http://www.cheap-heat.com WWE, TNA, ROH, NJPW - Blogs, Reviews, Top Lists, Indy News & Results Sun, 20 Sep 2015 01:35:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.3.1

http://www.cheap-heat.com/scraping-the-barrel-lethal-lockdown/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/scraping-the-barrel-lethal-lockdown/#comments Fri, 18 Sep 2015 16:04:52 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Top Lists Abyss American Wolves Awesome Kong Brian Myers Brooke Brooke Adams Cage Match Cage Matches Cat Videos Davey Richards Dixie Carter Drew Galloway Eddie Edwards Ethan Carter III Gail Kim GFW Global Force Wrestling Impact Wrestling James Storm Jeff Hardy Jeff Jarrett Jeremy Borash Karen Karen Jarrett Kia Stevens Knockouts Championship Lei'D Tapa Lethal Lockdown Mahabali Shera Matt Hardy Pro Wrestling Professional Wrestling Rockstar Spud Tag Team Tag Team Champions TNA TNA Impact Tyrus Videos Wolves wrestling http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=14249 Welcome to “Scraping the Barrel” — Cheap-Heat‘s official TNA Impact Countdown, brought to you by B+ Players Radio. This week was Lethal Lockdown—a former pay-per-view event and fitting choice for a week overflowing with pro wrestling excitement. With much to discuss from this broadcast, picking a Top Five was nearly impossible, but we managed to do it. Check […]

Welcome to “ Scraping the Barrel ” — Cheap-Heat ‘s official TNA Impact Countdown , brought to you by B+ Players Radio. This week was Lethal Lockdown— a former pay-per-view event and fitting choice for a week overflowing with pro wrestling excitement. With much to discuss from this broadcast, picking a Top Five was nearly impossible, but we managed to do it. Check out this week’s “ Scraping the Barrel ,” complete with full length video clips.

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Like this article? You can follow Mark Haggerty and B+ Player Radio on Facebook and Twitter . B+ Player Radio is a network of professional wrestling podcasts produced by writers, comedians, musicians, and most importantly— professional wrestlers! Listen to hours of exclusive content available every single week on iTunes – TuneIn Radio – SoundCloud and Cheap-Heat.com !

http://www.cheap-heat.com/outsiders-edge-pro-wrestling-syndicate-bay-ridge/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/outsiders-edge-pro-wrestling-syndicate-bay-ridge/#comments Sun, 13 Sep 2015 16:24:34 +0000 B+ Players CH Podcast Abyss Angelina Love Bay Ridge Brooklyn Danny Maff Davey Richards Eric Pleska Ethan Carter III independent wrestling indy wrestling New Jersey New York Pro Wrestling Pro Wrestling Syndicate PWS Taz wrestling http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=14158 B+ Player Radio is a network of professional wrestling podcasts produced by writers, comedians, musicians, and most importantly—professional wrestlers! Listen to hours of exclusive content available every single week on iTunes – TuneIn Radio – SoundCloud and Cheap-Heat.com! Pro Wrestling Syndicate is one of—if not THE­—hottest independent promotions in the Northeast United States. With a […]

B+ Player Radio is a network of professional wrestling podcasts produced by writers, comedians, musicians, and most importantly— professional wrestlers! Listen to hours of exclusive content available every single week on
iTunes – TuneIn Radio – SoundCloud and Cheap-Heat.com !

Pro Wrestling Syndicate is one of—if not THE­— hottest independent promotions in the Northeast United States. With a hoard of home grown talent rubbing shoulders with wrestling legends on a regular basis, it's not hard to see how PWS has grown a dedicated following. Gary Mastriano and Mark Haggerty of Cheap-Heat, Daily Wrestling News, and B+ Player Radio took a drive from their studio at the Jersey Shore to Bay Ridge Brooklyn to see PWS, and they were NOT disappointed. Check out this very special "Car Cast" – Gary and Mark are driving back to Jersey, and can't wait to break down their favorite moments of the night. In addition to outstanding in-ring competition PWS featured a rare appearance by Taz, Balls Mahoney almost murdered a fan for saying his name, and Comedy Central was in the house for a television taping with Virgil . That's right! Virgil! "How many trees you been climbing? I climb �em every day. Watch out. Bitches."

Today's episode ALSO features the debut of " Ravishing Reminders" with the IWF Heavyweight Champion Shawn Donavan. Shawn is hosting his own weekly segment wherein he hopes to make a difference and inspire your attire! For "Ravishing Reminders," skip to 45:14.

Shout out to Eric Pleska and the guys at Pro Wrestling Syndicate for welcoming us with open arms and providing us—and upwards of 500 fans—with a night of professional wrestling excellence. Follow them on Twitter @ProWreSyndicate

Questions or Comments? Follow the B+ Players on Social Media!

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Remember to LIKE and FOLLOW us on Facebook for new episodes of the B+ Players; constant coverage courtesy of DailyWrestlingNews.com ; and lots of laughs thanks to GutBusterWrestling.com !

http://www.cheap-heat.com/scraping-the-barrel-tna-impact-82615/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/scraping-the-barrel-tna-impact-82615/#comments Sun, 30 Aug 2015 14:27:48 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Reviews Abyss Bobby Roode Bubba Ray Dudley Bully Ray Dixie Carter Dollhouse Drew Galloway GFW Global Force Wrestling Impact Wrestling James Storm Jeff Jarrett Karen Jarrett Knockout's Manik Pro Wrestling Revolution Sonjay Dutt Taryn Terrell Tigre Uno TNA TNA Impact Velvet Sky WWE WWE Network WWE Universe Youtube http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=13871 It’s been a long week but I’m finally back! Welcome to "Scraping the Barrel"—the once-weekly video countdown series that tries to pick at least five enjoyable moments from TNA Impact on Destination America. I thought this was at least an enjoyable two hours of wrestling; nothing incredibly offensive in terms of booking caused me to […]

It’s been a long week but I’m finally back! Welcome to "Scraping the Barrel"—the once-weekly video countdown series that tries to pick at least five enjoyable moments from TNA Impact on Destination America. I thought this was at least an enjoyable two hours of wrestling; nothing incredibly offensive in terms of booking caused me to step back in horror. Perhaps it's coming off an incredibly jam-packed WWE weekend, but I went into this week's episode of Impact with higher hopes than usual. I think I was probably just ready for something different. Let's start Scraping the Barrel , and see what comes in at number five.

5. Rebel is the Newest Member of the Doll House!

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4. Chris Melendez Relinquishes His Leg to Eric Young

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3. The �Wolves vs. The Revolution for the Tag Team Titles

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2. Sonjay Dutt vs. DJ Z vs. Tigre Uno for the X-Division Title

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1. Who is responsible for the recent attacks on TNA talent?

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Until next time, please LIKE "The B+ Players Podcast" on Facebook , and FOLLOW me on Twitter for all the latest and greatest updates courtesy of Cheap-Heat and Daily Wrestling News !

http://www.cheap-heat.com/magicians-and-monsters-13-supernatural-superstars/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/magicians-and-monsters-13-supernatural-superstars/#comments Wed, 08 Jul 2015 17:10:27 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Top Lists Abyss Adam Bomb ECW Kane Mil Muertes Sci-Fi Supernatural TNA Undertaker WCW wrestling WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=12837 Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the 20th installment of the most consistent wrestling countdown series on the interweb—this is "Lucky Thirteen." This week we're taking a look at the most Superhuman Sports Entertainers to ever enter the squared circle. Rather than write a couple hundred words and attach some random photographs, I decided to do […]

Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the 20 ^th installment of the most consistent wrestling countdown series on the interweb—this is "Lucky Thirteen." This week we're taking a look at the most Superhuman Sports Entertainers to ever enter the squared circle. Rather than write a couple hundred words and attach some random photographs, I decided to do a VIDEO entry! Below you'll find some of the most bizarre things you're likely to come across within the WWE Universe and beyond! Some of these videos are gross, others are hilarious, and some are downright scary! My name is Mark Adam Haggerty from Cheap-Heat, Daily Wrestling News, Gutbusters, and the B+ Players and you've stumbled across "Magicians and Monsters: The Most Supernatural Wrestling Stars."

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Until next time, please LIKE "The B+ Players Podcast" on Facebook , and FOLLOW me on Twitter for all the latest and greatest updates courtesy of Cheap-Heat and Daily Wrestling News !

http://www.cheap-heat.com/total-nonstop-analysis-tna-lockdown-2615/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/total-nonstop-analysis-tna-lockdown-2615/#comments Mon, 09 Feb 2015 03:35:24 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs Other Reviews Reviews Abyss Angelina Love Austin Aries Awesome Kong BDC Bobby Lashley Bobby Roode Eric Young EY Gunner Havok James Storm Jeff Hardy Jessicka Havok Kenny King Kharma Kurt Angle Lethal Lockdown Lockdown Low Ki Mark Andrews Matt Hardy MVP NWA Rick Rude Rockstar Spud Samoa Joe The Beat Down Clan The Hardy Boyz TNA Tyrus Velvet Sky WCW WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9580 Total Nonstop Analysis TNA Lockdown 2/6/15 Written by Mark Adam Haggerty When Total Nonstop Action Wrestling began airing their pay-per-view events free-of-charge on cable television, many industry insiders predicted the beginning of the end for the barely thirteen-year-old company. And while TNA has undoubtedly had its struggles since the beginning of 2014, the personalities on […]

Total Nonstop Analysis
TNA Lockdown 2/6/15
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

When Total Nonstop Action Wrestling began airing their pay-per-view events free-of-charge on cable television, many industry insiders predicted the beginning of the end for the barely thirteen-year-old company. And while TNA has undoubtedly had its struggles since the beginning of 2014, the personalities on Impact are well along the road to recovery and dare I say there is light at the end of the tunnel? These "free-per-views" have been highly enjoyable, but none so much as this evening's Lockdown, filmed just a few weeks ago at the Manhattan Center in New York City. Lockdown is generally the best-selling PPV of the year, and this year's broadcast on Destination America gave a wider audience than ever a chance to see why. From the opening tag team battle to the main event, TNA appears to be working within their wheelhouse again. Let's kick things off with the TNA Tag Team Championship.

