Impact — page 2

Impact
Wrestling

Date:
February 27, 2015

Location:
Manchester Arena, Manchester, England

Attendance:
3,300

Commentators:
Josh Matthews, Taz

Reviewed by Tommy Hall

It’s
off to England now after two pretty solid shows in Scotland. The
main story coming out of last week is MVP earning a World Title shot
by winning the gauntlet match, even though it was more of a group
effort from the Beat Down Clan. Other than that we have the
continuing story of Bram vs. Magnus, which should pick up again here
in England. Let’s get to it.

We
open with a recap of the gauntlet match with Kurt Angle almost
surviving the entire BDC but finally getting caught at the end.

Here’s
Kurt Angle who doesn’t waste any time in calling out Lashley. Kurt
says Lashley doesn’t have to respect him, but he needs to respect the
title. Last week Lashley didn’t do anything to help him in the
gauntlet match, but Lashley rightly says that wasn’t his fight.
Therefore tonight, it’s MVP vs. Lashley and Angle won’t be there to
help him. Lashley doesn’t want his help because it’s his own fight.
Angle says he won’t help him and leaves.

Lashley
is about to do the same but the Beat Down Clan interrupts. Joe says
the BDC doesn’t need luck because tonight, the Clan’s MVP will win
the title by any means available. MVP says no one has Lashley’s
back, so tonight the Clan gets its belt back. This wasn’t bad but
the Lashley vs. Kurt exchange was kind of lame. Lashley didn’t want
help so Angle emphasizes that he’s not getting help? That came off
kind of odd.

The
announcers talk about what happened. I really like that they
emphasize that Taz used to be a World Champion. A lot of younger
fans might not have seen him in the ring (he retired about thirteen
years ago) so just throw in that he used to be a big deal. It gives
him some credibility instead of just letting him seem like some old
guy.

Mr.
Anderson/Rockstar Spud vs. Tyrus/Ethan Carter III

Anderson
does his intro and Spud gets in a quick intro of his own. Tyrus
reluctantly reveals his shaved head and no sells a right hand to the
face from Anderson. Mr. hammers away in the corner before it’s off
to Spud for more of the same. A bite to the head only makes Tyrus
mad though and he plants Spud with a World’s Strongest Slam. Does
that make him a mashed potato? Spud misses an elbow from Carter and
makes the hot tag to Anderson, who hits a pretty bad looking
neckbreaker for two on the big man.

The
fans chant for Spud as Tyrus hits Anderson low and slows things down.
Back to Carter for some right hands in the corner. I’m so glad his
arm injury hasn’t kept him out of the ring for too long. Carter is
way too good to be on the sideline that long. Tyrus slams Anderson
down but COMPLETELY misses a Vader Bomb (his feet might have hit
Anderson’s chest if Anderson hadn’t moved but that’s it), allowing
for the tag to Spud. An Underdog (Dudley Dog) drops Tyrus and
Anderson adds a low blow and the Mic Check, allowing Spud to get the
pin at 7:00.

Rating:
C-. This is as entertaining of
a feud as there is in wrestling right now. Spud
is nailing his underdog roll and Carter has mastered the idea of
being an evil heel that you want to see lose. Hopefully that leads
to the World Title for Carter, as he’s probably the best heel not
named Bully Ray in years for TNA.

We
recap the formation of the Trio, which led to the Beat Down Clan and
helped Lashley beat Eric Young for the World Title. I always enjoy
seeing Eric Young in pain.

After
a break, Ethan promises to shave Spud’s hair tonight.

Here’s
Taryn Terrell to address Awesome Kong. Kong may have made her
intentions clear, so get out here so Taryn can do the same thing.
Instead here’s Gail Kim to tell Taryn how tough Kong is. If Taryn
thinks Havok was tough, think about what Kong did to her. Taryn
knows what she wants and is ready for Kong anytime. Kim leaves and
the lights go out. Kong is in the ring and shrugs off everything
Taryn throws at her before planting her with the Implant Buster.
That could be deadly for Terrell.

The
BDC throws the camerman out of their meeting.

We
look at the BDC helping Lashley win the World Title back in January
and then attacking Lashley just two weeks later.

Austin
Aries might have a surprise for us tonight and holds up the
briefcase.

Chris
Melendez/Brooke vs. Robbie E./Angelina Love

I
still don’t get the appeal of Melendez. Yeah it’s impressive that he
can get around on one leg, but once you see that it’s pretty much the
end of his usefulness. He’s not bad, but he’s a pretty generic power
guy other than the leg. Robbie gets in a cheap shot on Chris but
gets hammered down and suplexed for two. Off to Brooke vs. Robbie
with E. mocking her with Karate Kid crane poses, allowing Love to
sneak in with some shots to the back. Some dropkicks send Love over
to tag E. but eats a flapjack first. DJZ offers a distraction
though, allowing E. to shove Brooke off the top for the pin at 3:26.

Rating:
D. Eh it’s a comedy feud so
it’s kind of hard to really complain about this match. If nothing
else we get to stare at Brooke and E. is so over the top and insane
that it’s a lot easier to sit through. As I said though, where was
Melendez at the end? He can’t handle someone like the BroMans?

Carter
tries to go into Spud’s locker room to shave his head but Anderson
makes the save after a break. Tyrus ran in to help out his boss.
Didn’t we cover this
already?

Gunner
wants to know why Angle is leaving but Kurt says Lashley doesn’t want
him around. That’s not enough for Gunner who wants the old Angle
back. He slaps Kurt in the face but nothing comes of it.

Here’s
Austin Aries with something to say. He’s
thinking about cashing in this Feast or Fired briefcase tonight, but
here’s Samoa Joe to interrupt. Joe
isn’t going to allow Aries to cash in the case tonight because he can
have trained assassins on him at any given moment. Would those be
the ninjas in the panel vans? Aries wants to know where the old Joe
has gone and a challenge is thrown out. Joe says bring it so Aries
dives through the ropes to take him down.

Austin
Aries vs. Samoa Joe

Joined
in progress after a break with Aries hammering away in the corner.
Joe is too big to have his brain busted though and sends Aries out to
the floor. Back in and Joe stomps away before driving a knee into
Aries’ ribs. This isn’t the
most interesting stuff so far. They slug it out with Aries getting
the better of it, only to eat a running boot to the face and the
backsplash for no cover.

We
hit the bearhug on Aries for a bit before Aries low bridges him to
the floor. A big top rope ax handle nails Joe but the brainbuster
still doesn’t work. Aries escapes the Muscle Buster and hits some
discus forearms to set up the Last Chancery. I’d buy that hold as
more of a threat if it ever won anything. Cue Kenny King with the
briefcase for a distraction, allowing Joe to put on the Clutch.
Aries sends him face first into the case (not a DQ because of course
not) and hits a 450 for the pin at 7:55.

Rating:
C+. These kind of matches feel
like they’re just going through the motions more often than not.
There’s almost no reason for these two to be fighting other than they
need something to fill in the card. It’s not a bad match or
anything, but it just comes and goes and is another match on the show
that I won’t remember later.

The
BDC comes in post match and puts Aries on the table. Low Ki hits the
double stomp to Aries’ ribs but the table doesn’t break all the way.
Instead, Joe adds a running backsplash to really send Aries through
the wood.

Lashley
says MVP has to go through him to win the title.  He doesn’t
need Angle’s help either. WWE,
take note on how to keep your monsters short and to the point like
this.

MVP
praises Eric Young for injuring Roode last week. Young thinks
there’s a hole in his heart and he has to fill it in with revenge.
MVP suggests getting some of
that revenge on Lashley for taking his World Title last year.

The
BDC has stolen Aries’ Feast or Fired briefcase.

Noam
Dar vs. Rampage Brown

Both
guys are from British Boot Camp but before they can get very far,
Bram comes in to beat up both guys with Impaler DDTs at 0:54.

Bram
wants Magnus out here right now but he gets Grado instead. Grado
dances down and gets in Bram’s face, only to get run over with ease.
The third implant DDT puts Grado down again but there’s no Magnus.

TNA
World Title: MVP vs. Bobby Lashley

Lashley
is defending and runs him over to start before hitting a running
clothesline in the corner. Some more clotheslines set up a delayed
vertical suplex as it’s all Lashley so far. Again, this is what
Reigns should be doing. MVP bails to the floor but the rest of the
BDC tries to interfere, earning then ejections as we take a break.
Back with MVP sending him into the steps for two and kicking the
champ in the back.

More
stomping ensues as we get to the core problem with MVP: he isn’t the
most interesting guy in the ring. Kenny King and Samoa Joe are still
at ringside for a stomping as I guess only half of the team was
ejected. Back inside and MVP stomps away even more but both guys
collide to put them down again. Lashley charges into the corner and
plants MVP with a spinebuster for two. MVP tosses him with a suplex
but misses the Black Out.

A
spear drops MVP but the referee is bumped as well, as per the
contractually obligated ref bump in title matches. Cue Eric Young
with a chair to Lashley’s back but Bobby Roode comes out to break up
a piledriver attempt. Young is gone so Lashley hits a powerslam on
MVP, but the BDC breaks up the pin again. Cue Gunner to take out
Joe, allowing MVP to hit the Play of the Day on Lashley for two. MVP
grabs a chair but Drew Galloway takes him down, allowing the spear to
retain Lashley’s title at 15:45.

Rating:
C. The wrestling wasn’t great
but this was about Lashley fighting off all odds to keep his title.
It’s a basic story but TNA is pulling it off well enough. They
telegraphed the ending with Angle vs. Lashley earlier in the night
and I’m sure MVP will get the title one day, but the BDC is starting
to look weak without being able to get the big belt. There was too
much insanity here for my tastes but I’ve seen far worse.

Overall
Rating: C+. TNA
continues its nice roll with another good, although not great show
this week. Lashley vs. Angle vs. MVP is an interesting feud but
hopefully it doesn’t add up to another triple threat match for the
title. The rest of the show is actually more entertaining that I was
expecting and the midcard is pretty easily more entertaining than
WWE’s. However, is there a reason these guys are all fighting? A
midcard title wouldn’t be the worst thing for TNA, but for now it’s
surviving well enough.

Results

Rockstar
Spud/Mr. Anderson b. Tyrus/Ethan Carter III – Spud pinned Tyrus
after a Mic Check from Anderson

Robbie
E./Angelina Love b. Brooke/Chris Melendez – Shove off the top

Austin
Aries b. Samoa Joe – 450 Splash

Noam
Dar vs. Rampage Brown went to a no contest when Bram interfered

Lashley
b. MVP – Spear

Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with wrestling books for under $4 at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Impact
Wrestling

Date:
February 6, 2015

Location:
Manhattan Center, New York City, New York

Commentators:
Josh Matthews, Taz

Reviewed by Tommy Hall

As
is going to be the case all year it seems, pay per view is no longer
an option (save for One Night Only because who can forge that series)
so for the first time ever, Lockdown is being offered as a free TV
broadcast. The main event is Team Angle vs. the BDC with Angle’s
team being down a man as Lashley turned down his offer to join.
Let’s get to it.

The
opening video starts off by focusing on the cage itself before
shifting to Roode vs. Young and the Lethal Lockdown main event.

All
matches are inside a cage.

Tag
Team Titles: Hardys vs. James Storm/Abyss

Storm
and Abyss are defending and it’s tornado rules. Matthews says he and
Taz are ringside and then they’re shown in their studio in Nashville.
So Matthews is a liar. Good to know. The Hardys start fast with
Poetry in Motion to both guys but they have to stop to deal with the
interfering Manik. They just happen to have a pair of handcuffs to
tie him to the top rope but the distraction lets the champs take
over. Matt and Jeff are sent into the cage over and over with Matt
getting the worse of it as we take a break.

Back
with Storm hitting a top rope elbow for two on Matt as frustration is
starting to set in for the champions. The Hardys quickly fight back
for a double two count but Matt misses a moonsault to Storm. Matt
doesn’t seem to mind as he hits a top rope Twist of Fate to drop
Storm. Khoya ignores the cage as well and pulls Matt through the
camera hole to the floor, which doesn’t count as a win because it
wasn’t over the top. Back inside, Jeff hits a Twist on Abyss but
Sanada Mists him to break up the Swanton. Storm’s Last Call retains
the titles at 13:36.

Rating:
C. This was more of a spot fest
than a coherent match but that’s what you have to expect for a
tornado style match. It’s not that easy to get much of a story going
without the need for tags and all those other people interfering in
the match. Still though, it had enough big spots to open a show and
it’s always good to see the Revolution get a win.

Post
match the Revolution puts Matt
through a table outside and sets up another in the ring. They unhook
Mania, though where they got
the key isn’t really clear. Manik misses a top rope splash through
the table and Jeff fights
off most of the Revolution and climbs up, only to get crotched on the
cage door and knocked off onto the steps. This is Jeff’s annual “I
can’t go to England” injury angle.

MVP
has a special offer for Angle tonight. After a break, MVP, King and
Young are in the ring with MVP talking about how dangerous this cage
really is. They’re ready to
face anyone who stands in their way tonight and Young promises to
make Roode bleed tonight. Bobby
is offered a chance to walk away but
MVP switches to Angle. He wants Kurt to come out here and talk to
him face to face for a proposal.

Cue
Angle, Gunner and Aries as MVP talks about how all three can walk out
of here (they just walked in here though) without getting beaten up
again. MVP has talked to Angle’s doctor and that knee is being held
together by tape and gum. Has this doctor never heard of privacy
laws??? Angle and company
say they’re not walking away and the brawl is on. Joe
and Low Ki come out to give the BDC an advantage and they crush
Gunner’s arm in the cage door. The Clan runs away instead of taking
advantage of their numbers advantage.

Video
on Havok and Kong dominating the company. I still don’t buy Havok as
anywhere near Kong’s level after winning like five matches.

Gunner
is checked on in the back but he insists he’s starting the match
tonight.

Havok
vs. Awesome Kong

They
start fighting on the ramp with Kong getting the better of it but
being sent into the steps. The bell rings before they’re even in the
cage with Kong down on the floor. Kong fights out of the spinebuster
slam and sends Havok into the steps for her efforts. The fans think
this is better than the Divas, which really isn’t covering a lot of
ground.

They
finally get inside (the girls, not the fans, in case you’re really
thick in the head) and ram heads before Havok kicks her down. It
just seems to fire Kong up though and she no sells a chokeslam for
good measure. A chokeslam puts Havok down and sets up the Awesome
Splash for the pin at 5:48.

Rating:
C+. This was better than I was
expecting, even though the ending was exactly what I expected. There
was no reason to think Havok could go toe to toe with Kong,
especially given how short Havok’s run in TNA has been. She debuted
what, four months ago, which includes the month they were off TV?
Kong looked dominant though and that’s the right idea.

Video
on Roode vs. Young. They have to have someone bleed in this.

From
two weeks ago, Velvet told Angelina that she was fired and starts
crying. Love hugs her and smiles at the news.

Lashley
is told Angle is looking for him and the champ says he isn’t hard to
find.

Eric
Young vs. Bobby Roode

Pin
or submission only. Roode runs him over to start but eats an elbow
to the jaw. The fans already want blood as Eric sends Roode back
first into the cage a few times. A belly to belly sets up a
chinlock on Roode before a powerslam gets two. Cue MVP with a chair
but Roode ducks a big swing. The piledriver is countered into a
catapult to send Young into the cage and you can see Eric blade. I
really shouldn’t like seeing him in pain this much.

The
spinebuster gets two for Bobby and he puts Young on top. A super
Roode Bomb is countered with a cage shot and Young’s top rope elbow
gets two. Young loads up another elbow onto the chair but Roode gets
up and blasts him in the back. The Roode Bomb onto a chair is good
for the pin at 7:55.

Rating:
D. Well that happened and I
still don’t care. At the end of the day, Eric Young isn’t
interesting, intimidating, tough, worthy of being in a major story or
anything positive that I can think of. This “12 years thrown away”
story made my head hurt as these two barely associated for years and
the whole “Roode owns Young and makes his life miserable” period
is conveniently forgotten. Just get Young back to the comedy jobber
guy he’s been for years so I don’t have to put up with this any
longer.

Lashley
turns Angle down again so Kurt throws him against the wall and tells
him to wake up.

The
announcers debate the upcoming Top 5.

Mandrews/Rockstar
Spud vs. Tyrus

Tyrus
easily shrugs off a double teaming to start and shoves both guys into
corners. A double Tongan Death Grip has them in trouble but they
come back with a double dropkick to the face and then more to the
chest. An enziguri is good for one but Spud escapes a powerbomb and
climbs all the way to the top of the cage. With a middle finger to
Carter, Spud hits a HUGE flip dive to take Tyrus down and Ethan is
stunned.

Carter
gets up and spits at Mandrews, tricking him into coming out of the
cage. Carter trips him up on the way out, sending Mandrews’ head
into the steps to make this one on one. Spud is distracted from
covering and gets the cage door slammed on his head, setting up a
Tongan slam and Asiatic Spike to the neck for the pin on Spud at
5:44.

Rating:
C. That big flip and Carter’s
facials make this match work better, even though Mandrews really
didn’t need to be in the match. I’m digging this feud way more than
I was expecting to and I’m actually believing Spud could pull off the
upset and beat Carter, even though that wouldn’t make a ton of sense.

Carter
goes to shave Spud’s head but JB unplugs his clippers.

We
look at Hardy being hurt “moments ago” and say there’s no update.

Roode
talks about the fifteen years he’s known Eric and says he made Young
bleed, just like he promised. They were best friends but now it’s
all gone and it’s time to move on.

Earlier
tonight, Robbie E. challenged Brooke to a competition to determine
who lost the Amazing Race. They had a dizzy bat challenge before
climbing the cage and getting back out with the winner crossing a
finish line. Robbie almost won but spent too much time taking a
picture, allowing Brooke to hit him low and win. This was heavily
clipped instead of showing the full thing.

Team
Angle vs. Beat Down Clan

Kurt
Angle, Gunner, Austin Aries, ???

MVP,
Kenny King, Samoa Joe, Low Ki

Lethal
Lockdown, meaning two men start for two minutes and then a team
(determined by a coin toss) gets to send in its second man. After
two minutes the team that lost the coin toss gets to send in its
second man to tie things up for two minutes. The teams continue to
alternate until all participants are in when it’s first pinfall or
submission wins. There are weapons provided inside the cage for the
duration of the match this year, as opposed to them not coming down
until the last man enters in previous editions.

King
and Gunner get things going with Kenny going after the injured arm.
Gunner whips him into the cage and blasts him in the back of the head
with a trashcan lid to keep King in trouble. He chokes King with a
nightstick but Low Ki comes in to make it 2-1. They’re already going
quickly through this match.A big trashcan lid shot to Gunner’s head
gives the BDC control and King holds him for kicks to the chest. The
beating continues until Austin Aries comes in for the tie. Austin
immediately starts speeding things up and blasts King in the ribs
with the nightstick.

