TNA Impact 11/18/2010
This just kind of popped up in my feed and I decided to watch it. This was sadly a few years before ProWresBlog debuted so while I did see this when it happened, I never got to write about it. If I could have only done this about 10 years earlier, I'd have a thousand more reviews easy.
Ric Flair comes out and says it's a hot house for Immortal and Fortune. He wants to talk about Matt Morgan, who he said punched him and Fortune out last week. They said Flair will be the special ref in his match against Jeff Hardy. He then tells him to come out.
Ric tells him not to call him Naitch anymore, because that's for friends and he's a foe. He said he could call Fortune out to beat him up and tells him to keep his eyes on "god". Flair tells him he has to beat him tonight if he doesn't want him to be the special ref. Matt says wrestling Flair is #1 on his bucket list, so he'll wrestle him. Flair is shocked by this and offended. Flair says he will humiliate him and make him regret the day he left Fortune. Flair says Matt is wrestling "god" tonight and tells him he has his bucket list, and throws his jacket at him. Matt says he's going to shove his 18 size boot up his @ss.
Flair was kind of unhinged here and didn't do the greatest job ever but I really entertained by this.
Generation Me is headed to the ring and Victoria interrupts them. She says good luck, I'll be watching and to show me something out there. She then slaps both of them on the butt.
Jay Lethal, Velvet Sky and The Motor City Machine Guns vs Generation Me, Robbie E and Cookie
Generation Me are the Young Bucks. Velvet Sky shakes her butt all the way to the ring. Everyone looks 20 or so here and it's hysterical because you don't realize how much these people have aged.Jay armdrags a Buck then Alex drops a chop on the Buck's arm. The Buck takes shots from everyone (including a girl right in front of the ref). Sky then puts her foot on the Buck's crotch and pushes down on it. Alex is pulled out and takes a dropkick through the ropes. He then gets stomped on by a few people.
Cookie stomps Alex then E back elbows him. The Bucks gutbuster alex and do a flipping neckbreaker on him. Alex enzugiri's E and Lethal springboard twisting crossbodies a Buck. Lethal hits a handspring double back elbow on the Bucks. He drops E with a shot and hits a lethal combination on a Buck.
Sabin springboard lariats a Buck then Sky rotation headscissors another Buck. Alex and Sabin jump off each others backs to attack the Bucks in the corner and Sky spears cookie. Alex top rope splashes a Buck then the other Buck sprays something in Sabin's eyes. The Bucks then pick up the win.
It was fast paced here an definitely rushed as they all tried to get something in. It kept my interest though. Apparently it was allowed for the women to hit the men here.
Jeff Jarrett is working out in MMA gear and a hoodie in the back.
We go back to jeff and he is talking to Gunner and Murphy. He said we are getting a double M-A exhibition tonight so he can show off his MMA skills. He tells them not to let Kurt Angle in and tells Jeremy Borash he has words for him. Jeff said Angle promised he would retire if he didn't win the title, and now he's smashing car windows. Jeff tells Borash he better announce Jeff Hardy the right way or he will be out of a job. Jeff said his MMA skills are not a joke and he's going to prove a point to Samoa Joe tonight. Hells Broash he wants him in the ring tonight. Broash asks what happened to him and Jeff said he's giving him the look like everyone else. He said he didn't sell out, he bought in and said the company is finally run right. He said we will make it profitable for once. I was cool with it up until the end. Telling everyone your company is broke and a joke isn't a good look.
Mike Tenay said that made him uncomfortable. Tazz tries to explain that he feels the company is being run properly.
We see Kurt Angle with hair and a beard. He said he needed a new challenge and says he will wrestle all of the Top 10 rated wrestlers and get a title shot. He said he can't and won't miss. He said he is not ready to retire and says this is his life. He said he is more hungry now than he has ever been. We see clips of Jeff Hardy joining Jeff Jarrett's crew, making Kurt lose the match against him. Then we see JJ's crew beating up everyone.
Double-J Double M-A exhibition.
JJ comes out with 6 days and he's wearing red and white MMA shorts with gloves. JJ has no shoes on here and slaps Borash. JJ says what we are seeing tonight is done by a trained professional and should not be tried at home. JJ shows us the armbar first. He taps out the guy with it. We then see the Japanese kneelock. He said Frank Mir made Brock LEsnar tap out with this.
He puts the hold on longer as he says the guy didn't tap out hard enough. He then shows us the ankle lock. He said it took Ken Shamrock years to learn it, but he learned it in months. He taps this guy out with the ankle lock. We are told the rear naked choke is next and jJ says he's done the naked rear choke a few times in the bedroom. He then brings up Royce Gracieand does the choke, quickly tapping the guy out yelling how you just gotta "crank on it".
Samoa Joe then comes out. He calls him a sad, silly son of a b!tch and says JJ should spar with him. JJ says if Joe goes through the remaining two students, they will fight 1v1 in a submission match tonight.
