1/19/12 Impact Wrestling Recap
Impact Wrestling opens with a recap of the past two matches between Bobby Roode and Jeff Hardy where Roode was able to retain the TNA World Championship through disqualifications. We then head to the Impact Zone where James Storm’s music hits and the #1 contender to the TNA World Championship makes his way down to the ring.
Storm grabs a microphone and says he was just a little bit better than the world’s greatest wrestler last week. He now gets to go up against Bobby Roode at Against All Odds and he promises to give him an ass kicking. Storm is then cut off by Jeff Hardy’s music as he makes his way down to the ring. Hardy grabs a microphone and says he got screwed at Genesis and last week on Impact, before telling Storm that nobody will have a shot at Roode until he has one final encounter. Storm says Roode screwed him over once before, however, he was the World Champion at the time and Roode stole the title from him.
The two are cut off by Roode’s music who asks them if they can all just get along. Roode says Storm did beat Kurt Angle to become the #1 contender last week, however, since there was no winner last week between he and Hardy, Storm’s #1 contendership is null and void. As for Hardy, he gave him two opportunities in the span of five days and he failed. Roode then says Hardy will not be getting any more title shots as he is cut off by Sting’s music.
Sting comes down to the ring and says the way Roode had Bully Ray cause a disqualification last week was clever. Sting goes on to say that they are going to have another #1 contender match between Jeff Hardy and James Storm to settle things once and for all. Sting then shares a few words with Roode as he leaves the ring. Storm and Hardy also shake hands and look each other over for a moment. The announce team then hypes the steel cage match between Madison Rayne and Mickie James as we head into a commercial break.
Video from earlier in the day is aired where Angelina Love says she feels dirty after Eric Young touched her last week. She then issues a challenge to EY to a match and tells him to leave his boyfriend, ODB, in the back.
Match 1: Gunner vs. AJ Styles
Ric Flair accompanies Gunner to the ring for this match. The bell rings and the two go back and forth with Styles picking up a near fall with a back slide in the early going. Styles then takes Gunner down with a dropkick as Gunner rolls out to the floor to regroup with Flair. Gunner comes back into the ring and Flair causes a small distraction, but it’s enough for Gunner to take control of the match. Gunner begins to work over Styles with a gutwrench and picks up a near fall with a running high knee.
Styles fights back with a boot to the face and a clothesline followed by a springboard forearm. Kazarian and Christopher Daniels begin to make their way to the ringside area and Daniels tells Kazarian to do it. Styles connects with a Pele kick on Gunner as Flair hops on the apron to distract the referee. Kazarian then goes on the ring apron and takes Styles down with a clothesline. Gunner then plants Styles with a DDT to pick up the pin fall victory. After the match, Gunner dumps Styles out to the floor and pulls up the ring padding, however, Styles is able to fight him off and hop over the railing and into the crowd.
Magnus and Samoa Joe are backstage and Magnus says he is ready to take out the meathead known as Crimson. Matt Morgan and Crimson walks up and the two sides share words as we head into a commercial break.
Bully Ray is backstage with Sting and tells him that he deserves a shot at the World Championship and tells Sting to give it to him. Sting says he doesn’t tell him what to do and tells him that he won’t be getting a title shot. Ray gets in Sting’s face for a second after the response but Sting hits Ray in the chest and walks away.
Match 2: Magnus vs. Crimson
Magnus takes Crimson down before the bell rings and goes for a quick pin fall after hitting a clothesline. Magnus continues on the attack and takes Crimson down with a vertical suplex but Crimson is able to counter his offense and hit the Red Sky for the pin fall. After the match, Samoa Joe runs out and takes Crimson down from behind and takes out the referee for good measure. Magnus then gets up and joins in on the beat down until Matt Morgan runs out to help his partner. The numbers game is too much for Morgan, though, as they take him down and Magnus hits his elbow drop from the top rope.
