TNA Impact Wrestling Results (9/8): "Delete Or Decay", Grand Championship Tournament Begins
IMPACT WRESTLING
SEASON 14 EPISODE #36
"DELETE OR DECAY"
Tonight's Impact begins with a special message from Senor Benjamin. Read in Spanish with English subtitles. He reads a disclaimer that states that tonight's performers are licensed professionals. Do not attempt to do what you see.
This is followed by an onscreen shot of "Vanguard One" and a notice that reads. "No animals were harmed in the documentation of this invasion".
A video recap airs chronicling what took place last week on Impact between The Hardy's and The Decay. The attempted kidnapping of Maxel Hardy and the demand by Reby Sky that Senor Benjamin prepare the battlefield for war.
An overhead shot of The Hardy estate is shown. In the distance, You can see "Brother Nero's" symbols buried into the landscape. The obsolete song is being played and is being sung in a classical/opera like tone. The montage shows Benjamin with a shovel. He is preparing graves for The Decay with the "Nero" symbols as gravestones. Senor Benjamin wipes the sweat off of his brow as he completes the task.
Another overhead shot of the Estate. Matt Hardy is then shown at the estate giving his "Platoon" a rallying speech. He says this is all a documentation and that he and The Platoon are here to get in touch with their primal instincts. Broken Matt instructs Benjamin to prepare the personal zoo for invitation. As Matt Hardy stays in an elated pause with his mouth wide open for an extended period of time.
We cut to the "Impact Zone" as Josh Matthews welcomes the audience to Impact.
"The Miracle" Mike Bennett is headed to ringside with his wife, New Knockouts Champion Maria. Bennett takes the mic in ring. Bennett talks about his childhood. How he was taught by his mother to not bite the mouth that feeds him. Bennett says that he is the only person in TNA that grew up with a good mother. He states that he should be TNA world champion now but the reason he is not is because of Moose. He calls him ungrateful. Says that their relationship was a good one. He gave the orders and Moose did what he told him to. Bennett says he brought Moose into this company and can take him out. Bennett reveals that he sent Moose a strongly worded text message that informed Moose that he was fired.
Out comes Dixie Carter to address Mike Bennett. Carter begs Bennett to wrap it up. That the fans are here to watch wrestling not "As The Miracle Turns". Moose says that he and his wife should be running TNA. Carter questions Bennett's judgment and states that she has an announcement for him. Bennett says that he senses that Dixie has done the right thing and will give Bennett a world title match at Bound For Glory. Dixie states that her announcement is about Bound For Glory but she is not adding The Miracle to the main event. Dixie announces that she has officially signed the man that Bennett has just fired. Moose and that he will be Bennett's opponent at Bound For Glory. Moose's theme music hits. He comes out with an Impact wrestling shirt on. Moose heads to the ring to confront Bennett.
Bennett pleads with Moose to leave him alone. Moose grabs Bennett by the throat and places him on the top turnbuckle. As he is about to hit the "Go to Hell". Maria sneaks up from behind and hits Moose with her knockouts title. This temporarily distracts Moose and gives Bennett the chance to run away from him. Bennett crawls up the rampway with a scared and shocked look on his face.
The Delete or Decay battle is promoted for later night as well as footage of The World Championship contract signing between Lashley and EC3.
The show goes to the break as Gail Kim is entering the ring for her upcoming tag match.
Back from the break. Mike Bennett and Maria are backstage. They confront Dixie Carter looking for a way out of Bennett's match vs Moose. Dixie says that Bennett's contract will be breached if he doesn't wrestle the match. Dixie then takes issue with Maria being the knockouts champion. She says since Maria is the champ. It's a conflict of interest for her to run the knockouts division. So Maria is stripped of her duties as knockouts leader and will now be forced to defend her knockouts title at Bound For Glory. Dixie says that Maria's match will be determined next week. Maria goes on a tirade as we head back to ringside.
