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TNA Impact! - April 17, 2008
by Sassy

TNA: CROSS THE LINE

THE REVENGE OF LOCKDOWN

iMPACT is broadcast from Universal Studios, Orlando, FL on the Spike TV Network.

Ringside announcers: Mike Tenay and Don West

Ring announcer: David Penzer

Ringside valet: SoCal Val

Backstage interviews: Jeremy Borash and Lauren

Mike Tenay informs the audience that tonight three titles will be on the line: The X-Division, the Women’s Division, and the Tag Team Division.

The audience hears Samoa Joe’s entrance music and the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion, enters the arena. Joe addresses his fans and tells his fans “we are the champions”. As for this fan…YESSSSS! Joe says that his first TNA title run is dedicated to the TNA fans. Joe says that the belt will be defended with respect and honor.

Big Poppa Pump Scott Steiner’s entrance theme begins and Steiner enters the arena accompanied by Maple Leaf Muscle Petey Williams and Rhaka Khan. Steiner says he is there to talk about sacrifice. Steiner tells Williams that because he did what he did in order to earn Steiner’s respect, Steiner is giving Williams the X Division title shot to use anytime he wants it. Steiner tells Joe that as far as Steiner’s title shot at Sacrifice, Steiner has sacrificed his whole life and when he looks at Joe and calls him fat and said that the only thing Joe sacrificed was then when it was time to eat four Twinkies, Joe ate five. Steiner says that bigger is not better. Steiner calls Joe genetic junk. Steiner says the only place he hasn’t been World Champion is in TNA and that will all change at Sacrifice.

Kurt Angle, the ex-champion, interrupts Steiner’s rant to enter the ring. Angle tells Joe that man to man, Joe beat him at Lockdown and that Angle learns from his mistakes. Angle says he never makes the same mistake twice. Angle tells Steiner that he has a title shot at Sacrifice and he has earned that title shot even though his last win was against the Road Warriors in 1976 with Steiner’s idiot brother. Angle says the point he is making is that Steiner has a title shot at Sacrifice but that doesn’t necessarily mean that Steiner’s title shot will be against Samoa Joe because Angle’s contract says that he has a rematch clause and he can use his rematch clause anytime he chooses. Angle says the rematch will be on iMPACT next week.

Lauren, the newest member of the TNA broadcast team, is backstage with Rhino and Christian Cage. Cage and Rhino say that they have been through a lot together but they are interrupted by Brother Ray and Brother Devon of Team 3D. Devon says more tonight than he has said in a year but Devon says it is only a matter of time before Cage screws Rhino. Ray wants to know what happened to the animal Rhino. Ray tells Rhino that he is nothing but a shell of what he was. James Storm, Kip James and Jackie Moore show up and they all get together to beat on Cage and Rhino before Security shows up.

Jeremy Borash is backstage with Black Machismo Jay Lethal, TNA X Division champion, who is trying to get SoCal Val to come out of the ladies room. Val finally does come out but she comes out with Sonjay Dutt. JB stops Sonjay and asks him what he was doing in the ladies room with Val and Dutt says they were just talking. JB says that he is on to Dutt.

Nascar’s Hermie Sandler is at the announcer’s table with Tenay and Don West as a guest commentator.

X Division Title Match:
Johnny Devine from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Challenger
Vs.
Black Machismo Jay Lethal
Champion
Accompanied to the ring by SoCal Val

Referee: Rudy Charles
If TNA brings back the X Division like it should be done, it will be awesome. Before the bell rings, Devine attacks Lethal from behind. Devine is trying to make the match a brawl and keeping Lethal away from his usual high flying moves could cost Lethal. Devine works very well as a brawler and he goes about showing the iMPACT audience how bad he can be. Devine goes for a cover but Lethal kicks out at the two count while Val looks on worriedly from outside the ring. Devine delivers a moonsault off the top turnbuckle and goes for a cover but he still gets a two count. Devine goes for the Devine intervention but Lethal counters it and comes back fighting. Lethal finds his wings, delivers the lethal combination, goes for the elbow off the top and gets the three count.

Time: 4 minutes

Winner: Black Machismo Jay Lethal
Retains the TNA X Division Championship

NOTE: DURING THE MATCH, TENAY ANNOUNCED THAT APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH.

Visit www.tnawrestling.com to purchase merchandise and find out how you can help.

