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Eric Young tried to escape the cage but was told that didn’t help his team win. He and Jesse Neal started out. Neal grabbed a side headlock. He was sent off into the ropes but shoulderblocked Young down. He and Young went back and forth with armdrags and faced off.
Shannon Moore tagged in. He caught Young with a twisting headscissors. Moore locked in an armbar, then tagged into Douglas Williams. Williams drilled him with a series of uppercuts. Orlando Jordan tagged in. Taz said you don’t want Jordan to “go go-behind on you.†Jordan was in briefly before Neal tagged in. Magnus tagged in and clotheslined him. Lots of tags.
The Invasion doubled on Neal, nearly scoring the pin. They drilled him down with a neck-tie neckbreaker. The fans chanted for Steiner. The Invasion continued schooling Neal with some nice double team moves.
Neal escapes the Invasion and tags Crimson. He grabbed Magnus in a cravate and beat him with knee strikes. Williams broke up the pin. Magnus and Crimson drilled the other with clotheslines. Steiner made the hot tag and clotheslined the hell out of Williams. He dropped an elbow for a two count.
Steiner backdropped Williams, then Magnus. He nailed an overhead belly to belly suplex on Williams. He took out Magnus, then took a swipe at Shannon Moore. Young was then nailed with an over head belly to belly. Steiner set up Magnus for one. Moore blindtagged himself in. Steiner nailed the belly to belly off the ropes. He went for another but was told that he wasn’t the legal man.
Moore antagonized Steiner, then began working over Williams in the corner. Young stripped down to tiger stripe tights. He and Young went back and forth. Moore was caught with a Jordan swinging neckbreaker, the Gender Bender. Williams speared Jordan. Crimson took out Williams. Magnus took out Crimson. Steiner took out Magnus. Young nailed Steiner and tried to climb out again. Moore hit the Mooregasm and covered Williams for the pin.
Your winners, Ink, Inc.
Young was climbing out of the cage as the finish happened and couldn’t understand why he lost.
Too many cooks spoil the match. I appreciated the effort but nothing of note here. Just too much going on. Steiner was big-time over and some nice stuff with Moore and British Invasion. Everyone worked hard but the time allotted and the sheer amount of people in one place at one time handicapped them.
Christy Hemme interviewed TNA Knockouts Madison Rayne. Hemme said she was rooting for Mickie James. Madison, brandishing scissors told her that wasn’t going to help Mickie. Hemme told her it could be the last night she holds the belt. Rayne asked her what Internet site she read that on. Rayne said she was going to royally kick Mickie James’ ass and then cut her hair off. Tara was staring at her. Rayne told her that she had enough of the attitude. She said she didn’t need her at ringside and told her to stay in the back and watch how a real champion handles business.
Title vs. Hair: TNA Knockouts champion Madison Rayne vs. Mickie James
Mickie came out with her shoulder heavily taped from the separation. Rayne’s theme music and entrance is just awesome. They did the bit from the house shows where Earl Hebner didn’t know how to remove Madison’s tiara and she freaks out.
Mickie grabbed Rayne and threw her into the cage twice, then over the top rope. James was grabbing at her shoulder. She grabbed Rayne for her DDT and scored the pin.
Your winner and new TNA Knockouts champion Mickie James!
So, James gets to be the first woman to hold both WWE titles and the TNA Knockouts belt.
Given James’ injury, this was all they could really do, so you have to grade them on a curve here.
Matt Morgan was interviewed backstage. He said that Hernandez has been a pain in his ass but tonight he’s going to get back on track and go back for the World title. He promised to Carbon Footprint Hernandez all the way back to Mexico. Usual good promo from Morgan.
Samoa Joe vs. Pope Dinero
They went back and forth hard early. Pope slammed Joe but Joe popped up and decked him when Pope played to the crowd. Joe peppered him in the corner with strikes. Joe whipped Pope into the corner and nailed another running strike.
Joe chopped away at Pope. Pope staggered in the corner. Joe went to grab Pope but was sent into the corner. Pope nailed a series of punches in the corner but was tagged with a chop.
