TNA Impact: The end of the Walking Weapon’s run

Bob Kapur

TNA Impact: The end of the Walking Weapon’s run

Josh Alexander will surely be in the TNA Hall of Fame at some point in the future. He’s a Triple Crown champion, the company’s longest-reigning (and shortest-reigning!) World Champion, and he’s had several Match of the Year candidates – often, many in the same year. On Thursday night’s episode of TNA Impact, Alexander competed in his last match for the company, facing another future Hall of Famer, Eric Young. It was a good farewell for Alexander and (once again for him) the match of the night. In wrestling, they always say “never say never”, so who knows what the future may bring for Alexander. But if this was truly the last time, it was a good way to finish the Walking Weapon’s run.

Match 1: Joe Hendry (c) vs. Jake Something – for the World Championship

Early on, Hendry was able to counter the power of his bigger and stronger challenger, outwrestling him, including hitting his trademark Delayed Vertical Suplex and later on a big Scoop Slam.

Something was able to come back (somehow… the momentum shift happened during a commercial break), and he clubbed the champ with a lot of powerful strikes, including some Short-arm Clotheselines and other power moves.

Something got too cocky, though, and Hendry caught him with a surprise Clothesline to regain control for a bit. Something’s power game was strong, but Hendry absorbed all his big shots, and even thwarted a top rope attempt with a big Fallaway Slam off the middle turnbuckle.

In the end, the fans’ belief in Joe Hendry was well-founded and after he won the match with a Standing Ovation, the crowd gave him one to celebrate his successful title defense.

This went about twenty minutes but felt longer. Something is a plodder and his matches often feel that way. And this was one of those times.

Winner, and still World Champion: Joe Hendry

After the match, Ryan Nemeth came down the ramp and entered the ring, squawking about how his brother Nic would not have been impressed by the match, and would not be impressed by Joe Hendry. Some shoving ensued, including by Something who didn’t seem pleased with Nemeth’s presence either.

Director of Authority Santino Marella hit the ring to restore some order. He was followed by Nic Nemeth who sneaked in somehow, as he didn’t follow Marella down the ramp. Something went after Ryan but then ate a a couple of Superkicks by Nic. Nic was going for a third, but Something moved and Ryan kicked Santino right in the eyebrow. Nemeth looked distraught at what happened, and he and Hendry checked on Santino.

Cut to the back and Nic apologized to Santino for what happened in the ring. Ryan kept parroting Nic’s apology. Santino said that he respected Nic, but that he had to maintain order. And so he had to suspend Nic for the next four weeks. Nic accepted the consequences for his actions, but Ryan was not pleased by this news. As Nic left, Ryan promised that he would hold the fort for the both of them.

Match 2: Ash and Heather By Elegance (w/ their stooge George Iceman) vs. the King Bees (Charity King and Danni Bee)

This was pretty much a squash match, with lots of double-teaming by the Elegance pair on the local enhancement talent. The King Bees showed some flashes of fire, but in the end, the Bees got stung.

After the match, the Elegances attacked the King Bees and gave them a humiliating makeover by scribbling lipstick on their faces. The Knockout Tag Champs, Spitfire, ran in for the save.

This was a simple yet effective showcase for the Elegances on their eventual way to a title match.

Winners: Ash and Heather By Elegance

They showed highlights from last week’s match between the System and their opponents, the Hardys and Leon Slater.

Cut to the back where the Hardys and Slater expressed their mutual admiration for each other. The Hardys were impressed by Slater’s story of how he started training at nine years old, inspired by watching them. They gushed about each other and hugged. Geez, Hardys, why don’t you marry him already?

Mustafa Ali Town Hall

They showed a clip from earlier in the day when Mustafa Ali held court for the TNA locker room (though the camera focused on him, so presumably nobody was there). He was flanked by his Cabinet, the Good Hands and Tasha Steelz. Ali said that the company needs great leadership, and proclaimed himself as the number one contender for the World Championship. He put it to a vote and got a lukewarm “aye” from nobody other than his Cabinet.

