Results
- Zachary Wentz def. Trey Miguel & Cedric Alexander (Three-Way) (Pre-show) (8:02)
- JDC, Eddie Edwards & Brian Myers def. Jason Hotch, John Skyler & Agent Zero (4:29)
- Lei Ying Lee & Kelani Jordan def. Xia Brookside, Jody Threat, Lili La Pescadita, Dani Luna, Heather By Elegance, M By Elegance, Cassie Lee & Jessie McKay (Battle Royal, Match Ends With Final Two Remaining) (4:47)
- Matt Cardona & The Home Town Man def. Nic Nemeth & Ryan Nemeth (6:26)
- Mike Santana def. Ridge Holland (7:59)
- Mustafa Ali def. Moose (12:27)
- Joe Hendry def. Eric Young (11:21)
- Matt Hardy def. AJ Francis (Tables Match) (9:43)
- Kelani Jordan def. Lei Ying Lee (Vacant TNA Knockouts World Championship) (15:14)
- Frankie Kazarian def. Steve Maclin (TNA International Championship) (15:36)
- Leon Slater def. Myron Reed (TNA X-Division Championship) (13:48)
Zachary Wentz prevails in fast-paced pre-show three-way
TNA Victory Road at the Edmonton Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, got started with a short 30-minute pre-show. The sole match on the free portion was a solid tone-setting opener, as Cedric Alexander faced off against Zachary Wentz and Trey Miguel of The Rascalz in a fast-paced three-way.
Similar to when DX faced John Cena in a three-way, Miguel wiped out Wentz with a Superkick just seconds into the match. There was a fun moment a minute later, where Wentz tricked Miguel into thinking they were back to working as a team before wiping him out.
The men traded tope suicidas in the second minute, an exchange that ended after Wentz reversed an attempt from Miguel, catching him coming through the ropes with a cutter. A minute later, Alexander scored an impressive German Suplex onto both Wentz and Miguel at the same time.
Wentz got a near fall onto Alexander after a knee strike, then a Corkscrew off the middle turnbuckle. Moments later, Alexander nailed him with a nice Falcon Arrow for a two-count of his own.
Miguel, the first of the night to do a Canadian tribute, locked in a Sharpshooter on Alexander, a submission eventually broken up by a Swanton Bomb off the top from Wentz. Following up on this, Wentz came off the top with a UFO Cutter to Alexander, giving him the clean pinfall win. A fast, hectic opener, what I expected from this opener and a solid way to start the show.
A backstage interview with Steve Maclin was interrupted by AAA’s El Mesias, who went face-to-face with him briefly.
Matt Hardy takes a beating on First Class Penthouse
Before the main card got started, AJ Francis hosted an episode of the First Class Penthouse in the ring.
After defending TNA World Champion Trick Williams, then talking about why he deserves more credit for his accomplishments, Francis decided he was going to turn his show into a live listening part for his new album, “Dear Summer.” Instead, Matt Hardy, his announced guest for this week, came to the ring.
Francis started grilling Hardy about his upcoming tag match against Team 3D, saying First Class should be in that upcoming Bound For Glory match. After Hardy went through the two teams’ credentials, Francis threatened to give Hardy an ass-whopping tonight.
Hardy called on Francis to try and kick him out of the ring, so he did. After a quick back and forth, Francis hit Hardy in the head with a big boot, then slammed him through a table they had in the ring. That was the end of the segment.
The System open card with quick impromptu win
Before the main card went live, The System, with the returning JDC, came to the ring. While The System is set to face Order Four at Bound For Glory, they want a piece of them tonight.
Santino Marella came to the ring to announce that, if Matt Hardy is cleared, he’ll face AJ Francis tonight. Also, he announced that The System will face Order Four… next! Main card starts now.
So, in a preview of the Hardcore War match we’ll see at Bound For Glory, we saw Order Four’s Special Agent Zero, John Skyler and Jason Hotch faced The System’s JDC, Brian Myers and Eddie Edwards.
This was the first in-ring appearance for Agent Zero, who has been a major part of Order Four in recent weeks but mainly as a ringside character. This was a very fast win for The System, with JDC scoring a top-rope legdrop onto Hotch for the pinfall win in just under four minutes. This was JDC’s first on-screen appearance since late July. We’ll see more System vs. O4 action later when Mustafa Ali and Moose face off.
Ash By Elegance says she is ‘stepping away from in-ring competition,’ relinquishes Knockouts World Championship
After the show went through its official opening, TNA Knockouts World Champion Ash By Elegance came to the ring for an announcement. Santino Marella and Carlos Silva joined her for this announcement.
