My TNA Impact Wrestling, 20th June 2013 recap

Hulk Hogan started things off by introducing the twelve men involved in the Bound for Glory Series and revealed that via an online fan vote, Jeff Hardy had the first choice of opponent. After Austin Aries and Christopher Daniels advised Jeff that picking them would be a poor choice, Hardy decided to go for the man that he'd confronted last week and that was Bobby Roode. Things then quickly escalated and all the men in the ring began to brawl. 

Mr. Anderson pinned Joseph Parks in an average Bound for Glory Series bout. The wrestling was fairly clumsy and didn't flow, which wasn't a shock considering who was involved. Anderson grabbed the one-two-three with a Mic Check after Doc struck Parks on the middle rope. Anderson called out Parks as part of the Open Fight Night rules.

Austin Aries defeated Jay Bradley in a decent BFG Series contest after Bradley called him out to make an impact. In Bradley's finest singles match in the company both men gave worthy displays as they went back and fourth, with Aries especially on stellar form as usual. Bradley looked competent enough but he's still severely lacking character.

Christopher Daniels beat Hernandez in an enjoyable BFG Series match up. It didn't really have enough time to leave a lasting impression but it was a fun watch while it lasted, and both wrestlers looked good. Daniels grabbed the win with a BME. 

Magnus bested Kazarian by forcing him to tap to the Texas Cloverleaf in a fair BFG Series encounter. Both men worked well, but it wasn't very memorable or remarkable to be honest. While I'm also appreciating Magnus' clearly hard work to improve himself in the ring, I don't feel that he should win this series as the plan could possibly be, he's not there yet. 

Brooke Hogan held a conference of sorts for the Knockouts division (most of whom were in attendance), where she brought up the fact that even though he was a dude, Eric Young was still one half of the Knockout Tag Team Champions with wife ODB, in response he said that it was national kissing day and snogged his missus before leaving. 

Brooke went on to announce that Velvet Sky had been cleared by her doctor and she would face James next week for the strap. She also booked Gail Kim versus Taryn Terrell in a Ladder match after their successful Last Knockout Standing contest at Slammiversary. Quite looking forward to that one.

Before his following match, AJ Styles explained that he was simply chasing the TNA World Title for the money, not the glory or the fame. He also added that the company was "no place for a hero" and that he was finally doing things for himself. I'm still not completely won over by AJ's new persona, it feels like it's lacking a bit.

AJ Styles versus Samoa Joe in a BFG Series outing ended in a time limit draw. The action was stellar throughout, although it didn't have the same excitement and fast pace a lot of their past match ups have. If I'm going to be really picky than I'd say I was actually a little disappointed here as a big fan of both men.

Jeff Hardy defeated Bobby Roode in a terrific BFG Series contest. Both top talents delivered an engaging back and fourth bout, with solid wrestling and well executed and exciting sequences. Hardy pulled out a quick Twist of Fate after reversing a crossface attempt for the winning pinfall.

World Champion Bully Ray came to the ring and warned every Bound for Glory Series entrant that he will do anything it takes to retain his championship. He then called out his wife Brooke Hogan, but instead Sting joined him and explained that although he can't win he World Title from him (as per the stipulation of their Slammiversary clash) he can still gain retribution.

As an angry Bully called out to his Aces & 8s members, he was soon shown them taken out on the floor backstage on the big screen. So while trying to make a getaway, the champ was then attacked by the second member of the new Main Event Mafia, Kurt Angle. As the show ended Bully was trapped in an ankle lock on the ramp. Angle's unveiling wasn't exactly a big shock, but it makes sense. 

Overall it was a fair show, nothing outstanding but decent enough. My highlights were Daniels versus Hernandez, Styles versus Joe and the very entertaining Roode versus Hardy. I'm hoping that the new Main Event Mafia will work, and lend something worthwhile to the product (and maybe even help elevate up and coming talent) that being said I am glad to see the solid Angle in the group.

My TNA Bound for Glory 2012 Recap

Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Rob Van Dam defeated Zema Ion (c) to capture the X Division Championship in a decent enough opener to the show. Ion managed to control most of the match with one of his best showings to date in my opinion. But RVD, unsurprisingly the crowd favourite in Phoenix, managed to make a comeback and hit the Five Star Frog Splash for the one-two-three. While I was hoping Ion would win here as he had a lot more to gain, and it coud've really bolstered the status of the title, he at least managed to look competitive against Van Dam which is something. 

Samoa Joe (c) bested Magnus to retain the TNA Television title in a solid back and fourth bout. I wasn't really expecting anything much from this match to be honest, I thought it'd be okay but nothing special, and I'm certainly glad I was wrong. Magnus pulled out the best performance I've ever seen from him here and proved that he could potentially be one of TNA's top players in the years to come. Of course Joe put in his usual worthy effort and both men provided a title match to be proud of.    

James Storm beat Bobby Roode in a terrific Street Fight. In this dramatic encounter both rivals battled it out as they did not hold back at all, with plenty of weapons used (although not too much to make it overkill) and effective near falls. The fans also voiced their approval throughout. King Mo's involvement was kept very minimal, in fact I didn't really see the point of using him here at all bar the publicity for the event. Even then I don't think it was worth it. 

Joey Ryan defeated Al Snow in an average match up, therefore earning himself a TNA contract. The action was never bad at any point, just quite pedestrian, especially up against the previous bout. Ryan grabbed the winning pin after Matt Morgan made his return and applied a Carbon Footprint to Snow. I was hoping the company were done with the sub par Morgan, ah well.

Hernandez and Chavo Guerrero bested Christopher Daniels, Kazarian, AJ Styles and Kurt Angle to win the TNA Tag Team Championship in an awesome contest. The match started off a little slow (not bad, just slow) and built up to a fast pace and a flurry of insane and exciting moves. I was going to point out Styles as the man of the match, but that wouldn't be fair as all six men put in a display worthy of TNA's biggest show of the year. This is certainly one of my favourite pay-per-view matches of the year so far, thrilling stuff that is definitely worth checking out.

Tara beat Brooke Tessmacher (c) to obtain the TNA Knockouts title. The bout ranged from fair to average, and I have to say that Tessmacher actually impressed me here. She may not still be near the top female talent but she's showed signs of working hard and improving in the ring which I admire, and is something I wish we saw more of from a lot of female pro wrestlers who have managed to coast along for years. Considering all the build up with this feud is seemed to be kept quite brief too.

Afterwards Jesse from Big Brother was revealed to be Tara's secret 'Hollywood' boyfriend. Wow, what a coup for TNA (yes, that was sarcasm don't worry). The crowd amusingly (and fittingly) chanted "Who are you" in response to the reveal.

