NEWS FROM THURSDAY'S "iMPACT!" - SAMOA JOE RETAINS THE TNA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
By Bill Banks

There are several news items to report from Thursday's "iMPACT!" on SpikeTV:

- In the much-anticipated main event, Samoa Joe successfully retained the TNA World Heavyweight Championship over Kurt Angle after Scott Steiner hit Angle with a steel pipe. Following the bout, TNA Management Director Jim Cornette announced that the main event at the Sacrifice Pay-Per-View would be Samoa Joe vs. Kurt Angle vs. Scott Steiner for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship!

- Thursday was a busy night for Cornette, who also announced that over the next few weeks on "iMPACT!" the "Deuces Wild Tag Team Tournament" would take place, with the finals to be held at the Sacrifice Pay-Per-View. Whoever wins the tournament will become the new TNA World Tag Team Champions.

- Cornette also announced a "TNA Knockouts Makeover Battle Royal" for Sacrifice. The winner will get a shot at Awesome Kong's Knockout Women's Championship - while the runner-up will get her head shaved!

- But Cornette wasn't done! He also revealed plans for a new TNA concept match, set to be unveiled next Thursday night on SpikeTV! According to rumors, the new bout will be the latest in a series of innovative TNA matches including The Ultimate X, Elevation X and Six Sides Of Steel!

- In the first of the Deuces Wild tournament, Team 3D defeated Black Reign and Rellik to advance.

- In the second Deuces Wild bout, Christian Cage and Rhino beat The Motor City Machineguns to advance.

- In the third Deuces Wild tournament bout of the broadcast, Sting and Booker T defeated Robert Roode and "Cowboy" James Storm to advance. Following the match, Storm and Roode got into a shoving match over miscommunication that cost them the bout.