10/2 TNA Bound for Glory PPV: McMahon’s Live Coverage – ECIII vs. Lashley, Decay vs. Broken Matt & Nero

TNA Bound for Glory PPV Report
October 2, 2016
Orlando, Fla.
Report by Mike McMahon, PWTorch contributor (@MikeMcMahonPW)

Bound for Glory opened with a video package. Matt Hardy is playing piano while Maxel plays a toy piano on the floor. Hardy tells his son that it’s nearly time for a bedtime story.

Hardy said that once upon a tim, there was a man overflowing with brilliance. He said that he embarked on the greatest war. As Hardy told the story, clips of ECIII and Bobby Lashley are shown, as well as the Hardy, Brother Nero and Decay. Hardy ended the story asking who would be deleted? And who would delete?

Hardy said that when Maxel awakens tomorrow, Decay will have been rendered obsolete.

In-arena: Josh Mathews welcomes us to the show as crowd shots of the Impact Zone are shown. Mathews and Pope are at ringside and on camera. Pope and Mathews run down the card, including the World Hvt. Title main event and Decay vs. Matt & Jeff Hardy in “The Great War.”

Mathews said the show will begin with an X-Division Title match. Trevor Lee, the challenger, is out first.

1 — TNA X Division champion D.J. Z vs. TREVOR LEE — X-Division Title match

D.J. Z and Lee circle to begin the match and then lock up. The Impact Zone is lit well, more than a normal television taping, it seems. It could be that the crowd is larger and they’re trying to show that off.

At about the one-minute mark, Lee bailed out of the ring and came back in after an eight count. Lee kicks D.J. Z in the gut, dropping the champion to the mat. Lee hit the ropes and D.J. Z met him with a dropkick and an arm drag.

Lee gained control of the offense again after landing a back elbow but D.J. Z came back with a springboard arm drag off the second rope. Lee bailed to the outside and he snapped D.J. Z’s neck over the rope when he went to grab him. Lee played to the crowd and D.J. Z hit a sliding dropkick.

Four minutes into the match, Lee climbed on the apron and hit a running punt to the face of D.J. Z. Lee then had the offense back, grabbing at D.J. Z’s face on the outside before sliding him back into the ring.

Lee fish hooked D.J. Z again and choked him on the rope. Lee went to the second rope and tried for a diving punch, but D.J. Z caught him and elevated him for a flapjack.

D.J. Z tried to go to the top but Lee caught him. Lee followed him to the top rope and D.J. Z hit a top-rope hurricanrana.

D.J. Z hit a running back elbow in the corner and then a clothesline. D.J. Z hit a springboard back elbow off the second rope. D.J. Z then tried to set up a ZDT but Lee rolled to the outside of the ring. D.J. Z followed him out with a swanton bomb over the tope rope. D.J. Z rolled Lee back in the ring and Lee came sprinting at D.J. Z with a suicide dive. Lee rolled D.J. Z in the ring, and D.J. Z immediately hit the ropes and hit another diving swanton, catapulting himself into the air off the second rope and to the outside.

Lee went for a german suplex but D.J. Z blocked it. D.J. Z hit a reverse hurricanrana into a ZDT but Lee threw him off as he tried to tie up his head. Lee then hit a german suplex for a two count.

D.J. Z connected with boots to the face but Lee came back with a double stomp. D.J. Z rolled on his stomach, which meant Lee couldn’t get a cover. Lee eventually rolled D.J. Z over but didn’t hook the leg and only got a two count.

Lee then got up and went after the official. Lee picked up D.J. Z by his nose and sent him off the rope. D.J. Z comes back with a piledriver and a ZDT for the win.

WINNER: D.J. Z retains the X Division Title at 10:12.

After the match, Lee bailed to the outside and D.J. Z celebrated as Mathews threw to replays of the match’s biggest moves.

[Reax: Really strong start to the show. The X Division is always good for some excitement and D.J. Z, who has had a really great year in TNA, continued to build on that.]

Backstage: Lashley is shown arriving earlier today, as well as ECIII arriving.

Backstage: McKenzie Mitchell is backstage and welcomes in Drew Galloway for an interview. Mitchell said Galloway shouldn’t even be here.

