The following matches and segments were taped for the Friday, May 8th edition of TNA Impact Wrestling on Destination America. Results come from ProWrestling.net.
Q1] Impact opened with Eric Young standing in the ring and demanding to know who the special referee of his title match against Kurt Angle would be. Bully Ray's music played and he walked out wearing a leather vest over a referee's shirt. Josh Mathews checked in on commentary. The fans chanted "welcome back" to Ray. "Do you know who I am?" Ray asked. "I'm Bully Ray and the special guest referee for tonight's World Heavyweight Championship match"... A video focussed on the the top feuds with matches that will occur during the show...
EC3 and Tyrus headed to the ring. Mathews noted that the stipulation of the match would be determined by fan vote - arm wrestling or falls count anywhere. Once in the ring, EC3 cut a brief promo, then Anderson walked onto the stage and said he was tired of hearing EC3 run his mouth. The fan vote was 85 percent in favor of falls count anywhere. Anderson delivered his usual self-introduction and then headed to the ring...
1. EC3 (w/Tyrus) vs. Mr. Anderson in a falls count anywhere match. Mathews noted that there were no disqualifications or countouts, which explained why Tyrus was able to go after him once the bell rang. Anderson quickly cleared both men from the ring, then got EC3 alone. However, Tyrus tripped him and pulled him to ringside, then took shots at him. Anderson came back with a Mic Check that put Tyrus into the ring post.
Anderson got the better of EC3 and hit him with a low blow at ringside and covered him on the floor for two. Anderson pulled several chairs out from underneath the ring. EC3 rolled him up for a one count, then Anderson stood up and kicked him. Anderson set up for the Mic Check, but EC3 broke that up and ended up backdropping him onto the entrance ramp. A short time later, Tyrus got involved again and caught Anderson with a splash in the corner, then delivered a soft looking heart punch(?). EC3 covered Anderson and got the pin...
EC3 defeated Mr. Anderson in 5:35.
Backstage, Bully Ray spoke with Kurt Angle, who asked if it had been eight months since Ray last appeared. "It's been too long," Ray said. Angle asked if Ray would call it down the middle for him. "Kurt, do you know who I am?" Ray asked before walking away...
[Q2] [C] Backstage, Gail Kim approached Awesome Kong and noted that they haven't been on the same page ever, but Taryn Terrell has made it personal for both of them. "So are you in?" Kim asked. Kong walked away... Mathews hyped the handicap Knockouts match for later in the show...
The Beat Down Clan (MVP, Kenny King, Low-Ki) made their entrance. They had a flag and wore costume masks. They removed the masks once they entered the ring. MVP took the mic and said Impact Wrestling his live on Destination America. MVP said that because it's live he would say things that would "make you uncomfortable" and added that the truth tends to do that. He held up a mask and said it belongs to Homicide, who couldn't be there because someone blindsided him and he needed to have shoulder surgery.
MVP said fans stand up for The Rising when they resort to doing things like that. He spoke about how the U.S. government takes oilfields, then said fans call them thugs when BDC does something along those lines. MVP said "thug" is the new codeword for n----- (he was censored). He said BDC would treat The Rising like "the establishment likes to treat so-called thugs."
The Rising (Drew Galloway, Mica, Eli Drake). Galloway said they had nothing to do with Homicide's injury. Galloway said he noticed the way King looked when Homicde touched his title belt. "Where were you last night?" he asked. MVP took a shot at "keyboard warriors" and said he doesn't care about pro wrestling, he cares about making money. MVP said Galloway cares about work rate, whereas he cares about interest rates. The Rising eventually entered the ring and quickly cleared BDC... [C]
[Q3] 2. Drew Galloway (w/Mica, Eli Drake) vs. MVP (w/Low Ki, Kenny King). MVP gained controla and flung Galloway into the guardrail at ringside, then ran him into the ring post. Back in the ring, Galloway came back with a DDT and scored the clean pin. However, Eric Young entered the ring and attacked Galloway with a chair. The other Rising members tried to save Galloway, but the other BDC members stopped them. Young spoke briefly with MVP off-mic as Mathews recalled Young's alliance with BDC starting back in January...
