Credit: Sharon Glencross
We get a recap video of Dixie’s return last week.
The roster is outside of the ring. And Dixie is out and once again apologizes profusely for her heel antics last year. She says breaking her back gave her a new found respect for the wrestling industry and its performers and fans. She says she’ll try not to let people down again and she truly means that. She says the future is bright for TNA and to ensure things are kept in line she introduces “The Law”…Bully Ray!
Bully comes out and shakes everyone’s hands. He is sporting a new look, presumably as part of his new authority figure role. Bully says Dixie called him to apologize and he believes she is being genuine. Bully does seem quite believable in the role, in fairness. Bully says TNA has the best roster in the world. Bully says he doesn’t want the roster outside the ring, he wants them in it. How about time for a battle royal? The fans applaud. Bully says it’s time to take TNA to the promised land and vows to do business with Dixie without kissing her butt. He says the winner of tonight’s battle royal will be No.1 contender for Ethan Carter’s belt. Good segment that served its purpose but just how many times have we heard someone vow to bring this company to “the promised land.” It simply doesn’t mean anything anymore.
20 Man Battle Royal
Wow, a lot of these people in this have already left the company since it was taped weeks and weeks ago. It’s more than a little depressing. Norv Fermun is out first. Manik and Crazy Steve and Shark Boy follow. Drew Galloway throws out Storm. Magnus is gone. Mandrews is thrown out by Khoya. Abyss and Chris Melendez are out too. We come back from the break to find out Robbie E., Jessie, Mica, Khoya. Kenny King and Bram are gone. Final three were Eric Young, MVP and Drew Galloway. Eric Young throws out MVP and goes at it with Galloway. Galloway wins when he boots out Young with a high kick and he’s your new No. 1 contender.
Winner: Galloway
It’s announced that new next TNA inductee into its Hall of Fame will be revealed next week.
Mike Tenay is talking with Ken Anderson about his loss to Bram last week. Anderson hints that he has a darkside like Bram too. He also teases retirement. Then we see Bully Ray give Spud a talk and a hug backstage. He gives him a match tonight.
We see Eli Drake wishing Drew Galloway luck for his title match tonight.
TNA tease Tigre Uno doing a promo on presidential candidate Donald Trump on next week’s Impact. Just a hunch but I don’t think Trump watches TNA.
Zema Ion vs. Spud vs Grado vs Tigre Uno for the X division title
Uno retrained with the phoenix splash over Grado in a decent enough match. A lot of this bout was focused on Spud and Grado’s comedic interactions and hyping up Tigre vs. Trump for next week so it was difficult to take seriously. But Uno and DJZ obviously tried their hardest.
Winner and still X Division champion: Tigre Uno
The announcers hype up Taryn Terrell’s title defense next. We get Taryn insulting Brooke in a video promo, as well as clips of Gail’s return several weeks ago.
Taryn Terrell vs. Brooke Adams for the KO Title
Marti and Jade try to get in some cheap shots before the match has even begun. Taryn hits a cutter on Brooke was only gets a two. Brooke fights back and manages to get a two count with the legsweep. The crowd are really behind Brooke here. Brooke tries to go up top when Marti and Jade try and distract her once again. Taryn capitalizes and smashes Brooke’s face on the apron and laughs and mocks her. Taryn goes the dropkick but misses and Brooke counters with a spear. Gail Kim shows up out of nowhere and takes out Marti and Jade, evening the odds for Adams. Brooke gets the win with the butterface maker to become the new KO champion.
Winner: Brooke Adams
Kurt Angle and Bully Ray chat in a backstage segment. Angle hints that he has a great idea for TNA…but a certain someone won’t like it. How mysterious.
We see Angle making his way to the ring. Angle tells the crowd that he talked with Bully Ray and that he wants another match against Carter after Carter got himself deliberately DQ’d in their title rematch last week. Angle then breaks the news that he has a tumor in his neck that has to be removed, but that when he comes back, he wants that rematch.
As Kurt is about to leave, Eric Young comes out. Eric credits himself for Kurt’s neck issues. Then he attacks Kurt. He tries to piledrive him but Melendez makes the save. Melendez then ends up eating the piledriver from Eric on the outside instead. Pope goes crazy on commentary about Young’s antics. Good segment but rather melodramatic.
We see Magnus and Storm from Slammiversary again. It seems this was meant to be a Hernandez segment but there are apparently legal problems with showing the footage due to Hernandez’s status with Lucha UG.
A TNA Hall of Fame video airs. This one is about Team 3D’s induction a few years ago.
James Storm is backstage along with Khoya and makes rather cryptic threats towards Mickie James again. We learn that in two weeks Storm will team up with a mysterious woman from Mickie’s past to take on Mickie and Magnus.
Carter talks to Bully Ray backstage. He tries to be diplomatic and says he wants to work with him, but he doesn’t want to defend his title belt tonight. Bully refuses and says he has to perform. These two have kind of fun chemistry and it will be entertaining to see them interact in the future.
Drew comes down to the ring for his title match.
Ethan Carter vs. Drew Galloway for the TNA World Title
Carter retained his belt with the one percenter in a very interference-filled main event match. The two locked up early on and EC3 deliberately rolled out of the ring early on to avoid Galloway. Tyrus attacked Drew but Eli Drake ran out to save him. But then Drake turned heel on Drew by attacking him with his crutches. OK, so why did he help Drew in the first place? That was like something Vince Russo would book. Both men made the effort but couldn’t overcome the wackiness of the storyline.
Winner and still TNA World champion: Ethan Carter III
