iMPACT

November 22, 2007

Recap by Sassy

Italics note comments by Sassy.

BREAKING NEWS:  Tomko was injured yesterday in Japan and had emergency surgery for what has been described as a torn muscle and we have heard that it was a torn abdominal muscle. We hope that it isn’t as serious as it sounds and that Tomko is okay. If he had surgery on a muscle, chances are he will be out of action for a while.

iMPACT opens by reminding us that it is Thanksgiving and asks if we are ready for the TNA Turkey Bowl. Do we really want to know what that is?

WELCOME TO THE iMPACT ZONE!

Tonight, for the first time in history, nine modern day gladiators will pull out all the stops in pursuit of one coveted title: The Monster of the Midway Abyss, The Phenomenal High Flying AJ Styles, The Ground and Pound Specialist Samoa Joe, The Cocky Veteran The Instant Classic Christian Cage, The Always Colorful Black Machismo Jay Lethal are among the names in the quest for the Holy Grail. (This must be the Turkey Bowl?).

 Welcome to the First Annual TNA Turkey Bowl!

I’m going to skip the JB, AJ Styles, Tomko, and the Angles Thanksgiving dinner thing.

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

Ringside announcers: Mike Tenay and Don West

Ring announcers: David Penzer

Backstage interviews: Jeremy Borash

The winner of the Turkey Bowl will take win $25,000.00 and the loser will have to wear a turkey suit.  There are three three-way semi-final matches and the three winners will then face off in a final match to determine the winner.

Semi Final Contestants                            Representing

Abyss                                                          The Heavyweights

Brother Devon                                          The Tag Teams

Chris Sabin                                                The X Division

Johnny Devine                                           The X Division

Kip James                                                    The Tag Teams

Samoa Joe                                                   The Heavyweights

AJ Styles                                                       The Tag Teams

Black Machismo                                           The X Division

Christian Cage                                             The Heavyweights

Three-way Contest – One Fall

Brother Devon, representing Team 3D, from New York City, NY

Vs.

Chris Sabin, representing the Motor City Machineguns, from Detroit, MI

Devon doesn’t allow the third contestant to be introduced.  Devon goes out to the entrance ramp to attack Sabin and send him into the ring. He drops Sabin with a clothesline…

The Monster Abyss, representing the heavyweights, 6’8” tall, weighing 350 lbs.

Referee: Slick Johnson

Winner of the first Semi Final Match: Chris Sabin of the Motor City Machineguns representing the X Division

Abyss enters the ring and goes after Devon. Devon goes off the ropes and delivers a kick to Abyss but Abyss sends Devon to the mat and then goes for a choke slam. Devon manages to break free, Sabin comes in with a springboard drop kick and takes down Abyss but gets hit in the back by Devon. Sabin gets taken down by Devon who then sends Abyss out onto the floor. Devon turns to get taken out by a hurricanrana courtesy of Sabin. Sabin goes out to the apron ring and springboards off the top rope into the ring and meets Devon’s clothesline. Devon picks Sabin up, sends him against the ring post and beats on him as the referee tries to break it up. Abyss is back on the ring apron and reaching for Devon but can’t quite get a grip. Devon delivers an elbow to Abyss sending him back down to the floor. Devon sends Sabin into the opposite ring post and delivers a splash, then comes across the ring off the ropes to take Sabin down with a clothesline. Abyss is back on the ring apron but Devon sees him and delivers a blow that sends Abyss again to the floor. Devon chokes Sabin while he is down on the mat until the ref makes him break the hold. Devon picks Sabin up by the hair and sends him into the ropes. Sabin ducks the clothesline and comes off the opposite ropes to take Devon down. Abyss is back in the ring and he takes down both men with blows and then delivers a splash to Devon and goes across the ring to deliver the splash to Sabin. Abyss catches Devon with a choke slam and attempts to do the same to Sabin but Sabin chomps down on Abyss’s hand and Abyss has to break the choke slam hold. Sabin hits Abyss with a boot to the midsection and then tries to pick Abyss up. Abyss delivers a shock treatment to Abyss and both Sabin and Devon are down in the ring. Black Reign appears in the ring and grabs Abyss by the leg and drags him out to the floor where Abyss is surrounded by Black Reign and Rellick who has suddenly appeared at ringside. While the two beat on Abyss, Rhino runs down the ramp and comes takes out Black Reign with a fist before attacking Rellick.  It is now Abyss beating on Black Reign and Rhino working on Rellick. All four men head toward the back and now Sabin and Devon are alone in the ring. Devon charges Sabin but Sabin trips Devon up and sends him chest first into the ring post. Sabin goes across the ring and comes across to deliver a high boot to Devon. Sabin goes up to the top turnbuckle and takes Devon down to the mat with a tornado DDT and goes for the cover. Sabin gets a two count before Devon gets his shoulder off the mat. Sabin delivers right hands to the side of Devon’s head but Brother Ray makes his way into the ring and charges at Sabin. Sabin dives out of the way and Ray has to put on the brakes to avoid running into his partner, Devon. Sabin comes off the floor with a high boot to the back of Ray’s head and sends him down to the mat. Sabin takes a swing at Devon but Devon ducks and picks Sabin up. Sabin manages to get out of the hold and go over Devon’s back. Sabin catches Devon in a roll up and gets the three count. The winner of the match is Chris Sabin but he is now in the ring with Devon and Ray. Sabin dives out of the ring and heads up the entrance ramp as the ref holds Sabin’s hand into the air. West describes the replay of how Sabin won the match.

