By James Caldwell, PWTorch columnist

TNA Impact on Spike TV
November 2, 2006
Taped October 23 in Orlando, Florida
Report by James Caldwell, Torch columnist

- We start with a recap of the battle royale last week. It still sounds too complicated even in recap form. They then recapped Angle-Joe pullapart III.

- Tenay and West broke down the card with the #1 contender matches. They went to an altercation from earlier in the day. Christy Hemme was interviewing Chris Sabin about the X Division title. He said Jerry Lynn doubted him and his focus. Sabin said his belt proves him wrong. A.J. Styles interrupted and said he's not going to listen to that crap. Sabin gave him a rude facial reaction, so Styles shoved him. They fought as the cameraman lost control of the shot. One Hour Later, Styles checked his lip and talked to Hemme about Sabin's attitude. Sabin then walked up to him and said he would put the X Title on the line tonight if Styles is so frustrated about it. Heel Sabin = Greatness.

1 -- CHRIS SABIN vs. A.J. STYLES -- X Division Tile match -- Fight for the Right #1 Contender tournament match

Styles came out first. Sabin then came out talking all sorts of trash. Tenay and West said this Sabin has been too disrespectful lately. They went at it before the bell rang. Styles caught Sabin off the ropes with a swinging back breaker. Sabin ducked a clothesline and went for a backslide, but Styles kicked out. Sabin followed up with a kick to the back of the head. He then applied a seated neck vice. West tried to explain something about the Christian-Rhino match tonight that TNA assumes everyone watching this show knows about despite TNA not promoting it on TV last week. Styles flipped to the apron, then connected to a springboard fist smash. Sabin slipped out of the Clash and kicked Styles in the back of the head. He then followed up with a springboard Tornado DDT for a close nearfall. This is great so far. Sabin missed with a clothesline and Styles caught him with the Pele soccer kick. Sabin sklipped out of the inverted DDT, then hit a charging Yakuza kick. Sabin went for a roll up pin, but Styles rolled through for a small package pin. Sabin checked his jaw and sat on his knees in disbelief. Styles rolled out of the ring and hoisted the title in the air.

WINNER: Styles in 6:00. The best six minutes of wrestling on Impact in months. They missed an opportunity to make the title switch something of paramount importance when they didn't reinforce the victory by staying in the moment for longer than fifteen seconds. The Sabin heel turn is a great step for his character.

[Commercial Break]

- They're promoting Kurt Angle's in-ring debut and Christian-Rhino in a barbed wire cage for the first Impact in the earlier prime time slot.

- Tenay and West talked about an interview with Sting that caught them off guard. A new side of Sting, Tenay said. The voice over man narrated clips from Bound for Glory. Sting said he saw a changed man when he looked at Jarrett across the ring. He said he has some severe personal problems that he's dealing with. Sting said Jarrett is the cancer that needed to be removed from TNA, and he took the cancer - the NWA Title belt - from Jarrett. Planting seeds for the other cancer issue with Jarrett. Sting said the NWA Title belt has mean dirty politics and backhanded dealings before. He said the belt is now going to signify honor, respect, dignity, and truth. He said he's giving credit to God. He said he is nothing without Him.

- Borash interviewed Ron Killings and Lance Hoyt backstage. Killings said their #1 contender match is about business, not friendship. Hoyt said this is his chance to be champion for the first time. He said he would take his head off if given the chance, but they would be friends after the match. Borash tried to sign off, but Eric Young interrupted. Borash congratulated him on getting his job back. Young said he's not sure. I love the concept of two guys hammering out the issue before a match. The delivery of the material was a little rough, though. Still, it's great to see pre-match context established.

[Commercial Break]

2 -- RON KILLINGS vs. LANCE HOYT -- Fight for the Right #1 Contender tournament match

West said Hoyt is the underdog story of the tournament. It's always good to have a George Mason in any tournament. Killings went for a quick pin within the first 30 seconds. Hoyt then ran him over with a shoulderblock and big 'ole boot to the face. West and Tenay speculated whether Sting could resist the temptations that come with the title belt. Tenay said the person who wins a title is never really the same person again, as if the ego takes over. West said the belt is a mighty seductress. Killings caught Hoyt off the ropes with an Axe kick for a sudden victory.

WINNER: Killings at 3:00. That ending came out of nowhere. Didn't have a chance to get started.

