News: Hulk Hogan still a free agent

Despite reports of Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan re-signing with TNA (after a low-ball offer from WWE), both sides have confirmed that no new deal has been struck, rendering him a free agent.

Last week, TNA had begun running advertisements for Sunday's Bound for Glory pay-per-view, prominently featuring Hogan. However, the company has since pulled any such ads and is moving forward under the impression the Hulkster will not be making an appearance.

Clem's Take: While it's unfortunate to lose such a high profile "talent" days before their biggest pay-per-view of the year (if only from a marketing aspect), recent history indicates Hogan's absence will make no difference to the final buyrate. With TV and PPV revenue falling, I'd actively campaign AGAINST spending so much money on a complete non-factor. If he can't pop a rating by showing up on Impact, people aren't likely to want to pay for the privilege. TNA have dodged a bullet, this week at least.

Review: TNA British Boot Camp Episode 4

Sorry for the lateness of this review everyone, as always, life intervened. Look for coverage tomorrow of episodes 5 and 6 aka the big finale. But for now, let's catch up with last week's peak behind the backstage curtain that is British Boot Camp!

Kicking the show off, we find the Blossom twins being treated to a makeover by the best stylists the industry has to offer. As to be expected, they had a whale of a time. When do women being pampered not! Slowly but surely, the men were brought in to gaze upon the ladies revamped beauty. Well, I say gaze, it's more of a gawp really. Rockstar Spud thought them both to be "pretty fit", while Party Marty clearly had his eye on one Blossom in particular. Just don't ask which, as I'm still in the dark on that front (as I imagine I always will be, sorry girls!). Now, instead of which one has a fringe and the other not, they've switched things up with a pair of straighteners and curling tongs. It definitely improved their look and brought them one step closer to the image of a TNA Knockout.

Rejoined by the always classy TNA President, Dixie Carter, the Campers were whisked away to a fancy restaurant called The Palm. A notorious celebrity hotspot, it's walls are positively covered in signatures. In a rare moment of humility, the boys were both hit by the surreal nature of where they were and just who they were dining with. It never hurts to massage the ego of your future boss. There may be hope for them yet! But let's not get carried away, there are plenty more situations for the boys to make colossal asses of themselves...and it just so happens...upon toasting their success, Marty and Spud down their glasses of wine like a pint down the local!

Pulling out her trusty iPad, Dixie proceeded to school the Campers as to how to present themselves. Not just at the dinner table, but the night before at TNA's signature event, Bound for Glory. Having the footage of their brief appearance on camera all cued up, she played it to them for the first time. Working her way around the table, she correctly called Spud out for being a little too emphatic and desperate in his few seconds of fame. A rockstar's behaviour, it was not. Very smartly, she also pointed out just what a negative reaction the sight of Spud mugging for the camera had on the Blossoms. As I mentioned in the last review, the twins were entirely thrown by the manic ball of energy to their side and damn near winced their way through the brief moment of TV time. Fortunately, they recovered well, blowing kisses to the audience, pulling their proverbial iron from the fire at the last moment. Marty was the most confident of the group, assuming his gesture of "number one" would win over the audience. However, he was soon deflated to realise he'd been chewing gum throughout the entire shot and looked worryingly unprofessional.

With no clear winner from group's first official TNA appearance, there was only one way to decide this - a drinking contest. And who better to preside, than "The Cowboy" himself, James Storm. Only a day removed from his bloody Bound for Glory victory over "The It Factor" Bobby Roode, his forehead was covered entirely by a huge plaster. Probably the only thing keeping his brain from spilling out after such a deep blading the night before. Frankly, heavy drinking after blood loss like that, it's a wonder he was still standing! But where the Cowboy could take his liquor, the Brits were, in his own words, "pretty pissed".

The night's festivities began with the group rewatching Storm's match from the night before and the reactions were absolutely classic. The brutality was making all of them shy away in terror, with Spud quoted as saying "I've never seen someone bleed so much before". Whether any of the Campers have such dedication to their craft, it remains to be seen. Pitching in his opinion of the potentials, Storm thought the Blossoms may be in for a tough time, listing countless world class Knockouts on the TNA roster. As for the boys, he immediately pegged Marty Scurll as the ladies' man, and wouldn't you just know it, yet another TNA legend calling Spud out as a good guy and alot of fun. I don't think there's any acting to be done where Scurll is involved, but Spud has been downright schizophrenic throughout this entire process. When a camera is in his face, it's almost as if his mind explodes and he becomes the insufferable prat we've all been watching. But keep him behind closed doors and ask him to bond with his fellow wrestler, they all come away fans of the Rockstar.

As the party continued, the Campers apprehensively tried their hand at a Nashville tradition - the mechanical bull! Clearly spurred on by their excessive intake of alcohol, they all stepped up to the plate...and they all failed abysmally. For professional wrestlers, these guys are lacking any sense of balance whatsoever! I do, however, admire their delusional belief in their own abilities. Lots of embarrassing fun was had that night and it didn't end at riding a bull, although that depends on what you've heard about Marty...

That's right, ladies and gentleman. Put enough alcohol down his neck and boy does he Blossom! For the first time in the six week process, the twins show a difference of opinion, as Hannah gladly snogs Marty's face off! Their fellow contestants watched on in horror, almost more so than at James Storm's bloodletting. Particularly, the victim's sister, Holly. But like a car crash, you just can't take your eyes off it. Frequently turning her gaze back to the lovebirds, Holly sure did take in the show.

Last, but not least, ACTUAL WRESTLING!!! Just when you were thinking that British Boot Camp was all about copping off and getting drunk, TNA throw a curve ball and feature wrestlers wrestling. It's a radical approach, but I'll see where it leads. And where it leads is Ohio Valley Wrestling, the long time developmental ground for WWE and more recently TNA. CM Punk, John Cena, Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar, Mickie James, Tara, etc. All the superstars you watch on a weekly basis, they once came through the doors at OVW.

The instructors putting the Campers through their paces were none other than Al Snow and Doug Williams, two veritable legends of the sport and current TNA agents. Beginning with a few easy mindgames, Snow was tying the desperately respectful Spud in knots. By the time he worked his way round to Marty, the contestants were falling into a remarkably nervous cliche patter. Scurll talked of how much he'd sacrificed to get there, just what Al's heard a thousand times over from every other rookie in the business. Finally, Snow posed an interesting question to the Blossoms - what happens if one is more successful than the other? No good answer to that question, but the awkward looks between the pair were hilarious.

