TNA Impact Wrestling 3-20-15

Last week, TNA had one of their best shows yet on Destination America, with the Spud-EC3 main event being so good that Bryan and Vinny even reviewed it and the company got a ton of credit for basically making two stars in one night. This week, we've got Joe-Aries in Joe's final TNA match and Kurt battling Lashley for the title, so it should be good. Destination America has also changed their bug from the garish red, white, and blue one to a far more subdued grey and white. It's still absolutely gigantic and takes up too much of the screen, but it looks better now.

In rewatching Bram-Magnus, I think I should make Bram. The chest hair should be easy enough to replicate since I've got it on Hall and Goldberg, and I go with the dark shaded black I used for Willow's pants for his gear. On Unlocked, they had more typos, but Drew's interview with Tenay was great. He's been working since he was 15. He went on and on and on and on and on about not wanting things being shoved down the throats of fans and BEING A FAN FIRST, AND BEING A FAN, AND HE'S THE BIGGEST FAN! Tenay asks him about being The Chosen One in WWE, which will be next week's hook. God that Lashley-Angle hype vid ruled - I should do that match in 2K14. One little thing I didn't notice was the case having giant I'M WITH SPUD stickers. Tenay ran down Spud singing God Save the Queen and its melody being the same for My Country Tis of Thee. Next week's Unlocked focuses on the roster's favorite video games - I hope Fire Pro Wrestling Returns is on a lot of lists.

Both Lashley and Angle are made to look like world-beaters in the show-opening video. We get a tag title Ultimate X, and a KOs triple threat title match as well. Ultimate X starts the show off. Robbie isn't out with the Bro Mans, which Josh explains verbally and then they show Robbie lamenting over the loss to Brooke. Manik and Sanada are out for the Revolution - good choices for this. Everyone does stuff and Sanada is forced to accidentally DDT Manik. Wolved chuck DJZ over the top for his usual bump to the floor. Funny bit with Jesse jumping off of DJZ, but not being able to reach. Taz says they should be wearing gloves. HEEL CHICKEN FIGHT! Backstabber Powerbomb to Manik from the Wolves. Crowd's going crazy for things here. MIST TO JESSE UP TOP leads to a flip bump - nice! Super rana to Sanada by Eddie. Davey double stomp! Wolves climb up, double crawl, and win this!

Josh and Taz talk in the booth. Josh has tats on his upper left arm too. Aries comes down and they talk about why he doesn't have the case - and Aries says he was taken out by the BDC. Aries and Ki talk, and then Joe jumps Aries to set up Joe's final TNA match. Josh talks about Joe "making headlines over the past few weeks and this being a big match for him". Joe counters the brainbuster with a gordbuster. Nice bearhug into an overhead belly to belly by Joe leads to Joe talking about how Angle ended Joe's streak. Joe eats a neckbreaker on the apron after some corner chops. Brainbuster's countered into a floatover Fujiwara armbar by Joe - nice! Ki attacks Aries, so that's it for Joe...underwhelming. Aries takes him out with the case, so Spud cashes in and wins! Spud celebrates with the fans - nice!

Backstage, Magnus beats the hell out of Bram. They fight to the ring, of course, and Magnus hits him a bunch with a chair. Mickie came down and kneed him in the balls before MORE BRAWLING. Powerbomb on the ramp by Magnus. Josh throws to locker room predictions for the title match. Kong comes out first, then Gail, which leads to Josh talking about her being a future TNA Hall of Famer. Hey, why not - she deserves it. Taryn came out and Josh quizzed Taz on her being a ref, him having no recollection and going on and on about it being trivia. Kong does power spots while everyone bumps for her. Gail hops off a double pin to keep trying to make her seem like a monster.

 

Kong tosses her off the cutter. Awesome splash misses AND SHE GETS THE CUTTER FOR 2! Taryn ties her up and literally kicks her ass to the floor. Gail dives to Kong on the floor. Sunset bomb by Gail to Taryn gets 2. Schoolgirl out of Eat Defeat gets the win! Really fun match here - best one on the show so far. Taryn's look of shock here is something else. Storm cuts a promo on Matt Hardy. Heads or Tails decision isn't good for Matt. So that's apparently a match, and it's next.

 

 

A really cool epic video hypes up the World title match. Storm came out, followed by Hardy. Garbage brawl. Legdrop with a lid. Manik crotches Hardy, leading to Storm setting up a chair bridge. Superplex through it to Matt. DO NOT TAKE BUMPS LIKE THIS ANYMORE. Tacks are brought out, but Storm goes into them with a Side Effect. Why take a tack bump in this nothing match? It didn't even get a graphic to start the show. Koya gets THE NON-FOLDABLE CHAIR and Matt hits him with it. Twist to Manik. Storm throws Matt's head into the corner chair, but only gets 2. RKO out of nowhere from Matt! Mist, cowbell, and two superkicks get the win. This was a video game match, and not even a really good one. THE TACK BUMP MEANT NOTHING here. Bell to the head "sends him to the hospital". British Boot Camp 2 PPV ad.

 

They did the really cool walk backstage intro and gave him his rare full intro theme here. Taz talks about how you can see how legit the intros are without guys yelling at them where to be and what to do. Man did this rule - each guy got this and it's something they should do every single time they have a World title match. It makes that title seem so much more important. They give the intros plenty of time and go to a break - so hopefully that's the last break we see. Big "Angle" chant starts things off while they do basic wrestling stuff.

 Awesome back and forth throws here. Rolling Germans to Lashley! They brawl on the floor and Lashley takes him down while the crowd claps like crazy. Elbow to the back by Lashley gets 2. Angle comes back and gets a flying shoulderblock off the second rope. Back and forth punches lead to Angle doing a duck-behind and getting MORE ROLLING GERMANS! Spinning spinebuster hits for 2. Lashley misses a corner charge and eats four Germans, but Lashley comes back with the powerslam for 2 and an ad break. Another corner charge misses and leads to an ankle lock.

Spear from Lashley is countered with a kick and an Angle Slam for 2! Josh says they've taken their last break - kudos to TNA for only putting one in the body of the match. Back elbow gets the edge for the champ again. Delayed vertical suplex hits. Big spear hits! 2.999999999! Runup belly to belly is countered. FROG SPLASH FROM LASHLEY misses! Crossbody off the top by Kurt is rolled through into an ankle lock seamlessly, leading to tons of boos. Angle slam hits, but he can't get a good cover and gets 2. Lashley gets the Rousey armbar.

 
Kurt counters into the ankle lock! GRAPEVINE! Taz wonders why no one booked these guys together before. Damn right. Lashley passes out and that's it! Nope! HE TAPS! Kurt holds the belt high and cries after the win. This was amazing. I'd say it was a match of the year contender quite easily. They shake hands and hug. Kurt got his whole theme played and Taz put this over as being a big moment for Kurt after his struggles in life and with his health.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Screens -
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