TNA iMPACT
10/08/2005
Orlando, FL
Universal Studios – The iMPACT Zone
After last week’s successful Spike TV debut, iMPACT is back on the road to Bound For Glory this week, with a tag team dream match main event. TEAM 3D, BROTHER RAY, BROTHER D-VON, TEAM 3D will take on “Wildcat” Chris Harris and “Tennessee Cowboy” James Storm, America’s Most Wanted.
The show opens with a video package, recapping what happened last week when TEAM 3D, BROTHER RAY, BROTHER D-VON, TEAM 3D made their TNA debut. The video transitions into a backstage promo with TEAM 3D, BROTHER RAY, BROTHER D-VON, TEAM 3D. Brother Ray says they’re the tag team who have made the biggest “impact” in tag team history. They want the most prestigious tag team titles in wrestling history, the NWA World Tag Team Titles.
We cut to the TNA IMPACT show open. After the opening video, we go to the parking area where apparently, Raven is still in the process of being thrown out of the building last week. It’s quick, and we go back to the iMPACT zone for Tenay to give us a quick, yelling rundown of what’s to come on the show.
The tag team dream match is happening, Tito Ortiz is in the iMPACT Zone, and your 60-minute adrenaline rush is next!
MATCH 1: TEAM CANADA (ERIC YOUNG, A1, BOBBY ROODE) VS 3 LIVE KRU (BG JAMES, RON KILLINGS, KONNAN)
Team Canada makes their way down the ramp, accompanied by Coach Scott D’Amore. Eric Young almost has a heart attack when Team Canada gets pyro, and we’re in prime TNA, baby. The 3LK comes out next and Konnan says his normal stuff on the microphone. BG James gives the people their favorite lines. But we don’t get a fair start to the match, as Team Canada ambushes 3LK before the bell.
Mike Tenay says it’s good to have 3LK back together, after months of being torn apart by Kip James. Don West immediately says Kip James was instrumental in 3LK getting back together. WHICH ONE IS IT?
Scott D’Amore comes to the announce booth during the match and sounds like he just got jumped by 13 dudes, for no apparent reason. The first thing he does is yell, “Shut up, Tenay!” Tenay reacts as if D’Amore just kicked a dog and says, “WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHUT UP, YOU MAKE ME SICK!”
I can not stress enough how much I love Mike Tenay and Don West.
Kip James comes out and watches from the top of the ramp. Tenay reminds us of the long history between he and BG James. In the ring, Eric Young is selling like the rent is due for Ron “The Truth” Killings. The former NWA World Heavyweight Champion is looking good in this one.
As the match breaks down, Konnan takes off a shoe and Tenay reminds us that Konnan’s “patented move” is coming up, as Konnan throws the shoe like a missile at EY from about 3’ away, and misses. The shoe nailed someone in the crowd. But that’s alright, because Konnan still has another shoe, and he slaps the hell out of EY. Truth follows up with the Axe Kick for the pinfall.
Team Canada ambushes 3LK once again after the match ends. But this time, Kip James rushes into the ring and helps fight off Team Canada. Tenay and West are shocked by what they’re seeing, and Konnan doesn’t like it. He gets into the face of Kip James as we leave the ring and go to Mike and Don for the first time on camera tonight.
WINNERS: 3 LIVE KRU
AMW and Team 3D is happening later on tonight, and Don West reminds us that this is the tag match we’ve always wanted, but right now, we need to take a look at Ultimate X.
We get a hype video for one of the most innovative matches in pro wrestling history, Ultimate X.
“This high-wire free-for-all challenges a man’s mental and pushes one beyond physical limitations.” Barry Scott is the goat.
Ultimate X is awesome. Ultimate X is the perfect compliment to the X Division. This match could never work for heavyweights and that allows the X Division to look like cruiserweights, but leave the fans more impressed with them at the same time. No, they’re not wrestling for the main title, but can the guys wrestling for the main title do what they can do? Nope.
