Csonka’s TNA Impact Review 7.01.15

TNA Impact Review 7.01.15

OFFICIAL RESULTS
~ Losers Must Disband Elimination Match: The BDC defeated The Rising @ 16:40 via [**¾]
~ TNA Tag Team Title 30-Minute Iron Man Match: The Wolves defeated The Dirty Heels {2-1} @ 30:00 to become the NEW TNA TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS [***¾]
~ Knockouts Title Match: Champion Taryn Terrell defeated Awesome Kong and Brooke @ 4:44 via pin [*½]
~ TNA World Title Match: Ethan Carter III defeated Champion Kurt Angle @ 20:40 via pin to become the NEW TNA WORLD CHAMPION [**½]

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We’re starting with a match, awesome.

Losers Must Disband Elimination Match: The Beat Down Clan (MVP, Hernandez, Low Ki and Kenny King) vs. The Rising (Gallows, Drake and Micah): I know that the Rising made the challenge, but I have no clue why you would agree to a four on three match. Anyway, Ki eliminated Micah at the 4:30 mark and set up the Rising to have to really fight the odds now. After the break, the BDC had the heat on Galloway. Drake got the got tag, ran wild on the BDC in a really good hot tag and then hit a dive onto MVP. He came up limping, and eventually had to be helped to the back and he was out of the match. This left Galloway to fight alone 4 on 1. Galloway stood his ground and fought well, and pinned Ki and then King in a matter of about 30-seconds. Unfortunately the run ended there as he ate a border toss, the playmaker and the drive-by kick and that was all. It was an overall enjoyable match as far as the booking and basic action, but it lacked the heat of a major blow off match both from the work and from the crowd. They worked hard and we needed to get rid of one of the stables because this went on too long without anything really major happening in the feud. It started out as a good idea in theory, but fizzled in many ways quickly. This was a fine ending, and now we can move on.

* MVP talked with King and Hernandez backstage. Ki is “on his way to the hospital” due to a shoulder injury, and MVP says not to doubt him in the future.

Talky Time: Magnus is in the ring for promo time. He calls Storm a slimy son of a bitch and is sorry that his parents didn’t love him and hug him. He’s pretty calm for a man who lost a revenge match at the PPV. He introduces Mickie, who thanks the crowd and thanks Magnus for fighting for her. She admits that she should have listened to him from the start. To me there is a real lack of emotion from both Magnus and Mickie considering Magnus lost at the PPV. I know that it was taped before the PPV, but they could at least sell the loss. They failed at that here. Storm interrupted and had Khoya with him. Storm just wanted to show how easy it was to manipulate a woman, and he could have any women with him that he wanted. Mickie fired back and said that if Storm could find one woman, then get her because Storm brought out the crazy in Mickie again and also promised the fans one more match from her. Mickie is a better promo than Magnus that’s for sure. It started rough but got better with Mickie.

TNA Tag Team Title 30-Minute Iron Man Match: The Dirty Heels vs. The Wolves: They worked a nice opening stretch, with the Heels using the usual tactics and short cuts to get the advantage. They kept a good, but not too wild a pace as we had no decisions in the first 10-minutes. After the heat on Edwards, Richards got a good hot tag and we had a nice escalation in the action. As the Wolves were looking to score a possible pin, the Heels cut them off as they were climbing the ropes and we went to a commercial break. After the break the heels worked the heat on Richards. At the 20-minute mark the Heels got a near fall off of a doomsday missile dropkick, with Edwards making the save. Edwards then got a hot tag and ran wild, getting a near fall off of the backpack stunner. They did well of setting the stage, working the action to a higher pace and working in some good near falls in the final third of the match. The Wolves got a near fall with 5-minutes left off of the double, double stomp. The Heels took over and finally got a fall off of the 450 by Aries, with about 4-minutes left. Aries smartly kept covering Edwards to try and get anther quick pin. They then tried to play prevent defense, sending Edwards to the floor. With under 90-seconds left, the Wolves hit the double team backstabber to even the odds. In the final minute, the Heels used a belt shot on Edwards but he kicked out. Roode sent Richards to the floor, but Edwards got a late roll up on Roode to score the winning fall. Roode locked in the cross face, but Edwards survived the final seconds to win the titles. I’m not a big fan of doing all of the falls like this near the end, but hey delivered another good match. Not quite as good as some of the other efforts in my opinion, but this was a strong conclusion to the series for sure. For as many troubles as TNA has had due to injuries, they did make the best out of the situation. Also credit to them for only going to commercial one time during the match.

