Impact
Wrestling
Date:
October 10, 2013
Location:
Cox Business Area, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Commentators:
Mike Tenay, Tazz
Reviewed by Tommy Hall
We're
at the final TV taping before Bound For Glory, meaning we have tonight
and next week to go. The main stories coming into tonight are Hogan
being gone and AJ Styles challenging Bully Ray for the title in
whichever order you pick. Last week saw a lot of the midcard being
filled in for the show so perhaps we'll get even more this week.
Let's get to it.
Here's
Dixie to open things up. She talks about someone leaving last week
and how we're never to mention that person's name again. Dixie
doesn't need anyone to tell her what to do, not even Stephanie
LeVesque or Eric Bischoff. As for AJ Styles, last week he snuck back
into the arena after she threw him out, so tonight Bully Ray can put
him in any match he wants.
Before
Dixie can go anywhere else, here's Sting with something to say.
Dixie sucks up to him a bit before saying that even he is under
review at this point. Sting suggested Hogan for the GM spot in the
first place and now he's making matches for Bound For Glory on his
own. Therefore, tonight it's Magnus/Sting vs. Bad Influence and if
the good guys lose, neither are on the pay per view. Good luck!
Austin
Aries says he's a professional wrestler and doesn't need to hide
behind a crowd like Jeff does.
Austin
Aries vs. Jeff Hardy
Feeling
out process to start with Jeff taking Aries down but not being able
to do anything more than that. Aries comes back with an armdrag to
take Jeff to the mat, only to have to fight out of a headscissors. A
dropkick to the back of Jeff's head gets two and a bulldog out of the
corner gets the same. Jeff comes back with the sitout jawbreaker and
a headscissors to send Aries to the outside. A clothesline off the
apron drops Aries as we take a break.
Back
with Jeff missing a charge in the corner to give Aries his first real
advantage. Jeff is sent to the outside for a BIG top rope ax handle
to the head to send him sprawling across the floor. Another ax
handle sends Jeff into the barricade and we head back inside. Jeff
avoids a missile dropkick and starts his comeback, only to get caught
in a neckbreaker.
Aries
goes up top again and connects with the missile dropkick but its
running cousin is countered by Jeff's raised boots. Jeff clips Aries
over but can't get the Twist. Whisper in the Wind drops Aries but he
crotches Jeff to break up the Swanton. A super brainbuster is enough
for the pin at 14:18.
Rating:
B. Really solid main event
style match here with both guys using their big moves throughout
because that's all they could do to hurt the other guy. Hardy losing
clean is still a pretty big deal as he's still the biggest start TNA
has, so points to Aries for such a big win. Good stuff here and one
of TNA's best matches in awhile.
Post
match here's Samoa Joe to congratulate Aries on his win. However,
there's some bad news for Aries as well: he's entering the Ultimate X
match at Bound For Glory as well.
The
Bro Mans make fun of each other for their bad losses but Jesse says
he's getting rid of their biggest problem next. They TOTALLY get
chicks too bro.
Joseph
Park and Eric Young are going on a road trip to Bound For Glory.
They immediately stop because ODB has a match tonight.
Jesse
Godderz vs. ODB
We're
immediately in the comedy match formula as Jesse, Robbie and Eric are
shoved face first into ODB's chest. A rollup gets two on Jesse but
Robbie trips up ODB to give Jesse control. Eric and Robbie fight up
the ramp and into the back and here's Lei'D Tapa to run over ODB for
the DQ at 2:00.
Tapa
lays out ODB with a fireman's carry into a Stunner.
Knux
and Bischoff yell at Bully for ruining the club. Ray blames Anderson
for the troubles because Anderson stopped protecting the title. Knux
says Anderson didn't have to piledrive Anderson the stage which Ray
seems to agree with. Ray says the two of them can prove how great
they are tonight by beating AJ Styles. The lackeys seem pleased.
Magnus
thanks Sting for their confrontation last week. Sting says Bound For
Glory is the biggest show of the year and it's been very good to him
over the years. This year it's going to be good to Magnus.
Bad
Influence doesn't like being interrupted (Kaz: “You cannot see the
Wizard!”) and insist Roode's induction into the EGO Hall of Fame
will be amazing.
Here
are Daniels and Kazarian in powder blue and neon orange tuxedos and
top hats respectively. They're dressed in the colors of the Mafia to
show what frauds they are. Speaking of frauds, other Halls of Fame
have their own frauds, but EGO isn't one of them. Therefore, here is
the man that once got busy in Tim Horton's bathroom: Bobby Roode.
There's a big wooden throne for Roode to sit on and a nice portrait
of him standing next to it.
