TNA iMPACT!
Orlando, Florida (Impact Zone)
March 4, 2010
Commentators: Mike Tenay & Taz
Report by: Josh Boutwell of WrestleView.com
Well, tonight is it guys! The very last time that TNA will ever present an episode of ?Impact? on Thursday nights! If you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, starting next week Impact will be going head to head with the ‘other guys’ up north on Monday nights! Tonight is the end of an era for TNA on TV and next Monday it will be the beginning of a new one.
Tonight’s show kicks off with a video recap of last week focusing on the drama between AJ/Flair and Abyss/Hogan setting up the huge Main Event Tag Team Match for next week. The Impact intro hits and then we cut to the arena where Tenay and Taz hype up the show for tonight.
AJ Styles’ music hits and the World Heavyweight Champion makes his way out to the ring alongside Ric Flair and four gorgeous women. Both men have microphones in hand and Flair starts it off this week. He says AJ is really the man and then he says he and AJ have had a week to think about what happened with Hulk Hogan last week. Flair calls Hogan out to the ring and says they want to apologize for their behavior and conduct last week. Flair says they have a present to give to Hogan and to TNA. Hogan doesn’t make them wait long and he makes his way out to the ring alongside Abyss. Tenay questions when Flair has ever wanted to ?give back? to anything (ouch). Abyss shows the HOF ring off as he and Hogan walk to the ring. Flair asks Hogan if he can assume this will be a peaceful conversation. Flair says as a result of their bad judgment last week he is going to set Hogan up and he can have any of the women in the ring. Flair says the ‘moron’ (Abyss) gets nothing though. Flair then apologizes to Hogan again but Hogan says he doesn’t want Flair to give him anything whether it be a cigarette or letting him ‘bum a hit’ off his Viagra. That is probably the funniest line I’ve ever heard come out of Hogan’s mouth, EVER. Hogan says he and Abyss are out there to talk about what’s most important to him. He says that when he came to TNA that he promised Dixie Carter, his family, and the boys in the back that he wouldn’t climb in the ring. He says he promised to help TNA go all the way to the mountain top but after what he and the ‘wannabe Flair’ did last week everything has changed. He says in four days on Monday night Hulk Hogan and Abyss will take Flair and AJ to school! Hogan says that means there’s just one question left to ask them, ?what are you gonna’ do…? and then Abyss takes the microphone and says ?WHEN HULK AND ABYSS-AMANIA RUN WILD ON YOU!? to a huge reaction. Flair says two years ago he retired in front of the whole world and it meant the world to him to leave on the highest note possible, but if Hogan really wants him in the ring he’s looking forward to it more than anything he’s ever done in his life. He says that’s because the one thing he’s never done is beat Hogan on national TV! Flair then points at Abyss and says he’ll get hurt in the process. AJ tells Hogan to pump his brakes for a second and says that when Hogan was wrestling he was king but now AJ is king! AJ says he’s trying to get Hogan to save face because he’s going to sacrifice the prestigious name of Hogan against him. Flair screams ?TELL EM AJ!? in the background. AJ suggests that he and Flair take the ladies and party. Flair says in four days they’ll do it Nature Boy-style, up all day and up all night! Before AJ and Flair can leave Eric Bischoff’s music hits and he walks out onto the stage. He says that tonight AJ has some business to take care of tonight because he will defend his title tonight in a Four Corners Match! He’ll be defending against Abyss, The Pope, & Desmond Wolfe! Bischoff says to live it as AJ and Flair argue it!
Tenay and Taz hype up next week’s Monday show again talking about the big Tag Match and then we cut to the back.