We were then shown a VT of clips from Sting's TNA Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The scale of it compared to WWE's was pretty clear. While it showed fitting speeches, things like Hulk Hogan wearing a Bound for Glory T-Shirt (yes, really. Way to show some respect by dressing up Hogan) made it feel a little cheap. Or maybe I'm being a bit harsh. 

Before the following tag match, Aces and Eights members dragged in the previously kidnapped Joseph Parks as per the agreement. The reaction from the commentators was mild considering he's been held hostage for weeks.

Aces & Eights beat Bully Ray and Sting in a fair, if quite pedestrian at times No DQ tag match. As per the stipulations Aces & Eights members now have free access in TNA. The match had decent moments, and Bully was on good form, along with Sting he managed to get a healthy reaction from the fans. I was personally hoping with the no disqualification stipulation that it'd be a little more exciting and action packed. For the finish Bully was put through a table for the winning pinfall. 

As the gang celebrated, Hulk Hogan came out and along with his ego ridiculously took out the Aces & Eights members, leaving just one. Hogan and 'The Stinger' revealed it to be none other than the previously fired Devon, much to everyones shock. All three men asked him why as he left. I'm actually quite surprised by the outcome, not so much Devon being a member (although I'll give credit, with his release it was a clever move on the writers part) but the fact that Bully didn't turn on Sting. I personally think Ray would've been the perfect front man for the group, and he's been so effective as a heel. Although I can imagine him being a decent face too, we'll see.

Jeff Hardy defeated Austin Aries (c) to obtain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in a superb main event. In the match of the night both men put on a thrilling display as they fought with everything they had. Pulling out plenty of impressive maneuvers and providing red hot near falls, this was a worthy main event and World title contest. It was a good end to a highly enjoyable show.

The majority of the crowd in Phoenix were behind the defending champ, but as the match went on Hardy's fans were heard too. While like a lot of those fans I was also hoping that AA would retain, I'm interested to see how Hardy's run goes. And to give him credit he's seemed to have sorted himself out over the last year and I hope he keeps it up. 

Overall Bound for Glory was yet another very solid card from TNA, with most matches providing some great viewing and memorable showings from the talent. I was fairly confident the show would live up to the billing, and it exceeded it for me, with my personal highlights being the main event and Tag Team Championship bouts. TNA has for a while now used it's talented roster to it's potential, let's hope it stays that way. 

My TNA Impact Wrestling, 11th October 2012 Recap

Photo credit: www.facebook.com/ImpactWrestling

Austin Aries defeated James Storm in an exciting back and fourth opener to the show. Disappointedly there were a few hiccups here and there, but overall it was enjoyable and you could forgive those minor errors. For the finish Bobby Roode ran in and threw 'The Cowboy' into the ring post before chucking him back into the ring to be Brainbustered and  successfully pinned by AA. The crowd were into the bout from start to finish, which is hardly surprising considering you had the solid Storm and Aries.  

Hulk Hogan and Sting came out and reminded us of what happened last week when they both agreed that 'The Stinger' would team with Bully Ray at Bound for Glory to take on Aces & Eights. The Tag Champions Christopher Daniels and Kazarian then joined them and tried to convince Hogan and Sting to cancel their Tag Team title defence on Sunday so they could use Kurt Angle instead of the untrustworthy Bully.

Bully Ray himself then joined them and admitted that while Angle was a better wrestler, they needed a brawler not a wrestler heading into battle against Aces & Eights. He also convinced 'The Hulkster' to book a match with him and Sting versus Daniels and Kaz to prove that he could be trusted. All men involved in the segment were on good form on the mic.

Hernandez bested AJ Styles in a fair match up. As expected Styles put in a decent effort, while Hernandez was okay. Hernandez grabbed the win with a big shoulder barge after AJ was distracted by Chavo Guerrero at ringside. For me a shoulder barge (even one from the huge Hernandez) seems like a bit of a feeble finisher, especially to put away a former World Champion like Styles.  

X Division Champ Zema Ion rightfully complained that he had no match for BFG, since there was no competition good enough for him. This cued Rob Van Dam's entrance, who then revealed that Hogan had given him the choice of opponent for this Sunday, and guess what? He'd picked Ion. He also sealed his decision with a swift jumping spinning kick to Zema's head. I'm really hoping the X Division strap holder isn't buried at BFG, a win against RVD (even a fluke one) could really help boost him and the title, which both really need at the moment. 

Christopher Daniels and Kazarian won via disqualification versus Sting and Bully Ray in an enjoyable and solid tag bout. Sting and Bully dominated the first third, but the tag champs soon came back and had Sting reeling until he made the hot tag to Bully. 'The Stinger' in homage to Team 3D then ordered him to "Get the table!" So Bully complied and powerbombed Daniels through it for a satisfying and exciting end to the match. 

Brooke Tessmacher beat Gail Kim in a worthy effort by both women. I wasn't expecting anything great here but it proved to be a far better contest then I predicted as both Knockouts provided a fun back and fourth match up. I'll give most of the credit to Kim and her usual solid performance, but Tessmacher looked decent in the ring (bar her botched finisher to Kim) and is showing improvement. Afterwards Tara attempted to apply a Widows Peak to the champ, but Brooke turned it around and instead hit a Tess-Shocker on her BFG foe. To be honest I can't see the Knockout title match on Sunday topping this.   

Backstage Bobby Roode and James Storm began fighting until King Mo appeared from nowhere to split them up. I can't say Mo's adding anything to their BFG match for me personally.

Jeff Hardy won via DQ versus Bobby Roode after 'The It Factor' low blowed Hardy in front of the referee. The main event itself had been a solid one, with a good display from both wrestlers. I wasn't really expecting much less from these two. 

After Hardy managed to thwart a chair shot from Roode (actually the ref grabbed the chair from Bobby, Hardy then applied a Twist Of Fate) Aries joined him with a page from a supposed TNA script with what he was apparently meant to come out and say, but he didn't want to and threw it away.

Aries went on to admit that since becoming World Champion the TNA management had asked him to embrace the fans and act a certain way, they basically  wanted him to be "who he had to be as the World Heavyweight Champion." But he'd finally had enough, enough of being told what to do and enough of the adulation and special treatment Hardy receives form the fans and management. As Jeff went to then leave the ring, AA took him out with his signature Brainbuster. It should be a great match between them at BFG.

Overall it was another solid Impact, with all the matches being worthy efforts, and the worst being watchable at least. The promo from Aries (with his usual high standard mic work) at the end was also a step in making his feud with Hardy a bit more intriguing and personal, which it needed in my opinion. Roll on Bound for Glory, should be a good 'n I reckon. 

My Impact Wrestling, 4th October 2012 Recap

Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Mr. Anderson defeated Gunner in a rather pedestrian match up. Both men put on passable performances, but nothing special. Afterwards Kid Kash (who'd come out with Gunner) attempted to take out Anderson, but instead received a Mic Check. Sting backstage was shown keeping a close eye on the bout as he was looking for recruits for his team facing Aces & Eights at Bound for Glory. 

