The Katz Files – Arnie Katz

My Weekly TNA Notebook

The Kingfish Arnie Katz presents his analysis of topics raised by the 11/13 episode of iMPACT

After a video recalled the Main Event Mafia’s triumph at Turning Point Jeremy Borash came on live with Jeff Jarrett and Mick Foley.

Double J said it didn’t matter how many times you get knocked down, it’s how many times you get back up again.

Mick Foley blasted Alex Shelly for not taking things seriously enough.

The Kingfish Comments: At times Jeff Jarrett acts like he doesn’t care. That’s not too likely, so perhaps he is a little rusty and sometimes loses focus. This time, though, he was right on the topic and said something meaningful.

The scenes with him and Foley have not bee as strong as might’ve been hoped. This could be due to the writing;. It sometimes seems like Jarrett doesn’t have anything prepared and, when he wings it, sometimes he comes off as distant and uninvolved.

Mick Foley, standing at center-ring, called out the members of the TNA originals. AJ Styles, Samoa Joe and Eric Young answered the summons first, followed by Consequences Creed, Black Machismo, Petey Williams and the Motor City Machine Guns.

“You don’t win respect with four losses at <Turning Point,” Mick got into an argument with Alex Shelly over his bad attitude.

Foley criticized Samoa Joe and AJ Styles for the way they fought their Turning pointmatches. He told Joe that he had Nash beaten and then, somehow, ended up on the short end of the decision.

Mick Foley then announced that Eric Young would fight for the X Division title against Sheik Abdul Bashir on the card. He then announced that Samoa Joe and AJ Styles will get a shot at the World Tag Team Championship against Beer Money. He wrapped it up by matching Jay Lethal against Sting for the World Heavyweight Championship.

The Kingfish Comments: The individual members of the TNA Originals should’ve been announced as they came down the ramp to the ring. Not full-dress entrances, but the announcers could’ve called their names as part of the process of defining the group for the fans.

The idea that the TNA Originals would stage a comeback on the first iMPACT after their drubbing at the pay per view is sound, but the action matches show a certain lack of planning. Since neither Bashir nor Beer Money is part of the Main Event Mafia, taking their titles has very little affect on the heel group.

The booking also muddied the waters about who is part of the MEM. Throughout the show, the announcers tried gamely to somehow relate the matches against heels outside the Main Event Mafia to the counter-offensive, but it just didn’t work.

When Lauren asked an arriving Christian Cage for his thoughts, Cage replied that he had no thoughts and would just have to do what he had to do.

Kurt Angle and the other members of the MEM met Cage in the parking lot and promised him a big party for his induction.

Kevin Nash gave Christian Cage what looked like a suit in a protective bag. When the MEM gang left, Christian threw it into the nearest trash can.

The Kingfish Comments: In contrast to the two dramatic scenes that opened the show, this one came across very well. The way Cage indicated his insubordination by tossing the suit was especially effective.

Lauren tried to talk to ODB as the Trailer Park Princess did some light construction work. She told the interviewer that she was building a set for her new TV Show, which will debut on the 11/20 iMPACT.

The Kingfish Comments: And so the changes continue. This looks like Karen Angle might be kaput. I don’t know how ODB will do, but Ms. Angle’s segments just didn’t catch fire. I’m not sure what the problem was, but her segments seemed so distant from the show.

Awesome Kong & Rhaka Khan (with Raisha Saeed) d. Roxxi & Taylor Wilde

The heels didn’t wait for the babyfaces to get to the ring and attacked them on the ramp! A wild melee ensured in the ringside area.

When Roxxi got a hot tag, she jumped on Kong’s back to try a Sleeperhold. Rhaka Khan knocked her off with a well-placed Ax Kick.

As Taylor Wilde and Rhaka Khan brawled in the ringside area, Kong stunned Roxxi with a couple of hard punches and then put her away with the Implant Buster.

Grade: B-

The Kingfish Comments: The booking of this match seemed out of kilter. Having Awesome Kong destroy Roxxi in the middle of the ring is not a good way to set up the Hardcore Knockout as the next challenger for the Knockout Championship.

It’s not like there are a lot of alternative challengers for Awesome Kong. Unless the plan is to recycle Taylor Wilde or ODB, it doesn’t seem smart to make Roxxi take a clean pin. (Kong should’ve used the Awesome Bomb to finisher; an Implant Buster seems misdirected at Roxxi.

