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Welcome to the 4th of July edition of TNA Impact, coming from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia!
Your announcers are Tom Hanifan and Matthew Rehwoldt.
We open with a recap of everything that has brought us to this episode.
They showed footage of fireworks above Philly.
Leon Slater vs. Trey Miguel with Zach Wentz
Some back and forth action early. Slater hit a dive to the outside. Miguel nailed several running kicks in the corner and choked him against the ropes. Wentz assisted as the referee was distracted. Philly chanted for Leon. Miguel missed a quebrada. This allowed Slater to hit some offensive maneuvers and score several near falls. They battled back and forth with strikes and chops. Slater nailed a cutter variation which looked great.
Miguel came back with a series of kicks that battered Slater but the British star kicked out. Slater scored a two count but was nailed with a handspring kick to the face. Slater came back with a Blue Thunder Bomb and went to the top but NXT's Charlie Dempsey walked out from backstage and shoved him off the top.
Dempsey entered the ring and attacked The Rascalz, Slater and even the referee, who he hit with a gutwrench suplex. He locked a crossface on Slater. Officials hit the ring and Dempsey backed off and walked out. Philly chanted for NXT.
Gia Miller interviewed Matt Hardy and Rebecca Hardy. Hardy promised to decimate Eddie Edwards' vessel. Reby said she was out of the ring for eight years but they made her come back with all their words on social media and their actions. She called The Edwards a pair of clowns. Hardy promised to delete.
Outside in the 2300 Arena parking lot, Trey Miguel asked if Charlie Dempsey couldn't win where he's from so he had to come here. Wentz asked what the hell was going on. Wentz said he's not going to name off of them and TNA. He said that he knows where Dempsey is from because he was once there and they don't allow that bull to go on there. He challenged Dempsey to fight him next week.
Dani Luna vs. Jody Threat.
The story was that their mentor Lars Frederickson set this up as a challenge so they could know each other better in the ring.
They battled back and forth. Luna went for some power moves but they were avoided. They said there was a situation backstage and showed Nick Nemeth laid out backstage as he brother Ryan Nemeth found him. Luna and Threat were pretty even in terms of the action and faced off. The crowd chanted, "Women's wrestling."
Luna nailed a series of clotheslines in the corner and suplexed Threat. Threat took her down and worked over Luna's arm. Luna powered her out of the ring accidentally while breaking free and asked the referee if Threat was OK after he checked on her on the floor. Threat was almost counted out but made it back to the apron and nailed a shoulder to the mid-section. Threat attempted to suplex her over the ropes to the floor and Luna crashed down.
Luna avoided a move and nailed a big boot on the apron. Threat clotheslined her over the top back into the ring. Threat went to the top, where Luna met her and nailed a superplex. Luna followed up with a Falcon Arrow for another near fall. The clock ran out with both competitors trying to recover.
Draw.
The crowd chanted for fiv more minutes and the competitors each asked the referee for them. He agreed and the bell rang.
They locked up but TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions Alisha Edwards and Masha Slamovich hit the ring and attacked both.
Backstage, Mustafa Ali told Santino Marella that he wanted to rescind his challenge for Bailey. Ali said Bailey didn't do anything to deserve the title shot. Marella said that title shots do have to be earned, so he will be in a match next week to determine the top contenders next week. Marella asked why The Blues Brothers were behind them, refereeing to Ali's secret service.
They aired a video package on Mike Santana vs. Frankie Kazarian. This was great.
Mike Santana vs. Frankie Kazarian - Road to Slammiversary Qualifying Match
Santana came out through the crowd, a man of the people.
Very good action early. Kazarian worked him over on the floor and mocked the crowd for Santana being their guy. He nailed a legdrop off the ropes for a two count. Santana came back with a sunset flip but Kazarian kicked out and nailed him. Kazarian locked on a submission but Santana mad it to the ropes. They began duking it out in the center of the ring.
Santana nailed an enziguiri in the corner. Santana caught him and nailed Kazarian in mid-air. He nailed a bucklebomb and hit a big cannonball for a two count. Kazarian came back and went for the Crossface Chicken Wing. Santana got out. They drilled each other. Kazarian went for Fade to Black but Santana rolled him up for a two count. Kazarian caught him with a backstabber and cinched in the Chicken Wing. Kazarian was almost pinned and was hit with a rolling cutter for another two count. Kazarian went to the floor. Santana hit a tope con hilo to the floor
Johnny Dango Curtis, JDC came out and sent Santana into the ring post as the referee was checking on Kazarian. Santana couldn't beat the count and was counted out,
Your winner, Frankie Kazarian!
Santana came up bleeding and dazed.
Kazarian advances to the Slammiversary main event.
They aired an ABC promo. They make their own luck.
They showed footage of AJ Francis and Rich Swann attacking PCO several weeks ago and chokeslamming Steph de Lander. Backstage, Dr. Ross Forman was overwhelmed by PCO, who demanded a car battery and resucitated Steph. I am guessing this means she's going further Bride of Frankenstein. As a Universal Monsters fan, I love it.
