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 Impact Wrestling, 7th February 2013 Recap

Yeah, I'd be scared too. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com 

Devon once again announced that Aces & 8s plan to make 2013 their year where they take over TNA, and then introduced the newly revealed members of the gang Wes Brisco and Garett Bischoff. Garett gave no explanation as to why he joined, just claiming that the fans gave him no respect, and Brisco berated Hogan for ignoring his phone calls for "two years" and making him work his way up in the company after what his family had done for him in the past.

Neither were particularly good promos, and I'm starting to get a horrible feeling of deja vu with Aces now, thinking back to Immortal's time with the drab and drawn out segments in the ring giving speeches.

Rob Van Dam (c) bested Zema Ion and Kenny King in a Triple Threat to retain the X Division Title. The bout started off scrappy, with rushed sequences that looked fairly messy and clumsy. Fortunately the quality improved towards the end and the pace was kept consistently fast throughout.

Jesse complained about being banned by Brooke Hogan from his girlfriend Tara's match up later on, and then gave what he felt the British fans wanted and began to pose for pictures. But he was shortly interrupted by James Storm, who predictably challenged Jesse to a match right there and then to shut him up and give the fans what they really wanted.

James Storm pinned Jesse in a passable encounter. The action was never spectacular but it was solid enough for the most part, with Jesse looking competent enough and Storm decent as usual. It was wisely kept short and sweet.

Bobby Roode and Austin Aries defeated Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez (c) to obtain the TNA Tag Team Championship in a highly enjoyable contest. The wrestling stayed to a consistently good standard throughout and all four men gave worthy efforts, providing a fun watch with pretty amusing moments of Aries and Roode's egos clashing. Towards the end Roode and AA accidentally clashed, leading to the 'It Factor' storming off, but this all turned out to be a clever (and believable) ruse as he would return a few moments later as the champs looked to retain their straps and help turn things around for the one-two-three.

Hulk Hogan informed Bully Ray that the main event versus Aces & 8s was his chance to prove that he was a "good guy" (he hasn't done that already?). Bully explained that after all they'd done to him and his wife, he was going to be anything but good that night.

Brooke Tessmacher beat Tara in a largely mediocre outing. Tara looked okay but far from one of her top displays I've seen, and Tessmacher unfortunately looked like she's taken a step back and gave an under average effort.

Rockstar Spud made his debut on Impact Wrestling after winning the TNA British Boot Camp contest, receiving a healthy response from the fellow British crowd. But briefly into his promo where he spoke about achieving a huge goal by getting into TNA, Robbie E, accompanied by Robbie T, joined him and claimed it was a travesty that he'd earned a contract. After finally having enough of the obnoxious E, Robbie T dropped down and allowed Spud to clock Robbie E in the face and send him packing. Afterwards T began dancing with Spud. I'm very hopeful for Rockstar in TNA from what I've seen so far.

Bully Ray and Sting defeated Devon and Doc in a Tables match. For the most part it was decent enough, nothing outstanding but fun, and the fans were certainly into it. I just failed to ever really get into it, and feel that if Sting had been replaced with a younger and more able wrestler (such as Samoa Joe) there would've been that bit more excitement it required. For the finish Bully 'Hulked Up' and put his ex-tag partner Devon through a table. Brooke Hogan and Hogan himself then joined them for the celebration.

Overall it was a fair to drab Impact, with the tag team title match and triple threat (once it got going) being the highlights. Unfortunately I never really got into the main event, although it wasn't terrible. The lack of Christopher Daniels and Kazarian, the two most entertaining things about TNA nowadays, was also disappointing, without them there were no decent promos. 

My Impact Wrestling, 13th December 2012 Recap

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My TNA Turning Point 2012 Recap

Photo credit: impactwrestling.com 

Taz spoke about how proud he was of TNA's support for everyone suffering at the hands of Hurricane Sandy in New York and then introduced radio host 'Buckethead' (no idea who he is either) and Bully Ray. Buckethead urged all the fans to break a Guinness world record for the most simultaneous texts to donate for the  aforementioned cause. He actually did a good job getting the crowd going.

Samoa Joe (c) defeated Magnus to retain the TNA Television Title in a decent match up. Both men gave worthy efforts here, with Magnus giving one of his best (if not the best) displays to date as he went toe to toe with his opponent. There were just a few little moments here and there that spoilt the contest a bit for me, such as the referee not counting when Magnus grabbed the ropes during a submission, and also not disqualifying the challenger when he clearly threw a chair into Joe's head. There was no need for this. Otherwise it was enjoyable enough, but could've been better.

