by Greg Parks, PWTorch.com Contributor

July 2, 2009
Orlando, Fla.
Aired on SpikeTV


-TNA Open.

-Video of Samoa Joe joining the Mafia aired, as well as past incidents that supposedly led up to Joe’s turn. Also included: Sting getting beaten down at the end of last week’s show. “Double J Takes Control” is the title. Good luck with that.

-Impact Open.

-The Main Event Mafia led off the show. During their entrance, Tenay talked about Team 3D vs. Booker and Steiner tonight, where the winner will face the tag champs at Victory Road. Kurt addressed Sting, who was apparently not in the Impact Zone. Angle called what happened last week “strictly business.” He turned his attention to Mick Foley, who he asked to come out to “face the boss, like a man.” Foley did make his way out, with Rocco and Sally Boy. Foley tried to say it was a misunderstanding, but Angle told him to “save it.” Angle said he crossed the boss last week when Foley went back on his word. Angle assured Foley there would be consequences and called the Mafia the most dominant form in the history of the business. He said Foley’s answer isn’t important, but what is important is their reputation. Angle told Foley “if you want a dance, you have to pay the band.” Mick told Angle and the guys to leave him alone as the Mafia started to surround Foley. Mick said he’ll face Angle at Victory Road. Mick told his security to protect him, but Angle told Steiner to take them out, so he did, with a lead pipe. Foley called them the worst security team around. He asked Angle if he was going to “stomp a mud puddle in me and walk it dry.” Mick wanted to make a deal, but Angle said he wasn’t Monty Hall. Angle said behind door number one- he kicks Foley’s ass. Door number two- Booker kicks his ass. Door number three- Nash kicks his ass. And behind the curtain, Angle unleashes Samoa Joe on his ass. I’d take Nash. Foley picked door number one and punched Angle. Then on cue, the Mafia attacked Mick. So is Foley back to being a face now? Jeff Jarrett came out to apparently make the save, as the entire Mafia ran off because of one guy (and his guitar). Wow, some super-group they are. When Foley got to his feet, Jarrett crushed him with the guitar. Somehow, Jarrett was bleeding from the forehead on the way back to the locker room.

[Commercial Break]

-Tenay and West narrated a video of what just went down, as well as Foley backstage telling a medic that he didn’t want help. The announcers talked on-camera about Jarrett and Foley’s issues.

-Foley had to be held back by security as he barged into Jarrett’s locker room.

-A sit-down interview from earlier in the day between Tenay and Kevin Nash aired. Tenay talked about Nash and Hall going to WCW in 1996, and Nash talked about going to WCW for more money and less work. He talked about how he’s here to make money, though he doesn’t mind wrestling. Nash said he’s in the best shape he’s been in in ten years, and he’s looking forward to beating someone of AJ Styles’ caliber for the Legends Title. He also said having the belt will make him more money on the autograph circuit.

[Commercial Break]

-Abyss was backstage, throwing stuff around in a fit, looking for Dr. Stevie while Lauren tried to calm him down. Abyss said he’s never cared about someone in his life more than he’s cared about Lauren. But he said he was sick and he’ll always be sick. He said he never asked her to stop being a woman; so she shouldn’t ask him to stop being a monster. Is this “Beauty and the Beast”? He said he’d be back to get her when it’s all over.

1- CODY DEANER vs. AMAZING RED

Deaner was a bit too aggressive early on, and he paid for it. He wore jeans with kneepads, but no shirt. He tried to work the arm, but Red came back with a few arm-drags. Head-scissor take-over that sent Deaner to the outside to consult with his woman, ODB. Red did a twisting dive over the top onto Deaner. Back in the ring for a side-roll that got two. A few more kicks from Red, but he was turned inside-out by a clothesline. A cover got two for Deaner and ODB bounced around at ringside. Right hands from Deaner in the corner on Red. I think he’s got duct tape rather than athletic tape on his wrists. Whip into the buckle by Red, then a spin kick that got a near-fall. Red went to the top, but Deaner knocked him off as he was pointing to ODB. Deaner decided to go to the top, much to the chagrin of ODB. He put on his ball cap, but missed a diving headbutt. Red came back with the “Red Eye,” a sort of inverted DDT, for the win.

