iMPACT (2/21) Recap: Bad Night for Booker!
The Kingfish Arnie Katz unravels the mysteries of this week’s WWE Monday night TV show!.
The opening video recapped the tumultuous events of the previous week’s show.
“I don’t appreciate you kissing AJ Styles in front of a minister,” an irate Kurt Angle told his wife.
“It looks like jealousy is the only thing that will make you pay attention to me,” shot back Karen Angle as they argued backstage. She said everything is always about Kurt. “When is it going to be about us?” she demanded plaintively.
“I have a match against Booker T tonight. Take your drama somewhere else!” he shouted at her. She retorted that she would take her drama “to someone who appreciates me.”
AJ Styles & Tomko d. Kip James & Bullet Bob Armstrong (with BG James)
As the match was about to start, Mike Tenay explained that BG James couldn’t wrestle because of a knee injury that resulted from Styles’ dropkick.
After the opening Collar-and-Elbow, Kip James Mared AJ Styles to the mat. They ended up entangled in the ropes, where the referee broke the hold. The crowd booed loudly when The Prince failed to break cleanly.
Kip James Clotheslined Tomko, but Style struck him down with a Bicycle Kick! Karen Angle strolled to the ring to cheer on the champions.
James broke out of Tomko’s Side Headlock, got behind him and took him violently to the mat! The champions reasserted control, but James tagged in Bullet Bob Armstrong. The venerable performer cleaned house, disposing of both the title-holders and their credibility with little apparent effort. Styles and Tomko tried to Hi-Lo Armstrong, but he moved out of the way so that both crash landed.
Kip James borrowed BG James’ crutch – and used it to obliterate Bullet Bob Armstrong!
Tomko covered for the pin.
Grade: C+ (Does this make Kip a babyface now?)
Kip James bashed BG’s knee with the crutch and then gave him a good wallop across the upper back.
Crystal interviewed Gail Kim and ODB, scheduled to team together after their misunderstanding on last week’s iMPACT.
Gail conceded that there had been a problem, but claimed that was all in the past. She said that she and ODB are united in their desire to take the title, which sounds suspiciously like disunity.
ODB vowed to go through anybody to get the “Knocked Up” championship away from Awesome Kong.
“I just got caught up the moment,” said AJ Styles. “Someone had to kiss her!”
When Karen said that they were now married, AJ replied that, of course, she is married to Kurt. “Is this even legal?” Styles wanted to know.
“You need to worry about the honeymoon,” Karen scolded her newest husband. “Our honeymoon is tonight.” Good thing this show wasn’t unexpectedly pre-empted or, presumably, AJ would still be waiting for the honeymoon to start.
“I just got rid of a 250-lb. bag of [bleep],” said an angry Kip James. “Everybody knows that I hate everybody, but you and me were like brothers!” Crystal looked a little shocked as she held the mic for him.
Jim Cornette, flanked by the Motor City Machine Guns and Sonjay Dutt welcomed Jay Lethal to the ring for a well-earned, and inexplicably delayed, salute.
A video recounted his exploits at Against All Odds, when he successfully battled three heels.
Cornette ran through a list of Lethal’s achievements and called upon the fans to give him a round of applause.
Jay Lethal spoke in his normal voice until the very end of his “thank yous,” which underlined his sincere gratitude to the fans who have made me a TNA headline at such a young age.
After showering the Machine Guns with praise, Lethal paid homage to his great friend, Sonjay Dutt.
Lethal also had kind words for SoCal Val, the curvaceous ring attendant. She came through the ropes in her golden dress. Lethal got down on one knee and asked her for a date. Sonjay Dutt had a sour expression on his face as Val readily agreed. There will be trouble on that front.
Crystal asked Kaz if he was up for the challenge of Rellik. The young wrestler expressed confidence.
That confidence was not shared by Showtime Eric Young, who barged into the interview to warn Kaz about his impending doom.
Kaz slapped him. “He’s a guy like you and me,” Kaz assured the frightened Young.
Jim Cornette and Samoa Joe had another conversation about the still-unsigned contract in the GM’s backstage office.
Cornette tried to get Joe to sign, but the big Samoan said that he couldn’t sign the contract until he got his personal business out of the way. That meant the six-man match at Destination X and his title shot versus Kurt Angle at Lockdown.
Do you think there’s any chance they might shut up about the contract until then?
Kaz d. Rellik
Rellik started strong and soon forced Kaz from the ring for a breather. The fan favorite got in some punches, but they didn’t have much visible effect on Rellik.
Kaz hit some chops and then Clotheslined his foe over the top rope. He added an out-of-ring Cross Body Fly that banged Rellik to the floor. Kaz threw Rellik into the guard rail, but the mysterious maniac whirled and kicked Kaz into the middle of next week! Rellik fired Kaz into the guard rail on the opposite side of the ring and then tossed him back into the ring.
Rellik applied his Cobra submission move, but Kaz fought his way free. Rellik reapplied it. Kaz somehow used his body weight to drop to the canvas with Rellik underneath him. Almost before the heel became aware of the danger, the referee counted him out!
