Welcome to the Pulse Wrestling TNA IMPACT Wrestling Report for 1.05.12. I am Alexander Miezin and as per usual I will be doing the report for tonight’s final IMPACT Wrestling show before the Genesis event this Sunday on PPV. I hope everyone had a nice and safe Happy New Year’s as we kick off the year 2012 with a bang. I’m really looking forward to the PPV event as the card looks stacked with Roode/Hardy, Storm/Angle, Abyss/Bully, Aries/Sorenson/Kash/Ion, and more.
On tonight’s show, we will see the finals of the Wild Card Tag Team Tournament as Samoa Joe and Magnus take on AJ Styles and Kazarian. Will Gunner DDT someone on the concrete? How long will Eric Young’s pants stay on if he has a match? Also, the build for the Genesis event culminates. TNA has been on a roll as of late with excellent television shows. Does TNA continue their streak or fizzle out in their final build?
Show opens with a video of Bobby Roode’s actions since he has made his change. His attacks on AJ and Hardy are emphasized.
Sting comes down the ramp to the ring to officially kick off our program. He would love to have Jeff Hardy come to the ring. Jeff does. Jeff Hardy’s face paint looks pretty cool tonight with half of his face painted, the other half not. The half that is painted is a light blue, white, and black combination. Hardy chants erupt inside of the arena. Sting has been impressed with Hardy’s building of trust one day at a time. Sting says that they have a lot in common and Sting had demons of his own years ago. Second chances for both of them. There is LIFE coming out of Jeff Hardy now. Creatures are coming out of the wood works. People admire Jeff Hardy. Sting respects him and gives him 100% endorsement. TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Roode’s music interrupts their love fest. Roode is accompanied by Bully Ray and Kurt Angle. Bully flexes his calves. Roode almost threw up backstage. Sting and Jeff Hardy make him sick. Roode wants to know why Sting doesn’t endorse him. Why not endorse Kurt Angle? Why not Bully Ray? Roode yells that Sting continues to punish them. Roode claims that Sting has his favorites. More Hardy chants. James Storm’s music plays. Here comes the Cowboy! He is with Abyss! Angle looks on intensely. Storm tells Bobby Roode to shut up. Storm gets in Angle’s face next. Storm is the only Cowboy and reminds Kurt of Angle’s attacks on his friends in his hometown. Storm says now that he sees that Angle is scared. It only takes one superkick to knock Angle out. Abyss drinks some of James Storm’s beer. Abyss grabs the microphone from Angle after telling him to shut up. Ray and Abyss go nose to nose. Abyss tells Bully Ray that they need Abyss. Abyss doesn’t need Immortal anymore. All he needs is Bully Ray at Genesis in the Monster’s Ball match. He will make Bully Ray suffer for the sins of Immortal. Sting announces that there will be a six-man tag team match tonight. Jeff Hardy, James Storm, and Abyss versus Bobby Roode, Kurt Angle, and Abyss! What a blockbuster main event!
Our hosts are Mike Tenay and Taz. No surprises there. They show a graphic with Rob Van Dam meeting Gunner tonight as well as the tag finals. Up next is a Knockouts Tag Team Championship bout as we head to our first break of the evening.
We come back and Madison Rayne is in a bikini. Hubba hubba. Traci Brooks is in the pool. Gail Kim has the camera. They approach her while in the pool. Brooks and Rayne fight in the pool. Kim jumps in as well. They attempt to drown Brooks in the pool. Mickie jumps in to save her also in here bikini.
TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship Match: Gail Kim and Madison Rayne (c) vs. Mickie James and Traci Brooks
Gail Kim is also the TNA Knockouts Champion as well after defeating Mickie James last week to retain. I guess that last segment sets up this match. Too bad this match isn’t in bikinis. Champs are wearing all red tonight. Sunday at Genesis, Gail Kim will defend the Knockouts title AGAIN versus Mickie James. Traci knocks Gail off the apron to start the match. Mickie slugs it up with Madison. Gail gets thrown into the ring steps. Mickie nails a neckbreaker on Rayne. Kim is tossed into the ring to Mickie. Traci chases after Gail as she tries to leave. Mickie and Traci trade punches on Kim. Kicks follow then a clothesline. Kim and Rayne are both sent to the floor. We go to another commercial break.
