Preview Tonight’s IMPACT WRESTLING On SpikeTV – the family feud between Eric Bischoff and his son, Garett! Will Garett defy his father and “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair? Find out Tonight 9/8c on SpikeTV
The following is a spoiler-free preview for tonight’s TNA Impact Wrestling on Spike:
– TNA Champion Bobby Roode vs. Bully Ray.
– Jeff Hardy & Garett Bischoff vs. Kurt Angle & Gunner.
– TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions Gail Kim and Madison Rayne vs. ODB & Eric Young.
– TNA X-Division champion Austin Aries vs. Zema Ion.
– Crimson and Matt Morgan vs. TNA TV champ Robbie E and Robbie T.
Also scheduled to appear are Sting, AJ Styles and more.
— TMZ.com reported Wednesday that a sex tape featuring legendary grappler Hulk Hogan has surfaced and is currently being shopped to a major adult film company. According to the website, the tape features the TNA Wrestling Superstar in a state of undress with an unidentified brunette female lying on a bed. The woman in question is not his ex-wife Linda Bollea or his current wife Jennifer McDaniel.
Ultimate Warrior went on Twitter to weigh in on his longtime rival’s video. He wrote, “HH sex tape? Don’t need more boring proof Terry is impotent with tiny, shriveled-up balls. And finding out he’s lesbian is 2 much 4 even me, he wrote.”
— Former WWE Intercontinental Champion Ahmed Johnson has been announced to appear at WrestleReunion 7 on March 31 and April 1 at the Miami Beach Deauville Resort 6701 Collins Ave. Miami, Florida.
— WWE.com has published a photo gallery of WrestleMania VII, which marked as the beginning of The Undertaker’s legendary “Streak.”
– TNA star Kurt Angle tweeted the following message about the state of TNA, now that Vince Russo is officially gone from the company:
“I’m Excited to Have Bruce Prichard and Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan Running Impact Wrestling. They Are the Best. Awesome Shows Coming!”
– One of Eric Bischoff and Jason Harvey’s television projects has been picked up by the CW Network and will beginning airing this summer, according to entertainment industry publication Variety.
The show, titled, “Catalina,” will be an unscripted reality show that takes place at a Miami Hotel “where a young staff gets as wild as the guests.”
– There is a new policy in TNA regarding how talent is used on television. F4wonline.com reports that the new policy states that talent will not be featured on television unless the creative team has a storyline in place for them. This is on of the reasons top stars such as Rob Van Dam and Mr. Anderson have been kept off television for extended periods of time.
– Speaking of Mr. Anderson, he turns 36 years old today.
Former WWE star Chris Masters is continuing his campaign to get hired by TNA Wrestling.
After recently changing his Twitter handle to @Chrismasters310, Masters recently tweeted the following – explaining how he’s going to make an impact on the business and referencing Vince McMahon and taking a shot at the Ultimate Warrior:
“My fellow Wrestling community,If U feel like the art of wrestling has been lost.To all those who care about story telling.I’m ur man#MTI2012”
“Vince said in business you got to be willing to step on toes.U got it VMac.I’m not just gonna step,I’m gonna Squash# MTI Masters2Impact2012”
“I just wanna say 1 thing.I’m no U Warrior!I appreciate WWE.I’m known worldwide because of them.No bitterness!Its campaign time,#MTI 2012”
“I’m just saying let’s take it to where wrestling still matters.This is a grassroits campaign so if you support me spread the word #MTI 2012”
“And I know there’s some who would say #MTI would make no Impact.But your still thinking of 2006 CM.Check out something more current.#IWC4MTI”
— TNA Wrestling’s annual Slammiversary pay-per-view event will be held outside Orlando, Florida on June 10, 2012. Company president Dixie Carter wrote Monday on Twitter, “I am very, VERY excited about what market we will be in for the Slammiversary pay-per-view on 6/10 to celebrate our 10th anniversary!”
— There is talk within TNA Wrestling that some talent will be parting ways with the organization in the near future. No names have been confirmed.
