Editorial: Who will be Bound for Glory?

This year's Bound for Glory Series started with a bang this past week on Impact Wrestling, but with months of singles competition still to go, a victor is far from decided. What looks like an early lead, could easily put a target on a contender's back. With that in mind, we at Canned Heat thought we'd take a look through the entrants and their chances of victory in the illustrious series.

'The It Factor' Bobby Roode

As the 2011 winner, Roode's chances should be higher than most, but in the bizarre world of booking, that probably puts his chances at absolute zero. Why spend five months building up a guy you already afforded the privilege two years ago. The Bound for Glory Series should be used to build up a new World Title contender, not recycle an old one. On the flip side, that's a damn shame. Bobby Roode successfully anchored Impact Wrestling for almost a year straight and has earnt his stripes in my eyes. He should be challenging for the Title or be the Champion himself.

Jay Bradley

I know I just said the Bound for Glory Series should be used to build up new contenders, but let's be serious. Fresh out of the Gut Check challenge, Bradley is an afterthought. He should be extremely proud of himself that he'd be chosen for the Series in the first place, but doesn't stand a chance in hell of actually winning it. Maybe next year, when more of the audience can pick him out of a lineup.

'Super Mex' Hernandez

After a lengthy spell in the Tag Team division (seriously, only James Storm has had as many different partners), this will be Hernandez' big chance to show he has what it takes to make it as a singles wrestler. He's had ample opportunity over the years in TNA, with them frequently attempting to push him as the next big thing. Unfortunately, these pushes have petered away and often ended in his release or at the very least a hiatus. He won't win the BFG Series, but he'll make for a terrifying obstacle for those that will.

Joseph Park

Traditionally, the Monster would've made for an imposing force in the Series, but after a year spent working the laywer gimmick, he's basically starting his career from scratch. Entering each match playing the rookie, his chances of success are few. As witnessed in his first match with Mr Anderson, his brute strength gets him so far, but lack of experience or outside interference often get the better of him. Also, with his primary gimmick of Abyss being the current Television Champion, it seems unlikely that they'd gift the same man with the World Championship.

Magnus

While he's been with TNA since 2008, Magnus' first five years with the company have been less than spectacular. Struggling to break out of the Tag Team division, he's rotated through a variety of partners, whether it be Douglas Williams, Desmond Wolfe or Samoa Joe. But since returning as a face during January's UK tour, he has shown a newfound maturity and connection with the crowd. During a recent Impact Wrestling episode, there were even "We want Magnus" chants, showing a groundswell of support for the young Brit. Frequently talked up in the press by TNA stalwarts, Dixie Carter and 'The Icon' Sting, Magnus appears to have impressed all the right people and is on the fast track towards his first World Title. Should he be the one to go forward and challenge Bully Ray at Bound for Glory, the company would have to make a concerted effort to establish Magnus as a main event star. These next five months will be absolutely essential and after taking an early lead this past Thursday, his chances are looking bright.

'The Charismatic Enigma' Jeff Hardy

Standing tall as both the 2012 winner of the Series and Impact Wrestling's most popular personality by far, it'd make perfect sense for the Anti-Christ of Professional Wrestling to make it a double-header, adding yet another year's victory to his long list of achievements. I, personally, would loathe to see another Hardy win in 2013, as I strongly believed he didn't deserve to win last year either. Not only did his going to Bound for Glory necessitate an awkward last minute heel turn for the then-face Champion, Austin Aries, but a Jeff Hardy World Title reign is about as exciting as watching his facepaint dry. While he may enthrall in the ring, he struggles on the mic and any feud suffers as a result. Asking him to carry the company on his back makes for the most listless product possible. He'd certainly put arses in seats come the pay-per-view, but I'd wince at the months of television to come afterward. Look for a strong showing in the Series, only to be pipped at the post in the final stages.

Frankie Kazarian & Christopher Daniels

I'm a huge fan of both Daniels and Kazarian in their makeshift tag team 'Bad Influence'. They bring a contagious enthusiasm to absolutely every segment they're in, whether it be the grand stage of Impact Wrestling or something as simple as an interview for Wrestletalk TV. They have a natural repartee between themselves and an uncanny ability to mock others. They're rarely rewarded with Championships or even wins, but I'll be damned if you can find a more entertaining duo every Thursday night. They don't stand a chance in hell of actually winning the Bound for Glory Series, but their presence will put smiles on all our faces. They'll be the jobbers of the competition, but do it with such style, you won't notice. If TNA need a quality heel for the final stages, they'd do well with either member. Never have I used to the term 'enhancement talent' as a compliment.

Mr. Anderson

With Aces & Eights having been granted one spot in the Bound for Glory Series, the group quickly decided (but not unanimously) that Mr Anderson was their man. At first, Anderson struck me as an odd addition to the makeup of Aces & Eights. Being a former World Champion in his own right, I'd hoped TNA would find a better use for him. But slowly over the past six months, the Asshole has gelled with this wannabe biker gang to an unnerving degree. Usurping the role of Vice President from the departing D'Lo Brown, Anderson is second only to current World Champion, Bully Ray. Having two loyal members of Aces & Eights fighting for the Title would make for a strange main event to the biggest show of the year. The only way Anderson's involvement in such a match would make sense is if he were a proverbial snake in the grass. He's always struck me as more self-serving and opportunistic than the majority of their group and it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest to see him throw his fellow cuts under the bus in favour of the World Heavyweight Championship. Even then, it'd be a nightmare of a match to promote.

Samoa Joe

If this were 2008 and we were in the midst of Joe's heyday, I wouldn't think twice about pegging the Samoan Submission Machine as the next winner of the Bound for Glory Series. But five rudderless years later and Joe finds himself adrift on a bloated roster, with more World Title contenders than you can shake a stick at. Where once he was the very epitome of the term 'monster heel', too much mismanagement has seen his star fall from grace. So much so, that during the inaugural Series, Joe was renowned for having lost the majority of his matches, embarking on a humiliating losing streak. The treatment of Joe during 2011 was downright embarrassing. Thankfully, his 2012 showing was alot more dominant and saw him at the very least break even. If they wanted to, TNA could build a wonderful program around the giant Samoan and see Bully Ray literally quaking in his boots as the monster grows ever closer to Bound for Glory. But I don't see them going that route. There's an inescapable feeling that Joe's best days are long behind him and the company would have to do major rehabilitation to his character to make me see him any differently.

