TNA Impact Wrestling
Orlando, Florida (Impact Wrestling Zone)
May 31, 2012
Commentators: Mike Tenay & Taz
Report by: Josh Boutwell of Wrestleview.com
TNA’s “Live Summer Bash” kicks off tonight as Impact Wrestling is LIVE for the first time since early 2010. Impact Wrestling opens up with highlights from last week where lumberjacks are surrounding the ring. We are starting off with the big Lumberjack Match right NOW!
Non-Title Lumberjack Match
“The IT Factor” Bobby Roode vs. “The Insane Icon” Sting
Sting jumps Roode at the bell and whips him into the corner hard and then does the same a second time flipping Roode up into the air and onto his neck almost. Sting puts the boot to Roode and then rakes his eyes. Roode fights back with a poke to the eyes of his own and then LAYS into Sting with chops but Sting just shrugs them off and gets in Roode’s face. Roode swings but Sting blocks it and nails Roode with a Hip Toss followed by a clothesline. Sting immediately goes for the Scorpion Death Lock but Roode quickly gets to the ropes. He almost rolls out to the floor but stops when he sees the wrestlers surrounding him. Sting grabs Roode by the head and lays him out on top of the turnbuckles and then kicks Roode off the ropes to the floor! The lumberjacks grab Roode and toss him back onto the apron only for Sting to kick him out again! The lumberjacks toss Roode right back in and Sting catches him with an Atomic Drop followed by a series of strikes sending Roode into the corner. Sting goes for the Stinger Splash but Roode moves and then tosses Sting to the floor! Sting tries to get back in but the heel lumberjacks stop him and start beating on him! Roode goes to grab Sting but he hits Roode with a shoulder block through the ropes. Sting whips Roode into the ropes and then catches him with a big backdrop. Roode rolls out to the floor and the babyfaces jump him! They toss Roode back in and he begs off only to then grab Sting by the tights and toss him to the floor! The heels jump him again and the babyfaces try to stop it and eventually Chris Sabin is able to grab Sting and toss him back into the ring. Roode covers Sting and gets a nearfall. Roode kicks Roode in the midsection repeatedly and gets another nearfall before hitting an Elbow Drop. Roode slams Sting into the corner and slams his shoulder into Sting repeatedly. Roode hits a big right hand and follows up with a Knee Drop for another nearfall. Roode locks in a Waistlock on Stinger on the mat but Sting fights it off and breaks the hold before nailing Roode with a back elbow. Sting whips Roode into the corner and charges but eats a boot from the champ. Roode mocks the fans and puts the boots to the Icon. Roode tosses Sting back out to the floor and the heels attack again. Sting fights back against the heels as we go to a break!
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Back from the break Roode is stomping on Sting in the corner and then he lifts Sting up and connects with a Vertical Suplex for yet another nearfall. Roode tosses Sting back out to the floor and the heels strike again before tossing him back into the ring. Roode toss Sting into the corner and then lights it up with chops and rib shots. Sting gets fired up and blocks a shot from Roode before hitting a series of strikes of his own. Sting whips Roode into the corner and hits the Stinger Splash! Sting then whips Roode into the ropes but Roode puts on the breaks and rolls out to the floor where the heels protect him from the babyfaces only for Sting to dive over the top with a plancha onto the heels and Roode! Bodies are scattered everywhere! Sting tosses Roode back into the ring and immediately goes for the Scorpion Death Lock but Roode reverses it into the Crossface! The fans are really hot now, trying to get Sting to get to the ropes and he does! Roode releases the hold and then goes back to stomping on the legend. Roode goes for the Payoff but Sting blocks it and counters into the Scorpion Death Drop! Sting locks in the Scorpion Death Lock! Roode taps!
Winner: Sting via submission (Scorpion Death Lock)
Hogan’s music hits and the TNA GM makes his way onto the stage. Hogan says Sting is TNA’s number one man and he says we just got a little piece right there. He says the Main Event at Slammiversary will be Bobby Roode vs. Sting for the strap! Roode freaks out as Sting is loving it.
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In the back Madison Rayne talks to herself in the mirror about Brooke Hogan coming to TNA and she asks the camera guy if she looks okay because “he” might be watching.