Ash, clearly emotional, said that life has thrown her some “curveballs,” which have prevented her from continuing her goal of making a name for herself in TNA.
“I’m no longer able to compete and do what I love to do,” Ash said. “So with that being said, I’m stepping away from in-ring competition. And with a heavy heart, I have to forfeit this title.”
Ash noted that she is confident that the Knockouts division will continue to be strong without her. Then, she directed her attention to the fans: “You guys gave me the best moments of my entire life. So thank you, and I’ll miss you.”
A tearful Ash handed her TNA Knockouts World Championship away and walked to the back as the crowd applauded. Marella also announced another change to tonight’s card: The Knockouts World Tag Team Championship match between The Elegance Brand and The IInspiration is off, and instead will take place at this week’s TNA tapings.
Replacing it, TNA will crown a new world champion with a pair of bouts: A battle royal will take place, with the final two wrestlers in the match facing off later tonight in a singles bout for the title.
Kelani Jordan, Lei Ying Lee to face off for vacant Knockouts belt
The aforementioned battle royal was next, with the final two entrants in the field being advanced to a title fight later this evening. Among the entrants in the match was, surprisingly, NXT’s Kelani Jordan.
Early exits in the match included: Xia Brookside, Jody Threat, Lili La Pescadita, and Dani Luna. The now-upcoming Knockouts World Tag Team Championships opponents, The Elegance Brand and The IInspiration, faced off in the ring and threatened to throw each other out.
Capitalizing on the battle between these two were Lei Ying Lee and Jordan, who flipped the tag duos to the floor. This left just Lee and Jordan in the ring, calling an end to the match and meaning that they’ll be facing off later tonight. They fought briefly before being informed that the match had come to an end. There’s much more fighting between them set for later tonight.
Matt Cardona, Home Town Man overcome The Nemeths
The next matchup of the night saw Edmonton’s own Home Town Man, who may or may not be Cody Deaner, team up with Matt Cardona to fight Ryan and Nic Nemeth.
As this match was in its early minutes, the broadcast notified us that Joe Hendry was attacked backstage.
Cardona got a hot tag against Nic a few minutes in, putting together a series of moves, including an Unpretty-Her, giving him a near fall. He connected with a Radio Silence, but was dropped by a high-angle DDT from Ryan just moments later.
Cardona avoided a double-team move from the Nemeths and tagged Home Town Man back in, who came off the top with a crossbody onto both of his opponents. Nemeths avoided a double Sliced Bread, instead taking down the Home Town Man with a Hart Attack double-team move.
Ryan, trying to get heat from the crowd, started to set up for the second Sharpshooter of the night (it’s a homage if a babyface does it, it’s heat if a heel does it). As Cardona dragged Nic out of the ring, Home Town Man avoided the submission and instead rolled up Ryan for the pinfall win in six minutes.
The Nemeths unleashed a post-match attack, bitter about their loss. After taking out Cardona, they set their sights on the Home Town Man, unmasking him. The heel duo walked out with HTM’s mask as the segment came to a close.
Mike Santana takes down Ridge Holland, but gets taken out by Trick Williams afterward
The next match saw Mike Santana continue his road toward a Bound For Glory world title shot, taking on NXT’s Ridge Holland. We learned recently that Holland was enlisted by TNA champ Trick Williams to weaken Santana, potentially rewarding him with a title shot down the line if successful.
Santana got the jump on Holland in the opening minute, attacking him before the bell. Holland regained control at ringside, catching a dive from Santana off the steel stairs for a slam. Back in the ring, he got a two-count after a Falcon Arrow.
Santana started to regain momentum in the ring, coming off the middle turnbuckle with a crossbody. Santana came running off the ropes, but ate a huge powerslam from Holland – it was hard for Santana to get going against the huge Holland.
Holland tried for a Redeemer DDT, but Santana escaped by instead connecting with a back bodydrop. Santana kept rallying back into the fight with a trio of clotheslines, then later an awesome-looking Death Valley Driver for a near fall.
Santana tried for his Spin The Block finisher, instead settling for a Rolling Buck 50 after Holland reversed a move. After a two-count, Santana hit a big cannonball splash in the corner, then a superplex. He tried to continue for a second suplex (possibly a Three Amigos?), but Holland instead reversed into a huge powerslam.
