TNA has been something different recently. It was only the other week there that I decided to catch up on it and I realized that a few things had gotten better since I was last watching it. The first thing being that there are now considerably less backstage segments that what there used. The second thing is, where is Dixie Carter? Whit? Bully Ray put her through a table? Best for business. Keep her as far off TNA television as is feasibly possible.The third thing is, they've brought back the old six sided ring! The fourth, and most important thing... it's got it's spark back. Now, I'm a WWE fan, and have been for as long as I can remember, but I can not remember a time when TNA was more fun to watch than RAW. But now, it just... is. A fair balance of cracking wrestling, with an X Division that is looking shit hot at the moment, a dominant, all-conquering world champ that's on shows every week, and at the same time, there's loads of fucking FUN. Aye, I'm turning into a bit of a TNA guy, fucking sue me. But enough about my new found love for this shit, lets review a fucking wrestling show...
- This week's Impact kicks off with the bold Bobby Roode saying a few words backstage. He's had a lot of things on his mind since failing to win the World Heavyweight Championship two weeks ago (cracking match btw), and he plans on letting the world know those things tonight!
- Austin Aries makes his way to the ring. He won the right to face any champion of his choosing, any time he wants to last week in the New York City Gold Rush, and he doesn't want to waste any time in doing cashing in on that opportunity. He hadn't even finished listing his possibilities when X Division champ Samoa Joe makes his way to the ring to make his mind up for him. Aries doesn't mind at all though... and it's on!
Samoa Joe (c) vs Austin Aries (X Division Title Match)
We kick this off with some traded wristlocks and headlocks, before Joe rolls over into a pinning position. Aries runs the ropes, but gets floored with a stiff shoulder block. Then it's Joe's turn to go running, as Aries catches him with a couple of quick armdrags, before locking in an armbar. Joe counters into a headscissors. Aries wriggles free, and delivers a succession of elbows and chops before being taken off his feet with a huge back elbow. Joe delivers some emphatic right hands, before splashing Aries in the corner and delivering a cracking enziguire. Muscle Buster attempted, but Aries fights out and goes for a missile dropkick, with Joe sidesteps. Aries goes to work on Joe's leg, weakening it off the ropes and locking in a modified leg lock. They trade elbow after elbow, and Aries tries to get Joe up for the brainbuster, but fails to get the big guy up. The action spills to the outside when Joe attempts to dive onto Aries, but he dodges and delivers a dive of his own, connecting flush with Joe on the outside. Aries connects with a couple of dropkicks back in the ring, before hitting the brainbuster for 2. After trying to lock in his ow submission move, Aries allows Joe the time to lock in the sleeper, and after a struggle, Aries is forced to tap. Great match to open proceedings.
- There's trouble x100 brewing. EC3 and Spud make their way out to the ring, and things are not looking good for Rockstar. Carter starts off by asking if he's Spud's best friend, and when he says yes, goes on a humiliating rant. Spud is a gem man, leave the guy alone. EC3 rips Spud's jacket from the pocket and calls his dress sense ridiculous, and that in no planet are they friends. Poor Spud is looking fucking broken man. The main man EY comes down to give some words of advice, and recommends that Spud hit EC3 there and then and have it over with, but Spud resists, and EC3 attacks Young.
EC3 vs Eric Young
Carter tries to take advantage of his cheap shot, but Young takes control, hitting a dropkick. He follows that up with a hurricanrana, and Carter decided it's time to take a breather. He gets no space though as Young takes flight with a slingshot crossbody over the top rope. Back in the ring, Carter tries to rally, but Young has his wits about him and takes him down with a Thesz Press. Carter gets back in the ascendancy, and attempts to choke EY out with a chinlock. Young battles out and tries to get a head of steam, but gets caught in another chinlock, before countering into a back suplex. After hitting the big elbow, Young looks to have the match won, but Spud pulls EC3's leg onto the rope, breaking the pin. Off a distraction, Carter puts Young away with a Dirty Deeds looking move. Spud looks completely torn and you can feel it's only a matter of time before he has enough and batters his so called best friend.
- Mr. Anderson is talking to Chris Melendez backstage. Last week saw Kenny King try to literally pull off Melendez' prosthetic leg before Anderson made the save, and Melendez assures Anderson that he's ready to deal with King and MVP.
Gail Kim (c) vs Havok (TNA Women's Title Match)
So this didn't happen. As Gail Kim made her way to the ring, Havok attacked her from behind, injuring her shoulder badly in the process. Not that Havok cares, because she is a heartless big bastardin machine of a wummin. Scary burd.
