By Chris Shore

TNA Impact Wrestling on SpikeTV
Taped in Orlando, Florida.

[Q1] The opening video hyped the tournament final and said a man would go through hell to get what he wants and tonight, hell is Dixieland...

Shore's Slant: Pretty sure Dixieland is hell all the time. I'm sorry. They made that one too easy.

Magnus walked up to a producer backstage and asked where Jeff Hardy and Dixie were. The guy said he didn't know. Magnus said it didn't matter because he was going to go to the ring and say something to get everyone's attention.

Magnus made his ring entrance and said he loved wrestling and wrestling in the United States. Magnus said one of the things he learned when he got here was "money talks." He said it was never about the money or the women to him, it was about respect. He said he didn't know if he could say the same about Hardy. He said Hardy was photographed having drinks with Dixie Carter and the fans shouldn't let Hardy fool them.

Jeff came out and asked Magnus if he was really going to judge him based on one moment. Magnus said Jeff Hardy owed them an explanation. He mentioned 10/10/10 and Hardy said that was a different guy and a different place and time. Magnus said it was a different time but noir a different place. he said Hardy took the money once and asked why we would think he wouldn't do it again. He asked about the kids that look up to Hardy and the crowd chanted "We don't care." Hardy told Magnus to mind his own business and walked off...

Shore's Slant: Wow, that was terrible. The crowd was literally silent through most of Magnus's promo, and it didn't come across as them silently enthralled. The reference back to 2010 was terrible for any fan who wasn't watching back then and doesn't get the reference (or the ld fans like me who don't remember), and both guys were just a little bit rambling in there delivery. Rough start.

Backstage, Christy Hemme asked Kurt Angle about the two-out-of-three falls match with Bobby Roode tonight. Angle said he hasn't done a great job on his comeback trail, but tonight he wasn't going to beat Roode once, he was going to beat him twice. A video setup the Angle vs. Roode feud. Angle made his ring entrance...

[Q2][C] Jeremy Borash was backstage outside of a conference room and said they would announce the Feast or Fired results tonight. Chavo walked up and said he had a 75 percent chance of getting a title shot tonight. Zema Ion walked up and did his DJ gimmick to make some noise. Chavo said there was a 25 percent chance Ion was fired and a 100 percent chance if Ion did that again he would punch him in the face...

1. Kurt Angle vs. Bobby Roode in a two-out-of-three falls match. Both guys reversed out of each other's signature moves to start. Roode dragged the ref in between them to stop Angle's assault. Angle shoved the ref away and that let Roode kick him in the nuts and hit his fireman's carry neck breaker to win the first fall. Bobby Roode won the first fall at 4:10 and leads 1-0...

Angle started his comeback. Roode moved out of the way of a charging Angle and Angle hit the ring post. Roode tried to turn that into a crossface but Angle reversed into the Olympic Slam to win the second fall. Kurt Angle won the second fall at 9:55. The series is tied 1-1. Angle hit the German suplexes. Roode recovered quickly and locked the crossface in the middle of the ring.

[Q3] Angle rolled Roode up several times for momentary breaks but Roode went right back to the hold. Angle finally wormed around to grab the ankle for the ankle lock. Roode almost made the ropes so Angle locked on a crossface. Roode stood and pulled Angle to his shoulders, but Angle slid out and hit the Olympic slam for two. Roode tried to escape but Angle grabbed the ankle lock again. Roode sold and then flipped Angle into a rollup. he grabbed the ropes to secure the win...

Bobby Roode won the third fall to defeat Kurt Angle 2-1 at 14:46.

Backstage Gunner and James Storm walked up to JB. He asked them about Gunner stepping over Storm to grab a briefcase and Gunner said they knew the rules and the risk and Storm would have done the same. JB asked if that was true and Storm said they would see if Gunner's bet paid off. Gunner asked him what he meant and Storm said Gunner could be fired. Gunner said that was true but it might not be and they walked in the room...[C]

Shore's Slant: Sleepy match with Angle and Roode. I'm guessing they held back to keep from killing the crowd for the main event, but it never really go going for me.

