Backstage, JB asks Bobby Roode if he’s going to be working with Austin Aries tonight. He says that when people think “World Champion”, they think of a great athlete like Austin Aries. But more importantly they think of him, the man, and the longest reigning TNA World Champion in history. Roode says they’re going to take out the trash first, eliminate Hardy, and then two of the best wrestlers in the world are going to battle for the title. He says tonight, the “It Factor” of professional wrestling becomes World Heavyweight Champion, one more time.
(9) TNA World Heavyweight Championship Elimination Match
Jeff Hardy (c) vs. Austin Aries vs. Bobby Roode
JB does the official in-ring introductions for this match. Jeff Hardy’s face paint looks incredible tonight, and it looks like there’s about 30 minutes left on the clock for this. Roode and Aries huddle to discuss picking apart Jeff Hardy, and back him into the corner. Hardy fights off Aries with a headscissors takedown, and hits a bulldog/clothesline combo on both of them. Atomic drop to Aries, followed by the split-leg legdrop, but Hardy gets folded in half by a clothesline from Bobby Roode.
Roode gets a big back suplex on Hardy as Aries rolls to the outside. Roode runs into an elbow from Hardy in the corner. The Champ heads to the top rope for Whisper in the Wind, but Aries makes it to the apron and knocks Jeff to the mat the hard way. Roode rolls to the outside now, and Aries keeps up the pressure on Hardy with several near-falls. Hardy fights back, and Roode makes his way back into the ring. Hardy sends Aries to the corner and uses the back of Roode to his Poetry in Motion! Momentum doesn’t long long though, and the heels continue their double teaming of the World Champ.
Aries and Roode take turns showing each other up. Aries puts Hardy up on the top turnbuckle, but Roode tells Aries that he’s got an idea. Aries climbs onto Roode’s shoulders and they try for what could be a ridiculously dangerous super-duper-plex spot. Hardy fights them off, and hits Whisper in the Wind on both of them! Hardy off the ropes and takes down Aries with a flyign clothesline; Roode gets dumped to the outside with a dropkick. Hardy tries to springboard onto Roode, but Aries knocks him off the ropes and he crashes down into the guardrail.
Aries suicide dives out of the ring, but Hardy moves out of the way and he hits Roode! Aries gets thrown into the barricade, and Hardy uses the ring steps to hit Poetry in Motion, sandwiching Aries into the rails. He rolls back into the ring, and suplexes Aries from the apron into the ring, right on top of Roode. The Champ goes high rent, and comes down with a huge top rope splash on the It Factor; two-count. They slowly make their way back to their feet, and Roode gets a massive spear on the champ. One…two…no!
Roode throws Hardy to the corner and leaves the ring. He holds Hardy’s feet while Aries gets a running dropkick to his face. Aries gets the Brainbuster! 1…2…Hardy kicks out again! Roode freaks out on the outside, and nobody can believe Hardy is stil in this match. Roode tells Austin to go up top and hit “the spin thing” and finish off the champ. Hardy rolls out of the way and Roode hits Aries with the Fisherman’s Suplex; Aries kicks out and the bond is broken between the two.
Roode tries for a spear on Aries, but he counters it into the Last Chancery; Roode rolls it through into a Crossface! Aries crawls to the ropes and he’s forced to break the hold. They head to the top rope, with Aries boxing Roode’s ears. Top rope missle dropkick connects, and Aries gets the signature corner dropkick. He tries for another Brainbuster, but Roode rolls him up for a quick two-count. Aries ties for a pin of his own, using the ring ropes as leverage, and Hardy assists him to eliminate Bobby Roode.
Aries argues with the referee that he didn’t get credit for the pin. Hardy with the Twist of Fate, followed by yet another Twist of Fate using the ring ropes! Hardy up to the top turnbuckle, and the Swanton Bomb connects to put away Aries.
Winner and still champion: Jeff Hardy
