Welcome to this week’s Insight into Impact article, bringing you the news, segments and match results from the 25th July 2013 episode of Impact Wrestling, as well as adding my opinion on the show too.

The Main Event Mafia are out first, and Sting takes the mic to say last week was one of the best nights ever since he started in pro wrestling, thanks to Chris Sabin’s win….really? Anyways, he tells Aces they won battle #1. Kurt Angle says Aces will get what’s coming to them, but tonight it’s about celebrating Bully Ray losing the title, before introducing the new World Champion, Chris Sabin. Sabin thanks the Mafia for their help last week, and says hecan’t believe he now has this title. He knows everyone is after him, and offers the next X-Division Champion to a Champion v Champion match. Bully Ray interrupts with his lawyer. The lawyer mentions due to the injustice Bully suffered, they’ve set a lawsuit against Impact Wrestling. Sweet, another one! It can be settled now by handing the title back to Bully. If not, they’ll crush Impact Wrestling. Sabin has until the end of the show to return the title, or else….

Interview with Greg Marasciulo who says he doesn’t have to prove anything, and is here to take someone’s spot.

We see Hulk Hogan backstage on his phone, and he’s interrupted to be asked about the lawsuit, but he says he doesn’t discuss pending cases, and walks off.

We hear from Manik, who is unmasked…he talks about how he used to be homeless while chasing his dream of wrestling. He’s worked in Mexico and Japan, and now working as his alter-ego.

Match 1: Manik defeats Greg Marasciulo and Sonjay Dutt in an Ultimate X match in a time of 14:02 to become the new TNA X-Division Champion.

Manik removes Marasciulo from the ring, then delivers a crossbody onto the ramp, before Dutt drops Manik with a dropkick. Marasciulo and Dutt battle away while stopping each other from climbing the structure, before Dutt with an reverse STO to Manik and DDT to Marasciulo at the same time. Manik with a headscissor takedown and arm drag combo to both opponents sees Marasciulo sent to the outside, Manik then dropkicks Dutt onto the middle rope before delivering a springboard dropkick to both wrestlers. Back from a break, Marasciulo delivers his finisher to Manik on the ramp, which hurts Marasciulo just as much as Manik. Marasciulo tries to go for the belt, but Dutt stops him, hits a running boot in the corner, Marasciulo replies with a high knee, so Dutt strikes once more with a Superkick. Marasciulo and Dutt scale the structure, and trade blows on top. Dutt knocks Marasciulo through the structure, and he lands on the wires. Before Marasciulo can drop to get the title, Manik is across the wires and hooked up around the title. Marasciulo drops to try and kick Manik down, but Manik sends Marasciulo to the mat, before unhook the X-Division title to win.

Backstage to Bully Ray with Mr Anderson. Bully says Hulk Hogan is squirming and doesn’t know what to do. Bully is proud Anderson is the VP of the Aces, an important job. But the BFG Series is more important, especially if Anderson wins. Bully wants Anderson to do what he does best, and get the job done.

Match 2: Mr Anderson defeats Hernandez by pinfall in a time of 5:01 to win 7pts for the BFG Series

Anderson strikes Hernandez, before SuperMex shouldercharges Anderson to the outside. Anderson tries a suplex to the outside, which is blocked and Anderson is brought in the hardway. Anderson rakes the eyes, before a splash in the corner, Hernandez kicks Anderson away and pulls himself to the top rope, but Anderson throws him across the ring. Hernandez manages to hit a slingshot shouldertackle, knocks Anderson down before a dropdown backbreaker for a 2 count. Anderson rushes at Hernandez, and Hernandez hits the “Get off me” pounce, but as Hernandez tries Air Mexico, Anderson ducks, and hits the Mic Check for 7pts!

Dixie Carter is backstage with a piece of paper (hopefully #AskDixie questions). She’s asked about the World Title situation, and says when she knows, we’ll know too.

