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Tonight, three title matches as well as a special surprise from Hulk Hogan!
But without further ado, let's head to the ring for our opening match...
TV Champion AJ Styles vs Kurt Angle
For the record, this is non-title. These guys have had some awesome, awesome matches in the past, I can't wait to see what they do here. Styles jumps Angle before the bell and tosses him to the floor, then goes out after him and continues the assault. AJ rams Angle into the apron as we see his new tattoo, but Angle catches him with an overhead belly to belly suplex out of nowhere and tosses AJ back in. Angle with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker gets 1 but AJ goes to the throat and rams Angle shoulderfirst into the ringpost, and Angle tumbles to the floor. AJ with a slingshot dive over the top onto Angle on the floor, then rolls Angle back in. Angle starts firing back and goes for a German Suplex, but Styles flips through and catches Angle with a sweet dropkick. AJ covers for 2 and then we HIT THE CHINLOCK! Angle escapes and picks the ankle, but AJ kicks him off and goes for a right, but Angle ducks and gets a back suplex and both men are down. The referee counts and Angle gets up first and starts running over AJ with clotheslines and then gets another overhead release suplex for 2. Angle ducks a right and hits the Rolling Germans and covers for 2. Angle goes for the Ankle Lock but AJ kicks him off into the corner. AJ tries a charge and gets backdropped to the apron but comes back in with a springboard forearm for 2. AJ goes for the Styles Clash but Angle backdrops out and goes for the Angle Slam and AJ escapes and hits the Pelle Kick for 2. AJ takes his time going up top and Angle runs underneath him and then hits a moonsault for 2. Wow, we don't see that out of him very often. Angle goes for the Ankle Lock again and gets it but AJ rolls through and Angle crashes into the second turnbuckle. AJ tries another springboard from the apron but Angle shakes the top rope and AJ crashes down. Angle tries to suplex him back in but AJ escapes and hits the moonsault/deathdrop for 2. AJ argues with the ref, allowing Angle to come from behind and hit the Angle Slam for 2. Angle goes for another German Suplex and AJ tries to lowblow him with a mule kick, but Angle dodges and takes AJ down into the Ankle Lock, grapevines the leg, and AJ taps.
Winner: Kurt Angle
Great opener! Up next, Angelina Love challenges Madison Rayne for the Knockouts Title, and we're at commercial. Great opening segment!
Knockouts Title Match: Madison Rayne vs Angelina Love
Angelina goes after Madison but Madison hides behind the ref and cheapshots Angelina. Angelina weathers the storm and fires back, but Madison sends Angelina into the corner, blocks the foot on a charge, and just slams Angelina on the back of her head, then climbs on top of her and starts ramming the back of her head into the mat, then hits a swinging neckbreaker, straddles Angelina's shoulders, and repeatedly humps Angelina's head into the mat and covers for 2. Madison stops to argue with the ref about the count, then turns around into a jawbreaker from Angelina, who follows that with a series of clotheslines and then a flying variety of the clothesline. Angelina with a bicycle kick as Dumpy Ass comes down to ringside on the bike and makes her way to ringside as the crowd starts chanting "Tara" at her. The ref goes over to tell Dumpy Ass to take a hike when Velvet Sky comes running out and cracks her from behind with a chair, then pulls off the motorcycle helmet to reveal...a mask underneath. The Dark Patriot angle! Dumpy Ass hightails it as Madison nails Angelina from behind with the belt and covers for 2, then Angelina comes back with a clothesline and covers Madison for the three count and the Knockouts Title.
Winner and NEW Knockouts Champion: Angelina Love
Velvet Sky stands smirking at ringside as Madison is flat on her back in the middle of the ring and Angelina celebrates her title win.
After another commercial break, we come back for the three way match...
Ken Anderson vs Matt Morgan vs The Pope
Anderson does his usual entrance while Morgan and Pope are already in the ring. Anderson and Pope go right after Morgan and double team him, ramming him into the corner and taking turns beating him up. They wrap Morgan's leg around the rope and attack it, and then Pope hits an STO and covers, Anderson breaks and tries his own cover, and then Pope pulls him off and tries again, and this goes on about five more times unitl Pope and Anderson have an uncomfortable staredown. Morgan breaks up the lovefest with a double goozle followed by a double clothesline that takes both men down. Morgan charges at Pope with a boot, but Pope moves and Morgan crotches himself. Pope accidentally elbows Anderson in the face as he goes to nail Morgan, but then nails Morgan anyway and sends him to the floor as Anderson kneels in the ring clutching his jaw. Pope goes to check on him and Anderson pops up and slugs him in the mouth, and they exchange blows until Anderson hits a Thesz Press and elbowdrop for 2. Anderson goes for a fireman's carry but Pope escapes and uppercuts him, then goes for the lungblower but Anderson escapes and hits a Flatliner and goes for a cover, but Morgan breaks it up and kicks Anderson for the floor, then capitalizes and covers Pope for the three count.
