My TNA Hardcore Justice, 22nd August 2013 Recap

The reformed AJ Styles leaps at the now fired Devon. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Bully Ray and Mr. Anderson exchanged a few concerned words backstage, with the former asking why he wasn't informed about Tito Ortiz joining Aces & 8s and why the World Champion hadn't been returning his texts or phone calls. The Aces leader responded by telling Anderson to worry more about getting his own business in order.

Bobby Roode, Christopher Daniels and Kazarian (or the Extraordinary Gentlemen's Organisation as they're now called) came out and first congratulated Bully on obtaining the World Title last week, but also warned him that he has a target on his chest and one of them will be facing him come Bound for Glory as they've intelligently teamed up to help each other in the BFG Series. 

Just as Roode then asked Austin Aries to also team with them (which would be another great acquisition) the tag champs James Storm and Gunner joined them. 'The Cowboy' warned Daniels and Kaz not to trust Roode as he'll turn on them as soon as they've played their part just like he did with him. 'The It Factor' claimed that Storm was just jealous, which he denied and then challenged them to a match right there and then and with the help of Gunner sent them out of the ring to get things kicked off.

Bobby Roode and Kazarian defeated James Storm and Gunner in a solid tag bout. It wasn't too long but maybe that was a positive since you were constantly engaged by what was happening. It was simply a fun watch and a lively start to the show. 

Manic pinned Sonjay Dutt in a decent encounter. Both men delivered fine efforts, but I admittedly found the match lacking a little something. Maybe that's just me being fussy. I am relieved to see they've switched X Division back to one on one bouts too, it never made any sense to me having three-ways all the time, it grew tiresome.

Joseph Parks bested Jay Bradley, Christopher Daniels and Hernandez in a Bound for Glory Series Street Fight. It was an entertaining outing on the whole, and I'm very thankful for the Street Fight stipulation as it would've probably been fairly pedestrian otherwise. Austin Aries appeared to have joined the Extraordinary Gentlemen's Organisation as he high fived the trio, but then quickly turned and brainbustered Daniels before leaving.

Parks gained the victory after having one of his aggressive turns after seeing his own blood, Black Hole Slamming Bradley for the one-two-three.

New TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bully Ray came to the ring to boast that after winning back the strap and having Tito Ortiz by his side everything was now right again in TNA. He went on to also bring out his partner Brooke, but it turned out not to be Brooke Hogan (who has now been let go from the company) as we were led to believe, but Brooke Tessmacher, or "hot Brooke" as Bully referred to her. Just before the champ had Tessmacher suck his wedding ring from his finger he asked "does anybody doubt that Bully Ray can ever be stopped?"

Gail Kim beat ODB in a fair contest. The action was pretty stellar for the majority, and although it wasn't up to the standard of recent matches involving James, Kim and Terrell it was still superior to anything you'll get from the female talent on the main WWE roster right now. 

Before the main event, where the man pinned or submitted is fired from TNA, Mr. Anderson offered the one-man short Main Event Mafia the chance to pick someone to lay down and be terminated. Of course the Mafia flat out refused. AJ Styles then strolled out, only to have his older music hit and revert back to his 'Phenomenal One' persona and join the MEM. It was a cool moment and he received a healthy pop for it. 

Main Event Mafia (Sting, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Magnus and Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson) defeated Aces & 8s (Devon, Mr. Anderson, Garett Bischoff, Wes Brisco and Knox) in a five on five tag bout, and as a result of being pinned by Styles, Devon was fired from TNA. 

It was a pretty enjoyable main event, with constant action in and around the ring to keep you interested. The only let down were the displays of the more limited wrestlers involved, such as Bishcoff and Brisco. There were certain periods that were a little more drab too but on the whole it was a watchable affair.

Overall it was a decent enough show, it wasn't as exciting or memorable as last week's other special Hardcore Justice edition of Impact but it wasn't a bad show by any means. There were no bouts that fell below average and we had some nice progression in storylines with Brooke Tessmacher joining up with Bully and Devon being terminated (although does anyone really care too much about that?). My highlights were the main event, the street fight and Storm and Gunner versus Roode and Kazarian. 

My TNA Hardcore Justice, 15th August 2013 Recap

Kazarian bested Jeff Hardy, Austin Aries and AJ Styles to win a four-way Bound for Glory Series Ladder Match. It was an entertaining start to the special edition of Impact, and a smart choice to get the crowd going with exciting action from the get go. Every wrestler delivered here, but if I had to pick a standout performer I'd go with Aries.

Kaz managed to grab the twenty points with the help of his associates Bobby Roode and Christopher Daniels, with the former handing him an appletini to throw in Hardy's face on the way up the ladder and Roode preventing Hardy from climbing up moments before. 

Dixie Carter, accompanied by the Main Event Mafia (Sting, Samoa Joe, Magnus and Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson) expressed her and the other men in the rings support for Kurt Angle, who after another drink driving incident recently has wisely entered into rehab.

Some members of Aces & 8s then joined the MEM, with Mr. Anderson cockily reminding them that they're currently a man down for their five on five contest next week, with whoever's pinned or submitted being terminated from TNA. Magus retorted by claiming that they won't struggle to find a replacement for Angle. Things inevitably turned ugly as Aces then beat down the Mafia unit, standing tall in the ring.

ODB beat Gail Kim and Mickie James (c) in a Hardcore Three Way to obtain the Knockouts Championship. The bout had enjoyable moments, and it was lively for the majority but it admittedly failed to leave the same impression as Kim and Terrell's stipulation match ups in the past. 

'Rampage' Jackson, along with Samoa Joe, came out and admitted that he was sad at the reaction of some of the MMA fans when he came to TNA, reminding them that he started out wrestling in high school and has always been a pro wrestling fan. He then went on to call out his future opponent in Bellator (which they mentioned more than once) Tito Ortiz and asked him to join the MEM. He was forced to do so after Sting failed to convince Aries to join them earlier.

But before Tito could answer Bully Ray marched out and boasted that if he didn't have a title match later he would've "beaten the piss" out of them. Bully's promo was the only entertaining part of the segment.  

Bobby Roode outdid Magnus, Samoa Joe and Mr. Anderson in a BFG Series Tables Match. It was a solid affair, with worthy efforts all round. It may not have been as enthralling as the opener but it was more well planned out and didn't feel so rushed. Much like the aforementioned match up the victor had some outside help in the form of Daniels and Kazarian, who aided Roode in powerbombing Magnus through a table.

