Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
Pre-Show Notes:
The crowd looks to be in the 1,200-1,500 fans....There will be at least one surprise appearance from a TNA personality tonight....There was a meet and greet with Jeff Hardy before the show for fans purchasing a Hardy collectible truck....Don West is doing his usual incredible job pushing merchandise...Kazarian signed for fans before the show.
TNA's Rahway event began with ring announcer and master of ceremonies Jeremy Borash coming to the ring to warm up the crowd and push that the loudest fans will be getting a chance to go backstage and meet TNA stars. As you can imagine, that led to just about everyone in the building going nuts to get noticed.
This led to Gunner and Murphy coming out, forcing TNA executive Craig Jenkins into the ring to announce that they will not let anyone go backstage. They said that Jeff Jarrett and Jeff Hardy sent word they aren't letting anyone backstage. Borash said that there are going to be a lot of pissed off fans in New Jersey and ripped on Jenkins' sweater vest, saying he was going to make sure the backstage passes are given out whether Immortal likes it or not. Big pop for that.
TNA X-Division champion Kazarian vs. Robbie E vs. Shannon Moore
Robbie E came out with Cookie and with Angelina from The Jersey Shore. Angelina, who is now training at the IWF Wrestling School in nearby Wayne, NJ was an unadvertised surprise. This was E's TNA debut in New Jersey, his home state so as you can imagine, he got a big reaction. Moore received a lot of cheers coming out.
Moore and Kazarian tried to double on E. E backed off and took the ring mic, saying everyone was here to see him fistpump. The fans chanted Robbie's name. Kazarian grabbed the mic away and said that he may claim that the fans paid to see his fistbump but they really paid to see TNA action. He said that E may claim to be representing Jersey but he's really representing douchebags across the world. Kazarian ripped on Cookie and Angelina saying they were repping what happens when a midget and a garden nome have unprotected sex. E did the fistbump anyway and got a big pop.
Kazarian and Moore laughed at E so he challenged them to a fistbump challenge. They teased doing it and then gave him the finger and jumped him. Kazarian hit a leg lariat on E, sending him to the outside. Moore and Kazarian then went back and forth ending with a Moore rana. He went for a kick to the sternum but E hit the ring. Moore cut him off and instead E got nailed with a legdrop. Kazarian then hit a high elbowdrop.
Kazarian and Moore then went back and forth. Moore misseda charge in the corner as Kazarian went to the apron. E pulled him off, smacking his face on the mat. E then took Moore out. The girls ripped at Moore from the outside. There was an "Ink, Inc. sucks" chant. Kazarian returned to the ring and rolled up E. Moore charged him and Kazarian nailed a Northern Lights suplex as he rolled up E for a two count on both.
Moore came off the ropes on Kazarian but was grabbed by E. Moore reversed it into a bulldog takedown for a two count. E whipped Moore into the ropes where Cookie grabbed at his leg. E charged Moore but was backdropped over the top to the floor, almost wiping out Angelina.
Kazarian and Cookie had words and he chased her into the ring, where she was trapped between Moore and Kaz. Kaz grabbed her and held her as Moore spanked her. Angelina hit the ring to help but was spanked as well. E charged Kazarian but was nailed with the reverse piledriver and pinned.
Your winner and still X-Division champ, Kazarian!
A hot opener to kick off the show with a fast paced style and some good comedy stuff involving the danceoff and the Shore girls.
Jeremy Borash introduced Earl Hebner as the most infamous referee in history and the fans were all over him about Bret Hart. This led to Hebner revealing a shirt reading "Damn Right I Did!"
TNA Knockouts champion Madison Rayne vs. Velvet Sky
They did a funny bit where Hebner had problems taking Rayne's tiara off. Rayne tried to mock Sky by doing her gyrations on the ropes. Sky then tried to show her how it was done, only to be attacked and choked against the ropes.
Rayne tried to whip Sky into the ropes but was caught with a single leg takedown and rolled up for a two count. Rayne took a powder to the floor. She returned to the ring as Sky followed her to the floor. Rayne cut off Sky on the apron and tried to suplex her in. Sky tried to reverse it but had her neck snapped against the ropes and fell to the floor. Rayne slammed her head-first into the apron.
Sky was tossed back into the ring, where Rayne used her legs to choke Sky. Sky began firing back with shots to the mid-section byt Rayne cut her off and locked on a rear chinlock. The fans began chanting for Sky, bringing her back to life. Rayne cut her off and went back to the rear chinlock just as Sky was about to escape.
