“Just so everyone knows. Doc said I have a slight tear in my right abdominal & a adductor strain “groin pull” 6-8 weeks. Busting ass 2 b back”

You can follow him twitter at this link
 
 
 
 
 
 

A few days ago, one half of Bad Influence and former TNA World Tag Team Champion and TNA X-Division Champion Christopher Daniels talked with the team at KineticFix.com. During the interview, Daniels talked about how he became a professional wrestler, the Best Moonsault Ever, and other topics related to healthy living. Below are highlights of the interview, though you can read the entire interview by clicking here. Enjoy!

On How He Became a Professional Wrestler
Well, I grew up in Fayetteville, N.C., where I became a pro wrestling fan at an early age, watching people like Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, the Road Warriors and Sting wrestle for Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling. But those men seemed a lot larger than I thought I’d ever become, so I didn’t envision becoming a wrestler until a lot later in life. After I graduated college, I moved to Chicago and did some children’s theater, telling my girlfriend at the time (who is now my wife), “You know, if this acting thing never works out, I could always try to be a pro wrestler,” never actually meaning it. Little did I know, she found a local professional wrestling school (Windy City Pro Wrestling in Chicago) and made an appointment for me. She says that I came out of that meeting with a look in my eyes that said, “I’m going to do this!” Because I grew up a fan, I had a frame of reference and finished my initial training in three months. In my third match, I won my first championship, the Windy City Lightweight Championship, and I just stuck with it until this slowly became my career.

On Eating Clean and Lifting Weights
I do admit that the hardest facet of my fitness routine is eating clean, especially in terms of carbs. I have two kids, so I’ve always got snacks and sweets around and it’s hard to be super-strict, but I do try to keep my protein intake as high as I can to offset whatever carbohydrates I may consume. When I’m home, I know that my job is to hit the gym at some point during a day, so it’s very rare that I take a day off. I usually try to do a four-day split in a given week – a day each for chest, back, shoulders and arms, plus leg exercises each day in-between sets.

On Perfecting the Best Moonsault Ever
It was a two-part process. First off, the moonsault itself (for non-wrestling fans, basically a back-flip off the top rope landing on your opponent chest-to-chest) I initially saw watching the Great Muta, one of the most famous Japanese wrestlers ever to compete in the US. It took me a while to get confident enough to try and back-flip without worrying about landing on my head…and even longer to learn how to do it by leading with my head instead of one of my shoulders, which keeps me going straight over instead of leaning to one side or the other. Then, the unique way I do it, bouncing first on the second rope and leaping straight up to the top rope before executing the moonsault, I learned from a Mexican wrestler who came through Chicago to train with us. After a bit, I decided to put them together, and the rest is history.

The Octagon is our next destination as we journey with the Ultimate Fighting Championship to Brazil for their latest offering on America’s FX network, shown live in the early hours of this past Sunday morning here in Britain.

The broadcast began in the middleweight division as Rafael Natal took on Joao Zeferino.

This battle of the homeland fighters proved to be a very interesting affair. Zeferino looked promising early on, his striking causing Natal a few problems, and when Natal slipped Zeferino followed him to the ground.

They soon found themselves in the 50/50 guard. This was a somewhat intriguing situation as both men went for and defended against various foot and leg locks, although neither man was able to gain any sort of advantage.

Natal began to take control from the second round onwards as the fatigue factor came into play. Although he threw a few good combinations Zeferino began to looked a shadow of his first round self, and when the third round began Natal’s control was complete. He stuffed all of the takedown attempts, and when he took the fight to the ground himself all Zeferino could do was hang on for dear life.

With the fight going the distance the judges were called into action. All three were in agreement as Natal took the unanimous decision.

Then it was down to the lightweight division as Rafael Dos Anjos faced Evan Dunham.

This is another of those fights that fits firmly into the intriguing file. For three rounds these two put on a great back and forth affair. We saw some top notch striking throughout, particularly from Dos Anjos. He threw everything bar the kitchen sink at Dunham, but no matter what he did Dunham kept coming back for more as he repaid the Brazilian in kind with some choice shots of his own.

As the fight went on both men began to display the scars of combat, especially Dos Anjos, who suffered a nasty cut over his eye after an accidental clash of heads. This didn’t stop him much though, and as the fight reached it’s conclusion both men began to swing for the fences.

But with no end in sight the judges came into play once more as Dos Anjos took the unanimous decision.

Then it was back to middleweight as Jacare Souza faced Chris Camozzi.

To say that Souza put in an excellent performance would not be underestimating things. Camozzi came forward early on with a couple of good blows, but as soon as Souza scored with the takedown he began to show just why he is so highly regarded.

The Brazilian looked almost unstoppable as he went to work. Camozzi tried to scramble away at one point but ended up in an alma plata shoulder lock. Souza was back on top seconds later as he began to transition at will until he locked in an arm triangle. Camozzi passed out as the referee stepped in to give Souza the first round submission win.

The main event featured yet more middleweight action as Vitor Belfort took on Luke Rockhold.

This was the first fight on the show that had any kind of feeling out process, and although Belfort had some success with his strikes it looked like Rockhold was going to take the early plaudits with his kicks as he tried to use his natural size advantage.

Then, from out of nowhere, Belfort connected with a spinning back kick that sent Rockhold down like a sack of spuds. Belfort quickly followed him down for a spot of ground and pound until the referee stepped in to give Belfort the first round knockout win.

In conclusion – it proved to be another triumphant night for the Brazilians on their home turf, and they sure went about it in an exciting way.

Which meant that the UFC’s latest trip to South America proved to be another great outing. All of the fights delivered big time, and praise must go to all of the Brazilian fighters on this show. I guess fighting in front of such vociferous fans gives them such a great boost.

As for my fight of the night no-prize as I didn’t see the official winner I’m going to plump for the Dos Anjos/Dunham three rounder. That really was a fight that could have gone either way decision-wise.

So with all of that out of the there’s only one more thing to do, and that’s to give this show the big thumbs up.

By day I’m an unemployed retail worker, and at weekends I volunteer at a local museum, but by night I’m the author of The Two Sheds Review, Britain’s longest running professional wrestling and mixed martial arts blog. Visit my site at www.twoshedsreview.vze.com. It’s been online in one form or another since June 2000!

Opening Segment
The recap video this week focused on AJ Styles walking out when asked to partner with Sting and Angle, Magnus getting taken out by Aces and Eights, James Storm being taken out backstage, and Abyss making his return to Impact Wrestling.

Hulk Hogan comes out to a standing ovation to kick off Impact Wrestling in the BancorpSouth Arena in Tupelo, Mississippi. Hulk states that he is shocked that Hulkamania is this crazy “right here in Tupelo, Mississippi brother!” And he’s also shocked at how AJ Styles walked away last week, but when AJ walked away, Kurt Angle brought the fight to him. Hogan tells Styles that he doesn’t care if he joins Aces and Eights, because Angle is going to chase AJ all the way to Slammiversary. Hogan announces the contract signing between Sting and Bully Ray will happen right here tonight before asking Abyss to come to the ring. Abyss doesn’t come out so Hulk calls him out again but instead Joseph Park comes out instead. Park tells Hulk that he sat down at home last week and watched in shock as his brother Abyss returned to Impact Wrestling after all this time he’s been looking for him, he shows up! He reiterates that he couldn’t believe that Abyss returned and Hogan cut him off and told him to stop playing games and if anyone knew where Abyss was, it’d be his brother. Apparently he hasn’t watched the program in a year. Devon and D’Lo Brown come out to interrupt and Devon states that he wants the same thing. Last week, Abyss got his nose in club business and he wasn’t even the legal man last week. Devon tells Hogan that he wants Abyss, “not that piece of trash” Joseph Park. Park asks Hogan to give him a minute before asking Devon “who in the hell do you think you are” before Devon tells him “get out of my face fatboy.” Joseph Park looks at Devon before reminding everyone that if it wasn’t for these thugs, he would have never had to come to TNA to look for his brother and stated that “you two are really starting to piss me off!” Park says he’s tired of Aces and Eights and challenges Devon to a match right now.  Devon mocks Park and reminds everyone that he is the Television Champion and tells him that he hasn’t beaten anyone (so apparently Bully Ray, Joey Ryan, Robbie E, and almost beating Devon for that title at Genesis doesn’t count right?) D’Lo jumps on the chance to face Park, wanting to prove himself. Hogan makes the match and says that after he beats D’Lo, “I’m giving him the green light to tear you apart, anytime he wants.” He tells D’Lo to “Testify to that…brother” before his music plays.

Backstage, the camera guy finds James Storm meditating with a beer bottle in his hand and asks him about what happened last week. Storm ignores him but finally tells him to “Watch. Just watch.”

-Commercial Break-

A quick video of Gut Check winner Christian York saying he’ll do whatever it takes to get in the Bound for Glory Series.

Bobby Roode vs. TNA World Tag Team Champion Chavo Guerrero, Jr.

Bet Christy Hemme is glad that Austin Aries isn’t out there right now. Roode tries an armbar early, but gets whipped around for his effort. Chavo quickly fights out of a headlock but gets a shoulder block. Chavo and Roode just start to trade chain wrestling holds before Chavo hurricanrana’s Roode out of the ring and Roode sweeps Chavo’s leg off the apron and throws him into the guardrail. Roode throws Aries in the ring and scoops slams him down before dropping a knee for two. Chavo tries to fight back before raking the eyes and snapmaring one half of the tag team champions. Roode taunts the crowd before Chavo fights back with some right hands and a kick to the face and nails the plancha. Chavo hits another hurricanrana, but Roode pushes off an attempted Tornado DDT. Chavo connects with the Three Amigos and goes up top for the frogsplash before Roode hits the ropes and Chavo falls to the floor. James Storm comes out with a beer and spits it in the face of Bobby Roode for the disqualification.

Winner by Disqualification: Bobby Roode

Storm eyes Roode before the It Factor rolls out of the ring. Taz yells that Storm was going to hit Roode with the bottle.

Kurt Angle is making his way down a corridor and Tenay states that Angle is going to call out AJ Styles.

-Commercial Break-

A video plays to highlight the “feud” between AJ Styles and Kurt Angle. Angle makes his way to the ring in a t-shirt and his ring gear to address AJ Styles. Angle states that “this Aces and Eights thing has been going on for about a year now, and it’s gotten to the point where you can’t trust anyone in the locker room.” Kurt Angle never backs down from a fight and when he confronted AJ, AJ walked away. That pissed Angle off and now they have a match at Slammiversary, but he doesn’t want to wait until Slammiversary and calls out AJ Styles. Instead of AJ Styles, Mister Anderson makes his way to the ring. Anderson says that Angle sounds like a woman, and AJ isn’t your boy. He takes great pride in announcing that next week, AJ Styles will be patched in and “double dog dares” Angle to show up. Angle takes out his mouth guard and says he doesn’t want to wait and wants to fight right now before nailing Anderson with a right hand and pounding on him. AJ jumps over the Aces and Eights guardrail and stares down Angle before hitting an enziguiri as Anderson applauds. AJ walks up the ramp with his hood up and the Aces and Eight’s theme playing.

-Commercial Break-

A Jay Bradley hype video plays, talking about how he had a hot girlfriend in high school and being in the ring almost every day for the past few months in OVW and that he lives and breathes wrestling. “I’m not here to be a name on a website, I’m here, no pun intended, to make an Impact.”

Gut Check BFG Tournament Semi-Final: Jay Bradley vs. Christian York

Bradley uses the Gut Check video wall while York has his own. The two Gut Check winners tie-up  and Bradley shoves York. York gets a roll-up for one and wrings the arm. Taz talks about why he voted no for Jay Bradley saying he didn’t see anything in his Gut Check match but the look he got after it when he voted no, made him a believer. York reverses a scoop slam into a standing switch and connects with a right hand. Bradley hits one of his own followed by a big boot. Bradley covers and gets two before immediately going after York with clubby blows to the back and chest. York tries to fight back but eats a knee to the face and a blow to the back of the neck. Chin lock applied by Bradley and York manages to get to his feet and flip Bradley off of him. Spinning back elbow from York connects before he’s slammed hard onto the mat. Bradley loads his “Boom Stick”, but York moves. York kicks Bradley’s head and unloads with a few shots and a barreling roll. York goes for the Mood Swing, but Bradley fights out and the two start trading right hands. York dodges out of another Boom Stick attempt with several kicks before Bradley catches York and pants him on the top. York comes off for a cross body, but Bradley moves out of the way. York lands on his feet and gets nailed with the Boom Stick. Bradley covers for the win.

Winner by Pinfall: Jay Bradley

Taz calls the match an upset and Tenay notes that Bradley is just one step closer to being able to compete in the Bound for Glory Series. Christy Hemme asks Bradley what it would mean for him to compete in the Bound for Glory series.  Bradley says he’s one step closer to it and he’s one step closer to being “your TNA World Champion.” Taz admired his ambition and states that “you have to think big to be big.”

Gail Kim and Velvet Sky are shown walking through the corridor.

-Commercial Break-

James Storm is shown outside of Hulk Hogan’s office saying that “I read you loud and clear.” The camera guy bugs Storm about what Hulk said and Strom announces that Hogan told him “Storm, your actions have repercussions.” Storm yells that nobody’s actions have repercussions. “They can jump me, but I can’t retaliate?” He told the camera guy to just watch before walking away.

Anderson is with Aces and Eights, bragging about how AJ is joining next week and not being able to wait to patch him in. “Speaking of patching in…in a bad way…” Anderson asks D’Lo what he needs to do and D’Lo said he needs to beat Joesph Park’s ass tonight. Anderson asks what D’Lo is going to do and D’Lo states that he’s going to kick Joseph Park’s ass and earn his cut back.

-Commercial Break-

Brooke Hogan congratulates Mickie James on her new album (which is available on ShopTNA.com!) Mickie thanks her, but states that she wants a little more of the spotlight, perhaps at Slammiversary. Brooke exclaims that she knew Mickie would say that and explains that she had to let Taryn and Gail duke out their differences because it was clouding the division. She gives Mickie a match next week against Velvet for the Knockouts Title and wishes her luck. Bully Ray walks in and wishes Mickie luck too.  Bully tells Brooke to tell Hulk that when he calls Sting out to the ring tonight, it won’t be a contract signing. It’ll be a contract negotiation. Brooke asks to negotiate their divorce, but Bully says no and that it’s “till death do us part.”

Gail Kim vs. TNA Knockouts Champion Velvet Sky

Gail goes after the leg early, lunging at it and kicking it, both blocked by the Knockouts champion. Velvet hits two armdrags and a suplex before unloading with right hands, a kick to the face and a bulldog. Stomping on Gail in the corner Velvet hits a nice head scissors and a Stinger Slash before finally getting caught when Gail grabs it and snaps it backwards. Gail starts kicking at the neck and slams it hard against the ring apron. Taz calls Gail smart by going after the leg and mocks Kenely for giving Velvet sympathy. Must be the only time I’ve agree with Taz’s bickering against Keneley.  Gail poses for the fans while Velvet tries to get to her feet. The taunting gives Velvet time to mount a quick come back before Gail gets the advantage again, tying the injured leg around the middle rope for a four count. Gail drags Velvet to the center of the ring and kicks the leg before snapping it against the middle rope. Velvet gives the most awful scream ever while Gail applies a modified cloverleaf and reaches the ropes. Gail cinches in the Brock Lock (which I haven’t seen in years since Lensar did it during his first WWE stint) until Velvet makes it to the rope. Velvet runs right into a big boot, but catches Gail up top and slings her to the ground, somehow tweaking her knee again. Velvet hits some leaping clotheslines after just screaming with a knee injury before deciding to sell it again. Velvet goes for the In Your Face un-phased and Gail goes for the injured knee. Velvet somehow rolls Gail up for the win.

Winner by Pinfall: Velvet Sky

Gail attacks Velvet at the bell and locks her in the ringpost figure-four after shoving ODB away. ODB manages to break the hold once she got up.

((Jarrett’s Jab – Gail Kim tried her best, but she couldn’t get much out of Velvet. Velvet is awful at wrestling, but is even worse at selling an injury. Sometimes acting like her leg needed to be amputated and then getting up and going on a fury not selling her knee at all. Hopefully Velvet will finally lose next week as the title needs to be spotlighted period, and a heel Mickie could be very interesting in TNA.))

-Commercial Break-

Backstage Chris Sabin talks about Kenny King not being his king and joking that he may be the king of male strippers, but he’s not Sabin’s king and he’s not the best wrestler. King says that he’s the king because he’s the X Division Champion and he calls himself the King because he lives it. Petey Williams says that King is an expert of stealing these three-way matches.

A Suicide video plays that say it’s the end of his constant torment and it sounds like a Suicide note. No pun intended.

X Division Championship: Kenny King (c) vs. Petey Williams vs. Chris Sabin

Nobody gets a televised entrance, but Hogan can get a long talking segment to kick off the show. King slides out fo the ring and chills against the guardrail. Sabin and Williams looks on before going at it themselves. Some quick chain wrestling occurs that ends with a stale mate. Sabin is sent throat first into the ropes and King grabs Williams’ legs and sends him into the guardrail. King reluctantly gets in the ring with Sabin and tries to kick Sabin, but Sabin catches and takes out his other leg. Chops by Sabin connect until King hits a real nice kick to the side of Sabin’s head. Williams hits a slingshot codebreaker on King and dropkicks Sabin against the ropes for two. King hits Williams from behind and uses the top rope to choke him before covering him for one. King nails a dropkick to Sabin and sends Williams flying to the other half of the ring. Springboard legdrop by King gains him a two count on Petey Williams. King applies a chinlock and Petey fights out before being hotshot on the top rope. Sabin gets in the ring and connects with a series of clotheslines on King and a suplex for two. Petey picks up Sabin but gets chopped. Petey nails a suicide dive on Sabin and hits a side Russian legsweep and a crufix pin for two. Cradle DDT by Williams gets him another two count. Petey signals for the Canadian Destroyer but gets clotheslined by Sabin.  Sabin counters a charge from King and goes for a tornado DDT but gets a kick to Sabin’s right arm and then a kick to Williams for two. Williams goes up top but is caught into a backbreaker for two.  King goes for the Royal Flush, but gets kicked in the gut and then the head before getting nailed with an enziguiri. Sabin ties King in the Tree of Woe. Williams goes for the Destroyer again but gets caught with fireman carry slam right into King. Sabin goes for Cradle Shock, but King kicks him out of the ring and hits the Royal Flush on Williams and covers him for the win.

