TNA Impact Wrestling report
June 28, 2012
Live from Orlando, Fla.
Report by Scott Turner, PWTorch contributor

As usual tonight’s show opened with a narrated video recapping the happenings over the past couple of weeks surrounding two of TNA’s main stories, the build to Roode and Aries and the drama surrounding A.J. Styles, Dixie Carter, and Claire Lynch.

Backstage, Styles and Carter talked about putting the whole Claire Lynch situation behind them. Styles, overzealously, said he was going to get revenge on Daniels and Kazarian for himself, Carter, and Lynch.

As the show started the announcers hyped the night’s main event of Styles, and his parter, Kurt Angle, defending the Tag Team Titles against Daniels and Kazarian. A shot of Carter and Lynch walking into a dressing room was shown.

Mr. Anderson came out to the ring, and did his usual “asshole” schtick, followed up with his trademark double “Mr. Anderson” call out. Rob Van Dam came out next as the announcers explained that, from now on, Bound for Glory series matches would be contested with a 15-minute time limit.

1 -- MR. ANDERSON vs. ROB VAN DAM -- Bound for Glory Series match

Anderson tried to go for a hammerlock early on, but instead traded roll-ups and small packages with RVD for multiple one and two counts. RVD applied a submission maneuver, but Anderson was able to escape. Anderson caught RVD with a running elbow, but RVD was able to come back with a Northern Lights suplex for a two count. RVD followed up with a spring board moonsault, and tried to capitalize with a split-legged moonsault, but Anderson had him scouted with knees to the his midsection. Anderson applied a rear naked chokehold, as RVD took him into the corner to break out of it, and follow up with a crucifix pin for the win.

WINNER: Rob Van Dam via pinfall at 5:53; RVD gets 7 points

Turner Reax: About what would I expect from these two. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing, but the match itself was pretty sloppy looking in spots. I’m glad the time limit for Bound for Glory series matches has extended to add an extra five minutes. Those three-to-four-minute matches were getting a little out of hand last week.

Tenay and Taz looked over the Bound for Glory series leaderboard with James Storm at first place with 36 points. Samoa Joe and Angle trailed in second and third place with 17 and 10 points, respectively.

Austin Aries made his entrance as the show cut to commercials.

[Commercial Break]

In the ring, Aries asked “who is ready for a little dose of greatness?” He talked about his decision of having to relinquish the X Division Title in order to receive a World Hvt. Tittle match. “The decision to relinquish this, the X Division championship, to face Bobby Roode, for the World Heavyweight championship, was not an easy decision at all,” said Aries. “On one hand I have felt that I have defeated every competitor they have put in front of me in the X Division. I have stepped out of the X Division and have defeated heavyweights, like Bully Ray, like Samoa Joe, and I did feel like I needed some bigger competition. "

Aries went on to talk about the respect he had for the lineage of the X Division Title, and the belt itself. He ran through the stipulation of being able to cash in the X Division Title for a Hvt. Title match at Destination X. Aries questioned the future of the belt once he vacated it, and said that at Destination X there would be a tournament, consisting of former and current X Division wrestlers, to crown a new champion.

Roode’s music hit as he came down to the ring while Aries mocked him. He called Aries pathetically overconfident, to which Aries responded with “that’s nothing new for me,” funny. Roode held the World Hvt. championship in Aries’s face and it the real World Hvt. Championship. He said the only reason Aries got a match with him at Destination X was because of Hogan, and said Aries’s “Option C” is nothing but a failure as it sets up Aries, and the X Division for failure. Roode called Aries a kid, and told him to get out of his ring, but Aries said it was his ring, and told him if he wanted him to leave he was going to have to make him. Just as things were about to get heated, Roode flashed a smile, grabbed the Title, and left the ring.

A video recapped last week’s Claire Lynch reveal before she was interviewed backstage with Dixie Carter. She said things got bad when Daniels and Kazarian got involved, and that she had never known them before.

Backstage, Kazarian yelled at Daniels for leading him to believe that Styles was having an affair with Carter, causing him to turn his back on his best friend, A.J. Styles, for no reason. He stormed out on Daniels as Daniels seemed worried about their Tag Team Title match tonight.

