Source: TNAStars.com
Opening Segment
The opening video to Impact this week featured Bobby Roode’s TNA title win over RVD at Sacrifice, the AJ Styles photo revelation and Joseph Park’ search for his brother.
In the Impact Wrestling Zone, the TNA World Champion Bobby Roode comes out to kick off the show. Roode again states that the company keeps stacking the odds against him but every time, he overcomes the odds. He said that at Sacrifice, RVD had the chance to take the title away from him in a match that Van Dam chose. Roode said that “Mr. PPV” put him through hell but at the end of the night, the “It factor of professional wrestling” climbed the ladder and retained the TNA title. He proved everyone wrong again. He told the crowd that he is the World champion and bragged that he’d soon be the longest reigning champion in Impact history. He said soon there would be the “It Factor’s Celebration of Domination” and demanded Hulk Hogan come to the ring.
Hogan obliged and Roode reminded Hogan that he’ll soon be the longest reigning champion in the history of the company and has some demands for his party. He wants his private dressing room redecorated with five bottles of champagne chilled and waiting, green M&Ms, and golden confetti flown in from Canada.
Hogan agreed that Roode has become the man in TNA but he hasn’t become the longest reigning champion yet and ripped up the paper with Roode’s demands. Hogan announced that next week is Open Fight Night where anyone can be called out to fight. He said that last month, the Tag champions defended their titles, so next week; Roode will defend the TNA title. Roode wasn’t happy. Hogan said that was the bad news. The good news was that Hogan took a poll of the wrestlers in the back to see who wanted to step up to get a title shot. Hogan invited out everyone who wanted a shot and out came just about everyone in the locker room, including ODB.
Hogan said that they all wanted a shot at the title, so he needs to eliminate it down to four men. Hogan said he needs to decide who the best man for the job is. Hogan said that RVD should face Bully Ray tonight. He said he’s having a hard time with the Jeff Hardy-Ken Anderson situation, so they will face off tonight. Hogan said that two guys with mean streaks, Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe should face off. Hogan said that everyone else will be in a Battle Royal to determine the fourth person. ((Jarrett’s Jab – Luckily for me, Hogan decided to save the second worst Jim Carrey impression I’ve ever heard at home. Gee, you would think everyone would be dying for a TNA shot and wouldn’t have to step up. Liked the Van Halen reference with the Green M&M’s.))
-Commercial Break-
A replay of the ending of last week’s Impact Wrestling with Abyss warning his brother Joseph Park to not get any closer.
Open Fight Night Qualifer:Rob Van Dam vs. Bully Ray
Bully Ray ripped up a fan’s sign on the way to the ring. Van Dam walked to the ring with a slight limp, his elbow and his right knee taped up.
A test of strength leads Bully Ray to almost get taken down, but he nails RVD with a cheap shot and goes after the bad knee and elbow. He tried to run RVD into the corner but Rob blocks it and slams him into the turnbuckles. RVD nailed the rolling thunder for a one count. Bully immediately took him out with a shot to the knee, then began working over the bad knee. Ray continued to target Van Dam’s injuries but missed a splash. RVD takes control with a series of clotheslines and a kick to the jaw. RVD goes up top, but his bad knee gives out. Ray drilled RVD with a kick and nailed him with the Ray Cutter for the pin.
Winner by Pinfall: Bully Ray
((Jarrett’s Jab – It amazes me after RVD’s match at Sacrifice, that he wrestled the next day. Going live in itself should help giving guys more time to recoup after Pay-Per-Views, and I hope that it becomes permanent.))
-Commercial Break-
Backstage, Bully Ray ripped on the Kardashians for jumping on the anti-bullying bandwagon. Joseph Park showed up and said he wanted to apologize for interjecting himself. He said that Ray was going to cheat and he deals with cheaters. Park said that his brother told him that he was getting too close to the fire and said that Bully Ray is that fire. Ray warned him to stay away from him. He said it was his only warning.
They aired a video piece on King Mo signing with both TNA and Bellator with clips from the interview from MMA Uncensored. They actually talked about Mo doing both “sports” while acknowledging TNA was not “the real deal.” ((Jarrett’s Jab – Let me just be blunt: What DUMBASS allowed that “real deal” comment to make it on TV. You NEVER heard that ONCE when Brock Lesnar came back last month, why am I hearing it on TNA? They didn’t say it when Bobby Lashley came to TNA and was doing both wrestling and MMA. If there was one thing they would edit on this show, why not that?))
