I wanted to talk about the trailer that Williams and Styles went into because a lot of people who reviewed this show was like WTF. If you noticed where Styles took Williams after he came into the camera view there was a door behind AJ that separated the rooms. So it is one HUGE trailer that had doors separating rooms.
[Official] TNA TV Shows Aftermath, Review & Ratings Thread
- Thread starter Y 2 Jake
- Start date
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Kitten Cutter
Pre-Show Stalwart
A little late, but I watched Impact in full finally. All I can say is...meh. I guess Ric Flair is no longer in charge.
- A note to the TNA techs, hide the mic pack better. I'm sure Mr. Anderson didn't leave home wearing a mic pack.
- Matt Morgan’s promo had utter silence through most of it. Wrestling fans usually aren’t that quiet. Were they sitting in revered silence or utter boredom?
- Mr. Anderson still can work the mic. His skills are natural and the guy has massive potential. The only issue I have is that Morgan has now lost two straight PPVs and looking losing a third in a row.
- Jeff Hardy staggers in again (like he did entering vs. Raven last month). I’m sorry; the guy just looks stoned. If it’s part of the character I really don’t like it. Insult the fans, cheat, be an asshole, but don’t look like you’re under the influence.
- I didn’t see the PPV due to work; did he stagger in when he faced Matt Morgan?
- By the way, happy to see Jeff finally speaks for himself against a live crowd. Small favors I suppose.
- Starting off any show with a title match is always good idea. Even if it does involve Robbie E.
- Christy Hemme is STILL hot. Nice booking to keep Cookie subdued.
- Jay Lethal vs. Robbie E. was actually one of the best overall matches I’ve seen on Impact in a long time. Lethal is over, and I’m looking forward to seeing him work vs. The Immortals\Fourtune.
- Robbie E. is a glorified comedy act and nothing more. He should be feuding with Eric Young if he keeps going this route.
- I’m still curious as to why Robbie E. had to win the X-division belt in the first place. He didn’t need it to make a strong debut. Plus, if the Immortals wanted all of the belts, why not make Lethal look like a stronger champion.
- How many white girls has Jay Lethal worked with\gotten with in TNA? No wonder he keeps renewing his contract! If they ever brought back Awesome Kong, that’d be quite a feud, where Kong gets mad at Lethal for only dating white girls.
- I do like the fact that face characters (Douglas Williams) and heel characters (Magnus) who were friends can still interact.
- Aw, no more Chelsea. Where will Jay Lethal get his next POA?
- So wait…wasn’t Tara beating up Mickie James all over the place like two weeks ago? And now she’s shocked and appalled that two men are fighting all over the place?
- Why was Douglas Williams hanging out in Madison Rayne’s locker room? Were they comparing useless titles?
EDIT NOTE: They were indeed separated by curtains and such, but wouldn't the men have different trailers than the women?
- TNA loves those all-over-the-place brawls, don’t they?
- Eric Young found the TNA World Heavyweight Title in the trash? Didn’t Bischoff throw that belt out a month ago? And it was STILL THERE?! I guess not everyone takes their trash out weekly.
- Seriously, once upon a time, Vince McMahon gave Mick Foley a broken Winged Eagle WWF Title belt and called it the Hardcore title and made a new division. Eric Young finds the old TNA World Title and hires Hooters girls, hangs out with a bisexual transvestite and gets meditation tips from Brian Kendrick.
- Jeff Hardy doesn’t read cue cards well. That’s because I can tell he’s reading cue cards.
- Didn’t need to see Orlando Jordan wearing that Hooters outfit. Could have done without that image.
- Poor Generation Me. From losing six straight PPVs to being back-up singers and facing Eric Young and Orlando “Hooters girl” Jordan.
- The belt has been well taken care of for being in the trash a month.
- A battle royale? And Eric Young “won”? Well, I will say this: Brian Hebner is pretty agile. He was the only one who landed on his feet when Eric threw him out.
- Why does Orlando Jordan put up with Eric Young? Have they explained why on ReAction yet? Any friend that Manhattan Drops me…the friendship is over.
- Poor Generation Me. From losing six straight PPVs to being back-up singers and losing to Eric Young and Orlando “Hooters girl” Jordan by submission.
- Eric Young looks better as World Champion than Jeff Hardy does. Yeah, I said it.
- I wonder if when Bischoff meant capturing all of the belts, he actually thought of reclaiming the TNA Garbage Championship.
- Miss Tessmacher is BACK!!! Jay Lethal has his next POA!
- Miss Tessmacher is HOT!!! Damn, she is built in the right places!
- Well, it looks obvious that Lacey Von Erich trained Miss Tessmacher. They even mess up the same spots.
- Mickie James vs. Madison Rayne is SUCH a mismatch for the Kncokout title. Tara will need to get involved a lot for Madison to retain.
- Well, that was a bit of a weak ending. The hard brace into a punch and that’s it? Not even a finisher for Madison?
- I called it. The Beautiful People vs. Tara and Madison Rayne. Of course, any wrestling fan could have called that.
- Kaz and Jeff Hardy is an odd and random mix. At least it’s new and they’re on the same team.
- Kaz is recruiting now. Interesting.
- Hmmm…replacing Rhyno with Rob Terry. Rob Terry and Abyss = Rooks of the Immortals chessboard.
- Oh no. What the hell…from buried in a casket and promising to come back to hustling money with a “deacon” backstage? No big comeback for The Pope?
- Brother Ray looks like the evil twin brother of Larry the Cable Guy.
- Bully Ray? Really? That’s the best new name Creative could come up with for Brother Ray? Really, guys?
- Where is this going for Bubb...whoops, I mean Bully Ray? World Title? X-division title? TV Title? New Hardcore division? Or will Team 3D get back together again at the end of this?
- And The Pope drives off into the night…to do…something.
- Nice telegraph of Rob Terry going heel. First match back on Impact vs. a face like RVD. Figures.
- Jesus Christ…Velvet Sky is HOT as well. How did she not make a live appearance?
- And speaking of which, where are the Motor City Machine Guns? They were on a roll!
- Wow, RVD gets spent easily. He looked really winded after barely 8 minutes of a match. He’s getting out of shape.
- So much for Rob Terry being taken seriously. I notice that TNA’s big guys don’t win very much. Abyss, Rob Terry, Matt Morgan…not a lot of wins in the past few months for any of them.
- Well, I guess when I’ve been beaten up, demoralized, and locked in a casket, the first thing I’d want to do is go is rip off people for cash and go to a strip club.
- The MMA thing still isn’t doing it for me. Sorry. Still, Jarrett seems to be rejuvenated, so I can’t knock him any further for it.
- Jarrett needs to get pumped up and set up to face an audience member?
- Hello, plants.
- For $100,000, I’d actually try it. I’d take on Jarrett and give it a shot. Would anyone else try it?
- Can TNA get The Miz’s face girl to come and face Jarrett?
- Wow, did Rey Mysterio’s cousin come to TNA?
- Mickie James is the fan’s favorite…I guess he has an alternate lifestyle.
- I really wish TNA would go the extra length and actually let a fan in the ring to face Jarrett, or at least let him\her get close and get kicked out instead of using plants. Maybe it’s too dangerous but it’s something I’d like to see.
- The tag team main event had the central theme of Anderson’s concussion recovery. I’m not a complete fan of this, but at least TNA is going with it thoroughly.
- Kaz is trying. “A” for effort. I still wonder how much future the guy has. And what is his finisher? I don’t remember him ever using one or even referred to, and I’ve never seen him win a singles match without help.
- So it takes 3 Twists of Hates to beat Morgan at a PPV, but a rope hang and 1 Twist of Hate beats him on Impact?
- So The Immortals is now Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, Jeff Hardy, Jeff Jarrett, Ric Flair, A.J. Styles, Kazarian, Robert Roode, James Storm, Abyss and Rob Terry. And their main active opposition is Matt Morgan, Mr. Anderson, Rob Van Dam, and The Pope, who all still can’t get along, and one is in a strip club currently licking his wounds (among other things).
- And no Motor City Machine Guns or Beer Money? We can find time for Amazing Red and Orlando Jordan but neither of the best tag teams in the world?
Overall: Eh. OK show. Not as good as the past two shows. They have to find a way to get the Motor City Machine Guns on every show. Not just because they’re the tag team champions, but they are very over, they work the mic well, and whatever they’re doing they’re interesting doing it. The show loses something when they’re not involved. Maybe I’m a blind mark for them, but it makes the most sense to me.
Also, Jeff Hardy is just not coming across as a top champion. I just don’t see any prestige. Maybe he needs more time, but I just can’t call him an elite champion. Not yet. He needs to do something more.
- A note to the TNA techs, hide the mic pack better. I'm sure Mr. Anderson didn't leave home wearing a mic pack.
- Matt Morgan’s promo had utter silence through most of it. Wrestling fans usually aren’t that quiet. Were they sitting in revered silence or utter boredom?
- Mr. Anderson still can work the mic. His skills are natural and the guy has massive potential. The only issue I have is that Morgan has now lost two straight PPVs and looking losing a third in a row.
- Jeff Hardy staggers in again (like he did entering vs. Raven last month). I’m sorry; the guy just looks stoned. If it’s part of the character I really don’t like it. Insult the fans, cheat, be an asshole, but don’t look like you’re under the influence.
- I didn’t see the PPV due to work; did he stagger in when he faced Matt Morgan?
- By the way, happy to see Jeff finally speaks for himself against a live crowd. Small favors I suppose.
- Starting off any show with a title match is always good idea. Even if it does involve Robbie E.
- Christy Hemme is STILL hot. Nice booking to keep Cookie subdued.
- Jay Lethal vs. Robbie E. was actually one of the best overall matches I’ve seen on Impact in a long time. Lethal is over, and I’m looking forward to seeing him work vs. The Immortals\Fourtune.
- Robbie E. is a glorified comedy act and nothing more. He should be feuding with Eric Young if he keeps going this route.
- I’m still curious as to why Robbie E. had to win the X-division belt in the first place. He didn’t need it to make a strong debut. Plus, if the Immortals wanted all of the belts, why not make Lethal look like a stronger champion.
- How many white girls has Jay Lethal worked with\gotten with in TNA? No wonder he keeps renewing his contract! If they ever brought back Awesome Kong, that’d be quite a feud, where Kong gets mad at Lethal for only dating white girls.
- I do like the fact that face characters (Douglas Williams) and heel characters (Magnus) who were friends can still interact.
- Aw, no more Chelsea. Where will Jay Lethal get his next POA?
- So wait…wasn’t Tara beating up Mickie James all over the place like two weeks ago? And now she’s shocked and appalled that two men are fighting all over the place?
- Why was Douglas Williams hanging out in Madison Rayne’s locker room? Were they comparing useless titles?
EDIT NOTE: They were indeed separated by curtains and such, but wouldn't the men have different trailers than the women?
- TNA loves those all-over-the-place brawls, don’t they?
- Eric Young found the TNA World Heavyweight Title in the trash? Didn’t Bischoff throw that belt out a month ago? And it was STILL THERE?! I guess not everyone takes their trash out weekly.
- Seriously, once upon a time, Vince McMahon gave Mick Foley a broken Winged Eagle WWF Title belt and called it the Hardcore title and made a new division. Eric Young finds the old TNA World Title and hires Hooters girls, hangs out with a bisexual transvestite and gets meditation tips from Brian Kendrick.
- Jeff Hardy doesn’t read cue cards well. That’s because I can tell he’s reading cue cards.
- Didn’t need to see Orlando Jordan wearing that Hooters outfit. Could have done without that image.
- Poor Generation Me. From losing six straight PPVs to being back-up singers and facing Eric Young and Orlando “Hooters girl” Jordan.
- The belt has been well taken care of for being in the trash a month.
- A battle royale? And Eric Young “won”? Well, I will say this: Brian Hebner is pretty agile. He was the only one who landed on his feet when Eric threw him out.
- Why does Orlando Jordan put up with Eric Young? Have they explained why on ReAction yet? Any friend that Manhattan Drops me…the friendship is over.
- Poor Generation Me. From losing six straight PPVs to being back-up singers and losing to Eric Young and Orlando “Hooters girl” Jordan by submission.
- Eric Young looks better as World Champion than Jeff Hardy does. Yeah, I said it.
- I wonder if when Bischoff meant capturing all of the belts, he actually thought of reclaiming the TNA Garbage Championship.
- Miss Tessmacher is BACK!!! Jay Lethal has his next POA!
- Miss Tessmacher is HOT!!! Damn, she is built in the right places!
- Well, it looks obvious that Lacey Von Erich trained Miss Tessmacher. They even mess up the same spots.
- Mickie James vs. Madison Rayne is SUCH a mismatch for the Kncokout title. Tara will need to get involved a lot for Madison to retain.
- Well, that was a bit of a weak ending. The hard brace into a punch and that’s it? Not even a finisher for Madison?
- I called it. The Beautiful People vs. Tara and Madison Rayne. Of course, any wrestling fan could have called that.
- Kaz and Jeff Hardy is an odd and random mix. At least it’s new and they’re on the same team.
- Kaz is recruiting now. Interesting.
- Hmmm…replacing Rhyno with Rob Terry. Rob Terry and Abyss = Rooks of the Immortals chessboard.
- Oh no. What the hell…from buried in a casket and promising to come back to hustling money with a “deacon” backstage? No big comeback for The Pope?
- Brother Ray looks like the evil twin brother of Larry the Cable Guy.
- Bully Ray? Really? That’s the best new name Creative could come up with for Brother Ray? Really, guys?
- Where is this going for Bubb...whoops, I mean Bully Ray? World Title? X-division title? TV Title? New Hardcore division? Or will Team 3D get back together again at the end of this?
- And The Pope drives off into the night…to do…something.
- Nice telegraph of Rob Terry going heel. First match back on Impact vs. a face like RVD. Figures.
- Jesus Christ…Velvet Sky is HOT as well. How did she not make a live appearance?
- And speaking of which, where are the Motor City Machine Guns? They were on a roll!
- Wow, RVD gets spent easily. He looked really winded after barely 8 minutes of a match. He’s getting out of shape.
- So much for Rob Terry being taken seriously. I notice that TNA’s big guys don’t win very much. Abyss, Rob Terry, Matt Morgan…not a lot of wins in the past few months for any of them.
- Well, I guess when I’ve been beaten up, demoralized, and locked in a casket, the first thing I’d want to do is go is rip off people for cash and go to a strip club.
- The MMA thing still isn’t doing it for me. Sorry. Still, Jarrett seems to be rejuvenated, so I can’t knock him any further for it.
- Jarrett needs to get pumped up and set up to face an audience member?
- Hello, plants.
- For $100,000, I’d actually try it. I’d take on Jarrett and give it a shot. Would anyone else try it?
- Can TNA get The Miz’s face girl to come and face Jarrett?
- Wow, did Rey Mysterio’s cousin come to TNA?
- Mickie James is the fan’s favorite…I guess he has an alternate lifestyle.
- I really wish TNA would go the extra length and actually let a fan in the ring to face Jarrett, or at least let him\her get close and get kicked out instead of using plants. Maybe it’s too dangerous but it’s something I’d like to see.
- The tag team main event had the central theme of Anderson’s concussion recovery. I’m not a complete fan of this, but at least TNA is going with it thoroughly.
- Kaz is trying. “A” for effort. I still wonder how much future the guy has. And what is his finisher? I don’t remember him ever using one or even referred to, and I’ve never seen him win a singles match without help.
- So it takes 3 Twists of Hates to beat Morgan at a PPV, but a rope hang and 1 Twist of Hate beats him on Impact?
- So The Immortals is now Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, Jeff Hardy, Jeff Jarrett, Ric Flair, A.J. Styles, Kazarian, Robert Roode, James Storm, Abyss and Rob Terry. And their main active opposition is Matt Morgan, Mr. Anderson, Rob Van Dam, and The Pope, who all still can’t get along, and one is in a strip club currently licking his wounds (among other things).
- And no Motor City Machine Guns or Beer Money? We can find time for Amazing Red and Orlando Jordan but neither of the best tag teams in the world?
Overall: Eh. OK show. Not as good as the past two shows. They have to find a way to get the Motor City Machine Guns on every show. Not just because they’re the tag team champions, but they are very over, they work the mic well, and whatever they’re doing they’re interesting doing it. The show loses something when they’re not involved. Maybe I’m a blind mark for them, but it makes the most sense to me.
Also, Jeff Hardy is just not coming across as a top champion. I just don’t see any prestige. Maybe he needs more time, but I just can’t call him an elite champion. Not yet. He needs to do something more.
Joe's Gonna Kill You
The Hunt is On
I thought that tonight was another Pretty Good Impact. The opening segment was Very Good and with the addition of Mick Foley In the Concussion storyline it makes it even more interesting. I really enjoy the new heel Jarrett and he is getting alot of heat and whenever Kurt Angle returns the Impact Zone is going to explode. Jarrett beat Red but after the match Red said next week his little better is going to be there to challenge Jarrett next week. I thought the X-Division Match was decent and I'm glad that Kaz picked up the win and will challenge Lethal at Genesis which I think I will be a Very Solid Match. The Knockout's match was ok and I'm really glad that Winter picked up the win after Sky was beat down after Sarita beat her down backstage. I'm HUGE Winter mark ever since she was Katie Lea in WWE so I'm glad she win. I thought that the AJ vs Doug match was Very Good and I think its smart that they went to a time-limit draw because it makes me personally want to see their match at Genesis even more, which should be a Really good match and should be Very interesting with the stipulation that if AJ loses he is gone from Fortune. I thought the 8 Main Event was Solid. I liked how they kept Hardy and RVD buliding to their eventual showdown. Another Good Impact tonight with the only bad part being the Backstage segments with Pope OJ EY and the Thing with Kendrick was pointless.
Overall Grade: B+
Overall Grade: B+
Jack-Hammer
YOU WILL RESPECT MY AUTHORITAH!!!!
TNA iMPACT! - December 23, 2010
Opening Segment - This was boring the crap out of me until Mick Foley & Flair got into a war of words on the mic. They're the ones that saved this from being a 15 minute snoozefest. Foley & Flair let the emotions pour out concerning the whole concussion debate and how it fits in the current Anderson storyline. When Flair said that Foley was the reason that kids are jumping off roofs and breaking their necks and that he's the one responsible for setting the bar so high, I couldn't help but nod my head. Let's face it, it's the truth and I thought it was a good thing that Foley pretty much acknowledged that. Ric Flair is a well known critic of hardcore wrestling and I honestly and truly believe that he meant every word that he said. Their presence added some nice, gritty realism to this otherwise boring opening segment, which was basically just more of the usual stuff we've come to expect out of Immortal & Fortune, so those two made this actually worth watching. Thumbs Up
Jeff Jarrett MMA Invitational - I hate this MMA gimmick. It just bores the ever loving shit out of me from day 1 and that hasn't changed. I've zero interest in this and just wish that Kurt Angle would come back so that they can get this feud with him & Jarrett out of the way. Jarrett had a match, if you wanna call it that, with Amazing Red in which Red taps out in less than a minute. Two consecutive weeks Red's been on television. Guess the squirt's movin' up in the world. Thumbs Down
Kazarian vs. Max Buck vs. Jeremy Buck vs. Robbie E. - When this match was announced, I was looking forward to it but it turned out to be a pretty dull 3.5 minute affair. I kinda like what they did with Kazarian here with him not tagging into the match until the last few seconds. The outcome was predictable as Kazarian is a member of Fortune and, given all the various Bischoff pep talks about getting the titles, it was obvious he was going to win. Jay Lethal was really awful on commentary. I guess the only time when the guy's got any real personality is when he's pretending to be someone else. Kazarian gets the win and is the #1 contender for the TNA X Division Championship. Overall, a fairly dull match. Thumbs Down
Angelina Love & Winter vs. Madison Rayne & Tara - Velvet Sky was attacked and taken out by Sarita earlier so it looked like this match was just going to be a handicap match for the Knockout tag titles. Overall, this match was slow, clumsy and just plain sloppy for the most part. About the 4 minute mark, Winter comes down to the ring and just suddenly becomes Angelina's replacement partner, which makes no sense. Winter comes in and ultimately gets the pinfall on Madison around the 4min 45sec mark. So Winter is in the ring a grand total of maybe 20 seconds and is now one half of the Knockout tag champs. Boring match, gaping logic holes and the Knockout tag straps still mean nothing. Thumbs Down
Douglas Williams vs. AJ Styles - Before I talk about the action itself: a 15 minute Iron Man Match? Are you shittin' me? I was extremely let down by this and thought we'd be getting at least 30 minutes here. Most of the point of an Iron Man match is for wrestlers to go for long periods of time and, basically, see who the "better man" is. As for the match itself, very good effort from Styles & Williams. They put on an entertaining and competitive match even though the general stipulation here made absolutely no sense when you consider the outcome of the match. Styles gets the first fall and when Borasch announced that only 4 minutes remained in the time limit, I knew that we'd get a draw, the match would be givien another 5 minutes and it'd still end in a draw, thus really rendering the entire Iron Man stipulation completely worthless. Williams did indeed tie it up by winning a fall with about 15 seconds to do, the time expired, 5 more minutes were given, and that was it. The announcement of Styles facing Williams at Genesis for the title and that he'd leave Fortune if he lost is something I saw coming weeks ago. This match is a classic example of Vince Russo booking, but I liked it due entirely to the efforts of Williams & Styles. Thumbs Up
Motor City Machine Guns, Matt Morgan & RVD vs. Beer Money, Jeff Hardy & Abyss - This is an 8 man tag match in which the TNA World Tag Team Championship is on the line. If Beer Money's team wins, they're the new champs and if The Guns' team wins, they retain. Yeah, I smell a clusterfuck comin' on strong. I didn't get a chance to see this match as my satellite lost its signal for a while so I can't really say anything here though I've little doubt that the Guns retained. NA
Overall Show - For the most part, iMPACT! either just didn't make much sense or was like watching the grass grow. The opening segment was quite dull and was saved only by Foley & Flair. The match to determine the #1 contender for the TNA X Division Championship was a letdown and an extremely forgettable 3.5 minute affair. Winter just simply walking into the Knockout tag title match didn't make much sense. The match itself was dull and sloppy for the most part, including Winter hitting her finisher. I honestly don't see what so many people see in her since she's come to TNA. I'm just simply not seeing it at all. She & Angelina are the new TNA Knockout Tag Team Champions, though that's having a second asshole on your elbow: meaning that it's not needed. The Styles vs. Williams match was a fun, competitive match but the idea of a 15 minute Iron Man match is eye rollingly stupid. The match was fun to watch but the Iron Man stipulation was ruined by the 15 minute time limit and the ending of the match in and of itself, which was a draw. I didn't get to see the 8 man tag match though it's also quite weird for the tag title to be defended in this setting. I have little doubt the Guns retained here and while I didn't see the match, it would've had to have been a 5 star epic in order to save this show and I have a feeling that it wasn't.
