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December 30th
On this day in history ...
1952 - Ben and Mike Sharpe win the San Francisco version of the NWA World Tag Team Title for the seventh time, defeating Fred Atkins and Ray Eckert.
1955 - Henry Lenz and Kurt Von Poppenheim defeat Bill Savage and Buck Weaver to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title.
1966 - Paul Jones defeats Tony Borne for the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Title, ending Borne's seventh reign and beginning his second.
1968 - Bobby and Lee Fields defeat The Mighty Yankees (Frank Morrell and Eddie Sullivan) in Memphis, Tennessee to win the Mid-America version of the NWA Southern Tag Team Title.
1972 - The Sheik defeats Bobo Brazil for the Detroit version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Title in Detroit, Michigan. This ended Brazil's fifth reign and began The Sheik's third.
1972 - Verne Gagne and Bill Robinson defeat Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens for the AWA World Tag Team Title in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
1975 - Black Gordman and Goliath defeat Rock Riddle and John Tolos to win their 10th NWA Americas Tag Team Title.
1978 - Terry Funk defeats Dick Slater for the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Title in St. Petersburg, Florida, ending Slater's third reign and beginning Funk's second.
1978 - Dick Murdoch defeats Buck Robley in Kansas City, Kansas for the NWA Central States Heavyweight Title.
1984 - The WWF ran at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario. The results were:
- Angelo Mosca, Jr. (making his WWF debut) pinned Goldie Rogers.
- Bret Hart defeated Terry Gibbs.
- Mike Rotundo defeated Swede Hanson.
- Barry Windham defeated Rene Goulet.
- Tony Atlas defeated The Spoiler.
- Andre the Giant and Blackjack Mulligan fought Ken Patera and Big John Studd to a double disqualification.
- Jimmy Snuka pinned Bob Orton, Jr.
1984 - Terry Taylor defeats Eddie Gilbert to win the CWA/AWA International Heavyweight Championship in Memphis, Tennessee, ending Gilbert's second reign.
1985 - The WWF held an event at Madison Square Garden before 20,225 fans. The results:
- Special Delivery Jones pinned Ron Shaw with an inside cradle.
- Jim Neidhart and B. Brian Blair fought to a 15-minute draw.
- Hercules defeated Jose Luis Rivera by submission with a backbreaker.
- Adrian Adonis pinned Lanny Poffo after a bulldog.
- Randy Savage defeated WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan by countout.
- Big John Studd pinned Tony Atlas with a flying bodypress.
- The Haiti Kid pinned Butch Cassidy with a reverse roll-up.
- Jim Brunzell pinned Bret Hart with a backslide.
- WWF Tag Team Champions Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine defeated Hillbilly Jim and Uncle Elmer, when Beefcake pinned Elmer.
1985 - Bill Dundee defeats Jerry Lawler for the AWA Southern Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee. This began Dundee's ninth reign and ended Lawler's 36th.
1985 - Tim Horner wins the Southeastern version NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Title for the second time in Birmingham, Alabama, defeating Ken Timbs.
1986 - Dos Caras defeats Canek to win the UWA World Heavyweight Title, ending Canek's sixth reign and beginning his own second.
1988 - Cactus Jack defeats Eric Embry for the World Class Light Heavyweight Title in Dallas, Texas, ending Embry's fourth reign.
1988 - Makhan Singh (Mike Shaw) and Vokhan Singh (Gary Albright) defeat The British Bulldogs (The Dynamite Kid and Davey Boy Smith) to win the Stampede International Tag Team Title in Calgary, Alberta, ending the Bulldogs' second reign.
1989 - King Cobra defeats Jerry Lawler to win the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee, ending Lawler's third reign.
1989 - The Lethal Weapons (Dennis Condrey and Doug Gilbert) defeat Phil Apollo and Vic Steamboat (subbing for Eric Sbraccia) for Apollo and Sbraccia's International Championship Wrestling Tag Team Title in Augusta, Maine, ending their second reign.
1992 - Big Van Vader defeats Ron Simmons in Baltimore, Maryland to win the WCW World Heavyweight Title, beginning his second reign.
