TNA IMPACT Wrestling
Location: Orlando, FL
Date: June 3, 2015
Commentators: Josh Matthews and Taz
The show opens with a video package for Ethan Carter III, then we go to the ring where a barbershop quintet sings EC3, with a woman on each arm in the style of Ric Flair, to the ring. EC3 is ecstatic about finally being ranked #1 in the top five rankings, and he has his singers do a rendition of “For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow” (except it’s “For He’s A #1 Contender”), then EC3 tells Tyrus that he could have never done it without him and asks him if he wants to dance. Tyrus teases that he’s about to do the old Brodus Clay moves but doesn’t because this is serious. He says Kurt Angle has had a hell of a run, but he wants to invite Angle out to join him for his celebration. Angle comes out to the balloon, singer, and woman filled ring looking amused at the whole scene. He says that Verne Gagne and Lou Thesz would be rolling over in their graves if they saw this, and he can’t wait for a chance to shut EC3 up, except that he’s not next in line for a title shot.
EC3 says he’s #1, the only number that matters, but Angle says next week in Destination X when the X Division Champion gets a chance to turn in their title for a shot at the World Title and he thinks Spud is going to go for it. EC3 tells Angle about how he left Spud bloody and battered, but he knows what makes Spud tick and he’s going to make him an offer he can’t refuse. EC3 takes Tyrus and his entire entourage and they head to the back as EC3 tells the singers to say goodbye to Kurt for him, and they do a barbershop version of TroubleTroubleTroubleTrouble, and Kurt shows his appreciation by giving one of them the Angle Slam.
We go to the broadcast booth in Nashville where Josh is joined by Pope! They go over tonight’s card, and then they throw us to the ring for our first match…
Bobby Lashley vs. Eric Young
Eric Young takes his time coming down to the ring and engaging Lashley, but Lashley jump starts the match by going after him on the floor and laying a beating on him, then continuing to do so inside the ring. Lashley gets a 2 count off a delayed vertical suplex, but gets backdropped to the apron and dropkicked to the floor. Young brings Lashley inside and reverts to old school heel fighting tactics, choking him on the ropes and raking his eyes with his boot laces. Young gets a neck vice, but Lashley escapes and starts the power based offense, getting 2 off a spinebuster and then popping Young up for the powerslam. Young goes to the eyes to escape and hits a flying forearm. Young goes for the piledriver, but Sgt. Chris Melendez comes out of the back to distract Young, allowing Lashley to backdrop and then spear Young for the win.
Winner: Bobby Lashley
Melendez comes tearing down to the ring to get at Young, but Lashley holds him back as Young heads for the hills.
Spud is backstage and says he spent 14 years to win the X Division Title, and it’s a big decision as to whether he’s going to cash it in for a shot at the World Title. The Mystery Cameraman asks him what he’s going to do and Spud says he doesn’t know.
We look back at last week when Taryn Terrell defeated Gail Kim in the cage and then the Dollhouse destroyed Gail while Kong was forced to watch from the floor. We go to the Dollhouse’s bedroom where they share a laugh over what they did, and says she’s going to put the X in Destination X next week.
Chris Melendez is backstage saying that he can’t believe Eric Young looked surprised that he came out, because if he knew who he was and what he’s been through, he’d know exactly what he’s dealing with.
Austin Aries stops in to tell Spud he knows what he’s going through because he was there, and he knows what a tough decision it is. Aries says sometimes he regrets creating Option C because the grass isn’t always greener on the other side as the World Champion, and he’s not trying to manipulate Spud because he’s already got his World Title shot in the bank, but he just wants to give Spud something to chew on.
Jade vs. Brooke Tessmacher
Brooke quickly takes Jade down and gets a jackknife rollup for 2, but Jade shoves her off on a monkey flip attempt and hits a shotgun dropkick that sends Brooke to the floor. Marti gets a cheap shot and rolls Brooke back into the ring where Jade covers for 2. Jade hammers Brooke with Kawada kicks and then tosses Brooke back and forth across the ring by the hair. Brooke gets a quick schoolgirl rollup for 2 but Jade quickly boots her in the face and then hits a running Yakuza kick in the corner. Cross corner whip and Jade runs into Brooke’s boot, then Brooke comes off the second rope with a clothesline. Jade hits a hard kick to the chest for 2, but misses a Lionsault and Brooke hits an X Factor. She makes a cover, but is too close to the ropes and Marti puts Jade’s foot on the bottom rope. Brooke drags Marti up to the apron, dodges a charging kick from Jade, and puts Jade away for 3.
Winner: Brooke Tessmacher
Jeremy Borash says there are times he doesn’t feel comfortable doing his job, and this is one of them because he’s here with EC3 to ask him for his thoughts on Spud’s decision. EC3 talks about how Spud definitely deserves to be a champion, but his shoulders were made to carry this company. Tyrus steps in to interrupt the interview and hands EC3 a cell phone, and EC3 steps away to take the call.