Doug Williams then took over for basic drills, asking them to run the ropes for a few minutes. The biggest surprise of the episode had to be, at this late a stage in the game, they were doing it wrong! Both Marty and Spud were putting their full body weight against the ropes, with no care or consideration if something were to go wrong. Al Snow correctly pointed out that they should be grabbing the top rope and leaning into it. The last thing you want to be seeing in the fourth episode out of a series of six is that the contestants can't do the simplest of maneuvers!

Join me back here tomorrow for the reviews of the final two episodes of British Boot Camp. Who will be the lucky Camper to win the prized TNA contract and appear weekly on Impact Wrestling? Guesses in the feedback!

Written by Mark Clements

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Trash Talking: TNA's PPV Strategy

written by @Robbie_G_CH

This week TNA announced that they are changing their Pay-Per-View strategy, moving away from one event per month to a model that includes a quarterly live PPV and seven pre-recorded events that will go under the banner of 'One Night Only'. 

This major shake-up announced by TNA President Dixie Carter is a much needed change for TNA and makes perfect business sense. Currently, TNA gains a large percentage of their revenue through Spike TV with the weekly Impact Wrestling, whereas the PPV buy rates languish behind those offered by the competition, WWE. To put it in perspective, the worst ever WWE buy rate for a PPV gained an estimated 35,000 more domestic purchases than TNA's biggest event in 2012, Bound For Glory. In a shrinking economy, fans pick and choose the events they buy more so than previous. The old model didn't allow for the weekly free shows to build up to a whole event worth buying. Some months had a lack of unique selling points, with repeat bookings from month to month and others not getting enough hype with the card only being revealed days before the event. This new model should provide ample time for build up to events that are must see.

The Big Four

The quarterly live events will start with Genesis and will include Lockdown in March, Slammiversary in June and Bound For Glory in October. The model is similar to that which WWF used in the late 80's and early 90's, allowing for each event to be built up to and create the most hype. Hopefully, TNA will be able to recreate this and gain substantially larger buy rates for the four big events than they did for twelve small ones. With the PPV's taking place outside of the Impact Zone; with the exception of Genesis; the arena's will add a grander scale, coupled with three months build, should create the appearance that these are special events that can't be missed.

Moving away from the monthly model will allow for TNA to focus on freshening up Impact. Removing the monthly cycle of building up to the next event, whilst fitting in Open Fight Night, Gut Check and Championship Thursday and allow them to create the best TV show that they can. The themed Impacts can now take place less frequently, allowing them to be built up more to make them special and give a greater push for television ratings. This will work well for Gut Check, as the theme needs slowing down, otherwise the roster will be flooded with new talent. If this were to take place only once between pay-per-views, then it will provide a greater competition for the final places and allow only the best talent to make it to Impact.

The build up for each event will be unique, the 'Road to Lockdown' will incorporate TNA's tour of the UK which will feature a few cage matches from tapings in Manchester and London, whilst it is expected that the Bound For Glory series will provide the build up to the BFG event.

This month's Genesis event is classed as the first of these quarterly pay-per-views, but it is more in line as the last of the old monthly model. It has had barely any build up, with the majority of the card being added on the 'go home' show. Also, the event is taking place in the Impact Zone as-per-usual, which doesn't give it that feeling of a must watch. It is difficult to see whether Genesis will maintain it's status as a pay-per-view next year or if it will be replaced with another named event or be given a theme to make it more of an super-show.   

One Night Only

Filling in the gaps between the 'Big Four' will be the 'One Night Only' series, these events will be pre-recorded and go out in the US on a Friday night once a month. Unlike the live pay-per-views these will be unrelated to the happenings on Impact Wrestling so no build up will feature on the weekly show, these will be self contained events giving them more of an independent super-show show feeling, especially as many are expected to include wrestlers not contracted to TNA.

The events will be much cheaper than the live pay-per-views to appeal to those who may have second thoughts about watching a non-essential show, the only downside is that being prerecorded the results will appear online once the show as been filmed, but without title matches and those that progress feuds then spoilers will unlikely make to much of a difference to the viewing experience. If TNA can put on top quality matches on these cards, then fans will be likely to seek them out, not wanting to miss out on something special. 

Themed events will make up the 'One Night Only' series; with X-travaganza and Joker's Wild being the only two officially announced so far. The first being focused on the X Division, whilst the latter is a Tag Team tournament; but expect to see the return of the World X Cup, a Hardcore Justice theme and an event dedicated to the Knockouts. Having themed events provide fans with something a little different, but they do run the risk of repeating themselves. From the rumored events to take place, five of them look to be tournaments, whilst a good format for a one off event and adds to the serious competition element, they could put fans off the idea of watching if they feel like they have seen it before. 

This change is a bold move for TNA. Moving away from a model that they have used since the demise of the weekly pay-per-views in 2004, they are trying something that could freshen up their product. Not only on the pay-per-view front, but also give Impact Wrestling a boost. Removing the pay-per-view hype from Impact will allow them to tell better stories and hold better matches on TV, which should, over time, provide better viewing figures. The pre-recorded events could be taken on the road or even to different countries such as the UK to give them a fresher feel and a greater revenue of gate receipts. Providing the booking doesn't become counter-productive and give too many big matches away on free TV and the live events become must see events, TNA could legitimately take things to the next level.


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Preview: TNA Genesis 2013

X Division #1 Contender Match

Kenny King vs Christian York

For the past two weeks, TNA have held what can loosely be called a tournament to decide the new number one contender to Rob Van Dam's X Division Championship. Christian York advanced first by defeating Kid Kash two weeks ago on Impact. I wasn't at all impressed by York's performance, which was blighted by a series of noticeable botches. For the most part, it seemed as though Kid Kash was leading him through the match, even when he wasn't on the offense. But, being the latest Gut Check winner, with a series of matches against high profile opponents no less, York was clearly building momentum. In the other tournament bracket, Kenny King decisively defeated former Champion, Zema Ion, in an impressive bout on this past week's Impact. The Ring of Honor import has been turning alot of heads in recent weeks and with a heel turn on the X Division Champion himself, looks to be the surer bet for the title shot later in the night.

Prediction - Kenny King defeats Christian York via pinfall to become the X Division #1 Contender.

