By Jason Powell
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TNA Impact Wrestling on Pop TV
Taped in Orlando, Florida at Universal Studios
[Q1] Josh Mathews and “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero were on commentary and hyped the I Quit match main event… Jeremy Borash was the ring announcer for the Knockouts match…
1. Gail Kim vs. Velvet Sky vs. Madison Rayne vs. Marti Bell vs. Rebel vs. Maria Kanellis-Bennett vs. Jade for the Knockouts leadership position. Marti and Rebel came out together to the Hole song, then Jade came out later to the same song. Maria fled to ringside once the match started. There was a contract hanging above the ring, so it was ladder match rules.
Gail made a play for the contract. Maria ran in, pulled her down, and slapped her. Maria fled the ring and Gail chased her all the way up the stage. Decay came out and Rosemary struck Kim with a kendo stick. Decay carried Kim backstage. Maria smiled. Later, Jade made a play for the contract, but Marti powerbombed her off the ladder. Velvet climbed the ladder, but Maria appeared behind her and struck her with the kendo stick. Maria climbed the ladder and pulled down the contract to win the match and control of the division. Mike Bennett ran out and celebrated the win with his wife…
Maria won a ladder match to gain control of the Knockouts Division in 5:20.
Highlights aired of Lashley attacking Drew Galloway after last week’s main event… Backstage, Galloway called for the cameraman and then cut a promo about how he would go to the ring to call out Lashley… [C]
Powell’s POV: I still have no clue why the Knockouts Division needed a wrestler to be its leader. The creative team has done a very good job this year, but this nonsensical storyline brings back some bad memories.
[Q2] Backstage, Maria told Mike that she has all the power and next week things will start to change… Rosemary was shown carrying Gail Kim in the rafters while Abyss and Crazzy Steve followed. Mathews expressed concern and said that someone should go try to help Kim…
TNA Champion Drew Galloway headed to the ring with his ribs taped. Galloway knelt and sold the injury and talked about Lashley’s attack. Galloway said TNA officials wouldn’t clear him to wrestle, but they didn’t say anything about him fighting. Galloway stood up and said, “I’m still standing, get out here and finish the job.”
Rockstar Spud made his entrance to what sounded like a Smashing Pumpkin’s song (it didn’t play long). Spud talked about how he could beat Galloway, who was game. Spud said he wasn’t there to fight. He put everyone on notice that this is the last time that fans will see Jeff Hardy because of what Matt Hardy will do to him.
Galloway said that if Lashley isn’t coming out, then he’s going to face someone. Spud ran around and said, “You were warned, Drew.” Spud laughed maniacally. Tyrus made his entrance while Mathews explained that Tyrus has a title match whenever he wants it due to his Bound For Gold win.
Tyrus took the mic and mocked Galloway’s injury, then said he waited in the wings for his shot and it paid off. Tyrus said Galloway should be worried that he can cash in his title whenever he wants. Tyrus said Galloway is hiding behind a doctor’s note and asked if that makes him a fighting champion.
Galloway said he’s cleared next week and will kick Tyrus’s ass. Tyrus asked if he had Galloway’s word as a man that he would defend the title against him next week. Galloway said he had his match next week. Tyrus thanked him and said he is a man. Tyrus went to leave, but Galloway stopped him and spoke about mentioning that he was looking for a fight. He called Spud and oompa loompa. Spud and Tyrus attacked Galloway. Spud held Galloway while Tyrus splashed him. Spud placed a chair over Galloway and then Tyrus performed a Vader Bomb…
Backstage, Reby Hardy worked the “Hardy Brand Cam” inside Matt’s locker room while holding Maxel. She spoke briefly about Jeff Hardy, then Matt cut a promo about protecting his legacy, their brand, and his family. Matt said Jeff will quit existing…
Powell’s POV: Hardy Cam looks more like Low Budget Cam, so hopefully that doesn’t become a regular feature (insert your own TNA financial woes joke here). Meanwhile, the Tyrus angle was fine. I didn’t get the sense that anyone in the live crowd buys Tyrus as a threat to beat Galloway, but I enjoyed the old school big man splash style attack on the babyface champion. I’m worried about Spud. He was one of the most believable promos in the business over the last couple years, but manic Spud is really over the top and there was no good explanation for what triggered that change.
