Reviewing the 10/27/11 episode of IMPACT WRESTLING…
1. I know it was coming that James Storm would get a new theme song, but I already miss his last theme song, “Sorry About Your Damn Luck” which was a catchy tune. Robert Roode got new music, too, but both seem too odd compared to their notable old themes and of course the familiar Beer Money theme.
2. At this point it gets harder and harder to take Samoa Joe as a credible contender, due to no fault of his own, but the way he has been booked. They might as well change his name to the Samoan Stepping Stone Machine. I’d love nothing more than to see Joe in the upper echelon of the roster again, but just as it was stated by Storm in the beginning of the show, Crimson defeated him as have a lot of people over the past year. It kind of makes a joke out of Sting’s #1 contendership match seeing as why would Joe deserve it, because he had the balls to interrupt the Champion? Shouldn’t everybody do that then? Speaking of Sting, he seemed to zip through his lines like he was reading them from memory with not much emotion at all. I hope we don’t have to put up with a long run of this if Sting is going to come across this flat.
3. I give credit to the Robbies for embracing their gimmick and EY for his efforts, but I wonder how many times TNA could shoehorn “Ronnie from the Jersey Shore” into the Eric Young vs. Robbie E/T segment and after. From EY to Tenay repeating it all throughout the show. This will happen next week and somewhere somebody evidently cares.
4. I can attempt to give credit to TNA for showing the past footage of Jackson James/Garrett Bischoff screwing over Matt Morgan to help Jeff Hardy/Immortal but that kind of seems irrelevant now. Seeing as nothing recent happened to believe that he’s been doing his Dad’s dirty work all along, it doesn’t play off like a nice ongoing subplot. Just because you wrap up a lingering subplot nobody has been talking about for almost a year doesn’t mean it was great long term storytelling. The announcers, bless them tried to play up the drama, too, but it seems very uneventful considering the Jackson James character had done very little controversial wise since that Morgan “screw up” up until his Bound For Glory defiance of his Father’s orders. I can’t help but wonder if they actually do want to tie this together better if they have Matt Morgan come back to screw over/beat up Garrett as it was done to him. Especially given that Morgan could also work against Crimson as the heel in a battle of the big men if they wanted to include actual active performers in this storyline.
5. While it was a little awkward since Gail Kim has never been known for her mic skills it was nice to see Gail given the mic to explain herself as well as work out the kinks. Gail of course looks tremendous, but her opponent Tara wasn’t really given a chance to show much from a competitive standpoint which was really a shame as they really are capable of a much better match than a virtual squash. Gail defeated her on her way to challenging Velvet Sky, who was missing this week with a storyline concussion.
6. Is there a reason why Karen Jarrett is still the VP of the Knockouts Division? Hello, Sting? Sting? Sting are you there? Can TNA be bothered to explain this to us viewers?
7. Line of the Night:
a. Samoa Joe to new World Champion James Storm and Fortune
Samoa Joe– “When I look at you, you know what I see? I see another Bischoff. When I look at you(rest of Fortune)…I see another bunch of Immortal trying to keep it all in the family. And judging by your background that shouldn’t be too hard…hillbilly.”
8. Match of the Night
#1 Contenders Match
Bobby Roode vs. Samoa JoeÂ
Aside from the fact that there was no explainable logical reason for Joe to get this opportunity, this match was the best of the bunch. Both this match and the Daniels vs. Rob Van Dam match seemed like they should have been better, though. They weren’t bad matches by no means, but maybe I expected more. This match gets the nod as it seemed to flow better to me and had a few nice finishing sequences and a pinfall finish opposed to the DQ finish of Daniels vs. Bob Van Dam(thanks CD). For the life of me I don’t know why this didn’t finish the show as I’ll get to in #9.
9. Final Show Thoughts:
Impact Wrestling followed up last week’s talkfest with a few matches that really should have stole the show, but weren’t as great coming across on TV as I’d expect if you gave me the match listing beforehand. I really am baffled why the #1 Contenders Match which is leading to an epic battle of Beer Money next week had to play second fiddle to a Battle of Bischoffs starring Ric Flair. Flair was good in his role backstage and out in the ring of course, but this whole angle could have played out in one in ring segment being teased backstage with comments from Bischoff and Flair, even still using Flair’s bullying of Garrett backstage telling him he’ll do the right thing tonight. They could have given this the second to last segment and then led to the Main Event to end the show. I know they are trying to build up Junior Bischoff, but this really makes no sense since James Storm and Robert Roode are the focus of this show and next week’s Main Event. You build towards that with your two top title stars right now to finish the program, not with a Legend past the prime of his career, a kid former referee with a prospective career and an executive with no in ring career. What kind of message does this send to not just the wrestlers themselves, but to the wrestling audience? What should the focus of the show be? I know as a weekly viewer I am intrigued where the title picture is going, not this Bischoff story which seemed to come out of nowhere. The Impact World should not be continuing to revolve around Hogan or Bischoffs, despite what their television egos say otherwise. Get it together, TNA. Missing from this week or the last couple of weeks justified or not were Crimson, Matt Morgan, Pope, Devon, Mickie James, Gunner(on last week), Hulk Hogan(on last week), Velvet Sky(explained), Brooke Tessmacher(why would she not accompany her partner against an opponent with 3 goons with her), Abyss(on last week) Tag Team division(how it has fallen) and the X-Division. I mean, seriously, TNA, you have one of the hottest acts in wrestling in A-Double Austin Aries and you keep him off Impact Wrestling for two weeks straight? Pathetic and no excuse.
10. IMPACT PLAYERs of the WEEK:Â
Robert Roode, Jeff Hardy, Gail Kim, Samoa Joe, Bully Ray, Jeff Jarrett
Roode became the official #1 Contender, Hardy continues to get his 2nd chance with the crowd helping his cause as he defeated Bully Ray in his first official match back since earlier in the year, Gail made short work of Tara and did okay on the mic, Joe great on the mic and held his own in a losing effort, same could be said for Bully Ray’s prematch comments and effort as well as Jarrett who for once, I wish he could have finished his scathing promo on Jeff Hardy. Compelling and intense stuff. Whoever is editing this program or putting this together definitely dropped the ball this show.
That is all.
M.C. Brown
You can find me on Twitter as
ShocXwavE
