SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
TNA Impact Report
August 25, 2016
Taped in Orlando, Fla. on Pop TV
Report by Mike McMahon, PWTorch contributor (@MikeMcMahonPW)
Impact opens with Drew Galloway and ECIII at a “summit,” where they both reveal they were forced to be there. It looks like Galloway and ECIII are on a pool deck, and there is a bottle of whiskey there with some glasses. Galloway said he never said no to free whiskey and they go off camera, apparently to go talk.
Video: A video airs showing the history of the ECIII-Galloway feud, which has played out over the last several weeks.
In-arena: Bobby Lashley’s music plays and he’s headed to the ring for commentary. Josh Mathews said that Lashley wanted a history-making moment last week when he was trying to unify all of the titles. Mathews recapped how Dixie Carter and Billy Corgan said that wouldn’t happen.
Lashley gets to the table and Pope said he and Lashley have issues, so if Lashley is sitting on commentary, Pope is going to get some coffee and he leaves the ringside table. Lashley sits at ringside and puts his feet up. He said it doesn’t matter who he will face next.
Participants in the No. 1 contender’s battle royal are introduced. The Bro-Mans are out first with a full ring entrance together. Eli Drake is out next. Grado and The Tribunal are also introduced as well as Mahabali Shera. While the ring entrances are happening, Lashley accurately points out that no one, at this point, really has any business contending for the title.
Up next, Mike Bennett and Moose head to the ring. Lashley said Bennett is the smartest man in the ring now, and that makes him the favorite to win. Eddie Edwards is out after Bennett and Moose.
1 — Battle Royal to determine the No. 1 contender for the TNA World Hvt. Title
Mathews explains that this is traditional battle royal rules, and you’re eliminated when you go over the top roe.
Bennett holds Robbie E in the corner to allow Moose to throw some kicks. Most of the wrestlers are paired off, trading opponents. Basile Baraka eliminates his partner, Baron Dax, at 2:05. Dax shouts up at Baraka before heading to the back.
On commentary, Lashley said he threw the X Division Title down because he was unifying the titles, not to offend anyone. At 2:54, Moose eliminates Mahabali Shera. There’s a portion of the crowd definitely cheering for Moose.
[Commercial Break at 8:12] [Q2 …]
[… Q2] Back from the break at the 7:55 mark of the battle royal, there are no mentions of eliminations during the break and it doesn’t appear anyone else was thrown out.
At the 9:10 mark, Robbie E is eliminated by Basile Baraka after he pulled Robbie E down on the rope while Robbie E was on the apron. Moose tosses Baraka over the top to eliminate him at the 9:36 mark. There was a lot of height on that toss and Lashley laughed, calling it impressive. Grado is then eliminated by Eli Drake at the 10:39 mark.
At the 11:52 mark there was a cool spot where Drake hooked his feet on the bottom rope while his shoulders his the floor to avoid an elimination. However after getting back in the ring, Drake rushed Edwards and Edwards scored the elimination at the 12:00 mark.
It looked like Moose was going to eliminate Godderz but Godderz only had one foot hit the ground. He hit a springboard clothesline on Moose and Bennet but Moose then tossed Godderz over the top at the 13:10 mark.
The final three men in the ring are Bennett, Moose, and Eddie Edwards.
Edwards tried for a hurricanrana but Moose caught him. As Moose tried to powerbomb Edwards over the top, Bennett snuck up behind Moose and eliminated both of them.
WINNER: Mike Bennett at 14:08.
Moose looks furious at ringside, smashing the mat as Bennett celebrates. Lashley just laughed at ringside and said, “that’s what happens when you’re the help,” in reference to Moose.
[MM Reax: This battle royal accomplished quite a bit. First Mike Bennett is the No. 1 contender, but perhaps the bigger story is he screwed over his muscle, Moose, in the process. They’ve been teasing for the last few weeks that Moose isn’t happy with Bennett and that’s getting very close to a boiling point. It’s a little soon for Moose to turn – he debuted a few weeks ago, why not just debut him as a babyface? – but the crowd is getting behind him and if that’s the case, TNA is smart to run with it. It’s almost the opposite of what WWE is doing with Roman Reigns.
