TNA Impact Wrestling: Championship Thursday
Orlando, Florida (Impact Wrestling Zone)
August 06, 2012
Commentators: Mike Tenay & Taz
Report by: Josh Boutwell of Wrestleview.com
Guess Who’s Back?! I got to say thanks to Jason Namako & Anthony Valvo for taking care of the recap for me the past few weeks while I come back from shoulder surgery, but I’m back and let’s not waste anymore time.
Impact Wrestling opens up with a recap of what’s been going down in TNA lately followed by an excellent promo hyping up the final BFG Series Matches ran. Tonight we find out what 3 contenders join James Storm in the BFG Semifinals at No Surrender. As Impact opens up James Storm, Samoa Joe, RVD, & Bully Ray are sitting atop the leaderboard in the top 4 spots (Ray and RVD are tied at 3 with 55). Tonight Jeff Hardy gets his FINAL shot to earn a spot in the Final Four in a bout with #2 man Samoa Joe tonight while RVD and Ray will battle for likely the final spot in the Final Four. We aren’t wasting any time tonight!
BFG Series Match
“Samoan Submission Machine” Samoa Joe vs. “Charismatic Enigma” Jeff Hardy
Hardy MUST win this match to get any shot at the Final Four and realistically a submission win is probably the only way to assure him a spot in the Final Four. If Joe wins tonight then he will lock up 1st Place and that would mean Joe gets to pick his opponent in the Semifinals. James Storm sits atop the scoreboard right now. The two former World Champions lockup and Hardy gets Joe in a wristlock but Joe quickly reverses it. Hardy gets to the ropes to break the hold and then the two lockup again and this time Hardy gets Joe in a side headlock. Joe shoves Hardy into the ropes and then runs him over with a shoulder block. Hardy rolls out to the floor to catch a breather before coming back and locking up with the Samoan monster. Joe forces Hardy into the corner and then nails Hardy with a series of jabs and strikes! Joe picks Hardy up and tosses him out to the floor and then follows him out. Joe nails Hardy with a knee to the face and then rolls back into the ring to break the 10 count. Joe tries to slam Hardy into the ring steps but Hardy blocks it and tosses Joe into it! Hardy tells the fans to back up and then dives off the ring steps with Poetry In Motion onto Joe sending him into the guardrail!
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
Back from the break Joe regains control of the match with a Running Back Elbow as Hardy bounced off the ropes. A replay of the spot right before the break is shown plus Joe taking Hardy out with a Mafia Kick on the apron during the break. Joe covers Hardy and gets the first nearfall of the match. The fans start dueling chants as Joe headbutts Hardy back down to the mat. Joe shoves Hardy back into the corner and nails him with a series of jabs and then whips him into the opposite corner. Joe hits a Running Back Elbow followed by a Leaping Enziguri! Joe continues to sell the arm that Magnus injured a few weeks ago. Joe covers Hardy and gets another nearfall. Joe beats on Hardy in the corner again and then drags him to the center of the ring and nails him with a Forearm. Hardy seems to wake up as he answers with a series of rights and lefts and then he hits the ropes but Joe catches him with a Snap Powerslam out of nowhere! 1…2…NO Hardy kicks out! Joe sells frustration and then he headbutts Hardy again and whips him into the corner. Hardy explodes out of the corner with a clothesline followed by another one and then a Leaping Mule Kick! Hardy hits an Atomic Drop followed by a Leg Drop to his midsection and then a sliding dropkick! 1…2…NO Joe kicks out! Hardy hits a Jawbreaker on Joe and then climbs up top for the Swanton! Joe quickly gets to his feet and tries to crotch Hardy on the top but Hardy leaps over him and lands on his feet. Joe turns around and Hardy goes for the Twist of Fate, but Joe avoids it and locks in the Coquina Clutch! Hardy is able to use his momentum and send Joe into the turnbuckles and then nail him with a back elbow. Hardy springs to the top and dives off with the Whisper In The Wind! Hardy’s foot caught Joe’s injured arm on the way down, and Hardy hits the Twist of Fate! Joe doesn’t go down but Hardy grabs Joe and hits a Side Headlock Takeover and then traps Joe’s injured arm and squeezes on it! He’s trying to make the Submission Machine tap! He does! Jeff Hardy secures a spot in the Final Four!
