TNA: TKO Ep. #8

Welcome to TKO, the fictional, one hour a week, Knockout exclusive iMPACT spinoff.

ROSTER: Angelina Love, Brooke Tessmacher, Daffney, Jennifer Blade (Jennifer Blake), Madison Rayne, Mickie James, Sarita, Serafina (Christina Von Eerie), Tara, Trina Diaz (Divina Fly/Rosita), Velvet Sky, Winter

BROADCAST TEAM: Jeremy Borash & Don West

RING ANNOUNCER: SoCal Val

INTERVIEWER: Christy Hemme

DIRECTOR OF AUTHORITY: Traci Brooks

ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR OF AUTHORITY: Cookie

TKO abides by one rule: Absolutely nothing happens on the show that could not conceivably happen if it existed in real life.

Here's what happened last time: Setting the Stage, Ep. #1, Ep. #2, Ep. #3, Ep. #4, Ep. #5, Ep. #6, Ep. #7
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COLD OPEN: JB & West welcome us to the show and tell us that tonight's main event will be Mickie James vs. Daffney for the Knockouts title. They discuss how this rivalry has developed over the last 5 weeks with Daffney's sneak attacks and unpredictablity getting under Mickie's skin. They agree that solving the "Daffney puzzle" could prove to be Mickie's biggest challenge yet in TNA.

Cookie's music plays and she comes out to the stage with a mic. She hypes up tonight's main event title match, then says that, just before they came on the air tonight, she had an epiphany. They have 2 championships in this division, not one, but sometimes people tend to forget that. It seems like the Knockout tag titles get glossed over a lot of the time and she means to change this. So tonight Cookie's making an executive decision, "Because I can do that now, bitches!"

Cookie books a tag team title match for tonight. The champions, Angelina Love & Winter vs. Madison Rayne and her partner... Velvet Sky.


OPENING VIDEO


BACKSTAGE: Angelina, Winter and Velvet are looking for Traci Brooks. They find her already in the midst of an argument with Madison and Tara. Everyone is upset about this tag title match for different reasons.

Tara is angry that she's not included in the match.

Madison is angry that she has to work with Velvet because Velvet hasn't won a match in months. She says she'd have a better chance if it were a handicap match and she worked it by herself. This pisses Velvet off and the 2 of them have to be separated by Angelina and Tara.

Angelina says she doesn't want to work against her friend. Velvet agrees, plus, she doesn't want to work with Madison.

Trying to address everyone, Traci says that she empowered Cookie to book matches and the decision is final. Tara would have been Madison's partner, but Jennifer Blade already requested and received a rematch with her from last week. Madison needed a partner, and Traci thinks that, under the circumstances, Cookie just did Velvet a huge favor.

Velvet asks what that's supposed to mean. Traci says that the board of directors has rendered their verdict on Velvet's contract and the news isn't good. If she wants to stay in TNA, she needs a win, and not just any win either. She needs a BIG win, and she needs it by the end of the season. If she doesn't get it, she's gone. Winning the tag titles could save her job, and all things considered, Velvet doesn't have the luxury of turning down an opportunity like this.

Angelina is shocked to learn that Velvet's situation is that serious.

We cut to Christy Hemme interviewing Jennifer Blade. This is not the depressed and despondent Jennifer we saw after her match with Tara last week -- she looks composed and focused. Jennifer says she got to meet a woman who was an idol of hers last week and it turns out she wasn't what Jennifer thought she'd be. "In fact, she kind of treated me like dirt," she adds. But Jennifer's not looking for any sympathy. She says you need to have thick skin to survive in this business and that's what she's got. "So someone I looked up to for years turned out to be a mean-spirited bitch. Lesson learned. If she doesn't like me, I don't care. She doesn't have to. But by the time me and her are done, she's gonna respect me. And if she doesn't, I'll just have to make her."

We go to Angelina and Winter. Angelina is pacing back and forth, very much on edge. Winter says she doesn't want to pressure her, but she has to ask what Angelina's plan is for the match tonight. Angelina doesn't answer, so Winter asks again. When Angelina still doesn't answer, Winter raises her voice. Finally Angelina yells that she doesn't know what she's going to do. She doesn't want to lose the tag titles and she doesn't want to work against her friend, but she doesn't want her friend to get fired either.

Winter asks her point blank if she's considering throwing the match to let Velvet win. Angelina doesn't answer. Winter points out that Velvet is a proud person and might consider it an insult if Angelina let her win.

Finally, Angelina leaves the room, saying she has to talk to Velvet.

From there, we go to Tara, heading for the ring. She outright says that she's pissed off. Due to her current situation, she doesn't get title shots very often, and in the last few weeks alone, she's been screwed out of not one, but 2 of them -- first by Daffney and now by this Jennifer Blade chick. Tara asks who the hell Jennifer Blade is. "Where did she come from? I've never even heard of her!" she says bitterly. "I handed her her ass last week and now she thinks she deserves a rematch when I should be getting ready for a tag title shot right now? She must have a death wish. But you know what? I'm glad. I'm glad she's a glutton for punishment because I'm suddenly in the mood to dish some out. This little girl picked the wrong night and the wrong bitch to mess with."

