Impact Wrestling – March 27, 2014: Unlocked From The Rest Of The Show

Impact Wrestling
Date: March 27, 2014
Location: Impact Zone, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Tazz

We’re less than a month into the MVP Regime and things are already looking down on the new boss. The big story coming out of last week is Magnus retaining the World Title with the help of Abyss, much like he did at Lockdown. Other than that we have Roode vs. Ray coming up and Angelina Love attacking Madison Rayne last week when Madison turned down her offer to reform the Beautiful People. Let’s get to it.

We open with a recap of Storm attacking Gunner’s father last week.

Here’s MVP to get things going. He wants Abyss out here right now because Magnus is champion because of his associates, not his own talent. The cream should always rise to the top but here are Abyss and Magnus to interrupt. Magnus insists that Abyss has a personal services contract with Magnus, meaning Abyss doesn’t answer to MVP at all. The only time MVP has control over Abyss is when he’s in the ring with Magnus, which gives MVP an idea.

MVP thinks Abyss should be more than the world’s ugliest valet, so how about a shot at the World Title? We’ll do that next week, but Samoa Joe is thrown into the mix because he still hasn’t gotten a fair shake. This brings out Joe who says he doesn’t want to be in a handicap match and doesn’t like the idea of MVP controlling him. MVP says that’s not what’s going on but the brawl is quickly on with all four guys. Eric Young runs out to join in and we go to a break.

Back with Joe, MVP and Eric still in the ring and the latter holding a mic. He says he brought the monster out of Abyss so he has to be the one to stop him. Eric wants to be in a match with Abyss next week while Joe gets to take on Magnus one on one. Young uses the MVP Principle of motivate, validate and participate by talking about how he’s been around here forever.

He lists off a bunch of his gimmicks and titles before saying he’s participated in everything TNA has thrown at him. Joe says not yet because he hasn’t gotten his one on one title shot. MVP says not so fast and makes it a fourway with Eric added to the title match. That’s not cool with Joe and the brawl is on again. The Samoan gets the better of it until referees break it up. Joe wants Eric tonight and MVP grants his wish.

Bully Ray has his Twitter Machine again tonight and says Roode is getting the tables tonight.

The Wolves ask MVP to give them Magnus/Abyss tonight.  The boss reluctantly agrees.

Ethan Carter and Spud (covered in grass for a disguise) are in the woods searching for Willow. Back from a break and the search continues. Ethan lists off the people he’s defeated and says it’s eye for an eye. They’ve found a house and are sure that Willow is inside. More later.

Magnus/Abyss vs. Wolves

Davey starts with the World Champion but neither guy is able to get an advantage. Richards backflips out of a suplex attempt and brings in Eddie for some double teaming. A legdrop gets two on Magnus before it’s quickly back to Richards. Magnus makes a blind tag though and Abyss takes them both down with a double clothesline to the back of the head as we take a break.

Back with Magnus running over Eddie for two and putting on a chinlock. Magnus takes him into the corner but charges into a boot, allowing Eddie to take him down with a middle rope hurricanrana. Off to Richards as Abyss comes in to try and save is boss. Instead he splashes him in the corner and the Wolves take over.

An enziguri from Richards into a German by Edwards gets two on Magnus. Abyss gets double chopped but the Wolves have to backflip out of a double chokeslam. The Monster is sent outside where Richards hits a suicide dive before Edwards locks on a half crab. Magnus taps out immediately to avoid injury at 8:36.

Rating: C. So the way to make the champion look smart is to have him submit all the time? I get the idea but it’s really not the way I’d go about doing things. Have him get counted out disqualified or something but come up with something better than constantly having him lose. That’s one of the big things I’d like to change about modern wrestling: make champions losing feel like BIG deals. This doesn’t do anything for the Wolves and it makes Magnus look weak as well.

Here’s Angelina to complain about Velvet not answering her calls. Sky comes to the ring and says she has a big problem with Madison. Attacking old friends isn’t what Sky signed up for. Angelina wants to know what Sky signed up for, because without her, Velvet is nothing. Sky doesn’t say anything and Love says it’s because Velvet knows she’s right. Love says Velvet has changed because she’s lacking her swagger now. Angelina faces Madison tonight and Velvet has to pick a side by the time the match ends.

We recap Storm and Gunner as tag team partners.

The hunt for Willow continues. Back from a break and Carter goes into the house. He screams loudly but is just faking to mess with Spud. Willow sneaks up on Spud and kidnaps him, freaking Carter out. Willow’s laugh makes it even worse.

We look at the Feast or Fired briefcase coming between Gunner and Storm.

Here’s Bully Ray to a BIG face reaction. He has a bunch of fans bring down tables until there are about seven of them in and around the ring. Ray talks about making sure Dixie Carter was gone and then he put Roode through a table. He asks the fans if they want to see Roode go through a lot of tables but here’s Bobby to interrupt.

Roode lists off a bunch of accomplishments before saying he got Ray to come to Nashville last week before laying him out. He’s the guy that calls the shots around here and will pick when, where and how this happens. Ray says let the people decide but Roode walks away. Bully goes after him in the aisle and the fight is on. Roode is in trouble but he avoids going through a table.

Ray hurts his own hand on a table and Roode takes over but has to avoid a Cutter on the floor. They fight on the apron before heading inside. Roode misses a Blockbuster but avoids a big boot through the table. Ray is banged up but still escapes a Roode Bomb through the table. Bobby gets pot of a powerbomb through the table and sidesteps a charging Bully to send him through a table in the corner.

