Since itsfalse didn't start a thread on the show I figured I'd give it a crack. Opening Segment - The opening of last night's show was just kind of there. Pretty basic stuff from Daniels, Kazarian & Roode that helped to set up the six man tag main event. The stuff from Daniels & Styles was, for me, just blah blah blah. I've heard this "one last match" bullshit from them so many times in so many past feuds, including this one that's dragged on forever, that I don't see how anybody can really care. I'm sure they'll have a good match but there's only so many times you can see a great movie without it becoming tired & stale. Nothing particularly good or bad here, it just felt like it was kinda there to me. NA
1. Samoa Joe vs. Devon for the TNA Television Championship - An ok match while it lasted. I didn't really expect much out of this and, all in all, I don't think we got much. You had to know that the overall ending of the match was coming. I was expecting interference to pop up at anytime and I figured it'd happen sooner rather than later. Joe locks Devon, or half way locks him, in the rear naked choke when a blonde chick in short shorts jumps up onto the apron and distracts the ref. DOC comes up from behind and slams the hammer into Joe's back, and Joe knocked out by that. Devon makes the cover and scores the win at the 3 minute mark. Devon is the new TNA Television Champion. As I said, ok for what it was but, no matter what, it's generally hard to get excited about 3 minute title matches and Devon really sucks. Mickie James Promo - All in all, pretty weak work in my opinion from both Mickie & Tara. Promos have never really been Mickie's strong suit and Tara's current angle with Jesse just doesn't offer any incentive to care. The only real saving grace for this was the return of Velvet Sky. Velvet returning in the midst of things could've stolen some heat from the Mickie & Tara feud, if there'd been any real heat to speak of. If TNA makes this a threeway feud, then Velvet might be able to put some life into things. Thumbs In The Middle
2. Chavo Guerrero & Hernandez vs. Robbie E & Rob Terry - Pretty basic warm up tag team match for Chavo & Hernandez heading into Sunday. TNA does try, to some degree, to make the Robs seem like a threat but it just never really happens. The match ends at the 4 minute mark with Chavo hitting the Frog Splash on Robbie E. After the match, they get jumped by Matt Morgan & Joey Ryan. I personally don't really see the chemistry with Ryan & Morgan. Ryan has charisma but this current porn star type of character just makes me look at him as Val Venis lite, especially with all the lame penis jokes. Aces & Eights - They showed a brief segment with Aces & Eights celebrating Devon's win at the clubhouse. There were some strippers working the pole, one sitting in Devon's lap, etc. At one point, a member pulls out an envelope stacked with cash, so it looks like they've been "hired" to attack someone instead of throwing a dart at pictures. Nothing particularly good or bad here, it was just kind of here. 3. Kurt Angle vs. DOC - Pretty decent 5.5 minute match. I thought Angle & DOC had a pretty solid back & forth match going on and they put some good action into the match. Angle hit a lot of his signature stuff, including the multiple German suplexes, and DOC got in a pretty decent amount of offense himself. The predicted ending came when Angle pulls down the straps of his singlet and puts DOC in the ankle lock. Aces & Eights run in and cause the DQ. Garett Bischoff & Wes Brisco slowly walk towards the ring as it's surrounded but Samoa Joe hits the ring quickly. Angle gets on the mic & challenges Aces & Eights to an eight man tag at the ppv. I'm betting that Bischoff, Brisco or both turn on Angle & Joe at the ppv. Kenny King vs. Zema Ion vs. Kid Kash to become #1 contender for the TNA X Division Championship - This was an insanely fast spotfest. There was absolutely no story being told here but there were some exciting spots. All in all, pretty much a signature X Division triple threat match. The match went to about the 5.5 minute mark with Kenny King scoring the win over Zema Ion after hitting what he calls the Royal Flush. So I'm guessing he gets RVD at the ppv. These sort of matches are a nice way to turn your brain off but, for me, they don't do shit about making you care about any of the wrestlers involved. Bully Ray, Austin Aries, Hulk Hogan & Brooke Hogan - I care less & less about this story each week. I understand that most wrestling storylines have gaps in logic but I just don't get what Hogan's deal is. If he's supposed to be so upset about Ray allegedly porking his nearly 25 year old daughter and Austin Aries talking shit about her, then why not book the match and let the two men he has serious issues with beat the snot out of each other? Why spend a couple of weeks dragging it out when you know he's going to make the match? He could've made the match and Ray & Aries could've built things nicely without Hogan being front & center for every little thing that goes down. Also, Hogan coming out and acting the tough guy at this point in his life is laughable. The man's body is held together with a wing & a prayer and he's out there threatening to beat Bully Ray's ass. Hogan finally makes the match when it's all said & done. Thumbs Down
5. Jeff Hardy, Cowboy James Storm & AJ Styles vs. Bobby Roode, Christopher Daniels & Kazarian - Pretty solid six man tag match. All six of them worked hard and wrestled well here. It's just too bad that Storm has gone from being the hottest babyface in TNA just a couple of months ago to being put in what amounts to a supporting role in the grand scheme of things. The ending comes really in the only sensible way with Jeff Hardy hitting the Twist of Fate on Kazarian for the win at the 15 minute mark. As Storm & Styles are having words outside the ring, Hardy gets jumped by Aces & Eights. Storm eventually runs in for the save and Devon & Roode share a thumbs up, so I'm guessing Roode is the one that paid off Aces & Eights, which was a nice way to put heat on him. Final Thoughts - Last night's show was ok but, overall, not all that hot for a go home show. To me, hardly anything on the show came off as feeling particularly important. The match that had the most important feel to it was Ray vs. Aries, and that's probably due in large part to Hulk Hogan being front & center in the storyline. The TNA WHC match at the ppv got some hype though not much to speak of. The X Division, tag & KO title matches felt completely tacked on. Wrestling action on the show was generally mixed. For me, Angle vs. DOC & the six man tag main event were the best matches on the show. The X Division match probably wowed some and while there were some cool spots, the match was a typical 5.5 minute spotfest. Devon winning the TV title felt like it meant little but it does give Aces & Eights a little something that they didn't have before. last night's show came off as as show that was just there. Nothing particularly good or bad took place.
