James Caldwell, Torch Contributor

TNA Impact Review
December 17, 2004
Taped December 7, 2004 in Orlando, FL at Universal Studios
Aired on Fox Sports Net
Report by James Caldwell, Torch Team Contributor

Friday Afternoon Take: Hector Garza scored a shocking upset victory over A.J. Styles on last week’s show to earn a “move up the ladder” opportunity vs. Jeff Jarrett on this week’s show. We also saw the debut of yet another former WWE superstar turned TNA Title Contender. When will the insanity end? With no Raven and his silly mask to rip on (I have your back, JG), let’s turn our attention to today’s action.
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- We began with a clip from last week when Jeff Jarrett said there is no one worthy enough to challenge him for the TNA Title. Jarrett told us to choke on the fact that he will not defend the Title at Final Resolution on January 16th. Dusty Rhodes countered Jeff by telling him he will announce Jeff’s opponent at Final Resolution after he gets word from a certain person via a phone call. The video clip led us into this week’s edition of Impact.

- Mike Tenay and Don West welcomed us to the show where Jeff Jarrett will take on Hector Garza in a non-Title match following Garza’s upset victory over A.J. Styles.

(1) The Naturals (Chase Stevens & Andy Douglas) defeated Johnny B. Badd & Sonny Siaki at 4:58. Badd opened up against Chase Stevens, working him over with a series of shoulder blocks and corner body blows. Siaki tagged in and dropped Stevens with a scoop slam then followed up with a pin attempt for a two count. Stevens scampered to his corner and tagged in Andy Douglas. Douglas was instantly dropped to the mat by a Siaki right hand. Siaki telegraphed a back body drop giving Douglas a chance to slam Siaki to the mat. Douglas tossed Siaki to the outside where Stevens went to work on Siaki with a series of chops. Back in the ring, Douglas scored a one count on a pin attempt. Stevens tagged in and delivered a right hand to the exposed abdomen of Sonny Siaki. Stevens distracted the ref allowing Douglas to choke Siaki in The Naturals’ corner. Douglas tagged back in and delivered a right hand chop to the chest. Douglas with a front face lock and a tag in to Stevens. Stevens followed up on Douglas’ offense with a series of right hand blows to the back. Siaki blocked a right hand from both Naturals then missed a splash, but rolled over to Badd, where he made the tag. The Naturals turned around and took a double clothesline from Badd off the top rope. Badd sent the Naturals head first into each other. Badd and Siaki delivered a high back body drop on Douglas. Badd took Stevens to the top turnbuckle and went for a huricanrana, but Douglas held his partner’s body down on the top turnbuckle, leading Badd to crash to the mat. Stevens hopped off the top turnbuckle and rolled up Badd for a three count with help from Douglas.

Match View: Your basic tag team match that Tenay and West tried to build this up as a match Director of Authority Dusty Rhodes would be paying close attention to. Not much to this one. The Naturals could use some character development to match their “opportunistic” gimmick that seems to be the only character trait every mentioned by Tenay and West.

- The camera zoomed in to Dusty Rhodes’ “office” which consisted of the back of a pick up truck. Rhodes said the surprise he has in store for Jeff Jarrett will revolutionize the wrestling industry. He also said there will be an ultimate X match at Final Resolution. At this point, Traci interrupted Rhodes. Rhodes wasn’t upset by the interruption and welcomed Traci into his office. Traci said she was looking to be Dusty’s secretary since his office needed a little clean up. Traci stumbled into Dusty’s lap then tried to answer the phone, which was ringing from the backseat of the truck. Dusty stared at Traci’s butterfly tattoo on her lower back as well as her “seat.”

