TNA champion Kurt Angle's stalking case charges dropped

TNA champion Kurt Angle was exonerated Tuesday of charges brought against him in connection with the alleged stalking of ex-girlfriend Trenesha 'Rhaka Khan' Biggers. According to Pittsburgh television station WTAE/4, Angle was found not guilty by a district court judge of harassment of Biggers.

Two other charges, driving with a suspended license & drug possession of human growth hormone, were also dismissed. Angle stated that he had a valid prescription for the HGH found in his vehicle in connection with a preexisting neck injury, an explanation that was apparently accepted by the court. Angle had also stated that his encounter near a neighborhood Starbucks with Biggers that allegedly violated the protective order was inadvertent.

One charge remains outstanding against Kurt Angle, the preexisting assault charge that triggered the issuance of the protective order for Biggers against Angle in the first place. For the most part though, the questions that now surround Kurt Angle for TNA are not ones of legality but ones of basic human health of its champion.

With Kurt Angle's own condition so seemingly fragile and dependent on medications like HGH just to keep going in the ring, TNA should do with Angle what WWE is apparently now doing with Undertaker and allow him to wrestle a reduced schedule.

TNA Impact results (9/10/09)

TNA Impact results - 9/10/09
(aired September 10, 2009 from Orlando, Florida.)

#1	Brutus Magnus & Doug Williams	pin	Team 3D, Scott Steiner & Booker T, Beer Money, Inc.	non-title, 4-way, gauntlet, Magnus pin Steiner
#2	Taylor Wilde & Sarita	pin	Alissa Flash & Daffney	women's tag tourney match, Sarita pin Flash
#3	D'Angelo Dinero	pin	Jay Lethal	-
#4	Angelina Love & Velvet Sky	pin	Roxxi & Madison Rayne	women's tag tourney match, Sky pin Rayne, Roxxi TNA return
#5	Abyss	pin	Dr. Stevie	Nash/Stevie attack Abyss postmatch
#6	Cody Deaner	win	Tara	mixed martial arts, Kong laid out Tara in-match
#7	AJ Styles & Daniels	pin	Kurt Angle & Samoa Joe	Styles pin Angle, Morgan laid out Angle postmatch, Homicide/WElite laid out Hernandez

added to No Surrender PPV:
- Beer Money, Inc. vs. Scott Steiner & Booker T vs. Brutus Magnus & Doug Williams vs. Team 3D (lethal lockdown)

TNA releases Angelina Love due to work visa issue

TNA Wrestling has released ex-Women's champion Angelina Love (aka Angel Williams) from the company, reports PWInsider.com, in what amounts to a stunning blow to TNA's Knockouts division.

The TNA Knockout and one half of the The Beautiful People tag team had a work visa that was either about to expire or had already expired. Without a valid work visa, TNA can not legally employ the Canadian national anywhere in the United States, making her an effective non-entity.

Love's release comes at an inopportune time for TNA. The entire concept of a women's tag team title was built around the notoriety achieved by The Beautiful People faction of Love and partner Velvet Sky. Without Love and her heel skill set, the act no longer exists. Since Love can't even get a final write-off, TNA won't get a fair resolution of her storyline.

If/when Angelina Love can get her visa issue resolved, TNA could still bring her back into its fold. Of course with Love now a free agent, WWE would also have the same opportunity. Ultimately though, Angelina Love has to take care of her own legal concerns before she can resume her path to pro wrestling stardom.

TNA Impact results (9/3/09)

TNA Impact results - 9/3/09
(aired September 3, 2009 from Orlando, Florida.)