Back from break as Mickie is dominating Rayne. They have been in control the entire break. Monkey flip by Mickie. Rayne knees James in the stomach. Mickie slides under Rayne and connects with a snapmare. Rayne hits Mickie from behind after Kim nails Mickie. Rayne wrenches on the neck of Mickie James. Elbows to the stomach by Mickie. Madison misses a boot and Mickie sends her into the splits. Dropkick by Mickie. Kim breaks up a nearfall. Traci spears Gail Kim. Earl grabs Traci’s butt. Great. Mickie bridges through on Madison for a two count. Lots of action. Clothesline by Rayne for tw. “Let’s go Mickie!” chants in the arena. Mickie is caught in a headlock. Mickie gets out, but is slammed on the back of her head by Rayne. Mickie rolls up Rayne for another two. Rayne punches Mickie in the face. Rayne chokes Mickie with her boot in the corner. She breaks at four. She has until five. Face plant by Madison to the #1 contender to the Knockouts title. Rayne tries it again, but Mickie throws her off. Gail Kim tags in and hits Traci. Mickie falls into Traci and makes the tag. Traci and Kim go at it. Clotheslines by Traci. Elbow by Brooks. Jawbreaker. Kim counters a punch which is then countered into a clothesline for two by Traci Brooks. Mickie flies off the top with a Thesz Press. Gail Kim nails here Eat Defeat finishes on Traci Brooks to retain the titles. **. Solid Knockouts match. The division is pretty strong right not even if they aren’t showcasing a billion different wrestlers. The champs celebrate their retaining of the straps.
Backstage Ric Flair is telling Gunner that he is an impact player now. He is a man child. Everyone that wrestles Gunner ends up in an ambulance. Gunner is getting famous. Sting comes from behind them and says that Ric Flair cannot manage Gunner tonight as Rob Van Dam will be by himself tonight. Sting is pushing Flair’s buttons. Sting likes it. Sting and Flair will watch the match in the back together. Naked. Just kidding about the naked part. Flair yells talking to himself. Flair wants Gunner to kill RVD. He makes an ambulance noise. Gunner vs. RVD is tonight as well as the huge six-man tag main event. Commercials attack once more.
In the back Eric Young is looking for ODB. Young says tonight they have a tag tournament match tonight. The camera man says they lost last week. Young says it’s double eliminations playoffs. He and ODB love each other. Eric Young runs away.
A recap video shows of the Wildcard Tag Team Tournament with the two teams that will compete tonight for a title shot at Genesis. AJ Styles and Kazarian will meet Samoa Joe and Magnus. Pretty neat video.
Samoa Joe and Magnus are in the back. Magnus is getting hyped up. Joe is standing there quiet, but intense. Joe grabs Magnus and says “Let’s do this.”
AJ Styles and Kazarian are also in the back being interviewed by the camera guy. Kazarian says they like each other. That is their advantage. Chemistry is there. Styles and Kazarian will use their quickness to their advantage as well. We zip to commercial break again. Rob Van Dam vs. Gunner is next!
Garett Bischoff is in the locker room putting his referee shirt on. Sting wants to know how he is. Garett says he is back to work. No one will bully him. Sting asks why he is wearing a referee shirt. Sting tells him to take the referee shirt off. Sting says that Garett is a wrestler now. He hands Garett a pair of wrestling boots and welcomes him to the roster. Garett smiles.
Eric Young storms into the Knockouts locker room looking for ODB. Gail Kim and Madison Rayne yell at him. Young tries to lock up with them. Eric throws Madison into a locker and closes it. Kim chases him out of the locker room. For those scoring at home, Eric Young still has his pants on.
