Source: TNAStars.com
Opening Segment
This week’s edition of Impact Wrestling opens with the recap of the “I’m Done” tweet and Sting challenging Roode to a fight at Victory Road.
Footage is shown from earlier with Kurt Angle showing the cue cards on why he hates Jeff Hardy. This leads us into the Impact Wrestling opening video for the first time in months.
Kurt Angle comes down to the ring with a clean shaven Kurt Angle with the cue cards he mentioned just a minute ago. Kurt reminds everyone that there are several reasons why he attacked and why he hates Jeff Hardy. The first reason is that Hardy has lots of hair and colors it, and he doesn’t have any hair…and that doesn’t make him a champion. The second is the reason he dresses with his face paint and “socks on his arms,” while Angle dresses professionally. While Angle is here on time, Hardy comes in late and fans flock him. The forth is that girls love Jeff Hardy, and a bunch of girls start screaming. Kurt tells them to shut up. The last one is that he has hundreds of action figures, posters, and shirts. His son’s, Cody room is covered with Jeff Hardy posters; he is wearing a Hardy shirt, face paint and socks on his arms. Kurt reiterates that he is an Olympic Gold Medalist, and Hardy is his son’s hero. Angle calls Hardy out, and when he comes out he is surprisingly not wearing one of his shirts or wearing face paint. Angle challenges Hardy to a match at Victory Road, and says that he will destroy Jeff Hardy. Hardy responds by slapping Angle and going on the attack. Al Snow and TNA officials try to pull Hardy off to no avail. When they finally can separate the two, Hardy says that he’s on.
Backstage, Bobby Roode is in a suite and says that he is the It Factor of Professional Wrestling. Roode says that what Sting did was unprofessional by booking himself in another main event. Austin Aries walks up and says he heard what he said and says that the two could agree on.
Tenay hypes the Gauntlet match pitting “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles against Christopher Daniels and Kazarian…up next!
((Jarrett’s Jab –For those who are confused, Aries tweeted last week that “I’m done must be code for I’m booking myself in a pay-per-view main event” and deleted the tweet later on. Can’t say I disagree with that. Austin Aries is one of five guys who have never been TNA World Champion and I think should be. Aries is single handily putting the X-Division on the map and we should be seeing more of him and less World Title rematches on Impact.))
-Commercial Break-
Gauntlet Match: “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles vs. “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels and Kazarian
AJ Styles says that when he beats them, that Daniels has to reveal the secret he is keeping over Kazarian’s head for the whole world to hear. Daniels states that he doesn’t have to succumb to any of Style’s demands but Kazarian grabs the microphone and accept the terms. AJ cross bodies both Daniels and Kazarian and throws Daniels in the ring to start the match. Right hands and an Irish whip puts AJ quickly in control. Daniels tries a hip toss, but gets slammed to the mat by AJ instead. A suplex by Styles leads to a Spine Breaker (backbreaker followed by a gutbuster) as Tenay states that TNA will release an update on the condition of Jesse Sorensen later tonight. AJ nails a delayed vertical suplex for two. AJ goes for what looks like a sharpshooter, but stops to charge at Kazarian as we head to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
We are back and Aj hits his dropkick and stares a hole through Kazarian before going to the outside and talking to him. Daniels blindsides him from behind and slaps him before throwing him in and stomping on the lower back. Flipping AJ over his head, Daniels poses before sending a knee to the back and a palm thrust to the chest. The crowd starts chanting for AJ as he floats over Daniels but gets a right hand for two. Daniels chokes Styles in the center of the ring ad goes for an inverted DDT, but Styles hits the Pelé instead. AJ gets thrown to the apron, but his the springboard flying forearm and hits goes for the Clash, but Kazarian interferes and hits the Fade to Black to disqualify Daniels
The ref rings the bells for Kazarian’s portion of the match to start, and he just covers Styles for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Kazarian
Daniels asks what the hell was that about as Kazarian just poses and walks to the back.
Madison Rayne is seen hanging the new Gail Kim playing card (blown up) in their locker room. Madison Rayne says that Clair from the office sent these and it was Madison’s way of apologizing. Gail says that it is alright and got her a two presents: a spa day tomorrow and a warm-up match tonight with ODB. Madison follows Gail out whining about the match with ODB, saying she just wants the spa day.
A graphic displays the Madison Rayne vs. ODB match to happen right after the break.
-Commercial Break-
ODB (with Eric Young) vs. TNA Knockout Tag Champion Madison Rayne (with Knockout Champion Gail Kim)
Apparently Madison can change quickly and Taz now has a crush on Christie Hemme and Tenay has to get the topic back on Madison Rayne and her future match with TNA Knockout Champion Gail Kim. Madison gets an early advantage with a boot to the gut and a few chops, but ODB just stands there when Madison charged at her and Madison goes down. ODB starts banging Madison’s head against all three turnbuckles, but Madison counters the Bronco Buster with a knee to the…under-region. Eric Young stands on the turnbuckle wanting a tag, but drops down when Madison hits a double sledge on ODB. ODB hits a clothesline and a knee to Madison’s gut, then charges at her in the turnbuckle. ODB runs through Madison with clotheslines and Eric takes his shirt up and runs on the apron. ODB hits the Bronco Buster while Earl Hebner is trying to get Eric Young down. Gail gets on the apron, about to hit ODB with one of the title belts, but ‘drops’ it and ODB hits the BAM (TKO) for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: ODB
Eric Young celebrates as Gail says that it was an accident and she loves her.
