5/17/12 Impact Wrestling Recap

May 18, 2012 - by Jason Graening

Footage of Joseph Park’s quest on finding his brother Abyss, the photo of AJ Styles and Dixie Carter, and Bobby Roode retaining the TNA World Championship at Sacrifice kicks off Impact Wrestling. The voice over guy says we are now on the road to Slammiversary.

Bobby Roode’s music hits as he comes into the ring and says time after time he has had the odds stacked against him but he comes out on top every single time. Last Sunday, RVD put him through hell during their ladder match, but at the end of the night he climbed the ladder and retained the TNA World Championship. In seven days, he will go down in history as the longest reigning TNA World Champion and he plans on throwing the biggest party the business has ever witnessed. Roode says he will be calling it the It Factor’s Celebration of Domination.

Roode then calls out Hulk Hogan as he comes out to join Roode in the ring. Roode talks about the party he is going to throw and has a list of demands for his party. Roode wants his private dressing room redecorated with new furniture. In the room, he wants five bottles of chilled champagne and a bowl of plain green M&Ms. He also wants gold confetti made in Canada to fall from the rafters during his entrance.

Hogan then grabs Roode’s list and thanks Roode for giving the company direction once he became the World Champion. However, he hasn’t broken any records yet and tears up the list of demands. Hogan reminds Roode that next week is Open Fight Night and says Roode will be defending the championship next week on Impact Wrestling. Hogan continues to say that he took a poll backstage and a few people stepped up to challenge Roode.

Hogan introduces the challengers as the locker room spills out onto the entrance ramp. Hogan says he needs to eliminate the competition down to four people and books RVD in a match against Bully Ray. Hogan also books Jeff Hardy against Mr. Anderson and Kurt Angle against Samoa Joe. Finally, the rest of them will be in a battle royal and the winner will be the fourth man to have a shot at Roode.

The announce team run down what Hogan just laid out and also hype AJ Styles speaking out, a three way match for the Knockouts Championship with Gail Kim defending against Velvet Sky and Brooke Tessmacher. Plus, the historic signing of King Mo will be focused upon and Bully Ray will take on RVD, and that match is next.

Footage of last week’s appearance from Abyss is aired. We then head into the first OFN Qualifier of the night.

Match 1: Bully Ray vs. Rob Van Dam (Open Fight Night Qualifier)
RVD comes out to the ring with bandages around his left knee and left elbow. The bell rings and Ray begins to focus on RVD’s injured arm. RVD fights back and takes Ray down with a kick and follows with the Rolling Thunder for a near fall. Ray is quick to fight back and begins to focus on RVD’s injured knee before missing with a splash. RVD uses the opening to take Ray down with a couple of clotheslines and a kick. RVD then heads to the top rope but Ray ducks out of the way and takes RVD down with his single 3D to pick up the pin fall.

The announce team hype the upcoming match between Samoa Joe and Kurt Angle and the footage of King Mo signing as we head into a commercial break.

Bully Ray is in the parking lot and says he is pissed about the Kardashians jumping on the anti bullying campaign. Joseph Park walks in and apologizes for getting involved in his match at Sacrifice. Ray tells him to stay away from him and then walks away.

Mike Tenay and Taz talk about the unprecedented signing of King Mo last Friday. Tenay and Taz run down his past accomplishments as we are treated to footage from MMA Uncensored. During the show, King Mo says this was something he always wanted to do and he got the opportunity when two doors opened for him in TNA Wrestling and Bellator.

Gail Kim and Madison Rayne are backstage where Gail is ranting about Hulk Hogan putting her in a three way match. Madison doesn’t seem to be listening and tells Gail that she has to go fix her hair and wishes her luck. Madison walks away as Gail is approached by Velvet and Brooke. The two talk trash about how Gail has cheated to retain the championship and one of them will be walking out with the Knockouts Championship.