In the ring Bully Ray lets us know who he is for the 100th time, Calfzilla of course. Ray says he’s looking for one person tonight, Joseph Park and we see him in the crowd eating popcorn with the fans. He says that he’s surprised Park has the balls to show up again this week and he asks him if he forget how he beat the hell out of him last week. They show a clip of Ray beating Park down last week and he says he wants to fight Park right now. Park refuses to get in the ring and Ray taunts him and calls him a coward. Ray says Park is a coward, his mother is a coward, his father (Jim Mitchell?) is a coward, and most of all his brother (Abyss) is a coward. Park gets pissed and tries to get in the ring but security holds him back. Ray screams at security to leave him alone and then tells Park to get his ass in the ring. Park starts to get in the ring as a “fight” chant breaks out. Ray tells Park to fight him right now but Park says he’s not a fighter, he’s not his brother. Ray says if Park doesn’t want to fight him that’s fine then maybe he can change his mind. Ray says he would like to change his plea to a guilty plea (from last week) because he left Abyss for dead months ago. Ray asks Park what he’s going to do now and he grabs Ray by the throat! Park threatens to hit Ray but Ray says if he hits him then he’ll sue him! Park backs off and says he won’t stoop to Ray’s level because he has class. Ray laughs and says he’s a coward just like his brother and then walks away.
Park tells Ray to wait a minute and if he wants to fight then they can do it right now! He takes his jacket off and Ray asks if he really wants to fight him, but says they’ll do it at Slammiversary instead to a chorus of boos.
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A video for the undefeated Crimson runs and then we cut to him backstage. He says it’s clear he can’t be beaten.
TNA X-Division Championship
“A-Double” Austin Aries (c) vs. Chris Sabin
Chris Sabin wearing new gear tonight, regular wrestling trunks (like he wore when he was a singles wrestler) and then we see Aries talking to D-Lo Brown backstage before coming out. Sabin and Aries lockup and Aries gets Sabin in a headlock but Aries counters into a wristlock. Aries drops down to his back and then nips back to his feet and reverses the hold into a wristlock of his own. Sabin counters into an armdrag and then goes for a Spinning Back Kick but Aries blocks it and then locks in a headlock. Sabin shoves Aries into the ropes and then leapfrogs him as Sabin slides through his legs. Aries hits the ropes but eats a Japanese Armdrag from the champ. Aries holds onto the armbar but Sabin counters with a headscissors. Aries counters out with a headstand into a dropkick, but Sabin avoids the dropkick and shakes a finger at Aries. Aries retreats to the corner and Sabin catches him with a Flying Forearm and then he attempts to whip Aries into the opposite corner but Areis reverses it. Aries charges at Sabin but Sabin floats up into a headscissors on Aries, but Aries tosses him off over the top rope. Sabin lands on the apron and hits Aries with a shoulder block through the ropes and then a Slingshot Sunset Flip only to have Aries roll through it into a sliding dropkick! 1…2…NO Sabin kicks out! Aries goes to the apron and hits a Slingshot Somersault Senton followed by an Elbow Drop for a nearfall. Aries goes for the Brainbuster but Sabin blocks it and goes for a German Suplex but Aries gets to the ropes and shoves Sabin off. Sabin then hits a Front Kick and Aries attempts to answer with a right hand but Sabin blocks it with another front kick and then he rolls Aries up with a Crucifix and then right into a La Magistral Cradle! 1…2…NO Aries kicks out! Sabin catches Aries with a Spinning Back Kick and then charges at him but Aries backdrops him over the top. Sabin lands on the apron and Aries immediately rolls backward into a kick to the gut knocking Sabin off the apron! That looked so damn fluid. Aries follows up with the Heat Seeking Missile through the ropes onto Sabin on the floor! Aries tosses Sabin back into the ring and climbs up top but Sabin crotches him on the turnbuckles and then hangs Aries up in the tree of woe! Sabin goes for the Hesitation Dropkick but Aries pulls himself up to the top to avoid it! Aries then dives off the top with a Missile Dropkick sending Sabin into the corner! Aries goes for the IED but Sabin avoids it and then hits a sliding dropkick that sends Aries to the floor! Sabin then follows him out with a Springboard Plancha from inside the ring, over the top, and onto Aries on the floor! Sabin puts Aries up on the apron and then climbs in the ring and hangs Aries up in the ropes with a Hanging Roll of the Dice! 1…2…NO Aries kicks out! Sabin goes for the Cradle Shock but Aries blocks it and goes for the Brainbuster! Sabin blocks THAT and then goes for the Tornado DDT but Aries also blocks that one. Sabin then transitions into the Cradle Shock again but Aries reverses into a rollup! 1….2…3! Aries retains!
Winner & STILL X-Division Champ: Aries via pinfall (rollup)
Earlier today Taz spoke with Hulk Hogan and it looks like Taz is replacing Ric Flair in the Gut Check Challenge. Taz says you’re going to get the REAL Taz in this, not the commentator and some people don’t like the real Taz.
