5/24/12 Impact Wrestling Recap (Open Fight Night)

May 25, 2012 - by Jason Graening

A recap of AJ Styles/Christopher Daniels/Kazarian saga and Joseph Park looking for his brother is aired. We then head into Hulk Hogan’s office where he is talking to Kurt Angle, AJ Styles, Bully Ray, and Jeff Hardy. Hogan is showing them the script for tonight’s show and says there is going to be a lot of changes to tonight’s show.

Hogan tells them he is supposed to be grilling them but the original game plan isn’t going to work. Hogan talks about Bobby Roode becoming the longest champion after tonight and Angle doesn’t seem to grasp the importance of it. Styles says it’s important to him and Angle talks about winning more titles than anyone in the room. Ray says he won the most single titles but he has won the most championships. Styles butts in and says he has won the most TNA titles.

Hogan wants to hear from all of them why they think they deserve a shot at the TNA Championship tonight. Ray says he has been around for 20 years and he is the most legit guy of the four of them. Angle isn’t buying it, though, and wants Ray to try to intimidate him. Styles steps in and says he wants to end Roode’s streak for selfish reasons as he wants to hold the record. Angle says he defeated Styles during their last match and he should be in front of Styles.

Hardy finally opens his mouth and says let the fans decide. Angle asks Hardy if he thinks he deserves a shot just because of who he is and that everyone loves him, to which Hardy says Angle’s son loves him. Hogan then steps in and talks about the good that Roode brings as the champion but he has to be stopped because he is starting to control the pace of the company. Hogan thinks all of them can beat him, but is going to eliminate Ray from the competition because he has only been a single wrestler for a year. Ray leaves the room upset and says Eric Bischoff was right about him.

The Open Fight Night intro airs as we are welcomed to the second edition of OFN, which will feature the return of Gut Check and Bobby Roode defending the TNA World Championship.

Gail Kim then makes her way out to the ring with Madison Rayne. Gail talks about her dominance in the Knockouts Division while Madison fixes her hair with her compact mirror. Gail continues to talk about how she is the most important woman in the company, but she has one blemish on her record and that is due to the Knockouts Tag Team Championships are around the waist of a man and a person pretending to be a woman. She then calls out the champions, Eric Young and ODB. The tag team champs then come out for the first open challenge of the night.

Match 1: Gail Kim & Madison Rayne vs. Eric Young & ODB
Gail and EY trade arm bars and headlocks until ODB is tagged into the match. ODB comes in and overpowers Gail and takes her down with a fallaway slam. ODB then shoves Madison off the ring apron as we head into a commercial break. We return to the match to see Gail take ODB down with a clothesline and picks up a near fall. Gail then forces a tag on Madison, who comes in and continues wearing ODB down. Madison tags Gail back in and ODB takes her down with a spear.

EY and Madison are tagged back in as EY dances around the ring and Madison slaps him across the face. EY then takes Madison and Gail down with hip tosses and body slams before tagging ODB back into the match. ODB hits Gail with a running power slam for a near fall before going for another fallaway slam, but ODB is tripped up by Madison and she holds her leg down as Gail picks up the pin fall.

Bobby Roode is seen walking around backstage and the announce team wonders who will challenge for the title later on tonight as we head into a commercial break.

Hulk Hogan is seen in the office talking on the phone. Hogan tells the person that he already made his first cut and tells them that he will see them soon.

RVD’s music hits as he makes his way down to the ring. RVD grabs a microphone and says since he’s been back, he has been focused on the TNA World Championship. However, because of that, he has let some unfinished business go to the side, so he is calling out Gunner for some payback. Photos of the Genesis pay-per-view are shown where Gunner ended up taking out RVD for three months.

Match 2: Rob Van Dam vs. Gunner
RVD hits Gunner with a dropkick as he comes into the ring and the two begin to battle around the ringside area. Gunner sends RVD into the ring apron and tosses a chair into the ring. Gunner comes back and the two trade blows as RVD takes him down and hits Gunner with Rolling Thunder. RVD then misses with a kick, which gives Gunner an opening to regain control of the match. Gunner manages to pick up a near fall but RVD comes back and catches Gunner with a kick. Gunner manages to make it to the corner and grabs the chair but RBD kicks it in his face. RVD then climbs the ropes and hits a Five Star Frog Splash across the quarters of the ring to pick up the pin fall.