Backstage, TNA champion Gail Kim was complaining about having to defend the title against Velvet Sky and Brooke Tessmacher at the same time to Madison Rayne. Rayne wasn’t really paying attention but tried to pretend she was. Kim asked her if it was because of “that guy” and Rayne acted like she didn’t know what Kim was talking about. Kim was annoyed and said she was going to talk to Hulk Hogan. She ran into Sky and Tessmacher who reminded her she cheated to beat each of them and tonight that couldn’t happen. ((Jarrett’s Jab – I’ll let you in on the secret, yes, I am the mystery guy. I’m also the next Impact General Manager. If only it was a perfect world.))
-Commercial Break-
Open Fight Night Qualifying Battle Royal
Madison Rayne was on the stage and I assume the mystery guy is in the ring. It came down to AJ Styles, Gunner, Garett Bischoff, Robbie E, Robbie T, Austin Aries and Devon. Robbie T was working over Bischoff but Robbie E tossed his own partner over the time. Devon tossed Robbie E out to the floor. Garett Bischoff “outsmarted” Devon by pulling down the top rope to eliminate him and Taz hyped it up big on commentary. Garett turned right around into a Pele kick and was eliminated by Styles. It finally came down to AJ Styles and Gunner. Styles tossed him for the win.
AJ Styles wins
((Jarrett’s Jab – Taz went overboard talking about how this Battle Royal was the greatest one he’s ever seen. I’m personally not a fan of Battle Royals, I’m more of a tournament guy myself. It was what it was. I think more than anything I was trying to find out who Madison’s mystery guy is. Several guys could be it for several reasons. Styles for power, Garett to find another way to keep him down the fans throats, Aries because he’s the Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, Gunner because she’s desperate…))
-Commercial Break-
When we returned from commercial, they played a video feature on the secret Kazarian and Chris Daniels had on AJ Styles.
Back in the ring, AJ Styles cut a promo. He said that Bobby Roode is on the verge of being the longest reigning champion in TNA history. The fans chanted for AJ, Styles promised that if he’s in the ring next week, he’s going to win the title and asked Hogan to put him in the ring with Roode. Styles said that he promised to addressed the photos from last week. He said that he and Dixie Carter have been business partners for ten years. He said that she is beautiful and wealthy but they are both happily married. He said that things are not always what they seem.
The New TNA Tag Team champions Chris Daniels and Kazarian come down the ramp as Taz states that they won the Tag Titles at Sacrifice. Daniels said that last week, the world saw proof of what made Styles the star he is today. Kazarian said that all this isn’t about destroying anyone’s life but about exposing the truth. He said that they have proof why he’s always gotten the breaks while they were left in his wake. He said that Styles always says he’s a moral person and asked him to explain himself. Daniels said that he claims images can be taken out of context, but not video. Kazarian held up an iPad and it was video of Styles and Carter, arm in arm, walking into a hotel together. Styles put his arm over Carter’s shoulder as they walked and pulled her into an elevator he held open for her. Daniels asked Styles to explain himself. Styles shoves Daniels and bails out of the ring. Daniels said that’s the problem with the truth: It sucks. ((Jarrett’s Jab – Great segment, Daniels is gold on the mic and AJ Styles is really expanding his character, but they need to be careful that the fans give him a bad reaction when Jeff Hardy is still in the company.))
They showed clips of Kurt Angle beating Samoa Joe all the way back at Genesis 2006 ((Jarrett’s Jab – Surreal Moment for me as a fan, I started watching TNA the day after 2005’s Genesis Pay-Per-View I heard about Spike getting a wrestling show in a magazine and thought I’d check it out.))
Backstage, Kurt Angle was warming up. He saw Angle and said it’s a shame he has to go through Angle to get his belt back. Angle said there’s a lot of history between them. He asked Joe if he remembered the headbutt (from their first face off). Angle raised one hand, then slapped Joe with the other. Joe attacked Angle and slammed him into a case for production equipment. A ton of wrestlers and security broke them up.
Backstage, Ken Anderson was looking at footage of his pinfall over Jeff Hardy. He said he would give Hardy another chance tonight.
-Commercial Break-
Footage airs of the Unbreakable Main Event in 2004 between Samoa Joe, AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels for the X Division Champion.
Open Fight Night Qualifier: Jeff Hardy vs. Mister Anderson
A tie up and Hardy shoves him off. The two tie up again and this time we see some quick chain wrestling and a standoff. The two low-five and Anderson backs Hardy into a corner before ramming his shoulder in Hardy’s abdomen. Hardy reverses and does the same thing. Hardy hits the legdrop to the happy region and gets two. Anderson slips to the outside and Hardy goes to jump, but Anderson grabs the neck slams him into the mat and comes back in the ring for two. Anderson stands over Hardy’s lifeless body and then hits a chin lock. Hardy fights out but eats a clothesline for two. Anderson goes for a Hangman DDT, but Hardy hits a dropkick from the apron in for another two count. Anderson hits a violent neck breaker for yet another two count. Hardy tears into Anderson with clotheslines and gets two. Hardy hits Russian Leg Sweep, but Anderson is able to roll up for a two count. Hardy nails the Whisper in the Wind for two. Hardy takes off his shirt, and Anderson reverses the Twist of Fate into a Finlay Roll, but Hardy hangs on and rolls through for a three count.
