:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/32678505/IMG_7879_zps08d004bb.0.jpeg)
Previously on Impact Wrestling
Last week's patented 15 - 30 minutes of talking at the start of the show did actually set-up most of the action for said show. After watching Bully Ray do his best Bob Ross with a can of spray paint and a folding table, TNA World Champ Eric Young met with the man in charge of Wrestling Operations, Montel Vontavious Porter.
MVP put himself over, saying that his excellent wrestling operating had leveled the playing field and allowed Young to become champ. EY, nice Canadian boy that he is, didn't point out that he was the one who had to win a whole lot of matches against guys who wanted to kill him. Instead, he asked for another one of those...for he is a FIGHTING CHAMPION.
Mr. Anderson, Bobby Roode and Gunner all wanted in on that action, and wrestling operating in this case involved a pack of cards and an endurance challenge. The It Factor drew low card, so he got to the face the winner of Gunner vs. Anderson. That turned out to be The Viking, after his nemesis James Storm's attempted interference took out The Asshole instead. Sorry? Not Sorry.
Roode would earn the right to challenge Young when he capitalized on a missed headbutt from the former Marine to record the pinfall. Willow would defeat Storm because umbrellas are more powerful than beer bottles. Anderson got revenge when he caught The Cowboy chasing after Jeff Hardy's alter ego, and hit him with a Mic Check on the stage.
Magnus wanted an explanation from MVP for why he wasn't in the title hunt, but all he got was chased out of the ring by Abyss and Janice. Well, that's not all he got. He also got roughed up by a mysterious figure from his past named Bram who is here to toughen the former champ up.
When Spud told Dixie that Bully was planning to put her through a table (he was spray painting her name on it), she marched to the ring with eight of her best security guards to show she wasn't scared. Ray smooth talked his way through five of them and fought his way through the rest, but before he make the crowd happy by assaulting a middle-aged woman, MVP kicked them both out of the Impact Zone. Later, he'd tell Bully that he only cares about what happens in the ring (if you know what he means).
Spud meanwhile tried to help Ethan Carter III warm up for Kurt Angle with a sporting exhibition, but the Olympic Gold Medalist showed up to threaten EC3 and make fun of poor Spud. But who cares, The Menagerie is coming! Also, The Bro-Mans can't beat The Wolves, in any language.
The Beautiful People celebrated Angelina Love's Knockout title in some classy evening wear, because they trolled the horn dog fans by claiming the company wanted them to cover up. Gail Kim wasn't concerned with that, but she didn't like Love claiming to be the greatest women's wrestler in the world. Once Kim chased the champ and Velvet Sky from the ring, Madison Rayne and Brittany stripped them down to the under garmets. Because TNA doesn't just stand for Total Nonstop Action (if you know what I mean).
Finally, Super Eric retained his belt in clean fashion with an elbow drop to his former Team Canada running buddy. Afterwards, the two shook hands as fans everywhere pondered a Bobby Roode face turn.
TONIGHT
Filmed last week in Ye Olde Impact Zone! Spoilers are here, if that's your thing.
In addition to Angle finally getting his hands on EC3, the man who (kayfabe) sent him to the operating room with a knee injury, we're also getting a championship ladder match tonight! It would probably feel a lot more exciting if it wasn't the five thousandth iteration of Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards versus Robbie E and Jessie Godderz. But a ladder match is a ladder match.
After his little heart-to-heart with MVP, Bully Ray headed to Nashville to get his hands on Dixie Carter at TNA headquarters. And probably arrested. At least Willow had the good sense to assault Dixie's nephew in the forest.
The Beautiful People will try to get revenge on Madison and Brittany for ruining their celebration in an Evening Gown match. And who will the FIGHTING CHAMPION square off with tonight!
All that, plus, Crazzy Steve (he's crazy)!
Expect to pop for:
The Wolves. I've never been, nor will I ever be, a fan of Davey Richards, in ring or out. But Eddie Edwards seems like a good dude, and Richards has certainly put the work in to make it as a pro wrestler.
So it is pretty great to see them wearing gold as champs on a nationally televised promotion. Hopefully it leads to both a long run in TNA and more lucrative bookings everywhere else. If nothing else, they're a testament to the fact that you can stick together and be a marketable commodity in 21st century pro wrestling as a tag team/
Maybe cut back on the howling, though? It seems like they're really ramped that up on Impact.
And as much as I love Robbie E, maybe we can find someone else for them to wrestle?
The heat is on:
The tag division. Is there anybody in there? Hello? No?
If Roode is turning face, there goes our dreams of a Beer Money reunion. Maybe it's time to scrap the X Division and just pair off the...oh, wait, there's only two guys working there, too. Well, there's one more team in Sanada and Tigre Uno. Let's pair up Kenny King with Austin Aries - there, now we've doubled the size of the scene. I guess Magnus and Bram can be one. Spud and Carter should be one.
And The Menagerie is coming!
Look at that. We just brainstormed a vibrant tag scene. Let's make it happen TNA. Bro-Mans vs. Wolves can't go on forever, for either team, and we don't want Eddie and Davey to disappear the way Jessie and Robbie, and James and Gunner, did before them.