— Shannon Moore stated over the weekend on Twitter that he is taking a hiatus from professional wrestling in order to focus on his tattoo business and spend time with his family. He clarified that he is not retiring.
“I’m not retired just taking a break. Wrestling is fun to me. When it’s not….I walk away.I set myself up to be able to do so for a reason,” Moore wrote.
— Episodes of Impact Wrestling are available online via Amazon.com streaming for $1.99 episode. Only the 2012 episodes are currently available.
— TNA Wrestling filmed a music video on Friday for James Storm’s entrance theme “Longnecks & Rednecks” with country music artists Montgomery Gentry and Cowboy Troy. Company officials plan to push Storm’s song to country music radio stations in order to build awareness for the TNA star.
— On Twitter, former WWE Superstar MVP used an analogy to compare WWE to a Lamborghini and New Japan Pro Wrestling to a Corvette. When asked where TNA Wrestling would fit in the analogy, he said Toyota MR2 (an automobile no longer in production). MVP noted in a later tweet that the possibility of him joining TNA is “highly unlikely.”
— TNA Wrestling will hold live events this Thursday in Covington, Kentucky, Friday in Corbin, Kentucky, and Saturday in Pikeville, Kentucky.
— Sarita celebrated her thirty-third birthday Sunday in Japan with a victory over Nanae Takahashi and Miho Wakizawa in a tag team match with Io Shirai as her partner. A photo of her appearance is available here.
— Shannon Moore stated Saturday on Twitter that he had decided to take a break from wrestling in order to spend time with his family and focus on outside endeavors.
“Before someone gets it and twist it. I’ve decided to step away from wrestling for awhile,” he wrote. “I’m putting effort into my own business. Thanks for your support in the ring but for now I am chill’n at home opening my second tat shop and enjoying my family.”
He continues, “Or am I working you…. Who know the wrestling secret talk… Lol…. love you guys peace!!!”
Moore’s TNA ring time has been drastically reduced since partner Jesse Neal opted to part ways with the organization in December.
— Sarita turns 33 years old Sunday. She celebrated her birthday by competing in Japan for women’s wrestling promotion Stardom.
— Winter has been announced for The Big Event 2 taking place Saturday, March 10 at the LaGuardia Courtyard Marriott 9010 Ditmars Blvd East Elmhurst, New York.
— Mr. Anderson, who has not appeared on TNA Wrestling programming since November, will return on next Thursday’s episode of Impact Wrestling.
“To everyone who has asking about my vacation for the past few months: I’m back next week,” he wrote Friday on Twitter.
The former Mr. Kennedy took two months off for personal reasons but hasn’t been used since a house show tour in January due to creative’s directive to not showcase wrestlers on television without a storyline.
— Karen Jarrett will accompany Jeff Jarrett when the 11-time world champion appears for AAA’s annual Rey de Reyes tournament on March 18 in Guadalajara, Mexico. There are currently no plans for either Jarrett to return to TNA Wrestling programming. Karen, however, may return if Jeff does.
— The February 24 Impact Wrestling live event in Upper Marlboro, Maryland drew 1,200 attendees while the February 26 show in Charlottesville, Virginia drew 800.
— Former WWE Superstar Chris Masters is interested in joining TNA Wrestling.
He tweeted Thursday, “Getting ready to watch some Impact. They have a lot of guys I’d love to work. 2012 MTI Masters2Impact.”
— Angelina Love will try her hand at ring announcing next Friday for Pro Wrestling Syndicate as she is being advertised as the guest ring announcer for a Triple Threat Match between Brittney Savage, Reby Sky and Spyra Andover. Shelly Martinez will be the guest referee.
— Velvet Sky has been announced for WrestleReunion 7, which takes place April 1 at the Miami Beach Deauville Resort 6701 Collins Ave. Miami, Florida.
— ShopTNA.com has released a 3′ by 5′ fabric banner of Madison Rayne.
— The March 1 episode of Impact Wrestling scored a 0.993 cable rating, which marks as the program’s lowest number of 2012. Last week’s show drew a 1.19.