In the back Desmond Wolfe and Chelsea are with JB. Wolfe asks JB if he’s ever reached into his pocket and found some money that he forgot he had, but then answers his own question and says of course not. He says the only thing JB has ever found when he reached into his pocket was some weird British saying (I have no idea what he said, those accents kill me) pretty much saying JB has a ‘small one.’ Wolfe digresses and says they call it ‘serendipity’ and he says to paraphrase ‘when God closes a door, he opens a window.’ Wolfe says bollocks to that when someone closes a door in his face, he kicks it down, sits in the kitchen, and tells that ‘old bird’ to go upstairs and close the window because it’s a little breezy. Wolfe says he’s always made it clear that he would do whatever it takes to win a match and tonight with the TNA Title on the line just consider him even more motivated. He says he doesn’t take anything away from AJ Styles especially now with Ric Flair by his side. He says AJ is a model champion and even compares AJ and Flair’s relationship to that of Ed ?Strangler? Lewis and Lou Thesz (talk about high praise). Wolfe then says Flair was famous for saying ‘to be the man, you have to beat the man’ and in TNA AJ is the man to beat, but tonight he doesn’t even have to to beat the man to be the man because all he has to do is beat that ‘window licker’ Abyss or ?Poop? Dinero and become the TNA Champion. Chelsea then chimes in and for the first time we hear her speak. She says that ring Abyss is wearing is beautiful and she wants it. Wolfe asks her if she really wants the ring that Hogan gave to Abyss and she says that they should both have some gold tonight. She asks if Wolfe can make that happen and he says consider it done because what Chelsea wants, she gets.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials Bischoff is talking to someone on the phone and apparently that person on the phone wants to start his own professional football league to compete with the NFL and says ?only a moron would do that.? Shots thrown at Vinnie Mac on that one. Jeff Jarrett then walks in and Bischoff says the chef is there. Jarrett says he heard that last week some of the best burgers ever served were served last week. Bischoff seems surprised that Jarrett wasn’t bothered by having to flip burgers and then says Jeff must have thick skin. Jeff says he could care less and he ain’t going anywhere. Bischoff says he’s glad to hear that Jeff has such a great attitude because it’s important that Jeff lives up to every bodies expectations. Jeff asks if they can just get back to business and that’s professional wrestling. Bischoff says things don’t seem to be flowing so well right now and it occurred to him the other day and says when you walk into the Men’s room and it hit him. He said Jeff’s name just flashed to him when he walked into the restroom and says Jeff was the man for the job. He then pulls out a plunger and says that he thinks it will take a real pro to get it unclogged. He wants Jeff to be the TNA Janitor in charge. Jeff takes the plunger and says he’s the best TNA janitor ever and tells Bischoff to bring it on.
Four Corners Non-Title Match
Motor City Machine Guns vs. ?Super Mex? Hernandez & ?The Blueprint? Matt Morgan vs. Beer Money Inc. vs. Generation Me
Morgan actually steps in front of Morgan to kind of steal the spotlight from Hernandez as they were walking to the ring with Hernandez looking surprised. Sabin and Jeremy in the ring and for the first time Mike Tenay refers to Generation Me as Max & Jeremy Buck. Jeremy shoots in for a collar-and-elbow tieup but Sabin grabs his arm and turns into a wristlock. Jeremy cartwheels through and reverses the hold, but Sabin comes right back and rolls through into an arm drag. Sabin locks in wristlock again and tags in Shelley. The Guns whip Jeremy into the ropes and then Shelley hits an Atomic Drop, Sabin comes off the ropes with a dropkick to Jeremy’s knees, Shelley rolls over Jeremy’s back holding onto Jeremy’s face exposing it, and finally Sabin obliterates the face of Jeremy with a sliding dropkick! Shelley covers and gets a two count. Shelley then stands on the hand of Jeremy and follows up with a wristlock, but Jeremy comes right back with a wristlock of his own and tags in Max. Max quickly gets to the top rope and actually Moonsaults the outstretched arm of Shelley! Max then tags Jeremy right back in and Jeremy hits a Double Foot Stomp off the top onto the arm of Shelley as Max held it out! Jeremy locks in another wristlock but Shelley breaks it and then hits a stiff forearm smash. Shelley sells the arm and tags in Sabin. Sabin stops Jeremy from tagging out but Jeremy hits a back elbow and then goes for a clothesline, but Sabin ducks and then hits a running forearm on Max who was on the apron. Jeremy charges at Sabin in the corner but he gets a boot up. Jeremy catches Sabin’s boot and swings his leg around hanging Sabin up in the ropes and then connects with a Hangman’s Neckbreaker! Max then hits a Slingshot Somersault Senton as Sabin was still hung up in the ropes! 1…2…NO Shelley pulls Jeremy off. Max tags in now and GM whip Sabin into the ropes but Sabin holds onto the ropes. Jeremy charges at Sabin but he backdrops Jeremy over the top to the floor and then nails an incoming Max with an Enziguri! Hernandez blind tags Sabin and charges at Max in the corner, but Max gets a boot up! Max climbs to the top and dives off but Hernandez catches him in midair and then Gorilla Presses him up over his head and actually presses him up and down repeatedly (showing off his strength) before slamming the holy hell out of him. Hernandez goes out to the apron for what looks like a Slingshot move but Morgan blind tags himself in. Morgan grabs Max by the throat and lifts him up onto his feet as Jeremy dives off the top now and Morgan also catches him in midair by his throat! Storm charges in but eats a boot from Morgan while he still holds onto GM. Morgan then Double Chokeslams GM and talks trash the whole time to Hernandez. While he was running his mouth Roode tagged himself in on Max! Storm comes in and lays Morgan out with the Last Call and Roode rolls him up! 1…2…3 and Hernandez didn’t break it up.
