Here are the final results from the TNA tapings Saturday in Bethlehem, PA — the final night of the five-day taping. It was advertised as a PPV taping, but ended up being an Impact taping.
– X Division Champion Tigre Uno won three-way over Mandrews and DJ Zema Ion to retain. Shane Helms said he wanted a title match next week.
– Jeff Hardy challenged Matt Hardy for the TNA title, saying he was mad at Matt’s actions in winning the title. Here’s how that happened, btw.
– They had the annual Feast or Fired match with briefcases going to Drew Galloway, James Storm, Grado and Eli Drake. The reveal may be done secretly and not air until the shows from England.
– TNA Tag Champions The Wolves beat Abyss & Crazy Steve via DQ in a tag title match when Steve sprayed mist. Abyss & Steve have a female clown as their valet.
– Jeff vs. Matt for the title was supposed to be next. Eric Young and Bram attacked Jeff. Beer Money made the save. Heels Abyss & Steve joined in and Kurt Angle got involved. Tyrus knocked out Angle and Matt hit Angle with a belt shot, while Young piledrove Jeff through a table doing an injury angle as Jeff went out on a stretcher.
– Awesome Kong beat Velvet Sky. The Doll House also destroyed Madison Rayne after the match.
– Bobby Lashley beat Aiden O’Shea. There is a new character, a woman, who is trying to hit on Lashley after the match.
– TNA Champion Matt Hardy, Reby Hardy and Tyrus were out. Young and Bram came out. Young wanted a title match with Matt. Angle also wanted a title match with Matt.
– X Division Champion Tigre Uno came out to defend his title against Shane Helms. Helms came out in clothes and said the challenge was for Trevor Lee, not him, and Lee beat Uno to win the title.
– Drew Galloway beat Tyrus via DQ when Mike Bennett interfered and hit Galloway with his Feast or Fired briefcase.
– Crazzy Steve won a Hardcore war match by pinning Davey Richards when they were the last two.
– Maria Kanellis did an interview saying women’s wrestling needs a new leader. This brought out Gail Kim. They went at it, so they are going to have a program.
– TNA Champion Matt Hardy beat Kurt Angle to retain thanks to help from Reby Hardy.
Matt Hardy defeated Ethan Carter III to win the TNA title tonight after the PPV taping was over in Bethlehem, PA.
The match was taped for a future episode of Impact and appeared to be a double turn, with Tyrus interfering and causing Carter to lose and end his unbeaten streak. The stipulations was that Hardy would have to leave TNA had he lost the match.
A match was taped last night for an upcoming One Night Only PPV between the two of them that was a no contest, but it was noted that Carter was working as the face and Hardy was working as the heel in the match.
For those keeping track, Carter lost the title in a three-way at Bound for Glory to Hardy in a match where Carter never got pinned. Carter filed a storyline injuction that led to Hardy vacating the title in order for him to return to television. The belt was put up for grabs in a multi-month tournament of taped matches on Impact as it wound down on Destination America. The tournament finals took place Tuesday on the debut episode on POP TV and saw Carter win the title, meaning he was a two-time champion despite having never been beaten in a match. Hardy then beat him last night to win the title back.
Taped on Thursday, January 7th for the January 19th show on POP TV and for future One Night Only PPVs:
– Jeff Hardy beat Tyrus via DQ. Jeff called out Matt Hardy and they did an interview talking about Matt’s career vs. title match with EC 3. This ends up with Tyrus challenging Jeff to a match.
– Knockouts Champion Gail Kim beat Awesome Kong to retain.
– Beer Money (Bobby Roode & James Storm) beat Eli Drake & Jessie Godderz. Roode & Storm challenged Bram & Eric Young to a rematch (from their match that actually takes place on Friday’s show). Instead, Drake & Godderz issued a challenge.
– Mike Bennett beat Pepper Parks in a squash match.
– Kurt Angle is out thanking everyone. Bobby Lashley comes out and said that he wants a rematch from their match last year where Angle beat him. Angle praised Lashley and accepted the match.
