Impact Wrestling
Orlando, Florida (Impact Zone)
May 19, 2011
Commentators: Mike Tenay & Taz
Report by: Josh Boutwell of Wrestleview.com
Impact Wrestling opens up with a recap from last week focusing on Mick Foley’s announcement last week as well as highlights from Sacrifice. Kurt says he wants Jeff one-on-one with no interference and distractions and he’ll get it now. Sting and Anderson comment on the Sting-RVD match at Sacrifice as well.
A new intro video for the show airs, and it is REALLY well done. It features a new theme song as well as clips of the stars and from past shows. As we cut to the arena to see the new ring (with blue and black ropes now) as well as the new Impact Wrestling logo, Immortal’s music hits. The set is basically the same except all of the old “TNA Impact” logos and such are replaced with the new Impact Wrestling logos. Ric Flair and Eric Bischoff leads out Gunner, Matt Hardy, Abyss, and Bully Ray to the ring. I think Bischoff told a fan at ringside to brush her teeth, classy. Bischoff asks if the fans like the changes have made to the Impact Zone. Bischoff says he knows Foley took credit for the change, but he had nothing to do with it. Bischoff says their all for the changes if the network wants it. He said if Foley was behind it, it would be “Thumbtacks Matter” not “Wrestling Matters.” Bischoff asks when Foley woke up one morning and saw Frank Goch all of a sudden. He says Hogan is in New York having meetings with Foley and Spike and when Hogan is done with Mick Foley then Foley will be done. He says Foley went to a gun fight with rubber bullets. Bischoff says he and Flair are in charge tonight since Hogan and Foley are in New York tonight. Bischoff says anyone that gets in their way tonight will pay the price but Brian Kendrick’s music interrupts him!
Brian Kendrick leads Generation Me and Amazing Red down to ringside. Red is wearing a t-shirt for his new “House of Glory” training school (nice plug there Red). Kendrick says he finds it outrageous that a non-wrestler is complaining about WRESTLERS getting in his way on a WRESTLING show. Kendrick calls Bischoff a leach that has parasited off this business since Kendrick was a child. He says that Bischoff has piggybacked off the backs of fake friends his whole life. Kendrick says that leaves the wrestlers, the X-Division in particular, in the cold. Kendrick calls Bully Ray “fat boy” and dares him to come fight them. Bischoff comes down to ringside and says he’s glad that Kendrick came out and expressed himself because it’s his right to do that, just like it’s Bischoff’s right to make history here tonight. Bischoff says he’s going to create history tonight by single handedly wiping out the X-Division once and for all. He says he’s sick of it so he’s done with it. Bischoff says he’ll start with the Champ, Kazarian, and since it’s not about weight limits, it’s about no limits Kazarian defends the belt against Abyss tonight! Bischoff says it’ll be Amazing Red who he calls “Mildly Moderate Red” will face Samoa Joe! Bischoff says that Generation Me’s dream will come true tonight as they step in the ring with one of their idols, Matt Hardy! Matt Hardy’s partner will be ERIC BISCHOFF himself! He says he’s going to kick some “vanilla bitch ass” tonight. Kendrick says Bischoff is forgetting Kendrick and Bischoff says he forgot Kendrick was even there. Bischoff says he has something for him and slaps Kendrick! He then tells Immortal to attack the X-Division and a big brawl erupts! Ray throws Red around in the ring while Abyss takes out Kendrick and Hardy & Gunner brawl with GenMe. FORTUNE’S music hits!
Fortune runs down and takes it to Immortal. AJ isn’t with Fortune, Tenay says he was injured at Sacrifice. Beer Money, Daniels, and Kaz clean house and Immortal retreats up the ramp. Fortune follows them and continues the brawl on the ramp! Flair starts going nuts as the brawl stops for a second and the brawl starts right back! Daniels is taking it to Abyss on one side as the X-Division guys are getting back in it as well! Fortune and the X-Division clean house and then GenMe hit Double Suicide Dives through the ropes onto Gunner & Hardy on the floor! Red hits a huge Plancha off the top onto Abyss on the floor! The fans are going nuts! Bischoff and Flair look on in disbelief as Fortune and the X-Division continue to take it to Immortal! Fortune and the X-Division get back into the ring and stand tall as Immortal retreats again. Flair says he’s going to call Roode out tonight and they need to talk and he throws his jacket at Roode.
