IMPACT Coverage by Bobby James
August 20, 2014
Welcome to Hardcore Justice, emanating from New York Ciy!
MATCH #1:
Stairway to Janice
BRAM vs. ABYSS
Abyss and Bram open the show. They battle back and forth until the ring is full of monstrous weapons (ladder, bag of tacks, two barbed wire tables). Abyss powers Bram over his head onto a ladder in the corner! Then, Bram sneaks in with the advantage and begins the ascent on the “Stairway to Janice.”
Abyss powers Bram off the ladder and dumps a sack of tacks over the mat (shades of their “Monster’s Ball” encounter). Back to his feet, Bram charges Abyss, who sidesteps and sends Bram crashing through the barbed wire table!
Abyss takes his turn climbing the “Stairway,” but Bram tips the ladder, sending Abyss crashing through another barbed wired table! Bram retrieves Janice from above the ring – he swings, but Abyss catches him by the throat. Bram breaks free and charges Abyss, but he’s met with a Black Hole Slam onto the tacks!
Abyss swings Janice but Bram nails a low-blow! Bram grabs Janice and – for a third time – smashes Abyss in the gut. He makes the cover for the three!
Winner: Bram
Backstage: EC3 addresses his time in jail. He says those who are accountable will be held accountable.
Backstage: Bram and Magnus celebrate the victory and tease a future confrontation for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
Ethan Carter III enters the IMPACT Zone, accompanied by Rockstar Spud and Rhino. Who will he deem responsible for his “Aunt D” being powerbombed through a table?
EC3 says the fans are terrible people for wanting to see a helpless woman slammed through a table. He then addresses Kurt Angle. He thanks Angle for having him arrested and sent to jail. EC3 says being jailed allowed him to think – and to figure out who’s to blame for Dixie going through a table. He blames Rhino!
EC3 savagely attacks Rhino. Spud attempts to break up the brawl and is shoved across the ring for his efforts. EC3 stalks Rhino. When Rhino makes it back to his feet, EC3 drops him with a knee to the face. Spud looks on in disbelief – at a frighteningly more aggressive version of Ethan Carter.
Backstage: On his way to the IMPACT Zone, Samoa Joe vows to leave tonight still as the X-Division Champion.
Backstage: The Hardy Boys claim to be the best tag team in the world.
MATCH #2:
X-Division Championship
LOW KI vs. SAMOA JOE (c)
Joe and Low Ki circle one another and lock up several times. Joe pushes Low Ki into the corner, forcing his challenger up the ropes. Before being pushed over the top rope, Low Ki counters and locks in a hanging armbar.
The ref’s count breaks the hold and Low Ki drops to the outside. When he climbs back into the ring, Joe pummels Low Ki with an offensive assault – and Low Ki finds himself having to kick out of a pin attempt.
Samoa Joe charges Low Ki, but he counters and begins mounting some offense of his own. Low Ki attempts a Ki Krusher, but Joe reverses and powers Low Ki to the mat with a powerbomb. Low Ki is out at two – but, maintaining his grasp, Joe turns the hold into a Boston Crab. Low Ki refuses to tap - so Joe settles in with an STF! Low Ki struggles but eventually he reaches the bottom rope!
Joe and Low Ki battle back and forth until Joe reverses a second Ki Krusher attempt with a Muscle Buster for the win.
Winner: Samoa Joe
Backstage: Team 3D and The Hardy Boys go into Kurt Angle’s office.
Backstage: Mr. Anderson calls Samuel Shaw a “freakin’ creepy bastard.” He asks if Gunner is crazy. Samuel Shaw attacks – and the two battle backstage, ahead of their “I Quit” match.
The brawl spills into the arena – and the match is apparently underway.
MATCH #3:
“I Quit” Match
SAMUEL SHAW vs. MR. ANDERSON
Mr. Anderson slams a chair across the back of Samuel Shaw on the ramp. With Anderson in control, Gunner enters, which distracts Anderson long enough for Samuel Shaw to gain the advantage.
Samuel drags Anderson around the ring, slamming him into the steel barricade and stairs. Samuel Shaw asks Mr. Anderson if he quits – he refuses. Samuel lands a series of cross-face forearm shots.
He rolls Mr. Anderson into the ring, continuing his vicious assault. Samuel Shaw locks in a camel clutch – again Anderson refuses to quit. Mr. Anderson fights out of the hold and nails Samuel with a series of elbows and clotheslines. Anderson drops Samuel with a neck-breaker, then an armbar DDT. Anderson locks in an armbar submission hold to which Samuel says, “I quit!”
Winner: Mr. Anderson
Backstage: The Hardy Boys and Team 3D come out of Kurt Angle’s office and vow to take tag team wrestling to the next level.
Video: Last week, after IMPACT went off the air, cameras captured Angelina Love’s backstage assault on Gail Kim.
Backstage: Kurt Angle says he’s signed off on a Last Knockout’s Standing match for the Knockout’s Championship – Gail Kim vs. Angelina Love is still to come.
Video: (“Earlier Today”) Bobby Roode vows to leave as the number one contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship following the Six Sides of Steel match.