Winner by Pinfall and STILL X Division Champion: Kenny King

Backstage Daniels is freaking out over his match. Kazarian says Daniels can handle Hernandez, but Daniels says he’s worrying about Storm. “You saw what he did earlier. And he’s probably gunning for us, and I don’t even know why, he screwed us out of our tag team title shot. He’s a jerk!” Daniels says that he needs his secretary of offense out there with him and Kazarian acts oblivious until Daniels says “I’m talking about you!” Kazarian calls himself SuperKaz and states that Storm is horrified of him. “He’s terrified of you, but he’s horrified of me” before telling Daniels he should double down on the Appletini’s. ((Jarrett’s Jab – Daniels deserves a real medal for how entertaining he is, and by real medal, I mean a championship. Why Daniels didn’t hold the title if not just for the UK tour this year is crazy to me. Easily one of the best acts in the company. And the X Division Triple Threats got old weeks ago. They need to go back to a standard format and instead of adding bells and whistles, just promote the title. If TNA spent half as much time promoting the X Division as they promote Hogan, the X Divison would be in a great place.))

-Commercial Break-

D’Lo thanks Anderson for stopping Bully from caving his head in with the hammer last week. Anderson says that he didn’t do it for D’Lo, he did it for the club. D’Lo thanks him again and says that things have been spiraling out of control. Anderson cuts him off and asks “when did things start to spiral out of control.” D’Lo states when he stepped up over Wes and Garett.  Anderson stated that D’Lo didn’t step over them; he buried two young guys trying to bust their ass for the club. D’Lo said that he understands that and now he’s going to try and fix things. Anderson said that he’s pulling for D’Lo and walks away.

Christopher Daniels vs. Hernandez

Christy announces both men right, although failing to mention Kazarian with Daniels. Hernandez backs Daniels in a corner and Daniels pokes the eyes and chokes Hernandez in the corner. Daniels tries a slam, but can’t lift Hernandez up. Delayed vertical suplex connects from Hernandez. Hernandez goes for the Border Toss, but instead gives him a backbreaker. Hernandez goes up the ramp and nails Air Mexico. You think people would move out of the way of that. Kazarian grabs the leg of Hernandez and Daniels hits a blow to the back before stomping on one half of the tag team champions. Neckbreaker by Daniels connects for two. Hernandez is thrown outside and Kazarian kicks the crap out of Hernandez while Daniels has the referee distracted. Hernandez misses a Stinger Splash, but gets distracted when Storm goes up the ramp. Kazarian runs and Hernandez runs through Daniels with a running shoulder block to win the match.

Winner by Pinfall: Hernandez

Storm tells them to shut the music off and announces Hulk Hogan told him to make an announcement: At Slammiversary Chavo and Hernandez will defend the tag titles against Aries and Roode, Bad Influence, and Storm and a partner of his choosing. ((Jarrett’s Jab – That’ll be interesting. Maybe we can get a face tag team with some talent and that actually gets a reaction.))

-Commercial Break-

D’Lo Brown vs. Joseph Park

D’Lo connects with a knee to the gut and nails him with some right hands. D’Lo drags Park by the hair and then lifts him up for a slam. Park hits a few windmill punches before D’Lo finally ducks, kicks Park out of the ring, and slams him head first against the apron before rolling him back in the ring. Park is tripped by Park and D’Lo connects with a shining wizard and a clothesline. Park moves out of the way of a splash and gets a two count. A leg lariat by D’Lo connects and a corner clothesline does too. D’Lo hits several straight right hands and it busts Park open. Park sees the blood and snaps, hitting several clotheslines, a Stinger Splash and a Black Hole Slam for the win.

Winner by Pinfall: Joseph Park

Park does the Abyss pose before he snaps back and looks confused like he doesn’t remember anything. Taz freaks out and Park asks the referee what happened.  Backstage Bully Ray and Sting are shown walking, they will negotiate…next!

-Commercial Break-

We are shown the announce matches so far for Slammiversary. TNA goofs up BIG TIME by showing a graphic for the Ultimate X match for the X Division Championship that shows King will defend against Sabin and…Suicide. The announcers don’t mention any of the names in that match.

Jeremy Boash is at a podium in the ring and introduces the TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bully Ray. Bully fist bumps with Taz and shoves Borash right out of the ring! Bully asks the fans if they know who he is and runs through his recent credentials. Bully reminds everyone that this is going to be a negotiation, and calls Sting out to the ring. Bully demands that Sting stop right before he got to the ring and tells Hogan to come out. Bully jokes that this is the first time that he and Sting have been face to face since he screwed Sting over, screwed Hogan over, “and everyone knows how bad I’ve been screwing his daughter over.” Bully says he’s not going to give an apology. Sting says that he doesn’t want one and “when you get to Boston, you should take my arm and snap it in two, pull my knee cap off, dislocate my kneecap, you should goozle me, you really should, just rip my throat out. Take your finger and gouge my eye out, you should make me bleed.” Bully asks what is wrong with Sting and why he would be telling him to do that. Sting says that “if you don’t do it to me, I’ll do it to.” Sting says he doesn’t care where it is, he will make Sting bleed in Boston. Sting says he didn’t have a demand, “but since you asked, I want a No Holds Barred match.” Bully says that Sting must think he has Bully right where he wants him. Bully says he’s got the match one on condition “you swear, you agree, you sign that when I beat you in Boston, you never ever wrestle for the World Heavyweight Championship.” Hogan tries to interrupt  and Bully tries to talk over him. Bully says he doesn’t want Sting to retire. “I want you to wrestle until the day you die, knowing that you can NEVER hold this championship again.” Hogan tells Sting that he doesn’t have to agree to that and Bully mocks Sting for letting Hogan for making his decisions for him and tells him to man up. Sting tells him yes and gets shoved before the two trade right hands to close the show.

((Jarrett’s Jab – I can’t believe that they managed to get a stipulation that makes the match interesting, but they did. I’ve said it for the past few weeks, but I still believe that Sting shouldn’t be challenging for the World Title anyways. They wasted what could be a huge summer feud on Sting. They could have thrown James Storm, Magnus, Samoa Joe, Abyss, Matt Morgan or several other people and built them up through Bully Ray, but they didn’t. That’s it for this week, remember that next week will be the last Impact that airs at 7:00 PM Central time before it goes to the old 8 Central/9 Eastern timeslot. Next week will also feature Mickie James challenge Velvet Sky for the Knockouts title.))

We’re heading into Ring of Honor territory once again, and this time around we’re going back to the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City last December for Final Battle.

The show began with the fall of the House of Truth as Michael Elgin took on Roderick Strong.

When the match began Truth Martini was nowhere to be seen, and it was only a few minutes later, when Elgin was taking Strong apart, that he finally made an appearance, looking rather less flamboyant than usual. As the match went on Martini favoured both sides. When Elgin was in control Martini cheered for him, but when Strong took the upper hand he cheered for him.

It looked like it was going to be a difficult encounter for Strong as the action went on. No matter what he hit him with Elgin kept coming back time and time again. Moves that normally put others away had very little effect on the Unbreakable one.

Then Martini jumped onto the ring apron, and as he distracted the referee he kicked his book into the ring. At first Elgin stopped Strong from using it, but when he picked him up for a powerbomb Strong grabbed the book and clobbered him in the head. With the big man stunned Strong lifted Elgin up into a suplex and brought him down into a backbreaker to gain the winning pin.

Afterwards Martini grabbed the microphone and praised Strong until the former World Champion reminded him that he’d quit the House. He then tried it on with Elgin, telling him he loved him while giving him a big hug. He then gave him a few home truths. Elgin’s response was to take his former manager down with a buckle bomb before sending him flying out of the ring.

Then it was on to the battle between Jay Lethal and Rhino.

This was a very entertaining power versus speed battle. Both guys put in good performances, especially Lethal, who was still looking for this “killer instinct” of his. However, if you want to talk about killer instinct then look no further than Rhino, another now-ex House of Truth member. I swear the guy looks as good as the first time I saw him in ECW all those years ago.

The end saw Lethal spring boarding off the ropes to take the man beast down with the Lethal Injection for the three count and win.

After the match had ended Steve Corino, who had been doing a spot of commentary at ringside, jumped up onto the ring apron as he ordered Lethal to stay out of the main event. But when Lethal dared Corino to step into the ring Jimmy Jacobs attacked him from behind, and after the S.C.U.M. members doubled up on Lethal Rhino announced himself as their new hired gun when he took the former Black Machismo out with a gore.

Next came the battle of the managers as former Embassy buddies R.D. Evans, accompanied by Q.T. Marshall, went up against Prince Nana.

Normally when you have a match between two managers it can be quite poor, but not this one. Mind you, considering that these two trained as wrestlers it’s not surprising that this wasn’t that bad. It may not have lasted that long but they certainly packed a lot in. It was pretty enjoyable to watch the sequences they put together.

At one point it looked like Nana was going to take the win after taking Evans down with an Ace Crusher after Evans spring boarded off the top rope. But as the referee made his count Marshall pulled the official out of the ring.

It was then that Ernesto Osiris made a brief appearance as he brawled with Marshall at ringside before Evans took Nana down with an inverted Styles Clash for the winning pin. Tommaso Ciampa then appeared in the front row as he sent Marshall and Evans running for cover.

The New York City Street Fight saw Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team, Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin, going up against Rhett Titus and B.J. Whitmer.

If you were expecting this to be a technical classic than you’d be sorely disappointed. But if you were expecting a brawl with people hitting each other with Christmas-related items than you’d be highly delighted.

This one began when Titus and Whitmer attacked their foes as they made their entrance, and it wasn’t long before Titus pulled a massive Christmas stocking from underneath the ring. A few moments later Haas and Benjamin were getting clobbered with giant candy canes and a Christmas tree. No, you didn’t read that wrong. I mentioned candy canes and a Christmas tree while reviewing a street fight. It made me think that perhaps they should have held this match in that special room in Mick Foley’s house.

From there they proceeded to beat the proverbial out of each other with chairs, crutches, leather belts and a piece of the guardrail before Benjamin put Titus through a table at ringside.

This left Haas and Whitmer to battle it out. Whitmer introduced a second table into the match. He put Haas on top of it before climbing to the top rope, but before he could do anything Haas sprang to his feet and joined Whitmer up top. They struggled against each other for a few moments until Haas took Whitmer over with a superplex. Bu the looks of things Whitmer took a sick bump when he went through the table head first. Haas quickly went for the cover, and a three count later he had the winning pin.

It was back to singles action for the next match as Mike Bennett, accompanied by Maria Kanellis and Bob Evans, took on Jerry Lynn in his final ROH match.

The veritable battle of the generations was one of those short and sweet encounters packed with great action. Despite being just shy of his half century Lynn looked a sprightly as ever, He certainly hadn’t slowed down as he took Bennett down with his trademark moves.

Of course, Brutal Bob and the lovely Maria played their part as the Prodigy took control, but when Maris jumped up onto the ring apron to distract the referee Evans threw a chair into the ring. But when Lynn countered Bennett’s Ace Crusher on to the chair attempt with one of his own it looked like the former champion was going to have a fond farewell until Bennett kicked out of the pin.

Then it was Evan’s turn to distract the referee while Maria went to distract Lynn. Lynn looked like he was going to hit her until she grabbed his head and dropped him down over the top rope. Bennett then connected with the Box Office Smash for the winning pin.

Bennett then lifted Lynn off his feet, intent on doing further damage. Lynn quickly recovered though, shoving Bennett into Evans before Maria tried to slap him in the face. Lynn countered this particular move by taking her down with a DDT before finishing Bennett off with the cradle piledriver.

Afterwards Lynn took to the microphone to pay tribute to all things ROH before Nigel McGuinness gave him an award for his contribution to the company.

Jay Lethal then returned to the ring and demanded that he be part of the title match instead of Generico. It was a request that head honcho McGuinness refused to grant, although he did tell Lethal that he’d get a shot at the title if Generico won.

This wasn’t enough for Lethal as he reminded McGuinness that Kevin Steen had spat on his mother before spitting on him. The enforcer then went after Lethal until security pulled then apart and threw Lethal out of the building.

After an in-ring segment in which Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish attacked the injured Mike Mondo it was on to the tag team grudge match as Fish and O’Reilly faced the men who made the save, Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards, the re-united American Wolves.

Before the match began Fish “revealed” that Edwards was a no show, suggesting that Mondo took his place. This led to the aforementioned attack in which Richards and then Edwards made the save. At one point it looked like Edwards was going to attack Richards while Fish and O’Reilly held him until Fish ended up on the receiving end of a Superkick.

The Wolves proceeded to take their former protégés to the proverbial woodshed, but it wasn’t long before the young upstarts came back into the match, focusing their attack on Edwards, using many Wolves-like double team moves to take him down.

Eventually we got the all hell breaking loose segment, and that was where the fun really began. We finally got to see Richards and O’Reilly going at it in a hard hitting away as all the big guns came out, and after the Wolves took O’Reilly out with a powerbomb into a backbreaker Edwards applied his trademark Achilles lock with boots to the head combination. When O’Reilly passed out the referee stopped the match to give the Wolves the win.

The special challenge match saw Matt Hardy facing TV Champion Adam Cole in a non-title match.

Hardly wasn’t exactly the most welcome person at the ballroom that night, which meant that for once the faithful were firmly behind just one of the participants. This match was okay. Hardy certainly put in a better effort than he did during his brief TNA career. It was a well executed encounter, even though it didn’t really have that ROH vibe about it.

Even though Hardy used a few underhanded tactics Cole was than able to hand with his more illustrious opponent, even taking him down with a Twist of Fate at one point. It also looked like he was going to get the win after dumping Hardy with his Florida Key finisher on the floor, with Hardly barely kicking out of the ensuing pin attempt.

A few moments later Cole went for the move in the ring, but in a move that reeked of desperation Hardy pulled the referee’s shirt over his head, blinding the official while he kicked Cole south of the equator. When the referee eventually sorted out his wardrobe problems the first thing he saw was Hardy pinning Cole with a small package, A three count later and the former sensei of Mattitude had the win.

The penultimate match saw the Cedric Alexander and Caprice Coleman joining Jay and Mark Briscoe in challenging Steve Corino and Jimmy Jacobs for the Tag Team titles. This one was contested under sudden death rules, and the only way that either of the challengers could win the titles was if they pinned one of the champions.

These stipulations led to some quite interesting confrontations throughout this encounter. While both sets of challengers team up at first as they tried to take the champions down it wasn’t long before they went their separate ways as they began to break up each other’s pins.

So while the challengers were going at it Corino and Jacobs tried to head for the hills. They soon found their paths blocked though as they were led back into the match. This led to our esteemed champions taking the underhanded route, particularly when Corino hit Alexander with a roll of coins in his hand. Needless to say that the veteran was shocked when Alexander kicked out of the ensuing pin.

Moments later it was all over when the Briscoes singled out Jacobs and took him down with the Doomsday Device for the title winning pin. Jay then took to the microphone to issue an open challenge to any team in the world before giving Coleman and Alexander the first shot at the title.

The main event saw El Generico challenging Kevin Steen for the World title in a Ladder War match.

Well, this may not have been as fast paced as some of the other ladder matches I’ve seen over the years but it certainly had it’s fair share of drama and sick bumps. The brawling began as soon as the bell sounded, and it wasn’t long before the ladders came into play, courtesy of our champion.

The first big bump of the night came when Steen back dropped Generico onto one of the ladders. The impact from the falling Luchadore almost destroyed the ladder, and many, well, the announcers, wondered if the match would end there and then.

It didn’t. Time and time again Generico kept coming back into the match, foiling a few of Steen’s attempts before he sent his former partner crashing through a table that was perched on a ladder between the ring and the guardrail. Further carnage soon followed when Generico went through the timekeeper’s table. But once again he recovered as he introduced a massive ladder into the equation.

This led to the biggest bump of the night. After perching two ladders between two rungs of the bigger ladders Steen took Generico down with the Package Piledriver. The masked man went crashing through two ladders before he crashed to the floor.

It was all over moments later. His man down on the mat Steen climbed up the biggest of the ladders and claimed the newly-minted title belt for the win.

No extras on this DVD release, so let’s get straight down to business.

In conclusion – Ring of Honor’s last big show of 2012 proved to be another quality outing. Although there were some moments which didn’t exactly get my pulse racing, most notably Matt Hardy’s performance, overall I was satisfied by what I saw.

As for my match of the night there were quite a few options, but this time around the no-prize goes to the Steen/Generico Ladder War. If anything that Package Piledriver onto the stack of ladders should get move of the night.

So with all of that out of the way let’s wrap this thing up by giving Final Battle 2012 the thumbs up.

With thanks to the powers that be for supplying a copy of this release. Final Battle 2012 can be purchased online by visiting www.rohwrestling.com.

By day I’m an unemployed retail worker, and at weekends I volunteer at a local museum, but by night I’m the author of The Two Sheds Review, Britain’s longest running professional wrestling and mixed martial arts blog. Visit my site at www.twoshedsreview.vze.com. It’s been online in one form or another since June 2000!

Former WWE star Bob “Hardcore” Holly talked about his experience recently in TNA:

You took part in one of the TNA One Night Only tapings, could we see you back on our screens more permanently?

“I did some stuff for TNA recently; I did one of these One Night Only PPV’s for them, which I enjoyed immensely. Everybody over there was so nice to me and I teamed up with James Storm and Magnus. It was a completely different vibe there, nobody had any pressure on them, no stress, and everybody was enjoying their jobs. I might be doing some more stuff with them in the future so hopefully you can look out for me popping up in TNA.”

