by Jeff Hamlin ( hamlin37@hotmail.com) Twitter: @hamlin37
Kurt Angle came out and said the playing field for the TNA Heavyweight title had been manipulated and asked for Bobby Lashley to come out. Angle told MVP and Kenny King to take the night off, then asked Lashley why didn’t he grant Bobby Roode his rematch when Roode asked for it. Lashley said because Roode had already received a title shot, then asked Angle if he wanted a title shot. They had a good staredown that had some intensity before Angle said that was a match that would come at another time. Until then, Angle arranged for a four-way match for later tonight that will determine the number one contender between Eric Young, Jeff Hardy, Austin Aries and Roode.
They showed clips of Tommy Dreamer giving the TNA Hall of Fame Induction speech for Brother Ray and Devon. Velvet Sky was shown sitting beside Ray. Devon said Ray couldn’t have been a better partner to him. His speech sounded almost like a retirement statement, thanking the company for one more run in recent months. Ray thanked Dreamer, who he called his best friend. He thanked Devon, who he compared his partnership with to a marriage. Strange seeing Ray give a Hall of Fame speech knowing he gave his locker room goodbyes just a few weeks earlier, but it looked like a nice ceremony.
Matt Hardy started to do a promo with Magnus walked in and talked about how he beat his brother for the TNA World Title earlier this year and said Matt was nothing more than a cheerleader for his brother. Matt then challenged Magnus to a match for later.
Madison Rayne did a promo saying she felt like people were ganging up on her when she pulled the trunks to beat Taryn Terrell last week to earn a title shot tonight. Another step in a heel turn.
1. Havok defeated Madison Rayne to retain the TNA Knockouts title. Havok just hasn’t caught on yet because she isn’t effortlessly threatening like Awesome Kong was. She’s missing Kong’s heel charisma and relies on cackling and her size for her act. Maybe it’s also because Kong was a better worker. Almost entirely Havok’s match using a variety of backbreaker submission holds. Rayne’s offense didn’t look convincing against a monster heel like Havok at all. Havok did take a bump for a missile drop kick. Havok blocked an attempt at the Oklahoma Side Roll and got the pin with a choke slam, which is called the Harlot Slayer. That’s a great name for a trash metal band, by the way. *1/2
Angle and Devon pretended like they had just gotten back from Japan with Devon saying he was still jet lagged. Devon said he was still committed to helping the TNA roster in whatever way he could. Does he know anyone at MTV?
Young did a promo saying when he won the TNA World title from Magnus earlier this year, he was given a 5% chance to win. Does Nate Silver now do wrestling projections? He said he had a 25% chance to win the four-way tonight.
2. Matt Hardy defeated Magnus. Magnus power bombed Hardy into the turnpost, then into the apron hard. Mike Tenay brought up how there’s rumors of brewing jealousy between Magnus and Bram. Hardy made his comeback with a side effect and hit a moonsault for another near fall. Matt attempted the Twist of Fate but Magnus pushed him off. Matt attempted a rana, but Magnus didn’t go over and held the ropes in a pin attempt, but referee Brian Stiffler caught him. Magnus tried a dive off the ropes, but Matt caught him in mid-air with the Twist of Fate for the pin. **/14
Ethan Carter the Third did a promo saying he had found a replacement for Rockstar Spud and his new bodyguard would be revealed tonight.
3. The Menagerie defeated Bro Mans and Angelina Love. Didn’t we just see Sky sitting beside Ray earlier? Now she was acting like she was with DJ Zema. No word on where Robbie E was. I guess they were selling that Robbie was still running the Amazing Race with Brooke, even thought taping ended months ago. Robbie really comes off well on that show as a nice, bright guy with a nuclear girlfriend. And Brooke proved to be much more aware of the world than one real estate developer she competed against who had no idea that the sun rose in the west. Rebel and Angelina Love attempted some spots, and all I can say is that real estate developer who thought the sun rose in the east was dumb. Crazzy Steve tried to kiss Love, but Jessie Godderz broke it up and tried to press slam him. Steve escaped and hit a tornado DDT for the pin. At least it wasn’t abysmal. *
Aries approached Roode backstage and said the match tonight would be one to remember. Roode said it was his shot to get one more shot at Lashley, and Aries said it was everyone’s one shot to get at Lashley.
