TNA is marching on towards the end of the year and the Total Nonstop Deletion event. Tonight’s show has an advertised main event of Cody vs Eddie Edwards. Let’s see how the show sets up for the end of the year.
TNA Impact Review: Cody vs Eddie Edwards
The show opened with Cody (Rhodes) making his way to the ring. Cody said he left his “former employer” for the moments it would provide him, including the opportunity to fight for the World Championship. Cody told a story about when he was 15 and was riding with his father, the late, great Dusty Rhodes. This was when Cody told his dad that he wanted to become a wrestler. Dusty told him he could be a wrestler, as long as he was the best. Eddie Edwards made his way out to the ring. Edwards said he respected Cody for all he has done in making himself who he is today. Edwards said he knew who he was because the fans chanted his name and asked if Cody knew who he was. Cody said Edwards would know exactly who he was when he beats him for the title tonight. Edwards said that no one thought he would beat Bobby Lashley, but he did and he would prove tonight that it was not luck. Edwards said that if it takes beating Cody in order to prove that, then Cody is going to lose.
Bobby Lashley’s music played and he walked to the ring. He told both Cody and Edwards that he was going to destroy whoever left tonight as the champion. Moose’s music played and he made his way to the ring. Moose and Lashley have a match tonight with the winner becoming the number one contender, and it is after the first commercial break.
Rating: 5/10 – Cody was good here, but Edwards felt a little forced. Lashley’s line was too short to have much of an impact and he seemed to stumble over his words. The main event should be fun.
The two went after each other quickly before Lashley picked up Moose in a standing vertical suplex. The action spilled to the outside where Lashley roughed up Moose with the ring post and steel steps. Lashley threw Moose into the corner a few times before Moose reversed it. Lashley sat on the top turnbuckle, which Moose drop kicked him off of. Moose launched himself over the top rope on to Lashley on the floor. Back in the ring, Moose no sold a superplex and hit a spear on Lashley for a near fall. A short while later, Lashley connected with a spear of his own for another near fall. Moose hit the Game Changer, but Lashley kicked out at the last minute. Moose set Lashley up on the top rope, but Lashley jumped from the second rope and hit a spear for the win.
Backstage Jeremy Borash interviewed The Tribunal about attacking the Hardy brothers last week. During their interview, another DCC video aired that said they will soon be there and that no one is safe.
Rating: 4/10 – The match was sloppy throughout. Moose has really struggled since arriving in TNA with delivering in his matches. Overall, just sloppy. Lashley going over is the right move as there needs to be a strong heel for either Edwards or Cody to work with. It doesn’t appear as if Mike Bennett or Eli Drake are ready to be moved into the title picture just yet. The DCC tease made it seem like they will show up tonight.
A Tyrus video played that said he is The Fixer and available for hire.
Eli Drake hosted Fact of Life from his set. There was a laugh track being played throughout. Drake’s guest was the Impact Grand Champion Aron Rex. Rex said the title means so much to him and he loves what they are creating in TNA. Crowd chants and laughs were piped in during the segment. Drake said Rex did things that made him not like Rex when he first arrived. Rex asked Drake where Ethan Carter III stands. Drake said EC3 was bound for the dumpster. Drake ran down Carter. Carter came out and tried to get to Drake but was held back by security. Drake sent the show to commercial.
Rating: 3/10 – Drake does nothing for this viewer. There are some who love him, but he feels like a knockoff of something we’ve seen before. He sounds like Stone Cold E. T. to me. Don’t know what I’m talking about? YouTube it. Meanwhile, Rex still continues to tease a heel turn.
Back from commercial, Carter was in the ring and said he was going to destroy the set. He even said he would take a dump on Drake’s face. Yes, really. Drake said he should be put in jail. Carter challenged Drake to a fight. Carter again begged Drake to press the button one more time. Drake obliged this time. Multiple times. Carter went after Drake and the two started throwing punches. Rex tried to break it up but Carter pushed him off. Rex started attaching Carter along with Drake. Jessie Godderz showed up out of nowhere to go after Rex. Security eventually split up all four men.
On the stage, Reby Hardy played Broken Matt’s entrance music on her piano. Both Broken Matt and Brother Nero came out. Nero said the obsolete portion of the music along with the piano. Matt said the Tribunal’s attack was like two wicked men trying to take food off of their son’s and daughter’s plates. Matt said because of this, he sentenced them both to delete. The Tribunal made their entrance.
