411’s TNA Impact Wrestling Report 9.12.13

*****

A video plays showing the final four of the BFG Series arriving to the arena earlier in the day.

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The “No Surrender” video intro focuses on the final four of the BFG Series as expected, with brief comments from the men plus clips of the matches that got them to this point. It then switches gears to hyping the World Title match between Bully Ray and Mr. Anderson (complete with F. Scott Fitzgerald quote!).

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We go live to the arena in St. Louis as Bully Ray makes his way out, his girl Brooke Tessmacher hanging off of him. Ray grabs a mic and says he’s in a very bad mood so it’s in everybody’s best interest to not piss him off. Ray says things within his “family” haven’t been going right as of late but he’s willing to forgive Mr. Anderson because at the end of the day their problems are because of one man: Hulk Hogan.

After a brief “HOGAN!” chant, the nWo Japan theme plays bringing the man himself out, mic already in hand. Hogan mocks Ray for complaining and asks if some idiot just mentioned his name. Hogan welcomes the crowd to “No Surrender” then thanks god that it’s happening RIGHT HERE…in St. Louis (cue the hometown pop). Hogan says by the end of the night we’ll know what the main event of Bound For Glory will be, then turns his attention back to Ray. Hogan tells him that he should worry about defending his title against one of his brothers…brother. Ray once again blames Hogan for the problems in The Aces & Eights and says he knows his brother Ken will do the right thing. Hogan once again tells him to worry about the match once again.

The Aces & Eights Theme kicks up, bringing out Mr. Anderson, mic also in hand. Hogan offers his hand but Anderson blows him off and heads to the ring. Ray tells Hogan to notice how Anderson just didn’t shake his hand or turn his back on him and says the colors of The Aces & Eights are stronger than Hogan will ever be. Ray tells Anderson all he needs to do is apologize. Anderson says he was out of line…and can’t friggin’ wait to get out of line tonight! Anderson decks Ray and says there will be a NEW Heavyweight Champion: Mr. Annnnndersoooooon…wait for it, WAIT FOR IT…Annnnnderssssssson! Hogan wishes Ray luck tonight and announces that their match is now a LAST MAN STANDING MATCH (…brother). The nWo Japan theme kicks back up and Ray yells at Anderson while Hogan lingers in the background.

• THOUGHTS: Bully Ray and Mr. Anderson have been tremendous together and they’ve talked me into being excited for this match. This was a decent enough opening segment, reiterating that Anderson was not going to take a dive, but the added stipulation of “Last Man Standing” didn’t do much for me. Just seems like a lazy excuse for shenanigans and an unnecessary tack-on. Still I can’t wait to see these two go at it.

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Austin Aries makes his way out to the ring for the first BFG Series semi-final match. His opponent, AJ Styles, makes his way out second to his new mash-up theme. This match is next!

• THOUGHTS: TNA is putting their proverbial dick on the table right away. Respect.

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-Commercial Break-

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Match #1: AJ Styles Vs. Austin Aries in a BFG SERIES MATCH (SEMI-FINALS)

After a struggle, Aries backs Styles into the corner and breaks clean when the ref pries them off one another. Dueling chants emanate from the crowd as Aries applies a hammerlock. Styles escapes and applies a wristlock, bring Aries to his knees. Aries rolls through, kips up, and applies a side headlock. Aries attempts a slam but Styles blocks it and gets a back elbow. Aries catches Styles with a dropkick, sending him out to the ramp. Styles stumbles around the ring and Aries catches him with a top-rope axehandle. Aries rolls Styles in and heads back to the top. Styles sidesteps a missile dropkick then hits a dropkick of his own off the Irish whip. Aries bails to the outside himself but rolls in to avoid a slingshot splash. Aries attempts a suicide dive but Styles catches him with a forearm before he can take flight.

