TNA Impact Wrestling "No Surrender"
August 5, 2015
Taped from Orlando, Fla.
Aired on Destination America
Report by Mike McMahon (@MikeMcMahonPW), PWTorch contributor

TNA paid tribute to Roddy Piper with a graphic before the show.

In-arena: Christy Hemme introduced the competitors for the opening contest. Bram was out first for his match against Mr. Anderson. Notably, Bram is carrying the microphone he used to assault Anderson with three weeks ago.

1 -- BRAM vs. MR. ANDERSON

Anderson and Bram brawled right from the opening bell. Anderson rushed the ring on his entrance and he traded punches and chops with Bram in the match’s opening seconds.

Early in the match, Anderson threw Bram to the outside and tossed Bram into various objects around ringside, including corner posts and barricades. During the match, Josh Mathews also ran down some of the other matches, including Rockstar Spud vs. Austin Aries and ECIII defending the TNA World Title against Matt Hardy.

Bram now has control on the outside as the referee is making a 10 count. Back in the ring, Anderson had Bram on his shoulders but Bram grabbed the rope to prevent Anderson from mounting more offense. Anderson took a hard bump on the ring apron and flopped to the outside, where Bram continued the assault. Pope noted there's only been about “five percent” wrestling in this match, with most of the first four minutes featuring a plethora of brawling on the outside and inside.

Now back in the ring, they settle into some wrestling holds. Bram has Anderson locked in a headlock - it almost looks like a modified sleeper hold - and the referee checks on Anderson to make sure he’s conscious. Bram then fires Anderson into the turnbuckle and Anderson begins to show some life from there.

Anderson fires off jabs and trucks through Bram, who comes up-and-down after taking the moves. Bram then hit a superplex out of the corner, but only got a two count. He now has Anderson’s wrist and isn’t letting go as he hits three short-arm clotheslines while Anderson is selling his shoulder. Bram goes for a cover, but Anderson kicks out at two. He hooks a leg, kick-out a two. Now he hooks both legs, and again Anderson kicks out at two.

[Q2] Bram then grabs the mic and goes to hit Anderson, but he ducks. Anderson then rolls up Bram with a small package for the victory.

WINNER: Mr. Anderson in about 11:00.

[Reax: Solid opening match. Some minor nitpicks, but I like Anderson and believe he’s been underutilized, so if this leads to more for him to do on the show, it’s a positive. He was relatively untapped after WWE and TNA has dropped the ball there. One thing I didn’t like, and this happens a lot across multiple companies, but why wasn’t Bram disqualified when he tried to use the mic on Anderson? The referee was right there. It’s only a DQ if he happens to make contact? Seems to me, if you’re trying to simulate sport, the wrestler should be punished for even attempting to cheat. If a baseball player tries to cork a bat but gets caught and doesn’t actually use the bat, he’s still getting suspended.]

In-studio: Josh Mathews and Pope ran down the No Surrender line-up.

Backstage: Jeremy Borash interviewed Matt and Jeff Hardy. Matt said the brothers defied so many odds. Jeff said after they defied the odds and won the TNA Tag Team Titles, he broke his leg. Jeff said that tonight is Matt’s night. Matt said that tonight he fulfills his dream of becoming World champion.]

[Commercial Break at 9:17]

In-arena: Back from the break, The Revolution’s James Storm was headed to the ring. Storm grabbed the mic and said that he needs to take the people who are lost and show them guidance. He said he took one man that came from nothing, and that man failed him over and over. Storm said that those who fail him will pay the ultimate price, and pay for their mistakes.

Storm called out Khoya, who is approaching the ring. As he enters the ring, Storm gets in his face and tells him to look at him. “You are just like these people here,” he said. “I took you from that crap country and made you something. I gave you gifts.”

Storm repeatedly slapped Khoya as he yelled at him, asking him if he wants to “go back to that stupid country.” Khoya rips off his shirt and attacks Storm, leaving him laying in the middle of the ring. Khoya then grabs the mic and says his name is not Khoya, he says it’s Mahabali Shera and he’s proud of who he is. Storm glares up at Shera as he leaves the ring.

[Reax: The Revolution wasn’t big enough or important enough for anyone to really care that Khoya - or Mahabali Shera - turned on Storm. The audience seemed flat even when Shera attacked Storm. It felt like a whole building full of people saying to themselves, “Well that might as well happen.”]

Video Package: The Dollhouse was featured. Taryn Terrell says there are three of them, and Gail Kim is alone. Taryn says she no longer lives in Gail’s shadow.

Video highlights are shown of Gail Kim running through the entire Dollhouse last week.

Up next: The Dollhouse vs. Gail Kim in a handicap match.

[Commercial Break at 9:29]

[Q3] Backstage: James Storm was going nuts. Storm said that tonight, he wants Khoya in the ring. He said he’ll show him why he’s the leader, and Khoya is nothing. Storm tells Khoya to out his boots on, because he’s about to face off with the devil.

In-arena: The Dollhouse is making their entrance. Out next is Gail Kim.

