Welcome to another Xplosion Write-Up! This time, Gail Kim is putting the Knockouts Title on the line against Velvet Sky, who has Angelina Love by her side. Yes, another title match on the B show! Place your bets now…
When both Knockouts make it to the ring, Velvet isn’t too keen on starting the match just yet. She tries to escape through the ropes, but Gail catches her and tries to drag her back in, but is stopped by the referee. They circle and tie up, Velvet nailing Gail with a knee to the stomach and blows to the back. She latches on a side headlock, laughing (kind of maniacally) and yelling, “I’ve got her!”
She backs Gail into a corner but when she goes to attack, Gail ducks away, turning the tables with a kick and a forearm. Velvet reverses an Irish whip out of the corner, but Gail manages to take her down with a drop toe hold.
Gail grabs Velvet’s legs and bridges into a pin attempt, earning a two count. She then hits Velvet with a dropkick, sending her rolling out of the ring right in front of Angelina. Her partner makes sure she stays on the ring apron and the two call for a time out. She helps Velvet fan herself and recompose. Angelina distracts Gail, allowing Velvet to sneak back into the ring and attack her from behind. We head to a commercial as Velvet takes control.
When we return, Gail’s regained some momentum, kicking Velvet and throwing her into the ropes. Velvet blocks her attack, and though her kick misses, she connects with a clothesline, going for a pin attempt that Gail easily kicks out of.
Velvet grabs Gail in a corner, draping her over the middle rope and choking her, managing to get a good camera angle while she’s at it. She sends Gail into the opposite corner, but Gail slips out, fighting off Velvet. She doesn’t see Angelina right behind her, though, and has her feet swept out from under her, eating ring apron. The Beautiful People high five as Gail tries to gather herself.
Velvet brings Gail back into the ring, whipping her into the opposite corner and hitting a flying clothesline. She chokes Gail with a boot and then lifts her by her feet, slamming her back down to the mat. Gail starts to fight back but is again sent into a corner. This time, she stops herself, catching Velvet with her legs. Instead of a hurricanara, though, Velvet pulls her free of the turnbuckle and slams her face first. Velvet attempts a pin that earns her a two count.
Velvet pulls Gail into a sleeper hold, but Gail quickly rallies, battling out of the hold and running the ropes. Velvet halts her with a kick to the stomach and the head, hitting a neckbreaker and going for another pin. Gail kicks out.
It’s time for the In You Face! Velvet readies Gail for the finishing move, but Gail spins out, hitting a neckbreaker. When they get to their feet the Knockouts trade kicks, Gail taking control with some forearms. She goes on a flurry of offense, leaving Velvet stunned in a corner. She hits her patented shoulder-into-the-midsection move (she really needs to get a name for that), slipping out of the ring and again meeting with Angelina. This time, though, Gail sees her coming, kicking her away.
Gail hits a sunset flip over the ropes, attempting to pull Velvet into a pin. Velvet stops her, though, sitting into a pin attempt of her own. She grabs the ropes! Luckily for Gail, though, Earl Hebner sees this and stops the pin. He kicks Velvet’s hand off! Gail reverses the pin and gets the three count!
Thoughts: This was a fun little match. It gave us some funny Beautiful People moments (that didn’t involve a purse of hair spray to the face) and allowed Gail to play around in the newly returned six-sided ring. Oh, and it was nice to see the match end on something other than the Eat Defeat, too. Since this match was longer than her bout with Taryn Terrell on Impact, we got to see a bit more of Gail’s experimentation with the new ring, though she couldn’t stray from the inside too much, what with Angelina prowling at ringside.
I’ve go to say that it was strange to see another Knockouts Title match on Xplosion. It seems like every other week, the champ (whether it’s Gail or Angelina) is putting the title on the line. Though, I guess if Taryn gets a shot out of the blue, Velvet deserves one too. While it makes Gail look like a fighting champion, it renders the match’s outcome a little too predictable. I mean, really: a title changing hands on Xplosion? There was no way Velvet was going to win here, and it took away all of the suspense. Knowing the ending didn’t prevent me from enjoying the ride, though, and I guess that’s all that matters!
