TNA Impact Wrestling TV Report 3-27-15: Jeff Hardy vs. James Storm Lethal Lockdown match
By Jeff Hamlin, WrestlingObserver.com
The Big News: Jeff Hardy defeated James Storm in a cage match to gain revenge after being knocked off the roof of a cage two months ago before the European tapings. It was the fist show back in the Impact Zone, which led to a downturn in the atmosphere.
There was a cage around the ring as James Storm and Khoya (carrying a watermelon and a flag) came out. Storm said he was supposed to face Jeff Hardy tonight, but Hardy wasn’t there tonight because he took both Jeff and Matt Hardy out. He claimed Jeff was still in the hospital off the cage fall he suffered in New York, then threw a watermelon over the cage to the floor to visualize his point. Then Jeff Hardy came out to a weak pop. Hardy said he still didn’t walk right, but he was still standing. He challenged Storm to a cage match.
Before Storm could accept, Manik came up from behind and attacked Jeff, who made his own comeback and gave him a Twist of Fate. Then Abyss came down and jumped Hardy, sending him into the cage. Abyss grabbed a chair, but Hardy disarmed him and delivered chair shots across Abyss’ back. Hardy ordered the roof of the cage be lowered, so it was six sides of steel with a roof over the cage. Hardy tried to get the crowd to chant “Hardy’s Revenge,” and I’ll be nice and say it just didn’t fly.
Low Ki, Kenny King and MVP were backstage. Ki was upset about losing Samoa Joe from the ranks of the Beat Down Clan. No explanation where Joe had gone. MVP said they had to make a statement.
In the back, Storm was furious, saying Abyss and Manik had failed him. He told Khoya to dispose of Jeff Hardy, or else Storm will dispose of Khoya.
Rockstar Spud defeated Low Ki in 5:08 to retain the X Division championship
Man does this golden carriage in England turn back into a pumpkin once they cross the Atlantic. Spud goes from being madly over to being someone who the crowd likes, but also wins because of slip on a banana peel finishes. Spud clearly looked apprehensive about taking Ki’s stiff chops. Finish came when MVP distracted the referee and King was supposed to distract Spud. But Drew Galloway showed up in the crowd and distracted the BDC. Spud pinned Ki with a small package. Classic finish that doesn’t get anyone over.
BDC was in the ring after the commercial with MVP running down Galloway and challenged him to come out. MVP tried to get heat but they weren’t in England anymore. Galloway came out and said he wanted to find out who would stand with him saying he was starting a Rising. King wondered if Galloway was trying to be William Wallace from Braveheart, and just like Wallace he would be left laying in the end. Galloway finally jumped in the ring to face off against Ki and two guys jumped out of the crowd to join him and clean house. The two men were never identified but Galloway named his group the Rising.
Awesome Kong vignette where she vowed to take the Knockouts title from Taryn Terrell.
Ki and King were upset about Galloway’s partners, but a calm MVP said it was time to make a phone call if Galloway wanted to play a numbers game.
Awesome Kong defeated Brooke in 4:13
Taz popped off about how Robbie E. was an idiot for breaking up with Brooke and it sure didn’t sound worked. Brooke tried and tried to knock Kong down and finally did with a facebuster to escape a power bomb. Brooke hit a Randy Savage elbow, but Kong caught her coming off the top rope with a choke slam. Brooke nearly landed on her head. Kong pinned her with the Implant Buster.
Afterwards, Kong gave Brooke another Implant Buster and teased putting Brooke through a table. Terrell ran down to make the save, but Kong sent her hard into the railing. Terrell knocked her down with a Missile Dropkick, but Terrell got caught jumping off the apron and threw Terrell into the ring steps. Then Kong power bombed Terrell through the table. It was some visual and the table just exploded and the back of Terrell’s head landed on the wood.
Throughout the first hour, they promoted Kurt Angle getting a celebration after winning the TNA World Title last week for the sixth time. Austin Aries did a promo congratulating Angle, but said the only thing better than one celebration tonight would be two. Then Aries held up the TNA World title briefcase, teasing he would cash it in tonight.