In the back we see a shot of the legs of someone getting out of a limo and it looks like Sting wearing his old Surfer Sting gear.
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6-Knockouts Tag Team Match
Sarita, Rosita, & Madison Rayne vs. Mickie James, Tara, & Ms. Tessmacher
Damn, Sarita is looking mucho caliente tonight! Of course if you missed Sacrifice, Mickie defeated Madison to retain her belt and free Tara from Madison. As the match gets ready to start Hernandez and Anarquia walk out and come to the announce booth. Hernandez has a new name for his new finish that he used for Sacrifice. He told me personally what it is and hopefully in the next couple of weeks he will debut it on Impact Wrestling. I don’t want to say it on here before he does it for the first time on Impact. Tara wants Madison but Madison makes Rosita get in. Mickie gets in there with Rosita and the two start shoving each other. Mickie puts Rosita in a Hammerlock and then transitions into a Side Headlock. Rosita forces Mickie into the heel corner and tags in Madison. Madison & Rosita double team Mickie as Sarita chokes her at the same time. Madison taunts Tara on the apron and then turns around into a Forearm from Mickie! Mickie puts Madison in a Wristlock and then tags in Tara! Madison gets free and RUNS to her corner and tags out to Sarita. Sarita hits a dropkick to the back of Tara and then she charges at Tara, but Tara lifts herself over the charging Sarita and rolls Sarita up! 1…2…NO Sarita kicks out but then eats a clothesline from Tara. Tara grabs Sarita by the hair and tags in Tessmacher. Tara & Tessmacher whip Saita into the ropes and connect with a Double Clothesline. Tessmacher then hits an Elbow Drop for a nearfall. Tessmacher ducks a clothesline and then connects with an armdrag. Tessmacher hits a series of forearms and then hits the ropes, but Rosita grabs her hair. Sarita attacks Tessmacher from behind and throws her into the turnbuckles. The heels triple team her in the corner and then Sarita tags Madison in. Madison taunts Tara again and Tessmacher rolls her up! 1…2…NO Madison kicks out! Tessmacher tries to get a tag but Madison grabs her by the legs. Tessmacher kicks her off and tags in Tara! Tara goes after Madison but Madison tags out to Rosita. Tara hits a clothesline followed by a second one and then she hits the Spiders Web! 1..2…Sarita breaks it up! Mickie and Tessmacher come in and toss Sarita out to the floor. Madison comes in but Tara turns around and sees her. Madison tosses Rosita into the Black Widow (Sitout Powerslam) from Tara! 1…2…3!
Winners: Mickie, Tara, & Tessmacher via pinfall (Black Widow)
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In the back the Surfer Sting is walking again.
We cut to Eric Bischoff who is hyping up Abyss in the back. He tells Abyss to destroy Kaz. He tells Abyss to remember “what would Sun Tzu do” (wrote the famous “Art of War” and was a famous military strategist) which was really weird.
