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August 9th
On this day in history in ....
1980 - WWF held their "Showdown at Shea" event at Shea Stadium in Flushing, New York, drawing 36, 295 fans. Here are the results of the show:
- The Hangman defeated Rene Goulet.
- Ivan Putski defeated Johnny Rodz.
- Angel Marvilla defeated Jose Estrada.
- Beverly Slade & Kandy Maloy defeated Fabulous Moolah & Peggy Lee.
- Dominic DeNucci defeated Baron Mikel Scicluna.
- Greg Gagne defeated Rick McGraw.
- Pat Patterson defeated Tor Kamata via DQ.
- WWF Junior Heavyweight Champion Tatsumi Fujinami defeated Chavo Guerrero.
- WWF Martial Arts Champion Antonio Inoki defeated Larry Sharpe via submission.
- Andre the Giant defeated Hulk Hogan.
- Tony Atlas defeated Intercontinental Champion Ken Patera via countout.
- Bob Backlund & Pedro Morales defeated The Samoans (Afa & Sika) to win the WWF World Tag Team Title. However, because Backlund was already the WWF World Heavyweight Champion, he and Morales were forced to vacate the belts.
- Bruno Sammartino defeated Larry Zbyszko in a steel cage match.
1986 - Ric Flair defeats Dusty Rhodes for the NWA World Heavyweight Wrestling Title in St. Louis, Missouri to win the title for the fifth time. Flair pinned Rhodes when Rhodes "passed out from the pain" in a figure four leglock, as the Four Horsemen had attacked Rhodes' leg the previous night.
1997 - One of the most famous matches in ECW history, the "Born To Be Wired" barbed wire match between ECW World Champion Terry Funk and Sabu took place at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Actually, this was not to be the original main event for the show. The original card was to see a six-man tag team match headline the show, but due to injuries and a change in plans, the barbed wire match was announced two week's before the show took place. This brutal, bloody match actually ended early, as Funk and Sabu became so entangled in the barbed wire that Sabu pinned Funk, rather than trying to separate and attempt more spots. The two men had to literally be cut out of the barbed wire after the match. Sabu, who sliced open his bicep on the barbed wire, won the ECW World Title, only to lose it a week later at Hardcore Heaven, ECW's second PPV.
1997 - WCW held their Road Wild Pay-per-view event in Sturgis, South Dakota at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Here are the results:
- Harlem Heat defeated Buff Bagwell & Scott Norton when Booker pinned Norton after two Harlem sidekicks (and Jacqueline holding Norton's leg down during the cover).
- Konnan defeated Rey Mysterio, Jr. via submission with the Tequila Sunrise.
- Steve McMichael & Chris Benoit defeated Jeff Jarrett & Dean Malenko in an Elimination match. Jarrett pulled McMichael on top of him to be eliminated first (leaving Malenko along to fight two on one). McMichael pinned Malenko to win the match after a Benoit top rope headbutt and a tombstone piledriver from McMichael.
- WCW Cruiserweight Champion Alex Wright defeated Chris Jericho with a rollup and a handful of trunks.
- Ric Flair defeated Syxx, using the ropes for leverage on the pin.
- Curt Hennig defeated Diamond Dallas Page with a Hennigplex after Ric Flair distracted Page.
- The Giant defeated Randy Savage with a chokeslam.
- Rick & Scott Steiner defeated WCW World Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash via DQ when Nash pulled referee Nick Patrick out of the ring as Scott was about to pin Hall.
- Hulk Hogan defeated Lex Luger to win the WCW World Heavyweight Title when a fake Sting ran in and hit Luger with a baseball bat.
1999 - The Monday Night Wars raged on as WWF Raw earned a 6.4 rating for a show featuring Kane & X-Pac defeated The Acolytes for the WWF World Tag Team Title, while WCW Nitro pulled in a 3.1 for a show that saw Chris Benoit defeat David Flair for the WCW United States Title. The Raw event featured the debut of one Chris Jericho, who would go on to become the company's Undisputed champion and headline Wrestlemania 18.