Gunner
opts for a tennis racket (cue the Jim Cornette reference from Taz)
but it’s Samoa Joe to give the BDC another advantage. More weapons
shots have Team Angle in trouble as this is getting very repetitive,
just like almost all Lethal Lockdown matches. Angle ties it up again
and takes a hockey stick to his ribs upon entry. Kurt doesn’t seem
to mind and German suplexes Joe before rolling Kenny up out of
instinct. Team Angle gets beaten down with more weapons shots until
MVP completes the BDC.

Pins
and submissions are allowed now as all the announced wrestlers are
in. Back from a break with the BDC destroying everyone in sight with
quadruple teaming. Angle finally gets back up and blasts them with
the trashcan lid. The comeback is short lived though as the BDC
destroys them again….and here’s Lashley. This would be more
exciting if TNA hadn’t shown him appearing four times now in their
previews for next week.

He
extends his hand to MVP but doesn’t let go, pulling the leader into a
clothesline. Lashley cleans house but gets taken down into the
corner and choked out by MVP. Angle counters Joe’s Muscle Buster
into the ankle lock as Gunner Gun Racks King and Aries puts Ki in the
Last Chancery. Lashley spears MVP down for the pin at 20:23.

Rating:
C+. Bobby Lashley is exactly
what Roman Reigns should be. He’s big, he’s strong, he runs through
people, and he barely ever speaks because his actions do all his
talking for him. I’ve had a lot of fun watching Lashley break people
in half over the last few months and he’s far more entertaining than
Reigns more often than not. Put Reigns on a roll like this and build
it as a clash of the titans against Lesnar and I’d want to see it.
Some guys just don’t need to have a really detailed character and
both Lashley and Reigns fit that mold.

The
rest of the match was just there and followed the format of almost
every single Lethal Lockdown match in history, minus the big spot on
top. You knew it wasn’t going to really crank up until the end of
the match which makes the first seventeen minutes or so pretty dull
stuff. I can only see a trashcan lid to the back of the head to
change momentum so many times.

Overall
Rating: C+. It’s a decent
enough show but as usual, most of these matches don’t need to be
inside a cage. This is very similar to the Elimination Chamber or
Hell in a Cell PPV: the calendar alone said these matches had to be
in cages and there really wasn’t a reason for a lot of them to be
under these rules. Look at Kong vs. Havok and see that the cage
didn’t change a thing. The Hardy bump could have been done off the
top rope for the same ending and Spud could have hit the same move
off the top rope. Only the main event required a cage and it didn’t
really change much. Decent show but not necessary.

Results

James
Storm/Abyss b. Hardys – Last Call to Jeff

Awesome
Kong b. Havok – Awesome Splash

Bobby Roode b. Eric Young – Roode Bomb onto a chair

Tyrus
b. Mandrews/Rockstar Spud – Asiatic Spike to Spud

Team
Angle b. Beat Down Clan – Spear to MVP

Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with wrestling books for under $4 at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Impact
Wrestling

Date:
January 30, 2015

Location:
Manhattan Center, New York City, New York

Commentators:
Josh Matthews, Taz

Reviewed by Tommy Hall

The
World Title picture is starting to pick up again as Bobby Roode, Kurt
Angle, Austin Aries and MVP all have their eyes on Lashley’s title.
It’s hard to say what’s coming up next week at Lockdown as nothing
has been announced yet. You can guess what some of those matches
will be but the main event hasn’t been set in stone so far. Let’s
get to it.

We
open with a look back at MVP taking Lashley’s title belt after a
brawl.

Here’s
Bobby Roode with Lashley’s title, which he picked up on the street
after chasing off the BDC, to open the show. Roode talks about how
he wishes this title belonged to him but it doesn’t right now. It
was stolen from him a few weeks ago and he’s going to get his hands
on Eric Young to pay him back for what he did.

As
for the title, the only two people with a claim to it are he and
Lashley, so here’s the real champ to get his belt back. Roode says
this title belongs to Lashley but he wants a rematch tonight.
Lashley agrees and starts to walk away but Roode asks why wait. This
brings out Austin Aries with his Feast or Fired briefcase. Do you
remember wrestling before briefcases? I miss those days. The fans
are pleased to see him (Aries: “You know my name!”) and he thinks
he should cash in his briefcase here in New York City.

He
isn’t sure if he should do it now or wait until later on after these
two have fought. This brings out MVP who says he’s disappointed in
Lashley for saying the title is his. That title belongs the BDC and
MVP wants to fight Lashley for the title right now. Lashley tells
Aries to hold onto the briefcase for now, because he’ll fight all
three of them for the title tonight. This would be yet another major
match announced with next to no build that could have been the
culmination of about five weeks instead of fifteen minutes.

A
voiceover announces Team Angle vs. Team BDC next week in Lethal
Lockdown. The clips show who will be in the match. Well that’s one
way to set up one of the biggest matches of the year.

Angle
says he’ll assemble his team tonight and know who is fighting in
Lethal Lockdown next week. And it might be surprising if you tuned
back in from commercial thirty seconds late.

Knockouts
Title: Madison Rayne vs. Gail Kim vs. Taryn Terrell

One
fall to a finish and Taryn is defending. We get some stills of Will
Ferrell hitting her in the face with a basketball in a scene from
Ferrell’s new movie. It’s a fast start with Taryn going for a fast
pin before hair dragging Gail down. She misses a charge into the
corner and gets hit with a running cross body to the ribs as Madison
is on the floor. Madison comes back in and gets suplexed for two but
elbows Taryn in the jaw for the same.

Gail
runs back in and gets caught in a neckbreaker (called a Diamond
Cutter by Josh) from Madison at the same time Rayne catches Taryn in
a DDT. Kim takes Madison down in something like Konnan’s Tequila
Sunrise but she pulls forward on the leg instead of backwards like a
half crab. That’s quite a different version and looked good at the
same time.

The
champ breaks it up by adding a dragon sleeper to Kim and all three
head to the floor. Madison flapjacks Terrell onto the steps and
sends both girls face first onto them for good measure. They head
back inside with Madison escaping Eat Defeat and avoiding a cross
body, only to walk into an RKO to retain Taryn’s title at 6:00.

Rating:
B-. This was far better than I
was expecting as they didn’t stop for a second in the whole match.
Making Taryn the fighting champion who goes up against anyone she can
is a good way to get her over and the fans seem to be responding to
her. They still need some fresh blood in the division and Kong would
be a good option.

Announced
for Lockdown next week: Havok vs. Awesome Kong and Abyss/James Storm
vs. the Hardys for the Tag Team Titles.

Magnus
is walking the street and says he and Bram are going to have a drink
and talk about their problems.

Rockstar
Spud is showing Mark Andrews around New York City but doesn’t quite
know the names of some landmarks (the Empire State Building is the
Washington Monument for example). The point is they’re challenging
Tyrus and Ethan Carter III for a tag match tonight.

Here’s
Tommy Dreamer to say he hasn’t lied to the fans in 25 years and he
isn’t going to tonight.
He calls out Eric Young to say something to his face. Oh
good grief seriously? These two together is what I get for watching
these guys for years??? Young
says this isn’t Dreamer’s business but Dreamer talks about his
history with Roode and Young in TNA. Tommy has watched him go from a
nothing joke to the World Champion.

He
tells Young not to turn his back and burn bridges with Roode or the
fans. Eric: “You’re a fat loser from this dump.” He
wants to blow the bridge up so Tommy takes his jacket off. Tommy
says this is all about a title shot, but did Young ever ask Roode for
a shot? That earns Dreamer a piledriver but Roode comes out for the
save.

The
Hardys are ready for their title shot next week but Jeff has a
Monster’s Ball match with Abyss first. He’s brought some friends
named kendo, cookie and barbed wire.

Magnus
goes into a bar and finds Bram.

Kurt
Angle goes into Gunner’s locker room and asks him to be in Lethal
Lockdown next week. Gunner isn’t sure so Angle slaps him in the
face.

Magnus
and Bram are in the bar where Bram says that briefcase was his.
Magnus points out that he won a Tag Team Title shot and who else is
going to be his partner? It’s Bram’s temper that has held him back
over the years and he’s gotten Bram a job here. They’re not 18 years
old anymore and they can’t just get in fights when they don’t get
their way. This is about Magnus’ family and putting a roof over his
son’s head and food on his table.

Bram
asks to see a picture of Magnus’ son and says he has Magnus’ eyes.
They toast to their future and leave. Bram shows Magnus the way out
and says he’ll handle the bill. Magnus realizes he’s in a dead end
and Bram jumps him from behind, ramming Magnus into a few doors and
punching him in the back of the head. This actually worked really
well.

Josh
and Taz discuss what Bram just did.

Jeff
Hardy vs. Abyss

This
is Monster’s Ball and they’re shown fighting in the back before
coming into the arena for the opening bell. Jeff is in control early
and rams Abyss into whatever he can as they get down to ringside. He
takes too long to set up a table though and gets kicked away,
allowing Abyss to start loading up weapons in the ring. That takes
too long as well though and Jeff hits a running forearm and basement
dropkick for two.

The
Twisting Stunner sends Abyss into the corner for Poetry in Motion
(chair instead of Matt), knocking the monster out to the floor. Jeff
tries a dive but crashes through the table to change momentum. Abyss
brings in the tacks but takes a cheese grater between the legs. He’s
still able to sidestep a charging Jeff though and sends him face
first into the chair wedged in the corner. That was one heck of a
crash. Is it any wonder Jeff is such a mess? It’s Janice time but
as always it gets stuck in the buckle, allowing Jeff to hit the Twist
of Fate but the Revolution comes in.

Cue
Matt Hardy to cane everyone he can but Storm cracks him with a
trashcan. The Last Call knocks Matt out but the Wolves come in for
another save. Double suicide dives take out the rest of the
Revolution but Abyss pours out the tacks. He takes too long with it
again though and Jeff sunset bombs him onto the tacks, setting up the
Swanton for the pin at 9:06.

Rating:
C-. You know, if I remember
right, these two had the exact same match with the exact same ending
whenever they last did this match. I’m
completely over Monster’s Ball as it’s nothing interesting anymore
and is just the same weapons spots with the same guy (as Josh said,
Abyss has been in 95% of the Monster’s Ball matches. Even if that’s
not true, it certainly seems like it). It
was passable, but by this point there’s nothing interesting in these
things.

Storm
is mad at Abyss for losing. I really hope they’re not teasing a
split already.

Matt
says he’ll always have his brother’s back.

We
recap the fourway being set up.

Aries
appreciates Lashley being a fighting champion and implies he’s
cashing in if he loses.

Rockstar
Spud/Mandrews vs. Ethan Carter III/Tyrus

Yes
his name is Mandrews because there are no British wrestlers who
aren’t skinny guys with
bleached blond hair. Carter comes out and says the request for this
match is denied. However, they have a replacement.

Rockstar
Spud/Mandrews vs. BroMans

Yes
his name is still Mandrews because wrestling names make my soul hurt.
The BroMans jump Andrews to
start and plant him face first, drawing in Spud so the BroMans can
hit a double knee to the head. Robbie
charges into a boot in the corner and the hot tag brings in Spud for
some kicks to the leg and punches to the jaw. A
double crotch claw has the BroMans in trouble and he takes off the
bowtie, setting up a Dudley Dog on Robbie and a Shooting Star from
Andrews is good for the pin at 2:39.

Robbie
jumps Spud post match and sets up Andrews/Spud vs. Tyrus in a cage
next week.

After
a break Spud goes on a rampage about how he’s going to get Ethan
because he isn’t a loser.

The
announcers preview Lockdown.

TNA
World Title: Lashley vs. Austin Aries vs. Bobby Roode vs. MVP

Lashley
is defending and this is one fall to a finish. MVP bails to the
floor but Roode and Aries force him back inside. He realizes what
that means and tries to fight Lashley, only to get punched by all
three guys. Everyone pairs off with Lashley stomping Roode in the
corner but Roode comes back with a Blockbuster. He gets to his feet
and eats Aries’ missile dropkick but Roode sends Austin to the floor.
MVP goes after Roode’s knee but charges into a spinebuster to leave
Roode as the only man standing as we take a break.

Back
with Lashley powerslamming Roode for two with Aries making another
save. Lashley powers out of a brainbuster attempt but gets low
bridged out to the floor, setting up Aries’ suicide dive. MVP
hits his running boot to Roode’s jaw, followed by an exploder suplex
for two. Here’s a sign of things changing in TNA: Taz
started stumbling over all the three letter names involved in the
match (it happens), made a quick joke about it, and got right back to
commentary. If this was still he and Tenay, they would still be
making fun of it ten minutes later.

The Ballin
Elbow gets two on Roode but Lashley comes back in with a Dominator to
MVP, sending him to the floor. Aries nails a top rope ax handle to
deck MVP again before Roode puts MVP in the Crossface. This time
it’s the champ making the save and a Tower of Doom sends everyone not
named MVP down. Cue Eric Young with a chair to Roode, leaving Aries
to counter the spear into the Last Chancery. MVP breaks it up but
gets sent to the floor with a discus forearm. Aries loads up a dive
but gets speared in half to retain Lashley’s title at 13:11.

Rating:
B-. Fun match here but I would
have liked to see it go on longer. Lashley retaining here is a good
sign as they’re clearly going with Lashley vs. the BDC for the next
few weeks if not months and that should have some interesting
stories. I’m still not as high on MVP as a lot of people are but he
did fine here. As usual, Aries stole the show.

The
BDC and Young (again, why is he not a member?) comes in post match
but Angle and Gunner make the save.

After
a break, everyone is still at ringside. Roode challenges Young to a
cage match next week and the challenge is accepted because Roode
wants to make him bleed. Aries comes in with his briefcase and says
he should be on Team Angle next week. Angle accepts and now it’s
Lashley’s turn. Kurt asks him to join the team so
he doesn’t have to deal with MVP for the rest of his career. Lashley
turns him down and walks away to end the show.

Overall
Rating: B. I really liked the
show this week, even though they had to fly through everything to set
up Lockdown in a hurry. The
wrestling, when it actually happened, was good for the most part and
they kept things moving fast. This was about setting up stuff for
the future and they accomplished that quite well, with some decent
wrestling to go with it. Solid
show this week and their best since they’ve been on Destination
America.

Results

Taryn
Terrell b. Gail Kim and Madison Rayne – RKO to Rayne

Jeff
Hardy b. Abyss – Swanton Bomb

Rockstar
Spud/Mandrews b. BroMans

Lashley
b. Bobby Roode, Austin Aries and MVP – Spear to Aries

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Impact
Wrestling

Date:
January 16, 2015

Location:
Manhattan Center, New York City, New York

Commentators:
Josh Matthews, Taz

Reviewed by Tommy Hall

This
is the debut on Fridays which will be their regular night. The big
story coming out of last week is Lashley taking the World Title back
from Bobby Roode and what appeared to be the formation of another
heel stable as Eric Young turned on Roode and seemed to join forces
with MVP, Kenny King, Samoa Joe and Low Ki. Let’s get to it.

We
open with a recap of last week’s four title matches with Aries and
Lashley winning the X-Division and World Titles respectfully.

Josh
is in the control room and says we’re going to see this show in a way
we’ve never seen before. It’s going to be more interactive and
behind the scenes than ever before. Taz thinks the idea sounds cool.
The two of them will be in various locations throughout the night.

Roode
says nothing is more important than the title and Eric Young cost him
the belt last week. He doesn’t know why, but he wants Eric Young one
on one tonight. They kept this simple and Roode sold the intensity
very well.

Here
are MVP, Joe, Low Ki, King and a woman I don’t recognize. Taz and
Josh are in a booth and are shown on a split screen. MVP says you
can’t keep a good man down and after a quick lane changes, he’s right
back in the driver’s seat. He’s always known it was him against the
world since the day he started wrestling. He knew he had to surround
himself with people he knew, so he went to the family. These men
traveled the roads with him 500 miles a day for a hot dog and a
handshake. They are known as the Beat Down Clan and they’re “nobody
to F….mess with.”

MVP
introduces Young but emphasizes that he is not part of the BDC. The
fans tell Eric that he sold out, but he’s all serious and says that
doesn’t matter. Young, with a haircut, says MVP did something for
his family that made Eric change his opinion. Eric had a brother
once. He took care of Roode and even gave him one of the first title
shots. Where was his title shot when Roode won the belt? Maybe
Roode was afraid of losing again, because Young is a world class man
and friend. When Young was laid up, he only got a text message from
Roode, but MVP called him up and told him the truth.

MVP
says he planted a seed in Young and it grew to a sequoia. Now it’s
time for the World Champ, but Lashley doesn’t come out to his music.
MVP introduces him again but gets Kurt Angle in wrestling gear,
sporting a big knee brace. He says Young is going to pay for his
sins tonight when Roode gets his hands on him. Angle promises to
make every one of them tap. Joe gets out of the ring and gets right
in Kurt’s face but gets a punch to the jaw. The entire BDC gets in
his face but security breaks it up. Angle wants Joe right now and
apparently that’s good enough.

Kurt
Angle vs. Samoa Joe

This
is joined in progress after a break with Joe working on the knee and
slapping on a leg bar. He switches it up to something like a figure
four as we go split screen to see a producer trying to find Lashley
but there’s no one in his dressing room. Angle escapes the hold and
starts rolling the Germans. Joe shrugs it off and hits the corner
enziguri, only to have the Clutch countered into the ankle lock.
That’s quickly escaped as well but the Angle Slam (what knee injury?)
gets two. There’s the ankle lock again but this time the roll
through takes out the referee. A low blow sets up the Clutch and
Angle taps at 6:15 shown.

Rating:
C-. It really amazes me how
fast TNA can go from establishing a new hero (well as new as Angle
can be) to having him lose in the middle of the ring. No it wasn’t
clean, but couldn’t they have made this wait a bit longer? TNA seems
terrified of the idea of building up a hero and this felt like even
more of the same for yet another heel stable.

The
BDC comes in to beat down Angle but Roode makes the save with a
chair.

Back
from a break with Roode sitting in the ring in the chair. He says
this has already gone too far, which the fans agree with due to their
ROODE GOT SCREWED chant. He’s been here a long time and this ring is
his home. Roode may live for wrestling, but tonight in New York
City, this is about payback. Another short but intense promo from
Roode.

Taz
and Matthews are in the booth again to talk about Impact: Unlocked
tomorrow morning about 10am. This is a behind the scenes look at
TNA, including power rankings and special features like this. We see
an interview with Magnus, talking about doing this to provide for his
family. His son looks up at him and he wants to make him proud.
Another clip says he’d be fine with being a free agent in a market
like this.

We
look at JB getting his hair shaved last week.

Spud
apologizes to JB but Borash isn’t really upset. He knows Carter will
get what’s coming to him one day.

The
Revolution is in a balcony to watch the next match.

Hardys
vs. Wolves

Winners
get a title shot against the Revolution. Matt and Eddie get things
going with the Hardys quickly taking over, allowing for a tag to Jeff
(big reaction). A nice headscissors takes Davey down and a double
belly to back suplex gets two. The Hardys hit clotheslines from
either side but everything breaks down and the Wolves send both
Hardys into opposite corners with Matt getting tied in the Tree of
Woe.

