TNA Impact TV report
TNA Impact 11.27
By Jeff Hamlin (
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
)
The Big News: In a great closing angle, Team 3-D joined the newly anointed Front Line of Rhino, A.J. Styles, Samoa Joe and other young wrestlers who were buried six feet under on this show. Also, Rhino won “$25,000,” in the annual Turkey Bowl, and the Motor City Machine Guns were further devalued when Alex Shelley had to wear a turkey outfit. In all fairness, last year Styles had to wear the turkey outfit and he at least shook off the comedy label this year, but not before his potential as a draw took a major hit.
The TNA Originals came out, led by Rhino who announced he had renamed the group TNA Front Line. He did an interview about how when you’re a soldier, you want to be on the front line fighting in battle. He brought up his days in ECW a decade ago, which brought TNA chants, showing that Vince and HHH’s quest to kill the ECW chants has at least worked in Orlando. Rhino walked into the crowd, and fittingly walked past someone with an N.W.O shirt on. That was eerie in a bad way. He brought up the eight man tag where Samoa Joe and A.J. Styles and two mystery partners, but said no one else in the Front Line had enough experience to team with them. Sure did bury everyone else in the ring, particularly The Motor City Machine Guns, Consequences Creed and Black Machismo. The Main Event Mafia came out, where Kurt Angle did an interview from the ramp. He gave Rhino three seconds to leave the Front Line, but Rhino told him to kiss his ass.
They did a preview of the Kurt Angle DVD, entitled “Champion.” It featured a clip of Bruno Sammartino. Then Angle mentioned something about fighting in MMA. Suddenly he was interrupted by Tito Ortiz bragging about his new five-year contract with Affliction unless UFC matched it. Then Hulk Hogan walked on the set to announce his new multi-million dollar startup company running head-to-head with Vince starting in February. Okay, the last two parts were made up.
Jeremy Borash was backstage with Angle and mentioned that Jeff Jarrett had appointed Mick Foley as a special enforcer in Angle’s match with Rhino. Two faces against one heel again, and you know who’s going to win. And you know everyone in the company will be confused when Rhino comes away deader than dead. With creative teams like this, it’s little wonder why pro wrestling is in the shape it’s in.
Once again on Thanksgiving, the theme of the show was the Turkey Bowl, comprised of a trio of three-way matches. The winner of each match would advance to the finals, which would be another three-way. The winner of the final match gets “$25,000,” while the loser has to wear a turkey suit. Of course, that makes no sense either. Wouldn’t be less embarrassing to do a 10-second submission job in the opener than lose in the finals?
1. Rhino advanced to the Turkey Bowl finals by defeated Sonjay Dutt and Hernandez in a three-way match. After being pushed as the leader of the top face group in the company, Rhino had to sell in the opening minutes for Dutt, who hasn’t had a win in months. Make sense out of that one. Dutt had to do face spots, but was the only heel in the match. Hernandez did a missile drop kick on Rhino, but Dutt followed with a drop kick to Hernandez’s knee, which took him out of commission. Rhino then pinned Dutt with a belly-to-belly suplex and gore. *1/4
They did a Jeff Jarrett video package, which is something nice for someone who’s main evening. The problem is Jarrett is supposedly in the front office for good with his wrestling days over. Then again, it’s not like anyone is taking that storyline seriously anyway.
Angle confronted Jarrett in his office about Foley being named the special enforcer. Jarrett old him if anyone from the Main Event Mafia interfered in the match, he would rip his contract up right there on the spot. Angle said he was going to have his own enforcer watching Angle.
Rhino, Styles and Joe walked into the locker room to approach Team 3-D about joining them at Final Resolution. It was also a weekly reminder that the TNA booking crew is made up of the WCW mentality, which is over as hell in bankruptcy courts. Brother Dvon, I shit you not, compared the Front Line to the Detroit Lions facing the New York Giants. If I’m the Motor City Machine Guns, Creed and Lethal hearing that, I’m giving notice ASAP. Why the hell does this company go out of its way to embarrass its own younger wrestlers like that? Rhino did a good comeback interview about how 3-D made him bleed in ECW 13 years ago, but he made 3-D bleed too. Well, by the time he got to ECW, 3-D was already in WWF. And it wasn’t 13 years ago. But who’s counting? Brother Ray asked Rhino if he had been studying his old ECW promos. No, he didn’t stutter. Joe butted in and said if 3-D wanted to do the right thing for once, they would join the front line. As they walked out, Ray teased 3-D joining the Mafia.