'The Phenomenal' AJ Styles

Still reeling from being shut out of the World Title picture for an entire year, the Phenomenal One has turned to the dark side. Now sporting a beard, shaggy hair and leather, Styles is damn near unrecognisable compared to his former self. It's a startling reinvention of TNA's posterboy and it's come at just the right point in his career. Rather than fall back on his classic persona and watch as his in-ring ability dwindles with age, Styles has proactively slowed himself down and adopted a vicious demeanor. His new attitude has been the crux of several months worth of Impact so far, with no signs of abating. It'd be a tough sell sending him up against the already villainous Bully Ray, who's practically trademarked the term heel. While Styles is very specifically out for himself, it's hard to believe he'll be the hero to put a sword through the beast that is Aces & Eights. Without needlessly returning to his original clean-cut self, I don't see him providing the feel-good moment that vanquishing Aces & Eights should inspire. Regardless, I do hope to see an eventual World Title reign from this opportunistic version of Styles, whether it be at Bound for Glory or afterward.

'The Greatest Man That Ever Lived' Austin Aries

Austin Aries was, without a doubt, the smash hit of 2012. Where other wrestlers try to illicit a mere reaction from the crowd, Aries has them eating from the palm of his hand. After an astounding X Division Title reign and a series of impressive matches against main event talent, Aries had worked his way up to the World Heavyweight Championship itself. His victory at Destination X against Bobby Roode was pure wrestling magic and one of the moments we all hope to witness. While his resulting reign was tempered by multiple unfortunate switches between face and heel, his talent endures. Even when facing Impact's biggest star in Jeff Hardy at last year's Bound for Glory, the crowd were solidly behind A-Double and the disgust at his loss was palpable. He's encountered trouble recently for having been rude to announcer Christy Hemme after an incorrent entrance, but the past few weeks have spotlighted him in such a way that you'd never know. If he were to challenge Bully Ray, which is a very real possibility, all I'd ask is that TNA respect Aries' tweener sensibilities. During his last reign, he was hamstrung by having to play either the hero or the villain, when infact he is neither, but somewhere inbetween. The crowd want to cheer him BECAUSE he's a cocky know-it-all. He's a genuine star in the making and it'd be an absolute honor to watch him headline yet another Bound for Glory.

As for my personal pick, this has to be the most difficult year to peg a clear winner. The 2013 Series is full of former winners and prized main event players, all with extremely plausible chances of victory. It's almost easier to pick who WON'T win, as you can spot a jobber a mile away. For example, Bradley, Hernandez, Park and Kazarian are a definite no. Leaving two thirds of the competition just as likely to succeed. I'd absolutely love to see Styles, Aries, Roode or Daniels challenge for the Title, but in their current roles, they're a fundamental mismatch with the likes of Bully Ray. Anderson is already the Champion's running mate and Hardy won the Series last year, leaving him nothing to prove.

Ultimately, the former Tag Team Champions of Samoa Joe and Magnus are my top two picks for this year's series. Their work together has clearly impressed the TNA brass and it's paying off with two hearty pushes to the top of the card. Which of them gets the final nod I assume will be decided by the manner in which Sting's new Main Event Mafia plays out. Rumours suggest Joe being a potential member, making him a perfect fit to fulfill the Icon's personal vendetta against the World Champion. Alternatively, there's no better story in Professional Wrestling than a young man in his first pay-per-view main event, triumphing against the odds and raising the World Title high for all to see. For that, Magnus is a shoe-in.

Review: TNA British Boot Camp Episodes 1 & 2

Long neglected, the British wrestling scene has been crying out for a little attention from it's mainstream American cousin. Finally, after a deluge of UK talent through their ranks over the past ten years, TNA Wrestling have sat up and taken notice. In their first joint production with Challenge TV, their UK home, TNA have gathered the cream of the crop from all over the country and chosen four lucky independent wrestlers for greatness. Those four being Hannah & Holly aka The Blossom Twins, Rockstar Spud and Party Marty Scurll.

The first episode kicks off in similar fashion to the trailer that's been kicking around the internet for the past couple of months. Dixie Carter and Hulk Hogan quickly set up the premise of the show, before cutting across to footage of the launch party, where all four contestants were announced and introduced to the raucous crowd. These fifteen minutes which constituted the first half were fairly by the numbers and entirely introductory by nature. This is so and so, smile, wave for the camera and oh, don't they have such an inspirational story. Marty and Spud were largely just two macho guys saying "I wanted to be a wrestler, so I am one". However, I did like the Blossoms far more personal touch of walking the cameras around the school where they work and talked about how they'd used the concept of professional wrestling to reach out to a troubled child.

The second half of the first episode was where the reality aspect really kicked in full force, as the contestants were whisked away from the launch party to have a little drink and get to know one another properly. I say "little" drink ironically, as all four seemed worse for wear by only eight in the evening. Particularly, Marty and Spud, who were slurring words, swearing incoherently and starting fights with each other over who had the most Twitter followers. I admit, I found the fight between the two to be hilarious. I don't value Twitter in the slightest, so to see two grown men resort to fisticuffs because of it, you couldn't stop me laughing. Spud came off worse from the segment, having retreated on his lonesome to do some moody solitary drinking. However, anyone with two brain cells to rub together could tell Marty had done his fair share to instigate the situation. And this is only the night of the launch party!

Ending the episode with the looming threat of training in the morning, we were finally introduced to the trainer of British Boot Camp, Rollerball Rocco. A legit UK Legend, he received no end of praise from Hulk Hogan, TNA Announcer Mike Tenay and even a swanky staged entrance to emphasise his importance. However, while Scurll and the Blossoms were giving him their full attention and respect, Rockstar Spud was away with the fairies. Still feeling hungover (or still drunk?) from the bender that ended mere hours before, the premiere episode ended with the sight of Spud puking his guts up behind a dumpster and a less than impressed Legend looking on.

I have to say, that is a hell of a ballsy note to end your premiere on! Your contestants all hate each other, one of them is so drunk he may not be able to compete and a veteran stands on looking disgusted with the state of the current generation. Spud, in particular, is going to be feeling the repercussions of that mistake for episodes to come. Not just from the judges at TNA, but from we the viewers. My Canned Heat co-writer assures me Spud is a nice guy and not nearly as bad as portrayed on-camera, but the disrespect he showed by turning up hungover is a fairly stinging place from which to start.

