By Wade Keller, Torch editor

KELLER'S TNA IMPACT REPORT
DECEMBER 25, 2008
AIRED ON SPIKE TV

[Q1]

-A video package aired on the agenda of the Main Event Mafia and some of their promos and attacks, seeking respect and revenge they believe they are due.

-After the TNA Impact opening, Mike Tenay introduced the show and wished everyone Merry Christmas. Don West wondered what Mick Foley will have to say to the MEM after their gang attack on Samoa Joe last week.

-Foley came out to his entrance music. He wished everyone a "Happy Holiday." He said the MEM last week looked him in the eye and gave him his word and raised their glass in a toast and assured him there'd be no more gangland-style hits. He said then a short while ago, Samoa Joe was released from the hospital after three days because he had his hand mangled at the hands of the Main Event Mafia. He said he wants to ask Kurt Angle what good is his "code" when his word means nothing anymore and he's thrown away his sense of dignity. He said he's sending out a message to the MEM that the next time there is a gangland-style hit, "I may have to become personally involved." Ohh. The cubby, blubbery nice guy in the cheap clothes who hasn't been "tough" for what seems like a decade is threatening an entire gang of top-tier stars who still wrestle consistently?

Angle and the rest of the MEM stepped out and said what we have here is a misunderstanding. He said last week they weren't the aggressor, they were the victim. He said Sting and Kevin Nash were forced into the cage match "like animals." He said Nash is a wrestling purist and one of the greatest wrestlers in the world. He said Sting is the World Champion. He said when people like that are forced into a cage, bad things are bound to happen. Angle said A.J. Styles won, but he left his partner Samoa Joe inside the ring. He asked Foley what he expected them to do. He said they are a family, a family they want him to be a part of and that he should be a part of. He suggested, "Let's just write it off and say he was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Foley said he's putting him in a tough spot because he needs MEM on the next PPV. He said he can't make a match for Kevin Nash, Scott Steiner, or Booker T because he's afraid they'll have time to put a hit out on their opponents. He said what he can do is put together a main event for tonight. He announced Booker & Steiner vs. Brother Devon & A.J. Styles. Angle said, "We don't come out here and give away pay-per-view matches for free. What about those two jobbers we were supposed to have a match with?" Foley ignored that comment and announced that Angle was now booked against "The War Machine" Rhino. Foley said if things get out of hand and follow through on his promise and get physically involved. He added that Jeff Jarrett would be at ringside to fend off interference in the Angle-Rhino match. West said that was a good call. He wished the MEM "a merry little Christmas - bang bang!"

[Commercial Break]

-Jeremy Borash interviewed Rhino about facing Angle. Rhino said he came to TNA for the rush of the chase and the chase that ends in a kill. He said tonight Angle will feel pain. He said with Jarrett watching him at ringside, he'll punish him "like an animal." He said he's getting revenge for Petey Williams, Brother Ray, and Joe. He said MEM started the war, but they should have thought how they're going to end it. He said now there is no way out. He didn't yell. That was nice.

[Q2]

1 -- KIYOSHI vs. CHRIS SABIN - X Title Contenders' Tournament

Kiyoshi's facial expressions walking to the ring are so half-hearted, it's embarrassing. There's no edge at all to his Great Muta "tribute." There are so many things TNA could have done in 30 seconds of a video package to make viewers care about Kiyoshi so Sabin beating him would mean someting, but they didn't do anything at all. Tenay noted that Shane Sewell is back from his two week suspension refereeing the match. Sheik Abdul Bashir brought a chair out and sat on the rampway watching the match. Kiyoshi missed a top rope moonsault at 3:00. Sabin then finished Kiyoshi with his finisher.

WINNER: Sabin in 4:00 to advance to championship round of tournament.

-Bashir walked into the ring. Sewell tried to avoid trouble by trying to leave the ring. Bashir yanked him back by the belt and slapped him. Sewell went into his ridiculous cartoon faces. He began to yank off his referee shirt. Then the lights went out and Suicide glided into the ring on a rope. He no-sold a Bashir attack and dropkicked him out of the ring.

-Lauren interviewed the Beautiful People and "Sarah Palin" in the concourse surrounded by fans. Angelina Love called the fans dirty marks. Love freaked out because one of them touched her. Palin asked them to close their eyes and mix with the people. She shoved them into the crowd. They screamed as if worms were being dumped onto their heads.

[Commercial Break]

-Tenay and West were shown on camera. They threw to a video package on the history between Jarrett and Angle. They showed clips of their first match.