1994 - The first-annual CMLL Torneo Gran Alternativa is held in Mexico City, Mexico. The tournament features eight teams, each pairing an established veteran with a relative newcomer. Negro Casas and Hector Garza won the tournament, defeating Satanico and Archangel de la Muerte in the finals.
1997 - As part of the "NWA Invasion" angle in the WWF, on RAW is WAR in New Haven, Connecticut, Jeff Jarrett defeats Barry Windham to win the NWA North American Heavyweight Title.
1998 - Sam Muchnick, longtime promoter of the St. Louis territory, and president of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1950 to 1960 and 1963 to 1975, which he had a hand in founding, dies at age 93. Muchnick's St. Louis Wrestling Club promotion produced the legendary show "Wrestling at the Chase", which aired locally on Saturday nights.
1999 - Tim White defeats Ricky Murdock for the NWA Southern Television Title in Dyersburg, Tennessee.
1999 - Warlock defeats Billy Fives to win the Future of Wrestling International Title in Davie, Florida. At the same event, FP&L defeat Wildside (Anthony Michaels and Jeff Roth) for the FOW Tag Team Title, ending Wildside's second reign.
1999 - Kid Ego defeats Mikey Whipwreck to win the Hardcore Wrestling Alliance Heavyweight Title.
2000 - Christopher Daniels defeats Donovan Morgan in the finals of the first-ever King of the Indies Tournament, held by All Pro Wrestling in Galt, California. Daniels and Morgan would become the first ROH Tag Team Champions two years later.
2000 - Mark Wolf wins his second IWA Mid-South Light Heavyweight Title, defeating Paul E. Smooth in Charlestown, Indiana, ending Smooth's day-long second reign. At the same show, Cash Flo also ended Ian Rotten's eighth reign as IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion.
2001 - The X Wrestling Federation held an event at the Brown County Arena in Green Bay, Winsconsin. The results:
- Greg Valentine defeated Hail.
- Drezden defeated Big Vito.
- XWF Cruiserweight Champion Kid Kash defeated Josh Mathews.
- British Storm defeated Norman Smiley.
- Jim Duggan defeated The Wall.
- Buff Bagwell defeated Curt Hennig and Vampiro in a Triple Threat match.
- The Road Warriors (Animal and Hawk) defeated XWF Tag Team Champions The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags).
2001 - The Elements of Suicide (Cinna and Onix) defeat The Damned (Draven and Matthew Storm) to win their second Power League Wrestling New Tag Team Title in West Warwick, Rhode Island. That same day, Johnny Angel won the PLW Heavyweight Title from Dr. Heresy.
2003 - At a SmackDown! taping in Laredo, Texas, Rey Mysterio wins his second WWE Cruiserweight Title, ending Tajiri's second reign and third overall (he held one during the WCW/ECW Invasion). This began Mysterio's seventh Cruiserweight Title reign overall.
2003 - Steve Williams defeats Terry Taylor in Guangzhou, China to win the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Title.
2005 - IWA Mid-South held its third-annual Revolution Strong Style Tournament in Streamwood, Illinois. The results:
- Trik Davis defeated Claudio Castagnoli.
- Samoa Joe defeated Tank in a Revolution Strong Style Tournament first round match.
- B.J. Whitmer defeated Corporal Robinson in a Revolution Strong Style Tournament first round match.
- Chris Hero defeated Ian Rotten in a Revolution Strong Style Tournament first round match.
- ICW/ICWA Tex-Arkana Television Champion Larry Sweeney defeated Colt Cabana and Delirious to retain the title.
- IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion Jimmy Jacobs defeated Bull Pain by disqualification.
- Mickie Knuckles defeated NWA Midwest Women's Champion Daizee Haze in a non-title match.
- Necro Butcher defeated Eddie Kingston in a Revolution Strong Style Tournament first round match.
- IWA Mid-South Light Heavyweight Champion Tyler Black, Marek Brave and Matt Sydal defeated Josh Abercrombie and Brandon and IWA Mid-South Tag Team Champion Vito Thomaselli in an elimination match.
- Chris Hero defeated Samoa Joe in a Revolution Strong Style Tournament semifinal match.
- Necro Butcher defeated B.J. Whitmer in a Revolution Strong Style Tournament semifinal match.
