TNA Impact Wrestling Results: Kurt Angle Defeated, New Champion Crowned, Title Defenses, More
Hello, guys. Welcome to our WrestlingINC.com Live Impact Viewing Party. We will be providing live ongoing coverage of tonight's 'Hardcore Justice' themed show, while you all can chime in with your thoughts throughout the show.
LIVE COVERAGE BEGINS SHORTLY
Al Snow joins Josh Matthews on commentary, replacing Tazz.
The Hardys and Davey Richards vs. The Revolution.
We head straight into the action, with Matt and (a pre-broken leg) Jeff Hardy teaming with Davey Richards to fight the The Revolution (Khoya, Abyss and Manik). All six men brawl heading into the ring. Matt gets in some early, vicious-looking kendo shots while Richards attempts to take out Abyss with some punches in the corner. Richards hits a great suplex on Manik. The Hardys go wild, and there's a cool-looking spot where Matt and Jeff hit the Poetry in Motion on Abyss while Richards holds up the steel chair. Ouch.
Matt hits a Twist of Fate on Abyss, while his brother goes for the Swanton, but Manik interferes. Khoya attacks Jeff and hits some rather dreadful power moves on him. Some botchy stuff here. Manik brutalizes Richards and attempts to choke him out. Jeff fights back and hits Khoya with a vicious trashcan spot before Abyss goes after him with a pipe. Matt grabs a steel chair and tries to give his side the advantage again. Abyss is about to hit Richards with a giant chokeslam but Richards gets out of it with a great dropkick and hits The Creeping Death. Richards then hits a suicide dive onto Abyss after throwing him and Khoya out of the ring. Jeff hits a Slingshot Plancha onto Khoya while Matt delivers the Side Effect to Manik. Abyss gains the advantage again when he stomps and chokeslams Richards. Jeff takes the fight to him and hits him in the crotch with a steel chair (Yikes!) followed by Matt's Twist of Fate and a Swanton Bomb for the babyfaces victory. It was a bit botchy in places, but otherwise, this was a very good and exciting opening and everyone involved was clearly trying really hard.
Winner: The Hardy Boyz and Davey Richards.
We see James Storm. He berates Abyss and scolds him for disappointing him. We see the announcers and they joke around about Snow's truly horrendous jacket.
Anderson is backstage and mocks Ethan Carter III. He challenges Carter to meet him in the ring tonight.
There is some brief talk of famous '90s musician Billy Corgan joining TNA.
Anderson struts to the ring, looking awkward in a gaudy suit and tie. Anderson calls Carter boring. Anderson informs the fans he's not about empty campaign promises like Carter...he's about kicking butt. ECIII, accompanied by Tyrus, then storms out to defend his honor. Carter notes it sucks when people interrupt your speeches as the fans vociferously chant "You Can't Wrestle." Carter says he doesn't care what people think. The crowd continues to chant things at him, which visibly angers him.
Anderson asks Carter if his streak is important and Carter affirms that it is. Anderson takes out a "Beat the Streak" sign. The two squabble some more and Anderson challenges him to a match for next week's show, with the provision that the fans will pick the stipulation. Carter says he doesn't really believe in democracy but if that's what it takes to shut him up he'll do it. Before leaving, Carter tells him to "tread lightly." This was a silly segment, but perfectly entertaining.
X Division Title Ladder Match: Rockstar Spud vs. Kenny King vs. Tigre Uno vs. Mandrews.
King attacks Spud on his way to the ring. In the ring, Tigre hits a tremendous Tornado Dive to King on the floor. Mandrews then goes up high and hits a thrilling Shooting Star Press onto King and Tigre as they're on the outside. This was a very cool spot. All the guys then proceed to brawl over the ladder. Tigre then dives onto the ladder for a see-saw spot then attempts to climb it, but Spud stops him. Kenny attacks with punches and kicks to the champion's injured ribs. King and Mandrews then fight it out, Kenny leaps off the ladder but Mandrews counters with a Tornado DDT. Uno bursts back in and hits a Rack Drop. He heads up top but Spud throws him off and he and King then head into the ring. King takes out Spud and tries to climb the ladder but Tigre then hits a superb springboard on the ladder. King and Tigre brawl and King sends Tigre to the floor. Spud gains the advantage and looks set to climb the ladder when Homicide shows up and attacks his ribs. King recovers enough to climb the ladder and grab the belt. He's the new X division champion! This was an exciting bout but it could have been given more time by management.