TNA Tag Team Championship
Matt & Jeff Hardy vs. James Storm & Abyss (c)
I've been highly critical of both Matt and Jeff Hardy in recent years; Jeff has embarrassed himself on several occasions inside the ring and Matt has always been the other Hardy, for lack of a better word. But this match and their series of in-ring encounters as of late have been nothing short of the Hardy Boyz I knew during the Attitude Era. This match saw the brothers from Cameron, North Carolina challenging Abyss and the leader of the Revolution, James Storm for the TNA world tag team titles. The match is off and running and the Hardy brothers make quick work in proving why it is they defined an era in high risk competition. Before long, fellow Revolution member Manik enters the fray in an effort to aid his fledgling leader James Storm, who's having more than his share of trouble in fending off the tenacious Hardy Boyz. The Hardy's outsmart the Revolution by handcuffing Manik to the cage before he can become too much of a burden and continue to run rough shod over James Storm and Abyss. Jeff pulls off an impressive Whisper in the Wind, followed by a Twist of Fate by Matt on both the Cowboy and the Monster. The Hardys go for a double cover, to which the referee responds with a two-handed double-count, but both members of the Revolution kick out just in time. The action intensifies, and it's around this time that I begin to notice the gaping holes around the cage. I imagine they're for camera operators to get a clear shot of the ring, but then Khoya of the Revolution pulled Matt Hardy through it and to the outside. I guess that's why those holes are there. Matt was on the outside but didn't win as the rules specifically stated the winner must go through the door or over the top. Jeff was now alone inside the ring and climbed to the top of the cage; by the time Jeff reached the top, the Great Sanada was on hand to blind Hardy with a powerful blue mist. Hardy fell back into the cage and back into the lion's den where Storm was waiting with the Last Call Superkick. 1-2-3 and the Revolution retains the TNA tag team titles.

The Revolution got to work assembling a table on the outside of the ring, which stood only a moment before Matt Hardy was power bombed through the wood at the hands of the monstrous Khoya. Another table was draw from under the ring, but by now Jeff was on his feet inside the ring fighting back against the relentless Revolution. The Charismatic Enigma climbed to the top of the cage but was knocked off and crotched on top of the steel door. The Cowboy James Storm ascended the Cage himself and struck Jeff right in the skull with the cowbell he carried into the contest, knocking Jeff off the door, sending him several feet to the ground—landing hard on the steel steps below. The paramedics retrieved Jeff's �broken' body as the fans inside the Manhattan Center cheered him on, chanting: "TNA! TNA! TNA!"

For some strange reason the Beat Down Clan—or rather, TNA management decided that now was a good time for an in-ring promo by MVP and his goons. The segment worked for the better however, as the BDC used their presence in the ring as bait to lure Team Angle out from hiding. Once they had Angle's team mates within their sights, the BDC set to work dismantling their opponents, paying special attention to Gunner. When the dust had cleared, questions arose as to whether Gunner would be cleared to compete in Lethal Lockdown. With hope all but lost, Kurt Angle went to go find Bobby Lashley.

Havok vs. Awesome Kong
For fans of ladies wrestling this match was a dream contest in TNA, and was contested inside the six sides of steel! That's unprecedented! The match began with quite a bit of brawling on the outside—in fact several minutes went by before either behemoth even entered the cage. Kong controlled Havok for the first few moments, walking with swag between strikes and slams. Havok is no pushover, as Taz made mention this contest was talked about before Kong even returned to TNA when Havok first made her presence felt back on Spike TV. Finally the two enter the ring and continue their brawl where both individuals display their respective strengths. Amidst a "Better than Diva's" chant, Josh Matthews broke the fourth wall of wrestling and made mention that Awesome Kong was once a WWE Superstar known as Karma. This goes along with TNA's newfound sense of where they exist in the wrestling food-chain, no longer seeking to compete and rather speaking positively about the entertainment superpower. Kong and Havok exchange chops inside the ring, and each "goozle" one another, hoping for a choke slam to end the bout. But it is the returning Kong that gets the better of Jessicka Havok with a powerful choke slam followed by a powerbomb off the top rope. To add insult to injury, the �Amazing' Amazon finished off the defeated Havok with a big splash from the top, earning the pin fall and reigning supreme in the "Land of the Knockouts."

We see a video recording from two weeks ago featuring Velvet Sky after just receiving her pink slip courtesy of "Feast or Fired." She hugs Angelina Love and explains the situation, apologizing for ruining the Beautiful People, and telling her how awful she feels. Love offers sympathy to her best friend, but smiles when her back is turned as that is one fewer female to stir things up in the Knockout locker room. This was a well-conceived segment, but if it was recorded two weeks ago, why save it for Lockdown—a show that needs to be less about the sizzle, and more about the STEAK ! An ill-timed three minutes in my opinion.

Kurt Angle is looking for the TNA world heavyweight champion Bobby Lashley. Kurt is now desperate as he is still without a fourth member of Team Angle in what is now the eleventh hour. A camera man tells Bobby that Kurt's looking for him; Lashley smiles and says, "I'm not that hard to find."

Eric Young vs. Bobby Roode
The most personal encounter on the card pits "Showtime" Eric Young against the man he cost the TNA world heavyweight title, Bobby Roode. Roode basically demolishes EY for the better part of the match with Eric coming back for a few heel spots before finally succumbing to the punishment. Of the half-dozen matches at Lockdown, this made the best use of the cage itself as Bobby Roode was in no way shy about tossing Young into it without remorse. Finally EY gets the upper hand and uses the cage to his advantage, trapping Roode between the ropes and the steel, and delivering a heinous cross body momentarily crippling the "It Factor" in the process. With the odds turning to either side at the drop of a hat, the leader of the BDC entered the equation and once again used the large holes in the cage—this time to hand EY a steel chair. EY controlled the pace of the match until Roode powered out and called an audible by sling-shotting Young head-first into the cage. As he struggled to his feet, the audience could see the blood flowing from EY's skull. Bobby Roode attempted to end it with a Roode Bomb off the top but to no avail; EY pushed Roode off the top rope and capitalized with a flying elbow drop. By this point Eric Young's face was covered in blood, and referee Earl Hebner wasn't reaching for a latex glove but continuing to call the action. Eric dropped the steel chair on Roode's broken body and climbed the ropes to finish him once and for all. Regardless of whether it was a clever game of possum or the wherewithal to succeed, Bobby Roode rose to his feet and tossed the chair at Young, dazing him for a moment. Once again he used the chair to his advantage, striking his fellow former Team Canada member. Finally, Bobby Roode lifted Eric Young into the air and dropped him on his neck performing a picture-perfect Roode Bomb, earning Bobby Roode a hard-fought victory.

Backstage Bobby Lashley and Kurt Angle have come face to face, but Bobby wants no part of what Kurt has to pitch. "You need us and we need you," Kurt yelled in the champions face, getting physical in the process. "Wake your ass up! Come on Bobby!"

Mark Andrews & Rockstar Spud vs. Tyrus
Mark Andrews AKA "Mandrews" and Rockstar Spud are set to take on Ethan Carter's personal bodyguard Tyrus in a 2-on-1 handicap match, which seems easy enough—except for the imposing nature of Tyrus. The former bodyguard of Snoop Dogg is escorted to the ring by Ethan Carter, debonair as always as he carries the same set of electric clippers that claimed the cowlick of Jeremy Borash just one month ago. Tyrus has the upper hand, dominating the much smaller athletes with a series of clothes lines and body slams, as well as big splashes both on the mat and in the corner turnbuckle. Josh Matthews keeps calling the duo of Spud and Mandrews "Spandrews," which Taz takes issue with by the second time he says it. Spud's ingenuity would save him time and again during the match, but never more so than when he would fight out of a powerbomb and use the opportunity to scale the cage. Now at the top of the six sides of steel, the young cruiserweight from the United Kingdom stared around the arena at the TNA fans in New York City. I couldn't help but recall JR's famous line as Jeff Hardy climbed the ladder in his match with the Undertaker: "Go ahead kid! Make yourself famous!" Spud saw his chance to make history and descended the steel in a fiery blaze, somersaulting into a leg drop over Tyrus' back. The crowd went wild, but before Spud could capitalize, EC3 pulled Mandrews from the match and held him ransom at ringside. Spud went after EC3 in an attempt to save his friend, but his compassion would cost him when Tyrus came out of nowhere with the Asiatic Spike for the win. When the bell sounded, Borash climbed into the ring and let everyone know that it was "scalping time!" He plugged the electric sheers into the broadcast desk and proceeded to go after Spud and Mandrews. However before EC3 could have his fun, Jeremy Borash unplugged the clippers—foiling Ethan Carter's master plan!

Bobby Roode is on hand to give a post-match interview regarding his encounter with Eric Young earlier in the evening. Roode says that it's time to move past his predicament with EY, and it's time to focus on once again becoming the TNA World Heavyweight Champion.

Lethal Lockdown
Team Angle vs. The Beat Down Clan
Lethal Lockdown is an interesting concept not unlike War Games in the NWA/WCW. Two men enter and a coin toss determines the order in which each team sends additional support, thus giving the early advantage to one team. Nobody may win until all eight participants have entered the match, and that is when Lethal Lockdown begins. The first entry is Kenny King, which means the Beat Down Clan will get the early advantage of 2-on-1, 3-on-2, and so forth. His opponent is a wildcard entry in Gunner, who suffered an injury to his arm earlier on the show at the hands of the BDC. I predicted we'd see Gunner lead Team Angle as it makes sense to stack the deck against the babyfaces, and what better way to do that than to feature a handicapped performed in a handicapped situation? Gunner quickly attempts to even the odds and make up for his disadvantage by making early use of the weapons hanging around the cage. By two minutes however, he is at a severe detriment when Low Ki enters at number two for the BDC. Low Ki and King team up on Gunner who has trouble fending off his formidable opponents. I noticed that Kenny King has tights with the New York Skyline and a crown over the Empire State Building. I hope his moniker the "King of New York" is a Manhattan Center-only gimmick. That leads me to wonder if he'll have different tights for other cities that he works? Does he have a pair for his hometown Las Vegas, or how about the return to the Impact Zone in Orlando, Florida? Kenny King could be a modern day "Ravishing" Rick Rude if he keeps his tights game on point. Back to the action: evening the odds for Team Angle is Austin Aries who makes it a tag team situation, followed by the third member of the BDC, Samoa Joe. Joe is the only member of the Beat Down Clan that comes out to his own music. Each new entrant in the match makes a statement by attacking the opposition and quickly retreating into the background so as to allow the next performer the chance to shine. Kurt Angle is the third and possibly last member of his team, and MVP is the fourth and final member of the BDC.

