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, 8th August 2013 Recap

Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Backstage Taz, accompanied by some other Aces & 8s members, told Mike Tenay to take the night off so he could take his spot back at the announce desk after being turned away last week. They then made their way out to the ring where Taz also threatened his superior substitute Jeremy Borash, claiming that "this is my desk."

Bully Ray  then stated that he was in a foul mood, not just because of Tito Ortiz's debut last week (I think many fans were in a bad mood after that) but because he and Devon were booked in a tag team match that night against Sabin and a mystery opponent from Main Event Mafia. So soon enough after asking him to come out to sort their contract for the World Title match at Hardcore Justice, Chris Sabin joined Bully and told him that he always believed he could best the former champ and will next Thursday.

Bully soon had enough and asked Hogan to also join them to sign the papers, but it was Brooke not Hulk that came out and read an email from her Dad (who was out of town) that revealed that if Bully fails to win the Steel Cage Match next week, he will not receive another World Championship opportunity. An angered Bully reluctantly signed the contract after being embarrassed by his wife, who claimed that he was "all talk and very little action."

Jeff Hardy pinned Samoa Joe in a decent Bound for Glory Series contest. I was personally expecting a bit more from this match up, but maybe that's just me being a bit picky. On the whole it was a fun bout, with both men on good form as they went back and fourth. Hardy caught Joe in the winning pinfall after Mr. Anderson (who'd provided guest commentary) stood up and distracted the 'Samoan Submission Machine'. 

Mr. Anderson won via DQ versus Magnus in a BFG Series outing. The disqualification occurred when Bobby Roode attacked Anderson with a chair, purposely costing the BFG Series leader Magnus points. It was a fair match, nothing that will leave a lasting impression from either man.

Before Tito Ortiz could explain why he was in TNA, Kurt Angle interrupted him and warned the MMA fighter that although he appreciates what he's achieved, he better respect his space in the company. The brash Bully Ray also came out and told both that he has no respect for them and that he could easily take them out, also ordering Tito to stay out of his way.

James Storm, Gunner and ODB bested Bro Mans (Jesse and Robbie E) and Mickie James in an enjoyable mixed persons tag bout. As usual Storm delivered a stellar display, being the standout wrestler for me here. It's a shame we don't see so much of Storm and Gunner as of late, they always seem to deliver. Afterwards Gail Kim attacked ODB before being escorted away by an official, allowing Mickie to also strike her.

Kazarian versus Christoper Daniels in a BFG Series match ended in a double count out after both men simply stood outside and waited for the count to hit ten. There was a brief period of actual wrestling that was decent enough. Bobby Roode then joined Bad Influence and revealed that they had joined forces to aid each other in making sure one of them win the BFG Series. It's a smart plan, and as a fan of all three it's intriguing too.

Chris Sabin and Kurt Angle defeated Team 3D (Bully Ray and Devon) in a solid main event. Before things got going Sabin pretended that Sting was his tag partner, allowing Angle to sneak attack their rivals. The match started off a little slow, but once it got going it was a fun watch, with effective near falls and even a table thrown in. Towards the end Bully and Devon were about to send the World Champion through a table after they'd 3D'd Angle, but Sabin managed to move out of the way and Bully went charging into it himself. Sabin finally applied a crossbody on Ray for the one-two-three.

Overall it was a fair Impact, not up to the standard of many superior ones this year but it still had some entertaining parts. My highlights were the mixed six-persons tag bout, Hardy versus Joe and the main event. Roode, Daniels and Kaz uniting is interesting too. 

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 Destination X, 18th July 2013 Recap

All hail Sabin. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

World Champion Bully Ray opened Destination X by claiming that the challenger to his title later in the show, Chris Sabin, had no shot against him. He also boasted that it was the perfect night to end Main Event Mafia and that he was the "most hated man in pro wrestling, and that's just the way I like it!" 