WINNER: Red, at 4:18. Pretty much a comedy match, but at least Red got a win.

-Abyss was throwing things around next to a green screen when security with baseball bats showed up. Security head Mike Davis yelled at Abyss and said this wasn’t going to happen in his house. The two went face-to-face as the show went to break.

[Commercial Break]

-Jeremy Borash was standing by with Jeff Jarrett. Jarrett was getting his gear out of the locker when the Mafia walked in clapping. Angle said he just wanted to talk. He asked Samoa Joe to hold his title. He’s quite the lacky now. Kurt said they’ve had their differences, but it doesn’t have to be like that anymore. Angle made a peace offering and said as a group, they could rule the business for the next ten years. Jarrett said “screw your offer!” Jarrett hadn’t forgot the history between them and wasn’t about to set it aside for a peace offering. He told Angle it’s his company, and they’re playing by HIS rules tonight. Jarrett said Angle would be wrestling in a tag match, with Samoa Joe, against he and Styles. Oh, and the TNA Title is going to be on the line. If either of the face side wins the fall, that person gets the title. Booker ranted while Jarrett told them to leave. I really hate when singles titles can change hands in tag matches.

-West hyped up the match that was just made, as well as the TNA Live schedule.

-Lauren was backstage with Jenna Morasca. She asked about the challenge Sharmell made last week. Jenna said she’d accept the offer and said she didn’t consider Sharmell much of a wrestler anyway. She said it’d be on at Victory Road. Sojourner Bolt walked up and call Jenna a pale, pancacke-ass white girl. Yikes. SoJo said she’d personally make sure Sharmell was ready for the match at Victory Road.

[Commercial Break]

-JB was backstage with the Mafia. Before he could ask a question, an angry Angle took the mic and said Jarrett just signed his death certificate by making that tag match. He talked up the potential of an Angle & Joe tandem and said Styles and Jarrett better look out tonight. After Angle left, Booker told Sharmell to go find Matt Morgan, as they’ve got business to take care of. Sharmell put up a fuss about having to run the errand, but eventually did so.

2- ERIC YOUNG vs. RHINO

Jesse Neal came to the ring with Rhino. Young attacked Rhino as soon as the Michigan native ran into the ring. Rhino soon was on the offense, but an Irish whip was reversed hard by Young, who then caught Rhino with a clothesline. Right hand and some choking by Young in the corner. EY settled into a rest-hold about 1:30 in. Tenay said Foley would be back next week to confront Jarrett. Wasn’t that supposed to be resolved, according to Jarrett, a few weeks ago? During the match, Young attacked Jesse on the outside, throwing him head-first into the guardrail. He was very deliberate in getting back in the ring. Rhino fought back and hit Young with a flying clothesline. Shoulder into the gut of Young in the corner, then a spinebuster. Neal got on the apron as Rhino was in a pin. Rhino confronted him, but Young shoved him into Neal, and rolled him up for the win.

WINNER: Young, at 3:37. This Rhino-Neal thing is really advancing at a much quicker pace than it needs to. Rhino should slowly get frustrated with him over a longer period of time, but instead, Neal has wrestled one match and was backstage once last week, and now, not long after training him, the story is that Rhino is already unhappy with him.

-Sharmell was complaining backstage about Booker sending him to do things for him. Morgan was on the phone, but hung up when she announced that Kurt wanted to see him. He made her repeat it because he was so happy. He assumed he was getting a spot in the Mafia and whisked Sharmell away.