TNA X Division Championship
Kazarian (c) vs. Abyss
Clips of Kaz’s AWESOME match with Max Buck from Sacrifice are shown as Kaz makes his entrance. Abyss charges at Kaz at the bell but Kaz ducks and starts laying into Abyss with right hands. Abyss shoves Kaz away and goes for a clothesline, but Kaz ducks again and nails Abyss with more right hands. Kaz attempts to whip Abyss into the corner but Abyss reverses it and then charges at Kaz with a Corner Splash. Kaz side steps him and then mounts Abyss in the corner and lays in rights. Kaz then hits the ropes and connects with Forearm Smash, and then he slides underneath Abyss’ legs and connects with a dropkick! Kaz then hits the ropes but eats a nasty back elbow from Abyss! The fans are getting on Abyss now. Abyss picks Kaz up and whips him into the corner again and again he goes for the Corner Splash but this time he connects with it. Abyss picks Kaz up and starts squeezing his head as the fans are getting behind Kaz. Kaz breaks the hold and nails Abyss with big right hands. Kaz hits the ropes but Abyss grabs him by the throat and goes for a Chokeslam! Kaz blocks it and counters with an Irish Whip attempt. Abyss blocks it and flings Kaz back into the corner. He charges again but this time Kaz slides between the top and middle ropes to the apron causing Abyss to slam into the turnbuckles. Kaz then hits a Springboard Missile Dropkick off the top! Both men are down now as we get a replay of the move. Kaz gets to his feet and Abyss charges at him but he gets a boot up and then dives off the top with a Diving Hurricanrana! Kaz then hits a Springboard Back Elbow! Kaz follows up with a Springboard Guillotine Leg Drop! 1…2…NO Abyss kicks out! Kaz hits Abyss with a leg kick and then he goes for a German Suplex, but Abyss gets to the ropes and bumps Kaz off. Kaz then charges at Abyss but Abyss backdrops him over the top. Kaz lands on the apron and punches Abyss. Kaz climbs up top and dives off but Abyss catches him in midair by the throat! Abyss goes for another Chokeslam but Kaz counters in midair with a gorgeous Wheelbarrow Rollup! 1…2…NO Abyss kicks out again! Kaz charges at Abyss in the corner but Abyss side steps him and Kaz catches himself on the middle turnbuckle. Abyss hits him in the back and then picks Kaz up for the Shock Treatment! Abyss climbs up to the middle rope and goes for a Big Splash, but Kaz rolls out of the way! Abyss sells the knee and Kaz goes right after it stomping it and punching it. The referee pulls Kaz away so he can check on the knee. Kaz shoves the referee away and charges at Abyss but Abyss nails him with a Big Boot! Abyss’ knee wasn’t hurt, he was faking it as he starts smiling and shaking that leg. Abyss then grabs Kaz and hits the Black Hole Slam! 1…2…3!
Winner & NEW X-Division Champ: Abyss via pinfall (Black Hole Slam)
Taz wonders what this means for the future of the X-Division and Tenay puts over how Abyss outsmarting Kazarian. Taz: “I bet the internet is burning up now.” Abyss looks into the camera and says: “Sun Tzu says, the art of war is subduing your enemy WITHOUT fighting” while point to his head. Wow, that Sun Tzu line actually made sense. By the way, Abyss is the 2nd ever Grand Slam Champion in TNA (winning the TNA World Title, TNA Tag Team Titles, TNA Legends/Global/TV Title, and TNA X-Division Title). The only other Grand Slam Champ: AJ Styles.
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In the back Gunner is looking for Eric Young for stealing his title last week.
“Samoan Submission Machine” Samoa Joe vs. Amazing Red
A video highlighting Joe’s incredible unbeaten streak from back in the day is shown as Joe makes his entrance. As the bell rings Red charges at Joe but Joe catches him in midair with a Standing Rock Bottom! Joe then starts beating on Red in the corner with jabs and then he swings a right hand, but Red blocks it and hits a series of rights of his own. Red hits the ropes and goes for a Spinning Head Scissors Takeover but Joe shoves him off. Red then goes for the Spinning Enziguri, but Joe ducks and slams Red into the corner. Joe then hits a Leaping Enziguri as Tenay says that Kazarian is being checked out in the back for a potential back injury. Joe lifts Red up onto the top rope and connects with the Muscle Buster! Joe covers Red and that’s it.
Winner: Joe via pinfall (Muscle Buster)
After the match Joe continues to stomp on Red and beat him in the corner. Crimson runs down to save his brother and he attacks Joe. Joe and Crimson brawl into the corner and Joe goes for a clothesline but Crimson catches him with a T-Bone Suplex! Joe rolls out of the rig and kicks the guardrail in frustration. Joe retreats while Crimson checks on his brother, Red.
