Source: TNAStars.com
Opening Segment
After clips from last week’s show, Hulk Hogan comes out to start the show and say he’s got some tough choices to make, but things didn’t pan out the way he thought they would because Aces & Eights screwed up his #1 contender decision. But it turned out to be a good thing, because it gave him an entire week to think about who the #1 contender should be, and he decided that the man who rose above everyone else and proved himself to be the man for the job is the new #1 contender, and that man is…Bully Ray. Bully comes out of the and he doesn’t know what to say and asks Hogan if he knows he’s hurt after tearing his quad a couple of weeks ago, but Hogan says he’s the toughest SOB in the company. Bully thanks Hulk because there were so many guys fighting in the ring last night who deserve the shot more than he did, and all he ever wanted was Hulk’s respect. Marrying Brooke was the greatest day of his life, and now he wants to make everyone happy by becoming the World Champion. Bully says they’ve got bigger things to worry about now, so he suggests that tonight’s main event ought to be a six man tag with Aces & Eights taking on Bully, Sting, and…Hulk Hogan himself! Hogan says he’s got a deal as Mike Tenay reminds us that we haven’t seen Hulk in the ring since Bound For Glory 2011.
Bobby Roode and Austin Aries are backstage complaining about how Chavo and Hernandez screwed them up last week, but then Christopher Daniels & Kazarian come in to congratulate them for beating Chavo and Hernandez before they did. Daniels says he’s the ring general and to follow his lead out there, but then Aries and Roode start arguing with each other over whose lead everyone should follow. ((Jarrett’s Jab – If Bully doesn’t turn heel at Lockdown, TNA is doomed. There is no other heel in the company that they haven’t fed to Hardy that has any credibility left. Anderson would be a great opponent if Aces and Eights ever won any matches, or at least came up with a strategy why they lost. Ray is doing all he can, but he can’t save this awful story he’s in. No matter what people thinks, I think that Christopher Daniels could have made the last four weeks great TV as the World Title contender without Hardy even legally allowed to be in the UK. He’s that good.))
-Commercial Break-
James Storm, Joseph Park, Chavo Guerrero Jr & Hernandez vs. Bobby Roode, Austin Aries, Christopher Daniels & Kazarian
The Ring General Christopher Daniels and The Cowboy James Storm start us off, and Storm gets the early advantage and sends Daniels to the outside. Roode sneaks in from behind and knocks Storm out to the floor, leading to a brawl between Daniels, Kazarian, Chavo, and Hernandez. Chavo and Hernandez whip Daniels and Kazarian into Park, and both bounce off of him and roll to the floor as we go to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
We’re back, and Kazarian is in trouble as he gets caught in the wrong corner and quadruple teamed. Kazarian tries a crossbody on Park and simply bounces off of him, but Daniels comes in and clips Park’s knee so Kazarian can drag him to the heel corner for some of their own group exercises. Roode and Aries argue with each other while double teaming Park, but the heel team holds it together until Park takes Daniels and Kazarian out with a double clothesline. They try to tag Roode and Aries in, but the champions walk off and head to the back, leaving Daniels and Kazarian high and dry as Storm tags in and goes to town on both men. Chavo hits a frogsplash on Daniels and a spinning backbreaker on Kazarian, then Storm tags in and lays Kazarian out with the Last Call. Park tags in and hits the second rope splash on Kazarian for the win.
Winners: James Storm, Joseph Park, Hernandez & Chavo Guerrero Jr
Good match, but I think they could have had a real classic with another ten minutes or so.
-Commercial Break-
We look back at last week when Robbie E was embarrassed by Rockstar Spud, then we’re off to the ring for…RETRIBUTION.
Robbie E vs. Rockstar Spud
Robbie jumps Spud before the bell and yells at him, but Spud baseball slides between Robbie’s legs and hits a dropkick. Spud charges and gets a face full of shoe leather. Robbie goes to the second rope and comes off with an elbowsmash for a two count. Spud surprises Robbie with a DDT and hits a series of clotheslines, then goes up top and makes the corona before missing a top rope legdrop. Robbie tries to grab the clipboard from Robbie T, but T refuses to let it go. Spud is able to sneak in while the Robbies are arguing with a victory roll for the win.
