Hello Knockout fans and welcome to this week’s Impact Write-Up! We are less than a month away from TNA’s biggest event of the year, Bound for Glory! This week of Impact begins the start of setting up matches for TNA’s biggest event of the year. We are also treated to Knockouts tag team action as well as the much talked about #DeleteOrDecay match between the Hardy family and TNA’s Tag Team Champions, The Decay.
Our show opens with Mr. Mike Bennett and his wife, Knockouts Champion, Maria Kanellis. Where did you get the yellow kicks Mike? The Miracle is out to unleash his frustration on his so-called friend Moose for betraying him during last week’s TNA World Heavyweight title match against Lashley.
In fact, Mike is so angry that he goes on to “fire” Moose, noting that he was the reason Moose was brought into TNA in the first place. Not one person can stop the Bennetts’ tyrant ways!
Cue in TNA’s Chairman Dixie Carter! Hmm, this just doesn’t have the same ring to it as Madam President Dixie Carter. Dixie reminds Mike that the program they are on is Impact Wrestling, not “As the Miracle Turns”. Good one Dixie!
When Mike challenges Dixie’s authority, Dixie fires back by delivering some news surrounding Bennett and this year’s Bound for Glory event. Turns out that at this Bound for Glory debut, Mike will take on Dixie’s newest TNA signee Moose, just moments after he was “fired” by Mike!
Naturally, the Bennetts oppose this Bound for Glory match and try to talk their way out of it after being chase away in the ring from Moose. The couple follows Dixie backstage, shooing away McKenzie Mitchell so the “grown ups” can talk, only to come across more Bound for Glory news awaiting them.
Dixie tells Maria that she was disgusted in seeing how Maria came to become the new Knockouts champion last week. After some discussion with TNA President Billy Corgan and the TNA Board of Directors, it was decided that so long as Maria is the Knockouts Champion, she can’t be the Leader of the Knockouts, due to conflict of interest.
With that being said, Dixie announces that at Bound for Glory, Maria will defend the Knockouts title against an opponent to be determined next week.
Speaking of the Knockouts, we turn to them next as part of this week’s opening match. We are set for tag team action as Gail Kim and Jade take on the team of Sienna and Allie:
Our babyfaces are eager to team up again where as the opposing teams seem to be caught up in some conflict. Sienna yelling at Allie as they make their shared entrance, all the way until they reach the six sided ring where Sienna then orders stay out of the action and just stand at the ring apron.
Gail gets the match started by taking Sienna down with a running clothesline. Allie tags herself in the match after Gail hits a second running clothesline to Sienna from a corner but immediately after Gail lands a shoulder block.
Allie tries fleeing away by jumping to the outside of the ring but gets a talking from her partner to get back in the ring and tag her in, adding that Allie isn’t a wrestler to begin with. Allie does what she is told and Sienna tags herself back in the match, going right after Gail.
Gail evades Sienna’s incoming attack and climbs the second rope of a corner to try and hit a less than perfect crossbody. Sienna catches Gail midflight and slams her to the mat, going for the pin that Gail kicks out of.
The Impact Zone begin a very loud “We want Allie!” chant and just when it appears that Sienna is willing to give the fans what they ask for, she plays a syke card to continue to beat down on Gail herself.
Sienna lands a running Samoan Drop into the pin but Jade runs in to make the save. Still maintaining control, Sienna sets up Gail for the AK-47 but Gail reverses this into a neck breaker setting up the scenario for a hot tag moment!
Both standing tag team partners extend their hands to their respective partners but only Gail makes the tag as Sienna opted out of reaching to Allie. A fired up Jade comes in with various high kicks to Sienna and taking her for whirl via running hurricanrana! Sienna catches her breath at a corner, where Allie then makes a stealthy tag.
Jade begins to set up Sienna for a packaged piledriver, unaware that Allie is now the legal competitor, until she spies Allie standing from the second rope. Allie jumps off and accidentally hits her partner with a double axed handle, angering Sienna more than she already is. As a result, Sienna takes out Allie with the Silencer, giving Jade an easy opening to go for the victory pin.
Post match, Sienna abounds Allie while Jade and Gail try to comfort her, sympathizing with what just transpired.
In other tag team matches news, our wacky and thrilling main event is next!
Much like the first Final Deletion match, this match saw plenty of our of the ordinary elements found in your average match. Things such as literal fireworks, an underwater battle, burial alive of everyone’s favorite housekeeper Senor Benjamin, a guest appearance from Joseph Park Esq. and the Hardy’s droid acting as Samus Aran‘s Gunship!
In the end, no real “winner” is determined but the Hardys manage to keep their prize of King Maxel safe. Sorry Rosemary! Senor Benjamin, isn’t as so lucky!
Thoughts: This week felt a bit like a filler week for the Knockouts.
The Knockouts tag match served as another way for fans to feel sorry Allie, given how she was treated throughout the entire match. From the entrances all the way to betraying finish, it was easy to see why the Impact Zone, Jade and Gail all try to could get behind Allie.
All that is great for now but I think that TNA shouldn’t delay Allie fully turning on Sienna and Maria any longer; do it now while things are hot. Branch out Allie’s talent and let her really show what she can do in the ring.
The Knockouts tag match itself had a few hiccups and the very short amount of time doesn’t do any favors for anyone. Then again, perhaps the short time given was done more so to dedicate time to the #DeleteOrDecay match.
As for said the #DeleteOrDecay match, I’ve gone on record to say I wasn’t a fan of this gimmick Hardy style match. It isn’t an actual wrestling match, being treated more as a wacky form of entertainment.
It is too over the top for me but I will say that this match was a bit more suitable to watch. The story telling was better, more fun surprises and, of course, Rosemary mostly who just continues to be a shining star in TNA.
What did you think of this week’s episode of Impact? Did you enjoy the #DeleteOrDecay match? Are you happy to see Maria’s power taken away from her? Let us know in the comments below!
