iMPACT Wrestling Results (5/30): Aces and Eights Declare War!

Source: TNAStars.com

Opening Segment

Impact Wrestling opens this week with the standard recap video, highlighting the contract negations between Bully Ray and Sting; Bully Ray playing mindgames on Brooke Hogan; Sting getting Joseph Park as a tag team partner; James Storm picking his tag partner for Slammiversary; and AJ Styles betraying Aces and Eights.

Bully Ray tells Anderson, D’Lo and Devon that the order of business tonight was all about AJ Styles. D’Lo tells Anderson “I thought your plan was going to work” and says “Sorry it didn’t work out for you bro.” Bully and Anderson share a glance and as soon as D’Lo walks by Anderson beats the crap out of D’Lo and stands over him before walking out with Devon.

Inside the Sundome in Tampa, Team 3D make their way to the ring for their first televised tag match in over two years. Bully Ray reminds everyone it is three days until Slammiversary, three days until Devon takes out Joesph Park for good, three days until Sting faces World Champion Bully Ray. Sting wanted No Holds Barred, and Bully asks if Sting really thought about that. He tells Sting to go for all the things he said he was going to do. To be an Icon, you have to accomplish something and defeated some great champions like Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy. Bully brags about putting Jeff Hardy on the shelf and he can’t wait until Slammiversary to beat him so he can NEVER challenge for the World Championship again. Tonight, Team 3D faces Joesph Park and Sting and demands them to come to the ring.

Team 3D (TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bully Ray and TNA Television Champion Devon) vs. Sting and Joseph Park

Park gets beat up by Bully Ray while Sting beats up Devon and throws him out of the ring. The four brawl outside the ring with Devon getting thrown into the security rail and the steel steps while Park unloads with uncoordinated rights on the World champion. Park is thrown right shoulder first into the ring steps while Sting rakes at Devon’s eyes. Devon finally fights back while Bully Ray misses with a chair shot on Joesph Park. Park fights back with some rights as Devon lays in on Sting with kidney shots and choking. Bully Ray looks bewildered as the fans chant “We want tables!” Devon is back body dropped into the ring by Sting as Bully Ray smashes Joesph Park’s left hand against the ring steps. Bully Ray walks in the ring and Sting walks in. Bully shoves Sting and the two start rading right hands. Both men hit clothslines on each other and both men are down as we go to commercial.

-Commercial Break-

Back from the break and Devon is nailing rights on Joseph Park inside the ring. Earl Hebner is finally enforcing some rules as he makes Devon stop choking Park with the top rope. Park fights back with a scoop slam. Park goes up top for the Closing Argument but Bully hits a sweet kick to knock Park off the top. Bully Ray hits another cheap shot before Devon takes Park down and chokes him on the mat. Ray tags in and hits a clothsline on Park. Park tries to reach for Sting but Bully Ray rains down with right hands on Park and then on Sting. Standing elbow drop gains the World Champion two. Devon is tagged in and hits a legdrop before mocking Hulk Hogan by posing down. When Devon finally covers, he gets a two count. Chinlock by Devon is applied and Park fights out and gets hit with a spinning back elbow for two.  Bully tags in and hits an IMPRESSIVE dropkick and lays in Park with some axe handle shots. Team 3D collide when Park moves and Sting is tagged in. Sting hits a dropkick on Bully and locks in the Scoprion on Devon. Park tries to lock a Scorpion on Bully Ray but can’t figure out how to apply it and gets shoved off right into Sting. Sting clears house with Devon but misses a Stinger Splash on Bully Ray. Bully Ray hits a scoop slam on Park and Devon goes for the ‘Whassup?’ before Abyss’s music blares. Park looks excited as Sting hits the Death Drop on Devon in all the confusion and Park holds Bully Ray as Sting makes the cover.

