What’s up Knockouts fans and welcome to the the review of TNA LockDown. Last night, Velvet Sky defended her newly won championship against the woman that ended her first reign, Gail Kim. Gail has been outspoken about Velvet in the last few weeks and she’s also had controversial things to say about a certain Knockouts referee Taryn Terrell. Will Gail keep her mouth shut and her hands to herself tonight? Hmm… something tells me I don’t think so!
We cut to the ring to see Christy Hemme beautiful in black, although watch out Christy, you have a lot of holes going on and a lot of things could pop out by the looks of things! However, always eager to steal the show, the Holy Gail, God Kim comes out and she looks perhaps the best that I’ve ever seen her in a new yellow and white number. KIMACULATE! Gail is right in Taryn’s face straight away and things are heating up already. Gail’s anthemic theme (which I have stupidly yet to put on my iPod) is then cut short by the triumphant soundtrack of the current Knockouts Champion; a woman that in touch with pigeons, she could rival Snow White – it’s Velvet Sky! Velvet is looking, well, more like an epileptic owl as opposed to the messiah like Gail yet the fans are loving her and her feathered friends, so I’ll just embrace it!
The bell sounds and Gail begins to point the finger and trash talk both Velvet and Taryn. When Gail faces Taryn, Velvet rolls Gail up, looking for a quick win, yet it’s to no avail. Following that, she somehow manages to make a small package look sloppy, and her execution seems to have cost her as that doesn’t put away Gail either. Gail tries to end Velvet’s array of surprise pins yet Velvet ducks a clotheslines and manages to execute another schoolgirl. Gail is clearly taken aback by Velvet’s fire in the early going and she scrambles to the ropes to catch her breath.
Velvet begins to rally the crowd yet she takes her eye off the ball for a little too long, allowing Gail to wallop her right in the stomach with a stiff boot. After a few clubbing blows and some endorsement from Taz, Gail whips Velvet from out of the corner, whips is reversed by the Big Apple native. Velvet’s momentum doesn’t last long though as the woman referred to as the “Original Knockout” by Mike Tenay, Gail, rebounds off the second rope and she hits Velvet with a sunset flip. The action is very quick and back and forth and this is further represented as Velvet breaks out of Gail’s pin and gets a two count of her own. The former Beautiful Person (she still is beautiful, but you know what I mean) then strikes Gail with a series of elbows before whipping a headscissors takeover out of her arsenal – a move she executes perfectly.
The momentum shifts yet again into the favor of Gail as she elbows Velvet’s cheek off, yet once again, Vel Vel is unfazed and she decks Gail with a swinging neckbreaker. Velvet goes for another cover and although she doesn’t get the win, it’s clear to see that Gail is worried! The true Canadian Ninja is trying to compose herself on the apron yet there is no time to stop for breath as Velvet baseball dropkicks her to the arena floor. The Knockouts Champion then drops Gail with a seated senton and it’s really nice to see Velvet show off a new move in her repertoire – and it looks nice unlike the new attire. *Note to self, you’ve already said you’d embrace it and not bad mouth it, move on Jack!*
Velvet then looks like she’s trying to ‘In Yo Face’ Gail on the concrete yet Gail, ever the clever one, rams Velvet back first into the steel post. KIMAGINATIVE! Gail goes for the pin yet it’s not enough to get the win. Oh dear, Gail’s mouth is running at Taryn, can someone catch it please? Gail’s lack of getting the job done is starting to make her get snotty towards Taryn yet thankfully for Gail, she doesn’t take her eye off the prize for too long and she gets back on the offensive. Gail levels Velvet with her patented turnbuckle crossbody (KIMAZING!), and fair play to Velvet, she sells it like she has just been stabbed with a blunt instrument!
Graphic image aside and Gail continues to dish out a world of pain on Velvet. Our ‘Often Imitated, Never Duplicated’ Champion tries to turn the tide in her favor yet Gail shuts her down with a series of hard shots followed by a fireman’s carry front slam. Gail grabs on the middle rope as she goes for the pin, yet the fine wine like Taryn (she’s getting better at refereeing with age) notices Gail’s dirty tactic and she scolds her. Gail then drapes Velvet’s throat off the ropes and chokes the life out of her, and this will no doubt also get right under Taryn’s skin. Velvet then tries her best to avoid Gail’s textbook groin drop (sorry, I have no other way to describe it at this present moment) yet Gail still lands on her hard. The first ever Knockouts Champion then continues her assault by pressing Velvet’s head into the bottom turnbuckle – another physical move that has made this bout very realistic so far. Gail then hits a backbreaker and hopes that it will be enough… yet it isn’t, much to the chagrin of the longest reigning Knockouts Champion! Gail then has an irish whip reversed by the current gold holder and although it looks like Gail will regain control of the situation, she doesn’t and Velvet drops her face first to the mat – OUCH!
Velvet Sky then avoids a corner splash from her Canadian adversary and the adrenaline is definitely beginning to pump! Vel hits a series of clotheslines, a back elbow and a kick to the face before completing this section of her attack with a facebuster. The champ then hits yet another new move, a reverse DDT, yet it’s not quite enough to seal the deal. Gail tries to fight back with a kick yet Velvet catches her leg! Gail looks to be in trouble yet she grabs Taryn Terrell by the shirt (for her sake, thank god Taryn isn’t wearing an outfit similar to Christy at this point!) to try and keep her balance. Gail then slips yet in the process, she somehow manages to Eat Defeat Velvet – could this be it?!
NO!
Gail is acting like a screaming banshee in the ring and she has her angry eyes fixed right on Taryn! Gail gets up right into Taryn’s personal space (I’d swap place with either) and and I can only assume that she is demanding Taryn stop her ‘incompetence’. Taryn tries to reason with Gail yet the KIM… oh wait, I’ve ran out of puns, erm.. yet Gail decides to slap her right across the face.
OH NO SHE DIDN’T?!
Gail is shouting at Taryn and daring her to disqualifying her. Gail is always full of confidence and she declares that she’ll just get another change anyway. Taryn goes to tell the ref to call for the bell and Gail walks away, shouting abuse at the fans. Gail then turns around into a devastating spear from Taryn!
OH NO SHE DIDN’T?!
Taryn is all over Gail and is clubbing her like you would a member of 3MB piece of meat! I’m loving this right now so bloody much! Taryn tries to gather her composure yet she had simply had enough and had to do something about it. Gail looks to exact some revenge yet she is kicked by Velvet, who hits an ‘In Yo Face’, a move perfectly titled for the way that Taryn must have been feeling as she counted the 3 count. Velvet has retained and Taryn has put Gail on notice!
Following Velvet’s celebration and a series of pointless matches no doubt, we see Jeremy Borash backstage with Taryn. Taryn explains that she has simply been pushed too far, and speaking of pushing, BAM! Gail Kim levels Taryn out of nowhere and has to be held back by officials! KIMPACT! There we go, I thought of another pun!
Thoughts: To say I’m satisfied is an understatement. This match, although not the best ever seen, was a very good encounter and I loved the story that was being told from the very start. From Velvet’s selling and new moves to Gail’s classic mannerisms and amazing heel capabilities to Taryn’s amazing spear and release of pent up anger, I was thoroughly entertained. If I’m being nitpicky, I would have perhaps like to have seen Gail work on Velvet’s back a little bit more in the middle of the bout, but other than that, I was impressed with all parties. I’m really excited to see where the Knockouts go from here and I’m looking forward to seeing how our soon-to-be new Impact Columnist will feel about all that has transpired. And with that, stay tuned, Jack will be back!