Styles rolls back in and stomps the fallen Aries. Styles and Aries exchange corner chops and forearms, Styles winning the shootout. Styles picks Aries up in a Fireman’s carry position but Aries escapes with knee strikes and attempts the Brainbuster. Styles blocks it but gets hit with a running forearm as we go to commercial.

-Commercial Break-

Aries whips Styles into the corner as we come back from break. Styles dodges a corner splash but Aries fights back and attempts another Brainbuster. Styles once again blocks it and attempts a suplex of his own. Aries blocks it and connects with a bionic elbow. Styles fights back with forearms but Aries regains control with more bionic elbows. Aries gets a running head start but runs right into a forearm to the jaw. Aries ducks a clothesline and goes for a crucifix but Styles reverses into a backbreaker suplex for the 1…2…kickout. Aries escapes a Styles Clash but eats a strike and falls to the floor. Styles takes flight and hits Aries with a slingshot bodyblock.

Styles rolls Aries back in and measures him from the apron. Styles goes for a springboard, but Aries pushes him off and he crashes to the floor, the side of his head hitting the apron. The ref quickly checks on him then starts the count. Aries brings Styles to the apron and goes for a suplex but Styles blocks it and tries one of his own. Aries blocks it and tries again, Styles does the same, so Aries settles for a forearm to the jaw. Aries goes for another suicide dive but Styles responds with a springboard clothesline (really off-timed springboard clothesline) for the 1…2…kickout. Styles goes for the Styles Clash but Aries hooks his arms to avoid it and hits a hurricanrana. Aries goes for the corner dropkick but Styles gets the boot up, cracking him in the chest. Styles hits the ropes but runs right into a dropkick. After a couple of reversals, Aries hits the BRAINBUSTER for the 1…2…kickout! Aries quickly applies the LAST CHANCERY but lets go before Styles taps.

Aries rolls Styles over on his back and heads to the top. Styles gets to his feet and cuts him off. Styles climbs to the second rope and Aries boxes the ears, sending him crashing to the mat. Aries sets up for the 450 but lands on his feet when Styles moves out of the way. Aries goes for the corner dropkick again but Styles elevates him onto the top turnbuckle chest-first. Styles follows up with the Pele Kick and climbs to the second rope. Styles hooks it in and connects with a second-rope STYLES CLASH for the 1…2…3!

Winner [via Pinfall]: AJ Styles (14:37)

• MATCH THOUGHTS: Styles and Aries work really well together and once again they put on a really good match. It was a bit slower than anticipated, but I loved the constant counters to each other’s moves as they jockeyed for position the entire match; these two know each other very well and they portrayed that in the story. There were some timing issues, Styles seemed totally out of it for real after cracking his head on the apron, and I’m not a fan of the finish if only for the reason that Styles having to one-up that in the final match is going to be hard, but overall a damn good match. Good start to the show.

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Sting is shown backstage giving Magnus a pep talk. Sting tells Magnus he’s going to be World Champ but Magnus cuts him off. Magnus thanks the Main Event Mafia for everything they’ve said and done. He says he’s sick and tired of being the future and tonight the future is now. Sting and Magnus shake hands then Magnus goes back to getting ready for the match.

• THOUGHTS: “Actually, the Future already happened” – Frankie Kazarian and Chris Sabin.

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-Commercial Break-

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Bobby Roode is at ringside, yelling at Tenay to get this match started already. Magnus makes his way out next.

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Match #2: Magnus Vs. Bobby Roode in a BFG SERIES MATCH (SEMI-FINALS)

Roode attacks Magnus and stomps him down in the corner. Roode whips Magnus into the opposite corner, but Magnus comes running out with a clothesline. Magnus hits a couple of jabs and drops Roode with a European uppercut. Magnus dodges a dropkick attempt from Roode then attempts a cloverleaf, but Roode bails out to the floor instead to regroup. Roode pulls Magnus out and rams him back-first into the apron, following up with a clothesline. Roode sends Magnus face-first into the ring steps then rolls him back into the ring. Roode connects with a knee to the gut and follows up with a backdrop suplex for a 2-count.