Drew Galloway beat MVP in 4:40.
Mathews hyped the main event... Backstage, James Storm arrived with a gift. He said it's a "special gift for a very special friend." He said they would "unwrap them all very, very soon"... [C]
James Storm headed to the ring with his gift. Mathews recalled the storyline involving Storm, Mickie James, and Magnus, then plugged some Destination America shit shot called Ghost Asylum (okay, so I've never watched it). Storm introduced Mickie James, who came out to a good reaction.
[Q4] Storm said he realizes that James is transitioning her life from wrestling to motherhood. He said he's sure the right time will come when she gives the fans one more match. He brought up her music career and said he had a gift for her. He called her an amazing singer, entertainer, and friend.
Storm handed the gift to James and had the crowd chant "open it." James was all smiles as she opened the box, which contained a guitar. Storm had a cameraman enter the ring to take a photo of the two of them with the guitar. Magnus headed out minus music.
Storm told Magnus not to come out and ruin the party. He said he had a gift for Magnus. He pulled out the helmet that Magnus wore earlier in his career. The fans chanted "put it on." Funny. Magnus wasn't happy, and he and James left the ring together.
Storm said he had one more gift for their son Donovan. Storm said Donovan could sleep with it at night and they could tell him it was from uncle James. Magnus returned to the ring and slammed the guitar over the head of Storm. Magnus left the ring, and Storm sat up smiling, presumably because Magnus did exactly what he wanted him to do...
Mathews hyped the Knockouts handicap tag match... [C]
Backstage, MVP said it's not that he's okay with it, but he wants to know why Eric Young did what he did earlier. Young brought up Bully Ray's involvement in the main event. He said the last time he and BDC did business together they took the title from Bobby Roode. He said they could take it away from Kurt Angle tonight. Young walked away, and King said he thought they were done with "loony tunes"...
Mathews spoke about Gail Kim being married to celebrity chef Robert Irvine. He set up footage of Kim appearing onstage with Irvine (and Jeremy Borash hosting). Backstage at the event, Borash and Kim were talking when they noticed Taryn Terrell posing for photos across the room. Kim asked her to leave...
A brief video touted the TNA Knockouts as "sexy, powerful, strong, and athletic"...
The creeper cameraman showed the toe-to-head shot of ring announcer Christy Hemme, who introduced the Knockouts match...
[Q5] 3. Awesome Kong and Gail Kim vs. Taryn Terrell, Marti Bell, and Jade. Mathews spoke about how the fans demanded more Knockouts matches. Um, wasn't that a WWE Divas thing? Anyway, the three Dollhouse members got the better of Kim. There was an atrocious double-team move used by Bell and Jade. Kim recovered and locked in a submission hold that Taryn broke up by running in from the outside.
Later, Kong hit the Implant Buster on Jade. Kim went for Eat Defeat on Bell, but Taryn rolled up Kim for the win. After the match, Bell was caught between Kim and Kong in the ring. Kim hit Bell with her finisher, then Kong hit her finisher...
Taryn Terrell, Marti Bell, and Jade beat Awesome Kong and Gail Kim in 5:25.
Footage aired of Jeff Hardy's dirt bike accident that resulted in him suffering a broken tibia. Mathews questioned what this means regarding the future of the tag titles. Matt Hardy was shown backstage with both belts... [C]
Backstage, Mickie James told Magnus that he promised her he would try. Magnus said he loves their family, but Storm disrespected him and that's where he draws the line. Mickie said she feels like Magnus disrespected her...
[Q6] Jeremy Borash interviewed Matt Hardy in the ring and asked him about Jeff. Matt said Jeff is in a lot of pain. He said he and Jeff proved that they were still the best team in the world by winning the tag titles. Matt said the Jeff that people see on television isn't a character or a gimmick, he's an enigmatic daredevil 24/7. Matt said he and Jeff are now forced to vacate the TNA Tag Titles.
