This is a live report from the TNA International Impact/Xplosion/Internet tapings, Soundstage 21 Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida.
While rumors continue to float about a TV show to air on Spike TV in September, TNA decided to tape shows leading to the No Surrender PPV which is July 17th. I am sure by the end of the evening we will have the lineup for the PPV. There was nothing close to the overflow crowd from Sunday but it was still building filling. Jeremy Borash said there would be a repeat autograph session after the event.
Taping session one:
(1) Michael Shane (w/Traci Brooks) defeated “Tennessee Cowboy” James Storm (w/”Wildcat” Chris Harris).
Shane fled the ring at the bell but returned to chest chop Storm, only to have Storm fire back with some of his own. Shane got a knee lift in but he walked into a double handed chop and a powerslam. Shane was set for a superplex but Traci grabbed Storm’s ankle making him land crotch first. Harris saw this and went to handcuff Traci but Shane stopped him, only to get punched. Rudy Charles tossed Traci and Harris from ringside. Shane and Harris fought around ringside as Charles tried to get them back to the ring. Shane got on the offensive with a chinlock which Storm got out of, only to be powerslammed for two. Shane went back to the chinlock and this time when Storm got to his feet he hit an enziguri. Shane was on the defensive when Traci tried to send Alex Shelley to the ring to aid her man. Shane got back on the attack but walked into a boot and a inverted DDT when Shelley came down to break up the pin. Storm hit the 8 second ride and Shelley came off the top but got superkicked. Shane followed with one of his own to beat Storm.
(2) Shark Boy (Miramax and Robert Rodriguez’s favorite wrestler) defeated David Young.
These two have wrestled before on the Nashville based PPV’s so one would have to make a huge error to lose. Young had a long burst of offense but couldn’t get a pin or submission. Shark Boy fought back from defeat, hitting right hands and biting Young. Young hit what looked like an inverted Catatonic for two. Young blocked Shark’s attempted top rope block buster but didn’t block the school boy roll and lost via pin.
(3) “Samoan Submission Machine” Samoa Joe defeated Delirious.
Delirious tried to use his “psycho” tactics on Joe but Joe began to manhandle Delirious with a facewash and the Ole Kick. This was followed by a backchop and knee to the neck. Joe locked in an abdominal stretch which the ref made him break for some reason. Joe missed a corner splash but got an STO. Delirious was going for the win but Joe hit the Muscle Buster into a choke submission on the mat.
(4) NWA World X Division champion “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels defeated “Primetime” Elix Skipper.
This was a rematch from Lockdown PPV. Skipper came out and met Daniels on the rampway and the match began up there. The action came down to ringside where Skipper kept the beating going. Once in the ring, Skipper kept beating down Daniels but not getting a pin. Daniels began to try and get distance from Skipper but it didn’t work even after a finger to the eye, Skipper hit a dropkick for two. The beating once again went to the floor but came back to the ring just as fast. Skipper hit a corner mule kick but got too close to Daniels along the ropes and got hit with a Rude Awakening. Daniels got his second wind and worked on Skipper’s neck for several minutes. Skipper tried to fight back but Daniels went back to work on the neck. Skipper went for a German suplex but Daniels delivered several elbows to the head. Skipper hit a roundhouse kick which was followed by chest chops and a inverted hip toss before the fighting went to the floor again with Skipper hitting a tope’. Skipper came back to the ring with a clothesline for two. Skipper blocked Daniels’ Angels Wings and hit his own STO for two. Skipper got dropped on the second rope throat first and hit with an STO before Daniels locked in a neckvise submission which made Skipper tap out.
Taping session two:
New NWA World Heavyweight champion Raven made his way to the ring from the balcony of the Impact Zone. Raven delivered poetry about his troubled youth on the way to the destiny of the NWA World title belt. Raven was cut off by Father James Mitchell who is now managing Abyss, who said Raven’s destiny was going to come back to haunt him. Abyss rushed the ring and the fight was on but the Raven Effect missed while Abyss’ Black Hole Slam didn’t. Abyss choked Raven out with the chain as TNA officials tried to get Abyss to release Raven. Mitchell got control and Abyss left the ring.