2001 - The 2001 Brian Pillman Memorial Show was held at the Oak Hills High School in Ohio, drawing over 2,000 fans to raise money for the family of Brian Pillman. Here are the results:
- Nigel McGuinness pinned The Machine.
- Rob Conway & Ron Waterman defeated The Disciples of Synn.
- JR Ryder defeated Richard Pound.
- Chad Collyer defeated Donovan Morgan.
- Cody Hawk & Lance Cade defeated The Island Boys.
- Randy Orton defeated Prototype.
- Damaja & Mike Hard defeated Chet & Dean Jablonski.
- The Hass Brothers defeated Steve Bradley & Rico Constantino.
- Chad Collyer defeated Pepper Parks, Shark Boy, and Matt Stryker in a Four Corners match to win the HWA Cruiserweight Title.
- Nick Dinsmore defeated Race Steele to win the HWA Title.
- Lita defeated Lady Victoria.
- Terry Taylor defeated Bobby Eaton, with Jim Cornette. Ricky Steamboat was the guest referee.
- NWA World Champion Steve Corino defeated David Flair.
- Evan Karagis, with Missy Hyatt, defeated Chris Candido, with Tammy Sytch.
- Mark Henry defeated Hugh Morrus.
- Perry Saturn & Dean Malenko defeated Justin Credible & Raven.
- Matt & Jeff Hardy defeated Edge & Christian and Chris Kanyon & Diamond Dallas Page in a three way match.
2010 - WWE broadcast Raw. Richard Trionfo filed the followed TV report:
We are live from Sacramento, California and your announcers are Jerry ‘I wonder if we can get anyone from The Expendables tonight’ Lawler and Michael ‘Happy 8/9/10’ Cole.
Bret Hart comes to the ring. He says that for the past two weeks, he has been back in Calgary training like an absolute lunatic getting ready for SummerSlam only to see everything fall apart. Bret says that he is a bit disappointed. One week ago, Edge and Chris Jericho decided to quit the team. Bret says that he put his reputation on the line three weeks ago to vouch to John Cena that Jericho and Edge would be good for the team. They know the big picture and how Neuxs’ momentum needed to be stopped. Bret says that he guesses he was wrong. Bret says that he wants Chris Jericho and Edge to come down and face him face to face to put the machine together.
Chris Jericho comes to the ring and he wants to be dazzled by Bret to be told why he is the best in the world. Bret tells Jericho that he doesn’t have time for that crap. He says that it is put up time. He says that it is time for Chris to be a man and step up to the plate and change things. Bret says that he put his reputation on the line to get Chris and Edge on the team. If they don’t join the team, Chris isn’t hurting the team, he is hurting himself. Bret says that Nexus doesn’t want anything to do with him and the superstars on Raw don’t want anything to do with him. If Nexus wins at SummerSlam, Jericho is only hurting himself. They will be outcasts, men without countries, and dogs without bones. Bret wants Chris to join the team and do the honorable thing. Bret wants a response and then he asks Chris if he is ready to disappoint all of his fans by breaking his word.
Chris tells Bret that he said some things that really made him think. Jericho says that his answer is . . . still no. Jericho says that he had Bret figured out years ago. He calls Bret a hypocrite and a phony. Bret is only concerned about getting the worst beating of his career at the hands of him and Edge. He is worried about being speared and being forced to submit to the Walls of Jericho. He says that Bret is desperate and scared. Chris says that Bret knows that they can’t win at SummerSlam without him and Edge. Chris says that they cannot be replaced by anyone in the business. He says that Bret Hart is screwed one more time. Jericho says that he was not interested in teaming with John Cena or Bret Hart. He is only worried about dismantling the mighty Bret Hart right here.
Edge’s music plays and he comes out to the ring. Edge wants to know what is wrong with Chris. Edge points out that he is talking to Bret Hart. They grew up idolizing them. Edge says that Bret is the reason why they got into the business. Edge says that Jericho trained in his father’s dungeon while Edge had Bret’s poster on his wall. Edge says that he shoveled driveways to get enough money to go to Maple Leaf Gardens with the hope of having Bret put his sunglasses on him. Edge says that he is in.
