5/2/13 IMPACT WRESTLING RECAP

Join the Starman as he covers tonight’s Impact Wrestling broadcast that was taped last week from the Kovalchick Complex in Indiana, Pennsylvania.

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A “Previously on Impact Wrestling” recap kicks off the show and focuses on the list of victims of the Aces & Eights. Last week, Bully Ray called out Hulk Hogan and we saw the return of Sting, who came to the aid of Hogan. The narrator wonders if Sting and Hogan can put their differences aside to go up against Aces & Eights.

We head into the Kovalchick Complex and see shots of the crowd as Hulk Hogan’s music hits. Hogan makes his way to the ring and immediately calls Sting out to the ring to find out what’s up with him. Sting’s music hits as he makes his way out to the ring as Hogan says last week Sting was in his face before admitting he made a wrong choice with running him off. Hogan apologizes for pushing Sting away and the two shake hands as Hogan says they should have been taking care of Aces & Eights together from the start.

Sting gets on the microphone and says it’s all water under the bridge before asking Hogan for a six man tag match against Aces & Eights next week. Hogan tells Sting to put his army together as he has to figure out who will face Bully Ray at Slammiversary. Matt Morgan’s music hits as he comes to the ring and begins running his mouth on how he knows Hogan will give Sting yet another title shot. Hogan says there will be no more hand outs from him and people have to earn their spots. Hogan then goes on to say the winner of the main event tonight will go on to face Bully Ray and the match will be between Sting and Morgan.

A video package on Chris Sabin is aired, which focuses on his knee injury. Sabin says he dreams had been taken away from him in a second and he knew what he had to go through as he just went through the injury on his other leg. Sabin says doctors told him to quit wrestling but he wants to become the Adrian Peterson of the wrestling world. Sabin says he came into the business to be the World Champion and he will keep that as his goal. The announce team hype the X Division Contenders match that will take place between Sonjay Dutt, Zema Ion and Chris Sabin, which will come up after the break.

Kurt Angle is backstage and says it’s the same thing every week with Aces & Eights and this week he is issuing a challenge to any of them to face him in the ring. Angle says he can be beaten, but he can’t be stopped.

Match 1: Sonjay Dutt vs. Zema Ion vs. Chris Sabin (X Division Contender Match)
The match starts as Ion is quickly tossed out to the floor as Dutt takes Sabin down but Sabin comes back with an eziguri for a near fall. Zema flies back in and takes both Sabin and Dutt down with one move and takes control of the match. The results of the X Division poll is revealed and it will be Suicide in the next X Division contender match. Back to the match, Dutt takes Sabin down with a tornado DDT and picks up a near fall. We are treated to footage of the X-Cam as Ion hits Dutt with a DDT for another near fall. Sabin the levels Ion with a clothesline before hitting Dutt with a DVD on top of Ion. Sabin then hits Ion with a move similar to the Cradle Shock and picks up the pin fall to win the match.

Robbie E. and Jessie Goddarz are backstage and are wondering how to take care of Rob Terry. Godderz says he is getting help from Joey Ryan and they will take Terry out 3-on-1.

Bully Ray is backstage and asks Aces & Eights if they saw Hulk Hogan and Sting mocking them in the ring. Ray says nobody mocks them and says he is not worried about either Sting or Morgan as he will get the job done. Ray then turns his attention to Kurt Angle and says he wants him taken out just like the way he took care of Jeff Hardy. Wes Brisco and Garett Bischoff volunteer to take care of him, but D’Lo Brown says he is going to do it and will take the honor of taking out an Olympic gold medalist. D’Lo swears on his colors that he will get the job done tonight.

Match 2: Jessie Godderz/Joey Ryan/Robbie E. vs. Rob Terry (Handicap Match)
Ryan starts off against Terry and is quickly taken down with a series of power moves. Terry then begins getting triple teamed, which allows the trio to take Terry down as they begin making quick tags to wear Terry down. Ryan begins wasting time and gives Terry an opening. All three then swarm on Terry, but he just busts out of them Incredible Hulk style before putting Ryan out with a Beast Bomb to pick up the pin fall.

