Welcome, welcome Impact fans to this week’s Write-Up. I’m in pretty good spirits regarding Impact this week! We saw the storyline between Brooke Hogan and Bully Ray re-ignited and Taryn attacked Gail pretty brutally backstage after it was announced that the two would face off in a Last Knockout Standing match at the upcoming Slammiversary pay-per-view. Last but certainly not least, we witnessed Mickie James take on Knockouts champ Velvet Sky for the title. All in all it was a good night for the Knockouts as far as I’m concerned, so let’s get on to it!
TNA kicked things off with Hulk Hogan and Sting the ring, and I’ll be honest I didn’t really care until Brooke’s music sounded and she made her way towards the ring. After Hulk and Sting each tried to blame themselves for what’s happened to the company since Aces & Eights arrived on the scene. Brooke says she can’t stand to see them take the blame, when really it’s all her fault. She’s the one who fell for Bully Ray in the first place, she’s the one who fell for the bad boy! Brooke says the only right thing she can do it… resign! NO! Hulk tries to reason with her, and out comes Bully Ray.
He says that the only person to blame for all of it happening is him, Bully Ray! As he goes on to say why it’s his fault, he soon brings his attention back to Brooke, saying that he does blame her for one thing; making him fall in love with her. He says she’s the first thing he thinks of in the morning, the last thing he thinks of before going to bed and that they have a connection. He loves her, and will always love her. Do you want some crackers with that cheese, Bully? My, my.
Backstage just a little later, we find Brooke chasing Bully down. ‘What do you mean you still love me?’ she demands. ‘What does that mean?’
I won’t lie Brooke, I’m pretty sure that’s just what it says on the tin. Again, Bully confirms that he still loves her, then walks away. Oo ‘er.
We cut to Velvet Sky in the back. She’s taping up her knee ahead of her match with Mickie. Speaking of, in comes Hardcore Country herself, and she’s concerned over Velvet not being 100% for their match, even going as far to say that she will talk to Brooke Hogan to postpone the match. Velvet says no, that she is a fighting champion and she won’t give Gail Kim the satisfaction of seeing her on the sidelines. They agree to go out there and do their thing, despite any knee injury.
Hm. I know they’re friends and everything and obviously Mickie would be concerned, but for sure there was some part of Mickie there snooping around to figure out just how banged up Velvet is, so she knows what to exploit during their match. I don’t know, might just be me.
Elsewhere, Gail Kim is being asked for her thoughts on her newly-announced match against Taryn at Slammiversary. Gail is adamant that there shouldn’t be a match because she knocked off Taryn weeks ago. She goes on to list everyone else she’s hurt recently: Velvet, Taryn and even her own partner, Tara. Not surpiringly, Gail also believes she’s the one who deserves the title shot.
‘Really?’ says Gail. ‘What does she ever do?’
Gail’s about to tell us why she’s the greatest Knockouts champion to have ever existed when she’s distracted. Taryn rushes in an attacks her, shoving her face first into a door, and then a wall. Ouch! Taryn’s totally fired up and out for blood as someone has to come in and tear her away from Gail. Hightailing it out of there, Gail tells Taryn that she’s crazy! Goodness, it’s all going on this week!
Finally, we get to our title match. I’m pumped for this. I’m a huge Mickie fan and would love her to have another run with the belt. Mickie’s out first, followed by Velvet and ODB is our referee. The bell sounds and the two ladies share a handshake to kick things off, followed by a lock-up. Velvet wins the exchange and works over the arm, but Mickie reverses and goes for an early pin attempt. It’s a count of one and Velvet comes back with the same thing, earning herself a count of one over her opponent too.
Velvet works over the arm but Mickie manages to fight out of it, going for an Irish whip. Velvet reverses it. Mickie still manages to take Velvet down and lines up a low dropkick, but Velvet catches her first with on the leg. Velvet now with her own low drop kick, and it turns Mickie inside out! She looks a little dazed from it as Velvet goes in for a pin and gets a two count. Back on their feet, Mickie and Velvet trade huge forearms in the centre of the ring. It’s Mickie who gets the best of the exchange though, as she drops Velvet with a spinning Full Nelson! She locks in pressure on the back of Velvet’s neck as we go to commercial.
We’re back and Mickie is still in control, but not for long as Velvet fights out of the hold. Velvet strikes with some forearms, follows them up with a big clothesline and more offense after that. Kicks and slaps to the chest abound as Velvet takes the upper hand again. She attempts a spinning head scissors but Mickie blocks it. Mickie goes for a neckbreaker but Velvet reverses it. Velvet hits a side Russian leg sweep for another two count.
Over in the corner, Mickie attempts a Mick-A-Rana but Velvet blocks her again. Mickie manages to reverse and corners Velvet instead, delivering some kicks and a harsh slap to her opponent. ODB gives Mickie a warning as the challenger backs off. Velvet attempts the head scissors again and nails it this time, but as she comes down from it she grabs her knee and cries out in pain. Oh no. As Velvet attempts to stand, Mickie is sizing her up from behind. Mickie rushes in and clips Velvet’s leg from beneath her! Oh my God that looked painful.
The expression on Mickie’s face afterward… shades of ’05/’06 Mickie right there. It’s fantastic.
Velvet is barely able to stand.
Mickie hits the DDT.
1, 2, 3.
We have a new Knockouts champion!
Mickie has made history as a NINE time women’s champion, having held the WWE Women’s Championship five times, the Divas championship once and now the Knockouts championship three times! Haters to the left, seriously.
It’s a sad ending to Velvet’s reign, with her not being 100%. As Velvet clutches her knee, Mickie walks up the ramp and looks back, but she seems anything but concerned for her friend.
Thoughts: A pretty action packed show in terms of the Knockouts tonight. Nice progression for Brooke’s storyline with Bully. I’m left wondering if she may turn on her father at some point and turn heel, which would in turn do great things for the Knockouts division. Gail – and hopefully Mickie sometime soon – would flourish under a heel VP of the division, and it would mean the face Knockouts would get more of the fans behind them. We need more faces, though. And heels. We just need more Knockouts. But back to my original point. It was nice to see the continuation of this storyline. I know a lot of people do not like Brooke Hogan, but I love seeing her on the show. Tonight, however, there was something I didn’t like. Her make-up. Lips or eyes, Brooke. Never both.
Onto Gail/Taryn. I’ll be honest, I’ve lost interest in this feud a little but I’m hoping Slammiversary is as good as it can be. Gail is one of the best wrestlers in the company, male or female, and Taryn has a lot of aggression and physicality about her. It should be a great contest with the added stipulation, so here’s hoping!
Lastly, Mickie vs. Velvet. This was a short title match, obviously. In light of that, I don’t think we got to see just how well Mickie can play a tweener or heel, whichever way she’s going. There were flashes of greatness, such as when she took out Velvet’s knee and the way she looked after she’d won. I have a feeling this feud was supposed to go on for a while longer, and that Mickie was going to have a slow burn heel turn, but because of Velvet’s knee injury it had to be cut short and they had to get the belt on someone else. It’s not the best way the feud could have gone but there’s nothing to be done about it when an injury occurs. Never mind! I’m glad Mickie has the title! She’s my absolute favourite so I’m a little biased, but she is a damn good wrestler. It’s sad for Velvet that her reign is over, but I’m sure it won’t be her last.
Now I’m just wondering who Mickie will feud with next. I see a triple threat in the near future; Mickie, Gail and Velvet. Who knows, maybe Taryn will get in there too if next week’s spoilers are anything to go by.
For now, that’s all. See you all next week! Eleri out.
