1/17/13 IMPACT WRESTLING RECAP

Jan 17, 2013 - by Jason Graening

Join the Starman as he covers tonight’s Impact Wrestling broadcast as it happens live from the Impact Zone in Orlando, Florida.

The show opens with a “Previously on Impact Wrestling,” which shows the return of Sting, the unmasking of Mike Knox, Hulk Hogan suspending Bully Ray, Aces and Eights taking out Kurt Angle, and Bully Ray proposing to Brooke Hogan. The wedding of Ray and Brooke takes place live tonight. We head into the Impact Zone where we see a table full of gifts and a wedding cake.

Footage of Ray earlier in the day is aired where he is greeted by Spike Dudley and Tommy Dreamer. Brooke is also seen getting her hair done as Mickie James, Miss Tessmacher and Christy Hemme are getting ready for the wedding. Tessmacher asks Brooke if her dad is coming to the wedding but Brooke isn’t sure.

We head into the Impact Zone where the pyro goes off and Jeff Hardy’s music hits as he makes his way to the ring. Photos and video of his three way match at Genesis is aired where Hardy retained the TNA World Championship over Bobby Roode and Austin Aries. Hardy grabs a microphone and says the odds were stacked against him but the creatures prevailed again. Hardy puts over Roode and Aries and says he is always ready to fight before being cut off by Bad Influence.

Kazarian gets on the microphone and says if he’s ready for a fight, he will get it in one week against Christopher Daniels and he will take his TNA World Championship. The two get in the ring as Daniels talks about sending AJ Styles home and beat James Storm at Genesis to get a shot at the title. Daniels goes on to say that Hardy, just like Styles, Storm, and his fans, are all losers. Hardy then says he doesn’t want to wait until next week and begins to swing at the two but the numbers game catches up to him.

Storm’s music then hits as he runs down to the ring and chases Bad Influence out of the ring. Storm tells them if they are looking for a fight, then to get in the ring and have their butts whipped by Storm and Hardy. The two begin to brawl in the ringside area as a referee enters the ring.

Match 1: Bad Influence vs. Jeff Hardy & James Storm
The four enter the ring and the referee calls for the bell to get this impromptu match started. Storm and Hardy send Daniels and Kazarian out to the floor as we head into a commercial break. We return to the match to see Storm in control of Daniels before tagging Hardy into the match. Hardy continues on the attack and picks up a few near falls in the process. Storm is tagged back in and Daniels is able to back him into his corner where some double team tactics allow Bad Influence to take control of the match.

Bad Influence begin to use quick tags to wear down Storm and Daniels picks up a near fall after hitting a neckbreaker. Daniels continues working over Storm until Storm fights back and takes Daniels down with a Russian leg sweep. Storm then makes a leaping tag to Hardy as Daniels tags Kazarian. Hardy knocks Kazarian out to the floor and takes him out with a dive off the apron. Back in the ring, Hardy continues to hit Kazarian with a flurry of offense before picking up a near fall after hitting a Whisper in the Wind.

The match begins to break down with all four going at it in the ring. Storm is able to take Daniels out with a Last Call as Hardy connects with a Twist of Fate on Kazarian to pick up the pin fall victory. After the match, Daniels nails Hardy from behind before taking Hardy down with an Angel’s Wings on top of Hardy’s custom title. Daniels then poses with the title while covering Hardy in the middle of the ring.

The Gut Check judges are seen discussing what they thought of the two contestants from last week. All of them think they both performed well and they think they have a tough call ahead of them. Bruce Prichard says he is ready to vote but his vote isn’t revealed. Jay Bradley and Brian Cage are seen backstage and they will learn their fate after the commercial break.

We see Tommy Dreamer trying to get Spike dressed in his tuxedo in the locker room. Joseph Park walks in and gives Bully Ray a box of Cuban cigars before asking if he needs a pre-nup. Ray thanks Park for the cigars and waves him off.