[Q3] [C] Rosemary spoke to the knocked out Kim by telling her that Napoleon once said we’re either kings or pawns. She said now that Kim is with them, they are going to get what they want. She said Kim is their pawn to get what they want…
Powell’s POV: The Beautiful People song instead of their current Marilyn Manson theme?
2. Trevor Lee (w/Gregory Shane Helms) vs. Eddie Edwards vs. DJ Z for the X Division Title. Mathews stressed the Triple Threat rules. Edwards had Lee pinned, but Z ran over and knocked him off with a knee press. Later, Edwards set up for a top rope move. Andrew Everett ran out and shoved Edwards off the top rope and into a high knee from Lee, who pinned Edwards. Everett celebrated with Helms and Lee while Mathews explained that they all live in the same area. Afterward, Everett performed an insane flip splash off the top rope onto Edwards…
Trevor Lee beat Eddie Edwards and DJ Z in 4:20 to retain the X Division Title.
Backstage, Eric Young told the cameraman that he and Bram were heading to the ring and he is going to change wrestling forever… [C]
Powell’s POV: It’s hard to take a title match seriously when the wrestlers didn’t even get televised ring introductions. I want to get into the X Division again, but they make it hard sometimes. Fortunately, the addition of Everett helps the cause, so that’s a plus. I continue to wish they would abandon the wrestling DJ silliness and get back to pushing Z as Zema Ion.
Backstage, Helms said no one outsmarts him because he is a wrestling savant. He said “The Apex of Agility” Andrew Everett is with them and the Helms Dynasty runs the X Division and it will never be the same again…
Eric Young and Bram made their entrance for a promo.
[Q4] Young said he hates everyone in the building including fans and everyone in the back. He said the fans were looking at the king of wrestling. He held up his King of the Mountain title belt and claimed it’s proof of his claim. He said everyone has tried and no one can beat him.
Young said TNA officials suck up to EC3, Jeff Hardy, and Drew Galloway. Young said this is the last time that people will see him. The fans cheered. Young said he’s taking his title and he’s leaving. Young said he and Bram quit. Young started to leave, but Bram didn’t join him. Young called for Bram to leave with him.
Bram said he wasn’t going anywhere. Young circled Bram and then asked what he said. Bram said he’s tired of being Young’s lackey. Young said Bram could stay in TNA by himself and then called him a loser. Bram asked where he was going. Bram challenged Young to a title match, saying it would look better around the waist of a real man. Cue Silas Young!!! Oh, wait.
Bram said Young doesn’t have the balls. Young kicked Bram in the balls. Young gave Bram a piledriver and asked, “Now what?” and called him a loser. Young said he is the king “and all of you are not.” Young started to leave, but then he decided to take a pair of scissors off a production member. Young returned to the ring and said Bram grew his beard because of him. Young said he’s the only one who can have a beard in pro wrestling. Young started snipping off the beard of Bram…
A shot aired of Mike Bennett and Maria walking backstage… [C]
Powell’s POV: Young’s beard rant was a gem. He even boasted that he is the first person in wrestling to have a beard. I’m happy that Bram and Young are finally splitting. It’s just too bad it took Young leaving the company to make it happen. Meanwhile, I like the idea of Helms starting a dynasty of X Division wrestlers. It instantly makes the title belt feel more important, and there are plenty of storyline possibilities.
Backstage, Jeff Hardy cut a promo while applying his face paint about how he and Matt are similar and complete opposites. Jeff said he won’t quit…
Mike Bennett and Maria stood in the ring and delivered a promo. Bennett told a fairy tale about “Prince Ethan” losing all of his power once a white knight arrived. He spoke about stealing all of EC3’s power and taking his kingdom. EC3 made his entrance wearing a suit.
[Q5] EC3 entered the ring and Bennett and Maria stood their ground. EC3 said the record shows that Bennett beat him by DQ, but the video shows that EC3 beat Bennett’s ass. EC3 spoke about their similarities and differences. He looked down and said that he doesn’t skip leg day. EC3 said he became a world champion, and Bennett hasn’t become anything.
