Detailed 6/23/11 TNA Impact Wrestling Recap

Jun 24, 2011 - by Steve Gerweck

by The Eccentric (filling in for The Starman)

Prelude:
We open with a recap of the Parking Lot Brawl between Jarrett and Angle, and then they show highlights of the segment between Hogan and Sting. Eric and Jarrett are walking in the backstage area, and Eric tells him that the stipulation was real and he has to move there. Eric finally convinces him to move there for the money and the power in Mexico.

Opening Segment:
Eric calls Sting out, who has his gear and the Joker paint on. He calls Sting an ungrateful SOB for what he did last week. Sting is acting like Joker and says Eric hurts his feelings, and tells Eric that they never got along because Eric is low-life, liar among other things. Sting calls him a cancer and tells him that the cancer has spread to Hogan, and it’s only a matter of time before the real Hogan comes back. Eric tells him that nothing will change and books him in a match against Abyss tonight. Sting starts beating on Eric, before hitting him with the Scorpion Death Drop. He then puts red paint on Eric’s face. Sting is still acting all unstable and puts Eric in Scorpion Death Lock. We cut to the commercial break with Eric still in the hold. After the commercial, they show highlights of what just happened moments ago.

-They show highlights of house shows of all the house shows this past week and all the winners in the Bound for Glory Series matches. So now the leader board shows Morgan, Styles, RVD and Gunner with 7 points each, with the rest still on zero. We have two more BFG series matches, with Morgan/Crimson vs. Beer Money and Scott Steiner vs. Bully Ray.

Match One: Scott Steiner vs. Bully Ray (BFG Series Match)
They play highlights of the epic Last Man Standing Match between Bully Ray and AJ Styles from Slammiversary. This is an interesting match-up here because both guys are heels. After some back and forth, Steiner hits Ray with his trademark elbow-drop and follows that up by doing push-ups. Ray retains control of the match and dominates most of it as the crowd gets behind Steiner. Ray has Steiner in a full nelson but Steiner fights back with a backdrop suplex. Steiner hits Ray with a couple of clotheslines and a T-Bone throw suplex. Steiner irish whips Ray into the ref who’s down and out. Steiner has Ray in the Steiner Recliner, Ray taps but the ref is down. While Steiner checks on the ref, Bully Ray gets hold of his chain and hits Steiner the throat, which is enough for him to get the three count. This gives Ray 7 points as well.
-Winner: Bully Ray in 5:53; Match Rating: 2/5

Still to Come: Sting vs. Abyss, Up Next: ODB/Jackie vs. Sky/Tessmacher

Backstage Segment: Immortal/Ken Anderson

Bischoff gives marching orders to Abyss for the destruction of Sting tonight and Gunner is there too. Gunner and Abyss walk out, and Eric gets treatment from the doctor as Ken Anderson walks in. Bischoff tells him that he sacrificed him for Ken. He reminds him about how he won the title at Slammiversary. Eric tells him to think about what he said.

-We see Steiner (wearing his sunglasses) looking for Ray with the chain in his hand.

-We cut to the announce table and they tell us that this week, three unknown stars will face off in the X-division Qualifier. It will be Zema Ion vs. Federico Palacios vs. Dakota Darsow tonight. They show an introductory package for Zema Ion with footage of him from the Indies while he introduces himself to the audience.

Match Two: Velvet Sky and Miss Tessmacher vs. Jackie and ODB
Before the match, Velvet talks on the microphone about how she demanded this match tonight to be a No Holds Barred match but since both ODB and Jackie are not under contract, this will be a standard match. ODB and Jackie come out from the side of the entrance ramp with no music. All 4 knockouts brawl on the outside to begin with as we cut to the commercial break. We’re back and ODB and Jackie are working on Miss Tessmacher. Velvet starts brawling with Jackie on the outside again. Tessmacher hits ODB with a jawbreaker, goes for the tag but Velvet is not there. Again, the heels dominate Miss Tessmacher as the crowd cheers Tessmacher on. This match is very sloppy. Finally, Tessmacher hits ODB with a spear and makes the hot tag to Velvet who clears house. All 4 of them are now brawling in the ring. While the referee with trying to get ODB out of the ring, Jackie hits Velvet with a huge low blow kick which is enough to get the three.
Winners: ODB and Jackie in 3:59; Match Rating: 1.25/5

-Still to come: the BFG Series Tag Team Match and Sting vs Abyss.