Winner: Rockstar Spud
Robbie E chews out T yet again after the match and slaps Big Rob in the face. Robbie E yells some more before he realizes how pissed Big Rob is as he tears his shirt off. Robbie E jumps for the ropes and bges off before getting up the ramp.
Jesse is backstage giving Tara a pep talk as she prepares to defend the Knockouts Title…NEXT!
-Commercial Break-
Knockouts Title Match: Tara (c) vs. Brooke Tessmacher vs. Gail Kim vs. Velvet Sky
It’s an Elimination match and Jesse is ejected from ringside as we head back from the break. Electric chair on Tessmacher from the Champion as Brooke and Gail go at it, but Tara joins Gail in a 2-on-1 against Velvet. Tara hits a twisting side suplex on Velvet, but Gail breaks it up at two and she argues with Tara over who gets to beat Velvet. The two start shoving and then trading right hands that results in Tara nailing a backbody drop on Gail. Gail dodges a charge in the corner and gets yanked to the floor by Tessmacher, but Gail gets ahold of her and goes for an atomic crotch on the ringpost. Tessmacher kicks off the post and bulldogs Gail on the floor, then she joins Velvet in a double team on Tara. Tara gets knocked out to the apron and hangs Velvet up on the top rope, then rolls back in and drops Tessmacher’s throat on the ropes as well. Tara goes for a moonsault on Tessmacher and connects, but looks like she hurt herself right before the landing. Velvet hits the In Your Face and Gail tosses Velvet to the floor and covers Tara for three.
Tara is eliminated.
Gail and Tessmacher battle on the top rope as we are reminded that this guarantees a new Knockouts Champion. Velvet comes over and grabs Gail in a powerbomb as Gail tries to suplex Tessmacher and the Tower of Doom spot is executed with Velvet getting the best of it. Velvet covers Gail for two, then covers Tessmacher for two. Tessmacher tries an O’Connor roll on Velvet, but Velvet reverses and pins Tessmacher.
Miss Tessmacher is eliminated.
Gail whips Velvet to the corner, but Gail eats shoe leather and Velvet hits a pair of clotheslines and a flying headscissors. Gail connects with a dropkick to Velvet and she tries a cradle while holding the ropes, but Taryn Terrell catches her and stops counting. Gail gets in Terrell’s face, then goes back after Velvet with kicks to the ribs. Gail charges Gail in the corner, Velvet tries a sunset flip, Gail holds the ropes, and Terrell kicks Gail off the ropes and flat on her ass. Velvet hits In Your Face on Gail, and we have a new Knockouts Champion!
Winner and NEW Knockouts Champion: Velvet Sky
((Jarrett’s Jab – If Women’s wrestling was a coffin, the final nail was put in it by having the least talented knockout on the entire roster win the Knockouts Championship. And I’m actually counting the referee Taryn Terrell and ring announcer Christy Hemme in that. I don’t know why Dixie Carter loves her so much, but she is easily one of the worst performers I’ve ever seen. The only silver lining is maybe she won’t bitch and moan in her promos in her shrieking voice. ))
Bully and Sting are backstage getting ready, Bully wants to make sure Hulk’s cool with all this, and Sting says he’s fine and they’re going to make sure that Lockdown doesn’t even happen.
A video package highlights some of AJ Styles’ downfalls and Mike Tenay notes that it’s been two months since AJ walked out on Impact Wrestling and a camera crew are being sent to AJ’s home in Gainsville. Footage from that will be shown next week. We then go to a video package looking at the history of Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, Garett Bischoff, and Wes Brisco…again…then we go to the ring for our next match.
Garett Bischoff vs. Samoa Joe
Garett apparently thinks this is a marathon, not a wrestling match, because he starts running from Joe and ducking out to the floor. Garett finally slides in and tries to cheapshot Joe, but winds up on the receiving end of some hard jabs. Garett rakes the eyes and clips Joe’s knee, then starts working on Joe’s leg and trying a leg grapevine. Joe slaps Garett so hard, Eric could have felt it, and connects with more jabs, but Garett goes back to the eyes again, clips Joe, and chokes him on the mat. Back elbow connected by Joe, then he hits a series of clotheslines, an inverted atomic drop, a running boot, and a senton. Joe with the facewash on Garett, then he sets up for the Muscle Buster, but Wes Brisco runs in and the referee calls for the DQ.
