TNA Impact on Spike TV
Taped in Orlando, Fla.

[Q1] 1. The British Invasion defeated Team 3D, Beer Money, Scott Steiner and Booker T in a non-title gauntlet match The match was joined in progress to start the show. Apparently, the wrestlers came out in intervals, as Booker T and James Storm hadn't come out yet. The announcers noted that a pinfall couldn't be made until all eight men were in the ring.

Booker came out about 90 seconds into the match. Storm eventually was the last man out. He wore a football helmet with beer bottles on it. A shot aired of Kurt Angle watching the match intently on a backstage monitor. Late in the match, Team 3D hit their finisher on Steiner. Booker broke up Devon's pin attempt, but Brutus Magnus covered Steiner and scored the win. Angle was shocked by the finish backstage because the Main Event Mafia and World Elite had been on good terms... [C]

Powell's POV: An interesting way to open the show. The gauntlet stipulation felt a little pointless, though, since they could have just done a four-way match and joined it in progress. They wanted to get the show off to a hot start by joining the match in progress, but for the first time in the history of TNA the announcers were too subdued.

Mike Tenay and Taz hyped a bunch of matches at ringside... Kurt Angle came to the ring for a promo.

[Q2] Once in the ring, Angle called out Matt Morgan for "one last conversation." Morgan came out dressed in street clothes. Angle said he spoke to the other members of the Mafia and they're all in agreement. Morgan assumed there was one more thing he needed to do. "Matt, you read my mind," Angle said. Funny.

Sting's music played and he came to the ring with A.J. Styles. Sting said he and A.J. couldn't understand why Morgan would think for a second that Angle would have his back. Sting got in Angle's face and cut a promo on him as if he were Morgan. Angle called Styles a quitter. Angle said his intentions are to keep the TNA Title and he'll admit that unlike Sting.

Styles asked him to repeat that. Morgan took the mic and thanked Angle for finally admitting that he's using him "to keep your precious, little TNA Championship." Bad line about the belt. Morgan said he'd be in Angle's corner in the main event, and said, "Use me at No Surrender"... [C]

Powell's POV: The fans know Morgan's playing Angle. Heck, even the announcers have figured it out. Sadly, Sting and A.J. look like dopes for feeling the need to come out and give Morgan a pep talk. Still, the back and forth between Angle and Morgan is entertaining.

Backstage, Lauren said the internet was buzzing over the finish of last week's main event with Eric Young dressed up like Homicide. Um, we were? Earl Hebner said she doesn't have the right to ask him about that...

Mick Foley spoke to Jeremy Borash in his office while two of Foley's sons wrestled on some office furniture. Foley said he's not sure what he's capable of doing in his match against Kevin Nash next week. Dr. Stevie entered the room. Foley referred to him as Stevie Richards and said he's a good wrestler. Dr. Stevie said he didn't want to be called by that name. Foley said he was giving Richards a chance to earn his own bounty by facing Abyss. Richards wasn't pleased...

[Q3] 2. Taylor Wilde and Sarita defeated Alissa Flash and Daffney in 5:00 in a tag team tournament match. There was a red tarp covering something at ringside. The announcers pointed it out, but said they didn't know what was underneath. After some solid back and forth action, Sarita pinned Flash...

Powell's POV: Taylor and Sarita will face Awesome Kong and Raisha Saeed in the next round. It would have been really interesting to see Flash and Daffney advance since Flash also plays the Saeed character. They could be building up a heel of a rivalry between Flash and Sarita, but Sarita gets all the wins in their matches. Too bad. The fans seem to dig Flash more than Sarita at this point.

Chris Jericho wannabe Eric Young delivered a promo in the locker room while Borash held the mic. He invited Kurt Angle to come chat with him about the finish of the tag gauntlet match... [C]

Backstage, Lauren asked Suicide why D'Angelo Dinero has targeted him. Suicide they came from the same streets. He said he saw the light, and now Dinero and his people see him as a threat...

Powell's POV: Give up on this angle and push Dinero as a face. The fans love the guy.

The Motor City Machine Guns came to ringside and removed the red cloth that was covering a table the announcers were talking about earlier. They table contained computer monitors, their MCMG kleenix box holder, and video game controllers. They sat down on commentary...

[Q4] 3. D'Angelo Dinero pinned Jay Lethal in 5:20. The Guns didn't last long on commentary, as Tenay and Taz quickly took over. Lethal had some offense, but Dinero hit the DDE (D'Angelo Dinero Express) for the clean pin...

Powell's POV: The DDE is the move formerly known as the Elijah Express in WWE.

Backstage, Young and Angle spoke while their respective stablemates stood behind them. Young said he wanted to rule the industry together. Angle shook Young's hand. As the Mafia was leaving, Steiner spat on the floor and said that's what he thinks of foreigners... [C]

4. Velvet Sky and Angelina Love vs. Roxxi and Madison Rayne. The Guns were on commentary again. Sabin said he's happy he brought the tissue box because he usually needs it when the Beautiful People are finished with their entrance. They joked about how inappropriate it is. Taz said the Guns are like "Madden and Michaels." Funny all around.

[Q5] Tenay ran through Roxxi's history and recalled when she had her head shaved. Taz said she has a butcher boy haircut. Late in the match, Roxxi hit the Voodoo Drop for a good near fall. However, Love came back and pinned Rayne while holding the tights. The digitized Rayne's ass while it was exposed. Damn modern technology...

