TNA Impact returned tonight with their No Surrender show from Orlando.
The build to this show has been poor. Combining TNA having to edit out everything Hernandez, which deprived fans of the tag champion Wolves, MVP, and the BDC, with the fact that most of the feuds have been lackluster in general, had lead to TNA has been weaker lately. Let's see if they were able to turn it around tonight.
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Mr. Anderson defeats Bram via roll up.
After the match, Bram attacks Mr. Anderson with the Anderson microphone.
As a stand alone match, this was a good. These two are big guys that match up well together and they had a good brawling match up that fits this feud.
However, the match didn't fit the story they told weeks ago when Anderson questioned in an interview with Mike Tenay "Do I want to go to a dark place to defeat Bram?" Then he defeats Bram in a regular wrestling match with a roll up. Yeah, that was some dark place. I hope you find the light again, Ken.
The argument could be made that he didn't defeat Bram because Bram attacked him after the match. And that's an understandable point. However, Anderson did defeat Bram in the ring where it matters. The story should be fine from here, but that backstage with Anderson questioning whether he still can go to that violent place was really good. It set up a story that could have been really strong and instead they don't tell that story.
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James Storm calls out Khoya for failing him multiple times, including last week when he cost Storm the mixed tag match. Khoya comes to the ring to join Storm. The Cowboy gets in Khoya's face, slaps him a couple times, and tells him he made him by saving him from his "crap country." He smacks him a bunch more. When Storm turns his back, Khoya hits his sky high power bomb on him.
Khoya picks up the microphone and says he's not Khoya but Mahabali Shera and that he is proud of his country.
Backstage, James Storm demands a match with Shera tonight.
Storm defeats Mahablia Shera by DQ after hitting him with the Cowbell.
So this threw me for a loop. I had it all planned out. I had a sentence or two already written about how Storm was always going to be going out on his back because he's old school. Hell, my initial title for this piece was "Going Out on Your Back" referring to both Storm and Aries. Then I learn that this is actually not Storm's last show like the initial reports implied. Knowing that, this segment makes more sense.
The Revolution has been a poor stable who's potential was wasted long ago. They may as try to salvage something from it and why not salvage the young big size. Shera is rather green still so working with a vet like Storm as his first real feud should help. Maybe the other members of the Revolution will get involved. They may as well set them free as well. If they don't though, it won't really matter.
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Gail Kim defeats the Doll House in a 3 on 1 Handicapped match by pinning Marti Bell after delivering Eat Defeat.
Taryn Terrell ran off through the crowd in the middle of the match when Gail had a chance to get at her.
In my preview, I wondered if this would be the end or just the beginning of the end of this feud. And it looks like it will be the latter. Which is a good thing. This feud has been going on for awhile and while the Doll House gimmick has been a really bumpy ride, it deserves that one on one match between Gail and Taryn to end it all. I expect it will be in a cage, which is where Taryn broke Gail's hand and now they can play up the "Taryn can run now" line.
This match served the purpose to show Gail can stand up to the whole Doll House, something she couldn't do before. This match was also the first time that Jade had a littler time to show what she can do. Sure she still plays the role of Taryn's lackey, but when she was one on one with Gail in the ring, it was clear she can wrestle and wrestle well. I actually said "Don't tag anyone in, Jade" hoping for a prolonged Gail Kim vs. Mia Yim match.
I'm enjoying the "darker" Gail Kim. It's not an in your face change. It's just a black outfit with a hood and a little more seriousness from Gail Kim. Too much would have been too campy. She's playing it with the right amount of subtlety.
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Eli Drake defeats Drew Galloway via pinfall by holding the tights and the rope.
This match was well booked all around. It served the story well and the characters involved.
Eli Drake continues to be the slimy heel we knew he was all along. Even the announcers, who I don't mind as much as most, discussed the fact that most people didn't like Eli Drake from the start. And that's true. In my first review concerning him, I talked about how he comes off more like a heel then a good guy in Drew's stable. By the way, I loved his makeshift #Sit Down shirt. Beautiful heeling.