Jeff Hardy was in the midst of a promo when Khoya jumped him from behind. Immediately, Hardy turned the tables and attacked him with a ladder. No matter what Hardy hit Khoya with, Khoya continued to get up. He hit him with a ladder and cracked him with a beer bottle twice. Khoya still rose like he was Michael Myers or Jason Vorhees. Finally Hardy put him down for good after a shot with two beer bottles.
Angle came out for his celebration for winning the TNA title. Ethan Carter the Third and Tyrus came out and said Angle deserved to be congratulated for beating Bobby Lashley, but EC3 had gone undefeated for 18 months and beat every member of the TNA Hall of Fame, including Angle. EC3 said he was going to be the man to beat Angle for the title. This brought out Bobby Roode, who said he had the world title stolen from him and has never received a one-on-one rematch. Eric Young walked out and said he was the man who stole the title from Roode and he would never hold the title again as long as Young was around.
Aries joined the party, throwing shade at EC3, then opening the world title briefcase to unveil a bottle of champagne. Aries told Angle he was ready to celebrate, but he wasn’t sure if he would celebrate Angle’s world championship victory or his own. Angle said he was ready to wrestle anyone. As Angle left, Lashley came out wanting a rematch. Angle accepted, but about a dozen referees and security personnel separated them within an instant. That part was great. While that was going on, Tyrus jumped Aries and Young went after Roode. Mr. Anderson came out to even the odds and they continued to brawl as they went to break. It led to a match.
Ethan Carter the Third, Eric Young and Tyrus defeated Bobby Roode, Austin Aries and Mr. Anderson in 7:23
Tyrus used a heart punch on Roode. Last time I remember the heart punch being used was Crush during his heel days in 1996 under Clarence Mason. This time, it didn’t have the same effect as Ox Baker causing riots in the 70s. It broke down into a brawl where Aries got the hot tag, who knocked EC3 out of the ring with an roaring elbow. Roode and Aries did some of their old spots on Young. Aries climbed the ropes for the 450 but missed, selling his left knee in the process. Young clamped on the figure four leglock and Aries tapped quickly for the surprisingly clean pin. A good match.
Bram came out and started calling Magnus a coward because he hides behind Mickey James. He said James has more balls than Magnus will ever have. Bram mentioned Magnus’ son when Magnus and James came out. Magnus said if Bram ever brings up his son again, it will be a matter for police to stop. Bram said he only wants to see the tears flow from James’ eyes. James did a great comeback promo. Then Bram threw a pass at James that sent Magnus to the ring. Bram gave Magnus a low blow, then went after James and wanted her to kiss his boots, then wanted her to kiss him. Magnus gave Bram a German Suplex and started hitting Bram with the turnbuckle wrench. Magnus left, but James ran back after Bram, only to have Magnus pull her off. Good segment, but the heat was lacking. It’s a crowd that’s seen a million angles, so even the good ones will run together. It leads to a falls count anywhere match next week.
Jeff Hardy defeated James Storm in a Lethal Lockdown cage match in 14:52
Storm opened with a trash can shot, but Hardy fought back with poetry in motion off a chair. Hardy tried again, but crashed into the cage after Storm moved. Storm missed the Last Call and Hardy caught the Twist of Fate, then attempted the Swanton, but Storm got the knees up. Storm hit the Eye of the Storm for a two count. Storm caught Closing Time and hit the Last Call, but Hardy kicked out. Storm grabbed the cowbell that he used to knock Hardy off the cage two months ago, but he missed and sent Storm into a steel chair, followed by the Whisper in the Wind and a Swanton, but Storm was the one escaping from a finisher this time. Storm gave Hardy a low blow and climbed the cage looking for a weapon.
As he looked, Hardy grabbed a trash can, hit Storm in the back, then climbed up the top rope for a super huracanrana. Hardy had to hold the cage roof while executing the move. Great spot. But Storm kicked out. Hardy hit Storm with a trash can lid twice, followed by another shot with the cowbell. Hardy hit another Twist of Fate, then climbed the cage roof, swung back and forth over Storm until gaining enough momentum to deliver a splash from the roof for the pin. Some unique spots and a damn good match.
The show was dedicated to Perry Aguayo Jr.
SUMMARY: A good show in the ring, but the atmosphere in the Impact Zone just couldn’t match the past two months in the U.K.