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.

News: TNA One Night Only: Joker's Wild line-up

The first round of this special will create some intriguing tag team matches. For one night only, old partners will reunite and bitter enemies must work together in order to advance. Once in the finals, however, any friendships or forged alliances will quickly disappear as the wrestlers will compete in a winner-take-all gauntlet battle royal, where it's every man for himself and the winner will receive $100,000!!!

- James Storm and Christian York versus Gunner and Crimson

- Jessie Godderz and Mr. Anderson versus Douglas Williams and Kid Kash

- Christopher Daniels and Samoa Joe versus Chavo Guerrero and Rob Van Dam

- Robbie E and Zema Ion versus Bobby Roode and Joseph Park

- Hernandez and Alex Silva versus Devon and D.O.C

- Robbie T and Matt Morgan versus Joey Ryan and Al Snow

- Final Gauntlet to win the Joker's Wild tournament

Review: Impact Wrestling 18/04/2013

In our second week emanating from Corpus Christi's American Bank Center, Impact Wrestling begins with a wonderfully-realised recap of the last installment, emphasising just how badly Jeff Hardy had been injured during his Full Metal Mayhem match with Bully Ray. Feels a little soon to be running another Hardy injury angle considering he spent the best part of February "injured" and unable to appear on the UK tapings. However, if they're going down this route again, a nice way to sell the severity.

I was sad to see the show begin with Garret Bischoff and Wes Brisco, even with the Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle to offset the balance. Bischoff and Brisco have proven to be drawing duds and the logic of throwing them out there first is a little mystifying. Even the Corpus Christi crowd agreed with me, when they chanted "you can't wrestle" throughout the match. Angle always feels hugely wasted when attempting to put these two over. I understand the urge to think of the next generation, but these aren't going to be the big money stars of the future. As such, it's fairly appropriate that Angle ran roughshod over the pair of them singlehanded. I particularly enjoyed the double German suplex spot towards the end of the match, showing just how out-matched both of them are. Bischoff did eventually get the pinfall however, after some timely Aces & Eights interference. It's slightly worrying that the faction still needs to cheat to win when they have two legal men in a handicap match. They're never going to be taken seriously as a threat with tainted victories such as this.

Mr Anderson cut a post-match promo on the fallen ranks of TNA. Fake-crying about all the injured is exactly up the Asshole's street and as such cuts the most convincing promo from Aces & Eights in weeks. His obvious talents on the mic dwarf all others in the group, making him the logical mouthpiece, at least behind the leader, Bully Ray. As a former World Champion, Anderson's presence in the group continues to baffle. He seems eminently ready to move on to bigger and better things, but tends to get lost in the shuffle. The subtle digs at AJ Styles over his past month of indecision promise an entertaining feud down the line. Assuming the Phenomenal One doesn't outright join the group himself.

TNA continue to do a nice job of rebuilding the X Division, pushing the upcoming Title match with a poignant backstage video. I laughed out loud at Petey Williams saying the Canadian Destroyer was the key to his offense, only to take it back immediately for fear of his opponent's scouting him ahead of time. Speaking of which, the match itself proved to be a star-making turn for Williams, carrying long stretches all by himself. After hitting said finisher exceptionally early in the match, I was slightly worried that the returning superstar would find himself as somewhat of a one-trick-pony, hitting the Destroyer as his showpiece and then bowing out. Thankfully, Petey had a varied arsenal, which he didn't hesitate to show off. Of particular note was his Sharpshooter on Zema Ion in the closing sequence of the match. I commend any talent who whips out that maneuver. Ion himself stepped up to Williams' challenge, with his own wide array of high-flying moves. The only seeming weak link of the match was the X Division Champion himself, Kenny King. Coming out to horrible new entrance music, the Champ found himself eliminated from the action for the majority of the match. It could simply have been strategy on his part, to let Ion and Williams fight it out before taking advantage, but it felt rather undeserved when he skulked in and stole the win.

On the subject of the X Division, a tweet earlier in the night from TNA President Dixie Carter touted the return of former Champion, Chris Sabin, to the ring, after a year long absence. Largely known for being one half of the Motor City Machine Guns, he suffered the unfortunate fate of returning from an injured knee last year, only to injure the other knee. It'll be fascinating to see how the high-flying star adapts his style in the wake of injuring both knees. He clearly won't be taking the same death-defying bumps that the Division is renowned for, so look for a slightly more thoughtful ground-based move set. Either which way, I'm glad to see him back in the coming weeks.

A distinct non-match next as Aces & Eights proceeded to beat down Magnus on the ramp before his Television Title shot. While I applaud the improved tactics of the group in attacking their opponent before the match, I downright loathe that Devon has escaped yet another TV Title defense. He's had the belt for four months now and I can't remember him defending it once. A problem that looks to be solved later in the night, as Samoa Joe rushed out to make the save for Magnus. A nice touch, as the Submission Machine has long been a mentor to the Brit, the pair even holding the TNA Tag Team Championships for a brief spell. Also, Samoa Joe was the person who Devon defeated all those many months ago to capture the Television Title and he's been aching for revenge ever since.

The Knockouts Number One Contender match between Mickie James and Miss Tessmacher was preceded by a brief video highlighting Velvet Sky's injured knee. Putting such an emphasis on an injury is never a good sign and points towards the Knockouts Champion eventually dropping or relinquishing the belt at the next opportunity. Potentially scuppering yet another of Velvet Sky's Knockouts Title reigns. I'm beginning to think the poor girl is cursed. Whenever she finally wins the Title, she ends up dropping off the radar and ceasing to exist.

As for the match itself, it started off rather fun and flirty, only to descend into a bitchy cat fight. It was always going to be a tough-sell having two faces competing against one another, with another face refereeing and the winner going on the challenge against...you guessed it...another face. What the hell happened to all the heels in the Knockouts Division? Gail, Tara, Madison, they're dropping like flies! There was a nasty looking spot when James was backed against the turnbuckle and neither woman could quite decided whether they were going for a powerbomb on Tessmacher or a faceplant on Mickie. It got even more awkward as Tessmacher hit a prolonged Stinkface on Mickie, but as neither woman was playing it decidedly villainous, frankly I just felt sorry for them both. An absolutely wretched affair, full of botches and I couldn't wait for it to end. Mickie and Tessmacher were either having an off night or have zero chemistry with each other. I'd seriously question the next time anyone wants to book that match again.

