From our friends at a site Sting is never done with… WRESTLING RECAPS!!!
Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 2/23/2012
From: Orlando, FL
Tonight, Kurt Angle teams up with Bully Ray to take on James Storm and Jeff Hardy in a no disqualification match. Also, Sting embraces his insane side again and Bobby Roode has a first hand experience in witnessing it!
TNA World Champion Bobby Roode opens the program by coming down to the ring. Roode talks about how Sting stated that he was done on Twitter. Roode knows that Sting will be here tonight and he will tell everyone that he is indeed done! Roode talks about all of his accomplishments but says ending Sting’s career would be the greatest of all. Roode tells us that when Sting says his goodbyes that he wants Sting to remember one thing. “Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out!”
Backstage, Matt Morgan and Crimson are arguing about who cost them the championships. They agree that they win and lose as a team and tonight they are going to get the straps back.
Opening Contest: TNA World Tag Team Championship
[champions] Samoa Joe & Magnus vs. Crimson & Matt Morgan
The challengers attack before the bell. Joe is knocked down by a double shoulder block. Morgan hits a side slam on Joe but only gets a one count. Crimson tags into the match but Joe delivers a head butt to gain the advantage. Magnus enters but misses a clothesline. Crimson drops Magnus with a few clotheslines and knee lifts. Crimson hits a running knee strike. Crimson drives Magnus face first down to the mat with a swinging slam for a two count. Crimson misses a spear in the corner and hits the ring post as we go to commercial.
Crimson fights out of the champs corner but is poked in the eyes by Joe. Crimson plants Joe with a spine buster! Morgan gets the tag, as does Magnus. Morgan cleans house with shoulder blocks a knee lift. Morgan clotheslines Joe and sends the champs into each other. Morgan delivers a clothesline and plays to the crowd. Magnus boots Morgan in the corner but Morgan catches Magnus to hit a swinging side slam for a near fall. Crimson boots the champs but accidentally clotheslines Morgan after Joe avoids the Carbon Footprint. Morgan is left in the ring and the champs hit the snapmare/elbow drop combo to get the three count!
Your Winners and STILL TNA World Tag Team Champions: Samoa Joe & Magnus via pin fall
Match Rating: **1/2
Brandon Jacobs makes his way down to the ring and introduces himself to everyone. In case you didn’t know, he is a running back on the New York Giants, who won the Superbowl this year. Jacobs says he is buddies with Storm since they both like to drink beer. Jacobs tells Bully Ray that he is in his backyard again and they have some unfinished business to take care of. Ray calls Jacobs “Brenda” and believes they got off the wrong way. Ray notes that they are both champions. Jacobs is a two-time champion while Ray has been a 23-time champion. Ray says he isn’t going to waste his time on a guy who didn’t even score a touchdown in the Superbowl. Jacobs leaves the ring and Ray bails backstage to avoid him.
Backstage, Brandon Jacobs is met by James Storm and Jeff Hardy who try to calm Jacobs down. They whisper something and they walk away.
Second Contest: Zema Ion vs. Alex Shelley
Ion hits a baseball slide before Shelley can even enter the ring. Ion hits a missile dropkick but can’t put Shelley away so quickly. TNA X-Division Champion Austin Aries makes his way down to the ring. Shelley drops Ion throat first across the top rope and hits a slingshot splash for a two count. Aries is eating popcorn and sipping on some wine. Shelley hits a top rope kick on Ion but is slammed face first onto the apron by Ion. Ion hits a head scissors face plant and locks in an arm bar but Shelley reaches the bottom rope. Shelley hits a dragon screw leg whip and chops away on Ion. Shelley kicks Ion and clotheslines Ion over the top to the floor. Shelley takes Ion out with a suicide dive!
On the floor, Ion has put his hairspray can in his tights. How the referee doesn’t see that is beyond me. Ion avoids a double stomp and avoids the Slice Bread. Ion sprays Shelley and hits the Bible Black to win the match.
Your Winner: Zema Ion via pin fall
Match Rating: *1/4
Backstage, Garrett Bischoff says that he isn’t going to stop no matter what his father says or does to him. Hulk Hogan comes over and tells Garrett that he has a huge bulls eye on his chest because of Eric. Garrett doesn’t care, he is going to be a wrestler!
Backstage, Madison Rayne hopes that Sting is indeed done because he hasn’t been fair to her. Rayne says she stepped up and has given Gail Kim the competition she does deserve because no one else is worthy of a shot.
Third Contest: TNA Knockouts Champion Gail Kim vs. ODB
ODB knocks Kim off her feet by using her breasts. ODB spanks Kim a few times before being rammed into a corner. ODB splashes Kim in the corner and delivers a bronco buster. Kim is caught on a cross body attempt and ODB hits a fall away slam. Kim kicks ODB from the apron and kicks ODB in the ribs. Kim clotheslines ODB but only gets a two count on the cover attempt. ODB holds onto the ropes to prevent being sent to the floor. Kim drives ODB down to the mat face first while ODB was elevated on the middle rope. Kim spears ODB in the corner and yanks ODB down by the hair for a two count.
