SPOTLIGHTS
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| Posted by Jarrod Westerfeld on 05.01.2008 |
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For those who have been following my weekly articles, Scripted Through Sin, you’ll know I’ve since moved my TNA Revised project to the blog section of my profile. Since then, I’ve taken more time to flesh out certain ideas and the build of the shows for this project. This week, we present the go-home of iMPACT! as we head into Bound For Glory on this edition of TNA Revised.
But previously on iMPACT!:
The Announcements of Bound For Glory
Chaos emerged a victor as Danielson’s request to battle Samoa Joe for the X Division Title under normal match rules rather than the X Division television match rules was turned into a challenge by Jim Cornette to prove he was not only the true contender to Joe’s crown but that he was good enough to battle the champion under regular contest rules by beating one a contender of equal right to Joe’s title in under ten minutes. Danielson would face off Kaz in a “Beat the Clock” bout that would see Danielson get a roll-up on Kaz just second after the ten minute mark. Replays of all angles would show Kaz’s shoulder was not flush with the canvas at the three count causing up a bit of stir.
The excitement that turned to disappointment soon fades into despair as Raven’s homemade video talking about the goals of his new unit and the danger Kurt Angle is placing himself by trying to challenge him for his TNA World Championship begins to air. Fuzzy and faded the picture shows off unity of this team as the words about Angle’s fate are clashed with pictures of Booker’s humiliation and defeat. The words from Mitchell about Aries and Shingo should shine through Shingo’s dominance of Elix Skipper and the intensity he and Aries share walking into a potential confrontation with Daniels and Abyss.
Fade to black as Danielson is heard barging into Cornette’s office proposing a business opportunity, only for him to be removed from the office to talk of this matter later on. A stare off is had between Danielson and Kaz, as we slowly fade into tonight’s broadcast.
Live in the Impact Zone
Bound For Glory is only a night away, and there is still no word on who will face off with the TNA World Champion, though all fingers point to the dominating Kurt Angle and his long success within the company. The announcers should be welcoming and inviting tonight as they put over the fact that tomorrow night is the big pay-per-view event and there still isn’t any decision for who will face off with Raven for the coveted championship title. But as they’re doing this, Jim Cornette should have just finished entering the ring, as the focus now shifts to the fact that all of the champions are in the ring together, and there is a lot of tension between the figures, as the Blood Inked Bruises, Tomko and Bloom, seem to impose their intimidation upon Samoa Joe and Raven, who are also fixated on one another in attempt to prove their own brand of dominance.
Cornette’s Bound For Glory Announcement
Cornette should take the time here to thank all of the champions for showing up and being nice enough to not rip each other apart as he has an important announcement for all of them based upon their individual title matches for this upcoming pay-per-view event. Jim targets Samoa Joe first, and foremost, making it clear that his title defense against Danielson two weeks ago was good and that the fans should come to enjoy seeing the two go at it once more, but that road may come at another time because at Bound for Glory, thanks to a business proposal from both Danielson and Kaz, Cornette has decided to do the right thing for the company, the championship, and the division itself by allowing an Elimination X-Division Triple Threat Match, featuring Bryan Danielson and Kaz against Samoa Joe for the X Division Championship. Joe’s reaction should be that of no concern as his confidence should build him up to step up to Cornette and ask for only one favor – that he be able to fight a warm up match tonight against one X Division contender, just to prove his dominance. So confident, in fact, he claims that he will beat whoever Jim puts in front of him in under 5 minutes. Cornette agrees and allows the champion the opportunity to leave the ring to go prep for his bout later on in the night.
Turning his attention over to the TNA World Tag Team Champions, Jim admits that there isn’t a clear enough cut challenger for the two to face off, but that these two will get to defend their titles on this event as it’s their biggest show of the year, being their first pay-per-view event they’ve had since starting up on Spike TV. So he has decided to host an open tag team gauntlet match with the Champions getting the last seat on the match. At this point, Team 3D will interrupt. Heading towards the ring the tandem will put over the fact that they’ve not had their shot to showcase to the world, on Spike TV, that they are still the greatest tag team in the industry and that they deserve a title shot tonight, let alone at Bound For Glory. Cornette weighs in proclaiming that it’s true that they haven’t had a match on Spike TV yet, but that they haven’t won enough matches to look that much better than any of the other teams, so reaches a conclusion that tonight, Team 3D will be involved in a tag team match tonight. Should they win, they’ll get a favorable lottery slot in the gauntlet match at Bound For Glory, which should allow them, seemingly a two-on-two match. Team 3D agrees and begins to face off with the Blood Inked Bruisers, much to Jim’s disapproval as he would like to take this time to make the final, and biggest announcement for Bound for Glory. Persuading the four men to get out of the ring and advising Team 3D warm up for their match later in the night, Jim now turns and focuses on Raven.