Winner and new champion: Kenny King
King and Homicide celebrate while Al Snow scolds them for cheating.
The Anderson vs. Cater match stipulations are discussed in the studio. Anderson wants a Falls Count Anywhere bout, while Carter wants an arm wrestling match.
An Eric Young/Kurt Angle video is aired. Fans are reminded about Young's brutal rampage last week. Young comes out with a stretcher and wearing Angle's merchandise. Young says that the fans and Angle all thought they knew the "real" Eric Young. He says Angle wanted to wrestle the "real" Eric Young. Young says he is a champion and a world-class wrestler. He says anyone that stands between him and the World title ends up on a stretcher. He lists Lashley, Roode and Aries as examples and says Angle will be next. Young expresses disappointment that it is a non-title match but still relishes the chance to take out Angle and permanently end his career.
We see the BDC celebrating King's title win. MVP says the group holds the future in their hands and that tonight Low Ki will finish off Galloway too.
Cut to Rockstar Spud looking very depressed. He says he feels that his title was "stolen" from him. He then talks a bit about the prestigious history of the title. He promises to win it back.
A video airs of Taryn Terrell and the Dollhouse. She brags about her new friends and says you don't want to mess with them.
Knockouts Championship match: Taryn Terrell vs. Brooke
Marti and Jade are with Taryn. She now has the Dollhouse theme music too, fittingly. Taryn and Brooke start with a lock up as each girl attempts to gain the upper hand. Brooke then utilizes a shoulder block and hits Taryn with a dropkick. Taryn rolls to the floor after this to recover. The fans are starting to get strongly behind Brooke. Taryn gets back in the ring and has some more exchanges with Brooke. Just as Brooke is again gaining the advantage Marti distracts the referee while Jade trips her up. Taryn capitalizes and rubs her foe's face into the mat and chokes her on the ropes. She hits Brooke with a barrage of suplexes and slaps but Brooke refuses to stay down for the three-count. Things look a bit better for Brooke when Taryn goes for the High Cross Body and misses, meaning Brooke is able to hit her with a flurry of elbow shots. Brooke goes for the stinkface but Terrell manages to escape out of the ring just in time. Brooke then hits the floor and takes out the Dollhouse. The get back in the ring where Brooke hits a flapack and gets on the top rope, but Jade pushes her off. Taryn then hits the cutter for the victory. This was a decent bout for what it was.
Winner and still KO champion: Taryn Terrell
Afterwards, the Dollhouse mock Brooke and stick a jawbreaker in her mouth. Taryn says no one can beat her and Gail Kim comes out. She asks what has come over Taryn lately. Taryn says she's tired of being in Gail's shadow and now it's time for Gail to be in her shadow. Taryn says Gail has no chance because there are three of them and Gail is all by herself. Well, apparently not, because then Awesome Kong comes out. Taryn and the Dollhouse looks furious and scared. Kim and Kong teaming is a very intriguing idea and could turn out to be amazing.
A promo airs for the Slammiversary show in June.