- Chris Hero defeated Necro Butcher to win the Revolution Strong Style Tournament.
2005 - Jeff Lewis defeats Slim J. for the NWA Anarchy Television Title in Cornelia, Georgia, beginning his second reign. At the same show, Pomp and Circumstance (Ace Rockwell and Shaun Tempers) defeat The Urban Assault Squad (Shadow Jackson and Nemesis) to win the NWA Anarchy Tag Team Title.
2006 - Steve Greene defeats Brass Munkey for the Carolina Wrestling Federation Mid-Atlantic Television Title in Burlington, North Carolina.
2006 - Jon Moxley defeats Brian Jennings, J.T. Stahr and Matt Stryker in a four-way match to win the vacant Heartland Wrestling Association Heavyweight Title in Dayton, Ohio.
2006 - Kilo defeats Tank in Dyersburg, Tennessee for the New Blood Wrestling Heavyweight Title.
2007 - Ring of Honor held Final Battle 2007 in The Manhattan Center in New York City with the following live report:
*Bobby Dempsey, who was super over, pinned Mitch Franklin.
*Jigsaw and Ruckus defeated Bobby Fish and Matt Cross in a fun opener.
*Larry Sweeney, who unsuccessfully tried to get out of the match, pinned Claudio Castagnoli after Daniel Puder laid out Sweeney's bad leg. Tank Toland tried to finish the job but was nailed with Ricola Bomb.
*Jack Evans pinned the Necro Butcher in a No DQ Match. Mercedes Martinez debuted, attacking Lacey, which allowed Evans to roll up Butcher. Really fun match including Evans hitting a sunset flip powerbomb off the apron to the floor and Butcher giving Evans a backbreaker across two back to back chairs facing away from each other. Martinez is the newest member of the Vulture Squad.
*In an excellent back and forth wrestling match, Naomichi Marufuji pinned Davey Richards with sliced bread #2. Richards hit an incredible dive out of the ring, taking out Marufuji and landing in the third row. Awesome stuff.
*Dave Prazak and Lenny Leonard filmed an opening for a ROH Videowire.
*In a No DQ Tables Are Legal Match, The Hangmen Three defeated Kevin Steen & El Generico & Delirious when Adam Pearce hit a piledriver off a table placed in the top turnbuckle through a tabke on Delirious. Luke Williams hit the ring and did the Bushwhackers battering ram with Delirious and did the march around the ring with all the babyfaces. Pelle Primeau returned from injuries sustained at the hands of the Hangmen Three to hit a top rope Frankensteiner through a table on Shane Hagadorn. The Hangmen drilled Steen and Generico with spike piledrivers after the match.
*Rocky Romero defeated Ernie Osyris via tapout.
*ROH champion Nigel McGuinness came out and cut a promo saying he doesn't remember his match last night and teased forfeiting the belt. He then said he was keeping the belt because of the fans who supported him and understand his sacrifices and in spite of the fans who don't understand.
*Erick Stevens pinned Roderick Strong to win the FIP championship. *In a Four Way to determine the top contender to the ROH title, Bryan Danielson defeated Austin Aries via submission in a bout that also featured Takeshi Morishima and Chris Hero. Eliminations saw All three pin Morishima. Aries pinned Hero. Awesome bout.
*The Age of The Fall, Tyler Black and Jimmy Jacobs defeated ROH Tag Team champions The Briscoes to win the belts in an excellent match.
2008 - WWE released Barry Windham from his role as a producer for the company.
2009 - Former UWF and All Japan Triple Crown champion Steve "Dr. Death" Williams lost his battle with cancer, passing away at the age of 49.
2009 - WWE debuted at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY with what would be their final live event of the 2000-2009 decade. Matt Besieda filed the following results:
Live Report from the last WWE Show of the Decade, The Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY Supershow
Howard Finkle was out first to warm up the crowd.
ECW champ Christian beat Shelton Benjamin in a Babyface vs. babyface match
Triple Threat MVP vs. Swagger vs. Miz, who had a huge amount of heat, for the U.S. title. Miz picked up the Win.
Then a Santa's Little Helper Divas match, which the babyfaces won..
