Tha iMPACT! Playback

Here it is ladies and gentlemen, January 4th, 2010. A date that may go down as a turning point in wrestling history that we may never forget. TNA starts the year off with a Live 3 Hour "iMPACT!" Hulk Hogan makes his debut as the new leader of TNA tonight and The Monday Night Wrestling Wars return, at least for one night. The Hulkster picks a fight as TNA iMPACT! goes live against WWE’s RAW on Spike TV!

This show was chalk full of surprises. There is a new TNA Logo. It’s just a little cleaner version of the regular logo. Someone may be listening to me after all. iMPACT! starts off hype with a new set and pyros. After the usual video package and storyline build ups, TNA gets straight into the action with a Steel Asylum match.

Steel Asylum
Amazing Red vs. Suicide vs. Homicide. Consequences Creed vs. Jay lethal vs. Alex Shelley vs. Kioshi vs. Chris Sabin

Steel Asylum is always a guaranteed action packed match and this was no disappointment except for the shortness of it. The match ends in a no contest when Homicide takes everyone out with a steel baton. The fans chant “this is bullshit” as Spike attempts to edit the “shit”. Homicide climbs to the top of the cage even after the bell rang but falls from the top and gets rushed by the other wrestlers in the ring.

All of a sudden, Bang! Pow! Jeff Hardy comes out of the crowd sporting a new look and short hair. Homicide attacks Hardy but Jeff turns it loose. Hardy climbs to the top of the cage and sits up high looking over the crowd. Jeff Hardy is in TNA! Now that’s how you make an iMPACT! Why wasn't Hardy in the match? Would've been a better idea to have Hardy win the Steel Asylum.

The Hulkster is on his way in a limo with a motorcade. Kevin Nash does an interview and tells us how excited he is tonight. Nash says Hulk is on his way and he is not alone.

TNA Knockouts Championship – Champion Tara vs. ODB

WOW! Ol' Dirty Skank regains her title with a grip on the trunks of Tara. Nice attempt at Spike to cut away from ODB exposing Tara’s ass crack. Tara Widow’s Peaks ODB and puts the spider on her after her loss. I so expected Tara to retain. Way too short of a match considering it was a title match.

A limo pulls up and it’s...Ric Flair! Flair is greeted by a large group of TNA wrestlers. Ric Flair is in TNA!

Mick Foley gets barred from the iMPACT! Zone! Niiiicceee…

Bobby Lashley is such a punk. He comes out to the ring and has his wife running her mouth. Mrs. Lashley asks for Bobby’s release?? Yes! I couldn’t be happier! Now that was a loser way to be out.

Ah...The Beautiful People. Strip Poker with the Beautiful People! Awesome!

Scott Hall and Sean "X-Pac" Waltman show up and security refuse their entry. Hall snaps and goes off on the security. A-Yo! I had to say it! Scott Hall and X-Pac crash the party and show up in the iMPACT! Zone unannounced and uninvited!

Finally The Hulkser arrives dressed in all black and with the NWO theme music in the background! An instrumental version no doubt.

Is the band back together? Some people don't like the NWO and you don't have to. I love how Hogan made his debut at 8:59 just before RAW went on the air! (Not in Canada though - with the delay it starts at 9:15) Brooke Hogan’s in the crowd. Brooke get at me, I’m headed your way!

Hall and Pac jump the barriers and get in the ring! Hall, Pac and Hogan go back and forth. Hogan says things are different now and things have changed and it’s time for everyone to grow up and do the right thing for the business.

Out comes Kevin Nash and he pulls Hogan’s card but “Eazy E” Eric Bischoff comes out and makes things clear. The Wolfpack retreats. Hogan and Eric talk change. Bischoff tears up the production format for the evening and says were starting over. Suddenly Sting appears in the rafters. It’s on and poppin’. I must admit being a big NWO fan back in the day, I totally marked out seeing Hall, Nash, Hogan and Bischoff standing in the same ring again live on my television.

TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship
Serita & Taylor Wylde vs. Hamada & Awesome Kong

Wylde and Serita are both Canadians, Interesting. Some one takes out the MCMG’s in the back during this match.