The Hardy Boys enter the IMPACT Zone. Jeff says the Hardys have reunited because the timing was right – and because the fans wanted him and his brother back together. Jeff says he has an idea that will advance the legacy of the Hardys and take tag team wrestling to the next level. He says The Hardys can’t do it alone, so he calls out Team 3D.
Team 3D enters. Bully asks the fans if they know who they are. He says, “We are the guys who put Dixie Carter through a table!” The crowd erupts. Bully addresses Jeff and Matt – he says since Team 3D is being inducted into the Hall of Fame, it’d be fitting if they were the Tag Team Champions. Bully calls out The Wolves.
Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards, with titles in tow, head into the ring. Eddie acknowledges Team 3D and The Hardys as two of the greatest tag teams in the history of professional wrestling. Davey Richards says either team can have a title match anytime, anywhere.
Video: Mike Tenay’s exclusive interview with TNA President Dixie Carter. Dixie claims she suffered fractured ribs and a broken back. Dixie says moving forward, she’s going to focus her energies on business outside of the ring, but that “a Carter never forgets.”
Video: James Storm promises a revolution. “The Great Sanada revealed next week.”
MATCH #4:
Last Knockout’s Championship – Last Knockout Standing Match
ANGELINA LOVE w/ VELVET SKY vs. GAIL KIM (c)
Last Knockout’s Championship – Last Knockout Standing Match
ANGELINA LOVE w/ VELVET SKY vs. GAIL KIM (c)
Gail Kim rushes into the ring – Angelina flees. Gail sends Angelina crashing down onto the floor with a hard running clothesline. Gail rolls Angelina into the ring and stomps her into the corner.
Gail hits Angelina with a jumping clothesline. Angelina reverses a second attack from Gail, sending her face-first into the turnbuckle. She drops Gail with a DDT – and she’s changed the pace and momentum. Angelina Love grabs a cookie sheet and attempts to hit Gail. Gail nails a running drop-kick, which sends Angelina rolling to the outside.
Gail climbs the ropes, but Velvet – with the cookie sheet – assaults Gail Kim. Angelina charges Gail, but she counters with a drop toe hold, sending Angelina face-first into the apron.
Gail has control of the match, on top of the steel steps, but Velvet pulls her feet away, force-feeding Gail a mouthful of steel. The ref gets to an eight count. Gail is up and locks in a hanging figure-four on the ring post. Velvet kicks Gail to break the hold.
Angelina attempts to send Gail flying into the guardrail, but Gail reverses and Angelina crashes. Gail grabs a steel chair. She attempts to swing it at Angelina, but Velvet interferes again. When Gail turns with the chair, Angelina connects with a Botox Injection, smashing the chair into Gail’s face!
Angelina climbs the turnbuckle as Velvet holds Gail over a chair. Gail breaks free and sends Velvet flying into Angelina who loses her balance and straddles the ring post. Gail climbs the ropes, grabs Angelina and sends her crashing down onto the chair! Angelina is unable to answer the count and Gail Kim is the Last Knockout Standing!
Winner: Gail Kim
MVP, Lashley and Kenny King enter the arena. MVP promotes the dominance of the TNA World Heavyweight Champion, “The Destroyer,” Lashley.
MAIN EVENT:
Six Sides of Steel
AUSTIN ARIES vs. ERIC YOUNG vs. GUNNER vs.
MAGNUS vs. JAMES STORM vs. BOBBY ROODE
Six Sides of Steel
AUSTIN ARIES vs. ERIC YOUNG vs. GUNNER vs.
MAGNUS vs. JAMES STORM vs. BOBBY ROODE
There are no pinfalls or submissions – the winner is determined by the first person to escape the cage.
The bell sounds as chaos ensues. Magnus and Storm attempt early escapes, but they’re pulled back into the ring by the other challengers. Roode attacks Gunnner, Aries attacks Roode, EY attacks Aries and Magnus attacks EY.
Austin Aries and James Storm lock up in the corner – exchanging blows. Storm, Roode, Aries and Magnus all start climbing and fighting on the top rope. Gunner and Eric Young battle on the mat.
James Storm makes it over the top of the cage, but Bobby Roode, with a handful of hair, drags Storm back into the ring! Aries teeters on top of the cage, but Gunner drags him down. Eric Young locks in a sharpshooter on Magnus, Roode with a cross-face on Storm and Aries locks in the Last Chance on Gunner!
Aries climbs the turnbuckle and smashes Roode with a missile dropkick! James Storm powers EY down with a Last Call, but Gunner flies through the air and takes down Storm and Magnus with a double shoulder block.
Gunner tries to climb, but Aries and Storm keep him in. Storm nails a huge kick to the face of Gunner and Magnus challenges Austin Aries. Aries rushes up the side of the cage, but Magnus makes the save.
Magnus attempts to superplex to Aries, but EY sneaks in and powerbombs Magnus (and Aries). Meanwhile, across the ring, Bobby Roode does the same thing to Gunner and James Storm!
EY and Roode look at one another and climb to the top of the cage. They race to the bottom – and both appear to touch the ground at the same time.
Winner: Bobby Roode? Eric Young?
The referees argue over who the real winner is. Who gets the title shot against Lashley? Tune in to IMPACT on Spike next Wednesday at 9/8c to find out!
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