KNOCKOUTS GAUNTLET FOR THE GOLD

  Ms. Brooks enters the match at #1. She starts with Jackie Moore, the former Jacqueline in WWE and WCW. Mike Tenay goes over the rules and reminds us that Roxxi Leveaux won the right to be the 10^th and final entrant in the match on Impact. It’s a staggered battle royal until the final 2, at that point it becomes a standard match.

Mike Tenay and Don West are on commentary for this match. As Ms. Brooks makes her way out they say Robert Roode told her to win so that he wasn’t embarrassed. Jackie Moore makes her way to the ring, slowly.

 

GAUNTLET FOR THE GOLD

Inaugural - TNA Knockouts Championship)

TNA Bound for Glory 2007 (14^th October 2007)

Jackie Moore slaps Ms. Brooks, they chop each other, and Jackie gets in some right hands. Ms. Brooks reverses an irish whip and knees Jackie Moore in the midsection.

  Ms.Brooks connects with a running boot to the jaw but runs into a kick in the corner from Moore. Jackie Moore jabs at Brookes and hits a back elbow as we’re 20 seconds away from entrant #3. I might start a running score of can/can’t wrestle by the end of the match. Jackie Moore runs Brooks into the ropes, Brooks holds on, but gets forearmed in the back before a german suplex sends her across the ring. Traci Brooks is beaten down until Shelly Martinez makes her way down to the ring. She hits Jackie from behind but is grabbed by the throat. She breaks that and knocks Jackie back, Ms. Brooks again goes for the person winning. She gets planted to the mat for her decision. Ms. Brooks is knocked down with a clothesline as we’re already 25 seconds away from the next entrant. Ms. Brooks hits a seated senton on Shelly Martinez but Jackie and Shelly finally work together. Awesome Kong is entrant #4 as the action stops. Jackie mocks Kong from inside the ring as the new arrival makes her way down.

 We’re at 20 seconds until the next entrant by the time she steps through the ropes. She knocks all three other women down and sends Martinez into the corner. Shelly knocks Kong back with boots to the midsection. ODB gets us to the halfway point. Shelly Martinez climbs to the top rope but eats a spinning backfist from Awesome Kong, knocking her out of sight. Shelly Martinez sends Ms. Brooks over to the floor, giving us our first elimination. Shelly Martinez is eliminated too, leaving Jackie alone with Awesome Kong. Jackie Moore jumps on Kong’s back, but gets squashed in the corner. Awesome Kong hits a double underhook facebuster. She would go on to call it the Implant Buster. ODB paces the floor at ringside as we’re under 30 seconds until the next entrant. ODB and Awesome Kong face off in the ring. Awesome Kong no-sells forearm smashes as Angel Williams (the future Angelina Love) enters the match at #6. ODB can’t lift Awesome Kong so we watch Williams dance, as we get back to watching the ring Awesome Kong is dropping her with a choke bomb.

  Angel Williams jumps on Kong’s back, ODB gets some shots in to the midsection but is knocked down. Williams is sent overhead into the mat. Another strange cut in Impact Plus, but we don’t miss the countdown. Williams hits Kong with an enziguri. Awesome Kong withstands the double-team attack and reverses the double suplex! Christy Hemme makes her way down at #7 but tries to turn back as she comes face to face with Awesome Kong. Kong’s not gonna let that happen though, bringing Christy into the ring with a hip toss over the top rope. Awesome Kong lifts Hemme onto her shoulders for a high-angle rack and drops her to the mat. Hemme almost kicked herself in the head with that move. Aweosme Kong hits the Sitout Powerbomb on Hemme as Gail Kim makes her way out (#8) in this lightning-paced match. Gail Kim hits a missile dropkick on Awesome Kong and unloads with forearm shots.

  Awesome Kong absorbs a knee to the midsection and sends Gail across the ring. Angel Williams and ODB go back to double-teaming Awesome Kong again as Don West mentions that Christie Hemme is hurt badly. She had EMTs checking on her as Awesome Kong sends ODB and Williams into each other. Gail Kim tries to hurricanrana Awesome Kong, but gets lifted back in a powerbomb position. Gail Kim holds on to the ropes and brings Awesome Kong over in a headscissors as ODB and Williams lift Kong over the top rope and cause a wardrobe malfunction. Talia Madison makes her way out at #9. She would be more commonly known as Velvet Sky. She clotheslines everyone down. Talia Madison sends Williams into the corner, Angel Williams goes over to the apron but avoids a clothesline. She hits a jawbreaker over the top rope to her future tag partner but is dropkicked to the floor by Kim and ODB.

  After such solid teamwork, Gail Kim and ODB exchange chops until ODB clotheslines Kim down. Roxxi Laveaux makes her way to the ring as ODB sends Talia across the ring with a Fallaway slam. ODB clubs Talia down and knees Gail Kim in the ribs as Roxxi gets in the ring. Roxxi throws ODB down and ODB returns the favour. Talia works over Gail Kim as Roxxi controls ODB in the corner. Gail Kim reverses a rough-looking irish whip, sending Talia Madison in the corner. Talia Madison gets her boot up but Gail Kim catches it and sends Madison over the top to the floor. ODB, Talia Madison, and Gail Kim are our final 3. That doesn’t last long as ODB is sent over to the floor. The first pin or submission wins it from here. We start with a forearm battle as Slick Johnson gets in the ring and the bell rings. Gail Kim is sent off the ropes and thrown overhead by Roxxi Laveaux. Roxxi covers but only gets 2. She sends Gail Kim into the turnbuckles but runs into Gail Kim’s knees.

  Gail Kim hits the ropes and puts Roxxi into the Octopus hold, Roxxi Laveaux makes it to the ropes. Roxxi Laveaux takes advantage of Gail Kim eating shit from a missile dropkick, immediately going for the cover and Kim gets her shoulder up at 2. Roxxi Laveaux lifts Gail Kim in an Argentine backbreaker but Gail Kim reverses with a roll up for 2. Gail Kim’s hurricanrana is countered with a powerbomb, Roxxi Laveaux gets a nearfall with a jacknife cover.

Roxxi Laveaux dances as if under a Voodoo spell as she gets to her feet. Gail Kim ducks the clothesline and hits a Celtic Cross for the win.

WINNER: GAIL KIM (FIRST TNA Knockouts Champion)

 

This was a pretty decent match, everyone looked respectable for the time they were the focus and the crowded nature of sections could hide the weaknesses well. Awesome Kong vs. Gail Kim would have been the obvious ending but I can see why they would hold back on it. Most of the match looked crisp and the short duration between entrances helped the pace of the match. [**½] 4.75/10