This week on Impact initiated the first week of the Knockouts tag team tournament, as well as the anticipated debut of Hamada.
Traci Brooks and Sharmell, looking pretty snazzy in their matching MEM wear, hype up their impending encounter with Awesome Kong and Raisha Saeed. Sharmell ever-so-graciously describes Awesome Kong as “elephant-like” in her endeavor to talk a big game. Say what you will about Sharmell’s “work-rate,” but she sure makes up in charisma what she lacks in ring ability.
At the start of the competition, Impact makes up for their lack of gratuitous shots of Velvet’s ass this week with some upclose shots of Traci’s… enhancements. Giggidy giggidy goo!
Traci dodges Kong and makes a quick tag to Sharmell. Kong tags out, and Sharmell takes the attitude to Raisha. Raisha pushes Sharmell down, who tags out. Raisha takes the fight to Traci and Irish whips her into the corner and hits her with a flying clothesline. Raisha follows up with a scoop slam and an elbow drop. Traci kicks out at two. Raisha takes Traci down with a suplex. Traci overcomes Raisha and whips her into Sharmell’s corner. Sharmell grabs hold of Raisha, but pays for her over-zealousness. Traci subsidizes on the distraction with a clothesline and a cover. When Raisha kicks out, Traci attempts to strangle her and choke her against the ropes. Traci takes a running start and then lands on Raisha mercilessly agains the ring ropes. Traci quickly goes for the cover, but Raisha kicks out at 2. Traci attempts to drag her opponent to the opposing corner, but Raisha powers out. She then retreats to her own corner and tags in Awesome Kong.
Kong takes Traci down with a series of clotheslines and smashes her in the corner. Kong sets her up for the Awesome Bomb, but Traci manages to scurry away. She runs the ropes, only to be tackled again with full force. Kong drags Traci into position, goes up the second rope, and dive-splashes all near 300 pounds of awesome on top of her with the Awesome Press. What surely would turn into a victory for Kong’s team, is interrupted by Sharmell who would prefer not to see her team lose in vain. While Kong is preoccupied with Sharmell, Raisha makes the blind tag and covers Traci for the 3-count. Once again, there seems to be trouble on the horizon looming between Kong and her sidekick. Looks like Raisha/Melissa won’t be doing double duty for much longer. Nonetheless, Awesome Kong and Raisha Saeed are slotted for the second round of the tag team tournament.
Next up is the long awaited debut of Hamada.