Sonjay Dutt made his return to TNA to participate in a match to qualify for the X Division championship tournament at Destination X. Veteran indy wrestler Jigsaw made his TNA debut as Rubix, as Tenay ran through a list of accomplishments he had procured over the years.

2 -- SONJAY DUTT vs. RUBIX -- X Division Title tournament qualifying match

There was a quick exchange between the two wrestlers before Rubix hit a springboard arm drag. The quick action continued as Dutt hit a jumping hurricanrana before being caught with a diving a suicide dive through the ropes to the outside. Rubix took to the top, but was a met with a dropkick. Dutt hit a springboard splash for a close two count as the crowd began to chant “this is awesome.” Rubix hit a German suplex with a bridge for another two count. Dutt took the ropes and hit moounsault into a double foot stomp, allowing for a pinfall victory.

WINNER: Sonjay Dutt via pinfall at 3:14 to qualify for the X Division Title tournament

Turner Reax: That was a lot of fun for what it was. That moonsault into a double foot stomp was awesome. It’s good to see Sonjay back as I have always been a big fan of his work wherever he is working. Hopefully we see more of Rubix in TNA, as he would be a nice fit for the X Division.

Ringside, Christy Hemme asked Dutt how it felt to be back. He said he was back for one thing, to do the one thing he had never done in his time with Impact Wrestling, win the X Division Title. He tried to say no one had swagger like him, but he fumbled over his lines.

Taz, Bruce Pritchard, and Al Snow were shown talking about Taeler Hendrix’s Gut Check performance last week. They talked about how they hated when wrestlers felt they had a sense of entitlement as the show cut to commercials.

[Commercial Break]

Video footage of Hendrix’s match last week against Tara was shown to segue way into Pritchard, Taz, and Snow talking about her performance last week. They questioned whether she was still a little too green. Taz asked whether they were looking to hire someone with potential or someone that is “game ready.” He said she didn’t have a sense of entitlement, and that he hated when people did. Snow questioned whether if they nurtured her into a star if it would go to her head.

Bully Ray made his way to the ring, accompanied by footage of him bullying Joseph Park last week.

[Commercial Break]

3 -- BULLY RAY vs. SAMOA JOE -- Bound for Glory series match

The crowd was hot for Joe as they chanted “Joe’s gonna kill you.” Ray mouthed off to Joe prompting him to scare Ray off into the corner. Anytime Joe went in for a lockup, Ray would back off into the corner. Finally both men exchanged hammerlocks with Joe getting Ray into a side headlock. Both men collided into each other multiple times until Ray caught Joe with an elbow. Ray hit a big suplex on Joe, followed by a headbutt. The show went to commercials as Ray looked to lock Joe in the Camel Clutch.

[Commercial Break]

The show came back from the break with Joe beating on Ray in the corner. Before Joe could capitalize on his momentum, Ray put a stop to Joe with a big clothesline. Joe and Ray exchanged forearms and chops, until both men charged at each other, colliding to the ground. Ray took over the offensive edge as the crowd once again chanted, “Joe’s gonna kill you.” Joe dragged Ray to the outside, but Ray regained control of the match, slamming Joe’s arm onto the steel steps. Ray brought Joe back into the ring only to miss a big splash. Joe capitalized with an inverted atomic drop, a big boot, and a back senton for a close two count.

Ray took to the top rope for a back senton of his own, but missed. He rolled to the outside as Joe attempted a suicide dive to the outside. Ray had him scouted and caught him with a big boot to the face. With the referee distracted, Park came out and slapped Ray in the face. Joe got back in the ring, and locked Ray in a rear naked chokehold for the submission victory.

WINNER: Samoa Joe via submission at 13:00; Joe gets 10 points

Turner Reax: Nice match, and showing for both wrestlers. I hope they revisit this as a feud down the line, and allow them to duke it out on a bigger stage. Joe has been in TNA for so long now, and the audience never falters in their love for him regardless of some of the non-sense he’s been booked in.

Park got on the microphone, and asked Ray if he knew who he was. He called Ray a jackass bully, and said that the bullying ends tonight. Park said it is no longer about his brother Abyss, but rather it was now about Park and Ray. He said everyone was sick of his bullying, and then challenged him to a match in two weeks.

