After last weeks revelation TNA goes behind the scenes after Dixie left the back throwing a tantrum and cussing out and threatening to fire various people for what happened including a bewildered production guy. This right here was awesome! I have never been drawn in so much into the opening of the show in months possibly years and this week was different.
Dixie continued but instead of anger now she was in the middle of the ring crying and attempting to explain herself to the fans. That is until Daniels and Kazarian came out to interrupt her and we witnessed the heeltastic Daniels go off on Dixie Live with no pretape. I’m loving this live format. And just as Daniels is ready to lay hands on Dixie out came the phenomenal AJ Styles to the rescue and when it couldn’t get any better Serg came out and swung at Styles that ended a excellent segment that hyped up the rest of the show.
And how do they follow that up but with Aries and Joe still upset about last week. But then jumps into a non title one on one match up with Crimson. they had a good match but what was the most important part was the development of Aries vs Joe at Slammiversary. Joe came out and cost Aries but hyped up their match this Sunday.
Brooke Hogan is exercising her title setting up a four way match for the #1 contendership for the knockouts. And we see a possible Mickie James heel turn as B Hogan gets Velvet a spot in Montgomery Gentry’s music video. They don’t call Mickie Hard Core Country for nothing. The match is under way with
Tara vs Brooke Tessmacher vs Mickie vs Velvet- Decent match that ends with Tessmacher getting a rematch on Sunday.
Abyss, Joseph Park and Bully Ray segment stays entertaining with Bully antagonizing Park with a new contract where essential Bully Ray is not responsible for what happens to him on Sunday. The spitting in his face pissing off Joseph enough to sign.
Oh look Devon our television champion and “ugh” the Robbies and…….Garett Bischoff! ……..
skipping until better partners and opponents show themselves.
And finally we have the A six man tag, Sting, AJ and Angle vs Roode, Daniels and Kazarian
What started off as a handicap match when AJ hadn’t made it back yet from leaving earlier after the whole Dixie fiasco leaves his partners high and dry. With the heels in control that is when AJ makes his way through the crowd to make the save. After a senton on the heels outside the ring, Roode is left alone with Sting who makes him tap again to the Scorpion Death lock.
Sunday should herald alot of surprises and just some good quality matches.
We open on a video of Eric Appreciation night and how the faces dumped him into a port-a-pottie leaving him covered in Shite.
Flair stands in the ring and gives us that rousing title line. I couldn’t help but crack up laughing when that was said then after calling out Hogan added this line after being asked to be a judge on GutCheck, “I love hangin around the kids” Gotta love Flair when he says those lines.
Knockout title match with Gail and Madison vs Brooke and Velvet, and I have to admit that Velvet is putting forth effort. ONLY one clothesline so far. I lied there was one more. Brooke Tessmacher who is still amazing me with her advancements beats Gail with her own move.
RVD comes out to brag about who he is…I fast forward. Then I see The two Robs in a match against Devon again no less. I fast forward.
Well while watching wrestling I must have picked up on a American Idol feed, The Gut Check Challenge judges Flair, Bruce Pritchard, and oh my god Al Snow who is doing more than breaking up fights with D’lo argue over Alex Silva who is vying for a TNA contract. Reality TV in wrestling I haven’t seen that since well the 90’s.
Hogan gasses up Anderson by making his match with Roode a NO DQ. Because you know he’s Hogan and he’s impartial while giving it to the heels this time.
Jeff and RVD have a match and I really don’t care. Fast Forward. Note: Why don’t I care? well lets see both wrestlers could cut a promo if there life depended on it. And secondly they both have a predetermined set of move that they perform in a perticular sequence that just looks stale after awhile. So NO.
RVD wins. there. Jeremy Borash is talking about his hatred for Eric then Bully Ray steps out to you know bully Borash.
Austin Aries comes out to not save Borash but to get in Ray’s face. A good segment where Ray gets in his cheap shot.