The announce team then hype Kurt Angle going up against D’Lo Brown and Matt Morgan taking on Sting in a #1 contenders match. We then see Bobby Roode and Austin Aries walking backstage and are heading towards the ring as we head into a commercial break.

Bobby Roode and Austin Aries make their way to the ring as the announcers tell us that they will be in a #1 contenders match against Bad Influence next week. Roode grabs a microphone and says Bad Influence played mind games with him last week and it worked a little bit. Aries says he didn’t believe a word that was coming out of their mouths. Aries goes on to say that he and Roode are just friends enough to be a team together and are former World Champions that have a common goal.

Bad Influence’s music interrupts them as Christopher Daniels and Kazarian make their way to the ring. Daniels says everyone know the two of them are a cheap imitation of the best tag team in the business today. Daniels says the next tag team champions are standing in the ring and it is Bad Influence. Roode says they will do what it takes to be the next tag team champions, however, Kazarian says they aren’t anything more than Bad Influence light.

Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez come out and says talk time is over and it’s time for action. Chavo says Hulk Hogan told him about a special referee next week and it will be James Storm. Storm’s music hits as he comes out and shares a few beers with the Tag Team Champions and stares down the two tag teams in the ring.

Sting walks up to Kurt Angle and asks him if he is ready for tonight. Sting then pushes the camera man away and closes the door to go talk to Angle in private as we head into a commercial break.

Tara and Gail Kim and backstage and Tara is fired up about Taryn Terrell. Gail then says she is all over the new Knockouts website and that they need to make sure that they embarrass her in their tag team match tonight. Tara then leaves and Gail says she will make sure she gets the victory.

Chris Sabin is being interviewed backstage and talks about being nervous as he had had only seven match over the past two years. Sabin then talks about the energy he felt tonight from the crowd.

Match 3: D’Lo Brown vs. Kurt Angle
Before the match, D’Lo grabs a microphone and says he promised Aces & Eights that he was going to beat him in the ring, however, that isn’t good enough. D’Lo then says he will beat him in an “I Quit” match and nails Angle with a blow. Angle quickly comes back and puts D’Lo in a submission but he won’t quit. A few members of Aces & Eights come out to the ringside area and distract Angle as D’Lo takes Angle down and heads out to the floor to regroup. D’Lo then pulls Angle out to the floor and sends him into the ring post a few times and bends Angle around the post before sending him back into the ring.

D’Lo begins to focus on Angle’s left arm (instead of the taped knee), but Angle refuses to give up. Angle tries to counter with an ankle lock, but D’Lo kicks him off and levels Angle with a clothesline. D’Lo continues to work over Angle’s arm and locks in a cobra clutch but Angle refuses to submit. Angle then breaks free and hits a series of six German suplexes before putting in the ankle lock but D’Lo refuses to quit. D’Lo kicks Angle off and hits Angle with a Samoan drop and goes for a powerbomb but Angle counters with another ankle lock. D’Lo begins to tap before screaming that he quits and Angle wins the contest.

The group sitting ringside looks on in disgust before turning and walking away. Christy Hemme then catches up with Angle and says after battling with the Aces & Eights he has his mind on one person, and that is AJ Styles. Angle then calls out Styles and tells him to come to the ring as we head into a commercial break.

We return to see Angle calling out Styles one last time as Styles’ music hits and he makes his way to the ring. Angle tells Styles that he doesn’t look the same and says going with Aces & Eights is the easy way, but that’s not his style. Angle says Styles was one of the reasons he came to TNA and says he and Sting are taking the war to Aces & Eights next week and wants to know where he stands. Angle says the choice is his next week and leaves Styles standing in the ring.