– Ken Anderson beat KOTM Champion Eric Young by DQ when Bram interfered. They beat down Anderson until Roode & Storm ran in. Segment started when Young came out and offered an open challenge for his King of the Mountain title against anyone except Roode or Storm, leading to Anderson coming out.
*****
Taped for PPV:
– Velvet Sky & Madison Rayne beat Jade & Marti Bell
– TNA World Champion Ethan Carter III went to a double countout with Matt Hardy
– Drew Galloway beat Eli Drake
– Bobby Lashley beat Mahabili Shera
– TNA Tag Champions Eddie Edwards & Davey Richards beat Abyss & Crazzy Steve
– Bram & KOTM Champ Eric Young beat DJ Zema Ion & Trevor Lee when Young pinned Lee after a piledriver
– Tigre Uno & Mandrews beat Jessie Godderz & Robbie E when the latter team couldn’t get along
These matches were taped for this coming Tuesday night’s Impact episode as well as for future One Night Only shows:
– Impact opened with EC 3 out. Jeff Hardy came out and said he was cleared to wrestle and wanted a title match. EC 3 told him he had to start from the bottom.
– Jeff Hardy beat Shynron. Shynron looked good in the short match, as did Hardy.
– Jade & Awesome Kong beat Velvet Sky & Madison Rayne in a street fight. All kinds of weapons. Jade pinned Rayne with a piledriver.
– Eric Young beat Bobby Roode to win the King Of The Mountain title after hitting a piledriver. Bram and James Storm were both involved interfering. Segment started when Beer Money was in the ring when Young and Bram came out. Young wanted a shot at the title.
– Ken Anderson debuted a new interview segment called “Huh.” Matt Hardy, Reby Hardy and Maxel Hardy were the guests. It seemed to build up Anderson vs. Hardy.
– Eddie Edwards & Davey Richards & Tigre Uno beat Jessie Godderz & Eli Drake & DJ Zema Ion. Godderz & Drake wouldn’t work with Ion. Ion superkicked Godderz and Godderz was pinned.
– Kurt Angle beat Drew Galloway in the main event. Great match. The finish was Angle winning clean with the Angle slam off the middle rope.
– The show ended with Matt Hardy asking for one more title shot and if that if he doesn’t win that title, he will leave TNA forever. This led to the announcement of next week’s main event, which is likely taped tonight, with EC 3 vs. Hardy as a last man standing match, title vs. loser leaves town.
Not for Impact:
Rockstar Spud & Grado beat Mahabili Shera & Aiden O’Shea: This may air on the PPV on Friday in highlight form since Shera and O’Shea broke up as a team and they are wrestling on Friday night live. Either that or they just shot the angle for the people in Bethlehem.
Nearly one year after their debut on Destination America, TNA Impact Wrestling debuts on Pop TV and is live from Bethlehem, PA, Tuesday night. The show is rumored to feature some possible returns of major stars and debuts of new talent. Already announced for tonight is the conclusion of the World Title Series with Lashley taking on Ethan Carter III and Matt Hardy vs. Eric Young in the semifinals. The winners will meet in the finals to crown a new TNA World Champion.
Also, Bobby Roode defends his King Of The Mountain Title and The Beautiful People take on The Dollhouse. Plus, the character behind the “Miracle” vignettes should be revealed tonight.
All this and more on Tonight’s TNA Impact debut on Pop TV at 9pm.
*****
We start off with a good video package, and a quick preview of the World Title Series and the four participants in the semi-finals.
Impact’s Pop TV debut features a new opening video package and theme song written and performed by Billy Corgan and The Smashing Pumpkins. Of course, Corgan isn’t just a rock star, but is also TNA’s Senior Producer of Creative and Talent Development. It’s a pretty sweet beat and nice opening.
Josh Matthews and The Pope welcome us to the show. They’re ringside tonight and not at Impact Central. Josh calls Pope the most entertaining color commentator.