Match 2: Wild Card Battle Royal (Open Fight Night Qualifier)
Austin Aries, AJ Styles, Gunner, Robbie E., Robbie T., Magnus, Devon, Crimson, Garett Bischoff, Eric Young and ODB are all apart of this battle royal. The bell rings and the battle royals starts as EY and ODB eliminate Crimson and themselves in the process. Aries then eliminates Magnus as we see Madison Rayne twirling her hair and smiling on the entrance ramp. Robbie T. tries to eliminate Bischoff but he manages to hang on. Robbie E., however, hits Robbie T. from behind and sends him out to the floor. Robbie E. tries to say it wasn’t him as Devon grabs him by the hair and tosses him out to the floor as we head into a commercial break.

We return to the battle royal to see Aries, Styles, Gunner, Bischoff and Devon remaining in the ring. Bischoff and Devon go at it until Bischoff drops the rope sending Devon out to the floor. Styles then lays Bischoff out with a kick and tosses him out to the floor. Styles and Aries take out Gunner before going at each other with a series of counters and reversals. Gunner then waits for an opening and eliminates Aries from the match and Styles then quickly dumps Gunner over the top rope to win the battle royal.

A video package highlighting the blackmail that Christopher Daniels and Kazarian had on AJ Styles. The photos of him and Dixie Carter were revealed last week on Impact Wrestling and Styles is in the ring to address the situation. Styles talks about wanting to defeat Bobby Roode next week and he promises that he will win the TNA World Championship. As for the photos, Styles says things aren’t always what they seem. Styles says both he and Dixie are happily married and they have been business partners for 10 years and says they need to believe him on this one.

Christopher Daniels and Kazarian interrupt Styles as Kazarian says revealing the photos wasn’t about humiliating him or destroying his life, but it was about exposing the truth that he benefited from for the past 10 years. Daniels says photos can be taken the wrong way, however, they also have video. A video is played on an iPad that shows Styles and Dixie going into a hotel room together and wants him to explain what happened. Styles gets upset and shoves Daniels before leaving the ring and quickly walks up the ramp.

A video package highlighting the history between Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe is aired. The two then meet backstage where the two trade fighting words. Angle finally slaps Joe and Joe responds by go after him until the locker room goes out to separate the two. The announce team then hype the upcoming match between the two and the match between Mr. Anderson and Jeff Hardy. Anderson is then seen backstage looking at photos of his match at Sacrifice on his iPad. Anderson says one angle shows Hardy’s shoulder is down, however, another angle shows his shoulders were up. Anderson calls it close and will give Hardy another shot, but promises to defeat Hardy on his way to taking the title at OFN.

A video package on Slammiversary is aired which shows highlights of the three way X Division match in 2005 where AJ Styles defeated Christopher Daniels and Samoa Joe to win the X Division Championship.

Match 3: Mr. Anderson vs. Jeff Hardy (Open Fight Night Qualifier)
The match starts as the Anderson and Hardy go back and forth in the opening moments. Hardy hits Anderson with a leg drop and goes for a cover but Anderson kicks out. Anderson comes back and slams Hardy’s head onto the mat for a near fall of his own. Anderson then puts Hardy in a headlock before taking him down with a clothesline for another near fall. Hardy manages to fight back and takes Anderson down with a dropkick to pick up a near fall on Anderson. Anderson then comes back with a swinging neckbreaker for another near fall.

Hardy then counters Anderson and takes Anderson out with a chop block. Both are slow to get to their feet before they exchange blows until Hardy takes Anderson down with a couple of clotheslines and a flying forearm for another near fall. Hardy follows with a Russian leg sweep and then hits Anderson with a Whisper in the Wind but Anderson kicks out of the pin attempt. Hardy sets up for the Twist of Fate but Anderson counters and tries for a roll through slam but Hardy counters and pins Anderson to the mat. After the match, Mr. Anderson is seen smiling at Hardy before the two hug each other in the ring.

The announce team then hype the match between Samoa Joe and Kurt Angle, but first the Knockouts Championship is on the line in a three way match as we head into a commercial break.