Winner by Pinfall: Sting and Joseph Park

Dixie Carter is shown walking backstage; she will be on…NEXT

((Jarrett’s Jab – The tag match was a smart way to kick off the new timeslot, although I think TNA should have done a lot more to promote that this match was actually kicking off the show. I will never understand why Spike, part of Viacom, can’t get TNA advertisements on other Viacom channels.))

-Commercial Break-

Kurt Angle rants backstage about AJ Styles not joining Aces and Eights, but he’s done some unforgiveable things to him in the past few weeks. Angle is asked if there’s still a mutual respect. Angle says there is, but tonight he will watch AJ’s match very closely.

TNA President Dixie Carter comes out and Dixie talks about Slammiversary being so special because it’s the eleven year anniversary of TNA and thanks all the fans for supporting TNA. Dixie announces that at Slammiversary, TNA will unveil the next member of the TNA Hall of Fame. Last year it was Sting, and Dixie wishes him luck and incorrectly says that everyone wants to see Sting win. Not just because I want him to lose, but because Aces and Eight’s music hits and out comes Garett Bischoff, Wes Brisco and DOC. Garett asks where all the Aces and Eights love is and states that he doesn’t hear Dixie wishing Bully Ray luck. Garett has news for Dixie Carter: “It’s going to feel more like a funeral.” The three men corner her and Samoa Joe’s music hits and out comes Samoa Joe and Magnus. Joe tells Aces and Eights that he laid at home for a month, seething for a chance to get his hands on them. Joe jokes that “I don’t know who gave Garett permission to speak ever, but you get real lippy when it comes to women.” He challenges Bischoff to a match so he can “beat you into the man that you’ll never be.”

Samoa Joe vs. Garett Bischoff

Garett attacks Joe from behind as Magnus and Dixie go up the ramp. Before I could bat an eye, Joe has the advantage with kicks as we head to a commercial break.

-Commercial Break-

Back from the break, DOC grabs the leg of Bischoff in front of the referee and instead of kicking him out, Magnus actually has to physically intervein to get DOC to let go. All three Aces and Eights members gang up on Magnus as the bell ring. I assume that’s a count out for Bischoff?

Joe says that he knew it would happen, and at Slammiversary it will be DOC, Garett and Brisco against Magnus, Joe and Jeff Hardy

We are shown what happened when Gunner returned last week and destroyed Shark Boy and Robbie E. Backstage, James Storm says that Gunner is a beast and he’s served our country. “If he’s killed people for this country, he’ll kill people for me too.” Storm said. I don’t think I was supposed to laugh at that as much as I did. And for some reason, you could hear Bobby Roode’s theme in the background.

Backstage, Hulk wants to know what happened out there last week with Bully Ray. Brooke says that it’s not easy hearing Bully say that he loves her and he’s technically still her husband. Hulk says that he’s trying to change that and that all Bully is doing when he says that is just an excuse for him to rape and a bunch of other stuff I didn’t catch. Hogan tells Brooke that she’s done a great job with the Knockouts, but Brooke states that she can’t concentrate on that with “Bully running around the hallways.” Hulk says that Sting has the heart of a champion and he’s betting the farm on him, but Brooke looks exasperated.

-Commercial Break-

Christopher Daniels, Kazarian, Bobby Roode & Austin Aries vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr, Hernandez, James Storm & Gunner

