Hey look it’s Smackdown! And it’s Friday! So it must be time for me to deprive myself of a good night’s sleep and watch two hours of this show. After a piss-poor live event last week, let’s see what the good folks in London, England did at this installment. That in itself should be incentive to watch, considering the hot crowd on RAW. There will be no holograms on this show…
Enough. It was kind of neat, but enough.
Here I am to take over the Impact Wrestling review. Boy do I have my work cut out for me. No Barkley or Daffney to assist.
Sorry Daff, but the drunk tank you will stay
We open on Impact and the continuing story of Bobby Roode’s rise to the top. Kurt Angle and Roode exchange words. Is it me or do I see a swerve coming with this whole Roode as champion pursuit?
I know. I know I will regret this later.
We now have the 5-man ladder match for the number one contenders match against Austin Aries for the X division gold. After a somewhat cluttered affair, where Aladdin (Kendrick) in all his Disney glory and steals a victory out from under Kid Kash.
Go Make the street rat proud, Kendrick
Kaz and Tracy get called out to the ring by The Jarretts, where JJ badmouths Kaz about leaving the company multiple times and how Jarrett kept taking him back despite his flip flopping. He then targets his venom on Ms Brooks for being disrespectful to his wife. Calling her a “10 cent whore” which causes Kaz to punch Jeff. Soon security or the retired wrestlers brigade come out to separate them. It all comes to a head when Gunner comes out and F5’s Kaz. (Where’s Fourtune?)
She slept with the owner of the company,
Ink Inc comes out and gets jumped by Mexican America before a singles match between Hernandez and Jesse Neal could take place. After a swift beating and two big splashes by SuperMex, The Sitas spray paint NWO style on there backs the groups initials.
Promo Flair argues with Hogan about his announcement and tells him not to do it. (Why again, would Flair care?) Next Promo is the pre match hype for Tara vs Madison for the Queen’s Qualifier’s Match. The winner taking on Velvet, Mickie and Knockout Champion Winter for the title. Crimson returns.
Knockouts Queen’s Qualifier Match, Madison Rayne comes out in camo wrestling gear and Tara follows with one half of the now pointless tag belts. “Accessories anyone?” What starts out to be a very promising match….sorry I couldn’t keep a straight face. Soon turns to farce when Earl Hebner gets involve and starts choosing sides. Madison uses her charms to get Earl to make calls on her behalf which leads to an eventual reveal and her luck turns for the worse only for her to win with
She "slept" with a higher up for her old position, So tell me who is the better hoe?
her feet on the ropes sealing Tara’s fate as her bitch.
Even though she won't win they still show that she is an asset, and not a hinderance
Christopher Daniels brags about his victory over Styles.
Crimson comes out and calls out Joe. After some back in forth in which Joe calls Crimson his “bitch” a fight ensues which leads to Crimson to be put in the figure four leglock while still suffering from a fractured ankle. But don’t worry Morgan shows to save the day. After a quick clearing of the ring we have the two big men stare each other down until Morgan gives Crimson a friendly man pat on the chest.
Next we have two underrated superstars Dinero versus Anderson. Let us make it quick. Devon’s kids interfere which causes Devon to come out. While that whole mess is going on we have Anderson in the ring at which point Ray hits him with the Singapore cane which Pope slyly picks up the victory.
Sappy Roode promo in which I get early vibes of a wrestler’s version of Rocky. Roode makes the usual promises of training and going into BFG and winning the world title.
Will he have what it takes to beat Apollo Angle for the World Title?
Main Event: AJ Styles versus Bobby Roode. A really good match leading to Roode winning with a cross-face.
Hogan comes out to announce his retirement. Or more correctly tease it for next week. Good way to try to boost ratings with a fake RETIREMENT promo. Sting listens back stage calling Hogan a academy award winning actor, Sting closes the show promising to be in Knoxville, Tennessee for the announcement.
You know your announcement is on thin ice when even the Joker calls you on it.
So that is all for Impact for this week. See you next week when we witness a Knoxville audience.
With experiencing both an earthquake and Irene’s wrath in the same week, it’s amazing to see how one can deal with things granted i only felt about 20 seconds of the earthquake and were getting the end of Irene but still it counts doesn’t it. While those weren’t the only things going on, let me take a look at some other things that went on during the week: (more…)
Author’s Note: This article was written and comments received before Awesome Kong signed with WWE, Taylor Wilde officially quit TNA of her own accord, and Hamada parted ways with TNA. Those facts will change some aspects of the two remaining articles in the series, “It’s a Girl Thing,” on women’s wrestling in North America. (more…)
This week’s “Impact” felt like a complete waste of time in so many ways. Reviewing it in the traditional manner simply isn’t possible, as the questions and comments floating around my brain far outweighed all attempts at even-handedness. (more…)