The ex-ECW stars are standing together in the ring and Tommy Dreamer has a microphone in his hand. Dreamer says he knows there is a lot of buzz about the upcoming Hardcore Justice pay-per-view, however, since there are problems with a certain three letters of the alphabet, they will now be known as EV2.0.
Dreamer then thanks Brother Devon for coming back to the family but wants to know what is going on with Brother Ray. Devon says he doesn’t know what is going on and calls him out so they can settle things once and for all. Ray comes out and Devon says he wants to put their differences aside and wants to know if he is in or out. Ray turns around and begins walking away as Dreamer stops him by saying this is about all of them doing it one last time for the fans.
Foley steps in and adds that they will have one hell of a show without him but it would make it so much better with him on board. Foley says he will regret his decision down the road if he doesn’t join them for the show and says that he can settle his differences at a different time. Taz then stands up from the announce table and tells Ray to just do it. Brother Ray then walks into the ring and asks Devon to answer him one question, and that is if they are going to light someone on fire.
The fans begin to chant “EV2-point-0!’ and Ray says that it sounds like fun and adds his name to the list. Ray begins the hug and shakes hands with everyone in the ring as Hulk Hogan’s music hits. Hogan slowly makes his way down to the ring and says he wishes he would have known about all of this ahead of time because he could have given them a couple of surprises. Hogan says, though, that he can’t wait to see hardcore ride once again.
Hogan goes on to say that he and Eric Bischoff has a surprise for the fans and Bischoff will be out a little later to announce the surprise. Abyss’ music then hits as he comes out of the entrance tunnel. Abyss says that “they” are not happy and are downright pissed off because this wasn’t part of their plan. Abyss says that they hold Dixie Carter solely responsible and Hogan steps in and says that Abyss should hit the road because Tommy Dreamer is their guest. Abyss says he was given orders to take Tommy Dreamer out and Dreamer steps in and says he would love to take on Abyss tonight.
Lacey Von Erich and Velvet Sky are seen arguing in the locker room when Madison Rayne walks in. Madison says nothing will be accomplished if they don’t stick together. Velvet gets in her face about Madison saying they don’t need them anymore and how she allowed a fourth member in the group. Madison explains her actions and apologizes but Velvet won’t accept her apology. After some begging from Lacey, Velvet finally gives in as all three hug each other.
Match 1: Sarita vs. Angelina Love (#1 Contenders Match)
A series of quick pin attempts between both competitors starts this match out with neither actually picking up a single count. Sarita is able to gain control of the match and sends Angelina crashing to the mat after landing a clothesline. Sarita then hits a back suplex but spends a little too much time showboating and isn’t able to put Angelina away. Angelina then counters a second attempt at a back suplex and hits a spear and follows with a series of clotheslines. Angelina then hits her Botox Injection kick and picks up the pin fall.
Eric Young and Orlando Jordan are seen in the back and EY is trying to find some matching attire but OJ wants him to focus. EY says he is hopped up on rum candy at the moment but he has a foolproof plan and is bringing backup.
A video recap of what happened to Eric Young two weeks ago on Xplosion where he suffered a head injury. Since then, EY hasn’t been the same.
Match 2: Ink Inc. vs. Orlando Jordan & Eric Young
Eric Young brings out his backup in the form of a naked mannequin that is wearing a feather boa. The bell rings and OJ goes right on the attack and takes Jesse Neal down and goes for a cover after hitting a swinging neck breaker but Shannon Moore breaks up the pin attempt. Neal and Young are tagged into the match and EY tosses the mannequin into the ring and refuses to enter the ring. Ink Inc. then hit OJ with a double dropkick that sends him into Young and Moore hits the Mooregasm on Jordan to pick up the pin fall. EY then comes into the ring and tends to his broken mannequin as we head into a commercial break.
Ric Flair is standing in the ring with Beer Money, AJ Styles and Kazarian. Flair says he is a wrestling god and a wrestling genius, which means that every match he is in has a return match clause to it. Flair says the match will be a street fight next week and he better be ready.
