TNA Impact – 8/19/10

After last week’s brutal attack of Rob Van Dam by Abyss, how would everyone in TNA react to the situation and what would become of the new rivalry between Fortune & EV2.0?  Find out what happened last night:

Video Package: Just before the broadcast, Jeff Hardy and Abyss brawl throughout the backstage area, the Impact Zone and outside by the entrance line before security is able to break them up.

Eric Bischoff comes to the ring with no music.  He seriously addresses the situation with Fortune & EV2.0 and the situation with Rob Van Dam and his health.  He calls Abyss’ attack on RVD “borderline homicidal” and runs down the list of injuries RVD has suffered.  Bischoff says that TNA has been forced to vacate the TNA World Title and now they’re going to have a World Title Tournament with the top eight members of the TNA Rankings capped off at Bound For Glory.

TNA World Title Tournament – Opening Round
Rob Terry vs. Jeff Hardy
WINNER: Hardy via pin fall after hitting a Swanton

Backstage: Fortune arrives in the parking lot.

Video Package: Last week’s attack by Fortune on EV2.0 is shown again.

Backstage: Hulk Hogan is on the phone with someone and he’s contemplating quitting TNA because of the whole RVD situation.

TNA World Title Tournament – Opening Round
Jay Lethal vs. Mr. Anderson
WINNER: Anderson via pin fall after hitting a Mic Check

Backstage: Christy Hemme is with Angelina Love and she comments on tonight’s rematch with Madison Rayne.  Love says that she’s got some backup for tonight and that if Madison wants the TNA Knockout’s Title, she’ll have to pry it from her cold dead hands.

Video Package: Last week the Motor City Machine Guns defeated Beer Money Inc. in the best of five series to retain the Tag Team Titles.  The comment on the whole series and what is to come for them in the future.

Knockout Title Rematch
Madison Rayne with Unknown Biker Chick vs. Angelina Love (Champion) with Velvet Sky
WINNER: Love via pin fall after hitting the Botox Injection

• Mid match, Sky grabs Rayne’s leg distracting her, and allowing Love to hit her finisher.
• Post match, Love & Sky celebrating and they’re jumped from behind by Rayne and Biker Chick.

Fortune is in the ring.  Ric Flair introduces all the members of his group including the newest members, Doug Williams & Matt Morgan.  Flair addresses EV2.0 and says that they don’t belong in this business because the marquee says pro wrestling.

• AJ Styles takes the mic and says that EV2.0 needed to have their last shot and they ultimately got their “hardcore finale.”  Claims that TNA is the house that he built.
• Interrupted by Dixie Carter who comes to the ramp.  She says that this is her house and that it’s their house too… As EV2.0 walk out to the ramp with her.  She clues Ric Flair in that she’s signed them all to contracts.
• Tommy Dreamer says that it’s all about TNA and starts to do his own Ric Flair impression saying, “Shut up! Woooo!” over and over.
• Mick Foley chimes in saying that he was the one who helped bring Ric Flair in and recounts the story of how Flair drunk dialed him one time.  Claims Flair isn’t a god, but merely a man.  He wishes now that he never would’ve helped out Flair.
• Dreamer then puts Abyss on notice and says that he had respect for AJ Styles until last week.  He informs AJ that they’re going to square off tonight.

Backstage: Kurt Angle talks about how the TNA World Title Tournament is going to propel him to his ultimate goal.

TNA World Title Tournament – Opening Round
Doug Williams vs. Kurt Angle
WINNER: Angle via submission after hooking up the Ankle Lock

Backstage: Mr. Anderson comments on his spot in the tournament and wishes it didn’t have to be because of what went down with RVD.

Sting & Kevin Nash to the ring.  Nash speaks about how he’s been called many names in this business, but if he didn’t really love it, he wouldn’t be here.  Tells anyone who wants his spot to come and take it.  Claims that he’s not a cancer and the only disease is in the back.

• Interrupted by Jeff Jarrett who says that Kevin is full of BS, and tells Sting that there’s a ton of guys in the back that are sick of him as well.  He says that they both know that TNA is better off now with Hulk Hogan & Eric Bischoff.  Threatens to grab a chair and beat both of their asses.
• Interrupted by Hulk Hogan who’s not about to let Jarrett go down there alone.  Before they do, he tells Nash & Sting that the spotlight’s not on them anymore.
• They head to the ring and get in, no weapons for anyone.  Lights out/on and Fortune is in the ring.  Jarrett, Hogan and Nash are already down and Sting is surrounded and beaten down.

Backstage: Tommy Dreamer arguing with Raven about their current situation and trying to get him to stick with the group.  Stevie Richards comes in to help talk some sense into Raven while Dreamer gets ready for his match.

TNA World Title Tournament – Opening Round
Matt Morgan vs. “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero
WINNER: Pope via pin fall after hitting the DDE to Morgan while he was wrapped around the steel post on the outside

Backstage: Mick Foley talks about Fortune’s attack on EV2.0 and swears vengeance on their group.

Non-Title Match
AJ Styles vs. Tommy Dreamer
WINNER: Styles via pin fall

• Mid match, Fortune on their way to the ring is cut off by EV2.0.  Referee is distracted by the brawl.  Abyss comes out from under the ring to hit Tommy Dreamer with the Black Hole Slam.  Styles takes advantage.
• Post match, security and referees try to break things up.

Post show on ReAction, Jeff Hardy and Abyss brawl some more in the backstage area all the way to the parking lot.

QUICK THOUGHTS:

If you look at the eight people that participated in the opening round of the TNA World Title Tournament, you notice that there’s no Abyss, no AJ Styles, and no Samoa Joe, which is sort of sad.  I understand that Joe is on a suspension, and I understand why Abyss wouldn’t be in the tournament, but how come AJ isn’t in the tournament?  I know he’s the TV Champion, but isn’t the ultimate goal the World Title?  To me that makes no sense considering AJ’s been consistently in the Top 10 rankings.

I’m slightly upset that Jay Lethal didn’t go over in his match against Anderson.  I’ve jumped on the Jay Lethal bandwagon, and I think he’s really talented.  Maybe it’s not his time right now, but I think he’s got potential to be a top talent in TNA.

I’m happy that The Pope advanced over Matt Morgan.  I wouldn’t mind seeing him win the whole thing, but if that’s the case, then that means Kurt Angle is retiring from wrestling… Total catch 22 there because Kurt Angle is quite possibly the best wrestler of all time and I’d hate to see him leave.