12/16 TNA Impact Results – Roundtable, four-way match highlight final Dest. America episode

PWTorch contributor Mike McMahon covers the final original airing of TNA Impact on Destination America, complete with a bump to the 11:00 p.m. EST late-night timeslot…

TNA Impact Wrestling
Aired December 16, 2015
Taped in Orlando, Fla.
By Mike McMahon (@MikeMcMahonPW), PWTorch contributor

— The show opens with TNA running an advertising spot for its move to PopTV on January 5, including hyping the semifinals and finals of the World Title Series.

— A video package on Matt Hardy airs. Hardy said he reached the pinnacle of his wrestling career at Bound for Glory. Hardy talked about how many wrestlers in the World Title Series fell victim to his formula of bell, wrestle, Twist of Fate, victory. Hardy said Bobby Roode, who he faced in the Round of 16, is one of the best ever and one of the greatest TNA champions of all time. Hardy then put over Jessie Godderz, who he beat in the quarterfinals. Hardy said he knows how dangerous Eric Young is, but he said he’ll get past Young and be one step closer to winning the TNA World Title, and that his dream would never die.

1 — GROUP X DIVISION (Mandrews & D.J. Z & X Division champion Tigre Uno & Manik) vs. GROUP FUTURE FOUR (Jessie Godderz & Eli Drake & Micah & Crimson) — eight-man tag team match

Eli Drake and D.J. Zema start off the match. Drake quickly tags in Micah. Micah and D.J. Z trade holds early. Micah tags in Jessie Godderz and Mandrews enters for the X Division group. Mandrews tags in Manik, who lands a dropkick and tags in Tigre Uno.

Uno hits an enziguri on Godderz and quickly tags Mandrews back in. Mandrews hits a flying elbow on Godderz. The match spills to the outside where Micah hits a flying cross-body out of the ring to the outside. Godderz levels Mandrews with a clothesline.

Godderz goes for a dive, but hesitates and flexes in the middle of the ring. Manik hits him with a dropkick and that sends Godderz back to the outside. Manik with a flying cross-body on the entire Group Future Four on the outside.

Eli Drake begins to bark orders at his group, tagging himself in multiple times and yelling at his teammates. Drake and Crimson argue in the ring. Uno gets tagged in and hits a dropkick on Drake. Uno goes for a springboard moonsault, but Drake catches him and hits a bodyslam.

Drake goes to tag in Crimson, but he walks away along with Godderz and Micah. They jump off the apron and begin walking up the ramp. Drake tries to run up the ramp but Godderz, Crimson, and Micah catch him and roll him back into the ring. D.J. Z hits a DDT on Drake, then Tigre Uno hits a running dropkick, and Mandrews finishes him off with a 450 splash for the pin.

WINNERS: Group X Division.

[Commercial Break at 11:29]

— A preview of the Final Four interview airs. Bobby Lashley, ECIII, Matt Hardy, and Eric Young are all at a roundtable. Lashley asks if ECIII is going to win on his own, for once.

— Josh Mathews throws to a replay of Austin Aries vs. Bobby Lashley from the World Title Series.

[Commercial Break at 11:40]

— TNA advertised the move to Pop TV during Impact.

— Back from the break, the Aries vs. Lashley replay continued.

— After the match aired, a Lashley preview video aired, with Josh Mathews and The Pope giving their analysis on Bobby Lashley while highlights of Lashley were shown.

[Commercial Break at 11:51]

– Back from the break, a video package aired of ECIII talking about preparing for the Final Four. He was shown driving in his car and said he’s focusing on strength and conditioning in his training. Clips were shown of ECIII in the gym. ECIII said the entire World Title Series is predicated on a loss that he never had. ECIII said all he does is win. He said that nobody outworks him.

2 — ROCKSTAR SPUD vs. EDDIE EDWARDS vs. BOBBY ROODE vs. MR. ANDERSON — four-way match elimination match

Eddie Edwards and Rockstar Spud started the match, but Bobby Roode tagged Edwards’s back without him realizing it to start the match. Roode and Spud began the match with a lock-up in the middle of the ring.

Roode hit a shoulder tackle and then grabbed a handful of Spud’s hair and a side headlock. Edwards tagged in off of Spud.

[Commercial Break at 12:05]

Back from the break, Spud nearly rolled up Edwards. Edwards dove on Roode on the outside. In the ring, Spud mocked Mr. Anderson calling for his microphone above the ring. Anderson wasn’t amused and clotheslined him.

Spud wenr to the outside after a dive and rolled in Eddie Edwards, hitting a flying forearm from the top rope. Edwards rolled up Spud with a backslide for a pin.

*** Rockstar Spud eliminated ***

Edwards, Anderson, and Roode were now legal in a regular three-way format. Edwards went to the top for a double stomp, but Roode rolled out of the way. Roode locked a crossface on Edwards and Mr. Anderson was there to cheer for Edwards to give up. Edwards got out of the hold, though, and Roode shoved Anderson. Anderson then hit the Mic Check on Edwards for a pin.

