By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

KELLER'S TNA IMPACT REPORT
OCTOBER 17, 2008
TAPED IN ORLANDO, FLA.

[Q1]

-The show opened with a video package on Bound for Glory, including Kevin Nash hitting Samoa Joe with a baseball bat to help Sting win the TNA World Hvt. Title. A clip aired of Jeff Jarrett saying that with his family situation and with everything that's so positive going in TNA, "the last place I need to be is a wrestling ring, so as far as I'm concerned, it's one and done." The screen graphic then titled the show: "Foley's Farewell."

-The TNA Impact opening aired, followed by introductions by Mike Tenay and Don West. Tenay said Sting now is champion and possesses all of the power that goes with it "thanks to Kevin Nash." West plugged that Nash returned to the ring, plus Foley would present his farewell address to TNA fans. (Isn't this a bit like a long break-up discussion after one or two dates?) They showed Tenay and West on camera. Tenay said if an event ever lived up to the hype, this was it. West updated Abyss's condition. (Yea!) He said he was hospitalized with severe burns and then was released, but won't be on TV tonight. Tenay plugged Roxxi vs. Ryesha plus Nash vs. Consequences Creed and Booker T vs. Hernandez, then another plug for Foley's Farewell.

1 -- SONJAY DUTT (w/So Cal Val) & SHEIK ABDUL BASHIR vs. THE MOTOR CITY MACHINEGUNS

Tenay continued to hype how BFG delivered "and then some," then pushed the replay. Tenay said next week's Impact will be live from Las Vegas, Nev. at the Hard Rock Cafe's Joint. He said Bashir will defend against Jay Lethal next week. West said he earned it at BFG. Bashir has catchy intro music. The crowd chanted "Motor City" early. Tenay talked about the emotions in the Jarrett-Angle match. Sabin did the obligatory dive over the top rope to the floor that happens in all multiple-person X Division matches that open a TNA show. He overshot a little, but it was replay-worthy - and was replayed from two angles. Shelley dove through the ropes into Bashir at ringside. Val yanked Shelley off the ring apron. Sabin dove onto Dutt in the ring, but soon took a boot to the face. Tenay said Samoa Joe was "conspicuous by his absence." Sabin gave Dutt a huracanrana, setting up Shelley to deliver a frog splash for a surprising win. It's always surprising with the the Guns win a match in TNA.

WINNERS: The Motor City Machineguns in 4:00

-Right afterward, Kurt Angle walked out. He looked stern as he walked into the ring. He attacked Shelley and Sabin, then tossed them to the floor. He followed up with an Angle Slam on Dutt. Angle said nobody steals a win on him like Jeff did and walks away from wrestling. He said he may have won the battle, but not the war. The fans began a chant of "Foley, Foley." Angle asked if Jeff is a champion like him or just a "candy-ass hick from Nashville." Angle vowed to pick apart each of the TNA talents until it's just him that's left, then he'll beat him in their rematch. He said in the mean time, the bloodshed will be on his hands. No comedy. Good to see.

-Jeremy Borash approached Kevin Nash outside the arena. Borash said he surprised everyone by showing up on Sunday. Nash said it couldn't have surprised everyone as someone bought his airline ticket. He said he's been waiting ten months to do that after Joe disrespected he and Scott Hall. He said, "I'm true to my friends, but if you know me, you know one thing, Kevin Nash comes first, and from now on, it's Kevin Nash for life." Good delivery. A little chilling, actually. Where's all of the comedy that usually renders everything pointless on this show? I'm feeling genuine emotion watching these promos so far.