Edge tries to kick Bret but Bret blocks it and tries for a Sharpshooter but Jericho stops Bret and hits him with a thumb to the eye.
Natalya goes to the ring to check on her uncle. She wants Bret to help her.
We see Tyson Kidd being attacked by Nexus in the back. We also see that David Hart Smith is down. Barrett kicks Smith in the head.
Barrett says that it is a rough day for Bret since the Hart Dynasty won’t be their replacements. Bret and Natalya run to the back as we go to commercial.
We are back and the medical staff is checking on Kidd. Bret gets a chair and he says that he is going to take things into his own hands. John Cena stops Bret from doing anything crazy. He tells Bret to calm down. He says that if Bret walks out the door, they are going to pick them off one by one. Cena says that he is going to go to the Great Khali and he tells Bret to check on his family.
Match Number One: The Miz versus Evan Bourne
They lock up and Miz with a knee to the midsection and a punch. Bourne with kicks to the leg but Miz with a boot to the head. Miz with a kick to the head and an elbow to the chest. Miz chokes Bourne in the ropes and then he hits a splash to the back of the head and then gets a near fall. Miz with a kick to Bourne. Miz with a snap mare and reverse chin lock. Bourne with kicks but Miz drops Bourne on his head when he sidesteps a leaping kick. Miz sets for the clothesline into the corner and he hits it. Bourne with a rear chin lock but Bourne gets back to his feet.
Bourne with a kick but Miz with a knee. Miz tries for a suplex but Bourne counters it with knees to the head. Bourne with a series of kicks and leaping kicks to the midsection. Bourne with a double jump rana for a near fall. Miz with a clothesline to stop Bourne’s momentum. Miz waits for Bourne to get up and Miz hits the Skull Crushing Finale for the three count.
Winner: The Miz
After the match, Miz says that he doesn’t care if Sheamus or Randy Orton wins the title on Sunday. When he is ready to cash in his contract, he will be the WWE Champion. Miz tells us that the is the Miz and he is AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSOME.
John Cena is in the back talking to Great Khali, but without Runjin Singh, can Khali understand what Cena is saying?
We go to commercial.
We are back with a look back at last week’s Six Diva Tag match and the return of Melina.
Match Number Two: Melina versus Alicia Fox
Alicia runs Melina into the corner and she connects with a forearm. Alicia tosses Melina by the hair and then she kicks Melina in the ribs. Melina with a shoulder and then she slides back in and hits a back breaker on Alicia. Melina gets a near fall and then she connects with forearms. Melina with a matrix followed by an elbow and a snap mare DDT. Melina with a flying clothesline and then she kicks Alicia to the floor. Melina goes to the floor but Alicia hits her with a clothesline. They return to the ring and Alicia tries for a near fall. Alicia picks Melina up by the hair and sends her back to the mat. Alicia with a forearm followed by a tilt-a-whirl back breaker for a near fall. Alicia with a rear chin lock on Melina and then drives a knee into the back. Melina with punches but Alicia with a forearm. Alicia with a back breaker on Melina and then turns it into a Gory Special. Melina screams and that means it is time for the Code Red and the three count.
Winner: Melina
We go to the interview area and Josh is with Khali but there is no Runjin Singh. Josh asks Khali what team he is loyal to. Khali says WWE. Khali takes the mic and he starts to speak in Hindi and nobody has any idea what he is saying. Khali says that he wants to face Wade Barrett tonight.
We go to commercial.
We are back and during the commercial break, the general manager told Michael Cole that we will have a Divas Title match at SummerSlam between Melina and Alicia Fox.
We also get confirmation that Great Khali will face Wade Barrett tonight.
We are going to have a Divas Summertime Spectacular with the Bella, Eve, Gail Kim, Jillian, and Maryse.
We will also see Sheamus call out Randy Orton.