Bully Ray pinned Chris Sabin (c) to obtain the TNA World Heavyweight Title in a Steel Cage Match. It was an engaging main event and superior to their first title clash, although unfortunately much like their last encounter it also had a finish that wasn't particularly satisfying at all. Mr. Anderson blocked off Sabin as he was about to escape through the door, so 'Rampage' and Ortiz came out to move the Aces VP along, only for Tito to then crack Jackson with a hammer. Bully then powerbombed his rival for the one-two-three and the strap.

I'm struggling to see the point of Sabin's title reign at all to be honest. It's always nice to see the hard working, talented wrestlers given their due, but his rise was not strong enough (unlike Aries' one last year) and his reign lasting less than a month isn't going to fill fans with real belief in him. But putting all that aside both men did a fine job in the main event.

Overall it was an eventful and fun show for the most part, despite an iffy end for myself. My highlights were the main event, Bully's mic work and the Ladder and Tables matches.  

My TNA Impact Wrestling, 1st August 2013 Recap

We witnessed Taz being told by security that he couldn't enter the building under strict orders from Hulk Hogan. The furious announcer stormed off, claiming that he'll have their jobs for doing that to him.

Austin Aries came to the ring and first congratulated the new World Champion Chris Sabin, also warning him that everyone was now gunning for his strap, especially himself. When speaking about his opponent that night, AJ Styles, he stated that Styles was the man that carried the company for a decade, while he would be the one to carry TNA for the next decade. 

Bobby Roode then joined his former tag partner and boasted that he's going to get back on track with the Bound for Glory Series (the 'It Factor' has failed to score any points as of yet) and bring back his glory period of being the longest reigning World Champion in the company's history. Aries responded by telling Roode that he hopes he does get to the finals so he can beat him once again.

Bobby Roode pinned Hernandez in a decent Bound for Glory Series encounter. You're never going to get an amazing singles bout with Hernandez let's be honest, but he still has some impressive moves and him and Roode (who was on good form) worked well together here.

Much like at Destination X Roode snapped (this time after failing to get the three-count after low blowing his opponent), chucking chairs into the ring, but this was a distraction for the referee as he then cracked a beer bottle over 'Super Mex's' head for the one-two-three as the ref was removing the chairs. It did look daft that the ref failed to see any of the many bits of shattered glass in the ring though.

Joseph Parks bested Jay Bradley in a rather pedestrian and unmemorable BFG Series outing. Under the advice of Eric Young, Parks wore a protective head mask to prevent any possible bleeding and him turning all Jekyll and Hyde and attacking an official like he had before when facing Jeff Hardy. The match wasn't bad, but it failed to gain my interest with pretty drab action. 

Chris Sabin defeated Manic in a stellar contest. As expected there was a fast pace throughout, with well executed sequences and exciting wrestling. Afterwards Bully Ray crept in and began beating down both men, but Sabin managed a comeback and sent Ray packing with an enziguiri. 

ODB versus Gail Kim ended in a double count out after both women continued their fight on the outside, forgetting about the count. The bout itself had been fair, nothing that exceptional, and certainly not up to Kim's recent match ups with James and Terrell lately. 

Austin Aries beat AJ Styles in a gripping BFG Series match up. Both men delivered top quality performances here, with tremendous wrestling and effective near falls and submission attempts that had you glued to the screen. One of the finest televised bouts from TNA this year so far for me, so if you wouldn't normally watch Impact then at least check out this bout. Aries gained the winning pinfall after Styles hit him with a Pele Kick, causing the victor to collpase on the exhausted Styles with his arm covering him.

The Main Event Mafia (Sting, Kurt Angle, Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, Samoa Joe and Magnus) asked Aces & 8s to join them so they could present their offer that they "couldn't refuse." So sure enough some of the gang's members came out, including Mr. Anderson who accused them of being "cheaters" and claimed that was the only reason Sabin was champ.

Angle retorted by finally revealing the mysterious deal of theirs, which was to have a five on five contest at Hardcore Justice and the man who is pinned or forced to submit will have to leave the company. After a brief scrap between the factions, an irate Anderson accepted the match. The lights then went out and the mysterious person behind the August 1st warning was revealed to be Tito Ortiz.

I'll be frank, like many fans I was deeply disappointed and just confused by this. I understand the deal between TNA and Bellator MMA but I don't find these acquisitions appealing at all. I was fairly optimistic when 'Rampage' came in, but to be honest he hasn't exactly set the world alight in TNA. Using a pro wrestling company to promote upcoming MMA events just doesn't work for me, and is taking up time from the actual pro wrestling. I'm an MMA fan but there's no place for it there unless the fighters have trained for pro wrestling and aren't still fighting elsewhere. That's just my opinion.

My TNA Impact Wrestling, 11th July 2013 Recap

The new Main Event Mafia are forming nicely. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

World Champion Bully Ray, accompanied by his fellow Aces & 8s members, addressed the new X Division Champion Chris Sabin, who he warned would be wise not to cash in his strap for a World Title opportunity at the special Destination X edition of Impact Wrestling next week, adding that he was a "bad, bad man." He also went on to reject the Main Event Mafia's match proposal, saying that they only did things on their own terms. 

The Mafia themselves then appeared, with Kurt Angle informing Bully that next week they will systematically take out every Aces members so the champ would be all on his own when he defends his strap.

AJ Styles and Samoa Joe defeated Joseph Parks and Jeff Hardy to qualify for the Bound for Glory Series Joker's Wild Gauntlet (bit of a long name, right?) later that night. The bout itself was an enjoyable one, although maybe a little disappointing considering most of the talent involved, I'd personally liked to have seen it given some more time. Samoa Joe caught Parks in a rear naked choke for the submission victory. 

Magnus and Mr. Anderson bested Hernandez and Jay Bradley to qualify for the BFG Joker's Wild Gauntlet in a passable tag contest. To be fair it was pretty unremarkable for the most part, and for some reason Anderson kept refusing to tag in, even though he had nothing to gain from screwing Magnus over here and everything to gain from winning. No logic. But despite that Magnus managed to catch Hernandez in a roll up for the one-two-three after Bradley accidentally grabbed his partner's leg without looking. 