Not a long match but a good one. Abyss didn’t get a chance to strut his stuff due to interference by Black Reign and Rellick and finally Rhino, but we can assume that interference was to set the stage for the match between these four men at Turning Point in December.  Yes, you heard me right – THESE four men.  It appears Judas Mesias, although advertised on the Turning Point poster, may not be back at TNA for the next pay per view event.

The cameras are in the parking lot and we see Kevin Nash and Scott Hall coming toward the building. Nash asks where Angle’s Thanksgiving shindig is being held and the cameraman tells him. It appears The Outsiders may be crashing the Angle party.

Commercial break.

Back from commercial break, we see a promo of The History of TNA Year 1, available now on DVD. We then see a promo for Booker T.

Tenay tells us that next Thursday on iMPACT,  Booker T will answer all of the questions about why he came to TNA.

We then go back to the Angle family dinner. Robert Roode and Ms. Brooks show up at the table. Someone knocks on the door and Cowboy James Storm and Jackie Moore show up (Storm brought the booze). Wildcat Chris Harris arrives. Wildcat isn’t happy that Roode is there. Showtime Eric Young makes his way to the table, however, Angle didn’t invite Eric, JB invited Eric. Eric gets sent to sit with Angle’s daughter at the kiddy table.

Second semi final match, three-way contest – one fall

Johnny Devine, from Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Vs.

Kim James, representing Voodoo Kin Mafia

accompanied to the ring by Roxxi Laveaux and BG James

Vs.

The Samoan Submission Machine Samoa Joe, representing the Heavyweight Division,

from American Samoa

Referee: Rudy Charles

Winner of the Second Semi Final Match Samoa Joe representing the Heavyweights.

Tough break for Johnny Devine. He did bring a kendo stick to ringside. Joe beaks loose on Kip and then works on Devine. Devine gets a knee to the face courtesy of Joe but Kip is back on his feet and he delivers a few fists, boots and sends Joe forehead first into the top turnbuckle. Kip tries to send Joe across the ring, Joe gets the switch, Kip comes off the ropes and leap frogs over Joe, Kip comes off the opposite ropes and Joe greets him with an inverted atomic drop. BG James grabs Joe by the leg and takes him down to the mat. Devine comes after Joe with several knees to the back of the head before the ref breaks it up. It’s now two on one as both men work on Joe and when the ref gets involved, BG hits Joe from outside the ring behind the ref’s back. Devine goes for the cover but Joe powers out. Again it’s two on one as Kip and Devine work together. Kip holds Joe up, Devine comes off the ropes and takes Joe down with a clothesline then Devine goes for the pin but Kip grabs Devin’s leg and pulls him off Joe. Kip goes for the cover but Devine pulls Kip off of Joe. Now Devine and Kip are arguing in the middle of the ring and the crowd is chanting for Joe as Joe makes his way back to his feet. Joe gets in the middle of the disagreement by delivering fists to Kip and Devine. Joe sends Kip to the mat with a hard right, then sends Devine across the ring and into the ropes. As Devine comes off the ropes Joe sends him down with a hard slam and Devine rolls himself toward the ropes. Kip is back to his feet and Joe greets him with a high knee. Joe puts Kip up on the top turnbuckle to go for the muscle buster but BG again interferes and has Joe by the leg to stop the move. The ref tells BG to let go and Kip comes down to the mat to send Joe down with a punch. The ref throws BG out of the ringside area and Kip steps out on the ring apron to argue with the ref. Devine comes across the ring and Joe sends him crashing into Kip and Kip flies off the apron and into BG. Joe sets Devine up for the muscle buster, he hits it and goes for the cover. Joe gets the three count.

Another decent match between the three men in the ring. I was wondering if Devine was ever going to get a chance to work a match and he wasn’t bad at all. Joe is never bad and Kip did a decent job.

BG and Kip are outside on the floor arguing about what just happened. West describes how Joe won as we see a replay of the high points of the match.

We are back again with the Angle family. Someone knocks at the door and Shark Boy, Petey Williams and The Guru Sonjay Dutt arrive. Storm tells Eric that they need to drink some beer and finish their contest. Storm and Eric chug several bottles of beer. AJ has to leave to wrestle – gee, I thought everyone forgot why we tuned in tonight.

The TNA women’s division will be in action tonight and we will have the final semi final match for the Turkey Bowl.

Commercial break.

Back from commercial break.

Third Semi Final Match, three-way – one fall

The Phenomenal AJ Styles, representing the tag team of AJ & Tomko, from Gainesville, GA

One half of the TNA Tag Team Champions

Vs.

The Black Machismo Jay Lethal, from Elizabeth, NJ

TNA X Division Champion

Vs.

