Kurt Angle announced at last night’s tapings that he had a tumor in his neck that needed surgery.
The situation is that Angle had a benign tumor in his neck for some time, probably dating back a year. It was starting to cause him problems of late with muscular atrophy so he needed to get it taken care of.
Here’s results fhe final night of TNA Impact Wrestling tapings until the Farewell to Destination America tapings next month. In no particular order:
– Bobby Lashley pinned Tyrus after a spear
– Eli Drake b Drew Galloway
– Ken Anderson b Bram. Bram attacked him after the match.
– Brooke b Marti Bell again
– Matt & Jeff Hardy came out together, and announced the Ethan Carter III vs. Matt Hardy match would be a Full Metal Mayhem match for the title.
– Dixie Carter and Mike Tenay were out and announced Jeff Jarrett in the TNA Hall of Fame. Jeff and Karen came out together, and there was no tension between Jeff and Dixie in this segment.
– Kurt Angle announced that he has a tumor in his neck that requires surgery. He said that he was promised another shot at EC 3 when he returns. The tumor story is believed to be true, although those we spoke with weren’t sure or not. EC 3 claimed that he gave Angle the tumor. He attacked Angle and Chris Melendez made the save.
– Rockstar Spud b Austin Aries. If Aries lost, he had to leave TNA.
– Mahabili Shera b James Storm via DQ for usage of a cowbell
– TNA Champion Ethan Carter III b Matt Hardy to keep the title in the Full Metal Mayhem amch
– Hernandez and Kenny King were blaming each other for losing a match taped earlier to the Wolves. MVP tried to settle it but King was mad at him for not siding with him and walked off.
– Eric Young b Chris Melendez
– Brooke & Gail Kim b Marti Bell & Jade in a cage match
– Hernandez b Bobby Lashley in a cage match by getting out of the cage
Austin Aries, whose contract expires Tuesday, lost a loser leaves town match to Rockstar Spud at tonight’s TV tapings in Orlando.
If this is an angle, they were working their own employees, as everyone was going with the impression that he joins Magnus and James Storm as those finishing with the company tomorrow.
To the surprise of nobody, at its TV tapings in Orlando Saturday night, TNA anounced Jeff Jarrett would be the 2015 inductee into the company’s Hall of Fame. Jarrett started the company in 2002 with father Jerry and Bob Ryder and headed creative for years, as well as their early world champion.
The ceremony took place in the ring tonight, taped for a show in either late July or early August. That is really telling because it is usually announced at Slammiversary with the ceremony at Bound for Glory.
Nick “Magnus” Aldis is one of a number of wrestlers whose contracts expires this week. He is not renewing his contract and will be a free agent as of this coming week. He is taking dates with Global Force Wrestling, including their first television taping on 7/24, but is doing so for just certain dates. At this point, he’s not signing with GFW as the separation was a purely business move and was amicable on both sides.
As reported by Brian Fritz Saturday, “Cowboy” James Storm is leaving TNA. We were told that Storm has been talking about this for some time, and his contract expires on Tuesday.
It also should be noted that within TNA there is skepticism of all releases because of the belief they are being kayfabed for a GFW invasion angle. However, the belief is that Low Ki’s departure is legit and that while the others may be as well, anything is possible.
Of note, Jeff Jarrett’s 7/24 GFW TV taping in Las Vegas is right in the middle of the eight scheduled days of TNA tapings in Orlando that same week.
Dave Scherer of PWInsider.com is reporting that James Storm has been granted his release by TNA. Storm had been with the company since 2002. Scherer notes that Storm and TNA management came to an agreement where he is able to work for other promotions, but agreed to appear at any future tapings. He also notes this may be a common occurance going forward.
With reports of pay being again late for production people, and the losses of Low-Ki, Sam Shaw, and Gunnner, it’s been quite the week for the promotion. The company is also rumored to potentially be losing Magnus, and Austin Aries in the very near future as well.
For the TV shows airing 7/8, 7/15 and 7/22:
– Kurt Angle b TNA Champion Ethan Carter III via DQ when Carter hit the ref to save the title
– Dixie Carter returned, but to EC 3’s surprise, she’s now a babyface, apologizing for all the things she’s done. Fans didn’t buy her as a face.
