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The show opens with Jeremy Borash interviewing Ethan Carter III, who says that he went through Bobby Lashley last week, now Kurt Angle has to face someone of his choosing tonight. This is someone with a legacy, an institution in this business...and he leaves before telling us who that is. Guess we'll find out in a bit!
We see a video package running down tonight's card, then we go to the ring as Kurt Angle comes out to deliver the opening promo. Angle says he is seven days away from being able to shut EC3 up for good, and he's going to prove he's the best next week. He'll also prove it tonight, and asks Ethan Carter III to bring out his mystery opponent for tonight right now. EC3 comes out and says it will only take one man to beat him: the one. We are seven days away from the most pivortal moment in wrestling history when Angle defends against an undefeated, unbeatable challenger. EC3 says that Angle is only the best for now, and Angle says to shut up and get on with this match. He says that two things are going to happen: EC3 will tap out next week, and his opponent will tap out tonight. EC3 says he will never tap out because he has something Angle will never have: his unbeaten streak. He has beaten everyone the company has put in front of him: Sting, Lashley, Anderson, Bully Ray...he's beaten everybody. Everybody? EVERYBODY! He's just getting started because there's nobody out in the ring who can beat him, and he will destroy everybody on his altar of perfection. Angle just hears EC3 talking about himself, and he thinks EC3 is more concerned with himself than the title. A good ego is healthy, but EC3 has gone way too far and it's going to bite him in the ass. Dixie Carter can't help him anymore, and neither can Tyrus. Even his ego can't help him anymore because next week, he's ending EC3's undefeated streak and he's going to make EC3 tap out. EC3 asks Angle if he thinks he can make him tap out right now, then says Angle will find out next week because he has a match tonight. Matt Hardy comes out to the top of the ramp and it looks like we have a main event!
Hey, Josh Mathews and Pope are at ringside! Good for them. They talk about tonight's action, then Low Ki comes to the ring as the X Division Title is on the line after this commercial break!
X Division Title Match: Low Ki vs Tigre Uno vs Grado
This match fills the vacancy created when Spud cashed the title in for a shot at Kurt Angle at Destination X. Low Ki destroys both of them early, but gets dumped to the floor and Tigre tries to slam Grado. He can't quite get that done, but Grado easily slams Tigre Uno. Grado dodges a charge and gets a schoolboy rollup and a senton. The straps come down and Grado heads to the top, but Low Ki shoves him off and then comes off the top with the Warrior's Way square on the head of Grado. That looked sick, and thankfully Low Ki pins Grado to eliminate him.
We're down to Low Ki and Tigre Uno, who tries to lucha his way around Low Ki but gets faceplanted on a flapjack for 2. They both wind up going at it on the top rope and Tigre hits a top rope headscissors out of nowhere for a 2 count. Tigre goes for a twisting springboard senton, but Low Ki evades that, then Tigre evades a shotgun dropkick, goes to the top, motions to Low Ki to roll into position, and hits a phoenix splash for the win.
Winner: Tigre Uno
Christy gets in the ring to ask Tigre Uno how he feels, and he says it's the greatest night in his life. I figured Low Ki was too obvious and would probably lose, but I figured they'd go with Grado. Well, this guy has put in his time so we'll see how it goes.
We go backstage where Bram comes in and grabs Jeremy Borash by the shirt to talk about his open contract and that he doesn't care who's going to face him next because he's beaten everyone and he doesn't care. Bram leaves, and a giant gloved hand lands on Borash's shoulder, and Borash turns around, smiles at whoever it is, and says it's time.
We go to the Dollhouse where Taryn Terrell is chewing out Jade and Marti for screwing up last week and making it so she has to face both Brooke and Kong at the same time. The three of them will face the two of them at Slammiversary, and Marti talks violent stuff and Taryn says that's her dolls, and playtime for Kong and Brooke is over this Sunday.
Also this weekend, James Storm faces Magnus in a non-sanctioned match, the Bromans explode as Robbie E takes on Jessie Godderz, and Bobby Lashley & Ken Anderson take on EC3 and Tyrus.
Angelina Love vs Velvet Sky
Angelina cuts a promo before the match saying Velvet has one last chance if she can beat her, but we all know that's not going to happen. So like Angelina said, Velvet gets her job back if she wins this. Velvet powerwalks to the ring and gets right in Angelina's face. Angelina slaps her, so Velvet takes her down and hammers her, then runs her from corner to corner before dumping her to the floor. Velvet goes out after Angelina and rams her into the ringpost and the steps. Velvet rolls Angelina in and Angelina catches her coming through the ropes and hits a side suplex for 2. Angelina goes to the second rope, but takes too long razzing the fans and gets thrown off by Velvet. Velvet with a series of clotheslines and a slap to the face. Velvet with a series of kicks, but Angelina hits an implant facebuster for 2. Velvet ducks the Botox Injection and hits a stunner for the win.
