Source: TNAStars.com
Opening Segment
A video highlighting last week’s revealing of Garrett Bischoff’s trainer and Stars Wars footage is spliced in.
Bully Ray kicks off the show and says he doesn’t want to talk to James Storm, Sting, or anyone else besides his “good close personal friend” Bobby Roode and tells his “pal” to come out here now. Roode makes his way out, but Bubba gets out of the ring and yells to cut his music so he can ask Roode some questions. He’s been watching Roode’s back and he helped Roode out against Storm, but Roode was nowhere to be found when Bubba needed him. Bubba says Roode has held onto the title for two months because Bubba’s been saving his butt, and Roode says he’s had Bubba’s back, but Bubba says that Roode put a knife in it. Roode says Bubba’s problem isn’t with him, it’s with the same guy Roode has a problem with, and that’s Sting. Apparently his ears were ringing because Sting’s music hits, and he comes out with his cricket bat and his gloves. He tells the two that to make sure everything stays on the level at Against All Odds, he’ll be the special enforcer. Bubba and Roode had better get on the same page because they’re facing James Storm and…the insane icon himself, Sting, in tonight’s main event.
-Commercial Break-
Tenay hypes up the huge tag match which features Bully Ray and Bobby Roode facing James Storm and Sting. A video package plays showing how AJ Styles started the feud with Kazarian and Christopher Daniels.
Christopher Daniels (with Kazarian) vs. AJ Styles
I’ve got to admit now that I have high expectations for this match considering the competitors and the crowd. Daniels starts the match by jumping AJ during his entrance. Quick chain wrestling sequence between the two ends with Daniels hits a palm thrust to AJ. AJ is able to get up and hit his dropkick followed by a suicide dive to the outside. AJ throws him back in and flips over him for a pinning combination. Daniels pulls something out of his boots and the ref caught it, but didn’t see him toss it to Kazarian. AJ takes it to Kazarian but gets thrown over the rope to the apron and then gets clothesline to the floor. Daniels goes after him and hits another palm thrust and throws him inside. Springboard leg drop by Daniels is followed for a clothesline for two. Daniels cranks up the pressure of his modified headlock and nails a kneedrop for two. Daniels goes back to the modified headlock. AJ slides out and tries to get things back in his favor to eat a dropkick. The two start trading rights and AJ nails a sick enzeguri. Daniels pleads for the knuckles and Kazarian hesitates, which allows for AJ to get several clotheslines and inverted DDT. Springboard Forearm by AJ leads to him setting up for the clash. Daniels reverses it into a clothesline, but misses the BME. Daniels eats the Pele kick and holds on to the bottom rope and gets kicked for his trouble. This time Kazarian reluctantly hands him the brass knicks, but Daniels misses and AJ tries the Clash, but Daniels connects with the brass knuckles and gets the pin.
Winner by Pinfall: Christopher Daniels
Eric tells Gunner backstage that he wants him standing by and says that he will take Gunner out. Gunner tells him that he’s there and Eric tells him “one kneecap at a time.” ((Jarrett’s Jab – That’s probably the most obvious mobster line I’ve ever heard. Regardless, Gunner getting jobbed out to Garett will continue to infuriate me as the low point to every edition of Impact Wrestling in my mind.))
-Commercial Break-
We are welcomed back to the “Impact Invasion” and get a glimpse of Samoa Joe and Magnus, before we cut to the arena and get their entrance. Tenay notes that there is no home-country advantage for Magnus and Samoa Joe this Sunday when they challenge for the Tag Team Titles.
Magnus says that every time we come to Wembly Arena, everyone talks about how great it is to be back in the UK. He says he needs to make a small correction in that he has nothing against the Scots, the Welsh, or even the Irish…well, mostly. But tonight, they’re not in the United Kingdom, they’re in England and tonight he gets to say that he’s come home. He talks about the Wild Card Tournament and how they got put together by the luck of the draw, everyone rolled their eyes, but they feel like they proved them wrong because they have chemistry and teamwork, they’re a well-oiled machine. The fact is that Morgan and Crimson are a team because they’re afraid to fight each other, but Magnus and Joe aren’t afraid to fight anyone, so at Against All Odds, they’re going to defeat them to become the World Tag Team Champions. Morgan and Crimson come to the ring, and Morgan says that the talking is done. Morgan and Crimson go after Magnus and Joe, dumping Joe to the floor before plowing over Magnus with a double shoulderblock. They go to nail him again, but Joe pulls Magnus out to the floor and then says something that gets bleeped while flipping Morgan and Crimson the bird.
