TNA Impact TV taping report
October 24, 2013
Salt Lake City, Utah
Report by Robert Fitton, PWTorch correspondent

I was at the SLC taping of the Halloween edition of Impact. The matches are probably out of order, but I think TNA records it out of order.

Impact SPOILERS 10/31

- Dixie Carter came out and announced that TNA World champion A.J. Styles can keep the car and the title belt as a "Thank you" for all of his hard work, but that he is done in TNA. She then announced an eight-man tournament to crown a new TNA World Heavyweight Champion. The first seven participants were announced including James Storm, Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, Jeff Hardy, Bobby Roode, Austin Aries, and Chris Sabin. Dixie said that that the eighth entrant would be determined by way of an over-the-top-rope gauntlet match later in the evening.

Bully Ray and Brooke came out to boos to argue that he isn't in the tournament. Dixie yelled at Bully that he failed to beat A.J. Styles twice, once at BFG, and once "last week." There was some more back and forth, until Mr. Anderson came out and attacked Ray. They fought until security broke them up. As they were escorting Anderson out, Brooke hit a low blow from behind. Bully used the opportunity to grab his chain and whip Anderson.

After the ring cleared, it was time for a Knockouts Championship match.

(1) KO champion Gail Kim beat ODB to retain the Knockouts Title.

(2) Ethan Carter III beat an even smaller local jobber.

(3) TNA tag champions Bro-Mans beat James Storm & Gunner in a Tag Title match.

(4) Magnus won the Gauntlet match.

(5) Bobby Roode beat Kurt Angle via count-out. The two wrestled the best match I've ever seen live (I haven't been to too many live events...) that resulted in many nearfalls and a "This Is Awesome" chant. The finish came when Angle got knocked down and couldn't answer to the ten count. I couldn't see what the move was that knocked him out, but he was helped to the back by referees and trainers.

- Jeremy Borash came on the mic and announced that there was one more segment that was going to happen for Impact. Bad Influence came out dressed as Sherlock Holmes to talk about how they solved the mystery of the on-again off-again monster known as Abyss. It resulted in Christopher Daniels going under the ring and grabbing a pumpkin (Get it? 'cause it's Halloween?) and saying that the pumpkin is smarter than Abyss and all of us in SLC. Suddenly, Eric Young's music hit to bring out Young dressed as Joseph Park.

EY came to the ring and said that scientifically, Halloween isn't a real holiday. But, it's the "big guy's" favorite holiday. Speaking of the "big guy," he has a message from him for Bad Influence. EY attacked Bad Influence, and had a leg up until the numbers game came back to get him. As if on cue, Abyss's music played to bring out the "big guy." Abyss came to the ring, gave Bad Influence a couple of Black Hole Slams, and had Eric Young cornered. Young backed into the corner, afraid of what would happen to him, when Abyss thrust out his hand to pick Young up and embrace him as his partner.

That was the end of the Impact segments. This was followed by an X Division Championship match between Chris Sabin and Manik.

Bonus Match: Chris Sabin beat Manik to retain the X Division Title. Sabin won after he tied Velvet Sky to the middle rope with his crotch scarf thing, and Manik had to stop himself from running into her. When he was stopped at the ropes, Sabin rolled him up from behind and had his feet on the ropes for the three count. That ended the show.

Also of note, most people that got a Blue Bag merchandise special at the taping ended up with a Jesse Sorensen t-shirt.

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