Highlights from previous Ultimate X matches are shown, and there are some really iconic moments from throughout its history. Christopher Daniels is shown moonsaulting from a seated position off the top of the cables, AJ Styles somehow hitting a Styles Clash on Kazarian from a hanging position on the wires, and the bloody face of Matt Bentley (known at the time as Michael Shane). The craziest bump of all has to be AJ Styles, hanging from the wires, taking a springboard dropkick, and doing a front flip onto the mat as he flies backwards in mid-air. That description is as crazy as it looks.
Back in the iMPACT Zone, we’re getting another 3-way X Division match.
MATCH 2: “THE FALLEN ANGEL” CHRISTOPHER DANIELS VS AUSTIN ARIES VS MATT BENTLEY W/ TRACI
Christopher Daniels makes his way to ringside as Mike and Don hype up “Iron Man 2” at Bound For Glory – a 30-minute Iron Man match between Daniels and AJ Styles for the X Division Title. Up next is Austin Aries, who has some Dale Oliver version of a Smashing Pumpkins song that I don’t remember at all.
Tenay says the fans of TNA voted Austin Aries as the most wanted independent wrestling talent for TNA.
Matt Bentley makes his way out with the gorgeous Traci. Commentary reminds us that Bentley will be in Ultimate X at Bound For Glory, and he won the inaugural match a couple years ago. He will take on Chris Sabin and “The Canadian Destroyer” Petey Williams at BFG.
Austin Aries looks great in the early part of the match. Tenay and West are still doing a great job of introducing everyone at home to all of the talents on the show. They take their time and give information about everyone. Matt Bentley was trained by “his cousin Shawn Michaels,” which I still don’t know is legit or not. I do know they look alike. But we’re also reminded that Christopher Daniels held the X Division Title for around six months, which is the longest reign of all time.
Petey Williams comes to ringside to try to seduce Traci, who is saved by Chris Sabin. Matt Bentley is angry about the whole situation and takes both men out with a dive. Meanwhile, Aries goes up top but is crotched on the top rope by Daniels, who scores the win with Angel’s Wings.
WINNER: CHRISTOPHER DANIELS
After the match, we get an ad and another sweet narration from Barry Scott, who says Bound For Glory is “a crucible for their yearning,” and I don’t even know what that means but it sounds cool when he says it.
Afterwards, we get a hype video for Abyss, who Larry Zybysko says is “the best big man in the business, and the only man who could be as hard to handle as Andre.” Barry Scott says Abyss is on a collision course for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and will compete in Monster’s Ball at Bound For Glory.
Back in the iMPACT Zone, Abyss makes his entrance.
MATCH 3: ABYSS W/ JAMES MITCHELL VS SONNY SIAKI
One funny detail that stuck out to me here was that Ring Announcer Jeremy Borash gave Abyss’s height, but not his weight. They’re really pushing this 6’8” gimmick for Abyss.
Sonny Siaki makes his entrance next. There’s a hilarious camera shot during the entrance with Siaki’s name plate and entrance video in the same frame, where his name is spelled differently on each one. His name plate says “SONNY SIAKI,” which my money is on for being correct, and his entrance video says “SONNY SAIKI.” I’d also like to mention how Sonny Siaki looks like the most boring, aura-less wrestler I’ve ever seen in my life. He walks way too slowly to the ring, looks like an asshole at a bar who walks into a fight like he’s way too cocky for his own good, and looks like a kid wearing tighty wighties and pool floaties on his arms.
Abyss, on the other hand, is awesome. I wouldn’t change a single thing about Abyss.
Abyss makes quick work of SONNY SAIKI with the Shock Treatment, followed by a Black Hole Slam.
WINNER: ABYSS
Up next, a hype video for Samoa Joe. He’s the undefeated “Samoan Submission Machine.”
Mike Tenay is in the ring with Larry Zybysko, wearing a Morphoplex collared shirt. Tenay asks Zybysko about the NWA World Heavyweight Title match at Bound For Glory between Jeff Jarrett and Kevin Nash. Tenay really wants to know how Jarrett was able to get a title shot against Raven last week in Cananda.
