The Big News: Sting is now officially in the four-way match at Sacrifice after pinning Mick Foley to win a 10-man tag team match.

The Main Event Mafia, with Sting, came to the ring. Angle now has the nickname “the Godfather.” Angle announced he would be in the four-way main event in Sacrifice, and vowed to give up his leadership in the mafia if he’s pinned to the person who beats him. Angle said he heard rumors there would be a 10-man tag team match tonight, but wanted to know why executive shareholder Mick Foley wouldn’t wait and put the match on pay per view instead of giving it away for free. Probably because the show would fall the day after a UFC PPV and be death for business. Foley came out with Daniels and said the ten man match would occur because TNA needs a show of power. What the hell does that mean, another 1.3 rating? A chance to double Superstars? Foley said he thought he had seen the last of Sting after the beating he gave him at Lockdown. Foley tried to do a promo that would rally the company together, but came off unconvincing. Angle made a good comeback when Foley brought up his 25 stitches, saying he won the gold medal with a broken neck. That got a surprisingly big pop. Foley said Daniels, A.J. Styles, Jeff Jarrett (who got a surprisingly mixed reaction), Samoa Joe (little pop) and Foley would face the Main Event Mafia. Jarrett came out and was mad that Foley booked the 10-man. When Foley tried to give him a pep talk, Jarrett told him to kiss his ass. Angle just laughed at how the face team is in disarray.

Joe pulled up backstage but didn’t say anything. A mysterious person dropped Joe off to the building.

1. Suicide defeated Consequences Creed in 4:04. Suicide didn’t sail in on the tieline this week. He used the same Daniels mannerisms, including the STO. Crowd was pretty quiet for an opening match. Creed did a dropkick to the knee and a kneedrop to the back for a two count. Suicide came back with a running cannonball for a two count. Creed blocked a charge with an enzuigiri for a near fall. Suicide got the pin with a codebreaker. Not as good as most X Division openers. **

Matt Morgan met with Foley backstage. Morgan called him ES, short for executive shareholder. Morgan wanted a match to prove himself to the mafia. Foley proposed a match against a member of the mafia security. Morgan left it up to Foley to determine which opponent. When Jeremy Borash asked Foley why he would want Morgan to join the mafia, Foley teased putting both Rocco and Sal against Morgan.

Velvet Sky was freaking out backstage about facing Awesome Kong tonight in a stretcher match. Sky said that Madison Rayne suffered a concussion last week in her match against Kong, spent three days in the hospital and had been bedridden ever since. Sky was in tears before it was over while Angelina Love tried to calm her down.

The Main Event Mafia did a sit-down interview with Mike Tenay. It appears the problems between Angle and Sting are history since they sat side-by-side and talked of the importance of the mafia claiming every TNA title. Angle said putting up his leadership of the mafia is worth it to win the TNA title. Nash tried to pretend the problems between Sharmell and Jenna Morasca are gone, but Sharmell did these fabulous facials that made it clear she was still pissed. Scott Steiner ran down Jarrett and said the mafia would take over TNA.

Taylor Wilde apparently now has a secret admirer. She’s received mysterious text messages and calls, and said she was gone to meet the admirer on Tuesday night. Taylor wanted Lauren to go with her. I can only imagine why. I’m sure the admirer will be in 7th heaven when he sees that duo waiting for him. I sure do smell trouble with that blind date.

Jarrett still has a torn hamstring. Borash tried to act like Foley is running wild. Jarrett refused to run Foley down, though it appeared he’s lost his office as he was dressing in a locker room. Whatever happened to Booker’s locker room, by the way?

Matt Morgan defeated Sally Boy and Rocco in a handicap match at 3:06. They didn’t work well together at all. Morgan wore the Brian Danielson cloak during his ring entrance. This new program with the mafia appears to be an attempt to rehab Morgan, but he’s still struggling to catch on. Big spot was Rocco teasing a splash, but Morgan kicked Sally off and slammed Rocco to the floor. Morgan pinned Sally with a carbon footprint. ¾*

Mick Foley continued his erratic behavior in his office and ordered Jarrett’s guitar banned from ringside for tonight’s match. Why Foley would want to do something that would handicap his own team was never explained. Every time I see angles like this that make no sense, I have a feeling I know who’s voice spoke loudest during this week’s creative meetings.

Eric Young and Jethro Holliday will face Beer Money tonight in the Team 3-D Invitational Tag Team tournament. Young acted like he’s still someone who never gets a chance. Holiday just blew his nose.

3. Beer Money defeated Jethro Holiday and Eric Young in a Team 3-D Tag Team Invitational tag team tournament match in 4:48. So Beer Money is now in the championship match against either the British Invasion or Amazing Red and Suicide. Holiday has become the latest star to be branded “The Outlaw.” Last time they used that in TNA was with Kip James. Good luck. Team 3-D did commentary. Tenay brought up how Jim Ross wrote on his blog that tag team wrestling would never be as strong as it once was. Ray basically buried the WWE tag team division saying if Ross doesn’t think tag team wrestling in “the company he works for” is a priority, that’s too bad. But it is a priority in TNA. James Storm did a spinebuster on Young. Then came the Beer Money double suplex. Young made the comeback with a belly to belly suplex on Robert Roode. Holiday got the hot tag, but later took a cool clothesline/back stabber combination. Young made a tag and hit Roode and Storm with a dropkick. Young hit a legdrop off the top, but the referee was distracted by Holiday trying to get out of the ring. Holiday accidentally took a swing at Young, who ducked. The two ended up arguing. Beer Money got the pin with a DWI, which is called driving while investing. ***

Raisha Saeed cut a promo saying the Beautiful People would face phase two of the ultimate sacrifice tonight. She called it “The Wrath of Kong,” which is a play on words from a Star Trek sequel. Kong actually spoke for the first time ever, saying “Dumb blondes. Dead blondes.” I hope she takes a look at Abyss and learn how even a few words can make a strong and silent face become ordinary fast.

