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TNA Impact! - Apr 3, 2008
by Sassy TNA WRESTLING
CROSS THE LINE

MORGAN’S MESS…

JB is backstage outside the office door of James E. Cornette and there is yelling going on inside James E. Cornette’s office.

JB tells the audience what they will see tonight:

A knockout Grudge Match
Traci Brooks taking on Payton Banks
Lethal Lockdown Preview
AJ Styles and Tomko face Christian Cage and Rhino
An X-Scape Qualifying Match
In the main event, it will be Sting against Cowboy James Storm.

Cornette comes out of his office and JB asks him what is going on. Cornette says he was two hours late today and Matt Morgan has allowed Team Tomko to have a fifth member at the Lethal Lockdown Match. Matt comes out of the office and JB asks Matt what he did what he did. Matt says he did it because Tomko asked him and Jim Cornette wasn’t there so Matt had to make a decision. JB says then he guesses we will all have to live with that and Matt says yes and that tonight Christian Cage will have to live with that as well.

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

Ringside announcers: Mike Tenay & Don West
Ring announcer: David Penzer
Backstage interviews: Jeremy Borash & Crystal Loutham
Ringside valet: SoCal Val

The show opens with The Prince of Phenomenal AJ Styles, Tomko and Brothers Ray and Devon of Team 3D entering the arena. Tomko is still sporting the black eye Kurt Angle gave him during their “sparring session” on last week’s iMPACT.

Tomko has the mic and he addresses Christian Cage. He hands the mic to Brother Ray. Ray tells the audience that the four of them together is incredible. He says tonight he wants to give a special shout out to two people. The first is Matt Morgan for allowing Team Tomko to have a fifth member. Ray then introduces the fifth member of Team Tomko, Cowboy James Storm.

Cowboy James Storm accompanied by The Pride of Tennessee Miss Jackie Moore enters the ring. Before Storm can get the mic to his mouth, Christian Cage’s theme music begins and

The Instant Classic Christian Cage, The War Machine Rhino, Big Sexy Kevin Nash and Sting enter the arena. Christian reminds Storm that the man he hit with the beer bottle last week will be in the ring with him tonight – Sting. Christian also reminds Tomko that he and AJ will be teaming up to face Christian and Rhino in the ring tonight.

It’s Show Time!

Christian Cage calls out Matt Morgan.

Matt Morgan enters the ring with mic in hand and gives Tomko a high five before shaking hands with the members of Team Tomko in the ring. The audience, who had earlier been chanting “3D sucks” now go to “Morgan sucks”.

Christian asks Matt what he is going to do for Team Christian. Matt tells Christian that he needs to get himself a fifth member for Team Christian.

Christian tells Matt that he is confident with his team of four and whether there are four against five at Lockdown, it’s on, disadvantage or not. Christian tells Matt that The Instant Classic may have one last ace up his sleeve.

JB is backstage to meet Kurt Angle. JB is worried about being in a sparring match with Angle. As Angle is telling JB all about Kurt Angle, Showtime Eric Young appears to tell JB that Super Eric is in the building tonight. Angle calls Eric a child and says that the only super hero around here is Angle.

I have to say that few things in TNA have surprised me as much as the appearance of Storm last week in the main event. It was a surprise when Storm entered the ring and attacked Sting. I don’t think any of the viewing audience had a clue that Storm was going to become involved with Team Tomko.

JB is outside when a car comes driving into the parking lot with Maple Leaf Muscle hanging on the hood and Big Poppa Pump Scott Steiner behind the wheel and Rhaka Khan in the passenger seat. JB asks Scott what is going on and Scott tells JB that it’s none of his business, that Scott and Petey were just having a little fun. Scott tells JB that he is going to cash in his TNA title shot tonight.