Storm has his right quad heavily taped. Daniels runs his mouth at Gunner, but is easily backed into the corner after a tie-up. Mr. Intensity breaks clean and gets chopped. Daniels cheers himself and gets beaten down with right hands and a big back body drop before he rolls out of the ring. Daniels finally slides in the ring quick enough to tag Aries and tell him to get Gunner. Funny. Aries gets in the ring and looks down Gunner before tagging Roode and running to the floor. Roode comes in and trades hammerlocks with Gunner. Roode breaks up with an elbow and hits multiple chops before running into a boot and a clothesline. Chavo is tagged in and beats down on Roode in his corner. Scoop slam by Chavo and Hernandez is tagged in and slams Chavo on Roode before splashing down on Roode for two. Chavo is tagged back in and hits a basement dropkick on the It Factor. Roode fights back with but gets countered right into the Three Amigos. Chavo goes up top and kicks both members of Bad Influence down before Aries NAILS the IED on Chavo, sending him to the floor. Roode pounds on Chavo’s neck and tags Roode in and hits a sick looking springboard elbow before Daniels tags himself in. Kazarian chokes Chavo and then Kazarian tags in with a neckbreaker for two. Kazarian mocks the Guerrero shimmy before tagging Roode in ad he stomps down on Chavo before Aries chokes Chavo. Kazarian tags in after the referee clears the rift-wrath and applies a headlock. Chavo elbows out, but Kazarian rakes the eyes and spits at Gunner and Storm. Gunner and Hernandez come in and the ref sends them back. Hernandez is tagged in and runs through everybody! Backbreker on Roode gains Hernandez two before Bad Influence breaks it up. Daniels runs right into a shoulder block and Hernandez goes for the Border Toss on Daniels but Kazarian jerks him off and Aries NAILS the IED. Gunner is tagged in and eats a discus elbow that only pisses Gunner off. Gunner locks in the Torture Rack on Aries and he taps out

Winners by Pinfall: James Storm, Gunner and the TNA World Tag Team Champions Hernandez and Chavo Guerrero

AJ Styles is shown riding in the Sundome in his motorbike.

Backstage, Bully Ray says that “Impact Wrestling thinks that they have us right where they want us…but they don’t.” Ray goes on to rant about AJ Styles having the nerve to turn Aces and Eights down and tells Anderson that he better take care of AJ Styles tonight. Devon yells that Park is his responsibility and he will be taken care of. Ray goes on to talk about Jeff Hardy and states that he shouldn’t even be walking, and that DOC, Brisco, and Biscoff better take care of Hardy, Joe and Magnus. Bully talks about how Hogan’s always saying that Impact Wrestling is at war. Tonight Aces and Eights declare war, and “as the president of this club, I want victims, I want a lot of victims, I want victims all over the place.” Bully threatens that all of them, even Devon may end up like D’Lo Brown.

((Jarrett’s Jab – The tag match just wasn’t good. Despite that, it served to do two smart things for TNA, reintroduce Gunner, and keep James Storm as limited as possible in the ring. The definitely accomplished both of them with Gunner truly looking like Mr. Intensity and James Storm not spending a second in the ring. Hopefully the 4-way tag this Sunday won’t be nearly as cluttered as this match is.))

-Commercial Break-

Todd Kenely talks about the second TNA Hall of Fame inductee will be announced this Sunday and pitches to a video showing that San Diego, California will be the site of this year’s Bound for Glory on October 20^th. ((Jarrett’s Jab – This is actually the second Bound for Glory in California after 2010 in Irvine, California. I like how they’ve visited big cities this year since the cut down the Pay-Per-View schedule, but I hope they add more variety next year.))