Flair then goes on to introduce the group Fortune, who are standing with them in the ring. Robert Roode says they knew it was only going to be a matter of time before they were a part of the group as they are the best tag team in wrestling today. Roode then goes on to promise that they will become the four-time TNA Tag Team Champions tonight when they defeat the Motorcity Machine Guns.
Kazarian steps in a say they are not a bunch of angry rookies, but a group of seasoned veterans who happen to be the best at what they do in the TNA Galaxy. AJ Styles says that they are the best because Ric Flair deserves the best and promises to give credibility to the Global Championship and declairs that it will now be defended as a Television Title. Styles promises to honor the title by defending it on every broadcast and says it will start next week against Rob Terry, if he can get past Kazarian tonight.
Ric Flair then ends the promo by telling the women in the crowd that they will be at the hotel all night long. Kurt Angle’s music then hits as he comes up his special entrance. Angle says he is happy to hear that AJ Styles is going to honor the title by defending it all of the time, unfortunately, he is also going to honor his promise by defeating everyone in the rankings and AJ Styles is next on his list.
Match 3: Beer Money vs. Motorcity Machine Guns (Best of Five – Steel Cage Match)
The Guns scale then backside of the cage and catch Beer Money by surprise to start this match off. The Guns then use their speedy offense to take control of the match and bust Roode open in the process. Beer Money then catch Alex Shelley off guard and take control of the match and show off some double team moves of their own. Shelley, though, is able to hits Roode with a hurricanrana off the top rope to turn the tide of the match and tags in Chris Sabin.
Sabin comes in and takes out both members of Beer Money before hitting a hesitation dropkick on James Storm. Sabin, though, is turned inside out with a hard clothesline from Roode but Shelley comes back and sends Roode face-first into the cage. Shelley then stomps down onto Roode from the top rope as the Guns turn their attention to Storm but he is able to hold his own and take control of the match, however, he isn’t able to keep Sabin down for a three count.
Roode and Storm begin climbing the cage as the fans chant “this is awesome” and Shelley stops them and sends them crashing down to the canvas. Sabin the begins climbing the cage and stands up on the top before dropping down with a cross body block on both members of Beer Money. The Guns set up for a double team move on Roode but Storm grabs a beer bottle and swings at Sabin but he dodges and Storm busts it over Roode’s head. The Guns then hit a double team move on Storm to pick up the pin fall.
Mr. Anderson’s music hits but Matt Morgan comes out instead. Morgan does Anderson’s usual mannerisms with the microphone, that slowly makes its way down to the ring. Morgan then embellishes on his size and weight claiming to be near eight feet tall and over 400 pounds during his ring introductions.
Mr. Anderson’s music hits once again as the real one comes out and heads out to the ring. Morgan asks if Anderson found it ironic that his very calling card, his microphone, left him in a pool of his own blood. Morgan offers Anderson a free shot on him and Anderson nails Morgan below the belt. Anderson then continues on the attack and gets in Morgan’s face but Morgan is able to come back and hits Anderson with a series of kicks before choking him with the microphone cable.
Jeff Hardy’s music hits as he runs down to the ring and stops the attack by beating Morgan down. Anderson joins in once he recovers and security come in and hold Anderson back as Morgan comes in and clocks him. Hardy then goes after Morgan but security holds him back as well. Taz and Mike Tenay gives names to these security guards as D’Lo Brown, Al Snow, and Pat Kenney come out and tell the security guards that they overstepped their bounds as we head into a commercial break.
We recap what just happened in the ring as we head to the back where Christy is with Jeff Hardy and Mr. Anderson. Anderson says that he knows what happened as both of the security guards have been trying to get into the wrestling business for years but had to settle with being security guards. Anderson says they are trying to make names for themselves and they have finally made it as they are challenging them to a match later on tonight and tells them to bring Morgan with them.
Match 4: Kazarian vs. Rob Terry
AJ Styles distracts Terry in the opening moments as he is sent to the back by the referee. It doesn’t matter much to Terry as Kazarian’s attempt at a sneak attack is unsuccessful. Terry then hits Kazarian with a Freakbuster and scores the pin fall.