Eric Young goes in to see Joseph Park, and has an iPad. Young shows Park how during Park’s BFG Series match, he bled and went wild. Park doesn’t remember it happening, but Young offers to help him figure this out.

Velvet Sky heads to the ring, and admits she made a mistake, in showing injury and weakness to Mickie James. Mickie took advantage and got what she wanted. Velvet won’t do it again, and will play things closer to her vest. Velvet’s got a ringside seat for the Knockouts match.

Match 3: Mickie James defeats Gail Kim by pinfall in a time of 7:05 to retain the TNA Knockouts Title

Mickie backs Gail up in the corner, before Gail turns the tables and attacks. They lock up, Mickie cartwheels out of it, but Gail pulls Mickie’s hair to drop Mickie to the mat. Mickie does the same back to Gail, before a dropkick to the seated Gail. Gail seems to be one step ahead of Mickie, swatting attacks away, before trying to cheat by holding the ropes during a pinfall. Gail with her crossbody dive in the corner, but as she pulls Mickie up by the weave, Mickie kicks Gail off the apron. Gail just about breaks the count, and tries to do the figure-4 around the ringpost, but Mickie kicks her away, the delivers a Thesz press off the apron. Mickie tries for a Mickie-DT but Gail counters and goes for Eat Defeat which is also blocked. Gail rushes at Mickie in the corner, Mickie gets her feet up and Gail blocks that, turns and powerbombs Mickie, but ODB doesn’t count as Gail as her feet on the ropes. Gail throws Mickie outside, before slapping ODB. That distraction allows Mickie back in with a schoolgirl pin for the 3 count.

After the match, as Mickie James leaves, Gail Kim moans at ODB before going to leave. ODB pulls her back in, and they go face to face. Brooke Hogan interrupts, and says she isn’t pleased to see Gail slapping another ref….but Gail may just have messed with the wrong person as ODB is still an active member of the roster. Gail backs off and walks away, as ODB removes her referee shirt, has a little drink from her flask.

Hulk Hogan and Dixie Carter are backstage with Hogan discussing how Bully Ray deceived them from day 1 and Sabin is their guy now. Dixie says Sabin doesn’t deserve this, but this happens when lawyers get involved. Hogan doesn’t think it’s fair, and Dixie agrees. Hogan says they should do this the Aces way by stepping out the line, and Dixie says they can’t due to responsibility. Hogan apologises and says she’s right, but he just wants the Aces to go away. Neither person wants to be the one to tell Sabin their decision….twitter announcement maybe, folks?!

Match 4: Daniels defeats Samoa Joe by pinfall in a time of 6:19 to win 7pts for the BFG Series

Joe with punches and an elbow to Daniels, before beating down the Fallen Angel in the corner, followed by the corner splash, corner kick, and a running boot to Daniels. Daniels manages to get attacks in, first a droptoe hold to the middle rope, before a running STO, and choking Joe out on the top rope. Joe breaks out of a headlock, before a belly to belly throw. Joe builds momentum, inverted atomic drop, boot and splash, before a snap slam for 2. Joe looks to end it, and signals for the Muscle Buster, but before he can hit it, Mr Anderson rushes to the ring to distract Joe. Daniels clips Joe’s knee and hits the BME for a 2 count….so Daniels hits the BME again and this time gets the win!!

Sting and Kurt Angle chat backstage, Sting wants to make sure they’re all pointing in the same direction. Angle is worried about the legal situation from Bully Ray, but Sting doesn’t think he can do anything. Angle thinks they failed with their task of getting rid of the Aces, but Sting says they haven’t failed, and they have a lot going in their favour….I’m wondering, has Angle’s bald head been turned by whoever drove off with him last week?