Six man tag, Daniels/Kazarian/Angle vs Styles/Magnus/Joe where they tease the reveal of the evidence on AJ. But you’ll have to wait till next week. Good Match with the faces going over.
We have the results of the Gut Check Challenge and like a bad American Idol parody we find out that Alex Silva is getting a TNA contract.
Roode and Anderson match up and I actually care about this bout. Intense and just when Roode is going to put away Anderson, Hardy comes out only to get mic checked by Anderson who in turn gets blasted with the chair leading to a fisherman buster for the win.
Besides some painful spots TNA wasn’t that bad this week. Can’t wait for the AJ reveal.
So we had a lackluster Lockdown 2012 ending with Roode retaining in the flukest way possible. Now we have the champion gloating about his win, but wait we have Mr. Anderson who stilled PO’ed about the beer bottle win from a few weeks back. New Challenger? Well then we get Jeff Hardy who seems to be wanting his turn now that Kurt Angle is out of the picture in another ridiculous feud that started over Hardy having hair and Kurt not.
Hulk Hogan announces that he wants all the champions in the ring. And makes a match for the number one contendership. That fake laughing Hogan.
Tag match involving the other disappointment of the night Matt Morgan and Crimson who are now involved in a tag match against each other. With Bully Ray and Aries thrown to compress the feud.
Ray wins after pulling the tights of Aries. If that wasn’t bad enough here comes Garett Bischoff.
Jeff Hardy talks about how kurt is to blame for his not having the title. Because you know it wasn’t drugs or nothing. Yeah here comes Garett.
Oh wait he has brought out the heavy lifters of the match, AJ, RVD and Anderson. He talks. I fast forward.
And then Flair comes out to talk bout a going away party for a man that shouldn’t be on my TV. Because him and Bischoff are friends what bio did I read where he talks about the disdain that he has for that man?
OH Yeah!
Dangling plot threads abound about AJ Styles, Kazarian and Daniels, will we get are answers probably not but I like Daniels and that non funny Armenian bastard named Kazarian.
AJ and Kurt have a match that is of course nothing short an excellent example of wrestling when Daniels/Kazarian hand Styles the dreaded envelope which distracts AJ long enough for Kurt to get the pin.
Abyss’s brother corners Gunner. And because Gunner’s no snitch he walks away only to have Mr. Park threaten him with legal action. Well the no snitching policy evaporates in the face of jail time. Gunner finally directs Mr. Park toward Bully Ray. Because Park doesn’t watch TNA PPV’s.
All the champions come out. To await on Hogan’s announcement. But before that we have some backstage talk with the new king of sex tapes Hogan wanting to make Hardy vs Anderson a three way and convincing RVD about taking the sweet spot. More pimping of RVD is surely on the way.
OPen Fight Night is announced. New talent will be put in the ring against anyone of thier choosing including the champions. IF they impress Hogan and his panel of judges then they get a contract. This is of course in conjuction with the Gut Check Challenge which has been around for a while. But now it will be televised. Oh and Devon will defend the TV title every week.
Team Gail (Madison, The Sitas and of course Gail) vs Team TNT(Velvet, Mickie and of course TNT) hey at least the Sarita is involved in an actual wrestling match. Well Brooke Tessmacher pins Gail setting up filler for Gail vs (shudder) Velvet which may or may not happen at Slammiversary.
Here comes Devon to defend his title against Gunner. FF because well…Gunner. Devon wins and I testify to that.
James Storm has doubts about his future after not beating Roode. Leaves the ring. I feel for him and I’m sorry about his Damn luck.
So yeah RVD beat Anderson and Hardy to become the number 1 contender for the title. After being gone for how long?
Well here’s to another transition for Impact Wrestling and to Open Fight Night. I’m actually interested in what happens next week which hasn[t been the case for a long time.
