Impact
Wrestling
Date: March 13, 2014
Location: Impact Zone,
Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Mike
Tenay, Taz
Reviewed by Tommy Hall
For the first time
since October we're coming off a pay per view and MVP is now in full
control. His team won Lethal Lockdown with the help of Bully Ray
swerving Dixie Carter by screwing over Team Roode this past Sunday.
Other than that Abyss has been revealed as Magnus' bodyguard/enforcer
after saving the title when Samoa Joe had Magnus beaten. Tonight
should be a fresh start for the company as we head towards Sacrifice
at the end of next month. Let's get to it.
The show is dedicated
to Donovan Hill, who passed away at less than ten years old. I'm not
sure who that is but he's called “Our Angel.”
The Bro Mans and Ethan
blame Roode for the loss but Roode says blame it on Bully Ray. A
plot is hatched to take care of the Bully.
We look at some clips
from Lockdown, focusing on the ends of the double main event.
Here's a happy MVP to
open the show. He's pleased to tell us that Dixieland is officially
closed for business. Just a week ago he was the minority owner but
now he's in charge and moving forward. He doesn't know why Bully Ray
did what he did but his past sins are now forgiven and he can compete
like everyone else on the roster. MVP will be running this roster
with the MVP Principle: Motivate, Validate, Participate. If someone
has an issue, they can come deal with it, but he's willing to give
out some physical discipline if necessary.
This brings out Magnus
with a rebuttal. He says this is the most ridiculous thing he's ever
seen. MVP: “More ridiculous than your title run?” Magnus talks
about how Dixie is gone so now we can look at the important things
like his title reign. He brings out his associate Abyss (in a new
brown mask close to what Kane wore in 2002 and yellow/black trench
coat) and agrees with the fans chanting YOU SOLD OUT. Magnus says he
isn't like Jim Mitchell or Eric Young because he's going to pay Abyss
to do whatever he wants.
MVP says Magnus was
beaten at Lockdown until Abyss saved him. We should put this
conversation on hold though, because we need Samoa Joe out here right
now. Joe comes out holding his ribs but MVP says we're not done yet.
Therefore, Joe is still #1 contender and getting a match right now
against Abyss.
Abyss
vs. Samoa Joe
Joe takes him down and
hammers away as we take a quick break. Back with Joe in control and
hammering Abyss from one corner to another. He hits the Facewash in
the corner but gets caught by a right hand to the injured ribs to
change control. Abyss chokes on the ropes and punches in the corner
like a monster should be doing.
We hit a quick neck
crank but Joe fights out of a chokeslam attempt. A running boot puts
Abyss down and there's the back splash but Joe hurts his ribs again.
He's able to powerslam the monster down but Abyss fights out of a
MuscleBuster attempt. Joe jumps from the middle rope into a
chokeslam so Abyss goes outside to get Janice. This brings in Eric
Young to dropkick Abyss down for the DQ at 9:30.
Rating:
C-. The match wasn't bad but
too much of it was in the commercial. It didn't help that Joe was
injured for such a long portion. Eric coming in makes sense but it
doesn't really have me fired up for the upcoming blowoff match. They
had to get rid of Abyss vs. Joe somehow if they're keeping Joe going
after the title.
JB
is in the back for an interview when Angelina Love returns and asks
if he missed her.
Bully Ray is on his way
but we cut over to Willow for one of his freaky promos that I can't
understand.
Brittany
vs. Gail Kim
Brittany is debuting
here despite being Santana Garrett on a One Night Only show. We get
a quick profile on her, saying she's a second generation wrestler and
admires Madison Rayne. Gail goes off on Brittany but the newcomer
comes back with a forearm. Kim takes her down with a quick
backbreaker and sends her into the corner for some kicks and
shoulders to the ribs. Brittany takes her down with a Russian
legsweep and Tapa comes in. She accidentally splashes Gail though
and Brittany grabs a rollup for the pin at 2:02.
Post match Gail goes
off on Tapa but gets laid out and beaten up with ease.
Bully Ray arrives and
gets jumped by Ethan, the Bro Mans and Roode. They choke him out and
blast Ray in the head with a big board to leave him laying.
Bro
Mans vs. Sanada/Tigre Uno
Non-title. Zema does
the full intro to great comedic effect. We get a video of Great Muta
praising Sanada and telling him to make Japan look great. Sanada
gets slammed down by Jesse to start and there's that horn. Off to
Tigre who works on Robbie's arm to the appeal of the crowd. Jesse
gorilla presses the masked Tigre and pumps him over and over, only to
have Sanada come in with a springboard chop to the head.