TNA Tag Team Championships

Matt Morgan & Joey Ryan vs Chavo Guerrero & Hernandez (c)

In a rematch from Final Resolution last month, Joey Ryan and Matt Morgan take another run at TNA's Tag Team Champions, Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez. Nothing much has changed since their last encounter, with the challengers far more concerned with sticking it to Impact General Manager, Hulk Hogan, than seriously competing for the belts. As a slight improvement, the two teams have had an increased level of interaction in recent weeks, as opposed to last month, where they barely saw each other at all. I'm still not impressed with the partnership of Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez, as it's always struck me as lazy booking "Hey, I know, let's put the two Mexican guys together!". It's not that they don't click together, as they've had some satisfactory displays against multiple tag teams. It's that they're another incarnation of Mexican America, who were a copy of the Latin American Xchange. Frankly, Hernandez must be sick of being teamed with a random Mexican and playing up racial stereotypes over and over again. So far, as Tag Team Champions, we've watched Chavo and Hernandez defeat the likes of AJ Styles & Kurt Angle, Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian and the current challengers, Matt Morgan & Joey Ryan. While these are impressive victories on paper, our enjoyment of the team has been paper thin. They've had the belts for months upon months and it's not as though the division is catching fire as a result. Maybe it's time for a change.

Prediction - Matt Morgan & Joey Ryan defeat Chavo Guerrero & Hernandez to become the NEW TNA Tag Team Champions.

Knockouts Gauntlet #1 Contender Match

Gail Kim vs ODB vs Miss Tessmacher vs Mickie James vs Velvet Sky

In a rare exception, the Knockouts Champion, Tara, appears to have been given the night off. Instead of a title defense, five of the biggest names in women's wrestling battle it out for the opportunity to become number one contender. All involved have held the title at one time or another and have frequently jockeyed for fresh opportunities. Unfortunately, none of them stand out from the pack at the moment, with poor booking have sunk their previous assaults. It's quite literally a toss up as to who will win the next title shot. Mickie James and Velvet Sky have the most momentum, having come off simultaneous returns. As Mickie took the spotlight for the past couple of months, I say it's Velvet's turn at bat. She's the hottest act in the division (both metaphorically and literally) and it's about time she rose to the prominence she deserves.

Prediction - Velvet Sky wins the Gauntlet to become the new Knockouts Championship #1 Contender.

Joseph Park vs Devon

While this match could literally have been made with any member of Aces & Eights in mind, Joseph Park's journey towards becoming a professional wrestler has been months in the making. Beginning in the run up to Bound for Glory, Joseph Park claimed to have vital information about the biker group, necessitating his immediate capture and month long imprisonment. Since his release, Joseph has been petitioning Impact General Manager, Hulk Hogan, for matches at every opportunity. Wishing to put his "legal career" to one side, he has business to take care of in the Impact Zone and he's not leaving until it's done. To this end, he's been training at TNA's developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling, eventually coming to impress head trainer Danny Davis. The one wildcard in the match will be Joseph's tendency of going wild at the sight of his own blood. Should Devon push things one step too far and bust the giant open, he may as well be jumping into the nearest Abyss! With several Aces & Eights matches on the card tonight, I see one victory and one loss, to keep the scales even and the faces chasing the heels. Both Sting and Joseph Park are freshly returned to the Impact Wrestling roster, but where Sting can take the loss, we're still teasing the evolution of Park. It'd be far more entertaining to see the lawyer snap once again and defeat Devon whilst "blacked out".

Prediction - Joseph Park defeats Devon via pinfall.

"The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels vs "The Cowboy" James Storm

Both of these men are in the prime of their careers and well within their rights to be focused upon the World Heavyweight Championship. But due to an inflated roster of main event stars, the Cowboy and the Fallen Angel have been mired in somewhat of a holding pattern of late. They're giving 100% and having the best matches of their lives, yet because it's off in mid-card obscurity, it's almost as if it's not happening at all. Since losing his last title shot to Bobby Roode in an unfortunate gamble several months ago, James Storm has stepped into AJ Styles' shoes somewhat and picked up where he left off with Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian's Bad Influence. Taking exception to the former World Tag Team Champions of the World (not redundant) and their flagrant disrespect, Storm has spent the best part of a month whupping their asses at every opportunity, all the while producing top notch matches that happen to fall just below the Impact Wrestling radar. Both are primed and ready for the main event, but with Jeff Hardy, Austin Aries, Bobby Roode and no end of legends ready to step into that slot, time is running out. This will undoubtedly be the stealth match of the night, pleasantly surprising everyone, yet nobody will remember it in the morning. I hold these men in the highest regard and it's time TNA pulled the trigger. As for who will win this particular match, I see James Storm getting the feel good win. He has star power, time to shine it up.

Prediction - James Storm defeats Christopher Daniels via pinfall.

Director of Chaos vs Sting

Having been the recipient of beatings from Aces & Eights countless times, even putting him on the shelf twice, Sting is more than due a little dose of revenge. The Director of Chaos was directly responsible for the last injury the Icon sustained, using his hammer to put the Stinger out for a couple of months, minimum. Hints of his return began in late 2012, when a promo video began to run teasing the downfall of an unknown party. These videos were a lovely bit of intrigue, which kept the wrestling community on the edge of it's seat. However, by the time the reveal came, there was a distinct feeling of "oh...it's JUST Sting", TNA having run angles centering around his return once too often. Even the return itself turned out to be somewhat of a damp squib. After all the hints and teases, it was literally just a matter of Sting stomping down to the cage in the centre of the Impact Zone and taking out the entire biker gang single-handed. Being able to take down so many of Aces & Eights in one go, it's no surprise that this past week on Impact, the Icon thoroughly embarrassed the newly unmasked Mike Knox and sent him running for the safety of the pack. While I don't personally view D.O.C. as much of a threat, the group itself is majorly in need of credibility. Having been about as effective as the three stooges, they could do with getting a victory, no matter how tainted, over a legend such as Sting.  I suspect much underhanded behaviour and for Sting to be floored by a foreign object when the referee's back is turned. This conflict is far from over, so it doesn't pay to see the hero triumph just yet. Maybe at Lockdown in March.

Prediction - D.O.C. defeats Sting via pinfall.

TNA World Heavyweight Championship

Austin Aries vs Jeff Hardy (c) vs Bobby Roode

What to do with an enigma like Jeff Hardy? That's the question I'm sure the bookers of Impact Wrestling have asked for the past several months, ever since he won the World Heavyweight Championship at Bound for Glory. He can't cut promos worth a damn, he's so beaten up his ring style is suffering, just how do they convincingly sell a Jeff Hardy World Title reign? The answers are Austin Aries and Bobby Roode. Wherever the Charisma Enigma lacks, Aries and Roode excel. Take the past few weeks for instance. First came the presentation of the Impact Wrestler of the Year, which because of being a fan vote, you could automatically assume Jeff Hardy was going to win. Aries and Roode, being the savvy gameplayers that they are, saw this coming a mile away and knew the real meat of the segment wasn't in Jeff accepting the award, but in the pair of them bickering over who deserved it more (because let's face, they both deserved it more). Similarly, this week on Impact, the pair cut an absolutely hilarious backstage skit whilst walking to the ring, about whether they should wear their new t-shirts or not. This went on for a fair few minutes and the bickering was pure gold, even continuing during their tag team contest against Hardy and James Storm. They may not be the Champion (yet), but they have cleverly drawn the focus away and back onto themselves. Unfortunately, this strategy has only been somewhat successful, as there isn't a single doubt in my mind as to who will walk out of Genesis as the World Heavyweight Champion and that man is Jeff Hardy. The walking personality vacuum is just too popular. No matter his obvious flaws, the crowd loves him. He's the TNA Champion for a reason. That was why he won the belt at Bound for Glory. That was why he retained it at Turning Point. That was why he retained it at Final Resolution. Genesis is no different. 