My prediction is that ODB will be the next challenger to Awesome Kong. The TV Show is a good vehicle for getting her back in the spotlight. She is smaller than Kong, of course, but she doesn’t have the dainty look of Taylor Wilde and other Knockouts, either.

The Motor City Machine Guns talked somewhat belligerently to Lauren. Alex Shelley said he couldn’t figure out how Joe and Styles got “to the front of the line.”

Chris Sabin seconded his partner’s emotion.

The Kingfish Comments: For two weeks, TNA has teased the idea that the Guns don’t see eye to eye about the Respect War. Shelley has mouthed off and Sabin has stayed cooperative. Now it looks like TNA has revised its booking so that the Guns will both leave the TNA Originals faction instead of breaking up the team with a feud.

Lauren was on hand to eavesdrop as Raisha Saeed told Traci Brooks that Kong needs competition. She threatened to have Kong hurt civilians if things didn’t improve.

The Kingfish Comments: I hope this doesn’t mean that Kong’s next opponent is Traci Brooks. For all her good qualities, Traci Brooks isn’t a very proficient wrestler. It’s a mistake to put her in the ring in the spotlight, where her weakness in that area will be made all too clear.

The other possibility – and its a more appealing one – is that TNA is clearing the decks to introduce a new Knockout to challenge Kong.

An “Across the Line” video ran. The wrestlers all agreed that they take more risks to please the fans.

Eric Young d. Sheik Abdul Bashir
X Division Championship

Bashir tried to bull-rush Young, but Showtime withstood the assault and retaliated with a Belly-to-Belly Suplex.

Since Shane Sewell was the official, the announcers reminded fans about the run-ins the striped shirt has had with the X Division Champion.

When the Sheik hit a low blow and covered, Sewell started to count. Then he thought better of it and waved it off with the ruling that the low blow invalidated the cover.

Bashir pushed Sewell to the canvas and went after Young. The plucky ref had had enough, though, and ripped off his striped shirt! His attack enabled Eric Young to put down Bashir with the count with a Death Valley Driver and cover.

Eric Young is the new X Division Champion.

Grade: B

Lauren seemed almost as happy as the TNA Originals who were celebrating Eric Young’s victory. Eric temporarily stopped the festivities to dedicate his victory to Mick Foley.

Hernandez spoke very articulately on a “Rough Cut” video about his career.

The Kingfish Comments: The video, which was short and well-done, gave Hernandez a rare opportunity to communicate with the audience and he made the most of it. He could be another Batista, but with more ring skills, if brought along properly. I was impressed by his mic skill; his ring work speaks for itself.

Jeremy Borash asked the Main Event Mafia if Young’s victory meant that the TNA Originals were on a roll. Kurt Angle point out that Sheik Abdul Bashir isn’t a member of the Main Event Mafia.

Petey Williams tried to enter the ME$M dressing room, but got rudely turned away. Scott Steiner said he would talk to him later.

“God bless the new President! God bless my new boss!” Black Machismo told Lauren. He was in a savage mood.

After Machismo departed, Petey Williams joined Lauren. She warned him to be on his guard with the Main Event Mafia. Maple Leaf Muscle dismissed her gears.

Scott Steiner (with Kurt Angle) d. Rhino

Rhino recklessly set up for a Back Body Drop too soon and took a Belly-to-Belly Suplex from Steiner. This was the first significant move in the match, because each man had enough strength to make it hard for the other to get something going.

Rhino had Steiner wobbly and ready for the Gore, but Angle snagged his foot! Rhino turned to face this new threat, which left him vulnerable to Scott Steiner’s Suplex and cover.

Grade: B-

The Kingfish Comments: Here they go again, giving Steiner only a tainted victory. There’s really no reason why Rhino couldn’t do a clean job, except that TNA’s bookers sometimes act like marks, worrying about wins and losses this way. Apparent wins and losses do have an effect on fans, but booking more definitive finishes would make them seem like remarkable.

Jeremy Borash interviewed Sting, who talked about it being someone’s night. Sting wasn’t worried. Sting said that the TNA Originals would start to feud among themselves as losses mounted.

The Kingfish Comments: Anyone for Foreshadowing? The Machine Guns are gonna cause trouble.

Sting d. Jay Lethal
TNA World Heavyweight Championship

Jeremy Borash did one of his “big fight” introductions as guest ring announcer.