After a commercial break, Devon is seen standing in the ring and talks about how Hulk Hogan gave him an opportunity to defend the TNA Television Championship on television every week. Devon says last week he was in a battle royal and gives Garett Bischoff respect for eliminating from the match last week. Devon wants to know if Lady Luck is still with him and tells him to come on down to the ring.

Match 3: Devon vs. Garett Bischoff (TNA Television Championship)
Garett comes out and shakes Devon’s hand for the title opportunity. The bell rings and Devon quickly takes Garett down but Devon misses with a diving headbutt. Garett comes back and takes Devon down with a swinging neckbreaker. The two then lock up once again as Robbie E. and Robbie T. run out to interfere in the match. Robbie E. says the title is his but Devon and Garett fight back and team together to take them out. The two then send Robbie E. and Robbie T. out to the floor they embrace in the ring.

The announce team tell us that elimination time is upon us as Hulk Hogan will eliminate one more person to take on Bobby Roode for the TNA World Championship after the commercial break.

We head back to Hulk Hogan’s office where he says his first elimination was tough, but this next one is going to be harder to make. Hogan talks about the upside for each competitor and Angle says to pick him if he wants to pick a guy who will get the job done. After some thought, Hogan eliminates Jeff Hardy from the competition and says his recent wins have been too close and he needs someone who is more solid. Hogan says he will make his decision in the ring so he can feel what the fans feel.

A video package on Joseph Park’s search for his brother Abyss is aired. Bully Ray’s music then hits as he comes out to the ring. Ray says Hulk Hogan must have forgotten who he is and is in a bad mood because he was the first person eliminated from the title shot. Ray says he knows Joseph Park is in the audience and tells him to get in the ring right now. Park gets up from his seat, puts down his popcorn, and walks out to the ringside while the crowd does a “Yes!” chant.

Park grabs a microphone and says he isn’t a wrestler and has never been in a fight. He continues to say that he is intimidated right now and asks for some space as he clumsily gets into the ring. Park continues to say that all he wants is answers about his brother and tells Ray that all the facts pointed to him. Park continues to say that he can look in a man’s eyes and tell if they are guilty or not. Lucky for Ray, though, he is entitled to a fair and speedy trail in front of a group of his peers. Park says he may have his peers in the crowd as they all think he is guilty. Ray then punches Park in the gut and whips Park with his chain. Ray then grabs the microphone and says “not guilty,” before leaving the ring.

A video package on Joey Ryan is aired that shows footage of his past matches and he talks about being able to live out his dream with TNA Gut Check. Ryan talks about being a wrestling fan his whole life and that it’s the one thing that has been in his heart forever. Ryan will get his chance in Gut Check, which is coming up next.

Jeremy Borash is in the ring with Joey Ryan and Al Snow and Borash runs down the TNA Gut Check concept. He then introduces Ryan’s opponent and it is Austin Aries.

Match 4: Joey Ryan vs. Austin Aries (TNA Gut Check)
The bell rings and Ryan is able to take Aries down and showboats a little bit before Aries returns the favor and does the same. Ryan then rolls out to the floor and Aries takes him out by diving over the top rope. Aries rolls Ryan back into the ring and heads to the top rope but Ryan knocks him down to the canvas. Ryan goes for a cover but Aries quickly kicks out. Ryan then connects with a dropkick and goes for another series of pin attempts but Aries continues to kick out. Aries tries to fight back but Ryan keeps control of the match until Aries finally connects with a dropkick in the corner and a brainbuster to pick up the pin fall. We will find out next week if Joey Ryan will get a TNA contract or not.

A Slammiversary rewind is aired and it is from last year where Eric Bischoff turned on his son and Hulk Hogan turned on Immortal.