Kazarian and Bobby Roode beat Austin Aries and Christopher Daniels to qualify for the BFG Joker's Wild Gauntlet in a terrific tag outing. All four men gave stellar displays in the match of the night here, especially Aries who was on great form. The added intrigue of tag partner vs tag partner also added another interesting element to the bout. Kaz grabbed the victory with a small package on Daniels without realising he was pinning his Bad Influence compadre.  

Backstage Mr. Anderson was voted in favour against Doc by fellow Aces members to become the new Vice President for the gang.

Gail Kim defeated Taryn Terrell in an entertaining Ladder match to become number one contender for the Knockouts Title. Much like their previous Last Knockout Standing encounter both women provided worthy efforts and although it wasn't always technically sound (and maybe slightly sloppy on occasions) it was a fun watch and certainly stands out from most female wrestlers matches in the US. 

Magnus outdid Bobby Roode, Samoa Joe, Mr.Anderson, AJ Styles and Kazarian to win the BFG Joker's Wild Gauntlet. As a result of the victory the leader of the BFG Series earned himself twenty-five more points. The contest itself had been a decent one, with fine outings for most of the wrestlers, but the most engaging period was the final sequence between Magnus and Roode where the Englishman managed to gain that all important pinfall. 

Hulk Hogan introduced the X Division Champion Chris Sabin, who was about to hand over his belt in return for a World Title match but was interrupted by said champion, Bully Ray. Bully warned Sabin once again that he would regret cashing in the strap, but Sabin stood up for himself and admitted that while he's always considered the underdog he's come back from a potential career-ending injury and this was his dream and he wasn't going to be intimidated by him.

After handing over the belt and making their Wold Title clash next week official, Bully had Aces & 8s come out to put the fear into Sabin and teach him a lesson, but the Main Event Mafia decided to back them up, with Sting announcing Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson as their latest addition. I think that's an interesting acquisition for the MEM, and hopefully this will mean more regular appearances from Rampage too, I could see him flourishing on the mic given more of a chance. 

Overall it was a satisfying show for the most part, with only the Hernandez and Bradley versus Magnus and Anderson letting it down a bit, but even that wasn't terrible by any means. The announcement of Rampage joining the Mafia was intriguing too, and most of the match ups were solid encounters so I'm very pleased with Impact this week. Now onto Destination X, which should be a fun show.  

My TNA Impact Wrestling, 30th May 2013 Recap

No one wants to see that coming at them, poor Roode. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com 

Backstage we witnessed Mr. Anderson attack D'Lo Brown from behind as his Aces & 8s superiors were about to make their way out. Clearly the gang have had enough of D'Lo's mistakes. In the ring World Champion Bully Ray, accompanied by Devon, admitted that his Slammiversary opponent Sting had beaten some of the all-time greats in between the ropes, but this Sunday he couldn't wait to beat 'The Icon' and stop him from ever holding the World Title again. It was solid mic work as standard from the champ.

Sting and Joseph Parks bested Team 3D (Bully Ray & Devon) in a fair tag bout. The start was a bit hectic as all four men brawled outside the ring, it was an entertaining start to the match up. The action in the ring was fine, although there were a few slightly sloppy moments. Sting managed to apply the Scorpion Death Drop on Devon for the one-two-three after Abyss's music hit and distracted Team 3D, 'The Monster' failed to appear though.

TNA President Dixie Carter came out and once again informed us that this Sunday the next inductee into the TNA Hall of Fame will be announced. Aces members Wes Brisco, Doc and Garett Bischoff then joined her, with Garett asking her why she was biased against his gang. Samoa Joe and Magnus then raced out and chased the trio off. An intense Joe also went on to state his frustration at the gang for injuring him for a month and challenged Garett to a match, saying he wanted to see how he tests against a man not a woman.

Samoa Joe versus Garett Bischoff ended in a no contest after Garett helped out his two comrades in beating down Magnus on the outside. Joe then took a dive and knocked over the three foes. Once back in the ring he informed them that at Slammiversary it'll be them three against him, Magnus and the returning Jeff Hardy. The fans were predictably excited by the news, it'll be nice to have Hardy back. 

Gunner, James Storm, Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez beat Austin Aries, Bobby Roode and Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels & Kazarian) in a stellar eight-man tag outing. Storm failed to participate, due to his leg issues I presume, but every man involved gave worthy displays.

As usual the chemistry between Bad Influence and Roode and Aries was amusing, each tagging themselves in and helping out with their dirty tactics. Gunner gained the win with a torture rack on Aries. It's been a long while since TNA's tag division looked this strong (and WWE's with The Shield and Team Hell No's series), it's refreshing to see. 

The new Knockouts Champion Mickie James came out and expressed how great it felt to hold the strap again after two years, and thanked her fan base. But she then turned her attention to the minority who questioned her win over Sky last week (when she aimed for the former champ's injured leg) and brought out Velvet Sky to address it.

James condescendingly congratulated Sky on her former run as champ and welcomed her rematch whenever she'd recovered. After Velvet asked for her title rematch at Slammiversary, James claimed that due to there already being one Knockouts match there was no room for it, when did this rule come in? Gail Kim then stormed out and once again stated her case for a championship match, even though she's lost most of her bouts over the last few months. In truth it was poor mic work on Kim's behalf. As Gail went to then attack Sky's leg, with James just looking on, Taryn Terrell ran out to her aid and chased her off.  

Chris Sabin and Taryn Terrell toppled Kenny King and Gail Kim in a decent enough mixed tag contest. There were some enjoyable periods between Kim and Terrell, but they were definitely the weaker part of the match compared to King and Sabin's interactions. Afterwards King then smacked Sabin from behind, so Suicide also came out attacked the X Division Champion, with him and Sabin finally having a face off after the masked wrestler picked up King's strap.  

AJ Styles won via disqualification versus Mr. Anderson when Kurt Angle decided to gain some retribution and began exchanging blows with 'The Phenomenal One'. Aces & 8s then marched out and began taking out Angle and Styles, so this cued other members of the TNA roster to join them and start a brawl in and around the ring, ending with Bully and Devon applying a 3D to Sting. It all felt very familiar, but the 3D was a nice touch, would've been even better through a table but that's just me being picky.

The encounter itself between Styles and Anderson was enjoyable at places, but felt like it dragged a bit. If the allocated time had been shortened it would've probably been a more entertaining bout, with each man making the most with their time rather than having to slow it down.

Overall it was a fair, if pretty unmemorable Impact. With the exception of the eight-man tag outing, which was my highlight of the show, there were no exceptional contests, and besides Bully and Jame's mic work there were no remarkable promos either. All that aside, looking at the Slammiversary card it should be a solid show for the most part I reckon. 

