Impact opens with Angle yelling at the Main Event Mafia in their locker room telling everyone that they are going to take out Bobby Lashley, Mick Foley and anyone else who gets in their way.
A special extended 200th episode intro opens the show that features some of the bigger moments in TNA history. The pyro then goes off as we are welcomed to the 200th episode of Impact as Mike Tenay wonders how the MEM will plot their revenge against Bobby Lashley.
The music of the Main Event Mafia hits as they make their way to the ring. Kurt Angle gets on the microphone and says that they had an agreement with Bobby Lashley and he broke that agreement last week. Angle then calls out Bobby Lashley who comes out with a baseball bat and a TNA baseball cap.
Lashley says they had an agreement and wanted to be a part of the group until he saw what they are about. Lashley says that they are no longer hungry and he still wants to be a champion and says that he can’t be bought like Samoa Joe and Taz. Lashley goes on to say, though, that he came out to make them an offer they can’t refuse.
Mick Foley’s music hits as he comes down to the ring and says that they have an offer that Angle can’t refuse. Foley is still wonder about the big ratings that Angle promised and suggests they have a tag team contest between Foley and Lashley against Angle and Kevin Nash. On the line will be the singles championship, meaning if Angle or Nash is pinned the winner earns their championship. If they win, they get the ratings they promised. Angle agrees to the match as he wants a piece of Lashley.
The announce team runs down the rest of tonight’s card that will feature the British Invasion vs. Team 3D in a tables match for the IWGP Championships, Kong, Tara & ODB against the Beautiful People, Matt Morgan vs. AJ Styles in the first match of their best of three, plus Lashley & Foley against Angle & Nash.
Match 1: Hernandez vs. Samoa Joe
Hernandez is dressed in the green, white and red of the Mexican flag and quickly takes Joe down with a couple of shoulder blocks and gets a two count after taking Joe down with a vertical suplex. Joe manages to get back into the match and gets a two count after dropping a knee across Hernandez’s throat.
Hernandez fires back with a couple of clotheslines and slams Joe down to the mat to earn a two count. Joe tries to fight his way back into the match and traps Hernandez in the corner and attempts a superplex but Hernandez sends him crashing down to the canvas. Hernandez then hits a splash onto Joe from the turnbuckle and picks up the pin fall.
Jeremy Borash comes out to get a word with Hernandez after the match who says he is he is back and healthy and will be the first Latino TNA World Champion.
During the commercial break the cameras caught Joe freaking out in the backstage area while Taz tells him that he beat himself.
Lauren is backstage with Matt Morgan who says he has been making the most of his opportunities and he will get his shot in the main event at Hard Justice by beating AJ Styles. This will show the Main Event Mafia that he deserves a spot in their group.
Jeremy Borash is with AJ Styles who says he underestimated Kevin Nash and didn’t see Eric Young turning his back on him last week. As for Matt Morgan, he says he will give Morgan a fight, one match at a time. These two will meet in the first match of their best of three series next.
After a commercial, JB is with Bobby Lashley and Mick Foley. Lashley says he was in negotiations with Kurt Angle for a few weeks but Lashley saw Mick Foley fighting for the company and for his own existence and soon the MEM didn’t matter in his mind. Foley says the two of them did a lot of thinking and it is in the best interest of everyone that they take one of the titles away from the Main Event Mafia.
A video package highlighting Matt Morgan and AJ Styles is aired and their match is up next.
Match 2: Matt Morgan vs. AJ Styles (Match 1, Best of 3 Series)
AJ Styles goes on the offensive in the opening moments of the match and wears Morgan down with a headlock. Morgan, though, catapults Styles over the top rope and onto the floor. Morgan then begins to toy around with Styles and powers him around the ring while trying to win the match with nonchalant pin attempts.
Styles comes back with a dropkick before hitting Morgan with a flying forearm to get a two count. Styles then hits Morgan with the Pele kick and hits the 450 splash to pick up the pin fall to win the first match of the series.