Galloway said he doesn’t feel good. He said doctors told him if the injury were a little more to the left or right, he’d be having surgery and he’d be out for a year. Galloway said he loves proving people wrong. He said he went to management and asked them to let him fight tonight, but management said no, he was a liability. Galloway said he was a man and wanted to make his own decision. Galloway said then asked TNA to hold back the match and wait for the tournament final, but TNA said no.

Galloway then said the only reason Billy Corgan is buying TNA is because he gets Drew Galloway.

[Reax: Interesting note at the end there by Galloway, saying Corgan was buying the company.]

2 — JESSIE GODDERZ vs. ROCKSTAR SPUD vs. BRAXTON SUTTER vs. ELI DRAKE vs. ROBBIE E vs. GRADO vs. BASILE BARAKA vs. TYRUS vs. MAHABALI SHERA vs.  — 10-man over-the-top-rope gauntlet match for a TNA World Hvt. Title shot

Godderz and Spud start the match as Mathews and Pope note that Tyrus won this match last year.

Braxton Sutter was the third man to enter the match. Sutter goes right after Spud, as the two have been in the midst of a rivalry on Impact. Mathews and Pope note their rivalry as they go at it. Godderz and Sutter begin to work together on Spud.

Eli Drake enters the ring next and is almost eliminated right away but he catches himself on the top rope. Sutter hits a neckbreaker on Drake while Spud has Godderz in a sleeper.

Drake hits a powerslam on Godderz. Robbie E enters next. Robbie tries to eliminate his partner, Godderz, but he held on. Mathews questions that strategy, saying they should work together. Godderz hits a dropkick on Robbie E.

At the 5;40 mark, Baron Dax of The Tribunal enters the match. Dax hits a chokeslam on Robbie and Godderz. Spud applauds that in the corner.

Spud and Drake then jump on Godderz and Robbie E while Dax stands over and watches. Dax gets back involved with some kicks. Spud is waiting in the corner of the ring, sort of hiding, while the other four are wrestling near the opposite ropes.

Grado enters the match to a big pop at the 7:20 mark.

He dances to the ring, taking his time. As soon as he enters the ring, Spud tosses him out of the ring. Grado’s music never stops and he continues dancing to the back.

Basile Baraka is the next entrant. The Tribunal, The Bro-Mans, Eli Drake and Rockstar Spud are the six in the ring.

The Tribunal takes control of the entire match. Dax tries to throw out Godderz but he holds on to the rope.

On the other side, Baraka nearly suplexed Robbie E over the top but Robbie caught himself. After some fighting on the apron, both Robbie and Baraka fell. At the same time, Baron Dax is eliminated by Godderz.

Tyrus tosses Eli Drake with a big throw and then he picks up Godderz and does the same.

Tyrus, Spud, Drake and Godderz are in the ring. Spud tried to team up with Tyrus but Tyrus declined the invitation and tossed Spud over the top for an elimination.

Mahabali Shera enters next and goes face-to-face with Tyrus. They trade some power moves and punches. Tyrus misses a dive in the corner and Shera goes for a bodyslam but Drake breaks it up. Shera gets eliminated and Drake gets locked up on the bottom rope. That leaves Tyrus and Godderz in the ring with Drake still alive as well..

Tyrus flattens Godderz with a slam. Godderz barely held on to the top as Tyrus tried to eliminate him. Godderz comes back in the ring with a springboard forearm that knocks Tyrus down. Godderz dropkicks Tyrus into the ropes and then tries to lift him over. Drake runs back in and eliminates both Godderz and Tyrus for the win.

WINNER: Eli Drake at 15:24.

After the match, Mathews said everyone thought Drake was out but Drake saw the opportunity. Drake celebrated in the aisle after the match.

Backstage: Jeremy Borash brings in Robert Irvine, Gail Kim’s husband, as a celebrity guest. Irvine said it is a family affair and his kids are there, as well as their whole family. Irvine said Gail has given her life to pro wrestling.

Maria interrupted, stealing the microphone and said tonight is her night. Irvine called Mike Bennett a gorilla and then said he had a premonition, and tonight would be a very bad night for Maria and Bennett.