The Gut Check Challenge which was taped yesterday is shown and Bruce Prichard & Al Snow welcome Taz to the team. They watch tape of the match and then talk about his look. Snow says it looks like Al Snow and Austin Aries had a love child and out came Ryan. Taz likes it and Prichard calls him a 1970s porn star reject. He says he’s trying to be something that he’s not but Al Snow disagrees. Prichard mentions that many fans thought that Ryan was better than Silva and Taz says what pissed him off about Ryan is that when Aries came to the ring he didn’t look like he was going to be in the fight of his life and that bothered Taz. Prichard says he thought Joey did a good job but he didn’t blow him away and Joey Ryan has one more chance to convince them and sway them his way. Snow suggests that maybe that’s where they’ll see his passion.
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JB is in the back with the four possible contenders for the TV Title: RVD, Robbie E, Mr. Anderson, & Jeff Hardy. The fans will vote for will get the shot.
Dixie Carter makes her way to the ring and she says that’s it’s hard to believe in 10 short days TNA will be celebrating it’s 10th anniversary. She says that she is proud of every man and woman that has stepped foot in a TNA ring and TNA would not be here without the fans (literally). She says Slammiversary will be a very special night and on that night TNA will announce the very first TNA Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee. She says they will be going live all summer long and she says that the Knockouts have a very special place in her heart. She says that she needed someone to help her keep the Knockouts going and to be the best women’s division in the world and that person was under her nose the entire time. Dixie introduces the new Executive in charge of the Knockouts Division: Brooke Hogan to mostly boos.
Dixie welcomes Brooke to TNA and she says she’s looking forward to what Brooke will do for the Knockouts. Brooke thanks Dixie for the opportunity and thanks the fans for welcoming her (I guess maybe the four people that cheered?) and she knows how much the Knockouts mean to her. She says that she grew up in wrestling and she loves it just as much as Dixie does and she knows she has some really big red & yellow boots to fill but this is so close to her heart. She says all the Knockouts are amazing and she will work her butt off and then thanks the Knockouts. Dixie and Brooke hug.
In the back Daniels and Kaz make fun of Dixie not mentioning the AJ Styles thing and Daniels says this is live TV so they can’t stop them tonight. Daniels says that after he beats AJ up tonight then they’ll show everyone what they have.
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Christian Cage’s TNA debut in 2005 is the #5 greatest moment in TNA history, and that was most definitely an awesome memory.
The fans choose Jeff Hardy over Mr. Anderson, RVD, & Robbie E to face Devon for the TV Title with 26% of the vote. I wonder how much Robbie E. got? 0.00000001%?
TNA Television Championship
Devon (c) vs. “The Charismatic Enigma” Jeff Hardy
Devon gets Jeff in a wristlock as they lockup and then transitions into a hammerlock, but Jeff counters into a hammerlock of his own. Devon reverses into a headlock but Jeff shoves him into the ropes only to eat a big shoulder block for a nearfall. Devon quickly gets to his feet but Jeff sweeps his legs and gets a nearfall and then attempts a clothesline, but Devon ducks and rolls Jeff up for a nearfall of his own! They lockup again and Hardy gets Devon in a side headlock but Devon shoves him into the corner. Jeff floats up into a Headscissors Takeover out of the corner on Devon but then eats a clothesline as he gets to his feet from the champ! Devon follows up with a Scoop Slam and then attempts a Diving Headbutt but Jeff moves and then hits a Leaping Mule Kick on Devon. Jeff follows up with a Flying Forearm in the corner and then attempts to whip Devon into the corner, but Devon reverses it and charges at Hardy only to eat a mouthful of Jeff Hardy elbow. Jeff springs to the top and catches Devon with the Whisper In The Wind! Jeff charges at Devon in the corner but Devon moves and Jeff is able to catch himself on the middle rope. Jeff sets up for a dive but Devon punches him in the back and then hits a Hanging Neckbreaker off the ropes! 1…2…NO Hardy kicks out! Devon locks Hardy in a nerve hold and then hits an Elbow Drop for another nearfall. Devon quickly goes back to a headlock on the nutty one. Hardy fights back to his feet and attempts to break the hold with back elbows but Devon cuts him off with a blow to the back. Devon then attempts a Scoop Slam but Hardy blocks it and hits the Twist of Fate out of nowhere! Hardy climbs to the top but Robbie E runs down and shoves Hardy off the top!
Winner & STILL TV Champ: Hardy via DQ (Devon retains)
Robbie E & Robbie T beat Devon & Hardy down but Devon comes back and fights them off and cleans house with Jeff.