2. Alex Shelley won a Turkey Bowl qualifying match over Consequences Creed and Cute Kip. Shelley worked as a heel with Cute Kip double teaming Creed. Then Shelley just watched back as Kip and Creed worked. Creed later did a somersault tope on Shelley, and overshot him somewhat. Match got better when Kip was on the outside looking in, including Creed doing a springboard facebuster. Kip teased the famasser, but Shelley tripped him. Shelley then did a series of counters into a three-quarters nelson into a cradle for the pin. Pretty much ensures that Shelley’s getting ready to wear a turkey outfit. *3/4
The Beautiful People, again sitting on thrones, were backstage with Lauren the interview girl. They were upset they weren’t on Final Resolution when a letter arrived for Angelina Love. Supposedly, it was sent from Sarah Palin, She accepted the $50,000 for Hockey Moms for America, but couldn’t make the PPV which was called Final Constitution because she had a moose hunt that day. Love claimed that she would be in the “Impass Zone” next week to accept the check. I believe the person who wrote that letter was the same person who wrote the letters from “WWE creative” to Jim Cornette at OVW when the Damaja was feuding with Doug Basham, but they got called up to tag together on Smackdown. Anyway, don’t hold your breath waiting on Palin to show up, or even Tina Fey for that matter. Sharmell walked in and said Booker T wanted to see the Beautiful People pronto.
Jarrett met with Rhino and told him he really appreciated “what he was doing with the kids.” He talked like they were eighth graders or something. Of course, it’s only a few more weeks before Jarrett joins their team, where the wins will surely follow. Jarrett asked Rhino to focus on Kurt Angle for the good of the company. Rhino said after Final Resolution, Jarrett would never have to worry about Angle again.
Rough Cut LAX continued. Not much to it with Homicide calling Hernandez “Shawn” and discussing how they joined as a team.
Brother Ray was doing an interview in the locker room when Scott Steiner walked in and said the Mafia had an offer they couldn’t refuse. Ray agreed to listen to them.
Christy Hemme was in the middle of a conversation with Traci Brooks. She apparently wanted another match with Awesome Kong. Hemme’s now training with Styles, which was never acknowledged before. Hemme’s acting was pretty bad, but Brooks agreed to give her the match if she defeated Raisha Saeed tonight.
Sheik Abdul Bashir won the final Turkey Bowl qualifying match defeating Jimmy Rave and Matt Morgan. Another match where two X Division wrestlers went against a heavyweight. It wasn’t bad because Morgan looked good on offense, and the story made sense with two heels double teaming one giant face. Unfortunately, it’s clear the company has no faith in Morgan as a singles star. Shane Sewell was the referee, and the announcers brought up his probation. Morgan did a backdrop on Bashir while on his knees. While Bashir held Rave in a sleeper hold, Morgan picked both of them up for a fallaway slam. Bashir ducked a Morgan scissor kick, and gave Rave the WMD for the pin. Sewell was reluctant to raise Bashir’s hand, but did so without looking at him. While it’s a minor storyline, Sewell and Bashir are great in their roles. **
In his locker room, Booker T promised the Beautiful People anything they wanted if they would help Sharmell beat ODB at Final Resolution. Cute Kip proposed if Sharmell won the match, Booker would give the Beautiful People his locker room. Booker and Sharmell both did a spit take and refused. Then he thought about it and agreed to the deal. Sharmell was none too happy and kicked Lauren out of the room. Booker’s star was fell off the door, which didn’t make it look nearly as lavish. Does this company have something against second takes or something?
Angle tried to talk 3-D into joining the Mafia. Booker could be heard in the background. Wasn’t he just in his dressing room arguing with Sharmell? Kurt brought up how the Machine Guns had disrespected him, which Ray agreed with. They never expounded on that point, but I guess refusing to blade during a match wouldn’t sound good on national television. Steiner handed Ray some suits to put on if they agreed to the deal.
Christy Hemme defeated Raisha Saeed. Hemme’s forearms were all off early and Saeed had to carry her. Awesome Kong (at ringside with Rhaka Kahn) interfered at ringside. Saeed missed a missle dropkick, but Hemme missed an FFG. Hemme got the pin reversing a power bomb into a sunset flip. Postmatch, Kong attacked Hemme. Kahn was about to join in, but Hemme ducked a double clothesline and simply left the ring. *
Styles did a sit-down interview with Tenay. In another reminder that this is WCW all over again, Tenay led into the piece talking about Styles being a member of the TNA Front Line. Then in the interview, he used the term “TNA Originals.” The main focus of the interview came when Tenay brought up the situation between Styles and his father. I understand booking wrestling can be hard in this day and age, but this storyline would have had tons more credibility if they hadn’t have been so intent on turning Styles into a comedy figure at the beginning of the year, when they did the skit about Styles still living at home with his mom and sister. Here, Styles talked about how he left home at age 15 after getting into a fight with his father. He alluded to the fact (though he didn’t outright say it) that his father came home one night and started hitting his mother. Styles ran in and knocked his father out in front of his entire family. Styles said he did that for respect, both for himself and his family. Styles’ acting has at least improved, but I wouldn’t say it was convincing enough.
