MCMAHON’S IMPACT REPORT 2/9: Lashley vs. Edwards for the TNA Title, Shera vs. Galloway for the Grand Championship

McMahon’s Impact Wrestling Report
Feb. 9, 2017
From Universal Studios (Orlando, Fla.)
Aired (taped) on PopTV

Announcers: Josh Mathews & “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero

[HOUR ONE]

– Impact opens with a recap video from last week, including the Open Fight Night challenges, ending with the DCC attacking ECIII to close the show. Highlights and build-up to Lashley-Edwards and what’s being termed a “final fight” then takes place.

– In-arena: Mathews welcomes us to the show as the DCC enters the Impact Zone. Storm takes the mic first and tells the crowd they’re looking at three bad men. Storm said they made promises that anyone who stepped in their way, would be knocked down, and they don’t make promises they can’t keep. Storm again said that they were in the ass-kicking business, and business was booming.

That brought out Eli Drake and Tyrus. Drake hushed the crowd and then Tyrus took the mic, telling the crowd they lost the right to hear Drake’s voice. Tyrus said they were calling out DCC, 3-on-2, right now. Drake looked a little concerned with this idea, but Tyrus said they wanted all three of them.

Tyrus called Kingston his “mini me” and then a brawl breaks out. Storm and Kingston are focusing on Tyrus while Bram and Drake are brawling 1-on-1 on the opposite side of the ring. Mathews said it was like the Wild West, and the show went to a break.

[Commercial break]

Back from the break, and a match is on.

(1) ELI DRAKE & TYRUS vs. THE DCC

Drake and Kingston are in the ring. The match apparently began during the commercial break after they were brawling at ringside before the commercial. Drake and Tyrus are in control of the match, tagging in and out and keeping Bram in their corner. Bram is finally able to hot tag storm and he comes in like a house of fire with clotheslines on Drake. Storm gets up for a Last Call but Drake is able to avoid it and he makes a tag to Tyrus. Storm then begins to impersonate Brodus Clay, doing a dance, and Mathews said Tyrus won’t like this. Tyrus starts to play along but then hammers Storm with a huge right hand.

Meanwhile, Drake is walking away. He’s headed up the ramp to the back. Tyrus is fighting the DCC all by himself. He does OK for a few moments before Storm hits a Last Call for the win.

WINNERS: The DCC.

After the match, DCC celebrates as Tyrus rolls to the outside. Bram blows Tyrus a kiss. Mathews called Drake a coward for walking away from Tyrus.

– Highlights of Lashley vs. Edwards in a cage from July is shown.

– Brandi is interviewed backstage and she said she wants to lead by example in how a Knockout should act. Brandi said that tonight, she’s going to call out Rosemary.

[Commercial break]

– Backstage, Braxton Sutter runs into Allie. They begin talking about her training and Maria barges in. Maria demands coffee and Allie asks if she wants “coffee” or “whiskey coffee” … Maria tells Braxton that she can’t force anything to happen between Braxton and Laurel Van Ness, but she can expect it to happen. Maria is telling Braxton that Laurel is expecting a ring, and wishes him luck. As she walks away, Braxton looks off the camera and said, “this is unbelievable.”

– In-arena: Brandi Rhodes heads to the ring. Brandi said she’s having a blast being the newest knockout. Brandi said she’s the type of person that likes to just solve problems if she has a problem with someone. Brandi looked into the camera and asked Rosemary if she wanted to continue with mind games or if she wanted to throw hands? Because if she wanted to fight, Brandi said she was ready to fight.

Rosemary came to the ring along with Abyss and Crazzy Steve. Rosemary begins cutting her response on the aisle as they walk to the ring. Rosemary called Brandi innocent and pure as she slides into the ring. Abyss and Steve stay on the outside. Rosemary said they saw potential in Brandi. Rosemary said that Brandi rejected them, but what they failed to remember is that Decay comes for everyone, whether by choice or by force. Rosemary said that Decay was everywhere. Abyss and Steve then begin to climb into the ring. Abyss waves to her. Rosemary asked if Brandi chooses to fight? Rosemary said they respect that choice, but it is her funeral. Mathews noted that Cody Rhodes is not there tonight.

Abyss and Steve begin to close in on Brandi and Rosemary attacks her from behind. Rosemary has a guillotine choke on Brandi but Moose runs in to take out Abyss and Steve. After he clears the ring of Abyss and Steve, Moose turns around Rosemary gestures towards him before backing off and leaving the ring. Moose then checks on Brandi.

