iMPACT Wrestling Results (9/6): Austin: Minnesota Ranger

Source: TNAStars.com

Bound For Glory Series: Jeff Hardy (49 Points) vs. Samoa Joe (68 Points)

The two tie up and trade wristlocks, Hardy goes to the ropes to force a break and then cinches in a headlock. Joe manages to escape and rebounds off the ropes and runs Hardy over with a running shoulderblock that sends Hardy barreling to the floor. Hardy takes a breather for a moment before coming back in and quickly gets pummeled in the corner with right jabs. Joe dumps Hardy back out to the floor, then follows him out and drives a straight knee right into Hardy’s face. Joe tries to ram Hardy into the steps, but Hardy blocks and rams Joe into the steps instead, and then springboards off the steps to hit Poetry In Motion against the guardrail. Both men are down on the floor as we go to commercial.

-Commercial Break-

We’re back and are shown a replay of the Poetry in Motion from the outside before the break, and Joe kicking Hardy off the apron during the break. Joe takes Hardy out with a double sledge in the middle of the ring that gets two. Joe connects with a headbutt and then whips Hardy into the corner for more right hands, then hits a charging elbow and a leaping enziguiri for two. Joe picks Hardy up and fires off a hard forearm, and Hardy tries coming off the ropes but walks right into a snap powerslam for two. Hardy finally starts a comeback with clotheslines, the double legdrop to the crotch, and basement dropkick for two. Hardy hitsa jawbreaker and goes to the top rope, Joe tries to grab him but Hardy leaps into the ring and Joe catches him in the Kokina clutch. Hardy runs forward and rams him into the turnbuckle, hits a Whisper in the Wind that misses Joe’s head and barely taps his arm, then hits the Twist of Fate, hiptosses Joe, and locks him in a modified Anaconda Vice until Joe taps out.

Winner by Submission: Jeff Hardy (Gains 10 Points, Currently has 59 Points)

((Jarrett’s Jab – I was really hoping that Jeff Hardy would lose this match. Joe being the points leader would be something different since Storm has been at the top of the rankings almost the entire time. And also if Joe won, and RVD or Bully Ray lost by DQ later tonight, AJ Styles would be in the final four. Good use for Jeff Hardy to draw people into watching. Too bad they didn’t plug that this match would open the show last week.))

After a replay of the Aces & Eights beatdown from last week, Austin Aries is backstage asking Hulk Hogan how much longer this is going to go on. Hogan says the guy who attacked him last week was someone who was hired as part of the TV crew, but Hogan has him back this week and he’ll be at Aries’ disposal. Aries asks if Hogan actually thinks he’ll be able to get any info out of him, but Hogan says it’s okay to break his legs old-school to get him to talk.

-Commercial Break-

On the entrance stage Christy Hemme is interviewing Samoa Joe following his loss to Hardy. Magnus comes out to explain why he lost his temper on Joe a few weeks ago. He said they were good as a team…he was great, but the team was good until Joe got selfish and threw it all away. Magnus is over it, and he just wants Joe to know he’s over it and he just wants to wish Joe the best. Joe turns around to continue the interview, but Magnus runs back out and hits Joe from behind in the bad arm before taking off.

We go to Hulk Hogan, who has the four teams in contention for tonight’s title shot in his office to plead their case. Robbie E says they’re the youngest and they want an opportunity, then Kid Kash and Chavo Guerrero go back and forth until AJ Styles comes in saying he deserves revenge on Daniels & Kazarian. Hogan says the first elimination is easy, and AJ is out because he can’t have two tag belts on one guy.

Brooke taks about how great of a job Tara did when her friend Miss Tessmacher’s called her out on Open Fight Night last week, and says she’s glad she brought Taryn Terrell to ensure there won’t be any shady officiating. Gail Kim comes in and protests being shoved aside, and Hogan says that if she wants the spotlight, she can wrestle Tara tonight.

((Jarrett’s Jab – I like the idea of Title Thursday, but Hulk Hogan ruins it every time. He buried every tag team in the room in under three minutes. It’s like Gut Check: great idea, bad execution. And I can name three guys, in order, that have held the TNA World Tag Team Championships by themselves: Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle, and Matt Morgan. Hogan didn’t even offer to let AJ pick a partner, which is what makes this even more ridiculous, he’s the only man in the room that has been a Tag Team Champion in TNA in the past two years. Brooke is a whole lot better backstage because she can’t screw up and put herself over so bad.))

