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TNA IMPACT WRESTLING LIVE EVENT from Times Union Center in Albany, NY 12/29/11
It was TNA’s third time ever at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY. The entire upper section was taped off. The entire floor sections were packed. The lower section was about ¼ full with Two large portions blocked off. TNA had part of the floor blocked out farther then usual with a stage on the other side. The last time they came out from under the stands but this time they had a blue setup to make a wall to make the floor smaller. They had a tiny stage set up. At ringside was Ronnie Lang & one other Atlas Security guy. A guy with blonde hair wearing a IMPACT wrestling shirt was seated at one corner outside the ring. You had Christy Hemme, and two guys seated at a table. The guy next to Hemme wore head phones and hit the music on his Mac laptop which also acted as the ring bell. Next to them was the guy who almost always runs in as Security on TV, and tends to wrestles when they are hurt on TV, he has a silver/black beard.
I arrived right as Don West was finshing up his plugs for merchandise. West brought out our ring announcer for the evening Christy Hemme.Hemme welcomes us to the show and told us we were going to have a good time. Hemme said it is cold but the action together should warm us up.
Jesse Sorensen vs Kid Kash vs Austin Aries(X-Division Champion). TNA X-DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE MATCH. Ref Brian Hebner.
Hemme introduced Jesse first. His music played and everyone waited and waited and waited. Hemme introduced him again and everyone waited and waited and waited. The crowd started booing and Hemme laughed and introduced him again and he finale came out. He was booed by the crowd as he came down. Kash was introduced next and got some loud cheers. Referee Brian Hebner came down to the ring still tucking his shirt into his pants as he walked down to the ring. Kash & Jesse had words and Hebner separated them. Aries came out last and got the most cheers of his two opponents. Jesse did a move where he jumped out of the ring taking out the other two which got a nice pop. Aries jumped off the top rope onto Jesse on the outside. Aries then went over and rubbed on his championship title. They got together in a 3-way headlock and they switched positions three times. Jesse gave Kash a stunner which caused Kash to hit Aries to break up the 3-way headlock. Jesse hit his cutter on Kash but Aries broke up the pinfall. Kash started bitting on Jesse in the corner. Kash ducked a kick from Jesse and went for the Money Maker but Aries gave him a kick. Jesse hit Kash when Kash was on the apron. Aries gave Jesse a running kick in the corner and hit a brainbuster on him for the win. Aries then ran around the ring holding his championship in the air and left. Kash and Jesse were still in the ring and Kash put his hand out to shake hands. Jesse though about it and at the same time they gave each other the finger.
Hemme introduced the special referee for the next match, Garret Bischoff. Garrett came down to the ring. Ric Flair’s music started playing and the place went crazy. Ric Flair & Gunner walked down to the ring. Hemme held the ropes for Flair. Flair said he built this arena. Flair said he made this arena famous. Flair recalled winning the 1992 Royal Rumble where he became WWE Champion in this arena. Flair said he makes all the girls go crazy. Flair said that Hemme loves him. Hemme smiled at the fans. Flair said to all the girls in attendance he would be at the Marriott after the show and he still can go all night long. Flair then turned his attention to Garrett and said he did deserve to be a referee. Flair asked Garrett if he brought his gear with him. Flair said all wannabe wrestlers always bring their gear everywhere they go. Flair said tonight Garrett is going to face Gunner. Flair said he he goes backstage he is going to call Sting and ask if Garrett can not referee tonight and instead wrestle. Flair & Gunner left. The guy with white hair who sometimes at live events gets the crowd to cheer came out to ringside and talked to Hemme & Garrett and pointed to the back. Garrett walked to the back. (Even though this match was advertised before hand)
Referee Brian Hebner came down to the ring. Hemme said Brian would the referee for the next match.
Crimson(1/2 TNA Tag Team Champion) vs. Matt Morgan(1/2 TNA Tag Team Champion). Ref Brian Hebner.