A
drop toehold from Eddie sets up an elbow to the back from Davey for
two. Davey fires off the kicks in the corner but misses the top rope
stomp, allowing Matt to hit the Side Effect. It’s off to Jeff vs.
Eddie as everything breaks down again. The Wolves throw Matt to the
floor but he DDTs both guys down. Jeff is next to a different corner
so he walks across the top rope (think Old School or Elix Skipper’s
cage walk) to get to the other corner and dive on everyone else.

Back
in and the Swanton hits Eddie’s knees and ReDRagon’s Chasing the
Dragon (with a Falcon’s Arrow instead of a brainbuster) gets two on
Jeff. The Hardys make a blind tag and Eddie takes another Side
Effect. Jeff gets crotched on top and Eddie hits a Twist of Fate for
two but Jeff Swantons in for the save. Poetry in Motion hits Eddie
and the Twisting Stunner sets up an elevated Twisting Stunner for the
pin at 10:00.

Rating:
B. This was really entertaining
and good if you don’t mind your tag match having almost no tagging.
It got a lot better near the
end but I could go for other teams besides the Hardys getting title
shots. I can live with it though as long as it doesn’t lead to Jeff
vs. Matt again.

Next
week is Feast or Fired and Bram says he’s going to feast.

Eric
Young is worried about Roode coming for revenge.

Ethan
Carter III and Tyrus take over the production booth. Carter: “Ground
control to major bald please.” They want the cameras on Jeremy
Borash and we see his mostly bald head. Carter knows JB thinks he’s
Heisenberg and tough now, so how about they have a match next week.
JB has thirty minutes to decide.

Lashley
has arrived.

Bobby
Roode vs. Eric Young

No
DQ and it’s a brawl in the aisle to start. Taz sums up the feud in
simple terms: “The guy in the green screwed over the guy in the
black and the guy in the black is ticked.” Back from a break with
the fight in the crowd and a split screen showing Lashley going into
his dressing room with no comment. Young takes it back to ringside
and stomps on Roode’s head before chopping him against the barricade.
Eric Young just looking all stoic doesn’t make me care about him
TNA.

More
forearms stop Roode’s comeback attempt, because Heaven forbid a good
guy gets the crowd going. Two chairs are brought in and Young puts
one in the corner. Back in and Roode fires off some right hands
before nailing a nice spinebuster. The Roode Bomb onto a chair is
countered and Young sends him head first into the corner chair. A
piledriver onto the chair is enough to pin Roode at 10:11.

Rating:
C. I could barely see a good
chunk of the match but more importantly, TNA WILL YOU FREAKING LET A
HERO LAST MORE THAN A FEW WEEKS??? Stop turning everything over to
the heels over and over and over and over and over. It’s been nearly
thirteen years of this same stuff and it’s gotten them onto the same
network as Bathroom Kings (yes that’s really a show). Is a hero that
doesn’t have to job to Eric Young so much to ask for?

MVP
comes out and says maybe someone will visit Roode in the hospital.

Aries
says it’s a battle to keep his X-Division Title tonight. If you back
him into a corner, he’s going to get really dangerous.

We
recap last week’s battle royal with Awesome Kong returning for the
showdown with Havok. Again,
Havok winning like five matches doesn’t make her Kong’s equal.

Brooke
is mad about what Robbie said after how he performed on the Amazing
Race.

Brooke
Adams/Taryn Terrell vs. Beautiful People

All
three BroMans are at ringside. DJZ takes a quick picture and we
instantly see it on screen. He’s no Tyler Breeze. Adams hammers
away on Angelina to start before taking Velvet down by the arm.
Terrell comes in for a suplex and the Beautiful People are
“dropkicked” to the outside, setting up Taryn’s bit dive to take
out everyone on the floor. Back in and a middle rope clothesline
drops Velvet, but Robbie gets on the apron to distract Brooke,
letting Velvet grab a rollup with a handful of trunks for the pin at
2:30.

Post
match Kong appears to destroys the Beautiful People and DJZ. Havok
comes out for the showdown but security breaks it up.

JB
turns down Carter’s challenge but Carter says JB is TNA. He should
take the challenge because no one respect him. JB snaps and says
he’ll fight Ethan next week.

Taz
and Josh are going to preview something for next week. I’m not sure
about this studio thing as it makes me feel like I’m watching a recap
show. It’s not bad but it’s going to take some getting used to.

Manik
tells a camera to follow him. They go to see James Storm, who tells
Manik to leave them. Storm says it’s time for the world to be
introduced to his newest disciple: Koya (formerly Mahabali Shera).
Koya means lost in Hindi, but now Koya has been found. Next week,
the world will see what he is capable of. The guy looks good if
nothing else.

Video
on Feast or Fired. It’s something like Money in the Bank with four
briefcases, one for a shot at every title (other than the Knockouts)
and one with a pink slip.

X-Division
Title: Low Ki vs. Austin Aries

The
BDC is at ringside. Aries took the title from Low Ki last week. The
champ starts fast by backdropping Low Ki over the top but Ki’s feet
get caught in the ropes to make the crash even worse. Back in and
Aries gets two off the Pendulum Elbow and the Last Chancery sends Ki
running for the ropes. Low Ki bails to the floor for a breather and
meeting with the BDC. Why not just have them interfere now to give
Ki the title? You know it’s coming because they’re a heel stable and
therefore they have to win titles.

The
advice works as Aries’ suplex is countered with Low Ki dropping him
over the ropes. A big chop gets two but also ticks Aries off,
causing him to fire off even harder chops of his own. The discus
forearm sets up the running corner dropkick, but Ki knees out of the
brainbuster. Austin crushes the knee and hooks the Last Chancery,
only to have the BDC get on the apron. The referee misses Ki tapping
out and the BDC gets on the apron, with MVP crotching Aries. Ki gets
up and Ki Crushes his way to the title at 6:48.

Rating:
C+. Why would you want to be a
face in this company? You might get to hold a title for a few weeks,
but at the end of the day,
this company is about heels ruling everything around and long stories
with them on top instead of letting anyone stand up as a hero. Also,
well done on throwing titles around again. That’s always a good
idea.

The
BDC is still in the ring (of course) and call out Lashley. The champ
comes out this time and MVP takes credit for everything Lashley has
done. He makes the mistake of saying the title belongs to the BDC
but Lashley isn’t cool with that. MVP says Lashley owes the team
some thanks but Lashley turns to walk away.

MVP
goes to stop him but Lashley tells Hassan (MVP’s real first name) to
let him go. That’s ok with MVP, who brings up their time together in
WWE. He wants one hug for the road though, which Lashley reluctantly
gives. MVP kisses him on the cheek and the beatdown is on. Lashley
gets hit in the face with the belt and MVP leaves with the title.

Overall
Rating: C-. I’m getting really,
really sick of heel stables, especially when you can almost guarantee
they’ll be in power by March. This is all TNA does and it’s almost
all they’ve done since they debuted. I’m tired of being told to wait
and see where it goes, because it ALWAYS GOES THE EXACT SAME WAY.

Look
what we had here: one story dominating about 80% of this show, the
heels completely dominating the entire show, and most of the heroes
getting beaten down. This is after Dixie’s reign of terror, which
came after the Aces and 8’s, which came after Immoral. It just never
ends and TNA makes it harder and harder to want to stick with them
every single week.

Results

Samoa
Joe b. Kurt Angle – Koquina Clutch

Hardys
b. Wolves – Elevated Twisting Stunner to Edwards

Eric
Young b. Bobby Roode – Piledriver onto a chair

Beautiful
People b. Brooke Adams/Taryn Terrell – Rollup with a handful of
trunks

Low
Ki b. Austin Aries – Ki Crusher

Remember to pick up my new book on the history of Saturday Night’s Main Event from Amazon at:

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Impact
Wrestling

Date:
January 7, 2015

Location:
Manhattan Center, New York City, New York

Commentators:
Taz, Josh Mathews

Reviewed by Tommy Hall

It’s
a new era in TNA as they’re off SpikeTV and onto Destination America,
meaning they’ll be lucky to have half the audience they had before.
However, they seem to actually be trying to have a new beginning,
which may help them a lot in the long run. The main story here is
Roode vs. Lashley III for the title, which should be a solid main
event. Let’s get to it.

Before we get started, remember that next week the show moves to its regular time slot on Friday at 9pm EST.

We
open with a very cool video showing the roster coming to the arena
and looking over New York City. Roode, Storm and MVP give the roster
pep talks before we get a Lashley vs. Roode staredown. Kenny King
throws a punch at Roode and the brawl is on outside the arena. I
mean the entire roster is brawling and being recorded by handheld
cameras. They head into the arena and it’s just a massive war.
After about five minutes, TNA boss Kurt Angle comes out and asks the
fans if they want this fight to continue. He asks where all the
champions are and says all titles are on the line tonight.

Angle
has one more announcement to make but MVP gets in the ring and cuts
him off. The fans tell MVP to shut the F up and the censoring is
just a big off. MVP turns his back on Angle to offer him a free shot
but Angle just spits. This isn’t the same Angle who used to make
people tap out and threw people everywhere, because his in ring
career is over. Angle says he’s stepped down as executive director,
but he’s been reactivated as a wrestler, meaning it’s him vs. MVP
tonight in a street fight. Starting NOW, even though both guys are
in street clothes.

Kurt
Angle vs. MVP

Both
guys are in street The bell rings and Kurt knocks him to the floor as
we go to a break eight seconds in. I really wish they would cut that
out and just start the match after the break. Back with MVP kicking
Angle in the face and no commentary. Kurt rolls some Germans but
gets caught in something like Lesnar’s Kimura.

Angle
counters with a headscissors and grabs more Germans, only to have MVP
go after the knee that put Angle on the shelf for so many months.
The commentary here is light years better than with Tenay and Taz as
there aren’t any lame jokes and they’re actually focusing on the
match. It’s nothing great but I’ll take average over whatever TNA
had before any day. Back in again and Angle grabs the ankle lock,
only to be pulled down into a side choke. MVP is wrestling a
submission styles here and it’s only kind of working. Kurt counters
into the ankle lock again but MVP gets up, only to take the Angle
Slam for the pin at 11:20.

Rating:
D+. This was quick and didn’t
need to be a street fight. I
understand the idea of bringing Angle back in but I really hope he
wraps up his in ring career soon. He just gets hurt way too easily
and I really don’t want to see him get hurt even worse next time.
The match was too short though and the stipulation wasn’t necessary.

MVP
rants to Kenny King after a break and wants to talk to Lashley.

Taz
and new commentator Josh Mathews welcome us to the show. The new
idea is there are cameras everywhere and they’re pulling the curtain
back. I can hear Cornette’s rants from here.

Ethan
Carter III (with Tyrus) doesn’t like not being on the show yet. He’s
a man of honor and doesn’t break commitments he made. His first
commitment: to take Rockstar Spud apart piece by piece, starting
tonight. Tyrus is sent to secure the target.

Matthews
is glad to be here and throws it to Tenay, who is hosting a new show
called Impact Wrestling Unlocked, which sounds like Impact with stats
and facts etc.

Tenay
had an interview with James Storm about the Revolution and how
surprising it’s been to him. Storm says that was the idea, because
he’s knocked everything this company has given him out of the park.
The group’s members just flock to Storm because he’s preaching the
truth to them. Tenay loved the Feast or Fired cash in but wants to
know about the future. Storm gets in his face and talks about the
devil being less scary than he is before whistling a lot. I still
really like this idea and I want to see where it goes.

Tag
Team Titles: James Storm/Abyss vs. Wolves

The
Revolution took the titles from the Wolves back in late 2014 using a
Feast or Fired contract (TNA’s version of Money in the Bank).
Actually we’re not done though as the Hardys come out in street
clothes as we go to a break before the bell. The match starts with
the Hardys just on the floor as spectators as Edwards backdrops Storm
onto Abyss, setting up stereo suicide dives. They work so well that
the Wolves hit them three more times in a row as the rest of the
Revolution (Manik and Sanada) just stand around watching.

Back
in and the Wolves start double teaming Storm until Abyss pulls
Richards to the floor and chokeslams him onto the apron. I love
stuff onto the apron. Richards is in trouble for a good twenty
seconds before he rolls over and tags in Edwards to fight off both
champions. Storm misses a charge into the corner but gets kicked in
the head and caught in a backpack Stunner for two. They’re keeping a
very fast pace here and it’s working quite well. The Wolves’ painted
claw marks on their chests are working as well.

Abyss
tries a double chokeslam but the Wolves backflip out for a cool
counter before a top rope double stomp gets two on Storm. Richards
is pulled to the floor and Abyss catapults Edwards into a Storm DDT
for two. Sanada and Manik try to come in but the Hardys make a save
to prevent the DQ. Jeff and Abyss get in a tug of war over Storm’s
noose and the distraction lets Storm superkick Edwards to retain at
6:13.

Rating:
C. Nice fast paced match here
but it didn’t have the time to go anywhere. I’m not sure why we
needed the Hardys out there and I really don’t care to see them in
the tag division. Storm has something here with the Revolution but
does he need to be stuck in another tag team? Let him go after
something on his own for a change.

Package
on Roode vs. Lashley I.

Carter
tells a camera to come with him.

Back
from a break with MVP yelling at Lashley about not having his
priorities straight. He takes credit for all of Lashley’s success
and says he leads this team. Lashley pins him up against the wall
and says this is about getting the title back. This calms MVP down a
bit.

Jeremy
Borash tries to bring out
someone for an interview but gets cut off by Ethan Carter III. He
brags about his accomplishments and does Tyson’s Kidd’s FACT bit.
Carter does one up him a bit though by going to some fans with a mic
to do the dueling chant lines. Carter apologizes for slapping JB a
few weeks back and asks Spud to get out here right now. Tyrus
drags Spud through the entrance and throws him into the ring, where
Carter says it’s time to cut the rest of Spud’s hair. His SCALP
chant doesn’t quite get off the ground.

JB
tries to intervene and actually slaps Carter, earning him a splash
from Tyrus. Spud tries to cover him up, but Carter has another idea.
It’s going to be Borash getting his hair cut and Carter busts out
the clippers to shave off a big chunk of JB’s hair. Spud
freaks out but this didn’t have the emotion they were going for.

King
talks to MVP in the back but the audio is so low I can’t make out
what they’re saying. MVP holds up his phone and that’s enough for
King.

Video
on Lashley vs. Roode II with Roode taking the title.

Package
on the history of the X-Division and the sound quality is lacking
again. The voiceover is barely audible unless I turn the volume up
far higher than it needs to be on the rest of the show. The video
turns into a focus on Low Ki, who has been in the division since it
started.

X-Division
Title: Austin Aries vs. Low Ki

Ki
is defending. Feeling out process to start as Mathews mentions Low
Ki being the first ROH Champion and plugging WWE Hall of Famer Edge
being on Taz’s debut podcast in the span of ten seconds. They trade
headscissors as Taz lists off some Brooklyn landmarks. Aries kicks
Ki to the floor but charges into a kick to the head for a nice
counter. Back up and Aries fires off forearms to send Ki to the
floor for a suicide dive. That’s a move they need to tone down as
it’s the fifth use of it in less than an hour.

The
missile dropkick looks to set up the brainbuster but Ki counters into
a kind of dragon sleeper. Aries grabs the ropes and heads up top,
only to get kicked in the head again. Not to be outdone, Aries kicks
Ki down from the top and plants him with a brainbuster to win the
title for a sixth time at 6:18.

Rating:
C+. Good but not great match
here and I’m not wild on Aries getting the title back. Again, it’s
something we’ve seen before and nothing I really need to see
repeated. The matches are going to be entertaining, but they need
some fresh talent in that division. Swap some of the roster around
and give Aries some fresh competition, because they can only do the
same matches so many times.

Knockouts
Title: Battle Royal

Angelina
Love, Velvet Sky, Taryn Terrell, Madison Rayne, Gail Kim, Havok,
Rebel

Taryn
Terrell is defending. Before the match, Robbie E. is welcomed back
to TNA after competing on the Amazing Race. He didn’t win a million
dollars due to his horrible partner, but at least he still looks like
a million dollars. Robbie rips on Brooke a bit more until Taryn’s
entrance cuts him off. Gail goes after Havok to start before the
Beautiful People put Rebel out. Madison saves herself on the apron
but get dumped by Havok.

Velvet
eats defeat and Taryn knocks Angelina out as this is a very lame
battle royal. Like even lamer than most battle royals. We’re down
to Havok, Terrell, Kim and Sky with Havok taking a double dropkick.
Brooke comes in through the crowd and jumps Robbie. Terrell and Kim
dump Velvet before Havok throws out Gail, only to get thrown out by
Terrell to retain at 4:58.

Rating:
D-. This was REALLY dull stuff
and just there to get to the ending. I know they’re trying to make
Havok out to be a monster, but I don’t think she’s had ten matches in
TNA so far. How dominant of a monster can she be with such a short
resume? I mean, it’s not like she’s Kong or anything.

Post
match Havok jumps Terrell and puts her in a bearhug but the lights go
out. They come back up…..and KONG IS BACK! She stares Havok down
and chokeslams a referee for old times’ sake.

TNA
World Title: Lashley vs. Bobby Roode

Roode
is defending and starts
fast, only to be driven into the corner for some hard shoulders to
the ribs. A delayed
vertical suplex gets two on the champ but he comes back with the
Crossface to send Lashley to the ropes. I hope they’re not going
with the idea of using the same hold over and over again until the
other guy taps out. Mix things up a bit and build to a finisher
instead of just starting it at first.

They
head outside with Roode being sent into the barricade but coming back
with a hard clothesline. We get an inset camera shot of MVP and King
in the back with two masked men. Security won’t let the masked men
come in so the security guy gets beaten down as we go to a break.
Back with Roode in a chinlock followed by a bearhug. Taz and Mathews
actually explain how Lashley is softening up the midsection for the
spear later on. I haven’t heard actual analysis from TNA since I
don’t remember when.

Roode
fights out and they stare each other down for a cool visual. The
champ takes over with a clothesline and a big spinebuster for two,
only to jump into a Davey Boy powerslam (to go with the delayed
vertical suplex from earlier. Nothing
but good can come from watching British Bulldog matches)
for the same. Lashley
hammers away in the corner but gets powerbombed down for another near
fall. Now we get to something new as they hit each others’
finishers for two each.

Cue
MVP, King and the masked men as Roode grabs the Crossface. Lashley
just stands up for the break, only to walk into the Roode Bomb for
two. Back to the Crossface (cross forehead actually) but King pulls
the referee out and decks him with a right hand. Angle
comes out to brawl with him but gets beaten down. The masked men
unveil themselves as Low Ki and Samoa Joe. Eric Young comes in with
a chair….and turns on Roode with a bunch of chair shots. Lashley
spears Roode down for the pin and the title at 20:00.