Edge and Jericho are in the back and Edge wants to know where Bret gets off trying to put him in the Sharpshooter. Jericho says that Bret could be right. If Nexus wins and they take over Raw, they will be ostracized. Jericho says that they might have bitten off more than they could chew. Steve Austin, the Rock, Undertaker, DX, Mr. McMahon, the Alliance. You mention those names and they all have in common that Edge and Jericho have outlasted them. Jericho says that they are architects and generals. If they take out Cena and Hart at SummerSlam, they are in the clear because there won’t be a match.
John Morrison and R Truth are in the back and Morrison says that they have to hold up their part. Truth and Morrison say that they are looking for replacements. Mark Henry says that if they are looking for replacements, they don’t need two. Mark says that this match will be his audition.
Nexus is in their gold dressing room looking at the monitor. Wade gives them the look and the other six leave as we go to commercial.
We are back and Did You Know that WWE has more Facebook fans than the Big Four Sports?
Match Number Three: Ted DiBiase with Maryse versus Mark Henry
Before the match starts, Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel are on the steps to prevent Henry’s entrance into the ring. The other four attack Henry and then Gabriel and Slater join in. They send Henry into the ring steps. Nexus go through the crowd.
The medical staff checks on Henry at ringside.
Sheamus is walking in the back as we go to commercial.
We are back with the WWE Rewind: Randy Orton versus Miz from last week and Sheamus teasing interference.
Sheamus comes to the ring . . . fella.
We see Mark Henry helped to the back as Sheamus passes him.
Sheamus says that after Raw went off the air last week, the WWE Universe was certain that he was afraid to get in the ring with Randy Orton. It was true. He was afraid of what he would do to Randy Orton. Sheamus says that he hurts people and that is why he is the WWE Champion. If there is anyone who doubts him and thinks that Randy Orton is going to swoop in and take his title at SummerSlam, he advises that you watch the following.
We have a video package of the devastation that Sheamus has caused in WWE.
Sheamus asks how many people think that he is afraid of Randy Orton now. He is afraid of no one in the WWE. He says that he has ended careers in this ring. He wants Randy Orton to come out so he can tell him face to face . . .
Orton jumps the gun and he slithers to the ring as only a viper can. Sheamus says that he is surprised that he accepted his invitation.
Orton says that he thinks Sheamus is capable of hurting people, but Sheamus saying that he didn’t come into the ring last week because he was afraid of what he would do to Orton, he is full of it.
Sheamus tells Orton that everyone takes him seriously . . . fella. Orton tells Sheamus that he had the opportunity last week and he blew it, just like he will on Sunday.
The crowd chants for an RKO. Orton says that you can show all of the footage that you want, but the fact remains the same . . . Sheamus never beat him and he never will.
Sheamus says that they are wrong. He says that Triple H and John Cena looked him in the eye. Orton interrupts and he says that he is not Triple H and he is not John Cena. Sheamus tells Orton that he isn’t the WWE Champion and he won’t be after SummerSlam. Sheamus says that after Sunday, that will be it and he will go to the back of the line like John Cena.
Orton says that he will beat Sheamus on Sunday at SummerSlam. Orton says that Sheamus has never beaten him and he will never beat him. If Sheamus wants to redeem himself for what he didn’t do last week, he tells Sheamus to do something about it.
Sheamus and Orton stare each other down and . . .
We’ve got mail. Cole tells us that Sheamus’ title matches in the past have been marred with outside interference. If anyone interferes on Sunday, they will be suspended indefinitely. If Orton loses at SummerSlam, there will be no rematch and he will go to the back of the line. If Sheamus is not scared, then he encourages Sheamus to do something about it right now.
Sheamus backs away from Orton and he teases a punch before getting ready to leave the ring again. Orton attacks Sheamus from behind and Sheamus with a double sledge. Sheamus misses the pump kick and Orton with a back breaker. Orton stands over Sheamus and then he backs up for a field goal attempt. Orton stops short and Sheamus backs into the corner with a scared look on his face. Orton leaves the ring and has the title belt in his hand.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Sheamus is at ringside.