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

Review: TNA British Boot Camp Episode 3

Welcome back to our weekly look at the reality show everyone in professional wrestling is talking about! This episode focused on the contestants' journey to Phoenix, Arizona for TNA's biggest show of the year, Bound for Glory. While there, they also bear witness to the induction of the Icon, Sting, into the brand new Hall of Fame. Not to mention, meeting numerous stars of Impact Wrestling in the process.

The sheer scale of these events worked wonders in impressing upon the audience, as well as the contestants, just how important this competition actually is. To have genuine icons wandering the halls and treating the contestants as colleagues, to walk out on that Bound for Glory stage and take in the entire width and breadth of the arena, to know just what is expected of them when they become the newest TNA Superstar. Before this, the contestants had only been to small independent shows and in the case of their "training" with Rollerball Rocco, a single ring in an empty storage unit. Whereas a packed arena, housing thousands of screaming fans, being seen live all over the world...this contest just got real.

In the first of what became a series of meet and greets, the Campers (it's a thing now, go with it) were introduced to long-time TNA Knockout and Ring Announcer, Christy Hemme. Having seen the gorgeous redhead at a live show, I know just how enthusiastic this living-dynamo can be. So you can imagine my surprise when one meeting with Rockstar Spud could send her slinking away in disgust! Rather than politely introducing himself, the joker of the group decided to make an impression by telling Hemme that Party Marty has a poster of her on his wall. If he'd left it there and it was simply a joke about Scurll being a fanboy, everything would've been fine and dandy. Instead, Spud pushed things one step too far and shook his fist in the air, hinting his co-competitor likes to masturbate to said poster! Oh my god. That was so embarrassing, even I felt the shame emanating from the screen. I apologise for my fellow Brit, Christy, we're not all like that, I swear. Saying it out loud, I mean. We're probably all still thinking it.

This bad behaviour continued well into their interaction with the TNA fanbase, bordering on unprofessional. In a rare moment, the boys ire turned towards the Blossoms, who everyone wanted their picture with (and who can blame them). Each time a fan would pass by Spud in favour of the Blossoms, he'd sneer, make rude comments and clap sarcastically. To look at the expressions on the fan's face, he was not impressed and in a distinct rush to get away from the Rockstar! I'm all for solid character work in professional wrestling, but when it comes to the fans, you have to win them over, face and heel alike, and make sure they had a good time. Whereas Spud was making such a stink, he was ruining the mood for everyone involved.

The single success story in Spud's one man charm offensive seems to be none other than multiple-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist, Kurt Angle! The fan-favourite took time out of his evening at the Hall of Fame ceremony to sit down with the young prospects and weed the future legends from the jobbers. Wouldn't you just know it, Spud impressed him! The miniature menace made a risque joke about having ripped his jacket during a bowel movement and that it was a shame because it was his Dad's favourite suit, which brought Angle out in fits of laughter. I maybe would've saved that material for a couple more minutes into knowing him, but if the best wrestler in the world is impressed, who are we to argue! Although, this is the man that's currently impressed by Wes Brisco, Garret Bischoff and once told Chris Sabin his next gimmick should be Pig-Pen from Peanuts. Mr Angle has his hits and misses, we'll wait and see with this one.

However, some sound advice did come in the form of the man of the evening himself - Sting! Passing the Campers in the hall after his induction, he stopped to wish them all good luck in the contest and that the key to success in this industry...longevity. Deceptively simple answer, yet really makes you think. How many of the greats that we worship at the feet of now, only got there because they outlasted the competition? With both Hogan and Sting standing tall at nearly three decades a piece, it's safe to say they climbed the mountain and they sure as hell aren't coming down!

The MANY photo-shoot segments were most definitely the highlight of the show, as the contestants true personalities began to shine through...and not always in a good way. Away from their icons, the Campers' pretense of civility fell away and in some cases, outright hostility broke out. The Blossom Twins were as professional and mature as ever, but the same could not be said of the boys. We'd already gotten glimpses of their pre-existing problems in episodes one and two, but here, the one-upmanship boiled over. Both Marty and Spud attempted to sabotage the other's shoot, whether it be with a playful pair of fingers over the head or the more drastic mooning (which was more of Spud than I ever needed to see!).

Almost a co-star of the episode, TNA President Dixie Carter's shadow loomed large over our Fab Four. No less than three times in the space of a half hour show, the group were called to meet with her. The repetition didn't do any favours for the structure of the show, but she's such a strong presence, I'm happy to see Dixie taking a firm hand with potential employees. Although, with Jeremy Borash running back and forth fetching them, he's coming off like Jonathan from 30 Rock. Does he have a desk outside Dixie's office and runs around adoringly while she sits inside drinking Scotch? What am I saying, OF COURSE that happens!

Finally, the Campers were escorted to their seats at the ringside of Bound for Glory 2012! Having been promised guaranteed television time by Dixie earlier in the night, all four were on best behaviour and clearly on the lookout for cameras for their big moment. If you can remember from watching the pay-per-view live all those months ago, it eventually came during the entrances for the Knockouts Championship match. Swinging the camera away from Tara and Tessmacher, we caught a quick glimpse of the group. Spud chewed scenery with the best of them, so much so, the Blossoms were mildly distracted and almost missed their cue entirely. They did recover though, blowing the audience at home a pair of kisses, before Marty signed off at the end. It was only a quick moment in the grand scheme of things, but you can tell it's going to be watched back by upper management and analysed ad infinitum, perhaps more harshly than it should.

