TNA Impact Wrestling results
March 1, 2012
Taped in Orlando, Fla.
Report by Scott Turner, PWTorch contributor

[Q1] Tonight’s edition of Impact opened with video chronicling the feud between Robert Roode and Sting, culminating with last week’s angle that saw Sting revert back to his “Insane Icon” character. They showed Sting making the match against Roode for Victory Road.

Kurt Angle was shown backstage, sporting his “old look,” laughing hysterically about the trouble he has been causing Jeff Hardy. He said was coming to tell everyone why he hated Jeff Hardy. In the ring, Angle said he hast kept quiet about his recent behavior because he wanted to be able to properly explain why he had a problem with Hardy. Angle said he had cue cards for why he hated Hardy, and the first read because he had hair and Angle didn’t. The second card concerned Hardy’s look, which irked Angle. Third was Hardy’s popularity over Angle at fan signings. The fourth reason was that females love Jeff Hardy. Angle said the number one reason he hated Hardy, though, was that his son reveres Hardy more than him. Angle said his son has Jeff Hardy action figures, posters, shirts, make-up on his face, purple hair, and that he wears purple socks on his arms. He said everywhere he goes he is reminded how many people love Hardy. Angle called out Hardy, which prompted him to make his way to the ring. Angle proposed a match between the two of them at Victory Road. Before Hardy answered Angle’s challenge, he tackled him and laid a few punches in. He told Angle, “You’re on.”

Turner Reax: Whoa, that was a sorry list of reasons for “hating” someone. I look forward to seeing those two go at it in a pay-per-view match, but what a silly foundation for a feud. I can buy into Hardy’s fame over Angle’s bugging the Olympian, but Hardy’s hair? Not so much.

Roode was shown backstage in his suit calling Sting’s actions last week bad for business. He asked Sting if he did not realize that there was a bunch of guys in the locker room more deserving of a match at Victory Road. Austin Aries came into the picture and said Sting has been stealing the spotlight from Roode and hogging it from Aries. Roode asked for some of Aries time as they went on a walk.

An ad aired for Daniels and Kazarian against A.J. Styles in a gauntlet match.

[Commercial Break]

[Q2] A.J. took to the mic before the match and made the proposition that if he wins tonight’s match Daniels should come out and explain what he is holding over Kazarian’s head to explain his recent behavior. Daniels tried to deny the stipulation, but was cut off by Kazarian who quickly accepted.

1 -- DANIELS vs. A.J. STYLES -- gauntlet match

As the bell rang, Daniels and A.J. started the match exchanging chops with A.J. getting the best of the exchange. A.J. hist a backdrop followed by a backbreakers and a knee to the gut of Daniels. The Phenomenal One followed up with a delayed suplex for a two count. Kazarian tried to create a distraction for Daniels as the show went to break.

[Commercial Break]

The show came back with A.J. hitting a dropkick on Daniels. A.J. and Kazarian exchanged some words at ringside which left A.J. open to an attack from Daniels from behind. Back in the ring, Daniels got some offense in on A.J. including a high back drop. A.J. tried to regain the offensive edge as the crowd chanted, “Let's go A.J.” Daniels stopped him mid-comeback with an elbow and got a two count. He had A.J. set for an inverted DDT, but Styled countered with the Pele Kick. After a flurry of offensive on Daniels, Styles hit a springboard forearm from the ring apron. A.J. went for the Styles Clash, but Daniels countered with a back sweep. Kazarian snuck in and hit The Fade to Black resulting in the disqualification of Daniels.

WINNER: A.J. Styles via disqualification at 10:00.

1b -- KAZARIAN vs. A.J. STYLES -- gauntlet match

Kazarian immediately covered A.J. for the win.

WINNER: Kazarian via pinfall at 0:05.

Turner Reax: The feud between the former Fortune members continues, and Kazarian’s motives for turning on his friend remain a secret. A good television match that logically continued the feud between these three.

Gail Kim and Madison Rayne were shown backstage. Kim said she had gotten Rayne two presents, a spa date, and match with ODB.

An ad aired for Rayne vs ODB coming up next.

[Commercial Break]

[Q3] Rayne came out with Kim with a look of trepidation on her face. ODB with Eric Young came out next, and once in the ring Young spanked her on the behind a few times...

2 -- TNA Knockouts Tag Team champion MADISON RAYNE (w/TNA Knockouts champion/Knockouts Tag Team champion Gail Kim) vs. ODB (w/Eric Young)

The match started with a small “ODB" chant from the crowd. Rayne tried to mount some offense, but quickly realized it wasn’t phasing ODB. ODB took Rayne to the corner and drove her face first into all three turn buckles. She tried to go for the Bronco Buster on Rayne in the corner, but Rayne was able to get her foot up for an awkward looking counter. Rayne’s attempt at gaining the offensive edge was quickly put to an end as she received a hard clothesline from ODB. Young took his shirt off and started running on the apron of the ring distracting the referee. Rayne was expecting Kim to interfere on her behalf, but Kim intentionally stalled, which gave ODB enough time to recover and hit a move for the pin.