Kane Defeated Big Show, who had a big pop,
Drew McIntyre won with a clean pin over John Morrison, Both were impressive)
Batista over Rey Mysterio in a Falls Count Anywhere bout. Batista must of got hit with a hard shot, because he had a lot of color in and around his right eye.
DX & Kofi over Legacy. A great six man. On Live TV you cant really build a hot tag as much due to time contrasts, but live is awesome. Interesting note -, All members of Legacy had their trunks pulled down by DX at one point, something they probably wouldn't be able to get away with on PG television.
Cena over Sheamus via DQ. Cena sold most of the match, Sheamus has so great moves but he is quite green as he botched a few of them. Cena thanked the fans and talked about it being the last WWE of the decade.
2010 - News broke locally in Philadelphia that former CZW champion Nick Gage was being sought in a New Jersey bank robbery. Gage, real name Nick Wilson, was sought by New Jersey authorities after surveillance cameras caught Gage leaving a Collingswood, New Jersey PNC Bank on 12/22 after handing a female bank teller a note demanding money under the threat of shooting her with a gun. Gage escaped on foot with $3,000 and later went to a casino in Atlantic City, NJ. Gage eventually turned himself into authorities and plead guilty, citing a painkiller addiction as being a factor in why he robbed the bank. Gage is currently serving a prison sentence.
2010 - TNA broadcast Impact. Stu Carapola filed the following TV report:
We look back at last week's Foley-Flair confrontation where Foley wanted to prevent the upcoming Ken Anderson-Matt Morgan match for fear of Anderson's well being and then Flair and Eric Bischoff called him out as a hypocrite for making his living doing the kinds of stuff that causes injuries like Anderson's.
We then head into the Impact Zone where Mick Foley comes to the ring to address the crowd. He asks Anderson to join him in the ring, which he does, and then Foley reminds him of when they met some years back and were with an injured serviceman at the hopstial with Miss America, and Miss America meant to say they can take a picture of her with the serviceman and then she can take a picture of them with the serviceman, but what she ended up suggesting was that they do her first and then she can do the two of them together. The point is they both understand the nature of the wrestling business and the biggest lie he ever told in his career, one he told over and over, was that he was okay, and what he needed was someone to tell him that he wasn't okay. So he's here to tell Anderson that he's not okay, and to think of his family and the future little assholes he and his wife will have, and he's here to tell Anderson to think twice before he gets in the ring with Matt Morgan. Anderson thanks him and the people, and he respects Mick and his opinion, but he finds it offensive that he's doubting Anderson and calling him a liar. He's been checked out and medically cleared to wrestle Morgan, and Foley says he doesn't think he's not ready, but he also doesn't think Anderson's thinking of his future. Anderson thanks him for setting the bar so high, and Foley says that he knew what he was getting into when he was diving off of stuff in the 80s, but the fact is that once you mess your brain up, you mess it up for good. Anderson says Foley's not listening to him and is still calling him a liar, and says that if you can't get along, get it on. Matt Morgan comes out to the ring (to a loud Morgan chant), and he asks Anderson if this is going to be two guys going at it to prove who's the best, or if it's another Anderson con game. One of the first things Morgan learned in this business is that you can't trust anyone, and Morgan says that when the bell rings at Genesis, it's going to be on, and it doesn't matter to Morgan whether or not he's at 100% because he'll have no choice at that point but to go through him and go on to the TNA World Title. Anderson reminds Morgan that he's dealing with an asshole, and he's going to do whatever he has to in order to go through him and get to Jeff Hardy. Anderson says nobody's listening to him so they don't have to wait until Sunday, and the two of them get ready to fight when Jeff Hardy's music hits. Whoa, are they going to let him talk?!? Hardy says that he's the one who gave Anderson and gave him a concussion, and he could have hurt him permanently if he wanted but he didn't because he's a professional and he knows what he's doing. Both of them are ready to wrestle, so Hardy's making a tag match tonight with the two of them on opposite sides and Hardy has chosen their partners.
We go backstage to Eric Young, who is dressed as Moses and making up his own Commandments, including that Thou shalt have booze, Thou shalt have donuts, and Thou shalt have the greatest party ever. Orlando Jordan comes in and reminds him that he's not Moses, he's supposed to be Father Time, and that he himself is the Baby New Year, helpfully dressed in a giant diaper with a sash over his shoulder. I know I shouldn't admit this as a somewhat credible internet writer, but I can't help but get a chuckle out of these two.