My TNA Impact Wrestling, 23rd May 2013 Recap

Suicide wallops Williams in the exciting three-way. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Hulk Hogan started things off by first promoting his restaurant in Florida (where the show was being taped) and then bringing out pal Sting, trying to convince him to cancel the stipulation with his bout with Bully Ray at Slammiversary where he'll never be able to challenge for the World Title again if he looses. But 'The Stinger' was adamant about it, believing that all he needed was one chance against the Aces President to defeat him.

Brooke Hogan then joined them and blamed herself for the rise of Aces & 8s after falling for and marrying Bully. She was about to resign as President of the Knockouts division when her hubby Bully Ray came out and claimed the blame for himself, not Sting and Hulk, but admitted that he was still in love with Brooke and that she should share the blame too. Basically blame was mentioned a lot in the segment.

Suicide bested Joey Ryan and Petey Williams in an exciting Triple Threat contest. Much like last week's X Division three-way (sounds like a dirty movie) the wrestling came fast and each participant gave a stellar showing. I wasn't (and am still not) entirely convinced by always having Triple Threats in the X Division, but we have received some very entertaining matches from it. 

Gut Check winners San Shaw and Alex Silva were scheduled to compete, but Wes Brisco, accompanied by Doc and Garett Bischoff, informed Shaw (I didn't remember him either) that him and his fellow Aces members had taken out Silva and then proceeded to attack him until Magnus marched down the ramp and chased them out of the ring. Magnus went on to claim that Wes didn't deserve his spot on the roster and berated him for attacking a young up and comer such as himself, then challenged him to a match right there and then.

Magnus won via disqualification versus Wes Brisco after fellow Aces & 8s members ran in and attacked him, but they were soon legging it as Samoa Joe raced out to his former tag partner's aid. So in the course of fifteen minutes the supposed hard and tough biker gang ran away from one man not once, but twice? Wow, they seem really deadly. To make things even more confusing Bully congratulated them afterwards, for what? The actual match itself had been a forgettable one, with pedestrian action for the most part.

Mr. Anderson pinned Kurt Angle in an enjoyable outing once it got going. After a drab start both men gave worthy efforts in their time allocated, which wasn't enough I felt. AJ Styles strolled out during the match up, distracting Angle and the referee, allowing Anderson to low blow his opponent and gain the one-two-three with a roll up.

Backstage a crazed Taryn Terrell attacked Gail Kim during an interview, only stopping once she'd be held back. During her interview Kim claimed that she should be challenging for the Knockouts Title not James. When was the last time she actually won a match?

As James Storm was about to announce his tag partner for Slammiversary, Bobby Roode and Austin Aries interrupted him, with 'The It Factor' stating that his four years in Beer Money with Storm were the worst of his career, and called his mystery partner a joke. Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels and Kazarian) also came out and mocked the other three teams they were facing on June 2nd, calling them inferior to themselves. They also added that it didn't matter who Storm's partner was, they wouldn't be up to their standards.  

Shark Boy (I'd love to see someone's reaction to seeing and hearing him for the first time) made a welcome return and along with Robbie E stated his case to be Storm's tag partner. But it wasn't to be for either man as Gunner then came to the ring and took out Robbie and Shark Boy, with Storm then shaking his hand and confirming that he was his mystery tag partner. It was a decent segment.

Mickie James beat Velvet Sky (c) to obtain the Knockouts Title in an average and pretty sloppy encounter. You could visibly see James have to mouth instructions to Sky, the champion, during the bout, it was cringe worthy at times. If you didn't know any better it could've been a Gut Check contest, well maybe not that bad.

At least one positive came from this, the average Sky was relieved of the strap and James, one of the top female performers in the company has gained it. Towards the end Velvet (poorly) sold a knee injury out of nowhere, so a crazed looking James attacked the leg and applied a DDT for the victory and the strap. I think a heel turn is the way to go for Mickie right now, we've seen how well she can pull it off.

A proud Bully Ray introduced AJ Styles and even shared a beer with the tee totaller before asking Anderson to fit AJ with his own Aces & 8s waistcoat and finish up his initiation into the gang. But Angle then came out and claimed that Style's TNA legacy had gone right down the "crapper" after joining them, so Doc hit him from behind and sent him into the ring to be attacked by Aces, finally being cracked on the leg with a hammer by Styles.

As the gang members all celebrated, AJ then used the same hammer to strike a few Aces members before running off. It was a strange ending to the show, and I somehow doubt that the writers have a remotely logical explanation for it. AJ reenacting Sting's tactics with NWO years ago by infiltrating Aces & 8s and taking them down would've made much more sense, if been more predictable. 

Overall it was an average show for the majority, with the James Storm tag team partner reveal segment, Anderson versus Angle and the X Division three-way being my only real highlights. Other then those moments it was either average, confusing or just dull.  

My TNA Impact Wrestling, 16th May 2013 Recap

King comes in with a flying springboard leg drop on his way to retaining his strap. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com 

Hulk Hogan started things off by first announcing that at Slammiversary it would be AJ Styles versus Kurt Angle, claiming that he no longer cared if AJ joined Aces and 8s. 'The Hulkster' went on to then call out Abyss to thank him for helping defeat Aces in last week's main event. But after failing to appear, his brother Joseph Parks instead came out and spoke about his amazement at Abyss finally returning.  

Devon, accompanied by D'Lo Brown, then joined them and demanded that Abyss appear so he could exact some revenge on him. An angry Parks had enough and challenged the Television Champion to a match right there and then. Devon claimed that he hadn't earned it so D'Lo instead took him up on the offer to prove himself for Aces. Hogan accepted and made the bout official. I still enjoy the Parks character, he makes a refreshing change from most.   

Bobby Roode won via disqualification versus Chavo Guerrero after James Storm came down and spat beer in his face. 'The Cowboy' then looked as though he was going to smash the bottle onto Roode, but decided to walk away instead. The contest itself had been a solid one, with smoothly executed sequences and wrestling from both men.

Kurt Angle came to the ring and said that he didn't want to wait until Slammiversary to get his hands on Styles and demanded that he face him there and then. Mr. Anderson instead came out and informed Angle that on next week's Impact AJ would officially be inducted into the Aces & 8s, so an upset Angle retorted by attacking and chasing off Anderson. 

