Impact Wrestling discussion Jan 3rd

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

Yeah, I was disappointed in this show. Feel like I might have built it up in my head though as being a 'big' show and it just wasn't.

I did the opposite, and as a result, enjoyed the show more than the past couple of Raws- although it's not entirely fair to say that following a couple of shitty holiday editions. I was just channel surfing last night and came across Impact with Jeff Hardy cutting his ridiculous over the top promo. Seriously, he sounded like when me and my mates used to play-wrestle on the trampoline as kids. I watch TNA an average of once a year, and I thought now was as good a time as any to give it a chance.

 

Storm vs. Kazarian was a fun little match, the springboard move into a super kick is one of my favourite spots going. Kash vs. Christian York was a tidy scrap as well, interesting to watch someone I've heard about for years in York for the first time. Of note to me was the announcers talking about how he's wrestled for 16 years. I thought, "Fuck me, that's a long time," but then I realised, that puts him back at 1997, which doesn't seem THAT long ago, and it hit me... the Hardy Boyz are almost 20 year veterans! A scary thought.

 

The main event cage match was a little disappointing in that it seemed like more an angle than a match. Aces and Eights are an interesting little group, I've heard them compared to Sons of Anarchy, and though I've never seen the show, their segments and entrances do come across a bit FX-drama-ry. I liked the Sting return and the Knox reveal because of what appeared to be production mishaps, it made it seem a little more gritty and realistic rather than overly polished and produced which I feel sometimes ruins content in any wrestling show. My favourite parts of pro wrestling are Attitude Era WWF/E and original ECW for that reason. Granted, I loved 02-07 WWE as well, but it was the rough around the edges feel that initially drew me in.

[pgi86]

I might be a minority here but I actually liked the Sting return. It felt like something straight out of the WCW Nitro 1997 playbook (and that's always a good thing in my book), i.e. vintage Sting coming out without entrance music and ending the big brawl that's been going on by beating the crap out of the bad guys with his bat as the crowd goes crazy.

[zep81]

I might be a minority here but I actually liked the Sting return. It felt like something straight out of the WCW Nitro 1997 playbook (and that's always a good thing in my book), i.e. vintage Sting coming out without entrance music and ending the big brawl that's been going on by beating the crap out of the bad guys with his bat as the crowd goes crazy.

 

It was his appearance that annoyed me the most tbh, he could have at least try to make it a spectacle, in Crow gear would have been nice, i know it's not 1997 any more (sigh), but it would have been nice. It just didn't feel like a return at all.

[CTXRussomark]

I might be a minority here but I actually liked the Sting return. It felt like something straight out of the WCW Nitro 1997 playbook (and that's always a good thing in my book), i.e. vintage Sting coming out without entrance music and ending the big brawl that's been going on by beating the crap out of the bad guys with his bat as the crowd goes crazy.

Yeah but 1997 Sting would have rapelled from a fucking helicopter or at the very least done the old lights off/lights on trick, not just turn up from backstage wearing a T-shirt.

[pgi86]

I might be a minority here but I actually liked the Sting return. It felt like something straight out of the WCW Nitro 1997 playbook (and that's always a good thing in my book), i.e. vintage Sting coming out without entrance music and ending the big brawl that's been going on by beating the crap out of the bad guys with his bat as the crowd goes crazy.

Yeah but 1997 Sting would have rapelled from a fucking helicopter or at the very least done the old lights off/lights on trick, not just turn up from backstage wearing a T-shirt.

Most of the time he did, yes, but there were occasions back in the day in WCW where he simply walked down the ramp amidst all the chaos going on and beat the crap out of the nWo, much like he did on Impact with the Aces. Obviously a hilicopter entrance or coming down from the rafters would have been cooler but that's not happening in the Impact Zone, or any arena TNA run at this point in their existence, so that's out of the question. And as for the lights off and on gimmick, that's already been done a bunch of times with Sting in TNA. In fact, he's already done returns (plural) with that same lights gimmick so it's not exactly a special kind of entrance for him. I do agree that the t-shirt sucks though but then again he's had it on for years now so it's not like it's some new thing. Anyway, this is just my opinion. I do get your point though and technically you're not wrong as a bigger entrance would've been cool to see but what I'm saying is that what we got worked out well too, in my opinion.

[olliej149]

I thought Impact this week was a great show. Yea Stings return was a little bit of an anti-climax, but its not like he's been gone that long! What is it like a month or two since he was attacked by Aces & 8's?

 

Kaz vs Storm was a decent match and I'm really intrigued to see a feud between the Storm and Daniels & Kaz.

