Booker T is in the ring with a table and champagne and stuff to welcome back Sharmell. Robert Roode and Payton Banks come out -- followed by Jim Cornette, who books a mixed tag match at Lockdown between these four. Booker is PISSED because he JUST swore to never ever put Sharmell in harm's way again. He flips the table over! Cornette says if Booker has so much energy, he may as well have a match tonight...against AJ Styles!
Kaz and Eric Young vs. Scott Steiner and Petey Williams: Eric Young, by the way, is apparently not aware of Super Eric's secret identity. Oh boy. This has some fun stuff, including Kaz reversing the Canadian Destroyer into a back-to-belly piledriver. The Monsters come out and Eric is distracted, allowing Steiner to get a Samoan Drop off the turnbuckle for the pin.
Christian Cage and Rhino sit down with Mike Tenay. Cage tries to make amends but Rhino (looking quite fetching in sandals and culottes) isn't having it.
Tomko vs. Rhino: They go through the motions until Styles interferes and then hides under the ring; Tomko pins Rhino after a clothesline. (Okay -- you can't have BOTH Tomko and Rellik using a clothesline as a finisher!)
The fans are desperately trying to point out to Earl Hebner that Styles is hiding under the ring (I love stuff like that!). Hebner hauls him out, and Styles and Tomko start beating down Rhino. Cage is out for the save! Rhino and Cage shake hands! Rhino IS having it after all!
Jay Lethal and SoCal Val are on a date a some sort of theme restaurant -- apparently Sonjay Dutt works there, too. He hits on Val. NO TIP FOR YOU TONIGHT.
Homicide vs. Sonjay Dutt: This is a qualifying match for Lockdown's Xscape match. Dutt (believably) crashes and burns off the top rope, hurting his knee -- but he's playing possum! There's a rollup for the win. Afterward, he hugs Homicide and Hernandez -- bad idea, as Hernandez Border tosses Dutt about twenty feet. They also steal all the money out of his tambourine.
They are STILL doing some sort of video feature on VKM and I STILL fast forward right on through it.
AJ Styles vs. Booker T: Booker has Sharmell, and Styles has...Karen Angle. Intrigue! Roode is out -- leaves -- Banks is out -- Sharmell chases her off -- Booker rolls up AJ for the pin. Weak match, existing only to further feuds that aren't between the guys in the ring.
Angelina Love and Velvet Sky vs. ODB and Gail Kim: The story here is that, while Love and Sky are both individually outclassed by ODB and Kim, they are able to use their tag team wiles more effectively. They actually get some double team moves in, but ODB catches one of them (I don't remember who) with a powerslam for the 3 count.
Roxxi Leveaux is out and chases off Love & Sky.
On next week's LIVE show, we get to vote (at TNA's website) for who will take on Awesome Kong for the Knockout title! I am going to vote that Awesome Kong has to fight SIX MOTORCYCLES.
There's a video package on Samoa Joe vs. Kurt Angle and they interview a couple of MMA guys in it. Then, Kurt Angle has a "sparring exhibition" against four guys in a row (Angle is barefoot, with taped ankles and wrists). He forces the first three to tap out -- triangle choke, heel hook, and a guillotine choke -- and then knocks out the last one with a headbutt and mounted punches. That last guy -- who got busted open off the headbutt -- is Kory Chavis, who last appeared getting squashed by Judas Mesias.
I should mentions that this whole bit supports Angles recent interview claim that the match between he and Joe at Lockdown is going to be an "MMA-style match." Check out the interview recap here (411mania.com) for more.
Here's another promo package for Consequences Creed -- he's been moved up to April 10 -- just in time for an Xscape qualifying match!
Team 3D vs. Christian Cage and Rhino: Standard stuff -- man, the wrestling this week is really no great shakes -- and them it ends in a DQ with Tomko and Styles running in. Nash is out but the numbers are too much. Curry Man, Shark Boy, and the Motorcity Machine Guns are out but are all totally ineffectual -- wow, I guess the MCMG really ARE in the doghouse. Right at this point I realize that the final member of Team Cage is probably Sting, and sure enough, his music plays and Tenay and West freak out. They are pretty sure that Sting will be here NEXT WEEK when Impact is LIVE!!!