But never fear, Episode 2 was a mere commercial break away! Cracking on with the contestant's training, which was actually far more of a one-off evaluation, we were first treated to the Blossom Twins going one on one. They were utterly convincing as TNA Knockouts from the get-go, landing some extremely hard hitting moves on one another. There were occasional mistakes in the course of the montage, usually resulting from the pair running the ropes against each other, but I think that was more down to the fact they're used to working together as a team, rather than against each other. The biggest botch involved one of the girls attempting a dropkick, but their sibling pulled away, causing the original to land awkwardly (don't you dare ask me which was which!). However, Rocco, and the editing itself, made it clear we should appreciate the Blossoms working through a potential injury rather than giving in. A dangerous move that could cause further damage later down the line, but I'm not going to be the one to tell a wrestler to get out of the ring and rest up!

Now it was the boys' turn. Spud and Marty took to the ring like a dose of salt, both still clearly wound up from the night before. Whether it was because of Spud's hangover or Marty's talent, the latter of the two fiercely dominated, tying his opponent in knots. The video package was definitely not in Spud's favour, as Scurll placed him in submission maneuver after submission maneuver, looking extremely painful in the process. Believing Marty to be sabotaging his chances, Spud bolted from the ring, making a sharp exit to the outside. He threw a major hissy fit before Rocco could catch up and talk some sense into him. Just how much of this was real will always be in doubt due to kayfabe, but I can see both sides of the argument. One one hand, professional wrestling is a complimentary art-form and requires both men to work in unison to make each other look good, whereas Scurll was intentionally squashing Spud. On the other hand, why shouldn't Marty do everything to improve his own chances? This isn't the big show yet, this is a training ring in the arse end of nowhere, of course you can embarrass your opponent to make yourself look dominant. Rockstar Spud should've been doing the exact same thing! I did find this unwillingness to take the lead slightly troubling whilst watching Spud. Even in his later sparring with Rocco, he wasn't dictating the pace like a ring general should. Instead, he was selling bump after bump after bump. I can't remember a single offensive move landed in the entire segment. There's a word for that - Jobber.

After a thorough workout for the contestant's bodies, we come to one for their minds. Firstly, TNA wanted to know how each of them would deal with the press. The majority of the group carried themselves with the appropriate decorum, fielding numerous newspaper, radio and television interviews (look out for WrestleTalk's Patrick Lennon!). The one glaring exception was Party Marty, who lived up to his nickname in all the worst ways. When asked about his opinion of TNA President, Dixie Carter, Marty replied he "definitely would" *slaps forehead*. In a national forum, one of the stars of the show is quoted as wanting to shag the boss! Urgh. Stupidity doesn't quite cover it. I'm sure he meant it in the most flattering way possible, if the most flattering way possible is to violate the woman who signs your cheques. Try looking her in the eyes at the next Christmas party, I dare you. It's almost as bad as when he said on WrestleTalk he "definitely would" when talking about Mickie James, his best friend Magnus' girlfriend! For future reference, life is not a series of questions as to who you would sleep with!

Anyway, moving on, they've spent the day running their mouths in the press, so now it's time to run their mouths in the ring of a local wrestling promotion. Taking over the show for the evening, the always lovable Jeremy Borash introduced each talent one by one (or two in the case of the Blossoms) and asked them to cut a show-stopping promo that'll get the crowd riled up, either in support or baying for their blood. First come, first served, we have Rockstar Spud. Cutting a fairly convincing heel promo, he opens with a memorable line about "for a building i've never stepped foot in, you all seem to know who i am". A good blend of cockiness and confidence, oozing with smarm. Something tells me he's used it before. Next up came the Blossom Twins, who before they could even finish a sentence, had the microphone ripped from their hands by Spud, who wasn't quite finished as it turns out. The lines the Blossoms retaliated with were slightly laboured and forced, but when they started physically pushing Spud and backing him into a corner, the crowd went nuts and were clearly praying for a woman on man beating not seen since Awesome Kong. Finally, we come to "Party" Marty Scurll, who the audience obviously knew beforehand and ate up his schtick in spades. He didn't even have to say anything particularly clever, but his name was being chanted above everything else. The most inspired part of his promo being when he told Spud "I thought there was an age limit of 14 to get in here?", which kicked off a massive "You're not 14" chant.

Ultimately, a solid beginning for TNA's first experiment in reality television. Having two episodes air one after the other was a good move, as one on it's own could have felt anemic (a problem they may still face with further week's programming). Both the boys' images took severe hits with various moments making them look like pretentious prats, yet the innate maturity of the Blossom Twins kept everything grounded and added a certain degree of heart to proceedings. The girls have taken an early lead for me, but if the boys can get their personalities in check, we may have a competition yet.

Written by Mark Clements

Follow Canned Heat on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Canned-Heat/225595667504614

Impact Wrestling Intro Breakdown

Last weeks episode of Impact started rather differently, not in the way of a promo or a match but the intro video was different and new, long gone are the studio shots with blue steam as they have been replaced with footage from live shows with the in ring action showing off more of the crowd than the tight angles that were used before. 

Re-watching the old intro for reference as it was the one part of the show I never normally pay attention to, it hadn't occurred to me how much of the in-ring action highlighted was my wrestlers no longer with the company such as Mick Foley, Jesse Neal and The Young Bucks (Generation Me), although it was a surprise to see these  wrestlers at all as when they were with the company it's not like they were big players or even appeared on Impact on a regular basis. 

The new intro video actually has very little wrestling on show with a few shots of A.J. Styles vs. Daniels from what looks like the Wembley taping and a Jeff Hardy swanton, these have replaced multiple action shots with my favourite beings Angle's moonsault from the top of the cage. 

Despite the lack of actual wrestling on show; and to be honest the clue is in the name of the show what your going to get anyway; there is more prominence on the crowd and wrestlers being in front of the audience instead of a set shot which is designed to make TNA look like a big company that can draw, hopefully I sign that Impact will be taken on the road again. 

The wrestlers used are mainly of those expected,Sting, A.J. and Bobby Roode are the first few that you see and seen as Sting and Roode have been two of the main players in the last half a year that is fully justified, its slightly surprising that A.J. is seen above the champ but he has been the face of TNA for 10 years so it's not totally out of place. The next shot did take me aback a little as it's half of the tag team champions... nope not Joe but Magnus, this shows how much of a push he is receiving at the moment as he is also the Heavyweight Champion in Ring Ka King. There are a few shots that have been recycled from the old intro, but why waste resources cutting a new clip when the old clip shows off what you are still trying to show off. 

