Source: Talon of TNAsylum.com
The show opened with a solemn Mike Tenay reviewing last week’s events of Sting leaving TNA. The show went to a large and hot Glasgow crowd.
Backstage, there was a fight happening between Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle, Spud, EC3 and Magnus.
The World Champion’s music hit as the three heels made their way to the ring. The Scottish crowd booed the British World Champion. Magnus said that a few boys in the back had a problem with the fact that Sting is no longer with TNA. He has fallen to the reign of Magnus. Just like Jeff Hardy and AJ Styles, all good things must come to an end. Its not show friends but show business. When the president of a company decides to cut dead weight, its called thinning the herd. Dixie and himself has decided to rid TNA of the dinosaurs lumbering around and make way to the new stars of TNA. He name-dropped everyone except for EC3 (much to the surprise of him). He single-handedly eliminated those three from this business.
EC3 interrupted and questioned Magnus about his comments. Magnus and EC3 got into a short argument when the music of Kurt Angle hit and he and Samoa Joe made their way to the ring. Angle said he and Joe came to the UK to avenge the screwing of the heard. Saying goodbye to Sting was the hardest thing he has done in TNA. Angle said Magnus would go down as nothing more than a “paper champion.” Angle said he doesn’t regret anything. The only thing he regrets is letting Magnus into the Main Event Mafia. Magnus said he was the World Champion and Angle/Joe weren’t.
Joe said the only thing killing them is seeing them walk around breathing. They have come to Glasgow to beat their ass. Magnus wanted a tag match pitting Samoa Joe and Kurt Angle vs he and EC3. Magnus said if they win, both Samoa Joe and Kurt Angle are gone from TNA for good. Joe wanted to raise the stakes. If either Kurt or Joe beat them, they become #1 contender for the World Title. They may be a little intense for a paper champion.
The heels deliberated. Magnus finally accepted when Dixie Carter came out and said the match wouldn’t happen. Magnus was pissed. Dixie said there was alot happening tonight and she had to deal with the new investor. She can’t take the chance of Magnus losing the title to Joe or Kurt. Magnus accepted the challenge and said they would see them in the ring tonight.
Reaction: This is a great crowd for the show. I wish they upped the hype for what happened to Sting last week as that is a major deal losing a star of his caliber. I don’t understand how Magnus could overpower Dixie since she is the president. They could have probably just left her backstage and accomplished the same thing. Huge match tonight which gets fans to question whether this is the end of Kurt or Joe in TNA.
TNA also appears to be teasing issues between Magnus and EC3. I wonder if this will lead to major dissension in Team Carter?
Backstage, a mini-van arrived to the arena.
Backstage, the Wolves came out of the van and backed up the camera man. They promised that the investor would be revealed tonight.
Velvet Sky and Madison Rayne vs Gail Kim and Lei’D Tapa
This is a reunion of sorts as Madison and Velvet were in the Beautiful People together. The heels jumped the faces at the opening bell. Mike Tenay welcomed Jeremy Borash to the announce booth saying Taz was “on assignment.” Velvet got an early hot tag and got a nearfall on Gail. Interference from Tapa broke things up. Moments later, Velvet hit In Yo Face on Gail to pick up the win. Madison and Velvet hugged it out after the match.
The music of Chris Sabin hit as the former X Champion made his way to the ring. Sabin called Madison a tramp, telling her to get out of there. Sabin wanted to know what the deal was. He has been trying to get ahold of her for a week. Girlfriends are supposed to support their boyfriends. He doesn’t know if this is her time of the month or what but he is willing to give her one more chance. She can apologize, give him a massage and then life can go on. Velvet screamed “We’re done” to Chris Sabin.
Reaction: Velvet was so hot here. She looked great. The match was a little short but it looked to be a way to progress the Sky/Sabin angle. At this point, I am thinking Sabin finds a knockout to become his new girlfriend to feud with Sky and another guy.
Backstage, Joe and Angle walked backstage. Joe and Angle stormed in on Bobby Roode’s locker room and took him down.
Backstage, Angle and Joe beat down Bobby Roode. Roode told them that they were afraid of him but couldn’t take both of them. Joe took Roode down and crushed Roode’s windpipe, threatening to end Roode if he interfered tonight. Roode smiled after both men left.
Reaction: I’m wondering if Roode was smiling because he intends on interfering tonight.
“Cowboy” James Storm headed to the ring. Storm addressed Gunner. He reviewed his history with Gunner talking about being tag champions and then having issues due to the World Title briefcase. Storm said he wanted Gunner out their so he could put an end to this. The Modern-Day Viking obliged and made his way to the squared circle.