- B.G. James and Kip James walked into the ring and interrupted Killings's celebration. B.G. said they were scouted by some guys up North ten years ago who couldn't get themselves over. He said the world saw right through them. Goodness, don't bring up something about DX if you're not going to name some names or be specific. It's lazy booking. This got no reaction in the crowd. B.G. then said the 3 Live Kru idea was a joke and the upper echelon of TNA doesn't care about their team. B.G. told TNA to take its TNA cap and wipe their ass with it. He said he was leaving and going home. The fans cheered. Kip then tried to cut a "real" promo, but they cut his mic off. Why did it take a full 90 seconds after B.G. spoke? Kip then went over to the announcers and tried to scream into the headset, but the cut him off again. Kip screamed while standing on top of the announce table. Tenay sent it to a break. This is stupid on thousands of levels. It's pandering and insulting the intelligence to an audience that knows the difference between work and shoot. We've seen angles like this done so many times that it's played out and it represents the laziest form of booking in classic 1999 Thunder ideology that helped contribute to the death of WCW. This show was going great until TNA had to resort to the bag of tricks of "oh, this looks more real" storylines that don't help anyone.

[Commercial Break]

- Robert Roode and Ms. Brooks walked out for the next tournament match. West then said he had no idea this was coming, and he talked to B.G. earlier in the day and he seemed fine. What? Last week, B.G. walked out of the battle royale match and Tenay said he was packing his bags to go home. How is he suddenly mad at TNA last week, then fine before this week's show, and then leaving the promotion this week? Unbelievable.

3 -- ROBERT ROODE (w/Ms. Brooks) vs. CHRISTOPHER Daniels

Roode worked on Daniels early on. Tenay and West talked about the Christian-Rhino main event on the show. Are they even in the arena? Maybe a pre-match promo? A video package in the first 40 minutes of TV? Daniels, with a bandage on his forehead, made his comeback with hard clotheslines. Tenay said Roode is taking Wall Street by storm as a corporate wrestler. Again, TNA assumes everyone watched the pre-show at BFG. Daniels cleared Roode to the outside. Brooks then distracted the referee as Daniels had a pin back in the ring. Roode hit a Full Nelson slam for a nearfall at 3:00. Daniels slipped out of a powerbomb and hit a DVD for a nearfall. He then hit the BME, but Brooks jumped on the apron and teased Hebner with her chest. "We know she's hot, but this tournament is too important," West said indignantly. Daniels then tried to hit Angel's Wings, but Brooks pulled Daniels's foot. He turned around to bark at Brooks, then Roode caught him with a swinging reverse neckbreaker - The Payoff - for the win. Styles then came to the ring and chased Roode. They replayed the finish and West said, "The fine assets of Ms. Brooks have power over Earl Hebner." Daniels and Styles had a discussion over the finish. Styles tried to console Daniels, who was frustrated. Tenay said Daniels is frustrated because Styles is too focused on his own title.

WINNER: Roode in 5:00. They had to protect Daniels, but Roode could use a clean win to get this new character running on strong legs. It appears that we're in line for yet another split between Styles and Daniels.

[Commercial Break]

- We get a Christian-Rhino video package 45 minutes into the show to promote the main event... of the show on Nov. 16.

4 -- CHRISTIAN CAGE vs. RHINO -- Four corners gimmick match

Rhino jumped Christian on the stage before the bell rang. They brawled ringside, then up the opposite entrance ramp. Tenay said the match determines the method of escape or weapons to be used at the Nov. 16 match. Rhino dominated for the opening two minutes once they entered the ring. Christian thumbed Rhino in the eye, then tried to grab some sort of object hanging on a pole in one corner. Tenay said it was a key. Rhino caught him and shoved him to the outside before grabbing the sack with what Tenay said was a key.

[Commercial Break]

Rhino threw Christian into the ring out of the break. They showed clips from the action during the commercial. Rhino set up for the Gore, but Christian played opossum and met him with a dropkick to the face. Tenay said Rhino grabbed the straightjacket during the break. Christian then scaled a corner and grabbed bolt cutters. He tried to use it as a weapon, but Rhino cut him off with a single leg takedown. Suddenly, a random man ran into the ring. Tenay said it was Maverick Matt dressed up like Raven. Christian grabbed a chair hanging from the fourth corner to end the match. So, no, we don't get a finish. Rhino delivered the Gore to Matt, then tackled Christian. He strapped Christian into the straightjacket and picked up a chair. Kazarian then slipped into the ring and grabbed the chair from Rhino. Matt and Kazarian double teamed Rhino before he made the Triple H comeback. Rhino knocked down Matt, then took Kazarian through a table with a Gore. So much for them.

WINNER: Tie? in 8:00. So, Rhino has a straightjacket and key for the cage match. Christian has a chair and bolt cutters. And we have no finish.

- They closed with footage of Joe and Angle, 58 minutes into the show when most of the audience has gone to sleep, as Vince Russo said in his TNA website interview. They showed separate footage of both men training in his respective gym. A whole lot of sweat and kicks.

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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