#66: Gail Kim vs. Taryn Terrell, TNA Impact (7/11/2013).
Hello all!
If you're reading this, then welcome to the club!
As I work closer to 100 match reviews, we make a pit stop here with this week's theme: The Ladder Match. No matter the promotion, and no matter the participants, this gimmick match is one of the most beloved in all of professional wrestling. From the risks, to the violence, Ladder Matches have been a staple of wrestling since its introduction into the mainstream in the 1990s.
First up is this TNA Knockouts Ladder Match, which will determine the #1 contender for Knockout Champion Mickie James. Gail Kim and Taryn Terrell previously had a Last Knockout Standing Match at Slammiversary earlier in the month, and it was a sleeper hit with fans, earning praise across the board for the performances of both women. Let's see if they can catch lightning twice.
ODB is the special referee for this one.
Gail attacks before the bell. She stomps Taryn against the corner, and drives her boot against her face. Taryn with a diving clothesline, and another. Snap suplex follows.
She tosses Gail onto the ramp. Taryn dives through the middle rope with a spear that drops Gail. Gail smashes Taryn's face against the steel ramp. She grabs the ladder and brings it into the Ring.
They play tug of war with the Ladder, and Taryn shoves the Ladder and Gail into the turnbuckle. She dropkicks it into the midsection. They have a forearm exchange in the middle of the Ring. Taryn tosses Gail into the ladder against the corner.
Swinging neckbreaker by Taryn follows. She Irish whips Gail into the ladder, and Gail runs up it and dives on Taryn, who kicks her on the way down. Taryn sets the ladder up, but Gail is quick to knock it over. Gail uses a body scissors to send Taryn face first into the ladder.
Gail goes to climb the ladder, but Taryn pulls her down. Gail sends her face first into the turnbuckle. She pulls Taryn into the ringpost for a Figure Four, but Taryn kicks her away.
Back from the commercial break, and Gail is following Taryn up the ladder in the Ring. They exchange fisticuffs on the top rung, and both women end up falling off into the top rope. Taryn with a forearm to Gail, and she pushes the ladder into Gail's face.
Gail's leg is trapped in the rungs, so Taryn just grabs another ladder! Gail is back up and sets the ladder back up. Taryn positions her ladder so it balances on the other ladder and the middle rope. Taryn explodes with anger on Gail in the corner.
She places Gail across the ladder, and goes to the top rope. Gail narrowly escapes disaster. Taryn goes to climb the ladder now, but Gail traps her legs in the rungs and locks in a Figure Four!!
Gail climbs the ladder now, but Taryn is right there on the top! Taryn puts Gail in a Dragon Sleeper on the ladder, and chokes her out! Gail falls to the mat, and Taryn hits a crossbody from the top onto Gail!
Taryn is up first, and she places Gail across the other ladder. They forearm each other, and Taryn goes for a Cutter off of it, but Gail counters and sends her flying. Taryn fights back with the Dragon Sleeper again, but Gail is able to counter by tying Taryn's hair to the Ring ropes!!
Gail climbs the ladder, and pulls down the contract to win and become the #1 contender.
While I think this was step below their Slammiversary match, it was still a compelling watch, especially for TNA's weekly TV show. Both women busted their ass here. Gail Kim is one of the best in American women's wrestling for a reason, but props to Taryn Terrell, who shined brightly twice against Gail despite a huge lack of experience. During a year where TNA experienced a lot of turmoil both financially and creatively - I'm looking at you, August1Warning - this was a high mark for the company.