Rating:
B-. I liked the match utnil the
ending, which feels like yet another heel stable. Eric Young as a
potential big bad drives me insane because…..how do I put
this…..NO ONE CARES ABOUT ERIC FREAKING YOUNG! The match was good
and I’m assuming this sets up Lethal Lockdown with Team Roode vs.
Team MVP or Lashley. Not the worst idea but I’m terrified of another
heel stable, especially if there’s going to be a leader with
authority.

Overall
Rating: C+. I’m torn on this
one as I really liked the energy and some of the tweaks they made
(commentary was WAY better tonight), but it feels like they’re
resetting a lot of what they did back in December. Aries is
X-Division Champion again and Lashley has the World Title back? So
why put it on Roode in the first place other than to just give it a
feel good moment?

The
ending…..erg. This is the frustrating part about TNA: they can’t
help but go back to the same ideas that we’ve seen so many times
before to diminishing results each time. The idea might work for
awhile at first, but then it overstays its welcome and turns into the
same idea they’ve always had. Hopefully that’s not where they’re
going with this, but TNA doesn’t deserve the benefit of the doubt.

The
rest of the show worked pretty well though as they focused on the
wrestling and advanced stories where they needed to. The Revolution
is still awesome and Storm is nailing the cult leader character,
especially with that creepy whistling. They
also did a good job of introducing a lot of the new people. I’d call
this a good first effort on a new channel, but the ending makes me
nervous.

Results

Kurt
Angle b. MVP – Angle Slam

James
Storm/Abyss b. Wolves – Last Call to Edwards

Austin
Aries b. Low Ki – Brainbuster

Taryn
Terrell won a battle royal last eliminating Havok

Lashley
b. Bobby Roode – Spear

Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with wrestling books for under $4 at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Impact
Wrestling

Date: December 24, 2014

Location: Impact Zone,
Orlando, Florida

Commentators: Mike
Tenay, Taz, Don West

Hosts: Christy Hemme,
Jeremy Borash

Reviewed by Tommy Hall

This is the final
episode of Impact Wrestling on SpikeTV before they head over to
Destination America early in the new year. It’s also the second half
of the Top Twenty Moments countdown, which hopefully is capped off by
someone who still works for this company. Let’s get to it.

#10. Impact –
February 19, 2009

Kurt Angle vs. Sting

Empty
arena match for control of the Main Event Mafia. With no one there,
of course they come out to their music. Sting throws Angle outside
to start and they hit that wall that they always hit in brawls.
Angle goes nuts with right hands and you can hear the grunting. They
go up into the empty seats as this is one of those “let’s walk
around and not really do much” matches. Angle walks him back up
into the seats and somehow the cameras can’t follow them, despite
there being no one to get around.

Sting dumps Angle over
a balcony but Kurt comes back with a metal trashcan. Kurt: “I HATE
YOU!” We see some fans watching in the concourse as I realize
there’s no reason given for this to be an empty arena match. A low
blow puts Sting down and Angle swears a bit. Sting pops up with a
chair to the back but Angle begs off a beating from a chair. He
swears that he’s sorry and says he has kids, only to change his mind
and tell Sting to hit him. Nash and Steiner finally come in to break
it up with Nash shouting to MAKE IT RIGHT. They shake hands but
start fighting again, shouting how much they hate each other.

Rating:
D-.
Again, why was this an empty arena match? It didn’t make a ton of
sense when it was Rock vs. Mankind and it really doesn’t make a ton
of sense here. As usual, it felt like Russo trying to do something
to make a splash instead of making sense, which is eventually going
to be exposed for the shock TV that it is.

#9. Impact – October
8, 2014.

Tag Team Titles:
Hardys vs. Team 3D vs. Wolves

The Wolves are
defending and this is Full Metal Mayhem, meaning TLC. Richards has a
somewhat bad leg coming into this but he seems to be fine. It’s a
big brawl to start of course with Matt hitting what looked like the
Side Effect to Eddie on the apron. Bully hammers on Jeff on the
floor as weapons are being sets up on the floor. Matt goes for a
climb but Ray comes in for a save with a Rock Bottom.

Davey breaks up Ray’s
attempt and DDTs him, only to have D-Von nail Richards a second
later. Matt gets enziguried into a German suplex onto a pair of open
chairs. Eddie throws Jeff into the air and Ray catches him in a
Cutter for a 3D. They chop it out but Matt is back up to take both
guys down. We get the Tower of Doom with Ray electric chairing Matt
who superplexes Edwards. D-Von bridges a piece of barricade between
the apron and some overturned steps but Davey headbutts him onto the
barricade.

Ray saves his partner
from a dive and powerbombs Richards down, only to miss a middle rope
backsplash. He comes right back with another powerbomb to send
Richards onto the barricade, giving Richards one of the most shocked
looks I’ve ever seen. Back with Jeff taking a ladder to the face and
D-Von cleans house with a chair.

Richards comes back
with a chair of his own but this time it’s Jeff popping up to take
over. The Whisper in the Wind and Swanton have Ray in trouble but he
pops right back up for a brawl with Jeff on the floor. The Twisting
Stunner has Ray in trouble and Jeff brings out another table. He
bridges it between the turned over steps and the apron with the legs
up. Jeff misses the legdrop though and crashes through the table,
leaving him in a huge heap on the floor.

Back in and Ray goes
up, only to have Edwards set up a ladder of his own next to it.
Bully kicks him down but Matt comes in with a ladder of his own. All
three go up and slug it out with Edwards getting slammed off the top.
Mat and Ray grab for the belts but send them swinging around before
knocking each other off with Matt flying into a ladder.

Davey and Matt slug it
out with Hardy getting the better of it and bringing in another
table. Everyone heads outside again with Matt climbing about halfway
up a huge ladder to legdrop Davey through a table. Richards has
taken one heck of a beating here. D-Von cleans house with the ladder
and brings in the big ladder to make thing even more fun. Team 3D
loads up What’s Up but Edwards shoves D-Von to the floor.

Davey goes up the big
ladder but gets shoved onto the floor and head first into the
barricade. The Hardys make another save with chairs and put Ray on
two tables. Jeff goes up top of the big ladder but Davey shoves it
over, sending Hardy into a HUGE splash onto Ray for a horrible
looking crash. Davey and Matt slug it out on top of the ladder but
Edwards makes a save and powerbombs Matt through a table, allowing
Davey to take down the belts for the win at 23:52.

Rating:
A.
I came into this show thinking this match wasn’t going to be able to
live up to its hype and they got me. This was an AWESOME match with
a ton of high spots and some insane looking bumps. The fact that
they didn’t save this for Bound For Glory shows you just how much
they don’t care about that show this year. Excellent match and one
of the best things TNA has done in years.

#8. Slammiversary 2013.

Taryn Terrell vs.
Gail Kim

Last
Knockout standing. Gail attacks in the corner to start but Taryn
comes back with clotheslines to take over. Gail puts on an octopus
hold but lets it go early and only gets a six count. Kim goes to the
floor for a chair but has it kicked out of her hands. Some hair
drags keep Gail down for a few moments but she manages to get the
chair up to block a high cross body. Gail is up first and goes after
the knee for a bit before wedging the chair between the ropes. Taryn
blocks a ram into the chair but gets caught in the Figure Four around
the post.

Terrell is up at 8 and
dodges Gail’s charge into the corner, sending her head first into the
chair in a SICK looking crash. That only gets eight so Taryn puts
her in the Figure Four around the post for eight more. Taryn misses
a charge and lands on the ramp for nine, only to be caught in a
legsweep onto the ramp for nine more. Gail tries a piledriver but
gets reversed into a bulldog off the ramp to put both girls down.
Taryn beats the count for the win at 9:18.

Rating:
B-.
This was the best Knockouts match in YEARS. The bulldog off the
stage was a bigger spot but the missed charge into the chair should
have been the finish. It looked MUCH more painful and I thought Gail
was out cold. Still though, very entertaining match and I was really
impressed with Taryn here. I’d bet on her vs. Mickie at BFG for the
title in a veteran vs. underdog title match.

#7. Impact – January
4, 2010.

It’s 9pm so here’s Hulk
in black. Brooke is of course in the front row. Hogan immediately
puts over the roster and the locker room for working as hard as they
have. Now we get the infamous line from this promo: “I’ve been in
the back all day.” Remember that this is after AN HOUR OF WATCHING
HIM DRIVE TO THE BUILDING. That line was edited out of the
rebroadcast of the show and it’s painful to hear all over again.

Hogan talks about how
many new and familiar faces there are here. As he’s talking, Hall
and Waltman try to get to the ring. Hogan says give them a mic and
let them get in the ring. Hall and Hogan do the Wolfpack sign and
Hall says the party is back. The boss tells him that’s not how it
works anymore. Waltman thinks it’s the same people so it’s the same
party, but Hogan shoots him down too. In a laughable line, Hogan
says it’s time to grow up.

Hall says everything is
changing, with or without Hogan. Wait so is everything changing or
is everything the same? Nash comes out and wants to know what’s
going on, but Hulk insists he’s not playing a role. Hogan says they
need to do this FOR REAL because it’s a different time. Hall and
Waltman are ready to fight but Eric Bischoff debuts and says they
reinvented this business. Dixie Carter is shown watching from the
crowd.

Bischoff says this is
all about communication and that has broken down recently. Everyone
has to earn their position in this company, which Nash hears loud and
clear. Nash, Hall and Waltman leave and Bischoff again claims that
they can change the business again. Hogan says they’ve shuffled the
deck as Dixie cautiously applauds. Bischoff rips up the format sheet
to show how different things are going to be. He hands the producer
a new format because they’re turning this company upside down. So
this basically boiled down to the same “this is new” promo that
every indy company starts with.

In storyline
development, Shera makes it to the top of a hill where Sotrm is
waiting with a jug of water. Storm pours it on top of him and
welcomes Shera to the Revolution.

#6. Impact – January
9, 2014.

TNA World Title: AJ
Styles vs. Magnus

No DQ and both guys are
champion coming in. Magnus immediately goes to the floor and does it
again for a second time in less than ninety seconds. No contact yet.
Magnus gets back in but here are Ethan Carter and Spud to jump AJ
before any contact is made. AJ fights them off and superkicks Magnus
in the ribs but Carter breaks up a Styles Clash attempt. Sting
finally comes out for the save but doesn’t do anything as AJ saves
himself. Magnus bails to the floor and we take a break.

Back with the two
champions still not making contact as the Bro Mans and Zema Ion come
out to jump Sting and AJ and giving us six run-ins in less than eight
minutes. Zema DDTs AJ and the Bro Down gets a delayed two on Styles.
Sting comes back in as Magnus just chills at ringside. The Brit
finally comes back in and AJ quickly loads up the Clash, only to have
Bad Influence make the save and lay him out with a
powerbomb/neckbreaker combo.

Earl Hebner refuses to
count so Dixie and Brian Hebner get us to ELEVEN people coming out
for this match. Bad Influence goes High/Low on AJ for two and Brian
gets yelled at. Sting lays out the Bro Mans with a double Death Drop
on the floor before putting Ion in the Deathlock. AJ fights back
against Bad Influence as Sting comes in to help even more. We’re
down to Magnus vs. AJ with Styles getting the Calf Killer, only to
have Kazarian take out the referee.

Kazarian monkey flips
AJ into Daniels but AJ clotheslines him down and Peles Kaz. Now the
Styles Clash takes out Magnus but there’s no referee. Earl Hebner
hobbles back out (we’ll call that #12) to count two before AJ dives
over the top to take out Bad Influence yet again. AJ goes up top but
Bobby Roode makes it #13 by shoving Styles into the ropes. Three
AA/DVDs lay AJ out for about the fifth time, giving Magnus the pin
(thanks to referee #3 and the fourteenth person added to the match)
and the undisputed title at 15:47. Sting was being held back by most
of the heels in case you were wondering.

Rating:
D.
So they spent all night hyping up the match before going full Russo
on it. That’s what we spent months and months building to? The
match was definitely energetic but we really had to spend all this
time setting up Dixie with her corporate champion? Assuming AJ
leaving isn’t a HUGE swerve, this was one of the biggest wastes of
time I can remember in years.

#5. Impact Wrestling –
January 17, 2013.

Are they kidding???

It’s wedding time. Ray
is in a tux which is weird to say the least. The groomsmen come out
with the bridesmaids (looking GOOD tonight) and here’s Brooke. Hulk
finally comes out (setting a record in getting into a tuxedo) to a
big ovation. The fans tell Hulk to shake Bully’s hand. They get
through a LONG intro from the minister and saying how much they care
about each other.

No
one objects, they both say I do, and Tazz takes the mic from the
minister. Tazz asks if Bully is sure, then says it’s too hot in
here. He takes off his jacket, and reveals an Aces and 8’s vest.
The big brawl ends the ceremony and show. Brooke gets kidnapped
again as Ray takes a pedestal to the face to end the show.

So quick recap here.
There are four moments left and we have the following to go off the
top of my head:

Kurt Angle debuts

AJ Styles wins the
World Title at No Surrender 2009

Unbreakable triple
threat

Elix Skipper walks the
cage

Angle
vs. Joe from Genesis 2006

ANYTHING from before
October 2007

Somehow they’re going
to screw up something as simple as “hey, does anyone remember any
great matches from the last twelve years?”

#4. Impact – November
3, 2011.

TNA World Title: James Storm vs.
Bobby Roode

Feeling out process to start as
they’re playing up the idea that they know each other very well. Off
to a test of strength which doesn’t last long. Neither guy has an
advantage as we go to a break. Back with Storm ramming shoulders
into Roode in the corner. They keep countering each other and Roode
can’t get much of an advantage. Storm stays ahead with a superplex
but both guys are down.

They slug it out and Storm takes
over with some running shots. Blockbuster gets two for Roode.
Backstabber gets two for the champ. Eye of the Storm is countered
into a spinebuster for two. They head to the floor and both guys
barely get back inside in time. Storm tries an Orton DDT but gets
countered into a Crossface. Storm makes a rope and Roode is
frustrated. Roode tries a superplex but Storm counters into a top
rope elbow for two.

This is getting good. Last Call
misses as Roode grabs the fisherman’s suplex. Storm counters that
and is almost sent into the referee. The referee avoids the contact
but twists his knee in the process as Roode is sent to the floor.
Roode succumbs to the demons inside and grabs the beer bottle which
he breaks over Storm’s head to BIG heat. It gives him the world
title at 17:40.

Rating:
B.
This was a very solid match that could have easily main evented a PPV
with about five minutes extra. Still though, good stuff here and
that’s what they needed to do. I’m really not sure I like the ending
but it’s TNA after all so how good can it get? The heel turn was
needed, but Roode is going to have to step up his emotions as a heel
to deserve this spot. Good match though.

#3. Unbreakable

X-Division Title:
Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels

Daniels is the longest
reigning champion ever at this point, AJ is a four time champion and
Joe is undefeated. This is TNA’s greatest match ever so let’s see if
it holds up. AJ and Joe team up to beat down Daniels to start which
is kind of a surprising move. Joe kicks him HARD in the back and AJ
does the same thing. It turns into a contest and I think Joe wins by
a hair. Daniels gets up but Joe kicks him in the face. Cool
sequence.

AJ grabs a fast rollup
on Joe and we’re ready to get going. They trade pinfall attempts so
fast that I can’t type them until Joe hooks a modified Rings of
Saturn. Daniels breaks it up and kicks AJ down for no cover. Joe
chops the champ and hits a standing enziguri to knock him to the
floor. AJ takes Joe down but Daniels is back in to take over on
Styles, getting two. Joe chops them both in the corner but Daniels
fires back with chops of his own.

Styles headscissors
both guys down into opposite corners and fires off kicks at Joe. Joe
is like screw that and suplexes him down overhead style. There’s the
Facewash to Styles but Daniels breaks up the running kick to the
face. Daniels hits a springboard moonsault onto Joe on the floor but
you know AJ has to top him, so he hits a springboard shooting star to
take both guys down. He rolls Joe back in for two and things slow
down a tiny bit.

Actually scratch that
as Styles hits the drop down/dropkick combo for two. Daniels comes
back in again and monkey flips AJ at Joe but AJ twists in mid air
into a rana on the fat man. Daniels O’Connor rolls Styles for two
and then launches him over the top and out to the floor. A flying
knee sends Joe into the corner and Daniels slaps him in the face.
Joe will have none of that and slaps Daniels back but Daniels rolls
him up for two.

Joe counters the rollup
into the Clutch so Styles busts out Spiral Tap to break up the hold.
That gets two on both guys and Daniels sends Styles back to the
floor. An STO puts Joe down but AJ breaks up the BME. I feel like
I’m talking to a 3 year old after that last exchange with all the
spelling. Daniels gets caught in the Tree of Woe and AJ kicks away,
but Joe splashes AJ into Daniels. A running dropkick to the face
breaks the Tree and Daniels is out.

The running big boot
that Joe does knocks AJ’s head into Tallahassee somewhere and the
backsplash gets two. Daniels comes back out of nowhere and hits the
Death Valley Driver on Joe. Everyone is down until Daniels covers
Joe for two. AJ gets sent to the floor and both he and Daniels miss
moonsaults. They slug it out so Joe hits a corkscrew plancha to take
both guys down. The fans are losing their minds over this stuff.
Back in and Daniels breaks up the MuscleBuster but Styles goes up
too. AJ and Daniels fight on the top so Joe backdrops both of them
down at the same time.

Joe gets up first and
he looks MAD. He and AJ slug it out with AJ taking over but Joe
slugs him right back and hits a big old German release suplex to take
over. There’s the MuscleBuster but Daniels comes in with the belt.
He charges at Joe but the Samoan hits a snap powerslam to cut that
off. Joe picks the belt up but Daniels kicks it into his face.
Daniels and AJ slug it out and that just feels appropriate. A blue
thunder bomb out of nowhere gets two on Styles.

Release Rock Bottom
puts AJ down and the BME gets two as Joe makes the save. Daniels
puts a Dragon Sleeper on Joe and hooks the Last Rites (rolling cutter
which he didn’t use that often) to send Joe to the floor again. AJ
bounces back up and hits the moonsault into the reverse DDT for two.
Styles goes up but Daniels hits a palm strike to stop him. Daniels
superplexes him down but he can’t cover. Joe comes in and covers
both guys for two.

Joe focuses on Daniels
and hits his powerbomb into the Boston Crab into the STF sequence so
he can call a LONG spot to Daniels. Daniels (wearing a wedding ring)
gets the rope so Joe beats up AJ a bit more. He fires off forearms
but AJ snaps off the Pele to take over again. The Rack into a
neckbreaker gets two for Styles but Daniels is back up. AJ hits a
sunset flip into the Clash but Joe makes the save at two. Daniels
ducks a charging Joe to send him tot he floor. AJ and Daniels slug
it out and Daniels tries the Angel’s Wings. AJ counters into a
bridging backdrop and stays on top for the pin and the title.