Lethal Lockdown had officially begun as all of the announced participants are now locked inside the six sides of steel. The battle wages back and forth with both teams having equal opportunity at walking away victorious. But the numbers game soon catches up to Team Angle, and the BDC is able to mount a sizeable offense. Each member of Team Angle lay crippled at the hands of the BDC while MVP walked across the canvas with a smile on his face—until the wailing siren of the Destroyer's anthem began to blare. The music hit and the fans inside the Manhattan Center knew that the TNA world heavyweight champion was in the building. But to quote Bobby the "Brain" Heenan at Bash at the Beach 1996: "Yeah, but whose side is he on?" The Destroyer walked to the ring and entered the cage as if a regularly scheduled entrant. He smiled at the BDC, and at his former friend Montel Vontavious Porter. The champion held his hand out to MVP, and they shook. But Bobby didn't let go. He tightened his grip on MVP's hand and the match itself. Soon Team Angle was back in control. Austin Aries, Kurt Angle, and Gunner held Kenny King, Samoa Joe, and Low Ki down in their respective submissions as Lashley turned MVP upside-down and inside-out with his championship Spear. The Destroyer came and concurred on behalf of Team Angle.

Don't take my word for it as my command of the English language is no match for the TNA wrestlers and Knockouts and their ability to shine inside the six sides of steel. I was particularly fond of the grudge match between Bobby Roode and his one-time best friend Eric Young, but if I had to pick a match of the night it'd be tough to choose anything other than Lethal Lockdown. An incredible night with twists and turns; a preview of what's to come in the new TNA maybe? Apparently there was something between Brooke and her former beau Robbie E, but I didn't get that on my DVR—even after rewinding and watching again. So maybe it was cut for time in some markets, if not all of them. Next week TNA promises to answer several questions plaguing the TNA fan community, including: "Where does Lashley stand?" Until next time ladies and gentlemen, my name is Mark Adam Haggerty and this has been "Total Nonstop Analysis."

http://www.cheap-heat.com/total-non-stop-analysis-tna-impact-13015/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/total-non-stop-analysis-tna-impact-13015/#comments Sun, 01 Feb 2015 13:36:12 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Other Reviews Reviews Abyss Austin Aries BDC Beat Down Clan Bobby Lashley Bobby Roode Bram Brodus Clay Destination X Eric Young EY Gail Kim Gunner Impact Jeff Hardy Kurt Angle Magnus Matt Hardy Mike Tenay MVP Revolution Rockstar Spud Santino Marella Taryn Terrell TNA Tommy Dreamer Triple H Tyrus Urban Wrestling Federation UWF wrestling http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9438 Total Non-Stop Analysis TNA Impact 1/30/15 Written by Mark Adam Haggerty Welcome one and all to the latest and greatest installment of the most concise coverage of TNA's weekly Friday night television series, "Impact Wrestling." My name is Mark Adam Haggerty, coming off a week away from my keyboard but back to bring you the […]

Total Non-Stop Analysis
TNA Impact 1/30/15
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

Welcome one and all to the latest and greatest installment of the most concise coverage of TNA's weekly Friday night television series, "Impact Wrestling." My name is Mark Adam Haggerty, coming off a week away from my keyboard but back to bring you the most thought-provoking wrestling reviews this side of the world-wide web. This episode of Impact was of course not without fault, but being only fourth in line for this most recent reboot I have to give the two-hour telecast the benefit of the doubt and award a solid A- for their overall performance. Last week's show featured a very well-constructed street fight right outside the Manhattan Center in New York City—will this week's follow-up contain the same sort of high-octane excitement, or are we heading down another regrettable wrestling rabbit hole? Let's quit running our mouths and discuss what stood out this week on Destination America.

Just because TNA is a fraction of the WWE in terms of size, that's not to assume Impact Wrestling doesn't do a few things better than the industry leader. For example, I truly value the way in which TNA manages to highlight the events from previous episodes without relying on a 25-minute in-ring talking segment. This episode began with a two-minute recap from last week, followed by the former champion Bobby Roode escorting the TNA World title to the six-sided ring. "What I have in my hand right now, unfortunately doesn't belong to me. But this championship means more to me than anything else in this world," began Bobby Roode, looking down at the leather and gold for which he's put his life on the line. "I have dedicated my entire life to this championship. Professional wrestling is my life! It's how I support my family; it is a passion and this TNA World Heavyweight championship represents everything in this company." Roode went on to explain how he lost the belt to Bobby Lashley on January 7th thanks to the combined efforts of his former best friend Eric Young, MVP and the Beat Down Clan. Bobby Roode isn't just called the "It Factor," as he lives his character every day of his life. TNA oftentimes gets a bad rap for their booking, but not much negative can be said regarding their talent, especially icons of the past decade like Bobby Roode. "We were closer than blood," Roode continued, now staring directly into the camera as if speaking to EY, "I will not rest, so help me god, until I spill yours! [Blood]" Bobby then turned the tables from his beef with the BDC to his standing predicament with the current TNA World Heavyweight Champion, Bobby Lashley. Roode called Lashley down to the ring so that they could settle their issues like men. Lashley of course answered the call, eager to regain his property, and walked down to ringside rocking an amazing track suit and gingham cap combination. "This world heavyweight championship belongs to you, and I'm man enough to give it back." As the belt switched from hand to hand, Roode clutched the gold for a moment longer, "But it's not going to be that easy. Because I'm owed a rematch." The crowd erupted, only to further unhinge themselves when Roode added: "And I want my rematch tonight." Lashley accepted Bobby Roode's challenge for a championship opportunity, and began turning toward the back. But Roode had different plans in mind: "Why wait," he asked? The former champion was ready for his rematch right now. Lashley turned back but before the two could engage in battle, the music hit and one of the Feast or Fired recipients was ready to join the fight. Austin Aries walked to the ring, holding his world title briefcase proudly as if to remind the behemoths in the ring as to who the true number one contender in TNA was. "I know! I know! I'm not a referee! I'm not the guy you were looking for, I'm sorry," Austin Aries approached the ring, "Actually I'm not sorry." The boisterous Manhattan crowd grew unruly as they chanted, "Austin Aries," almost immediately forgetting the two main eventers already inside the six-sided circle. "I always find myself in this position guys, I'm always the man that has the most options." Austin went on to explain how he revolutionized Destination X by introducing Option C, and directly related his success to his current prized possession—the Feast or Fired briefcase for the TNA championship. "Do I cash this in right now, in my dapper street clothes? Or do I take a seat outside, get myself some vegan popcorn, watch you guys have one hell of an athletic, draining world title match—and then cash it in? So many choices. So many options…" Now ten minutes in and fifteen minutes shy of the WWE 25-minute mark for opening segments, the final piece to the main event puzzle appears without his BDC brothers, the man who outsmarted Lashley last week in a wintertime street fight, MVP. The former United States champion has a habit of delivering one-too-many in-ring promos from week to week, effectively rendering him the Triple H of Impact Wrestling. But much like the King of Kings, MVP so-too-serves as a prominent role model for what a consummate professional wrestler is all about. Ignoring his less-than-stellar in-ring performances over the years, Montel Vontavious Porter has managed to make himself a very valuable commodity inside the wrestling industry. Now arriving on scene to add to the already tense situation spilling over from inside the ring, MVP singles each of his adversaries out, beginning with Austin Aries and finishing with a man he claims to be disappointed in, Bobby Lashley. MVP continues to tell Lashley that the TNA title doesn't belong to him, but to the entire Beat Down Clan, "And you know this!" MVP wants Bobby Lashley to kick Roode and Aries to the side, and make this a one-on-one confrontation between the former "brothers," Lashley and Montel. Lashley tells Aries to save his briefcase for another time because he's "going to need it," and instead gives all three men an opportunity for the title in a four-way dance.

Back from the first break and just fifteen minutes into the broadcast, we've already seen previews for matches to come, including a Monsters Ball between Jeff Hardy and Abyss. Kurt Angle appears on screen: "Being able to fight has awoken the American Hero inside of me. The man that's gone to war with the biggest names in the business. And next week at Lockdown, it's gonna be Team Angle versus the BDC. And I'm looking for the biggest, baddest, best wrestlers in this industry. And by the end of tonight, I'm gonna have my team assembled. Oh it's real. It's damn real." Next up the Knockouts Championship is on the line, as it is almost every week it seems. We're first introduced to Madison Rayne, who by my account has the absolute worst entrance music in the history of professional wrestling. Her first of two adversaries is the former TNA Knockout and WWE Diva's champion Gail Kim, followed by the current champion Taryn Terrell. I'm coming around to Terrell, although I wish she'd ditch her country pop rock theme song, which seems to be a detriment to more than one TNA talent. One of WCW's toughest challenges during its infancy was breaking free of the regional status it garnered during the Crockett Era. A constant catalysts in the evolution of wrestling has always been promotors willing to learn from past mistakes, so why do so many Impact wrestlers and knockouts come to the ring to music that only appeals to a specific subgroup of Americans? I'm not devaluing country music whatsoever, as the same argument can be made for the now defunct Urban Wrestling Federation and their frivolous usage of hip hop. Before I get back to the action, I'd like to complain about one more thing: When is the last time we saw a one-on-one knockout match? Since the company re-launched on Destination America we've seen the same basic multi-woman bouts ending with a blackout and a Kong-Havok stare down. I think the Knockouts are far more favorable to the Divas inside the ring, but anyone who points out the flawed nature of WWE booking needs to take a step back and assess the current Knockout situation as well. There is in fact a forest beyond those blonde and brunette trees, everybody. Back to the match: Gail Kim is a real talent in the wrestling industry. From the bell, she launches herself into the action and demands her one-on-one opportunity with Taryn Terrell. Kim takes Taryn to the "Wood Shed," as Good Ol' JR would put it, only to allow an opening for Madison Rayne to reenter the affair and turn the tides in her own favor. I can't take anything away from Madison, as her lack of knowledge between the ropes and off-putting persona adds greatly to the heel character she's currently being asked to play. She even had a highlight moment when she performed what the announcers referred to as a "Diamond Cutter and DDT" combination. Madison's inexperience gets the best of her as she falls victim to a submission hold by the crafty Kim, which is then capitalized upon by Taryn Terrell. It's a three-women hardcore extravaganza when the fight spills to the outside; the diabolical Madison Rayne is less reliant on wrestling holds, and more in her element, dumping the TNA Knockout champion face-first into the steel steps. By this point I've not once—but TWICE said, "Holy shit," reacting to the bumps these wonderful workers are willing to take. I'm not saying the Bella Twins couldn't take an over-the-top spill to the concrete floor, I'm just pointing out that they haven't. Madison is in control, delivering a face buster to Gail Kim into the same steps. Back in the ring, Madison waves cordially to the crowd and dives back to the outside, face first into the guard rail. Taryn takes advantage and the two battle back into the ring. Kim gets back in the action, but Terrell capitalizes on the confusion with a very impressive Diamond Cutter, leading to a three count for the retaining champion.

