TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 19th March 2009

After a very disappointing Destination X could TNA produce the goods this week on iMPACT and get me excited for the product again?

Good Points

Interesting angle between Sting and Foley

Sting is doing a great job of playing this conflicted character between siding with the Main Event Mafia and the side of TNA management. Trying to look out for Foley, Sting tried to get the main event for iMPACT stopped so he wouldn’t have to wrestle but Foley saw this as a kick in the teeth and booked himself and Jarrett to square up against Angle and Sting in the main event which ended with Foley laying Sting out with a chair and getting the win. The only problem is I don’t want to see the match between them which is set for the next PPV.

Samoa Joe takes it to the extreme

I’m liking the off the wall crazy man that Joe is playing at the moment. This week he attacked Bashir and proceeded to torture him backstage. Their match lasted all of a few seconds on iMPACT before Joe got disqualified and took him to the back. Wonder who he is going to attack next.

Tag scene got a bit better

After being disappointed by the bogus ending to the tag title match between Team 3D and Beer Money they put it right this week on iMPACT. Now set for Lockdown is a steel cage match between the two in Philadelphia in a winner take all match as Team 3D put their New Japan titles up against Beer Money’s TNA titles.

Bad Points

Angle pushed to the side

Having Sting against Foley as the main event for Lockdown what does it leave for Angle? Angle did a great job on the mic tonight but needs someone to work with as am getting bored of him and Jarrett going at it because it has lost its intensity.

Frontline mess

When speaking about his Legends title win AJ addressed himself as part of the TNA Originals and not The Frontline so it looks like TNA are trying to remove The Frontline from everyone’s memories.

Overall

A quite decent show in all honesty was very entertained but thy need to be careful about the card for Lockdown.

TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 12th February 2009

After in what was in my opinion one of TNA’s poorest PPV’s to date last weekend I was hoping TNA could get back on track with a good iMPACT.

Good Points

The falling apart of MEM

With the frontline now a distant memory it’s now up to MEM to have inner conflict to create some main event matches. TNA are now doing the old classic of having two big draws Angle who wants to be the leader and Sting the champion getting angry with each other and falling out. This is great as it leaves the potential for a swerve by the MEM or for the members to pick sides in a proper inter faction war.

Solid Card

Besides from the usual TNA dusty finishes the actual card was very strong. We had three strong tag matches featuring, Beer Money, Team 3D, Angle & Sting, Lethal Consequences, MCMG and more. On top of this there was a great women’s match and a strong Steiner / Petey Williams match.

Bad Points

Hardcore History 101 with Mick Foley

This is a new segment where Foley talks about his favourite hardcore matches. This section is pointless as most fans won’t have a clue what he is talking about when he relives old matches and TNA don’t have any rights to his footage to show what he is talking about so it just turns out to be a pointless five minutes.

The Frontline

After what could have been a great faction war which could have run and run The Frontline aren’t even mentioned any more as over night they disappeared. If this was only ever intended to be a short feud they could have at least given it a proper ending and send off.

Overall

The MEM is the only interesting storyline at the moment on the show but it is a great storyline. They just need to invest in proper feuds and storylines down the card.

TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 22nd January 2009

TNA are currently in the UK touring but before they crossed the pond they managed to film enough episodes of iMPACT to keep the loyal TNA fans happy.

Good Points

A great main event

I will never get bored of seeing AJ Styles and Kurt Angle go at it. This is a main event worthy of any wrestling show and applaud TNA for making it happen as many times as they have over the last year.

Storyline Progression

Is nice to see TNA progressing the Main Event Mafia storyline with Angle now proclaiming that they will cause the end of TNA. I think this storyline has the scope to run and run I just hope it doesn’t turn in to the NOW for the 21st century.

Bad Points

Telegraphing Storylines

This week on iMPACT they ran a storyline where Matt Morgan made up with Abyss and apologised for all his wrong doings only to then beat Abyss up with a chair in a match against Beer Money. The way they over did the in ring segment with Abyss and Morgan meant even a non wrestling fan could have seen what was coming.

Let the storylines dictate the matches

iMPACT started this week with the announcers telling the fans the big matches that were lined up for the show. In a TV wrestling show it should be through storylines and on screen talent that we find out what is happening. For me matches just lose intensity and my interest if every week it is the announcers just announcing them at the beginning of the show.

Segment order

Again this week I counted up five non wrestling segments in a row which went for about thirty minutes. This was after an opening match which had no build. Start the show off with something that builds the rest of the show not a throwaway match which does nothing only for you to have to wait thirty minutes to see another.