Rating:
A+.
Yeah that’s the easy answer but there’s no real other option to go
with here. This was about twenty three minutes long and the longest
they go without action is maybe 20 seconds. These three have
incredible chemistry together and it was a great example of what
smaller guys can do. It’s not the best match in TNA history by a
mile but it’s the best match by a few feet. Great match.

#2. Bound For Glory
2010.

TNA World Title:
Jeff Hardy vs. Kurt Angle vs. Mr. Anderson

Anderson beat D’Angelo
Dinero and Hardy and Angle went to a time limit draw, forcing the
three way. Hardy debuts new music which should tell you a lot.
Anderson gets double teamed to start but Kurt is sent out to the
floor. Angle comes back in and throws Jeff to the floor so he can
kick at Anderson’s knee in the corner. A release overhead belly to
belly gets two on Mr. with Hardy making a save. Jeff gets back into
it and picks up Anderson, so Angle Germans both guys at the same
time.

Anderson goes outside
for the first time but Jeff backdrops Angle up and over the top for a
bad landing. Thankfully he’s ok enough to pull Anderson out to the
floor for a brawl, but Hardy dives over the top to put everyone down.
Back in and Kurt puts Anderson in a chinlock until Jeff makes a
save. He goes up top very slowly though, allowing Angle to run the
corner for the belly to belly. Jeff pops back up, only to miss the
Swanton on Anderson and give Kurt a near fall. Dixie Carter is
watching at ringside.

Angle loads up a
superplex but Andeson turns it into a Tower of Doom for two on both
guys. It’s Angle up first to roll some Germans on Anderson before
doing the same on Hardy. He wants to keep things together so there’s
an ankle lock to both guys at the same time. Angle goes up top but
Anderson’s ankle is fine enough for the rolling fireman’s carry for
two. Hardy breaks it up with a Swanton for two on both guys.

Back up and Anderson
goes up, only to get caught in a belly to back superplex to give Kurt
a near fall. Whisper in the Wind puts Angle down and there’s a Twist
of Fate to Anderson. The Swanton crushes Mr. but Angle grabs Jeff’s
ankle. Anderson breaks it up with the Mic Check for two on Kurt and
everyone gets two off a rollup. Kurt actually hits the moonsault for
two on Hardy, who falls out of the ring. Angle escapes the Mic Check
but accidentally clotheslines the referee. Everyone knows the big
THEY reveal is coming.

Anderson hits the Mic
Check on Angle but can’t follow up. This brings out Eric Bischoff
with a chair but Hogan comes out (I’m as shocked as you are) before
he can swing it. Hulk is on crutches and moving pretty slowly as we
have to wait even longer. Bischoff throws the chair down but takes
away a crutch. Hardy gets back in to calm things down but Hogan
hands him his crutch.

Jeff squares off with
Bischoff….and breaks the crutch over Angle’s back. Hogan smiles
and Bischoff says that was awesome. Hogan points at Hardy and hugs
Eric as they watch Hardy break the other crutch over Anderson’s back.
The Twist of Fate is enough to pin Anderson and give Hardy the
title.

Rating:
B-.
The match is good but this was ALL about the booking and big swerve
at the end. Hogan and Bischoff weren’t really surprises so it was
all down to who was going to side with the new mega heel faction.
Hardy winning the title is fine and the best option given who was in
there.

Bischoff introduces
Jeff as the new World Champion and a smiling Jeff Jarrett comes out.
Abyss follows them out and hugs Hogan. Fans throw trash in the ring
ala the NWO debut (there were rumors this was planted) as RVD comes
out to ask Jeff what he’s doing. Hardy lays him out with a belt shot
and poses with THEY to end the show.

Quick recap of the top
ten.

And now, I kid you not,
this is considered the #1 moment all time in TNA wrestling history.

#1. Impact – August
7, 2014

Here’s all of Dixie’s
team but she fires Stephens and Snitsky like the maniac she is. Cue
Team 3D and Dreamer with a table but Dixie hides behind everyone
she’s paid off. Ray promises to put Dixie through a table and
Dreamer says Dixie is everything that’s wrong with this business. Mo
nails Dreamer and the brawl is on with the ECW guys taking over.
Suddenly Dixie is alone in the ring with 3D but runs when she’s about
to take 3D.

Spud swears it’s never
going to happen but the entire locker room comes out to throw Dixie
to the wolves (Team 3D, not Richards/Edwards). D-Von loads her up
(and grabs her in a rather personal spot) and Bully powerbombs Dixie
off the middle rope through the table, in what I believe was Dixie’s
first bump ever. We even get Bully’s old euphoric look and the
announcers are WAY too happy to see this.

I’m not sure how I feel
about this. I have no problem with a heel, male or female, taking a
big bump to end a story. What I’m not wild on is how everything was
announced in advance. This is going to cause some issues in the
mainstream media given how violent it was, but that’s the nature of
pro wrestling. It felt very scripted though and that’s not a good
thing, but the ending was exactly what it should have been.

Here’s the entire top
20 in case you didn’t catch last week.

20.
Angle vs. Joe – Lockdown 2008
19. Aries vs. Roode –
Destination X 2012
18. Motor City Machine Guns vs. Beer Money –
Victory Road 2010
17. WOO Off – Impact – July 7, 2010
16.
Ultimate X – Bound For Glory 2009
15. Bully Ray vs. Jeff Hardy –
Lockdown 2013
14. Knockouts Title Gauntlet Match – Bound For
Glory 2007
13. Karen Angle marries Jeff Jarrett – Impact –
March 3, 2011
12. Lashley vs. Roode II – October 29, 2014
11.
Sting vs. Hogan – Bound For Glory 2011
10. Sting vs. Angle –
Impact – February 19, 2009 (Empty Arena Match)
9. Impact –
October 8, 2014 – Team 3D vs. Wolves vs. Hardys (Full Metal
Mayhem)
8. Gail Kim vs. Taryn Terrell – Slammiversary 2013 (Last
Knockout Standing)
7. Hogan and Bischoff Debut – Impact –
January 4, 2010
6. AJ Styles vs. Magnus – Impact – January 9,
2014
5. Bully Ray marries Brooke Hogan – Impact Wrestling –
January 17, 2013
4. James Storm vs. Bobby Roode – Impact –
November 3, 2011
3. Styles vs. Joe vs. Daniels – Unbreakable
2.
Jeff Hardy vs. Kurt Angle vs. Mr. Anderson – Bound For Glory
2010
1. Dixie Carter Goes Through A Table – Impact – August 7,
2014

Overall
Rating: C-.
I’m just talking about the top ten this week. While last week’s had
some funny moments that felt more like honorable mentions than
anything else, this week had some incredibly bizarre picks. First
off though, let’s knock out the ones that make sense and that I have
no issue with. #9 is fine and was pretty easily one of TNA’s best
matches of the year. #8 might be the best Knockouts match ever. #7
is indeed huge for TNA. #4, #3 and #2 are all fine either for
importance, quality and hype respectfully.

Then
on the other side, what in the world is the empty arena match doing
on here? Yeah it’s Sting vs. Angle, but those two headlined Bound
For Glory together and traded the World Title. Instead though we get
probably their least memorable match ever which is only there because
it had a lame gimmick attacked. What an odd choice that sounds like
someone saw the names on a page and picked the match without looking.
#6….eh yeah it was a big moment but it didn’t lead anywhere and is
FAR too high up. #5 is a joke.

That
leaves us with #1. Yeah it’s a big moment, but the top moment in the
history of the company? Really? Not signing Kurt Angle five months
after he was defending the World Title at Wrestlemania? Not Elix
Skipper walking the cage in an outstanding match that was on every
TNA highlight reel until Hogan and Bischoff rebooted the company? On
top of that, nothing from Raven’s great run back in 2003? Abyss’
only mention is a cameo at the end of Bound For Glory 2010? He had a
great match against Styles at Lockdown 2005, but apparently only
Unbreakable happened in the first five years of TNA history.

Overall
this list feels like it was thrown together by a slightly more than
casual fan of TNA. Some of these are obvious, but for the most part
this comes off like a list from the last six years instead of the
best ever from TNA. Having stuff in there like the two weddings or
the WOO Off (funny moment, but they showed it in the package before
they aired the full thing) takes up another spot that could go to
something more important. It did hit some spots though including
most of the important ones, save for the top one that is.

Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with wrestling books for under $4 at:

Impact
Wrestling

Date:
December 17, 2014

Location:
Impact Zone, Orlando, Florida

Commentators:
Mike Tenay, Don West, Taz

Hosts:
Christy Hemme, Jeremy Borash

Reviewed by Tommy Hall

Since
the show is leaving Spike, this episode is the first half of a Top 20
Moments in TNA History and is airing at 11pm instead of the usual 9pm
timeslot. It gets even better next week with the show starting at
midnight on Christmas Eve night. When they bury a show they really
bury it. Let’s get to it.

As
usual I’ll be posting the full versions of any matches that are
clipped.

20.
Lockdown 2008.

TNA World
Title: Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe

In
a cage with Angle defending and Joe’s career on the line. They
haven’t had a PPV match in awhile so we get a recap of their whole
history. This is treated more like an MMA fight with Angle in black
shorts instead of his usual singlet and MMA fighter Frank Trigg on
commentary. Before the match, Angle has Karen thrown out from her
front row seat.

They
even start by standing in MMA stances before trading leg kicks. Joe
gets a leg bar but Angle is almost immediately in the ropes. Down to
the mat with Angle hammering away at Joe’s guard as this is getting
old fast. Joe gets the better of some mat grappling before it’s back
to the stupid MMA stances. Angle finally snaps off a suplex and puts
on a side choke until Joe makes the ropes.

Off
to a front facelock from the champion before a quick German suplex
gets two. A shot to the knee puts Joe down again and we hit the
figure four. It’s about time we got to some wrestling. Joe finally
turns it over but Angle is right next to the ropes. Angle cranks on
the leg again but Joe chops his way out of it. That’s fine with Kurt
as he slaps on a quickly broken headlock. Seriously a headlock in a
cage match?

Back
up and Joe nails a clothesline to put Kurt down but he has to shake
his knee a bit. Kurt goes to the middle rope but gets caught by the
enziguri. The MuscleBuster is countered and Angle hooks the ankle
lock. Joe rolls out and gets two out of the release Rock Bottom out
of the corner. The powerbomb into the Walls of Jericho into the STF
into the crossface has Angle screaming.

Kurt
grabs the ankle to finally escape but Joe pulls Angle back down into
the crossface in the middle of the ring. Angle finally rolls over to
get the ropes but Joe puts it right back on. Another rope is grabbed
and the Angle Slam gets two. The champion puts on the ankle lock but
he spins one too many times and gets pulled into the Clutch, only to
use the referee’s shirt to make it to the ropes. Another Angle Slam
attempt is countered and Joe sends him face first into the cage
(first time it’s been used) and the MuscleBuster FINALLY gives Joe
the title.

Rating:
B. This got much better once they
stopped the stupid MMA stuff and had a wrestling match. There was no
need to have a cage here as it was only used once towards the end,
which could have been replaced by a kick or something like that.
It’s a good match and a good moment, but at the end of the day this
was too overdone for what it needed to be.

19.
Destination X 2012.

TNA
World Title: Austin Aries vs. Bobby Roode

Feeling
out process to start without a lot of offense either way. After
about a minute and twenty seconds they lock up and Roode grabs the
arm. Aries grabs the arm to counter but gets run over. They’re
still in slow mode and that’s fine. A rolling cradle gets two for
Aries and he hooks an STF. They hit the mat and Roode slaps him in
the back of his head a few times. Now Aries takes him down to the
mat and hits a slingshot tope for two.

Roode
hooks a headscissors on the mat which is quickly broken up and they
head outside. Aries hits a top rope ax handle to the floor but his
missile dropkick misses back inside and Roode takes over. Roode
hooks a chinlock but a knee drop misses. Aries fires off with kicks
and tries the Last Chancery but it doesn’t go on right. Roode goes
to the floor but avoids the suicide dive, sending Aries into the
barricade.

Roode
hooks a bodyscissors back in the ring followed by a hard whip into
the corner. He talks a lot of trash to the downed Aries and hits a
combination F5/Samoan Drop for two. Off to a body vice on the mat
and Aries is cut on the nose. Aries makes a comeback and fires off
forearms and chops in the corner. They slug it out and a discus
forearm puts Roode down. A clothesline puts Roode on the floor and
there’s the suicide dive which connects this time.

This
time the missile dropkick hits as well but Aries charges into a
powerslam out of the corner. Aries comes back again and tries the
Last Chancery again, but Roode is pretty bad at selling it. Roode
counters into a Crossface but Aries counters right back into the
Chancery. Aries gets in another shot to the head and goes up for the
450, but Roode moves. Aries rolls through it anyway but walks into
the spinebuster for two.

The
champion sends him shoulder first into the post and goes back to the
Crossface. That stays on for a long time but Aries makes the rope.
Roode is frustrated now so he grabs the belt, only to have it taken
away by the referee. That allows the champ to hit a low blow for
two. Roode argues with the referee and gets shoved into the corner,
allowing Aries to hit the corner dropkick.

Aries
tries the brainbuster but Roode escapes and the ref is bumped. Roode
hits a belt shot for a VERY close two. The fisherman’s suplex is
countered into a small package for two and Aries punts Roode in the
head. He grabs the brainbuster out of nowhere for the pin and the
title in a huge shocker.

Rating:
B+.
Another good match to close the show here, but the point of this was
in the surprise. This felt like a big moment and it was the right
call to pull the trigger here. This show was designed around the
X-Division and having the longest reigning champion win the world
title here was the right way to make the X Title look like it can be
something comparable to the world title. Good match too.

18.
Victory Road 2010.

Tag
Titles: Beer Money vs. Motor City Machine Guns

Ok
so the Guns more or less have to win here. I like the Guns’ music.
Storm and Shelley start us off. They’re doing a slow build to start
us off as Taz says the Guns are the best team from their city,
including the Tigers. Uh, deep? We get a Mel Torme reference of all
things as we’re talking about tap dancing. Beer Money takes over
and after a double vertical suplex they do their thing.

Shelley
is getting beaten on. This is a good match so far so it’s hard to
make jokes. Well other than Taz and Tenay who are always jokes. Ah
there’s Sabin. I like him better than Shelley I think. We crank it
up a bit and Sabin hits a running punt on Storm while he’s on the
apron and Storm is on the floor. The crowd is getting back into it a
bit too. Eye of the Storm gets two on Sabin.

I’m sorry for
the excessive play by play here but that’s the main thing going on
here. That made less than no sense but just go with it. We’ve lost
any resemblance of a tag match here as it’s just all insanity.
Maybe Heyman is booking the company. Everything just goes insane and
this is awesome for once. The Guns dominate as Storm has a beer
bottle. The referee gets beer spit in his face as the Guns hit a
combination splash/neckbreaker on Roode for two.

There’s
another referee here now and I have a bad feeling about this. It’s
ALL Guns here as we’re going fast paced here. They hit their kick
combination and cover Roode as Storm rolls Sabin up. The referees
count a double pin and it’s Dusty Finish time. Earl, not the
original referee, says restart it. The Guns win in like a minute with
the same thing they did earlier, making the restart TOTALLY
POINTLESS. Very good match though so I can’t complain
much.
Rating:
A-. This was a VERY good match. The main thing holding it back is the
restart which was the walking definition of overbooking. What in the
world is that supposed to help? Whatever it was I certainly don’t
get it. The Guns are the champions, albeit nearly three years later.
Still though, if they’re going to win them, at least win them in a
classic I guess. Very good match all the way through. Loved it.

We
get a collection of comedy moments from over the years, including
Shark Boy waking up in a hospital bed, Curry Man rambling and meeting
Shark Boy, Eric Young winning a bikini contest, Big Fat Oily Guy, the
Aces and 8’s Funeral, Jay Lethal and Flair having a WOO Off, Robbie
E. vs. Robbie T. in a Bro Off (E.’s face at the end of T.’s routine
still cracks me up), Shark Boy getting fat, Eric Bischoff being
dumped in a portable toilet and ODB marrying Eric Young.

17.
Impact – July 7, 2010.

This
is another moment where they put the wrong date on the show as it was
actually July 8. The moment is Jay Lethal’s perfect imitation of Ric
Flair which words don’t do justice. He had the voice down and every
catchphrase, sending Flair into fits in the ring. Go find this one
online because it’s hilarious and all in the way Lethal sounds and
just typing it out would ruin the joke.

16.
Bound For Glory 2009.

X-Division
Title: Suicide vs. Daniels vs. Amazing Red vs. Homicide vs. Chris
Sabin vs. Alex Shelley

Ultimate
X with Red defending. Red is a guy that was around near the
beginning of TNA and did some very impressive flips, earning the
adulation of Don West. Don is now managing the champ and was known
to climb on the announcers’ table and cheer for him. Sabin and
Shelley won a match on the preshow to get in this match. Suicide is
a video game character who started appearing on TV, portrayed by
Daniels or Kazarian (the latter here). Homicide is part of the World
Elite stable, which is a group of international wrestlers, led by
Eric Young, who feel they haven’t been treated right.

It’s
a mad scramble to the corners to start but no one can get anywhere.
Everyone goes after everyone with Homicide getting the biggest
advantage by taking down Shelley and diving through the ropes to take
out Daniels. Suicide rolls the champion over and dives onto Homicide
but the Guns work together to set up a suicide dive on…uh Suicide
actually. Red kicks Shelley but gets dropped by Daniels, who goes
for a climb. Red isn’t done yet and hurricanranas Daniels onto
everyone else in the match.

Back
in and Sabin busts out a giant swing on Red but Shelley adds a
dropkick to the champ’s head to make it even worse. Daniels attacks
both Guns and Homicide goes for a climb, only to have Suicide
springboard up to the ropes and make a save, only to get pulled down
into a Gringo Cutter. Sabin holds Daniels and Homicide for a top
rope double stomp from Shelley.

The
Guns continue their control by working over Red but the champion
escapes a Doomsday Device with a Sliced Bread #2 instead of a
clothesline and takes Sabin down with a hurricanrana. Suicide comes
back in but Homicide suplexes him down. Homicide drops the champ and
goes up but Daniels pulls him down and nails a Death Valley Driver.
Red goes for the ropes but slowly comes back down for some reason,
only to go back towards the belt until Suicide pulls him back down.

Now
it’s Daniels and Sabin going up and kicking at each other while
hanging in the air, eventually knocking each other down for a big
crash. Sabin nails a tornado DDT on Daniels and Shelley nails a
Sliced Bread #2 on Suicide. We get the Parade of Secondary
Finishers, followed by Shelley, Red and Suicide hitting a huge Tower
of Doom out of the corner with Suicide taking the worst of it (and
kicking Daniels in the face on the way down).

Suicide
throws Daniels down but Red kicks him in the face and gets caught by
a corkscrew dive. Sabin goes nuts until Suicide kicks him off the
top rope. Suicide goes right back up and hits the Flux Capacitor on
Sabin, setting up Daniels’ Best Moonsault Ever. Daniels and Suicide
climb onto the top of the structure above the cables and Red follows
after them.