Roode connects with a snap suplex and covers again but can only manage 2. Roode chokes Magnus against the middle rope, but Magnus fights back with right hands. Roode responds with a kneelift and a running clothesline for the 1…2…kickout. Roode immediately grabs a rear chinlock to further wear his opponent down. Magnus gets to his feet and fights out but eats a chop. Magnus reverses an Irish whip and eats a kick. Roode ducks a clothesline attempt but Magnus blocks an O’Connor Roll and hits the clothesline on the second attempt. Roode attempts a second-rope splash but Magnus catches him and hits a slam for the 1…2…kickout.

Magnus attempts to tie the legs but Roode fights him off with an eyepoke, following it up with a spinebuster for the 1…2…kickout. Roode plops Magnus on the top turnbuckle and sets up for a second-rope superplex but Magnus fights him off and sends him flying off with a front suplex. Magnus follows it up with the top-rope elbowdrop for the 1…2…kickout. Magnus revs up the crowd and goes for a slam but Roode floats over and rolls him up for the 1…2…kickout. Roode follows up with a Crossface, but Magnus escapes and applies the CLOVERLEAF. Roode struggles to get to the ropes as the crowd goes wild. After a struggle Roode gets to the bottom rope to break the hold and bails to the outside. Magnus immediately throws him back in but Roode kicks the ropes into Magnus’ netherregions as he attempts to get back in the ring. Roode goes for a move but Magnus reverses and rolls Roode up with a bridging pin attempt for the 1…2…3!

Winner [via Pinfall]: Magnus (6:57)

• MATCH THOUGHTS: A surprisingly much quicker match than Styles/Aries, and an entertaining one to boot. Solid stuff from both men despite the anticlimactic finish and I’m more surprised to see Magnus make the finals than you might think. Styles/Magnus is a fresh-ish matchup and I’m pumped to see what they got for the finals.

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-Commercial Break-

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Bobby Roode flips a table out of anger backstage and in comes Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian. Roode says it should be him in the finals and since Hogan screwed them they’re gonna screw Hogan by making sure no one goes to Bound For Glory.

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Hulk Hogan is talking backstage with X-Division Champion Manik, who isn’t wearing the match. Manik says he wants Jeff Hardy and Hogan agrees to it. Dixie Carter comes in and says she really needs to talk to Hogan. Manik leaves and Carter says that Bellator have pulled Rampage Jackson and Tito Ortiz from the show to protect their November 2nd PPV.

• THOUGHTS: So Rampage and Ortiz are gone from TNA for the next couple of months, eh? While most of me is ecstatic about that, there’s a small part of me that’s a little annoyed by it since they’ve invested a bunch of time in getting them involved with big angles. Now they are a nothing entity heading into their biggest show of the year. Bellator ends up being the only one who benefits from the partnership.

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Bully Ray is backstage with The Aces & Eights (sans Mr. Anderson). Ray says he can’t believe the disrespect going on in his club. Ray tells Knux, Bischoff, and Brisco that he thinks they’re happy that Anderson threw away the hammer and drilled him in the mouth at the opening of the show. Ray says he thinks they want Anderson to be their President, and Ray cannot believe it. Ray says he put this club together for “us” and Anderson has done nothing. Ray asks them point blank if they want Anderson as their Prez and World Champ and they keep a poker-ish face about it. Ray says he knows they’ll do the right thing tonight and says he loves every single one of them. Ray takes Brisco’s Top Gun shades off and says he hopes they feel the same about him before walking off.

• THOUGHTS: I dig the intrigue. Given the fact TNA likes to shake things up, whether it’s good or bad, I’m up in the air on who’s going to win the World Title match tonight. Ray should win but you never know.

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-Commercial Break-

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STORYLINE RECAP: The friendship/rift between Bully Ray and Mr. Anderson.