Tara and Gail Kim bested Brooke Tessmacher and ODB in a fair tag bout. The action in the first half was superior to the second, with solid enough interaction between ODB and her two opponents. Unfortunately Tessmacher looked pretty average, not awful by any means, but average. For the finish Tara shoved her partner Kim into the Knockouts Champion and applied the Widows Peak for the one-two-three.   

Al Snow called out former Gut Check contestant Joey Ryan and apologised to him for putting his hands on him and action unprofessionally. The obnoxious Ryan called Snow "pathetic" and claimed that that night was all about him. Snow then presented a contract that had been agreed on for Ryan to join TNA, which he signed. Snow then happily revealed that the contract was actually only for one night at BFG, and it was for a match against him. Ryan was not pleased.

Samoa Joe (c) beat Rob Van Dam to retain the TNA Television title in an enjoyable outing. Both men put in good displays as they battled back and fourth, and RVD gave an effort above his usual standard in TNA. It was revealed later on that Joe will take on Magnus at BFG for his championship.

Backstage Bully Ray challenged Jeff Hardy to a match to prove his worth to Sting to gain a spot on his team. An insulted Austin Aries (who was also standing there) asked why Bully didn't challenge him instead. So to settle things Hardy set up a Triple Threat between them, which Bully agreed to. The slight hints to an Aries heel turn are making things interesting in his feud with Hardy.

Chavo Guerrero defeated Kurt Angle in a decent match up. Although it maybe wasn't as high a standard as I was hoping, it was still enjoyable for the most part and a worthy performance from both men. Chavo grabbed the winning quick roll up pin after Hernandez at ringside distracted Angle. Afterwards AJ Styles also jumped into the ring as all four men argued over the dubious match ending, Christopher Daniels and Kazarian then appeared and seemed to relish the bickering between their four future tag team opponents.

Zema Ion (c) bested Douglas Williams to retain the X Division Championship. The match itself was entertaining while it lasted, it's just a shame it wasn't allocated a little more time to benefit from. Williams as usual was on solid technical form and helped elevate Ion beyond his usual standard performance, not to take away from Ion who I still think could be a very promising talent. For the finish Ion managed to thrust Williams into the ringpost, causing him to damage his arm which the champ jumped on as he forced his opponent to tap to a nicely applied armbar.  

James Storm came out and stated that he intends to prove at BFG against Roode that "I am the better man" and reminded us (even though it'd already been mentioned a ton of times and had a video package) that MMA fighter King Mo will be the special enforcer in their match up as no ordinary official can handle them. Bobby Roode shortly joined 'The Cowboy' and warned that he shouldn't worry about King Mo, but worry about their encounter. He went on to also claim that they won't be having a match at BFG, but a fight that has been building since their days as Beer Money Inc.

He then added that King Mo doesn't concern him, which naturally cued the Bellator fighter's entrance. As the two men faced off Mo eventually had enough and pushed down 'The It Factor' and then joined Storm in the ring for a beer. 

Bully Ray defeated Jeff Hardy and Austin Aries to win a fair Triple Threat match. The bout itself was quite disappointing for me, I was expecting a worthy main event with great action but it just ranged from run of the mill to decent. Maybe my expectations were too high, if it'd been the main event of BFG it would've been far superior I'm sure.

In a messy ending Bully was clearly waiting for Hardy to run in and accidentally strike Aries, but AA turned too soon or Hardy was late (not too sure) and he had to run around and throw Jeff into the World Champion himself, then Bubba Bomb Hardy for the victory.

Hulk Hogan announced that he and Sting had decided to pick Mr. Anderson to team with 'The Stinger' at BFG to face Aces & Eights. But unfortunately for them we were then shown live footage of Aces & Eights taking out Anderson. So Bully Ray once again urged both men to pick him, and after some convincing from Sting Hogan shook Bully's hand on it. I'm betting on Bully turning on Sting at BFG and being revealed as a member of Aces & Eights all along.

Overall it was a okay show, certainly not the best of recent broadcasts but not bad. Most matches were decent enough and the Bound for Glory bouts are being set up nicely. It's also fair enough that they had a title match here but I just wish they'd been setting Ion up for a bigger X Division title match for their biggest event of the year, the title really needs more attention right now. 

My Impact Wrestling, 27th September 2012 Recap

Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Hulk Hogan kicked things off by announcing a Television title match to determine a champion for the vacant belt, and also explained his disappointment at the former Television Champion Devon's departure from the company and hoped to have him back soon. He also booked Storm versus Roode at Bound for Glory in a Street Fight to finally settle their feud, with MMA Fighter King Mo (yeah, I had to look him up too). Finally he also reminded us of his trip to Aces & Eights clubhouse later on in the show, which cued Sting to come out and confirm that he would be backing 'The Hulkster' up when he visits.

Christopher Daniels defeated Chavo Guerrero and Kurt Angle in a decent enough Triple Threat. Surprisingly there were a few sloppy moments here and there which spoilt the bout a bit, which is something very out of character for these three wrestlers. I was personally expecting more here considering the talent involved, but it was certainly watchable. 

Tara beat ODB in an average Knockouts bout. The match was quite pedestrian from the start and never really engaged me at all. Tara grabbed the one-two-three after pretending that she'd injured her knee (which no one was buying for a second as she was booed in the ring) and catching her opponent out with a roll up pin. As a part of this win Tara became the number one contender to the Knockouts title at BFG.

Samoa Joe defeated Mr. Anderson to win the vacant TNA Television Championship. The match itself ranged from fair to quite drab, the efforts from both men were okay but nothing outstanding and certainly nowhere near the best we've seen from either of them. It just felt very underwhelming considering it was a title match.

Backstage Sting and Hogan were sprayed in the faces with an unknown substance by a mysterious woman and then chucked into the back of a van by members of Aces & Eights. The plot thickens.

As part of the Gut Check challenge, eighteen-year old Evan Markopolous was voted two no's to one yes which means he doesn't receive a TNA contract. I thought he looked okay last week, and the crowd seemed behind him but I agree with the decision not to take him on right now.

Sting and Hogan agreed on a deal with the Aces & Eights leader in their clubhouse that at Bound for Glory they will each pick two men to face each other in a tag match, with the stipulations that if Aces & Eights win then they have free reign of TNA and if Hogan's team is victorious then Aces & Eights will leave forever. Well I certainly can't see the gang leaving just yet so they're going to win, and we should get the first reveal of some of their identities in Phoenix too I reckon. 

Jeff Hardy and Austin Aries defeated Bobby Roode and Bully Ray in an enjoyable main event tag contest, and best match of the night. The pace was kept to a nice speed and all four men gave solid displays. The crowd were also eating it up, which is hardly surprising considering the quality of the bout before them. After Hardy tagged himself in and grabbed the win with a Swanton, Aries confronted him about it. This feud needs a bit more hostility to get it going a bit.  

