By James Caldwell, Torch columnist

TNA Impact on Spike TV
August 17, 2006
Taped August 14 in Orlando, Florida
Report by James Caldwell, Torch columnist

For what it's worth, we start the show at seven minutes past the top of the hour with a UFC over-run. This will help the overall Impact rating with a guaranteed strong first quarter hour.

- We start with LAX and the tag champs, Styles and Daniels brawling ringside. That's a heck of an intro with Homicide throwing Daniels head-first into the announce table. Daniels was open up from the forehead. Konnan took the mic and told Daniels he would taste his own blood. Meanwhile, Hernandez tossed Styles onto the ring entrance with a press slam. Homicide continued to open up Daniels's forehead in the ring. They interrupted Jeff Jarrett's victory party in the ring. Homicide ripped open Daniels's button down shirt and attacked him some more. "The era of violence continues from the LAX," Tenay said. Daniels and Styles fought back in the ring. Daniels screamed into the hard camera then tackled Homicide. However, Homicide fought back by choking him across the throat. Konnan dropped Styles with a champagne bucket of ice right over the forehead. Konnan and Hernandez took turns beating down Styles. The fans chanted, "TNA." Styles was wide open with blood covering his shirt. Finally, Rhino hit the ring and went after LAX. Monty Brown ran down in street clothes and brawled with Rhino. The bell sounded as Brother Runt hit the ring to attack Brown. Abyss ran down with Mitchell and went after Runt. Samoa Joe ran down and walked right past Hernandez. A possible match-up down the road? Jeff Jarrett ran down, upset that his celebration was interrupted. Joe and Rhino brawled up the entrance ramp to the stage. The lights came off then came on. Sting's music played and he hit the ring with a baseball bat. He cleared the heels except for Jarrett, who went up the entrance ramp to get away from Sting. The fans cheered for Sting. Daniels was still motionless in the corner, still selling the LAX beat down. Sting took the mic. He addressed Jarrett. He said Jarrett didn't beat at the PPV, Christian Cage did. Sting said he wanted a re-match with Jarrett at Bound for Glory. He said he would do anything - "I said anything," he said - for a re-match. He wanted Jarrett's answer tonight. Tenay and West discussed Christian Cage's upcoming promo to explain his actions at Hard Justice. They said Joe-Killings was on the show, as well. The best three minutes of TNA Impact to start the show with the hottest act in the company delivering another bloody beating. Sting clearing out everyone goes against what he said at the beginning of the year when he said he didn't want to be "Sting the superstar" taking precedence over everyone else on the roster. TNA had to set up the next chapter of Sting-Jarrett, which is questionable in its own right, but Sting taking the glory at the end of the segment was very telling. The fans cheering for Sting to keep the segment going made the ending more bearable, but it's still Sting being booked to take the spotlight.

[Commercial Break]

- The voice over man discussed the fire at the PPV. He said Eric Young was able to defeat Johnny Devine despite heavy smoke in the ring. He said the crowd returned to witnesses one of the greatest TNA PPVs of all time. No shortage on hyperbole.

- Jeremy Borash was outside Jeff Jarrett's locker room looking for an answer from Jarrett. Eric Young walked out. He said Jarrett told him to get the hell out. "You don't think he meant TNA, do you?" Young asked Borash.

1 -- ALEX SHELLEY & JOHNNY DEVINE & PETEY WILLIAMS vs. JAY LETHAL & CHRIS SABIN & SONJAY DUTT

Lethal hit a combination of kicks on Devine early on. Petey and Shelley had trouble communicating, which led to the heels being sent to the outside. Lethal and Sabin hit crossfire suicide dives onto the heels on the outside then Dutt hit a flip dive onto Shelley. Earl Hebner, raggedy clothes and all, ran into the ring and choked referee Slick Johnson with his belt. Security guards hit the ring, but Hebner whipped them his belt and they fell down. Hebner ran across the ring before a break. Yes, a referee was able to beat down two security guards and escape their clutches while 99.9 percent of wrestlers are always held down by the same security guard combination to prevent a brawl from escalating. That's one omnipotent referee.

