Impact Wrestling – September 10, 2014: Holding Out For A Hero

Impact Wrestling
Date: September 10, 2014
Location: Manhattan Center, New York City, New York
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Tazz

We’re getting close to the end of this set of tapings with two more regular episodes and the No Surrender special next week, because we need a PPV style special three and a half weeks before Bound For Glory. As for tonight we’ve got the second match in the tag team series and maybe we’ll even get something for BFG. Counting tonight there are only five shows left before the biggest show of the year so you would think they would have something ready by now. Let’s get to it.

We open with the New York Color Guard playing the Star Spangled Banner. This was originally going to be the September 11^th episode but it’s still a cool thing to see.

Chris Melendez vs. DJZ

Melendez walks around the rings high fiving fans before DJZ comes to the ring. In case you’re not familiar with Melendez, he has an artificial left leg. DJZ takes over to start with a quick kick to the ribs and a faceplant for good measure. Melendez comes back with a clothesline and neckbreaker to send DJZ out to the floor. DJZ comes back by snapping Chris’ throat across the top rope but Melendez nails him with more clotheslines and a side slam. A Samoan drop ends DJZ at 2:52. Melendez looked fine though it’s clear he’s still a rookie.

After a break here’s Bobby Roode with something to say. Roode loves the feeling of standing in this ring right now. However he needs to thank his best friend Eric Young. Eric always brought the best out in Bobby Roode and will always be a World Champion in Roode’s eyes. Roode talks about getting his title shot next week at No Surrender but here’s the Trio to interrupt.

MVP talks about the movies but says Lashley is reality. There is no happily ever after and Roode doesn’t get the girl or the World Title. Roode says you can see the fear and doubt in MVP’s eyes. Lashley has no fear or doubt in his eyes though because Lashley knows he can beat Roode. Bobby goes into the usual TNA talk about heart and desire to be the best and says there isn’t a thing MVP can do to stop him. The beatdown is on until until Joe and Young make the save. A six man is made and Joe wants to do it right now.

Kenny King/Lashley/MVP vs. Samoa Joe/Eric Young/Bobby Roode

The fight is on as we come back from a break with Joe diving through the ropes to take everyone out. Back in and Joe runs King over before hammering away in the corner. King nails him with an enziguri and a neck snap across the top rope. Kenny goes up but misses a dive with a big crash onto the mat via Joe just stepping to the side. Off to Young vs. MVP with Eric getting two off a belly to belly.

King clotheslines Young from the apron and it’s off to Lashley for the dominance. Something like a fisherman’s suplex gets two on Eric and it’s off to King for a chinlock. For some reason we get tweets from Taz on the bottom of the screen during the hold. Lashley leapfrogs Young and puts on a cross armbreaker.

Eric powerbombs him to escape and makes the tag off to Roode to clean house. The Blockbuster gets two on MVP but Joe gets speared down by Lashley. Eric’s missile dropkick knocks Lashley to the floor for a big dive. Back in and MVP misses the Drive By and gets caught in the Roode Bomb for the pin at 9:13.

Rating: C+. The action was good here though I still have no reason to be interested in Roode vs. Lashley, especially when it’s next week. I’m assuming we’re going to have a screwy finish to set up a rematch at Bound For Glory where Roode gets the title, but it’s very hard to say given how this company goes most of the time.

BroMans/Velvet Sky vs. Menagerie

The BroMans now have the Beautiful People with them. The Freak is on the floor for this one. Steeve chases Robbie around to start and it’s quickly off to Jesse. Knux comes in with a cartwheel and a big slam before it’s back to Steeve. Robbie gets in a right hand on the floor as DJZ is running around like a crazy man.

Velvet comes in for some slaps before it’s back to Jesse who immediately tags Robbie. Rebel comes in to face Velvet but the BroMans break up a sunset flip attempt. Knux runs both of them over with a cross body, leaving Steeve against Velvet. Sky gets kissed and Steeve dives onto all three BroMans. Rebel slams her down but gets distracted by Angelina, allowing Velvet to roll her up with a handful of trunks for the pin at 4:40.

Rating: D. I’m in the minority but I actually like the Menagerie. Steeve continues to be worthless but at least Knux is good and Rebel is gorgeous. The BroMans hooking up with the Beautiful People is a decent enough idea and will probably lead to some decent jokes down the line. The wrestling wasn’t great but the expectations for this weren’t exactly high coming in.

Kurt Angle has an opponent for EC3 tonight and doesn’t think Carter will like it.

Team 3D wants the Tag Team Titles.

Angle is in the ring and likes the direction TNA is going in now. However there’s one malcontent that Angle wants to deal with right now. He asks EC3 to come out here right now so here’s Carter to complain about Team 3D putting Dixie through the table. Ethan, in pink pants, blames everyone for what happened and mentions injuring Angle several months back. Angle promises to take care of Ethan in due time but as for tonight, Ethan gets a street fight RIGHT NOW.

Rhino vs. Ethan Carter III

It’s a brawl to start with Rhino throwing Carter out to the floor and into the barricade. The weapons are thrown in and Rhino is sent into the barricade as well. Back in and Rhino nails him with a kendo stick but a low blow stops a chair shot. Carter whips him with a belt and wedges a trashcan in the corner. We get a Hogan hand to the ear for no apparent reason before Ethan nails him in the back with a chair. A quick belly to belly drops Carter but the Gore hits the trashcan. The 1%er onto the chair pins Rhino at 5:25.

