By James Caldwell, Torch Columnist

TNA Impact Review
July 15, 2005
Taped June 21, 2005 in Orlando, FL at Universal Studios
Aired on TNAWrestling.com
Report by James Caldwell, Torch Columnist

- We began with a video clip from last when Jeff Jarrett stopped a match between Mikey Batts and Zack Gowen to warn any "new talent" about having to deal with the King of the Mountain. We saw Jarrett send a threat to Abyss and Raven that he would find a way to get involved in the NWA Title match. I hope this doesn’t turn into WrestleMania IX with Jarrett replacing Hogan in the analogy.

- From ringside, Mike Tenay and Don West welcomed us to the show to countdown the hours and minutes until the "No Surrender" PPV on Sunday. West talked about Raven vs. Abyss in a dog collar match as Petey Williams and Eric Young came to the ring for the opening match. Tenay said Sean Waltman and A.J. Styles would team together in the main event of this week's Impact just two days before facing each other at No Surrender.

(1) Team Canada (Petey Williams & Eric Young) defeated Samoa Joe & Christopher Daniels at 8:02. Petey got in Daniels's face prior to the match, but Samoa Joe started the match as Daniels chose to wait for his opportunity to respond to Petey. Joe sent Petey to the corner then ran in with a stiff running knee lift. Joe paint brushed Petey across the face before tagging in Daniels. Daniels shot Petey off to the ropes then connected with a leg whip. In the process, Petey's nose was opened up with blood trickling down Petey's nose to his mouth. Joe tagged in and dropped a knee across the chest before driving Petey to the corner where Daniels received a tag. Daniels delivered a high-elevated suplex then stared down Eric Young. Daniels made a cover, but Petey kicked out at two. Daniels landed two knee-wobbling punches then scored with a knockdown right hand. Petey broke free from Daniels by slamming him to the mat by the back of his head. Petey made the tag to the fresher Canadian, who dropped Daniels with a clothesline. Petey tagged back in as we went to break.

[Merchandise promo break]

Once returning from promos, Team Canada was in control while working on Christopher Daniels. Young sent Daniels to the corner with a hard whip then held Daniels's arms back allowing Petey to land stiff right hands to the face. Petey taunted Daniels with strong words and a slap to the face followed by a quick tag to Young. Petey dropped Daniels allowing Young to score a leg drop from the top turnbuckle. Young choked Daniels across the middle rope then shot Daniels off to the corner where he missed with a clothesline. Daniels bounced out of the corner and dropped Young with a running clothesline. Joe took a hot tag and chopped both Canadians before dropping Young with a lift-up, throw-down slam. Joe dropped Petey by the arm and went for an arm bar submission, but Young broke up the hold. Joe quickly threw Young out of the ring to the outside then tagged in Daniels. Chris Sabin, in street clothes, ran to the ringside area and attacked Joe on the outside. The two men who will face off at No Surrender brawled through the stands. Daniels dropped Petey with an STO, which he held onto as he grapevined Petey's head in a neck vice - the Koji Clutch. Young broke up the hold with a kick to the head then Daniels took a 2-on-1 beat down. Petey grappled Daniels and delivered the Canadian Destroyer for the pin and the win to put heat on Petey leading into his match against Daniels at No Surrender for the X Division Title.

Match View: When two heel tag teams square off for an extended tag match, the audience isn't going to be that into the match because there's no given tag team to cheer for. The fans were excited to see Samoa Joe get a hot tag, but his portrayal as a heel naturally reduced the pop he received. Aside from audience reaction considerations, TNA did a nice job putting heat on Petey in a standard, by the books way that wasn't complicated or surprising. Just effective. At the same time, TNA continues to protect Samoa Joe as a monster heel by giving fans small doses of what makes him a legitimate tough guy wrestler to continue building him up in the eyes of the audience.

