Impact Review, And a Happy New Year Too
Courtesy of TCE Forums & Cage's Blog of Stuff

This is my review on the episodes of Impact that TNA aired on 12/31 and 1/1, hyped as the Final Wrestling Event of 2005 and the First Wrestling Event of 2006. Had some hype to live up to, so lets see if it did. We got a brief word with Bullet Bob Armstrong, and we knew that something would go down with him, but what. Show begins, and I love that even though the show was taped 2 or 3 weeks prior, everyone has hats, streamers and signs and a guy in the front row has a sign that I've seen for two weeks. I love it. Makes me chuckle.

- Jeff Jarrett & Monty Brown def. Shark Boy & Kenny King in a squash match. TNA knows how to do squash matches, and this work. Obviously, with a squash match, nothing special to talk of, but I have to say that Kenny King took the POUNCE almost better than anyone. And Shark Boy took the Stroke and actually made it look like a really painful move. Don West wants to find out why Jackie Gayda keeps flailing down the ramp trying to talk Jackie Gayda and yet another Sting reference. We finally find out why she's here, and it's because Jarrett promised her the spot that he ended up giving Gail Kim, and she wants her spot and guaranteed money. It make sense, and I am actually not disappointed with this. She has information about Jarrett to give to TNA management and if Jarrett doesn't cough up the dough, she she'll give them some info.

- Rhino def. A-1 of Team Canada in another match that was a squash. Nothing special, Rhino wins with the Gore. Aterwards, D'Amore goes to attack Rhino, hits him with the hockey stick and Rhino goes to strike while Tenay yells for Rhino to "get that big load". I mark out for that. Abyss then comes in, chokeslam and Blackhole Slam and we've got a new match signed for Final Resolution.

- Backstage, Konnan is getting talked to by Bullet Bob. Armstrong is really trying hard to mend and fix a second rate stable with second rate wrestlers. They cut off in the middle of it though. Then we cut to a recap of the Team 3D Funeral which was one of the best things TNA has ever done. It was pulled off so perfectly.

- Samoa Joe def. Roderick Strong in an okay match. Strong got a FEW moves in, but this was another match to make Joe shine. Shannon Moore is on the Impacttron yet again with the same sign he held up two weeks ago while Dave Hebner stands up on the ramp, apparantly signed by TNA on a "consulting basis". Joe has had a 6 month winning streak, Tenay reminds us. Joe wins with the Musclebuster, and locks in the Kokina Clutch for the win.

- Backstage, the rumors we've heard are true as Konnan, Apollo, and Homocide have just decimated Bullet Bob Armstrong. Now, it would make sense for them to book Konnan, Apollo and Homocide against Kip and BG James and the returning Sean Waltman. However, rumors are flying that Kip and BG will be facing someone else. I'd actually like to see that Six Man Tag Team Match, and it'd be a pretty decent payoff match.

- James Storm def. AJ Styles and it was actually a pretty good match before the interferance kicked in. Storm won the match after Gail Kim's attempted Hurricanrana, Harris came in, clocked Styles with a beer bottle, superkick from Storm and the match was over. Daniels came out as well as Zbysko came out for an announcement. He announces the midnight show and the match will be Styles & Daniels against AMW for the Tag Team Titles. An attack from AMW, which brings Christian out to tell us that the newest member of TNA's roster will be announced at the midnight edition of Impact.

- At 11:59, the show began with Christian counting down to the New Year. It's announced that Sting is the Major Announcement that will change TNA in 2006, and that at Final Resolution, it will be Sting & Christian Cage vs. Jeff Jarrett & Monty Brown in a Tag Team Match.

- AMW def. AJ Styles & Christopher Daniels in a great match that was given about 18 minutes, but could have been better without the massive amount of commercials. Not much to say about this "show" as it only served two purposes. To announce Sting's arrival, which the hype did NOT need to last for a month, and also to brag that they held the first match of 2006, even though it was taped.

Overall, good stuff, and it wasn't too bad, but not great either.

Anyway, Happy New Year to everyone (a few hours too late) and lets all have a kick ass 2006.

Good little recap. I forgot to set a tape for those shows, but I did get to see the "first match of 2006" at Plague's party. I enjoyed it, though there was pressure from the others there to turn it off so I might have enjoyed it more at home.