TNA Impact tapings
Oct. 29 and Oct. 30
Orlando, Fla. at Universal Studios
Report by David Tuthill, PWTorch VIP member

TNA Wrestling returned to Soundstage 21 at Universal Studios. With an abbreviated build time for the next pay-per-view, Final Resolution on the eve of Dec. 2, the company was forced to tape a show and a half tonight, as there will only be three Impact's leading up to the PPV. The show was one of the best from top to bottom since the company went to two hours.

IMPACT for Nov. 15

At some point before the show, they filmed Jim Cornette at the announcer desk talking about how Booker T and Sharmell haven't signed contracts yet and to avoid getting sued that there is to be no calling the two of them by their names. Cornette said he would have a signing ceremony later on.

Kurt Angle opened the show with A.J. Styles and Tomko. He talked about the tag match from last night and welcomed Styles and Tomko into his fold as his "new family." This brought out Kevin Nash, who reminisced jokingly about being family with Angle prior to their falling out. Nash eventually got into the ring and began to brawl with Styles, Tomko, and Angle. The numbers game began to overwhelm Nash until he was saved by the majority of the TNA babyfaces.

(1) Lance Hoyt & Jimmy Rave (w/Christy Hemme) defeated LAX (Homicide & Hernandez). LAX was perhaps the most over act in the company at this taping and it was disappointing to see them in such a lower tier match. Hemme got on the apron to distract the referee leading to Rave scoring the pin with a rollup.

Team 3D was backstage with the X Division Championship belt and a captured and hooded X Division wrestler. They went through a list of demands that they wanted the X Division to comply with to get the belt & the wrestler back. The list included junk food.

We go to Crystal backstage with Christian Cage. He was very upset about losing Tomko and Styles, saying he will get an explanation out of the two of them. This almost seemed like he was teasing a babyface turn although later in the show this proved to be incorrect.

(2) Bobby Roode & Traci defeated Chris Harris & Gail Kim. After an opening sequence with the women, Roode sent Traci to a chair at ringside and wrestled the rest of the match with Harris. After Roode scored the pinfall, he got into an argument with Traci, who argued back and finally quit. She left the ring and jumped the Roode fan planted at ringside until security pulled the two apart.

Team 3D comes out with the beaten and hooded X Division wrestler and calls out the X Division to meet their demands. The Motor City Machine Guns and Jay Lethal come out and Sabin and Bubba banter back and forth with each other. 3D releases the hood on the wrestler and it turns out to be Havok. Bubba mentions that there is "a traitor within the X Division," which sends Shelley, Sabin, and Lethal to the ring, as well as with the other X Division wrestlers who come from the other side of the building. The three brawl with the X Division guys gaining the advantage until Havok turns on the X Division and hits them all with his cane.

Scott Hall and Kevin Nash come out and announce their reunion at the next pay-per-view, in a six man match with Angle, Tomko, and Styles. They tell Angle that he'll find out who the partner is "later tonight."

(3) Abyss defeated Relic and Black Reign. Relic is Johnny The Bull and debuted last night at Genesis. This match was a typical Abyss/Black Reign style match ending with Abyss scoring the pin with a Black Hole Slam on Relic. After the match, Reign and Relic beat down Abyss until Rhino made the save.

(4) Awesome Kong defeated Alexa Jade. Kong was still staring at the picture of Gail Kim. This was the standard Kong squash that we've been seeing since she came to TNA. It never ceases to get old. Kong won with a sitout powerbomb. After the match, Gail Kim came out and the two women brawled with security in the middle until Kong laid Kim out.

The signing ceremony then took place. Cornette came out and introduced Booker T and Sharmell, who "officially signed" with TNA. Christian Cage came out and argued with Booker T. The two ended up brawling until security broke them up.

(5) Kurt Angle successfully defended his TNA World Heavyweight Championship by defeating Kaz. Kaz got a ton of offense in, even cleanly landing the flux capacitor. However, Angle kicked out and quickly landed an odd looking DDT and hooked Kaz for a three count. This was a very good match. Afterwards, Angle got on the mic to talk trash to Nash and Hall. They came out and began fighting with Angle, which brought out Styles and Tomko. However, Samoa Joe ran down and helped the Outsiders clear out the ring, setting the stage for the main event at Final Resolution.

XPLOSION TAPING

(1) Eric Young defeated James Storm.

IMPACT for Thanksgiving Night

(1) In a match taped for the Thanksgiving episode of Impact (Nov. 22), Samoa Joe pinned A.J. Styles in a three way match with Chris Sabin in the finals of something called the "Turkey Bowl". As a result, Joe "won" $25,000 and Styles was forced to dress in a turkey outfit. The match went a little longer than 15 minutes and was excellent after the three got going. After the match, Jim Cornette came out and demanded Styles wear the outfit or he would be fired. Styles reluctantly put it on. Kurt Angle came out dressed as a pilgrim and talked about how ridiculous Styles looked. The Outsiders and Samoa Joe came to the top of the stage and bantered back and forth with Angle until the six men began brawling again. Eric Young came out and started running around with a turkey leg, which ended up in Angle's mouth as Nash, Hall, and Joe beat him up.

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