Impact Wrestling
3/6/2014
The Asylum
Nashville, Tennessee
Impact Wrestling opens up this week’s episode with a look back at two key events from last week. The first, the feud between Austin Aries and Bobby Roode over who will impress more and hopefully earn a shot at the world title, including the result of the main event which saw Austin Aries making Bobby Roode pass out. The second and final event was the ultimatum that Jeff Jarrett gave Sting where if Kurt Angle does not come out to the ring this week and face him, not only will he be fired but Sting will be as well. The recap video ends with a shot of Sting hanging his head, looking worried.
Mike Tenay and Jeremy Borash begin welcoming everyone to tonight’s broadcast but instead of showing the inside of the Asylum, we see a shot of Kurt Angle pulling up outside the Asylum and entering the arena. Clearly he is here this week but will he answer Jeff’s call? Once Kurt disappears inside the Asylum, the cameras cut to the ring area where tonight’s action can begin.
Match #1: Alex Shelley [C] vs. Jay Bradley – Impact Wrestling Television Championship Match
The first match of the evening is a championship bout for the T.V. title between champion Alex Shelley and challenger Jay Bradley. Alex, making good on his promise of being a fighting champion, just got done successfully defending his title last week against former partner Chris Sabin so he will look to make it two in a row this week. First out to the ring is challenger Jay Bradley who doesn’t get much of a reaction out of the crowd. The crowd erupts for Shelley though which will give him a huge advantage in this match provided he can keep the crowd on his side.
Jay Bradley starts off the match the way you would expect him too, by just using his size and strength to his advantage. Jay keeps Shelley down for quite some time but due to Shelley having the crowd on his side, he always ends up finding the strength to get out. Jay keeps it up though, determined not to let the crowd get to him. When Jay manages to drown out the crowd cheering for Shelley, he is very effective. However, when the crowd appears to start pissing him off is when things start to go bad for him. The times where Jay is able to drown out the noise soon grow shorter and shorter whereas the times where the crowd pisses him off grow bigger and bigger. Shelley takes advantage of this, using Jay’s temper against him. One huge strike by Jay quickly ends any momentum Shelley may have had. Feeling a little too confident, taking his time instead of covering Shelley right there, Jay mocks the crowd which only gives Shelley time to come to. Appearing to “Hulk up” Shelley pops right up and starts firing back at Jay. The crowd gets more and more behind Shelley who continues to build on his momentum until it reaches a fever pitch. It appears to only be a matter of time before the end comes and it does when Shelley hits his finishing move, Sliced Bread #2, quickly following it up with a cover which results in the referee counting 1, 2, 3!
Winner and Still Impact Wrestling Television Champion: Alex Shelley
The referee hands Shelley his title as the crowd continues to cheer loudly. Just as Shelley is beginning to exit the ring, he sees someone out of the corner of his eye that he did not see before. When he looks closer, he sees Chris Sabin sitting at ringside with his face partially covered by a hooded sweatshirt. Sabin only briefly makes eye contact before getting up out of his seat and walking away. Shelley just simply shrugs it off and starts walking to the back as the camera cuts away.
Going to the backstage area, we see “The Greatest Man That Ever Lived” Austin Aries walking down the hallway when he is stopped in his tracks by “The IT Factor” Bobby Roode.
Bobby immediately tells Aries to go away, that the #1 contendership is as good as his and there’s nothing Aries can do about. Of course Aries fires back with the fact that he made Roode pass out last week so he would say he’s the one who really has the inside track. The two appear to be on the verge of having yet another all out brawl before Bully Ray and Brooke Tessmacher step in. Bully says he’s here to do both men a favor. Although he does not have the power to pick who will become #1 contender, he can do the next best thing and that is give one of them a shot at him next week. This perks Roode and Aries right up which both of them immediately ask which one of them he’ll face. Bully says that he’s already talked to JR and had Roode vs. Aries booked for tonight. Both men say awesome but there’s a catch, Bully gets to choose the stipulation. When Aries and Roode ask what it is, Bully simply says they’ll find out right before the match and walks away, leaving both men confused.
