The road to this month’s Slammiversary continues on tonight’s TNA Impact with two final World title qualifying matches and the return to in-ring action for Rebecca Hardy.
Rebecca (fka Reby) will team with husband Matt Hardy to take on The System’s Eddie & Alisha Edwards in a tag team match featuring married couples. This is Rebecca’s first match since August 2016 and the first time she has teamed with Matt since 2012.
In one qualifying match, Mike Santana will face Frankie Kazarian while in the other, Joe Hendry will take on Jake Something. The winners will join Josh Alexander, Steve Maclin and Nic Nemeth in challenging TNA World Champion Moose in a six-way at Slammiversary.
In a pivotal Knockouts division clash, Jodi Threat will face Dani Luna in a 10-minute challenge match between former Knockouts Tag Team Champions.
In an X-Division match, The Rascalz’ Trey Miguel will look to derail the momentum of Leon Slater.
Trey Miguel and Leon Slater fight to No Contest when Charlie Dempsey interferes
Things start off this week with one-on-one action, as Trey Miguel of The Rascalz heads to the ring accompanied by Zachary Wentz. His opponent, Leon Slater, is out next. After the bell, the two play to the crowd and lock-up. Miguel isolates the arm of Slater, who arm-drags his way free.
The two trade counters and are up-and-down a lot in the early goings. Slater hits an inverted kick and then a handspring back elbow to pop the crowd. Slater hits another big spot that sends Miguel to the floor. He follows up by sling-shotting himself onto a splash on Miguel at ringside.
Back in the ring, Miguel drags Slater face-first into the turnbuckle by his tights to take over control of the offense, where he slows things down a bit. Wentz chokes Slater over the middle rope as Miguel had the referee tied up and distracted.
Miguel yanks Slater down by his dreads and goes for a moonsault off the middle rope, but Slater gets out of the way. Out of the corner, Slater picks up some speed and hits the ropes to deliver a running big-boot to The Rascalz member for a two-count.
Slater hits a wild cutter for a close two-count of his own moments later. Miguel takes over with an assortment of kicks and a double-stomp for a close pin attempt. Miguel yells “Why won’t you stay down?!” as he picks Slater up. Slater rolls him up for two but then Miguel hits a handspring kick to the face. Slater hits a standing Blue Thunder Bomb after catching Miguel in the corner.
Slater heads to the top-rope, but WWE NXT Superstar Charlie Dempsey of No Quarter Catch Crew runs out and shoves him off the ropes. In comes Wentz, and Dempsey attacks him as well. He even hits a gut-wrench suplex on the referee, before locking Slater in a submission and cranking away on it. A ton of officials rush to the ring to break things up and restore order. Dempsey exits as the crowd is shocked.
BROKEN Matt Hardy & Rebecca Hardy Send Message To The System
Gia Miller knocks on a door and out comes “BROKEN” Matt Hardy and his wife, Rebecca Hardy, who talk about how The System put their hands on her at Against All Odds. They explain that Rebecca Hardy has been out for 208 fortnights. Eight years. They vow to eat and delete them tonight and then we head to our first commercial break of the evening.
Zachary Wentz Challenges Charlie Dempsey For Next Week
When the show returned, we see Trey Miguel and Zachary Wentz super fired up as they leave the building. They talk directly into the camera about how they refuse to let Charlie Dempsey make a name off of their backs. They said they know where he comes from. He says he knows they don’t let that crap happen over there, so he’s not gonna let it happen over here. He challenges Dempsey to a match for next week.
Jody Threat and Dani Luna fight to a Draw in the Ten Minute Challenge
Back inside the Impact Zone, the Spitfire theme hits and out together comes Jody Threat and Dani Luna. The commentators remind us that this battle of tag-team members was put together by their mentor, Lars Frederickson of Rancid, who insisted they tear each other apart. After the bell, the two immediately get after it.
