Reviewing the 7/28/11 episode of IMPACT WRESTLING…
1. If Impact Wrestling or any wrestling show for that matter is going to(or has to) kick off their show with an in ring talking segment, then this week’s exchange between Kurt Angle and Hulk Hogan is what I can live with. There was passion, tension and intensity in both men’s delivery that made a seemingly nonexistent issue between the two coming into the show something bigger and more intriguing by the end of the segment. Finally a Hogan segment that did not bore me to tears. Kurt carried the segment with his usual strong and believable mic skills and delivery. Hogan showed why he was and always will be considered one of the best talkers of all time.
2. In another Bound For Glory series match up, Rob Van Dam defeated Gunner in a fast paced intense match up. Now these are the types of matches Gunner needs to be involved in if TNA wants him to grow. He doesn’t have to win every match as they seem to have had him doing, but if he can attempt to hang with Van Dam then he’ll begin to earn the respect of the fans the old fashioned way instead of being force-fed to us. I’ll give Gunner his due this week especially when the right man won this match up in Rob Van Dam. Getting back to Gunner a side remark by Mike Tenay who mentioned a couple of weeks back the beatdown of Gunner at the hands of Fortune dressed as clowns, Tenay spun it as such and just like I saw it, he claimed it took all four members of Fortune to take him down. Again, how cheap does that make the two biggest men in Immortal to be taken down by one member of Fortune each in a clown disguise when Gunner has be clobbered by four of them to stay down? Easy there on Super Gunner, TNA.
3. While I haven’t timed the segments it did seem like there was more time allotted for matches this week on Impact Wrestling. If this is going to be the upwards trend much like the signing of new X-Division stars and pushing of that division(as rumored and actually stated by Eric Bischoff on the air this week), then hopefully we can look forward to more minutes of actual in ring action every week. While they may not have been the most appealing matches this week, it’s a step in the right direction. It also seemed like most of the non-wrestling segments were kept(or edited?) to be a little more to the point and storyline driven rather than run too long with next to no point.
4. It’s amazing in such a short amount of time, the segments with Alex Shelley and A Double Austin Aries have became the most entertaining on the show. No matter if it’s Kendrick or Shannon Moore inserted as well, Shelley and Aries have got great chemistry on the mic. Now at Hardcore Justice it’s time to see if they have chemistry in the ring along with Kendrick at the PPV in the X-Division Three Way match for the title. My money is on those three stealing the show.
5. I have to admit I have not been a fan of Sting’s change of character into the Insane Icon, but I feel if he was going to be utilized as such, that TNA probably handled his being supposedly promoted to a Network Executive much better than I would have thought on paper. Sting’s segments/actions were kept more to the point and actually all seemed to have meaning and furthered the show and stories. If utilized in this role, then I wouldn’t mind Sting being in this position. At least for a little while. It’s certainly a lot more interesting than what they had been doing with him aimlessly causing chaos in the Impact Zone. It didn’t last, but this was probably the most entertaining Sting has been in a while.
6. Line of the Night:
A Double Austin Aries in response to Alex Shelley’s ultimatum to play by the X-Division code of ethics or not play at all
A Double– “Secondly, you’re telling me if I don’t play by your rules, I don’t get to play at all…which would lead me to believe that you guys are left to play with yourselves. Which might be something you’re used to doing, but let’s be honest, it’s really not that much fun, is it?”
b. To Mike Tenay as Tenay called out Brian Kendrick hitting his finisher on Abyss, Sliced Bread #2
Taz– “Sliced Bread? That was a whole loaf.”
7. Move of the Night:
Brian Kendrick’s chokeslam counter into capturing the X-Division title in the Ultimate X match
As Abyss raised Kendrick for the chokeslam in the center of the ring, Kendrick jumped up to the belt hung above the ring to grab it and pull out the victory in the rematch from Destination X.
8. Notable Matches from 7/28/11:
a. X-Division Title
Ultimate X Match
Brian Kendrick (Champion) vs. Abyss
Much better contest the second time around with out the muddled clusterfuck that was the ending of their first encounter at Destination X. I liked the clever finish they used and believe it or not Abyss did not do anything hardcore and did not bleed as well. Straight up big man vs. little man match, but much better executed the second time around. Hopefully this also officially ends Abyss’ quest to destroy the X-Division as now he got his rematch and lost.
b. Cage Match
Kurt Angle vs. Mr. Anderson
Well short of their Lockdown 2010 classic and it wasn’t meant to be booked anywhere close either. There was just not enough time nor was enough current history drama between the two built up here. They showed highlights of their last encounter, but there was just too much going on with Fortune at ringside, Immortal and Mexican America coming down and the side story with Bully Ray and Anderson Immortal infighting leading to them fighting over a chair leading to the finish. It had it’s moments and of course Kurt came out on top as he should 10 days away from his title match with Sting. It’s just a bit sad how far Anderson’s star has fallen since his awesome match with Kurt last year.
9. Final Show Thoughts:
This won’t go down as one of my favorite Impacts of all time, but believe it or not, the show was scripted much tighter and to the point with less lag time between matches. While not the greatest matches either, the show seemed to flow better and make more sense. Hogan was still more of a backdrop of Kurt Angle and Sting’s match and that just doesn’t sell it to me that the Main Event has the issues it needs to. I’m hoping the go home show has a real face to face with Kurt and Sting posturing for who the better man is. Maybe try a sit-down backstage bit this time mediated by Jeremy Borash. I know they tried to do that with an in-ring face to face last week, but if they can’t make a compelling segment out of it to sell PPV buys then they need to do a better job in the closing moments selling the PPV. Traci Brooks invited ODB and Jackie to the ring for a face to face with her and Velvet Sky. Sky supposedly seemed to possibly surprise or even earn some respect from the former Knockouts by the end of the segment, but I’m getting a little tired of her whiny “I’ve been bullied” act, true or not. I’m sorry but it’s hard to feel sorry for someone who looks like she has it all going for her at this point in life. She’s hot, has an enviable position in the company and is making money doing what she loves. Nobody is going to shed a tear for you, Velvet. Earn that respect by continuing to improve, get more fluid in that ring and try to hang with Mickie James when you get that title shot and opportunity. In actual Knockout action Winter defeated Tag Champion Tara via kick to the groin, yes you read that right, while the ref was distracted. This could possibly lead to a Winter/Angelina Love vs. Tara/Miss Tessmacher Tag Title match down the road so the straps could be going Winter and Angelina’s way. The win in the meantime sets up Winter as a credible contender for Mickie at Hardcore Justice. Matt Morgan in an awkward “wipe tears from my eye” interview discussed a torn pectoral injury that will remove him from The BFG series. While Morgan could have been dead serious, it didn’t come across as such in the interview which made it a bit awkward to me. Hogan, The Jarretts and Eric Bischoff were all on this edition of Impact Wrestling, they didn’t dominate the show. They were probably used just enough to the point where anything more would have definitely have been overkill. Nice touch with Sting’s crow in a cage to keep Bischoff at bay. At least that had never been done before. At least not anywhere to my knowledge.
10. IMPACT PLAYERS of the WEEK:Â
Sting, Kurt Angle, Austin Aries, Alex Shelley, Hulk Hogan
Sting was actually good in his “fake” Network Exec role, Kurt shined in the ring and on the mic as usual and both he and Austin Aries made both of their segments better giving Shelley and Hogan the platform to raise their games as well in verbal sparring contests.
That is all.
M.C. Brown
You can find me on Twitter as
ShocXwavE