Winners: Beer Money via pinfall (Last Call/Rollup)
Hernandez is jawing with Morgan after the match asking him what happened to all that he was talking and says they are a team so they need to work together.
In the back Bischoff is with Sean Morley and Slick Johnson. Bischoff says he’s been trying to push Jeff Jarrett and break him but he doesn’t seem to want to break so since Jeff wants to wrestle again he’s decided to put him in a match tonight. He mentions that he forgot to tell Jeff yet but that’s a minor detail. The match will be a Falls Count Anywhere Match between Jarrett and Morley. Bischoff then tells Sean he can find Jeff in the restroom and get the job done. He tells Morley to finish it for him.
We cut to a shot of Jeff mopping the floor in the bathroom.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Kurt Angle walks into Hulk Hogan’s office and Kurt asks him how his leg is. Kurt says he has a little bit of problem and asks Hogan to let him take care of AJ on Monday night. Kurt says since Hogan has been in TNA that he has done more for TNA than anyone ever has. Kurt says the boys already put in the groundwork for TNA but Kurt says that doesn’t matter right now and Hogan is too important to go out there right now and get in the ring. Kurt says Hogan should do his work in the back and Kurt will do his work out in the ring, but Hogan appreciates it but what Kurt has to understand that this is his last shot in the business. He has to get respect for himself before he can look himself in the mirror. He says if he can’t get by this with AJ and Flair then he doesn’t have a shot in TNA and they’ll have to do it on there own in TNA. He says he has to earn the respect for himself. Kurt tells him to be careful and then leaves.
Now we cut to the first part of Mick Foley’s ?Etiquette School? and Mick is meeting his teacher for the first time. She asks him to help her remove her jacket and Mick says he’s never had a woman ask him to remove their clothes before. She asks Mick what image he’s trying to put out and he says a ‘vintgae hardcore-type of thing.’ She then asks Foley to walk for her and she critiques how he was dressed and then his haircut. She says she’s there to try and help Mick not scare people with his look when he’s in public.
Falls Count Anywhere Match
Sean Morley vs. Jeff Jarrett
In the back Morley busts into the restroom as Slick rings an imaginary bell (I’m not kidding) and blasts Jeff as he turns around! Morley slams Jeff into a toilet and then slams him into a stall door. Sean with a few more right hands and then he puts the boots to Jeff. Morley slams Jeff into a shower wall and then covers him for a nearfall as Jeff asks him what the hell he’s doing. Slick finally tells Jeff that he’s in a Falls Count Anywhere Match and Morley kicks him in the head. Morley opens up the bathroom door and then slams him into it and then closes the door on Jeff’s arm repeatedly and even kicks the door into Jeff’s arm before throwing him into the door and pinning him for the win.
Winner: Morley via pinfall
In the back Christy Hemme is with The Pope and she asks him about the attack on him by Flair and AJ a few weeks ago. Pope says it’s like everytime Christy is with Pope ‘you may start out on top of Pope, but Pope always end up on top’ and that’s what’s happening in this scenario. Pope calls ?Dick? Flair and his ?piece of Nature Crap sidekick Arthur? a couple of dirty thieves. He says they tried to take Pope out and he will let them know that The Pope has arrived. He says they probably won’t be happy about that but Pope’s doctor probably isn’t either. Pope says why wait for Lockdown when he can take the belt tonight. He says he has some big plans for Lockdown but he plans on leaving the Impact Zone tonight as the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion! Pope then says if that ‘horse toothed, banana-nose? Ric Flair gets involved tonight The Pope will reach way back into the 80’s and pull out a Pimp Slap especially suited for him! Pope has spoken!
