TNA Impact – 7/1/10

After the past few weeks on TNA Impact, The Hulkster now has two big problems, The Icon and The Monster.  What will go down this week on the broadcast?  Find out what happened right here:

Video Package: History of Hulk Hogan and Abyss from the beginning to the last few weeks where The Monster has reverted back to his old persona.

Abyss comes to the ring and starts throwing chairs into the ring.  He’s scaring people in the crowd, and then spots SoCal Val and stalks her around the ring.

• Interrupted by Hulk Hogan who comes to the ring and draws a line in the sand for Abyss to cross.
• Eric Bischoff runs down to the ring to talk some sense into Hulk, and security also runs down to get between them.
• Abyss is still seething… Bischoff slaps him and Abyss flies off the handle.  The Monster takes out security and goes after Bischoff.  Hulk hits Abyss with two chair shots, and then turns his attention to Hulk.
• Jeff Hardy runs down to the ring to save the day capped off with a Swanton.

Taz & Mike Tenay are talking about tonight’s show when Abyss comes over to the desk and points at Taz.  Security intervenes.

• During the break, Abyss destroys things backstage.

Backstage: Eric Bischoff is trying to talk more sense into Hulk who still believes that they have to “cut off the cancer and put an end to Abyss.”

• Jeff Hardy, who’s pacing around in the background, vows to take out Abyss.

Ink Inc. vs. Motor City Machine Guns
WINNERS: Guns via pin fall after hitting a combo Power Bomb/Sliced Bread

• Mid match, Brother Devon comes to the announce desk to make sure that Brother Ray doesn’t come out and interfere in the match… He’s pissed off.
• Ray eventually does come out and distracts Jesse Neal enough for him to lose the match.  Devon and Ray get into an argument again.

Eric Bischoff comes out to the stage.  He announces that tonight’s main event will be Abyss vs. Jeff Hardy and the special guest referee will be Rob Van Dam.

Backstage: Cameras capture Dixie Carter, TNA President, enter the Impact Zone.

AJ Styles with Ric Flair & Kazarian vs. Samoa Joe
WINNER: Joe via submission after locking on a Rear-Naked Choke

• Post match, Flair looks disappointed with Styles and has words with him.
• Styles takes mic and calls out Kazarian for smirking at him.  Styles challenges Kaz to a match next week on Impact, and Ric Flair approves.

Backstage: Dixie Carter is meeting with Hulk Hogan & Eric Bischoff.  They’re trying to convince her that Sting has gotten so out of control that it’s becoming dangerous, and that she doesn’t know the real Sting.

• Kevin Nash comes into the room, but Hogan tells him to come back in a few minutes.
• Hogan and Bischoff convince Dixie to do something tonight and draw the line with Sting.  She agrees.

Submission Match
Brian Kendrick vs. Desmond Wolfe with Chelsea
WINNER: Kendrick via submission after locking on his variation of the Cobra Clutch

• Mid match, TNA X-Division Champion, Doug Williams, is scouting Kendrick for his match at Victory Road.
• Also mid match, Chelsea and Desmond are having issues, and she leaves the ringside area.  It distracts Wolfe.

Video Package: Someone with camera catches up with Tommy Dreamer during the week and asks about why he keeps showing up in TNA.  Dreamer has no comment.

Video Package: “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero‘s history so far in TNA.

“The Pope” to the ring. (Crowd chants Hallelujah!)  Pope looks emotional.  He tells the crowd that when the congregation welcomes him like this that all the hard work is worth it.  He claims he’s only at 80%, but that he’s still The Pope of this congregation.  He calls out Mr. Anderson who’s the man that put him on the shelf, and then he wants to climb back up the ladder to earn a World Title shot.

• Interrupted by Kurt Angle.  Kurt welcomes him back and Kurt knows that Dinero is the future of TNA, but unfortunately now their paths have crossed with the Top 10 Rankings.  Kurt informs him that at Victory Road it’ll be Kurt Angle vs. “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero.