Tonight: Sarita takes on Velvet Sky in a strap match, the latest installment of the Double J MMA Challenge, and Matt Morgan and Ken Anderson face each other with mystery partners chosen by Jeff Hardy!
Let's go to the ring for our first match...
Robert Roode vs Chris Sabin
Hammerlock reversal sequence to start, Sabin does a fancy flippy escape but Roode gets a headlock, Sabin fires him into the ropes and Roode hits a shoulderblock. Roode off the ropes again and Sabin gets a pair of armdrags and an armbar. They go to the corner and Roode hits a chop, but Sabin dodges a second and hits some chops of his own, then leapfrogs Roode and gets another armdrag into an armbar. Roode fights his way out but gets tossed to the apron and Sabin baseball slides Roode's legs out from under him and then hits a dive to the floor. We see James Storm and Alex Shelley watching the action from the floor as Sabin rolls Roode back into the ring and covers for 2. Sabin gets the boot up on a Roode charge, goes to the apron and tries a springboard something, but Roode catches him in a fireman's carry and dumps him backward on his face and that gets Roode a 2 count. Sabin tries a sunset flip and only gets 2 and Roode rips his head off with a hard clothesline for 2. Roode gets a chinlock as they plan out their next several spots, Roode picks him up and goes for a suplex but Sabin slips out the back and takes Roode down with a series of running forearms and a flying headscissors off the second rope. Sabin with a springboard clothesline from the apron for 2 and then they fight over a waistlock, Roode gets an O'Connor Roll with the tights for 2, Sabin reverses to a rollup of his own for 2, then hits a spinning enziguiri for 2 again. Sabin with a running Yakuza kick in the corner and then he goes up top for a springboard tornado DDT, but Roode blocks and hits a spinebuster for the clean win.
Winner: Robert Roode
Roode points at Shelley as he comes in to check on his partner and motions that they're taking the title at Genesis.
Rob Van Dam is backstage saying that tonight he's wrestling a mystery opponent and it doesn't matter who it is unless it's Jeff Hardy, because all he wants is to get Hardy in the ring and nothing else matters to him.
We go back to Orlando and Eric Young's party, and Young is sitting on Orlando's lap and Orlando is asking Eric to read his Christmas list to him again. Eric says he's already read it to him several times and he's not sure how this is going to make them a better team, when suddenly we hear the glass break and here comes the Rattlesnake himself...SHARK BOY! He says that this is a great party, especially since it gets him on TV because he's never on TV anymore, and then asks Eric if there's anything he can do to get him on TV more since he's tight with Bischoff. Orlando Jordan suggests sitting on his lap and reading him his Christmas list, and Shark Boy sits on Orlando's lap, then decides that he needs more beer first so he leaves. Eric says he's drunk already, and they need to keep their eye on him because he drinks like a fish. This stuff is just too much.
We go back to the ring as Rob Van Dam comes out for his match, and he says that we get it, it's clear that he's in charge of TNA...for the time being. That's why he's out here now waiting on his mystery opponent. It's nothing he can't handle so he will handle it, and he'll tell him that there's no stopping Rob Van Dam until Bischoff puts him in the ring with Jeff Hardy, and that's why he's the Whole F'n Show. Here comes his opponent...
Rob Van Dam vs Robbie E
Well, that's a bit underwhelming. RVD gets a big chant from the crowd and Robbie E fist pumps in RVD's face so RVD does the Rob Van Dam pointing thing and then kicks him in the face. Robbie tries a kick of his own and RVD dodges and spinkicks him, beats him up in the corner, and monkeyflips him damn near across the ring. Robbie tries a hiptoss but RVD with another big kick and goes for Rolling Thunder but Cookie grabs the ankle and sets Robbie up to hit a clothesline and then nail a series of punches and cover for a 2 count. Robbie with a rear chinlock, RVD fights his way out and gets a jumpkick off the second rope and now hits the Rolling Thunder (splash variety) and then the Five Star Notebook Splash for the win.
