By James Caldwell, Torch columnist

TNA Impact on Spike TV
June 22, 2006
Taped June 20 in Orlando, Florida
Report by James Caldwell, Torch columnist

- We start with clips from the Slammiversary PPV including Jim Cornette breaking kayfabe talking about good matches, selling PPVs, and drawing ratings. We also saw TNA try to re-create Survivor Series '97 with the unskilled actor Larry Zbyszko playing the part of Earl Hebner's escort after Jeff Jarrett won the NWA Title, only to have it taken away.

- Live in the Impact zone, Jim Cornette was center ring to welcome us to the show. He said TNA is in bad need of order, structure, discipline, and accountability. Cornette said there have been too many impotent authority figures in TNA. He said he was going to step on some toes. Lots of boos early on. Cornette said he was having closed door meetings throughout the show tonight with TNA talent. He directed comments at Jeremy Borash to stop prying for information. He told LAX to not miss another meeting. Cornette said he would be making examples next week by firing some people. More boos. He said he would do what's best for TNA, the fans, and the bottom line. "Fire Jarrett" the fans chanted. Cornette held up the NWA Title. He said Slammiversary was a great event, but certain things happened that made him embarrassed to be part of pro wrestling. (No, he wasn't talking about Kip James's match.) Cornette said Jarrett is no longer the NWA Champion and right now, there is no NWA Champion. He said he would announce the new NWA Champion next week while announcing a major match for the July PPV. Cornette talked about Jarrett's family getting him into the business. He said Jarrett's grandmother would be ashamed of Jarrett if she wasn't already dead. Cornette said he's come out on top of previous power struggles. He said he would tell Jarrett what his future looks like on next week's show. As Cornette left, Jarrett came out and yelled at Cornette for bringing his family into the business. He told Cornette he wants the NWA Title.

[Commercial Break]

1 -- A.J. STYLES & CHRISTOPHER DANIELS vs. ELIX SKIPPER & DAVID YOUNG w/Simon Diamond -- NWA Tag Title match

They showed footage from three weeks ago when Diamonds in the Rough beat Styles and Daniels due to outside interference from AMW. Skipper jumped Daniels from behind before he could lock up with Young. Diamonds worked on Daniels early on. Skipper tried to walk the top rope, but Daniels shoved him down. D.W. hyperventilated about the TNA Knockouts. Styles took the hot tag at 1:55. Young prevented Styles from hitting the Clash on Skipper. Daniels entered and teamed with Styles for a sidewalk slam/top rope clothesline combo. They hit hi/low leg sweep and clothesline on Skipper. Diamond entered the ring with the referee distracting himself. Jamie D or "the equalizer" hit the ring and slammed Diamond. Daniels hit the Best Moonsault Ever on Young then Styles hit a Frogsplash for the win. Afterwards, Gail Kim hit the ring and jumped Jamie from behind. She blocked Gail's attack then went for a chokeslam, but AMW came to ringside and made the save.

WINNERS: Styles & Daniels at 3:25. Short and to the point. Good way to feature the tag champs in the opening match right out of a big title victory at the PPV.

- Jeremy Borash was backstage snooping around Cornette's office. Eric Young interrupted and asked if he was going to get fired. Borash asked why Cornette would fire him. Young said he always gets fired. Jeff Jarrett ran into the scene and said he didn't need an appointment to see Cornette. He barged into Cornette's office.

[Commercial Break]

- Backstage, Jeremy put the mic next to a conversation between Eric Young, Jay Lethal, and Chris Sabin. Young said being fired is not funny. Sabin told him to get back on the meds. Jeff Jarrett walked out of Cornette's office with a look of dejection. Young asked if he was fired. Jarrett said he doesn't give a damn whether Young has his job or not. He said he has to wait seven days to find out about his NWA Title. "Wait, you mean next week on Impact?" Borash asked, his voice steadily increased with every word.

2 -- MONTY BROWN vs. CHASYN RANCE

Brown took down Rance with stiff forearms to the back. Slick Johnson was dressed in World Cup referee attire. All he needs is a Britney Spears-style headset mic and he's set. Brown hit the Pounce for the basic 2004 squash-style Brown victory.

WINNER: Brown at 0:57. Yeah, a Brown squash!

- Konnan addressed Brown from the Spanish announce table. He said Brown has been held back. Konnan reminded Brown of how many times he's won #1 Contender matches yet never been granted the opportunity cash them in. Konnan said he shouldn't complain, though, because TNA management would only find another reason to hold him down. Brown walked away without giving an answer. Ron Killings walked out. Konnan said it's all good. Killings wanted to know what's up. Konnan said they've sold out buildings, won tag titles, and they're family. He said Killings is nothing in this company because they've held him back. Killings said he's something to the fans. Konnan told Killings to open up his eyes and see that management doesn't look at talent, but race. He said they need to take instead of wait for TNA to provide handouts. He offered Killings a spot in LAX. They hugged then Hotstuff Hernandez and Homicide jumped Killings. They left him out cold on the floor then took off. Good segment to establish LAX as a thug heel stable.

