Mr Glamazon wasn’t the only one serenading women’s wrestling fans this week. Oh no! Not to be outdone by our favourite Glamafan, Mickie James performed her entrance song, ‘Hardcore Country’ live (*cough*) for the crowd at the Impact Zone! But with a big Falls Count Anywhere match against rival Tara this Sunday, it should be of no surprise that the Vicious Vixen was close by…
Mickie’s performance was interrupted first by Eric Young in chaps, following an earlier segment in which he wanted to be part of Mickie’s band. However, while this interruption was more comedic, it was the second interruption that really put a dampener on things. Mid-song, Tara crashes the party (or saves us?) by clocking Mickie from behind and a brawl ensues! Tara smashes Mickie face-first into a speaker before Eric Young intervenes. Tara strikes him across the back with his own cow-bell. Womp womp, Eric. The two Knockouts exchange blows as Mickie tries her hardest to keep her dress from falling apart. (If you know you’re taping a brawl — why would you go strapless?) The ladies crash into the drums and begin catfighting as security pulls them apart. That concludes this opening segment, but the night is just getting started…
Later Mickie is shown in the backstage area, I’m assuming, looking for Tara. Fast forward a little while later…
It’s time for a three-way Knockouts match. Knockouts Champion, Madison Rayne takes on former champion Angelina Love and the sassy Sarita who has been on quite a roll of late. Before the match can even begin though — Mickie has found Tara! Mickie begins pounding Tara and throws her into a wall but the former Knockouts Champ strikes back with some big haymakers of her own. As the brawl heads to the back, we cut to Rayne who clocks Sarita with the Knockouts Title belt — effectively making this a one-on-one match.
Angelina brings Madison in the hard way as the match begins. Meanwhile, distracting our viewing pleasure is a big, fat ugly lower-third promoting TNA’s upcoming European tour, which is taking up way more than a third of the screen. Angelina controls Rayne with a flurry of moves including a nice low dropkick. She goes for a pin but no dice. As Rayne gets to her feet, she knees Angelina in the mid-section and slams her down to the mat by her hair. Rayne tugs on Ang’s hair before applying a headlock. Angelina gets to her feet only to be slammed back down to the mat by the hair as Madison screams at the ref.
Rayne now seems to be setting up her unique head-scissors smash but Angelina counters with kicks. Angelina with a clothesline and a powerslam. Rayne is whipped into the corner and hit across the back which throws her out of the ropes. Madison uses the opportunity to grab hold of her Knockouts Title and as the referee checks on Sarita on the other side of the ring, she clocks Ang with the belt.
As Rayne gets into the ring to pin Angelina, Sarita runs in and pushes her out of the ring — pinning Angelina and taking the credit. Sneaky!
Once again, the sexy, smart and sassy Sarita has outsmarted Madison Rayne and clocks up another victory. It makes you wonder why Mickie James is the #1 Contender when she’s involved in a different feud? Deciphering TNA’s logic hurts my brain. What do they have planned for Sarita — if anything?
Following her defeat, Angelina throws a hissy fit backstage and yup, here comes Winter! Winter gives Angelina a creepy pep talk before saying they need to talk and lures Angie away. Dun dun dun…
Hey, who wants more Mickie & Tara? You got it…
Now in the parking lot of the Impact Zone, Tara and Mickie brawl out amongst the cars before Tara back body drops Mickie into a dumpster. Insert your own jokes here.
The bar has certainly been raised going into this Sunday’s Final Resolution pay per view when these two will meet in a Falls Count Anywhere match. The animosity is at an all time high. What will go down this Sunday in their final battle? Will Mickie dress like an extra from Pocahantas: The Stage Musical? So many questions…
Overall, an extremely strong episode of Impact for the Knockouts. There have been a lot of criticisms about TNA pushing a feud around two former WWE Divas, bringing up their time in that company, rather than using a former Diva to help get over a homegrown Knockout. Well, they have successfully been building up Sarita as a top Knockout over the past several weeks, so surely we’re getting the best of both worlds? The fact they are pushing their own talent in Sarita as well as having this feud suggests that the criticism is redundant. TNA has done a great job in pushing Sarita as an opportunistic Edge-like Knockout — but actually, we can’t help but root for her. It seems she’s becoming more of a tweener and I am thoroughly enjoying seeing her get this well-deserved spotlight. I can only hope they will ‘forget’ that Mickie is #1 Contender and give Sarita the Knockouts Championship soon.
