Kurt Angle enters the IMPACT Zone to begin the show. He declares tonight to be the Championship Showcase. Angle says three championships will be decided and that a 20-Man Over the Top Rope Battle Royal will take place to determine the No. 1 Contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship!
Angle requests the presence of the unpredictable Willow. Willow’s cackle echoes throughout the arena as the world around him is painted shades of black and white. Angle says Willow was born from a dark place that required violence. He assures Willow that in the absence of Dixie Carter and MVP, TNA isn’t that dark place anymore. He asks Willow to leave for tonight and for “The Charismatic Enigma” Jeff Hardy to enter tonight’s Battle Royal!
Backstage: The Wolves head toward the IMPACT Zone.
Backstage: Austin Aries hypes his X-Division Championship match against Sanada.
MATCH #1:
World Tag Team Championships
BRAM & MAGNUS vs. THE WOLVES (c)
Magnus and Davey Richards begin the match in front of an electric crowd that’s fully behind The Wolves. Richards kicks Bram and then briefly controls Magnus before tagging in Eddie Edwards. Like Richards, Edwards rushes across the ring and kicks Bram off the apron. The Wolves mount a double-team assault on Magnus. Bram, trying to stop The Wolves’ double-team, finds himself on the receiving end of a similar attack from the reigning tag team champions.
Magnus leaves the ring and then Davey Richards finds himself hung up in the apron. Magnus ruthlessly beats Richards, who tries desperately to escape. Richards is put back in the ring. As Bram begins to dominate, Magnus rips Edwards off the apron and slams him to the floor. Richards reaches for the tag – Edwards isn’t there.
Together, Bram and Magnus exchange tags and deliver beatings to Davey Richards. After Richards finally makes the tag, Edwards lands a series of rapid-fire chops as the pace quickens. Edwards’ flurry of offense culminates with a missile dropkick and a top-rope hurricanrana! The Wolves fly from the ring with a suicide dive to Bram and Magnus. Then, what begins as a backslide pin attempt from Davey Richards finishes as a bridged pin from Eddie Edwards – and The Wolves retain!
Winners: The Wolves
Bram and Magnus viciously attack the retaining champions after the bell.
Backstage: Bobby Roode enters the arena and says he’s calling out MVP.
Bobby Roode blames MVP for missed time and opportunities. MVP enters the arena in a wheelchair and says if anything – he’s prolonged Bobby Roode’s career. MVP claims Roode furthered his knee injury.
Roode jumps from the ring and rushes to attack MVP. Kenny King rushes up from behind, but Roode dodges the attack and then dumps MVP from the wheelchair. King recovers and he and MVP gain the upper hand on Roode. Eric Young runs down the ramp to make the save. Bobby Lashley counters EY and leaves him reeling outside the ring as Bobby Roode gets back to his feet. Roode and EY retreat.
Backstage: James Storm taunts Sanada and asks, “What happens if you lose?”
Backstage: Kurt Angle says he thinks he got through to Jeff Hardy.
MATCH #2:
X-Division Championship
AUSTIN ARIES vs. SANADA (c)
Christy Hemme introduces the next title match as Austin Aries enters the IMPACT Zone to challenge his opponent from Tokyo, Japan – Sanada!
Aries and Sanada square off. The two are evenly matched until Sanada sends Aries flying over the top rope with a clothesline. Having Sanada well-scouted, Aries counters a spring-board assault from Sanada, sending the champion crashing out onto the floor. Sanada begins fighting back with a standing hurricanrana. Sanada pushes Aries from the ring and executes a diving sommersault!
Back in the ring, Aries blocks a dragon suplex and attacks Sanada in the corner with a series of punches and chops. Sanada counters Aries’ running attack, then Aries counters Sanada’s moonsault attempt. Having Sanada set up for a powerbomb, the challenger decides to drop the champion face-first into the corner before hitting a running dropkick!
Sanada reverses Aries’ brainbuster and nails a tiger suplex. Sanada connects with a moonsault! Aries kicks out at two! Sanada attempts another moonsault, but Aries rolls out of the way and lifts Sanada to execute a brainbuster! Sanada kicks out! Aries climbs the ropes and crashes down with a 450 splash to become the new X-Division Champion!
Winner: Austin Aries
In from the break, a video recaps Rhino’s attack on Bully Ray last week. “Moments ago,” Bully Ray says he’s calling out Rhino.
Backstage: EC3 says Rhino will reveal the man Bully Ray truly is.