From there, we are shown the ending of last week’s Knockouts Championship match. Out comes the NEW Knockouts Champion Mickie James! Mickie thanks everyone that has supported her, plugged her new album and talks about how winning the title is one of the greatest things in her whole life. It’s been almost two years since she’s been the Knockouts Champion and it’s been a long time coming. He thanks her fans again, and tells them that she loves them. She talks about the handful, a very minority of fans who have doubted how she won the title and the fans boo that. Mickie talks about it hurting her heart and she deserves the title. Mickie wants to address that right now and calls out “my dear, good friend” Velvet Sky. Taz says that it’s a classy move to clear the air with Velvet. Mickie calls Velvet amazing and says that she wanted to bring her out there and talk about the negativity and it’s been hurtful. She asked Velvet if she was sure she wanted to do this and was willing to wait until Velvet a 1000 percent. Mickie puts over Velvet’s desire and guts and it’s crazy how things happen and asks the fans to cheer Velvet for being such a good Knockouts Champion. The crowd does nothing when Velvet thanks them for their support. Velvet asks for her rematch and Mickie wants to put it off until Velvet’s knee is one-hundred percent so they can have a match that “blows the roof of this mother!” Velvet states that she wants her rematch at Slammiversary. Mickie informs her that she discussed this with Brooke Hogan, but they already have a Knockouts match at Slammiversary: Taryn vs. Gail. Mickie says that she doesn’t understand it because she’s the champion, but it’s a great opportunity to wait so Velvet can heal. Gail Kim comes out and states that she “appreciates the love and festivities around here” to which Mickie says “Thank you.” Gail goes back to telling “Miss Hardcore Country” that she isn’t so hardcore anymore. Gail asks if Mickie would have won the title without Gail’s help and Mickie enthusiastically says yes. Gail talks about taking being so frustrated, she even took out her own partner Tara. Gail says that after she becomes the last Knockout standing at Slammiversary, she’s going after what is rightfully hers: the Knockouts Title. Velvet responds by saying “Negative” and puts on the fakest ghetto talk I’ve ever heard in her life while shamelessly stealing Christian Cage’s catchphrase “If you didn’t know; now you know.” Thankfully for me, Gail kicks at Velvet’s injured knee and tries to set her up for the figure four again. Taryn Terell comes out to stop it. That might be the only time I’ve ever been upset to see Taryn. Mickie James surveys everything from the ramp and Kenny King’s music hits now.

((Jarrett’s Jab – Mickie and Gail Kim was great in this segment, although it was a little long in my opinion. I’m going to really enjoy Mickie during her slow burn heel turn. I’m finding it really funny that the fans are cheering Mickie. I don’t think that’s the reaction TNA wanted. Velvet started off great but by the time it all ended, her voice was like nails on a chalkboard. Velvet has such a shrill voice that just doesn’t work as a face, especially when she has to talk for more than a sentence. Now I guess Velvet’s going to bitch for four months about how she didn’t get her rematch, and then at least a year of “I didn’t get my title match” if she loses the rematch. That’s what happened last time anyways.))

-Commercial Break-

TNA X Division Champion Kenny King and Gail Kim vs. Chris Sabin and Taryn Terrell

The knockouts start the match and Taryn goes crazy on Gail with right hands and a neckbreaker. ODB has to pull Taryn off of Gail in the corner, but Taryn hits a clothsline on the apron and a suplex from the outside in. Taryn goes up top and nails the crossbody for two. ODB grabs her breast for some reason and Gail quickly tags Kenny King in. Sabin is tagged in and Sabin hits some chops on the X Division Champion followed by two arm drags and an armbar. Hammerlock now by Sabin before Sabin is almost shoved into Taryn, but gets a clothsline from behind by King. King unloads with some rights and a sick wheelhouse kick before posing for Taryn and covering Sabin for two. Sabin is locked in a modified chinlock before fighting out with some lefts and an armbar before getting kicked in the back by Gail and kicked in the face. Taryn tries to tell the referee, but that just gives Sabin a little rest so he can kick out at two. Sabin fights back with some clothslines and kicks. Sabin hits a slam from a torture rack for two. The two knockouts fight outside and Sabin uses the distraction to hit King. Gail tries to boot Sabin, but Sabin holds her so Taryn can hit a spear! Sabin nails the Cradle Shock for three!

Winners by Pinfall: Chris Sabin and Taryn Terrell

Sabin talks about after two years of physical therapy, he’s going to win the X Division Championship for the fifth time. King hits him from behind and goes for the Royal Flush, but Suicide comes in and hits a chickenwing into a gutbuster. Suicide and Sabin stare off in the center of the ring.

AJ Styles and Ken Anderson are shown wondering through the hallways, they will fight…NEXT!