The Instant Classic Christian Cage, from Tampa FL, by way of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Referee: Earl Hebner

Winner of the Third Semi Final Match: AJ Styles representing the Tag Teams

AJ and Christian aren’t on the best of terms these days and AJ has been a little upset about that. Christian does not enter the arena immediately even though his entrance theme is playing. Before the lights go back up the match between Lethal and AJ begins. The ref has ordered the match to begin without Christian. Lethal goes for a roll up but AJ breaks out of the hold and puts himself against the ropes.  Still no Christian. – AJ could be in some serious trouble here. The crowd is cheering Lethal and AJ sits against the ropes while the ref tells him to get up and continue the match. Lethal comes at AJ and AJ delivers a knee to Lethal's gut and then an elbow to the back of Lethal’s head. Lethal is up against the ring post and AJ sets to work with a few fists as the ref tries to get AJ to back off. AJ sends Lethal into the opposite ring post but Lethal grabs the top ropes and goes over AJ. Lethal cartwheels across the ring and takes down AJ with a hurricanrana. Lethal brings AJ back to his feet and then takes him up in the air to body slam him to the mat. Lethal goes up on the top turnbuckle all the way across the ring from AJ and as AJ gets to his feet, Lethal drops him with a flying slam to the top of AJ’s head. Lethal goes for the cover but only gets a two count before AJ powers out. Lethal tries to pick AJ up, AJ makes his way behind Lethal and as Lethal turns, AJ delivers a hard right to Lethal’s jaw. AJ goes to work on Lethal’s back with forearms as Lethal is up against the ropes, then delivers a fist for good measure. AJ sends Lethal across into the ropes, Lethal comes off the ropes, AJ goes for an arm drag, Lethal gets a switch and takes AJ down with an arm drag instead. Lethal flips over and delivers a short dropkick to an already downed AJ. Lethal goes for the pin but does not get the three count. Lethal picks up AJ and sends him into the ropes then drops him with a clothesline. Again Lethal goes for the cover but does not get the win. AJ did more of a wiggle out of that cover than a power out, but it was effective. Lethal tries to pick AJ up again, but AJ uses his shoulder to send Lethal into the ring post. AJ then delivers several shoulder blocks before sending Lethal across to the opposite corner post. AJ charges Lethal, Lethal hits the mat at AJ meets the top turnbuckle. Lethal has AJ in a side headlock and there is still no Christian. AJ backs Lethal into the ropes and then delivers a chop. AJ tries to send Lethal into the ropes, but Lethal swings around and delivers an elbow to AJ’s jaw. Lethal comes off the ropes and AJ leapfrogs over him. Lethal goes across the ring and comes off the opposite ropes, AJ hits the mat and Lethal goes over him, Lethal comes off the opposite ropes again and AJ delivers a dropkick that drops Lethal to the mat. AJ is grandstanding for the booing audience when he stops and notices that Christian is now coming down the ramp and Christian does not look happy. As Christian makes a run for the ring, AJ bails out the opposite side with Christian right behind him. Christian chases AJ around the ring and we go to

COMMERCIAL BREAK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MATCH!

THAT’S ONE.

Back from commercial break, Christian is back in the ring with Lethal and there is no sign of AJ. Lethal takes the opportunity to bring Christian down in a roll up but he only gets a two count. Christian delivers a clothesline that sends Lethal to the mat, then he goes for the cover but Christian only gets a two count. Christian picks Lethal up and delivers a boot to the midsection and then another and then one more before sending Lethal down to the mat. Christian tears at Lethal’s face until the ref makes him break the hold. The camera pans the announcer’s table and we see the turkey suit that the loser of the final Turkey Bowl match will have to wear. Back in the ring Christian takes Lethal down with a neck breaker, but Christian again gets a two count before Lethal gets a shoulder off the mat. AJ is standing at the top of the entrance ramp while in the ring Lethal is sending elbows to Christian’s abdomen. Lethal backs up and comes off the ropes, ducking under Christian’s ready and waiting clothesline, Lethal comes off the opposite ropes and Christian sends Lethal to the match with a back body drop. AJ now starts down the ramp to the ring. Christian spots AJ and slides out of the ring to go after him. AJ falls down in his haste to get away from Christian, but is back on his feet and running out of the arena again. Christian runs to the top of the entrance ramp and then turns around to go back to the ring. Lethal is still down on the mat as Christian enters the ring. Christian picks up Lethal and sets him up in a roll up but only gets a two count. As Lethal tries to get back to his feet, Christian nails him with a boot to the midsection. Christian sends a boot to the side of Lethal’s head and then uses the ropes for leverage as he stands on Lethal’s throat. The ref counts to get Christian to break the hold. Christian picks up Lethal and leans him against the ring post then slaps him a few times across the face while he trash talks Lethal. It appears Christian is letting Lethal know that soon Christian will be wearing gold around his waist. Christian then sends Lethal across to the opposite ring post and goes after him, but Lethal meets Christian with an elbow. Lethal comes off the top turnbuckle to take Christian to the mat with a leg to the chest. As both men get to their feet, Christian goes for a clothesline but Lethal ducks and comes back with right fists to Christian’s face. Lethal sends Christian into the ring post, Christian grabs the top ropes and goes over the top of Lethal, Lethal springboards off the second rope and takes Christian down to the mat. Lethal goes for the cover but only manages a two count before Christian powers out. Christian tries to pick Lethal up, Lethal manages to come down behind Christian, Christian turns and Lethal delivers an elbow to Christian’s skull sending him down to the canvas. Christian gets back to his feet and gets another Lethal elbow to the head. Once again Christian is back on his feet and once again Lethal delivers an elbow to the top of Christian’s head. Lethal takes Christian across the ring, Lethal goes over the top rope and catches Christian on the top rope. Lethal springboards off the top ropes as Christian gets to his feet and drops Christian with a flying dropkick. Lethal goes for the cover but only gets a two count before Christian gets a shoulder off the mat. Lethal looks tired. AJ has not reappeared in the match. Lethal picks Christian up but Christian gets a knee up and doubles Lethal over. Christian takes Lethal into the ropes then sends some hard rights to Lethal’s head before delivering a head butt. Christian sends Lethal over the top rope, Lethal lands on the ring apron. Christian comes back at Lethal but Lethal is up on the top ropes and comes off with a springboard and gets caught on Christian’s shoulders. Christian brings Lethal down with a rib breaker and goes for the cover. Lethal powers out of the pin. Christian has Lethal back on his feet and he delivers knees to Lethal’s midsection. Christian appears to be setting Lethal up for the unprettier but Lethal catches Christian with the Lethal combination. Lethal goes outside on the ring apron. As Lethal climbs up to the top turnbuckle AJ appears and brings Lethal down. Christian is back to his feet and he drops Lethal using the unprettier. AJ springboards off the top rope and delivers a frog splash to Lethal, then tries to tell Christian but AJ is leaning of Lethal and the ref counts to three.  AJ wins the match much to the dismay of Christian Cage.