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Mr. Anderson makes his way out for the next match and the St. Louis crowd goes wild(er than I expected them too, nice). His opponent, TNA World Champion Bully Ray, is out second. No in-ring introductions. Interesting.

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Match #3: Bully Ray (c) [w/ Miss Tessmacher] Vs. Mr. Anderson in a LAST STANDING MATCH for the TNA World Heavyweight Title

Anderson meets Ray on the ramp and they slug it out. Anderson wins that shootout and throws him into the ring. Anderson works Ray over in the corner with a shoulderblock to the midsection then whips him into the opposite side, the impact causing Ray to fall face-first on the canvas. Anderson goes into the full mount and connects with a series of right hands. Anderson tosses Ray out to the floor and they both jaw at Taz before Anderson smashes Ray’s skull into the announce table. Ray puts Christy Hemme in between them, using her as a shield, then tries to run for it. Anderson catches up and repeatedly slugs Ray before sending him face-first into the apron. Ray rakes the eyes to break up the offense and put some distance between them. Ray connects with a right to the skull and sends him running shoulder-first into the steel steps. Ray tells Tessmacher to get him a steel chair then slams Anderson face-first into the ring steps. Ray floors Anderson with a clothesline then poses for the crowd as they boo.

Ray connects with more right hands as Tessmacher comes walking back with a chair. That took longer than it should have. Ray goes to hit Anderson with the chair but Anderson kicks him in the midsection and grabs the steel. Anderson cracks the chair across Ray’s back and connects with more right hands and a forearm across the back. Ray bails into the ring and Anderson slides the chair in. Ray catches Anderson with a right in the corner and heads to the second rope but gets caught with a right. Anderson picks Ray up and hits the rolling senton. The crowd goes nuts as Anderson rolls back to the outside. Anderson yells “ANDERSON! GET THE TABLE!” Anderson slides the table into the ring but walks right into a running big boot to the skull. Ray hits Anderson with the chair and sets the table up in the corner as we go to commercial.

-Commercial Break-
Ray cracks Anderson over the back with a chair as we return from the break. Ray backs the ref into the corner and yells at him, allowing Anderson to regroup. Hebner yells back but gets thrown into the corner and bumped for his troubles. BULLY RAY, YOU HEEL. Ray measures Anderson but Anderson dodges the big boot and hits the MIC CHECK right on the chair. Anderson tries to revive Hebner as the ref half-heartedly counts Ray out. Anderson picks Ray up (wait, why?) and Ray responds with a BULLY CUTTER, sending both men to the mat.

Knux, Wes Brisco, and Garett Bischoff make their way out from the back. They get into the ring and Bischoff helps Anderson up. They feign being on his side, allowing Tessmacher to hit him with a low-blow. Ray and Tessmacher embrace then Ray yells at the Aces & Eights to “DO IT! NOOOOW!” The Aces & Eights connect with a triple powerbomb (OH COME ON) and leave the ring. Hebner revives up and starts the count. Anderson gets up at 9 and the crowd goes wild. Ray yells at Anderson and Anderson responds wtih a series of right hands. Ray pushes Anderson off and connects with a lariat. Ray grabs his chain and wraps it around his fist. Ray connects with a chain-assisted right hand. Hebner counts as we see Anderson bleeding. Hebner continues the count and Anderson ONCE AGAIN GETS UP AT 9 HOLY CRAP.

Anderson stumbles around for a second but Ray spears him through the corner table. This time it was too much and Hebner counts to ten, ending the match.

Winner and STILL World Champion [via Knockout]: Bully Ray (17:25)

• MATCH THOUGHTS: Hands-down one of the best matches TNA has put on this year and possibly the best World Title match this year to boot. Ray and Anderson acted like they wanted to kill one another and put on one hell of a brawl, intense and brutal and dramatic to boot. The final few minutes were amazing with Anderson beating the count twice until finally being put down, making him look like the superstar he hasn’t looked like in years. This was so damn good from a match and storyline perspective that I’ll even ignore the fact The Aces & Eights turned on the wrong guy and used a rip-off move on Anderson to boot. Watch this match everyone. WATCH IT.