Overall

TNA have the wrestlers, the image and good ideas but without some clear direction and properly thought out storylines they ar going to continue in this same cycle.

TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 8th January 2009

After missing the last few iMPACT’s and with Genesis this weekend I was interested to see how TNA would build the matches in one night for the PPV.

Good Points

A show of emotion

Was great to see the emotion shown by Jarrett and Angle. TNA really pushed the Jarrett story hard with BG James taking up the fight for his friend against the bully Kurt Angle which lead to Jarrett having to make the save as Angle and the MEM tried to destroy his friend. Can’t wait to see this match at Genesis.

Build for the six man

There was some great build for the six man tag match as D-Von and AJ came together to fight for TNA and to have the back of Jarrett. The show of solidarity was added to by Foley’s impassioned promo as the show went off the air.

Unpredictability

We had the Shane the referee getting fired and then rehired as a wrestler, we had the debut of a new Knockout and new tag team champions as Creed & Lethal cashed in their shot. Not it can be a doubled edge sword which I will talk about it the bad points but I was happy with two of the unpredictable things than happened.

Bad Points

No Push for the title match

The Sting / Rhino match was only hyped by a few minutes on the mic by Sting which was underplayed as it came off the back of a killer Angle promo. This has the potential to win the award for the worst built title match in wrestling history which only devalues the TNA title.

Structure

TNA need to work on their structure I counted six non wrestling segments in a row at one point three of which were backstage interviews. Yes a TV show needs to have lots of non wrestling segments but you need to intersperse them not have them all in one chunk.

Title change before the main event

TNA had been pushing Matt Morgan/Abyss vs. Beer Money as the tag title match for some time and done a great feud between these pairings only on the iMPACT before the PPV to have Beer Money lose the belts to Creed and Lethal and for them then to turn the match in to a triple threat at the PPV. If a title match is advertised for a PPV don’t change the champions on the show before.

Overall

A mixed bag of crazy and inspired booking. I just hope for TNA’s sake that Jarrett vs Angle delivers.

TNA iMPACT Review - 4th December 2008

After missing last week’s iMPACT I was looking forward to see what TNA were going to do with their last show before Final Resolution. With the biggest faction war in TNA history going on it was going to be interesting to see if it would be the Main Event Mafia or the Frontline getting the upper hand before the PPV.

Good Points

Jarrett / Angle feud

It’s great to see this feud continuing as it has some great emotion in it and is believable. The intensity of Angle’s and Jarrett’s confrontation in the iMPACT zone was immense and I for one hopes Angle beat Rhino so we get to see Angle vs. Jarrett 2.

Faction Wars

Finally the Frotnline have a name and look like a cohesive unit because when I last watched they were a mess. I think team 3D is a great addition to the faction I just hope that they don’t do the obvious and turn them heel having them double cross the Frontline.

Bad Points

Sarah Palin lookalike

The Sarah Palin lookalike was a terrible idea. We’ve moved on from the election and her segments were just awful. Having comedy segments like this just took us out of the intensity that the faction wars were building.

Abyss drinking with beer money

These segments took Abyss from an unstoppable monster to a pathetic bumbling idiot as he was lead in to drinking by Beer Money and then beaten up.

Overall

A solid episode of iMPACT which was got me excited for the PPV. It is very hard to promote a PPV which has an eight man tag for a main event but they did their best.

TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 20th November 2008

After missing a few episodes of iMPACT I was quite out of the loop of the latest TNA going on’s so I was looking forward to see where the Main Event Mafia vs. Originals storyline had go to.

Good Points

Main Event Mafia

They are running rough shot like all heel factions should. They are laying the beat on wrestlers in five on one attacks and trying to dictate to management on how the show should be run. They opened the show with a nice burial segment which ended with Rhino being put in the coffin and then ended the show dismayed after not getting there own way in the booking of the next PPV.

Push for Rhino

Rhino has been pushed to the front of the Originals cause after attacking the Main Event Mafia by himself and then ending the show by goring Angle after being informed that the two would face each other at the next PPV.

Bad Points

Cage of to WWE

Now it has been widely reported for some time that Christian was done with TNA and wanted back to WWE but addressing the situation live on iMPACT I thought was stupid. Instead of just leaving it as Main Event Mafia having a burial service for him they had to bring up that he was going to WWE. It would have made more sense to just say that they had laid a beating to him so bad next week that he would never return to TNA.