[Q3]

Then they went to a sitdown interview with Tenay and Jarrett. Tenay wished Jarrett a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Tenay thanked Jarrett for letting him be a part of the TNA family. Jarrett said TNA wouldn't be TNA without him. Well, that's true. Tenay said Jarrett wanted to stay behind the scenes and not wrestle, but it hasn't worked out that way. Jarrett said he and Angle don't get along. He said their relationship has fallen apart. He said he hired Angle to replace him and build the company around him. Tenay asked what went wrong. Jarrett speculated that Angle, because he lost his wife, his kids, and his dignity, thinks he's become bigger than TNA. Jarrett said Angle no one wrestler is bigger than the organization. He said TNA needs Angle, but even more so Angle needs TNA. Tenay asked when the relationship got so personal. He said things he says about his family are tough to listen to. Jarrett said when Angle says those things, it turns his stomach at times. He said he's not the same guy he was two years ago. He said there's a blank stare in his eyes. Tenay said Angle is more focused than ever for their rematch. Jarrett said it's easy to prepare. He said it's going to be two guys fighting that hate each other. Tenay asked if Angle is victorious, what happens to the balance of power going forward. Jarrett said losing isn't an option for himself, his career, TNA, or his family. "This is one fight I have to and will win." Good interview segment.'

-Tenay and West were back on camera at ringside. Tenay said he's never seen a feud this personal. Angle walked out and asked Tenay what he thought of what Jarrett said. "Did you feel sorry for him?" he asked Tenay. He stopped him before he began talking by raising his hand. Then he turned to West and asked him the same question. As West began to answer, he whacked him lightly with the mic. It was funny. Angle then looked at the camera and promised to cripple Jarrett, perhaps before Genesis. Angle said he's bringing Sting with him to keep Rhino occupied.

[Commercial Break]

-A Beer Money "Rough Cut" feature aired. Robert Roode said he wondered if fans would think they'd be a flash in the pan or be as good as AMW. James Storm said each of his partners have brought different things to the table. Roode said they travelled together even before they teamed. Storm said Roode won him over by buying him beer. Roode said, "James is a beer-drinking fool and I'm a millionaire." He said they just click. Storm said, "People are jealous of me because of my good looks and because I can drink so much beer." Roode said they're going to keep doing what they're doing and hold the tag team titles for a long time to come.

-A brief video package aired on the feud between Beer Money and Matt Morgan & Abyss. Then backstage Lauren interviewed Morgan and Abyss. As Abyss began to talk, Morgan told him to stop. He said he's heard enough. He brushed her away, then looked at the camera and addressed Beer Money. He said the games are over. He said watching his partner put through a flaming table two months ago and now him getting a beer bottle smacked over his head, he's had enough. He said at Genesis, it won't be the beginning, it'll be the final act.

-A "Cross the Line" vignette aired on the Main Event Mafia.

-Borash interviewed Styles and Devon backstage about their match. He asked for an update on Joe's condition, too. Styles said Joe's arm is fractured, but this isn't about the injury. He said Joe was informed that his wife was in labor with their first child last week before their match. He said their excitement was turned upside down after what the MEM did to him. Styles said that's not why he got into the business. Styles said he has two kids of his own and he can't put to words how special it was to hold them in his hands for the first time. He said now Joe can't do that. Styles said if the MEM want to come after somebody, come after him. He threw a fit and began tossing things around and hitting his chest. "I'm what you want!" he said before storming off. Devon said his brother is like a big old grizzly bear whom you can hurt, but you can't put down. He said after 15 years up and down the highways, never have they ever seen Ray second guess himself. He said he doesn't think mentally he's ever going to come back from what MEM did to him. Devon said he's here now and he's been doing something for many years and not let it come out, but tonight it'll unleashed and he'll show you can't put Team 3D down for the count.

[Q4]

-Borash interviewed Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin. Sabin said good things happen to good people. Shelley said they're prepared for Eric Young because it wasn't long ago he was scared of pyro and his own shaddow. Young walked in and slapped Shelley. Slapping is the move of the night, apparently. They brawled backstage, and then the camera cut away for some reason to Tenay and West. As they began talking, Shelley and Young brawled to the ring. Young stopped Shelley's momentum with a clothesline, then Sabin pulled Shelley out of the ring. Young dove onto both of them. Several referees and wrestlers tried to separate them.

-Borash said he had late-breaking news about two of TNA's top superstars contract negotiations. He said they'll text them this breaking news free of charge (it was in last week's PWTorch Newsletter already - LAX re-signed).

-Lauren interviewed Christy Hemme, Victoria, ODB, Roxxi, and Taylor Wilde who were all dressed as Santa or elves. They were acting like girls on Spring Break totally drunk and ready to go wild.

[Commercial Break]

-That may have been the least in-ring official wrestling ever in one hour of a pro wrestling TV show. Barely four minutes of one forgettable match.

[Q5]

2 -- SCOTT STEINER & BOOKER T (w/Sharmell) vs. BROTHER DEVON & A.J. STYLES

Devon opened against Booker T. A few minutes in Styles ducked a charging Steiner, then slidekicked him to the floor. Meanwhile, Booker and Devon brawled at ringside. They cut to a break at 5:00.