X Division Champion Austin Aries vs. Alex Shelley vs. Doug Williams
Aries tries to fight both of them at once, but backs off when they close in on him. Williams gets a snapmare on Aries followed by a dropkick to the back of the head by Shelley, then Aries gets clotheslined to the floor. Shelley goes for Sliced Bread #2 on Williams, but Williams blocks and hits a short clothesline that sends Shelley out to the floor as well. Aries trips Williams from the floor, but Shelley catches him with a missile dropkick and Aries goes out to the floor again. Shelley goes out after him and Williams hits a dive through the ropes onto Shelley, and Aries quickly slides back inside and hits a dive of his own, then rolls Williams back in and gets a slingshot senton on Williams for two. Williams responds by unloading with a series of European uppercuts, Aries nails Williams and sits him on the top rope for a superplex, but Shelley grabs Aries and they go at it until Aries sends Shelley crashing into Williams and hits an STO. Aries goes for the pendulum elbow, but he takes too long taunting the crowd and Shelley moves out of the way while Aries hits the mat. Williams hits Chaos Theory on Shelley, but Aries runs in and kicks Williams in the airbags. Aries goes for a brainbuster, but Shelley counters to Sliced Bread #2 and pins the champion.
Winner by pinfall: Alex Shelley
((Jarrett’s Jab – Are they out of their minds? Aries and Shelly are facing each other Sunday at Against All Odds. There was NO reason for Aries to be involved in this match because it only cheapens their match on Sunday.))
-Commercial Break-
Hulk Hogan is backstage giving Garett Bischoff a pep talk when Sting walks in and shares a big hug with Hogan. Hogan says it’s good to be himself again. Hogan states that owes Sting for helping him get there, then asks Garett for a moment alone with Sting. Hogan tells Sting that he’s doing a great job here and he’s gotten the company on track, and he has to kick some people in the butt, but he’s getting it done. The only thing Hogan thinks he doesn’t understand is what a huge target he’s got on his back and how everyone’s going to try and cut his legs out from underneath him. After what Sting and the business have done for him, and how they’re the only things that have stuck with him all this time. Hogan notices the cameraman and gets all pissed off as he kicks him out and slams the door.
Clips of Tara and Gail Kim fighting outside the building is played and hyped to play after the break.
-Commercial Break-
A clip of Tara outside the building taking a video of herself seeing the sights, but then Gail Kim comes up and starts beating her up. Gail finishes by skee balling Tara through a swinging double door and knocking her out.
Hulk Hogan and Garett Bischoff come out to the ring, and Hogan says he didn’t know what to expect last week since it had been 18 years since he’d been there, but it was just what he thought would happen: the greatest fans in the world and showed him respect and made him realize that Hulkamania was going to live forever. He knows what happens when people dedicate their lives to something and give everything to get ahead and he appreciates everything, but he wants one favor: he wants the fans to take everything they gave him and give it to Garett Bischoff instead because he’s known him since he was a little Hulkamaniac and he’s on our side of the coin. All Garett’s wanted all his life is to get in the business and prove he can make it as a wrestler, but his father. Eric Bischoff comes out with Gunner to interrupt that sentence. He says that he has one question he wants to know: Who in the hell do you (Hulk) think you are? And what gives him the right to interfere in Eric’s family business? Hogan says it’s not about Eric anymore, it’s about Garett and his future. Eric says that Hogan doesn’t have the right, but Hogan says that Bischoff doesn’t understand the business as well as Hogan thought he did because there’s something called the Hulkamania Stroke, and he talked to the Stinger, brother, and Sting gave him the right to book a match at Against All Odds between Garett Bischoff and Gunner, and- again Hogan gets cut off when Gunner attacks Garett as Eric low blows Hogan. Hogan’s not down for long, and he Hulks up, knocks Bischoff out, then grabs Gunner by the ponytail and tosses him out to the floor. Hogan and Garett stalk Eric and Hogan holds Eric so Garett can knock him out with a big right hand. ((Jarrett’s Jab – If Garrett is the future of TNA, I better start getting into more programs. Seriously what has this guy done to be called the future? Garett and Gunner are being shoved down the throats of viewers and is just a prop in the Hogan/Bischoff feud.))
-Commercial Break-
We see a preview of Star Wars Episode I in 3D, then we go backstage where Bully Ray says Roode has no idea how pissed off he is at him, but they need to put things behind them and work as a team tonight because, as Bubba says, Roode’s a good tag team wrestler and Bubba is a great tag team wrestler. Bubba sticks his hand out, but Roode says that they don’t shake, they hug. Bubba and Roode share a hug, then Bubba says “three days” and walks out. ((Jarrett’s Jab – This is the second time I thought of another former TNA Champion during one of his segments. First was Christian Cage when he called himself “The Champ” in third person during the opening segment and Kurt Angle with the “teammates gotta hug” bit here. Probably just coincidences. Of course I’d be the person to recognize that.))