Winner by Pinfall: Jeff Hardy
Bully Ray, AJ Styles and Jeff Hardy have qualified as one of the four choices to face Bobby Roode next week at Open Fight Night, and either Kurt Angle or Samoa Joe will join them. Hardy and Anderson hug it out in the ring and a graphic hypes Gail Kim putting her Knockouts Championship on the line against Velvet Sky and Brooke Tessmacher…NEXT!
-Commercial Break-
A video airs highlighting the LockDown 2008 main event, the first time a World Title was defended at LockDown, when Samoa Joe defeated Kurt Angle to win his first World Title.
Knockouts Championship: Gail Kim (c) vs. Velvet Sky vs. Brooke Tessmacher
Tazz makes sexual innuendos about three-ways before saying his signature Velvet line during her entrance. Apparently Brooke isn’t hot enough for Taz to drool over. Oh well, more for me. Apparently Tazz finally gets rid of his riding buddy when he actually says something important: Gail Kim is the Knockouts Champion. Velvet and Brooke go straight for Gail and Tessmacher slams her head to the mat. After Gail becomes a human ping-pong ball, Velvet and Brooke remember they’re facing each other and start trying to pin each other. Another sexual reference by Taz about a small package while Velvet cinches a chin lock in. Gail grabs Velvet’s foot and brings her to the outside before starting to choke Tessmacher with the bottom rope. Gail hits a backbreaker and starts to stock the young texas native and chocking Brooke with her boot. Gail cinces in a Boston Crab and Velvet goes for a headlock on Gail. Kim is able to shrug off Velvet, but Velvet is able to hit her and break the now single-leg crab. Gail cinces in the Octupus submission and Velvet tries to roll her up for two. She tries the trick again and this time Gail breaks the hold. Velvet goes for the Pedigree, but Kim hits a missle dropkick on both ladies and now the refree starts the count. Kim makes it to her feet first and Kim goes for the Eat Defeat, but Velvet shoves her off and hits the In Yo Face on Brooke. Kim throws Velvet to the floor and puns Brooke for the three count.
Winner and STILL TNA Knockout Champion: Gail Kim
-Commercial Break-
Open Fight Night Qualifer: Samoa Joe vs. Kurt Angle
Joe gets a few good kicks to the left (non-taped) knee of Angle. Angle slides out of the ring after being backed in the corner. Angle starts unloading on rights and Joe reaches the ropes. Joe is able to get up and starts running through Angle like a truck and a leg drop for two. Joe face-washes Angle with his boot and then walks right into a belly-to-belly suplex. Bobby Roode is shown on the ramp and walks to the commentary desk as we head to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
Angle is stomping on Joe in the corner and Roode complains about having to defend his championship rather than celebrate him becoming the longest reigning TNA Champion in history. Angle goes for a chin lock. Joe starts to fight out and hits Angle with an Atomic drop and then lands back first on Angle for two. Joe takes Angle up high, but Angle goes for the german suplexes. Angle takes the straps down, but Joe locks in the Rear Naked Choke. Angle counters and cinches in the Ankle Lock. Joe fights out and nails an enzeguri. Angle hits an Angle Slam for a close two. Joe goes for a kick, but Angle locks in the Ankle Lock again. Roode puts over how hard the move is to keep applied as Joe tries to kick out to break Angle’s grip. Joe is able to swing Angle into the corner and hit a quick chokeslam. Joe goes for the muscle buster, but Angle is able to get out of it. Angle rolls up Joe and gets the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Kurt Angle
Bobby Roode walks down the ramp and starts yelling at Angle and holds up the belt. Jeff Hardy is shown walking through the crowd and Bully Ray walks behind him through the commentary desk. AJ Styles walks up the ramp and all five guys stare off as we sign off for the night.
((Jarrett’s Jab – Hardy and Anderson delivered a better match than I thought they would. I know that rather than last month, the contenders for Open Fight Night had to earn their position. It makes it a whole lot easier and a whole lot more credible. It would look more credible if the four faced off to see who would face Roode rather than having to sit through Hulk Hogan showing why he shouldn’t host a game show. I’m hoping that Open Fight Night this week is better than last month’s edition.))
Welcome back, Jarrett! Your reports are so much more comprehensive than mine. Glad to have you back in the swing of things!