By Chris Shore

TNA Impact Wrestling on SpikeTV
Taped on 8/29 in Cleveland, Ohio.

[Q1] The recap video recapped the mess created last week…Mike Tenay and Taz opened the show from ringside… A video hyped the gauntlet match with all of the entrants discussing it, including Magnus, who must have made it back in time for the second show…

Bully Ray, Brooke Tessmacher, and Tito Ortiz, followed by the rest of the Aces and Eights made their entrance. Ray said the Aces and Eights are in total control. Ray said they were the best bunch of brothers a president could have. Ray put all of them over and said without them, he would be nothing. He said last week might have been harsh, but it was past them now. He hugged everyone down the line, but stopped on Tito and put him over because the fans were chanting "Tito sucks."

Anderson didn't look happy, but Ray said Anderson was the best VP he could have. He said he loved him more than he loved Devon. He hugged Anderson, but Anderson didn't look like he was happy about it. Ray said all of his guys are going to win tonight and he was going to beat Sting bad, just like he did at Slammiversary. He excused everyone except Knux, who was to face Chris Sabin while Ray and Brooke watched. Sabin made his entrance…[C]

Shore's Slant: An OK opening. When you look at the matchups tonight, you have to believe Aces and Eights lose all of their matches with the possible exception of Ray. That should mean something, but the other guys have been used so poorly that no one cares what they do.

[Q2] 1. Knux vs. Chris Sabin. The first two minutes were in the last quarter. Knux shoved Sabin down and Sabin called for a test of strength. Knux laughed at him and reached, but Sabin kicked him in the gut to take control. Knux came right back with his cross body for two. Ray talked junk to Sabin, but Sabin moved as Knux crashed into the ropes and followed with a missile drop kick. Ray tossed Knux the hammer, but Sabin knocked it from his hands. They both dove for it. Sabin got it first and knocked out Knux with the referee watching…

Knux defeated Chris Sabin by disqualification at 5:56.

Post-match, Ray dragged Knux from the ring and yelled at Sabin…Mickie James was shown heading toward the ring…[C]

Shore's Slant: A technical win for Aces and Eights, but Knux looks like a chump, as expected. I hope this isn't the beginning of a Sabin heel turn with him using the hammer again and again and justifying it somehow.

Backstage, Sabin freaked out and Velvet Sky chased him around trying to calm him down. Sabin said things always go bad with the hammer. He said he didn't introduce it. Sabin kept saying it wasn't right and something had to change. Velvet said he didn't need the hammer to win. He yelled at her and then said he wasn't mad at her. He stormed out as she rhetorically asked what had just happened…

Mickie James made her ring entrance and she had an award in her hand. I must have missed what it was. She put over being in Cleveland and said she would be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She said she didn't get invited to the VMAs but she won a VJA. That's what the award was. She said the media and fans mistreated Miley Cyrus for trying to be herself and said she was treated the same way for being the best champion ever. She cracked a joke about them twerking it and ODB's music cut her off.

[Q3] ODB cut a promo on her and said she couldn't believe Mickie would bring up Miley Cyrus in the home of rock and roll. She said she was going to take the title from Mickie. Mickie said that was going to happen and attacked ODB. ODB clotheslined her and posed with the belt. Mickie pulled the title away and they argued. ODB pulled Mickie's top off. She had a gold tube top on, but sold it like she was naked and ran from the ring…

Backstage, JB talked to Hernandez and Jay Bradley and said they were starting the match. Bradley said they were eliminated from contention, but that didn't mean they couldn't make an impact. He said he had been offered money by a "certain organization" to make some things happen and he had no problem with Hernandez as a business partner. He told Hernandez to consider it…[C]

Shore's Slant: Oh God no, they are going to turn him. Son of a… Anyway, Mickie James vs. ODB doesn't do it for me because I do not like the ODB character, but she's a logical pick for the TNA audience.