Winner: Jeff Hardy via submission (Arm Bar)
A recap of Austin Aries’ beef with A’s & 8’s is shown.
Aries approaches Hogan in the back and asks how many weeks he has to deal with the “bullsh*t” with A’s & 8’s and he wants some answers. Hogan mentions how the guy that attacked Aries last week was a hired stage hand. He says they need to find out who the “big guy” is and the rest of A’s & 8’s if they want answers. He says that they are trying to ruin the whole company. Hogan says he pulled the records of the guy who attacked Aries last week and he’s here tonight for Aries to talk to and find answers. Hogan tells him to break his leg “old school style” if he has to.
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
Back from the break Christy Hemme is with Samoa Joe but before he can say anything Magnus walks up the ramp. Magnus says he knows Joe is upset because he’s coming off a “devastating” submission loss that Magnus says Joe was so close to winning until it was snatched away. Magnus says no one knows about that more than him because that’s what happened in their match a few weeks ago. Magnus says he wants to clear things up and he says he lost his temper after Joe won. He says that when they were a team they were really great but Joe ruined it by making really bad decisions and acted like a self serving ego maniac. Magnus says he’s over it and he’ll be the bigger man and wish Joe all the best. Magnus walks away as Joe stares him down. Joe turns around and Magnus attacks him again and then bails!
In the back Hogan is talking to several tag teams backstage. He says that he needs a team to lead this company in the tag division and thanks Chavo for coming to TNA. The teams there are The Shore (Robbie E & Robbie T), Kid Kash & Gunner, and Hernandez & Chavo. Wow, how thin is TNA’s tag division right now? Robbie E says that The Shore are the two youngest guys in the room and the most athletic. He calls Chavo a “has been” and says Kash & Gunner look like they come from the 80’s. Hogan says Chavo is no “has been” but Robbie says he just wants an opportunity. Kash says Chavo is weak and Chavo mentions that he’s been winning Tag Team Championships since he was 10. Suddenly AJ Styles walks in and says he wants a shot at the belts too. Robbie says that’s the most ridiculous thing he’s ever heard but AJ says if he says anything else he’s going to put his boot across Robbie’s face. Hogan eliminates AJ from consideration because he doesn’t have a partner. Hogan says he has to learn to fight another day.
Brooke Hogan meets with Tara in the Knockouts locker room and applauds her for beating Tessmacher at Open Fight Night. She says she wants to see it again and it will happen at No Surrender. Gail Kim walks in and says Brooke is just pushing away the true talent for eyecandy. Brooke tells Gail that if she wants to wrestle so bad she can face Tara tonight. Tara and Gail get in each other’s face and it looks like the match is set.
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
Mike Tenay reveals that on October 14th “Countdown to Bound for Glory” will air live on SpikeTV before BFG and will feature live backstage interviews and a special live match all to take place right before BFG airs on PPV!
Gail Kim vs. Tara
Knockouts Referee Taryn Terrell is obviously the referee for this one. Gail and Tara lockup and Gail gets Tara in a side headlock takeover, but Tara fights up to her feet and reverses the hold. Gail kicks Tara’s hand away and then hits an Armdrag followed by a dropkick. Gail taunts the crowd but then walks into a big right hand from Tara! Tara hits an armdrag of her own and then whips Gail into the ropes and hits a big backdrop! Gail fights back with a kick to the gut and then a Flying Armbar Slam. Gail whips Tara into the corner and hits a Running Body Splash! Gail drags Tara’s body halfway through the ropes draping her over the middle rope and then slingshots down onto Tara with a Cannonball. Gail rolls Tara back into the ring and covers her for a nearfall. Gail chokes Tara and then nails her with repeated right hands. Gail taunts Tara again which allows Tara time to recover and roll her up! 1…2…NO Gail kicks out and then kicks Tara in the head with a Roundhouse! 1…2…NO Tara kicks out! Gail whips Tara into the corner and charges again but Tara moves and then hits a Powerslam! Tara lights Gail up with several slaps and then clotheslines! Tara picks Gail up and drops her with a Delayed Vertical Suplex and then she floats over into the pin, 1…2…NO Gail kicks out! Gail goes to climb up top but Gail grabbed her leg and slammed her into the ropes throat first. Gail climbs up top but Tara crotches her and then pulls her off the top and drops her with the Widow’s Peak! 1…2…3!