I have been surprised by a few inclusions and exclusions in the intro montage, the main one being Rob Van Dam who hasn't been on TV since taking a DDT on concrete from Gunner at Genesis and has been rumoured to be heading back to WWE, yet he appears twice in this montage which suggests he isn't going anywhere. Others on show include Mexican America ring leader Hernandez who also hasn't been seen in months and is apparently setting up his own wrestling organisation and Mr Anderson who I had forgotten about but the Asshole will be returning to Impact next week. The main wrestler missing is Abyss and although he is missing in story terms has been a big part of TNA for years and can lead to debate of whether the character will ever appear on TV again. Another not featured is Garett Bischoff which I am not complaining about and hopefully will mean he isn't around for a long time.  

All in all a decent freshen up for Impact wrestling highlighting larger crowds and featuring stars who are all on the roster with praise they haven't followed WWE's style of putting graphics and effects taking away from what were actually there to watch which is a wrestling show.  

@Robbie_G_CH

Ring Ka King 2012/02/25 Recap & Review

We open on Ram Menon standing in the parking lot, recapping the previous episode's events. He's interrupted by an ambulance pulling in at high speed. The driver hops out and after briefly talking to the interviewer, runs off, just as fast as he entered. Menon moves towards the back of the ambulance, taking a worrying look in the back and utters "I think it's here...". We pan in to the window to see a chained Abyss sitting in the back, thrashing against his bonds. Cue titles.

Rejoining the scene outside, we find Menon still standing infront of the ambulance, surrounded by Brutus Magnus, Sonjay Dutt and Scott Steiner. The ambulance rocks from side to side, with Abyss' screams heard clearly in the background. Asking Magnus what's going on, he replies "You really want to see it? Just wait til the match".

We cut to the enterance of the American Adonis (aka Chris Masters), being accompanied to the ring by Shera carrying a briefcase. Adonis is the consumate heel, sauntering down to the ring, oozing contempt for the audience. Jeremy Borash then introduces his opponent for the evening, Roscoe Jackson (aka Trevor Murdock). Despite playing a cowboy in the middle of India, Roscoe is the clear fan favourite of the two.

The American Adonis (w/Shera) vs Roscoe Jackson

The two immediately lock up, with Adonis quickly grabbing Roscoe in a headlock. Playing up to the crowd too long, Roscoe is able to whip Adonis into the ropes. However, as Adonis is the larger man, he sends Roscoe to the floor with a shoulder barge. In celebration, he flexes his pecs (ala his old WWE gimmick). The momentum swings back and forth until Adonis is knocked to the mat and bails out to ringside. Taking a moment to catch his breath, he comiserates with Shera. That is until Roscoe grows impatient, comes to the outside and chases him around the ring. In a classic move, Adonis gets in the ring first, allowing him to ambush Roscoe upon his reentry with a a number of stiff kicks and punches. He then stalks Roscue, working over his back with several running knee shots. He locks in a submission, but only on Roscoe's chin this time. Roscoe thrashes, reaching for the Adonis' head. Eventually working his way to his feet, Roscue hits a jawbreaker, sending the Adonis flying. After recovering, both men trade slaps to the chest, until Roscoe ducks and comes off of the ropes with a shot to the face. He follows it up with a big boot. Signalling to the crowd that it's time for his finisher, Roscoe climbs the turnbuckle. He successfully hits a flying crossbody, but the referee has been distracted by Shera and is unable to make the count. Roscue slaps Shera, sending him crashing to ringside. However, in doing so, he's left his back open, allowing his opponent to apply the Adonis Lock. Roscue tries to fight it off valiantly, but eventually secumbs, forcing the referee to call for the bell. This was a good showing for both men. With neither of them being a clear favourite, it allowed for a gripping level of suspense. Such a hard fought win will help Adonis greatly in his push.

Winner - The American Adonis via submission

Once again, we find ourselves backstage with Ram Menon interviewing Brutus Magnus, Sonjay Dutt and Scott Steiner. This time they've made it inside the arena, having locked Abyss into a seperate room, his shadow visible in silhoette. Scott Steiner secures the door with chains. They show distain for the interviewer following them around like this and ejected him from the scene. Steiner says he has the key and Abyss isn't going anywhere. At which point, Magnus exclaims "let's go take care of business!" and all three leave.

Alissa Flash vs Raisha Seed (w/The Sheiks)

Before we begin, let me point out how strange it is to have Alissa Flash going up against Raisha Seed, a character she herself has played for several years in other TNA programming. Clearly someone else is under the burka for this segment, but who? Anyway, I'm glad to see Flash back on my television, as the Future Legend was a standout of the Knockouts division back in 2009 before being overlooked and released. TNA are right to revisit her.

The match begins with the Sheiks on the outside attempting to distract Alissa, but she pays no attention and remains focussed on Raisha. The women lock up and both attempt to take control from behind through a series of reversals. Alissa works her way down to the mat and takes advantage, spinning around into a headlock. The reversals continue, this time utilising successive wristlocks. Eventually, Alissa manages to whip Raisha into the ropes, knocking her down with a powerful shoulder. She plants Raisha right where she wants her with a bodyslam, setting up a running elbowdrop and a subsequent two count. After recovering, both women run the ropes, with Alissa coming out ahead with an impressive crossbody and another two count. She signals to the crowd that she's about to climb to the top rope, but Raisha recovers quickly and manages to pull Alissa's leg, sending her crashing down to the mat with a nasty head bump. Clearly craddling her hurt head, Raisha jumps ontop of Alissa's back and proceeds to ram her face into the mat several times over, rubbing it in for good measure. As Alissa writhes in pain on the ground, Raisha attempts to cover, but only gets as far as a two count. Alissa shakes off her head injury and rallies back, knocking Raisa down with several clotheslines and climbs the ropes, hitting a fantastic missile dropkick. Unfortunately, this only leads to another two count and the matches continues. But not for long, as Raisha hits a surprise inverted double underhook facebuster and the pinfall soon follows. An absolutely wonderful match that proves women can put on just as good a match as any man. I'm a huge fan of Alissa Flash, so it's always a shame to see her lose, but she did so in such a dominating fashion, it probably did more to put her over than getting the win itself.