Match Number Three: Percy Watson, Lucky Cannon, and Kaval versus Michael McGillicutty, Alex Riley, and Husky Harris
Michael and Percy start things off and Michael with a side ehad lock and shoulder tackle. Percy with a flying back elbow for a near fall. Watson with an arm bar but Michael with an arm drag. Michael with a leap frog and drop kick for a near fall. Riley tags in and he punches Watson and kicks him in the corner. Riley with a near fall on Watson and then he puts Watson in an arm bar with chin lock. Watson with punches but Riley with a knee. Watson with an enzuigiri and he tags in Kaval and he hits a running elbow and kicks. Kaval gets sent to the apron but he puts Riley in a Dragon Sleeper in the ropes and he has to release the hold. Kaval with a springboard kick and he gets a near fall that is broken up by Michael. Lucky takes care of Michael and hits a pescado. Kaval goes to the apron and Husky makes the blind tag. Kaval with a sunset flip and double stomp. Harris with a clothesline to the back of the head followed by a back senton for the three count.
Winners: Husky Harris, Michael McGillicutty, and Alex Riley
After the match, Sheamus hits Riley with the pump kick and then he sends McGillicutty into the ringside barrier. Sheamus goes into the ring and he hits the Celtic Cross. Sheamus gets the mic. He says to everyone, especially the fans that he will be the WWE Champion next week.
R Truth and John Morrison walk in the back as we go to commercial.
Match Number Four: R Truth and John Morrison versus William Regal and Zack Ryder
Truth and Regal start things off and Regal kicks Truth. Ryder tags in and hits a neck breaker and gets a near fall. Ryder with a snap mare and drop kick to the back of the head for a near fall. Ryder with a reverse chin lock. Ryder sends Truth into the corner and then misses the running boot in the corner and both men are down. Morrison tags in and hits a clothesline and drop kick followed by a leg lariat followed by a Flux Capacitor for a near fall. Regal and Truth get into the ring. Morrison with a kick and he sends Ryder into the turnbuckles and hits the springboard spin kick. Morrison with the corkscrew split legged moonsault for the three count.
Winners: John Morrison and R Truth
It is time to run through the card for SummerSlam.
The Bellas are walking through the back for their match and we go to commercial.
Match Number Five: Bellas versus Eve and Gail Kim versus Maryse and Jillian Hall in a Divas Summertime Spectacular Match
Santino Marella and Vladimir Kozlov are the guest referees.
Maryse and Eve start off and Maryse puts a hat in her face. Eve with a Thesz Press and she slams Maryse’s head into the mat. Brie tag in and she connects with forearms to Maryse. Maryse with a slap and Jillian holds Brie with the towel. Maryse punches Brie and Jillian tags in. Brie is tossed across the ring by Jillian and Jillian with a surfboard. Brie with a mare to get out of the hold and Nikki tags in with a clothesline and drop kick. Nikki with a tilt-a-whirl head scissors and drop kick for a near fall but Eve breaks things up. Eve with a swinging neck breaker to Nikkie. Gail puts an inner tube over Maryse and hits Eat Defeat. Jillian knocks Eve out of the ring and then she sends Gail onto Eve. Brie with a bulldog to Jillian and Nikki with a cross body for the three count.
Winners: The Bellas
After the match, Tamina comes to the ring in her swimwear and Santino tries to leave. Tamina slaps Santino on his rear end and he leaves the ring with a smile on his face.
It is time for the SummerSlam Recall: Big Bossman versus The Mountie from 1991.
Great Khali is walking in the back as we go to . . . a sneak attack from Nexus. They clip Khali and then the other six guys continue the attack. A referee calls for medical attention for Khali.
We go to commercial.
We are back and we see the attack on Great Khali moments ago.
The Nexus are in the ring and Wade Barrett has the mic. He says that his match with Great Khali has been cancelled. On Sunday, a new chapter in the history of the WWE is going to be written by the Nexus. The balance of power on Raw is going to shift dramatically and permanently. They will beat Team WWE and they will have achieved more than anyone ever could have imagined.