Awesome Kong defeated Velvet Sky in a stretcher match in 3:41. Again, the TNA stretcher match rules applied. Love and Saeed were ordered away from ringside before the match. Sky was so nervous we didn’t even get the ass cam this week. Kong threw five implant busters. Every time referee Earl Hebner tried to administer the ten count, Kong pulled her off. Kong won with the Awesome Bomb, followed by the fastest ten count in history. In fact, Hebner was in such a hurry, his ten count went “seven, eight, nine, nine, ring the bell!” DUD

Abyss’ latest trip to Dr. Stevie featured Daffney dropping by. Stevie wants Abyss to transfer his aggression to Daffney, who will be competing in the first-ever Knockouts’ Monster’s Ball match at Sacrifice, which is the match Abyss started. Abyss was hesitant to accept, but Stevie pulled off his belt and wrapped it around his face. Then Abyss accepted. For those keeping score, that was a TNA headliner in 2005 backing down to someone who never got above prelim level in WWE.

Black Machismo and Consequences Creed called out Daniels. Well, Creed actually called out Christopher Daniels again. Daniels, looking annoyed, came out. Creed, who just wasn’t in the same league as the Motor City Machine Guns in terms of micwork, accused Daniels of being Suicide. Machismo was there for comic relief, calling him “Kabuki.” When did Kabuki ever wear a mask in the ring or have a dual identity? Crowd got a laugh out of it and Creed had a hard time containing his grin. Machismo also brought up Kim Chee and Savio Vega being Kwang. Daniels responded that the biggest joke in TNA was Machismo and knocked his cowboy hat off. They were about to square off when the guns came out. Alex Shelley, again a full-fledged heel, said something to get bleeped out. He said at least Lethal Consequences can battle the guns face-to-face, while Daniels (dressed as Suicide) attack the guns from behind. Chris Sabin vowed to unmask Suicide next week. That’s carny for “Kaz is coming back next week.”

Borash met Jarrett in his locker room and brought up all the reasons why Foley is turning the company upside down. Sting walked in and said he didn’t complain about not getting a rematch after he lost the TNA title to Foley. So if Sting pinned Foley tonight in the 10-man tag, he wants to be in the four-way match at Sacrifice. Jarrett agreed to it. Time to get the aspirin again. Why would Jarrett want his own team to lose tonight? I’m getting dizzy.

Angelina Love was freaking out backstage about Sky getting knocked out. Someone called Love on her cell phone, and Love ordered that person to protect her from Kong before they abruptly cut away. Abrupt cut aways. Nonsensical angles. Why do I feel like it’s February again?

There was yet another Main Event Mafia package that’s touched on the same themes they always touch on. They should rename these packages “Network Time Killers” because lately these shows have been filled with them, to the point where I’m not sure they’re timing these shows out correctly.

Sting, Kevin Nash, Scott Steiner, Kurt Angle and Booker T defeated Jeff Jarrett, Mick Foley, A.J. Styles, Daniels and Samoa Joe in 7:34. We got more Jarrett-Foley fun when Jarrett came out looking lost without his guitar. Then when the time came for Jarrett’s fireworks, there was nothing. Instead, Foley sabotaged Jarrett’s ring entrance. Foley then walked out to big pyro carrying a barbed wire baseball bat while Jarrett was without his guitar. Not much to the match. Jarrett never officially tagged in, so he’s still in pain. Styles got the heat when Booker gave him a harlem side kick. Booker followed with a spinaroonie, which popped the crowd. Foley got the hot tag. Sting selling for Foley’s hot tag was a sight to see. Broke down into a ten-men brawl where Styles and Daniels did a double pescado on Steiner and Booker, while Joe did the elbow suicida on Nash. Joe needs to put a moratorium on that move until he discovers a treadmill. Angle brought the barbed wire bat into the ring, but Jarrett got it away from him and tried to use it. Foley then took the bat from because it was his bat. But aren’t they on the same team? Thank God I haven’t run out of aspirin. Foley then swung the bat at Jarrett, who dunked and gave Foley the stroke on the bat. The reaction from the crowd was shockingly tepid. Sting then got the pin, meaning he’s in the four-way at Sacrifice. Daniels, Styles and Joe were upset at Jarrett for costing their team the match. *1/4

Sting did a postmatch interview saying if he got pinned at Sacrifice, he’d retire.

SUMMARY: The momentum built up during Lockdown isn’t gone, but it’s waning. This was a lackluster show. The buildup between Jarrett and Foley just didn’t make very much sense on this show. And it’s not like anyone buys stipulations anymore since they’re rarely paid off at the end, particularly retirement stips.

Jeff Hamlin
jhamlin@wchl1360.com