The Hardy brothers took control of the match early. Baron Dax cut Matt off and started to work him over. Dax missed an elbow drop, which allowed Matt to tag in Brother Nero. Nero his some of his signature moves. Nero went for Whisper in the Wind but Dax blocked it. Dax tagged in Basile Baraka and the two heels worked Nero over for a solid few minutes. Matt was bleeding from the mouth somehow. Both of the Hardy brothers hit a twist of fate on Baraka to win the match.
As the Hardy brothers were leaving, a countdown aired. The lights went out and when they came back on, the three members of DCC were standing in the ring. The trio quickly disposed of The Tribunal and glared at the Hardy brothers.
Backstage, Allie was talking herself up to apologize to Maria. Braxton Sutter showed up to talk to Allie and asked if she was ok. Sutter said he did not think Allie was to blame for anything. Laurel Van Ness showed up and said Sutter does not need to feel bad for Allie. Van Ness told Allie that Maria had something to say to her.
Rating: 5/10 – The Hardy’s continue to be the best part of TNA, however the match was nothing spectacular. DCC’s arrival was sooner than some may have anticipated last week. It feels like they left money on the table by not having DCC attack the brothers.
Back from commercial, another DCC video aired where they said this was just the start and there would be more to come.
Cody was shown getting ready in the back when Lashley walked up. Lashley said it did not matter who wins tonight because he would next week.
Maria Kanellis Bennet, Allie and Laurel Van Ness made their way to the ring. Maria said that Allie was to blame for Bennet not being the TNA Knockout’s Champion and the head of the Knockouts division. Laurel tried to get Allie to take the blame and Maria asked for an apology. Allie said no and that Maria was the one to blame. Maria said Allie needed to be taught a lesson. Van Ness attacked her from behind. Maria told Allie that next week she would have a match with Laurel Van Ness.
Rating: 3/10 – Allie continues to be terrible on the microphone. It was also weird to see her snap so quickly. Usually there are signs of progression of frustration, but that just was not the case here.
Mahabali Shera made his way to the ring for a match. Maria introduced Mike Bennett to the ring for his match. Shera got some brief offense in, but this match was over before it really began. Bennett won with the MIP.
Rating: 3/10 – The match was short and was basically a way to get Bennett on the show. Which isn’t an issue really.
Back from commercial, DJZ was being interviewed at ring side. DJZ tried to explain was Team X Gold was. He said it was bringing together different wrestlers and styles together. Rockstar Spud made his way to ringside during the interview. Spud asked why he was not being asked to participate. DJZ said it was because nobody likes him. Spud said he has assembled a team of his own and that they will be there next week.
Cody and Brandi Rhodes made their way to the ring followed by Eddie Edwards. The bell rang and the crowd was clearly behind Cody. The two men shook hands before the match began. There was a lot of quick back and forth to begin. Both men went for a drop kick and ended up in a standoff as the show went in to a commercial.
Rating: 6/10 – Well, we still don’t even know what Team X Gold is really about. Just teams of three fighting? Ok. The title match in progress has a pretty big match feel. It will be interesting to see if they give us a clean finish or not.
Back from the break and Edwards hit Cody with a Shining Wizard. After exchanging some chops, Cody got Edwards in an arm bar. Edwards made it to the ropes to force a break. Cody setup for Cross Roads but Edwards countered it. The action spilled outside of the ring where Edwards performed a dive on to Cody. Edwards rolled Cody back in to the ring. As Edwards was coming through the ropes, Cody delivered a Beautiful Disaster Kick. Edwards regained control a short time later and hit a chin shocker. Cody picked up Edwards and dropped him with a muscle buster for a pretty good near fall, though the live crowd did not seem to buy into it. Cody was getting frustrated and started to punch Edwards. Eventually, Edwards came back with his own punches and chops until Cody cut him off. Cody hit a top rope superplex and tried to roll it through, but Edwards hooked his legs with Cody’s and pinned him for a count of three. Cody flashed a face of frustration and got in Edwards face. Cody eventually reached out and shook Edwards hand and raised his arm. Edwards left Cody in the ring to have a moment with the fans. Cody looked at Brandi and said he was sorry. As Cody was looking at fans, Maria came out of nowhere and pulled Brandi, who was standing on the ring apron as this point, down and threw her in to the steel steps. Cody got down to check on Brandi while Maria and Mike Bennett laughed on stage.
Rating: 7/10 – A good main event to close out a rather lackluster show. Cody being in TNA still seems important, however it almost feels like it is losing it’s luster rather quickly. They would have been smart to hold off giving him a title shot this quickly if they were not planning on putting the championship on him. Obviously he will move back to focusing on a program with Mike Bennett.
