News: Estimated TNA Slammiversary 2013 buys

The Wrestling Observer is reporting that TNA's annual Slammiversary pay-per-view brought in 13,500 buys, a number 7% down from the previous year.

The show was headlined by 'The Icon' Sting challenging Bully Ray for the World Heavyweight Championship. Sting was ultimately defeated through outside interference and lost the opportunity to wrestle for the title in the future.

Clem's Take: It appears as if the plan to reduce the number of pay-per-views and raise their importance hasn't quite taken hold (yet). All three "major" shows so far (Genesis, Lockdown and Slammiversary) have yielded much the same results as their 2012 predecessors, if not less. It'd be interesting to see if the One Night Only specials are pulling in similar numbers to the monthly pay-per-views they replaced. I suspect the company will be paying very close attention to how October's Bound for Glory performs and plan their 2014 strategy accordingly. If they are showing no discernible gain by the end of the year, I wouldn't be surprised to see them return to the original monthly structure. With the recent usage of Destination X and Hardcore Justice as special editions of Impact Wrestling, that eventuality may be closer than we know.

Editorial: Who will be Bound for Glory?

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

'The It Factor' Bobby Roode

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

Jay Bradley

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

'Super Mex' Hernandez

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

Joseph Park

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

Magnus

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

'The Charismatic Enigma' Jeff Hardy

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

Frankie Kazarian & Christopher Daniels

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

Mr. Anderson

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

Samoa Joe

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

'The Phenomenal' AJ Styles

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

'The Greatest Man That Ever Lived' Austin Aries

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

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

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

Editorial: Who will be Sting's new Main Event Mafia?

Formed in late 2008, the original Main Event Mafia consisted of Kurt Angle, Sting, Booker T, Kevin Nash and Scott Steiner. All multiple-time World Heavyweight Champions, who went on to capture and hold hostage every TNA title known to man. What led to their formation was the perceived disrespect from the youngster wrestlers on the roster, who would later band together as the 'TNA Frontline'. The Mafia ran together for a solid two years and saw multiple additions to their ranks, including the likes of Samoa Joe, Taz and Traci Brooks. However, the group eventually fell apart after losing all their Championships and several members leaving the company. Despite being a Heel faction for the entirety of their existence, 'The Icon' Sting is currently seeking to reform the Main Event Mafia as heroes to defeat current villains, Aces & Eights, once and for all. Taking this into account, we thought we'd take a look at the likely candidates for Sting's new army!

Sting

The only known current member and presumed leader of the new group. 'The Icon' was the leader of the original group for a short spell, but was quickly ousted by Kurt Angle, even while holding the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Sad as it is to admit, Sting is getting up there in years and can no longer perform to the standard we once knew. He was recently defeated by Aces & Eights leader Bully Ray at Slammiversary and as a result of a stipulation of the match, he can no longer challenge for the World Title. Here's hoping this allows Sting to fall back into a figurehead role, acting as the mouthpiece of the group, but no longer fighting their battles.

Kurt Angle - Definitely

As a former member and leader of the original group, the Olympic Gold Medalist would be an obvious choice for recruitment. He's recently been embroiled in a feud with disenchanted poster-boy AJ Styles, but after two bouts in short succession, this conflict may have reached it's end. For the past few weeks, Angle has been far more concerned with the debut of MMA star Rampage Jackson. But as hot as this feud may be, Jackson is still far from ring-ready and will be away from Impact Wrestling for a number of months to train in developmental territory, OVW. This leaves a huge gap in Angle's schedule and barring another feud rearing it's head, he has nothing better to do than put a stake through the heart of the monster that is Aces & Eights.

Samoa Joe - Prospect

Another former member and ideally situated for recruitment. Having already been caught up in the war against Aces & Eights, Samoa Joe still has a burning hatred for the group and would love to see them fail. He's also not currently involved in any notable feud and could be drafted in a heartbeat. God only knows his career could use the attention. Since his World Heavyweight Championship heyday, the Samoan Submission Machine has been pretty much left idle. He's had runs with the Television and Tag Team Championships, but no real program of substance. A high profile angle such as this would be the perfect way to get his floundering career back on track.