Sting and Kevin Nash watched the interview. Sting acted uncertain whether to believe him, and seemed offended when Nash laughed about how Styles had it coming. Again, Sting came off as someone who’s about to turn face instead of being the ultimate heel.
The Motor City Machine Guns did an interview as total heels. Shelley talked about what he would do with the $25,000 if he won the Turkey Bowl, such as buying Styles a personality, Joe a singlet or Mick Foley some real clothes to wear as an executive.
Again, Shelley wrestled as a heel and joined Bashir in double-teaming Rhino. I’m not much on the Guns being heels, but at least the booking in this match made sense. Usual three-way spots where Bashir and Shelley took turns pulling each other off of Rhino during pin attempts. Bashir turned on Shelley by teasing whipping him into Rhino, but whipped him into a clothesline instead. Finish came out of nowhere as Rhino charged out of the corner with a clothesline, and pinned Shelley with the gore. *1/2
Shelley refused to wear the turkey outfit, but Foley came out to hand Rhino the monopoly money. Foley then told Shelley he had to put the suit on. Shelley tried to talk his way out of it by saying if he put the suit on, he would lose the female demographic. Foley basically threatened him with his job if he didn’t put it on. Considering everything the company had one in the preceding 90 minutes, I was waiting for Shelley to hit the road then and there. Instead, he put the outfit on. Borash, who did ring introductions for the match to give it a special feel, mentioned how Sarah Palin was coming to the Impact Zone next week, and we saw how the turkey in the background wound up. Shelley flipped off Foley, who decked him and gave him the double arm DDT to leave Shelley lying in the turkey suit.
The main event was whether 3-D wound join the Front Line or the Mafia. The Front Line came out first, followed by the Mafia. Angle claimed that 3-D had joined their side, and 3-D came out in suits. What followed was great. Ray did a great promo talking about their legacy and what they wanted to be remembered for. He said he wanted 3-D to go down in history with the great tag teams, like the Road Warriors and the Steiner Brothers. Even before he mentioned the Steiner Brothers, the crowd chanted for Harlem Heat, which Booker seemed to egg on. Ray relented, and their name got a mixed reaction. Ray said how joining the Mafia would cement their legacyRay them mentioned how if joining the Front Line was wrong, he didn’t want to be right. Then, facing Styles, Rhino and Joe, Ray and Dvon opened their coats where clubs were stashed inside their pockets. 3-D then joined the Front Line in attacking the Mafia, and the crowd really loved it. Ray ordered a table, and they teased giving Angle a 3-D through the table before Sting pulled him away.
SUMMARY: A pretty good show with a strong closing angle. Too bad they had to bury half the roster to get there. But there was more wrestling on the show that was average, so it was at least better than the usual show filled with angles that may or may not go anywhere. The Main Event Mafia-Front Line angle at least has legs and it’s something to rally around, but they shouldn’t have to sacrifice the future to do it. Unfortunately, those in the forefront of the angle aren’t in position to draw five years down the road, because they’ve either had their legs cut off or they’ll be retired.
Send us a news tip: newstips@wrestlingobserver.com
Note to webmasters/reporters:
When recapping news from this site or from our newsletters, please include a link to www.wrestlingobserver.com
For the most in-depth and detailed news and analysis on pro-wrestling and MMA, always turn to Wrestlingobserver.com/Figure Four Weekly Online, the #1 website of its kind on the Internet.
Members receive online access to both the Wrestling Observer and Figure Four Weekly newsletters and growing archives, Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer three times per week,
the popular Bryan and Vinny Show twice per week, additional radio shows including Figure Four Daily with Alvarez, Mike Coughlin's Five Star Radio, the Dr.
Keith Lipinski Show, The Adam and Mike Big Audio Nightmare, Tough Talk and the Karl Stern Wrestling History Show, the infamous BOARD, and more! Members also have full
access to the thousands of hours of audio in our radio show archives which date back to 2005. For your convenience, we offer secure online payments using your VISA, Mastercard,
American Express, Discover card or PayPal account. Don't miss out on the fun, sign up now!
Don\'t miss out on the fun, sign up now!
Want full access? QUICK AND EASY $10.99 SIGNUP!
