TNA 'Impact Wrestling' results and reactions from last night (Dec. 13): Roode money talks, Aries money sings

TNA Impact Wrestling returned last night (Dec. 13) to pick up the pieces Final Resolution left us with on Sunday. Big names, big questions, and big answers was the theme of the night. What is next for Jeff Hardy? What went wrong in the Bobby Roode and Aces & Eights partnership? Will Hulk Hogan finally approve of Bully Ray?

Enough questions and more answers coming up in the reactions!

• The big question of the night was what caused the rift between Bobby Roode and Aces & Eights on Sunday, causing them to attack Roode after his match with TNA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Hardy. This is what Roode was asking to kick off the show. Devon and DOC greeted him, with the former telling him that he had his offer trumped by someone else. Jeff Hardy and James Storm came out and tried to fight the group, leading to a tag match later in the night. The match wasn't all that bad, but just really bland and didn't distinguish itself from the show. Hardy and Storm ended up winning and Devon was in a fit, so he told everyone that the mastermind was Austin Aries. Fast forward to the end of the show and Aries says that it was him, and that if "Roode money talks, then Aries money sings". He said he wanted someone to fight his battles for him, like Hulk Hogan made him fight Aces & Eights when it was not his battle. He was greeted by Jeff Hardy, who proposed Aries-Hardy III at "Championship Thursday" next week. Aries didn't want to do it for the "idiot Creatures of the Night," so Jeff started a brawl, now it seems the match will happen. This is all very long-winded, but this is actually an interesting storyline by TNA standards. Aries and Hardy are now focused on one another, but both Bobby Roode and Aces & EIghts lurk in the background presenting interesting problems to the situation. Shocking to hear me say this, but not bad, TNA.
• The other huge situation, was the conflict which has been going on between Hulk Hogan and Bully Ray. Bully came in Hogan's office asking if he had his respect now. Hogan said the puppy love between Brooke and Bully has bled over into his business, so he has to clean up their mess. Bully went into a fierce dialogue about how maybe he didn't like Brooke and that she was just chasing him. Bully then told Hogan that Brooke was sitting next to him on the couch to apologize for her father's behavior towards him. Bully says he bled for him on Sunday and he has no idea what to do to earn his respect. Again, this actually wasn't too bad either. The storyline sucks as a whole, but this segment was pretty well done. Hogan has that "it factor" and Bully has legitimate mic skill. Let this be the diamond in this lump of coal storyline.
  
• In relation to that Hogan storyline, Bully Ray took on Jesse in the main event of the evening. Jesse is very, very green, but Bully was able to pull a solid brawling match out of him. This wasn't enjoyable so much as it was tolerable more than anything. Bully ended up winning, then asking if he had Hulk's respect yet.
• AJ Styles went rogue tonight, as he has decided to focus on himself over the organization now. Typical Styles promo, but the heel turn will be a change of scenery, for a bit.
• Wes Brisco and Garrett Bischoff took on Robbie E and Robbie T, in a match which was not remarkably bad, but still nothing to write home about. The big narrative, was Angle being at ringside to watch his protégés wrestling -- he didn't leave disappointed -- as they did take home the victory. However, as the referee turned the group around to face the non-camera side of the crowd, an Aces & Eights member came from behind to take Angle out with a pipe to the knee. So, this is basically just to tell us that Garrett and Wes are in the gang. Good to know, despite us knowing about this for months now.
• Kenny King beat RVD and had his feet on the ropes. The match was awkward, because RVD moves like a turtle with three legs nowadays. I got nothing.
• These 1.13.13 promos are pretty awful and they will be even worse when people find out it is Sting who is likely returning. Heck, it could be Buff Bagwell, but both had their relevancy die with WCW. Hang 'em up, boys.
• Finally, Velvet Sky returned to the ring against Madison Rayne and took home the victory. Not a bad performance from Sky, who looked pretty good in the ring.
• Oh, by the way, Velvet Sky should stop letting the pigeons loose if she can't make her booty pop. Let's get Layla or Kaitlyn to show this girl how it is done.

Another one of TNA's weird outings, as it actually kept me entertained for the time I was watching it. The most inconsistent company on the planet, folks.

"B-" for last night's showing.

How did you Cagesiders grade it?