(2) Jeff Hardy defeated Bobby Roode (w/Coach Scott D’Amore) at 5:05. Roode shoved Hardy before the bell rang. Hardy responded with a shove of his own. Roode missed a clothesline then accepted a drop kick to the chest. Hardy with a split legged two leg drop kick. Hardy hopped up to the top rope for a back flip splash, but Roode threw Hardy off the top turnbuckle, sending him crashing into the guard rail. D’Amore landed a few blows on Hardy on the outside then tossed him back into the ring. Roode with a clothesline and a cover for a two count only. Roode locked in a side head lock, twisting Hardy’s neck in an awkward position. Roode released the hold then scored a swinging neck breaker. Roode choked Hardy, drawing the ire of our referee, Mike Posey. Hardy recovered and scored a jaw breaker followed by a swinging DDT. A chant of “Let’s go Hardy” battled a “Let’s go Bobby” chant. Hardy missed a clothesline then Roode dropped Hardy with a spine buster. Roode with a two count after a pin attempt. Roode went for a swinging powerbomb, but Hardy stumbled out of the hold. Hardy with a boot to the gut followed by a Twist of Fate attempt. Roode blocked the hold, but couldn’t avoid a corkscrew drop kick from the top turnbuckle. Roode kicked out of a two count then went for a suplex. Hardy blocked it and scored a Twist of Fate that was more like a Stone Cold Stunner. Hardy climbed up top for the Swanton Bomb, but D’Amore distracted Hardy. Roode hopped up top for a suplex attempt, but was thrown off the top rope. Hardy flew off the top with a Swanton Bomb then made the cover for the win as D’Amore tried to enter through the ropes to interfere.

Match View: It was good to see TNA book Roode in a singles match to highlight his ability to compete with top notch singles wrestlers. The match was effective in putting heat back on Jeff Hardy after he was completely absent from last week’s edition of Impact. Hardy is still missing spots and finds a way to do something so slight to throw off the flow of the match leading to awkward exchanges with his opponent. Hardy needs to be more deliberate and methodical in the ring without being so helter skelter. Never the less, good effort from both.

(3) Dustin Rhodes defeated Johnny Swinger at 4:50. Tenay and West hyped the “open door policy” employed by TNA that allows for major league free agents to enter the Impact Zone. Rhodes came out in red leather pants and a TNA t-shirt, essentially looking like the Dustin Rhodes in WCW during the early-90’s. Swinger attacked Rhodes before the bell rang and delivered hard right hands in the corner. Swinger spit on Rhodes, drawing TAFKA Goldust’s ire. Rhodes delivered nine punches then a bionic elbow in the corner. Rhodes dropped Swinger with a hard clothesline then missed a flying cross body block when Swinger ducked. Rhodes slid out of the ring to the outside giving Swinger an opening to land some offense on the outside. Back in the ring, Swinger sling shot Rhodes um...tip-of-the-nose first across the bottom rope. Rhodes tried to sell the move as a neck injury, but no one bought it. Swinger slapped on a reverse chin lock. Rhodes used the crowd to help him back to his feet. Rhodes fought back with hard right hands then slapped on a sleeper hold. Swinger reversed the hold and locked in a sleeper hold of his own. Rhodes fought out with elbows to the gut. Swinger and Rhodes exchanged hard right hands. Swinger bounced off the ropes and ran into a hard clothesline. Swinger reversed a whip to the ropes and landed a cross body block resulting in a two count. Swinger with a leg sweep followed by a pin, but only for a two count. Swinger went for a scoop slam, but Rhodes reversed it and scored an elevated front face lock slam. Rhodes with the cover for the pin and the win.

Match View: Well, Rhodes showed an obvious coat of rust in the ring. He was tired very easily and slowly meandered around the ring. His ability to bring the crowd into a match has never been a strong point, and definitely hasn’t improved since his last run. Swinger was solid in the ring and looked better than Rhodes.

- In the back, Shane Douglas grabbed Dustin Rhodes following his match and asked him about coming to TNA. Rhodes said he came to TNA because “Jeff Jarrett and the NWA Title live here.” Rhodes said he wants to take the same NWA Title that his daddy wore years ago. Rhodes served notice to Jarrett that he’s coming after him. Douglas reiterated Rhodes’ message in his comically ridiculous way.

- We took a look at a clip from Turning Point when Diamond Dallas Page avoided all of the tricks and outside interference from Rover or Raver or whatever his name is to win. We saw a clip from last week when Raven confronted DDP and told him he doesn’t know about “the thing.” The video montage concluded by showing Raven talking to Erik Watts about taking out DDP.