– Grado b DJ Zema Ion in a match taped for Xplosion
– Brooke b Marti Bell to retain the Knockouts title
– Carter announced the return of Bully Ray as the new General Manager. He’s a babyface and said he’s going to take TNA to the promise land, kind of like when Vince McMahon turned over the hosting duties of TNT to Gene Okerlund.
– Drew Galloway won a 20 man Battle Royal to earn a shot at EC 3’s title as ordered by Bully Ray
– Matt Hardy b Bobby Roode in a tables match
– Tag Team Champion sEddie Edwards & Davey Richards b Hernandez & Kenny King
– TNA Champion EC 3 b Drew Galloway to keep the title when Eli Drake turned heel on Galloway
– James Storm started bullying Khoya. Khoya attacked Storm, turned babyface and is now back to being Mahabili Shera. He started doing a pro-India character.
– Bully Ray suspended Drake for one week without pay for interfering in the EC 3 vs. Galloway match. He threatened to strip EC 3 of his title.
– Bram b Magnus in a street fight. Storm beat up Magnus after the match.
– Matt Hardy won a four-way ladder match over Hernandez, Bram and Eric Young to get the next shot at EC 3. Ken Anderson attacked Bram.
– The King of the Mountain match will be for the newly created King of the Mountain title. Since they taped weeks of TV and nobody showed up with the belt in front of the people, and everyone in that match but Jeff Jarrett has been on TV, that makes Jarrett the favorite.
By Dave Meltzer, WrestlingObserver.com
Here’s some notes from Thursday’s TNA Impact Wrestling TV tapings shot for the 7/1, 7/8 and 7/15 episodes of Impact, but with no particular order:
– Ethan Carter III b Kurt Angle to win the TNA title
– The final match between The Wolves and Austin Aries & Bobby Roode is a 30 minute Ironman match. This will be determined when whoever wins the match this coming Sunday says ‘I want an Ironman match’. The fans in attendance, many of whom were in attendance tonight, will be shocked by this.
Rules are most falls in 30 minutes. Aries & Roode win the first fall at the 26;00 mark. Wolves win the second fall with less than a minute left, and win the third fall just as time expires so they are the new champions.
– James Storm introduces his mystery partner, Serena Deeb, for a match against Magnus & Mickie James that already took place last night. People in attendance last night that already saw the match were stunned.
– Ken Anderson b Bram via DQ for usage of a chair
– Tigre Uno retained the X title over Grado, Rockstar Spud, and Zema Ion. Uno was injured but it wasn’t clearly how badly he was hurt.
– Street fight: Jessie Godderz b Robbie E
– Velvet Sky b Madison Rayne
– What appears to be a show open has Carter III talking about how Dixie Carter is returning tonight. Matt Hardy wanted to challenge him for the title but he refused. Apparently the 7/8 show has Carter III as the matchmaker and instead he ordered Hardy in a handicap match against Aries & Roode.
– Aries & Roode b Matt Hardy
– With the Rising having disbanded, based on a match that airs this coming week, Drew Galloway is booked by EC 3 into a 3-on-1 match against Manik, Abyss and Khoya. Galloway wins the match.
– Wolves retain the tag titles over MVP & King via DQ when Hernandez interferes
– Brooke b Taryn Terrell to win the Knockouts title. Gail Kim is the new Bray Wyatt or Sabu, appearing when the lights go out and then disappearing.
– Eric Young b Rockstar Spud in a chain match
– EC3 announced he would have multiple title defenses.
– EC3 b the returning Norv Fernum, then beat Shark Boy in his second title defense. Kurt Angle showed up before the third opponent and demanded a return match tonight. They set it up. The match will probably be taped tomorrow.
The show may have ended here.
– They did a segment where EC 3 got a low blow from Spud. He also gave Josh Matthews a stunner and kissed EC 3’s mom while Tommy Dreamer came out and gave somebody a DDT. EC 3’s real parents were at the show, but I don’t know if they were the ones in the angle.
While one would think TNA would have announced its PPV main event participants last night on television, that would have been misguided thinking.
This Sunday’s Slammiversary main event will be a King of the Mountain match (which we knew) involving Jeff Jarrett, Matt Hardy, Eric Young, Bobby Roode and Drew Galloway.