Maria steals the mic and said tonight is about her, because she’s the greatest Knockouts Champion ever. Bennett said she’s the best female wrestler of all time, and Bennett said he is the best wrestler in the world. Bennett said he is bound for glory.

Video: A video package airs on Mike Bennett and Moose’s rivalry.

In-arena: Mike Bennett is introduced for his match against Moose.

Prior to Moose’s introduction, the West Orange High School football team, in full uniform, came onto the stage and did the Moose chant. One of the players starts a chant and Moose is introduced, coming to the ring through the kids.

Moose is wearing painted shoulder pads and he tosses them off at the top of the stage.

3 — MIKE BENNETT vs. MOOSE

Moose and Bennett collide with punches to begin the match. Moose hits a standing dropkick as Bennett comes off the rope. Moose goes to the outside and Bennett flipped over the top rope. Scary spot. Bennett landed on Moose’s shoulders and it looked like Moose was going to counter to a power bomb but Bennett fell awkwardly.

Bennett remained in control on the outside. He dives off the apron but Moose catches him and tosses him into the ring post. Moose goes to pick up Bennett and Bennett hits a backdrop onto the steel steps. Moose is down after an impressive counter.

Back in the ring, Bennett remains in control and chops Moose in the corner. Bennett begins to work on Moose’s left knee. Moose tries to get a rope break but Bennett pulls him to the middle.

Bennett tries to get Moose over for a suplex, but Moose blocks it and suplexes Bennett into the turnbuckle.

Moose drops Bennett with two headbutts and then splashes him in the corner twice before hitting a pop-up power bomb for a two count.

Moose hits a huge clothesline for a two count.

Bennett hits a tornado DDT to get Moose down and then follows up with a piledriver for a two count.

Bennett yells for Moose to stay down, calling him an idiot. Moose and Bennett trade punches in the middle of the ring and Moose then lands a headbutt. Moose comes back with an uppercut and Bennett grabs Moose’s head for eight forearms in a row. Moose comes back with jabs. Moose tried for a hook and Bennett countered into a cutter but Moose blocked it.

Moose tried for a Moose Crossing off the top, but Bennett countered into a cutter for a two count.

Moose hits a power bomb and then a game changer for a three count.

WINNER: Moose at 10:09.

[Reax: Some of the athletic things Moose can do, at that size, is really incredible. For a match that had some build to it, this felt like it just happened. The follow-up will be more important here. It seems like TNA is trying to position Moose near the top of its card, maybe to challenge for the TNA World Title, so this is certainly a big win for him.]

After the match, Moose celebrated as Bennett rolled out.

Backstage: Borash interviews Aron Rex, who will fight for the Grand Championship tonight. Rex said he’s ready for anything. Rex said his game plan was Drew, but that’s OK. Rex said he’s here because of opportunity, and he can’t think of a bigger one than the one he has tonight. Rex said tonight, he’ll do what he has wanted to do for a long time, and that’s make history. Rex said Eddie Edwards is as good as they come, and they were trained by the same guy, but tonight the best man will win.

4 — EDDIE EDWARDS vs. ARON REX — Impact Grand Championship tournament final

Because this is a title match, it will be three five-minute rounds instead of the normal three-minute rounds.

Round 1

Rex goes after after Edwards, who has to move quickly out of his corner. They lock up and roll around the ropes before Rex gets Edwards pinned into the corner and the referee breaks them apart.

Another lock up, Rex shoves Edwards into the ropes and grabs a headlock on the mat. Rex hits a shoulder tackle and then locks up the wrist of Edwards. Edwards reverses it. Rex misses a clothesline and Edwards hits a dropkick. Edwards chops Rex in the corner.

Rex flips Edwards with a knee. Edwards puts Rex on the mat with a hurricanrana and then tries to send Rex off the rope but he counters into a leg sweep. Rex tried for a suplex but Edwards landed on his feet and then kicked Rex into the shoulder. Rex rolled to the outside and hit Edwards with a shoulder as he tried for a dive.

Back in the ring, Edwards clotheslines Rex to the outside and hits the ropes for a suicide dive.

Back in the ring again, Edwards hits a missile dropkick off the top for a two count with 20 seconds left in the round.

Scores: Eddie Edwards, 30-27.