Impact Wrestling averaged 1.33 million viewers over the course of two hours, down from last week’s average of 1.58 million.
The first hour of the show drew 1.02 cable rating before dropping to 0.965 in the second.
— Dodge City Daily Globe conducted an interview with Christopher Daniels promoting Saturday’s Impact Wrestling World Tour event at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City, Kansas. The veteran standout discusses his wrestling career and reveals he’s paying a steep physical price for it.
“I wake up in pain pretty much everyday,” he says. “In my right leg, my ACL is gone, I have a broken bone in my neck, there’s one ligament left in my shoulder, these are all injuries that I accumulated and they’re never going to get better. It’s not like they’re going to miraculously grow back.”
TNA President Dixie Carter has provided an update on the health of TNA wrestler Jesse Sorensen, who suffered a bad neck injury (a fractured C1 vertebrae) at the recent TNA Against All Odds pay-per-view. Dixie Carter tweeted this week:
“@TNASorenson met w/doctors this wk & is out for up to a yr. We’re blessed he will be back at all. He’s staying positive. No comment on Zima.”
Sorensen also wrote about his recovery on Twitter, telling fans:
“To all the fans who continue to keep me in your thoughts & prayers, I want to say thank you! I am getting stronger everyday. #TexasTough”
Vince Russo was scheduled to participate in an interview with PWInsider.com next Monday to discuss his departure from TNA Wrestling. The former WCW World Heavyweight Champion, however, decided against doing the interview and issued the following statement to the website regarding his TNA departure:
Despite the continuing rumors, speculation, and hearsay surrounding my departure from TNA Wrestling, in an effort to set the record straight, I was not fired, terminated, released, or let go from the company–it was my decision to walk away, and from there the separation was mutual, amicable and professional.
It simply makes good business sense that where someone of my talent and ability was not going to be used to their capability or capacity, that a parting of the ways was inevitable.
In closing, I’d like to thank my fellow writer and friend, Matt Conway, for giving me purpose, my friend and brother, Jeff Jarrett, for hiring me, Dixie Carter and the entire Carter family, for keeping me employed, but, more importantly, every man and woman in the locker room for giving me the opportunity, and ability, to work in the professional wrestling business for the past twenty years. Without their blood, sweat and tears . . . I would have not been able to support my family and make a living. My greatest loss by far is leaving them behind.
And truly, from the bottom of my heart, I wish TNA all the best in their future endeavors.
PS: I couldn’t help myself with that last line, but I truly DO wish TNA all the success in the world!
— Jeff Hardy was unable to work Tuesday’s Impact Wrestling taping in Orlando, Florida due to a bout with food poisoning. PWInsider.com reports he is feeling well enough today to appear and work today’s show.
— Velvet Sky’s Twitter campaign to appear on the fourteenth season of Dancing with the Stars failed as she was not among the celebrities announced on Tuesday by ABC.
— A match pitting Velvet Sky against former “Beautiful People” mate Angelina Love was taped Tuesday night in Orlando, Florida for an upcoming episode of TNA Xplosion.
— Chelsea has been announced to appear at The Big Event 2 taking place March 10, 2012 at LaGuardia Courtyard Marriott 9010 Ditmars Blvd East Elmhurst, New York.
* Impact opens with Eric Bischoff, Gunner and Ric Flair coming out for a promo, pushing Garett Bischoff and a mystery partner vs. Gunner and a mystery partner. Kurt Angle and says he will team with Gunner tonight because Garett doesn’t respect his father and he will make him tap tonight.
* Eric Young & ODB defeated Gail Kim and Madison Rayne to win the Knockout Tag Team Titles after Madison accidentally nailed Kim. Young proposed to ODB after and she apparently accepted.
* Zema Ion defeated TNA X-Division champion Austin Aries by DQ.
* Bully Ray demanded a TNA title shot and Sting gave it to him.
* Bully Ray vs. Bobby Roode has no winner when James Storm hit the ring to chase off Ray. Storm then turned his attention to Roode, superkicking him and laying him out.
