TNA iMPACT Results - April 13th, 2006

Credit: PWTorch.com

TNA IMPACT
APRIL 13, 2006
TAPED IN ORLANDO, FLA.

-During The Ultimate Fighter that preceded it, there two cut-ins to Mike Tenay and Don West promoting Impact. During the second cut-in, they showed Samoa Joe headed to the ring. They did a nice job screaming and creating a sense of excitement, but nothing was done to tell first-time potential viewers who Joe and Christopher Daniels were and what was at stake. It's easy to say, and tough to fit into such a tight promotional spot, but I think it would have been worth it. Also, they mentioned Team 3D, but they didn't show them. There are many potential Dudley fans watching The Ultimate Fighter who would have no idea that they are no Team 3D. That was an oversight that was easy to fix, and I think easy to spot ahead of time.

1 — CHRISTOPHER DANIELS vs. SAMOA JOE — X Division Title match

In a slick move, this match was joined already in progress, with both wrestlers already sweating. They actually opened with Joe charging at Daniels with a boot to the face against the security railing at ringside. Daniels began to bleed heavily within five seconds of the start of the show. That's delivering a couple things right off the bat – without a lot of talking by square-looking announcers – to keep the TUF audience tuned to Spike. They cut a highlight clip series from what happened earlier in the match including a Daniels moonsault over the ropes onto Joe. They showed Joe shoving Daniels into the ringpost. Back to current action, Joe threw the bloody Daniels into the ring. Tenay then shifted to talking about the rest of the show, including America's Most Wanted vs. Team 3D and "Sting's first national TV match in five years." Again, there was another chance to use an on-screen graphic to show both the Dudleys and Team 3D to get some mileage out of Team 3D's recognizability. Tenay announced that Jushin Liger protested that the match on Sunday was going to be in a cage, so he would be replaced. Joe, meanwhile, worked over Daniels with chops, kicks, and a kneedrop. Joe kicked out of the first pin attempt. Joe looked down at him with contempt, then applied a head vice with his forearms. Daniels showed some fire and elbowed out of it. Joe nailed Daniels off the ropes with a high knee. Good high impact; nice bump by Daniels. Joe hit Daniels with a barrage of punches. John McCarthy would have stopped the fight at that point in a UFC match. Joe whipped Daniels across the ring and nailed him with a flying side elbow and then a jump back roundhouse kick. Joe shoved hit boot into Daniels's face, then charged with his knee to Daniels's face. Daniels caught a charging Joe with a dragon screw legwhip and then a running knee. Joe caught Daniels in mid-air and slammed him to the mat with one arm. They cut to a break. You couldn't ask for a better high-impact showing from these two. It didn't look like "fake" cooperative highspots or mundane chinlocks; it looked closer to UFC than WWE, which is what TNA should have been going for with this show. Get them hooked on action and then draw them to stay with personality-driven storylines. Whether they have the personalities and storylines to keep them is another issue, but this was the right start.

[Commercial Break]

Back from the break, Joe powerbombed Daniels, then turned it into an STF. Daniels reached the bottom rope. Joe looked frustrated that Daniels hadn't tapped out. The crowd chanted "Fallen Angel." Daniels caught Joe with two enzuigiris and a DDT. Tenay plugged the rest of the line-up again, but as of yet had not mentioned Jeff Jarrett by name. Daniels continued a full-fledged comeback and hit Joe with a flying shoulder tackle off the top rope leading to a near fall. Daniels took Joe off the top rope with a huracanrana. That got another two count. Joe surprised Daniels with an atomic drop, a dropkick, a senton splash, and a powerslam for a two count. Daniels scored a near fall after a surprise powerbomb out of nowhere. They exchanged punches and slap mid-ring. Daniels countered Joe roundhouse kicks with a judo takedown. He then hit his BME for a very near fall that popped the crowd. The crowd chanted "This is awesome!" Daniels set up a top rope suplex, but Joe caught him and gave him the Island Driver off the rope for the pin. Sabu's video played in the background and the lights went down. you'd have no idea what Sabu's style is based on the video they played, which actually showed Sabu on his mat in pain rather than executing one of his signature highspots.

WINNER: Samoa Joe in 15:00 of TV time (match joined in progress)

STAR RATING: **** — Qualified grade, due to incomplete match airing. Excellent opening quarter for the show.

-Jeremy Borash interviewed Sting. Sting yelled, then talked about his challenge to Jeff Jarrett. He said he heard a rumor that Jarrett spent a lot of time in the bathroom tonight. He said he'd talk about his teammates later, then concluded, "It's showtime, folks." That's playing to Sting's strengths – a relatively short promo where he has his talking points down. No chance to stumble over words. Saying he heard a rumor Jarrett has been spending a lot of time in the bathroom didn't seem really edgy, but it was passable.