As Ali scolded the assembled non-crowd for not voting for him, Tommy Dreamer walked up to him. Ali questioned whether Dreamer felt that he himself was the new locker room leader, but Dreamer said it wasn’t his fight anymore. Instead, he pointed to Mike Santana who was oblivious to everything Ali was saying and doing. Steelz put an end to the “press conference” and Ali and his Cabinet left in a huff.

Match 3: Frankie Kazarian vs. Sami Callihan

Kazarian entered the ring and then Sami’s music hit. But instead of Sami walking out, he was thrown out from the back and landed hard on the entrance stage. Mance Warner and Steph DeLander came out behind him and resumed a beating on him, with Warner using a T-shirt or scarf to choke out Callihan. Referees and officials ran out and cleared out Warner and DeLander.

Callihan crawled his way down the ramp and got in the ring, insisting that the match take place, despite the beating he’d just taken. Callihan surprised Kazarian with a Stunner in the opening seconds, but Kazarian kicked out.

Sami was going for the Cactus Driver, but Warner and DeLander ran to the ring and distracted him. Sami released the hold to confront them, and Kazarian came up from behind him and locked on a Chicken Wing, forcing the tap-out.

After the match, Callihan demanded Warner come back to the ring to fight. Warner went in the ring where he got attacked by Sami. They brawled until a security team separated them. Sami broke free and went after Warner again, and again were separated by security to end the segment.

Again, short but effective. They really haven’t given Warner any mic time, so it’s hard to see if he has any personality. It’s working so far with the Sami feud, but if he’s going to matter after this one is over, they may need to showcase him some more.

Winner: Frankie Kazarian

In the back, Gia Miller was with Josh Alexander who will be taking on Eric Young later tonight in his final TNA match. Alexander talked about the history he and Young have had. Alexander said that Young may not like him, but he’s going to have to respect him.

They showed clips of JDC wrestling on NXT this past Tuesday, losing to Lexis King in a Heritage Cup Championship match.

Cut to JDC crashing Leon Slater’s locker room, and JDC chirping in Slater’s ear about how the Hardys are just using him to help make their run in TNA relevant. JDC suggested that Slater may want to join the System so that he’s not being used and so that he can live up to his full potential. Slater declined the help from “some ballroom dancer” and things got physical. A bunch of security guards ran in, broke them apart, and pulled JDC out of there. Slater yelled out a challenge for a No-Disqualification match against JDC.

Match 4: Xia Brookside vs. Cora Jade

They started off pretty gingerly, so much so that it almost looked like they were wrestling under water. Jade suckered in Brookside by faking an injury and then hit a cheap shot, which allowed her to take control of the match. She battered Xia for a while with some hard shots from all angles.

Jade tortured Xia with a Double Arm Crank that looked painful, but Brookside fired up and escaped. Then it was her time to hit some moves, including Double Running Knees in the corner. The advantage changed hands various times, but in the end, Cora hit Jaded and that was enough to keep Xia down for the 1-2-3.

Maybe it was the unfamiliarity with each other, but they often looked too tentative and wrestled like that, so it didn’t always have a smooth flow. Having Jade win was the right idea – it makes the TNA-NXT crossover less predictable and more interesting to have people from the other brand win a match every now and then.

Winner: Cora Jade

In the back, NXT Ambassador Arianna Grace knocked on Tessa Blanchard’s dressing room door. Tessa was irritated by the intrusion and verbally lambasted Grace. Santino Marella stormed in to interrupt Tessa’s tirade (and maybe to protect his daughter?) and told Tessa he was tired of her constantly ducking matches. Tessa said that she doesn’t feel the need to wrestle people who aren’t on her level and she would compete when she felt like it. He said he’s had enough and angrily told her that next week she was going to have to wrestle or face the consequences.

