The champion earned his first singles victory over Hardy before Lockdown
Summary
– Nic Nemeth defeated Jeff Hardy to retain the TNA World Championship
– Nemeth countered the Twist of Fate and secured the victory with the Danger Zone
– The Nemeth Brothers will challenge The Hardys for the TNA World Tag Team Titles at Lockdown
Nic Nemeth successfully defended the TNA World Championship against Jeff Hardy during the August 13 episode of TNA iMPACT.
The victory marked Nemeth’s first singles win over Hardy. The champion had never defeated the legendary challenger one-on-one before their title match in Philadelphia.
Hardy entered the match attempting to capture the TNA World Championship for the fourth time. A victory would have also given The Hardys control of both the World and World Tag Team Championships heading into Lockdown.
Nemeth immediately tried to limit Hardy’s unpredictable offense by keeping the challenger grounded. Hardy repeatedly fought free and attempted the Twist of Fate, but the champion found ways to escape.
The fight eventually moved outside the ring, where Hardy launched himself at Nemeth and knocked down the champion. Hardy briefly grabbed a steel chair but avoided using it because the championship could not change hands through a disqualification.
Nemeth regained control after Hardy became caught in the top turnbuckle. The champion attacked his trapped opponent and delivered a dropkick directly to Hardy’s face before slowing the pace again.
Hardy eventually created an opening and started building momentum with several familiar moves. He nearly captured the title with a sudden powerbomb, but Nemeth escaped the pinfall at the final possible moment.
The challenger then connected on two attempts at Twist of Fate during a frantic exchange. Nemeth answered with a superkick, but neither competitor could immediately secure the victory.
Hardy appeared close to winning after countering the Danger Zone and climbing to the top rope for the Swanton Bomb. Nemeth raised his knees at the last second and survived another close pinfall.
The finish came when Nemeth attempted another superkick, and Hardy responded by looking for the Twist of Fate. The champion countered the move and delivered the Danger Zone to retain his title.
Nemeth will now turn his attention toward Lockdown, where he and his brother will challenge The Hardys for the TNA World Tag Team Championships inside a steel cage. A victory would allow Nemeth to leave the event holding both the World and World Tag Team Titles.