Another break and more promotion for next week's very special Lockdown television event on Destination America, followed by an up-close encounter with the former corporate world champion Magnus. He says that the TNA camera crew has a habit of filming whatever they like, so in response he invited them to witness a positive interaction between him and his recently estranged best friend. He says that he invited Bram to meet him at a local bar, and wants the TNA audience to see them talk things out like men. "If we have an issue, we have a drink and we talk it out. And that's what we're going to do right now." Rockstar Spud and the winner of British Bootcamp Mark Andrews are out on the streets of the Big Apple sight-seeing; Spud misidentifies the Empire State Building as the Washington Monument, and then correctly spots the Manhattan Center clear across the street. Spud's suits are the inanimate anthropomorphic personification of Nickelodeon in the early 1990's; his outfit this evening is orange and green and yellow and purple and splattered with paint, as he reminds the television audience of the current problems between Ethan Carter and Jeremy Borash. The two are in a hurry as they prepare for their upcoming interaction with EC3 and Tyrus—but first, they're going to go see the White House, which Spud claims is "three blocks away" from the Manhattan Center. Back inside, Tommy Dreamer walks to the ring to a decent enough reaction, although the fans are chanting for "E-C-W," not the hardcore legend or his "House of Hardcore" promotion. As he circled the stage preparing to address the TNA audience, he swiped a plastic cup of beer from a fan at ringside and took a swig, before entering the ring with a smile on his face. Tommy tells his faithful fans that he's never lied to them and never will, and requests the presence of Eric Young. Young appears wearing a Bobby Roode shirt, and enters the ring sneering at the patrons inside the Manhattan Center. "This has got nothing to do with you," he tells Tommy, coming within an inch of his face, "Stay out of my business." Tommy tells Eric that he and Bobby Roode were the first people in TNA that shook his hand when he came onboard. "I've seen you go from a nothing joke to the heavyweight champion of this company," Tommy compared himself to Young in their similar struggles to achieve world heavyweight greatness, but Young wanted nothing to do with Dreamer, nor his pleas for peace. "You're a good guy Tommy—you're a real good guy! Look where being a good guy got you; you're a fat loser from this dump. " Tommy turned away, to which Eric took offense, "You don't turn away from me! I don't want to burn a bridge with Bobby Roode," he told the 25-year veteran, "I want to blow it up!" At this point Dreamer became somewhat condescending and swore EY was continuing to make mistakes, even accusing the former champion of never asking Roode for the title shot he was seeking. "This is all over the world title, did you ever ask him for a title shot," Dreamer demanded to know? The intensity rose between Tommy Dreamer and Eric Young, who might I say is sporting a very stylish head of hair these days. Words almost escaped EY, as he searched for the proper response to Dreamers inquiry. Before a syllable could be spoken, the treacherous Young kicked Tommy and delivered a powerful pile-driver to the ECW icon. Never one to be outdone by his own actions, Eric hit the ringside area and assaulted a crew member to attain a steel chair. He tossed the chair into the ring in an apparent attempt to capitalize on a downed-Dreamer, then to be met by the man he turned on four weeks ago—Bobby Roode! Roode stood tall, fending off a rabid "Showtime" Eric Young, saving Tommy Dreamer from any further punishment.

Matt and Jeff Hardy are on hand cutting a promo regarding next week's Lockdown event on Destination America. Jeff is undoubtedly the more daring and enjoyable Hardy to watch inside the ring, but Matt is a quick-witted talent whose promo skills and gifts to the industry shouldn't go overlooked when talking about the Hardy Boyz as a whole. Next week Matt and Jeff are going head-to-head with the tag team champions James Storm and Abyss inside the six-sides of steel. But as for tonight, Jeff says he has a "violent dance" with Abyss at the Monster's Ball. It's such a big deal, he says, that he invited a few friends—trashcan lids, barbed wire bats, and kendo sticks to name a few. Back out in the bitter cold, Magnus is walking into the local watering hole to meet Bram; I want to know where this large, yet seemingly unpopular pub in midtown Manhattan might be located. Bram is getting HAMMERED, hanging his head amongst a valley of "fallen soldiers" AKA empty beer bottles. Magnus sits beside Bram and orders another round. Bram argues with Magnus about the finish to the Feast or Fired contest last week on Impact. Magnus tells Bram that his victory benefits both men because it's a tag team opportunity. "Who's my tag team partner gonna be—Crazy Steve? No it's going to be you, ya big dummy." The two seem to sort their situation out amidst a menagerie of uncomfortable comments, all while Bram embraced a rock solid cue ball from the billiard table. Finally Bram suggests they leave and head around the corner for Thai food; on the way out the door, Magnus turns toward the exit and Bram instead sends him into the bowels of the building because it's "quicker." Once realizing there's no way out, Magnus turns around only to be blindsided by the blood-thirsty Bram. After repeatedly tossing Magnus into a steel door, Bram retrieved the curious cue ball from his jacket pocket and smashed it over the back of Magnus's skull. Cameras are backstage in the Manhattan Center where Kurt Angle approaches Gunner regarding his position in the company and propositions him to join Team Angle next week at Lockdown, an offer Gunner willingly accepts. The excitement continues down in the basement where Abyss and Jeff Hardy aren't willing to wait for their scheduled bell time. They battle within the narrow hall way and into a standing-room-only audience. Abyss breaks the barricade apart in order to enter the ringside area and is soon met with a barrage of impromptu weaponry beginning with a steel chair. Josh Matthews tells the television audience that Abyss has been in 95% of the "televised" Monsters Ball matches over the years, though his experience doesn't seem to do him any favors as Jeff Hardy continues to punish the Monster. Abyss hits Hardy with a few impactful power moves and introduces an array of weapons to the ring, including the dreaded cheese grater. The incredibly fast pace of the contest slowed to a stop when Jeff Hardy attempted an awe-inspired aerial maneuver that instead saw him soar through the folding table at ringside. Abyss took this as his cue to introduce a felt bag of thumbtacks to the match—much to my chagrin. Thumbtacks have an absurdly high statistical presence in TNA, so I was ecstatic when Hardy answered the call and stopped Abyss from emptying the bag. Instead we get an even more unenlightened piece of hardware—the black piece of wood surrounded by spikes known as "Janice." The Monsters Ball is interrupted by the entire Revolution who attack Jeff, as well as Matt who attempted to rescue his brother. Coming to the aid of the fallen Hardy Boyz is perhaps their most unlikely of allies, the Wolves. Once the score is settled and the focus returns to Abyss and Jeff Hardy, the Monster manages to litter the six-sided ring with hundreds of razor sharp thumbtacks. Abyss climbed the ropes to where Jeff was seated on the top turn buckle and attempted to perform a super-plex. The former world champion fought the Monster away and instead reversed his efforts into a sit-down powerbomb. Jeff once again ascended to the top rope, and finished Abyss with his patented Swanton Bomb amid a sea of thumbtacks.

Backstage Kurt Angle is on the phone still seeking to assemble his "Dream Team" for next week's Lethal Lockdown encounter with the Beat Down Clan. The night is winding down, and aside from the combatants of the penultimate match, everyone is getting ready for the four way championship battle for the belt, including former champion Austin Aries. Austin says Bobby Lashley's willingness to give him a title shot without cashing in his briefcase speaks to the type of confidence Lashley has as a champion, a trait Aries admittedly admires. As Rockstar Spud and Mark Andrews prepare to exact their revenge against Ethan Carter and Tyrus, they are surprised when EC3 enters the arena dressed in a suit to inform them of a slight change in booking. Instead of Carter and the former Brodus Clay, the British junior heavyweights will be wrestling Robbie E and Jesse Goddard of the Bromans. A decent enough competitive match that served to display the phenomenal athleticism of Mark Andrews, as well as the immense versatility of Rockstar Spud. Up until now much of the TNA and American audiences have seen Spud much the same as Santino Marella, a comedy act with little in the way of professional wrestling prowess. Those of us nerds that follow the European indies know that Spud is a charismatic young talent who is destined for great things should TNA pull the trigger on him as a prominent athlete. Some fun stuff from Angelina Love, the last remaining "Beautiful Person" now that her comrade Velvet Sky is no longer under contract. In the end the match was of course won by the lightning quick underdogs who finished their competition with a tag team combination ending with a shooting star press by "Mandrews." Following the bell, the duo had little time to celebrate as Tyrus took to the ring in an attempt to obliterate the smaller-statured stars before they could gain any momentum. After decimating them beyond conceivable repair, Tyrus walked away. They lay demolished inside the ring, but only for a moment until Spud mustered the strength to beckon the beast back for one more battle—this time inside the six-sides of steel. This time next week at TNA Lockdown on Destination America.