Jeremy Borash is in the ring with the Gut Check judges and introduces Jay Bradley and Brian Cage to the ring. Bruce Prichard gets on the microphone and tells them that only one can go on to possibly get a contract and eliminates Cage from the running. Cage then leaves the ring as Taz is given the first opportunity to speak about Bradley, who gives an immediate no vote. Bradley is given an opportunity to speak and talks about learning discipline on the road and says he brings no BS and if they let him in, he will take care of the rest.

Al Snow is given time to speak and says Bradley connected with the crowd and has talent, so his vote is yes. The final vote comes down to Prichard, who says he has proven that he has passion, guts, and fan support, so his answer is yes. Jay Bradley is the newest member of the TNA roster by winning Gut Check. The announce team then hypes tonight’s wedding between Bully Ray and Brooke Hogan as we head into a commercial break.

Match 2: Christian York vs. Kenny King
We are treated to video of what took place between these two at Genesis as York is blaming King on costing him the X Division Title. York goes right after King before he even gets in the ring to get things started. York sends King into the steel steps before rolling him into the ring where York levels him with a clothesline. York continues with an aggressive attack and tries to put King away, however, King rakes York’s eyes and rolls him up and picks up the pin fall while pulling on York’s trunks. King celebrates and mocks York while the announce team again hype tonight’s wedding as we head into a commercial break.

Bully Ray catches up with Sting in the backstage area and pleads with him to talk Hulk Hogan into walking his daughter down the aisle and being by her side. Sting says he will see what he can do as Ray says they both appreciate it. We then head to the announce team as Taz has to excuse himself to get ready for the wedding.

Austin Aries is getting dressed in the mirror as Bobby Roode walks in and the two argue about screwing each other over at Genesis. Aries then decides to wear black because it will be a funeral out there after he says his objections. Hulk Hogan is then seen walking in the parking lot as the camera man asks if he is there for the wedding but Hogan just tells them to get the camera out of his face as we head into a commercial break.

Taz walks into the dressing room where the rest of Bully Ray’s wedding party is at. Ray talks about how Brooke is a wreck over the fact that Hulk Hogan isn’t here. Ray talks about talking Sting and whether or not Hogan is there, he is marrying Brooke tonight. Ray is then going to get dressed as we see a video package of what has gone down between Hogan and Ray over the past several weeks.

Sting’s music hits as he makes his way out to the ring. Sting grabs a microphone and says tonight is a very special evening as love is in the air. There is also some tension in the air and calls out Hulk Hogan to talk to him. Hogan’s music hits as the father of the bride makes his way to the ring to address the situation. Hogan says Sting isn’t going to pull the wool over his eyes as they have both had people tell them they love them and walked away and had friends stab them in the back.

Sting says Bully Ray has come to their aid many times and has even come to Brooke’s aid and wants to know what it will take for Hogan to let this happen tonight. Hogan says he calls things as he see them and there is a vibe that Bully Ray puts off that he doesn’t trust. Sting then tells Hogan that he needs to do this tonight for himself and more importantly, for Brooke. The fans begin a “Do it!” chant as Hogan says he always does the right thing, brother, before dropping the microphone and walking away.

Gail Kim meets up with Taryn Terrell in the back and shows her footage of what took place at Genesis. Gail shows Taryn what she missed at Genesis and says it cost her a shot at the Knockouts Championship. Gail says Brooke gave her a rematch and she better call it down the middle before walking away.

Footage of Bully Ray’s bachelor party is aired, which took place last night at Rick’s Cabaret in NYC. Bully is seen with an arm full of girls, which brings us to our next match of the night.