Abyss comes into Magnus’ locker room and wants to know what he was doing out there. Magnus told Abyss he would do that to save himself for title matches. That’s not cool with Abyss because he doesn’t like to lose, but Magnus says get used to it, because Abyss is losing last week.

Knux and his lady friend are at their shut down arcade. The girl yells at him for abandoning them and says they need to go talk to his dad.

Madison Rayne vs. Angelina Love

Non-title. Madison attacks Love at the bell and here’s Velvet. Love knocks the champ to the floor but Velvet doesn’t do anything. They head back inside with Madison in control until Angelina kicks her in the ribs to take over. Madison is sent to the floor again and Angelina yells at Velvet for not attacking her. Back in and Love yells a lot but gets her face slammed into the mat. Angelina glares at Velvet again but Madison shoves her to the floor. Sky uses the distraction to DDT Madison on the floor, giving Angelina the easy pin at 5:10.

Rating: D+. This was all story instead of the wrestling and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m not a big fan of the Beautiful People reuniting but it’s far better than doing the same stuff the division has been doing over and over again for years. Having some heels in the division is a good thing though and it’s about as much as you can ask.

Kenny King introduces himself to MVP and not much is said.

Samoa Joe vs. Eric Young

Eric is aggressive to start but takes a hard knee to the ribs to stop his momentum. A running forearm drops Joe for two but he comes back with the heavy shots to the head. The fans are behind Eric but Joe runs him over with an elbow to the face. Joe nails the running enziguri in the corner to take over and a big running knee drop gets two. Eric comes back with a running clothesline and actually slams the Samoa down.

Young loads up the elbow but Joe gets to his feet. Young charges into the Rock Bottom out of the corner for two but drops Joe with an elbow. The Samoan avoids a moonsault but can’t quite get the Clutch. Eric tries to kick out of the corner but falls on his back, putting the choke on full until Young passes out at 5:50.

Rating: C. This was a better match than I was expecting, even though there wasn’t much to it. Young was better than usual out there and is SO much easier to sit through when he’s playing it serious than being insane. It’s not a bad match and it made perfect sense for things to go as they did.

Earl Hebner comes out to tell his son Brian that Joe’s shoulders were down while he had the choke on and it should have been a pin. Thankfully nothing changes and Earl pats his son on the back.

Ethan Carter goes to a cabin to rescue Spud.

We see a clip from after last week’s show of Samuel Shaw going into the Knockouts locker room and finding Christy all alone. She tells him to get out but he gets right up in front of her and cuts off a piece of her hair. That’s all he needs and he leaves. Shaw has been suspended for one week, but he’ll be in a straitjacket match next week.

Also next week there’s the fourway for the title plus Willow/Ray vs. Roode/Carter in a tables match.

We recap the recent history of Gunner vs. Storm.

Gunner vs. James Storm

This is an Unlocked match, which is another name for a street fight. The fight is on in the aisle again and Gunner quickly sets up a table. Storm gets in a right hand before the table is completely set so he finishes Gunner’s job. Gunner is whipped knees first into the steps as Tenay tells us we’ll see Ethan and Willow’s confrontation before the show ends. A running knee to Gunner’s head knocks him from the apron to the floor. They haven’t been in the ring yet.

Storm suplexes Gunner onto the ramp but gets sent into the steps for his efforts. Gunner nails him in the ribs with a chair and they finally get inside. The Cowboy comes back with a middle rope DDT of all things for no cover as we take a break. Back with Storm loading up a chair in the corner but getting reversed by Gunner. They slug it out with trashcan lids before Storm gets speared down for two.

Storm counters a sunset flip into a catapult, sending Gunner face first into the chair. A Backstabber sets up a VERY long top rope elbow to give Storm a near fall. Storm pulls out a beer bottle but the distraction lets Gunner spear him through the ropes and through the table on the floor ala Edge and Mick Foley. That only gets two so Gunner sets up two chairs (one of which is broken) in the middle of the ring.

A superplex through the chairs (Storm barely hit them) is enough for two in a nice throwback to the ending at Lockdown. Storm comes back with a Closing Time and a pair of Last Calls for two. James gets the beer bottle but Gunner finds his own to lay out Storm. An F5 is enough to pin the Cowboy at 15:03.

Rating: B+. This was one heck of a fight with both guys beating the tar out of each other. There’s something awesome about two men just hammering each other until one of them can’t get up. I don’t like the story here though as the match was tacked on to the feud after the previous match should have ended things. Still though, awesome stuff.

Carter finds Spud tied to a bed next to a skeleton. Willow screams a lot and attacks Carter from behind with the umbrella. He leaves and Carter says if Willow wants to play games, then game on.

Overall Rating: C+. This show had its moments but it didn’t work all that well. That being said, it did build up some stuff for next week that I kind of want to see, so it’s not without merit. They’re thinking outside the box a bit more and changing some things up since Lockdown and that’s the best thing they can do. I still don’t need a boss character (MVP has been ok) but he’s been used sparingly enough that it’s not overkill…..yet.

Results

Wolves b. Magnus/Abyss – Half crab to Magnus

Angelina Love b. Madison Rayne – Pin after a DDT from Velvet Sky

Samoa Joe b. Eric Young – Koquina Clutch

Gunner b. James Storm – F5

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