Tenay and Taz talked about audio between Styles and Carter being available on the TNA website.

Backstage, a cameraman asked Carter about the context of the picture Daniels and Kazarian presented of Styles and Carter together. She said they had gone to to the hotel room depicted in the picture to see Claire. Carter said the phone call between her and Styles was doctored up to make it seem like they were having an affair, but the reality was she was inviting Styles to her husband’s surprise birthday party. The cameraman asked Claire if she had been at the party, but she said no citing that she was in a bad spot at that time.

Backstage, Kazarian confronted Hogan about Daniels manipulating him to get him to do his bidding. Kazarian said he wanted to be a tag team champion, but not at the expense of his integrity. Hogan told Kazarian to be accountable, and to start fresh tonight. He told Kazarian to be straight with people, and that he had to participate in the match.

[Commercial Break]

Back from the break, Madison Rayne approached Garett Bischoff, who seemed to be enthralled by his phone, backstage, and asked what her crush was like. Bischoff had no idea what she was talking about, and asked, “What is who like?” She whispered something into his ear, prompting him to smile and say “good luck.”

Backstage, Brooke Hogan informed Brooke Tessmacher that she had landed her a deal to spokeswoman for Direct Auto Insurance. Gail Kim came into the picture and told Hogan that she needed to realize that the other Knockouts were a copy of her, and demanded her re-match for the Knockouts Title. Hogan took exception to Kim’s attitude, but told her she would get her re-match, next week.

In the ring, Hemme introduced X Division newcomer Rashad Cameron, followed by California indy stand-out Scorpio Sky, billed as Mason Andrews.

4 -- RASHAD CAMERON vs. MASON ANDREWS

Cameron started the match charging at Andrew, and eventually found himself in a roll up. Andrews hit a high drop kick and sent Cameron to the outside. He followed up with an aerial over the top rope to the outside for a crazy looking crash on the floor. Cameron came back with a knee to the gut of a running Andrews for a two count. He missed a moonsault attempt, and was caught with a series of clotheslines accentuated with a springboard crossbody for a two count. Cameron sent Andrews out to the floor, and followed up with a flip over the top rope to the outside. He went to the top rope, but Andrews regained his wits and hit a jumping huracanrana off the top rope. Cameron hit Andrews with Pay Dirt for the victory

WINNER: Rashad Cameron via pinfall at 3:40

Turner Reax: Good showing from both men, who provided an exciting match that got the Impact Zone behind both relatively unknown men. I’ve been a big fan of Scorpio Sky for a while, so it was a pleasant surprise to see him on tonight’s show.

After the match, Hemme interview Cameron at ringside. He said everybody out in TV land was looking at the new X Division champion, and said the Rashad Cameron movement had begun.

Taeler Hendrix was shown backstage preparing for her Gut Check evaluation as the show went to a commercial break.

[Commercial Break]

Hogan addressed both James Storm and Jeff Hardy in his office, after taking a phone call updating him on Sting’s condition after the beat down he took two weeks ago. He asked Storm how he had been doing; Storm said he was in great condition, and that he was ready to kick ass. Hogan told Hardy that last week he saw a Jeff Hardy that wanted to rule the world. He informed that next week they would be competing against each other in the main-event.

In the ring, Jeremy Borash introduced tonight’s Gut Check segment and its three judges. Hendrix came down to the ring to receive her evaluation as all three judges announced they were ready to make a decision. Borash asked Hendrix if she had shown them her best in her match last week against Tara, to which she replied that she had.

Taz was the first to give his answer of yes, accompanied by no explanation for his vote. As Snow was about to give his answer Joey Ryan was at ringside causing a commotion, prompting Taz to take to the ringside to face Ryan. Ryan got in his face, begging for Taz to hit him. Security got involved and escorted Ryan out of the Impact Zone. Snow got back on the mic, and told Hendrix that he did not believe she was ready for a spot on the Impact roster. Borash gave the mic to Hendrix to make one last plea for a spot on the Impact roster. She said wanted to prove how hungry she was, and that she wanted to fight. Prichard took to the microphone, and said he didn’t love Hendrix, but he liked her. He said didn’t know if she was tough enough, but that she heart, desire, and class that could be worked with, and ultimately voted “yes.” Hendrix looked into the camera and thanked everyone who helped her get to TNA.