After the match, Little Petey Pump (that’s what Scott Steiner called the wrestler formerly known as Maple Leaf Muscle Petey Williams) enters the arena, jumps up on the apron ring and nails Lethal in the head with the newly acquired briefcase, Williams leaps over the top rope and lands in the ring and we go to

Back in the ring, Williams has Lethal’s head in the briefcase and Williams is stomping on the case. Williams asks Lethal if he can see that Williams can get a title shot whenever he wants it. Williams demands a match right now and Williams tells the referee to ring the bell.

The bell rings, the ref removes the briefcase, Williams delivers the Canadian destroyer and in less than sixty seconds, Williams becomes the new X Division Champion. Rhaka Khan is available to put the belt around Williams’ waist. Dutt enters the ring to check on Lethal as Williams and Khan leave the arena.

Lauren is backstage with Homicide, Hernandez and Salinas of Latin American Exchange. I’m not sure what all that was about but I think it had something to do with the tag team titles.

Matt Morgan, dressed in wrestling attire, enters the ring with mic in hand. Morgan is complaining about the sacrifices he has had to make in order to get into the ring in TNA from starting out as a bodyguard to Jim Cornette’s assistant. It appears Morgan has moved from a monkey suit to a wrestling suit.

Lauren is backstage with Samoa Joe to ask about his upcoming matches with Kurt Angle and, if he beats Angle in the rematch next week, facing Steiner at Sacrifice. Kevin Nash appears behind Joe and stares and the championship belt on Joe’s shoulder. Joe leaves and Nash follows him.

TNA Tag Team Championship Match:
3 Way Match
Homicide
&
Hernandez
LAX
Challengers
Accompanied by Salinas
Vs.
Kaz
&
Showtime Eric Young
Challengers
Vs.
Tomko
&
The Prince of Phenomenal AJ Styles
TNA Tag Team Champions

Referee: Andrew Thomas
3 way matches can be very entertaining but I am not fond of them when a title belt is on the line. As far as abilities in the ring go, Tomko appears to be the odd man out. I’m not saying that Tomko can’t wrestle but he doesn’t have the same talent in the ring as the other five wrestlers. Kaz just amazes me every time he is in the ring. His moves are fluid and light and completely devastating. Hernandez amazes me for a man his size. He appears to be able to defy gravity at times and this time it nearly costs Kaz. Tomko takes advantage when the referee’s attention is turned to Hernandez who has illegal entered the ring to take down Kaz by going across the ring to deliver a blow that sends Young to the floor. As Styles and Kaz continue to battle in the ring, Young backs up the entrance ramp headed for the back and we go to

COMMERCIAL BREAK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MATCH!

Back in the ring, Kaz and Tomko are in the ring but there is interference by Styles and then interference by Homicide giving Tomko and Styles the opportunity to double team Kaz. Styles goes for a cover but LAX enters the ring to break up the count. Tomko takes out Hernandez and when Tomko attempts to toss Homicide over the top rope, Tomko ends up on the floor with him. Hernandez delivers a dive through the ropes and takes out Tomko with a suicide dive. Kaz and Styles are both down in the ring when Super Eric enters the arena. Kaz tags in Super Eric and Styles meets Super Eric in the ring. Eric goes for a bridge and gets the three count. Time: 2 minutes before commercial, 3 minutes after commercial, 5 minutes total.

Winners: Super Eric with a bridge pin & Kaz
New TNA Tag Team Champions

I’m having a terrible time trying to decide what to say about this match. Am I glad that Kaz is now part of the TNA tag team champions? Yes I am but did we have to go through the comic strip of Super Eric in order for Kaz to hold the gold? This was only a 5-minute match but for the time allotted, it was a decent match until the appearance of Super Eric. I realize that the younger fans may enjoy Super Eric and I have no objection to him being in the ring as the comedy act but TNA is taking down the value of what they would like everyone to believe about the TNA title belts.

Tomko and AJ Styles, former TNA tag team champions are backstage in Jim Cornette’s office and JB is with them. Styles and Tomko tell Cornette that it was interference because Super Eric was not in the match and none of this is actually work relating in writing. Styles and Tomko want Cornette to ask Eric if he and Super Eric are two different people and he says he will do it.

Tag Team Match:
Brother Ray
&
Brother Devon
Team 3D from New York City
Vs.
The War Machine Rhino from Detroit, MI
&
The Instant Classic Christian Cage from Tampa, FL, by way of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Referee: Earl Hebner
From the battle that began at the beginning of iMPACT we are left with the impression that over half of the TNA locker room is involved in the ongoing feud between Team Cage and Team Tomko with the four participants in this match being part of that feud.