EC3 came out and his new bodyguard Brodus Clay came out. Of course, they couldn’t call him that. So his new name is Tyrus. EC3 admitted he had to make a few cuts in order to acquire Tyrus, so he told Rockstar Spud “See you never.” EC3 demanded Ray be removed from the TNA Hall of Fame. He brought up the TNA Hall of Fame, and he’s beaten every member in the Hall (Sting, Angle and Ray). EC3 said he would never be defeated. That brought out Devon, who said EC3 had never defeated him. He started to go after Tyrus, but Bram attacked Devon from behind with a trash can lid. Bram, now called “The King of Hardcore,” hit Devon repeatedly in the leg. Devon sold his left knee, while EC3 looked surprised that Bram would jump Devon.
After a commercial,EC3 and Tyrus were still in the ring. EC3 said Bram’s attack constituted a victory for him over Devon. So Tyrus’ raised EC3’s hand. EC3 said he had arranged for Tyrus to wrestle tonight and revealed his opponent as Shark Boy. Except Shark Boy didn’t come out for his entrance. Agent Pat Kenney looked around for him, and Bob Ryder made a cameo pointing to Shark’s dressing room. Shark was shown eating doughnuts while Kenney berated him. Shark needed help just to get off the couch.
4. Tyrus defeated Shark Boy. Tyrus always seemed better off as a heel instead of a dancing comedy babyface. Since that’s how he was trained in FCW, perhaps he should have stayed that way. Tyrus got the pin with a choke slam in a squash. DUD
They aired highlights from Bound for Glory. You’ve never seen a more mundane recap of a company’s biggest show. They aired clips of two matches, and one of those was Samoa Joe’s victory to retain a title he doesn’t even hold anymore. Judging from the package, the biggest star on the show was the Great Muta, who resembles Antonio Inoki not only in his ability to stay in shape for a man his advanced age, but also for his ability to retain charisma despite running a company into the ground.
Bram said it was no one’s business why he jumped Devon.
There was a package detailing the Wolves’ victory in the Tag Team Title Series. The Wolves did a promo where it was announced an 8-team tag team tournament would start next week with the winner getting a shot at the tag team belts.
To show you how hard up for money the company is, they’re actually advertising Sting merchandise for sale.
5. Bobby Roode won a four-way elimination match over Austin Aries, Jeff Hardy and Eric Young. For once in TNA, the rules actually led to a better match. It was an elimination match where all four men were in the ring at the same time, so we didn’t get the tired tag routine. In the opening minutes, Young hit a tope on Roode, Hardy launched off Aries’ back for Poetry in Motion on the floor onto Roode and Young, and Aries followed with a tope onto all three men. Young teased the Randy Savage elbow, but Roode picked him off on the top rope. Aries and Roode fought with each other until they teamed for a double superplex on Young. But Hardy got underneath Roode and Aries and power bombed both men, and Young took the monster bump off the top rope. Hardy teased the Senton on Aries, who crotched him. In opposite corners, Young missed a moonsault on Roode, while Hardy missed a Swanton on Aries. Then Roode hit the Roode Bomb on Young and Aries hit the brainbuster on Hardy, and each man pinned their victim at the same time for a double elimination. So it was down to the former tag team partners. The final minutes with Aries and Roode were excellent, and if this is the swan song for Aries, he saved some of his very best for last. At one point, Roode tried a Roode Bomb, but Aries caught a sunset flip out for a two count, but Roode bridged right into a crossface for a near submission. Then it was Aries going with the Last Chancery, which Roode broke by getting to the ropes. Aries caught a missile dropkick, a full speed dropkick in the corner and tried the Brainbuster, but Roode escaped. Aries walloped Roode with a forearm and tried another full speed dropkick, but Roode caught him and nailed the Roode Bomb for the pin. Another week for the main event was the highlight of the show. ****1/4
Postmatch, Young and Hardy came back down and all four men raised each other’s hands.
SUMMARY: Second straight show where the main event made the show a real highlight for the week.
The Big News: Bobby Roode won a four-way elimination match to earn a title shot against Bobby Lashley in a sensational main event.