[Commercial Break]

[Q2]

-Sting walked out with the TNA World Title belt over his shoulder and a mic in hand. Sting said he knows he wasn't supposed to be standing there with the belt, it was supposed to be Joe. Some cheers, some boos. Sting said he can look Joe in the eye and tell him he was the better wrestler on Sunday and "is the better wrestler." He said "the old man bit off a little more than he can chew." He said Joe showed him things he had never seen. He said he at times didn't know what was up and what was down. He said he was always coherent enough to know that he could have beat him after ten minutes at anytime, but instead he chose to mock him and his generation "and try to put me out of wrestling, humiliate me." He said because of Joe's disrespect, Joe is no longer champion. Sting said when he was young, he had enough respect to beat Ric Flair when he had him beat. He said now that he's got the title, he's going to keep it. Sting said backstage there were a group of guys who shook his hand and a group who didn't. He said A.J. Styles was among those who didn't. Style's music interrupted Sting. Good delivery from Sting, but it's still conflicting as a viewer. Do you side with him or against him? It turns to ambivalence when your favorites are pitted against each other or, worse, when your favorites become insufferable jerks and neither are likable or admirable.

Styles said if Sting would just listen to what people say, he'd get the respect he wants. Styles said the reason Joe didn't show him respect is that Sting doesn't show others respect. Styles said when he's on the road away from his wife earning money for TNA, Sting is spending it. Styles said his wife is basically a single mom while Sting is going to his son's little league games. Styles said in 2002, guys like Low Ki and Christopher Daniels laid the foundation for TNA and he and Joe are still stacking bricks. He said now he thinks he can "hang a fancy chandelier that costs a lot of money and get respect," it doesn't work that way. Sting said Styles told him he doesn't like the way his dad brought him up. Sting said if he keeps making the choices he's making he'll turn into his dad. Styles slapped him. Sting said because of their history, he's going to let the slap go. Styles said, "Don't." Then he slapped him again. Sting went after Styles. They rolled to the floor and brawled. Security separated them. Tenay said he was getting word of something going on backstage.

-Angle attacked Curry Man. Shark Boy made the save, but Angle soon took him down with a forearm uppercut and stomps. Eric Young joined the fight. Security pulled Angle off of Young. Good start to the show. A lot of follow-up to BFG's major happenings.

[Commercial Break]

[Q2]

-Borash interviewed Booker T and Sharmell backstage about facing Hernandez later. Booker said in his country, they say the lion is the king of the jungle. Booker said an elephant is, though. He said he hunts the elephant. He said he woos it first, then takes it down with his bare hands. When Booker talked about the husk being an aphrodisiac, Borash got excited and touched Booker. Booker warned him not to touch him like that. "What are you? Some kind of horny, humpy dog or something?" Booker called Hernandez "Gonzales" instead. Borash asked Sharmell about the briefcase. Sharmell said, "Next week, live from Sin City, Booker will reveal the contents of this case." Then Booker and Sharmell laughed.

2 -- BOOKER T (w/Sharmell) vs. HERNANDEZ (w/Homicide)

As Booker settled into a chinlock at 2:00, Tenay and West plugged Impact in Vegas. Going to Vegas is a very good move for TNA as it really does give them a more major league image and true sense of being national. Hernandez made a comeback at 3:00 and scored a near fall. Hernandez sling-shot himself into the ring with a shoulder block for another two count. He set up the Border Toss. Sharmell jumped onto the ring apron and distracted the ref. Hernandez set Booker down as the ref yelled at Sharmell. Booker gave Hernandez a low-kick and then hit him in the head with the briefcase. He followed with the axe kick for the win. Hernandez was nice enough to bend over into position and wait for it.

WINNER: Booker in 4:00.

[Commercial Break]

-Tenay and West re-set the show and then threw back to Angle attacking Jimmy Rave in the back. Lance Hoyt tried to make the save, but Angle beat him down too. Christy Hemme cried for help. He backed her down as she pleaded for mercy.

-Lauren interviewed Roxxi backstage. Roxxi declared, "I don't give a sh-- about Kong." Lauren told her that she knows it's her first interview, but Spike wasn't let her use that language. Roxxi said she doesn't give a (bleep) about Spike, either. She said she hasn't won many matches, "but I'm still freakin' standing here." She said she's a survivor. She said Kong can kiss her ass. "You can come bring it on, you big bitch. Harder the better. Oh, sorry, Spike." Lauren looked distressed.