Samoa Joe vs Students 1 and 2
Joe rolling kimura's the one and tapes him out then takes the other guy out and tapes him out with a choke and both arms.
Submission Match - Samoa Joe vs Jeff Jarrett
JJ throws students at Joe and Joe exploders one of them. The one student challenges Joe. Joe hits some punches and muscle busters him as JJ leaves up the ramp.
We cut to Stevie Richards and Raven in the back. Stevie says everyone is trying to screw Raven and he can show how big of a star he is tonight and beat Jeff Hardy. Brian Kendrick and Tommy Dreamer are back there too. Tommy says this is for us and he can prove the leader he has always been. Brian said he saw birds out of his window tonight and he thinks that means Raven can lead the charge tonight. Raven flips off the camera and leaves.
Mike Tenay said that made him uncomfortable. Tazz tries to explain that he feels the company is being run properly.
We see Kurt Angle with hair and a beard. He said he needed a new challenge and says he will wrestle all of the Top 10 rated wrestlers and get a title shot. He said he can't and won't miss. He said he is not ready to retire and says this is his life. He said he is more hungry now than he has ever been. We see clips of Jeff Hardy joining Jeff Jarrett's crew, making Kurt lose the match against him. Then we see JJ's crew beating up everyone.
Feast or Fired - Jeff Hardy vs Raven
Jeff kind of walks drunk during his entrance and has his custom TNA title on. We are told Eric Bischoff has a special intro for Jeff Hardy. We are told Jeff is the self-proclaimed antichrist of professional wrestling. Raven shoulders him over and takes a chinbreaker. Jeff is thrown out over the middle rope then russian leg swept into the rails. Raven goes up top and does Ole Anderson's spot where he drives him into the mat with the knee behind him. Raven is thrown into the chair between the ropes.
Raven's back is rammed into the apron. Jeff misses a whisper in the wind then takes punches and a spinning lariat. Raven bulldogs him then Jeff hits a twist of fate (though it's called the twist of hate). Jeff top rope swantons him and wins it.
Raven now is "gone" from TNA. This was a pretty lame way to get rid of Raven. Of course he comes back, but to fire Raven off a 3 minute midcard match is pretty bad booking. Kendrick, Stevie and Tommy console Raven after.
Hulk Hogan comes out. He said Dixie said Ev2 meant to wrestling he meant to wrestling. Hogan mocks Raven. He says, "you're fired Raven, quote the Hulkster, nevermore". Hulk's heel promo was actually good here, but the angle sucked.
Tommy Dreamer says Rhino had some explaining to do and tells him to get out here. We see Rhino costing Rob Van Dam a title shot by spearing him last week. They say Rhino is without a contract. Rhino said Tommy knew his contract expired and said none of EV2 cared. He said Eric Bischoff cared though and gave him the choice of employment or unemployment. Rhino said at first he told him to "kiss my @ss". Rhino said then he realized he was here years before Tommy and RVD. He said they then came and stole the spotlight and glory from him. He said he just became an afterthought. He said he hopes his actions make him realize that he doesn't take a backseat to nobody.
Tommy said he's one of the best athletes to ever get in the TNA ring. Rhino said that's because he kicks @ss and he will kick his tonight if he pisses him off. Tommy said him and RVD were offered contracts by Dixie. He said they believe in TNA and everyone in the back. Tommy said Rhino sold out his soul and friends for the almighty dollar. Rhino asks if Tommy will take care of his family and little girl. Rhino says they won't and says desperate people do desperate things. Rhino said they just thought of themselves and he said he will only think of himself from now on. Tommy says "you're right" and says he's a dad too. Tommy says to look what happened to Sabu and Raven. He says they are all at Hulk and Bischoff's mercy and are at this together. He said Sabu and Raven went down with a fight but Rhino just quit on them and all of the fans. Rhino grabs his injured hand and hits a short arm clothesline. He then stands on it. Rob Van Dam then comes down. Rhino hits shots and RVD backs him off with a spin kick. Rhino then spears him.
Matt Morgan is interviewed. He said it's a big match vs Flair tonight. He said he won't get caught in the moment and will make his own moment. He says if he has to beat Flair to become a world champ, so be it.
Casket Match - Abyss vs Shannon Moore
Shannon Moore represents "Ink Inc.". I don't remember that group. Abyss comes out with a barbed wire bat. We see clips of Abyss putting The Pope in a casket and driving it through the stage, which was just made of cheap wood and didn't look like it hurt.
Moore evades him and hits a few shots. Moore hits more punches and is slammed upon jumping on him in the corner. Moore is thrown out. Moore hits more shot and takes one or two back. Abyss misses a corner splash then Mooore comes off the top with something like a bulldog. Moore tries to push Abyss into the casket then hits him on the apron. Moore runs at him with a shot but Abyss throws him over the top by his hair in a cool spot. Moore lands hard on the floor.
