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Welcome to PWInsider.com's live, ongoing TNA Thursday Night Impact coverage.
They are live from Atlanta at the Gateway Center.
Tom Hannifan and Matt Rehwoldt are on the call. Hannifan thanked TNA for allowing him to return to the broadcast position after last week. Is he apologizing for being assaulted?
They showed footage of Jellyroll, Westside Gunn and Teddy Swims at recent events. They then showed the cast of reality series "Mama June" and WWE's Liiian Garcia at ringside.
TNA Knockouts Champion Arianna Grace with Stacks vs. Jody Threat
Tessa Blanchard and friends joined the announcing team. Grace attacked Threat from behind right after the ring introductions. Grace nailed several forearms but Threat fired back. They showed Dani Luna enter the ringside area from the crowd. Threat slammed Grace into the buckles. Threat has her ribs taped. Stacks distracted Threat, allowing Grace to take control. Grace caught her with several knees. Lei Ying Lee and Xia Brookside came out on the stage. The idea was everyone is vying to become champion and is scouting. Grace worked over Threat's knee with a single-leg crowd as the crowd chanted for "Jody." Threat kicked off the champion, almost sending her out of the ring to the floor but Stacks stopped her. Threat nailed a series of clotheslines and a pump kick. Threat nailed a double knee strike to the back. Grace was caught and slammed for a two count.
Stacks pulled Grace to the floor for a breather. They showed Indi Hartwell was also at ringside. Threat nailed Stacks. She nailed Arianna and tossed her back into the ring. Grace pulled out the Cobra but Threat avoided it. Threat went for the TKO but her ribs gave out. Grace attacked her and rolled up Threat for the pin.
Your winner and still Knockouts Champion, Arianna Grace.
Match was there. Blanchard did a good job as a shrill, annoying heel on the mic. They did a nice job showcasing that everyone wants the belt.
Tom Hannifan said last week, he was trying to help someone he thought was his friend. What Maclin did disgusts him. He says he knows exactly what Maclin is trying to do, meaning he's trying to get back "in" in the company and to get a title shot at Mike Santana.
Gia Miller interviewed Ryan and Nic Nemeth. There was no audio at first. Live TV, folks. Nemeth said tomorrow the headlines will be that he won the X-Division title. Slater beat him at the PPV but Nemeth put him back in his place last week. One day, Slater will run the entire business but not now, that's Nic. They continued having audio issues.
The Elegance Brand, except for Ash, came to the ring. The Concierge said that she wasn't there for mental health reasons because Mickie James and the fans called her a mark last week. Heather complained she wasn't a mark, she was a hero who saved her career. She said everyone was disrespectful like Mickie. M said Mickie had her era but it's over. It's the era of Elegance. They noticed Mama June in the front row and asked how she could afford a front row ticket. They went to the floor to confront her. They said they are the ones with class and June being there was offensive. They told her she belonged in a food truck.
ODB showed up and asked if they had a problem. She said she was trying to sell food from HER food truck. The crowd chanted for her. She said she was doing her thing, but they are disrespecting her people - just like they did last week to Mickie James. The Brand said ODB and everyone else in Atlanta is disgusting. ODB said they are knockoffs. They dared her to fight, so she took them out and nailed Mr. Elegance as well. She gave the cast of Mama June drinks out of a cooler and they dumped it all over M and Heather. They did a nice job falling all over themselves in the mess. The Elegance Brand were fine here playing heels who were far tuned out iof reality FM. Not sure who wanted the Mama June crossover, so perhaps it was also filmed for the reality show to use down the line. The ODB cameo was a nice surprise.
Backstage, The Hardys told Leon Slater that he's earned everything he's gained in TNA.
TNA Tag Team Championship top contender's bout featuring Bear Bronson & Brian Myers vs. The Righteous vs. BDE & Rich Swann vs. Sinner & Saint.
We returned from commercial with everyone in the ring ready to battle. Lots of tags in and out as everyone tried to get momentum. Swann nailed a big dropkick. He and BDE worked over Icarus but Bear Bronson broke it up and drilled Swann. Icarus escaped the ring. Travis Williams and Brian Myers battled. They went to the floor. Swann and BDE hit stereo tope con hilos. The crowd chanted for TNA. Dutch then hit a big flip dive on everyone on the floor to a big pop. Dutch works like Big Bossman if Bossman could fly. The crowd was loving the match thus far.