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AJ Styles is out at the ring in a neckbrace as we come back from break. AJ Styles calls Tommy Dreamer out to the ring and Dreamer doesn’t make him wait long. Tenay says on commentary that James Storm suffered a concussion during the brawl earlier tonight so that makes Storm, AJ, and Kazarian all injured. AJ says his doctor told him that he’ll have to be in the neckbrace for the next few weeks because he has strained ligaments in his neck because Dreamer Piledrove him through a table at Sacrifice. AJ says maybe that’s his fault because he came back too longer and maybe he’s just a stupid redneck who doesn’t like sitting on the sidelines watching the game being played. AJ says he’s a pro wrestler and that’s what he does. AJ says he and Dreamer killed themselves at Sacrifice and he got a glimpse of the bigger picture and it involves Bully Ray, Immortal, and Hulk Hogan. AJ says if Dreamer wasn’t at their every call then Dreamer’s contract would cease to exist so he doesn’t hold Dreamer responsible. He says if he was in Dreamer’s position he would have done the same thing. Dreamer asks AJ if he’s trying to say that he couldn’t beat AJ if AJ didn’t have a hurt neck already. Dreamer asks AJ if he’s trying to say that he can walk a mile in Dreamer’s shoes and know everything that he’s done for this business. Dreamer then asks AJ if he’s trying to say that he’s BETTER than Dreamer. Dreamer said he helped build a company and he didn’t have his hand held through it either. Dreamer says that he’s wrestled hurt and didn’t get paid to do it. Dreamer says wrestling matters so much to him. Dreamer says that when he Piledrove AJ the first time he was forced to do it, but now he does what he does because he wants to do it. He then decks AJ with the microphone! Dreamer screams at AJ and says the fans will turn on you in a heartbeat and says it doesn’t matter what you do for them, they want more. He says AJ is a piece of crap just like each and every one of the fans. Dreamer continues to beat on AJ and he starts screaming “I SOLD OUT! I SOLD OUT!” and he says how quickly the fans forget what he’s done for them. Dreamer beats on AJ and screams at him to “fight for these people” the whole time. AJ spears Dreamer and starts beating on him! Dreamer grabs AJ by the neck and flings him off, AJ sells the neck. Dreamer continues to punch away at AJ until Daniels runs out and shoves Dreamer off. Daniels yells at Dreamer and asks what happened to him. Dreamer starts to leave but then comes after Daniels but Daniels beats him to the punch! Daniels beats on Dreamer in the corner but then Bully Ray runs out with a chain and decks AJ in the back of the neck with it! Dreamer low blows Daniels and Ray hits him with a Big Boot! Ray and Dreamer taunt the fans and then Dreamer picks AJ up and hits him with another Piledriver the whole time screaming “I SOLD OUT, RIGHT?!”
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Back from commercials they show video of fans telling why wrestling matters to them. Think, the “wrestling matters” videos they showed with the wrestlers during the week but with a fan.
In the back Sting says his focus on Hogan and Bischoff and taking away in power they have left.
We see a clip of Sufer Sting’s back and Tenay asks how Sting can be in two places at one time.
Kurt Angle’s music hits and Angle, fresh off he and Chyna’s win over Jarrett and Karen last Sunday. Kurt says “ding dong the bitch is dead” and after months and months the big, fat throbbing pain in his ass is gone. He says he has to give Chyna the credit that is due to her. Angle says Chyna came out of retirement to do a special favor for him. Angle says Chyna planted “that bitches face” right into the mat and then commenced to breaking her ankle. He thanked Chyna and said he’s indebted to her forever. He says after six long months he finally gets what he wants, Jeff vs. Kurt one-on-one with no distractions or interferences at Slammiversary. Angle says he talked to Mick Foley and he says there will be a special stipulation to that match and the winner of the match will become #1 Contender to the World Heavyweight Title. Kurt says someone’s ass is going to be tapping that night, oh it’s REAL!