- Our fourth match of the show was supposed to be Erik Watts vs. Scotty Matthews, the newest jobber in TNA, but the match never happened. Matthews was in the ring waiting for Watts to enter the Impact Zone when DDP came through the crowd and dropped Matthews with a Diamond Cutter. Watts slowly entered the ring as DDP smiled from the opposite side of the ring. Watts refused to enter the ring and backed away from DDP, eventually walking back up the ramp.

- Voting for TNA’s year end awards has begun at TNAWrestling.com. You can vote for top tag team, top wrestler, top finishing move, and more.

- We took a look at last week’s main event when Hector Garza defeated A.J. Styles to earn a Non-Title Match against Jeff Jarrett at this week’s show.

(4) Jeff Jarrett defeated Hector Garza at 12:13 in a Non-Title Match. The match began with a “Let’s go Hector” chant from the Orlando crowd. Jarrett and Garza locked up in the center of the ring with Jarrett scoring a hip toss. Jarrett played to the crowd as Garza checked his back. Jarrett ducked a lock up and grabbed Garza with a waist lock. Jarrett with a scoop slam in the center of the ring drawing a chorus of boos from the crowd. Jarrett taunted Garza by laying on the top turnbuckle ala Shawn Michaels. Jarrett with a side head lock on Garza followed by a shoulder block. Jarrett ran into an arm drag take over then countered with a drop toe hold. Jarrett slapped the back of Garza’s head then taunted him some more. Jarrett slapped Garza then accepted a hard slap and a right hand to the side of the head. Garza with a textbook drop kick followed by a drop toe hold and a series of slaps to the back of the head. Garza clotheslined Jarrett over the top rope to the outside. Garza went for a splash over the top rope, but Jarrett moved out of the way. Jarrett praised his smart thinking then turned around to find Garza still in the ring to deliver a slingshot splash on Jarrett. We went to commercial as Garza stood over Jarrett.

Back from commercial, Jarrett and Garza were still on the outside. Garza blocked a whip into the guardrail and threw Jarrett back into the ring. Garza went for a top rope missile drop kick, but Jarrett avoided the high risk maneuver, sending Garza crashing to the mat. Jarrett stomped on Garza’s limp body, working over the upper back of Garza. Jarrett choked Garza across the middle rope then sat down on the back of Garza’s head, sending him crashing throat-first into the middle rope. Jarrett set up Garza in the Tree of Woe then delivered a butt splash to the stomach. Jarrett went to the outside and pulled Garza’s neck backwards towards the corner pole, adding immense pressure to Garza’s head. Jarrett slid back into the ring then pulled Garza down from the top turnbuckle. Jarrett locked in a sleeper hold, working magnificently on Garza, who had been hanging upside down for a good 45 seconds. Referee Andrew Thomas checked on Garza, dropping his arm twice, but not thrice. Garza fought out of the hold with new life and delivered a clothesline followed by a scoop slam. Garza kicked Jarrett in the leg then delivered a high flying fist to the chest. Garza slapped Jarrett after Jarrett indiscreetly called the spot. Garza, perched on the top turnbuckle, grabbed Jarrett and scored a nice Tornado DDT. Andrew Thomas applied a ten count as both men were laid out on the mat. Garza rolled over onto Jarrett and scored a two count. Both men recovered to their feet.

Garza whipped Jarrett to the corner and missed a corner move. Garza accidentally hit the ref at 11:20 giving Jarrett a chance to bring his patented guitar into the ring. Jarrett was about to strike Garza when Andrew Thomas re-entered the picture and grabbed the guitar from Jarrett. Garza dropped Jarrett with a clothesline as Kevin Nash and Scott Hall entered the ring. Garza dropped Hall with a drop kick then ran into a punch from Nash. Thomas didn’t call for a DQ, allowing the match to continue. Garza fought out of a double team situation and drop kicked both Hall and Nash to the outside. Andrew Thomas nearly called for a DQ finish, but Garza refuted the impending decision and demanded the match continue. Garza grabbed Jarrett and power bombed in the corner, setting up for his patented Corkscrew Moonsault. With Andrew Thomas scolding Hall and Nash, Jarrett hopped up off the mat and grabbed his guitar as Garza climbed up to the top. Jarrett waited for Garza to complete a back flip then smashed him across the stomach with the guitar. The guitar smash was within ear shot of Andrew Thomas, but to no avail as Jarrett rolled up Garza. Thomas pulled himself away from babysitting Hall and Nash and counted to three for Jarrett’s win. The Kings of Wrestling celebrated in the ring as we closed the show.

