SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
McMahon’s Impact Wrestling Report
January 26, 2017
Taped in Orlando, Fla. (Universal Studios)
Aired on PopTV
Announcers: Josh Mathews & “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero
[HOUR ONE]
– Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy come to the ring for the show’s opening promo segment. Matt said that this truly is a genesis for Impact. Matt said they were the duo destined to be known as the greatest team of space and time. Matt specifically says that Jeff won the case, and he is able to use it at Open Fight Night next week on Impact.
Matt asked Jeff if there was anything he wanted to divulge? Jeff said it might be time for him to be the TNA World Champion again. Jeff asked if there was any info the seven deities shared with Matt? Matt said they came to him with a premonition. In it, he saw team, after team, after team and title, after title, after title, a never ending wave of championships and challengers, and Matt said they started a tag team evolution that has never been seen before. Matt said he must revert to his Egyptian roots and he must embrace the gold, changing tag team wrestling forever. Matt said that, along with Brother Nero, they must go capture every piece of gold there is.
That brought out the D.C.C. James Storm said that he knows something about revolutions, and the Hardy brothers only need to worry about the D.C.C., not everyone’s gold. Storm pointed at their briefcase and said next week, they can call out anyone they want. Storm said that right now, before next week, he thought they should show the Hardys why they are the Death Crew Council.
As soon as he uttered his last word, Decay came out to their music. Crazzy Steve said that Decay speaks of opportunity. Decay challenged both of them to a match. Matt said it was rude for “those blokes” to interrupt them, but if they wanted to fight for the Tag Team Titles of the world, the fight would commence. Matt then jumped Storm and a three-team brawl started teh show.
[Commercial break]
(1) “BROKEN” MATT HARDY & BROTHER NERO vs. THE D.C.C. vs. DECAY – TNA World Tag Team Championship match
Back from the break, the match is already underway. Kingston and Crazzy Steve are the legal men and Kingston hits a snap suplex for a one count. Bram tags in and hits a neckbreaker for a two count. Abyss hits a double clothesline on the D.C.C. and Jeff Hardy tags Kingston to get into the match. Hardy drops Abyss and connects with a dropkick for a two count. D.C.C. ends up on more offense again, taking out Jeff Hardy. Finally, Hardy hits a twist of fate and both he and Bram are down. Bram tags Kingston and Jeff tags Matt.
Matt hits a series of clotheslines and a side effect for a two count that’s broken up by Steve. Matt hits a bulldog on Steve while connecting with a clothesline on Kingston at the same time. Kingston goes to the top but Matt Hardy distracts the referee and Steve spits green mist into his face. After a brawl spills to the outside, Matt hits a twist of fate on Kingston for the win.
WINNER: Matt & Jeff Hardy in 10:00
After the match, Mathews shows several replays.
– Backstage: Drew Galloway said he knows people want to know what Phase II is for the champion, but he’s not going to tell us now. He’s going to tell us out in the ring. But, Galloway said he promised the Grand Championship would be defended tonight.
[Commercial break]
– Back from the break, Braxton Sutter and Laurel Van Ness are on a date. Braxton seems not interested in being there. Laurel is being rude to the wait staff and Sutter looks embarrassed. She snapped her fingers and said “I could go for some wine,” and Sutter said, “I could go for about 10” under his breath.
– In-arena: Drew Galloway is coming to the ring for a promo. Galloway said he’s back, but he’s a changed man. He said he wears the hoodie to tune out the nonsense. Galloway said he was fine being a martyr, and everything he did was for the greater good of Impact. Galloway said he wants to make the Grand Championship more important than any other title. He then invited the whole locker room, asking who wanted a shot at the champ?
Moose them came out from the back. Moose said he was going to get into the ring and beat the living hell out of Galloway to get his Grand Championship back.
[Commercial break]
(2) Drew Galloway vs. Moose — Grand Championship match
Round 1
Moose hit a moonsault for a two count. Now on the outside, they traded chops and Galloway throw a big forearm over Moose’s back. Moose then powerbombed Galloway on the apron.
Scores: Moose, 30-27
Round 2
Moose hit a Go to Hell only 20 seconds into the second round for a two count. Moose hits a Game Changer but Moose appears to be hurt as well. Both men are down and the referee tells them to stop the clock. The referee took a point away from Galloway for a low blow from Galloway, as Moose was hitting the move. The low blow looks unintentional, though. Not like last week.
After a short break, Galloway hits a Claymore for a two count. Galloway gets lightly shoved into the referee and the ref goes down. Galloway then hits a blatant low blow on Moose, setting up a Future Shock DDT for the pinfall win.
WINNER: Drew Galloway via pinfall to retain.
After the match, Galloway celebrates as Mathews shows highlights.