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials a video package recaps the history of the British Invasion.
Non-Title Champion vs. Champion Match
Doug Williams vs. ?Big? Rob Terry
Terry power-walks right into the ring and gets in Doug’s face and Doug slaps him! Terry shoves Doug down and then grabs him by the throat and lifts him up on the top rope and Press Slams Doug! Terry lifts Williams up in a Bearhug but Doug bites him and then hits a headbutt to the gut followed by a European Uppercut. Williams comes off the ropes but Terry surprises just about everybody with a Spinning Heel Kick. Terry lifts Williams up for the Powerslam but Williams blocks it and shoves Terry into the corner. Williams goes for the Chaos Theory but Terry blocks it and then hits a back elbow followed by a One-armed Spinebuster! 1…2…3 and Terry gets the pin. Yeah, TNA, job out your X-Division champion in under 3-minutes to a guy who is literally in his 3rd televised match only weeks before an ?X-Division showcase? PPV. That makes sense.
Winner: Terry via pinfall (One-armed Spinebuster)
After the match Brutus Magnus jumps Terry from behind and talks trash to him while throwing right hands at him. Williams grabs Terry and holds him while Brutus kicks Terry in the face and then the Brits do their handshake taunt.
In the back the doctor is checking on Jeff Jarrett’s shoulder when Bischoff comes in and grabs Jeff’s arm and pulls on it. Jeff turns around to see Bischoff and asks him if he’s happy now. Bischoff asks Jeff if he wants to swing at him and even dares him to do it. Jarrett asks Bischoff what he’s trying to prove but Eric says he gave Jeff what he wanted, a match. Jeff says he’s sick of Bischoff’s crap and asks him what he wants. Jeff says he wanted a match but not in the damn bathroom and Bischoff says he’s kind of picky. Jeff says he hopes Jeff is a fast healer because he’s going to give Jeff what he wants again, a match tonight in the ring! Bischoff leaves and Jeff calls him a prick.
A shot of Mr. Anderson dressed as Kurt Angle walking in the back is shown, oh lord.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Another Mick Foley segment is shown. Things are ‘shockingly’ not going well with Mickers in Etiquette School. Mick cracks a ‘double d’s’ joke and even breaks out Mr. Socko.
A video package highlighting Mr. Anderson & Angle’s feud is shown and then Angle’s music hits, but it’s actually Mr. Anderson dressed as Angle. He actually has Kurt Angle’s tights on and a fake gold medal plus a big cookie sheet hanging around his neck that says ?LOSER? hanging like Angle’s dog tag and he’s even wearing something to make him look bald. Anderson even mocks Angle’s pyro and is even wearing a mouthpiece. Anderson says he is the greatest wrestler in the world today and it’s real, it’s damn real. Anderson then says he is also the world’s most injury prone wrestle in the world today (I’m guessing irony intended there) and then says ‘oh I think I just broke my neck for the 17th time there.’ Anderson says he once broke his neck tying his shoe and another time while taking a dump because he pushed to hard. He even mocks Angle’s ?broke my freaking neck? thing he always says. He says he broke his neck once in band camp and once while drinking a Yoohoo. He’s says there’s some serious stuff they need to talk about. He says Mr. Anderson is a son of a b*tch and then says he carved up Angle’s head with the piece of crap hanging around his neck and then goes on to mock the story of how Angle got the dog tags. He says he really doesn’t give a damn about the troops and it’s all just a ploy to get the people’s sympathy and make everyone thing he’s a real swell guy. It’s real, it’s damn real! The real Kurt Angle is walking to the ring and he’s pissed. Anderson tells him to come on. Anderson and Angle trade rights in the ring! Angle lays Anderson out with a couple of clotheslines and then Anderson decides to bail out of the ring but Angle follows him and Anderson tosses a fans beer into Angle’s face! Anderson beats down on Angle and then rolls him back into the ring where he mocks Angle by pull the tight straps down and then actually hitting the Angle Slam! Anderson pulls the bald cap off and throws at Angle and then gets right in Angle’s face and pulls the dog tag off him! Anderson actually tags the dog tag and leaves with it around his own neck.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials Abyss runs into Hogan in the back and then he tells Hogan he needs to tell him a few things. Abyss says he’s not really proud of it but when he was a little boy his mom wouldn’t let him watch TV, but he would sneak in and watch Hulk on TV. He says he begged his mom to take him to go see Hogan and she took him to see Hulk one time and it was the only thing she ever did for him. Abyss says he’s always got Hulk’s back but last week when when he saw Hulk bleeding last week it really affected him. He says the ring Hulk gave him encompasses all the Hulkamaniacs all over the world and he can do it on his own now. He begs Hogan to let him do it himself but Hulk says he and Abyss are one. He says Abyss has the same blood running through his blood that Hogan does and what happened last week was not Abyss’ fault. Hogan says when he gave Abyss the ring that’s the only thing that ever loved him and now that Abyss has the power nothing will ever happen to him again because Abyss will protect him. He says the kids know, everybody knows Hogan and Abyss will be one together this Monday and Abyss will protect him. He says they’ll do it together and then they hug.