A great match allowing Lethal to shine with his quick X Division moves and not a bad match for Christian. AJ did a good job when he was in the ring but he didn’t stick around long enough for us to see Christian and AJ go against each other in the ring.

The ref doesn’t get a chance to raise AJ’s hand because Christian looks like he could murder AJ right here and now. It appears AJ has done it again – something he shouldn’t have done.

West and Tenay give us a verbal replay as we see the high points of the match.

FINALTURKEY BOWL LINE UP

Chris Sabin, representing the X Division

Samoa Joe, representing the Heavyweight Division

AJ Styles, representing the Tag Team Division

We are back again at the Angle Thanksgiving and the table appears to be full. Black Reign and Rellick enter through the door and Black Reign has brought along Misty, his “Artic fox”. No one seems to know who invited Black Reign and Rellick and JB goes flying out of his seat when he sees Misty the rat.  Misty is walking across the table and through the food. You go Misty!

After commercial break, we will see the Women’s Division in action.

Back from commercial break, we go back to the Angle family dinner. Eric is wearing Black Reign’s black wig (and it doesn’t look too bad on him) and Eric and Storm are still drinking their beers. Someone else knocks at the door and Black Machismo Jay Lethal enters the dining room. So Cal Val then comes in and Lethal takes off his jacket and lays it on the floor for Val to step on then he seats Val next to him at the table.

Tenay reminds us the finals for the first ever Turkey Bowl is still to come tonight and

Turning Point is December 2.  There is a match scheduled called Feast or Fired. Fifteen wrestlers will be competing for four cases hanging in four corners of the ring. One case holds a shot at the TNA World Title, one case holds a shot at the X Division Title, one case holds a shot at TNA World Tag Team Titles, but the fourth case holds a certificate that says “You’re Fired!”. Team 3D will team with Johnny Devine to face The Motor City Machineguns and Black Machismo Jay Lethal in a tables match. The Match of 10,000 Tacks: Black Reign and Rellick against The War Machine Rhino and The Monster Abyss. TNA Women’s (Knockout) Championship on the line: Awesome Kong vs. Gail Kim, Current Champion. The Main Event will be a Six Man Tag Team Match – The Outsiders, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, with Samoa Joe versus The Phenomenal AJ Styles, Tomko and Kurt Angle.

NOTE: Since Tomko was injured and underwent surgery this week, it could mean that TNA will be scrambling to find a partner for AJ and Angle prior to Turning Point.

Well we knew if it was a “main event”, Angle would be involved. At least Joe is in the main event.

Women’s Division Match

Velvet Sky (formerly Talia Madison), from The Big Apple

Vs.

Angelina Love (formerly Angel Williams), from Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Vs.

ODB, accompanied to the ring by her flask, from Minneapolis, MN

Referee: Shane Sewell

Winner:  ODB by pinning Velvet Sky

NOTE:  Talia Madison and Angel Williams have undergone name changes since the last time they were seen on iMPACT.  We understand that it had something to do with the names they were using belonging to another organization, but we don’t have the full story on that at this time. Keep checking this site’s TNA News Bytes for further information.