Round 2

Rex misses a clothesline at the start of the round but does hit a huge elbow before he takes Edwards to the corner for some booths. Rex is very aggressive to start the round, snapping Edwards with a suplex for a two count. Rex then locked on a headlock.

Edwards chops Rex in the corner. Edwards hits another chop. Rex blocked Edwards in the other corner and goes knee-to-knee in an effort to slow down Edwards.

On the mat, Rex locks on an Indian Death Lock. Just as he does, the lights go out. Mathews said they’ll do their best as the match continues. Spotlights begin to light the ring as the fans chant “pay your light bill.”

Mathews notes there have been electrical problems in Florida the last few days.

Edwards hits two clotheslines.

With 50 seconds left in the round, the lights come back on and Rex catches Edwards off the top, trying for a reverse sharpshooter. Edwards breaks the hold and Rex throws elbows at the 10-second mark.

Scores: Aron Rex, 30-27.

Round 3

Rex takes Edwards’ head off with a huge clothesline 15 seconds into the third round.

Rex goes back to landing boots in the corner before Edwards gets back into the match with a flying knee off the second rope.

The announcers talked about the Boston Knee Party, and now the reverse sharpshooter may hamper Edwards’ ability to use the move.

Rex catches Edwards going up to the top. Edwards fights off Rex and goes for a dive off the top but Rex moves and Edwards lands on his feet, but be briefly clutches his knee after landing.

Edwards threw Rex into the corner and jumped up to kick Rex, who was sitting on the top rope.

Two minutes left in the match.

Rex throws Edwards off the top rope. As Edwards gets up, Rex hits a cutter for a two count.

One minute left in the match, Edwards goes up to the top rope and tries for a moonsault but Rex moved. Rex tried for a Revelator but Edwards lands a clothesline. 30 seconds left, Edward charged Rex but ran into an elbow. Edwards comes back with a knee to Rex.

With 10 seconds left, both men are down as the crowd counts down the clock while Rex and Edwards are on their knees, brawling. Edwards and Rex continue to roll around the mat and brawl while Brian Hebner tries to separate them.

Borash gets in the ring as the referee brings Rex and Edwards together to read the scores.

First judge scores it 2-1 for Rex. Second judge scores it 2-1 for Edwards. The final judge scores the match 2-1 for Aron Rex.

WINNER: Aron Rex via split decision.

Rex and Edwards embrace after the match. Edwards raises Rex’s hand and Rex celebrates in the ring after getting his hand raised.

Borash interviews Rex in the ring after the match. Rex asked the crowd if he won the match? And they respond with cheers, for the most part. Rex said that some said yes, some said no. Rex said he’s been in the ring with the best, and Eddie Edwards is a warrior and a star. Rex said Edwards has a rematch any time he wants one.

Rex said they made history tonight, but it’s only the first part, so stay tuned.

[Reax: Not a huge fan of Rex’s trunks, along with the pink knee pads. He just looked very plain. Overall, this was a pretty good match considering it had pretty much no build with Edwards being a replacement.

Rex is a good choice to be the first Grand Champion. I’m also interested in seeing how they will handle this division moving forward. Is Rex allowed to wrestler in non-Grand Championship style matches? Some of that division, where it’s still so new, needs to be defined.]

Gail Kim Hall of Fame induction

After a reset at the announcer’s table, Josh Mathews introduces Christy Hemme as a guest announcer for Gail Kim’s Hall of Fame induction.

Hemme thanked Gail for helping her and every woman in TNA. She said Gail helped build the division. Hemme said she’s not the only former Knockout who wanted to be here for Gail Kim, and she introduced Taryn Terrell.

A pregnant Taryn Terrell gets in the ring and said that Gail Kim is a career-maker. She said she is truly grateful that she got to work with Gail, and called her the greatest female wrestler to have ever lived.

Hemme then introduced Awesome Kong, who also wanted to be here for Gail Kim’s introduction.

Kong walked to the ring with a new short haircut. Kong smiled as she got into the ring. She smiles?

Kong laughed at the crowd as she took the mic. She said there aren’t enough adjectives to describe how awesome Gail Kim. Kong said Gail elevates her opponents to their best level. Kong said Gail is respected by everyone, and she tells her that she loves her.