Overall it felt like a sub standard Impact compared to recent broadcasts for me. The standard of action in the ring wasn't as consistent, although fortunately the main event saved it a bit. The storylines progressed okay, but I was never as interested as I have been recently in any of the Aces & Eights segments. Not a bad show but nothing special.  

My Impact Wrestling, 20th September 2012 Recap

Photo credit: impactwrestling.com 

Before the show had begun Shaquille O'Neil informed Hulk Hogan that he would be near the arena if he needed him and had his back regarding Aces & Eights. That was the only appearance he made.

As part of the Open Fight Night Kurt Angle and AJ Styles challenged Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez to a match to determine who deserves the next shot at the TNA Tag titles.  Angle and Styles predictably received a good reception.

Kurt Angle and AJ Styles versus Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez ended in a no contest as Christopher Daniels and Kazarian ran in and attacked Chavo and Styles. The match itself had been an entertaining one, with all four men providing good displays throughout with solid back and fourth action. 

Douglas Williams beat Gut Check challenger Evan Markopoulus in a pretty average bout. Williams as usual was on good technical form as he largely dominated Markopoulus. Unfortunately Evan didn't really look like anything special, but saying that I wouldn't have minded seeing a bit more offense from the rookie to get a better idea of what he's capable of. I can't see him being kept on.

James Storm called out Roode for a straight up fight, stating that their feud had moved beyond personal and now he just wanted to see him hurt. Bobby Roode came out and announced that he wouldn't fight 'The Cowboy' as he was superior to Storm and that as long as he was around he wouldn't become World Champion again, and left. But unfortunately for Roode Hogan warned him backstage that if he refuses the match (as part of the Open Fight Night you must accept any challenge) then he'll be fired, so the 'It Factor' made his way out gingerly to face Storm. 

James Storm versus Bobby Roode ended in a no contest (two in one night? Is Russo back?) after the referee Brian Hebner realised that he couldn't control the two wrestlers. It wasn't so much a wrestling match as a brawl outside the ring for the majority of the fight, which was enjoyable enough and made sense considering their personal rivalry. The crowd seemed to also be up for it and were firmly lending their support to Storm. The battle continued through the fans and into the back.

Austin Aries explained to Jeff Hardy backstage that although Hardy was after his World title at Bound for Glory he was also after Hardy's admiration and respect that he gets from his fans, along with all his accomplished in his career so far and the only way to get that is by defeating him at BFG. Aries once again came off quit heelish here as he called Hardy's fans "mindless sheep." Not really appropriate for one of the top faces in TNA right now.

Tara claimed that the reason she turned on Tessmacher last week was because she was tired of being all pally pally with her and was reminded from her new, apparently top Hollywood star boyfriend that she is the top female wrestler in the World. She also accused the fans of just chanting for her for her looks. Tara went on to challenge announcer Christy Hemme to a match up. As Tara began getting physical with Hemme, Brooke Tessmacher raced to her aid and chased off her former mentor.

Hulk Hogan decided to make a deal with Aces & Eights that they let the kidnapped Joseph Parks go and he'll go into their clubhouse. The gang's leader appeared on screen and agreed to the deal, he also had a fellow member of the group destroy Park's laptop and crack the lawyer in the head with a hammer. The 'Hulkster' did not look amused.

After a video package for Jeff Hardy played, Aries thanked the producers for playing it right before he made his way out sarcastically, explaining that that kind of attention Hardy receives is exactly what he's after. He also claimed Hardy wasn't the hunter but "the hunted" and wanted to prove that whatever Jeff could do he could do better and called out Bully Ray for a match. Bully said that AA had a lot of nerve calling him out, but was eventually cut off as the World Champion came flying over the top rope at him to start the bout in an impressive fashion.

Bully Ray defeated Austin Aries in a decent enough main event. Bully dominated for the most part, with Aries making a brief comeback towards the end. It wasn't a particularly memorable contest but it was watchable, and both men put in fair efforts. After referee Earl Hebner was struck accidentally, Bully took full advantage and walloped AA with his signature chains to score the winning pin. Afterwards Bully wanted to finish the job and attack Aries with his own title belt, but was chased off as Hardy came to his aid. Could they maybe be setting up a Triple Threat for the World title at BFG?

Overall it felt like a mostly average show, nothing that special to speak of really. Which is disappointing considering the quality of most Impacts recently. 

My Impact Wrestling, 13th September 2012 Recap

TNA World Heavyweight Champion Austin Aries started the show off by explaining just how important his World title was, and how it's significance is why he was targeted by Aces & Eights recently. He added that although they came after him he managed to take out one of their members at No Surrender. He then called out his opponent at Bound for Glory, Jeff Hardy. AA first congratulated his future opponent for getting through both Samoa Joe and Bully Ray in one night, and with a storyline shoulder injury.

Bully Ray shortly interrupted Aries and called both men lucky. AA because he won't have to face him at BFG and Hardy because he supposedly only won because Bully felt sorry for him. The World Champion decided to make Ray put his money where his mouth is and challenged him to face Hardy that night, but Bully backed out.

Zema Ion (c) defeated Sonjay Dutt to retain the X Division title in an enjoyable enough bout. Dutt was once again on solid form with his crisp and impressive maneuvers, unfortunately Ion looked quite average again. I was hoping Ion would grow into the role of the X strap holder and up his game when given the chance, but it just hasn't really happened. I hope I'm proven wrong and that he does improve in the future, he has shown glimpses of becoming more engrossing. Zema retained after grabbing the ropes for a cheeky pinfall win.     

Bobby Roode came out and explained that he smashed a beer bottle over Storm's head at No Surrender (thereby costing him the match in the BFG Series) because he felt that 'The Cowboy', who he accused of riding his coattails when they were a tag team, didn't deserve a chance at the World title that he'd once held. James Storm inevitably came out and the two once again began brawling, with Storm gaining the upper hand and dragging Roode outside.   

AJ Styles beat Kazarian in an decent, if a little disjointed at times match up. While the action came fast and for the most part well, there were a few little mistakes here and there. But like I said they were only little and it failed to really spoil the contest. The crowd were also really into and thoroughly behind the face Styles. As per the stipulation put in by Hulk Hogan, AJ and Kurt Angle will receive a shot at the TNA Tag Team titles sometime in the future as a result of Style's win.  

Joseph Parks informed Hulk Hogan in his office that he was very close to "one key piece of evidence" regarding the Aces & Eights case that will be revealed on next weeks Impact. I'm liking Parks in this role, he suits it.

Bully Ray challenged Hardy backstage to put his spot as number one contender at BFG on the line in their match later on, claiming that he didn't have the "balls" to do it. Hardy accepted, as all good guys should.