Grade: D
Opening Segment - This was boring the crap out of me until Mick Foley & Flair got into a war of words on the mic. They're the ones that saved this from being a 15 minute snoozefest. Foley & Flair let the emotions pour out concerning the whole concussion debate and how it fits in the current Anderson storyline. When Flair said that Foley was the reason that kids are jumping off roofs and breaking their necks and that he's the one responsible for setting the bar so high, I couldn't help but nod my head. Let's face it, it's the truth and I thought it was a good thing that Foley pretty much acknowledged that. Ric Flair is a well known critic of hardcore wrestling and I honestly and truly believe that he meant every word that he said. Their presence added some nice, gritty realism to this otherwise boring opening segment, which was basically just more of the usual stuff we've come to expect out of Immortal & Fortune, so those two made this actually worth watching. Thumbs Up
Jeff Jarrett MMA Invitational - I hate this MMA gimmick. It just bores the ever loving shit out of me from day 1 and that hasn't changed. I've zero interest in this and just wish that Kurt Angle would come back so that they can get this feud with him & Jarrett out of the way. Jarrett had a match, if you wanna call it that, with Amazing Red in which Red taps out in less than a minute. Two consecutive weeks Red's been on television. Guess the squirt's movin' up in the world. Thumbs Down
Kazarian vs. Max Buck vs. Jeremy Buck vs. Robbie E. - When this match was announced, I was looking forward to it but it turned out to be a pretty dull 3.5 minute affair. I kinda like what they did with Kazarian here with him not tagging into the match until the last few seconds. The outcome was predictable as Kazarian is a member of Fortune and, given all the various Bischoff pep talks about getting the titles, it was obvious he was going to win. Jay Lethal was really awful on commentary. I guess the only time when the guy's got any real personality is when he's pretending to be someone else. Kazarian gets the win and is the #1 contender for the TNA X Division Championship. Overall, a fairly dull match. Thumbs Down
Angelina Love & Winter vs. Madison Rayne & Tara - Velvet Sky was attacked and taken out by Sarita earlier so it looked like this match was just going to be a handicap match for the Knockout tag titles. Overall, this match was slow, clumsy and just plain sloppy for the most part. About the 4 minute mark, Winter comes down to the ring and just suddenly becomes Angelina's replacement partner, which makes no sense. Winter comes in and ultimately gets the pinfall on Madison around the 4min 45sec mark. So Winter is in the ring a grand total of maybe 20 seconds and is now one half of the Knockout tag champs. Boring match, gaping logic holes and the Knockout tag straps still mean nothing. Thumbs Down
Douglas Williams vs. AJ Styles - Before I talk about the action itself: a 15 minute Iron Man Match? Are you shittin' me? I was extremely let down by this and thought we'd be getting at least 30 minutes here. Most of the point of an Iron Man match is for wrestlers to go for long periods of time and, basically, see who the "better man" is. As for the match itself, very good effort from Styles & Williams. They put on an entertaining and competitive match even though the general stipulation here made absolutely no sense when you consider the outcome of the match. Styles gets the first fall and when Borasch announced that only 4 minutes remained in the time limit, I knew that we'd get a draw, the match would be givien another 5 minutes and it'd still end in a draw, thus really rendering the entire Iron Man stipulation completely worthless. Williams did indeed tie it up by winning a fall with about 15 seconds to do, the time expired, 5 more minutes were given, and that was it. The announcement of Styles facing Williams at Genesis for the title and that he'd leave Fortune if he lost is something I saw coming weeks ago. This match is a classic example of Vince Russo booking, but I liked it due entirely to the efforts of Williams & Styles. Thumbs Up
Motor City Machine Guns, Matt Morgan & RVD vs. Beer Money, Jeff Hardy & Abyss - This is an 8 man tag match in which the TNA World Tag Team Championship is on the line. If Beer Money's team wins, they're the new champs and if The Guns' team wins, they retain. Yeah, I smell a clusterfuck comin' on strong. I didn't get a chance to see this match as my satellite lost its signal for a while so I can't really say anything here though I've little doubt that the Guns retained. NA
Overall Show - For the most part, iMPACT! either just didn't make much sense or was like watching the grass grow. The opening segment was quite dull and was saved only by Foley & Flair. The match to determine the #1 contender for the TNA X Division Championship was a letdown and an extremely forgettable 3.5 minute affair. Winter just simply walking into the Knockout tag title match didn't make much sense. The match itself was dull and sloppy for the most part, including Winter hitting her finisher. I honestly don't see what so many people see in her since she's come to TNA. I'm just simply not seeing it at all. She & Angelina are the new TNA Knockout Tag Team Champions, though that's having a second asshole on your elbow: meaning that it's not needed. The Styles vs. Williams match was a fun, competitive match but the idea of a 15 minute Iron Man match is eye rollingly stupid. The match was fun to watch but the Iron Man stipulation was ruined by the 15 minute time limit and the ending of the match in and of itself, which was a draw. I didn't get to see the 8 man tag match though it's also quite weird for the tag title to be defended in this setting. I have little doubt the Guns retained here and while I didn't see the match, it would've had to have been a 5 star epic in order to save this show and I have a feeling that it wasn't.
Grade: D
Big Nick Dudley
Nick
TNA Impact!-12/23/2010
Fourtune/Matt Morgan/Mick Foley
Flair and Foley were all over the place. This "worked shoot" shit never works. These guys have said these same things to one another for years now. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if this is the end of Mick Foley's role in this concussion storyline..that's right, after only one promo. I'm not saying it will go down like that, but it's TNA..nothing shocks me anymore.
Morgan talks wayyy too much lately. It takes him nearly 30 seconds to say something someone else could say in 10 seconds. He needs to calm down a bit. Oh, and this entire thing really meant nothing.
Jeff Hardy and Matt Morgan
If someone can tell me what in the hell Jeff Hardy was actually trying to say, I will give you $1,000.00..ok, not really. But come on. He was all over the place, and I'm not even sure what the point of this was. TNA really needs to clean up their promo's. WWE is far too scripted, and I think TNA could isn't scripted enough. Some middle ground really needs to be found.
Double J's DoubleM-A Challenge
Why does he have to beat the shit out of Amazing Red? Isn't it bad enough Red is never on television? And when he is on television, he's forced to job to Bubba Fat Shit Dudley, and Double J? It's ridiculous. Jeff is actually entertaining in this role, but I think it needs to come to a head pretty quick.
Jeremy Buck vs. Max Buck vs. Kaz vs. Robbie E
I like the idea of a Kaz vs. Lethal feud, so this worked. Short and sweet, with some pretty decent action. I'm not a big-spot kind of guy, but I would love to see more from the X-Division. Oh, and Robbie E. lost
Sarita/Velvet In the Back
These "backroom" brawls are overdone. Every week, someone is fighting the dressing room, or the parking lot, etc. It's getting old. This is another form of "worked shooting" and I hate it..absolutely hate it. Well, minus both women being hotter than hell. However, it served it's purpose by taking Velvet out of the tag match tonight. I just wish this fight had taken about 1/3 of the time it actually did.
Eric/Flair/Immortal
Eric babbles about attorneys, judges, etc. Says the guys need to live up to Jeff Hardy's standards...yeah, GREAT idea Eric! Be exactly like the biggest junkie in the business..awesome plan.
Brian Kendrick
I have absolutely no freakin' idea what he was talking about. Is TNA attempting to make this guy sound overly-intelligent? By having him say a bunch of random shit that's supposed to be insightful? This was complete shit, a waste of my time.
Angelina vs. Madison/Tara for the Knockouts Tag Titles
I'm curious as to how TNA still has a women's tag team title division. No. One. Cares.
Pope/EY/Orlando Jordan
Is Pope really turning heel? Out of nowhere?? Just a few weeks ago, he was the only person wanting to combat the biggest heels in the company. Now he's ripping off a charity? I hope this leads to something good..but it won't.
AJ Styles vs. Doug Williams for the T.V. Title
Before I praise the shit out of their in-ring work, I have a few things to say.
A. Why in the hell are we having a 15-minute Iron Man Match? Are you freakin' joking? This isn't needed, at all. TNA has gone off the deep end with these stipulation matches, and it's taking away from potentially great stuff. I understand TNA has almost abandoned dccent matches on television over the last 6 months, but 15 minutes IS NOT THAT LONG OF A MATCH, YOU IDIOTS!
B. These two, at this point in their career(s), should be battling for the Heavyweight title.
C. How about having a 30 or 60 minute Iron Match? How about taking out some of the other garbage we are forced to watch (Pope talking about charity, an opening segment that got us nowhere, more Fourtune talk, etc.), and give us some great action instead?
D. Why did a pinfall take place during a commercial? It's a 15 minute Iron Man match, and you have someone pinned during the break? I swear to God, TNA's creative team gets more and more ******ed each week.
However, this was a great television match. These two guys work really, really well together, and their PPV match alone might make it worth purchasing the next event.
Also, I have to say I'm actually looking forward to AJ (hopefully) leaving Fourtune. I love AJ as a heel, but in Immortal, he's taking a total backseat to just about everyone. If he can become the top face in the company, I will be quite happy.
Beer Money/Abyss/Jeff Hardy vs. MCMG's/RVD/Matt Morgan
Are Jeff Hardy and RVD going to have a match at the next PPV? Or is the main event actually going to be a #1 Contender's Match? I hope RVD and Jeff at least have a match, even if it's not for the title.
This match was a solid 8-man tag. Glad the Guns got the pinfall. But why do they keep running into Reaction? I understand they want Reaction to get ratings, but I guarantee they are pissing off several people each week when their DVR's miss the end of the main event.
OVERALL: C-
AJ and Williams alone make this an above-average show. Unfortunately for them, everything else kind of fell below the average line. Even if the Iron Man stipulation was completely stupid, and it was, having a long match on Impact, that doesn't involve women, is great to see again. I hope this keeps up. Not a good show by and stretch of the imagination, but not terrible either.
Fourtune/Matt Morgan/Mick Foley
Flair and Foley were all over the place. This "worked shoot" shit never works. These guys have said these same things to one another for years now. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if this is the end of Mick Foley's role in this concussion storyline..that's right, after only one promo. I'm not saying it will go down like that, but it's TNA..nothing shocks me anymore.
Morgan talks wayyy too much lately. It takes him nearly 30 seconds to say something someone else could say in 10 seconds. He needs to calm down a bit. Oh, and this entire thing really meant nothing.
Jeff Hardy and Matt Morgan
If someone can tell me what in the hell Jeff Hardy was actually trying to say, I will give you $1,000.00..ok, not really. But come on. He was all over the place, and I'm not even sure what the point of this was. TNA really needs to clean up their promo's. WWE is far too scripted, and I think TNA could isn't scripted enough. Some middle ground really needs to be found.
Double J's DoubleM-A Challenge
Why does he have to beat the shit out of Amazing Red? Isn't it bad enough Red is never on television? And when he is on television, he's forced to job to Bubba Fat Shit Dudley, and Double J? It's ridiculous. Jeff is actually entertaining in this role, but I think it needs to come to a head pretty quick.
Jeremy Buck vs. Max Buck vs. Kaz vs. Robbie E
I like the idea of a Kaz vs. Lethal feud, so this worked. Short and sweet, with some pretty decent action. I'm not a big-spot kind of guy, but I would love to see more from the X-Division. Oh, and Robbie E. lost
Sarita/Velvet In the Back
These "backroom" brawls are overdone. Every week, someone is fighting the dressing room, or the parking lot, etc. It's getting old. This is another form of "worked shooting" and I hate it..absolutely hate it. Well, minus both women being hotter than hell. However, it served it's purpose by taking Velvet out of the tag match tonight. I just wish this fight had taken about 1/3 of the time it actually did.
Eric/Flair/Immortal
Eric babbles about attorneys, judges, etc. Says the guys need to live up to Jeff Hardy's standards...yeah, GREAT idea Eric! Be exactly like the biggest junkie in the business..awesome plan.
Brian Kendrick
I have absolutely no freakin' idea what he was talking about. Is TNA attempting to make this guy sound overly-intelligent? By having him say a bunch of random shit that's supposed to be insightful? This was complete shit, a waste of my time.
Angelina vs. Madison/Tara for the Knockouts Tag Titles
I'm curious as to how TNA still has a women's tag team title division. No. One. Cares.
Pope/EY/Orlando Jordan
Is Pope really turning heel? Out of nowhere?? Just a few weeks ago, he was the only person wanting to combat the biggest heels in the company. Now he's ripping off a charity? I hope this leads to something good..but it won't.
AJ Styles vs. Doug Williams for the T.V. Title
Before I praise the shit out of their in-ring work, I have a few things to say.
A. Why in the hell are we having a 15-minute Iron Man Match? Are you freakin' joking? This isn't needed, at all. TNA has gone off the deep end with these stipulation matches, and it's taking away from potentially great stuff. I understand TNA has almost abandoned dccent matches on television over the last 6 months, but 15 minutes IS NOT THAT LONG OF A MATCH, YOU IDIOTS!
B. These two, at this point in their career(s), should be battling for the Heavyweight title.
C. How about having a 30 or 60 minute Iron Match? How about taking out some of the other garbage we are forced to watch (Pope talking about charity, an opening segment that got us nowhere, more Fourtune talk, etc.), and give us some great action instead?
D. Why did a pinfall take place during a commercial? It's a 15 minute Iron Man match, and you have someone pinned during the break? I swear to God, TNA's creative team gets more and more ******ed each week.
However, this was a great television match. These two guys work really, really well together, and their PPV match alone might make it worth purchasing the next event.
Also, I have to say I'm actually looking forward to AJ (hopefully) leaving Fourtune. I love AJ as a heel, but in Immortal, he's taking a total backseat to just about everyone. If he can become the top face in the company, I will be quite happy.
Beer Money/Abyss/Jeff Hardy vs. MCMG's/RVD/Matt Morgan
Are Jeff Hardy and RVD going to have a match at the next PPV? Or is the main event actually going to be a #1 Contender's Match? I hope RVD and Jeff at least have a match, even if it's not for the title.
This match was a solid 8-man tag. Glad the Guns got the pinfall. But why do they keep running into Reaction? I understand they want Reaction to get ratings, but I guarantee they are pissing off several people each week when their DVR's miss the end of the main event.
OVERALL: C-
AJ and Williams alone make this an above-average show. Unfortunately for them, everything else kind of fell below the average line. Even if the Iron Man stipulation was completely stupid, and it was, having a long match on Impact, that doesn't involve women, is great to see again. I hope this keeps up. Not a good show by and stretch of the imagination, but not terrible either.
Kitten Cutter
Pre-Show Stalwart
What happened to Impact? What happened to the good shows from a few weeks ago? Good Lord...
My points to make:
- This concussion thing has gone far enough. It's a little depressing that TNA has stretched out an accidental chair shot into a storyline for two months and made it sound as morbid as possible, yet Eric Young took a head shot months and is still nutty as a Christmas fruitcake.
- I hate opening promos. I really do. Why TNA likes them is beyond me. Why it must last 15 minutes is even worse.
- Foley and Flair know how to work the mic, and they hit a lot of true points. For those who are against scripted promos, only experienced guys like this should do them. Even improvisational actors know not to step on each other.
- Jeff Hardy is trying to sucker in Matt Morgan. Funny. And obvious. Isn't Morgan being portrayed as some really smart guy?
- Jeff Jarrett's JJMMA doesn't count as a match. Sorry. I don't care if it was Amazing Red.
- Is this a burial of Amazing Red that he lost to two scrubs, or is this a promotion because he's on Impact two straight weeks? Maybe next week he'll burned on a coal pit!
- Would Angle appear on the last show of 2010 to challenge Jarrett? Is it that predictable?
- Our first match at the 30+ minute mark: Kazarian vs. Robbie E. vs. Max Buck vs. Jeremy Buck. Four heels to take on a babyface champion. The concept is sound.
- Jay Lethal wasn't working the mic well on commentary. Was he holding back?
- Somehow I think 4 faces fighting each other to take on a heel champion would work better.
- What Turkish bathhouse did Max and Jeremy buy those pants from?
- The match had a story: Kaz smartly staying out of any heavy shots to eventually gain the pinfall. Obvious ending due to the Immortals storyline, but a correct one, as Kaz won cleanly with his finisher.
- Speaking of which: so THAT'S his finisher!
- Robbie E. still doesn't impress me. And Generation Me hasn't won a match in ages.
- Sarita beats up Velvet Sky in the dressing room. Wow, that dressing room has a lot of mileage.
- Jeff Hardy's standards? So should they stockpile drugs in their trailers, stagger out during their entrances, wear facepaint and appear out of heavy smoke?
- And haven't they already met his standards by joining the Immortals?
- How cute. Jeff's pink hoodie matches his belt.
- Well, Brian Kendrick made it onto Impact. Maybe TNA Creative is creating him a better character, but how does it help him in the ring?
- Who's nuttier, Kendrick or Eric Young?
- That was a long-ass beating for Angelina Love to just show after a jump-cut. She must have been in the bathroom or getting another tattoo.
- And where the hell was Chris Sabin? Wouldn't he be concerned that his woman was getting beat up?!
- Two matches in an hour? We're back to that?!
- The Knockout Tag Team Title Match should have been better. A handicap match beginning?
- Winter showing up would have saved it had she not flubbed her finisher. I actually like the idea that Winter will help "save" Angelina so that she never loses. And it'll split the Beautilful People and push Velvet out so that she has to work on her own.
- Still, another debut, another victory and another title. First Robbie E., now Winter with one-half of the Knockouts Tag Team Titles. Shall we take bets that Matt Hardy wins the TV title when he debuts? I got 6-1 odds.
- Well, I have my answer. Eric Young wins the title. Funny thing is, wearing the reindeer suit with the TNA World Heavyweight Title STILL looks more credible than Jeff Hardy.
- So, The Pope has a plan in the works that requires a lot of money and strip clubs. And apparently Young and Jordan didn't watch last week's Impact.
- Did anyone notice the casket in the background? I guess The Pope is sentimental.
- An Ironman match on free TV is a decent idea, but why? I'd pay money to see Williams and Styles have an hour-long Ironman Match on PPV.
- Thinking about it, shouldn't the Iron Man Match BEGAN Impact and gone 30 minutes to an hour? It was almost an insult that Williams and Styles went 15 minutes and look gassed. Those two could have gone 30 minutes easily and not looked as spent as they did.
- Title vs. Tenure at Genesis. Should be a good rematch.
- Mr. Anderson's interview was interesting. This is the kind of stuff Rusoo loves: characters that stretch the line of face and heel. The Pope does it, Samoa Joe does it, and now Mr. Anderson with his withdrawn answers about his concussion. I think it was a little much, but why was it from his home? Why not have a live interview since he was at the Impact Zone last week?
- And what the point of the weight-in if Anderson was in Green Bay? I must have missed something in the promo.
- So, wait, the tag team titles were on the line in an 8-man tag team match? Wasn't the first meeting between Rob Van Dam and Jeff Hardy since the turn enough to sell the match? Overbooking, party of 8!
- And Beer Money and Motor City were FOR this?! Why not show some tension?
- Last thing: at least Jeff Hardy made a live appearance. I think TNA is trying to make Jeff showing up special since he rarely shows up.
Overall: it's a shame that the Ironman Match was so short. I'd take 4 matches in 2 hours if one of them was a 30 minute Ironman Match. These segments with the Immortals talking about lawyers, Kendrick ordering food, The Pope stealing money for strippers, backstage brawls in trailers and Young and Jordan playing Booker T and Goldust is getting draining. We're losing good time for matches or at least better promos. The sad thing is that none of the guys I mentioned even wrestled this week and may not for awhile the way things are looking.
I'm looking forward to Angle possibly coming back next week, and the Angelina Love\Winter storyline continuing on. I would like for RVD to more chances against Jeff Hardy, and worry less about Anderson's concussion. Next week is the last show of 2010. Let's hope for some better development all around.