KNOCKOUTS TAG TEAM MATCH
GAIL KIM & JADE VS SIENNA & ALLIE
The story of this match is Allie's fear in the ring wrestling against Kim and Jade. Also added to it is Sienna's reluctance to work with Allie. Allie gets hit with some early offense and tries to run away. Sienna starts barking orders at Allie and gets in the ring. She takes control of the match and is working over Gail Kim as the crowd chants, "We Want Allie". Sienna continues to dominate the action. She teases Allie and the fans by pretending to tag her in. Gail Kim rallies and hits a neckbreaker on Sienna. Kim and Sienna both start crawling towards their corners to tag in their partners. Sienna looks up at Allie and changes her mind and goes after Kim to prevent her from tagging in Jade. Kim makes the tag to Jade. She comes in hitting several kicks on Sienna. As Jade whips Sienna into the ropes. Allie tags herself in inadvertently. She realizes she is legal and heads to the top rope to attempt to hit Jade and mistakenly hits Sienna when she lands. An angry Sienna hits a shoulder block on Allie to take her down. A reluctant Jade pins Allie as Sienna walks off.
GAIL KIM & JADE DEFEATED SIENNA & ALLIE
Post match. A hurt Allie is helped up to her feet by Jade and Gail Kim.
We go backstage and Jeremy Borash introduces TNA President Billy Corgan. Borash brings up a rumor going around that there is going to be a big announcement tonight. Billy says he and Jeremy go back a long time and he can't believe that he is going to be able to affect Impact Wrestling with his big announcement. Corgan states that it will also affect pro wrestling as a whole. Borash tries to pry away
the info from Corgan but Billy says that he will reveal it in the ring. The show goes to break.
Back from the break. We are back to the Hardy estate. Matt Hardy is addressing his "platoon". He has brought everyone to his personal zoo for a reason. He has collected the vessels of many different animals that have the "most brilliant amazing "resplended" souls in existence". Matt claims that he can communicate with them.
Matt then goes on to explain these animals. To a mere mortal, He says you see an African giraffe behind him but that is not the case. The giraffe is actually the first president of the united states, George Washington. Matt then talks to a live giraffe. Matt asks "George" about his training. "George" takes away the hat Matt has in his hands. Matt calls him a jokester. Next up, Matt has arranged for Nero to train with Smoking Joe Frazier. Nero is now shown training with a kangaroo. You can't make this up.
"Smoking" Joe and Nero are in a shoulder to shoulder tie up. Matt instructs Joe to use the knees. "Joe" then hops over to Matt and grabs him from behind and starts hitting double foot stomps to Matt's approval and delight. We are now near cages that have spider monkeys in them. Matt says that the monkeys are called DJ Z, Mandrews, Andrew Everett and "Matt and Nick"... A reference to who I believe are The Young Bucks.
Matt now introduces Jeff to his dear friend. Genghis Khan in the form of a tiger. Matt starts speaking to him in a different language. Matt says that Khan has revealed that The Decay is on their way to the estate for the big battle.
We go to the ring now and Billy Corgan is on the mic . He announces that The King of The Mountain title is retired and The Impact Grand Champion is born. He takes a cloth off of the new title and reveals it. Drew Galloway's music hits and he heads to the ring to confront Corgan. Drew tells Billy that he deserves the new title. He says that he is the only choice to be Grand Champion Billy says that the title is not about politics but a new direction.
All of a sudden, a video package airs. Jeremy Borash narrates the new Grand Championship Title and the rules attached to it. An 8 man tournament. 3 Minute matches. 3 Minute rounds. A 10 point Must system with 3 judges at ringside. Match can end by pinfall or submission. If the match goes the distance. The judges decide the winner.
Back in the ring. Billy Corgan says that the locker room is perfect for the new title and concept and that the first champ will be crowned at Bound For Glory on October 2nd. Drew tells Billy that he should be used to his full potential. Before he is able to continue his sales pitch. He is interrupted by Aron Rex. Rex comes out and says the Drew isn't this business. The fans are. He threatens to injure Galloway and send him back to Scotland. Corgan tells both men not to fight. That they both have to wrestle in the Grand Championship tournament. The first match is scheduled after the break and Drew Galloway is scheduled to wrestle that match.
GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
FIRST ROUND SINGLE ELIMINATION TOURNAMENT
DREW GALLOWAY VS BRAXTON SUTTER
The rules of the new title and these matches are announced as well as that Aron Rex will wrestle his first round match next week in his Impact in ring debut. It's worth noting that the arena is darkened during the match similar to boxing or some MMA events.