A video package highlighting the history of the Beautiful People is shown now.
We cut to earlier tonight where Angelina Love was attacked by BP during a photo shoot. Angelina took care of Lacey and Madison for awhile but the number games got the best of her and Madison slams Angelina into a guardrail and then Velvet comes over and beats her with a belt on the back as Lacey held her. Lacey says she thinks it’s enough but Velvet screams at her and says it’ll be enough when she says it’s enough and continues to beat on Velvet. Even Madison tried to get Velvet to stop.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Angelina Love comes out and screams that she isn’t leaving the ring until that b*tch Velvet Sky gets out there now. Velvet Sky comes out swinging the belt around and taunting Angelina. Angelina comes out onto the ramp after Velvet but she takes off and runs away from Angelina. Angelina catches Velvet and slams her into the ramp and then slams her into the guardrail. Angelina slams Velvet into the ramp again and Velvet grabs a hold of her knee as she hit the floor. Angelina slams Velvet into the guardrail again and then rolls her into the ring. Angelina picks Velvet up and whips her into the ropes and hit’s the Botox Injection! The fans chant ?use the belt? at Angelina as the camera zooms into the welts on Angelina from Velvet’s earlier attack. Angelina is about to whip Velvet with the belt until Lacey and Madison come in to make the save. Madison tastes the belt though but Lacey hits Angelina with the Ugly Stick and the BP put the beatdown on her. Lacey and Velvet hold onto Angelina so Velvet can whip her on the back with the belt repeatedly.
In the back Bubba the Love Idiot walks into Hogan’s office and says everyone tells Hogan that everybody always tells him what he wants to hear instead of what he needs to hear. Bubba says that Hogan can’t even get out of the chair by himself sometimes and he says he came to TNA for his mind, not his body. He tells Hogan that he can’t get out there in the ring and then says Hogan is a liar for getting back in the ring. Hogan says for what he’s been through he has one more shot and he says the one thing that never left him was this business. Bubba says he has Brooke, Nick, him, and some chick named Jennifer that love him and he’ll be in a wheelchair if he gets back in the ring. He tells Hogan not to be a mark for himself and then tells him to think about it. Bubba tells him not to be a cripple.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Another Mick Foley-Etiquette School segment is shown and Mick clowns on some French guys name and continues to mess with the teacher.
A video package is shown highlighting the beef between The Band is shown and then Tenay announces that Nash and Young will address The Band live Monday night.
