By Chris Shore

TNA Impact Wrestling on SpikeTV
Taped on 5/23 in Tampa, Florida.

[Q1] Bully Ray and Devon were shown arriving. They walked past Anderson and D-Lo and then Anderson attacked D-Lo and left him down as Team 3D headed to the ring. Ray cut a promo where he recapped both stipulations for their match. I had a little technical difficulty and then Bully Ray was naming all the people Sting had beaten in his career to become World Champion. He said he was going to be the man who beat Sting for the World Championship. He said he had to wait until Sunday, but for now he was going to get his hands on Sting in the tag match. He called for Sting and Park and they ran out…

1. Bully Ray and Devon vs. Sting and Joseph Park. The babyfaces dove in the ring and the bell rang. They paired off with the opposite partner they will face on Sunday and battled all over the outside. Sting and Ray were the last two standing and hit a clothesline on each other in the ring…[C]

[Q2] The match had settled into a standard tag match with the heels working over Park. Park got the hot tag to Sting. Sting took out both men and put the Scorpion on Devon. Park tried to do the same to Ray, but Ray kicked him away into Sting. 3D hit a double team move on Sting and then setup Park for Devon's head-butt to the balls. Abyss's music hit and Devon leaves to the ring to look for him as Park cheered. Sting ran in and hit the Scorpion Death Drop on Devon for the win…

Sting and Joseph Park defeated Bully Ray and Devon at 13:22.

Dixie Carter was shown walking backstage…[C]

Shore's Slant: Fair opening match. They put the emphasis on the match on Sunday and while this wasn't a technical masterpiece, it entertained. I don't know that it helped them any, but it didn't hurt them either.

Backstage, Kurt Angle raged about AJ Styles. He said he still respected Styles, but he had done some unforgivable things. He said he was going to be watching Styles's match very closely tonight. He added, "Literally…" Dixie Carter made her entrance and announced they would announce the next inductee into the TNA Hall of Fame at Slammiversary. She put over Sting as the first ever inductee and wished him well in his match on Sunday.

[Q3] Aces and Eights music cut her off and Garett Bischoff came out with Doc and Wes Brisco. Garett took a mic and asked Dixie where the love was for Aces and Eights. He said he knew Dixie was all excited about her celebration, but they were going to make sure it was a funeral. They surrounded Dixie in the ring and started closing on her, but Magnus and Samoa Joe ran out for the save. Joe took the mic and challenged Garett to a match, who accepted…

2. Samoa Joe vs. Garett Bischoff. Bischoff attacked as Joe took his shirt off, but Joe knocked him to the outside…[C] Joe slammed Garett and hit the ropes, but Doc grabbed his leg. Joe kicked him away and Magnus ran over to fight them. The match broke down and the ref called for the bell…

Samoa Joe fought Garett Bischoff to an apparent no contest at 5:41.

Post-match, Joe hit a dive on all three men after they took Magnus out. Joe and Magnus climbed back in the ring and announced he had a contingency plan. He announced the six man tag match with Jeff Hardy as the sixth man…

A video recapped how James Storm became partners with Gunner. Backstage, Storm put over Gunner's military career as the reason why he picked him. Gunner said they had a brotherhood and would win the title on Sunday…

Shore's Slant: Good brawl and Doc sold the Jeff Hardy news well. Joe's dive was a little too risky for my taste, but not reckless. The segment got us to the six-man match, which was what it was meant to do.

[Q4][C] Backstage, Hulk Hogan asked Brook what happened last week with Bully Ray. He said he saw the look in her eyes and freaked out. Brook said she knows he's full of it but it’s still hard for her to hear it and she just needed her dad to understand that. She said she couldn't concentrate on the Knockouts with Bully running around. Hogan said Sting said he only needed one chance and he had it Sunday… Ring introductions for the eight man match started…[C]

Shore's Slant: Hulk rambled a little bit here. It seems to be his MO as of late. Brook was close to being good here. She has been much better than anyone expected and is borderline believable. Kudos to her.

3. Bad Influence, Austin Aries, and Bobby Roode vs. James Storm, Gunner, Chavo Guerrero, and Hernandez. Gunner and Daniels started. Gunner slammed Daniels around and Daniels ran away to tag Aries. Aries climbed in the ring and immediately tagged Roode. Roode got in a couple of shots on Gunner, but Gunner came right back and tagged in Chavo, who hit Three Amigos. Chavo went to the top rope, but the heels knocked him down.

[Q5] The heels worked over Chavo until Hernandez got the tag. Hernandez hit his shoulder tackle from the ramp, but took a great corner dropkick from Aries. Aries pulled him down and Hernandez got the tag to Gunner. Gunner came in and squashed Daniels before making him submit to the torture rack. Storm did nothing during the match…

James Storm, Gunner, Chavo Guerrero, and Hernandez defeated Bad Influence, Austin Aries, and Bobby Roode at 9:07.