ROUND ONE
3 minute clock on the screen. Drew controls the action early on. After the first minute. Braxton attempts to fight back but Drew hits a big boot and gets a near fall. Drew starts chopping Sutter in the corner repeatedly. Down to less than a minute in the match. Sutter starts fighting back. It's mentioned on commentary that in the final 10 seconds. A sound will go off to inform the competitors that the round is ending. Drew mounts Sutter in the ring and hits several strikes as the first round ends.
The Round One Scorecard is listed on screen. No judge names. Each judge's score is listed as Judge 1, 2 and 3. All 3 judges score round one 10 to 9 for Drew Galloway. Giving him a 30 to 27 lead.
ROUND TWO
The 3 minute clock starts again. Drew picks up right where he left off. Controlling the action with stiff shots and kicks. Galloway then hits a running razors edge styled buckle bomb on Sutter. Drew tries to take Sutter to the top rope. With under two minutes left. Sutter counters and hits a superplex on Galloway and attempts a pin and gets a 2 count. Sutter takes down Drew and mounts him with some shots. The idea that aggressiveness will also factor into the scoring by the judges. Less than a minute left. Sutter and Drew start trading blows in the ring. Sutter wins the exchange as the clock expires.
The Round 2 scorecard is listed on screen. All 3 judges score the round 10 to 9 for Sutter. Both men tied at 57 now.
ROUND 3
Sutter opens round 3 with a quick pinfall attempt. Galloway hits a wicked piledriver on Sutter. Then applies the "Iron Maiden" submission hold. Sutter taps out. Very quick conclusion to round three.
DREW GALLOWAY DEFEATS BRAXTON SUTTER BY SUBMISSION TO ADVANCE IN THE GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
Back from the break. Footage is shown of what took place in ring during the break. Rockstar Spud came out and attacked Sutter and beat him down.
A video is shown of a man with a hat and glasses buying liquor and entering his truck. As he is driving in his truck. He sees a figure out in the road. It's Rosemary. He slows down to pick her up. The man in the car tries to pick up Rosemary and creepily offers to give her a ride all night. Rosemary laughs at him and then Abyss appears by the passenger window. Crazzy Steve is shown in the back. The creepy man in the car starts screaming in fear. A quick flash and the screen darkens momentarily. The truck is now pulling away. The camera pans and we see the man in the truck laid out in the middle of the road with his pants down. Abyss is now shown by the wheel and he says that Cameron, North Carolina is beautiful this time of the year.
We now go to an "exclusive VIP" press conference for the main event at Bound For Glory. The TNA world title match between Bobby Lashley and Ethan Carter III. TNA president Billy Corgan is introduced followed by both the challenger and champion. Corgan hypes the importance of the match . He says that this will be a match that fans will remember 20 years from now. EC3 takes the mic and asks for applause from the "VIP audience". Carter says that he is looking at Lashley the world champ. He calls him dominant but a bully and coward. Carter says that what Lashley did by throwing away the titles was a "d-move". Carter mentions Kurt Angle during his speech. Carter closes his speech by saying that he is going to win the title.
Bobby Lashley is now on the mic. He starts off by saying "no applause needed" A knock against Carter who asked for an applause. Lashley says that TNA is under fire by not just other wrestling companies but everyone. Lashley calls wrestlers in the locker room weak. Lashley says he beats up anyone who is weak. Lashley says he is defending the company by being champion and beating everyone.
Carter says that he is the guy who gets called when they need someone to kick ass. Carter swears to everyone that he will become a 3 time world heavyweight champion. Lashley laughs off Carter's guarantee. Calls himself a fighter and Carter a bodybuilder. Lashley names a bunch of people like Angle who talked trash to him and made guarantees and how he dominated each and every one of them. Carter curses as he stands up and proclaims that he is not those men.
Lashley is upset that the audience was applauding Carter when he made his guarantee. States that he will beat Carter just like he beat all those other men. Lashley says he is going to try and keep calm but if Carter continues to get hyped up by the fans. Lashley is going to train super hard and kill Carter. Lashley says Carter has never fought anyone of his caliber.
Both men stand up face to face in a photo op on the podium. Lashley puts a fist to Carter's face. EC3 flashes Lashley the middle finger. Both men start fighting off of the podium. They brawl to the top of the empty arena. Trading punches. At the top of the rafters. Lashley throws Carter down a ramp as the press conference footage ends. Or so I thought.
