Csonka’s TNA Impact Review 10.13.16

Csonka’s TNA Impact Review 10.13.16

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Grand Championship Match: Champion Aron Rex defeated Jessie Godderz @ 1:52 of round three via pin [**¾]
– Cody Rhodes defeated Mike Bennett @ 8:42 via pin [***]
– X-Division Title Match: Champion DJ Z defeated Marshe Rockett @ 4:35 via pin [**]
– Knockouts Title No DQ Match: Champion Gail Kim defeated Maria @ 4:57 via pin [*]
– Moose defeated EC3 @ 7:37 via pin [**½]

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– We get highlights from last week.

Eddie Edwards Talks: he had imagined becoming world champion, but never thought it would happen, and still can’t quite believe it. He thanks family, friends and fans; 14 years of hard work got him here and he is now on top. He lost to Lashley before, but last week he knew in his heart that he could win and he did that. Edwards vowed to be a fighting champion, and will beat Lashley once again to prove that. Lashley hit the ring and they brawled. Lashley choked Edwards and then tried to take the title, Edwards fought back but ate a spear for his troubles. Lashley gives no fucks, promised to take his title back and demanded his rematch right now. He then got a chair, leading to Moose and EC3 making the save. Moose checked on Edwards while EC3 looked at Lashley and then the title, a reminder of his failure. This was a solid start to the show, with the Lashley vs. Edwards saga far from over. Moose and EC3 are on the outside but both want title shots, so it will be interesting to see how they get there. Unfortunately this felt really flat, the crowd was just there and the atmosphere of the Impact zone is getting beyond stagnant.

– The Tribunal runs into Aiden O’Shea. They want to talk with Rock and Roll Billy, and O’Shea says they have not impressed and are on the bubble. He suggests they do something impressive.

– Rock and Roll Billy is not happy with Lashley and due to his attack; he is taking away him automatic rematch for the title. He will get a chance if he beats the winner of tonight’s main event. Billy was again wearing something from the Cruella de Vil collection.

Grand Championship Match: Champion Aron Rex vs. Jessie Godderz: Godderz controlled early, using amateur takedowns and looking for the Adonis lock. Rex made a comeback as they worked a lot of back and forth basics until the round ended. Godderz won round one 30-27 Rex came out in round two and tried for some pinning combos, but again Godderz was able to take control of things, and then worked for the Adonis lock. They battled over submission holds, and Godderz finally got the Adonis lock. Rex managed to escape, but Godderz kept control as he worked the arm. Godderz won round two 30-27 Rex needs a finish here to retain. Rex is visibly frustrated, but Godderz kept control early in the round and sent him to the floor. Rex continued to show frustration, and Godderz held the ropes for him. Rex fought back with s forearm and sent Godderz to the floor, he then held the ropes for Godderz and attacked as he entered and hit the revelator to retain. Champion Aron Rex defeated Jessie Godderz @ 1:52 of round three via pin [**¾] I really liked that they gave Godderz a lot there and really played to the round system. Rex getting desperate also worked well and could signal a much needed attitude change. Godderz keeps improving and I can only imagine how good he’d be if he worked more often.

– Lashley spoke with Corgan and said he made a compromise for tonight.

– The Broken Hardys spoke about their tag title win at the GREAT WAR and Nero has repaid his debt. Broken Matt was pleased, but did not Nero to indulge in his addiction again. Matt promised to usher in the broken era.

– Maria promised to end Gail once and for all. Allie informed her about an email she received, and informed Maria that she, Sienna and Lauren are all banned from ringside tonight. Allie says she has a good idea, Maria could win all on her own. Maria called her stupid.

– Moose and EC3 talk and Lashley arrives. Lashley says he will win the title back and says he will beat whoever else he needs to, He then informs them that they are facing off in tonight’s main event/

The Broken Era Has Begun: Matt was very happy and said that tonight was a celebration. Months ago, he set Brother Nero on an odyssey to regain the tag team titles and at Bound For Glory, they won the GREAT WAR and Nero repaid his debt. The Broken Hardys have established that they are the greatest team in all of space and time. They are even better than the Bucks of Youth of the Day of New, who are false champions. Matt suggested that Nero sing a eulogy for the fall of Decay, and sang Obsolete as the crowd sang along. Matt then had a premonition! He says their next challengers will be determined tonight, and they will suffer deletion and become obsolete. The tribunal then attacked the champions and beat down the broken champions. Fun stuff from the Broken Hardys, and the Tribunal will be a fine team to delete until we move onto something bigger.

– We get a video package for Cody vs. Mike Bennett. I am not a fan of the feud, but the video was really good.

Cody w/Brandi Rhodes vs. Mike Bennett w/Maria: They obviously dropped the volume on Bennett’s music and pumped up the crowd noise. Nice pace early as they went back and forth, Bennett caught Cody with a back elbow but Cody got an O’Connor roll for 2. Bennett avoided the disaster kick and tolled to the floor. Cody then hit a nice run up high cross to the floor. They brawled at ringside, Bennett cu off Cody with a kick and hit the hangman’s DDT to the floor. Bennett took the heat, he worked with more aggression here than usual and looked like he was really motivated tonight. Cody made the comeback, hitting the Alabama slam and disaster kick. Cody then went up top and missed the moonsault, leading to a superkick from Bennett. Bennett then hit a pedigree, but Cody kicked out at 2. They battled up top, with Cody hitting the superplex and both men were down. Cody looked for the American nightmare, Maria distracted him and that led to them trading strikes back and forth. Cody then hit cross Rhodes and that was that. Cody Rhodes defeated Mike Bennett @ 8:42 via pin [***] That was a good match, with both guys working with a sense of urgency and they thankfully did not fill it with a bunch of bullshit with Maria and Brandi. The finish felt anticlimactic, and it they had worked that out more into something resembling drama, the match would have been better.