Dixie Carter in the ring. She said “they chose” Pop TV for many reasons and gets some “Thank You Dixie” chants. She says wrestling is a vital part of pop culture and that a vital part of wrestling is the World belt. Cue the most annoyingly catchy music in wrestling: “Trouble, Trouble, Trouble”. EC3 and Tyrus cut her off. He gets booed but it turns into “EC3” chants. EC3 says he’s not champion because of Dixie. Please don’t let this end with Dixie getting arrested. Matt Hardy comes out. They recap the TNA World Title situation since Bound For Glory. This seems to imply it’s going to be Hardy vs. EC3 in the finals. Eric Young jumps Hardy and gets tripled teamed by Young, EC3 and Tyrus. Lashley finally hits the ring for the save. Hardy hits a sick dive off the top rope taking out EC3, Tyrus and Lashley.
– During the commercial, Young beats down Hardy.
TNA World Title Tourney Semifinal Match 1: EC3 vs. Lashley
Josh runs down all the hashtags and Twitter handles we should follow. Lashley and EC3 go back and forth. Lashley hits his spear but EC3 rolls to the outside. Dueling chants for EC3 and Lashley. Tyrus slams Lashley on the outside. Pope is very mad that Tyrus interfered and is sick of it. Josh plugs Schitt’s Creek starring Eugene Levy. It’s a pretty good show. Tyrus distracts Lashley and EC3 rolls him up for the win. EC3 advances to the finals.
– Backstage, Kurt Angle is walking to the ring.
– Bobby Roode walks into the arena earlier in the day. He talks about his King of the Mountain match and that the challenge is open to anyone.
Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle walks to the ring. Angle gets emotional from the crowd response. Kurt mentions that he is retiring. The crowd chants, “One More Match.” Kurt names guys he’s had great matches with like Rock, Austin, HHH, Undertaker and AJ Styles (which gets the biggest pop out of all the names). Kurt announces a farewell tour and wonders whom he should face. He names Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards. He handpicked his opponent for next week’s Farewell Tour. Is the whole Tour happening in one night? His opponent is going be Drew Galloway who comes out. Drew is honored that Kurt chose him.
They get interrupted by Jesse Godderz. He takes a selfie (I think I’ve seen that before). Eli Drake interrupts. Eli says that Jesse is really popular with 13-year-old girls and calls Angle a dinosaur. They’re both mad that Angle didn’t mention them as part of the future. This all leads to a Kurt and Drew brawl with Jesse and Eli.
– Backstage, Young cuts a promo. He says Hardy isn’t showing up and wants him counted out. Hardy comes out.
TNA World Title Tourney Semifinal Match 2: Matt Hardy vs. Eric Young
They brawl on the outside. Hardy is currently showing no signs of injury from earlier in the night. Eric Young is in control of the early part of the match. Hardy gains the advantage. Eric Young hits the piledriver on the outside of the exposed floor. There’s a light “holy shit” chant. Jeff comes out to check on Matt but EY takes out Jeff with a sliding dropkick. Matt scores with the twist of fate out of nowhere for the win. The final match will be Matt Hardy vs. EC3 (although they kind of gave that away in the opening segment).
– Backstage, somebody in a hoodie is shown walking but his face isn’t visable. Josh wonders who it could be.
– Back from commercial, EY is mad that he lost the semifinal.
– EC3 approaches Jeff and says that Matt has lived in Jeff’s shadow. Jeff denies that Matt lived in his shadow.
– Roode comes out for his KOTM match. Bram accepts the open challenge. Bram says that “2006” will be his year.
King Of The Mountain Champion Bobby Roode vs. Bram
Bram dominates Roode, and gets a two count with a roll up holding the tights. Josh says Bobby has promised to have a great “2015″. Does anyone in TNA know what year it is? Roode hits the Roode bomb and gets the win, retaining the title. They then accidentally played the start of Beer Money’s music, giving away the upcoming surprise.
