Impact Spoilers going into Destination X

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

TNA taped the next several episodes of Impact tonight at Universal Studios Florida. Richard Trionfo called in the following results:

 

Impact 3/1

 

*Kurt Angle and Scott Steiner brawled into the crowd and were separated by security. A furious Jim Cornette came out.

 

*Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviewed NWA champion Christian Cage and Tomko. Cage told Tomko that tonight was his chance take care of Samoa Joe before Destination X and he had to do it for "the team." Tomko pointed out that he was going to be in the ring alone and Cage wouldn't be out there with him, so what's in it for him? Cage tells Tomko that when he wins, he'll get a title match. Tomko leaves and after he departed, Cage called him selfish.

 

*Kurt Angle was in Jim Cornette's office, being yelled at for jumping Scott Steiner in the hall. Angle acts like he was going to assault Cornette and Cornette warned him not to disrupt the rest of the show tonight.

 

*Senshi & Jerry Lynn & Jay Lethal defeated X-Division champion Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley & Austin Starr when Bob Backlund grabbed Starr's leg, allowing Senshi to get the pin. Before the match, Shelley gave his latest "film" to Don West and Mike Tenay.

 

*Backstage, Jeremy Borash witnesses Abyss attacking one of TNA's sound guys, throwing him into a trash can.

 

*Scott Steiner pinned Chase Stevens after a belly to belly suplex off the ropes. Angle attacked Steiner before the match but was pulled off by a number of people. After the match, Steiner said that he embarrassed Angle before his friends and family. Angle comes back out and they brawl. They are separated and Jim Cornette asks Angle if he lost his mind, telling him TNA doesn't revolve around him. Angle tries to put Cornette in the ankle lock. Cornette throws him out of the building and tells Angle he's not the whole show.

 

*Outside, Don Harris tells Kurt Angle he has to leave. A number of wrestlers try to convince Angle to leave.

 

*Alex Shelley comes out and introduces his newest video, which was LAX attacking Johnny Rodz at his school in Brooklyn, NY. Shelley does a parody of an Academy Award speech. Brother Ray comes out and says that Rodz was like a father to Brother Devon. He asked Shelley what he's ever accomplished in the business and demands to know what Shelley's problem is. Shelley gives him a half hearted apology. Kevin Nash comes to the ring. Ray tells him to leave, which gives LAX a chance to attack Ray. Ray fights them off but Shelley hits a lowblow. Konnan comes out and tells LAX to get the tables. Hernandez gives Ray a spinebuster through the table.

 

*Backstage, Jeremy Borash promotes a fan text message voting to predict the Elevation X winner. Borash interviewed Samoa Joe, who says his hard work will culminate with the NWA title at Destination X. Joe says that Tomko will pay for the sins of his father (Cage) tonight. The camera catches Abyss trying to attack a photographer. Joe stops Abyss and tells him that maybe Abyss should listen to Sting and stand up for himself for a change.

 

*Tomko pinned Samoa Joe. Joe went for the musclebuster when Tomko bumped the referee. Christian Cage nailed Joe with a chair and Tomko clotheslined him for the pin. After the match, Cage was preparing to hit Joe with the belt, but Joe ducked. Joe nails Tomko with the belt and chokes out Cage. Scott Steiner attacks Joe and lays him out. Cage hits an Unprettier on Joe. Abyss comes to the ring and the heels back off. Abyss stood over Joe as he recovered, then hit the Black Hole Slam.

 

Impact Thurs 3/8

 

*The Elevation X apparatus was lowered.

 

*Voodoo Kin Mafia & Lance Hoyt defeated Serotinin. After the match, Raven caned Devine and Bentley. Before he can cane, Kazarian gets in his face, then accepts his fate and takes it anyway.

