A recap of Victory Road opens the show which focuses on the Main Event Mafia getting the Tag Team Championship and the Legends Championship while retaining the World Championship. Also, it was revealed that Taz was Samoa Joe’s advisor as he has aligned himself with the MEM.
The Impact intro hits as we are welcomed to the show by Taz’s music as he comes down to the ring with a microphone in his hand. Taz says that he wrestled with ECW and sustained a career ending injuries that prevents him from getting inside the ring and performing in front of the fans. He said that afterwards he called hundreds of match with the WWE before turning on TNA.
He said he saw the second coming of Taz in the ring and that man was Samoa Joe. He said Joe, though, would at times show remorse for his opponent whereas Taz wouldn’t. Taz said he reached out to him to teach him to be on top, make money and win championships. Taz states that Kurt Angle reached out to obtain their services and for that they are grateful.
Taz goes on to say that tonight Joe will bring more gold into the Mafia by becoming the next X Division. Taz issues Homicide a warning before Joe makes his way to the ring for the first match of the night.
Match 1: Samoa Joe vs. Homicide (X Division Title Match)
The match starts out with a quick exchange between Joe and Homicide with several counters until Homicide is finally able to dive through the ropes and take Joe down. Joe is quick to recover, though, and slams Homicide down to the mat and methodically works him over.
Homicide is able to escape out of an abdominal stretch and get back into the match and nearly picks up a three count after hitting a tornado DDT. Joe comes back with an overhead suplex as Taz looks on and applauds. Homicide begins working over Homicide in the corner and the referee tries to break it up but Joe just swats him down. With the ref down, Joe locks in the rear naked choke as the referee calls for the bell. The referee awards the match to Homicide due to a disqualification.
Not satisfied with the decision, Joe continues to attack Homicide until Hernandez comes out to help out his partner. The two stare each other down until Taz gets Joe to back off and leave the ring.
Jeremy Borash is with Mick Foley and wants to know where things stand between him and Kurt Angle. Foley says that Angle must have said all the right things to TNA management in Nashville because he is now the golden boy in TNA. Speaking of Angle, he and the rest of the MEM are walking towards the ring as we head into a commercial.
The Mafia makes their way to the ring with all of their championships. Angle says he wants to put everyone at ease and say that no one is getting fired. Angle says that he went to Nashville and the front office of TNA was willing to work with them since TNA needs the Main Event Mafia. Angle goes on to say that with Jeff Jarrett at home and Sting licking his wounds thousands of miles away that leaves only one more person for them to deal with, and that is Mick Foley.
Angle says that Foley has lost all control and is taking up much needed office space in the back. Foley’s music then hits as he comes out to confront Angle who says that he wanted to get away from it all after tapping out until he heard Angle was poking around in the front offices. Angle says Foley has been playing management for the past 10 months and if it wasn’t for Angle and Joe at Slammiversary, he’d still be playing the office for years to come.
Angle pulls out a set of keys with a huge TNA keychain on it. Angle informs Foley that it is for his office and that they will be put on a pole tonight and if he can get the keys, he can get them he will be able to his office back and save what little dignity he has left.
Footage from an earlier promo is aired with the British Invasion where Brutus Magnus says they have stuck a deal with Kurt Angle and they will get a tables match rematch against Team 3D in exchange for putting the final nail in the TNA Originals. The British Invasion along with Sheik Abdul Bashir and Kiyoshi will take on AJ Styles, Daniels, Beer Money and another mystery partner.
The announce team runs down the rest of tonight’s card which will include a title defense from Booker T & Scott Steiner and a title defense from Kevin Nash. Also, Kurt Angle will face Mick Foley in a pole match and there will be a TNA Knockouts Battle Royal where the winner will get $50,000 and earn the right to become the MEM’s chosen one.
Match 2: Amazing Red vs. Kevin Nash (TNA Legends Championship)
Kevin Nash allows Red a free shot before Nash sends Red down to the mat. Nash then works Red over in the corner with a series of knees and then throws him across the ring. Red tries to make a comeback and goes after Nash’s knees but Nash comes back with a Jackknife Powerbomb and picks up the pin fall.
Lauren is backstage with Hernandez who says the landscape has drastically changed while he has been gone. Hernandez says he also has Jeff Jarrett’s and Mick Foley’s backs. Homicide comes in as they start arguing in Spanish and we cut to a commercial.