Moore slams the casket on Abyss' arm then asai moonsaults over the casket onto Abyss in a cool spot. Abyss is most of the way in the casket but fights out.
Moore is thrown into the rails and Abyss black hole slams him. Abyss opens up the closed casket and The Pope D'Angelo Dinero is in there somehow and nails him in a great spot. The ref then throws the match out. Pope hits Abyss a bunch of times and pimp slaps him. Moore top rope dropkicks Abyss and Abyss leaves.
While Pope appearing was cool, it sucks that it caused the match to end. The crowd wasn't real into it, but Moore did a decent job being the smaller guy against Abyss. The moonsault over the casket was cool.
Angelina Love talks about Mickie James. She says she looked her up and needs to know everything about her. She said if James thinks she is going to be handed the #1 contendership, she has another thing coming.
#1 Contendership - Angelina Love vs Mickie James
Love takes her down and goes for the quick pin. James bridges out of a pin attempt and rolls her up a few times. Love puts a side headlock on and shoulders her over. James monkey flips and dropkicks her. Taz said "that's a hot monkey". James knees her in the gut and takes a lariat for 2.
Love slams her and gets mad/frustrated. James offers a handshake and she grabs her by the hair and pulls her down. Love rolls her up out of the corner then James headscissors her. James hits a neckbreaker for 2 then Love pump kicks her. James hits an ugly looking jumping ddt and wins it.
Angelina Love was hot but this was not good. Most of the moves weren't done well and there was a lot of stalling and looking at each other.
We are told Brother Ray will explain his turn on Devon Next.
Angelina
Love throws stuff in the back after losing. Winter then tries to
console her. She says everything is happening like it was meant to and
says everything will fall into place. She said it's time to get to know
each other and it comes across like she's trying to hook up with her.
 |
| What a haircut |
Brother Ray comes out. He said everyone wants to know why he kicked Devon in the head. He said it's because he can. Ray has the most ridiculous haircut ever here with sideburns and the sides of his head shaved while he's balding. Ray takes credit for inventing the 3D Dudley Death Drop. He says everyone has fallen to it, including Steve Austin, The Undertaker, Tazz, The Rock and others. Ray says nobody kicked out of it until Chris Sabin. Ray said he kicked out because Devon was weak.
Ray said he was the star of Team 3D and said Devon was the weak link. He said Devon never stood by his side, just two steps behind him where he belongs. Ray says he's the Shawn Michaels, Devon is the Marty Jannetty. He said for everyone asking who is Marty Jannetty, he says, exactly. Ray said any of his brothers could have been his partner and said he's just a sidekick. He said he's nothing more than "a guy who got my tables". This was a really good promo, maybe too good.
Eric says you have to have a new heavyweight title belt when restarting things. Eric said Hulk wanted a new title and came up with the idea. He said it symbolizes what the new TNA is about and it felt good to trash that old piece of crap title. Jeff says this represents the new era of TNA. He said he'll break down Mrogan's legs and annihiliate him. Matt Morgan says Jeff isn't a good champ because he forgot who he is. Matt says Jeff is a big deal and said the crowd gave him the energy he wanted when he reached out to them.
Ric Flair vs "The Blueprint " Matt Morgan
Flair hits chops early then Matt gives them back. Matt back body drops him. Matt his back elbows and Flair flops. The ref gets shoved out and Flair low blows him. Flair stomps on him and hits chops as he's down. Matt grabs him by the throat and Flair eye pokes him. Flair throws him out.
Flair hits shots on the rails outside then Flair has his head banged off the rail. Flair is bleeding and Matt pounds on him. Matt bites the cut and bangs his head off the rail again. Flair begs off in the ring then Matt hits punches. Flair does the Flair flop again then Matt side slams him. Matt hits a chokeslam then Fortune comes out.
Fortune stomps Matt. Doug Williams refuses to take part. AJ grabs him then Doug beats ups his own partners. Robert Roode decks him then Matt spinning lariats Roode and clears off Fortune. Flair hits punches and lariats to no avail then Matt hits a pump kick.
It was obviously silly that the ref didn't see Fortune. They didn't build up the Doug Williams turn at all here as you would not know this would be an issue from watching the show. It was hard to watch this because it looked like a guy beating up his grandfather. Flair did well for his age but it was ridiculous.
Overall thoughts: Yep, it was a TNA show. Random turns. Lots of interference and shenanigans. Gimmick matches and things happening with no build. It's a shame too because they had a good roster with guys who had a lot to give, but they didn't know how to show it off. Jeff Hardy was a heel was interesting. Ray, Hulk and Tommy did good jobs in their promos and Abyss/Moore was good. Pope appearing out of the casket was a great spot too.
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