They show a similar video package for Federico Palacios.

Backstage Segment: Tara/Madison Rayne

We cut backstage to Tara is telling the camera that on the July 14’s Impact, she will extract her revenge on Madison Rayne when Rayne walks in the picture. Rayne warns Tara to pull out of the match before she pays for it. Tara says she’ll pass which prompts Rayne to slap her. Tara then slams Rayne into the wall and walks away.

Backstage Segment: Beer Money

They talk about the fact that Roode is still not 100% tonight and they need to focus on the match tonight. Their match is up next as we cut to another commercial.

Backstage Segment: Steiner/Bully Ray

Steiner is going rampant in the Impact Locker Room and threatens Gunner, Abyss and Ray. Ray shouts at him and offers him a spot in Immortal. Steiner throws the chain at them and then tells them that he’ll think about it as he walks away.

Match Three: Crimson and Matt Morgan vs. Beer Money
In this match, only the winner of the fall will get the 7 or 10 points (7 for pinfall and 10 for a submission victory). After some good early back and forth action, Crimson and Morgan finally gain control of the match. We see a lot of high impact moves from Crimson and Morgan such as neck breakers and scoop slams. Storm finally hits Crimson with a back breaker and Roode gets the hot tag. He knocks down Crimson too. Beer Money hit Crimson with a double suplex and then they do their Beer Money spot but run into a double clothesline from Morgan. Eventually, Morgan hits Storm with the Carbon Footprint which gets him the three count. Now Morgan leads with 14 points.
Winners: Matt Morgan and Crimson in 6:30; Match Rating: 3.5/5

Backstage Segment: Abyss

The camera follows him as he talks about the Chinese philosopher and Eric Bischoff, and how he will take Sting out.

-The announcers talk about a major Destination X announcement which is next.

-We see Eric Young walking in the Universal Studios area, perhaps looking for his next opponent.
Segment: AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels and Samoa Joe

AJ puts over Destination X as an all X division PPV. He announces that he is coming back to his X division roots. Then we hear some faint “X Division” chants. AJ says that for one-night only, we will have the six-sided ring at Destination X. He reminds us that he was the first ever X Division champion and about some X division pioneers of the past. But he is interrupted by the 4-time X division champion Samoa Joe. He agrees with AJ. He tells AJ that the X division wasn’t hot or taken seriously until Samoa Joe came to the X division. He says maybe AJ is the heart of the X division but Joe gave X division its balls. Joe is about to talk about the Destination X’s main event, Christopher Daniels interrupts. He says lets give the fans what they want, and let’s book AJ vs. Daniels as the main event. Joe is ridiculing his proposition. AJ agrees with Daniels and Joe is ticked off.

Backstage Segment: Daniels/Kazarian/Joe

Kazarian is arguing with Daniels, who walks off and Joe walks in the picture, who wonders if Fortune can get on the same page again. Kazarian threatens him and Joe rams him into the wall.

-We see a video package for Dakota Darsow.

Match Four: Zema Ion vs. Federico Palacios vs. Dakota Darsow
Ion and Palacios are already in the ring. Christy then announces Dakota Darsow, which might signal that Darsow is winning tonight. The announcers remind us that Darsow is Smash’s (from Demolition) son. They show a bar at the bottom which has the competitors’ names and the colors of their wardrobe. Darsow gets offense early on. The crowd cheers them on. Ion hits Darsow with a missile dropkick off the top rope. Now its Palacios turn to get some offense. Palacios hits Darsow with a suicide dive from the inside and Ion follows that up with a corkscrew on both men on the outside. Some high risk moves from all 3. Ion hits Darsow with a 450 splash and gets the three count.
Winner: Zema Ion in 4:37; Match Rating: 3/5

Backstage Segment: RVD/Jerry Lynn
RVD tells the camera that the BFG series has his name all over it and he might jump on the Destination X bandwagon and tells the camera that he was X division before there was X division. Jerry Lynn walks in from behind and tells him that THEY were X division before there was X division and walks off. RVD is surprised at what just happened.