[Q4]

[Commercial Break]

-Angelina Love, Velvet Sky, and Cute Kip stopped Christy Hemme from checking Rock and Rave, who Lauren said went to the hospital. They told a struggling Christy to shut up until they were done talking to her. Love asked why she's taking her TV time. She said they have a new set and HD cameras to test. Sky said HD is going to make every blemish on her face look ten times worse. Christy gave them the finger. Love and Sky stomped on her in the stairway. They put a bag over her head with Kip's face on it. Not sure what that was all about.

-As Angle walked back to the ring, Tenay said if there's been an uneasy vibe in the Impact Zone, it's now. He gave ring announcer Dave Penzer what appeared to be a stiff forearm to the side of his head. He dragged him into the ring and clotheslined him. His bump was better than Johnny Knoxville, but still kinda sloppy. He applied an anklelock. Security and referees intervened. Jarrett's music played and he quickly walked out and said, "Kurt, that's enough." Angle demanded a rematch. Jarrett said it's over, he's not going back into the ring. Jarrett said the last place he needs to be is inside the wrestling ring. Jarrett told Kurt to "let it go." Angle said he knows where he and his kids lives because he and Karen two years ago came over for lunch at his house. "How about if Uncle Kurt pays your kids a little visit." Jarrett charged back at him. Tenay said he didn't think it could get any more personal, but it just did. Angle laughed and bobbed up and down as Jarrett was held back by security and referees. Tenay said Angle got under Jarrett's skin and is loving every second of it.

-They showed Foley heading toward the entrance tunnel. They're timing out the commercials nicely, with the Foley interview set to start at the top of the hour.

[Commercial Break]

-The Smashing Pumpkins video aired mixed with clips from BFG. Good song. Like being in Vegas last week and Chicago on Sunday, having a top shelf act like the Smashing Pumpkins providing a theme song helps the overall image of TNA.

[Q5]

-The fans chanted "Foley, Foley" as he entered the ring. He said he doesn't know if he deserves that. He said he had a secret to share with fans. He said people assumed that he enjoys pain or doesn't feel it because of his style, but he said the truth is he's a "junkie." He hung his head in shame, then looked up and smiled and said he's a "roller coaster junkie." He said he's survives his wild style because he looks at the world as his personal playground. He said he made it to the next day as long as he has a great roller coaster to look forward to. He listed some major roller coaster rides around the country by name. He said he's been on an incredible 23 year thrill ride. He said maybe he's getting sentimental, or maybe Angle rattled his brains with that chairshot at BFG, but occasionally he needs to enjoy a swim in the pool so he can reemerge and experience more fun. He said this past summer, after 23 years, he found himself having less fun and feeling more stress to the point that he wanted to back away, but he said he swears to fans his decision to come to TNA was like a refreshing swim in the pool. He said he's emerged from Sunday ready for "more fun." Way to sell a devastatingly stiff chairshot to the head. "Fun." Wow. He said the last few weeks in TNA has been one of the greatest thrill rides in his life. What did he do? Talk a couple times and then act as special enforcer referee once. He said he wanted to thank the fans for "one hell of a ride" and said he wished it could have lasted a little longer. He thanked the fans. Tenay said, "Boy if that isn't a feeling and a sentiment we'd like to echo." Tenay said he wished Foley's ride with TNA could have been longer. Lethal, Creed, and two referees greeted him in the aisle. Styles did, too. Foley saluted the fans. Jarrett stood on the stage and applauded his "greatest signing ever." Jarrett asked Foley for one minute of his time. "You ain't leaving this way," he said. West got excited as they cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

-Tenay and West were shown on camera. They interviewed Cornette on the phone calling in from Las Vegas. He said he's excited about next week, but there's issues tonight to deal with. He said Angle is trying to extort Jarrett into giving him a rematch. He said TNA executives want Cornette to leverage Angle out of doing more damage to the show without bringing outside authorities into it. He said if Angle wants to whip everybody, he's booking him against Matt Morgan.