Rayne tried to drop down on Sky but Sky turned and Rayne came down on her knees, Sky was hit with a high kneelift and nearly pinned. Rayne rolled her to the mat and used her legs to pound Sky's face into the ring. Sky began arguing with the referee over his count. That distraction allowed Sky to nail a jawbreaker.
Sky mounted a comeback with several clotheslines and a kick to the face. She bulldogged Rayne and covered her for a two count. Rayne began screaming at Hebner and Sky pushed her into his arms. With some hesitation, he planted one on her and did the Flait strut.
Sky went after Rayne with a charge but was cut off in the corner and Rayne used the ropes for leverage as she scored the pinfall.
Your winner and still TNA Knockouts champion, Madison Rayne!
Decent match that the crowd loved, especially the Hebner stuff.
Hernandez vs. Matt Morgan
Hernandez attacked Morgan as soon as he entered the ring and choked him against the ropes. Morgan mounted a comeback and clotheslined Hernandez over the top to the floor. Morgan reached for him but was snapped on the ropes. Hernandez worked him over and scored several two counts.
Hernandez grabbed Morgan's neck and twisted it, trying to force a submission. Morgan fought his way to his feet but was nailed with a hell of a chop in the corner. Hernandez continued working over Morgan, beating him down with punches until being caught out of nowhere with a sideslam.
Hernandez came back with a slingshot shoulderblock into the ring for a two count and began choking out Morgan. He measured and chopped Morgan in the corner then whipped and splashed him in the opposite side. Morgan continued tearing ay Morgan's face as the fans tried to rally Morgan. Morgan caught him with a big clothesline and collapsed as the referee counted both men down.
They returned to their feet with Morgan cleaning house on Hernandez with a series of hard rights and a clothesline. Morgan nailed a running charge in the corner, followed by a Fall Away Slam for a two count. He went after Hernandez in the corner but was kicked in the gut, Hernandez went to the top but was slammed off by Morgan.
Morgan called for the Carbon Footprint but missed it and crotched himself in the corner. Hernandez drilled him and went for the Border Toss but Morgan slipped out, nailed the Footprint and scored the pin.
Your winner, Matt Morgan!
Good back and forth match!
Jeremy Borash plugged Victory Road tomorrow and then read a text from Jeff Jarrett, where he promised to make Kurt Angle tap out in record time.
TNA Tag Team champions Beer Money vs. Gunner & Murphy
Gunner and Murphy heeled the hell out of the crowd as they came to the ring. Beer Money tossed their shirts into the crowd then swiped their challengers' shirts off the ringside table and wiped their rear ends with them, then through them at Gunner and Murphy.
Gunner and Storm started out with Storm being forced into the corner. Gunner slapped him when he broke clean. Storm grabbed his beer and took a swig for encouragement. He offered some to Hebner, who took a drink of his own. He then offered a sip to Gunner, only to poke him in the eye when Gunner accepted.
Storm cleaned house in Gunner working him over and then tagging into Roode. Beer Money double teamed him for a near fall. Roode went for a suplex but was maneuvered into the challengers' corner. Murphy tagged in and drilled him across the back.
Murphy unloaded on Roode with a series of punches then kicks and stomps in the corner. Roode came back with a hard chop and then ran Murphy into the tunbuckles. He followed up with a clothesline and Murphy stumbled into the champions' corner, where he was nailed by Storm for good measure.
Roode continued the assault with a knee to the gut and a back suplex. He tagged out to Storm, who nailed a side Russian Legsweep. Murphy forced Storm into his corner but Storm nailed Gunner and fought his way out. He rebounded off the ropes only to be tripped and pulled out of the ring. Gunner slammed him into the railing and rolled him back into the ring, where Murphy covered him for a two count.
Gunner and Murphy cut off the ring and took turns working over Storm, garnering several near falls. Murphy beat on Storm in the corner as fans catcalled Gunner over his "short shorts." Storm nailed a lungblower on Murphy and made the hot tag to Roode.
Roode hit the ring and worked over Gunner with a series of clotheslines, forearms and chops. Murphy then got the same treatment. He drilled Gunner with a running clothesline. Gunner fought back but was nailed with an awesome spinebuster for a two count. Murphy interfered but was laid out.
Beer Money hit a catapult into a DDT on Gunner for a two count. Murphy tossed Storm to the floor. The challengers worked over Roode but he kept kicking out. Gunner went to the top rope but Storm crotched him, then spit beer in Murphy's face. Beer Money drilled Gunner with DWI and scored the pin.