Back from the commercial break. Footage is shown of the continuation of Lashley and Carter's brawl at the press conference. Both men fight throughout the entire arena. Throwing each other into props and nearby garbage cans and tables as well as promotional materials. They start to battle near the back of the Impact Zone. Lashley throws Carter into a wooded area in the parking lot as the brawl ends.
A Grand championship tournament promo airs. The competitor highlighted is Jessie Godderz. He goes through his history and how he is ready to compete and win.
A commercial airs for the reboot of The Blair Witch Project movie. I bring this up because I thought we were back in the Delete or Decay videos. Backwoods. Dark scenery. Waiting for Rosemary to pop up.
GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
FIRST ROUND SINGLE ELIMINATION MATCH
JESSIE GODDERZ VS ELI DRAKE
ROUND ONE
The second opening round matchup. 3 minutes for each round. Both men start out with some evenly contested chain wrestling. Godderz in his promo prior to this match mentioned his wrestling background in school. So here he gets to showcase his mat skills. He has the early control but they both counter each other's moves. Godderz hits a flying forearm on Drake for a two count and then does a float over on the mat for a two count. Less than a minute left. Godderz using the mat game to attempt a few different pin falls. Less than 10 seconds left, Godderz hits a small package for a near fall. Then tries another pin as the bell rings.
Round One Scorecard- Judge 1 scores the round 10-9 for Godderz. Judge 2 scores it 10-9 for Eli Drake. Judge 3 10-9 for Godderz. So Jessie is up 29-28 after the first round.
ROUND TWO
More of the same style of wrestling to start off. Standing switches continuing with the amateur theme. Drake starts brawling to change it up. Hits a ddt for a 2 count. Halfway through the match. Jessie attempts a sleeper. Eli counters into a slam for a near fall. Less than a minute left. Drake starts showboating doing his catchphrase in the ring. He gets caught with a flying forearm by Godderz followed by a throw suplex. Godderz tries to apply the "Adonis lock". He locks it in. 10 seconds left. Time runs up just before Drake is about to tap.
Round Two Scorecard- Judge 1 surprisingly scores the round 10-9 for Drake. Judges 2 and 3 both score round 2 as 10-9 for Godderz. After 2 rounds. Jessie is up 58 to 56 on Eli.
ROUND THREE
Godderz is up 2 rounds on Drake. Eli Drake is in desperation mode and wrestling that way. Trying to avoid pinfalls. He hits some high impact moves but is unable to put Jessie away. Jessie tries to put on The Adonis Lock with less than 2 minutes left. Drake gets to the rope to break the hold. Jessie hits a throw suplex across the ring and covers Drake for a near fall. With time nearly expiring, Drake hits the blaunt force trauma on Jessie and wins the match. The match ends with just 46 seconds left.
ELI DRAKE DEFEATS JESSIE GODDERZ BY PINFALL TO ADVANCE IN THE GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
Back from the break. Aron Rex is in the parking lot and asked about how he feels about his rivalry with Drew Galloway. Telling everyone how he feels and thinks is not important. That he is known for how he talks and performs. He implies that everyone is going to see a new side of him and Rex tells Drew that he is not thinking about what he is going to do. After the promo, Josh Matthews announces that Aron Rex will make his in ring TNA debut next week and face Trevor Lee. Plus, Mahabali Shera faces Eddie Edwards next week as the 1st round of The Grand Champion tournament continues.
The Senor Benjamin disclaimer promo from earlier tonight is shown again.
'DELETE OR DECAY'
Dirt is being dug up by Benjamin as he is approached by The Decay. They ask him what he is doing. Benjamin in Spanish says. " I am digging your graves, my friend".... Abyss threatens Senor and tells him that Benjamin isn't going to do anything. The Decay march on looking for The Hardys. Flashing images of The Decay are shown as they approach the Hardy home. When they see it off in the distance, Rosemary says "Home Sweet Home".
As The Decay gets closer. They peer into a window in the house and see Reby Sky with her son Maxel. The Decay starts laughing and singing. Broken Matt is seen off in the distance and says his tag line "Decay, I knew you'd come".... The screen goes to black and then the show to commercial.