Winner: Velvet Sky
Great match, I like that they gave them plenty of time to tell a good story.
The Mystery Cameraman asks Austin Aries and Bobby Roode for their thoughts on tonight's match, and after mocking him for getting paid to ask stupid questions like that, they say that neither of them remember anything to do with ladders or weapons in their wrestling training. The Wolves may think they have the advantage because they've been in these matches before, but they could be playing right into their hands because relaxed rules open up a lot of opportunities. They plan to use the tables, ladders, and chairs to break the Wolves in half. They can fight as dirty as they want, and the dirtier, the better.
The Mystery Cameraman catches MVP coming into the building and asks him about the rumors of trouble in the BDC. MVP says there's nothing to it, the Rising hits hard and everyone loses a battle or two, but the BDC is fine and actually, they're stronger than ever.
Tag Team Title Series Match #4/Full Metal Mayhem: The Wolves vs Austin Aries & Bobby Roode
The Wolves take the early advantage, hitting the Dirty Hells hard and fast. Aries and Roode go to the floor to break up the momentum and everyone winds up with chairs in hand, but the Heels try to calm things down and use their chairs to take a seat at ringside and wait for the Wolves to put their chairs down. The Wolves comply, then boot Aries and Roode in the face when they pop up on the apron. They go for stereo dives, but the Heels had a ladder waiting for them and pop it right up in their faces as they go for the dive. We're at commercial.
We're back and the Wolves are still in control, stomping the Wolves out and using Aries' shirt to choke Davey. Aries and Roode shut the Wolves down with stereo chinlocks, then they get the trash can lids and use them to part Eddie's hair. The Heels set the ladder up in the corner, whip both Wolves into it, and then Roode whips Aries into the corner to hit the IED. Davey comes zipping right back out to take Roode out with a clothesline, then Eddie takes Aries out with a flying knee. Now the wolves are in control and the fans are chanting for tables as the Heels ditch out to the floor. The Wolves go for another stereo dive and conenct this time, and they're so excited about it that they hit two more stereo dives. They go back inside where the Wolves use a chair to drill Aries and then assist in a double stomp to Roode's back. A trash can lid shot to Aries gets 2, then Davey wraps a chain around his boot and tries for a kick on Aries. Aries ducks out of the way and rolls Davey into the Last Chancery, but Eddie breaks that up with a trash can shot. Roode sets up a table in the ring and the Heels hit a missile dropkick/powerbomb combo that puts Eddie through the table. Davey breaks up the cover at 2, then the Wolves hit Roode with the assisted alarm clock for 2, then they put a trash can lid over Aries head and bash him with a chair. Aries goes down in the corner and both men hit stereo Van Terminators, and Aries is DEAD. They haul Aries back to his feet anyway, still with the trash can over his head, but Roode comes out of nowhere to nail Davey with a chair and then low blow Eddie, allowing Aries to literally land on top of Eddie and pin him.
Winners: Bobby Roode & Austin Aries
Really good match, and a great way to set up the final.
Jeremy Borash is backstage with Matt Hardy, who says he's been sitting home since Jeff got injured, but now he's decided he wants to be the TNA World Champion. He doesn't like EC3 and he thinks...well, EC3 comes in and says Matt owes him one and he'll get a title shot after he beats Angle next week. Hardy asks EC3 what his legacy will be if Angle makes him tap out, and tells EC3 to think about it.
Josh and Pope are talking at ringside when suddenly, out of nowhere, Jeff and Karen Jarrett come out to ringside, shake the announcers hands, and get in the ring. Jeff says hell has frozen over and says he'll address some of what happened tonight when he says he got a text from TNA management last week when they said they had a proposition for him. He was getting on a plane and didn't even reply, but wanted to know what they wanted, and he rolled over the opportunities in his head, then texted them back and asked what they wanted. They wanted Jeff to come back and have a match, and he almost hung the phone up when he heard that because he doesn't even wrestle for his own promotion, but then they told him it was his match, the match he designed, the King of the Mountain match. This won't just be any episode of Impact, it's the 13th anniversary of the company Jeff and his father co-founded in 2002, and he started thinking about all the great moments he had right here in the Impact Zone. He starts talking about all of the moments that mattered to him like Angle coming to TNA, Joe coming out and giving Angle the headbutt from hell, and watching AJ Styles and Beer Money develop. Jeff really had to think about how him being in TNA would affect the Global Force roster, how Karen would react,and Karen takes a mic and says he loves Jeff Jarrett, but as we all know, she's a little different than Jeff, she didn't know what to expect when Jeff told her about their conversation. They had moved on, Global Force Wrestling is their future and TNA was in the rearview mirror, so her emotions took over and she said absolutely not. But then Jeff kept laying it out to her because TNA is her baby, and as hard as it is for her to understand, she loves Jeff and supports him in anything and everything he chooses in life, and even this morning at 11 am on the phone with Sonjay Dutt, cried her eyes out asking why look in the rearview mirror when they have so much in the future, and Sonjay said Karen may never understand it, but Jeff didn't go out the way he wanted to go out. No matter how bright the future is, he didn't leave on his terms, and that being said, she didn't get on the plane and get in this ring to get on a plane and go home. Jeff will leave TNA on his terms, and on Sunday, he's going to make things right. Karen loves him and will be standing there by his side. Jeff said that we can bank on this: this Sunday at Slammiversary, the King of the Mountain officially declares himself in the match one last time he's walking the tNA aisle, and he'll be damned if he doesn't climb the ladder and declare himself the King of the Mountain. Toby Keith said he might not be as good as he once was, but once, he can be as good as he ever was.