Dixie Carter is then introduced by Hemme. The reaction for Dixie seemed to be somewhat mixed.

Dixie gets into the ring. She said that tonight is Bound for Glory, and it’s the biggest night of the year for TNA. Dixie said that Gail is selfless in the way she has built this division, and Dixie then introduced Gail Kim.

Gail walked to the ring in an orange dress and kissed her husband at ringside. Kong and Borash hold the ropes for her and she hugs Dixie, as well as the rest of the former knockouts who were here for her introduction.

Dixie said Gail built the knockouts into the greatest female division of all time. The crowd chanted “you deserve it” as Dixie agreed, and then threw to a video highlighting Gail’s TNA career.

[Reax: Honestly, it took some guts for Dixie Carter to come out in front of the live crowd. The reaction sounded somewhat mixed, but that really could have backfired considering the last week.]

Back in the ring, Dixie thanked Gail on behalf of everyone.

Gail took the mic and said, as we all know, she’s not known for her speaking. She pulled out a speech and said she didn’t want to forget anyone. She said this moment means everything to her.

“For the past 16 years, I have experienced a lot of highs and a lot of lows,” she said. “But I will never take back one moment. I would never change one thing. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason in this life, and without those lows I would never appreciate the highs.”

Gail said wrestling can be a tough business for a woman, or anyone, and it did expose every insecurity she has. But it also gave her life lessons and tools. She said it brought her creativity and self-confidence, but most of all, it has given her true passion.

Gail said she had a lot of people to thank. She thanked her trainers, producers and agents. Some of the names she thanked included Fit Finlay and Scott D’Amore. She thanked the family, the crew, the roster, the seamstress, and she said her job isn’t a job.

Gail said that the people who let her take the ball and run with it, Dixie, Dutch and Jeff Jarrett, she thanked them for the opportunity. She thanked her husband and step daughters for “dealing with her craziness.”

Gail then thanked Trish Stratus, Molly Holly and Victoria. The women she learned from early in her career. She thanked the knockouts, who she called her sisters. Gail gave a special shoutout to Molly Holly. She said Molly is the reason she is in this business, and most importantly, Molly taught her to be a good person.

Gail then closed out thanking the fans and Impact Wrestling. Her music played as she hugged Dixie, Hemme, Terrell and Kong.

Dixie presented Gail with her Hall of Fame watch as Gail waived to the fans.

[Reax: Say what you want about the TNA Hall of Fame, and plenty of people believe it doesn’t stand for much, but you could clearly tell that this honor meant a lot to Gail Kim. She was choking up a little bit, at times, during her speech and her hand appeared to nervously shake as she gave her speech. She seemed genuinely thankful for the honor, more so than some past honorees, I’d say.]

Mathews and Pope reset at the announce table before throwing to a video to hype The Great War, which is next.

In-arena: Reby begins playing a piano that is set up on the stage. She’s playing Matt’s broken theme. Matt appears from backstage and the crowd begins to chant, “delete!”

Reby then transitions into Brother Nero’s “obsolete” theme. Brother Nero appears with a microphone and sings to Reby’s piano as he walks to the ring. Decay is introduced next, with a normal ring introduction. Well, normal for Decay.

5 — BROTHER NERO & BROKEN MATT HARDY (w/Reby) vs. TNA World Tag Team Champions DECAY (Abyss & Crazzy Steve) (w/Rosemary) — “The Great War” for the TNA World Tag Team Championship

The bell rings and the teams stand face to face. As they circle, all three members of Decay spit myst into the eyes of Reby. Brother Nero and Hardy charge Decay and the fight is on.

Hardy is slamming Steve’s face into the stairs on the outside repeatedly. Brother Nero flies over the top onto Abyss.

A referee helps Reby to the backstage area as Hardy suplexes Steve for a two count.

Steve hits a clothesline after Rosemary distracts Hardy. Rosemary goes under the ring and pulls out a table, setting it up at ringside. On the outside, Abyss is choking Brother Nero. In the ring, Steve and Rosemary tried to suplex Hardy over the top and through a table on the outside but Hardy blocks it. Rosemary throws a trash can into the ring for Steve and he slams it over Hardy’s back.

