Powell’s TNA Impact Wrestling Hit List: Eddie Edwards and Lashley, EC3 vs. Moose, DOC video, Cody vs. Mike Bennett, Aron Rex vs. Jessie Godderz, Maria and Allie

By Jason Powell

TNA Impact Wrestling Hits

Eddie Edwards and Lashley: This Hit doesn’t mean I’ve changed my tune on Edwards beating Lashley for the championship. I still disagree with the move, but when you take a “what’s done is done” approach, this was a good followup angle. Edwards delivered a good nice guy promo in his first appearance since winning the championship. Lashley came out and completely dominated him, making Edwards look like the big underdog heading into whenever their next title match will be.

Cody vs. Mike Bennett: A quality match with a surprisingly clean finish. The Impact Zone can be a tough place to work due to some flat crowds at times, but so far they have treated Cody like a star. The broadcast team did a good job of telling the story that Bennett had yet to lose two in a row, yet was excellent when his head was on straight. It will be interesting to see how his character responds to this loss.

Aron Rex vs. Jessie Godderz: After being bored by yet another slow Grand Championship match that played to a flat crowd, Rex showed heel tendencies by opening the ropes for Godderz and then taking a cheap shot. Rex just hasn’t clicked as a babyface, so it’s good to see that he appears to be on the heel path. I give TNA creative credit for apparently calling an audible. However, they also miscast Moose by making him a heel when he debuted before flipping him, so they need to do a better job of making the right call from the start.

Maria and Allie: More of the same with Maria picking on the lovable Allie. That’s not a complaint, as I like that they are taking their time and building to the moment when Allie finally stands up for herself.

Broken Matt and Brother Nero: A fun promo segment from the broken brothers. The post match angle was fine. I can’t say that I’m even a little bit excited about The Tribunal working with the Hardys, but if anyone can make a match with the undercard tag team it would be Broken Matt and Brother Nero.

Gail Kim vs. Maria: As much as I enjoy Maria as an on-air character, it never made any sense when she was handed control over the Knockouts division. Thus, I’m happy they took away her storyline power and rid the world of a heel authority figure. Maria will be just fine without the leadership role, and with her and her husband both having bad nights on Impact (including the loss of Bennett’s theme song!), one can only assume that it’s just a matter of time before their characters bounce back.

Moose vs. EC3: Mixed feelings. TNA deserves credit for booking a clean finish, but it’s odd to see EC3 losing again coming off his loss to Lashley at Bound For Glory. Let’s see where it goes. It’s the biggest win Moose has had and it will be interesting to see what type of match he and Lashley will have next week.

TNA Impact Wrestling Misses

Billy Corgan and Aiden O’Shea: A potential Miss. I don’t understand what they are going for. Corgan delivered his best promo to date when he spoke backstage about why he wasn’t granting Lashley his immediate rematch. I get a kick out of O’Shea playing Corgan’s henchman, as his character feels right out of a comic book universe. It’s mildly intriguing, yet I’m not sure if the henchman combined with Billy’s flashier on-air fashion style means he is becoming a heel. The last thing TNA and pro wrestling in general needs is yet another heel authority figure.

The DOC: Another group of rebellious invaders in TNA? Sigh. We’ll see where it goes, but my first reaction to the video package was essentially “been there, done that.”