Hardy! Aries! Revenge! Custom Belts! TNA World Heavyweight Championship!
The rematch between Jeff Hardy and Austin Aries is official. The two will meet up at Turning Point to once again do battle in the hexagon squared circle for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. This is a chance for both men to really flesh out this feud. The main event of Bound For Glory felt absolutely rushed, as if the promotion was booking the damn thing on the fly (which we know it would never do). Now, though, things have settled down. There is more time to find the subtleties within the angle. Having a set direction will focus everyone's energy forward. This can be the opportunity for Impact Wrestling to turn things around.
Or we can have Hardy be the "Silent Enigma" and Aries act like a little punk for two more weeks.
It's not that Hardy has done anything bad during his run to the top; it's always been a tragedy of circumstances. James Storm and Bobby Roode were supposed to be fighting for the title. Then Aries comes into the picture and everyone expected him to drop the strap to Storm. Then Bully Ray started doing the best work of his career, and people wondered if he would be getting a run with the belt. No one really thought Hardy would come in and win. So everything he does is scrutinized. He's had the belt for only two weeks, but how many fans are already booking him to drop it?
Life's not easy being green. And purple, orange and magenta.
TNA gets a lot of flack from a lot of people, much of it well deserved. It overbooks angles, it convolutes storylines, and it has a tendency to run off the rails.
However, the absolute worst thing is that TNA refuses to put its talent in the best position to succeed. Hardy is stuck with fans believing that he only has the championship because his contract is up. How is he supposed to prove himself with that hanging over his head?
In the other corner, Aries is left crippled in what he can do. There is a sense that, if he's not holding back, he is certainly not reaching his full potential.
Hardy and Aries both need to do something different, and TNA needs to let them off their respective leashes. The internal monologues and complaining about respect has been cute. But this in the main event if Impact Wrestling. TNA needs to make me care about this. I want to care about this. It needs to have an IMPACT on me.
I can't shake the feeling, though, that the players are just going through the motions.
Everything Else! Bullet Points!
- Tonight is Open Fight Night, so everyone gets to call everyone else out. First up, we will have Bully Ray standing against his brother Devon. If this doesn't end with Aces & 8s running in and a brawl breaking out, then I just don't know TNA like I think I do.
- Next we have ODB calling out Jessie, aka the boyfriend of the Knockout Champion, Tara. This is absolutely awesome. How anyone can hate a) Tara & Jessie and b) ODB laying out the former Big Brother star -- is beyond me.
- Aces and 8s took out Kurt Angle to close last weeks show. Not sure what will come of it, but it's probably important.
- Tonight is also Gut Check, with Christian York getting a shot tonight. He actually appeared on TNA's inaugural pay-per-view (PPV) with Joey Matthews (better known as Joey Mercury), so this will be a homecoming of sorts for York. Plus, it will be nice to see some actual talent on Gut Check.
- Speaking of Gut Check contestants with talent, it looks like Joey Ryan may be chasing the X Division title. If Rob Van Dam eventually drops the strap to him, I take back every single bad thing I have said about the useless stoner.
Hopefully, this has prepared you for the night's festivities. Leave a comment below about what you are looking forward to, and please join Nolan, myself, and the whole CSS Thursday night gang in the live blog right here.