Your winners and still TNA Tag Team champions. Beer Money!
A very good back and forth tag match where Gunner and Murphy had the chance to show a lot more than they usually do on TV. Good stuff.
AJ Styles vs. Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy received a pretty nice reaction as he came to the ring. Lots of girls screaming for him. Hardy teased throwing his shirt into the crowd but instead just tossed it out of the ring to a ringside table.
They locked up as the fans chanted back and forth for both men. Styles took the ring mic and said he remembers wrestling here before. He said nothing has changed as they are still the best fans in the world. He said that he hasn't forgotten where he comes from. Styles had worked for JAPW here in the past. Hardy took the mic and told the crowd to kiss his ass.
They locked up and went back and forth with some good counter wrestling. Hardy was rolled up but kicked up at two. Hardy retreated and walked around tSring. When he returned, they locked up again but Hardy nailed Styles low. Fans began chanting, "Same old sh**."
Styles leaprogged Hardy and came back with a nice dropkick. Hardy rolled back out of the ring. Styles followed and tossed Hardy back into the ring. Hardy ran back out of the ring. He caught Styles on the way in and tried to suplex him back in. Styles tried to reverse it. Hardy reversed it and threw Styles down on the apron, where he bounced to the floor.
As Hardy tossed Styles back in the ring, he flipped off a group of fans chanting "He's so sober." He slammed AJ into the turnbuckles, then pulled Styles' legs into the ringpost, crotching him. Hardy continued beating on him but Styles mounted a comeback until he was nailed with a Hot Shot.
Hardy continued working over Styles until ducking a twisting moonsault press. Styles charged Hardy but was sent up and over. Styles fought Hardy but was caught with an inverted suplex.
Hardy went up for the Swanton but Styles got to his feet. Hardy landed on his feet so Styles hit the Pele KIck and then a brainbuster. Fans chanted for Styles to do it again but he instead went to the top rope. Hardy cut him off and set him up for a superplex, then nailed it. Hardy went after Styles in the corner but was kicked off. Styles went for the Styles Clash but Hardy backdropped him.
Styles turned that into a sunset flip but Hardy kicked up. Styles nailed a Pele Kick and drilled Hardy with the Styles Clash for the pin.
Your winner, AJ Styles!
Jeff Jarrett vs. Kurt Angle
Jarrett took the mic and ripped on some guy from TMZ.com for not respecting the business. He said that earlier today the guy tried to ask him if he sticks a sock in his trunk. He asked the guy to hop the rail and demanded he asked Jeff to his face. The guy did and Jarrett went right after him, choking him and shoving him around. Security ran the guy off. I am guessing this was a publicity deal for the TMZ website or TV show since they were here filming Angelina.
Kurt Angle came to the ring. Big chant for Angle. Jarrett made Borash announce that he does "not suck" which of course led to the fans jumping all over Jarrett. Jarrett then took the mic but changed his mind.
They locked up as fans chanted for Karen Angle and "Slapnuts." They started slow with some nice back and forth wrestling. Jarrett beat Angle down and Angle staggered against the ropes. Jarrett was caught in a suplex and Angle worked him over around the ring, then clobbered him with punches in the corner.
Jarrett nailed Angle with a eyepoke and draped him over the apron and nailed an elbow to the chest. Fans got on Jarrett chanting, "Sloppy Seconds." Jarrett kept working on Angle in the corner and when the referee got involved, Jeff shoved and slapped him. The ref slapped him back and Angle rolled him up for a two count.
Jarrett laid out Angle against the ropes and did the Fargo Strut. Angle rebounded off the ropes and caught him with a clothesline. Both men were down as the referee counted them out. Jarrett and Angle battled back and forth with punches until Angle nailed a clothesline and a belly to belly suplex for a two count.
Angle pulled down the straps and went for the Olympic Slam. Jeff slipped out and nailed an enziguiri. Jarrett mocked Angle and went for the Stroke but Angle rolled him into the anklelock. Jarrett kicked him into the ropes but missed a leap, crotching himself. Angle nailed the Olympic Slam for the pin.
Your winner, Kurt Angle!
After the match, Beer Money joined Kurt Angle in the ring for photos and autographs ($20 a pop) while Jarrett signed at the merchandise table and other talents mingled at ringside signing autographs as well. A pretty happy gathering to close the typically well produced TNA house show.
Thanks for logging into PWInsider.com tonight and a thank you to TNA for their permission to provide live coverage from tonight's event. We will continue with live coverage of tomorrow's TNA Victory Road PPV!
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
