iMPACT 1/6/11 Review

Posted in Wrestling Reviews by Jack at 03:43, Jan 08 2011

by Bob Colling of http://wrestlingrecaps.wordpress.com/

TNA Impact 1/6/2011
Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 1/6/2011
From: Orlando, FL
Announcers: Mike Tenay and Taz

A video highlighting the feud between Matt Morgan and Mr. Anderson opens the show.

Immortal make their way down to the ring to open up the broadcast. Eric Bischoff talks about Genesis, which will be on pay per view this Sunday. Bischoff believes this will be the beginning of Immortal and for the fans. Bischoff notes the bounty he has put on the championships that Immortal doesn?t have. Bischoff is just showing his competitive nature. Bischoff assures the fans that their wouldn?t be any kind of cheating and that Immortal will get the championships ?the right way.? Tonight will be the night of champions. Bischoff introduces the TNA X-Division Champion, Jay Lethal. Lethal makes his way down to the ring and is assured by Bischoff that everything will be okay for Lethal to enter the ring. Bischoff wants Lethal to act like a champion or he will suffer the consequences. Bischoff introduces the TNA World Tag Team Champions, the Motor City Machine Guns. The Guns enter the ring as well before Bischoff introduces the TNA Television Champion, Doug Williams. Bischoff puts over the champions as being champions in the eyes of the fans and of Immortal. Bischoff credits them for earning the championships. Bischoff expects all four men to have five start matches. Bischoff wants to put the champions in matches tonight. Bischoff books Jay Lethal in a match against Abyss. Bischoff puts Doug Williams in a match against Rob Terry and the Motor City Machine Guns will compete against AJ Styles and Kazarian. Bischoff wants everyone to shake hands. Eventually, Immortal attack the champions while Bischoff says he is going to fine people but that isn?t likely. Rob Van Dam runs down to the ring and helps the champions clean house. RVD grabs a microphone and says he is ready to stop playing games. RVD wants to know who his opponent is at Genesis. Bischoff will tell RVD when he is damn good and ready. RVD says he will find out who his opponent is! Bischoff screams that RVD is a dead man.

Backstage, Brother Ray cuts a promo on Brother Devon saying he knows Devon wants a piece of him. Ray will settle his issues with Devon in the parking lot if he is a man.

A video of Jeff Jarrett?s MMA exhibition where he had a match with Amazing Red?s little brother and bailed from the ring.

Jeff Jarrett makes his way down to the ring, using Kurt Angle?s entrance. Jarrett enters the ring following the usual MMA entrance you would see at a UFC fight. Jarrett says he has had to change a few rules to his competition. The first tweak is that if someone is going to accept his challenge, they have to be the same height as him, or be shorter. That is so no one will get hurt. Jarrett?s second tweak is that this is just a exhibition so that no one will get hurt. Jarrett has a waiver with him and asks who wants to compete against him. Jarrett notices a guy from Twilight, and heads over to him. The kid is fourteen and wants to wrestle Jarrett. Jarrett asks the kids father to stand up, and tells the kid he is disqualified because he will be taller than him at some point in his career! Jarrett picks a guy from the upper level to enter the competition. Jarrett nails the guy, Jonathan Cruz with a few cheap knee strikes to get the upper hand. Jarrett locks in the ankle lock and the ?fan? taps out. Kurt Angle enters the ring after coming through the crowd but Jarrett bails to the floor. Angle grabs a microphone and says that he is putting himself into the exhibition at Genesis. Angle grabs the contract as Jarrett mentions Angle stated he wasn?t going to wrestle in TNA ever again. Angle will stick to his promise of not wresting, but this is a exhibition. Angle ends up signing his name on the contract!

A video highlighting what we just saw between Angle and Jarrett is shown.