Match View: Solid wrestling action displayed by both competitors. Maybe I don’t like Jarrett as TNA Champion, but no one can deny that he can put on a solid wrestling match when given the right amount of time to tell a story and the right opponent to work with. Garza, in his silent assassin way, delivered a solid performance to counteract Jarrett’s outspoken, cocky persona. Great wrestling match that ended with equal positives and negatives. One of the main positives from the match was Hector Garza scoring the upper hand on both Hall and Nash while stuck in a three on one situation. Good to see Hall and Nash give Garza a little rub by deeming Garza a worthy enough opponent to where they would need to help Jarrett. Jarrett’s patented guitar shot is so passé and juvenile that the slightest appearance of the guitar to close any match renders a poor ending result. Otherwise, real solid effort. It’s nice to see a pattern developing where Jarrett is wrestling solid matches against quality opponents, which is breaking the habit of wrestling jobbers in John Cena style squash matches.

Closing Thoughts: Not much to this show. It wasn’t pre-Dusty Rhodes bad and it wasn’t Turning Point good. Aside from the main event, the show just seemed to run in place without doing much. So Dustin Rhodes made an appearance. Who cares? Where was Christopher Daniels? Where was Chris Sabin? Where was Prime Time? Where was the X Division? After being featured prominently over the past three weeks, the X Division was nowhere to be seen. Petey, Styles, Sabin, Daniels, Prime Time, Red, Kash, Kazarian, nor Shane was given any face time whatsoever. That’s inexcusable in my estimation. I would much rather see an X Division Match or a vignette featuring some of the X Division players over a match involving Dustin Rhodes or Johnny Rena Stole My Name. TNA can’t begin to rest on their laurels after a solid PPV. They can continue to praise the Turning Point PPV, but they need to add onto it. Some solid wrestling action from the main players of that PPV needs to be displayed.

Last week’s show was the perfect follow up to Turning Point. This week’s show, outside of the main event, seemed to be filler. It’s similar to visiting the dentist. The dentist cleans your teeth, making them clean and healthy. Does that mean you automatically stop brushing your teeth for the next two or three days because “you’re covered?” No. You build on your dentist’s work and expand the quality and healthiness of your teeth. TNA seems to want to stop building on their success because “they’re covered” after a solid, if not spectacular PPV. Now is the time to build on the roster and continue developing solid storylines for the wrestlers. I know it’s nearly impossible to feature every single major player on every week’s show, but there’s no excuse for giving Erik Watts, DDP, Johnny Badd, Dustin Runnels, Sonny Siaki, and Johnny Swinger TV time over Monty Brown, Abyss, Ron Killings, and the entire X Division. TNA needs to trim the fat on the roster and that begins with guys like Erik Watts and Sonny Siaki. They don’t add to the product, so why keep them around?

On a positive note, I’m hoping that the singles match Bobby Roode wrestled in vs. Jeff Hardy on this week’s show is the beginning of a solid singles run for Team Canada’s enforcer. Granted, he is one half of the Tag Champs, therefore must continue defending the Belts in tag competition, but it would be nice to see him featured in more singles matches where he can be the focal point of each match he’s involved in. Roode has unlimited potential along the lines of a Christopher Daniels or a Ron Killings, and could be a major player down the road if he were to split from Team Canada and become a full fledged babyface.

As always, feel free to send me feedback on today's show at revenge_nwo@yahoo.com. I'm open to any and all reader comments. I'll be checking in with more TNA commentary in this week’s edition of the Sunday Brunch, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

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