TNA Knockouts Title Match: Champion Taryn Terrell w/Jade and Marti vs. Awesome Kong vs. Brooke Tessmacher: Kong and Brooke worked over Terrell early, until Brooke and Kong predictably went at it. Kong was sent to the floor, allowing Brooke and Terrell to go at it. Kong eventually returned, but was taken out by Jade and Marti. Brooke and Terrell worked pretty well together, but Jade and Marti got involved again to send Brooke to the floor. Jade then stunned Kong off the ropes, and Terrell hit the cutter to retain. Disappointing overall as they had a short match filled with too many extra curriculars. I get the gimmick, but when the extras are more than the match and take away, then it’s too much. Also it’s really difficult watching Kong try to work these days, she looks like she’s in a ton of pain due to her back issues.

* As Dollhouse exited, the mystery video played and it was for Gail Kim.

The King of The Mountain Speaks: Tenay did a sitdown interview with Jeff and Karen Jarrett. Jeff spoke for about 2-minutes, and only said that there is a future between TNA and Global Force Wrestling. That’s it. They hyped this multipart interview and that’s all we got. Ok then. Seriously, Jarrett basically said, “Something, something Global Force Wrestling” and that was it.

* And we’re heading to the main event.

TNA World Heavyweight Title Match: Champion Kurt Angle vs. Ethan Carter III w/Tyrus: They did the big ring announcements and walks to the ring, which I appreciate. But I wish that they had done some cut-ins to the guys preparing like they did for Lashley vs. Angle I to add to the importance here. This is Carter’s first world title chance and a guy they have been building, you’d think they would have worked to make it feel bigger. But that’s just my opinion. They started at 10:38PM ET, so we have a good stretch of time to work with. We had the basic beginning, until Angle hit some Germans and sent Carter to the floor. Angle followed and hit an overhead belly to belly and then sent Carter back into the ring for more Germans. Carter fought back and got the heat on Angle, and hit the TKO for a near fall. Carter hit a DDT to the apron to send us to break. The match is solid so far, and I appreciate that Tyrus has not been a factor. After the break, Angle made his comeback with six German suplexes, and got a near fall. Carter also survived the Angle slam, and then escaped the ankle lock and sent Angle to the floor. Tyrus then got involved at the 14-minute mark, clotheslining Angle on the floor. They would then counter trademark stuff, and then we got more German suplexes by Angle. We’re getting really repetitive now, as it feels like they aren’t sure what to do. Angle then slammed Carter into Tyrus, ht the Angle slam, but Carter kicked out again. And then of course we got the ref bump, and Tyrus attack on Angle. It’s the cliché TNA main event formula, instead of trying to make a guy, they rely on old tricks that are completely infuriating. Angle then kicked out of the one percenter, the first man to do so. Carter sold the shock well. The ref tosses Tyrus as he tried to introduce a chair into the match. Angle got the ankle lock and grapevine, which usually means the end for everyone, but Carter bit down on his wristband and fought. Angle broke and stood up, got kicked away and then Carter countered the Angle slam into a roll up for the win. To me this was the worst of TNA main events combined with the worst of Angle matches. Too much bullshit (Tyrus, ref bump) and Angle throwing nearly 20 German suplexes to try and build drama, which didn’t work the way it should have. I felt that this was a big chance for TNA to “make Carter,” a guy that they have protected and built up. Sometimes the heels win, and the roll up counter is perfectly fine, but why not have a great one on one match with out all of the bullshit and make it feel as if Carter IS the guy? To me, it feels like TNA repeating the mistakes of the past. It could have been done so much better.

* End scene.

* Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

6.8

The final score: review Average

The 411

Overall I felt this was a better show than the last two weeks, but at the same time I felt that it didn’t quite deliver for a show that they stacked instead of the PPV. The opener was solid, but lacked that real hate and emotion for the climax of a feud between factions. The Wolves and heels was a good outing once again, but not quite as good as some of the previous efforts. The knockouts Title deal came off poor overall, the Storm vs. Magnus and Mickie deal was rough but worked out better as it went on. The much-hyped Jarrett interview was a complete joke, and not even worth airing. Finally, the main event was simply executed poorly. I felt Carter looked good and carried himself well, but the booking completely took away from the action and fell back on old tactics instead of just making a star. They had the guy they hyped and protected, they put the title on Angle to make it all make sense and it could have and should have meant more. It was a newsworthy show for the title changes, but not the homerun they needed.