Hogan stated that the Impact Zone would always be in lockdown mode from here on out  to help capture Aces & Eights. Right on cue members of the gang itself appeared on the big screen and warned Hogan that he'd now locked in all the members with him and he has no way of knowing who they are backstage. 'The Hulkster' looked rather concerned at his plan backfiring.   

Chavo Guerrero defeated Christopher Daniels in a great contest. In Chavo's best match since joining TNA so far both men went back and fourth with perfectly executed moves and at a nice pace. For the finish Guerrero managed to avoid an attempt from Daniels to strike him with his title belt and applied his signature Three Amigos and Frog Splash to have his hand raised.

Tara wanted to officially congratulate her good friend Brooke Tessmacher on toppling her last Sunday and offered to present the Knockouts Championship to her to signify that she was now the top woman in TNA. The divvy Taz piped in with an inappropriate "What are we watching Oprah here?" Granted it maybe was a little too sweet for pro wrestling but he should've just kept quiet, like most of the time. After wrapping the belt on the champ, Tara predictably turned on her and took her out with a Widows Peak. The attack pleased the crowd. It was just a bit too obvious, I personally think the heel turn should've happened slowly in the build up to BFG and then occurred there.

Jeff Hardy beat Bully Ray in an intense main event to retain his place as number one contender. In a bout superior to their outing last Sunday, both men gave a solid effort to be proud of and had an electric crowd behind them. It was an enjoyable match from start to finish and a good way to end the show. Although I'm not sure where any of this leaves Bully as far as BFG goes?

Overall it was a solid show with matches that were at the worst decent, which is always a good sign. The advancements in the storylines also made sense (still feel Tara's heel turn was a little early but still) and didn't feel rushed or over the top. TNA is on form right now, I recommend checking it out if you don't normally.

My TNA No Surrender 2012 Recap

Jeff Hardy defeated Samoa Joe to advance in the Bound For Glory Series Final in a solid opener to the show. The pace of the match varied as Samoa Joe would control Hardy slowly in the first half and quicken as there were nice near falls and submission attempts towards the end, and it worked with these two contrasting wrestlers. The quality of the bout was hardly surprising considering the two talents involved, smart choice to start the show and get the crowd going too.  

Bully Ray beat James Storm to advance to the BFG Series Final in a fair match up that was unfortunately tarnished a bit by unnecessary 90s-esque referee bumps. The contest started off fairly uneventful, with Bully building heat by leaving the ring and complaining to the ref constantly. It then hit it's stride as both men went back and fourth and became enjoyable.

Unfortunately we then witnesses three referee bumps in the space of five minutes, which was just overkill and unneeded as Bobby Roode then made his return and cracked a beer bottle over Storm's head and covered him with Bully for the finish. I can obviously understand one referee KO was needed but not three, it just ruined the match a bit for me.   

Brooke Tessmacher (c) defeated Tara to retain the TNA Knockouts title in a largely pedestrian outing. The action wasn't bad, but it did often feel like it was dragging a bit and I don't believe it should have been allocated so much time. It probably would've benefitted more from keeping the decent bits of wrestling condensed. Tara was angered after Brooke caught her with a roll up pin for the victory and abruptly left without congratulating her former student. I'm guessing we'll be seeing a rematch of some kind at Bound for Glory. 

Backstage we had a nice brawl between an arrested Roode and Storm until Hulk Hogan split them up along with more members of security. More pull apart fights should be like this in pro wrestling, where you can really believe in the hatred and heat between the two foes. 

Before his following match Austin Aries explained that there would be no referee and no rules, just a straight up fight between him and the Aces & Eights member who broke his arm. The member eventually arrived and the two began exchanging blows. After a bit of a tedious period in which the Aces & Eights member controlled Aries, the World Champion managed to make a comeback by pouring white powder into the goon's face and upped the pace and managed the gain back the crowd's interest.   

As AA was about to unmask his adversary other gang members made their way out which led to another brawl between both them and members of the TNA roster, who eventually chased off Aces & Eights. Hogan joined everyone and ordered the building to be locked down so they couldn't get away. Bully Ray also informed him that Hardy had been attacked and was badly hurt.

Zema Ion (c) defeated Sonjay Dutt to retain the X Division Championship in a very enjoyable contest once it got going. The action started to really flow in the final third with nice near falls and exciting moves, unfortunately the crowd weren't particularly responsive. I guess they were going to struggle to be after the gang fight and BFG Series matches they've just witnessed.

The only downfall of the match for me was that it really highlighted the champ's shortcomings compared to a superior talent in Dutt. Not that Ion's bad but as X Division Champion (especially following Aries) he needs to just up his game that bit more.  

Out in the parking lot we witnessed Hogan ridiculously ordering around the cops that had arrived at the arena. Even demanding that they bring more. Sorry, are we honestly expected to believe that the police force would have this situation on such high priority that they'd send out this many cops because a retired pro wrestler told them to? Who exactly does Hogan think he is? Even for a storyline it just came off as moronic.  

Rob Van Dam beat Magnus in a passable, if quite pedestrian bout. It was watchable, I just never felt myself getting engaged much at any point. RVD did his usual TNA routine while Magnus looked decent enough, not terrible but quite uneventful overall. 

Before their title defense Daniels and Kazarian gave an enjoyable promo about the hardships that Hogan as GM has thrown their way and how they deserve better treatment. At least TNA have these two keeping the tag team division relevant. Obviously nothing against the superb talents that are Angle and Styles but they're not exactly a regular solidified team. 

Christopher Daniels and Kazarian (c) defeated AJ Styles and Kurt Angle to retain the TNA Tag Team titles in a terrific match up. For the majority it was a thoroughly enjoyable match with blistering action and effective near falls. All four men gave a display to be very proud of. If I had one little niggle (and it's only a minor one) it's that the bout didn't maybe have to be quite so long. There were a few periods where the fans were loosing a bit of interest while the pace slowed down which was a shame, but otherwise it's well worth checking out if you weren't going planning to watch the PPV.  

Before the BFG Series Final Bully Ray gave a nice speech on the events of the evening and his rise in the singles division over the last year and a half. He went on to claim that while others were "Bound for Glory. I am destined for greatness." And stated that while you may not like him, you have to respect the transition he's made in his career. Which I very much agree with. I'll admit that I never thought his singles career would amount to very much, maybe mid card at the most. But he's become one of my favourite acts in pro wrestling today and a superb singles heel.   

As Bully awaited the injured Jeff Hardy, Hogan instead joined him and asked that if Bully Ray really feels as strongly as he states then he should wait until the next Impact when Hardy's in better condition. This idea understandable irked the fans in attendance who wanted a BFG Series Final match as advertised. Hardy's music then hit once again and he made his way out, clearly still feeling the effects of his attack. 