Hogan and Garett are out back cutting a promo on Eric Bischoff, then it’s back to the ring for Knockouts action…
Mickie James vs. Velvet Sky
A tie-up ends up with Velvet goes to a wristlock, Mickie cartwheels out and sweeps the legs Johnny for two. Velvet goes to a side headlock, Mickie shoots her into the ropes, and Velvet takes her down with a shoulderblock. Mickie goes for a monkey flip but Velvet blocks and rolls her up for two. Mickie bridges out and gets a rollup of her own for another two. Velvet goes for a handshake and Mickie takes it, then pulls Velvet into a series of shoulderblocks and whips her into the corner. Mickie charges into Velvet’s boot and then Velvet gets a flying headscissors, but Mickie dropkicks Velvet in the face for two. Mickie with kicks and shoulderblocks in the corner, then hits a snapmare into a seated abdominal stretch. Mickie rolls it backward into a guillotine for two, but Velvet gets a chinbreaker and then a series of running clotheslines. Velvet is hurt and can’t follow up, but still manages to hit a inverted bulldog for two. Velvet with a couple of facebreakers but Mickie takes her out with a clothesline, she goes for the leaping DDT, Velvet escapes and goes for a sunset flip, Mickie tries to squirm out into a seated cradle, but Velvet catches her in a small package for three.
Winner by Pinfall: Velvet Sky
((Jarrett’s Jab – Poor Velvet, a lot of people like her, but she is the weakest women’s wrestler on the roster. A subpar match for the knockouts and I guess Velvet is the next Knockout to get a shot at Gail.))
-Commercial Break-
A video package airs showing some of the other shows and things that TNA has done during their tour of England. Following that a video package where Bobby Roode, James Storm, Bully Ray, and Jeff Hardy talk about the main event of Against All Odds and what’s motivating them going into the match.
Sting and James Storm are backstage and Sting says it’s showtime, then Storm says that Sting once had a dream to become an icon, and that’s what Storm wants to do tonight.
World Champion Bobby Roode & Bully Ray vs.James Storm & Sting
Roode and Sting start off and Roode stalls a bunch, then they tie up and Roode takes Sting to the corner and lays in a series of chops and punches that Sting…um…Stings Up? Sting whips Roode to the ropes and gets a backdrop, misses a Stinger Splash, but shakes off the pain and lays Roode out with a clothesline. Sting gets the Scorpion Deathlock and Bubba comes in to try and boot Sting in the face, but Sting catches the boot and he and Storm double team Bubba and send him out to the floor with Roode to take a break as we go to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
Storm and Bully Ray tag in. Ray takes Storm to the corner and slowly breaks clean before cheap shotting at him anyway. Storm dodges out of the way and Storm gets a series of armdrags and then unloads with right hands in the corner. Sting tags in and gets a wristlock on Ray, cranking on the arm until Ray goes down and Sting stomps on his hand. Storm tags in and gets nailed from the outside by Roode, and then Roode tags in and puts the boots to Storm in the corner before choking him with his boot. Bully Ray comes in and drills Storm with a big chop to the chest, then pulls the bandages off of his ribs before slamming Storm and hitting a big elbowdrop for two. Bully Ray drills right hands into Storm’s ribs, then Roode comes in and damages Storm’s ribs some more before cinching a rear bearhug in. Storm fights his way out but Roode takes him back down and tags out to Ray, who comes in with a bearhug of his own. Storm boxes Bubba’s ears to escape, but comes off the ropes right into Bubba’s boot. Bubba picks up the chain and goes to hit Storm with it, but Storm ducks the shot and gets a Russian legsweep. Storm makes the hot tag and Sting comes in like a house of fire, Stinger Splashes for both men, Roode tries to go up top and Sting slams him off. Ray tries to break up a pinfall attempt but Sting moves and Bubba elbowdrops Roode, then whips Bubba into Roode in the corner, follows up with a Stinger Splash, then Ray falls backward and Storm gets a leaping enziguiri from the floor so Roode falls headfirst into Ray blocks and hits the Scorpion Deathdrop. He foregoes the cover and instead gets the Scorpion Deathlock, Ray comes in with the title belt and gets ready to hit Sting, but then stops and tells Roode “see you in three days, champ” before bailing out to the floor and heading up the aisle. Roode has no way out and taps.
Winners by Pinfall: Sting & James Storm
Bubba shoots a dirty look at Roode as he rolls out to the floor and holds the title in his hands, and Sting and Storm celebrate in the ring as we call it a night. ((Jarrett’s Jab – Not too happy with the semi-active Sting beating the World Champion. Not much build for Against All Odds in terms of making the competitors strong, which was stupid considering they have zero time left now. Shelly came out good, but that was it. Star Wars Impact wasn’t as campy as I thought it would be and that was a great relief. Anyways, be sure to come back to TNAStars for all the latest TNA news and for the fallout of Against All Odds.))