Matt said it was time to go home and figure out what's next for him. Hardy left the ring and saluted the fans. Before he could get to the top of the ramp, Austin Aries and Bobby Roode's music played. They walked out and bumped fists with Matt. The duo headed to the ring while Hardy headed to the back.
Aries had his Money in the Bank, er, Feast or Fired briefcase with him. He said he would let Young have his title match and get his revenge later. He spoke about how the TNA Tag Titles seem cursed. He said he and Roode are the best tag team in the world.
Roode and Aries picked up the tag title belts that Hardy left behind. Roode said the belts deserve to be defended and to be around the waist of the best tag team in the world.
Davey Richards headed to the ring to a ho-hum reaction. Richards implied that he and Eddie Edwards are the best tag team in the world and deserve the title belts. Aries praised Richards, but noted that there was just Richards standing in the ring. Richards said wolves hunt in packs. He introduced the returning Edwards, who received a nice reaction after the buildup that included "welcome back" chants.
Edwards said he broke his heel the last time he left the ring. He said he was cleared to wrestle as of noon. Edwards challenged Aries and Roode to prove who the best tag team is. He said he didn't want to have just one match. He challenged them to a best of five series. Edwards played to the crowd, which cheered in response. Roode and Aries agreed to the match... [C]
[Q7] Backstage, Hardy was leaving the building when Drew Galloway stopped him. Galloway said he respects Hardy, and they are both alike. He said neither one of them would walk away from a fight...
Angelina Love stood in the ring and that fans have been asking her about Bro-Mans, Gail Kim and Awesome Kong, and The Dollhouse. She said she was there to talk about herself "the greatest Knockout ever." Velvet Sky walked through the crowd. Love was surprised and recalled Velvet being fired. "You look interesting," Love said of the denim-clad Sky. "It's very daring."
Love said she got all of Sky's voicemails, but she was busy "having a life and being awesome." Love hugged Sky, whose expression didn't change. Love yelled and said that without her, Sky is nothing. Sky remained expressionless until Love demanded that she say something. Sky speared Love and then choked her with her own hair until security intervened. The fans chanted "let them fight"... An Eric Young video aired...
Backstage, Young asked Bully Ray if he was going to stab him in the back. Ray said they told him to ref a match. He told him he and Angle could kill each other for all he cares. Ray said he's there to raise Young's hand or Angle's hand... [C]
Christy Hemme delivered the introductions for the main event. Bully Ray made his entrance as the special referee, then Eric Young, and finally Kurt Angle...
4. Kurt Angle vs. Eric Young for the TNA Title with Bully Ray as special referee. Young wore hot pink, which is odd given his current character. Anyway, he got the better of Angle in the opening minutes.
[Q8] The match spilled to ringside and Ray told both men to bring it back to the ring. Mathews recalled the conversation that Young had with MVP earlier. The BDC watched the match from the stage. Young was in control heading into the break. [C] With BDC at ringside, Angle made his comeback and ended up applying the ankle lock.
Young reached toward the ropes, which MVP pushed closer to him so he could break the hold. Young ended up low-blowing Young, and BDC worked over Angle. Chris Melendez and The Rising came out and fought BDC to the back. In the ring, Young set up for a piledriver on Ray, who backdropped him. Angle performed the Angle Slam and covered Young, who kicked out at two.
Angle went for the move again, but Young countered with a piledriver for a near fall. Young protested, and Ray, who was still selling the nut shot, told him it was inches away from being a three count. Young went for a top rope cross body block, but Angle rolled through and applied the Ankle Lock and got the submission win...
Kurt Angle defeated Eric Young in 14:15 to retain the TNA Title.
After the match, Ray raised Angle's hand in victory. Angle left the ring and posed on the ramp. Ray continued to hold his balls as he left the ring and went to the stage, where he raised Angle's hand again and then disappeared backstage. Mathews thanked viewers for watching to close the show.
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