-Up next: Winter vs. Mickie James, in a street fight

Match Five: Winter vs. Mickie James (Street Fight)
We return and apparently the street fight is underway as the two are fighting in the locker room area. Winter is in control early on. Winter whips her with a leather belt. Winter starts to choke Mickie with the leather belt. The action spills into the Impact Zone. They are fighting at the near the Tron. Mickie hits Winter with a Lou Thesz press from the top of a short wall. They literally roll over each other, down the ramp. Mickie hits Winter wth a hurricanrana on the outside. They finally enter the ring and Mickie hits Winter with a missile dropkick. The referee checks on Winter as Love runs in and hits Mickie with a back breaker, and hides from the referee on the outside. Meanwhile, Winter gets the three count. The finish was stupid because it’s a street fight, she was not going to get DQ’ed.
Winner: Winter; Match Rating: 2.25/5
Match Six: Abyss vs. Sting

After both make their way to the ring, Jeremy Borash does the “Main Event” introductions. He finishes Abyss’ when Sting goes on the attack and the match is underway. Sting is in control early on and clothesline Abyss out of the ring. They fight on the outside where Abyss sends Sting into the steel ring post. Abyss is now dominating Sting in the ring. We hear “Lets go Sting” chants. Abyss connects with a choke slam on Sting, goes for the cover but Sting kicks out at 2. Abyss grabs his Chinese book and reads something. He grabs his coat and takes out a glove with barbed wire wrapped around it. Abyss threatens Sting but Sting drops him with a couple of clothesline. Abyss hits Sting with a big boot but Sting no sells it and hits Abyss with a Stinger Splash while Abyss is resting in the corner. Sting his him with a Scorpion Death Drop and goes for the cover, but Abyss kicks out. Sting now wears the glove and punches Abyss in the forehead. The referee calls for the bell as Abyss is busted open. Anderson walks out with his title and Sting stares at him while repeatedly hitting Abyss in the forehead with the glove as we go off the air.
Winner: Abyss in 5:20; Match Rating: 2.25/5

Thoughts/Review:
I had high expectations from TNA following last week’s broadcast and they did not disappoint. Don’t be surprised if they get another high rating this week as well. I thought the Jarrett moving to Mexico was ridiculous but they explained things out this week and now it makes more sense. The opening was strong. Eric and Sting talked to the point and Sting’s character is coming off very well.

The BFG series is an interesting concept and I thoroughly enjoyed the house show clips they showed. Both BFG series matches were respectable but the second one was head and shoulders above the first one. Matt Morgan came across very well tonight. The fact that they followed the Steiner/Ray situation was a good idea too.

We had two knockout matches tonight. The tag match was extremely sloppy, and it was not just Tessmacher, all 4 of them weren’t at their best tonight. The street fight was short and enjoyable (barring the stupid ending). We also had a sneak preview of Tara and Rayne’s upcoming match. So we have three knockouts’ storylines going on at once, which is excellent because knockouts usually get the highest rated segments on Impact.

TNA did a fantastic job of hyping the three way, X-division match. They showed packages at right intervals and built it to a point when I was desperate to see the actual match, which didn’t disappoint either and I think the right guy went over tonight. The confrontation between Joe, Daniels and AJ was nice and I was surprised they didn’t announce the match as three-way. Maybe they can add Joe next week or Joe could face Kazarian at the PPV, or maybe they could make it a Four-Way which would be awesome. I was excited when Lynn popped up on TV. I became a regular fan in 2002 and have been watching TNA since, and Lynn was one of my favorites back in the day. RVD vs Lynn at Destination X sounds good. They wanted this match at Hardcore Justice but Lynn’s injury caused to be changed. So hopefully this time we can see them face to face one more time.

TNA didn’t just leave Anderson out of the picture in this broadcast. They still had him come out at the end which is an improvement considering TNA usually forgets to showcase the actual champion on their shows. But I was disappointed that Gunner did not get much attention after last week’s monumental victory. Sure, they showed him once or twice backstage but they should’ve given him a squash match so the audience is convinced that he is a future main event star. Also, Abyss needs to stop with the Chinese stuff he does. He should be a monster who doesn’t talk and has a manager who does that for him. Maybe, they could bring James Mitchell back for Abyss.

Overall, this was a good edition of TNA Impact. Some matches were good while some did disappoint but I enjoyed tonight’s Impact. So, I’ll give it a 7/10.

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