12/15/11 Impact Wrestling Recap

Dec 16, 2011 - by Jason Graening

A video package highlights the cage match between Jeff Hardy and Jeff Jarrett and the Iron Man match between Bobby Roode and AJ Styles that ended in a tie after time expired. Sting says that the fans wanted five more minutes and he plans to start the show off with a bang. We head to the Impact Zone where we are treated to an Final Resolution Iron Man overtime period, which will take place right now.

Match 1: AJ Styles vs. Bobby Roode (Iron Man Overtime Period for TNA World Championship)
The bell rings as the five minute overtime period begins as Roode heads to the floor, however, Styles follows and decks Roode before bringing the match back to the ring. Styles sends Roode flying with a back body drop and picks up a near fall as the announce team tells us that this is sudden death and the first person to pick up a pin fall withing five minutes will win the match.

Styles picks up another near fall with three minutes to go and continues to wear down Roode with a series of kicks and chops, however, Roode targets Styles’ knee to slow down his momentum. Roode begins to target the knee, but Styles is able to connect with an inverted DDT, however, Roode breaks the pin attempt by getting his foot on the rope. We are down to 30 seconds and Roode heads out to the floor to try to run out the time, but Styles is able to connect with a Pele kick. Styles then goes for a springboard but time expires on the match.

The crowd at the Impact Zone begins to chant “five more minutes!” as Roode celebrates the draw as he retains his title. Sting’s music then hits as he comes out and says they can do this all night long and says it will be the winner will be the first person who picks up the fall. The bell rings as Roode drops Styles and puts him in a single leg crab until Styles finally taps out and Roode wins by submission. Roode celebrates the victory and the announce team says Styles had no choice but to tap to prevent further injury to his knee as we head into a commercial break.

After the break, Bobby Roode says he got the job done once again and he is still the TNA World Champion. AJ Styles, on the other hand, says he had Roode’s number and he had to resort to clipping him in the knee. We go back to Roode who says he is ready for Jeff Hardy.

Match 2: Hernandez & Robbie T. vs. Scott Steiner & Abyss (Wildcard Tag Team Tournament Match)
Mike Tenay says this will be a tournament match of eight randomly selected teams that will fight to earn a shot at Matt Morgan & Crimson for the TNA Tag Team Champion at Genesis. Prior to the match we see Steiner and Abyss in the back and Steiner is saying he is under orders from Eric Bischoff to make this team work tonight and wants to know if they are on the same page but Abyss remains quiet.

The bell rings as Steiner starts off strong and takes care of both Hernandez and Robbie T., but decides to do some pushups instead of picking up the pin fall. Steiner then wants to tag Abyss in but Abyss refuses to make the tag. Hernandez then takes Steiner down with a clothesline before Hernandez and Robbie begin to work over Steiner with some double team moves. Abyss finally makes a blind tag and levels them both with clotheslines before taking Hernandez out with a chokeslam and then Robbie T. with a Black Hole Slam. Abyss then tags Steiner into the match and picks up the pin fall to win the match and advance in the tournament. After the match, Abyss raises Steiner’s arm in victory before leaving the ring by himself.

Kurt Angle is walking backstage and he says he has had enough of Sting and says it is finally time to do something about it as we head into a commercial break.

Kurt Angle’s music hits as he makes his way to the ring. Angle grabs a microphone and calls out Sting so he can get some things off his chest. Sting’s music hits as he comes out and meets Angle in the ring. Angle tells Sting that he called him out and says Storm hit him with a loaded boot in their two matches. Angle says all he wants is a rematch and Sting tells him that Storm beat him fair and square and it’s time for Storm to move on. Angle stops Sting and says he will go to Storm’s hometown and beat everyone’s ass until Storm gives him a rematch before Angle leaves the ring and we head into a commercial break.

