By John Moore
TNA Impact Hits
Sienna Video Package: We haven’t seen too many of these lately, have we? It was a TNA bright spot back in 2015 when they would produce these stellar short biographical vignettes to flush out unknown and even known characters. As EC3 joked about a few weeks ago, Sienna is an unknown character. This video package was well done and it gave Sienna an identity. She’s an ass kicker. She does MMA. She also has some cool finishers named the AK-47 and Silencer.
Braxton Sutter vs. Rockstar Spud: Braxton picked up the win but the ball kick made it look like the program has just begun. Spud deserves a program and it looks like we might get one between him and Sutter. What made things look promising was the pre-match promo from Spud. While not as dynamic as his underdog babyface promos, you can just tell that Spud truly understands the art of the promo and plays the crowd like marionettes.
Bram and Decay Segment: This feud can end up terribly, but ultimately we got to see some diverse mic work from Rosemary. She usually just says little more than Decay… Decay… Decay, but this time we got the beginning of a feud? Recruitment? I’m not sure but there are several angles TNA can take here. I don’t know any good ones yet, but at least it gives Decay something to do while Davey Richards is injured and Eddie Edwards is in the X Division.
TNA Impact Misses
Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy: This was the main event of the show themed “Hardy’s Revenge”. I’m not sure why we need an annual “Hardy’s Revenge” episode. Last year, the “Hardy’s Revenge” Cage match was Jeff Hardy vs. James Storm. Anyway, it was yet another match and another loss for Matt Hardy. The slight positive I see here was Matt surviving two Twist of Fates and a Swanton which give him in-ring credibility. Matt does have one of those “only in TNA” moments when he walked over and laid down on the table to set up a cool yet contrived table spot. The real detriment of this match was the fans. Jeff Hardy’s matches are usually great when he gets to feed off a hot crowd. I don’t blame Jeff in this case, as the crowd was bad all night. Maybe that Dixie Carter segment sucked the life out of them? Jeff Hardy even pulled a Titus O’Neil from Money in the Bank (even though this match was taped prior to Sunday’s WWE event), when he was setting up that contrived table structure he had to yell at the crowd to get up. It can easily be said that the Impact Zone ruined the main event.
Mike Bennett wins the X Title: It feels like we didn’t get anything out of the Davey Richards as X Division Champion run. A complaint can be made that inserting Bennett in the X Division and giving him the title raises the prestige of the division. That doesn’t seem like a valid argument because it only looks like Bennett or Edwards are competing for the title because TNA always makes the title seem relevant during Destination X season. It’s essentially the time of the year where they give the belt to main eventers like Austin Aries so they can act like they have yet another TNA iteration of Money in the Bank. Then come Bound for Glory time we’ll get Tigre Uno or DJ Z as the champ to keep the belt warm for a year until someone like EC3 or Matt Hardy can get it next year.
Dixie Carter and Maria Segment: Does Dixie Carter feel that she needs to get prominent TV time every summer? That segment between Dixie Carter, Billy Corgan, Mike Bennett, and Maria just kept dragging. By the end of the segment, at least the Dixie and Maria part, I don’t know what was accomplished and the Impact crowd looked apathetic about the situation. I saw one fan cheer when Mike told Dixie to step down as president, so at least that guy cares. Billy Corgan was odd here as well and I’m not sure why we’re seeing him as an on air tweener or whatever the hell he is. Corgan’s on-air character is just strange now.
Drew Galloway and EC3 vs. Lashley and Eli Drake: This was an okay match. Nothing special. The Miss comes from the “reluctant partner” trope seemed a bit forced here. Drew shoving EC3 at the end seemed forced, given how Drew is usually plays the kindest babyface ever most of the time. Either that or Drew was an idiot. Another idiotic thing spotlighted was Drew doing the foot stomps before his Claymore and Lashley intercepting him when he telegraphed his move.
Marti Bell vs. Jade: Jade had one decent offensive sequence but every other offensive rally from both wrestlers was a bit off. Part of the reason may be because Marti isn’t the best in-ring worker in the world? Props to Pope D’Angelo Dinero for teaching Josh Mathews what a baton was. This was not a good match. Marti especially was missing a lot of stuff. Also, another Miss comes from the TNA production team just a little bit in having several gratuitous Marti Bell ass camera shots.
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