Source: TNAStars.com
iMPACT Wrestling – February 23, 2012
From the iMPACT Wrestling Zone in Orlando, Florida
Announced by Mike Tenay and Taz
Welcome everyone! Jarrett Cox was knocked out of commission this week thanks to a lightning storm taking out his power. And yours truly was sick for the first time in years with a fever and stomach pains – so you’re getting this report a little bit late! Anyway… here we go!
This week’s episode of iMPACT Wrestling opens with a video package detailing Bobby Roode’s mindset that he is the star of the show and the leader of the selfish generation. The recent history between Sting and Roode is also shown with last week’s beat down on the Insane Icon highlighted at the end of the video package. Mike Tenay hypes the fact that Brandon Jacobs is in the iMPACT Wrestling Zone tonight! And the show kicks off with Roode making his way to ringside.
Before Roode gets a word out, a strong “You Suck!” chant takes over the arena. Roode comments on Sting’s cryptic “I’m done,” tweet from earlier in the week. The fans chant for Sting. Roode says to chant Sting’s name because he will be here later to tell the rest of the world why he’s done with iMPACT Wrestling. The champ then says that it’s time to talk about him. He says that ending Sting’s career is the greatest accomplishment of his life. He says that when you think about guys like Harley Race, Luger, Vader, Hulk Hogan, and Ric Flair – all of those men couldn’t end Sting’s career, but he did. Roode tells Sting not to let the door hit him in the ass on the way out.
Tenay wonders whether this is the last time that we’ll see Sting and Taz comes in to sell the storyline some more. We’re taken to a video from earlier in the day where Matt Morgan and Crimson are arguing backstage about losing the TNA World Tag Team Championship. They agree that they’re going to clear their heads and get back into the game tonight during their championship match – which is up next!
TNA World Tag Team Championship
Matt Morgan & Crimson vs. Samoa Joe & Magnus
Both teams are introduced and Morgan starts by taking on Samoa Joe. He hits a side slam early and gets a one count before tagging in Crimson. Samoa Joe gets the upperhand and tags in Magnus, but Crimson takes back the lead with a series of clotheslines and high impact moves leading to a kick in the face off the ropes. Magnus doubles over Crimson with a boot, but Crimson winds up Magnus and gets a near fall on the Brit. Crimson goes to spear Magnus in the corner, but Samoa Joe pulls him out of the way. And we get our first commercial break of the evening.
Back from commercials and Samoa Joe has Crimson in the corner with Magnus, but Crimson fights back. Joe halts the attack before both men go down. Morgan is stomping around the apron waiting for the hot tag, which he gets as Joe tags in Magnus. Morgan goes to town on both Magnus and Joe and the crowd is into Morgan’s attack. Morgan catches Magnus in mid-air and slams him down for a two count before Joe makes the save. Crimson attacks Joe and Magnus jumps in to even up the odds. Crimson launches out of the corner to clothesline Joe, but the Samoan ducks as Morgan tries for a carbon footprint from the other side of the ring and Crimson lays out his own partner.
The layout elbow drop from the top rope comes and goes and the champions retain their titles.
Winners: Samoa Joe & Magnus
Tenay and Taz recap last week’s appearance by Super Bowl Champion Brandon Jacobs of the New York Giants. Tenay says that Jacobs is next!
The commercials end and Christy Hemme asks us to welcome the Super Bowl winning Brandon Jacobs. As Jacobs makes his way to ringside – slapping hands all over the place, by the way – Tenay and Taz go over the brief history between Jacobs and Bully Ray. Once he’s in the ring, Jacobs says, “What’s up iMPACT fans?!” Jacobs introduces himself as the running back for the New York Giants, fresh off of their Super Bowl victory. He said that after you win the Super Bowl, you come to iMPACT Wrestling! He comments that he was in the iMPACT Wrestling Zone last week with his buddy James Storm. He says that he likes drinking beer just like Storm does and that after Storm beat Ray last week, he shared a beer with Storm. Jacobs comments that he was in no man’s land after he crossed the railing last week. At the same time, though, he says that Bully should not have spit in his face.