ODB and Eric Young beat Jesse and Tara in an average tag bout. For the most part it was a comedy match understandably, while the action itself was passable, but nothing special. This should lead on to ODB receiving a Knockouts Championship shot. 

Rob Van Dam (c) bested Joey Ryan to retain the X Division Championship in a fair outing. Ryan looked competent for the most part here, although he did mount up a few minor errors. Van Dam looked all right with his standard TNA performance. To be honest I was expecting Ryan to win here, not cleanly but possibly with aid from Matt Morgan at some point. The X Division strap should help enhance up and coming talent, not guys at RVD's level in my opinion. I expect Ryan will obtain it in the near future.  

Doc beat Joseph Parks in a fun at parts match up. While Parks is obviously meant to be constraint in his ring skills due to his attorney persona, he did a good job here anyway and has become one of the most endearing wrestlers in the company. They also planned the match out well and the sequencing made sense. There was a brief period where Parks also managed to tap into another side of himself (namely Abyss, which the goofy Taz accidentally called Parks during the bout) and Black Hole Smalled his foe. But it wasn't to be as Doc applied a Choke Slam later on for the one-two-three.

Afterwards Doc attempted to take out Parks, but Bully Ray came to his former rival's aid and lifted his arm.

Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez (c) defeated Christopher Daniels and Kazarian to retain the TNA Tag Team Titles in a solid contest. The first third was enjoyable but it was the rest of the match where the pace picked up and we got some great blistering and crisp wrestling. I was expecting a good title clash here but it exceeded my predictions, nice stuff.

James Storm bested AJ Styles and Bobby Roode in a terrific Triple Threat, and match of the night to earn a World Title match in the future. From start to finish all three men gave great efforts and clearly wanted to do everything they could to steal the show in this intense fight. The action came thick and fast and had its fair share of effective near falls too. Unfortunately for Styles as the man who was pinned he will not receive a World Championship opportunity until at least Bound for Glory next year. I still don't feel that this stipulation was necessary. 

Kurt Angle beat Devon in a match that ranged from decent to a bit drab. Unfortunately a few sloppy moments (which is very out of character for an Angle bout) and a bit of a dull start marred an otherwise fine match up. Don't worry if you miss it.

Jeff Hardy (c) defeated Austin Aries in a Ladder match to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. On the whole this heated match up was enjoyable, with impressive stunts and worthy displays from both men. There were a few sloppy moments and clear mistakes, but I could forgive them as it was a fun watch anyway. 

Overall Turning Point was a decent enough PPV, although not up to the standard of TNA's recent efforts. I didn't get the sense that any storylines or feuds made any real progression, or gained more interest. Without any titles changing hands you also couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. But the Triple Threat, Tag Team Title and main event bouts were all worth a watch, and if an event has at least three solid match ups then I deem it a success. 

My Impact Wrestling, 8th November 2012 Recap

Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Bobby Roode defeated AJ Styles in a solid opener to the show. It was a worthy effort from both men as they went back and fourth, with crisp action for the most part. For the finish James Storm (who'd been on commentary) halted Roode form using a steel chair. This went unknown to AJ who warned Storm away and was then caught on the ropes by 'The It Factor' and pinned after landing awkwardly.  

During an announcement of matches booked for the night, there was an interruption with the transmission and a message saying 'An ancient evil awakens'. Hm, ominous.

Joseph Parks explained that his pursuit of a match with Aces & Eights wasn't just about revenge, but about "being a man." He went on to then plead with Hulk Hogan (who soon joined him in person) for that said match up. 'The Hulkster' told Parks that it would be too dangerous for him to confront the gang in a fight and tried to warn him off it. Bully Ray then also came out and convinced Hogan to give Joseph the fight at Turning Point after stating that he had the guts, heart and was a tough guy.

ODB bested Tara and Jesse in a passable Handicap match. It was a bit of a strange one this, I mean it does nothing for the Knockouts Champion at all and didn't seem that necessary for their feud. 

Sting and Kurt Angle won via disqualification versus Doc and Devon after Devon attacked both opposition with a baseball bat. The bout itself had been decent enough, with Angle giving a top performance. After the attack Bully raced out to attempt to put his brother through a table, but Devon managed to get away.

As 'The Stinger' managed to then fight back further members of Aces & 8s came out and Doc (short for 'Director of Chaos' we found out) Choke Slammed him through the table. But he wasn't done, as Doc would then start striking the fallen Sting with a hammer until members of the TNA roster came out to his aid. It was an effective ending and I liked the hammer attack, a bit different and grittier.   

After having two "Yes" votes Christian York was given a contract with TNA. He was understandably excited. I was quite surprised with this to be honest, he didn't really impress me that much last week. He looked competent but also a little slow and sloppy here and there, which isn't good for a wrestler of his experience. 