So we have match 1 which is the tag match between AJ Styles /Mr. Anderson vs Christopher Daniels/Kazarian for….absolutely nothing. WHat started as an intriguing set up involving the secret that Daniels unearthed and what Kaz kept wanted kept quiet is now just a feud with an added element for the returning Mr. Anderson. Because I’m assuming that they had no plans for him on his return. So I feel that the faces will lose to build momentum for Lockdown. If nothing else it looks like that TNA has formed new tag teams. How knows if the faces due win maybe Lockdown will be the blow off of the feud in a three way tag team title match.
Austin Aries vs Zema Ion for the X Division title looks to be filler for the real match at Lockdown. I see a cheap move on Ion’s part that gets him disqualified leading to a rematch at Lockdown for the win. Don’t get me wrong it will be a competitive match that will keep the crowd awake to make it through the rest of the card. But a footnote leading to Lockdown all the same.
Gail Kim (c) vs Madison Rayne the match that the X division will have to keep people awake through. This is really just a waste and hoping it is just filling in for the (hopefully) eventual confrontation between Gail and Sarita since that is the only person she hasn’t faced yet and would really be appreciated here. I could see this match as the final straw for Gail as far as friends go making her a lone wolf against a rejuvenated face Sarita would be appreciated or keep her heel as long as we get that match. Gail should win here because god almighty we don’t need another Killer Queen reign.
Sting vs Booby Roode (c) should solidify Roode as a crafty and threatening force leading into Lockdown against James Storm. Otherwise it would just be a waste of the champion to get beat by Sting. Here’s to Roode winning and making himself look strong. Nashville would be better for it.
Kurt Angle vs Jeff Hardy this should be Hardy’s redemption song for last year. Taking on the man who can have a good match with a broom stick. (Looking at you HHH) This should make four a good match and here’s to Hardy doing something different with his moveset instead of the wash and repeat business he could show some knew moves and bust out some classic maneuvers from the old days. Angle should go over so to extend the feud to Lockdown where Angle does best.
Samoa Joe/Crimson vs Crimson/Morgan here here to the Joe Daddies or whatever their called. Morgan and Crimson just need to progress to the next level. Just fight already. Hopefully come Lockdown we see these two finally step to heel and face category to make the Crimson character more interesting. Because this rematch seems forced. Joe/Magnus for the win and the dissolving of Morgan/Crimson.
Bully Ray vs James Storm we have seen this match already and on free tv as the marks would say but i guess they have to give Storm something to do until Lockdown. Storm will go over Ray and move on to Nashville.
Saving the best for last. The Robbie E open invitational for the television title. I’m crossing my fingers that this will be resolved for going into Lockdown. Bischoff noted that now under the current regime that long term story is being created. So what looks like random heel tactics by the two Rob’s could be setting up for an eventual face to strip the belt off Robbie E I predict another jobber who will take the pin leading to Robbie getting more heat.
So there’s my predictions in assorted order (thanks Wikipedia) A day after PPV article should verify or debunk predictions.
We start Impact Invasion with a wonderful involvement of a cluster fudge clip reel inter-cutting various movies 4,5,6 and 1 with last weeks Bischoff family drama. But lets start the show with a Bully Ray in ring promo.
Meesa Approve.
After being abandoned by his partner, Roode, he wants some answers. Not even allowing Roode’s music to finish before they take it to the ring.
To do some more…talking. Until the real culprit behind their Fleetwood Mac split reveals himself. Steve Borden comes out with his trademark UK special Cricket Bat. He tells the heels to get ready for a tag match against James Storm and….(J Hardy can’t leave the states because of his parole) The Insane Icon, Sting. Ta Ta for now.
So sad you couldn't be here these past two weeks.
The continuing story of Kramer vs Kramer err AJ, Daniels fight over Kazarian continues as we have a one on one bout between the aforementioned parents. After a pretty solid match Daniels wins with brass nucks handed him by a reluctant Kaz.
Gunner and Bisch senior plan infanticid. Where is Mrs. Bischoff? Women are very protective of their children. Would make a better story.