Backstage, IQG asked Angle what happened and Angle said Roode out smarted him. He said he wasn't getting outwrestled, just out smarted and Roode deserves credit for that. IQG asked if Roode really has his number. Angle said that idea terrifies him and he's going to have to do some soul searching through the holidays...

A video hyped the history between Gail Kim and the returning Madison Rayne... Ethan Carter III walked up on JB and said JB owed him a match, but not tonight. JB said they were going to found out his fate tonight. EC said his fate was already determined as a winner, but if all else fails, he knew the people in charge.

Dixie called EC3 and he walked off but the camera stayed with him. He asked Dixie about the briefcases and we heard Dixie's voice on the phone say she had no control because a law firm sealed the briefcases. He asked what would happen if he was fired and she said she couldn't help him. He looked at the phone is disbelief...Eric Young said he had some presents for Joe Park and held up a wrapped chair...

Shore's Slant: Somebody should tell Angle that if Roode cheated to beat him then there's no reason to be down. It doesn't even ring true to hear him that down about getting screwed over. Speaking of bad logic, why could we hear Dixie's voice? That was terrible because it broke suspension of disbelief and that's never a good thing for a show.

[Q4][C]

A video recapped the Park and EY segment, complete with warped voices to give it a creepy feel. I think. EY was in the ring with a bunch of presents on a table and he called out Park. EY said Park was Abyss again. Park said he appreciated EY's friendship but he knew his name was Joseph Park. EY said to follow the science. He said he made Park bleed and Abyss showed up. Park said he saw the footage and he blacked out when that happened but he new he was Joe Park.

EY announced Park vs. Bad Influence next week in a Monster Ball match. Park said he was going to have to refuse. EY gave Park Christmas presents consisting of a chair, thumbtacks, and barbed wire. Park said he appreciated the gifts but still refused to participate. EY said he saved the best for last and told Park t o get the last present from under the ring. Park pulled out Janice with a bow on top. Park said, "Alright EY, I'll do it." He stared at Janice as he walked like a zombie to the back...JB hyped the Feast or Fired reveal for after the break...[C]

Shore's Slant: I don't know if this is a bad crowd or they are at the end of a long taping but they are as aloof as I have ever seen a crowd. Of course TNA isn't giving them anything to cheer about either. EY and Park just needs to end. It's not good.

A video recapped the opening segment...Backstage, Hardy looked upset as Samoa Joe walked up. Joe said he should't be that upset unless he was guilty. Hardy asked him if he was serious. Joe said he understood why someone would want to take a shortcut, just not Jeff. Jeff said if Joe was looking for a answer he wasn't getting one and stormed off...

[Q5] Dixie joined the conference room attendees and said it was time to open the cases. Zema went first and had the X-Division shot. Gunner went next and it was the World Championship. He and Storm had a stare down before walking off. JB setup the other two opening cases when Sting walked in to break the moment. Sting said he felt like it was his fault that EC3 was there because he dared him to do something.

Sting offered to take the briefcase out of EC3's hands if he would fight him one time. EC3 took the briefcase. They opened the cases and Chavo was fired. Dixie and EC celebrated while Sting comforted Chavo. He yelled at Dixie and EC and said it was the beginning of the end for them. They all left with Chavo feeling sorry for himself...[C]

Shore's Slant: Interesting choices. I had Chavo getting fired and Ion getting the X Division shot but I switched up on Gunner and EC3. Sting made a mess of the segment. There's no logic there. Why would Sting come in and risk being fired to fight Carter? I'm not saying the logic doesn't exist but I sure don't understand it. Plus he was all over the map a little bit. It didn't come across as a coherent promo. I get the story they are telling, but I just don't think they told it well here.

[Q6] 2. Gail Kim and Lei'D Tapa vs. ODB and Madison Rayne. The first minute of the match was in the last quarter. Madison and Tapa started but ODB checked in quickly to face Tapa. The heels took control and got heat on ODB. Madison got the hot tag and went crazy on Kim. Tapa tried to break it up but ODB jumped on her back. Tapa dumped her to the floor and they fought on the floor. Kim attacked Madison from behind, but Madison reversed Eat Defeat into backslide pinfall...

Madison Raye and ODB defeated Gail Kim and Lei'D Tapa in 5:30.

