We’re here, everyone! Welcome to the first 2-hour Impact on Spike TV! TNA opens with a dramatic montage chronicling the road to the 2-hour show as though if they just won the ratings war in a head-to-head competition against the boys in New York. This promo is definitely a bit too much for this show, but I guess that’s just showing how the folks at TNA are really celebrating this accomplishment. Once that’s over…we’re off!
What an auspicious way to start the first 2-hour Impact – with Black Reign and his rat! Black Reign was pitted against Rhino tonight in a match that was good for what it was. We had an ominous camera shot of Raven in the back in his weirdo chair during this match.
I really didn’t like the implications of the ending of this match. You have Black Reign fighting Rhino with Raven coming out to destroy Rhino with Reign before Abyss makes the save. Abyss, who is involved in a feud with Judas Messias; Messias who is sort of fighting with Sting…Sting who is in an angle against Kurt Angle. Too much guys, too much.
Team 3D then took the next segment by destroying Black Machismo and Shark Boy.
All the while this is going on we have Sting going bonkers because Kurt Angle is at his son’s high school football field. This is pretty creepy and I don’t like where it can go. I’m not a big fan of getting kids involved in storylines.
I’m also not a big fan of the abusive storyline between Robert Roode and Ms. Brooks. It’s cheap and tawdry and certainly not the best use of Roode’s abilities.
After this unnecessary segment we’re treated to Gail Kim vs. Jackie Moore for what seems like the 10th time. The match ends with some outside interference which is all prepping for the Women’s Gauntlet match at Bound for Glory to decide the first Women’s Champion.
Now folks, if you want to see a pathetic display of enthusiasm you need to look no further than Ron Killings and Pacman Jones walking down the ramp. Killings is literally dancing all over the place while Jones just sort of stonefaces his way to the ring. Hey, at least it’s better than his first walk up the ramp as a heel where he was smacking hands with the fans!
Let me please send a message to TNA. Guys, we know that Pacman Jones is bringing your product to a whole new audience, but please… The man is not allowed to do anything physical and he should not be put in matches with that stipulation. So you ask yourself, “Then what are we supposed to do with him?” Nothing. This was poor planning on whomever was in charge of getting this guy under contract. It’s bad enough that Killings was pushed down our throat out of nowhere, but to have his partner be a guy who can’t do anything in the ring just makes for horrible television.
This match ended in a DQ after the Voodoo Kin Mafia interfered. Before Team 3D could cause any more damage, though, The Steiner Brothers made their return (thank God).
The Fight for the Right preview match was okay and a good way to show any new fans some of the non-former mainstream stars in TNA. Did that make any sense? I hope so! Petey Williams? Where the hell did they pull him from?! I guess this is the benefit of having a 2-hour show in TNA – Petey Williams gets in a match.
By the way, I’m getting a little fatigued here with this 2-hour format! I was a big fan of the quick reviews that I could get away with when Impact was only one hour…
Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley completely tore down the house in this match, in my opinion. These two guys are as smooth as any wrestlers you could ask for in the “big leagues” and are a hell of a set of entertainers. Great work on their part. The match was won, though, by Eric Young who will be a part of the Fight for the Right match at Bound for Glory.
The main event saw Junior Fatu, Samoa Joe, and LAX defeat Triple X, Christian Cage, and AJ Styles in an 8-man tag team match. TNA managed to put a good deal of their roster on this show, which is impressive. Tonight’s major impact moment? Well, tonight IS the major impact moment! TNA managed to put together a decent 2-hour show. It wasn’t great and it wasn’t anything to write home about, but it flowed and it accomplished the goal of getting the face of TNA out there to the masses.
On an uncomfortable ending note, though, Kurt Angle seemingly beat up Sting’s high school-aged son. I didn’t like that at all. I think it was a poor use of Kurt Angle on this big 2-hour event and an even worse use of Sting. These men should have been in action in some form tonight – not running around backstage or at a high school football game. Poorly done.
All in all, though, a decent job by TNA. Here’s looking forward to next week’s show!
Quote of the Night:
“I need answers, Jimmy!” – Sting telling Cornette that he wants to know what Angle’s up to
– Joe
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