TNABaddboi 0 Report post Posted June 28, 2007 Obviously, everyone's attention has been on the Benoit situation, but tonight's a pretty big night for TNA, so I figured I'd start a discussion here. Coming off their highest rated Impact, TNA's presenting a 1 match show with the hope of appealing to in-ring fans and pop another record rating. Can they? Here's the preview: ONE NIGHT….ONE MATCH…ONE TITLE: ANGLE VS. CAGE VS. RHINO The preview for tonight's huge “iMPACT!” on SpikeTV By Bill Banks Tonight on SpikeTV, TNA Wrestling will present a very special broadcast of “iMPACT!” as it will be ONE NIGHT…ONE MATCH…ONE TITLE ON THE LINE! TNA Management Director Jim Cornette has ordered that the TNA World Heavyweight Title be defended this Thursday night as it will be Champion and Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle defending against “The Instant Classic” Christian Cage and “The War Machine” Rhino! Certainly, it’s rare when the World Heavyweight Championship is defended on “iMPACT!”, but TNA Management Director Jim Cornette has vowed to “shake things up” in the weeks leading to the “Victory Road” Pay-Per-View. The winner of Thursday's title bout will go on to the "Match Of Champions" main event at "Victory Road" on Sunday, July 15. Can “The Instant Classic” Christian Cage regain the World Heavyweight Championship? Will “The War Machine” Rhino GORE his way to another title reign? Or, will Kurt Angle overcome the odds to retain the gold heading into the Pay-Per-View? All three TNA stars have a bloody and violent history with each other – and with the World Title on the line, all hell is sure to break loose! TNAwrestling.com has also learned that nearly the entire roster will be on hand to watch the World Title match unfold on the broadcast! Don’t miss this very special “iMPACT!” tonight on SpikeTV starting at 9pm! Discuss... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cd213 0 Report post Posted June 28, 2007 I'm looking forward to the match. From what I read it sounded like a great match. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TNABaddboi 0 Report post Posted June 28, 2007 Over/under on how long it goes before the run-ins start? I say 10 minutes... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted June 28, 2007 At the moment my interest in pro-wrestling is low due to the direction that the company has been on the past few months the "title tournament" was a huge disappointment, title reigns that last a day after the PPV, and characters getting some development then having no definitive climax. Angle vs Cage vs Rhino can be great BUT how long until Joe does the usual walk down the isle to distract Kurt resulting into another brawl and another BS ending with no real decision? Considering the path that the tv product has been on I suspect 984849 ref bumps, local football or basketball "star" run in for no reason, Jeff Jarret gives everybody the guitar attack, both AMW guys run in, then Joe makes the save ending the program with Joe vs Kurt stare-down that has been the norm forever and maybe Jim Cornett comes out does the usual yelling and makes some sort or "executive decision" for the next month or 2 of tv tapings. Ric Flair vs Barry Windham one hour tv classic this is not. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
luke-o 0 Report post Posted June 28, 2007 Meh, I think it'll be good. It's weird though, I've been playing EWR so much as TNA today that when I completly forgot who was champion in TNA as I was thinking about my game. I have too much time on my hands at this present moment. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
USC Wuz Robbed! 0 Report post Posted June 28, 2007 Meh, I think it'll be good. It's weird though, I've been playing EWR so much as TNA today that when I completly forgot who was champion in TNA as I was thinking about my game. I have too much time on my hands at this present moment. Me too... well not forgetting the real champs part, but playing as TNA on EWR. Since the match is supposed to last the duration of the entire show, the run-ins won't start until around the 40 minute mark. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trackc53 0 Report post Posted June 28, 2007 this match definitely goes 30+ can't wait to watch it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Young 0 Report post Posted June 29, 2007 Entrances are starting now, 5 minutes in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TNABaddboi 0 Report post Posted June 29, 2007 Well they got the obligatory Joe interference out of the way early, didn't they? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Young 0 Report post Posted June 29, 2007 Yes, and now Abyss has run Christian off at 35 minutes into the show. Abyss seems to think there's nobody "cooler" than Christian. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Young 0 Report post Posted June 29, 2007 So many run-ins. This match has gone to hell. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cd213 0 Report post Posted June 29, 2007 So far this has been a good match. I can forgive the cluster fuck that has happened, but that's what happens now-a-day, you need to have run-ins to keep people interested. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Young 0 Report post Posted June 29, 2007 So far this has been a good match. I can forgive the cluster fuck that has happened, but that's what happens now-a-day, you need to have run-ins to keep people interested. Not in nearly every match (one of TNA's main problems) and certainly not this many in one match. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisMWaters 0 Report post Posted June 29, 2007 You know what I was half expecting during that match? Cornette to come to the ring, and say "All right, if all of you guys wanna get involved in this match, then you're now all official entrants in this match!" Come on, can you honestly say that you WOULDN'T expect them to do that if they had the chance? