TNA IMPACT Wrestling
Location: Orlando, FL
Date: June 14, 2016
Impact opens up… well it doesn’t open up. The opening video started to play and then cut to black and was replaced by recurring Pop commercials of their programming for 18 straight minutes. TNA posted on Twitter that it was an “issue with master control” (meaning POP). And then it goes straight to the ring for the first match.
Both Jeff Hardy and Eli Drake make their entrances and then cut right back to the same POP ads over and over, this is seriously horrendous.
After a few minutes of ads it went back to the Impact Zone with Lashley arriving in the arena and then right back to the POP ads. This is seriously one the most embarrassing things I’ve seen.
Cut back to the Impact Zone and Lashley is talking about how anything can happen on live TV. He says that he told everyone weeks ago that he would be the World Champion after Slammiversary and he made good on that promise. He says that he is the most dominant champion in TNA history and he is better than anyone in the company or anywhere else. The video quality is almost unwatchable as it is going in slow motion and stopping and stuttering before going right back to the same POP ads.
32 minutes in and finally Impact is back with EC3 and Drew Galloway talking about Slammiversary backstage… briefly. The ads start right back again cutting Galloway off in mid-sentence.
Pop released a statement on their Twitter taking the blame for the issues and claiming that they would air the entire episode when the issues are corrected. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like this before.
Finally at 9:50 PM (central), a full hour and 50 minutes late, Impact finally starts up with highlights from Slammiversary.
Lashley makes his way down to the ring and he says he will give the fans a few seconds to voice their opinions about him. After a few boos he starts cutting the same promo from earlier that cut out (hopefully we get a little further in it this time). Lashley repeats the line about being better than any wrestler in the world and he says that he destroys every wrestler that the fans love. He says that TNA is advertising tonight as “Gold Rush” but says that every wrestler in the back is “rushing” out the back to get away from him, but then EC3’s music hits and the former World Champ walks down to the ring.
Lashley taunted EC3 about his “cute little music” but EC3 says he didn’t come out to be cute. He says he came out to stand face to face with Lashley and challenge him to a World Title Match tonight! Lashley says that was cute too and he taunts EC3 about his “Ass Kicking Machine” nickname. He says there is nothing real about EC3 and he says that HE is real. Lashley says that as tough as EC3 thinks he is he isn’t even close to being ready for Lashley. Lashley says that EC3 is the last hero standing in TNA and after he beats EC3 there will be no one left. Galloway comes to interrupt this meeting of the minds.
The former champ limps his way down to the ring and Lashley mocks the fans for “cheering losers.” Galloway screams at Lashley to shut up and says that he is still standing and tells EC3 he has to get back in line because he wants his title back. Lashley mocks Galloway for “looking like garbage” and limping around. He says that he takes pleasure in making Galloway look this way. Galloway agrees that he looks and feels like hell because he and Lashley went to war at Slammiversary. He says that Lashley may have beaten him but he sure as hell didn’t break him. Lashley disagrees and he says that Drew can give “BS reasons for why he lost” but the entire world knows the real reason he beat Drew is because Lashley is just simply better. He says that Drew will never beat him but Drew says that “never” is a very strong word and anything can and will happen tonight. Drew says he is invoking his rematch clause TONIGHT!
Backstage Eli Drake, Eddie Edwards, and Decay are all shown pacing and getting ready for their title matches tonight.
A promo from Facebook yesterday is shown with Hardy challenging Drake to defend his title tonight.