At the end of the day, this episode exposes an interesting flaw in the premise, commonly referred to as "squeaky wheel gets the oil". The majority of the focus went on Rockstar Spud, but not because he's the better wrestler or the better speaker or the better publicist, simply because he's making the most noise. In drowning out Marty Scurll and the Blossom Twins, Spud could win this competition for all the wrong reasons. Hannah and Holly should most likely win on merit, but by being quiet and not causing a fuss, they're drifting to the back of the pack and not being noticed nearly enough. A problem that could very well be solved next week as the trailer teases potential romance between Fringe-Blossom and Party Marty. Could this be the perfect match in and out of the ring?

Written by Mark Clements

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The 2012 Impact Wrestling Awards

BEST FEUD

Bobby Roode vs James Storm

In a rare display of long-term booking, the saga of Bobby Roode and James Storm ran an entire year and could even be picked back up today with a minimum of difficultly. Hostilities broke out in the wake of James Storm's impromptu World Heavyweight Title win in late 2011, as Bobby Roode's jealousy got the better of him. The feud peaked with matches at TNA's biggest shows of the year - Lockdown and Bound for Glory. In the initial bout, they headlined the all-steel-cage pay-per-view, battling it out for the World Title and bringing life to an otherwise dead crowd. Their latter encounter, while not for the Championship or even in the main event, showed a rare intensity, left both men bloody wrecks and stole the show.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Joey Ryan

Starting out the year working for TNA's Indian side project, Ring Ka King, Joey Ryan was already well on his way to a debut at Orlando's Impact Zone. The big day finally came in the form of a Gut Check match against breakout star, Austin Aries. Rather than greener than grass rookies the Gut Check competition had been founded upon to that point, Ryan was a tried and true indy veteran, with a decade in the ring already under his belt. But what was meant to be a formality quickly became a nightmare, as the contest's judges didn't like Joey's attitude and promptly kicked him out of the competition, minus one contract. But rather than disappearing (like the Gut Check "winners"), Joey Ryan rightfully aired his grievances on any and all social media platform that would listen. 87% of the Impact Wrestling audience were for giving him a contract and through hard fought feuds with Taz and Al Snow climaxing at Bound for Glory, Joey finally earned his spot on the roster.

BEST PROMO

Austin Aries goes "off script" on Jeff Hardy

Heading into their eagerly anticipated Bound for Glory main event, both the World Champion Austin Aries and his challenger Jeff Hardy were fan favourites. While not unheard of, every good story needs it's villain. Put in the unenviable position of going up against Jeff Hardy's legion of "creatures", Austin Aries took to that role with zeal and relish. On the final Impact before the pay-per-view, the Greatest Man That Ever Lived hit the ring and decided to air his grievances with the Charismatic Enigma live to a global audience. Visibly throwing the show's "script" to one side, Aries pointed out all the insincere glad-handing that came with being the World Heavyweight Champion. Management told him how to act, how to present himself, how to suck up to fans and from that moment, it was done with. Taking issue with Hardy as a focal point, the Champion went on an impressive tirade, bringing to light his challenger's rap sheet, his poor health and how everyone caters to his every whim without a second thought. But not only did he verbally run rings around Hardy, he also cheapshotted the challenger and hit his signature Brainbuster, acting as the ultimate fullstop and ending any confusion as to who was the villain of the piece.

WORST WRESTLER(S) & WORST MATCH

Garett Bischoff & Wes Brisco

Words cannot describe just how bad these rookies are, both in the ring and on the mic. You simply have to see it for yourself. Go, check Youtube, right this second, I'll wait.... Did you see? Oh my god, it's terrifying isn't it. Why either of these men think Professional Wrestling is the career for them, I don't know. I can only imagine the immense pressure that comes with their family names. Being a Bischoff and a Brisco in this industry must come with as much stigma as it does benefit. Up until recently, they'd mercifully been kept to the background of scenes, usually behind the Olympic Gold Medalist, Kurt Angle. Bischoff only rarely ventured into the ring, typically for terrible Xplosion matches not seen in America (yet the horror is entirely visited upon we Brits). Brisco, on the other hand, wasn't even on the roster, instead being this disturbing sycophant following Angle around like a lost puppy. Unfortunately, that all changed with a recent Gut Check match between the pair. For several ungodly minutes, we were subjected to the worst display of nepotism in the history of the business. Now not only does Wes Brisco have an Impact Wrestling contract, but he has the distinction of being the only Gut Check contestant to win his respective match. Not that beating Garett Bischoff looks particularly difficult...

WORST ANGLE

Clare Lynch

Where do I begin. Let's start with a positive shall we. Clearly TNA management recognised the skill and talent of AJ Styles and Christoper Daniels and wanted to give them a bigger spotlight. As entertaining as their pure athleticism is, this sport often needs a small injection of soap opera sensibilities to keep the casual viewers interested. But this was no small injection. This was an overdose. Thinking back, I struggle to remember all the twists and turns of this debacle, as my mind has most likely blocked them out. Something to do with Daniels insinuating AJ was having an affair with TNA President Dixie Carter, only they were really helping a family friend kick drugs. Then Daniels paid off that family friend and made it look as though AJ had impregnated her. I mean truly, WTF? Daniels plan was basically bragging about how many women Styles has had sex with and how verile he is. Thanks buddy, can you do me next, sounds like great PR! The true sign of how bad this angle had become was in it's dying days, when the actress TNA had employed to play the role of Clare Lynch actually refused to return and finish out the story. She'd received so much hate-mail and scorn from TNA fans over the course of the summer, it was literally destroying her career.

SURPRISE OF THE YEAR

Austin Aries wins the World Heavyweight Championship at Destination X

Going into the Destination X pay-per-view, Austin Aries was riding an unprecedented wave of popularity. At the time, he'd been the reigning X Division Champion for damn near a year, he'd defeated a string of larger opponents in impressive fashion (Bully Ray, Samoa Joe, etc) and it all built to a frenzy which Hulk Hogan couldn't ignore. Offering Aries a once in a lifetime opportunity, Hogan gave A-Double the chance to relinquish his X Division Championship in exchange for a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship, then held by the IT Factor, Bobby Roode. While the fans were firmly behind Aries in spirit, all logical thought pointed towards Roode retaining the belt and going on to defend against James Storm at Bound for Glory a couple of months later. The Roode/Storm feud had been the centerpiece of Impact Wrestling for almost the entire of 2012. It was their money match they'd spent a year building to. There was no way in hell someone could derail that sort of momentum. Only they could and they did. That man was Austin Aries. Taking on Bobby Roode in the main event of Destination X, he surprised everyone by succeeding where so many others had failed and became the new World Heavyweight Champion. Giving us the feel good moment of the year in the process.

