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The following report originally published 10 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com…
KELLER’S TNA IMPACT WRESTLING REPORT
FEBRUARY 9, 2016
TAPED IN MANCHESTER, ENGLAND
AIRED ON POP TV
[HOUR ONE]
-A video package aired with scenes of the U.K. along with images of wrestlers with the narrator talking about old friends reuniting, new faces making an impact, new threats emerging from the shadows, rivalries exploding, and farewell to a legend (Kurt Angle).
(WK Reax: It was flowery and well-produced in its language and presentation, but there wasn’t a singular hook that really grabbed you and said “this is what this week’s show is about.” I think a single focus to kick off the show is better.)
-Matt Hardy and Reby walked to the ring, with Tyrus and their any a few steps behind. Josh Mathews called him the Judas of Impact Wrestling. He called him “smug and arrogant.” Hardy told the crowd, “I didn’t need to sell out. I was already filthy rich.” He told the fans to boo him if they want, because they aren’t there for him. He said he is there for business, namely The Matt Hardy brand. He said he’s going to teach the Impact Wrestling brand how it’s done. He said the little peasant nobodies in the crowd, all added together, wouldn’t match his worth. He said he knows the people who boo someone like “The Iconic” Matt Hardy are the type of people who support someone like EC3.
Tyrus asked the crowd if they want to see EC3. He said they have a better chance of Winston Churchill riding out on a unicorn. He said EC3 can’t do anything without him. He said he kept him unpinned and cool. He said Hardy is an icon, a legend, and a hall of fame. He said they are family. They hugged. Reby, holding her baby, asked how they could possibly cheer EC3, because he’s a loser. She said Matt is a winner and trendsetters and tastemaker “and my baby daddy and most importantly the most sexy man alive.”
He said the last three weeks Jeff Hardy, EC3, and Kurt Angle have all become his victims. He said “I stopped his ass,” in reference to EC3. He said in the last three weeks, TNA President Dixie Carter hasn’t spoken one single solitary word to her. The fans chanted “We Want Jeff!” He said Jeff won’t be there because Eric Young ended his career. The fans booed. He said tonight he is not leaving the arena until Dixie walks down the aisle, gets in the ring, and speaks to him face to face. He vowed to teach Dixie a lesson in Matt Hardy Branding, which is how to run a company the right way. He said you cut out a cancer in your business, and EC3 is that cancer. He predicted Dixie would fire EC3 tonight.
-Josh asked how obnoxious and detestable is Hardy. He wondered if Dixie would give in to Hardy, then plugged EC3 would be on the show later. Plus, he plugged the Angle vs. Drew Galloway rematch later.
-Bobby Lashley walked out to the ring. He said Lashley faces Bram next. [c]
-A clip aired of Bram vowing to Young backstage that he’d end Lashley’s career, just as Young ended Jeff Hardy’s career with a piledriver through a table.
(1) BRAM (w/Eric Young) vs. BOBBY LASHLEY
They got into a shoving contest at the start. Bram tripped Lashley off the ring apron a couple minutes into the match. Lashley came back with his series of signature moves including a running powerslam. When he went for a spear, Bram avoided him and then gave him a DDT. Both were slow to get up. Young snuck into the ring and swung his King of the Mountain title belt at Lashley, but Lashley ducked and the belt hit Bram. Lashley then speared Bram for the win.
WINNER: Lashley in 6:00.
-The camera eavesdropped on Matt and Reby chatting backstage. Reby laughed off EC3 when Hardy expressed some concern. Tyrus said he’d take care of EC3 if he has the guts to show up. Tyrus called in security guys who he said had Hardy’s back.
-Josh said EC3 said last week he vowed to be at Impact in the U.K. this week. He plugged Angle-Galloway again. [c]
-Angle walked out and addressed the crowd. He said the fans are making it difficult for him to say farewell. He said tonight is special because he’s facing Galloway. He was interrupted by Maria as The Miracle’s music played. She mockingly talked about the emotions the fans are feeling as he spoke. She said it sounds manufactured to her, though. “It’s fake!” she said. She said what fans need is “The Miracle” Mike Bennett. Out came Bennett. The Pope decried the interruption.
