2/21 Shore's TNA Impact Wrestling live coverage: Final show from the UK, Fatal fourway for the Knockouts Championship, Hulk Hogan tries to pick Jeff Hardy's opponent again

By Chris Shore

TNA Impact Wrestling on SpikeTV
Taped in London, England.

[Q1] The video opening recapped recent events. Todd Keneley, Mike Tenay, and Taz checked in on commentary. Hulk Hogan's music hit and he came to the ring. Hogan recapped Aces and Eights coming out and interrupting his choice to face Jeff Hardy last week. Hogan said out of bad comes good, and it gave him another week to think about who to choose. He said after one long week, one guy rose to the occasion. He announced Bully Ray as the Hardy's opponent at Lockdown.

Bully came to the ring looking surprised. He said he didn't know what to say and sold being emotional. He said he was hurt and Hogan called him the toughest SOB in the company. Ray said the happiest day of his life was when he married Hogan's daughter, but this was as close as he could get. Ray got hyped up and said he wanted a tag match between Aces and Eights and Sting, Ray, and Hogan. Hogan agreed to the match and the place went crazy…

Backstage, Bobby Roode and Austin Aries were complaining about Hernandez and Chavo. Bad Intentions walked up and congratulated them on their title win and said they needed to follow their lead tonight and everything would be OK in their eight man tag match. Bad Intentions left and Roode and Aries argued over whose lead should be followed…[C]

Shore's Slant: Good opening segment that setup a match I have no desire to see. As long as Hogan doesn't take a back bump it won't be a complete disaster, but he looks like Khali walking to the ring sometimes. Why even take the risk? Was putting Roode and Aries with Daniels and Kazarian the best idea? The acts are so similar in concept that I'm afraid this will muddy the waters for both acts.

[Q2] Everyone and their brother made an entrance for the opening match…

1. Christopher Daniels, Kazarian, Austin Aries, and Bobby Roode vs. Chavo Guerrero, Hernandez, Joseph Park, and James Storm. Storm and Daniels started, but the match broke down immediately and all the heels were dumped to the floor…[C] Back from commercial, Park worked over Kazarian. Kaz distracted the ref and Daniels clipped the leg from behind.

Daniels and Kazarian worked in and out on Park while refusing to tag in anyone else. Aries tagged himself in and that led to all the heels tagging themselves in. The four men argued and since Kazarian was the final one to tag, he and Daniels got their way. Park hit a double clothesline, and they both went to tag. Aries and Roode bailed on them.

[Q3] All of the babyfaces hit finishers. Park hit a splash from the second rope to get the victory for his team…

Chavo Guerrero, Hernandez, Joseph Park, and James Storm defeated Christopher Daniels, Kazarian, Austin Aries, and Bobby Roode at 12:18.

The announce team hyped Hogan's choice of Bully ray and the main event…[C]

Shore's Slant: There wasn't anything to hate about that match, but there wasn't anything to love either. England loved it, but it came across as wildly unimportant on TV.

A video recapped Rockstar Spud winning British Bootcamp and then punching Robbie E in the face. The Robbie's made their entrance, followed by Spud…

2. Robbie E (w/Robbie T) vs. Rockstar Spud. Robbie took quick control and hit a knee drop across the throat. Robbie missed a corner splash and Spud hit an around the world DDT. He went for the leg drop from the top, but he missed. Robbie tried to grab the clipboard, but T wouldn't let him. E turned around and Spud rolled through a wheelbarrow move for a surprise victory…

Rockstar Spud defeated Robbie E at 2:44.

Post-match, Robbie E yelled at Robbie T and then slapped him in the face. Robbie T pulled off his shirt and became Rob Terry again and scared E from the ring…

[Q4] Tara and Jesse were shown heading toward the ring…[C]

Shore's Slant: I've never been a fan of the Robbie act so it's hard to care about this. Spud and Terry got good reactions from the hometown crowd, otherwise this was another meaningless segment. Tough show so far.

All the women made their entrances. Brooke Hogan made her entrance and sat ringside with the title belt…[C]

3. Velvet Sky vs. Gail Kim vs. Brooke Tessmacher vs. Tara (w/Jesse) in a fourway elimination match for the Knockouts Championship. Jesse was sent to the back by the ref due to Brooke's decision. The heels joined forces and dumped Tessmacher. They teamed up on Velvet for a moment, but the alliance broke down quickly and they started fighting.

[Q5] Kim went to the floor and took a bulldog on the floor from Tessmacher. Tessmacher slid in the ring and she and Velvet teamed up on Tara. Tara fought both off and hit a moonsault on Tessmacher. Velvet hit her finisher on Tara, but Gail Kim dumped her to the floor and pinned Tara herself. Tara was eliminated at 4:36.