Opening contest: TNA World Tag Team Champions Motor City Machine Guns defeated AJ Styles/Kazarian in a non-title match: All four men brawl in the ring with the champions dumping Styles and Kazarian to the floor. Stereo suicide dives by the Guns on the floor. Styles rolls into the ring where he is dropkicked by Shelley and Sabin. Sabin goes for the cover but only gets a two count. Styles drops Sabin throat first across the top rope and Kazarian connects with a slingshot leg drop, which allows Styles to get a near fall. Styles works on Sabin with a chop but Sabin punches both men in the corner and big boots Styles. Styles and Kazarian drop Sabin with a side slam/leg drop combo which gets Kazarian a two count. Kazarian chokes Sabin over the bottom rope and Styles gets a cheap shot in as the referee was distracted by Shelley. Kazarian eye rakes Sabin to prevent Sabin?s comeback. Kazarian splashes Sabin in the corner but runs into a big boot a second time. Sabin charges out of the corner with a running clothesline! Shelley and Styles tag in with Shelley dropping Styles with a chop. Shelley knocks Kazarian to the floor and kicks Styles on the back of the head. Shelley connects with a slingshot cross body on Kazarian on the floor. Styles attempts a rolling German suplex but Shelley gets out of it. Shelley counters a reverse DDT attempt by Styles with a brain buster for a two count! Styles misses an attempt title shot to Shelley?s head and is met with a kick from Sabin. Shelley plants Styles with the Slice Bread #2 to win the contest. **
After the match, Eric Bischoff makes his way out to the entrance way. Beer Money Inc. enter the ring from behind and attack the Motor City Machine Guns. Bischoff is clearly disappointed in AJ Styles.

Backstage, D?Angelo Dinero is talking. Dinero is going to call out whoever has been falling him around. Dinero is going to demand an apology from whomever has been following him.

Backstage, Eric Bischoff and Ric Flair are talking to AJ Styles. Bischoff is trying really hard to control his temper towards AJ Styles. Bischoff says Styles job is simple to just soften up the Motor City Machine Guns. Styles can?t believe Bischoff said easy and puts over the Guns as champions. Flair tries to play peace keeper and wants Styles to calm down. Bischoff tells Styles he has three days to get the job done ?or else.?

D?Angelo Dinero comes down to the ring and says that someone has been following him around with a camera. Dinero doesn?t know what this person has been trying to uncover with his recent actions. Dinero believes his people are behind him. Dinero calls out the mystery person. Samoa Joe makes his way down to the ring and Dinero is surprised by this. Joe has learned that the war isn?t won in the ring but rather who control the perception of what they are outside the ring. Joe calls Dinero a scum bag instead of a ?street saint.? Joe mentions seeing Dinero at a strip club instead of helping charities. Joe claims that the needy aren?t getting help and wonders what goods Dinero was really buying. Joe wants Dinero to answer the question of him being a street saint or a scumbag. Dinero flips out and doesn?t like Joe passing judgment on him. Dinero claims that he goes to the strip club to tell the dancers that they don?t need to dance for a living. Dinero warns Joe that the next time Joe puts Dinero in a picture that Dinero doesn?t belong in. Dinero tells Joe that they will have a problem next time Joe messes with him.

Outside, Brother Devon says he has been waiting for an opportunity to get his revenge on Brother Ray. Devon is going to kick some ass later tonight!

Second Contest: TNA Knockout Champion Madison Rayne/Sarita defeated Mickie James/Sarita: Velvet shoves Sarita down and follows up with a jawbreaker. Tilt a whirl head scissors into a rollup by Sky on Sarita for a near fall. Sky connects with a clothesline and rams Sarita down onto the mat a few times. Rayne grabs Sky by the hair and drops Sky throat first across the top rope. Sarita covers but only manages a two count. Rayne tags in and shoulder rams Sky a few times in the corner. Rayne chokes Sky and distracts the referee to allow Sarita to get a few moments of choking in, which allows Rayne to get a near fall. Sarita slaps Sky a few times before tagging in Rayne. Rayne traps Sky?s head between her legs and rams Sky face first into the mat a few times. Sarita tags in and elbow drops Sky but is soon planted by Sky with a DDT for a near fall. James enters the ring and hammers away on Rayne a few times. James drops Rayne with a reverse neck breaker but distracts the referee so Tara can hit Sky with her elbow pad. Sarita covers and pins Sky. ½*

Backstage, Rob Van Dam is talking to Eric Bischoff in his office. RVD wants Bischoff to sign a TNA World Championship match against Jeff Hardy at Genesis. Bischoff mentions that RVD has a match tonight and will let RVD know who his opponent is later tonight. RVD tells Bischoff he is going to kick ass later tonight and at Genesis.