In what had to be the verbal highlight of Impact, Daniels & Kazarian faced off with fellow Tag Team and former Champions, Roode & Aries. Bad Influence kicked things off with their infectious enthusiasm, strutting to the ring to advertise their new T-shirts and the upcoming Bad Influence movie starring Morgan Freeman as Dixie Carter, coming soon to theaters near you! Daniels has always been the natural speaker of the pair, but I have to admit, Frankie Kazarian has been coming along in leaps and bounds this past year. And if one duo of sweet talkers wasn't enough, Roode & Aries matched them beat for beat, pun for pun. Infact, so many gems were being thrown back and forth between the two, I'm sure I'll need to re-watch the segment simply to take it all in. While insinuating your opponents are gay isn't a new trick in professional wrestling by any means (if anything, it's kinda low brow), but I'll be damned if Austin Aries didn't make it creative. Eventually, Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez made their presence known, but appearing so late in the segment and not being able to match the wit of the other teams, it just went to show how outclassed they truly are, relying on the innovation of others to get themselves over. Ironic that the Champions should be an afterthought in their own division.

Taking one more crack at getting a TV Title defense out of Devon, Samoa Joe finally achieves the impossible and gets the Aces & Eights Sergeant at Arms in the ring! The match starts with an underhanded attack from behind by the Champion, but the sheer power of Joe quick turns the tables, hitting a series of impressively stiff power moves. On the flip side, Devon's offense amounts to little more than rest holds. Unsurprisingly, like every other Aces & Eights match on the card, the rest of the faction swarm the ring, landing a big hit with brass knuckles behind the referee's back, allowing their man to make the cheap cover. I love the idea of factions, but damn do these tactics get old fast. Especially when used so many times within the same show.

Making his long-awaited return to the ring, AJ Styles took on "The Cowboy" James Storm. While I haven't enjoyed the segments leading up to this, with the faces Storm and Hogan, essentially bullying Styles to be on their side, I'll admit I'm hugely intrigued by AJ's new look and demeanor. It's the same basic package as before, but darker and sexier. The beard, the hair, the colourless ring attire. It's like when Luke Skywalker started wearing black in Return of the Jedi. He means business. As reflected in his offense, which feels alot more vicious, calculated and the new submission finisher looks appropriately sadistic. The post-match beatdown of Bad Influence definitely crosses them off the list of potential stable-mates. However, the quickness with which Aces & Eights descended upon the ring to destroy James Storm leaves legitimate questions in the match's wake. I wouldn't worry too much about Styles siding with them though. I believe he's simply out for himself at the moment. He's not interested with siding with ANY faction.

The show closed with Aces & Eights standing tall over the fallen "heroes" and Bully cutting one of his patented tough guy promos, calling out his "Father-in-law" Hulk Hogan. This confrontation seems to be the major selling point for next week's Impact (what, you thought all those hyped Title matches were the important part?). I can't say I'm looking forward to that segment very much. While it makes perfect story sense, my inner wrestling fan keeps wondering how this feud is meant to pay off. Hogan is a legitimate cripple, unable to compete any longer. Hell, Bully is probably afraid to simply touch him, incase he breaks something. The real question is who runs out and makes the save for the General Manager. James Storm doesn't seem to have prospered in the role, so who'll be next to get the Hulkamania stamp of approval?

Match of the Week - Kenny King vs Petey Williams vs Zema Ion

Promo of the Week - Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, Bobby Roode and Austin Aries

Impact of the Week - Kurt Angle double German suplexing Wes Brisco and Garret Bischoff.

Review: TNA Xplosion 17/04/2013

Another week and another International-only episode of Xplosion. Sometimes it pays to be in the UK! Beginning proceedings, we have ourselves a singles match between Big Brother's Jessie Godderz (accompanied by the always lovely Tara) and one half of the Tag Team Champions, Hernandez.

May I just say the Impact Zone looks far better from last week. I don't know when exactly they taped that Tara/Tessmacher bout, but it may as well have been an empty arena match. This week the Impact Zone is respectably filled once again and they've even turned the big video screen back on, so they're obviously not embarrassed about a potential lack of audience.

Both talents, who typically lack any real airtime to themselves, start off with somewhat of a pose-down. Jessie, "renowned" for his muscles, showed off his proverbial guns, only to be trounced by Super-Mex's. Jessie tried to take control of the match early, but the momentum was always going to be Hernandez'. There was lots of interaction with Tara on the outside, trying to give support to her boyfriend, to little success. The match mostly came down to Jessie's pathetic offense being swotted away and a retaliatory show of strength from the Tag Team Champion. I'm always a little worried whilst seeing Hernandez dominate so utterly. His feats, while looking impressive to the casual audience, can go wrong exceptionally easily and I've lost count of the times I've seen him drop guys on their head. The finish of the match came after a devastating shoulder block to Jessie, sending him flying across the ring, allowing Hernandez to make the three count for the win.

An interesting quirk of the segment was the addition of Gut Check judge, Al Snow, to the commentary team. I was always a fan of he and Head, so to hear him get a little more airtime is a welcome treat. While commenting on the match, he also gave us an update on recent British Boot Camp winner, Rockstar Spud. Apparently, the little guy has taken OVW by storm, won the Television Title straight out of the gate and is proceeding to dominate the division. Glad to hear Spud is doing well. After spending a month watching his journey from the British Independents to an honest to god episode of Impact Wrestling, it's good to know the success wasn't fleeting.

With this week's exclusive match over with, we move onto another go-around on JB's Spin Cycle! Thankfully, we've moved away from the episodes taped during the Lockdown fan-fest in March. Not that they were bad, it was simply annoying to spend a whole month watching Jeff Hardy paint one single thing. Filmed in Jonesboro, our host is joined by So Cal Val, Jessie Godderz and the returning duo of Sonjay Dutt and "Canadian Destroyer" Petey Williams. Setting his panelists a challenge - for $100, which one of them has the best picture with a celebrity on their phone. Val starts out strong with Micky Dolenz from the Monkees, Petey offers up soap actress Lisa Rinna, Sonjay proudly submits Beetlejuice (from Howard Stern, not the evil spirit), the genuine reality star Jessie fires back with...himself and last but not least, JB himself has a double header of Hulk Hogan and Shaquille O'Neal. A fun little segment, really short, probably could've run longer to no harm.