Match 3: Anthony Nese vs. Zema Ion (Best of Three, Match 1)
The winner of this best of three series will go on to face Austin Aries at Genesis in a four way match along with Kid Kash and Jesse Sorensen. The bell rings as the two counter each others moves until Nese connects with a knee for a near fall. Nese then hits a springboard moonsault for another near fall before connecting with another knee that sends Ion out to the floor. Nese then flips over the top rope and takes Ion out on the floor.

The match returns to the ring where Nese connects with a springboard clothesline. Nese then goes for a top rope hurricanrana but Ion blocks it and hits Nese with a missile dropkick. Ion then boots Nese in the face for a near fall but he decides to pull Nese up from the canvas. Ion continues to do that before heading to the top rope and hitting the 450 splash for the three count to pick up the first victory of this best of three series.

Jeff and Karen Jarrett are walking backstage and talks about the fact that one of them will be fired tonight. Karen says she will take the bullet and walk away but Jeff says he has been in the company since day one and he will bow out. They continue to argue as we switch cameras to Zema Ion who talks about being pretty and that he made the most of the opportunity and it is now all about me, myself and Ion as we head into a commercial break.

Ric Flair is backstage with Gunner and tells him to forget about Garett Bischoff and that he needs to focus on Jesse Neal. Flair tells Gunner to take Neal out and make an example out of him as we head into the next match of the night.

Match 4: Jesse Neal vs. Gunner
The match starts and Gunner pounds Neal down to the canvas. Gunner continues on the attack and tosses him out to the floor where referee Earl Hebner tries to get between them but Gunner shoves him down. Hebner calls for the bell but Gunner doesn’t seem to care as Ric Flair removes the floor mat and Gunner drives Neal down to the floor with a DDT. EMTs come out with a stretcher as we head into a commercial break.

Karen Jarrett is backstage with Sting and tries to win him over with compliments. Sting asks what she wants as she pleads with him to not fire her. Karen says there are a hundred guys that can replace Jeff Jarrett, but there is only one Karen Jarrett. Karen promises Sting to help run the show, however, Sting says he wants to hear out Jeff first before he makes a decision.

Jeff Hardy’s music hits as we are treated to photographs of his cage match against Jeff Jarrett at Final Resolution. Hardy grabs a microphone and says his body is still hurting but says he is now the #1 contender to the TNA World Championship. Hardy continues to say creatures will become champions at Genesis and wants to make 2012 the best year of his career.

Hardy is interrupted by Bully Ray’s music as he makes his way to the ring. Ray says Hardy is in a good mood considering he has to face Ray later on tonight. Ray continues to say that he has to thank Hardy for what happened at Victory Road as Ray took his spot in Immortal. Ray then says he is better than Hardy and he is going to prove it tonight before leaving the ring.

We then see Samoa Joe backstage with Magnus and Joe tells him that he doesn’t care who he is or about politics and says if he will regret getting in his way. Magnus says he doesn’t get many opportunities and he needs to make the most of teaming together. Magnus goes on to say he wants to win the tag tournament regardless if they are friends or enemies.

Match 5: Robbie E. & Douglas Williams vs. Samoa Joe & Magnus (Wildcard Tag Team Tournament Match)
The British Invasion partners start things off against each other and go back and forth in the opening moments. Robbie E. is tagged in and Magnus levels him with a clothesline but Williams knees Magnus in the back to give his team the advantage. Robbie and Williams use quick tags to work over Magnus and pick up a couple of near falls in the process. Magnus finally connects with a clothesline on Williams and tags in Samoa Joe. Joe comes in and hits Williams with a flurry of offense and takes out both Williams and Robbie. The match then breaks down and Joe hits Williams with a Muscle Buster to pick up the pin fall to advance in the tournament.

Jeff Jarrett is backstage with Sting and tells him that it has been a rough past couple of days. Jarrett says it is hard for Karen to come to terms with being publicly humiliated and fired on television. He says she needs to be at home with the kids, though, and asks Sting to fire her as nice as possible. Sting asks if that’s what she really wants and asks for a moment to think things over as we head into a commercial break.