A nice double dropkick
puts Robbie down and Jesse gets suplexed onto his partner. The tag
champs bail to the floor and Sanada backdrops Uno onto them both in a
BIG crash. Back in and double missile dropkicks put the Bro Mans
down again before Sanada hits a moonsault for the pin on Robbie at
2:50.
Velvet Sky freaks out
that Angelina Love is back.
Bully destroys the Bro
Mans to get some revenge.
Samuel Shaw is talking
to Christy and wants her out there for his rematch with Anderson. He
gets annoyed when the cameraman sees him. Christy was never seen or
heard in the shot.
Ethan and Spud have a
tribute to Dixie up next.
Samoa Joe goes to yell
at Eric Young for interfering earlier but says don't do it again.
Eric has gotten Joe a rematch next week against Magnus for the title
and Eric will be chained to Abyss.
It's time for the
tribute to Dixie. The fans are glad that she's gone but Spud is
overly emotional. The fans switch to a BORING chant, but Ethan says
that just makes Spud want to cry more. Spud talks about how tonight
is about how Dixie made everyone feel, including supple young Ethan.
Dixie picked him up like Mary lifting Jesus out of the manger and
made him the man he is today.
We get a video tribute
to Dixie with shots of her smiling and yelling at various people.
Then one night it was all taken away in Miami Beach. MVP can take
away her power, but he'll never take her out of our hearts. Spud
reads what sounds like the song Dixie until MVP breaks this up. He
says Dixie is just in the back shuffling papers now. Over the last
few weeks, Spud has grown on him like a fungus or a rash.
Spud and Ethan must be
loyal if they put up with Dixie but now it's time for them to back it
up in the ring. Spud says he can't wrestle because he's small and
the Chief of Staff. MVP says that's cool because we don't need a
Chief of Staff anymore. He gives Spud a pep talk and Spud wants to
fight, so tonight it's Spud vs. Willow. The announcers just say it's
Jeff Hardy's alter ego.
Ethan shouldn't laugh
because next week he gets to face Bobby Lashley. Bobby comes out for
a staredown and MVP says he's officially on the roster. Spud yells
at Bobby so Lashley bops him with the Dixie portrait. The former
Chief of Staff snuggles up to it before Ethan leaves in a huff.
JB is waiting for Ethan
behind the curtain and Ethan promises to take out Lashley's knee next
week. Bully Ray jumps him and hits a HARD shot to the head. Ethan
takes a hard shot with a plastic board of his own.
Samuel
Shaw vs. Mr. Anderson
Street fight. Shaw was
talking to the upper body of a mannequin with a red wig. Anderson
does his intro but Shaw sneaks up in the darkness to jump him before
the bell. Anderson comes back with some right hands and but gets
whipped into the steps. Samuel drives him back first into the apron
and grabs a suplex on the floor.
Anderson finally throws
him into the ring and they slug it out some more until Anderson gets
the swinging neckbreaker and rolling fireman's carry. Mr. goes to
the corner and grabs the mannequin's hair, sending Shaw into a panic.
He gives it a kiss and tosses it to Shaw who takes his time sitting
it down, allowing the Mic Check to hit for the pin at 3:57.
Rating:
D. Why in the world did this
need to be a street fight? You could have done the exact same match
with a brawl before the bell and thent he exact same finish. Shaw
continues to be freaky and good in the role which is more than he
could have done on his own. It was fine for a quick match but the
gimmick brings it down.
Anderson shouts his
name into the mannequin's face.
Angelina says she's
back for someone special.
Video on the fan
parties at house shows.
Willow stares at the
camera.
Kenny King of the Night
video.
Here's Angelina for her
return speech. She never thought she would hear that music again but
it's great to be back in TNA. She has grown wiser in the time since
she left. Her dad told her that she'll never miss what she has until
it's gone and that's what happened with TNA. Friendships are more
important though so she invites Velvet out here. They hug hello and
Angelina says she never got to say goodbye.
Being apart for the
last few years has made Angelina realize that Velvet made her who she
is in this business. For years, Angel Williams (her ring name
outside of TNA) wasn't getting noticed but as Angelina Love she
teamed with Velvet Sky and got noticed. Now every day she's asked
when the Beautiful People are getting back together and Angelina
thinks the time is now.
