Source: Talon of TNAsylum.com
Bully Ray walked out onto the show. He said that as long as he has air in his lungs, he will keep on fighting. Bully said that he was obsessed with six people in TNA who have bullseyes on their backs. Behind Bully, there were six tables covered in black bags. He started pulling them off to reveal Lashley, Kenny King, EC3, MVP, Spud and Dixie Carter’s names were spray-painted on the table. Bully promised that Dixie Carter was going through a table.
Bully laid out and open challenge and was met by the music of MVP as the Director of Wrestling Operations made his way out. MVP told Bully he should reconsider his position. MVP stated that nobody was going through a table tonight. If Bully wants a fight, MVP can handle that now. Why do that himself though when he has friends who can help. At that moment, Lashley and King showed up. In the ring, EC3 (with Rockstar Spud) attacked Bully from behind.
All the villains pounded away on Bully. EC3 went to the stage and picked up the “Spud” table and put it in the ring. They were going to put Bully through a table when Eric Young, Austin Aries and The Wolves came out for the save (while Spud hid under the table).
Aries told the villains that Bully isn’t the only one obsessed with getting their hands on them. Aries challenged them to a six man tag match. At that moment, EY lifted Spud for Bully Ray to Powerbomb him through the top of the table.
Reaction: I liked the visual of the tables with the names on it. My guess is that eventually Dixie Carter and MVP will align to form a supergroup. The heroes will rally against them into the Summer. It took awhile for the heroes to make the save but that is okay as one could explain that EY was rallying a team together.
Austin Aries and The Wolves vs MVP, Lashley and Kenny King
All six men brawled at ringside while Lashley and Aries eventually made their way inside. The villains were sent to the outside which allowed the Wolves to hit dives on them. Aries hit a double sledge on Lashley off the top.
The Wolves had the advantage over King as we came back from break. A cheap shot by MVP and Lashley turned that around. The heels continued to work over Eddie Edwards in the ring. The match broke down in the ring with Aries hitting Kenny King with the Brainbuster. He tagged in Davey who connected with the Mushroom Stomp. Lashley hit Davey with the Spear and held Richard for the Yakuza Kick from MVP to give the villains the win.
Reaction: Solid opening match hurt by the commercials. Until the end of the match I forgot about Davey Richards’ injury. It didn’t make sense for the villains to lose on their first match together. The destruction continues.
Bram talked to Magnus backstage. Bram told Magnus he was tired of whatever Magnus was doing. Bram said he had a match tonight and Magnus would feel the violence. He would be out there with Bram.
EC3 walked up to Dixie Carter backstage. He and his revisionist history recapped the start of the show. Dixie said “poor Spud.” Dixie said she had important business with MVP tonight and needed EC3 to be with her.
Bram vs Tigre Uno
A pink sign in glitter said “Wham Bam, Thank you Bram!” (great endorsement there). Bram hit a big Powerbomb on Uno early on. He screamed at Magnus after the move. Bram continued with the intensity and screaming. Tigre Uno punched his way out of a Two Handed Chokehold. Bram hit a big Implant DDT for the win.
After the match, Bram grabbed a turnbuckle to use on Tigre. Magnus grabbed a mic and asked Bram what was wrong with him. Bram said the old Magnus would rip his mask off and kick the bells out of him. Magnus told Bram that maybe he needed a bigger test. Magnus said maybe he needed to prove himself against Willow. Bram screamed that he would do it right now.
Reaction: I love the intensity of Bram here. I don’t like how far Tigre Uno has fallen since just a month ago. He didn’t get any offense here. What does that say about TNA’s perspective of the X Division. Magnus not understanding Bram’s violence doesn’t make sense due to his recent history.
Gunner walked up to Mr. Anderson. Anderson asked him about Samuel Shaw. He called Gunner “Doctor Phil…Shatter.” He asked if Gunner was committed tonight. Gunner said he had his back.
Reaction: Phil Shatter was Gunner’s name in the indies. Clever comment from Anderson.
Brittany walked up to Madison Rayne backstage. Brittany asked Madison Rayne if she could be her tag team partner tonight. Madison told Brittany that she wasn’t ready for them. She told Brittany not to have this match. She gets that she wants revenge but she needs to do it in a different way. Madison made Brittany promise that she wouldn’t have this match tonight.
Mr. Anderson and Gunner vs The Bro Mans
The Bromans immediately took control at the opening bell. Jessie and Robbie hit the Double Boom on Gunner in the corner. Anderson made the hot tag and went after both Robbie and Jessie. Gunner made the blind tag as Anderson dealt with both Robbie and Jessie. Anderson hit the Mic Check followed by Gunner’s diving headbutt for the win.
Reaction: Good win for Anderson and Gunner. I wonder if they will continue to team in the future. It might just be a one-week deal though.
After the match, The Menagerie made their entrance. Their entrance takes so long. They joined the Bro Mans in the ring. Robbie E freaked out in the ring. Jessie and Robbie left DJ Z in the ring as The Freak hit him with a Flapjack.
Reaction: The Menagerie’s entrance takes a long time. I think its sole purpose is for spectacle. My guess is that Robbie has a fear of clowns or something. It will probably build up to a match at Slammiversary.
Brittany walked up to Gail Kim backstage asking her to be her partner tonight against the Beautiful People. Brittany said she looked up to Gail all her life. Gail agreed to the match which resulted in Brittany hugging her.
