This week on Impact Wrestling everyone was gearing up for Sacrifice and the match card for the upcoming pay-per-view was on the line in the main event.

The show began, like so many sadly do, with Bobby Roode's music blaring as the champ entered the ring to let everyone in the Impact Zone know he didn't feel any need to prove himself after last week's demolition of Mr Anderson, Jeffy Hardy and Rob van Dam. And in 14 days' time, he will become the longest-reigning world heavyweight champion in the history of the company.

Well, his most recent victims heard their names and in turn RVD, Mr Anderson and Jeffy Hardy stormed the ring to get some revenge against him – and each other. Once officials had calmed things down, the Hulkster arrived with a very interesting proposal: a four-corners main event in which everyone had something to win, and something to lose.

Bobby Roode wins? He gets to pick his opponent (out of the other 3) at Sacrifice. Mr Anderson or Jeffy Hardy win? They become #1 contender and take RVD's place at Sacrifice in the championship match.

RVD wins? He keeps his Sacrifice match, and adds any stipulation he wants to it. But as the current #1 contender, Hulk wasn't going to make the match unless RVD agreed.

RVD agreed.

Meanwhile, backstage, Bully Ray talked tough about his upcoming match at Sacrifice against Austin Aries, and advised the viewers to “just watch” what he was going to do next. In the Knockouts locker room, Gail was totally over hearing about Brooke Tessmacher, but her BFF Madison wasn't really paying attention … looks like the Queen has boy fever!

Velvet Sky faced Brooke Tessmacher in a match heavy on butt-jiggling showboating. Velvet dominated initially and got a few near-falls but as soon as Brooke slammed Velvet's face into the turnbuckle with a drop toe-hold it was all over – for Velvet. A victorious Brooke got ambushed from behind by the champ – Gail Kim.

Backstage once more, AJ Styles arrived to face questions from the camera about Daniels' and Kazarian's allegations he has a big secret. AJ wanted nothing to do with it. Elsewhere, Jeff said he was happy with the four-way main event, a chance to defeat Bobby Roode, take the belt at Sacrifice, and “end the selfish generation”.

In the ring, Crimson awaited another confrontation with The Blueprint, Matt Morgan – but it wasn't to be, as Bully Ray and his pet chain intervened as Morgan approached the ring. Crimson isn't a man to give up a chance to continue his 16-month undefeated streak though, and insisted the ref start the match, ring the bell, and count Morgan out for 10.

The X-Division belt was on the line next with Austin Aries defending his gold against Zema Ion. This one got pretty rough with missed top-rope moves on both sides and a lot of flesh and bone crashing into the barricades. Zema Ion overplayed his hand with an attempted Frankensteiner, and a few dropkicks and a brainbuster later it was all over: Austin Aries retained.

Into the locker room once more, where Christopher Daniels told Kazarian that now was the time to reveal AJ Styles' big dark secret. As they headed to the ring, RVD announced to the camera that he knew exactly what stipulation he wanted to impose for Sacrifice, if he won the main event – a ladder match.

Daniels and Kazarian called out AJ to the ring, and after a short delay, he arrived, full of bluster, claiming they were about to make the biggest mistake of their lives. Daniels disagreed, and with a great deal of showmanship revealed a series of photos. Photos of AJ Styles and TNA President Dixie Carter. Getting, as they say, it on.

After a quick break for everyone to catch their breath, Devon once more faced an over-tanned Robbie for the Television Championship – the short, annoying one this time. Robbie T inevitably tried to interfere, but one awesome spinebuster and the bell went ding. Still, the champ had little time to celebrate – the big, lumbering Robbie dealt some post-match pain and the little one took liberties with his belt.

We visited James Storm on his farm, where he's taking some time to figure out if wrestling really is what's in his heart. Solemn dude.

Joseph Park, younger brother of the mysteriously-disappered Abyss, came to the ring with Hulk's blessing to discuss his quest for his brother – a quest in which all clues are pointing to Bully Ray. Bully didn't like that, and pushed Joseph around a bit … not that Joseph seemed too distressed afterwards.

A brief cut backstage to hear Mr Anderson's thoughts (loosely summarised: “it's my championship and I want it”), Kurt Angle's lack of caring about the allegations against AJ, and … it's the main event!

Things started off predictably, with Bobby Roode taking a stomping from all the other competitors. Jeffy Hardy and Mr Anderson clearly still had some issues to resolve, distracting them from the main mission of punishing the champ. Mr Anderson and RVD were dispatched from the ring, leaving Roode and Hardy, who missed a Whisper in the Wind from the top rope and gave away a 2-count to Roode.

Coming back from the ad break, it was now RVD and Mr Anderson in the ring. RVD was on top until Roode popped up and intercepted a Rolling Thunder intended for Anderson. Jeff Hardy reinserted himself into the action with a successful Whisper in the Wind on RVD, gaining a 2-count. Roode once more got in the way of Rolling Thunder … but then the tables well and truly turned against the man with the belt.

Hardy got off a Twist of Fate on Roode which sent him stumbling into a Mic Check from Anderson – and as Roode lay there, the two took each other out of the ring leaving the field wide open for RVD to nail a victory with a Five-Star Frog Splash.

As Roode sat there, clinging his belt and looking stunned, RVD climbed a handily-located ladder while Hardy and Anderson argued ringside.

Just as you thought it was all over, there's a pop of pyrotechnics at the top of the ramp, and the long-lost Abyss appeared, with a message for his little brother – back off before you get burned.

Final results

• Brooke Tessmacher def. Velvet Sky
• Crimson def. Matt Morgan
• Austin Aries def. Zema Ion – X Division championship match
• Devon def. Robbie E – Television Championship match
• RVD def. Bobby Roode & Mr Anderson & Jeff Hardy