TNA Impact 2/17/11…Where Is Flair?

Off the heels of Against All Odds, we are in the Impact Zone with a new TNA Heavyweight Champion, his name is Jeffery Nero Hardy.  Jeff Jarrett also beat Kurt Angle in a tough match where Kurt put his boots in the middle of the ring.  He said he has some things to think about.

Tonight, we finally get RVD going against Jeff Hardy for the TNA Title.  Can Hardy retain his title?  Let’s find out.

Immortal comes out to gloat a bit.  Bischoff introduces Jeff Hardy, with that ugly belt.

Bischoff said that you can take Fortune out of Immortal, but you can’t take greatness out of the Anti-Christ of Professional Wrestling.

We see a split screen of Ric Flair entering the Impact Zone in style, in a limo.

Bischoff said that this proves that Immortal still controls things.  Gunner and Murphy proved they are better athletes then Beer Money and Scott Steiner.  Matt Hardy has proven his worth through Immortal by giving him his all against RVD.  He asked Jeff that he knew he had plans to take a break, but the network called him up first thing Monday and told him Jeff Hardy equals ratings, so he needs to put his TNA Title on the line tonight against RVD.

Everything is in place, Immortal controls the title, Hulk Hogan is due back on March 3rd (Really?), Jeff Jarrett is getting ready for his nuptials, but now they need to find out where Ric Flair is at.  Eric went to bat for Flair when Hogan reminded Bischoff about Flair’s past of not being trusted.  So he needs to know where things stand.  So he is giving Flair a week to tell Bischoff, but here comes The Nature Boy.

Flair said that Immortal has grown up on Ric Flair.  Bischoff has grown up on Flair, Bischoff doesn’t tell Flair what to do.  Has anyone forgotten, he is a Wrestling God….WOOOOOOOOO

When he went to Europe, the fans chanted “God!!  God!!  God!!” 

Flair calls the shots, he can break up with Immortal, he can stand side by side, but it’s his decision.  That’s the power of being The Nature Boy “By God” Flair.  He’ll see them later, and hey, you honey, I’ll see you in the hotel.  WOOOOOOO

Via sattellite, Jeff Jarrett and Karen Jarrett are in a spa getting their groove on.  Jeff is a role model to Kurt, and a role model to every American out there.  Karen is glad Cody is in his life.  They have the whole night to themselves.

Backstage we come back and see A.J. Styles and Matt Hardy go at it.  Immortal and Fortune alike are fighting each other, later tonight, these two will hook it up one on one.

Mike Tenay and Taz welcome us to the show and talk about Jarrett-Angle and Hardy-Anderson.  You can check out the replay of Against All Odds by going to TNAWrestling.com.

Hernandez says hello to Sarita and Rosita.

Our first match tonight is Douglas Williams facing Hernandez.

Wow, Hernandez won the match with a Border Toss.  It was actually a squash here.  During the match, The Beatuiful People were fighting Sarita and Rosita.

Eric Bischoff is on the phone, with someone.  I guess this is “The Network”.

He wants to cancel the main event, it’s best for Jeff to have some time off.  The Network disagrees.

When we come back, The Pope is in the ring for a talking segment.  He has a pig that is roasting.  He said he is the most charismatic cat in the wrestling business.  Foot-tapping, pimp-tastic man.  Always on fire, he is so hot, not even Satan can stand next to him.  He said it is survival of the fittest.  He is the fittest, and what lies before you is a sloppy joe.

Pope was laying on a serengetti, and he was on the prowl, until he finally drew blood.  Jesus performed a miracle and fed alot of people with one fish.  So he will perform the miracle tonight, by feeding The Impact Zone some roasted pig.  Michael Jackson believes in The Pope, Ronald Reagan believes in The Pope.  Jesus just texted Pope, he believes in him too.  Who wants a pig?  It will cost $10 a pop.