Jim can take his time here and really lay on thick of Raven, who should be more concerned over his championship title, holding it very closely and tentatively, as Cornette continues to talk on. Raven should almost appear to not even care about what Jim has to say as he focuses more and more on his title than anything else. Cornette goes on to state that he would love nothing more than to just give Kurt Angle that title match and see Raven scream in agony for all of the crap he’s pulled in the past, and more recently against Booker T two weeks ago. But Jim also realizes that he’s got to move this pay-per-view and the way to do that is to really give the fans their money’s worth, and that would include placing enough matches on this card to move it. Announcing that at Bound for Glory, Raven’s entire unit will be in action, he goes on to state that there won’t be any way Raven will be able to pull off those same actions of two weeks ago on his opponent for the title, because he’ll be sure to keep his flock of goons tied up, as he announces that Austin Aries, Shingo Takagi will team up to take on Christopher Daniels and Abyss, and just to further this, he’s going to stick Naomichi Marufuji against James Storm just for good measure. At this point Raven should look up at Jim in almost apathy, as if to say he doesn’t care what Cornette does with his new friends, as his match will still be contested under his own rules, one way or another. Cornette should pick up on that look and run with it – pointing out that once those men are finished fighting in the ring, they can continue to lash out at one another all the way to the airport, for all he cares, as he’s going to pull off any restrictions, any penalties or punishments for unsporting and unprofessional acts of aggression towards one another, just to keep that flock out of Raven’s match. Here Raven should show some concern, as if to say to himself, and the world, that now he’s feeling as though he’s in trouble.
Cornette continues by putting over that the field of contenders is a large one and that he isn’t going to give Raven any breaks by giving him a gauntlet match. It wouldn’t be fair to put him in there first, but it also wouldn’t be fair to put him last and give him a huge advantage. So instead, he’s going to build up a round robin system, one that’s going to see the Champion in action just as much as the contenders, and that Raven will be defending his title against all of these men on the same show. Right now, Raven should be outraged, as he goes on about his contract and how he’s allowed to fight all of his matches under any rules he wants – a stipulation he earned when he won the title all those months back. Cornette doesn’t care. His concern isn’t about that contract so much as it is putting on the show he feels will benefit the fans, and that will create a fair playing field for all contenders. With that Cornette ends the segment by wishing Raven luck, who is now manic and unwilling to accept this news, as we head off into our first commercial break.
Commercial Break
A Seed of Doubt
Heading to the back, we see Booker T has returned to the Impact Zone, still wearing some of the wounds of his attack two weeks ago. With wife, Sharmell, at his side, he walks towards his locker room only for Kurt to approach him and address him, asking if he’s feeling good. Booker simply looks at him and brushes him off, walking past the concerned Olympian, as the segment comes to an end. |
Back To the Cast
We’re thrown back to the announce team who wonders the state of Booker T and what must be going through his mind. The announcers focus on what state Booker will be in for Bound for Glory, if he will even want to compete on the show, and put over the Team 3D match later on tonight, as Cornette has announced that the tag team match will serve as a highlight to tomorrow night’s big challenge for the tag team titles.
At this time, we cut to the ring to see Raven as being despondent, sitting in the corner of the ring, not moving. The announcers put over the fact that during the break, Raven seemingly calmed down, only to host a protest of sorts, not moving from the ring as referees and officials tried to persuade him to leave. Raven wouldn’t respond, and now, AJ Styles is coming down to the ring for his match-up.
The Response
AJ gets into the ring, as Raven never moves. AJ simply looks at him, concerned at the fact that he’s obstructing his match time, so begins to talk to Raven in hopes of persuading him to leave the ring. Raven doesn’t look at him as AJ begins to plead his case that he needs to move. As AJ places his hands upon the champion, Raven should shrug him off, leading AJ to turn his back on the anti-social figure, who quickly begins to attack the Phenomenal One. The refs and officials flock to try and stop this from continuing, only for Raven to chase off some by swinging the title wildly. As AJ looks to recover Raven quickly hits his Evenflow DDT to leave Styles laid out, leaving him feeling satisfied with the venting process he just had. As the champion leaves the ring, the refs attempt to keep him at bay and lead him out of the ring, as the officials attend to Styles to see if he’s okay, as his landing looked awkward.
Commercial Break
The Samoan Destruction Machine
As Samoa Joe enters the ring, once more, the announce team should put over that this was at his request, and that Jim Cornette has decided to try and give Joe a run for his money tonight to see if he can back up his big talk. A timer is shown, giving him exactly five minutes at the start of the bell. At this point, Matt Morgan should be introduced as he enters the arena and begins to venture into the ring for the challenge. Morgan’s motivation should be put over here by the announce team, as a win here could shake up the picture and create doubt around Danielson and Kaz being the contenders to the title, even with a loss last week at the hands of AJ Styles.
