TNA IMPACT "ALT PERSPECTIVE" REPORT
FEBRUARY 22, 2007
TAPED IN ORLANDO, FLA.
AIRED ON SPIKE TV
BY BOB WALLUM, PWTORCH CORRESPONDENT

We open with a quick review of the Angle-Steiner conflict before we go straight to the intro.

The Elevation X structure is again lowered to the ring to open the show. West and Tenay summarize the events to take place tonight as AJ Styles makes his way to the ring, then climbs the structure.

AJ reminds us, in case we've forgotten, that he is the Phenomenal AJ Styles. He also tells us he's the most decorated wrestler in TNA (true), the inventor of the X-division (not quite), and the man who made the Ultimate X match famous (getting warmer, AJ). He says if you truly want to be the best, you have to set the bar higher, and says this, Elevation X, is his new invention. 2 men can climb, but only room for 1 at the top, and AJ offers to make someone famous, because they'll never be phenomenal. Rhino answers AJ's challenge and makes his way to the ring and up the structure, causing AJ to contract a case of the limbertail. Rhino tells AJ that his new invention will be the cause of his downfall, because Rhino says he'll accept the match at Destination X and gives AJ 3 words to think about, Gore, GORE, GORE!!!!!!!!

Jeremy Borash is backstage with Team 3D and Steve Schirippa. Ray asks LAX if they've ever been in a Belting Pot match, and tells us they are looking forward to it, because they can count on their paisans and Cousin Steve, then asks LAX if they can count on the invalid in the wheelchair (Konnan) and their hood rats. Cousin Steve says his father told him always stick with family, then makes a few more Italian references to which Devon testifies.

The intro of LAX, with Konnan and Latino Nation, takes us into our first commercial break.

(commercial)

Team 3D is led to the ring by Goombah Nation as the place goes wild for 3D.

Match 1 - Team 3D (w/ Cousin Steve and Goombahs) vs. LAX (w/ Konnan and Latino Nation) - non-title Belting Pot match

Hernandez gets Devon's attention early allowing Homicide to get in the first sneak attack, and Devon ducks under a clothesline off the ropes and hits Homicide with a Thesz Press and a series of punches. Devon goes to pick up Homicide but is stopped by a rake to the eyes. Homicide shoots Devon to the ropes again but Devon holds on, Homicide rushes in and is backdropped to the floor, where the Goombahs lay in wait and proceed to strap the hell out of Homicide as he tries to run away. After being blocked by Ray, Homicide runs to the other unattended section of ring and quickly dives back in. Devon continues the assault inside the ring, big elbow drop for a 2. Devon runs the ropes but Hernandez pulls down the top rope causing Devon to spill to the floor, where the Latinos pounce on him like angry wolves and whip him before throwing him in. Hernandez chokes out Devon with his shirt, then they exchanges chops before Devon tosses Hernandez out for his whipping. As Hernandez is shoved back in Homicide clotheslines Devon from behind and tags back in to take advantage, getting a quick 2. Homicide tries a Tornado DDT from the top rope but Devon throws him off, Devon with a corkscrew forearm and both men make the tag. Ray is in first and meets Hernandez with punches and chops, then a biel throw from off the ropes, then a backdrop for Homicide. Fallaway slam on Hernandez gets a pin attempt but Ray breaks off to go after Homicide, tossing him to the floor on the LAX side. Rock Bottom on Hernandez gets a 2. Ray and Devon hit 3D on Hernandez but Homicide breaks that up at the last second. Homicide tosses Devon out to a neutral side, Ray tosses Hernandez out to that same space, and both whipping factions meet there before going after each other instead, swinging belts, flags, and anything not nailed down at each other. Back in the ring, Ray decks Homicide and Cousin Steve jumps in to help out Ray set up the "Whazzup" headbutt, which Devon delivers to Homicide, then Steve and Ray, along with the Impact Zone, request Devon to get the tables. Hernandez enters the ring to interrupt but misses on a clothesline on Cousin Steve, leaving himself open for a 3D, then Ray rolls over to get the pin and the win.

Winners: Team 3D

Recap No. 512 of the Sting/Abyss feud, coming up after the break words from Sting from his deathbed and reaction from Abyss.