2. Bound for Glory gauntlet match for 20 points in the BFG series. Bradley took a mic and made his offer to Hernandez again. Hernandez acted like he agreed and then kicked Bradley in the gut. Bradley got the better of him and Joseph Park made his entrance about 30 seconds too early. Bradley got the best of him and almost eliminated him. Hernandez recovered and hit a shoulder block. Anderson was out next and he worked on Park as Bradley and Hernandez brawled…[C]

Samoa Joe joined the match during the break…

[Q4] AJ Styles joined the match as soon as they show came back from commercial and eliminated Joseph Park. He almost screwed up and touched too. Joseph Park was eliminated at 8:46. Kazarian was out next and went right after Styles. Joe chopped Anderson in the corner. He set him up top and hit a kick that dumped Anderson to the floor, eliminating him. Anderson hit the guardrail with the back of his head pretty hard. Anderson was eliminated at 11:35.

Christopher Daniels was out next and helped Kaz with first Styles, and then Joe. Joe hit a clothesline on both men, but they recovered and stomped him down in the corner. They turned to Hernandez and tossed him from the ring. Hernandez was eliminated at 14:34. Jeff Hardy made his ring entrance…[C]

Back from commercial, Bobby Roode made his ring entrance and attacked Hardy. Bradley tried to eliminate Styles with the boom stick, but Styles reversed it and eliminated Bradley instead. Jay Bradley was eliminated at 19:59..

[Q5] Aries made his entrance by running down the ramp and hitting a diving clothesline on Kaz and Daniels. Roode attacked him from behind and the three men beat AA down. The other babyfaces recovered and broke up the three-on-one. Magnus was the last guy out at 23:34, but to little reaction. Joe went to eliminated Kaz, but Kaz ducked and Roode helped dump Joe over. Samoa Joe was eliminated at 24:30.

Hardy tried to eliminated Roode, but Roode returned the favor and dumped Hardy. Jeff Hardy was eliminated at 25:13. Kazarian was eliminated by being tossed to the ramp. Kazarian was eliminated at 25:50. Magnus was eliminated by Roode while trying to eliminate Daniels. Magnus was eliminated at 26:08. Aries was tossed to the apron and AJ Styles jumped off Roode's back to hit a forearm to knock him to the floor. Austin Aries was eliminated at 27:06. Bobby Roode was dumped right after by AJ. Bobby Roode was eliminated at 27:18. Styles put on a clinic for one more minute and then clotheslined Daniels over the top to win…

AJ Styles won the BFG gauntlet match at 28:36 to earn 20 points in the BFG series.

The leader board showed the top four were AJ Styles, Magnus, Austin Aries, and Bobby Roode. Tenay announced Styles would announce what the pairings were later…Backstage, Ray gave Anderson grief for losing the match. He asked Anderson what he had done for him lately. Anderson screamed at him. Ray said he would rip Anderson's colors off, set them on fire, and piss on them. He told Anderson to never disappoint him again and walked off…[C]

Shore's Slant: A decent gauntlet match. The eliminations at the end were too fast. They needed some of those to sink in. The finishing sequence also made it very obvious Styles was going over. Still, I was entertained. I was also entertained by Ray and Anderson here. If they play this right, Anderson might get a meaningful babyface turn out of it. I don't want to see him turn again, but the fans may want it.

[Q6] A video recapped Styles winning the match and then he cut a promo backstage about being a leader and a winner. He said he was going to win BFG and take the title from Ray…A video recapped the close of last week's show…Backstage, Rampage asked Sting about never being able to wrestle for the title again. Sting said he didn't need to wrestle for the title anymore, but it was also a good night that happened because he realized he needed the family. He said the mafia existed because of that night and he was going to destroy Bully Ray tonight…

James Storm and Ginner started their ring entrances, but Bischoff and Brisco attacked from behind. The champs recovered quickly and Storm and Bischoff ended up in the ring to start the match…

3. Gunner and James Storm vs. Garret Bischoff and Wes Brisco. Storm took the heat for a moment, but Gunner got the hot tag and they beat up both men. They setup for their finisher, but Wes pulled Storm from the ring and slammed him into the announce table. Wes distracted the ref and Garret hit Gunner with a chain for the win…

Garret Bischoff and Wes Brisco defeated James Storm and Gunner at 5:58.