AJ Styles himself then appeared and quickly took out Kurt with an enzuigiri kick. This all seems to be leading to a '97 Sting esque move into Aces for Styles where he'll bring them down from the inside, probably leading to a World Title match with Bully at Bound For Glory, which I wouldn't mind myself.  

Jay Bradley pinned Christian York in a pretty unremarkable encounter. Neither man was bad by any means, but they still look a little out of their depth on Impact at the moment.

Velvet Sky beat Gail Kim in a fair outing. Kim dominated for the most part, targeting the injured leg of Sky who was unfortunately a bit inconsistent in selling it. Sky managed the gain the one-two-three with a quick roll up pin, which caused a bitter Kim to once again attack her opponent by applying a figure four around the ringpost.  

Kenny King (c) bested Petey Williams and Chris Sabin to retain the X Division Title in a blistering three-way. This was old-school style X Division at its best, a consistently fast pace throughout with crisp and impressive maneuvers. Unfortunately the fans in attendance were a bit weak, but that's my only gripe from an otherwise entertaining contest.

Hernandez pinned Christopher Daniels in a decent enough bout. While never outstanding, it was still a fun and enjoyable match with solid performances. James Storm strolled down afterwards and stated that after his actions earlier Hogan had asked him to announce that at Slammiversary it will be Chavo and Hernandez versus Bad Influence (Daniels and Kazarian) versus Austin Aries and Roode versus himself and a partner of his choosing in a four-way for the tag title.

Joseph Parks beat D'Lo Brown in a largely pedestrian and forgettable affair. Sloppy moments from D'Lo also hindered a pretty average match up, looks like he's on his way out of his beloved gang too after this loss. 

World Champion Bully Ray came to the ring and called out Sting and Hogan, going on to brag about how he screwed them both over and proving while he's one of the (if not the) top heel in pro wrestling right now. Sting responded by claiming that he's going to have to damage him beyond repair at Slammiversary because if not that was what he was going to do to the Aces President first, also asking for their title clash to be under No Holds Barred rules.

Bully accepted the match proposal, but only if Sting would never be able to challenge for the World Championship again if he was victorious. Sting also accepted, despite Hogan trying to persuade him otherwise,  and the two began brawling as the show ended. I think a No Holds Barred match is the way to go, that added element should gain some much needed interest and excitement on the night. 

Overall it was a fair Impact, not much that was exceptional but nothing too bad. The highlight was the exciting X Division Triple Threat, I'm sure I would've said Roode versus Chavo and Hernandez versus Daniels too if they'd been allocated a bit more time. Slammiversary looks like a solid enough card for the most part at the moment, should be a decent event I reckon. 

My TNA Impact Wrestling, 18th April 2013 Recap

Styles looking more serious then ever. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com 

Wes Brisco and Garett Bischoff defeated Kurt Angle in a decent Handicap match. There were drab periods when Wes and Garett were in control, but once Kurt got going the action stepped up in quality and excitement. Kurt was pinned after Garett managed to crack him on the back with a chain handed to him by D'Lo Brown while the referee was distracted by Anderson at ringside.

Afterwards Wes and Garett double powerbombed Angle, with Anderson then speaking about how the company was deteriorating while Aces & 8s were on the rise, then wished AJ Styles luck for his match later on.  

Kenny King (c) bested Petey Williams and Zema Ion to retain the X Division Title in an entertaining Triple Threat contest. All three men looked stellar here, especially Williams who upped the overall standard of the bout with a great display.

Backstage Brooke Hogan spoke down to Mickie James and Brooke Tessmacher by claiming that she saw something "special" in them and  that was why she'd booked them in a number one contenders match for the Knockouts Championship. I mean, what has Brooke ever done in professional wrestling to give her the right to talk to female performers like that? How condescending, especially for someone of Mickie's talent and experience.

Before the Television Title match could begin, Aces & 8s members attacked Magnus, eventually double chokeslamming him onto the ramp. Devon was about to orchestrate more damage until Samoa Joe ran out to his ex-tag partner's aid.

Mickie James pinned Brooke Tessmacher in a good effort to earn a Knockouts Title shot in the near future. As usual James was on solid form, and Brooke also worked well here. My only slight gripe was the amount of disagreements each competitor had with the ref ODB, they're all faces so why would they need to add this to the bout?

Backstage Devon and Bully Ray attacked Joseph Parks with a chain after he once again brought up a rightful divorce between Brooke and Bully. In the end they left him in the shower with water pouring down on him, teasing him to cry. It was as if they were in school, not hardened gang members. 

Bad influence (Christopher Daniels and Kazarian) came out and bragged about their new tees, being close to convincing AJ Styles to join the team and a fictional film based on them (amusingly claiming that Morgan Freeman was going to portray Dixie Carter) almost entering production.

As they were also announcing their claim to a tag team title shot Austin Aries and Bobby Roode then interrupted them and announced that they were next in line for a title shot. After some hilarious back and fourth mocking (it really is worth a watch) the actual tag champs Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez walked in and attacked Roode and Aries, sending both teams packing.

Devon (c) beat Samoa Joe to retain the TNA Television Title in a short and pretty unremarkable title clash. The wrestling was competent enough but it lacked any real excitement. Devon grabbed the winning pinfall after Anderson snuck in (Earl Hebner was distracted by Wes Brisco at ringside) and struck Joe with a chain.

AJ Styles defeated James Storm in a solid main event. Both performers gave worthy efforts and as standard for them provided a match worth checking out, with smooth back and fourth wrestling. Styles grabbed the submission win with a leg lock after Storm had picked up a knock earlier in the bout, it was a nice logical finish. 

Afterwards Bad Influence celebrated with Styles, only for him to then take out the tag team and walk away as Aces & 8s attacked the duo and Storm. Bully Ray then took to the mic and stated that he'd taken out all of TNA's heroes because of Hulk Hogan, and demanded that he face him in the ring next week. He really is the last remaining endearing thing about Aces & 8s.

Overall it was a solid show for the majority, with most matches being above average for televised bouts with stellar action. My highlights were James versus Tessmacher, the Bad Influence segment with Aries and Roode, the X Division Triple Threat and the main event. Other than that it was still a fair Impact, with only the Brooke Hogan and dull Aces & 8s segments letting it down. 