The random screaming girl is going crazy so it’s kinda hard for me to focus on Jacobs at this point…
Bully Ray comes out and he says, “Settle down for a minute, Brenda. I mean Brandon.” Ray reintroduces himself to Jacobs saying that he has amazing calves that are huge. He says that guys like Jacobs and Ray have a lot in common. He says that Jacobs is a two-time champion and Ray is a twenty three-time champion. The crowd starts chanting “Brandon Jacobs!” and it appears like the random screaming girl has been turned off… for now. Ray says he’s not going to waste his time on a guy who only had 59 years in the Super Bowl and didn’t even have a Super Bowl. Jacobs comes out of the ring and goes after Ray. With Jacobs in hot pursuit… we go to a commercial break?
Back from commercial, Jacobs is shown stalking backstage and running into Storm and Jeff Hardy. Lots of yelling and screaming about how they all want to get Bully Ray. And we’re back in the ring with the sexy Christy Hemme introducing Zema Ion. Ion makes his way to the ring and Hemme introduces his opponent – Alex Shelley.
Zema Ion vs. Alex Shelley
Before Shelley gets down to the ring, Ion attacks. He tosses Shelley in the ring and beats him down. Ion takes a break and hairsprays his hair. Tenay says, “There’s the trademark hairspray.” Yeah? Really? Using hairspray is a trademark of Ion? Who knew?! Shelley takes control and drop toe hold’s Ion into the middle turnbuckle. Ion stops Shelley from jumping off the ring apron and goes for a hurricanrana into a crossface armbar. Shelley gets his legs to the rope and then drops Ion with a dragon screw leg whip.
Lots of chops and “Wooos” from the crowd from Shelley. A quick enzigueri later and Shelley clotheslines Ion to the outside before taking a suicide dive to the outside on top of Ion. While he’s on the outside, Ion puts the “trademark” hairspray in his pants. A few moves later and Ion hits Shelley with the infamous hairspray to the eyes maneuver and scores the three point.
Winner: Zema Ion
Back from commercial and we’ve got a video package of the Garett Bischoff/Eric Bischoff/Gunner/Hulk Hogan history. After the video ends, the unseen voice asks Garett about his feelings about becoming a professional wrestler after his defeat at Against All Odds. Garett says he’s going to keep on fighting and keep on going. Hogan steps in and says he figured that Garett was going to say that; Hogan comments that it’s in his DNA not to quit. He goes on to say that there is a huge bullseye on Garett’s back because of his father. The Immortal One goes on to say that if he wants to stay in this business, he needs to understand that everyone is going to be gunning for him. Every time he steps in that building, someone is going to mess him up. And in mid-sentence we go to… Madison Rayne?
Rayne comments that Sting hasn’t been fair to the Knockouts or Gail Kim. She said what she did last week was an act of friendship. She said that as only champions can do, she stepped up to give Kim the competition she deserves. Tenay hypes Kim vs. ODB, which is up next.
Back from commercial and ODB makes her way to the ring with her boyfriend Eric Young. Gail Kim is introduced and makes her way down to the ring so this match can officially get underway.
ODB vs. Gail Kim
Nothing like some Knockout action to start the 10:00pm hour. I’m going to take this one off and, instead, give you the video of the action:
Winner: Gail Kim
After the match, AJ Styles is being interviewed and says that while Daniels and Kazarian are some of his best friends – they lost their way. He’s not going to let them distract him and, instead, he’s going to focus on the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
Back from break and we have the Jesse Sorensen video package:
Tenay updates us by saying that since the video was shot, Sorensen has been released from the hospital and is at home recovering. Taz comments that he thinks Sorensen’s future is uncertain, but he wishes him nothing but the best.