Here comes Joe, he heads to the ring, Pope tries to bail but Okada stops him in the tracks.  Joe hunts Pope, gives him a Muscle Buster through a table and stuffs an apple in The Pope’s mouth, so we have a roasted Pope.

Still to come, Jeff Hardy facing RVD for the TNA Title.

Good gravy, more talking.  This time from Robbie E.  Doesn’t anyone wrestle anymore?

He says last Sunday at Against All Odds, TNA threw a grenade at him by making wrestle one dude, instead of two dudes.  But that’s okay, tonight he has a game plan, and he is here to become a 2-time TNA X-Division champion.

Jersey is in the house, Bitches.

Kazarian is in the back, getting a good luck kiss from his wife, the returning Traci Brooks.

Kazarian said as an OG member of the X-Divison and a card member of Fortune.  He said this company was built on the foundation the X-Division laid.  Maybe not as foundation as Cookie’s face right now, but you get the point.  But if he wants to be a serious wrestler, here is “The Situation”

Take trasure trash troll to the back, and let them wrestle one on one.

Here we go.

Robbie E. gets DQ’d when Cookie came back out with a trash can and nails Kazarian.  Traci Brooks comes back out and fights Cookie.  Robbie E. takes the X-Division Title however, but he throws it back at Kazarian.  Welcome back Traci.

Flair comes in with Fortune.  Flair is surprised this went down, but it’s all cool.  Flair said A.J. has Matt Hardy tonight.  Flair ices Fortune, but he wants A.J. to drink it after the match.  Beer Money and Flair chugs it down.  Chug!!  Chug!!  Chug!!

James takes A.J.’s Smirnoff.

Coming up next, A.J. Styles taking on Matt Hardy.

I love that new Chrysler, made in Detroit commercial.

Matt Hardy Vs A.J. now.

Ric Flair showed us who’s side he is on, and it’s not A.J.  Matt Hardy defeated A.J. with a Twist of Hate, after Flair shoved A.J. and prevented a Pinal Tap move.  A.J. was phenominal though doing some flying moves, but Matt and Flair grounded A.J.

Mr. Anderson is pacing backstage, he said someone will get their ass kicked, and it might be Eric Bischoff.

More action “Via Sattellite” from The Jarretts.

Here comes Mr. Anderson.

He wants Bischoff in the ring now, and here he comes.

Anderson wants to know why RVD has a title shot, and not Anderson.  He said he thought the champion was first in line.  Bischoff wants Anderson to know that Jeff Hardy is the champion, but the network demanded Hardy Vs RVD.  Ken isn’t happy about this, since when did the network have any say in a match?  Bischoff reminds him that this is a TV business, and since they write the checks, they decide what matches to have for the ratings.  Anderson suggested to put him in the match.  Bischoff suggested that Anderson wasn’t involved because of his language.  Anderson said that the network doesn’t like the word asshole?  The fans like asshole, Mr. Anderson likes the word asshole.  Bischoff said he has an idea tonight, he can’t make Anderson in the match, but he can put him in the main event.  How about serving a special guest ref?  He said he can’t get a title shot without pinning Hardy.  So get in line, stand in line and call it down the middle.  Anderson shakes Bischoff’s hand and then gives him a mic check.  Anderson said to Bischoff to tell the network this asshole from Titletown will get his title shot one way or the other.

Velvet Sky and Winter get at it again, Velvet said that Winter will not interfere in her match later tonight against Sarita and Rosita.  Winter has some scissors, but Angelina Love comes in and tells Winter she won’t be involved in their match later tonight.  Velvet runs off and Angelina wants to know why she has such an obsession with her, she said she will know all in due time.

Coming up next, The Beautiful People will take on Rosita and Sarita.

A.J. is livid about Ric Flair costing him the match against Matt Hardy.  This is about A.J. and Ric Flair.  So how about A.J. Vs Flair next week?

Knockout tag team match is up now.

Rosita and Sarita win the match when Rosita pulled Velvet Sky’s feet underneath her and Sarita put her feet on the ropes.

