Source: Talon of TNAsylum.com
MVP opened IMPACT by making his way to the ring, followed by Lashley and Kenny King. MVP was on crutches. MVP cut straight to the point. What happened at Slammiversary was a travesty. Dixie Carter went to the board of directors and he got an official reprimand. He was ordered to be fair in the main event. Who was it fair for? They wanted him to do it their way but he wouldn’t let some pasty-faced businessmen tell him how to run his show.
MVP called Eric Young to the ring. The champion got a very good reaction. EY said the only travesty was that he didn’t get to punch MVP in the face. MVP accused Eric Young of colluding with Austin Aries to have Aries beat EY at the PPV. EY threatened to kick MVP’s ass. Kenny King grabbed the mic from MVP and wanted EY tonight for the World Heavyweight Championship. EY asked Earl Hebner to come to the ring and referee the match.
After the ring cleared, the match started.
Eric Young vs Kenny King
World Heavyweight Championship
Loud support for EY in this match. EY was knocked outside and MVP and Lashley were going to pounce. Samoa Joe, Austin Aries and The Wolves came from the back to even the odds. King got a nearfall with a T-Bone Suplex. EY reversed the Royal Flush when King got cocky and won with a small package.
Reaction: Hot start to IMPACT. The Bethlehem crowd is hot tonight and was completely behind Eric Young. My guess is with MVP running his mouth about the board that his days as Director of Wrestling Operations is over. TNA was teasing that the fans got to choose who EY’s opponent for tonight but that may have been dropped.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MVP slapped a staff member when we returned. I guess it was the timekeeper. He demanded that he say sorry. He continued to bully them when Eric Young and company came out and a brawl broke out. Security came out to pull them apart. Security eventually got the job and cleared the heroes from ringside.
MVP ran his mouth in the ring. MVP said he was like god. MVP said he would abuse his power. EY would have a second title defense. This time it would be against Bobby Lashley. He announced that security would escort everyone from the arena leaving only King, he and Lashley in the ring.
He also announced that The Wolves would defend the tag titles against Samoa Joe, Austin Aries and another tag team. He then called out Earl Hebner for counting the fall earlier tonight. He bullied Earl Hebner. MVP then fired Earl Hebner. He demanded that Earl take his shirt off. Brian Hebner came out and tried defending his dad but MVP wouldn’t have any of it. Kenny King then ripped Earl’s referee shirt off.
Earl spoke into the mic. He said people like MVP make him hate this business. He loves these fans. MVP then said that the World Title will be coming to them.
Reaction: Yeah, MVP’s days are definitely numbered. My guess is that EY overcomes the odds tonight and/or MVP is replaced. Poor Earl Hebner!
Backstage, Dixie Carter and EC3 arrived. Dixie said that MVP’s actions are only supporting what Dixie said about him at the board. EC3 then ran his mouth about his win at Slammiversary. He called himself the “Hardcore American Icon.” Dixie said she would meet Tommy in the ring. EC3 would get to stay backstage as Dixie flew in Helga the masseuse.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
During the break, Earl Hebner was escorted out of the building while the tag team participants made their entrance.
Eric Young spoke to someone on the phone. He said he needed him there tonight. The phone revealed Kurt Angle’s name.
Reaction: Looks like Kurt is coming back!
Willow and Abyss were the third team in this tag team title match.
The Wolves vs Samoa Joe/Aries vs Abyss/Willow
World Tag Team Championship
Chaotic match from the get go with Aries and Joe hitting dives to the outside. We headed to break as Tommy Dreamer was shown arriving at the arena.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
Abyss went for a double chokeslam on the Wolves but both backflipped out of it in a cool spot. Willow broke up a nearfall by The Wolves. Joe made the hot tag and went to town on Abyss, hitting a Scoop Slam for two. Davey Richards made a blind tag. Willow backdropped Aries to the outside on The Wolves and then followed it up with a backwards dive on the outside. In the ring, The Wolves connected with the Powerbomb/Backstabber combo on Willow for the title defense.