You can check out the entire interview at the link above.

Preview Thursday’s IMPACT WRESTLING broadcast on SpikeTV at 8/7c as the road to the June “Slammiversary” event continues! Reminder: Beginning May 30, IMPACT moves back to its old time at 9/8c on SpikeTV! Thursdays at 8/7C until then!

Thursday’s IMPACT is LIVE on SpikeTV from Tampa, Florida, at the USF Sun Dome

- Has a TNA Original finally turned his back on the company and the fans? The Aces and Eights have announced that on Thursday’s IMPACT from Tampa, they will hold a “Patching In” ceremony to officially welcome AJ Styles to the group!

- How will TNA General Manager Hulk Hogan react to the news that AJ is joining the Aces? Hogan will be on IMPACT in Tampa to address the situation!

-In a huge match Kurt Angle will take on Mr. Anderson from Aces and 8s renewing their rivalry.

- The final countdown is on to Sting vs. Bully Ray for the World Heavyweight Championship at Slammiversary! Both champion and challenger will be in attendance on Thursday’s IMPACT – will Bully Ray and The Aces attempt to eliminate Sting before their title match?

-James Storm announced last week on IMPACT that he will be in the Tag Team Title Match at Slammiversary. Who will “The Cowboy” select to be his partner? Find out this Thursday on Impact!

- The TNA Knockouts championship will be on the line on Thursday’s huge broadcast as Velvet Sky will defend the gold against her friend (and former titleholder) Mickie James!

- The GutCheck Tournament continues on Thursday for a spot in the upcoming “Bound For Glory Series”, as Sam Shaw battles Alex Silva

- The mysterious masked X-Division superstar SUICIDE makes his return IMPACT WRESTLING on Thursday as well!

The final cable rating and viewership estimates for this week’s episode of iMPACT Wrestling on Spike TV are now available. The estimates show big decreases in both the total viewership and the final ratings number. These drops are directly attributable to the major competition that iMPACT Wrestling faced this week as it went head-to-head against a monster NBA Playoff game on TNT that brought in some 4,590,000 viewers. In addition, the History Channel’s Swamp People and TBS’ replays of The Big Bang Theory continue to bring in huge viewers during the same time slot as iMPACT Wrestling. In addition, the team at TNA Wrestling and Spike TV seem to understand that an 8:00pm start time for a show that is supposed to be geared towards older wrestling fans is not the best start time. It will be interesting to see how the show fares when it moves back to a 9:00pm start time in two weeks. This week’s episode of iMPACT Wrestling scored a final cable rating of 0.84 which represented about 1,105,000 viewers over the course of the show’s two hours.

By comparison, this week’s episode had a final cable rating that is 0.14 of a point lower and brought in approximately 165,000 less viewers than last week’s episode, which scored a final cable rating of 0.98 with an average audience of 1,270,000 viewers.

Remember, though, the total viewership for any one episode of iMPACT Wrestling is hard to estimate. On his Twitter account, Eric Bischoff suggests that DVR numbers can add a total of 10% to 12% to the final viewership numbers. Historically, we’ve seen DVR+1 and DVR+3 figures (the amount of people who watch the show on their DVR within one day and three days of recording it) add 200,000 more viewers to the final viewership numbers reported above. Plus, Spike.com uploads each full episode of iMPACT Wrestling to its website for free online streaming for approximately a four month period. The streaming versions of the show on Spike.com typically generate between 5,000 and 20,000 views before they are taken down (some special episodes have many more viewers, others have less). Also, the TNA channel on YouTube posts a large portion of each episode online with no expiration date. These YouTube clips typically bring in between 10,000 and 50,000 viewers. However, as DVR, Spike.com, and YouTube viewers are not included in the television viewership estimates above, these figures are rarely if ever reported by professional wrestling “news” websites. We feel that it is necessary to report this information in order to provide a full definition for the entire spectrum of viewers for each episode.

Interested in learning more about how iMPACT Wrestling’s historical ratings and viewership numbers? If so, then check out TNAStars.com’s Ratings War area. In the Ratings War area you can see a comparison of iMPACT Wrestling vs. Monday Night RAW from the spring of 2010 and iMPACT Wrestling vs. Superstars from all of 2010 and the first part of 2011. Also, you can see the impact on both viewership and ratings on TNA Wrestling’s decision to move the show to an 8pm start time in May 2012. Plus, you can see a comparison of iMPACT Wrestling’s viewership numbers from week-to-week in 2011, 2012, and the beginning of the ratings and viewership tracking information for 2013. Enjoy!

Former TNA X-Division Champion Zema Ion provided his fans with an update on his health today via Twitter. The update noted that he was surprised with a diagnosis of appendicitis and had to have his appendix removed. Also, while the doctors were managing his appendicitis they noticed a tumor on his colon that needs to be removed. You can read the full text of Ion’s update in the tweet below (click the image for it to appear full-size in a new window).

The entire team at TNAStars.com hopes for the best for Ion.

In a recent article talking about a $1,200,000 donation that WWE is making to the Sports Legacy Institute, the Founder of the institute – former WWE Tough Enough competitor Chris Nowinswki – talked about how he received a concussion from Bully Ray when he was portraying the Bubba Ray Dudley character in WWE. Here is the part of the article that references Ray and some of Nowinski’s comments:

Nowinski sustained a concussion in a 2003 wrestling match. The problems he had in the aftermath, from a kick in the head by Bubba Ray Dudley, fueled his interest in prevention and treatment.

“It wasn’t his fault. I was too close,” Nowinski said of wrestling Dudley. “And unfortunately I lied about my symptoms for five weeks and kept going. … I had a headache and was nauseous every time I got my heart rate up, but I fought through it as best I could.”

For more information about this generous donation by WWE, you can read the entire USA Today story by clicking here. You can find out more information about the Sports Legacy Institute by clicking here.

In a recent interview with Rob McNichol of The Sun (United Kingdom), TNA President Dixie Carter noted that she believed Magnus was “the future of our company.” She said that people thought he was much older than he was because of his maturity and his look. She also said that he carries himself like a superstar. Below are highlights of the interview, which you can read in its entirety by clicking here.

On Magnus as the Future of TNA
Magnus could be the future of our company. He was only 21 when I signed him and I don’t think people realise that because he looked so much more mature than that. He’s really grown. He’s a fabulous talker and his in-ring work has come so far. He’s gorgeous and carries himself like a superstar. Magnus is the real deal.

On TNA’s Relationship with the United Kingdom
There is something special with our relationship with this country. The UK is TNA’s second home. Just to be able to say that you’ve become the No1 rated wrestling show in a major country — from a television standpoint the United Kingdom is the second most important country in the world — is huge. We also know that there is so much great talent over here. We already have some of the best on our rosters. Rob Terry has come so far, working with Doug Williams in OVW. Doug is one of the greatest wrestlers from the UK and I’m really excited about Rockstar Spud.

On Taking iMPACT Wrestling on the Road
It was a leap of faith. If we’d have done it a couple of years ago we wouldn’t have stayed in business. It was a fiscal decision — pulling the trigger at the right time — and I think we did it. It’s gone great so far, tThe crowds have been fantastic. We’re hoping to keep that momentum up and just grow it even more. It really translates into the shows — they have a different energy and feel to them.

On Hiring Industry Professionals Like Eric Bischoff and Bruce Prichard
I try to hire very good people and let them do their jobs, but I am involved with everything from an oversight standpoint — and that includes creative. I try to let them have as much leeway as possible, but I’m involved, read everything and make suggestions. They work for me. I’m the only one, when I go to sleep at night, that has the ultimate responsibility for the success of failure of this company. No one else. I take that very, very seriously — and they need to too.

While giving and a question and answer-based interview after iMPACT Wrestling’s press conference to announce that the show was coming to Las Vegas, TNA’s on-screen General Manager Hulk Hogan reiterated that he has absolutely no plans to get in the ring. Hogan noted that not only does he have little desire to wrestle again, but his body is not able to perform in a way that would be safe enough for him to engage in a match.

When asked by Paul Delos Santos of the Las Vegas Sun about how he feels having a lesser role on the show, this is what Hogan had to say:

It’s the way it should be. I’ll be 60 years old in a couple of months. The main problem is my knee. I keep cutting on it, and I can’t seem to get it right. There are all these nice fans who say, “We want to see you have one last match.” But when I look at myself in the ring at 60 years old, the loyal fans don’t care if I throw a punch or a leg drop. I had my day, and as much as a great compliment and how kind those words are, truth is, I shouldn’t be in there unless, for some reason, it’s to make the company better or help some young guy reach the next level. For me to get into the ring and wrestle doesn’t make sense for anybody. Until I can get physically straightened out, I couldn’t do it anyway.

For some reason, rumors persist that Hogan has plans to not just wrestle in iMPACT Wrestling, but to become the TNA World Heavyweight Champion. We hope that this update from Hogan himself proves that those rumors are baseless and that they are likely the result of young kids or socially inexperienced young adults who don’t understand the tongue-in-cheek nature of some of Hogan’s comments.

Read the entire question and answer session by clicking here. Enjoy!

Recent viewership estimates for iMPACT Wrestling on Challenge TV in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland are now available. The episode of iMPACT Wrestling that aired on Sunday, May 5, 2013 was estimated to have approximately 191,000 viewers on Challenge TV. An additional 23,000 viewers watched an hour later on Challenge TV +1 bringing the total audience for the episode to 214,000 viewers. This figure represents an increase of about 7,000 viewers from the prior week’s show, which brought in an estimated 207,000 viewers.

The Sunday, May 5, 2013 episode of iMPACT Wrestling was the most viewed program on Challenge TV and the second most viewed program on Challenge TV +1. A replay of the prior week’s episode that aired on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 was the fourth most watched program on Challenge TV +1 with 17,000 viewers.

Since iMPACT Wrestling began broadcasting on Challenge TV it has consistently been the highest viewed professional wrestling program in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. In fact, one of the company’s August 2011 episodes drew in nearly 300,000 viewers – a figure not seen in this market since the Attitude Era. iMPACT Wrestling shattered that record in February 2012 with an episode that drew in a total audience that eclipsed 320,000 viewers. One of the reasons why iMPACT Wrestling has been able to achieve high levels of viewership in this market is because WWE opted to negotiate a television deal with the Sky Sports suite of channels which means that their programming is on a package that must be paid for by the viewer. When TNA Entertainment, LLC negotiated their television contract in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, they opted to go with a free channel that viewers do not have to pay for as a part of their cable package. WWE’s choice to place their programming on a paid channel versus iMPACT Wrestling’s choice to place their programming on a free channel likely has an affect on the total number of viewers watching each of the promotions’ television shows.

Also worth noting is that WWE has much more programming in this market than TNA. Their programming includes a live airing of RAW, a repeat of RAW, a live airing of Smackdown!, a repeat of Smackdown!, NXT, a show called Experience, another show called Bottom Line, a show called Vintage Collection, a show called Afterburn, and live airings of pay-per-views. With all of these programs airing throughout the week some observers and analysts could reasonably suggest that the WWE product is overexposed in this market. However, iMPACT Wrestling is still the most watched professional wrestling program in the United Kingdom over the last 11 years – a phenomenal accomplishment for the younger, smaller promotion.

Interested in learning more about how iMPACT Wrestling’s historical ratings and viewership numbers? If so, then check out TNAStars.com’s Ratings War area. In the Ratings War area you can see a comparison of iMPACT Wrestling vs. Monday Night RAW from the spring of 2010 and iMPACT Wrestling vs. Superstars from all of 2010 and the first part of 2011. Also, you can see the impact on both viewership and ratings on TNA Wrestling’s decision to move the show to an 8pm start time (on this side of the pond) in May 2012. Plus, you can see a comparison of iMPACT Wrestling’s ratings and viewership numbers from week-to-week in 2011, 2012, and the beginning of the ratings and viewership tracking information for 2013. Enjoy!

TNA wrestler Austin Aries was hit with a “severe fine” by the organization this week after he went off the script during a recent live event and shoved his man bits into a female announcer’s face, TMZ has learned.

The unscripted crotch-thrusting went down earlier this month on “Impact Wresting” … when Aries became upset at announcer Christy Hemme for calling him the wrong name during his ring intro.

Hemme was clearly upset during the junk attack … and afterward, she even tweeted about the incident … calling it “unacceptable.”

But sources tell us … Aries — real name Daniel Solwold, Jr. — reached out to Hemme and privately apologized, acknowledging he crossed the line.

TNA also came down hard on Aries and slapped the wrestler with a fine — it’s unclear how much cash Aries will have to fork over.

As for Hemme, we’re told she has spoken with TNA officials and told them she was “satisfied” with Aries’ apology.

The show began with action from the light heavyweight division as Max Nunes faced Iain Martell.

This battle of undefeated fighters proved to be a very interesting affair. Martell sought to take the fight to the ground early on. He quickly achieved his aim, and even though Nunes managed to get back to his feet Martell took him down again.

A few moments later the referee threatened to stand them up due to inactivity. This spurred Nunes into action as he reversed the positions and finished the round with a spot of ground and pound.

Martell began the second round with another takedown, but within seconds Nunes locked in a triangle choke as Martell tapped out after just 46 seconds to give Nunes the submission win.

Then it was down to the lightweight division as the debuting Ben McConigle faced Ian Peters.

For someone making his debut young McConigle looked like a very composed fighter. He began to take control early on after the initial feeling out period, and even when Peters scored with a big slam McConigle quickly got back to his feet.

As the first round progressed McConigle’s striking got better and better as he bloodied his man’s nose, and even though Peters got off some good strikes of his own McConigle always looked like he had the upper hand.

And that was it. The doctors checked out Peters after the round ended and decided that he couldn’t go on, giving McConigle the stoppage win.

The lightweight action continued with Sean Carter facing Dom Clark.

These two didn’t bother with the feeling out period, they began swinging for the fences as soon as the fight began, and it wasn’t long before blood saw drawn when Carter sustained a cut under his eye.

It certainly was a frantic back and forth battle. One fight would get rocked, then he’d come back into the right and rock the other guy. Eventually something had to give, and after a knee to the chest and another to the head Clark slumped to the ground. Carter went for the kill with some ground and pound before the referee stopped the action to give Carter the TKO win.

Even more lightweight action followed as Andy Cona went up against Fadi Jameel.

Our esteemed announcers billed this one as the striker versus the grappler, and after the opening exchanges it was the grappler who took control when Jameel scored with the takedown.

Cona briefly went for a guillotine, but Jameel’s control was such that he was able to transition at will. It wasn’t long before he took the mount and went to work with the ground and pound, and when Jameel connected with the blow that knocked Cona out for a brief moment he ceased his attack as the referee stepped in to give Jameel the TKO win.

It was down to bantamweight for the next fight as Paul Kingdon faced Nathan Greyson.

These two began by exchanging kicks, but when Kingdon slipped Greyson immediately went into his guard. He postured up well, delivering a few choice shots, and when he transitioned away from the guard he began to rain down a torrent of blows. Kingdon curled up, and that was enough for the referee as he stepped in to give Greyson the TKO win.

The bantamweight action continued with Steve Brazier taking on Jody Collins.

Collins began his night’s work with a big right straight down the middle, followed up by a quick takedown into side control. Form there he delivered a series of knees to the body before moving so he could apply an arm triangle, and with Brazier passing out the referee stopped the action to give Collins the submission win after just 63 seconds.

Then it was up to the middleweight division as Tautvydas Lileikis took on Ben Callum.

Callum began swinging for the fences as soon as the bell sounded, and when he dropped his man with a big left and went for the ground and pound it looked all over until Lileikis managed to escape.

But like a red rag to a bull Callum continued his onslaught, and when Lileikis slumped to the mat the referee stopped the fight to give Callum the knockout win after just 33 seconds.

The only UK1 kickboxing fight on the show saw Jefferson George taking on Michael Page for the Welterweight Superfight title.

If you’ve never seen Page fighting I think the best way to describe is showboat artist. As is his custom Page moved around the cage and used an array of flashy kicks to attack George from all angles. But as good as this spectacle was he didn’t seem to connect with too many of them.

George looked a game fighter as he tried to take the fight to his man, and by the time the second round started Page seemed to take things a little bit more seriously. Although the flashy kicks were still there he introduced a few punches into the mix as well. It soon did the trick when a left/right combination sent George crashing. The referee quickly stopped the fight to give Page the knockout win.

The penultimate fight saw Spencer Hewitt challenging Giorgio Andrews for the Flyweight title.

The only fight on the show to go the distance proved to be a quite cagey affair at times as each round followed a similar pattern. From the moment the fight started Hewitt seemed intent on taking the fight to the ground. However, his efforts came to nothing as Andrews foiled him time and time again.

Andrews, on the other hand, had more success in that particular department. He was certainly the busier of the two in that respect, and although his ground work wasn’t overly flashy it was solid enough.

But with the fight going the distance the judges were called into action. Everyone was in agreement as Andrews took the unanimous decision.

The main event saw Nick Chapman challenging Linton Vassell for the Light Heavyweight title.

This one was very enjoyable. Although Vassell connected with the first blow of the fight it wasn’t long before Chapman took control. He may not have been the most graceful fighter but he was certainly effective. His big blows had Vassell in danger quite a few times, but as the first round neared it’s conclusion it was evident that the tank was nearly empty.

When the second round began Vassell took control with a takedown. Seconds later he took Chapman’s back and synched in a rear naked choke for the submission win.

In conclusion – as with my other UCMMA DVD reviews I must say that it’s great to see these shows in full because the television broadcasts really don’t do them justice. It’s also nice not having to fast forward through the commercial breaks!

The ethos that the fight should never be left in the hands of the judges was certainly adhered to here, because from top to bottom this show was filled with great finishes. All the fights delivered to varying degrees.

As for the fight of the night no-prize originally I went for the Max Nunes/Iain Martell fight. I’m going to change that decision now and plump for the Nick Chapman/Linton Vassell fight instead.