With Hardy down in the corner, Steve sets the trash can up in front of Hardy’s face, and Rosemary leaps off the top and goes coast-to-coast, dropkicking the trash can into Hardy.

On the outside, Steve bites Hardy. Inside the ring, Abyss tried to staple the head of Brother Nero, but he countered into a sunset flip. Abyss doesn’t go down, though, and fires a staple into Brother Nero’s head.

Brother Nero rolls to the outside. Brother Nero, who has a staple in his head, is getting his face ripped apart by Steve, who is prying his mouth open.

Abyss and Hardy fight into the backstage area. Mathews said a camera will follow them. They’re now on the interview set. Abyss throws Hardy into a group of chairs. Hardy gets thrown onto a folding table. Abyss stuffs Hardy into a trashcan. Meanwhile, Steve and Brother Nero also end up in the back. Abyss punched out a referee while Hardy and Abyss continue to brawl.

Brother Nero and Steve are shown backstage, under the stands.Brother Nero tosses Steve into some ladders but Steve smashes Brother Nero into a wall. There’s stuff being thrown everywhere now. Brother Nero goes for a bucket marked “Lake of Rejuvenation” but Steve stops him.

The camera cuts to Abyss and Hardy fighting out by the Universal Studios sign. It’s dark out, so this could be happening live.

Steve picked up the Lake Rejuvenation water, split in it, and dumped it on Brother Nero. Steve went to get a referee but returned and Brother Nero had disappeared.

Hardy and Abyss are now in the parking lot of Universal Studios. Steve gets watermelons and pumpkins thrown at him while Steve yells for Brother Nero to show himself.

Hardy and Abyss are now out by the sidewalk, close to the street.

Brother Nero is back, as some sort of guy with a crazy southern accent. I think he said his name, but I couldn’t hear it. He throws a watermelon at the ref and continues fighting Steve.

Hardy and Abyss are in the street with cars beeping at them.

Rosemary comes saves Steve from getting choked by Brother Nero. Rosemary gets a pumpkin put over her head by Brother Nero but she then spits myst in Brother Nero’s face. Steve tells her to go help Abyss.

Hardy and Abyss are brawling on the sidewalk while Hardy yells “delete!” over and over.

Abyss throws Hardy into a U-Haul truck three times.

Abyss said he would choke the life out of Hardy, and Rosemary then arrived with Janice. She told Abyss to use it. All of a sudden, some guy in a pickup arrived in a Matt Hardy shirt. He challenges Abyss and then gets attacked by Rosemary and thrown into a bush.

As Steve is fighting Brother Nero, he suddenly turns into Willow.

Abyss tries to steal the pickup truck. As he does, Matt Hardy is holding fire balls in his hand. He throws one and Janice gets lit on fire. Rosemary is now driving the pickup truck while Hardy and Abyss fight in the back. They’re driving down the road when Vanguard 1 shows up. Rosemary stops and gets out. WHen she does, Vanguard 1 fires myst into her face.

Back at the Impact Zone, Willow covers Steve for a two count somewhere backstage.

The camera cuts to an overhead inside the arena. Willow comes in dragging Steve and throws him into the steps. Willow then goes backstage and returns with a ladder.

Steve gets up and tosses Willow into the steps. Steve charges Willow and flips into him at the steps.

Steve turns around, and Willow is done.

The pickup truck arrives backstage and Abyss and Hardy continue their brawl. Hardy throws Abyss through a door and Mathews said they are on their way back into the arena. Abyss suplexes Hardy on the ramp.

In the ring, Brother Nero is back and he dropkicks Steve into the railing. Abyss rolls Hardy into the ring and grabs thumbtacks. Abyss misses a splash and Hardy hits a clothesline, setting up Brother Nero for poetry in motion. Hardy hits a twist of fate and Brother Nero connects with a swanton bomb for a two count.

Abyss lands a double clothesline on Brother Nero and Hardy. Abyss then chokeslams Steve on top of Hardy for a two count after Brother Nero breaks it up.

Abyss goes under the ring and pulls out a board that is wrapped in barbed wire. He throws it into the ring. He then pulls out a second barbed wire board and throws that into the ring.

Hardy meets Abyss in the ring and dumps the tacks onto one of the barbed wire boards. He takes Abyss down with a side slam onto the board.

