TNA Impact Wrestling Results – November 18, 2015

Josh and Pope run down the three people who have already advanced to the round of 16 (Matt Hardy, Ethan Carter III, and Gail Kim), then they go over tonight’s matches before sending us to the ring for the final match in Group Knockouts!

World Title Series – Group Knockouts: Awesome Kong vs Brooke Tessmacher

Brooke uses her speed to evade Kong’s grasp early on, but it’s not long before Kong gets ahold of her and Beells her across the ring by the hair. She cranks on Brooke’s injured fingers (which is technically illegal), then knocks Brooke to the floor with a big right hand to the ribs. Brooke rolls back inside and gives Kong a finger (the injured one, which is blurred out), but Kong is not amused and hammers her again. Brooke tries a crossbody, and Kong catches her and casually slams her to the mat. Brooke dropkicks Kong’s legs out from under her and gets a pretty innovative bridging sleeper, but Kong is too big to hold down and quickly escapes. Brooke goes to the top and Kong gets her in a fireman’s carry and hits an AA, but Brooke rolls away from a splash and again swoops in with a flurry of offense while Kong is down and covers for another 2. Brooke tries a back suplex, but Kong shifts her weight and comes down right on top of her, then chokeslams Brooke into next week and covers for the win.

Winner: Awesome Kong

Brooke trying to suplex Kong was a really bad idea, and now Kong has cemented her spot in the round of 16.

Josh and Pope reveal that we’ll see the beginnings of the round of 16 bracket next week, then we go to a side-by-side interview with Matt Hardy and Ethan Carter III, who are both Skyping in from home. Matt says he swept the toughest group in the entire tournament, and he used the Matt Hardy Formula to fight his way to victory. EC3 can’t believe he has to share screen time with Matt, and it’s all well and good that Matt won a group of tag team specialists, but he got through a group full of World Champions, and this tournament isn’t over until he wins. Pope asks who each man wants to face in the round of 16, and Matt says he wants and needs to face EC3 at some point in the tournament since this whole thing is about them. EC3 ruined the greatest night of his career, and he knows they’ll see each other again at some point in the tournament, and there won’t be any Jeff or controversy, but he’ll take EC3’s title again, he’ll take his undefeated streak, and if EC3 isn’t careful, he’ll take his career. EC3 says Matt, Jeff, his old man, his entire family, it was all part of a conspiracy to get the title away from him, and it doesn’t matter where in the tournament they meet, he’ll get his vengeance. Josh says Matt is the favorite to win, but EC3 takes issue with that because of all his accomplishments. Everything he touches turns to fire, and he’ll see Matt Hardy never. EC3 gets up and walks off to end the interview.

Eric Young is backstage and says tonight is James Storm’s last chance and the best thing he can do is not show up. If Storm comes into that ring, Young will hurt him. He warned Storm not to show up, and there was a time he would have lost sleep over facing Storm, but Storm is a shadow of his former self and he’ll find out firsthand what Eric Young is tonight.

World Title Series – Group X Division: Tigre Uno vs Manuk

They get off to a quick start, with Tigre quickly knocking Manik to the floor. Tigre goes to the apron and Manik trips him, then suplexes the greatest X Division Champion of all time on the entry ramp. Tigre barely beats the count, so Manik catches him with a quick double axhandle for 2. Manik is in complete control, yanking on Tigre’s mask and hitting a series of suplexes for 2. Tigre finally gets some offense in when Manik misses a charge in the corner, but Manik hits the double armbar lungblower for 2. Manik goes to the top, Tigre dropkicks him off, then hits a weird fallaway slam, a charging dropkick in the corner, and a twisting senton splash for the win.

Winner: Tigre Uno

Just what I was afraid of: a three way tie. Well, guess now we’ll have to have some kind of playoff to see which one of them doesn’t make it.

We see a video package seeing how we got to the do or die matches in Group TNA Originals, and Storm vs Young is up next!

Okay, we’re back and Josh and Pope inform us that next week, three will be a three way elimination match between DJ Z, Manik, and Tigre Uno. The winner of the first fall leaves and the other two continue on until a second pinfall happens, and whoever loses that fall is out and the other two move on.

We see a video package of Bobby Roode cutting a promo on Abyss and saying that nothing drives him more than winning a World Title, and he’ll do whatever he needs to do to become the TNA World Champion again.

World Title Series – Group TNA Originals: Eric Young vs James Storm

Young jumps Storm before the bell and puts the boots to him in the corner, then hits a back elbow as we go to commercial.

We’re back and Young is still working Storm over. The fans chant “please don’t go” at Storm as he fights his way out of a chinlock, Young backdrops Storm to the apron, hits an enziguiri, and comes back in with a running neckbreaker and Closing Time. Storm sets up for the Last Call, Young ducks it and goes for a piledriver, Storm backdrops out and gets the Eye of the Storm for 2. Young rolls Storm up with his feet on the ropes, but the referee stops counting when he catches Young. Storm hits another Closing Time and a lungblower, he sets up for the Last Call again, Young pulls the referee in front of him, kicks Storm in the ding ding, and hits the piledriver to score the win and close out James Storm’s TNA career.

