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, 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, 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 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, 21st March 2013 Recap

Hulk Hogan admitted that he'd never been as badly fooled as he had with Bully Ray joining Aces & 8s. He then called out his TNA "troops" Samoa Joe, Magnus, Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy, who suggested a four-way match between them all that night to determine who'll next face Bully for the World Title, which struck me as odd considering Jeff would surely have a rematch anyway? Hogan liked the idea and officially booked the match. 

Bobby Roode and Austin Aries (c) defeated Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez to retain the TNA Tag Team Titles in a stellar contest. All four men contributed worthy efforts here, providing crisp action for the majority. The champs grabbed the win after Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels and Kazarian) ran down and distracted the referee and knocked Chavo off the top rope. They then also took out Aries and Roode with their own straps, I'd certainly be all for a title match between these four.

It was announced that all X Division Title matches in the future will be held under Triple Threat rules. What exactly is the point of this? Surely it will only hinder the division and hold them back?

Kenny King (c) bested Zema Ion and Sonjay Dutt to retain the X Division Championship in an exciting Triple Threat bout. It started off a little sloppy but once it picked up there was some terrific sequences from all three wrestlers, especially from the severely underutilised Dutt.

Taryn Terrell admitted that putting her hands on Kim as an official was wrong and she was ready for the consequences. Gail Kim then joined her and claimed that no one messes with her and gets away with it, then asked the Knockouts VP Brooke Hogan to come on out and fire her.

Sure enough Brooke came out and terminated her, but then also signed her on as a member of the Knockouts roster. So Taryn took advantage of this and speared the formerly smug Kim. Bully Ray then confronted his wife Brooke and reminded her that they were still married by signalling to his ring.

Throughout the night we witnessed VT's of Bully explaining the rise of Aces from last year and why certain members such as Garett Bischoff and Wes Brisco joined up. It was a nice touch I thought, if not all obvious already.

Matt Morgan pinned Joseph Parks in a mediocre outing. As Morgan dominated the start and toyed with Parks it was all quite drab, and as Joseph made a brief comeback the action was still pretty pedestrian and unremarkable for me. Morgan finally gained the one-two-three after applying a Carbon Footprint. 

Mike Tenay asked AJ Styles to explain his recent actions and respond to the rumours that he'd turned to alcohol and drug abuse recently. But Taz interrupted and offered AJ a spot in Aces from the bottom. James Storm then also joined in and claimed that while his old friend Styles may have changed, he's still the "same old cowboy." But AJ wasn't interested in talking as he failed to utter a single word and simply walked away. It was a fair segment, I'm quite liking the more serious AJ at the moment.

Jeff Hardy beat Magnus, Samoa Joe and Kurt Angle in a Four Way to earn a World Title shot. In the terrific main event the wrestling was kept to a constantly quick pace so you were always engaged, with a high standard of display from all four men involved. I was expecting an enjoyable one here and it did not disappoint.

Overall it was a solid show for the most part, with only the daft X Division announcement and average Morgan versus Parks encounter letting it down. Apart from that all the matches were stellar outings, especially the main event. My only other slight issue was the lack of any really decent promos, but I can excuse that for the high standard of wrestling they provided. Once again TNA has trumped WWE this week on television.

My TNA Lockdown 2013 Recap

Bully stands tall as the new champ. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Kenny King (c) defeated Christian York and Zema Ion to retain the X Division Championship in a Triple Threat match. And what a great choice for opener this was, with blistering action and plenty of excitement throughout. All three men looked on top form and provided more than worthy efforts, giving probably their best performances in the company to date.

For me this certainly toppled anything involving RVD and King, and proves that the division didn't need him but the younger, fresher talent to bring back the excitement which the division was built on.

Joseph Parks pinned Joey Ryan in a passable comedy match. There was nothing exceptional here but it wasn't bad, there were some fair moments of wrestling. Parks gained the one-two-three after sitting on Ryan as he went to roll him over for a pin attempt.

Velvet Sky (c) beat Gail Kim to retain the Knockouts Title in a largely pedestrian affair until the final couple of minutes. Kim looked stellar as normal, while Sky looked okay if unremarkable, so also the norm for her. For the finish Kim confusingly pushed and slapped referee Taryn Terrell for counting slow and then dared her to call for a disqualification. Why on earth would Kim call for a DQ when the title was on the line and she was the challenger? It made no sense. Eventually having enough Terrell then snapped and attacked Kim, allowing Sky to apply an In Yo' Face for the win. 

Rob Terry pinned Robbie E in a mediocre outing. The match contained  uninspiring wrestling that was occasionally sloppy at times, which wasn't a shock considering the two talents involved. You wouldn't miss much by skipping this one to be honest.

