TNA Impact Wrestling Results (7/21): Lashley Vs Edwards Title Vs Title Cage Match, BFG Playoffs
TNA IMPACT WRESTLING
SEASON 14 EPISODE 29
The show opens with "Brother Nero" at the Hardy Home in Cameron, North Carolina. Nero is reliving his biking accident which led to his injury and the breakup of The Hardy brothers. Matt Hardy appears and reminds him of how Nero broke the Hardys. He then challenges Nero to get back on the his dirtbike and attempt the same jump that led to his injury. Nero does the jump as we cut away.
We are in The Impact Zone and Bobby Lashley is on the scene. Highlights are shown of the ending of last week's Title vs Title match. Lashley is in the ring and talks about how upset he was with the debut of Moose. He says that he will win the X division championship later tonight in 6 sides of steel but right now, He calls out Moose to confront him. Lashley ridicules Moose's NFL background and compares what they do.
Instead of Moose coming out to confront Lashley. Out comes Mike Bennett first. He says that he is going to win the Bound For Glory Playoffs and become the #1 contender to the world title. He then introduces Moose. Lashley calls Mike Bennett Moose's boyfriend and challenges Moose to come to the ring. As Moose starts to walk down the ramp to confront Lashley. Eddie Edwards runs out and a brawl between the 4 starts. Dixie Carter appears on the video tron to try and get the wrestlers to calm down. Dixie tells Bennett that if he gets involved in the main event tonight. He will be fired. She also announces that the BFG playoffs will start right now for Mike Bennett and that Moose is barred from ringside.
Mike Bennett's opponent, Jeff Hardy doesn't come out initially. Matt Hardy comes out first and shows footage of Brother Nero's training for this match. Video of the bike jump from the open is shown again. This time, We see the continuation as Nero falls off of his bike and Matt laughs at his fallen brother. Matt announces that Vanguard One has prepared new entrance music for Brother Nero. A new theme song plays entitled "Obsolete". You can't miss the title because it is repeated over and over as Jeff arrives and walks to the ring slowly.
BOUND FOR GLORY PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND MATCH
JEFF HARDY VS MIKE BENNETT
Back from the break. The action has begun in the ring as Matt Hardy and Reby watch on from the outside. The story in this match is that Jeff is injured from his bike jump. Mike Bennett controls the early part of this match while Jeff is struggling to function physically. Josh Matthews mentions that there is an infringement fine of 500 dollars in place for anyone who calls Brother Nero Jeff Hardy. This just seconds after both announcers called Nero Jeff. This was a quick match that Bennett won easily with a cutter. The Miracle advances to the semifinals.
MIKE BENNETT DEFEATS JEFF HARDY
Post match, Back in the ring. Matt Hardy is on the mic and berates a fallen Jeff Hardy and calls him an obsolete mule. He dismisses Jeff from the ring and Matt promises to delete his next opponent in this BFG first round match. Out comes James Storm on his "boozer cruiser".
BOUND FOR GLORY PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND MATCH
MATT HARDY VS JAMES STORM
Matt Hardy has a brief early advantage. James Storm then rallies and takes Matt down to the outside and then runs him over with his "boozer cruiser" as we go to the break. Back from the break. Both men are in the ring and Matt is now on the offensive. He hits a belly to belly suplex and then Matt hits Storm with a side effect on the apron. Matt then sets up the ring steps for a potential power bomb but Storm counters and back flips Matt over the rail. Matt then starts biting James Storm. Storm backs off and dives over the rail onto Matt Hardy. Action back in the ring, James Storm hits a lung blower on Matt and then sets up for his Last Call finisher when Reby Sky hits James Storm in the ankle with what looked like a hammer. Matt Hardy hits James Storm with a twist of fate for the victory as he advances to the semi-finals.
"BROKEN" MATT HARDY DEFEATS JAMES STORM
Eddie Edwards is backstage hyping tonight's title vs title match and what has transpired... Then a video is shown of EC3. It hypes his history and his motivation heading into the BFG Playoffs as we go to break.
Back from the break. Mike Bennett is backstage with Moose. Bennett says how happy he is that he is now 2 wins away from being the #1 contender for the world title. Bennett then suggests taking some time off after Maria has her state of the knockouts address later in the show. Moose says he didn't come here to take the night off. He wants to make an impact implying that he is going to be involved in the main event. Bennett pleads with Moose not to do so because he will be fired by Dixie Carter.
Back in the ring is Ethan Carter. EC3 cuts a promo about how he has been to the mountain top and how he will win the BFG playoff series and then go on to become world champ again. Drew Galloway arrives in the ring to confront EC3. Drew tells Carter that Ethan got his job because of his name while TNA came to Galloway to hire him and not the other way around like Ethan. Drew says he has been a main eventer since he has come to TNA. Drew says that the only way he and EC3 can meet in the BFG tournament is if they both get to the final. As they both prepare to fight each other right now rather than wait. Eli Drake comes out and cuts a pretty funny promo on both Carter and Drew using his catch phrases. Eli tells EC3 that he is going to beat EC3 in the first round of the tournament and that match is coming up next.
BOUND FOR GLORY PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND MATCH
ETHAN CARTER VS ELI DRAKE
The early portion of the match sees a lot of reversals and power moves by both Drake and Carter. They both mimic each others power moves and use their signature catch phrases. Pretty even match between these two. After being unable to pin Carter, Drake tries to cheat and use the ropes on a near fall before he is caught by the ref. Both men exchange some pretty impressive power moves to each other. After a missed neckbreaker by Drake, EC3 hits a russian leg sweep and a flying cross body on Eli for a close fall. Eli tries to hit his finisher but EC3 counters into a roll up and gets the victory. EC3 advances to the semifinal in the BFG playoffs.