Rob Van Dam vs. Gunner
Gunner is on his own tonight. Bell sounds and here we go. They circle one another. RVD chants in the arena. Gunner overpowers RVD into the corner, but is side headlocked. Gunner shoots him off and shoulders RVD. Kicks to the midsection by Gunner. Clothesline by Gunner. RVD kicks Gunner in the head. Springboard kick to the face and then a crossbody for a two count. Punches by Van Dam. Gunner kicks him in the gut. RVD drops to the floor countering Gunner’s every move. More commercials.
Gunner pounds away on RVD. Elbow by Gunner. He covers RVD for a two count. Crossface punch by Gunner. RVD eats the turnbuckle pad. Shot by Gunner to the face with the elbow. Gunner charges in, but gets a boot to the face. Top rope jumping single leg kick by Van Dam. Both men are down. Pinfall attempt by RVD for two. Gunner clotheslines RVD. Cover again by Gunner for a two. Good back and forth action. Gunner chokes RVD over the second rope. Remember that Ric Flair is banned from ringside. Gunner tries another pin, but RVD kicks out. Gunner puts RVD on his back, but RVD slides out. Roundhouse kick by RVD to the face after the step over. Both are down again. Jumping fist by RVD. Clotheslines by RVD. Shoulder thrusts in the corner. Another clothesline by RVD. Standing moonsault for a two count after RVD tries a pin. Wow. Gunner gets kicked in the face again. RVD nails the Rolling Thunder. He barely got over. Gunner rolls to the floor. RVD baseball slides into Gunner. RVD jumps to the apron and Gunner grabs his leg slamming RVD’s face onto the apron. Gunner peals away the mat on the floor. Double count-out is announced. **3/4. Gunner tries a piledriver on the concrete. RVD backdrops Gunner instead! Splat! That was nasty. They are still fighting. RVD off the apron nails Gunner in the back of the head with a 360 leg drop, but no Gunner got out of the way! RVD ate the rail. Gunner tries the piledriver again, but agents including Al Snow and D’Lo Brown come to the ring to stop Gunner from piledriving RVD to the concerete.
James Storm is with Jeff Hardy and Abyss in the back. They are not scared. Jeff Hardy says it is a warm-up for Genesis. Abyss is out of Immortal. He doesn’t need them anymore. He needs Bully Ray.
Bobby Roode says there are no friends that will help him this Sunday at Genesis. No one will take the belt from him. Bully Ray tells Roode to not forget Angle. Angle will make Storm tapout tonight. Storm won’t make it to Genesis. Bully Ray tells Abyss to screw himself. Tomorrow night Bully Ray will beat Rob Van Dam. Wow a house show promotion?! Those were two very old school promos. Really strong ones at that. Commercials are unfortunately afterwards.
Austin Aries and Kid Kash vs. Jesse Sorenson and Zema Ion
Austin Aries is the X-Division Champion. These four will meet in a four way match at Genesis for the gold. I wonder how Ion and Sorenson will co-exist tonight. I really want Jesse to get rid of the stupid football gimmick. He’s like a cheap Alex Riley. Ion looks like he’s wearing a women’s shirt to the ring. V-neck TOO deep. Sorenson and Kash start it off. Kash attacks Jesse before the bell from behind. Huge chop by Kid Kash. Irish whip by Kash. Sorenson hits Kash with a high knee and a dropkick. Zema Ion tags himself into the match. Jesse is mad. Arm drags by Kash to Ion. Another monstrous chop by Kash! Aries is tagged in. Double elbows by them. A-Double punches Ion a couple of times for good measure. He slams Ion’s head to the mat then brushes his face with the boots. Two count for the champ. Side headlock to Ion. Zema gets out, but gets his hair pulled and screams. He escapes and stomps on Aries’ chest. Aries throws Zema to the floor. Aries hits Zema with the dive through the ropes. Kash flips over the ropes onto Ion next. Aries gets a nearfall in the ring. Aries slams him down then a pendulum elbow. Austin Aries hits Zema. Ion wants to tag Jesse. He does, but Aries flips him into the ring. Sorenson dropkicks Aries. Kash gets in to help Aries. Aries tags in Kash. Kash kicks Sorenson. Suplex by Kash. Two count for the Kid. Aries tags in. They double team him, but Sorenson slides through and throws Kash into Aries. Ion is begging for the tag. Ion slaps Jesse tagging himself in. Spinning DDT by Ion to Aries. Zema poses. Twisting splash out of the corner by Zema. Kash breaks up a pin attempt. Double suplex, but Zema lands on his feet. Sorenson is tagged in. Clotheslines by Jesse. Neckbreaker to Kash. He sends Kash to the floor. He sizes him up and slingshots himself over the top for a crossbody block. Aries in the ring gets bodyslammed by Sorenson. Jesse goes to the top rope. Ion tags himself in again. Sorenson is mad. Ion misses with the 450 splash! Jesse tags himself in. Aries is grabbed and planted on his head by Sorenson. He pins Austin Aries! **1/2. Fast paced fun. Jesse Sorenson is happy in the ring.
