TNA Impact Wrestling Report - May 24th, 2012

[ironworks]

By MarcMiddleton5/25/2012 <br />
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After a rundown of the events involving AJ Styles, Daniels and Kazarian of late, we go to Hulk Hogan's office. Hogan shows off a rundown of plans for tonight's...

[ironworks]

Good competitive bout for the short amount of time they had. I liked that they finally addressed Gunner taking Van Dam out of action a few months back. Solid stuff.

TNA TV champion Devon came to the ring. He said that a few weeks ago, he was given an opportunity to defend the TV title every week on Impact Wrestling and that's what he plans on doing - being a fighting champion. He said that Hogan also gave them an opportunity last week to fight for a shot at the World title in the Battle Royal. He said last week, Garett Bischoff threw him out of the ring and eliminated him, so tonight, he's giving Bischoff a chance to see if Lady Luck can strike twice.

TNA TV champion Devon vs. Garett Bischoff.

Bischoff locks in a side headlock. Devon is shoved off into the ropes but rebounds with a shoulderblock. They lock up again and Devon slammed Bischoff. Devon goes for an elbow but misses. Bischoff nailed a neckbreaker. The crowd chanted for tables.

They locked up again but Robbie E and Robbie T attacked them both.

No contest.

Robbie E screamed at Devon that the TV title was his. He whipped Devon into the ropes but Devon came back with a clothesline on both. Bischoff jumped in and they worked over E and T. Bischoff showed some decent fire here. Devon and Bischoff tossed E and T out of the ring.

Nothing to the match. Just basic stuff before the run-in but it was fine. Bischoff is showing some signs of improvement.

Backstage, Hogan told the remaining challengers that they can only have one man out there with Roode. Hogan told Angle that of late, he's been unstoppable but Angle has been dieting and losing crazy weight and getting hurt trying to make it to the Olympics. Hogan told Hardy that he's been great since returning to the company and the fans love him. Angle told Hogan if he wants someone the fans love, pick Hardy and if he wants the most athletic guy here, pick AJ. Angle said that if you want the best guy here, pick him. Hogan said that he needs the most solid person here so he's eliminating Hardy. He told Hardy that his wins have been too close and he's not solid enough for Hogan right now. Hardy walked out. Styles said that Hogan needed to pick someone because whoever it is, they need to go get warmed up to wrestle. Hogan said he needed one more piece of information. Hogan told them to both go get ready. They left to get ready. As he walked out. Angle told Hogan he can get the job done. Hogan said that he knows he can. Another good segment.

They aired a vignette on the missing Abyss and the debut of Joseph Park under the guise that it was a legitimate news piece on Abyss missing, then going into clips of the storyline. I liked the presentation here.

Bully Ray made his way to the ring.Ray asked the crowd if they knew who he was. He said that obviously, Hulk Hogan must have forgotten since Hogan decided that he would be the first one eliminated. Ray said that he's in a bad mood and is pissed off. Ray said he was going to take it out on everyone in the crowd. He said that as if his life wasn't miserable enough, he was told Joseph Park was in the audience. They show Park sitting in the crowd with a box of popcorn. Ray said that he was tired of looking at him and showing up and being in the crowd. He demanded Park get into the ring right now. Park came down to ringside, looking concerned. The crowd egged him on.

Ray told Park to stop listening to the fans and get into the ring. He wanted to get in but changed his mind and asked for a microphone. Park said that he's not a fighter and not a wrestler. He said that he's never been in a real fight. Ray didn't want to hear it and demanded he get into the ring. Park said that he's intimidated and asked for some space between them. Park had trouble getting into the ring. He said that all he wanted was information and answers about the disappearance of his brother and the facts all led him back to Ray.

Parks said that over the years, he's represented a lot of defendants - some guilty and some not. Park said that he can tell when someone is guilty or not. The crowd chanted "Guilty". Park said that luckily for Ray, the Constitution is required to have a fair and speedy trial under a jury of his peers. Park said that the audience was their jury. They chanted, "Guilty."

Park asked the audience who thought Ray was not guilty. Not much of a reaction. Guilty? Big reaction. Ray nailed Park, who went down. Ray pulled out a chain and brought it down over Park's back. Ray took the mic and said, "not guilty." He walked out.

Good stuff on the mic from both.

[ironworks]

Good competitive bout for the short amount of time they had. I liked that they finally addressed Gunner taking Van Dam out of action a few months back. Solid stuff.

TNA TV champion Devon came to the ring. He said that a few weeks ago, he was given an opportunity to defend the TV title every week on Impact Wrestling and that's what he plans on doing - being a fighting champion. He said that Hogan also gave them an opportunity last week to fight for a shot at the World title in the Battle Royal. He said last week, Garett Bischoff threw him out of the ring and eliminated him, so tonight, he's giving Bischoff a chance to see if Lady Luck can strike twice.