The real meat on the bone this episode comes in the form of ImpactWrestling.com's match of the week. Replaying Slammiversary 2007's King of the Mountain, it featured Kurt Angle, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Christian Cage and Chris Harris competing for the newly-created TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

The match begins with Angle and Joe throwing each other from the ring in short order, while Christian and Styles team up to take down Chris Harris. This alliance continues as Styles willingly lays down in the centre of the ring, offering the first pinfall to Christian. However, before the referee can count to three, Angle leaps in to make the save, scuppering Christian's chances of early eligibility. Rather than focus on the heels in the ring, Angle is once again pulled to the outside, continuing his heated feud with bitter rival Samoa Joe. The alliance between Styles and Christian quickly breaks down inside the ring, as Styles attempts a roll-up pin on his supposed ally.

A hilarious spot sees Joe casually waiting to grab Styles' foot in mid-air, pulling the Phenomenal One down hard onto the canvas. The Samoan Submission Machine follows this up with a nasty swinging power-bomb onto the steel railing. Joe goes on a tear around the ring, taking out Christian and even being used as a human cannonball onto Kurt Angle by Chris Harris.

The Wildcat becomes the first to be eligible to climb the ladder and place the belt on the hook after a series of impressive power moves on Styles, leading to a quick pinfall. Both Angle and Joe almost became eligible at the same time after applying simultaneous submissions to a pained Cage, but were denied once Styles and Harris came to break up the maneuver.

There's a particularly painful looking spot where Harris has Christian backed onto a ladder bridging the ring and the railings, only for Christian to fall between the steps. A move that is compounded when Styles is thrown over the ropes and lands on the whimpering Cage.

After a flurry of pinfalls, the finish comes as Kurt Angle and Christian Cage battle back and forth atop the ladder, when suddenly Chris Harris flies into frame and takes Christian off the ladder with a perfectly aimed spear. This leaves the Olympic Gold Medalist alone and undisturbed at the top of the ladder, TNA Title in hand, placing it on the hook for the win. Making for an excellent pay-per-view main event from some years ago, well worth tracking down the episode of Xplosion just to watch again.

News: Match Listing for One Night Only: X-Travaganza

On April 5th, TNA premiere their first ever 'One Night Only' pay-per-view.

The card features the following matches (no spoilers).

Xscape Match

Christian York vs Matt Bentley vs Alex Silva vs Sam Shaw vs Lince Dorado vs Puma vs Jimmy Rave

Tony Nese & Rasad Cameron vs Doug Williams & Kid Kash

Robbie E vs Chavo Guerrero

Ultimate X Match

Mason Andrews vs Rubix vs Zema Ion vs Kenny King

Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian vs Sonjay Dutt & Petey Williams

No DQ Match

(Final Encounter)

Rob Van Dam vs Jerry Lynn

Samoa Joe vs Austin Aries

Trash Talking: Evolution of the X Division

written by Rob Poulloin 

On the March 21, 2013 episode of Impact Wrestling new rules for the X Division were implemented which are:

• A 230lb weight limit
• All matches will be contested under triple threat rules
• In matches contested for the championship who ever gets pinned / submits will be illegible for the next championship match.

These new rules are another attempt by TNA to freshen up the division and restore the attraction to its former glories but will this change in rules add anything to the product or will it just vanish like the previous attempts at shinning up the former star attraction?

Weight Limits

This rule change is the second attempt TNA have made in placing a weight limit on the X Division, the first coming in August 2011 after Abyss had reigned supreme over his smaller opponents until the Destination X event where the entire division helped Brian Kendrick defeat the monster, with the rule implemented weeks afterwards to stop it from happening again although this limit was removed in March 2012 to allow wrestlers  who wrestle in the style of the division such as Samoa Joe and Rob Van Dam to compete.

I'm not a big fan of an imposed weight limit as it restricts the division too much, the previous mentioned champions can no longer compete for the title if they wish to and if current champion Kenny King puts on just 1lb he would go over the restriction. If a limit is needed then it should be closer to 300lb to stop the Abyss' of the roster dominating the division again rather than forcing wrestlers such as King to watch their weight in fear of being stripped of his title. 

Triple Threats

Zema Ion going high risk at Lockdown

In an unusual twist all matches will be contested under triple threat rules, making one on one matches in the division a thing of the past but going through the history books the more memorable moments from the X Division have been when there have been more than two wrestlers in the ring. The decision to make the matches triple threat's are unclear but I imagine the opener of Lockdown had something to do with it with as King, Christian York and Zema Ion put on an entertaining match that was more memorable than anything put up by the division in the last year despite the dangers the match posed.

There are limitations to this new rule though with the most noticeable being the lack of wrestlers currently on the roster who would compete for the championship. With the number of wrestlers required for a match increasing we will be seeing more of the same faces competing against one another so unless TNA are looking at bringing in new wrestlers or some from developmental then the matches come under threat of getting old quickly. 

The division will also have to tread carefully between conventional matches and 'spot fests', X Division matches are famed for having high spots to increase the excitement but increasing the number of wrestlers will raise the bar of those looking to stand out and could be dangerous for the health of those involved, just look at the injury's suffered by Jesse Sorensen, Chris Sabin and Sonjay Dutt over the last couple of years along with the painful looking moments suffered by Marty Scurll on Impact and Kenny King in the previously mentioned Lockdown match. I'm a fan like most of the exciting spots but I don't wish to see wrestlers taking unnecessary risks on their career and more importantly their life just to get an extra crowd pop.

The new rules follow on from last years failed attempt of boosting the division by offering the Champion a trade for a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship (which was cashed in successfully by Austin Aries) as the idea has gone by the wayside after the PPV was dropped. 

