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By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

KELLER'S TNA IMPACT REPORT
JUNE 19, 2008
TAPED IN ORLANDO, FLA.

WHAT HAPEPENED: HOUR ONE

[Q1] The show opened with Black Machismo cutting an angry promo at "The Pink Taco." He said if he wants to mess with So Cal Val and mess with his wedding, he's going to give him a party he'll never forget.

A video recap aired of the Kevin Nash-Samoa Joe relationship. Then the Impact opening aired.

Mike Tenay and Don West introduced and previewed the show, including Team 3D vs. Christian & Rhino in the main event and another Awesome Kong fan challenge.

1 -- BOOKER T vs. B.G. JAMES

All of that promo time invested in the B.G. and Kip James history together and it set up B.G. being a jobber to Booker in TV opening matches after weeks of being invisible. They showed Joe watching the match next to Jeremy Borash backstage. Tenay and West talked about Booker's complaints about accomodatioons in TNA and Joe being a regular guy. Some ringside brawling jump-started the action, but by 2:00 Booker settled into a chinlock. James fought out of it, but Booker kicked him. Then he predicted he'd finish James off. Booker nailed an Axe Kick for the win.

WINNER: Booker T in 3:00.

Borash asked Joe about the match. Borash said Booker looked impressive and maybe there's something to what Kevin Nash said last week. Joe snapped and grabbed Borash and asked if he was saying he couldn't beat Booker. Nash walked in and mocked the locker room. Joe snapped back that this is where wrestlers prepare to go to war and it's not about being plush. Joe asked when was the last time Nash beat Booker. Nash said many times. Joe said that was 10 or 15 years ago. He asked him to show him he can beat today's Booker. Joe said until he proves he can beat Booker, everything he says is bullsh--. This yelling is just channel-inducing. It's unpleasant. Nash agreed to a match against Booker next week. He said he's show him it's a mental game, not just physical. He referred to Joe as "rookie."

[Q2] [C]

2 -- ALEX SHELLEY & CHRIS SABIN vs. TYSON DUKES & DAIVARI - World X Cup

Duykes posted and flexed and yelled at Shelley early. Shelley used the top rope to yank Dukes over the top rope onto Daivari in the ring; quite the old school spot. Shelley hot-tagged Sabin at 3:00. Daivari yanked Sabin off the top rope. They cut to the back where A.J. Styles jumped Tomko and nailed him with a chair. He swung a second time in missed, which West called "another chair to the head." [C]

The crowd chanted "This is awesome!" as the action continued past teh ten minute mark with crisp, innovative athleticism throughout. Shelley finished Daivari with Sliced Bread #2.

WINNERS: Shelley & Sabin to earn a point in the World X Cup Tournament.

STAR RATING: **1/2 -- Good TV tag match. If TNA believed in Shelley & Sabin like Paul Heyman believed in The Eliminators or Public Enemy, they could be built into centerpiece stars of a revitalized tag team division.

[Q3] [C]

A profile aired on Gail Kim. She talked about her background in pro wrestling. She said from the first day she took a bump, she knew she was meant to be a wrestler. It also included sidebites with Scott D'Amore and Pat Kenney, listed as TNA Agents. They really talked her up for wanting to learn about the wrestling business. They talked briefly about her WWE stint. Gail talked about how fortunate she's been so far and then said she's so proud of the TNA women's division.

Tenay and West interviewed Karen Angle via satellite. This was pretty painful to watch. Just really scripted sounding with acting a notch or two short of where it needs to be on everyone's part... They showed Lethal pacing at The Pink Taco. [C]

[Q4] Jim Cornette introduced LAX with Salinas and Hector Guerrero, then explained the rules of a match where the fans have straps at ringside. Hector signed the contract on behalf of LAX. Cornette introduced James Storm, Robert Roode, and Jacqueline so they could sign the contract to make the match official. Jackie walked out alone. Cornette told LAX that they couldn't hit a woman. "Men are not going to touch women, I don't care what the situation, even if they do deserve it," he added. Men can't touch women no matter what the situation? That might be going a little far. Cornette invited Jackie into the ring. He asked where Storm and Roode were. "I'm not a babysitter. You've got one out making money and the other being a drunk," she said. Salinas walked up to Jackie. Jackie asked if she was bad because Salinas's boobs are fake and hers are real. Cornette booked them in a match later.

Awesome Kong then walked out with Ryesha Saeed and Borash. Borash explained the open fan challenge. A woman named Taylor signed the contract then jumped over the railing and went after Kong.

3 -- AWESOME KONG vs. TAYLOR

In the ring, Kong shrugged her off and soon set her up for an Awesome Bomb. Taylor crawled under her legs and threw a dropkick. Kong again brushed her aside. Saeed handed Kong a chair and whacked her with it a few times. Taylor, though, dropkicked the chair into Kong, then hit her across the back with it twice. She climbed to the top rope and came off with a missile dropkick for a two count at 3:00.

WHAT HAPPENED: HOUR TWO

[Q5] Kong caught a diving Taylor at ringside and then shoved her back-first into the ringpost. Taylor came back with a spinning backfist, but Kong knocked her down with a return punch. Back in the ring Kong won with an Awesome Bomb.