Lauren is with Traci Brooks who says she did what she had to do to survive. Traci said she tried to get work within TNA but they couldn’t find any work for her. Lauren suggests that TNA may be doing the best they can but Traci says their best isn’t good enough. Taylor Wilde comes in and says that she is the original Knockout and she looks up to her but Traci doesn’t want anything to do with her and walks away.
A pre-taped interview between Don West and Tara is aired. Tara talks about wrestling with the WWE but it came to an end after she realized she wouldn’t be happy there any more. As for TNA, Tara says all of the Knockouts are amazing and she has dreamed about wrestling Awesome Kong. She also wants to prove to everyone that she still has what it takes.
Match 3: ODB/Awesome Kong/Tara vs. the Beautiful People
Tara and Angelina start out against each other as they exchange slaps and chops before Tara takes Angelina down with a power slam. The match quickly breaks down as everyone starts fighting on the outside as Tara continues to work over Angelina. Madison Rayne and ODB are tagged into the match and ODB powers Madison around and takes her down with a fall away slam as we head into a commercial break.
We return to the match to see Kong tag Tara into the match as we see the Motorcity Machine Guns in the crowd holding up signs that say “Conspiracy Victims” and “Yes, We Still Work Here!” The teamwork between Tara and Kong quickly dissolve as they start fighting one another all the way to the backstage area.
The Beautiful People begin to take turns working over ODB as they use their 3-on-1 advantage against her. Angelina begins taunting Cody Deaner who gets up on the apron and gives Angelina a kiss on the lips. ODB then rolls up Angelina to get the pin fall victory.
A video package highlighting the forming of the World Elite is aired. The group then makes their way to the ring which is led by Eric Young, who is carrying a pair of hair clippers. Brutus Magnus introduces EY as the leader and passes the microphone to him.
Young talks about the stories he would hear about USA while growing up in Canada and said he knew he had to move there to become a star in wrestling. EY says he made it on his own and is living his dream but goes on to say that every other country hates America and blames the ignorant citizens of America for that. Young says he will no longer be the puppet they want him to be as he begins to shave his own hair. Young says the entertainment stops tonight and the violence begins.
Team 3D come out say that the World Elite is nothing but a bunch of punks with big mouths. Brother Ray goes on to say that they will know they are in America when they hear the phrase “Devon, get the tables!” Team 3D then charge into the rings as we get the tables match started.
Match 4: Team 3D vs. the British Invasion (IWGP Tag Team Titles Tables Match)
Team 3D clears the ring as this match gets underway before we head into a commercial break. We return to see the action around the ring and in the crowd as Team 3D is working over the Brits. Devon and Magnus fight into the bleachers as Ray and Williams fight on the floor.
Ray and Williams finally make their way to the ring and the other two follow. Devon hits a flying head butt on Magnus before Ray calls for the tables. Devon goes out to the floor and slides in a table but the Brits get enough time to recover and turn the tide of the match into their favor.
The two try to suplex Ray onto the table but Devon moves the table out of the way. The referee is sandwiched and is knocked down to the ground as Rob Terry begins to help his partners. Devon, however, manages to powerbomb Magnus through the table but the referee didn’t see it. EY enters the ring and knocks Devon out with the title belt and puts Devon on top of the table. The referee is revived and awards the match to the British Invasion.
Footage of the Comic-Con is aired where many celebrities give their thoughts on working with TNA stars and how they had a tag team match at the Wrath of Con party.
Lauren is backstage when Dr. Stevie comes in and throws a fist full of money at Lauren. Stevie puts a $50,000 bounty on Abyss’ head and says it’s not over between him and Chris.
A video package on the training of Jesse Neal is aired but it is interrupted as there is a commotion in the back where Booker T and Scott Steiner are attacking Mick Foley and Bobby Lashley in the management office. TNA security run in to break it up as one yells for medical help as Lashley is knocked out cold.
We come back from a commercial to see Beer Money is attacking Booker T and Scott Steiner in the MEM dressing room. We then cut back to the Impact Zone for the main event.