Kazarian in the back is being called on by AJ Styles. It is revealed that Christopher Daniels was talking to Kazarian . Uh oh. Trouble in paradise. Commercials.
Eric Young finally found ODB backstage. Young locks up with the camera guy. ODB yells that they were eliminated. One and done. ODB and Eric Young roll around on the floor. ODB kisses Young! Young is ecstatic. He knew they were in love.
Wild Card Tag Team Tournament Finals: AJ Styles and Kazarian vs. Samoa Joe and Magnus
I would be happy with either team winning. Lots of tag matches tonight for some reason. Kazarian is still throwing up the Fortune fingers. Does he know Fortune is done? He eventually stops and switches to two fingers. Styles starts it off with Samoa Joe. Lock up. Joe powers AJ to the corner. Punches by Joe. Stomps by Joe to Styles. Ah the good old days. Joe tags Magnus. Punch by Magnus. Backbreaker by Magnus. Two count for Magnus. Joe tags in. Chop kills Styles. Knees by Joe to Styles. Abdominal stretch by Samoa Joe. AJ elbows out, but is slammed back to the mat by Joe. AJ kips up and hurricanranas Joe over. Kazarian gets in. Magnus knees Kazarian in the back. Magnus is now in with Kazarian. Punches by Magnus. Kazarian throws some forearms. AJ tags in. Kazarian hits Magnus with a spin kick. AJ nails a flying knee. Winners face Matt Morgan and Crimson for the straps at Genesis. Kazarian gets in the mix with a dropkick. Two count after a pin attempt. AJ tags in, snapmares Magnus, then kicks him in the back of the head. Another tag to Kazarian. Magnus smokes Kazarian with a huge clothesline. Joe gets the tag. Back splash by Joe after a combo for two. Taz calls Joe a “Samoan bath tub”. Line of the year material. Joe chops Kazarian’s back, round kick, now the knee that gets two. Magnus gets tagged in. Clubs to the back by Magnus. Kazarian is sent flying into the corner off an Irish whip. Kazarian dodges Magnus and tags in Styles. Styles comes in on fire. Springboard forearm to Magnus! Styles Clash attempt is reversed. Pele by AJ! Styles and Magnus are stunned on to the canvas. Daniels is on the ramp watching on. Kazarian jumps off the apron after AJ tries a tag. Joe charges in. Elbow drop by Magnus. Joe covers for three! Samoa Joe and Magnus win and will advance to challenge Morgan and Crimson for the belts at Genesis. **1/2. Awesome tag match for the time it got. What’s the story with Daniels and Kazarian though? Kazarian walks off with Daniels.
Main event is up next after what I’m hoping is the final commercial break of the night.
The tag champions are asked about how they feel about facing Joe and Magnus. Morgan and Crimson are confident they will beat them up. Joe and Magnus come up behind them. They get in each other’s faces. Pushing ensues. The teams are separated.