My TNA Impact Wrestling, 14th March 2013 Recap

It was as great as the photo suggests. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Before the following tag team title match could begin, Aces & 8s raced out and attacked Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez. Devon then told all the fans to shut up and introduced the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion, Bully Ray. Bully spoke about how proud he was of his fellow Aces members and how he fooled Hogan, Brooke and the fans for nine months. He also added that in one night he'd accomplished what the NWO never had. It was a decent start to the show, with the always solid Chicago crowd getting into it.

Velvet Sky and Mickie James bested Tara and Gail Kim in a largely enjoyable tag bout. Every performer gave a worthy display here. Referee Taryn Terrell was once again pushed to breaking point by Kim and slapped her in the face, shortly after Sky managed to apply an In Yo' Face on Tara for the one-two-three.

Rob Terry pinned Robbie E in a pretty worthless outing. The only positive was how brief the match was kept, the wrestling was just very mediocre, Terry even seemed to struggle applying a spinebuster at the end. Afterwards Terry then began dancing...badly. It was just awkward. And why is Rob announced as haling from New Jersey? He's from Wales?

Hulk Hogan blamed Sting backstage for trusting Bully and therefore helping Aces gain the upper hand, claiming that he never trusted him. Didn't Hogan walk his daughter down the aisle to marry the guy and admit that the only reason he wasn't sure of him was because he didn't like the idea of Brooke being with a pro wrestler, not who he actually was? TNA defies logic. Sting then begged Hogan not to fire Aces & 8s, and stated that he had a plan for them. But Hulkster wasn't having any of it and told him to get out, adding that "You make me sick." Harsh words, eh?

Backstage Austin Aries and Bobby Roode rubbed in how Sting was wrong about Bully Ray and how it was all his fault right to his face. So 'The Stinger' retorted by challenging Aries to a match later on.

As AJ Style's music hit for his return, there was no sign of the man himself, so Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels and Kazarian) came out dressed as Chicago's own Legion of Doom and claimed that it wasn't the first time Styles had let down his fans. They also announced their tribute as "throwback Thursday" and stated that LOD were just fake tough guys, unlike them. Daniels also added his own funny twist on the legendary tag teams famous line with "Ooooooh what a tush!" As usual Bad Influence were on great form.

James Storm then joined the duo and reminded them that LOD were a fair bit taller and bigger than them, and were also a lot more over. He then went on to challenge one of them to a match right there, deciding on Daniels after flipping 'The Fallen Angel' into the ring.

James Storm defeated Christopher Daniels in a solid encounter. Not either man's finest contest but a fun one nonetheless, with nicely executed action. Afterwards as Kaz and Daniels began beating down 'The Cowboy', a worse for wear looking AJ Styles appeared and chased them off, only to then turn on Storm by clotheslining him. 

Backstage we witnessed various Aces & 8s members taking out Kurt Angle, a target they'd anonymously picked out at random earlier.

Joseph Parks came out and told the fans that standing in the ring in his home town of Chicago was the proudest moment of his life. Matt Morgan then joined him and accused Parks of being the biggest mistake that Hogan ever made, and that he planned to eliminate all the errors of the Hulkster. But Parks refused to leave and claimed that in Chicago no one backs down from a fight and challenged Morgan to one. An amused 'Blueprint' told Parks that they'll fight when he wants to, then applied a Carbon Footprint, announcing that they'll have a match next week. 

Sting versus Austin Aries ended in a No Contest after Aces & 8s ran in and took out 'The Stinger'. The match itself had been a very entertaining one, and far better than I was expecting. I was predicting a fair contest here, nothing much, but both men gave great efforts and provided a fun watch from the opening bell. This is one of Sting's finest single bouts in a long while. After Aces beat down Sting (Aries had made a quick getaway) Bully demanded Hogan come out and dared him to fire them. 

Sure enough Hogan came out, but instead announced that he had convinced all the wrestlers in the back to band together to take out the gang. As members of the roster ran out, including former champ Jeff Hardy, they were not enough as Aces also eventually took them out. What's Hogan going to do now?

Overall it was a decent enough Impact, with almost all the matches providing stellar action and some nice progression in the Aces & 8s and TNA feud, with Bully injecting some much needed interest back into the gang as the top heel in the company. Actually, bar the Robbie E versus Terry match I liked all of the show really. My personal highlights were the Bad Influence promo ("Oooooh what a tush!" I will forever remember) Daniels vs Storm, Styles' return and the enjoyable main event.  

My Impact Wrestling, 13th December 2012 Recap

Hardy takes flight against Aces & 8s. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

An angry Bobby Roode demanded answers from Aces & 8s since they failed to help him win the World Title last Sunday at Final Resolution after he'd paid them to. Devon and a few other gang members soon joined him and explained that a better offer had come along, and refused to tell Roode who from. As Devon and Doc then approached the ring Jeff Hardy and James Storm ran out and chased them off, which to be honest made the gang look pretty pathetic, running scared of only two guys.

Velvet Sky defeated Madison Rayne in a passable Knockouts outing. To give them credit it was actually a lot more competent and fun than I was anticipating, considering both women are not normally as solid as the other female talent on the roster.  

Wes Brisco and Garett Bischoff bested Robbie E and Robbie T in a largely pedestrian tag bout. There wasn't anything exceptional about the match, but although I've never been a fan I have to say that Garett is showing signs of improvement in the ring.

We were then shown a VT of the popular Joseph Parks training to become a wrestler in training ground OVW. His persona is such a nice contrast compared to most, with his endearing down to earth qualities. 

James Storm and Jeff Hardy beat Doc and an unknown Aces & 8s member in a solid tag contest. From start to finish the action was on point and engaging, plus the crowd in attendance were thoroughly into it. My only issue was during the match four masked members of Aces & 8s (including Devon) came running in and in a comedy-fashion missed both Storm and Hardy every time and were chucked out by the duo. It just looked foolish for the once formidable and dangerous gang. 

Afterwards Devon then announced that Austin Aries was the man who paid them off to not aid Roode in the World Title match. We then witnessed an infuriated Roode backstage complaining at Hulk Hogan to sort the situation out. Right on cue Aries then called Hogan and informed him that he'll be there later on in the broadcast. 

AJ Styles came to the ring and stated that he was tired of being "the corporate janitor" for TNA and decided enough was enough and that he was going to do "my own thing" from now on and take care of himself. On his way out of the building Dixie Carter confronted him about the speech, only to have AJ throw his T-Shirt at her.