BEST TAG TEAM/FACTION

Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian aka Bad Influence

Long have professional wrestlers feared the moment Creative turn around and tell them "sorry, we don't have anything for you". To look at Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian, you'd imagine they've had that message alot over the years. After the dissolution of their former group Fortune, they watched as AJ Styles, Bobby Roode and James Storm went on to bigger and better things, while they were left to languish in the undercard. Rather than despair, Daniels and Kazarian saw this as an opportunity...to have fun. Forgetting the Clare Lynch nonsense, these two took the Tag Team division by storm and soon became the World Tag Team Champions of the World (not redundant). Instead of indulging in the angst of a traditional feud, they seek simply to amuse themselves. Just last week, they called out Santa Claus for a promo. If that doesn't say it all, I don't know what will. Whether they have the championship belts or not, Daniels and Kazarian continue to be the most impressive tag team in all of Impact Wrestling and deserve no end of credit for turning nothing into something.

BEST ANGLE

Joey Ryan and the 87%

As I mentioned earlier, Joey Ryan had a tumultuous time breaking into TNA Wrestling via Gut Check, but never fear, social media is here! Ironically, my favourite angle of the year, didn't actually take place on Impact for the most part. In being rejected by the Gut Check judges, Joey Ryan pioneered a subversive smear campaign against his haters. Taking to Youtube for a series of scathing promo videos, Ryan tore the judges a new one. First focusing on Taz and slowly transitioning toward Al Snow. I never entirely knew when or where the next installment of this feud would be. Hell, for the longest time, I didn't know whether it was a work or a shoot. The Gut Check judges DID have an agenda in saying no to Joey and it's only right that he be pissed off about that. So it's not unthinkable that he would make these videos against the powers that be. It's not even unthinkable that he'd turn up in the crowd of the Impact Zone. It's a free country! Due to Joey Ryan's involvement, every further Gut Check segment was must-see-tv. You never knew when he'd appear at the guard rail, how many 87%'ers he'd have in the building that week or if he may finally get his hands on his targets. It's tough to pull off the "outsider" gimmick without giving yourself away as a work, but "Hollywood's Own" did it with aplomb.

MOST IMPROVED

Magnus

Just a quick nod to my fellow Englishman. For whatever reason, Magnus' stock is most definitely on the rise. Whenever a TNA legend takes to an interview and points out the next generation they are hoping to encourage and work with in future, Magnus' name always comes up. Not just for political reasons though, as Magnus has improved exponentially in the ring also. In 2012, the Samoan Submission Machine, Samoa Joe, clearly took the Brit under his wing. Starting out the year as a curiously mismatched tag team, they gelled surprisingly well and were even rewarded with a reign as Tag Team Champions. Building off that momentum, the pair springboarded into fantastic singles feud with each other over the Television Title. While Magnus never managed to go over and get the big win, he progressively upped his game until in the final pay-per-view bout he physically passed out rather than submit. He's currently "on the shelf" selling a random beating from Aces & Eights, but you can bet that upon his return, he'll quickly attain that brass ring that's eluded him for so long. After that, it's only so long before he sets his sights on the World Title itself.

BEST PAY-PER-VIEW

Destination X

While I'm not typically a fan of gimmick pay-per-views, this show acts as a much needed spotlight on an often flagging division. TNA was built on the X Division, attracting so much buzz and attention in the early years. Yet for no real reason, it's frequently ignored for long stretches of time. At least having Destination X in place, it guarantees once a year, the company pauses and remembers where it came from. My favourite part of the show for the past few years being the influx of new talent. These men are by no means guaranteed a permanent spot on the roster, but for the month prior and the show itself, they shine like never before. This year's offering included Mason Andrews (shut up Harold!), Rubix, Dakota Darsow, Lars Only, Flip Cassanova and the lone survivor, Kenny King. Also on the card, we had rematches of classic bouts in Kurt Angle vs Samoa Joe and AJ Styles vs Christopher Daniels. Last but not least, the epic main event of Austin Aries challenging Bobby Roode for the World Heavyweight Championship. All in all, the perfect mix of old and new. Everything I look for in a pay-per-view.

WORST TITLE REIGN

Jeff Hardy as World Heavyweight Champion

I simply do not get the appeal of this man to the masses. He's called "The Charismatic Enigma", but as far as I can tell, he has the least charisma of all the active wrestlers. Hell, if we included backstage agents, even D'Lo Brown and Al Snow could run rings around him. But, for whatever reason, the crowd loves him. They go nuts when his MANY musics hit, they go nuts when he nails the Twist of Fate on a badguy. As a result of such unquestionable adulation, TNA don't hesitate for a second to have their cash-cow win the Bound for Glory Series or go on to lay claim to the World Heavyweight Championship.

However, his run with the belt so far has been boring and uneventful. Just like when John Cena wins his umpteenth WWE Championship, there's a distinct feeling of "now what?". There's simply nowhere to go with Jeff's character or even the TNA Title itself. He's a literal narrative dead-end. He's only functioning as a target for the heels to bicker over, who in the process are having far more fun than the champion himself.

But at the end of the day, do you know what Jeff Hardy's title reign will be remembered for? The inner monologues. Due to the Enigma's complete and utter lack of ability on the microphone, he's incapable of cutting even the simplest of promos to back up his claims or to denounce his opponent. Instead of subjecting the Impact Zone (and we at home) to a bumbled attempt at verbalising his feelings on the spur of the moment, TNA have been covering this inherent weakness with pre-taped voiceovers that play at particular moments during a Hardy segment. All motion slows to a crawl, the camera moves in and...OH MY GOD WE'RE INSIDE HIS HEAD! Kinda dirty in here and I don't mean the fun way. Jesus, Jeff, do you never wash off the day-glo paint?

BEST TITLE REIGN

Bobby Roode as World Heavyweight Champion

256 days. Nuff said.

But that'd be a short segment, so let's verbalise a little.

In the modern era of professional wrestling, short uneventful title reigns are the status quo. A wrestler gains a certain amount of momentum and he'll be rewarded with a brief run with whichever title suits best. But a couple of months down the line, their act will grow stale and some shiny new talent will have the pull to swoop in and steal that title away. It's not even a bad thing in the strictest sense. Sometimes divisions do need revitalising. It's all about who's right for that spot at that moment. So to say Bobby Roode was the right man to lead TNA Wrestling forward for 256 days is the biggest compliment anyone can give.

During this record breaking run, Bobby Roode dubbed himself "The leader of the Selfish Generation" and went on to back up his claims with classic heel victories over the heaviest hitters in Impact Wrestling history. James Storm, Jeff Hardy, Bully Ray, Mr Anderson, Rob Van Dam, Sting, they all fell to "the It Factor of Professional Wrestling" like a line of dominoes. Even when it finally came time to drop the title at Destination X, he put over his challenger, Austin Aries, like a champ. In doing so, Bobby Roode has become the touchstone of TNA. It really does pay to be Roode.