Match 5: Kurt Angle & Kevin Nash vs. Bobby Lashley & Mick Foley
Neither Lashley nor Foley emerge from the entrance tunnel when their music plays. Slick Johnson is about to raise Angle and Nash’s arms in victory but Mick Foley makes his way towards the ring. Foley fights Angle and Nash on the entrance ramp and enters the ring.
The match officially starts as Foley starts off against Angle who rams his head into each of the turnbuckles. Nash, however, nails Foley with a clothesline from behind to slow down his momentum. The fight goes out to the floor but the numbers game is too much for Foley as Nash takes Foley down and Angle begins to slam his head repeatedly into the steel steps.
Nash is finally tagged into the match and continues to pick Foley apart until he decides to tag Angle back into the match. Foley begins to mount a comeback and lands a DDT on Angle before grabbing a sock and applying the mandible claw. Nash comes in for the save and takes Foley down with a big boot. Angle then puts on the ankle lock as the lights go out and Sting’s music hits.
The lights come back on and Sting is seen in the crowd as Nash and Angle turn their attention to him. The lights go out once again and when the come back on, Lashley is standing in the ring with a bandaged head and sends Angle out to the floor and spears Nash. Foley then covers Nash for the pin fall to win the match and the Legends Championship.
Foley celebrates with the Legends Championship held high as Impact comes to a close.
Quick Results
- Hernandez defeated Samoa Joe by pin fall.
- AJ Styles defeated Matt Morgan by pin fall.
- ODB/Tara/Awesome Kong defeated the Beautiful People by pin fall.
- The British Invasion defeated Team 3D in a tables match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship.
- Bobby Lashley & Mick Foley defeated Kevin Nash & Kurt Angle by pin fall to give Foley the TNA Legends Championship.
Starman’s Thoughts
Tonight marked the 200th episode of Impact (and 154th that I recapped) and while it didn’t quite have that big event feel to it, the show wasn’t too bad. I am curious, though, as to why they would advertise the special time extension when the show only ran a few minutes past its regular end time. Maybe it had to do with the ratings, just as Angle and Foley mentioned in the opening segment.
I mean, it was because of the ratings that Angle agreed to put both the TNA World Championship and Kevin Nash’s Legends Championship on the line in a tag team match. I really hate it when singles titles are defended in tag team matches and it seems that TNA does it all too often. What’s worse is the fact that one of the titles switched hands in the process as Mick Foley is the new Legends Champion.
I’m not sure if the ratings will get a boost from the main event, but I will say that I did like a few other aspects of tonight’s show that I think could bring in some ratings in the future. Those aspects are Hernandez, Eric Young, Matt Morgan and AJ Styles.
Hernandez’s victory over Samoa Joe actually surprised me. I figured that Hernandez would leave the match looking stronger but would either lose the match or win via disqualification. Neither of those happened, though, as he picked up the clean pin fall against Joe.
I’m not sure what the plans are with Hernandez, but I think he is one of the better big men of the company. He has the look, is decent on the microphone and is great in the ring. Aside from Joe and AJ Styles, there isn’t many new faces in the main event picture (and by new I mean non-WWE/WCW wrestlers) and Hernandez could make a good fit in the near future.
I don’t know if I could say the same for Eric Young, but he looked and sounded great heading up his own faction. This group has a lot of personalities but it needed a good leader and EY could be the best person for it. This will also give a lot of the midcard talent something to work with down the road if the group is able to sustain any sort of longevity.
I could have done without what amounted to a 6-on-2 match that ended with a ref bump and a title change.
I am looking forward to seeing what else AJ Styles and Matt Morgan have in store for their best of three series. The match tonight was in no way spectacular, but it had its high moments and I really enjoyed how Styles won the match. To me, it didn’t seem to come across as a standard cookie-cutter match, which really is needed with this type of setup. Make every match unique and make the most of them.
Finally, maybe it was just me, but I enjoyed how JB interviewed Hernandez ringside after his upset victory. It had a very 1980’s NWA retro feel to it and I wish there were more interviews like that in wrestling nowadays. Can we please get more of that?
