Source: JSO of TNAsylum.com
The show opened with Dixie Carter in the ring. She said she’s been so busy lately that she hired a new Chief of Staff. Dixie introduced Rockstar Spud for the role. Spud praised Dixie as the greatest boss in the world. Dixie then announced the semifinal matches for the World Title Tournament: Angle vs. Magnus in a Last Man Standing Match and Hardy vs. Roode in a Tables Match.
Dixie also announced the theme for tonight’s show as “Winner Winner Turkey Dinner”. The winners of the matches tonight get to feast on turkey while the losers get nothing. She introduced EC3 to stand with her for the first time in the ring. EC3 said he’s been allowed to fly in his opponent for tonight and his match is next.
Reaction: Good, effective opener. I would’ve never imagined Rockstar Spud going corporate, but it’s good that he’s being used in an actual role. He was good here sucking up to his “queen”. EC3 and Dixie in the ring and saying their catchphrase together was a cute family moment too.
Ethan Carter vs. Curry Man
Curry Man gave a shout out to some Japanese wrestlers on the mic before EC3 attacked him from behind. EC3 unloaded on Curry Man with some punches and suplexes. Curry Man fought back with a dropkick and quick strikes. He went to the top rope but EC3 threw him down. EC3 nailed the 1-Percenter for the win.
Reaction: How nice of TNA to add some international flavor on this fine Thanksgiving night! He’s hot, he’s spicy and he’s… trouble trouble trouble. But luckily EC3 was his awesome self, got through this tough challenge and remained undefeated.
Backstage, Kurt Angle thanked Gunner and James Storm for teaming with him tonight. Gunner tried to clear the air with Storm but Storm just said yeah and walked off.
Backstage, the Bro Mans introduced Zema Ion as their own personal DJ. Eric Young came in and said there will be a Turkey Bowl match tonight. He pointed to Norv Fernum and Dewey Barnes as their opponents. The Bro Mans mocked Norv and Dewey as they danced around.
Lei’D Tapa vs. Velvet Sky
Velvet kicked Tapa in the thighs to start before Tapa overpowered her. Gail Kim tripped Velvet from the outside so the referee ejected her from ringside. Tapa smashed Velvet’s head repeatedly on the mat. Velvet tried to hit some more kicks to Tapa to no effect. Tapa finally hit her TKO finisher for the win.
Reaction: Basic squash match, that is all. And given the skill levels involved, that was probably for the best anyway.
Bro Mans vs. Norv Fernum and Dewey Barnes
Zema Ion was at ringside with his DJ equipment and introduced the tag team champions to the ring. The Bro Mans ran down Norv and Dewey on the mic. Norv and Dewey attacked the champs as they turned around and rolled them up for a two count. The Bro Mans quickly nailed Norv with the Bro Down for the win.
Reaction: First off, I like this pairing with Zema and the Bro Mans. All three guys are so obnoxious that it works. You gotta love Norv and Dewey. Wearing the turkey suit is supposed to be humiliating but because they’re such dorks, their dance was fun and entertaining.
Backstage, Dixie Carter was angry that another “Friends of AJ” video aired on the program. She threatened legal action and gave AJ until next week to return her intellectual property.
Backstage, Bobby Roode talked to Bad Influence and Chris Sabin. Roode put over his teammates and hyped up tonight’s elimination match.
Backstage, Spud was talking to a crew member about the food for the turkey dinner. He told her to make the feast good.
Backstage, Kurt Angle talked to Magnus and thanked him for being his partner tonight. They will face each other in the tournament next week.
The Aces & Eights funeral segment aired. At the church was Kurt Angle, Magnus, Samoa Joe, Eric Young and Mike Tenay. Mr. Anderson popped up out of the casket and said he was “trapped” in the casket for a year as a metaphor for being in the Aces & Eights.
Angle stepped up to the podium and said he had friends in the club like D’Lo Brown and Wes Brisco. He made fun of D’Lo’s head shaking thing and dropped a bobblehead in the casket. Joe stepped up to the podium and was going to drop some beer into the casket but instead passed one out to everyone except for Kurt.
Tenay dropped Taz’s smelly cut and an Aces & Eights mask into the casket. EY cried and dropped a turkey costume into the casket. Anderson was going to drop a hammer into the casket but decided to keep it for himself. Bully Ray walked in and threatened Anderson for ruining everything. Bully said they all look at death as the final sleep but he looks at it as the final awakening.
Reaction: That was freaking awesome! It had some clever humor with the bobblehead reference for D’Lo, Kurt not being able to drink, Joe still eating before he spoke, Tenay’s dig at Taz’s commentary, and EY breaking out in tears. Then it had an eerie ending with Bully Ray promising his so-called “final awakening”. Great job all around.
Team Roode vs. Team Angle
Eight Man Tag Team Elimination Match
Angle and Roode exchanged some quick offense to start. Both teams exchanged frequent tags and got in some quick offense. Storm went for the Last Call on Sabin but Kazarian got involved and took the kick instead. Sabin rolled up Storm from behind for the pin. Storm was eliminated.
Gunner put Kazarian in the Gun Rack but Daniels broke it up. Bad Influence did a high/low double team move for the pin. Gunner was eliminated. Magnus nailed a clothesline from the apron on Daniels. However, he landed weird and appeared to injure his knee. The referee called the medical staff out to check on Magnus as we went to commercial break.
Magnus was eliminated during the break due to injury. Angle faced all four members of Team Roode by himself. Angle unloaded on Roode with clotheslines. Angle suplexed the hell out of everyone. He had a double ankle lock on Bad Influence. Roode tried to hit Angle with a chair but he ducked and hit an Angle Slam. Kurt blasted everyone with a chair and got himself disqualified. Team Roode won the match.
Reaction: Great main event. All eight guys got to showcase their offense and the action flowed nicely from one sequence to the next. Angle really unloaded at the end with so many damn suplexes and chair shots.
Backstage, Team Roode celebrated their victory. Roode bragged about beating Kurt Angle again. Meanwhile, Gunner and James Storm were shown arguing about their loss.
A video package aired hyping up the final four participants in the World Title Tournament. Both semifinal matches take place next week.
Backstage, Rockstar Spud made the final preparations for the Thanksgiving dinner EC3 said the British don’t know anything about good food so Dixie said she has a special gourmet meal waiting on the plane for them. Dixie told Spud he’s in charge of the meal and walked off with her nephew.
Rockstar Spud was in the ring with the Thanksgiving dinner set up in the ring. He brought out all of the winners. Roode said Velvet doesn’t belong because the table is for winners. Sabin agreed and told her to leave but he’ll bring her a doggy bag for later.
Roode bragged about the table full of winners. They each took turns saying what they’re thankful for. As the group was about to feast, Kurt Angle came out and said he sees a ring full of turkeys. The other babyfaces came out and surrounded the ring. A huge brawl broke out and food was flying all over the place. Eric Young nailed Bad Influence with the turkey. Norv and Dewey (still wearing the turkey costumes) flew off the top rope with a double splash on the Bro Mans. The faces celebrated in the ring to end the show.
Reaction: Fun segment to end the night. The heels each had some great lines when they said what they were thankful for, and of course we had the chaotic food fight/brawl to cap it off.