The announce team hype the match between Sting and Matt Morgan and the announce team wonder who will go on to face Bully Ray. A recap of Hulk Hogan booking the match earlier in the night is aired. Matt Morgan is backstage and says he is pissed at waiting for Hogan to give him the ball. Morgan says tonight he will take the ball and go through both Sting and Bully Ray to get the TNA World Championship.

Match 4: Gail Kim & Tara vs. Taryn Terrell & Mickie James
ODB is the referee for this Knockouts tag team match. The bell rings and Taryn goes after both Tara and Gail before Mickie and Taryn send the two partners crashing into each other. Taryn and Mickie then work together against Gail and pick up a near fall in the process. Gail then takes Mickie down and pushes her off the ring apron and onto the floor. Tara rolls Mickie back into the ring and Gail tags Tara into the match as she continues to work over Mickie. Tara picks up a near fall before locking in a submission hold but Taryn breaks it up. Gail is tagged back in and the two knock each other down with attempts at a cross body block. Both make tags to their partners as Taryn takes Tara down with a series of clotheslines and a suplex. Taryn then hits a cross body from the top rope but Gail breaks up the pin attempt. Mickie then takes out Gail as Taryn rolls up Tara and picks up the pin fall.

After the match, Tara and Gail attack Mickie and Taryn during their victory celebration. Mickie and Tara fight up the ramp as ODB tries to break it up, while Gail hits Taryn with the Eat Defeat in the ring. Gail then puts Taryn in a figure four around the ring post until ODB breaks up the hold and gets Gail to go to the back.

Sting is seen getting ready for his match as we head into a commercial break.

Footage of D’Lo Brown quitting during his match earlier in the night is aired. We then head backstage where Bully Ray can’t believe that D’Lo quit against Angle. Ray says he will deal with him next week but first he tells Anderson and Devon that they step up to the plate next week. The announce team then hype the big six man tag team match and the #1 contenders match with Austin Aries & Bobby Roode going up against Bad Influence. Roode and Aries are backstage and say they will become the #1 contenders next week and that Chavo Guerrero & Hernandez don’t hold a candle to them.

Match 5: Matt Morgan vs. Sting (#1 Contender to TNA World Championship)
Morgan comes to the ring wearing Hulk Hogan’s robe that he took from him several months ago. The bell sounds and Morgan quickly takes Sting down and dominates Sting in the early going as we head into a commercial break. We return to the match and see Sting and Morgan fighting out on the floor before Morgan drops a leg drop on Sting from the apron. Morgan goes for another one, but Sting rolls out of the way and then sends Morgan into the guard railing. Sting rolls Morgan into the ring but Morgan comes back and drops Sting with a side slam for a near fall.

Morgan continues to beat Sting down as the crowd starts to rally behind Sting. Morgan finally misses with an elbow drop as Sting comes back and knocks Morgan down with a couple of clotheslines before hitting a Stinger Splash. Morgan quickly comes back, though, and hits Sting with a series of back elbows. Morgan takes too much time and Sting sends Morgan back into the corner. Sting tries for another Stinger Splash but Morgan counters with a Carbon Footprint for a near fall. Morgan misses a second attempt as Sting focuses on Morgan’s legs and puts him in the Scorpion Death Lock. Morgan fights through the pain crawls his way to the ropes to break the hold. Sting then puts it back on in the center of the ring and Morgan passes out from the pain as Sting wins the match.

After the match, Bully Ray, Mr. Anderson and Devon come out and trash talk Sting from the ring apron as Impact Wrestling comes to a close.

Quick Results
– Chris Sabin defeated Sonjay Dutt and Zema Ion by pin fall to qualify for the X Division Championship Triple Threat match.
– Rob Terry defeated Jessie Godderz/Joey Ryan/Robbie E. by pin fall in a handicap match.
– Kurt Angle defeated D’Lo Brown in an I Quit Match.
– Taryn Terrell & Mickie James defeated Gail Kim & Tara by pin fall.
– Sting defeated Matt Morgan by submission to become the #1 contender to the TNA World Championship.