JB hypes up Tara vs. Jennifer Blade coming up after the break.


COMMERCIALS


BACKSTAGE: Velvet is getting warmed up in the locker room (not the Beautiful People's dressing room) when Angelina walks in. Angelina says this is a pretty crazy situation and she didn't want to go to the ring before they talked about it.

Velvet says they could talk about it all day, but there would be no point. She doesn't like this any more than Angelina does, but her back is against the wall here. It sucks that they've been put in this spot, but she has no choice but to go out to the ring tonight and do everything she can to win the tag titles, and Angelina has no choice but to do everything she can to keep them. She says one of them could back out or lie down for the other, but that wouldn't be fair to either of them. Velvet suggests they just leave it all in the ring -- no funny business, no BS -- and may the better team win. She says all this without looking at Angelina.

"Yeah, Winter said you'd say that," says Angelina. Velvet mutters that the 2 of them seem to be getting pretty chummy these days. Angelina tries to dismiss this comment because they're having a moment here, but Velvet needs to get something of her chest. She's wrestling against Angelina tonight because she has no choice, but she won't pretend that she's not looking forward to ramming her fist down Winter's throat. Angelina wanted the 3 of them to be a team, but that's just not going to happen. "Every time there's been 3 of us on this team it just hasn't worked, and it's not going to work this time either. You, me and Winter is just not happening, and it never will."

There's an awkward silent moment as Angelina mulls this over. Then she changes the subject and asks why Velvet never said anything to her about all the crap she was going through with her contract situation.

Velvet says it was nobody else's business. Angelina insists that she could have helped Velvet out with this. "How?" Velvet asks incredulouly. "You're tag team champions with Winter; how were you going to help me? It was my problem, all right? I got myself into it. I wanted to get myself out of it. If I can't even do that much... then maybe I deserve to get fired."


iMPACT ZONE: Jennifer and Tara make their entrances as the announcers recap the issues between them. West thinks Jennifer might have been a little naive about a few things. They all know Tara has a wicked mean streak, but they've been here since Tara showed up in TNA. Jennifer's new, to TNA and to the business in general, and she may have some hard lessons in front of her.

Before the bell, Tara sarcastically extends her hand to Jennifer, mocking her behavior from last week. Jennifer just glares at her.


TARA vs. JENNIFER BLADE

The second the bell rings, Jennifer attacks. She doesn't look unsure of herself like she did last week. JB points out that it looks like she's got her aggression back. West says that when Jennifer faced Tara last week she seemed really intimidated, but now she just looks pissed off.

While their match the previous week was a glorified squash, this one is more back and forth with Jennifer getting in a more offense. Toward the end, Tara sets Jennifer up for the widow's peak and JB says this is how Tara won their first match. This time Jennifer counters it into a pin attempt. West remarks that it looks like she learned a few things from their last bout.

Unable to hit the widow's peak, Tara finally locks in a submission hold. They're in the center of the ring and Jennifer has nowhere to go. She fights it for a while, but eventually she has no choice but to tap.

WINNER: Tara in 6:02

Tara spares Jennifer a glance as she heads to the back and they have a momentary staredown. Jennifer is furious.

JB says that, unfortunately for Jennifer, even when you get passed the nerves, you've still got a hell of a competitor to deal with when you're facing Tara. West agrees, but points out that Jennifer did a lot better against Tara tonight than she did last week.


BACKSTAGE: We see Mickie getting warmed up, surrounded by security guards. JB says that Mickie and Daffney have been sequestered in different parts of the studio in an effort to keep them away from each other until it's time for the main event.

Christy tries to get some pre-match comments from her. Mickie says that her head may have taken a pounding recently, but Daffney has obviously been dropped on hers more than a few times, so by Mickie's math that makes them about even. She can't wait for that bell to ring tonight. Daffney's been having a lot of laughs at Mickie's expense since this thing between them started, but after this match, Mickie will be the one laughing.

We cut to Madison Rayne and Velvet Sky at the entranceway. Madison warns Velvet that she'd better not cost her this match tonight. Velvet assures her that she doesn't like this situation any more than Madison does, but she needs this win and doesn't intend to screw it up. Madison says that's no guarantee she won't blow it anyway.


iMPACT ZONE: Velvet & Madison make their entrance.

JB says the tag team title match will begin after the break.


COMMERCIALS


iMPACT ZONE: Angelina & Winter make their entrance.

JB & West talk about what a combustable situation this is. There's no love lost between Madison and Velvet, Velvet and Angelina don't want to fight each other, but Velvet really does want to fight Winter, plus, she has no choice but to try to win this match because of her contract dilemma. West says it's anyone's guess what's going to happen here.