Pope started climbing the cage but Joe followed. Joe slammed him into the cage and Pope crotched himself on the top rope. No babies tonight. Joe drilled him with a kick. The fans chanted “TNA.†They keep doing this weird camera angle where a camera is running around in the crowd and it’s very distracting. I know they want to show the crowd but not MULTIPLE TIMES during the match!
Joe set up for the Facewash but Pope pulled Brian Hebner in the way. Again with Hebner??? Joe backed up and went to splash Pope but was caught with a Hot Shot in the corner. Pope raked at his face and punched him. Pope measured him with kicks to the chest and began trash talking. Joe slipped free and started throwing kicks. Pope dropped to his knees and drilled Joe with a punch. Pope covered Joe for a two count.
Joe went for a sleeper but Pope escaped and drilled him with a clothesline/leg sweep combination. Joe kicked up. Pope measured Joe with backhands. Joe caught Pope with a snap powerslam. Both men were down and counted out by Hebner.
They made their way to their feet and tagged the other with slaps across the face. That was great stuff. Joe nailed an inverted atomic drop, big boot and back senton splash for a two count. Joe went to the middle turnbuckle and came off with a unique leg lariat, almost legdropping Pope in a standing position for a two count.
Joe grabbed Pope for the Muscle Buster but Pope got his leg on the rope at the last second. Good match.
Pope tried to climb out of the ring. Joe pulled his tights down. He followed Pope but was kicked off. Pope drilled him with a great top rope elbow but Joe kicked out at one. Joe went for a clothesline and drilled his knees into Joe’s face. Joe kicked up.
Pope set up for the DDE but Joe caught him and slammed him backward into the cage. Joe grabbed the stunned Pope and nailed the muscle buster. Joe locked in the Kokina Clutch in the center and Pope tapped.
Your winner, Samoa Joe!
Very, very good match. Joe looked the best he’s looked in awhile here. He and Pope had some good chemistry in the ring. Easily the best thing on the show from an in-ring standpoint thus far.
Mexican America were with Hernandez psyching him up for his match tonight. Hemme asked him about his match and what Mexican America was. He said that America doesn’t want them, but they need them and will respect them. The others got into it and their deal was real good.
Matt Morgan vs. Hernandez
They slugged it out at the bell. Morgan nailed the rapid fire elbows in the corner. He drilled Hernandez with a running splash in the corner, then a sideslam for a two count. Morgan went to climb up the ropes but was nailed by Hernandez.
Hernandez hit a shoulderblock into Morgan on the apron, sending him into the cage. Hernandez ripped at his face and forced his face into the cage. Hernandez locked on a nerve hold. Morgan did a great job selling this facially. Morgan broke free and fought Hernandez off, hitting a high cross bodyblock for a two count.
Hernandez cut off Morgan and sent him face-first into the cage, covering him for a two count. Morgan started firing back with a series of rights but Hernandez powered him into the cage for another near fall.
Hernandez used his boot to choke Morgan on the mat. He pulled up Morgan and set him up, drilling him with a running shoulderblock into the corner. That looked brutal. Hernandez spent a lot of time playing to the crowd and Mexican America. As he did that, Morgan began recovering. He nailed the discus clothesline.
Morgan made the comeback with right hands and a series of clotheslines. He ran Hernandez into the cage. Hernandez was run into the cage again and again. Morgan nailed a back suplex for a two count. Morgan missed a clothesline and Morgan drilled him in the mid-section, taking Morgan’s wind from him. Morgan slipped out of the way and Hernandez hit the corner.
Anarquia, Sarita and Rosita started climbing the cage to distract Morgan. Morgan knocked Anarquia off the cage. Hernandez pulled himself to the ropes and came off but was nailed with the Carbon Footprint in mid-air for the pin.
Your winner, Matt Morgan!
Good back and forth match. Really liked the finish. Morgan motioned that he was coming for the TNA title.
Sarita got in the ring as Hernandez was helped out. She said that TNA always has to screw over Mexican America to hold them down. She said there is no reason she isn't the Knockout champion except that everyone hates that she's better than them. Sarita's delivery was good. I love Rosita as the gum snapping cousin. Sarita said they weren't going anywhere.
Velvet Sky came out. She nailed a drop toehold on Sarita and speared Rosita. Sky started throwing around Sarita and chased them out of the cage. The crowd loved it. Entertaining.
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