Originals are a shambles

To have a proper stable war you need two recognised stables something TNA doesn’t have at the moment. To book the faction that people are referring to as the Originals but are yet to be given a proper names as fighting each other and with some people on the fringes not sure if they are part of the faction is stupid. To be great heels Main Event Mafia need a good face stable to work off.

Overall

TNA have a good storyline going at the moment and one I have been calling out for, for some time but they are executing it so poorly it’s cringeworthy.

TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 30th October 2008

Due to other commitments I had missed the last couple of iMPACT’s so I was this week trying to get back in to the loop. After TNA’s rating success last week in Las Vegas it was the first night back in the redesigned iMPACT Zone.

Good Points

Stable Wars

Ok so it looks like the old days of WCW when it was the New Blood vs. The Millionaires club but the feud TNA have started between The Main Event Mafia and the yet to be named band of TNA originals and up and coming stars has got me interested. It’s a reverse of the old WCW storyline with the established stars being the heels and the new guys being the faces and I am looking forward to see how it plays out. It’s about time one promotion started proper stables in their storylines.

Push for MCMG

Was good to see MCMG getting a push. For months I have been complaining about how they have been used poorly but this week they got a lot of TV time whilst deciding not join with Samoa Joe and AJ or not.

Foley in Control

Great to see Foley being used in a non wrestling but central role a he is the on screen executive share owner. Will be interesting to see how they will keep Jarrett in the storyline now that Foley seems to be taking the duties that were once Jarrett’s.

Bad Points

Main Event

Made no sense to have Abyss going against Angle considering the storyline at the moment although it did give chance for the run in ending.

Lost in the shuffle

I think TNA needs to be careful how they work this stable wars as it needs to not end up like the NWO did. At the moment there are quite a few guys who no one knows where they fit and are in danger of being lost.

Overall

A great show, not one hundred percent sure of having so many of the WCW old guard in the main storyline but the storyline should be interesting enough to keep the fans intrigued. A lot better than when I last watched iMPACT.

TNA Bound for Glory IV 2008 Review

Bound for Glory is TNA’s version of WrestleMania and has been hyped as such by TNA over the last few weeks so I was expecting the best event of the year.

Good Points

Jarrett back on top form

Jeff Jarrett made an awesome in ring return after nearly two years out of action against Angle. The match was well paced told a great story and although predictable at times Foley’s involvement as Special Enforcer added to a great match. Foley helped Jarrett to the win but it was stressed by the commentators that this was Foley’s only contractual obligation which is obviously just part of the storyline so it will be interesting to see where this goes.

Sting wins the gold

After being pushed to the side in recent months it was great to see Sting win the TNA heavyweight title. In recent weeks TNA have been circulating news that Kevin Nash is out of contract with TNA but that didn’t stop him from costing Samoa Joe the title which makes me think this news is just part of the storyline and now Nash and Sting are going to be the leaders of the established stars vs. the TNA originals.

Great Monsters Ball match

The four way tag team title match was great. Although the ending was weak there were some very memorable moments. We had Abyss going through the flaming tables and then unlike what normally happens when the fire dies on impact Abyss was left rolling around afterward still engulfed in flames, I think something went wrong there but it was memorable to watch. Then we had Hernandez going through a table covered in thumbtacks chest first instead of back first which is how wrestlers normally take that bump.

Bad Points

No Wrestlemania

I thought that the second half of the show was awesome but the first half was quite hard to sit through and no Wrestlemania by any means. When WWE do Wrestlemania it has a distinctly different feel to all other PPV’s whereas although this had some good moments felt no different to any other TNA PPV.

Main Event Booking

When you book a show with such a strong under main event match I think you are asking for trouble. With Jarrett’s return against Angle and with Foley as special enforcer it took the shine off which should have been a night we went home remembering Sting. When you have such a strong match which isn’t for the title you need to put it last or book that match so that it is for the Heavyweight Title.

Overall

Although I didn’t finish the show thinking I had seen the most special event of the year I did think it was a really good event. Lots of scope for storyline development and some memorable matches.

TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 4th September 2008

After an average episode of iMPACT last week I was hoping for something good this week but I am not sure if TNA would deliver.

Good Points

Old School / New School set in motion

After this week’s episode of iMPACT it looks like it’s going to be Sting, Angle and Booker representing the old school and Cage, AJ Styles and Jarrett representing the new school. We are still yet to see Jarrett but Angle is starting to reference him in promos and his music is constantly hitting to unnerve Sting, Angle and Booker T.