The two had a fast-paced series of reversals in the center of the ring, an exchange that concluded after Santana caught Holland coming off the ropes with his Spin The Block finisher, earning him a pinfall win in just under eight minutes. Fun match to build up Santana here.
The music of TNA Champion Williams hit afterward. Williams came from the crowd, attempting to catch Santana off guard. While Santana was able to catch Williams coming into the ring, a grounded Holland grabbing his leg distracted him, and allowed Williams to drop him with a title shot to the head. In an unannounced appearance, Williams sent a statement to his Bound For Glory opponent.
A backstage segment showed Matt Hardy getting cleared to compete tonight. It seems likely that we’ll get him versus AJ Francis later.
Mustafa Ali finds a way to earn interference win despite no Order Four
In a continuation of the recent feud between Order Four and The System, Moose and Mustafa Ali faced off in a singles bout next. Many matchups between these teams have been clouded by dusty finishes, but we were led to believe tonight could be a clean bout between these two, as both wrestlers’ groups were banned from ringside.
Ali rolled out of the ring early to taunt the crowd, but ate a huge front kick from Moose after turning around. Moose scored another big move a minute later, putting Ali on the top rope, then dropkicking him to the outside.
Moose teased powerbombing Ali onto the steel stairs, but Ali escaped and connected with a DDT onto the floor. Back in the ring, Ali got a two-count from a rolling neckbreaker. Moose tried to chokeslam Ali off the top rope, but Ali reversed it into a hurricanrana.
Moose rolled out of the ring after the move, but Ali chased after him with a tope suicida. Back in the ring, Ali tried for a 450 Splash but came up empty. Once back up to his feet, Moose took down Ali with a uranage and then a senton.
Moose turned Ali inside out with a nasty clothesline and tried to follow up with a powerbomb, but Ali reversed into a Canadian Destroyer for a two-count. Ali tried to come off the top with a move, but Moose instead caught him for his Go To Hell powerbomb, earning him a very close near fall.
The much smaller Ali showcased his power after a series of reversals, lifting Moose up for a suplex. Moose dodged a move from Ali and came running off the ropes with a spear. He went for the pin and seemed to be en route to a victory, but the referee noticed Ali’s foot on the bottom rope, breaking the pin.
Moose started to sprint around the ring, setting up for a pounce onto Ali. However, Ali saw him coming and countered this attempt into a back bodydrop, sending Moose crashing back-first onto a steel staircase – really hard bump.
Ali rolled Moose back into the ring and connected with a 450 Splash, but Moose was able to kick out! Both guys had thrown a lot at each other by this point. Moose started to power up while taking punches from Ali.
Ali came out of the corner with a cutter attempt, but ate a headbutt from Moose in mid-air. While Ali avoided a spear, a series of roll-up attempts ended with Moose catching him with a powerbomb for another near fall.
Three women who were part of Ali’s entrance marched down to the ring and got onto the apron. They weren’t technically part of Order Four, so they weren’t banned from ringside. As one distracted the referee, another came into the ring and gave Moose a low blow. So, maybe the idea of no run-ins was a little optimistic. Ali hit a dropkick, then came off the top with another 450 Splash for the pinfall win in 12 minutes.
Joe Hendry overcomes backstage attack, powers through pain to beat Eric Young
Eric Young, thus far unsuccessful in “cleansing” the TNA roster, attempted to continue his campaign in the next segment with a match against Joe Hendry.
Young came to the ring to celebrate that Hendry possibly wasn’t able to compete after getting attacked backstage earlier in the night, saying that he was expecting a forfeit. But, after he said his name, he appeared. While beaten up from an attack earlier in the night, Hendry was still ready to fight.
Hendry charged down the ramp, and the match started immediately. The former world champ had tons of momentum early, at one point tossing Young over the top rope and to the outside.
Young found his way back into the fight after putting the referee in-between him and Hendry. This slight pause allowed him to catch Hendry with a punch, then connect with a DDT.
Hendry spent minutes teasing a comeback against Young, who kept him in submissions. He eventually worked his way out of a hold from Young with a suplex, kicking off a comeback for the TNA star.
Hendry scored his fallaway slam, then started to build toward his Standing Ovation finisher. Young escaped the finisher, but didn’t regain control of the fight: Hendry followed up with a shoulder tackle and an Olympic Slam for a two-count.
The match went to the top rope, where Young knocked down Hendry by biting his head. Young came off the top with an elbow drop, but it wasn’t enough to put away Hendry. Hendry sent Young into the ropes and tried for a move, but Young reversed it into a piledriver. Again, the tough Hendry kicked out.
