TNA Impact TV taping results
August 10, 2010
Orlando, Fla. at Universal Studios
Report by Kevin Tomich of State College, Pa., PWTorch reader

Oddly, to begin the TV taping, they only let the VIP fans in (about 125 people) and then locked the doors. Suddenly, without warning, Abyss and Jeff Hardy (no face paint) fought down the ramp, around the ring, and then backstage. Once it ended, they let the rest of the "cast members" in.

Dark Match: Robbie T (w/Cookie) beat Max Buck (w/Jeremy Buck). Robbie might have been Bobby G., as it's hard to hear on the sound system. Robbie did a "Jersey Shore" gimmick and had a Snookie look-a-like valet named Cookie. Robbie won in just over three minutes with a combination Russian leg sweep and neck breaker maneuver.

Impact TV taping for August 19 episode

Eric Bischoff walked out to the ring with a serious look on his face. He said that in all of his years in this business, he had never seen such violence like they had "last week" Bischoff said that Ric Flair is being held responsible. Eric apologized to Dixie and assured her that Ric Flair will be held accountable. Eric called the beating "inhumane, barbaric, and borderline homicidal." Bischoff also threatened Abyss for beating up Hardy earlier.

EB then turned his attention to RVD. Eric said that he visited Rob in the hospital, and that he (Rob) is being held together by stitches, staples, and pins. He claimed that Rob needed 117 stitches. Eric said that Rob has numerous punctured organs, damage to his spinal column, and head trauma. Eric said that if RVD could ever return, everyone (the fans and those in the back) will welcome him back with open arms. The fans chanted, "R-V-D." But, as Eric said, "the show must go on." Classy.

So, a decision had to be made and RVD is stripped of the TNA World Title, which is now vacated. He announced an eight-man elimination tournament will start tight and end at Bound for Glory. (That's what Eric said, although I presume he meant "No Surrender.") Eric ended by telling RVD that his prayers are with him. Eric left.

In the next segment, Fortune came out with new music and a new video entrance. It's very similar to Evolution. Everyone was dressed in suits, except for "Big Bad Doug" Williams (as Flair called him), who was dressed for competition later in the evening.

Ric Flair ripped on ECW and EV2.0. He said the marquee says wrestling and not kendo sticks or garbage cans. He went on to bury EV2.0. A.J. took the mic and, in a great line, said that EV2 really wanted their last shot at glory. "You wanted a hardcore finale? Ask and ye shall receive," he said. He closed by saying that it was his blood, sweat, and tears that built TNA. He said no one has spent more time in a TNA ring than him. "TNA is AJ Styles, and this (Impact Zone) is the house that A.J. built," he said.

Dixie stepped out on the rampway and told A.J. he might have built "this house," but she "owns" the house. EV2.0 then came out onto the ramp to stand by Dixie. Tonight, EV2.0 was Sandman, Stevie Richards, Rhino, Sabu, FBI (Guido & Tony Luke), Tommy Dreamer, Mick Foley, and Raven. Dixie said that last week, these guys did not have TNA contracts, but now they do. Tommy held up his contract. I couldn't tell if it said "contract" in big letters or not.

Flair started ripping on Dixie and telling her to go back to advertising. He told her to do what a woman is supposed to do and make men smile. Foley jumped into the conversation and told Flair that he remembers when his phone rang a few months back, and it was Ric Flair. Flair was calling Foley to ask if he should come to TNA or not. Foley told him yes, and now he looks back and sees that as the biggest mistake of his career. (I beg to differ. Dropping elbows onto the concrete in front of 200 fans was a bigger mistake.)

Flair interrupted Foley and said that they (Flair and Foley) should roll around in the barbed wire one more time. I guess this planted the seeds for a future match, presumably at Bound for Glory. Dreamer said Dixie asked EV2.0 not to get physical during this segment, or else they would be down there tearing Fortune apart. Dreamer promised they'll get Abyss for what he did to RVD. And, for the first time ever, it's going to be him vs. A.J. Styles tonight. He said it's going to get extreme.