Lashley was also very good on commentary. It was a nice touch to see Pope leave the ringside table, selling their rivalry from earlier this year. Lashley’s demeanor and his answers to Mathews’s questions were really on point, sometimes laughing and he sounded a lot more natural and much less robotic.]
Video: Galloway and ECIII sit on the pool deck and begin to pour whiskey while ECIII asks Galloway what his problem is? Galloway said that three times ECIII cost him the World Title and the show cuts to a break.
[Commercial Break at 8:24]
Coming out of the break, an ad for “The Fixer” aired, along with an ad for Bound for Glory.
Back from the break, Mathews shows highlights of Bennett winning the battle royal.
Backstage: Moose is screaming at Bennett saying it wasn’t supposed to go that way. Bennett said Edwards screwed it up and Moose kept yelling that it wasn’t supposed to go that way.
[Q3] In-arena: Broken Matt Hardy’s music plays and he walks to the ring, carrying the contract that he won with Brother Nero to face Decay.
Hardy said what he holds in his hand is a majestic key, which holds his destiny, the tag team titles of the world. He said that the tag titles are currently decaying and can only be restored with his brilliance.
Brother Nero enters next. Hardy is once again wearing the very creepy white contact lenses. Hardy looks puzzled as Nero enters the ring. Nero sings his own song as he heads to the ring, about classifying himself as obsolete. “Brother Nero,” Hardy said, “It’s generous for you to visit me but your presence is not required right now. Why exactly are you here?”
Nero said he was there to work, wrestle, and win for himself and the creatures. Hardy said that was wonderful, because when he sets his focus on something, now it’s Decay, they will be rendered obsolete.
Rosemary starts talking. No one can see where she is at first but the camera pans back to see that she’s standing on a staging area where the hard camera is, above the ring.
She said Decay has something they want, and they’ll never let them have them. Abyss then walks down the aisle. He said that they would take joy in destroying the Hardy legacy. “For you all, will forever rot in decay,” Abyss said.
Crazzy Steve starts talking from the crowd. He said that Matt Hardy isn’t broken, but Decay will shatter him. Steve said that Matt would never see them coming. “Steven, you are wrong,” Hardy said.
Hardy said he knows who tried to kidnap King Maxel, and tonight, he will eat that person. Rosemary said that Decay doesn’t play by the Hardy’s rules. Hardy said they don’t understand his rules, because he’s from another place. Matt said Brother Nero is to work and he then asked who from Decay would step up and face Brother Nero?
The crowd chanted “all three!” as Decay looked around. Abyss said it should be him and Hardy, one more time. Hardy jumped over the top rope to splash Abyss and the bell rings as the show goes to break.
[Commercial Break at 8:38]
2 — BROTHER NERO (w/Broken Matt Hardy) vs. TNA tag champion ABYSS (w/Rosemary & Crazzy Steve)
Back from the break at the 4:45 mark of the match, Abyss is leaning on Nero with a chin lock. Hardy grabs a mic at ringside and tells Brother Nero to delete.
Nero begins to fight back with some elbows to the rung but Abyss catches him for a chokeslam. Hardy gets out of it with more elbows and hits an atomic drop. Hardy begins to play to the crowd. It’s hard to tell whether or not he’s really broken or just playing it up?
With Abyss down, Nero goes to the top rope but Hardy yells for him to get down. He tells him to fight with honor (or ah-nah) and stop being a “spot monkey.” Instead of jumping on Abyss, Nero jumps to the outside to take out Crazzy Steve.
Back in the ring, Hardy clotheslines Crazzy Steve and Abyss. Steve had a chain but dropped it when he was clotheslined. Hardy picks up the chain and nails Abyss with it while Earl Hebner had his back turned getting Steve out of the ring, but he only gets a two count.
Abyss back up and he hits a chokeslam. He calls for Crazzy Steve and he’s back in the ring while Rosemary distracts the referee. Steve tried to spit mist in Nero’s eyes but he ducked and the mist hit Abyss. Nero hits a Twist of Fate for a two count.