3 -- ROXXI vs. RAESHA SAEED

Saeed controlled the early few minutes, but Roxxi made a comeback at 3:00. Roxxi tried to trip Roxxi, but missed. Roxxi then overhead fallaway slammed and went after Saeed anyway. Kong clotheslined her, but Roxxi ducked a spinning backfist. Kong hit the ringpost instead, the stomped Kong. Roxxi then returned to the ring and finished Saeed with a Voodoo Drop for the win. Kong gave Roxxi a big boot afterward, followed by an Implant Buster.

WINNER: Roxxi in 4:00.

[Q6]

-Lauren interviewed Morgan backstage about facing Angle later and also what happened to Abyss on Sunday at BFG. Morgan said he is a main event waiting to happen. He said he won't lie to her or his fans at home, his mind is far away from tonight's match against Angle. He said his thoughts are with his partner, Chris Parks (Abyss). He said she doesn't blame Team 3D. He blames himself because he talked Chris Parks into entering the match. He said he is his best friend. They showed a clip twice of Abyss being tossed through the flaming table at BFG. Morgan said Angle is at the wrong place at the wrong time. That was Morgan's best delivery on the mic yet. He was calmer and believable and more sure of himself and less awkwardly intense.

[Commercial Break]

-Lauren interviewed Christy backstage. She was in a rage and said next week she's going to get revenge on them, but she's headed to the hospital next week. "If you think I'm pissed off now," she yelled. "I'll be sure I'm PMSing next week."

-Tenay and West hyped next week's line-up of Christy Hemme vs. one of the Beautiful People, Bashir defending against Lethal, Taylor Wilde defending against Awesome Kong, Team 3D vs. Morgan & Abyss vs. Beer Money vs. LAX in a Hardrock Hardcore Tag Team Text-Off Gauntlet (fans decide order of Gauntlet), and Nash & Sting vs. Samoa Joe & Styles. That's a bit too much to the point of diminishing returns. How can they fit all of that into two hours without selling half of those matches short?

-Borash interviewed Consequences Creed about facing Nash next. He plugged the TNA Impact videogame in the midst of his hyper high-energy promo. He's a bit dorky, but endearingly so. And he does have some natural charisma that some day will rise above his gimmick and outfit.

[Commercial Break]

-A commercial aired for "Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling." Clips aired of the show. The setting looked a bit like MTV's short-lived wrestling series produced by Kevin Kleinrock.

[Q7]

4 -- KEVIN NASH vs. CONSEQUENCES CREED

Nash just leaned in the corner during Creed's ring entrance and looked at him like he was a fool as he danced to his music. Nash opened with a knee and forearms. Creed ducked Nash twice running the ropes and then threw some pinches, but Nash swiped away a sidekick and then hit him with a hard clothesline. He applied a Cobra Clutch followed by a Jackknife powerbomb for the win.

WINNER: Nash in 2:00. I can think of few worse ways to promote the X Division than to establish they're jobbers against bigger guys.

-After the match, a winded Nash talked about the young guys - Creed, A.J., and Joe. "They're either the most arrogant or stupidest sons of bitches I've ever met," he said. "I mean, if Joe couldn't see what was coming at Bound for Glory, I guess he didn't remember running his mouth about Scott Hall ten months ago." He said the only person who is stupider than those two are the fans in the arena. A few cheered, proving his point. He acknowledged them, smiled, leaned on the top rope, and said he bets they've wondered what it's like to be Kevin Nash. He said when he was a little boy, he was told a story about David and Goliath. He said David, "this little tiny dude," thought he could win. He said in Jack and the Bean Stalk, Jack outsmarted the big oafish giant. He said the fans have always had a thing for him because he's not an idiot. "You know I'm not a genius," he said. "I'm the most intelligent man this business has ever produced." He said the other thing that kills him is the guys who were stupid enough to bring their wives now have to sit there as their wives wonder what it'd be like to spend the night with him and "be thrown around by that seven foot monster." He looked at the fans and said, "You mean out there know you don't measure up." He said he's the greatest that's ever been in the ring. The crowd chanted, "You suck! You suck!" He said the biggest problem the fans have is that together if they all pooled their money, they wouldn't have much as he spends at a strip joint in a month. "You don't have to like it, but you better learn to live with it because I'm the best thing going today," he finished.