Jarrett’s music hits and he comes down to the ring. Jeff tells Kurt to ask Mick Foley what he deserves to have one final match with Jeff. Jeff says Kurt can come out and cry all he wants but the fact of the matter is everytime he faced Kurt he defeated him. Jeff says Kurt can put all the heat he wants on Karen but he knows that’s total “bullsh*t.” Jeff says it was Kurt who let himself be distracted as a “you tapped out” chant starts. Jeff says he stayed focus and kept his eye on the ball and never let any distractions get to him because he was better than Kurt. He gets in Angle’s face and says he IS better than him. Jeff says he can’t understand how an Olympic Hero can come out and make excuses for himself. Jeff says if Kurt wants to go one final time then he’s up for it and he says if Kurt really believes he’s better than Jeff then he’ll have no problem at all to putting his Olympic Medals on the line! He says he’s taken everything that has ever mattered to Kurt and that’s the gold medal. Jeff offers a handshake in agreement to the stipulation and Kurt accepts it! Kurt pulls Jeff to him and stares him down.
Jeff’s music plays again and Karen comes from under the stage in Kurt’s entrance, she’s in a wheelchair and she laughs at Kurt. She has ankle wrapped. Karen says Jeff won’t be alone at Slammiversary, she’ll be by his side. Velvet comes from behind Karen and Jeff tries to tell her. Velvet snatches the microphone from Karen and calls her a gremlin and asks her if she wants to go for a ride. Velvet shoves the wheel chair down the entrance ramp and slams her into Jeff! Velvet and Kurt laugh at her and mock her.
In the back Generation Me mention their tension between each other. Max says for the better of the X-Division they are going to put their differences to the side. He says they’ll figure out there problems later and tonight Eric Bischoff will find out that blood is thicker than water.
We cut to Bischoff of the phone with Hogan. Bischoff laughs and it sounds like the meeting went well. Bischoff tells Hogan about his match tonight.
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Back from commercials Jeff is on the phone with someone while Karen bitches at him. The person tells Jeff it’s a “done deal.” He says he was talking to Eric Bischoff and he says Velvet won’t put her nose into their business again because tonight she’ll face Angelina & Winter in a Handicap Match and this time Mick Foley won’t have anything to say about it.
Generation Me vs. “Cold Blooded” Matt Hardy & Eric Bischoff
I believe this is Bischoff’s first time actually getting in the ring in TNA. He’s wearing his old Karate gi he wore when he would wrestle in WCW. I think this is the first time he’s been in the ring since Stone Cold beat him all over the place several years ago in WWE. Jeremy and Hardy will start the match off. Hardy kicks Jeremy and locks him in a Hammerlock. Hardy hits him in the back of the head and then taunts him. Jeremy kicks Hardy and locks him in a Headlock and then transitions into a wristlock. Jeremy twists on his arm but Hardy reverses it into a side headlock. Jeremy shoves Hardy into the ropes but eats a shoulder block. Hardy then hits the ropes and connects with a second shoulder block. Matt hits the ropes again but this time Jeremy hits a dropkick and tags in max. Max climbs up top and hits an Axe Handle Drop off the top as Jeremy stretches out Hardy’s arm. Max then holds Hardy’s arm out as Jeremy climbs up top and hits a Diving Double Foot Stomp on the arm! Jeremy tags back in and continues to work on the arm of Hardy. Jeremy goes for a clothesline but Matt counters with the Side Effect! 