TNA Live Event
Dublin, Ireland
Report by Dot Net reader Aaron Murray

The National Stadium is a small arena, only holding at max 1,800 people but there were a whole lotta empty seats around. I'd estimate an attendance of about 1,100 for this show. It's disappointing to see so many empty seats, not just as a fan but also for the performers themselves, I'm sure. The ticket prices were probably just a little too steep for the casual fan. I've watched TNA for many years but this was the first TNA live show that I've had the honor of seeing in person.

Jeremy Borash and Christy Hemme came out to introduce the show, and there were respectable pops for both of them. Twitter was highly plugged right from the get go, as fans were encouraged to tweet their comments and pictures using the hashtag #iMPACTIreland. Might I add, Christy Hemme is simply stunning to see live in person. Rockstar Spud and Ethan Carter III were out first, Spud to decent heat and Carter to a rather decent ovation. Spud being English sort of helps his heat factor over here without a doubt.

1. Eric Young, Joseph Park and Ivan Minnock defeated Rockstar Spud and Ethan Carter III. Young, Park and Minnock all came out together. Minnock is a host of a children's show called Elev8 over here, and was in the match through an angle with Spud that started on that show. He wore a blue and red singlet and a half-mask. Definitely the comedy match of the evening, lots of Spud trying to get the better of Park but to no avail. The finish came when Park cleared Carter from the ring, and Minnock stunnered Spud. Young hit an elbow off the top rope for the 1-2-3.

2. Madison Rayne and ODB defeated Gail Kim and Lei'd Tapa. Velvet Sky was the special guest referee for this one. Words cannot describe how good looking she is. Also, Tapa is huge in person. ODB played the babyface-in-peril for a lot of the match before hot tagging Madison who shortly thereafter scored the pin.

3. Gunner defeated Bobby Roode. Roode came out to a good ovation, more respectful applause than cheering in a lot ways. Gunner came out to virtually no response. The man is just not over at all, at least to an international audience anyway. A good back and forth match that ended with Gunner rolling up Roode for the win. After the match, Roode attacked Gunner from behind, when Kurt Angle's music hit. He wasn't advertised for this particular show so it was a great treat to see him. He hit the Angle Slam on Roode and thanked the crowd for coming out.

JB and Hemme introduced Sam Shaw to the crowd, who was sitting at ringside. He cut a promo saying that JB should refer to him as "Samuel" Shaw, and questioned him about his relationship with Hemme. He put the black gloves on and grabbed Borash, forcing him into the corner, then told him not to look at Hemme ever again, before leaving the ring. The character has some serious potential but it needs to be showcased better than TNA will likely do it on TV.

Earl Hebner was then introduced, and did his usual Bret Hart shtick. It's almost as old as he is at this point.

4. Austin Aries defeated Samoa Joe and Chris Sabin in a Triple Threat TNA X-Division Championship match. Crickets for Sabin, which is a shame as he's an extremely talented guy. Great ovations for both Joe and Aries, lots of "Joe's gonna kill you" chants too. A good match with some decent spots from each man. Aries hit the brainbuster on Sabin for the win. Joe locked in the rear naked choke on Sabin after the match to boot, then paid his respects to the crowd. That man deserves so much better.

Intermission

5. The Bromans (w/ DJ Zema Ion) defeated Bad Influence in a TNA Tag Team Championship match. Ion was introduced first looking like Red Foo from LMFAO, and wanted to do his DJ bit, but the ringside laptop wouldn't initially work. It came around eventually and Ion hit the air horn button relentlessly after that as the Bromans were introduced.

They cut a promo saying that they'd beaten all the tag teams in TNA, so instead of a tag title match, they would pose for the crowd, but were quickly interrupted by Bad Influence, and after a little verbal back and forth, the match began. A good effort from both teams mixed in with a little comedy too, and the finish came when Daniels went for the BME but was distracted by Ion at ringside. Kazarian had been cleared from the ring, and as Daniels landed on his feet after the BME attempt, he was defeated by the Bromans' tag finisher.

There were rumours circulating that Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards would be featured on this tour, but alas they didn't appear at this show.

JB and Hemme came back and said that it was now time for the first of the night's two main events. They introduced Dixie Carter to the crowd to lots of boos. She went on a rant about some English lords choosing not to attend the show but would be at the show in London or something like that. It was hard to make out over the boring nature of her. She introduced "England's own" Magnus to the crowd, and he was greeted by probably as much heat as he'll ever be likely to receive. Again, the whole him being English thing helps over here.

6. Magnus defeated James Storm in a TNA World Heavyweight Championship match. Storm came out to a tremendous ovation from the crowd, he'd been the main guy hyping this event to the Irish market on radio stations and at public events. The match began before Magnus took a powder and grabbed a mic, saying that the Irish were nothing more than "potato farmers," and that we should all rise as the British national anthem was played. Thankfully, it didn't. Storm took the mic and cut a generic promo on Ireland and the Irish, and then got the crowd into it as "Shipping Up To Boston" by the Dropkick Murphys was played over the speakers.

Easily the match of the night and the one that the crowd was the most in to. Storm should be in the main event picture in TNA now more than ever, he's very easy to get behind. Lots of good action from both guys, and lots of heckling toward Magnus that he simply ate up. Myself and the guys I was sitting with were chanting about his old UK Gladiator TV show days. We enjoyed it.

After some interference by Spud and EC3, the finish came when Magnus hit Storm with the title belt with the referee distracted and scored the pin. After the match, Spud grabbed Storm's beer bottle and drank from it, only to eat a Last Call superkick for his troubles. Spud is going to make a great pest heel, might I add.

JB and Hemme introduced the second main event, a "Dublin Tables Match."

7. Mr. Anderson defeated Bully Ray in a Dublin Tables Match. Good ovation for Ray, lots of cheering and respectful applause mixed with some boos too. He cut a quick promo on saying how he was from New York and was therefore better than all of us, before Mr. Anderson's music hit. Anderson didn't do his usual self-introduction too, and the crowd wasn't as responsive to him as I would have imagined them to be.
Lots of conversation between Ray, Anderson and the crowd, and it was quite simply hilarious. For example, Anderson stole Ray's "Get the tables" line and Ray, while selling in the corner, shouted "THAT'S MY LINE!!" "D-Von" chants quickly followed.

After a while, Anderson grabbed a table and set it up in the ring. Loud "We want fire" chants from the crowd, to which Anderson responded with, "I can't do fire but how about a chair shot?" Ray later set up that same table in the corner and placed Anderson in front of it, only for him to move at the last second and go boot-first through the table himself. Anderson grabbed a second table, and as he set it up, one of the legs gave out, so the table was placed at an angle in the ring with one leg of it standing. Anderson then hit the Green Bay Plunge on Ray through the table for the win.

Anderson played to the crowd for a bit after the match, and then in a nice touch, let a kid at ringside do his self-intro bit for him. The table that Ray went boot-first through was then handed out to the crowd piece by piece. 

JB and Hemme thanked us all for attending and said that TNA would be back soon.

Notes: Overall, it was a very entertaining show to see live, though slightly soured by the numerous empty seats in the crowd. If TNA's TV product could match the quality of their house shows then it would actually start going places.

Biggest Pops
James Storm
Kurt Angle
Samoa Joe
Velvet Sky

Most Heat
Magnus
Dixie Carter
Rockstar Spud
The Bro-Mans

Many thanks for reading this report.

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