The main event is upon us and Austin Aries is the first of the four competitors to be announced, followed by MVP who has been considerably absent compared to weeks past. The "It Factor" Bobby Roode is the third man to make his entrance, followed of course by the current TNA World Heavyweight champion, this time in possession of his title belt, Bobby Lashley. I really enjoy Lashley these days, who works much the same as WWE World Heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar; each champion is presented as a legitimate ass-kicker who can't be concerned with appealing to the crowd. Both Brock and Bobby enter the ring and hold their titles high regardless of the reaction they might expect from the fans. Bobby Lashley doesn't need to cheat to win, and he doesn't need to pander to get over—he just needs to wrestle, and that will in-turn define who he is as a competitor. Matthews and Taz make mention of Mike Tenay's TNA Power Rankings, specifically citing Bobby Lashley as number one, MVP as two, Aries as three—with Low Ki and EY rounding out the Top Five. Way to bury one of the wrestlers in the current bout, not to mention one of the most loyal and top-drawing stars in the company. This match is off and running and MVP hits the outside of the ring in an attempt to escape immediate competition. Roode and Aries head him off, sending him back into the ring and right in line with his most hated of enemies Bobby Lashley. The match begins as an anti-MVP "Beat Down," no pun intended, but quickly switches to a standard four way battle, pitting Lashley against Roode inside the ring, with Aries and MVP fighting on the outskirts of camera-view. Aries soon returns to action, attacking Bobby Roode and allowing MVP his own opportunity to reengage in competition. The war wages across the commercial break, and we're soon back in the middle of the action. Bobby Lashley, who has been conspicuous by his absence, returns to the ring, only to miss a spear and exit through the ropes once more. Aries capitalizes and performs a fluid suicide dive onto the champion, leaving MVP in control as he stomps Bobby Roode down into a bottom turnbuckle. MVP continues to put his evolution as a performer on display as he keeps both Roode and Aries at bay, until Bobby Lashley returns to join the fight once more. A litany of high spots including a powerbomb/super-plex combination make for an exciting few remaining moments of television until Eric Young joined the fray and took Roode out of the equation. Aries prepared for another suicide dive on MVP who was stranded on the sidelines, but was instead turned inside-out by a catastrophic spear from the Destroyer Bobby Lashley. Lashley retains his title, only to be assaulted by the BDC. MVP swipes the belt again and holds it high, until the entire team is run off by Kurt Angle and Gunner. Lashley managed to keep his belt as he stood alongside Kurt Angle, staring daggers into the wily Beat Down Clan. Bobby Roode tells Eric Young that he wants him inside the cage next week at Lockdown, "I'm going to make you pay. But most importantly, I'm going to make you bleed!" Kurt Angle begins to talk about the numbers game played by the BDC, but Austin Aries grabs the microphone and quickly volunteers himself for one of the two vacant spots on Team Angle. Once Austin was onboard, Kurt took it upon himself to recruit the champion, who was quick to tell both MVP and Kurt, that he isn't going to be on anyone's team. Who will be the fourth man on Team Angle next week in Lethal Lockdown?

There were a few slow moving instances particularly around the Monsters Ball Match, but everything including the barroom brawl was at least enjoyable. I spoke earlier at what TNA might do better than the WWE and I dare say they pace their show much better than Monday Night Raw. Smackdown is a different story as it too is only two hours, but maybe that's the burden of a three hour broadcast? Look what happened to Nitro, after all. TNA Impact manages to get its point across with as few words as possible per promo, now it's just a matter of cutting down the number of promos. There should most certainly be more than three matches on a two hour wrestling show, so while the talking segments are well produced and intelligible, they should be limited in terms of how many we get per hour. I thought the best match of the evening without question was the four way dance for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, but I also enjoyed the spectacle put on by Taryn Terrell, Gail Kim, and Madison Rayne. Remember next week is TNA's very special Lockdown, a former pay-per-view extravaganza available for free on Destination America. I'm looking forward to the event, and I also look forward to next week's edition of "Total Nonstop Analysis." Until then my name is Mark Adam Haggerty reminding you that sports entertainment is well and good, but WRESTLING is alive and well.

http://www.cheap-heat.com/total-non-stop-analysis-tna-impact-1715/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/total-non-stop-analysis-tna-impact-1715/#comments Fri, 09 Jan 2015 20:50:25 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Other Reviews Reviews Abyss Angelina Love Austin Aries Awesome Kong AXS Bobby Lashley Chris Candido Davey Richards Destination America DJ Z EC3 Eddie Edwards Eric Young Ethan Carter III Gail Kim Havok Impact Impact Wrestling James Storm Jeff Hardy Jeremy Borash Jessicka Havok John Cena John Gaburick Josh Mathews Knockout's Kong Kurt Angle Low Ki Manik Marc Predka Matt Hardy Mike Tenay MVP New Japan Pro Wrestling NJPW Ring of Honor Robbie E. Rockstar Spud ROH Samoa Joe Sanada Seiya Sanada Taryn Terrell Taz The American Wolves The BroMans The Great Sanada The Revolution The Wolves TNA Tyrus Unlocked Velvet Sky Verne Gagne wrestling WWE X-Division http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=8683 Total Non-Stop Analysis TNA Impact 1/7/15 Written by Mark Adam Haggerty I think it's safe to say that 2014 was a turbulent time for the second most visible wrestling company in America as they struggled to find a home without losing the one million viewers they had already worked thirteen years to win. Everyone knows […]

Total Non-Stop Analysis
TNA Impact 1/7/15
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

I think it's safe to say that 2014 was a turbulent time for the second most visible wrestling company in America as they struggled to find a home without losing the one million viewers they had already worked thirteen years to win. Everyone knows by now that Impact did in fact find a new home on Destination America, and things seem to be off to a good start. I didn't hear any direct mention of T-N-A except when referring to the championship titles, and that's only because they're each embroidered with three enormous diamond-studded letters, glistening under the hot lights of the Manhattan Center. Instead the product appears to now be known simply as "Impact Wrestling," a superior name as far as I'm concerned because Impact Wrestling doesn't mean, "boobs" and "butts"—uh, I like to keep things clean around here. This was a really great episode and a spectacular way to reboot the program on a brand new network. While there were a few moments when I had to rewind and say to myself, "Wait—WWE just did that," this show was well-constructed and all-together entertaining. Let's quit with the introductions and get right down to the random thoughts running �round my head in this week's edition of "Total Non-Stop Analysis."

Worried at first as to how the show would lead off, my fears rapidly retreated into my brain when Impact Wrestling began with a very well-produced montage of wrestlers preparing for the big return to television. Included therein was Bobby Lashley, Gail Kim, Samoa Joe and several others depicted in their hotel rooms just prior to the TNA Reboot at the Manhattan Center. Overtop the behind-the-scenes footage played what I believe was John Cena's rapping cousin Tha Trademarc, although I could be wrong. But given his past relationship with TNA, even performing Kurt Angle's entrance theme, I'm willing to bet that was none other than good old Marc Predka. As wrestlers arrived at the Manhattan Center a literal street fight broke out between every member of the roster including all main event talent, the Knockouts, and even Rockstar Spud! The carnage spilled inside where the live audience was excited to see a video-game style wrestling brawl come to life; more than twenty-five men and women picking their spots and opening Impact in a huge way. As security started to get a handle on the action, Executive Director Kurt Angle made his entrance asking, "Security—what do you think you're doing?" After he laid down the law declaring all TNA championships will be defended this evening, MVP wanted to know whether or not Kurt was "going to announce how he assaulted" MVP the last time they saw each other. He even went on to say, "The Kurt Angle of 1996 was an Olympic Gold Medalist. The Kurt Angle of 2015 wears a suit and tie and has no balls. Professional wrestler? Kurt—you're done." Kurt responded the only way he knew how; the first match for The New Impact of 2015 would see Kurt Angle battle MVP dressed in street clothes, in what would prove to be a thrilling contest of catch-wrestling regardless of attire. I have to give credit where it's due and congratulate MVP for training so feverishly in recent years, because the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Judo are beginning to pay off in regard to the former United States champion's repertoire. Kurt looked phenomenal as always despite being shelved for the better part of the last year, utilizing a litany of his own signature maneuvers such as The Hat Trick and even his Olympic Slam. The fans in New York City were really getting into this bout as they chanted, "M-V-Penis," toward the ring for a good three or four minutes. Of course Kurt Angle would come out on top but I'll venture a guess that 2015 could be the year we see Montel Vontavious Porter in possession of the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

Until now we've only heard his voice but it's time to put a face to Taz's new broadcast colleague, Josh Matthews. Matthews gives a basic introduction and introduces Taz as, "a former three time world champion." Uh—okay, I guess ECW still counts. They run down the changes we the viewer might expect going forward, including a new hidden camera-feature displaying heels and heroes intermingling backstage. Matthews says they're going to pull the curtain back like never before; I guess just because something didn't work for the XFL, doesn't mean there's no hope for Impact. I give it two months before they abandon all of the "behind-the-scenes" garbage in favor of a standard broadcast, because that's what the fans have been clamoring for. In addition to seeing The Broman's paling around with Samoa Joe in the locker room, the camera gave us an unprecedented look at John Gaburick producing the show from the "Gorilla Position." Following an awesome EC3 promo we're back in instructional mode, but that's okay because this time we've got The Professor Mike Tenay telling us all about, "Impact: Unlocked." �Unlocked will be a new program on Destination America each week similar to other sports highlight shows including news, stats, opinions and interviews. Tenay gives us a sneak peak of what to expect when he sits down in an empty arena to discuss the formation of The Revolution with James Storm.