EY hits the ring and attacks Roode. Bram and EY double-team Roode which leads to James Storm making his return to TNA who came through the crowd for the save. Pope and Josh wonder if he works for TNA. Turns out the rumors about his return are true. Storm is upset that TNA gave him the “Biggest Disappointment” Slammy…er… Impact Award. Storm says that he and Roode drank a lot of beer and made a lot of money together. They’re teasing a Beer Money reunion. Storm offers Roode a beer. Crowd encourages him to drink the beer. It’s a really big deal to Josh. They have a beer together and the crowd loves it.
– JB is with the Beautiful People backstage. Angelina is 7 months pregnant, so the Beautiful People get to pick Angelina’s replacement tonight.
– Back from commercial, Beer Money challenges Bram and EY to a match to this Friday’s PPV (which is the first mention of the PPV this whole show.)
The Beautiful People vs. The Dollhouse
Angelina’s replacement is Knockouts Champion Gail Kim. Josh promotes the Knockouts Calendar. Pope claims he bought so many they’re might not be any left. All the Knockouts are in the ring brawling. The crowd is a bit flat. Gail rolls up Jade for the win. The Dollhouse attacks Gail and The Beautiful People after the match. Awesome Kong comes out for the save. The Dollhouse is scared but they don’t leave the ring. Kong turns heel and attacks The Beautiful People! Kong takes out Kim. The Dollhouse and Awesome Kong pose over the fallen body of Gail Kim.
– Josh promos The Miracle vignettes. The Miracle is coming up next.
– Back from commercial, Josh and Pope start talking but they’re cut off.
The lights go out in the arena and the First Lady of Wrestling Maria Kanellis appears on the stage. She says that fans have been praying and hoping for the person who will save wrestling. The crowd pops for that. She introduces “Miracle” Mike Bennett. Maria looks great and Mike’s wearing a sweet looking hat. He calls himself a superhero, a bad mo’fo and “your pro wrestling Jesus.” He cut a really good intense promo and came across like a big star.
– The camera seceretly catches Matt Hardy with his family backstage. He promises to win the title for his family.
TNA World Title Final: Matt Hardy vs. EC3
After the ring intros, Matt and EC3 send Jeff and Tyrus to the back. EC3 has the advantage on Hardy. Pope points out that Matt Hardy and EC3 is how the title controversy began. Hardy goes for the Side Effect on the ring steps but they botched the spot bad and both fell awkwardly off the steel steps. The crowd is solidly behind Matt. Hardy hits a series of Side Effects but still can’t put EC3 away. EC3 hits two TKOs in a row. Pope says they’re having a “Match of The Year” candidate. They both kick out of each other’s finishers. EC3 hits the One Percenter off the tope rope for the win! EC3 is the new TNA World Champion.
Josh points out that EC3 won the title without the help of Tyrus.
Hardy walks pass his wife and child on the ramp. They stop on top of the stage. Matt’s wife seemed to scream something in his ear. Hardy walks off. She then looks back and the camera zoomed in on her face. The show ends with EC3 posing with the world title.
Final Thoughts:
Not a bad debut for Impact on Pop TV tonight but also nothing really spectacular of note. “Miracle” Mike Bennett and Maria’s debut was done well. The main event was a good match that the crowd was into. Also, the new theme song is kind of fun.
It appears that Impact Wrestling’s James Storm is not going to WWE with AJ Styles, Shinsuske Nakamura, and the Bullet Club. After doing a few TV dates with NXT, James Storm is scheduled for TNA’s TV tapings all week in Bethlehem, PA, concluding in a PPV Friday.
Storm was put on television without signing a WWE deal, which was highly unusual. He worked a taping, missed a taping, then was back for another taping, and then hadn’t been seen again.
The listing of the Doll House as Marti Bell, Jade and Rebel in the advertising for a match against The Beautiful People on tomorrow night’s Impact didn’t include Taryn Terrell. Terrell today confirmed in a video she is not returning to TNA, stating it was a personal decision, noting that she had gotten married, and the path her life is on TNA is not the right fit for her anymore. As noted earlier, Angelina will not be wrestling but will be appearing because she is pregnant.
Don’t forget to tune in tomorrow to TNA on POP TV, featuring a new opening song performed by Smashing Pumpkins.