Winner - Raisha Seed via pinfall

After the match, the Sheiks enter the ring to celebrate with Raisha. Alissa is clearly hurting on the floor, but her opponents see this as an opportunity to continue beating her. Climbing ontop of Alissa, Raisa pummels her with stiff shots to the head and grabbing her by the hair, begins smashing the back into the ringmat. The abuse continues for a solid couple of minutes, with the Sheiks running off any officials who attempt to put a stop to it. Eventually, Mickie James and the Bollywood Boyz hit the ring to chase the heels off. The segment ends with Mickie checking on a shaken Alissa.

Cutting backstage, we find Ram still standing outside Abyss' locked room, this time joined by Zoravar Chotu and Doctor Nicholas Dinsmore (formerly Eugene). The good Doctor fears "the end is near", but is willing to give the diminutive Chotu a pill that will grant him the power of ten men. Eager to take him up on the offer, they start rummaging through his medical bag. Taking out a red bottle, Chotu swallows one of the mystery pills and stares down the camera whilst showing off his muscles. This was really bad comedy akin to a Hornswoggle segment in WWE. They'd do well to avoid such things.

Hollywood (aka Joey Ryan) & Broadway (aka Little Guido) vs Barood & Romeo Rapta

Hollywood and Barood start the match off by locking up, Barood quickly applying a wristlock, only to be reversed by Hollywood. They go back and forth with duelling wristlocks several times over. Finally, Hollywood applies a headlock to Barood. Being whipped into the ropes, Hollywood attempts a shoulder block, but Barood stands his ground. He tries it again to similar effect. After failing so, he invites Barood to try it to him, ending in Hollywood knocked to the mat as Barood and the crowd go wild. Broadway tags in, only to be met with a swift armdrag from Barood. Whilst holding Broadway in another wristlock, Barood tags in his partner Romeo Rapta. Jumping off the ropes, he nails Broadway in the arm, continuing to work over that area. Flipping Broadway over, Romeo gets him in a headlock on the floor. In a surprise move, Zoravar (the midget from earlier) comes running down the ramp (falling flat on his face at the bottom). He slides into the ring and attempts to hit a legdrop, but misses by a clear mile. Both teams are confused and unsuccessfully attempt to grab the little man. Running under all of their legs, Zoravar bails to the outside. He plays to the crowd by doing several flips and is eventually fended off. How bizarre! The match resumes in the ring, with Romeo hitting a hurricarana on Broadway. However, Romeo has positioned himself too close to the opposing teams corner, allowing them to double team him against the referee's wishes. Hollywood makes the tag back in and rather than focus on the match, he poses for the crowd. After getting a stern talking-to from the referee, it turns out their tag was illegal and they have to do it over again legally. In a curious move, he tags right back out again and Broadway takes control. He climbs to the middle rope, jumps off, but is met with a boot to the face from his laying foe. Taking the opening, Romeo rolls over towards his corner and makes the hot tag to Barood, who in turn dominates Hollywood with a sequences of punches and dropkicks. Barood attempts to make the pinfall, but it's broken up by Broadway. Romeo comes flying off the top rope, but Broadway knows better, meeting him with a punch to the gut. With all four men in the ring, the heels attempt to whip the faces into one another, but it's inevitably reversed and they end up running into themselves. The finish comes when Barood attempts a rollup pin on Hollywood, which goes one roll too far, letting Hollywood take the pinfall by holding the ropes out of sight of the referee. A truly horrible affair that should never have made it to television. Both teams seemed mismatched and unable to gel with each other, let alone the mid-match midget interruption. The first let down of the night.

Winners - Hollywood & Broadway via pinfall

Returning backstage, we find Ram ready to interview Ring Ka King's goodwill ambassador Harbajan Singh and commissioner Jazzy Lahoriya. Singh briefly mentions the current situation with the Monster Abyss, but quickly turns his attention to authority figure Jazzy, who announces a 12 man battle royal for tomorrow's show to determine the number one contender to the Ring Ka King Heavyweight Championship!

Ring Ka King Heavyweight Champion Matt Morgan & Tag Team Champions Chavo Guerrero and Bulldog Hart vs Brutus Magnus, Sonjay Dutt & Scott Steiner

Before the match can begin, we cut away to find the locked room open and shackles lying on the floor. The Monster Abyss is loose! Returning to the action inside the ring, Dutt and Guerrero start things off. Dutt takes the early lead, nailing Guerrero with a kick to the midsection. After seeing Dutt running towards him, Guerrero uses the corner to float over Dutt and begin a series of armdrags. Guerrero moves Dutt over into the corner and tags in partner Bulldog Hart (aka DH Smith), who gives his opponent an impressive bodyslam off the ropes. Hart uses his large stature to dominate the cruiserweight Dutt. After a cheap shot, Dutt manages to make the tag to Scott Steiner, someone much more in Hart's weight category. Big Poppa Pump quickly sets to work with several brutal knife edge chops to the chest. After a surprise side suplex, Hart manages to cover Steiner for a two count. Finally making the tag to the Ring Ka King Champion, Matt Morgan enters and damn near takes Steiner's head off diving over the top rope to the outside. Allowing Steiner to make the tag to mouthpiece Magnus, the two team leaders face off in the centre of the ring, mouthing obscenities to one another. Morgan was clearly winning crowd support as they began to chant his name. Not liking this one bit, Magnus attempted a cheap shot to the face, but was clotheslined for his troubles. Magnus finds himself whipped to the corner, set up for Morgan's signature elbows. After a quick bodyslam putting him in place, Morgan tags in Guerrero, who leaps over the top rope, rolling onto Magnus. However, his momentum is short-lived as when running the ropes, Steiner pulls the top one down, sending Guerrero crashing to the outside. Both his teammates enter the ring and voice their frustrations to the referee, but all this does is allow their opponents to double-team Guerrero. Finding their way back to the ring, Magnus makes quick work of Guerrero, pinning him to the ground and bombarding him with punches to the head. The momentum swings back and forth for several more minutes, until Magnus is in a position to lowblow Bulldog Hart with a kick to the crotch, the referee completely unaware. He swiftly hits his finisher, the Tormentum, and makes the cover to win the match for his team! A fairly predictable main event all in all. It's a shame, as these are meant to be the biggest stars of Ring Ka King, yet in any another promotion they'd be midcard fodder. Still, it's good to see some fresh faces in the main event scene, even if they had to go to India to get there. However, they could do with upping their game to warrant keeping that spot.

