TNA Impact results, live blog (June 26, 2014): Monster's Ball

TNA Impact comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (June 26, 2014) from the Sands Bethlehem Event Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, featuring continued fallout from Slammiversary, including Bobby Lashley winning the heavyweight championship title from Eric Young just last week.

Scheduled for the show: Lashley will make his first appearance as champion, Bobby Roode is back and has something to say, a Monster's Ball match pitting Willow & Abyss vs. Magnus & Bram, and more!

To follow along as it all goes down come right back here at 9 p.m. ET to hang out with all your favorite folks from this neck of the woods when the show airs on Spike. Hanging out here is guaranteed to enhance your viewing experience.

Enjoy the evening, Cagesiders!

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IMPACT RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG

- I missed the opening couple minutes. When I tuned in at 9:02 p.m. ET The Beautiful People were making their entrance followed by Gail Kim and Taryn Terrell for the Knockouts tag match. The babyfaces were doing what they wanted early with Terrell the main focus seeing as this was her first TV match after the birth of her child some time ago. Taz was pushing that she may not have the gas tank to keep up with Velvet Sky and Angelina Love because she hasn't been able to train at the same level as her competitors thanks to her pregnancy. Actually a salient point to bring up here. Then he told Mike Tenay, "You're supposed to be a professor... that's a work, by the way." Yeah. They got the heat on Sky so she could tag out to Love as Terrell got the medium tag to Kim, who came in and did work. Once she got in, it was only a matter of time before Eat Defeat on Love and the pinfall. They pushed hard that Kim pinned the champion.

- Dixie Carter was shown backstage. She said she has confirmation that "tonight is going to be a very good night to be Dixie Carter. Stay tuned!"

- THE UNSTOPPABLE ALLIANCE was out next. MVP and Kenny King came out first with two women accompanying them. Lashley was introduced on his own and I say "Lashley" because they appear to have dropped the "Bobby". He also came out with a woman. All three women were white, if that matters at all. MVP said it took a little longer than they thought it would but he's fully in power as Director of Wrestling Operations and now Lashley is heavyweight champion. MVP claimed they had something in store for Eric Young, something that would have him begging for his release. This brought the former champ out. He was wearing a sling. Young said "you know the saying, you can't fight City Hall. But I'm not looking to fight City Hall, I'm looking to tear it down". Then he rushed the ring and got beat down fairly quick. Bobby Roode ran in to make the save.

- Back from commercial, Roode was cutting a promo saying he's had his differences with Young but they have a history with each other. It was essentially the same promo he cut before the title match they had a month or so back. Roode cursed at MVP, calling the suspension he was given "bullshit". He went on to say "it's time to get this company back", so they're once again right back in a storyline power struggle over the company. He was heated, of course. MVP said he's a civilized man, and still Roode's boss, so he was going to get in the ring and talk to him like a civilized person. MVP was starting to fire Roode but before he could get the words out, someone named Earl Soloman Armstrong walked out saying he represents TNA's Board of Directors. He removed MVP from his position to a big pop. MVP freaked out. Earl also reinstated Roode. So Bobby hit MVP with a gut punch and that was the segment.

- Knux was backstage talking on the phone. He was telling someone they would get the money they are owed as soon as possible. Knux told Crazzy Steve, The Freak, and Rebel that they need cash or the business is going to get torn down. In order to get paid in this business, you have to be a champion, so they're counting on Steve to win the X Division title tonight. The Bro Mans showed up and wondered why Steve would get the title shot. Suddenly Manik arrived without his mask, then put it on, then said Steve had something on his face before walking away.

- Rockstar Spud visited Dixie in her office. She gloated over MVP being taken out. She said she was "really good" in that board meeting but didn't know she was that good. Then she asked Spud to get a special bottle of champagne because surely she would be introduced as the new Director of Wrestling Operations. "Power is going to come home to momma," as she put it.

- As Sanada was walking out, Mike Tenay revealed he would get to pick his X Division title challenger. His choices were Crazzy Steve, Manik, and Zema Ion. Instead of choosing just one, Sanada decided all three could have a shot at him at the same time. He must be crazier than Crazzy Steve! They went about having a chaotic match featuring some big spots, one of which earned a "T-N-A" chant. The finish was Sanada earning a pinfall on a double underhook suplex.

- Kenny King was upset backstage, screaming about what could be going on here with Earl Armstrong. MVP was upset too. He blamed Dixie Carter. He was trying to stay cool, saying she's "in for a hell of a surprise" because "don't nobody take from me".