Following the prerecorded conversation between The Professor and The Cowboy, James Storm and Abyss emerged from the back to defend their tag titles against The American Wolves. I find it kind of quirky how Storm carries both belts for he and his partner Abyss, what an original concept that I don't think I've ever seen before. I'm sorry, that's rude. I don't like writing sarcastically because it doesn't translate very well to the reader, but come on! I find James Storm far more favorable-a-performer than The Miz, but the facts are clear and I'm pretty sure I saw Mike Mizanin performing this shtick starting several months back. Not a huge deal when you take into account the quality of workrate on Impact versus the more mainstream alternative. In fact if The Revolution falls flat, The Wolves are always enough to make me forget about the sad state of the WWE Tag Division. Before the bell could sound both Matt and Jeff Hardy wandered out from the locker room, presumably to scout the champions or perhaps to gain a better vantage point of Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards. The Wolves appear to have gotten some new ink since last we saw them in the six-sided ring, but the added sizzle has done nothing to hinder the flavor of the steak. I guess maybe four consecutive suicide dives performed by both Edwards and Richards was a bit much, but who's to even make that decision when the name of the game on the indie level is, "Can You Top That?" The match was on fire which is pretty cool considering the advanced ages of both Abyss and Storm when contrasted with their much younger opponents. But age isn't any more than a number, especially in the world of professional wrestling—just ask Shawn Michaels who was widely considered better in his 40's than he ever was in his 20's. That's a pretty sweet (chin music) segue into the final moment of the match—a Superkick! "The Last Call" is my favorite superkick in wrestling, and yes I'm including The Young Bucks and Adam Cole in the conversation. I just don't think anyone hits the move with more fluidity while maintaining a perfectly straight leg the way Cowboy James Storm does. A hard-contested war between the reprehensible Revolution and the former tag title holders, The American Wolves.

Ethan Carter III and his staunch sense of entitlement have returned for the year 2015, wearing the shiniest mafia suit you've ever seen in your life. I think EC3 gives what is probably the best promo in all of TNA. He's a far cry from the best wrestler on the roster, but what Carter lacks in ring presence he makes up for with cunning ingenuity. Aside from the standard retort, "No, I'm very good," every time the crowd would chant, "You suck," Ethan Carter invited the New York City fans to join him in celebrating as, "2015 is the year of our wrestling lord, EC3." I question the use of saying "fact" after every sentence because once again, I'm fairly certain somebody else has already cornered that market of the industry. But all things considered I really enjoy Ethan Carter whenever he's in possession of a microphone, so I'm inclined to ignore that. His back and forth with Jeremy Borash and Rockstar Spud was well-received, I just wish the camera didn't fail to pick up the slap from JB to EC3. I find head-shaving and hair-cutting to be a little too �rasslin' for my modern day taste but the uneven crewcut given to Jeremy Borash was quick and concise enough to ensure I didn't lose interest in an otherwise very stimulating story. I've never been a fan of Jeremy Borash and might even go as far as to say I don't like him. But given his thirteen year commitment to TNA, there are few tenured employees as beloved as Jeremy thus making him the perfect ponzi for EC3 to target.

While everything inside me says to declare Austin Aries versus Low-Ki match of the night, I'm less inclined to do so as I've seen far too much of these wrestlers in recent months. The X-Division is becoming a two-to-three man show with Samoa Joe still not cleared to compete, and I don't think the title is done any justice when it's tossed around between the same wrestlers on a semi-monthly basis. That being said you can't take anything away from either Low-Ki or Aries in the performance department. I noticed that Josh Matthews appeared very keen on getting historical statistics correct, several times referencing WWE and Ring of Honor, even referring to Austin Aries as a 3-time world champion—just like Taz, I guess. It's weird whenever I see Austin Aries in the six-sided ring because perhaps more than anyone else on the roster, I'm used to seeing him wrestle independently inside the standard squared circle. Despite an earnest effort and a highly effective "Bite of the Dragon," Low-Ki was bested by one of the greatest wrestlers on earth. Following a debilitating Brain Buster, it was only a matter of time before A-Double picked up his sixth X-Division title win.

Then there was a Knockouts Battle Royal. I don't want to be labeled a sexist but I can't stand the Knockouts Division and if being honest means being called prejudice, then I guess I'll have to make due. This isn't a discussion comparing Knockouts to Divas, this is about looking at the storylines the women in TNA are subjected to. This was a seven-woman battle royal for the Knockouts Title which in itself should be insulting, not only to the champion Taryn Terrell but to proven women's competitors such as Gail Kim and Jessicka Havok. Even the Beautiful People deserved more than they received on this landmark broadcast which brings me to another point. Why was this the designated moment to reintroduce Robbie E? I'm originally from the Great Garden State with a special place in my heart for Guido's, but I don't get the logic in allowing the Bromans to cut a promo directly before a Knockout's Title Match? Is the creative team in TNA so uncomfortable with women's wrestling that they opted to lead in with Robbie E? Nonetheless the match was terrible and paced even worse with pockets of inaction spread across the ring. It's not the women or their abilities that I loathe, but the obvious second-string approach Gaburick and his team take to some of the best wrestlers in the world. Luckily all was not lost thanks to a moment which might go down as the coolest Knockout spot in history. When Havok failed to conquer Taryn Terrell, she went wild and attacked anybody in her path—that is until the lights went out and the Manhattan Center was greeted by an unfriendly yet very familiar face. It was Awesome Kong! Returning to do damage and reclaim her Knockout Title, Kong made quick work of Havok to set up one of the biggest dream matches in women's wrestling. It was very cool to see Kia Stevens back in TNA as Kong was one of the only reasons the Knockout Division was so fun to watch.

Kurt Angle and Josh Matthews each dedicated time to declaring tonight's main event a potential Match of the Year contender—before it even happened, mind you. I didn't think that was true, in fact I had very little hope that this match would be anything more than a five minute brawl complete with inconsistent selling and outside interference from MVP. While we did see our share of Montel and his faction of masked marauders, the actual match surprised the heck out of me. Last week I released my Top Fourteen Wrestlers of 2014 and came very close to adding Bobby Lashey's name to my list. Lashley has come an exceptionally long way since his days of defending Donald Trump's head of hair from Vince McMahon, even employing what I consider the deadliest Spear in all of professional wrestling. Bobby Roode is a classic wrestler's wrestler who could be dropped down into any decade and still have an amazing career whether battling it out with Verne Gagne or Chris Candido. Roode seems to have a far superior understanding of ring psychology than does the rest of the TNA Roster. I have nothing but respect and admiration for both Bobby's but it's when their conflicting styles collide that I begin to worry as to the outcome. Bobby Lashley looks utterly ridiculous when relegated to running the ropes and selling moves such as Suplexes. All the while Roode lacks the ability and body type necessary to sell Lashley's power holds. I thought Lashley/Roode Number One sucked; I thought Lashley/Roode Number Two was a letdown; when it came time for their third encounter I had no hopes higher than what their previous bouts allowed me to expect. Once things got underway many of my fears were realized, however I was happy to see both men adapt greatly to the others' style and strength, making this a much more enjoyable match within the first few moments.

The technical end of things caught me by surprise as I didn't see this match breaking down to the mat, but that is where they stayed until the cavalry arrived around the ring. MVP returned to the Manhattan Center alongside Kenny King and two masked men that weren't going to let security stop them from entering the arena. Back in the ring Lashley's face is leaking blood from inside his mouth as he engages in battle with Bobby Roode. Once the masked men made their way onto the apron, they were revealed as Samoa Joe and Low-Ki, here to ensure Lashley walks away with the title around his waist. Just as soon as they arrived however, MVP's band of baddies was seemingly scared away by the former TNA World Champion Eric Young who came to his best friend's aid swinging a steel chair.

But this wouldn't be wrestling if everybody got along; after faking out the NYC crowd as well as Roode himself, Eric Young drilled the edge of the steel chair deep into Bobby Roode's ribs, then to his back. As EY vacated the ring, leaving MVP and his minions scattered around watching the action unfold, Bobby Lashley came to his senses and delivered the most impressive Spear you've ever seen. The referee counted one, two, three and The Destroyer Bobby Lashley is once again the TNA World Heavyweight Champion.

About halfway through the broadcast I sent a text to one of my Cheap-Heat colleagues insisting that he check out the "New TNA." His response was something to the effect of: "I just can't with TNA anymore, they've been doing the same storylines for five years." While I want my friend to give the show a chance regardless of his preconceived conceptions, I can't help but wonder how many hundreds—or even THOUSANDS of former fans feel the same way. Impact is going to have to pull out all the stops without, "jumping any sharks" if they want to survive in the most competitive wrestling environment since The Attitude Era. Nobody is going to unseat the reigning King Vince McMahon, but everyone else including Lucha Underground, Ring of Honor, and NJPW on AXS stands the same chance of stealing Impact's spot and becoming the official number two show in the country. Remember starting next week Impact Wrestling will begin airing in its normal timeslot, Friday Nights at 9PM EST on Destination America. I think the original plan was to remain on Wednesdays but now that NXT is moving to Wednesday in response to Smackdown moving to Thursday, it appears Impact went the safer route by booking on a night devoid of any in-ring competition. Wait—that means there's a new wrestling show on Monday through Friday every single week? The dream. Ladies and gentlemen as always it has been my pleasure spending some time with you here in cyberspace. My name is Mark Haggerty and I hope you'll join me again next week for another entertaining edition of Total Non-Stop Analysis.

http://www.cheap-heat.com/tna-announces-abyss-has-re-signed-with-the-company/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/tna-announces-abyss-has-re-signed-with-the-company/#comments Wed, 31 Dec 2014 19:20:34 +0000 Cassidy Haynes Indy/Puro/Lucha Abyss Impact Wrestling John Gaburick TNA http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=8355 Speaking through his official Twitter account, John Gaburick, TNA Wrestling's Executive Vice President of Creative and Talent Relations noted that Abyss has signed a new deal with the company. Another legendary @IMPACTWRESTLING star inks new deal with us. Congratulations @TherealAbyss More to come today! pic.twitter.com/UeTTv8hKZJ — John Gaburick (@JohnGaburick) December 31, 2014 Abyss took to his […]

Speaking through his official Twitter account, John Gaburick, TNA Wrestling's Executive Vice President of Creative and Talent Relations noted that Abyss has signed a new deal with the company.

Another legendary @IMPACTWRESTLING star inks new deal with us. Congratulations @TherealAbyss В More to come today! pic.twitter.com/UeTTv8hKZJ

— John Gaburick (@JohnGaburick) December 31, 2014

Abyss took to his Twitter account to thank the company and John Gaburick, noting that he is extremely proud of being a member of the company since the beginning.

