Hola Knockout fans and welcome to this week’s edition of Impact Write-Up. While last week’s show may have let some fans down, TNA bounces back this week with a Knockouts championship match between Angelina Love and Taryn Terrell, the start of rekindling the feud between Awesome Kong and Gail Kim and by bringing back fan favorite Mickie James all in one night. There’s some quite ground to cover so let’s get right to it.
From the outside of the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland, cameramen have caught a familiar face begin to make her way inside the venue. Hardcore Country Mickie James has returned to TNA to do more than just visit old colleagues. She’s here to talk about the condition of her real life fiance Magnus, who has been targeted and betrayed by former best mate Bram ever since Magnus retrieved the Tag Team title Feast or Fired briefcase, a case he claims should have been his. She’ll be on a little later in the night to speak on behalf of Magnus.
Back inside the Hydro, it’s almost time for the Knockouts Championship match between former six time champion Angelina Love and current champion Taryn Terrell. Angelina preps herself backstage with her loyal BroMans allegiance and do what they do best, take selfies with their trusty Selfie Stick… or in the case “ussies”. Watching all this in the dark corner is Awesome Kong, who doesn’t seem too amused at the fact that Angelina was getting this title shot over her. Hmm…. what kind of plans does Kong have in store?
As Angelina makes her way to the ring, Robbie E and Jessie Godderz accompany her, arm in arm while DJ Z introduces Angelina the only way he can, through a lot of BERP and complimenting Angelina as she makes that entrance tho! Riding solo to the ring, Knockouts Champion Taryn salutes the crowd with her million dollar smile and the gold proudly strapped around her waist. She enters the ring, climbs a turnbuckle to raise her title but gets attacked from behind by Angelina and knocked out to the outside.
Angelina follows up with a baseball slide and a couple of high fives to her supportive BroMans at ringside. Still on the outside, Angelina looks to damage Taryn using the ring but Taryn manages to fight back. A little distraction from Robbie helps Angelina regain control, as she delivers a fallway onto the floor. Since a win can’t be picked up from the outside, Angelina rolls Taryn into the ring and goes for the cover but comes up short of the three count.
Changing up her strategy, Angelina climbs the turnbuckle only to come up empty when Taryn manages to get to her feet and toss Angelina off the top rope. Taryn keeps the ball rolling a series of clotheslines, a running neck breaker and a swift snap supplex. She doesn’t stop there, as this time it’s Taryn who climbs the ropes and connects a flying clothesline to take down Angelina. When she only gets the two count, Taryn goes for her nameless finisher but Angelina reverses it, whipping Taryn to the ropes and having her come back to a Botox Injection. Angelina scrapes her way to make a cover on Taryn but the champion still has fight in her, kicking out before the three count.
Frustrated and heated, Angelina throws a fit and tries to regain control of the match but Taryn is able to pull out Sugar Rush Cutter (non officially name) out of nowhere and gets the three count over Angelina for another successful title defense. Before Taryn can celebrate her win, the lights go out and Awesome Kong’s intro music hits the area. When the lights are turned back on, Kong is in the ring, face to face with Taryn who isn’t intimidated by Kong’s presence. Instead, she tries to fight off Kong with hard hitting forearms. The two exchange blows back and forth until a shoulder block from Kong takes Taryn down.
An Implant Buster later, Taryn is laid out, as Kong’s message for the champion becomes clear. She goes to pick up Taryn’s title and suddenly the inevitable face to face stare down happens, as Kong’s longtime rival Gail Kim makes her way to the ring. Though there was no physicality and hardly any words were spoken, Kong lifting the Knockouts title between herself and Gail brings back early memories of their historic feud and helped foreshadows what is it come.
As promised, Mickie James is back and this time she is on her way to ring.
She is greeted with a grand ovation from the Scotland crowd, who even add a “Welcome back!” chant for the full time momma. Mic in hand, Mickie begins to tell us that while she is happy to be back, it is under some bittersweet circumstances. While her life has changed over the last year after having her beautiful baby boy and getting engage, her heart remains heavy knowing that her finance former best friend left him beaten down in an alley.
Mickie goes on to say that while Bram may think he’s a rough and tough kind of man, in reality he’s just a coward for having to attack from behind. The insult is enough to have the self proclaimed “King of Hardcore” to crawl out, with the cue ball he attacked Magnus with in hand. Mickie shows no fear in Bram’s presence and instead says she’s glad the devil came out, so she can tell him in his face of how of low of a person he is for betraying a friend who would always clean his messes and stood by him when no one else would. The nerve damages Bram caused were so bad that it has caused Magnus to not even be able to hold his own son.
After giving Mickie the floor to speak, it’s now Bram who speaks, as he explains his actions as to why he attacked Magnus. He tells Mickie he wanted to open Magnus’ eyes, that his former mischievous partner was no longer the same guy once he got with Mickie James. He blames her for changing him and takes a shot at their son at home. That’s certainly hitting below the belt!
Mickie counters Bram’s insults by claiming it has nothing to do with Magnus becoming a new father, rather Bram is jealous that he is only half the man Magnus is. She concludes by telling Bram that he knows Magnus would kick his ass and that deep down he’s nothing but a little bitch! Bram slaps Mickie’s mic out of her hand and begins to corner her in the ring but Mickie fights back, hitting Bram with a slap to the face. Before things get an uglier, referees and officials break the two up but Bram keeps a close gaze to Mickie as he exits, his eyes almost saying that this isn’t over just yet.
Thoughts: A much stronger episode of Impact this week compared to last week.
The Knockouts match was a bit random and short but it was decent for what it was. It gives Taryn another title defense under her reign as Knockouts champion, which is never a bad thing. I only ask that there be some kind of explanation as to these title shots come from should there be no number one contenders match the week prior. The bigger picture, of course, came from the post match segment that involved Awesome Kong and Gail Kim.
It’s been a call time coming for Awesome Kong and Gail Kim to come face to face and I was always wondering how TNA would have presented it, knowing the importance of it. I was happy with this almost mutual respect that there was in the air between Kong and Gail instead of immediately throwing blows at one another. Let things simmer before letting these two loose! One thing I do wish TNA would stop is the lights out entrance for Kong. It was okay for the beginning of Kong’s surprise return but we know she’s back now, so I’d like to see it feel that way by having her come out to the traditional entrance ramp. I can’t wait to see the shake up between these three diverse women.
Onto Mickie’s return, I think I speak for many fans who are thrilled to see Mickie James back on our television screens. She may not have been involved in any Knockouts action but she still shined on her own. While I was a huge fan of the heel sarcastic Hardcore Country persona Mickie was when she first left TNA a few years ago, I have to stay this returning Mickie is still a fitting role for the storyline at hand.
It comes across naturally to Mickie and it helps add another layer to the Magnus/Bram feud, giving it that “reality” like feeling and giving us a reason to see what will happen next. So while we may have to wait to see Mickie get back involved in the Knockouts division, she still has her hands full during the rest of the UK Tour.
We wrap things up in Glasgow, Scotland this week and make our way to the Manchester, England next week as part of TNA’s ongoing UK tour. With what we’ve seen this week, the pieces are in place to see to the aftermath of what else is to come.
Hasta luego Knockout fans!