Dixie Carter and EC3 made their way to the ring. Dixie called out MVP so they could finish their conversation. MVP obliged being accompanied by Kenny King and Bobby Lashley. Both started mouthing off to each other. Dixie said that last week, they were just getting started. Dixie said MVP needed her. MVP tended to disagree saying they have the power. How could Dixie possibly help them?
Dixie Carter said she could go home or she could go to the Board of Directors in Dallas, Texas to talk to the Board of Directors about MVP’s abuse of power. MVP said she is underestimating him. While he has alot of money, he has alot more at his disposal. MVP said if she wants to play a game of chicken, let the games begin.
Eric Young and Bully Ray walked out to the ring with weapons in hand. EY said they were into the finer things in life. Nothing would be finer than seeing everyone in the ring go through a table. MVP told Eric Young that while he does have alot of heart, he doesn’t have enough to beat him at Slammiversary. MVP said after he wins the title at Slammiversary, Eric Young can go do something he is good at like fishing.
MVP started trash-talking Bully Ray. He called Bully another New Yorker with a loud mouth. Bully was about to get in the ring but EY talked him out of it. MVP announced EY vs Bully Ray tonight. MVP announced that EC3 would be guest referee. Bully Ray said he wouldn’t do it but MVP threatened to fire him.
Bully called his bluff and then Dixie grabbed a mic. She told Bully to quit and then questioned who would pick up the pieces to fight them. She said EY doesn’t have the stomach to get down in the gutter. Bully said he wouldn’t quit until he gave every wrestling fan in the world what they wanted to see. He would make good on his promise to send all of them through a table.
Reaction: I am awaiting for Dixie to follow-through on her threat to go to the board. Intrigued to see if MVP meant he could buy them off. I don’t have much to say about this segment. EY and Bully will face each other tonight. Simple as that.
The Beautiful People were questioned about their tag match tonight. The BPs were confident.
We are getting highlights of Kurt Angle’s recent injury and surgery. We got a clip of Angle at his home in Pennsylvania. He said things are improving slowly but surely. He thanked everyone.
Reaction: TNA is treating the injury like they expect Kurt back in TNA. That’s good news I guess.
The Beautiful People vs Brittany and Gail Kim
As Gail made her entrance, Brittany started getting very handsy with her. Angelina and Velvet worked over Brittany in the corner. The beatdown continued for the next few minutes. Brittany fought back against Velvet with a nice Russian Leg Sweep. Brittany and Velvet made hot tags. Gail was a hire afire on her opponents.
Brittany tagged herself in but missed the Handspring Moonsault. Angelina hit Brittany with the Botox Injection to give The Beautiful People the win. Gail looked on disappointed in Brittany.
Reaction: Mike Tenay encouraged me to share my favorite wrestling memory with my dad. Since my dad hates wrestling, I don’t think I will. I like the story of Brittany being an overzealous rookie. It puts over Gail, Madison and the Beautiful People as more lethal threats. Interested to see where Madison and Brittany go from here.
Brittany called out Madison Rayne saying she needed to talk to her. Madison told Brittany that this whole thing has been getting weird for her. Madison’s issues with the Beautiful People has been going on for years. There are really deep issues. What needs to be handled will be handled between the three of them. She won’t be responsible for Brittany. Brittany said she was a big girl and she just wants to be with her.
Brittany kept getting really close to Madison. Madison said it just went a little too far. Madison told her to keep her distance. Brittany pulled the mic away from her and kept asking her what she has to do for her to like her. What does she have to do?
Velvet Sky and Angelina Love mocked them at the stage. They said she just felt the sting of the real queen bee. They made her like that. Madison told them that they should worry about the Knockouts Title. She was using her rematch clause next week.
Reaction: The way that segment was described by someone who attended live made this segment sound much more offensive than it actually was. The only real offensive thing was Brittany’s acting. Madison didn’t treat Brittany as a freak, she just looked uncomfortable with how Brittany was acting towards her.
EC3 got ready for the main event backstage. Money, Power and Respect approached him backstage. MVP said just because they didn’t get along with Dixie didn’t mean they couldn’t work together. King told him that they had his back and would be alot closer than he even knows.
Christy Hemme was about to introduce the main event when Kenny King interrupted. He served as the ring announcer for this match. He introduced Bully Ray from “Hell’s Toilet, New York.” He also introduced, “The Bearded Blinder” Eric Young. They chased Kenny King but he escaped through the crowd. EC3 then made his entrance.
King then introduced Bobby Lashley as the special guest enforcer. He finally introduced MVP as the special guest timekeeper, MVP.
Reaction: Watch this get compared to Raw a few weeks ago even though this was taped before that.
Eric Young vs Bully Ray
EC3 as Special Referee
The heels taunted Bully and EY from around the ring. Young and Bully wrestled clean with hiptosses and arm drags. Young dropkicked Bully sending him outside where Kenny King sucker-punched him. Bully and EY scared off the heels.
EY and Bully were still going at it moments later. Bully was going to hit his patented elbows but EC3 stopped him. Bully attacked EC3. All the villains got in the ring and laid waste to Bully and Eric Young.
Out of nowhere came the returning Samoa Joe, who destroyed the villains. He connected with the Musclebuster on Kenny King in the center of the ring. Joe stared down MVP as the show came to a close.
Reaction: I couldn’t buy into this match because you knew it was going to have some weird finish. I marked out for the return of Samoa Joe as TNA needs someone that really represents its brand. Right now, the heroes are lopsided over the villains so I expect someone to turn heel fairly shortly.