Jeff Hardy beat Bully Ray in a fair match to win the BFG Series Final. Unfortunately the main event was unable to live up to some of the previous bouts of the night but it was still decent enough and had a surprise win that I imagined pleased a lot of fans. Although I was personally rooting for Bully, thought it'd make a lot more sense. Hardy fought back through his shoulder injury like a true heroic face and managed to get through Bully's offense and hit the Swanton Bomb for the one-two-three. The crowd in attendance were very happy with the result.

Overall No Surrender was yet another largely enjoyable and solid pay-per-view from TNA. With engaging matches and relevant story line advancements. And next up is the biggest event for the company of the year, Bound for Glory. If the last few PPV's are anything to go by then it should be a fantastic event.

My Impact Wrestling, 30th August 2012 Recap

TNA World Heavyweight Champion Austin Aries came to the ring and demanded that whoever is behind Aces & Eights man up and face him after taking out his right hand on last weeks show. But instead Hulk Hogan and Sting came out to announce that Hogan was back as the General Manager of Impact once again, and asked AA to calm down a little bit. Aces & Eights members then did their usual routine of appearing on the big screen and warning that that they would be appearing on the show that night. It was an okay segment to start the show with, nothing that exceptional.

James Storm defeated Rob Van Dam in a fair Bound For Glory Series match up. The first half was quite drab, with both men just going through the motions. Fortunately it picked up a bit and both wrestlers provided a decent enough bout. 

Much to her dismay Madison Rayne found out that the secret opponent of hers booked by Brooke Hogan was not Tessmacher in a rematch for the Knockouts title but ODB instead. As the Knockouts referee Taryn Terrell turned her back, ODB spat out the contents of her beverage in Rayne's face and picked up the quick win after applying the Bam. ODB's husband Eric Young, and a rather sharp looking EY at that made his return to Impact. But an upset ODB claimed that she no longer recognised her husband, so EY morphed back to his old self and stripped down to his underpants. Not too sure how pleased I am to have him back just yet.

Samoa Joe beat AJ Styles in a BFG Series contest, thereby eliminating Styles from contention of winning the series. It was a predictably solid back and fourth bout, with both professionals putting on trademark terrific displays in the ring. If it were up to me both men would be in the final four of the BFG Series, just swap AJ with RVD.

Gut Check contestant Chris Louie was turned down with two votes of no from Taz and Bruce Pritchard, who went as far to tell Louie that "this business is not for you." That may sound harsh but Louie really didn't look that capable or talented at all in his match last week. Afterwards former GC contestant Joey Ryan once again had a go at the judges with a megaphone in hand, although this time he also threw a drink in Al Snow's face.

Jeff Hardy defeated Kurt Angle in a tremendous BFG Series bout. From start to finish they put in great efforts but the red hot final third of the match alone is worth checking this out for. This also meant the unfortunate elimination of Angle from the BFG Series contest. Again I don't see why RVD is ahead of another superior talent.

As Hogan and members of the roster made their way out, he challenged one of Aces & Eight's men to take on the World Champion Aries in the ring. So they accepted but soon the one on one brawl once again turned into a gang fight between everyone for the second week in a row. Aries was also KO'd by a gang member from behind.

Felt a bit lazy having a very similar ending once again but at least the in ring action managed to save the show. Overall a decent enough Impact this week.   

My TNA Hardcore Justice 2012 Recap

Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez defeated Kid Kash and Gunner in a fair opener to the show. It wasn't anything particularly special but it was enjoyable enough for the most part and seemed to get the crowd going. Having Chavo challenge for the X Division or Tag Team title (with 'Super Mex') would be an interesting next step for him I reckon. Seeing him take on Daniels and Kazarian would be cool.   

Before the following match we were informed that after being taken out by Aces & Eights, D'Angelo Dinero would not be participating in the bout. Shame it wasn't Anderson instead.

Rob Van Dam beat Magnus and Mr. Anderson in a Falls Count Anywhere match in the Bound For Glory Series. The bout ranged from okay to quite enjoyable, just unfortunate a few sloppy and strange moments hindered it a bit. Magnus also showed a fair bit of character here which was nice, he really has come such a long way since his debut. 

Devon (c) defeated Kazarian to retain the TNA Television Championship in a surprisingly decent title contest. Don't get me wrong I think of both men as good performers but I really wasn't expecting anything special here, but it was a fun match up and I'm glad I was proven wrong. The only let down was Taz's commentary, which was even more inane than usual.

Madison Rayne defeated Brooke Tessmacher (c) to win the TNA Knockouts title. It was a passable match up, which was more than what I was expecting from this to be honest. Still not a big fan of the Earl Hebner and Rayne love story, it's just absurd that they would still have him officiating her matches? It makes no sense.

Bully Ray defeated Jeff Hardy, James Storm and Robbie E in a BFG Series Tables match. The match itself was a mixed bag, there were some exciting moments for sure (superplex/powerbomb spot from the top rope involving three of them, Aces & Eights running in and further hinting at Storm's involvement with them, plus of course the near falls through the tables). But there were also some sloppy moments, such as Robbie E showing his inexperience in this kind of environment as he failed to move a table out of the way in time which caused Bully to just crack the corner. All in all it was quite a satisfying contest. Bully grabbed the victory after powerbombing Hardy through a table in the ring.

Zema Ion (c) beat Kenny King to retain the X Division Championship in a blistering contest. Both wrestlers certainly went for it and their efforts paid off as they delivered a very enjoyable match up.

AJ Styles defeated Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle and Christopher Daniels in a BFG Series Ladder match. And let me just say, what a match. One more time, what a match. Considering the exemplary talent involved it's hardly surprising but this is one of the most superb ladder matches I've seen in a long time, and that's including some great ladder matches. The thrilling action was crisp and delivered perfectly, again something you've just come to expect from these four men each and every time they step into a ring. Styles grabbed the 20 points after a quick springboard onto the ladder and snatched the slip from under Joe's nose, it was flawless. Do yourself a favour and just check out this awesome Ladder match, you won't regret it.

Austin Aries (c) defeated Bobby Roode to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in a tremendously intense main event. Going into this I wasn't convinced that it could live up to the drama and excitement of their title bout from last month, and although the ending wasn't as understandably thrilling, it wasn't far off of the same standard and both men should be proud that they delivered a true main event calibre contest.

The only thing that hindered it for me was when not one but two referees took bumps, then both counted a double pinfall finish, only to have the match restarted by Earl Hebner. It was completely unnecessary and tainted a bit what had otherwise been a largely enthralling World title match. Again this was a match well worth your time.

On the whole Hardcore Justice was yet again for the most part another highly enjoyable pay-per-view from TNA. The quality and effort from most of the talent involved really paid off. I now wonder how SummerSlam this sunday will compare, hm? And that's coming from someone who normally prefers the WWE product.    

