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TNA Impact Wrestling returned to Spike TV last night (Jan. 10, 2013) with a live show featuring the continued beef with Aces and 8s and the ongoing saga of the Hogan family trying to get along.
A wedding is coming!
Click here to get full results and the running live blog. Now let's get right to reactions from the show.
- I cannot tell you how excited I am for Brooke Hogan and Bully Ray's wedding. Pro wrestling weddings are the best because it's guaranteed something is going to go wrong. It's like two people holding onto those big ass exercise balls and hauling ass straight at each other. You know it's a dumb idea but it's always hilarious and something awesome always happens, so you do it anyway. That's what next week is going to be. We're talking about Bully freaking Ray getting married to Brooke freaking Hogan just one week after he proposed right in front of a seething Hulkster. This is a train wreck and I can't wait to see it reach its inevitably uncomfortable conclusion.
- Hulk Hogan has the best "I'm really shocked right now" face. It's like someone shot his bottom lip full of novocaine and he doesn't realize his mouth is wide open and he looks ridiculous. At least he actually fits the role here and knows how to play the super pissed off dad who doesn't like the man his daughter has chosen to bone down with. And how could he? It's Bully freaking Ray.
- One thing that needs to be said here is both Hulk and Brooke have got to stop referring to Bully as "Mark." No one knows or cares what his real name is and no one ever will. It doesn't add to the story whatsoever and it's a cheap way to try to get some form of reaction to what's largely been a lame build to this glorious wedding.
- It's clear as day that Sting is just going through the motions and there's no real passion behind anything he does. He was a limited performer in his prime but at his age and with his mileage, it's barely worth getting up for his segments. This thing between him and the Aces and 8s is beyond brutal.
- Kurt Angle might be getting a short vacation and that's good for all of us because he's not far behind Sting. Yes, he can still work some solid matches, probably as good as anyone else in this company, but he's just gone. It's so obvious he's gone it makes it hard to watch.
- I'm not entirely sure what draws me to him, but I greatly enjoy Kenny King.
- Joseph Park is a hell of a performer because you have to admit that when he said he was back from wrestling school and looked so damn proud of that fact, you couldn't help but feel all warm and fuzzy for him. The crowd reacted appropriately, too, and it's genuinely surprising that he's been able to do this much with this character. I'm actually pulling for him, crazy as that seems.
- There just isn't anything to say about Aces and 8s anymore. They're awful. Mr. Anderson fits with that group because he's awful too. And are they dumping Mike Knox, seeing as he got squashed by Sting? And why is one man able to overcome like seven at any given time?
- Austin Aries and Bobby Roode teaming up turned out to be the highlight of the evening. Whatever these two touch turns to gold. I'm to the point that I don't want either of them to win the heavyweight championship because it would likely mean separating the two sooner rather than later. These two need to go on a long run of matches against one another, or hook up as a legitimate tag team who can't stop trying to one-up each other. I would watch that every week.
TNA is TNA and at this point, you know what you're getting with them and if you don't, that's your own fault.
Grade: D+
I can't wait for this wedding next week. I really can't. Can you?