So with all of that out of the way there’s only one more thing to do, and that’s to give UCMMA 29 the thumbs up once again.

With thanks to the powers that be for supplying a copy of this release. For more information on how to purchase this or any other UCMMA DVD then visit www.ucmma.tv.

By day I’m an unemployed retail worker, and at weekends I volunteer at a local museum, but by night I’m the author of The Two Sheds Review, Britain’s longest running professional wrestling and mixed martial arts blog. Visit my site at www.twoshedsreview.vze.com. It’s been online in one form or another since June 2000!

Opening Segment

The standard recap video played of Hulk Hogan burying the hatchet with Sting, Matt Morgan burying Hogan’s ideas, and Sting burying Matt Morgan, in that order; Angle calling out a member of Aces and Eights; D’Lo swearing his colors and quitting; and Angle asking AJ Styles to stand with him and Sting.

Sting and Kurt Angle come out to kick off Impact Wrestling in the BancorpSouth Arena in Tupelo, Mississippi tonight and Sting tells the crowd that he is walking into Slammiverary and stripping Bully Ray of his power by beating him and winning the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Sting states that he doesn’t want to wait until June 2^nd in Boston, and he wanted this tag team match tonight. He said he needed the best of the best: The Wrestling Machine Kurt Angle. Angle says that he was deceived just like everyone else, but last week he made D’Lo Brown tap and scream “I Quit.” He turns his attention to AJ Styles and asks him to come out. Unlike last week, he didn’t need an entire commercial break to come to the ring. Angle asks AJ if he’s going to join them against Aces and Eights and AJ stares at him and the fans start a “YES” chant. Angle tells AJ that he’s getting tired of asking and he’s demanding that AJ answer him and Sting has to force his way between AJ and Angle before telling Angle to “let me try this.” Sting says he felt like AJ has before and “done the whole mysterious thing” but AJ needs to do the right thing for the fans and calls TNA “the house that AJ Styles built.” Sting says that knows that AJ wants to do the right thing and says “let’s make this happen for the house that AJ Styles built.” Sting extended his hand and AJ stared at it for a minute before Angle got in his face and says “I’m tired of this crap! You’re either with us or against us AJ, which one is it gonna be.” AJ walked away and a pissed off Angle follows him up the ramp and brawls with it. Sting looks on from the ring as the camera zooms out to show Ken Anderson, Bully Ray and Devon in the ring. Anderson hits a clubby blow from behind and turns around right into a 3D.  ((Jarrett’s Jab – I don’t really know what to think about this whole angle. First it was James Storm, then it was Hulk Hogan, now it’s Kurt Angle getting in AJ’s face before he can give an answer. Who are supposed to be the bad guys here? Aces and Eights gave AJ a cut and haven’t bothered him sense. TNA is demanding answers and pushing AJ around. I don’t understand the logic in this. On an unrelated note, major props to Bully Ray though for managing to be such a good heel that the fans didn’t cheer the 3D.))

-Commercial Break-

We are shown a replay of what happened before the break with the Angle brawl with AJ Styles and the 3D on Sting.

Backstage AJ is shown backstage and is asked if he’s “going to leave those guys high and dry” before AJ looks at the camera and he walks out the front door. ((Jarrett’s Jab – Taz actually brought up my point, at least))

Tara and Gail Kim vs. Mickie James and TNA Knockouts Champion Velvet Sky

Mickie grabs Gail to star the match and starts nailing right hands and clotheslines. Jesse grabs Mickie’s feet as Gail stomps on her and Tara drops down to hug Jesse on the outside. Gail yells and Tara gets on the apron for a tag. The two double-team and slam Mickie down before Tara grabs Mickie by the hair and ties her in the tree of woe before hitting a basement dropkick and eskimo kiss Jesse. An irritated Gail Kim tags herself in and hits some right hands on Mickie and poses before hitting a splash as she says something to Tara while Jesse fans his girl with his shirt. Mickie connects with a kick and both knockouts are down. Gail and Velvet are tagged in and Velvet connects with several kicks and a neckbreaker for two. Velvet goes for the In Your Face on Gail, but Tara breaks it up. Velvet manages to hit the move on Tara for the win.

Winner by Pinfall: Velvet Sky and Mickie James

Gail yells at Tara and clotheslines her before locking in the hanging figure-four around the ring post like she did Taryn Terell last week. ODB had to pull Gail up as Tenay points that Tara has a history of knee problems and wears a heavy brace.

Backstage Bully Ray brags that another Icon has bit the dust by getting the 3D. Doc talks about AJ trading in his “crotch rocket” for a real bike. D’Lo walks in and Bully tells him that he’s going to take care of some club business later on and asks everyone if they’re in. They walk out and leave D’Lo alone in the ring..

-Commercial Break-

Bad Influence brings Storm “Skull with a Cowboy Hat Beer” and Kazarian apologizes for what happened a few weeks ago and state that they were caught up in the AJ Styles bidding war. Storm retorts by asking “Like your foot got caught in my crotch?” Kazarian makes a Star Wars reference and Daniels reminds Storm that Bobby Roode hit him over the head with a beer bottle to take his world title. Daniels proposes that the three of them get together. “Forget about Fortune, we could be Threetune” Kazarian gleams as Storm gives a hilarious “What” response to. Daniels looks at him and says that they’ll stay named “Bad Influence” while drinking his appletini. Kazarian predicts it’ll take him six minutes to drink the beer and tell him to do the right thing. After Bad Influence leaves, Storm pops the cap on a beer and mutters “Six minute tab, it’ll take me about four.”

Bully Ray comes to the ring with all the members of Aces and Eights and tells them to shut the music off and states that by now “you should know who in the hell we are.” Bully reminds everyone that tonight “my brother Devon and everyone’s favorite asshole Mister Anderson” will face Kurt Angle, Sting and their mystery partner. Bully jokes that it’s not going to be AJ Styles because he saw the light of the day and tells all the wrestlers that think that they’re going to be the hero…don’t do it. Bully turns to D’Lo and tells him that he disgraced himself, the club, and his brother and demands him to “turn in your colors” right now. D’Lo says no, and Bully asks him if he just said no to him. Bully reminds him that he is the president and “you will take your colors off and hand them to me now.” D’Lo retorts by saying “My cut is my life” and again says no. Bischoff and Brisco snatch the cut off of D’Lo and Anderson spins him around and reminds him that he said I Quit last week and “this club is not for quitters!” Bully agrees with Anderson and says that he quit on himself, his brothers, his cut and everyone “and now you’re going to cry about it like a bitch.” Bully asks how he is going to redeem himself and D’Lo wants a match with Magnus tonight and Bully says that all D’Lo does is flap his gums and says that D’Lo is going to watch from the timekeepers table while DOC faces Magnus “and you better hope he wins if you ever want your cut back.”

-Commercial Break-

Magnus vs. D.O.C.

The match is in action as we come back from the break with DOC controlling Magnus with a chinlock. Magnus gets to his feet and backs DOC into the corner and connects with a big boot as a replay is shown of Magnus clotheslining DOC over the top rope from the break. DOC is back in control with shots to the ribs and an Irish Whip before nailing a big splash in the corner and a clothesline. DOC goes for the chinlock again before Magnus being able to fight out long enough to get suplexed and get nailed with several right hands. Choking Magnus on the middle rope for a four count and an Irish Whip leads to Magnus countering out of the big slash and hitting a big clothesline and big boot before countering a right hand with a clothesline. Mangus fires up the crowd and goes up top, but DOC cuts him off and goes for a superplex. DOC gets knocked off and hit with the elbow for two. D’Lo pulls Magnus out of the ring but gets sent into the steel steps, Doc puts Magnus in a fireman’s carry before dropping him with a flapjack for two. D’Lo hooks DOC’s foot when he rebounded off the ropes and Magnus rolls him up for the win.

Winner by Pinfall: Magnus

((Jarrett’s Jab – How did D’Lo not notice he was grabbing a leg wearing blue jeans instead of wrestling boots? It was a good win for Magnus, but D’Lo being involved made it all about the Club instead of all about Magnus.))

-Commercial Break-

Bully Ray is fuming backstage. “First you say I Quit, now you’re saying sorry?” Ray tells D’Lo that he’s turned into a bitch and holds the ballpeen hammer to his skull. Anderson suggest giving D’Lo a job that he can actually do and Ray agrees, demoting D’Lo to a prospect that washes their bikes, gets them beer and ice before telling D’Lo to take the Aces and Eights shirt off and get lost. Bully tells Anderson that he should have bashed D’Lo Brown’s skull in and he knows it.

Hulk Hogan is backstage with Sting and Kurt Angle telling them that it’s personal and suggests himself as the third man tonight, but Angle and Sting both said no. Sting tells Hogan that his doctor told him today that he couldn’t go and to keep on the same track. Hogan says that he has a wild card and if the guy is who he says he is, all they have to do is sit back and watch Sting suggests Magnus to be the third man and talks about how he beat DOC and they don’t have a choice at this point. Angle says that Magnus is ready and Hogan says that Magnus is on the top of his game and he has some stuff he has to do. ((Jarrett’s Jab – THIS right here is everything that is wrong with TNA in a nutshell. Hogan volunteering to be the third man and picking Magnus “because they don’t have a choice.” Magnus is one of the fast rising stars in TNA and he was just buried. If they don’t believe in Magnus enough to want him because he’s good instead of that they’ve run out of options, why should I as a viewer take him seriously?))

In a darkly-lit hallway, Bobby Roode and Austin Aries are talking. Roode says it’s a horrible idea, but Bad Infuence already got to Storm and they need to “appease his ego.” Aries states that it’s only words and they don’t mean anything. We see Storm with a referee shirt on and the two working on him.  Aries gives Storm a beer and holds up his glass of wine saying it’s a little Beer-Wine toast, like Beer Money. Aries states that Roode has something to say to him and Roode quickly says that he was always jealous of Storm because he made Beer Money and the only reason he beat Storm for the World Title is that he cracked him with a beer bottle. Storm interrogates Aries, asking him if he told Roode to say all that. Roode said he needed to get it off his chest and make an even playing field for tonight. Storm toasts Aries’ glass of wine and says you never know when you’ll need a beer and wishes them both luck. Storm starts to walk off and informs Roode that “the word going around the locker room with all the boys, when he [Aries] beat you, it wasn’t a fluke.” Roode and Aries argue as Storm walks off.

-Commercial Break-

TNA World Tag Team Championship #1 Contenders Match: Austin Aries and Bobby Roode vs. Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels and Kazarian); Special Referee “The Cowboy” James Storm

Christy Hemme manages to introduce Roode and Aries as Bad Influence despite their music playing, Aries’s name on the video wall and both of them looking at her with a weird expression. Roode gets in the ring and backs her into a corner and she announces them by their right names. Aries gets on the top rope and does his pose with Hemme still backed against the turnbuckle and she starts laughing. Tenay jokes that Hemme was practicing Bad Influences ring introduction. Kazarian and Austin Aries start off the match. The two tie up and the two trade armbars, Kazarian gets the advantage and pose as an ‘Austin Aries’ chant breaks out. Aries easily chain wrestles Aries and spins around him before chilling on the turnbuckle to cheers.  Aries backs Kazarian in the corner and both men rake each other eyes. In a funny moment they go to the wrong corners and get hit in the face and then tag each other at the middle of the ring and stand on the aprons with Roode looking on confused. Storm makes them get back in the ring and they manage to tag their partners in this time. Daniels and Roode shake hands but kick each other in the gut. The two do some counter wrestling with Roode missing an elbow and Daniels posing after hitting a right hand before getting run over with a clothesline.  Roode knees the gut and hits a Russian Legsweep for one. Tenay points out that Roode is a seven time world champion and four of his reigns were with Storm, while one of Daniels’ reigns as tag team champion was with James Storm and Taz asks if the point was that Storm can’t survive as a single’s wrestler. Roode connects with a straight right hand before Daniels fights back and Aries kicks Daniel’s back so Roode can drop him with a neckbreaker. Snapmare by Roode connects and Aries tags himself in. Roode goes ahead and neck snaps Daniels so Aries can drop an elbow to the back before gaining a one count with Storm distracted by Kazarian. Aries starts nailing Daniels with rights as Taz says that Storm isn’t qualified to be a ref, and anyone else wouldn’t have been distracted and counted to three. Palm strike connects and Roode tags in and Aries chokes Daniels before Storm breaks it up. Roode uses his boot and uses a four count and Aries uses his shin to choke him for a two count. Aries goes up top and hits a crossbody on Daniels and Roode gets a one count when Daniels gets his hand on the rope. Kazarian hits an axe handle on Roode and connects with several kicks before throwing Roode back in and getting tagged in. A good double team move gets Bad Influence a two count and Daniels rakes the eyes while Storm is distracted. Springboard leg drop by Kazarian gives him a two count. Taz rants about Storm drinking beer was Roode is sent into Daniels boot and Daniels is tagged in. Daniels goes up top and Roode throws Kazarian into him, knocking them both down. Aries is tagged in and hits the IED in the corner and hits the elbow strike to Daniels. Aries goes for the brainbuster, but Daniels gets out of it. Aries sends Daniels to the outside and NAILS a suicide dive before throwing him into the ring and mocking Chavo before connecting with the frog splash, but Kazarian breaks up the pin Aries is caught into a modified 3D for two when Roode breaks it up. Kazarian goes for the Fade to Black on Roode, but Roode slips out and nails the Double A Spine buster. Roode is caught in a STO by Daniels and Aries hits a knee breaker into a throw before running right into a boot.  Daniels goes for Angels Wings, but it is countered into a Brainbuster by Aries. That is countered into a roll-up but Storm doesn’t count the fall because Daniels has Aries’ tights. Aries has a beer bottle and spits some beer in his face and drinks some before Storm grabs it away and chugs the rest. Aries shoves Storm and Storm accidentally superkicks Daniels. Aries tells Storm to count and he counts to two before giving the Last Call Superkick to Aries. Storm walks up the ramp as Roode and Daniels checks on their respective partners as Storm turns around to survey the madness.

No Contest

We cut quickly to Aces and Eights ganging up on someone backstage that is quickly revealed to be Magnus. It’s basically just a weapons fight with plenty of bleeping and Anderson yelling at Magnus. Magnus fights back a little bit and spits on DOC’s face before getting hit with what looks like a garbage can before running a cart into his head.

-Commercial Break-

A cool vignette played for Suicide. It was a really cool vignette for a really stupid character.

A video highlighted Chris Sabin’s return to the ring on last week’s episode of Impact Wrestling and the X Division Champion Kenny King comes down to the ring. King tells them to “turn the mic off” and reminds everyone that he is the X Division Championship and ever since he stepped foot in Impact Wrestling he’s been great, even “X-Ceptional,” and he always beats the odds. King announces that he isn’t out here to talk about himself, but former 4-time X Division Champion. King says that we’ve seen all the video packages, but asks Sabin to tell a story for the fans. Sabin tells Kenny that the last two years he’s spent were in physical rehabilitation and his basement, and King has no idea how hard it is to have what you’ve worked your entire life for ripped away from you, but King also doesn’t realize what great motivation it is and the fighting spirit inside Chris Sabin. Sabin tells everyone that he has nothing left to lose and he’s going to fight like it’s his last night on earth and next week he is going to become the X Division Championship. King claps and explains that sometimes in wrestling wins and losses are always viewed above everything else and Sabin almost lost his livelihood twice and he never stopped fighting. King calls Sabin an inspiration and asks Sabin to hold the X Division belt one more time for him. King tells everyone that he wants everyone to see Sabin with the belt because that’s as close as he will ever get to the belt while he’s alive. Even with two good ACL’s he still wouldn’t be as good as Kenny King before grabbing the belt back. King exclaims that next week he’s going to rain golden showers all over Sabin’s parade and now Sabin is holding the X Division Championship again and King demands his belt back. Sabin looks at the belt and tosses it to King before drilling him with a right hand. King retreats in the crowd with the X Division belt in hand while Sabin stands at the top rope looking at him.

We cut backstage with Aries with a steel chair unfolded in his hand while agents try to hold Bad Influence, Aries and Roode away from James Storm. ((Jarrett’s Jab – While I hated the non-finish to the number one contenders match, this was a very interesting angle. I have to wonder if this mean Storm finds a partner and goes into the Tag title hunt. It’s not like he has anything else to do. Speaking of that, King and Sabin have done something that hasn’t been done in months, create an actual storyline for the X Division Championship. The three-way matches have quickly run their course and so has the dreadful X-Cam. I hope that following next week, we can get regular matches for the X Division Championship and build rivalries instead of just throwing matches together with bells and whistles.))

-Commercial Break-

A graphic plays showing that next week the X Division Championship will be on the line when Kenny King defends against “Maple Leaf Muscle” Petey Williams and Chris Sabin. A video package shows that this year, a Gut Check winner will be in the Bound for Glory Series. Sam Shaw, Christian York, Jay Bradley and Alex Silva will fight in a four-man tournament to find out who the man will be that has an opportunity to face the World Champion at Bound for Glory.

Todd Kenely talks about Impact Wrestling moving back to the old timeslot of Eight O’Clock Central before talking about the 3D that was delivered on Sting, AJ Styles leaving, Magnus getting taken out by Aces and Eights and Storm getting taken out.

Bully Ray is with the club and say that everyone in the club isn’t happy with the treatment of D’Lo Brown, but they have to do what is best for the club. What’s best for this club is weeding out the week. No one says they quit and he did. Bully exclaims that he’s not worried about the mystery partner and Knux asks if he has anything for D’Lo when he comes back. Bully smiles and says that’s a great question and says that Knux always has great questions and calls him the brains of the operation. Knux says he’s a deep thinker and Bully tells Knux that D’Lo needs to have the beer cold and the bikes washed before putting Wes in charge of the women.

Backstage Hogan is on the phone and Angle yells that they are out of time and walks out saying his music is playing. Hogan tells Sting to wait, but Sting says he has to go. Hogan tells whoever is on the phone that it’s now or never.