Kazarian
has slaved over a hot computer all week to produce a video for him.
It's a completely over the top video with various people praising
Roode with absolutely no audio editing whatsoever. Not a bit.
Daniels says that unlike Sting, Roode deserves to be in the Hall of
Fame. Roode is indeed the prime minister of suave and debonaire, so
please stand for him right now.
Roode
thanks Kaz and Daniels but gets all choked up halfway through.
There's one person that needs to be honored above everyone else
though: Bobby Roode himself. He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame
unlike Kurt Angle, who hasn't done anything at all lately. Where is
Angle now? Before Roode can answer that, here's Angle live in
person, looking more chiseled than he has in years. Bad Influence
both get suplexes and Roode loses a shoe bailing from the ankle lock.
Obviously it's Angle vs. Roode at BFG.
Roode
is furious post break.
Velvet
Sky vs. Brooke Tessmacher
Velvet
has taped up ribs but still does the bouncing entrance. Sabin blocks
the pigeons though. This is for the title shot at BFG, which
apparently will involve Gail Kim as well. Brooke goes for the bad
ribs but gets taken down by a shoulder block. Velvet stomps her down
in the corner but misses a charge, allowing Brooke to fire off a kick
to the bad ribs. A Russian legsweep stops Brooke's comeback but
hurts the ribs again. Velvet is sent to the floor for more work on
the ribs but comes back with a clothesline and bulldog for two.
Sabin offers Velvet some tips, only to cause her to get rolled up for
the pin at 3:52.
Rating:
C-. Believe it or not this
wasn't too bad. Brooke does her job well enough but she's out there
for her looks and that's about it. The interesting thing out there
was Velvet's selling, as she did a better job with the rib injury
than almost anyone I've seen in months. Not a bad match at all.
Ethan
promo. He's still coming.
We
run down the BFG card.
Bad
Influence vs. Sting/Magnus
If
the Mafia loses, they're off Bound For Glory and lose their
contracts. Daniels peppers Magnus with forearms to start but gets
caught in a qucik suplex. Off to Sting for a double back elbow to
Daniels and a hiptoss to Kaz. We get some miscommunication between
Sting and Magnus to give Bad Influence control as we take a break.
Back with Bad Influence in control on Magnus and Kaz getting two off
a dropkick.
The
fans still want Sting but get Daniels driving Magnus down with a knee
to the chest for two instead. We hit the chinlock for a bit before
Kaz gets two off a slingshot legdrop. He spits at Sting to allow a
non-tag change off to Daniels. Off to another chinlock but Magnus
fights back with right hands and a running clothesline. Hot tag
brings in Sting to clean house before Magnus hits the top rope elbow
on Kaz to set up the Cloverleaf, only to have Daniels make the save.
Everything breaks down and Sting hits the Death Drop for the pin on
Daniels at 11:00.
Rating:
C. This was fine but was more
about the angle than the match. Magnus being upset by Sting getting
the fall due to his own mistake is a fine idea and sets up the PPV
match well enough. I'm hoping they put Magnus over at BFG as Sting
doesn't need the win, but there's a good chance that's where they're
going.
Dixie
offers AJ a big check to walk away but Styles says he can't be bought
and rips up the check.
AJ
Styles vs. Knux/Garret Bischoff
Ray
takes Tenay's commentary spot. AJ starts off fast and beats up
Bischoff like he's the son of an executive that has no business being
in the ring with a multiple time world champion. AJ drops a knee and
pounds away in the corner but Garrett makes a blind tag off to Knux.
Styles is dropped throat first over the top rope and catapulted
throat first into the middle rope for two. Back to Garrett for a lot
of posing and a butterfly suplex for no cover.
Knux
comes back in but misses a middle rope legdrop. Everything breaks
down and AJ hits the springboard forearm on Knux. After
miscommunication from the bikers, AJ gets a very awkward looking
rollup (looked like a powerslam minus the power or the slam) for the
pin on Garret at 4:43.
Rating:
D+. This is a match where the
result was never in doubt but that's the way things should have gone.
AJ gets to look good while taking out the champion's lackeys,
setting up BFG a little bit better. That's what this story should
have been the entire time, but if we have to sacrifice a good build
for the sake of getting rid of Aces and 8's then so be it.
Post
match Ray comes in and whips AJ with the chain before backdropping
him onto the ramp. Lots of trash talk ends the show.
Overall
Rating: C+. This was one of
their better shows in a good while with a nice mix of action,
storylines and comedy. As usual, it's remarkable how much better
things get when there's no Hogan around for his way over the top
drama. It's also nice to see the PPV main event getting some direct
focus which has been lacking for such a long time. Good show this
week which is a good sign.