Wylde and Serita start off on the right foot but Hamada and Kong prove to be strong adversaries. Awesome Kong delivers a Missile Drop Kick and gets the pin. New Knockouts Tag Team Champs! At least this one was better than the Knockouts Title match.

Seven Card Babe. The BP gets their gambling interrupted by Val Venus in his towel. I must admit I’m a bit jealous of ol’ Val. I’d like to be sitting with those three in just a towel. Val challenges the Beautiful People to a hand of poker.

Foley is outside still trying to get in the iMPACT! Zone, when Mick leaves The Nasty Boys show up but they can’t seem to get in either. The not letting people in stuff gave me the impression that TNA is unorganized.

Matt Morgan & Hernandez vs Dr. Stevie & Raven

Morgan and Hernandez annihilate Stevie and Raven quick and fast. So much for the rumor that this was gonna be the main event tonight. These two would make great tag team champs. This match was way too short. These superstars shoulda had time to shine on such an important night in TNA.

Pope Interview. He preaches about himself and I wanna vomit. I think Christy got her tits done. Pope gets interrupted by Orlando Jordan. Ha! Orlando punks The Pope!

Desmond Wolfe vs. The Pope D'angelo Deniro

Wolfe does what he does best by picking his opponent apart. Pope turns it around and catches Wolfe in a small package to get the pin and the win. I thought for sure Wolfe was gonna take this one considering the iMPACT! he's had since his debut in TNA. Why have Wolfe lose to The Pope when Wolfe was getting the best of Angle until Final Resolution?

The King of the Mountain arrives! Jeff Jarrett is backstage in the iMPACT! Zone! Wooptie woop.

I guess it's just the set up for the Hogan-Jarrett storyline. I'm not mad at what they're trying to do here.

Bubba the Love Sponge is in the back where Rhyno has been taken out just like the MCMG’s earlier. Who’s on a rampage? Is it the Masked Man or is it Sting taking everyone out?

And who is the Masked Man? Sid perhaps?

Let’s do a count. So far, Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, Ric Flair, Scott Hall, X-Pac, Sting, Jeff Hardy, Val Venis, Shannon Moore, Bubba the Love Sponge, Orlando Jordan and The Nasty Boys have all appeared on camera in TNA tonight or made their debut if you will.

That alone is monumental for TNA. This night has definitely been historic thus far.

AJ Styles Interview.

Styles says how excited he is tonight. Bischoff interrupts AJ and says he has good news and bad news. Eric says that Styles is not facing Angle at Genesis but he’ll be facing Angle tonight on iMPACT! in the main event.

Jarrett makes his way to the ring. Jeff gives a history lesson about TNA. Yes we should all thank Jeff for his gift to the wrestling world. Jeff sounds like a broken record. Jarrett says we ain’t seen nothing yet. T-N-A Chant ensues. Hogan interrupts, and says nobody cares and tells Jarrett that he needs to straighten his act up. Hogan says now he is Dixie Carter’s partner and all the young guys are gonna get the push. Hogan puts Jarrett on notice and says to get the boots out because he has to prove himself like everyone else. The plot thickens...

Daniels Interview.

Which gets interrupted by JB followed by Mick Foley. Foley finally finds a way to get in the building. Of course.

Samoa Joe vs. Abyss

Joe goes in on Abyss, remember Joe got the TNA title shot at Final Resolution. Abyss stops Joe’s reign of violence and turns it around on Joe for a hot minute. Another Sting sighting during the match. The ref misses the chair shot to Abyss from Joe. Abyss gets caught in a submission hold and taps to the Samoan Submission Machine. Pretty sloppy match on Abyss’ side of things.

Bobby’s wife confronts Bischoff and she demands a meeting with Hulk Hogan. Eric tells her to stand in line. Classic Bischoff here. Beer Money gets taken out next by the mystery maniac.

The Love Sponge gets the Nasty Boys in. It’s Hulksters Rules tonight folks.

Kurt Angle Interview.

Angle gets his chance for revenge tonight. Oh it’s real.