BEST NON-WRESTLER

Jeremy Borash

Jeremy Borash is perhaps the unsung hero of TNA Wrestling. He's been there since the very beginning, doing so many undefined tasks under the umbrella of his job, it'd be easy to forget him, as he's such a staple. But you have to give credit to the man, he's a fixer through and through. Fronting episodes of TNA Today, Spin Cycle, Xplosion, numerous backstage interviews and even a short stint commentating on the first hour of Impact Wrestling, JB bleeds TNA. Your good works do not go unnoticed, sir.

WTF OF THE YEAR

Eric Young disappears for months getting KFC for ODB

While more a string of moments than one singular moment, I was forever taken aback by the segments of Impact featuring ODB phoning her missing-in-action hubby, Eric Young. In reality, EY was away fronting a successful nature show on Animal Planet. To explain such long absences, promotions usually just write the character out of storylines and pretend they never existed until they're available again, but TNA weren't going to let this one slide. For month after month, ODB would be seen in the backstage area phoning her "husband", leaving voicemail after voicemail. She'd instructed him to go pick up a bucket of chicken and he simply never came back! No calls, no texts and most importantly...no chicken!

BEST KNOCKOUT

Tara

In a year where the Knockouts division has been sadly neglected, Tara continues to be the firm foundation for any greatness to come. She's got the looks, the talent, the title, the valet and the begrudging respect of all those in the locker room. Having entered her forties, you'd think she'd be winding down her in-ring career, but with momentum like this, I see her going for years to come.

Her year started out with an unsuccessful run at Gail Kim's Knockouts Championship, but at the time she was clearly just fodder to establish Gail's dominance of the division. Biding her time, her moment finally came in the beginnings of a feud with her "Boo" Miss Tessmacher. The former Knockouts Tag Team Champions came to blows as Tess challenged her mentor on an Open Fight Night themed episode of Impact. Tara came out on top with ease, a fact which stuck in the craw of her opponent. The pair went back and forth until their matches became for the Knockouts Championship and any semblance of friendship was lost. Finally, at Bound for Glory, the biggest show of the year, Tara defeated Miss Tessmacher to capture the title for a record-tying fifth time.

MATCH OF THE YEAR

Bobby Roode vs James Storm at Bound for Glory

In their second show-stealing PPV match of 2012, James Storm came for his final revenge on former friend and tag partner, Bobby Roode. But no simple wrestling match was going to do his anger justice. This had to be balls to the wall, anything goes, no coming back, finality. This had to be a street fight. And oh my god was it ever. For the best part of half an hour, these two men took strips out of one another...and it wasn't even the main event! Storm and Roode's epic feud spanning almost a year at this point, had built up to such intensity, it surpassed the need for the World Heavyweight Championship. This was about pride, not titles. In doing so, these men took this match to an extreme rarely seen since the days of ECW.  James Storm spent 99% of the time with a waterfall of blood raining down his own face. I genuinely worried whether he'd need a transfusion after they were done. But don't let the base brutality fool you into thinking this was a simple hardcore bout. The former Beer Money duo were telling a story, like only they knew how. By the time the thumb tacks came out, I was getting flashes of Cactus Jack and Triple H tearing it up over a decade ago. When you can be mentioned in the same breath as a classic like that, you know you're on the right track. To think this was only the third match of the night, it's a wonder anyone attempted to follow it. They brought their big game to the big show and even though James Storm finally got his victory and this feud is meant to be over, you can tell TNA won't hesitate to revisit it in the future in hope of recapturing the magic. Bravo, gentlemen.

Written by Mark Clements

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A Clash Of Styles: What Will A.J. Do Next?

Styles reflecting on Impact

Written by @Robbie_G_CH
Photos by Impact Wrestling 

At the Turning Point PPV, A.J. Styles lost the number one contenders triple threat match, falling prey to James Storm's 'Last Call Superkick', in usual situations this would be just a small bump in the road as another chance would usually come up in the coming weeks or months, or as Bobby Roode found the next TV taping, but for A.J., thanks to a stipulation in the match, he has to wait until at least Bound For Glory XI for his next shot at the championship, the question now is what will the Phenomenal One do until he can challenge again?

Dwelling On The Past

On Impact A.J. addressed the situation he finds himself in and how it reflects the year he has had referring to the issues he has had with Daniels, Kazarian and Claire Lynch. After being interrupted and berated by the former 'World Tag Team Champions of the World', Daniels and A.J. agreed to face each other for 'one last time', many people will be thinking that this match has been played out, and they would have a fair argument as I have lost count at how many times these two have locked up over the last 18 months, but besides a few tag matches with Kurt Angle, A.J. never got the closuer on the chapter with Daniels regarding the Lynch issues, and in all honesty who wouldn't want to see these two lock up for 'one last time'? 

Road To Redemption?

With Styles being portrayed at a major low point in his career and outcast from the title picture for 11 months the similarities can be drawn with Jeff Hardy's redemption storyline; returning from a major low point, proving himself to his peers, and then going on to win the BFG series and the World Heavyweight Championship; once A.J. has finished his business with Daniels who in this case signify the 'demons of the past' but unlike Hardy who managed to stay around the main event scene, he will need to go a different route to get back to the top. 

There are two possible routes that he could take over the next few months until his likely participation in the BFG series, the first would be to go back to his roots in the X Division whilst the second would be to guarantee TV airtime by competing for the TV Title. Both options would mean dropping down the roster but often in wrestling to gain the top spot you need to work your way up from the bottom. 

Ultimate X

It is no doubt that A.J. is most known for his time in the X Division and what a better place for him to rediscover himself than where he began. Since winning the title RVD has done very little in way of elevating the division besides the odd match and I would be surprised if he reign as champion and his run in TNA lasts much longer. Being a former champion brings a certain credibility and if anybody is to get an entertaining match out of RVD then it would be Styles. 

High Flying is Styles Speciality

Like the Knockouts division (but executed better as to not happen month in month out), the X Division needs a match or tournament to establish the players, A.J could enter this tournament and come up short in the final to allow someone like Joey Ryan to get another shot and further add to Styles' woes whilst giving the rub to newer members of the roster, in the following month he could then become number one contender and defeat RVD, depending on what the situation is with Van Dam's contract (remember last year when Gunner put him out around January) they could have a rematch with the title on the line and a stipulation of the loser leaves TNA.
Over the next few months Styles could defend the title whilst using his experience to elevate the likes of Joey Ryan, Zema Ion, Kenny King and even Jesse Sorensen once he returns from injury, before dropping the title in the lead up to or at  Slammiversary to someone who will be looking for a short cut to the Heavyweight Championship whilst P1 enters the BFG Series looking to headline Bound For Glory. 