Bully Ray comes into the arena. Bully says when he began wrestling, he was told he’d be able to count the friends he made on one hand – he thought one of those friends was Rhino. Rhino responds to Bully with EC3 and Rockstar Spud in tow. Bully asks WHY!?
Rhino says he realized Bully Ray was a con-man after he saw the TNA Hall of Fame induction announcement. Bully says Rhino sold-out to the Carters and that Rhino is jealous. Bully yells, “You’re the reason why you got fired from WWE! You’re the reason why you got fired from TNA! It’s not my fault that at one time, you were hardcore, but now, you’re nothing but a bitch!”
EC3 says he paid and will continue to pay Rhino to take out Bully Ray. Bully goes to attack EC3 and is gored by Rhino for his efforts! EC3, Rhino, and Spud triple-team Bully Ray until Tommy Dreamer rushes in with a Singapore cane. The crowd chants “E-C-W!” as Dreamer makes the save.
Backstage: The Beautiful People complain about Angelina Love losing the Knockout’s Championship last week. Angelina claims she’ll regain the gold…next.
Backstage: The Menagerie discusses their strategy to win the 20 Man Battle Royal.
MATCH #3:
4-Way Knockout’s Championship
ANGELINA LOVE vs. MADISON RAYNE vs. BRITTANY vs. GAIL KIM (c)
Brittany rushes up behind Madison Rayne and attacks her before the match ever starts – and before the Knockout’s Champion has even entered the arena.
Gail Kim rushes down the ramp and attacks The Beautiful People before moving the action into the ring. Gail and Madison form an early alliance before facing off against one another.
Angelina Love trips Gail Kim, then drops her face-first onto the arena floor. Brittany attacks Madison in the ring. Angelina enters and convinces Brittany to double-team Madison Rayne. The duo delivers a deal of punishment to Madison, then Angelina gives Brittany a distraction and makes a pin attempt.
Brittany breaks up the count and attacks Angelina Love. As their brief partnership dissolves, Gail Kim flies off the top rope, taking them both out. Each of the women execute their finishing maneuvers – Brittany hits a handspring moonsault on Gail, Madison nails the Rayne Drop on Brittany, Angelina delivers a Botox Injection to Madison and Gail makes Angelina Eat Defeat, allowing her to retain her title.
Winner: Gail Kim
MAIN EVENT:
20-Man Over the Top Rope Battle Royal
Christy Hemme announces Eric Young as the first competitor, followed by: Ethan Carter III, Rockstar Spud and Bobby Roode enter before the commercial break. When IMPACT returns, the ring is full of wrestlers and Bully Ray makes his way to the ring, followed by JEFF HARDY!
The battle royal begins immediately as Hardy steps into the ring. Crazy Steve of The Menagerie is eliminated by Jesse! Jesse is eliminated by The Freak. The Freak and Knux eliminate DJ Z! Bram and Magnus eliminate The Freak and Knux! Bram eliminates King Mo! Sanada is eliminated! Magnus is eliminated! James Storm eliminates Mr. Anderson then Gunner! Jeff Hardy eliminates Bram!
Rockstar Spud saves EC3 from elimination. A furious Bram violently stalks the outside, but “The Monster” Abyss rushes out and fights Bram into the backstage area. MVP saves Kenny King from being eliminated. King eliminates Manik!
Bobby Roode eliminates James Storm! Kenny King chokes Bobby Roode on the bottom rope as Spud attacks Bully Ray! Bully Ray counters with a “crotch claw” that leaves Spud reeling! EC3 and Spud attack Bully Ray, who counters and drops Spud from the ring! EC3 and Bully Ray eliminate one another!
Kenny King struts around the ring before attacking Eric Young and Bobby Roode. Bobby Roode powers King down to the mat with a hard spinebuster! As Roode is about to eliminate King, MVP hits Roode with a crutch. Roode is eliminated by King, who is then eliminated by Eric Young!
Jeff Hardy and Eric Young are the final two competitors! Hardy and EY shake hands before locking up. Eric Young almost eliminated Jeff Hardy with an over the top rope hip toss! Jeff Hardy dropkicks Eric Young off the apron to become the new No. 1 Contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
Winner: Jeff Hardy
Post Match: JB asks Jeff Hardy how he feels and Hardy claims he’s the next World Heavyweight Champion. Hardy says Lashley is tough, but that can get rougher than most. JB hypes Hardy vs. Lashley for next week!
Lashley climbs into the ring and poses with the World Championship as he stares into the eyes of his next challenger as IMPACT goes off the air.
[HASHTAG]#IMPACT365[/HASHTAG] Reactions to the Battle Royal
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