Samoa Joe and Magnus step out next to raucous applause. While under Magnus’ music, of course. And Mag’s cuts a wonderful promo proving (hopefully to Bischoff) that he is the total package. All that comes to an end when the UK heels Morgan and Crimson come to the ring to brawl which comes to an end when joe pulls Magnus from the ring before flippin the bird.
Good showing
Next we have the neglected crown jewel of TNA the X Division. And its a three way between Shelley, Williams and Champ Austin Aries in a non-title bout. This is another strong showing from all competitors where we see Douglas going to the top rope for a flying European uppercut and various outside maneuevers. It finishes when after kicking Williams in the nuts following the chaos theory on Shelley, Aries goes for the brainbuster but is out smarted with slice bread. Giving the match to Alex Shelley in a long overdue rivialry.
In the back Hulk Hogan warns Steve Borden about having a target on his back. And to look out.
But to outside where Gail is beating on Tara. The scene jumps back to Tara taking pictures of the UK, which are interrupted by champ Kim. Bringing the fight full circle. Even with fair fight from Tara the winner after throwing thro a set of doors is Gail who mockingly brags her title and name to Wonder Years.
Hogan and Bischoff Junior are up next. After a HH endorsement we have a interruption by Bischoff Sr. and Gunner. Hilarity ensues. After a brawl Hogan highhandedly beats both Gunner and Bisch Sr. before letting Jr. get a punch in on his dad. Sad. OH AND Bully Ray and Roode argue before there match.
Hardcore Country Mickie James vs Velvet Sky where we watch Mickie slowly go heel due to no title win? What comes across as a decent match ends with a miscalculation by James leading to a win for Velvet.
Even glorified strippers win over Hardcore Country 🙁
Welcome to The Main Event: or See ya in 3 days, Champ! -Bully Ray
the crowd was hot for the faces as they took the champ and ray to task. Sting eventually clears the ring after double splashing Ray/Roode in the corner. Roode eventually dropping on Ray’s manhood. The Insane Icon S Drops Roode before locking in the scorpion deathlock. Ray comes in to interfere but says the above quote with belt in hand. Roode submits as Ray looks on.
The Star Wars promos didn’t overshadow the show because besides the opening montage and Taz being Taz mentioning princess Leila? and the minute response from Tenay the show was still good all around. Here’s to the upcoming pay per view, Against All Odds and a return back to the iMPACT Zone. The ends the no vowel edition of pntnr iMPACT Review.
What am I saying its the wrestling business. Everyone gets second or third chances in this business just ask Jake the Snake Roberts. But that is later on in the show. We open with a Roode promo detailing his family struggles with his shady dealings that won him the title. (Obviously they must have been sleep walking during his Robert Roode run 4 years ago.)
Steve Borden (No Makeup makes him Steve) comes down to the ring to make an announcement about the “Inmates running the asylum” And how he is going to punish those who step out of line. First up is Robert Roode, or Bobby Roode who is called out after his heinous treatment of Dixie Carter. Roode comes out and him and Borden banter throwing as many puns out there that they can in ten minutes. That is until Borden calls out AJ Styles and then promptly follows it up with Jeff Hardy before telling Roode that he will be involved in a triple threat match in the main event. Roode is disgusted and so are probably half the wrestlers in the back who don’t sell the merchandise Hardy sells.
Next we have the knockouts in bathrobes in the parking lot, were Karen is in the process of verbal and physically undressing to wash the wrestlers cars. For some of the women this is a repeated performance of a past life, Velvet, Tessmacher, Tara and Angelina have all posed in revealing clothing inside and outside the ring so no real shock there. But Winter and Madison (who still annoys me but does look good in her two piece, what put her on mute and commence….oh yeah “pigeons loose.”