Winner: Matt Morgan
Still to come: Hulk Hogan has a special surprise, and Jeff Hardy has an open challenge, which will be answered next!
Jeff Hardy Open Challenge
And the mystery opponent is...Shannon Moore. Hardy looks shocked, and Moore takes a mic and says that tonight is a perfect opportunity to prove he can stand at the same level as Hardy, and no matter what happens here tonight, they're leaving as brothers. Hardy looks unimpressed, and I can't say I blame him. They shake hands and then tie up and Hardy shoves him off. Moore goes to a wristlock, Hardy reverses to one of his own and Moore cartwheels out and reverses to a side headlock. Hardy sends Moore off into the ropes and Moore takes him down with a shoulderblock and then they exchange armdrags and do the indy standoff. Another tieup and Moore takes Hardy to the corner and rams a series of shoulders into Hardy's midsection and then whips him across the ring, but Hardy leapfrogs over him and hits a reverse enziguiri. Moore goes to the corner and Hardy keeps trying to catch him with wild moves but Moore outruns him and Hardy misses something and sails out to the floor. Moore follows him out with a dive, then tosses Hardy back in the ring and catches him with a moonsault off the top for 2. Moore with a snap suplex for 2 and we HIT THE CHINLOCK! Hardy elbows his way out, then reverses a whip into the corner but gets backdropped to the apron. Moore tries to sunset flip Hardy to the floor, but Hardy hangs on so Moore changes position and yanks Hardy down by the ankles and Hardy crashes facefirst into the apron. Moore charges and Hardy backdrops him into the ropes, but Moore rebounds back and turns it into a tornado DDT, then rolls Hardy into the ring and covers him for 2, then goes back to the chinlock. Hardy again escapes and reverses into a short clothesline, but gets whipped to the corner. Hardy gets the feet up on a charge and hits the Whisper In The Wind for 2. Hardy with the Twist Of Fate, takes his shirt off, and goes up top for the Swanton, but Moore gets the knees up and covers for 2. Moore puts Hardy up top and tries for a top rope Frankensteiner, but Hardy holds on and Moore crashes to the mat. Hardy hits the Swanton and we have three.
Winner: Jeff Hardy
Hardy raises Moore's hand after the match. Still to come: the Motor City Machine Guns vs Beer Money in match five, Rob Van Dam defends the TNA World Title against Abyss, and Hulk Hogan has a special announcement!
Best Of Five Series Match Five - 2 Out Of 3 Falls: Motor City Machine Guns vs Beer Money
Storm and Sabin start and Storm goes right to the eyes and gets a wristlock, Sabin tries to escape but Roode turns it into a headlock, then they do a fast paced sequence off the ropes and then a series of pinfall attempts and then each go for a kick at the same time and catch each other's boot...and slowly put them down and back off. The fans pop huge as Shelley and Roode tag in and the crowd starts chanting for Shelley. Roode takes Shelley to the corner and takes a cheapshot, but Shelley fires back and gets thumbed in the eyes. Shelley off the ropes and Roode tries a drop down, but Shelley elbowdrops him and then hits a flying headscissors, then unloads with a chop. Shelley comes off the ropes and Roode gets a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for 2, then goes for an O'Connor Roll, but Shelley tags as he hits the ropes and Sabin comes in and kicks him in the face, Storm tries to come in but the MCMGs hit a fast series of double team moves that sends Storm to the floor and puts Roode down for 2. Roode recovers and tags out to Storm, who doesn't have much luck either until Roode grabs Sabin's ankle from the floor and allows Storm to hit a running boot to the head. Roode comes in without making a legal tag, and the ref calls him on it, but then Roode tags out to Storm. Whatever. Storm fires away on Sabin in the corner and tags back out to Roode and they hit a slam/elbowdrop/kneedrop combo for 2. Sabin starts to fight back and leapfrogs a whip into the corner then tries to make the tag, Roode grabs his ankle and tries to pull him back, but Sabin hits an enziguiri and makes the hot tag. Shelley gives Roode a Flatliner into the second turnbuckle and then bulldogs Roode as he clotheslines Storm and covers Roode for 2. Shelley with a Flatliner/DDT combo on Beer Money and covers Roode for 2. MCMGs fire Storm to the apron and Shelley comes over the top with a double stomp, then hits a springboard dropkick to send Roode to the floor and they hit stereo dives onto Beer Money. This is way more difficult to recap than you have any idea. Storm recovers and DDTs Sabin on the apron as Shelley goes up top, Roode tries to stop him but gets knocked off into the middle of the ring. Roode dodgs the double stomp and Beer Money hits a gutbuster/lungblower/DWI combo and Beer Money takes the first fall.