Backstage, Sting walked up to Jeff and Jeff asked f this was going to be a lecture. Sting said he knew what it was like to be second guessed and he didn't owe anyone there an explanation, but he had to stay true to his family and the creatures around the world. Jeff said Sting didn't fully understand and Sting assured him he did...[C]

Shore's Slant: Good win for Madison on her return. Hopefully she can breathe new life into the division. The Jeff Hardy thing is getting a little out of control now. It's becoming to obvious.

An Impact 365 video was Rockstar Spud begging for forgiveness from Dixie for failing to get the title belt from AJ Styles. Dixie told him off and told him to find someone to make her another belt and he said he would... A video recapped the title tournament and Jeff Hardy's meeting with Dixie Carter. Jeff made his ring entrance sans face paint. He cut a promo saying he made a lot of mistakes and while he could;t change them he would not repeat them. He said he met Dixie and then he thought about his wife and daughter and how much he lived what he did.

[Q6] Jeff said he knew Dixie would give him the world but in return, she would own him. He said no one owns the creatures or him. He said he told Dixie to take her money and stick it. He said just like Styles he was going to with the title and represent the company right. Dixie Carter's music cut her off and she got in the ring.

Dixie said since Jeff wanted to compare himself to Styles she would make the obvious one, everything they had they owed to her, and everything their families owned they owed to her. She said she stood by him when he made mistakes. Jeff said he appreciated that and she yelled at him for cutting him off.

She told him to do what was best for her company and not what was best for his family or Jeff would be out of a job and have no outlet to sell his music and t-shirts and artwork. She told him not to let the creatures, his family, or the legacy of the business down. She said she was going to stay out and watch the match...[C]

Shore's Slant: More bad Dixie. I thought at one point she was getting better but this was a step backwards. I hope this match delivers because the show and the build here has been super flat and the winner needs more of a launching pad than this setup appears to offer.

3. Jeff Hardy vs. Magnus in a Dixie Land match for the TNA Heavyweight Championship. JB held old school ring intros and the ref locked the cage door. The match started fast with Magnus missing a top rope elbow to get both guys hurt two minutes in. Hardy missed a swan ton a minute later...

[Q8][C] Hardy tried to escape through the camera whole but Magnus pulled him back. Hardy hit the back kick and the sitting drop kick to put together a flurry. He tried to escape and when Magnus stopped him, he hit a springboard cross body that popped the crowd. Hardy hit Twist of Fate and went for another. Magnus shoved him away and clipped him. Magnus put on the cloverleaf until Hardy tapped. He tried to escape, but Hardy stopped him so Magnus hit the top rope elbow.

Hardy hit Whisper in the Wind out of nowhere. He climbed to the top of the cage and hit another Whisper in the Wind from the top of the cage. Still a "holy shit" spot. Somehow they both climbed over the cage at the same time. EC3 tried to stop Magnus so Hardy hit a Twist of Fate on EC3 to knock him out.

Hardy pointed to the belt and Magnus and then attacked. They brawled up the ramp and Hardy hit another Twist of Fate on the ramp. Dixie blocked Hardy from climbing the ladder so he threw sweat on her. That made her move. I would move too if someone threw their sweat on me. I'm just saying. Hardy climbed the ladder but Rockstar Spud popped out of the curtain and pushed over the ladder. Magnus recovered and climbed the ladder for the win...

Magnus defeated Jeff Hardy in a Dixieland match at 17:42 to win the vacant TNA Championship.

Post-match, Magnus celebrated with Dixie and company...

Shore's Slant: A very entertaining match that had some questionable psychology but nothing I can't live with. As long as they sell this as Dixie changing her mind for Magnus and not having selected him all along this will make sense. Otherwise you have to explain why EC3 attacked Magnus. Of course they were all chummy at the end so who knows?

This was abad episode of Impact that dragged on and on and only got hot for the final match. I understand protecting your main event but wow. They didn't have to hold Angle and Roode back so much and the rest of the show was poorly executed. Feast or Fired gives us some stories going forward, and I like to see a youth movement, but I;m not sure Gunner vs. Magnus is your feud. Hopefully they build both guys up more before putting them together. Thanks for watching along tonight.

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