Reviewing the 6/16/11 episode of IMPACT Wrestling…
1. The tension with Mr. Anderson and Gunner is fine and falls in line with the Asshole persona for Anderson to treat him that way, but it seems like a little bit too soon to be hot-shotting Gunner into the World title scene after a distraction pinfall victory over Sting last week. Now if Gunner was to have a solid showing in a rematch one on one versus Sting and they progressed from there, then you can make the slow build mean something. Gunner working with Sting at this point is more valuable than him working with Mr. Anderson. At least later in the show they allowed Gunner to expound on how he his victory really helped Mr. Anderson perhaps getting in the head of Sting since he really didn’t lay out Sting, just picked up the 1-2-3, cheap or not depending on how you look at it. Gunner pinning Mr. Anderson also reeked of too much too soon and while the crowd popped, they killed it when Bischoff came out. Confusing and weird. Weren’t they trying to keep Anderson as a heel?
2. I truly hope TNA can find a way for Devon to have a positive impact helping convert the Pope back to a face rather than have them turn their attention towards each other in some kind of blood feud. Just from the reaction of the Impact Wrestling crowd I can tell they want to cheer The Pope again. That is what TNA needs to do and try to undo the damage they did to his character’s popularity and momentum in this past year. By the way, is it me or does Devon’s wife look like she is virtually the same age as his sons?
3. How’d you like to be one of the male security guards getting the shit kicked out of you by the returning Knockout Jaqueline and ODB? At least Earl Hebner was smart enough to get out of town. It also seemed like ODB seems to enjoy feeling up and spanking Velvet Sky a little too much in her subsequent beatdown. Not that I blame him…er her.
4. The Sting and Hulk Hogan exchange was more than a little awkward. Sting didn’t ask Hogan once what happened on Sunday? Instead he went from thanking him for the title rematch he’ll get on the 14th of July and then preceded to force maniacal laughs as he smeared Hogan full of facepaint as he challenged him to make the right choice. While the segment seemed to catch my attention at first they lost me midway through and it quickly went downhill as Sting preceded to go crazy on Hulk. Too weird. Is Hulk going to be a face? Is Sting turning heel? Is Sting going crazy?
5. I really thought RVD vs. Samoa Joe had the potential to be so much better. Maybe it’s the fact that beating Samoa Joe doesn’t seem to mean much anymore and that he should still be battling Crimson in my opinion to get a big win back over the young superstar. Joe losing to RVD this close after losing to Crimson Sunday only seems to devalue Joe more in my eyes. The match was very good in some areas, while lacking some chemistry in others. Definitely if given more contests, I believe these two could really tear the roof down.
6. I’m not sure where TNA is coming from in terms of blurring the lines of faces and heels. Hogan, Gunner, Sting, Steiner, Pope and Bully Ray all towed the line this week from how the show was produced and who they were matched up against and how they were portrayed. And if they aren’t switching sides then it either creates sympathy or loathing for the other party they face like it or not. If Impact Wrestling is all about thriving on and playing off the reaction of the crowd, then they are better off to draw some lines in the sand and build from there pending fan reactions. They just seemed like they were in too much disarray this week.
7. Again, what could have been an even longer more vicious “brawl” between Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett was kept short and awkward in some areas. Even the ending was strange like most of the program. For the brawl to have been believable they really needed to go all out. More than likely the brawl should have been saved for two younger guys who could afford some more vicious looking bumps outside. Jarrett challenging Angle didn’t bother me since Angle got a lot of rematches, but there should have been a complete definitive bloody choke out to end this once and for all then. They dropped the ball if that’s what they tried to accomplish.
8. Line of the Night:
a. Scott Steiner to Bully Ray on their match next week
Steiner-“You got one week to come up with an imaginary set of a balls to get in the ring with me.”
9. Match of the Night:
Kid Kash vs. Jimmy Rave vs. Austin Aries
Fast paced, exciting and really got the crowd into it. The crowd was chanting for Aries and the right man won. Austin really seemed to shine here and there were moments that also made the other combatants look good. A nice return for all three and the match showed that there is a definite place for an X-Division match or two or three on every broadcast. Especially considering this was probably the highlight of the entire program since there wasn’t much to be excited about this week. Austin did get some face time later in the show in the segment where Eric Young challenged and “defeated” Jason Hervey of the Wonder Years in a really out there segment where EY demanded Aries count when he had Hervey pinned in the locker room. I suppose it’s par for the course for EY, but there were lots of strange moments on this week’s IMPACT WRESTLING.
10. Final Show Thoughts:
This unfortunately was one of the worst Impacts I’ve watched in some time. Usually I try to grade higher, see the bigger picture and TNA really would have me grasping at straws this week. TNA put more of an emphasis on Bound for Glory, an October PPV and the series being contested for the right to be #1 contender than they did the X-Division which really makes no sense considering they have the PPV set for July, an X-themed PPV. What makes it more sad is probably the highlight of the show, definitely to me, was a highly contested X-match between three former X-Division wrestlers and that was pretty much all the time they invested in the X-Division. This was a painful show on a lot of levels. I don’t think they get the too much too soon in having Gunner pin Anderson this week and a potential Bully Ray turn is baffling as well. The show was just all over the place this week and I can’t really defend it other than say I hope next week is much better.
IMPACT PLAYER of the WEEK:
Austin Aries
Big time X-victory, involved in a backstage segment and represented the type of wrestling the show sorely needed in a very muddled show.
That is all.
M.C. Brown
You can find me on Twitter as
ShocXwavE