The Face of Impact Wrestling

The second option would be to follow in Samoa Joe's footsteps and secure a spot on TV every week and go after the TV Title. Like the X Division this is an area in much need of competition, especially since Magnus, whom has been pushed to match Joe, will likely be off air until the UK shows following his beat down at the hands of Aces & Eights (and his appearances in panto).
A.J. and Joe are no strangers to one another and a feud over TNA's second belt could boost both competitors and the image of the belt, throw a returning Magnus into the mix and the TV title could become hot property over the opening months of 2013.

Bound For Glory

The fact that the stipulation states that Bound for Glory is the the first opportunity to get a shot at the silverware suggests that Styles will be victorious in the BFG series and get his shot at the biggest stage, but this year everybody had James Storm as a dead cert to win and we all saw how that played out.

It is doubtful that TNA would book the same outcome to the same story, it is more likely that Styles will come up short in the finals of the BFG Series; hopefully to Bully Ray who has been the losing finalist in both the tournaments so far; and then go on to become number one contender in the following months, maybe even not until one of the bigger events in 2014.

What ever path Styles takes it will lead back to the top, it may even be for the final time in his career, but it seems safe to say that when that shot does come, A.J. will be the new Heavyweight Champion.  

  

This Is Awkward: TNA post BFG

Written by Robbie_G_CH

Photos by Impact Wrestling

The dust has well and truly settled on this years Bound For Glory event as TNA gear up for the Turning Point PPV but the after effects from BFG can still be felt and the build up to next year has already started. A few major talking points have emerged with this years 'reset' but does this make the next few months and year excitable or disposable.  

The Redemption Of Jeff Hardy

Jeff Hardy celebrates with his
Heavyweight Championship.

The main event of BFG saw Jeff Hardy rise back to the top of the locker room by becoming the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion and complete his redemption after his drug ordeal including the infamous main event at Victory Road 2011.

As much as it was annoying to see Aries lose the title after such a short period, the BFG series really needed to produce a winner otherwise the tournament wouldn't have the impact to carry it through another year, it's just a shame that it wasn't Bully Ray, James Storm or Samoa Joe that came up trumps in the series; but at least Aries managed to get a good match of Hardy. 

After winning the Championship Hardy has since swapped the belt for a personalised one, although at times he was carrying both until Aries stole the actual title back to set up the rematch at Turning Point. Aries has done most of the promo work to set up the rematch as Hardy's mic work is still less than stellar with creative deciding to go with inner monologues to work with the shortcomings taking away from the 'live' aspect of the show.

Unfortunately for those of us who are not 'creatures' I can see Jeff holding the title for a few months until he decides on whether or not to stay with the company or jump ship for a bigger pay day; which is likely the reason they have taken the actual belt away from the champion for fear of him walking away from the company with it in his possession. If he decides to leave a title change will likely happen at Victory Road but if he decides to stay we may be looking at an extended run at the top for the 'Charismatic Enigma'. 

Dead Man's Hand

Devon was unmasked as one of the group. 

The other big talking point that came out of BFG which has significantly changed the landscape of Impact Wrestling is that the group of Aces and Eights have gained access to the Impact Zone after putting Bully Ray through a table in a No DQ match-up.  

Devon was unmasked at the event as one of the group members to the shock of Hulk Hogan, Sting and his former tag partner Bully Ray causing a deathly silence between them filled by the arena crowd chanting 'This Is Awkward'; with Luke Gallows being unmasked on a later edition of Impact. 

The access has caused many brawls between the group and roster members which is quickly becoming tedious as every match the group are involved in ends with the group causing a disqualification with a beat down bringing out various wrestlers to match them. 

The story has massive flaws, starting well before BFG but being continued with questions including: isn't that assault? are they contracted? why did Hogan make the match a No DQ without having a back up plan to ensure the group wouldn't win? The biggest question will be how do they plan on transitioning the action from brawling back to wrestling? why would the group who have had so much success thus far by just fist fighting decide that holds and slams would be the way to go. 

It's clear that members of the group are going to be unmasked at various stages of the next few months with a few shocks to be had along the way, which will likely end in a multi man tag match similar to a traditional Survivor Series match-up, although it remains to be seen how they will filter into the roster once the big reveals are said and done.

Morganmania 

Morgan and Ryan

Matt Morgan returned at BFG by hitting Al Snow with the Carbon Footprint and starting a war of words with Hulk Hogan whilst also allowing Gut Check reject Joey Ryan to win a contract. 

Morgan is annoyed with TNA management, especially Hogan for holding him back and has vowed to go through the whole roster to get to the Heavyweight Championship, unfortunately this is occurring the same time as the previously mentioned Aces & Eights with both there quests being very similar.   

Joey Ryan however has set his sights on RVD and the X Division Championship. This is a strong feud to throw Ryan into but if booked correctly could put him over and could see him become the face of the X Division for a good part of the next year, maybe even until Destination X where the title holder has the chance to transgress to the main event scene. 

The two are on odd pairing and I doubt they will stay together for very long with one likely to screw the other over, I just hope they don't decide to make them team as that would harm both parties. 

Minor Impacts

The commentary of Impact has been overhauled with two sets of commentary teams, Jeremy Borash and Todd Keneley take the microphone for the first hour and hand over to the familiar Taz and Tenay. No explanation has been stated for this change but it is akin to how WCW's television shows were called. So far Keneley has done a solid job as the play-by-play for the first hour despite Borash usually taking this role on Xplosion but time will only tell of how long this will continue, whether a member drops out and they form a three man team or whether further changes are coming.

Tara's Hollywood boyfriend was revealed to be Jessie Godderz who was apparently on Big Brother for a number of series, further research has shown that he has been in Ohio Valley for a year honing his skills and has won a few tag team titles whilst there, at least this explains how he knows to wrestle.

Bobby Roode, A.J Styles and James Storm will compete in a three way match for a shot at the Heavyweight Championship but with a price, the man who gets pinned won't be able to have another title shot until next years Bound For Glory!

With a number of title changes, new members to the roster & commentary team and new feuds started the foundations of TNA have been shaken to give the feeling of a new year to freshen things up, change isn't always a good thing but with everything you can't please everyone! The company have been moving in the right direction in the past year and they are not going to get everything right but besides a few things to iron out, Impact Wrestling remains to be a consistently good wrestling show.  

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