Moore’s TNA Impact Wrestling Hit List: Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy in an I Quit Match, Gail Kim kidnapped by Decay, X Division Title Triple Threat, Al Snow

By John Moore

TNA Impact Wrestling Hits

Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy “I Quit” match: It’s still shocking how Jeff Hardy contemplated sitting out 2016 due to a knee injury, yet now he’s going through these marathon matches like the Jeff we’ve always known. While Matt Hardy has been a killer on the microphone, he’s also delivering in the ring and the Hardy Boyz performed a nice piece of art while utilizing weapons, chairs, and the backstage area. Ultimately, it was different somewhat than your usual “I quit” match. We also got our obligatory “Jeff Hardy big spot” which is still as good as it ever was.

Al Snow: The actual match doesn’t really deserve a Hit, mostly due to the opponent being Mahabali Shera, who is still more lumbering than early Rob Terry. Al Snow is playing the old pro wrestling purist curmudgeon really well and it’s actually drawing him great heat. This was a great storyline from British Bootcamp and they are actually taking their time on this one to help build Grado indirectly.

Trevor Lee vs. Eddie Edwards vs. DJ Z: There was an aura of disappointment in the introductory seconds of this match when it looked like we were going back to the throwaway X Division Triple Threat Title Matches usually involving DJ Z, Tigre Uno, or Mandrews. As for the match, it was nothing to write home about. While the screwy finish might turn off some, at least pro wrestling tropes are being used in the X Division which is usually just buffer. Gregory Helms is claiming to revitalize the X Division to draw heel heat, but his injection of storylines is actually good at slowly building the X Division. The X Division could use a heel faction to conquer. Now all they have to do is allow the heavyweights to compete to replenish the depleted X Division roster. Random side note, is it just me or are we getting a lot of wrestlers from North Carolina on this show? At least OMEGA is doing a better job invading than Global Force Wrestling did.

TNA Impact Wrestling Misses

Leader of the Knockouts ladder match: This was a vintage TNA moment in all the wrong reasons. It was just one of those moments where you wonder as a viewer as to why these wrestlers are even wrestling for something that doesn’t have a built up value. So they are all trying to become an authority figure? This whole storyline is odd.

Rockstar Spud and Tyrus: The Matt Hardy Brand without Matt Hardy didn’t have a great showing here and that’s hard to think of seeing that usually Spud hits home runs when he is given a microphone. What was Spud going for here? He was jittering around like a drug junkie and it seemed like we never got a build as to why he is acting all jittery? Tyrus has played only two characters his national TV career. One was a huge dancing dinosaur and the other was the guy who would take the loses for Alberto Del Rio, Ethan Carter III, and Matt Hardy. It’s tough to take him seriously as a TNA Title threat without any build whatsoever.

Gail Kim kidnapping: This was a strange storyline on several levels. On one hand, it was clunky and rushed. They got through an entire kidnapping and hostage situation in one night. It was strange to see Josh Mathews say “someone has to help her”, which means the announcers were definitely aware of the situation (couldn’t Pope show his heroic side again?). The last part almost gave me a spit take in that the only person that could save Gail according to Abyss was Beer Money? Why? Wouldn’t the actual people to possibly save Gail be the Florida Police? This could have been told in a much more intelligent fashion and if you would like to see a similar storyline to compare this to, I would forward you to Lucha Underground’s storyline, where Marty Martinez and Mariposa abducted Sexy Star and gave her PTSD. Cutting down Gail Kim mentally would have been a great way to reset her dominant character, which has been too powerful.