Young got in the face of the referee, blocking his vision and allowing him to hit Hendry with a low blow. As Hendry was down and out, Young tossed a pair of steel chairs into the ring. However, Travis Williams and Judas Icarus, former allies of Young, came down the ramp and gave him pause before re-entering the ring.
This delay gave Hendry just enough time to regain himself, catching Young for a Standing Ovation onto a steel chair for the pinfall in 11 minutes.
Matt Hardy gets revenge aganst AJ Francis in tables match
In the final non-title bout of the night, AJ Francis faced off against Matt Hardy. This matchup was booked after Francis and Hardy got into a confrontation during the pre-show, a fight that ended with Hardy getting put through a table.
As Hardy came to the ring, he had an announcement: He would get his revenge by facing Francis in a tables match!
Francis tried to spear Hardy through a table set up in a corner of the ring. Hardy eventually dodged a move from Francis, sending the heel through a table, but since it wasn’t a move directly carried out by Hardy, the match continued (no Big Show accidentally stepping on a table finish was going to happen here).
Hardy put a chair around the neck of Francis and tried for a special Twist of Fate. But, instead, Francis used the legs of the chair as a weapon while they were wrapped around his neck. Francis was sent face-first onto the set-up chair after getting tripped by Hardy. Francis got a spot with the chair too, throwing it at Hardy’s head moments later.
Francis teased a moonsault onto Hardy but was instead struck in the back with a chair a few times, then hit with a Side Effect off the middle turnbuckle.
Hardy went to grab a second table and set it up at ringside. By the time he went back in the ring, Francis was able to attack him to get back into the match. The roles got reversed for a similar spot seconds later: Francis grabbed Matt’s tag title and flaunted it around the ring. By the time he got back into the ring, Hardy was ready to hit him with a Twist of Fate.
Hardy sent Francis out of the ring by striking him with his tag title. He then brought him over to the table set up at ringside, then came off the top and to the outside with a leg drop through the table, giving him the win in just under 10 minutes.
NXT’s Kelani Jordan captures TNA Knockouts World Championship
In a match we didn’t know was going to happen a little over an hour prior, NXT’s Kelani Jordan and Lei Ying Lee faced off for the vacant TNA Knockouts World Championship. Indi Hartwell, who will challenge for the title at Bound For Glory, was the special guest referee for this match.
Lee and Jordan had a fun exchange of roll-up pin attempts early on, a fast series of counters from both. Both Jordan and Lee nearly ran into Hartwell at one point, distracting them both briefly. Jordan capitalized on her distraction spot with a great Northern Lights Suplex for a two-count.
The fight went to the top rope at the seven-minute mark, where Lee took down Jordan with a massive hurricanrana. Jordan and Lee fought back up to their feet, where they traded blows. This exchange was won by Lee, who scored machine gun chops then put together a series of hard kicks and punches, including a low dropkick, for a two-count.
Jordan escaped a move from Lee then scored a thrust kick. Lee countered a move from Jordan into a Blue Thunder Bomb, giving her a two-count. The fight went to ringside, where Jordan tried to come off the ring apron with a hurricanrana, but Jordan was not able to get much rotation on the move, instead landing flat on her back – tough error.
Jordan threw Lee into the ropes, then connected with a back elbow. She tried for a head kick to follow up, but Lee caught the strike and transitioned the strike into a crossface. Jordan was able to eventually escape the move with a roll-up attempt.
Jordan slammed Lee face-first onto the mat, then came off the top with a great looking Five-Star Frogsplash, but Lee kicked out.
Jordan tried for a One of a Kind out of the corner, but Lee avoided the move. Instead, it was referee Hartwell who got caught in the crossfire. Lee scored her Thunderstruck spinning heel kick and went for the pin, but a hurt Hartwell wasn’t there to count. Hartwell eventually woke up from the attack, but by the time she started to count, Jordan came to her senses again and kicked out.
Lee tried to pick up Jordan for a facebuster, but fatigue prevented her from hitting the move. After some reversals, Jordan caught Lee with a stunner while hitting the splits. This flashy move set her up to come off the top with a second One of a Kind, this time hitting her intended target.
Jordan earned the pinfall win in 15 minutes, a heartbreaking loss for Lee and another belt back in the hands of NXT. That also means we’ll see Jordan vs. Hartwell for the title at Bound For Glory next month.
