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Xplosion Report for March 25, 2006
by Richard Trionfo
It is time to look back at what happened on last week’s episode of Impact from the aftermath of Destination X. How was Scott Steiner received in the Impact Zone? What will happen as we move towards Lockdown? Who will Christian Cage defend the title against now that he has had a successful title defense? Will we hear any news about the Detroit house show that took last week? What will the Xplosion Xclusive match be this week?
We start off with footage from Destination X where Jeff Jarrett tells us that Sting is not coming. Then we see Christian Cage get whipped, only to be saved by Steve Borden. Scott Steiner comes out to help Jarrett and then everyone attacks Steve Borden and then Scott Steiner puts Borden in the Steiner Recliner while Jarrett hits Borden with a guitar.
Your host is Jeremy Borash . We will see Samoa Joe as well as a Christopher Daniels interview. We will also see an eight man match as well as more footage from Tucson , Arizona .
Jeff Jarrett comes to the ring and he is joined by Gail Kim, Jackie Gayda, Scott D’Amore, Eric Young, Petey Williams, A1, Bobby Roode, Chris Harris, James Storm, Alex Shelley (with ShelleyCam), Abyss, and James Mitchell. Jarrett has the mic and he says that you are looking at the cast of characters who got what needed to be accomplished at Destination X. Sting is gone again, but this time it is different. At Final Resolution, Sting left on his own terms, but after Destination X, he left on Jarrett’s terms. Jarrett introduces the final piece of the puzzle, Scott Steiner.
Scott Steiner comes to the ring and he has a mic. Steiner says that he has been watching TNA for a long time and has watched what TNA management has been doing. He has been watching to see who TNA has been hiring and they haven’t called him. He mentions Rhino and does not have high opinions about him. Then he sees TNA sign two fat out of shape, backyard wrestlers names Team 3D. He calls the two roly polies and tell them that he is what a champion looks like. He tells them to stay in the backyard. Then he talks about some guy from Canada called Christian. Steiner tells Christian that the vein in his arm is bigger than Christian’s arm; and his arm is bigger than Christian’s leg. Steiner says that Christian is one bitch slap away from becoming an ex-champion. The last guy that TNA hired that flipped him out was Sting. They rolled out the red carpet and wined and dined him to be the new face of TNA. Steiner has two questions. Where is the new face of TNA and where is Sting. Sting is running scared and Scott Steiner is the new face of TNA. Steiner found out why TNA management wasn’t calling him. It was because they heard that he had a bad attitude and that he was down on authority and had a bad problem with people. Scott reminds us that he has been arrested, jailed, and put in lockdown and in solitary confinement. He apologizes for nothing. Scott says that there is a new day in TNA. They are the new face of TNA. Wherever Jeff Jarrett goes, he goes. If you have a problem with Jeff Jarrett, you have a problem with the ‘Big Bad Booty Daddy’. We go to commercial.
We are back and before our first match, we are told that Jay Lethal and Chris Sabin are already members of Team USA in the World X Cup. It is time to find out who the final member of Team USA will be. Simon Diamond joins Don and Mike at the announce table for this match.
Match Number One: Matt Bentley (with Traci Brooks) versus Elix Skipper (with Simon Diamond) versus Sonjay Dutt in a World X Cup qualifying match for Team USA
Skipper and Bentley attack Dutt as the bell rings. Bentley and Skipper throw Dutt out of the ring and then Bentley punches Skipper. Skipper with a kick to Bentley’s arm, but Bentley responds with more punches. Bentley with a belly-to-belly suplex to Skipper for a two count. Bentley punches Skipper and then Skipper charges into a boot in the corner. Bentley goes up to the second turnbuckle for a crossbody. Skipper escapes the cover with the matrix and then hits a spin kick for a two count. Bentley punches Skipper, but Dutt with a springboard missile drop kick to Bentley and Skipper and Dutt with a kip up. Dutt punches Skipper and then tries for a tilt-a-whirl move, but Skipper holds on to Dutt and sets up for Sudden Death, but Bentley kicks Elix. Bentley punches Dutt and then Irish whips him, but Dutt holds on to the ropes. Bentley charges at Dutt and Dutt with a body scissors and then he sends Bentley over the top rope to the floor. Skipper with a punch that knocks Dutt off the apron. Skipper with a corkscrew plancha onto Dutt and Bentley. Skipper rolls Dutt back into the ring and Dutt punches Skipper. Skipper and Dutt exchange forearms. Skipper tries a springboard moonsault, but Dutt moves out of the way and Elix lands on his feet. Skipper with a forearm that sends Dutt to the apron. Bentley with a super kick to Skipper and he covers Elix. Dutt goes up top and hits a 450 splash on both men and then he covers Bentley for the three count.