We are back at the estate now. A repeat of Matt saying his tag line as The Decay is on the chase. As they approach. They now see Matt, Nero and Reby together with Roman Candles. As the three prepare to light the fireworks. Matt says welcome to the Hardy compound. Abyss says "This is not beautiful" and all 3 decay members start running away. The fireworks are lit and start exploding into The Decay's direction as they retreat... Laughing as I type this..... Matt is yelling Delete as The Decay heads for cover. There are ladders set up throughout the yard. After a minute of fireworks. The fireworks finally stop. Matt tells Reby to go inside and protect Maxwell as he and Nero continue their chase.
Matt talks of exterminating The Decay as the chase continues and more fireworks are ignited and used as weapons. The Decay hides behind a dilapidated boat to shield themselves from the explosions . Matt tells Nero to get to the decay. He runs and drop kicks the boat but The Decay is not behind it. Jeff is knocked out. Senor Benjamin approaches him. Matt goes off looking for The Decay. When Benjamin goes to look at his phone. All of a sudden, Joseph Park dressed in his suit with eye glasses comes out of the lake.
Park approaches Benjamin. He tells him that he loved him in Final Deletion and that he is looking for his brother Chris. He asks Senor if he has seen him. Benjamin tells Joseph that he has. Park is happy and goes to hug Benjamin. Senor shocks him with a taser gun and starts cackling and then puts Park onto a forklift for potential burial. Crazzy Steve has now come upon Jeff and starts attacking him. He tries to put Jeff's face into a fire by the pool. Jeff counters and hits a suplex on Steve into the pool.
Matt is now shown still in search mode for Rosemary. Back to Benjamin who is driving the forklift and presumably "Park" to the gravesite. Senor is enjoying his handy work cackling away. The video now cuts back to Jeff and Steve still in the pool. They are fighting under water. Jeff applies a chokehold and Steve is choked out. Jeff exits the pool and breathes a sigh of relief. Steve rises from the pool and takes Jeff back in.
We now flash back to the gravesite. Benjamin is persumably burying "Joseph Park". Shovel in hand preparing dirt to shovel on top of Park's body. Benjamin pauses and looks into the grave and all of a sudden. Abyss arises and grabs Benjamin by the throat and starts choking him.
Back to Jeff and Crazzy Steve. Steve is now choking out Jeff with a floatation device in the pool. Jeff screams, rakes Steve in the eye and manages to escape his grip. Crazzy Steve's facepaint has been washed away. He pauses and then says "paint regenerate". His facepaint reappears on his face.
We now see Rosemary approaching and inching close to Matt Hardy. Both hissing and making sounds. Matt starts saying Delete when from behind is Abyss with his barbwired bat "Janice". Abyss swings at Matt but misses. Abyss knocks down Matt and tells Rosemary to "go get her baby". Matt is on the ground as Abyss prepares to swing his bat at him. Matt says Abyss is nothing more than vermin. Just as Abyss swings, Jeff pushes Matt out of the way and takes the direct hit from the bat instead. Slow piano music plays the obsolete theme as Brother Nero is fading. Matt tells his brother that this act by Nero was very unselfish.
Crazzy Steve has now entered the picture with Abyss. Vanguard One is now on the scene. Unleashing an aerial attack against The Decay. As Matt covers Jeff on the ground. The aerial assault starts a fire on the ground that creates a fire imprint of Jeff Hardy's symbol. Both Abyss and Crazzy Steve are trapped inside of the burning symbol.
Back in the house, Reby Sky is laid out on the floor. Rosemary has baby Maxel in her arms. As she is leaving. Vanguard One approaches her. On screen, It says "Put The boy down. Witch!". Rosemary says gladly. She sets Maxel down. Vanguard tells Maxel to run. Rosemary sprays some type of mist into Vanguard One and disables it. She then starts calling out to Maxel and is looking on the ground for him. When she looks up, She sees Matt. Matt tells her, You have crossed a line, you can't come back from. Rosemary sprays green mist at Matt and it lands in his mouth. Matt breathes it in and spits it right back into Rosemary's eyes. She starts crying out in pain and runs away. Reby and Maxel approach Matt and he takes Maxel into his arms.
Brother Nero is shown laying down in pain on the grass. Senor Benjamin is now shown knocked out in the back of The Decay pickup truck. As Crazzy Steve is standing over him laughing. The truck pulls away as the show and Delete or Decay comes to an end.