The three remaining women battled and di the tower of doom spot in the corner with Velvet being in the best spot. Tessmacher tried some sort of move, but Velvet hooked a very weak roll up to eliminate her. Brooke Tessmacher was eliminated at 6:39. Velvet ran a string of moves, but Kim hit a drop kick. Kim covered and grabbed the ropes.

The ref stopped the count and they argued. Kim drove Velvet into the corner and drove her shoulder into her gut. Velvet flipped over in a Sunset flip and Kim grabbed the ropes. The ref pulled on Kim until she let go of the ropes and slammed to the mat. Velvet hit her finisher for the win…

Velvet Sky won the Knockouts Championship at 8:33.

A video recapped how the main event was formed and Sting and Hogan were shown talking backstage. Hogan asked Sting to watch his back and Sting agreed. Hogan left and Ray walked in. He put over teaming with both men and Sting said it was his honor to be teaming with him…

Shore's Slant: Pretty good Knockouts match. Sky looked the best that I remember seeing, but she was limited for the majority of the match. I hate that Taryn got involved at the level she did, but I guess she'll be wrestling soon.

[Q6] A video recapped how Garett Bischoff and Wes Brisco turned heel…Bischoff made his ring entrance. Samoa Joe was out next…

4. Garett Bischoff vs. Samoa Joe. Bischoff ran from Joe and then attacked when Joe chased him back to the ring. He clipped the leg and pouned on Joe as Taz tried to put him over. Joe came powering back and hit a big boot and senton for two. Joe continued to tee off on him, but Wes Brisco ran in to cause the DQ.

Samoa Joe defeated Garett Bischoff by disqualification at 5:05.

Brisco and Bischoff beat down Joe and Kurt Angle made the save. Angle took a mic and announced that he and Wes Brisco would fight at Lockdown in the cage…[C]

Shore's Slant: This has been an interesting show in that it hasn't been all that interesting, but I can't explain why. Very little has been bad, but everything feels flat. I don't know if it's the fourth recorded show in a row or what exactly, but nothing feels big. Nothing feels important. Here we had a PPV match announcement, but I'm having a hard time getting excited about it. It's a frustrating show.

Ring entrances for the X Division title match occurred…

[Q7] 5. Kenny King vs. Rob Van Dam for the X Division Championship. King hit a drop kick on RVD to start the match. RVD fell to the floor and King followed and drove his back into the post. It was a very poor looking move. King mocked RVD by pointing both thumbs at his own ass. RVD came back after King botched his finisher and hit the frog splash for the win…

Rob Van Dam retained the X Division Championship at 6:22.

Backstage, Brooke Hogan hugged her father and told him to let the other guys protect him…[C]

Shore's Slant: More of the same with RVD as X Division Champion. He isn't doing that title any good. Put the title on King, or back on Ion, or somebody who is the future of the business, not the past.

A video showed Jeff Hardy saying he was healed from the Aces and Eights attack and putting over Bully Ray as the man he will face…

Shore's Slant: That's just stupid. Hogan just picked Ray, how in the blue hell would they already have a video from Jeff Hardy about it? I realize TNA is willing to break the rules of logic for a better TV product, and I don't disagree as a rule, but this looked fake as hell.

[Q8] Aces and Eights made their entrance. Sting and Bully Ray were out next. Hogan's music played, but he didn't come out. They played his music again, but Aces and Eights attacked…

6. Aces and Eights vs. Sting, Bully Ray, and Hulk Hogan. Earl Hebner tried to get order, but Aces and Eights continued to attack. The babyfaces suddenly took out all the heels and the show went to commercial…[C]

Back from commercial, Doc worked over Bully Ray as the announce team continued to ask where Hogan was. The heels worked in and out on Ray. Ray no sold some shots from Doc a few times, but he didn't create separation until he hit a spear on Devon. He dove and made the hot tag to Sting and Sting cleaned house on Aces and Eights with kicks. Sting hit a surprise death drop on Doc and covered, but Anderson made the save.

Sting slammed Anderson and held him for Ray to dive on. Before he could, the rest of Aces and Eights came out with a beat up Hulk Hogan and holding Brooke Hogan. Ray ran from the ring to save them. That allowed Aces and Eights to overpower Sting and Doc scored the pin…

Aces and Eights defeated Sting and Bully Ray in a handicap match at 11:24.

Post-match, Ray tended to the Hogans at the end of the ramp while the gang jumped Sting in the ring to close the show…

Shore's Slant: The match was garbage, but I really liked the end of the show because Aces and Eights won a match and didn't look like chumps in the process. Now they just need to follow up on it next week. Hopefully the best part about Ray finally being revealed as the leader will be that Aces and Eights can get some of their much needed heat back. Impact goes live again next week, and hopefully they can find that spark that was missing from tonight's show. Jason Powell and Will Pruett will have more tomorrow on this show. Thanks for watching along tonight.

Questions? Comments? Anyone, anyone? Let me hear from you. Email me at css3238@gmail.com or tweet me @TheShoreSlant with whatever is on your mind.

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