WINNER: ODB via pinfall at 3:05.

Clips aired from Brandon Jacobs’s chokeslam on Ray through a table from last week’s Impact. Ray was shown backstage yelling at a lady about James Storm for everything that happened to him last week. Roode showed up with Aries and rubbed last week’s incident in his face. Roode made the case that it wasn’t Storm’s fault, but rather it was Sting’s. Roode told Ray to call him if he decided he wants to join them in their crusade against Sting.

Backstage, Velvet Sky expressed her disdain for being screwed out of a chance to fight for the Knockouts Title. Sarita and Angelina Love showed up to give Sky a hard time, but Sky instantly started throwing elbows at both women.

[Commercial Break}

[Q4] Extended footage from Sky’s backstage interview aired. Love and Sarita ended up getting the best of her until Mickie James made the save. James asked Sky if was okay, and she screamed that she wasn’t.

Ric Flair, Gunner, and Eric Bischoff were shown backstage chastising Garett Bischoff. Flair told Garett that if he shows up next week, things would go to another level. Garett blew Flair off and walked away as Flair looked on in disbelief.

Roode, Ray, and Aries were shown walking through the backstage to the ring.

[Commercial Break]

Roode, Ray, and Aries made their to the ring to Roode’s music. Roode took to the mic and said he wasn’t go to make it short and sweet. He said he was the reason that everyone was in the building, and the reason everyone was watching at home. He made his case for being the most dominant champion in the history of the company. Roode told Sting he was no longer an active wrestler, and as an authority figure he had crossed the line by laying his hands on the champ and booking himself in a match at Victory Road. Roode said at Victory Road there would be no match between the two, and said he was done. Ray then took to the mic and once again pointed out his calves. He said he thought the attack from Brandon Jacobs was Storm’s fault, but that he now saw that it was Sting’s. Ray said it was the biggest embarrassment of his career and had the footage from last week replayed on the big screen. Ray concluded by saying and his calves were done.

[Q5] It was Aries’s turn to take to the mic and he said Sting was one of the people that didn’t know when to step out of the spotlight. He said he was jealous of Roode for being a better champion, jealous of Ray for his calves, and jealous of him because he could things in the ring that he could never imagine. Aries then too said he was done. All three wrestlers sat down in the middle of the ring as the lights went out. When they came back on Sting was in the ring with all three wrestlers. He said that he claimed that he was done that he was just playing mind games. Sting said said if all three wrestlers were in fact “done,” that the titles would be stripped from Roode and Aries, and that he was going to bite Ray’s finger off and that he wouldn’t receive a pay check. Sting booked Aries, Roode, and Ray against Joe, Magnus, and Storm in a tag match for the main event.

Turner Reax: Wait, I thought everyone said they were done...like nine thousand times. Did I miss Roode, Ray, and Aries revoke their claims? Anyway, on paper, tonight’s main event sounds like it could be an entertaining match.

[Commercial Break]

Jesse Sorensen and his mother were shown giving testimonials about what they went through initially with Sorensen in the hospital. His mother said the goal was for Sorensen to get back into the ring for TNA. Jesse reiterated his goal.

Ion was shown backstage and said he felt no remorse for what he did to Sorensen. He said would do it again to anybody else.

3 -- ZEMA ION vs. SHANNON MOORE

As the two wrestlers went at it in the ring, Taz and Tenay vilified Ion for his remarks about Sorensen. Moore got Ion to the outside and hit a baseball slide. Moore went for a cross body over the rope to the outside, but Ion moved out of the way. Ion threw Moore back into the ring hit him with a missile dropkick, and then posed to play with his hair.

[Q6] Moore tried to regain the offense, but Ion stopped him with a neckbreaker. He eventually got enough of an offensive edge to go to the top rope for a moonsault that Ion dodged. Ion hit Moore with a knee to the face from a Death Valley Driver position for the pin.

WINNER: Zema Ion via pinfall in 3:36.

Turner Reax: If TNA and Ion play their cards right, and there is truth and possibility in Sorensen’s in making an in-ring return, there could be money in a program between the two. That being said, keeping Ion a credible force in the ring is imperative. The match itself was all right and followed the now-weekly trend of short X Division matches.

An ad aired tonight’s main event and the tag match between Love and Sarita vs. Sky and James.

[Commercial Break]

4 -- ANGELINA LOVE & SARITA vs. MICKIE JAMES & VELVET SKY -- tag team match

Sky rushed to the ring to get her hands on Love as James and Sarita battled each other. James threw Sarita to the outside and took her spot in the corner to allow Sky and Love to fight in the ring. Sky tagged in James who hit a huracanrana for a two count. Love was able to make the tag to Sarita, but James remained on the offensive. Sarita was able to get James in the corner to allow Love to attempt to get a cheap shot in, but to no avail as James quickly put a beating on both women on the opposing team. Eventually, with the help of Love, Sarita got James to the outside, which was followed by a diving elbow from Sarita to Mickie, which led to two close two counts.