My points to make:
- This concussion thing has gone far enough. It's a little depressing that TNA has stretched out an accidental chair shot into a storyline for two months and made it sound as morbid as possible, yet Eric Young took a head shot months and is still nutty as a Christmas fruitcake.
- I hate opening promos. I really do. Why TNA likes them is beyond me. Why it must last 15 minutes is even worse.
- Foley and Flair know how to work the mic, and they hit a lot of true points. For those who are against scripted promos, only experienced guys like this should do them. Even improvisational actors know not to step on each other.
- Jeff Hardy is trying to sucker in Matt Morgan. Funny. And obvious. Isn't Morgan being portrayed as some really smart guy?
- Jeff Jarrett's JJMMA doesn't count as a match. Sorry. I don't care if it was Amazing Red.
- Is this a burial of Amazing Red that he lost to two scrubs, or is this a promotion because he's on Impact two straight weeks? Maybe next week he'll burned on a coal pit!
- Would Angle appear on the last show of 2010 to challenge Jarrett? Is it that predictable?
- Our first match at the 30+ minute mark: Kazarian vs. Robbie E. vs. Max Buck vs. Jeremy Buck. Four heels to take on a babyface champion. The concept is sound.
- Jay Lethal wasn't working the mic well on commentary. Was he holding back?
- Somehow I think 4 faces fighting each other to take on a heel champion would work better.
- What Turkish bathhouse did Max and Jeremy buy those pants from?
- The match had a story: Kaz smartly staying out of any heavy shots to eventually gain the pinfall. Obvious ending due to the Immortals storyline, but a correct one, as Kaz won cleanly with his finisher.
- Speaking of which: so THAT'S his finisher!
- Robbie E. still doesn't impress me. And Generation Me hasn't won a match in ages.
- Sarita beats up Velvet Sky in the dressing room. Wow, that dressing room has a lot of mileage.
- Jeff Hardy's standards? So should they stockpile drugs in their trailers, stagger out during their entrances, wear facepaint and appear out of heavy smoke?
- And haven't they already met his standards by joining the Immortals?
- How cute. Jeff's pink hoodie matches his belt.
- Well, Brian Kendrick made it onto Impact. Maybe TNA Creative is creating him a better character, but how does it help him in the ring?
- Who's nuttier, Kendrick or Eric Young?
- That was a long-ass beating for Angelina Love to just show after a jump-cut. She must have been in the bathroom or getting another tattoo.
- And where the hell was Chris Sabin? Wouldn't he be concerned that his woman was getting beat up?!
- Two matches in an hour? We're back to that?!
- The Knockout Tag Team Title Match should have been better. A handicap match beginning?
- Winter showing up would have saved it had she not flubbed her finisher. I actually like the idea that Winter will help "save" Angelina so that she never loses. And it'll split the Beautilful People and push Velvet out so that she has to work on her own.
- Still, another debut, another victory and another title. First Robbie E., now Winter with one-half of the Knockouts Tag Team Titles. Shall we take bets that Matt Hardy wins the TV title when he debuts? I got 6-1 odds.
- Well, I have my answer. Eric Young wins the title. Funny thing is, wearing the reindeer suit with the TNA World Heavyweight Title STILL looks more credible than Jeff Hardy.
- So, The Pope has a plan in the works that requires a lot of money and strip clubs. And apparently Young and Jordan didn't watch last week's Impact.
- Did anyone notice the casket in the background? I guess The Pope is sentimental.
- An Ironman match on free TV is a decent idea, but why? I'd pay money to see Williams and Styles have an hour-long Ironman Match on PPV.
- Thinking about it, shouldn't the Iron Man Match BEGAN Impact and gone 30 minutes to an hour? It was almost an insult that Williams and Styles went 15 minutes and look gassed. Those two could have gone 30 minutes easily and not looked as spent as they did.
- Title vs. Tenure at Genesis. Should be a good rematch.
- Mr. Anderson's interview was interesting. This is the kind of stuff Rusoo loves: characters that stretch the line of face and heel. The Pope does it, Samoa Joe does it, and now Mr. Anderson with his withdrawn answers about his concussion. I think it was a little much, but why was it from his home? Why not have a live interview since he was at the Impact Zone last week?
- And what the point of the weight-in if Anderson was in Green Bay? I must have missed something in the promo.
- So, wait, the tag team titles were on the line in an 8-man tag team match? Wasn't the first meeting between Rob Van Dam and Jeff Hardy since the turn enough to sell the match? Overbooking, party of 8!
- And Beer Money and Motor City were FOR this?! Why not show some tension?
- Last thing: at least Jeff Hardy made a live appearance. I think TNA is trying to make Jeff showing up special since he rarely shows up.
Overall: it's a shame that the Ironman Match was so short. I'd take 4 matches in 2 hours if one of them was a 30 minute Ironman Match. These segments with the Immortals talking about lawyers, Kendrick ordering food, The Pope stealing money for strippers, backstage brawls in trailers and Young and Jordan playing Booker T and Goldust is getting draining. We're losing good time for matches or at least better promos. The sad thing is that none of the guys I mentioned even wrestled this week and may not for awhile the way things are looking.
I'm looking forward to Angle possibly coming back next week, and the Angelina Love\Winter storyline continuing on. I would like for RVD to more chances against Jeff Hardy, and worry less about Anderson's concussion. Next week is the last show of 2010. Let's hope for some better development all around.
Joe's Gonna Kill You
The Hunt is On
I thought that Tonight was Another Solid iMPACT. The Opening Segment was Pretty Good Between Morgan, Anderson, Foley and Hardy, that continued to build the #1 contenders match between Anderson and Morgan. Then had little backstage segment with EY and OJ which they ran a couple of those during the show they were short and I thought they were pretty funny. I thought that match between Rhoode and Shelly was a Really Good match and I can't wait to see this the two teams go at it at Genesis. RVD then squashed Robbie which I don't mind because I don't like Roobie E so this did not bother me. After Match Hardy told RVD that he will be facing a Mystery opponent at Genesis. Next Kaz Cut a decent promo on Lethal to build to his match at Genesis.
Sarita defeated Velvet in a strap match which I didn't like. Next up was Double J MMA segment which saw the debut of Tommy Mercer as Red's little brother, Mercer looked Very Good in his debut. AJ/Terry defeated Williams/Magnus in what was solid 5 minute Tag match and I liked how AJ used Doug's Chaos Theory to pin Magnus just like Doug used the Styles Clash to beat AJ at Final Resolution. Nice way to build the match between Doug and AJ. Rayne came out and looked fabulous in her dress and she cut a decent promo but the screaming was little annoying Mickie came out and ripped her dress out and Madison Rayne ran away in her Bra and Panties. Main Event between Morgan & Bully Ray vs Anderson & D-Von was decent and build two matches for Genesis at once which is good. Morgan picked up the win with a Discus Clothesline to the back of Anderson' head to further add to the Concussion Storyline. I thought that tonight was Another Pretty Good episode with the only thing I did not like was the Strap Match.
Overall Grade: B+
Sarita defeated Velvet in a strap match which I didn't like. Next up was Double J MMA segment which saw the debut of Tommy Mercer as Red's little brother, Mercer looked Very Good in his debut. AJ/Terry defeated Williams/Magnus in what was solid 5 minute Tag match and I liked how AJ used Doug's Chaos Theory to pin Magnus just like Doug used the Styles Clash to beat AJ at Final Resolution. Nice way to build the match between Doug and AJ. Rayne came out and looked fabulous in her dress and she cut a decent promo but the screaming was little annoying Mickie came out and ripped her dress out and Madison Rayne ran away in her Bra and Panties. Main Event between Morgan & Bully Ray vs Anderson & D-Von was decent and build two matches for Genesis at once which is good. Morgan picked up the win with a Discus Clothesline to the back of Anderson' head to further add to the Concussion Storyline. I thought that tonight was Another Pretty Good episode with the only thing I did not like was the Strap Match.
Overall Grade: B+
Anderson Is warned Again
We start off with Mick Foley in the ring. He calls Mr. Anderson down to the ring. Foley reminiscences about how him and Anderson met. Foley tries to warn Anderson about his concussion. Anderson denies his concussion problems. Hes hell bent on wrestling Morgan at Genesis. Anderson gets tired of Foley trying to help him. He challenges him to a fight, but Matt Morgan interrupts. Morgan tries to make one last plea for Kens safety. Anderson says hes an asshole. He then challenges Anderson to a fight. Jeff Hardy interrupts. Jeff reminds Anderson that he is the one who hurt him. Hardy says that he couldve seriously hurt Anderson, but he chose not to. Hardy says he has made a tag team match that will put Anderson and Morgan against each other. Hardy can make matches now?
I enjoyed this segment. Foley was great on the mic as usual here, and I did laugh as he showed off his Skechers. You could feel the tension between all three men here, and Anderson did look like a stubborn asshole, as he refused the good advice from Foley and Morgan.
Chris Sabin VS Robert Roode
Roode reverses a spike DDT into a spinebuster, and he gets the three count for the win. This was a pretty good match. This was competitive, there was some nice back and forth action here, and seeing Roode win with a spinebuster was kind of surprising. It was a nice finish to the match, because it gave us a break from the usual and predictable formulaic style finisher and 1-2-3 count win ending to a match. Storm got involved, but it wasnt anything major, and his interference didnt cause this one to end in a DQ. I dont know how The Guns and Beer Money can top their five match series, but itll be interesting to see what they can do at Genesis.
RVD VS Robbie. E
RVD has a mystery opponent. He says Eric Bischoff cant stop him. He says he wants Jeff hardy. His opponent is .Robbie.E ugh. RVD hits the Five Star Frogsplash for the win. Umm, yeah, this was nothing but a squash. RVD dominated the entire match, and Robbie never got a chance to gain any kind of momentum. And to think this guy was the X-Division Champion not too long ago. He sure has fallen pretty fast. After the match, Jeff Hardy says RVD must past a test. He must beat an opponent chosen by Hardy to get his title match.
Kazarian
Kaz pokes fun at Jay Lethals childhood. He calls Lethals home a crack house. He throws out a bunch of racist insults about Lethals family. Lethal sprints to the ring, but Kaz takes him out with a baton. I couldnt get into this segment. Kaz did manage to get some serious heat from the crowd, but I think a lot of that had to with the racist jabs he took at Lethals family here. It was cheap heat, but at least kaz managed to get a reaction. Still, this segment didnt do it for me. Kaz is has been steadily improving, but he still is pretty bland on the mic.
Velvet Sky VS Sarita- Strap Match
Sarita wins the match. After this one ends, Sartia tries to beat down Velvet, but Velvet is saved by Angelina. I couldnt get into this match. Im not to crazy about strap matches, and I thought this one was pretty underwhelming. This match was boring, and Sarita and Velvet never managed to get into a rhythm. Velvet snaps on Angelina during the commercial break. She throws a tantrum. Angelina attacks Sarita backstage, but Sarita manages to turn the tables on Angelina. Winter comes in for the save.
Jeff Jarretts Open MMA Challenge
Jarrett wants to challenge Amazing Reds little baby brother. Red comes out by himself. Jarrett wants Reds brother. He gets on his knees. This HUGE dude comes out. Jarrett turns around in fear. The big dude gets Jarrett in an ankle lock. Jarrett is pulled out of the ring by Gunner and Murphy. Jarrett tries to sneak attack the big man with a guitar, but Red stops him. Jarrett escapes. This didnt make me laugh again. I havent been a fan of Jarretts MMA gimmick, because it just bores me. I still hate Jarretts MMA gimmick, but I want to see where TNA plans on going with this big guy. I wonder if he will be pushed, and itll be interesting to see how this affects Amazing Red.
AJ Styles & Rob Terry VS Douglas Williams & Magnus
AJ hits the Chaos Theory on Magnus for the win. This match was okay. Rob Terry has a great physique, but his wrestling skills arent as good as his looks. As far as Magnus teaming with Williams goes, I dont know if Im too excited about it. If its a one time thing, then I have no problem with it, but Im not too sure I want these two become a full-time tag team again. I had no problem with the British Invasion, but that stable wasnt great, so I dont think I would be too crazy about a full-time reunion.
Madison Rayne
Rayne comes to the ring. Shes dressed like a princess, and shes carried to the ring by a group of guys who are also dressed up. Madison tries to gloat about herself, but the crowd is getting on her nerves. She retorts with her annoying shrieking. She runs down Mickie James. She calls her a ****. Mickie comes down to the ring. Mickie decks Madison. She beats her up, and rips off her expensive dress. I was glad when Mickie finally came down the ring, because Madisons annoying shrieking was starting to annoy the fuck out of me. Overall, I thought this segment was pretty bad. I didnt have a problem with Madisons entrance, because it showed how cocky and arrogant she could be, but things went downhill fast when she started talking.
Mr. Anderson & Bully Ray VS Matt Morgan & Brother Devon
Mick Foley joins for commentary. Although, this doesnt last long, because Bischoff, Gunner ,and Murphy come out to escort Foley out of the Impact Zone. Foley tries to fight back with Socko, but he gets clocked with a Billy club. Foley is handcuffed, and the two goons take him away. Bubba tries to use Anderson as a shield, and Morgan hits Anderson with his spinning clothesline in the back of the head. Morgan gets the pinfall for the win. After the match, Morgan tries to help Anderson, but he refuses his help. Anderson shows signs of his concussion problems, as he stumbles around the ring. Nothing special happened in this match. Bubba spent a lot of time trying to dodge Devon, there was a lot stalling in the beginning, and this match was pretty short.
Overall Show Rating 7/10: Tonights show was pretty solid. As far as wrestling goes, Sabin VS Roode was the highlight of tonights show, and the rest of the matches were wither bad or okay, but the main event was a bit of a let down for me. I have zero interest in the Bubba VS Devon feud, and Bubbas bully character doesnt do it for me. But tonights show did do a good job of building the Anderson VS Morgan match at Genesis. Will Morgan show compassion? Will Anderson fight through the pain? There are still some interesting questions that need to be answered, and Ive actually enjoyed this storyline. Im also interested to see where this RVD mystery opponent stuff will go. We could see the debut of someone new, or Abyss and Janice could strike again. Im interested to see where TNA goes with Reds brother. The guy does have a great look, and I wonder if he will be the one to end Jarretts tenure as the MMA expert. I hate this gimmick, and I wouldnt mind if it went away. As far as the Velvet/Angelina stuff goes, Im not too sure Im excited about it. Yeah, Velvet is hot, but her matches arent worth looking at, and I doubt shell be pushed towards the Knockouts Championship. Although, I am happy to see that Sartia is getting a nice push. She can go in the ring, and shes been on a hot streak lately. I hope she can go far in the Knockouts division as time goes on. Magnus seems as if he might be making a meaningful return soon. I dont have a problem with him, but I dont see him going far on his own. He might do some damage in a tag team, but TNAs roster is pretty crowded, and this guy doesnt really have a wow factor, so a run as singles competitor probably wouldnt work for him.
We start off with Mick Foley in the ring. He calls Mr. Anderson down to the ring. Foley reminiscences about how him and Anderson met. Foley tries to warn Anderson about his concussion. Anderson denies his concussion problems. Hes hell bent on wrestling Morgan at Genesis. Anderson gets tired of Foley trying to help him. He challenges him to a fight, but Matt Morgan interrupts. Morgan tries to make one last plea for Kens safety. Anderson says hes an asshole. He then challenges Anderson to a fight. Jeff Hardy interrupts. Jeff reminds Anderson that he is the one who hurt him. Hardy says that he couldve seriously hurt Anderson, but he chose not to. Hardy says he has made a tag team match that will put Anderson and Morgan against each other. Hardy can make matches now?
I enjoyed this segment. Foley was great on the mic as usual here, and I did laugh as he showed off his Skechers. You could feel the tension between all three men here, and Anderson did look like a stubborn asshole, as he refused the good advice from Foley and Morgan.
Chris Sabin VS Robert Roode
Roode reverses a spike DDT into a spinebuster, and he gets the three count for the win. This was a pretty good match. This was competitive, there was some nice back and forth action here, and seeing Roode win with a spinebuster was kind of surprising. It was a nice finish to the match, because it gave us a break from the usual and predictable formulaic style finisher and 1-2-3 count win ending to a match. Storm got involved, but it wasnt anything major, and his interference didnt cause this one to end in a DQ. I dont know how The Guns and Beer Money can top their five match series, but itll be interesting to see what they can do at Genesis.
RVD VS Robbie. E
RVD has a mystery opponent. He says Eric Bischoff cant stop him. He says he wants Jeff hardy. His opponent is .Robbie.E ugh. RVD hits the Five Star Frogsplash for the win. Umm, yeah, this was nothing but a squash. RVD dominated the entire match, and Robbie never got a chance to gain any kind of momentum. And to think this guy was the X-Division Champion not too long ago. He sure has fallen pretty fast. After the match, Jeff Hardy says RVD must past a test. He must beat an opponent chosen by Hardy to get his title match.
Kazarian
Kaz pokes fun at Jay Lethals childhood. He calls Lethals home a crack house. He throws out a bunch of racist insults about Lethals family. Lethal sprints to the ring, but Kaz takes him out with a baton. I couldnt get into this segment. Kaz did manage to get some serious heat from the crowd, but I think a lot of that had to with the racist jabs he took at Lethals family here. It was cheap heat, but at least kaz managed to get a reaction. Still, this segment didnt do it for me. Kaz is has been steadily improving, but he still is pretty bland on the mic.
Velvet Sky VS Sarita- Strap Match
Sarita wins the match. After this one ends, Sartia tries to beat down Velvet, but Velvet is saved by Angelina. I couldnt get into this match. Im not to crazy about strap matches, and I thought this one was pretty underwhelming. This match was boring, and Sarita and Velvet never managed to get into a rhythm. Velvet snaps on Angelina during the commercial break. She throws a tantrum. Angelina attacks Sarita backstage, but Sarita manages to turn the tables on Angelina. Winter comes in for the save.
Jeff Jarretts Open MMA Challenge
Jarrett wants to challenge Amazing Reds little baby brother. Red comes out by himself. Jarrett wants Reds brother. He gets on his knees. This HUGE dude comes out. Jarrett turns around in fear. The big dude gets Jarrett in an ankle lock. Jarrett is pulled out of the ring by Gunner and Murphy. Jarrett tries to sneak attack the big man with a guitar, but Red stops him. Jarrett escapes. This didnt make me laugh again. I havent been a fan of Jarretts MMA gimmick, because it just bores me. I still hate Jarretts MMA gimmick, but I want to see where TNA plans on going with this big guy. I wonder if he will be pushed, and itll be interesting to see how this affects Amazing Red.
AJ Styles & Rob Terry VS Douglas Williams & Magnus
AJ hits the Chaos Theory on Magnus for the win. This match was okay. Rob Terry has a great physique, but his wrestling skills arent as good as his looks. As far as Magnus teaming with Williams goes, I dont know if Im too excited about it. If its a one time thing, then I have no problem with it, but Im not too sure I want these two become a full-time tag team again. I had no problem with the British Invasion, but that stable wasnt great, so I dont think I would be too crazy about a full-time reunion.
Madison Rayne
Rayne comes to the ring. Shes dressed like a princess, and shes carried to the ring by a group of guys who are also dressed up. Madison tries to gloat about herself, but the crowd is getting on her nerves. She retorts with her annoying shrieking. She runs down Mickie James. She calls her a ****. Mickie comes down to the ring. Mickie decks Madison. She beats her up, and rips off her expensive dress. I was glad when Mickie finally came down the ring, because Madisons annoying shrieking was starting to annoy the fuck out of me. Overall, I thought this segment was pretty bad. I didnt have a problem with Madisons entrance, because it showed how cocky and arrogant she could be, but things went downhill fast when she started talking.
Mr. Anderson & Bully Ray VS Matt Morgan & Brother Devon
Mick Foley joins for commentary. Although, this doesnt last long, because Bischoff, Gunner ,and Murphy come out to escort Foley out of the Impact Zone. Foley tries to fight back with Socko, but he gets clocked with a Billy club. Foley is handcuffed, and the two goons take him away. Bubba tries to use Anderson as a shield, and Morgan hits Anderson with his spinning clothesline in the back of the head. Morgan gets the pinfall for the win. After the match, Morgan tries to help Anderson, but he refuses his help. Anderson shows signs of his concussion problems, as he stumbles around the ring. Nothing special happened in this match. Bubba spent a lot of time trying to dodge Devon, there was a lot stalling in the beginning, and this match was pretty short.
Overall Show Rating 7/10: Tonights show was pretty solid. As far as wrestling goes, Sabin VS Roode was the highlight of tonights show, and the rest of the matches were wither bad or okay, but the main event was a bit of a let down for me. I have zero interest in the Bubba VS Devon feud, and Bubbas bully character doesnt do it for me. But tonights show did do a good job of building the Anderson VS Morgan match at Genesis. Will Morgan show compassion? Will Anderson fight through the pain? There are still some interesting questions that need to be answered, and Ive actually enjoyed this storyline. Im also interested to see where this RVD mystery opponent stuff will go. We could see the debut of someone new, or Abyss and Janice could strike again. Im interested to see where TNA goes with Reds brother. The guy does have a great look, and I wonder if he will be the one to end Jarretts tenure as the MMA expert. I hate this gimmick, and I wouldnt mind if it went away. As far as the Velvet/Angelina stuff goes, Im not too sure Im excited about it. Yeah, Velvet is hot, but her matches arent worth looking at, and I doubt shell be pushed towards the Knockouts Championship. Although, I am happy to see that Sartia is getting a nice push. She can go in the ring, and shes been on a hot streak lately. I hope she can go far in the Knockouts division as time goes on. Magnus seems as if he might be making a meaningful return soon. I dont have a problem with him, but I dont see him going far on his own. He might do some damage in a tag team, but TNAs roster is pretty crowded, and this guy doesnt really have a wow factor, so a run as singles competitor probably wouldnt work for him.