Bennett said he was listening to him in the back and he couldn’t help but think about how he’s had a hell of a career. He said when he was growing up in New England, “the better, more advanced England,” he watched him. He said he gave his brother Angle Slams and the Ankle lock. He said he beat legend after legend in one amazing match after another. He said he told his mom one day he’d grow up and beat that guy. Angle warned him to get out of his face. The crowd cheered.
Bennett said the heights Angle has achieved would be untouchable for a normal wrestler. He said it’d take a miracle to match or exceed him, and he is that man. He talked about Angle’s future Farewell Tour opponents Robert Roode and Bobby Lashley. He proposed a one-time only match against Angle. Maria said after that match, fans would say they believe in the Miracle.
Angle said Maria is beautiful, but she has horrible taste in men. Angle then punched Bennett. Bennett bailed out to the floor. Angle told him he warned him about getting in his face. He said he doesn’t wrestle people he doesn’t respect. He said his opponent tonight is someone he does respect. Out came Drew Galloway to cheers.
-They cut backstage to James Storm and Robert Roode. Storm guessed what gift Roode had for him. He guessed a truck. Instead, it was his beer scooter. Roode said he should ride it to the ring to become tag team champion of the world. Storm asked for the keys. Roode threw them to him. [c]
(2) TREVOR LEE (w/Gregory Helms) vs. TIGRE UNO
(WK Reax: There is no better way to completely demean a title meaning anything to viewers than to present a title match on TV without mentioning it in the prior 40 minutes. They ran that video package in which nothing was memorable in particular, and failed to give any gravitas to the title match. I just don’t get it. It’s easy, free, and vital to titles meaning anything to hype them ahead of time and set the stage and get viewers excited about it ahead of time.)
Tigre did a flip dive over the top rope to ringside early. Josh said Lee is a 23 year old prodigy who says he doesn’t want to be a Superstar, he wants to be a wrestler. Tigre put Lee in an innovative submission hold. Lee lunged to escape. He caught a charging Tigre with a clothesline. Helms applauded at ringside. Tigre gave Helms a huracanrana at ringside a minute later. Lee fired back by throwing Tigre into the ringside steps. Helms held onto Tigre’s ankle which opened up Lee to finish off Tigre with a fisherman’s buster for the win.
WINNER: Lee in 5:00.
(WK Reax: Good action. Lee didn’t notice Helms interfering on his behalf, so a seed was planted there that maybe Lee isn’t going to like his wins tainted.) [c]
-Robert Roode stood in the ring and called for a referee to come out and challenged The Wolves to defend their tag titles. Instead out walked Abyss, Crazy Steve, and Rosemary, known as “Decay.” Josh said they stole the physical belts from the Wolves, although they aren’t the official champs. Rosemary said everyone seems obsessed with “these pretty pretty toys.” She said everything pretty eventually rots and dies. Roode said they may have the belts, but they’re not the champs, but they’ll settle for wrestling them. “I say we fight!” he said. Abyss and Steve ran toward the ring, and Beer Money met them. “We’ve got ourselves a fight here!” said Josh. Roode threw Abyss head-first into the ringside barrier, then the bell range when Storm and Steve entered the ring.
(3) BEER MONEY (James Storm & Robert Roode) vs. CRAZY STEVE & ABYSS (w/Rosemary)
They cut to an upper deck based wide shot of the venue to give Impact a rare “big arena” feel. They didn’t have the whole arena lip up, but it looked good enough as it’s clear there were filled bleachers in the lower deck in the visible sections. Storm hot-tagged in at 2:00 against Steve. Eventually four-way action broke out. Roode and Storm fended off Abyss and then gave a stereo suplex to Steve. Then the same to Abyss. After a double-team finisher, they appeared to have the pin, but Abyss yanked the ref out of the ring causing a DQ.
WINNERS: Beer Money via DQ.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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[HOUR TWO]
-Afterward, Rosemary entered the ring. Josh called her “that thing.” As Roode was distracted by her, Steve gave Roode a low blow. “The church bells are ringing,” said Pope. Steve then gave Storm a shot to the head with the belt. Abyss pulled Janice out from under the ring. Josh asked how she cleared customs. The Wolves ran out for the save, chairs in hand. Rosemary stood in front of Steve and Abyss to prevent the attack. Josh called her a forcefield in front of Decay. The heels bailed out and treated.
