TNA Impact Wrestling review for the 12th July episode

“Anything goes” match – Bully Ray vs Joseph Park

Despite Joseph standing up to Bully early on, Bully knocks him down, and even takes time to tweet. As weapons get brought into it, Joseph gets a bit of offence in, only to run into Bully’s big boot. Bully brings in thumbtacks and lays them out, but as he goes to strike with a singapore cane, Joseph uses a cheese grater to the balls, and then the singapore cane. Bully Ray is the one who ends up on the thumbtacks, as Joseph chokeslams him onto them. While Joseph goes for a dustbin, Bully gets his chain, using it to knock Joseph out, and pick up the win.

Winner: Bully Ray

In the aftermath, Joseph spots he is bleeding and freaks out. Bully rushes at him, and Joseph hits a Black Hole Slam, before sitting and looking shocked.

Sting is here! He’s walking backstage holding “Deadman’s Hand” in cards. He says we’ll see what this is about tonight, before ripping up the cards.

Bully Ray is shown pulling tacks out of his boot. He says he beat Joseph…but who the hell was that after it?

Bound for Glory series: Samoa Joe vs Rob Van Dam

RVD drops Joe onto the middle turnbuckle, then fails to even do the surfboard submission. Joe drops RVD and tries to make him submit with a leg lock, then armbreaker, but neither works. RVD attacks with his educated feet, and a rolling thunder, but as he tries for a monkey flip, Joe traps him, and hits a kneebreaker. Joe locks in a figure 4 leg lock, RVD gets to the ropes, and when Joe tries it again, RVD rolls him up in a small package for the 3 count.

Winner: Rob Van Dam (7pts for BFG series)

Clare Lynch is shown driving into the arena car park. She’s hassled by an interviewer who’s acting a bit of a dick. She says she hasn’t seen Dixie, spoke to Daniels or Kazarian, and it’s not the right time to speak.

Hulk Hogan walking through backstage, he says the Aces and Eights called him out. He’s here, Sting’s here, and he can’t wait to see the whites of their eyes.

Daniels and Kazarian make their way to the ring. Kazarian congratulates AJ Styles on his PPV win, and says despite AJ thinking this is all over, it’s only the beginning. Daniels says that AJ’s actions were reprehensible, then calls out Clare Lynch to answer some questions. Well, Clare appears, but as Daniels starts to question her, AJ appears. AJ comments how he’s surprised Daniels is standing and speaking after Sunday, and as far as he’s concerned, this is over. Daniels says it isn’t, and Clare needs to tell the world what she told him. While they argue, Clare butts in and says Daniels is right…AJ IS the father. AJ asks how this is possible (no one told AJ about the birds and the bees?), while the fans chant “Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!”….love it.

After a break, AJ Styles is leaving, with the dick interviewer bugging him. AJ snaps at him, yelling “I don’t know!” before leaving.

Video interview with Mr Anderson. Anderson says his feud with Kurt Angle has been going for several years now, it started on a negative note, and has grown into respect. He respects Angle, and hopes the feeling is mutual.

We see a lookback at Zema Ion winning the X-Division title, and gloating how he’s in a league of his own. It cuts to Dakota Darsow backstage. He says Jesse Sorensen is a good friend of his, and how he was annoyed with how Ion didn’t call after hurting Jesse, but even more annoyed about Ion’s actions at the PPV. Darsow says Ion shouldn’t be worried about Jesse, as he has Darsow to worry about tonight.

Zema Ion vs Dakota Darsow

Ion makes fun of Sorensen’s neck injury, causing Darsow to go on the offence. Ion tries to leave, so Darsow follows him and beats him down on the ramp. Ion is back in the ring, and Darsow leaps through the ropes spearing Ion, before pounding him with punches. Ion rolls out, as Darsow tries to bring him in, Ion drops Darsow’s arm across the ropes, before hitting a tornado DDT and Gory Bomb for the 1-2-3.

Winner: Zema Ion

Ion isn’t finished though, he puts Darsow in an armlock, then drops back, damaging Darsow’s shoulder. Ion gets a mic and tells Jesse Sorensen to warn his friends, that Ion isn’t just f’n pretty, but he’s also pretty f’n dangerous.

The NEW World Champion, Austin Aries appears. He woke up thinking it’s a great day to be World Champ. He talks about how this wasn’t just a great moment for him or TNA, but the whole professional wrestling industry. He thinks it’s time for wrestling’s next boom period, with him leading the way, and mentions how he got congratulations from “hollywood stars, NFL stars…and even World Champs from other companies”. Aries talks about how the title is only as important as the guy holding it, well now the TNA World Title is the most prestigious title, as it’s held by the greatest pro wrestler going today. Bobby Roode’s heard enough, and comes down. Roode struggles to speak through his anger, and keeps stopping, before finally saying this was all just a fluke. Roode leaves, and Aries reminds him of 3 little words: New World Champ.