Sarita tagged Love in to continue the attack on James in the corner. Sarita got back in on the action and put James in peculiar-looking submission hold that she got out of with a boot to the stomach of Sarita. Sarita fumbled long enough for Mickie to get a close two count with a roll up. Both Knockouts got the hot tag to their partners which Sky got the better of on Love. Sarita threw James to the outside and tried to double team Sky with Love with no success. Sky hit Love with a Pedigree for the win.

WINNER: Velvet Sky and Mickie James via pinfall at 5:48.

Turner Reax: That was a better match than the one ODB and Rayne had earlier in the night. Sky seems to be TNA’s new toy to play with in the Knockouts division. She’s got a bit to go before I’m truly sold on her, but she has improved greatly in the ring from where she was a year or two ago, though, that isn’t saying much.

Storm was shown backstage with Magnus and Joe and told Roode that tonight he was going to get a taste of what was in store for him at Lockdown. Magnus said they might not be a likely team, but that people said the same thing about him and Joe, and now they were the World Tag Team Champions.

[Commercial Break]

[Q7] The announcers talked about Abyss and his absence from Impact Wrestling as of late. They recapped the feud between Abyss and Ray and the Immortal faction.

The team of Roode, Ray, and Aries made their way to the ring, followed by the team of Magnus, Joe, and Storm. Jeremy Borash provided introductions in the ring for the wrestlers, excluding Ray who introduced himself.

5 -- TNA World Hvt champion BOBBY ROODE & TNA X Division champion AUSTIN ARIES & BULLY RAY vs. TNA World Hvt. Tag champions MAGNUS & SAMOA JOE & JAMES STORM -- six-man tag team match

Magnus and Aries started off the match for their respective teams. Taz said he dug that fresh faces were in the main event. Magnus and Aries went through some chain wrestling with Aries coming out on top. Aries called for a test of strength and then blew it off with a kick to the side of Magnus. Aries show boated with a cart wheel which prompted Magnus to him with a hard clothesline. Aries tagged Roode in which prompted Storm to ask for the tag to face his former partner. Magnus complied, but once Storm made his way in the ring Roode exited to the outside.

[Commercial Break]

[Q8] Back from the break, Ray was shown putting the boots to Storm along with some blows to the head. Storm came back with a clothesline and proceeded to wrench the arm of Ray before tagging Joe in. The crowd popped huge for Joe, and then Joe and Ray exchanged strikes. Joe hit Ray with a leg lariat for a one count. Ray quickly tagged in Aries who came running into an overhead belly-to-belly suplex from Joe. Joe tagged Magnus and they hit some double team offense on Aries that prompted him to tag Roode in. Instantly Magnus tagged Storm in to face Roode which caused the heavyweight champion to cower back to tag Aries back in. The rapid fire tags continued as Magnus tagged Joe back in to face Aries. Joe went for the Muscle Buster that was broken up by Roode.

With the referee distracted, Aries hit Joe with a crucifix take down, and then tagged Ray back in. Ray slowed down the pace beating on the back of Ray before tagging Roode back in to take advantage of the weakened Samoan Submission Machine. Roode gloated in Storm’s face which prompted the Cowboy to come into the ring which scared Roode off back into his corner to tag Ray in. After a few hits Ray tagged Aries back in who got Joe into his team’s corner for them to beat on Joe. Eventually Roode and Joe were left in the ring where Roode tried to hit Joe in the corner, but was met with an uranage that allowed Joe to finally tag out to Storm.

Storm finally got his hands on Roode and hit him with some running forearms followed by a back-body-drop. Ray came in for the save, but that was short lived as Aries accidentally nailed him with a dropkick. Storm hit the Closing Time on Roode and then with a superkick for the pin.

WINNERS: Storm & Samoa Joe & Magnus via pinfall at 17:05.

As Storm celebrated the victory, Ray kicked a chair into his face and told him he wasn’t going to make it to Lockdown. He said was going to take Storm out and become number one contender as the show closed out.

Turner Reax: Holy moly the amount of tags in that match made it quite difficult to cover and pay attention to at the same time. That was a solid effort from all the participants, and I enjoyed the build up to Storm finally getting Roode in the ring. Big props to Joe and Aries for shining in the match. That crucifix takedown from Aries on Joe looked awesome.

Overall, another solid edition of Impact with an above-average main event that highlighted some of the company’s key players. TNA just needs that intangible certain something to build some serious momentum. All the ingredients are there, but something is missing. Maybe it’s the Impact Zone, or maybe it’s the lack of a program that deeply resonates with audiences that could break out to attract more viewers, but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this is leagues beyond what TNA’s television product used to be. Thanks again for reading, see you next week.

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