IMPACT Wrestling {3.2.2012}

Okay, so my husband has reawakened an old passion of mine. I used to watching professional wrestling. Yes, I know it's fake, but it's still entertainment. It was something I could watch to feel like my brother, Josh & I had something in common. I watched it religiously when I was in Jr. High and then I just stopped. I don't remember why just did. And then Josh came along. I'd watch WWE with him on Mondays on occasion when one of my other shows wasn't on and it brought back memories. Well, when we went to Orlando in November we went to IMPACT Wrestling. And well, my all time favorite, Jeff Hardy, now works for them. Well this last week IMPACT was traveling through Kansas. Yes, Kansas. The state I live in and can't stand. For Valentines day/anniversary, I bought Josh floor seats, we were on the 4th row :) and meet & greets. Thinking we'd only get to meet probably one wrestler & one knockout I was okay with that.

I took off work early last Friday to go home and get ready for our date night. We left Manhattan about 4:15-got to Salina an hour later and got our tickets. From there we went in and got Don West's Brown Bag Special - yes, Josh had already bought 2 in November but we couldn't pass it up. We got 4 DVD's, a tshirt, a set of toys, the program, and a bag. I really wanted the program, it was $20 whereas the brown bag special was $20. And then the best part was we had to buy a Jeff Hardy/AJ Styles toy to go back and meet them. Of course I was buying it. I'd wanted to meet Jeff Hardy since I was in the 6th grade. Never in a million years would I have ever imagined actually getting to meet this guy. I'd seen him wrestle in Houston for my 10th birthday, and again in Orlando with my husband 14 years later. I had every magazine from back in the day that WWE put out. We have his movies but never would I have thought within an hour I was going to meet him. (My 12 year old girl came out and I was so excited!, my husband just laughed at me).

Our first meet & greet of the night....
With our program in hand, we got to go meet MATT "THE BLUEPRINT" MORGAN, CRIMSON, Anarquia, Hernandez, and Zema Ion. We saw Matt Morgan & Crimson in Orlando and my first thought was jeezus these guys are HUGE! Well, they are close up and in person to. Matt Morgan used to be a gladiator.

From our first meet & greet we went to find our seats. We sat there for a short time while people went to meet Velvet Sky & Christoper Daniels. Josh ran over and got Christopher Daniels autograph while I sat with all of our stuff. We then hung out until it was 6:50 and we got to go meet JEFF HARDY & AJ STYLE! Oh my goodness!!!!! We're huge fans and I was in aww!
The event started at 7:30 after all of the meet and greets. Impact was so accommodating for every fan it was truly a wonderful experience. Josh & I had just gone to RAW in KC in January and it wasn't near this exciting. Yes we went, had seats and got to see quite a few superstars but no way were we ever going to get to meet them. Props to IMPACT for an AMAZING EXPERIENCE!

The first match of the night was Crimson vs. Hernandez. Of course CRIMSON won! I will give it to Hernandez for having amazing Superman socks that even had capes on them. Matt Morgan then came out and challenged Mexican America to a tag match that would be later on after he called up Sting and demand a match.
Next up one of the great refs of all time came out - Earl Hebner. 3 weeks ago he had just reffed his 100,000th match - that's more than anyone could even imagine in this company. It was so great to see such a legend! And we got to meet him later on, such a sweet guy. His son, Brian, is even reffing now - it's so great to see both of them working together.The next match was for the X Division Championship - Zema Ion vs. Austin Aries.
We'd met Zema backstage before and then Austin later on when he was signing autographs but only if you bought a picture, well I wasn't going to buy a picture of him so he stamped our book. He plays a prick and does a very good job at it. Austin won the match but not after Zema sprayed himself with a ton of hairspray. I thought I used a lot, well he uses so much more than I could ever imagine.
The next match was for the Knockouts Championship - Velvet Sky vs. Gail Kim
These girls definitely put on a good show and do bust their asses to keep with each other. I'm not big into girl matches - but I'm proud of them for doing what they love and kicking ass at it.
Gail Kim retained her title.
The next match was the tag match of Mexican America vs. Matt Morgan & Crimson
Of course I was rooting for Matt Morgan & Crimson the whole match - they're beasts. And well, they won!
After Matt Morgan & Crimson defeated Mexican America it was time for intermission! Before the matches began, they're amazing merch guy, Don West, had 12 VIP Experience passes for 2 people per pass. The deal -"You'll get to go back and meet superstars during intermission, and wait for it....a PICTURE WITH JEFF HARDY IN THE RING AFTER THE MATCHES!!! I was SOLD! I told Josh to run back to the merch table to buy one. He was 3rd in line and I was BEYOND EXCITED! A picture with Jeff Hardy are you kidding me?!?! But before that could happen we got to back and meet Velvet Sky, the Champ Bobby Roode, AJ Styles, DLo Brown, Gail Kim, and Bully Ray.

Velvet Sky & I
Velvet Sky & JoshJosh getting the Champ Bobby Roode's autograph
Josh & AJ StylesMe with AJ Styles - he wasn't going to smile because I had on a Jeff Hardy shirt :) He was one of the sweetest guys we've ever met - so humble.
getting Gail Kim's autograph
Josh & DLo Brown
Me with DLo Brown - he said the best part of his jobs was getting free hugs

Another fan had a print he drew for Bully Ray so we were lucky enough to get his autograph. The security guy - front & center has been on the TV Show "All Worked Up"

After intermission it was on to the match of AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels
Being a huge fan of AJ Styles - we were rooting for him to win and well, of course he did.

Next up was the final match of the night - a 3 way match (because James Storm was filming a music video with Montgomery Gentry :( ) Bully Ray vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Bobby Roode
It was a great match - I was very sad that Jeff Hardy lost but still super excited I was going to get a picture with him in 30 minutes!

My favorite image I shot during the event!

This is my picture of a picture with my phone - I ordered the digital copy but it won't arrive until next week or so. Me, Jeff Hardy, and Josh

It was a fantastic night - it was so great to get outta town and spend quality time with my amazing husband!