Gunner said both of them came to TNA to be great. He felt like they did that as friends. Storm even got Gunner in a few bar fights. After he won the briefcase, things blew up. Gunner said he had to make a career decision. He said James would have done the same thing for his family. Gunner said he told things to Storm that he didn’t tell anyone else. In the marine corps, one thing he learned was that he fought for the man beside him (not for the Government). Gunner said some of his friends died here. Gunner said they left it all there. He said he has done the same for Storm.
Storm said Gunner told him the war stories, and he needed to start taking credit. He is just a redneck from Tennessee. Storm said the most important thing in his life is his kids. His daughter asked him why he was mad at Gunner. Those things he was feeling, he should have aimed that at himself. Storm said he had Gunner’s back. He said he was sorry and then apologized to Gunner.
Bad Influence interrupted the two. Kazarian called James Storm a “monkey fart” and said nobody should trust James Storm. Kazarian said they know what Storm desires (beer, and ugly women and the World Title). Daniels proposed a tag team match between them with the World Title briefcase on the line. Gunner ended up popping Daniels implying that the match would take place next.
Reaction: So did Bad Influence interrupt Storm before he turned on Gunner or is this thing over? I really don’t know because it would feel wasted if it was. Bad Influence has been majorly underutilized for the past few months so I hope that changes soon.
Bad Influence vs Gunner and James Storm
The Feast or Fired World Title shot is on the line here. Some early shenanigans gave Bad Influence the advantage. They continued double-teaming Gunner. Gunner had Daniels pinned but Kazarian distracted the referee. Gunner got out of the Angel’s Wings and made the tag to James Storm. Storm was a house afire on Bad Influence. Kazarian made the blind tag and hit a missile dropkick on Storm.
Gunner tagged in a went out on Kazarian. He hit his signature series of moves. Storm superkicked Daniels while Gunner hit a diving headbutt on Kazarian for the win.
Reaction: Is Gunner now using a Diving Headbutt as a finisher? Again, I hope that they didn’t abandon a heel turn by Storm or Gunner. Maybe because TNA is low on top-notch faces, they feel like they can’t turn someone at this point.
Dixie Carter was freaking out backstage. Rockstar Spud was telling her to calm down. Dixie wanted Spud to find out who this investor was.
We got a hype vignette for Samoa Joe.
Reaction: TNA is definitely building up Joe as a main eventer. It’s needed as TNA should be building up people as fallout for all the recent departures.
Dixie Carter was backstage on the phone. She wanted to know what kind of lawyer Creede was. Bobby Roode walked in. Dixie said if he didn’t have news on the investor then she doesn’t have time for him. Bobby Roode wanted a World Title shot at Lockdown saying saying she promised him a shot for his help interfering in the AJ and Sting matches. Dixie tried paying Roode off but he declined. Roode wanted her to figure it out by next week saying until then, he is staying out of the way.
Reaction: That explains Roode’s presence in the past few main events. I could see Team Dixie crumbling from within as Dixie promised on things she wouldn’t deliver.
Backstage Eric Young was with ODB. She was worried about him saying they call Abyss a Monster for a reason. She left and Abyss walked up. EY wanted to know if Abyss was ready and he confirmed.
Chief of Staff, Rockstar Spud walked to the ring. Spud made fun of the Scottish fans calling them England’s B-Team. Rockstar said he was here to find out who the investor was. He wanted The Wolves to come out there right now. Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards came out. Spud made fun of the Wolves’ suits. He wanted to know who the investor was. Rockstar tried interrogating The Wolves, shining a flashlight in their eyes. Spud pilled off his coat and yelled at them putting himself over. Spud slapped Davey asking who the investor was.
The Wolves pulled off their coats and then went after Spud. They hit him with their Alarm Clock maneuver. Edwards told Spud to tell Dixie that she would find out who the investor was when everyone else did. The Wolves announced that the investor would fire anyone who interfered in tonight’s tag team main event.
Reaction: That was a good segment. Spud was hilarious in his delivery while the Wolves looked like legit badasses. It even served a purpose with the main event.
Abyss and EY made their entrance. They were followed by DJ Zema who introduced The Bro Mans. The tag team championship match is next.
Abyss and Eric Young vs The Bro Mans
Tag Team Championship
EY started but Abyss interfered by choking Robbie. The distraction allowed the Bro Mans worked over Young. The Abyss involvement kept allowing the Bro Mans to keep things in their favor. Abyss finally made the tag and disposed of the heels, fairly easily. Zema tried interfering but Abyss caught him. The referee tried stopping Abyss so Abyss picked the referee up for the Shock Treatment. Eric Young told Abyss to stop but the Monster went through with it. EY looked to help the referee but Abyss connected with the Chokeslam when he turned around.