Crystal is backstage with Black Reign, Rellik, and Lance Hoyt and Jimmy Rave of the Rock ‘n Rave Infection with Christy Hemme. Crystal makes a quick exit and Black Reign takes over the mic. It appears Black Reign and Rellik are after Kaz and Eric Young. I’m not too sure what the rest of the conversation or screaming or yelling or whatever was all about.

Eight Man Tag Team Match
Lance Hoyt
&
Jimmy Rave
The Rock ‘n Rave Infection
With Christy Hemme
&
Rellik
&
Black Reign
LEAVE MISTY IN THE BACK AWAY FROM THE NOISE AND THE LIGHTS!
Vs.
Chris Sabin
&
Alex Shelley
The Motor City Machineguns from Detroit, MI
&
Hernandez
&
Homicide
Latin American Exchange
With Salinas

Referee: Earl Hebner
Showtime Eric Young is sitting with the fans in the arena. I wish Super Eric would show up and rescue Misty.

The match begins with Sabin facing Rave in the ring. Holds and counter holds with Sabin being just a little quicker. Sabin tags in Shelley and we have a double team, including taking Lance off the ring apron and onto the floor. Sabin and Shelley hold onto Rave as Homicide climbs up on the top turnbuckle. Homicide drops onto Rave and Rellik enters the ring with Black Reign right behind him. Now there’s a double team on Homicide as Rave scurries out of the ring. Hernandez is complaining to the referee about the double team but it doesn’t slow down Rellik and Black Reign. Black Reign stays in the ring work over Homicide and Eric Young leaves the audience area and heads to the back and we go to

COMMERCIAL BREAK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MATCH!

Lance is in the ring with Homicide and he’s going for the cover. Shelley steps through the ropes and delivers a boot to break the count. Lance tags in Rave and again we have a double team with Homicide getting the beating. Rave goes for the cover but doesn’t get the three count. Rave goes up on the top turnbuckle but Homicide is back to his feet and he delivers an inverted atomic drop and a gringo stunner then tries to get to someone for a tag. Lance is back in the ring and he stops Homicide from making the tag. It’s double team time again but West says he saw Hernandez blind tag Homicide. As Homicide comes off the ropes, he ducks out of the way of Lance and Rave and slides under the bottom rope and out to the floor as Hernandez comes over the top rope to take out Lance and Rave. Black Reign enters the ring and Hernandez sends him over the top rope and out to the floor. Rellik enters the ring and Hernandez sends him over the top rope near Black Reign. Homicide is now in the ring with Lance and Rave. Hernandez power bombs Rave and goes for the cover but Lance makes the save. Homicide goes over the top rope courtesy of Lance’s clothesline. Shelley and Sabin are in the ring and they send Lance over the tope rope then go over the top rope to take out Lance and Black Reign. Homicide is back in the ring and he delivers a suicide dive that takes out Lance one more time. Hernandez is in the ring with Rave and he delivers the border toss, goes for the cover and gets the three count.

Winners: Hernandez & Homicide Latin American Exchange & Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley Motor City Machineguns

Good opening match with too many participants although I don’t necessarily mean that in a bad way. I may have missed something but it looked like tags weren’t important and whoever wanted in the ring just got into the ring. The same went for more than one wrestler per side in the ring at the same time.

After the match, Black Reign and Rellik go after Homicide and Hernandez who are still in the ring. As Black Reign prepares to nail Hernandez in the head with his darkness falls weapon, Kaz hits the ring and takes down Black Reign and then goes after Rellik. Lance is back in the ring and he takes Kaz out with a slam. The audience is chanting for Super Eric and Super Eric appears on the entrance ramp, rips off his cape, charges into the ring and takes out Lance, Rave, Black Reign and Rellik all by himself.

The audience has taken a liking to Super Eric and we know they like his regular Showtime Eric persona.

JB is backstage with Sting. Sting is out to get Cowboy James Storm after the beer bottle incident last week.