[Commercial Break]

-JB was back in the Mafia offices when Sharmell brought Morgan in. Morgan wanted to know how much money he’d be getting. Angle only said they’d be taking him under “serious consideration,” but there’s more that he’ll need to do. Angle wanted to cover all his bases for his tag match tonight and told Morgan that Christopher Daniels, Styles’ good friend, better not get anywhere near the ring during the match. Morgan said OK, but his patience is wearing thin waiting for the Mafia to make a decision.

-Sarita will debut in two weeks, according to a vignette showing her past work.

3- VELVET SKY & ANGELINA LOVE vs. AWESOME KONG & TARA

Madison Rayne had a giant poster of Victory Road with the Beautiful People on it with her as she accompanied her team to the ring. Apparently, Tara is short for “Tarantula,” and she brought one in a box to the ring with her. West talked about texting back-and-forth with Velvet at four or five in the morning about Tara. That was pretty funny. Tara worked over Velvet with a few arm-drags. Tara had Velvet by the arm and Awesome Kong made the tag, not allowing Sky to get away. Finally, after sending her into her corner, Love tagged in. Shots to the throat and head by Kong, then she tossed Love into the corner. Tara came back in and Madison got on the apron to distract the ref while Velvet interfered. That rarely causes a DQ anyway, so was the distraction even necessary? Sky and Love double-teamed Tara in the ring, then Velvet dropped an elbow that got two. Hair toss into the heel corner by Velvet, and Love came back in, but they did a double face-drop. Kong made the tag and Velvet’s offense had no effect. She took out Love too. Awesome Bomb coming up, but Love got involved, as did Tara. Love got sent into the post on the outside while Kong hit the Implant Buster for the win.

WINNERS: Kong & Tara, at 4:38. A good way to continue the Beautiful People vs. Tara feud.

After the match, Tara brought the tarantula out of the box and even Kong seemed creeped out by it. Love and Rayne were already on the ramp and Tara put it on Sky’s stomach as she lay in the ring.

[Commercial Break]

-Lauren was standing by with Angelina Love. She was ranting about the tarantula in the ring. Love didn’t seem to care about Velvet’s condition. Lauren made her freak out by thinking she had a spider on her shoulder. “What goes around comes around,” said Lauren.

-A short Team 3D video package aired.

-Beer Money, Incorporated came out. They joined the commentators. West talked bad about them before they got there, then sucked up to them when they put the headsets on.

4- TEAM 3D vs. SCOTT STEINER & BOOKER T- WINNERS GET A SHOT AT TNA TAG TITLES AT VICTORY ROAD

The four men got into a shoving match before the bell rang. Steiner kicked away at Brother Ray in the corner, but Bubba splashed him in the opposite corner. Beer Money was not having any of West’s ass-kissing on commentary. Steiner suplexed Ray down. Ray came back with a scoop slam, but missed an elbowdrop. Steiner did the same. Ray with a sidewalk slam for two. Booker kicked Devon in the back when Steiner had the ref’s attention. Booker came in and superkicked Devon in the corner. Booker held Devon, allowing Steiner to kick away at his mid-section and upper body. Overhead suplex by Steiner on Devon, which looked pretty impressive. Side-kick by Booker on Devon. Clothesline by Devon coming off the ropes and both men were down. Tagged made to Brother Ray. Hip-toss for Booker, Bubba Bomb for Steiner. Booker came back with the Bookend for two. Sheik Abdul Bashir and Kiyoshi, dressed nicely, came out and started brawling with Beer Money. Back in the ring, Team 3D hit the 3D on Booker. Sharmell got in the ring to distract the ref a Ray went for the pin. Steiner missed a clothesline and Ray slammed him, while Devon went to the top and hit the headbutt to the groin. The crowd chanted “get the tables” and Devon did so. The British Invasion came down and as Rob Terry distracted the ref, Doug Williams took out Devon on the outside and Brutus Magnus hit Brother Ray with the briefcase and he draped Booker’s arm over Ray to get the victory for the Mafia.