The fans chant YES but
Velvet isn't sure because she's found herself since Angelina has been
gone. She even won the Knockouts Title for the first time and now
she thinks she's ready to move on. There will never be a bond as
strong as the Beautiful People had and she wants to move forward.
Angelina calls her dude and says there's a ton of unfinished business
for the Beautiful People. Love tries one more time but Velvet says
she needs more time.
Willow
vs. Rockstar Spud
We're in early squash
mode with Willow hammering away in the corner. A cartwheel splash
has Sput in even more trouble and Willow dances a bit. Spud gets
caught in the Tree of Woe and Willow gets his umbrella to blast Spud
low for the DQ at 2:26.
Willow
beats up the referee and pulls out a ladder before Pillmanizing
Spud's leg as revenge for costing Hardy the title. He stomps on it
twice and hits a splash from the top of the ladder onto Spud's chest,
hurting the leg again in the process. Bully Ray comes out as we
take a break.
Ray
says he can't believe the fans are cheering for him. They say right
before you die, your life flashes before your eyes. That happened to
him when Anderson Mic Checked him into the coffin. He was going to
give an explanation for what happened, but those four guys made this
physical. If Roode had won on Sunday, he would have become just
another Dixie Carter and that's the last thing wrestling needs.
Ray
wants Roode out here right now so here's Bobby. He hits the ring and
is immediately taken down so Bully can go get the tables. It takes
too long though and Roode comes back with a spinebuster before
setting up the table. The Roode Bomb is countered and Ray grabs a
Cutter. A powerbomb through the table ends the show.
Overall
Rating: B.
Another good show here with stories making sense and good wrestling
to back it up. Ray turning face makes sense and he's still a good
talker so he can back it up. Dixie is hopefully gone and Spud should
be off TV as well. That
being said, they rushed through the Ray story WAY too fast. Ray
getting attacked and getting revenge could be spread out for a month
but they did it in two hours. There's
hope for TNA, but I don't believe they can make it last longer than
two months.
Results
Abyss b. Samoa Joe via
DQ when Eric Young interfered
Brittany b. Gail Kim –
Rollup
Sanada/Tigre Uno b. Bro
Mans – Moonsault to Robbie
Mr. Anderson b. Samuel
Shaw – Mic Check
Rockstar Spud b. Willow
via DQ when Willow hit Spud with an umbrella
Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with wrestling books for under $4 at:
http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6
Ok, now the Spud attack made more sense. Just felt like senseless overkill.
ReplyDelete2 things that I've enjoyed about TNA recently. The "owner" finally got her's and has to be off TV for a while (because Dixie is terribly annoying) and I like that they are going with younger guys. Shaw has the potential to be a stud.
ReplyDeleteOnce he loses the gimmick.
ReplyDeleteRockstar Spud plays his part with such unhinged gusto that I find it hard to hate him. I'd rather see manic overselling than plastic line-reading, so he stands out in a sea of commonality for both companies.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised by such a positive rating here. The prowrestling.net guy tore this show a new asshole.
ReplyDeleteYou say good but I'm reading multiple face MVP promos and Bobby Lashley.
ReplyDeleteSeriously Lashley? I can sort of get trying to recapture the NWO or ECW, but Lashley is the epitome of a half finished CAW.
Like Rockstar?
ReplyDeleteBobby Lashley and Jeff Hardy must have been brought back just to make sure their product would be as unappealing as possible. Him calling himself Willow makes me want him to fall in an open well
ReplyDeleteMVP as a face has been okay, and WAY better than Dixie in any role.
ReplyDeleteBrittany needs a last name, but other than that it wasn't actively offensive. Stupid at times, yes (looking straight at you, Willow), but even that struggles to get to a C+ on the "Retarded Ideas List"
ReplyDeleteAs long as Rockstar gets treated like a jobber I'm okay with it. Not sure about Magnus yet though, but I do like they are running with him as champ.
ReplyDeleteMan when did Velvet Sky get horrifying face surgery? It was never the (boobs) best (boobs) part(s) of her but it was never as scary as last night.
ReplyDeleteSpud has been awesome as a lacky.
ReplyDeleteMVP is so much smoother and more polished performer than just about anyone in TNA and it shows.
ReplyDeleteCo-sign. I think he may have found his niche as a manager instead of a wrestler.
ReplyDelete