Jack-Hammer
YOU WILL RESPECT MY AUTHORITAH!!!!
TNA iMPACT! - December 30, 2010
Opening Segment - The opening segment of tonight's iMPACT! felt very much like I was watching a rerun. I dig that TNA is taking the head trauma issue seriously in the storylines, but they keep doing pretty much the exact same thing each week and it's really getting old. Foley questioned Anderson's condition, Anderson gets pissed, Matt Morgan comes down and does the same thing, yadda yadda. Each week with this it's got the same standard formula with them voicing their concern over Anderson, asking if he's sure he's ready, saying that they don't believe him while making absolutely sure that he knows that they respect him, Anderson vehemently saying things are fine. If TNA insists on doing this each week, it needs to deviate from the current formula because it felt old, stale and extremely repetetive. Thumbs Down
Robert Roode vs. Chris Sabin - Fun opening match here and showed a good clash of styles here. It's a bit of a novelty to see either of these two in a singles match and it felt fresh. Nothing overly spectacular about the match, but it told a good story and further highlighted the great chemistry between the teams. Roode gets the win after hitting what Tenay called the Double R Spinebuster and, surprisingly, it was a clean win. I liked that the tag team partners of both guys, who were down at ringside, didn't interfere in the match at all. Fun opening match. Thumbs Up
Holiday Party Segments - I'll just lump these together as several were shown throughout the night. Each one of these things was bad..just really really really bad. I'm honestly surprised to see that TNA did a series of skits with Eric Young, Orlando Jordan and the rest of the TNA rejects backstage having some sort of "holiday party". Shark Boy made an appearance, Brian Kendrick was there doing whatever the hell it is that he does, Young was trying to be funny dressed up as, I'm guessing, Moses but it fell completely flat. This is something I honestly expected that the WWE would've done on Raw sometime over the past few weeks. Glad it didn't happen as it would've been equally horrible. Thumbs Down
Rob Van Dam vs. Robbie E. - Even before this match happened, RVD gave a bit of a mini promo backstage as he was walking towards the ramp before they went to commercial. He made another promo out there in the ring in which he repeated half of what he'd already said before the commercial and succeeded in letting the viewer know that this match didn't mean a damn thing. Great job there Rob. The match was a shitty, forgettable 2 minute squash match. I've heard some people praise Robbie E but I honestly don't understand what the frig for. Aside from being in good shape and what most women would consider handsome, the guy's nothing. Well, it ate up 2 minutes of air time so I guess it did something. Thumbs Down
Kazarian - The good thing that came out of this promo is that Kazarian seems to be much more confident in himself. The bad thing about this promo was everything else. Kazarian was out there telling extremely lame and/or juvenile jokes, at least I think they were intended as jokes, by insulting Lethal's family. Kazarian's joke about Lethal's family being so poor that they had to bring in the garbage is older than I am. My grandfather used to tell me that joke when I was about 10 years old. The rest sounded like something that you'd have to be about 12 years old...no...scratch that. There's just nothing even remotely funny about anything that Kaz had to say. I know that he was trying to build up heat but all the crowd did was moan and groan while telling him to shut up. Kazarian did try, he honestly did try so I've got to give him that. He tried hard but feel completely flat. Thumbs Down
Sarita vs. Velvet Sky - Lousy match, that's really all you can say. I've never liked strap matches at all, I've always found them extremely dull. Sarita & Velvet both looked hot, as usual, but that was it. The only way that this was enjoyable is if you have something of an S&M thing and were playing a tune on your skinflute while watching two hot chicks beat on each other with a piece of leather. Thumbs Down
Jeff Jarrett MMA Exhibition - I honestly don't have a clue what happened here. I figured it'd be crap, so I figured I might as well take a bathroom break. No clue what happened here but I doubt that I missed anything. N/A
AJ Styles & Rob Terry vs. Douglas Williams & Magnus - Pretty solid 5 minute tag match, nothing great, but it solid and it furthered along the Styles/Williams feud. Rob Terry was horrible, as would be expected, and I liked how Styles kept tagging in at opportune moments to generate a little heat. Styles & Terry get the clean win about 5 minutes after Styles hits Chaos Theory on Magnus. Nothing special here, but it was a nice lull from the disaster the rest of the show has been. Thumbs Down
Madison Rayne - I think that Madison Rayne has come pretty far as a character and she's generally pretty good on the mic. But, she just wasn't good here. She was obnoxious and annoying in the "I wanna change the channel" kinda way. All the ear piercing screaming was so over the top that I forgot really what she was yelling about in the first place. Mickie James eventually comes down and rips her new outfit off of her, leaving her in her underwear. Madison acts embarassed but I don't know what the frig why exactly. Each week, she comes out and acts and dresses like a lapdancer and shows off what she's got whenever she can so why be embarassed here? Thumbs Down
Matt Morgan & DeVon vs. Mr. Anderson & Bully Ray - This match did nothing to really make me care about either one of these feuds. I haven't cared about the Team 3D feud since it began and the whole thing with Morgan & Anderson is getting stale due to all the repetitive segments about Anderson's concussions. Why should I care that Morgan hit Anderson with a discus clothesline accidentally or not? Morgan & DeVon get the win about the 5.5 minute mark. Just a forgettable main event that did nothing to get me interested in what these guys are involved in.
Overall Show - Tonight's iMPACT! was an awful show. I just can't believe how abysmally dull TNA has become over the past few months. I like that TNA is taking the concussion stuff seriously, but stop doing the same damn promo segments about it every week. Sabin vs. Roode was a fun opening singles match and, like most episodes of iMPACT!, it peaked within the first half hour and then almost everything else afterward was about as interesting as watching paint dry on a car. The Knockout match was lousy and there really wasn't anything they could do to save it as it was just a lousy gimmick match all around. Kazarian tried to generate some heat for himself but he needs to get someone else to write his jokes for him if those were his. The holiday party skits backstage were horrendous and, if DX had been there, I'd have thought we were watching an episode of Raw in late 2009. And if they were his, then ask someone to write them for him next time. The Jeff Jarrett/MMA bit I didn't see tonight but I have a feeling that it's been every single bit as riveting as it's been for the past month or so. I was on the toilet for about 10 minutes and I'm going to take a guess and assume that I had more fun there than I would have watching that segment. The tag match with Styles & Meatsack against Williams & Magnus was solid, far from great, but it was ok. Everything afterward was just forgettable, uninteresting and/or annoying. TNA iMPACT! started 2010 with one helluva bang and exits from it with a kittenish whimper.
Grade: F
Opening Segment - The opening segment of tonight's iMPACT! felt very much like I was watching a rerun. I dig that TNA is taking the head trauma issue seriously in the storylines, but they keep doing pretty much the exact same thing each week and it's really getting old. Foley questioned Anderson's condition, Anderson gets pissed, Matt Morgan comes down and does the same thing, yadda yadda. Each week with this it's got the same standard formula with them voicing their concern over Anderson, asking if he's sure he's ready, saying that they don't believe him while making absolutely sure that he knows that they respect him, Anderson vehemently saying things are fine. If TNA insists on doing this each week, it needs to deviate from the current formula because it felt old, stale and extremely repetetive. Thumbs Down
Robert Roode vs. Chris Sabin - Fun opening match here and showed a good clash of styles here. It's a bit of a novelty to see either of these two in a singles match and it felt fresh. Nothing overly spectacular about the match, but it told a good story and further highlighted the great chemistry between the teams. Roode gets the win after hitting what Tenay called the Double R Spinebuster and, surprisingly, it was a clean win. I liked that the tag team partners of both guys, who were down at ringside, didn't interfere in the match at all. Fun opening match. Thumbs Up
Holiday Party Segments - I'll just lump these together as several were shown throughout the night. Each one of these things was bad..just really really really bad. I'm honestly surprised to see that TNA did a series of skits with Eric Young, Orlando Jordan and the rest of the TNA rejects backstage having some sort of "holiday party". Shark Boy made an appearance, Brian Kendrick was there doing whatever the hell it is that he does, Young was trying to be funny dressed up as, I'm guessing, Moses but it fell completely flat. This is something I honestly expected that the WWE would've done on Raw sometime over the past few weeks. Glad it didn't happen as it would've been equally horrible. Thumbs Down
Rob Van Dam vs. Robbie E. - Even before this match happened, RVD gave a bit of a mini promo backstage as he was walking towards the ramp before they went to commercial. He made another promo out there in the ring in which he repeated half of what he'd already said before the commercial and succeeded in letting the viewer know that this match didn't mean a damn thing. Great job there Rob. The match was a shitty, forgettable 2 minute squash match. I've heard some people praise Robbie E but I honestly don't understand what the frig for. Aside from being in good shape and what most women would consider handsome, the guy's nothing. Well, it ate up 2 minutes of air time so I guess it did something. Thumbs Down
Kazarian - The good thing that came out of this promo is that Kazarian seems to be much more confident in himself. The bad thing about this promo was everything else. Kazarian was out there telling extremely lame and/or juvenile jokes, at least I think they were intended as jokes, by insulting Lethal's family. Kazarian's joke about Lethal's family being so poor that they had to bring in the garbage is older than I am. My grandfather used to tell me that joke when I was about 10 years old. The rest sounded like something that you'd have to be about 12 years old...no...scratch that. There's just nothing even remotely funny about anything that Kaz had to say. I know that he was trying to build up heat but all the crowd did was moan and groan while telling him to shut up. Kazarian did try, he honestly did try so I've got to give him that. He tried hard but feel completely flat. Thumbs Down
Sarita vs. Velvet Sky - Lousy match, that's really all you can say. I've never liked strap matches at all, I've always found them extremely dull. Sarita & Velvet both looked hot, as usual, but that was it. The only way that this was enjoyable is if you have something of an S&M thing and were playing a tune on your skinflute while watching two hot chicks beat on each other with a piece of leather. Thumbs Down
Jeff Jarrett MMA Exhibition - I honestly don't have a clue what happened here. I figured it'd be crap, so I figured I might as well take a bathroom break. No clue what happened here but I doubt that I missed anything. N/A
AJ Styles & Rob Terry vs. Douglas Williams & Magnus - Pretty solid 5 minute tag match, nothing great, but it solid and it furthered along the Styles/Williams feud. Rob Terry was horrible, as would be expected, and I liked how Styles kept tagging in at opportune moments to generate a little heat. Styles & Terry get the clean win about 5 minutes after Styles hits Chaos Theory on Magnus. Nothing special here, but it was a nice lull from the disaster the rest of the show has been. Thumbs Down
Madison Rayne - I think that Madison Rayne has come pretty far as a character and she's generally pretty good on the mic. But, she just wasn't good here. She was obnoxious and annoying in the "I wanna change the channel" kinda way. All the ear piercing screaming was so over the top that I forgot really what she was yelling about in the first place. Mickie James eventually comes down and rips her new outfit off of her, leaving her in her underwear. Madison acts embarassed but I don't know what the frig why exactly. Each week, she comes out and acts and dresses like a lapdancer and shows off what she's got whenever she can so why be embarassed here? Thumbs Down
Matt Morgan & DeVon vs. Mr. Anderson & Bully Ray - This match did nothing to really make me care about either one of these feuds. I haven't cared about the Team 3D feud since it began and the whole thing with Morgan & Anderson is getting stale due to all the repetitive segments about Anderson's concussions. Why should I care that Morgan hit Anderson with a discus clothesline accidentally or not? Morgan & DeVon get the win about the 5.5 minute mark. Just a forgettable main event that did nothing to get me interested in what these guys are involved in.
Overall Show - Tonight's iMPACT! was an awful show. I just can't believe how abysmally dull TNA has become over the past few months. I like that TNA is taking the concussion stuff seriously, but stop doing the same damn promo segments about it every week. Sabin vs. Roode was a fun opening singles match and, like most episodes of iMPACT!, it peaked within the first half hour and then almost everything else afterward was about as interesting as watching paint dry on a car. The Knockout match was lousy and there really wasn't anything they could do to save it as it was just a lousy gimmick match all around. Kazarian tried to generate some heat for himself but he needs to get someone else to write his jokes for him if those were his. The holiday party skits backstage were horrendous and, if DX had been there, I'd have thought we were watching an episode of Raw in late 2009. And if they were his, then ask someone to write them for him next time. The Jeff Jarrett/MMA bit I didn't see tonight but I have a feeling that it's been every single bit as riveting as it's been for the past month or so. I was on the toilet for about 10 minutes and I'm going to take a guess and assume that I had more fun there than I would have watching that segment. The tag match with Styles & Meatsack against Williams & Magnus was solid, far from great, but it was ok. Everything afterward was just forgettable, uninteresting and/or annoying. TNA iMPACT! started 2010 with one helluva bang and exits from it with a kittenish whimper.
Grade: F
A Mod's Best Friend (aka Bitch)
Pre-Show Stalwart
Definitely, has happened the last three or four weeks on Impact and there comes a time where you can start ONE episode with a match of some sorts. I personally hate how they have based this storyline over a concussion that really was an accident. It just seems a bit ridiculous and id have rather it be about Anderson taking revenge for Jeff Hardy screwing him over at Bound for Glory compared to him giving him a cut on his head. I think that three way at Bound for Glory has been forgotten in all of this. Agree with the thumbs down!
Easily match of the night though its not all that hard in TNA at the moment. Any match that goes over the 5 minute mark can be a nomination for MOTY on the Impact side of things. I personally enjoyed how they are building the tag team match at the PPV with singles matches. Thumbs up for sure.
I have to seriously disagree with you on this one. I loved this and thought it was hilarious. I think anyone who reviews this show will try to be like everyone else and give it the same rating, when deep down they didnt want to enjoy it in the first place.
Another thing i liked, which is nothing big, it ended the whole bi-sexual crap with Orlando Jordan i think. This so called party was a cockfest and Jordan wanting to know where the ladies were was maybe an indication of this. Shark Boy also getting his beer knocked over and asking if they wanted him to call some mermaids was alright. Thumbs up!
I hate what they have done with Robbie. This guy was X-Division champion two weeks ago and now he is jobbing to a 40 y.o. pot smoking moron who is vastly overrated. Cookie doesnt even get involved once during the match and this whole thing reminds me of Disco Inferno early on from WCW. I still have hopes for Robbie E but not with this current gimmick. Drop the Shore name, drop the look (i.e the hair, the bling, the talking) and Cookie stays as a normal, bitchy, intrusive manager. The guy can go in the ring, give him a fighting chance TNA. Agree with the thumbs down.
Dont think it fell completely flat but it did drag on for a bit. Got some heat from the crowd i thought and then quickly punished lethal as he got in the ring. I think he will win the X-Division title and it'll be a pretty good match! Thumbs down though is agreed!
I hate women wrestling and i usually just skip it. So will take your word for it!
I think you missed a really good debut and besides the farce that is this whole MMA gimmick, some good actually came from it. Tommy Mercer debuted as Red's 'little' brother and thought he was made to look like a monster. Jarrett had to go running before he lost his 100K and if it weren't for Gunner and Murphy, Mercer would have got the win. One of the better times TNA has utilized a new talent. The guy has an amazing physique and could be something huge in the business. I loved this. Thumbs up in a big way.
I agree with everything in this except for Rob Terry and the thumbs down. Rob Terry is a power wrestler and was thrown into a tag match of all things with three smaller men. They could/should have allowed him to start the match, throw some of these smaller guys around and then let AJ in. He was in a situation he wouldnt be accustomed to and given the situation, i thought he did alright. This has also made the finishers of both these guys look extremely forceful and whoever hits their move first, will most likely get the win at the PPV. Im hoping AJ and Williams is the main event considering their is no World Title on the line.
More women, dont like em', moving on!
Yep, totally agree. The Morgan and Anderson feud is something i couldn't give a rats clacker about while Ray and Devon should have realized they are past their use by dates and retired for real. Just boring crap.
Ill give it a C-. I dont think it was as bad as what you are making it out to be and it actually had me paying attention for the majority of time this week. Something that hasn't happen for a few months now. The Mercer debut was excellent and im actually looking forward to Impact next week.
Thought id give my two cents worth. I agreed and disagreed with you on a few things and thats the beauty of the forums. Cheers!
Joe's Gonna Kill You
The Hunt is On
I thought that Impact was pretty good again this week. If the Job of a Go Home Show is to get you excited for the PPV coming up then I think that this has done an Excellent Job at building up Genesis and getting me exicited for the PPV to the point that I'm going to order the PPV this Sunday. Job Well done.
Overall Grade: B+
Overall Grade: B+
Immortal
Bischoff talks about Genesis. He says no shady tactics will go down at the pay per view. He wants Immortal to do things the the right way. Bischoff wants to give the champions in TNA some credit. He brings out Jay Lethal. Lethal cautiously steps in the ring. The Motor City Machine Guns are introduced. They step into the ring. Doug Williams comes to the ring. Bischoff praises the TNA Champions. He puts Jay Lethal in a match with Abyss, Williams gets Rob Terry, and The Guns will face off against AJ Styles and Kaz. Bischoff wants everyone to shake hands. Theres a pause, and then Immortal attacks the faces, while Terry and Flair watch. RVD hits the ring. Everyone scatters. RVD wants to know who his opponent at Genesis will be. RVD threatens Bischoff. Bischoff snaps, as Abyss tries to restrain him. He says Abyss could kill him. This opening segment was okay. You could see an Immortal attack coming from a mile away, and Bischoffs nice act didnt fool me at all. Im looking forward to the tag team match, but Im not too excited about Lethal VS Abyss or Williams VS Terry.
Jeff Jarretts MMA Challenge
Jarrett says hes made some changes to his challenge. He says nobody can be taller than him, and he says the challenge is just an exhibition now. Jarrett picks some guy named Boo Boo, but then he changes his mind when he sees his taller father. Jarrett says he will grow taller than him. Jarrett finally picks some guy wearing a TNA shirt. Jarrett cheap shots him, and the random victim quickly taps out to the Ankle Lock. Jarrett wont break the hold, but Kurt Angle comes in for the save. Jarrett says Angle shouldnt break his promise to never wrestle again. Angle says its just an exhibition, and he signs the MMA contract. As usual, Jarretts MMA gimmick managed to bore the shit out of me again tonight. If you ask me, Kurt Angles appearance saved this entire segment. Itll be interesting to see what happens at Genesis, and I wonder how long this feud will continue this time around. On a side note, what about Tommy Mercer? He gave Jarrett a run for his money last week, but we didnt see him tonight. I wonder if TNA will go further with this guy, or was his big debut just a test.
AJ Styles & Kaz VS The Motor City Machine Guns
AJ tries to use one of the title belts to clock Shelly, but Shelly ducks it, and he hits Sliced Bread on Styles for the win. After the match, Beer Money attacks The Guns. AJ walks up the ramp, and Bischoff gives him a look of disgust. This was a pretty good tag team match. This match featured a good amount of action, and there were a couple of close falls here. The Beer Money attack wasnt that surprising, and I am looking forward to the match between these two teams on Sunday.
The Pope
Pope wants to know who has been stalking him. Pope says The Congregation still respects him and loves him. He calls out the camera man. Samoa Joe comes out. Joe? Really? Anyway, Joe calls Pope a scumbag. He accuses Pope of being dishonest. Joe alludes to Poe running a dog fighting ring. Oh, great, a Michael Vick reference. Pope denies all of the allegations. Pope says he will have a problem with Joe if he accuses him again. I dont care for a Pope heel turn, and he just rambled through his promo annoyingly here, but I did enjoy Joe. He was very convincing, as he accused Pope. We havent seen too much of Joe in a while, and itll be interesting to see where this upcoming feud will go. I just hope TNA actually goes somewhere with Joe this time. I wouldnt want to see another Joe gets kidnapped, and we never find out who did it situation.
Madison Rayne & Sarita VS Mickie James & Velvet Sky
Tara sneaks through the ropes. She hits Velvet with her elbow brace. The ref doesnt see any of this. Sarita gets the pinfall for the win. This match was pretty weak. I could never get into this, and this match really didnt have a good flow to it. Velvet and Saritas asses were the only thing worth looking at here. Madison spent a good amount of time taunting Mickie, but she eventually managed to get her hands on the Knockouts Champion. Sarita managed to get the best of Velvet again, and the problems between these two might continue, but I cant say I care too much, because this feud hasnt excited me at all. The strap match was a let down, and I dont think this feud will do anything for Velvet. I think shes just being used as a stepping stone for Sarita.
Rob Terry VS Doug Williams
AJ runs down to attack Williams. Rob Terry joins in. AJ viscously attacks Williams hand. Nothing happened in this match. AJs interference happened pretty quickly. This match was just another to way advance the storyline between these two, and now Im wondering if Williams injured hand will play a major factor in the match this Sunday.
The Dudleys Fight In The Parking Lot
Bubba comes out with security. He looks like hes going for Devon, but he hides behind security. Bubba kicks Devon in the gut while hes being held by security. Security tries to restrain Bubba, but he attacks them instead. Yeah, I couldnt get into this. As soon as I saw the security, I just knew where this was going. This was okay. Bubba did look like a real coward, as he hid behind security and taunted Devon, but as Ive said before, I just dont care about this feud, and I dont have any interest in seeing these two compete in singles competition.