WINNERS: Booker & Steiner, at 7:33. Four veterans who still know how to put together a match, even though they certainly aren’t in their prime.

[Commercial Break]

-Jethro Holliday was in the ring, ready to face Jay Lethal, but Lethal didn’t come out. Backstage, they showed Abyss tearing through Lethal and Consequences Creed in his search for Dr. Stevie. Abyss then came to the ring and Holliday met him with a right hand, but ended up getting Black Hole Slammed. Abyss sent Holliday to the outside, then grabbed a mic and called Dr. Stevie out. He looked into the camera and said he doesn’t need the doctor anymore. He said that from now on, the only person to get shock treatment will be Stevie himself. He said he’d snap Stevie across his shoulders like a twig when he got a hold of him. Stevie was on the Video Tron in some grainy footage, but he had apparently kidnapped Lauren. He said he wasn’t going to do anything to her because he’s not a monster like Abyss. He said he owns Abyss mind, body and soul. Dr. Stevie said Abyss would come into his office for therapy next week or else something would happen to Lauren. Abyss ran backstage, presumably to search for Lauren.

[Commercial Break]

-All four combatants in the main event made their entrances. The match is next.

[Commercial Break]

5- JEFF JARRETT & A.J. STYLES vs. KURT ANGLE & SAMOA JOE- TNA WORLD TITLE MATCH

JB handled ring introductions for this one. Jarrett and Angle went at it to start, and Angle quickly shrugged off a Stroke. The two traded offense and Styles tagged in. Angle raked the face. What incentive is there to tag out here, when you need to be in to win the title, since winning as a team means nothing here? Joe came in and got dropkicked down, then Angle came in and Styles and Jarrett traded off punching him. Angle was sent to ringside as the faces hit a double-clothesline on Joe.

[Commercial Break]

Styles was on the mat out of break and Joe had just made a tag to Angle. They seemed to be focusing on the knee of Styles. Both Angle and Styles were down, but Joe knocked Jarrett off the apron and no one was there when A.J. went for the tag. Joe came in and kinda toyed with Styles. Headbutt, but Styles came back with a moonsault that turned into an inverted DDT, at the same time he hooked Angle and gave him a regular DDT. Jarrett tried to get on the apron, but Styles got locked in a submission by Joe. Styles broke out and Pele kicked Joe, then made the tag. Pedigree (called a “double-arm DDT” by Tenay), then Joe came in to give Angle the advantage again. Angle Slam turned into a DDT by Double J. He fought off Joe and Jarrett looked like he was going to hit the Stroke off the top. Instead, Joe hit the Muscle Buster on Jarrett, but Styles took out Joe and, inadvertently, the referee. Jarrett was able to finally hit the Stroke, but the ref was out. Jeff went for the guitar but by then, the ref was up and he took the guitar away. At that point, Angle locked in the ankle-lock. He tried to make the tag to Styles, but Joe pulled him off the apron. Angle grape-vined the leg of Jarrett. Jarrett didn’t tap, but passed out from the pain. Slick Johnson raised and dropped his arm three times, then called for the bell.

WINNERS: Joe & Angle, at 12:50.

The Mafia celebrated in the ring following the match. Styles took the title and threatened the Mafia with it, causing them again to flee to ringside. He attacked Joe, then the MEM came back in and attacked Styles. In a split-screen, Morgan was beating up Daniels backstage. As Nash was about to hit Styles with the Legends Title, the lights went out. When they came back on, Sting was in the ring with a baseball bat. He cleaned house on the Mafia with the bat. He grabbed the belt, held it above his head, then the lights went out again. Sting and the belt were nowhere to be seen when the lights came back on.

Greg Parks has been covering Smackdown for PWTorch.com since January of 2007. You can also read his all-new blog in the VIP forum. Check out his column each week in the PDF-exclusive version of the Torch Newsletter. Comments, questions and feedback are welcome, and can be sent to g_man9784@yahoo.com.

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