#1	Sting	pin	Rhino	TNA contender semifinal, Rhino laid out Sting postmatch
#2	AJ Styles	pin	Chris Sabin	TNA contender semifinal
#3	Doug Williams	pin	Suicide	TNA contender semifinal, Suicide attack Dinero in-match
#4	Tara & Christy Hemme	pin	Hamada & Sojournor Bolt	women's tag tourney match, Tara pin Bolt, Hamada laid out Bolt postmatch
#5	Hernandez	pin	Homicide	TNA contenders semifinal
#6	AJ Styles	pin	Doug Williams	TNA contenders final
#7	Sting	dq	Hernandez	TNA contenders final, Young attack Sting for dq, WELite/Booker/Steiner laid out BMoney/3D postmatch

added to No Surrender PPV:
- TNA champion Kurt Angle vs. Matt Morgan vs. AJ Styles vs. Sting (Styles, Sting added)
- Legends champion Kevin Nash vs. Abyss (bounty vs. title)

TNA Impact results (8/27/09)

TNA Impact results - 8/27/09
(aired August 27, 2009 from Orlando, Florida.)

#1	Awesome Kong & Raisha Saeed	pin	Traci & Sharmell	Saaed pin Traci, women's tag tourney qfinal
#2	Jesse Neal	dq	Rhino	reverse decision, Rhino attack Neal postmatch, Devon save
#3	Abyss	pin	Motor City Machineguns	bounty handicap, Abyss pin Sabin, Guns attack Stevie postmatch
#4	Hamada	pin	Daffney	no dq, Hamada Impact debut
#5	Daniels & Suicide	pin	Samoa Joe & D'Angelo Dinero	Suicide pin Dinero, continuation Joe/Suicide
#6	Sting, Hernandez & AJ Styles	pin	Matt Morgan, Booker T & Scott Steiner	Styles pin Morgan, Steiner/Booker attack Morgan postmatch

added to No Surrender PPV:
- TNA champion Kurt Angle vs. Matt Morgan vs. ??? vs. ???
- X champion Samoa Joe vs. Daniels
- Women's champion ODB vs. Cody Deaner
- Bobby Lashley vs. Rhino

TNA Impact results (8/20/09)

TNA Impact results - 8/20/09
(aired August 20, 2009 from Orlando, Florida.)

#1	Beer Money, Inc.	pin	IWGP tag champs Brutus Magnus & Doug Williams	non-title, street fight, Roode pin Magnus
#2	Angelina Love	pin	Madison Rayne	BPeople laid out Rayne postmatch
#3	X champion Samoa Joe	pin	Homicide	-
#4	Traci	pin	Awesome Kong, Sarita, Christy Hemme	4-way, Traci pin Hemme
#5	D'Angelo Dinero	pin	Consequences Creed	Suicide fought Dinero postmatch
#6	Team 3D	win	Kurt Angle & Matt Morgan	tables, 3D over Morgan

Taz replaces Don West as "TNA Impact" color commentator

Taz has replaced Don West as the "TNA Impact" color commentator. The former WWE Smackdown/ECW color commentator took West's spot at Monday's television taping for the episode to air on Spike this Thursday. Tazz will be the permanent color commentator going forward on future television tapings and pay-per-views.

Don West will remain with TNA, according to PWInsider.com, promoted into its merchandising division. West had been teamed with Mike Tenay as color commentator since TNA's debut, known for his loud shilling dating back from his time as an infomercial star. As for as credible, more believable commentary though, Taz better fits the bill.

Taz successfully parlayed himself into the commentator role for WWE after a neck injury caused his premature retirement from wrestling. After waiting out a WWE non-compete, Taz was brought into TNA just a month ago as the adviser for Samoa Joe, a role that apparently has already ended.

Spike TV, TNA renew "Impact" through 2012

Spike TV and TNA Wrestling have officially announced a three year deal to keep "TNA Impact" on Spike through the third quarter of 2012. Effective October 1, 2009, the new contract commissioned not only Impact but a series of ten one-hour specials based on TNA performers & matches.

TNA had been in negotiations with Spike for some time but there was little doubt all along that the two sides would reach an agreement. Nielsen ratings for "Impact" have held relatively steady at a level that has largely satisfied Spike.

The three-year deal was announced to TNA wrestling talent earlier on Monday. Awesome Kong subsequently posted about the deal via her Twitter feed, leaking the news to the world hours before TNA and Spike could make it official.