After a commercial break we return to see that the security guards and Matt Morgan have answered the challenge.
Match 5: Matt Morgan/Murphy/Gunner vs. Jeff Hardy & Mr. Anderson
Murphy starts out the match but Morgan tags himself in before he can do anything and wants to go up against Mr. Anderson. Anderson comes in but Morgan tags Murphy back in, who tags Gunner into the match. Anderson and Gunner finally lock up and Anderson takes him down with a swinging neckbreaker but Gunner kicks out of a pin attempt and tags Murphy back into the match.
Hardy is tagged into the match and tries to do a double team move with Anderson but Murphy takes him out with a clothesline. Murphy tags Gunner back into the match and is able to block an attempt at a Twist of Fate but ends up being hit by a Whisper in the Wind. Anderson is tagged into the match as Morgan gets into an argument with the referee and leaves the ringside area. Anderson then hits the Mic Check on Gunner and Hardy follows with a Swanton Bomb to pick up the pin fall.
Christy Hemme catches up with Hulk Hogan in the back and wants a little inside scoop on Eric Bischoff’s big announcement. Hogan says the announcement will be huge and the fans will love it. Hogan says he will have a lot to say about it next week.
Eric Bischoff is then seen in the ring with Ms. Tessmacher and Bischoff says that on August 12 the fans will see something that they have never seen before. Bischoff said that he was inspired by Dixie Carter and how she gives back to the fans and he and Hulk Hogan decided to raise the bar and take it to the next level. Bischoff says he is going to give the fans pay-per-view quality matches right here on Impact.
As Bischoff begins to announce the main event he is interrupted by Abyss’ music. Abyss comes down to the ring who says he got done speaking to them and they want him to make the main event. He says it will be himself, RVD, a fifteen foot ladder and Janice. Abyss says that he and RVD will have the most extreme match ever as they fight over Janice and he vows to rip the flesh off of RVD’s ass. Abyss wants Bischoff to make it happen and Bischoff agrees to it.
RVD’s music then hits as he comes running down to the ring with a steel chair and sends it flying into Abyss’ face. RVD then hits Abyss with the Van Daminator but catches the guard railing when he tries for a dive out to the floor off the middle rope. Abyss then sets his sights on Dixie Carter but the TNA agents come out and put a stop to Abyss and take Janice away from him.
The music for EV2.0 hits as Tommy Dreamer comes down to the ring for tonight’s main event. Dreamer grabs Janice from Al Snow as we head into the final commercial break.
Match 6: Tommy Dreamer vs. Abyss
We head back from commercial to see the match has already started and Dreamer is nailing Abyss with a trash can lid in the ringside area. Abyss turns the tide by crotching Dreamer on the guard railing before rolling him into the ring. Abyss then side slams Dreamer into a garbage can before hitting him in the head with a cookie sheet and a kendo stick. Abyss then goes for a chokeslam but Dreamer fights back and hits Abyss with a cross body block and picks up a near fall.
Dreamer’s advantage doesn’t last long, though, as Abyss sends him into a chair that was set up between the ropes. Abyss begins to climb the ropes for a high risk move but Dreamer recovers and puts him in the tree of woe before placing a trash can in front of Abyss and dropkicking it into his face. Dreamer heads outside and pulls out a board with barbed wire on it and puts it in the ring. Dreamer tries to DDT Abyss into the board but Abyss counters and knocks Dreamer down with a clothesline.
Abyss then heads out to the floor and grabs Janice and swings it at Dreamer but he ducks out of the way and Abyss puts it into the turnbuckle. Dreamer then sets Janice up in the corner and tries to toss Abyss into but he is able to stop himself. Abyss then turns around and punches a trash can into Dreamer face before chokeslamming Dreamer into the barbed wire board for the pin fall.
After the match, Abyss grabs his board but is cut off by Raven’s music who runs down to the ring with a steel chair. The two stare at each other before Raven finally turns on Dreamer and drives him down into the chair with the Raven Effect as Impact comes to a close.
