Impact Wrestling 5-2-13: Sting Is the New #1 Contender

The show began with General Manager Hulk Hogan calling out TNA Hall of Famer Sting to apologize for not accepting his help in the ongoing war between TNA and Aces & Eights. The two shook hands and then Sting asked Hulk for his permission to put together a Six-Man Tag Team Match between three of TNA’s best against three members of Aces & Eights for next week on Impact Wrestling, which Hulk agreed to. Then, Hulk started discussing the next #1 contender to the President of The Aces & Eights Bully Ray’s TNA World Heavyweight Championship, but before he can go any further, Matt Morgan comes out and complains about the fact that he thinks he’s just gonna hand Sting the #1 contendership. Hulk then explains to Morgan that nothing is going to be handed out anymore and that everything must be earned. With that being said, Hulk made a #1 contenders’ match between Sting and Morgan for the main event of the evening and the winner would go on to face Bully Ray for his championship at the upcoming Slammiversary Pay-Per-View event. Also, in a Three-Way X Division Match to determine the #1 contender to Kenny King’s X Division Championship, it was Sonjay Dutt who took on Zema Ion and the returning Chris Sabin. While I am a fan of both Sonjay and Sabin, I was rooting for Sonjay. In the end, it was Sabin who hit Ion with his signature maneuver “The Cradle Shock” to get the pin and the win, thus becoming the #1 contender. Also, Kurt Angle issued an open challenge to any member of Aces & Eights. Aces & Eights were backstage trying to decide who would face Angle. After stating his case, the VP of Aces & Eights D’Lo Brown was the one chosen to face Angle. Before the match began, D’Lo challenged Angle to make their match an “I Quit” Match, which Angle agreed to. In the end, it was Angle who forced D’Lo to utter the two words by using his signature submission hold “The Ankle Lock”, thus getting the victory. After the match, Angle called out AJ Styles. Styles then came out and Angle informed AJ that it was going to be Angle himself and Sting as two of the members of the TNA locker room against three members of Aces & Eights next week. Angle then offered AJ to be he and Sting’s third partner. Angle has given AJ one week to decide whether he is with TNA or against it. Also, in a Knockout Tag Team Match, Taryn Terrell teamed up with Mickie James to take on the team of Gail Kim and Tara. Despite the fact that Taryn got the pin and the win for her team, Gail and Tara jumped the two victors from behind after the match. While Mickie and Tara brawled all the way back to the locker room area, Gail continued her attack on Taryn inside the ring. At one point, Gail wraps Taryn’s leg around the ring-post in a “Figure-Four Leg Lock” submission hold until referees and officials pulled Gail off of her. Finally, in the main event, Sting beat Matt Morgan with his signature submission hold “The Scorpion Death Lock” to become the new #1 contender to the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. I would also like to point out that Morgan did not submit, he just passed out from the pain. Despite the fact that I may not like Morgan at this time, I gotta give the man credit for hanging in there and not giving up. Anyway, the main event has been set for Slammiversary; it will Bully Ray defending his TNA World Heavyweight Championship against Sting. Next week on Impact Wrestling, it will be Sting, Kurt Angle, and a yet-to-be-named partner against Aces & Eights members Bully Ray, TNA Television Champion Devon, and Ken Anderson. Also, Bobby Roode & Austin Aries will face Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian) to determine the #1 contenders to Chavo Guerrero, Jr.’s & Shawn Hernandez’s TNA World Tag Team Championships; James Storm will be the special guest referee for this match.