Winner: Tara via pinfall (Widow’s Peak)
All of the Gut Check drama with Joey Ryan is shown.
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
Al Snow is in the ring after the break and says that a jackass has been showing up interrupting Impact for several weeks trying to get his attention so he’s given an invitation to Joey Ryan because he’s got his attention now. Joey Ryan comes through the crowd with a megaphone yelling at Snow. Ryan asks if he can feel the electricity but Snow cuts him off and tells him to shutup. Snow tells him to cut out the pandering and Snow offers him a shot to get on the roster. No judges or deliberation all he has to do is win his match. Ryan says that’s really cute of him to offer but he already proved himself when 87% of the audience thought he should get a spot on the roster. Snow suggests he doesn’t have the guts to do it again but Ryan says what he’s saying is that he’s already proven it and he’s giving Snow the chance to right his wrong and give Ryan his contract. Snow says he isn’t giving Ryan anything, if he wants he has to earn it. Ryan says he has the confidence and the ability as well as the 87%ers behind him so he accepts his challenge. Snow says he has to fight HIM to get it!
Ryan says it’s not the 90’s anymore and nobody wants to see Snow in spandex but Snow says that’s fine because he’ll whoop Ryan’s ass in jeans! Snow slaps the hell out of Ryan and Ryan looks shocked! Joey Ryan bails out of the ring and screams at Snow that he can’t touch him and he’ll sue Snow and Dixie. Ryan leaves through the crowd as Snow looks like he realizes he just screwed up.
In the back Bully Ray approaches Joseph Park and says he’s not there to fight Park because he has bigger things on his mind. He wants to ask Park a question because they have the same concern right now, A’s & 8’s. He wants to know if Park found anything out but Park says Hogan & Sting hired him not Ray, and he’ll get back to Hulk & Sting when he finds something out. Ray tells Park to be careful where he sticks his nose.
TNA security drags the guy that attacked Aries to a room in the back and then Aries walks up and says he’ll be answering some questions for him or he’s going to be having a little fun.
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
In the back Hogan is deliberating with the tag teams again. Hogan says A’s & 8’s has everybody off balance in TNA and they need to get the tag division right again. Chavo says he and Hernandez have already beat Gunner & Kash. Robbie says that he and Robbie T have been a team far longer than the other two but Hernandez says that he and Chavo have more tag team experience than the other two teams combined. Robbie says that may be true but not together they don’t. Kash asks if The Shore have even had a tag match. Hogan eliminates Gunner & Kash and Robbie calls them “tattoos.” Kash says he’ll see Robbie later because he has to go to his car sometime.