TNA TV champion Devon vs. Garett Bischoff.

Bischoff locks in a side headlock. Devon is shoved off into the ropes but rebounds with a shoulderblock. They lock up again and Devon slammed Bischoff. Devon goes for an elbow but misses. Bischoff nailed a neckbreaker. The crowd chanted for tables.

They locked up again but Robbie E and Robbie T attacked them both.

No contest.

Robbie E screamed at Devon that the TV title was his. He whipped Devon into the ropes but Devon came back with a clothesline on both. Bischoff jumped in and they worked over E and T. Bischoff showed some decent fire here. Devon and Bischoff tossed E and T out of the ring.

Nothing to the match. Just basic stuff before the run-in but it was fine. Bischoff is showing some signs of improvement.

Backstage, Hogan told the remaining challengers that they can only have one man out there with Roode. Hogan told Angle that of late, he's been unstoppable but Angle has been dieting and losing crazy weight and getting hurt trying to make it to the Olympics. Hogan told Hardy that he's been great since returning to the company and the fans love him. Angle told Hogan if he wants someone the fans love, pick Hardy and if he wants the most athletic guy here, pick AJ. Angle said that if you want the best guy here, pick him. Hogan said that he needs the most solid person here so he's eliminating Hardy. He told Hardy that his wins have been too close and he's not solid enough for Hogan right now. Hardy walked out. Styles said that Hogan needed to pick someone because whoever it is, they need to go get warmed up to wrestle. Hogan said he needed one more piece of information. Hogan told them to both go get ready. They left to get ready. As he walked out. Angle told Hogan he can get the job done. Hogan said that he knows he can. Another good segment.

They aired a vignette on the missing Abyss and the debut of Joseph Park under the guise that it was a legitimate news piece on Abyss missing, then going into clips of the storyline. I liked the presentation here.

Bully Ray made his way to the ring.Ray asked the crowd if they knew who he was. He said that obviously, Hulk Hogan must have forgotten since Hogan decided that he would be the first one eliminated. Ray said that he's in a bad mood and is pissed off. Ray said he was going to take it out on everyone in the crowd. He said that as if his life wasn't miserable enough, he was told Joseph Park was in the audience. They show Park sitting in the crowd with a box of popcorn. Ray said that he was tired of looking at him and showing up and being in the crowd. He demanded Park get into the ring right now. Park came down to ringside, looking concerned. The crowd egged him on.

Ray told Park to stop listening to the fans and get into the ring. He wanted to get in but changed his mind and asked for a microphone. Park said that he's not a fighter and not a wrestler. He said that he's never been in a real fight. Ray didn't want to hear it and demanded he get into the ring. Park said that he's intimidated and asked for some space between them. Park had trouble getting into the ring. He said that all he wanted was information and answers about the disappearance of his brother and the facts all led him back to Ray.

Parks said that over the years, he's represented a lot of defendants - some guilty and some not. Park said that he can tell when someone is guilty or not. The crowd chanted "Guilty". Park said that luckily for Ray, the Constitution is required to have a fair and speedy trial under a jury of his peers. Park said that the audience was their jury. They chanted, "Guilty."

Park asked the audience who thought Ray was not guilty. Not much of a reaction. Guilty? Big reaction. Ray nailed Park, who went down. Ray pulled out a chain and brought it down over Park's back. Ray took the mic and said, "not guilty." He walked out.

Good stuff on the mic from both.

[ironworks]

They showed Daniels and Kazarian watching from the top of the ramp, so they were the distraction. I liked that we didn't see that with 10,000 camera angles when Styles lost his focus as it gave a more realistic feel to the sequence.

After the match, Roode took the mic and touted that he's made history and is the longest reigning TNA champion of all time. He said that it was time to celebrate and demanded his champagne, which Socal Val brought him.

Roode demanded that Hulk Hogan join him in the ring and celebrate "with your champion." Confetti rained down and Roode rolled around with it and celebrated. Hogan didn't come down but finally made his way out to the stage clapping.

Hogan said he was glad that he wasn't a betting man. Hogan admitted that he had the deck completely stacked against Roode but didn't realize how good Roode really was. Roode gave him a glass of champagne. Hogan said he is glad Roode brought him out because he's done things Hogan didn't expect could be done. Hogan said Roode did it with hard work and won his respect, but the hard work is just beginning. Hogan said that if he wants to hold onto the belt, the hard work has just begun.

Hogan said that someone else wants to celebrate and Hogan wants to apologize for their late arrival. The lights went out and Sting's music hits. When they lights went back on, Sting was behind Roode and kicked the hell out of him, nailing a Stinger Splash and a clothesline over the top. Hogan said it was showtime!

Hogan announced that next week. Roode would be defending the TNA title against Sting in TNA's new timeslot of 8 PM when they kick off the show with a Lumberjack Match. Roode screamed No. Hogan again said it was Showtime.