Bully went on to call out his wife Brooke Hogan, who told him to "move on" like she now had, but he couldn't accept that. So the champ's furious father-in-law Hulk Hogan stormed out and told Bully that "enough was enough" and walked away with his daughter. As Bully continued to yell at them Kurt Angle and the rest of the Main Event Mafia appeared on the big screen and warned Ray that they'll be bringing the fight to Aces & 8s very soon.

Austin Aries pinned Bobby Roode in an enthralling Bound for Glory Series encounter. As usual these two worked brilliantly together, putting together exciting sequences and effective near falls. I don't think I could ever get tired of watching them go at it (mind out of the gutter). Afterwards a furious Roode, who has failed to obtain a single point in the series so far, began chucking around various items at ringside. 

Sonjay Dutt bested Homicide and Petey Williams in an entertaining three-way contest. In traditional X Division-style the match was fast paced with innovative wrestling from the get go, and to be honest with this level of talent (and three of my personal favourites from the X Division's past) the quality of the match was never really in doubt. As a result of the win Dutt qualified for the three-way Ultimate X match to crown a new X Division Champion next week.

Manik beat Kenny King and Chavo Guerrero in a largely enjoyable three-way to qualify for the X Division Title match. Although it wasn't quite as exciting as the previous affair it was still a fun watch.

The Main Event Mafia (Sting, Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, Magnus and Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson) came to the ring and asked Aces & 8s to join them so they can settle things and finally rid the company of the gang that's been terrorising them since last year. But instead Mr. Anderson appeared on the big screen and goaded them into coming backstage to confront them.

So after the MEM began tangling with Aces backstage they were locked in a room so Bully Ray was able to crack Angle against a wall and then throw him into the back of a truck and send him on his way.

Greg Marasciulo outdid Rubix and Rockstar Spud in another stellar three-way to qualify for the X Division Title match. All three men provided worthy efforts, and although he still may have a bit of work to do in the ring, Rockstar Spud certainly showed character here. I'm glad to see Marasciulo (formerly Trent Barreta in WWE) appear in TNA. I always felt he was a solid talent and hope he's given more of a chance to show what he can do.

The charismatic Knockouts Champion Mickie James presented a VT of highlights from a gig of hers in Tennessee last week, renaming it "Mickie City." However she was soon interrupted by the number one contender to her strap Gail Kim, who called the champ "delusional" for believing that people were paying more attention to James' music than her Ladder match against Terrell last week. 

After a few more exchanges the two began attacking each other until they were separated by referees. As the two top female talents in the company I'm very much looking forward to their title clash. I'm also still really into James' new obnoxious heel persona, she's pulling it off well. 

Chris Sabin pinned Bully Ray (c) to obtain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in an eventful main event. The action was solid, with Bully logically targeting the formerly injured knee of the challenger and dominating for the majority, and the fans were very much into it.

While I did enjoy the outing, the outside interference between Aces and the Mafia did feel like overkill and spoil it a bit for me. Towards the end after the referee was KO'd by accident (which looked daft) the two factions faced off and brawled in the ring and ended up travelling down the ramp to the back. Meanwhile Bully had been handed a hammer, but Sabin managed to snatch it and crack the champ in the head as he went for a powerbomb and grabbed the momentous winning pinfall.  

Last year when Aries won it felt even more satisfying to me, maybe it was the build up and Aries' record-breaking X Division Title reign leading up to it, but I reckon it was due to his cleaner and more defining victory. Don't get me wrong I'm still excited by Sabin winning the strap as a big fan of his, and it certainly makes things interesting, but I just wish they'd had a simpler one on one match with the Mafia erasing Aces from the equation like they promised to last week.    

Overall it was a solid show, with not one bout failing to entertain and some enjoyable segments. My highlights were James' promo, Dutt versus Homicide versus Williams, the main event and Aries versus Roode. It didn't quite live up to last years Destination X but for an Impact broadcast it was a very satisfying and memorable show.  