Results
Austin
Aries b. Jeff Hardy – Super brainbuster
ODB
b. Jesse Godderz via DQ when Lei'D Tapa interfered
Brooke
Adams b. velvet Sky – Rollup
AJ
Styles b. Knux/Garrett Bischoff – Rollup to Bischoff
Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with wrestling books for just $4 each at:
http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6
George Steele, but only if it's in character. "Elizabeth! George like! Mine!"
ReplyDeleteThe show wasn't bad, but I always have mixed feelings when a singles wrestler goes over a tag team.
ReplyDeleteBut the copious amount of Tessmacher makes up for it.
94 no question.
ReplyDeleteI went with Steele.
ReplyDeleteHe seemed interesting in that shoot or whatever and that's just an interesting time frame I think. One that I haven't heard quite as much about.
Impact is less of a train wreck now than it has been in awhile. I have a good feeling about where TNA is going after they cut the deadweight in a few months and actually try to make money moving forward.
ReplyDeleteFor a few months before they TNA it up again, but hey. Small steps right?
Even when the tag team is Garrett Bischoff and Mike frickin' Knox?
ReplyDeleteI dunno if the Evil Dixie storyline is going to help them at all...
ReplyDeleteWhen Heyman finally leaves WWE, give him the book and let him do Dangerous Alliance 2.0 in TNA.
Ive seen 86 and 94. Both were good but Waltman 94 is a notch above 86 IMO
ReplyDeleteIm a casual, at best, tna watcher. I have seen both shows in there entirety though the last two weeks. The most glaring issue is there is no babyface that is the focus of the show. Bully is very good in his role, but there is no off setting face to play off him. The Daniels/Kazaraian video of Roode was probably the best thing ive ever seen on IMPACT
ReplyDeleteCan't pick out of the three to be honest, all sound like they'd be good viewing/reading.
ReplyDeleteI have seen the 94 Timeline with Waltman. Pretty darn good, IMO.
ReplyDeleteTheir entirety through. Not there entirety though.
ReplyDeleteThis x100. That's pretty much been TNA's biggest problem their entire run, which is they NEVER just run with a babyface star, and they certainly haven't built one up to pay off Bully's reign this year. I mean, AJ freakin' Styles? Get the fuck outta here with that weak stuff. The guy has no presence, no charisma, has negative mic skills, and basically coasts on the "hey I've been here for 10 years don't you love me by now?" pop from the TNA hardcores, which means absolute dick to the majority of the wrestling audience whom they're trying to convert. It just blows my mind that they're wasting the entire Aces & 8s storyline and Bully's heel character just to put Styles over, a guy who has zero chance of getting himself or the company any more over.
ReplyDeleteJames Storm, face Austin Aires, Samoa Joe, or even Magnus— all would have been far better choices to build around for the past year and go over Bully.
Also, the Roode-Angle thing really needs to lead to Angle tapping clean as a sheet and begging for mercy at BFG. Give Angle the big Hall of Fame ceremony and follow it with Roode absolutely destroying him. And then you know what? Do it again on Impact.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, does TNA really need to put that drunk-driving pillhead over someone who should legit be one of the big stars of the company? I think this is definitely where TNA should put Roode over huge and set him and EGO up to be the bigtime ass-kicking heel faction for the next year.
Or, ya know, Angle could tap him out in the ankle lock so he looks strong for his next DUI.
Oh TNA...
ReplyDeleteSo Dixie books Sting and Magnus in a match vs BI, and if they lose they're off the PPV. So she wants to sabotage her own PPV? Also, her name drops really made it look bushleague once again.
Judging by that picture floating around of the arena last night, this has to be extremely demoralizing going into what is their alleged Wrestlemania.
I was talking with a friend last night about how earlier this year we were watching Impact while yapping on Skype, and the last few months it is just an afterthought. It's been said ad nauseum, but how does this company survive with all these mistakes?
The two indy feds I help out in Calgary are far more organized than this...
Remember, Angle beat Styles in HIS first match after Styles' character change. And that was a bad idea, so why not double down on the new Three I's:
ReplyDeleteIdiotic
Inane
Intoxicated
According to the unwritten rules of wrestling, if a wrestler has earned a mandatory title shot -- via the Royal Rumble, Bound for Glory, MITB, etc. -- not even the most evil boss can just take it away from them without a convoluted master plan. I think that's how it works.
ReplyDeleteI mostly like the PPV card, but that Ultimate X match is becoming a clusterfunk. They could easily split that into Sabin-Manik (for the belt) and Aries-Hardy-Joe (because it'd be awesome). The five-man free-for-all is too much.
ReplyDelete