Austin Aries & Bobby Roode (c) bested Chavo Guerrero & Hernandez and Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels & Kazarian) to retain the TNA Tag Team Titles in a superb three way tag bout. The action was red hot here as all six men kept up a terrific pace throughout with solid wrestling and plenty of excitement. I was trying to pick out a standout performer or two but it was too hard, with every man giving a great effort. Definitely lifted the quality of the event after some lacklustre few match ups.

Wes Brisco beat Kurt Angle in a Steel Cage match. This was actually a lot more enjoyable than I'd anticipated. Kurt as standard for him was on top form, helping Wes to provide a fun first match inside a cage for the night. Brisco looked competent enough here, but clearly still has some work to do in the ring. As usual Angle provided a very memorable moment inside the steel structure in the form of a German Suplex from the side of the cage towards the end.

For the finish D'Lo Brown, the VP of Aces & 8s, cracked Angle from behind after he'd exited the cage (Kurt had accidentally KO'd the referee a few moments earlier) and threw him back him and helped drag Wes out as the ref recovered.

Team TNA (Sting, James Storm, Eric Young, Samoa Joe and Magnus) defeated Aces & 8s (Devon, Doc, Garett Bischoff, Mr Anderson and Knox) in the Lethal Lockdown match. The match got off to a bit of a slow start as each man entered the steel structure, which is understandable. After the last man Sting entered with two dustbins (if you haven't guessed yet, I'm British) full of weapons the bout started to get a bit more interesting.

Each unit took it in turns to dominate, with some nice bits of action here and there. But the biggest highlight of the match (and one I'll always remember) was when Samoa Joe pulled down five stacked men above him (including Garett at the top of the cage) down to the mat, it predictably got a standing ovation from the fans in Texas. Eric Young gained the winning pin after applying a diving elbow drop from the top of the cage, it was a nice finish.

Overall it was an enjoyable enough Lockdown match, but certainly not the best. The removal of the roof from the past (which contained weapons and would be lowered after all men had entered) was a bit disappointing for me, some of the most dramatic moments from previous LL matches happened at the top on the roof (normally involving AJ Styles). But I can't fault the efforts of most men involved, they provided a fun watch.

Bully Ray pinned Jeff Hardy (c) to obtain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in a Steel Cage main event. The bout itself was a tremendous one too, with effective near falls and dramatic back and fourth wrestling, plus an ending I very much enjoyed, but I'll get to that in a bit...

Both men gave displays to be proud of and contributed a worthy main event to an otherwise up and down night in terms of quality. During the contest Wes Brisco and Garett Bischoff came in, only to be soon chucked out by Hardy and Ray. Later on the rest of Aces also entered the cage, and this was when Devon passed over a hammer to Bully to strike down Hardy with and cover him for the World strap. Now my only gripe with the match itself was Wes and Garett entering it, what was the point? it just made them look weak. I can't fathom any reason or point to it.

Afterwards Brooke and Hulk Hogan (poorly) feigned shock at what they'd just witnessed, with Hulk's expression especially amusing. Bully then explained that he'd used Hulk, "screwed" Brooke and fooled all the fans, and announced himself as the President of Aces & 8s. He delivered the promo brilliantly, and reminded me why I loved him so much as a heel before, calling the Hulkster an "old bastard" and Brooke a "stupid bitch." The fans then began to rain down bottles and cups onto the gang in the cage, it was like a scene from pro wrestling in the nineties, it was a memorable end to the show. 

On the whole Lockdown was a mixed bag of a pay-per-view, with the majority of matches pretty pedestrian and unmemorable. My highlights were the tag team title bout and the main event, both terrific outings with great displays from all involved. The Lethal Lockdown match was also decent at parts, it's just a shame the rest of the card didn't live up to those three. Most importantly the event had a strong finale, leaving me wanting to see more from the solid heel that is Bully Ray and what's going to happen on Thursday night.  

My Impact Wrestling, 24th January 2013 Recap

Jeff applies an impressive suplex to Daniels in the red hot main event. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com 

Taz, accompanied by many other Aces & 8s members, explained that he'd joined the group because he wanted to be a part of their vision from a "higher power." He also added that his contract made him "bullet proof," no one could put a finger on him without him suing the company for everything they're worth. He finally said that Aces were meant to rule over everyone, and that's exactly what they'll do. It wasn't a very good promo, and didn't clear anything up.

