TNA Turning Point 2012 discussion

[Up Chuck]

Who's that guy that starts PPV threads the second the previous one's finished, with no content? Get him back. Except don't.

 

Anyway, there was lots to enjoy on this show for me. One of TNA's better outings that I've seen this year.

 

Joe and Magnus did some fun stuff without pushing the no-DQ element too far (to the point where Tenay and Taz forgot it and got wooshed by a really obvious rope-break-not-counting spot) and so didn't risk overshadowing the main event (not that they'd have managed it). Wasn't crazy about all the finisher-kickouts this early on, but other than that, I can't fault this. Enjoyable.

 

The mixed tag was tons of fun. Eric Young and ODB were both on good form, and Jesse fitted in seamlessly, which made for a great watch and bodes well for the future. Good showing from all four here.

 

RVD/Joey Ryan was decent enough, although I can't bring a lot of it to mind now. Except that I fucking hate how long Van Dam takes to pin people after the frog splash. And his music's still shite. I almost jumped up cheering when Morgan booted him just because they turned that fucking mess off. I did think it was odd how they went with Morgan being banned from ringside this early in the partnership - I'd like to see them establish them as a duo a bit first before they go to stuff like that. On the other hand, giving Ryan a title shot at all was a bit rushed, and Morgan seems like he's working two storylines at once with the Hogan stuff. I get that it's both guys vs the company, but with them both having such distinct agendas AND with it running alongside Aces and Eights, it just feels a bit messy and tacked-on.

 

I expected a solid effort from Gallows and Joseph Park, and I got just that. I don't hate the Doc name as much as some, but it is a bit nondescript. Ian (I think) mentioned in the Impact thread that it doesn't make much sense for a Prospect to also be a Director, which is hard to argue with, and this might've had a bit more edge to it if you'd felt like Park was going out for revenge on one of the established guys. Still, the match itself was fine, the highlight being Park's brilliant fat man flail-punching and the always-fun snap when he saw his own blood. I hope he never goes back to being Abyss and just does this schtick forever. It's so much fun. I'm still not 100% convinced by the idea being thrown around of Bully being involved with the Aces and Eights, but it's not implausible given the ending with Bully lifting Park's hand.

 

The tag title match happened. Daniels and Kaz did Gangnam Style. Hernandez is pretty good off the hot tag. Not much else to it. Wasn't bad, but wasn't memorable.

 

3-way was good, despite being marred by the foreknowledge that the finish would almost certainly telegraph the result of next year's BFG series. Still, at least it shows they've got plans for AJ that don't involve another feud with Daniels. My main worry going in here was putting Storm and Roode back in there a month after their massive gory blowoff, but it they worked it quite well with the double suplex and the Beer Money pose-tease. Storm vs Hardy is an odd thing to go for, but I guess the other option would have been a dirty Roode win, which means Storm would have heat with him, and we've done quite enough of that, thank you.

 

Angle/Devon was as flat as I expected it to be. They really should've saved Bully/Devon for this and given Kurt a night off or five. He's bringing nothing to the Aces and Eights storyline, whereas Bully's been one of their best in- and out-of-ring storytellers this year, and that match definitely deserved a PPV slot. This one didn't, and its role was clearly little more than a comedown before the main event. Which is fine, but not what this storyline needs.

 

As it happened, the main event probably didn't need a comedown before it, because Hardy and Aries could've got a crowd of corpses going mental for this. They did some unspeakable things to each other here, Hardy's terrifyingly abrupt fall when Aries pushed the ladder out from under him being particularly jarring, even if probably not the most dangerous. This wasn't just excess, though - they built this match really well, and the big stuff just pushed it that little bit further. The spot with Aries grabbing the controls and moving the belts up was a really great idea (even if they accidentally telegraphed it by fucking up and doing it early, which thankfully didn't seem too obvious) and a tremendous way of negating the small-time feel of having a PPV in the Impact Zone. It ended up being an utterly tremendous match, and far exceeded their BFG effort. It'd almost certainly be on my MOTY list come awards time if Cena/Rock, Cena/Lesnar and Cena/Punk hadn't happened. Still, excellent stuff and a thoroughly worthy main event on anyone's PPV. Both guys went the extra mile and ended up with a great, big-time-feeling match.

 

Overall, good show made great by the main event. Thumbs way up.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Watching it, you had a sense that Jeff Hardy wasn't going to walk out of the building. Remember those old TLC matches and you'd go "what's this idiot going to do next?" Well it had that about it. Just one mental thing after another. That bump there he fell ribs first into the mental section in the middle of the ladder was sickening. There was one bump there Aries pushed the ladder out from under his feet when he was on top of it and he fell back and neck first from the top of it. It was like watching the Jeff Hardy of 99. Fuck knows what he was playing at. Excellent match though. Aries and Hardy have a lot of chemistry. Hardy is still a fucking nutter as well, which is refreshing I suppose.

 

The PPV was flat in places, because the crowd weren't up for it and someone of the finishes weren't very good (especially in the Gallows and Park and the Angle and Devon matches), but the main event was pure excitement all the way through. Belting match. Probably the best Hardy match since his WWE run.