Vincent and Bronson battled. Bronson nailed a Chokebomb for a two count. They showed the Hardys watching from behind. Myers tagged in and cinched Vincent in a chinlock. The System knocked Dutch off the ring apron. Vincent finally battled free and tagged Swann in. Swann's offense has looked beyond crisp and smooth here. Sinner and Saint shined with some really nice double team offense. BDE makes the tag and nailed Icarus with a big dropkick. He drilled a Falcon Arrow on Travis Williams for a two count. BDE and Williams nailed each other with clotheslines in stereo.
Vincent tagged in but BDE caught him with a small package for a two count. The Righteous double teamed him but everyone broke up the pinfall attempt. Dutch caught Bear with a spinning side slam. This sparked a series of big moves from everyone in rapid succession. Bronson nailed a Michinoku Driver on BDE and scored the pin.
Your winners, The System!
All action. It made sense for BDE to lose since he's the youngest in terms of everyone when it comes to tenure. Losing adds some sympathy from the fans in theory.
They went to a vignette on Rosemary. She said everything went wrong but there's still a chance to make things right. I wonder if they'll link her with Eric Young.
Moose with Alisha Edwards came to the ring. He said that the one thing that pisses him off about The System is they have the nerve to call themselves a family when they were just four guys who got jealous when one of them outshined the rest. He pointed out Atlanta Falcons alumni in the crowd and said they are a true family. They went to war together and with each other but when one of them made it to The Pro Bowl, he was the most proud person for them. He knows they are proud of him for becoming the face of TNA on AMC. They said you can't beat the System, so he's going to give himself a new challenge and take them all out one by one. Next week, it'll be Cedric Alexander in an Atlanta Street Fight. Then, he's going to remind everyone why Brian Myers used to be called Edge's b**ch. He said he's sad for Bear Bronson if that's supposed to be his replacement, because Bear can't lace up his boots. He's saving Eddie Edwards for last. Alisha said she came out last week for Moose but also for herself. They created the most dominant faction in TNA history but now she doesn't even recognize Myers and Eddie. She was going to walk away but Moose convinced her to stay. Now, she's going to stand with him as he destroys The System. Moose said he's going to beat the hell of Eddie in front of his wife.
TNA Injury Report: Mustafa Ali is slated to return next week but his status is unknown. Mickie James is out of action and her timetable is unknown. Nic Nemeth and Leon Slater have been cleared for tonight but Slater is not 100%. Odd no update on Jody Threat!
BDE was getting checked out in the recovery room. Rich Swann said that he did good tonight. BDE said that's not good enough, because he cost them their title shot. Swann said he showed he belonged. Losses don't matter. it's how you handle it. TNA International Champion Trey Miguel agreed and said he's been knocked down more times than he can count but he's still fighting. The Great Hands, Tasha Steelz and Secret Agent Zero showed up. John Skyler said BDE blew it and if they were in the match, The Great Hands would be the ones who were victorious and were fighting for the titles. BDE was going to step to them but Swann calmed him and pulled him away. Jade Stone showed and mockingly asked if Mustafa Ali was still in the casket. Tasha told her to shut it and Stone asked if Tasha remembers losing to her. Tasha shoved her but Miguel held Stone before she could respond. I thought Stone was aligned with Elijah now? Skyler said Ali would be back next week and if they have a problem with that, they can see them in the ring.
Elayna Black vs. Mara Sade
They locked up and grappled around the ring. Black broke the clench free but chopped Sade. Black shoulderblocked her down, Sade came back with a dropkick that sent Black to the floor. Sade went for a pescado but Black moved and then took her down on the apron. Black worked her over on the floor, then used the ropes for an elevated stomp, covering Sade for a two count. Black was in control for some time but Mara made a comeback and scored several two counts. Black nailed a forearm but was dropkicked off the apron to the floor. Sade hit a pescado to the floor. Black came back and grabbed a weapon but the referee took it away. With his back turned, Black brandished brass knuckles and nailed Sade. THE POWER OF THE PUNCH! Sade was pinned.
Your winner, Elayna Black!
This was OK. Sade has something ridiculously cool about the way she carries herself.