(commercial)

Back from break, a pre-taped segment where Sting is lowered to the empty ring on a metal bed-like structure. Sting asks what does it feel like to die. You can choose to have emptiness, or you can have light. He tells Abyss his life is going to change drastically soon, and at Destination X, when Sting tells him he'll strap him to this bed and send him skyward,  Abyss will have to make that choice, one he'll be able to make without the devil (Mitchell) in his ear.

JB is backstage to get reaction form Abyss. Abyss offers nothing so Borash goes to wrap up the interview, unaware of Abyss rising behind him. Abyss collars Borash and chokes him against the fence, then drops him, then Abyss piefaces the camera, summarily ending the segment.

Match 2 - Robert Roode (w/ Ms. Brooks), Eric Young & James Storm (w/ Jackie) vs. Voodoo Kin Mafia & Lance Hoyt

BG and Eric start the match as BG eggs on the crowd cheering for Young. BG starts the breakdance move and Eric finishes it, BG adds more to the dance routine but before Young (obviously enjoying himself) can finish Storm runs in to break it up but is met with a punch from BG and a double clothesline from BG and Eric. Roode comes in to yell at Eric and slaps him, an illegal tag but Hebner allows it nonetheless. Roode misses a swing at BG, who lights him up with punches and goes to capitalize before Storm nails him, sending the advantage to Roode. Short clothesline drops BG, then drags him to the corner to tag Storm, who whips BG to the ropes, boot to the gut, then an underhook slam. Storm punches Kip and Hoyt off the apron, but BG crawls under to tag in Hoyt, who ducks a Storm clothesline and catches Storm coming back off the ropes with a Flapjack. Hoyt goes to the top but Roode crotches Hoyt on the top, causing Hoyt to crumple to the mat where Storm collects the pin.

Wiiners: Roode, Young and Storm

Post-match, Roode is berating Young outside the ring when we see Chris Harris hop the guardrail in pursuit of Storm, chasing him two laps around the ring before we see them running towards the tunnel, when they cut away for more words from Christopher Daniels.

Daniels tells us that they say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself, because change comes from within. During his time away, he's looked inside himself, and he says that he'll have to sacrifice what he is now for the sake of what he'll become.

Don West is in the ring with Andre Rison form "Pros and Joes". Rison is wearing an Indianapolis Colts colored jersey, interesting because he loved his tenure in Indianapolis so much he practically begged to leave, but I digress. West asks Rison what it felt like to put the pads on again and show the ordinary "Joes" what it feels like to be a professional athlete. Rison says it felt great, he thanks Spike for putting the show on, offers to kick the but of some random Joe in the audience, and goes on to talk more about the show until he's interrupted by Abyss' music. West asks if Abyss has something to say but Abyss shoves the microphone aside. Rison offers his hand to Abyss (dummy), who takes his hand and pulls him into a Black Hole Slam as we go to commercial.

(commercial)

Another entry into Ron Killings' Oscar worthy dossier, "Rambuck" shows up in poster form. Tenay and West recap the events from moments ago featuring Abyss and Andre Rison before going to the next segment of Paparazzi Idol.

Nash asks for some more Randy Savage impersonation, Lethal was hoping to do something else but gives him one more time. Nash calls Lethal over and tells him the white people are keeping "them" down. Lethal tells Nash that he's not even black. Nash tells him not to play the race card and hands him some more gear for his new persona. Lethal thanks him and walks out the door.

Tenay is in the ring with James Cornette for the contract signing between Scott Steiner and Kurt Angle. Cornette asks both men for decorum as they sign the contract. Scott Steiner yanks the mic from Cornette and tells Angle that at the PPV, he guarantees a win and will melt down the gold medal to boot. Angle grabs the mic and reiterates to Steiner his reasons for coming to the company and tells him he wants Steiner to make as much money as he can for this match because it'll be his last. Both men sign and throw the table aside. Steiner (still with the chainmail headgear on) headbutts Angle, causing him to bleed. After being stunned momentarily, Angle quickly gets the best of Steiner before Tomko comes down to help, but Angle gets to Tomko first and hits him with uppercuts. Christian cage comes in and Angle gets a jump on him before Steiner comes to and hits Angle form behind. Steiner takes down Angle with a suplex, then they set up Angle for Cage to hit him with the belt. Steiner shoves the contract into Angle's mouth to close the segment.

