Against All Odds: Zema Ion Vs. Jesse Sorensen
TNA Against All Odds Opener:
The show opens with Hardy being shown arriving to the arena. The cameraman attempts to ask Hardy a couple of questions, but Hardy simply walks by and ignores the questions.
We open with a quick video package that features a short Hogan promo, and a bit of time spent focusing on the Four Way match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship which will main event the PPV this evening.
The pyro hits, and we get some "Vegas-style" music as Mike Tenay welcomes us to the PPV, and immediately begins hyping the main event. He's sitting alongside Jeremy Borash, and the two continue to talk about the competition that Robert Roode will be facing in his title match tonight.
#1 Contender's Match
Zema Ion vs. Jesse Sorensen
Zema Ion is the first man to make his way out to the ring, to a bit of a lukewarm reaction from the crowd. He's followed by Sorensen, who comes out without his letterman's jacket, but still carrying his football. He gets a positive reaction from the crowd.
Sorensen hands off his football to a child at ringside. Ion walks by with his hairspray, asking if the kid wants some, but the kid refuses. Sorensen ambushes Ion and hits him with a right before sending him into the ring to begin the match.
Sorensen hits Ion with a big belly to back suplex, then a nice bridging suplex before Ion makes his way to the outside to put on a bit more hairspray. Ion comes back into the ring with a slingshot, but doesn't catch anything but the mat. Sorensen tries for a couple of quick roll ups, but Ion won't stay down, and he catches Jesse with a boot to the stomach. Jesse hits Ion with a hurricanrana that sends Ion to the outside again.
Ion steals the football from the kid at ringside, much to the chagrin of the crowd. Jesse catches Ion with a baseball slide to the back while Ion is taunting the kid, but Jesse misses a plancha, and falls to the floor. Ion places the football aside before sending Jesse back into the ring, heading to the top, and hitting a beautiful missile dropkick. Jesse heads to the outside, so Ion goes to the top rope, and hits an asai moonsault from the middle rope, hitting Sorensen with his knees right to Jesse's face. Ion heads back into the ring, and it looks like Jesse might be legit shaken up.
The ref counts, and he gets all the way up to nine and Sorensen doesn't stir. Ion breaks the count for a second. The ref checks on Jesse and throws up an X. The bell rings, and this one is over.
Trainers run out from the back, and Sorensen has barely moved since Ion hit that moonsault. Ion heads out of the ring and toward the back, pointing at himself and saying he's the number one contender. Ion is indeed announced the winner of the match.
Winner and NEW #1 Contender to the X Division Championship: Zema Ion
Looking at the replay, it's obvious that Ion's knee did indeed strike Sorensen's head square. Doctor's are ringside checking on Jesse, and JB and Mike sell the "high risk" aspect of high risk moves.
Tenay and JB continue to discuss Jesse's injury, talking about how high risk moves are the hallmark of the X Division. They continue to replay footage of the move that led to Sorensen's count out, which doesn't seem right. People ringside are looking concerned and Tenay and JB continue to kill time for a bit before sending it backstage.