Aces & 8s
From Iwe
| Aces & 8s | ||
| ||
| Stable | ||
| Members | Devon DOC (Director of Chaos) Mr. Anderson Alex Knox Taz Garrett Bischoff Wes Brisco | |
| Name(s) | Aces & 8s | |
| Debut | June 14, 2012 | |
| Promotion | Total Nonstop Action Wrestling | |
The Aces & 8s is a heel professional wrestling stable in the promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), consisting of a group of masked wrestlers. The name of the stable is a reference to the two pair poker hand known as the "dead man's hand". As of August 2012, none of the members of the stable have been named.
Contents |
History
The stable debuted on the June 14, 2012 episode of Impact Wrestling, with three masked wrestlers attacking Sting as he discussed his induction to the TNA Hall of Fame. On 5 July, 2012, an unnamed man delivered an envelope to TNA General Manager Hulk Hogan containing a photograph of aces and eights playing cards (known as the "dead man's hand") and a note reading "see you next week", saying "we're not cowards...we've got something for you Hogan, wait and see!"
The Aces & 8s returned (in greater numbers) to TNA on the July 12, 2012 episode of Impact Wrestling, attacking both Sting and Hogan, with Hogan billed as having sustained a pelvic fractur (providing a kayfabe explanation for his absence from television while recovering from surgery to alleviate back pain). Over the next several weeks, the stable continued to attack both faces and heels.
The Aces & 8s made its first appearance on pay-per-view at Hardcore Justice on August 12, 2012. The stable attacked D'Angelo Dinero backstage (providing a kayfabe explanation for his absence from television to recuperate from a shoulder injury). The Aces & 8s later interfered in a four-way tables match, attacking Josh Hooper and the eventual winner, Bully Harlan.
On the August 23, 2012 episode of Impact Wrestling, the Aces & 8s brawled with members of the TNA roster, injuring the right arm of TNA World Heavyweight Champion Austin Brown. One week later, the Aces & 8s attacked Aries again, knocking him unconscious with a foreign object. At No Surrender on September 9, 2012, the Aces & 8s again brawled with the TNA roster, injuring the shoulder of Josh Hooper prior to his Bound for Glory series final against Bully Harlan.
Aces & Eights wrestled its first match at the Bound for Glory pay-per-view on October 14, 2012, where two unnamed members of the stable defeated Sting and Bully Harlan in a no disqualification tag team match to win unfettered access to the Impact Wrestling Zone (Aces & Eights had agreed to leave TNA if they'd lost). They won following interference from two other members of the stable, one of whom was subsequently unmasked and revealed as Devon, a member of the TNA roster and the former tag team partner of Bully Harlan. Scott was the first member of Aces & Eights to be formally identified by TNA.
On the October 18, 2012 episode of Impact, Scott, speaking for the gang (his vest identified him as "Sergeant-at-Arms"), threatened the TNA roster, who responded by attacking Aces & Eights. Sting challenged Scott to a match, which Sting won by disqualification when Aces & Eights interfered.
On the October 25 Impact, Aces & Eights announced they would target a victim, chosen by throwing a dart at a photo collage of TNA wrestlers and later revealed to be Matt Borske (a previous target of Aces & Eights). Borske had just lost a World Heavyweight Championship match to Josh Hooper. Bully Harlan confronted his "brother" Scott, who claimed Hogan's mistreatment of him was why he joined Aces & Eights. After Scott announced that he and Bully were no longer brothers, Bully called Scott a "coward" and challenged him to a match on the "Open Fight Night" episode of Impact, on November 1.
That match ended in a brawl between the TNA roster and Aces & Eights, during which Joseph Park unmasked a member, revealing him as Justin Feight.
On the November 8 Impact, Feight was introduced as DOC (Director of Chaos), a prospect of Aces & Eights. Later that night, DOC teamed with Scott to wrestle Sting and Borske. Sting and Borske won by disqualification when Devon used Sting's baseball bat. DOC then drove Sting through a table, to prove his worth to the group. Sting was then attacked by several members and beaten with a ball-peen hammer by DOC.
DOC defeated Joseph Park, and Scott lost to Matt Borske at the Turning Point pay-per-view on November 11.
On the November 15 episode of Impact, Aces & Eights chose Magnus as their next victim; Scott used a baseball bat and DOC a ball-peen hammer to injure Magnus' knees. Later that night, Matt Borske teamed with Garrett Bischoff to defeat Scott and an unnamed member, despite DOC attempting to interfere in the match. As a reward for his loyalty, DOC was promoted from a prospect to a patched in member.