KNOCKOUT TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH
MADISON RAYNE & VELVET SKY vs. ANGELINA LOVE (c) & WINTER (c)

The match begins with Velvet and Angelina both tagged in. After a brief tease that they're going to wrestle each other, Angelina tags out to Winter. Throughout the rest of the match, Angelina refuses to wrestle against Velvet and only tags in when Madison is tagged in. West points out that even though there are titles at stake, Angelina just doesn't want to fight against her friend. Velvet doesn't seem to mind this, however, as she takes a lot of joy in finally getting her hands on Winter.

During the match, Sarita emerges from the back and heads down the ramp, looking like she means to interfere. JB says that Sarita has been obsessed with regaining the tag titles since she and Trina Diaz lost their title match a few weeks ago. West reminds us that Sarita said she'd found a new partner last week, but they still don't know who it is.

Whatever Sarita's intentions are, we never find out. Serafina runs down the ramp and attacks her. As the 2 of them brawl to the back, West says Serafina's looking to get payback for what Sarita did to her friend Trina last week.

The match continues, free of interference. The end comes when Winter pins Velvet.

WINNERS AND STILL KNOCKOUT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: Angelina Love & Winter in 8:24

Winter celebrates. Angelina doesn't. Madison chastises Velvet for getting pinned before storming off.

Looking more defeated than angry, Velvet takes a seat on the steel steps for a minute to collect herself, putting her head in her hands. JB says Velvet must feel really helpless right now. Nothing's gone right for her in months, and no matter what she's done, she can't seem to pull herself out of this downward spiral. West remarks that there comes a point when it all gets to be too much for someone to handle and something has to give.

Finally, Velvet gets up. Angelina tries to talk to her, but Velvet brushes her off and walks to the back alone.


BACKSTAGE: Daffney cuts a promo in a darkly lit stairwell. Like Mickie, she is also surrounded by security guards. Daffney says Mickie should look at the people around her. All these guards aren't there to protect her from Mickie, they're to protect Mickie from her. She's glad that Mickie's looking forward to their match, because she is too, but for different reasons than Mickie thinks. She promises that, if she does anything tonight, she's going to make this rivalry personal.

JB says the main event begins after the final break of the evening.


COMMERCIALS


BACKSTAGE: Tara walks into the locker room where Madison is waiting. As soon as she sees Tara, Madison jumps to her feet and starts shrieking at her. She asks Tara where the hell she was a few minutes ago and why she wasn't out there to help Madison during the tag title match. As the 2 of them argue, we cut away to...

...Angelina, who is outside Traci's office. She doesn't look happy. Cookie tries to stop her from coming in, but Traci says it's okay and asks Angelina what the problem is. Angelina says she needs to talk to Traci in private. She enters the office and closes the door on the camera man, leaving him shut out.

They air a video package for the Mickie/Daffney feud.


iMPACT ZONE: SoCal Val announces to the crowd that it's time for the main event and Daffney's music hits the loudspeaker.


BACKSTAGE: Daffney begins her walk to the entranceway. Just like in the Mickie/Angelina title match, the camera follows her to the ring.


iMPACT ZONE: Daffney makes her entrance.


BACKSTAGE: Mickie paces anxiously in the hallway. Her music plays and she makes her walk to the entranceway. The camera follows.


iMPACT ZONE: Mickie makes her entrance.


KNOCKOUTS TITLE MATCH
DAFFNEY vs. MICKIE JAMES (c)

The match goes for a while, free of any funny business or interference. Mickie is starting to get the better of Daffney until the action spills over the ropes. They battle around the ring until Mickie tries to whip Daffney into the ring post, but Daffney reverses and Mickie hits it instead. Daffney grabs Mickie and rams her head into the ring post. Then she does it again. And again. JB points out that Mickie's head wasn't 100% going into this match and Daffney is targeting her weak spot.

Daffney keeps ramming Mickie's head into the ring post until the referee tries to force her to stop. Daffney responds by punching him in the face, knocking him over. The referee calls for the bell.

WINNER VIA DQ AND STILL KNOCKOUTS CHAMPION: Mickie James in 9:20

Daffney doesn't miss a beat. She rams Mickie's head into the guard rail several times, then throws her back into the ring and grabs a steel chair. West says this isn't just about the title for Daffney -- she doesn't just want to beat Mickie, she wants to hurt her! The referee tries to stop Daffney, but she blasts him with the chair.

Mickie is helpless by this point. Daffney readies to take her head clean off with the chair. She's about to strike, but security arrives to restrain her just in time. Daffney screams as she fights them off while the trainers pull Mickie out of the ring and help her to the back. Mickie is barely conscious and can't walk under her own power.

JB says Mickie and her title reign survived this encounter, but this rivalry with her and Daffney just got a lot more serious.

Mickie is all but carried to the back with Daffney's laughing face on the video screen as we...


FADE OUT