Jeff Hardy - Definitely

My first surprise pick! He would never have fit in with the original group (god only knows we don't need another Hardy heel turn), but with the Main Event Mafia returning as a Face faction, I feel it's a dead cert that everyone's favourite Charismatic Enigma will side with the Stinger. Not only is he a loyal fan favourite, but he's been butting heads with Aces & Eights since the Lockdown pay-per-view in March, where he lost his World Heavyweight Championship to their leader, Bully Ray. Even when it came to the return bout in a Hardy-speciality Ladder match, the Bully used underhanded tactics to keep his dirty paws on the title. If anyone wants to see Aces & Eights fall more than Sting, it's got to be Hardy.

James Storm & Gunner - Maybe

Let me get this out of the way to begin with - Gunner would be a terrible fit for the Main Event Mafia. He's never been a World Champion, he was a terrible Television Champion and he's been a pretty piss poor Tag Team Champion. But what he does have is James Storm's coattails. Gunner has zero credibility on his own, but pair him with a fan-favourite, multi-time Champion like Storm and he's got a golden ticket. Frankly, Storm's own career has been in a bit of a funk lately, never being able to live up to his feud from last year with former partner Bobby Roode. But through drafting these two, you secure the Tag Team Championships, both within TNA and within the Main Event Mafia itself. Also, the Tag Team Division appears to be on the brink of falling apart. Roode, Aries, Daniels, Kazarian and Hernandez have all qualified for the Bound for Glory Series and will be focusing on singles competition for the foreseeable future. This leaves the Tag Team Champions with no challengers, making it an opportune time to involve them with the Aces & Eights feud.

These six men strike me as the most likely choices for the resurrected Main Event Mafia. Five former World Champions is a nice solid foundation for the group. Of course, there are other candidates that could easily fit in with their objectives. AJ Styles would be a brilliant addition, but he's far more concerned with himself these days and any involvement with a group would contradict his attitude. Similarly, Abyss would serve multiple purposes, what with being the current Television Champion and Monster in his own right, but Joseph Park seems to be the one getting the attention right now. Matt Morgan would make for a fantastic wildcard to the group, but having no significant title reigns on his resume, I'd hate to dilute the concept any more than by including Gunner. If Sting was really smart, he'd recruit current X Division Champion Chris Sabin, who is due a World Title shot at the upcoming Destination X. If the Mafia play their cards right, they could bring the Championship home in one foul swoop.

Preview: TNA Slammiversary 2013

TNA Television Championship

Joseph Park vs Devon (c)

I don't know what kind of dirt Devon has on Dixie Carter, but his stranglehold on the Television Title continues! Having defended his Championship only a couple of times since winning it back in December, this is a rare reappearance for the formerly weekly title. His latest contender is none other than Abyss' "brother", Joseph Park. He has been circling Aces & Eights for several months. Initially wanting revenge for his captivity leading into last year's Bound for Glory, before stepping in to defend Brooke Hogan's honor by attempting to annul her marriage to Bully Ray. That naturally got the group's attention and who better to enforce Bully's will, than his brother Devon. I don't expect much out of this confrontation, as Devon has never had the most entertaining move set and Park is still playing the role of freshly-trained rookie. As with most of Park's matches, I'm predicting a prolonged beatdown by the heel Champion, followed by an accidental spillage of blood and the friendly giant sees red, putting Devon down with an impromptu Black Hole Slam.

Prediction - Joseph Park defeats Devon via pinfall to win the TNA Television Championship.

Six Man Tag Match

Wes Brisco, Garret Bischoff & Mr Anderson vs Magnus, Samoa Joe & Jeff Hardy

What do you do when you have six notable talents without a match on pay-per-view? Throw them all together in a tag match of course! Since their debut, Aces & Eights have randomly attacked members of the TNA roster. The victims have spent months at a time on the injury list, reduced to watching their attackers ruling the proverbial roost. At last comes their revenge, as each of them have worked their way back to health and their first opponents couldn't be clearer. The biggest of these names is none other than the Charismatic Enigma, Jeff Hardy. Having been forced to the sidelines after a nasty blow to the head during his World Title rematch with Bully Ray, Hardy's return has been highly anticipated. However, with him not actually appearing on Impact to set up this match, it feels largely like TNA had a big name who needed to be on the show and this was a convenient place to put him with minimal build. His return will no doubt overshadow all others in the match, so I'm expecting a few minutes back and forth before the Twist of Fate/Swanton Bomb combo for the win.

Prediction - Magnus, Samoa Joe & Jeff Hardy defeat Wes Brisco, Garret Bischoff & Mr Anderson via pinfall.