Crimson posing got the crowd cheering. Crimson threw his necklace out to the crowd. As he did the entire show Ronnie Lang took the championship titles from the referee and put them on Hemme’s desk and after the match, handed them back to the referee. Morgan & Crimson locked up to the start the match and pushed each other back and forth. They broke the hold and locked up again and did the same as before. Morgan went for a chokeslam but Crimson got out of it. Morgan knocked Crimson down then chocked him on the ropes. Morgan did a leapfrog body guillotine on Crimson to the floor. Morgan looked at the fans and motioned he did so so. Morgan hit his elbows strikes in the corner to Crimson in the corner. Morgan kept going for pinfall wins but Crimson would kick out. Morgan worked on Crimson’s neck. Crimson took Morgan down but Morgan kicked out. Crimson went for a spear but went into the turnbuckle as Morgan moved. Morgan went for a running boot but went into the turnbuckle as Crimson moved, Crimson then rolled him up for the win. Morgan & Crimson raised each other’s hands after the match.
Hemme used a piece of paper to read for each introductions. Hemme introduced the most controversial referee in wrestling history, Earl Hebner. Hebner got in the ring and was looking at the crowd. One fan was really clapping for him and Hebner mouthed “F*** You”. Hebner looked into the crowd some more and then pretended to get out of the ring, as the other Atlas Security guard held him back. Hebner went to do it again and he was held back. Hebner tried to take off his referee shirt but it got caught over his head. Hebner laughed and Hemme helped take his shirt off. Earl then had on his “Damn right I did shirt”. Hebner reached in his pocked and pulled out Bret Hart style sunglasses and mimicked Hart around the ring. Hebner told a fan to suck it. Hebner threw his sunglasses to ringside which the TNA staff guy with the silver/grey beard picked up and sat back down. Hebner spitted out towards him.
Mickie James w/ a Q103 rock DJ vs Gail Kim (TNA Knockout Champion & ½ Knockout Tag Team Champion). TNA KNOCKOUT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE MATCH. Ref Earl Hebner.
The radio DJ sat next to the TNA staff guy with the silver/grey beard. When Gail came down to the ring she put her two titles right in Mickie’s face. As Earl handed the titles to Ronnie Land, Mickie shoved down Gail. Gail worked on Mickie’s left arm most of the match, which she started to do from the start. Mickie kicked Gail to the ring apron. Gail slammed Mickie’s arm off the top rope as Gail dropped to the floor. Gail kept working on Mickie’s arm. Gail hit a single arm DDT on Mickie’s worked on arm. Gail motioned for the title around his waist as Mickie sold her left arm. Gail used a submission hold on Mickie’s left arm. Mickie rose to her feet and hit a knee to Gail’s chest. Mickie hit a neckbreaker on Gail. They both got to their feet and traded right hands. Mickie knocked Gail down twice and then hit the Thez press off the top rope. Mickie hit punches and went for the win but Gail kicked out. Mickie hit a knee to Gail’s chest and went for the Mickie DDT but Gail reversed it and went for the Eat Defeat but Mickie rolled her up but Gail reversed it and pulled on Mickie’s shorts to win. Gail escaped out of the ring and left. The DJ got in the ring to check on Mickie.
Hemme & Earl got back in the ring. Earl looked out in the crowd and smiled and fans yelling to him. Bully Ray came down to the ring. Bully corned Hemme in the corner. Hemme tried to get away but Bully pushed her against the turnbuckle with his knee. Earl came over and Bully yelled at Earl to leave the ring. Bully asked Hemme if she wanted to leave. Bully said Hemme should be in the kitchen. Bully went to slap her and said he should slap her like the bitch she is. Bully said Hemme really gained a lot of weight since her Playboy cover. He made fun of her clothes and said her hair dye out of a box looked horrible. Bully let Hemme out of the ring. Earl checked on Hemme. Bully looked at the crowd. A black man wearing a goofy hat was yelling a lot at Bully and leaning over the railing. Ronnie Lang motioned to the other Atlas guard to watch him. Bully said we are in NY but Albany is not really NY its Southern Canada. Bully said it’s a bunch of inbreeds up here. Bully looked at one fan in the front row and asked if they were inbred. Bully told the black guy with the Goofy hat to sit his black ass down. Crowd laughed. Bully pointed to some lady in the last row on the floor. He said how ugly she was, he could not believe it. Bully asked it that was her husband next to her. He asked how he could wake up every morning next to her. Bully said if that was him and he had to wake up to her every morning he would kill himself. Bully said oh you are a Vietnam vet. Bully asked it was Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard or what. Bully asked if he was dishonorably discharged because he was alitle “da da da” (Bully Ray was awesome, so funny).
