By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

The Knockouts battle royal on Thursday's Impact Wrestling episode blew away the rest of the show and prevented Impact from falling below last week's year-low 1.06 rating.

Thursday's Impact scored a 1.06 rating off a first hour 1.02 rating and second hour 1.10 rating, aided by a 1.23 rating in the fifth quarter-hour for the Knockouts battle royal.

TNA's fifth quarter-hour is typically the highest-rated segment each week, but the Knockouts segment doubled the average growth from Q4 to Q5. In 2011, the Q4 to Q5 growth was 9.5 percent. This week's show saw an 18.3 percent increase.

The only quarter-hour close to the Knockouts this week was Q8, which scored a 1.11 rating for the post-main event angle involving Bully Ray, James Storm, and NFL player Brandon Jacobs, followed by the latest Bobby Roode-Sting confrontation.

First Hour Break Down

Q1: The show after a PPV, Impact opened with a year-low 0.99 rating, which followed last week's year-low 1.03 rating in Q1. The segment featured Bobby Roode's seemingly-weekly show-opening confrontation with Sting, set up for a World Title match, and one full commercial break. (down 15.9% vs. 2011-Q1 average)

Q2: Impact increased slightly to a 1.03 rating for the Roode vs. Jeff Hardy TNA World Title match and one commercial break. (down 10.9% vs. 2011-Q2 average)

Q3: Impact dropped slightly to a 1.00 rating for post-match activity and two commercial breaks following the title match. (down 14.3% vs. 2011-Q3 average)

Q4: Impact increased slightly to a first-hour-high 1.04 rating for the X Division tag match, plus one commercial break. (down 7.5% vs. 2011-Q4 average)

Second Hour Break Down

Q5: Impact jumped to a 1.23 rating for the Knockouts battle royal and pre and post-match activity. There was also one commercial break. (even vs. 2011-Q5 average of a 1.23 rating)

Q6: After increasing 18 percent in Q5, Impact declined 18 percent in Q6 to a 1.00 rating, which is where TNA hovered for most of the first hour. The segment featured Eric Bischoff's celebratory promo, various non-wrestling and backstage segments, and one commercial break. (down 13.8% vs. 2011-Q6 average)

Q7: Impact steadily rebounded in the final half-hour, starting with a 1.04 rating in Q7. The segment featured the Bully Ray vs. James Storm #1 contender match and one commercial break. (down 8.8% vs. 2011-Q7 average)

Q8: Impact increased to a 1.11 rating (even with the previous two weeks) for the post-match angle involving Ray, Storm, and NFL star Brandon Jacobs, followed by one commercial break, Sting setting up Roode vs. Storm at Lockdown, and Roode's show-ending attack on Sting. (down 5.7% vs. 2011-Q8 average)

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

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