(commercial)

Tenay and West recap the previous segment before going to a Samoa Joe promo. He tells us that in his series with Angle he was pushed to limits he didn't know he had, plus surpassed the ones he did know. He tells Cage he's been held away from the title for 20 months since coming to TNA, but they can't ignore him anymore, and tells Cage that inevitably he will be broken.

Match 3 - THE Austin Starr vs. Jay Lethal vs. Sonjay Dutt vs. Jerry Lynn vs. Senshi - Ladder match to determine X-Division #1 Contender 

No intros necessary, I guess. Starr and Senshi go right at each other as Lethal and Dutt pair up against Lynn. Dutt and Lethal do a version of Rolling Thunder on Lynn as the other two brawl outside. They throw Lynn to the corner, Lethal throws Dutt in but Lynn moves away, then a headscissors takedown on Lethal, followed by a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker on Dutt. Lynn and Senshi bring in ladders. Dutt grabs the ladder and corners Lynn with it, then walks up the ladder in the corner and dropkicks Lynn in the head. Lethal and Dutt double baseball slide on the ladder to take out Starr and Senshi, then both with stereo dives over the top onto Starr and Senshi, and as we see Mr. Bob Backlund at the top of the ramp we go to the last break.

(commercial)

Back from break, Senshi throws Lynn to the corner, then goes for a headscissors but is blocked by Lynn, but Senshi uses his momentum to tip over Lynn, then a Warrior's Way stomp onto Lynn for good measure. Starr catches Senshi with a clothesline, then dropkicks Lethal, who was trapped behind a ladder in the corner. Starr showboats much to the displeasure of the Impact Zone. Starr sets up a ladder, then Senshi and Lynn set up ladders as well. Dutt and Lethal pull Lynn down off the ladder while Senshi and Starr beat on each other on the other side of the ladders. Lethal and Senshi square off opposite one side of ladders as Dutt and Starr do likewise on their ladder. Lynn comes to and powerbombs Lethal and Dutt off their side. Starr and Senshi exchange chops at the top of their ladders. Lynn punches each man, then shoves them off the ladders to go up top and get the X and the win.

Winner: Jerry Lynn

Post-match, Backlund goes into the ring and shakes Lynn's hand, then offers a handshake to Starr, who yells at Backlund, then runs his hands up his abs and flicks the sweat at Backlund (yuck) then goes to leave the ring. As Backlund goes to leaves Starr goes over to attack Backlund, Backlund stops him and locks in a crossface chicken wing, pulling Starr outside the ring and up the ramp as the Adrenaline Rush montage plays, including footage of Angle being stitched up backstage to close the show.

High Impact Points

1. Angle/Steiner feud - Much better job by Steiner this week of staying on point, the usual great job by Angle of keeping the intensity, and the beatdown by the Coalition helped underscore the point that Angle has an uphill battle to take on.

2. Roode/Young - now that Young unsuspectingly sold his soul, it's fun to watch Eric have to deal with his new situation. They've built up Roode and Ms. Brooks enough to make you want to hate them for what they've done and they've played their roles to the hilt. I look forward to seeing where this goes.

3. Sting - like Steiner, Sting does his best promos when not getting too complicated and staying on point. Sting did a good job this week of that, plus illustrating on what the stakes are in what hopefully should be the last match in this feud.

Low Impact Points

1. X-Division - with a match with seemingly this much at stake, you can't devote 45 seconds to each guy to introduce them? Kind of shows where the rest of the X-division is among the pecking order, doesn't it?

2. Storm/Harris - Yes, I know the build in this is supposed to make it mean more once Harris gets his hands on Storm, which should be left for the PPV, but either Harris got too close or somebody goofed somewhere because it sure seemed like Harris was right on his heels. Hypothetically if Harris DID catch him, would they have not shown us what happened? Why not? Good angle but sloppy execution in here somewhere...

3. Nash/Lethal/Dutt - It's good that they've at least attempted to give Lethal something so far, but why not Dutt? Is he getting his own segments? Since it's been (kind of) established that Lethal has this personality will he be able to show it in the ring, or anywhere else outside of Paparazzi Idol? Doesn't seem to be a light at the end of this tunnel just yet...

See ya in seven. Keep that feedback rolling in, please. As always I thrive on your feedback, so please send it along to BMoonphase@yahoo.com. Otherwise you can always drop me a line at the VIP Message Forum.

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