News: TNA releases several stars

In the past few days, TNA Wrestling have released several notable talents from their contracts and allowed others to lapse, with no intention of renewal.

Names include Joey Ryan, Crimson, Christian York, Madison Rayne and Taeler Hendrix.

This comes amid worrying rumours that TNA have fallen several weeks behind on payroll and their working relationship with OVW is troubled at best.

Clem's Take: A bout of releases in quick succession definitely lends itself toward confirming the money troubles. With a handful of top tier talent drawing gigantic paychecks for relatively little activity, I can't help but think TNA are coming at this problem from the wrong end of the roster. Rather than cut up and comers who weren't costing much anyway, eliminate their main problem - Hulk Hogan. Rumoured to rake in as much as $75,000 for every appearance, he's being paid a small fortune to bumble through promo after promo. He hasn't popped the ratings one bit and after three years, TNA have reaped all the benefits they're ever going to get. Cut Hogan from one show and you could pay Joey Ryan for an entire year. I know which option I'd prefer.

Preview: TNA Lockdown 2013 Update

As is always the way with TNA pay-per-views, there have been several last minute additions to the card. I'd hoped that as we were entering a new era of four major shows, with plenty of time to build towards meaningful matches in between, we would've seen the end of short term booking such as this. Unfortunately, in the two months since Genesis, we're right back to the same old padding. Fingers crossed that with the next show, Slammiversary, the booking is done far in advance, even for the undercard.

TNA X Division Championship

Zema Ion vs Kenny King (c) vs Christian York

Having won the X Division Championship from Rob Van Dam on a recent episode of Impact Wrestling, Kenny King comes to his very first title defense. As with most thrown-together X Division matches added to pay-per-view, there's no feud to speak of, merely a group of past contenders with no momentum. Both Ion and York have had multiple shots at the gold, but had always come up short against former Champion, RVD. Whether new Champion, Kenny King, proves a challenge, it remains to be seen.

What is surprising, is the complete absence of Van Dam, who you'd at least assume would want his contractual rematch for the belt. But knowing TNA, they'll be saving the higher profile contender for a future installment of Impact Wrestling, to get as many eyes as possible on the match. This continues the fall from grace of the Whole F'n Show, who debuted in TNA with a deafening fan-fare, but has since dropped down the card at an alarming rate. Where once there was a respected World Champion, he's no longer fit to lead the charge for the least important Division of all.

As far as the match itself, this instantly reminds me of King and Ion's recent cage match filmed on the UK tour for TNA Xplosion. As one of the few, if not the only, original match taped for the show, King and Ion put on a tremendous bout that would out-class most main event efforts in this day and age. However, that was the two of them working alone, whereas in this case, they'll be contending with the sloppy bull in a china shop move set of Christian York. Despite the hype of his debut on Gut Check, York has failed to live up to expectations, at least for this humble writer. His ring-work has always been one step off the pace and I have consistently noticed his opponents lingering during their matches, waiting for York to get into the proper position. Even worse, when he finally does hit a move, it appears sluggish and ineffective.

Ultimately, Kenny King should retain his X Division Title following the bout, as he has been the stand out competitor since his debut at last year's Destination X pay-per-view and continues to be a bright spot in the division to this day. Zema Ion had his opportunity as Champion last year following Austin Aries' relinquishing of the title, but the division sank into obscurity during his reign. As such, I am in no rush to see a follow up. In regard to Christian York, if my previous statements weren't indictment enough, he has been entirely absent from Impact Wrestling for several months now and I never once questioned it.

Prediction - Kenny King defeats Zema Ion and Christian York via pinfall to retain the X Division Championship.

Joey Ryan vs Joseph Park

Why this match exists is a mystery. I checked back through recent episodes of Impact Wrestling just to make sure and I can't remember a single instance of these two sharing airtime. So to see them both in the ring together is puzzling to say the least. I guess you could make the argument that Park doesn't actually need a reason to challenge heels such as Ryan, as his character thrives on regular competition rather than feuds.

Don't get me wrong though, as I'm more than happy to see both men on pay-per-view. Park hasn't had the most consistent of appearances since making the switch from former gimmick Abyss to current persona Joseph. While being fresh material for the giant, it must be infuriating to him on a certain level, as he's spent the best part of the last year actively not being booked on shows. Park is a genuinely talented wrestler in reality, so credit to him for biting his tongue and evolving his character's skill set at the proper pace.

Things appeared on the up for "Hollywood's Own" Joey Ryan at the beginning of the year, as he partnered with "The Blueprint" Matt Morgan challenging for the Tag Team Championships and the X Division Championship before that. However, due to his not being on the UK tour, he effectively dropped off the map for an entire month of programming. This appears to have hindered his progress somewhat, as his former partner, Morgan, has broken away, decimating Jeff Hardy on last week's edition of Impact Wrestling and looking to challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship in the near future. Ryan, on the other hand, shared no part of this and as evidenced by this match, has no current story to speak of. While I doubt a long term feud with Joseph Park is in the cards, this at least keeps Joey in the spotlight for another month and I highly look forward to seeing his further exploits going forward.

Joseph Park matches are all basically of the same formula. So as a regular viewer, I'm expecting the heel Joey Ryan to dominate for the majority, only to inadvertently bust Park open and upon the sight of his own blood, the Monster Abyss is reawakened, leading to a last second Black Hole Slam from an amnesiac Park.

