TNA iMPACT!
July 30th 2004
iMPACT! opens this week with the NWA World Tag Team Championships on the line. Fresh from a somewhat controversial victory last week over Team Canada, Triple X ask no questions and challenge America’s Most Wanted for the gold. With four men all at the peak of their craft, it was understandably a fast paced and action packed opener. Elix Skipper showed some amazing agility by walking the top rope to take down both Harris and Storm with a rolling senton followed by Daniels hitting the Best Moonsault Ever for a two count on Storm. Despite the strong showing, AMW managed to survive the onslaught of Triple X and take Daniels out of the match with a Spear from Harris. With Skipper left by himself, it was only a matter of time before he fell to the Death Sentence from the champions for the finish.
NWA World Tag Team Championships
America’s Most Wanted def. Triple X in 11:17 to retain the NWA World Tag Team Championships.
Backstage we find NWA representative Dusty Rhodes with number one contender Jeff Hardy. Hardy is understandably upset with the actions of both Raven and Ron Killings in recent weeks as his NWA Championship match with AJ Styles has been put on hold. Eager to find a resolution, Hardy offers to put his status as number one contender on the line if it means a solution can be found. NWA World Champion AJ Styles interrupts with an idea of his own. Styles tells Hardy to keep his number one contendership but suggests Dusty Rhodes goes back to the NWA Championship Committee and makes three number one contenders. Styles seems happy to put his gold on the line in a four way match, once again taking any challenge that comes his way. Hardy seems happy with the suggestion but Rhodes a little less so despite agreeing to speak with the Championship Committee as requested.
The Alpha Male Monty Brown is up next as he prepares to run a gauntlet set up by former NWA World Champion Jeff Jarrett. Should Brown defeat all his challengers in the 15 minute time limit, The Alpha Male will get a one on one match with the King of the Mountain. Eager to avoid that outcome, Jarrett come well prepared and sends the debuting Shawn Hernandez to the ring as the first opponent. Hernandez manages to match strength with Brown and seems content to waste as much time as possible. Despite being evenly matched, experience comes into play as Brown sees an opening and doesn’t let it slip away. With Hernandez arguing with the official to kill time, Brown charges into the ropes and connects with The Pounce to score his first victory in the gauntlet.
Monty Brown def. Shawn Hernandez in 04:11.
Knowing time is against him, Brown doesn’t make the same mistake for his second opponent and quickly dives onto another debutant in the form of Lex Lovett. Lovett, unlike Hernandez before him, doesn’t even get a chance to waste time as Brown mercilessly beats on him with clubbing blows. Keeping one eye on the clock, Brown hits an Alpha Bomb to make up some time and score his second victory of the night.
Monty Brown def. Lex Lovett in 05:58.
Seeing that youth wasn’t working, Jarrett mixed it up with his next choice by sending in Don Harris. Brown decides against rushing into this one, instead letting the bigger man come to him. Knowing from experience that matching power with Harris wouldn’t be a good plan, Brown exploits the biggest weakness Harris has in the form of his considerable lack of speed. The Alpha Male easily avoid Harris at every turn and before long Harris is struggling to keep up. With Brown at full sprint, even the biggest challenger to date falls to a vicious Pounce as Monty Brown seems to just get stronger as the match goes on.
Monty Brown def. Don Harris in 08:02.
Just over halfway through the time limit and Jarrett is clearly getting concerned as his troops are falling much quicker than he expected, having only three men left by his side, two of which have already been defeated by Brown in recent weeks. Jarrett eats up as much time as he can making his next selection before sending Glenn Gilberti to the ring for a second attempt. Much like his first attempt a few weeks ago, Gilberti fails miserably as Brown doesn’t give him an inch before hitting another Pounce for a fourth consecutive victory.
Monty Brown def. Glenn Gilberti in 09:23.
With Jarrett seemingly resigned to defeat he half heartily waves Johnny Swinger to the ring for match number five. Swinger slowly approaches the ring, knowing he hasn’t a chance and is instead simply there to use up time. Swinger slides into the ring before quickly backing out and walking around the ringside as the official starts a ten count. On nine, Swinger slides in and back out again with a big smirk on his face, obviously feeling he has outsmarted Brown. The official has other ideas and has the clock paused until Swinger enters the ring and stays in it. Swinger reluctantly climbs into the ring and offers to lay down for Brown instead of taking a Pounce. Brown rightfully doesn’t buy it and instead stomps Swinger’s face and connects with an Alpha Bomb for another three count.