-Tenay threw to Borash in the back for the latest on the Jarrett talk with Foley. They exited the room as Jarrett and Foley opened the door and shook hands. Foley asked if he's serious. Jarrett said he's never been more serious about anything in his life. They shared a laugh. Borash asked Foley what that was about. Foley said he can't disclose much, but he said he has one word to describe Jarrett's brain: "Mavericky." Borash said that's not even a word.

[Commercial Break]

-Lauren interviewed Team 3D backstage. She said what they did was more like an assault than a wrestling match. It was titled a "Monster's Ball" match, so Lauren came off as a little naive here. Brother Ray asked, "What did you expect? A headlock or a single-leg takedown? We bring the pain and we bring the violence." Ray said Abyss has a sick mind and probably enjoyed it. He said the sick fans did, too. He said in Vegas the rematch will be different because the fans choose who comes to the ring and when. He said they're taking it to a whole new level in Vegas. He said they are bringing sex, blood, and rock 'n' roll. Devon added, "And tables."

[Q8]

5 -- KURT ANGLE vs. MATT MORGAN

Morgan knocked Angle to the mat at 1:00 after an in-ring shoulder block. Angle rolled to the floor to regroup. Angle hit a couple uppercuts. Morgan caught him when he dove at him, then gave him an overhead suplex to the mat. Morgan gave Angle a guillotine legdrop on the ring apron. Tenay said it was perfectly placed, but it wasn't. His foot hit the mat first and his leg barely touched Angle's chest. Undertaker's are much better looking. They cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

Back live, Morgan hit a top rope bodyblock for a two count at 6:00. Tenay said they'll have an update after this match on the developments in the Foley-Jarrett discussion. Tenay pushed an exclusive Impact post-show on Spike.com. West said that will happen after every Impact from now on. Angle worked over Morgan's leg to take control for the first time in the match. Morgan came back with a surprise clothesline out of nowhere. Tenay and West tried to call this match while also plugging next week's big matches. Morgan got the better of Angle in a slugfest mid-ring. He hit two clotheslines and then a corner splash followed by a side slam for a two count. He avoided an Angle slam and hit a big boot for another near fall. West said Cornette knew what he was doing when he made this match. Angle then applied an anklelock mid-ring. Morgan turned out of it, then gave Angle a Hellivator. I'm surprised Angle would allow his opponent to no-sell his anklelock and execute a move that takes ankle strength to execute like a Hellivator. Angle kicked out. Morgan went for another. Angle blocked it and hit the Angle Slam for the win.

WINNER: Angle in 11:00.

STAR RATING: **1/2 -- Good match. One of Morgan's better matches. Angle did a nice job leading in the match. If Morgan lives up to his billing and Angle stays healthy, they can build to this being a bigger deal somewhere down the line - as in a year or two, not a few weeks.

-Afterward, Angle applied another leglock. Abyss walked out to his music to make the save. Tenay said they were told that even though Abyss was released from the hospital, he wouldn't be at the Impact Zone. West said it's amazing he's there after everything that happened to him. Angle pretended to leave the ring. Abyss turned to check on Morgan. Angle charged back at Abyss and punched at him in the corner and then ripped off his shirt, revealing bandages wrapped around his burns. Angle applied an anklelock on Abyss. They cut away to Borash outside.

-Borash caught up to Foley and Jarrett. He asked Jarrett what they talked about. Jarrett said politics and the mortgage crisis. Borash asked Foley what they're dong. Foley said they're headed to Vegas for a major announcement. He said, "I'm talking about making the type of declaration that will shake the foundation of the wrestling world." He concluded: "You know what they say, what happens in Vegas will be shared with the rest of the world." They sped away as Borash begged to know more.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Better than average show for TNA. Still a bit too much coming a bit too fast. It felt cleaned up of fluff and sidebar nonsense. Some solid in-ring action at the start and finish, too, but the strength was the promos. What exactly did Jarrett and Foley do behind closed doors for ten minutes to so quickly come to terms on a deal?

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