Abyss being positioned under the main event

Now we knew that Abyss wouldn’t be getting main event status in TNA but it looks like they are building a feud involving him and Matt Morgan against Team 3D which could be interesting. The only problem is that with all this talent used up in two storylines it is really highlighting the weakness of the rest of the roster.

Bad Points

Top guys not delivering on the mic

I am usually a fan of Angle and Booker promos but the fifteen minutes they were given on the mic to kick the show off just seemed to drag and put the audience in a sleeperhold. Added to this we have Sting’s promos which aren’t working as after being positioned as a heel by taking a strip off fan favourites Samoa Joe and AJ Styles the fans are still cheering him.

Not enough wrestling

Yes I know I say that your weekly show isn’t about wrestling but building storylines and entertainment you still have to have some wrestling as on a two hour wrestling show to go the first forty minutes with only one quick throwaway match is terrible. Wrestling matches need to be used on TV to build storylines you can’t just build matches with promos.

Overall

TNA should be at it’s hottest right now with Samoa Joe as champ and the return of Sting and Jarrett but instead these last couple of shows have been the least entertaining for me in some time.

TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 28th August 2008

After a good iMPACT last week and the promise of Sting appearing on this episode people were interested to see how TNA was going to handle the storyline and so was I.

Good Points

Abyss on Karen’s Angle

Abyss delivered a great promo and finally got chance to verbalise about his return and his action as of late, it also explained what was going on during his absence. It was a master class of character work in wrestling. Abyss should be given more time on the mic to voice his character as I fell it would get the fans back in to him again.

Knockouts Division

The Knockouts division really held this show together with Awesome Kong kicking the show off with a win against an unknown which forced ODB in to make a save which she backed up with an awesome promo later. We then had another excellent Beautiful People promo and finally a win for the pairing over Roxi and Taylor Wilde. If this wasn’t enough we learnt that Traci Brooks has been assigned by Cornette to run the division which should make things interesting as they get their very own GM style character.

Tying up loose ends

I always like it when promotions remember about loose ends and go back to them which is what TNA did here with Nash cashing in his favour for helping our Cornette many, many iMPACT’s ago and getting himself a shot at Angle. This shows great writing and gives people a reason to watch every week as they get a better understanding of why things are happening.

Bad Points

Sting's lack of impact

After watching Undertaker’s promo on Smackdown Sting’s big promo at the end of iMPACT wasn’t even close. Sting started spouting his message of how the new guys need to respect the old guys which we expected he would but it is a tired storyline idea and a flawed one at that. Sting claimed that AJ needed to pay his dues to the legends that paved the way where in fact he has been with TNA since the start and when comparing him with Angle as he has only been in the business just over 10 years I am sure AJ was getting in to wrestling before Angle came on the scene.

SoCal story line

This is ridiculous soap opera writing at the moment with the latest idea being that Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt as going to wrestle for a ring and whoever gets it will marry So Cal. It’s storylines like this which get wrestling a bad rep.

Team 3D

This week their role was reduced just to comedy heels and as a side part of a Booker T promo. Normally they at least get a match or a chance to do something which backstage makes them seem like heel team and not just goofballs.

Overall

After all the build up not enough substance. It’s not going to happen but they need to push Abyss back to main event. Instead we are going to see a new school, old school feud over the next months with I’m sure some surprising heel or face turns.

TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 21st August 2008

After a nice iMPACT last week I was looking forward to seeing how TNA were going to improve and get us closer to No Surrender. Was Sting going to show up and was Jarrett going to put in an appearance.

Good Points

MCMG turning heel

Good to see TNA doing something with MCMG. After a big push as top babyface tag team there act had become a bit stale recently so to see them pushed heel should see them getting back up the PPV card again.

Angle screwed again

Once again Angle was screwed at the hands of a guitar. TNA are really pushing an Angle / Jarrett feud for when he returns. This week Angle tried to get his medals again but this time in a ladder match in which when it looked like he was going to do it the lights went out and AJ had a guitar in his hands. As well as pushing Jarrett / Angle these wins are really pushing AJ even though they aren’t clean.

Push for Matt Morgan

It looks like Matt Morgan has a feud finally and with Team 3D. After Morgan’s win he was jumped by Team 3D to which Abyss made the save. It’s good to see Matt Morgan involved in a storyline around such established names.

Bad Points

Two main storylines both carbon copies

To bring back two of the biggest TNA stars in the same fashion by having lights go out and then wrestlers appear with their weapons of choice with the wrestlers in question never actually appearing on TNA is terrible. Ok Sting has been announced for a comeback next week on iMPACT but it still isn’t the best. These are both major returns of Sting and Jarrett and to do them both at the same time and in the same way isn’t the way to go.