 

*Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe enters the ring. On the mic, Angle says the next few days are going to feel like an eternity but he and scott Steiner will meet at Destination X. He says that he and Joe aren't friends but respect each other. He says that when Joe wins the title, they can resolve things in the ring. Christian Cage, Tomko, and Scott Steiner come out on the ramp. Christian refers to them as the Christian Coalition and says they are family. He dares Joe and Angle to find a partner for a six man tag. Angle says he has someone in mind and it's someone who's crazy. Joe and Cage brawl out. Angle and Steiner brawl at ringside and security breaks them up.

 

*Mike Tenay, Leticia, So Cal Val, and Jeremy Borash enter the ring. Tenay introduces Hector Guerrero, announced as the newest member of the TNA front office and Spanish Announce Team. Guerrero's hair was dyed black. They presented him with a plaque and Guerrero says he's proud to be part of the TNA family. Abyss comes to the ring and hits a Black Hole Slam on Val.

 

*James Storm & Eric Young & Robert Roode defeated Jay Lethal & Petey Williams & Sonjay Dutt. Gail Kim came out during the match and attacked Jackie Moore.

 

*Mike Tenay and Don West ran down the Destination X lineup, including the added LAX vs. Team 3D brawl.

 

Xplosion:

 

*Senshi pinned Alex Shelley.

 

*Austin Starr pinned Petey Williams

 

Impact Main Event:

 

*Samoa Joe & Kurt Angle & Rhino vs. NWA champion Christian Cage & Tomko & Scott Steiner - AJ Styles comes to the ring when Rhino is preparing to gore Tomko and stops Rhino. Styles climbs up the Elevation X and Rhino follows. Styles escapes and goes to the back. Angle has Steiner in the Anklelock. Abyss hits the ring and the referee calls for the bell. Abyss hits the Black Hole Slam on Angle. The lights go out and Sting's music plays. He appears in the ring. He and Abyss brawl. All eight battle. Joe puts Cage in the choke. Angle puts Steiner in the Anklelock.

[Angle-plex 0]

Tomko pinned Joe? Clearly the most awesome moment in TNA history. I will sleep well tonight knowing this has occured.

[Star Ocean 3 0]

You should have highlighted Alex Shelley having his own segment. And So Cal Val gets to do something, even if it is be a random Black Hole Slam victim. Things are looking better.

[cabbageboy 0]

Anything involving Joe jobbing PERIOD to Tyson Tomko has to rank up there with the dumbest booking I've ever hear of in my life. What the fuck is Russo thinking? Let's take our nearly invincible Samoan Submission Machine and job him out to a guy who was a complete and utter jobber in WWE, a guy Cena used to go through in about 3 minutes.

 

These TNA shows seem to play out better on TV than they read, but half of this stuff seems like random guys attacking each other.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Anything involving Joe jobbing PERIOD to Tyson Tomko has to rank up there with the dumbest booking I've ever hear of in my life. What the fuck is Russo thinking? Let's take our nearly invincible Samoan Submission Machine and job him out to a guy who was a complete and utter jobber in WWE, a guy Cena used to go through in about 3 minutes.

Not only that, but Joe got laid out three times in five minutes. Yeah, that makes sense(!)

[razazteca 0]

Under Russo Rulz that means that Joe will be the nuuuuuuuuu NWA Heavyweight Champion of the world!

[Just call me Dan 0]

I don't know, with both faces ending the last show with thier finishers locked in, seems to me heels cheat to win in both cases. Surely not.

[Scroby 0]

Sooo basically a lot of shit happens on the 3/1 show but barely anything happens on the 3/8 show? Umm okie dokie.

[qdes 0]

Hahahahahaha

 

that's all I'm gonna say.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Maybe this is Russo's way of trying to create challengers for Joe by having all these people attack him? Yeah I know, it's still idiotic.

[luke-o 0]

I... I dont know what to say.

 

I dont know where to begin.

 

I dont know why i still care about this company.

[2GOLD 0]

The only problem I had with it was Abyss laying out Joe. I have no problem with the newest heel faction, which they are trying to establish, getting the best of Joe to end a show and him losing a match because of a chair shot. The Abyss part makes zero sense and I have no clue why exactly he came out since he's not IN the match at Dest X so Russo is a complete moron for having him run out and do that.

