My TNA Impact Wrestling, 8th August 2013 Recap

Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My TNA Impact Wrestling, 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, 30th May 2013 Recap

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My TNA Impact Wrestling, 16th May 2013 Recap

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My TNA Impact Wrestling, 18th April 2013 Recap

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My TNA Impact Wrestling, 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 Impact Wrestling, 21st February 2013 Recap

Aries and Roode desert their tag partners. Gits. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Hulk Hogan announced that after a week of deliberation, he decided that Bully Ray will face Jeff Hardy for the World Title at Lockdown. A confused Bully then joined his Father in law, bemused because of the fact that he didn't even compete in a number one contenders match last week. He admitted that there were other men that deserved it more than him at the moment, but nonetheless thanked 'The Hulkster' for the title opportunity. Bully also suggested a six-man tag bout that night pitting him, Sting and Hogan against three members of Aces & 8s, Hulk approved.

Chavo Guerrero, Hernandez, James Storm and Joseph Parks beat Christopher Daniels, Kazarian, Austin Aries and Bobby Roode in a fair eight-man tag contest. To be honest I was a little disappointed with this one considering the talent involved, but it had it's entertaining moments so I can't complain too much.

Chavo and Storm were the stand out performers for me, providing the best action in the ring. The arguing between the loosing team was also fairly amusing, with Aries and Roode eventually having enough and storming off when all four egos clashed.

Rockstar Spud pinned Robbie E in a passable encounter. It was pretty forgettable and unremarkable for the most part really, although Spud did show off a few nice moves. The finish came when Robbie T refused to hand over his clipboard to E, which caused Rob to be caught out by Rockstar with a quick roll up pin for the one-two-three.

Taz (who's even worse as a heel commentator, which is saying something) called it a big upset, when was the last time Robbie actually did anything worthwhile? Or ever, for that matter? Afterwards an upset Robbie E slapped T in the face, then wisely legged it away down the ramp. I lost interest in these two splitting up a long, long time ago.

Velvet Sky bested Gail Kim, Brook Tessmacher and Tara (c) to obtain the Knockouts Title in an Elimination Fatal Four Way. The match itself was a mixed bag, and just not consistent enough for me, with no logic in sight. There were some nice moments of action and excitement but the majority of the bout felt a little messy, with average displays from Velvet and Brooke for the most part. 

Ridiculously the women involved would also run in to stop pinfall attempts even though it was an elimination match, huh? Where's the advantage or sense in that? For the finish referee Taryn Terrell forced Kim off of the ropes during a pinfall attempt as she refused to let go, which also confused me, why wouldn't she just let go? This allowed Velvet to then apply an In Yo' Face (worst finisher name ever) for the winning pin and strap.

Samoa Joe won via disqualification versus Garett Bischoff after Wes Brisco ran and began attacking him, but the double team attack was short live as Kurt Angle then chased them both off. The actual match itself had been okay, pretty drab for the most part to be honest, with mostly strikes exchanged between the two. Garett still clearly has a fair way to go in the ring.

Rob Van Dam (c) pinned Kenny King to retain the X Division Championship in a decent outing. Both men gave worthy enough displays, and provided some fun action here. It's definitely not either man's finest efforts but it's a fine enough watch. My only big gripe is RVD retaining yet again, I don't really get the point of their feud if King is never going to eventually win the strap. Their issues have been going on for a long, long time now and it's well overdue that either KK wins the title or RVD moves onto a new challenger.

Aces & 8s (Doc, Devon & Mr. Anderson) defeated Sting and Bully Ray in an average main event. I just failed to find much interest at all in this contest, with passable, if uninspiring wrestling and multiple distractions. Hogan mysteriously failed to turn up for the bout, but was dragged out later on along with his daughter Brooke by more Aces & 8s members, clearly beaten down by the group.

This allowed Doc to finish off Sting for the winning pinfall, and then attack him further with more affiliates. If there was one plus from all this then it was at least making Aces look like a stronger unit again, but I'm still growing very tired of them now, I think they desperately need some more interesting members to rejuvenate them a bit. 

Overall it was a largely average Impact for me, with most match ups being pretty pedestrian and the majority of storylines starting to feel like they're dragging now. To be fair the eight-man bout was watchable, but not outstanding. Hopefully it picks up next week. 

My Impact Wrestling, 14th February 2013 Recap

Samoa Joe about to elbow Angle in a solid encounter. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Hulk Hogan kicked things off by announcing four matches that night that would determine his choice to face Jeff Hardy at Lockdown next month for the world title. He then went on to also announce a Lethal Lockdown match at the same event (obviously) pitting Aces & 8s against TNA team captain Sting and a unit of his choosing. 'The Stinger' himself then came out warned Aces that he will have retribution.

Magnus defeated Christopher Daniels in a fair outing. Both men looked decent enough, but the match seemed to lack that bit of excitement for me to really get into it. Magnus gave a worthy effort, although he's still nothing exceptional he's continuing to improve which is positive.

Kurt Angle versus Samoa Joe ended in a no contest after Garett Bischoff and Wes Brisco ran in and attacked both men, unfortunately for them Joe and Angle fought back and chased them off. The match itself had been a solid one, with both men as usual working well together and providing stellar displays as they fought back and fourth.

Gail Kim, Tara and Jesse bested the Blossom Twins and Party Marty in a largely average mixed-tag bout. The former TNA British Boot Camp contestants the Blossom Twins and Marty had decent moments but still looked a bit too inexperienced in the ring, which obviously brought down the quality of the match up. Kim was the only real standout performer for me, giving a fine display as standard for her.

Afterwards Kim warned Tara that she had what she wanted in the form of the Knockouts Title, and demanded a match for the strap. So Brooke Hogan came out and booked a four-way for Tara's belt next week, including Gail Kim, Velvet Sky and Brooke Tessmacher.

James Storm pinned Rob Van Dam in an enjoyable outing. It started off a little slow but once they hit their stride it became a fun watch, with counter after counter. Storm managed to capture the win after applying a Superkick. 

Before their match up, Bobby Roode and Austin Aries revealed that they intended to win every title in the company to bring back "prestige and honour" to them.

Austin Aries versus Bobby Roode ended in a double count out. After the bell rung the two argued over who should lay down to be pinned. Aries eventually agreed to be the bigger man and laid down, of course this was a ruse as he then went to pin his tag partner which instigated the actual wrestling. The bout itself was an entertaining one, with nice action and amusing bickering between the two, including an Eddie Guerrero-esque moment of pretending the other man had struck him with a chair. 

The count out came after Chavo Guerreo and Hernandez, each wearing a T-Shirt representing the Tag Champions, came out and distracted Aries and Roode, causing them to leave the ring and try (and fail) to beat their opponent to make the count.

As Hulk Hogan was about to announce the number one contender to the World Title, Aces & 8s members made their way out and surrounded the ring. Just then Bully Ray and Sting also joined Hulk to back him up and scare away the gang. It was a poor end to the show, and running away from two elderly men and Bully only made Aces look weak.

Overall it was a fair Impact, with a few solid matches. Unfortunately the show lacked any half decent promos, and the Aces & 8s and TNA feud is loosing serious steam now, I'm struggling to find any interest in a gang that are just looking weaker and weaker. As I said fortunately the Aries versus Roode, Joe versus Angle and Storm versus RVD bouts made up for the weaker rest of the broadcast. 

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, 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 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.