1…2…NO Jeremy kicks out! Matt hits a second Side Effect and then locks in a Cravate. He twists the head of Jeremy Buck but Jeremy punches and elbows Matt in the stomach. Jeremy locks in a side headlock and Matt shoves him into the ropes where Max blind tags into the match. Matt shoves Jeremy into the opposite ropes and goes for a clothesline but Jeremy held onto the ropes. Matt then walks into a Back Kick from Jeremy. He then stumbles back as Max hits a Backflip into a Headscissor. He holds Matt in place there as Jeremy dropkicks Matt! Max beats on Matt and then tags Jeremy back in. GenMe whips Matt into the corner and then they take a page out of the Hardy playbook as Jeremy dives off the back of Max with a little Poetry In Motion! Jeremy then Spears Matt! Jeremy beats on Matt and Bischoff kicks him. Max tags back in and trades rights and forearms with Matt. Matt slams Max into the corner and then lights him with a big right hand. Matt picks Max up and hits a Vertical Suplex. 1…2…NO Max kicks out! Matt picks Max up but Max catches him with a Jawbreaker! Max then kicks Matt and goes for something but Matt counters it with a Sleeper Slam. Matt reaches for a tag but Bischoff tells Matt to stay in. Jeremy tags in and climbs in and hits a big Frog Splash off the top to the back of Matt Hardy as he crawled for a tag! 1…2…NO Matt kicks out! Jeremy drags Matt towards the corner and goes for the 450-Splash, but Matt gets his knees up! Jeremy rolls over and tags in Max. Max grabs Matt but Matt hits him in the gut and locks in the Ice Pick! He chokes Max out and then tags in Bischoff. Matt holds Max while Bischoff hits a Spinning Roundhouse. Bischoff hits him with another kick and then covers Max for the pin.
Winners: Matt Hardy & Eric Bischoff via pinfall
Good job, burying Generation Me until non existence there guys. Wrestling sure does matter I see.
In the back Winter tells Angelina that after tonight Velvet will never bother them again like “before.” Winter kisses Angelina on the lips and then tells her it’s time to go.
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Another fan tells us why wrestling matters to him. He pretty much cut a short promo.
Main Event
Handicap Match
Angelina Love & Winter vs. Velvet Sky
Velvet will start the match off against Winter. Winter kicks Velvet and then holds Velvet as she tags in Angelina. Angelina grabs Velvet by the throat and then goes for a clothesline but Velvet ducks and knocks Winter off the apron. Velvet then clotheslines Angelina but it doesn’t faze her. Winter then hits Velvet from behind. Angelina tosses Velvet into the corner and tags Winter back in. Winter grabs Velvet but Velvet hits a back elbow followed by a Snapmare Takeover and a kick to the back. Velvet hits a Sliding Dropkick to the face for a nearfall. Velvet locks in a Front Chancery but Winter runs her into the corner and tags Angelina back in. They double team Velvet and whip her into the ropes and go for a Double Clothesline, but Velvet ducks and hits a Double Clothesline on them! Velvet covers Angelina for a nearfall. Velvet then locks in a headlock on Angelina as Tenay says that Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett will wrestle next week with Kurt being able to pick Jeff’s opponent and Jeff being able to pick Kurt’s opponent. Jeff has already selected RVD to face Kurt next week! Angelina fights off Vevlet and then shoves her into a kick from Winter. Winter snaps Velvet’s head off the ropes and Angelina hits a clothesline. Angelina punches away at Velvet on the mat and then tosses her into the corner. Winter tags back in and puts the boots to Velvet as Angelina chokes her. Angelina tags back in and puts the boots to Winter and then hits a forearm smash and tags Winter right back in. Winter hits a series of Shoulder Blocks on Velvet in the corner and then she taunts Velvet. Winter then hits her Swinging Backbreaker and tags Angelina back in. She tells Angelina to take Velvet out. Angelina goes to pick Velvet up but Velvet rolls her up with a Small Package! 1…2…3!
Winner: Velvet Sky via pinfall (Small Package)
As Velvet celebrates on the outside ODB attacks her out of nowhere! ODB beats the snot out of Velvet and chokes her out. ODB asks if Velvet is happy to see her and calls her a whore. ODB tells Earl Hebner to kiss her ass and she leaves Velvet laying and says “I AM BACK!”
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On the graphic for the showdown with Flair and Roode, they actually have Roode listed as “Bobby Roode” so I guess he’s back to using that name for some reason.
