Impact opens with a video package highlighting Mr. Anderson and his persona and whether or not he can be trusted. The voiceover guy wonders if Jeff Hardy will ever trust Anderson again after what happened last week. Anderson is then seen walking into the Impact Zone and is carrying a chair to the ring.
Anderson gets on the microphone and introduces Jeff Hardy to the ring. Hardy comes out to the ring and Anderson tells Hardy that what happened last week wasn’t on purpose. Anderson says if he was to hit him with a chair on purpose he would have bragged about it because he is an asshole.
He then goes on to say that he will be bring a chair to the ring for their match and if he uses it on Hardy, then he will know that there is a problem. If, however, Hardy uses it on him, then he will have a problem with Hardy. Anderson then walks away as Hardy stays in the ring with a confused look on his face.
The docu-cam is with AJ Styles who says is disappointed in himself but doesn’t understand why he has to prove himself by wrestling Kazarian. Styles says that he hopes Ric Flair is happy with the outcome of the match as he will tear him apart.
After a commercial break, the docu-cam is backstage with Jeff Hardy who says he always questions people when they hit him with a chair.
Match 1: Kazarian vs. AJ Styles
AJ Styles goes right on the attack as the two go back and forth with a series of arm drags and blows. Kazarian is then able to take Styles down with a monkey flip before picking up a two count after hitting a dropkick. Kazarian then puts Styles in a headlock as Ric Flair makes his way to the ringside area.
Styles then turns the tide of the match with a dropkick of his own and picks up a two count after hitting a backbreaker. Styles then puts Kazarian in a headlock before setting up for the Styles Clash but Kazarian is able to get out of the move. Styles, though, comes back with a backbreaker and picks up another two count. Kazarian follows by countering another move and hits Styles with a slingshot leg drop for another near fall.
Kazarian then sets Styles up in the corner and Styles fights him off before hitting him with a Pele kick. Kazarian is able to come back and takes out Styles with a slingshot over the ropes. They both land hard on the outside and end up both being counted out of the match.
Flair then comes in the ring and calls them both a special breed of man and says he got them a match together at Victory Road. Flair tells them to bring it and says that they won’t be happy campers if they don’t win on Sunday. Flair then leaves the ring without telling them who their opponents will be.
Angelina Love is seen getting dressed in the backstage area and is topless as she is trying to pick out what top she is going to wear to the ring. Mike Tenay tells us that she will be up next on Impact.
Match 2: Daffney vs. Angelina Love
Daffney tries to put Angelina in an armbar but Angelina quickly takes control of the match and takes her out with a series of clotheslines and kicks. Angelina then puts Daffney in a headlock but she escapes after hitting a jawbreaker. Angelina quickly gets back into the match and hits the Lights Out to pick up the pin fall.
Angelina then gets on the microphone and warns Madison Rayne that she will become the first ever four-time Knockouts Champion. Madison Rayne comes out and wants to know what Angelina is going to put on the line in their match. Madison suggests her to put her career on the line and Angelina agrees but adds a stipulation. Angelina says she talked with the championship committee and says if the Beautiful People get involved in the match, Madison will be disqualified and Angelina will win the title.
The docu-cam catches up with Brother Devon and asks what he is going to say to his brother if they run into each other tonight. Devon says that we’ll see later tonight.
A video package highlighting the tension between Brother Ray and Brother Devon with the way they have been handling the Jesse Neal/Ink Inc. situation is aired. Devon is then seen standing in the ring with Ink Inc. and calls Ray down to the ring to straighten things out. Ray comes out and stands in the entrance ramp and Devon says the two of them trained Neal and he showed respect to them and the school since day one.
Devon also brings up Neal’s past in the military and how he served for his country and talks about more respect. Devon wants to know exactly what his problem is with Neal. Ray says he doesn’t answer to anyone but says his problem with Neal is because he is a disrespectful punk and he now has a problem with Devon since he has no loyalty. Devon says his loyalty lies with the both of them and says he isn’t going to pick sides.
Ray then goes on to say that Eric Bischoff has granted him a match at Victory Road against Neal and Devon in a triple threat match. Ray says Devon’s true loyalties will come out on Sunday. Ray then walks back up the ramp as we head into a commercial break.
Match 3: Samoa Joe vs. Rob Van Dam (Non-title Match)
Mike Tenay says Samoa Joe feels that he should be ranked higher than his sixth spot as he beat AJ Styles last week and Sting has been suspended. Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff then granted Joe this match to prove himself.