TNA need to do more to appeal to the casual fan

With the wrestling audience shrinking TNA need to stop doing the storylines that appeal to the internet wrestling fans which is an even smaller group again. This week we had Nash talking about the backstage workings of wrestling which didn’t need to be said.

Overall

A really good show which will be a million times better when Sting and Jarrett are on the show. TNA need to b careful not to drag the Jarrett storyline out too long.

TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 14th August 2008

After an ok Hard Justice I was looking forward to iMPACT as the event had left some questions to be answered and some doors wide open which should be what a PPV tries to do.

Good Points

Jarrett on his way back

The show was all about teasing the return of Jarrett with Samoa Joe teasing it in the opening interview of the show and then by at the end having the lights go out, Jarrett’s music hitting and AJ having a guitar in hand. They really need to finish the Sting storyline properly first but at least it is keeping things interesting.

Nice reference to the Olympics

Was good to see TNA linking in to the Olympics with Angle doing an interview about his success at the Olympics and then putting his Gold Medal o the line in an Olympic wrestling style challenge against AJ for the main event.

Push for Matt Morgan

After being left out of the PPV Matt Morgan got his biggest push to date as after a promo in which he referred to himself as a the Blueprint and after a win over Jonny Divine, Abyss came down to the ring and when it looked like Abyss was going to take Morgan out he just shook his hand as both stood and posed for the cameras. This new partnership could be a force to be reckoned with in TNA.

Bad Points

No Sting

Even though we had another blackout moment with his music we could have really done with a Sting promo to explain his actions at Hard Justice. The only thing I can think is maybe Sting, Jarrett and Nash are going to be forming a faction at some point and takeover TNA as Nash says he hasn’t told Joe everything and now Sting and Jarrett are doing similar things with blackouts and having their music play.

Segment arrangement

Yet again I witnessed three back to back backstage interviews. Like I keep on saying this stuff should take precedent in a weekly TV show but it doesn’t mean you have three like segments bunched together.

Overall

Highly enjoyable if not a bit rough round the edges. TNA needs to be very careful how it builds the main storylines as it could very easily become quite confusing.

TNA Hard Justice 2008 Review

If you have been reading my blog for some time now you will know that I haven’t enjoyed many TNA PPV’s. So I wasn’t expecting too much from this one but I was hoping there would be a few standout moments.

Good Points

Angle vs AJ Styles match of the year candidate

This was one of my favourite matches of the year so far. As you already know I’m a huge AJ Styles fan and have loved the storyline between him and Angle. However I haven’t been a fan of their recent bouts but this one really showcased both at their best. The only problem I have is with Angle’s history of neck problems I cringe hen I see some of the moves and some of the risks he takes especially where they do endings when a stretcher comes out because with Kurt’s history there is always a chance it could be real.

Great effort put in to the Knockouts Division

The six woman tag was brilliant one of the best women’s tag matches I have seen in some time. The promos and videos before hand were brilliant as they labelled The Beautiful People as the step sisters from the Cinderella story. I like videos like this which are made to feel more like short films than wrestling promos.

Bad Points

LAX lose titles to Beer Money

This had the potential to be a great feuds but I feel that the longevity in this was to keep LAX as champs for a bit longer to build them and make it mean more when Beer Money finally got the belts off them. I feel this results weakened LAX and didn’t enhance Beer Money.

More could have been done with Sting

To have Sting come out and attack AJ Styles was the wrong thing to do. AJ had just been built as a heel for going back and attacking Angle whilst on a stretcher and that heat was then ruined by Sting. For all the build up they did with Sting they should have done more with him. It started off well with him being filmed coming in to the arena but after that it soon went downhill.

Team 3D losing their way

Their feud with Cage and Rhino isn’t really helping develop either team at the moment. The inappropriateness of their characters behaviour round women doesn’t fit in the current climate and to top this off they are suppose to be pushed as believable heels but then have comedy moments like getting them to go in the rafters and say they are scared of heights. You can have comedy heels but they need to be built as such and not just try and change between comedy and bad ass heels.

Booker T killed off

After having him beaten to a pulp at Victory Road in his home town and to have him lose clean well at least clean for a weapons match is stupid. You now have Angle who can’t wrestle a full programme, AJ and Sting put in a feud together and the other main eventers like Christian Cage pushed so far down the card they aren’t seen as main eventers any more. The only thing I can think of is that this leaves the way clean for Jeff Jarrett to come back.

