Aces & 8s! False Ringleaders! Mystery! Suspense! A! New! Impact! Order!

Somehow TNA has managed to not do anything to really further the Aces & 8s storyline, but so far it just feels like they know what they are doing. A bunch of random guys in masks come out and jump the roster, weeks after weeks? That shouldn't work. At the very least, that shouldn't work for TNA. We knew who Kevin Nash and Scott Hall were. We knew who Booker T and Diamond Dallas Page were. We knew who Wade Barrett and the NXT rookies were (kind of). The Aces & 8s have been running around TNA for a month and a half, and we have no knowledge on who they are or what they want.

Yet they have played their roles to perfection so far.

The only information we have is that James Storm is not the ringleader. We know this because everyone on the roster thinks that Storm is in fact ringleader. By leaving Storm out of their assaults, the mystery group has allowed the seeds of mistrust to flourish within the TNA locker room. Add to that Bobby Roode insistence that it is indeed "The Cowboy" who is running the invasion, and enough doubt has been created to turn Storm into an outcast.

Maybe this will all conclude with Storm chilling in the rafters in face paint?

As with every week, there are questions with how this will end. I would be surprised if anything is uncovered at the Hardcore Justice Pay-Per-View (PPV) taking place this Sunday (August 12), and we may not get a final resolution till Bound For Glory (October 14). There still needs to be a big reveal for this to all make sense. But for now, this has been a great storyline. Maybe one of the best ones on television.

What I'm trying to say is this; IMPACT is better than Raw right now. Maybe I'm an idiot for saying that, but I fully believe it to be true. If you like pro wrestling, you should watch this show.

Hopefully TNA won't make me regret these words.

The rest of the show after the jump.

Aries! Roode! A TNA! Style! Con! Fron! Tation! TNA World Heavyweight Championship!

With one last moment to fully sell their match at Hardcore Justice for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, Austin Aries and Bobby Roode are going to face off in the ring tonight. Aries will be amazing on the mic. Roode will hold is own, and will probably act batsh*t insane. Expect the word "fluke" to be thrown around a lot. There will be stare downs. There will probably be punches thrown. And there may be interference from an outside source. Overall, It should be a good go home segment between the two.

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

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

1. James Storm 66 points (6-1-2) 9 MATCHES
2. Samoa Joe 53 points (6-2) 8 MATCHES
3. Kurt Angle 41 points (5-3) 8 MATCHES
4. Mr. Anderson 40 points (5-4-1) 10 MATCHES

As we enter the homestretch, this is when things start to get interesting. Tonight, James Storm will face off against Bully Ray, while AJ Styles takes on Kurt Angle (Rob Van Dam will also have a match with The Pope, but I'm not sure anyone cares about that one).

This still looks to be a three-way race between Storm, Samoa Joe, and Angle. However there is still a little bit of time left, and with two (2) twenty point Fatal Fourways going down at Hardcore Justice a dark horse such as Jeff Hardy could make some noise. With Storm involved in the Aces & 8s storyline, it is no longer a given that he will be walking away as the winner of the BFG series. Or the entire angle could be pulled together in one fell swoop.

Styles! Crackhead Claire! Daniels! Kazarian! Baby Showers! "Do the Right Thing!"

Oh Crackhead Claire Lynch came back in full force last week, my friends, and it was a glorious return. If pro wrestling weddings are the pinnacle of insanity, then pro wrestling baby showers have to be right below that. It's also good to see Christopher Daniels and Kazarian get dragged back into this storyline. AJ Styles should not be the only one who has to hold it up on his shoulders. With Claire starting to show, it's becoming much to heavy for even the "Phenomenal one."

But my thirst is not sated! Like Ms. Lynch behind the Impact Zone, I'm feigning for one more hit. In fact, I need it. This has been too damn stupid to just disappear. I don't know where they are going to take this. I don't know how much more mileage they have left. But I do know that I never want Crackhead Claire to leave me life.

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 Monday Thursday Night gang during the live blog here.