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
TNA King of the Mountain Championship
Eli Drake (c) vs. “The Charismatic Enigma” Jeff Hardy
Jeff is coming off of his win over Matt in their brutal Full Metal Mayhem Match while Drake retained his title over Bram at Slammiversary as well. This is Jeff’s first shot at the KOTM Title, I don’t think he ever got a shot at the title when it was the TV, Legends, or Global Title either. Hardy gets Drake in a side headlock but then Drake shoves him into the ropes and lays him out with a shoulder block. Jeff sells it hard as if he is still suffering from the Full Metal Mayhem Match. Drake runs over Jeff again with a shoulder block but then eats a clothesline from Jeff as he bounced off the ropes. Eli rolls to the floor and Jeff nails him with a Slingshot Dropkick through the ropes. Jeff goes for a Flying Dropkick through the ropes but Drake moves out of the way and Jeff lands on his feet. Drake destroys Jeff with a nasty Lariat and tosses Jeff into the guardrail. Drake tries to get a countout win but Jeff rolls into the ring and Eli covers him for a series of nearfalls. Drake puts the boots to Jeff and drops a few elbows as well for another nearfall. Drake goes for a Scoop Slam but Jeff counters into a rollup attempt only for Eli to lay him out with another clothesline for another nearfall. Drake puts Jeff in a chinlock but Jeff fights back to his feet and breaks the hold with kicks and punches. Drake floats over a charging Jeff in the corner and then connects with a Powerslam for yet another nearfall. Drake charges into an elbow from Jeff in the corner and Jeff leaps to the top to attempt a Whisper In The Wind, but Drake takes Jeff’s legs out from under him crotching Jeff on the top rope. Eli climbs up top and attempts a Superplex but Jeff elbows Drake repeatedly knocking him to the mat. Jeff hits a Whisper In The Wind off the top! Drake rolls to the apron and dives off the top with a Springboard Missile Dropkick but Jeff blocks it and follows up with a Spinebuster and a series of leg drops and dropkicks for a nearfall. Jeff hits the ropes but runs right into a Michinoku Driver from Drake! 1…2…NO Jeff kicks out! Drake goes for the Blunt Force Trauma but Jeff counters into the Twist of Fate out of nowhere! Jeff climbs up top and hits the Swanton Bomb! 1…2…NO Matt Hardy runs out and grabs the arm of the referee and starts biting it!
Winner: Jeff Hardy via DQ
Winner and still TNA King of the Mountain Champion: Eli Drake
Jeff dropkicks Matt and then chases him up the ramp.
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
In the back EC3 talks to Drew Galloway and he questions whether it is too soon for Drew to take the rematch tonight. Drew says he and Lashley took things to a new level of physicality at Slammiversary but he knows Lashley’s weakness and he will take advantage of it tonight. EC3 says Drew should push this back a week or two but Drew says that he wasn’t finished with that title and has a lot more to do with it. Drew suggests that he and EC3 would have a title match after Drew wins it back.
Jeff Hardy is still in the ring and he says that he is really beat up after Slammiversary. He says that he killed himself to get through to his brother and end their feud, but Matt is still deranged and out of his mind. Jeff says he wants to end this thing tonight and demands that Matt come out so they can.
Matt starts talking and then appears in the rafters. Matt says that Jeff will never awaken from this nightmare and says where he is standing is the origin of “Broken” Matt Hardy (that is the place that Jeff dove off in their first match). He says the doctors told him he would never wrestle again but he came back stronger, and Jeff had no remorse for how he broke Matt. He says for those sins Jeff must be deleted from TNA. Jeff says he would rather see Matt do a six minute promo in a hotel room gritting his teeth and headbutting windows than see this “bullshit” that he is doing now. Matt says that Jeff won the battle at Slammiversary but the war is hardly over. Jeff says that he isn’t afraid to climb those stairs Matt is on and do what he did the first time. Jeff says that they used chairs, ladders, and tables at Slammiversary but he is going to use his body right now to take out Matt, but he might use one more table too! Jeff grabs a table and sets it up under the stairs Matt is standing on. Matt tells Jeff to put down the table and fight him like a man with honor unless he is afraid. Jeff meets Matt on the stairs and they begin brawling. Reby Sky appears on the stairs and sprays a fire extinguisher in Jeff’s face. Matt looks down the stairs and then screams at Jeff, “now you end!” Matt throws Jeff down the stairs sending Jeff crashing into a table at the bottom of the stairs.
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
Backstage Matt Hardy says that writing Jeff’s “Book of Revelations” tonight was almost orgasmic and next week he will erase Jeff’s existence forever inside Six Sides of Steel!