Third Contest: TNA Television Champion Doug Williams defeated Rob Terry by disqualification in a non-title match: Williams ducks under a lockup attempt by Terry, three times before head butting Terry in the midsection a few times. Williams nails Terry with a few knees before running into a shoulder block. Williams rolls to the floor where AJ Styles runs down and attacks Williams causing the quick disqualification. NR
After the match, Styles and Terry try to break Williams hand. Terry holds Williams arm to allow Styles to leap off the middle rope and stomp down onto Williams hand.

Outside, Brother Ray is walking to the area where he will be fighting Brother Devon.

Outside, security holds Devon back as Ray taunts Devon from behind the security guys. Ray wants Devon to fight him but Devon is continually held back by security. Ray calls Devon a sidekick and a nobody. Devon calls Ray a coward before walking away. Ray calls Devon a pussy and Devon tries to break free from security but is held back. Ray kicks Devon in the chest and leaves his former partner laying on the concrete. Ray suggests Devon go home and not show up to Genesis.

Backstage, Jeff Jarrett is talking to Eric Bischoff. Jarrett is really happy about Genesis and can?t wait about for the show. Bischoff needs Jarrett to take care of Rob Van Dam tonight. Bischoff books the match as a no disqualification match. Bischoff assures Jarrett that everything is all set up. Jarrett leaves confident about the situation.

Fourth Contest: TNA X-Division Champion Jay Lethal defeated Abyss by disqualification in a non-title match: Lethal with a go behind but is quickly sent to the mat by Abyss. Lethal attempts a leg takedown but Abyss easily tosses Lethal to the mat. Abyss misses a back elbow and is punched by Lethal. Lethal chops Abyss but is pie faced down to the mat by Abyss. Abyss catches Lethal on a attempted springboard cross body but Lethal wiggles out and kicks Abyss on the knee. Lethal dropkicks Abyss and is nearly choke slammed but gets out of it. Lethal connects with a handspring back elbow but Abyss only staggers. Lethal knocks Abyss off his feet with a missile dropkick for a near fall. Abyss power slams Lethal off the top rope and attempts a splash in the corner but Lethal moves. Lethal comes off the ropes and runs into the Black Hole Slam! Abyss covers but pulls Lethal up at the count of two. Abyss chokes Lethal in the corner for a few moments and the referee calls for the bell, causing a disqualification. *
After the match, Kazarian comes down to the ring as the referee simply leaves the ring. Abyss holds Lethal as Kazarian has a microphone and jokingly pleads with Abyss to stop hurting Lethal. Kazarian wants a piece of Lethal left for him. Kazarian asks Lethal to stand up but Lethal is laid out. Abyss picks Lethal up and Kazarian tells Lethal it is going to be a pleasure wrestling him at Genesis. Kazarian shakes hands with a lifeless Lethal.

A video package promoting the matches happening at TNA Genesis this Sunday is aired.

Mike Tenay had a sit down interview with Mr. Anderson and Matt Morgan inside a empty arena earlier in the day. Tenay asks Anderson if he knows that Morgan has done in his career for Anderson. Anderson says he appreciates what Morgan has done but he is sick and tired of hearing it. Morgan knows that Eric Bischoff is enjoying every second of this conflict. If Morgan were in the same situation, he would choose his family over one match. Anderson tells Tenay to mind his business regarding his family. Anderson tells Morgan he should shut his mouth and should just wrestle. Anderson reminds Morgan that he took two months off and has been told by a doctor that he is good to go. Tenay mentions that they haven?t seen any kind of paperwork. Anderson side steps who the doctor is that gave him clearance. Tenay says he can?t read into Anderson and wonders if Anderson is possibly working him and the fans. Anderson tells Tenay that they will know when he steps in the ring at Genesis. Anderson says that ?Assholes always finish first.? Morgan and Anderson stand up and Morgan tells Anderson that the carbon footprint will send Anderson to the graveyard.

Backstage, Rob Van Dam and Jeff Jarrett are making their way to the ring.