Bram vs Vader
Yeah, this is who I figured it'd be. He really kills the legend when he smiles on his way to the ring, especially when he's wearing a t-shirt and warmup pants. They tie up and Vader just yanks Bram to the mat by the hair. Vader unloads on Bram in the corner, then whips Bram to the ropes and hits the Vader block. Vader with a short clothesline, but Bram tears Vader's mask off and hammers him with hard right hands. He slaps Vader in the face a couple of times, and Vader responds by bowling Bram over with another big tackle for 2. Vader with another short clothesline, pulls up his pants, and then he heads to the second rope and hits the Vader Bomb. He hurts himself on the way down, but rolls over and covers Bram...who gets his foot on the rope at 2. Bram rolls out to the floor and gets his turnbuckle, then uses it to beat the crap out of Vader.
Winner: Vader by DQ
Bram continues the assault when, out of nowhere, Matt Morgan comes out of the back and destroys Bram, tossing him around and clotheslining him to the floor.
Sgt Chris Melendez vs Eric Young
Young starts whooping on Melendez right off the bat and doesn't let up, unloading with right hands as Josh informs us that Bram and Matt Morgan will face off this weekend at Slammiversary. Young hits a DDT for 2, then dumps Melendez out to the floor. Young waits for Melendez to come back in and hits a neckbreaker for 2. Young tries tearing Melendez' leg off again, but Melendez fights him off and then starts hammering him with forearms. Melendez goes for a backdrop, but Young counters to a piledriver for the win.
Winner: Eric Young
Young dusted Melendez pretty quick and easy here, match was okay but Melendez' limitations were pretty glaring.
We come back from commercial as the BDC and the Rising are brawling in the aisle and into the ring, and suddenly Hernandez comes out of nowhere and flattens the entire Rising by himself. Drake and Micah get tossed to the floor and Hernandez gives Drew the Border Toss, then MVP stands over Drew and says if this is what he wants, then he should know that Hernandez is the newest member of the Beat Down Clan.
Next week: the tag title series concludes, Taryn Terrell defends the Knockouts Title against both Brooke and Awesome Kong, and Kurt angle defends the TNA World Title against Ethan Carter III.
And with all that out of the way, it's...MAIN EVENT TIME!
TNA World Champion Kurt Angle vs Matt Hardy
Matt gets the early advantage, but Angle quickly turns that around with an overhead release suplex. Angle goes for a salto, but Hardy sits out and hits a Russian legsweep. They trade right hands until Angle ducks one and hits the rolling German suplexes. Angle goes for the Angle Slam, but Hardy slips out and hits the Side Effect for 2, but then Angle gets out of the Twist of Fate and hits the Angle Slam for 2. Angle gets the anklelock, Hardy counters to a victory roll for 2, then he gets Angle in a sleeper and hits another Side Effect for 2. Angle with more rolling German suplexes, but Hardy ducks another clothesline and hits a third Side Effect for a super close 2.999999999. Hardy with a fourth Side Effect, then a fifth, but Angle still kicks out at 2. Angle shoves off the Twist of Fate, Hardy hits it on a second attempt, but Angle kicks out again at 2.999999. Angle counters another Twist of Fate to the anklelock and Hardy taps out.
Winner: Kurt Angle
Short but solid main event. Ethan Carter III and Tyrus run in and try to attack Angle, but Hardy fights EC3 off before getting flattened by Tyrus. Angle takes Tyrus out with an Angle Slam and goes face to face with EC3, and Angle ducks a clothesline and gets EC3 in the anklelock. EC3 furiously taps out as we call it a week.
Thanks for reading the Impact Wrestling Report here on PWInsider.com, I'll be back tomorrow to discuss Impact and more with Dave Scherer on the Stu & Pid Show!
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