The match begins with Joe feeling out Morgan, getting some sense of weakness before Morgan, taking into mind the time constraint against Joe, figures he’ll best him by beating the Samoan champion at his own game by pinning him in under five minutes. Countering headlocks with back suplexes and dumping the big Samoan on his back for quick pins, Morgan should look overly confident as he attempts a scissor’s kick only to be reversed into a snap powerslam that Joe follows up with a reverse hammerlock with neck vise for a submission in under three minutes. Joe should look as though his knowledge of submission holds and his execution of it is just too much for the likes of Morgan who threw out his own game plan to make up for the time factor. Joe should hold onto the move too long, getting a five count placed on him before he releases and sends Morgan on his way. The champion walks out dominant, and Morgan walks out looking doubtful of his own abilities, as he’s suffered three losses on the big spotlight of Spike TV.
Division Rivalry
Bryan Danielson is seen packing up his items and readying himself to leave the arena when Kaz shows up and interrupts him. Kaz congratulates Bryan on getting Jim Cornette to give him the no-time limit clause to the X Division Title match, much like Danielson had wanted. Bryan, begrudgingly, accepts the congratulations only to spin it on Kaz for thanking him for giving Jim a reason to give into his wants by interjecting himself into a match he had clearly lost. Kaz points to American Dragon that he never beat him, his shoulders weren’t on the mat at that three count and that he had every right to be placed into this match. Bryan never sees it this way as he feels being the best wrestler in the world, he can tell when he has someone beat, and he clearly had Kaz beat. The two share a stare, almost getting to the point where the tension is thick enough for these men to come to blows, only for Bryan to smirk and remind Kaz that he doesn’t have to do a thing until tomorrow night – that’s his stage and he’s going to take that title that he’s worked so hard for the past 6 months, and he will get his prize.
Team 3D Warms Up
We return to the Impact Zone to see Team 3D has entered the ring and is ready for action, when Cornette appears to explain that Team 3D needs to win this match to get a favorable lottery spot in the gauntlet match, but that it isn’t going to come easy. They have to earn it, and they’ll earn it by warming up for the gauntlet match.
At this point, Replay Value’s Sonjay Dutt and Jay Lethal are introduced and head down to the ring for some action. As they enter the ring and ready for the match, Cornette reminds us that it’s a gauntlet warm-up match, so Team 3D is going to have to work out which poison they’ll start off with, as L.A.X.’s Homicide and Hernandez comes out and readies themselves for action, as well. At this point and time, Jim asks which team the brothers would like to start off against, and to remember, they’ll have the other team to face off with next, so to choose carefully.
Team 3D confer with one another and decide upon Replay Value first, leaving Hernandez and Homicide for second. At this point, the bell rings and Devon and Dutt start off, with Dutt getting a quick start by skipping out on the headlock to hit a floating dropkick to the back to send Devon reeling into the ropes. Dutt should immediately keep the Devon off balance with his speed and flying ability, making quick tags to Lethal, who continues this trend. Sending Devon to the floor, Brother Ray should enter in to try and cut off Lethal’s momentum, only to duck a closeline attempt and hit Devon on the outside of a suicide dive, leaving Dutt and Ray to battle off before the commercial break.
Commercial Break
Back from the break, we see Dutt and Lethal firmly in control, as Dutt and Lethal continue to lay in a fast paced combination of maneuvers that chain well into each other’s offense, further keeping Team 3D off balance. The bout continues with Replay Value firmly in control, as Blood Inked Bruisers come down to ringside to join commentary and keep an eye out on their competition. They should put over their abilities and their toughness and how they don’t care if Team 3D feels this is their titles, they’ll have to take it from them to claim them as their own, which won’t be an easy feat. They should even put over that if it were up to them they’d run the gauntlet at the first spot and dominate the entire tag division to further prove their dominance.
At this point, Team 3D should get a moment where they can counter Dutt and Lethal’s offense to plant them to the mat. As the four men regain their wits about them, Dutt and Lethal should try and continue their offense before Ray bails Dutt out, leaving Devon and Lethal to decide the fall with Devon getting a counter for a roll-up that gets the two eliminated from the bout. At this point, L.A.X. should prep up to get on the ring apron to enter the bout, as Ray and Devon grasp their wits about them, and Dutt and Lethal walk off disappointed.