TNA will have to push the division and invest in new talent to bring back the former glories to make the X Division relevant again; it is an area that WWE are  currently overlooking on their main products but slowly building on NXT; but this is a chance to for TNA to differentiate themselves again, making use of the fresh crowds on the road  to lap up the action to create a buzz that has been missing for a number of years. Given enough television time the change in rules could be a success in the short term but developmental of talent is vital to ensure that the company builds stars for the future and doesn't find themselves in the same position in another couple of years. 

TNA Turning Point 2012 Preview & Predictions

TNA Television Championship

No DQ

Magnus vs Samoa Joe (c)

In the first Bound for Glory rematch of the night, Magnus once again challenges Samoa Joe for the TNA Television Championship. The feud spans back to their brief stint as Tag Team Champions, but has since taken on a life of it's own. The latest reasoning being Magnus not believing Joe to be a good representative for the Television Championship, seen "the world over". They've fought each other regularly for the past couple of months, but Joe always seems to come out on top via a variety of submission maneuvers. The addition of the No Disqualification stipulation strikes me as the perfect opportunity for Magnus to finally win his first singles title. Look for a weapon or some illegal move to put Joe down for good. Personally, I'd keep Joe's TV title reign going a while yet, to rebuild a little credibility for the much derided Championship, but he's held it a respectable length of time and I could definitely see TNA experimenting with Magnus' viability as a Champion going forward.

Prediction - Magnus defeats Samoa Joe via pinfall to become the NEW TNA Television Champion.

Tara & Jesse vs ODB & Eric Young

This will clearly be the comedy bout of the evening, designed to keep things light and fun. Probably booked either after a despicable heel victory or right before in the main event in order to let the crowd catch their breath. This match will be the epitomy of filler, especially looking at who's involved. In a rare turn, I'd actually prefer the women to carry the majority of this match over the men. Tara and ODB have a nice little feud going, which will most likely lead to a Knockouts Title match down the road, whereas Jesse is as green as they come and EY will be too busy grappling with the referee to care. In recent weeks, I've actually grown to pity ODB, carrying a mixed tag team/marriage, with one partner always absent. I know it's because EY is off filming his nature show, but I'd like to see ODB take her "husband" to task, maybe even kick him to the curb eventually. But not tonight.

Prediction - ODB & Eric Young defeat Tara & Jesse via pinfall.

TNA X Division Championship

Joey Ryan vs Rob Van Dam (c)

In what could be the dark horse bout of the night, this is Joey Ryan's first real opportunity to showcase his talents to the TNA fans. It's not a Gut Check, it's not against a retired trainer, it's not Open Fight Night, this is a fully fledged title shot at a pay per view, so he better be on the top of his game. The feud itself hasn't really gotten going yet (if ever). Ryan has simply targeted RVD and gotten a sly victory over the Champion. What won't work in Ryan's favour is his new associate, Matt Morgan, being banned from ringside for the bout. I'm sure we'll see him after the final bell has rung, but until then Joey is on his own. As for who will come out of Turning Point victorious, this may be a strange opinion to have, but 'Hollywood's Own' may infact have more clout going forward than the legendary RVD. If you think about it, Ryan's coming off a hot angle, he's a rising star, carrying promos and getting infinitely more airtime than Van Dam. It's sad to see TNA play hot-potato with the X Division Championship, but the fact of the matter is RVD doesn't need it. Hell, he's such an afterthought these days, I wouldn't be surprised if TNA wanted to cut him loose and save on his fee. One man's career is winding down, the other's is gearing up. I think it's time for a Mustache Ride.

Prediction - Joey Ryan defeats Rob Van Dam via pinfall to become the NEW TNA X Division Champion.

The Director of Chaos vs Joseph Park

Coming hot on the heels of his month-long imprisonment at the hands of Aces & Eights leading upto Bound for Glory (How did that imprisonment work exactly? I feel sorry for the member that had to take Park to the bathroom!), the naive attorney Joseph Park has requested a match against one of his captors. It just so happens, he's managed to unmask the former Luke Gallows, current Director of Chaos, making his choice of opponent crystal clear. I'm always happy to see Abyss have a match on a card, but in his current non-wrestler persona, it's borderline maddening. I anticipate a solid five minutes of selling a brutal beating at the hands of Doc, with all the usual hardcore tricks finding their way in (even if this is meant to be a straight wrestling match). It'd be easy to feed Joseph Park to the Aces & Eights to establish their credibility somewhat, but I have a sneaking suspicion this will be thematic payback for Park's imprisonment and he'll rightfully get the pin over a very surprised Doc. They'd do well to harken back to Park's mysterious Black Hole Slam he pulled out of nowhere on Bully Ray a few months ago. It'll close the door on the Aces & Eights chapter and further the Abyss conspiracy.

Prediction - Joseph Park defeats The Director of Chaos via pinfall.

TNA Tag Team Championships

Daniels & Kazarian vs Guerrero & Hernandez (c)

In a somewhat sort-of almost rematch from Bound for Glory, Daniels and Kazarian demand their return match for the Tag Team Titles against current Champions, Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez. However, this time, it will be without the main event magic of AJ Styles and Kurt Angle, which carried the majority of their previous encounters. That's not to say both teams can't stand on their own though, as we saw this very same match last month on Impact Wrestling and the former World Tag Team Champions of the World put in a tremendous effort. While the new Tex-Mex tag team triumphed at the last pay-per-view amidst the frantic confusion of a triple threat match, I don't think their luck will carry them much further. I mostly get the feeling TNA put the Tag Titles on Chavo specifically, in an effort to prove what a big deal he is. After a month of no signs of breaking out, all the while the former Champions are on a massive roll, I can't see reason to justify this continued faith in Chavo. Sure, he's a Guerrero, but he's never going to break out of Eddie's shadow. Leaving the Titles with Tex-Mex, you'll simply have another boring listless tag team ala Mexican American. Whereas the WTTCOTW are setting this division on fire and any longer without their moniker, they run the risk of losing valuable momentum.

Prediction - Daniels & Kazarian defeat Guerrero & Hernandez to become the NEW World Tag Team Champions of the World!