Somehow the announce team is able to transition from that to recapping Bully Ray getting put through a table by New York Giants Running back Brandon Jacobs.
Backstage, Ray is talking about embarrassed he is because of what James Storm keeps doing to him. Bobby Roode and Austin Aries walk in and Roode ask how he can blame Storm for him embarrassing himself, and then Ray says it’s as embarrassing as getting kicked in the balls by a guy with a painted face. Aries tells them to both relax because Sting’s screwing them both, and Roode agrees and says Bully Ray needs to get his head on straight.
Velvet Sky is backstage whining about getting screwed out of another title shot and says it’s not going to happen anymore. Angelina Love and Sarita come out and start making fun of her and shoving her around, Velvet decides to pick a fight with them and gets her ass kicked until Mickie James runs in and chases them off. She asks Velvet if she’s okay, and Velvet says no, she’s not. Those two teams will face off later tonight.
Ric Flair is backstage with Gunner and Eric Bischoff, and he’s chewing out Garett because he came back when Flair told him not to. Flair says that if Garett shows up next week, it’s going to a whole new level and he’s only going to give him a week to realize he doesn’t have a place in Flair’s world. Garett says he appreciates the heads up, but it’s his life and he walks off on them.
TNA World Champion Bobby Roode, Bully Ray, and the TNA X Division Champion Austin Aries come down to the ring and Mike Tenay put over how dangerous of an alliance these three are. Roode states that he’s the reason they’re all here and he’s the most dominant World Champion in the history of the company. Sting’s only an authority figure, not an active wrestler, and when he came out here and attacked the champ, he crossed the line. You don’t cross the champ, and you don’t book yourself into the main event of Victory Road, and tonight, he’s going to do what Sting should have and he declares he’s done. Bully Ray says that “first things first, shoot my calves.” Ray explains at first he thought that it was Storm’s fault, but Roode and A Double made him see the light that it’s all Sting’s fault. Bully Ray states that it is Sting’s fault that Jacobs showed up, hopped the guardrail, and put him through a table. Ray says that “me and my calves are done.” Aries grabs the mic and says that he’s been sitting down the last couple of weeks and it has become crystal clear that Sting doesn’t know when to hang it up. The X-Division champ states Roode is a better champion than he ever was, that Ray has more toughness in his calves than Sting has in his entire body, and Aries can do things in the ring that Sting can’t even do in his dreams and declares that he is done. The three sit down in the ring, and Taz compares it to Woodstock. The lights go off, and when they come back on Sting is kneeling beside Roode. Sting says he was only playing mind games and stirring the pot when he said he was done. If they’re playing mind games as well, then that’s one thing, but if they’re serious about being done, then they have to talk. Sting said he was going to kick the crap out of Roode at Victory Road, but if he doesn’t have a job, the World Title’s going to be stripped from him. Same with Aries and the X Division Title, and if Ray sticks his finger in Sting’s face one more time, he’s going to bite it off and Ray won’t have a paycheck anymore either. He asks them again if they’re done. Sting said that Aries had a point and was right in saying he never main evented, but that will change tonight when he teams with Ray and Roode to take on Samoa Joe, Brutus Magnus, and the man who is on the road to winning the World Title, James Storm. The lights go out, and Sting’s long gone when they come back up.
A video plays of Jesse Sorensen in the hospital saying that he knows he’s going to get better and he’s going to work at it, while Sorensen’s mom cries while telling him that she knows he wants to get back in the ring and she knows he’s going to get there. We then go to comments from Zema Ion, who says that he doesn’t feel bad at all because now he’s the #1 contender and everyone knows there’s a risk involved with getting in the ring and this isn’t ballet, and if anyone disagrees with him, he’ll moonsault onto them and break their neck too. ((Jarrett’s Jab – I don’t feel comfortable for this being a storyline, if for anything else, it means he might perform that moonsault again.))