Overall

Well worth the watch for the two matches I have mentioned. As an event as a whole again it didn’t work for me. They need to try and stop having too many matches which are overhyped and instead have a double main event which is hyped and an undercard which isn’t hyped that much but develops the talent involved well and is a talking point after the event.

TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 24th July 2008

With some interesting storylines hotting up in TNA at the momen and with Kurt and Joe both having more TV time I was looking forward to shee what they were going o do this week on iMPACT.

Good Points

Great storyline build for Booker T and Samoa Joe

The show started and ended with these two in the ring which was great to see. The match in place for Hard Justice sounds great as we get ready for full metal mayhem inside the six sides of steel. Having Sting’s music hit and then for Samoa Joe to be laid out when the lights came back up has added intrigue to the feud although I believe this wasn’t Sting but a staged set up to make it look like Sting.

Push for Matt Morgan

Great to see Matt’s continuing push and put in a position where he can show off his size and ability. I have him down as a main eventer in 2009 so watch this space. I still believe if handled right he has potential.

New segment

Great new segment called Karen’s Angle, much like the rough cuts segment, very distinguishable as a shoot section of the show rather than a storyline section. Look forward to seeing next week’s part 2 of her interview with Kaz.

Bad Points

Giving away PPV style matches

This week we had a five table elimination match featuring the team of 3D and Angle vs. Christian, Rhino and AJ as well as a strap match between Beer Money and Motor City Machine Guns. Stipulation matches like this should be saved for PPV.

After Thoughts

Sometimes it is best not to feature something than to just throw something non noteworthy in. This was the case for the Sonjay Dutt / Lethal / Val storyline as they put in a few minutes of Sonjay in hospital which looked like a last minute idea to keep something from the storyline in the episode.

Overall

Great episode, lots of video segments lots of focus on the main storyline, can’t ask for anymore than that really.

TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 10th July 2008

With WWE starting to get interesting again and with Victory Road just round the corner it was important that TNA hit a home run tonight.

Good Points

Unpredictability

TNA took a leaf out of WWE’s book this week with a wild start to show as we immediately cut live to a parking lot brawl between Roode and Homicide which eventually got in to the ring and lead Sting to appear from the rafters. I’m not normally a fan of promotions copying each other but in this case I make a rare exception.

A chance to see Doug Williams

Finally there is a reason for the World X Cup as we got to see Doug Williams on iMPACT in an impressive win putting points on the board for Team International. Can’t wait to see more of Doug in TNA.

Bad Points

Lack of build for the main event

The Samoa Joe vs. Booker T main event for Victory Road has been the worst built main event in Pay Per View history. I think Samoa Joe and Booker T have probably had a combined total of ten minutes of in ring action since the last pay per view. Then tonight they are given five minutes of mic time in the ring before Sting interrupts. Throwing Sting in to the mix last minute and not having this be the last part of the show is terrible. Two things you need to do with a main event. Push it above everything else and don’t change it at last minute, it’s not rocket science.

Mess of a six man

After some great weeks of build for the six man tag at Victory Road it all went for nothing this week as like the main event TNA cocked it up as well. Putting Angle and AJ in with the girls who are having a separate match and to not have any mic time for Bubba is criminal.

Overall

This week’s iMPACT made me glad I don’t have to pay for TNA PPV’s. With the stupid build they have done this could be TNA’s lowest buyrate in some time.

TNA Slammiversary 2008 Review

After some very entertaining editions of impact I was looking forward to TNA’s biggest show of the year Slammiversary. I was looking forward to Angle vs. Styles and the King of the Mountain match especially. TNA have invested a lot of time in promoting these two matches but hopefully the rest of the card could provide some good entertainment.

Good Points

The Return of Abyss

After many weeks of Abyss promos being run on impact Abyss finally made his return to the TNA ring by attacking Scott Steiner, Petey Williams and Raka Khan leaving them all laying in the middle of the ring. Abyss was sporting a new outfit and a new attitude. Looks like TNA are just slowly putting him back in the mix with the Steiner feud but hopefully he will make his way back up the ranks shortly.

Two brilliant matches

The two best matches of the night weren’t the two main events. These honours went to Petey Williams vs Kaz and team 3D vs. LAX. As good to see a great tag team match as we rarely get one these days on WWE programming and Petey Williams underlined why he is one of my favourite wrestlers in TNA.

Push for Samoa Joe

Although the match was a shocker it was good to see Samoa Joe’s push continued as he won the honour of being the first champion to step in to a King of the Mountain match as champion and walk out with the belt. It was very obvious that Samoa Joe was going to win but it needed to happen.