– Moose says tonight begins his journey to become TNA Champion.

– We get a vide package for Marshe Rockett, who claims to be the future of the X-Division.

X-Division Title Match: Champion DJ Z vs. Marshe Rockett: They noticeably dropped the audio for DJ Z’s music as well and pumped in crowd noise. Commentary basically said that Rockett is getting a title shot because he knows Rock and Roll Billy. Rockett controlled with his size and power early, DJ Z tried to use his speed to counter but got sent to the floor. Rockett followed and slammed DJ Z to the apron. Back in, Rockett kept control and hit a side back breaker for 2. he worked a slow heat segment, DJ Z tried to fight back but jumped into a dropkick for 2. DJ Z sent him to the floor and followed with a dive, back in and DJ Z fired back with forearms and then hit the jawbreaker. A clothesline off the ropes followed but Rockett fought off the ZDT. Rockett missed the corner splash, the ZDT finished it. Champion DJ Z defeated Marshe Rockett @ 4:35 via pin [**] This wasn’t bad, but was just bland. It was also the typical X-Division match, 4-6 minutes long and happening for no real reason so you have to reason to get invested. As I said last week, they have some talent for sure, they just take no care in booking them.

– Mike Bennett ranted about Cody, and then promised to help Maria tonight. Allie then informed him that he was also banned from ringside. Maria flipped out, but Mike said he believed in her.

Knockouts Title No DQ Match: Champion Gail Kim vs. Maria: Madison Rayne is on commentary. Maria filled the ring with weapons before Kim made her way to the ring. Maria tried to run away, Kim chased and beat her down on the ramp. Kim then placed Maria in a laundry bin and slid her down the ramp into the post. Maria eventually raked the eyes and hit Kim with a trashcan lid before slamming Kim’s head to the mat repeatedly. Maria used a cookie sheet to beat on Kim, and hit a spinebuster for a near fall. Maria beat on Kim with a trashcan lid, Kim battled back and then missed the high cross. Maria used kendo stick shots, but Kim hit eat defeat. She pulled Maria up before two and then hit eat defeat with the trashcan lid and won. With the loss, Maria also lost control of the Knockouts. Champion Gail Kim defeated Maria @ 4:57 via pin [*] Thanks to the smoke and mirrors it was better than Bound for Glory, but that’s not saying much and I wouldn’t call it good. They did some stuff, it was ok, but there was no real heat or drama to this, like the entire feud. I just hope that we can move on from this angle that has completely handcuffed the division seemingly forever.

– EC3 cut a promo about getting a chance to challenge for the title, and Eli Drake arrived to remind him that he’s a choker. Drake constantly busting on EC3 for choking is fun, and more importantly broke him out of his formula prom stuff, which will allow his character to grow.

– Cody checks on Eddie Edwards who was receiving medical attention. Cody says he didn’t want the title shot this way, but Eddie says he is a fighting champion and they will face next week.

– We get a mystery video package for DCC. I really wish that they had chosen different outfits, because they feel like Los Ingobernables rip offs.

EC3 vs. Moose: Moose used the power game early, EC3 battled back and both men teased their finisher and then went face to face. They traded strikes, leading to Moose sending EC3 to the floor with a dropkick. EC3 cut off Moose and beat him down on the apron, back in and EC3 grounded Moose with a half nelson. EC3 was doing well until they went to the floor, where Moose hit the bicycle kick and then hit a DVD on EC3 onto the apron. Back in Moose dropkicked EC3 as he sat in the ropes, but then EC3 came back with the dropkick off the second rope. They traded chops, EC3 then delivered jabs to mock Moose, Moose with jabs and then got cut off. Moose hit some head buts, and then a spinebuster followed by the running senton for 2. EC3 hit the TKO, clotheslines and a jawbreaker. A flapjack followed, Moose fought off the one percenter and then hit the sky-high powerbomb. EC3 sloppily countered the game changer into a backslide. Moose survived and hit the game changer to the back of the head for the win. Moose defeated EC3 @ 7:37 via pin [**½] This was an overall average match, lacking intensity and using a poor layout. It felt like the Reader’s Digest version of a big time match, hitting the highlights and skipping the parts that actually build to the drama. Also, while not bad, the execution felt off at times. I am not sure what you do with EC3, I like the program with Drake and what it could be, but he feels lost as the face that failed; he also isn’t exactly gaining sympathy with it either. He’s miscast, especially after failing at BFG. The problem is that if he goes heel, he is battling with Lashley, Galloway, Bennett and possibly Rex for that top spot, and that’s if Drake is turned face (which by the crowd reactions he could be).

– Lashley came out post match for the big stand off as EC3 was a sad panda on the floor.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

6.2

The final score: review Average

The 411

This week’s edition of Impact was solid, but it just lacked energy. While we all know that Impact is a taped show, it really felt like one this week with the flat crowd, a lack of real energy and obvious sound editing. I have no issues with sound sweetening in postproduction, but it can’t be so obvious. The good news is that they built to next week well, with Cody challenging Edwards and Moose vs. Lashley to set the next contender.