Abyss started to walk off when Eric grabbed a mic. Young told Abyss they only had one experiment left. Young asked Abyss if he wanted to get crazy. Young invented crazy. Young challenged Abyss next week to a Monster’s Ball Match. Abyss accepted.
Reaction: I like how they are presenting Abyss as an unstable monster. I want them to move on though because this storyline has been going on far too long. There is a way to end this and maintain both the Abyss and Joseph Park characters. I hope they do that.
Backstage, Eddie Edwards was pushing the camera man back while Davey addressed the new investor (who we couldn’t see).
Elsewhere, Bully Ray was slowly rolling a casket.
Backstage, Samuel Shaw and Christy Hemme were on a date. Hemme freaked out when Shaw’s hand was on the candle, but Shaw didn’t even move. They went into a bedroom where there was only a bed. Shaw pulled out a strand of Hemme’s hair (which she didn’t notice).
Hemme wanted to go into a room but Shaw told her to get them a glass of wine. In the room was a creepy shrine to Hemme, including a mannequin with a wig.
Reaction: Really creepy segment that puts over the character of Shaw. Wonder if Hemme will see that since she is the ring announcer for this show. I like how they are developing Samuel Shaw at this point.
Bully Ray made his way to the ring, rolling the casket in front of him. Bully Ray said he used to be the President of the Aces and Eights and the World Heavyweight Champion. One man took that away from him. One man took away his club, his colors and his life. That man is Mr. Anderson. Bully said he dropped Anderson on his head and tried breaking his neck but he kept coming back. He was challenging Anderson to one final match. He was challenging him to a Coffin Match.
Anderson walked out. They stood on each side of the coffin. Anderson wanted to know what Bully would do after putting him in the coffin. Bully said he would piledrive his wife and kids. Anderson said everyone was tired of him running his jibs. Anderson then slammed the coffin door into the face of Bully. Anderson and Bully brawled in the ring. Anderson connected with a Fireman’s Roll and then attacked Ray with a chair. Bully eventually retreated to the back.
Reaction: We get the next stage in this feud. While I could do without the mentions of Anderson’s wife and kids, I do enjoy what we are getting out of these two.
We got a badass Kurt Angle hype promo comparing him to a cyborg.
Reaction: Both this and the Samoa Joe video were well-done. John Gaburick is a great asset to the production.
EC3 walked in on Magnus. Magnus said Carter was all mouth and muscle while he is brains. Magnus said he wasn’t thrilled with having a green rookie. Magnus called Carter an excuse. Carter said the only green is the investment their family has made in Magnus. Dixie Carter walked in and Magnus feigned excitement over teaming with EC3. Dixie told EC3 not to let her down.
Reaction: I love the tension between EC3 and Magnus. EC3 is coming off as the sympathetic one in this while Magnus comes off as a prick. I would be interested in a feud between these two over the favor of Dixie.
Magnus and EC3 vs Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe
Title Shot vs Career Match
Angle and Joe took things right to EC3 during the first few minutes of the match. Magnus and EC3 cheated to put them in control. A split screen showed the new investor getting out of their van (could only see their feet).
EC3 and Magnus continued to work over Angle in their corner. Angle tagged Joe into the match and the Samoan Submission Machine dominated Magnus. EC3 broke up a Cross Armbreaker. Angle took EC3 down at ringside. In the ring, Joe locked Magnus into the Coquina Clutch. Magnus ended up tapping which meant that Joe was the #1 Contender.
Reaction: Solid match overshadowed by the investor storyline. Joe is well on his way to the main event scene. It looks like he will challenge Magnus for the World Title.
Dixie Carter and Rockstar Spud walked to the ring. She said she told Magnus this would happen. They were freaking out. Joe said the odds have caught up with Magnus. He said he and Angle would be in TNA for a long…long time. Joe said that in the middle of the ring, Magnus tapped out. Joe told Magnus to shine his belt.
Angle said its nights like these that make him proud to be in this business. Angle said that after his win last week and this week, Kurt Angle is back. Kurt told Dixie to bring her checkbook because he was going into the TNA Hall of Fame. Dixie yelled for the investor to show their face.
The lights went out and then the Wolves walked out. They were followed by MVP, who was the new investor.
Reaction: Some will be disappointed that MVP is in TNA due to his age but I think he has the charisma to carry this role. As long as he isn’t overshadowing the show (there is a good possibility that will happen) then I am fine with him being in TNA. Let’s hope this leads to some interesting things over the next few months.
