TNA Impact Preview (June 7, 2016): The Final Stop

TNA returns tonight with its final episode of Impact going into Slammiversary, which is this upcoming Sunday. One of their big matches tonight will encompass two of the feuds going into Slammiversary when Ethan Carter III & Gail Kim team against The Miracle Mike Bennett and Maria Kanellis.

I didn't get a chance to review last week's episode due to cable issues (I should be switching providers today and be set from here on out) so I'd like to touch on what they did with these feuds last week.

Unfortunately, the route they went to get Maria and EC3 their desired matches at the PPV was rather disappointing. After EC3 struggled to get one more chance at Mike Bennett at Slammiversary, he ended up just asking his aunt to let him be in charge last week and he made the match himself. Well, that was easy, wasn't it?

Not that it doesn't make sense to some degree. If Mike Bennett is going to cheat to get what he wants, then EC3 may as well do the same. But the way it came across, it didn't feel earned. Why didn't Carter just do that the in first place? It would have felt more earned if Carter had to give up something or looked to feel some regret for having to call in his aunt.

The same goes for Gail Kim, who was just a beneficiary of it all. Again, it's not as if she doesn't deserve the match, but it felt like "Welp, there you go, Gail" instead of something she finally got over on Maria.

That asides, these have been good stories and the matches at Slammiversary are intriguing. Tonight it their last chance to add the finishing touches.

What else is planned for tonight

1) Matt Hardy is opening the show.

Yesssssss. Remember when I was really worried about the new Matt Hardy character? Yeah, just forget all of that. I've loved the Broken Matt Hardy and last week's video was the coup de grace.

We don't know specific what Matt wants, but I'm sure he's got another message for Brother Nero and Josh Mathews hinted in the preview that he may have his eyes on something else. Whatever it is, it will probably be gloriously ridiculous and awesome at the same time.

In the meanwhile, watch the contract signing again.

Oh, and I'm putting a poll at the bottom to see what everyone is thinking of this segment.

2) Eddie Edwards vs. Trevor Lee (c) for the X Division title

It's interesting that they are doing this match tonight since I figured this will be the Slammiversary match. And maybe it still will be and this will have a false finish to set up a rematch with a stipulation at the PPV.

Eddie tweeted that he would be defending the title at Slammiversary, which means the title will be on the line at the show. Chances are, he won't be champ going into the show, but it's surely possible he will be afterwards.

3) Championship Edition of the Fact of Life

Last week, after Bram defeated Lashley via DQ, the Chesterfield Plague received a couple spears from the MMA athlete. Eli Drake took that as his chance to cash in his Feast or Fired case and win Bram's King of the Mountain title.

The last time these two had a promo spot together, it was also on Drake's "The Fact of Life" show and they had a good rapport with each other. Another tonight but with the rolls of champion and challenger reversed could help sell a match I'm already excited for

What we'd like to see

1) The finishing touches on Lashley/Galloway

There's no way that the TNA title feud won't be represented on the go home show to Slammiversary. But it doesn't need to be much. They have been telling this story for awhile and telling it well. Because of that, not much needs to be done tonight to get them to Sunday.

They can keep it simple with a contract signing, a final promo, or even a really good pre-tape. This story has been told. Now it's time to just see these guys fight.

2) Some build to the tag team match

The BroMans tag team shot against the champs the Decay is an entirely different story. The BroMans won their tag match last week and that match was more about Mike Bennett as the referee.

This week, they should try to build some animosity between the BroMans and the Decay. Perhaps there can be an issue between the two women who control the groups in Raquel and Rosemary. The goofy BroMans and the theatric Decay are an interesting mix to feud. It'll be a good time to play off that going into the PPV.

TNA Impact airs tonight on PopTV at 9 EST. Who's watching?