– Sutter and Laurel are shown again at a restaurant on their date. Laurel said Allie ruined their Thanksgiving date. Sutter is just trying to get through this. Laurel said she forgave Braxton for training Allie. Braxton is now drinking wine straight from the bottle.
[Commercial break]
(3) JADE vs. ROSEMARY – Monster’s Ball match for the TNA Knockouts Championship
Madison Rayne is back on commentary for this Knockouts match. Madison said that Rosemary is built for this type of match and she had Abyss to train her.
Jade jumped off the apron, taking out Rosemary to start the match. Rosemary quickly takes control on the ramp, though.
Rosemary is in new gear with pink camoflauge. Rosemary hits Jade with a kendo stick and then goes under the ring, pulling out a bag of tacks. Jade hits a dropkick, which doesn’t allow Rosemary to use the tacks. Jade, who is wearing jeans and an Impact t-shirt, takes off her belt and begins to whip Rosemary with it. Jade then uses the kendo stick over the back of Rosemary again and again. Jade hits a german suplex into the tacks for a two count. Rosemary tried to spit mist into Jade’s face, but she picks up a trashcan lid and shields her face with it.
[HOUR TWO]
Jade goes to the outside and grabs a table, setting it up inside the ring but she gets cut off by Rosemary, who then brings in a barbed-wire board. She’s about to throw Jade onto it, but Jade counters and Jade throws Rosemary into the board. Jade covers for another two count.
Jade then picks up the barbed-wire board and throws it onto Rosemary. Jade sets Rosemary up on the table and goes to the top rope. Jade calls for a 450 but Rosemary climbs down and knocks Jade off the rope.
Rosemary then hits a superplex through the table for a three count.
WINNER: Rosemary in 9:00
After the match, Mathews said that women’s wrestling has been taken to a new level the last six months, no matter where you watch, but Jade and Rosemary set a new standard tonight.
Gail Kim comes to ringside and checks on Jade as Rosemary rolls to the outside with her belt. Rosemary then rolls back into the ring and spits the purple mist into Gail Kim’s face.
[Commercial break]
– Back from the break, Laurel and Sutter are still on their date. Laurel said she knows this is the best date he’s ever been on. Sutter looks like he’s falling asleep. Braxton said that this has been something, but he’s going to get the check from the guy, just as Laurel was trying to get him to go back to her place. When Sutter gets up, Laurel calls Maria and she’s telling her how great the date is going. Laurel said she gets what she wants, and for now, she wants Braxton Sutter.
– An interview/vignette introducing Caleb Konley is shown. The graphic said he is the newest X-Division wrestler. Konley talked about his dad and how he was a roadie, and how that lifestyle he’s always been on the road. Konley said he has been wrestling for 12 years, and it has been a long road. He said that tonight, he is going to make history and win the X Division Title.
(4) D.J. Z vs. CALEB KONLEY vs. TREVOR LEE vs. MARSHE ROCKET vs. ANDREW EVERETT
The action is fast and furious at the start (surprised?) and Mathews almost immediately starts talking about Konley. In the ring, as most spill to the outside, Konley hits a suplex on D.J. Z for a two count. D.J. Z hits a neckbreaker on Rocket as all four of his opponents had the guy in front of them set up for a DDT. D.J. Z tries to pin all four, and all four kick out.
Konley hits back-to-back dives, climbing back in the ring in between. Everett then springboards and takes out Rocket and Konley. In the ring, D.J. Z dives over the top rope to take out all four of his opponents.
Rocket then goes in the ring and takes out all four men. Back in the ring, D.J. Z hits a ZZT on Everett for the win.
WINNER: D.J. Z retains by pinning Everett in 5:00
After the match, Lee attacks D.J. Z from behind. The Helms Dynasty then all attack D.J. Z, including taking a chair to D.J. Z’s injured ankle over and over. Mathews points out that Lee has an Open Fight Night briefcase for next week.
– Backstage: Davey Richards tells Eddie Edwards that he has been training all week for this. Richards said tonight they are going to prove to the world, and Wolves nation … Edwards cuts him off and said that he needs to do it himself. Edwards said it’s no disrespect, but Lashley is saying he can’t do it himself. Edwards said please, he needs to do it himself. Richards looks upset but said “yeah, you’re the champ.” Edwards gives him a hug and says “I’m bringing this back,” motioning at the title. Richards scowls as Edwards walks off.
[Commercial break]
– Backstage, Matt Hardy said they are only one week away from Open Fight Night. Matt said he asked Vanguard One to show them some potential selections. They show D.J. Z, and Jeff sounded confused. Matt called him a spot monkey. Vanguard One shows them Rosemary, but Jeff said he already has a demon. Then Ricky Morton, but Jeff said he’s already too close to heaven. Then they’re shown Eddie Edwards. Jeff said maybe it’s time for him to be World Champion again. Matt gasps and said he just had a premonition on who he will challenge next week as they cut back to the ring.