ODB has to have a little nip out of her flask before she gets close to the ring. As she nears the ring, she grabs Love by the legs and drags her out of the ring and sends her flying up the entrance ramp. ODB goes into the ring after Sky and flattens her with a clothesline. The crowd appears to be into ODB in this match and ODB responds to the crowd’s chants by sitting on Sky and pounding her with fists. The ref gets in ODB’s face trying to get her to stop the punches and ODB gets up and into the ref’s face. In the meantime, Love has gotten off the floor and is going up to the top turnbuckle. Love comes off the top and takes down ODB with a cross body block, but she rolls off and doesn’t get a cover. Love is back to her feet and delivers elbows to ODB’s head before trying to send her into the opposite ring ropes. ODB makes a switch and sends Love into the ropes and as Love comes off the ropes, ODB sets Love up for a sidewalk slam but Love manages to turn it into a hurricanrana and Love sends ODB crashing to the canvas. Sky is back to her feet and she goes after Love who has turned her back on the ring and is working the audience. Sky delivers a slap to Love’s chest and then another as ODB slides across the ring and takes a swig from her flask. Sky is still nailing Love with chops to the chest but Love comes back with a chop of her own before backing Sky up with elbows to the chest of Sky. Love sends Sky into the opposite ropes, Sky comes off the ropes and ducks under Love’s waiting clothesline, Sky comes off the opposite ropes and nails Love with a kick to the back of the leg, then another and as Love drops down to one knee, Sky sends her the rest of the way to the mat with a DDT. Sky goes for the cover but gets nailed in the back by ODB who has been biding her time while Sky and Love were working on each other in the ring. Sky shoves ODB back into the ropes, then Sky goes back into the opposite ropes and comes off to get caught and sent over ODB’s head to the mat. ODB is back on her feet and decides to go after Love who is still down on the mat. Love comes up with an elbow and then another before ODB delivers a knee to Love’s midsection. Sky is getting back to her feet across the ring as ODB picks Love up into the air. Love breaks free and sends ODB toward Sky. Sky responds by delivering both boots to ODB. Love comes up with a high boot that sends ODB to the mat. Love goes for the cover but Sky nails her in the back to break it up. Love tries to take Sky out with a clothesline but Sky ducks out of the way and comes back at Love with a dropkick that sends Love out of the ring and onto the floor. Is it my imagination or does Love seem to spend quite a bit of time outside the ring no matter what match she is in? Sky picks up ODB by the hair but ODB delivers a jawbreaker that sends Sky down to the mat. ODB then climbs up and sits on the top turnbuckle as she proceeds to deliver what she calls “the dirty dozen” to Sky.  This move consists of holding Sky’s hair and banging her head into the top turnbuckle twelve times. No offense, but if we can count twelve while ODB is slamming Sky’s head into the turnbuckle, can’t the ref count ODB out? ODB flies off the top turnbuckle and takes down Sky, covering her for the pin and getting the three count.

ODB does a great job in the ring even if she tends to be more of a brawler than a wrestler.  I am not as impressed by the other two women in this match perhaps because they are always up against someone like Awesome Kong, ODB or Gail Kim. If ODB could get around to doing a little more highflying in the ring, she could work her way into the X Division.

Has anyone else noticed that referee Shane Sewell always gets to work the women’s division matches?

As ODB takes another drink from her flask, Tenay and West show us a replay of the high points of the previous match.

We are back once again at the Angle family dinner. JB leaves. There is another knock at the door and Awesome Kong enters the dining room. Kong sits down at the opposite end of the table and proceeds to eat the wax fruit used for decoration.

After commercial break we will have the final Turkey Bowl match.

Commercial break.

Back from commercial break, we see a promo for Fallen Angel Christopher Daniels, Senshi and Elix Skipper.  I’m not sure why we are seeing this promo.  Triple X has not been working together much in the TNA ring.

We are again at the Angle dinner table. Brother Ray and Brother Devon enter the room but the X Division throws food at them and Angle tells them that he didn’t invite them. Eric is still weighing Black Reign’s wig, Misty the Rat is perched on Black Reign’s head in its place. Lethal protects Val from flying food and the rest of the room empties out at the appearance of Team 3D. Ray and Devon decide to sit with Angle’s daughter at the kiddy table. When Ray asks “How are you doing Little Girl?”, the little girl responds with “You guys SUCK!”

We see a replay of how all three finalists have made their way to the Turkey Bowl.

2007 TNA Turkey Bowl Final Match

Winner of the match receives a check for $25,000.00

Loser of the match must wear a turkey suit and will be known as the

2007 Turkey of the Year.

Chris Sabin, weighing 220 lbs., from the The Motor City Machineguns,  Detroit, MI

Representing the X Division

Vs.

AJ Styles, weighing 222 lbs., from the tag team AJ Styles & Tomko – TNA Tag Team Champions Gainesville, GA

Representing the Tag Teams

Vs.

The Samoan Submission Machine Samoa Joe, weighing 280 lbs., from the Isle of Samoa

Representing the Heavyweights

JB is in the ring to make the formal announcements.