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, 27th June 2013 recap

Magnus drives Roode into the mat on his way to victory. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Sting introduced his first member of the new Main Event Mafia, Kurt Angle, who explained that they'd brought back the group to destroy Aces & 8s and strip Bully Ray of the World Title, claiming that the gang had gone too far. Angle also announced that their latest member will be unveiled later on.

Backstage Bully Ray, with the aid of Mr. Anderson and Doc, warned X Division Champion Chris Sabin that he better not cash in his strap for a World Title shot at Destination X next month, or he'd be sorry. 

Suicide bested Chris Sabin (c) and Kenny King to obtain the X Division Championship in a largely entertaining Triple Threat contest with a confusing ending. Personally I felt the match could've been shortened a bit, condensing the fast action and cutting some of the awkward periods would've definitely benefited things here, otherwise it was a fun outing.

Suicide grabbed the dubious win by pinning King while holding ono the ropes. Afterwards Hulk Hogan then came out and revealed that wrestler TJ Perkins who normally portrays Suicide was jumped in the back and someone else was in the costume. So rather than restart the match or void it, Hogan demanded that the wrestler reveal their identity, but instead the new champion legged it out of the ring. 

Adam Ohriner pinned Ryan Howe in a Gut Check Challenge match. Both men still looked fairly inexperienced, but they gave fair efforts. Ohriner is probably best known as Zack Ryder's occasional guest on his 'Z! True Long Island Story' show. On his way in Howe played his electric guitar, which the fans began to quickly loose interest in. His VT seemed to be more about him talking about music than pro wrestling.

Mickie James (c) beat Velvet Sky to retain the TNA Knockouts Title via submission with a deathlock. The match itself varied in quality, but overall it was a rather average affair. Like the three-way earlier in the night I think this bout would've benefited from being a little shorter in length. There were more than a few sloppy moments too which was disappointing from two performers with this much experience. Afterwards a heartbroken Sky could barely talk when interviewed.  

Magnus defeated Bobby Roode in a solid Bound for Glory Series encounter. It started off a little slow but once the two got going it quickly became an engaging back and fourth contest, with effective near falls and smooth wrestling. It's looking more and more likely that Magnus will be the eventual winner of the BFG Series this year.

James Storm, accompanied by fellow Tag Team Champion partner Gunner, was giving a speech on being the champs when Robbie E and Jesse interrupted him and announced themselves as a new team called 'Bro-mans'. 'The Cowboy' however interpreted this as bromance, and after mocking Tara Jesse leapt for them, so Gunner KO'd him with a single strike. It was a pretty amusing segment, with Storm being his usual charismatic self.   

Samoa Joe forced Mr. Anderson to tap in a BFG Series match up. It was a passable bout, nothing outstanding to be found but it was watchable. Doc and Knox ran down towards the end to distract Joe, but Sting and Angle decided to even things up and chased off the Aces members. They then revealed that Joe was the latest MEM acquisition. So far I'm really liking the look of the brand new Mafia, some strong and interesting members.

Hulk Hogan, and shortly Bully Ray too, both demanded that the mysterious new Suicide reveal his identity to them. So finally he did, and it was none other than the same man that cashed in the X Division strap last year to win the World Title, Austin Aries. Admittedly I was a bit frustrated at the booking of Sabin loosing the belt in that fashion, but looking forward the prospect of Aries facing Bully does seem a lot more appealing to me.

It was a nice end to a decent enough Impact, and one that will have me interested in where this all leads next week. My highlights elsewhere for the show were Magnus versus Roode, the X Division three-way and the choice of Joe joining the MEM.  

My TNA Impact Wrestling, 6th June 2013 Recap

TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bully Ray kicked things off by bragging about defeating Sting at Slammiversary and reminding us of Aces & 8s one year anniversary since debuting at the aforementioned event last year. The champ went on to then claim that after taking out all of the companies heroes, he should be inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame. GM Hulk Hogan then came out and admitted that Bully did the job in beating 'The Stinger', but then informed him that he would be facing Jeff Hardy in the main event in a Ladder match with a hammer hanging above the ring.