BFG Series Match
“Whole F’N Show” Rob Van Dam vs. “Calfzilla” Bully Ray
Both guys need a win here to earn a spot in the Final Four. Ray kicks RVD at the bell and starts beating on him earlier but RVD quickly grabs a headlock. Ray shoves RVD into the ropes and then nails RVD with a shoulder block and puts the boots to Van Dam. RVD shocks Ray with a rollup as he went to kick Van Dam again but Ray kicks out at two. RVD and Ray lockup again and again RVD gets Ray in a side headlock but Ray breaks the hold and shoves RVD into the ropes. Ray goes for a backdrop but RVD backflips over Ray and goes for a Stepover Heel Kick but Ray ducks it! RVD then catches Ray with a Leaping Back Kick! RVD then hits the ropes but Ray catches him with a Hip Toss only for RVD to land on his feet and then nail Ray with a Superkick! 1…2…NO Ray kicks out and rolls out of the ring! RVD hits a sliding dropkick through the ropes to Ray on the floor and then he dives over the top with a gorgeous Somersault Plancha onto Ray on the floor! RVD tosses Ray back in the ring and then climbs up top but Ray crotches him on the top by slamming his own body into the ropes. Ray pulls RVD off the top but RVD’s leg catches awkwardly in the ropes hanging him up so Ray improvises and starts slamming his arm and fist into RVD’s leg! Ray goes to work on RVD’s leg slamming it into the mat and then standing on it. Ray elbow drops RVD’s leg and locks him in a Leg Lock. RVD uses his free leg to counter the hold but Ray squeezes that injured leg forcing RVD to let go. RVD kicks Ray with his free leg and Ray finally breaks the hold. Ray beats on RVD in the corner and then he argues with Hebner who goes psycho on Ray! Ray turns around and charges at RVD but RVD catches him with a Heel Kick and then immediately grabs his leg as he hits the mat. RVD pulls himself up and nails Ray with a series of rights and lefts and then a clothesline and a 2nd one! RVD hits the ropes and then catches Ray with a Stepover Heel Kick! RVD then follows up with Rolling Thunder! 1…2…NO Ray kicks out! RVD shakes his leg and then connects with a Rolling Monkey Flip and then springs out of the corner with a Springboard Moonsault! 1…2…NO Ray kicks out! RVD goes for a Springboard Flying Back Kick but Ray backs away and RVD lands on his feet but as he landed he immediately grabbed the leg as if he injured it again, and then turned around into a Running Front Kick from Ray! 1…2…NO RVD kicks out! Ray climbs up top and dives off with a Splash attempt but RVD rolls out of the way and then sets up for the Split Legged Moonsault, but Ray quickly moves out of the way and RVD sees this so he stops and hits the Springboard Flying Back Kick instead! RVD springs to the top and dives off with the 5-Star Frog Splash but as he dove off Ray catches him with the Bully Cutter in midair! Damn that was nice! 1…2…3!
Winner: Ray via pinfall (Bully Cutter)
Bully Ray moves himself into the Final Four joining Samoa Joe, James Storm, & Jeff Hardy!
In the back Aries is still interrogating the A’s & 8’s guy. Aries holds a piece of paper and says he knows everything about him, calling him Mike from New York. Aries holds up the World Title and says he knows that’s why they’re messing with him. Aries says Mike can just talk to him and tell him what he wants to know or they can do it the hard way and then he starts slapping the hell out of him. Aries says no one is here to save Mike right now. Aries pulls out a pair of pliers and then threatens to rip Mike’s tongue out when Hogan walks in. Aries says the deal they cut was he could do what he wanted to him to make him talk but Hogan says the deal was he would get a little of piece of him too because “two’s a party and three’s a bitch!” and then slaps the hell out of Mike. Hogan talks about A’s & 8’s going after his daughter and says he’s about to get an “eye for an eye” but his phone rings. Hogan answers it and says it’s the “VP” of A’s & 8’s and he wants to talk. Hogan says if they want Mike back they have to send the guy that tried to break Aries’ arm ALONE and Aries gets him at No Surrender one-on-one! Hogan says he has until the end of the hour to make the deal or they can’t guarantee Mike’s safety after that. As Hogan walks away Aries says it looks like Mike is worth something after all.
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
James Storm makes his way down to the ring and it’s time for him to make his pick for his opponent at No Surrender. Storm says this last year has been quite a rollercoaster ride for him because at the beginning of the year he was trying to win the World Championship but the way he lost at Lockdown made him doubt himself. He said all his family and friends all said the same thing to him that something was missing while he was away from TNA and that was him missing the crowd go crazy while he did his thing in the ring. Storm says now he’s done exactly what he said he was going to do and make it to the Semifinals of the BFG Series. Storm says as the competition got bigger he got a little bit better. Storm says that Joe, Ray, and Hardy are standing in the back waiting on his decision, and those 3 guys are standing his way. He asks the 3 to come out onto the stage so he can let them know who he’s going to face at No Surrender. Ray, Joe, and Hardy make their way out onto the stage.