(1) Sean Waltman/Syxx-Pac defeated Sonjay Dutt.
Early on Waltman tried to psych out Dutt but I doubt it worked as Dutt went move for move with Waltman. Waltman took the action to the floor but Dutt survived the chest chops to dropkick Waltman. Back in the ring, Dutt did a reverse rolling thunder for two. Dutt’s corner splash met a Waltman spinning heel kick. Waltman went for the Bronco Buster but Dutt moved. Dutt hit several body shots including a springboard moonsault but as he was punching Waltman in the corner, Waltman crotched shotted Dutt. Waltman hit the X Factor to win and left going up the heel entryway.
(2) Lance Hoyt defeated Team Canada’s “Showtime” Eric Young (w/Petey Williams.)
Hoytamania came back to the Impact Zone to exact some form of revenge for his loss to Team Canada’s Bobby Roode on Sunday. Like Sunday, this was a handicap match despite Rudy Charles trying to be a referee. Hoyt fought back with right hands but Williams saved his partner from a boot to the face by dragging Young to the floor. Williams distracted Hoyt long enough for Young to recover and get on the attack. But the offense was short lived as Hoyt hit a backdrop and the Big Boot to win the match. After the bell Roode and A1 hit the ring to help beat down Hoyt but he was saved from major damage by the Naturals.
(3) Abyss (w/Father James Mitchell) defeated Sonny Siaki (w/Gran Apolo.)
It seemed like Mitchell had little effect early on as Siaki beat down Abyss sending him to the floor. But once they went to the floor Siaki was dropped throat first on the guard rails and Abyss took over. Back in the ring Abyss kept working on Siaki with chest chop and a second rope splash but got two. Siaki avoided a corner splash and hit Siakalpyse Now but Abyss wouldn’t be pinned yet. Siaki was chokeslammed but Abyss got two. Abyss hit the Black Hole Slam for the win. After the match Abyss got the chain but Apolo came to the ring with a chair. Abyss backed off long enough for Apolo to let his guard down. As Abyss beat down Apolo, Raven came out and attacked Abyss with the Raven Effect. Raven wrapped the chain around Abyss’ neck and drove him into a chair. Raven made the match for the No Surrender PPV, a Dog Collar match with no submissions.
(4) America’s Most Wanted (“Tennessee Cowboy” James Storm and “Wildcat” Chris Harris) defeated Simon Diamond and Trytan.
Diamond repeated part of his promo from Sunday. While AMW were working over Diamond and Trytan, Jeff Jarrett came to Tenay and West’s table and said stuff I am sure we will hear later. Trytan got on the offensive hitting Harris with a Powerslam. Diamond tagged in but he put his head down and got hit with a knee. Storm tagged in but ran into Trytan on a rope run. Diamond went for a superplex but Storm hit the inverted DDT. As Jarrett left the ringside area, Harris tagged back in but couldn’t pin Diamond. Diamond got away from Harris long enough for Trytan to get in the ring. Harris countered out of Trytan’s F5, hitting a suplex and dumped him to the floor. This left Diamond alone to be hit with a Storm superkick.
(5) “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles defeated Alex Shelley.
Shelley tried to take Styles to the mat while Styles took to the air with a leg lariat and a knee drop for two. Styles hit a standing suplex for two. Shelley’ face hit the turnbuckles and Shelley got in a finger to the eye before going on the offense with several suplexes before slapping on a neckvise. Styles got to his feet so Shelley took him back down to the mat with another body vise move. Shelley hit Styles with a double boots to the chest before locking an armbar/chinlock submission hold. Styles fought to hit feet and busted open Shelley’s nose with kicks. Sean Waltman came out to Tenay and West as Styles went for a superplex but Shelley fought him off and hit what looked like a double underhook inverted pedigree. Shelley got hit with the Styles Clash to lose the match. Waltman got on the apron to congratulate Styles but it turned into a shouting match broke up by Jerry Lynn.