Devon vs Kurt Angle

Having been singled out for an epic beating by Aces & Eights several weeks ago, the Olympic Gold Medalist, Kurt Angle, goes in for revenge on the highest profile member unmasked so far (kinda says it all about the story, doesn't it). Where earlier in the night, the victim Joseph Park is sure to get a measure of vengeance, I doubt Kurt Angle will be so lucky. If TNA really want to build the credibility of Aces & Eights as a force to be reckoned with, the best wrestler on the roster is the perfect place to start. If anything, it'll be interesting to see how Devon fares in his highest profile singles match yet. Having already eliminated the Icon, Sting, on this week's Impact Wrestling, Angle's backup is in short supply. Namely, Garret Bischoff and Wes Brisco, two youngsters anyone with a brain cell can see are turncoats in the making. I'm expecting a majorly screwy finish, involving Garret and Wes coming to Angle's aid in the face of Aces & Eights, only for them to floor him from behind and become the latest "patched-in" members of the rebel group. All of this allowing Devon to take advantage for the hollow victory.

Prediction - Devon defeats Kurt Angle via pinfall.

TNA World Heavyweight Championship #1 Contender's Match

Bobby Roode vs James Storm vs AJ Styles

In what could very well be match of the night, the three former Fortune members duke it out for the right to be number one contender to the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. A desired reward indeed, but the real kick to the match will be who takes the pinfall, as whoever loses will be barred from the World Title picture until Bound for Glory 2013 next October. That's ten whole months knowing full well you're not top of the deck, leader of the pack, best of the best. A devastating blow to whomever takes the fall and sure to send them off into a brand new direction for their character. No doubt filled with resentment and hostility. The easiest choice would be Bobby Roode, just coming off of one period where he wasn't allowed to compete for the World Title, would absolutely blow his top to spend the next year on the proverbial bench. However, that wouldn't be very surprising at all and whoever wins the match will simply be fed to Jeff Hardy to continue his reign of terror, so they can't be a genuine threat. My every instinct points towards a continuation of the Roode/Storm feud, but that's gone on a year now and despite five star matches, should probably end. In my opinion, Roode (being the only heel) makes for the best future opponent against Hardy, so he'll get the pin over AJ Styles, who after a solid year of bulls*** angles meant to sully his name, flies into an impotent rage.

Prediction - Bobby Roode defeats James Storm and AJ Styles via pinfall to become the NEW #1 Contender to the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

TNA World Heavyweight Championship

Ladder Match

Austin Aries vs Jeff Hardy (c)

Ladies and gentlemen, your main event of the evening. In a rematch from last month's Bound for Glory, 'The Greatest Man That Ever Lived' Austin Aries attempts to regain World Heavyweight Championship gold from 'The Charismatic Enigma' Jeff Hardy.

While Aries' title reign over the summer was decidedly muted due to his forced face turn, there's been a decided reawakening in him since his heel turn on Jeff Hardy last month. Like most of the greats in professional wrestling, one gets to the top of the card as a heel, everyone begins to support them (as a sign of respect for their good work) and this unfortunately leads to them losing that "IT factor" which made them popular in the first place. Austin Aries most definitely fell prey to this and has ever since been in the process of rebuilding his credibility. It began shortly before Bound for Glory with Aries' "tearing up the script" promo and subsequent kick to Hardy's balls. In the weeks since, Aries has been on top heel form, getting in the face of the Champion at every turn. Most notably during Hardy's victory celebration, where he brought cookies, balloons and a healthy disdain for whatever that monstrosity is that Hardy calls a custom World Title. Following up on this, Aries went so far as to steal the REAL World Title back, to "keep it safe" (can't say I blame him).

Unfortunately, even with this renewed vigor and spring in Aries step, I don't think it'll be enough to win back the World Heavyweight Championship. In a sane world, Aries would be handed the belt and carry it for years, he's that damn good. However, what he doesn't have is contract negotiations looming i.e. leverage. For months now, Jeff Hardy has been making noise about his contract being up in February and how he wouldn't mind one last big money run in the WWE. Wanting to dissuade their biggest merchandise seller from leaving, you can literally see TNA throwing undeserved accomplishment after undeserved accomplishment at him. First he "wins" the Bound for Glory Series, then the World Heavyweight Championship. What next, the Impact Zone itself? Nothing about the past couple of months has felt like a natural progression for he or his character, merely a desperate plea to make him stay. I mean, look at what Hardy has done with the World Title since he's had it...throw it away and replace it with one of his own visage. Apart from that, bland promo after bland promo that I can sum up in one word "creatuuuuuuures" *sigh*.

Despite the obvious politics in play, I fully expect Austin Aries to go out there and bust his gut putting Hardy over. He'll have to be particularly careful with the ladder in play, as Hardy is renowned for his sloppy ringwork and relying on insane bumps. The last Hardy ladder match I can remember is from Against All Odds 2011 when he took on Mr Anderson for the "Immortal Title" and my god was it a wretched affair. An utter disgrace of a main event. You could probably put it down to Hardy having been in the throws of his latest drug binge, what with his infamous Victory Road performance only a month afterwards, but it still doesn't bode well. The fact of the matter is he's lazy, sloppy and a danger to those around him. I pray for Austin Aries' safety.

Prediction - Jeff Hardy defeats Austin Aries to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

Written by Mark Clements

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

TNA Impact Wrestling DVD Wish List

Recently, I have been on a major wrestling DVD kick, watching compilations and documentaries from all the big companies, whether it be WWE, TNA or ROH. To name but a few, I highly enjoyed 'CM Punk: Best in the World', 'Stone Cold Steve Austin: The Bottom Line', 'The Epic Journey of Dwayne The Rock Johnson' and so on. Some recent, some from years gone by.

Anyway, this got me thinking (a dangerous notion but give me a chance). Last year, TNA pulled off a nifty little trifecta with 'Immortal Forever?', 'Mick Foley: Hardcore Legend' and 'Enigma: The Best of Jeff Hardy Volume 2'. But then...nothing. In the entirety of 2012, TNA have failed to release a single DVD outside of bog standard pay-per-views.

With the market leader, WWE, releasing new DVD sets seemingly every other week, it strikes me that TNA are missing a trick here. Admittedly, it's extremely likely that this lack of new material is down to financial constraints. It's a tough economy and TNA's finances have long been fuel for the rumour mill. But with even a relative small fry like Ring of Honor (no offense) regularly releasing sets to capitalise on their popular stars, TNA could do with pulling their thumb out of their arse and getting a move on.