Eric Young is backstage and says Sting told him to meet his partner under the china hat. EY talks about trying to find it and says he needs explicit instructions. ODB walks in and says that she is his partner and they will be in a match together next week.

Devon makes his way to the ring as we see photos of Devon’s match at Final Resolution. Devon grabs a microphone and wants to talk about his situation with the Pope before calling him out to the ring. D’Angelo Dinero comes out with Devon’s two sons as Devon questions why his sons are with the Pope. Devon says he raised his boys and will take a bullet to ensure that they are safe. Devon tells Pope to understand that they are his boys and they will be trained the way he wants them to be trained.

Devon grabs his sons and wants to leave the ring but the Pope stops them. Dinero says his boys wants a cool dad that is current with the times. Pope wants to know what they can learn from him and that they are tired of living a boring lifestyle. Devon again begins to walk away and tells Devon not to walk away like his wife did to him.

This gets under Devon’s skin as he nails Pope and knocks him down to the canvas. Devon begins to embrace with his sons and Pope kicks him with a low blow as Devon’s sons begin to smile. The two put on Pope sunglasses and hold their father up as Pope begins to slap him and tells Devon that they are his sons now.

Jeff and Karen Jarrett are backstage and lie to each other about what they said to Sting. A stagehand walks in and says Sting wants to see the two of them right now.

Match 6: Traci Brooks vs. Madison Rayne
Traci attacks Madison on the ramp before the bell rings. Traci rolls Madison into the ring and tosses her around but Madison is able to turn that match into her favor and begins to choke Traci on the ring ropes. Traci comes back with a jawbreaker and drops Madison with a clothesline, however, Madison takes her down and picks up a near fall. Madison then kicks Traci in the head and picks up the pin fall.

Sting is in the office with Jeff and Karen Jarrett as the Jarrett’s continue to lie to each other. Sting calls them out on it as they wonder why they are trying to cause problems between the two of them. Sting then shows them footage of their meetings with Sting as they become irate with each other. Sting then steps in and says he will solve the problem and fires them both.

We then head to announce team who discuss the events that just took place and they are interrupted by Bobby Roode’s music. Roode heads over to the announce table to join them for tonight’s main event.

Match 7: Bully Ray vs. Jeff Hardy
Jeremy Borash handles the formal introductions for tonight’s main event and Ray attacks Hardy as the bell rings. Ray hangs Hardy from the top rope and continues to pound on Hardy and takes him down with a standing vertical suplex. Ray then locks Hardy in a bear hug and picks up a near fall after hitting a back body drop. Ray then slams Hardy down to the mat but misses with a corner splash as Hardy begins to fight back. Hardy levels Ray with a series of clotheslines for a near fall. Hardy then hits a Twist of Fate for another near fall but Ray is able to counter with a side slam. Ray then misses with a splash and Hardy connects with another Twist of Fate to pick up the pin fall.

After the match, Hardy points over at Roode. Ray then gets up but Hardy nails him with a series of punches, however, Roode runs down to the ring and takes Hardy out from behind. Ray helps out and slides a table into the ring. Ray sets it up before powerbombing Hardy through it. Sting then runs out to the ring and stares down Roode, but Ray distracts Sting and Roode nails Sting in the back with the TNA World Championship. The two begin to stomp on Sting before Roode gets in Hardy’s face as Impact Wrestling comes to a close.

Quick Results
– Bobby Roode defeated AJ Styles by submission to retain the TNA World Championship.
– Scott Steiner & Abyss defeated Hernandez & Robbie T. by pin fall in a Wildcard Tag Team Tournament match.
– Zema Ion defeated Anthony Neese by pin fall to win the first match of the Best of Three Series.
– Jesse Neal defeated Gunner by disqualification.
– Samoa Joe & Magnus defeated Robbie E. & Douglas Williams by pin fall in a Wildcard Tag Team Tournament match.
– Madison Rayne defeated Traci Brooks by pin fall.
– Jeff Hardy defeated Bully Ray by pin fall.

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