-Commercial Break-

Kurt Angle and Sting and a Mystery Partner vs. Aces and Eights (Mister Anderson, TNA World Champion Bully Ray and TNA Television Champion Devon)

Devon  and Kurt Angle kick off the match as Bully Ray throws his chain at Taz, who suprisingy catches it. The two fist fight for a minute before Devon rakes the eyes and gets a quick advantage before getting destroyed by a Belly-to-Belly suplex and a quick tag out to Bully Ray. Ray brings down some clubby axe handle blows to the back of Angle before  missing a right hand and getting arm dragged.  Angle quickly locks in an armbar before rolling out and getting caught with the same move. Sting is tagged in and Anderson tags in. Tenay whines about Bully Ray tagging out (despite Anderson tagging himself in) and Taz says its smart strategy so Bully can scout Sting and Sting can’t scout Bully Ray in the ring. Anderson suckers Sting in for a test of strength and kicks him in the gut before unloading with right hands before getting caught with an atomic drop and a dropkick. Sting uses the middle rope to crotch Anderson and take Bully Ray and Devon off the apron. Angle is tagged in and just stomps a mudhole in Anderson and gets a cover that doesn’t get a one count. Anderson gets a knee to the cut and quickly tags in Devon. Devon whips Angle right into a Bully Ray clothesline and Ray taunts the crowd while Devon nails some right hands and gets a cover that once again doesn’t get a one count. Angle fights back but Devon rakes the eyes and throws Angle right into Bully Ray’s boot. Bully is tagged in and hits three corner splashes on Angle and Anderson chokes Angle while Sting tries to intervene. Bully stomps on the right hand of Angle and tags Devon in. Team 3D hit a inverted 3D on Kurt Angle and knock Sting off the apron as the camera cuts to Aces and Eights laid out in the back as we head to commercial

-Commercial Break-

Back from the break and Bully Ray and Kurt Angle are the legal men. Angle is down on his stomach and Bully Ray manages to get to his feet and connect with a great dropkick! Ray yells at Sting as Kenely jokes that Bully Ray defeated gravity with that dropkick. Anderson is tagged in and kicks Angle before hitting a spinning elbow strike for two. Devon tags in and delivers a right hand to the kidney and hits a neckbreaker. Devon covers and gets a close two count after killing a little time ‘stalking his prey’ Devon cranks the neck and Angle wills himself to his feet and gets kicked in the back of the head by Bully Ray from the outside and Devon covers for a two count. Devon hit a scoop slam and a leg drop before mocking Hulk Hogan with all of his poses instead of capitalizing on Angle. Bully Ray tags in and hits an axe handle blow to Angle’s back. Neckbreaker connects by Bully Ray before he pulls down a strap and just chops the chest. Bully misses a second chop and nails an Angle Slam Sting extends the hand and Devon and Sting ar the letal men. Sting runs through Devon with clotheslines, a Stinger Splash and a Scorpion Deathdrop. Anderosn tries to break up the pin but Sting moves and Anderson lands on Devon. Sting covers Devon but Bully Ray breaks up the pin. The two exchange blows and Sting locks in the Scorpion Deathlock before Anderson breaks it up with right hands and a Mic Check. Anderson knocks Angle off the apron and sends him head first into the steel steps. Devon slides a table into the ring and Bully Ray sets it up in the middle of the ring. Theme music plays and it’s Abyss! Honestly didn’t recognize the song. Abyss takes out both Bully Ray and Devon with running splashes. Anderson is chokeslammed into the table and Devon is nailed with the Black Hole Slam for three.

Winner by Pinfall: Abyss, Kurt Angle and Sting

((Jarrett’s Jab – It’s been so long that I didn’t recognize the theme, especially with the solo bell intro. The mystery partner was a great hook throughout the show with the logical choices in Magnus and James Storm taken out. I personally loved the Joseph Park character that I dread seeing Abyss back. I was afraid it would be Jeff Hardy or Hulk Hogan, so I was happy to see Abyss, but how they handle the Monster going forward will be interesting to watch. The X Division scene has a storyline for at least the week, and the Knockout Champion is on TV for the first time on a few weeks.))

It’s time to head over to the Impact Zone once again as we take a look at the latest of TNA’s One Night Only shows, Joker’s Wild, shown this past Wednesday night on Challenge here in Britain.

The format of this show borrowed a little from something WCW did many years ago, a tournament format featuring six tag team matches, with the teams drawn at random, with the winners going on to a Royal Rumble-like gauntlet battle royal thing.

Match one saw James Storm and Christian York taking on Gunner and Crimson.

This was a pretty decent opener. Storm and York looked good early on before the bad guys took control and centred their attack on York. As a team Crimson and Gunner looked decent, and it left me wondering what had happened to Crimson’s career, considering the way he was pushed for over a year.

Anyway, I digress. York eventually made it back to his corner, and although Gunner almost got the in after Crimson took his man down with a spear the Cowboy took the win after York pushed Gunner into a Last Call Superkick.

Match two saw Jessie Godderz and Mr. Anderson facing Doug Williams and Kid Kash.

We certainly had an interesting story in this one with Godderz, the least experience man in this match, wanting to prove himself against his more illustrious opponents and his more illustrious partner.

Things went well for their team when Anderson was in the ring, not so though when Godderz was. Kash and Williams looked like they’d been teaming for years as they took Godderz apart, but when the youngster had the chance to tag out he chose to stay in the ring. It didn’t do him much good as he ended up taking even more punishment.

Eventually Anderson tagged himself in, but even then Godderz wanted to take the glory for himself. Anderson soon had enough of his partner, taking him out with the Mic Check before countering Kash’s roll-up with an inside cradle for the pin.

Match three saw Christopher Daniels and Samoa Joe going up against Chavo Guerrero and Rob Van Dam.

This was definitely the most star-studded of the tag matches. With these four as our protagonists you just knew you were going to get a quality match. Both teams put together some nice sequences early on, but when Guerrero began to take the brunt of the punishment Daniels and Joe looked pretty decent as a unit, a sort of X Division dream team if you will.

Guerrero soon got the hot tag to RVD after taking Daniels down with a body block, and after much high impact action Joe took RVD down with his Muscle Buster for the winning pin.

Match four saw Robbie E and Zema Ion taking on Bobby Roode and Joseph Park.

Before the match began Park suggested a new name for his new venture with Roode. Needless to say that the former World Champion was having none of it. He was also reluctant to let Park have any involvement in the match, but after the initial exchanges Roode eventually let him in.

Park went on to become the night’s biggest punching bag as E and Ion double up on him to good effect. The big man had one comeback moment, but it wasn’t long before they took Park out again.

Then, as the boys began to pose in the middle of the ring, Park saw his own blood and invoked the spirit of his missing brother as he took Ion out with a choke slam and E down with a Black Hole Slam.

Park then snapped back into it, and as he began to wonder what had happened Roode took the blind tag and pinned E for the three count.

Match five saw Hernandez and Alex Silva taking on Devon and Doc.

Hey, wasn’t it lucky that two of the Aces & Eights guys got picked as partners? Anyway, back to the matter at hand. This one was okay, but it wasn’t the best match on the card. Silva looked pretty good, and Hernandez did his usual thing early on, but it wasn’t long before the guys in leather took control so they could pound on Silva for a while.

Silva eventually made it back to his corner so Hernandez could come back in and do some more of his stuff. That didn’t last long though as Silva tagged himself back in so he could take Doc down with a top rope dropkick while big Super Mex flew over the ropes and took out Devon.

It didn’t give Silva much of an advantage though as Doc quickly got to his feet and took him down with a choke slam for the winning pin.

Match six saw Rob Terry and Matt Morgan going up against Joey Ryan and Al Snow.

This was definitely the least enjoyable of the tag matches. Before the match began Ryan reminded Morgan of some plan they’d come up with. A few moments later he argued with Snow before he tried to head for the hills. Snow followed him up the ramp, grabbed hold of him and threw him back into the ring.

A few moments later the two big men began to target Snow, and once again Terry looked quite limited in the ring. Snow looked okay, but he also looked like someone who shouldn’t give up his day job.

Then came the segment in which Ryan and Morgan tried to implement their plan. Whatever it was they just didn’t want to face each other, but with Snow and Terry reluctant to help out their partners the two cohorts had no choice but to face each other.

Lots of stalling followed as they tried to get their partners to tag back into the match, but with neither man having any success Ryan attacked Morgan with some of the weakest shots I’ve seen outside of a U.K. Pitbulls match.

Seconds later Morgan apologised to his friend before taking him down with the Carbon Footprint for the winning pin.

Then it was on to the Joker’s Wild gauntlet battle royal thing, with the winner getting a big cardboard cheque.

Beginning with James Storm and Bobby Roode this mini Royal Rumble proved to be quite entertaining. All twelve men acquitted themselves well as the alliances made earlier on quickly became rivalries.

The main sights in this one featured a brief Beer Money reunion as they eliminated Doc, as well as Rob Terry and Matt Morgan doing their best Terminator impressions as they eliminated almost everyone in sight.

The last two in the ring were the first two men who had entered the match. Roode thought he’d eliminated Storm until the Cowboy skinned the cat and pulled himself back into the ring. A few moments later, having taken Roode over the top rope, he knocked him down to the floor with the Last Call Superkick to win the big cardboard cheque. Personally I think they should have given him a title shot.

In conclusion – so how did TNA’s One Night Only rate second time around?

I really enjoyed this show. Although the basic concept had been done before it worked out pretty well. The majority of the tag matches were well played out and well executed, and the gauntlet proved to be the icing on the proverbial cake.

However, the illustrious commentary team of Mike Tenay and Taz annoyed the hell out of me again. They were just so off-putting for the entire show I just felt turning the sound down at times.

As for my match of the night this time around the no-prize goes to the Guerrero/RVD versus Daniels/Joe encounter. That’s something I’d like to see again sometime. I doubt if I will though.

So with all of that being said there’s only one more thing left to do, and that’s to give this show the thumbs up. Although Tenay and Taz get the big thumbs down.

By day I’m an unemployed retail worker, and at weekends I volunteer at a local museum, but by night I’m the author of The Two Sheds Review, Britain’s longest running professional wrestling and mixed martial arts blog. Visit my site at www.twoshedsreview.vze.com. It’s been online in one form or another since June 2000!

If you’re a college student studying philosophy or someone who is highly engaged in the theater that is our American political process, then you’ve probably heard the title of this column in the past. Students of philosophy will remember it as phrase coined by Coleridge who used it to describe the emotion / feeling necessary for a reader to truly appreciate the work of art that they are consuming. Political junkies will remember this as the term (with “willing” slapped in front of it) that then-Senator Hillary Clinton used during the 2008 Presidential election to suggest that the General Petraeus report on Iraq’s progress was unbelievable.

As I was watching this past Thursday’s episode of iMPACT Wrestling and the post show interviews with Sting and Bully Ray on YouTube, this phrase kept working its way into my mind. Sure, as a fan of iMPACT Wrestling and more generally as a fan of professional wrestling, I understand that we all engage in a willing suspension of disbelief. Without it, we couldn’t believe that there is animosity between James Storm and Bobby Roode. And we couldn’t believe that this animosity is derived from Roode’s jealousy of Storm for obtaining the TNA World Heavyweight Championship before him and at Storm’s failed attempt at redemption against Roode at TNA Lockdown 2012. We wouldn’t believe that Gail Kim has a real vendetta against all of the Knockouts in the Knockout Division and that she is on a mission to take out every girl in the division one at a time. Without a willing suspension of disbelief, professional wrestling fans would be what all of the people who don’t “get it” incorrectly think all professional wrestling fans are – people who think that the fighting in the ring is “real.”

In short, without each of us willingly suspending our disbelief we wouldn’t have professional wrestling as we know it today.

However, watching the videos of Sting and Bully Ray after last week’s iMPACT Wrestling got me to thinking at how good both of these guys are at making it seem like there is a real angst between the two of them. And that’s great! Watching those videos I thought about Sting in the ring with AJ Styles talking about how he used to do the thing in the rafters being all quiet and mysterious, etc.

And that got me to thinking about the nWo.

There are always going to be comparisons between the storylines of yesterday and the storylines of today. As a fan of TNA, I understand that my preferred brand is looked at with extra scrutiny and condemnation by an internet population that is primarily made up of younger wrestling fans who are unknowingly conditioned by WWE to be pro-WWE and anti-everything else. But I digress… back to the nWo. Clearly, there are easy comparisons between the Aces and 8s and the nWo. Not only was the nWo composed primarily of heels like the Aces and 8s currently is comprised of, but the nWo was bent on domination of WCW much like the Aces and 8s are bent on the domination of TNA.

Enter the willing suspension of disbelief.

Look, we’re all adults here, right? Okay, I just noted that most of the internet wrestling fans are younger, but I’m assuming that if you made it this far in the column you’re a few years older! As a group of adults, we understand that TNA has a group of writers – just like WCW had – and that those writers are preparing scripts for an episodic television show called iMPACT Wrestling. We also understand that the major story arc for the last year has been the ascent of Bully Ray and the creation of his super group – Aces and 8s – as a dominating force in TNA.

Watching those post show videos the other day, though, made me think about the storyline question: to what end? Get ready to willingly suspend disbelief because I’m about to explore what appears to be the extension of this storyline. Ready? Here we go!

To what end does Bully Ray want to beat Sting at Slammiversary? In other words, Bully Ray beats Sting and then gets to say that he is a dominant champion. Okay. He still wants his group to be in control of TNA, so let’s say that they get a hold of the TNA World Tag Team Championships, the TNA Knockouts Championship, and the TNA X-Division Championship. Let’s even say that they get Hulk Hogan fired and find a way to take “ownership” of the company from Dixie Carter. Let’s make the world the ideal world in the Aces and 8s storyline.

Then what?

These thoughts flashed through my head while watching those post show videos and when I started to think about the nWo, I wondered what their end game was in WCW. If I’m not mistaken (and it’s been a long time, so maybe I forgot some parts of their storyline), the goal for nWo was to take over WCW and rebrand it the nWo with their own, unique style of wrestling and entertainment on display. Does that sound right? Arguably, the storyline nWo guys achieved this goal because before the company was purchased by WWE, its events were co-branded as WCW/nWo events. In fact, I think that for a while the nWo had their own pay-per-view each January called nWo Souled Out.

And then WCW hit the reset button and things started spiraling out of control. Back to TNA…

I can’t think of a reasonable endgame for the Aces and 8s gang. What is their ultimate goal? What does it mean for them to win the battle? Both Sting and Bully Ray refer to a war or a battle that is going on between TNA and Aces and 8s. Why? Where did the war come from? I understand that Bully Ray put together this super group because he wanted to gain control of the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Mission accomplished. How did that turn into a war against TNA? Is it because his gang delivered beat down after beat down on iMPACT Wrestling? Well, if that’s the case, then isn’t that the case with professional wrestling whether there are factions involved or not? One guy disrespects another guy then both guys fight to see who is better.

The writing team introduced the idea of this epic battle, this epic war between TNA and Aces and 8s. But I can’t figure out to what end the Aces and 8s are working. I know that TNA wants to eradicate the guys that are members of the Aces and 8s. I get that part of the storyline. I just don’t get what the ultimate endgame is for a guy like Wes Brisco or D.O.C. What are their motives to be in a war against TNA? And, on a more macro level, isn’t the entire idea of an Aces and 8s-type group or an nWo group counterintuitive to the very existence of the company that they are trying to take over? In other words, if the Aces and 8s survives in putting TNA on its knees in this storyline and getting rid of all of the guys that they don’t like in the company, then wouldn’t they essentially be folding the company that provides them a paycheck? I know that’s a high level type of thought about professional wrestling and if someone brought me this argument, I’d tell them that they were overthinking the entire thing.

However, now that I’ve had the thought, I can’t get it out of my head. Now when I think about this supposedly epic war between TNA and Aces and 8s, I find myself wondering both, “Why?” and “Does it even matter?” and “To what end?”

What do you folks think? To what storyline end do you think Aces and 8s are moving towards? What about the idea of a gang trying to put a company out of business in the first place? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below!

- Joe
joe1897 [at] gmail [dot] com

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Former TNA World Heavyweight Champion “The Cowboy” James Storm took to Twitter earlier today to confirm that he has a torn lower abdomen and some ligament damage. Storm thanked the fans for their tweets of concern before posting his update. Here is the tweet that Storm posted earlier in today:

The entire team at TNAStars.com wishes “The Cowboy” a quick and speedy recovery.

After his surprising return on Thursday night, Abyss took to Twitter to thank the fans for welcoming him back on his return to iMPACT Wrestling. Also, “The Monster” used his tweet to warn anyone that wronged him or his “brother” Joseph Park, Esq. that there will be no mercy. Here is his tweet from after the show ended:

Also, Abyss used social media to express his perspective on getting revenge against anyone who wronged him or his brother. Here is the series of hashtags that he posted regarding how he felt about getting some retribution:

After this past Thursday’s episode of iMPACT Wrestling, Hulk Hogan took to Twitter to offer some praise regarding the electric crowd in Tupelo, Mississippi. He commented that he couldn’t believe how alive Hulkamania was in Tupelo and then thanked the fans for keeping it alive. Here is his tweet from after the show:

Then earlier this morning, he praised the crowd in Tupelo again for making so many posters for the iMPACT Wrestling taping. He mentioned that he couldn’t believe all of the signs that fans are now making for iMPACT Wrestling. Here is his tweet from earlier today:

Preview Thursday’s IMPACT WRESTLING broadcast on SpikeTV at 8/7c as the road to the June “Slammiversary” event continues! Reminder: Beginning May 30, IMPACT moves back to its old time at 9/8c on SpikeTV! Thursdays at 8/7C until then!

- Thursday’s broadcast will feature the World Title contract signing between Bully Ray and Sting for their main event bout at Slammiversary! Sting and Bully Ray will make the match official on Thursday on SpikeTV – the question is, will all hell break loose between champion and challenger? Don’t miss the contract signing on Thursday!