In the back Ms. Tessmacher is complaining about the photo shoot she is having to do but it’s Eric Young that’s trying to get her to do the photo shoot. He pulls his pants off and starts stretching and then Gunner walks up. He tells Tessmacher to get out and Young tells Gunner that he beat Gunner fair and square. Gunner lays Young out and starts screaming at him that this aint no joke and he leaves with EY’s belt.
Ric Flair’s music hits and “Naitch” makes his way down to the ring. He tells Roode to get out there and Roode doesn’t make him wait long. Roode comes down to the ring by himself. They show footage of Roode hurting Flair’s shoulder at Lockdown as Roode walks down. Flair asks Roode if he’s ever been so pissed off about himself that he can’t sleep at night. Flair says he is now and he can’t live with himself since he tapped out to Roode in Cincinnati. Flair asks Roode what makes him think he can jump on GOD like that and live in this business. Roode says when Flair came to TNA he was one of the guys Flair came to first and put him under his wing. Roode says he learned a lot from Flair. Roode says Lockdown was a war, not a wrestling match and one of the things Flair taught him was to take an opportunity and Roode took it at Lockdown. Roode says if the shoe was on the other foot Flair would have done the same thing, but Flair says that’s not true because if the shoe was on the other foot then he would have taken Roode out for good. He says that’s the difference between he and Roode. Flair says mentoring and helping Roode become a man are two different things. Flair says he was teaching Roode how to be a WRESTLER and he says you wrestle hard, play hard, wrestler harder, player harder. Roode says what happened at Lockdown was business and he respects Flair, but he better never question whether he is a man. Roode says he was a man long before Flair and he will always be a man. Roode says Flair has had his time and it’s Roode’s time now.
Flair says they’ve been telling him that his time is over for 20 years and he says he’s not saying Roode did anything wrong at Lockdown. Flair says he has a saying and that’s “to be the man, you have to beat the man” and Roode did that but he also has another saying, “being the man and staying the man are two different things.” Flair tells Roode to jump on him again but Roode says it’s over. He tries to walk away but Flair grabs him and slaps him! Roode gets in Flair’s face and Flair says nothing is over until he says it’s over and you don’t walk away from God! Flair grabs Flair by the throat and Roode grabs the arm and locks in the Fujiwara Armbar! Roode screams while he twists on the arm! Immortal runs out and jumps on Roode as Tenay says that the rest of Fortune was taken out earlier in the night!
Ray hits Roode with the chain repeatedly and then Elbow Drops him and tells Abyss to go get two chairs. Gunner and Hardy hold Roode while Ray continues to hit him with the chain. Gunner holds the chair on Roode’s arm and Hardy slams his chair into the other chair! Roode sells the arm like he was just shot. Immortal talks trash to Roode as their music plays.
In the back Sting is walking through the backstage area but then we cut to the Surfer Sting’s back again.
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Sting’s music hits and the World Champ makes his way down to the ring. Sting says he wants to take a minute and acknowledge a great wrestler who took him to the limit Sunday, Rob Van Dam. Sting says he’ll be the first to admit it that he got by the skin of his teeth at Sacrifice and he still hasn’t lost his focus of taking the power away from Hogan and Bischoff. Sting says being the World Champion makes yourself a target because it wasn’t 60 seconds after he beat RVD, Anderson was in his face. Sting’s music hits again! Sting looks confused as the lights go out.
When the lights come back on Surfer Sting is standing behind him! It’s Mr. Anderson dressed as the old Sting! He hits Sting with the bat and then connects with the Scorpion Death Drop. Damn, Anderson even is wearing the old flattop hairdo Sting had and has the fingers taped. Anderson mocks Sting as the show comes to a close.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Wrestling matters and it matters so much that Abyss is going to win the X-Division Title, Eric Bischoff is going to pin the guy who was the last #1 Contender to that belt, we’re going to have 100 promos/vignettes, Eric Young in his underwear, have the “Main Event” be a damn Handicap Match, and close out the show with 2 different in-ring promos. Yeah, TNA, wrestling matters, I can tell.