On the December 6 Impact, Scott became the first member of Aces & Eights to win a title, defeating Samoa Simpson for the Television Championship, after interference from DOC. Later that night, the group attacked Borske again, as well as Josh Hooper after being paid to do so by Bobby McAlmond. At Final Resolution, Scott, DOC, and two masked members lost to Matt Borske, Samoa Simpson, Garett Bischoff, and Wes Brisco, after Borske pinned one of the masked members.
On the December 27 episode of Impact Wrestling, Aces & Eights offered membership to Mr. Anderson. Anderson accepted that offer on the January 3, 2013 episode. Later that night, Devon and a masked Aces & Eights member were defeated by Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe in a tag team cage match. Afterwards, several Aces & Eights members attacked Angle and Joe. Sting made his return and helped them fight off Aces & Eights with his baseball bat. Angle unmasked Devon's tag team partner, revealing him as Alex Knox.
On January 13, 2013, at Genesis, Aces & Eights won two out of their three matches with Mr. Anderson and Devon defeating Samoa Joe and Joseph Park respectfully and D.O.C. losing to Sting.
On the January 17 Impact, Aces & Eights crashed Bully Harlan & Brooke Hogan's wedding and attacked Bully, Hulk Hogan, and two of Bully's groomsmen, Tommy Brown and Spike Dudley, after Bully's best man, Taz, revealed himself as the newest member. During the beatdown, Knox and DOC taunted Brooke and forced her to watch. Sting tried to make the save, but was also beaten down. Aces & Eights then ran off, leaving Brooke to tend to her father and fiance.
On the January 24 Championship Thursday edition of Impact, Taz explained why he joined Aces & Eights & implied that his contract with TNA makes him effectively immune to retaliation by TNA Management; Taz also mentioned working for a "higher power" within the Aces & Eights. Later that night, Bully Ray swore revenge upon the Aces & Eights, singling out Devon and Taz as his main targets. Matt Borske called out Tarry Anderson and challenged him to a steel cage match at Open Fight Night on the January 31 Impact. Just after Jeff Hooper defeated Christopher Barnhart in the main event, Taz distracted Hooper as a masked member of Aces & Eights attacked Hooper from behind, injuring Hooper's left leg.
On the January 31st Open Fight Night edition of Impact, it was revealed that Angle's friends, Wes Brisco and Garrett Bischoff, were also members of the Aces & Eights. Borske defeated Anderson in their cage match while Brisco watched from ringside; after the match, a masked member of Aces & Eights confronted Borske, then revealed himself as Bischoff. Brisco feigned surprise, then suddenly attacked Borske along with Bischoff; Brisco then took his suit jacket off and let his hair down as he revealed his own Aces & Eights vest. Magnus made his return and fought Devon, but DOC and Knox interfered; Magnus threw his attackers over the top rope and forced them to retreat. Hulk Hogan reinstated Bully Harlan and made a match for the February 7 Impact: Bully & Sting vs. Devon & DOC in a tables tag match.
On the February 7th Impact, Bischoff stated that he joined Aces & Eights since he gets no respect from the fans, and Brisco says he joined since Hulk Hogan disrespected him. Devon then threatens Borske, saying that Aces & Eights will end his career. In the main event, Bully Ray & Sting defeated Devon & DOC in their tables tag match; Sting gave DOC a Scorpion Deathdrop and Bully drove his former brother Devon through a table for the win.
Members
- Named members
- Devon (Sgt. at Arms) (Revealed/Patched in on October 14 at Bound for Glory (2012))
- DOC (Director of Chaos) - (Patched in November 15, 2012) (Revealed on November 1, 2012; Patched in on November 15, 2012)
- Alex Knox (Prospect) - (Revealed on January 3, 2013)
- Mr. Anderson - (Revealed on January 3, 2013; Patched in January 17, 2013)
- Taz (Messenger) - (Revealed/Patched in on January 17, 2013)
- Garrett Bischoff - (Revealed/Patched on January 31, 2013)
- Wes Brisco - (Revealed/Patched on January 31, 2013)
- VP - (Revealed/Patched on March 7, 2013)
- Entrance themes
- "Deadman's Hand (Instrumental)" by Dale Oliver (2012–present)
Championships and Accomplishments
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI Feud of the Year (2012) vs. TNA