Winners - Brutus Magnus, Sonjay Dutt & Scott Steiner

Post-match, Matt Morgan gets back in the ring, hitting Scott Steiner and Sonjay Dutt with a double clothesline. However, just as he's about to chokeslam Magnus, the arena lights go down and a howl is heard over the speakers. After a split second video package, the lights come back on and we find a hooded Abyss standing centre of the ring, mere feet away from the Champion. Using the element of surprise, Abyss nails Matt Morgan with a punch, sending him to the mat. Abyss rips his jacket off and screams into the camera. Not happy with that, Abyss picks up the Blueprint and hits him with an impressive chokeslam (especially on a man of that size). Making the decimation of the faces complete, he proceeds to nail Chavo and Bulldog with a couple of Black Hole slams. Finally leaving the ring, Abyss attempts to attack the crowd itself in several places, officials powerless to stop him. We go off the air as Scott Steiner joins in the carnage, ripping the guard-railing up and chasing the crowds back, emptying the arena.

A curious show to say the least. I was pleasantly surprised by the first half, featuring solid displays by the American Adonis, Roscoe Jackson, Alissa Flash, Raisha Seed, etc. Not to mention the effective, mysterious promos setting up Abyss' debut with Ring Ka King. However, it all fell apart in the second half with two messy tag team matches that had no clear focus or momentum. Also, the less I see of zany midgets doing low brow comedy, the happier I'll be. They did manage it turn it around somewhat at the end though, as I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Abyss tear apart both the Heavyweight and Tag Team Champions in one go. Of particular note was the way in which Scott Steiner attempted to clear the arena all by himself! It was a mixed bag, but there was definite value to be had from this episode, even if you only watch the first half.

6/10

Clem

TNA Impact Wrestling 2012/02/23 Review

The show opened with a nice video recap of the past several months, starting with Bobby Roode's heel turn and ending with his current problems with GM Sting. Now, this is fairly normal for the beginning of an episode, so what's to talk about, right? Well, in watching this recap, I noticed them using alot of the footage from tapings held inside genuine arenas and it makes the product look great, right from the get-go. TNA are slowly building up an impressive video library and if they can use it in video packages to put themselves over, that's great business.

We cut to the Impact Zone, where Bobby Roode's enterance music hits and the leader of the Selfish Generation makes his way down to the ring. A truly solid promo from the World Champion here, hitting just the right key points, making for a fantastic structure to his rant. He begins by recapping Sting's recent tweet "I'm done" (which sounds ominous, but if you fall for that, you'll believe anything!), then cleverly switches gears with a well timed "Now let's talk about me...". In a classic heel move, Roode runs down the list of Sting's greatest opponents, pointing out he succeeded where the likes of Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair couldn't... and put the Stinger into retirement. By the time the promo came to a close, Roode built up an impressive amount of heat with the live crowd and gave the impression he's truly making traction with his new persona. Play his cards right and a few years down the line he might find himself listed right alongside all those other legends in another up-and-comer's heel promo.

Crimson and Matt Morgan have a lovers tiff in the parking lot. Morgan blames Crimson for them having lost the Tag Team titles at Against All Odds, but is quickly disuaded by some patter from his one and only. Their confidence quickly returns and they start calling themselves "the single most dominant wrestlers". I can see why someone might want to bill themselves as that, but whenever Morgan says something along those lines, I roll my eyes. He's all bluster and Crimson isn't fair behind. Two giants both attempting the same gimmick and neither of them getting over.

Samoa Joe & Magnus (c) vs Crimson & Matt Morgan for the Tag Team Championships

A short, predictable, psuedo-squash match, whereby Morgan and Crimson dominate for 99% of the time, only to lose through a last minute miscommunication ala Against All Odds. I can appreciate this match may've suffered from being booked into a corner by the Morgan/Crimson angle, but I think the teams were playing the wrong roles entirely. Morgan and Crimson are meant to be the heroes of the piece, but their jumping the Champions and subsequent domination sent a terrible message, coming off more as bullies. If the Champions hadn't scored the pinfall, this would've been an utter burial of their tag team. While Samoa Joe & Magnus are an odd pairing, especially as Champions, they seem to have gelled rather nicely as a team and I'm excited to see what they do next. Crimson and Morgan on the other hand, I couldn't care less.

Winners - Samoa Joe & Magnus via pinfall

Next up we have a lengthy exchange of words between Bully Ray and Superbowl winner Brandon Jacobs. Never having watched American Football, I didn't have the slightest clue who this guy is. So I'm judging him based entirely off of what he's achieved in the Impact Zone. Looking at his size and demeanour, I can see why TNA would be interested in coaxing him into a new wrestling career. However, he has alot of fundamentals to improve upon before I'd be willing to watch him on my television again. While he was clearly enthused by what was happening, his promo was rough around the edges. My biggest complaint was the way he refused to stand still! Throughout the entire segment, Jacobs was rocking back and forth uncontrollably. The way the camera was following him from side to side was damn near giving me seasickness. Thankfully, Bully Ray came out to interrupt. Aside from the downright perverse obsession with his own calf muscles, Ray continues to put on the best work of his career. No matter the arena or the subject, Ray is able to rile the crowd into a frenzy through his own unique brand of insults and revulsion.

Alex Shelley vs Zema Ion

An above average X Division match with a clear purpose. The momentum was generally fair, with both men gaining control and hitting their signature moves at some point. Climaxed with Ion spraying Shelley in the eyes with his hairspray and pouncing on the blinded Machine Gun. Despite the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Jesse Sorensen, TNA have done the right thing and made the best of a bad situation by pushing Zema Ion as a legitimate threat to Austin Aries' X Division Championship. Speaking of the Champion, he made for a wise addition to ringside, mocking his number one contender by watching the match with a glass of wine and some popcorn! My only concern with this angle is all the potential going to waste. Alex Shelley made his grand re-debut mere weeks ago, claiming to be the one man who can put an end to Aries' reign of terror, only to find himself jobbing at every turn. I fear a similar fate will befall Zema Ion, as no matter who he defeats in the run-up to his Championship match, I don't believe for a second that he's the one to go over Aries and end the streak. Saying that, Aries seems to have landed himself in hot water backstage, making a not-so-subtle crack at the quality of the show's main event. If he's offended someone with political pull, we could very well see Aries drop the title in the near future, robbing him of the upcoming record as longest reigning X Division Champion.

Winner - Zema Ion via pinfall

Garett Bischoff was interviewed backstage, saying despite his father's actions, he'll never quit his dream of wrestling professionally. He's soon interrupted by Hulk Hogan, trying to disuade Garett from staying in the business, claiming there is a bullseye on his back and it's not safe there anymore.