Tara (c) bested Velvet Sky to retain the Knockouts Title in a largely average contest. Compared to recent outings involving James, Kim and Tara, this wasn't up to par for me. Tara looked okay and put in a passable display, but Sky as usual was quite unremarkable. Tara grabbed the win with the help of her boyfriend Jesse who held down her legs as she covered Sky for the one-two-three.

Joseph Parks came out and admitted that he's never been the most athletic guy, but claimed that he felt his place was now in the Impact Zone as a pro wrestler and not in a court room. He went on to also announce that he will be on Impact next week from Manchester, England, and that he will be participating in his first ever Open Fight Night. I still enjoy the Parks persona, he's highly likeable and stands out from most. 

Zema Ion and Kenny King defeated Christian York and Rob Van Dam in a stellar tag bout. All four men gave fine efforts here, making the most of their time in the ring with exciting maneuvers, as it should always be with the X Division. A fun watch. Ion grabbed the cheeky winning pinfall for himself after King applied a flying blockbuster to York, Kenny was not best pleased with that. Hopefully this will lead into a Fatal Four Way for the X strap, could be very good. 

An understandably upset Bully Ray, accompanied by partner Brooke, came out and stated that he never expected Taz'z actions from the previous week and demanded to know where the "scumbag" was. Unfortunately for him Taz had previously stepped out to take a phone call after the last match had ended. Bully went on to warn Aces & 8s that what he'll do to them he can't even say on national television. Sting them joined them and told Hogan (who wasn't in attendance) that on next week's show he believes he will come out and reinstate Bully so he can help exact his revenge on Aces. It was an okay segment, moved things along and Ray did well enough.

Bobby Roode pinned Hernandez in a fair outing. There were enjoyable moments to be had here, but it was never anything particularly outstanding or exceptional. Certainly watchable, and better than I'd anticipated. At one point Aries ran down to help out Roode as 'Super Mex' was about to come flying at him on the outside, which caused Chavo Guerrero to tangle with AA, this led to Roode catching his opponent out and applying a fisherman suplex for the win.

Kurt Angle announced that he was sick and tired of Aces & 8s attacking everyone, and informed Mr. Anderson before calling him out that he will face him next week on Open Fight Night. Anderson managed to get in a few punches on Angle after telling him that he wanted to instead fight there and then, but Angle managed to make a comeback and chased off his foe, informing him that their match next week will be a steel cage one. Last time these two had a cage match it was superb, so hopefully it'll live up to that. But it is a bit odd that they're having one with Lockdown coming up, so I'm maybe thinking Aces will play a big part.

Jeff Hardy (c) defeated Christopher Daniels to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in a thrilling and thoroughly enjoyable title clash. With these two on-form talents it's hardly a surprise how good the match was, with great back and fourth solid wrestling and nice near falls. Hardy grabbed the win after managing to kick Kazarian (who'd naturally interfered at ringside) through the ropes and applying a Swanton to Daniels. 

Afterwards Taz then distracted the champ by asking him what he'll do when everything around him is destroyed, this cued a masked Aces & 8s member to run out and crack Hardy's leg with a hammer from behind before legging it. Not quite sure what the point of this was, what Aces member could Hardy take on for the World Title that would be a realistic threat to it? I think they should've waited to involve Hardy with the gang when a new member had joined such as AJ Styles perhaps.

Overall it was a good show. Most match ups, bar the Knockouts one, ranged from enjoyable to terrific, especially the great main event. Taz as a heel commentator was fairly bizarre as he would sometimes switch back to being a face for a moment before switching back again, he's normally poor as it is but now he's even worse in my opinion, and he gave no real reason for joining Aces & 8s. On the positive side of the show again they did a nice job of setting things up for next week's Impact, giving fans a reason to check it out. A definite step up from last week. 

My Impact Wrestling, 17th January 2013 Recap

The always-entertaining Bad Influence mock Hardy's fan base of 'Creatures'. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

World Champion Jeff Hardy kicked off the show, oddly receiving chants of "You still got it" after mentioning the great Triple Threat he participated in at Genesis, when did Jeff 'loose it' exactly? After then thanking the fans for their support and claiming that he was after a fight to keep his momentum going, Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels and Kazarian) joined him,  with Kaz reminding Hardy that he'll be defending his strap against his tag partner next week, and Daniels calling all of the champ's fans losers.

In retaliation Hardy then began to attack the duo, but soon fell victim to the numbers game, that is until James Storm predictably ran out to his aid and after scaring Bad Influence off challenged them to a tag match right there and then. Daniels and Kaz refused, but where then dragged into the ring and the bout begun.