Wonder Years Jason Hervey interviews Hardy until Jarrett comes into the spotlight. He still mad that Jeff no showed a past event and came intoxicated to the ring in March and wants him gone. FYI: Does Jarrett really get off on being in the spotlight feuding with top talent rather than elevating Kazarian or Magnus? We will find out later tonight. Ray and Bischoff have a sub par meeting in the back, Which will lead to another Roode vignette. Where they continue to play the aftermath of his “Reign of Selfishness.”
More semi dressed Knockouts as ODB wondering around out in the parking lot most likely going home because she had nothing to do, runs into Karen who is watching the knockouts as closely as a lesbian prison warden from some 80’s sexploitation flick, propositions her to take out Mickie James adding the bonus of earning a title shot. Logic aside her wouldn’t the fact that Gail is allied with Karen make a title opportunity a moot point considering Gail and her posse would just cheat? But so far I’m liking this episode.
Three way tag match between Ink Inc w/Toxxin vs Mexican America w/ Sarita & Rosita vs The Pope and Devon w/o the 2 kids they share. I’m all-pro gay marriage with kids especially since Devon’s wife practically disappeared after a couple of appearances. Decent match that saw what will now be the norm in Impact Wrestling, make shift tag teams. Because who needs already made ones when you can… I’ll stop now I enjoyed it for what it was.
Aries comes out and cuts a promo where he says he has beaten everyone in the division clean. And that the division should be renamed the AA division, (in short his cocky heel promo rocked.) Kid Kash comes out all angry and ready for a fight. They spit back and forth making for a solid set up at Final Resolution for a X division title match.
Steve Borden and Jeff Jarrett have a fight backstage about how if Jarrett interferes in the main event there will be consequences. Which is all just foreshadowing for what is obviously going to happen.
More Roode family promo fallout. Mickie James vs ODB in a street fight. First off I’m wearing off on the Mickie Express. Her movements in the ring just seem so forced and over theatrical for me. Where as ODB who has been toned down from the last time she was there is a breath of fresh air. She stands out and in a good way. Sadly she has now become enhancement talent for Hardcore Country. After a solid showing the match ends when Mickie weakly (and ODB telegraphed putting the chair in front of her face) spin kick for the 3.
Interview with James Storm where Kurt Angle shows and taunts James some more telling him to show up next week to sign on for a match at Final Resolution. Ah heels and there non concern for concussions or torn hamstrings. Either way good promo.
Comedy Gold rears it head as Steiner and Ray try to find a way to calm down Abyss. Until the idea for sending 2 of the finest of “the big bad booty daddy’s” stable to satisfy him. What happens next is predictable but still caused me to smirk. Another Roode family promo better put together than all the others which should of aired at the beginning of the show and getting rid of the others leaving room for more matches but whatever.
Television title match where RVD no sells losing in favor of interference from Daniels setting up another pointless match between these two at final resolution. Next.
Back to the knockouts who now break out in a fight with soap and water, car wash style. Tara, Love, Winter and Tessmacher will help many through the night. Pope, Williams, MA and Ink Inc minus Toxxin come out to see all the commotion. It all ends when Gail sprays the girls down.
Main event
Bobby Roode vs AJ Styles vs Jeff Hardy in a 3 way dance. At first what starts as a beat-down of Bobby Roode basically becomes predictable as Jeff and AJ turn on one another. Jarrett interferes costing Hardy the match.
Borden comes out and makes a cage match at Final Resolution where if Jeff Hardy loses he is gone for good and if he wins he gets bumped back into the world title picture come Genesis. So since we know who sells merchandise we can expect the feud between AJ and Roode to end come Final Resolution and Jeff back in for the belt. hmmm.
In conclusion, I’m getting better at watching this program without belittling it lets see how long this will last.
Here is another rousing edition of Pintnoir’s Impact Wrestling Review. We’re a little over 10 days away from Bobby Roode vs Kurt Angle at Bound for Glory. Beer Money comes to the ring to tell the fans in Knoxville, TN (Yes in a actual arena!) that they will get a show tonight that neither man will bring nothing less than 100%, which Roode makes Storm promise is exactly what is going to be done. Here’s to another actual good closing match.