Zema Ion vs. Shannon Moore
Moore grounds Ion, but he grabs Moore’s arm for a wristlock and grabs the mohawk to stop any offense. Moore grabs the hair of Ion for a faceplant and two. Chop by Moore and Ion slides out of the ring only to get a baseball slide to the back. Moore goes for a cross body and Ion walks out of the way and clotheslines him before yelling “Watch this Aries” at the camera. Ion hits a missile dropkick back in the ring and throws Moore into the turnbuckle head first and then the opposite one back first. Moore finally gets some advantage by sending his forearm into the back of the neck of Ion, but Ion grabs the ropes and goes up top, only to be crotched by Moore and hurricanrana’s him off. Moore covers, but only gets a two count. Moore hits a clubby blow to the back of the neck, but misses a moonsault. Ion hits the Hostile Makeover for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Zema Ion
-Commercial Break-
Angelina Love and Sarita vs. Mickie James and Velvet Sky
The women brawled to start the match, and Sky and Love eventually settled in as the starting participants. James and Sarita tagged into the match, and James took control. Love pulled the rope down as James ran the ropes, causing her to crash to the floor. The heels took over and began annihilating James. Sarita locked in a something between a Boston crap and a surfboard stretch. James managed to battle out and hit a wheelbarrow slam on Sarita. James and Sarita tagged out and Sky quickly ran through Love with every move in her arsenal. James fell to the floor as Sky battled both of the heels. James returned with a thez press on Sarita, While Sky was yelling and taunting Sarita from inside the ring, Love set up the Botox injection on Sky, but Sky was able to reverse it into a butterfly face buster for the pin.
Winner by Pinfall: Mickie James and Velvet Sky
Backstage, James Storm was fired up and he said he was tired of being the number one contender while Roode was the TNA Champion. Magnus took over and said they may not be a natural team, being from three completely different parts of the world, but tonight they were uniting for Sting to take on The TNA Champion, the X-Division Champion, and a bully.
-Commercial Break-
A quick video package about the history between Bully Ray and Abyss, and then its main event time!
World Champion Bobby Roode, X Division Champion Austin Aries & Bully Ray vs. James Storm & World Tag Team Champions Samoa Joe & Brutus Magnus
Magnus and Aries start off and Aries is able to out-quick Magnus before cinching in a waistlock. Magnus reverses to a wristlock but Aries picks his ankle and takes him down, spins around on Magnus’ back, and celebrates like he won the match. Aries tries for a test of strength but can’t reach Magnus’ hand, so he kicks at his legs, does a back and forth off the ropes, and cartwheels past a shot from Magnus. Aries celebrates again and turns around right into a big clothesline from Magnus. Roode tags and Storm begs for a tag on his side, so Magnus tags him in and Roode goes to the floor as soon as he could to lead us into commercial.
-Commercial Break-
Ray is beating up James Storm in the corner. Storm wanders out into the middle of the ring and Ray continues the assault, but Storm starts fighting back with an armbar and stomping on his hand before tagging in Samoa Joe. Joe comes off the ropes into a back elbow from Ray, but another run to the ropes and he takes Ray out with a leaping knee. Aries tags in and Joe launches him into the air with a backdrop, tags in Magnus to hit a big boot to Aries, then hits a back senton and Magnus covers for a two count. Roode tags in but gets hip tossed by Magnus. Magnus quickly tags in Storm and Roode runs out of the ring. He slowly makes his way back into the ring while yelling at the ref, and then tags in Aries. Storm slingshots Aries to the apron and back into the ring. Joe tags in and pounds on Aries with right hands. Joe misses a charge into the corner and Aries tries to follow him in with the IED, but Joe walks out of the corner, leaving Aries to land into the turnbuckle. Joe goes for the Muscle Buster, but Ray and Roode come in and go after Joe to break it up, and then Aries hits a crucifix bomb. Aries tags out to Ray, who hits a neckbreaker and bashes Joe with a double axhandle. Roode tags in and chokes Joe on the ropes, then takes him to the corner and a hard chop sends Joe to the mat. Roode hits a snapmare and a necksnap and then he spits at Storm. Storm tries to get in the ring and Bully Ray uses the distraction to nail Joe and Roode covers for two. Aries comes back in and he puts the boots to Joe before coming off the second rope with an elbowdrop for two. Ray puts his boot on the top rope and Aries rams Joe into it, but Joe fires up and runs through all three of them before Aries takes Joe down by the leg and tags out to Bully Ray. Joe gets some more right hands in, but Ray lays him out with a clothesline and makes another tag out to Roode, who nailing Joe and then cheap shots Magnus off the apron. Roode charges Joe in the corner but runs right into the STJoe and Joe tags out to Storm. Storm cleans house on Aries, hitting a clothesline in the corner, then knocks Ray off the ring apron before tearing into Roode with clotheslines and a backbody drop. Ray comes in and attacks Storm, beating him down in the corner, and Aries tries a missile dropkick to Ray but Joe moves and Aries hits Ray. Joe and Magnus hit their finish on Aries, Roode comes in and hits a spinebuster on Magnus, but Storm comes in and hits the Last Call on Roode and pins him for the win.
Winners: James Storm, Samoa Joe & Brutus Magnus
Bully Ray comes in and lays out all three faces with a steel chair. He stands over Storm and says he ain’t making it to Lockdown because he’s going to be the #1 contender, he’s taking Storm out, and he’s going to take his good buddy Roode’s World Title. ((Jarrett’s Jab – Great match and really showed exactly why Aries needs to be a main-eventer. They also did a good job of keeping Storm and Roode separated until the end of the match, giving a little tease for Lock Down.))
Excellent report – glad to have you back and the lightning storms gone, Jarrett!