Quick Results
- Angelina Love defeated Sarita by pin fall to become the #1 contender to the Knockouts Championship.
- Ink Inc. defeated Orlando Jordan & Eric Young by pin fall.
- The Motorcity Machine Guns defeated Beer Money by pin fall in a steel cage match to earn a victory in their Best of Five series.
- Rob Terry defeated Kazarian by pin fall.
- Jeff Hardy & Mr. Anderson defeated Matt Morgan/Murphy/Gunner by pin fall.
- Abyss defeated Tommy Dreamer by pin fall.
Starman’s Thoughts
TNA is taking a small detour in the coming weeks and giving ECW their own send off with their next pay-per-view, which is now being called Hardcore Justice. Having a pay-per-view such as this tosses a wrench into things a bit, but surprisingly it didn’t seem to toss Impact entirely out of whack.
Seeing that the show kicked off with the ex-ECW stars, who now call themselves EV2.0, in the ring, I figured we would get a hard sell on Hard Justice, which is less than two weeks away. I was surprised, though, that the ECW angle only took up the first and final segment of the show. I was expecting to see it take up the first through final segments of the show.
It would be unwise for TNA to do such a thing, which is why I fully expected it to happen. Instead, though, we got a show almost entirely devoted to TNA’s current angles with a little bit of EV2.0 thrown in there. Thankfully, it sounded that TNA is making it up to their own stars and current angles by holding a PPV quality Impact the following Thursday after Hardcore Justice.
I have to give TNA credit for doing this as it gives non EV2.0 stars something to work towards while they are taking over their normally scheduled PPV event. A high quality show on Thursday, something that rivals WCW’s Night of the Champions, could also help pull in ratings for their show. I haven’t heard much about it yet, but it would help wonders if this is a live broadcast. That is highly doubtful, though.
Seeing as TNA decided to keep running their current angles, we got to witness a great cage match between the Motorcity Machine Guns and Beer Money. I really wish that they would ditch the match stipulations and just go with a straight up best of five series, but when you get a cage match like the one tonight you really can’t complain too much. Even with Beer Money up 2-0 before the match, it really did seem at times that Beer Money was going to steal the win and that added a lot to the already great match. These two teams work great together and I am looking forward to next week’s Ultimate X match.
Some can make arguments that Ric Flair’s in ring time in TNA has been below standards. I have heard people complain that Flair is being treated like a regular wrestler instead of a retired icon that he is and that his matches should be built up and hyped. I can’t really argue with that complaint, but will give TNA a sliver of credit for announcing Flair upcoming rematch with Jay Lethal ahead of time. Does it really need to be a street fight? Probably not, but I did enjoy Flair calling himself a genius for putting a rematch clause in all of the contracts he signs. Being a legend and in the business for so long, a little thing like that is believable. A street fight though, not so much.
I will also credit TNA for trying, once again, to give the Legends… er, Global, I mean, Television Championship some meaning. I said last week that giving the title to AJ Styles couldn’t make the title any worse and I am hopeful that the name change and the fact that it will be defended on a regular basis can help it out. One has to wonder, though, if a Television Championship can work in today’s wrestling without becoming stale. However, like I said before, it can’t be any worse than what it is now.
As the old saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fond. Although this is usually true, I can’t help but think that is not the case with Orlando Jordan. I was glad to see that he was toned down several notches this week, but I can’t say that I missed him while he was away from television. I cannot believe, though, what has become of Eric Young. I’m almost glad to say that I don’t get Xplosion in my area. It was almost like a breath of fresh air when EY broke out of his comedy roles and now he is stuck in them once again.
Finally, a couple of quick thoughts…
I understand why TNA is using their own moniker for the ECW stars, but it didn’t sound right to hear the fans chant “EV2-point-0!” I could understand an “EV2” chant, but the other one doesn’t quite roll off the tongue like the old “EC-Dub” chant once did.
I really hope that Kazarian was trying to make fun of WWE calling their fans the WWE Universe when he used the term TNA Galaxy. I do not want to be referred to as the TNA Galaxy and hope that the term is never used as a legit slogan in the upcoming weeks and months.