POST-MATCH: The medical team put a neck brace on Anderson and start to wheel him out on a stretcher. Ray shoos the medical team away and grabs the stretcher, flipping it over. Ray takes Andeson’s neck brace off then removes the kutte and whips him with it. Ray picks Anderson up and connects with a piledriver on the ramp. Ray says “I’m Bully Ray, I’m the World Heavyweight Champion, and I’m the guy that just took you out!”. Ray poses over the fallen Anderson with his World Title as we go to commercial.

• THOUGHTS: A great exclamation to a great match. Loved it.

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-Commercial Break-

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After announcing James/ODB for the Knockouts Title next week, we go to a video of ODB hyping it up. ODB says she’s been training really hard and will see her next week BOOOOOM.

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The Tag Team Champs, James Storm & Gunner, are in the ring. Storm name-drops the city for some cheers then says he can’t help but think there are a lot of beer drinkers in this place tonight. Storm says Gunner wants to fight so all they need are some opponents. They tell the people backstage to shut up, man up, and drink up.

The team of Chavo Guerrero Jr. and Hernandez answer their call. Guerrero says Storm is a great tag team wrestler and is one-half of one of the greatest tag teams of all-time. Guerrero says not THE greatest tag team of all-time though because that belongs to whatever team Guerrero is apart of. Guerrero then puts over Gunner, saying he’s one of the strongest guys in TNA but not THE strongest guy because that’s Hernandez. Guerrero says that if there’s a match between he and Hernandez against Storm and Gunner, then he thinks GunStorm’s losing streak would continue. Storm goes to retort but Gunner takes the mic instead. Gunner says Storm likes to drink and listen to Johnny Cash while he likes to fight. He challenges Guerrero & Hernandez for next week in a non-title match (if Hern-Avo win they get a title match) then says if they stick their nose in their business again he’ll bash their skulls in with the tag team title belt.

• THOUGHTS: I liked Guerrero not so subtly mocking GunStorm but outside of that I have no interest in seeing these two teams wrestle. At all. Ever. Not even if my life depended on it. Also Gunner threatening them for getting into GunStorm’s business was stupid since they, you know, WERE CALLING PEOPLE OUT TWO SECONDS BEFOREHAND. Whatever. Moving on.

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-Commercial Break-

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Magnus makes his way out for the main event, the finals of the BFG Series. The St. Louis crowd goes absolutely insane. His opponent, AJ Styles, makes his way out second. Jeremy Borash handles the in-ring introductions.

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Main Event: AJ Styles Vs. Magnus in a BOUND FOR GLORY SERIES MATCH (FINALS)

Styles and Magnus lock up but that quickly ends in a stalemate. Magnus backs Styles into the corner and breaks clean. Styles grabs a waistlock and transitions into a side headlock. Magnus attempts to escape with a back suplex but Styles keeps hold and takes him down with the headlock. Magnus attempts an Irish whip but Styles hangs on. Styles uses the corner to launch up for an extra oomph to his side headlock takedown. Styles tries again but Magnus counters with a backdrop suplex and covers for 1. Magnus applies a rear chinlock. Styles escapes but runs right into a back bodydrop and Magnus covers for 1. Magnus whips Styles into the corner but misses the corner splash, crashing right into the middle turnbuckle thanks to a drop toehold.