My Impact Wrestling, 14th June 2012 Recap

Austin Aries (c) defeated Zema Ion and Chris Sabin in a Triple Threat Ultimate X match to retain the X Division Championship. It was a highly entertaining bout, with the highlights being the superb exchanges between Aries and Sabin. The action rarely let up and all three men put in a worthy effort. 

Afterwards Aries grabbed a mic and spoke about his bold claims when he arrived in TNA about how great he was, and went on to state how the X Division title wasn't enough anymore and wanted to move to greater heights in the company. Hulk Hogan then joined him and boldly called AA the greatest thing he'd ever seen in the ring, that's a big statement. He then offered Aries the World title match at Destination X that he wanted, but on the ridiculous condition that he had to for some reason give up the X Division strap since he didn't want a champion in both divisions. 'The Hulkster' gave him a week to think it over. Why couldn't Aries just give up the title after he maybe won the World Championship? It all sounded stupid to me.

Devon (c) defeated Hernandez to retain the TNA Television title in an average contest. Devon looked okay here to be fair. So much for a big return for Hernandez, eh? 

James Storm won the Bound for Glory Series Battle Royal to earn himself 20 points. For a battle royal, which I don't usually get into until the final four are left, it was a solid and quite fun a match up. Although I'm still puzzled as to why Robbie E has been included in the BFG Series? We all know he's not going to win so it seems pointless. Samoa Joe and James Storm received the biggest ovations for their entrances into the bout, and were the final two to battle it out at the end where Storm Super Kicked Joe off the apron to win. D'Angelo Dinero also made his return in the match.

James Storm explained after that he didn't realise how much his wrestling career meant to his young daughter, and that he'd returned to become the World Champion by winning the BFG Series. It was a typically solid promo from Storm, who in turn received a strong reaction from the fans.  

Brooke Tessmacher defeated Madison Rayne in largely mediocre bout with a few fair moments. 

Bobby Roode (c) defeated Mr. Anderson to retain the TNA World Heavyweight title in a decent enough main event. I wasn't expecting a classic but it was a passable World title bout, with both men having their fair share of the offense. Roode won after forcing Anderson to tap to the Crossface. It looked good having the champion win a match cleanly like this too, he should look this dominant more often.  

Sting came out and claimed that Slammiversary where he was inducted into TNA's Hall of Fame was one of the greatest nights of his career. He also thanked the Jarretts but was then cut off as three masked men came out and attacked him. It makes me laugh how furious commentators get when this kind of thing happens but they don't do anything to help the person out. 

My TNA Bound For Glory 2011 Recap

So I originally had this far longer review of last nights Bound For Glory when my bloody laptop decided to suddenly shut down so I lost all of it. Don't you just love it when that kind of thing happens?
So anyway here's a much quicker roundup of it. The majority of the PPV was pretty mediocre.
The first match of the night was Austin Aries versus Brian Kendrick for the X Division championship. Good action here with the crowd in attendance firmly behind Aries as he retained his title. Smart choice as opener to get the crowd hyped for the night.
The Knockout championship bout was pretty much a waste of time, with the crowd giving chants of "Boring" and even Taz admitting that Karen Jarret as special ref was"annoying". Velvet Sky pinned Madison Rayne to win the title. 
Samoa Joe got a  good reception in his triple threat match against Morgan and Crimson. I guess the crowd decided to get behind the guy with the most talent. I was hoping for him to get the in after his string of losses lately but Crimson pinned him after a spear. 
The Jerry Lynn versus RVD Full Metal Mayhem match was okay, a few mistakes by both here and there but some decent spots, Van Dam won after an awesome coast to coast while holding a steel chair with a ladder balanced in front of Lynn. Anderson versus Bully Ray in a Falls Count Anywhere bout was again decent in places, but I was never expecting anything special from this match anyway. Anderson won after missing a swanton from the top rope to Bully Ray who was on a table on the outside of the ring, he quickly recovered and Mic Checked Ray through the table instead for the one-two-three.
Christopher Daniels versus AJ Styles in an I Quit match was exciting and heated. As one of my most anticipated matches of the night it certainly lived up to the billing for me. Daniels quit as AJ threatened him with a screwdriver. But it wasn't over, as AJ walked down the ramp Daniels attacked him from behind and applied his Angel Wings to him on the stage. I guess the feud continues...
Jeff Jarrett also called out Jeff Hardy and claimed that no one in the organisation wants him around anymore. They began to brawl until security broke them up. I think waiting to have Hardy's televised in ring return since the Victory Road incident has actually been a smart move on TNA's part. 
Hulk Hogan versus Sting was predictably stale. We had to suffer the awful acting by the boring Dixie Carter and the return of the now useless Ric Flair. Although I'll give them credit, the crowd were seriously into it. Sting eventually made Hogan tap with the Scorpion Deathlock, forcing the referee (who had been revealed as Bischoff's son earlier) to call for the bell and announce Sting as the winner. Afterwards Immortal beat down Stinger until Hogan turned on them to an electric reaction and Hulked up to help Sting take them all out. As two men past their prime against much younger wrestlers can do of course...
Finally we had the superbly built up main event pitting Kurt Angle (c) versus Bobby Roode for the World Heavyweight championship. The match was solid and the exchanges between the two wrestlers were brilliant. It's just a shame that after all the build up to the main event that they had to go with such a bullshit ending with Angle getting the pinfall while Roode was holding onto the rope. This is meant to be the biggest match of the entire year for the organisation and it goes without saying that it should really have a definitive finish, not a screwy, Russo-esque one like this. Disappointing ending, although the match is definitely worth watching.