Abyss VS Jay Lethal
Abyss hits the Black Hole slam, but he pulls Lethal off of the mat before the three count. Abyss puts his boot into Lethals throat in the corner. Abyss doesnt stop, so he gets disqualified. Kaz comes out. He says Abyss should stop, because he wants some of Lethal for Sunday. Kaz wants Lethal to stand up, but Jay has been destroyed, so Abyss aggressively helps him stand up. Lethal(with some assistance from Abyss) shakes Kazs hand. This match was used to help build the encounter between Kaz and Lethal this Sunday. Abyss was used as a hit man, and Kaz came out to gloat afterwards. Foul play was expected here, and the DQ finish didnt shock me that much. Still, I couldnt get into this. Abyss had to destroy Kaz? Why couldnt Kaz just take care of him after the match?
Mr. Anderson & Matt Morgan Interview
Anderson says hes sick and tired of having to appreciate what Matt did for him. Morgan says Andersons family should come first. Anderson doesnt want to talk about family. Anderson wants to wrestle no matter what. He says he has to wrestle so he can take care of his family. Mike Tenay says nobody has seen any clearance for Anderson to wrestle. Anderson says he will step in the ring, and he reminds us that assholes finfish first. I actually enjoyed this. There was a lot of tension here. Morgan keeps trying to show compassion for Anderson, but he refuses his help. The buildup to this match has been pretty damn good, and I hope the match on Sunday can deliver.
RVD VS Jeff Jarrett- No DQ Match
Jarretts MMA goons get involved towards the end of the match. RVD fights back, but Jeff Hardy comes down. He hits a Twist Of Hate on RVD. Jarrett takes advantage. He gets the pinfall for the win. Hardy and Jarrett try to continue the beat down, but Matt Morgan comes out for the save. Hardy tries to hit Morgan in the back of the head with a chair, but Anderson grabs it. It looks like Anderson is aiming for Jeff with the chair, but he hits Morgan in the back instead. Jarrett and Hardy escape, and Anderson has a devious look on his face as he stares at Morgan. Ugh, this was a painful main event match to watch. The match here was boring, and this was a VERY lackluster main event. I just wish Jarretts MMA crew wouldve attacked RVD sooner, because sitting through this almost put me to sleep. Jarretts goons attacked, then we saw Morgan, Hardy, and Anderson get involved. The devious look from Anderson kind of scares me. It could be sign of a heel turn. I havent been a fan of Andersons face run, but I hope he doesnt turn heel, because TNA has enough big name bad guys already.
Overall Show Rating 5/10: I thought this edition of Impact was an okay go home show. I really liked the Morgan/Anderson interview, and the tag match between The Guns and Styles and Kaz was pretty good, but a lot of stuff on tonights show just felt weak to me. The majority of the matches were pretty short or boring, and the opening segment didnt do it for me at all. It was nice to see Kurt Angle return, and itll be interesting to see how this feud will go the second time around. Kurt is now the face and Jarrett is the heel. The roles have been reversed, so Im looking forward to seeing how this feud will play out. Im looking forward to Morgan VS Anderson, The Guns VS Beer Money, and Angle VS Jarrett, but Im overly excited about the rest of the Genesis card.
Bischoff talks about Genesis. He says no shady tactics will go down at the pay per view. He wants Immortal to do things the the right way. Bischoff wants to give the champions in TNA some credit. He brings out Jay Lethal. Lethal cautiously steps in the ring. The Motor City Machine Guns are introduced. They step into the ring. Doug Williams comes to the ring. Bischoff praises the TNA Champions. He puts Jay Lethal in a match with Abyss, Williams gets Rob Terry, and The Guns will face off against AJ Styles and Kaz. Bischoff wants everyone to shake hands. Theres a pause, and then Immortal attacks the faces, while Terry and Flair watch. RVD hits the ring. Everyone scatters. RVD wants to know who his opponent at Genesis will be. RVD threatens Bischoff. Bischoff snaps, as Abyss tries to restrain him. He says Abyss could kill him. This opening segment was okay. You could see an Immortal attack coming from a mile away, and Bischoffs nice act didnt fool me at all. Im looking forward to the tag team match, but Im not too excited about Lethal VS Abyss or Williams VS Terry.
Jeff Jarretts MMA Challenge
Jarrett says hes made some changes to his challenge. He says nobody can be taller than him, and he says the challenge is just an exhibition now. Jarrett picks some guy named Boo Boo, but then he changes his mind when he sees his taller father. Jarrett says he will grow taller than him. Jarrett finally picks some guy wearing a TNA shirt. Jarrett cheap shots him, and the random victim quickly taps out to the Ankle Lock. Jarrett wont break the hold, but Kurt Angle comes in for the save. Jarrett says Angle shouldnt break his promise to never wrestle again. Angle says its just an exhibition, and he signs the MMA contract. As usual, Jarretts MMA gimmick managed to bore the shit out of me again tonight. If you ask me, Kurt Angles appearance saved this entire segment. Itll be interesting to see what happens at Genesis, and I wonder how long this feud will continue this time around. On a side note, what about Tommy Mercer? He gave Jarrett a run for his money last week, but we didnt see him tonight. I wonder if TNA will go further with this guy, or was his big debut just a test.
AJ Styles & Kaz VS The Motor City Machine Guns
AJ tries to use one of the title belts to clock Shelly, but Shelly ducks it, and he hits Sliced Bread on Styles for the win. After the match, Beer Money attacks The Guns. AJ walks up the ramp, and Bischoff gives him a look of disgust. This was a pretty good tag team match. This match featured a good amount of action, and there were a couple of close falls here. The Beer Money attack wasnt that surprising, and I am looking forward to the match between these two teams on Sunday.
The Pope
Pope wants to know who has been stalking him. Pope says The Congregation still respects him and loves him. He calls out the camera man. Samoa Joe comes out. Joe? Really? Anyway, Joe calls Pope a scumbag. He accuses Pope of being dishonest. Joe alludes to Poe running a dog fighting ring. Oh, great, a Michael Vick reference. Pope denies all of the allegations. Pope says he will have a problem with Joe if he accuses him again. I dont care for a Pope heel turn, and he just rambled through his promo annoyingly here, but I did enjoy Joe. He was very convincing, as he accused Pope. We havent seen too much of Joe in a while, and itll be interesting to see where this upcoming feud will go. I just hope TNA actually goes somewhere with Joe this time. I wouldnt want to see another Joe gets kidnapped, and we never find out who did it situation.
Madison Rayne & Sarita VS Mickie James & Velvet Sky
Tara sneaks through the ropes. She hits Velvet with her elbow brace. The ref doesnt see any of this. Sarita gets the pinfall for the win. This match was pretty weak. I could never get into this, and this match really didnt have a good flow to it. Velvet and Saritas asses were the only thing worth looking at here. Madison spent a good amount of time taunting Mickie, but she eventually managed to get her hands on the Knockouts Champion. Sarita managed to get the best of Velvet again, and the problems between these two might continue, but I cant say I care too much, because this feud hasnt excited me at all. The strap match was a let down, and I dont think this feud will do anything for Velvet. I think shes just being used as a stepping stone for Sarita.
Rob Terry VS Doug Williams
AJ runs down to attack Williams. Rob Terry joins in. AJ viscously attacks Williams hand. Nothing happened in this match. AJs interference happened pretty quickly. This match was just another to way advance the storyline between these two, and now Im wondering if Williams injured hand will play a major factor in the match this Sunday.
The Dudleys Fight In The Parking Lot
Bubba comes out with security. He looks like hes going for Devon, but he hides behind security. Bubba kicks Devon in the gut while hes being held by security. Security tries to restrain Bubba, but he attacks them instead. Yeah, I couldnt get into this. As soon as I saw the security, I just knew where this was going. This was okay. Bubba did look like a real coward, as he hid behind security and taunted Devon, but as Ive said before, I just dont care about this feud, and I dont have any interest in seeing these two compete in singles competition.
Abyss VS Jay Lethal
Abyss hits the Black Hole slam, but he pulls Lethal off of the mat before the three count. Abyss puts his boot into Lethals throat in the corner. Abyss doesnt stop, so he gets disqualified. Kaz comes out. He says Abyss should stop, because he wants some of Lethal for Sunday. Kaz wants Lethal to stand up, but Jay has been destroyed, so Abyss aggressively helps him stand up. Lethal(with some assistance from Abyss) shakes Kazs hand. This match was used to help build the encounter between Kaz and Lethal this Sunday. Abyss was used as a hit man, and Kaz came out to gloat afterwards. Foul play was expected here, and the DQ finish didnt shock me that much. Still, I couldnt get into this. Abyss had to destroy Kaz? Why couldnt Kaz just take care of him after the match?
Mr. Anderson & Matt Morgan Interview
Anderson says hes sick and tired of having to appreciate what Matt did for him. Morgan says Andersons family should come first. Anderson doesnt want to talk about family. Anderson wants to wrestle no matter what. He says he has to wrestle so he can take care of his family. Mike Tenay says nobody has seen any clearance for Anderson to wrestle. Anderson says he will step in the ring, and he reminds us that assholes finfish first. I actually enjoyed this. There was a lot of tension here. Morgan keeps trying to show compassion for Anderson, but he refuses his help. The buildup to this match has been pretty damn good, and I hope the match on Sunday can deliver.
RVD VS Jeff Jarrett- No DQ Match
Jarretts MMA goons get involved towards the end of the match. RVD fights back, but Jeff Hardy comes down. He hits a Twist Of Hate on RVD. Jarrett takes advantage. He gets the pinfall for the win. Hardy and Jarrett try to continue the beat down, but Matt Morgan comes out for the save. Hardy tries to hit Morgan in the back of the head with a chair, but Anderson grabs it. It looks like Anderson is aiming for Jeff with the chair, but he hits Morgan in the back instead. Jarrett and Hardy escape, and Anderson has a devious look on his face as he stares at Morgan. Ugh, this was a painful main event match to watch. The match here was boring, and this was a VERY lackluster main event. I just wish Jarretts MMA crew wouldve attacked RVD sooner, because sitting through this almost put me to sleep. Jarretts goons attacked, then we saw Morgan, Hardy, and Anderson get involved. The devious look from Anderson kind of scares me. It could be sign of a heel turn. I havent been a fan of Andersons face run, but I hope he doesnt turn heel, because TNA has enough big name bad guys already.
Overall Show Rating 5/10: I thought this edition of Impact was an okay go home show. I really liked the Morgan/Anderson interview, and the tag match between The Guns and Styles and Kaz was pretty good, but a lot of stuff on tonights show just felt weak to me. The majority of the matches were pretty short or boring, and the opening segment didnt do it for me at all. It was nice to see Kurt Angle return, and itll be interesting to see how this feud will go the second time around. Kurt is now the face and Jarrett is the heel. The roles have been reversed, so Im looking forward to seeing how this feud will play out. Im looking forward to Morgan VS Anderson, The Guns VS Beer Money, and Angle VS Jarrett, but Im overly excited about the rest of the Genesis card.
Jack-Hammer
YOU WILL RESPECT MY AUTHORITAH!!!!
TNA iMPACT - January 6, 2011
Opening Segment - I thought the opening was a good, solid segment that generally set the tone for the rest of the show tonight. I also like that it wasn't just the typical Immortal/Fortune mutual love fest that tends to happen when all of them appear in the ring simultaneously. Bischoff performed his role well as the mouthpiece of the group and did a good job. Bischoff put over the various championships as well, which is always a good thing. The ending was generally pretty predictable but it didn't hurt the segment. Thumbs Up
Jeff Jarrett's MMA Exhibition - I'm not closer to liking this crap than I was when Jarrett first started it. This thing ran far too long and, for the most part, is a lot of what we've already seen. If you've liked these already, nothing happened to change your mind and vice versa. Kurt Angle showed up and runs Jarrett off and signs a contract in the ring for an MMA exhibition at Genesis against Jarrett. For me, the Jarrett/Angle feud is ice cold. It's just dragged on and has been really one sided with Jarrett out there doing his thing and Angle being MIA. I have zero interest in watching some sort of mock MMA fight between these two. When it comes to MMA, I'll watch the real thing if I'm in the mood to. Thumbs Down
Motor City Machine Guns vs. AJ Styles & Kazarian - Solid 5 minute match, though I was hoping for much more here. The match did what it was supposed to do, however, with the Guns looking strong & Styles looking vulnerable. The Guns get a clean victory with Styles doing the job. Beer Money comes in afterward and builds some heat for themselves by beating down/choking out the Guns. Basic, solid and did what it was supposed to do. Thumbs Up
Pope & Samoa Joe - This is sort of confusing because Pope calls out someone that's been following him around, filming him while doing his "business" and all that. I guess the stalker cam and the Hervey cam are identical or something. The Pope's promo style just annoys me quite frankly, guys that basically yell at the top of their lungs constantly when they talk on the mic just turn me off. Samoa Joe comes out, I guess he's revealed as the guy filming Pope's business and all, and is his usual one dimensional self. This is just something that holds little interest for me. The matches between these two should be pretty decent so maybe I'll warm up to this a bit more as it goes on. It just didn't register with me tonight. Thumbs Down
Mickie James & Velvet Sky vs. Madison Rayne & Sarita - The Knockouts have really fallen hard in TNA. The crowd was dead for this, I mean you could've heard a pin drop throughout most of it. It lasted about 4.5 minutes but it seemed twice that, and I don't mean in a good way. Half the match had Velvet being slapped around and all in the opposing team's corner. Sarita has become so watered down inside the ring that she's hardly recognizable as the same woman she was a year ago in the ring. Mickie doesn't make a legal appearance in the match but she does whip up on Madison to some degree. The ending comes with Velvet taking an elbow shot from Tara and Sarita getting the win. I will say that, during the match, Velvet showed that she has improved a little by doing a few moves that she probably couldn't do a month or so ago. She's still got a lot of work to do but it's nice to see some improvement. Thumbs Down
Douglas Williams vs. Rob Terry - Wasn't a match so much as 90 seconds of air time used as a buffer to AJ Styles beating down Williams. Rob Terry is...well he's Rob Terry so take that for what it's worth. As Williams is beaten down, the camera just suddenly cuts away right in the middle to show Bully Ray walking towards the parking lot. Just seemed like a really half assed attempt here. Thumbs Down
Bully Ray & DeVon - This was a pretty good segment with Ray looking like a cowardly bully. Ray does play his part well and has always been loud and full of bluster whenever he's cut promos. Having DeVon surrounded by security while Ray screams insults and taunts was a nice touch as was the kick to the crotch Ray lands while security holds DeVon back. I still don't have much interest in this feud, but Ray did a good job here. I don't think that Bully Ray is going to be a relevant factor when this feud with DeVon is over, but this was a solid effort here. Thumbs Up
Jay Lethal vs. Abyss - If the purpose of this match was to make Lethal look like a pussy, mission accomplished. Abyss has Lethal pinned cleanly at one point only to basically beat on him and choke him until getting DQ'd. Kazarian comes down, does his thing and all that. Just one of those meh segments that does nothing to make you wanna see the match, which is a shame as it's a title match. Thumbs Down
Sit Down Interview - This could have been really good but it felt like watching another rerun. Once again, all the focus was on Anderson's head trauma and it's just gotten extremely old. It worked early on and I'm pretty sure that it'll click with whatever ultimately happens at the ppv, but it's been the same thing week after week. I would have rather heard Anderson & Morgan get asked to talk about the match, build up the match and how important it is to be #1 contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship instead of constantly milking the concussion angle. Thumbs Down
Jeff Jarrett vs. Rob Van Dam - Pretty forgettable and straightforward as it gets. RVD comes out to fight his "mystery opponent" for tonight in a No DQ match. So, of course, half the locker room is going to come out and beat on RVD's ass. Eventually, Jeff Hardy makes an appearance, whoopee, and hits the Twist of Hate on RVD, letting Jarrett score the pinfall. Morgan & Anderson come down to the ring and clean house. Anderson eventually gets a chair and swings it at Hardy, only to miss and hit Morgan. Still, just kinda meh for me. Thumbs Down
Overall Show - The first iMPACT! of 2011 was better than the last iMPACT! of 2010 in my view. There wasn't really anything bad happen on tonight's show, but there also really wasn't anything good that took place either. Tonight was the go home show to Genesis this Sunday but it didn't feel like it to me. Nothing felt like it was major, nothing even remotely felt like it was something that you must see. If what's happened on iMPACT! over the past month hasn't interested you in ordering Genesis, then you probably won't be ordering the show because nothing that's more interesting happened tonight. The TV & Tag Team title matches will easily be the best matches on the card at Genesis, everything else is just fodder for me.
Grade: D+
Opening Segment - I thought the opening was a good, solid segment that generally set the tone for the rest of the show tonight. I also like that it wasn't just the typical Immortal/Fortune mutual love fest that tends to happen when all of them appear in the ring simultaneously. Bischoff performed his role well as the mouthpiece of the group and did a good job. Bischoff put over the various championships as well, which is always a good thing. The ending was generally pretty predictable but it didn't hurt the segment. Thumbs Up
Jeff Jarrett's MMA Exhibition - I'm not closer to liking this crap than I was when Jarrett first started it. This thing ran far too long and, for the most part, is a lot of what we've already seen. If you've liked these already, nothing happened to change your mind and vice versa. Kurt Angle showed up and runs Jarrett off and signs a contract in the ring for an MMA exhibition at Genesis against Jarrett. For me, the Jarrett/Angle feud is ice cold. It's just dragged on and has been really one sided with Jarrett out there doing his thing and Angle being MIA. I have zero interest in watching some sort of mock MMA fight between these two. When it comes to MMA, I'll watch the real thing if I'm in the mood to. Thumbs Down
Motor City Machine Guns vs. AJ Styles & Kazarian - Solid 5 minute match, though I was hoping for much more here. The match did what it was supposed to do, however, with the Guns looking strong & Styles looking vulnerable. The Guns get a clean victory with Styles doing the job. Beer Money comes in afterward and builds some heat for themselves by beating down/choking out the Guns. Basic, solid and did what it was supposed to do. Thumbs Up
Pope & Samoa Joe - This is sort of confusing because Pope calls out someone that's been following him around, filming him while doing his "business" and all that. I guess the stalker cam and the Hervey cam are identical or something. The Pope's promo style just annoys me quite frankly, guys that basically yell at the top of their lungs constantly when they talk on the mic just turn me off. Samoa Joe comes out, I guess he's revealed as the guy filming Pope's business and all, and is his usual one dimensional self. This is just something that holds little interest for me. The matches between these two should be pretty decent so maybe I'll warm up to this a bit more as it goes on. It just didn't register with me tonight. Thumbs Down
Mickie James & Velvet Sky vs. Madison Rayne & Sarita - The Knockouts have really fallen hard in TNA. The crowd was dead for this, I mean you could've heard a pin drop throughout most of it. It lasted about 4.5 minutes but it seemed twice that, and I don't mean in a good way. Half the match had Velvet being slapped around and all in the opposing team's corner. Sarita has become so watered down inside the ring that she's hardly recognizable as the same woman she was a year ago in the ring. Mickie doesn't make a legal appearance in the match but she does whip up on Madison to some degree. The ending comes with Velvet taking an elbow shot from Tara and Sarita getting the win. I will say that, during the match, Velvet showed that she has improved a little by doing a few moves that she probably couldn't do a month or so ago. She's still got a lot of work to do but it's nice to see some improvement. Thumbs Down
Douglas Williams vs. Rob Terry - Wasn't a match so much as 90 seconds of air time used as a buffer to AJ Styles beating down Williams. Rob Terry is...well he's Rob Terry so take that for what it's worth. As Williams is beaten down, the camera just suddenly cuts away right in the middle to show Bully Ray walking towards the parking lot. Just seemed like a really half assed attempt here. Thumbs Down
Bully Ray & DeVon - This was a pretty good segment with Ray looking like a cowardly bully. Ray does play his part well and has always been loud and full of bluster whenever he's cut promos. Having DeVon surrounded by security while Ray screams insults and taunts was a nice touch as was the kick to the crotch Ray lands while security holds DeVon back. I still don't have much interest in this feud, but Ray did a good job here. I don't think that Bully Ray is going to be a relevant factor when this feud with DeVon is over, but this was a solid effort here. Thumbs Up
Jay Lethal vs. Abyss - If the purpose of this match was to make Lethal look like a pussy, mission accomplished. Abyss has Lethal pinned cleanly at one point only to basically beat on him and choke him until getting DQ'd. Kazarian comes down, does his thing and all that. Just one of those meh segments that does nothing to make you wanna see the match, which is a shame as it's a title match. Thumbs Down
Sit Down Interview - This could have been really good but it felt like watching another rerun. Once again, all the focus was on Anderson's head trauma and it's just gotten extremely old. It worked early on and I'm pretty sure that it'll click with whatever ultimately happens at the ppv, but it's been the same thing week after week. I would have rather heard Anderson & Morgan get asked to talk about the match, build up the match and how important it is to be #1 contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship instead of constantly milking the concussion angle. Thumbs Down
Jeff Jarrett vs. Rob Van Dam - Pretty forgettable and straightforward as it gets. RVD comes out to fight his "mystery opponent" for tonight in a No DQ match. So, of course, half the locker room is going to come out and beat on RVD's ass. Eventually, Jeff Hardy makes an appearance, whoopee, and hits the Twist of Hate on RVD, letting Jarrett score the pinfall. Morgan & Anderson come down to the ring and clean house. Anderson eventually gets a chair and swings it at Hardy, only to miss and hit Morgan. Still, just kinda meh for me. Thumbs Down
Overall Show - The first iMPACT! of 2011 was better than the last iMPACT! of 2010 in my view. There wasn't really anything bad happen on tonight's show, but there also really wasn't anything good that took place either. Tonight was the go home show to Genesis this Sunday but it didn't feel like it to me. Nothing felt like it was major, nothing even remotely felt like it was something that you must see. If what's happened on iMPACT! over the past month hasn't interested you in ordering Genesis, then you probably won't be ordering the show because nothing that's more interesting happened tonight. The TV & Tag Team title matches will easily be the best matches on the card at Genesis, everything else is just fodder for me.