Bennett said he beat EC3 and now they will never wrestle again. “I am through with you,” Bennett said. EC3 said he will be Bennett’s shadow and he will beat his ass at every turn until he decides to face him. Bennett said guys like him and EC3 are destined to do it forever, but he said it’s pointless because the outcome will always be the same so they will not wrestle.
EC3 said Bennett has an opportunity to become a made man. EC3 said he hasn’t been pinned in over 30 months and mentioned opponents such as Sting, Kurt Angle, Bully Ray, and the Hardys. EC3 said next week is Sacrifice. He challenged Bennett to beat him in a No DQ match where there are no excuses. Maria whispered to Bennett, who said that if ending the streak is what EC3 and the fans need to finally believe in The Miracle, then his answer is Yes I Do. EC3 said it’s good that Bennett believes in himself because it will take a miracle to beat him. EC3’s music played to end the segment…
Powell’s POV: A good segment. The only thing I didn’t care for was EC3 saying he doesn’t skip leg day. It’s a nice diss, but it’s also one that draws attention to a potential weakness that I don’t think anyone was even thinking about. For instance, I couldn’t even tell you whether Bennett has chicken legs because I’ve never noticed, but I know I will be looking the next time he wears his ring gear. That said, the back and forth between the two was strong and I’m looking forward to their match. Who knew next week was Sacrifice? Hell, I didn’t even realize that TNA was still running pay-per-view themed shows.
In an undisclosed area, Gail Kim was tied to the wall while Crazzy Steve acted like he was licking her face (he didn’t actually do it) as she screamed. Rosemary got in Gail’s face and said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over. She said they will stop the insanity. Rosemary said they will let Kim go once they get what they want – attention, chaos, and gold… [C]
Powell’s POV: Now this is where you have a handheld camera run by one of the wrestlers. I couldn’t help but think that the TNA camera guy was the biggest heel on the show. I could have done without Steve acting like he was going to lick Kim’s face. The whole scene was disturbing. I assume that’s what they are going for with Decay, but I could see this being a turnoff to some viewers.
Al Snow stood in the ring for a promo. He told the fans to boo all they want. He said he’s never seen a group of people like the fans in his life. He said they come up to him and tell him how much they hate it and then they go on internet forums and complain, yet they watch it every single week. He said they didn’t always let just anyone in the wrestling business because they were protecting it from the fans, who he said are ruining wrestling today. Snow said he knows all of this because he’s in the ring and the fans are out there. He said he would never pay to see any of them in a pro wrestling ring. He said he was going to teach the fans and Mahabali Shera a lesson…
[Q6] 3. Al Snow vs. Mahabali Shera. Mathews said Snow has become a buzzkill. Mathews also hyped the new Saturday morning slot for the Impact replay. “How awesome is that?” Pope asked. Snow attacked Shera to start and then picked up the mic and taunted the fans and asked if any of them wanted to join him in the ring. He said there’s not a man in the crowd who would do better than Shera.
Snow hit Shera with shots to the chest, which Shera no-sold. Shera threw some lousy shots to the chest and then shoulder blocked Snow. Shera no sold a couple of clotheslines and then put Snow down with one. Snow ended up rolling under the ring and the emerging from the other side to hit Shera from behind.
The fans chanted “Al Snow sucks.” Shera made his comeback and performed a couple suplexes, then threw punches at Snow and knocked him down. Snow pulled out a weapon and wrapped around his fist, then punched Shera with it when the referee couldn’t see it. Snow covered and pinned Shera…
Backstage, Abyss held Kim while Rosemary threatened to sacrifice Kim if they don’t get what they want…
Powell’s POV: Say what you will about this oddball story, but Snow actually got the fans to turn on him. It may actually be fun once Grado returns. Helms is a manager. Snow is a wrestler. What double duty will fellow agent Simon Diamond draw?
Al Snow defeated Mahabali Shera in 6:30.
Eli Drake stood outside the production truck and said dummies have to be taken care of. He took the camera inside the truck and said he pays the production staff well to make him look good next week. He said he would name all the dummies one by one. He hyped a new segment called “Fact of Life” for next week…
Powell’s POV: Did Drake inherit the talkshow that Ken Anderson had before his unplanned departure?
Decay brought Gail to the ring. Rosemary spoke about it being a big chessboard and how the fans were pawns. She also called them puppets. She said they severed their strings and they will cut Kim’s too if they get what they want. Rosemary said if they don’t, then “maybe we’ll just cut off your pretty little head.”