In this spirit, I thought I'd create a bit of a wish list for TNA. Someone may notice it, someone may not, either way it's all in good fun. First, I'll start with the big obvious proven concepts that'd be sure to sell DVDs like gangbusters. After that, we'll have a bit of a play with the format and name a few nightmarish potentials that'd have you running for the remote. It's Halloween after all, you all deserve a bit of a fright!

Let us begin...

THE WISH LIST

THE GREATEST MAN THAT EVER LIVED: THE BEST OF AUSTIN ARIES

You have to admit, Austin Aries has had an undeniably spectacular past couple of years. Originally on the brink of retirement from professional wrestling, Aries received a call from TNA on the eve of their first spotlight Destination X pay-per-view. They needed recognisable names to bolster their X-Division-only show and who better than A Double. Quickly winning himself a contract, Aries took a hold of the X Division like no other before him and refused to let go. He dominated for a year straight, remaining the undefeated Champion all the way up til this year's Destination X. After a string of impressive David and Goliath contests against larger opponents, Aries had earned the respect of management and the fans alike. Making the decision to have him win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship all the easier. This rags to riches story would be downright inspirational to the common fan, not to mention a wonderful excuse to collect Aries' classic matches against Bully Ray, Samoa Joe, Bobby Roode, etc. Giving him such a set would also elevate him no end in the eyes of the Impact Wrestling audience. Compilation sets such as this are saved for the heavy hitters, so listing Aries among them not only feels right, but is a huge compliment.

BEER VS MONEY: JAMES STORM VS BOBBY ROODE

Just over a year ago, the most elaborate and thoughtful feud in TNA's decade long history began. Whatever your opinion of the two men in question, they have been the backbone of Impact Wrestling for as long as I can remember. Frankly, it's hard to imagine there was a time before them. As the tag team, Beer Money, they were always entertaining and wouldn't you just know it, so was their breakup. At the time, I would've advised caution, fearing the loss of the hottest tag team in professional wrestling, but knowing how it turned out, I'm glad they pulled the trigger, as the business is better off for it. Out of the ruins of a tag team came the birth of 'The Cowboy', 'The IT Factor' and two legitimate main event talents. Stretching from one Bound for Glory to another, what better story to have immortalised to represent your company than this one. Special mention goes to their epic confrontations at this year's Lockdown and BFG, two classic bouts that hit all the right notes.

WRESTLING MATTERS HERE: THE VERY BEST OF IMPACT WRESTLING

Rather than focus on one or two particular wrestlers, this set would take advantage of the very best matches the Impact Wrestling video library has to offer. Pour in all the love and attention TNA can muster, as this would be a wonderful promotional tool and a travelling billboard to preach the virtues of this product over any other. Going forward from the re-branding of the show in May 2011, there have to be plenty of five star pay-per-view quality TV main events ripe for the picking. Frequently whilst watching an average episode of Impact Wrestling, I'm taken aback by their willingness to give away such a high standard of match on free television instead of spending several weeks or months building up to it. Typically, this attitude springs from their business model being geared towards popping a TV rating over selling the pay-per-view, so to be able to re-use a number of these matches and make some extra coin, I can't see how anyone would argue.

TNA IN THE UK

Over the years, I've seen WWE capitalise on recent UK tours more times than I can count. Such a DVD takes minimal effort on everyone's part, as it's basically repackaging episodes of a show that's already aired in it's completed form. However, I'm not suggesting TNA be quite so lazy with it. The United Kingdom is arguably the most rabid fanbase for TNA Wrestling the world over, America included. No offense to their home country, but how come it's always struggling in the ratings over there and succeeding over here (just saying). This year alone, they had a sellout tour of the UK, in some of the biggest arenas we have to offer. For a product that is usually relegated to a piddly little sound stage in Florida, it never looked grander than in a packed house at Wembley Arena. They taped two episodes of Impact Wrestling at that show and it was by and far the most impressive TNA have ever looked in their ten year history. Following on from such overwhelming success, they'll be repeating the feat in 2013. Only this time, it won't just be the London show that's taped, but the Manchester show as well! Put the four resulting episodes of Impact on a disc and you'll have a professional looking product that could draw even the most cynical viewer in. Here's hoping the content lives up to the surroundings!

THE 'WHEN PIGS FLY' NIGHTMARE LIST

THE CLARE LYNCH STORY: EVERY SORDID DETAIL - Remember this little gem? Yeah, we wish we didn't either! Oh the memories. Where Kaz and Daniels sought to use poor defenseless drug-addled Clare to frame AJ Styles for having an affair with TNA President, Dixie Carter. In a plot so elaborate, it should've been nominated for an Emmy. Just who was this angle designed to get over? It couldn't have been AJ, as it made him look like scum at every opportunity. It couldn't have been Dixie, as she ducked out at first  chance. It couldn't have been Clare, as it damn near ruined her genuine modelling career due to TNA fans' hatemail. Yep, that's right, it put no one over. We spent months watching for nothing.

BROTHERLY LOVE: JOSEPH PARK & THE QUEST FOR ABYSS - Randomly one week, a rather familiar looking individual, albeit more sharply dressed than usual, turned up at the gates to the Impact Zone, demanding to see the person in charge. Who was this fellow, you ask? None other than Abyss himself with a haircut and a new suit. Only he'd clearly gone insane from one too many blows to the head. Instead of 'The Monster' we'd come to know and love, he identified himself as one Joseph Park, a relative of Abyss, looking for his brother, who had mysteriously gone missing months earlier. Ever since then, we've barely had a match out of either persona. They took a man known for taking the sickest bumps and made him...a non-wrestler? Of course, there's the matter of that Black Hole Slam he pulled out of nowhere on Bully Ray, but sssssshhhhhhhhh, we're not supposed to mention that.

BAM! - ODB & ERIC YOUNG IN 'WHERE'S MY CHICKEN?' - Several months ago, 'Showtime' Eric Young finally lived up to his moniker and moved out to Hollywood, where he fronted his own successful nature show. In doing so, he left his Knockout Tag Team Champion partner and Wife, high and dry. Worse still, he said he was coming back with a tub of Chicken any minute now. For weeks, this poor insanely large breasted woman would wait for a different kind of breast and be left wanting. Weeks would pass and no word from EY. Not even a phone call. I can't even imagine the number of voicemails that must've involved on ODB's part. It was a hilarious running joke across the summer, but what the hell does it say about the state of their marriage!