Magnus, Christopher Daniels and Kazarian beat Samoa Joe, Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez in an enjoyable enough tab contest. I feel bad complaining (bet you've never heard a wrestling fan say that before) but considering the calibre of talent involved I was expecting a bit more here, but it was a fun watch nonetheless. 

Austin Aries accused Jeff Hardy of choosing a Ladder match for their title bout on Sunday because he believes he can't beat him in another professional wrestling contest. he went on to also warn Hardy that he'll destroy him not only physically but mentally at Turning Point when he reclaims the World Title at his own game in a Ladder match. Jeff Hardy joined Aries once he called him out to collect his World Championship belt that he stole from him last week, under orders from GM Hogan. 

So Hardy took AA out and took back his strap, proudly placing them on a bar above a ladder placed in the ring. But Aries wasn't done as he pushed Hardy off of the ladder and trapped him under it as he then stepped up the future tool of their match up at Turning Point and mocked Hardy's signature hand gestures. It was a good end to the show, and a strong image to end on before the PPV.

Overall it was a decent Impact, with mostly solid matches and some nice progression in certain storylines heading into the pay-per-view. It wasn't one of the best recently but I can't complain, it was an enjoyable enough show. 

My Impact Wrestling, 25th October 2012 Recap

Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Hulk Hogan gave Jeff Hardy a speech in his office claiming that he'd "raised the bar" after obtaining the World Title at Bound for Glory, didn't he say the same thing to Aries when he won the title at Destination X? It certainly would've been more relevant then. We then heard an inner monologue from Hardy on each of the four possible men he could face for his championship next, it was a little different but I didn't mind it.

Rob Van Dam (c) defeated Zema Ion to retain the X Division Title. It was a fair match up. Ion looked decent and RVD as usual seemed to pull out his standard moves, which was fine. Nothing that special but watchable.

Afterwards Matt Morgan, accompanied by Joey Ryan, took out the champ with a clumsy Carbon Footprint. Morgan then warned Hogan that after wishing for a monster from him, he might just get it. Ryan meanwhile held the X Division strap in Van Dam's face, so I presume he's now next in line for a shot. I'm liking the more serious Morgan just taking out people, although once he steps back into the ring it'll be the same old bland wrestler I imagine. 

Kazarian complained about the unfair treatment him and Christopher Daniels had received from the GM Hogan, claiming that they'd lost the tag team titles "illegally" at BFG. Daniels then accused Dixie Carter of catering to the new title holders Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez to gain a larger latino audience, saying that they were typical looking Mexicans with their tattoos and poncho. He also amusingly suggested calling them "dos steriotypicos." It was a great promo from both members of one of the most solid overall tag teams going today.

Chavo and Hernandez then interrupted a petition Daniels and Kaz attempted to get going to gain them a rematch for the championship. Chavo stated that he and Hernandez would welcome a rematch anytime, anyplace, and they then chased the former title holders out of the ring and signed the petition themselves.

After Mr. Anderson was eliminated from a chance at the World Title by Hogan, Austin Aries was there waiting to berate the 'Asshole'. This of course led to a brief fight between the two, with AA eventually challenging Anderson to a match that night. Embarrassingly we then clearly heard the director shouting "Cut" at the end of the segment. Not particularly professional looking, eh?

We were then shown footage of Devon announcing to his fellow Aces & 8s members that they had to take out a random victim that night during the show. So they randomly picked by throwing a dart at a wall with photos of the roster, but we didn't see who their choice was.

Samoa Joe (c) beat Robbie T to retain the TNA Television Championship in a passable, if pretty average contest. The limited Robbie T did his usual move set, while Joe worked well with what he had, eventually locking on the Coquina Clutch after a few attempts to force Terry to tap. In an Undertaker-like fashion Joe rose up after being taken to the mat by Robbie to latch on the submission hold for a nice finish.

Austin Aries defeated Mr. Anderson in a worthy effort by both men. I wasn't expecting an awful lot here but it was quite enjoyable really, not the greatest match but fun enough to watch. The only thing that marred it was the strange ending. Aries would knock Anderson out with an illegal object, only to have Anderson then fall on top of him for a near count, then apply a submission hold when he was already clearly out. It just came across as a bit unnecessary. 

Tara (c) bested Brooke Tessmacher to retain the Knockouts Title in a passable bout.  The action was standard for the most part, but at least there was some heat to the match. Tara grabbed the win after her boyfriend Jesse caused Tessmacher to tumble from the ring and threw her back in to have a Widows Peak applied. Afterwards Brooke Hogan announced that at Open Fight Night next week ODB would be challenging Jesse. His reaction was pretty funny actually.