2 -- THE DOLLHOUSE (Taryn Terrell & Jade & Marti Bell) vs. GAIL KIM -- handicap match

Marti Bell starts the match for The Dollhouse. Gail Kim runs through her with ease, drawing praise from Mathews. Terrell tries to sneak into the ring for an attack, and Gail senses it. With Kim distracted, Bell attacks from behind. Terrell tags in and goes for the pin after Bell gets Kim to the mat. After Kim kicks out, Terrell goes running to Jade for a tag.

In the middle of the match, Pope is reading a tweet on the air, and Mathews yells at him for it. He then spends his time yelling at Pope for reading tweets instead of watching the match.

Back to the match, Gail sends Marti to the outside and then hits a Tornado DDT on Jade. Gail points at Terrell, but she high-tails it out of the Impact Zone through the crowd. Gail then hits a cross-body on Marti from the corner and the match has broken down into a 2-on-1, with Jade and Marti double-teaming Gail Kim. Kim then hits a double dropkick and pins Marti Bell for the victory.

WINNER: Gail Kim via pinfall.

[Reax: This match told a good and simple story. Terrell is your traditional chicken heel, but it works because she’s hiding behind the rest of The Dollhouse and she’s leaving Marti and Jade to be sacrificed to get Gail Kim over. That helps Gail get over by beating two opponents and it helps Terrell get over as a heel. It’s a win-win situation.]

Video: Drew Galloway was featured. He said he will not stop. He said he wouldn’t sit by while MVP tried to ruin the sport he loves. Galloway said he believed in Eli Drake, but it was all a farce. Galloway said Drake only cares about himself. Galloway said that Drake cost him his destiny, the World Title, but tonight he’d pay for his sins.

In-arena: Mathews plugged some weird new show called "Project Afterlife" where people who died and came back to life talk about dying and coming back to life.

[Commercial Break at 9:43]

[Q4] In-arena: Drew Galloway is making his way to the ring for his match against Eli Drake.

3 -- DREW GALLOWAY vs. ELI DRAKE

Galloway runs out of the ring and attacks Drake on the ramp to start the match. Mathews reminds the audience that Drake cost Galloway the TNA World Title.

On the outside, Galloway threw Drake high into the air and down to the ground with a back body drop. Galloway hit a flying clothesline off the top of the ringside steps. Now with Drake and Galloway in the ring, the match officially started and the bell rang.

Drake walked up the ramp and waved his arm as if to say he was done, but Galloway attacked him from behind. Earl Hebner tried to convince Galloway to take the match back to the ring. Now back in the ring, Drake took control and landed several punches from the mount. Drake then took Galloway to the corner and smashed his face and neck across the turnbuckle.

With Drake up against the ropes, Galloway went for his big kick finish, but Drake leaned through the ropes to avoid it. He then rolled up Galloway for the win, snatching his tights in the process.

WINNER: Eli Drake via pinfall.

[Reax: Good match here for what it was. Drake going over with the cheating made perfect sense to keep the feud alive and give them another match.]

Backstage: Impact authority figure Bully Ray told Dave Hebner he’ll be head official when his father, Earl Hebner, retires. In walked Bobby Roode. He said he's worried about Austin Aries losing tonight and leaving TNA because he wouldn’t have a tag team anymore.

[Commercial Break at 9:56]

[Q5]

4 -- AUSTIN ARIES vs. ROCKSTAR SPUD -- "Rockstar" vs. "Roster Spot" match

Very technical start to the match after Aries and Spud sized each other up. After a lock-up, Aries rolled through to Spud’s back, but Spud hit the ropes, so they separated. Aries and Spud then traded a slew of holds, switching off on waistlocks and headlocks. Aries hits a knee in the corner and controls the pace of the match from there.

Aries then dominated. He hit an elbow for a two count and followed with a huge neckbreaker, but Spud started to show some life. He hit a missile dropkick on Aries and landed several elbows and punches near the ropes. Aries was then able to apply the Last Chancery, but Spud got a break on the ropes. Spud rolled Aries up, but he only got a two count. Aries was able to connect with a Brainbuster, but Spud kicked out, which got the live crowd going crazy. Aries covered him again, and Spud kicks out again.

Spud traded punches with Aries and took control with some sharp jabs. Spud climbed to the top and hit a cross-body that nearly got a three count. Aries caught Spud going up top for a second cross-body and tried to set up Spud for a superplex, but Spud reversed from the top rope for the three count.

WINNER: Rockstar Spud via pinfall.

Post-match: Aries is stunned. He went over to Spud, raised his arm, and hugged him. Mathews thanked Aries for everything he has done for TNA.

[Reax: Really fun match and by far the biggest win of Spud’s singles career. The live crowd was very into the match, especially in the end, and they bought every nearfall. Aries did a great job as the heel trying to make the smaller, underdog Spud seem legitimate. It was also good to see Aries go out as a babyface at the end of the match, as that does a lot for Spud’s character as a babyface, that he was able to earn Aries’s respect with such a great match. Very well done by both guys.]