Reaction: Fun tag team match! I wouldn’t be opposed with Willow/Abyss and Joe/Aries continuing on in the tag team scene. Not everyone can be challenging for the World Heavyweight Title and their presence would improve the tag team division. TNA needs matches like this to keep their crowds energized.
Backstage, MVP and company were backstage arguing about Kurt Angle. Kenny King wanted to handle Kurt tonight. MVP said it would be a travesty if Kurt re-injured his recently operated on knee.
Reaction: My guess is that it won’t end up being Angle who saves EY tonight. It may be a recently suspended Canadian instead?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
Backstage, security escorted Austin Aries and Samoa Joe out of the arena. Elsewhere, MVP spoke to some other security officials when The Wolves walked up. MVP told The Wolves that he didn’t include a tag team in the last match so like Eric Young, they will have another title defense, against Bram and Magnus. MVP told the officials that after their match, have them escorted out of there.
Reaction: I was hoping they would build more to the eventual confrontation between The Wolves and Bram/Magnus match. There is a good chance that we may see a tag title change tonight.
Dixie Carter and Rockstar Spud walked to the ring. Dixie was gorgeous as ever in a shiny yellow dress. Dixie talked up EC3’s win at Slammiversary. Dixie said that Bully wasn’t here tonight. She knows he is at home watching but she wanted to tell him that she would NEVER go through a table. She said that everyone tries to latch onto her starpower. Everyone tells her how to run her company. She told MVP to keep up his antics since he is digging his own grave.
Dixie forgot who she was meeting in the ring and had Spud remind her it was Tommy Dreamer. Dreamer made his way to the ring without music. Dixie said his face was kind of coming back to her. A loud “Tommy Dreamer” chant broke out. Dixie said that its different trash-talking her on social media. She invited him out here to do the right thing and apologize to her.
Tommy thanked her for having him. An “ECW” chant broke out which resulted in Dixie saying the fans didn’t go to school since they have the wrong letters. Tommy reminded her that they first met on Twitter. A few years ago, they put together Hardcore Justice and gave many people closure. He said that Dixie did it for the fans. What happened to that woman who sat in the crowd and thanked fans for coming to their events? He sits at home and says he is embarrassed by the crap he watches on television.
Her decisions effect hundreds in the back, thousands in attendance and millions at home. Everyone wants this company to explode. Instead, this is the Dixie show. If she wants a reality show, pitch it to Hollywood because she isn’t a wrestler. Its her responsibility to give the best product on TV. Tommy started to cry (called it) when talking about their family.
Tommy said he saw Dixie at Slammiversary being a fan an exploding when Von Erich locked in the Claw at the PPV. Dixie looked touched by Dreamer’s words. Dixie hugged Tommy but the low-blowed him in the center of the ring. Dixie asked him if he knew who she was. What is he doing on her show calling her out? EC3 showed up and pounded away on Tommy.
Reaction: Damn good promo from Tommy. He pretty much said what many critics of TNA think, but connected it to Dixie’s character. I loved Dixie’s comments about the fans being idiots for chanting the wrong letters, LOL. I wonder what the next step is for this, if there is a next step.
Kurt Angle arrived backstage and was greeted by Lashley and Kenny King. They were brandishing weapons. Kurt asked to talk to MVP. Kenny told Lashley to keep an eye on him.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MVP walked up to Kurt Angle. He said he had someone else to tend to but he would get back to him. After he left, Kurt told Kenny that Lashley’s pipe is bigger than his.
The Wolves vs Bram and Magnus
World Tag Team Championship
Magnus went old school with his tights. The Brits jumped the opponents from the opening bell. A misfire in the match led to Bram hitting Magnus and allowing Davey to DDT both. Davey had control when Magnus threw a chair at Davey leading to the DQ loss.