Main Event: Jeff Jarrett defeated Rob Van Dam in a no disqualification match: RVD blocks a kick and nails Jarrett with a step over heel kick. RVD plays to the crowd instead of following up. RVD blocks another kick and connects with a spinning side kick. RVD continues his offense with a springboard kick and attempts the rolling thunder but Jarrett bails to the floor. Murphy trips RVD from the floor and Jarrett stomps away on RVD to keep control of the contest. Jarrett has a sleeper hold on RVD for several moments. RVD elbows out of the hold and delivers several right hands followed by clotheslines and a standing sidekick. One of Jarrett?s goons enter the ring but is dumped to the floor. RVD has a chair and kicks away all of RVD?s goons until Jarrett?s security guys double team RVD. RVD is held as Jarrett beats down RVD with right hands. RVD gets up and sidekicks Jarrett and knocks the security guys out of the ring. However, Jeff Hardy runs down and plants RVD with the Twist of Hate. Jarrett covers RVD and wins the bout. *
After the match, RVD is beaten down by Hardy and Jarrett. Matt Morgan runs down to the ring and knocks both Jarrett and Hardy down. Morgan reverse choke slams Jarrett into the corner. Mr. Anderson yanks the chair away from Hardy and ends up accidentally whacks Morgan over the back. As expected, the announcers wonder if Anderson meant to hit Morgan or Hardy. Anderson leaves the ring to close out the show.

End of show


My Take: The last time I recapped Impact was back in May of 2010. Not surprised to see Eric Bischoff kick off the show with the Immortal group which has grown to roughly ten guys since October. Immortal is really just the New World Order, without any kind of popularity or interesting aspects of the group. The promo was fine as I liked that TNA had MCMG, Lethal and Williams part take in the opening segment. Those four need to get pushes that last awhile in 2011. Why Lethal is just floating around in the X-Division is baffling to me.

Jarrett?s segment was fine. Jarrett was fairly funny in the segment as I don?t think he has been this entertaining in about ten years. For the record, I greatly enjoyed Jarrett during his ?slap nuts? days in WCW. Angle back wrestling is good with me, though his upcoming match is a MMA bout. I believe we will see Jarrett vs. Angle at Lockdown. I?ll just predict that right now.

The opening match was decent, but it wasn?t given a lot of time, which isn?t surprising. I?m suspecting that Styles will be turning baby face, which he should be, to combat Immortal along with Matt Morgan at some point. Styles is just a mid-card guy as long as he is a heel in the inflated Immortal group. If he turns face, he can easily become a main event guy, again. Nice to see a clean finish.

Dinero and Joe had a alright segment. I liked that Joe is trying to make Dinero into some kind of sleaze bag. Some of Dinero?s responses were odd. The guy pretty much carries himself as some kind of pimp, so by telling the strippers that they don?t need to dance in order to make a quick buck is dumb. Maybe he was telling them to work the corner for him, instead? Either way, this angle is kind of similar to Shelley stalking Sting with his camera back in like 2006. Kind of is, not entirely the same thing.

Knockouts match and Terry/Williams were pretty bad. The latter of the two wasn?t even really a match, honestly. I hate that sort of stuff, fifteen second matches. What the hell is the point of that.

Ray/Devon brawl wasn?t anything I expected. Ray is being portrayed as a chicken shit heel apparently. I?d rather have Ray be a legit bad ass and have him just kick Devon?s ass without any kind of help. I could see a lot of possibilities with a heel push for Ray. I?m sure it won?t amount to anything as this is happening about eight years too late.

Abyss/Lethal had a horrible ending. I can?t remember the last time seeing someone get DQ?d for choking in the corner. I did enjoy Kazarian?s promo afterwards. Kazarian appears to have improved on the microphone.

Morgan/Anderson segment did a nice job of hyping up their recent feud and eventual match at Genesis.

Jarrett/RVD was lame in my opinion. I just didn?t like it all that much. Where was Jeff Hardy before the main event? Why wasn?t he in the opening segment? No mention of him prior to his attack on RVD.

Overall, for this being the final show before the pay per view, I thought they did a decent job at promoting the matches on that show. However, everything for the most part, on this show as pretty boring. I don?t believe I have ever seen the Orlando crowd dead. They usually respond to everything but this episode they didn?t seem to have much motivation to cheer or anything. Thumbs down for this weeks Impact.

Thanks for reading.