Hernandez pinned Chavo Guerrero in a decent back and fourth Bound for Glory Series qualifying match. It was never anything outstanding but it was a fun watch, with a worthy display from both men.

Devon demanded that Abyss come out to the ring and hand him back his TNA Television Title, complaining that their bout last Sunday was unsanctioned and shouldn't count. But instead Joseph Parks stormed out and after having enough of being bullied by Devon and being robbed of his title match at Slammiversary after being attacked by him, began to beat on his foe. This didn't last long however as Devon cracked a microphone on Parks head and was about to use a steel chair on him when Abyss's music hit, but he failed to show so Devon announced that he was going to go looking for him.   

Samoa Joe beat Robbie in a brief squash match to qualify for the BFG Series. Much like the last time these two fought Joe was dominant and barely sold Robbie's attacks at all, but he looked stellar in the ring as usual.

Jeremy Borash introduced TNA's latest acquisition Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, and after asking him a few questions was interrupted by the future TNA Hall of Famer Kurt Angle. Angle warned 'Rampage' that if he wanted to take on the best than he was the top man and they stared off. The segment was okay, the fans seemed enthusiastic for Jackson. After watching him for years in UFC I always felt he probably had the charisma and wrestling background to give pro wrestling a decent go, let's hope I'm right.  

Chris Sabin, James Storm and Gunner bested Kenny King, Austin Aries and Bobby Roode in a largely solid six-man tag bout. Not as exciting as The Shield's efforts in WWE at the moment but it was an enjoyable affair, and I can't really fault any wrestler's contributions.

Mickie James defeated Taeler Hendrix in a passable, if unremarkable contest. There were many times here that the clearly fake Mickie was congratulating her opponent and shaking her hand, and it just got tedious for me very quickly. Plus the wrestling was all right but nothing special or exciting. For the finish Jame's feigned a knee injury (which was extremely poorly acted) and then suddenly smacked Taeler with an uppercut and applied a dodgy spinning kick that actually connected with the shoulder for the winning pinfall. It was not the champ's finest outing by a long shot.

Backstage Abyss managed to take out the lurking Devon and his Aces accomplice Knox.

Bully Ray versus Jeff Hardy in a Ladder match ended in a no contest after Bully lost hold of the hammer he'd grabbed from above the ring and Hardy threatened him with it, causing the World Champion to leg it from the ring. The match itself had been entertaining at parts, but definitely not on par with their previous clashes. The use of the ladder was decent but pretty uninspiring, which was disappointing for these two talents.

As Bully ran backstage Hulk Hogan was about to sneak up on him with a hammer in hand, but Brooke Hogan screamed for her Dad to stop, causing the 'Hulkster' to halt in his tracks and allowing Bully to sneak away.  

Overall it was a decent, if uninspiring Impact. There were no bad matches on the show but the six-man tag contest was the only one that stood out to me and that'd I'd recommend to fans. It's also hard for me to get excited over Abyss' return, but then I've never been a big fan and found him fairly drab so maybe that's just me. But at least we're getting the set up for the Bound for Glory Series now which I always enjoy.

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, 2nd May 2013 Recap

Chris Sabin makes his much welcome return. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Hulk Hogan kicked things off by calling out Sting and apologising for his behaviour towards 'The Stinger' when he pushed him away, so Sting accepted. As Hogan was about to then name the number one contender to Bully Ray's World title at Slammiversary, Matt Morgan joined the icons  and reprimanded 'The Hulkster' for picking his friend Sting. But Hogan had other ideas and instead booked Morgan versus Sting in the main event to determine the number one contender. I just tend to drift away whenever Hogan grabs a mic by this point.