Event card:
Bobby Roode defends the King of the Mountain Title
World Title Series Semi-Final Match: Ethan Carter III vs. Bobby Lashley
World Title Series Semi-Final Match: Matt Hardy vs. Eric Young
World Title Series Final match to crown a new TNA World Heavyweight Champion
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive returns today with a PACKED show! It’s part one of the 2016 Prediction Show, your calls on what you think will happen in the fine Year of Our Lord 2016. Then, Ethan Carter III joins us to talk TNA, Impact’s debut on POP TV this Tuesday, and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
TNA’s debut on Pop TV last night drew 111,000 viewers for a “Best of” show which had little going for it past Internet and social mediapromotion.
TNA and Pop TV had been pushing 1/5 as the debut of the show, built around the final four in the world title tournament. It was only in the past week when the announcement was made that it would debut with taped programming last night in its new Tuesday at 9 p.m. slot..
The audience was barely half of the “Days of our Lives” show that did 211,000 viewers.
While the lack of publicity and fact it wasn’t a new episode means the number really can’t be taken as a strong sign of where they will end up, it is a number that points to where the TNA base audience is at this point. Between the change of network and change of day, and TNA, with the exception of the move from late Saturday to Thursday prime time, has always taken a hit when changing days, it took take some time before TNA gets to where it will probably be.
However, the idea that they will get back to Spike levels, which Pop TV execs spoke of, doesn’t seem likely.
It has been confirmed by TNA that there will be a live PPV show on Friday, 1/8, from Bethlehem, PA.
inDemand literature had come out advertising the show, taking place three nights after the debut on Pop TV, for a show called “One Night Only Live.”
That was the name of the show that was originally planned to be taped in India during the canceled tour, as a live special in that country, and would air starting 1/8 as the One Night Only show in the U.S.
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive returns today with tons to talk about including notes on Super Smackdown and TNA on POP TV, Bryan battles his printer — UPDATE: BRYAN WINS — plus calls, text messages and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Last week, the quarter-finals of the World Title Series were held. Lashley beat Shera, EY beat Tigre Uno, Matt Hardy beat Jessie, and EC3 beat Davey Richards. Tonight, we get some new matches in the form of a cage match that has been set up with graphics and no storyline, and some random matches with other World Title Series folks. The show begins with a silly video saying that the winner of the TNA World Title is truly the king of sport. Josh runs down tonight’s two matches and says we’ll get a look at everyone in the semi-finals. This means we hear his thoughts on the series and see clips of his match from the October 14 edition of the show against Davey Richards. Matt recaps what happened after this, and how he knew he couldn’t lose. Small clips are shown of him beating Roode and Godderz. Matt says that EY can’t stop the Matt Hardy Train and Josh plugs the final four roundtable. Kurt Angle will speak on the final four, and the first all-star match is next.
Team Future Four vs. Team X Division
Team Future Four comes out to generic music while Josh says that Eli and Jessie can walk around like they have an S on their chest. Eli has “ED” on his, sadly. Manik, Uno, Mandrews, and DJZ are out. Eli starts by wearing his vest, but tags out to his former partner Micah. DJZ hits a pop-up dropkick of Micah while Josh gives us a geography lesson of Betheham, PA. Mandrews gets dominated a bit by Jessie and in an musing bit, everyone comes in to try and suplex Jessie, and they execute a “triple double suplex” to Jessie and Micah. Josh hypes up The Asylum Years being streamed on the Impact Wrestling site on Thursday nights. Josh plugs Jessie being on the red carpet of Miss Teen California. Manik flies on everyone on the floor.
Eli and Mandrews are now legal and Eli gets 2 off a suplex. Jessie tosses Mandrews into a gigantic chokeslam by Crimson. Eli comes in and he argues with Crimson. Josh actually compares this to the Mega Powers exploding. Uno lands a very sloppy dropsault to Eli resulting in Eli landing right on Uno’s head. Eli’s partners leave and he tries to, but they toss him back in. Manik hits his modified GTS, DJZ actually hits his wacky DDT, Mandrews gets the SSP and the win. Recap of Lashley’s run through the series is next. First, we see a brief clip of Lashley asking if EC3 can win without friends. We see the entire match of Lashley vs. Aries from the November 25 show. Pope and Josh talk about how Lashley must prove that he can beat EC3, and he will have to do so on live TV. The all-star fatal four way is up next.