The match starts and the two exchange blows and kicks until RVD knocks Joe down with a spin kick. RVD heads to the top rope and Joe gets up and tries for a muscle buster but instead shoves RVD down to the floor and the champ crashes into the entrance ramp. Joe then follows by diving through the ropes and onto RVD on the floor. A shot of Tommy Dreamer, Raven, Rhino and Stevie Richards entering the Impact Zone is aired as Joe rolls RVD back into the ring.
Joe goes for a couple of pin attempts but RVD fights his way back into the match and chokes Joe in the corner with his boot. Joe, though, comes back into the match by taking RVD down with a snap slam and picks up another near fall. Joe then tries to wear RVD down with a headlock but RVD fights his way out of it but Joe nearly decapitates the champ with a hard clothesline.
RVD is able to recover and get back into the match and takes Joe down with a series of kicks before connecting with a rolling thunder but only picks up a two count. RVD then takes Joe down with a kick off the top rope but Joe kicks out of another pin attempt. Joe then connects with another clothesline and the two are laid out on the mat. They both make their way up and Joe sends RVD crashing down to the mat with a powerbomb and keeps holding the legs and puts RVD in a Boston Crab but RVD fights his way to the ropes.
Joe then hits RVD with a couple of head butts before putting RVD in the rear naked choke but RVD is able to standup and use the turnbuckle to shift the momentum and picks up the pin fall. Joe is exhausted but cannot believe that he was just pinned by RVD. Joe then stands up as RVD celebrates with the championship in the ring. Joe just stares him down as RVD leaves the ring. Joe then slaps the referee and gives him the muscle buster before leaving the ring.
Kurt Angle is with the docu-cam who says he is working his way up to the top as the pressure makes him a better competitor. He then warns Jeff Hardy to watch his back when he is in the ring with Mr. Anderson.
Match 4: Jeremy Buck vs. Douglas Williams (Ladder Match)
The red ‘X’ is hanging above the ring for this ladder match. The match starts and Buck takes Williams down with a cross body block before hitting a moonsault off the ring apron and crashes into Williams on the floor. Buck heads out for a ladder and sets it up in the ring but Williams is able to take Buck out and begins to climb the ladder but is slow as he is showing a fear of heights.
Buck kicks him off the ladder but Williams comes back and sets the ladder up in the corner before tossing Buck into it. Buck, though, moves out of the way of the following charge and flips Williams into the ladder. Buck then faceplants Williams into the ladder and begins scaling the ladder for the X but Williams takes him out by slamming him down to the canvas.
Buck rolls out to the floor as Williams begins to slowly climb the ladder towards the top. Buck recovers, though, and leaps onto the ladder and flips over Williams and takes him down with a powerbomb. Buck then climbs the ladder and grabs the X to pick up the upset win over the X Division Champion. After the match, Williams freaks out and throws the ladder out to the floor as we head into a commercial break.
A video is aired in which Alex Shelley explains that he has a problem with his tag team partner, Chris Sabin, as he was once just like himself but has changed after getting into Beer Money. Video of Sabin laying on the couch and also slipping of the top rope is aired and Shelley warns parents not to let their kids end up like Sabin. This brings us into a six-man tag team match.
Match 5: Beer Money & Matt Morgan vs. the Motorcity Machine Guns & Hernandez
The match starts and Sabin hits a flurry of offense and takes Robert Roode down with a hurricanrana before tagging in his partner for some double team moves. Roode is able to tag in James Storm before Sabin is tagged back into the match. Storm, though, distracts the referee as Matt Morgan takes Sabin out with a big boot on the apron. Morgan is tagged into the match and toys with Sabin before tagging Storm back in.
Storm continues on the attack and turns it over to Roode who picks up a couple of near falls before Sabin finally takes him down with a kick. Sabin then rolls to his corner and tags in Hernandez who takes out both members of Beer Money before setting his sights on Morgan, who bails from the ringside area. Hernandez and Shelley then work some double team moves before Hernandez runs out after Morgan. Back in the ring, Sabin takes Storm out with a dive out to the floor as Shelley hits a cross body block on Roode but Roode counters and picks up the pin fall.
The docu-cam is with the Pope who says he doesn’t trust Mr. Anderson but that’s not his problem right now. Dinero says he is focused on Kurt Angle who has made it clear that if he loses, it will be his last match. He says Angle is motivated and needs to bring his a-game to Victory Road.
Kevin Nash is seen waiting in a conference room and says he is still waiting to talk to Eric Bischoff. Hulk Hogan finally walks in and says they still aren’t straight since he swerved them to bring his friends into TNA. Hogan says that wasn’t cool with him and says he will talk to Bischoff to see how he feels before sending him his way.
