TNA Reaction Report
October 21, 2010
Aired on Spike TV - Official episode #10 (pilot aired 4/12)
By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

This week's "special episode" of Reaction following Impact hosted by Eric Bischoff began with Eric Bischoff and Ric Flair walking backstage clapping each other on the back. They hopped in a fine motor vehicle and took off. Suddenly, they were stopped by Kurt Angle standing in front of the SUV like a scene out of a movie. Angle grabbed the driver and threw him out as Bischoff and Flair shouted at Angle to go away. Angle then bashed the back of the SUV glass in, spraying Flair and Bischoff with glass. Angle slowly walked away as TNA security approached Angle. Flair and Bischoff got out of the car and Flair complained about bleeding without even wrestling tonight.

So, that was the end of Impact. Reaction picked up with Fortune and Immortals talking down about TNA president Dixie Carter. They cut to a black-and-white video with Bischoff talking inside an empty Impact Zone to walk the audience through five, six, seven months of planning to take over an entire organization. Bischoff said this one was trickier because they kind of liked Dixie when they first came in. He said it became obvious after a while that they could only take over the company through a hostile takeover.

October 27, 2009: Carter announcing Hulk Hogan's arrival in TNA. After a round of video on Hogan joining the company, Bischoff said it would be a new challenge for them in TNA.

January 4, 2010: Bischoff said TNA was ready for the "big reveal" where they set the record for viewership and ratings. Bischoff said they were poised for success, especially with Jeff Hardy returning. And Ric Flair debuting. They went to the Hogan-Jarrett promo exchange from Jan. 4 and Bischoff throwing away the script.

They cut to Robert Roode and James Storm talking about Bischoff and Hogan starting with the company. Roode said they knew they were destined to be part of Ric Flair's stable. Meanwhile, they were thrown to the wayside as new talent joined the company, but Flair knew where new talent was. Roode said they knew the master plan all along.

Bischoff said weeks turned to months and they decided to take over Carter. Storm said it was no accident that Beer Money was the first group to meet Flair when he stepped out of the company. Storm said Dixie had her head too far up Hogan's backside to see what was going on with her company.

[Commercial Break]

Bischoff: Bischoff said a lot of people thought Hogan, Jarrett, and he would never be able to see eye-to-eye on things, but they found a common ground on their dislike of Dixie Carter. Bischoff narrated clips of convincing Abyss that his destiny was tied to hitching his wagon to Hulk Hogan. They showed clips of Hogan giving Abyss "the power" via the Hall of Fame ring. Bischoff said Abyss needed direction to be the Weapon of Mass Destruction they were looking for.

Matt Morgan said he has a little history with Abyss, but he was the key to the whole thing. Morgan said Abyss fooled everyone. But, most importantly, he fooled Dixie Carter. They showed clips of Abyss turning heel on Hogan over the summer. Abyss said he hopes people watching at home realize that this whole story coming together is an example of him having brains to go with power.

Back to Jarrett. They showed him flipping burgers and mopping the restroom floor. Bischoff said Jarrett wanted back in power again. Bischoff said the key to the plan wasn't just Abyss or Jarrett, but also Jeff Hardy. Bischoff said they laid the groundwork well in advance. Hardy said he takes credit for himself. He said he admits finally that he is the coolest thing to ever exist in pro wrestling.

Bischoff said the final part was to sway Fortune to join their faction. Morgan said Hogan and Bischoff took care of the business end wining and dining Dixie Carter. Morgan said Flair's job was to find the best six studs in wrestling. Jarrett said they didn't arrive on top without a plan. He told the viewers to turn their brain off to each of the individual items and take the whole thing in context of a master plan.

Abyss said his plan since Day One has been the annihilation of Dixie Carter. Bischoff said they had all the pieces in place. He said they needed a good defense just in case. Hardy led into break: "F--- Rob Van Dam. F--- TNA."

[Commercial Break]

Bischoff: Bischoff said as long as Fortune was out there without being part of the plan, they wouldn't be able to sustain the plan. He said that he was able to convince Flair to join their side after pointing out Dixie's love for EV2. Bischoff said they were able to bury the hatchet between Flair and Hogan after 25 years. He said Sting was trying to wreck their plan.

June 10: Sting scared away Dixie and choked out RVD. Sting was shown talking about taking the World Title from RVD so he could lift the veil over everyone's eyes. They showed clips of Sting taking apart Jarrett. Back to Bischoff, who said Sting has become self-obsessed.

Flashback: They cut to a shot of Hogan and Bischoff telling Dixie she needs to fire Sting. They cut to Dixie talking to Sting and suspending him for 30 days. Sting told Dixie she's being conned. More of that cryptic language talk. Suddenly, Bischoff interrupted to tell Sting to get out of here before Sting could fill in Dixie.

Bischoff said the comparison from Dixie that what Flair meant for the '80s was what ECW meant to the '90s sealed the deal for Flair to join Bischoff and see their plan. They cut to Kazarian saying Dixie's comparison and trying to "crap on the legacy" Flair created was a joke. Morgan said it was an insult on top of an insult. Bischoff voice-overed that Flair was finally convinced after that insult from Dixie.

Kazarian said he would like to think Dixie is a smart woman, but to say that was careless. Doug Williams said they were in complete control of the company, so Dixie should go back to her old job - whatever that was. Back to Beer Money. Roode said Flair knows what it takes to make it in the wrestling business and what it takes to make money. Roode said they're the future of the wrestling business. He said Hardy bought into the future of pro wrestling. They cut to Morgan saying you simply can't beat the combination of the best in-ring wrestler in history, the biggest box office draw, and the master manipulator.

