SoCal Val sure is going to miss Velvet Sky's talents

Aces & Eights! The Entire Main Event! A Brand! New! Impact! Order!

So far, TNA has done all the right things with Aces & Eights. They are a mysterious force trying to invade the Impact Zone. No one knows who they are or what they are trying to accomplish. They have beaten down the Who's Who of the TNA roster. The only man left untouched is James Storm, leaving a lingering doubt as to whether it is actually him who is controlling this group. This may be one of the best Invasion angles in professional wrestling

And yet, we are left to wonder what the end game is.

TNA's main event has been a fascinating angle for pro wrestling fans. Bobby Roode's reign as the scheming heel was played perfectly. Storm's absence and return, while maybe overplayed and stretched too long, has made for a fascinating storytelling device. Austin Aries, the self proclaimed "Greatest Man That Ever Lived," the TNA World Heavyweight Champion, the star of IMPACT, has completely stolen the show. Even as I write these words, I am amazed at what TNA has been able to do.

And yet, we are left to wonder how badly this will end.

The average pro wrestling fan assumes that any TNA storyline will end in BS. This could be the moment that changes. My friends, we could be witnessing the birth of a new Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. If the Aces & Eights angle works out, if they can find an outcome that won't leave fans in disappointment, if they can have a reveal that doesn't end in Jeff Jerrett, Luke Gallows, and/or Chris Masters, then we may be able to point to this moment in time as the dawn of a new era in professional wrestling.

Why am I being so hopeful about this? Because I am tired of being disappointed in the "sport entertainment" I love. This has to end well. This must end well.

Hopefully this ends well.

The rest of the show after the jump.

Joe! Storm! Angle! Anderson! Hardy! Dam! Bound For Glory Series!

The top six for the Bound For Glory series are as follows:

1. Samoa Joe 47 points (5-2) 7 MATCHES
2. James Storm 45 points (3-1-2) 6 MATCHES
3. Kurt Angle 41 points (5-3) 8 MATCHES
4. Mr. Anderson 40 points (5-4-1) 10 MATCHES
5. Jeff Hardy 28 points (4-3) 7 MATCHES
6. Rob Van Dam 28 points (4-2) 6 MATCHES

With the series finishing on the September 6th episode of IMPACT, things are starting to come to a close. The assumption is that Samoa Joe and James Storm will be competing for the playoff on the No Surrender pay-per-view (PPV). That isn't to say there isn't some noise that could be made. Kurt Angle is right in the picture, and he will be facing Storm himself tonight with second place at stake. The one and only Mr. Anderson is sitting pretty in fourth place, although his match total puts him at a severe disadvantage. Bringing up the rear of the top five are Jeff Hardy and Rob Van Dam. Both are most likely completely out of contention, but it's always good to cover all of our bases.

Even if the Bound For Glory series ends with Storm and Joe at the top, they will surely have an amazing match at No Surrender. On top of that, I'm not sure anyone can deny that the tournament has been an amazing success. It has given the top stars of TNA a reason for every match. There has been great matches (i.e. James Storm vs. Jeff Hardy, anything Somoa Joe has been in) and some garbage ones (Kurt Angle vs. Mr Anderson, anything Robbie E has been in), but overall this has been a great gimmick for TNA. And I, for one, will be a little bit sad when it ends.

Styles! Crackhead Claire! Holding Pattern!

I, for one, am pissed that TNA neglected to further the AJ Styles and Crackhead Claire storyline. I had just gotten to the point where I realized that this is so freaking bad that it may actually be good. And then, just like that, they takes it away from us. TNA is closing in are one of the worst professional angles of all time. This is Michael Phelps leading the 200 M butterfly. This could be the gold standard pro wrestling fans will point to and tell their children, "Back in my day, son and/or daughter, I had to watch a horrible actress claim to have date raped 'The Phenomenal One' and had pictures to prove it. That was when wrestling was good." Hopefully TNA corrects their mistakes and gives us much more Styles and Claire.

We wouldn't want this to fade away, do we now?

Hopefully this has helped get you prepared for the nights activities. Leave a comment about what you are looking forward to, make sure to follow the action @Cagesideseats, and please join Geno, myself, and the whole MondayThursday Night gang during the live blog here.