TNA X Division Championship

Ultimate X Match

Suicide vs Kenny King (c) vs Chris Sabin

Continuing the current trend of triple threat X Division matches, Kenny King once again defends his Title against two high-flying challengers. This time out he faces the renewed efforts of Chris Sabin and the returning Suicide. I was hugely impressed by the verbal confrontation King and Sabin had several weeks ago on Impact in a rare X Division promo and would love for the pair to continue playing off one another in the coming months. The real question is whether TNA are looking for a shock title change to Sabin or sticking with the still-finding-his-feet King. As undeniably talented as King is, he hasn't set the division on fire as expected. Instead, he's having a reign more akin to Zema Ion's. Sure he's there and he's defending his Title, but he's not owning it yet. Austin Aries set an impossible standard with his epic reign last year and all subsequent Champions have paled in comparison. With Sabin's momentum at an all-time high, it's literally now or never for the guy. Either he takes the ball and runs with it or he slinks back into obscurity. As for the second challenger, Suicide, I don't think anyone ever truly got behind the gimmick, knowing for a fact that the man behind the mask changes on a nightly basis. However, his resurgence has provided a nice series of paychecks for much vaunted ROH alum, TJ Perkins. His time will come eventually, but for now it's all about the inspirational story of Chris Sabin coming back from multiple ACL tears. If they're smart, they'll have Sabin get the pin on Suicide, giving Kenny King the perfect excuse to drop the belt and yet stay in contention.

Prediction - Chris Sabin defeats Kenny King and Suicide to win the TNA X Division Championship.

TNA Tag Team Championships

Four Team Elimination Match

Daniels & Kazarian vs Storm & Gunner vs Hernandez & Guerrero (c) vs Aries & Roode

When eight of Impact Wrestling's best come together, will too many cooks spoil the broth? I like Bad Influence, I like the Dirty Heels, I tolerate TexMex and I'm even a little curious about Storm & Gunner's new team, but all together in one ring? I can't help but think it's too much of a good thing. Three teams competing for the Tag Team Titles was already insanely busy, adding a fourth is just asking for trouble. With eight different talents vying for the spotlight, it's not a spotlight at all. If this week's Impact was anything to go by, Austin Aries' heel tactics and double-teams with partner Bobby Roode will prove to be the most entertaining. Ultimately, the random pairing of Storm and Gunner will be the main focus and probably even get them the win. I mean, when was the last time you saw a man team with a mystery partner and lose? Frankly, there are so many talented singles stars in this match, I'm left to wonder why the main event scene has been left to a brawler and a broken down old man. 

Prediction - Storm & Gunner defeat Daniels & Kazarian, Hernandez & Guerrero and Aries & Roode via pinfall to win the TNA Tag Team Championships.

Gail Kim vs Taryn Terrell

The curious case of the women's pay-per-view match that ISN'T for the Knockouts Title. Despite all the attention of the division falling on Velvet Sky's ailing knee and Mickie James' teased heel turn, we're asked to revisit this feud from last month which I assumed was already over. Ironically, it was the focus on Taryn Terrell's in-ring debut that tanked Velvet Sky's latest run as Knockouts Champion. This feud was reignited several weeks ago when Gail Kim attempted to cripple her opponent through wrapping her leg around the ring post. She's done this routine several times since and Taryn gets the honor of being the one to seek revenge. I suspect the pattern of Gail's recent matches to hold true and she attempts to injure Taryn, bringing about an instant disqualification. A technical victory for the 'Hot Mess' Terrell, but one that may leave her back on the shelf for a few more weeks.

Prediction - Taryn Terrell defeats Gail Kim via disqualification.

AJ Styles vs Kurt Angle

It may be booked as the semi-main event, but any true wrestling fan will know this will be our bread and butter for the evening. While storylines point towards the World Title and Aces & Eights, the real meat of the show will be in the masterclass of Styles vs Angle, especially with Styles aggressive new move set. The feud itself has been a bit hit and miss, with Angle coming off as annoyingly pretentious, while supposedly playing the hero. His entire reason for wanting a match with Styles is because AJ didn't want to play with him. Playground logic almost. But I'll be damned if Styles' new persona hasn't grabbed all our attentions. The Impact-closing segment whereby he seemingly sided with Aces & Eights, taking out his opponent Angle, whilst still remaining a man unto himself, was utter genius. As for the match itself, we've seen hundreds of variations of this bout, yet they've still managed to find a new spin on it. When Angle faced a heel AJ Styles before, he was much more of a cowardly villain, cheating with a snide grin. But this new tweener Styles, who is no one thing, is tough to judge. He's beating on the villains just as much as the heroes. Styles is well and truly out for himself and his character has never seen such innovation. Meanwhile, the Olympic Gold Medalist appears to be in the twilight of his career and if recent months spent jobbing to the likes of Wes Brisco and Garret Bischoff prove anything, it's that Kurt is trying desperately to get the younger talents over. I believe this attitude will hold true for his bout with Styles, giving AJ's new persona the much needed seal of approval.