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted June 29, 2007 So did the people who planned out this match say "Hey since this match is going to take up the full hour let's have the whole locker room do a run in to get the token 15 seconds of tv time!" I'm in the opinion that run-ins are a distraction from the action and take away the focus from the people in the ring. Why have table spots, special spots, and the like in a match if it will be forgotten the second that Abyss, Storm, Harris, Sting, Tomko, AJ all decide to make the match into a total clusterfuck? Seriously do the writers have OCD, ADD, and other brain diseases from years of being drunks and drug addicts? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cabbageboy 0 Report post Posted June 29, 2007 This match reminded me a lot of the 1999 Royal Rumble with all the bizarre away from the match nonsense, fighting in the back, run ins galore. And gee, I wonder why it's so similar? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Star Ocean 3 0 Report post Posted June 29, 2007 The actual match was pretty good. Run-ins are overdone, but this was a unique way of getting everyone's stories out there. There was also probably more actual wrestling than most episodes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TNABaddboi 0 Report post Posted June 29, 2007 Ok, wouldn't it have made more sense to put XXX in the title match next week instead of AJ/Daniels since they are supposedly going to put Daniels and Senshi together full time again? They had a ready made excuse with the "fan voting" bit... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steviekick 0 Report post Posted June 29, 2007 Even though it was too run-in heavy, I did enjoy Impact this week. At least it was something different. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ultimo Dugas 0 Report post Posted June 29, 2007 I was dying for Christian to come out with the victory. It seemed like everyone was against him, Abyss, Chris Harris, Sting, etc. It was just ridiculous for Christian to brawl all the way to the back and then come back and still participate in the match. Bad finish though. Of all things to cause a pinfall, we get drunken James Storm with his Shooter Jennings ripoff theme music to Tajiri mist Rhino. I enjoyed the show but I don't really think it accomplished anything. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Obi Chris Kenobi 0 Report post Posted June 29, 2007 Certinaly something different, yet strangely familar. Be interesting to see what rating it got. Girl in white top was pretty. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 The actual match was pretty good. Run-ins are overdone, but this was a unique way of getting everyone's stories out there. There was also probably more actual wrestling than most episodes. It should of been one run-in that being the whole Joe hates Kurt spiel the rest made no sense at all. What can they do with the monstrosity that was the match other than have Jim Cornette come out the next Impact making another statement like "Day'um, my momma told me there be days like this so next week on impact there will be a triple reverse battle royale custerfuck in the six sides of steel the last man standing will get a shot at the World Title, the second man will get a shot at the X Title and the next 2 will get a Tag Team Title shot!" But of course this will not solve any problems cause we all know the endless cycle of run-ins will never stop and the people getting the title shots will eventually get screwed over by some sort of run-in and the announcers will only give face responses making the matches even more meaningless. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jingus 0 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 It's TNA. Everything they do is a rip-off of something else. In this case, they stole the concept behind the orignal 3-way dance at Night The Line Was Crossed, and then added run-ins. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
luke-o 0 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 I did enjoy Impact, but it felt like the last Impact before a PPV with all the run ins leading towards the matches at the PPV. I'm enjoying Angle more now that he's a heel. The only bit of the run ins that pissed me off was Abyss taking Cage out into the back. It really took a lot away from the action in-ring. I also liked that Rhino (for the first time in ages) looked like a world chamion contender. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Obi Chris Kenobi 0 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 Actually, yeah, Rhino seemed to be way over with the crowd. Was that legit or piped? Angle is more watchable now he has a direction and isn't some lame tweener. Chris Harris in the Main Event scene? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
luke-o 0 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 I hope so, Im a fan of Harris. Even with the poor White Zombie rip off music. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Obi Chris Kenobi 0 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 Is that what it is? I'm was trying to place a finger on it. I really bought into him at Slammiversary, thought he was going to do a Raven and win it from a surprise appearance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cabbageboy 0 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 Here is one thing I have never understood about TNA. Why the hell do they constantly have a heel with the belt? Of course we're bound to get that inspiring Jarrett face run with the title, so maybe I'm speaking too soon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 I love the fact that Harris (and to a lesser extent Storm) are getting these pushes. They've had 2 really good matches with each other and Harris was the standout in KOTM with guys who are much bigger stars then him. My hope is that they don't just abandon it after a months time. They've both stepped up their game and although Harris is way vanilla in character...an eventual AMW reunion would be really really fun. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pgi86 0 Report post Posted June 30, 2007 TNA Impact on Thursday scored a 1.2 rating with a 1.9 share for the episode which was comprised completely of TNA champion Kurt Angle vs. Rhino vs. Christian Cage. Nice! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites