Lets get down to business with the TNA iMPACT taping from 29th July 2010.
The opening segment was to be expected. EV2.0 (aka ECW oldies), come out, this week including Brother DeVon. And Tommy Dreamer took the mic and began talking about HardCORE Justice. Now to be honest, as good as Dreamer is on the mic, I kind of lost interest. They then went on to address Brother Ray. DeVon lured Ray out onto the stage and began pleading with him to put everything that had happened with Jessie Neil to the side and rejoin the old ECW crew for one night at HardCORE Justice. Taz gets on the mic and plays cheerleader by saying “just do it Ray”, and apparently that was all Ray needed to put aside the months of storyline build up as a heel to turn back face. After the love-fest, the familiar sound of the fake nWo music hit and Hulk Hogan arrived at the iMPACT zone. Thus starting another five minutes of praising Dixie Carter and telling the ECW guys how great they were. There was absolutely no need for Hogan in this segment whatsoever. They finished the segment with Abyss coming out and cutting another bad promo. I’m sorry, I just cannot stomach Abyss’ mic work. They should give him a manager for a mouth piece. Hogan set up Dreamer Vs Abyss for later in the show in a no-DQ match.
Next up was a Knockout’s match featuring Serita Vs Angelina Love. This was a very generic match. Love went over. Nothing really of note to report on this one.
Next up was a backstage segment with Orlando Jordan (he still employed?) and Eric Young. They were talking about being partners (aka jobbers) in tonight’s match against Ink Inc. Young has reverted back to his very old (and stale) crazy gimmick, the commentators noted after this segment that Young was acting this way because he was kicked in the head on an edition of TNA Xplosion. Young also said he was bringing back-up to this ring for the match.
Up next was Ink Inc. going over Young and Jordan. Not actually all that bad a match. Young brought a manikin to the ring as the back-up he mentioned. Ink Inc finished the match by hitting Jordan with their trademark finisher.
Tommy Dreamer had a backstage promo next. Said even though he doesn’t have a TNA contract, he was going to show Abyss what Extreme is. Good promo. Nice build up for the main event as well.
Next up, Ric Flair came out with the four members of Fortune, Kaz, AJ Styles and Beer Money. Good promo work here by Flair, saying that he will invoke his rematch clause against Jay Lethal on next week’s iMPACT. Robert Roode then got on the mic and thanked Flair for making Beer Money the last two members of Fortune, but knew it was only a matter of time before Flair asked them. Great stuff from Roode here. Storm took the mic and added that they will beat the Motor City Machine Guns tonight and become four-time tag team champions. Kazarian was next on the mic and cut a promo on what it meant to be a part of Fortune, even taking a shot at the Nexus angle on WWE TV, saying that they were not a group of rookies looking to take over, but four seasoned veterans looking for the respect they deserve. Styles was next on the mic, and did what everyone expected him to do, changing the Global Title into the TV Title. Flair then got back on the mic but was interrupted by Kurt Angle, who said that AJ was the next member of the roster on the TNA top ten that Kurt was coming up against. They teased the match as Kurt Angle went to the back. Good solid stuff from Fortune here. They all looked strong on the mic, which is half of the battle, I really like where they are going with this group, and providing that TNA legitimise them, they can be huge.
The steel cage match in the best of five series was next with the MCMG’s sneaking in over the back of the cage to attack Beer Money. Roode was busted open really early in this match. The match itself was nothing short of superb. Truly excellent wrestling, which told a great story inside the cage. Good use of the surroundings by the Machine Guns as well. Great spot towards the end of the match with Sabin taking a Jimmy Snuka-esque dive from the top of the cage onto Beer Money. The finish of the match came when Storm accidentally hit Roode with the beer bottle and the Gun’s administered the neck-breaker splash for the win. The series now stands at 2-1 to Beer Money. Cannot wait for next weeks match!
Matt Morgan next out to Mr Anderson’s music and mocking his mic work. Funny bit with the mic not coming down properly. I’m thinking that Morgan is starting to sound a lot like Val Venis. Mr Anderson is out quickly to mock him. Good stuff from Anderson. Morgan gives Anderson one ‘free’ punch to the face and as he closes his eyes and braces himself, Anderson drops to his knees and low blows Morgan. Melee ensues. Morgan gets the upper hand before Jeff Hardy makes the save. Security guards come out (why) and get a little rough with Hardy and Anderson, which the commentators bring up. Then three TNA trainers (D-Lo, Simon Diamond and Al Snow) all come in and break up the fight. Segment finishes with the trainers berating the security guards for their handling of Hardy and Anderson. Very strange 10 minutes of TV. It is not very often that faces outnumber the heels but with Hardy and Anderson, this was the case before these ‘security’ guards got involved.
Anderson and Hardy are backstage with Christy and Anderson explains that the two ‘security’ guards have trained to be wrestlers for years and never got their break so they settled for security work for TNA. Tonight they plug Hardy and Anderson Vs Morgan and the two ‘security’ guards in a 3-on-2 handicap match. Okay explanation; just don’t know if I care.
The next match was The Freak Rob Terry Vs Kazarian. This match baffles me. Terry went over Kazarian in 30 seconds! A man who is supposed to be booked to be a part of the biggest stable in the company right now gets beat by Rob Terry. That is bad enough, but in a squash? Very bad booking by TNA.
Anderson and Hardy then come out for their match with Morgan and the two ‘security’ guards. Not a very good match here. Morgan abandons his partners as Jeff Hardy gets the victory with the Swanton Bomb.
The final segment of the week came from Eric Bischoff who came out with his smoking hot assistant, saying that everything Dixie Carter has done to bring in EV2.0, was for the good of TNA. It all sounds a bit strange from the man who systematically put ECW out of business. He said he wanted to give back to the fans too. He said he will put on a PPV quality episode of TNA iMPACT on August 12th. Before he can continue he is interrupted by Abyss (not again) who says ‘They’ have given him orders to arrange the main event of the August 12th iMPACT as Abyss Vs RVD in a ladder match. Not bad work from Abyss here. He goes to attach Bischoff before RVD runs in and stops him. They brawl until Abyss guillotine’s RVD on the railing. RVD is helped to the back as Tommy Dreamer makes his way out for his match.
Tommy Dreamer Vs Abyss is not a bad match. Very weapon heavy but that is to be expected. Dreamer brings out a barbed wire board but before he can do anything he is choke-slammed by Abyss for the pinfall victory. Good way to keep Abyss over as the monster heel, but I’m still not a believer.
Overall this week, the wrestling has been excellent again. Promo’s still need work but I am looking forward to next week and to HardCORE Justice.
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