Jeremy Borash is with Mick Foley who says he has a moderately sprained ankle but he has to beat Kurt Angle down enough for him to take his time to grab the keys to his office. Sal and Rocco then come in and tell Foley that they have his back and will do anything he asks. Foley tells them to get rid of the MEM off their shirts like he asked six weeks ago.
Scott Steiner and Booker T are sitting in their dressing room watching a monitor and say that they have found their opponents for their first title defense as they leave.
Lauren is backstage with Traci Brooks who says she has been keeping busy in Hollywood but has come back to resume her role as TNA Knockout Law to watch over the battle royal.
Match 3: Booker T & Scott Steiner vs. Big Rocco & Sally Boy (Tag Team Championship)
Booker starts off against Sal and takes him down with a side kick. Steiner is tagged in who takes him down with a belly-to-belly suplex before spitting in the face of Big Rocco. Booker is tagged in and Sal tries to mount a comeback but Booker takes him down with another kick. Steiner comes back in and takes Sal down with a clothesline but Sal is finally able to counter Steiner with a big boot and tags in Rocco.
Rocco comes in and takes Booker down from the apron before taking Steiner down with a scoop slam. Rocco then heads to the top rope and delivers a big splash off the top rope but Sharmell distracts the referee to stop the three count. Booker then hits the Book End on Rocco and Steiner is able to make the pin fall to retain the championship.
Eric Young steps in Mick Foley’s office to talk to him about something important. EY says he has been unprofessional over the past few weeks and he realized that he owes everything to TNA. EY says he is sorry and he is ready to go back to work and Foley puts him in the 10-man tag team match.
Footage of the Knockouts match at Victory Road is aired where Tara superkicked Slick Johnson after the match. They then show footage of Slick walking out of the shower area with Madison Rayne. Lauren is with Tara, who says she is there to prove that she is the best.
Match 4: Knockout Battle Royal
The bell rings as all the Knockouts goes at it as Daffney is quickly eliminated. Awesome Kong then tosses Madison Rayne over the top rope as Slick Johnson calls for a trainer for her. The Beautiful People toss ODB out but Cody Deaner catches her and puts her back into the ring. Slick Johnson sees it and tosses Deaner out of the ringside area.
Sojo Bolt is the next one eliminated by Taylor Wilde and Velvet Sky is the next eliminated by Tara. Kevin Nash is seen making his way towards the ring with a check and joins the broadcast table as we head into a commercial break.
We return to see that Taylor Wilde, Alissa Flash and Angelina Love have all been eliminated from the battle royal. Only four remain and they all team up against Awesome Kong but they aren’t able to get her out. Kong is able to eliminate ODB and then eliminates Sarita to leave it down to Kong and Tara.
The two exchange rights in the ring before Kong tries to eliminate Tara. Tara is able to hold on, though, as they both start to go over the ropes. Traci Brooks then pushes them both out to the floor. Tara and Kong fight on the floor as Kevin Nash announces the winner to be Traci Brooks. After the match, Tara gives Slick Johnson a low blow before putting her spider on him.
After a commercial break the Beautiful People are backstage yelling about Traci Brooks winning the battle royal. They begin talking down about ODB as Cody Deaner comes in as they begin to say that they like ODB. Deaner begins to fall for it and Velvet Sky knees him between the legs as they run off as ODB comes to his aid.
Mike Tenay says he has just been handed a note from the desk of Kurt Angle and the main event of Hard Justice will be Sting vs. Kurt Angle against either AJ Styles or Matt Morgan, who will compete in a best 2 of 3 match to determine who is in the main event.
Lauren is backstage with AJ Styles and who says everyone dropped the ball at Victory Road, but tonight they are all on the same page and will take back TNA tonight.
Match 5: The British Invasion/Sheik Abdul Bashir/Kiyoshi vs. AJ Styles/Daniels/Beer Money/Eric Young
The TNA Originals work together in the opening moments and work over Sheik Abdul Bashir in the opening moments of the match. Rob Terry, though, is able to interfere and change the tide of the match. Bashir tags out of the match and the foreign contingent begin working over Daniels. Doug Williams is able to pick up a two count on Daniels but it is broken up by Styles.