Rough Cut Malicious Intent

An installment in the ongoing saga of BG James and Kip James formerly of Voodoo Kin airs next Mafia. I believe this segment has to do with Kip turning on BG and his beat down of BG and his Dad, Bullet Bob Armstrong. To be continued…

Earlier today Mike Tenay has an exclusive interview with Awesome Kong with Raisha Saeed. Tenay says that there were special conditions for the interview. He is not allowed to ask any questions about the personal lives of Kong and Raisha and the interview can be terminated at any time if Tenay gets too far off track. He asks them where they are from. Raisha says she is from Syria and came to the US when she was 15 years old. Raisha says that Kong was born in America but she makes her home in Japan. Raisha says she has known Kong for many years and they met in the dojos of Japan and they fought together. Tenay asks Raisha about her outfit and she says it is none of his concern. Tenay says that Kong has been a force in TNA since she has arrived and lists the names of the wrestlers she has beaten in TNA. He asks if there is anyone who can take Awesome Kong. Raisha asks Kong something and then says “no”.

Crystal is backstage with Cowboy James Storm and Jackie. Storm says that he is all better after his 20 foot fall at the last pay per view. Storm says that Sting was in the wrong place at the wrong time and Storm doesn’t care if Sting is a legend or an icon. Storms says that tonight he will become an icon because he will slap the paint off of Sting’s face.

Tag Team Match
Tomko
&
The Prince of Phenomenal AJ Styles
TNA Tag Team Champions
Vs.
The War Machine Rhino from Detroit, MI
&
The Instant Classic Christian Cage from Tampa FL by way of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Referee: Andrew Thomas
Christian is back on the good side of the live audience these days. I don’t think Rhino was ever off the popular list. I expect we will see a lot of illegal maneuvers in this match up, some discreet others just outright blatant.

The audience is chanting “Instant Classic” as Tomko and Christian lock up in the ring. Christian stays one step ahead of Tomko. AJ charges in to help his tag team partner out and Christian propels AJ over the top rope and out to the floor. Tomko gets his second wind, Christian tags in Rhino and as a team they take Tomko down to the mat and when AJ comes back in the ring, and they take him down, too. Tomko is back on his feet and Rhino is on the wrong side of the ring. Tomko tags in AJ and AJ sends Rhino criss- crossing on the ropes to take him down with a dropkick. Rhino has AJ down and goes for the cover but he only gets a two count. Rhino tags in Christian, Christian takes on AJ, delivers an elbow that sends Tomko down to the floor, knocks AJ down to the canvas but Tomko is back up and he hangs Christian up on the top rope. As Christian turns back around, AJ delivers a peleg. AJ goes for the cover but can’t get the win, he tags in Tomko and we go to

COMMERCIAL BREAK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MATCH!

Back to the match and Tomko is slamming Christian down to the mat. He goes for the cover and gets a two count. Christian is back to his feet but Tomko takes him back down again. Rhino is begging for a tag as Tomko tags in AJ. Rhino is beating on the top of the turnbuckle as AJ tags in Tomko again. Christian tries to make the tag, Tomko picks him up and has him over his shoulder, Christian manages to slap Rhino’s hand but Tomko doesn’t know the tag has been made. Unfortunately, neither did the ref as AJ had his attention. As Rhino argues with the ref, AJ and Tomko beat up on Christian before Tomko tags back in AJ. Christian can’t seem to get to Rhino for a tag no matter what he does. AJ goes for a pin and gets a two count before Christian kicks out. AJ tags back in Tomko. Tomko goes for the cover and gets an almost three count before Christian gets a shoulder off the mat. Tomko tags in AJ. Christian keeps trying to reach Rhino and he delivers a DDT, goes for the cover and gets only a two count before crawling back to his side of the ring. Again Christian tags Rhino but the ref was busy keeping Rhino out of the ring and the ref didn’t see the tag. Rhino backs up but he doesn’t get out of the ring. He goes the ref. I’d say oops but I think he did it on purpose. Rhino then goes after Tomko and AJ with Christian and now the ref down on the canvas. Tomko is back to his feet and going after Rhino but now Christian is up and he’s taking on Tomko. Rhino is down but AJ is back up and he and Tomko are taking out Christian. Rhino is back up and he and Christian are standing in the ring. Rhino nails AJ with a gore but Team 3D hits the ring and goes after Christian and Rhino. Kevin Nash appears on the ring apron, steel chair in hand and Team 3D bails out of the ring. AJ rolls to the floor outside the ring and Jim Cornette appears at ringside to tell the ring announcer that Rhino has been disqualified and the match is over.

