These are LIVE SPOILERS from TNA IMPACT tapings to air in the next two weeks. Tonight we walked into the building and found out the new match to debut at Destination X on March 11th. It is called Elevation X! It is one of the most intimidating structures outside of the Six Sides of Steel. There will be a gauntlet match to determine the new number one contender to the NWA World Heavyweight champion âCaptain Charismaâ Christian Cage. The show was filmed out of sequence but I have put it in order, I think. Tonight showed why TNA needs a two hour show because all of this gets jumbled together. On the TV show but not seen here is some kind of X Division Idol event with the Naked Oily Guy, Kevin Nash and $o Cal Val.
Hour one results:
(1) NWA World Tag Team champions Latin American Xchange (âNotorious 187â Homicide and Hotstuff Hernandez w/Konnan and Machete) defeated Shark Boy and Norman Smiley.
The LAX had some fan support as Homicide hit Shark Boy with an Acecrusher and Hernandez choked and then tossed Smiley across the ring. After a top rope move from Homicide it was all over. But Team 3D came on the screens and said they were still gunning for the titles. They said they made a call and got Steven Schiripa of the Sopranos and Spike TVâs Casino Cinema. They said next week LAX would get beat down in a Belting Pot match with people around the ring holding leather straps. Konnan said those guys couldnât tear a chicken up and they could bring everyone including Emeril Legasse for the match next week.
Mike Tenay and Don West talked to the home viewers. âBig Poppa Pumpâ Scott Steiner made his way into the Impact Zone. Steiner said a month ago Cage called him and asked how to beat Kurt Angle. Steiner said his contract negotiations were put on hold last September because TNA signed Angle. Steiner said like Angle he had beaten HHH, John Cena and Batista. Steiner said Angleâs keeps calling wanting satisfaction and that brought Angle out of the locker room. Angle said he didnât come to TNA for the money and would kick Steinerâs as for free. He reminded everyone he came to TNA because it was not where he had worked. Steiner said Angle had what he wanted but Angle said talking was over. The fighting began and Angle Olympic Slam and Ankle Lock spoke volumes. Tomko and Christian Cage hit the ring and with help from Steiner got Angle down until Shark Boy, Jay Lethal, Norman Smiley Samoa Joe, Rhino and the Voodoo Kin Mafia hit the ring. Angle talked to Samoa Joe and said their title agreement was on but with tonightâs gauntlet match it was everyone for themselves.
As the show came back from commercial the scaffold rigging was lowered over the ring. Apparently hour one of Impact on TV will begin here. I think Mike Tenay and Don West talked about it. They cut to the interview girl who was with Christian Cage, Scott Steiner and Tomko talking about the gauntlet. Cage tried to talk Steiner and Tomko into forfeiting the match after tossing everyone out. Steiner and Tomko wanted nothing to do with the idea. Jeremy Borash was talking to Ms. Brooks and Eric Young. Brooks said Young was an idiot for falling for her. Robert Roode interjected demanding Young to remove the âDonât Fire Ericâ t-shirt and do his job tonight in the gauntlet, help Robert Roode win. Bob Backlund walked through as Roode and Brooks left.
(2) In an arm wrestling match, Gail Kim defeated âthe Pride of Tennesseeâ Jacqueline Moore (w/Tennessee Cowboyâ James Storm).
I was a little surprised Kim came without any kind of backup. Before the lockup Storm had Moore warm up with some punches. Slick Johnson made Storm exit the ring and we were on the way and Kim won. Storm tossed the table over and Kim attacked Moore. Storm grabbed Kim so Moore could punched her but Petey Williams hit the ring and then the mat as Storm beat him down. Storm looked real cocky until âWildcatâ Chris Harris jumped the rail coming through the crowd. Storm grabbed Moore and hid behind her until he could exit the ring and run for his life.
For the gauntlet Jim Cornette joined Mike Tenay and Don West.
(3) In a Gauntlet match, Samoa Joe became the new number one contender. Two men began and the others entered in two minute intervals. The participants entered in the following order with who tossed them out thanks to Bryan of Universal Studios:
(1) Sting (tossed out by Roode) (2) âthe Phenomenalâ AJ Styles ( tossed out by Tomko) (3) Rhino (tossed out by Tomko) (4) âTennessee Cowboyâ James Storm (tossed out by Angle) (5) âthe Futureâ Chris Sabin (tossed out by Abyss) (6) Kip James (tossed out by Joe) (7) Abyss (tossed out by Joe) (8) Kurt Angle (tossed out by Steiner) (9) Tomko (10) Samoa Joe (11) Robert Roode (tossed out by Sting) (12) BG James (tossed out by Steiner) (13) âShowtimeâ Eric Young (tossed out by Tomko) (14) âBig Poppa Pumpâ Scott Steiner (tossed by Joe with help from Tomko.) Joe and Tomko didnât last too long as Joe hit an enziguri and the Muscle Buster to win. Christian Cage immediately hit the ring but Kurt angle came out to even the side a bit. TNA officials were somehow able to separate everyone.
Hour two results:
Don West brought out Spike TVâs Pros vs. Joes athlete and former NFL Wide Receiver Andre Rison to meet the fans and talk about the show. They were interrupted by Abyss who I donât think watches TV. Just when it looked like Rison was going to shake hands, Abyss hit him with the Black Hole Slam.