Taping session three:
(1) “The Future” Chris Sabin defeated David Young.
Sabin went right on the offensive and didn’t let up even as Young retreated to the floor. Back in the ring Sabin corner whipped Young but he floated over and hit Sabin with a German suplex. Young hit a back suplex and pulled Sabin to the mat for a reverse chinlock. Sabin fought to his feet but his attempted huricurana was countered into a sitout powerbomb. Young went back to the chinlock and Sabin fought back again this time with kicks to the head. Young went for a sunset flip but Sabin rolled through and dropkicked Young in the face. Sabin hit a second rope corner inverted DDT for two. Young hit an inverted side slam and went to the top but missed the moonsault. Sabin hit a springboard dropkick to the neck and followed with the Cradle Shack to win the match. After the bell Samoa Joe hit the ring and choked out Sabin.
(2) Zach Gowen and Mikey Batts ended with no winner.
Both men hit armdrags but missed dropkicks. Gowen went up but missed the moonsault. Batts hit an enziguri. But Jeff Jarrett came down and stopped the match. Batts left the ring but Gowen refused to leave the ring, so Jarrett guitar shotted him. Jarrett told security to get lost. Jarrett said he didn’t like the new talent arriving in TNA without his permission. Jarrett said he was going to take Abyss’ title shot and Raven was holding his belt.
(3) In a three way dance, Samoa Joe defeated “Primetime” Elix Skipper and Shark Boy.
Joe ruled the ring despite being hit with a Shark Boy power bomb as Joe delivered a superplex to Skipper. Joe recovered and hit a double German suplex. Skipper had his legs cut out by Joe’s legsweep. Joe missed a spear and ended up on the floor as Shark Boy attacked Skipper. It all backfired as Skipper’s attempted tight rope walk to head scissor Shark Boy was broken up by Joe. Joe hit Shark Boy with the Muscle Buster and he made Shark tap out to a choke.
Christopher Daniels joined Tenay and West for commentary.
(4) Team Canada’s Petey Williams defeated Amazing Red.
Red got on the offense but Williams avoided the 718. Williams blocked Red’s attempted power bomb to the floor but he didn’t avoid Red’s shooting star press to the floor. Back in the ring Williams took over on Red but not getting the pin despite hitting the O’Canada nut stand. Red recovered hit another shooting star press but missed a top rope corkscrew move. Williams hit the Canadian Destroyer but chose to get a submission via the Sharpshooter as he taunted Daniels. Daniels got up from the table but didn’t get in the ring.
(5) Abyss (w/Father James Mitchell) defeated Cassidy Reilly.
Reilly hit Abyss with a slingshot clothesline but he got hit with Shock Treatment and the Black Hole Slam to lose in under a minute. Abyss didn’t seem like he did enough to Reilly so he hit another Black Hole Slam. Raven saw enough and ran out to the ring with Abyss’ chain wrapped on his right arm. Abyss got clotheslined to the floor but Abyss grabbed Raven’s legs and crotched Raven on the ring post before choking him out with the chain. TNA security, late as usual, saved Raven from further damage.
(6) NWA World Tag Team champions the Naturals (Chase Stevens and Andy Douglas w/ Jimmy Hart) and Lance Hoyt defeated Team Canada’s A1, Eric Young and Bobby Roode.
Stevens and Young started off but Young was taken to the mat for two. He tagged in Roode who walked right in to a backdrop before Stevens tagged in Douglas. They hit a double team move. A1 grabbed Douglas but Roode missed a running forearm, but he didn’t miss a cheap shot behind Rudy Charles’ back. Team Canada took turns beating down Douglas but couldn’t get the pin. Douglas fought back several times and hit Roode with a neckbreaker to make the tag to the much rested Hoyt. Roode avoided a corner splash but Hoyt avoided the back of the head clothesline and hit the big boot to win. After the match Team Canada with Petey Williams beat down all three opponents.