Winner: Rob Van Dam
RVD celebrates, but wait a minute, Jeff Hardy's on the screen! If RVD wants revenge, that's what he'll get...in due time. First, he has to beat an opponent that was carefully chosen for him at Genesis, and if he survives then he'll get his hands on Hardy.
We go backstage to Sarita, who is appalled that Velvet Sky is challenging her to a strap match tonight, and what she did to Velvet in the locker room last week will be nothing compared to what she'll do to her tonight.
Frankie Kazarian comes out with a couple of chicks and says that Hogan, Bischoff, and Flair have put a bounty on every title in TNA, so at Genesis, he's going to take the TNA Title from Jay Lethal. I'll assume he meant the X-Division Title. He's going to talk about Lethal's history and why he is the way he is (and we see video clips from the Lethal background piece from a few weeks ago throughout this monologue): he talks about Lethal's childhood home and how he was so poor his folks had to bring the garbage in. The front door and back door were on the same hinge, and it wasn't just Jay that was raised in this crackhouse (his words), there were a whole clan of cretins raised there, like his brothers Keenan Ivory and Damon Lethal, and his sisters Whitney and Beyonce Lethal. He blames Jay Lethal's mother for all this because she is so fugly, rancid, and disgusting that she...well, she fits in with everyone here at the Impact Zone. Jay Lethal has finally had enough and tears down to the ring to go after Kazarian, but Kazarian whips out a telescoping baton and cracks Lethal in the face with it.
We go backstage as Mick Foley steps into Eric Bischoff's office and Flair yells at him to knock on the door, but Foley says that they put Anderson and Morgan in a tag match and won't tell them who their partners are going to be. They're messing with Anderson's head and he demands that they tell them who their partners are so they can prepare as professional wrestlers. Flair says that Foley shouldn't even be here and he should have him locked up for even being here. Flair kicks Foley out, and Foley says they can make whatever match they want because he'll be at ringside watching, and Flair warns him not to get hurt while he's at ringside.
Strap Match: Velvet Sky vs Sarita
Sarita stalls while Velvet yells at her to put it on, and finally Sarita attaches the strap to her wrist and the match starts. Sarita immediately bails to the floor but Velvet yanks her off her feet and goes out after her, and Sarita gets up and rams her into the apron and then starts whipping Velvet with the strap. Sarita rolls Velvet back in the ring and ties her wrists with the strap and starts dragging her from corner to corner. Sarita gets to 2 before trying (and missing) an elbowdrop. Velvet is revitalized and gets a couple of strap clotheslines and then uses the strap to trip Sarita and the strap comes free from Sarita. Referee Jamal Jackson (or whatever his name is) reattaches it, and Velvet goes right back to whipping Sarita and then chokes her with the strap, using it to hang Sarita over her back as she goes from corner to corner with Sarita touching each corner right behind her. Finally when we get to the fourth corner Sarita puts on the brakes and yanks Velvet across thering by the strap and touches the fourth corner for the win.
Winner: Sarita
Sarita attacks Velvet with the strap again after the match until Angelina Love runs in to make the save. Velvet picks herself up and yells at Angelina to just leave her alone.
We go back to Orlando and Eric's party, which now includes Shark Boy (who is saying that he technically works for TNA, but part of that is being on TV and he's never on TV) as well as Brian Kendrick, who wants Eric to show him some of his stick fighting moves. Eric lashes around and knocks stuff over, and Orlando reminds him that he's not allowed to poke guys with his staff, and then asks if the girls will ever show up, and Eric says that of course they will because he created this party and he's Moses.
We go to commercial and when we come back, we see that during the commercial break Velvet was having a fit about losing to Sarita again and walked out. We now go backstage where Angelina finds Sarita and kicks her ass for screwing with her friend. Sarita fights back and rams Angelina into the stairs, but Winter comes out of nowhere and drags Sarita off, sending her packing, and then goes to check on her partner.
We see a video package looking back at the year 2010 in TNA, and then we see Jeff Jarrett, who is backstage, and he's...WALKING!
We go elsewhere backstage as Doug Williams says he's got a tag match but no partner. As luck would have it, Brutus Magnus is in his locker room and is dressed to wrestle, and he comes out and tells Doug that he's been there for Magnus since day one and he'll be his partner tonight.