Chris Sabin bested Sonjay Dutt and Zema Ion in a stellar Triple Threat contest to qualify for an X Division Title match. While all three men gave fine displays here, Dutt was the standout performer for me, with a series of crisply executed maneuvers throughout. Sabin started off a little slow, and oddly looked fairly weak at the start (which is strange for a returning wrestler) but once he got going he didn't miss a beat.

My only gripe with the bout was the unfortunate return of the annoying 'X Division Cam' that's connected to the referee's hat. It moves so fast that it almost gives me a headache and makes me feel a little sick. It's really unnecessary and the sooner it goes the better.  

Rob Terry beat Joey Ryan, Robbie E and Jesse in a Handicap match. As expected it was pretty average for the majority with pedestrian action. But to be fair Terry gave a better effort than normal, although that's still not saying much for the limited Welshman. I would normally mention how damaging this is to the three opposing wrestlers, but to be honest I don't exactly envisage a main event future for any of Terry's foes here.  

Bobby Roode and Austin Aries came out and spoke about how Bad Influence (Christoper Daniels and Kazarian) screwed them out of the tag titles last week, and also claimed that they weren't in the same league talent-wise considering that they've never been World Champions like themselves. Daniels and Kazarian then stormed out and told their future opponents (on next week's Impact) that when it comes to tag team wrestling they don't come close to them.

Finally the tag champs themselves, Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez strolled out and informed the two teams that next week their number on contender match will be refereed by James Storm, who also came out and shared some beers with them. It makes a nice change from WWE seeing time and effort put into the tag title scene consistently and not just short periods of time when they can be asked to, and the annoying thing is WWE have no reason not to do the same. 

Kurt Angle defeated D'Lo Brown in an I Quit match that ranged from drab to decent. The first half was pretty dull, with nothing particularly remarkable happening, but fortunately the second half picked up in quality and interest as the two upped their efforts in the ring. Angle managed to force D'lo to scream "I Quit!" after applying the Ankle Lock. Anderson and Doc, who'd been watching from ringside, walked away from their fellow Aces member afterwards.

Angle then called out AJ Styles to confront him about his recent behaviour, and gave him the ultimatum of either joining him and Sting in representing TNA against Aces & 8s, or joining the opposition. Styles has until next week to decide, hopefully we'll finally get an answer then, this has been getting a bit tedious for a little while now.

Taryn Terrell and Mickie James bested Tara and Gail Kim in a fair tag bout. As usual James and Kim were the stand out wrestlers here, giving solid displays. Unfortunately there were fairly average periods here that let it down a bit such as Terrell's hot tag offence, she still has some way to go but she's looking competent enough.

After Taryn rolled up Tara for the one-two-three all four women started to brawl in and around the ring, ending in Kim applying a nice Figure Four on Taryn around the ring post from the outside until she was ordered away by ref ODB and other officials.

Sting beat Matt Morgan after 'The Blueprint' passed out from the Scorpion Deathlock, therefore meaning 'The Stinger' will face Bully at Slammiversary for the strap. It was a pretty average main event, with passable (but forgettable) wrestling, the highlight being a vicious-looking Carbon Footprint from Morgan. Watching an out of shape Sting make his trademark heroic comebacks against the far younger, bigger and more powerful Morgan just looked too hokey and only marred the contest even more.

Afterwards Bully Ray then arrived on the scene with Devon and Anderson and exchanged a few words with his future opponent before the show ended. I can't say this World Championship encounter has me  hyped at all, there were other options available to face Bully, Angle for instance, who would've been a more exciting option. 

Overall it was a passable enough show, but unfortunately most of it that lacked excitement or interest. The highlights for me were the X Division Triple Threat (which really saved the show to be honest) the second half of D'Lo versus Angle and the Aries, Roode, Bad Influence, etc, segment. The rest didn't feel like anything special or essential to watch, and the main event was largely average, which was hardly a shocker. 