-Commercial Break-

Mike Tenay announces that Spike will air a one-hour live special called “TNA Countdown to Bound for Glory” that will feature a match, one hour before Bound for Glory starts on October 14^th.

Gail Kim vs. Tara

Gail yells at Taryn Terell befoe the match starts. Gail applies a side headlock off the tieup, armdrags Tara and catches her in the face with a standing dropkick. Tara gives her a right hand and an armdrag, then sends Gail to the ropes for a big backdrop. Gail quickly grabs Tara’s arm and whips her hard to the corner and hits a running crossbody. Gail springboards off the ropes with a stomp to the head for a two count. Gail stands over Tara to taunt the crowd and gets caught in a sunset flip for two, but Gail nails a kick to the skull and makes a cover. Terrell takes a little too much time getting in position and count and Gail only gets two as a result. Tara capitalizes and gets a powerslam for two, then starts running Gail over with clotheslines and nails a delayed vertical suplex for two. Tara plants her boot in Gail’s chest to step over her, but Gail grabs the ankle and drops Tara onto the second rope. Gail goes up top but gets caught by Tara, who picks Gail off the corner and hits the Widow’s Peak for the win.

Winner by Pinfall: Tara

We see a video package looking back at Joey Ryan’s appearance in the Gut Check that resulted in him not getting a contract, then last week’s appearance where he got into it with Al Snow, who needed to be held back by Bruce Prichard. Al Snow is walking backstage to take us to commercial.

((Jarrett’s Jab – Great match by two of the most talented and experienced Knockouts on the roster.))

-Commercial Break-

We come back from commercial, and Al Snow is in the ring saying that if Joey Ryan wants his attention, he’s got it. He knows Ryan is here because security saw him, so he can come out to the ring so Snow can talk to him. He asks what Ryan would like to say, and Ryan says he’s here and he’s bringing sleazy back. Snow says this is it, he’s just got to go through Gut Check one more time, but with no judges, he wins and he gets a contract. Snow takes his jacket off and rolls his sleeves up, and he says if Ryan wants a contract, he’s going to need to earn it by going through him. Ryan says it’s not the 90s and nobody wants to see Snow in spandex, then Snow says he’ll whip his ass in jeans and smacks Ryan in the face. Ryan leaves through the crowd threatening to sue Snow.

Bully Ray catches up with Joseph Park last week saying they both want to know about Aces & Eights, and wants to know if he found anything. Park says he’s not going to violate attorney/client privileges and he’ll report back to Hogan, and Bubba just warns him to watch himself because he knows people like this.

A security guard throws the handcuffed member of Aces & Eights into a broom closet where Austin Aries gets ready to “question” him. ((Jarrett’s Jab – I’m confused, did TNA wait so long that the “87 percent” disappeared, or did everyone catch on that he was suppose to be a bad guy all along? Needless to say this segment is a waste of my time and TNA needs to realize that they missed the boat months ago on anyone other than his diehard fans giving a damn. Al Snow wrestling does nothing for anyone, except give Mick Foley a few jabs for his next book. And Since Bully Ray has fought for the better cause of TNA lately; it’s nice to know that he’d even give Joseph Park some free advice. Just imagine Bully Ray as a lawyer for a second. Now that’s a funny sight.))

-Commercial Break-

Hulk Hogan and the tag teams are still in his office, and Kid Kash & Gunner are eliminated because the animosity with Chavo & Hernandez is too personal. So Hogan’s clueless decision making continues tonight then.

Bound For Glory Series: Rob Van Dam (55 Points) vs. Bully Ray (55 Points)