Prediction - AJ Styles defeats Kurt Angle via submission.

TNA World Heavyweight Championship

No Holds Barred Match

Sting vs Bully Ray (c)

Aces & Eights have run roughshod over TNA in recent months, ever since the reveal of Bully Ray as their President back at Lockdown in March. The person who's taken most flack for this is the Icon, Sting. The Hall of Famer had taken Bully under his wing and given him his stamp of approval to General Manager Hulk Hogan. While Bully continues to feud with Hogan and his "wife" Brooke for the most part, the true soldier of the piece has been Sting, facing down the threat of Aces & Eights at every turn. Despite several fantastic promos from the pair and a wonderful backstory leading into the match, I don't expect anything approaching technical wrestling from either man. Bully is a renowned brawler and rarely plies his craft, meanwhile Sting, formerly a master technician, has found his age catching up with him and adjusted his in-ring style accordingly. As such, you can call most of Sting's big spots in a match from a mile away. Brawl around the outside for a few minutes, take the majority of the beating in the ring, followed by a Stinger Splash and the Scorpion Deathlock/drop. The man has a routine and it wore out it's welcome about two title reigns ago. Regardless, Sting has a phenomenal record for winning Championships on TNA's biggest shows. No matter his opponent, he usually walks out with a new belt over his shoulder. Which is why I'm intentionally bucking the trend and advocating another few months of Bully Ray as our World Heavyweight Champion. His run with the Title has only just gotten started and he's truly becoming a legit main event player. If Ray can hold it until Bound for Glory in October, his spot in history is guaranteed as a singles star. With every passing day, his time as a Tag Team wrestler fades from memory and is replaced with something far more grandiose. Let's see what the Bully has in store for us over the summer.

Prediction - Bully Ray defeats Sting via pinfall to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

Preview: TNA Slammiversary: Before The Bell

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Review: Impact Wrestling 16/05/2013

Following last week's surprise return of the long lost Abyss, the Aces & Eights suffered their first real defeat and were out for the Monster's blood. But when their target couldn't be found, they had to settle for the next best thing - Abyss' brother - Joseph Park!

Opening this week's show with a standard Hulk Hogan promo, Impact Wrestling got off to a slow start and struggled to pick up the pace. At first, the Hulkster's focus was squarely on the indecision of AJ Styles. He ran down the Phenomenal One's recent actions in a snarky tone and quicky denounced them with a particularly brutal "who cares". Frankly, with the way the supposed faces are treating AJ, it's no wonder he doesn't want to work with any of them. Both Hogan and Angle have taken such a confrontational attitude, they'd struggle to win their number one fans over.

Attention soon turned to the return of Abyss and just how happy Hogan was to see the Monster once again. Trying to coax him out from the back, his music played, but the General Manager was greeted by none other than Abyss' brother, Joseph Park. The fact these guys are legitimately treating Abyss and Park as separate entities is laughable and just as we think we're back to the gimmick that's worth a damn, TNA sticks us with the tame lawyer with impulse control issues. I could've happily seen the back of Park at this point and welcomed Abyss with open arms. But that'll have to wait for another day, as the promo is quickly interrupted by Devon and D'Lo Brown from Aces & Eights looking for a measure of revenge. Both Park and Devon want to lay into one another, but due to a timely comment from D'Lo, we find ourselves with a main event of Park vs D'Lo instead, with the promise of another match at a later date. I don't understand why Park has to jump through hoops to get what he wants when he has the face General Manager on his side. Surely Hogan could've just made the match both men wanted.

Our first match (of many) came in the form of 'The It Factor' Bobby Roode facing off against Tag Team Champion Chavo Guerrero. It began with a substantial amount of offense on Roode's part, but everything he threw at the Mexican superstar found itself reversed in kind. The leader of the Selfish Generation finally made  some traction once the action spilled outside of the ring, taking advantage of the harsh surroundings. Unfortunately, the match never really clicked or came alive, as the pair seemed oddly mismatched. Roode worked a much slower methodical pace, while Guerrero would spring to life and bounce around the ring with as many high-flying moves as he could muster. The finish came after 'The Cowboy' James Storm entered the ring and spat beer in the face of his former tag team partner, giving Roode the win, but only via disqualification. An unsatisfying ending to an unsatisfying match.

