Impact Wrestling
June 6, 2013
Atlanta, Georgia
We open with a video montage from Slammiversary and then Mike Tenay welcomes us to the Gwinnett Center. We begin with The Club, and STILL TNA World Champion, Bully Ray. Todd Kennelly was let go, so it’s just Mike Tenay and Taz. I will withhold opinion. Bully says “Everyone apparently is happy to see me” through the chorus of boos. He announces himself as “still World Champion”. Bully Ray says “Slammiversary hasn’t been kind to Sting the past couple of years”. He was jumped by Aces & Eights for the first time last year and he lost Sunday. Bully Ray says “There are no more heroes in TNA, and no one can do a damn thing about it.” Bully Ray wants to be in the TNA Hall of Fame next. He calls Dixie Carter out to induct him, but instead he gets the GM of Impact, the Hulkster himself. They start throwing barbs at each other. Hogan says “TNA will be hot with competition all summer long”. He mentions the Bound for Glory Series. Next week we will see which 12 guys will be in the series with the selection show. Hogan then books a match for tonight, as Bully Ray will face the guy he took out weeks ago in Full Metal Mayhem: Jeff Hardy. Why do we keep bringing this guy back? There’s many more deserving guys. Hogan says it will be a ladder match too, for hanging above the ring will be a hammer, which Hardy pulls out of his pants. Hogan has a rubber glove on his left hand. What the hell is that?
We get a video for the Bound for Glory Series.
Chavo and Hernandez are talking about the Series, and how both will be in it.
BOUND FOR GLORY QUALIFIER: Hernandez vs. Chavo Guerrero
I hope Hernandez destroys him. This is the big guy’s time to shine. Chavo looks like he’s wrestling three gears slower than everybody else. He went for the Frog Splash but Hernandez lifted his knees. Hernandez goes for the Border Toss but Chavo reverses into a Sunset Flip but Hernandez rolls him up for the victory. The big guy moves on to BFG.
He and Chavo shake hands.
Backstage we see the man, “Rampage” Jackson walking around talking to the guys in the hallway.
We’re joined by the FORMER Television Champion, Devon of Aces & Eights. He makes it simple, he wants his TV Title back, and he demands Abyss hands it over to him. Instead out comes Abyss’ “brother” Joseph Park. Park says to Devon “You robbed me of my chance at gold, so I’m getting some.” He jumps Devon and starts beating him down, but Devon recovers and goes at Park. Suddenly Abyss’ music plays and Devon is ready, but Abyss doesn’t show. So Devon will go look for him. Park’s mouth is bleeding, and suddenly the transformation begins. We go to commercial.
Back from break and Devon has Knux helping him look for Abyss.
BOUND FOR GLORY QUALIFIER: Robbie E vs. Samoa Joe
Robbie E talks about the five points he got last year in the BFG Series. This year he will get two things: Jack and Shit. The Submission Machine comes in and pretty much beats the crap out of this hump. He hits the Muscle Buster into the rear choke and Robbie E taps like a bitch. That makes two guys in the BFG Series.
They talk about last week when Mickie James didn’t help Velvet Sky when she was getting attacked by Gail Kim. We now head backstage where Mickie James apologizes for not helping last week, and Velvet says fine but she wants her rematch tonight. Mickie says when she’s healthy.
We have a nice video package on Kurt Angle, the newest inductee into the TNA Hall of Fame.
Back from break and JB is in the ring and officially introduces Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. He signed with Bellator too, so in essence he’s the face of Spike TV. Rampage gets in the ring and says “I know to be the best, I need to beat the best”. With that, Mr. Hall of Fame himself Kurt Angle comes down. He tells Rampage “You want the best? You’re looking at him.” They stare down. What a war that would be.
Jeff Hardy is backstage commenting on the match will Bully Ray, and he says revenge will be sweet.
Bully Ray and Mr. Anderson are talking backstage and they mention D-Lo being kicked out of the club. Bully Ray wonders about the hammer in the match, then asks why Aces & Eights aren’t represented in the BFG Series. He’s gonna look into that. Looks like Anderson wants a promotion in the club.
SIX MAN TAG TEAM MATCH: Austin Aries/Bobby Roode/Kenny King vs. James Storm/Gunner/Chris Sabin
Wow what a battle this is going to be. This match is going all over the ring and guys are talking their turns getting the upper hand. Storm is just an awesome presence in the ring, a true TNA original. Aries is a work-rate monster, taking over every situation and working with whomever he has to. Sabin pins Kenny King to get the win. Sabin’s finisher is an interesting reverse sit-down power bomb. Looks awesome.
Back from break and Devon and Knux are still looking for Abyss.
We get a montage from the “Last Knockouts Standing” win for Taryn Tarrell. She’s talking with Brooke Hogan about wanting to be Knockouts Champion. She asks Brooke about Bully Ray and Brooke deflects.
MATCH: Mickie James vs. Taeler Hendrix
Mickie is so condescending. Hendrix was in Gut Check last year. Hendrix is holding her own against the Champion. Taeler hits a move and Mickie apparently hurt her knee but she was playing opossum. She decks Hendrix in the face, then hits the DDT for the victory. Oh yeah, she’s a heel. Good for her, maybe she’ll start making out with Velvet at some point.
Knux and Devon are looking for Abyss. Knux is left alone and Abyss beats him down. Devon finds him and Abyss beats him down too. He lays the TV Title down and says “I’m taking this title…to the ABYSS.”
We get a montage from Sunday night and Bully Ray’s win over Sting. He’ll be on next week to discuss his future. Next week’s BFG Qualifier is a Slammiversary rematch between Kurt Angle and AJ Styles. Another BFG Series match has the new tag champs, Storm and Gunner against Bad Influence.
LADDER MATCH: Jeff Hardy vs. Bully Ray
The hammer is hanging above the ring. Let’s remember earlier in the night when Mr. Anderson talked about “help” and his ambitions to be Vice President. As Bully Ray is greeting Taz, Jeff jumps from the ring onto the champ. Jeff goes for a ladder but Bully Ray cuts him off and he takes over the action. He dictates (and mocks Hogan) until Jeff hits a DDT to try and get back into things. These guys have developed some great chemistry together. I’ve seen their three matches in the last few months and all three have been different. Bully Ray is bleeding. This Atlanta crowd is buzzing, definitely a solid crowd tonight. Jeff goes for the hammer and Bully just yanks the ladder from under him. Bully goes up the ladder and grabs the hammer. He drops the ladder and prepares to crush Jeff in the head but Jeff blocks it and hits the Twist of Fate. Bully throws the hammer up and Jeff catches it. Jeff is swinging the hammer, and Bully keeps ducking. Bully runs up the ramp and is gone. Jeff is holding his hip and is limping. Bully Ray is backstage walking around yelling “WHERE’S MY BELT?” Suddenly Hogan comes out from the shadows and is about to crack Bully with the hammer, when Brooke yells “DADDY NO!” and Bully runs off. Hogan is glaring at her, and with that we’re out.
SCOTT’S TAKE: I hope Brooke doesn’t turn heel. That would be terribly predictable. I love the BFG Series. WWE needs to do more things like that. We’ll get more guys next week.
Scott’s TNA Top 5:
1) Bully Ray
2) Chris Sabin
3) Storm & Gunner
4) Kurt Angle
5) Abyss