Rating: C-. The New York crowds have been awesome but I can’t wait to get to another city so we don’t have to have a hardcore match almost every week. We get it: this was ECW’s building. Let it die already. I can’t really see much more for Rhino in TNA after this but he wasn’t exactly a long term guy anyway.

Chris Melendez talks about performing in front of his hometown crowd and turning DJZ’s confidence into a victory.

The Knockouts are in the ring for the announcement of the covergirl for the 2015 Knockouts calender. Angelina thinks it’s her but Velvet wins. Angelina is shocked but Havok comes out to destroy everyone. She holds up the title belt and the Beautiful People look terrified.

Bound For Glory is still coming to Tokyo. Nothing has changed in the week since they told you that.

James Storm and Sanada are at their house in the woods where Manik is tied up. Storm rips Manik’s mask off and tells the cameras to leave.

Clips of Lashley’s win in Bellator MMA.

Gail looks for Havok.

James Storm/Great Sanada vs. Austin Aries/Tajiri

Sanada and Tajiri get things going in a technical sequence. Off to Aries for a top rope ax handle followed by some chops in the corner. There’s the Last Chancery but Storm makes a quick save. Aries hits the suicide dive to take both of them down but Storm offers some cheating to take over. A knee and legdrop get two on Aries but he escapes the Eye of the Storm and nails the discus foreman. Off to Tajiri for the handspring elbow and a superkick to Sanada. Tajiri tries the Mist but gets caught in the Tarantula for his efforts. Storm spits beer in Tajiri’s face though, allowing Sanada to superkick Tajiri for the pin at 7:03.

Rating: C. I’ve always liked Tajiri and I’m digging this Storm alliance. He’s a great talker and someone that is capable of being a top star in the company if TNA would quit cutting off his legs. In theory this leads to Muta getting involved at Bound For Glory, though I’m not sure who he would be teaming with.

The Hardys have beaten Team 3D in a tables match before so Team 3D better be ready.

Kim finds Havok and gets beaten up as a result. They’re still fighting after we get back from a break with Gail spearing Havok on the ramp. Havok beats up security for trying to break it up.

We run down the No Surrender card for next week, including Roode vs. Lashley, Joe defending against Homicide and a Knockouts battle royal.

Tag Team Title Series: Team 3D vs. Wolves vs. Hardys

The Wolves are defending but only 3D can win the titles here. This is a tables match where only one person has to go through a table for the win. Everyone quickly heads outside and the fans already want tables. Bully and Matt hammer away on each other inside with Matt getting caught in What’s Up. Team 3D wants tables and draws the loudest pop of the night so far. The Wolves try to baseball slide the table into their faces but get blasted with it instead. The Hardys’ baseball slide connects though and we take a break.

Back with D-Von moving the table to save the match, earning him a dropkick from Eddie. Ray tries a Doomsday Device to Edwards but Jeff and Davey make the save. Davey fights off both members of Team 3D but walks into a hard double shoulder. The Hardys set up a table in the corner but Jeff misses a dropkick to drive himself through the table instead. Team 3D loads up another table on the ramp and try a suplex on Matt until the Wolves hit stereo suicide dives for the save.

Jeff bridges a table upside down between the steps and the apron and sets up the legs to make it even more dangerous. Edwards takes him down with a big dive though and it’s Matt vs. Davey in the ring now. Team 3D breaks it up and slides in the table that Jeff set up outside. The Wolves take them out though and break the corner off the table in the process. Jeff dives over the top to take out Bully and Matt gives Eddie an elevated Twist of Fate out of the corner. Eddie is laid on a table and Jeff nails a Swanton through for the win at 15:16.

Rating: B-. It’s a really good main event though not as good as the regular match they had a few weeks back. The series is the best thing TNA has going right now and while it’s not going to last long term, it’s enjoyable while it’s lasting and that’s all it needs to do. Goods tuff here and I’m sure the finals at Bound For Glory will rock.

The Hardys climb a ladder and make the obvious choice for next week.

Overall Rating: C+. TNA’s roll continues as this was another solid episode. The main event stole the show of course and you can pencil in the final match for Bound For Glory. The midcard stuff is starting to shape up for the show as you can see most of the card fro here. On the other hand, the main event scene is kind of a mess and I have almost no idea where they’re going.

In theory Roode loses next week by shenanigans and there’s a rematch in Tokyo, but that’s about as lame of an idea as they could go with. Of course there’s always the multiman option if they really want to make the show feel lame. TNA really needs a hero to stand up for them that isn’t named Angle or Hardy. Right now Roode or Joe (and that’s a bigger stretch than Joe in a medium t-shirt) are their best options and that doesn’t exactly get my hopes up. Good stuff this week but they need to firm up more plans for Bound For Glory.

Results

Chris Melendez b. DJZ – Samoan drop

Eric Young/Bobby Roode/Samoa Joe b. Lashley/MVP/Kenny King – Roode Bomb to MVP

BroMans/Velvet Sky b. Menagerie – Rollup to Rebel

Ethan Carter III b. Rhino – 1%er onto a chair

James Storm/Great Sanada b. Tajiri/Austin Aries – Superkick to Tajiri

Hardys b. Team 3D and the Wolves – Swanton Bomb to Edwards

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