Stick a fork in this year's edition of Turning Point, it's done. TNA presented the event -- the eighth in the company's history -- tonight on pay-per-view (PPV). You can check out the play-by-play here but let's take an overall look at the show and where TNA can go from here.
- Bobby Roode is a full-on rulebreaker. There aren't any subtle nuances to his character. He isn't an honorable man driven to dishonorable deeds by his desire to be the TNA heavyweight champ. He's just a jerk and a scumbag. Whereas TNA could have taken his character to very interesting places, they decided to take the easy way out and just make him a by-the-book bad guy. At least his match with AJ Styles tonight was good.
- Speaking of Styles, what was up with his sunburn? Was he out fly fishing all afternoon in Gainesville the day before?
- It seems that after Jeff Hardy managed to pin Jeff Jarrett three times in one night, the former TNA and WWE champ is officially back in Orlando. The folks who make up the Impact Zone audience couldn't be more thrilled as they cheered Hardy like he was the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus rolled into one upon his return even while the company played out its angle where some of the boys in the back were hesitant to see him as part of the locker room again. He could be the next fan favorite in line to challenge Roode if James Storm doesn't occupy his former partner's time.
- Oh, also, why wasn't Storm facing Roode tonight?
- Gail Kim can't even unpack her bags before she's given the Knockouts title. I like Kim, though, and I especially like Velvet Sky (va-VOOM~!) so a program between those two suits me just fine. It's the whole Karen Jarrett aspect that I'm not looking forward to.
- How jealous are you of Chris Sabin, who comes home to Sky each night?
- Ken Anderson was in a match I tried my best to immediately forget about it. If it wasn't for Scott Steiner's involvement in it, I would have but my brain has taught itself to commit everything "Big Poppa Pump" related to memory. As soon as I can find a video of his promo tonight, I will post it. Vintage Steiner.
- Looks like Abyss and Bully Ray are in it for the long run. The big galoot was put through a table by his former Immortal stablemates but no sold it and scared the tag team legend right out of his wits. I love heel Ray but the Abyss character is beyond stale. How can they make this feud appealing?
The rest of my thoughts after the jump! Holla at me!
- By the way, the "holla at me" is a shout out to my boy Eddie Kingston who won the Chikara Grand Championship today at "High Noon." I provided play-by-play for almost six hours of pro wrestling today and I have the boys in Chikara to thank for making at least half of it supremely enjoyable. You can order the replay here and you should, since it's fantastic and only $15.
- Crimson and Matt Morgan finally solved the age-long riddle of what happens when dull meets boring. Two big guys everyone couldn't care less about in a match no one asked for with an ending that failed in every respect. I, for one, would like to thank TNA for putting this particular brainteaser to rest.
- Rob Van Dam and Christopher Daniels had a decent little match thanks to Daniels busting his butt. Seriously, what does RVD bring to the table anymore?
- Mexican America retained their tag straps against Ink Inc. The match was a little formulaic but considering how screwy TNA can get with its booking, something simple is good.
- Speaking of good, the TV title match between Eric Young and Robbie E was the perfect mixture of comedy and wrestling. Eric Young is always a hoot and Robbie E is fun as all get out. I'm eager to see what he does with his new stash of gold.
- And, of course, the highlight of the evening was the X-Division three-way between champion Austin Aries, Kid Kash, and Jesse Sorensen. The brewing dissension between Aries and his lackey Kash was interesting to see as well as Aries throwing the former ECW star under to bus to keep his title. Aries was, of course, fantastic.
All in all, the entirety of TNA seems like a combination of RAW and Smackdown. The main event scene -- like RAW -- - is a huge mess but the stuff that Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff don't care about -- like Vince McMahon and Smackdown -- really shines due to a more simplistic, straight forward booking style.
Which of you Cagesiders caught the show? What'd you think?