Kenny King defeated Rob Van Dam in a far superior outing to their match at Final Resolution. The action wasn't as clumsy and it was a fun ride from the opening bell. Both men gave great efforts, especially RVD who gave a performance much better and more inspired than he normally does in TNA.   

Bully Ray beat Jesse in a largely average affair. For the most part the upset Bully dominated and took out his frustration on his opponent, but Jesse did have a fair bit of offense in there so at least he wasn't completely squashed. Jesse still has a fair bit of work to do in the ring, but he's looking fairly competent for his amount of experience.

Austin Aries explained that he's been targeting Hogan as of late because he blamed him of pitting him against Aces & 8s with no rewards and then jumping on the "Jeff Hardy bandwagon." Hardy himself then joined AA and said that if he wanted a shot at him all he had to do was ask, then challenged him to a title clash at Championship Thursday next week. But Aries claimed that he only does things on his own schedule, so in response Hardy attacked Aries and applied a Twist of Fate before AA managed to get away. I'm hoping the match happens, they've had great contests so far, although chances are Roode will screw Aries as payback.

Overall it was a pretty unmemorable Impact, with only the Storm & Hardy vs Aces & 8s and King vs RVD bouts bringing anything exciting to the table. I also enjoyed Style's promo and appreciate the new direction he's taking, his slow heel turn has actually made sense. The rest of the show was quite run of the mill for me. 

My TNA Final Resolution 2012 Recap

Daniels applies the match-winning Styles Clash. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

James Storm asked that Bobby Roode come on out to get his comeuppance after clearly paying Aces & 8s on last weeks Impact to attack both him and Hardy in the ring. But instead Kazarian joined 'The Cowboy' and accused him of being the biggest whiner in the company after AJ Styles and an alcoholic. Storm retorted by mocking Kaz a bit and then challenging him to a fight right there and then, so a referee made his way out and a brawl began. It was a fun start to the show, with the crowd eating up every word Storm had to say.

James Storm defeated Kazarian in a decent enough encounter. The action was solid for the most part, my only issue was the time allocated and the lack of it. I feel these two deserved a bit more to really deliver a more memorable match up.

Rob Van Dam (c) beat Kenny King to retain the X Division Title in a match that ranged from fair to average. Unfortunately too many sloppy moments spoilt the contest for me a bit, there were a few nice sequences between the two but it wasn't anything special. Leading into it I was actually expecting more, which is rare for me with a Van Dam match nowadays. At least the crowd in attendance seemed to like it with scattered chants of "This is awesome!" Easily pleased fans I guess.

Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez (c) won via DQ versus Matt Morgan and Joey Ryan, thereby retaining the TNA Tag Team Championship. The bout was largely passable, with solid enough wrestling but nothing that inspiring. Chavo and Hernandez gave the top displays here. The disqualification came after Morgan dragged the referee from out of the ring after Chavo had applied a Frog Splash to Ryan.

Austin Aries bested Bully Ray in a highly enjoyable contest. Both men gave terrific efforts here and clearly wanted to steal the show, especially Bully who gave one of his finest performances I've ever seen in a singles match. For the finish Hulk Hogan had to drag away daughter Brooke, who'd ran down to check on a bloodied Bully, which then gave Aries a chance to low blow Ray and grab the one-two-three. I have a feeling that AA and Brooke are having a fling and secretly plotting against Hogan and Bully here, just a theory.

Tara (c) beat Mickie James to retain the TNA Knockouts Championship in a worthy effort by both women. As expected with these two the action was above average from what you get from most female wrestlers nowadays in the US, as they actually take real pride in their craft and have worked hard on it over the years. Next up for Tara is the makeup covered Velvet Sky, so expect the quality to drop.

Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, Wes Brisco and Garett Bischoff beat Aces & 8s (Devon, Doc and two unknown members) in an eight-man tag match that didn't really get going until later on. For the majority it was a pretty lacklustre outing, with disappointing action that wasn't particularly engaging at all.

It wasn't until Joe made a hot tag to Angle that things livened up and all eight men scrambled in the ring, applying their respective signature maneuvers. As Doc then went for Angle with a hammer Garett jumped in to stop him, and Wes then clumsily speared a masked gang member out of the ring, which I'm sure will turn out to be a save as surely Wes is a member of the Aces & 8s too.

Christopher Daniels defeated AJ Styles in a terrific back and fourth match of the night. As standard with these two the action was technically faultless, with great sequences and drama to be had. Unfortunately my only gripe was the slight lack of intensity and heat, which I can only put down to the sheer number of times we've seen these two face each other.

I'm not having a go at either man, their matches have always been entertaining, but there's only so much of a good thing that you can take before you start to loose interest, and the lack of enthusiasm from the fans in attendance was also proof of that here. That could also be down to the fact that it's hard to believe that this really is their final ever encounter, I mean, we've heard that before. Daniels gained the victory by applying Styles' own finisher the Styles Clash after AJ took a dangerous fall from the top rope. 

Jeff Hardy (c) bested Bobby Roode to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in an intense and enjoyable main event. Both wrestlers worked hard and it certainly paid off as they delivered a worthy World title match, battling back and fourth with effective near falls and an excited crowd. While the build up wasn't anything outstanding I predicted that it'd be a good contest at least, which it was. During the bout Aces & 8s made their way out, but just stood there. After the bell rang they then proceeded to take out Hardy and an infuriated Roode, who had presumedly paid them off to help him win the strap.

Overall Final Resolution was a successful event, with a few match ups that were really memorable but most that I could give or take. The main event, Daniels vs Styles and Bully Ray vs Aries were the highlights for me, providing high quality bouts that you've come to expect from TNA pay-per-views over the last few months. The rest of the card was still decent enough and I couldn't call one match bad, so I can't complain. 

My Impact Wrestling, 6th December 2012 Recap

Bobby Roode, Kazarian and Christopher Daniels each took a turn to brag about their predicted upcoming victories at Final Resolution this Sunday, with Daniels also calling out AJ Styles, who made his way to the ring. Styles claimed that even on his worst day and Daniel's best, he's still better than him in the ring. 'The Fallen Angel' retorted by simply calling AJ a "looser" with his recent records, with no one to blame but himself.

This prompted an angered Styles to begin attacking Daniels, which of course led to a three on one attack until Jeff Hardy and James Storm came out to save their tag partner for later on. It was a fair segment to start the show, nothing outstanding or that original.