Jeff Hardy and James Storm defeated Bad Influence in a solid tag team contest. I mean, with these four talents it's hard to go far wrong, right? All four men gave solid displays and kept a nice fast pace going, especially in the exciting final few minutes. Hardy applied the Twist of Fate to Kaz to gain the one-two-three for a popular win.

His future opponent Daniels then snuck in from behind and gave the champ a nicely executed Angles Wings onto his own title belt and laid cockily on top of him. It was a nice image and set up into their title clash, where I see a possible DQ happening which will hopefully lead into a World Championship match at Lockdown, which would be superb I reckon. 

Bryan Cage was first eliminated during the Gut Check segment, leaving the man he lost to last week, Jay Bradley to be judged on whether he deserves a TNA contract. The three judges voted two to one in favour of Jay. With the exception of Christian York, the lack of Gut Check winners of TV each week has diminished the effect and meaning of the whole thing for me.

Kenny King beat Christian York in a largely pedestrian outing. The action was fair, not bad, but also nothing that special. Their match up last Sunday was definitely more enjoyable and engaging. King grabbed the win after a cheeky roll up where he grabbed York's trunks.

Sting called out his good friend Hulk Hogan and asked him what it will take for him to accept Bully and his daughter Brooke's relationship. Hogan explained that there was something about Ray that he didn't trust, that seemed off, so he'll never accept him.

Velvet Sky bested Gail Kim in a number one contenders match to the Knockouts Title. It was a largely decent outing, with stellar work from Kim as she dominated for the most part and an above average effort from Sky (compare to her usual standard). Once again referee Taryn Terrell played a part in Kim's loss as she halted a pin when Sky managed to get her leg under the ropes. As Kim argued with the ref, Sky managed to recover and get in a few offensive moves, including an In Yo' Face for the win. Seems like their setting up a match between Terrell and Kim. I don't remember Terrell being that great in the ring to be honest, I think they should just leave her as a good-looking official.

A suited up Bobby Roode and Austin Aries came out and stated that the only celebration that should be happening rather than the wedding was for them. They went on to also criticise the current crop of champions in the company, claiming that since they'd lost their respective straps it's gone downhill. Tag Champions Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez soon joined them and objected to the claims being made against the title holders of the TNA. After AA and Roode then mocked their race, calling them the caterers, Chavo and 'Super Mex' retorted by chasing them out of the ring. I'm certainly all for a tag team title match between these four, could be great.

After Sting had another word with Hogan backstage, 'The Hulkster' admitted that he had no issue with Bully Ray, but that he objected to the wedding because he didn't want his daughter being involved with a business that had brought some hard times to him. Sting simply told him to do the right thing.

As the wedding ceremony began, Hogan then appeared and walked Brooke down the aisle. The ceremony progressed nicely, but after Bully and Brooke said their "I do"'s, Taz suddenly interrupted and asked if Ray really knew what he was doing. He then took off his blazer to reveal an Aces & 8s waistcoat underneath. This cued other Aces members to enter the ring and take out everyone bar Brooke. So out of all the potentially interesting and exciting members we could have joining the gang, we have Taz? No doubt we'll get some weak reasoning from the commentator next week as to his switch. Disappointing finish to the show, I was personally expecting Brooke or Bully to turn, either would've been more entertaining.
Overall it was a fair Impact, not one of the best as of late. The tag team match was definitely the highlight, providing a solid encounter. The Kim versus Sky bout was also decent enough, the rest of the show was just quite run of the mill and forgettable to be honest. Taz turning, as I mentioned, was a big disappointment, considering the potential candidates (Styles? Bully? Even Brooke, as bad an actress as she is). 

My TNA Genesis 2013 Recap

Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez (c) defeated Joey Ryan and Matt Morgan to retain the TNA Tag Team Championship in a fair opener to the show. It was never anything that special but I can't fault the efforts of all four men, they delivered a decent enough tag bout. Certainly watchable anyway.

Mr. Anderson bested Samoa Joe in a largely drab outing. The last third of the match upped the interest a bit with more technical action from Joe, but for the most part it was pretty pedestrian. Anderson grabbed the win with a Mic Check after Mike Knox distracted Joe from ringside.

Christian York beat Kenny King in an enjoyable contest. Both men went back and fourth with some nicely executed and exciting moves, working well together. And although unfortunately while it was York's best performance I've seen to date he still looked a little sloppy here and there. York grabbed the one-two-three with a quick roll up pin, so an upset King decided to pay him back by applying his Royal Flush finisher.

As per the stipulation York then qualified for an X Division Title match straight after against Rob Van Dam, who inappropriately then came swaggering down and showed absolutely no concern for his fallen opponent. If you didn't know TNA any better you'd have presumed he was a heel with the way he acted. He then did admittedly show some worry for York and said that he didn't have to go through with the bout, but the number one contender wanted to go ahead with it.