A vignette of James Storm back at home is shown. Storm rocking an Alabama hat, damn I want that one too. Storm says that Roode talks about being the It Factor of wrestling and this place is HIS it factor. He says it doesn’t get any better than this. Storm says he doesn’t know if it hurt more losing to Roode or the look on everyone’s face afterward. Storm talks about going to the ACM Awards show and being on top of the world before it came crashing down. He says the one thing he can’t stand is letting people down and he did that at Lockdown. He says he’s made his decision and his daughter asks him if that means he’s going back to wrestling and he smiles before saying they have to cut the camera off.
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Clips of the AJ drama are shown before we go to the Gut Check Challenge.
Gut Check Challenge: Joey Ryan
Bruce Prichard, Al Snow, and Taz are in the ring before they introduce Joey Ryan. Joey Ryan asks the judges if they realize who they’re standing in front of because he’s a big deal. He says right now Joey Ryan is trending worldwide on Twitter (no it’s not) and 80% of the fans on TNA’s website poll said yes to him. Bruce Prichard says Joey Ryan looks like Ron Burgandy and he’s a hell of a talent but after 12 years in the business solidifies his vote for no since he hasn’t made it after all that time. Al Snow says he doesn’t like Joey Ryan nor his attitude but it’s not about whether he likes him, it’s about whether or not he has the potential to be a star. Snow says his vote is yes and then Joey Ryan is given the chance to state his case one last time that he belongs in TNA. Ryan says for Bruce Prichard to ignore 80% of the TNA fanbase makes him question Bruce Prichard’s contract. Ryan says he’s money and you don’t leave money on the table because someone else might come and pick it up. Taz says he’s going to keep it real or BS about this and if that was the promo for him to get himself a job he’s out of his freaking mind. Ryan steps up to Taz and Taz says he can’t get as tough as he wants and then Ryan cuts him off and says he’s a commentator not a “Human Suplex Machine.” Taz says what he’s forgotten about this business Ryan doesn’t even know and the answer is NO! Taz gets in Ryan’s face and Ryan gets pissed and says Ryan is lucky he doesn’t kick his ass. Taz snatches the microphone and says Ryan screwed up and then tells Ryan to come back and prove him wrong because right now it’s no. Ryan says they just made a mistake.
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Footage of Bobby Roode in London, England back on May 25th is shown where he brags to the English fans about being the longest reigning TNA World Champion ever.
Main Event
“Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels vs. “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles
AJ & Daniels lockup and AJ forces Daniels into the corner and breaks clean until Daniels slaps him. Daniels retreats tot eh floor where AJ gives chase and then they both get back in the ring and AJ leapfrogs Daniels and then Daniels cartwheels over AJ. Daniels goes for a chop but AJ sidesteps it and then nails Daniels with a BIG chop. AJ tosses Daniels into the corner and then whips him into the ropes and connects with the Phenomenal Dropkick. AJ grabs AJ and hits him with an elbow to the back of the head before attempting to whip him into the corner. Daniels reverses it and then AJ attempts a float over but Daniels stops and catches AJ with a VICIOUS right hand that causes AJ to collapse (AJ made that look REALLY good by pretty much buckling his legs)! Daniels tosses AJ into the corner and then charges but AJ gets his boots up and slams Daniels into the turnbuckles. AJ goes for it again but Daniels cuts him off and then attempts to Suplex AJ into the ring but AJ blocks it. AJ then attempts to Suplex Daniels out of the ring but Daniels counters onto a Jawbreaker onto the top rope. Daniels hits the ropes and knocks AJ off the apron and onto the guardrail.
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Back from the break Daniels is wearing AJ down on the mat, twisting on his arm. Daniels puts the boots to AJ and then hits a Scoop Slam and follows up with a gorgeous Split Legged Moonsault! 1…2…NO AJ kicks out! Daniels immediately goes back to a modified headlock. AJ gets to the ropes and then Daniels grabs AJ and hits him with knees. AJ tries to fight back with right hands and chops but Daniels keeps cutting him off. Daniels slams AJ into the corner and then follows up with a Back Suplex attempt. AJ lands on his feet and then almost botches a Spinning Heel Kick as his first leg (the one that usually is supposed to connect) misses only for Daniels to walk face first into the second leg. Both men are down now but as they get to their feet Daniels charges at AJ only for AJ to move and Daniels connect with the turnbuckles! AJ then nails Daniels with a big clothesline followed by a back elbow. AJ hits a series of right hands and then he follows up with the Rack Bomb (Torture Rack into a Spinning Powerbomb)! 1…2…NO Daniels kicks out! Daniels runs AJ into the corner and then lifts AJ up onto the top rope and connects with a big uppercut! Daniels goes for the Fall From Grace but AJ blocks it and then drops down to the apron and hits the Springboard Flying Forearm! AJ attempts to whip Daniels into the corner but Daniels reverses it and then charges at AJ only to eat a back elbow from the Phenomenal One! AJ then springboards out of the corner into an attempt at the Phenomenon! Daniels counters into a Snapmare Takeover sending AJ into the corner! Daniels charges at AJ but AJ backdrops Daniels over the top to the apron. Daniels lands on his feet and punches AJ in the head and then reaches out to grab AJ only to get caught with the Pele out of nowhere! Daniels falls into the ring and AJ goes for the Styles Clash but Kazarian runs out! AJ knocks Kaz off the apron but then gets rolled up by Daniels! 1…2…NO AJ kicks out! Daniels goes for a clothesline but AJ ducks and springboards out of the corner with the Phenomenon! 1…2…3!
