TNA Impact Wrestling Report
March 8, 2012
Taped in Orlando Fla.
Report by Scott Turner, PWTorch contributor

[Q1] The Garett Bischoff saga opened up the show with a video package recapping everything that has played out in the angle so far, particularly the exchange between him and Ric Flair last week.

Garett was then shown driving up to the Impact Zone in a jeep, and he was asked about Flair’s threats, and Hulk Hogan’s advice from last week. He said he “wasn’t going anywhere, it’s not happening.”

In the Impact Zone, Immortal made their way to the ring to tune of Flair’s entrance music. Eric Bischoff said he was going to handle family business in front of the entire world. Bischoff said he met with Sting earlier in the day to request a match between Gunner and a partner of his choosing against his son and a partner of his choosing. He went on to thank Flair for warning Garett to not to come back to Impact Wrestling. Garett was shown watching the segment backstage. Eric teased he didn’t know who Gunner’s partner was, which prompted Kurt Angle to make his way to the ring. Angle said he was happy to lend his services to Gunner to tag against Garett tonight. A “Hardy” chant broke out as Angle said he hated Garrett because he didn’t respect his father. He said he was going to make Garett “tap tap tap.”

Turner Reax: I get that TNA is trying to take this whole Garett Bischoff thing, but this just fell flat. I really don’t care about any of the personalities involved, excluding Angle, but I feel his involvement is just a one-night thing that will tie into his feud with Jeff Hardy. That being said, I can only wonder who Garett’s partner is going to be...

Sting was shown backstage smearing paint on his face as he talked to a mirror, pretending it was Bobby Roode, concerning their match at Victory Road. Eric Young came into the picture and asked Sting for his blessing to propose to ODB tonight. Sting misconstrued his request and booked ODB in a match for the Knockout Tag Team Titles with Young as her partner. He then smeared some paint on Young’s face and sent him off.

[Commercial Break]

As the participants made their way to the ring, the announcers talked about the drama between Gail Kim and Madison Rayne from last week.

[Q2] 1 -- TNA Knockout Tag Team champions GAIL KIM & MADISON RAYNE vs. ODB & ERIC YOUNG -- Knockouts Tag Team Title match

Young and Kim started the match for their teams, but before anything could happen, ODB tagged herself in. ODB instantly got the Bronco Buster on Kim and then followed it up with a fallaway slam. Kim put the breaks on ODB’s offense and tagged Rayne in. Rayne choked ODB out in the corner as the crowd chanted her name. ODB made a comeback and slammed Rayne’s head into her crotch and followed up with a Thesz Press. Kim interfered on her team’s behalf, which cost ODB the offensive edge. The champions hit some double team offense on ODB for a two count. ODB hit a desperation move on Rayne, which was followed up with a hot tag to both team’s partners. Young got in and put Knockouts on the opposing team on his shoulders and spun around until he was dizzy for a one count on Kim. The champions tried to double team Young, but ODB quickly put a stop to it. Rayne was able to throw ODB into the ringside steps and followed up by hitting Young with a title belt from behind which planted him on top of Kim for the win.

WINNERS: Eric Young and ODB via pinfall to capture the KO Tag Titles at 5:46.

Turner Reax: Oh no, that was reminiscent of some cringe-inducing TNA booking that I thought the company was shying away from. I know, the Knockouts Tag Team Titles are worth about as much as a half-a-penny, but I can’t say I’m looking forward to television time being devoted to this. The duo of ODB and Young can be funny in small doses, but another wrestling marriage angle? Don’t even get me started on the logic behind a male holding a female’s title.

Young took a knee in the ring, holding ODB’s hand as Tenay asked “is she going to accept?”

[Commercial Break]

Young said that he and ODB have a lot of momentum in their relationship and then asked her to marry him. She took the ring, milked the moment a bit, and then dropped to a knee holding out the ring to Young, which prompted him to scream “yes” and run around the ring.

[Q3] Someone calling himself Mr. Parks showed up looking to get into the Impact Zone. Tenay acted like he didn’t know who he was, but somehow knew his first name was Joseph.

Bully Ray was shown backstage, where he proclaimed that Storm was not going to make it to Lockdown and that Sting was going to make the right choice. Austin Aries was then shown backstage receiving an email from Sting that booked him in a match defending his X Division Title against Zema Ion. Aries said he was giving away a money match on television and that in protest he would not be at the Victory Road PPV.