[Commercial Break]

Andrew Thomas is your new referee after Slick was attacked by Hebner. The heels worked on Lethal while the referee held back Sabin and Dutt from helping their partner. Petey went for a bulldog off the ropes, but Lethal countered into a back breaker. He tagged out to Dutt. Shelley came in and the spots ensued. Dutt hit a spinebuster for a two count when Petey broke up the pin. Six-person action broke down. Sabin and Lethal rowed the boat on the heels in the middle of the ring. Haven't seen that since PWG last year. The babyfaces hit simultaneous side kicks on the heels. Sabin hit a charging kick to Devine's face in the corner. He followed with a top rope guillotine leg drop on Devine for the win.

WINNERS: Sabin, Dutt, and Lethal in 9:00. An entertaining spotfest with good TV-quality moves to keep the action going, but no personalities were developed.

- They went to post-Hard Justice footage after recapping Jarrett-Sting. Backstage after the match, Rhino asked Christian backstage, "What...the...hell...was...that?" Christian quickly said he didn't have time to explain, but he said he did it for Rhino and everyone else on the roster.

- Mike Tenay sternly introduced a Christian sit-down interview. Christian said the truth is that he never had a master plan. He said he tried to help Sting over and over during the NWA Title match, but Sting just didn't show the desire to get the job done. They showed footage of Christian's repeated outside interference to help Sting. He said he decided it wasn't worth helping someone who wouldn't get the job done so he made a "gametime decision" to lay out Sting and stop Sting from taking the belt since he didn't have the same passion. Christian went into full heel mode when he said he put the promotion on the map as the company's big free agent acquisition. He said he got TNA the Thursday night timeslot. Christian said Sting gets the glory, which is far from the truth. He said Sting told him he loves him like a brother. "That's a crock of (bleep)," Christian said. He said he didn't screw Sting; Sting screwed him. Christian asked how many former champions never get a re-match after never being pinned to lose the belt. He said he did it for Rhino and for the roster; that he would regain the belt. Heck of a promo from a full-fledged heel Christian. Really put a lot of sense into the main event at the PPV.

[Commercial Break]

- They went backstage where Daniels and Styles were still covered in blood. Daniels said he hates the taste of his blood. He said they beat LAX at the PPV and if they wanted a re-match, all they had to do was ask. With blood covering his eyes, Daniels cursed LAX then said they would even put the belts on the line just to get LAX back in the ring. They went to Konnan ringside, who accepted Daniels's challenge. He said he wanted a Border Brawl to do the match their style. Konnan said Styles and Daniels only have one good brawl in them, and that was at Hard Justice. He said LAX has more than one good brawl in them and they would win because they have more pantalones than the champs. Heck of a promo exchange. This feud is red hot.

- They aired a Bobby Roode free agent promo. Simon Diamond, James Mitchell, and Shane Douglas talked about what they could do for Roode's career. Diamond said he could make money with Roode. He told Roode to bring him the skills he has and he would lead him to the paydays. Bam, that's it right there. Roode said the offers weren't good enough this week and he would consider more offers next week.

2 -- CHASE STEVENS (w/Andy Douglas) vs. KAZARIAN (w/Maverick Matt) vs. B.G. JAMES (w/Kip James) vs. CHRIS HARRIS (w/Gail Kim and James Storm) -- #1 Contender match to NWA Tag Titles

Before the match, Tenay said Jim Cornette's office has booked the NWA Tag Title match for next week's main event. Kazarian hit a slingshot DDT on Chase early on. B.G. broke up the follow-up pin attempt. B.G. did his dance in center ring then knocked down Harris. Storm tried to intervene with his beer bottle, but Harris snapped on Storm for almost hitting him with the bottle. Harris became preoccupied ringside, which allowed Stevens to grab the AMW handcuffs and clock Harris from behind with the gimmick. Stevens covered Harris for the win. In the ring, Gail Kim consoled Harris. James Storm shoved the referee then argued with Harris. Meanwhile, Shane Douglas congratulated Stevens on finding a way to win. They celebrated the #1 Contender victory. Storm gave Harris the double middle finger in center ring while Gail tried to stand in between them to talk sense into both men. Harris just gave a blank expression of disappointment. Storm walked out of the ring and shot the bird one more time while walking up the entrance ramp. Gail walked out behind Storm then screamed at both men while standing in the middle. Harris continued to stare in Storm's direction from the ring with a blank expression.