Rebel comes up to Brooke backstage to congratulate her on her win tonight, and Brooke says she’s going to go get showered and then they’re headed out on the town. Brooke leaves, and within seconds Jade and Marti come in and proceed to beat the crap out of Rebel and leave a jawbreaker in her mouth as they leave.
MVP, Low Ki, and Kenny King vs. Drew Galloway, Micah, and Eli Drake in a 6-man tag team match
Drake and MVP start us off trading right hands in the middle of the ring, Drake gets a good run at MVP but King sucker punches Drake from the apron and allows MVP to trap Drake in their half of the ring. Drake takes a prolonged beating before finally making the hot tag to Galloway, who comes in and tears into Low Ki. Everyone winds up fighting in the ring until it comes back down to Galloway and Ki. Galloway goes for a superplex, but MVP nails him from behind and knocks him into the Tree of Woe. Low Ki goes for the Warriors’ Way, but Galloway sits up, suplexes Ki, then Micah picks Ki up on his shoulders so Galloway can hit the Doomsday Device for the win.
Winners: The Rising
Match was okay, but didn’t really get the time to be more than another chapter in what’s turning into an endless feud.
Spud is backstage, and he’s…PACING! EC3 is also backstage and he tells the Mystery Cameraman that he just had a conversation that will change Spud’s life forever, and I guess we’ll find out what that’s about later on tonight.
We look back at last week when James Storm got Mickie to agree to go to Nashville to see people about her music career, then we go to Nashville where Mickie shows up at what’s presumably some kind of music office. She’s on the phone with Magnus and tells him to give their son a kiss for her, then she walks into the office and…nobody’s there. She’s trying to figure out what happens when…JAMES STORM WALKS IN AND SAYS HI.
Spud comes out to the ring where Jeremy Borash asks him whether he’ll continue to defend the X Division Title, or relinquish it for a shot at the TNA World Title. Spud wants to wait until later, but Borash says he needs to make the decision now as to whether he’s going to face…THIS MAN! Kurt Angle comes out to the ring and says he likes Spud, so before he cashes in the title, he wants him to understand fully what he’ll be facing.
He’s Kurt Angle, the only Olympic gold medalist in this business, he has spent 20 years setting the standard in this business, he’s a 13 time World Champion and he trains harder for this than the other 12 combined, and there’s no chance in hell that he’s losing the title anytime soon. Borash again asks Spud for his decision, but before he can answer, EC3 and Tyrus come out and EC# says that Spud should be proud of his accomplishments, but now he’s swimming with sharks. EC3 is the man who told Spud he could be a champion, but Angle is the greatest wrestler to ever live…at least until EC3 came along.
He just got off the phone with Dixie and he’s prepared to offer Spud a lifetime contract as the Chief of Staff, and all Spud has to do is not elect to do Option C. Spud says he loved to be the Chief of Staff and he would have done anything for Dixie, and he would have done anything for Ethan, but then EC# fired him and slapped him in the face, bloodied his forehead, and shaved him bald. EC3 is an entitled one percenter and he never had to work for anything, but Spud had to work for 14 years and spend all that time being told he can’t do it, and all EC3 used to do was laugh at people like him. For everything EC3 says, he is nothing but a self-entitled prick, so he can take his job and his big nose and his Aunt Dee and shove them straight up his ass because this might be a one in a million shot, but he’s cashing in the title and he’ll face Kurt Angle for the World Title next week. Spud shakes Angle’s hand, but EC3 cheapshots Spud from behind and flees the ring. Angle says that if EC3 wants to fight tonight, he and Tyrus can face him and Spud next week.
Austin Aries is backstage telling Bobby Roode that they’re 0-2 because they’re playing the Wolves’ game. Roode asks what that means, and Aries asks what they do better than anyone. Roode says wrestle, and Aries says no, they do whatever it takes to win. Roode says it isn’t like that anymore, but Aries says it has to be or they’re going home tonight. Aries hands him a t-shirt and tells Roode to put it on and he’ll see him in the ring.
We go back to Nashville where James Storm and Mickie James are sitting on a couch and Storm is explaining that he brought her here because Magnus can’t give her what she wants and needs, but he can and he wants Mickie and her son to join him on his journey in the Revolution. Mickie says she can’t do that because it’s Magnus’ son too and she’s engaged to him, and she thought this was something Storm was doing for her as a friend, but if she misread this then she can’t do what Storm is asking. Storm says that’s fine and he’s sorry if he misunderstood, but like he said, he’ll go along with whatever she decides and stand behind her as a friend. He gives her a big ol’ hug with a really mean pissed off look on his face, then starts smiling again as they disengage and says he’ll walk Mickie to her car since there’s a lot of crazies out there.
Tag Team Title Best Of Five Series Match Three: The Wolves vs The Dirty Heels
Aries and Roode were wearing new official Dirty Heels t-shirts to the ring. Basic tagging and out and feeling out stuff to start, things start to pick up a bit just as we go to commercial.