Referee: Andrew Thomas

Winner and recipient of the $25,000.00 check: The Samoan Submission Machine Samoa Joe

Loser and TNA 2007 Turkey of the Year: AJ Styles

Sabin got a nice round of applause but Joe is obviously the fan favorite. AJ starts the match off by nailing Sabin with an elbow to the jaw, AJ turns to go for Joe but Joe greets AJ with a hard right hand. AJ turns back around toward Sabin and is greeted by another right and suddenly Joe and Sabin are taking turns playing punch AJ in the face. Joe and Sabin send AJ across the ring and into the ropes and Joe sends AJ flying up into the air and onto the mat with an extremely high back body drop. Sabin comes across the ring with a clothesline that sends AJ over the top rope and onto the floor and into the guardrail. Joe comes after Sabin and flips him back into the middle of the ring onto the mat. Sabin is back to his feet, runs past Joe, leaps onto the second set of ring ropes and springboards off to take Joe down to the mat with a flying arm drag. Sabin tries for another arm drag but Samoa Joe switches it around and takes Sabin down to the mat instead. Sabin takes Joe down with what appears to be a short clothesline and goes for the cover. He barely gets a one count before Joe powers out. Sabin back to his feet, Joe trips him and sends him down to the mat, Joe goes for a kick to the head but Sabin wisely goes backward and out of the way. Both men are back to their feet as AJ comes charging back into the ring. AJ makes a grab for Joe and Sabin, Joe and Sabin duck and AJ goes across the ring and through the ropes and back to the floor. As Sabin stops to check out AJ, Joe nails Sabin with a chop to the chest. Joe goes to the ropes, comes off but is met by a Sabin high kick that lands on Joe’s jaw. Joe goes down to the mat and rolls out of the ring. Sabin goes against the ropes where Joe is outside and comes back for a suicide dive to take down AJ before he can get back into the ring. It didn’t look to me like Sabin landed right after the dive but the camera was on AJ. I couldn’t see Sabin.

COMMERCIAL BREAK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MATCH!

THAT’S TWO

Back from commercial break, we see a promo for the TNA Meltdown CD, available now.

Sabin is in the ring with AJ and is lining him up for a hard right, the another. Sabin goes back and comes off the ropes, but AJ sends Sabin over his head and Sabin hits the ropes and bounces off. That hit didn’t look good for Sabin either. As Sabin gets back to his feet, AJ delivers a fist to the forehead, then another and Joe has entered the ring on the opposite side. As AJ continues to pummel Sabin, Joe turns AJ around and proceeds to punch him in the face. With all of the fists flying in this match, we should have a boxing ref and not a wrestling ref officiating. Joe continues to use AJ as a punching bag, then Joe delivers a low leg sweep, sending AJ to the mat. Sabin is back to his feet and Joe delivers an elbow splash to Sabin who is against a ring post. Joe then delivers a high kick to the side of Sabin’s head and Sabin goes down and out of the ring. Joe now waits for Sabin to get back to his feet. Joe backs up to come off the ropes but instead of going out to take down Sabin, AJ is back on the ring apron with an elbow but Joe is still standing. AJ comes over the top rope and tries to take Joe out with a boot but it doesn’t look like he connects. AJ slings himself down to nail Sabin with both boots and send him crashing back to the floor outside the ring. AJ comes back at Joe and hits him with a boot, then works on Joe with some hard rights. The ref is warning AJ to lay off the fists and use the open hand. As AJ closes his fist again to defy the ref, Joe comes up with a boot to AJ’s midsection. Joe then proceeds to practice sparring using AJ’s face as a punching bag. Joe goes back against the ropes and comes off, AJ leapfrogs over Joe. Joe goes into the ropes on the opposite side of the ring and comes off, AJ hits the mat and Joe goes over the top of AJ. Joe comes off the ropes on the opposite side of the ring again and is met by a flying dropkick courtesy of AJ. Joe meets the mat. As AJ stops to showboat to the audience, Sabin is back up on the ring apron. Sabin springboards off the top rope, and takes AJ down with an arm drag, then manages a roll up and the ref starts the count. Sabin gets a two count before AJ manages to break free of the pin hold. Sabin argues with the ref about the count and AJ comes up with a slam to Sabin’s throat. AJ then sends a fist to Sabin’s forehead before sending him to the opposite ring ropes. Sabin comes off the ropes and blocks AJ’s planned move. Sabin has AJ in an abdominal stretch and Joe hits the ring again to come off the ropes and toward the two men in the ring. AJ hits the mat but Sabin ducks under Joe’s clothesline, then tries for an abdominal stretch on Joe, it doesn’t work and Sabin takes Joe down and tries for a pin. Sabin gets a two count before AJ hits him with a low dropkick. AJ is back to his feet first and he heads for Joe. AJ tries to suplex Joe and Joe blocks him. AJ doesn’t give up, tries it again this time hits the suplex. AJ comes up holding his back but he is back on his feet first and he goes after Sabin, sending Sabin into the opposite ring ropes. As Sabin comes off the ropes, AJ catches him and brings him down with a back breaker. Sabin is down on the mat and AJ heads for Joe again. AJ flips Joe over onto the mat and sets him up in a headlock. Sabin comes off the mat and does the same to AJ. Joe is trying to get to his feet and he takes both men down with a jawbreaker.

COMMERCIAL BREAK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MATCH!

THAT’S THREE!