Grade: D+
Hulkamaniac
Vote Hogan, Savage, Rocky and Thesz
TNA's ranking is in with a 1.15, highest in weeks, and technically rounding up to 1.2. Hopefully a trend that continues!
Very nice for TNA to be moving above the 1.1 they've been stuck on for awhile, and I feel the product has been solid at this point.
http://www.prowrestling.net/artman/publish/TNA/article10016093.shtml
Very nice for TNA to be moving above the 1.1 they've been stuck on for awhile, and I feel the product has been solid at this point.
http://www.prowrestling.net/artman/publish/TNA/article10016093.shtml
Kitten Cutter
Pre-Show Stalwart
I've missed the past two Impacts due to heavy work and my DVR decided to deny me any watching of TNA due to a power surge but after reading the reports and searching for internet sources I have to throw in my two cents on one topic:
The fact that The Pope and Samoa Joe are about to feud actually bothers me. Immortal\Fourtune is bigger than ever now, with active wrestlers Jeff and Matt Hardy, Styles, Kaz, Abyss, Beer Money, Jarrett, and Terry (with Flair, Gunner and Murphy as the occasional wrestlers) and TNA is giving us a separate feud with two guys who have REASON to fight the Immortals? Not only that, the last time we saw The Pope, he was punked out and beaten and thrown in a casket. And the last time we saw Samoa Joe, he was punked out and beaten by Jeff Jarrett in his own gimmick. So they're giving up? No mention of revenge? No mention of getting back at Abyss or Jarrett, or maybe Bischoff or Gunner and Murphy or even the Pope's brother? This how TNA starts Pope vs. Samoa Joe? Strip clubs and buying pit bulls and Samoa Joe standing up for people and saying, "I think you're a scumbag?" That's it after ALL that's happened to them?! It literally is a blow-off to the feuds that I think could have been much better executed.
This Immortals\Fourtune storyline should be much bigger than this. It should so much more encompassing, and I feel like it's going the way of the usual general manager storylines where only the main guys are involved. Only recently have they finally included the champions.
The fact that The Pope and Samoa Joe are about to feud actually bothers me. Immortal\Fourtune is bigger than ever now, with active wrestlers Jeff and Matt Hardy, Styles, Kaz, Abyss, Beer Money, Jarrett, and Terry (with Flair, Gunner and Murphy as the occasional wrestlers) and TNA is giving us a separate feud with two guys who have REASON to fight the Immortals? Not only that, the last time we saw The Pope, he was punked out and beaten and thrown in a casket. And the last time we saw Samoa Joe, he was punked out and beaten by Jeff Jarrett in his own gimmick. So they're giving up? No mention of revenge? No mention of getting back at Abyss or Jarrett, or maybe Bischoff or Gunner and Murphy or even the Pope's brother? This how TNA starts Pope vs. Samoa Joe? Strip clubs and buying pit bulls and Samoa Joe standing up for people and saying, "I think you're a scumbag?" That's it after ALL that's happened to them?! It literally is a blow-off to the feuds that I think could have been much better executed.
This Immortals\Fourtune storyline should be much bigger than this. It should so much more encompassing, and I feel like it's going the way of the usual general manager storylines where only the main guys are involved. Only recently have they finally included the champions.
Joe's Gonna Kill You
The Hunt is On
TNA Impact 1/3/11
What I Liked: I Really enjoyed the opening promo from Mr. Anderson I thought that he did a pretty good job on the mic. Matt Morgan cut a short promo that 2011 is the Year of the Blueprint Morgan decent stuff from Morgan. I really enjoyed the Match between MCMG and Beer Money these two teams always have really good matches and this match was no exception. The Pope and Joe segment was good and I thought that Joe did a really good job on the mic while Pope was decent I think this will be a pretty good feud. I enjoyed the Angle and Jarrett stuff. The Main Event The Hardy's vs RVD & Anderson was a Good match. Beer Money interfere to get revenge on RVD and Anderson who attacked them eariler in the show. The interference allowed The Hardy's to get the advantage Matt gives Anderson the Twist of Hate Jeff hits the Swanton for the 1-2-3.
What I disliked: I didn't like the Abyss vs Morgan match I think Abyss is Shit and I just don't like seeing him on my TV. The other thing I didn't like was the Angelina Love & Winter vs Rayne & Tara this was not a good match. Overall I thought that this was a Really Good Impact.
Grade:B+
What I Liked: I Really enjoyed the opening promo from Mr. Anderson I thought that he did a pretty good job on the mic. Matt Morgan cut a short promo that 2011 is the Year of the Blueprint Morgan decent stuff from Morgan. I really enjoyed the Match between MCMG and Beer Money these two teams always have really good matches and this match was no exception. The Pope and Joe segment was good and I thought that Joe did a really good job on the mic while Pope was decent I think this will be a pretty good feud. I enjoyed the Angle and Jarrett stuff. The Main Event The Hardy's vs RVD & Anderson was a Good match. Beer Money interfere to get revenge on RVD and Anderson who attacked them eariler in the show. The interference allowed The Hardy's to get the advantage Matt gives Anderson the Twist of Hate Jeff hits the Swanton for the 1-2-3.
What I disliked: I didn't like the Abyss vs Morgan match I think Abyss is Shit and I just don't like seeing him on my TV. The other thing I didn't like was the Angelina Love & Winter vs Rayne & Tara this was not a good match. Overall I thought that this was a Really Good Impact.
Grade:B+
Jack-Hammer
YOU WILL RESPECT MY AUTHORITAH!!!!
TNA iMPACT! - January 13, 2010
Opening Segment - I was a little mixed about the opening segment of the show. I thought it had some good points and bad points. Anderson was charismatic on the mic, as usual so that's a plus, but his revisionist history of what went on in the WWE kinda left me feeling a little cold. I don't know what all the backstage stuff was but I notice that Anderson left out all the injuries that kept him off the road and television for months upon months at a time, failing a drug test and giving interviews in media outlets in which he didn't think steroids were a big deal. Morgan coming out and doing his thing was pretty expected, he & Anderson did the usual "I respect the hell outta you" stuff before Hardy is shown up on the Dixie Tron. RVD gives Hardy a sucker punch and is beating him down before Matt Hardy comes out of nowhere. Anderson runs back to help RVD but both of them are eventually beaten down by Immortal/Fortune. I thought the segment did a good job of sort of laying the groundwork for some stuff that was going to be the theme of the night. Anderson's omissions of his own shortcomings and screw ups while he was in the WWE not withstanding, pretty decent opener. Thumbs Up
Beer Money vs. Motor City Machine Guns - Good high energy tag team match from these two teams. This was a return match from Genesis for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. Fun match that showed off the great chemistry the two teams have but the match was far too short. It only lasted about 7.5 minutes and really should've gone about twice that length. Beer Money retains after Shelly mistakenly lands a kick on Sabin when Storm ducked out of the way. Beer Money hits the DWI on Shelly for the win. I liked the match, it had quality action but I think this feud is starting to suffer from Kofi-Dolph Syndrome. Thumbs Up
Pope & Samoa Joe - This feud just feels flat to me and I have little interest to see what happenes. Pope pulling up the pics of "Joe and his wife" was kind of funny and I thought Pope was more enjoyable on the mic tonight than usual. Joe came out and did his thing, trying to be intimidating. I'm sorry but I STILL don't find Samoa Joe the least bit indimidating. He just doesn't convey that presence to me. Decent effort here but not nearly enough to hook me. Thumbs Down
Jeff Jarrett, Karen Jarrett & Kurt Angle - Most of this bored the snot out of me because...well it's Jeff Jarrett. He's out there bragging about his MMA stuff and all this and that, blah blah before Angle runs out and decimates Team Jarrett. However, I'm giving this segment a pass because of Karen Jarrett. She came out screaming at Kurt Angle, yelling about how she wasn't going to let him steal another second of joy from their lives (meaning hers and Jeff's) and that the world would get her side of the story next week. Karen Jarrett's emotion seemed 100% genuine and, to some degree, I'm sure that it still is. I'm sure that there's still some bitter feelings hidden down in there and I thought she did a good job of bringing them to the surface for a few moments. Maybe next week will be just a huge letdown but Karen's emotional response to Angle is what made this segment passable in my view. Thumbs Up
Angelina Love & Winter vs. Madison Rayne & Tara - Very poor match here in my view. Really, this was about 3 minutes of nothing. I thought Angelina Love did a good job at conveying how uncomfortable she was with Winter but, aside from that, just more of the same from the Knockouts. I'm just not seeing what some others are seeing in Winter. I'm just not seeing anything remotely special here. All this is eventually leading up to Angelina Love & Velvet Sky going their separate ways most likely. Thumbs Down
Abyss vs. Matt Morgan - Very slow, plodding big man match. The match, for the most part, was about 90% right hands and clotheslines with Morgan ultimately getting the win via the Carbon Footprint. I understand that Morgan needs a win, but Abyss is the TNA Television Champion. It just would've been better all around if there was a run in and Abyss got DQ'd or the match was thrown out or something. Looks like the TNA Television Championship is rocketing straight back to mediocrity in record time. Thumbs Down
Mr. Anderson & Rob Van Dam vs. Jeff & Matt Hardy - Overall, I just felt that this match was kind of dull. I dug the fact that it'd been hyped all night but it just felt kinda blah to me. The first time the Hardys have teamed on over 3 years should feel kind of special, wouldn't you think? The match overall was solid but, while I was watching it, I just couldn't get over how far Matt & Jeff Hardy have both fallen both as individuals and as a team compared to what they were 5-6 years ago. The match ends about the 13 minute mark with Anderson being hit with the Twist of Hate after the ref is knocked down earlier & Beer Money comes out to help the Hardys get the win. It was a good long main event, something that we haven't seen on iMPACT! all that much in a long while, but I was just bored. Thumbs Down
Overall Show - I thought iMPACT! was actually pretty decent tonight. It was still cluttered all to hell and there's still some stuff going on that just doesn't interest me in the least, but there was some good energy on the show tonight and I wasn't really bored up until the main event. That might not exactly sound like a ringing endorsement, and it's not, but iMPACT! has almost entirely been boring me to tears for months. Decent opening segment with a good tag title match. The Guns & Beer Money are great teams but the shine is starting to fade from this feud a little for me. We also saw a bit of a tease for a future break up for The Guns, which could mean serious trouble for TNA's tag team division as The Guns & Beer Money make up much of TNA's strength in that area. Pope & Joe continue to be flat, though it was a decent effort tonight I thought. Karen Jarrett's sheer display of emotion was entertaining and I found myself looking forward to what she might say next week. The Knockouts were pretty pointless filler. Abyss vs. Matt Morgan was a forgettable, slow 3 minute match that showed the TNA TV title quickly heading back into the pit of despair. The tag team main event was just dull in my view, just extremely dull and didn't do anything to make me overly interested in what's happening there. What I saw more than anything else is that the glory days of The Hardy Boyz are long, long gone.
Grade: C
Opening Segment - I was a little mixed about the opening segment of the show. I thought it had some good points and bad points. Anderson was charismatic on the mic, as usual so that's a plus, but his revisionist history of what went on in the WWE kinda left me feeling a little cold. I don't know what all the backstage stuff was but I notice that Anderson left out all the injuries that kept him off the road and television for months upon months at a time, failing a drug test and giving interviews in media outlets in which he didn't think steroids were a big deal. Morgan coming out and doing his thing was pretty expected, he & Anderson did the usual "I respect the hell outta you" stuff before Hardy is shown up on the Dixie Tron. RVD gives Hardy a sucker punch and is beating him down before Matt Hardy comes out of nowhere. Anderson runs back to help RVD but both of them are eventually beaten down by Immortal/Fortune. I thought the segment did a good job of sort of laying the groundwork for some stuff that was going to be the theme of the night. Anderson's omissions of his own shortcomings and screw ups while he was in the WWE not withstanding, pretty decent opener. Thumbs Up
Beer Money vs. Motor City Machine Guns - Good high energy tag team match from these two teams. This was a return match from Genesis for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. Fun match that showed off the great chemistry the two teams have but the match was far too short. It only lasted about 7.5 minutes and really should've gone about twice that length. Beer Money retains after Shelly mistakenly lands a kick on Sabin when Storm ducked out of the way. Beer Money hits the DWI on Shelly for the win. I liked the match, it had quality action but I think this feud is starting to suffer from Kofi-Dolph Syndrome. Thumbs Up
Pope & Samoa Joe - This feud just feels flat to me and I have little interest to see what happenes. Pope pulling up the pics of "Joe and his wife" was kind of funny and I thought Pope was more enjoyable on the mic tonight than usual. Joe came out and did his thing, trying to be intimidating. I'm sorry but I STILL don't find Samoa Joe the least bit indimidating. He just doesn't convey that presence to me. Decent effort here but not nearly enough to hook me. Thumbs Down
Jeff Jarrett, Karen Jarrett & Kurt Angle - Most of this bored the snot out of me because...well it's Jeff Jarrett. He's out there bragging about his MMA stuff and all this and that, blah blah before Angle runs out and decimates Team Jarrett. However, I'm giving this segment a pass because of Karen Jarrett. She came out screaming at Kurt Angle, yelling about how she wasn't going to let him steal another second of joy from their lives (meaning hers and Jeff's) and that the world would get her side of the story next week. Karen Jarrett's emotion seemed 100% genuine and, to some degree, I'm sure that it still is. I'm sure that there's still some bitter feelings hidden down in there and I thought she did a good job of bringing them to the surface for a few moments. Maybe next week will be just a huge letdown but Karen's emotional response to Angle is what made this segment passable in my view. Thumbs Up
Angelina Love & Winter vs. Madison Rayne & Tara - Very poor match here in my view. Really, this was about 3 minutes of nothing. I thought Angelina Love did a good job at conveying how uncomfortable she was with Winter but, aside from that, just more of the same from the Knockouts. I'm just not seeing what some others are seeing in Winter. I'm just not seeing anything remotely special here. All this is eventually leading up to Angelina Love & Velvet Sky going their separate ways most likely. Thumbs Down
Abyss vs. Matt Morgan - Very slow, plodding big man match. The match, for the most part, was about 90% right hands and clotheslines with Morgan ultimately getting the win via the Carbon Footprint. I understand that Morgan needs a win, but Abyss is the TNA Television Champion. It just would've been better all around if there was a run in and Abyss got DQ'd or the match was thrown out or something. Looks like the TNA Television Championship is rocketing straight back to mediocrity in record time. Thumbs Down
Mr. Anderson & Rob Van Dam vs. Jeff & Matt Hardy - Overall, I just felt that this match was kind of dull. I dug the fact that it'd been hyped all night but it just felt kinda blah to me. The first time the Hardys have teamed on over 3 years should feel kind of special, wouldn't you think? The match overall was solid but, while I was watching it, I just couldn't get over how far Matt & Jeff Hardy have both fallen both as individuals and as a team compared to what they were 5-6 years ago. The match ends about the 13 minute mark with Anderson being hit with the Twist of Hate after the ref is knocked down earlier & Beer Money comes out to help the Hardys get the win. It was a good long main event, something that we haven't seen on iMPACT! all that much in a long while, but I was just bored. Thumbs Down
Overall Show - I thought iMPACT! was actually pretty decent tonight. It was still cluttered all to hell and there's still some stuff going on that just doesn't interest me in the least, but there was some good energy on the show tonight and I wasn't really bored up until the main event. That might not exactly sound like a ringing endorsement, and it's not, but iMPACT! has almost entirely been boring me to tears for months. Decent opening segment with a good tag title match. The Guns & Beer Money are great teams but the shine is starting to fade from this feud a little for me. We also saw a bit of a tease for a future break up for The Guns, which could mean serious trouble for TNA's tag team division as The Guns & Beer Money make up much of TNA's strength in that area. Pope & Joe continue to be flat, though it was a decent effort tonight I thought. Karen Jarrett's sheer display of emotion was entertaining and I found myself looking forward to what she might say next week. The Knockouts were pretty pointless filler. Abyss vs. Matt Morgan was a forgettable, slow 3 minute match that showed the TNA TV title quickly heading back into the pit of despair. The tag team main event was just dull in my view, just extremely dull and didn't do anything to make me overly interested in what's happening there. What I saw more than anything else is that the glory days of The Hardy Boyz are long, long gone.
Grade: C
The New TNA World Heavyweight Champion, Mr. Anderson
Anderson talks about his struggles to work for WWE. He talks about how he rose fast in WWE. He talks about how Orton “screwed” him over. He does an Orton impersonation, which isn’t half bad by the way. He talks about his rise to be TNA World Heavyweight Champion. He thanks all of his assholes. He brings out Matt Morgan. Morgan says he will not take his eyes off of the title. Morgan tells Anderson he’s coming for the title. Eric Bischoff comes out. He looks pissed. Bischoff shits all over Anderson’s sob story. Bischoff makes the rematch for the World Title in February. Jeff Hardy comes on the big screen. He’s backstage. He says he will win the belt back. RVD attacks. He has him down, but Matt Hardy comes in for the save. Anderson rushes to the back to help. For a little while, the fight is fair, but the rest of Immortal eventually joins in. They beat down Anderson and RVD. Well, Anderson continued to whine about his release from WWE. WWE gave Anderson a huge push during his time with the company, and that’s why I couldn’t get into Anderson’s sob story. I enjoyed the exchange between Morgan and Anderson. It was intense, and I wonder if TNA will have these two face off for the title somewhere down the line. I would really want to see that match, and I hope the build could be just as good as the build was for the match at Genesis. The beat down backstage was expected. It was a typical Immortal beat down, and Jeff had to send a message to the new champion, so I didn’t have a problem with this.
Beer Money VS The Motor City Guns- TNA Tag Team Championships
Shelley accidentally kicks Sabin in the face. Beer Money takes advantage. They hit the DWI for the win, and Beer Money retains. Beer Money and The Motor City Machine Guns usually deliver good/great matches, and they didn’t disappoint here. This was good tag team match. There was nice back and forth action here, and both teams really worked well together. Although, It was obvious The Guns weren’t going to win here. It seems like they’re headed for a break-up, and to tell you the truth, I don’t have a problem with it. The MCMG have done all they can do as a tag team. They’ve had a great run as a tag team, and they consistently delivered good and great matches during their title runs. There’s nothing left for them to conquer.
The Pope
The Pope says he’s trying to make a difference in the world. He says he forgives Samoa Joe. Pope says he has followed Joe and his wife with cameras. A pic of two pigs fucking is shown on the big screen. He then shows another pic of baby pigs feeding from a mother pig. Joe comes out. He rushes the ring in a rage. Joe says Pope runs like a little bitch. He says he doesn’t chase bitches. He continues to run down Pope. Just like last week, I felt Joe was far more impressive and convincing on the mic than Pope. Joe sounded like a real bad ass, as he threatened Pope. As far as Pope goes, it seems as if he’s headed for a heel turn. I’m not a fan of this guy, but wasn’t Pope supposed to be one of the good guys who was ready to fight the good fight against Immortal? Wasn’t TNA building him up for a big face push? Last year Pope was facing off against AJ Styles at Lockdown for the World Championship, and now he’s showing pics of pigs having sex. He sure has fallen far.
Jeff Jarrett Walks Away From MMA?
Jarrett says he’s done with MMA. He says he made an example of Kurt at Genesis. He introduces Karen, but Kurt comes out instead. He takes out Team Jarrett. Karen comes out. She shrieks loudly. She says Kurt will not steal the joy from her life. Karen says she will tell her side of the story next week. If this is the end of Jarrett’s MMA gimmick, then I’m very happy. Jarrett’s MMA gimmick has bored the shit out of me for months, and I hope that this is the end of it. As far as this storyline goes, I really don’t know what to think just yet. How far will TNA go with this angle? I mean Karen was Kurt’s real life wife, and Jarrett probably isn’t his most favorite person in the world. This angle looks like it will get VERY deep and personal. I don’t know if it’s so wise to air dirty laundry in this manner, especially when it comes to the troubled past with Kurt, Karen, and Jeff. I also think Karen will get tons of Vickie Guerrero style heat during this feud. She was Kurt's real life wife, and now she’s married to his mortal enemy. Who wouldn’t think this woman was a complete and total bitch?
Madison Rayne & Tara VS Angelina Love & Winter- TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship
Mickie comes down. She chases away Madison. Winter locks in this very weird rear choke on Tara for the win. I thought this match was kind of shitty. This one had a sluggish pace, and things never really picked up. You knew Winter and Angelina weren’t going to lose here, and to tell you the truth, the outcome of the match really didn’t matter that much. The TNA Knockout Tag Team titles haven’t meant anything in TNA, and the champions won’t get enough time on Impact. TNA seriously needs to consider scrapping these titles.