Zybysko goes on about how he doesn’t know what’s going on with Jarrett, but he’s had enough of the chicanery lately, and that’s why Bound For Glory needs a real enforcer.
During this time, Mike Tenay does one of my favorite Mike Tenay things – he makes the Mike Tenay face. If you’ve never thought about it, you don’t know what I’m talking about. But after I point it out, you’ll never not see it again. Tenay makes the same face Morty (from Rick and Morty) makes when he’s confused, or just dumbfounded. He pokes his lips out, tilts his head, and looks like he’s solving algebra in his head. I laugh every time I see the Tenay face.
Zybysko introduces the Special Guest Referee for Bound For Glory, Tito Ortiz. If this were in 2025, this would be a HUGE deal. Maybe not Tito Ortiz in 2025, because everyone knows he’s a dumbass these days, but if Alex Perreria or Jon Jones were introduced, it would be front page news. In 2005, the UFC was gaining attention, and on its way to becoming a huge deal, but it hadn’t quite made it there yet. There was no cross-promotion, which would surely happen these days. Tito Ortiz just showed up, unannounced, unpromoted, and that was just kind of all.
Tito gets some time on the microphone here, and I don’t know why. I’d like to encourage you to go out of your way and watch this segment. Tito looks like a deer in the headlights the whole time, as he stares into the camera. He looks like a child waiting on his mom to make him a sandwich after just coming inside from riding his bicycle. And he sounds like one, too. Tito obviously forgot every one of his lines in this heavily-edited TV segment. Tito finally gets to his point in the promo, and says there are two rules for Jarrett and Nash at BGF. They are to respect him as a referee inside the ring, and if they lay a finger on him, he will break theirs. If they break his rules, punishment will be quick, punishment will be severe, and punishment will be final. Neither of those are
actually rules, but whatever.
Jeff Jarrett’s music plays and he’s not happy. The NWA World Heavyweight Champion makes his way to the ring in white pants. Jarrett grabs a microphone and says if Tito lays a finger on him, he’ll break Tito’s neck. He then threatens to send Kevin Nash back to Hollywood at Bound For Glory to re-join his friends Chris Rock, “the old man” Burt Reynolds, and Adam Sandler.
“It’s not gonna be The Longest Yard at Bound For Glory. It’s gonna be Kevin Nash longest night of his career.”
I don’t really know how to describe the feelings of cringe, annoyance, and disappointment when Jarrett says things like this. He always sets up for a zinger so well, but always gives a punch line that’s so stupid. It’s so cringe-worthy, that I actually feel uncomfortable. It reminds me of a kid insulting another kid in class when it gets extremely quiet, and everyone in the room is watching. The kid is so sure of himself and the insult he’s firing, but everyone just makes fun of it because it sucks.
Kevin Nash comes up to absolutely no reaction from the iMPACT Zone. He’s not there to talk, he’s there to fight Jarrett. There’s a big brawl on the ramp, which follows into the ring. Tito Ortiz puts Kevin Nash in a rear naked choke and Nash goes to sleep. Jarrett tries to attack Nash while he’s down, and Tito lifts him and tosses him away. Nash is back up and pissed, coming after Tito. There’s a big security pull-apart to end the segment.
We now get a TNA DVD advertisement. These TNA DVDs were the peak for me as a collector growing up. I had a bunch of them over the years, including the “Phenominal: The Best of AJ Styles Volume 1” and “The Best of the X Division” DVDs that we see here.
Backstage, “The Franchise” Shane Douglas (I wonder how his final exam with Shawn Michaels at In Your House 4 on 10/22/1995 went) is standing by with Christopher Daniels. Daniels says he ruled the X Division for six months before AJ Styles stole the X Division Title from him. He says next week, he will beat three of AJ’s friends in less than 15 minutes to prove he’s the real Iron Man.