Christy Hemme tells us that the TNA Television Championship match is next and introduces both Styles and Robbie E!
TNA Television Championship
AJ Styles vs. Robbie E. w/ Robbie T.
The Robbies make their way down to the ring and Tenay wedges in a comment about Governor Chris Christie. Taz wedges in a second, nonsense comment about the good Governor and this match is underway. Styles takes the early lead with a backbreaker on Robbie followed by a backbreaker slam. Styles does a back bridge chin lock and Robbie tries to break the grip, which he does. Robbie T. gets in between Styles and Robbie E. on the outside of the ring which allows Robbie E. to get the upper hand as Styles rolls into the ring. Styles with a series of chops, but Robbie regains control and gets a one count.
Robbie E. does three “Oh!” pumps on the second rope and hits a punch from the second rope to Styles’ head. Instead of me typing, here’s the important parts of the rest of the match:
Winner: AJ Styles by Disqualification
Back from the commercial break and Bully ray is on his way to the ring. On his way to the ring, Ray stops and gets in some young kid’s face. It’s kinda funny – reminds of me of the old school days of wrestling. After Bully Ray is in the ring, Kurt Angle enters the arena and the Olympic Gold Medalist comes down to the ring. As Angle and Ray hug in the ring, Jeff Hardy comes down to the ring. Hardy has some type of zombie face paint going on tonight. Looks weird, but well done nonetheless. And the final participant in this match happens to be sorry about your damn luck – James Storm comes out to a screaming crowd.
The bell rings and Jeremy Borash attempts to give us the ring introductions. Ray interrupts him and introduces himself. Borash recovers the microphone and introduces Angle, Hardy, and Storm. And this match is now underway…
Bully Ray & Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Hardy vs. James Storm
Before the match officially starts, Storm wants to know if there are any beer drinkers in this place. The crowd goes nuts. He says that he has a friend who is a beer drinker who has some unfinished business with Bully Ray. The crowd chants for Brandon Jacobs and Storm introduces the Super Bowl Champion. Jacobs makes his way to ringside and Ray is pissed off.
Kurt Angle starts off against James Storm and Storm gets the upperhand with some clotheslines and a high knee. Storm continues to beat on Angle, but Ray interrupts which allows Angle to take advantage. A few European uppercuts in the corner and Kurt Angle is in control of this match. The fans chant “You Suck!” to Angle, but he remains in control until Storm clotheslines his way to an even playing field. Storm tags in Hardy and the crowd goes nuts.
Back from commercial and Hardy hits a Whisper in the Wind on Bully Ray for a two count. Bully Ray recovers with a clotheline and Ray is distracted by the “Brandon Jacobs” chants. Kurt Angle drops Hardy from the outside and Ray takes advantage of the opportunity. Ray mocks Jacobs from inside the ring and even goes as far as taunting him. In the middle of the match, Tenay receives word that Styles wants a gauntlet match next week against both Kazarian and Daniels. Back to this match, though. Angle is in the ring against Hardy and a quick suplex leads to a two-count for the gold medalist. Angle locks in a reverse gut wrench and tries to squeeze the life out of Hardy.
Hardy recovers with a few elbows to the head, but he gets caught by Angle with a belly-to-belly suplex. Ray gets the tag and Hardy tries to get some offense going. He gets the hot tag to Storm and Tennessee Cowboy unleashes on Bully Ray. He end his initial assault with a flying neck breaker.
From this point on, you’re going to want to watch the video to how this one ends:
Winners: Jeff Hardy & James Storm
After the match is over and the celebration ends, we see a backstage hand telling Sting that he’s up next.
Back from commercial break and Sting is making his way to ringside. Tenay immensely oversells the idea that this could be the last time we see Sting in iMPACT Wrestling. Taz hopes that it isn’t the last time. With Sting in the ring, here’s his big announcement:
And there’s your big announcement, folks. It’ll be Sting versus Bobby Roode at Victory Road!