Another video package highlighting the rivalry between Samoa Joe and Kurt Angle is aired. Footage of the Lockdown match between Joe and Angle where Joe became the TNA World Champion is focused upon.

Match 4: Velvet Sky vs. Brooke Tessmacher vs. Gail Kim (TNA Knockouts Championship)
The bell rings as Velvet and Brooke team together to takes Gail down and preventing her from leaving the ring. Gail finally manages to roll out to the floor as Brooke and Velvet square off and try to pick up quick pin falls with roll ups of each other. Gail finally trips up Velvet and pulls her out to the floor before heading into the ring and working over Brooke.

Gail methodically wears down Brooke and puts her in a Boston crab before Velvet comes back in and puts Gail in a headlock. Velvet then breaks up the submission hold but Gail manages to put Brook in an octopus submission hold. Velvet tries to roll both of the up but they manage to kick out. Velvet and Brooke begin to counter each others moves as Gail comes flying off the top rope and takes them out with a double missile dropkick.

All three are on the mat and Gail gets up and tries to hit Brooke with the Eat Defeat but Brooke blocks it. Velvet then hits Brooke with her In Yo Face finisher but Gail comes and tosses Velvet out to the floor. Gail then covers Brooke to pick up the pin fall to retain the TNA Knockouts Championship.

Another video package hyping Slammiversary and the 10 years of TNA is aired. Footage of the past 10 years is aired and how they have redefined history. Slammiversary will take place in 24 days on June 10.

A recap of the Open Fight Night qualifying matches is aired. The final qualifying match will take place next.

Match 5: Samoa Joe vs. Kurt Angle (Open Fight Night Qualifier)
The match starts and Joe quickly backs Angle into the corner and hits him with a flurry of strikes. Angle rolls out to the floor to regroup before heading back into the ring and tackles Joe down but Joe is able to get to the ropes. Joe then takes Angle down with a couple of shoulder blocks and connects with a knee drop to pick up a near fall. Joe then face washes Angle in the corner and continues on the attack until Angle counters and takes Joe down with a belly-to-belly suplex. Bobby Roode then walks out to get a closer look at this match as we head into a commercial break.

We return to the match to see Angle working over Joe in the corner with a series of kicks. Roode has joined the announce team and puts over his domination as Angle continues to wear Joe down with a headlock. Joe fights his way out of the headlock and takes Angle down with a big boot and a back splash for a near fall. Joe follows with a snap slam for another near fall as Joe begins to show signs of frustration. Angle then counters Joe attack and hits Joe with a series of German suplexes before pulling down his straps. Angle then goes for an Angle Slam but Joe counters with a rear naked choke. Angle then counters with an ankle lock but Joe kicks Angle off and nails Angle with a kick to the face.

Joe then hits Angle with an atomic drop and goes for another boot but Angle counters with an Angle Slam for a near fall. The two are slow to get up and exchange blows until Angle counters a kick from Joe and turns it into an ankle lock. Joe tries to kick Angle off but Angle refuses to let go of the submission hold. Joe finally sends Angle flying into the turnbuckle and then slams him down to the mat. Joe then sets up Angle for the muscle buster but Jangle counters and connects with a headbutt. Angle then jumps off the apron and rolls up Joe to pick up the pin fall.

After the match, Angle celebrates his victory and points at Roode as Jeff Hardy walks out from the crowd. Bully Ray then walks out onto the stage with his chair and yells at Roode for a bit before Styles walks out. Roode finds himself surrounded by four potential Open Fight Night opponents as Impact Wrestling comes to a close.

Quick Results
– Bully Ray defeated Rob Van Dam by pin fall in an Open Fight Night Qualifier.
– AJ Styles won a Wild Card Battle Royal in an Open Fight Night Qualifier.
– Jeff Hardy defeated Mr. Anderson by pin fall in an Open Fight Night Qualifier.
– Gail Kim defeated Velvet Sky and Brooke Tessmacher by pin fall to retain the TNA Knockouts Championship.
– Kurt Angle defeated Samoa Joe by pin fall in an Open Fight Night Qualifier.

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