The second fall begins immediately and Roode starts putting the boots to Shelley and covers for 1. Tag out to Storm, who comes in and nails Shelley in the jaw with a right. Beer Money with a double suplex on Shelley and then stop to play to the crowd, but while they were wasting time Shelley made the hot tag to Sabin, who comes in with a double dropkick off the top rope. They send Storm to the floor and give Roode the double stomp/neckbreaker combo to even it up at one fall apiece.
And the third fall begins right away. Sabin goes for a punt to Roode's head on the floor, but Roode catches the foot and yanks Sabin to the floor, then pops back in the ring and backdrops his partner onto Sabin. Shelley comes through the ropes with a sick dive, and then Roode follows that with a dive of his own and all four men are down on the floor and...wait, commercial break? Now? WHY????
After a well placed commercial for the MCMG-Beer Money double DVD, we come back to the third fall as Roode takes Sabin's head off with a clothesline. Shelley tries to fight back, but gets popped up into a spinning uranage for 2. Roode puts the boots to Shelley in the corner and tags in Storm, and they whip Shelley across the ring and then follow him in with a pair of running clotheslines. Storm puts Shelley up top and goes for a top rope superplex, but Shelley knocks him down into the Tree Of Woe and hits the top rope double stomp. The referee starts the double count and both men tag out, and Sabin comes in with a series of running forearms to Roode, then hits a Frankensteiner out of the corner and then dropkicks Storm off the apron. Sabin with a springboard tornado DDT for 2, then Roode goes to the eyes and tags out to Storm. Beer money go for a double team but Sabin fights his way out and kicks off of Storm and then Shelley comes in and they hit a snap Carnageplex for a very close 2. MCMGs with a series of superkicks and an enziguiri to Storm, but Roode comes in and wipes out Shelley and they hit a double DDT on Sabin, then counter Shelley's Sliced Bread #2 into a double team chinbreaker. Shelley rolls to the floor and Beer Money goes for the DWI, but Sabin escapes and Storm accidentally superkicks Roode, and the MCMGs hit the double stomp/neckbreaker combo again...and Storm kicks out! They go for it again...and this time it's a neckbreaker/top rope splash combo, and Shelley blocks Roode as Sabin covers Storm and finally that's enough to get the MCMGs the win. What a match!
Winners: Motor City Machine Guns
I'll say it right now, this is TNA Match Of The Year so far. Just unbelievable.
Still to come: Hulk Hogan's big announcement, and up next: Rob Van Dam defends the TNA World Title against Abyss in a Stairway To Janice Match!
Stairway To Janice Match for the TNA World Title: Rob Van Dam vs Abyss
And in case you weren't already aware, Eric Bischoff is the special referee for this match. Janice is hanging above the ring, and Abyss grabs the ladder and slides it into the ring as he makes his entrance and tries to climb up and grab Janice before RVD makes his entrance, so RVD comes running out and springboards off the top rope and kicks the ladder out from under Abyss. He climbs up and does a ten punch count in the corner, then hits a spinkick to wipe Abyss out. He folds up the ladder and rams it into the midsection of Abyss, then does it a second time. RVD with another spinkick and then he bulldogs Abyss onto the ladder and follows that up with Rolling Thunder, but Abyss moves and RVD crashes down onto the ladder. Oh, and wouldn't you know it, we have to take another commercial break as Abyss grabs the ladder from the floor and RVD baseball slides it into his chest.