The Nasty’s take over Team 3D’s locker room. They just showed up and they already started a feud. But why did they show up? It’s not like they had a match or were hanging with Hogan. New feud I gather: Team 3D vs. The Nasty Boys. Could be interesting. Maybe not.

Main Event – TNA Championship Match
AJ Styles vs. Kurt Angle

The chants are split between “let’s go Angle” and “let’s go AJ”. Fast paced match from Jump Street. The Masked Man interrupts and Angle takes him out. Angle saves Styles. Such sportsman like from Kurt. Angle delivers an amazing power bomb to Styles into the turnbuckle. The fans are right "this is wrestling". There were so many near falls for both wrestlers in this classic match I lost count. This one was non stop action for sure and murked the RAW main event.

“Who needs Bret” chant starts. These TNA fans are nuts, ya gotta love it! Kurt was so relentless, no matter what AJ brought to him he always found a way to counter or kick out. Angle hits an Angle Slam off the top rope and still doesn’t get the pin. Styles hits the Styles Clash and Angle kicks out. Unbelievable. Angle goes back to the Ankle Lock.

Suddenly Ric Flair comes to the top of the ramp. Again Angle kicks out. Relentless I tell ya Kurt Angle is relentless. Another Styles Clash on Angle. Flair leaves and AJ goes to the top and hits a Springboard to get the pin. AJ retains his TNA Championship and finally proves he is the true champ by finally pinning Angle.

Who’s the Masked Man? That’s what I wanna know. “Good Wresslin’ Company” Come on Taz.
Hogan, fire that Jabroni Taz and gimme a shot, I know I can do better.

Out comes Hogan after the match and tells the world that Angle and Styles are the two best wrestlers in this business today. Hogan gets a message and runs out.

Foley is in the back looking for Hulk and interrupts BP and Val’s card game. Foley moves on and walks in to find Bischoff in his office or former office if you will. Foley threatens Eric and says he could work for Hogan but he promised himself he would never work for Eric Bischoff.

Mick goes to clock Eric but gets taken out by the Wolfpack and Hogan walks in at the end. Which begs the question. Is the band back together or not? I doubt Mick's going anywhere, after all he's the host of TNA Epics which debut's January 14th, 2010. Epics is TNA's answer to the WWE's Vintage Collection.

Now that was a historic night in TNA.

The Knockouts Championship and the Knockouts Tag Team Championship changed hands. Hogan and Flair were in the iMPACT! Zone! Not to mention the slew of others. Many questions were raised and many questions were answered tonight. Where in the hell was Scotty Steiner tonight? Where was The TNA tag champs The British Invasion and the World Elite? I expect RVD's debut in TNA any week now. As well as Sid Vicious.

WWE had Bret Hart guest hosting tonight who ended up burying the hatchet with HBK but got hit with a low blow to the nutsack by McMahon in end. WWE's main event was Kofi Kingston vs. Randy Orton. RAW was nowhere near as fast paced and shocking as TNA iMPACT! was tonight.

It’s about time wrestling stepped it up a little. I’ve heard all the opinions. Dan-e-o tells me that this maybe a repeat of what killed WCW. I disagree, I don’t think Hogan and Bischoff’s arrival spells the end of TNA. I believe these guys have learned from the past mistakes they made in the WCW and will use this platform in TNA to right some of the wrongs done in the past.

One is to push the young talent as opposed to holding them back like they did in WCW. Only time will tell. Let's give them a chance at least. It's easy to pass judgement on the show, but how many of us could put a show of this magnitude together and make it pop?

Either way the shock value is back in wrestling and this will only make me wanna watch more each week.

I hope things heat up for the better. Some of you may have thought TNA fell short tonight.

I was entertained and enjoyed the surprises. It was a good start to 2010 in TNA.
Total Non-Stop Action!

Tha Results:

Steel Asylum – no contest
ODB def. Tara
Awesome Kong & Hamada def. Serita & Taylor Wylde
The Pope D'Angelo Deniro def. Desmond Wolfe
Samoa Joe def. Abyss
AJ Styles def. Kurt Angle

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