After the match, Bram and Magnus attacked the Wolves with chairs. Bram put the steel chair around the head of Eddie Edwards and were going to smash the neck. Willow and Abyss made the save though sending the Brits scurrying from the ring.
Reaction: The finish played up the characters of Magnus and Bram. It continues the feud with Willow and Abyss and sets up a feud with The Wolves (if that’s the direction they want to go).
Backstage, MVP walked up the Brian Hebner, who was on the phone. Brian was crying and MVP told him there wasn’t any crying in wrestling. MVP trash-talked Earl Hebner. MVP said he was putting Brian out there to referee Lashley and EY tonight. MVP said he is the guy who signs Brian’s paychecks. For him to keep those checks coming, he will make the three count on EY.
Taryn Terrell was shown backstage in a hot red dress. Oh Yeah!
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
Bram and Magnus were questioned backstage. Magnus revealed that they were paid to beat up the Wolves. Willow came out of nowhere and jumped the tag team.
In the ring, Gail Kim introduced the returning Taryn Terrell. The gorgeous blonde came out smiling. Loud “welcome back” chant from the crowd. Gail said when Taryn first came to TNA, she didn’t like her. Gail said during the last knockout standing match, Taryn opened her eyes. They beat the hell out of each other. Gail said she earned her respect. She hugged Taryn in the center of the ring.
Taryn thanked the crowd and said she took this last year off to have her beautiful baby girl. Taryn said matches like theirs is what this division is all about. She remembers it being evened up and so knows everyone wants to see a tie-breaker. They were interrupted by Angelina Love and Velvet Sky.
Angelina taunted Gail. Angelina reminded her that she wasn’t the leader of this division. The Beautiful People kept cracking stupid jokes. Love cheapshotted Taryn and Gail. They double-teamed Gail in the center of the ring but Taryn came out and kicked their asses. They threw the Beautiful People out of the ring.
Reaction: I love seeing Taryn back. I actually popped when she mentioned a rubber match. I just noticed that all of my sentences could be interpreted as “pervy.” I will stop.
MVP asked Kurt Angle why he was here. Angle asked for a moment of MVP’s time. Angle asked MVP to look inside of himself. MVP said nobody could stop him. MVP said Angle walked into a fight he couldn’t win. He said they could get with them or get taken out. Kenny King trash-talked Kurt but Kurt knocked him out. It looks like Kurt will be escorted out of the building.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
Security escorted Taryn Terrell and Gail Kim from the backstage area. Jeremy Borash said everyone had been cleared out. MVP walked up to him and said he was still out. Security escorted JB and the camera man out of the arena.
Reaction: What about those at ringside? Mike Tenay and Taz? This reminds me of 2009 when they did the Empty Arena Match. Who is directing this show? What is going on? How is this show airing right now?
Eric Young vs Bobby Lashley
World Heavyweight Championship
MVP and Kenny King joined Bobby Lashley at ringside. EY hit a crossbody on Lashley at ringside. Lashley dominated EY at ringside.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
Lashley hit EY with a nice delayed vertical suplex back from commercials. EY was able to eventually hit the Piledriver but Kenny King pulled the referee out of the ring. King held EY but Lashley accidentally nailed King. EY missed a top rope elbow and ran into a Spear. Lashley pinned EY cleanly in the center of the ring to become the NEW World Heavyweight Champion.
All the heels got in the ring to celebrate. Lashley made the referee hold his hand up. Kenny King grabbed a chair and put EY’s arm in it. King kept attacking the arm as the crowd booed.
All of a sudden, Bobby Roode came out of the crowd and toosed Kenny King from ringside. Roode stood in the center of the ring and taunted the villains.
Reaction: I think this was the right decision. I never really got EY as World Champion. On the other hand, Lashley has the presence and look to be the champion. EY is better as the underdog. I question why Roode waited until after the match to make the save. Interesting finish! I don’t hate it.