Eric Young is in the parking lot looking at a Bellator sign and wondering if he can fight in a cage. A caterer walks up and EY says he doesn’t fight women. ODB then walks up and he tells her that he can’t fight girls, but ODB tells him to be a man and take Angelina Love up on her challenge. The announce team then hype the match between James Storm and Jeff Hardy as we head into a commercial break.
A video recap is aired of last week’s confrontation between Eric and Garett Bischoff. We are then treated to footage of Garrett training in a gym and sparring with a few wrestlers. Garett then says he can’t wait to get back to the Impact Zone and that he can’t wait to see his father’s face when he sees who has been training him.
A video package is aired the focuses on the feud between Mickie James and Madison Rayne. Tonight, the two Knockouts will face each other inside of a steel cage. Madison is in her dressing room freaking out about the upcoming match as Gail Kim says she will be there for her. Gail tells her to go out there and do what she does best as we head into another commercial break.
Match 3: Mickie James vs. Madison Rayne (Steel Cage Match)
Gail Kim tries going in the cage with Madison Rayne but Gail Hebner sends her to the back. Hebner then calls for the bell as Mickie begins to toss Madison around in the cage. Mickie takes Madison down with a sitout powerbomb and follows with a seated dropkick to pick up a near fall. Mickie then puts Madison in a headlock but Madison fights her way out and connects with a kick to Mickie’s face. Madison continues to work over Mickie as we head into a commercial break.
We return to the match to see Mickie is back in control and flattens Madison on the mat. Mickie then heads to the top rope but Madison knocks her down and hits a modified neckbreaker across the top rope and the cage. Madison begins to rake Mickie’s face in the cage wall before hitting a snap suplex and a neckbreaker for a near fall. Madison then locks Mickie in a head scissors and rams her head into the mat for another near fall. Madison continues on the attack until Mickie is able to counter with a neckbreaker.
Both Knockouts are slow to get up as they begin to fight on their knees and ram each other’s face into the mat. They get to the feet and exchange blows until Mickie fires off a series of clotheslines and forearms. Madison comes back and rakes Mickie’s eyes and kicks her in the head for another near fall. Madison then tries to send Mickie into the cage but Mickie counters and sends her into the steel. Mickie then hits her spike DDT to pick up the pin fall.
Austin Aries is backstage and says he is talking about what he is about to go in the ring and talk about and he is still entertaining. He then tells us to stay tuned so we can hear what he has to talk about as we head into a commercial break.
Tara and Velvet Sky greet Mickie James backstage after winning her cage match. They say that they are proud of her and Mickie says she still has Gail Kim in her sights and wants to bring the Knockouts Championship home.
Jeff Hardy is backstage and says that James Storm earned his shot at the title, but he has been screwed over twice. Hardy says life isn’t fair and he has to deal with what has been given to him and he has to beat Storm to get a final encounter with Bobby Roode.
A video package on Austin Aries is aired where he says there isn’t anyone on his level. Aries says he is strong and smart and he may very well be the last X Division Champion ever. Aries then says he may have to retire if they don’t up the level of competition or get rid of the weight limits. Aries’ music then hits as the X Division Champion makes his way to the ring. Aries says he is out there to state the obvious and that there is nobody in Impact Wrestling that is in his league. Aries says he might have to get on his yacht and sail around the world looking for competition since there is none here.
The Motorcity Machine Guns music hits as Alex Shelley makes his way to the ring. Shelley says one year ago he separated his shoulder and the day he came back his partner, Chris Sabin, tears his ACL and MCL. He said he waited and home for Sabin to get better, however, he couldn’t stand watching Aries defend the title on pay-per-view. Shelley says Sabin then gave him his blessing to come back to Impact Wrestling without him.
Aries cuts in and tells Shelley that he should have waited for Sabin as he has only ridden on his coattails his whole career. Shelley says if he isn’t a threat, then Austin will have no problems putting the title on the line against him. Aries says Shelley needs to earn a shot and tells him to pick one X Division wrestler in the back and if he can defeat him he will get his shot. Shelley says he will be honorable and let Aries choose his opponent and tells Aries that he will see him at Against All Odds.