The
fans ask them not to die so Daniels and Suicide tease suplexing each
other off. They slap each other until Daniels carefully climbs down
onto the X but Suicide does the same and they both fall with Daniels
landing on his head. Tazz rightfully shouts CHECK HIM as Red slips
down through the treeses as well and grabs the title before someone
dies.

Rating:
C+. That Daniels bump had
me terrified when I saw it live and it doesn’t get any easier here.
Thankfully he was ok for the most part. I can’t emphasize how much
better this was than last year’s opener with just six men involved.
It gives the match a chance to breathe and you can keep track of
what’s going on. This was a good opener but the Daniels fall made it
hard to sit through at the end.

15.
Lockdown 2013.

TNA
World Title: Jeff Hardy vs. Bully Ray

In
the cage of course with Hardy defending. Tenay says Ray has a 50+
pound weigh advantage about a minute after Ray is announced at 275 to
Hardy’s 227. Feeling out process to start with Ray running Hardy
over with a hard shoulder. A quick slam gets two for Ray and the
champion bails to the corner. Hardy fights back with the Whisper in
the Wind for two but can’t escape as Ray rams Hardy’s leg into the
cage.

Ray
starts a slow and methodical offense by working over the champion’s
ribs and back. A big backdrop gets two for Ray but Jeff gets in a
shot to earn himself a breather. The Twist and the Bubba Bomb are
both countered but the second attempt at the Twist of Fate connects.
Cue Wes Brisco and Garrett Bischoff into the cage but Jeff and Bully
run them over. Bully lets himself be a springboard for Poetry in
Motion before throwing both bikers out.

They
slug it out in the middle of the ring with Jeff actually taking over.
A flying forearm takes Bully down and there’s a low dropkick for
two. Hardy tries to climb out but Ray makes the save and they slug
it out on the top rope. Hardy kicks Ray in the head but falls to the
mat, allowing Ray to fall off the top onto Jeff for a VERY close two.
The Twist staggers Bully but as Jeff goes up, Ray hits a HUGE sitout
powerbomb out of the corner to put both guys down.

Ray
covers for two and the fans are split. Cue the Hogans to watch the
main event from ringside to cheer on Bully. Ray gets to his feet
very slowly but here are Aces and 8’s. Ray stands up and has a chain
as the bikers come in. To the shock of not many people, Ray is
thrown a hammer by D-Von and clubs down Jeff to win the title,
revealing himself as the leader at 17:20.

Rating:
B-. That powerbomb alone was worth the whole match. The ending
isn’t really all that surprising but at least Aces and 8’s have
FINALLY done something of note. Bully Ray as world champion of a
major company in 2013 is a huge gamble to say the least, but it
appears that we’re heading to Hogan vs. Ray down the line. To call
that a gamble is an even shorter stretch but it’s what we appear to
be getting.

We
hear a quick recap from Bully Ray about how the Aces and 8’s plan
came together. This really helped tie things together after it
didn’t make a lot of sense for months on end.

In
some storyline development, we see Shera being tortured in the woods,
likely as his way of joining the Revolution.

14.
Bound For Glory 2007.

Knockouts
Title: Gauntlet Match

This
is to crown the inaugural champion. As usual, it’s over the top with
one minute intervals for the ten entrants until we get to the final
two when it becomes one fall to a finish. Miss Brooks is in at #1
and Jackie Moore is in at #2. Jackie runs Brooks over and knocks her
face first onto the mat until Shelley Martinez is in at #3. Brooks
goes after Shelley and gets dropped with a reverse DDT for her
efforts. Jackie goes after Shelley, allowing Brooks to hit a top
rope seated senton on Martinez.

Awesome
Kong is in at #4 but takes 55 seconds to get to the ring and can’t do
anything. Jackie throws out Brooks and Kong dumps Martines. ODB is
in at #5 and also takes her time getting in, allowing Kong to plant
Jackie and dump her out. We’re down to ODB vs. Kong and of course
ODB starts swinging. Angel Williams is in at #6 as Kong is hammering
away on ODB. The girls wisely double team Kong but are quickly
suplexed down.

Christy
Hemme (looking GREAT) is in at #7 and immediately gets put in a
torture rack. Kong slams her down until Gail Kim comes in at #8 with
a missile dropkick. Hemme is taken out by medics as the other three
gang up on Kong. They finally dump Kong out (and break her top at
the same time) as Talia Madison is in at #9. ODB and Gail Kim double
team Williams out Roxxi Leveaux is in at #10 so we have a final
grouping of Gail, Roxxi, ODB and Talia. Gail throws out Talia and
Roxxi dumps ODB to get us to the one on one match.

Roxxi
nails her with a forearm to the chest and plants her with a fall away
slam for two. The fans are almost entirely behind Gail, as they’ve
been since the beginning. An Octopus Hold has Roxxi in trouble but
she falls into the ropes. Gail misses a missile dropkick and they
trade rollups for two each. Back up and Kim grabs White Noise for
the pin and the first title.

Rating:
C-. These matches are hard to get into and it would have helped
quite a bit if we hadn’t had a battle royal about an hour ago. Kim
is a good choice for the first champion and has a built in challenger
in Kong, who had some great matches with Gail in the coming months.
I do like that she won the title with a pin instead of dumping
someone out though. It feels more proper.

13.
Impact – March 3, 2011.

Time
for the wedding. Eric Young is the ring bearer and Orlando Jordan is
the flower girl. Jeff comes out thankfully not to his theme music.
Tazz keeps calling Karen by the name Karen Angle. And of course
here’s Kurt and the brawl is on. Jeff almost goes into the
definitely not ten foot cake. Kurt hits a clothesline and here’s
Karen. She slaps Kurt and goes into the cake. Angle’s music plays
it out. This whole thing might have lasted two and a half minutes.

From
later in the night.

Time
for
wedding
#2. Young
it
still
wedding
bearer
and
Jordan
is
still
flower
girl.
Jeff
doesn’t
have
a
coat
on
this
time.
Kurt
walks
Karen
down
the
aisle.
He’s
smiling
and
Karen
seems
to
still
have
cake
on
her
face.
Kurt
is
all
happy
here
and
it’s
rather
amusing.
No
Bart
Scott
in
sight.
The
fans
boo
at
the
or
forever
hold
your
piece
line.
They
both
say
I
will
and
all
that
jazz.
The
minister
asks
the
fans
if
they’ll
support
the
Jarretts.
Take
a
guess
how
that
goes
over.

Now
we
get
to
hear
CUSTOM
vows.
We’ve
had
a
combined
12 minutes
of
wrestling
and
we’re
getting
custom
vows.
Wow
indeed.
Jeff
says
he’s
long
winded
and
would
be
nervous
so
he
wrote
his
out.
He
runs
down
Kurt
the
whole
time
and
Kurt
just
keeps
smiling
away.
He’s
looking
over
Jeff’s
shoulder
and
it’s
rather
creepy.
Karen
is
the
wind
beneath
his
wings.

Karen
says Jeff is a real man and the princess is taken care of. Oh and
Kurt didn’t screw her enough apparently. Jeff completes her. The
minister announces them as husband and wife through the power vested
in him by the department of motor vehicles. The unintentional comedy
is helping here. They actually get through the kissing of the bride,
so Kurt busts out an ax and starts hacking the set to pieces, all
with that creepy grin on his face. That was kind of awesome.

Bischoff
sends out New York Jets linebacker Bart Scott. Yes send your
celebrity out to the CRAZY MAN WITH AN AXE! Surprisingly enough they
go at it and Kurt grabs the ankle lock and cranks on it. Didn’t
expect that. Segment went WAY too long but the ending helped it a
lot.

12.
Impact – October 29, 2014.

TNA
World Title: Lashley vs. Bobby Roode

They
have a ton of time for this, Lashley is defending and Kurt Angle is
guest referee. MVP and King are nowhere in sight. Lashley powers
Bobby into the corner to start and easily takes him down with an
amateur move. A hard shoulder to the ribs has Roode in even more
trouble but Bobby comes back with a clothesline and tells Lashley to
bring it on. The champ is all fired up but his clothesline is
countered into the Crossface, sending Lashley out to the floor.

We
take a break and come back with Lashley holding a reverse wasitlock
until Bobby fights up with forearms. A quick Blockbuster gets two
but Roode charges into a spinning spinebuster. Lashley ducks another
shot but clotheslines Angle (first time he’s meant anything in the
match) by mistake. The Roode Bomb is countered and Lashley nails the
spear with no one to count the pin. Another spear hits Angle to
knock him to the floor, allowing Roode to enziguri Lashley to the
floor.

Bobby
follows and avoids a spear, sending a ring attendant flying. A Roode
Bomb on the ramp puts both guys down but there’s still no Angle to
count anything. Instead Brian Hebner comes in to count the near fall
and Bobby is frustrated. Lashley hits Roode low and gets the belt
but Hebner says no.

That
earns him a knockout clothesline, allowing Lashley to hit Roode with
the belt. Angle comes in to count two and is finally back to his
feet. The Roode Bomb is countered and Lashley snaps Bobby’s throat
across the top rope. Another attempt is countered into a sunset flip
attempt but Roode falls on top for the pin and the title at 17:49.

Rating:
B. The match got going
near the middle but I really don’t see why Angle needed to be out
there. Any regular referee could have played his role to the same
degree but maybe they’re setting up Lashley vs. Angle down the line?
The important part though is Roode being made into a bigger deal than
he was before, but now he needs to have a very solid title reign to
make it even better. TNA is really needing a top face and if Roode
is that guy then so be it.

11.
Bound For Glory 2011.

Hulk
Hogan vs. Sting

Bischoff’s
son is referee. Sting is insane here and wears a Hulkamania shirt to
the ring. Hulk is in street clothes. The bell rings and here comes
Flair as we keep looking at Dixie Carter in the front row. Sting
grabs a headlock to start but Hogan shoves him away and Hulks Up.
That gets Hogan a crotch chop so Hulk punches him down and puts on a
chinlock. Sting gets sent outside but is quickly back inside to have
his back and eyes raked.

Hogan
throws him outside for low blows and chops from Flair before Hulk
starts biting at Sting’s forehead. The beating goes on for awhile
until they head back inside where Flair slips Hogan a foreign object.
The shots bust Sting open but Sting comes back with right hands. He
stops the beating and goes after Flair, stealing the foreign object
to cut Hogan open as well. A pair of Stinger Splashes set up the
Scorpion Deathlock and Hogan gives up, forcing referee Jackson James
to call for the bell.

Rating:
D+.
This one would fall under the category of “what else were you
expecting?” At the end of the day, TNA basically exists to make
Sting look good so this really shouldn’t be a surprise. Someone
young probably should have gotten the rub from Hogan, but Sting
clearly needed this spot instead right?

Immortal
comes out to destroy Sting with chairs as Abyss is shown watching
from behind the curtain. Jackson James takes one of them away,
turning face about an hour and fifteen minutes after he turned heel.
Bischoff hits him with a chair, starting the most unwanted face push
in the history of ever.

Sting
crawls over to Hogan and begs for help, because if there’s one thing
more important than making Sting look good, it’s making Hogan look
good. Hogan makes the big face turn and helps Sting clean house,
because two bloody guys in their 50s beating up about seven guys
armed with chairs makes perfect sense. Posing ensues and of course
the old WWF crowd eats it up. It’s a cool segment for the moment,
but this was basically all about Hogan and Sting instead of doing
anything for TNA long term.

Overall
Rating: B. The show was
entertaining due to having some excellent wrestling, but let’s recap
that ending real fast: the big moment that you end the show on is two
guys in their 50s who currently work for WWE. They
couldn’t have swapped this with #12 so that the last thing we see is
the reigning World Champion standing tall after vanquishing an
unstoppable beast? It was really necessary that we had to show Sting
and Hogan at the end of the show?

The
show as a whole was good enough, but I would have liked to see some
stuff from the old days. There had to be some great stuff in there,
but maybe they’re saving those for next week. I really hope this
doesn’t turn into the best since the Hogan Era began, because there
are some gems from back in the day that have just been forgotten over
the years.

Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with wrestling books for under $4 at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Impact
Wrestling

Date: December 10, 2014

Commentators: Mike
Tenay, Taz

Hosts: Christy Hemme,
Jeremy Borash

Reviewed by Tommy Hall

It’s week two of the
Best of 2014 which means we should be getting the Tag Team Title
series, which is pretty easily the best thing that happened all year
in the company. Unfortunately TNA cut so much out of the matches
last week that you could barely get to the good parts and I can’t
imagine anything else this week. Let’s get to it.

Just like last week,
I’ll be posting the full versions of the matches, even though they’re
clipped on the broadcast.

After a quick intro, we
get right to the tag teams starting on Impact, July 31.

Tag
Team Titles: Hardys vs. Wolves

Wolves are defending.
Eddie and Matt crank arm work to start as the fans are split. The
champions take over but Matt sends Richards into the corner to take
over. Off to Jeff as the Hardys start working over Davey’s arm. A
double suplex gets two and it’s back to a wristlock from Matt.
Richards finally gets in a shot to the head and makes a tag off to
Edwards to clean house.

A double hurricanrana
puts both Hardys on the floor, setting up a double suicide dive to
keep the champions in control. Back in and Eddie enziguris Jeff into
a German suplex from Davey for two. Matt saves his brother from a
double suplex before the Wolves are thrown outside. Poetry In Motion
over the top puts everyone down before a regular one hits Eddie in
the corner.

The Side Effect sets up
the Swanton but Richards sends Jeff outside before a cover. Matt
gets two off a moonsault to Edwards before both Hardys put on Ice
Picks (double underhook guillotine chokes). Davey breaks Jeff’s hold
and makes the save before sending him crashing to the floor.

The kick to Matt’s
chest sets up the double double stomp for two on Matt. Back up and a
Twist of Fate gets two on Davey and a backslide gets the same for
Richards. Jeff is still down, allowing the Wolves to hit their
powerbomb/top robe Backstabber for the pin on Matt at 10:08.

Rating: B. This
was good but not great. The tagging part went away a few minutes
into the match but that’s probably the best thing all around. I
didn’t know who was going to win here and that’s a very good thing
considering how this could have gone. The Hardys still looked good
and Matt hasn’t looked like this in years.

Here’s the main event
from that same show.

TNA
World Title: Austin Aries vs. Bobby Lashley

Bobby is defending and
it’s a staredown to start. Aries goes to the leg to start but it’s a
very slow opening. More kicks have Lashley in trouble and Austin
wraps his leg around the ropes for even more kicks. A dropkick to
the back sends Lashley to the floor but his dive is caught in midair
for a belly to belly suplex as we take a break. Back with Lashley
taking over and putting on a reverse bearhug.

Aries fights up but
gets caught in a regular bearhug. Austin escapes again but gets
caught in a nice gorilla press drop. The Dominator is countered with
a discus forearm and a series of regular forearms in the corner.
Lashley is sent to the floor and Aries hits the top rope ax handle,
setting up a missile dropkick back inside. The corner dropkick is
caught in the Dominator though (sweet counter) but the spear is
countered into the Last Chancery.

Lashley fights out and
lifts Aries for a suplex but just throws Aries forward. Another
spear attempt misses and there’s the discus forearm to send Lashley
back into the corner. The running drokick sets up the brainbuster
but Lashley is up at two. Lashley rolls away to avoid the 450 but
Aries misses the suicide dive. Back in and the spear retains
Lashley’s title at 16:28.

Rating: B-. Good
match here as Lashley piles up another hero. This is basic wrestling
booking as we’re waiting on the hero to rise up and take the title
back to the good side. Lashley is little more than a dragon, but
that doesn’t mean it’s not a good story. Nice match here too with
Aries playing the hero really well.

We recap Sanada turning
on Great Muta after falling under the influence of James Storm as
well as the formation of the Revolution.

From the “biggest
show of the year”, here’s the main event of Bound For Glory.

Great
Sanada/James Storm vs. Tajiri/Great Muta

Storm
gives a great speech about turning one of Japan’s own against them.
That little bit of storyline actually felt really refreshing. Muta
sprays mist to start and gets things going with Sanada. They fight
over a leglock on the mat until Muta comes up and works on the arm.
It’s back down to the mat and Sanada sprays Mist at Muta but only
hits air. Off to Tajiri vs. Storm with James taking a bunch of
kicks. Tajiri grabs the beard but it’s quickly back to Sanada, only
to have him get low bridged out to the floor.

Sanada
kicks Tajiri to the floor and then under the ring as things slow WAY
down. Tajiri has taken mist off camera and is blinded back inside.
Storm and Sanada start slowly double teaming as we’re waiting on the
hot tag to Muta. A dropkick gets two for Sanada and we hit the nerve
hold.

Back
up and Sanada pulls out a white stick of some kind of nail Tajiri
again. Tajiri comes right back with a kick and tags in Muta to clean
house. Muta hammers on Sanada and drops an elbow for two, only to
get caught in Closing Time. Storm drops a top rope elbow and
Sanada’s moonsault gets two. Everything breaks down and Storm is
backdropped to the floor. Tajiri superkicks Sanada down and it’s a
double mist and the Shining Wizard to give Muta the pin at 10:50.

Rating:
D+.
I just sat through this whole show for an eleven minute main event.
Storm not taking the pin is a good thing, but it’s not like this
match means anything at the end of the day. However, there’s one
thing that stands out above all this: at the end of the day, the two
oldest guys on the show stood tall to end the show. Some things
never change.

We
see the end of Roode vs. Lashley I on Impact from September 17.

Time
for the Hardcore War on August 7’s Impact. We pick it up right
before the last man enters but here’s the whole match.

Ethan
Carter III/Rhino/Rycklon Stephens/Gene Snitsky vs. Team 3D/Tommy
Dreamer/???

This is a hardcore war
but entrances are staggered every 90 seconds and the win can’t take
place until the last man enters. It’s Carter vs. Dreamer to get
things going and both have weapons. They quickly head outside with
Dreamer’s knees being sent into the steps. Back in and Dreamer hits
a quick suplex with a Singapore cane before driving in a bunch of
right hands in the corner. Rhino comes in to make it 2-1 and nails
Dreamer with the trashcan lid. A bad looking spinebuster sets up
some cane shots but D-Von ties things up with a trashcan. D-Von
takes over with a few shots of his own and we take a break.

Back
with Snitsky giving the Carters an advantage (and looking to weigh
about 400lbs) until Bully Ray runs out to even things up again and
clean house. Ray looks up at Dixie and Mo as the ECW guys keep
dominating. Stephens comes in to complete Team Dixie and clean house
with a chair. The heels destroy everyone until the big mystery
partner is Al Snow.

The fans want Head (and
have a bunch of mannequin heads of course) as Al beats up everyone
again. Ray nails a top rope cross body (didn’t look bad either) to
take out the mercenaries. Spud tries to make a save but gets What’s
Up from Head. Snow moonsaults onto every heel not named Rhino as
this just keeps going. Not that it matters as 3D ends Rhino at
17:37.