*** Eddie Edwards eliminated ***

It was down to Anderson and Roode. Roode hits a spinebuster and locked a crossface on Anderson. Anderson rolled him over into a pin and Roode was forced to break the hold on a kick out.

Anderson lifted Roode for a Green Bay Plunge, but Roode powered out. Anderson grabbed him again and hit the move for a two count. Roode missed a clothesline, but Anderson could not hit the Mic Check. Roode took down Anderson and locked in a crossface again. Anderson tapped out.

WINNER: Bobby Roode via submission.

— A video interview aired with Kurt Angle, who said it was hard watching the World Title Series from the sidelines. He said the four finalists are all great. He said every one of them is great in their own way. He said whoever wants the TNA World Title the most will win it. Angle said that E.Y. has done everything possible to prove he’s the best. Angle said he wasn’t sure anyone could beat ECIII.

[Commercial Break at 12:19]

— Back from the break, a video feature aired on Eric Young. He said the World Title Series goes through him. E.Y. said he had the World Title stolen from him. He called Bobby Roode a snake. He said he would never forgive him. Eric Young said he dropped Roode on his head and beat him in the World Title Series. E.Y. said he told James Storm not show up, but he wouldn’t listen. E.Y. said that anyone in his way has been put down.

— Mathews tossed to a replay of the Eric Young vs. Bobby Roode match from the World Title Series.

— After the match, another E.Y. interview video aired. He said if you aren’t in TNA to be the champion, get out of his way. Similar to Hardy’s interview earlier, E.Y. ran down each wrestler he beat on his path to the World Title Series semifinals.

[Commercial Break at 12:31]

— Back from the break, another preview of the upcoming Final Four roundtable aired. E.Y. said Hardy is done in this tournament.

— A replay of Mr. Anderson vs. ECIII was shown.

— After the replay, ECIII was again talking about the World Title Series as he drove home from the gym. He was shown in his backyard doing sit-ups and shadow boxing, as well as yelling at his pool boy. ECIII was in a bar area now. ECIII, like the other members of the final four, began to go through the wrestlers he beat in the World Title Series as well as looked ahead to his match with Bobby Lashley. He said he’s beaten Lashley before, and once again he’ll destroy the destroyer. ECIII said he will erase what has happened to him. ECIII said that this World Title Series is not over until he wins.

[Commercial Break at 12:46]

— Back from the break, Mathews threw to the roundtable with the semifinalists while plugging the live Impact on Jan. 5.

Matthews asked Lashley’s opinion of ECIII. Lashley said he’s going to beat up ECIII, and his friend (Tyrus). Lashley asked ECIII if he’s going to fight by himself. ECIII, who had Tyrus behind him, said Lashley is one of the toughest men in history. ECIII said that Lashley destroys. He said he already stood up and fought Lashley and beat him. He said it’s unfair he has to beat Lashley again, as he’s already beaten him. ECIII said he out-smarted Lashley.

Hardy interjected and told ECIII that it’s delusional than ECIII actually believes he has integrity. Hardy said that E.Y. is a talented wrestler who is mean and tough. Hardy said Young does a lot of stuff he’s not cool with and he can’t wait to rough up Eric Young.

Young said that Hardy swept a tag team division. He said that Hardy came out of the weakest group and he came out of the strongest group. E.Y. said Hardy has to face the man who came out of the group of death.

Mathews said that many believe the TNA Champions group was the group of death. E.Y. said no one else on the table has won every belt in TNA. Hardy said he doesn’t have to put himself over. Everyone knows that E.Y. is good. But, Hardy said no one is stopping the Matt Hardy train.

Mathews asked Hardy who he expects to see in the finals if he wins. Hardy said he hopes Lashley wins, but he also knows that ECIII is good and he has Tyrus watching him back. Hardy said that Lashley has integrity, but ECIII doesn’t. Hardy said that ECIII relies on Tyrus.

Same question to Lashley, and he said he expects to see Matt Hardy. Lashley said he has never faced Matt Hardy and he looks forward to doing it in the finals. ECIII said he expects to face Eric Young. E.Y. said he expects to face ECIII. He called ECIII a winner and said that winners win.

Mathews asked Eric Young who isn’t advancing. E.Y. said he already answered this, and it’s Matt Hardy. E.Y. said he’s not here to wrestle Matt Hardy, he’s here to hurt him. E.Y. said this is his tournament to win. He told Hardy he might never come back. E.Y. said he lives in the right now and Hardy is all he thinks about. Hardy said that E.Y. will not break him. Mathews thanked all four wrestlers for joining him to end the segment.

— A video package aired hyping a show for next week, “Best of Impact 2015,” which they said is scheduled will air next Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. on Destination America.

(Editor’s Note: TNA is not listing the “Best of” episode on their website, Dest. America is listing “Epic Log Homes” and “Epic Beach Homes” in the timeslot, and the cable TV guide is also listing the “Epic” shows for next Wednesday.)