Written by Mark Clements

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

Trash Talking: Destination X Fallout

The landscape of TNA has changed, Bobby Roode has lost his prized possession and Austin Aries has forced his way into the history books as the man who dethroned the longest reigning champion. The match between the two headlined the Destination X pay-per-view and was a thrilling end to yet another decent TNA event.

The crowd were hot for the title change as everybody was resigned to another Roode cheap win, yet this would have been more enjoyable live as by the time the event was shown on Challenge TV images of Aries with the title had been circulating the internet for days, for casual fans this would have been no problem but for those who read wrestling sites and follow social networking sites the title change was ruined, if the event was aired on the Monday night it would have been possible to avoid spoilers but by Wednesday the secret was out of the bag, it's good that viewers in the UK get events for free but it would be nice to have them a little earlier. 

It's excellent that Aries has gone from fighting for a contract a year ago to being the top dog, but his performances and promo's have proved why the company should have faith in the man, it just depends how long they will let him run for, whether it be to have a quick switch before Bound For Glory back to Roode to have the eventual Roode / Storm title match or whether he will walk into the biggest event of the year with the belt on his shoulder.

Ultimate X

Destination X also crowned a new X Division Champion, after a tournament involving signed and non-signed talent Zema Ion captured the belt in an average Ultimate X match involving Sonjay Dutt, Mason Andrews (Scorpio Sky) and Kenny King. The match was hindered by the fact Dutt was carrying a shoulder injury sustained in his opening match against Rashad Cameron which showed during the closing spot of the match. 

The other qualifying matches were entertaining but more of the same spotfests that had been shown on Impact in the lead up to the event to showcase what the talents could do. The four losers from the earlier qualifying matches were allowed a final shot which showed the lack of depth TNA had, its a shame that Mark Haskins wasn't given an opportunity as his role seems to just play home town hero on the UK tours.  

The X Division needs to rebuild now that Aries has progressed and Zema Ion was the logical step for the short term being the only contracted wrestler in the match. It is clear that TNA would have liked to have given this to Jesse Sorensen and is building a feud between the two based around the injury Jesse sustained earlier in the year but it is doubtful Ion will hold the belt for the length of time before he comes back especially with the wealth of talent being brought in with the likes of Dutt, King and the recently announce Chavo Guerrero. Aries elevated the championship with his undefeated reign and now it's up to everybody else to build upon that legacy and restore the division to the forefront of TNA and with the added incentive of the option of a shot at the Heavyweight Championship at next years Destination X there is no reason why it shouldn't.

The event whilst showcasing the X Division also had two other excellent matches involving ex X Division champions, A.J Styles defeated Christopher Daniels in a bloody last man standing match after Styles hit the Clash of the ramp through a table. Although many hoped this would be the end of the feud that has been ongoing for a year it appears not as Claire is claiming that A.J. is the father of her baby although nobody actually cares as it is this type of soap opera story that the 'wrestling matters' motto was trying to rid from the company. 

The other match had no such overhanging story where Samoa Joe claimed 10 points in the BFG Series against Kurt Angle after a hard fought match that nearly went the time limit distance after Angle was deemed passed out after refusing to submit. The match showcased the competitive nature of the series and continued to build up to BFG and proved the unpredictability of the competition as Joe went on to lose to RVD on the following Impact. Joe and James Storm remain the break outs of the competition so far but as last year showed that an winning streak or injury can change everything.

Besides the BFG series the biggest story is the Aces and Eights invasion, a bunch of masked men attacking Sting, Hogan and a number of TNA wrestlers. Whilst not being opposed to a faction storyline as TNA has always seemed to have factions around such as the Main Event Mafia and more recently Immortal and Fortune, this story so far goes against everything we are currently being treated to as fans. We as viewers are to believe the masked men; who's message is the 'dead man's hand'; have broken into Universal Studios during a live television show and attack Sting in the middle of the ring whilst nobody from the back, security or wrestlers come down and help him! With Gut Check using inside terms and the BFG series making matches more like a sport where wins matter, this invasion story feels out of place and slightly out of time.

When the NWO went to WCW and when ECW invaded WWE there was an excitement about the angles, wrestlers from other promotions turning up on television, but the fact these guys are hiding behind masks and have yet to reveal why they are there, what they are doing and what they hope to achieve. Hopefully once these intentions are announced then maybe this can move along although why Dixie Carter or Hulk Hogan would offer any of them on contract in storyline terms remains to be seen, or maybe we are meant to overlook that small fact, making the Gut Check segment pointless if you can just walk in and not need a contract. 

Luke Gallows and Wes Brisco are rumoured to be two of the gang which doesn't excite that much at present but maybe it's good that they are not more superstar names arriving from WWE or ROH to not over stack an already crowded roster, while the others are unknown, maybe an angle involving guys like Garret Bischoff who have nothing else to do and have decided to join the group to make a bigger name for themselves and force some television time.

Finally Joseph Parks black hole slammed Bully Ray after 'spacing out' while bleeding post match to add another far fetched angle, the television title is still MIA or should that be non-action and the most interesting angle is continuing online with Joey Ryan continuing to post videos on youtube continuing his feud with Taz, it is not known whether this is a work but it is very entertaining non the less. 

Until next time;

@Robbie_G_CH

Pictures by  Impact Wrestling (http://www.facebook.com/ImpactWrestling/photos)

TNA Destination X 2012 PPV Predictions

Last Chance Fourway Dance

Dakota Darsow vs Rubix vs Lars Only vs Mason Andrews

In the first match of the night, the four wrestlers who lost their respective qualifiers will be granted one final opportunity to win our hearts and carry on to the tournament later in the evening. I have no prior knowledge of them all before seeing them lose on their Impact Wrestling debuts. I would guess much of the audience at home will be rather in the dark also, so I would hope this fatal fourway to be short and sweet, carried by their high-flying X Division shenanigans. However, I did take a liking to Rubix for his unique look and TNA certainly don't have any masked competitors at the moment, so the niche is always open.