Rating:
D+.
This was just WarGames minus the cage and a lot of the talent. There
wasn’t much to see here and Al Snow was about as uninteresting of a
partner as there could have been. Also, I didn’t need a second
hardcore match in an hour but this show is an ECW tribute show
anymore so you have to have it.

From
later in the same show.

Here’s
all of Dixie’s team but she fires Stephens and Snitsky like the
maniac she is. Cue Team 3D and Dreamer with a table but Dixie hides
behind everyone she’s paid off. Ray promises to put Dixie through a
table and Dreamer says Dixie is everything that’s wrong with this
business. Mo nails Dreamer and the brawl is on with the ECW guys
taking over. Suddenly Dixie is alone in the ring with 3D but runs
when she’s about to take 3D.

Spud
swears it’s never going to happen but the entire locker room comes
out to throw Dixie to the wolves (Team 3D, not Richards/Edwards).
D-Von loads her up (and grabs her in a rather personal spot) and
Bully powerbombs Dixie off the middle rope through the table, in what
I believe was Dixie’s first bump ever. We even get Bully’s old
euphoric look and the announcers are WAY too happy to see this.

I’m
not sure how I feel about this. I have no problem with a heel, male
or female, taking a big bump to end a story. What I’m not wild on is
how everything was announced in advance. This is going to cause some
issues in the mainstream media given how violent it was, but that’s
the nature of pro wrestling. It felt very scripted though and that’s
not a good thing, but the ending was exactly what it should have
been.

From
August 20. Here are the Hardys to talk about wanting to become the
top team in tag team wrestling again. They’re back because the fans
want them to be, but they need Team 3D out here right now. Bully
asks if the Hardys know who they are and the fans want to see them
fight one more time. Ray knows both teams want to be Tag Team
Champions, meaning they need the Wolves out here right now. Cue the
Wolves for the required “we respect you” speech. They’re willing
to put up the titles anytime and anywhere.

We
see the end of the X-Division Title match on August 7.

From
Bound For Glory.

X-Division
Title: Samoa Joe vs. Kaz Hayashi vs. Low Ki

Joe
is defending. Hayashi is probably best known in America as a low
level cruiserweight guy about fourteen years ago. Ki takes over to
start but Joe crushes both guys in the corner and kicks Kaz in the
head. There’s the chop to Hayashi’s back but he fires off right
hands to the champ’s face and knocks Joe to the floor. The fans are
behind Low Ki as he kicks both guys down and gets two on Joe. Both
challengers head to the floor and get taken out by a big dive as we
see the crowd sitting still yet chanting at the same time.

Back
in and Low Ki chops at Joe but the champ busts out his powerbomb into
the crab into the STF until Hayashi remembers he’s in this match and
puts Joe in a Crossface without breaking the hold on Ki. Hayashi
hits a kind of Zig Zag for two on Joe with Ki making the save. A
quick Warrior’s Way gets two on Kaz and they head outside so Joe can
nail a double dive. Back in and Kaz charges into a Rock Bottom out
of the corner but Low Ki breaks up the MuscleBuster. That earns him
a Koquina Clutch and Ki passes out to retain Joe’s title at 10:30.

Rating:
C+.
Not bad for the most part here but it didn’t mean anything for the
most part. This was the same three way style match TNA has done a
dozen times with Hayashi just being a warm body to fill out the
match. The fact that the winner was already spoiled with the TV
tapings didn’t help either.

We
see Joe vacating the X-Division Title, followed by Low Ki winning it
on November 19.

Time
for the girls on September 4 (it was the 3rd
but whatever).

Knockouts
Title: Gail Kim vs. Taryn Terrell

Gail
is defending and quickly takes her down to start. A rollup gets two
for Terrell and a middle rope clothesline gets the same. Gail comes
right back with a top rope hurricanrana, followed by a DDT on the
arm. She misses the charge in the corner though and falls out to the
floor. Taryn loads up the steps but gets caught in a neckbreaker
onto the steel which knocks both girls silly. Back in and Eat Defeat
gets two, followed by an RKO for the same for Taryn. Gail is
staggered so Terrell goes up for a high cross body, only to have Gail
roll through to retain at 6:00.

Rating:
C+.
The match was decent but the fans chanting THIS IS AWESOME shows how
lame womens’ wrestling has been lately. It was entertaining but
awesome is a stretch to put it mildly. This was miles beneath the
stuff they did a year or so ago but it still wasn’t bad. The
division is pretty horrible anymore though as there’s barely a
division to speak of.

We
might get a solution to that here though as Havok debuts and destroys
Taryn with White Noise and Gail with a one arm chokeslam.

Havok
would win the title soon thereafter.

We
see Taryn Terrell winning the title in a moment that didn’t mean as
much as they wanted it to on November 19.

You
knew this was coming. From October 8.

Tag
Team Titles: Hardys vs. Team 3D vs. Wolves

The
Wolves are defending and this is Full Metal Mayhem, meaning TLC.
Richards has a somewhat bad leg coming into this but he seems to be
fine. It’s a big brawl to start of course with Matt hitting what
looked like the Side Effect to Eddie on the apron. Bully hammers on
Jeff on the floor as weapons are being sets up on the floor. Matt
goes for a climb but Ray comes in for a save with a Rock Bottom.

Davey
breaks up Ray’s attempt and DDTs him, only to have D-Von nail
Richards a second later. Matt gets enziguried into a German suplex
onto a pair of open chairs. Eddie throws Jeff into the air and Ray
catches him in a Cutter for a 3D. They chop it out but Matt is back
up to take both guys down. We get the Tower of Doom with Ray
electric chairing Matt who superplexes Edwards. D-Von bridges a piece
of barricade between the apron and some overturned steps but Davey
headbutts him onto the barricade.

Ray
saves his partner from a dive and powerbombs Richards down, only to
miss a middle rope backsplash. He comes right back with another
powerbomb to send Richards onto the barricade, giving Richards one of
the most shocked looks I’ve ever seen. Back with Jeff taking a
ladder to the face and D-Von cleans house with a chair.

Richards
comes back with a chair of his own but this time it’s Jeff popping up
to take over. The Whisper in the Wind and Swanton have Ray in
trouble but he pops right back up for a brawl with Jeff on the floor.
The Twisting Stunner has Ray in trouble and Jeff brings out another
table. He bridges it between the turned over steps and the apron
with the legs up. Jeff misses the legdrop though and crashes through
the table, leaving him in a huge heap on the floor.

Back
in and Ray goes up, only to have Edwards set up a ladder of his own
next to it. Bully kicks him down but Matt comes in with a ladder of
his own. All three go up and slug it out with Edwards getting
slammed off the top. Mat and Ray grab for the belts but send them
swinging around before knocking each other off with Matt flying into
a ladder.

Davey
and Matt slug it out with Hardy getting the better of it and bringing
in another table. Everyone heads outside again with Matt climbing
about halfway up a huge ladder to legdrop Davey through a table.
Richards has taken one heck of a beating here. D-Von cleans house
with the ladder and brings in the big ladder to make thing even more
fun. Team 3D loads up What’s Up but Edwards shoves D-Von to the
floor.

Davey
goes up the big ladder but gets shoved onto the floor and head first
into the barricade. The Hardys make another save with chairs and put
Ray on two tables. Jeff goes up top of the big ladder but Davey
shoves it over, sending Hardy into a HUGE splash onto Ray for a
horrible looking crash. Davey and Matt slug it out on top of the
ladder but Edwards makes a save and powerbombs Matt through a table,
allowing Davey to take down the belts for the win at 23:52.

Rating:
A.
I came into this show thinking this match wasn’t going to be able to
live up to its hype and they got me. This was an AWESOME match with
a ton of high spots and some insane looking bumps. The fact that
they didn’t save this for Bound For Glory shows you just how much
they don’t care about that show this year. Excellent match and one
of the best things TNA has done in years.

We
see like a minute of Roode beating Lashley on October 29. The
celebration gets more time than the match.

Next
week: we start counting down the top twenty moments in Impact
history. That could be interesting. We’re off the air at 10:58
again.

Overall
Rating: B.
WAY better this week as they actually showed the good stuff (well for
the most part at least) that TNA did this year. It’s far from
perfect with the matches being clipped to death and a lot of stuff
being shown that didn’t need to be there (Bound For Glory main event
for example) but they focused on the best stuff and made me look
forward to the series continuing. When TNA has their head on
straight and stops trying to reinvent the wheel, they can be a very
entertaining show.

Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with wrestling books for under $4 at:

Impact
Wrestling

Date:
November 5, 2014

Location: Sands
Bethlehem Events Center, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Commentators: Mike
Tenay, Taz

Reviewed by Tommy Hall

We
might be getting close to the end of Impact’s run as there are only a
handful of episodes left before their TV show runs out. We keep
hearing about various other networks that want to pick TNA up but
there’s never anything definitive about them. As for the show
tonight, we’re likely setting up Roode vs. Lashley III and finishing
the tag team tournament. Let’s get to it.

We
open with a recap of Lashley vs. Roode from last week with Roode
winning the title.

Angle
is in the ring to start the show and says there’s a new World
Champion in the house. Roode comes out and talks about how this is
all he ever wanted to do since he was a kid. Now he gets to be the
best because he’s the World Champion. He’s proud to be here in the
ring with the best ever in Kurt Angle and is proud to be our
champion.

Cue
Lashley with MVP and King for the big showdown. MVP calls Lashley
the most dominant champion in TNA history but Roode is just a guy
that needed help from Angle to win the title. He keeps talking
though and says Lashley only became champion because MVP hurt his
knee. MVP wants a shot and Kurt agrees, seeing where this could be
going. Roode agrees and Lashley doesn’t look pleased.

Quick video on the
tournament final.

Joe and Low Ki say
they’ll prove everyone wrong when they work together to win the
tournament.

Tag
Team Tournament Finals: Samoa Joe/Low Ki vs. Hardys

Winner
get a title shot at some point in the future. Jeff and Ki get things
going with Hardy taking a kick to the knee. They both start slowly
until Ko grabs the arm, only to get nailed in the back. Off to Matt
for an arm wringer of his own before Joe comes in for some right
hands to pound Matt down in the corner. The non-brothers take over
with their strikes until it’s back to Jeff for a front facelock.

Matt
comes right back in with the middle rope elbow to the back for two.
A double belly to back suplex gets two with Joe making a quick save.
Jeff headscissors Ki out of the corner but charges into some boots in
the corner. A Shining Wizard misses but Ki kicks Jeff in the back of
the head to take over. Back to Joe for the knee drop for two as we
take a break.

Back
with Jeff nailing the Whisper in the Wind to drop Joe next to him. A
double tag brings in Matt and Ki with the Side Effect connecting for
two. Another Side Effect gets the same result and a
bulldog/clothesline combination takes down both X-Division guys. Ki
crotches Matt on the top to break up a moonsault, setting up the top
rope Warrior’s Way for two.

Back
up and a Twist gets two on Ki as everything breaks down. Joe breaks
up Jeff’s Twist and kicks him in the head. The Twist from Matt is
countered with the Clutch but Jeff Swantons Matt to break it up.
Most people would have just kicked Joe but that’s not how Jeff rolls.
Things settle back down and Ki can’t hit the Ki Crusher on Jeff.
Back to Matt for Poetry in Motion followed by the Swanton and a
moonsault from Matt for the pin at 14:38.

Rating:
B-.
Good match but it doesn’t hold up that well after the tag team series
rocked the house for so many weeks. Also I’m not all that wild on
seeing the Hardys again but they’re still good enough in the ring and
over with the crowd so it’s not the worst idea in the world. At
least we don’t have the potential of champions that hate each other
again.

James
Storm is with Davey Richards in the back and says he wants an answer
in a week.

Roode
says MVP suspended him months ago but now he can take care of MVP
once and for all. He won’t hide as champion and he’ll prove why he’s
TNA’s MVP.

We
recap Gunner and Samuel Shaw’s long running story with Brittany
catching Shaw’s eye and breaking the team up.

Here
are Shaw and Brittany to rip on Gunner and Christy Hemme, who never
appreciated Shaw’s artistic genius. Neither of them can ever do the
things that she can do, which include licking Shaw’s face. Cue
Gunner to say Shaw turned on him for a girl. Crazy attracts crazy
though and that’s another problem for Shaw. His biggest problem
though is that Shaw wanted to be Gunner instead of just being like
him. Gunner calls them creepy again and the fight is on. Brittany
saves her new man by jumping on Gunner’s back, allowing Shaw to hit
him low. Shaw puts on gloves and chokes Gunner out.

An
Indian wrestler named Mahabali Shera is coming to TNA. We get a nice
package on his international accomplishments and how sure he is that
he belongs on the roster.

We
recap the opening segment.

MVP
tells Angle that this is all about him (MVP) despite what Angle
thinks.

D-Von/Tommy
Dreamer vs. Bram/Magnus

Time
for the ECW tribute match of the week. The old guys jump the Brits
from behind to start and take over early on. They get back to
ringside for a baseball slide from Dreamer and a beer shot to Magnus’
head. Back in and Magnus hits D-Von in the knee with his metal rod
as the weapons are brought in. Dreamer gets a flashback with a drop
toehold onto the chair. A trashcan shot puts Dreamer down again and
Bram adds a chair to the back.

The
Brits backdrop Dreamer down but D-Von comes back with some chair
shots of his own. We get the Tower of Doom out of the corner with
Dreamer taking the worst of it but D-Von taking almost nothing at
all. Magnus comes back with some kendo stick shots to Dreamer’s
back. Tommy fights up and sends Magnus into a trashcan in the
corner, setting up a DDT for the pin at 9:40.

Rating:
D.
GO AWAY TOMMY DREAMER! If you want to go to your “it’s not ECW!”
ECW tribute promotion then fine, but stop bringing him around and
having him beat World Champions. Dreamer stopped mattering years ago
and has been doing a legends tour for what feels like forever. I
used to like the guy but man alive how many times can he do the same
thing?

Gail Kim wants her
title back.

Here’s
Spud for a chat. He doesn’t want anyone to feel sorry for him, even
though he’s had to do some things that he isn’t proud of. When he
won British Boot Camp, he had no friends and nothing to do in TNA.
Then he became Dixie Carter’s Chief of Staff and he loved every bit
of it.

He
would have done anything for the Carters but then his best friend
Ethan turned into a complete and utter wanker. Ethan said Spud’s
suits make him sick but he isn’t changing for anyone, especially
Ethan Carter III. Carter calls himself a 1%er, so Spud is Mr. 99%
and has these people behind him. JB talks about Spud growing up on
British Boot Camp and says he’s with Spud.

This
brings out Ethan and Tyrus with Carter calling everyone in the crowd
a loser. The villains get in the ring and Ethan demands an apology
from Spud but the Rockstar says no. Tyrus grabs him from behind and
Spud apologizes….for Ethan being so worthless. Ethan goes after JB
for some reason and slaps him, only to have Spud get in some shots
from behind. Eric Young runs in to save Spud from the double
teaming.

Knockouts
Title: Havok vs. Gail Kim

Gail
is defending and has a bad shoulder. The brawl starts in the aisle
with Gail getting in some shots, only to have Havok try to ram her
shoulder first into the post. Gail comes back with some kicks but
Havok just runs her over. The bell hasn’t rung yet as Gail is sent
face first into the post. Havok drags her up the ramp and throws
Gail off the stage. We get a maniacal laugh as medics check on Gail.
No match.

Post
break Gail says let’s fight.

Knockouts
Title: Havok vs. Gail Kim

Havok
sends her shoulder first into the buckle to start and slams Gail down
on the arm. Gail’s rollup is blocked but she dropkicks Havok into
the corner. They head outside with Havok missing a dive off the
apron and landing on the steps. Havok comes right back by sending
Kim face first into the steps but the champ breaks up the count at
nine.

Back
in and Gail hooks on something like the Black Widow, only to be
countered into a kind of Samoan drop. Gail gets slammed down but
pops back up for a top rope cross body and two more. Eat Defeat is
countered into a spinebuster on the arm for another two. The
chokeslam is countered into Eat Defeat for two but Gail jumps into
the chokeslam to retain the title at 6:35.

Rating:
C.
The match wasn’t bad but I’m just not interested in Gail Kim anymore.
There’s almost nothing left for her to do and it’s not interesting
anymore. It didn’t help that the story was almost identical to what
they did the first time. Havok is a good monster and whoever gets to
slay her is going to be a big star.

Shera is at TNA when
Manik comes up to him. Manik is very nice and asks to hear some more
about Sheva. I’m not sure where this is going.

Lashley leaves as MVP
asks if Lashley is really mad.

TNA
World Title: Bobby Roode vs. MVP

Roode
is defending of course. A quick suplex gets two on Roode and a
clothesline sends him outside. Back in and the crowd is completely
behind Roode, only to have MVP take him down with a facebuster.
Ballin Elbow and a fisherman’s suplex get two and we hit a crossface
chicken wing on the champion.

Bobby
fights up and avoids the running boot in the corner, setting up a
Roode Bomb attempt. MVP flips out though and avoids a Blockbuster
before kicking Bobby in the face for two. The Drive By misses and
Bobby gets two off a rollup. Now the running boot connects but the
Playmaker is countered into the Roode Bomb for the pin at 6:55.

Rating:
D+.
Well that happened. This felt like a post show dark match instead of
the TV main event with Roode beating him in a hurry and barely being
in any real trouble. It’s clear that we’re going to get Lashley vs.
Roode III eventually so this was little more than a pit stop for the
champ.

Post match Lashley
comes in and spears Roode down. He walks past MVP to end the show.

Overall
Rating: C-.
If TNA is about to wrap up, this is the perfect way to start going
out: potential to be interesting but tripping up too many times on
the way there. The wrestling wasn’t bad tonight, save for the stupid
ECW match. That’s another thing TNA has done to death over the
years: try to imitate some other company in hopes of generating
nostalgia. It works for awhile, but then TNA just can’t let it go
and be its own company. The show was good enough tonight but as
usual lately, TNA seems to be content sticking with basics instead of
trying to do anything special.

Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with wrestling books for under $4 at:

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Impact
Wrestling

Date: October 29, 2014

Location:
Sands Bethlehem Events Center, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Commentators:
Mike Tenay, Taz

Reviewed by Tommy Hall

Tonight
is a big show for TNA as we have Bobby Roode vs. Lashley for the
World Title and the two semi-finals matches in the tag team
tournament. TNA is capable of throwing a lot of good wrestling at us
and having a solid show when they cut out all the storyline nonsense.
Granted at this point they need to worry about having a place to air
their TV shows instead of what’s on them. Let’s get to it.

Lashley
arrived earlier today. I wish regular companies praised you for
showing up for your job.

We
open with a recap of the first Lashley vs. Roode match. I’m not sure
what I think about Roode losing the first time and potentially
winning a rematch to even the series. There would be something to be
said about a guy rising to make two unbeatable forces.