- Mike Tenay, checking his format sheet, wasn't sure about what was written and asked, "Is this right?" before sending it to the back where Terry Taylor was with Cassidy Riley. In one of his only backstage promo opportunities after having a segment with Dustin Rhodes several months ago, Riley showed his inexperience dressing up for an interview as he was wearing a fashionably insensitive tie-dye shirt. Taylor asked Riley what he had in mind when requesting promo time. Riley thanked Raven for saving him from a beat down at the hands of Abyss last week. Taylor said Raven only looks out for himself and would never save anyone. Riley answered, "You don't know him like I do." Taylor brought up the time when Raven broke Riley's fingers on Impact during the time when Dustin Rhodes was feuding with Raven. While gazing at his fingers in a delusional way, Riley said, "He didn't do that to me; he did that for me." Riley said Raven introduced him to pain and he found it joyous. Riley offered his help anytime Raven needed assistance. A re-birth of the Flock?

- We saw video clips highlighting the feud between Abyss and Raven in setting up Sunday's No Surrender PPV main event.

[Merchandise promo break]

- We saw a video clip of Jeff Jarrett threatening Abyss and Raven. Mike Tenay said Jeff Jarrett has lost his cool and control. Don West said Jarrett can't deal with the fact that he hasn't been able to get his way. Ain't that a shoot.

(2) Simon Diamond & Trytan defeated Sonny Siaki & Apolo at 4:16. Neither team could decide on who should start the match before Diamond and Apolo decided to start things off. Apolo shoved Diamond to the mat on consecutive lock-ups before Diamond recovered with a thumb to the eye. Apolo blocked a corner whip with a boot to the face then scored a running powerslam. Apolo tagged in Siaki, who dropped Diamond to the mat before locking in an arm bar. Diamond fought out of the hold before taking an overhead suplex from Siaki. In an awkward move, Diamond whipped Siaki to the corner then collapsed to the mat holding his back. Diamond made a quick tag to Trytan, who dropped Siaki with a boot to the face. Trytan made a cover, but Apolo broke up the pin attempt. Diamond took a tag into the ring and delivered a nice snap suplex. Diamond scored a second suplex before Siaki blocked a third suplex attempt and scored a swinging neck breaker. Don West rhetorically asked why Siaki hasn't been able to put it all together just yet. Trytan took a tag from Diamond as Apolo took a hot tag from Siaki. The action broke down in the ring with Diamond delivering a super kick to Apolo as he hoisted Trytan up on his shoulders. Trytan dropped to his feet from Apolo's shoulders then delivered the T-3 (F-5), which led to the pin on Apolo for the win.

Match View: Nothing to this match as neither team has heat in the slightest bit. Despite being portrayed and positioned as a babyface team on a consistent basis, the TNA audience is unwilling to cheer for Apolo and Siaki. Diamond isn't drawing a crowd reaction from the audience and the color of Trytan's new tights reflects his inability to get any type of response.

[Merchandise promo break]

- Ron Killings and Konnan came to the ring for an apparent match. Mike Tenay said there's no sign of B.G. James after he went missing and hasn't been seen or heard from since Slammiversary last month. Konnan began to do his usual pre-match routine, but The Outlaw and Monty Brown interrupted with clubbing forearms to the back of both men. Brown pounded his chest as Outlaw attacked Konnan. Outlaw tried to send Konnan to the corner, but Konnan reversed the whip and scored a clothesline. The four men took the brawl to the outside for a good ole' fashioned pier six brawl. Rent-a-cops tried to separate the heated rivals after referee Andrew Thomas threw out whatever match was scheduled. Mike Tenay announced The Outlaw and Monty Brown vs. Konnan and Ron Killings in a No DQ Match at No Surrender. Will the endless and played out saga of which side B.G. James is on finally find its resolution?