Monty Brown def. Johnny Swinger in 12:04.
Less than three minutes remain on the clock as Jarrett doesn’t even look at his final troop and simply shakes his head as Antonio Banks runs to the ring for his debut. The Miami native foolishly runs into Brown and starts laying in with rights and lefts as the Alpha Male goes into retreat for the first time. Jarrett suddenly perks up as he checks the clock and starts to think maybe he underestimated Banks. Banks maintains control for almost the entirety of the match, only stopping once to check the clock himself. As Banks smirks at the time reading less than 30 seconds remaining, he feels the Pounce as Brown rallies late on to score the sixth and final victory he needed with only seconds to spare.
Monty Brown def. Antonio Banks in 14:47.
A defeated Jeff Jarrett puts his hands to his head as he realises he now has no choice in the matter and will have to step into the ring with Monty Brown having watched the Alpha Male destroy every road block put in his path. As Brown gets his arm raised in victory, Glenn Gilberti and Johnny Swinger attack from behind. Knowing this is his last chance, Jarrett quickly runs to the ring to assist in trying to soften up the unbeaten Alpha Male. Brown easily fends off Gilberti and Swinger but then walks right into a guitar shot from the King of the Mountain as Jarrett finally manages to put Brown down for the first time. Jarrett stands over Brown, knowing it’s going to be the toughest challenge the three time NWA World Champion has ever had to face.
Backstage we find Team Canada in full effect. Petey Williams steps forward alongside Scott D’Amore as he speaks on behalf of Bobby Roode, Eric Young and Johnny Devine in condemning the actions of Jerry Lynn last week when he cost Team Canada the number one contendership for the NWA World Tag Team Championships. Williams claimed the interference was completely unprovoked and unjustified but admits he should expect nothing less from a coward like Lynn, seemingly ignoring the fact that Team Canada smashed the World X Cup to pieces only weeks ago. Williams claims not to know what Lynn has a problem with Team Canada but is willing to settle it next week in singles action, assuming Lynn isn’t scared of course.
The main event of the evening see’s the X-Division Championship on the line as Kazarian puts his gold on the line against newcomer Alex Shelley. Shelley, as always, is accompanied by Goldylocks and Abyss. The presence of Abyss at ringside means Kazarian needs to have eyes in the back of his head as the Monster continues to do whatever Goldylocks orders him to, including getting involved in the match several times to aid Shelley. After the third interference, Kazarian had enough and took out Abyss with a dive from the top rope to even the odds. Doing so almost cost Kazarian big time as Shelley quickly connected with the Air Raid Crash but was too close to the ropes, allowing Kazarian to escape at two. A second Air Raid Crash attempt followed shortly after, but this time Kazarian was able to slip free and hit back with a Pump Kick to stun the challenger. One Wave of the Future later and Kazarian scores the three count to continue his streak of successful title defences.
X-Division Championship
Kazarian def. Alex Shelley in 12:09 to retain the X-Division Championship.
Before Kazarian can even get his arm raised in victory, The Monster Abyss is climbing into the ring in search of payback. Kazarian meets Abyss at the ropes as the duo exchange right hands until the surprise appearance of Kid Kash turns things in favour of Abyss. Kash connects with a low blow on the champion before teaming up with Abyss to beat Kazarian to the mat. Chris Sabin and Hector Garza soon run in to even up the odds as Alex Shelley re-joins the action, making it three on three. As Sabin manages to hoist Shelley onto his shoulders, Michael Shane slides in and connects with Sweet Shane Music as Hector Garza is able to send Kash to the floor. Shane hits a second Sweet Shane Music, this time to Garza as the ring starts to clear. A Pump Kick from Kazarian sends Abyss out of the ring along with Shelley. With Kazarian’s back turned, Shane seems to be considering his next move but before he can decide he is confronted by his long time partner. The duo exchange words with Shane overheard telling Kazarian you said you didn’t want my help.