TNA champion Kurt Angle NOT on "Dancing with the Stars"

TNA champion Kurt Angle was NOT announced this morning as a cast member of "Dancing with the Stars," to no great surprise considering recent developments. Angle had been rumored as a potential candidate for the ABC reality series over the past several months, even reported by his agent to have made the show's shortlist.

It isn't clear that Kurt Angle would have made the final cut for DWTS even without his recent arrest on harassment and drug charges. With that arrest though, any chance of Angle being announced just two days later on "Good Morning America" dropped to nill.

UFC star Chuck Liddell was cast to the series instead, perhaps in the very show slot that could/would have been allocated for Angle. Considering that the mainstream sees mixed martial arts and pro wrestling as appealing to the same demographic, it would have been a redundancy to have cast both men. Angle likely had to lose for Liddell to win.

TNA endorses alleged stalker / HGH user Kurt Angle

Excerpted from the WrestlingBloob Twitter feed last Saturday:

Dear TNA: You either respect the dignity of your female performers and fans.... or you don't. If you do, suspend Kurt Angle now.

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TNA Wrestling left no doubt Sunday night about just how much respect it holds for the dignity of its female performers and fans.... none at all. One day after Kurt Angle was arrested on multiple charges relating to stalking and illegal HGH possession, TNA Wrestling effectively endorsed him as the flagship and representative of its promotion.

No, TNA couldn't be bothered to actually comment on the arrest of Kurt Angle. However, by booking him to not only wrestle for but retain its World title at the Hard Justice PPV, TNA affirmed its continued allegiance to this accused stalker and HGH user.

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Angle's victory has left TNA President Dixie Carter's credibility in tatters. Carter had earlier testified before a congressional committee that TNA would have a tough policy for drug and personal conduct violations. Either Dixie Carter changed her mind in the interim or she lied and committed outright perjury before the United States Congress.

TNA Wrestling has lost the right to claim itself as any kind of alternative to World Wrestling Entertainment except as the worst kind of alternative.... a company without credibility, without character, without common sense, without respect for women and without any legitimate reason to deserve the loyalty and financial support of professional wrestling fans.

ODB wins TNA Women's title in intergender tag farce

ODB and her partner/storyline boyfriend Cody Deaner defeated Angelina Love & Velvet Sky in a TNA Hard Justice PPV intergender tag for ODB to become the new TNA Women's champion.

If my wording seems vague, it's because the scenario was too. The originally announced singles match for the Knockouts title was changed to a bizarre intergender tag, which Deaner won for his team by pinning Sky. After ODB was announced as the champion, Deaner to physical possession of the title belt and ran off.

The match itself made a joke out of sexual harassment, a bizarre line of booking considering the Kurt Angle situation. Even apart from that though, having the title decided in such a manner made a joke out of a once credible women's division.

Blame can be laid on one Vince Russo whose 'unfiltered' booking shined throughout the PPV, leading to disputed finishes in most of the major title matches. As close as I can figure out though, Samoa Joe won the X title over Homicide and Kevin Nash beat Mick Foley to regain the Legends title.

TNA Hard Justice PPV results (8/16/09)

TNA Hard Justice PPV results - 8/16/09
(aired live August 16, 2009 from Orlando, Florida.)
All matches under hardcore rules.

#1	Daniels	win	Suicide, D'Angelo Dinero, Consequences Creed, Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, Jay Lethal, Amazing Red	steel asylum, #1 X contenders match, Dinero TNA debut
#2	Abyss	pin	Jethro Holliday	Holliday laid out Stevie postmatch
#3	Hernandez	pin	Rob Terry	for briefcase
#4	IWGP tag champs Brutus Magnus & Doug Williams	pin	Beer Money, Inc.	Magnus pin Roode
#5	ODB & Cody Deaner	pin	Women's champion Angelina Love & Velvet Sky	ig tag, Deaner pin Sky, ODB new Women's champ
#6	Samoa Joe	sub	X champion Homicide	Joe new X champ
#7	TNA tag champs Booker T & Scott Steiner	pin	Team 3D	Steiner pin Ray, no dq, two refs, falls count anywhere,
#8	Kevin Nash	pin	Legends champion Mick Foley	Nash new Legends champ, Nash attack Foley postmatch, Abyss save
#9	TNA champion Kurt Angle	pin	Sting, Matt Morgan	3-way, Angle pin Morgan