--K
(edited by Karlos the Jackal on 21.3.08 0137) Last 5 movies seen: Southland Tales wtf - Dan in Real Life *** - Miller's Crossing n/a - The Glass Key *** - The Darjeeling Limited ***1/2
I don't know what the point of that nonsense with Sting's music and entrance was. I mean, if he's not actually going to come out and help those guys, why play the music? "Sting is sending a message! If this happens again next week, he might maybe be of assistance! Next week!" If they wanted a surprise, HAVE HIM ACTUALLY COME OUT.
I don't usually watch Impact, but I had to fill in covering it for the Torch yesterday. I went in with low expectations, but was pleasantly surprised.
For the most part, the Christian vs. Rhino angle played out well. I thought they fast-forwarded through a part of it though, as in one segment, Rhino doubted Christian and was not happy with him in the sit-down interview, but ended up shaking his hand after his match. They could've milked that handshake for weeks, with Christian doing small things here and there to gain Rhino's trust. Still, that angle was interspersed throughout the show to make sure viewers didn't forget about it.
I liked the Kurt Angle training session. It was wisely kept short, as these types of things can tend to lose a crowd quickly. Angle looked impressive and TNA seems to have more of a grasp on what MMA is than WWE. Angle seemed intimidating rather than a comedy figure.
I laughed every time Rhino said "Uncle Christian."
Uncle Christian Oh the time has come And you know that you're the only one To say O.K. Where you going What you looking for You know those boys Don't want to play no more with you It's true
I'm gonna feel lame for asking this, but has Velvet Sky done any nude pictures? She is so damn hot!
Kurt Angle looked like he was in the best shape of his life last night. He has a neck again which is good, he's shrunk down to a normal size which I hope means he's off the juice. He made those four guys look like they were sleep walking. He looked like a guy who could keep wrestling for 10 more years, easily. Fuck Yeah!
Earl Hebner actually getting under the ring and pulling out AJ Styles was great! I don't think I've seen that before and it was pretty funny.
Sting's back! Hot damn! Next weeks the first live iMPACT so he should be there in some way or another.
All around, another good show with very little stupid crap (The VKM crap...) to drag the show down.
I just don't get the appeal of combining wrestling with MMA. They're two completely different things, and trying to incorporate MMA into wrestling just seems like wasted energy. Why would anyone be interested in watching fixed MMA when the real thing's available? Let Angle and Joe do what they do best, rather than play-acting at something else. That goes for WWE as well as TNA.
To those who say people wouldn't look; they wouldn't be interested; they're too complacent, indifferent and insulated, I can only reply: There is, in one reporter's opinion, considerable evidence against that contention. But even if they are right, what have they got to lose? Because if they are right, and this instrument is good for nothing but to entertain, amuse and insulate, then the tube is flickering now and we will soon see that the whole struggle is lost. This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires, and lights, in a box.-Edward R. Murrow
Originally posted by oldschoolheroI just don't get the appeal of combining wrestling with MMA. They're two completely different things, and trying to incorporate MMA into wrestling just seems like wasted energy. Why would anyone be interested in watching fixed MMA when the real thing's available? Let Angle and Joe do what they do best, rather than play-acting at something else. That goes for WWE as well as TNA.
I wouldn't mind if they went for a more realistic, MMA type approach, but you can't have it both ways. Meaning, you can't have guys like Angle and Joe who seem like legit, bad ass fighters, and then in the next segment have Rellik, Curry Man (even though he is a hoot), or Black Reign. In other words, 80s rasslin' crap. I still think they need to do something to break the mold, instead of basically following the same WWE formula for a wrestling show from the last 10 years. Do something to make yourself not look like a bush league version of WWE.
"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
I really like the Christian/Rhino pairing because it is a history that has been well documented during the Rhino/Christian feud but I thought the handshake came pretty quick too. I imagine the reason it went so fast though was because Sting should be the last member to join and that it should take place at the live show, so I guess I can see why they would rush it.
There were a lot of little moments I liked this episode like Sonjay trying to impress So Cal, Steiner lifting Petey's hands for the victory even though Petey's hands were in hand cuffs and Bubba and AJ wrestling over the tag title during the heels promo.
If TNA is going with the Gail/ODB are better singles wrestlers but Love/Sky are better tag team then the tag team really should've won.
Good timing for the live show and Sting return since I haven't watched TNA on Thursday night since Lost came back.
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