Velvet is through with Sarita’s nonsense.  The fans know, she knows, she has had her every single time, but Sarita has cheated.  So she wants a match with Sarita, with no interference, one on one.  Sarita asked her if she knows what kind of a joke Velvet is, she beats her every single time.  If Velvet wants Sarita one more time, then put her career on the line.

Good lord, another career at stake.

More from the Jarretts.

We see Kurt Angle, he is heading to Jeff and Karen’s dinner party, he wouldn’t miss it for the world.  Uh-Oh

Still to come, RVD taking on Jeff Hardy, with Mr. Anderson as the special guest ref.

Madison Rayne is backstage, happy said that she went to TNA Office and asked them for an open challenge to any woman in the business because she is bored beating every single Knockout, including Tara, who she beat in a 60 Minute Iron Woman match.

Scott Steiner said that Rob Terry has issued a pose down challenge against him next week.  He will find out his favorite pose is his fist down his throat.

Jeff Hardy Vs RVD video is playing right now.

Hardy said that all the pain he has put him through ends tonight.

Here we go, with the dinner party and The Jarretts.

Apperently the wine is no good, and the service is lousy.  Does the waiter know about March 3rd?  He wants to see his boss, and Kurt comes in.  The Jarretts run out, Jeff reminds Kurt about March 3rd.  Kurt said, what no tip?

Very funny.

RVD is ready for Jeff Hardy to finally get his title back, but the bonus is the title, because now he gets to tear Jeff apart.

TNA Title match, and your main event is up next.

When we come back, Taz and Tenay discuss Bully Ray and Devon and what went down at the Against All Odds PPV.  In particular what happened with Devon’s kids, Terrency and Tyrelle.  Spike will not allow TNA to show it, and here comes Bully Ray.  He gets into Tenay’s face, bullies Tenay.  Taz has had enough, gets in Ray’s face, and wants him to walk away.  Ray will walk away, when he wants to.  He has crossed the line Sunday, and he’s doing it now.  Ray said he taught those kids a lesson, his father is a loser, and he always will be.  Now he will walk away, and he does.

Main event time now.

Jeff Hardy retains his title when he got in Mr. Anderson’s way, threw a low blow kick without Anderson seeing it, and gave RVD the Twist of Hate.  Good match between these two, and Anderson played a good role too.

Anderson then gave Hardy a Mic Check, and when RVD got into his face, he laid him out with a Mic Check to end the show.

Kevin’s Thoughts:

This show wasn’t that good, it had its moments, but here is the problem.  Lack of advertising.  I have no problem with TNA giving us title matches on Impact, but when it’s RVD Vs Hardy, you advertise it.  In fact, this would have been better served to be on the March 3rd episode, then tonight.  This way you have two weeks of build.  You can truly capitalize on this match, if the network is truly about “ratings” then build those shows, make them special, make that title mean something.  You can even have Mr. Anderson built up to be the special guest referee.  Having said that though, I liked the match the two had.  It’s amazing the kind of physical action Hardy went through at the PPV, then the next night, when it’s taped, he still put on a good performance. 

The rest of the show had too much talking, I hated the fact that A.J. made his challenge to Flair so soon, why not build that match and make people pay for that?  However, when those two will get in the ring, it should be big.  I look forward to seeing that.  I also felt that Matt Hardy Vs A.J. should have been a longer match, and this is something that WWE does that TNA should follow.  2 long, strong matches, the main event had time, but nothing else.

I did enjoy the skits between the Jarretts and what wound up happening with Kurt.  Very fun, now that is building to the March 3rd nuptials. 

But everything else was just there.  I absolutely hate they insinuated another career match though, this time with Velvet Sky.  It means nothing in Wrestling anymore, so stop it.

What were your thoughts on the show?  Email me at DJKevinGillman75@aol.com or give me your thoughts on the show.  We’ll find out if Hardy does indeed equal ratings.