Tomko vs. ?King of the Mountain? Jeff Jarrett
Back to no pyro or music for Jeffrey this week. Jeff and Tomko circle each other and then lockup with Tomko getting the advantage with a side headlock. Jarrett shoves Tomko into the ropes and then eats a shoulder block from Tomko. Tomko puts Jarrett into a wristlock and then pulls Jeff into repeated shoulder blocks. Jeff seems to have a busted nose or something as he is whipped into the corner by Tomko. Tomko charges at Jeff but Jeff moves out of the way only to eat a back elbow from Tomko. Tomko goes out to the apron and punches Jeff and then he ties Jeff’s arm up in the ropes but Jeff comes back with a series of right hands until Tomko grabs Jeff’s arm and drops down to floor slamming Jeff’s shoulder/arm into the top rope. Jeff comes back with an Enziguri on Tomko followed by a Running Body Guillotine on Tomko in the ropes. Tomko comes right back with a Lariat as Jeff came off the ropes and Tomko gets a series of nearfalls. Tomko stomps on the arm of Jarrett repeatedly and then puts Jeff in a Keylock before stomping on the arm again. Tomko follows up with an Armbar Takedown for another nearfall. Tomko then locks in another armbar on Jarrett but Jeff fights it and is able to break the hold. Jarrett attempts to whip Tomko into the ropes but he reverses it only to eat a kick to the head by Jarrett. Jarrett comes off the ropes but Tomko catches him and goes for a Powerslam, but Jarrett counters it into a Tornado DDT! Jeff mounts Tomko in the corner reigns down a series of right hands before Tomko grabs him and hits an Atomic Drop and then shoves Jarrett into the corner and hits repeated shoulder blocks. Tomko goes for another one this time a running shoulder block but Jarrett is able to float up and over Tomko into a rollup! 1…2…3 and Jarrett gets the pin as Tomko is shocked!
Winner: Jarrett via pinfall (rollup)
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
In the back Bischoff and Hogan are discussing Monday night. Bischoff is the one trying to talk Hulk out of the match this time. He says Hogan is the brand that’s making everything possible for TNA right now. He says he knows he can’t pull it off in TNA without Hogan. He wants Hogan to rethink the match but Hogan says if he pulls out of the match there won’t be a brand to push. He says that Bischoff told him that he would be behind anything Hogan did no matter what. Hogan says he’s been called out and if he doesn’t do this there won’t be any respect or even any tomorrow for him. He says he didn’t want to be put into this position but they punked him out by punking Abyss out when he gave Abyss the ring. Hogan says there’s nothing more to talk about and then Bischoff says he’s down with it.
Main Event
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
Four Corners Match
?The Phenomenal? AJ Styles (c) w/Ric Flair vs. Desmond Wolfe w/Chelsea vs. ?The Pope? D’Angelo Dinero vs. ?The Monster? Abyss
Pope hobbles out to the ring and Tenay says that he is going against doctors orders by competing in this match and then they show footage of Flair and AJ’s attack on him a few weeks ago. Pope wants to start the match out with AJ while Wolfe and Abyss will remain on the apron until they tag themselves in. Pope goes after AJ at the bell but AJ nails him with a knee and then lights Pope up with a chop. AJ attempts an Irish Whip but Pope reverses it into a shortarm clothesline. Pope still selling the ankle and AJ with a leg sweep takes Pope down. AJ goes for a Figure Four but Pope kicks him off with the good leg and tags in Abyss! AJ stops dead in his tracks and tags in Wolfe. Wolfe with a shoulder block on Abyss from the apron and then a Slingshot Sunset Flip but Abyss blocks it and then sits down on Wolfe! Abyss goes for a Chokeslam but AJ comes flying off the top! Abyss catches him with the other arm in midair! Double Chokeslam time? No, AJ and Wolfe kick Abyss in the gut and then they whip him into the ropes. Abyss comes back with a Double Clothesline on Wolfe & Abyss and then he nails a Sidewalk Slam on Wolfe! 1…2…NO AJ breaks it up! Pope in now and he lays AJ out with an uppercut and then he clotheslines AJ over the top as Abyss clotheslines Wolfe over the top to the floor at the same time.
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials Abyss is laying into Wolfe on one side of ringside while AJ lays into Pope on the other side. AJ rolls Pope into the ring and then mounts Pope and reigns down right hands on him. On the outside Abyss charges at Wolfe but he ducks out of the way and Abyss slams headfirst into the ring post. AJ goes for another chop but Pope ducks it and then shows off that amateur boxing hand speed with a series of body shots and then a big right hook! Flair distracts Pope from the outside which allows AJ to come back with a chop block on that injured leg of Pope. The referee is getting onto AJ about chop blocking the leg but that allows Flair to slam a steel chair into the ankle of Pope from the outside! He slams the chair into Pope’s leg repeatedly and then AJ pulls Pope to the center of the ring and locks in the Figure Four! Pope fights it for awhile and screams ?NO I WON’T QUIT? repeatedly but finally the referee calls it.