* Crimson and Matt Morgan defeated Robbie E and Robbie T to earn a TNA Tag title shot. They had dissension.
* AJ Styles cut a promo talking about the company’s tenth anniversary. Chris Daniels and Kazarian came out and ripped on Styles. Ken Anderson returned to tease he would team with Styles, I guess, at the next PPV.
* Eric Bischoff came out and told the fans to come back tomorrow to see Garett Bischoff get destroyed. That was it.
— TNA Wrestling ring announcer Christy Hemme stated on Twitter that she suffered a wardrobe malfunction at Tuesday’s Impact Wrestling taping in Orlando, Florida.
“Dear front row at IMPACT, I publicly apologize for my wardrobe malfunction,” she wrote. “My battery pack was too heavy for the string that held it on!”
— Sarita celebrated her ten-year anniversary in professional wrestling last Wednesday—she competed in her first match on February 22, 2002 in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Canada. Mexican America mate Rosita went on Twitter to show her appreciation for her tag team partner and friend.
She writes, “Special shout to my cuz, big sister & one of my best friends in the whole world, Sarah Stock aka SARITA in celebrating her 10th year in the wrestling business. She is BY FAR one of the strongest people I have ever known and she will continue to kick ass.”
Rosita continued, “Love you Cuzzo!!! You will never know how much I appreciate you!!”
— WWE Champion CM Punk fielded questions from fans during a thirty-minute interview with WISX FM in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania last week and was asked who his least favorite opponent in WWE is. The Straight Edge Superstar replies Elijah Burke, who he faced early in his career.
“Good question. I always get who’s your favorite opponent. This is great because I enjoy talking trash. My least favorite opponent; does anyone even remember Elijah Burke?” Punk responds. “Oh, he was terrible. He is absolutely the worst. Absolutely the worst. Talk about a diva. Man oh man, sorry if you liked him.”
Burke now competes for TNA Wrestling as “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero.
— Jushin “Thunder” Liger has been announced to face former ROH World Champion Roderick Strong on Saturday, April 14 at a Pro Wrestling Syndicate event taking place at Doubletree Toronto Airport 655 Dixon Rd. Toronto, Ontario Canada.
— Sheamus is featured on the cover of the latest issue of Power Slam.
Gail Kim clarified her exit from WWE last year in an interview with Schema Magazine.
When asked if controversially eliminated herself from the Divas Battle Royal on the August 1, 2011 episode of Monday Night Raw was out of frustration of not being showcased enough on television, she responded, “I’ve talked about this many times up to this point, which I don’t mind but I think the fans and myself have moved on from this topic. To clarify, that was not the reason why, there were many reasons why including some disrespectful situations and the way women were treated; so I decided to move on. I did, and I’m happier than ever and I will never know reasons why so I choose not to worry about that anymore.
“I can only look forward and try to do positive things from now on. Impact Wrestling has been home for me and it’s just been a confidence building, pro female wrestling environment. I feel like I don’t have to limit myself anymore.”
The TNA Women’s Knockout Champion was also asked if was ever given a role in which she felt stereotyped, fetishized or uncomfortable.
She responds, “I don’t think I can remember a time feeling uncomfortable because I was never forced to play the stereotypical role but that may be because I didn’t know how. I can’t speak fluent Korean (I regret quitting Korean school as a child now!) So it was difficult to put me in that role. The only time I felt uncomfortable was when I was asked to do things that were overtly sexual or anything dance related lol! I think I’m sexiest when I’m myself. As for the dancing part, I have 2 left feet!”
Kim also comments on where she sees herself in the entertainment industry within the next ten years, whether there is a difference between wrestling fans in the United States and Canada, who inspired her to become a professional wrestler and more. (Interview link)
— Austin Aries’ message on Twitter last week dismissing Sting has been turned into an angle. The X Division Champion wrote following Thursday’s Impact Wrestling, “I guess ‘I’m done’ is code for ‘I’m booking myself in another PPV main event.’ Yet the X Division champ can’t sniff a main event… #Shocker.” He then pulled the message and wrote, “Apparently this straw over-stirred the drink.”