WINNER: Kong in 4:00.

STAR RATING: * -- Good action, but they needed to explain how Taylor - a fan from the crowd - managed to last that long against Kong. It was treated by the announcers as nothing particularly odd that a mere fan could wrestle as well as Taylor did. It was actually absurd how this was treated on air. In previous weeks they acknowledged the "fans" were indy women wrestlers who showed up to accept the challenge.

Backstage, Team 3D slammed Rhino through a table. Tenay asked who would be Christian's partner, assuming immediately that Rhino was unable to participate as scheduled, which seemed to jump the gun. [C]

West plugged upcoming TNA live events.

Borash interviewed Sonjay Dutt backstage. He asked him why he wasn't at the Pink Taco. Dutt said he's a Guru who is all about peace and unity. Borash said that doesn't match his actions at the wedding. Dutt said love has overtaken him and he's always loved Val. Dutt said he's going to go tell Lethal that Val is in love with him, too.

A brief video aired on Kaz, with a voiceover saying he is one of the fastest rising stars in TNA. He was billed as the leader of TNA in the World X Cup.

4 -- KAZ vs. ALEX KOZLOV - World X Cup Preview

Tenay explained that this match is not part of the WOrld X Cup tournament, but is a preview match for the tournament which began in the first hour. Odd. Tenay said Jerry Lynn was a previous X Cup Captain, so Kaz has big shoes to fill. Kozlov dove onto Kaz on the floor at 2:00. Kaz finished Kozlov with Wave of the Future.

WINNER: Kaz in 5:00.

STAR RATING: *1/2 -- Kozlov looked good.

[Q6] Borash interviewed Christian backstage. He asked him about Rhino's status. Christian said he left him alone for five minutes and next thing he knows he's left in a pile of lumber. He said doctors said he has a concussion and can't go tonight. Borash thought Christian was too calm. Christian said where people like him see a problem, he sees a phenomenal opportunity. [C]

A video feature aired on Matt Morgan including childhood pictures. He said he had severe ADD growing up. He said he took out his anger and hostility in sports. He said he was getting letters from major college basketball programs. He talked of playing on a team with Vince Carter, Kevin Garnette, and Stephon Marbury in a McDonald's All-American game in 1995. He said he thought he might be able to be one of the few big white boys in the NBA. He thought he could outwork everyone and get there. It said they'd continue the story next week. Good feature at getting to know these TNA talents.

They cut to The Pink Taco with Dutt arriving to meet Lethal. Dutt asked for 30 seconds of his time. Lethal was upset, but he granted him a chance to explain himself. Dutt said what he did was wrong. Lethal shoved his face. Dutt asked Val if he asked her what is in her heart. He said Val is in love with him. Lethal jumped him and they brawled. Lethal choked Dutt with a cable on a stage. Lethal speared Dutt through a garage door as they cut to a break. [C]

[Q7] "You skinny little insignificant waste of oxygen puny man," said Brother Ray about Christian coming out of the break. He said he knows A.J. Styles is going to be Christian's new partner. He asked Styles where he'll find the time to leave Karen's room to do the dirty work. He said he took A.J.'s blood and smeared it across his face. "I'm a sick bastard; I liked it," he said. He is so vile on promos, which I suppose is his gimmick but it gets a bit unpleasant in a channel-turning way for many fans, I suspect. Devon predicted a massacre tonight.

5 -- JACQUELINE vs. SALINAS

WINNER: Jackie in 3:00 with a chokeout. She held onto the choke for several seconds after the bell. After the match, Jackie whipped Salinas several times. Tenay and West wondered if Storm & Roode would accept the challenge for Victory Road. [C]

Ring introductions took place for the main event. Christian came out first, followed by Styles as his replacement partner for Rhino, as predicted by Team 3D.

6 -- A..J STYLES & CHRISTIAN CAGE vs. TEAM 3D

At 2:00 Team 3D hit the What's Up crotch headbutt. Then they brought a table to the ring.

[Q8] They slid the table to ringside, but Christian dropkicked the table into them. Christian called for Styles to springboard off of Christian's back onto Team 3D at ringside. [C]

After the break, Team 3D dominated offense on Styles. At 11:00 Styles hot-tagged Christian in. Christian scored a near fall on Devon after a counter of a counter of the the Unprettier. Ray splashed Devon by mistake when Christian moved, then he dove off the top rope with a frog splash on Devon. Ray broke up the pin and hit the ref by mistake in the process. Dave Hebner struggled to his feet. Styles blind-tagged himself in at 13:00 and he and Christian hit dual diving headbutts on Devon. Ray broke up the cover before the ref could even get in position to count. Styles went for a hurancanrana on Styles, but Ray held him in the air and Devon hit a Doomsday Clothesline for a near fall. After some chaos with all four, Styles hit an inverted DDT on Devon for a pin.

WINNERS: Christian & Styles in 14:00.

STAR RATING: **1/2 --Good TV tag match.

After the match, Frank Trigg walked out and confront Styles. As they argued, Kurt Angle attacked Styles and Christian from behind. Ankle put Styles in an Anklelock, then he got up and stomped on him. "You looking for me, you son of a bitch? You found me!"