[Merchandise promo break]

(3) Shocker defeated Sonjay Dutt at 3:44. The match began with some quick mat wrestling which drew polite applause from the Impact zone. Dutt took Shocker to the mat with a wraparound slam causing Shocker to head to the outside to recover. Dutt flew over the top rope with a slingshot cross body attempt, but Shocker landed a punch to the face in mid-air. Shocker took Dutt back into the ring where he dropped Dutt with a stiff clothesline. Shocker flipped Dutt over the top rope to the apron but Dutt quickly recovered and delivered an elbow smash to the face followed by a top rope cross body block. Dutt rolled down Shocker's back in mid-air into a sunset flip, which resulted in a cover for a two count. Shocker slipped out of a Tornado DDT attempt and kicked Dutt in the head. Shocker dropped Dutt with a powerbomb then went to the second turnbuckle with an elbow drop that would have looked pretty if anyone else but Shocker would have done it. Shocker shot Dutt off the ropes then rolled him up with a leg trap pinning combination for the victory.

Match View: Another match that the Impact zone barely responded to. At this point, it was obvious the crowd was worn out from having sat through nearly four TV tapings. For only being given a short amount of time, Dutt and Shocker tried to keep the pace moving at a quick rate, but Shocker - as the lead man in the match - just hasn't found a way to adjust his style to the American style outside of two decent PPV matches. Dutt could be a valuable asset to TNA if given some character development and a sense of purpose in TNA other than just flying around the ring.

- Backstage, James Mitchell was standing by with his client, Abyss. Mitchell, speaking for Abyss, said "Raven, you are a fool" for requesting a dog collar match against the monster named Abyss. Mitchell said Abyss could bust Raven's head open again and again or kick Raven's kneecap in backwards because Raven can't quit or surrender even if he is experiencing unbearable pain. Mitchell said Abyss is like a gavel - he will pound down on Raven until there is order in the court.

[Merchandise promo break]

- We looked at footage from two weeks ago when A.J. Styles pinned Alex Shelley as Sean Waltman sat in on commentary to say he would never be defeated by Styles. We saw Waltman mock congratulate Styles before Jerry Lynn came to the ring to separate both men.

- Jerry Lynn was interviewed about both Waltman and Styles. Lynn said it would be a monumental night for him at "No Surrender" when he a) returns to a TNA ring for the first time since shoulder surgery, b) is in the same ring with Styles for the first time in some time, and c) is in the same ring with Waltman for the first time in over a decade. Lynn said he has a serious interest in both men because he helped build the X Division and knows how good a match between Styles and Waltman can be.

[Merchandise promo break]

(4) Team Canada (Bobby Roode & A-1 Ralphz) defeated A.J. Styles & Sean Waltman at 7:47. Mike Tenay informed us that Larry Zbyszko placed Waltman and Styles as a tag team to see if they could handle being together in the ring to take care of business. Waltman and A-1 started things off with Waltman dropping A-1 with a take over slam. A-1 complained about a hair pull, but Waltman ignored him. A-1 took Waltman to the ropes with a side headlock before running him over with a shoulder block. Waltman scored an arm drag after shooting A-1 off the ropes. Styles took a tag and landed a kick to the gut. A-1 scored a punch to the face then charged Styles against the ropes, but Styles pulled the top rope down causing A-1 to fly over the top rope to the floor. Styles waited for Roode and A-1 to talk strategy before leaping over the top rope with a cross body splash onto both members of Team Canada. Waltman applauded Styles before taking a tag from Styles. Waltman worked on A-1's wrist before tagging in Styles once again. A-1 broke free from a wristlock and tagged in Roode. Roode charged Styles and ate the mat after Styles delivered a drop toe hold. Waltman took a tag and went to work on Roode's left arm. Roode fought back with two stiff right hands followed by a lift up slam, which Waltman slipped out of and tagged Styles. Roode, not knowing Styles tagged in, looked up to find a flying clothesline from Styles. Roode kicked out of a pin attempt as West said Styles appeared to take Waltman's criticism that he's too naïve to heart with a strong showing in the ring.