The two break and raise their hands for a test of strength. Threat slaps on a side head lock, which Luna counters. Luna isolates the arm of threat, who counters and controls the same limb of her Spitfire teammate. Off the ropes, Luna hits a big clothesline for a two-count. Threat takes over and then we are shown footage backstage of Nic Nemeth laid out in a stairwell.
Ryan Nemeth rushes to the scene as the commentators question who is responsible. Back in the ring, we see Luna and Threat staring each other down after a brief offensive stalemate. Fans break out into a “Women’s Wrestling!” chant. Luna bashes the hell out of Threat in the corner and hits a big suplex.
Threat takes over with a big clothesline out of the corner for a two count. The fans break out in a “TNA! TNA!” chant as Threat goes to work on the arm of Luna on the mat. The two knock each other out to the floor. Back inside the ring, the two fight until a ten second countdown hits.
The ten minute challenge has ended in a draw. The crowd chants for five more minutes. They go to oblige, but are immediately attacked by the TNA Knockouts Tag-Team Champions Masha Slamovich and Alisha Edwards, who beat them down and leave them laying.
Mustafa Ali Convinces Santino Marella To Make Mike Bailey Earn Title Shot
We shoot to Santino Marella, who is busy but gives a moment of his time to TNA X-Division Champion Mustafa Ali, who is with Campaign Singh and the rest of his crew. He tells Santino he jumped the gun last week and says he shouldn’t have given a title shot to “Speedball” Mike Bailey at Slammiversary. Santino is talked into making Bailey earn the shot next week in a number one contender match. After this, the show heads into another commercial break.
Frankie Kazarian defeated Mike Santana in a Road To Slammiversary Qualifying match
The elaborate pre-match video package for the first of two Road To Slammiversary Qualifier matches airs when we return. After that, we return inside the Impact Zone where the two get ready to find out who will join the mix in the TNA World Championship match with Moose at TNA Slammiversary in Montreal.
Out of the gate, Santana takes the early offensive lead. Kazarian ends up taking over after catching him coming back through the ropes with a guillotine leg-drop. He sends him into the guard rail on the floor after that and then the show heads into a mid-match commercial break as the high stakes match continues inside the 2300 Arena.
When we return from the break, we see the two trading wild shots in the middle of the ring, Frye/Takayama hockey-fight style, and then Kazarian nearly beheads Santana with a lariat. Santana fights back out of the corner, catching Kazarian in mid-air and bringing him to the mat with a vengeance. Santana hits a canonball splash on Kazarian in the corner for a two-count.
Kazarian goes for another guillotine leg drop after a wild trade in the ropes, but Santana avoids it. Kazarian hits a wild DDT for a close two-count moments later. Kazarian looks for the chicken wing, but Santana backs into the turnbuckles to break free. Kazarian slaps Santana, Razor Ramon-style, and yells at him to stay down.
Kazarian goes for Fade To Black, but Santana counters out of it. Santana goes for Spin The Block, but Kazarian avoids it. Kazarian hits a back-stabber out of a rolling 450 attempt by Santana. He locks up the chicken wing but is rolled into a pin attempt. Santana hits the rolling Buck-50 for a super close two-count.
Santana calls for another S.T.P., but out comes JDC. He grabs Santana’s leg from the floor. Kazarian rolls out to the floor as well, as Santana hits a diving splash off the ropes. JDC sends Santana face-first into the ring post. Kazarian watches as the referee counts Santana, who is busted open, out. With the win, Kazarian earns one of the final two spots in the Slammiversary title match.
ABC Sends A Message To The System
In a heavily post-produced backstage promo segment, ABC talk about their TNA Tag-Team Championship aspirations. They boast creating their own luck and gloat about their wealth before touting their recent high-profile victories. “They say you can trust The System, but you can trust that ABC is gonna kick your ass!”
AJ Francis To Defend Digital Media Title & Clash With PCO
When we return, we see footage of PCO and Steph De Lander’s date being interrupted by First Class. We shoot to new footage of PCO freaking out afterwards and De Lander awaking in a room with him. We quickly cut to the First Class duo of AJ Francis and Rich Swann, who boast about having the International Heavyweight Championship.