[Commercial Break]

Backstage: Bobby Roode approached Aries and they talked about the match with Spud. Aries says that Spud earned it and the beauty of pro wrestling is that anything can happen. Roode said he wasn’t sure where he and Aries from from here. Aries said that this isn’t a goodbye, it’s a “see you down the road.”

5 -- JAMES STORM vs. MAHABALI SHERA

The match barely started. Shera tried to enter the ring, but Storm crotched him on the ropes by kicking it as he entered. Storm then assaulted him and eventually was disqualified after hitting Shera with a cowbell.

WINNER: Mahabali Shera via disqualification.

[Reax: I’m not sure TNA really needed this match, to be honest. Storm slapping Shera and him snapping earlier in the show seemed to do the trick to set up their feud. At least Storm got his heat back after Shera put him down earlier in the show, and perhaps that’s how TNA wanted to leave these two this week.]

Backstage: Bully Ray was shown beaten down on the ground.

[Commercial Break]

Backstage: Jeff Jarrett walked into Dixie Carter’s office as she was talking to someone on the phone about Bully Ray. Jeff said he heard what happened and wanted to help, and asked Dixie to let him take the spot as authority figure for next week and put together an Impact he knows everyone will remember. Dixie agreed and told Jeff that she needs the help because she has no idea how long Bully Ray will be gone for.

Backstage: ECIII cut a promo on Matt Hardy, saying that he is un-pinnable, which is fitting because Matt Hardy picked a match where pins don’t matter.

6 -- TNA World Hvt. champion ETHAN CARTER III vs. MATT HARDY -- Full Metal Mayhem match for the TNA World Hvt. Title

Everyone was banned from ringside, meaning that both Tyrus and Jeff Hardy were left in the back. Jeremy Borash handled the in-ring introduction before they got underway.

[Commercial Break]

Back from the break, Hardy jumped ECIII and sent him to the corner, quickly hitting a running bulldog. Hardy went for the Side Effect, but ECIII blocked it, hit a clothesline, and then nailed Hardy with a chair in the gut before smashing it across his back.

ECIII sat in the chair and taunted Hardy, slapping him as he slammed his face into the chair. Hardy finally blocked an right hand and landed a Side Effect onto the chair. Hardy grabbed a ladder and attacked ECIII repeatedly as TNA cut backstage to show Jeff Hardy watching the match on a monitor. After he stopped assaulting ECIII with the ladder, Hardy set it up and began climbing toward the belt, but ECIII cut him off with a chair shot to the knee.

[Commercial Break]

Back from the break, ECIII had Hardy trapped under the ring steps. He set the ladder up under the title and began climbing. ECIII was about to win the match, but Hardy toppled the ladder over, sending ECIII crashing into the turnbuckle.

Hardy then shoved the ladder over on top of ECIII. Later, Hardy set up the ladder and began climbing, but ECIII shoved the ladder over. However, Hardy landed on his feet, ducked a clothesline, and hit Twist of Fate. Hardy laid out ECIII on a table in the ring and climbed to the top rope for a moonsault, but ECIII ran over and knocked Hardy onto the top turnbuckle.

ECIII then got underneath Hardy and powerbombed him through the table. The fight spilled to the outside, where Hardy grabbed a ladder and set it up like a bridge on the outside, with the ladder resting on the ring apron and the ring steps. Hardy attempted to suplex ECIII off the apron through the ladder, but ECIII blocked it and shoved Matt down, back-first, across the ladder.

ECIII picked up Hardy and tried to put him through a table on the floor from the ring apron, but Hardy reversed into a Side Effect from the apron. Hardy then put ECIII on a table and climbed to the top rope, smashing ECIII through the table with a leg drop.

Hardy wanted to win back in the ring, making the slow climb up the ladder. But, ECIII slowly rolled back into the ring and slammed another ladder into Hardy’s legs as he tried to grab the title. Hardy fell down and ECIII began his climb. Hardy followed on the other end of the ladder and they exchanged punches. Hardy grabbed the belt, but ECIII kicked Hardy with a low blow and ECIII pulled down the title to retain.

WINNER: Ethan Carter III retained the TNA World Hvt. Title.

[Reax: Good to see ECIII get a decisive win here. It's okay to be the chicken heel avoiding a real challenger as a champion, but once in a while the champion needs to still win a big match and ECIII did it here on his own. Granted, there was some heel tactics with the low blows, but within this match that was all within the rules and ECIII coming out on top over Matt Hardy, in a match that is largely viewed as a Hardy staple, was good to see for ECIII.]

[Final Thoughts: Actually not a bad show. With these themed Impacts, TNA generally focuses on the wrestling and that’s when they’re at their strength. A few weeks ago TNA ran just three matches in a two-hour show, going very promo-heavy in what felt like a WWE-lite episode. Here TNA focused almost solely on the matches with only the James Storm in-ring promo and a few backstage promos.

They hyped the main event really well with Hardy and ECIII both getting promo time earlier in the show in backstage pre-tapes. In fact, this show had an old-school feel to it. There was a match, and then a few promos hyping a match later in the show. It worked. TNA did a nice job last week hyping No Surrender and then delivered here with a fun two-hour wrestling show.]

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