I liked parts of the show. The Hogan stuff was horrible as great as Bully Ray is even he can't make the Hogans tolerable. Devon being stripped of the title and then winning it back is silly and Joe jobbing to him is awful. Joe has much more upside than Devon. I actually liked the X division match as it adds a nice dose of athleticism to the show. No clue why TNA doesn't have weekly X division matches. Doc Vs Angle was just okay, who doesn't see Garrett and Wes turning on Joe and Angle? Bad Influence in zumba pants was full of win, no idea why they aren't still tag champs. Roode getting Aces and Eights to take Hardy out was creative. Not a bad show, but not a great build to the PPV.
I thought it was a mixed bag show. I liked the opening segment with the former fortune members. It reminded me how much TNA dropped the ball with Fortune as Flair was pushed as the leader and the rest of the guys were presented as his goons. Daniels and Kaz were gold on the mic and Roode threw out some foreshadowing.
The result of the Joe-Devon match wasn't surprising, but disappointing nonetheless. Joe was doing a good job as champ and having good match and seemed more motivated than he has been in years and now the belt is back on Devon, who has slow plodding matches. I would just put Devon in a tag team with Doc and see where that goes.
Chavo and Hernandez vs The Robbie's was a crappy squash match, man is Chavo and Hernandez a boring team. I watched a lot of NWA Hollywood and thought Joey Ryan carried himself like a star and could be a nice mid-carder in the WWE or TNA, but man has his mic work been underwhelming and he feels so indy.
I really liked the X division three way, but I didn't like the fact that all three didn't get ring entrances and felt like jobbers with the in ring intros. I did like the match as Kash is a nice hand and King is a big time talent. i bet King jobs to the washed up stoner RVD on Sunday.
The Hogan stuff is just awful his reasoning for not booking the match was idiotic.
Doc Vs Angle was crappy and finished with the predictable run in. You know if you wanna make Doc strong let him go over Angle who is bullet proof. I mean Angle jobbed to Chavo two months ago, so why not? The only question on the eight man match is if both Brisco and Bischoff turn or just one.
The six man tag was fun with Hardy taking a beating all match and Kaz and Daniels old school gear. Man did Kaz oversell the twist of faith much like The Rock used to oversell the stunner. Roode being the Aces and Eight benefactor made some sense, but also didn't because they beat him down in the past.
All in all, an okay show, but not a great go home show. One last thing I bet the 1-3-13 video is for Sting. Meh.
How is it that none of you mentioned the Magic Camera that allowed us to hear what was going on in Jeff Hardy's head? For shame!
Ace's & Eights leader Brooke Hogan is using Bully Ray. She's making him go after Austin Ares as to keep him from going against Ace's & Eights. See, it all makes sense.
Originally posted by CerebusHow is it that none of you mentioned the Magic Camera that allowed us to hear what was going on in Jeff Hardy's head? For shame!
Ace's & Eights leader Brooke Hogan is using Bully Ray. She's making him go after Austin Ares as to keep him from going against Ace's & Eights. See, it all makes sense.
That would actually be a decent swerve to redeem this crap.
Hardy's inner monologue has been going on for weeks now. It is horrible. Hardy cannot cut a promo to save his life. I mean it is like local indie bad. Seriously, 85% of the ROH roster is better on the stick than him.
I'm sorry, but according to previous threads about the efficacy of the Internet and/or Internet Wrestling Community (or IWC), we decided the IWC made up somewhere around 0.0001% of the fan-base/audience.