Powell's POV: I have a soft spot for Roxxi because she agreed to shave her head despite the fact that she was a cute girl with long hair. Unfortunately, her look in this match left something to be desired and it has nothing to do with her hair. The outfit she wore just looked minor league. She can and has done better. That said, she has some impressive offense. By the way, TNA should replay the match finishes. I don't think they've replayed one yet tonight.

Backstage, Cody Deaner told Mick Foley that he wanted a tuneup match to prepare him for his match against ODB. Deaner said he wanted to show off some of his skills, including the donkey punch. Funny... [C]

Powell's POV: There's a cute chemistry between Deaner and Foley when Mick uses his laid back approach as Cody goes over the top with his promos.

An ad hyped Mick Foley vs. Kevin Nash for next week... [C]

Powell's POV: Nice to see them hype a match for next week a couple times already. They even showed some of the footage from their bloody pay-per-view match.

Foley came out and joined the announcers on commentary. Sabin ran over with the MCMG tissue box and handed him a couple tissues. Funny...

5. Abyss pinned Dr. Stevie in 1:30. Abyss came out to start the match only to be attacked from behind by Stevie. Abyss came back and hit the Black Hole Slam for the win. After the match, Nash came out and attacked Abyss from behind. Stevie and Nash doubled up on Abyss until Foley ran in for the save...

[Q6] [C] The World Elite was standing in the ring and unfortunately Eric Young had the mic rather than Shawn Daivari (minus the political shit) or Brutus Magnus. Young told Hernandez that he would do whatever it takes to get him to open his eyes and join the World Elite. "Shut the hell up," the fans chanted. My thoughts exactly.

Hector Guerrero came out and did his best Eddie Guerrero impersonation while saying Hernandez wants to give back to the people. Hector said he's not American, but this is his country. Young rambled on about how he respects Guerrero and his family or he wouldn't still be standing there. Young said he'd give Hernandez a reason to come out and talk to him face to face...

Powell's POV: Who in the hell thought, "Hey, we can't get World Elite over, so let's send Hector Guerrero out there to do his Eddie impersonation? Yeah, that will help. Poor Homicide is going to get stuck joining this shitty, go away heat faction. The sad thing is that there are some talented guys in the mix, but Young's impersonation of Jericho is even lamer than Hector's impersonation of Eddie.

A shot aired of Tara dressed in MMA gear. The announcers assumed she'd be facing Deaner... [C] A Tara video package aired...

[Q7] 6. Cody Deaner defeated Tara in 2:45. One of the Guns said Deaner has a child molester mustache. Totally inappropriate, but so damn funny. Deaner came out wearing headgear, Zubaz, and had duct tape covering his gloves. After Tara roughed up Deaner, Kong came out and attacked her from behind. The ref turned around to see Tara knocked out, so he gave the win to Deaner... [C]

Powell's POV: They actually had Tara cover the Tapout logo that was all over her gear. This was horrible. As if Deaner didn't look low budget and silly enough, Tara looked silly with the logo taped over. By the way, what happened to the referees being empowered and not tolerating outside interference? Oh, wait, this was an MMA match, so I guess it's different. Whatever. I'm so happy I watched football tonight.

Backstage, Lauren interviewed Deaner, who said he just beat "that spider money from pillar to post." He said he'd beat ODB and become the only TNA Knockouts Champion who doesn't "pop to squat"...

Powell's POV: Deaner is best in small doses. I like his mic work once per show, but I still hate the way they're cheapening the Knockouts Title with this silly storyline.

Tenay and Taz ran through the pay-per-view lineup. They set up security camera footage of Rhino attacking Lashley in a gym. Rhino kneed Lashley in the groin and then beat him down... [C]

Powell's POV: I was too distracted by the giant poster for a Meg Ryan and Omar Epps movie that was hanging in the background of the gym to follow the attack closely. Something tells me the movie "Against The Ropes" will be nominated for a Razzy.

[Q8] 7. A.J. Styles and Daniels beat Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe (w/Matt Morgan) in 6:40. Late in the match, Morgan stood up at ringside and held up his chair for Angle. Kurt tried to run Styles into the chair, but Styles reversed it and ran Angle into the chair and then pinned him.

After the match, Morgan entered the ring and acted like he didn't know what happened. Kurt slapped him. Morgan snapped and hit Angle with the Hellevator...

Before we could digest the payoff they've been building up to for weeks, they went backstage to give us more Eric Young. He was ordering the rest of the World Elite to bring Homicide to the ring. He said the blood would be on Hernandez's hands... [C]

Powell's POV: Make it stop! I can't believe they would jump so abruptly from the big angle with Morgan and Angle to more of the World Elite.

After the break, the World Elite was in the ring. Young had a Mexican flag wrapped around Homicide's neck. He called out Hernandez, who obliged. Hernandez cleared World Elite from the ring, but couldn't get his hands on Young. Hernandez tried to help Homicide, who pointed at The British Invasion.

When Hernandez turned, Homicide stood up and hit him with a chair. "I didn't see that coming, man," Taz said. Well, that makes one person who didn't see that coming. Homicide and Young smiled at each other. Homicide shook Young's hand to close the show...

Powell's POV: Let me guess, Homicide is the next talented guy who will have to stand by while Eric Young bores everyone to tears with his Chris Jericho impersonation? Young has some talent, but he's not faction leader material. TNA is just force feeding him to viewers and that never works out. They need to pull the plug on this immediately because it's just not working. Poor Homicide. Overall, the show had its ups and downs. They've failed miserably when it comes to making me want to order the pay-per-view next weekend.

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