Kim has an octopus style submission on ODB but isn’t able to get a submission. ODB breaks free with a side slam. Kim stops ODB with a clothesline and kicks away on ODB in the corner. Madison Rayne comes out to ringside while ODB gets some booze from Eric Young. ODB shoulder blocks Kim a few times. ODB rams Kim head into the top turnbuckle and hits a Thez Press for a near fall. Kim gets out of the Bam and hits the Eat Defeat to win the match.
Your Winner: Gail Kim via pin fall
Match Rating: *1/2
After the match, Madison Rayne tries to celebrate with Kim but she isn’t interested in doing that.
Earlier in the day, AJ Styles said he isn’t going to lose his way and instead will work his way back towards the TNA World Championship.
A video highlighting Jesse Sorensen and his injury is shown. It’s a rather emotional video as they interviewed Taz and Jesse’s mother regarding the injury.
Fourth Contest: TNA Television Championship
[champion] Robbie E vs. AJ Styles
Styles hip tosses Robbie early on and delivers a back breaker to keep the early advantage. Styles hits a swinging back breaker before locking in an Indian death lock. Robbie breaks the hold and bails to the floor. Styles goes to the floor but Robbie stomps away on him as he rolls back in. Styles is sent hard back first into a corner. Robbie hits a side Russian leg sweep for a two count. Robbie sends Styles chest first into the corner and taunts the crowd. Robbie slams Styles and hits a middle rope fist drop for a near fall. Styles fights back with a dropkick and a clothesline in the corner. Styles hits a pump handle gut buster for a two count. Styles ducks under a clothesline and hits the Pele Kick! Christopher Daniels and Kazarian come out. Kazarian yanks Styles off the apron and sends him into the ring post to cause the disqualification.
Your Winner: AJ Styles via disqualification
Match Rating: **
Main Event: No Disqualification Match
Kurt Angle & Bully Ray vs. James Storm & Jeff Hardy
Storm and Angle start off the match. Apparently, this has normal tag team rules though its no disqualification. Storm clotheslines Angle a few times and hits a high knee as well. Ray yanks Storm from the apron to allow Angle to get the upper hand with a right hand. Storm comes charging out of the corner with a clothesline and tags in Hardy. Angle runs away and tags in Ray as we go to commercial.
Ray runs into an elbow in the corner and Hardy hits the Whisper In The Wind for a near fall! Hardy comes off the ropes but is stopped by Ray with a clothesline. Hardy knocks Angle off the apron but Angle trips Hardy and rams Hardy groin first into the ring post behind the referees back. The referee distraction isn’t needed for this match. Hardy avoids an elbow drop by Ray. Angle tags into the match and stomps away on Hardy. Angle hits a snap suplex for a two count. Angle hits an overhead belly to belly suplex and taunts the fans. Hardy knocks Ray off his feet with a spin kick. Storm gets the hot tag and he cleans house.
Storm hits Ray with a neck breaker and kicks Ray from the apron. Storm delivers a forearm shot but Angle enters and hits a belly to belly suplex. Hardy knocks Angle out with a forearm shot. Ray nails Hardy with a big boot and tells Angle to get the table. Storm and Hardy are able to dropkick the table into Angle and Ray on the floor. They set up the table in the ring. Angle clotheslines Storm and Ray hits the Bubba Bomb on Hardy. Angle runs into a superkick from Storm. Ray knocks Storm down in the corner. Brandon Jacobs has entered the ring! Ray turns around and gets down into a football stance. Storm punches Ray and Jacobs choke slams Ray through the table! Storm covers Ray and wins the match!
Your Winners: James Storm & Jeff Hardy via pin fall
Match Rating: **3/4
Sting comes down and says that he is done. Bobby Roode has pushed him over the edge and he can’t maintain control. Bobby Roode proceeds to come out and apologizes for cutting Sting off during his goodbye speech. However, he wanted to be out here when Sting told Roode that he is the better man. Sting tells Roode that he didn’t win anything and instead has woken Sting up. Sting begins to put black paint on his face! Sting says he is done being Mr. Nice Guy and at Victory Road he is going to beat the living crap out of Roode! Sting blocks a cheap shot from Roode and kicks the champ in the balls! Sting tells Roode to follow the yellow brick road to Victory Road before leaving the ring!
Final Thoughts:
I’ve been enjoying Impact as of late as it has been consistent as of late. This weeks episode was decent again with some matches getting some proper length and the talk segments being fun to watch, especially the last segment between Roode and Sting was enjoyable to watch. It wasn’t a great show, but it was fun enough to sit through and watch. I’m starting to think that TNA is turning a corner and people need to give TNA a chance to gain their viewership.
Thanks for reading.