AJ Francis said he was supposed to have a big match, but he ran someone out of TNA. Obviously a reference to Mance Warner quitting. He began running down Atlanta teams, which lead to Home Town Man stepping up. He said if AJ has a problem with Atlanta, he has a problem with him. He nailed Francis but was knocked down. Francis said all he does it take people out of TNA, but HTM returned and nailed him with a weapon as they went to commercial.
When they returned, it was Frankie Kazarian with The King's Court. He put over that he was at Raw to pay tribute to AJ Styles. He said being in Atlanta twice in two weeks makes him feel dirty. He talked about The guitar Case Casket Match and brought out Elijah. Kazarian said the match was an instant classic and asked Elijah a question. He was ignored as Elijah monolouged to the crowd, sort of like Henry Hill giving a voiceover about what was happening in Goodfellas. He asked who wants to walk with Elijah. Kazarian said he did not. Kazarian asked if he was going to go for titles. Elijah kept monologuing. Kazarian had enough and stepped to Elijah but as they did, AJ Francis and Home Town Man brawled out onto the stage. HTM was chokeslammed off the stage onto "fans" in the crowd. Elijah went to check on them as Kazarian said he was happy this happened. Nice way to stitch all this together and get Francis to his next program, which appears to be Elijah. Kazarian is a good jerk on camera.
Backstage, Eric Young grabbed a camera and said he hopes Leon wins before storming off.
They aired a vignette where Rosemary teleported into a room (making Tommy Dreamer disappear, are we going to see vignettes of him in the Undead Realm?) and signed a new TNA deal with Carlos Silva, but actually tricked him into signing some parchment she had scribbled something on. The idea is she's trying to check off each of the seven deadly sins and with this, she checked off pride. She called it Project Lazarus and there was a bunny suit in the background, so are they trying to resurrect Allie as The Bunny? It said "To be Continued."
X-Division Champion Leon Slater vs. Nic Nemeth with Ryan Nemeth
They battled back and forth. Nemeth scored a close near fall early. They battled to the floor and Ryan grabbed Leon as they returned to the ring. That allowed Nemeth to hit The Famouser for a two count right before a commercial. When they returned, Slater was back in control and scored several two counts. Slater went to the top but was nailed. Nemeth set up for Danger Zone but Slater avoided it. He hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Slater was frustrated he couldn't put Nemeth away. Slater went for a swanton 450 but Nemeth avoided it. He went for a move but was caught with a Styles Clash. Slater went off the top for a 450 splash but Nemeth pulled his knees up, scoring a two count. Nemeth cinched in a sleeper and scissored the body. Slater was trapped but fought his way out, only to be caught in the sleeper again. Slater drove himself backwards to break it. Nemeth came back with a superkick for a close two count. They battled to the top where Slater nailed a superplex. Slater went to the top and hit the swanton 450 splash for the pin.
Your winner and still X-Division Champion, Leon Slater!
Good match. Slater getting the clean win was treated like a big deal as they built Nemeth up on commentary here as a true threat.
Before Slater could even celebrate, Eric Young attacked him and then hit a piledriver on the floor. Slater looked bug-eyed and convulsed on the floor as Young held up the title belt.
TNA Champion Mike Santana was in the ring when they returned from commercial. He said a few weeks ago, he came out to tell everyone he was fed up with Steve Maclin and that Maclin didn't have the balls to face him. Santana said that taking accountability allowed him to stand here today as the champion. When Maclin had that chance, he ruined it by putting his hands on Tom Hannifan. They had tried to help Maclin many times over but sometimes, not everyone can be saved. He said he'll play Maclin's game. He wants Santino Marella top reinstate Maclin so Santana can put his hands to work like a real man.
Daria Rae came to the ring. She said she didn't appreciate him acting like he runs the show, when she does. She does agree Steve Maclin should be reinstated. She announced Maclin is reinstated but when they fight is up to her, not Santana. Santino Marella came out and said there is a date that has been approved for them to fight, 3/27 in New Orleans at the Sacrifice PPV. Santana said when Maclin shows up next week, he's going to be targeted for death.
The announcers recapped highlights of the episode. Tom Hannifan complained TNA just enabled Steve Maclin. Matt Rehwoldt said Maclin is going to get his ass kicked and he hopes that it was worth it. Nice, different way to end the show.
Some audio issues in a few segments but it was a fine episode and hey, Halloween is on!
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