Winners Tomko & The Prince of Phenomenal AJ Styles

With the exception of Rhino not getting much time in the ring, not a bad brawling match. I am surprised that Christian didn’t get a little more down and dirty since he was trapped in the ring so long against his former partners. A good job by Andrew Thomas taking the gore, gore, gore!

JB is backstage with Cornette and Matt Morgan. Cornette is yelling at Matt for the feud between Team Cage and Team Tomko. Matt says that he will handle everything and will personally referee the match between Sting and Storm. Matt says that Christian wants to threaten Matt Morgan, we’ll see who is going to have the last laugh.

The Courtship Jay + Val
This week’s installment has them in a hot tub. Jay says they should take it to the next level, but suddenly Sonjay comes up out of the tub with a diver’s mask on and makes a remark about there being a snake in the water. To be continued…

X-Scape Qualifying Match
Prime Time Elix Skipper from Atlanta, GA
Vs. Shark Boy from The Deep Blue Sea

Referee: Slick Johnson
I have to admit I kind of enjoy Shark Boy with his new attitude. I think Skipper does a good job in the ring and I’m not certain why we aren’t seeing more of him in action.

Skipper goes after Shark Boy before the bell rings. Shark Boy quickly turns it around and proceeds to stomp Skipper down to the mat before ripping off his vest and delivering a running bulldog. Shark Boy comes off the second rope but Skipper gets out of the way and delivers a boot to Shark Boy’s head. Skipper goes for the cover but Shark Boy kicks out.

I have something I would like to say to the fan in the live iMPACT audience who has been screaming throughout the entire show: SHUT THE HELL UP! It sounds like Karen Angle!

Skipper has Shark Boy out on the floor and the fans are giving him a hard time as he picks up Shark Boy and puts him back on the ring apron. Skipper sets up on the ropes and starts across the top of the ropes, but Shark Boy knocks him off and takes Skipper down with a dropkick. Shark Boy has Skipper down, he beats on him, slams his head on the mat and then drops an elbow. Skipper goes for the spin kick but Shark Boy catches him with a neck breaker. Skipper kicks out of the cover. Skipper delivers a leg drop as Shark Boy is hung up on the ropes, and then goes for the pin but he can’t get the three count. Shark Boy has Skipper up on the top turnbuckle, delivers a hurricanrana down to the floor, goes for the stunner, the cover and gets the win.

Winner Shark Boy

I didn’t think this match gave Skipper much of a chance to show his stuff but what little he did manage to pull of in the match was worth it. Shark suit or not, Shark Boy isn’t alien to the wrestling ring and does a good job keeping the fans involved in the match. After the match, Shark Boy celebrates with a little clam juice.

The following have qualified for the TNA Lockdown X-Scape Match: Black Machismo Jay Lethal, Curry Man, The Guru Sonjay Dutt and Johnny Devine. There is one more spot to fill before the Lockdown pay per view.

Crystal is backstage with Traci Brooks. Traci says that this isn’t a competition, this is payback, payback is a bitch and so is Payton Banks. Angelina Love and Velvet Sky who show up to complain that Traci is picking on a valet who doesn’t even know how to wrestle. Love threatens Traci and tells her she had better watch her back.