The Rascalz make (and lose) a challenge

The Rascalz (Zachary Wentz and Trey Miguel) hit the ring. They don’t have fond words for their former partner Wes Lee who’s now in NXT and who’s palling around with Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe. Say their names and… oops, wrong people but the same outcome. The trio come out and say that they will take out the Rascalz and take over the Treehouse. They start to make their way to the ring, when Ace Austin’s music hits and he comes out to even things out. As Lee and T&T stare at him, the Rascalz hit them with Flying Dives. But the size of the NXT boys is too overwhelming. And low blows by Lee don’t help. The NXT invaders beat down all three of the Rascalz and Austin, leaving them all laying.

In the back, First Class (AJ Francis and KC Navarro) say that they are going to be making a Big Money announcement soon. They say that it’s time for an upgrade. They don’t provide any details, but they do provide a lame catchphrase: If you’re not First Class… you’re last.

Match 5: Savannah Evans vs. Masha Slamovich (c) – for the Knockouts Championship

Evans is big and strong and lumbering, but unfortunately just not that good. Still, it’s a departure from the norm to not have Masha as the more physically dominant competitor in a match. Evans toyed with her for a bit, hitting Masha with a Double Chokeslam on the edge of the apron and then slamming her on the ringside floor. In the ring, Evans hit more big power moves, and surprisingly didn’t really botch anything.

As Evans continued to beat up Masha, they showed a shot of Tessa Blanchard watching the match on a monitor in the back.

Slamovich used her quickness to stun and drop the Goliath, hitting a nifty Rolling Boot to the Head, but Evans retaliated with a Standing Pump Kick and a Falling Earthquake Splash. The match became a slugfest in the middle of the ring and Evans nearly got the win after a Spinning Samoan Bomb.

Masha avoided a Full Nelson Slam and hit back with some big kicks and finally hit a Requiem Piledriver for the win.

This was better than most of Evans’ matches, but not as good as most of Masha’s. You do the math.

Winner, and still Knockouts Champion: Masha Slamovich

Match 6: Eric Young (w/ the Northern Armoury (Judas Icarus and Travis Williams)) vs. Josh Alexander

They started off with some brawling and exchanging hard strikes, chops, kicks, and smashes. The intensity was a refreshing change of pace from some of the other matches on the show (looking at you, Something and Evans).

Some dirty tactics from Young let him take over temporarily, but Josh fired back by smashing Young to the floor with his Low Cross Body Block on the apron. Alexander threw Young back into the ring, but got distracted by the Northern Armoury before he could follow Young in, and Young capitalized on the momentary hesitation and hit a cheap shot to take over.

Young punished Alexander for a while, working over his back and neck, and when he wasn’t on him, he was distracting the referee so that his Northern Armoury henchmen could take some cheap shots from the floor.

Josh bought himself some separation with a desperation Dropkick that rocked Young, and that gave him a boost of energy. He fired back with some moves and with the support of the crowd, mustered up the strength for a Rolling Senton and then clamped on an Ankle Lock, forcing Young to get to the ropes to break the hold.

Young once again regained control by targeting Alexander’s neck, punishing him more with a Legdrop off the top rope for a near-fall.

Alexander reversed a move and hit a Styles Clash, but he was still too weakened from the earlier beating to keep Young’s shoulders down for three.

Alexander then went for Ankle Locks and Sharpshooters, but each time he was thwarted by interference by the Northern Armoury.

At one point, they had the referee so turned around that he missed one of them throw Young his hockey mask, and Young decked Alexander in the face with it. Young followed that up with a Piledriver, and that was enough to make Alexander’s last match in TNA a losing effort.

This was really good, and a smart way to let Alexander go out in the time-honoured tradition but only because he was screwed. Not sure where they’re going with Young and the Northern Armoury (his track record as a faction leader isn’t stellar… anyone remember Violent By Design?). But having the win over Alexander is a good way to lay the foundation for them. We shall see.

Winner: Eric Young

The show ended with Young and the Northern Armoury gloating while Alexander lay in a TNA ring for the last time.

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