Bobby Roode makes his way to the ring to defend his TNA World Championship against an unknown opponent. Roode is followed by both AJ Styles and Kurt Angle. Hulk Hogan’s music then hits as he comes out to make his decision on who will face Roode for the title. Hogan says he thought this was going to be the hardest decision of the night but there is no wrong choice between Styles and Angle. Hogan says he has to go with his gut and picks Styles since he knows Roode better than Angle. Angle then gives Styles a hug before leaving the ring.

Match 5: Bobby Roode vs. AJ Styles (TNA World Championship)
The bell rings and Styles takes Roode down with a shoulder block and goes for a cover but Roode kicks out and rolls out to the floor to regroup. Roode comes back and Styles connects with a dropkick and Roode again rolls out to the floor as we head into a commercial break.

We return to the match to see Roode counter Styles’ offense and sends him shoulder first into the ring post. Styles falls out to the floor and Roode goes out and sends Styles into the ring post once again. Roode rolls Styles into the ring and goes for a cover but Styles kicks out. Roode begins to focus on Styles’ shoulder, however, Styles manages to dump Roode out to the floor with a back body drop. Styles then dives over the top rope and takes Roode out before sending him into the steel steps. Styles seems to be distracted for a moment and looks up at the entrance ramp, allowing Roode to send Styles into the steps. Roode rolls Styles back into the ring and goes for a cover but Styles kicks out. We then see a split screen as a stagehand tells Hulk Hogan that his guest is here as we head into a commercial break.

We return to the match to see Roode take Styles down with a suplex and follows with a knee drop for another near fall. Roode then locks Styles in a camel clutch but Styles fights his way out of it a goes for a flying forearm but Roode knocks Styles off the ropes. Styles then counters Roode’s attack and hits him with a flying forearm for a near fall. Roode comes back and sets Styles up for a superplex but Styles fights him off and hits Roode with a missile dropkick for another near fall. Styles then tries for a Styles Clash but Roode counters and spears Styles for a near fall.

Roode then puts Styles in a crossface submission but Styles counters for a pin attempt. Styles then locks Roode in a deathlock but Roode makes it to the ropes to break the hold. Styles tries foranother Styles Clash but Roode counters and takes Styles down with a spinebuster. Roode then tries to put away Styles with a bridging suplex but Styles kicks out. Roode tries again but Styles counters and takes Roode down with a Pele kick. Styles heads out to the apron and again looks over his shoulder at the ramp and the distraction allows Roode to counter the springboard 450 splash. Roode then hits Styles with another bridging suplex to pick up the pin fall and to retain the TNA World Championship.

Christopher Daniels and Kazarian are seen up at the top of the ramp and make fun of Styles in his loss as we are treated to a replay of what just went down at the end of the match. Roode then grabs a microphone and says that he made history as he is the longest reigning TNA World Champion of all time. Roode says it’s time to celebrate and wants his champaign. SoCal Val hands him two glasses and a bottle of champaign as Roode calls out Hulk Hogan to the ring to celebrate with him as we head into a commercial break.

We return to Roode’s celebration and says he will party without Hogan if he doesn’t want to celebrate with the champion. Confetti begins to fall from the sky and Roode rolls around in it and drinks his champaign. Hogan’s music finally hits as he comes out and gives Roode a slow clap. Hogan says Roode was impressive as he had the deck stacked against him. Roode hands Hogan a glass of champaign as Hogan congratulates him and shakes his hand. Hogan says Roode has his respect and says there is one more person that wants to celebrate with him.

The lights then go out as Sting’s music hits. The lights return and Sting is stnading behind Roode in the ring. Sting attacks Roode and hits him with a Stinger Splash before dumping him out to the floor. Hogan says it’s showtime and hypes Impact Wrestling’s new time slot and says he has something special planned for Roode next week. Hogan says he will surround the ring with lumberjacks at 8PM and Sting will be waiting for him in the ring. Roode flips out over the news and Sting poses for the crowd as Impact Wrestling comes to a close.

Quick Results
– Gail Kim & Madison Rayne defeated Eric Young & ODB by pin fall.
– Rob Van Dam defeated Gunner by pin fall.
– Devon and Garett Bischoff fought to a no contest.
– Austin Aries defeated Joey Ryan by pin fall in TNA Gut Check.
– Bobby Roode defeated AJ Styles by pin fall to retain the TNA World Championship.

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