28, Anderson faced Angle in a steel cage match, but was defeated following a distraction from fellow Immortal member Bully Ray. The tension between the two stablemates eventually led to a match on August 7 at Hardcore Justice, where Ray defeated Anderson with a low blow. On the following edition of Impact Wrestling, the rest of Immortal turned on Anderson and kicked him out of the group. This turned him face. Anderson returned on August 25, attacking his former stablemates. On the September 8 episode of Impact Wrestling, Anderson challenged Kurt Angle, who won the world title at Hardcore Justice, but the match ended in a disqualification due to interference from Immortal. Three days later, at No Surrender, Anderson again failed to capture the title in a three-way match, which also included Sting. Anderson and Bully Ray settled their grudge on October 16 at Bound for Glory, where Anderson won a Falls Count Anywhere match. On November 13 at Turning Point, Anderson and Abyss defeated Ray and Scott Steiner in a tag team match, ending his year-long storyline with Immortal. After a four-month absence, Anderson returned to TNA on March 8, 2012, aligning himself with A.J. Styles in his feud with Christopher Daniels and Kazarian. The following week, Anderson defeated Daniels in his return match. The rivalry continued on April 15 at Lockdown, where the two duos were on opposing teams in the annual Lethal Lockdown match. Anderson and Styles, on the team led by Garett Bischoff, defeated Daniels and Kazarian, on the team led by Eric Bischoff. On the following episode of Impact Wrestling, Anderson and Jeff Hardy were defeated by Rob Van Dam in a three-way number one contender's match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. During the first "Open Fight Night" the following week, Anderson teamed up with Hardy to unsuccessfully challenge Magnus and Samoa Joe for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On June 10 at Slammiversary, Anderson defeated Hardy and Rob Van Dam in a three-way match to become the number one contender to the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. On the following edition of Impact Wrestling, Anderson unsuccessfully challenged Bobby Roode for the world championship. As a result, he was entered into the 2012 Bound for Glory Series to try to earn another shot at the title. Anderson was mathematically eliminated on August 23. On September 27, Anderson received a shot at the vacant TNA