 

Kid Kash vs. Christian York was a decent match, and it's looking like the X Division is picking up at last with people like these two and Kenny King becoming top contenders to take the strap from RVD. I'd love to see TNA bring in some more high-flying indy guys. CZW's Sabian appeared at Destination X, it's just a shame they haven't used him again since then, same with Doug Williams who only makes occasional appearances for TNA these days. IMO It'd be really good for the X Division for TNA to sign guys from Dragongate, Evolve, CZW etc. to get the X Division back on form, especially now that WWE have signed high flyers like PAC and now possibly Samurai Del Sol. It'd be great to see guys like AR Fox, Irish Airborne, Ricochet or Sami Calihan work for TNA as X Division stars.

 

The Knockouts match was actually surprisingly good, and shows these ladies can wrestle not just pose as eye candy like most of WWE's Divas division.

 

The main event was a decent match, great to see Samoa Joe on good form for a change, as when they pair him with Angle he usually takes a back seat whilst Angle goes in and steals the show. Like I said earlier Stings return was a little disappointing, but did he really need a dramatic return to steal the show? The biggest disappointment of the night was another unmasked Aces & 8's member to be pretty much a nobody. Why would TNA try to turn a former WWE jobber like Mike Knox into a potential TNA main eventer like that? It's like basically admitting they're an inferior company.

 

Overall for me a pretty enjoyable show. Promo's were all entertaining and matches were all really good quality. I'll be honest i prefer watching TNA to any WWE weekly shows right now.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Why would TNA try to turn a former WWE jobber like Mike Knox into a potential TNA main eventer like that?

I dont think they are. The fucker has lost every match he's had and thats with his mask on. He's probably getting a kicking next week off his mates as well.

[Fatty Facesitter]

As someone who only dips into TNA once or twice a year, I really enjoyed this show. Also, as someone who isn't watching regularly I thought they did a brilliant job getting me up to speed on everything that's been going on, from the Aces & 8's stuff, to Bully Ray, the World title picture, the lot. My viewing experience totally benefitted from it and that's a good sign for any channel hoppers that may stumble across them.

 

The Roode/Aries stuff was actually a bit cheesy at times for my liking ("No, it's MY award!") but I'm already sold on seeing them at Genesis because I think that three-way will be a stormer. It did seem a little strange to me that the title wasn't the focal point of the show over A&8, but that might've just been a one-night thing. After all, this 3-way didn't need much more coverage than it got, as you already know everything you need via the first segment anyway. Everyone knows who Jeff Hardy is, I know that Bobby Roode is the longest reigning TNA champ ever and Austin Aries was X-Division champ before stepping up to the Heavyweight division and paying off A&8. A decent opening segment that accomplished everything it needed to.

 

The actual matches on Impact seem to pack much more bang for their buck than most WWE midcard bouts. The Knockouts stuff is 100% better than any women's match WWE ever put out, The X-Division match was relatively good fun, James Storm vs Kaz/Daniels was a great way to kick off the in-ring action, and the main event was very easy on the eye.

 

I love me some the Hulk/Bully Ray stuff is proof that not all of the soap opera style storylines we see in wrestling have to be shit. The code stuff Hogan was talking about and Bully trying to earn his respect and getting suspended whilst being in love with his daughter is good tele. I've only seen one night's worth of it, and already it pisses over anything WWE have done with Cena and AJ, or something of a similar ilk.

 

As for Sting, the presentation of his return was a little odd but it was still pretty cool, twatting everything in sight with his bat. Crowd were going mental for the unmasking and everything.

 

 

As an outsider looking in to the A&8 stuff, I concluded with the following-

 

D'Von is a naff leader, but it's great to see him doing something on his own with a relative degree of success.

 

Gallows/DOC is actually quite a badass. I love how he swears a lot an they have to bleep it, and although he stares at his hammer a little too erotically sometimes, I buy him as someone who can do some damage and kick some bottom.

 

Mike Knox was an awful reveal for a main event segment.

 

I've read comments saying how they lose every week, but as this is only the first time I've properly seen them, the video packages hyping up how they've attacked several people on the roster really helped me buy into their collective threat. I expected Joe and Angle to beat them in the cage, but it never seemed like a forgone conclusion as such. I'll watch a couple more times and wait to see how they're booked, but I've seen far, far worse stables. Far better too, but much worse than they seem to have been spoken about so far. I remember the Main Event Mafia being much cooler, but I'm willing to give this lot a try.

[Joey Joe Joe Jr]

Anyone else think York is incredibly dodgy in the ring? His Tajiri-springboard looked awful and his footwork often looks like he's stumbling over his feet. I don't know if it's him still getting used to having so much muscle on his frame or what.

 

Daniels' impression of Storm was excellent.

 

Surely there must have been a music fuck-up when Sting came out?