beer Money (w/Jacqueline) defeated Abyss and Team 3D in an elimination match in 10:00. Team 3D brought the IWGP Tag Titles to the ring with them. Tenay tried to sell the storyline that this could be the last time Team 3D appears on Impact due to the Off The Wagon Challenge match at the pay-per-view. At 2:00, Jackie snuck in and low-blowed Devon, which led to a superkick from Storm and a pin. [C]

After the break, Storm was eliminated from the match when the referee DQ'd him for spitting beer in Brother Ray's face. Moments later, Brother Ray hit the Bubba Bomb on Roode and pinned him. Seconds later, Morgan chokeslammed Ray and pinned him to eliminate him.

[Q5] The match came down to Morgan vs. Abyss. Eventually, Abyss picked up the bag of tacks that Morgan had at ringside. Lauren the interview girl ran out and pleaded with Abyss not to use the tacks. When Abyss turned around, Morgan nailed him with a big boot to the face and scored the pin.

Afterward, Lauren ran in and stood in front of Abyss. Morgan backed her into a corner and then grabbed her by the throat to tease slamming her onto the tacks. Abyss recovered and attacked Morgan. Abyss accepted Morgan's challenge to a tack match at the pay-per-view...

Powell's POV: Please tell me they're not going with the predictable pretty woman turns on the babyface twist again. The Abyss and Lauren storyline is ridiculous, but I'll take that over another predictable heel turn. Either way, they're pushing it with the man-on-woman violence tonight.

At ringside, Tenay said Morgan went too far by putting his hands on a woman and then threatening to slam her on the tacks. Tenay got pissed when West said Lauren was a stupid blonde. The camera moved in for a closeup of the face Tenay was making. Tenay said West should just leave. West, who'd been playing drunk all night, said he'd be at the hotel bar...

Powell's POV: So West is a drunk heel? That will make him a babyface with many fans.

Backstage, Abyss yelled and screamed while Lauren tried to calm him down... At ringside, Tenay said West left, and introduced Mick Foley as his replacement for the night. Foley said he likes West, but he needs to get a grip...

[Q6] 3. Taylor Wilde (w/Roxxi, The Governor) pinned Madison Rayne (w/The Beautiful People, Kip James) in 2:00. Traci Brooks was the referee. The announcers mentioned that the balance of power could shift if Sting retained the TNA Title at the pay-per-view. Late in the match, Wilde tried to go for a pin, but Rayne held onto Brooks, who eventually shoved her down and counted the pin. After the match, the Beautiful People beat up the other women and left them lying...

Powell's POV: Why would the balance of power shift if Sting retained the TNA Title? Isn't he already the TNA Champion? Where's Vince McMahon to yell at Foley when he needs it? Yes, I'm kidding.

Backstage, Borash stood by while ODB and a drummer wearing a cheap wig sat by. Borash asked her what it would take to hit a home run. He handed her a smoke and she mounted him on the desk. No, really...

Tenay and Foley were talking at ringside when Booker, Nash, and Sharmell walked out... [C] At ringside, Foley and Booker argued until security came out and pulled them apart. Suddenly, Scott Steiner showed up and attacked Foley with the lead pipe. B.G. James came out to help Foley while the Mafia headed backstage. Foley was bleeding from the top of his head. EMTs came out and tended to Foley as they show cut to break... [C]

Powell's POV: Are they adding Foley to Sunday's pay-per-view? If not, it seemed silly to do a big angle with a non-wrestler on the go home show. I guess it's just par for the course after watching Jeff Jarrett beat up Kurt Angle last week.

[Q7] Highlights aired from during the break of Foley refusing to leave via ambulance. He said he had somewhere else to be. Meanwhile. B.G. James chased after him while calling Jeff Jarrett to let him know what was happening...

A video hyped the Ultimate X match...

4. LAX and Lethal Consequences defeated Booker T and Scott Steiner and The Motor City Machine Guns in an eight-man tag match in 4:45. Tenay was flying solo again. He complained about the Guns teaming with Mafia members. Lethal woke up the crowd with some fast-paced offense. Later, Hernandez hit the Border Toss on Sabin and scored the pin...

Powell's POV: Let me get this straight, the Frontline just scored a big victory over the Main Event Mafia by pinning a Frontline member?

Backstage, Borash held the mic for Foley while B.G. James sat by. Foley said bad things will happen because of the Mafias actions. Foley said the warmth of his blood makes him feel comfort. Foley said he would be at ringside and would make a difference...

[Q8] [C] Backstage, Brutus Magnus told Angle that he wouldn't be his man because he didn't want to get on the wrong side of TNA Founder Jeff Jarrett. Angle was stressed about finding an opponent. He asked Rocco of MEM security to be his guy. Big Bubba Rogers, er, Rocco nodded yes... Ring introductions for the main event took place... [C]

5. Eric Young (w/Sting) pinned Rocco of MEM Security (w/Kurt Angle) in 3:15. Late in the match, Angle gave the Evolution "thumbs down" sign, which led to Rocco missing a second rope splash. Young hit the Death Valley Driver and scored the clean pin.

After the match, Sting and Angle entered the ring. Angle and two Mafia security members beat up Sting until Mick Foley made the save. Foley beat up all three of them, but Scott Steiner ran out and attacked Foley from behind. Jeff Jarrett, who isn't on the pay-per-view, ran out with a chair and struck some of the heels with chairshots.

Jarrett wound up to hit Steiner and Nash, but Sting stepped in front of them. Tenay reminded viewers that Sting said he never had a problem Steiner or Nash. Jarrett took the mic and announced that he will be the special referee for Sting vs. Angle, and Foley will be the special ringside enforcer...

Powell's POV: I guess Angle is looking forward to the Triple H vs. Randy Orton match at WrestleMania 25. At least they have a reason for making Jarrett the center of attention this week. Foley playing the special enforcer role is already overplayed, but it stacks the deck against Angle heading into the pay-per-view. Of course, that would be more effective if Angle was the champion. Really, this just make me think Angle win the belt because he has so much working against him. I'll have more to say about the show in Friday's TNA Impact Hitlist.

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