We're back and Abyss has a ladder balanced between the ring apron and guardrail, and he and RVD are battling on the apron. Abyss goozles RVD, but RVD fights his way out and kicks him in the face, so Abyss clotheslines him over the top back into the ring. Abyss follows him in and grabs a second ladder, which he now rams into RVD's midsection as RVD did to him earlier on, then does it a second time. Abyss balances the ladder in front of RVD in the corner and goes for a charge, but RVD tosses the ladder into Abyss' face as he comes running in, then rams the ladder into Abyss in the corner and sets it up as a ramp, running up it to kick Abyss in the face, and then puts Abyss on top of the ladder and moonsaults onto him. RVD sets up the ladder in the corner and goes for a monkey flip on Abyss, but you knew that wasn't going to work, and Abyss powerbombs him out of the corner. Abyss sets up the ladder in the middle of the ring and tries to climb, but takes too long and RVD climbs up the other side and they go toe to toe on the top of the ladder. Abyss goozles RVD and chokeslams him off the ladder, but loses his balance and he tumbles to the mat as well. Abyss closes the ladder again and goes to the floor, and we get replays while Abyss takes a moment to pull a bag out from under the ring, and tonight it contains...wait for it...thumbtacks! OOOOH, and it has glass in it, too! Abyss puts RVD up top and goes for a superplex, but RVD sunset flips off the top and Abyss goes crashing down ass-first on the goodies. Looks like RVD might have gotten slightly stuck, too. RVD comes off the ropes but runs right into a boot from Abyss, who goes back under the ring, and behind door #2 is...a barbed wire board! he slides that into the ring and sets it up in the corner and tries to whip RVD into it, but RVD puts on the breaks, so Abyss charges him, RVD moves, and Abyss goes running facefirst into the board. Abyss sticks to it, so RVD comes off the top and jumpkicks the board into the face of Abyss, who goes down with the board on top of him. RVD, ever the innovator, comes off the ropes and hits Rolling Thunder onto the board on top of Abyss. Yeargh. RVD sets up the ladder and goes up, but Abyss tips the ladder over, causing RVD to fall down, catch himself on the top rope, and then crash facefirst into the ladder. That looked really, really nasty. Abyss sets up the ladder and goes up...and he gets Janice. We see Dixie Carter and Terry Taylor standing in the crowd looking very concerned. Abyss shoves the ladder out of the way and goes to the floor and tosses RVD back in...right into the glass and thumbtacks. What a sadist. Abyss pounds him down in the corner and grabs Janice, and he does the YOU at RVD and swings at him, but RVD moves and Abyss sticks Janice in the top turnbuckle. While Abyss is busy trying to free her, RVD goes to the floor and grabs a chair, which he uses to massage the back of Abyss, and then tosses it to Abyss and hits the Van Daminator. Abyss is down in the corner, so he puts the barbed wire board on top of him, grabs a chair, and hits a coast to coast Van Terminator with a chair, into the board, into Abyss, and Dixie Carter is standing ringside applauding! She's not supposed to do that! RVD goes up top and hits the Five Star Notebook Splash and covers for the hard fought win.
Winner: Rob Van Dam
Ye gads, that was really brutal and really awesome all at the same time. Bischoff played no part whatsoever and was completely unnecessary to this match. RVD sets up the ladder in the middle of the ring and climbs up to celebrate and hold up the title to the crowd. Oh wait, Hulk Hogan's music hits and here he comes to deliver his surprise...after this commercial break!
Okay, we're back and Hogan is in the ring with RVD, and he says that everyone knows there's a reason RVD is the leader of TNA, and says he's never seen a champion like RVD, and he's going to take the company all the way to the top. When he saw RVD take on Sabu, who Hogan considers the most dangerous man in the business, it made Hogan realize he has all the bases covered, and that's why TNA is the #1 company in the wrestling business today. He says Hardcore Justice made TNA raise the bar, and he has to thank Dixie Carter for taking him somewhere he's never been before. When he saw RVD in the ring with all the great athletes of EV2.0 and they taught him what hardcore was all about, his level of respect went to the top for RVD and his band of gypsies. Okay. With all that being said, Dixie Carter invited all of EV2.0 here to watch RVD's match, and right now, Hogan would like to invite them all out to the ring. They come out led by a suit-clad Tommy Dreamer, along with Stevie Richards, Team 3D, Sabu and Fonzie, the FBI, Mick Foley, and Rhino. Hogan said that when he came to TNA, he was looking for that higher ground where even Hogan has never been before, and he says that Tommy Dreamer and his band of misfits brought TNA there, and he's going to bow down and give them his ring, and he hands the mic to Dreamer and leaves. Dreamer says that they raised the bar on Sunday, and tonight, the MCMGs, Beer Money, RVD and Abyss showed that the bar was raised even more. Dreamer said that to keep the ball rolling, he'd like to thank Dixie Carter again, and to his friends in EV2.0, it was an honor to do it one last time and thanks them for the show they put on, and for Sunday night at Hardcore Justice, Dreamer wants to thank the fans. RVD kisses him on the cheek for added effect...but wait, the lights go out and when they come back up...Foley's down in the ring and Fortune and Matt Morgan lay out the ECW guys! Raven runs out to try and help, but James Storm cracks him in the head with a beer bottle. The Sandman comes out of the crowd and stops to play to the fans, and AJ Styles attacks him from behind as Storm gouges Raven's head open with a shard from the bottle. Abyss comes back out and drags RVD to the floor and tosses him into the crowd. Ric Flair comes strolling out of the back with a big smile on his face as we go backstage to a shot of Abyss, blood-covered Janice in hand, stands over Rob Van Dam, who is COVERED with blood. Flair goes over to Dixie in the crowd and yells that she brought this on herself and tries to go after he. We see shots of blood covered ECW originals as we go off the air.
That. Was. Awesome. Amazing show, 'nuff said. See you next week.
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