Rob Van Dam (c) defeated Christian York to retain the X Division Title in a passable match up. Logically Van Dam had the majority of offense against the still-hurt York, who did manage to get in a couple of nice near falls though. Unfortunately a lack of intensity and some some sloppy moments marred the championship clash. Rightfully RVD applauded the efforts of York afterwards.

Devon beat Joseph Parks in an average encounter. It just failed to deliver any excitement or ever really engage me throughout. Parks, portraying a man who just passed wrestling school, was understandably acting amateur, which made sense but also hindered the quality of the match. As part of his act he also transformed into Abyss after seeing his own blood when he was thrown into an exposed corner post, temporarily throwing his foe around. Devon also looked okay but nothing special, afterwards he cracked Parks with a clothesline from behind.

Gail Kim first eliminated Brooke Tessmacher, then ODB and Mickie James, but was finally pinned by Velvet Sky after she applied an In Yo' Face to win the Knockouts Gauntlet to to become number one contender to the Knockouts Championship. It was a controversial win however as Kim's foot was under the rope as the winning pin was counted, I imagine this will set up a Triple Threat for the Knockouts strap.

The majority of the gauntlet was fair viewing, and to be honest much more engaging than anything you'll get from the female talent in WWE right now. The highlight was the period between James and Kim, the most talented Knockouts in my opinion.

Christopher Daniels bested James Storm in a solid bout. It's hardly a suprise that two of the companies best all-round talents pulled out an fun watch, with stellar wrestling from the opening bell. That should really be enough to convince you to check it out. Daniels gained the win (and a World Title match on a later episode of Impact) after Kazarian distracted Storm.

Bully Ray and Brooke Hogan came out and once again announced their wedding that will take place live on Impact Wrestling this Thursday. Bully then also recorded a live video to tweet out of the crowd who the couple had invited to the wedding. That was it, they could've just recapped the proposal from last week's Impact to be honest and saved time.

Before the match even begun, a few Aces & 8s goons beat down Sting before Doc dragged him into the ring for the opening bell.

Sting beat Doc in a brief and unmemorable match up. Nothing about it was outstanding as Sting gave a pretty pedestrian display and Doc was his usual drab-self in the ring. You wouldn't miss much by skipping this one. After the bell rung more Aces members were about to pounce on 'The Stinger' until Bully Ray ran out with his chain in hand and chased them off.

Jeff Hardy (c) defeated Bobby Roode and Austin Aries in an Elimination Triple Threat to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. And what a superb main event this was. Now I was expecting a solid contest here, but it exceeded that as all three men worked very hard to provide a red hot match up, and succeeded. As promised beforehand Aries and Roode attempted to beat down Hardy and eliminate him first, but the resilient champion resisted the dramatic pinfall attempts, eventually rolling to the outside to leave the other two to face each other.

After some nice exchanges Hardy and Aries then managed to score a double pinfall on Roode to send him packing. Shortly after Hardy then applied an insane-looking Twist of Fate on AA through the middle rope, followed by a Swanton for the winning pin. Terrific high note to end the event on, as should always be the case.

Overall Genesis was a bumpy pay-per-view, with the majority of matches being quite forgettable and humdrum, but King versus York, Daniels versus Storm and the main event providing above average and in the case of the Triple Threat, brilliant entertainment. I'm sure Lockdown in March will provide a much more consistent show. Hopefully.

My Impact Wrestling, 10th January 2013 Recap

Crack! Aries ends a great tag match via DQ. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Sting, accompanied by Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe, warned Doc that at Genesis this Sunday he'll be coming for him. Joe then also threatened Aces & 8s after their group attack on him in the steel cage last week. Finally Angle took to the mic and called out Mr. Anderson, who stood by as the aforementioned attack from Aces & 8s took place on him and Joe, and demanded to know who's side he's on.

Anderson then joined them and explained that he'd turned his back on them after Sting and the others failed to help him when he was taken out by Aces a couple of months ago. After Angle then gave Ken the choice of either being against them, or with them, Anderson admitted that he'd never liked Kurt much anyway, which prompted the gold medallist to attack him and send him on his way. The best part of the opening segment was Anderson's nicely subtle but effective mic work.

Kenny King defeated Zema Ion in an entertaining match up. Both men looked good here and put in decent displays, with nicely executed and exciting moves to keep the fans going throughout.

Robbie T and Brooke Tessmacher bested Jesse and Tara in a largely pedestrian inter-gender tag bout. Tessmacher looked good enough in the ring, but that was about the only really noteworthy part of the contest. Afterwards Robbie T began dancing with Tessmacher, then laid on a big snog which apparently knocked her off her feet.