Winner & STILL TNA Champ: AJ Styles via referee stoppage
After the match Flair shoves the referee out of the way and starts stomping on AJ and then Wolfe gets back into the ring and helps Flair & AJ put the boots to Pope. Abyss slides in to make the save and alys out Wolfe and then Wolfe but Flair bailed out of the ring and pulls a barbed wire baseball bat out from under the ring! Flair nails Abyss with it! Flair hits Abyss with the bat over and over and then Wolfe even holds Abyss so Flair can hit him more. AJ stands over AJ and punches away at him while talking trash! Finally Hogan makes his way out! Flair charges at Hogan with the bat but Hogan grabs him by the throat and lays him out with a right hand and then blasts Flair with the bat! Hogan then threatens AJ and Wolfe with it but then bail out. Hogan hits Flair with the bat again and then throws repeated rights at Flair! Finally security runs out but Hogan takes them out until Abyss comes over and takes out the rest of them! AJ and Wolfe are able to pull Flair out and he is busted wide the hell open! That’s that 80’s style blade job right there!
—COMMERCIAL BREAK—
Back from commercials Hogan is on the microphone and says that is just an example of what will happen in four days and he says blood will flow like wine in their match! Hogan says AJ will be history and Flair will even forget his name after the beating they give them. Pope grabs the microphone and tells them to bring their ?two dollar butts? back to the ring so they can make some ?change.? Pope is fired up! AJ starts to get back in the ring to go after Pope but security holds him back. Flair is a bloody damn mess!
Final Thoughts
Tonight was definitely much better than last week and had a lot more actual wrestling thankfully. A lot of good hype for the Monday night show. I just wish there was more hype towards the surprises that Dixie Carter has teased on her twitter and if you’ve paid attention to wrestling news this week you know there is a BIG surprise that is rumored to be going down Monday.
The opening segment with AJ/Flair and Hogan/Abyss was great once again with everybody playing their part especially Flair.
The stuff with Bischoff and Jarrett has been entertaining thus far and looks like things are finally starting to pick up with him getting back in the ring. He and Tomko actually put a pretty decent little match.
Good 4-Way Tag Match with Generation Me and the Guns getting a chance to shine heading into DX and Beer Money getting the pin on the champs heading into their match. Of course the teasing of the Tag Champs breakup continues and I’m sure it’s not far away.
The Mick Foley stuff was funny at points but was pretty lame for the most part and good lord that promo between Abyss and Hogan was beyond horrible tonight. That was more geared towards 10 year old kids than a Hornswoggle promo. That was just corny as hell.
The Williams job to Terry was beyond bad too. Way to bury the X-Division Champion headed into an X-Division Showcase of a PPV. Terry actually surprised me showing a little athleticism but that guy has about a total of 6 minutes in the ring on TV, putting a belt on him makes no sense to me.
I enjoyed the Anderson parody of Angle, thought it was entertaining as was the brawl between them. I love their feud thus far.
The Beautiful People stuff was good as wel but Angelina is going to need a partner or partners for this thing to even out. Sarita and Taylor Wilde would be perfect for that in my opinion.
Solid main event tonight and I have no problem with Pope taking the fall especially since he didn’t actually give up and actually refused to give up but the referee stopped it. Makes him look strong while still putting the champion over.
And the final segment was a hot way to end the show with everyone going home happy with Hogan bloodying Flair up and Pope getting in a few words too.
Bottom line is TNA has to go into overdrive come this Monday, it’s time to go balls to the wall and I’ll see you then! Good bye Thursday nights and hello Monday’s!
–Promo/Segment of the Night: Opening segment
–Match of the Night: Main Event (**1/2)
–Overall Grade: B –
Scheduled for Next Week:
-Hulk Hogan & Abyss vs. AJ Styles & Ric Flair
Destination X Lineup:
-TNA X-Division Title: Doug Williams (c) vs. Kazarian
-TNA Tag Titles: Hernandez & Morgan (c) vs. Beer Money
-Ultimate X: TBA