El Mesias distracts Steve Maclin, helping Frankie Kazarian capture TNA International Championship
In the co-main event of the night, TNA International Champion Steve Maclin looked to defend his title against Frankie Kazarian. Maclin and Kazarian had a heated feud in the weeks leading up to this bout, with Kazarian calling into question the champ’s military credentials, making it personal.
Maclin had a hot start to the match early on, chipping away at Kazarian with moves in the ring. However, a lot of his momentum was lost after Kazarian dodged a tope suicida at ringside, causing the champ to land hard on the ground. Maclin started to bleed around his mouth at this point.
Maclin started to mount his first significant comeback near the 10-minute mark. He scored a near fall after a running knee strike, then a diving headbutt out of the corner. Maclin draped Kazarian upside down in the corner for his trademark spear, but Kazarian was able to get out of the corner with an incredibly crafty cutter, one of the bigger highlights of the match for me.
Maclin took Kazarian out of the corner with a superplex, then followed up with a second suplex onto his knee. Showing his ring IQ, Kazarian rolled to the outside after taking these moves, preventing him from getting pinned.
Kazarian came over the ropes with a DDT onto Maclin for a two-count. The match returned to the corner, where Kazarian tried for a Flux Capacitor off the top. But Maclin knocked Kazarian off the top to avoid the move. He tried for a top-rope diving headbutt, although Kazarian dodged the move.
Kazarian locked in a chicken wing after avoiding the headbutt. Maclin pushed Kazarian out of the ring to escape the choke, then met him at ringside by connecting with a tope suicida. Maclin draped Kazarian in the corner again and was about to try again for his spear, but was distracted by AAA’s El Mesias, who came down to the ring. Mesias and Maclin had a very brief face-to-face during the kick-off show earlier in the night.
Maclin dove to the outside to take out Mesias. This distraction got Kazarian back into the match and was what made him champion just moments later. Kazarian kicked the middle rope as Maclin climbed through, getting the groin. He then scored a Slingshot cutter, earning him the pinfall victory in 15 minutes. Kazarian is the new TNA International Champion.
Leon Slater retains X-Division title in high-flying showdown against Myron Reed
TNA’s X-Division got the main event spotlight of the night, as 20-year-old Leon Slater attempted to defend his title for the fourth time, taking on Rascalz member Myron Reed.
Slater went flying early, wiping out Reed with a crossbody to the outside just three minutes into the match. Reed had a flashy move a couple of minutes later, scoring a quick hurricanrana and transitioning the move into a pin attempt. Slater kicked out at two, but was folded by a huge superkick by Reed just moments later.
Slater dodged a top-rope move from Reed, although after a long chain of reversals, Reed got him with a dropkick. Reed bounced Slater off the top rope for a huge sidewalk slam. Slater caught Reed after another flurry of reversals to score his Utopia Blue Thunder Bomb, earning him a two-count.
Reed came off the middle rope with what looked like a cutter attempt, but Slater countered by scoring a nasty front kick in mid-air. This shot sent Reed tumbling out of the ring, causing Slater to go flying over a corner ringpost and over to Reed, an impressive dive as always.
Slater brought Reed back into the ring and tried for a Swanton 450, but Reed escaped. Slater connected with a huge leg lariat. A series of reversals sent them both to ringside, where Reed scored a Stundog Millionaire – really great exchange here, the crowd was waking up as these two continued to cook.
Slater dodged a top-rope move from Reed, rolling to the ring apron. But one of Reed’s most famous moves is where he comes diving over the rope and connects with the cutter to the floor, a move he landed here. Reed got back into the ring and scored a clean 450 Splash, but it wasn’t enough to stop Slater. These two started to get “Fight forever” chants.
Reed dodged a leg lariat and then scored a mid-air cutter to Slater. He put the champ in the corner and tried for a cutter to the floor, but Slater countered it in mid-air for a twisting suplex. Slater returned to the top and connected with his Swanton 450, earning him the pinfall victory in 13 minutes. Reed proved to be a great dance partner for the hectic, high-flying style of Slater, continuing what has been a strong title run for him thus far.
Just before the show went off air, Santino Marella appeared on stage. He credited Slater for his performance, saying he represents what the X-Division and TNA are. Marella then announced that he has found a particular TNA x NXT match that he has booked for Bound For Glory. What was it?
At Bound For Glory next month, Slater will put his X-Division belt on the line against Je’Von Evans. In a pre-recorded promo, Evans told Reed that “it’s about to get real bouncy” when they meet next month.
Reed celebrated his title win and looked forward to his next title match as the show went off air.