Bully Ray demanded that Devon come out and explain the real reason that he's joined up with Aces & 8s. So Devon came out and revealed that he joined the gang because they had his back after Hogan and Dixie Carter released him and never contacted him or made any effort to get him back like they had claimed to. He also warned Bully that Aces & 8s plan to get retribution against all of those in the company that have wronged them. 

Bully went on to reveal that after their retirement match last year, backstage Devon asked him why he was so worried "we're rich anyway" and that was why he'd turned on him. After Devon then backed out of a fight right there and then, Bully announced that next week he'd be taking him on in a fight, and also added that Devon has "no balls." The segment was okay, I was maybe expecting a bit more from their first encounter after Bound for Glory.

Hogan announced Kurt Angle as his pick over James Storm to face Hardy in the main event for the title. 'The Hulkster' also said to Storm that he didn't pick him because he had something else big planned for him. So why was he in the running at all if he had other plans for 'The Cowboy'? Where's the logic there?

Jeff Hardy (c) defeated Kurt Angle to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in a tremendous main event match. Were you expecting anything less from it? Both men put in great efforts and didn't put a foot wrong. Solid stuff that's worth checking out. Afterwards Aries struck Hardy from behind with his title belt and announced that he would be invoking his rematch clause at Turning Point for the World Championship.  

We then went backstage to see Aces & 8s members attacking and taking out Angle. 

Overall it was a decent enough Impact, my only let down was the quality of most of the matches compared to recent weeks. Fortunately Aries versus Anderson, the entertaining promos from Kaz and Daniels and the brilliant main event helped save the broadcast. Also disappointed in the Bully Ray and Devon encounter, not that it was bad by any means but I was personally expecting more from it myself. 

My Impact Wrestling, 18th October 2012 Recap

Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Aces & Eights kicked things off by presenting a live video of their masked leader thanking Devon (who'd been revealed as a member of the group by Hogan at Bound for Glory) for his help in them gaining free access to TNA. Devon himself then joined his fellow members in the ring and explained that when no one else was there for him when he was released from TNA, Aces & Eights were. He went on to also state that his attack on Bully Ray was payback for his betrayal last year.

Sting then arrived, along with a handful of the roster and a brawl broke out between the two groups, with Aces & Eights eventually leaving. Hogan also came out and announced that Devon will face Sting that night, and if he refuses then he'll have to leave the building. There were heavy chants for Bully Ray during the booking. It was an exciting start to the show.

Samoa Joe beat Robbie E in a watchable squash match. While it wasn't anything outstanding, it went the way it should with the superior and larger Joe taking out Robbie with ease.

Backstage during a photo shoot Tara and her partner Jesse (from the American Big Brother, apparently) told the photographer to get lost and then bragged about their celebrity lifestyle. Everything about this storyline and these segments just annoys me, so I suppose the couple are doing their job successfully as heels.

ODB defeated Tara in a largely average affair. There were a few comedy spots here and there involving ODB, including shoving Jesse's head into her chest half way through. She was also distracted by a phone call from her absent husband Eric Young throughout the contest. For the finish ODB barged Tara into Jesse (who was standing at ringside supporting his girlfriend) and then applied the Bam for the one-two-three. This didn't really do any favours at all for the new Knockouts Champ Tara, especially with ODB distracted for a lot of the match. Confusing booking here.

Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez bested Kid Kash and Gunner in a decent enough tag bout. Hernandez has always benefitted from more limited time in the ring in a tag team, and that was no exception here as he came across very effectively and gave a good display. There weren't any particularly memorable performances but I can't really fault any one.

Next we had Jeff Hardy's World Title win celebration, where he first thanked all his fans that had stuck with him. Former champ Austin Aries then joined him and congratulated him on his win at BFG, and also presented him with some balloons (that ended up floating away) and a plate of cookies (which Hardy tipped out of his hand). Aries went on to take a took at Hardy's new title belt with a replica of his face on the front, and spat on it before making a quick getaway. As usual AA was on solid form on the mic. 

Kurt Angle defeated Christopher Daniels and AJ Styles in a terrific Triple Threat to move forward for a chance at Hardy's World Title. While the match wasn't as exciting or fast paced as I was hoping, the action was faultless, which is hardly unexpected considering the standard of talent in the ring. Angle grabbed the victory after pushing Daniels inadvertently into Styles on the ropes and Angle Slamming him for the winning pin.