On the outside, Hardy said the man he saw in his premonition try to abduct Maxel is Crazzy Steve, and he bites Steve’s face. Steve is screaming in pain as Hardy chomps on his face. In the ring, Nero is on the top rope but Rosemary sprays mist in his face. Abyss then gets up and hits a Blackhole Slam for the win.
WINNER: Abyss at 11:07.
After the match, Steve rolls back in the ring. Decay celebrates while Nero is down in the middle of the ring. Matt Hardy is on the outside licking his lips with what looks like Steve’s blood all over his face. Steve’s ear looks like it’s bleeding.
Hardy grabs a mic and says Decay’s day of deletion will come soon at his hands. Hardy told Brother Nero he still has many things to learn. Hardy said Nero has a lot to learn. Hardy said Brother Nero needs to accept he is “broken” and he needs to embrace it.
Backstage: Maria tells Allie she didn’t know about Sienna’s title match tonight, and she needs to know everything. Allie begins to cry. Maria asks who would go over her head? In walks Billy Corgan. He said he made the Knockouts Title match tonight. Maria said she doesn’t understand, she could have come to her because they’re equals. Corgan said they’re not equals, he’s the president of TNA. He said he can’t get in the way of Maria’s deal with Gail Kim, but he can make the champion defend her title for getting involved in the match last week.
[Commercial Break at 8:54]
Backstage: Lashley walks up to Bennett and tells him to be careful what he wishes for. Bennett said he’s beaten everyone in front of him since he got to TNA. Lashley said Bennett needs to be worried about Moose. Lashley said he knows he can handle Moose, but can Bennett?
[Q5 – second hour] In-arena: Sienna is at the end of her ring entrance for her title defense. Marti Bell is out next, followed by Allie and Jade.
3 — TNA Knockouts champion SIENNA vs. MARTI BELL vs. MADISON RAYNE vs. ALLIE vs. JADE — no disqualification five-way match for the Knockouts Title
Allie hides behind Sienna to begin the match. Mari Bell and Jade roll to the outside and brawl as the match begins while Sienna gets involved with Madison Rayne and Allie just cheers from the corner.
Jade hits a package piledriver on Madison Rayne but Marti breaks up the pin. Marti takes out her baton but Allie grabs it. They play tug-o-war and Allie hits Allie by accident after pulling it out. Marti drops Allie on top of a knocked out Madison Rayne after nailing her with a baton and Jade hits a dropkick on Marti. However, there’s a three count for Allie to get the win after she landed on Rayne following the baton shot.
After the match, Allie is stunned, looking at the title. She has no real clue what happened but looks stunned.
WINNER: Allie at 4:34 to capture the Knockouts Title.
Video: Aron Rex said tonight is about opportunity and making an impact. He said he knows both men well and that’s why he asked to be special referee.
[Commercial Break at 9:08]
Backstage: Allie is at a loss for words as the roving reporter asks for her thoughts. She doesn’t look too excited about what Maria is going to think, though.
Video: The meeting between Galloway and ECIII is shown. Galloway said he knows ECIII didn’t mean it, he saw the footage, but that doesn’t matter. Galloway said ECIII is the reason he’s not world champion, but ECIII said that the reason Galloway isn’t champion is because he lost.
[Q6] Galloway said he told ECIII not to get involved. ECIII admits he made a mistake, and he’s apologizing by granting him a shot at the title shot. Galloway told ECIII he’s going to take it to a new level tonight and he’s going to hit harder than he’s ever hit. ECIII said he’ll reciprocate anything he gets.
Both men say they’re going to Bound for Glory. ECIII tries to toast to him being world champion, but Galloway said they should toast to their cats instead. ECIII and Galloway shake hands and say the best man will win on Thursday. Galloway laughs. ECIII said he’s looking forward to using a new catchphrase after he wins the World Title and Galloway shoves ECIII into the pool. ECIII and Galloway laugh it up as the show cuts to a break.