Winner: Sonjay Dutt (advances to Team USA in the World X Cup)
Simon Diamond says that it is a sad day when Team USA has a member named Sonjay Dutt on it. Mike says that Simon looks cocky and confident. He asks about Simon’s trip to Tucson , Arizona to confront A.J. Pierzynski and Dale Torborg. Simon says that he promised the wrestling fans that he would go to Tucson and confront A.J. and Dale as well as prove that he is the greatest two sport athlete.
We go to the footage. Simon tells Alex the reason why he brought him and the ShelleyCam to Tucson , Arizona , the home of the Chicago White Sox. A.J. Pierzynski and Dale Torborg thought they got one over on the Diamonds in the Rough, but who will laugh now when he brings the fight to them. Simon says he has taken care of any problems getting in. Simon takes some batting practice and then he asks how he did and the coach tells Simon that his attitude sucks.
We return and Simon says that he proved to the White Sox and the world that he is the greatest two sport athlete alive. When he confronted Torborg and Pierzynski, they ran away. He says that he was offered a contract on the spot based on his performance, but he declined it due to the Diamonds in the Rough. Mike says that wasn’t the story that he heard and he has some exclusive video. Simon wants to go to break and we go to commercial.
We are back and Simon tells the people in the truck to cue a commercial. Mike says that it is time to see the exclusive footage from the White Sox. We see Simon yelling about giving away titles and how titles are earned through blood, sweat, and tears. He never got handed a title. A.J. wants to know if Simon is talking to him and he ‘goes down to Simon’s level’. Simon continues to comment about how titles have to be won. Now they are going to be handed titles. Simon says that A.J. got lucky in baseball and then he got a cheap shot in on him. A.J. will not get a cheap shot on him today. We see other White Sox team members watching this situation and A.J. says that he knocked him out once and Simon doesn’t know what is coming next. From out of nowhere, Ozzie Guillen hits Simon with a chair and tells him to leave his field.
We return to the Impact Zone where Don and Mike are laughing at what they just saw and Simon is not enjoying his time at the announce position. Simon says that the video has been doctored with an iPod. Mike corrects Simon and says that he must have meant PhotoShop. Don recaps what Ozzie told Simon after he hit him with the chair. Simon gets up and leaves the announce position. Don and Mike talk about the chair shot.
Jeremy is joined by Christopher Daniels and he asks about his victory at Destination X. Christopher says that all is right with the world because TNA’s shining light is once again the X Division champion. He addresses everything that Joe has done to him, he wants to know what it is like to have something important taken from him. Jeremy talks about how Daniels’s first title reign is the longest in TNA in the X Division. Daniels says that he has not looked long term, but as wrestlers come in, it will be hard to keep the title for six months, but it is his destiny to hold it and defend it against all comers to TNA.
Match Number Two: Abyss (with James Mitchell) versus Cassidy Riley
Riley punches and kicks Abyss, but they have no effect on him. Riley tries for an Irish whip, but Abyss will not budge. Riley tries for a handspring back elbow, but he leaps into a boot from Abyss. Abyss charges into the corner with a splash. Abyss continues the attack with Shock Treatment. James Mitchell gets on the apron and signals for doomsday. Abyss with a Black Hole Slam for the three count. We go to commercial.
Winner: Abyss
We are back and So Cal Val is with Don West to find out his thoughts about Lockdown. Don talks about last year’s pay per view and how he didn’t think they would be able to top each match. They put on a great effort and Don says that it was one of the best pay per views that TNA put on. Don reminds us that it has been a year, so he is fired up.
Match Number Three: Latin American Exchange (Homicide and Machette [with Konnan]) versus Norman Smiley and Shark Boy
Homicide and Machette attack Smiley and Shark Boy before the bell rings and Konnan watches from the apron. Machette kicks Smiley while Homicide punches Shark Boy. Konnan joins in and punches Shark Boy as well. Shark Boy and Smiley gain the advantage and they punch Homicide and Machette respectively in the corners. Machette and Homicide are Irish whipped into each other and then Shark Boy back body drops Machette over the top rope to the floor. Smiley with an atomic drop to Homicide and then Shark Boy bites Homicide. Smiley with a hot shot and it is time for the Big Wiggle. Konnan comes in and hits Smiley with the slapjack and Machette with a clothesline to Shark Boy. Machette punches Shark Boy and then connects with crossfaces. Machette holds Shark Boy for Konnan and Shark Boy moves and Konnan hits Machette with the slapjack. Shark Boy gets the three count while Konnan watches.
Winners: Shark Boy and Norman Smiley
After the match, Homicide and Konnan stand over Machette. Homicide and Konnan attack Machette as we go to commercial.