AJ Styles was shown heading toward the ring…

Shore's Slant: I'm trying very hard not to die laughing here. Bischoff and Brisco over the tag champs? Even with the chain it's a stupid and unbelievable move. What a joke.

[Q7] Roode, Magnus, and Aries all stood in the ring with Jeremy Borash. Borash introduced them and then introduced AJ, who made his entrance just to the old music. He made his entrance wearing a baseball cap and looking as plain and unimpressive as possible. JB asked Styles who his choice to face was.

Styles got in Roode's face, but then transitioned to Aries. He said Aries was the one guy he didn't want to lose to in the series. Aries reminded him that he did lose. Styles said he knew, that was why he was going through Aries first. Aries said no matter what happened, there would be a winner win they faced-off: the fans.

Roode took the mic from JB and said he teamed with Daniels and Kaz to get him to the final four and it worked, He said he had the weakest link and he would beat Magnus and go on to win the title. Magnus said he didn't need the Muppets like Stadler and Waldorf to help him…

Shore's Slant: POP!

Magnus said Cleveland was Mafia country. He said Roode might have friends, but he had a family. He said things would be even next week and he would go through all of them to become world champion. The four opponents stared off into the break…[C]

Shore's Slant: Some good matchups. I'll take Styles and Roode with Styles ultimately winning after the Mafia pays him back for helping them by protecting him from Daniels and Kaz. Also, if you didn't pop for Stadler and Waldorf, kill yourself.

Ray (plus entourage) and Sting made their entrances and JB handled old school ring introductions even though it isn't a title match.

[Q8] Ray snatched the mic away and said he wanted to remind Sting this wasn't a title match because Sting lost at Slammiversary. He told Sting "Screw you and your best friend Hulk Hogan." Hogan's music hit and he came to the ramp. He banned Tito from ringside and had security throw him out. Ray asked him who he thought he was and Hogan changed it to a no DQ match…

4. Bully Ray (w/Anderson and Brooke Tessmacher) vs. Sting in a No Disqualification match. Sting hit a Stinger splash to start and tossed Bully to the floor…[C]

Shore's Slant: So Ortiz has to go but not Anderson? And with it no DQ, what stops Aces and Eights from attacking? I realize the Mafia could come out, but so? That would just lead to a shmoz and Bully Ray doesn't have to take a loss. Isn't that their ultimate goal? This should be a no brainer! Unfortunately, the booking is sometimes lacking a brain. There is a difference.

Back from commercial, Sting beat on Ray with a chair. Ray had to hit a low blow to stop Sting. Ray went to the floor and got something from Taz. He looked at Anderson, who just nodded at him. Ray took the object, a box cutter, and cut the ring straps, pulling the mat back and exposing the wood. Sting suddenly grabbed him and hooked the Scorpion.

The rest of the gang ran out and attacked Sting, but Anderson stayed on the floor. The Mafia ran out and made the save. They chased the three of them to the back. Ray went for the piledriver on the wood, but Sting backdropped out. He went for the Scorpion Death Drop, but Ray grabbed the rope and Sting crashed. Sting recovered quickly and hooked the Scorpion again. Anderson teased giving Ray the hammer, but he ended up tossing it away. Ray tapped out…

Sting defeated Bully Ray at 9:48.

Sting was introduced as the winner, but he beat it quickly as Anderson climbed in the ring with the belt. He yelled at Bully for not being able to do it by himself. He got in Ray's face on the mat and asked if he knew who he was. He said he was the guy facing Ray next week and the next world champion. He said his name was "Mr. Anderson…Anderson." He posed with the title and then walked off, leaving Ray and Brooke shocked…[C]

Shore's Slant: Total garbage match, but about what I expected. The crowd was hot for Anderson at the end, but next week's crowd will get to decide if they buy him as a babyface or not. Of course we could get the finger poke of doom. Anything is possible with this group. All in all a middle of the road Impact. Jason Powell and Will Pruett will have more tomorrow. 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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