Prediction - Rubix wins via pinfall and progresses to the X Division Tournament

X Division Tournament

Featuring Douglas Williams, Kid Kash, Zema Ion, Flip Cassanonva, Kenny King, Rashad Cameron, Sonjay Dutt and the winner of the Last Chance Fourway Dance

In what will make up the majority of the night's action, eight X Division competitors will compete in a tournament to decide the new X Division Champion. The Title was previously worn for the best part of a year by Austin Aries, but upon being offered a chance at the World Heavyweight Championship, he forfeited his prized belt in exchange. While I don't see history being quite as favorable to this latest crop of talent, there is a lot of potential in this group and we could be in for a spectacular array of matches. With the roster being made up of half established and half newbies, I expect that we'll see one veteran for every rookie, who under the worst circumstance can carry them through to the end of their respective matches. Whoever wins such a singles match will then progress to Ultimate X and compete to become the new champion. As for the eventual victor, your guess is as good as mine. None of the competitors stand out as truly memorable and would struggle to follow in the footsteps of the departing Aries. However, Sonjay Dutt has always been there for TNA when they needed him, now it's time they returned the favour and gave him his first ever X Division Championship! 

Prediction - Sonjay Dutt wins Ultimate X to become the new X Division Champion

Bound for Glory Series

Kurt Angle vs Samoa Joe

Long-time TNA fans will immediately peg this match as a special occasion. Not only will it feature fifteen minutes of quality mat wrestling, but the history between the Olympic Gold Medalist and the Samoan Submission Machine goes back years to Angle's own debut in 2006. At the time, Samoa Joe was the NWA World Heavyweight Champion and in the midst of an impressive undefeated streak. Upon arriving in the Impact Zone, Angle made his intentions clear with a swift headbutt to the Champ's face. What followed was one of the hallmark feuds in TNA's ten year history.

In retrospect, I think the bookers were far too eager to appease their new imported star. By allowing him to be the first to defeat their homegrown monster and strip him of the Heavyweight Title, they put the brakes on Joe's momentum, something he's never entirely gotten back. He beat Angle several times in the next two years, the pair going back and forth, but the damage was already done with that initial loss.

Knowing how much Samoa Joe has struggled to climb back to the top of the proverbial ladder, I'm extremely happy to see him sitting pretty at number two in the Bound for Glory Series so far. Last year, TNA lumbered their formerly unbeatable monster with a ludicrous losing streak, so I was pleased they avoided repeating themselves. Now they've finally decided to start treating Joe with the respect he deserves, I'd hate to see them fall back on old habits and have Angle go over for no other reason than he's a bigger name in the industry. With Kurt winding down his career, this is the perfect time to pay it back to the next generation and start putting guys over. He certainly doesn't need to win the Bound for Glory Series to have a place on Impact Wrestling, but it'd do Samoa Joe the world of good.

Prediction - Samoa Joe defeats Kurt Angle via submission

Last Man Standing

AJ Styles vs Christopher Daniels

This feud has been the backbone of Impact Wrestling since the last Destination X pay-per-view in 2011. First it began with  the pair as friends simply wanting to know who was the better wrestler. His eventual loss led to jealousy for Daniels and he spent the better part of last year trying to find a way to best his former friend. Frankly, the whole angle should've ended back at Bound for Glory, when it escalated to Daniels threatening to kill Styles with a screwdriver. I certainly zoned out around then.

Somewhere along the line, Frankie Kazarian was lured to the darkside by Daniels and the pair proceeded to spend the past six months taunting Styles with evidence of imagined improprieties with TNA President, Dixie Carter. In theory, this climaxed several weeks ago, when it was revealed that they were simply aiding a troubled family friend named Claire with rehab. But did it end there? Oh no. Now we have Daniels making even more accusations that family man Styles is having an illegitimate child by Claire. What Daniels says could be true in the context of a new swerve storyline meant to add an edge to AJ's boyscout image, but we're long past caring.

I once thought I could watch AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels wrestle all day long and I wouldn't get bored. Then it lasted a year. Now I'm at the point where I never want to see these two men in a room together, let alone wrestling each other for twenty minutes. I'm sure the match will be technically sound and even try to teach the upstart X Division kids a thing or two, but the terrible storyline has killed whatever interest I had in either man. The sooner they go their separate ways and focus on fresh material, the happier I'll be. Styles probably won't win this match, but I wish he would.

Prediction - AJ Styles defeats Christopher Daniels after he fails to answer the count

World Heavyweight Championship

Bobby Roode (c) vs Austin Aries

With this being the match the entire pay-per-view has been built around, tremendous pressure lays on the shoulders of "The IT factor of Professional Wrestling" and "The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived". A year ago, the notion of this match would've been viewed as absurd, but here we are and both men have earned the privilege, their ascension through the ranks of TNA second to none.

While this match is most notable for Aries' first ever main event on PPV, it also holds an element of mystery for Bobby Roode, being the first time he's ever been relied upon by TNA as a dependable, bankable World Champion. For the past seven months, Roode has run a gauntlet of icons, whether it be Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam or Sting. He's always been the question mark, relying on other wrestler's star-power to get over with the crowd. Even against long-time Beer Money partner James Storm at Lockdown, you could argue the feud itself had precedence over any draw on Roode's part. Only, this time, he is the big name and all eyes backstage will be watching to see if that trust on TNA's part was well-deserved.

As for the match itself, I haven't seen a bad performance out of either man in months. The wrestling quota will be top notch, with both men putting each other through a physical war and elevating their status in the process. They have a lot to prove and I think we'll get their top game as a result. The only downside is the inevitable screwjob finish. No matter the momentum Austin Aries has coming out of a solid year of success and notoriety, Bobby Roode is unquestionably locked in for the Bound for Glory main event in October and will hold the World Title until that day, guaranteed. As a huge fan of Austin Aries over the past year, I'll be disappointed to see him take the loss and leave Destination X with nothing, but I take solace in the fact that he made it to main event level and if he can do it once, he can do it again.

Prediction - Bobby Roode defeats Austin Aries via foreign object to retain the World Heavyweight Championship


Written by Mark Clements