They also continue to taunt PCO by gloating about chokeslamming De Lander through a table. Francis vows he is unafraid to defend his titles anywhere, any time. Santino Marella appears and says he heard is a fighting champion. He says that’s great because next week he’s defending his TNA Digital Media Championship. Win or lose, at TNA Slammiversary, it will be AJ Francis vs. PCO.
BROKEN Matt Hardy & Queen Rebecca Hardy defeated Eddie Edwards & Alisha Edwards
Back inside the 2300 Arena, the theme for the TNA World Tag-Team Champion hits and out comes Eddie Edwards and TNA Knockouts Tag-Team Champions Alisha Edwards. They settle in the ring and their music dies down.
The theme for their opposition hits and out comes BROKEN Matt Hardy and for the first time in eight years, Rebecca Hardy, who is wearing similar entrance attire to BROKEN Matt. Kicking things off for their respective teams are Rebecca and Alisha. Fans chant “Queen Rebecca” as Alisha avoids her and tags right out. Edwards and Hardy come in and start to go at it.
Matt gets Eddie in the corner, and Rebecca pulls at his hair to assist her husband in the butt-kicking. Matt chokes Eddie on the ropes as the crowd comes to life in Philly with another “Queen Rebecca!” chant. Matt holds Eddie and lets Rebecca slap him.
Rebecca comes into the ring and joins Matt in stomping a mudhole in Eddie, who is slumped over in the corner against the turnbuckles on the mat. Matt takes Eddie to the opposing corner and blasts him with a punch. Eddie hits back with a chop of his own that elicits gasps from the crowd. Matt fires up with punches as fans chant “DELETE!” with each that lands.
Eddie ends up dodging Matt as he was charging at him with full steam, resulting in Matt slamming shoulder-first into the steel ring post. The show heads into a mid-match commercial break on that note. When the show returns, it’s still all Eddie dominating Matt until he tags Alisha in for a cheap-shot that backfires.
This leads to Rebecca and Alisha in the ring together for the first time in the match for some very sloppy offense. Matt and Rebecca fire up and hit some double team spots, including the trademark Poety in Motion Hardy Boyz spot.
After Alisha and Eddie take back over, we hear Alisha yelling at Rebecca to watch her husband as she chokes her on the ropes in front of Matt, as he is beaten down by Eddie on the floor. Back in the ring, Eddie holds Rebecca as Alisha blasts her with a kick.
Rebecca finally crawls over and gives Matt the hot-tag. BROKEN Matt comes in and hits the DELETE! turnbuckle spot and a big suplex, before climbing to the top-rope for a big elbow drop. He goes for the cover, but Eddie kicks out at two. Hardy hits a Side Effect after that, but again only gets two.
Brian Myers jumps on the apron and grabs Matt, prompting the referee to eject him from ringside. Hardy goes for a Twist of Fate, but Eddie counters into a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two-count of his own. Eddie exposes his knee by lowering his pad.
Rebecca runs in front of Matt to protect him the way he did for her at Against All Odds. She kicks Eddie low as the ref was busy dealing with Alisha. She hits a Twist of Fate and Matt hits one as well for the victory.
Brian Myers, ABC & Others Approach Santino Marella
Afterwards, we catch up with an angry Brian Myers. ABC is also in the mix and all plead their respective cases to Santino Marella. He yells at them that this is a professional sports place. Things will get handled next week. Myers thanks him for nothing and we head to another commercial break.
Jordynne Grace Issues Open Challenge For Next Week
When the show returns, we see Jordynne Grace with her TNA Knockouts Championship over her shoulder talking directly into the camera. She issues another open challenge for next week to anyone from anywhere. If they think they can take her title, they can try.