Match 3: Gail Kim vs. Velvet Sky (#1 Contender to the Knockouts Championship)
The bell rings as Gail and Velvet lock up a few times before Velvet knocks Gail down and she rolls out to the floor to regroup. Gail enters the ring and quickly takes Velvet down before methodically wearing her down. Gail takes Velvet down with a neckbreaker for a near fall but Velvet is able to get back into the match and picks up a near fall of her own. Gail regains control of the match and puts Velvet in a head scissors before connecting with a dropkick. Gail then hits Eat Defeat but Velvet has her leg under the bottom rope and Taryn Terrell stops the pin count. Gail then gets in Taryn’s face as Velvet hits Gail with a bulldog and follows with a head scissors takedown. Velvet then hits the In Yo’ Face to pick up the pin fall to keep her spot as the #1 contender.

Dixie Carter is backstage with Brooke Hogan and says she never thought something like this would happen when Brooke started working with TNA. Dixie then tells Brooke that no matter what happens tonight, to always remember that her dad loves her. We then see more shots of the wedding cake and gifts as the announce team says it’s time to tie the knot as the wedding between Bully Ray and Brooke Hogan is coming up after the commercial break.

The announce team recaps what went down during tonight’s opening match before hyping next week’s match between Christopher Daniels and Jeff Hardy for the TNA World Championship. Bobby Roode’s music hits as he comes out along side Austin Aries and head out to the ring. The two grab microphones and say everyone should be celebrating them since if it wasn’t for them, there wouldn’t even be a show. Aries says every great moment, match, and interview in 2012 was thanks to the two of them, yet they didn’t get any thanks or respect for it.

Aries talks about how the two have formed a mutual respect for each other and thinks that TNA has taken a step 10 years back with their current lineup of champions. Roode then says that they object the wedding but they are interrupted by the TNA Tag Team Champions. Chavo Guerrero also says he objects, however, not to the wedding, but to the statements Roode and Aries just made. Aries says he didn’t know the wedding caterers could come down to the ring and object to anything. Chavo and Hernandez then attack the Aries and Roode and Hernandez is about to take Aries down with a Border Toss, but Roode comes in and makes the save as the two head back up the ramp.

The announce team then hype the wedding one last time and it will be coming up after the commercial break.

A recap of Sting’s little chat with Hulk Hogan from earlier in the show is recapped. We then see Hogan in his office with Sting and says how he has always tried to protect Brooke from all of the bad aspects of professional wrestling and he has nothing personal against Bully Ray, but he knows how this is going to end. Sting says he can’t disagree with Hogan, but suggests that the business has blinded him and tells Hogan to walk Brooke down the aisle. Hogan says he always does the right thing for the business and his family and just wants Sting to know that.

It’s time for the wedding as Bully Ray walks down to the aisle wearing a tuxedo and enters the ring, which has had the ropes removed. Tommy Dreamer walks Miss Tessmacher to the ring, and is followed by the pairing Spike Dudley and Mickie James, and Taz along with Christy Hemme. We then head into a commercial break as the announce team wonders if Brooke Hogan will be accompanied down the aisle by her father.

We return and see Brooke Hogan come out of the tunnel by herself and looks over her shoulder for her father. Hogan finally comes out wearing a tuxedo and grabs her arm and walks her down the aisle. Hogan walks Brooke into the ring and the minister begins the ceremony as Hogan gives his daughter’s hand to Ray. The minister continues and the two exchange vows and rings, but before the minister can go on, Taz steps in and asks Ray if he wants to go through with this. Ray says he does and Taz says it’s getting hot in here as he takes off his jacket to reveal an Aces and Eights vest.

Aces and Eights then storm the ring from all places and takes out the Bully Ray, Hulk Hogan and the extreme groomsmen as Mike Knox and DOC hold Brooke back so she can watch. Aces and Eights then clear the Impact Zone as Brooke goes to check on her father, who tells her to go check on Bully Ray as Impact Wrestling comes to a close.

Quick Results
– Jeff Hardy & James Storm defeated Bad Influence by pin fall.
– Kenny King defeated Christian York by pin fall.
– Velvet Sky defeated Gail Kim by pin fall.

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