We are back and Jeremy talks about how pay per views are available on the TNA website if you are living overseas. Jeremy talks about the tapings at Universal Studios. He also talks about upcoming shows in Virginia .
Match Number Four: Samoa Joe versus Puma
Joe blocks kicks from Puma. Joe with a kick to Puma’s head and Puma goes outside the ring. Puma pulls Joe down and Puma with a slingshot senton back into the ring. Puma with a spin kick and then he charges at Joe and Joe with an STO. Joe with a kick to Puma’s chest and back. Joe with a snap mare, chop, kick, and knee drop combination. Joe with a rear chin lock, but Puma with elbows and a chop. Joe with a running knee to Puma’s head. Joe slams Puma’s head into the turnbuckle and then Joe puts Puma up for the muscle buster, but Puma blocks it and then Joe with chops to Puma. Joe with a reverse atomic drop to Puma. We go to commercial.
We are back and Joe with a forearm and chop to Puma. Joe with an Irish whip and a running knee to Puma in the corner. Joe with the face wash and the running boot to Puma’s face. Joe gets Puma up for the muscle buster, but Puma escapes and Puma with a kick to Joe’s head followed by a drop kick. Puma with a springboard cross body for a two count. Puma goes to the second turnbuckle and tries for a rana, but Joe catches Puma. Puma with a sunset flip for a two count. Joe with a power slam for a two count. Joe with an Irish whip and Puma goes to the apron when Joe charges. Puma with a kick and then he tries for a slingshot move, but Joe slaps Puma and then Joe with the muscle buster followed by the choke and Puma taps.
Winner: Samoa Joe
So Cal Val is with Traci Brooks and she asks about the Knockouts DVDs. Traci talks about what they are not wearing. There will be waterfalls, bikinis, suits, pearl necklaces, and army gear. Traci talks about the knockout section on the TNA website. Traci talks about her own website. We go to commercial.
Match Number Five: America ’s Most Wanted (with Gail Kim), Alex Shelley (with ShelleyCam), and Shannon Moore versus A.J. Styles, Christopher Daniels, Ron Killings, and Rhino
Rhino and Chris Harris start things off, but Harris tags in Shelley before they lock up. Rhino with a side head lock into a wrist lock. Shelley with an arm drag, but Rhino with a clothesline and hip toss for a two count. Rhino punches Shelley and then he tags in Daniels. Daniels with a punch to Shelley’s arm followed by an arm drag into an arm bar. Daniels chokes Shelley with his boot and then hits a drop kick to the back of Shelley’s head for a two count. Daniels and Storm are now in the match and Daniels punches the Cowboy before tagging in A.J. Daniels Irish whips Storm into an elbow from Styles and they follow that with Styles going low with a leg sweep while Daniels goes high with a clothesline and Styles with a two count. Styles with an elbow to Storm, but Shelley with a knee to Styles’s back when he comes off the ropes. Styles punches Shelley and Alex goes to the floor. Styles with a punch to Storm and then he tries to punch Moore on the apron before Harris clotheslines Styles from the apron. Storm covers, but the referee is out of position. Moore tags in and he kicks Styles followed by a belly-to-back suplex for a two count. Moore poses for the fans and hits a leg drop followed by a front face lock. Styles tries to make the tag, but Harris comes in and punches Rhino and knocks Rhino off the apron. Moore punches Styles and then sends him into his corner, but A.J. punches Storm and Shelley and then hits an elbow on Harris. Styles with an elbow followed by the springboard moonsault into the inverted DDT on Moore . Killings tags in and he punches Moore followed by punches to Harris and Storm on the apron. Killings with more punches to Moore . Killings with a split when Moore tries for a clothesline followed by a jumping leg lariat. Killings with a kick followed by a front suplex. All eight men get involved in the match and Daniels sends Storm out of the ring while Killings takes care of Shelley. Daniels sends Killings into the ropes and then Killings with a somersault plancha onto Storm and Shelley when Daniels pulls down the top rope. Harris with a clothesline to Daniels and then he is given the handcuffs by Gail Kim. Rhino with a GORE to Harris and they both go outside the ring. Moore punches Daniels and then kicks him. Moore comes off the ropes and then Daniels gets Moore up and he hands Shannon off to A.J. who hits a powerbomb and then puts Moore in the Styles Clash for the three count.
Winners: Christopher Daniels, A.J. Styles, Ron Killings, and Rhino
Xplosion Thoughts:
I like how they are including new interview segments instead of replaying all of the promos from Impact. It allows storylines to be advanced and makes the show more than an Impact recap show.
Why do they have to include a commercial break during the Xplosion Xclusive match?
The Puma/Joe match was better in person than it came out on television. I thought that match was supposed to be on week two of Impact since it was after Joe’s opponent for Lockdown was announced. They cut away from Joe post match to avoid giving away his opponent.