[Commercial Break at 9:18]
Backstage: Moose is shown leaving the Impact Zone. A car pulls up and it’s Lashley. Lashley said that one day, he won’t have to park so far away or be Bennett’s puppet. Lashley handed Moose a card and said he’s having dinner there tonight, so join him and they’ll talk about Moose’s future.
In-arena: Eli Drake’s Fact of Life segment begins. He has Rockstar Spud, Trevor Lee, Andrew Everett, Mandrews, Braxton Sutter and D.J. Z in the ring with him.
Drake demanded someone from TNA management bring him back his KOTM Title. It didn’t happen, and he called the management dummies. Drake said that next week a new X Division champion will be crowned. Drake wanted to know who each person thought had no chance of winning the X Division Title.
Spud said Sutter has no chance. Sutter was laughing and said he was looking at a crybaby. Sutter made fun of Spud’s braces. Spud called Sutter an unprofessional, untalented loser. Spud called D.J. Z a loser for not winning the X Title in two years. He said Mandrews was a loser for being blonde and British.
D.J. Z said the X Division is the heart and soul of TNA. He said no one is going to disrespect it, including Bobby Lashley. D.J. Z said sooner or later, someone from that division will beat Lashley, and that somebody would be him.
A brawl breaks out after D.J. Z tells Drake to stop hitting the dummy button. After the ring is cleared, Mandrews dives on almost everyone over the top rope. D.J. Z is in the ring, however. After Drake fakes a dive, D.J. Z dives on everyone on the outside and then gets back up and chases Eli Drake off before holding up the X Division Title.
[Q7] Mathews asks if that is the scene we’ll see next week.
Up Next: ECIII vs. Drew Galloway to see who will main event Bound for Glory against Lashley.
[Commercial Break at 9:30]
Back from the break, Mathews announces an X-Division gauntlet match for the X Division Title next week.
In-arena: Aron Rex is introduced as the special referee for tonight’s main event.
4 — BFG Playoffs winner ETHAN CARTER III vs. DREW GALLOWAY — Aron Rex as special referee — winner receives a TNA World Hvt. Title shot at Bound for Glory
[Commercial Break at 9:41]
Back from the break, ECIII drops Galloway on the apron and he falls slowly to the outside. Galloway lands a shot on ECIII as he tries for a dive through the ropes.
Mathews comments on how good Rex has been as referee and how they haven’t noticed him, which is a good thing. Galloway puts ECIII on his shoulders and hits a Celtic Cross on the steel steps. Man! That looked painful.
Galloway hits a belly-to-belly suplex. Galloway looks at his arm and sees blood. Mathews says he’s not sure where the blood came from, but someone is bleeding.
ECIII drops Galloway with a side Russian legsweep to slow Galloway down. ECIII goes up to the top and Galloway chases him, trying for a Celtic Cross off the top but ECIII rolls through it and powerbombs Galloway for a two count.
Galloway hits a Claymore kick for another two count. ECIII chops Galloway and Galloway fires back with a chop of his own. They trade a series of chops. Huge, loud chops. Pope wonders whose chops will draw blood first.
ECIII hits a flapjack after Galloway bounces off the ropes. Galloway is back up and hits another Claymore for a two count after ECIII gets his foot on the rope. ECIII hits a One-Percenter off the second rope for a two count.
Galloway goes to the corner and sets up another Claymore. ECIII ducks it and Galloway goes for a Future Shock DDT, but ECIII rolls out of it. He grabs Galloway by the feet and jumps over into a jackknife pin for the win.
WINNER: ECIII at 17:34.
After the match, Rex raises ECIII’s hand and ECIII walks up the ramp to celebrate. Galloway gets back up int he ring. Rex is applauding Galloway. Rex shakes Galloway’s hand but Galloway headbutts Rex and starts to attack him. He’s kicking him over and over before throwing him to the outside. Galloway slams Rex into the apron and barricade repeatedly before giving Rex a fallaway slam into the ringpost.
Galloway runs Rex’s head into the steel steps at ringside. Galloway then grabs Rex’s head and slams it into the steps over and over as Mathews says Galloway is better than this. The show goes off the air as Galloway is walking back up the ramp.
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