Joe Hendry defeated Jake Something in a Road To Slammiversary Qualifier
The elaborate pre-match video package for our second of two Road To Slammiversary Qualifier matches airs after the commentators run down some dates for upcoming shows on the TNA Summer Tour.
Once the video wraps up, we return inside the Impact Zone where the two get ready to find out who will join the mix in the final spot in the TNA World Championship match with Moose at TNA Slammiversary in Montreal.
Jake Something heads to the ring first, followed by Joe Hendry, who gets a massive reaction from the Philadelphia crowd. Before the match gets started, the show heads into a quick commercial break. When we return, Hendry cuts a quick promo asking Something if he’s really sure he’s ready for the TNA World Championship.
Hendry leads fans in a “We Believe!” chant and then the bell sounds to get the main event of the show officially off-and-running. Hendry slaps a standing side headlock on Something early on. He sends him into the ropes, leap frogs him and then smashes him with a knee lift. He hoists him up for a stalling suplex after that for a two-count.
Something slaps a side head lock on Hendry from one knee, and uses the control to get back to his feet. He hits the ropes with a full head of steam and drives his massive frame shoulder-first into the bread-basket of the fan-favorite. He taunts the Philly crowd a bit and goes back to work on Hendry with some big shots.
The fight spills out to the floor, where Something sends Hendry into the ring apron. He sits him on the ring apron, backs up and runs at him with a cross-body as he’s sitting on the apron with his back against the ropes. Something rolls Hendry back into the ring and continues to work him over as fans chant “You suck!”
Something hits a big suplex for a two-count. After Hendry kicks out, the show heads into a mid-match commercial break. When the show returns, fans are chanting “Something sucks!” at Something as he controls Hendry with a rear chin-lock on the mat.
Hendry gets back to his feet and blasts Something with some big chops in the corner. Something catches Hendry coming off the ropes with a Michinoku Driver for a close two-count. Fans chant “We Believe!” as Hendry tries to fight from underneath, only for Something to continue to maintain control of the offense.
The commentators talk more about Nic Nemeth being laid out by a mystery attacker backstage earlier in the show as they talk about the other competitors who have qualified for the Slammiversary title tilt. The Philly fans break out in an awesome “Something’s missing!” chant at Something, as he controls Hendry with a rear chin-lock on the mat.
Hendry muscles the sizable Something up in an impressive power display, but Something ends up taking him down in vicious fashion with a power bomb for a close two-count. Hendry kips up soon after but he and Something both hit clotheslines at the same time.
They are both down and out being counted by the referee as fans break out in a loud “This is Awesome!” chant. Hendry hits a cutter and then with one arm, Hendry hits a massive Standing Ovation on Something for the victory. With the win, Hendry earns the final spot in the multiple-person world title match at TNA Slammiversary.
Fans sing along with Joe Hendry’s theme, which cuts off as he grabs a microphone for a quick post-match promo. He says he just became one-step closer to becoming a TNA World Champion. Fans respond with a “We Believe!” chant.
He says this happened because of the fans, who pop. He says he’ll see us all in Montreal, when he becomes the face of TNA. “And don’t you tell me it’s not possible, because anything’s possible…when…you…believe!” His music hits again and the fans sing along.
Who Attacked Nic Nemeth?
The camera cuts to The System, who are pleased with themselves. Moose thanks JDC for taking out Mike Santana and Nic Nemeth. JDC says he didn’t take out Nemeth. Moose says if he didn’t, who did? We see Frankie Kazarian smoking a cigar and laughing. “….marks.” He notices a camera. “Hey…what are you filming?!” That’s how this week’s show goes off the air. Thanks for joining us and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter/X.
Next week:
AJ Francis vs. Rhino (TNA Digital Media Title)
“Speedball” Mike Bailey vs. KUSHIDA vs. Jonathan Gresham
Jordynne Grace vs. TBA (TNA Knockouts Title Open Challenge)
Charlie Dempsey vs. Zachary Wentz
Tasha Steelz vs. Gisele Shaw
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