Bad Points

Terrible use of Moose

The new muscle for the Beautiful People debuted on Thursday’s edition of impact knocking down everyone in her path and then three days later she is getting beaten up and losing in her match teaming with the Beautiful People against ODB, Gail Kim and Roxy.

Kurt Angle vs. AJ Styles

After some of the most heated segments ever on impact in recent weeks this match fell in to the Booker T / Robert Roode trap of have no intensity in the match. TNA are doing well at building intense storylines on impact but it just seems recently that these intense storylines have been ruined by less than intense pay paer view matches. When this happens it undoes all the good work that has been one before it.

King of the Mountain

The match had nothing we hadn’t seen before and did little to keep the viewer hooked. If you are not going to do anything new in the match then you need to have an excellently worked out match in the ring which didn’t happen.

Overall

I’m glad I don’t have to pay for TNA PPV’s. The problem with developing good storylines on impact is that you have to deliver them on PPV”s which they don’t seem able to do.

TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 5th June 2008

This being the iMPACT before TNA’s biggest Pay Per View of the year Slammiversary I was expecting big things this week. TNA have built some good storylines and it as going to be interesting to see what they were going to do for the final push.

Good Points

Great Push for AJ Styles

I am so happy AJ is finally getting pushed in the top feud after months of playing the comedy sidekick. After weeks of getting a beatdown on iMPACT AJ returned the favour for Christian Cage for his help last week at the beginning of the show and then it was turn for the faces to win the skirmish at the end as Samoa Joe came to the aid of Styles and the faces. The love triangle angle with Karen, Kurt and AJ is brilliant and each have played their part in making this an intense rivalry.

A storyline for Nash

Nash is being used well by TNA. After weeks of helping Samoa Joe as an advisor and protector Nash now has the position of special enforcer in the King of the Mountain match and Samoa Joe now thinks he is going to screw him. I am expecting a Nash heel turn at Slammiversary.

The Beautiful People getting good TV time

The Beautiful People are the best female tandem in wrestling at the moment ok they are the only female tandem on TV but they are good. Now they have a new girl as their muscle to back them up things can only be getting better.

Bad Points

Samoa Joe has the cushiest job in wrestling

I can’t remember the last time Samoa Joe had a match on iMPACT or the last time he was on the screen for more than five minutes. Samoa Joe has been king of the pre-records lately and if you work it out he must be on some pay per minute. If he was doing a ton of media I could kind of understand it but Kurt Angle is the one doing all the media so it definitely is the cushiest job.

Kurt Angle has the second most cushiest job in wrestling

When TNA has a much lighter schedule than WWE and when you are trying to establish yourself as a real competitor you need your top guys doing the work in the ring which TNA don’t have at the moment.

Overall

The cast that you see in the ring are really pulling their weight but with your main stars not pulling theirs its hard to see if TNA will ever become a competitor for WWE. This said I’m looking forward to a couple of good storylines they have put in place for Slammiversary.

TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 29th May 2008

After one of my favourite episodes of iMPACT for some time I was really looking forward to seeing this week’s offering from the TNA crew.

Good Points

Great set up for Kurt Angle vs. AJ Styles

This is the match that myself and I think many of the TNA fans have been looking forward to for some time and we are going to be able to see it at Slammiversary. TNA are building this feud brilliantly with more debate on whether AJ had an affair with Kurt’s wife Karen and AJ getting the beat down two weeks in a row from Kurt, Team 3D and Booker T. This week he didn’t take the beating alone as Christian Cage tried to help him, let’s see next week if anybody else tries to come to his aid.

Push for 3D and Booker T

This little faction is getting a lot of TV and mic time. Even in the twilight of his career Brother Ray is still a great talker on the mic and is a good mouthpiece for the group. Just need to see these guys in more matches as they just seem to be doing a lot of talking and backstage stuff at the moment.

Something for Nash to do

TN have come up with a good little storyline for Nash. No one wants to see him wrestle any more but he still has a part to play. This week he acted as security for Jim Cornette so he could get the spot as Special Enforcer for King of the Mountain which I think is a good move for his career in TNA.

Bad Points

Very little TV time for Samoa Joe

If you missed five minutes of the first segment of iMPACT you missed Samoa Joe this week. They need to start using him more on weekly TV episodes and not just save him for PPV’s. Ok he may not be the best talker but he is a good wrestler and if you are going to put him as your champion you have to give him a fair chunk of TV time every week.