My iMPACT Wrestling, October 13th 2011 Recap

The show opened with Angle on the mic calling out Bobby Roode, who obliged to Angle's request. Angle congratulated Roode on beating his Fortune teammates, but reminded him that he's a step above them all and will prove a much greater challenge at Bound For Glory. He also called himself "The greatest wrestler to ever lace up a pair of boots," well I'd consider him one of the all-time best for me personally. Roode commended Angle on his accomplishments and his heart, and said that at BFG he wants to find out who has the "bigger heart." He also issued Kurt the challenge of no games, interference or Immortal and Fortune at BFG, just a straight one-on-one match between the two men to determine who is the superior competitor. Angle agreed and shook Bobby's hand, but as he leaving down the ramp he admitted that he'd almost forgotten to mention something to Roode, that he was booked into a handicap match against Jarrett and Gunner later on in the night. It was an all right segment, I just hope they keep to their word and have a simple one-on-one match this Sunday. If they do I'm sure it'll be something special.
We were then taken backstage where Jerry Lynn and Christopher Daniels were brawling with AJ Styles and Rob Van Dam. This continued to the ring where Daniels and Lynn had managed to gain the advantage and drag Styles out there, until Van Dam raced out to his aid and the tag team match between the four commenced. It was a pretty decent bout, the most exciting part came when AJ performed an always awesome flip dive to the outside onto the three other wrestlers involved (including RVD which was a little odd). He also grabbed the win after performing the Styles Clash on Lynn for the three count as Daniels abandoned his partner and decided to leave.
Next up was Samoa Joe versus Matt Morgan, I think Joe deserves a more exciting in-ring competitor then Morgan really. The match was pretty drab, in the end Morgan scored the win after a schoolboy roll up. So for the second consecutive week Joe's lost in singles competition, he deserves better then that in my opinion. But Joe didn't take it lying down as he began the attack on Morgan. This was until Crimson made his way out for the save as Joe left the ring. Samoa Joe then issued the challenge of a triple threat match up between the three at Bound For Glory to settle things.  
We then had another call out as Mexican America asked Ink Inc to make their way to the ring (where they got a pretty good reaction from the crowd actually). They began to mock Mexican America until they'd had enough and began to beat down Neal and Moore. But then an unknown woman made her way out and helped Ink Inc by taking out Rosita and Sarita, this gave Ink Inc enough leverage to then clear house and stand tall in the ring. With this new addition to the team I'm predicting a win for them on Sunday for the Tag Team titles.
The next match of the night pitted Kendrick and Sorensen against Aries and Kid Kash. This was the most exciting match of the night (if not flawed at places) with some solid action, Sorensen especially impressed me here. After a disagreement between Kash and Aries after Kid had inadvertently elbowed Aries, Sorensen speared Kash and they left the ring. I believe the referee was meant to be distracted here (but it's TNA booking so who knows?) as Aries grabbed his X Division title belt with clear intent to hit Kendrick, even though he clearly was looking at the action. Anyway Kendrick managed to duck it and apply his sliced bread maneuver onto the belt for the win.  
Assembled in the ring for the next segment were the majority of the Knockouts division along with the President of the Knockouts Karen Jarrett. She berated them for a while, calling them classless and even "street walkers" at one point, she especially had a go at Velvet Sky. Though Sky didn't take it lying down, she stood up to Jarrett and claimed that she would "respect her" when she becomes the next Knockout champion. As Karen continued Velvet and Traci Brooks then childishly tripped her up as a fight between the knockouts then ensued until security broke it up. Can't say I'm particularly eagerly anticipating the Knockout title match on Sunday myself. I'm predicting Velvet Sky to pick up the title for the first time.
Then we had Mr. Anderson versus Scott Steiner (he's still around in TNA? Why?) with Bully Ray as the special enforcer. I'll give Ray credit, I never thought he'd pull it off successfully in the singles division but he's lost a lot of weight (which he needed to) and made a success of it in my eyes.
The match was actually a little better then I had anticipated, at least to begin with. Steiner had most of the offence early on until Anderson began to pick things up, he even left the ring for a moment to clothesline Bully Ray, who had been winding him up from ringside during the bout. Steiner then low blowed Anderson clearly in front of the ref, no DQ there no? The slow Abyss then joined them with a chain in hand. As Steiner prepared Anderson for Abyss' attack Anderson managed to duck it, leaving Abyss to level Scott instead. Anderson, grabbing the chain, then attacked Abyss and threw him out of the ring. At least we didn't have to witness too much of 'The Monster', at least I'd hoped. Anderson then pinned Steiner for the win in a confusing bout.
Jarret and Gunner then joined Bully Ray in berating Abyss ad blaming him for Anderson's win and claiming that he had "Screwed up". Eventually enough was enough as Abyss then attempted to choke slam Ray, but the numbers game were against him as the Immortal members began to beat him down. Bully Ray then grabbed a table from under the ring, much to the audiences excitement, and set it up. Anderson then returned to help Abyss but like him, he fell to Immortals numbers as they attacked him also. Bully Ray finally Bubba Bombed him through the table and gloated in his face. I'm not expecting much from their match at BFG, mainly stunt spots with weapons I'm guessing (much like the Lynn vs RVD bout) not a classic by any means.
Backstage Angle then spoke to James Storm regarding his match with Roode the previous week and how Angle had charged Storm into the steel steps but claimed that Roode had taken advantage of that and picked up the win anyway. Kurt then left a frustrated Storm to brew. After there was another in the terrific series of VT's involving Roode and Angle talking about their match for the TNA World championship.   
Then the last match of the night, Bobby Roode versus Gunner and Jeff Jarrett. Before Bobby even entered the ring he grabbed a steel chair, to which the referee grabbed it off of him and left Roode to race into the ring and begin the match with both men. Bobby started off well but soon fell prey to the numbers game as Jarrett and Gunner gained the advantage. Jarrett and Gunner continued the assault, until Roode made an electrifying comeback on them both and got the win when he made Gunner tap to the crossface. Now I feel WWE do a great many things better then TNA, but this, this is how to build up a wrestler the right way. Take note Vince, it's been a while since you've done that.
But it wasn't over yet, Roode and Jarrett continued to battle until Bully Ray and Steiner came out to help. Storm also attempted to help his former tag team partner but to no avail as he was beaten and thrown out of the ring by Immortal. Angle then walked out and was just about to punch Roode when Hardy hit the scene and began to either scare off or take out members of Immortal in the ring. How was it Storm failed to do this but Hardy could? The audience loved it, especially when Hardy Twist Of Fated Jarrett. Afterwards Hardy put out his hand for Roode to shake, Bobby was reluctant but accepted Hardy's offer and they shook hands. As Jeff went to leave Storm didn't seem so forgiving and blocked his way, until he and Roode both raised Hardy's arms. 
Backstage Hardy was interrupted by Jeff Jarrett and warned that he was not welcome into the company anymore and that he better not turn up at Bound For Glory. Hardy then said that he had to leave to get his ticket for the event. Guess we'll be seeing him Sunday then...
The final part of the show was the contract signing segment between Sting and Hulk Hogan. They both signed in silence, then Hogan opened his mouth and spurted out crap about what he'd done for the company. He even at one point had the guile to say that him and Bischoff when they first arrived had to "get this company back on track,"I do worry that Hogan actually might very well believe some of the rubbish he says sometimes. Hogan agreed with Sting to make the match just about them two without interference, just man on man at BFG. Bischoff then interrupted them as a distraction for Hogan as he slammed Sting with a chair and began to pound on him in slow motion and choke him as the show ended.
As usual iMPACT just seemed like a jumbled up broadcast. Racing form one thing to the next without leaving much time for the viewer to actually digest what had just happened. Some may find it exciting but for me I believe they need to pace their segments a lot more carefully, thereby giving them more relevance and importance. I'll give my predictions for Bound For Glory on Sunday most likely, an event which'll range from the great to the plain awful I imagine.