Abyss/with Ric Flair VS Matt Morgan
Morgan hits the Carbon Footprint. Flair tries to pull Hebner out of the ring, but it doesn’t work. Morgan gets the three count for the win. After the match, Flair tries to get a piece of Morgan, but The Blueprint is able to fight him off. Rob Terry comes down, and we get another Immortal beat down. Isn’t the TV Title supposed to be defended on TV? Anyway, this match just felt like a mess to me. Flair’s interference just looked sloppy. The match itself wasn’t anything to remember. I’m glad Morgan won, because I think he could use the boost. He just lost a very high profiled match, so a shot at the TV Title could help him get back on track.
Matt & Jeff Hardy VS Mr. Anderson & RVD
Anderson takes out Brian Hebner by accident. He hits the Mic Check on Matt. Beer Money comes out for the beat down. Matt hits the Twist Of Hate on Anderson, and Jeff follows it up with a Swanton Bomb for the win. After, the match Immortal comes out for the beat down. This match was pretty solid. There was some nice back and forth action towards the end, this one did have a nice pace to it, and the double finisher by Jeff and Matt put a nice touch on the ending to this match. Matt and Jeff didn’t look bad, but if you listened to Tenay and Taz during the match, you would’ve thought the Hardy Boyz were the Gods of tag team wrestling.
Overall Show Rating 6/10: I thought tonight’s show delivered well. I enjoyed the The Guns VS Beer Money, but as far as wrestling goes, nothing else excited me too much. Although, I saw some progression on tonight’s show. Morgan beat Abyss, so he has a TV Title shot on the way, and RVD and Mr. Anderson have become a team. Immortal did beat the shit out of the opposition a lot tonight, but they have lost the World Heavyweight Championship, and their throne is in serious jeopardy. I actually want to see what will happen to the mega stable known as Immortal in the coming weeks. I didn’t mention a HUGE part of Impact in the rest of the review, but I’ll get to it now. Amazing Red’s little brother attacked Abyss. He warned Abyss about the arrival of “They” on February 3. As far as this “They” stuff goes, I don’t know if I want to see it. Why would TNA want to mimic one of it’s biggest storylines ever so soon? This could be something to look forward to, but I’m not so sure about it just yet. I really didn’t care for Matt’s Impact debut. His weird backstage promo with Jeff sounded a lot like one of his whiny YouTube videos. Matt was in the main event on his first Impact, and unfortunately, I think we’ll see him do big things in TNA 2011.
Anderson talks about his struggles to work for WWE. He talks about how he rose fast in WWE. He talks about how Orton “screwed” him over. He does an Orton impersonation, which isn’t half bad by the way. He talks about his rise to be TNA World Heavyweight Champion. He thanks all of his assholes. He brings out Matt Morgan. Morgan says he will not take his eyes off of the title. Morgan tells Anderson he’s coming for the title. Eric Bischoff comes out. He looks pissed. Bischoff shits all over Anderson’s sob story. Bischoff makes the rematch for the World Title in February. Jeff Hardy comes on the big screen. He’s backstage. He says he will win the belt back. RVD attacks. He has him down, but Matt Hardy comes in for the save. Anderson rushes to the back to help. For a little while, the fight is fair, but the rest of Immortal eventually joins in. They beat down Anderson and RVD. Well, Anderson continued to whine about his release from WWE. WWE gave Anderson a huge push during his time with the company, and that’s why I couldn’t get into Anderson’s sob story. I enjoyed the exchange between Morgan and Anderson. It was intense, and I wonder if TNA will have these two face off for the title somewhere down the line. I would really want to see that match, and I hope the build could be just as good as the build was for the match at Genesis. The beat down backstage was expected. It was a typical Immortal beat down, and Jeff had to send a message to the new champion, so I didn’t have a problem with this.
Beer Money VS The Motor City Guns- TNA Tag Team Championships
Shelley accidentally kicks Sabin in the face. Beer Money takes advantage. They hit the DWI for the win, and Beer Money retains. Beer Money and The Motor City Machine Guns usually deliver good/great matches, and they didn’t disappoint here. This was good tag team match. There was nice back and forth action here, and both teams really worked well together. Although, It was obvious The Guns weren’t going to win here. It seems like they’re headed for a break-up, and to tell you the truth, I don’t have a problem with it. The MCMG have done all they can do as a tag team. They’ve had a great run as a tag team, and they consistently delivered good and great matches during their title runs. There’s nothing left for them to conquer.
The Pope
The Pope says he’s trying to make a difference in the world. He says he forgives Samoa Joe. Pope says he has followed Joe and his wife with cameras. A pic of two pigs fucking is shown on the big screen. He then shows another pic of baby pigs feeding from a mother pig. Joe comes out. He rushes the ring in a rage. Joe says Pope runs like a little bitch. He says he doesn’t chase bitches. He continues to run down Pope. Just like last week, I felt Joe was far more impressive and convincing on the mic than Pope. Joe sounded like a real bad ass, as he threatened Pope. As far as Pope goes, it seems as if he’s headed for a heel turn. I’m not a fan of this guy, but wasn’t Pope supposed to be one of the good guys who was ready to fight the good fight against Immortal? Wasn’t TNA building him up for a big face push? Last year Pope was facing off against AJ Styles at Lockdown for the World Championship, and now he’s showing pics of pigs having sex. He sure has fallen far.
Jeff Jarrett Walks Away From MMA?
Jarrett says he’s done with MMA. He says he made an example of Kurt at Genesis. He introduces Karen, but Kurt comes out instead. He takes out Team Jarrett. Karen comes out. She shrieks loudly. She says Kurt will not steal the joy from her life. Karen says she will tell her side of the story next week. If this is the end of Jarrett’s MMA gimmick, then I’m very happy. Jarrett’s MMA gimmick has bored the shit out of me for months, and I hope that this is the end of it. As far as this storyline goes, I really don’t know what to think just yet. How far will TNA go with this angle? I mean Karen was Kurt’s real life wife, and Jarrett probably isn’t his most favorite person in the world. This angle looks like it will get VERY deep and personal. I don’t know if it’s so wise to air dirty laundry in this manner, especially when it comes to the troubled past with Kurt, Karen, and Jeff. I also think Karen will get tons of Vickie Guerrero style heat during this feud. She was Kurt's real life wife, and now she’s married to his mortal enemy. Who wouldn’t think this woman was a complete and total bitch?
Madison Rayne & Tara VS Angelina Love & Winter- TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship
Mickie comes down. She chases away Madison. Winter locks in this very weird rear choke on Tara for the win. I thought this match was kind of shitty. This one had a sluggish pace, and things never really picked up. You knew Winter and Angelina weren’t going to lose here, and to tell you the truth, the outcome of the match really didn’t matter that much. The TNA Knockout Tag Team titles haven’t meant anything in TNA, and the champions won’t get enough time on Impact. TNA seriously needs to consider scrapping these titles.
Abyss/with Ric Flair VS Matt Morgan
Morgan hits the Carbon Footprint. Flair tries to pull Hebner out of the ring, but it doesn’t work. Morgan gets the three count for the win. After the match, Flair tries to get a piece of Morgan, but The Blueprint is able to fight him off. Rob Terry comes down, and we get another Immortal beat down. Isn’t the TV Title supposed to be defended on TV? Anyway, this match just felt like a mess to me. Flair’s interference just looked sloppy. The match itself wasn’t anything to remember. I’m glad Morgan won, because I think he could use the boost. He just lost a very high profiled match, so a shot at the TV Title could help him get back on track.
Matt & Jeff Hardy VS Mr. Anderson & RVD
Anderson takes out Brian Hebner by accident. He hits the Mic Check on Matt. Beer Money comes out for the beat down. Matt hits the Twist Of Hate on Anderson, and Jeff follows it up with a Swanton Bomb for the win. After, the match Immortal comes out for the beat down. This match was pretty solid. There was some nice back and forth action towards the end, this one did have a nice pace to it, and the double finisher by Jeff and Matt put a nice touch on the ending to this match. Matt and Jeff didn’t look bad, but if you listened to Tenay and Taz during the match, you would’ve thought the Hardy Boyz were the Gods of tag team wrestling.
Overall Show Rating 6/10: I thought tonight’s show delivered well. I enjoyed the The Guns VS Beer Money, but as far as wrestling goes, nothing else excited me too much. Although, I saw some progression on tonight’s show. Morgan beat Abyss, so he has a TV Title shot on the way, and RVD and Mr. Anderson have become a team. Immortal did beat the shit out of the opposition a lot tonight, but they have lost the World Heavyweight Championship, and their throne is in serious jeopardy. I actually want to see what will happen to the mega stable known as Immortal in the coming weeks. I didn’t mention a HUGE part of Impact in the rest of the review, but I’ll get to it now. Amazing Red’s little brother attacked Abyss. He warned Abyss about the arrival of “They” on February 3. As far as this “They” stuff goes, I don’t know if I want to see it. Why would TNA want to mimic one of it’s biggest storylines ever so soon? This could be something to look forward to, but I’m not so sure about it just yet. I really didn’t care for Matt’s Impact debut. His weird backstage promo with Jeff sounded a lot like one of his whiny YouTube videos. Matt was in the main event on his first Impact, and unfortunately, I think we’ll see him do big things in TNA 2011.
Impact opened naturally with the new TNA champion, Mr. Anderson. I liked when Bischoff came out and mentioned revisionist history, because that's clearly what Anderson was using when he was describing his previous employment. I thought it was tiring when he took an underhanded shot at Triple H and the WWE, because it was clear it was done just as a sad Russo shoot (made up as it was) for the sake of "shooting". Anderson forgot though to mention all the injuries he had, and the suspension for steroid use, that were actually the reasons for his derailed pushes and loss of momentum time and time again in WWE. His horrible luck and being injury prone almost happened this time in TNA again, for fuck's sake.
The exchange between Anderson and Bischoff wasn't interesting to me, although the backstage brawl at least closed off the opening segment with some reason for viewers to keep watching.
It always seems like TNA makes the same mistakes as WWE, instead of doing the opposite. TNA's now starting to follow the WWE's routine of breaking apart tag teams right after their title runs and making them feud. They've broken apart Team 3D and forced the two into a boring feud that no one gives two shits about. Now Beer Money's the champions and they're setting up the break up of Motorcity Machine Guns. Why? It's not like as singles stars Shelley and Sabin have lots of space on the roster to be useful. The rosters full already and things are already convoluted as it is, proven by the fact guys like AJ Styles have been forced to linger in the mid-card behind guys like the Hardys, Rob Van Dam, even Angle and Jarrett get more attention. Where exactly are Shelley and Sabin going to fit in? They're going to be forgotten and lost in the shuffle like always, while the tag team division suffers without them. Whose going to replace them in the tag team division? Beer Money has no interesting competition now, because Ink Inc. suck and Generation Me are heels. This is bad on all levels, and it seems the high praise for TNA's tag team division is about to take a tumble.
And now we have to watch Karen Angle? I absolutely hate the idea of where this whole Angle/Jarrett feud is going. I don't give a shit about them taking a real life scenario and making it fake for television. That's not entertaining to me. I don't have any interest in seeing Jarrett to begin with, but add in the annoying Karen Angle and it's enough for me to turn the channel. Good job TNA!
Impact hasn't improved. And now they're rehashing the "They" storyline, something that was a flop to begin with, all over again with a different twist? Who wants to see that? Someone please fire Russo already, how can his horrible writing STILL be going on for years now! When will it end?
On a plus, anyone who continues to claim Matt Hardy is fat, bla blah, is a toool. Hardy's clearly in far better shape now then he was in WWE wen he was suffering from health complications. He's actually in good shape, so props to him for that. I'm still not interested in either Hardy right now, though. But at least its now proven that Jeff Hardy was a failure as TNA champion.
The exchange between Anderson and Bischoff wasn't interesting to me, although the backstage brawl at least closed off the opening segment with some reason for viewers to keep watching.
It always seems like TNA makes the same mistakes as WWE, instead of doing the opposite. TNA's now starting to follow the WWE's routine of breaking apart tag teams right after their title runs and making them feud. They've broken apart Team 3D and forced the two into a boring feud that no one gives two shits about. Now Beer Money's the champions and they're setting up the break up of Motorcity Machine Guns. Why? It's not like as singles stars Shelley and Sabin have lots of space on the roster to be useful. The rosters full already and things are already convoluted as it is, proven by the fact guys like AJ Styles have been forced to linger in the mid-card behind guys like the Hardys, Rob Van Dam, even Angle and Jarrett get more attention. Where exactly are Shelley and Sabin going to fit in? They're going to be forgotten and lost in the shuffle like always, while the tag team division suffers without them. Whose going to replace them in the tag team division? Beer Money has no interesting competition now, because Ink Inc. suck and Generation Me are heels. This is bad on all levels, and it seems the high praise for TNA's tag team division is about to take a tumble.
And now we have to watch Karen Angle? I absolutely hate the idea of where this whole Angle/Jarrett feud is going. I don't give a shit about them taking a real life scenario and making it fake for television. That's not entertaining to me. I don't have any interest in seeing Jarrett to begin with, but add in the annoying Karen Angle and it's enough for me to turn the channel. Good job TNA!
Impact hasn't improved. And now they're rehashing the "They" storyline, something that was a flop to begin with, all over again with a different twist? Who wants to see that? Someone please fire Russo already, how can his horrible writing STILL be going on for years now! When will it end?
On a plus, anyone who continues to claim Matt Hardy is fat, bla blah, is a toool. Hardy's clearly in far better shape now then he was in WWE wen he was suffering from health complications. He's actually in good shape, so props to him for that. I'm still not interested in either Hardy right now, though. But at least its now proven that Jeff Hardy was a failure as TNA champion.
Zeven_Zion
King Of The Ring
Last night's TNA Impact scored a 1.25 rating coming off the Genesis PPV. It was the highest rating since the October 14, 2010 episode following the Bound for Glory PPV.
Impact's quarter-hour ratings pattern was similar to the Oct. 14 episode. Impact peaked with a 1.41 rating in Q1, then the quarter-hour ratings steadily declined the rest of the show. Impact concluded with a 1.07 rating in Q7 and a 1.16 rating in Q8.
Impact scored a 1.10 rating in males 18-49, which was the same as last week's show and a strong rating compared to an 0.84 average demo rating in the second-half of 2010.
In the 9:00-11:00 p.m. EST timeslot, Impact ranked #4 in m18-49, tied with MTV's "Jersey Shore," TNT's NBA coverage, and A&E's "First 48" and "Beyond Scared Straight" shows.
Overall for the night, Impact ranked #8 in m18-49. In the males 18-34 demographic, Impact ranked #24 on the night.
Source: PWInsider
Pretty decent number I think. While the person who reported the ratings at PWTorch thinks Matt Hardy is one of the reasons why the ratings jumped a point and a half, I think it's Mr.Anderson and Immortal/Fourtune winning all the other belts.
TNA does a 1.4 in Q.H.1 and goes to 1.0 and a bit above later on? What was in Q-H.1? It wasn't Bischoff ... well kind of ... it wasn't Hogan ... it wasn't Flair .. OH RIGHT! It was Mr.Anderson, Matt Morgan, The Guns/Beer Money! Gee-wiz! What could that mean?!
See, if TNA wasn't partially brain-fucked, they would realize that THIS is what the people watch, generally. I guess the problem with iMPACT is not to draw an audience - 1.4 is an audience - but to keep it. Less Talk-y more Wrestl-y? Or do the talk-y, do the wrestl-y, but let people who don't bore the hell out of the non-mark viewers do the talk-y and the wrestl-y? Time to fire-y somebod-y?
Sarcasm aside, as far as the show goes - I liked it, as always, no shocker there. The highlight of the show for me was Anderson burrying the WWE, coming out and letting some stuff go. Yeah, I'm badass like that. I like Anderson as Champion, even though I've seen very little of him so far. This guy is somethin' else.
By the way ... was Abyss calling for Jesus when Crimson was choking him? If Abyss is religious I guess he isn't following The Lord's 11th amendment ...
Impact's quarter-hour ratings pattern was similar to the Oct. 14 episode. Impact peaked with a 1.41 rating in Q1, then the quarter-hour ratings steadily declined the rest of the show. Impact concluded with a 1.07 rating in Q7 and a 1.16 rating in Q8.
Impact scored a 1.10 rating in males 18-49, which was the same as last week's show and a strong rating compared to an 0.84 average demo rating in the second-half of 2010.
In the 9:00-11:00 p.m. EST timeslot, Impact ranked #4 in m18-49, tied with MTV's "Jersey Shore," TNT's NBA coverage, and A&E's "First 48" and "Beyond Scared Straight" shows.
Overall for the night, Impact ranked #8 in m18-49. In the males 18-34 demographic, Impact ranked #24 on the night.
Source: PWInsider
Pretty decent number I think. While the person who reported the ratings at PWTorch thinks Matt Hardy is one of the reasons why the ratings jumped a point and a half, I think it's Mr.Anderson and Immortal/Fourtune winning all the other belts.
TNA does a 1.4 in Q.H.1 and goes to 1.0 and a bit above later on? What was in Q-H.1? It wasn't Bischoff ... well kind of ... it wasn't Hogan ... it wasn't Flair .. OH RIGHT! It was Mr.Anderson, Matt Morgan, The Guns/Beer Money! Gee-wiz! What could that mean?!
See, if TNA wasn't partially brain-fucked, they would realize that THIS is what the people watch, generally. I guess the problem with iMPACT is not to draw an audience - 1.4 is an audience - but to keep it. Less Talk-y more Wrestl-y? Or do the talk-y, do the wrestl-y, but let people who don't bore the hell out of the non-mark viewers do the talk-y and the wrestl-y? Time to fire-y somebod-y?
Sarcasm aside, as far as the show goes - I liked it, as always, no shocker there. The highlight of the show for me was Anderson burrying the WWE, coming out and letting some stuff go. Yeah, I'm badass like that. I like Anderson as Champion, even though I've seen very little of him so far. This guy is somethin' else.
By the way ... was Abyss calling for Jesus when Crimson was choking him? If Abyss is religious I guess he isn't following The Lord's 11th amendment ...
"Thou shalt not suck"
Zeven_Zion
King Of The Ring
I'll be the first to say this iMPACT was pure awesomeness. There was a lot more wrestling than previous episodes, and it was also pretty good.
I loved how TNA made Matt Morgan look invulnerable at one point. I like how they're booking him.
The Jarretts/Angle .. angle came out way better than I expected mainly because of Kurt and Jarrett's natural ability to do everything so naturally. TNA kept the storyline going throughout the show and ended it in style.
I'm glad that Janice got used on air FINALLY. That Crimson kid is somethin' else. The suit could mean M.E.M or maybe that's just his gimmick, we'll see.
Nothing to complain about here. Great job, TNA.
P.S: It's amazing how much TV time there is for cool stuff when Bischoff's not talking.
I loved how TNA made Matt Morgan look invulnerable at one point. I like how they're booking him.
The Jarretts/Angle .. angle came out way better than I expected mainly because of Kurt and Jarrett's natural ability to do everything so naturally. TNA kept the storyline going throughout the show and ended it in style.
I'm glad that Janice got used on air FINALLY. That Crimson kid is somethin' else. The suit could mean M.E.M or maybe that's just his gimmick, we'll see.
Nothing to complain about here. Great job, TNA.
P.S: It's amazing how much TV time there is for cool stuff when Bischoff's not talking.
Joe's Gonna Kill You
The Hunt is On
TNA Impact 1/20/11
What I liked- I really liked all of the Jarrett and Angle stuff, I find this Very Interesting and I'm LOVING this feud right now. I liked Morgan Squashing Rob Terry and the subsequent beat down from Abyss and Rob Terry. Matt Morgan is pretty over now and this did a good job of getting Abyss and Terry some heat. I thought the X-Division Championship rematch between Lethal and Kaz was a Solid Match.
Jeff vs Dreamer was actually a decent match and that surprised me given who was in the match. RVD & Mr Anderson vs Beer Money was a pretty good 10 minute match with Beer Money picking up the win after a distraction from Jeff and Twist of Hate from Matt on RVD. I liked Bully Ray's segments with Kendrick in the back and the in-ring segment with D-Von I thought both did good job of building the "Bull Ray" Character. I Loved the ending of the show I thought it did a Great Job of making Crimson look like a BEAST.
What I disliked: I did not like the Knockout Match the action was OK but the ending looked Really Sloppy and It just Killed the match for me.
Overall Rating:A+
What I liked- I really liked all of the Jarrett and Angle stuff, I find this Very Interesting and I'm LOVING this feud right now. I liked Morgan Squashing Rob Terry and the subsequent beat down from Abyss and Rob Terry. Matt Morgan is pretty over now and this did a good job of getting Abyss and Terry some heat. I thought the X-Division Championship rematch between Lethal and Kaz was a Solid Match.
Jeff vs Dreamer was actually a decent match and that surprised me given who was in the match. RVD & Mr Anderson vs Beer Money was a pretty good 10 minute match with Beer Money picking up the win after a distraction from Jeff and Twist of Hate from Matt on RVD. I liked Bully Ray's segments with Kendrick in the back and the in-ring segment with D-Von I thought both did good job of building the "Bull Ray" Character. I Loved the ending of the show I thought it did a Great Job of making Crimson look like a BEAST.
What I disliked: I did not like the Knockout Match the action was OK but the ending looked Really Sloppy and It just Killed the match for me.
Overall Rating:A+
Jack-Hammer
YOU WILL RESPECT MY AUTHORITAH!!!!