Skip says that Raw has been become their show. Bret Hart will join Ricky Steamboat and Mr. McMahon as their victims. He tells R Truth, John Morrison, and John Cena that they will beat them physically and mentally so they will never recover.
Otunga says that if anyone is thinking of joining Team WWE, think about what they did to the Hart Dynasty, Mark Henry, and the Great Khali. Otunga tells them to think if they want to be next.
John Cena and Bret Hart are walking in the back and the Miz stops them. Miz says that Cena’s team is in trouble. Two members quit, three potential members got injured, and one got Nancy Kerriganed. Miz says that it was a matter of time before he asked Mr. Money in the Bank to be a part of the team. He wants Bret to ask him to join the team to save Raw. Bret asks Miz and then Miz says that he wants to hear it from both of them. Cena asks Miz and Miz thinks about it. He says that times have changed in a year. Miz thinks about it a little more. He says that he will let Cena know on Sunday.
Cena and Bret talk about having to use him and Cena says that it has come down to using him.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Justin Long is the Guest Host next week.
Match Number Six: John Cena and Bret Hart versus Edge and Chris Jericho in a Nexus are the Lumberjacks Match
Cena and Edge start off and Edge kicks Cena. Cena with a bulldog and Hart with a punch from the apron. Cena with a side head lock take down. Edge with a forearm to the back and Cena is thrown to the floor and they attack Cena before rolling him back in. Edge with a kick to the back. Jericho tags in and he throws Cena to the floor for some more Nexus battery.
Jericho picks Cena up and throws him outside the ring one more time. The attack on John Cena continues while Jericho and Edge celebrate on the apron. Slater with a punch to Cena before he gets rolled back into the ring. Cena reverses things and throws Jericho to the floor. Jericho cowers but then sees that Nexus are not going to do anything to him. Jericho returns to the ring and Edge watches in shock. Cena tries for Attitude Adjustment but Jericho escapes and tries for the Walls of Jericho but Cena gets out of the hold.
Cena goes to the floor and he punches Barrett. Jericho goes after Cena but Cena moves and Jericho knocks Barrett off the apron. Jericho is sent to the floor and Jericho yells at Barrett and Nexus attacks Jericho. Edge joins in the brawl on the floor.
Bret brings Gabriel into the ring and punches him. Barrett pulls Gabriel out of the ring. The lumberjacks discuss strategy.
Cena and Hart stand in the ring and Nexus get on the apron.
R Truth and John Morrison enter the ring. Edge walks to the back along with Jericho as we have a seven on four situation in the ring.
No Contest
Edge and Jericho look at each other and they start to walk to the back but then they stop and go to the ring to join Cena and his cohorts. We have a seven on six situation.
We have mayhem in the ring as Barrett and Sheffield leave the ring along with the other members of Nexus since their plan got ruined.
Team WWE returns to the ring as we see Nexus in the crowd looking down on the ring.
2010 - TNA taped a special edition of Impact, titled, "The Whole Fn' Show." Mike Johnson filed the following live report:
*Jesse Neal pinned the guy who played Lupus with a spear.
The Whole Fn' Show:
*AJ Styles vs. Kurt Angle opens show. Really good opener with Angle winning via submission clean with the anklelock. Styles' World Television championship was not on the line. Another really good bout from these two.
*Angelina Love won the TNA Knockouts championship, pinning Madison Rayne. Late in the match, the mystery motorcycle woman came out to distract Love. Velvet Sky attacked her with a chair and tried to unmask her. She got the helmet off but there was another mask underneath. In the chaos, Love scored the pin for the belt.
*In a Three-Way Match, Matt Morgan defeated Pope Dinero and Ken Anderson. Anderson and Dinero tried to work over Morgan themselves before teaming up. Late in the match, Pope accidentally nailed Anderson and they went at it. Morgan was able to surprise Pope with the Carbon Footprint and scored the pin. Really good stuff here.