[Commercial Break]

August 12: Hogan invited EV2 into the ring for a final curtain call. Bischoff said it was like leading lambs to slaughter. Suddenly, the lights went out and Fortune jumped EV2 in the ring and beat them down. They cut to Styles saying combining Hogan and Flair's forces means they take back wrestling. Abyss said Dixie showed how ignorant she is to even compare the careers of Hogan & Flair to EV2. Bischoff said EV2 was left bloodied and bruised.

Hardy said the first time they wrestled, RVD was too good. He said RVD was selfish and now he'll live in his shadow for the rest of his career. Roode said everyone wants to be part of the A-Team now. He said no one wants to be on the outside looking in.

September 2: Abyss had a news-worthy revelation from "them" that "they" have told him the chess pieces are in place and the plan is ready to proceed. Bischoff said everyone was bewildered by what was going on. Morgan asked rhetorically where Hardy was when RVD was getting beat down. He said the plan was obvious and Dixie fell for it hook, line, sinker. Up next: more from Jarrett.

[Commercial Break]

Bischoff: He said they had the right team, but they needed Dixie to sign the company over to them. Flashback to Abyss's kidnapping angle to distract Dixie and force her to sign over the company to Bischoff and Co.

September 5: Bischoff said he stopped the match with Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Hardy. He said it was planned even though Angle has never quit a match before in his life. James Storm said Hardy's out for the money. Roode said Hardy's put his body on the line for the fans and they've given him nothing. He said Hardy finally saw the light.

Bischoff said they needed to make sure Hardy advanced to the main event of BFG. He said the plan almost flopped when Dixie had other plans instead of his three-way match. Dixie announced Hardy vs. Angle, but that ended conveniently with the double pin, leading to the three-way that Dixie didn't want. They showed Bischoff back then saying he was hired to make decisions and that's what he did.

Jarrett said he learned from his grandmother in the wrestling business dating back to the '40s that you always put people in position to succeed. Jarrett said this environment is not a place for Dixie to succeed. He said the five of them are successful in this environment. Abyss said his emotions were running high when their plan finally came to fruition to get rid of Dixie. He said Dixie is so stupid, smug, and arrogant. She never saw it coming.

Roode said it's Hogan's company, not Dixie's company. Roode said they'll do what Hulk wants. Kazarian said the company Dixie claims she built up was built by Styles, Beer Money, and him. Abyss said they took Dixie's company and next, they take her dignity. Up Next: Morgan talks about them "running the whole damn world, not just TNA."

[Commercial Break]

Bischoff: It all went down as planned at Bound for Glory. Last week on Impact, the "shock and awe" continued with Fortune hooking up with "they" to form Immortal. Storm said Hardy finally learned he doesn't need these "stupid people." Roode said they laughed at the fans for all of a sudden cheering Fortune, then when Flair and Hogan embraced, the fans were shocked again. He said it was too easy.

Hardy said Dixie had the nerve to bring in "pieces of trash" like Tommy Dreamer and the EV2 guys. He said he defines pro wrestling in this era. Back to Storm saying Abyss deserves an Emmy for dragging Hardy to the ring and . Hardy said Hogan and Flair are living vicariously through him. Bischoff said Jarrett really wasn't reduced to washing floors and flipping burgers. Bischoff said Hardy operates on their terms and he holds the gold. Hardy said his heart has turned a little black and he's tired of sacrificing his body for cheers. He said it's the "Twist of Hate" now.

Morgan mocked fans having boo-boo faces when Hardy turned. Hardy said he wants the fans to hurt for him for once. Bischoff said Sting and Nash knew about the plan, but they couldn't do anything about it. Jarrett said he's shocked they took themselves out of the game. He said Savage told Nash in '94 never to take yourself out of the game. Jarrett said perhaps it's the best for TNA.

Bischoff said they had the opportunity, so they reached out and took it. Kazarian said Dixie lost his company to men that are smarter than her. To a man like Eric Bischoff, who took WCW and turned it into a multi-billion dollar company. He said the company is now out of Dixie's hands. Morgan was asked what the receipt was to Dixie Carter. He said it's everyone lined up to run the whole world, not just TNA. Roode said it's just the beginning. He wondered aloud what's going to happen in one month or one year. Kazarian said this was inevitable and as of this week, it has happened. He said it's come together more naturally than he anticipated. Morgan said they're here to stay and they're taking over.

Bischoff asked if one night changed one night in TNA Wrestling. "You bet your ass it did," he said. Abyss said it's only the beginning of what they're doing to the company. He said they're going to make history. Back to Bischoff, who took a deep breath and said the smell is back. "The future," he said. Bischoff said he hopes the audience enjoyed this and, next week, there will be more of the story in addition to some people having an opportunity to become "Immortal."

FINAL THOUGHTS: Well, this show certainly was focused. And the characters got themselves over without yelling and screaming. There are two issues TNA has to reconcile: how is any of this going to make money for the company and if the value of the company was virtually nothing under Dixie Carter's leadership, then why were Bischoff & Hogan fighting for control of it? It would be like hatching a ten-month plan to fight for control of the lamp on my desk. So, they have to reconcile how this one-sided "battle" is going to lead to money matches and that "TNA" itself had some sort of value that was worth fighting for control of. They hinted at more to come on the latter near the tail-end of Reaction, so that's worth tuning in for in the weeks to come.

We welcome your 0-10 score and comments on this show for a "TNA TV Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. To contribute your thoughts on Reaction, click here.

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