TNA iMPACT! - January 20, 2011
Opening Segment - I thought the the show opened pretty well with Angle airing a little bit of "dirty laundry" before the Jarretts arrived. As predicted, Kurt Angle painted himself as the good guy in his relationship with Karen. I think it would've given things a little more realism if he'd actually admitted some of his own faults in the hole downward spiral of his marriage because we all know they're there. Still, the idea of playing at least some of this very real life drama out on television is interesting. I think it could've done without the cliche` bullshit of Angle beating up Jarrett's bitches and being escorted out of the building by the cops. Decent opener to set the tone of things. Thumbs Up
Mickie James vs. Velvet Sky vs. Madison Rayne vs. Sarita - This was basically a 4 minute cluster. The idea was to be a fourway situation but it all came down to the faces going after the heels, so they should've just made this a tag match and been done with it. It was alright for what it was but I just haven't been able to get into the Knockouts lately. There's just no point in trying to pretend that they're even remotely relevant anymore and it's almost the same handful of women out there each and every week. Mickie James gets the win after Madison accidentally hits Sarita with her "loaded glove", allowing Mickie to roll her up. Earl Hebner only counted to 2 instead of 3 and seemed to be off the mark throughout the match. Thumbs Down
Beer Money - They showed a brief little promo of Beer Money back in their locker room getting ready for their match. I liked this because we haven't seen the easy going chemistry between James Storm & Robert Roode in this manner for such a long time. With Flair & Bischoff running around, I was starting to wonder if they remembered how to talk as they've barely uttered a single word in months. Thumbs Up
Matt Morgan vs. Rob Terry - This just left me cold. I'm sorry but I hate, I fucking absolutely hate 10 second matches. I always have and I always will. Flair's little promo before the match just didn't strike with me. The whole college analogy thing just didn't seem to flow well, which is a rare miss for Flair. Morgan hits the ring, hits the Carbon Footprint for the win in literally 10 seconds at the most. It just doesn't pay for a wrestler to be Immortal's muscle because Morgan was booked to be extremely weak in that role and Terry is booked to look even weaker. While I can't say that I was looking forward to watch Rob Terry wrestle, the way this went down is just one of my pet peeves that I just can't get passed. Morgan gets beaten down afterward by Abyss, Flair & Terry after Abyss jumps him from behind. Thumbs Down
Kazarian vs. Jay Lethal - Pretty decent match for what it was, though far too short at 4.5 minutes for a title match in my view. Lethal dominated most of the match and looked crisp throughout. It's just a shame that the man has no character or personality that doesn't involve impersonating the character and personalities of other wrestlers. Kazarian gets the win with a little help from the ropes. If the X Division title meant something at this point, I'd thumb my nose at a 4.5 minute title match but it doesn't, so this was alright for what it was. Thumbs Up
Jeff, Karen & Kurt - I have to say that I was disappointed here. I really don't give a shit at this point about watching Kurt Angle whoop up on Jeff Jarrett because we've seen it so many times over the years already. I simply wanted to hear what Karen Jarrett had to say. I didn't expect literally everything to be put out there for the world to see as if this were Maury or Jerry Springer, but the real life emotion involving these 3 and how it's affected their lives overall is what is compelling. Watching Kurt get beaten down after taking a low blow and throwing a tantrum backstage a little bit afterward just didn't do it for me. Disappointing segment. Thumbs Down
Jeff Hardy vs. Tommy Dreamer - This match only lasted about 4.5 minutes or so but it felt like it lasted at least twice that, and I don't mean that in a good way. This match bored the shit outta me, there's just no other way to put it. Dreamer came out, did his usual choppy and cloddy thing in the ring and wound up getting beaten. I get that Dreamer was basically served up to Jeff Hardy here, but I can't pretend to even remotely care. Thumbs Down
Mr. Anderson & Rob Van Dam vs. Beer Money - Good quality, solid tag team match from these four. There were a few little choppy moments here and there, but nothing major and I think these four work pretty well together. It's also nice to see Beer Money going up against two legit main eventers, even if said main eventers are somewhat overrated. I can only guess that Jackson James is eventually going to be revealed as Bischoff's son and that he's been on Immortal's payroll this whole time because it's the only way to explain the match's ending. Since when does a ref run outside of the ring to confront a wrestler for just coming to ringside? Beer Money gets the win at the 8 minute mark after Raven..uuuhhh 'scuse me...Matt Hardy hits RVD with the Twist of Fate. Solid match. Thumbs Up
Bully Ray & DeVon - This was solid for what it was, but this is just another one of these little feuds going around that I'm just not all that interested in. The Bully Ray character has some potential, it's just a shame that it's Bubba doing the character. I've no real interest in seeing Ray wrestle, the guy just doesn't do anything for me. Ray's good on the mic and I keep finding myself more and more wishing that TNA would put him as the mouthpiece of a young team or something. I know it's not gonna happen but I like the idea of listening to Ray cut promos and knowing that it's not going to lead to him wrestling. Thumbs Down
Immortal & Kurt Angle - Basically, this was a group beatdown of Kurt Angle to close the show out. Abyss came down to the ring with Janice and fell flat on his face. I laughed my ass off but couldn't help wondering where all the babyfaces were. Angle's there getting his ass beat by half the locker room but RVD or Anderson or Morgan comes out to help. Crimson wanders out after Abyss falls and says that "They" are coming again. Meh. Thumbs Down
Overall Show - I thought iMPACT! had some pretty decent moments, some bad moments and some disappointing moments. The Angle/Jarrett drama was a letdown for me tonight as I was legitimately looking forward to what Karen Jarrett was going to say. The X Division Championship match was pretty decent and the tag team main event was a good solid match. The Knockouts continue to drag along and do their thing, we've discovered that being Immortal's muscle is a shit gig because you get your ass kicked in every match you're in. Hardy vs. Dreamer was a bore and was really the only time I can say that I was just flat out shoot me Lord and please don't miss bored. I dig the fact that Bischoff hasn't been dominating the show for the past few weeks. The overall focus has been on the actual wrestlers themselves and I think it's made iMPACT! significantly more watchable than it's been in a VERY long time. I have a feeling that I'd better enjoy it while it lasts because I have a distinct feeling that it's going to be back to being Total Nonstop Hogan & Bischoff once the second coming of "They" hits on Feb 3rd. Not a great show in my view, but fairly decent and loads better than it usually is.
Grade: C
Opening Segment - I thought the the show opened pretty well with Angle airing a little bit of "dirty laundry" before the Jarretts arrived. As predicted, Kurt Angle painted himself as the good guy in his relationship with Karen. I think it would've given things a little more realism if he'd actually admitted some of his own faults in the hole downward spiral of his marriage because we all know they're there. Still, the idea of playing at least some of this very real life drama out on television is interesting. I think it could've done without the cliche` bullshit of Angle beating up Jarrett's bitches and being escorted out of the building by the cops. Decent opener to set the tone of things. Thumbs Up
Mickie James vs. Velvet Sky vs. Madison Rayne vs. Sarita - This was basically a 4 minute cluster. The idea was to be a fourway situation but it all came down to the faces going after the heels, so they should've just made this a tag match and been done with it. It was alright for what it was but I just haven't been able to get into the Knockouts lately. There's just no point in trying to pretend that they're even remotely relevant anymore and it's almost the same handful of women out there each and every week. Mickie James gets the win after Madison accidentally hits Sarita with her "loaded glove", allowing Mickie to roll her up. Earl Hebner only counted to 2 instead of 3 and seemed to be off the mark throughout the match. Thumbs Down
Beer Money - They showed a brief little promo of Beer Money back in their locker room getting ready for their match. I liked this because we haven't seen the easy going chemistry between James Storm & Robert Roode in this manner for such a long time. With Flair & Bischoff running around, I was starting to wonder if they remembered how to talk as they've barely uttered a single word in months. Thumbs Up
Matt Morgan vs. Rob Terry - This just left me cold. I'm sorry but I hate, I fucking absolutely hate 10 second matches. I always have and I always will. Flair's little promo before the match just didn't strike with me. The whole college analogy thing just didn't seem to flow well, which is a rare miss for Flair. Morgan hits the ring, hits the Carbon Footprint for the win in literally 10 seconds at the most. It just doesn't pay for a wrestler to be Immortal's muscle because Morgan was booked to be extremely weak in that role and Terry is booked to look even weaker. While I can't say that I was looking forward to watch Rob Terry wrestle, the way this went down is just one of my pet peeves that I just can't get passed. Morgan gets beaten down afterward by Abyss, Flair & Terry after Abyss jumps him from behind. Thumbs Down
Kazarian vs. Jay Lethal - Pretty decent match for what it was, though far too short at 4.5 minutes for a title match in my view. Lethal dominated most of the match and looked crisp throughout. It's just a shame that the man has no character or personality that doesn't involve impersonating the character and personalities of other wrestlers. Kazarian gets the win with a little help from the ropes. If the X Division title meant something at this point, I'd thumb my nose at a 4.5 minute title match but it doesn't, so this was alright for what it was. Thumbs Up
Jeff, Karen & Kurt - I have to say that I was disappointed here. I really don't give a shit at this point about watching Kurt Angle whoop up on Jeff Jarrett because we've seen it so many times over the years already. I simply wanted to hear what Karen Jarrett had to say. I didn't expect literally everything to be put out there for the world to see as if this were Maury or Jerry Springer, but the real life emotion involving these 3 and how it's affected their lives overall is what is compelling. Watching Kurt get beaten down after taking a low blow and throwing a tantrum backstage a little bit afterward just didn't do it for me. Disappointing segment. Thumbs Down
Jeff Hardy vs. Tommy Dreamer - This match only lasted about 4.5 minutes or so but it felt like it lasted at least twice that, and I don't mean that in a good way. This match bored the shit outta me, there's just no other way to put it. Dreamer came out, did his usual choppy and cloddy thing in the ring and wound up getting beaten. I get that Dreamer was basically served up to Jeff Hardy here, but I can't pretend to even remotely care. Thumbs Down
Mr. Anderson & Rob Van Dam vs. Beer Money - Good quality, solid tag team match from these four. There were a few little choppy moments here and there, but nothing major and I think these four work pretty well together. It's also nice to see Beer Money going up against two legit main eventers, even if said main eventers are somewhat overrated. I can only guess that Jackson James is eventually going to be revealed as Bischoff's son and that he's been on Immortal's payroll this whole time because it's the only way to explain the match's ending. Since when does a ref run outside of the ring to confront a wrestler for just coming to ringside? Beer Money gets the win at the 8 minute mark after Raven..uuuhhh 'scuse me...Matt Hardy hits RVD with the Twist of Fate. Solid match. Thumbs Up
Bully Ray & DeVon - This was solid for what it was, but this is just another one of these little feuds going around that I'm just not all that interested in. The Bully Ray character has some potential, it's just a shame that it's Bubba doing the character. I've no real interest in seeing Ray wrestle, the guy just doesn't do anything for me. Ray's good on the mic and I keep finding myself more and more wishing that TNA would put him as the mouthpiece of a young team or something. I know it's not gonna happen but I like the idea of listening to Ray cut promos and knowing that it's not going to lead to him wrestling. Thumbs Down
Immortal & Kurt Angle - Basically, this was a group beatdown of Kurt Angle to close the show out. Abyss came down to the ring with Janice and fell flat on his face. I laughed my ass off but couldn't help wondering where all the babyfaces were. Angle's there getting his ass beat by half the locker room but RVD or Anderson or Morgan comes out to help. Crimson wanders out after Abyss falls and says that "They" are coming again. Meh. Thumbs Down
Overall Show - I thought iMPACT! had some pretty decent moments, some bad moments and some disappointing moments. The Angle/Jarrett drama was a letdown for me tonight as I was legitimately looking forward to what Karen Jarrett was going to say. The X Division Championship match was pretty decent and the tag team main event was a good solid match. The Knockouts continue to drag along and do their thing, we've discovered that being Immortal's muscle is a shit gig because you get your ass kicked in every match you're in. Hardy vs. Dreamer was a bore and was really the only time I can say that I was just flat out shoot me Lord and please don't miss bored. I dig the fact that Bischoff hasn't been dominating the show for the past few weeks. The overall focus has been on the actual wrestlers themselves and I think it's made iMPACT! significantly more watchable than it's been in a VERY long time. I have a feeling that I'd better enjoy it while it lasts because I have a distinct feeling that it's going to be back to being Total Nonstop Hogan & Bischoff once the second coming of "They" hits on Feb 3rd. Not a great show in my view, but fairly decent and loads better than it usually is.
Grade: C
Big Nick Dudley
Nick
TNA Impact!-January 20th, 2011
Kurt Angle Getting Tossed segment
The Good: Kurt was really convincing here, and I think this is actually an emotional program for him to work (no surprise, I know).
The Bad: Nothing from this segment stood out as "bad." I think they went overboard throughout the night with the Jarrett/Angle thing, but this wasn't bad.
Mickie James vs. Sarita vs. Madison vs. Velvet
The Good: Velvet bent over more than once..?
The Bad: I had no clue what in the hell was even going on here. Was this a tag match, or a Fourway dance? It really made no sense, and seeing how it's just the Knockouts division, I really couldn't care less.
Rob Terry vs. Matt Morgan
The Good: The Carbon Footprint looked sweet...?.. I dunno, this whole thing sucked.
The Bad: Basically all of it. From the match that never really happened, to Rob Terry looking like a complete nobody, it was just bad. And it would NOT end. Morgan is down and out..nope, he's back up...wait, he's back up..nope, back down again. For Christ sakes, who thought this was a good segment? Someone actually booked this??
Jay Lethal vs. Kazarian
The Good: As usual, these guys can put on a match. Both are extremely physical and move well together. Kaz cheating to win without help from Immortal was a nice touch.
The Bad: Nothing bad here, just wasn't much of a match. It was pretty short, and nothing noteworthy took place. Solid match.
J-E-dbl-F and Karen Jarrett with a SHOCKING appearance by Kurt Angle!
The Good: Karen Ang..Jarrett still has a bangin' ass body. She's pretty convincing on the mic as well.
The Bad: Russo and his "worked shoot" bullshit is getting old. Does this story need to be told again? Karen and Jeff said nothing of real substance before Kurt snuck up, only to get his ass kicked again.
Also, Kurt said earlier in the night that Jarrett USED to be an owner of TNA, and Karen just said he still is. TNA really needs to work this kind of shit out. Details matter, no matter what they might want us to believe.
Tommy Dreamer (????) vs. Jeff Hardy
The Good: Jeff is on television. He's the biggest heel in the company, and should be on t.v. each week. Oh yeah, and it ended quickly. Usually I bitch about short matches, but getting Tommy Dreamer out of the ring as quickly as possible always works for me.
The Bad: Everything else.
Tommy Dreamer still has a job?? News to me. It just doesn't make any sense to put Hardy in there with Dreamer. Tommy is basically useless at this point in time. He doesn't draw a dime and can't wrestle anymore. Not only was this pointless, it wasn't a good match. I was really hoping we had seen the last of Dreamer.
Beer Money vs. RVD/Ken Anderson
The Good: Decent tag match. It's nice to see Beer Money get some serious competition outside of MCMG's, and it worked.
The Bad: Seeing Matt Hardy. He looked like a complete bum, as usual, and used the Twist of Hate. How about a new finisher?? I don't mind the interference, I just do not understand why Matt Hardy is even in TNA. He sucks, period.
Oh, and this was announced as the main event, 35 minutes before the end of the show..??? Whatever.
Bubba Ray/Kendrick- This gets a quick mention as probably the most entertaining part of the show tonight. I am sick to death of listening to Kendrick babble on and on about nothing, and Bubba smashing him into the locker actually caused me to mark out. Yeah, I marked out for Bubba...weird.
D-Von and Bully Ray..again
The Good: To be honest, both of these guys are doing a good job on the mic. This feud doesn't suck because the mic work is bad. It sucks because no one cares.
The Bad: This feud shouldn't have taken place at all, and now it won't end. These guys put on terrible one-on-one matches, and no one cares about the angle..what's the point?
Kurt/Jarrett/Immortal/Crimson in our REAL Main Event??
The Good: This Crimson guy might turn out to be a big deal. However, I'm withholding judgement until I see a match.
The Bad:
A. We've now seen Kurt like 10 times tonight, and by this point I just do not care.
B. Did Abyss die?? A little much here, Russo?
C. The whole thing was shit, minus Crimson. And unfortunately, they will probably screw this up too.
OVERALL: D
This wasn't good. The wrestling was totally underwhelming, too much Jarrett/Angle, too much Flair, and nothing of substance.
I refuse to read spoilers, so I really have no clue who THEY are. After the way Immortal turned out, I have no faith.
After getting past all of the plot holes and bullshit, Immortal still sucks. The group is comprised of a bunch of mismatched guys. The Fourtune guys are classy(er) and have a wrestling..pedigree, I guess. Abyss and Hardy are demonic, and Jarrett is just old and shitty. I do not get the dynamic of this group, never have.
This show did nothing for me, and wasn't on par with last weeks episode.
Kurt Angle Getting Tossed segment
The Good: Kurt was really convincing here, and I think this is actually an emotional program for him to work (no surprise, I know).
The Bad: Nothing from this segment stood out as "bad." I think they went overboard throughout the night with the Jarrett/Angle thing, but this wasn't bad.
Mickie James vs. Sarita vs. Madison vs. Velvet
The Good: Velvet bent over more than once..?
The Bad: I had no clue what in the hell was even going on here. Was this a tag match, or a Fourway dance? It really made no sense, and seeing how it's just the Knockouts division, I really couldn't care less.
Rob Terry vs. Matt Morgan
The Good: The Carbon Footprint looked sweet...?.. I dunno, this whole thing sucked.
The Bad: Basically all of it. From the match that never really happened, to Rob Terry looking like a complete nobody, it was just bad. And it would NOT end. Morgan is down and out..nope, he's back up...wait, he's back up..nope, back down again. For Christ sakes, who thought this was a good segment? Someone actually booked this??
Jay Lethal vs. Kazarian
The Good: As usual, these guys can put on a match. Both are extremely physical and move well together. Kaz cheating to win without help from Immortal was a nice touch.
The Bad: Nothing bad here, just wasn't much of a match. It was pretty short, and nothing noteworthy took place. Solid match.
J-E-dbl-F and Karen Jarrett with a SHOCKING appearance by Kurt Angle!
The Good: Karen Ang..Jarrett still has a bangin' ass body. She's pretty convincing on the mic as well.
The Bad: Russo and his "worked shoot" bullshit is getting old. Does this story need to be told again? Karen and Jeff said nothing of real substance before Kurt snuck up, only to get his ass kicked again.
Also, Kurt said earlier in the night that Jarrett USED to be an owner of TNA, and Karen just said he still is. TNA really needs to work this kind of shit out. Details matter, no matter what they might want us to believe.
Tommy Dreamer (????) vs. Jeff Hardy
The Good: Jeff is on television. He's the biggest heel in the company, and should be on t.v. each week. Oh yeah, and it ended quickly. Usually I bitch about short matches, but getting Tommy Dreamer out of the ring as quickly as possible always works for me.
The Bad: Everything else.
Tommy Dreamer still has a job?? News to me. It just doesn't make any sense to put Hardy in there with Dreamer. Tommy is basically useless at this point in time. He doesn't draw a dime and can't wrestle anymore. Not only was this pointless, it wasn't a good match. I was really hoping we had seen the last of Dreamer.
Beer Money vs. RVD/Ken Anderson
The Good: Decent tag match. It's nice to see Beer Money get some serious competition outside of MCMG's, and it worked.
The Bad: Seeing Matt Hardy. He looked like a complete bum, as usual, and used the Twist of Hate. How about a new finisher?? I don't mind the interference, I just do not understand why Matt Hardy is even in TNA. He sucks, period.
Oh, and this was announced as the main event, 35 minutes before the end of the show..??? Whatever.
Bubba Ray/Kendrick- This gets a quick mention as probably the most entertaining part of the show tonight. I am sick to death of listening to Kendrick babble on and on about nothing, and Bubba smashing him into the locker actually caused me to mark out. Yeah, I marked out for Bubba...weird.
D-Von and Bully Ray..again
The Good: To be honest, both of these guys are doing a good job on the mic. This feud doesn't suck because the mic work is bad. It sucks because no one cares.
The Bad: This feud shouldn't have taken place at all, and now it won't end. These guys put on terrible one-on-one matches, and no one cares about the angle..what's the point?
Kurt/Jarrett/Immortal/Crimson in our REAL Main Event??
The Good: This Crimson guy might turn out to be a big deal. However, I'm withholding judgement until I see a match.
The Bad:
A. We've now seen Kurt like 10 times tonight, and by this point I just do not care.
B. Did Abyss die?? A little much here, Russo?
C. The whole thing was shit, minus Crimson. And unfortunately, they will probably screw this up too.
OVERALL: D
This wasn't good. The wrestling was totally underwhelming, too much Jarrett/Angle, too much Flair, and nothing of substance.
I refuse to read spoilers, so I really have no clue who THEY are. After the way Immortal turned out, I have no faith.
After getting past all of the plot holes and bullshit, Immortal still sucks. The group is comprised of a bunch of mismatched guys. The Fourtune guys are classy(er) and have a wrestling..pedigree, I guess. Abyss and Hardy are demonic, and Jarrett is just old and shitty. I do not get the dynamic of this group, never have.
This show did nothing for me, and wasn't on par with last weeks episode.
- Status