Grade: C+ (Rellik showed more than he has previously)
Black Reign joined Rellik in the ring. Together, they destroyed Kaz.
Eric Young appeared on the upper stage! He started to the ring, hesitated, and then decided he had to do it. He zoomed through the ropes and the two heels vacated the premises.
Crystal asked Booker T if he could switch gears and concentrate on Kurt Angle tonight.
A confident Booker told her that that wouldn’t be a problem. He reminisced about his first title match, when he subbed for Rick Martel and came away with the TV championship.
“I’m going to do you like you’re supposed to be done,” he promised Angle.
Booker revealed that Roode was not expected to be at this show and that Cornette had promised he would be there next week or face suspension.
Evocative footage told the story of Abyss, right up to when he removed his mask as he left the arena.
Mike Tenay informed fans that there was no additional information.
Don West referred to a lack of communication and said that TNA officials didn’t know Abyss’ whereabouts.
Johnny Devine d. Sonjay Dutt & Petey Williams
Three-Way Dance
X Division Number-One Contenders Match
Johnny Devine ran right at Petey Williams, who calmly sent him into Sonjay Dutt’s waiting fist. Williams then decked Devine with a Spin Kick. Dutt’s Cross Body Fly was a solid attempt at a cover, but it was too early in the match and Devine got his shoulder off the canvas.
Petey Williams was working over Johnny Devine when he paused to note the arrival of Scott Steiner and Rocka Khan on the upper stage. Dutt smeared Devine half-way across the ring with a Thesz Press!
Devine, making a comeback, stomped Williams and dealt Sonjay a Back Body Drop! He then Suplexed Williams right onto Dutt!
Sonjay Dutt surprised Johnny Devine with a Huracanrana and added a Double Knee to the chest! Devine took control and tossed Dutt to the outside. Williams tried to blitz Devine with a roll-up, but it fell one count short.
One of those metal suitcases from the Feast or Fire Match conked Dutt. Williams then scored a pin with a quick roll-up.
Grade: B- (Things broke down a little at the finish)
Scott Steiner and Rocka Khan were jubilant. “Stick with me and I’ll take you to the top!” Big Poppa Pump shouted.
“Shut your mouth and do your job,” Karen Angle snapped at Jeremy Borash. She was eager to embark on her “honeymoon” with The Prince of Phenomenal.
AJ had a bag of stuff. He brought out a candle and lit it Karen melted faster than the wax.
AJ gave her a bouquet of flowers, but Karen complained that they were artificial. “They’ll last you forever,” he said, which seemed to score some points.
Then he brought out a snow globe and presented it to her. Styles told her how, as a child, he had prayed for snow on Christmas. Yet when he awakened, there was no snow. . His grandmother gave him his first snow globe for that Christmas so that he could have snow. “As long as you have the snow globe, you’ll always have me,” he told Karen.
Mike Tenay conducted a sit-down interview with Rhino.
“I needed to walk away and look at myself and take care of me, Rhino told the Professor. “I allowed him to influence me,” Rhino admitted. The Man-Beast plans to stop James Storm.
Crystal tried to talk to Shark Boy and Curryman.
The man with the bowl on his head said a few words in broken English and danced a little, too.
When Crystal asked Shark Boy, he gave an Austin-ish answer about not knowing how to speak Japanese.
“And that’s the fishing line, because Shark Boy said so.”
Brother Ray d. Sharkboy & Curryman
This time, Brother Ray came through the pre-match weigh-in, but Devon couldn’t get under the limit.
“How could you do this to me?” Brother Ray shouted. “How could you do this to me, you fat bastard!’
“I saw you with the Twinkies! Stop eating Twinkies!” Ray begged.
Devon started to walk up the ramp. “Please don’t leave me,” Ray begged his brother. “We’ll get you help! Jenny Craig! Whatever it takes!’
Brother Ray treated Curryman to the Flip, Flop and Fly – and then showed fans how agile he is at his lighter weight by doing the Worm!
Curryman blocked several punches. He connected with a Jawbreaker and knocked Ray to the mat with a Clothesline!
Johnny Devine and Brother Devon created a distraction on the ring apron, which gave Ray the chance to sneak attack Curryman and send him to the outside! Brother Devon ran TNA’s favorite bowler into the outer guard rail.
Ray punished Curryman with a Body Scissors. He Bodyslammed the King of Spice and added an Elbow Drop! Brother Ray missed a Running Clothesline on Curryman who tagged in Shark Boy. The Waterlogged Wonder leveled Ray with a Jumping Lariat.
Shark Boy hit a Neckbreaker. Johnny Devine came in to break it up, but Curryman took him out with a Cross Body Fly from the top turnbuckle! Sharkboy gave Devon the Chummer, but Ray clouted him with the scale and pinned him!
Grade: B
Crystal asked Kurt Angle about his coming non-title match against Booker T.
“AJ and Karen can have each other for all I care,” Angle said, showing where his mental focus was. He claimed that keeping the title would always be his priority, but fans had to wonder if his mind wasn’t on his wife.
He said he might break Booker’s ankle and threw Crystal out of his dressing room.