*Jeff Hardy vs. Mystery opponent. Shannon Moore came out and said tonight would be his night to show the world he can stand on the same pedestal as the best. He said no matter what they would always be brothers. They had a really good back and forth competitive bout. Hardy finally scored the pin with the swanton.
*Best of Three Falls: TNA Tag Team champions The Motor City Machineguns vs. Beer Money. The first fall may have been the best tag wrestling I've seen live all year. The Guns are over huge. There is some awesome wrestling here. Beer Money captures the first fall after a Storm lungblower on Shelley. The Guns come back to even it up with Made in Detroit. They hit an insane dive sequence with even Roode nailing a dive sequence. The Guns finally score the pin with several Made in Detroits. The work was awesome and the crowd reactions made this out of this world. This match was ABSOLUTELY OFF THE CHARTS. I only hope it translates as well on TV.
*Stairway to Janice: TNA champion Rob Van Dam defeated Abyss. Abyss climbed the ladder before RVD entered but Van Dam sprinted down and nailed a Ryder Kick off the top. Lots of ladder spots. Van Dam hit a sliding kick into the ladder. RVD forward flip dive to the floor. Abyss bridged a ladder between the ring and guard rail. He went for a chokeslam but RVD fought him off. Abyss took control and poured tacks and broken glass on the mat. He tried to superplex RVD onto them but Rob turned it into a top rope sunset flip onto them. Abyss pulled out a barbed wire board and placed it in the corner. RVD avoided it and Abyss hit it and was caught up in the barbed wire. RVD kicked the board into Abyss' face then hit rolling thunder on the board. RVD went to grab Janice from the top of the ladder but Abyss shoved it over and RVD took a nasty bump and hit his face on the ladder. Abyss got Janice. He went to hit Van Dam but missed. Janice got stuck in the buckle. RVD grabbed a chair and hit Abyss, nailed the Vam Daminator and then hit a Van Terminator onto the barbed wire board. RVD then scored the pin with the five star frog splash.
Hulk Hogan came to the ring. He put over RVD as champion. He said that when he saw RVD take on Sabu at Hardcore Justice, he said it showed why RVD has all the bases covered and why TNA is the best wrestling company today. Hogan said the PPV raised the bar for TNA and said he learned what hardcore was all about thanks to the EV2.0. Fans chanted for Sabu. Hogan said out of respect, he wanted to invite everyone from EV2.0 to come to the ring.
Out came Sabu, The FBI, Bill Alfonso, Tommy Dreamer, Stevie Richards, Team 3D, Mick Foley came out. Hogan put over the EV2.0 crew and said he was giving them his ring out of respect. Hogan left. Dreamer thanked everyone and said that on Sunday he told TNA the bar has been raised. He said that tonight we saw TNA do that. He then thanked all of his brothers for fighting and bleeding alongside him one last time.
The lights went out and when they came back, Mick Foley was laid out and Fortune, along with Doug Williams and Matt Morgan were behind them brandishing weapons. They beat the living hell out of the EV2.0 group forever, bloodying everyone. Raven and Sandman hit the scene but were taken out by Beer Money. There was an extremely long bloody and violent beardown. Ric Flair came out and went after Dixie Carter in the front row, screaming this was all her fault. Fortune was screaming that this was their company and they needed to get out. The beating went on forever. Security tried to get them off of them but it just went on and on and was completely brutal. Fortune finally left the EV2.0 crew laying but came back. It was an awesome brutal angle and for the love of God, I hope they don't edit this down. Brother Ray was stretchered out on a back board after as it appeared he took a hard shot from an axehandle. Devon was bleeding a gusher and appeared to have had his eye split open. A fan went nuts at ringside and was forced out of the building by Earl Hebner and security. The angle was absolutely off the charts.
Without any doubt in my mind, this was the best episode of Impact in company history. I felt like I was at the original ECW, as crazy as that sounds.
Notes: No rampway to the ring....Pepa of Salt N' Pepa fame was at the show sitting in the front row...They were selling photo opportunities to get in the ring with the Motor City Machineguns after the taping.
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