After a staring and yelling match, Bully Ray shows off his calves and RVD responds by kicking him in the leg. Ray connects with a kick to the gut and he starts unloading with right hands and forearms, then catches RVD with a back elbow. Ray unloads with more right hands and RVD gets quick rollup for two. RVD cinches a side headlock in and Ray uses RVD’s ponytail to send him to the ropes. RVD gets a back kick and then rolls through a hiptoss to superkick Ray for two. Bully Ray rolls out to the floor for a breather, but RVD wipes him out with a baseball slide and a somersault dive. RVD rolls Ray back inside and goes to the top, but Ray shakes the ropes and RVD gets crotched on the top rope. Ray tries to drag RVD into the ring, but RVD’s leg gets caught in the ropes so Bubba starts pounding on the leg. Ray puts a grapevine on the leg and cranks on it to further soften the knee up, then drives right hands into the knee until RVD goes to the eyes to break the hold. Ray keeps a steady stream of heavy right hands and then starts arguing with the referee. Ray is distracted long enough for RVD to hit a leg lariat to turn the tide in the favor or RVD. RVD gets a few right hands of his own and a series of clotheslines and the stepover leg lariat. RVD connects with the Rolling Thunder for two followed by the rolling monkey flip out of the corner. RVD nails a second rope crossbody for two, but Ray dodges a springboard thrust kick and big boots RVD in the face for two. Bubba misses the Vader Bomb, but rolls out of the way of the split-legged moonsault, so RVD hits the springboard thrust kick and comes off the top with the five star but Ray pops up and hits the Bubba Cutter for the win!

Winner by Pinfall: Bully Ray (Gains 7 Points, Currently has 59 Points)

((Jarrett’s Jab – Glad that at least one of my picks won tonight, I truly think that these tournaments need at least one heel in them to give the fans a clear pick, and Bully Ray continues to not only put on great matches, but show how capable he is as a main eventer. With that loss, RVD is out of the Bound for Glory Series and it is down to James Storm, Samoa Joe, Jeff Hardy and Bully Ray.))

Backstage to Aries interrogating the Aces & Eights guy, saying that he’s got all of “Mike’s” information and Aces & Eights doesn’t care about him anymore. He wants to find out who everyone in the group is, and Mike can do it the easy way by telling Aries what he wants to know, or they can do it the hard way. Aries takes his jacket off and slaps Mike in the face, then threatens to rip out his tounge with a pair of pliers. Aries sticks the pliers down his throat and tries to rip his tongue out, but Hogan comes in and says Aries can’t do this to the guy…because he wants some too. Hogan slaps the taste out of his mouth for cornering his daughter, but his cell phone rings before he can take the guy out and it’s the VP of Aces & Eights. Hogan makes a deal where they’ll give Mike back if they send the “Armbreaker” to the ring alone before the end of the night, and then he wants the armbreaker to face Aries at No Surrender. The Aces & Eights VP agrees, and Hogan takes one more free shot on Mike before telling Aries to let him live for now.

-Commercial Break-

James Storm comes out to the ring to say that 2012 has been a year of highs and lows because the way he lost at Lockdown made him doubt himself and whether he still wanted to be a wrestler, but after spending time with his family and drinking with his friends, he realized that something was missing because he loved hearing the crowd go crazy. He came back at Slammiversary, ended Crimson‘s undefeated streak, and got into the BFG Series, and as the competition got stiffer, he got just a bit better. He knows there are three more guys standing in his way from him becoming World Champion again, so he wants them to come out so he can pick his semifinal opponent. He selects Bully Ray as his first opponent, and he wants Bubba to come down to the ring because he has something to say to his face. He says Bubba was pointing his finger at him as the leader of Aces & Eights and Storm proved him wrong, and after Bubba ended his run in the BFG Series last year, he’s going to end Bubba’s run this year before winning the title back.

A shot of Mike being held hostage airs before we are shown the TNA World Tag Team Champions of the World Kazarian and Christopher Daniels with a appletini in hand.

-Commercial Break-

Christy Hemme catches up with Rob Van Dam backstage to ask for his thoughts on being eliminated from the BFG Series, but Magnus interrupts to say that RVD is devastated because the old RVD wouldn’t fall at the final hurdle. Magnus grew up watching him and RVD set the bar so high, and maybe he just can’t reach the bar anymore and isn’t the man he once was. RVD punches Magnus in the face and they start fighting until Al Snow and D-Lo Brown run in to separate them. RVD tries to punch Magnus, but all he did was hit D-Lo’s back.

Hulk Hogan is shown at the Gorilla position with the last two tag teams: The Robbies and Chavo and Hernandez. Hogan picks Chavo and Hernandez to take on the Tag Team Champs.