– Backstage, Rockstar Spud brings in Aron Rex for an interview. Spud asks Rex what will happen to Robbie E tonight? Rex said he loves everyone, but he doesn’t love fashion no-no’s. Rex said violence is not the answer, but in the case of Robbie E, he will make an exception.

[Commercial break]

– Back from the break, highlights of Moose saving Brandi are shown.

– Backstage: Moose told Decay if they mess with Brandi, they mess with him, and there is no decaying a Moose. Brandi said that she has friends around here, and she challenged Decay to a mixed tag match next week, featuring Decay vs. “Moose, and mini-Moose.”

– In-arena: Rockstar Spud introduces Aron Rex, who comes to the ring and said that the people don’t understand that you can’t speak his name, you have to sing it, so he made Spud sing it twice more. On the third time, Robbie E breaks up the singing and he comes to the ring for his match against Rex.

(2) ARON REX (w/Spud) vs. ROBBIE E

Mathews said that Robbie E has a screw loose as we start 2017. Mathews also congratulated Robbie on the birth of his new twins. Rex rolled to the outside after Robbie E was aggressive to start the match. Back in the ring, Robbie E tackles Rex and throws punches, but Rex screams to “watch the face!”

Mathews asked Pope what brought on this new attitude for Robbie E, and Pope said he thinks it is because he wants his kids to look back at his career in TNA with pride seeing their dad as a man and “not a goof.”

On the outside of the ring, behind the referee’s back, Spud chokes Robbie E with his jacket. Spud rolls Robbie back into the ring and Rex takes control. Spud gets into the ring and Robbie E starts to go after him in the corner. The referee is trying to separate them and while that’s happening, Aron Rex moved the tape on his fingers to cover one of his rings, and he leveled Robbie E with a punch to get the win.

WINNER: Aron Rex in 5:00.

After the match, Spud gets in the ring and towels off Rex as they celebrate.

– Backstage: Reby is talking to Jeff Hardy and said she has been on board for everything, but what if this is crazy? Reby asked what if something went wrong? Jeff said that Matt’s premonitions have never been wrong before. Matt then walked into the shot and said that tonight they will walk into the zone of Impact, and create magic!

[Commercial break]

– Highlights of Edwards winning the World Title on Oct. 6, 2016 are shown.

– Backstage: Edwards is shown with his wife, Davey Richards and Angelina Love backstage. Richards looks unhappy as Edwards goes for a fist bump.

– Backstage: Mike Bennett asks Braxton Sutter if everything is alright? Bennett said after he marries Laurel, they’ll practically be family. Braxton said that he doesn’t know how Bennett deals with Maria on a daily basis. Bennett told Sutter he knows he’ll do the right thing, and Sutter said Bennett was right. He needs to do the right thing, and he was going to go do it right now.

– In-arena: Reby plays piano as Matt and Jeff Hardy come to the ring. In the ring, there is a gold stand with something under a black cloth. Jeff said that Matt has some incredible news about their future. Matt said he has had premonitions about their expedition for gold. Matt said they came slowly, like pieces of a puzzle, but today that puzzle came together in clarity. Matt pulled off the black cloth to reveal Vanguard 1. Matt said that seven deities have upgraded Vanguard 1, and he is now the most powerful drone in all of space and time. Matt said Vanguard 1 is now a mechanism of teleportation, and Vanguard 1 can take Matt and Jeff across the planet as they procure all the gold. Matt said that they must travel to every promotion, fight every team, capture every gold, and they must do that until the seven deities tell them to stop, because they are deemed the greatest team in all of space and time.

Jeff said he was confused about teleportation, and asked Matt to be more clear. Matt said sometimes his illustrious lexicon can be tough to follow. Matt said that if they tough Vanguard 1, they will disappear and appear in another promotion. Matt said it could be a regional promotion, it could be the honorable ring where the Bucks of Youth are, or it could be Meek-Mahan’s show. Matt said they must win all of the gold.

Suddenly, Matt gasps and had another premonition. Matt said they must put their hands on Vanguard 1 now, so the expedition for gold can begin. Matt and Jeff then disappear from the ring and re-appear in Tijuana. A local asks how they got there? Matt says “magic” as they begin walking down the street.