AJ interrupts the interview and tells Daniels he has a deal, and he already knows which friends in the X Division he’s choosing next week.
MATCH 4: AMERICA’S MOST WANTED VS TEAM 3D
It’s time for our main event dream match. AMW makes their entrance first and I have sorely missed them. Just their walk to the ring makes them seem like a big deal. They feel way more important than the NWA World Tag Team Champions, The Naturals, who we haven’t seen or heard from tonight. And this won’t be popular, but I haven’t cared about James Storm since AMW broke up. I enjoyed him with Bobby Roode years later, but this was peak James Storm for me. Chris Harris had all the potential in the world at this point, too. It’s really sad that the whole Brayden Walker thing happened how it did.
Team 3D makes their entrance next, to no crowd reaction. The white towels guy loved it, though. Mike Tenay says that for over two years, he’s received hundreds of e-mails from fans anticipating this match. I’m not sure if that’s legit or not, but they’re really putting over this “dream match” hyperbole.
The match gets going at we get some seriously loud chops from Bubba – BROTHER RAY – on James Storm. The match breaks down pretty quickly and Storm gets BROTHER D-VON in the corner for an attempted 10 punches, but it’s broken up by BROTHER RAY with a loud slap to the ass.
The match ends in chaos, as the debuting Gail Kim enters the ring and hits Brother Ray with a low blow. D-Von grabs Kim, but Jeff Jarrett shows up and nails D-Von in the head with the NWA title belt. Brother Ray takes a shot, and now both members of Team 3D are bleeding quite a bit. AMW hits their finishing move, the Death Sentence, on Brother Ray to end the show.
WINNERS BY DQ: TEAM 3D
And that’s that. I don’t think this show had the impact (no pun intended) that the debut on Spike TV had, but it was still pretty solid build towards Bound For Glory. We get a lot of stars showcased, our “dream match” was booked to draw an audience and delivered a finish that left things open-ended for what I would assume will be a future Pay Per View match. They’re still doing a great job of introducing the audience to everyone. These hype videos for Bound For Glory or just to showcase members of the roster are good choices. The biggest takeaway is that TNA didn’t assume anyone knew who anyone was. I like that.
One thing I notice watching TNA is the production quality. The presentation is unique from WWE in similar ways to how ECW was presented. The camera’s at ringside are never stationary – they shake on impact with the wrestlers. There are also a lot of camera cuts, which WWE would adopt many years later. We get unique camera angles in the iMPACT Zone, particularly at the start of the show. You always get a good shot of the TNA logo hanging from the rafters as the boom camera twists and turns. The two entrance tunnels on either side of the building are the most unique feature of TNA. Something we haven’t seen before nor since.
Final thoughts:
This was a decent follow-up to the debut episode on Spike, but definitely didn't feel as special or as memorable. It was weird watching this one because I vividly remember some things from the original airing, but have no recollection of some other things. I remember the X Division 3 way match, because there's a part where Austin Aries swats his elbow pad off his arm, and Don West spends like a whole minute talking about how much he liked that. One thing I had no memory of was Sonny Siaki. I genuinely think this was my first Sonny Siaki match to ever watch, this week. I remember seeing run-ins on old TNA DVDs and hearing his name mentioned, but I've never watched him wrestle. I also have no recollection of a Tito Ortiz interview on iMPACT. So this episode was a little trippy for me.
Mike Tenay and Don West continue to be one of my favorite announce teams. Like with Vince McMahon, all the things people hate about their commentary are the things I love most. The same could probably be said for Taz.
Bound For Glory takes place on October 23. It still feels like a big event, and the NWA World Heavyweight Title match finally feels a little more important with the addition of Tito Ortiz. I vaguely know what occurs at BFG, but I've never watched the event. So I'm curious to see how everything comes together regarding the 10 lbs of gold.
Of all the matches announced so far for BFG, I think I'm most excited for the X Division matches.
And that’s that for the 20th anniversary of TNA iMPACT on October 8, 2005!