*Commercial*
Match #2: D.O.C. & Knux w/ Gunner vs. James Storm & Jeff Hardy
Time for match #2 of the evening. Before the match can begin, Mike Tenay and JB show a brief video recap of what went down last week between these four men, starting with James Storm calling out Gunner, and then deciding to fight D.O.C. & Knux instead when Gunner weaseled out. First team to make their way out to the ring area is the tag team champions, D.O.C. & Knux, followed closely behind by Gunner who is keeping a vigilant eye to make sure James Storm doesn’t sneak up on him. Next is the team of James Storm and Jeff Hardy. To everyone’s surprise, James and Jeff come out to the ring together, instead of separately, an obvious signal to D.O.C. & Knux that they are unified and ready to go.
Things start off much better in this match for the tag team champions than it did last week. They appear focused and ready, apparently having done their homework. They wisely use their size and strength to keep Storm and Hardy separated, on opposite corners from each other, wearing them down in the process. The match is going so well so fast for the champions that they soon start to ease up, perhaps getting a little too cocky. This easing up on the part of D.O.C. and Knux is just the opening Hardy and Storm need. Once they see their chance, it’s like a light switch turns on for the team of Hardy and Storm. They explode on D.O.C. and Knux, ending any sort of momentum they had earlier on. Not having planned for Storm and Hardy to react like this, D.O.C. and Knux don’t have much of an answer against them. Much like the beginning of last week’s match, D.O.C. and Knux seem lost and against two experienced tag team wrestlers like Storm and Hardy, that’s certainly not a good thing. Despite their earlier success, things are soon over for D.O.C. and Knux. Following the same pattern as last week, James Storm hits his Last Call Super Kick and Hardy follows it up with a Swanton Bomb off the top rope, picking up the 1, 2, 3!
Winners: James Storm & Jeff Hardy
Hanging their heads in shame, D.O.C. and Knux quickly exit the ring. The referee then raises both Storm and Hardy’s hands in victory as the crowd cheers on. Frustrated that his partners suffered yet another loss at their hands, Gunner demands a microphone.
Gunner says he’s tired of the cheap victories Storm and Hardy are getting over D.O.C. and Knux. He knows that D.O.C. and Knux, if they prepare properly, could kick Storm’s and Hardy’s asses any day of the week. Gunner then challenges Storm and Hardy to a final, winner take all match next week for bragging rights. Intrigued by the idea, Storm grabs a microphone as well and says if they’re going to have a final winner take all match, why not make it even more interesting, why not have the champs put up the belts as well? Hearing Storm propose putting the titles on the line make D.O.C. and Knux immediately perk up. Getting worried, they try to stop Gunner but they are too late. Before they can do anything, Gunner says they accept Storm’s offer and the match is set. Upset with Gunner, D.O.C. and Knux immediately start arguing with him while Storm and Hardy, laughing, exit the ring.
*Commercial*
Match #3: Austin Aries vs. Bobby Roode - ???
Coming back from commercial, it is time for the main event of the evening between Austin Aries and Bobby Roode where the winner will receive a shot at Bully Ray next week in a non-title match. Coming off of the commercial both Austin Aries and Bobby Roode are already in the ring, awaiting Bully Ray’s announcement of what the stipulation of this match will be.
With his girlfriend Brooke by his side, Bully Ray slowly strolls out of the entrance tunnel. He has a smirk on his face as the crowd starts to boo him. He says he’s thought long and hard about this, going through every type of match he can think of when it finally hit him. There’s nothing more he would like to see than for both of them to beat the living hell out of each other in a Last Man Standing match!