[Commercial break]

(3) MAHABALI SHERA vs. DREW GALLOWAY – Grand Championship match

[Round 1]

Shera rolls up Galloway with a backslide for a two count quickly. Galloway back in control near the one-minute mark with a huge chop. Shera press slams Galloway off the top rope. Galloway chops Shera on the outside. Galloway drops Shera across the rail on the outside and rolls him back into the ring. Shera hits a clothesline with about five seconds left. As time expires in the round, Shera hits a Sky High, but it was after the bell. Mathews said that shouldn’t count in the scores.

Scores: Shera, 29-28

[Round 2]

Shera charges Galloway at the bell on the second round and Galloway hits a huge boot to the face. Galloway then throws rapid chops to Shera in the corner. Galloway hits a belly-to-belly for a two count. Shera’s chest is bright red as Galloway throws more chops. Shera plants Galloway with a bodyslam for a two count. Galloway lands a headbutt. Galloway counters a Sky High into a Claymore Kick and then a Future Shock DDT for the pin.

WINNER: Drew Galloway via pin in the second round.

[Commercial break]

– Back from the break, the Helms Dynasty is in the ring to celebrate Trevor Lee winning the X Division Title. Helms said that there was a weak link in the Dynasty, however, and that weak link is Andrew Everett. Helms said that Everett keeps failing, and he won’t let his dynasty have any weaknesses. Everett just shrugs and then rips the mic out of Helms’ hand. Everett told Helms that he has known him his whole life, and he means no disrespect, but he’s wrong. Everett asked how many times he had to step on a grenade for this dynasty? Everett said that everywhere he goes with Lee, they win gold, and they do that without Helms. Everett asked if he wasn’t the problem? Everett asked if the problem was an old man living off his former glory? Lee is just looking at the mat while this is happening. Helms removes his jacket and Lee attacks Everett from behind. Lee and Helms then attack Everett.

– More build-up to the Lashley-Edwards match is shown, with interview clips of both men talking about the match as highlights of them wrestling and training are shown.

[Commercial break]

– Matt and Jeff Hardy are walking through Tijuana. Matt is asking a group of people who the tag team champions are in Tijuana? Crowds are following them everywhere. Matt and Jeff sign someone’s forehead and “clean his vessel.” Matt was asking fans where the tag team champions of Mexico were?

– Next week, the Expedition for Gold begins. They’ll air a match that features Matt & Jeff Hardy vs. Psicosis and Super Crazy from Tijuana.

– In-arena: Eddie Edwards enters the ring first, and Lashley enters second to new music. Angelina Love and Edwards’ wife are shown at ringside.

(4) EDDIE EDWARDS vs. LASHLEY – TNA World Hvt. Title match

Lashley hits a shoulder tackle to begin the match. He goes to the outside and taunts Edwards’ wife. Eddie runs and hits a dive on the outside of the ring. Back in the ring, Edwards charges Lashley but Lashley hits a spinebuster.

Back from the break, Lashley stomps Edwards in the corner and then hits a neckbreaker. Lashley them chokes Edwards in the corner with his boot. Lashley drops Edwards with a huge right hand. Mathews really pouring on his close Edwards and Richards are, calling them “like brothers” numerous times throughout the broadcast.

Edwards starts to make a small comeback with chops but gets caught and driven into the corner. Back elbow by Edwards and he tries for a hurricanrana but Lashley catches him. Lashley goes for a powerbomb but Edwards finally rolls through the hurricanrana to the outside. Edwards hits a dive through the ropes to the outside. Missile dropkick by Edwards for a two count. Lashley hits a dominator for a two count. Lashley blows a kiss to Edwards’ wife at ringside and rolls to the outside of the ring to grab his belt. Richards comes down and rips the belt out of Lashley’s hands. Edwards hits Blue Thunder for a two count.

After a kick off the top rope, Edwards hits another dive but Lashley caught him and throws a belly-to-belly on the outside of the ring. Edwards countered a spear into a Boston Knee Party but Richards rolled the official out of the ring. Edwards asked what he was doing? Richards said, “it’s all about you.” Richards then pointed at Angelina Love, and she slapped Edwards’ wife. Lashley hits a spear for the win.

WINNER: Lashley retains in 14:00.

After the match, Lashley celebrates while Richards stares down Edwards. Angelina Love rolls Edwards’ wife into the ring. Richards and Angelina climb into the ring and Richards beats down Edwards while Angelina holds Alisha, Eddie’s wife, and makes her watch. Richards chokes out Edwards with his belt as Richards and Love then kiss in the middle of the ring, standing over Eddie Edwards.