What’s up Knockout fans? Welcome to this week’s Write-Up. It was a pretty action packed night as far as the Knockouts go last night, with a nice, big segment between Mickie James and Velvet Sky that Gail Kim invited herself to, and a mixed tag match featuring Gail and the ‘Hot Mess’ Taryn Terrell. Let’s get on with it, shall we? There’s lots to discuss!
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We began the night with a quick recap of Mickie’s championship win from last week, before Miss Hardcore Country herself heads out to the ring with her title held high on her shoulder! I’m so proud! Mickie shows off the title for all of her adoring fans, lapping up the attention, and grabs a microphone to start us off. She thanks the fans, declaring that “it feels so great to be champion!”. Mickie gives her album a little plug and goes to talk herself up as she recounts what a great year she’s had so far. It’s been two years since she last held the title, and she knows that this next reign of hers has been a long time coming.
“I love you so much,” she tells her fans. “But there is a handful, a very minute minority of you who have doubted how I won the championship.” Oh dear.
Mickie says it’s not fair, and so she would like to invite her “dear, good friend” Velvet Sky out to the ring. She’s didn’t look so dear and good to you last week Mickie. You know, when you practically took her leg off… Just saying. Velvet’s music hits and out she comes, clapping the new champion as she does. She comes into the ring and she and Mickie share a hug. Lovely. Mickie says that there’s been some negativity going around and that it’s been hurtful, because she went to Velvet before the match to make sure she was ready and able to go. Mickie was perfectly willing to wait until Velvet was 100%, but Velvet was adamant that she wanted to go last week.
Mickie says that’s why she loves her; Velvet’s a strong, fighting champion and that’s why Mickie loves her. She keeps telling her she loves her. I feel like Trish Stratus should maybe give Velvet a quick phone call and warn her to be wary.
“Your knee gave out and then I became champion! It’s just crazy how things happen that way!” says Mickie. The tone in her voice is so reminiscent of how she used to speak to Trish in 05/06. I think she’s going heel. Psycho heel. I can’t wait. She asks the crowd to give it up for what an amazing champion Velvet Sky WAS. That was a doozy. Velvet takes the mic and tells the fans and Mickie that their support through her knee injury has been phenomenal. But business is business. Velvet wants her rematch.
Mickie says sure, of course, yes, of course, right after Velvet’s knee is healed up and she’s 100% or 1000% and together they can ‘blow the roof off this mother!’ I don’t think you pulled that off, Mickie, as much as I love you and I do… Don’t ever say that again.
Velvet wants her rematch at Slammiversary. Dun, dun, dun! Mickie says she would love to but thankfully unfortunately, it’s already Gail Kim vs Taryn Terrell at Slammiversary. Speaking of Gail, here she comes!
“Let’s get one thing straight,” says Gail as she makes her way into the ring. “Miss Hardcore Country, you’re not so hardcore anymore are you? Would you really have won the title without my help?”
“Absolutely,” says Mickie.
Gail doesn’t think so. She claims she softened Velvet up for her. Lately, Gail has been frustrated so not only did she take out Velvet, but also Taryn and her own partner Tara, too. Gail’s going to finish what she started and take Taryn Terrell to school, and at Slammiversary she will be the Last Knockout Standing. After that, she’s coming for what’s rightfully hers: the TNA Knockouts championship.
“Negative!” says Velvet. In case Gail didn’t know, Velvet is first in line for her rematch. Unhappy with that, Gail attacks Velvet with a shot to her injured knee! As she drags the former champ over to the ring post, Mickie just watches. She’s not doing anything to help her ‘dear, good’ friend. Well, well. Taryn Terrell rushes out to make the save and Gail backs off Velvet. Mickie heads up the ramp, not bothering to stick around to check on Velvet.
Kenny King’s music hits and as Taryn and Gail trash talk each other, we go right into the mixed tag team match they’ll be competing in tonight. It’s Gail and Kenny vs. Taryn and Chris Sabin.
Before the match begins, Chris Sabin and ODB, our referee, must restrain Taryn. She just wants to get her hands on Gail, and when the bell finally rings, she gets her shot. She launches at an unprepared Gail, taking her down and slamming her head into the mat over and over again. She drags Gail to her feet and attacks her with forearms, then follows that up with some big clotheslines. Next she hits a neckbreaker, before running Gail into the corner and attacking with more forearm shots.
Taryn is forced to back off by ODB. When she goes back in, Gail manages to slip out of the ring but Taryn catches her on the ring apron with another huge clothesline! Next she suplexes Gail back into the ring! Gail just cannot catch a break. Taryn goes high risk… and it pays off as she hits a huge crossbody to Gail, earning herself a two-count. Gail escapes to her own corner and tags out, prompting Taryn to do the same and the guys go at it.
Around the 3:55 mark, Gail decides to involve herself with the guys and hits Chris Sabin with big kick to the back to give Kenny the upperhand. Later on, at the 5:05 mark, she yanks Chris by the hair! Taryn’s had enough and goes in pursuit of Gail. They run around the ring, then Gail leads Taryn into the ring where Kenny is waiting. He gets in Taryn’s way, but Chris Sabin makes the save. Gail tries to attack Sabin but he grabs her leg, spinning her around, right into a HUGE spear from Taryn! The lades get out of the ring and Sabin picks up the win for himself and Taryn!
Thoughts: I liked the segment. I just love Mickie James and I’m not sorry if you don’t because look at her! She’s flawless and the way she’s portraying herself right now… it’s great to watch. I feel they’re making her heel, and not just that but I think she may going back down the unstable route. Move over AJ, the best damn psycho of them all is making her return. I hope! Even if not, she has been acting heelish lately, and the way she wanted the crowd to clap for the champion Velvet WAS… just awesome. I’m glad Gail Kim put herself into the equation, too, because over the last few weeks she’s been the most consistent in terms of personality. She’s aggressive as hell and I want her in the title picture because that, and what she’s willing to do to get the belt, is what gives it meaning. I’m looking forward to next week, purely because Slammiversary will be gone, and with it will come the end of Taryn/Gail, I think. Then we can see where these lovely ladies are going to heading into the summer.
The match was good. Taryn was so aggressive with Gail and it built to their match this Sunday extremely well. The fact that Gail couldn’t get a move in at all just shows how brutal Taryn will be in the match with her, but with that said, I wouldn’t want to be Taryn when Gail gets the upperhand and shows her how it’s done. I’m looking forward to seeing what they do this Sunday, and I fully expect it to be brutal and very, very physical.
That’s all for now. I’ll see you Monday for the Slammiversary review! For now, Eleri out!
