Reviewing the 10/13/11 episode of IMPACT WRESTLING…
1. While seemingly devoid of much personality at this point in his young career, Jesse Sorensen can still throw one mean dropkick.
2. I don’t know who is louder or more screeching, Karen Jarrett or Madison Rayne. That Madison can scream over booing fans a phrase I can perfectly hear without the microphone is pretty damn impressive. Madison might have the edge in volume while Karen has the edge in more annoying/screeching.
3. If she(Ink’s new valet) is going to be a huge factor in the Ink, Inc./Brohawks vs. Mexican America match up this Sunday, perhaps TNA could have been bothered to show a backstage segment with Ink, Inc. announcing who she is. Since Impact Wrestling is the master at rapid fire backstage moments, they could have used one here.
4. I think TNA missed a prime opportunity to cause a question of who would win an “I Quit” Match between AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels. After AJ was talking about never quitting before getting into his car in the parking lot, Daniels jumped him. All they needed to do was use that car door to create an injury for AJ to have going into the match. Otherwise it’s pretty predictable that AJ wouldn’t say “I quit”. Now they can do a “major injury angle” during the match, too, but going in, it would at least create doubt of who is going to win. Plus doing it during the match would seem too much like the “Slipping on a banana peel” angle they already did. Since Daniels is clearly the heel in this feud, it would make sense for him to try to create an advantage going in.
5. Speaking of doubt, while the Video package TNA Impact Wrestling created for the (hopeful) last match on the card, Main Event(see thought #6 for thoughts on what I feel TNA may truly be going with for their Main Event), was pretty awesome, it leaves doubt where before it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Bobby Roode would or should win the match. Hulk Hogan’s recent public comments that bordered on work/shoot basically somewhat buried Roode, built up James Storm and endorsed Jeff Hardy really made me question Hogan’s sanity here. Here is basically Jeff brought back a few weeks back that what should more than likely have been a slow burn or treading on egg shells with the guy, now having a second dvd pushed and main event level story thrust on him and being endorsed by Hulk Hogan who should be an on-air rival. The guy should be lucky to start at the bottom again. What TNA needs to do is the right thing here. Kurt Angle, the machine that he is, has been a PR nightmare as Champion as of late and the strap really needs to come off of him to possibly prevent further embarrassment from the flag bearer of your company. And it shouldn’t be on Jeff Hardy either, despite Hogan’s endorsement. Roode busted his ass to get here and hopefully the smokescreen of doubt should be lifted. The finish which could easily spin an Immortal, Fortune and Jeff Hardy assist should be devoid of it, just as Roode and Angle “agreed” to. TNA needs to realize that they need to save that chicanery for Sting vs. Hogan which is sorely going to need it and just let Angle and Roode do what they do best and wrestle until one man proves he’s the better man that night.
6. Hulk Hogan and I’ve said it before is just cringe inducing to watch at this point of his career. Just even seeing him struggle to get down the ramp to the ring is sad. This “fight” should and best not be the last match at Bound For Glory, but I can’t help but think that it’s being set up to be. I mean there is a lot at stake, but stake and stinker are both a vowel and a couple nouns away. I can see a Dixie filled celebration to end the show, but by the same token a Roode Championship celebration takes the company further in progress as it stands to reward a hard working, loyal and positive example of a wrestler you want at the helm. If Hulk Hogan was really leaving, then it’d be addition by subtraction, but seeing as the man can’t wrestle and if they really were taking him out of the equation with Dixie returning, why would they sign him to another contract? They sure built Sting’s crusade up to fall short if that happens. Perhaps both Roode and Sting/Dixie winning will occur, but I just have a feeling that TNA will screw one if not both up somehow in their execution. I have my thoughts in how it’ll go down which I’ll share on the Roundtable. Just think bloody sympathetic Hogan trying to pick up the pieces of his life as Dixie gives him another chance.
7. Line of the Night:
a. As Brian Kendrick had both Austin Aries and Kid Kash set up for Sliced Bread #2
Taz– “Maybe 2 slices of Bread.”
8. Notable Matches of the Night
RVD and AJ Styles vs. Jerry Lynn and Christopher DanielsÂ
The match started in the back and worked it’s way to the ring to become official. High octane action and set the stage with just a sampling of what you’ll get from the singles matches at BFG. AJ picked up the win with the Styles Clash on Jerry Lynn as Daniels could have tried to prevent it, but backpedaled off.
Brian Kendrick and Jesse Sorensen vs. X-Division Champion A-Double Austin Aries and Kid KashÂ
Another fun match featuring the stars Impact Wrestling is currently pushing in their X-Division. I still wish Alex Shelley was involved, but it seems The Wizard of Odd Brian Kendrick is staying at the forefront of contending for A-Double’s title. At least for now. Kendrick pinned Austin Aries to win the tag team match so that should tell you who is winning this Sunday.
9. Final Show Thoughts:
Abyss broke off from Immortal this week when after another screw up, he was berated by Bully Ray and Immortal until he snapped. Immortal beat on him before he could get a chokeslam or Blackhole Slam(as the crowd chanted) off until Anderson, who beat Scott Steiner due to Abyss’s screw up returned to save him. That really kind of made no sense unless Anderson and Abyss planned the “mistake”. I mean if a guy just tried to clobber me with a chain to help his stablemate win, he’d get what he deserved if those guys turned on him. Especially if to everyone I was considered an asshole anyways. But a table was set up and Anderson eventually went through it to set up more drama for their Street Fight this Sunday. And if you are Anderson do you want Abyss watching your back this Sunday? I mean Immortal could inevitably interfere, but since he’s been such a big screw up, his bad luck might extend to you. But where does Immortal’s interference end? They’ll have multiple chances this Sunday to interfere and predictably you know they will. Speaking of predicting, TNA is oftentimes difficult to predict because in my gut I want to see the logical direction and TNA usually does the complete opposite. My BFG picks(plug for Kelly Floyd’s Roundtable) will have to be mindful of while not what I would do, it’s what I think TNA will do. I expected more of a bang leading into the PPV, but this show seemed just like any other interchangeable show with very few big time memorable moments like we had in some of the weeks past. Could it be a sign to come or is the good stuff being saved for the PPV? Sunday will tell the story and hopefully build towards the future which I believe will lead towards Jeff Hardy vs. Kurt Angle for the TNA World Title. The segment with Jeff Hardy and Jeff Jarrett was very good, I will add. It had a nice layer of tension to it. Realistically a match between the two would be fine, but I just know they’ll be giving Hardy a title shot soon. What that message sends to the locker room is what disturbs me.
10. IMPACT PLAYERs of the WEEK:Â
Jeff Hardy, Robert Roode, James Storm, Kurt Angle, Brian Kendrick
The show seemed built for Jeff Hardy’s miraculous “return/save/forgiveness”, Roode with Kurt on the mic shined and did pick up the big handicap win in a throwaway match to build up Hardy’s save and endorsement, Storm shined in his backstage segment with Kurt Angle as did Kurt with a return to his believable self in his in ring promo and interaction with Storm. Kendrick can’t be ignored because he pinned the champ, although we all know what that means if you’ve been watching formula wrestling 101 for years.
That is all.
M.C. Brown
You can find me on Twitter as
ShocXwavE