Winner: Eric Young

Pretty good match for Storm to go out on, and everyone knows how sorry I am to see him go, but hopefully he’s on to better things if things pan out with NXT.

Josh and Pope go back to Matt Hardy, who says this thing between EC3 and himself has gotten extremely personal. EC3 has disrespected his entire family, and there’s nothing he likes better than taking haters like EC3 and jamming his words back down his throat. He did that when he took the TNA World Title at Bound For Glory, and he knows that night dogs EC3 every day and night. EC3 wonders if Matt Hardy is the guy, and Matt assures him that he is the guy who will win their feud and take the TNA World Title. Matt swept his group, but now he can’t allow any losses going forward, and he gave up the title knowing he could regain it. He wanted to set an example for his son and everyone else when he handed that title back, and he is more confident than ever, and if he has to win seven matches straight to prove he is the best wrestler in the world, that’s what he’s going to do. He’s going to win the title because nobody can stop him, and when Josh asks him to pick a winner between Roode and Abyss, and Matt says he has to go with Roode because he’s the cornerstone of Impact Wrestling. He’d love to face Roode at some point in the tournament, and if he’s up to beating Bobby Roode, he knows he can beat anyone.

World Title Series – Group Wildcard: Mahabali Shera vs Aiden O’Shea

Shera frustrates O’Shea by stalling a bunch and O’Shea finally has enough and pummels the crap out of Shera. O’Shea yells at Shera and slaps him around, but Shera slams him off the top rope, hits another big slam, and finishes with the Sky High.

Winner: Mahabali Shera

Shera sweeps Group Wildcard, which scares the crap out of me because it’s looking more and more like he’s winning the TNA World Title in a month or so.

Eric Young is backstage saying that people have told him he can’t for his entire life, but he’s been winning and proving them wrong. He has the eyes of a winner, a man who advanced in the tournament, and he’s never going to stop winning and taking as long as he draws breath.

World Title Series – Group Future 4: Eli Drake vs Crimson

Crimson completely manhandles Drake early on, Drake gets the advantage going after Crimson’s shoulder, and Ethan Carter III (who apparently has the ability to cut into a television broadcast at will) pops up on screen and says he’s ready for his interview. Josh says they’re in the middle of a match, and EC3 goes away as Crimson starts to mount a comeback. Drake goes back to the shoulder, hitting a shoulderbreaker and locking Crimson in a top wristlock to force the tapout.

Winner: Eli Drake

Drake is in the round of 16, and Crimson is done, dude.

We finally get back to the interview with Ethan Carter III, and EC3 asks Josh how he’d feel if the thing most important in the world to him was taken away. He wasn’t wrestling tomato cans, he’s been going through the best there is. He’s not okay, but he will be when he beats Matt Hardy and kicks his ass out of the World Title Series. Josh asks EC3 if he’s obsessed with Matt Hardy. EC3 laughs it off and says of course he’s taking it personally, but he’s not obsessed with Matt Hardy. He’s obsessed with beating him, making sure he never wrestles again, and getting this blemish off his record forever. Josh asks EC3 who he thinks will win between Aries and Lashley next week, and EC3 isn’t impressed with either of them. Whoever the winner is will join him in the round of 16, but EC3 says he’s going to go through each round before his possession comes back to him.

Josh and Pope make their predictions for the remaining group play matches, and then it’s MAIN EVENT TIME!

World Title Series – Group TNA Originals: Bobby Roode vs Abyss

Roode has trouble early on as Abyss easily overpowers him, but Roode comes back after him like a man possessed. Abyss floors him with one big clothesline, then flattens Roode with a splash in the corner. Roode slips out of a chokeslam and kicks at Abyss’ legs, but Abyss comes right back with a side suplex as we go to commercial.

We come back as Roode and Abyss brawl on the floor, and Abyss whips Roode right into the ring steps. Abyss brings a chair into the ring and wedges it in the corner, and the referee is busy trying to remove it when Roode rolls Abyss up with a schoolboy, and isn’t in position to make the count. The five minute countdown starts as Roode mounts a comeback, finally taking Abyss off his feet with a flying clothesline. Abyss dodges a corner charge, but Roode hits a blockbuster for 2. Abyss charges Roode in the corner, but Roode moves and Abyss goes into the chair. Roode goes for a chokeslam, Abyss shrugs him off, and Roode gets a crippler crossface right in the middle of the ring. Abyss makes the ropes, fights his way out of a Roode Bomb attempt, and chokeslams Roode for 2. Abyss goes back to the floor and grabs Janice from under the ring, he takes a swing and, as usual, plants her in the top turnbuckle when Roode moves out of the way. Roode hits a spinebuster and scores the win to advance.

Winner: Bobby Roode

Roode advances, and Group TNA Knockouts is done. Good show, and thanks to both James Storm and Brooke Tessmacher for everything they’ve contributed to this company over the years.

(Source: PWInsider)