- J.B. was outside the door as Sabin and Lethal met with Cornette. Eric Young wanted to know why they were meeting with J.C. while he was still outside. He told Borash to help him because his life and career are on the line. He wanted to share a secret, but Sabin and Lethal walked out with smiles. Sabin said he couldn't share the privileged information, but he did say Kevin Nash would like what Cornette had to say. Lethal agreed. They did an awkward handshake and left. Young, the star of this week's backstage segments with J.B., told him to keep their master plan a secret. Borash didn't know how to respond to Young's weirdness.

[Commercial Break]

- More Borash! Goodness. Christian Cage walked up to Cornette's door and Borash asked him what he was looking to get out of the meeting. Christian met him with a rightfully odd expression. He talked about the controversy surrounding the NWA Title. Christian said the right thing for Cornette to do is put the belt back around his waist.

- Tenay said there's heat between Team 3D and James Gang. Backstage, Team 3D and J.G. were squaring off. Slick Johnson stood between them for a verbal debate as if they're back in high school telling Yo Momma jokes. Good Lord, grow up people. Random wrestlers and rent-a-cops laughed at each passing Yo Momma joke. Brother Ray switched to Bullet Bob and called the whole Armstrong family a bunch of losers. B.G. James couldn't take that so he went after Brother Ray with a right hand. The fight spilled through the tunnel to the Impact zone. B.G. threw chairs into the ring. He cracked a chair over Devon's back. Kip and B.G. did crotch chops over Devon's fallen body. Aw, they missed the DX Reunion! Maybe they can do another sour grapes shoot DVD. Brother Runt ran to the ring and kicked Kip between the legs. James Gang scampered to the tunnel. Ray took the mic and told James Gang to find a third partner by next week to set up a six-man tag match at the July PPV. Tenay and West speculated that Bullet Bob would be the sixth man.

- J.B. was outside Cornette's office again. I hope he has a pay-per-TV-appearance clause in his contract. Christian walked out and said Cornette wants him to wait seven days to find out about the NWA Title scenario. Sting walked into the camera shot. Christian said Cornette isn't making decisions tonight and that irks him. He asked Sting if they're friends or not. Sting said they're friends and he would be the first person to find out about what he discusses with Cornette.

[Commercial Break]

- They did a TNA Knockouts DVD preview video package focusing on So Cal Val, Traci Brooks, Gail Kim, Jackie Gayda, and Christy Hemme. Some strategically placed tennis shoes in this video.

3 -- SAMOA JOE vs. SENSHI vs. SONJAY DUTT -- X Division Title match

Senshe went after both men early on. Joe came back with a charging knee to the face. Dutt hit a flip dive onto Senshi on the outside. Eric Young ran through the crowd with a sign: "Don't fire Eric Young." The fans chanted his sign. Joe slammed both opponents into the ring apron. He hit a charging kick to the back of Dutt's head, sandwiching Dutt in between the guardrail and his boot. Joe went for the same move on Senshi, but Senshi was prepared with a charging clothesline. Senshi rolled Joe into the ring.

[Commercial Break]

Senshi applied a Dragon Sleeper in the middle of the ring out of the commercial. Joe broke the hold and Senshi came back with a double foot drop kick to the knee. Dutt caught Senshi from behind with a cross body block for a nearfall. After working on Senshi on the mat, Dutt hit a standing moonsault for a nearfall. Joe caught Dutt in mid-air with a pancake slam. Senshi kicked Joe in the gut, but Joe fired back with a stiff kick to the gut. Joe hit a Sentaun back splash off the ropes. "Joe's gonna kill you," the fans chanted. Dutt kicked Joe to the outside. Joe grabbed Dutt from the apron and applied a choke hold. Senshi kicked Joe off the apron to the floor. From behind, Scott Steiner approached Joe on the outside. He smashed Joe over the head with a chair shot. In the ring, Senshi hit a kick in the corner. Steiner stood over Joe's fallen body. Of course, if this were any other TNA match, Joe would have been back in the ring within 15 seconds because a chair shot to the head has become a mid-match transitional move. Senshi hit a top rope double foot stomp to the chest. He made the cover for the win. Senshi celebrated with the belt while Steiner left the ringside area. Joe was motionless on the floor. He eventually reached his feet and threw a chair into the ringpost.

WINNER: Senshi at 9:22 to capture the X Division Title. Pretty darn good wrestling action. I hope Senshi isn't pushed to the backburner as X Division champion following past champions such as Joe, Daniels, or Styles. TNA definitely needed a fourth member to join that upper echelon and Senshi is the best option right now. TNA can milk Joe-Steiner for several more months and it's good to see them continue the feud after Joe's PPV win.

- Sting walked out of Cornette's office and told Borash that Cornette is going to work out just fine as the new face of TNA management. "I got everything that I wanted," he said.

Closing Thought: Good follow up show to the PPV while providing a strong hook for next week to find out what happens to the NWA Title. Most of the time, TNA is guilty of not focusing on major events from a PPV the show after the PPV. This week, I believe they touched on the key issues - most notably new NWA Tag champs, Joe beating Steiner, and the NWA Title picture - while not cramming too much material into one hour. The pacing has improved dramatically and that has helped the show flow. I don't believe the company needs an additional thirty minutes or hour if they can consistently pace their shows better like this week's show. I just have a feeling TNA would lose its focus with an additional thirty minutes and book Jarrett for a 15-minute interview segment each week. The product is fine where it is as long as they stick to this format.

We welcome your 1-10 score and comments on this show for an "Impact Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. To contribute your thoughts on Impact, click here.

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