TNA X-Division Championship
Eddie Edwards (c) vs. “The Carolina Caveman” Trevor Lee w/ Shane Helms
Eddie defeated Lee at Slammiversary in the Fatal 4-Way also involving Andrew Everett and Zema Ion. Helms was banned from ringside in that match and he argues with Eddie as Eddie comes to the ring allowing Lee to hit a nasty Punt Kick from the apron. Lee rolls Eddie into the ring and hits a wicked Bridging German Suplex for a quick nearfall! Lee rakes the face of Eddie and whips him into the corner hard. Trevor covers Eddie again for another nearfall before putting him in a chinlock. Eddie fights back to his feet and breaks the hold with a headbutt. Eddie hits the ropes but eats a Superman Forearm from Lee for another nearfall. Lee tosses Eddie clear across the ring with a Hip Toss and follows up with a blatant choke in the corner. Lee whips Eddie into the corner and then charges into a boot from Eddie. Eddie hits a Back Elbow and then a big Lariat! Eddie follows up with a Running Forearm and then an Atomic Drop. Eddie sends Lee into the corner and then charges into a boot from Lee. Lee climbs up top but eats a Leaping Enziguri from Eddie! Eddie goes for the Chin Checker but Lee counters into a German Suplex attempt. Eddie blocks it with a series of elbows and then goes to the apron for a springboard move, but Helms grabs the boot of Eddie to stop him. Eddie kicks Helms into the guardrail and then walks into a huge Running High Knee from Lee! Lee goes for the Fisherman Buster but Eddie counters into a cradle for a nearfall. Lee gets back up and hits the ropes but as he bounces off Eddie sidesteps him and hits a Tope Suicida through the ropes onto Helms on the floor! Lee goes for the Punt Kick from the apron again but Eddie catches his leg and sweeps it causing Lee to crash face first into the apron. Lee rolls back into the ring and Eddie dives off the top with a Missile Dropkick! Lee sidesteps Eddie but then runs into the Boston Knee Party (Shining Wizard) for the pin!
Winner & STILL TNA X-Division Champion: Eddie Edwards via pinfall (Boston Knee Party)
Backstage Robbie is trying to figure out how Raquel is so flexible and Jessie makes a blatant plug for Big Brother coming to POP. Robbie says that he is taking a page out of Big Brother’s book and shows several camera views of the Impact Zone like they do on the show. They peak in on Raquel getting undressed in her dressing room and they say they are going to use that somehow to win the Tag Titles tonight.
Lashley approaches EC3 backstage and says that EC3 tried to weasel his way into the title match tonight and then he tried to get in Drew’s head earlier by putting some doubt in his head. He says he knows the game that EC3 is playing but EC3 says he doesn’t care who the champion is he is coming for that title. Lashley says he likes EC3’s confidence but he is the champ and is the master at these mind games. He tells EC3 to sit by a monitor and watch his match tonight because he is going to do the same thing to EC3 that he does to Drew. As Lashley walks away EC3 says, “Champ… I’m coming.”
2016 TNA Hall of Fame Announcement
Dixie Carter walks out and announces that the next entrant into the TNA Hall of Fame is Gail Kim. That is beyond well-deserved there. She says that Gail came to TNA for an opportunity and found a family instead. She says that her passion is unmatched just like her talent and that she redefined the way that people look at women’s wrestling. Gail seems to be moved by the announcement but also seems like she was expecting it as she is wearing a nice dress while the rest of the roster was all wearing their ring gear standing on the stage.
A video package highlights Gail’s TNA career and calls her the greatest women’s wrestler of a generation. That would be pretty hard to argue against in my opinion. At a time when women’s wrestling was nothing more than bra and panty matches and T&A (no pun intended) she was always all about the in-ring action taking things to a level that we hadn’t seen in a long, long time in terms of women’s wrestling in America. A nice “thank you Gail” chant breaks out and Dixie says that there is no one more deserving of this honor because she helped create the greatest female wrestling division in the world and Gail will go down as one of the greatest women’s wrestlers in the world. She says that she will be inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame at BFG this fall.
Gail thanks the fans and she says that she is humbled and appreciative of TNA for giving her the platform to do what she does best in the ring. She says she got into the business because she loves wrestling and she is fortunate to be in it for 16 years, and it is because of TNA that she is been here this long. She thanks TNA, Dixie, the fans, and all of the girls she has ever shared the ring with. Gail hugs Dixie and waves to the crowd.
Decay cut a promo backstage and they say their victory tonight will be beautiful. Rosemary says that she feels the presence of someone that is so dark that their soul calls to them. She says that they will contact the one that needs to…DECAY…DECAY…DECAY!
JB is with Marti Belle backstage as footage of her turning on Jade at Slammiversary is shown. Marti says she doesn’t want to talk about The Dollhouse because it is the past. She says that The Dollhouse started with she and Jade despite all the leaders and other members that came in and out, and Jade threw away their friendship for a title. She says that when they signed to TNA together they promised to never leave each other’s side, but when Jade got that title shot the title became her new best friend. She says that she is leaving Jade’s ass behind but then Jade comes up and starts talking shit to her. Jade says that Marti is messing with the wrong one and decks her with a forearm. Jade kicks her ass until Simon Diamond pulls her away.