Jay Bradley beat Bryan Cage (yes, that was really the name he'd chosen to use) in a fair effort by both men in the Gut Check Challenge. The start was quite dull but once it got going they looked okay, nothing exceptional but competent enough, and better than some of the past Gut Check challengers.

In the Aces & 8s base, Mike Knox was informed that after being unmasked last week he would be given one chance to earn back his spot in he gang.

Joseph Parks called out Hulk Hogan and after completing his time at the OVW training camp begged him for a match against Aces & 8s as retribution for their attack on him, so 'The Hulkster' accepted. Brooke Hogan then joined her dad and asked if he was going to reinstate Bully Ray after he suspended him on last week's show. Hogan simply answered "No" and left his upset daughter. Brooke's acting here was awful, I mean really bad.

Jeff Hardy and James Storm won via DQ versus Austin Aries and Bobby Roode in a terrific tag contest from start to finish. I'm a fan of all four men but it still surpassed my expectations with solid wrestling and some red hot action, especially when Hardy made a hot tag to Storm, with 'The Cowboy' on top form as he barraged through his two opponents and then Christopher Daniels and Kazarian who decided to make their way down and interfere.

The disqualification came after Aries struck Hardy with his own title belt across the back of the head. Roode and AA then argued as they both held up Hardy's World Championship strap. I'm predicting a very good Triple Threat for the title this Sunday. 

After Anderson hesitated to enter the ring with Angle, Mike Knox appeared and cracked Kurt with a hammer and legged it once Samoa Joe, Garett Bischoff and Wes Brisco appeared on the scene. As Angle was being stretchered away a livid Sting then stormed out and demanded that Knox enter the ring with him one on one. After fellow Aces members convinced him to take up the challenge, Knox accepted.

Sting defeated Mike Knox in a passable, if quite drab outing. The action wasn't bad at any point, it just never went beyond okay and failed to ever really engage me. You can skip this one.

Afterwards 'The Stinger' was about to deliver some retribution to Knox with his own weapon, until Devon and crew appeared with Brooke Hogan hostage and warned him to halt. This prompted the indefinitely suspended Bully Ray to run out and save Brooke with a chain in hand to back off the Aces & 8s members. Hogan then also came out and accused Bully of being a fake and putting his daughter in harms way. Bully retorted by calling Hogan crazy and admitted that he loved Brooke more than anything else. To prove this Bully then proposed in front of a furious 'Hulkster', with his daughter accepting. Bully went on to convince her to have the wedding live on next weeks show. At least this storyline is progressing a bit more. The hilarious cartoon-face on Hogan alone made this closing segment worth watching. 

My Impact Wrestling, 3rd January 2013 Recap

Jeremy Borash announced via an online poll that Jeff Hardy had been named the 'TNA wrestler of the year'. Soon into Hardy's acceptance speech Bobby Roode interrupted him and berated the World Champion for caring about the fans opinion as much as his title belt, stating that it meant everything to him when he held it. Austin Aries (my personal TNA wrestler of the year) then also chimed in and called the whole contest "rigged" as he felt after his top PPV performances and record-breaking X Division title run he deserved the accolade of wrestler of the year.

Hardy then settled things by challenging both men to a Triple Threat for the title at Genesis to prove he was the better man. Aries and Roode decided they'd then had enough of the 'Charismatic Enigma' and began attacking him, but Jeff soon turned the tables and managed to take out both men.  

James Storm defeated Kazarian in a decent contest with a great finish. Both men gave fine displays here for the most part as they went back and fourth, with an excited crowd to help boost the atmosphere. For the finish Storm executed a superb Last Call Superkick to Kaz as he came off the top rope, it looked tremendous and had the fans on their feet.  

In the Aces & 8s headquarters Mr. Anderson agreed to help out the gang, but warned them that they'll have to show no fear when Sting returns that night. Doc then came out to the ring by himself and demanded that 'The Stinger' come on out. But there was no sign of Sting, and all Doc received was a black baseball bat fall to the ring in front of him. 

Christian York bested Kid Kash to advance in the X Division Title tournament. The bout itself was a bit of a mixed bag, with decent moments of action here and there but signs of sloppiness and nerves from York still. I just feel that York's a bit overrated by many fans, he shows moments of promising ability in the ring but he's still coming across as a bit of an amateur and slow to me, which isn't good enough for someone with as many years experience as him.

Matt Morgan announced on the way to the ring that he'd picked up an injury doing weights in the gym, so instead Joey Ryan was taking his place in the following match against Hernandez, much to Ryan's surprise.