Devon defeated Samoa Joe (c) to obtain the TNA Television Championship in a passable title contest. The action was solid enough throughout and it was a fair effort from both men, although certainly neither ones finest, it just never really got that engaging. For the finish Doc struck Joe with a hammer while the referee was distracted, allowing Devon to grab the one-two-three and the strap.   

Mickie James thanked all her friends, family and fans for their support during her absence and also promised to win the Knockouts Title this Sunday. The champ herself Tara and partner Jesse then joined her and bragged about the amazing year she'd had, but was soon interrupted by the returning Velvet Sky. Sky received a healthy response from the fans, and warned both ladies that 2013 will be her year as Knockouts Champion. I feel the return of Sky overshadowed Mickie's title challenge personally, and think it should've waited until after Final Resolution where it would've had more impact without everything else going on between Tara and James.

Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez bested Robbie E and Robbie T in a largely average tag bout. The first two thirds were pretty pedestrian really, with nothing that special from all four men. Fortunately the final few minutes picked up the pace and excitement and it was a fun finish. Afterwards Matt Morgan then attacked both Chavo and Hernandez while his tag partner Joey Ryan cockily predicted their title victory this Sunday.

In an awful piece of production Chavo and Hernandez were then cut off by Kurt Angle's entrance music as they were giving a promo backstage. There's no excuse for something that foolish happening, and what makes it worse is it isn't the first time it's occurred in TNA.

Kurt Angle won via disqualification versus Doc after other members of Aces & 8s ran in to take out Angle. The match itself was a mixed bag, with quite a few sloppy moments (which is out of character for an Angle bout) but a decent enough second half to help salvage it a bit. On the whole it was fairly unmemorable really. Garett Bischoff, Wes Brisco and Samoa Joe all raced out to Angle's aid and chased off the gang members, which prompted Angle to challenge Aces & 8s to an eight-man tag match at Final Resolution between them four and any four members of their group.  

Kenny King bested Zema Ion and Kid Kash in a terrific Triple Threat match to become number one contender for the X Division Title. The displays from all three men were solid and they clearly went out to deliver the top match of the night, which instead turned out to be the main event, but I'm getting to that in a bit. The action came fast and brought plenty of excitement, which is exactly what the X Division should do. 

Bully Ray once again demanded that Hogan put him and Aries together in a match, and wouldn't leave until he received it. Austin Aries then came out and accused Bully of pretending he wanted to face him for the sake of his love interest Brooke Hogan, and sat comfortably in a chair until Hulk Hogan joined them and eventually decided to put Bully and AA in a match at Final Resolution after being convinced by his daughter Brooke.

Jeff Hardy, James Storm and AJ Styles defeated Christopher Daniels, Kazarian and Bobby Roode in a terrific six-man tag contest. I really can't think of a fault with the match here, the action was just solid throughout and everyone involved deserves credit, especially Styles who was superb. Great way to end the show on a strong outing like this.

Impact was for the most part was pretty average and forgettable for me. The tremendous main event and Triple Threat match ups managed to make it worth watching, so I certainly can't fault the entire show. At least the lead ups to Final Resolution made sense, even if I'm not particularly that excited for it, which is a poor sign for a show that's meant to encourage you to purchase the PPV.

My Impact Wrestling, 29th November 2012 Recap

Hulk Hogan demanded that Bully come out and explain to him what's going on between him and his daughter Brooke. Sure enough Bully Ray did, and stated that he was the "number one man" in his daughter's life. Brooke Hogan also joined them and was warned by her father that he never wanted to see her involved with a pro wrestler "especially him." Austin Aries of course couldn't resist getting involved and berated Hogan on the big screen for dealing with family issues in public rather then managing the show.

Mickie James defeated Gail Kim in a largely solid encounter. Comparing the standard of wrestling here to anything the current female performers in WWE have to offer is really quite startling. And the frustrating thing is that there's no excuse for WWE not to bring in some far more talented wrestlers for the Divas division, they had both these women under contract at one point.

Bobby Roode claimed that Hardy failed to impress him after barely beating Gut Check winner Christian York last week. York himself then joined 'The It Factor' and gave him a slap for disrespecting him, followed by a challenge of a match which Roode accepted.

Bobby Roode bested Christian York in a highly enjoyable contest. Both men put in great efforts here and provided an engaging watch from start to finish. I actually enjoyed this more than York's bout with Hardy last week, he's looking better each time we see him. For the finish York almost caught Roode out with a nice near fall from a roll up, but then had the crossface applied and was forced to tap.

Afterwards as 'The It Factor' was about to strike York with a steel chair, his Final Resolution opponent Jeff Hardy raced out and chased him off. They should have an entertaining World Title match next Sunday, although I still personally would've rather seen Storm face Hardy.

James Storm and AJ Styles beat Christopher Daniels and Kazarian in a tremendous tag match. All four men gave top displays here, with crisp action at a healthy pace. For me Daniels and Kaz are the most consistent tag team in the ring going today, plus their promos are always entertaining. Afterwards Storm warned AJ about loosing his head during the match and being a bit sloppy, could a heel turn be on the cards for Styles?

Matt Morgan bested Douglas Williams in a drab squash match. Morgan was also cheered on at ringside by tag partner Joey Ryan, who gave a decent introduction to 'The Blueprint' beforehand. 

After receiving two "Yes" votes Wes Brisco was handed a TNA contract. An emotional Brisco celebrated with Kurt Angle and Garett Bischoff after, it seemed genuine, although it seems too obvious that both him and D'Lo (who stood in for Al Snow after he mysteriously disappeared and never turned up to the show) are members of Aces & 8s. If that's the case then it was a good bit of acting of Brisco's part.

Austin Aries versus Rob Van Dam (c) for the X Division Championship ended in a disqualification. The bout itself had been good for the most part, with some nice sequences between RVD and Aries. Unfortunately a few sloppy moments let it down a little, but otherwise it was fine, and one of RVD's best matches in a while. The DQ came after Bully Ray ran in and began attacking AA, which then led to a stare down between him and Hogan. 

Overall it was a solid Impact, and the best wrestling broadcast this week. Based on match quality alone it was very good, with only the drab Morgan versus Williams bout letting it down. Unfortunately we didn't receive any answers or development in the Bully Ray/Brooke/Hulk storyline, but I'm enjoying the slow breakdown of Styles, and as usual Daniels and Kazarian were great on the mic. Highlight of the show was definitely the terrific tag team match, great action throughout. Big step up from last weeks average broadcast.