TNA staff said Monday they “reached out to Aries” for comment, but he responded “No comment.” Sting wrote Monday, “Tension building. Goal accomplished. #whining ? #winning.”
— Early trending patterns for Against All Odds indicate the pay-per-view event drew 7,000 buys. The main event featured Bobby Roode defend the World Heavyweight Championship against Bully Ray, James Storm and Jeff Hardy in a Four Way match with Sting as Special Guest Ringside Enforcer.
— The Impact Wrestling live event on February 17 in Huntington, West Virginia drew 1,100 fans while the February 18 show in Beckley, West Virginia drew 2,100.
— The March 8, 2012 episode of Impact Wrestling is being taped tonight in Orlando, Florida.
Backstage, Roode talks about Sting’s attack last week. Austin Aries approaches Roode and makes a passing reference to his recent Twitter messages. They both complain about Sting and want to talk about something in private.
Kurt Angle In-Ring Promo
Angle wrote himself some cue cards filled with reasons why he hates Jeff Hardy. Most of them had to do with the way Hardy dresses and how his own son idolizes Hardy over his own dad. He calls out Hardy. They set up their match at Victory Road. Hardy slaps Angle and they do a agents/ref pull-apart brawl.
AJ Styles Gauntlet Match vs. Daniels and Kazarian
Styles gets on the mic before the match and proposes that if he wins the gauntlet match he wants whatever Daniels has over Kazarian out in the open. Kazarian interferes while Styles and Daniels were wrestling and causes Daniels to lose via disqualification after delivering his finisher on Styles. But Styles was immediately pinned by Kazarian and thus Styles came out on the losing end in the gauntlet match.
Backstage, Bully Ray is talking with some random chick about Brandon Jacobs. Roode and Aries approach him and they insinuate that the real menace and the root of his problems is Sting.
Madison Rayne (with Gail Kim( vs ODB (with Eric Young)
ODB wins via pinfall after a TKO. While the ref was distracted by Eric Young, Madison tried to get Gail to interfere but as Gail tried to climb the apron, she fumbled her title belt and was unable to pick it back up in time. This allowed ODB to regain control and she planted Madison into the canvas with a TKO.
Bobby Roode, Bully Ray and Austin Aries In-Ring Promo
All three of them bitch about Sting and say that “they’re done”. After they each get some time on the mic, they all sit down in the middle of the ring and stretch out as if they were lounging on the beach, claiming that they’re going to sit there all night long. The lights in the Impact Zone go out and Sting appears inside the ring. Sting asks them if they are playing mind games like he was when he tweeted that he was done. If not, and if they’re really done then that would mean that he would have to strip Aries and Roode of their championship belts and Bully Ray would be out of a paycheck. They all change their minds and Sting books them in the main event tonight against Joe, Magnus, & Storm.
Shannon Moore vs Zema Ion
Ion wins after avoiding a top rope moonsault and executing his back suplex into a knee-to-the-face buster.
Mickie James and Velvet Sky vs Angelina Love and Sarita
Sky pins Love with a sitout double underhook facebuster
James Storm, Samoa Joe and Magnus vs Bobby Roode, Bully Ray and Austin Aries
Roode tries to avoid Storm the entire match. Storm picks up the pinfall after a Last Call superkick. I’m pretty sure he pinned Roode. Post match, Bully Ray attacks Magnus with a steel chair. He then tosses the chair at James Storm. Storm catches it but Bully Ray whacks it into his face with a big boot. Ray stands tall to close the show.
— A source within TNA Wrestling has confirmed that Brian Kendrick was released from his contract with the organization after his bio was removed from ImpactWrestling.com last week.
Kendrick disappeared from television in November. It was speculated last month that he was parting ways with TNA but company sources said he was still under contract. He is accepting independent dates and is scheduled to appear for Family Wrestling Entertainment next month in New York City.
— Sarita celebrated her ten-year anniversary in professional wrestling last Wednesday. She posted a message on her Facebook page to give thanks for all that the sport of wrestling has given to her.