Styles ran into a forearm by A-1 from the apron, and then walked into a side slam from Roode. A-1 took a legal tag and went to work on Styles in the corner. A-1 drove a boot to the throat then Roode choked Styles across the bottom rope. A-1 made a cover, but Styles kicked out at two. A-1 locked in a neck wrench submission hold as the fans rallied behind Styles. Roode cut off Styles from tagging in Waltman before entering the ring with a phantom tag to lock in a reverse chin lock on Styles. As Roode cinched the hold in deeper, Styles fought out, but ran into a back elbow smash to the face. A-1 took a tag back into the ring then drove forearm blows to Styles's back. Styles fought back out of the forearm blows with a back kick followed by a soccer-style bicycle kick to the head. Styles scored the hot tag to Waltman as Bobby Roode tagged in for Team Canada. Waltman scored a spin kick then turned his back on Roode allowing Team Canada's enforcer to hit Waltman from behind with a forearm smash. Roode sent Waltman to the corner then charged in, but missed with a clothesline. Waltman charged Roode out of the corner and Roode lifted Waltman up into the air for no apparent reason leading to Waltman changing his flight path in mid-air to drop kick A-1 square in the chest. Roode took Waltman off the ropes with a powerslam and made a cover for a two count only as Styles broke up the pin. The action broke down into a four-man brawl as Waltman went for a spin kick on Roode, but Roode ducked and Styles took the kick to the head. As Waltman stared at Styles's fallen body after realizing his mistake, Roode clotheslined Waltman in the back of the head then pinned him for the victory.

- After the match, Styles and Waltman were both wobbly returning to their feet. Waltman tried to leave, but Styles pulled him back and screamed in his face. The two went nose-to-nose after exchanging heated words. Waltman turned his back to leave so Styles turned his back to walk away and check on his head, but Waltman attacked Styles from behind with a forearm blow. West pointed out that Styles showed his nativity once again as Waltman took advantage of Styles. Styles took exception to Waltman's sneak attack and dropped Waltman with a waist tackle leading to a fight in the ring. Jerry Lynn ran into the ring to break up the fight, but Styles shoved him away to close the in-ring portion of the broadcast.

Match View: Styles and Waltman looked very crisp and fluid working as one tag team unit for the first seven and a half minutes of the match. Nice in and out teamwork with solid execution to tell the story of putting aside personal conflict to handle business in the ring. A victory over Waltman at No Surrender in a match TNA has hyped as "old school vs. new school" would certainly help Styles's character by showing street smarts to complement his in-ring skills. TNA has set up the storyline nicely leading into the PPV.

- In an undisclosed location along a flight of stairs, Raven said James Mitchell is leading Abyss to suicide placing him in a dog collar match. Raven suggested that Abyss should lie in a bathtub with a toaster because that might be less painful than what he has in mind for Abyss at No Surrender. Raven said he is excited to inflict pain on Abyss at No Surrender where he'll force Abyss to say "I quit," which won't help because Abyss won't be able to surrender or quit at any point in the match. Raven said he might not even try to pin Abyss so he can inflict more pain on Abyss. We closed on that painful note.

---

Matches Announced for the July 17 No Surrender PPV.
- NWA Title Match – Raven vs. Abyss in a Dog Collar Match
- X Division Title Match – Christopher Daniels vs. Petey Williams
- Samoa Joe vs. Chris Sabin
- Sean Waltman vs. A.J. Styles
- America's Most Wanted vs. Alex Shelley & Michael Shane
- The Naturals & Lance Hoyt vs. Team Canada (Eric Young, A-1 Ralphz, Bobby Roode)
- The Outlaw & Monty Brown vs. Konnan & Ron Killings in a No DQ Street Fight
- Super X Cup qualifying match - Prime Time Elix Skipper vs. Sonjay Dutt vs. Shark Boy vs. Mikey Batts

James Caldwell writes from Southern California where he is eagerly preparing more content for the "31 Days of Caldwell" series, found exclusively on PWTorch.com. Feel free to drop any feedback, opinions, or comments on this week's Impact review to jamescaldwell@pwtorch.com.

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