Taping session four:
(1) Simon Diamond and Trytan defeated Sonny Siaki and Gran Apolo.
Diamond had problems matching the strength of Apolo, so he resorted to punches only to be powerslammed for two. Siaki tagged in for a double team flapjack. Siaki walked into a boot from Diamond but Diamond got hit with a Northern light suplex. But Siaki got too close to Trytan’s side of the ring and was clotheslined. Diamond came in and hit suplexes but Siaki survived and tagged in Apolo who superkicked Trytan. All four men fought but Diamond dumped Siaki over the top rope. Apolo went for a F5 but Diamond superkicked him. Trytan hit the F5 to win the match.
(2) 3 Live Kru’s Konnan and Ron Killings vs. ???
No one was really sure who the 3LK’s opponents were as Monty Brown and the Outlaw charged the ring during Konnan’s speech. All four men fought in and around the ring as TNA security showed up on time and broke the foursome up. BG James was no where to be seen, so maybe the rumored issues between the 3LK are true.
(3) Team Canada’s Petey Williams and Eric Young defeated Samoa Joe and “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels.
Daniels came to the ring in a new pinstripe jacket. Williams made the error of being backed in the corner by Joe who laid in some hard head shots as Daniels taunted his PPV opponent. Daniels and Joe tagged in and out beating Williams to the mat. Williams’ nose was busted open by a Joe knee lift or kick to the face. Young finally tagged in and worked on Daniels’ back. Williams and Young made several tags wearing down Daniels. Daniels fought back defeat several times, finally hitting Young with an STO and made the tag to Joe who took on Williams and Young hitting Young with a standing STO and Williams with a powerslam. Sabin ran out from the locker room, attacked Joe, fighting him to the back. This left Daniels alone and he fell to the Canadian Destroyer.
(4) “1000% Guapo” Shocker defeated Sonjay Dutt.
This was a Lucha style match with Shocker being on the offense for most of the time. Dutt fought back with a top rope body block for two and a sunset flip for two. Shocker blocked Dutt’s top rope inverted DDT. Shocker hit a powerbomb and a second rope elbow for two. Shocker won with a chain pinning combination.
(5) Team Canada’s A1 and Bobby Roode defeated Sean Waltman and AJ Styles.
This was supposed ot have been Alex Shelley and Michael Shane as partners but Shelley broke his nose and Shane tweaked his knee. I am not too sure how Waltman and Styles ended up partners, but it happened. Waltman and Styles used their speed to work over A1. When A1 went to the floor to speak to Roode, Styles hit both of them with a plancha. Waltman tagged back in and out working on A1’s left arm. Roode tagged in but he didn’t fair better until Team Canada isolated Styles using some dirty tactics. Waltman could only look on as Styles was beaten down for several minutes with neckvises and suplexes. Styles fought back and tagged in Waltman who hit Roode with martial art kicks. All four men got involved in the match but Waltman’s spinning heel kick missed Roode and hit Styles. Roode hit the clothesline to the back of Waltman’s head to win the match. Not a shock to anyone Styles and Waltman fought after the match. Andrew Thomas, Rudy Charles and Jerry Lynn came out again to break them up.
Announced TNA No Surrender PPV matches:
**NWA World Heavyweight champion Raven vs. Abyss (w/Father James Mitchell) in a no surrender, dog collar match. (Raven said the match can only end via pin)
**NWA World Tag Team champions the Naturals (Chase Stevens and Andy Douglas w/Jimmy Hart) vs. Team Canada’s Eric Young and Bobby Roode
**NWA World X Division champion “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels vs. Petey Williams
**Samoa Joe vs. Chris Sabin
**AJ Styles vs. Sean Waltman w/ special referee Jerry Lynn
**Lance Hoyt vs. Team Canada’s A1 (possible match)
**Monty Brown and Outlaw vs. 3 Live Kru’s Konnan and Ron Killings
**Jeff Jarrett has no match but I think Jeff and Matt Hardy might be waiting for him at No Surrender.