 

But the faction laying out Joe because they have a 3 on 1 situation after hitting him with a chair, I'm not seeing the issue. Just because he's Joe doesn't mean he should be able to overcome all of that by himself.

[dubq 0]

But the faction laying out Joe because they have a 3 on 1 situation after hitting him with a chair, I'm not seeing the issue. Just because he's Joe doesn't mean he should be able to overcome all of that by himself.

 

Seriously. The guys gimmick was that he was an undefeated monster heel in singles matches, not three on one beat downs when he's the face.

[TNABaddboi 0]

*Kurt Angle and Scott Steiner brawled into the crowd and were separated by security.

 

Well it looks like they're repeated the Joe-Angle build for Steiner-Angle, because it worked so well the first time.

 

The only problem I had with it was Abyss laying out Joe. I have no problem with the newest heel faction, which they are trying to establish, getting the best of Joe to end a show and him losing a match because of a chair shot. The Abyss part makes zero sense and I have no clue why exactly he came out since he's not IN the match at Dest X so Russo is a complete moron for having him run out and do that.

 

It seems like the storyline reason for Abyss attacking Joe is because Joe got in his face before the match and told him to be a man. I think the real reason, though, is that they're building toward to Lethal LockDown when Abyss will team up with the Christian Coalition (I'm so glad they finally gave them that name, btw) against Joe, Angle, Sting and another face. I'd say Rhino would get that last spot, but it looks like LD will be when he finally beats AJ, so maybe Daniels or Killings goes there.

 

But the faction laying out Joe because they have a 3 on 1 situation after hitting him with a chair, I'm not seeing the issue. Just because he's Joe doesn't mean he should be able to overcome all of that by himself.

 

I agree. There seems to be this feeling here that anytime Joe loses, its the worst thing ever, simply because he's Joe. I agreed with the argument for him needing to go over Angle in the first match instead of the second, but I don't see how in the grand scheme of things, this tainted loss will hurt Joe. If Tomko had beat him clean, or ended his streak by making him tap out like Angle did, I'd be up in arms too. But I really think this will build heat on his chase of Christian, and will lead to a big pop when he wins the King of the Mountain in Nashville. Unless of course, they're saving that spot for Jarrett. In that case, God help us!

[Jacques 0]

I think they are going with the uncontrolled monster thing with Abyss. That's why he laid out Joe in the first show and Val in the second.

[cabbageboy 0]

Let's differentiate a couple of things here. Joe getting beat down by a heel faction is fine with me. It can build heat for the title match with Christian. Joe jobbing to a guy 99% of the fans consider a total jobber (Tomko) and THEN also getting beat down is incredibly stupid.

 

Here's how a sane person would book that scenario: Tomko gets some token offense in to not look completely hopeless, but Joe finishes him strong with a muscle buster. Christian and Steiner then hit the ring and they do the 3 on 1 beatdown. The Abyss crap can be a slow burn and happen after Joe wins the title to set up a challenger, since right now Abyss is in his own feud with Sting and is only a distraction being involved in the main event angle.

[TNABaddboi 0]

Let's differentiate a couple of things here. Joe getting beat down by a heel faction is fine with me. It can build heat for the title match with Christian. Joe jobbing to a guy 99% of the fans consider a total jobber (Tomko) and THEN also getting beat down is incredibly stupid.

 

Well, if they intend to have Tomko involved in their main event scene, which they clearly do by associating him with their world champion, then they can't very well treat him like the jobber that WWE did. Jobbers have played bigger roles in other companies since the beginning of time. I'm not saying Tomko should be world champion or should be squashing "homegrown" wrestlers, I'm just saying that him beating Joe after inference and then beating him down 3 on 1 isn't the worst thing that's happened to Joe's character. That would be his still nameless girlfriend from a few months back...

 

Here's how a sane person would book that scenario: Tomko gets some token offense in to not look completely hopeless, but Joe finishes him strong with a muscle buster. Christian and Steiner then hit the ring and they do the 3 on 1 beatdown. The Abyss crap can be a slow burn and happen after Joe wins the title to set up a challenger, since right now Abyss is in his own feud with Sting and is only a distraction being involved in the main event angle.

