Impact Wrestling
August 22, 2013
Norfolk, Virginia
“Hardcore Justice”
We get a recap of Hardcore Justice and Tito Ortiz’s heel turn. We’re backstage at new World Champion Bully Ray is on the phone with Brooke, and something is going down tonight with them. He’s with Tito and they run into Anderson, who meets Tito but’s a little irked that he’s out of the loop on this. Bully says stop worrying and take care of your business. I believe we’re seeing the beginning of the end of Aces & Eights. Out to the arena and Bad Influence with Bobby Roode. Roode congratulates Bully on his win last week and found a way to screw the system. He puts over himself and BA as the top choices to take that title from Bully Ray. Roode says he’s now in second place after getting 20 points in the BFG Series. Kaz takes the mike and puts over his win in the ladder match last week. Daniels says he will complete the sweep and take tonight’s 20 points in the BFG Series match. Roode says they are 1/3 of the BFG group. Roode says one more member of the group will make this plan perfect. Roode says that man is Austin Aries. Roode begs Aries to join but they’re interrupted by the World Tag Team Champions. James Storm and Gunner hit the ring. Storm laughs at the thought that Bad Influence will even trust Bobby Roode. Storm says he’s gonna set up, drink his beer and punch Roode in the mouth. So, he takes his jewelry and shirt off, drinks his beer and decks Roode in the mouth. The bell rings and we have an impromptu opener.
MATCH: Bobby Roode & Kazarian vs. James Storm & Gunner
So apparently “Hardcore Justice” continues tonight? It’s still on the big screen and the hash tag #HardcoreJustice is on the upper right of the screen. So it’s a 2 week special? Or are they too lazy to switch things even though its been a second week. Everybody is wrestling in jeans, except Kazarian who’s got leather pants on. We get chaos in the ring and Roode low blows Gunner and gets the three count. Roode started in the dumps but is red hot right now. WINNERS: Roode & Kazarian
Backstage Austin Aries talks about getting offered a MEM slot last week and this week he’s invited by his former partner Bobby Roode. He says there’s something to be said about who you surround yourself with. We’ll get an answer later tonight.
We get another recap of Tito Ortiz’s heel turn and Bully beating Sabin to win back the World Title. We will get an update on Sabin and Bully’s celebration.
MATCH: Sonjay Dutt vs. Manik
We get an X-Division non-title match here. These guys throw each other all over the place, and they keep bitching that Dutt’s never won the X-Division title. Well why hasn’t he? Manik wins with his finisher. Good match, and apparently the “triple threat” concept for every X-Division match. WINNER: Manik
Backstage Aces & Eights is talking about tonight’s match with the Main Event Mafia and they are very confident that the MEM will lose a member tonight.
Back from break and the MEM is talking about tonight’s match, and they don’t have a fifth partner.
BFG SERIES STREET FIGHT: Hernandez vs. Jay Bradley vs. Daniels vs. Joseph Park
There’s 20 points on the line in this match, which is big for Daniels. He has 30 points, so if he wins this match, he takes the BFG lead. Jay Bradley has looked like such a putz since the BFG Series started, even though he’s pretty stiff in the ring and a guy that suits TNA’s haphazard wresting style. After a few minutes Kaz and Roode come down the ramp. Jay Bradley’s doing all the work in this match and he’s not going to win it. Kaz and Roode are beating him down outside so that answers my question. Hernandez is cleaning house, until Austin Aries comes in and takes him out. He starts high fiving Bad Influence and Roode, then turns and hits a Brainbuster on Daniels. Aries runs off and Roode and Kaz chase him. Meanwhile in the ring Bradley decks Park with brass knucks. He starts bleeding and snaps, hitting Abyss’ finisher and getting the three count. Twenty points for Park puts him in positive digits. That was a fun sloppy mess. WINNER: Joseph Park
Backstage the Main Event Mafia is strategizing. Sting is pissed that everything is going wrong, but Magnus and Samoa Joe both say the MEM will step up even without a partner.
We get a video montage on the history between Brooke and Bully Ray.
Bully Ray and Tito Ortiz hit the ring. Ortiz just doesn’t belong. He doesn’t. Bully gloats to the fans about what happened, and how the fans were suckered again. Bully Ray says “Do you know who I am?” This schtick is getting a little old. He now talks about his new best friend, Tito. He has no clue how to act in the ring, or how to look like a heel. Tito takes the mike and talks about Rampage’s fight in Bellator on November 2. Personally I don’t think the two things should be mixed, because I think it ruins the legitimacy of the fight in November. Bully Ray calls out his lovely wife Brooke to show the world their secret. Obviously its no secret that Brooke Hogan was released so what the hell is this? Oh, it’s Brooke TESSMACHER, so this was a big mess. She’s not that great looking. Bully says with all this on his side, can he ever be stopped? This is the march to Bound for Glory.
MATCH: Gail Kim vs. ODB
The big girl dominates early and throws the smaller Mrs. Irvine all over the ring. Gail eventually battles her way back and works ODB over with grapple holds like an armbar. Another match where these two girls work much harder than two WWE Divas. That Summerslam match was an anomaly. Gail keeps working the arm over and then wins the match with a roll up pinning down the ailing left arm. ODB did all the work and Gail takes the win. WINNER: Gail Kim
Back from break and Jeff Hardy comments on the BFG Series and the chance of winning back the World Title.
Aries says simply that earlier tonight, he played mind games with his former partner. Aries says he doesn’t need politics to get to the top, it’s his god given ability.
We see Tito Ortiz’s heel turn, AGAIN. Wow they really want to hammer this down for everyone. We get it, he’s a heel. They wasted so much air time on this show playing that ending to the match and other wasted video pieces. Sabin is pissed about last week, and I think he’s the fifth guy tonight for the MEM.
MATCH: Aces & Eights vs. Main Event Mafia (The guy who gets pinned is out of TNA)
Ace’s and Eights will have Anderson, Devon, Brisco, Bischoff and Knux. That’s pretty much who’s left. The next specialty Impact will be September 12: No Surrender. Bully Ray, Tessmacher and Tito Ortiz come out and stay at the top of the ramp. Sting takes the mike and announces their fifth guy comes out: AJ Styles. The match is controlled chaos for the first five minutes, but then it settles down into a tag match. I could have sworn it would have been Sabin, but Styles is actually a better choice. The Sabin experiment is over. Eventually the match goes insane again and Rampage starts cleaning guys out in the ring until Knux takes him out. Sting gets Knux from behind and puts him in the Scorpion Deathlock but Devon breaks it up. Styles hits the Styles Clash on Devon and gets the three count. So Devon, Aces & Eights’ Sergeant at Arms it out of TNA. Wow I’m stunned. With that we’re out. WINNERS: Main Event Mafia
SCOTT’S TAKE: Too much fluff as they showed the end of last week’s cage match five times. Devon is out, but I’m still puzzled if its kayfabe or not. Maybe he’s retiring.