The four should start off quickly, with Homicide focusing on Ray on the outside, taking in some cheap shots while the ref continues to look on with Devon and Hernandez, who should look dominate, though he would hold trouble tossing the big man around the ring. This should be more hard hitting action with a heavy emphasis on grappling and hard hitting strikes, which counters what was emphasized before with high flying and quick paced striking and movement. Homicide should ground Ray and head in to attack Devon from behind, who should have tossed Hernandez out of the ring. Homicide should focus on trying to hit his Cop Killa’ but Devon should fight it off and counter every attempt until he is knocked out to ringside, as Ray recovers in time to catch Homicide from behind and suplex him for a count attempt that only gets two.
At this point the Blood Inked Bruisers should play a role as they leave the commentary booth to get closer to the action, drawing the attention of the referee who tries to keep them out of the ring, though that was never their intention. Hernandez back in tags Ray from behind with a blunt object that he conceals in his tights, as Homicide should roll-up Ray and start calling out for the ref to make the count. A late count gets two, only for Devon to come in and try and put some boot to Homicide, only for Hernandez to come in and blindside Devon. As the two set-up the 3D partner for a double team, Devon should bail in time for Hernandez to clock Homicide, only to turn around and eat a 3D for the three count.
Entering into the ring, the Blood Inked Bruisers grab hold of the mike and proclaim that because Team 3D did so well in this match, they’d like to congratulate them first hand and offer them the final spot in the gauntlet match, just as a sign of good faith. Reluctant, Ray grabs the mike from the big Tomko and asks for the catch. The two proclaim no catch and simply walk away from the bout, as they head up the ramp, smiling as though they had succeeded in the match, as Homicide and Hernandez bail, arguing over the count and the miscommunication that saw them lose the match.
Phenomenally Upset
To the back, we see AJ Styles with interviewer, Crystal. AJ nurses his injuries from early in the night and proclaims he will pay back Raven one way or another. Come Bound for Glory, he will get his revenge and cost Raven in the biggest way imaginable – this he promises.
A Proposal of Sorts
As Matt Morgan heads to his rental car to head out of the arena, Kevin Nash confronts him and asks for a moment to talk to him. Morgan proclaims he’s not interested in talking right now as he’d just like to end the night and move on to try and rebound from this losing streak. Nash respects his decision and leaves him be.
Commercial Break
The Truth About Circumstance
We return to see Booker T sitting in his locker room, readying his things together to try and shrug off the attacks placed upon him at the hands of Raven and his crew. BG and Konnan then enter the room and ask if they can talk to him in private, as Sharmell disapproves of their presence at first. But Booker doesn’t budge, he only sits and shakes off his wife, as if willing to give a listen to their words. As the two continue to walk into the room, they close the door behind them, and we send off to the announce team.
Final Thoughts Before Bound for Glory
The announce team should put over that TNA is hosting its biggest show of the year, tomorrow night in Miami, Florida. Putting over the major announcements tonight, they round out the card and what is to be expected for the event, until an interruption is made and out comes Amazing Kong.
Open Invitation to Destruction
Amazing Kong hits the ring, just before the final closing moments to announce that she is sick and tired of playing second fiddle to the boys, and that if they don’t give her a match tomorrow night, at Bound for Glory, she’s going to cause whatever havoc she feels necessary to implement her own brand of destruction and dominance. At the final seconds, she declares a state of Kong Law – and she’ll do what she wants, whenever she wants to because she’s so dominant that even men fear her.
The announcers bid us a farewell and remind us to order Bound for Glory to see what happens.
Bound for Glory
A TNA World Tag Team Championship Tag Team Gauntlet Match
TNA World Tag Team Champions Blood Inked Bruisers defend against Team 3D, Replay Value’s Sonjay Dutt and Jay Lethal with SoCal Val in their corner, L.A.X.’s Homicide and Hernandez, also Ron Killings with BG James, Murder City Machine Guns own Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin with Christy Hemme plus more.
TNA X Division Championship Triple Threat Elimination Match
TNA X Division Champion Samoa Joe defends his title against Frankie “Kaz” Kazarian and ”American Dragon” Bryan Danielson in an elimination styled triple threat bout.
Hazard Strike’s Austin Aries and Shingo Takagi do battle with Christopher Daniels and Abyss with Father James Mitchell.
Naomichi Marufuji does battle with James Storm with Miss Tennessee Jackie Moore.
TNA World Heavyweight Championship Round Robin Challenge
TNA World Heavyweight Champion Raven defends his title against all challengers in a round robin styled tournament featuring Kurt Angle, Booker T plus more. |
And with that, the go home tells the story of uncertainty in the card and that there may be things the shake up the very foundation of the company as a new champion may be crowned during the span of the entire night. It’s time to find out who is truly Bound for Glory. |
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