The 2012 Genesis was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) promotion, that took place on January 8, 2012 at Impact Wrestling Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the seventh event under the Genesis chronology and first event of the 2012 TNA PPV schedule.
Eight matches were contested at the event. The main event saw Bobby Roode successfully defend the TNA World Heavyweight Championship against Jeff Hardy. In other prominent matches, Crimson and Matt Morgan retained the TNA World Tag Team Championship facing Samoa Joe and Magnus, Abyss won a Monster's Ball match against Bully Ray, and Austin Aries retained the TNA X Division Championship in a Four-Corners Elimination match against Kid Kash, Jesse Sorensen and Zema Ion in the opening bout.
In October 2017, with the launch of the Global Wrestling Network, the event became available to stream on demand. It would later be available on Impact Plus in May 2019.
Storylines
Genesis featured eight professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.
The main feud entering Genesis was centered on Jeff Hardy and defending champion Bobby Roode, competing over for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. At Final Resolution, Bobby Roode went to a draw with A.J. Styles in a 30 Minute Iron Man match to retain his championship and Jeff Hardy defeated Jeff Jarrett in a stipulated Cage match to earn his shot at the World Title, as in turn, Jarrett's loss meant that he and Karen would be fired from the company.
Another main rivalry featured Kurt Angle in a singles match with James Storm for the second consecutive time on PPV. On the December 15 edition of Impact Wrestling, Angle complained to TNA General Manager Sting and provided the belief that Sting, giving him 90 minutes to spare for preparation, threw him into TNA World Heavyweight Championship match with Storm, who screwed him out of his World Title reign using a "loaded" superkick in their match back in October and at Final Resolution, expressing his desire for a rematch. However, Sting felt Storm beat him fairly twice and a third match was unnecessary. Unhappy, Angle declared he would beat down people in Storm's hometown until he gets his rematch. The following week, Storm admitted that Angle controlled 3 quarters of their match, but that he Tim Tebow'd Angle in the 4th quarter. In response, Angle appeared via video screen targeting and later attacking people at Storm's favorite local bar in his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee, in an effort to get Storm to give in. The following week, Storm accepted the rematch by retaliating with a Last Call superkick to Angle during his match with Rob Van Dam, resulting in Angle picking up the disqualification victory.
Another feud was between two former Immortal associates, Abyss and Bully Ray, heading into Genesis to compete in a Monster's Ball match, where if Abyss lost, he would have to rejoin Immortal. At Turning Point, after his separation from Immortal, Abyss partnered with Mr. Anderson to defeat his former Immortal allies and new enemies, Bully Ray and Scott Steiner. On the December 15 edition of Impact Wrestling, Abyss, forced to coexist with Immortal, was randomly drawn to team with Steiner in wake of the Wild Card Tournament to decide new contenders for the Tag Titles. As expected, Abyss turned on Steiner lifting him up around the torso from the side and executing the Black Hole Slam in their semifinal match against A.J Styles and Kazarian, giving them the win. Afterwards, Ray knocked the actions of Abyss as being "deplorable" after all Immortal did for him. Upon asking Abyss what he wanted, Abyss challenged Ray to a Monster's Ball match and agreed to rejoin Immortal if he lost.