Bully Ray vs A.J. Styles. Ref Earl Hebner.
Bully yelled at Earl before the match. After the match bell rang AJ went after Bully but Bully hang ½ out of the ring so Earl held AJ back. Bully did it again. They locked up. They locked up again. AJ brought Bully down. Bully left the ring. Bully left the ring and tried to leave but AJ ran after him. Bully slamed AJ over the steel barrier. AJ slammed Ray onto Hemme’s table. AJ held Bully and Hemme gave him a huge slap! The crowd cheered loud and Hemme had a big grin on her face. Bully got back in the ring and started to yell “She made me bleed! She made me bleed!” Bully kept saying it over and over and pointing to Hebner. Bully had a deep cut on his left cheek which was bleeding down his face. Bully knocked AJ off the rop rope. Bully checked his face, which he kept doing throughout the match. Bully yelled out Hemme from the ring and showed the blood on his face to her. The TNA Staff, Ronnie Lang, & Hemme all were smiling. Bully knocked AJ down in the corner. Bully spit into the sky and caught it in his mouth. Bully had AJ in a sleeper hold. About 5 fans on the floor started loudly chanting “Cena sucks” which the TNA staff guy with the silver/black beard was nodding his head along with the chant. AJ then got the crowd behind him and got out of the sleeper hold. Bully dodged AJ jumping up out of the corner and poked AJ in the eyes. Bully pushed Earl into the corner. AJ ran up and rolled Bully up but Bully kicked out. Hemme was talking to the guy with the laptop and headset during the match. AJ flipped Bully over. AJ hit a DDT on Ray off the top rope. AJ went for the win but Bully kicked out. AJ went for the Styles Clash but Bully threw him over his head. Bully hit the Bully Bomb but AJ kicked out to Bully’s shock. Bully put the metal chain around his wrist. Bully went for the punch but missed and AJ pulled him down. AJ hit a crossbody off the top rope for the win. Hemme hid behind Don West who came down to ringside as Bully left. AJ brought Hemme into the ring and raised her hand in the air.
Hemme saod on the mic that she should have took her ring off to slap Bully Ray. Then laughed and said she is glad she did not take her ring off. Hemme said we would now have a short 20 minute intermission.
During Intermission. Don West entered the ring and plugged stuff. West told all the fans that bought backstage passes they could go backstage now for that. West said if you had a program you could get free autographs from Mickie James over at the merch stand. West plugged his brown bag specials which he said they only had 20 left and they were going for $30. Don plugged the glow in the dark Jeff Hardy action figure. West said it is the rarest action figure of all time. He said you cant find it in stores as it was only able to be bought on TNA’s site. He said they are sold out but he has 30 left here tonight. West showed Earl Hebner’s t-shirt and said it was for sale for $10 over at the Merch stand with Earl & Brian signing every shirt. West said today is Earl’s 79th birthday so the brown bag is only $10. A fan yelled out that Earl’s birthday is in March. West said after the show they were going to have a Hardy party. West threw out items to the fans. West went around ringside signing any TNA items people had. A upset little kid asked West why he did not throw anything to him or cant he give him something. West said he needed to make a living. Earl Hebner & TNA’s other merch guy, Jimmy Jay walked from the Merch stand back backstage. Earl hugged a little kid who was wearing his shirt. West again plugged that Mickie & both Hebners were signing autographs at the merch stand even though Earl had already gone backstage.
Kurt Angle vs James Storm. Ref Brian Hebner.
The other Atlas Security guy was not at ringside as he was still at the Merch Stand with Mickie James. Brian Hebner followed Angle down to the ring. Storm gave a fan some of his beer from his bottle. Storm went to lock up but Angle ducked out of the ring. Storm got Angle in a headlock and went for a kick but Angle ducked out of the ring. They locked up in the corner and Angle ducked out of the ring. Angle & Storm fought outside the ring. Storm took a fan’s drink and hit Angle with it and threw him back into the ring. Angle pushed Hebner into the turnbuckle and gave Storm a low blow. Angle told Hebner he could not see and he accidently gave Storm a low blow. Angle gave Storm a suplex. Angle put Storm in a sleeper hold. As Hebner checked to see if Storm was out. Hemme & the TNA guy with the headset and laptop laughed as they talked to each other. Angle & Storm both fell to the mat and Hebner counted but they got up. Storm hit a backbreaker on Angle and went for the pin but Storm kicked out. Angle hit a Angle Slam but Storm kicked out. Angle pulled down his straps. Angle walked into a Double knee facebuster by Storm for Storm to pick up the win. Storm grabbed a drink from a fan and drank it.