 

The nature of the LockDown pay per view, which is intended to draw on the basis of the cage match instead of a title match on top, is that the top storylines mingle this time of year. This is the 3rd year they've had the PPV, and this is the third year the top heels have aligned long enough for gang warfare with the top faces. It's a byproduct of the marking of the event, kinda like WWE putting the title on a heel almost every fall and giving the hot face a title shot on Raw in November that is his "last shot at the title," unless of course he wins the Rumble. Even when they had a title match at the show last year, it wasn't the main event. So Joe and Abyss crossing paths now doesn't bother me as much as say if we were building to Joe and Christian's BFG blow off.

[2GOLD 0]

To me, it makes less sense when a faction lets their man lose the match and THEN comes in to pound the guy. They have the numbers, they want to mess with the guy AND then pour salt in a open wound so why do it? Joe beating the guy doesn't show that the numbers may cost him the match at Dest X, it just shows he can beat Christian and then maybe get a beatdown after he already has the last laugh.

 

Christian coming out and costing Joe the match makes perfect sense to me. He's already said Tomko is like a son to him, so why wouldn't he come out and help him score his biggest win ever in TNA? And Joe isn't made to look bad because he lost by a chair shot AND an additional power move to his head. Numbers are too great for any one man and that needs to be established MORE. And factions using numbers to their advantage during matches needs to be established more.

[luke-o 0]

Ive no problem with Joe loosing. We cant have him winning every time and to be honestt, im glad his streak was ended.

 

My problem is with it being Tomko. I mean c'mon it's Tomko.

 

Ive no problem with Tomko being built up to be a big star and im happy they are, but there are diffrent routes than putting him over Joe, their biggest star (even it was through interference).

 

As for Abyss, they're just pushing him into this uncontrollable monster. Now that he doesn't have Mitchell, he doesn't know what to do, so he just does what he does best. And that's black hole slam muthas. I like it.

 

Ive looked over the results again, and they aren't great. But there not too bad. Ive had some time to recover from the initial shock of Joe jobbing, but c'mon, it aint so bad.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

If the finish to Joe/Tomko had been Christian interfering to allow Tomko to win and then they, and Steiner, had beaten Joe up it wouldn’t have been too bad. I would have still thought it was stupid for Joe to lose a week before his title shot, but it wouldn’t have been as mind numbingly stupid as this.

 

Joe, the apparent top babyface and the guy who will be winning the NWA Title at Destination X, got laid out three different times in five minutes;

 

He gets laid out by Christian and Tomko

When he’s recovered from that and fights back, he gets laid out again by Christian and his crew.

When he’s recovered from that, he gets laid out again, for the third time in less than five minutes, by Abyss.

 

That is completely stupid booking to have your next world Champion treated like that, and it’s frankly stunning that people who are meant to be ‘smart’ are complete oblivious to this. I keep thinking that people have shown the depths of how dumb they can be, but then they come back and show that they can, in fact, get dumber.

[TNABaddboi 0]

If the finish to Joe/Tomko had been Christian interfering to allow Tomko to win and then they, and Steiner, had beaten Joe up it wouldn’t have been too bad. I would have still thought it was stupid for Joe to lose a week before his title shot, but it wouldn’t have been as mind numbingly stupid as this.

 

Joe, the apparent top babyface and the guy who will be winning the NWA Title at Destination X, got laid out three different times in five minutes;

 

He gets laid out by Christian and Tomko

When he’s recovered from that and fights back, he gets laid out again by Christian and his crew.

When he’s recovered from that, he gets laid out again, for the third time in less than five minutes, by Abyss.

 

That is completely stupid booking to have your next world Champion treated like that, and it’s frankly stunning that people who are meant to be ‘smart’ are complete oblivious to this. I keep thinking that people have shown the depths of how dumb they can be, but then they come back and show that they can, in fact, get dumber.