[Commercial Break]

-Tenay and West frenetically plugged Lockdown's all-cage format. Then they went to a video feature on Abyss stalking Christian's wife, with Christians's comments about it. A clip aired of James Mitchell saying he left her alone and vulnerable, which resulted in the compromising of her privacy and personal dignity. Christian said it crossed the line, but he seemed a bit too calm and cool in his delivery, even in the sitdown interview format. They made up for that with the clip of Christian's intense promo from last week's show where he asked, "Are you ready to die, because I am!" He said the match didn't have to be personal, but they made it personal. He said he's never wanted to beat anyone as badly as he wants to beat them.

2 — AMERICA'S MOST WANTED (w/Jackie Gayda, Gail Kim) vs. TEAM 3D – Street Fight

Bubba brought an American flag to the ring with him, which looked a little too Hacksaw Duggany out of context. Even in context, it's pretty lame, especially when the enemy he's waving the flag in opposition to is a Canadian team. Team 3D cleared the ring of AMW in the opening minute. Gail Kim and Jackie entered the ring. Gail slapped Jackie. Tenay explained that Jarrett and his team are trying to be sure Jackie is subservient to them. They cut to a break less than two minutes into the match.

[Commercial Break]

To start the third quarter hour, Chris Harris was working over Devon after the break. They took the fight to ringside a minute later. Harris shoved Devon off the top rope as they had set up the diving headbutt. Storm ducked a Devon punch and sidekicked Devon. Bubba backdropped a charging Storm over the top rope. Harris went after Brother Ray, but he came back and attempted a senton splash off the second rope. Harris moved, then hit Ray with a trash can. AMW set up the Death Sentence on Devon, but Ray shoved Harris off the top rope. Team 3D gave Storm the 3D, but as the ref counted the pin, Petey Williams yanked the ref out of the ring The rest of Team Canada attacked Team 3D from behind. They were about to splash Devon through a table, when the former Spike Dudley ran out for the save. He was referred to as the "other member." Brother Ray and Devon hugged Spike.

-They showed a clip of a bunch of NASCAR drivers at last weekend's TNA house show, ending with Jarrett KO'ing Jeff Hammond with a guitar.

[Commercial Break]

-A segment aired with Sting talking about his family being stalked, although they shifted the heat to Jarrett and Scott Steiner, with no mention of Alex Shelley. Then they promoted the cage match between Sting's Squadron and Jarrett's Jokers, or whatever they're calling them.

-Borash interviewed Jarrett, Steiner, AMW, and Team Canada. Even when Jarrett wears just a t-shirt, it doesn't match. Jarrett appointed Eric Young to wrestle Sting in his "chance of a lifetime."

3 — "SHOWTIME" ERIC YOUNG vs. STING

Tenay said it's appropriate that the man who didn't believe Sting was really retired end up facing him in his first match on national TV in five years. The majority of viewers haven't seen Sting's previous few PPV matches over the past few years, so the curiosity factor might be high given Sting's high profile during the Monday Night War. After Sting's ring entrance, Young bailed out of the ring immediately. Shelley then came out to ringside with his camera. Young did a great job being skittish about being in the ring with Sting. Sting brushed off some chops and punches and then tossed Young over the top rope to the floor. Sting propelled himself over the top rope with a crossbody block onto Young at ringside. He threw him into the steel guardrail, then did the same to Shelley. When he went for a Stinger Splash, Scott D'Amore yanked Young out of Sting's path.

[Commercial Break]

Young controlled the match for a minute, but when he went for a Stinger Splash, Sting moved. Sting then went for a Stinger Splash, but D'Amore sacrificed himself by putting himself in Sting's path. Sting fended off attempted interference from Shelley, then hit the Scorpion Death Drop for the win. Afterward, Shelley attacked Sting. Sting put him in the Scorpion Death Lock. Jarrett ran to the ring with his guitar. Sting ducked and beat up Jarrett. Sting blocked a Jarrett guitar shot with his baseball bat. AMW charged into the ring followed by Scott Steiner. A.J. Styles, Ron Killings, and Rhyno made the save. Sting closed the show by telling the "children to get back to their mom and dad." He then said those guys in the ring with him are his team. Tenay oversold it with a scream as if he had just announced his team was Rock, Goldberg, and Steve Austin.

-A music video recap aired of the show, which was a nice touch.

WINNER: Sting in 6:00.

STAR RATING: * — Basic match, but what it should probably have been. Sting got his signature spots and a clean win, then a post-match angle set up the PPV main event.

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