Hello, Knockout fans, and welcome to this week’s Write-Up!
Last night saw Madison Rayne and Taryn Terrell clash in a number one contender’s match for Gail Kim‘s Knockouts championship, and Madison was quite eager to leave her mark on Taryn.
In a backstage segment, she talked about how she was a little sick of seeing Taryn Terrell’s name everywhere, and hearing her story for the last few months non stop. You can see that video right here:
And later in the evening, of course, we got the match! Understandably absent from this week’s Impact are Gail Kim and Angelina Love. Last week, they put on an incredible Last Knockout Standing match that saw Gail come away with the victory. Week after week Gail is proving that she deserves everything she has right now. She’s at the top because she is the woman to beat in TNA, and whether you love her or hate (or just kind of like her sometimes) you can’t deny that she is pretty boss.
On to the match:
Already in the ring when we come back from commercial, the ladies shake hands and then lock up. Madison gets the early upper hand and goes right for a roll up, earning herself a count of one. Taryn takes her lead and attempts and inside cradle for a one count too, but Madison kicks out and rolls Taryn up again. The ladies trade pins until Madison has had enough and catches Taryn in a head lock, but it’s not for long as Taryn fights out and applies a head lock of her own.
(That paragraph took the wind out of me.)
Taryn takes control, throwing Madison into the corner and nailing a monkey flip. Madison with an irish whip but Taryn counters and grabs onto the ropes. Madison careers towards her but Taryn dodges, and Madison flies to the outside of the ring face first! With Madison on the outside, Taryn takes a leap that doesn’t pay off. She crashes and burns at Madison’s feet as the referee counts.
Madison feigns concern for a moment before tossing Taryn back into the ring. Madison attempts to pin Taryn twice, but both times she only gets a count of two. She seems to be getting a little impatient with the ref, too. Madison has Taryn in the corner now and flies off the ropes with a drop kick as Taryn comes out to meet her. Taryn goes down once again. Madison with another cover but she still can’t put Taryn away.
Madison thinks she has her where she wants her, but Taryn turns the tables with a handful of clotheslines and a kick to the mid section. She sets Madison up in the centre of the ring but Madison has other ideas, and catches Taryn right in the gut with her knee. Madison goes for the cover once again; she’s really working the psychology in this match and I love it. The ladies trade blows in the centre of the ring before Madison hits a suplex and gets another two count. Taryn is not going away that easily, your Highness.
Taryn manages to gain the upper hand after a great suplex on Madison, but she can’t make the pin as she’s still feeling the effects of her spill to the outside from earlier on in the match. She’s starting to gain some momentum but Madison shuts her down very quickly with a big kick to the head. Smiling as she goes in for the pin, Madison thinks it’s all over.
But it’s not! Taryn still has plenty of fight left in her.
Fed up, Madison sits Taryn on the top rope, but Taryn fights her off and comes flying out with a big sit down clothesline. Several clotheslines later and Taryn hits a neck breaker that earns her a count of two. Taryn’s quickly back up on the top rope and lands a crossbody, but it’s not enough to put Madison away.
Madison takes control and lays Taryn out, but the referee catches her when she tries to use the ropes to her advantage! Busy with the referee, Madison doesn’t pay enough attention to her opponent and out of nowhere (literally, because this video felt the need to skip in certain places) Taryn lays Madison out for the win.
Taryn Terrell is the new number one contender for the Knockouts Championship.
But, really, did anyone think it was going the other way?
Lastly, after weeks of video packages, TNA finally revealed who “is coming”:
Of course, it’s Jessicka Havok! She’ll be making her debut next week. Can’t wait!
Thoughts: Something about this match didn’t work. It was slow and messy, which doesn’t make much sense given the fact that we KNOW both these women are capable of putting on some great bouts. The only thing I can put it down to is chemistry, really, and the fact that Taryn is still finding her feet as a performer. The way she kept going back to the clotheslines made her seem very green, rather than dominant. Might just be my opinion, but that’s what I saw.
Thankfully she’ll be facing Gail for the title, and Gail can make just about anyone look great. Plus they’ve had dynamite matches in the past and I know a lot of TNA fans are looking forward to this round.
Until next time, ciao! x