 

Or maybe it says that your badass babyface has no quit in him, even when he's hopelessly outnumbered. I don't think getting laid out by 4 heels 2 weeks before a title shot weakens Joe, especially when he gets revenge the next week by choking the champ out. Joe actually gets the hard sell going in, looking like he can make Christian tap, which leads me believe that Christian's retaining at the ppv. But still, I don't see how the heel beatdown is nearly as dumb as you're making it out to be. If you want to have beef with the Christian-Joe build, and I do, it's that they've have completely allowed it to be overshadowed by Steiner-Angle and they have completely been underwhelming in building up the fact that Joe is finally getting the shot he was desperate enough to steal the title for last year. If I were booking it, he'd have won a 30 minute battle royale on PPV instead of being the enforcer in Angle's title shot and it would be THE reason to buy Destination X. It almost seems like they don't trust Joe to draw, so they're offsetting his shot with the names battling in a double main event. I don't think they should put him the slot if they're not going to do it all the way. It's one thing when they do it with Abyss, because they're not planning to build the company around him. But this match should be Joe's arrival. And it's not. It's another match Christian is going to cheat to win, which will be fine in the long run I guess, as long its the beginning of a long feud that ends with Christian eating a musclebuster, but I suspect its not.

[cabbageboy 0]

Okay wait up. Is Joe simply getting the belt at whatever lame PPV they have upcoming? It doesn't feel right. Why not wait until the all cage Lockdown show in STL and do the title change? Have this PPV end in a DQ or whatever.

 

Here's the problem with even attempting to push Tomko. The guy hasn't been repackaged at all. He's the same Christian toady character he was in WWE, which is to say a total jobber flunky. Let's say you are a casual viewer checking out TNA for the first time and you see this Samoa Joe guy and they hype him like no tomorrow. Then he jobs to TYSON TOMKO, a guy you've seen on Raw getting sqashed by John Cena in 3 minutes (not to mention Tomko is a horrid worker, but we know this).

 

Another idea: Just have Christian and Co. do a run in for a DQ. You don't job Joe out that way either. Guys that are being built for the title in that "carry the company" way shouldn't be jobbing to people. It'd be like asking Steve Austin in Jan. 1998 to go out on Raw and job out to Goldust.

[The Amazing Rando 0]

It'd be like asking Steve Austin in Jan. 1998 to go out on Raw and job out to Goldust.

 

Oddly enough, checking out Cawthon's site, I don't think Goldust (running the "Artist Formerly Known As" gimmick) didn't win a single match during that whole month, losing against everyone from Dude Love to Bradshaw.

[luke-o 0]

Okay wait up. Is Joe simply getting the belt at whatever lame PPV they have upcoming? It doesn't feel right. Why not wait until the all cage Lockdown show in STL and do the title change? Have this PPV end in a DQ or whatever.

 

Joe would still get the title that way. DQ in TNA means Nuuuuuuuuu champ.

 

Id like to hold off Joe's title reign untill Slamiversary.

[TNABaddboi 0]

Okay wait up. Is Joe simply getting the belt at whatever lame PPV they have upcoming? It doesn't feel right. Why not wait until the all cage Lockdown show in STL and do the title change? Have this PPV end in a DQ or whatever.

 

Joe would still get the title that way. DQ in TNA means Nuuuuuuuuu champ.

 

Id like to hold off Joe's title reign untill Slamiversary.

 

I don't think anything in the build has suggested that Joe's getting the belt Sunday, though with Russo, you never can really tell. If I were a betting man though, I'd say he's going to win the KotM at Slammiversary, because I'm sure they'll do a tag match at LockDown.

[razazteca 0]

Lockdown is going to be Joe vs Kurt IV in the six sides of steel of electric barbed wire don't piss on the fence no time limit main event!

 

Slammerisary is going to be Joe vs Kurt V in an olympic greco-roman freestyle mat classic!

 

BFG is going to be Joe vs Kurt VI in 2/3 pinfalls count anywhere SoCal Samoan Street Fight!