Cage and Devon begin the match but it isn’t long before Devon tags in Ray. Cage goes for a cover on Ray but Ray kicks out and Cage tags in Rhino. Rhino takes Ray down with a belly-to-belly suplex and goes for the cover but can’t get the three count. Ray tags in Devon and Rhino takes them both down with a clothesline before he sends them out to the floor. Cage comes off the top turnbuckle and takes Ray and Devon back down to the floor and then rolls back into the ring with Rhino and we go to

COMMERCIAL BREAK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MATCH!

Back in the ring, Cage and Devon are in the ring and Devon is going for a cover but Cage kicks out. The audience sees that during commercial break, Ray used the steel steps to work on Cage. Devon backs Cage up to Ray then tags in Ray. Cage fights back but Ray takes Cage down and then delivers a shot that sends Rhino down to the floor. Rhino is back to his feet and tries to get into the ring but the ref stops Rhino and sends him back out to the apron ring. Ray and Devon have Cage tied up in the corner and again Devon goes for a cover but Cage gets a shoulder off the mat. Devon tags in Ray, Ray slams Cage to the mat and goes up to the second rope, Rhino distracts Ray and Cage is back to his feet and delivers a hurricanrana from the top turnbuckle. Cage goes for the pin and gets a two count. Ray tags in Devon and Cage tags in Devon. Ray enters the ring and Rhino and Devon end up on the floor outside the ring. Cage and Ray are in the ring. Ray delivers a low blow behind the ref’s back. Rhino is back in the ring and he sets Ray up for a gore, Ray moves out of the way and Rhino nails Cage. Devon is back in the ring and accidentally delivers a clothesline to Ray Rhino goes after Devon with a surprise roll up gets the three count. Time: 3 minutes before commercial, 5 minutes after commercial, 8 minutes total.

Winners: War Machine Rhino with a roll up & The Instant Classic Christian Cage

This wasn’t a bad match for a brawl although I was a little surprised – and pleased – that the ending was so fast paced and action packed.

After the match, Rhino and Cage are hugging so we can assume there is no animosity there. In the ring Devon and Ray are having words and when the ref tries to get in the middle, he gets shoved down to the mat. The two are chest to chest in the ring when Security enters the ring and breaks them up.

Backstage Cornette and JB are with Eric Young. Cornette says that Styles is saying there was outside interference because Young and Super Eric are two different personalities. Young tells Cornette that he’s in a tough spot but no matter what decision Cornette makes, Young will back him. Cornette said there was no outside interference but Young says there was and when Cornette tries to explain. Cornette tells Young when he calls for him in the ring, he’d better come right away. As JB and Cornette leave Young, there is a battle of some sort going on in another room down the hall so Cornette heads that direction. The room is filled with the women’s roster. Cornette says that the women’s problem is that they are spoiled and if there are any sacrifices going on, it is going to start with every one of them. I can only guess that this was an effort to make sure the audience saw all of the women’s roster but there was absolutely no point to any of it.

Cornette is in the ring with Tomko and Styles. Cornette apologizes to all the fans for the stupidity going on and he explains the outside interference claim in order to have Super Eric (or Eric Young or whoever he is this week) and Kaz stripped of the TNA tag team titles. Cornette calls out Eric Young. Kaz enters the ring with both title belts instead. Cornette again calls out Eric Young again and tells him he has to the count of three to get to the ring or he will strip them of the title belts. Instead of Eric Young, Super Eric enters the ring. Does anyone know why Super Eric has horns? Cornette tells Super Eric to explain to Tomko and Styles that he is really Eric Young. Super Eric says he knows nothing of an Eric Young. Super Eric asks Cornette why his face is getting red. Kaz takes the mic and tells Eric to tell everyone that he is Eric Young to that they can take the titles and go celebrate. Super Eric says he can’t do that because he is Super Eric. Styles grabs the belt back from Kaz but Cornette says that Kaz and Super Eric are stripped of the tag team championships but Cornette takes the belts away from Tomko and Styles. Cornette says that since they lost the titles they are not the champions and he is going to take the belts and figure out what to do by next week.

Lauren is backstage with Robert Roode, Kip James and Cowboy James Storm with Miss Jackie Moore. Kip tells Lauren that he is proud of what he has accomplished. Storm and Kip get into a little disagreement but Roode gets in the middle of it. Storm has some harsh words for Sting. Roode has the same type of words for Booker T.