Sting is in the office with Hulk Hogan, and suggests they go old school on this rebel group. Devon enters with Garrett Bischoff, and says he owes Hogan, and offers to have their back. Hogan says to trust him, they’ve got this.

Now we see Kurt Angle, he praises Mr Anderson, but would still like to make him tap tonight. Facing Anderson will raise his game, but if he can beat a guy like the Asshole, he can be World Champ again.

A lookback at Madison Rayne kissing Earl Hebner. She discusses how it’s common for a younger woman to fall for an older man, and that it makes sense because they have things in common, like they both love wrestling, and keep their bodies in great shape…before finishing with “you can’t help how your heart feels”.

Brooke Hogan joins Mike Tenay and Taz for commentary for the next match…

TNA Knockouts Title Match: Miss Tessmacher (c) vs Gail Kim

Despite Tessmacher starting the match off with clotheslines annd a huricanrana, Gail drops her arm across the top rope and turns the match her way. Gail works over the arm, we even see her use the Cattle Mutilation. Tessmacher starts a fightback and builds momentum, clotheslines, a facebuster and Pepsi Twist fail to pin Gail. The challenger tries to go for a cheap win with a roll up and holding the tights, but only gets a 2. Both venture to the top, and as Gail goes for Eat Defeat off the top, Tessmacher holds the ropes, Gail drops, then Tessmacher hits a flying elbow drop to retain her title.

Winner and stil Knockouts Champion: Miss Tessmacher

Clare Lynch is being hassled again backstage, this time asked what proof she has that AJ Styles is the bastard’s daddy ((c) Daniels). She says she has proof, and hopes AJ will still do the right thing.

Magnus is interviewed about Open Fight Night. He can’t wait, especially after gaining 7pts for the BFG Series last time, by capitalising on someone’s weakness. He’ll look to do the same at a house show against the guy knocked off top spot: James Storm.

Bound for Glory series: Kurt Angle vs Mr Anderson

Angle tries for an armbar early on, Anderson breaks out and hits a clothesline and dropkick, then gets caught in a overhead belly to belly suplex from Angle. After 2 sets of commercial breaks, Anderson hits a swinging neckbreaker, but falls to the triple German Suplexes. Angle can’t strike with the Angle Slam or lock on the Ankle Lock, as Anderson blocks both…until he misses a splash in the corner and Angle hits the Angle Slam for a 2 count. Angle then tries for the Ankle Lock, Anderson rolls out of it, and hits a Mic Check for a 2 count of his own. As Anderson goes for Mic Check again, Angle counters and hits the Angle Slam to win.

Winner: Kurt Angle (7pts for BFG series)

Bound for Glory series leaderboard: 1. Samoa Joe – 37pts, 2. James Storm – 36pts, 3. Kurt Angle – 27pts, 4. Jeff Hardy – 21pts, 5= Magnus and Rob Van Dam – 14pts, 7. Mr Anderson – 9pts, 8= The Pope and AJ Styles – 7pts, 10. Daniels – 5pts, 11= Bully Ray and Robbie E – 0pts.

Hulk Hogan and Sting are getting ready in their office when Bobby Roode interrupts, wanting to talk to Hogan. After a break, Hogan tells Sting he’ll meet him out there in 5 mins. Roode asks for his rematch, and Hogan says he’s got it at Hardcore Justice. Roode wants it sooner, to prove it was a fluke. Hogan suggests calling Aries out next week on Open Fight Night, and if he wins, it will be easy pickings for Roode at the PPV, and prove it was a fluke at Destination X.

Sting is in the ring…hey, that rhymes! He says it’s awesome to be back in the Impact Zone, and mentions how there’s a crew that loves to play games. He’s not come alone, and calls out Hulk Hogan…well Hogan no shows. Sting calls for him again…nothing. As his music plays for a 3rd time, we see Hogan has been attacked backstage, and Brooke is screaming for the attackers to get away. As Sting goes up the ramp to help, he’s jumped by 6 guys, who put the boot into him as the show goes off….

Once again, this came off as an enjoyable show, and I’m really interested in the storylines developing each week, and don’t have much (if any) negative comments lately. I’m getting a bit confused with where they are going now with the AJ Styles storyline, it’s twisting so many times….but I’m still hooked to see what happens next. I’ve seen a few complaints about Bobby Roode’s in-ring promo this week. For me, it worked fine. He’s lost his title, and can’t accept it, or bring himself to say the word “fluke”, so flipped. Looking forward to his feud with A-Double continuing. I remember when the Bully Ray/Joseph Park stuff began….I HATED it. Now, I love it, and feel they’ve turned it round well. I feel it must end soon, but not sure how they’ll do it. As for the Aces and Eights, liking it, started well, and I just hope it continues like this. Again, I’m hooked, and wanting to see the next episode to see what happens next. Oh, and Zema Ion, I wasn’t keen to see him win the title, really dislike the guy, and want him to lose, or see Jesse Sorensen come back for revenge. Shows he’s doing his job well! As for the matches, decent amount of time for them, good action, no complaints!

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

@GoofyVillain of @TheTopRope