Backstage, Angle congratulated Styles for being of high moral character. He said the original Styles was back, and that if they gave it their best they were going to retain their Tag Team Titles. During the course of the conversation Styles revealed that he had a last man standing match with Daniels at Destination X.

[Commercial Break]

The announcers hyped an appearance by Chris Sabin for next week’s show to explain the knee injury he suffered during an Ultimate X match two weeks.

Lynch and Carter were shown in the audience as the wrestlers made their entrances.

5 -- TNA Tag champions A.J. STYLES & KURT ANGLE vs. DANIELS & KAZARIAN -- TNA Tag Title match

Styles and Kazarian started the match for their respective teams. Not too long after Styles tagged in Angle and got in some double team offense. Eventually Kazarian and Daniels started taking control of the match before they played into Kazarian being conflicted by teaming with Daniels. Styles and Daniels went at it as Styles executed a jumping hurricanrana to Daniels off the ring apron. Kazarian approached Daniels at ringside, and asked a puzzled Daniels if he was happy about the trouble he had caused as the show went to commercial break.

[Commercial Break]

Back from the break, Daniels had Styles in sleeperhold. He hit Styles with a Judo-style sto for a two count. Daniels attempted a springboard sit-out moonsault, but was caught by the knee’s of Styles. Styles got the hot tag on Angle, who cleaned house using a series of clotheslines , and a handful of German suplexes. Eventually Kazarian was able to fight back with a cutter for a two count on Angle. Angle reversed a Fade to Black attempt into an ankle lock, but was kicked off to the corner, where Styles was able to tag himself in, and interject himself back into the match with a springboard forearm on Kazarian. He followed up with a huracanrana from the floor on Daniels before the wrestlers had an exchange that saw them colliding into each other.

Angle tried to German suplex Daniels once again, but he able to grab onto the referee, and throw him and Angle out of the ring. Daniels went for a steel chair, but was stopped by Kazarian when he wound up to hit him. Styles nailed Daniels with the Pele Kick, and with the blessing of Kazarian, he him up for the Styles Clash. Before he could get the move off, Kazarian came back into the ring with the steel chair, and proceeded to whack Styles across the back. Daniels made the cover as Kazarian slid the referee back into the ring to make the three count for the win.

WINNERS: Daniels and Kazarian via pinfall at 11:45 to win the TNA Tag Team Titles.

Turner Reax: A good television main event, but not as impressive as the match these four had at Slammiversary. I was excited to see Angle and Styles as the tag champs, but it was readily apparent that their reign was going to take the backseat to all the drama surrounding Lynch. That being considered, I’m glad Daniels and Kazarian have the belts again.

After the match, Daniels and Kazarian shared an embrace as Daniels got on the mic to boast about being the new champions. He directed his attention towards Lynch and Carter, and pointed out the fact that it was obvious she was pregnant. Daniels claimed the forthcoming child belonged to Styles. Lynch began to cry, and Carter barked threats of Daniels and Kazarian being finished as the show signed off.

Turner Reax: At this point, TNA is neck deep in the water that is this absurd storyline. I give them credit, they have stuck to their guns, and they have attempted to go back to try and cover up any plotholes that have arisen as the storyline has played out. Maybe things will change as the storyline plays out, but at this point it just gets more absurd as the weeks roll on. A.J. Styles fostering a crack baby? I smell a miscarriage, and or abortion, twist looming in the shadows.

Otherwise, this week’s show was another strong edition in a volume of good episodes TNA has produced since going live. As with last week’s show, I am left looking forward to next week’s broadcast of Impact. Thanks again for reading, and see you all next.

We suggest these recent related articles...

MCMAHON'S TNA IMPACT REPORT 9/30: Final hype for Bound for Glory, Ciampa also wrestles on Impact, Dollhouse vs. BP, more; Overall Reax

MCMAHON'S TNA IMPACT REPORT 9/23: ECIII defends TNA Title, #1 contender match, Hardy "quits" servanthood, two more title matches, more; Overall Reax

MCMAHON'S TNA IMPACT REPORT 9/16: Team TNA vs. Team GFW for control of TNA, new Knockouts champion, more; Overall Reax