[Commercial Break]

Back from the break, Devon and Booker brawled in the back, while Styles brawled through the rafters with Steiner. They showed both on split screen images. Styles leaped off of the stands onto Steiner. Angle and Nash joined Booker, meanwhile, in beating down Devon in the parking garage. They handcuffed Devon to a wall so he couldn't defend himself. Tenay said you have to wonder what's going through the mind of Foley at this point. Tenay said the match has been "thrown out" as Steiner and Styles battled back inside the ring. Styles hit Steiner with a springboard flying forearm mid-ring. A ref tried to wave off Styles's attack. Angle charged into the ring and went after Styles. Styles held his own, then dropkicked Nash off the ring apron as he tried to enter the ring. He avoided a Booker axe kick and nailed a Pele kick. Eventually, though, Styles got his wish from earlier as the MEM overwhelmed him with a beatdown. West said, "What is Mick Foley going to do? They defied everything he said. They spit in his face." Angle gave Styles an Angle Slam.

[Q6]

They brought a chair into the ring and put Styles's arm in it like they did with Joe. Black Machismo, Young, and Consequences Creed ran out for the save. A big brawl broke out, with MEM on top. Rhino charged to the ring in his signature hooded sweatshirt. He got an early flurry of offense in, but Steiner neutralized him with a chairshot to the back. The crowd chanted, "Foley, Foley, Foley." Foley charged to the ring as his music played. He cleaned house, but moved around the ring like an eighty year old man with two artificial hips. He's going to have to get by on star power memories and gimmicky spots because he seems anything but a physical threat. He pulled out Mr. Socko and put it on Angle, who quickly escaped to the safety of ringside. Foley asked for a mic. Tenay said we'd find out what he had to say after the break.

[Commercial Break]

Back from the break, Foley said, "Just when I think I'm out, they drag me back in." He said they've given him no choice but to get personally involved. With Sting standing behind the rest of MEM on the stage, Foley said he had a gift for them. He said Devon and Styles would team with him against Booker, Steiner, and Nash. He said he is crossing the line. West let out a Howard Dean-like, "Yeahhh!"

-An excited Tenay and West hyped Christy Hemme vs. Awesome Kong, Jarrett vs. Angle, Rhino challenging Sting for the World Title, and the just-announced six-man tag match.

-Ring intros took place for all of the women in the Knockouts match.
[Commercial Break]

[Q7]

3 -- SOJOURNOR BOLT & AWESOME KONG & RAISHA SAEED & RHAKA KHAN vs. ROXXI vs. CHRISTY HEMME & ODB & TAYLOR WILDE

West had the quote of the night: "You can't have rules in a Santa's Workshop Knockouts Street Fight. It just can't be done." Sh'yeah, everybody knows that. At 4:00 Taylor dove off the top rope onto all of the heels on the floor. Taylor leveraged Khan to the mat for a three count to end it.

WINNERS: Wilde & Hemme & ODB & Roxxi in 6:00.

-They showed a split screen of Angle and Rhino with Jarrett.

[Commercial Break]

-A "Coming Soon" video aired on Brutus Magnus. TNA really needs to run the names for new wrestlers past Focus Groups before debuting them.

4 -- "WAR MACHINE" RHINO vs. KURT ANGLE (w/Sting)

This match began with 14 minutes left in the show. West said he's never seen Jarrett so mad as he was last week. Rhino took it to the floor early. Jarrett and Sting were the focus of early camerawork, getting reaction shots. Angle spit at Jarrett, prompting a Jarrett run-in. Rhino pulled him away as Angle bailed out to the ring apron. They cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

Angle was on offense after the break. Rhino made a comeback as Jarrett cheered him on. Angle stopped the comeback with a knee to the gut off the ropes. Angle applied a bearhug center-ring. West said Rhino has to dig deep and come up with something. Sting continued to stoically watch from the ring apron. Rhino's arm dropped twice - but not the third time!! Oh miracles of miracles. He began to shake and try to work the crowd into a frenzy. He punched out of the bearhug and then elbowed Angle on the side of his head. Jarrett looked on concerned as both Rhino and Angle collided and fell to the mat. Rhino made a full fledged comeback, but when he went for a Gore, Angle caught him with a boot. Rhino came right back with a spinebuster for a near fall. Angle flippped out of Rhino's next move and applied an ankle lock. When Rhino powered out and sent Angle to the floor. Jarrett got in Angle's face and trash-talked. Angle slapped Jarrett. Jarrett charged at Angle, but Angle moved, and Jarrett went ribs-first into the security railing. Angle applied an ankle lock again. Jarrett took off his shirt and entered the ring, going after Angle with a series of punches, prompting a DQ. Security members charged into the ring for the obligatory pull-apart drama that ensued. Terry Taylor and B.G. James joined several referees and finally separating them. B.G. called Angle a "stupid son of a bitch." Angle punched him as the show ended.

FINAL THOUGHTS: They built nicely to the main event. There obviously wasn't enough wrestling in the first hour for a wrestling show. The focus was on Genesis, which was a good thing. The Foley angle, while predictable at this stage, was handled in solid fashion. Sting's sorta subtle sideline view of MEM's "gangland style" attacks is also being well done. The Sarah Palin gimmick has runs its course, but kept minimal this week. An average edition of Impact compared to recent editions. Not maddeningly bad, but short in most areas of their stronger shows lately.

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