ETHAN CARTER III DEFEATS ELI DRAKE
Matt Hardy is backstage with his brother Nero. Matt walks up to his Vanguard drone to find out who his opponent is in the next round of the BFG playoffs. The drone plays a video of EC3 and the previous match that was just concluded. Then as Matt asks Vanguard One what the strategy will be for victory. He tells the cameraman to turn off his camera.
Maria is shown backstage in the locker room with her assistant Allie. Maria is preparing for her state of the knockouts address as we go to the break.
Back from the break. Lashley is interviewed backstage about what happened at the start of the show. Bobby calls out Moose, Eddie Edwards and everyone on the roster.
Back in the ring is Allie with the Knockouts and she introduces The Knockouts leader, Maria. Maria apologizes to the knockouts for making them feel insecure and inferior. She then opens it up for questions from The Knockouts. Allie kisses up to Maria and asks Maria, How they can be more like her?.... Marti Bell and Jade start yelling at each other. Gail Kim takes the mic and states that even though she deserves a knockout title match. She realizes that Maria won't give it to her. Gail then says Maria has faked her hand injury and has avoided facing her. The Knockouts champ, Sienna defends Maria. Maria calls Gail Kim selfish and that she should step aside for the other women. Maria tells Gail that if she wants another shot at the title, She has to beat every one of the knockouts in the ring. She also tells the knockouts that she is offering an additional bonus to any woman that beats Gail. Marti Bell and Jade get into a fight and battle to the outside. Madison Rayne attacks Gail Kim from behind. She grabs the mic and says she has to start looking out for herself as the segment ends.
Backstage, Rosemary is with Bram. Bram tells Rosemary that he wants to become world champ. Rosemary offers her services to help him in his opening round match. They both kiss as we go to the break.
Back from the break. Mahabali Shera is being interviewed about his thoughts on the BFG playoffs when he is attacked from behind and laid out by the former Marcus Louis and Sylvester Lefort from NXT now known as Baron Dax and Basille Baracca.
BOUND FOR GLORY PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND MATCH
DREW GALLOWAY VS BRAM
Physical start to this match between these two that eventually spills to the outside. They both battle to the top rope. They both take each other out and land on the top rope. They then exchange head butts and strikes in the middle of the ring. Drew hits a northern lights suplex. Bram counters after a shock ddt attempt by Drew for a near fall. Drew hits a big suplex, then tries the claymore on Bram but he counters with a power bomb and a near fall. Drew nails a future shock DDT off of the top rope for the victory. Galloway advances to the semi finals.
DREW GALLOWAY DEFEATS BRAM
Back from the break. Josh Matthews hypes next weeks semifinals matches in the BFG which are now set of Matt Hardy vs EC3 and Drew Galloway vs Mike Bennett.
Drew Galloway is being interviewed when Mike Bennett interrupts and starts trash talking about their upcoming BFG playoff match. Drew one ups Mike by pointing out that Bennett could be fired by the end of the night and that the match may not even happen.
SIX SIDES OF STEEL TITLE VS TITLE CAGE MATCH
"THE DESTROYER" BOBBY LASHLEY VS EDDIE EDWARDS
Before Lashley can enter the ring. Edwards flies outside of the ring, over the ropes and through the open cage door onto Lashley. Lashley recovers fairly quickly and starts to beat down Edwards and slams him up against the cage. Lashley then tosses Edwards over the top rope and into the ring and then the match officially starts in the cage.
Lashley dominates the early portion of this match using his strength. Edwards tries to rally but gets power bombed into the cage as we go to the break. Back from the break. Lashley is still dominating. Every time, Edwards attempts to make a comeback. It is shot down by Lashley's power moves. That is the story and psychology of this match thus far. Lashley dominating, Edwards unable to rally. No matter how hard he tries.
Lashley puts Edwards in a torture rack and Eddie finally fights back with a flurry of offense but is shut down almost immediately when Lashley nails Edwards with a wicked spine buster. Edwards finally catches a break when Lashley misses a spear and goes into the cage. Edwards hits a couple of dropkicks but then once again, Lashley explodes into Edwards with a stiff looking clothesline. Eddie Edwards finally counters one of Lashley's power moves and it leads to Bobby getting cut on his arm when he goes into the cage. Edwards tries to climb to the top of the cage and Lashley goes up to meet him and tries to power bomb Edwards but he counters with a hurancanrana. Great spot... Edwards hits The Boston Knee Party finisher and gets a very close near fall on Lashley. Eddie appears to tweak his knee. Lashley then press slams Edwards through the steel cage door. He then spears Edwards on the apron who falls outside the ring. Great match so far.
Lashley goes outside the ring and grabs his world title and tries to hit Edwards with it in the ring but Eddie counters with a high kick and another near fall. Eddie climbs to the top of the cage again but Lashley rocks the cage and takes him off balance and then hits a superplex off the top of the cage. Lashley then hits the spear twice and pins Edwards to retain the world title and win The X division title.
BOBBY LASHLEY DEFEATS EDDIE EDWARDS TO RETAIN THE TNA WORLD TITLE AND BECOMES THE NEW TNA X DIVISION CHAMPION
Post match. Lashley goes over to Edwards and it appears that he is going to help him up and shake his hand but instead, He sets him up for another spear. EC3 comes out to stop Lashley. Then all of the BFG playoff semifinalists run out as well as Mike Bennett and Moose. Everyone brawls with each other as the show goes off the air.