Storm calls Joe one of the toughest guys to ever enter the ring, and then says Hardy’s name and the fans erupt. Hardy says he doesn’t have to tell the fans how good Hardy is and that’s why he chooses Bully Ray! Storm tells Ray to come down to the ring because he has something to say to him man to man and face to face. Ray comes down talking trash the whole way down. A big “Devon’s better” chant started as he got in the ring. Storm says that Ray pointed his finger at Storm saying he was behind A’s & 8’s and he proved him wrong and last year Ray ended his chance for Glory in the BFG Series and this year he ends Ray’s! Storm says he knows exactly who Ray is and this Sunday Ray finds out just who he is! Sorry ’bout yo damn luck!
Joe and Hardy are shown staring each other down on the ramp as Storm and Ray face off.
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
Backstage Christy Hemme is with RVD when Magnus walks up and he mockingly says she needs to give RVD some compassion because he just lost a spot in the Final Four. He says she knows how he feels, devastated. Magnus says the old RVD wouldn’t fall at the final hurdle and then says he grew up watching RVD and now maybe RVD can’t reach that level. Magnus says maybe RVD just isn’t the man he once was and then RVD punches him in the face! RVD and Magnus brawl until agents and security pull them apart.
The Tag Champs make their way down to the ring to find out who they face in the Main Event. In the back Hogan stands with the contenders and says after thinking about it it’s time for Hernandez & Chavo to prove themselves!
Main Event
TNA World Tag Team Championships
Kazarian & “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels vs. Tex-Mex (Chavo Guerrero Jr. & Hernandez)
As Hernandez & Chavo hit the ring the champs attack them and the match is on! Tex-Mex clears the house as the champs bail! Chavo goes after Kaz on the floor and Hernandez goes after Daniels! Hernandez tosses Daniels back into the ring and nails him with a Scoop Slam and then tags Chavo back in and he hits the Slingshot Somersault Senton on Daniels followed by a European Uppercut. Chavo tags Mex back in and whips Daniels into the ropes. Chavo drops down and when Daniels leaped over him Hernandez caught Daniels in the Bear Hug! Hernandez then tosses Daniels across the ring with a Release Overhead Belly-to-Belly Suplex! Hernandez hits Daniels with a Snapmare Takeover and then tags Chavo back in who nails Daniels with a sliding dropkick. 1…2…NO Daniels kicks out and then Chavo tosses Daniels into the babyface corner. Mex tags back in and nails Daniels with a shot to the ribs as Chavo held him and then lights Daniels up with a chop. Hernandez twists on Daniels head before tagging Chavo back in. Hernadnez hits a Scoop Slam and then he Scoop Slams Chavo on top of Daniels! 1…2…NO Daniels kicks out! Daniels nails Chavo with a knee to the gut to catch a breather and then tags Kaz in finally. Kaz charges at Chavo but Chavo catches him with a Hip Toss! Chavo Scoop Slams Kaz and then tags Hernandez back in and Mex Elbow Drops Kaz as Chavo held him. Hernandez slams Kaz into the corner and tags Chavo right back in. Tex-Mex whips Kaz into the ropes and then nails him with a Double Back Elbow. Kaz with a knee to the gut just like his partner did and then tags Daniels back in. Daniels hits Chavo with a Forearm Smash and whips Chavo into the ropes only for Chavo to answer with a sloppy Spinning Headscissors Takeover. Chavo follows up with a Dropkick and then one for Kaz. Mex tags back in and whips Daniels into the corner and as Daniels attempted to float over Hernandez caught him! Daniels is able to fight Hernandez off and then kick him in the gut. Daniels tags Kaz back in and Kaz walks into a boot from Hernandez and then Hernandez hits a Backbreaker over his shoulder! Hernandez picks Kaz up and holds him up in the Delayed Vertical Suplex and while he held Kaz up in the air Chavo nailed Daniels with the Three Amigos! I kid you not, the ENTIRE time Chavo hit the Three Amigos on Daniels, Hernandez had Kaz up in the air! Both champs roll out to the floor as the challengers stand tall!