My Impact Wrestling, 31st May 2012 Recap

Sting defeated Bobby Roode in a surprisingly decent Lumberjack match. To be honest I wasn't really expecting much from this bout but both men put in a good effort and the crowd were certainly well behind 'The Stinger', creating a great atmosphere. Afterwards Hogan called Sting Impact's "number one" guy, wrongly ahead of the younger and clearly more talented (now that is) certain other wrestlers on the roster, and announced that Sting will be facing Roode for the World title at Slammiversary. I was hoping for the return of the King of the Mountain match myself. 

Bully Ray called out Joseph Parks and presented footage from last week where he attacked him with his trademark chain. After mocking Parks and his family, Joseph decided to enter the ring with Bully. After refusing to fight, Bully informed Parks that he was the one responsible for taking out his brother Abyss which caused Parks to grab Ray. A shocked 'Calfzilla' suddenly threatened to sue if Parks hurt him so he let Ray leave. On his way out Parks challenged Bully to a fight, so he agreed, but to fight at Slammiversary instead.    

Austin Aries (c) defeated Chris Sabin to retain the X Division Championship. It was a brilliant contest between the two big talents, trading counter for counter with some traditionally exciting X Division moves at a fast pace. Worth checking out if you watch anything from the show. Judging by Sabin's reaction at the end I reckon there may be a heel turn in the near future for him possibly.

We were shown earlier footage of Taz, Bruce Pritchard and Al Snow as the Gut Check judges discussing the possibility and promise of last weeks contender the charismatic Joey Ryan. I personally don't mind these segments, there's a refreshing air of reality compared to most of TNA with them. Although I still hate the over the top reality show music that plays in the background.    

Dixie Carter said that at Slammiversary they will have their first inductee into the TNA Hall of Fame announced, something which I feel is far, far too premature. Their own Hall of Fame and they've only been running for just under ten years? She then also introduced the new head of the Knockouts Division Brooke Hogan. A choice which has been met with much bemusement and distain by most fans, including myself admittedly.

Brooke went on to state how passionate and excited she was about this new opportunity in TNA. Hopefully I'm proven wrong and she does a good job, but after witnessing what happened the last time someone with authority had their child come in (Garet, I'm looking at you) I'm not so optimistic.  

Jeff Hardy versus Devon (c) for the TNA Television title ended in a disqualification after Robbie E and Robbie T both ran in and attacked the competitors. It had been a quite drab match up until the end, and I wasn't too fussed when it was over. 

We were then shown a VT of James Storm on his ranch with his daughter, discussing the events of Lockdown and what his next step might be. Storm asked for the filming to stop after his daughter asked if he'll be going back to wrestling.  

In the ring the three Gut Check judges voted two to one to not offer Joey Ryan a contract. It eventually came down to Taz's final vote, who said "No" and then got into an argument with the charismatic Ryan. The fact that Silva was offered a contract and Ryan wasn't is ridiculous. Ryan oozes character and proved himself in the ring, looking like he belonged and getting a big reaction from the fans in the arena and online. While Alex Silva was decent in the ring, he lacked any character and looked nervous and out of his depth in TNA. Hopefully his heated argument with Taz is going to lead to a return.

AJ Styles defeated Christopher Daniels in a brilliant main event. As expected both men put on a great display of exciting and crisp action. Although I feel Daniels versus Styles has been done to death almost, they still can't fail to produce in the ring each time. 

Afterwards Daniels and Kazarian began attacking Styles until Kurt Angle raced in to his aid. But this was short lived as Kaz and 'The Fallen Angel' also took out Angle. Daniels then presented a recording of a phone conversation between Dixie Carter and AJ where it sounded as though they were meeting up in secret. Carter then came racing out and in her only decent acting performance I can remember furiously demanded that the recording be stopped. In a nice touch you could still hear her shouting as the show was going off the air and the Spike logo showed. it was a nice end to the show I thought.