Crystal is backstage with Shark Boy. She congratulates Shark Boy on qualifying for the X-Scape match. She wants to know what Shark Boy’s opinion is of Consequences Creed who will be making his debut. Curry Man appears complete with music and Japanese to talk about the match at Lockdown. The two exchange a few words with Shark Boy vowing to beat Curry Man at Lockdown before he storms off. Curry Man dances off the set with Crystal.

Payton Banks from Wall Street, Manhattan, NY
Vs.
Traci Brooks from St. Marys, Ontario, Canada

Referee: Rudy Charles
I still am not sure what kind of job Payton can do in the ring but Traci is very good. Payton goes out of the ring and Traci goes out after her. Payton bails back in and catches Traci as she comes back in. These two women go at it harder and faster than any of the male wrestlers we have seen in the ring tonight. Payton goes for the cover and gets the two count before Traci kicks out. Traci takes Payton down with a spear.

Mike Tenay breaks in to tell the audience that a tag team match has just been scheduled for Lockdown. It will be Awesome Kong and Raisha Saeed against O.D.B. and Gail Kim, in the steel cage.

Meantime in the ring, Traci takes Payton down with a face plant, goes for the cover and gets the three count. Winner Traci Brooks.

This might not have been a long match but both of these women went all out to entertain the audience. Payton may be a great asset to the women’s division if they allow her to be in regular competition.

After the match, Sky and Love hit the ring to beat up on Traci. Salinas hits the ring and she goes after Sky and Love, Jackie Moore appears and she goes after Salinas. The audience is calling for O.D.B. but Roxxi Laveaux enters the ring and goes after Sky. Christy Hemme has hit the ring and she goes after, I don’t know who for certain, but then Sharmell enters the ring with the leather strap and clears Hemme, Love and Jackie out of the ring.

Booker’s theme music begins and Booker T, looking a little confused, appears at the top of the entrance ramp. Booker tells Sharmell to get out of the ring and she does.

Kurt Angle is heading toward the ring in his suit and tie – it’s a wrestling show!

Crystal is backstage with Sharmell and Booker T. Booker is yelling at Sharmell telling her that she could get hurt. Sharmell says that she knew when he married her, he was marrying a wildcat so welcome to the jungle!

The audience sees Samoa Joe’s latest training session for his match against Angle at Lockdown.

Kurt Angle, TNA World Heavyweight Champion enters the ring. He’s still dressed in his suit. Angle addresses Joe and tells him that he has already told the world that if he didn’t win the match that he would give up wrestling forever. Angle says that since he knows Samoans are all lying sons of beep! that next week on iMPACT he wants Joe to sign a legal piece of paper and Big Poppa Pump Scott Steiner’s entrance theme begins.

Big Poppa Pump Scott Steiner and Rhaka Khan enter the arena. Scott has his briefcase in hand. Scott has a mic and he says he is there to tell Angle that after Lockdown is over, Scott will call in his title shot. Scott says he will give the winner at Lockdown one month after Lockdown to get ready and then the winner at Lockdown will have to face Scott Steiner at TNA’s next pay per view, Sacrifice. Angle puts out his hand to shake but Scott says Angle will have to win the match at Lockdown first but Scott says he has been watching Joe training and who Joe has been training with and Scott says that Joe is going to win the title.

JB is backstage with Cornette and Matt. Matt is telling Cornette that they should have a Queen of the Cage match with all of the girls on the outside of the cage and they all have to battle to get into the cage. The first two women who make it into the cage then fight one on one to decide the winner via pinfall. Cornette tells Matt that Matt has match coming up and that Matt should leave the matches to the professionals. Cornette tells Matt to make sure nothing bad happens during the match he is refereeing or he is fired, this is his last chance. Matt puts up his hands and leaves the room.

Cornette tells JB he is thinking about some matches for Lockdown and he relates what Matt just said regarding the Queen of the Cage and JB says that he likes it. Commercial break.