Prediction - Joseph Park defeats Joey Ryan via pinfall.

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Trash Talking: Gut Check

written by Rob Poulloin (@Robbie_G_CH)

Since 2004, 'Gut Check' has been apart of TNA. Starting off as a tryout program, the process has now evolved into what we see on Impact Wrestling once a month. But now that TNA's landscape has changed due to the shift in Pay-Per-View lineup, where does it leave Gut Check and in what format?

Gut Check started as a one off competition, with various categories testing the competitors. The winners were rewarded with a cash prize and an appearance on TNA programming. After a few years of development, the process moved into the seminar format, where independent wrestlers pay for a place on the course, to be put through their paces and show off their skills in front of TNA representatives, such as D'Lo Brown and Jeremy Borash.

Crimson was spotted through Gut Check
(photo by Lee South)

This process benefits both parties, as it allows TNA to witness the ability of new wrestlers, whilst also creating extra income. As for the independent wrestlers, they are in front of people who could make their dreams come true and sign them to either a developmental deal or even a full time contract. As beneficial as the seminars are, I can't help but feel that they are exploiting the wrestlers, as the company should be looking to sign the best and should be using their own resources to find those talented enough. Looking at the wrestlers to make it to Impact thus far; Crimson and Jesse Sorensen; would suggest that going out and watching other shows would be a better way of talent spotting. 

From April 2012, Gut Check has appeared once a month on the 'Open Fight Night' episode of Impact Wrestling. This is usually the second show after a pay-per-view, giving the opportunity of a contract to unsigned wrestlers, who would show their skills in a match against a roster member and then be judged the following week by Bruce Prichard, Al Snow and Taz (replacing Ric Flair). The segment of Gut Check seems completely unrelated to the seminar side beside the name. The talent picked for television have either previously been in TNA's developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling (Alex Silva and Taeler Hendrix) or independent stars who could have easily been given a contract without the segment (Sam Shaw and Christian York). The process being used as an angle multiple times, firstly to create hype around Joey Ryan, who was unsuccessful in his bid to win a contract and took to Youtube to protest and 'invading' multiple wrestling shows; and more recently, to add Wes Brisco to the roster, despite being seen as a masked member of Aces and Eights for months before his 'tryout'.

Joey Ryan failed in his Gut Check Challenge
(photo by Lee South) 

Officially, six out of the nine wrestlers to 'tryout' for a contract have been successful, with Ryan being the seventh as he had to fight for his contract in a match against Al Snow at Bound For Glory. Out of the seven only Joey Ryan, Christian York and Wes Brisco have been seen on Impact Wrestling on a regular basis with the others being sent to OVW to improve their skills, so it questions the need to have them taking up valuable television time where full time roster members can go without a match in months.

TNA will always need to be on the look out for the next stars to keep their product fresh but Gut Check doesn't seem to be the way to do it considering the best additions to the roster in recent history have been Austin Aries and Kenny King who have both come from Ring Of Honor. Comparing TNA's new recruits to those that WWE are assembling in NXT there is no competition, WWE are signing talent who are ready to go and have proved themselves as the biggest names on the Indy circuit, the likes of PAC (Adrian Neville) who has been Dragons Gate and New Japan, former ROH wrestlers including World Champion Tyler Black (Shield member Seth Rollins), Tag Team Champions Claudio Castagnoli (Antonio Cesaro) Chris Hero (Kassius Ohno) & El Generico; these wrestlers will not only be future stars but help improve the 'home grown' talent with their experience. 

With the wealth of talent currently on the Indy circuit TNA should be looking to those as the future of the business, Crimson was given a monster push on television whilst being relatively green where he wasn't actually ready for it where as someone who has proved themselves, Austin Aries, took the ball and become TNA World Heavyweight Champion within a year of debuting. 

Davey Richards is one of wrestlings
great unsigned acts

I have nothing against Gut Check or OVW but the future of WWE currently looks a lot brighter with wrestlers that TNA most likely overlooked who will also pass on their knowledge and experience. With TNA looking to move up to the next level they need to build a strong undercard; as the roster is starting to look a little top heavy; and rebuild the tag and X-Division who have gone unnoticed for far too long. Names like Adam Cole and Davey Richards would do this much better than Jessie Godderz and Devon. 

Gut Check will continue to hold seminars and recently launched an online voting process of former participants, but this has been suspended due to voting issues. The future of the televised version is unknown as OFN has not been apart of Impact since the January 17th show. I would much rather see TNA make more of a competition out of the process with a separate program in a style akin to UFC's Ultimate Fighter and early series of NXT which would allow the wrestlers to gain TV exposure whilst not taking away time on Impact. This would allow for a winner to be crowned and a deal offered but would be less frequent than the current process meaning that the roster and viewers wouldn't be flooded with a string of new names.  

I hope that TNA keeps Gut Check in one form or another but the seminars should be invitational rather than at the cost of the attendee, the cream of the crop can should then be moved up to the next level, either to be offered a developmental deal on the spot or entered into a separate television show. This would weed out those who are not yet ready for the big time and would mean fans can enjoy the best wrestling from the top to the bottom of the show.

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.

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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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

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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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