-Commercial Break-

A sit down interview with Sting is played with him talking about how much the World Championship means to him, talking about his first World Title win, beating Ric Flair at the Great American Bash. He goes on to list Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle, and Jeff Jarrett (who he notes was his first World Championship in TNA.) Sting goes on to state that this isn’t like any of those matches because it isn’t just about the Championship, it’s about stripping the power away from Bully Ray.

The announcers go on to briefly talk about all the matches for Slammiversary ((Jarrett’s Jab – For the first time I can think of, every single match on a Pay-Per-View has a build and they all mean something. This is going to be a really good show from Boston.))

AJ Styles vs. Mr. Anderson

AJ has a new shirt that says “No One” with the “O” in One being the P1 Logo. Nice touch after last week, but wish it didn’t have the small Impact Wrestling logo on the back. Some smart camera work could have hid that, or making a limited run without that logo. Anderson starts hammering AJ while he’s taking off his jacket. AJ starts to fight back with some rights and slamming Anderson’s head in the ring post before kicking at Anderson’s left quad. Anderson gets a headlock and runs through AJ with a shoulder block. AJ grabs the left knee as Anderson runs and AJ starts to stomp on Anderson. Scoop Slam, elbow and a vertical suplex gains AJ a one count. AJ whips Anderson across the ring as Tenay talks about AJ’s new style, branding it “slower, more methodic, but just as effective.” AJ gets some rights but Anderson turns it around and gains some rights of his own before stomping AJ in the corner and choking him with the boot. AJ slides to the apron and gets an uppercut and sends Anderson outside in front of the commentary desk before taking his shirt off and nailing a baseball slide that sends Anderson right into the commentary desk.

We are back from the break as AJ connects with a few kicks as Tenay states that it was all AJ throughout the break. Anderson blocks a suplex and suplexes AJ to the apron. AJ shoves the referee away and Anderson rakes AJ’s eyes before hitting a modified DDT on the apron. AJ is driven back first against the apron and is slid in for two. Anderson starts laying in some right hands on AJ, but AJ fights back with a few chops before getting a hard back body drop for one. Anderson grabs the hair while applying a body scissors.  AJ fights back and gets a rollup for two before getting flat lined with a shoulder block. Anderson drops knees on AJ’s left shoulder, but AJ grabs the hair and backs Anderson to a corner. The two start trading right hands and AJ connects with a right/left/right, kick to the left calf and a clothesline combination. AJ runs through Anderson with two clotheslines and a leaping splash for two. AJ has Anderson in a fireman’s carry, but Anderson slides out before AJ says “Screw Aces and Eights” and attempts a Tornado DDT. Anderson blocks and hits a right hand after positioning him on top and hitting the Finlay Roll for two. Anderson goes for the Mic Check, but AJ fights out and drops him crotch first on the turnbuckle before hitting a basement dropkick before Angle jumps AJ Styles.

Winner by Disqualification: AJ Styles

Angle continues to beat on AJ Styles before AJ kicks at the taped hamstring. Aces and Eights beat on AJ Styles before members of the Impact Wrestling roster come out to even the odds. AJ and Angle brawl on the outside as Bully and Sting brawl in the ring. Sting goes on an adrenaline rush and locks in the Scorpion Death lock before Devon nails him from behind. Team 3D hits the 3D and Aces and Eights pose in the center of the ring over Sting as the camera zooms out to show the members of the Impact Wrestling roster laid out around the ring and up the ramp. Bully Ray poses with the World Title over Sting to close the show.

((Jarrett’s Jab – Everyone knew we were going to get a screwy finish, so the match never really got into that second gear. It was a good match up until the DQ. AJ is two and zero since returning with a win over James Storm by Submission and a DQ win over Anderson. While there were parts on the show that took too long like the Knockouts talking segment, or that just wasn’t good, like the eight man tag, it was overall a good go-home edition of Impact Wrestling. Be sure to watch Slammiversary this Sunday and check back to TNAStars for predictions and insight to Slammiversary!))