Main Event
Grudge Match
Cowboy James Storm from Leiper’s Fork, TN
Accompanied to the ring by The Pride of Tennessee Jacqueline
Vs.
Sting from Venice Beach, CA
Special Referee Matt Morgan

Everyone has missed Sting but I’m not sure how well he and Storm are going to do in a match against each other. Storm is more of a brawling style and that’s not saying that Sting can’t brawl, but I’m not sure he’s as serious a brawler as Storm can be in the ring.

Before the bell rings, Storm goes after Sting but Sting is ready. Sting sends Storm outside the ring and then goes out after him. He slams Storm’s face into the announcer’s table and then they head up the entrance ramp with Sting pounding on Storm as they go. Sting slams Storm on the ramp and he rolls back down toward the ring. Sting sends Storm over the guardrail and into the audience area and Sting goes after him. Storm rakes the eyes and tries to send Sting into the wall, but Sting makes a switch and Storm hits the wall below the second set of seats and literally cracks the wall. Sting takes Storm into the wall again as Matt is telling him to get back in the ring. Sting did come to the match in his Team Cage shirt. Sting sends Storm back over the guardrail and Storm rolls himself back into the ring. As Sting starts back into the ring, Jackie has him by the leg, keeping him halfway between the ropes. Sting delivers a kick that sends Jackie back to the floor but now Storm delivers a boot to Sting and uses the ropes to deliver a DDT. Storm goes for the cover and gets a two count before Sting powers out. Storm gets in Matt’s face and has him by the shirt and we go to

COMMERCIAL BREAK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MATCH! AND IT’S THE MAIN EVENT!

Back in the ring, Storm slams Sting’s head into the top turnbuckle but Sting isn’t fazed and he takes Storm up in a back body drop onto the canvas. Storm again goes for the eyes before going out to the top turnbuckle. Sting goes up the ropes after him and takes Storm down to the mat with a superplex. Sting goes for the cover and gets a two count. Storm nails Sting with a super kick, Storm makes a grab for Sting, Sting hangs onto the ropes and Storm goes down. Storm again goes for the eyes and then heads across the ring. Sting tries for a stinger splash but Storm gets out of the way and Sting meets the top turnbuckle. Storm brings Sting down on the mat and goes for the cover and Storm gets a two count. Storm again goes for a kick and Sting ducks and goes for the scorpion death lock but Jackie is on the top turnbuckle. She dives off the top and Matt catches her in midair and puts her out of the ring. As Matt is busy with Jackie, Sting lets go of Storm and Storm delivers a low blow before rolling across the ring and grabbing Sting’s baseball bat from the corner. As Morgan finally gets Jackie to let go of his shirt, he turns around and catches Storm with the bat. Matt takes the bat away from Storm and tosses it to Sting then turns his back on Storm and Sting. Sting delivers a couple of blows with the bat and then delivers the scorpion death drop and goes for the cover. Sting gets the three count.

Winner Sting With a little help from Matt Morgan

Not the best match I have seen for either wrestler but a good match. As much as I’m sure they would like me to hate it, I love it when Jackie gets herself involved in the middle of the men’s matches. She has never been one to back away from anything and she acts like this is where she belongs.

Sting looks a little confused by Matt’s actions and so does the audience.

After the match, Team Tomko comes down the entrance ramp toward the ring and they don’t look happy. Sting is out of the ring on the other side of the ring as Tomko gets in Matt’s face. Ray is now in Matt’s face. As Matt turns his back, Ray shoves him into the ropes. Team Tomko suddenly surrounds Matt but Team Cage comes charging into the arena to make the save. Team Cage takes out Team Tomko. Matt delivers a big boot to Brother Devon in the ring and then goes after AJ Styles. Matt picks up AJ and slams him to the mat. Team Cage climbs back into the ring.

Christian points to Matt Morgan, then pulls open Matt’s referee shirt to expose a Team Cage shirt underneath! It looks like Christian found the fifth member of Team Cage and he didn’t’ have to leave TNA to do it.

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