Hardy puts the other board on top of Abyss and drops an elbow off the second rope for a two count after Rosemary pulled Hardy off.

Rosemary, after Vanguard 1’s myst, now has a pink face and yellow eyes. Rosemary tries to grab Hardy but Reby runs in and power bombs Rosemary through a table on the outside before myst bubbles out of her mouth like an animal with rabies.

In the ring, Hardy wraps a chair around Steve’s head and hits a twist of fate. Hardy then sets up two tables, stacking them side by side.

Brother Nero sets up a ladder. Hardy tells Brother Neroo indulge in his addiction of tables and ladders. Hardy has what looks like a 15-foot ladder. He climbs to the top and jumps off the top of it, crashing Steve through the tables for the win.

WINNERS: Brother Nero and Matt Hardy win the TNA World Tag Team Champion at 22:28

Reby cries while Hardy and Brother Nero celebrate. Hardy presents Brother Nero with his belt and then raise their hands. Reby brings Maxel into the ring for a celebration.

On the outside, Abyss picks up Rosemary and carries her to the back.

[Reax: If you have liked what Brother Nero and Broken Matt have done over the last several months, you loved this match.

Just when you start to ask yourself, “what else can they do?” They fight in the back of a moving pickup truck.

Most of this felt like it was leading to Brother Nero redeeming himself and helping his team win the Tag Titles. Brother Nero and Matt Hardy are so over, though, they don’t need the titles. The problem is that TNA’s roster is so thin, where else do you go with the titles? It would seem like a step down if Decay lost the belts to The Tribunal or The Bro-Mans.

The match itself, I really thought was well done. They balanced the live in-ring stuff with what looked like pre-produced backstage stuff really well. There were several twists and turns. Like everything else they’ve done in recent months, it was very cinematic.]

Backstage: Jeremy Borash is interviewing Lashley. He said he’s not nervous about tonight because ECIII is all hype. Lashley said ECIII has been chasing this title for one year, and tonight, he’ll get what he asked for, a whooping. Lashley said all he ever does is win, no matter what.

In-arena: Gail Kim is introduced for her Knockouts Title match. Maria comes down with Allie, and she said that her doctor said her hand is broken and she can’t wrestle tonight. Allie corrected Maria, saying that she has great news, her doctor cleared her!

Maria called Allie stupid and said she wasn’t getting in the ring. Allie pulled out the note and said she could. Allie seems confused as to what she did wrong?

6 — TNA Knockouts champion MARIA (w/ Allie) vs. GAIL KIM — TNA Knockouts Title match

In the ring, Maria smashes Gail’s head into the mat and covers for a two count.

Maria throws throws Gail into the turnbuckles and she rolls to the outside. Back in the ring, Maria hits a spinebuster for a two count. Maria screams, “what do I have to do?!”

Mike Bennett comes to the ring, gets on the apron and throws Maria her brace behind the back of the referee. Gail Kim kicks Bennett off the apron and Maria nails her with the brace for a two count.

Allie grabbed the brace and she’s holding it on the outside. Maria is screaming at Allie to give her the brace. Allie looks confused. She threw it to Maria but she over threw and Gail caught it.

Gail faked handing the brace to Maria and tossed it into the crowd. Gail landed forearms and a huge clothesline. Earl Hebner has to separate them after Gail throws punches on the ground.

Gail takes Maria down and wraps Maria in a ring post figure four; she breaks it at a four count.

Back in the ring, Gail slaps Maria and hits Eat Defeat for the win.

WINNER: Gail Kim wins the Knockouts Title at 5:19.

Christy Hemme announces Gail’s win as she celebrates with the title. After the match, Gail celebrates as she heads to the back.

Mike Bennett is in the ring trying to revive Maria. Bennett grabs a microphone and asks Maria if she’s OK? Bennett said that’s not how anything tonight was supposed to go down. Bennett called the crowd sick freaks for liking that. Bennett said TNA has been trying to screw him since the second he arrived.

Bennett said that he is shutting the show down. He said he was going to do what should have been done a long time ago, and that’s shutting the show down. He said no one can stop him.

Then, the lights go out. When they come back on, Cody and Brandi Rhodes are walking to the ring.