- The Wolves are out next, and they have an announcement concerning what the final match in the tag team championship series with Team 3D and The Hardys will entail. Just as he's about to make that announcement though, Bully Ray and Devon roll out to say something. They tell Edwards and Richards that they might be the tag champs, but they'll never be Team 3D. They'll never leave a mark on the world of tag team wrestling like Bully and Devon have. As far as the final match goes, that's their call, and not The Wolves'. At that, the scenario is completed by Matt and Jeff Hardy, who are less than impressed by what they're hearing. Matt tells The Wolves that they're good, but 3D and The Hardys are GODS of tag team wrestling. Then it gets messy,as the three teams get to scrapping. You know what way this is going. 3D "GET THE TABLES". Hardys get the ladders. Wolves get the chairs. Angle has seen enough, he comes out to tell The Wolves to get on with the announcement, but it's right there in black and white. Round 4, tag team titles on the line, The Wolves vs The Hardys vs Team 3D, TLC match. Quality,
Manik vs Shark Boy
Here's some of the fun I was talking about. Shark Boy. A guy who comes out to Stone Cold's music, dressed up as, you guessed it, a fucking shark. Tonnes a fun. He takes on Manik here, who's been repackaged under the tutelage of James Storm, who has a Bray Wyatt feel about him these days. Shark boy starts off on the offensive, hitting a Thesz Press, followed by a couple of clotheslines. He tries the 10 punches in the corner but runs out of steam and Manik takes advantage, connecting with a stinging kick in the corner, followed by a snapmare and dropkick. A suplex followed by a back suplex, and then Manik breaks his own pin. Classic heel move. Manik decides to put Shark Boy away when he hits a modified gutbuster, followed by the frog splash.
- Bully Ray is awfully good at that promo malarkey eh? In this particular segment, he tells us that he doesn't know whether to credit the Wolves for having the balls to challenge them and the Hardys to a TLC match, or bash their heads in for being so daft. He wants to make it clear that Team 3D will be strolling into every Hall of Fame conceivable as the 25 time World Tag Team Champions.
MVP vs Mr. Anderson
Kenny King and MVP have that thing about them, don't they? What's the term I'm looking for? They're... pricks. Of the highest order. I'm sure they're swell guys outside the ring n that, and MVP is a Man U guy, which makes him a good cunt in my eyes, but for TV purposes... they can just fuck off. I'll be lying if I said I watched all of this match because by this time I was too looking forward to what Roode was gonny say. When I came into play though, Anderson had hit a rolling senton for two. King tried to cause a distraction when he jumped on the apron but Melendez was nearby for hauners, pulling him down and face first off the apron. The distraction proved vital though, as MVP rolled up Anderson and picked up the win.
- Bobby Roode comes down and decides its time to say a couple of words about what happened two weeks ago. He says that on the night, he can accept the fact that he lost, and invites Lashley out for a chat. Flanked by King and MVP, out comes the destroyer. Roode tells him that he respects the fact that Lashley is the most dominant world champion in TNA's history, but in their match, he almost had him. It took Lashle two spears to beat Roode that night, and Lashley knows that Roode could have beaten him. With that being said, the challenge was issued. Roode wants another shot. One more match. Mate, Lashley was going to accept. He was. But by now, MVP was shiteing himself, and jumped in, telling Roode that the answer is no, and hurries the champ out the ring.
Gail Kim (c) vs Havok (TNA Women's Title Match)
If at first you don't succeed, try again, right? Wrong. I'll tell ye why. You've got a burst shoulder, Gail, and you are calling out one of the scariest women on the planet, who was the one behind said burst shoulder becoming burst a mere hour or so ago. I'll give it to her though, she has guts. She met Havok on the ramp and tried to blindside her, but it was just never going to work. No matter how many times Gail tried to rally, the power of Havok was just too much. The injured shoulder is honed in on, and Havok worked on it for the entire match. Gail almost steals it when she goes up top and hits a crossbody, but can only manage a two count. Gail tried twice to hit Eat Defeat, but Havok pulled her up in a hammerlock, before slamming her down on the injured shoulder, the move that initially caused the injury. One chokeslam later, and we have a new Women's Champion. Taz asks the question - "Who can stop her?"
So there yees have it, an Impact review. A very decent episode. It's good to see the crowds in such good form as well, as the run in New York has been quality. Hopefully they can keep this up, because TNA might be beginning to turn a new corner, and I quite like where it's heading.