TNA Impact TV taping report
February 24, 2011
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Report by Shawn Cavender, PWTorch VIP member

Impact taping for March 10

(1) “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero beat Samoa Joe (w/Okato). The Pope came though the crowd in the darkened arena as Joe waited for him to come out via the entrance stage. Dinero hit Okato from behind, which took him out for the duration of the match. During the match, Pope removed the cover off a turnbuckle. Joe got Pope onto the opposite turnbuckle to set up a Muscle Buster, but with the ref’s back turned as he tried to put the turnbuckle cover back on, Pope hit Joe with a chain-wrapped fist. Pope then covered Joe for the tainted victory.

(2) Knockouts champion Madison Rayne (w/Tara) beat Roxxi to retain the TNA Knockouts Title. After Rayne and Tara got in the ring, Roxxi began making her entrance, but it must have been a screw-up because she stopped, then Madison cut a short promo. Roxxi then made her full entrance. Madison won in a few minutes, then started beating up Roxxi after the match. Mickie James ran down to make the save.

(3) Velvet Sky & Angelina Love & Winter beat Sarita & Cookie & Angelina from “Jersey Shore” (w/Rosita). Angelina from “Jersey Shore” was actually in this somewhat-short match a lot, and was the one pinned by Velvet. The reality show star didn’t look too awful.

(4) Ink, Inc. (Shannon Moore & Jesse Neal) beat Generation Me (Max Buck & Jeremy Buck) with the Mooregasm. Beer Money joined Taz and Tenay on commentary during the match. After the match, Moore got on the microphone and told Beer Money that the “Book of DILLIGAF” said that Ink, Inc. would beat them for the tag titles at Victory Road, then Storm said Beer Money would kick their asses at the PPV.

Sting came out to cut a promo, thanking the fans for supporting him during his career. He also said Jeff Hardy is one of the best wrestlers he’s ever been in the ring with, but Jeff needs to stop drinking the Hogan-Bischoff Kool-Aid. Hogan and Bischoff came out to confront Sting, then Mr. Anderson, Jeff Hardy, and Rob Van Dam all came out separately to say they deserved the first shot at Sting’s TNA Title. Hardy said he was robbed of his title because he had to fight an opponent he couldn’t prepare for. Bischoff made a match for later, Anderson & Hardy vs. Sting & RVD.

A backstage scene was shown on the big screen with Flair, Bischoff, Hogan, and the Jarretts. Karen still had cake on her, so I guess the skit was filmed for the March 3 episode.

Ric Flair and Matt Hardy came out to cut promos, but were interrupted by A.J. Styles. Flair and Hardy got more cheers from the N.C. crowd than Styles did. Flair said this was Flair country and Styles countered by saying TNA was the “house that A.J. Styles built.” Hardy talked about why he’s “Cold Blood” Matt Hardy now, then a match began, one that hadn’t been announced during the evening.

(5) “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair & Matt Hardy beat “The Phenomenal” A.J. Styles in what looked like a two-on-one Street Fight. The stipulations of the match were never announced, but Styles was wearing jeans in the match and weapons were allowed, so I presume it was a Street Fight. Flair bled after being thrown into the ring barrier. A.J. got Flair in the Figure Four, but Hardy did a leg drop on Styles before Flair could tap out. A minute later, Styles was about to give Hardy a Styles Clash on a chair in the middle of the ring, but Flair gave A.J. a low blow. Hardy hit Styles with a Twist of Hate on the chair, then Flair got the pin.

The ring crew changed the canvas and cleaned up Flair’s blood from the ringside area.

Backstage, Borash interviewed Sting about the main event tag match, but Anderson brutally attacked Sting, leaving him on the ground in a lot of pain.

(6) TNA World Hvt. champion Sting & Rob Van Dam beat Jeff Hardy & Mr. Anderson. RVD started the match without a partner, as Sting never came out after his music played. Hardy and Anderson tagged each other into the match with hard slaps to the face. After they dominated RVD for a while, Sting’s music hit again and the lights went out. When the lights came back on, Sting was in the ring. Sting cleaned house and RVD ended up hitting Anderson with a Five-Star Frog Splash for the win.

Backstage, Kurt Angle was approached by Flair, who had New York Jets linebacker Bart Scott with him. Flair told Angle that if he tried to mess up the Jarrett ceremony this time, Scott would be there to punish Angle for interfering.

The Jarrett vow renewal ceremony ended the taping. This time, the ring was decorated for the ceremony with flowers and a white arch. Jeff Jarrett came down to the ring without incident this time, then Kurt and Karen walked down. Kurt had a smile on his face, so you knew he was up to something. Of course, Karen and Jeff had written their own vows, which were really corny. All this stuff got a lot of heat. After the ceremony ended, Kurt pulled out a fire axe that was hidden and chopped the decorations up. As the Jarretts left, Flair and Bart Scott came out. Scott got in the ring and faced off with Angle, but Angle took him down and got him in the Anklelock. Scott tapped out, then security came out to restrain Angle, and the show ended.

Before and after the show, fans could get autographs from a variety of TNA performers.

Biggest babyface pops:

(1) Jeff Hardy
(2) Ric Flair
(3) Sting

Most heel heat:

(1) Jeff and Karen Jarrett
(2) Eric Bischoff
(3) The Shore

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

We suggest these recent related articles...

TV RATINGS: TNA Impact & ROH TV viewership - Week 19 on Dest. America - Impact surges post-BFG, ROH draws big audience

TV WRESTLING VIEWERSHIP - Week of Sept. 28: Full Break Down of last week's Pro Wrestling TV with DVR viewing

TNA NEWS: TNA announces TV tapings on January U.K. Tour