(1) In a (non title) Belting Pot match, Team 3D members Ray and Devon defeated NWA World Tag Team champions Latin American Xchange (âNotorious 187â Homicide and Hotstuff Hernandez).
If anyone cares some of the LAX whippers were members of the FXE training school. 3D whippers were Bruce Santee, Ron Niemi, Leon Scott, Chasyn Rance, Francisco Ciatso and Sal Rinauro. With the outside action it was a little hard to follow. Devon backdropped Homicide to the floor and the whipping began and Homicide quickly scrambled back into the ring. However he wasnât safe there as until he tossed Devon out to the LAX side of town where they whipped Devon. Hernandez tagged in and the power went back and forth until Devon tossed Hernandez to the floor. Hernandez got back in and quickly tagged Homicide who cut off Devon from tagging out. However a double clothesline provided enough distance for Devon to tag in Ray as both faction fought on the floor with their straps. 3D hit the 3D but Homicide broke up the pin. With Hernandez and Devon tossed to the floor all bets were off. Even Steven Schiripa got involved helping 3D hit the Wassup on Homicide. They won when they hit Hernandez with another 3D as the fighting continued. After the match Ray went into the crowd and got right in the face of some LAX fans.
The scaffold rigging was lowered and âthe Phenomenalâ AJ Styles came out to the ring and climbed to the top. He proclaimed himself the most decorated wrestler in TNA, said he invented X Division and also made the Ultimate X match famous. He called the Scaffold âElevation Xâ his creation. And he was going to make someone famous for fighting him. Rhino came out to join Styles on the Scaffold but Styles climbed down to safer ground. Rhino said he was tired of Styles running and âElevation Xâ was going to be the end of his career.
(2) Robert Roode (w/Ms. Brooks), âTennessee Cowboyâ James Storm (w/the Pride of Tennesseeâ Jacqueline Moore) and âShowtimeâ Eric Young defeated Voodoo Kin Mafia (Kip and BG James) and Lance Hoyt.
Young and BG began the match as Young stood in the ring totally confused what to do. Instead he did some dancing with BG and accidentally helped double clothesline Storm. Roode came in and with some help from Storm got BG off his feet. BG was able to tag in Hoyt who cleaned house as BG and Kip tried to get to Moore. Hoyt went up but his top rope move was cut off by Roode who dropped him on the turnbuckle crotch first. After the pin âWildcatâ Chris Harris came from the crowd again and chased Storm to the locker room.
Mike Tenay and Don West talked to the home fans. The ring was set up for Destination X contract signing with Jim Cornette and Mike Tenay in the ring. They brought out âBig Poppa Pumpâ Scott Steiner and Kurt Angle. Steiner said he didnât want Angle to make more money then he was contracted to make on a PPV. Angle said his reasons for coming to TNA werenât selfish like Steinerâs, he came to make TNA bigger not rape it for all its worth. Angle said he was going to make an example of âthe money grubbing whiny bitchâ Steiner had become. After the contact was signed the table was tossed and Steiner head butted Angle which spilt both of them open. Tomko and Cage hit the ring and Angle with all they had.
(3) In a ladder X match Jerry Lynn defeated Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, the Austin Starr and Senshi.
By winning this Lynn became number one contender to face âthe Futureâ Chris Sabin. This was harder to follow then any other match with the ladders on the floor and at the same time the combatants. Starr and Senshi fought over a ladder by chest chopping each other. Lynn got a ladder but got it kicked in his face the same way Lethal kicked the ladder Starr and Senshi fought over. During the bout Bob Backlund came out to watch. Lynn hit a wheel barrel move dropping Dutt on a ladder. Senshi went for a handspring elbow to the corner but Lynn caught him. But Lynn fell to the mat and Senshi hit the double stomp. All three ladders were set up as everyone fought for the X. Starr stopped Senshi but Lynn stopped both of them, sending them crashing to the ropes below. Lynn retrieved the X to win. After the match Backlund shook hands with Dutt and Lethal before entering to talk to Lynn. Starr got in Backlundâs face once more and got locked in the Crossface Chicken Wing.
Xplosion matches:
(1) World X Division champion âthe Futureâ Chris Sabin defeated Shark Boy with a rollup and both arms draped over the ropes.
(2) Petey Williams, Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt defeated Serotonin members âMaverickâ Matt Bentley, Frankie âthe Futureâ Kazarian and âHotshotâ Johnny Devine vs. after Williams hit Kazarian with the Canadian Destroyer and Dutt hit a standing shooting star press. After the loss Raven (wearing angelâs wings) came out to deliver some discipline to Kazarian. After two shots Kazarian in Ravensâs face but he dropped down for one more
Matches announced for Destination X PPV:
***NWA World Heavyweight champion âCaptain Charismaâ Christian Cage vs. Samoa Joe
***In an Elevation X match, âWar Machineâ Rhino vs. the Phenomenalâ AJ Styles
***In a Last Rites match, Sting vs. Abyss
***âBig Poppa Pumpâ Scott Steiner vs. Kurt Angle
***NWA World X Division champion âthe Futureâ Chris Sabin vs. Jerry Lynn (not 100% sure)
***NWA World Tag Team champions Latin American Xchange (âNotorious 187â Homicide and Hotstuff Hernandez) vs. Team 3D (Brothers Ray and Devon, also not 100% sure)
Credit Alan J. Wojcik of http://alanwojcik.com