[Commercial Break]

2 -- X Division champion AUSTIN ARIES vs. ZEMA ION -- X Division Title match

Ion went for a boot that was telegraphed by Aries, who took Ion down with a headlock. Aries showboated around the ring, bowing to the audience. Aries once again got the better of Ion with a senton over the ropes followed by an elbow for a two count. The wrestlers went to the outside, where Ion teased the same move that injured Jesse Sorenson, but Aries stopped him and tried a high-risk maneuver of his own that he missed. Ion tried to capitalize on the mistake with a pin attempt for a two count, and then went to the top rope for a missed 450 splash. Aries stopped Ion’s attempt at using his hair spray bottle on him and then proceeded to use it on him. The referee saw this and called for the disqualification. Afterward, Ion gloated about his victory, but Aries got in his face and raised the belt.

WINNER: Zema Ion via disqualification at 3:48.

Turner Reax: I had a feeling the end of this match was going to be tainted, which begs the question, why even book this PPV match on television just weeks before it’s supposed to happen? They acknowledged the asininity when Aries questioned Sting’s judgment, but so far I don’t get it. It looks as if they might be leaning towards an Aries face turn. Anyway, these two work well together, and if the match actually does happen at the pay-per-view, I look forward to a longer match between the two.

Joseph Parks was shown backstage asking to talk to Velvet Sky. He revealed he was Abyss’s brother and asked her if she knew where she had gone, as he had not been heard from for a few months. A surprised Sky said she didn’t know, and Park left cordially.

[Commercial Break}

[Q4] The show cut back from commercial break to Bully Ray in the ring calling himself “calvezilla.” He played up the damage he did to James Storm last week, and said he was the guy who deserved to be the number one contender. He demanded Sting come out and name him number one contender. Sting, with face paint smeared all over his face, told Ray said he couldn’t make a match just because he injured Storm. Sting told Ray if he wanted Roode he would get him, which elated Ray. Sting informed him that the match would take place after the break as the announcers questioned if the match would be for the title.

[Commercial Break]

Roode was shown complaining to Sting backstage about having to defend his title. Sting said he never said anything about a title, and that his title match would be against Storm at Lockdown. And, to not forget about their match at Victory Road. Roode made his way to ring and asked Ray to just talk the whole thing over. Ray, presumably under the assumption that he thought that this was still a title match, told him to take off his belt and fight.

[Q5]

3 -- TNA World Hvt champion BOBBY ROODE vs. BULLY RAY -- non-title match

The wrestlers stalled a bit until Roode got Ray into a headlock until Ray took Roode down with a few shoulder tackles. Roode slapped Ray across the face and quickly feigned regret as he kicked him in the gut and laid into him with chops, punches, and boots in the corner. Roode hit a flying neckbreaker off the second turnbuckle for a two count. Ray started “Hulking up” and laid some nasty sounding chops onto the chest of Roode. He started making an offensive comeback and got a close two count on Roode. Ray went for a big boot, but Roode dodged it and hit him with spear for another close two count. Roode grabbed Ray’s chain from ringside and charged at him with, but was met with a boot from Ray. Before Ray could capitalize on Roode, Storm chased him out of the ring and nailed a superkick on Roode as the crowed chanted “Cowboy.”

WINNER: The match ended in an apparent No Contest at 6:45.

Garett was shown backstage taping his wrists up, and when the cameraman asked if he could find out who his tag team partner is for his match tonight, he said that he would find out when everyone else did later tonight.

[Commercial Break]

Joseph Park confronted Matt Morgan and Crimson backstage, asking if they knew anything about Abyss’s whereabouts. They couldn’t provide any information, and Parks left. Crimson talked about winning tonight’s match as a team.

[Q6]

4 -- TNA Television champion ROBBIE E. & ROBBIE T. vs. CRIMSON & MATT MORGAN -- #1 contenders match for the TNA Tag Team Titles

Robbie E. mouthed off to Crimson in the ring, which backfired, as Crimson hit him with t-bone suplex. Robbie E. tagged in Robbie T., who scoop slammed Crimson and nailed him with a shot to the back before Crimson fought back until Robbie E. hit him with a clip board from behind. Robbie T. tagged in Robbie E. and he hit Crimson with a knee off the second turnbuckle for a two count. As Crimson started to mount some offense, Robbie E. tagged Robbie T., and quickly put a halt to Crimson’s comeback. Crimson got a desperation maneuver in and a hot tag was made by both teams. Morgan came in and cleaned house. Morgan hit the Carbon Footprint on Robbie, and before he could go for the pin attempt, Crimson tagged himself to score the pin for his team.

WINNERS: Crimson & Morgan via pinfall at 4:03 to become number one contenders to the TNA Tag Team Titles.