Back from commercial break, all three men are in the ring. AJ has Joe against a ring post and is delivering elbows to the top of Joe’s head. Sabin is down on one knee in the corner. AJ slaps Joe across the face once and then again and one more time. AJ is trash talking Joe as he keep slapping at him. Sabin now appears to be lining up the two men on the opposite side of the ring. AJ gives up on Joe and goes across the ring to Sabin who nails him with a boot to the gut. Sabin hits AJ with another boot and then comes across and up in the air, hitting Joe in the face with his boots while taking AJ down to the mat to try for a cover. Sabin gets a two count before AJ gets a shoulder off the mat. Sabin picks up AJ and slams him head first into the top turnbuckle before going over to Joe and nailing him with a fist to the face. Sabin then proceeds to deliver a chop to Joe’s chest before going back across the ring to splash AJ against the ring post. Sabin slings AJ across the ring toward Joe but Joe picks AJ up and starts across the ring. Sabin charges Joe and Joe brings up a boot that connects, sending Sabin to the mat. Joe uses AJ has a ramming rod and slams him into Sabin before power slamming AJ to the mat. Joe goes for the cover and gets a two count, but AJ kicks out. Joe picks AJ up off the mat, picks him up, delivers an inverted atomic drop, comes off the ropes and sends a boot straight to AJ’s face. Joe turns toward Sabin, Sabin comes off the ropes and Joe picks Sabin up and drops him on top of the downed AJ. Joe comes off the ropes and drops on AJ and goes for the cover but Sabin manages to nail Joe in the back breaking up the pin. Sabin picks up Joe and hits him with an elbow. Joe responds with an elbow of his own and continues to nail Sabin, backing him up in the ring. Joe throws an arm at Sabin but Sabin gets out of the way and delivers a boot to Joe’s gut. Sabin comes off the ropes and hits Joe with a clothesline trying to send Joe over the top rope. It doesn’t work. Sabin backs up and tries again with a clothesline. Again, Joe doesn’t go over the ropes. AJ is outside the ring and has taken a table out from under the ring. AJ sets the table up against the guardrail. Sabin tries one more time to clothesline Joe over the top rope, but Joe sends Sabin over the top rope and onto the ring apron. Sabin throws a punch at Joe, Joe blocks the punch and delivers a boot to Sabin’s abdomen. Sabin grabs Joe’s boot and then goes up and delivers a boot to Joe’s head, sending him backward into the ring. AJ is still on the floor but looks like he’s trying to get back in the ring. Sabin is on the ring apron lining up Joe. As Sabin prepares to springboard off the top rope and onto Joe, AJ grabs Sabin’s leg and slams him down to the floor outside of the ring. AJ picks up Sabin and slams his head into the guardrail. AJ sets Sabin up over the top of the table and looks as though he is planning on suplexing Sabin through the table, but Sabin blocks the maneuver and proceeds to throw right fists into AJ’s rib cage. Joe is back on his feet in the ring and he goes back across the ring as AJ and Sabin throw punches at each other on the floor. Joe comes across the ring and heads for Sabin and AJ with a suicide dive, but they see him coming and they get out of the way. Joe comes through the ropes and smashes into the table, back first. Sabin is on the floor and AJ is on his feet.

COMMERCIAL BREAK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MATCH!

THAT’S FOUR!

I’m surprised Don West didn’t’ say “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

over the timing of these commercial breaks.

Back from commercial break, AJ and Sabin are in the ring. AJ leg sweeps Sabin and then goes for the cover. He gets a two count before Sabin powers out. AJ picks Sabin up off the mat and suplexes him, but Sabin lands on the back of his head. Joe is still outside on the broken table. AJ again goes for the cover but Sabin gets a shoulder off the mat at the count of two. AJ is up off the floor and grabbing the ref to complain about the count. The ref shoves AJ back and argues with him. Sabin is down on the mat and Joe is still outside laying on the broken table. Sabin has managed to back up to a ring post but he still has not made it to his feet. AJ gets finished arguing with the ref and turns his attention to Sabin. AJ picks Sabin up and delivers an elbow to Sabin’s jaw, followed by a right fist to the forehead. AJ is grandstanding again for the audience as Sabin stands unsteadily in the center of the ring. AJ goes back and comes off the ropes but Sabin is now moving. AJ comes off the ropes and Sabin comes off the same ropes right behind AJ. AJ looks puzzled that Sabin isn’t where he left him and Sabin grabs AJ, slamming him to the mat with a face plant. Both men are back to their feet but up against the ropes on opposite sides of the ring. Sabin flies across the ring and delivers a high boot to AJ’s jaw, then rolls him over to the middle of the mat. Sabin goes outside onto the ring apron, slaps the turnbuckle to get the audience involved and springboards off the top rope to take AJ down with a flying clothesline. Sabin goes for a pin but only gets a two count before AJ manages to get a shoulder up. Sabin comes back at AJ and sends a boot to the back of AJ’s head. Sabin picks AJ up on his shoulders but AJ manages to work his way down and take Sabin down in a roll up but then AJ switches to the Styles splash, then rolls Sabin over to pin Sabin. Sabin’s shoulders are down on the mat and the ref starts his count. At the count of two, Joe finds his way back into the ring and hits Sabin with a double fist to the back. Joe picks AJ up off the mat and hits him with a chop to the chest. AJ goes back into the ropes and as he comes off, Joe continues with the chops to the chest. Joe sends AJ across the ring to the opposite corner post but as Joe charges after AJ, AJ brings up an elbow and sends Joe back. AJ comes off the second rope and tries to take Joe down but Joe catches AJ and drops him on his head before going for  the cover. Joe gets a two count but Sabin makes it across the ring to break it up. Sabin and Joe are back to their feet throwing punches. AJ is still down on the mat and we go to

YOU GOT IT –

COMMMERCIAL

FREAKIN’

BREAK!