We see EC3 talking about going to one of his homes in Nashville. EC3 gets out of his BMW and lifts weights for a bit He calls the World Title Series BS and wonders just why Dixie and Billy Corgan came up with this idea. EC3 says he is a one-percenter money-wise, but he wasn’t gifted his work ethic. Now it’s time for the fatal four way. Spud comes out while Josh hypes up that Spud is the first pro wrestler to work with the Starlight Foundation.
Rockstar Spud vs. Mr. Anderson vs. Eddie Edwards vs. Bobby Roode
The match begins and Josh says that this is an elimination match, which should make it better. Roode and Spud start it off, and everyone needs to tag in to try and win. Eddie gets a blind tag and he gets an inverted atomic drop to Roode while Spud kicks him down for an ad break. Spud goes for a cradle and Eddie kicks out of it. Spud drops down and Eddie dives onto Roode on the floor. Anderson comes in and Spud imitates his mic drop. Anderson laughs and hits a shortarm clothesline. Spud lands a tilt-a-whirl headscissors to send Ken to the floor and he hits a flip dive onto the pile. Spud gets a flying AJ forearm to Eddie, who counters the Underdog with a backslide, but Eddie gets one of his own to eliminate Spud.
Ken and Roode eat a double rana from Eddie. Josh says that he talked to the referee and once it got down to three men, they could all just go at it tornado-style. Despite this, Ken just stands on the apron and waits for a tag. Roode gets a crossface onto Eddie, but Ken wants to fight Roode here for some reason. Mic Check hits Eddie and takes him out. Roode avoids the Mic Check, but eats a back elbow. Roode lands a spinebuster for 2. Finlay roll from Anderson gets 2. Ken rolls him up, but Roode kicks him off and locks on the crossface. Ken rolls through it, but Roode hangs on and earns the win with a tapout.
Kurt Angle says it’s been hard to see the World Title Series as an outsider, and it’s the toughest tournament in TNA history. Kurt says that whoever wins the series is going to earn it. Next, we’ll see a recap of Eric Young’s rise through the tournament. Eric Young gets a crazy heavy metal song recapping all of his biggest piledrivers, and is easily the best thing involving him this year. Eric Young vs. Robert Roode from November 4 is recapped. We see more of EY beating guys in the series. EY says Uno was good, but he was X Division champion too. More with EC3 is coming up.
We see clips of the roundtable with EY insulting Matt Hardy. EC3 vs. Mr. Anderson from November 11 is shown. EC3 says it’s time to go home and we see him work out and mock his pool cleaner. He makes himself a drink and recaps his tournament wins. EC3 says that he’ll beat Lashley in the semis and then beat either EY or Matt in the finals. The roundtable is next. Lashley says that he’ll beat up EC3 and his friend. They have a World Title Series graphic over the table to seemingly act like there’s a graphic on the physical tablecloth. EC3 says that he fought Lashley while a loud buzzing is audible in the background. Matt Hardy insults EC3 and EC3 says that he has one of the three Is – integrity. Matt says that EY is “mented” and will beat the meanness out of him. EY says that he has held every title here, which no one else has done in this. Matt says the Matt Hardy Train will not be stopped.
Matt says that EC3 relies on Tyrus too much, and Lashley will beat EC3. Lashley says he wants to face the legend of Matt Hardy. Does Matt own a stake in TNA now? Josh hypes up Matt vs. Lashley as a historic first-time ever match that sure seems like something that was thrown on a random SmackDown in 2006. Josh asks EC3 who is not advancing, and EY says that Matt isn’t advancing. Matt and EY argue while Josh does a voiceover acting like he’s trying to keep order. Next week’s show will be a Best of 2015 show – so TNA actually gets one more show on Destination America.