Abyss took the mic and said no one can help Kim now. He said the only people who can save her now are Beer Money. Huh? Anyway, he called for James Storm and Bobby Roode to come to them. Beer Money obliged, but Abyss made them stay at ringside. Abyss wants a title shot. Roode agreed, then asked them to let Kim go.
[Q7] Decay teased letting Kim go, but Rosemary grabbed her from behind. Abyss said there’s one more thing. He said they don’t just want a regular match, they want a match with no rules or regulations. He asked if they will walk with them into the Valley of Shadows. Roode said they would get whatever match they want if they let her go. Decay released Kim. Rosemary said anyone can enter the Valley of Shadows, but only Decay will survive…
Jeff Hardy made his entrance for the main event…
Powell’s POV: Well, at least they didn’t shove Gail in front of a train. The angle took a turn for the worse once Abyss took over the mic work, and it got worse once we found out they just wanted a tag title match. After all, they just had one last week in that four-way mess. It’s TNA where there are roughly four tag teams. Just ask for a title match and you’ll probably get one. At the very worst, you wait two weeks and then your turn will come up again.
Matt Hardy made his entrance…
4. Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy in an I Quit match. Jeff applied an early figure four and the ref put the mic in Matt’s face while he screamed “no” repeatedly. Rockstar Spud ran out and attacked Jeff to break up the figure four. Jeff powerbombed Spud, but Matt clotheslined Jeff to ringside thanks to the distraction. They went to ringside and Jeff shoved Matt into the ring post and then clotheslined him over the guardrail. Jeff went for a springboard off the chair, but Matt threw a chair at his face. [C]
[Q8] The brawl continued with the wrestlers fighting into the production area. Mathews said viewers normally don’t see the wrestlers go there. Pope said it was forbidden territory “not a place where we normally go to.”
Powell’s POV: I get that they’re trying to make this feel important, but does that mean every other time wrestlers seemed to be out of control they actually maintained some sense of control by staying out of the “forbidden territory”?
Matt wrapped Jeff’s head inside a chair. Jeff jabbed the chair into Matt’s neck and then pulled if off of himself to strike Matt with. Jeff walked up a flight of stairs and then slid down with a chair that he slammed into matt. Jeff placed Matt onto a piece of the guardrail that was laid across a couple platforms. Jeff climbed a ladder, but Matt recovered and stopped him, then performed a Side Effect onto the guardrail.
Pope told viewers not to adjust their televisions. He said Matt and Jeff were fighting in areas where they don’t have lights. Jeff caught Matt in a choke and yelled at him to quit, but Matt yelled no. Mathews said it appeared that Matt passed out from the choke. The referee told Jeff that Matt was out. Jeff took the mic and said “It’s not over until he says I Quit.”
Jeff started to climb a ladder, then stopped and pointed to the top of a stairway. Jeff hobbled his way up the stairs on one leg. Jeff removed his shirt and then climbed to the top of a platform that was set up. Jeff made the sign of the cross and then his own sign before performing a Swanton that drove Matt through a table. Jeff immediately clutched his groin area. Pope said he’s never seen anything like this in his 14 years.
Referees and other crew ran out to check on both men. They showed fans who were expressing shock and concern. Jeff was up first and Matt was still down. The medics put a brace around Matt’s neck and then placed him onto a board. Reby was out barking orders at the medics, who eventually moved Matt to a gurney. The broadcast team laid out at this point. Matt was placed onto the stretcher and wheeled out of the building.
Matt Hardy fought Jeff Hardy to a no-contest in an I Quit match in roughly 20:00.
Powell’s POV: That was an insane and extremely well done match. Matt and Jeff worked their asses off and pulled off a believable war between brothers. I’m not even bothered by the lack of a finish to the match because it was so well done and obviously sets up the need for a rematch.
The rest of the show was talk heavy. We had three matches prior to the main event. One of those matches was for control of the Knockouts Division, and the other involved Mahabali Shera. That said, I still enjoyed the majority of the talking segments and the overall show, which was capped off by the wild brawl between the Hardys. Go out of your way to see that match if you didn’t watch Impact this week and are just reading this report.
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