Side note: Someone needs to get Dixie a beret. Seeing her stand there with EV2.0 was so reminiscent of Stephanie McMahon with the invading ECW group in WWE. Tommy played the part of Paul E. and stroked Dixie's ego. He treated her like the savior of the business. Does anyone want to see Dixie represent the ECW Originals? Heck, bring out Jerry Jarrett with the TNA Originals of David Young, Sonny Siaki, The Naturals, The Dupps, and Apollo.

(1) Jeff Hardy beat Rob Terry at 3:17 in a first round tournament match. Hardy was selling the beating from earlier and won with the Swanton. Terry is simply awful. He missed his spin kick by a mile and had to redo it.

(2) Mr. Anderson beat Jay Lethal at 4:11 in a first round tournament match. Anderson won with the mic check and helped Lethal to his feet after the bout.

(3) Knockouts champion Angelina Love (w/Velvet Sky) beat Madison Rayne (w/mystery biker chick) at 1:37 to retain the Knockouts Title. Angelina won the marathon of a match with a big boot to the kisser (ala The Barbarian). Angelina and Velvet celebrated together after the match.

(4) Kurt Angle beat X Division champion Doug Williams via submission at 4:52 in a first round tournament match. Angle won with the Anklelock submission in a fun, physical match. Williams even did three bobbleheads. Angle handed the X Title belt to Williams after the contest.

Sting and Kevin Nash came out for a promo. Nash said that after 25 years in this business, and all of his operations, he isn't just in it for the money. (Huh? Wasn't that his whole gimmick?) Nash said that people have called him a cancer, but that's b.s. He said that the cancer is in the back, and it's time to tell the truth...

Jeff Jarrett came out on the ramp and interrupted Nash. Jeff said that Nash only cares about Nash and that Sting has a closet full of skeletons that tell what kind of man he really is. Jeff reminded us that he founded this company and that Hogan and Bischoff came to make the company even better. Jeff vowed to come down there to the ring to beat Sting and Nash's asses.

Hulk Hogan then stepped onto the stage next to Jarrett. Hogan agreed with Jeff and said that he'll walk to the ring with him. Hogan and Jarrett "walked" to the ring (Hogan = slow) and all four men had a staredown. The lights then went out again.

As the lights were out, the crowd could see Fortune running into the ring. Also, we could see Jarrett and Hogan just falling down on the mat. The lights came on and Fortune was beating up Sting and Nash. Are the viewers supposed to think that Hogan and Jarrett were beat up in the dark, or is this a master plan where it will be revealed that Hogan and Jarrett are aligned with Fortune (along with Bischoff)? Perhaps Hogan just didn’t want to take any bumps in his condition and just (gingerly) laid down instead?

(5) The Pope beat Matt Morgan at 4:46 in a first round tournament match. They were outside the ring and Morgan was thrown into the ringpost. The Pope then hit Morgan with the Double Knee smash into Morgan's back that sent him into the post again. Pope rolled him into the ring for the three count.

(6) TNA TV champion A.J. Styles beat Tommy Dreamer at 6:37 apparently in a non-title match. In a shocker, Tommy bled. Fortune came down the ramp during the match, but EV2.0 came out to cut them off. With all of the distractions, Abyss ran into the ring and gave Tommy the Black Hole Slam. A.J. covered Dreamer for the win.

After the match, there was a huge brawl (again) with Fortune and EV2. I guess Pat Kenney and Al Snow are back to just being agents, as they just tried to restore order and did not favor EV2.0 at all.

This concluded the Impact taping.

Xplosion TV taping

(1) Desmond Wolfe (w/Chelsea) beat Jesse Neal at 8:58 with the Tower of London.

(2) Shannon Moore beat Magnus (w/Chelsea) at 6:10. Magnus wore a beret to the ring (the kind you'd find in a second hand store). Shannon won with a neckbreaker from the top. Desmond ran in for a double team on Moore, then Neal ran out for the save, but he was beaten up.

Dark Match: Roderick Strong beat Jamil Patel (from Bollywood, India) at 4:21 with a running kick and knee to the abdomen. Patel came to the ring with a movie award statue. Strong, with his ROH background and being from Florida, was over huge with the Orlando crowd.

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

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