[FLips]

I really enjoyed the PPV, and I'll echo the thoughts on Jeff Hardy's bumping. Absolutely mental. I think Doc vs Parks was a mistake though, or at least the way they worked it was. It went on far too long, and in my opinion should have ended with Doc getting the hammer out, hitting Parks, Parks turns into Abyss, Doc kicks out, hits Parks again, pins him. It felt like Parks got too much offense.

[Baz Windham]

Shit me, I thought this was going to be a thread announcing the first few matches not the chuffing results! Doesn't time fly when your, erm, not watching TNA

 

Realised before I read the first post, so will catch this Wednesday night.

[air_raid]

I'm hugely annoyed I forgot to watch this. Booking doesn't read as particularly more interesting. Still, at least it reads like there were a few good matches and no doubt I'll watch Final Resolution - that's the December one, right?

 

Just wondering, I take it from the phrase "hot tag" that Chavo and Hernandez worked babyface against WTTCOTW? Did it work, did the crowd get behind them, or were they lukewarm like last month?

[wrestlingmad]

I really enjoyed the main event, Hardy and Aries have had two great matches now. I'm not sure if Hardy has upped his game or if Aries is bringing the best out of him, but for me this is Hardy's best work since is last WWE run. I'm kinda hoping Hardy sticks around but at the same time I hope he goes back to the WWE in January for one last big run.

[Cobra1000]

They must love Todd if he made it to PPV, the big time. I enjoyed the 3 man commentary team a lot.

 

Echo a lot of what people had already said. Really liked Joe vs Magnus (there cant be many people to have kicked out of the Muscle Buster right?) and the 3 way dance between Styles, Roode and Storm was fantastic! I really didnt see AJ losing though, def thought it was going to be Roode.

 

Bully shaking Parks hand was a fine bit of TV, what are they gonna do with Park though now?

 

The main event was top notch, Jeff Hardys been on a roll lately. Bloody fantastic match. Jeff Hardy vs James Storm at Final Resolution then?

 

I think we all keep hoping for the big Aces and Eights reveal which will never come. Plently of great action but lackign some 'oomph' I guess.

[Up Chuck]

Just wondering, I take it from the phrase "hot tag" that Chavo and Hernandez worked babyface against WTTCOTW? Did it work, did the crowd get behind them, or were they lukewarm like last month?

 

Yup. Worked alright. It was nothing mindblowing and the crowd weren't going especially nuts for it, but it was a more enthused reaction than BFG. They've got a new finish, a cross-body-block Doomsday Device, which could get over if they get it a bit smoother.

 

 

They must love Todd if he made it to PPV, the big time. I enjoyed the 3 man commentary team a lot.

 

Oh yeah, forgot about this. Todd's great. Aside from the odd tiny hesitation here and there, he's really polished and sounds made for TV. The three-man booth is definitely the way to go, it covers for everyone's weaknesses (especially Tenay) and means Taz has someone a bit sharper to go back and forth with.

[Oliver]

I love the Joseph Parks character and was really behind him, especially when he saw his own blood and changed momentarily.

 

The ladder match was also outstanding in places. Jeff Hardy's bump where he got sandwiched in to the ladder, his splash off a falling ladder and his subsequent 2 bumps were amazing. He could have sold it a bit more and climbed the ladder with more of a struggle, but nevertheless, a fine match.

 

I hope Aries can regain the belt, but I don't see that happening. With Aries as champion we have a number of big matches we haven't yet seen.

[dangerously420]

Just got round to watching almost all of this.

 

Good event.

 

Loving the Magnus and Joe feud just now. Does anyone think that the match on Sunday is the end or do you think they can get any more mileage out of it?

 

It was great to see Eric Young back however the mixed tag match was not up to much. The comedy over bared too much for me and could have been more subtle.

 

I absolute love Joseph Park. The whole way he sells being a non wrestler is amazing the attention to detail. The blood letting and him going Abyss mode was cool having him black hole slam DOC. Again the attention to detail of him being a non wrestler he snaps out of his Abyss mode and goes back to being just Joseph so does not go for a pin right away. Love it.

 

KAZ AND DANIELS GANGNAM STYLE!!!!!!!

 

Joey Ryan and RVD i did not get into as i just can't seem to get into Joey Ryan wrestling. He has a good character but as soon as the bell rings I stop caring.

 

Angle vs DVON was ok but felt the Aces and Eights should have done more to step up the heat with the gang against TNA here.

 

Just an add on thought about the whole Aces and Eights. I want to know what does a biker gang want with a wrestling company that's on TV? Has this actually been explained? If they are a gang should things not feel a bit rougher and not too polished and produced for television? The gang members should be intimidating to fans and the venue security in the impact zone and not made to feel like wrestling characters in a storyline on a wrestling TV show to add realism. The camera is too polished of them coming in from a rear exit with a nice red carpet. I know they have access to TNA that they won at BFG but i don't think they should have this at all. I feel the camera should be right in the crowd and that's the shot we get when they make their entrance from random points in the crowd. Keep things edgy and not feel so television show produced.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

For those who didn't see it, here's Hardy and Aries being mental

 

On the plus side:

[air_raid]

I hope Aries can regain the belt, but I don't see that happening. With Aries as champion we have a number of big matches we haven't yet seen.

 

I think he's got a decent chance of taking it back when Hardy fucks off back to WWE. Might be too soon to put it back on Roode after all, he pretty much wrestled everyone during his reign.