“10 years ago, I had my first match in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Canada. I thank this beautiful sport for all that its given me. Not a day goes by that I don’t appreciate your presence in my life. To those who have followed my career, you’ll never know the strength you give me,” she writes.
Sarita also says that she will be on hand for this week’s slate of Impact Wrestling tapings in Orlando, Florida.
ImpactWrestling.com has released the official preview for this Thursday’s episode of Impact Wrestling.
Preview Thursday’s can’t-miss IMPACT WRESTLING broadcast on SpikeTV at 9/8c, as the road to the March 18 “Victory Road” Pay-Per-View event continues!
– Sting dropped a bombshell on Bobby Roode this past week, telling the World Champion that he would battle him at “Victory Road” on March 18! Roode’s actions have unleashed Sting’s maniacal side – and now “The Icon” wants revenge. He doesn’t want the World Title – he just wants to annihilate Roode! How will Roode react this Thursday on IMPACT? Rumors have it that Roode is reaching out to several Impact Wrestling superstars to see if they will join with him to ban together against Sting.
– Also on the broadcast, Kurt Angle has requested time to address the reason why attacked “The Charismatic Enigma” Jeff Hardy two weeks ago and cost him his chance at regaining the World Championship against Bobby Roode. No doubt, Hardy will be in attendance, and will be watching closely!
– “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles has been vocal about the alliance between Christopher Daniels and Kazarian, and on Thursday’s broadcast on SpikeTV, he wants answers! AJ will face Daniels and Kazarian in a Gauntlet Match and rumors have it that Styles has a challenge to make to Daniels and Kazarian that will end the mystery once and for all! Tune in and find out!
– In Knockouts action, Madison Rayne will battle ODB, as Rayne prepares for her upcoming Knockouts Championship match against Gail Kim at “Victory Road”
– Plus, in X Division action, Zema Ion gears up for his X Division Title shot at “Victory Road” as he faces off against Shannon Moore on Thursday’s IMPACT WRESTLING broadcast
All this and much more this Thursday on SpikeTV at 9/8c!
– TNA President Dixie Carter says SuperBowl champion Brandon Jacobs of the New York Giants might be interested in a career in pro wrestling once his days in the NFL are over. During an interview with FoxSports.com, Dixie Carter said this about Brandon Jacobs, who appeared on the past 2 episodes of Impact:
“We have already been talking about life after his football career and are both very excited about the potential”
– X Division champion Austin Aries vs. Zema Ion for the X Division Title has been added to TNA’s upcoming Victory Road pay-per-view.
Ion became #1 contender to the X Division Title at the Against All Odds PPV earlier this month.
– This week’s TNA Impact Wrestling Post Show is now online:
“Following the bombshell Sting dropped on the World Champion, Bobby Roode stops by the Post Show to give his response to Sting’s actions. Also, after a successful Tag Team Title defense, Magnus sizes up his opponents from tonight’s match, Matt Morgan and Crimson, and speaks of the cohesive partnership he has formed with Samoa Joe which led to the start of their title reign. News, recaps, tweets and more.”
For the first time since his serious neck injury at Against All Odds, Jesse Sorensen speaks from his hospital bed about about his injury and the events that took place afterwards. Sorensen’s mother is also featured:
On Thursday’s Impact Wrestling, Sting said he was going to put on his boots, tights and war paint and kick the “living crap” out of Bobby Roode at Victory Road. The match has been officially announced on ImpactWrestling.com. Roode’s title, however, will not be on the line.
Two title matches have been announced for the event; X Division Champion Austin Aries vs. Zema Ion and Women’s Knockouts Champion Gail Kim vs. Madison Rayne.
Challenge Match
World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Roode vs. Sting
X Division Championship Match
X Division Champion Austin Aries vs. Zema Ion
Women’s Knockout Championship Match
Women’s Knockout Champion Gail Kim vs. Madison Rayne
Victory Road takes place on March 18, 2012 at the Impact Wrestling Zone in Orlando, Florida.