Madison Rayne speaks to the camera about having won the Knockouts Battle Royal from the previous week. She claims to have taken the intiative because her "friend" Gail Kim is a fighting champion and would always want the best cotenders, even if that happens to be her.

Gail Kim vs ODB (w/Eric Young)

An impressively elaborate women's match that could put some of the men to shame. It began as both ladies entered the ring, Gail being visibly disgusted by ODB's mere presence. After insulting her opponent with a few choice twurls, Gail was greeted by a hard shove and a trademark ODB ass slap. In the background, Eric Young played up to the crowd throughout the match, occasionally climbing upto the ring and pretending he was ODB's tag team partner waiting for the hot tag. The first half of the match relied heavily upon embarrassing Gail Kim, with ODB taking as many opportunities as possible to introduce Gail to her "assets". However, the momentum soon changed and grew far more serious as Gail rallied back and took control. I was particularly impressed by the face plant off the ropes, showing shades of Randy Orton. Also, there was a nice sequence whereby Gail locked in her Octopus style submission and ODB countered by slamming her down to the mat. Around this point, number one contender Madison Rayne arrives on the scene to "help" her friend Gail Kim. In all honesty, she was out there to psyche out the Champion and create a flaw she could take advantage of in their upcoming title match. Despite the distraction, Gail manages to reverse ODB's finisher into her patented Eat Defeat for the pinfall. After the match, Madison enters the ring and attempts to support Gail, only to be met by suspicion from the Knockouts Champion.

Winner - Gail Kim via pinfall

Robbie E (c) (w/Robbie T) vs AJ Styles for the Television Championship

Before the match began, they aired a short backstage interview with AJ Styles, where he declared his goal of leaving Daniels and Kazarian behind and focussing once again on winning championships (hint - it won't happen!). This turned out to be a nice back and forth between two wrestlers you don't typically see matched up together. It gave Robbie E a quality opponent for his Television Title (something he's been sorely lacking) and AJ an opportunity to put across a new intensity and aggression in his ring work. AJ was in control for the majority of the match, dominating Robbie E at every turn. An early arching chinlock could very well have led to a quick finish, however Robbie managed to break the hold and take refuge behind his bodyguard. After a brief flare-up from Robbie, Styles took control once again and hit his signature Pele Kick out of nowhere, making the pinfall all but certain. Unfortunately, this is where Kazarian and Daniels made their enterance, Kaz pulling AJ off ringside and proceeding to ram his former best friend into the nearest ringpost. While the act itself was unremarkable given their recent history, Kazarian did display a complete and utter lack of empathy for Styles, something he'd been fighting in the weeks before Against All Odds. It even took Christopher Daniels by surprise, as he looked on in shock at what Kazarian had done. This could very well be the intriguing twist that the feud has been missing so far. Later in the night, Tenay and Taz announce that Styles has demanded a Gauntlet match next week against Christopher Daniels and Kazarian, which makes for exciting progression. I can't wait to see where it goes.

Winner - AJ Styles via disqualification (therefore the TV Title doesn't change hands)

Kurt Angle & Bully Ray vs James Storm & Jeff Hardy (w/Brandon Jacobs)

Jeremy Borash makes the customary main event introductions, except for Bully Ray who insists upon announcing himself. In retaliation, James Storm takes the mic and asks the crowd if there are any beer drinkers in the house. It just so happens that Storm has a friend in the back, enter - Brandon Jacobs (with a particularly disturbing look on his face...). We start off with recent rivals, Kurt Angle and James Storm locking up in the centre of the ring. Storm quickly takes control as he whips Angle into the ropes and nails him with a high knee. His momentum is broken by a distraction from Bully Ray, allowing Angle to take advantage. Storm eventually breaks away and makes the hot tag to Jeff Hardy, only for Angle to bail out of the ring as we head to commercial. We come back to find Bully Ray now the legal man, with Hardy hitting him with the Whisper in the Wind for a nearfall. Ray takes several opportunities throughout the match to taunt onlooker Brandon Jacobs, only to be met by defeaning chants from the crowd in support of the Superbowl winner. The middle of the match is defined by Jeff Hardy being worked over by both his opponents, never allowing him to make the tag back to Storm. A stray kick gives Hardy the opening he needs and before you know it, Storm hits the ring, knocking down everyone in his path. The match descends into chaos, with all four competitors in the ring at the same time. Bully Ray furthers the lawlessness by going to the outside to grab a table, met by a stern look from Jacobs. It works against the heels however, as their opponents manage to hit dropkicks on the table as it's positioned on ringside. After a mad flurry of activity, we find the table set up in the middle of the ring, Bully Ray the only man standing, except for...Brandon Jacobs, who enters the ring and hits Ray with a vicious chokeslam through the table. For some reason, James Storm is then allowed to make the cover and win the match for his team, despite outside interference and weapons being used RIGHT INFRONT OF THE REFEREE. A fun TV main event, even if the internal logic is off by a mile.

Winners - James Storm & Jeff Hardy via pinfall

We enter the final segment as Sting's music hits in the Impact Zone and the authority figure makes his solemn way down to the ring. Tenay and Taz rightfully lament the potential loss of the Icon. Taking the mic, the Stinger says what everyone has read and heard is true. He's letting too much slip through his fingers and he's finally been driven over the edge by World Champion, Bobby Roode. Most importantly - he's done. Never being one to miss a chance to gloat, our Selfish leader's music hits and he comes out on the stage, clapping at Sting's theatrics. In a hilarious move, Roode wipes a tear away from his eye and takes the mic. However, his glee is shortlived, as Sting adopts a more jovial tone akin to his Insane persona from last year. In a rather creepy move, Sting proceeds to take his sunglasses off (it's not like it's at night and he's indoors...oh wait), pull a couple of tubes worth of facepaint from his pocket and smeared it all over his face something silly. Being all black, it wasn't quite as impressive as the Sting makeup we usually see. Maybe he would've been better using the traditional white. But the point is - Roode woke the real Sting up! Chewing the scenery with the best of them, Sting paces the ring, building tension, until his big announcement - he's returning to the ring for a one on one "fight" with the World Champion at the next PPV, Victory Road. Not liking what he's hearing, Roode attempts to attack Sting again, just as he did last week. However, the Insane Icon isn't falling for the same trick twice, catching Roode's leg in mid-air and giving him a crotch shot of his own. The episode ends with Sting standing victorious on the ramp and Roode cowering in the ring.