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
Back from the break Chavo beats on Daniels in the corner and then attempts to whip him into the opposite corner but Daniels reverses it. Daniels charges at Chavo but Chavo catches him with a back elbow only for Kaz to catch him with a jawbreaker onto the top rope! Chavo stumbles back into an STO from Daniels! Daniels nails Chavo with a series of right hands and then he hits a Scoop Slam and tags Kaz back in before hitting a Slingshot Elbow Drop followed by a Slingshot Guillotine Leg Drop from Kaz! 1…2…NO Chavo kicks out! Kaz nails Chavo with big right hands and then tags Daniels back in and the heels whip Chavo into the ropes. Daniels with a shot to the gut and Kaz nails him with a Rolling Neckbreaker! Daniels tosses Chavo out of the ring and Kaz puts the boots to him before tossing him back in. Daniels hits a modified neckbreaker on Chavo and gets a nearfall. Daniels tags Kaz back in and then Hip Tosses Kaz into a Leg Drop on Chavo for another nearfall! Kaz puts Chavo in a Double Chicken Wing but Chavo fights up to his feet and breaks the hold but eats a knee from Kaz. Chavo comes right back with a Back Suplex attempt, but Kaz lands on his feet! Kaz goes for a clothesline but Chavo rolls underneath it and tags Mex in! Mex with a Slingshot Shoulder Block on Kaz and then a clothesline to Daniels and one for Kaz! Hernandez with Double Sledges to both champs and then he whips Daniels into the ropes and goes for a backdrop, but Daniels kicks him and then bounces off the ropes again only to eat a NASTY Shoulder Block from Mex! Hernandez charges at Kaz but Kaz gets his boot up and dives off the top with a Flying Cross Body! Mex catches him midair and has some trouble shifting him up to his shoulders but actually deadlifts Kaz up as he was slipping and nails him with a nasty Sitout Powerbomb! 1…2…NO Daniels breaks it up! Daniels and Kaz whip Hernandez into the corner and then Kaz hits the Double Tap Dropkick to Hernandez followed by an attempt at something from Daniels, but Mex got his boot up. Mex then grabs the top rope and flips himself up to the top turnbuckle! Kaz punches Hernandez but Chavo pulls Kaz off! Chavo then actually Frankensteiners Hernandez off the top rope into a damn Somersault Senton! Are you freaking kidding me! Did I just see a 300 pound guy do a Somersault?! 1…2…NO Daniels breaks it up! Hernandez kicks Daniels and then Chavo rolls back in as Kaz rolls out! Chavo with a Slingshot Plancha onto Kaz on the floor! In the ring Hernandez charges at Daniels in the corner but Daniels moves and nails Mex with a NASTY uppercut! On the outside Kaz holds Chavo as Daniels goes for the Split Legged Moonsault to the outside! Chavo moves and Daniels hits his own partner! Hernandez FLIES with the Super Mex dive over the top onto the champs on the floor! Hernandez is on fire tonight! Chavo back in the ring whips Kaz into the corner and then whips Hernandez into a Corner Splash on Kaz! Daniels places one of the title belts in a corner in the referee’s eye line. Daniels back in and backdrops Chavo over the top to the floor and grabs the other belt! Hernandez picks Kaz up for the Border Toss but Daniels nails Hernandez with the title! Kaz rolls him up, 1…2…3!
Winners & STILL Tag Champs: Daniels & Kaz via pinfall (rollup)
After the match Hogan’s music hits and he walks onto the stage applauding the champs. Hogan says that he guesses that there is no substitute for winning no matter how you do it, but he has a man in the back named AJ Styles that says he can be victorious over both of them at the same time. Hogan says he totally disagrees that’s why this Sunday Kaz & Daniels are facing AJ Styles & Kurt Angle one more time with the straps on the line!