Davey Richards said they want the belts back because they belong to them and Wolves Nation. Eddie Edwards said they not only stole their championships, they left them lying twice. He said he’s keeping it simple – they want their belts back, but in exchange they’ll give them a match where they can actually win them. Abyss said, “Let’s do it right here next week for all the gold in Monsters Ball!” Richards and Edwards agreed. Edwards said, “Let the hunt begin!”
-They showed Drew warming up backstage.
-Backstage Reby approached Dixie. She said Matt doesn’t know she’s there. She said she looks up to Dixie for being strong and succeeding where others have failed. Dixie said thanks, but said she heard what Matt said. Reby said yes, Matt is a proud man, but she has made them feel so at home, unlike other places where things have always been so cut-throat. She said that’s why Matt is so focused on EC3, and keep an open mind later because they want what’s best for family. Dixie promised she would. Reby rolled her eyes as she walked away.
-Josh plugged Madison Rayne vs. Jade was up next. [c]
-After the break, Grado walked over the ringside barrier. Josh said he was fired and now he’s trespassing. Jereuy Borash handed him a microphone. Grado entered the ring and said he was screwed out of a job. He said he has proof that he is screwed. He pulled a heel sheet of paper out of his fanny pack, but Eli Drake interrupted. He said Grado is begging and groveling for mercy, and he’ll give him some mercy. He had two security men walk to the ring and escort Grado to the door. Grado tried to flee. He left the ring, and ran back in. Drake went after Grado, but Grado escaped briefly. He ran away with a yellow piece of paper held high, apparently with some proof that he was screwed.
-The roving reporter asked Drew about facing Angle again. Drew said the first time was an honor, but tonight’s rematch against Angle is on his home turf and he will beat Angle.
(4) MADISON RAYNE vs. JADE (w/Marti Bell, Rebel)
No ring intros here, as they went right to the action. Rayne dove onto all three Doll House members at ringside early. Jade took control shortly thereafter with some kicks. Josh talked about the possibility of Dixie Carter firing EC3 later, fulfilling Matt’s with. Josh asked Pope what he’d do in her situation. He said he’d do what he wanted to do and what was in the best interest in the company. Josh called it a very political answer. Rayne came back with an enzuigiri. A distraction on the ring apron opened up Jade to take back control and hit a cradle piledriver for the win.
WINNER: Jade in 4:00.
-After the match, the three Doll House members triple teamed Rayne. Gail Kim ran out and made the save. She cleared the ring of all three heels. Josh said she’s on fire.
-Josh again hyped EC3 and the Angle-Drew match. [c]
-Backstage the roving reporter asked Billy Corgan for his thoughts on his first UK tour with TNA. Grado ran in and interrupted and eplaienc that he was screwed. Corgan said he couldn’t understand a word he was saying and asked him to take a deep breath and speak “in English.” Not sure that will endear him with the UK fans. Security pulled Grado away from Billy and toward Drake. Drake slapped him and told security to get him out of the building. Grado was knocked out cold.
(5) KURT ANGLE vs. DREW GALLOWAY
They started the match with a handshake. Drew applied an armbar center-ring. Angle escaped, but took an arm drag fightback into a Drew armbar. Angle came back with a chinlock. Drew fought out of it and then they collided mid-ring with simultaneous clotheslines. Both went down and they cut to a break. [c]
Back from the break Drew leaped off the top rope, but Angle side-stepped him and applied the ankle lock. Drew escaped seconds later, then gave Angle a Future Shock DDT. Drew cloteshlined Angle over the top rope to the door, then pursued him at ringside with chops. He dropped Angle over the security barrier. Angle came back with a surprise Angle slam onto the steps. Angle threw Drew into the ring and entered the ring himself to beat the ten count. Then he delivered an Angle slam. A “This is awesome!” chant broke out. Drew catapulted Angle over his shoulders face-first into the mat for a near fall.
