Impact Wrestling
Date: December 2, 2015
Location: Impact Zone, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: D’Angelo Dinero, Josh Matthews
We’re in week nine of the World Title tournament and it’s finally time to get to the round of sixteen, meaning single elimination matches. The brackets were revealed last week and we’ve been promised to have this round done tonight. In theory the finals will be held at the live Impact on January 5 but that hasn’t been confirmed. Let’s get to it.
Quick preview of the round of sixteen starts things off.
TNA World Title Tournament First Round: DJZ vs. Ethan Carter III
DJZ goes right after him with some rollups for early near falls but DJZ knees him in the ribs to stop that cold. Carter gets sent to the floor for a suicide dive though with Tyrus not giving him much of a heads up. Back in and DJZ gets sent outside as well, allowing Tyrus to run him over with a headbutt to the chest. Dinero: “Josh I don’t know if you’ve ever been hit in the head with a coconut before.” A chinlock doesn’t get Carter very far so DJZ comes back with his fast paced offense, capped off by the tornado DDT for two. DJZ’s hurricanrana is countered into a sitout powerbomb, followed by the 1%er to give Carter the pin at 6:28.
Result: Ethan Carter III b. DJZ – 1%er (6:28)
Gail Kim is ready for Tigre Uno because she’s so proud to be one of the sixteen wrestlers in this tournament.
TNA World Title Tournament First Round: Gail Kim vs. Tigre Uno
Tigre isn’t sure what to do to start so Gail kicks him in the ribs. Tigre goes with some basic wrestling including a front facelock but Gail comes right back with a spinning cross body. Eat Defeat is broken up so Gail settles for a Black Widow. Tigre powers her out to the floor for a plancha but Gail snaps off a hurricanrana back inside. Gail’s normal offense including the Figure Four around the post has him in trouble, only to have Tigre sit down on a sunset flip for the pin at 5:32.
Result: Tigre Uno b. Gail Kim – Rollup(5:32)
TNA World Title Tournament First Round: Bram vs. Davey Richards
The winner gets Carter. Bram shoves him down to start and Davey might need to change strategy. With the arm work not getting him anywhere, Davey takes it to the floor for some kicks to the chest. They look good but don’t seem to have a lot of effect as Bram takes him up into a fireman’s carry to drop him face first onto the steps. Davey comes back with a drop toehold to send Bram into the steps as most of this match has been on the floor.
A double stomp from the steps keeps Bram in trouble and Davey takes him back inside for a northern lights suplex. Josh thinks Davey winning would be an upset as the top rope double stomp gets two on Bram. An F5 plants Davey and Bram yells a lot. The Brighter Side of Suffering is countered into a small package to give Davey the pin at 7:00.
Result: Davey Richards b. Bram – Small package (7:00)
Eli Drake isn’t worried about Mahabali Shera.
Video on Shera’s success so far.
TNA World Title Tournament First Round: Mahabali Shera vs. Eli Drake
Josh talks about Shera wanting to make it to the semifinals but the part where he says “in Mumbai, India” is edited out. An early clothesline puts Drake on the floor and it’s time to dance. Back in and Shera shrugs off some kicks to the chest and scores with more clotheslines. Sky High eliminates Drake at 3:12.
Result: Mahabali Shera b. Eli Drake – Sky High (3:12)
Matt Hardy says he’ll win.
TNA World Title Tournament First Round: Bobby Roode vs. Matt Hardy
Feeling out process to start with both guys getting in some low level offense. They head outside with Matt clotheslining the post to give Roode a target back inside. Roode cranks on the arm and grabs a Hennig necksnap but stops to yell at the fans. Is he a heel again? The Crossface doesn’t stay on long and Matt comes back with a Side Effect for two. It’s back to the Crossface but Matt is up again, setting up the Twist of Fate to advance at 6:36.
Result: Matt Hardy b. Bobby Roode – Twist of Fate (6:36)
Drew Galloway is ready.
TNA World Title Tournament First Round: Awesome Kong vs. Jesse Godderz
The winner gets Matt Hardy. Before the match, Jesse implies that Kong wants to do a different kind of wrestling with him. Jesse puckers up and gets punched in the mouth as Kong starts in a hurry. A splash in the corner crushes Jesse and three straight slams send him to the floor. Godderz says Kong’s one night in Heaven is off so Kong throws him into the steps. Josh isn’t sure if this would be an upset as Kong throws Jesse back inside. Kong misses a splash though and gets rolled up with a handful of trunks for the pin at 3:12.
Result: Jesse Godderz b. Awesome Kong – Rollup with a handful of trunks (3:12)
The announcers recap the night so far.
TNA World Title Tournament First Round: Kenny King vs. Eric Young
The winner gets Tigre Uno. King grabs the arm to start before grabbing a headlock to keep Young in trouble. Back up and Eric sends him to the floor for an attempt at a countout, only to have King do a handstand into a kick to the head from the apron. That earns him a forearm to put him outside again. King realizes that going toe to toe isn’t working so he comes back in with a springboard clothesline and a spinebuster for two. Not that it matters as the piledriver sends Young to the next round at 6:22.
Result: Eric Young b. Kenny King – Piledriver (6:22)
Videos on Lashley and Galloway to set up the main event.
Eric Young yells about being on a crazy tidal wave.
TNA World Title Tournament First Round: Drew Galloway vs. Lashley
The winner gets Shera. Lashley powers him into the corner to start and chokes with his boot as we take an early break. Back with Lashley missing a charge in the corner and getting dropped with a top rope clothesline. Drew sends him shoulder first into the post to weaken the spear, which is the most common strategy used against a power wrestler, even though it almost never works. Back in and Lashley rolls some Germans before a powerslam gets two. Galloway comes back with White Noise and loads up the Claymore, only to run into the spear for the pin at 13:53.
Result: Lashley b. Drew Galloway – Spear (13:53)
Here are the updated brackets:
Ethan Carter III
Davey Richards
Lashley
Mahabali Shera
Tigre Uno
Eric Young
Jesse Godderz
Matt Hardy
A long preview of next week’s round of eight takes us out.
Quick Results
Ethan Carter III b. DJZ – 1%er
Tigre Uno b. Gail Kim – Rollup
Davey Richards b. Bram – Small package
Mahabali Shera b. Eli Drake – Sky High
Matt Hardy b. Bobby Roode – Twist of Fate
Jesse Godderz b. Awesome Kong – Rollup with a handful of trunks
Eric Young b. Kenny King – Piledriver
Lashley b. Drew Galloway – Spear