Match 5: AJ Styles defeats Jeff Hardy by submission in a time of 12:55 to win 10pts for the BFG Series

Back and forth opening ends with Hardy’s reverse kick sending AJ into the corner, before a dropkick from Hardy as we go into a break. Back from the ads, Hardy is outside, and AJ delivers a baseball slide into the announcers table. Hardy breaks out of a headlock, but AJ responds by throwing Hardy hard to the outside. AJ tries for a tornado DDT which Hardy blocks and hits an Alley-Oop Powerbomb. Hardy builds momentum, flying clothesline, inverted atomic drop, leg drop and dropkick, before AJ strikes with a dropkick of his own. Hardy with a front slam and 2nd rope splash for 2, but AJ shuts him down with a snap suplex into the bottom turnbuckle. AJ rushes into an elbow of Hardy’s, before the Whisper in the Wind for another 2 count. As Hardy goes for a Twist of Fate, AJ counters and hits the Pele Kick. Both men get to their feet, AJ turns and rolls Hardy to the mat and locks in the Calf Killer, causing Hardy to tap out.

After the match, the fans chant “You Tapped Out” at Hardy. Hardy offers his hand to AJ, but AJ just walks past him and leaves.

Hulk Hogan is asked about his decision, he says he is glad Dixie Carter is on the same page as him. He doesn’t want to do this, but has to….

Bully Ray walks to the ring, because a major injustice took place, and everyone just seems to want to praise Chris Sabin for it. Bully asks what kind of wrestler would sink to the level of using a deadly object like a hammer? Ha! Bully says Sabin has no choice, as he will sue everyone, unless he gets the title back. Chris Sabin makes his way down, Bully says Sabin is out here as he is intimidated by Bully, and he’ll do the right thing. Sabin says he’s only here to see what a big fat crybaby Bully has become. Sabin says he sat at home for 2 years, but didn’t whine, he just worked hard to get back, which has been rewarded in becoming World Champion. Sabin says the only way Bully will get this title, is if it’s pried from his cold, dead hands. Bully plays the victim about the hammer shot, and calls for Hulk Hogan to come and do the right thing. Well, upon that request, Hulkster appears on the ramp. Hogan says he’s been looking over this with his lawyers, and he gets it…but he does have a counter with no negotiations. Hogan rips up the lawsuit, because he is the law around here. Hogan says Sabin will remain Champion around here, and per Bully’s contract, he has a rematch clause. Bully wants no interference from the Mafia, and Hogan grants him a rematch on August 15th. Hogan says Bully will get his rematch in Hardcore Justice, the Aces and the Mafia won’t get involved, as Sabin and Bully will fight inside a Steel Cage. Hogan taunts, Bully looks pissed, but Sabin raises the World Title as the TNA credits come up….

Seems quite a few interesting things happened in this show, so let’s get right into it. Let’s start with Chris Sabin and Bully Ray. I felt Sabin did a good job in his promos this week, and seemed more comfortable on the mic. Still a bit unsure on how I feel about him being Champion, but I do feel his segments came off fine with Bully. Just a shame Judge Dredd had to appear to set up the title match for a few weeks time. Also could have done without him and Dixie being all “we’ll strip Sabin of the belt due to another lawsuit, blah blah”, then just ripping the papers up. Manik’s the new X-Division Champion, and I don’t mind it. What confuses me is why show him unmasked a few weeks ago, put him back under a mask, then show him in an interview this week unmasked….just to mask him again. Makes the mask pointless. Let TJ Perkins wrestle in his own attire! As for the match, enjoyed it, some really good spots (including Marasciulo’s finisher on the ramp). Also enjoyed Mickie James vs Gail Kim, as I’ve said before, I do enjoy Mickie’s current gimmick, and the way she played it out during this match, as well as the tension between Gail and ODB made it a decent match. Hope this means ODB back in an actual match. Daniels and Joe was good for the time it got, same with Hardy and Styles, but 1 question. Why still call Hardy v Styles a “dream match” when we’ve seen it so many times already?! Oh, and I’m still seeing signs of an issue between Kurt Angle and the Mafia, especially with how quick he returned last week, and how he feels the Mafia have failed…maybe a turn at Bound for Glory, and that match up with Rampage Jackson?

Thanks for taking the time to read this, appreciate it as always!

@GoofyVillain of @TheTopRope
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