Angle went into suplex mode at 11:00, but Drew cut if off and rallied. He stomped the mat and signaled for his running Claiborne kick and landed it twice and scored a near fall. Drew went for a flying kick off the top rope, but Angle moved and then hit a sequence of three German suplexes. He dropped his straps and then gave Drew an Angle slam for a near fall. Angle went next to an Anklelock mid-ring at 12:00. Drew powered out and then threw Angle shoulder-first through the ropes into the ringpost. Drew landed another Claiborne to the face for a near fall. Angle came up bleeding from his mouth. The crowd chanted “This is awesome!” again. Drew shifted into a crossface submission next. Blood was flowing from Angle’s mouth, dripping onto the canvas. Angle escaped and countered into an Anklelock. Drew kicked out of it and applied his crossface again and Angle tapped out. Pope freaked out and said he was speechless as Josh praised the effort of both men and sold the finish as monumental. Drew bowed at Angle feet afterward. Angle shook Drew’s hand. Pope called it the biggest win of Drew’s career. Angle raised Drew’s arm and they embraced mid-ring.
WINNER: Galloway in 15:00.
(WK Reax: Good match. Angle moves like someone with a lot of mileage and is a shell of his former self, but his stature in general and their exchanges of signature moves in the context of a main event TV match that’s part of Angle’s “Farewell Tour” all clicked to make for a strong centerpiece match on this episode.) [c]
-Josh announced Decay vs. The Wolves next week on Impact.
-Matt Hardy, Reby Sky, and Tyrus stood mid-ring after the break. Josh said Matt insisted on meeting with Dixie live in the ring. He said he is a truth-teller and he will not lie, so “Dixie, get out here now.” Dixie’s music played and Josh said Matt had taken Impact Wrestling hostage. Dixie walked to the ring. Dixie told Matt that her door is always open, so she’s not sure what this is all about. Matt said he thinks this is the perfect place to have this discussion. He said he is a global household name who knows how to make a pro wrestling company successful. He cringed as he referenced the man whom he beat to win the TNA Title. The crowd chanted it. Hardy insisted people stop the chant because he hates hearing his name.
Matt said EC3 was the one who did horrible things, yet he’s getting blamed. He told Dixie that EC3 treated her like trash. He said he filed an injunction and almost put TNA out of business. “He could have destroyed you, he could have destroyed me!” he said. He told Dixie they ought to have a good working relationship as President and Champ, so he suggested she cut out the cancer who he detrimental to Impact Wrestling. He said EC3 is a menace to society. He said he wanted her to look into the camera and fire EC3’s ass right now. The crowd chanted “No!” When Dixie resisted, Matt told her not to be a bimbo and to fire his ass.
Dixie told Matt to settle down. He yelled at her and she seemed unnerved by his aggression. Rockstar Spud then marched to the ring. Josh said he has a long and complicated past with Dixie and EC3. He told Dixie, “I’ve got this, madam.” Hardy said if he’s not out there to be a character witness that EC3 is garbage, he might as well leave now. Spud said he is not disagreeing with anything he is saying because he has done some terrible, terrible things, including to him. Hardy said since that is true, Spud should tell Dixie to fire EC3. Spud seemed to consider it, but then he yelled at Hardy, “No!” He said after all of the terrible things he’s done and said, it seems funny that the “Iconic” Matt Hardy seems a little jealous and scared and “running like a little bitch.” Tyrus clotheslined Spud from behind and then slammed him hard to the mat. Tyrus kicked Spud to the floor.
Matt approached Dixie and said he is no longer asking her to fire EC3. He said he is commanding her to fire him. The lights went down and then EC3’s music played. Josh said, “He is back!” EC3 took off his shirt and marched to the ring. He took out Hardy’s personal security guys. Then he tackled Tyrus against the ring apron and pounded away at his former assistant. When EC3 entered the ring, Hardy slipped out of the ring. Josh said it’s only a matter of time before EC3 gets his hands on Hardy. EC3 went to ringside to check on a shaken up Dixie and Spud. His music played as he walked to the back with an arm raised in the air.
(WK Reax: I really like the pacing of this EC3-Hardy saga. He made a save this week to establish he’s a stand up guy, but he didn’t actually get his hands on Hardy yet nor give a full-fledged babyface promo. They’re milking this so that when EC3 finally embraces the cheers and then gets a match against Hardy, it will be the culmination of weeks of building anticipation. It’s something of a lost art in pro wrestling. Hardy is just tremendous right now as a top heel.)
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