- “The Monster” Abyss made his surprise return to TNA this past week, joining Sting and Kurt Angle to defeat The Aces and Eights! Will we hear from Abyss this Thursday? Where has he been? How will Joseph Park react to his brother’s return? Don’t miss it!

- The X Division Championship will be on the line on Thursday as Kenny King defends in a three-way match against Chris Sabin and Petey Williams! Can Sabin continue his amazing comeback to regain the gold? Will Williams reclaim his spot atop the division? Or, will King continue to reign supreme?

- The World Tag Team Champions will be in action on Thursday in separate matches as Chavo Guerrero faces Bobby Roode, while Hernandez battles Christopher Daniels!

- Thursday’s IMPACT will also feature Knockouts action as Knockouts Champion Velvet Sky takes on longtime rival Gail Kim

- Plus, former Gut Check participants will battle in a tournament for a spot in the upcoming Bound For Glory Series! In the first match on Thursday, Jay Bradley will face Christian York!

All this and much more on Thursday’s IMPACT broadcast on SpikeTV, plus more news on the upcoming “Slammiversary” event!

The final cable rating and viewership estimates for this week’s episode of iMPACT Wrestling on Spike TV are now available. The estimates show an increase in both the total viewership and the final ratings number. This week’s episode of iMPACT Wrestling did not have to compete head-to-head against the NBA Playoffs like last week. This week’s episode of iMPACT Wrestling scored a final cable rating of 0.98 which represented about 1,270,000 viewers over the course of the show’s two hours.

By comparison, this week’s episode had a final cable rating that is 0.04 of a point higher and brought in approximately 166,000 more viewers than last week’s episode, which scored a final cable rating of 0.94 with an average audience of 1,104,000 viewers.

Remember, though, the total viewership for any one episode of iMPACT Wrestling is hard to estimate. On his Twitter account, Eric Bischoff suggests that DVR numbers can add a total of 10% to 12% to the final viewership numbers. Historically, we’ve seen DVR+1 and DVR+3 figures (the amount of people who watch the show on their DVR within one day and three days of recording it) add 200,000 more viewers to the final viewership numbers reported above. Plus, Spike.com uploads each full episode of iMPACT Wrestling to its website for free online streaming for approximately a four month period. The streaming versions of the show on Spike.com typically generate between 5,000 and 20,000 views before they are taken down (some special episodes have many more viewers, others have less). Also, the TNA channel on YouTube posts a large portion of each episode online with no expiration date. These YouTube clips typically bring in between 10,000 and 50,000 viewers. However, as DVR, Spike.com, and YouTube viewers are not included in the television viewership estimates above, these figures are rarely if ever reported by professional wrestling “news” websites. We feel that it is necessary to report this information in order to provide a full definition for the entire spectrum of viewers for each episode.

Interested in learning more about how iMPACT Wrestling’s historical ratings and viewership numbers? If so, then check out TNAStars.com’s Ratings War area. In the Ratings War area you can see a comparison of iMPACT Wrestling vs. Monday Night RAW from the spring of 2010 and iMPACT Wrestling vs. Superstars from all of 2010 and the first part of 2011. Also, you can see the impact on both viewership and ratings on TNA Wrestling’s decision to move the show to an 8pm start time in May 2012. Plus, you can see a comparison of iMPACT Wrestling’s viewership numbers from week-to-week in 2011, 2012, and the beginning of the ratings and viewership tracking information for 2013. Enjoy!

It’s time to step into the realm of Canada’s Northern Championship Wrestling once again, and having taken a look at two episodes of their Full Blast series we’re now going to take a first look at their all-women’s show. So join me now as we head back to last July for Femmes Fatales IX.

The show began with Leah von Dutch taking on Angie Skye, who had Kath von Goth in her corner.

For me this rather short encounter was somewhat lacking. It began with Sky going to work with an arm wringer, but once LVW brought out her moves things went a little downhill. LVD’s performance just seemed a little too forced and lacking in fluidity. Things got better when Skye took control with the help of her gothic friend, but when LVD made her comeback once again the action still looked forced, especially when she went for a moonsault.

The moonsault almost led her to victory, but as the referee made his count Goth pulled him out of the ring. A brief admonishment followed before Skye took her opponent down with her version of the Killswitch Engage for the winning pin.

The singles action continued with Missy taking on Deziree.

This one was even shorter, but it was also a lot better. Missy, who seems to have modelled herself on Raven, looked pretty decent, especially when she was executing Raven-like moves. As for Deziree she looked okay, but in such a short match it was a little hard to get what she was all about.

Missy came out on top here after taking her woman down with a DDT. Or should that be the Evenflow DDT?

Next up was Veda Scott against Mary Lee Rose, who was accompanied here by Mademoiselle Rochelle.

These two were give a little more time than their predecessors, but that didn’t mean the action was any better. Scott looked okay, but if I’m to be completely honest Rose looked quite poor. She certainly didn’t impress me. A good example of her work was when Scott connected with a clothesline and Rose went down in stages, rather like a footballer trying to convince a referee he was fouled when he wasn’t.

The end came when Rachelle tripped her own client as she ran the ropes, with Scott sealing the deal with an Ace Crusher.

Rachelle then stepped into the ring with her now-former charge, but their little confrontation was interrupted by the arrival of the Midwest Militia. After they introduced themselves to their new surroundings it looked like they were going to attack Rose until Courtney Rush appeared on the scene with a chair in hand. Some verbal sparring followed before Rose agreed to be in Rush’s corner for her big match later than night.

Tag team action followed as the Canadian Ninjaz, Portia Perez and Nicole Matthews, faced the Cherries, Sweet Cherry and Cherry Bomb, with the winners getting a shot at the Shimmer Tag titles.

Now this was a lot better. It began with the two Cherries frustrating the Ninjaz early on, but after Sweet Cherry missed an avalanche in the corner the Ninjaz took control. Perez and Matthews doubled up on Cherry to good effect, but it wasn’t long before she got the tag to Bomb to begin the all hell breaking loose segment of the match. There were a couple of moments of miscommunication when Perez accidentally clobbered Matthews and Perez pushed Bomb into Cherry, knocking her off the ring apron, before Perez rolled Bomb up for the three count and the win.

As the Ninjaz celebrated on their way backstage Cherrie raised her partners arm. Miss Bomb was none too pleased though and clobbered Cherrie in the back, leaving her laying in the ring.

It was back to singles action for the next match as Mercedes Martinez faced LuFisto.

Now this was a lot better times two. It began with Martinez attacked Fisto as she made her entrance. This saw that start of a brawl all around ringside before they eventually made it to the ring. Once they got there they continued the good work, but it wasn’t long before they were brawling at ringside once again, with the two ladies taking it in turns to roll back into the ring to break up the referee’s count.

The highlight of the match soon followed when Fisto took Martinez out with a moonsault to the floor, and when they’d recovered from their exertions they began brawling once again, this time making it into the front row.

That was enough for the frustrated official as he threw the match out. That didn’t matter to our ladies though as they continued fighting until the pink-shirted security team separated them.

After the esteemed Stephane Bruyere announced a few appearances for the next show before getting involved in the on-going brawl between Martinez and Fisto it was on to the next match as the masked Pink Flash Kira went up against She Nay Nay.

Before the match began Nay complained about having to wrestler a “super-hero”. This resulted in Kira chasing her around ringside and into the ring. Kira had her moments early on, but it wasn’t long before Nay took control. Those sequences were pretty good, especially Nay’s kerb stomp.

Kira soon made her comeback though, and although Nay tried to take her to the ground so she could apply an arm and shoulder submission Kira countered with a roll-up for the winning pin.

As Kira celebrated her win the Canadian Ninjaz returned to the ring for a sneak attack, using a chair as a choking aid. Portia Perez then grabbed the microphone and demanded that they get their shot at the Shimmer Tag Team titles there and then.

The champion, Courtney Rush and Sara Del Ray, made an appearance, and after Del Rey tried to give the challengers her title belt Rush accepted the challenge.

This one didn’t last that long. Rush got the punching bag treatment early on, but when she went to make the tag Del Rey did the old Mega Powers trick and jumped down from the apron, leaving Rush to fight on alone.

This she did, but there was only so much she could do, and after Matthews hit her in the ribs with a chair Perez took her out with a Superkick for the title winning pin.

Next up was the encounter between Cheerleader Melissa and K.C. Spinelli.

We had lots of stalling at the beginning, mainly because Spinelli tried to get the fans to join her in a cheerleader-like chant. When the action eventually began it was quite entertaining. Spinelli attacked as soon as the bell sounded, but it wasn’t long before Melissa was taking her to the proverbial woodshed. This only lasted for a few moments until Spinelli took the upper hand once more.

But despite her best efforts Spinelli couldn’t get the win, and when Melisa took her down with her version of White Noise it was all over. A three count later and Melisa had the win.

Then it was back to tag team action, this time of the six women variety as the Midwest Militia team of Jessica Havok, Sassy Stephie and Allysin Kay, accompanied by Mademoiselle Rachelle, faced the Rush Revolution team of Courtney Rush, Xandra Bale and Cat Power, accompanied by Mary Lee Rose.

This was another one that had lots of stalling at the beginning, mainly because of the Militia’s reluctance to get into the ring. When they eventually made their move it signalled the start of a mass brawl. The referee soon brought normality to the proceedings as the Militia used Rush’s injured ribs for target practice, and when she made it back to her corner it signalled the start of the second mass brawl, which involved a spot of high flying and an in-ring brawl between the ringside supporters.

It was then that Havok got back into the ring, and one by one she rook Rush’s team down. Her final move saw her countering Bale’s top rope hurricanrana attempt with a sit-down powerbomb for the winning pin.

The main event saw Sara Del Rey challenging Kalamity for the Femmes Fatales International title.

For me this was an example of how Del Rey is being completely underutilised by her current employers. She put in a performance that any of her male counterparts would be proud of. Everything she did looked so good, especially her hard hitting chops and kicks. It really was a top notch performance, the likes of which you’d never see from a Knockout or a Diva. Kalamity wasn’t far behind her performance-wise. Her work was solid and a lot more entertaining than many on the undercard.

Despite her best efforts Del Rey came up short. After she missed a cannonball in the corner Kalamity came across the ring and connecting with a flying forearm as she was slumped in the corner. She then took her out with the Kalamity Driver for the winning pin.

In conclusion – I have to admit that I kind of have mixed feelings about this particular release.

Some of the performances early on where somewhat lacking, but as the show went on the match quality definitely improved, with the final three matches proving to be a great example of what women’s wrestling should be about.

As for my match of the night that particular no-prize is going to the main event title match between Sara Del Rey and Kalamity. Nice work from all concerned in that one.

So with all of that out of the way it’s time to deliver my final verdict as Femmes Fatales IX gets the thumbs up. A good show let down by it’s early matches.

With thanks to the powers that be for supplying a copy of this release. NCW Femmes Fatales IX is available to buy online at www.ncw.qc.ca.

Don’t forget to check out my website at www.twoshedsreview.vze.com. It’s been online in one form or another for nearly 13 years now, and is Britain’s longest running professional wrestling and mixed martial arts blog.

In a Twitter update from earlier today, the President of TNA Wrestling Dixie Carter announced that iMPACT Wrestling will be moving back to its original start time of 9:00pm EST. Here is the tweet as it appeared on Twitter:

This move comes after about a year of the show airing at 8:00pm EST. The 8:00pm EST starting time was not a good move for iMPACT Wrestling as it lost a portion of its late night audience due to the weaker starting time. Stay tuned for more details on this move as they are made available!

Recent viewership estimates for iMPACT Wrestling on Challenge TV in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland are now available. The episode of iMPACT Wrestling that aired on Sunday, April 28, 2013 was estimated to have approximately 191,000 viewers on Challenge TV. An additional 16,000 viewers watched an hour later on Challenge TV +1 bringing the total audience for the episode to 207,000 viewers. This figure represents an increase of about 37,000 viewers from the prior week’s show, which brought in an estimated 170,000 viewers.

The Sunday, April 28, 2013 episode of iMPACT Wrestling was the second most viewed program on Challenge TV and the tenth most viewed program on Challenge TV +1.

Since iMPACT Wrestling began broadcasting on Challenge TV it has consistently been the highest viewed professional wrestling program in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. In fact, one of the company’s August 2011 episodes drew in nearly 300,000 viewers – a figure not seen in this market since the Attitude Era. iMPACT Wrestling shattered that record in February 2012 with an episode that drew in a total audience that eclipsed 320,000 viewers. One of the reasons why iMPACT Wrestling has been able to achieve high levels of viewership in this market is because WWE opted to negotiate a television deal with the Sky Sports suite of channels which means that their programming is on a package that must be paid for by the viewer. When TNA Entertainment, LLC negotiated their television contract in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, they opted to go with a free channel that viewers do not have to pay for as a part of their cable package. WWE’s choice to place their programming on a paid channel versus iMPACT Wrestling’s choice to place their programming on a free channel likely has an affect on the total number of viewers watching each of the promotions’ television shows.

Also worth noting is that WWE has much more programming in this market than TNA. Their programming includes a live airing of RAW, a repeat of RAW, a live airing of Smackdown!, a repeat of Smackdown!, NXT, a show called Experience, another show called Bottom Line, a show called Vintage Collection, a show called Afterburn, and live airings of pay-per-views. With all of these programs airing throughout the week some observers and analysts could reasonably suggest that the WWE product is overexposed in this market. However, iMPACT Wrestling is still the most watched professional wrestling program in the United Kingdom over the last 11 years – a phenomenal accomplishment for the younger, smaller promotion.

Interested in learning more about how iMPACT Wrestling’s historical ratings and viewership numbers? If so, then check out TNAStars.com’s Ratings War area. In the Ratings War area you can see a comparison of iMPACT Wrestling vs. Monday Night RAW from the spring of 2010 and iMPACT Wrestling vs. Superstars from all of 2010 and the first part of 2011. Also, you can see the impact on both viewership and ratings on TNA Wrestling’s decision to move the show to an 8pm start time (on this side of the pond) in May 2012. Plus, you can see a comparison of iMPACT Wrestling’s ratings and viewership numbers from week-to-week in 2011, 2012, and the beginning of the ratings and viewership tracking information for 2013. Enjoy!

The final cable rating and viewership estimates for this week’s episode of iMPACT Wrestling on Spike TV are now available. The estimates show a decrease in the total viewership which we cannot attach to the ratings performance yet since quarter hour figures have not been released to date. This week’s episode of iMPACT Wrestling went head-to-head against the NBA Playoffs and ever-popular History Channel and TBS lineups. This week’s episode of iMPACT Wrestling scored a final cable rating of 0.94 which represented about 1,104,000 viewers over the course of the show’s two hours.

By comparison, this week’s episode had a final cable rating that is 0.04 of a point higher and brought in approximately 126,000 less viewers than last week’s episode, which scored a final cable rating of 0.98 with an average audience of 1,230,000 viewers.

Remember, though, the total viewership for any one episode of iMPACT Wrestling is hard to estimate. On his Twitter account, Eric Bischoff suggests that DVR numbers can add a total of 10% to 12% to the final viewership numbers. Historically, we’ve seen DVR+1 and DVR+3 figures (the amount of people who watch the show on their DVR within one day and three days of recording it) add 200,000 more viewers to the final viewership numbers reported above. Plus, Spike.com uploads each full episode of iMPACT Wrestling to its website for free online streaming for approximately a four month period. The streaming versions of the show on Spike.com typically generate between 5,000 and 20,000 views before they are taken down (some special episodes have many more viewers, others have less). Also, the TNA channel on YouTube posts a large portion of each episode online with no expiration date. These YouTube clips typically bring in between 10,000 and 50,000 viewers. However, as DVR, Spike.com, and YouTube viewers are not included in the television viewership estimates above, these figures are rarely if ever reported by professional wrestling “news” websites. We feel that it is necessary to report this information in order to provide a full definition for the entire spectrum of viewers for each episode.

Interested in learning more about how iMPACT Wrestling’s historical ratings and viewership numbers? If so, then check out TNAStars.com’s Ratings War area. In the Ratings War area you can see a comparison of iMPACT Wrestling vs. Monday Night RAW from the spring of 2010 and iMPACT Wrestling vs. Superstars from all of 2010 and the first part of 2011. Also, you can see the impact on both viewership and ratings on TNA Wrestling’s decision to move the show to an 8pm start time in May 2012. Plus, you can see a comparison of iMPACT Wrestling’s viewership numbers from week-to-week in 2011, 2012, and the beginning of the ratings and viewership tracking information for 2013. Enjoy!

The latest issue of the Alternative Wrestling Magazine features an interview with one of the contestants of TNA’s British Boot Camp series – Marty Scurll. During the interview, Scurll talked about what it was like on British Boot Camp, whether he prefers WWE over TNA, and much more. Highlights of the interview are below. We encourage you to check out the entire interview by clicking here. Enjoy!

How did the opportunity arise to be a part of TNA’s British Boot Camp? And can you remember your reaction?
I had received a try-out for TNA on the 2012 UK tour in Nottingham, so I guess they were aware of my work from there. I’d also been in contact with Jeff Jarrett a few times before also, who is a great guy, so I guess when the opportunity came round, they chose me. To say I was ecstatic is an understatement; this was the opportunity I’d be waiting a whole lifetime for.

One of the major talking points on the show was you and Spud’s rivalry. How much was real and how much was scripted?
Me and Spud never really got along, I guess it was a clash of egos, and I’m sure TNA knew of this which is probably why we were put together on Boot Camp, they knew it would make great TV! We had to learn to co-exist as we were forced to spend so much time together during Boot Camp, and as much as I have differences with him as a person, I respect how hard his has worked over the years and wish him all the best. Plus, I’ll never let personal grudges get in the way of good business, and I was overwhelmed when Revolution Pro Wrestling drew its biggest house ever in Sittingbourne, headlined by myself vs. Spud. That’s what wrestling’s all about, creating a match and a conflict that people will pay to see!