TNA World Tag Team Championships
Decay (c) w/ Rosemary vs. The Tribunal w/ Al Snow vs. Mahabali Shera & Grado vs. The BroMans w/ Raquel
Decay defeated BroMans in a great match at Slammiversary while The Tribunal defeated Shera & Grado in a horrible one. Dax and Shera will start this match off. They lockup and Dax rolls Shera up quickly for an early nearfall. Another lockup leads to a wristlock from Dax but Shera reverses the hold into one of his own. Dax punches Shera but then runs into a series of clotheslines from Shera. Shera hits a Scoop Slam for a nearfall and then puts Dax in a wristlock before tagging in Grado. Shera and Grado whip Dax in the ropes and connect with a Double Clothesline followed by a Double Elbow Drop for a nearfall. Robbie tags into the match and nails Grado with a knee to the gut only to eat a series of jabs. Grado misses an Atomic Elbow and then starts exchanging chops with Robbie. Steve blind tags Grado but then Robbie snatches Steve into the ring with a Snapmare. Robbie goes for a Running Leg Lariat in the corner but Steve moves and then eats a Splash from Abyss out of nowhere! Baraka tags Steve and covers Robbie for a nearfall before Steve kicked him in the back. Baraka hits a Scoop Slam for another nearfall. Dax tags back in and hits a Slam of his own for another nearfall. Baraka tags in and hits yet another Scoop Slam for yet another nearfall. Dax comes right back in and again hits a Scoop Slam for a nearfall. The Tribunal put the boots to Robbie in the heel corner and Baraka gets a series of nearfalls on Robbie. Baraka puts Robbie in a chinlock but Robbie fights to his feet and breaks the hold with a Jawbreaker. Robbie hits the Boom Drop! Steve tags Baraka and Jessie tags in as well. Jessie hits a series of elbows followed by a Power Slam on Steve and then Press Slams a charging Baraka into his own partner! Jessie lifts Steve up to the top and hits that beautiful Leaping Rana! Abyss lays Jessie out from behind and tosses him over the top. Jessie lands on the apron and hits a Springboard Flying Forearm on Abyss! Jessie whips Steve into the corner and charges right into an elbow from Steve. Steve dives off the top but Jessie catches him in midair and BroMans hit the Bro Down! Robbie dives over the top on the Tribunal as Jessie puts Steve in the Adonis Crab! Abyss hits the Chokeslam on Jessie but then eats a Flying Clotehsline off the top from Shera! Baraka pulls Shera to the floor and they brawl around while Grado hits the Atomic Elbow on Steve in the ring! Grado climbs up top while Rosemary distracts the referee. Snow shoves Grado off the top and Abyss Chokeslams Steve into a Senton on Grado for the pin!
Winners & STILL TNA Tag Team Champions: The Decay via pinfall (Chokeslam/Senton)
Maria screams at Allie backstage to leave her alone and she freaks out about Gail Kim being inducted into the Hall of Fame. She says that TNA does not appreciate them and Bennett agrees saying that he has already packed their bags and they will just leave. Maria says she has a better idea and they will get everything they want.
We cut to a pissed off Jeff Hardy backstage. Jeff says Matt can have his Cage Match next week and he will end this thing in that cage.
Bennett and Maria come down to the ring looking none too pleased. Bennett says that the people just don’t get it and they don’t understand no matter how much he does for TNA. He says that TNA was in desperate need of a hero and he was that hero. Bennett says that no matter what he gave to the fans or to TNA he was never appreciated. He says that everywhere he has ever been he is a damn superstar.
Maria says that “The Miracle” didn’t start six months ago because Bennett was destined to become a superstar the first time he stepped in a ring 15 years ago. She said that she has always been destined to be the First Lady of Wrestling and they came to save TNA. She says that it was a conspiracy to stop them at Slammiversary and TNA Management doesn’t want to see them succeed. Bennett says he wants TNA Management to come out and expunge his loss at Slammiversary so he can go back to being the hero that this company needs.
Billy Corgan comes out and he says that he loves them and thinks they are the future of TNA, but they aren’t doing business like this. He says that if they want to air their grievances they do it in private and they can set up a meeting anytime they want. Bennett says he doesn’t do meetings and this ring is his boardroom. Maria says she understands that Dixie sent Billy out here to do her dirty work and if she has a problem she can come out and handle it herself.