Okay, it's time for everybody's favorite segment of the show...
Double J MMA Challenge
Jarrett comes out, gets VASELINE RUBBED ON HIS FACE, and gloats about how quickly he tapped Red out last week and told him he did a good job, but needs a tougher challenge and asked Red if he has any relatives that can give him a challenge and Red said he has a little brother, so he tells Red to bring his brother out here now. Red comes out by himself and Jarrett invites him into the ring and says that he's not going to hurt him like he did last week, and that his baby brother probably has stage fright as he would if he had to fight himself, but he says he'll turn his back and give him the first shot, just get him out here. Red motions to the back and here comes...a big freaky looking version of Amazing Red. He stands behind Jarrett and taps him on the shoulder and Jarrett does the classic turn around and "oh crap" look.
Bell rings and Jarrett circles him warily before tying up and taking him to the ropes. Red #2 shoves him off and they start neutral again before tying back up and Red #2 takes Jarrett down in a flash with a Fujiwara armbar and Jarrett goes right to the ropes. Another neutral start and Jarrett shoots a single leg but Red #2 blocks and takes Jarrett down and gets a leg lace. Jarrett goes to the ropes for the break and immediately goes back after Red #2 and drills him in the head with punches, but Red #2 sits out and gets an ankle lock. Gunner & Muffin drag Jarrett out to the floor to safety and Red goes after them. Jarrett grabs the guitar and slips back in the ring in the confusion and the bell rings, I guess because this got so out of control. Red comes in and grabs the guitar and smashes it, and Jarrett bails to the floor and backpedals up the rampway yelling at Red #2 as he backs up the ramp. Red #2 gets a "thank you Brother" chant.
We go back to Bischoff's office after the commercial as Jarrett is suggesting to Bischoff that they not allow the tall, lanky guys into the Double J MMA Challenge anymore due to their being prone to injuring themselves getting in the ring. He also says that these should be framed as just exhibitions (with Bischoff responding "ah, like Thunderlips, right?"), and they also need a waiver that they need to sign. Bischoff says he likes it, but he looks less than impressed.
Time for our next match...
AJ Styles & Rob Terry vs British Invasion
British Invasion does the handshake and everything on the rampway as Taz reminds us that Rob Terry was the third member of the group, but it wasn't exactly like the Beatles. You know, we never did get that Terry-Magnus blowoff match, so this has been a long time coming. Magnus and AJ start and AJ goes right to a kick to the gut and a side headlock, but Magnus fires him into the ropes and gets a hiptoss and a full bodyslam, buy AJ goes to the eyes and tells Magnus that he wants Williams. Magnus obliges and tags Williams in and they circle one another for about two second before AJ tags Rob Terry in. They tie up and Terry powers Williams into the corner and then hits a pair of shoulderblocks to the ribs in the corner and chokes Williams with his boot. You know, after Williams and Magnus spent months running this guy down, how did he end up playing the heel in the situation? AJ begs for the tag and Terry tags him in, and AJ goes right for the Styles Clash but Williams quickly escapes and rams AJ into his own corner. AJ tags back out to Terry, who comes in and picks Williams up for a big delayed bodyslam and then tags AJ back in. AJ whips Doug into the corner and tries a Stinger Splash, but Doug dodges and hits an Exploder suplex. Williams tags Magnus and now Magnus comes in and cleans house on AJ, taking him out with a big backdrop. AJ tries a leapfrog out of the corner but Magnus catches him and gets a Davey Boy Smith-style powerslam and covers, but Terry breaks it up and chokes Magnus in the corner. Williams comes in and they double team Terry, but AJ with a springboard forearm takes Williams out and then he hits the Chaos Theory on Magnus for the win.
Winners: AJ Styles & Rob Terry
Madison Rayne is backstage, and she's...WALKING!
We go back to the party as Tara comes in with Generation Me while singing Broken. Orlando Jordan tells them that they can only come in if they take their shirts off. GenMe do as the Romans do, and then OJ starts to dance with Tara, setting off a brawl between OJ and GenMe. Brian Kendrick tells them all to stop because he has a message...and then realizes it's just gas and says nevermind. They go back to fighting.