Hearing that their match is now a last man standing match, both Bobby Roode and Austin Aries immediately exit the ring and start searching for weapons. Austin Aries is the first one to grab something, finding a steel chair sitting at ringside. Using the chair, Austin attack Bobby’s midsection, trying to knock the wind out of him before turning and trying to knock him unconscious. After a few blows to the head, Bobby is down but only for a couple seconds. Still dazed, Bobby gets to his week and starts trying to wrestle the steel chair away from Aries. With a knee to below the belt, Bobby accomplishes his goal and starts using the chair on Aries. For whatever reason, the chair does not seem that effective on Aries so Bobby tosses it to the side and tries for something else. He begins whipping Aries into both the guard rails and the steel ring steps. This manages to keep Aries down for a few seconds but not the required ten. Now on the outside of the ring, the two begin slowly making their way up the entrance ramp, using the guard rail and whatever objects they can find to inflict pain on the other. First Roode is out for three to four seconds, then Aries is out for four to five, then Roode for five to six, and so on until every time each man goes down there’s a question about whether or not he can get up. Whoever can score the next major blow may be able to score the win. Now all the way up at the top of the entrance ramp, standing on wobbly legs, Roode and Aries trade strikes back and forth, trying to knock the other out with each blow. Just when it looks like things may not ever end, Bobby Roode and Bully Ray exchange glances. Seeing Bully and the belt over his shoulder infuriates Roode, giving him a necessary boost of energy. Wanting to send a message to both Bully Ray and Jim Ross, Bobby looks to not only knock out Aries but put him out for good. Standing near the edge of the ramp, with a shot to the midsection, Roode doubles Aries over, allowing him to get him in position for a power bomb. Everyone knows what Roode is about to do but he doesn’t care. He lifts Aries up and tosses him over the edge of the ramp and on to a table below. The referee begins the count, counting all the way from 1 to 10 with no answer from Aries.
Winner: Bobby Roode
Bobby Roode finally earns a much sought after shot at Bully Ray next week. Exhausted from his match, Bobby collapse as the referee checks on Austin Aries. Bully Ray makes a move towards Roode like he’s getting ready to attack but stops just short of him. Getting down to his level, Bully Ray sticks the world title in Roode’s face, taunting him with it as the camera cuts away.
Before the commercial break, we see a shot of Jeff and Karen Jarrett backstage. It is unknown what they are saying but we can expect that it has something to do with Kurt Angle. The Jarretts soon walk off camera, towards the ring area.
*Commercial*
Back from commercial, Jeff and Karen Jarrett are already in the middle of the ring.
The Jarretts say they know Kurt Angle is here, everyone seen him arrive so there’s no need to wait, they demand that “The Olympic Gold Medalist” come out to the ring and accept Jeff’s demands. Kurt doesn’t wait, right after the Jarretts call him out, his theme music starts to play. Dressed in a suit but still clearly hobbled, Kurt limps his way down to the ring to face the music. Jarrett reiterates what he told Sting last week, that if Kurt does not agree to face him one more time next week, both he and Sting will be fired. Sadden but knowing what he must do, Kurt motions like he’s about to speak but before he can, he is interrupted by the music of “The Icon” Sting. The Jarretts appear frustrated and Kurt just hangs his head as Sting enters the ring. Jeff tells him that he has no business here but Sting simply ignores him. Giving it one last change, Sting begs Kurt not to agree to it since he’s still not 100%. He then turns to Jeff and begs Jeff to face him instead. Before Jeff can say anything, Kurt interrupts. Kurt thanks Sting for looking out for him but he’s a big boy and he can handle himself. Despite Sting’s objections, Kurt then turns to Jeff and agrees to his challenge. Sting can’t believe it and Jeff just laughs. Kurt tries to shake Jeff’s hand but Jeff wants nothing of it. Taking the low road, Jeff kicks at Kurt’s knees which immediately cause Kurt to fall to the apron. Sting tries to help his friend but Jeff’s ready for him as well, quickly tossing him out of the ring. The show fades to black with yet another shot of Jeff and Karen Jarrett standing over Kurt Angle.