Karen Angle seemed dubious about the Alligator farm to which Styles took her. Her knew them all by name. He conducted his bride to a bird sanctuary, which she seemed to like much better.
Roxxi Laveax & Jackie Moore d. ODB & Gail Kim
Kim and ODB hugged prior to the match. ODB offered her partner a nip from the flash, but the Korean Kutie declined.
Fail Kim and Miss Jackie exchanged Standing Switches before the pride of Tennessee Snapmared her to the mat! Jackie whipped Kim into a corner, but the former Knockout Champion did a Float Over and a Roll-up that nearly stole the match!
Roxxi Laveaux entered the fight just in time to end up on the wrong end of Gail Kim’s Huracanrana. ODB came in to pound Laveaux with power moves! ODB missed a Clothesline, but she recovered quickly and caught Laveaux coming off the ropes with a ring-rattling Fall-away Slam!
ODB ventured into the wrong corner and got double-teamed. The heels hit a Stereo DDT! Miss Jackie failed with a couple of covers and then settled for straddling ODB on the mat and trying to pulverize her with punches.
The two rulebreakers really went to town on ODB. Miss Jackie kicked her in the stomach and Hair Bealed her across the ring! ODB floated over Jackie’s corner charge and gave her a stuff kick from behind!
Fail Kim and Roxxi Laveaux replaced the teammates, but it was Kim who cleaned house. She tossed Laveaux across the ring with a Money Flip and then did her version of Old School on Jackie Moore!
Gail Kim connected with a rapid fire series of three Clotheslines. She would’ve pinned Laveaux if Moore hadn’t attacked at just the right time.
When Roxxi Laveax saw Gail Kim leap from the top turnbuckle, she yanked ODB into the path of destruction! Roxxi Suplexed Gail and scored the one-two-three!
Grade: B-
After the match, ODB vented her anger on Gail Kim. She pushed Kim three times, the last one sending her to the canvas. She bounced right back up and the two women went at each other, no holds barred!
This was a memorable catfight. At one point, Gail Kim broke free, leaped to the turnbuckle and soared over the heads of the security force to nail ODB!
They fought their way up the ramp, punching and tearing at each other.
Samoa Joe, Kevin Nash and Christian Cage met with Crystal, though Cage did most of the talking for the team.
Cage said that the last thing he saw before he blacked out at Against All Odds was AJ Styles coming at him from behind with the chair.
Cage agreed that they made an unlikely trio, but he told Crystal that they would also be unstoppable. “At Destination X, this unlikely alliance will end the Angle Alliance,” vowed Christian Cage.
“I was scared at first, but now I’m actually enjoying myself,” Karen Angle said to AJ Styles. Karen walked AJ to his room. “I had such a good time,” she coo’d.
AJ said that he was confused about Karen’s marital status. He told her that if she was his wife, every day would be a honeymoon.
He kissed her on the cheek and said good night.
Booker T d. Kurt Angle
Non-Title Match
At first, Angle seemed unwilling to mix it up. Booker looked eager, so Angle may have been playing mind games to increase his rival’s frustration.
They started out with traditional wrestling moves. To everyone’s surprise, Booker T more than held his own against the former Olympic medalist.
Angle threw Booker into the turnbuckle and he came back with two Clotheslines. The second one sent the TNA Kingpin all the way to the arena floor.
Just as the show returned from a commercial break, Booker T threw a woozy Angle back into the ring. He pursued him into the corner and laid in the punches and Forearms! Angle threw Booker into a corner, but the former WCW title-holder did a Float Over to escape a corner charge. Kurt, acting quickly, whirled around to deck Booker with a roundhouse punch! Kurt’s Suplex led to a near-fall cover.
Booker caught Angle coming into the corner with a Thrust Kick! He seized an Arm Wringer and landed another powerful kick. Kurt Angle raised his shoulder one count short of a loss. Booker scored with a Suplex Slam, but again Angle foiled the pin.
Angle caught Booker as he came off the ropes and subjected him to a Belly-to-Belly Suplex with a release!
Kurt sent Booker to the outside and smashed his face against the ring steps.
After another commercial break, Booker T looked somewhat the worse for wear. The former Olympian went to the top, but Booker T moved with the grace and speed of a panther. He joined Angle on top of the turnbuckle – and then sent him crashing to the mat with a Superplex!
Booker T landed a pair of punches and came off the ropes with a Lariat, Booker used a Snap Suplex to set up a Side Slam! Angle stopped the onslaught momentarily with a sneaky punch, but Booker T responded with a Spinebuster!
Angle dove for Booker’s ankle, but instead received a Thrust Kick!
Booker T had Angle lined up for the Ax Kick when he saw Robert Roode on the ring apron! Booker had hardly taken a step toward Roode when Kurt Angle caught him from behind with the Olympic Slam and covered for the pin and the win!
Grade: B+ (Formula ending to a good match)
Overall grade for this iMPACT: B=
NoteL If you would like to become the PWD recapper for this show, contact Arnie Katz at the email address below.
– Arnie Katz
Crossfire4@cox.net
(2/2708)
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