Promo: Sting see’s a wall picture of a clown and kicks into joker mode. (God, I hope after BFG, the insane icon goes back to being just “the icon”)
If only we could.
Gunner comes out to the ring to face Kazarian after his attack on him last week. A decent match which ends in Gunner putting Kaz in the hospital with an arm bar submission maneuver. Essential Gunner wins the match but since he wouldn’t release the hold the victory went to Kaz.
Anderson comes out to shoot an in ring promo about how his “assholes” have his back. This talk prompts Bully Ray to come out and in typical heel fashion leads to Ray saying that he has beaten Anderson enough and will not give him another chance. Anderson entices Ray like a dog being given a treat with the prospect of a falls counts anywhere match. Game on.
A shout out to Community and Anderson's fanbase
“Let the Pigeon’s loose!” A knockout tag team match is coming up. Bischoff comments on Hulk Hogan’s retirement. Kendrick babbles on while Kid Kash walks behind and decides to kick his ass because he mentioned his name.
why does he beat on little people? Because he can.
The Pigeons are on their mark...and getting ready
Mickie James/Velvet Sky vs Winter (c)/Madison Rayne w/Angelina Love…take on the Sitas and you would have bulk of the entire knockout roster.
Match is decent when its going. In heelish fashion Angelina interferes not once but twice and on the second try almost costs Winter the match only for Madison to roll in and pin Velvet while holding the trunks. *sidebar* when is this whole roll-up pin from a smaller wrestler on a larger wrestler going to stop being taken a gospel with the knockouts, it really is just embarrassing.
Kurt Angle and Eric Bischoff are in the back talking about the screw-up Jeff Hardy and how Angle stepping out again to tell him to leave. Eric tells Angle that he’ll handle it. Cut to the ring Eric calls out Jeff. He calls him on coming out pilled out of his gourd at Victory Road tells him to get gone, in which Hardy responds with a twist o’ fate and a screw you before running into the crowd. Ah, have to love redemption.
Samoa Joe vs Crimson. Again. What starts as a pretty decent match with Joe dominating and Crimson getting the occasional offense leads to Joe putting Crimson in a modified ankle lock. Which Crimson reverses into a roll up pin. Crimson’s streak continues and Joe is fuming.
Another Bobby Roode highlight promo where they talk to his mother this time about how he always wanted to be champion. It was good seeing his team Canada days with Scott D’Amore. Here’s to Roode winning. But first he still has to face Storm.
Roode vs Storm, a good back and forth with each wrestler scouting the other. Even having a stare off right before a commercial interrupts. (damn commercials with their making money and all.) Superplexes, top rope neckbreakers a missed Last Call from Storm eventually lead to a ref bump with caused Roode to be laid out and Storm on the outside which caused Angle to run in and throw Storm head first into the ring steps, then rolling him into the ring. Roode goes for the pin only getting a two count. This is before he pulls off the Fishermen suplex for the win.
Hogan’s retirement was its usual cheese that he used over in Vince’s country only this time with a swerve when Sting comes to the ring all crack jokered out and shows footage of Hogan dissing the fans and admitting to snowballing them into buying merchandise and ducking Sting. Hogan is so mad that he challenges Sting not to a match but to a fight with the company on the line. Which of course Hogan regrets.
‘Ave a Olli Jolli Christmas! Man, for those not in the know, Toronto Maple Leafs fans FINALLY did something to endear them to me. They started the waffle meme.
Often cited as one of the busiest shopping days of the year, December 23rd is one of madness in the malls. How better to celebrate the insanity, than to delve into the inane booking that is iMPACT? Furthermore, it’s the holiday season, and with that, I’ve invited a particular TNA talent to express his sentiments for merry times and jovial festivities! AJ? (more…)
