Powell’s TNA Impact Hit List: Moose, Eddie Edwards, and Brian Myers vs. Eric Young, Ace Austin, and Chris Bey, Mustafa Ali’s inauguration, Xia Brookside vs. Tasha Steelz for a shot at the Knockouts Title

By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)

TNA Impact Hits

Mustafa Ali and Chris Sabin: Ali going with a sports entertainment style gimmick once he was finally free from WWE was unexpected. Nevertheless, he’s playing the part well even if I’m still lukewarm on the gimmick. It helps that Sabin is countering Ali’s politician gimmick with his usual no nonsense approach. Here’s hoping the Good Hands association with Ali will lead to them playing meaningful roles as opposed to being contracted enhancement wrestlers.

Mike Bailey vs. Steve Maclin: A hot show-opening match. They are two of TNA’s finest despite not being featured as prominently lately as they once were. I was surprised to see Maclin go over, but I’m not complaining. Maclin needs wins and one loss isn’t going to hurt Bailey. It was a nice touch to air Nic Nemeth’s promo from Japan after the match to set up his match with Maclin for TNA Sacrifice.

Jake Something vs. Laredo Kid: A decent television win for Something. There’s not much mystery regarding the outcomes of Kid’s matches, which is a shame because he’s a talented guy who should mean more than he does in TNA.

TNA Impact Misses

“The System” Moose, Eddie Edwards, and Brian Myers vs. Eric Young, Ace Austin, and Chris Bey: Back-to-back shows headlined by The System in six-man tag team matches. Meh. The match was well worked and set up Edwards and Myers challenging for the TNA Tag Team Titles at No Surrender, but The System continues to feel cold as a top heel faction.

Joe Hendry and Rich Swann vs. AJ Francis and Deaner: The match was solid. My issue is that Francis actually feels like the freshest act of the bunch. Deaner is still recovering from his run as the head of a failed heel faction. Swann refuses to shake up his tired act, which is a shame because he has the talent to be a main event player in Impact. To be fair, Hendry’s mid-card comedy act works with most live crowds. I’d just like to see him drop the schtick with the goal of moving up the card as opposed to seeming content with his current comedic role.

Xia Brookside vs. Tasha Steelz for a shot at the Knockouts Championship: This was billed as the rubber match after Brookside and Steelz traded wins in two previous matches. The match ending in a double count-out was weak. It set the stage for Jordynne Grace declaring that she will fight both women at Sacrifice worked as far as getting to the Triple Threat, but it was still disappointing that nothing was resolved as far as their feud is concerned.