Pipe on a Pole Match: Drew Galloway vs. Low Ki
These two are going after each other practically before the bell rings. Galloway sends Low Ki flying to the floor. Drew then hits the floor too, slamming Low Ki into the barricade and hitting him with some brutal chops. In an amusing moment, he even gets the fans to hold him in place while he hits some more chops. That was funny. Drew also suplexes him onto the floor. Galloway tries to head for the pipe but Low Ki stops him. Low Ki hits him with a flurry of kicks. He wants the Ki Krusher. Galloway gets out of it and tries to hit a powerbomb but Low ki manages to avoid it. The two brawl some more and Drew hits him with a cool-looking running tree slam. Galloway sets up the chair in a sitting position, but Low Ki gains the advantages, chops him hard in the throat and sends him into the chair instead. Low Ki then goes for the pipe but Galloway has recovered by this point and is able to stop him. The two fight up top and the pipe then falls. Drew gets crotched on the rope but is still able to get up and hit an overhead toss on Low Ki. Both men are down and exchange shots with Low Ki then getting up and grabbing the pipe, but then Galloway hits the Future Shock DDT on the chair for the win. This was a fun little bout.
Winner: Drew Galloway
In the aftermath, the BDC run down and attack Galloway. The Rising then makes the save and they all brawl.
We see a recap video of the Mickie James/Magnus/James Storm drama. Then we see Magnus' camera guy filming Mickie at the grocery store with her baby. Storm is there and he asks her to let him hold the kid. Mickie obliges. Storm is clearly being positioned as a homewrecker here, although it's difficult to have any sympathy whatsoever for Magnus when he's actually getting people to stalk his girlfriend.
We see "World's Worst Boyfriend" Magnus in the ring, but before he can get started, James Storm comes out. James says the fans are desperate to see Mickie wrestle again. Magnus says he's grateful Storm saved Mickie from Bram, but now Storm needs to leave them alone. Magnus accuses Storm of manipulating Mickie and says Storm is trying to destroy his family. Storm says that Magnus has trust issues and points out that he hired cameramen to follow her around. What do you know? The heel brings up a perfectly valid point. Then he spitefully points out that he's known Mickie a lot longer than Magnus has and that Mickie didn't tell Magnus about the supermarket deal. He says maybe Mickie's not so innocent and Magnus should go talk to her. Weird segment. It's very difficult to find either of these men sympathetic.
Angle cuts a passionate promo on Eric Young. He says things have gotten "beyond personal" and vows to break Young in half in their match tonight.
Eric Young vs. Kurt Angle in a non-title Stretcher Match.
Young and Angle are battling even before the bell rings. Young beats down Angle in the corner, but Angle fights back with a brutal clothesline. He attacks Young's knee and beats him up all around the ringside area while the fans wildly cheer him on. Young manages to gain the advantage as he shoves Angle's shoulder into the ring post. TNA cuts to an ad break.
When we return Young is brutalizing Angle in the corner and smashing his face into the buckle. After some fierce exchanges, Angle manages to hit a belly-to-belly suplex, sending Young outside the ring. Angle dives out of the ring to hit a double axe dropkick but Young nails him with a punch to the gut. Young then stops Angle's head on the steps a few times before going to get the stretcher. Angle attempts to fight back, but Young hits him with a big boot to the face. Young unties the ring buckle. They brawl some more and Angle goes for a German Suplex off the apron, but Young manages to escape. Both men get back in the ring, with Angle running wild with some clotheslines and hitting Young with three German Suplexes. Young then hits Angle with a low blow using the shin guard. Young attempts a piledriver but Angle gets out of it and sends his opponent flying into the ring post. He then delivers an Angle slam to Young on the floor and goes for the stretcher. He tries to strap Young in. He gets one strap on before Young rakes his eyes. Young then escapes and they end up back in the ring. Young goes for a Figure Four but Angle kicks him away. Young then goes for a piledriver which is countered by the Ankle Lock. Young counters that with a whip and sends Angle into the exposed buckle. This badly hurts Kurt. Young then hits two piledrivers on Angle, which leaves him totally out of it. Young then drags Angle's unconscious body to the stretcher and ties him in to pick up the victory. Good match, but you have to wonder if Angle should really be taking such risks at this stage in his career.
Winner: Eric Young
Josh Matthews hypes up Young's win and we get an ad for next week's live iMPACT to end the show.