Daniels is able to finally stop the offense of the British Invasion as he tags in Styles who comes in and takes everyone down with clotheslines. Styles nails Magnus with a flying forearm and goes for the pin but it is broken up as the match breaks down with everyone getting in on the action. Styles sets up for the Styles Clash but Eric Young stops him and drives him down to the mat with a pile driver. Magnus then covers for the pin and wins the match.
The foreigners begin to celebrate with Eric Young as Mike Tenay goes on about an unwritten rule about not using a pile driver. We head to Foley’s office who tosses his laptop to the floor and asks what’s next.
After a commercial break Jeremy Borash is with Eric Young who says he was invited into the World Elite and he accepted. Mick Foley then jumps into the group and goes after EY but he is pulled away by security.
Match 6: Kurt Angle vs. Mick Foley (Keys on a Pole Match)
The match starts as the two start exchanging blows and Foley begins to beat Angle down in a corner before taking him down with a running knee. Foley begins heading for the keys but Angle recovers and pulls him down. Foley goes on the attack again and sends Angle out to the floor before going back for the keys but Angle is able to pull Foley down again.
Angle goes on the attack and take Foley down before heading for the keys but Foley stops Angle and takes him down with a suplex from the middle turnbuckle as we head into a commercial break.
We return to see Foley take Angle down with a DDT as Foley goes for Mr. Socko as he applies the mandible claw. Angle is laid out on the mat as Foley tosses the sock away and begins climbing back up until Samoa Joe, Scott Steiner and the rest of the Main Event Mafia comes out to the ring and begin beating down Foley.
Angle grabs a microphone and tells Foley that his next card will be his last card. Bobby Lashley’s music hits as he comes down to the ring as he comes down to the ring and is now a part of the Main Event Mafia. Lashley begins sizing up Mick Foley but he instead goes after the Mafia as they begin to scatter from the ring as Impact comes to a close.
Quick Results
- Homicide defeated Samoa Joe by disqualification to retain the X Division Title.
- Kevin Nash defeated Amazing Red by pin fall to retain the TNA Legends Championship.
- Booker T & Scott Steiner defeated Big Rocco & Sally Boy to retain the TNA Tag Team Championship.
- Traci Brooks won a Knockout Battle Royal.
- World Elite defeated the TNA Originals in a 10-man tag team match.
- Mick Foley defeated Kurt Angle by disqualification.
Starman’s Results
Victory Road was less than a week ago and I am already tired of seeing the Main Event Mafia hold most of the gold in TNA. I was actually surprised that Samoa Joe didn’t walk away with the X Division Championship in the opening match. I mean, this is the same promotion that allowed Kurt Angle to hold every single title all at the same time. I’m glad, though, that Homicide was able to at least get the disqualification victory to hold on to the title longer than a week.
Aside from Homicide holding on to the X Division Championship, I also enjoyed the brief confrontation between Joe and the returning Hernandez. Nothing really happened between the two but I am hoping that they are planting the seeds of a potential feud, which would be great to watch in my mind. I could have lived without the tension between the LAX partners in the post match, but that is expected in TNA.
While I am on the topic of TNA expectations, I am glad to have seen yet another pole match on Impact. That is sarcasm, in case you are having problems detecting that. I should have known something was up when I saw the huge TNA keychain that was attached to the keys that a pole match was going to be in the near future. If I don’t see another pole match this year, I will be a happy wrestling fan.
Taz gave an explanation for becoming the advisor for Samoa Joe and I think the two could make a great pair. Still, I have problems with the two being in the Main Event Mafia. To me, Joe just isn’t quite at the same level as the other members and after tonight with Traci Brooks being the “chosen one,” the MEM is getting a little bloated. It is good, though, to see Taz in a role outside of color commentary for a change.
I really like the World Elite faction and how it is shaping up. The Eric Young turn could be seen coming a mile away but it still worked and it gives some mid-card wrestlers a focus instead of floundering around with no real purpose. I really think that EY could become the face of the group and hope they give him some time to shine in the spotlight.
I was surprised to see that Impact will be airing its 200th episode next week. This really is quite the feat for TNA and I wish they would have made a bigger deal of it than they did. They wasn’t much hype for it whatsoever and it seemed to be more of an afterthought. Maybe they will try to make it special but that is kind of hard to do when you tape a month worth of television at a time.