Mike Tenay and Taz rundown the Genesis card this Sunday on PPV:
TNA World Tag Team Championship Match: Matt Morgan and Crimson (c) vs. Samoa Joe and Gunner
Gunner vs Rob Van Dam
D’Angelo Dinero vs. D’Von
TNA X-Division Championship Four-way Match: Austin Aries (c) vs. Jesse Sorenson vs. Kid Kash vs. Zema Ion
TNA Knockouts Championship Match: Gail Kim (c) vs. Mickie James
Monster’s Ball, if Abyss loses he must re-join Immortal: Abyss vs. Bully Ray
James Storm vs. Kurt Angle
TNA World Heavyweight Championship Match: Bobby Roode (c) vs. Jeff Hardy
…and that’s the card for Sunday.
Jeff Hardy, James Storm, and Abyss vs. Bobby Roode, Kurt Angle, and Bully Ray
Really promising tag main event we’ve got here. TNA in 2005 would’ve had a match like this as the main event of a PPV event. Jeremy Borash attempts the in-ring formal introductions. Time here is 10:44 EST. He finally gets through them successfully. Bully Ray will start in the ring with James Storm. Bell rings. Here we go. Ray ducks under the middle rope hiding from Storm. Ray pushes Abyss on the apron. They lock up finally. Ray backs Storm into the corner. Bully misses a punch and eats one from Storm. Slap by Storm to the face! Echoed. Storm targets the arm. He tags in Abyss. Bully Ray scurries away. Bully tags in Bobby Roode. Bobby looks confused. Roode kicks Abyss in the stomach. Punches and kicks follow. Abyss sends him into the corner, but eats an elbow. Abyss gets kicked in the back of the head by Bully Ray. Roode takes Abyss into the corner. Ray and Roode double team Abyss in the corner. We go to ANOTHER commercial break. If this isn’t the last one, I will throw my computer across the room.
We come back with Angle in the ring with Abyss. Angle kicks the leg of Abyss until Abyss drops to a knee. Elbows to the back of Abyss’ head. Abyss gets up, but goes back down. Angle tags in Roode. Abyss punches them both off. Abyss double clotheslines them. Tag into Storm. Storm clotheslines them each two times. Backdrop by Storm to Roode. Roode chews leather in the corner. Bully Ray clotheslines Storm from the apron. Roode kicks a downed Storm. Angle elbows Storm on the floor. Ray stands on Storm’s chest. Ray gets in without a tag somehow. Storm gets sent into the turnbuckle pads face first. Storm gets chopped by Bully Ray. Delayed vertical suplex by Bully Ray for a two. Ray stretches Storm on the canvas. Elbow drop by Bully Ray for another close fall. Angle gets the tag from Bully. Punch by Angle. Storm side Russian leg sweeps Angle. Storm gets the tag to Hardy. Hardy is on fire in there. Clotheslines to Roode. Leg drops to the groin by Jeff. Twist of Fate stunner type move by Jeff Hardy. Ray breaks up a pin. All heck breaks loose. The six men pair off in their respective feuds. The referee throws the match out. He has lost all order. **1/2. The melee still continues.
They are still brawling. Roode and Hardy are the only ones in the ring. Hardy hits the Twist of Fate on Roode! Swanton Bomb by Jeff to the champion attempted, but Bully Ray throws Jeff Hardy off the top and he gets crotched. Storm chest breakers Roode. Angle dodges a Last Call superkick. Abyss gets in and goes after the team of Roode and angle. Bully Ray gets in. Bully attacks Abyss with a chain. Angle meanwhile nails the Angle Slam on Storm. Roode slaps on the crossface while Ray has Abyss choked and Angle has Storm in the ankle lock. We close with that. Three submission type moves end the show.
TNA continues it’s hot streak with another stellar episode of IMPACT. I really could not find one flaw on this show except maybe the swimming pool thing, but come on they were in bikinis. Things are developing strongly. They build up the PPV greatly. I can’t wait for Sunday. Genesis is going to be awesome.