What was the experience like of being part of TNA British Boot Camp?
The most surreal and greatest experience of my life so far, without question. I am ever grateful for that opportunity, and I loved every second of it. I was so pleased that everyone from the fans, to my friends to the top dogs at TNA were really happy with the show. I can’t speak of the experience highly enough.

During TNA British Boot Camp what were a few of those surreal moments for you?
Too many to mention. Sitting at the front of Sting’s hall of fame, one of my childhood heroes, whilst having dinner with Kurt Angle. That was crazy. Hulk Hogan, the greatest professional wrestler of all time, dancing to my entrance music. Are you kidding me? Having such huge stars such as Hulk, Jeff Hardy and Sting speaking highly of me, that was unbelievable. And then Hulk Hogan discussing me with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on This Morning?! I could go on, to be involved with such a massive company and to be surrounded with stars whose action figures made up my favourite toys as a child is certainly very surreal. There’s no other word to describe it.

How hard was it for you to find out you had not got the contract with TNA? And do you think there is a future for you in TNA?
Yeah, that was tough. But you know, I saw it as the beginning, not the end. I was the youngest on that show, and not winning the contract just made me hungrier than ever, with an even bigger desire to make it as a star there. One Direction didn’t win X-factor, but ended up being the biggest thing to ever come from that show, y’know? I know it’s in my ability and I just want to get in there with their guys, and tear the house down, grow with the company and call the place home. I’ll continue to work as hard as ever and hopefully all the hard work will pay off.

From the back of the British Boot Camp you got to wrestled on the TNA UK tour. Now you are back on the independent scene in the UK does it make you more hungry to get that level of success?
Oh of course, like I just stated. I’ve had the taste of working for TNA, and now I want it more than ever. I’m not going to stop till I make a success in this business, this is my passion, my first love, and nothing will stop me.

How much do you think British Boot Camp has helped not only to raise the profile of the contestants but the profile of British wrestling?
It’s certainly raised us as contestant’s profiles, that’s for sure, just looking at how our twitter followers’ sky rocketed is a good indication of that. I still get recognised on a daily basis from the show. And I think it did a great job of showing fans that there are some great talents, right here In the UK. TNA gave the UK its own show, something they could be proud of. TV is the most vital asset in getting exposure, and like I mentioned before, coming off the back of the show, me vs. Spud did great business, only helping British Wrestling’s profile raise as a whole.

In the first Issue of Alternative Wrestling Magazine. I wrote an article titled Britain’s Got Talent I tipped you to go to WWE. Do you have a preference of being in WWE over TNA or vice versa?
WWE is obviously what I grew up watching, but TNA’s the place I want to be, I feel that would be the best place to display my talents. I want to get in there with the X-division and give the fans those matches which make their jaws drop, and really show that TNA is the alternative product.

At the moment your status with TNA is not clear but if a company like Ring of Honor came in offered you a good contract. Would you be tempted to go to Ring of Honor?
I have some good friends at ROH like Adam Cole, Davey Richards and Kyle O’Riley, who, especially Davey; have expressed their desire to have myself (along with Zack) in ROH. I think it’s a good company, but I’m not sure there in the position to employ anyone from the UK at the moment, which is a shame. I hope they do well and if the opportunity rouse it would be great, but right now my focus is TNA.

Remember to check out the entire interview by clicking here.

The latest issue of the Alternative Wrestling Magazine features an interview with former iMPACT Wrestling tag team Generation Me. Matt and Nick answered questions and gave their thoughts on their short time in TNA, the influence that Marty Jannetty had on their careers, trying out for WWE, being accused of disrespect, and much more. Highlights of the interview are below. We encourage you to check out the entire interview by clicking here. Enjoy!

How did the opportunity come about with Marty Jannetty? And what influence has Marty had over your careers?
Nick and I were always humongous fans of The Rockers, so bringing in Marty Jannetty was an easy choice. We got in touch with him, and it all came together rather easily. What started out as a one-time business deal, turned into a long friendship. As soon as we met him and worked with him, we clicked, and he took a liking to us. I remember him telling us, “Ya’ll are the new Rockers,” and pretty much gave us his blessing to wear our Rocker-like gear. Since meeting him, he took us under his wing and taught us a lot about tag team wrestling. For awhile, we spoke on the phone and exchanged emails on a weekly basis. At one point, he pitched an idea to Shawn Michaels and WWE about bringing us in as a new team that he would be a manager for. Eventually Nick and I would turn on him, Shawn would make the save, and we’d do a Rockers vs Young Bucks match! It’s a shame that never happened! Then, for a few years, we disconnected and didn’t hear from him much, but later ran into him a year and a half ago at a Chikara show, and have been in pretty good contact since. He’s a good man, with a big heart.

We could talk for hours about your independent success. I wanted to touch on TNA, How did the opportunity arise to sign for TNA? And can you remember how you felt when you were signed?
We met and wrestled the Motor City Machine Guns at a PWG show. Immediately after the match, they asked if we’d be interested in coming to work for TNA. They said they’d, “Put their necks on the line for us, ‘cuz we belong there.” After a few months, we got a call about coming in for a tryout. We lucked out that it was against The Guns, and all of the stars aligned on that day, and we knocked it out of the park. Right after the match, they asked us to sign. I called my wife and we both cried. It’s one of my favorite moments of my life.

The feud with the Motor City Machine Guns has to be the highlight of your time in TNA. Was there any specific moment or match in the feud which stands out for you?
Traveling the road and working 3-4 consecutive nights, putting on different matches every time, was a real highlight. We had some real killer matches that’ll unfortunately never see the light of day. I honestly don’t think any of the matches that made television even compare to our house show stuff. Although, we’re both very proud of our debut match, Ultimate X Match, Bound For Glory match, and Empty Arena Match. I look back at those very fondly. We learned a lot from those guys and were blessed to work with them so much.

Was there any point in the feud with The Guns that you thought they may drop the titles to yourselves?
Originally, we were supposed to win the titles at the PPV where we turned heel. Something changed. Then, it looked like we were gonna take them at Bound For Glory, but that didn’t happen either. We never really cared about that though.

One of my biggest frustration from a fan’s point of view was when they set up a feud between yourselves. The feud was getting quite hot and then they just seemed to pull the plug. Was there any explanation for this? And how frustrating was it sporadically appearing and disappearing throughout your run there?
It was an idea that we initially were very concerned about. Nick and I are best as a tag team. We didn’t want to get lost in the shuffle. I honestly think we were just a victim of an overpopulated roster. They didn’t know what to do with us at the time. Bad timing.

You recently returned to TNA at the start of the year with the One Night Only tapings. What was that experience like? And is there any chance of you returning to TNA anytime soon?
It was an amazing experience. It felt so right to be there. We feel like we didn’t leave on the greatest of terms, so it was nice to come back and see everyone, and to wrestle at the Impact Zone a couple more times. Everyone was so nice, and the fans were very receptive to us being there. It felt like home. Would we like to come back to TNA? Certainly.

After your TNA run you had a try out with WWE. What was that experience like? And did you receive any feedback after the try out?
The experience was actually really great. Everyone was nice, and very complimentary. It felt like they rolled out the red carpet for us in comparison to how it felt years ago, when we used to go there for “Extra Work.” At the time, it sounded like they were highly interested is us, but after a certain someone slammed us online, we never heard back. But, the actual tryout matches couldn’t have went any better.

Booker T and Rob Van Dam both accused you of being disrespectful on separate occasions. What do you think were there motives behind it? Or was it just a misunderstanding?
I’d like to chalk it up as one giant misunderstanding. I’m not entirely sure what we did to upset Rob; it could have been anything. That kind of started the whole thing. Then, naturally, Booker T being Rob’s friend, he’s going to defend Rob. And instead of ignoring them like we should have, we defended ourselves, which probably added fuel to the fire. The whole thing is really a shame, and kind of a stain on our reputation. It’s become an ongoing inside joke in the locker room, because anyone that actually knows us, knows we’re anything but disrespectful, at least we like to think that!

WWE is the company you grew up watching but do you think you would ever be given a fair chance at success in WWE?
I don’t think we belong there. It’s just not for us. That kind of schedule and lifestyle is cut out for many people, we’re just not two of them. I’ve got all of the respect in the world for those guys. I don’t know how they do it. As far as ever getting a fair chance there, who knows? Now would probably be our best chance, as “Indy Guys” like us, are finally breaking the mold there.

Remember to check out the entire interview by clicking here.

Preview Thursday’s all-new IMPACT WRESTLING broadcast on SpikeTV at 8/7c as the road to the June “Slammiversary” event continues! IMPACT will be LIVE from Tupelo, Mississippi! If you can’t watch all the action on Thursday, make sure to set your DVR!

- Not only is Sting back in TNA to fight the Aces and Eights, but “The Icon” will now challenge Bully Ray for the World Heavyweight Championship at Slammiversary!

- The huge main event of Thursday’s broadcast will feature Bully Ray, Devon and Mr. Anderson of The Aces and Eights battling Sting, Kurt Angle and a partner to be determined! The question is, while AJ Styles step up and join Sting and Angle in the match? Will Styles end weeks of speculation and choose a side – is he with TNA or The Aces? Don’t miss Thursday’s main event!

- IMPACT will also feature a #1 Contender’s Match for the World Tag Team Championship as Bobby Roode and Austin Aries take on Christopher Daniels and Kaz (Bad Influence) – with the winning team earning another shot the gold! An added wrinkle is the special guest referee Cowboy James Storm. There is no love lost between Storm and either team in this match. Will Storm call it down the middle?

All this and much more on Thursday, plus Hulk Hogan, the high-flying X Division stars, the lovely but lethal TNA Knockouts and so much more – LIVE from Tupelo, Mississippi on SpikeTV at 8/7c!

James on her frustrations with lack of TV time in TNA over the last year: “I know I’ve seemed a little bit frustrated as of late in some of my promos and stuff, but I honestly feel that for the past year I’ve probably been on less than 10 shows. I’ve barely done anything. It’s awesome to be able to come back and win the number one contendership and go for the title, but I’m sick and tired of feeling like I’m sitting at home and watching all these other people. I did get injured and I was sick, but I was already off TV when I got hurt. It’s so frustrating when you know that you’re one of the best in the world, and you’re sitting at home. I love going out there and making magic and telling a story, but I don’t love pretending that I’m okay sitting at home when I’m not. I’m just being real and being honest about it. It’s not me trying to be this awful person. I’m the one who has to look at myself in the mirror and if I’m not happy with what I’m doing or not doing, then I’m the one who has to face that. So that’s kind of where I’m at. I know people question that like ‘Oh are you turning heel?’ And I’m like ‘No, not really. I’m just being honest.”

James’ thoughts on the forgotten state of the TNA Knockouts tag team titles: “I don’t understand the logic behind that because in my opinion, besides the X Division Championship, the female tag team championship is the only thing we have that nobody else has. I think our ladies’ division is so unique and so different that it gives you something else to fight for. I don’t know why they’re sitting around ODB and EY’s waists, and they’re not even defending them and nobody else is getting a shot at them. There’s no storyline; there’s nothing wrapped around them. They just kind of won the belts and that was it. Then we forgot about them. I don’t think we have enough girls right now to even have a tag division, unfortunately. But there are enough girls in our circle that we can use. In my opinion, it would be awesome if there were more full-time contracted girls because not only would it give us more girls to work with in the title picture, but also in the tag division being able to pair up with the right people and kind of see who works together and who doesn’t, what’s going to make money and what’s not, what kind of gimmicks and characters like Jumping Bomb Angels and Glamour Girls – it all works.”

On her popularity compared to Velvet Sky: “I was glad that Velvet was back; I thought it was awesome. But what was the point in bringing me back [in December] if you were just going to bring her back a week later and then I was going to sit at home? It didn’t make any sense to me unless it would have worked into some kind of storyline or something like that. It still could, you never know. Velvet started in TNA and that’s where she built her fan base. She’s got hardcore TNA fans, whereas I have hardcore Mickie James fans. I don’t mean to take anything away from her because she does have hardcore Velvet Sky fans, but I brought 80-90 percent of my fan base with me. I do have a larger audience, but she has a larger TNA loyal fan base.”

Source: TNAStars.com

Opening Segment

Impact Wrestling this week opens with a recap of Aces and Eight’s reign of dominance last week, Matt Morgan offering his assistance, and the 54-year old Sting and Hulk Hogan taking out all the members of Aces and Eights.

Inside the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Hulk Hogan makes his entrance to a standing ovation. Hogan tells the fans that they must like the drama because Sting and him almost went to blows and calls the first TNA Hall of Famer to the ring. Sting obliges in a t-shirt and his wrestling gear. Hogan says that since everything between the two of them is out in the open, and he knows when he’s right and wrong, and he got caught between some business and personal stuff and he was wrong when he ran Sting off and pulled Bully Ray close and apologizes. Hogan extends his hand and Sting shakes it and says the biggest mistake was not pulling Sting close and it was all on him. Sting tells Hogan that they’re together right now and it’s water under the bridge, and he wants a six-man tag match next week. Hogan tells Sting that it’s done and Hogan is going to find out who is going against Bully Ray at Slammiversary. He is cut off by the DNA of TNA Matt Morgan. Morgan looks at his imaginary crystal ball “this is the part where you just hand that jerk-off another shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, isn’t it?” Hogan tells Morgan that the biggest flaw he has is running his mouth and announces that there will be no more handouts or mistakes. Tonight, Matt Morgan will face Sting and the winner will face Bully Ray at Slammiversary.

((Jarrett’s Jab – I don’t need a crystal ball to see how this is going to turn out, and I’m not a big fan of what I see…))

A video plays of an interview with Chris Sabin and how he got injured. Sabin talks about how wrestling has always been a goal of his and he compares it to being in a big tunnel and the light being so far away. Doctors told him not to come back and he wants to be the Adrian Peterson of wrestling. He says that he doesn’t just want to be an X Champ or a Tag Team Champ, he wants to be the World Champion and that will always remain his goal.

Up next, Chris Sabin will have a chance to qualify for an X Division Championship when he faces Zema Ion and Sonjay Dutt.

-Commercial Break-

Kurt Angle is pacing in an exercise room backstage stating that he knew it would come to this and every week Aces and Eights try to take over the boys, the company, and they even have a title. Angle says he issues a challenge to any member that’ll face him and that “they can hurt me, they can even beat me, but if one thing is for sure, they can’t stop me”

X Division Championship Qualifier Match: Sonjay Dutt vs. Zema Ion vs. Chris Sabin

Sonjay Dutt is already in the ring; Dutt and Sabin get televised entrances. Ion pie faces Sabin, but gets pin ponged across the ring by Sonjay Dutt and Chris Sabin before getting tossed to the outside. Sabin gets a kick to the gut and Dutt connects with a hurricanrana and an arm drag. Sabin tries a sunset flip, but Ion powers out and gets kicked in the head. Ion manages to flip over the top rope and sunset flips Sabin, who suplex Dutt. Sabin rolls out and Ion fixes his hair before going out for Sabin and hitting a dropkick to the back. Ion drops Dutt throat first on the top rope as the results for the fan voting is shown, and with sixty-nine percent of the vote, Suicide is going to be involved in the next X Division Championship qualifier match. Rockstar spud received twenty-four percent of the votes, and Rashad Cameron only received seven percent. Sabin gives three hard chops, but Ion pulls the hair. Ion tries a back slide, but it’s reversed into a unique pinning predicament where Ion bas both men’s shoulders down. Dutt kicks the head of Ion while Sabin holds him in a submission hold. Sabin goes for cradle shock, but Dutt fights out. Spinning DDT and a standing Shooting Star by Dutt gains him two as we go to the X Cam for the count and I can barely see Ion kicking them out. Can we get rid of it now, the pinfalls are making me sick and dizzy. Jawbreaker by Dutt on Ion, but Ion gets a DDT for a two count as we go to the X Cam again. Sick kick by Dutt on Ion and Sabin takes his head off with a clothesline. Death Valley Driver on Dutt onto Ion and Sabin ties Dutt up in the Tree of Woe and throws Ion into him before hitting Cradle Shock on Ion (which Todd and Taz doesn’t even know the name to) for the win.

Winner by Pinfall: Chris Sabin

Robbie E is backstage with Jessie and Jessie talks about needing to think about Rob Terry from a different angle and brings up some movie called ‘Three Dudes at a Lake’ where they try and slay a dragon and holds up a picture of Joey Ryan. Robbie E doesn’t like it and says that he’s sleazy. Jessie says “he’s just enough sleazy to make this easy” and reminds Robbie E that it’s three on one and walks away. Robbie E hollers that “Sleazy and Easy doesn’t even rhyme bro!”

-Commercial Break-

Bully Ray is backstage with the members of Aces and Eights asking them if they had a problem, then asking them if they saw Hogan mocking them. He states that he’s not worried about Morgan or Sting because he’ll get the job done with Boston. Ray describes Kurt Angle as a thorn in the club’s ass and wants him taken out like he took Jeff Hardy out. He asks which one of the “tough guys are going to do it” before asking Devon “you’re the Sergeant-at-Arms, who’s it gonna be?” Wes Brisco volunteers, saying that he beat Angle three times already and he can beat him again. Garett Bischoff interrupts and says the last time the two were in a ring, he took care of Angle and he wants to finish him off. D-Lo tells the “kids” to stop and that he’s the one that is going to beat Kurt Angle tonight. He’s the one that gave Wes and Garett the chains to get the victories, he’s the one that gave Aces and Eights access into TNA, and he’s the one that wants the honor of beating the Olympic Gold Medalist. D’Lo asks Knux, D.O.C., and Devon if they’ve see him in the ring while Bully Ray and Ken Anderson exchange a glance at each other. Bully Ray cuts him off and says that enough has been said. “You’re pretty fired up aren’t you?” and D-Lo replies that “you’re damn right!” D-Lo guarantees he’ll get the job done tonight, and swears his “colors” on it.