Jay Lethal’s speed and athleticism countered Sting’s greater strength during the opening portion of the match. His Double Ax from the top rope gained the match’s first near fall.

Lethal’s Springboard Dropkick that sent Sting out of the ring, Lethal’s Suicide Dive flattened the Icon on the arena floor.

Sting scored with several Suplexes. When the fight went to the ringside area, Sting stampeded into the guard rail, twice.

The Motor City Machine Guns came to ringside and cheered for Black Machismo.

Chris Sabin jumped into the ring and tried to hold Sting for Lethal to hit. Black Machismo declined to take advantage of the illegal help. Lethal actually threw Shelley out of the ring.

Sting capitalized on the confusion by scoring with a Scorpion Death Drop that paved the way for a pin.

Grade: B-

After the match, the rest of the TNA Originals came to the ring. Samoa Joe argued with the Machine Guns.

Grade: The Machine Guns played the role of TNA Originals, but their performance introduced an edge of doubt. Their willingness to stoop to unprovoked interference doesn’t quite mesh with the faction’s expressed high ideals. Let’s give everyone credit for a nice job here..

After a commercial break for a preview of the Video Game Awards, the camera returned in time to catch MEM beating hell out of Petey Williams.

After another break, we saw the TNA Originals trying to minister to the battered Maple Leaf Muscle.

The Kingfish Comments: This begins to settle one of the little problems associated with the Respect War: What to do about the previous connection between Williams and Steiner. Petey had already changed his haircut and, most likely, will now revamp the beard to look less like Big Poppa Pump’s chin adornment.

Lauren tried to interview Beer Money, but Jacqueline put her hand over the announcer’s mouth.

Beer Money wanted to know if everyone knew who they were. They also turned up the heat on Mick Foley, calling him “pathetic.”

A video highlighted the return of Jeff Jarrett.

Samoa Joe & AJ Styles vs. Beer Money (with Jacqueline)
TNA World Tag Team Championship

This time, James Storm rode to the ring on a Beer Money scooter that was, accounting to Mike Tenay, filled with beer.

Samoa Joe and AJ Styles took out a lot of their frustrations on the champions. Joe staggered Roode with a Forearm Smash-Reverse Round Kick combination that nearly knocked out the Wall Streeter.

Just as the babyfaces banished the heel from the ring, Team 3D arrived at the announce table to do some guest commentary. Both Ray and Devon referred to the problems they have had with Beer Money over the last six weeks or so. Brother Ray expressed approval of some of what the Main Event Mafia has said about respect.

Beer Money looked like they were destroying AJ Styles, but the Georgian hit the Pele and made the life-saving tag to Samoa Joe!

AJ took out James Storm with an out-of-ring Dive, but Jacqueline kept him from doing much follow up. Inside the ropes, Samoa Joe set up Robert Roode for the Muscle Buster. Before he could execute, HNES Storm rushed into the ring to save his partner.

Brother Ray spit beer into James Storm’s eyes. Referee Earl Hebner threw out the match.

Grade/B>: B-

A commercial for Suicide that challenged fans to guess his identity aired.

The Beautiful People ragged on Sara Palin. They offered her $50,000 to join their group.

As Mike Tenay explained the consequences of Christian Cage’s loss to Booker T at Turning Point, the Main Event Mafia gathered in the ring and called for Christian Cage to join them.

Christian Cage came to the ring, nicely but casually dressed, and almost immediately took flack about the suit.

Kurt Angle said that he had heard that Cage refused to negotiate with TNA and was shortly to desert to WWE. “This is a going away party,” said Angle and the beatdown commenced. As Angle had predicted, no one came from the back to help Cage.

Kevin Nash shook the ring with a very good Powerbomb, much better-looking than the ones he gave Joe in the PPV match. Angle added an Olympic Slam to the almost unconscious Cage.

The Kingfish Comments: After going to such pains to make both factions appear viable, TNA pushed MEM into the heel column with this attack on Christian Cage. Seems strange to go to all that trouble and then just chuck the whole idea.

Overall Grade for This Show: B-

That’s it for today. I’ll be back tomorrow with another installment of the Internet’s fastest-rising daily wrestling column. I hope you’ll come back to join me – and bring your friends.

– Arnie Katz
Crossfire4@cox.net
(11/17/08)