Jay Lethal is in the ring and says that it ripped his heart out to see his childhood idol beat on his brother. Lethal promises to tear Ric Flair’s heart at Victory Road and promises to make his mother proud by defeating Flair on Sunday. Lethal is then cut off by Flair’s music as the Nature Boy comes walking down to the ring.
Flair says he doesn’t care about Lethal’s mother and warns Lethal that he is crazy. Flair says Lethal doesn’t belong in the same ring and says in three days Lethal will have to go up against a god and will have his ass handed to him. Lethal and Flair then stare down each other face to face before Flair leaves the ring.
The announce team then run down the Victory Road card and say that two of four competitors in the main event will be facing off right now.
Match 6: Mr. Anderson vs. Jeff Hardy
Mr. Anderson comes down to the ring with a steel chair just as he said he would. The bell rings to get this match started and Anderson picks up a two count on Hardy after hitting a neckbreaker. Hardy fights back and takes Anderson down with a corkscrew flip from the ropes and picks up a near fall of his own. Hardy then tries for a Twist of Fate but Anderson counters with a forward roll and picks up another near fall. Anderson then heads out to the top rope and tries for a Swanton Bomb but Hardy rolls out of the way and hits Anderson with a Twist of Fate to pick up the pin fall.
After the match, Hardy checks on Anderson and Abyss’s music hits as he comes out to the ring with his board full of nails. The referee takes the weapon away as Hardy and Anderson team up to go after Abyss. Abyss, though, takes them both down with a double clothesline and takes Hardy out with a chokeslam and takes Anderson out with a big boot.
Abyss then takes his weapon back and swings at Anderson but he moves out of the way and he hits the turnbuckle. Abyss rips the turnbuckle off the ropes as RVD comes running out to the ring. Abyss quickly takes RVD out and out to the floor as Anderson and Hardy sneak in from behind. Anderson has the chair in his hands and tells Hardy to get out of the way as he hits Abyss in the back. RVD then takes the chair and hits Abyss with the Van Terminator that knocks him out of the ring. RVD, Hardy and Anderson stand together in the ring as Abyss is seen climbing back into the ring as Impact comes to a close.
Quick Results
- Kazarian and AJ Styles fought to a double count out.
- Angelina Love defeated Daffney by pin fall.
- Rob Van Dam defeated Samoa Joe by pin fall.
- Jeremy Buck defeated Douglas Williams in a ladder match.
- Beer Money & Matt Morgan defeated the Motorcity Machine Guns & Hernandez by pin fall.
- Jeff Hardy defeated Mr. Anderson by pin fall.
Starman’s Thoughts
Tonight was a decent go-home show for Victory Road. Most of the major matches going into the card were highlighted and the TNA Champion, Rob Van Dam, finally got some much needed television time.
It has bothered me that RVD has been pushed aside the last few weeks in favor of his three opponents. More attention has been give to Abyss’ heel turn and the possible tension between Jeff Hardy and Mr. Anderson with RVD pretty much absent for the most part until tonight.
RVD finally got to wrestle and put on a good match against Samoa Joe. For television, it was one of the better matches that has been on Impact in a few weeks. I was surprised on how long it went and that RVD scored a clean victory over Joe, although RVD needed some momentum going into the pay-per-view and Joe didn’t look weak in the loss.
It’s just too bad, though, that TNA didn’t hype this match very much and went up against the LeBron James press conference. Yes, he is going to Miami for those who haven’t heard already. Cleveland’s futility in all sports will now continue on for several more decades.
Douglas Williams, on the other hand, lost a lot of momentum going into Victory Road by losing a ladder match to Jeremy Buck. Sure, it was a gimmick match and it did set up the fact that Williams has a fear of heights, but I just wish that Williams would have won the match, showing that he was capable of going up against Brian Kendrick in an Ultimate X match. At the very least, Williams should have lost to a possible X Division contender, not a tag team wrestler like Jeremy Buck.
The exchange between Ric Flair and Jay Lethal was golden tonight and even though I am not looking forward to seeing Flair wrestle once again, I am looking forward to their match. It still amazes me that no matter how incoherent Flair is, he can still deliver a promo better than most of the others on the roster.
It was also great to see that TNA brought in the Championship vs. Career stipulation prior to the pay-per-view this Sunday in the match between Madison Rayne and Angelina Love. This stipulation was tacked on to Rayne’s match against Roxxi last month and it would have been more effective knowing about it ahead of time. What makes the stipulation even better, though, is that the rest of the Beautiful People are barred from interfering in the match.
Finally, even though she lost, I enjoyed seeing Daffney in the ring. The Knockouts Division isn’t what it used to be, but it is better with Daffney back in the picture.
As always, I will be giving my preview and predictions on Victory Road this weekend, so come back for that.