Thank you @IMPACTWRESTLING & @JohnGaburick ! Extremely proud of being a member of TNA since the beginning and our team pic.twitter.com/mQUKVefD5z

— Abyss (@TherealAbyss) December 31, 2014

http://www.cheap-heat.com/bwfs-tna-impact-wrestling-review-for-november-12th-2014/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/bwfs-tna-impact-wrestling-review-for-november-12th-2014/#comments Fri, 14 Nov 2014 06:40:39 +0000 bored wrestling fan Other Reviews Reviews Abyss Angelina Love Austin Aries Bobby Lashley Chris Melendez Daniel Bryan Davey Richards DJZ Eddie Edwards Eric Young Gail Kim Gunner Havok Impact James Storm Jessie Godderz Kenny King Kurt Angle Madison Rayne Manik Mr. Anderson MVP Rebel Rob Terry Sam Shaw Samuel Shaw Taryn Terrell The Beautiful People The BroMans The Menagerie The Wolves TNA Tyrus wrestling http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=6301 Time for the second to last Impact. Are you ready? James Storm comes out to start the show. It would have been so great if they booked it so that he ended Impact and we finally had a heel faction destroy a wrestling company. He calls out the Wolves for his answer. The one that […]

Time for the second to last Impact. Are you ready?

James Storm comes out to start the show. It would have been so great if they booked it so that he ended Impact and we finally had a heel faction destroy a wrestling company. He calls out the Wolves for his answer. The one that Storm isn't interested in tries to tell Storm no but Davey grabs the mic and tells Eddie he can speak for himself, and make his own decisions. He's thought about Storm's offer and it makes sense, but his conclusion is that Storm is insane. His answer is no. Storm and the boys jump the Wolves and Storm chokes Davey with his bullrope and is fired a la Daniel Bryan. Storm ties up Richard's leg in the bullrope and goes to town on it with a chair. Security come out to seperate everyone while Richards cries like a little bitch.The Revolution leave and come back with Storm holding a briefcase. Storm hits Edwards with the case and goes back to hitting Richard's leg with it. He opens the briefcase and it's a Feast or Fired briefcase. Storm cashes it in as a title shot.

James Storm and Abyss vs The Wolves for the TNA Tag Titles

I completely forgot that Storm had that case. He won it with Gunner almost a year ago. Storm hits Eye of The Storm on Eddie, taunts him and is about to pin him when Abyss interrupts. Abyss gets on the apron and stares at Storm as Storm announces Abyss has joined him. Abyss is his tag partner, and Storm tags him in. Abyss choke slams Edwards, hits the Black Hole Slam, and gets a hug from Storm, who tags himself in for the win. Storm gets the pin, and the Revolution are the tag champs now. Post match Storm hits Eye of The Storm on Richards for good measure and walks off with the boys and his belts.

Madison Rayne vs Taryn Terrell
Taryn fights hard and Madison tries to walk off, and avoid Taryn. It fails and she dies. Rayne takes advantage with cheap shots and I just stop caring. FFW! Taryn wins.

Kurt Angle is backstage on the phone. Bobby Lashley walks in and says he wants his rematch tonight and Angle says he can't have it. Roode is busy doing promotional work and isn't around. Lashley threatens him and walks off.

That new Indian wrestler is backstage and is jumped by Manik who says he sounds like a superhero and he was awesome at the bar. Manik says there's a powerful man he wants Bashira to meet and they walk off to see Storm.

Kenny King comes out to the ring and introduces himself. He has a few things he wants to talk about. The first thing is his crew. MVP is away on a photoshoot and, yeah, Lashley is pissed off, but it's not at the crew. He's pissed off at Angle and Roode. When Lashley gets mad he destroys so he'll be champ again soon. The next thing is to sort out his beef with Chris Melendez, and he calls Chris out to the ring. Chris comes out to the ring flanked by Mr Anderson. King complains that he's been classed as not patriotic now. He loves America, but hates Melendez for being a fraud. Anderson says Chris is a hero and an inspiration. Great, another "America is so fucking awesome we're going to suck our own dicks" angle. Anderson insults King and King says God gave man one mouth and one asshole, and he's not sure which one Anderson is using, and calls Melendez Peggy. Love it. King is angry that people call Chris a wrestler and he wants to fight Melendez one on one as long as Chris has his blonde girlfriend sit at home. Chris says Ken believes in him and so do the crowd, so he'll do it and he'll win. King will learn that Chris is better than him and that he belongs here. King says that Ken is a role model, but he learned when he was a kid that role models are like Santa Claus; they don't exist. He decks Anderson and runs off.

Gail Kim and Kurt Angle are backstage with Angle. They both want to fight Havok and Angle says next week it's a threeway for the title. They thank him and walk off. Well that was short and sweet.

The Beautiful People (and The Bromans) vs The Menagerie (minus Rob Terry) in an Elimination Match
Yes folks this is a 4 on 3 handicap match. Of course if Rebel gets eliminated it's straight 2 on 2 because this isn't Lucha Underground. Rebel and Angelina Love start things off and Steve slaps her ass. The distraction lets Rebel get the pin and eliminate Angelina Love. Knux comes in and hits a fucking drop kick after a cartwheel. I had no idea the guy was that agile. He knocks Jessie Godderz down but DJZ hits a cross body and Godderz hits the pin. Steve runs in and pins DJZ immediately so its a mixed tag now.

Rebel and Velvet Sky go at it and things turn into a softcore lesbian porn as Tazz makes an amazing Stretch Armstrong reference. Love runs interference and Velvet Sky gets the win. Knux argues with the ref about the spray in the eye and DJZ blindsides Steve so Jessie can finish him off. Velvet begs for the tag and attacks Steve. At this point Steve should be allowed to punch her in the face but he can't because of feminism. Steve reverses something and gets the pin so it's one on one. Jessie shredrapes Steve hard. Steve manages to hit a Tornado DDT from the corner and gets the win. Menagerie win! MENAGERIE WIN! Mavenfan is seen celebrating in the crowd.

Eric Young and Jeremy Borasch are backstage. They debate if it's possible to actually have the taste slapped out of your mouth and Spud runs in dressed in an army uniform suit. He asks JB if he's okay and thanks Eric for everything he's done. This week Eric is facing Tyrus and Spud asks if he can be in Eric's corner. Eric says sure, and says they'll put "The bigger they are the harder they fall" to the test and tells Spud to call him EY and not "Sir".

The Revolution are backstage and Storm congratulates Abyss and notices Bashira. Is that his name? Manik tries to introduce him but Storm spits on the ground, says there is a price to pay for salvation, and slaps Manik in the face and tells him to get rid of Bashira. They walk off together and Storm calls Manik back and whispers something in his ear. Manik bows and walks off again.

Tyrus vs Eric Young
Tyrus punches the beard off of Eric Young and Spud tries to intimidate Ethan Carter outside the ring. Ethan tells Tyrus to crush Eric Young, and he goes for the Swagger Bomb. Eric avoids it and fights back. Eric hits a sort of slam and Spud stops Ethan from interfering and even knocks him on his ass. Eric drops the elbow and manages to get the win. Tyrus is now buried deeper than the bones of the legendary Funkasaurus. Post match Bobby Lashley hops in the ring and Spears Eric Young before just destroying Spud. He grabs a chair and traps Eric's arm in it before stomping in the chair and putting a crossface on him, while the chair is still on his arm. Austin Aries (he lives?) runs out with a chair for the save. Aries grabs a mic and challenges Lashley to a match. Lashley walks off while accepting the match.

Samuel Shaw and Brittany are backstage. She says she has to say something to him that won't make him happy. Gunner came on to her. Heh. Shaw walks off pissed off while Brittany smirks. Sam Shaw should know Gunner only has eyes for him.

Samoa Joe comes out to the ring. Apparently he's injured after the match last week. They air a video of him being put into an ambulance last week and Joe says he needs to do something. The hardest decisions are the right ones and he has to make the right decision. He's been informed that he's not medically cleared to compete and has to go on the shelf for a while. He wanted to reinvigorate the X-Division and bring the X-Division back to the light. It was the division of the true wrestler, for the true wrestling fan. That was a great line. Joe knows there are people who risk it all for his belt, and those men deserve better. The fans deserve better. As a result Joe has made the decision to vacate the title. VACANT WINS ANOTHER TITLE! VACANT RULES! Joe puts the belt on one of the turnbuckles and says when he's healthy he's going after whoever wins the belt. Tazz keeps questioning what the injury is and now I'm curious too. Joe walks off after saying he's coming after whoever gets the belt. Next week it's Low Ki, Tigre Uno, Manik and DJZ in a 4 way for the title.

Bram is backstage. He pretty much says he's going to kill Tommy Dreamer. That's it.

Samuel Shaw vs Gunner in a No DQ match
I have to say, Christie Hemme is really comfortable with Sammy Shaw now. Shaw ducks to the side of the ramp and hides ready to jump Gunner. The distraction works and Sam jumps Gunner and chokes him with his shirt. Okay I've seen enough people getting choked, and enough people making out. The pair fight outside the ring for a few minutes and Gunner tosses his broken ass in the ring and beats him with a chair. Gunner beats Shaw with a chair outside the ring too. Shaw drops Gunner on the steel steps and teases suplexing him on to them. Gunner fights out and drops Shaw into the ring instead. Gunner punches Shaw out of the air and grabs yet another chair. Even though there's already four or five in the ring. He hits Shaw with a chair and tries to Superplex him into a pile of chairs. He hits the Superplex but takes most of the chairs himself because he's an idiot. Gunner crawls over and goes to attack Shaw, but Brittany distracts him. Gunner drags Shaw outside and powerbombs him on to the steps to mess with Brittany. Gunner tosses Shaw into the ring and Brittany follows him. She gets between him and Shaw and kicks Gunner square in the nuts. Gunner grabs Brittany's leg and gets a chair shot to the back for his trouble. Shaw goes to put Gunner in the choke but Gunner reverses it and slams Shaw back on to the chairs for the win.