What changed? Look, I know it’s NEVER going to be 2 hours of straight wrestling matches, there HAS to be promos/vignettes/videos to setup/further feuds, but damn you CANNOT say it’s going to be all about wrestling from here on out and then just do the same old shit. With that said did I hate EVERYTHING? No, I know it sounds like I’m completely crapping on everything, but I’m not. It’s just frustrating.
First, the opening segment was actually a really hot one that made the X-Division guys look good with them hitting dives and everything and Fortune having their backs. But how do you follow that up? Amazing Red is completely demolished in like 20 seconds by Samoa Joe, Generation Me get pinned by Eric Bischoff, and Kaz drops his belt to Abyss. I know that if the payoff is the X-Division getting revenge on the heels and everyting then the babyfaces have to get laid out and that has to be built towards but there has GOT to be another way to go about then having Red destroyed and GenMe beat CLEAN by Eric Bischoff. There HAS to be. With ALL THAT said, the X-Division actually has a storyline for one. Now, that CAN continue to just have TNA take a dump on the division OR the X-Division comes back and leads towards Destination X being an all X-Division PPV in 2 months. We just have to see I guess. By the way what the hell happened to Sangriento? Did they just abandon that completely after two weeks?
Now, Kaz-Abyss was actually a really good big man-small guy match with Kaz looking really strong and the Sun Tzu stuff actually tying into the match. I just don’t know what this accomplishes and where it goes from here. Does Kaz move onto the heavyweight division or does he get his revenge on Abyss and take the belt back?
The Knockouts 6-person tag was decent but Mexican America being on commentary was really distracting the whole time. Madison being the chicken shit heel and refusing to actually fight Tara was great and that’s definitely the feud we’re heading toward. The question is who will Mickie face.
Dreamer’s heel turn was actually great and thank god this crying on every promo about how much he loves wrestling character is dead. He’s actually interesting for the first time he’s been in TNA. Daniels/AJ vs. Dreamer/Ray is next week and I’m looking forward to how they play out the AJ/neck thing.
The Never-Ending Story…I mean Jarrett vs. Angle looks like it will FINALLY come to an end at Slammiversary but I just don’t think the gold medal stipulation was needed at all especially since it may overshadow the fact that the winner gets a shot at the belt. I’m all for one last match especially if its one LAST match.
Speaking of feuds that just won’t die, we have the return of the Beautiful People angle. My god this was your DAMN MAIN EVENT?! ON THE SHOW YOU ARE SCREAMING “WRESTLING MATTERS”?! Who had that brain fart of a decision? Jesus, will they just end this stupid angle PLEASE?!
Roode-Flair was pretty solid mic work from both guys and Roode’s intensity when he put Flair in the Armbar was great. I just wonder how they’re going to go with this whole thing. Storm was not out there because they sold it like he suffered a concussion in the brawl that started the show and of course AJ and Daniels were taken out by Ray & Dreamer. I just wonder if they’re going to use this “injury” thing with Storm as a test run for a Roode singles run. Have Roode put on a big singles match at Slammiversary to establish that he’s a solid singles wrestler and then finish off the Beer Money run for ever how long they continue it. I think that’s a smart move if that’s how they go with it because Roode definitely has future singles star written all over him and Beer Money still has some mileage left.
The one real change (other than the physical changes) was they actually announced some matches and other things for next week which TNA just seemed to refuse to ever do before for some reason.
– Promo/Segment of the Night: Opening brawl
– Match of the Night: Abyss vs. Kaz (**1/2)
– Overall Grade: D
Scheduled for Next Week:
– Tommy Dreamer & Bully Ray vs. AJ Styles & Daniels
– Kurt Angle vs. RVD
– Jeff Jarrett vs. TBA (an opponent of Angle’s choosing)
– Mick Foley & Hulk Hogan will be back
Slammiversary IX Lineup:
– TNA World Title: Sting (c) vs. Mr. Anderson
– TNA World Title #1 Contenders Match: Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Jarrett (if Jarrett wins, he gets Angle’s gold medals)