TNA Hard Justice PPV lineup (8/16/09)

TNA Hard Justice PPV lineup - subject to change
(August 16, 2009 from Orlando, Florida.)
all matches under hardcore rules

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- TNA champion Kurt Angle vs. Sting vs. Matt Morgan (3-way)
- Women's champion Angelina Love & Velvet Sky vs. ODB & Cody Deaner
- TNA tag champions Booker T & Scott Steiner vs. Team 3D
- IWGP tag champions Brutus Magnus & Doug Williams vs. Beer Money, Inc.
- X champion Homicide vs. Samoa Joe
- Legends champion Mick Foley vs. Kevin Nash
- Hernandez vs. Big Rob (for briefcase)
- Daniels vs. Suicide vs. Chris Sabin vs. Alex Shelley vs. Amazing Red vs. Jay Lethal vs. Consequences Creed (#1 X contender, steel asylum)
- Abyss vs. Jethro Holliday (bounty)

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UPDATE: TNA Hard Justice PPV results are linked here.

TNA champion Kurt Angle arrested on multiple charges

TNA champion Kurt Angle was arrested early Saturday morning on stalking and drug charges, reports PWInsider.com.

Angle was picked up in Robinson Township, Pennsylvania for allegedly violating a protection order placed against him on behalf of an unidentified female TNA performer. Angle also had two vials of HGH with him at the time of his arrest to which he claimed to have a valid medical prescription.

Four charges were lodged against Angle including illegal drug possession, violating a protection order, harassment and driving with a suspended license dating back from his previous arrest. The most recent arrest comes one day before Angle was slotted to defend the TNA title and two days before he could have been named to the "Dancing with the Stars" cast.

It would just be madness for ABC to let Angle on its top reality show at this point so the more debatable issue is with TNA. The company has placed Angle as its flagship and needs him to propel what's left of its already low PPV buyrates, That said, the second that this arrested stalker comes back into a TNA ring, he reflects badly back on TNA.

Whatever the short term cost, TNA should demonstrate that it respects the dignity of both its female fans and female performers by stripping Kurt Angle of the title and suspending him immediately, before the pay-per-view. Let Sting and Matt Morgan wrestle the main event on their own, they are both fully capable of it.

TNA Impact results (8/13/09)

TNA Impact results
(aired August 13, 2009 from Orlando, Florida.)

#1	Christy Hemme	pin	Sojournor Bolt	Hemme TNA return
#2	Hernandez	pin	Doug Williams	Terry/Magnus attack Hernandez postmatch
#3	Eric Young & Abdul Bashir	pin	Rhino & Jesse Neal	Young pin Neal, Rhino laid out Neal postmatch
#4	Tara	pin	Women's champion Angelina Love, Awesome Kong, ODB	non-title, 4-way, Tara pin Kong
#5	Scott Steiner	pin	Brother Ray	no dq, BInvasion distract 3D
#6	Matt Morgan	pin	AJ Styles	3rd/3 series match, Morgan gains TNA title shot

added to Hard Justice PPV:
- TNA champion Kurt Angle vs. Sting vs. Matt Morgan (Morgan added)
- Hernandez vs. Rob Terry (for TNA title shot briefcase)
- Suicide vs. Chris Sabin vs. Amazing Red vs. Alex Shelley vs. Black Machismo vs. Daniels vs. Consequences Creed (steel asylum)

Scott D'Amore to return to TNA, Knockouts division

Former TNA agent Scott D'Amore will return to the company and resume his role with the TNA Knockouts women's division, reports PWInsider.com. D'Amore will help fill the gap left by the firings of booker/agent Dutch Mantel and agent Savio Vega.