James Storm spoke about his brilliant brawl with Roode at Bound for Glory, and how after gaining revenge on his rival his new aim is to win back the World Championship. Bobby Roode soon joined 'The Cowboy' and admitted that he'd finally gained redemption against himself, and that his win moved him way up the ladder in TNA. But despite the victory, Roode claimed that he would always be "the better man." Storm retorted by Last Call Superkicking Roode in the face. It was a decent segment.

Sting won via disqualification versus Devon in a fair main event. The first half was fairly drab for the most part, but luckily the pace picked up and the match had a strong ending as both men put in solid efforts. To be honest I wasn't expecting much from this match, but it was better then expected and I enjoyed it. The DQ came when Aces & Eights members ran in to help their fellow member and started taking out 'The Stinger'. As expected members of the TNA roster also ran out to even the odds and chased away the gang.

Overall it wasn't a bad Impact, nor was it an outstanding one either. There were a few enjoyable match ups and segments but it just wasn't consistent enough throughout the show. My personal highlight was the triple threat between Styles, Angle and Daniels. 

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 Impact Wrestling, 5th July 2012 Recap

Bully Ray announced that he was officially going live on Twitter. He also demanded that Joseph Parks come out so he could answer his challenge of a match. Joseph sure enough came out and had his match accepted by Bully for next week. A furious Parks once again let rip on Ray as he told him how sick he was of his bullying and attitude. Bully then revealed a restraining order against Park's brother Abyss, claiming that if he gets anywhere near him during their match he will be sent to jail. 

Devon (c) defeated Crimson to retain the TNA Television title in a pretty mediocre title bout. It wasn't bad, just unmemorable really. Afterwards Madison Rayne came out and looked to approach Devon but instead kissed referee Earl Hebner to reveal him as her secret crush.

I'm sorry but any storyline involving a referee in the past hasn't garnered up much interest and I don't see this being any different. Who is this going to get over? An elderly ref or an average female wrestler? Either way it already feels like a waste of time. I was hoping these lame storylines (including the current AJ Styles and Dixie Carter one) would stop after Russo's exit but I guess not.

Chris Sabin came to the ring on crutches and revealed that after discussing his latest injury with his loved ones and doctor they urged him to retire from the ring. World Champion Bobby Roode then joined him and called Sabin "pathetic" for "moaning" about his injuries like the rest of the X Division and then attacked Sabin's injured knee until Austin Aries chased Roode off. On a serious note this injury must have been a crushing blow to the talented Sabin who'd only just recently returned to action. I hope he recovers well and to see him back in the ring again some day.

Flip Cassanova defeated Dakota Darsow to qualify for the X Division title tournament. The bout had it's exciting moments, but was definitely not up to par with the other recent X Division qualifying matches on Impact. Cassanova to me just looked too reckless, he even broke Darsow's nose during the match with a corkscrew to the outside. Now I like wrestlers that are fast and agile, but for me Cassanova looked like he belonged on the indie scene more than a televised wrestling show.  

Brooke Tessmacher and Tara defeated Madison Rayne and Gail Kim in a mostly sloppy tag match. With the exception of Gail you would not have guessed that these female wrestlers have had years of experience in pro wrestling if you hadn't seen them before, it wasn't great to watch.

AJ Styles came out to talk about the allegations of him being the father to Claire Lynche's unborn baby and was soon interrupted by Christopher Daniels and Kazarian, who once again accused AJ of covering things up. Styles then stated that this was nothing to do with Carter or Claire, but to do with him and Daniels and his jealousy of his success.

Kenny King defeated Lars Only to qualify for the X Division title tournament. It was a great, red hot contest from start to finish (bar one slip up from Lars as he went for a Russian Leg Sweep kind of maneuver) and possibly the best qualifying match they've had. Both men also looked more solid and crisper than the two X Division wrestlers we witnessed earlier.   

Jeff Hardy defeated James Storm in a Bound For Glory Series match up. It was a superb main event, with intense action throughout. The fans were also loving it as the bout heated up and piled on the excitement towards the end.

Samoa Joe versus Kurt Angle in a BFG Series match was announced for this Sunday's Destination X, which should be a brilliant contest. 

Hulk Hogan called out Austin Aries to hand over the X Division title but was soon interrupted by Bobby Roode, who told Hogan to shut up and listen to him. The World Champ went on to claim that Hogan had given Aries and fans false hope by saying that AA could be the next TNA World Heavyweight Champion. Aries of course showed up and warned Roode that he would be the next World Champ at Destination X. After the two champions fronted each other up, Aries avoided a cheap shot from Roode and cracked him in the head with the X Division title belt.

I enjoyed the show ending segment, and have quite enjoyed the rivalry between Roode and Aries throughout really. They should have a very enjoyable title bout on Sunday.