What’s happening with Tomko

One minute it looks like they are going to give him a big push the next he is on a losing streak. This week Tomko did the honours for Christian Cage in the King of the Mountain qualifiers. I think TNA need to start committing one way of the other with Tomko and not do this stop, start approach.

Will Eric hurry up and find Elvis

Now I find Eric Young amusing and there is a place for his out of ring comedy segments in the show. The problem is with Eric’s segments if they aren’t funny which this search for Elvis are then they start to look stupid and out of place. It’s ok doing the wacky stuff but you have to make sure the crowd will find them funny for them to work.

Overall

Not a patch on last week’s show but an entertaining two hours none the less. The build for Kurt vs. AJ has been brilliant and if nothing else this match will have me tuning in to Slammiversary.

TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 22nd May 2008

After missing Sacrifice and two week’s worth of iMPACT I was looking forward to see where TNA’s product was at and what had happened since I last tuned in.

Good Points

Faction Wars

It’s great to see some factions start to develop in TNA. We had Booker T’s continuing decent in to the heel world as he struck a partnership with team 3-D to look out for each other. Then we had the show ending with Booker T, Team 3-D, Tomko and Kurt Angle laying the beat on AJ Styles.

The Kurt and Karen storyline

TNA have played out this storyline brilliantly over the last few months and it finally came to head on iMPACT as Karen asked Kurt for a divorce and left Kurt pleading to save his marriage. Then at the end of iMPACT when Karen came in to save AJ Kurt hit the ring and when you thought he was going to help protect Karen and AJ he then levelled AJ with a chair leaving AJ and Karen in the ring. One of the best endings to iMPACT ever.

Branding

Was great to see more video promo’s throughout the show. Loved the TNA Knockouts video package. TNA are also branding their Cross the Line idea brilliantly and really getting it across to the fans.

Bad Points

Silly out of ring segments

After weeks of watching Jay Lethal and Val going on dates this week we were treated to Eric Young in Nashville trying to find Elvis. I think if you are going to try and push emotional storylines and heated angles and then run segments like this as it takes away from the rest of the show.

Awesome Kong open challenge

It was like going back to the old carnival, fairground style of wrestling where wrestlers use to offer out fans for wrestling matches as Awesome Kong offered money to the fans in the iMPACT Zone to take her on the ring.

Overall

A great show and am glad to be back watching TNA. I just hope this isn’t a one off and that thy continue in this way as if they do their fanbase is just going to grow and grow.

TNA iMPACT Review - Thursday 3rd April 2008

After WWE’s recent Wrestlemania extravaganza TNA needed to start pushing this week to get hold of those viewers who are excited for wrestling again and get some attention to their upcoming PPV Lockdown. So as always here are my good and bad points of this week’s show.

Good Points

Formula

Every week the formula of TNA shows gets better and better. This week the show started with a video recap of all the recent incidents in TNA. I believe that every weekly show should start with a video recap as weekly shows are about getting new viewers to your show so that they will buy the PPV so they need to know what is going on and your existing fan base needs to be reminded of recent events just in case they have forgotten something that happened or missed a recent episode.

Good booking of Lethal Lockdown feud

After my plea last week TNA have improved their booking of Lethal Lockdown and as per my suggestion they broke the feuds down in to singles and tag matches with AJ Styles & Tomko going up against Rhino & Cage whilst Sting headlined against James Storm. It was good to see James Storm getting a big push but they have to be careful not to do it at the expense of Tomko and Cage.

Use of Matt Morgan

This show was about pushing Matt Morgan which they did by featuring him in many segments throughout the show. All episode they had been building the fact that he was on Team Tomko’s side by letting them add Storm to their team for him to then turn on Storm in the main event as in his capacity as referee assisted Sting to the win and to rip off his Ref’s shirt to unveil his Team Cage T-Shirt. The storyline was telegraphed and you could see it happening a mile off but it was still good TV.

Bad Points

Superhero or Superidiot Eric Young

This is cringeworthy TV at best with the Eric Young segments. Now it’s bad enough that it takes up TV time but when they have him interrupting other people like Kurt Angle and ruining their segments. Now Eric is doing his best with this storyline but TNA need to find him something new and fast.

Lighting and Camera angle of backstage segments

This is something TNA need to improve on. Their backstage segments went from being overly bright to overly dark and back again throughout the show. The camera angles are also very interesting as throughout backstage segments the cameramen seem to want to be consistently changing angles with no direction or purpose. Changing the lighting or a camera angle for a reason is good production but this currently seems to be inconsistent at best.

Overall

A great show more of the same please TNA creative team just remember to work on production and try and keep us guessing.