Video Package: Drama over past few months where Jay Lethal has been a thorn in Ric Flair’s side.

• Last week, Flair and Styles attacked Jay Lethal’s brother who was visiting the Impact Zone.

Jay Lethal comes to the ring and he looks pissed.  He calls out Flair and Styles for attacking his brother last week.

• Flair and Styles don’t come out, but his opponent for tonight’s match, Matt Morgan.  Morgan uses this time to brag that Flair has offered him a spot in his new group, Fortune, but he hasn’t made up his mind yet…

Matt Morgan vs. Jay Lethal
WINNER: Lethal via pin fall after hitting a Springboard Dropkick

• Mid match, Hernandez runs to the ring and hits Morgan with a low blow when the ref’s back was turned.

Backstage: Abyss is driving nails into a 2×4 making a new weapon as he cuts a promo talking about THEY who are coming soon.

Non-Title Match
Taylor Wilde vs. Madison Rayne
WINNER: Rayne via pin fall after hitting some sort of backstabber type move

• Mid match, Tommy Dreamer, Raven, Stevie Richards & Rhino come through the crowd to watch the action.
• Post match, Angeline Love comes out and attacks Madison from behind.  She then tries to hit her with a DDT on a steel chair, but Madison squirms away.

Backstage: Taylor Wilde and her tag team partner Sarita are brawling it out and security has to separate them.

Backstage: Dixie Carter has found Sting.  She doesn’t really know what’s going on in his head, but she suspends him for 30-days without pay.  Sting still believes that Dixie doesn’t get it and that she’s been conned by Hogan and Bischoff.

• In walks Eric Bischoff with security to help escort Sting out of the building.  Bischoff then suggests that Dixie get a bodyguard because Sting’s unstable.

Abyss vs. Jeff Hardy – Rob Van Dam (Special Referee)
WINNER: Hardy via pin fall after hitting the Swanton

• Post match, Abyss attacks Hardy and then turns and hits RVD with a Black Hole Slam.  Abyss brought the new weapon with him to the ring, and grabs it.
• Mr. Anderson runs down to the ring with a chair and knocks the weapon out of Abyss’ hands, and hits him a couple times with it.  He then tries to hit him one more time and Abyss moves.  Anderson accidentally hits Hardy with it.  Abyss takes advantage and hits Anderson with the Shock Treatment.

QUICK THOUGHTS:

This whole angle with Hulk Hogan and Abyss is slowly taking over the entire show.  I don’t know if it is a good thing or not as of yet.  It has its good moments and bad moments, but ultimately it’s all hype for THEY who Abyss keeps talking about.  I don’t know if it has to do with Tommy Dreamer and all of the other former ECW stars coming out to watch the TNA action or not, but I have my suspicions as to who might be coming to TNA.  If you have a guess, leave me a comment.

I’m glad that the AJ Styles is starting to get pissed about losing and not impressing Ric Flair.  I’m looking forward to seeing what Kaz and Styles do in the ring next week.  Could have match of the night potential…

It’s also nice to see that TNA’s taking the Knockout’s story lines to another level again.  With the drama between Love/Rayne and now I’m guessing former tag team partners, Taylor Wilde/Sarita, I’m actually looking forward to Knockout’s action again.  Step back in the right direction.

It’s great to see The Pope back from injury, and I’m excited to see he and Kurt Angle square off.  I think it could help push Pope further along, even if he does lose to Kurt.  Kurt has a way of putting guys over in matches even when he wins, that I just find phenomenal.  It’s just amazing to me how much Kurt Angle does to help the future of the wrestling industry when it comes to making stars even brighter.

Good for TNA to put doubt in our minds as to if Mr. Anderson’s missed chair shot on Abyss was somewhat intentionally aimed for Jeff Hardy.  Got to love a good controversy.

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