Winner by Disqualification: Samoa Joe
Joe takes Wes out, but Garett clips his knee again and they double team Joe. Kurt Angle runs out to make the save and Brisco and Garett hit road. Kurt tells Wes he got him the contract and now he’s glad he did, because the pain he’s going to inflict on him will be 100% legal. At Lockdown, it’s Angle vs Brisco one-on-one in a steel cage!
-Commercial Break-
X Division Title Match: Rob Van Dam vs. Kenny King
King jumps Van Dam before the bell and sends him to the floor. King chokes RVD on the steel guardrail before rolling him back in the ring for two. King sends RVD to the corner, but RVD slips out of the corner on a charge attempt and unloads with some kicks. RVD goes to the second rope, but King grabs his ankle and yanks him down and covers for a two count. High leg lariat by King connects for another two count. The X-Division Champion tries a back elbow to the ribs, but King yanks him down by the ponytail and covers for two. King with a low snap suplex, rolls through for some mounted punches, then covers for two. King with a seated abdominal stretch, RVD escapes and hits a double leg lariat that knocked King on his butt. RVD with another kick and some clotheslines, he does the pointing at the back thing and goes for the rolling monkey flip, King lands on his feet and hits Shotgun Knees, goes for the Royal Flush and Tenay points out that King didn’t get it all, and gets a two count. RVD takes King down and hits Rolling Thunder, goes up top and hits the five star frogsplash, and RVD retains again.
Winner: Rob Van Dam
Hulk Hogan is backstage telling Brooke that there’s no turning back now. Brooke asks him if he needs to do this, and Hogan says he’s been pushed around and humiliated, and he needs to do this for their family. Brooke kisses him goodbye, and the main event is up next! ((Jarrett’s Jab – In October when RVD became X Division Champion, I was hoping his status as a big name would elevate the division, especially since the X Division Champion could trade in the belt for a World Title shot at Destination X. It’s February and I beg TNA to take the belt off of him. RVD and Hardy have almost been booked the same since they won the titles at Bound for Glory. They’ve mowed down every challenger and every promising angle and character and now they’re stuck with nothing to do.))
-Commercial Break-
We go to a video package where Jeff Hardy already has an interview filmed discussing Bully Ray as his next challenger even though he’s supposed to be back home in North Carolina recovering from his knee injury. ((Jarrett’s Jab – Because I’m a wrestling fan, I’ve learned that I have to suspend belief just a little bit, but this was ridiculous. Almost two hours after the announcement in the UK, TNA was able to get a video package together for Hardy’s next challenger while he’s “recovering from knee surgery.” The commentary was taped earlier this week I’m sure, why couldn’t they have a “live via satellite” deal, it would have made a lot more sense.))
Devon, Doc & Ken Anderson vs. Bully Ray & Sting
Hogan’s music plays twice, but he doesn’t show. Aces & Eights on Sting and Bully, but Bully takes Devon and Anderson out with a double clothesline, Sting hits a Stinger Splash on DOC, then he takes Devon out with a clothesline. Aces & Eights bail to the floor as we go to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
We’re back, and Bully is in trouble as he takes a 3-on-1 beating from Aces & Eights. Devon talks trash to his former tag partner as he stomps a mudhole in him. Bully is able to fight back but is simply overpowered by DOC, Devon and the former World Champion Anderson. Devon gets a rear chinlock on Bully. Bully breaks free, but Anderson comes in and nails him. Bully finally spears Devon to create an opening and makes the hot tag to Sting. Sting cleans house on all three opponents and hits the Deathdrop on Doc, but Anderson breaks the cover at two. Sting and Bully set up for WHAZZUP on Anderson, but then Garett Bischoff, Wes Brisco, Mike Knox, and the Vice President drag Hulk and Brooke Hogan out of the back, and it looks like Hulk has taken a beating. Bully chases Aces & Eights to the back, leaving Sting completely alone. Sting has Devon in the Scorpion Deathlock, but Doc comes in and drills Sting with a big boot for the win.
Winners: Aces & Eights
All of Aces and Eights Bully comes back out to the ramp to check on Hulk and Brooke, and Aces & Eights is standing tall as we cut to credits.
((Jarrett’s Jab – Nice to see Aces and Eights finally get a win, but it’s ridiculous that it’s taken them this long. Ok edition of Impact. Next week Impact is live in Chicago for their road shows, and I can’t wait to see how some of the most vocal and opinionated wrestling fans in the world react to TNA.))