Backstage, Bully Ray demanded that all of them bring him victims on Sunday or any of them, even Devon, could end up like D-Lo…Mickie James was shown heading toward the ring…[C]

Shore's Slant: The match wasn't bad, but I had a hard time paying attention. It just didn't catch me. I want to see the fourway on Sunday, but this seemed like a lukewarm appetizer to that main meal and it didn't appeal to me. Except for that corner dropkick. Either Hernandez sold like a Greek god or Aries popped him in the mouth. It looked great.

A video package announced Bound for Glory in San Diego, California on October 20… A video recapped how Mickie won the Knockouts title. Mickie made her entrance to a good pop. Mickie took the mic and said it felt good to be the champ. She put over putting out her first album winning the title.

[Q6] She said there was some concern over how she won the title and she wanted to address it. She asked Velvet Sky to come to the ring, and Velvet did while wearing a wrap on her knee and high heels. Oh come on. Mickie said she wanted to clear the air and said she went to Velvet and asked her if she wanted to postpone the match and Velvet refused so it was sad for Velvet but fair. She asked everyone to applaud for the champion that was.

Velvet took the mic and said she appreciated the support but she wanted her rematch. Mickie said of course she would give her a rematch as soon as her knee was better. Velvet said she wanted her match at Slammiversary. Mickie said there was already a Knockouts match but maybe after Slammiversary.

Gail Kim's music hit and she came to the ring. She said she was going to be the last Knockout standing at Slammiversary and then she was coming for her title. Velvet said she had the first match. Kim attacked and tried to drag Velvet to the post again while Mickie just watched. Taryn Terrell ran out and scared Kim away. Kenny King made his entrance for the mixed tag match…[C]

Shore's Slant: Good talking segment with Mickie and Velvet. I think Mickie is taking it a little too far, but I like the overall general direction. Kim kind of muddied the waters, and the immediate change to the mixed tag muddied them a lot, but the first half of the segment was well done.

4. Kenny King and Gail Kim vs. Chris Sabin and Taryn Terrell. The women started and Terrell hit a crossbody from the top rope. Kim tagged out quickly and Sabin came in as well. Sabin hit a quick arm drag, but King came back and toyed with Sabin while teasing Taryn.

[Q7] Kim kept interfering to allow King to cheat. Finally Taryn hit a spear on Kim to take her out. Sabin hit his finisher for the win…

Chris Sabin and Taryn Terrell defeated Kenny King and Gail Kim at 4:59.

Post-match, Sabin cut a promo about winning the X Division title on Sunday. King attacked him from behind. Suicide ran out and hit his gut buster on King to make the save, He picked up the title and he and Sabin had a stare down over the title…[C]

Shore's Slant: Eh, that was what it was. It got everyone on TV, but it didn't really build either feud. The Suicide run in at the end was a nice touch though.

A video recapped all the different guys Sting has beaten for the World Championship… The announce team ran down the Slammiversary card. They showed Anderson in the six-man, but it's on the website as Doc. Fail… Anderson made his entrance alone. AJ was out next and Anderson attacked him before he could get his jacket off…

[Q8] 5. Anderson vs. AJ Styles. The first two minutes were in the last quarter. Both guys got in early shots. Styles knocked Anderson to the floor and hit a baseball slide into the break…[C] Back from commercial, Anderson hit a surprise DDT on the apron to take control. He rolled Styles in the ring and hit a big back drop for a one count.

Styles had a flurry of offense that ended with a sick clothesline. Anderson came right back with the rolling fireman's carry. Anderson went for the mic check, but Styles blocked it and tied him in the Tree of Woe. Styles hit a drop kick on Anderson, and then there was Kurt Angle to cause the non-finish…

AJ Styles apparently defeated Anderson by disqualification at 13:51.

Aces and Eights ran out, followed Magnus, Park, Sting, and Samoa Joe. Angle and Styles separated themselves and battled to the back. The gang took out the rest of the guys while Bully Ray fought with Sting, Sting put Ray in the Scorpion, but Devon attacked Sting from behind. They hit 3D on Sting and then the whole gang posed over him to close the show…

Shore's Slant: Ugh. I knew there was going to be no finish to this match and so did the live crowd if their reaction is any indication. Putting that aside, however, I thought the final image was well done because Booking 101 says Sting should win on Sunday, but I still don't think he does win, so it makes this a nice "swerve" in hindsight. As long as Sting actually doesn’t win. If he does, well, disaster doesn't even come close.

Overall a good Impact and a pretty good go home show. I don't know that they sold any more PPVs, but they hit all the spots the needed to hit and didn't do any damage to any stories. It's safe storytelling, which isn't a bad thing. Next cycle I want to see them take some chances. Jason Powell and Will Pruett will have more tomorrow, and Jason Powell will have full coverage of Slammiversary this Sunday night. I will join Jason later that night for the Member's exclusive audio review. Thanks for watching along tonight.

Questions? Comments? Anyone, anyone? Let me hear from you. Email me at css3238@gmail.com or tweet me @TheShoreSlant with whatever is on your mind.

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