(5) EDDIE EDWARDS vs. LASHLEY – 30-minute iron man match for the TNA World Hvt. Title
The match begins and Lashley has the early control, hitting a delayed vertical suplex on Edwards. Edwards gets Lashley to roll to the outside and he hits a suicide dive. Edwards throws Lashley into the ring steps a few times.
[Commercial break]
Back from the break, a countdown clock is shown briefly at just under 22 minutes. Mathews said no falls were scored during the break and it was back-and-forth. Lashley hits a spear for a fall.
Lashley leads, 1-0.
Mathews said that the champion’s advantage is now gone. There’s an advantage in this type of match?
After a brief stoppage, the match continues. Lashley chokes Edwards in the corner with his boot. Jeremy Borash announces to the live crowd there are 20 minutes remaining.
Edwards comes back after taking some punishment and finally locks in a single leg Boston crab in the middle of the ring. Lashley tries to claw his way to the rope and he does, forcing Edwards to break the hold.
Lashley gets up and throws Edwards out of the ring with an overhead belly-to-belly. Edwards crashes into the barricade on the outside, and he clutches his knee.
Now on the outside, Lashley begins to push Edwards up the ramp. The referee isn’t counting, but Mathews said no falls count in the ring. Lashley powerbombs Edwards on the ramp and someone cursed, because there was a long bleep. Edwards bounced off the ramp and he’s not moving. Lashley rolls back in the ring and the official begins to count. Edwards gets counted out.
Lashley leads, 2-0.
After a break, the referee begins to count again. Edwards crawls back to the ring but Lashley comes out and throws some punches to put Edwards back on the floor. Borash gives them a time of 15 minutes. Edwards tries to get into the ring and Lashley hits a running knee, knocking him off the apron.
[Commercial break]
Back from the break, there is nine minutes left. Mathews said the score is still 2-0. Not long after the return from the break, Edwards rolls up Lashley after throwing him into an exposed turnbuckle and scores a quick pin.
Lashley leads, 2-1.
Edwards throws chops and hits a enziguri after leaping over a running Lashley.
With seven minutes to go, Lashley brings Edwards to the ramp again. He goes for another powerbomb but Edwards rotates his body through on the pick up, and then hits a Boston Knee Party, dropping Lashley on the ramp. Edwards gets back in the ring at eight. Lashley climbs back in at nine to barely avoid having the match tied up.
Six minutes left. Lashley hits the ropes and Edwards hits another Boston Knee Party for the pin.
Match is tied, 2-2.
Borash announces there are five minutes left. Lashley spills to the outside and Edwards connects on a big dive. The crowd is cheering for Edwards and he’s feeding off of it.
Edwards climbs to the top and Lashley cuts him off. Edwards pushes Lashley off the top. Edwards jumps down on his feet and Lashley throws Edwards into the corner and then hits a spear, but he can’t make the cover right away and Edwards kicks out at two.
Lashley tries for a gut-wrench suplex but Edwards rolls out of it and hits a Boston Knee Party, but Lashley kicked out.
The crowd is really loud here and visibly on their feet. Lashley catches Edwards and drops him, locking in a head and arm trap. Edwards taps.
Lashley leads, 3-2.
2:47 left. Mathews said it was smart for Edwards to tap out right away, saving him from long-term damage. Who knows what happens if he stayed in the hold. I’d disagree with three minutes left, and how close Edwards was to the ropes.
Lashley pointed to the clock on the big screen and hops out of the ring. He tells Pope he’s not afraid and Pope screams back at him to go in the ring and wrestle, not to waste time. Lashley, still yelling at Pope, gets hit with a diving Edwards, who comes from inside the ring.
Edwards goes for a Boston Knee Party with 1:30 left, but Lashley counters into a spinebuster. Lashley goes to the corner and sets up for a spear in the corner with 1:10 left. Edwards gets up slowly and Lashley runs for a spear but Edwards trapped him with a guillotine choke. Lashley is trying to get out of the hold. 40 seconds left. Lashley is fading. Edwards is screaming as he pulls on the choke. Crowd is chanting for Lashley to tap. 15 seconds. The referee is checking Lashley’s arm. One drop. Two drops. The referee never checks the arm a third time – Lashley may have waved him off? – and the clock expires.
WINNER: Lashley wins the TNA World Hvt. Title, 3-2.
After the match, Lashley rolls over and tries to catch his breath as Edwards looks tired and shocked. Lashley gets up and he’s full of energy again. He raises the title in celebration. Mathews specifically says that Lashley didn’t tap out or pass out in the guillotine. Lashley celebrates as the show goes off the air.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.