World Tag Team Title Match: Christopher Daniels & Kazarian (c) vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr. & Hernandez

The champions jump Chavo & Hernandez on their way into the ring, but the challengers clear them out quickly and all four men go outside and brawl on the floor. They head back in where Hernandez slams Daniels and tags in Chavo, who comes over the top rope with a rolling senton. Hernandez is back in with a bearhug on Daniels, then hits an overhead release suplex. Chavo is back in with a basement dropkick for two, then beats Daniels down in the corner with right hands. Hernandez slams Chavo onto Daniels for two, Daniels finally makes the tag out, but Kazarian walks right into a hiptoss and then an elbowdrop from Hernandez. Daniels tags in and tries a side suplex, but Chavo gets a headscissors and then tags in Hernandez, who hits an over the shoulder backbreaker on Kazarian. Hernandez with a delayed vertical suplex on Kazarian while Chavo hits the Three Amigos on Daniels.

-Commercial Break-

The champs finally get an advantage when Kazarian drops Chavo throat first across the top rope and Daniels follows up with an STO. Daniels dumps Chavo out to the floor so Kazarian can get some cheapshots in. Chavo is rolled back in and Daniels hits a side bulldog for two. Kazarian is hiptossed by his partner onto Chavo for two, then Kazarian goes to a double chickenwing. Chavo gets away and tags in Hernandez, who comes over the top rope with a flying shoulderblock on Hernandez and then cleans house on both men. Hernandez shoudler tackles Daniels into next week, then catches Kazarian coming off the ropes and muscles him into a sitout powerbomb for two. Daniels comes in and they double team Hernandez, but Hernandez boots Daniels to the floor, skins the cat onto the top rope, and he fights with Kazarian until Chavo yanks Kazarian off the ropes and headscissors Hernandez onto Kazarian. Hernandez makes a cover, but Daniels comes in and jumps on the referee to break the count. Chavo and Kazarian brawl out to the floor, Daniels goes for a springboard moonsault but Chavo moves and he takes Kazarian out. Hernandez wipes both champions out with a dive, and then they go inside where Hernandez hits a splash in the corner. Daniels backdrops Chavo out to the floor and then uses one of the title belts to hit Hernandez in the ribs so Kazarian can roll him up for the win.

Winners by Pinfall and STILL WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD: Christopher Daniels & Kazarian

Hulk Hogan’s music hits and he comes out to interrupt the celebration, congratulating them on their win and saying that AJ Styles is backstage saying he can beat both of them by himself. Hogan disagrees with that, so Daniels & Kazarian are going to give Styles and Kurt Angle their rematch this weekend at No Surrender.

Mike Tenay and Taz go through the No Surrender card for this Sunday, including Zema Ion defending the X Division Championship against Sonjay Dutt, Tara taking on her former protégé Brooke Tessmacher and attempting to win the Knockouts Championship again, The World Tag Team Champions of the World Daniels and Kazarian facing AJ Styles and Kurt Angle, Rob Van Dam going one-on-one with Magnus, and the conclusion of the Bound for Glory Series.

Austin Aries is backstage herding his hostage out to the ring, and we’ll see if Aces & Eights answers the challenge next!

-Commercial Break-

The World Heavyweight Champion Austin Aries comes to the ring with a handcuffed Mike and he says that Aces & Eights obviously wants him back because he was ready to beat the truth out of him, but he obviously holds some value to the group, so he’ll trade him back without doing any more damage as long as the man who broke his arm comes down to accept a fight with Aries, not a match, but a fight with Aries this Sunday. Nobody shows up, so Aries asks if his mic is working because he’s tired of waiting and is ready to call the deal off if nobody comes out. Aries picks Mike up and drags him to the corner and starts slapping him around. Mike said he’d talk, but the big dude from Aces & Eights comes out of the crowd and pulls Mike to the floor…and knocks him out with what I believe was called a claw hammer. Aries nails a suicide dive, and they go into the ring and keep brawling as we go off the air. ((Jarrett’s Jab – An ok edition of Impact Wrestling. It was a decent show, but it didn’t feel like the go-home show for a Pay-Per-View. I assume that the Bound for Glory finals will close the show. I may be the only one, but I expected Lethal Lockdown or some kind of tag match involving TNA facing Aces and Eights while Austin Aries didn’t have a title feud. I will go ahead and predict that it will turn into a unofficial tag brawl. That’s it for Impact Wrestling tonight, check back this weekend for all the latest No Surrender news.))