- Magnus and Bram cut a promo backstage. Magnus put over how brutal a Monster's Ball match is and all the crazy gimmicks it involves, like barbed wire and tacks and all that. Then he said that's how his Friday nights used to be before he became a pro wrestler. Bram went one step further and said that's how they played as kids. They were both acting nuts for this.

- Dixie and Spud were out next. She was getting a ton of heat. They made sure to showcase fans hating her guts and screaming at her. She said she will give fans what they want, and that's a whole lot more of her. This was supposed to be a heel promo, I'm sure, but one can't help but wonder if these are her actual beliefs. She introduced Earl Armstrong. He came out and said she misunderstood the situation because she's not the Director of Wrestling Operations either. That's when Bully Ray came out to a big pop. He said he's going to kick that "bleep" in the face, so I'm assuming he called Spud a "bitch". Then he took a drink of her champagne before saying without saying it that he would be putting her through a table. She asked him how much money it would take for him not to put her through a table. She threw out $200,000. He was baffled at that. He decided he wanted to put her through a table more than he wanted the money, so he went after her. EC3 ran in to make the save. He almost failed, with Bully actually picking her up to put her through it, but Spud and EC3 combined helped get Dixie out and that was that.

- Dixie Carter was shown running out of the building with Rockstar, leaving EC3 behind.

- Bully cut a promo on the camera saying he won't rest until he puts Dixie through a table. "One day, you're going through it".

- James Storm vs. Ken Anderson was next. It was a match. Really short, not much to it, and Storm went over clean in the center after the Last Call superkick. He mean mugged the camera and did a throat slash after the win. I think he means business here.

- Sam Shaw was in his padded white room. Gunner walked in and said the doctors decided he could be let out but only under Gunner's supervision. Shaw agreed that sounded okay.

- James Storm was backstage and clapping for Sanada. He brought up Sanada being a protege of The Great Muta. Storm wondered if Sanada was willing to take the gamble of trying to become the world heavyweight champion. "That's a lot of pressure, man. What happens if you lose? What happens if you choke?" Sanada flexed him and Storm just took that to mean Sanada understood what he was saying. Then he screamed in his face and told him not to choke.

- EC3 was on the phone yelling at Spud to come back and get him. He hung up, took three steps, and immediately got blasted by Tommy Dreamer. They brawled around the back. Then they brawled out to the ring. Brawling and brawling and brawling. EC3 was doing a lot of screaming to go along with it. He looked particularly jacked here. Like, every muscle on his stomach was well defined. Contrast that with Dreamer, who wrestles with his shirt on for a reason. No one came out to break this up until Tommy started biting EC3's head. That's when two referees and Al Snow showed up. The crowd immediately chanted "Head".

- THE MONSTER ABYSS cut a promo saying Magnus and Bram will understand the true meaning of pain tonight. Willow spoke too. They were deviously plotting the downfall of their British opponents while trying to sound scary.

- MVP was with King and Lashley walking to a limo out back. MVP was heard saying his "replacement" was inside and they wanted to go see for themselves.

- After a commercial, THE UNSTOPPABLE ALLIANCE bullied and beat up the driver of the limo because he wouldn't say who he brought with him.

- The Monster's Ball match was next. Naturally, it was a brutal match. Bram got color fairly quick. Abyss was handcuffed and taken out of the match, leaving Willow by himself in the ring with the two brutal Brits. Abyss found some superhuman strength because he broke the cuffs chained to the guardrail and jumped into the ring to save Willow. He was overcome anyway. That's when Willow broke out the Kendo stick that made no noise. Abyss set up some tacks and Magnus was the one who took a chokeslam on them. He sold like a king. Bram grabbed Janice and used it to gut shot Abyss and get the pinfall for his team.

- They showed someone walking in a suit and said he was the new Director of Wrestling Operations. We would find out who next.

- Earl Armstrong was back out. He introduced the new boss: Kurt Angle. He talked about Dixie and MVP being selfish and out only for their own good. But he's different because he's accomplished everything he needs to in this business and it's time to give back to the fans. He said if anyone in the back wanted to try him, it would become real. Damn real. That brought out THE UNSTOPPABLE ALLIANCE. MVP was livid because Angle couldn't possibly be his boss. He said Angle couldn't tell Kenny, the hot head, what he can do. Or MVP. Or Lashley. MVP threatened him and then he freaked out and said if any of them laid a hand on him, he would fire all three of them on the spot. Then he booked Lashley vs. Young for the heavyweight title next week. Young came out smiling. Roode vs. King was made, and that brought out Roode so they could brawl to close the show.

End.