Styles brings Magnus to the mat with a snapmare and kicks him in the back. Styles works Magnus over in the corner, but Magnus fights back with right hands of his own. Styles reverses an Irish whip but gets kicked off a backdrop attempt. Styles responds with a running forearm but misses a kneedrop. Styles walks right into a bodyslam but Magnus misses the follow-up elbowdrop. Styles rolls Magnus up with a small package for the 1…2…kickout. In come E.G.O. (Daniels, Kazarian, Roode) to take both men down. They lay both men out then pose as more referees come out to try to get them out of the ring. E.G.O. is kicked out from ringside as both men are out cold and we go to commercial.

-Commercial Break-

This match is apparently continuing as Magnus and Styles fight in the center of the ring. Magnus connects with a European uppercut but Styles responds with a kick. Both men get up at the count of 9, and Styles goes on the offense with a clothesline, elbow, and spinning back kick. Styles gets floated to the apron and goes for a springboard clothesline but Magnus connects with a strike and hits a Michinoku Driver for the 1…2…kickout! Magnus powers out of a submission and goes for a power bomb but Styles rolls through and rolls him up for the 1…2…kickout. Styles connects with a Pele Kick and pins Magnus again for the 1…2…kickout.

After a brief tussle, Styles locks in the CALF KILLER and Magnus fights the pain, crawling to the ropes and eventually forcing the break. Magnus bails to the corner and Styles hits a flying clothesline. Magnus ducks a spin kick and connects with a spinebuster slam for the 1…2…kickout. Magnus crotches Styles on the top turnbuckle strut and goes for a second-rope superplex but gets sent to the mat. Magnus comes right back and connects with a forearm but Styles once again fights him off. Magnus goes back Styles with a right hand and climbs to the second turnbuckle again. Styles hits a series of rapid-fire shots, knocking him to the mat. Styles connects with SPIRAL TAP for the 1…2…3!

Winner and the 2013 BFG Series Champ [via Pinfall]: AJ Styles (Time Not Recorded Due to EGO Interference)

• MATCH THOUGHTS: So EGO promised earlier that they were going to mess things up in the BFG Series final match. Considering that their interference was totally no-sold by everyone (the match wasn’t stopped, both guys recovered just fine), I would say that was a complete failure, plus a wholly unnecessary clusterfuck to boot. But once they were booted from the ringside area, Styles and Magnus had a really damn good match that ended in a move that I never expected Styles to ever hit again. Useless interference aside, it was a tremendous match to end a tremendous show, and a legitimately exciting moment to boot.

POST-MATCH: After a brief celebration, Styles grabs a mic. Styles says he couldn’t have done it without the fans. Styles says that he’s been hearing from a lot of people lately, but one person he hasn’t heard from is Dixie Carter herself. Styles tells Carter to show up next week so he can point out the biggest mistake TNA has made in their 11 year history. Styles says this is Carter’s wake-up call then drops the mic. Styles poses to end the show.

• THOUGHTS: Yeah AJ you totally couldn’t do it without the fans that you turned your back on when you were Lone Wolf-ing it and doing just fine in the BFG Series. Okay. Styles calling out Dixie Carter for some “real talk” next week doesn’t interest me at all but I’m going to give it a chance. I’m on such a high from this great show that not even their attempts to make Styles into a CM Punk-style “pipe bomb” guy can ruin it. Bully/Styles for the World Title is worth paying money for.

*****

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS: Best Impact of the year thus far and the best “free PPV” they have put on. Styles delivered in both of his matches, with the main event (EGO clusterfuck aside) being a great and dramatic end to what had been a wonky BFG Series. Ray and Anderson may not have been great in terms of wrestling, but the story they told was tremendous and it was easily the match of the night. Magnus/Roode was okay but the noticable weak point wrestling-wise and the GunStorm/Chernandez confrontation was just dead air, but that takes away from nothing. TNA promised a great show tonight and they delivered in all of the ways you can hope for. The road to Bound For Glory has begun and I’m ready for the ride.

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When Jon isn’t covering Impact (almost) every Thursday for 411 he can be found writing about the BUS-A-NESS on his own site Pro Wrestling Update and in 140 characters or less on Twitter.