Bobby Lashley vs Austin Aries
Aries goes for the win pretty early with the Last Chancery but of course he had no chancery. Aries keeps up the offence as much as he can to wear Lashley down and Lashley hits the occasional power spot. Lashley does his best BRACK LASNAR impression and hits suplex after suplex after suplex after suplex and you get the idea. Aries literally bites his way out of a Superplex attempt and hits a missle dropkick. Aries hits the discus forearm but can't get the Brainbuster in. He hits a Neckbreaker through the ropes and a Suicide Dive. The pair put on a pretty great match. Lashley gets back into things by tossing Aries off the turnbuckle into the steel steps and Aries looked like he legit passed out. Lashley whips him into the stairs and Aries comes to life. Lashley hits the Spear outside the ring and the match ends in a double countout. I didn't even realise there was a count going on. Lashley Press Slams Aries on to the ramp and locks in the Crossface. Other refs come out to seperate Lashley and Aries and Lashley walks off to end the show.

This post originally was posted at our affiliates @ BoredWrestlingFan.com .

http://www.cheap-heat.com/bwfs-tna-impact-wrestling-review-for-november-5th-2014/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/bwfs-tna-impact-wrestling-review-for-november-5th-2014/#comments Fri, 07 Nov 2014 03:37:36 +0000 bored wrestling fan Other Reviews Abyss Bobby Lashley Bobby Roode Bored Wrestling Fan Bram Brittany BWF Davey Richards EC3 ECIII ECW Eddie Edwards Ethan Carter III Gail Kim Gunner Havok Impact James Storm Jeff Hardy Jeremy Borash Jessicka Havok Kurt Angle Low Ki Magnus Mahabali Shera Manik Matt Hardy MVP Rebel Rockstar Spud Sam Shaw Samoa Joe Samuel Shaw Spud The Hardy's The Wolves TNA Tommy Dreamer Tyrus wrestling http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=6162 This article can be seen originally here, at the home site of our podcast partners @ BoredWrestlingFan.com. I'm watching at one in the morning, because I put this off as much as possible. Kurt Angle starts the show and brings out Bobby Roode right away. He says wrestlers all over the world dream of being […]

This article can be seen originally here , at the home site of our podcast partners @ BoredWrestlingFan.com.

I'm watching at one in the morning, because I put this off as much as possible.

Kurt Angle starts the show and brings out Bobby Roode right away. He says wrestlers all over the world dream of being world champion, and professional wrestling is all he's got. Pro wrestling is all he thinks about and it's all he's wanted to do. He wanted to be the best and being the champ means he is the best. He says he's proud to share the moment with Kurt Angle and that Angle is the best wrestler ever. He's proud to be the TNA heavyweight world champion, and that's when Bobby Lashley's music hits and he comes out with the full crew.

MVP calls Roode a sorry excuse for a competitor and says the fans are too scared to even look Lashley in the eye. He doesn't get why they boo Lashley, but cheer Roode after he cheated the system and conspired with a crooked authority figure. He asks who the cheaters really are says Roode knows he can't beat Lashley without help. MVP then says he's the one who deserves the title shot because Lashley stepped up because he couldn't and that with how much MVP was blamed for Roode not being champ, he wants to be the real reason. Angle asks Roode if he accepts and Roode does. Lashley looks pretty pissed at this turn of events and glares at MVP as he walks off.

Low Ki and Joe are in the back. Mini promo about the tag team tournament final.

Low Ki and Samoa Joe vs the Hardys
Jeff and Low Ki start things off and split the crowd down the middle. The Hardys control Low Ki until Joe comes in and lays waste. Joe-Ki actually do some good tag team wrestling including double team moves. It's a good match but I'm pretty tired. Joe takes control of Jeff Hardy as they cut to break. Everything goes to hell when they come back and Low Ki hits the Warriors Way on Matt, but Jeff makes the save. Jeff goes for the Poetry in Motion but Joe grabs him and Low Ki gets a two count on Matt. Matt hits the Twist of Fate, but Joe breaks up the pin and takes out Jeff. Joe reverses the Twist of Fate into the Facelock which Jeff breaks up with the swanton. Pretty cool sequence there. Got my attention at least. Jeff hits the Poetry in Motion and the Swanton, and Matt finishes with a moonsault for the win. Wolves vs Hardys is coming soon.

James Storm is in the back, trying to recruit the Wolf again, and says he has a week to say yes. Roode is in the locker room and talks about how MVP sent him home and he came back and took out every obstacle in his way. He won't hide from MVP like MVP hid from him. MVP took pro wrestling from him so now he has to die. There was a good line when Roode said he would prove he's more of an MVP to TNA than MVP will ever be.

Some Sam Shaw video airs, detailing Gunner saving him and the Shaw betrayal. Shaw comes out to the ring with Brittany doing her best Rebel impression. Shaw says he turned his back on Gunner because Brittany showed him that Gunner thought he was a charity case. Brittany says Gunner was never his friend, and Christy Hemme could never him like she can. They can't do for him what Brittany can. Brittany licks his face…and makes out with him. The in ring sex celebration is interrupted by Gunner.

Gunner says they're making him sick and says Shaw was his friend, and that Shaw's problem was he wanted to be Gunner, rather than just like him. Gunner says that they're a pair of creepy bastards and Shaw flips, telling him not to call them that. Gunner calls him Sammy and Samantha before calling him a creepy bastard again and they brawl. Gunner chokes Sammy with his shirt, gets fired, and returns a few months later. Brittany jumps on Gunner and Shaw low blows him before taking him out. Brittany hands Sam his gloves and Sam puts them on to choke out Gunner. Gunner drops like a little bitch. Shaw and Brittany go back to making out and leave Gunner's corpse alone.

There's a video package on an Indian wrestler who wants to come into Impact. Good luck with that mate, Impact is on the way out. This guy looked pretty great though so it'll be a shame if he doesn't get a chance because TNA fucked up. The video ends with the voiceover saying they're proud to welcome Mahabali Shera to the roster, so here's hoping.

Kurt Angle is backstage and MVP comes up to him. He thanks Angle for making it so easy for him and says Angle thinks it's all about him, but it's all about MVP.

Bram and Magnus vs Tommy Dreamer and Abyss in a Hardcore Match
Hardcore match. Nuff said. Violence, weapons and EC-Dub chants abound. Don't forget a healthy dose of cookie sheets and a ring filled with weapons spot. Good match for what it's worth though. Even if it did shave a few more years off poor Tommy Dreamer's life. I have no idea how this man is still wrestling. Devon hits one of those super cool triple superplex spots when Bragnus try to double team Dreamer. Devon sets a table up on the outside and Bram goes through it. Magnus takes revenge with a singapore cane. Dreamer sends Magnus into a trashcan in the corner and hits the spike DDT for the win. Oh boy the feud lives on because it has to end with Bragnus winning.

Gail Kim is backstage and cuts a promo about her title match tonight. Then the thing we all want; Rockstar Spud segment. Spud comes out and joins Jeremy Borasch in the ring. His suit has clouds on it today. Awesome. Borasch asks him for his thoughts on the past few weeks and Spud says he doesn't want anyone to feel sorry for him and admits he was a dick at first. He came to the country with nothing and Dixie took him in. He would have done anything for Dixie and for Ethan, and then Ethan turned into a "complete and utter wanker". That he did folks. He defends his suits and says he's not changing for anyone, especially Ethan. Spud says he's the 99% and calls Ethan a douchebag. I fucking loved this. Borasch says Spud won British Boot Camp because he won everyone over, and it's happening here now. He says he's with Spud and pats him on the back, and Ethan Carter's music hits.

EC3 comes out with Tyrus while the crowd chant "He's a wanker". Take it you yanks, and use it well. Ethan says it's the most pathetic display he's ever seen and calls the audience losers. Rockstar Spud is the new fearless leader of the losers. He tells Borasch off for participating in this, saying he and Spud owe everything to the Carters. Ethan gives Spud the chance to apologise as he and Tyrus close in. Spud won't aplogise and he's taken roughly from behind by Tyrus (COCK TALK!). Ethan demands an apology and Spud says he's sorry Ethan is a big nosed douchebag. Jeremy puts his hands on EC3 and gets knocked the fuck out, and Spud attacks Ethan and does his best to fight off both Ethan and Tyrus before Eric Young runs out for the save.

Gail Kim vs Havok for the Knockouts Title
Gail tries to jump Havok before the bell and dies. Hard. Harder than Bruce Willis. Havok drags Gail up the ramp by her hair and then throws her off the ramp. The match never starts and technically never ends as the ref throws the X and an army of refs and medics try to resucitate Gail. They cut to break teasing no match, and come back to Borasch about to announce the match won't take place when Gail grabs the mic and says the match is on. She runs in the ring and dies. Harder than Bruce Willis. Again.

Gail gets the occasional hope spot just to get cripped more. She even gets dropped face first on to the steel steps. The ref counts nine and Havok breaks the count to break Gail some more. She throws her back in the ring and tries to finish Gail off. Gail manages to lock in an Octopus submission but Havok drops her and slams her. Kim hits a Cross Body for a two and then Havok gets a two of her own. Gail reverses a Chokeslam into Eat De-feet for a 2. Havok finally manages to hit the Choke Slam for the win, keeping the title. Good match, but I never expected Gail to win so never got into it.

The Indian wrestler from earlier is shown in catering. Manik comes up to him and hugs him, and sits with him. Manik offers him his soda and they have a nice chat with Manik trying to get friendly with him. Lashley is backstage packing his bags and MVP is upset that Lashley is upset. Lashley walks out and leaves MVP on his own.

MVP vs Bobby Roode for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship
They put on a pretty good match but really, what did you expect? The fight spills outside the ring and Roode eats guard rail and steel steps. MVP takes control of the match and gets a 2 count with a bridging suplex. Roode fights back with a Spinebuster and Superplex for a 2. Roode hits the Roode Bomb for the three count. The match was a bit short for my tastes. Post match Lashley runs into the ring and Spears Roode. He passes MVP by and leaves him high and dry in the ring and walks out on his own to end the show.

Decent and solid show, it really was, but I'm having a hard time getting into TNA right now knowing the show could be over completely in two weeks.