In the back Austin Aries is dragging Mike around.
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
Aries says A’s & 8’s obviously want Mike back because he was quite happy to beat the info out of Mike but it seems like he holds some kind of value to them. He says he wants the man that tried to break his arm to walk down here to exchange Mike for a FIGHT at No Surrender, not a match. He says that he’s done playing games and being attacked from behind. After some stalling Aries says it looks like they don’t value Mike after all so he’s going to go back to beating the info out of him! Aries slams Mike into the corner and stars slapping the piss out of him and Mike finally screams “I’ll talk!” The big guy finally runs out and pulls Mike out of the ring. He nails Mike with a pipe! Aries dives out of the ring onto him with Heat Seeking Missile!
The big guy fights back and the fight spills into the ring and Aries kicks him in the nuts! The big guy and Aries continue to brawl as Impact goes off the air.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Tonight we got a ton of great wrestling and a some hits and misses with the promos/backstage stuff. TNA didn’t waste anytime getting right into the BFG Series with an excellent matchup between Hardy & Joe. They had an awesome match and told a great story with Hardy going after Joe’s injured arm knowing a submission win would guarantee him a spot in the Final Four.
Tara and Gail Kim had a fun match and Tara got a good win heading into No Surrender.
The deliberations did nothing for me except show how weak the tag division is, but the match itself was excellent. It made me think of the old L.A.X. vs. Phenomenal Angels (Daniels & AJ) matches from several years ago. Both teams worked really well together and threw it all out there. Hernandez is SUPER athletic for a near 300 pound man, it’s almost scary. I will NEVER complain about AJ & Angle facing Daniels & Kaz again but I have to say throwing Mex & Chavo in that match making it a 3-Way could have been really special.
Ray and RVD told a good story as well with Ray going after RVD’s leg after he injured it and the finish was awesome. Storm picking Ray made obvious sense after Ray accused him for long of being behind A’s & 8’s. his promo was really good too.
Hogan was good tonight when slapping Mike around and Aries was on point as well.
My biggest complaint tonight is not revealing who the big guy was, that is just beyond stupid. You’re going to have a big match with the World Champ against this guy but don’t reveal who it is? Come on, I know it’s most likely Luke Gallows and that’s not going to sell any extra PPV’s but not revealing it was just cheap. Is this guy going to wrestle in the mask?
QUICK RESULTS
1)BFG Series: Jeff Hardy def. Samoa Joe via submission (10 points)
2)Tara def. Gail Kim via pinfall
3)BFG Series: Bully Ray def. RVD via pinfall (7 points)
4)TNA Tag Titles: Kaz & Daniels (c) def. Hernandez & Chavo Guerrero via pinfall
– Promo/Segment of the Night: Storm
– Match of the Night: Tag Titles (****)
– Overall Grade: A –
Final BFG Series Standings
1) James Storm (66 points)
2) Samoa Joe (53 points)
3) Bully Ray (62 points)
4) Jeff Hardy (59 points)
5) Rob Van Dam (55 points)
6) AJ Styles (50 points)
7) Kurt Angle (48 points)
8) Mr. Anderson (47 points)
9) Christopher Daniels (33 points)
10) Magnus (28 points)
11) Robbie E (12 points)
12) The Pope (7 points) *eliminated due to injury*
Top four headed to No Surrender
Scheduled for Next Week:
-n/a
No Surrender Lineup:
– BFG Series Semifinals: James Storm vs. Bully Ray
– BFG Series Semifinals: Samoa Joe vs. Jeff Hardy
– RVD vs. Magnus
– TNA X-Division Championship: Zema Ion (c) vs. Sonjay Dutt
– TNA Knockouts Championship: Miss Tessmacher (c) vs. Tara
– TNA Tag Team Titles: Kaz & Daniels (c) vs. AJ Styles & Kurt Angle
-Non-Title Fight: Austin Aries vs. A’s & 8’s “Arm Breaker”
– BFG Series Finals
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