Turner Reax: Another step on the way to getting Morgan and Crimson in a match against each other. I imagine that they lose their title match against Joe and Magnus causing tensions to boil over physically. The match was what it was. If they’re not going to go anywhere with the “Jersey Shore” gimmick (Robbie E. has a “title,” by the way) they should put an end to it. Beyond Robbie E. being above the gimmick, it missed the mark, and TNA obviously isn’t trying to get it back on track.

Footage of A.J. Styles from earlier in the day was shown. He said they are former friends and that he knows to handle them. A.J. said it wasn’t going to be good.

[Commercial Break]

Gunner and Angle were shown backstage expressing their disdain for Garett Bischoff. Angle said that Garett and his partner were going to the hospital tonight.

A video package recapped the feud between the former Fortune members.

A.J. Styles made his way to the ring and announced in a couple of months TNA would be celebrating its 10-year anniversary, and said he couldn’t be happier to be part of it. As he started running through a list of memories throughout his history with the company, he was cut off by Daniels, who was accompanied by Kazarian. Daniels said his friendship with A.J. caused him to get punished, reprimanded, and then eventually fired. He said this caused to look out for himself, which is why he imparted his knowledge onto Kazarian. Kazarian said everyone is turning on A.J. because he is transparent. He asked A.J. if maybe the problem wasn’t with the people turning their backs on him, but rather that A.J. was the problem. A.J. said Kazarian and Daniels were the reason he wasn’t going to associate with people like them anymore.

[Q7] Before he could finish announcing the type of people he was going to associate with, Mr. Anderson made his return to Impact, and helped A.J. fight off Kazarian and Daniels. After the brawl, A.J. and Anderson looked at each other approvingly in the ring.

Garett was shown backstage knocking on his presumable tag team partner’s door and asked him if he was ready as he made his way to the ring.

An ad aired for the match between Gunner and Angle against Garett Bischoff and his mystery partner.

[Commercial Break]

The team of Angle and Gunner came out first. Garett came out next as the anticipation built for his mystery partner to be revealed. After a short pause, Jeff Hardy joined Bischoff on the ramp.

[Q8]

5 -- GUNNER & KURT ANGLE vs. GARETT BISCHOFF & JEFF HARDY

The match began as Gunner and Angle double-teamed Hardy while the ref held Bischoff back in the corner. Angle and Hardy were left in the ring to fight for their respective teams. Angle and Gunner took some liberties choking Hardy before he made a comeback clotheslining Angle. As he went for the tag Gunner ran in and knocked Garett off the ropes and was tagged in by Angle to continue to put the boots to Hardy. Hardy’s offensive comeback was once against brought to a halt by Gunner.

[Commercial Break]

Angle had Hardy in a sleeper hold as the crowd chanted “Angle sucks,” and “Hardy.” Hardy broke out of the hold and ran towards Angle only to be caught with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Angle tagged in Gunner, who got a close two count on Hardy after a clothesline. Angle was tagged back into the match and proceeded to throw Hardy to the outside where Gunner continued to do damage to Hardy by throwing him into the guard rail before throwing him back into the ring. Hardy tried to crawl through Angle’s legs to tag Garett, but Angle caught him in the anklelock. Angle eventually broke the hold, but the offensive dominance by Angle and Gunner on Hardy continued.

Hardy was able to get a small package on Angle, but the referee was distracted by Garett trying to get into the match. Hardy was finally able to make a substantial offensive comeback as he hit Gunner with the Whisper in the Wind, but Garett was to busy to receive a tag as he was busy with the referee. Hardy eventually was able to get the tag to Garett, who cleaned house and got a close two count on Angle that was broken up by Gunner. Garett his a double clothesline on Angle and Gunner which set up Hardy for a Swanton Bomb on Angle for the pin.

WINNERS: Garett Bischoff & Jeff Hardy via pinfall at 14:20

Turner Reax: Can you imagine how that match would have played out if Hardy hadn’t done most of the work for his team? Good effort from everybody, but even a colorblind person wearing red and blue 3D glasses can see how green Garett Bischoff is. Very enjoyable match that was tainted by the presence of the raincloud that is Garett Bischoff’s monster push.

Final Thoughts: Lately, each edition of Impact has had one or two matches that go over the ten-minute mark in- between a few shorter matches. I really do appreciate the amount of wrestling the Impact Wrestling television product gives viewers, but tonight’s show, while far from terrible, wasn’t as good as some of the more recent editions of the show. I have a feeling starting and closing the show with the Garett Bischoff saga didn’t help. Thanks again for reading and see you next week for a hopefully less Garett Bischoff-filled episode.

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