Hulk Hogan apologised for not appearing on last weeks Impact, then went on to call out Brooke Hogan and Bully Ray to sort things out after seeing them kiss. He accused Bully of breaking the code among pro wrestlers by being involved with his daughter and then indefinitely suspended him without pay and demanded that Brooke leave the ring also. The storyline's taken an interesting turn.   

Mickie James and Brooke Tessmacher beat Tara and Gail Kim in a largely average tag bout. It wasn't a bad match, there was just nothing exceptional about it at all. Mickie James was the only stand out performer with a worthy display here, while Tara, Tessmacher and Kim were disappointedly pedestrian. 

Before the main event cage match begun, Doc attacked Kurt Angle and dragged him away, then locked Samoa Joe inside with Devon and a masked Aces & 8s ally. 

Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe defeated Devon and the masked Aces & 8s member in a Steel Cage match. The first third was fairly drab as Devon and his fellow gang member began beating on Joe, but once Angle managed to make a comeback and open the cage door after beating it off Doc, the main event picked up and started to gain some excitement. Angle as usual was on good form as he began throwing around and taking out his two opponents, Joe also looked decent here, Devon and his ally gave fair performances. Angle grabbed the win after applying an Angle Slam.

Afterwards a swarm of gang members ran into the steel structure and began taking out Joe and Angle. But predictably Sting then made his return and took out all the Aces & 8s goons with his signature baseball bat. Considering the build up to his return, it all felt rather anticlimactic to me. He just strolled down in his T-Shirt, without any music or at least the lights going out, and the way he was able to take out all those men looked ridiculous, like they wouldn't be able to take down the far older 'Stinger'? Disappointing return for me, but then I wasn't that hyped to begin with. I still feel he would've been better off retiring two years back.

Overall it was a largely pedestrian Impact for me. Storm versus Kazarian and the second half to the main event were the highlights, other than that I didn't really get that into the show. At least we had some nicely executed progressions in the Hogan Bully Ray storyline and World Title picture.

My Impact Wrestling, 27th December 2012 Recap

Kazarian and Daniels on great form as standard. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com 

Bully Ray came to the ring and as part of the Open Fight Night rules asked Hulk Hogan to come out to talk, which he was obliged to as part of OFN. But instead daughter Brooke Hogan joined Bully and quietly informed him that her Dad was aware of their relationship. The fact that Ray feigned shock just seemed stupid, I mean they were both kissing out in the clear open in the parking lot on last weeks show when 'The Hulkster' spotted them. 

Austin Aries challenged Bobby Roode to a match in the main event to finally settle things after each man had screwed each other over in World Title situations over the past two weeks. He also claimed that as the top two wrestlers going it was suitable that they'd have the final televised TNA bout of the year.

An angry Samoa Joe called out a masked member of Aces & 8s that attacked him previously to a match up, and threatened to unmask him too. 

Samoa Joe defeated the Aces & 8s member via submission in a passable, if uninspiring contest. The action was okay but nothing special or particularly exciting. As Joe began to unmask his opponent, other gang members raced out so he decided to leave it for now and left.

Robbie E challenged Jesse to a 'Bro Off', which consisted of simply dancing awfully or posing to their entrance themes. Robbie E announced himself the winner after Jesse broke the rules by not saying "Bro"  and by using Tara and not "putting bros before hoes." But it wasn't over as Robbie T then also danced/posed to the music and walked off leaving a shocked Robbie E. It was a bad segment all round to be honest, it wasn't funny and the dancing wasn't remotely decent. I didn't personally find any amusement here at all, and I normally don't mind the duo of Tara and Jesse. 

Rob Van Dam ridiculously stated that his efforts had "elevated the X Division to a whole new level." Please tell me doesn't actually believe that, right? RVD hasn't done anything close to what Aries did for the division, he gives average efforts most weeks and still thinks of himself as one of the top talents in the company. He went on to then challenge Christian York to a match, much to the surprise of Kenny King.

Rob Van Dam defeated Christian York in a fair contest. While York pulls out a few exciting moves in his match ups, he does still have a tendency to be a bit clumsy here and there, and I wouldn't have believed that he's had sixteen-years experience in pro wrestling if Tenay hadn't mentioned it. Overall the bout was decent enough, nothing exceptional about it. 

Christopher Daniels as usual was on great form on the mic as he mocked the fans and named his rear the one that "makes the girls cheer." He also went on to introduce AJ Styles for one final match, but it was of course a hoax as Kazarian came out dressed as 'The Phenomenal One' and did an amusing impression of him as he claimed that Daniels was superior in every way. Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez then joined them and called the duo a pair of clowns and challenged them to a tag match.

Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez bested Bad Influence (Daniels and Kazarian) in a solid tag bout. All four men gave good displays here and finally provided a very enjoyable match for the night. It's also nice to see the tag champs back on our screens, it's felt like a while since they've been there.

Gail Kim boasted about her memorable Knockouts Title reign (longest in company history) and also challenged Brooke Tessmacher to a match as a bit of retribution for ending said reign. I do miss Kim as champ I have to say, for me she's the top female wrestler in TNA.

Gail Kim defeated Brooke Tessmacher in an intense back and fourth outing. I wasn't expecting anything special here but it was a very pleasant surprise as both wrestlers provided a great Knockouts match up. Tessmacher looked good throughout and put on one of her top performances to date, Kim was also on her usual stellar form. Good stuff here and worth a watch, miles better than any Divas contest you'll get nowadays.

Austin Aries versus Bobby Roode ended in a No Contest. It was a fun main event for the most part, with Aries and Roode each applying their own underhanded, heel-tactics throughout. It's a shame there wasn't more wrestling though, considering the high standard of matches they've put on before. The match ended when referee Earl Hebner screamed at both to stop ignoring the rules, so the competitors decided to kick Earl and chuck him out of the ring. Jeff Hardy then appeared from behind and took both men out.

Overall it was a largely average Impact, with the first half of the show providing quite pedestrian entertainment. Fortunately the Daniels and Kazarian segment was as usual solid, and their following tag bout, Kim versus Tessmacher and most of the main event were also decent to very enjoyable match ups. 

My Impact Wrestling, 20th December 2012 Recap

Aries controls Hardy in a great main event title clash. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Devon (c) bested Kurt Angle to retain the Television Title in an average opener. Unfortunately there was just too much happening and they never had a chance to really put on a substancial contest. Angle looked solid as usual, but again there wasn't much time and too many distractions that marred things. Samoa Joe, Wes Brisco and Garett Bischoff all came down to ringside and began brawling with Aces & 8s members, then once again later on, which was a bit overkill for my liking. The second time as the referee was distracted a masked gang member whacked Angle with a kendo stick, allowing Devon to gain the one-two-three.

Joey Ryan and Matt Morgan beat Rob van Dam and Kenny King in a fair tag bout. King was the standout performer here, with the only memorable display. RVD also looked decent, but nothing outstanding. Ryan again failed to really impress me in the ring at all, and Morgan was his usual pretty drab self. For the finish King decided he'd had enough of Morgan and left RVD to have a Carbon Footprint applied by 'The Blueprint', with Ryan then pinning him.

Hulk Hogan claimed that 2012 had bee a great year for the company, and also announced that the online voting for TNA wrestler of the year was now open. Devon and Aces & 8s members soon joined 'The Hulkster' and stated that 2012 will only be remembered as the year "Aces & 8s were born" and 2013 as the year they were all revealed and unmasked, and when Hogan was in TNA no longer. But as they approached the ring Bully Ray ran out to Hogan's aid and chased them off, but Hogan still refused to acknowledge or appreciate Bully's help.

Kazarian brought out tag partner Christopher Daniels and as a Holiday treat arranged for Santa Claus to join him and ask what he wanted for Christmas this year. So after giving it much thought, Daniels asked for presents for AJ Style's kids as they'll be struggling at the moment. As usual Daniels and Kaz were on great form, especially the hilarious Daniels who when asked if he'd been good or not gave a priceless smug look to the camera. James Storm the also joined them and defended the Christmas season and what it means to children and super kicked Santa after failing to guess what he'd asked for Christmas last year. It was a fun segment all round.  

Tara (c) beat Mickie James to retain the Knockouts Championship in a passable contest. Decent enough displays from both women but nothing outstanding, I actually found myself loosing interest towards the end too. Tara gained the win after boyfriend Jesse distracted James, allowing her to grab a quick pinfall win.

Jeff Hardy (c) defeated Austin Aries to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Title in a solid main event. Once again these two worked brilliantly together, with great chemistry. Although not as exciting as their previously tremendous bouts, it's very hard to fault either man's efforts here. Worthy World Championship contest and the highlight of the night for sure. The finish came when Bobby Roode gained some revenge by attacking Aries which allowed Hardy to apply a Twist of Fate for the important victory. 

In the parking lot Hogan spotted Bully Ray and daughter Brooke Hogan making out. Hogan simply drove away, while the interviewer pricelessly exclaimed "Oh, shit!" An amusing end to the show. 

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.