Winner: AJ via pinfall (Phenomenon)
Kaz jumps AJ after the match and the champs beat down the Phenomenal One. Kurt Angle’s music hits and he runs down to make the save! Angle lays Daniels out and then hits Kazarian with a VICIOUS German Suplex! Angle locks in the Ankle Lock on Kaz! Kaz screams in pain but Daniels low blows Kurt from behind! Kaz and Daniels hit the High/Low on Angle! Kazarian pulls out a ziptie and ties Angle to the ropes! AJ comes back on Daniels but the numbers game gets the better of him as Kaz lays him out with a title belt! Daniels hits Angle with the title belt now! Kaz and Daniels taunt the crowd and then Daniels grabs the mic and says “you’re welcome.” He says they’ve shown us pictures and videos but the fans still don’t believe them. Daniels says they have proof positive of the AJ & Dixie affair straight from their own mouths. A recording of AJ and Dixie talking on the phone about meeting “this weekend.” Dixie tells AJ not to tell “him” that he’s coming into town. Dixie runs out and screams at them to turn this thing off and it’s sounds like she just dropped the F bomb that got cut off as she screams “you are finished!”
FINAL THOUGHTS
The very first live edition of the Live Summer Bash is over and it was an up and down show for me. The live feeling makes things feel so fresh and gives it more of an exciting feeling.
I enjoyed the Sting-Roode match and it was a nice way to kick the mach off leading to the Slammiversary announcement. I obviously don’t like Sting going over, especially in his fist match back but it obviously set things up for the rubber match at Slammiversary. I’m still not sure what this match is going to do for Roode but I do get they want Roode facing a “big” star at the show.
Aries-Sabin was an awesome match and I’d love to see more from those two and with Shelley leaving TNA that might be a possibility.
Hardy/Devon actually put on a decent match before the interference. God, please give Devon someone else to feud with other than Robbie E, PLEASE!
The Gut Check was okay but mainly because of Taz and the way he handled it. I don’t like Joey Ryan but can anyone possibly say Alex Silva is better? Yikes.
Brooke Hogan in TNA is so terrible, I have yet to speak to ANYONE that is looking forward to this. Definitely not me.
Bully Ray was great as usual but I have no idea how the match with Park is going to play out. Maybe more of a fight than anything?
AJ-Daniels was excellent as those two always are. The beat down afterward was great too to get the heat right back on the heels. That Tag Title match should be a show stealer. I really am enjoying this whole storyline and I’m glad it got the Main Event slot.
Overall nice start for the new live timeslot, now they have to keep it going.
Another note, I just checked TNA’s website and Samoa Joe vs. Aries has been signed for Slammiversary, non-title obviously (because of the weight limit). Looks like this is going to be more of Aries facing bigger guys but damn that could be an awesome match.
QUICK RESULTS
1) Non-Title Lumberjack Match: Sting def. Bobby Roode
2) TNA X-Division Title: Austin Aries (c) def. Chris Sabin to retain the title!
3) TNA TV Title: Jeff Hardy def. Devon (c) via DQ (Devon retains)
4) AJ Styles def. Christopher Daniels
– Promo/Segment of the Night: Kaz/Daniels beat down on AJ & Kurt
– Match of the Night: AJ vs. Daniels (***1/2)
– Overall Grade: B
Scheduled for Next Week:
-n/a
Slammiversary X Lineup:
– TNA World Title: Bobby Roode (c) vs. Sting
– TNA Tag Team Titles: Kazarian & Christopher Daniels (c) vs. AJ Styles & Kurt Angle
– Bully Ray vs. Joseph Park
– Samoa Joe vs. Austin Aries
– Robbie E & Robbie T vs. Devon & Garett Bischoff