We’re back and the Dirty Heels are in control as they have Davey Richards trapped in their half of the ring and are putting the boots to him. Davey gets away and makes the hot tag, and Eddie Edwards comes in and cleans house, unloading with Kobashi chops on Roode in the corner. Aries comes in and goes to the eyes, but the Wolves dump the Heels to the floor and take them out with stereo dives. The Wolves with one of their patented double teams on Roode for 2, but Aries drags Davey out of the ring and the Heels hit the catapult/slingshot elbow on Eddie for 2. Roode accidentally knocks Aries off the apron, then the Wolves hit the double team Alarm Clock and Chasing The Dragon on Roode, Aries breaks up the cover but is quickly tossed back out to the floor. Wolves both go up top for the double stomp, but Aries is back up and knocks Davey to the floor. Eddie goes for the backpack driver on Roode, but Aries zips in with the IED, sends Eddie into Roode for a spinebuster, and Aries hits the 450 splash, then blocks Davey so Roode can cover…for 2! Aries hits the heat seeking missile to the floor to take Davey pout, then he goes under the ring for a steel chair. He slides it in and Roode looks at it uncertainly, but the referee tells Roode he damn better not use it. Eddie rolls Roode up in the confusion for 2, then Aries distracts the referee while Roode low blows Eddie, nails him with the chair, and covers him for the win.
Winners: Dirty Heels
Now that is what I call living up to your name! Aries comes over and gives Roode a “that’s my guy!” smile, and Roode smiles evilly back at him.
We see security footage of James Storm walking Mickie back to her car, and they pass some train tracks. Storm says he thinks her train is coming and Mickie doesn’t know what he’s talking about, so he bumps her off the platform and off the track. He muses over the long way she just fell, then takes her phone that she dropped, calls “Nick” and tells her that Mickie won’t be home for dinner as we hear a train horn in the background.
Madison Rayne comes out to the ring to bitch about how nobody cares about her and how everybody here makes her sick, and she starts whining about how she spins her wheels in the back while someone like Velvet Sky who was fired just shows up in the crowd and gets right on TV. Right on cue, Velvet comes out to the ring and Madison invites her in and says she knows Velvet is just trying to get her spot back, then reminds her what her spot has always been and slaps her in the face. Velvet responds by laying Madison out with a stunner, but Angelina comes out with her security team, reminds her that she’s fired, and tells her security team to arrest her. Angelina says they can do this the easy way or the hard way, and reminds her that last time it was the hard way. Velvet tries to fight her way free, but the security team takes Velvet down and cuffs her as Angelina says this is what happens to trash like her: they get arrested again, they go to jail again, and Angelina is the star because Velvet doesn’t work here anymore, and people like Angelina are so much better than people like Velvet. Angelina gives Velvet a couple of slaps in the face, then drills her with a hard forearm that floors her. Angelina orders her security team to get her out of here, and once again narrates Velvet’s departure, but now the regular TNA security comes out and arrests Angelina for assaulting a fan. Angelina struggles, but they cuff Angelina and drag her out the back as well. Well that’s an interesting twist!
Taryn Terrell is in the Dollhouse bedroom and says she’s tired of this image everyone thought she should fit, and starting next week, she’s going to show a whole new face for the Knockouts Division.
It’s…MAIN EVENT TIME!
Ethan Carter III and Tyrus vs. TNA world heavyweight champion Kurt Angle and Rockstar Spud
Spud goes right after EC# and stomps him down in the corner, takes a poke at Tyrus, then goes back to unloading on EC3. Carter goes to the throat and rams Spud into the corner, then they take turns exchanging chops. They move on to trading punches until Spud lays EC3 out with a leaping enziguiri, but Spud gets too close to Tyrus and gets his eyes gouged. Tyrus tags in, picks Spud up, and just ragdolls him to the mat. Tyrus tears at Spud’s face and stands on his back, then drops a pair of big elbows on Spud’s back before doing pushups on him. Tyrus delivers a series of backbreakers to Spud, then Carter tags in and hits a Stinger Splash in the corner on Spud. EC3 hits an overhead release suplex, then walks over and stares Angle down but gives Spud too much time to recover and he manages to make the hot tag to Angle. Carter immediately runs across the ring and tags Tyrus in, but Angle dumps Tyrus to the floor and gets Carter in the anklelock. Tyrus is back in to break that up, but charges into Angle’s boot and, after Angle and Spud hit a double team, hits the Angle Slam on Tyrus and Spud quickly scurries over to cover Tyrus for the win.
Winners: Kurt Angle and Rockstar Spud
Short match, and they did a good job building to Spud’s title match next week. Austin Aries comes out to the top of the ramp and tells Spud that he admires his courage and heart, and he questions his decision making, but he decided to cash in his title shot and he’ll get it in Destination X. But just like 2012 when he won the World Title at Destination X, Austin Aries will once again be in the main event when he cashes in his briefcase and faces the winner of Spud vs Kurt Angle, and once again he will be the World Champion. Carter is livid as all this is going on, and I have to say that TNA did one great job setting up next week’s show. Great show this week.
Source: http://www.ringsidenews.com