In conclusion, this was a rather entertaining episode of Impact Wrestling, which hit a nice balance between promos and in-ring action. So often they have trouble reconciling the two, but I think this week's found a satisfying middleground. While, Bobby Roode isn't quite carrying the show as a true World Champion should, the roster has such depth, it's become more of an ensemble piece, never entirely relying on one person too much. All of the divisions seem to have their endgoals in place for Victory Road and I'm excited to see how the big night turns out. Hopefully, with solid feuds in place this time, we aren't lumbered with another transitional PPV that pales in comparison to WWE's Wrestlemania. While TNA will never be able to compete at this time of year, it doesn't mean they should slack off and wait for the competition to subside. Thankfully, they seem to be taking this to heart and serving up quality wrestling that you can't find elsewhere.

8/10

Clem

Rob's Reflection: Against All Odds

On February 12th TNA held their second PPV of the year, Against All Odds; an interesting theme for a PPV with it's Vegas décor and gambling related graphics but being held in the Impact zone thousands of miles away from Sin City did TNA play their cards right?

#1 Contenders Match for the X Division Championship: Zema Ion defeated Jesse Sorensen via countout

The X Division match kicked off the card and I don't need to tell you what happened as it was one of the biggest talking points of the PPV, but I would like to take this moment to wish Jesse well and hopefully he will make a full recovery. Kudos to Ion for keeping character although the concern for his competitor was apparent, it's just a shame these two didn't get the chance to showcase themselves. 

Open Invitation Match for the Television Championship: Robbie E (c) def. Shannon Moore by pinfall

With the TV title not being defended on TV for months it was a last minute addition to the card, which is a surprise that it hasn't been forgotten about! I was surprised that Moore answered the call as he hasn't been on TV in a while and he should be (in my opinion) me giving the X Division more depth. The match wasn't much to shout about but at least it meant the belt was defended, for months I have been saying that the TV title should be given more prominence but to do so a better division needs to be built, the belt should be a stepping stone to the heavyweight championship rather than just a show filler. 

Knockouts Championship: Gail Kim (c) def. Tara by pinfall 

A solid match as expected between the two knockouts and a title match that Madison Rayne didn't get involved in as she walked away from ringside mid bout. Kim picked up the pinfall after Tara hit a top rope moonsault but sold a knee injury on the landing which Kim capitalised on. It was good to see Tara get so much offence on Kim compared to their Impact match a few months ago when Tara jobbed within a minute. The match however was more another step in the Kim / Rayne storyline rather than a match where the title could change hands. 

Tag Team Championship: Samoa Joe & Magnus def. Matt Morgan & Crimson (c) by pinfall

New Champions
(photo by Lee South)

A better match than the one that took place at Genesis but that was to be expected as the challengers have had more time to gel as a team. There was good back and forth action and the end of the match came with Joe & Magnus hitting their snapmare / top rope elbow double team move on Morgan. 

Joe and Magnus make for a good team and can hopefully bring about a rise in the tag division, Magnus is a rising star and Joe seems to have re-emerged from the wilderness of pointless feuds in a direction that will hopefully see him rise to the top again. Morgan and Crimson will most likely go on to have another 'Dream Match' as the competitive streak and tension between the two has been their since Sting put them together.

X Division Championship: Austin Aries (c) def. Alex Shelley via submission

As I predicted in my preview this match was the highlight of the night as both men were on form in a back and forth match that was a good advert for the X Division.

Aries has now gone onto beating everybody in the division and although he will be defending against Zema Ion in the near future it is difficult to see where 'the greatest man to ever live' will lose the title, as it will soon get to the point where either Aries will have to move up to find greater competition or the competition comes and find Aries. 

Kazarian (w/ Daniels) def. A.J. Styles by pinfall 

A slow starter but strong finisher this match was the first in what will probably be a series of match ups involving the three which I would imagine to keep on going until Destination X. The match included some good action between the two as would be expected although I felt a lot of direction was taken away from Kazarian as the fan's continued to show their anger at Daniels, but this is to be expected as we still don't know why Kazarian has sided with Daniels despite not being comfortable with it. 

Kazarian getting the win gives him a little more prominence as he has been the weakest link in this fued so far, not in his ability but the fact since losing the X Division championship last year he hasn't really had much to do, hopefully these matches will elevate him. 

Gunner (w/ Eric Bischoff) def. Garett Bischoff (w/ Hulk Hogan) via pinfall

A match that I feel shouldn't have been on PPV managed to land itself the Semi Main Event slot and managed to match my expectations of nothing. Gunner continued his ruthless streak but that means nothing when he is facing somebody who is making his PPV debut, especially as the pinfall came moments after Hogan was ready to throw in the towel. 

Forcing Garett down fans throats isn't the way to go, if we are to get behind him as a wrestler then he has to prove himself and pay his dues, going straight into the semi main event above seasoned pro's such as Austin Aries, Samoa Joe and A.J. Styles is a slap in the face to them and proves it's who you know (or who your related to) rather than what you know. 

Hopefully after this shambles Garett will be taken off TV for a while, ply his trade at house shows to gain more experience and work his way from the bottom of the card... but we all know realistically that sadly wont happen. 

World Heavyweight Championship: Bobby Roode (c) def. Jeff Hardy, James Storm and Bully Ray via pinfall

Victory Road's likely Main Event
(photo by Lee South )

Yet another main event that ends in an angle rather than an actual finish. The match was entertaining up until the end when the ref took a bump and Sting, who was enforcing the match, stepped in to stop Roode using the belt as a weapon and ended up knocking out Hardy with the championship and slow counted the victory. 

The finish to this match sets up Sting vs. Roode which is likely to happen at Victory Road as Hardy had his rematch on Impact and looks set to enter a program with Kurt Angle whilst Ray and Storm had a number one contenders match with Storm facing his former Beer Money Inc. partner at Lockdown.

Hopefully this will be the last time we see a PPV event to end with more questions and no definitive winners as it is doing the company more harm in the long term as fans are unwilling to pay for matches that they get no reward from. 

Overall Against All Odds was a bit of a let down, it was hard to build back up from the accident that occurred in the first match, a lot of this event is building to bigger things in the future, with Vince Russo leaving TNA hopefully things will get on track and provide quality PPV events that are worth the money that fans are being asked to stump up on a monthly basis.

@Robbie_G_CH