D'Amore had spearheaded the knockouts division upon its late 2007 inception. Using Gail Kim and Awesome Kong as the focal point, he quickly established the Knockouts segments as the highest rated, most watched segments of TNA Impact. D'Amore left the company in 2008, leading to a critical downturn of the women's division if not a ratings downturn.

While Gail Kim left in the interim for WWE, D'Amore now has a deeper, stronger stable of women's wrestling talent at his disposal, including new faces Tara (fka Victoria), Alissa Flash (aka Cheerleader Melissa) & Sarita (fka Sarah Stock).

New Japan recognizes British Invasion as IWGP tag team champs

New Japan Pro Wrestling has reversed course reports Strong Style Spirit, now recognizing the British Invasion's Brutus Magnus and Doug Williams as IWGP tag team champions. The announcement comes just under a week after New Japan invalidated the title win over Team 3D in a TNA Impact table match.

The Sun (UK) newspaper reported word that the original New Japan press release announcing the nullification of the title change was a mistake made by an overzealous staffer. Both New Japan and TNA now recognize British Invasion as IWGP tag champions.

In any event, Magnus and Williams will defend the IWGP belts at the TNA Hard Justice PPV this Sunday against former TNA tag champions Beer Money, Inc. Former IWGP tag champions Team 3D will in turn challenge Booker T & Scott Steiner for the TNA tag titles at the same event.

TNA Impact results (8/6/09)

TNA Impact results
(aired August 6, 2009 from Orlando, Florida.)

#1	Eric Young	pin	Daniels	Kiyoshi attack Daniels inmatch
#2	Booker T, Scott Steiner, Doug Williams & Rob Terry	pin	Robert Roode, James Storm, Brother Ray & Brother Devon	Terry pin Roode, Terry Impact match debut, multiway brawl in&postmatch
#3	Taylor Wilde & Sarita	pin	Traci Brooks & Alissa Flash	Sarita pin Flash
#4	Matt Morgan	pin	AJ Styles	2nd/3 match series
#5	Sting	sub	Brutus Magnus	WElite attack Sting postmatch, MEM attack faces, Hernandez save

added to Hard Justice PPV:
- Women's champion Angelina Love vs. ODB
- X champion Homicide vs. Samoa Joe
- Legends champion Mick Foley vs. Kevin Nash
- TNA tag champions Booker T & Scott Steiner vs. Team 3D
- IWGP tag champions Brutus Magnus & Doug Williams vs. Beer Money, Inc.

New Japan nullifies British Invasion's IWGP tag title win

New Japan Pro Wrestling announced Wednesday that it will not recognize the British Invasion's IWGP tag title win over Team 3D, reports Strong Style Spirit.

Brutus Magnus & Doug Williams had seemingly won the IWGP titles over Team 3D in a cluster of a tables match aired last week on TNA Impact. However, New Japan never authorized TNA's booking of the title change and as guardians of the IWGP titles have simply disregarded it.

Considering that the title match largely consisted of 3D attempting to fight off a six on two assault, it's not surprising that NJPW was displeased.

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UPDATE: New Japan has reversed its decision, now recognizes British Invasion as IWGP tag champs.... more....

TNA Impact results (7/30/09)

TNA Impact results
(aired July 30, 2009 from Orlando, Florida.)

#1	Hernandez	pin	Samoa Joe	-
#2	AJ Styles	pin	Matt Morgan	1st of 3 series
#3	Tara, Awesome Kong & ODB	pin	Angelina Love, Velvet Sky & Madison Rayne	ODB pin Love, Deaner distract Love, Kong/Tara fought inmatch
#4	Brutus Magnus & Doug Williams	win	IWGP tag champs Team 3D	tables, M&W new tag champs, Young/Terry/Bashir/Kiyoshi helped M&W as World Elite
#5	Mick Foley & Bobby Lashley	pin	TNA champion Kurt Angle & Legends champion Kevin Nash	Foley pin Nash, Foley new Legends champ Lashley Impact debut match, MEM attack Foley/Lashley prematch, Sting returned in-match

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