Robbie E, Jessie, and Joey Ryan vs. Rob Terry

Rock, Paper Scissors game ends up with Joey Ryan having to start the match with Rob Terry and receiving several blows to the back and then a big back body drop. Jessie grabs Rob Terry’s trunks from the outside and when Terry focuses on him, Robbie E hits a clubby blow to the back that doesn’t even faze Terry. Jessie tries one and then Joey Ryan clips the left knee before stomping on it and Jessie tags himself in and gets a few kicks before Robbie E and Jessie tag in several times in a row, doing the same thing. A tweet by Dixie Cater congratulating Chris Sabin is shown on the screen while Robbie E tries to cinch in a chin lock before Terry powers to his feet and backs him into the corner. Terry charges at the corner and Robbie E moves before hitting a shoulder block and Ryan tags in. Ryan gets slammed to the mat and the three attacks him before Terry throws them off and just takes them all out with clotheslines and lariats.  Big double backdrop suplex by Terry on Jessie and Robbie E and the two roll out of the ring. Terry nails the Freakbuster (which isn’t mentioned by name by the commentary team) on Joey Ryan for the win.

Winner by Pinfall: Rob Terry

The D’Lo Brown and Kurt Angle match and the Number One Contenders match between Matt Morgan and Sting is hyped before we are shown Bobby Roode and Austin Aries coming through the hallway. They will address the crowd…NEXT!

 -Commercial Break-

Back from the break, the former TNA World Tag Team Champions Bobby Roode and Austin Aries make their slow walk to the ring. Mike Tenay reminds everyone that the two will team to face Bad Influence next week and the winner will face the Tag Team Champions: Chavo Guerrero, Jr. and Hernandez. Bobby Roode tells Kazarian and Daniels that their “stupid little mindgames” and they got in his head just a little bit by talking about reforming Fortune, but it was never about reforming anything, it was “simply about your jealousy of A Double and The It Factor and the World Tag Team Championships.” Aries states that he didn’t believe what Bad Influence said. They’re best friends, but Roode and Aries aren’t, they barely like each other, but they like each other just enough to work for a common goal. “We don’t ride the roads together like you do, we don’t giggle at each other adolescent jokes, we go out to win matches and champions. You see we are a team of World Champions! And that’s something that Frankie Kazarian of Chris Daniels will ever know anything about.” With that queue, Bad Influence comes to the ring. Daniels told Roode that he’s right about one thing, it was all about the tag team championships. But “you’re not the next Tag Team Champions of the World, you’re not even the best tag team in this ring, in fact no one has any increased blood flow in this general vicinity [waves around their crotches] over either one of you” because everyone knows that you’re a pale imitation of the best tag team in the biz-i-ness. Next week, the pale imitations are facing the “West Coast Boogie Men” for the tag team title shot. The next Tag Team Champions are in this ring “and spoiler alert: it’s us,” Daniels states.

Roode reminds everyone that he cracked a beer bottle over his best friend’s head to become the World Heavyweight Champion, and that they will do whatever it takes to win. Kazarian says that they can’t beat Bad Influence, they can’t out cheat Bad Influence and they can’t “out us…us.” Kazarian says that tall Roode and Aries are nothing more than Bad Influence-lite before Chavo Guerrero decides to interrupt. Chavo says that all those four ever do is talk and now is time for action and next week, there will be a special referee. Aries asks which one of them are the special referee, Chavo says that it’s not them, and “the special referee likes to count in sixes…or six-packs.” James Storm comes out with a six-pack of beer and a “I drink beer with your mom” shirt. Taz makes a funny comment about how there is a drunk female ref in ODB and now a drunk male ref in James Storm as Storm hands the Tag Team Champions a beer. ((Jarrett’s Jab – I’m begging anyone with a brain to never hand Chavo a microphone…ever. There’s a reason why he wasn’t handed one anywhere else. He’s just not good. Chavo and Hernandez either need to be broken up, or given a mouthpiece. He can ruin a segment pretty easy. And while some may question Storm as the referee, it actually makes some sense. While they referenced Storm’s history with Roode in the segment, Bad Influence feuded with Storm in December of 2012 and January of 2013. Christopher Daniels beat Storm to get a World Heavyweight Title shot at Genesis. At least it wasn’t somebody random like King Mo. Where is that guy anyways? After he got knocked out a few months ago, I haven’t heard a peep about him.))

Sting is shown walking into the training room that Kurt Angle was in earlier. Sting asks Angle if he’s ready for his match and asks Angle if he has a minute before telling the camera guy that he needs a minute and shuts the door.

-Commercial Break-

Backstage Tara and Gail Kim are talking about Taryn Terrell. Tara is tired of hearing about her, and Gail wants to focus on what’s important: that Taryn thinks she’s better than Gail and goes on a rant about how she’s all over the new Knockouts website. Gail says she should be the Knockout of the month and that tonight they need to embarrass Taryn in this tag match. Tara walks out and Gail says to herself that she’ll make sure she gets the victory.

Backstage Chris Sabin is talking about how he’s been training for the last number of months and that he’s had seven matches in the past three years, and before that he wrestled for eleven years straight before it was taken away.

The Number One contender match between Sting and Matt Morgan is hyped again before we go to the ring for our next match. Both D’Lo Brown and Kurt Angle get televised entrances before we head to a commercial break.

-Commercial Break-

D’Lo said that earlier tonight, he told his brothers that he would get the job done and beat him in the middle of the ring, but it’s not good enough for him…and tonight he’s going to do something that no one has ever done before: beat Angle in an I Quit match. He asks Angle if he agrees, and as soon as Angle nods his head, D’Lo hits him with the microphone and the bell rings.

I Quit Match: D’Lo Brown vs. Kurt Angle

D’Lo takes Angle down early in the corner, but Angle runs through D’Lo with a clothesline before Angle locks in a neat looking modified STF as Anderson is shown at ringside holding Aces and Eight’s back. Angle is distracted and D’Lo tires to gain an advantage but gets suplexed. D’Lo rolls out and sends his left shoulder into the ring post. He grabs the hammer from the ring bell, but strikes the ring post instead of Angle’s head. D’Lo sends Angle left shoulder into the ring post again. D’Lo slams the left arm into the apron and stretches it against the ring post before slamming it against the apron again as a close of Anderson watching from the guardrail is shown. D’Lo is rolled back in the ring and stomps on the left arm several times. D’Lo wrings the left arm as Angle gets the crowd behind him and fights out, only to get his arm slammed into the mat and get locked in a Cross Armbreaker. Angle is asked if he quit and he screams “Hell No!” Angle rolls and is able to transition into an ankle lock, but D-Lo kicks out and hits a clothesline.  D’Lo goes for the Cobra Clutch as Taz points out how D’Lo is matching submissions with Angle. D’Lo tosses him off and hits five german suplexes and the referee asks him if he quits, and then tells the ref to “kiss my ass.” Angle hits one more suplex before cinching into the Ankle lock, but D’Lo kicks out and hits a Samoan Drop. D’LO goes for a Powerbomb, but takes too long posing, but Angle cinhes in the Ankle lock again. D’Lo tries to roll through, but Angle grapevines it. D’Lo taps, but the refree doesn’t do anything. About ten seconds later D’Lo quits.

Winner: Kurt Angle

Anderson looks on pissed before signaling for the troops to go to the back. Taz narrates some highlights and reiterates that he can’t believe D’Lo quit.

Christy Hemme interviews Angle on the ramp and congratulates him on the win and asks if it’s a measure of revenge. Angle says it’s just another battle in the war with Aces and Eight’s and says that he has his mind on someone else: The Phenomenal AJ Styles. Angle calls AJ Styles to the ring. ((Jarrett’s Jab – Wish the commentators had put more emphasis on D’Lo swearing his colors that he would win tonight. For a man who had his last televised match in 2008 and retired from wrestling in 2009, this was a great effort. He could have done an indy show that I can’t find, but I can’t find anything on him wrestling since 2009. Angle is the best guy D’Lo could have worked with because Angle is one of the greatest wrestlers in the world. I assume D’Lo is kicked out of the group tonight or next week, which is great because Aces and Eights needs to trim some names that doesn’t belong. I like the dynamic shown with Anderson lately, cutting a lot of the promos and leading the charge including tonight, maybe he becomes the next VP. It’s all speculation right now though.))

-Commercial Break-

Back from the break, Angle is in the ring and asks one more time for AJ to come out and talk. The crowd starts a “USA” chant and AJ finally comes out. Tenay wonders aloud if Angle ca finally gets some answers from AJ Styles. AJ hesitantly gets in the ring and stares nose to nose with Angle. Angle tells him that looking in the eyes that he doesn’t look the same. He looks like he wants to take Angle’s head off like he did James Storm. Angle says before he does to listen first. Angle announces that he won’t get far because this is his hometown, Western Pennsylvania.  Everyone wants to recruit AJ, but AJ going with Aces and Eights would be the easy way out. Angle admits to taking the easy way out and getting a lot of success, but that’s not AJ’s style. Angle said he’s never said this before, but AJ Styles is the reason he came to Impact Wrestling. He knew that they could have the greatest match of all time…and they had a lot of them. He knows that AJ is going through a hard time in his life, and he understands that, but next week, Angle and Sting are taking the fight to Aces and Eights, and they need him. If he’s sides with them, that’s cool, if he sides with Aces and Eight’s…they’re going to have problems and with that Angle gets out of the ring.

The Number One Contenders match between “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan and “The Icon” Sting for later tonight. Taz speaks for his president Bully Ray and that it doesn’t matter who he faces.

We are shown a replay of Hulk Hogan making the match from earlier tonight.

Backstage, a shirtless Matt Morgan is pacing while the camera man asks him about his match tonight and says that he’s been waiting a long time. Morgan asks if waiting is really the word he used and said that he’s been pissed off, frustrated, and that waiting isn’t even the right word. Morgan calls himself the walking, talking, franchise of any wrestling company and tonight he’s gutting through Sting and at Slammiversary he’s gutting through Bully Ray to become the next World Champion before storming off.

Gail Kim comes out for her tag team match first. Tara comes out without Jessie, but uses the same TMZ inspired video wall that Jessie used earlier. Taryn Terell makes her way to the ring as Taz makes a remark about her having a horseshoe stuck up her…I don’t even want to guess where he think it’s stuck at.

-Commercial Break-

Back from the break, Mickie James makes her entrance and we are ready for Knockouts Tag Team action!

Gail Kim and Tara vs. Taryn Terrell and Mickie James

ODB calls for someone to go to their corners for both teams. Mickie goes to the apron, but Gail grabs Taryn’s hair and Taryn has to fight off both Tara and Gail Kim. Mickie gets in the ring when Tara is holding Taryn and Mickie grabs Gail by the hair and we see a meeting of the minds between Tara and Gail.  The two slide to the ring as ODB sends Mickie to the apron. Baseball slide by Taryn to both Tara and Gail and she slides Gail back in the ring. Taryn hits a clothesline and a snapmare before Mickie tags in and connects with a basement dropkick as two. Mickie rolls Gail into a cross armbreaker. Gail reaches the ropes and ODB forces a break. Gail favors the arm as she tries to slug it out, but Mickie easily gains the advantage in the brawl before Kim kicks the left shoulder.  Taz makes a really bad remark about Mickie wearing a cup as Gail sends Mickie off the ropes. Mickie slides under Gail and hits an enziguiri for two. Gail hits shoulder blocks in the corner, but catches a back elbow. Mickie goes for a hurricanrana, but Gail dumps her out of the ring. Mickie barley lands on the apron and kicks Tara before getting a forearm to knock her to the floor. Tara throws Mickie back in the ring and Gail picks Mickie by the hair and clothesline her before sending her face first into Tara’s boot before tagging her in. Tara pulls the hair and strangely ODB doesn’t start a count. Tara covers but gets two. Tara knocks Taryn off the apron and she tries to get in the ring and ODB has to hold her back while Gail and Tara double team on Mickie. Tara cinches in a bridging chinlock, but Taryn breaks up the hold. Tara grabs Mickie’s right ankle and tags in Gail Kim, who covers her and doesn’t even get one. Mickie gets a hurricanrana, but both women hit crossbodies and both knockouts are down. Both get tags and Taryn hits a series of clotheslines and a back elbow before hitting a suplex and hits a crossbody from the top for two when Gail broke it up. Mickie kicks Gail out of the ring, the camera was out of position for what Tara hit on Mickie, but looked like a back elbow, and Taryn rolls up Tara for the win.

Winner by Pinfall: Taryn Terell and Mickie James

Tara and Gail jump Mickie and Taryn. Gail puts right hands on Taryn and Mickie gains the advantage on Tara as they go up the ramp. Gail uses the hair to hold Taryn up in the ring and nails the Eat Defeat before slamming her into the mat by the hair. Gail locks in the Figure Four on the ring post and ODB breaks the hold as the refree checks on Taryn Terell.

Sting is backstage psyching himself up for his match.

-Commercial Break-

A advertisement plays for the new One Night Only Pay-Per-View: Joker’s Wild that debuts Friday, May the 3^rd on Pay-Per-View!

A reply plays of D’Lo quitting in his I Quit match earlier and Anderson’s shocked look.

Bully Ray asks everyone if they heard D’Lo, the Vice President say “I Quit” and Anderson replies with “yep.” Bully Ray asks again and reiterates that he swore his colors on victory tonight and he said I quit. Anderson again said yes and noted that he pushed Garett and Wes aside to get the match. Garett said that “at least we got the job done” and Bully told him to relax and that “just because he was a douche to you, doesn’t mean you have to be a douche back to him.” And told him to remember that you never walk alone in Aces and Eights and he will deal with D’Lo Brown next week and they have a six-man tag next week. He’s not going to ask who is stepping up to the plate; he’s telling who is stepping up. It’s going to be Bully, Anderson and Devon.

A graphic showed the brand new match development of Sting, Kurt Angle and a mystery partner facing Aces and Eights members Bully Ray, Devon and Ken Anderson. And the graphic pops up reminding everyone of the Number One Contenders Match for the Tag Team Championships pitting Bad Influence against the team of Austin Aries and Bobby Roode.

Bobby Roode is backstage with Aries and says that Daniels and Kazarian, two men who never carried this company on their back like Austin Aries and the longest reigning TNA World Champion in company history Bobby Roode. Roode says that next week in Tupelo, Mississippi they will win and Chavo and Hernandez can’t hold a candle to them.

#1 Contendership for the TNA World Championship: “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan vs. “The Icon” Sting

Matt Morgan comes out with the robe that Hogan wore at Shea Stadium. I thought he wasn’t going to wear that anymore. The two tie-up and Morgan easily backs Sting up the corner and unloads with right hands and head-butts to the Icon before using his boot to choke him in the corner. Morgan runs right though Sting and hits another headbutt and just starts choking Sting in the corner. Another headbutt connects by Morgan and Sting starts to right back with right hands and chops, but Morgan throttles him and connects with a chokeslam for two as we head to a commercial break.

-Commercial Break-

Back from the break, Morgan sends Sting head first into the steps and the guardrail before Sting turns it around and bounces Morgan’s head off the steel steps. Morgan drills his knee into the gut of Sting and rolls him back into the ring and chokes him with his boot again. Morgan positions Sting on the apron and hits a leg drop and stares down the fans before sending Earl Hebner back and missing a second leg drop. Sting sends Morgan head first against the guardrail twice and nailing right hands to the head and everywhere else before bouncing his head off the ring post and getting him back in the ring. Irish Whip by Moragn and a side slam connects for a two count. Morgan chokes Sting for a four count and puts his finger up and smiles, then signals the World Title before bouncing down on Sting as a “Let’s Go Sting” chant stars and Morgan mocks Hogan’s ear taunt. Morgan covers for two as Taz says that he’s wasting time by taunting Hulk.  Sting starts to fight back but gets slammed down and misses an elbow. Morgan charges at the corner, but Sting moves and runs through Morgan with clotheslines and hits a Sting Splash before getting thrown in the corner and head-butted by Morgan and gets hit with the rapid fire clotheslines. Sting no sells and sends Morgan to the corner with a clothesline but gets nailed with the Carbon Footprint for ALMOST three. Morgan goes for it again, but hits the second turnbuckle and Taz explains that Morgan jammed the knee. Sting kicks at the knee and locks in the Scorpian Deathlock. Sting holds on the ropes to turn over, which Hebner doesn’t see. Morgan bites his hand and tries to power out to reach the ropes (although he was right in front of the ropes before) and crawls across the ring and reaches the ropes. Sting goes for the Scorpian Deathlock again in the center of the ring and sits down on the hold. Morgan tries to power out, but Sting looks like he falls when he sits down on the hold and Taz puts over how long Morgan has been in the hold.  Hebner lifts the arm twice and it falls to the mat and instead of checking a third time like normal, he just rings the bell.

Winner by Submission: Sting

Bully Ray yells at Sting from the apron along with Devon and Anderson as we cut to credits.

((Jarrett’s Jab – There was no reason, NONE that in 2013, the 54-year-old Sting is challenging for the World Title. They could have put several people in this spot. Samoa Joe, Magnus, James Storm, they could have even had Morgan play a reluctant face, but instead Sting wins. The only thing I like about this is that Morgan didn’t tap out, he passed out in the hold, and they can always go back to that later. TNA needs to realize that having Sting and Hogan as your two big faces is going to kill the promotion in the long run. Kurt Angle said it best in an interview a few weeks ago that the younger guys need the spotlight. But for some reason that no one can explain why Hogan and Sting are the biggest players in a storyline surrounding the World Title. I can understand trying to kill time for AJ Styles since he can’t challenge for the title until Bound for Glory, but does it have to be Sting? There are too many names they could have built up and put into this match for me to believe that Sting was the only answer.))

The PPV goes down live Sunday, June 2nd in Boston, Massachusetts. The Main Event Will be Sting Vs. Bully Ray for the world title.

This will be TNA’s first ever live show on Challenge TV in the UK and the first ever TV taping in the great country of Scotland by any international wrestling company.