ODB is backstage and says he wants to see Eric Young break Angelina Love in half and take her out. Winter then comes in from behind and knocks down ODB, but she fights back as the two roll around for a moment. Winter then gets up and nails ODB with a lead pipe before whipping her with her belt. Winter begins to choke ODB out and wonders where her boyfriend is now and leaves her lying on the floor as we head into a commercial break.
Match 4: Angelina Love vs. Eric Young
Winter accompanies Angelina Love to the ring for this intergender match. EY locks up with the referee and does a cartwheel before the bell rings. Once the bell rings, EY is hesitant to lock up with Angelina and instead locks up with the referee once again. EY then heads out to the floor and locks up with a fan before getting back into the ring and locking up with the referee. Angelina finally knees EY below the belt as the referee calls for the bell.
Winter then runs into the ring as they both put the boots to EY until ODB runs out to the ring. She doesn’t last too long, though as Angelina and Winter begin to beat her down. Winter then pulls out a whip but before she can use it she is tossed out to the floor by EY, who then tosses Angelina out. EY pulls ODB up to her feet as she plants a big kiss on him. The two then leave the ring together.
James Storm is backstage and says it is his time and he is not going to let Jeff Hardy back in his way. Storm says he has been watching Roode and Hardy’s matches to prepare himself for his opponent. Storm says he is tired of talking and wants to show people that he can be the champion of this company. The match between Storm and Hardy is up next.
Match 5: James Storm vs. Jeff Hardy (#1 Contender Match to TNA World Championship)
Jeremy Borash handles the formal introductions for tonight’s main event. The bell rings and the two lock up and Storm puts Hardy in a headlock. Hardy is able to counter and put Storm in a headlock of his own before putting Storm in an armbar. Hardy then drops Storm with a forearm and hits Storm between the legs with a legdrop, however, Hardy misses with a corner splash as Storm ducks out of the way and we head into a commercial break.
We return to the match to see Storm is in control for a moment until Hardy knocks him out to the floor. Hardy then dives over the top rope and takes Storm out on the floor before rolling him back into the ring to pick up a near fall. Storm fights back and hits Hardy with a slingshot suplex for a near fall before putting Hardy in another headlock. Hardy fights back and picks up another near fall after hitting a Whisper in the Wind. Hardy then goes back to a headlock on Storm but Storm fights out and tries for an Eye of the Storm but Hardy is able to escape, however, Storm connects with a neckbreaker for another near fall.
Storm then sets up for the Last Call as Hardy counters and drops Storm with a Twist of Fate. Hardy begins to climb to the top rope but Storm knocks him down and sends sets up for a superplex but Hardy pushes him down to the canvas. Storm quickly recovers and kicks Hardy in the head before heading back to the top rope and sends him crashing to the ring with a superplex. As they are both out on the canvas, Bully Ray sneaks into the ring and nails referee Brian Hebner from behind and knocks him out. Ray then begins to nail Storm and Hardy with his steel chain as Earl Hebner runs out but Ray knocks him down too.
Another referee comes out but Ray takes him out too. Sting finally comes out with a baseball bat and goes after Ray and hits him a few times before chasing him out to the back. Back to the ring, Storm begins to get to his feet, however, Bobby Roode comes in and nails both him and Hardy with the TNA World Championship. Roode then grabs a microphone and says he declares this match a no contest. Roode then poses with his championship and leaves Storm and Hardy lying in the ring as Impact Wrestling comes to a close.
Quick Results
– Gunner defeated AJ Styles by pin fall.
– Crimson defeated Magnus by pin fall.
– Mickie James defeated Madison Rayne by pin fall in a steel cage match.
– Eric Young defeated Angelina Love by disqualification.
– James Storm and Jeff Hardy fought to a no contest.