Dixie comes to the ring and says she isn’t here to kiss Dixie’s butt and she taunts Dixie a bit. Dixie tells Maria to shutup and says that she is wasting precious moments when there should be wrestling on TV. She says they brought Maria in to TNA to wrestle but Maria has yet to have a singles match at all in TNA and the people are tired of hearing Maria talk. Dixie says that if Maria has a problem she needs to set up a meeting and stop wasting time. Maria says that Dixie needs to stop pointing fingers and accept that she is the problem. She says that she could run TNA much better than Dixie and teases that Billy Corgan agrees with her that Dixie is the problem. Maria says that they should have been inducted into the Hall of Fame instead of Gail but Dixie actually laughs at that notion and calls Maria delusional.
Dixie says that Maria shouldn’t be in any position of power and she shouldn’t be running the Knockouts anymore. Maria says that Dixie is irrational and is afraid of her. She says that she is a whole lot more than a wrestler and that she has done more in this business than Dixie ever will because she is a self-made woman and she is the First Lady of Pro Wrestling while Dixie will never be better than second best. Maria gets in Dixie’s face and Dixie bitch slaps her. Billy laughs while Maria looks shocked.
EC3 will sit ringside as a guest commentator for the Main Event.
Main Event
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
“The Destroyer” Lashley (c) vs. “The Chosen One” Drew Galloway
Lashley lays Drew out as he went for a Claymore as the match started. Lashley whips away Drew’s rib tape and whips him into the corner. Lashley goes for a Torture Rack but Drew breaks it up with a series of knees. Drew charges at Lashley but Lashley leapfrogs him only for Drew to stop and German Suplex Lashley into the turnbuckles! Drew tosses Lashley to the floor but as they brawl on the floor Lashley takes advantage and Sidewalk Slams Drew on the ring apron! Lashley rolls back in the ring and tells the referee to count Drew out. Drew gets back up on the apron and goes for a Slingshot Sunset Flip as Lashley approached him but Lashley blocks it and puts the boots to Drew. Lashley hits a Dominator and then tosses Drew to the floor. Lashley gets in EC3’s face at the announce table but pays for it as Drew lays into him with a series of chops. Drew attempts to whip Lashley into the ring post but Lashley reverses it. Lashley rolls Drew back in the ring and hits a Delayed Vertical Suplex. Drew rips off the rest of the tape around Drew’s ribs and then goes for a Spear but Drew counters it into a Kimura! Lashley was too close to the ropes and managed to grab them to break the hold. Lashley takes over again as he pulls Drew into the turnbuckles face first. Lashley goes for another Suplex but Drew counters into a Neckbreaker! Drew hits a Running Forearm Smash in the corner and then dives off the top with a Flying Clothesline, but Lashley counters him in midair with a Crossface! Drew fights up to his feet and turns the hold into a Tombstone attempt, but Lashley counters into a Heel Hook. Drew quickly escapes it and Lashley goes right back for the Heel Hook only to eat a Snap Piledriver out of nowhere! 1…2…NO Lashley kicks out! Drew lifts Lashley up to the top rope and climbs up with Lashley and hits a Super Celtic Cross! 1…2…NO Lashley kicks out again! Drew goes for the Claymore but Lashley sidesteps him and then Drew quickly goes for it again and again Lashley sidesteps him causing Drew to take out the referee! Lashley Spears Drew but there is no referee! Lashley picks Drew up hits a second Spear! Lashley grabs a chair but EC3 takes the chair from Lashley and gets in his face. Lashley swings at EC3 but he ducks and clotheslines Lsahley! Lashley fights back and tosses EC3 to the floor. EC3 grabs the chair and swings it at Lashley but Lashley moves and EC3 nails Galloway! Lashley Spears the hell out of EC3 as another referee runs out. Lashley puts Galloway in the Arm Triangle and the referee calls for the bell as it seems Galloway is out cold.
Winner & STILL TNA World Heavyweight Champion: Lashley via KO (Arm Triangle)
QUICK RESULTS
1) TNA KOTM Title: Jeff Hardy def. Eli Drake (c) via DQ
2) TNA X-Division Title: Eddie Edwards def. Trevor Lee (c) to retain the title!
3) TNA Tag Team Titles: Decay (c) def. Mahabali Shera & Grado, The Tribunal, & The BroMans to retain the titles!
4) TNA World Title: Lashley (c) def. Drew Galloway to retain the title!
Scheduled for Next Week:
-Six Sides of Steel Cage Match: Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy
Source: Josh Boutwell of Wrestleview.com