Gunner w/ Ric Flair vs Garrett Bischoff. Ref Earl Hebner.
Before the match started Hebner and Hemme were talking and after Gunner came out Hebner had Hemme ask the TNA guy with headset and laptop something, and Hemme told Hebner something. Gunner knocked Garrett down. Gunner punched and elbowed Garrett in the corner. Garrett fought back with blows. Gunner kicked Garrett away in the corner. Garrett brought Gunner down with his leg. Flair tripped Garrett and was ejected. Flair shoved Earl and yelled at him but left. Gunner at first did not notice Flair was ejected then yelled at Earl. Gunner Irish whipped Garett into the ropes and threw him down. Gunner kicked the downed Garrett. Gunner went for his DDT but Garrett threw Gunner over his head. They fought in the corner. Garrett tried to bring Gunner down for a pin but Garrett grabed the rope. Earl ran over and kicked Gunner’s arm off the top rope and Garrett went for the pin but Gunner kicked out. Gunner did not act upset at Earl. Gunner put Garrett in a leg submission. Gunner went for a sidewalk slam but Garrett rolled him up for the win. Garrett escaped out of the ring as Gunner tried to grab him.
TNA champion Robert Roode vs. Jeff Hardy. TNA CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE MATCH. Ref Brian Hebner.
Hemme introduced Roode but he does not come out. Hemme introduced Roode again and he does not come out. Hebner goes over and talks to Ronnie Lang. Roode comes out to the stage and poses while. He waited until Lang turned around to leave the stage. Roode got in the face with a fan. The other Atlas Security guard came out from backstage and went back to his ringside spot. Hemme introduced Jeff Hardy but he did not come out. She introduced him again, no hardy, and again and Hardy came running out onto the stage. Hardy got the biggest pop of the night. I think possibly because it was dark behind the stage and they still had to walk awhile from under the stands to the stage. Hardy went around the ring slapping hands with fans. Hardy threw his shirt to the fans. Hardy got out of the ring and signed a fan’s sign. They locked up and Roode threw Hardy down. Hardy gain offence and tried to get a early pin but Roode kicked out. Roode tried to slam Hardy into the turnbuckle but Hardy got out of it and threw Roode into the other turnbuckle. Hardy threw Roode over his head. Hardy danced around. Roode went to leave with his title but Hardy ran after him and stopped him and threw him back into the ring. Roode got on his knees and begged for a timeout. Roode threw Hardy to the outside. Roode punched down Hardy. Roode put his hand to his ear to the fans boos. Roode keeps kicking Hardy in the chest in the corner. Hardy comes back with punches. But Roode gets the upper hand and knocks down Hardy. Roode climbs the top rope and hits a swinging neckbreaker off the top rope but Hardy kicks out. Roode puts Hardy in a headlock on the mat. The crowd gets behind Jeff and Jeff comes back but Roode stops his offense and chokes him on the ropes. Roode dances like Hardy on the middle rope and jumps off into a leg from Hardy. The TNA staff guy with the silver/black beard is working on the TNA Championship with a screwdriver. Hardy kicks down ROode but he kicks out. Hardy bring down Roode and goes for a pinfall but Roode kicks out. Hardy unvips his shirt and goes for a tiwst of fate but Roode reverses it to a crossface. Hardy gets over to the rope to break the hold. Hardy goes for a swanton bomb but Roode knocks him down. Hardy pushs Roode off the top rope. Hardy hits a crossbody off the top rope but Roode reverses it and rolls him up pulling Hardy’s pants for the win. Hardy complained to Hebner after. Hardy leaves but comes back and lays Roode out with a Twist of Fate and a Swanton Bomb. Hardy holds up the TNA Championship to the crowd and lays it on Roode. Roode rolls out of the ring and leaves.
Don West comes down to the ring and tells everyone not to leave as for $20 they get their picture taken with Hardy. I left.
Good show started a little after 7:30 and ended alittle after 10pm. I will be at the TNA show in Poughkeepsie tomorrow as well.
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