Tag
Team Tournament Semi-Finals: Kenny King/MVP vs. Samoa Joe/Low Ki

King
and Ki get things going with a quick wrestling sequence on the mat
until Kenny sends him into the corner to take over. Ki
takes him into a corner of his own and snaps off a chop before they
circle each other again. Off
to Joe vs. MVP with the Samoan cranking on a hammerlock but MVP rolls
into a headlock to escape. Joe comes back with a legbar, sending MVP
running into the ropes.

Ki
gets another tag to face MVP but gets driven into the corner by King
to give the heels control. That
doesn’t last long though as a chop and snapmare get to for Ki and
it’s back to Joe for some right hands. MVP
pulls his partner to the floor for a breather so Low Ki just dives
onto both of them to take over again. Back
in and Ki kicks King in the chest for two but poses too long,
allowing MVP to nail him in the back of the head.

We
take a break and come back with MVP still in control without much
having changed. Back
to King for a spinning kick to the face and two with Joe making the
save. Ki
fights out of a double arm crank and hits a springboard spinning kick
to the face (hands) for two on MVP but King gets a tag to keep Joe
out.

Kenny
works on the arms again for a few seconds until Ki just nails both
guys with kicks and makes the hot tag. Joe
cleans house and King taps to the Clutch in front of the referee but
it doesn’t count for some reason. MVP makes the save as everything
breaks down. Ki
dives over the top onto MVP with a kick to the head, setting up the
Clutch on King for the submission at 15:20.

Rating:
C+.
Nice match here but it never got to a level they were hoping for.
I’d assume we’re setting up Joe vs. Ki again because that’s almost
all the division is anymore. If nothing else we can always have a
six man elimination mess that proves nothing but somehow tells us the
division’s rankings before getting back to Joe vs. a challenger of
the month named Low Ki again.

We
recap Bram and Magnus attacking D-Von last week.

D-Von
says Bram is just a punk. He likes a fight just as much as anyone
and has something up his sleeve for Magnus. D-Von’s phone rings and
his buddy is here.

Video
on Roode vs. Lashley.

Here’s
Bram who says he’s rewriting history. He’s going to destroy the
brotherhood of hardcore and nothing is going to stop him. D-Von and
Abyss’ time is up and it’s now Bram on top. He wants to call out his
brother Magnus and here’s the other Brit to join in the fun. Magnus
says they may not see eye to eye but they’re brothers due to the
blood they’ve spilled. They’ve been disturbing the peace since they
were kids and Bram’s potential can be unlimited.

Magnus
is still the guy that broke the glass ceiling for the Brits and it’s
their time. Bram
says they’re going to make all the hardcore dinosaurs extinct but
here’s D-Von to interrupt. He
says the two guys in the ring are the only ones that believe
everything they’re saying. Now it’s time for D-Von’s backup and of
course it’s Tommy Dreamer. I mean, where would we be without Tommy
Dreamer in 2014? The brawl is on and the Americans clean house.

Madison
Rayne
and
Taryn Terrell don’t like each other but they’ll work together against
the Beautiful People.

Shark
Boy is annoyed that some
kids
interrupt his hot dog to request an autograph. Simon
Diamond comes in to yell at him and wants the REAL Shark Boy back.
Sharky says SHELL YEAH and leaves so a cameraman can ask Diamond if
that’s possible. Diamond: “Of course not!”

Beautiful
People vs. Madison Rayne/Taryn Terrell

Angelina
and Madison get things going with a brief slugout until Taryn gets
two off a swinging neckbreaker. Some drop toeholds put the Beautiful
People down and a dropkick puts them down again. Terrell
knocks them outside but Madison goes to throw them back in instead of
tagging. She
also watches
Velvet trip Taryn to take over and
doesn’t seem to mind all that much.

Terrell
comes back with a double clothesline but Rayne drops down again
instead of taking the tag. That’s
fine with Taryn as she
cross bodies both Beautiful People, only to have Madison come in
without a tag. She cleans house but nails Terrell and lays her out
with the Rayne Drop. Madison
walks out and the Beautiful People get the pin at 4:56.

Rating:
D+.
This was more about building up Terrell as a giant killer who can
beat the Beautiful People by herself, but you can’t really have them
lose to a single girl who has her partner turn on her. Terrell could
be a big deal for the division if they give her the ball, even though
it’s only a matter of time before we get back into the same cycle
we’ve been stuck in for years on end.

Video
on Lashley.

Angle
promises to call it down the middle.

Tag
Team Tournament Semi-Finals: Hardys vs. Ethan Carter III/Tyrus

Matt
and Ethan trade hands to the face to start before Carter takes him
down into the corner. It’s
quickly off to Jeff for a middle rope splash after Matt takes Ethan
down with a suplex. A
headscissors puts Carter down again and there’s Poetry in Motion,
followed by the Side Effect for two. Tyrus
gets the tag to clean house and Matt is in trouble. It’s
back to Carter to slam Matt face first into the mat before Tyrus
slaps on a nerve hold.

Carter
comes back in almost immediately with a chinlock of his own before
mocking Sting in the corner. Matt
kicks him away though and makes the hot tag to Jeff. The
more famous Hardy destroys Ethan with the usual as everything breaks
down. Tyrus comes in off the tag and nails a double clothesline,
only to miss a middle rope splash. The Twisting Stunner and Twist of
Fate set up the Swanton to give Matt the pin at 7:06.

Rating:
C-.
This was fine with the power heel destroying the smaller guys but the
teamwork and experience coming back to win at the end of the day.
The Hardys are going to be in any major match like this because
they’re the Hardys and one of the best teams ever, so I’m not sure
what the benefit is to have Tyrus lose this early.

Ethan
blames Tyrus for the loss.

James
Storm says the Revolution expands tonight.

Lashley
is getting ready.

The
Revolution is in the ring and Storm says there’s always a calm before
the storm. TNA needs to listen to him: the storm is very close.
Sanada and Manik were lost on their own but now they preach his
gospel. They want another now and that man is Davey Richards. This
brings out Davey on his own (with no belt) but he isn’t all that
talkative.

Storm
says Davey is in a great tag team, but he’s (Storm) been in several
great tag teams of his own. His partners let him down though, so
Davey needs to join the team so that will never happen. Cue Edwards
to say this isn’t something Davey should listen to because Storm is
out of his mind. Richards
takes the mic away and says he can speak for himself. Eddie
says Storm is crazy and wants to fight right now. He slaps James’
face and we have a match.

James
Storm vs. Eddie Edwards

Edwards
nails a kick to the head to start but he stops to look at Davey,
allowing Storm to nail a running shot in the corner to take over.
James
hammers away with forearms but charges into a boot to the face. An
over the shoulder Stunner out of the corner gets two on James but he
comes back with a DDT to plant Edwards.

Richards
is looking conflicted as Storm stalks Edwards. A mic shot to
Edwards’ head misses and Eddie grabs a rollup for two. Edwards
dives on Storm as Manik goes over and whispers to Richards. That
earns Manik a baseball slide but Davey gets up to yell, allowing
James to hit the Last Call for the pin at 5:11.

Rating:
C.
This is an interesting story as there’s only so much left for the
Wolves to do in the division. They’ve dominated the whole thing all
year so what else do they have to prove? It’s better to build up
another story than to just have the same boring ideas that they’ve
done for years so at least it’s fresh.

TNA
World Title: Lashley vs. Bobby Roode

They
have a ton of time for this, Lashley
is defending and Kurt Angle is guest referee. MVP
and King are nowhere in sight.
Lashley
powers Bobby into the corner to start and easily takes him down with
an amateur move. A
hard shoulder to the ribs has Roode in even more trouble but Bobby
comes back with a clothesline and tells Lashley to bring it on. The
champ is all fired up but his clothesline is countered into the
Crossface, sending Lashley out to the floor.

We
take a break and come back with Lashley
holding a reverse wasitlock until Bobby fights up with forearms. A
quick Blockbuster gets two but Roode charges into a spinning
spinebuster. Lashley
ducks another shot but clotheslines Angle (first time he’s meant
anything in the match) by mistake. The Roode Bomb is countered and
Lashley nails the spear with no one to count the pin. Another
spear hits Angle to knock him to the floor, allowing Roode to
enziguri Lashley to the floor.

Bobby
follows and avoids a spear, sending a ring attendant flying. A
Roode Bomb on the ramp puts both guys down but there’s still no Angle
to count anything. Instead
Brian Hebner comes in to count the near fall and Bobby is frustrated.
Lashley hits Roode low and gets the belt but Hebner says no.

That
earns him a knockout clothesline, allowing Lashley to hit Roode with
the belt. Angle comes in to count two and
is finally back to his feet. The Roode Bomb is countered and Lashley
snaps Bobby’s throat across the top rope. Another
attempt is countered into a sunset flip attempt but Roode falls on
top for the pin and the title at 17:49.

Rating:
B.
The match got going near the middle but I really don’t see why Angle
needed to be out there. Any
regular referee could have played his role to the same degree but
maybe they’re setting up Lashley vs. Angle down the line? The
important part though is Roode being made into a bigger deal than he
was before, but now he needs to have a very solid title reign to make
it even better. TNA is really needing a top face and if Roode is
that guy then so be it.

The
announcers mention a rematch clause as the show ends.

Overall
Rating: B-.
TNA is actually starting to click, which means it must be time for a
disaster sooner than later. This episode was all about one match
which delivered so it’s almost an automatic success. The tournament
matches were good enough and the Revolution stuff continues to
intrigue me. Good show this week as TNA is starting to make things
interesting again.

Results

Samoa
Joe/Low Ki b. Kenny King/MVP – Koquina Clutch to King

Beautiful
People b. Madison Rayne/Taryn Terrell – Both Beautiful People
pinned Terrell after a Rayne Drop from Rayne

Hardys
b. Ethan Carter III/Tyrus – Swanton Bomb to Tyrus

James
Storm b. Eddie Edwards – Last Call

Bobby
Roode b. Lashley – Rollup

Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with wrestling books for under $4 at:

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Impact
Wrestling

Date: October 22, 2014

Location:
Sands Bethlehem Events Center, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Commentators:
Mike Tenay, Taz

Reviewed by Tommy Hall

We’re
closing in on the Lashley vs. Roode showdown with the champion
seeming to have some issues with the rest of the Trio. Other than
that we have the start of a tag team tournament for a shot at the
titles at some point in the future. I kind of like TNA just doing
the week to week TV stuff instead of building to meaningless PPVs for
a change. It works for NXT most of the time so why not TNA too?
Let’s get to it.

We
open with a recap of Lashley vs. Roode from a few weeks ago and then
Bobby winning the four way last week to earn another shot.

The
Wolves want the tournament to start so they can have some new
opponents.

Matt
Hardy comes out and introduces his partner for the tournament: Jeff
Hardy. Well that was anti-climactic.

Tag
Team Tournament First Round: Hardys vs. BroMans

Jesse/DJZ
here. Matt and DJZ start things off as Tenay and Taz are already in
their own world. The guys in the ring (as in the guys the show is
actually supposed to be about) trade headlocks until Matt takes him
down and slams DJZ’s head into the mat over and over. Off to Jeff
for Poetry in Motion to give Matt two. The Hardys go old school with
the Spin Cycle (think both guys doing a half wheelbarrow suplex) but
it’s quickly off to Jesse to take over.

Jeff
kicks him down with ease before it’s back to Matt for a double belly
to back. The BroMans are sent into each other but the distraction
lets Jesse dropkick Matt down to take over. DJZ cranks on an armbar
until Matt jawbreaks his way to freedom and tags in Jeff. The better
Hardy cleans house with dropkicks and a gordbuster followed by the
Whisper in the Wind. Jesse loads up a gorilla press but Matt tags
himself in and it’s Twist/Swanton for the pin at 6:19.

Rating:
C-.
Just a basic tag match here that we’ll list under “what else would
you expect to happen?” I can’t imagine the Hardys getting another
shot after the Series blew the roof off as it would defeat the
purpose of having a tournament. I’m also wondering if there are
eight teams to fill out brackets as the division barely exists at
this point. Decent match though.

Here’s
Bram to address his surprise attack on D-Von last week. He loves
hearing something being driven through a human’s skin, just like when
he drove Janice into Abyss. Bram is the new king of hardcore and
D-Von is his target because he’s called a hardcore legend. Whatever
it takes, Bram will make sure everyone fears his name. This brings
out D-Von and the beating is quickly on. Bram fights back and they
head to the floor until security breaks it up in the ring. Angle
comes out and makes a hardcore match between the two for later.

Brittany
comes up to Samuel Shaw in the back and says she’d love it if he won
tonight.

Tag
Team Tournament First Round: Low Ki/Samoa Joe vs. Samuel Shaw/Gunner

Joe
sends Shaw into the corner and hammers away to start before nailing
an enziguri for good measure. Off to Ki for a springboard kick to
the face but Gunner nails him with a clothesline. Brittany comes
down to be in Shaw’s corner as Ki chops away at Gunner. The heels
(kind of?) start double teaming Ki but Gunner tells Shaw to get rid
of Brittany.

The
distraction lets Ki avoid a middle rope dive, allowing for the hot
tag to Joe. Things speed up with Joe hammering away and getting two
of his own off a running kick to the face. Brittany hooks Gunner’s
leg for no apparent reason, allowing Ki to kick him into the Clutch
from Joe for the submission at 4:36.

Rating:
D+.
This was more storytelling than anything else as Gunner and Shaw
continue to do….whatever it is that they’re doing. They’ve been
going on with this for months now and I’m really not sure where
they’re going with it. The match was nothing of interest but at
least didn’t take up too much time.

Shaw
stands next to Brittany but Gunner comes up to yell at her. Samuel
nails him with a chair and goes evil again before kissing Brittany.

Ethan
Carter III says he can feel it coming in the air tonight. He thinks
a Tag Team Title reign with Tyrus would be a good buildup to his
World Title win. Spud might be in the building tonight so why
doesn’t he find a friend to get in the ring with Ethan and his new
friend? Because he’s scared.

Lashley
is asked about the title match with Roode but MVP cuts him off and
says it’s just another day at the office. King says he and MVP are
in the tournament.

Rebel
vs. Angelina Love

Love
doesn’t show up but here’s Havok instead to destroy Rebel. Gail Kim
charges out for the big brawl with the champion until security breaks
it up.

Video
on Roode vs. Lashley, which I believe is the same video that opened
the show.

Angle thinks we’ll
raise the stakes in the contract signing later tonight.

Bram
vs. D-Von

Hardcore.
They start fighting on the floor before D-Von takes him inside for a
release flapjack. It’s already back on the floor with D-Von in full
control and sending him into the barricade. There’s a bottle of
water to the head and Bram goes into steps for good measure. Back in
and D-Von nails him in the head with a trashcan lid before hitting a
one man Conchairto on the trashcan lid onto Bram’s head.

Bram
comes back with a trashcan lid shot of his own because apparently
he’s immune to concussions. He shouts that D-Von is nothing and gets
a low blow for his efforts. D-Von loads up What’s Up on the trashcan
but Magnus comes out with a kendo stick shot for the save, allowing
Bram to use the metal bar for the pin at 5:57.

Rating:
D.
It’s not even that the match was terrible but it’s uninteresting.
D-Von just isn’t interesting as a singles guy but at least he’s
putting someone over at this stage in his career. Bram already has
more star power than Magnus has almost ever shown and has a future,
hopefully as more than just a hardcore guy.

Anderson
and Melendez are in the tournament.

Tag
Team Tournament First Round: Kenny King/MVP vs. Chris Melendez/Mr.
Anderson

MVP
and King are quickly knocked out to the floor but we settle down to
Anderson vs. King. Mr. grabs a headlock to take over but MVP trips
him up from the floor, allowing King to kick him in the head for two.
MVP taunts Melendez with a tag in the corner like a true heel should
before hooking Anderson in an arm crank. A running boot to the side
of the head gets two but a double clothesline puts both guys down.
Melendez and King come in off the tags with Chris cleaning house as
everything breaks down. In the melee, King rolls up Melendez with a
handful of tights for the pin at 4:55.

Rating:
D+.
Another middle of the ropad match here as the stories are now being
applied to the tournament. That’s not the worst idea in the world
and sets up some interesting matchups in the second round. Nothing
great here or anything but it got the job done and kept this story
going.

Eric Young fires Spud
up and they’re in the tournament tonight.

The Wolves do a quick
interview saying they’re looking for the best competition. They go
off in different directions and Davey runs into James Storm. James
tells Davey how great he is and offers to show him the way. Manik
comes in to explain the beauty of the Revolution.

Tag
Team Tournament First Round: Ethan Carter III/Tyrus vs. Eric
Young/Rockstar Spud

Young
has to give Spud a pep talk to get him to the ring and there’s no
Rockstar at first. Carter laughs at Spud being a coward and even has
a new response to the audience: “You wish you could.” He goes on
a rant about how the villains win in this world and how the 99%ers
here in the audience are all losers. That’s enough to get Spud to
the ring and we’re ready to go.

Spud
asks to get in the ring with Carter to start. After the staredown
but no contact it’s off to Tyrus but Spud won’t tag out to Eric.
Spud hammers away but gets caught by a punch to the chest. Spud’s
sleeper attempt is countered into a Big Ending and Tyrus throws him
around with a t-bone suplex. Tyrus misses a charge but stays on
Spud, knocking him down with a single shot.

Off
to Carter for some slaps to the face but Spud comes back with a huge
one of his own, allowing for the hot tag to Young. Eric cleans house
and gets two off the elbow. Everyone heads outside for a huge dive
from Young before Spud dives on both villains. Back in and a quick
Tongan Death Grip slam from Tyrus gives Ethan the pin on Spud at
7:14.

Rating:
C.
Better match here with Spud starting to look like a big deal. It
wasn’t a great mathc or anything but it was nice to see some of the
stories making sense. Young continues to be the guy you call to fill
in a story and that’s all he was here. Carter’s rocket push is still
coming and I like sayint that.

We
run down the card for next week

Here’s
Angle for the contract signing between Lashley and Roode. He has a
bonus stipulation to make things more interesting next week, but
first he asks if either guy has anything to say. Roode admits that
Lashley was the better man last week but says that Lashley will be a
marked man next week. Lashley has other priorities in MMA, but
wrestling is all Roode has. Being champion is the only thing he
wants and next week, he’s fighting with a passion to put the title
back around his waste.

MVP
has built Lashley up very well, but next week Roode will prove that
he’s just a man. MVP cuts Bobby off and says Lashley can takes out
anyone he faces because he’s a destroyer. Angle cuts them off and
says he’ll be guest referee next week. That’s not cool with MVP but
Lashley signs, giving us a staredown to end the show.

Overall
Rating: C-.
I didn’t mind this week’s show as they actually seem to have some
interesting stuff coming in the next few weeks. Unfortunately, they
need a show to air them on and right now we don’t know where that’s
going to be. Roode vs. Lashley should be entertaining and the tag
matches will be solid too, making next week interesting TV. However,
this week’s build was only decent with the tournament matches being
average at best. It gave me some hope though and that’s a big plus.

Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with wrestling books for under $4 at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6