AJ Francis and Rich Swann were all braggart about how great Francis is. Santino told him he's fighting PCO at Slammiversary. Francis said he broke PCO's body and heart and he has nothing to worry about. Santino said he has to defend his title next week.
Eddie & Alisha Edwards with Brian Myers vs. Matt Hardy & Rebecca Hardy
Alisa and Rebecca start the bout. This is Reby's highest profile bout in years. She backs Alissa into the corner and Alisa flees to the floor. Rebecca follows but Brian Myers steps into the way. Hardy and Eddie tagged in. Hardy nailed a shoulderblock and several body shots in the corner. Hardy nailed shoulder after shoulder and then used a chinlock in the ropes to wear Edwards down. Hardy drilled him down in the corner and held Edwards for Rebecca to slap. The Hardys stomped away in the corner.
Hardy continued nailing Edwards with right hands while Eddie tried to fire back with chops. Eddie avoided a charge in the corner and Matt nailed the ring post shoulder-first. When they returned from commercial, it was all Edwards. Alisa got involved. Matt sent her into Eddie, who crashed to the floor. Rebecca tagged in and nailed a back kick. She went for a bulldog but was tossed off, rebounding into a spear. She began manhandling Alisa. Matt and Eddie got involved.
Rebecca nailed Air Hardy off Matt's back into the corner. The Hardys nailed the Hart Attack for a two count. Alisa kicked up. Matt and Eddie battled on the floor. In the ring, Rebecca went for the Twist of Fate but was shoved off into the ropes. Eddie tripped her. Alisa choked her in the ropes. Matt was clotheslined on the floor.
Alisa maintained control on Rebecca as she and Eddie tagged in and out. Rebecca was worked over for a long time and prevented from tagging out. Matt finally made the tag and hit a suplex on Edwards. Hardy nailed an elbow off the ropes for a two count. Matt went for the Sidewinder but Edwards fought his way out. Matt caught him with a Sidewinder. Myers tried to interfere and was nailed. Hardy went for the Twist of Fate but was caught and hit with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. He argued with the referee over the count. Rebecca argued with him. She kicked him low and hit a Twist of Fate on Alisa. Hardy nailed The Twist of Fate and pinned Eddie.
Your winners, Matt and Rebecca Hardy!
ABC mocked Myers backstage for getting nailed. Johnny Dango Curtis stepped up and they argued. Santino made a match between Bey and Curtis for next week.
TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace issued an Open Challenge for next week.
They aired a video package on the main event.
Joe Hendry vs. Jake Something - Winner Advances to Slammiversary
Hendry comes off as a legit star and his promo was great.
They lock up and Something used his power to try and thwart Hendry's finesse. Hendry nailed the first big strike and hit a delayed vertical suplex, which was doubly impressive given Something's size. Something cut him off and used a side headlock to ground away at Hendry. They battled to the floor, where Hendry was driven back into the apron. Something darted down the aisle and splashed Hendry into the ropes, which looked great.
Hendry was tossed back into the ring and nailed with with a big clothesline. He scored several two counts. Hendry came back and whipped Something into the corner. He charged and was elevated over the ropes to the outside. Something rebounded off the ropes but Joe nailed a leaping back elbow and scored a two count. Something came back and mauled Hendry, who kept kicking up. Something worked over his back and then stomped away at him in the corner.
Hendry kicked him away as Something charged and unloaded with a series of chops. Something reversed a whip into the corner, sending Hendry into the corner with authority. Hendry and Something faced off and battled. Something tried to manhandle him but Hendry fought back and nailed some hard chops. Something caught a charging Hendry with a nasty looking Michinoku Driver.
Something mauled him with several big right hands, controlling the ring. He nailed several short-arm clotheslines but Hendry kept kicking up at the last second. He began fighting from underneath but was locked in a sleeper. He scissored Hendry's body and Joe almost went down but powered up and fought to his feet. Something held on Hendry's back but Joe fell backwards, squashing him to break the hold.
Joe nailed a clothesline to send him over the top to the floor and followed. They battled on the floor. Something went for another splash in the ropes but Hendry ducked down and Something snapped his own neck in the ropes, playing off of the spot from earlier. Really great, smart spot.
They return to the ring, recovering. Hendry psyched himself up and went to town on Something, who battled back. Joe caught him with a Fall Away Slam. Joe went for his chokeslam but Something battled him off. Hendry was hit with a sit-out powerbomb but kicked out at the last minute. Something set up for a move but Joe reversed and went for a back suplex. Hendry was smashed down but kipped up. Something nailed a running clothesline and both men were down as the referee counted.
They fought to get back to their feet. They fired back and forth with great fury. Hendry nailed a cutter and hit the chokeslam and scored the pin.
Your winner, advancing to Slammiversary, Joe Hendry!
This was a great, hard fought main event and was absolutely the best match either has had to date in TNA in my opinion. Well worth checking out!
Joe cut an impassioned promo about going to Montreal to close the show.
A strong episode!
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