Cody gets in the ring across from Bennett. Cody’s boots have “TNA” written on them.

Maria gets up slowly and asks Cody who he thinks he is? She said they belong in WWE. Maria slapped Brandi and Brandi came back with a knee.

Bennett and Cody begin trading punches. Cody hits a huge dropkick that sends Bennett flying out of the ring.

Maria and Bennett look stunned on the outside while Allie just looks shocked.

[Reax: Gail’s title win unfortunately gets lost in Cody’s debut, but she had a nice moment with the induction ceremony, of course.

For a good chunk of people, this was the first time we’ve seen Cody Rhodes as Cody Rhodes in quite some time, after he spent his last couple of years in WWE as Stardust. Cody looked strong and Bennett was really good playing the spoiled-brat heel who was stomping his feet for not getting his way.]

Video: Mathews throws to a hype video for tonight’s main event.

In-arena: ECIII is introduced for tonight’s main event, followed by Lashley.

Before the match, as Borash introduced Lashley, he speared ECIII out of the ring. Lashley then stood in the ring and told Borash to introduce him.

7 — TNA World Hvt. champion LASHLEY vs. ECIII — no holds barred match for the TNA World Hvt. Title

The referee was checking on ECIII on the outside, but he gets up and yells at the official to ring the bell.

ECIII hits the ring and they brawl with rapid-fire punches to start the match. ECIII spills to the outside and Lashley is in control. He slides ECIII back into the ring and hits a clothesline.

Lashley hits a snap suplex for a two count and then kicks ECIII in the gut. ECIII comes back with a clothesline and a splash into the corner before clotheslining Lashley over the top rope.

ECIII hits a suicide dive to the outside and then a suplex on the outside.

ECIII begins to chop at Lashley on the outside and then throws Lashley into the steps. Lashley is stumbling up the ramp. ECIII charges him and Lashley drops him with a spinebuster. Lashley throws ECIII into the railing and then rolls him back into the ring.

Lashley hits a neckbreaker as the match begins to slow down a bit. Lashley whips ECIII into the corners.

ECIII tries to mount some offense but Lashley hits back elbows and then a spear for a two count. Mathews wonders how ECIII kicked out of a second spear.

Lashley picks up ECIII for a torture rack but ECIII countered into a guillotine choke. ECII was trying to get his ankles around Lashley’s waist but he can’t. Lashley showed serious strength, sitting up, then standing and dumping ECIII.

ECIII hits a power bomb for a two count. ECIII appears to be bleeding a little from his mouth.

ECIII tries for a One Percenter but Lashley countered into a power slam for a two count.

Later, ECIII gets Lashley up for a TK3, but he’s too beaten up to roll over into a cover. Both men back up, ECIII hits an elbow and then a series of jabs. Out of nowhere, ECIII snapped Lashley with a sharp german suplex.

Lashley charged ECIII and ECIII hit a spear of his own for a two count.

ECIII grabbed Lashley and screamed, “you’re a piece of sh*t!” before picking him up on the steps and landing a TK3 on the steps.

Pope notes that ECIII needs to get Lashley in the ring or we’ll have a count-out.

ECIII misses an ECIII splash and Lashley hits a third spear out of that for a two count. Lashley grabs a chair on the outside and comes back in, smashing ECIII in the back three times with it.

Lashley grabs ECIII, who looks lifeless, and hits a side slam into a triangle choke. ECIII grabs the referee’s leg to show there is life right as Hebner was about to call for the bell. ECIII gets back to his feet and battles out of the hoke with elbows.

ECIII hits a clothesline. Lashley misses with a clothesline and ECIII hits three german suplexes in a row. ECIII hits a One Percenter for a two count.

ECIII sets up Lashley on the top rope and delivers a chop. ECIII goes for a top-rope One Percenter but gets tossed off. Lashley then leaps off the second rope for a flying spear and gets the win.

WINNER: Lashley retains at 16:11.

After the match, Lashley, looking like he’s been through a battle, gets his hand raised while ECIII is flat on his back on the mat. Mathews asks if Lashley is the most dominant champion ever? Lashley walks up the ramp as Mathews shows a replay.

Hebner raises Lashley’s hand on the ramp, as Mathews signs off five minutes before the top of the hour.