WINNER: Stevens in 3:00 to earn #1 Contender. Too short to amount to much in the ring, but they told a good story post-match. It appears Harris is going to be portrayed as the babyface in this AMW break-up. It felt like a big moment because AMW has been the top team in TNA during the Impact era, going all the way back to Week 1 of Impact on FSN in June 2004 when they won the NWA Tag Titles.

[Commercial Break]

- They aired a DVD preview for Lockdown. They showed Sabu throughout the video

- Ron Killings and Samoa Joe exchanged promos in a pre-tape. Joe said TNA has put Killings up against the toughest men in TNA, but not him. Killings said he's not one to mess with and he would bring it to Joe. "I'm gonna show your ass what's up," Killings said.

3 -- SAMOA JOE vs. RON KILLINGS

Tenay talked up Joe and his winning streak as he walked into the ring. Joe piefaced Killings to start the match. Killings came back with a straight right hand then he tackled Joe in center ring. Killings shoved the referee aside to land more right hands. Joe came back with a sick enziguiri kick to the head. "Joe, Joe, Joe" the fans chanted. Joe slipped to the outside when Killings hit him in the head with a boot. Killings hit a somersault flip dive onto Joe. Joe held his head as they cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

Joe landed a hard chop to the chest out of the break. Joe took Killings back into the ring, but Killings caught him in the corner for ten punches. Killings went for a corner splash, but Joe caught him with an E. Honda front slam. The fans chanted, "Joe's gonna kill you." He hit the front and back combo followed by a charging knee drop off the ropes. Joe was bleeding from the lip as he stalked Killings. He hit a combo punch and face slap then washed Killings's face. Joe followed in with a charging boot to the face. Joe applied a mat hold, driving a knee to the small of the back. Killings rallied to his feet then hit a twisting forearm smash off the ropes. He made the full comeback with successive comebacks. Joe cut Killings off with a snap slam off the ropes. After scoring a nearfall, Joe applied a cross armbreaker, but Killings reached the ropes to break the hold. Killings ducked a clothesline and hit a front suplex, which looked like a big deal with Killings lifting Joe in the air. He sold exhaustion after hitting the move then he draped an arm over Joe's chest for a nearfall. Killings went up top, but Joe caught him with a kick to the face. Joe grappled Killings up top and hit the Muscle Buster for the pin and the win.

WINNER: Samoa Joe in 11:00. A solid, competitive match. Joe might have given too much to someone who TNA hasn't pushed on TV for nearly two months, but Killings has enough historical credibility, a healthy connection with the audience, and good physical size to where he's a credible opponent independent of how he's booked. Good in-ring conclusion, giving Joe a full quarter hour of TV time to be the featured wrestler on the show.

- Borash was backstage with Jarrett. He asked if Jarrett was accepting Sting's challenge. Jarrett said there's nothing in it for him to accept the challenge. He said Sting's offer has nothing for him because it's not a win-win situation. He counter-offered with NWA Title vs. Sting's career at Bound for Glory. Jarrett said he wanted a fully executed contract by next week with the deal in writing that Sting's contract would be terminated if he were to lose at Bound for Glory. He said he wanted all of Sting's merchandise burned, never to be sold again.

- They did a music video recap of the high points of the show. The other voice over man promoted the NWA Tag Title match for next week. He posed the question of whether Styles and Daniels put too much on the line for revenge on LAX. Two nice hooks for next week to close a very strong show.

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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