Drew Galloway got to play his character well, and that's of a man who's passionate and intense to the point it can be manipulated. He came out with fire like a man betrayed should. Drew beat up Drake on the outside for minutes before the match even started. But he got too caught up in it and allowed Drake to get the upper hand which eventually lead to Drake's crooked win.
This match did the job of making me want to see more of Galloway vs. Drake. The passionate wrestler vs. the arrogant scumbag. If the next time we see them, Eli Drake is delivering another arrogant promo about he bested the man who loves professional wrestling, that will be a great way of fueling this rivalry. This feud is on the right track.
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Rockstar Spud defeats Austin Aries with a super Underdog from the top rope ending Aries Impact career.
After the match, Aries rises Spud's hand and the men embrace.
This was Rockstar Spud's best match in TNA. It's hard not have your best match with a guy like Austin Aries, who matched up well with Spud. That's compared to Spud's match against someone like Kurt Angle was a poor match up. Kurt isn't who he used to be and he doesn't match up well with everyone any more. Austin still does though and he did a good job putting Spud over on the way out the door.
While Aries got the majority of the offense (as he should since he is the experienced heel), Spud didn't just take a beating and win with a roll up. There were enough back and forth segments where you could believe that Spud was actually hanging with the guy the caliber of Double A. And that's the whole point of putting someone over.
The end segment worked with Aries raising Spud's arm and the hug because despite Aries currently being heel, he's always been the lovable heel. He's always been the guy fans will cheer no matter what. So it wasn't any big breech of character.
I'll miss Aries in TNA. He was always one of their most consistent and one of the most talent guys they had and it'll hurt to lose him.
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Cameras find Bully Ray laid out with his chain (a chain that Bobby Roode was playing with earlier when talking to Bully.)
Later, there is a video of Dixie Carter with Jeff Jarrett in her office. Jeff is apparently still hanging around TNA even though his Hall of Fame induction was last week. Jarrett offers Dixie help, saying GFW will help run the show next week as she takes care of things with Bully.
Uh oh. It's here. It's starting. This Invasion Angle is here!
At least I assume so. I mean it screams Jarrett pushes the GFW agenda while he runs TNA. And maybe, just maybe, they'll finally address Eric Young stealing the King of the Mountain title from a Global Force event. Hell, maybe that will be Jeff's motive for messing with TNA.
Ya know what? I'm intrigued.
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Ethan Carter III defeats Matt Hardy in Full Metal Mayhem to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship match.
In retrospect, this was the perfect choice for a Matt Hardy/EC3 match. Matt Hardy can still wrestle, but it's clear he can't move in the ring like he used to. So choosing a TLC match helps cover that up. These matches are usually major spot-fests with high profile spots on different equipment in and out of the ring and then selling said spots. Hardy's wheels don't need to be top notch to work that type of match.
Then there's the added fact that this match is Matt Hardy's match so ending with Carter defeating Hardy at his own game, without any help mind you, makes the champ look pretty strong. He may not have had a great run after intitially defeating Kurt Angle, but he's still booked stronger than the WWE champion.
The match was good. There were a lot of fun spots, including a Matt Hardy leg drop from the top turnbuckle onto EC3 through a table on the outside. This match allowed Ethan to act heelish but not look like a chump. Most of the match, he worked the knees of Hardy. That can be looked at as good strategy, but as you're watching, it still feels dirty even though it's legal. He eventually won by kicking Hardy in the knee to knock Hardy off the ladder. Again, sure it's allowed, but it feels unsavory.
This ended up being a good match for Carter's first title feud. Hopefully, that's the end of this and the Hardys can gun for their tag titles they never lost against the Wolves as EC3 goes on to his next challenger.
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Pros of the Show:
The title match served it's purpose and Carter looked good coming out of it
Aries gives Spud his best match
Eli Drake vs. Drew Galloway is looking promising
Cons of the Show:
Even though billed like a PPV special, all of these matches were just set ups for more of the same later
TNA didn't play up the "Anderson going to a dark place" angle that they set up
Overall, this was a good show. It suffered most from the fact the build to many of these matches was lackluster. But it was a good turnaround from the past few weeks.