AGAIN!

THAT’S

NUMBER

FIVE

WITH

FOUR

OF

THEM

DURING

ONE

MATCH!

WHAT DOES TNA THINK THIS IS DOING FOR THE FANS AT HOME?????

NOT EVEN WWE CAN STICK THIS MANY COMMERCIALS INTO ONE TWO-HOUR SLOT IN THE MIDDLE OF A MATCH!

Back from commercial break, AJ is still down on the mat, Sabin springboards off the second rope taking Joe down in a DDT. Sabin points into the air and he goes out on the ring apron to climb up to the top turnbuckle. Joe is back on his feet and he delivers a fist that slows Sabin down. Joe keeps punching and then climbs up too. Now they are exchanging punches. Sabin manages to knock Joe back down to the mat but Joe lands on his feet. AJ is back to his feet and as Sabin climbs up to the top turnbuckle, AJ shoves Joe from the back into the corner post. Sabin lands hard on the turnbuckle and Joe comes up with a high kick to Sabin’s head. Sabin goes off the turnbuckle and lands outside the ring on the floor. Joe appeared to be trying to catch Sabin to bring him back into the ring, but he couldn’t get a grip before Sabin went off the ring apron. AJ is down on the mat but Joe turns to wait for AJ to stand up. AJ is back on his feet and Joe goes after AJ with a clothesline, but AJ ducks under Joe’s arm and hits Joe with a peleg to the head. Joe goes back against the ring post and AJ backs up and charges Joe. Joe catches AJ as he prepares to deliver a splash and slams AJ down to the canvas. Joe sets AJ up on the top turnbuckle to go for the muscle buster. Joe hits the muscle buster, covers AJ and gets the three count. Samoa Joe is the winner of the 2007 Turkey Bowl winner.

Samoa Joe is handed the check and the turkey suit is in the ring for AJ Styles who is now the 2007 TNA Turkey of the Year.

This was a great match and certainly better than any match Kurt Angle has worked lately. TNA manages to screw the match up, not once but FOUR times with commercial breaks.

We are backstage again with the Angles and Angle takes Tomko to go with him to the arena in order to stop AJ from putting on the turkey suit. There are now four referees in the ring attempting to convince AJ to put the turkey suit on in the ring.

Tenay tells us that Jim Cornette is headed out to the iMPACT Zone and guess what?

COMMERCIAL BREAK AGAIN!

TNA SCREWED UP -- THE MATCH IS OVER!

Back from commercial break, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall enter the Angle dining room. They take the pies Mrs. Angle has and deliver them straight to her face. They should have showed up sooner. Now we have a food fight with Shark Boy pouring a drink down Ms. Jackie’s top and Lethal protecting Val from the flying food. Rellick puts up his hood in order to protect himself and Awesome Kong does not stop eating at the end of the table. I think she finally found the real food. In fact, she’s catching food as it flies by her.

Good catch, Kong!

Cornette has made it to the ring and he is there to demand that AJ put on the turkey suit. AJ tells them the suit doesn’t fit but they don’t buy it. I’ll bet AJ’s kids are loving this – and I mean that in a good way. Cornette tells AJ to put the suit all the way on or AJ will be all the way fired. AJ has a temper tantrum in the middle of the ring but he continues to put on the turkey legs before getting to the rest of the suit. The audience chants “Gobble, Gobble!” as AJ finishes putting on the suit. AJ seems to be having a problem getting the suit on but he finally manages to get it done, complete with turkey head. It is kind of cute.

Angle and Tomko come down the entrance ramp to the ring. While AJ is cute in the turkey suit, Angle just looks ridiculous in his pilgrim suit with shorts and socks no less!

Angle tells AJ he’s a turkey and AJ tells Angle he’s a pilgrim.

Then we hear Samoa Joe’s entrance theme and out comes Joe at the top of the ramp with mic in hand.  Accompanying  Joe are Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. Joe tells the three men in the ring  they look like three jackasses. Angle says he would rather be a jackass than a Samoan – who writes this crap, anyway? – AJ thinks Angle is funny but Tomko just looks disgusted. Joe looks at the Outsiders and says “Gentlemen, let’s go kick some ass.”

And it’s about time, but, unfortunately for the iMPACT Zone fans at home, the show is nearly over.

The three men come down the ramp heading to the ring. They enter the ring. Scott Hall sends Tomko out to the floor, Joe sends AJ out to the floor and Angle is the only one left in the ring.

Until, Eric Young shows up, turkey leg in hand to watch the beat down of Angle courtesy of Joe, Nash and Hall. Eric stuffs the turkey leg into Angle’s mouth and that's all folks!

 

TNA iMPACT / NOVEMBER 15 / PLAY-BY-PLAY ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARY BY SASSY
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