NOTE: There are rumors that Payton Banks may no longer working with TNA since her break up with Roode at the Lockdown pay per view. It is further rumored that Banks was working without a contract but that does not mean she will not be back at a later date.

TNA Women’s Championship Match:
Roxxi Laveaux from New Orleans, LA
Challenger
Vs.
Awesome Kong residing in Tokyo, Japan, 6’1”, 272 3/8 lbs.
TNA Women’s Champion
Accompanied to the ring by Raisha Saeed

Referee: Rudy Charles
Commercial break before the match begins. Since Awesome Kong made her way into the TNA ring, I have waited to see if TNA would drop the “men against women” rule and allow her to work with some of the male roster. If TNA has that in mind, they certainly haven’t given us any indication that it was going to happen soon. Which makes Kong unable to work with anyone of her size and strength and leaves us with the feeling that no one will ever be able to truly beat her in the ring and leaves us with the feeling that no one will ever be able to truly beat her in the ring. I don’t know about the rest of the TNA fans but constant squash matches aren’t what I want to see. Saeed appears to have a little more eye makeup on than usual. And Laveaux doesn’t have a chance against someone this size. Kong delivers a leg drop and goes for the cover but Laveaux kicks out. Kong goes up to the second rope and goes for a splash but Laveaux gets out of the way. Laveaux takes Kong down with a spinning neck breaker and goes for a pin but Laveaux gets a two count. Kong delivers a spinning back fist, follows up with the awesome bomb and gets the win. Time: 4 minutes

Winner: Awesome Kong
TNA Women’s Champion

JB is backstage with Angle. Angle is pounding on a door in the back and he asks JB where his sign for the door has gone and JB says it is gone. The room now belongs to Samoa Joe who is the new champion. Angle kicks at the door and then whines because he is no longer the champion but he claims he only made one mistake and that it shouldn’t be held against him. Angle says that next week Angle will be the champion again.

Six Man Tag Team Grudge Match:
Kip James
& Cowboy James Storm from Lieper’s Fork, TN
Accompanied to the ring by Jacqueline
&
Robert Roode from Wall Street, Manhattan, NY
Vs.
BG James from Pensacola, FL
&
Booker T from Houston, TX
&
Sting from Venice Beach, CA

Referee: Earl Hebner
Back to the multi man match again. The bell rings and Booker T wants Roode. Roode steps in the ring and immediately tags in Kip. Booker works the crowd before locking up with Kip. Kip is enjoying his new bad guy status and is not resorting to using any wrestling moves. BG, on the ring apron, does a lot of yelling at Kip before Booker tags in Sting. Kip tags in Roode. Sting goes for a cover and gets a two count. Sting tags in BG and BG takes down Roode before knocking Kip off the ring apron and onto the floor. No one is spending a lot of time in the ring – the tags are frequent. Storm rolls into the ring and delivers a backstabber before rolling out of the ring all behind the ref’s back. Roode goes for the cover but can’t get the three count and he heads for his side of the ring with BG in tow and we go COMMERCIAL BREAK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MATCH!

Back in the ring, Roode is standing in the ring, BG is on the floor. Roode delivers a snap mare and the crowd wants Booker T in the ring with Roode and they say it out loud. BG is back on his feet and the two collide in the center of the ring and both men are down on the canvas. Roode is heading back to his side of the ring and tags in Storm but Booker gets the tag and he takes down Storm. Kip enters the ring and Booker drops Kip and then sends him over the top rope. He delivers a spine buster to Storm and Roode attacks him with a boot from behind. Sting and BG enter the ring and then go out of the ring after the other two wrestlers. Storm has the beer bottle, Jackie has the ref distracted, and Morgan slides into the ring and takes out Storm then slides back out of the ring and down to the floor. Booker is back to his feet and he takes down Storm with a leg to the back of the neck, goes for the cover and gets the three count. Time: 3 minutes before commercial, 3 minutes after commercial, 6 minutes total

Winners: Booker T & BG James & Sting (with a little help from Matt Morgan)

After the match, Sting, Booker & BG celebrate in the ring as Morgan stands up outside the ring to tell Booker what happened. Booker isn’t happy and Sting tries to intervene but Booker shoves Sting. Booker asks for a mic and tells Morgan that he doesn’t need his help and if Sting wants to back Morgan, then Sting has a problem with Booker. Booker tells Sting if he wants some he can come get some too.

Is there anyone in the TNA locker room who isn’t fighting with someone?

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