Back to the ring, as Madison Rayne comes out to the ring, escorted by a bunch of dudes in tuxes. They form arches with their arms that she walks under, and then falls into their arms as they carry her to the ring. This whole episode of Impact is really just so bizarre. They carry her to the ring and place her on the apron so she can get in the ring and hold up her hand as they all walk past and kiss it one by one. Madison screams at So Cal Val to get on the apron and hand her a microphone. Madison tells everyone to drink it in because she has something very important to say right now SO SHUT UP. As she was saying, when she put on this $79,000, Vera Wang, one of a kind dress, she was just as speechless as they allSHUT UP! She knew she had to come out here to all her adoring fans and little people and show them how beautiful she is. She is their champion because she knows that they all want a champion full of class and elegance and all things perfect, and not some backwoods, cornfed, frumpy, flannel wearing, hardcore country slut. Now that does it, them's fighting words. Hardcore Country starts playing and Mickie comes strolling out, and Madison tells the cowgirl to come on in. Mickie grabs the microphone out of Madison's hand and tells her to shut up, and then suckerpunches Madison. Well, that's not very ladylike. Mickie gets a few clotheslines and then tears Madison's Wang off. Madison, now left in nothing but her undies, runs to the back in horror.
Matt Morgan is backstage, and he's...WALKING!
But before that main event starts, we go to a promo from Morgan as he talks about how he's had Hardy beaten twice now, but because of goofy stuff happening, it didn't happen and if there's an uncrowned champion in TNA, it's him. Now we go to Jeff Hardy who says that he is evolution, and he is the TNA World Champion. Now Ken Anderson says that he respects what Hardy's done, and if the fans appreciate what he does and want him as their champion, then fine, but he listens to the fans when Hardy's out there and he doesn't think they want that. Hardy says he doesn't care what the fans think.
We go outside the building where Pope is talking to someone at a kennel about getting a couple of pitbulls for the kids in his neighborhood. The guy warns them that they don't make good family pets, but Pope is undeterred so the fellow takes Pope on inside.
Back to the Impact Zone as Mick Foley joins Mike Tenay and Taz at the broadcast booth, and then it's main event time!
Ken Anderson & ?????? vs Matt Morgan & ??????
Anderson's partner is announced as Brother Ray after his entrance, and then Morgan comes out and is soon joined by...Brother Devon! Yep, saw that one coming. Devon starts, but Brother Ray refuses to get in so Anderson starts. Devon keeps yelling at Brother Ray to get in the ring and Anderson goes for the tag, but Ray pulls his hand away and walks away from him and drops off the apron. Meanwhile, Eric Bischoff comes out to the top of the ramp and sends Gunner and Muffin over to remove Foley from the booth. Foley starts to leave peacefully, but attacks them and uses Mr Socko to go after Muffin. Gunner hits Foley from behind with a baton and handcuff him and haul him out. While all that was going on, Brother Ray tagged himself in and nailed Devon from behind and started drilling him with rights and stomping him in the face. Ray with an elbowdrop and then continues the assault with more rights and a neckbreaker, then turns to the crowd and yells "I told you he was weak!" while pointing at Devon. Ray tags Anderson in and he walks right into a chinbreaker and then Devon tags Morgan as Anderson tags right back out to Ray. Ray nails Morgan and tags Anderson and pulls him into the ring. Anderson yells at Ray, then turns around and kicks Morgan in the gut and hits a DDT for 2. Anderson comes off the second rope but Morgan goozles and chokeslams him and goes for the cover, but Ray breaks up the fall. Devon chases Ray out of the ring and around ringside and goes face to face with Morgan and Morgan goes for a roaring clothesline, but Ray ducks and Morgan nails Anderson. Morgan hesitates for a second, then covers Anderson for the win.
Winners: Matt Morgan & Brother Devon
Morgan tries to help Anderson up but Anderson shoves him off and yells at him before sliding out of the ring to close the show.
Very interesting episode this week, in many ways. Some interesting booking with the way the main event was put together and the latest developments in the Double J MMA Challenge, and we also got some of the most bizarre stuff we've seen on Impact all year with the Eric Young/Orlando Jordan holiday party and Madison Rayne's...coronation? Interesting to watch at the very least.
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