Reviewing the 9/8/11 episode of IMPACT WRESTLING…
1. While some say an authority figure/GM on a wrestling show has gotten old, how would you like to be TNA where each week anything can go, since they can either have a heel in charge ala Hulk Hogan/Eric Bischoff or have Sting or anybody representing the Network on any given week given power to make matches. Certainly a cheap easy way to keep shifting power every week.
2. Who in TNA decided it would be a good idea to have Anarquia on commentary? Besides sounding completely fake while performing in TNA’s stale stereotypical Mexican ghetto gimmick, the guy sounds like a dozen cats meowing into a headset. Did anyone ever think that besides being more entertaining in the ring, that Homicide was a thousand times more believable in the role? I alluded to it last week with TNA releasing talented wrestlers while keeping dead weight so I have to say this… Whoever is in charge of personnel in TNA has to be a blithering idiot.
3. It looks like TNA has just given up trying with guys like Robbie E. and the British Invasion. The latter which is very disappointing since they still could be a credible force in the tag division if you change their name and let them either talk or give them a valet. When you unceremoniously just announce them while the other guy’s music is playing that basically tells the fans who is winning and downgrades the opponent into enhancement level status. My question for TNA would be if you’ve lost confidence in these guys, what’s the point of keeping them? There is plenty of talent out there that either you could bring in, bring back or find to take their place. Loads of guys(and girls) with potential to invest in and not treat like you are treating these guys, justified or not.
4. I think the predictable match up for(following?) No Surrender would be that Bobby Roode would face Bully Ray and advance to Bound For Glory to face the World Champion. Will the finals take place on Impact? I’ve read different things, so I really have no clue when the finals are taking place. There is no mention of wrestling twice so my guess has to be just one and done. I thought the contender was supposed to get his match at BFG so that would mean there has to be an Impact where the Finals take place. The more intriguing match up is a battle of Beer Money, Bobby Roode vs. James Storm. Seeing as how TNA does the opposite of almost every good thing they could do, I can’t rule out them doing something stupid like having Bully Ray face Gunner and turning Gunner face especially after what happens at the end of the show. If only just typing “groan” could do my thought justice there.
5. At the risk of becoming too negative every week, I have to say I enjoyed the Jerry Lynn/Rob Van Dam segment. Everything was just so well done. The cameraman ratted out Jerry to Rob. Rob confronted Jerry. Jerry stated his believable peace, Rob listened, then gave him a believable receipt. I loved it. Look forward to their rematch that looks to be taking place at BFG, a fitting culmination to their storied rivalry. I have similar thoughts with the very well done Brian Kendrick and Austin Aries exchange. Both segments were my favorite on the show and really built up the upcoming match ups both Sunday and in the future.
6. Jeff Hardy was right about one thing. That ovation he got was better than he deserved. If the viewing audience wants to give him one more chance and TNA wants to put themselves out on a limb again giving this guy another shot, then this truly should be it. If he is committed towards cleaning up his act, then it’s obvious there is intrigue and a story to be told. His “Paraweird” shirt was baffling. It looked like he was wearing a bootleg comic Joker t-shirt, which is funny since Sting’s new t-shirt is like a bootleg rip off movie Joker.
7. Lines of the Night:
a. Cowboy James Storm to Bully Ray
Storm– “I’m sick and tired of being pushed aside because you guys are supposed to be able to draw. You ain’t drawing shit<bleeped>.”
b. A-Double Austin Aries In ring face to face with Brian Kendrick
Aries– “Well here’s what I know. The only time you got a pair of pistachios is when my back is to you. Or when they’re sitting on your chin.”
8. Notable Matches of the Night
TNA WORLD TITLE MatchÂ
Kurt Angle (ch.) vs. Mr. AndersonÂ
Special Enforcer: Sting
There was actually some good exchanges here, but it all got lost when the terrible finish of Immortal and Kurt Angle teaming up to take out the two faces Sting and Anderson. Wrestling will always be full of guys who viciously feud making up later or providing strange bedfellows, but come the freak on, TNA. For pete’s sake, Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett were involved in what seemed like a blood feud that went on all year. It literally just ended a few months ago. How on earth do you expect us fans to take your storylines seriously when you don’t?
Knockouts Tag Team Match
Mickie James (champion) and Velvet Sky vs. Winter and Angelina Love
How disappointing they turned what could have been a bigger deal out of an “untranced” Angelina vs. Velvet into a throwaway tag team match like this. This was a focal Knockout storyline for a while. The match served as a backdrop for Winter vs. Mickie III with Winter scoring another Crimson Mist spewed victory. The terrible little detail I noticed on TNA’s part was while they showed Karen being a bitch to the Knockouts earlier in the locker room when they did the nice little tease of Velvet coveting Mickie’s title, the previous segment showed Karen partying with Immortal which would completely tell me that there is no way she was watching her “girls” compete. Now, she could always review the footage, but c’mon. If she is making a big deal about making sure the girls, specifically Velvet performs well tonight and her job, joke or not is VP of the Knockouts, you’d think she’d be shown viewing the match. Now I’ll take this back if next week Traci goes up to Karen and challenges her on this and causes friction. But somehow, I don’t think TNA is smart enough to do that to save face.
9. Final Show Thoughts:
As completely ridiculous as it was, I did have to laugh at that piped in growl of Mickie’s dog at Karen Jarrett. Gunner snuck a victory out on Bully Ray in the 4-way BFG preview match. This might be the thing that distracts people from thinking Beer Money could face off or the thing that leads to the worst possible match up in the BFG tournament. I enjoyed what I enjoyed and quite frankly it wasn’t much, but while there wasn’t much good action for me this week, there were a few segments that saved the show from being a total bomb. I was really disappointed in how Kurt Angle was used here. First in a very scripted looking segment with Bellator Lightheavyweight Champion Eddie Alvarez and then looking completely weak needing Immortal’s help to not lose and then like a jackass teaming with hated enemies mere months after being involved in a vicious feud with the Jarrett and the power group. I don’t buy it TNA. Very lame. Next week is the big Ric Flair vs. Sting bout that will lead to Sting facing Hulk Hogan at Bound For Glory.
10. IMPACT PLAYERs of the WEEK:Â
Beer Money, Austin Aries, Brian Kendrick, RVD, Jerry Lynn, Jeff Hardy
This has more to do with lasting impressions and entertainment/intrigue value to the show. Beer Money looked and sounded good, X-Division has two solid guys on the mic and in ring competing for the title making it a huge deal which is what the division needs helping save the show again, guys not even competing Sunday(RVD/LYNN) have a better brief segment than guys giving two or three times as much time to get stories happening at the PPV over and an intriguing comeback segment from the enigma himself. He should thank the fans with all of his heart since they helped make that segment for him.
That is all.
M.C. Brown
You can find me on Twitter as
ShocXwavE