The Olympic Gold Medalist, Kurt Angle, continued the Styles-bashing for the evening with a brief in-ring promo. Speaking about how his former friend's indifference and penchant for walking away from confrontations has seriously pissed him off, Angle has arranged a one on one contest between the pair at Slammiversary. This is another one of those unfortunate situations whereby the top face of the company wants to start a fight with someone, but they don't really have a good reason. Styles hasn't actually done anything wrong up until now and even then, most of his actions can be construed as self-defense. I can't exactly blame AJ for wanting to kick Angle in the head. The man was badmouthing him on national television and picking a fight, who wouldn't want to put him in his place. With the late addition of Ken Anderson to the segment, the prospect of Styles being "patched-in" to Aces & Eights was teased for next week, making for a wonderful cliffhanger. I don't for a second believe AJ will end up in the Job Squad that is A&E, but I have to admit it's a brilliant way to build tension between he and his true opponent, Kurt Angle.

Several former Gut Check winners reared their heads this week, returning after numerous months training down in Ohio Valley Wrestling.The lucky winner of Christian York vs Jay Bradley would advance in a four man tournament to determine who gets a spot in this year's Bound for Glory Series. Both men were pushed hard in the first hour of Impact with several video packages hyping their appearance and reminding us just who the hell they are. York has clearly had the better start with the company, boasting matches with Jeff Hardy and Rob Van Dam, whereas Bradley was forced to rely upon the usual platitudes and cliches of an aspiring wrestler, looking pig ugly whilst doing it. Given their respective momentum of late, I truly expected York to take the spotlight, but Bradley's superior size and devastating array of power moves left the golden boy wanting. The match was nothing to write home about, ending abruptly, with Bradley landing a Boomstick clothesline out of nowhere.

The Knockouts Division suffered some strange editing this week, with ring introductions taking place before five minutes worth of adverts and several more featuring a backstage segment. Thank god the show was taped last week, because there's no way in hell even pretty girls like these can entertain a crowd by doing absolutely nothing for ten minutes at a time. Once Gail Kim and Velvet Sky were allowed to continue, the focus of the match became the Champion's recently injured knee. Sky hit all her signature moves early on, allowing Gail the rest of the match to work on the Beautiful Person's ailing leg. Huge credit goes to Gail for the inventive submission maneuvers she implemented against Sky. Of particular note was a Texas Cloverleaf, which is rare at the best of times, let alone in the Knockouts Division. Equal applause must go to Sky, who sold the worsening injury like a pro. When she tried to run the ropes and collapsed in pain, she crumpled to the floor like she'd just lost the knee entirely. The Champion held on by the skin of her teeth with a last minute surprise roll-up giving her the pinfall. I'll be extremely interested to see where Velvet's injury angle is meant to lead, sure to have been hastened by Gail's usual post-match beating.

The X Division Championship was once again on the line as Kenny King defended his Title against the combined might of Petey Williams and Chris Sabin. In doing so, he often took a backseat to his challengers, allowing them to duke it out in the ring, while he skulked around outside, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Williams once again justified his return to TNA with a stunning performance. His moves having lost none of their pace and are as crisp as the day he began. He's clearly been relegated to being the third wheel of the X Division matches, but with displays such as these, he'll quickly deserve a spotlight of his own. Similarly, Chris Sabin kept up his side of things, offering an insanely quick offense, giving no hint as to his formerly torn ACLs. The only downside was the finish, which saw Kenny King sneak another victory from the jaws of defeat. These triple threat matches, while always entertaining, are falling into a set pattern and becoming a little too predictable for my taste. The format has it's own in-built limitations and the competitors will have to work harder to innovate in the future.

Continuing James Storm's one man mission to be the buzzkill of the entire card, 'The Cowboy' made another appearance at the close of Daniels vs Hernandez. Having an obvious bee in his bonnet about heels being allowed to interfere and cheat, whilst he finds himself reprimanded, Storm distracted 'The Fallen Angel' just as he was about to hit his finishing maneuver, allowing Hernandez to sneak the pinfall. No offense to Storm, as I'm sure he has a point, but this whiny behaviour was extremely unbecoming and left me craving honest to god clean finishes. The match was immediately followed by a promo setting up a four way Tag Team Championship match at Slammiversary. The real intrigue being who Storm will team with to take on Chavo/Hernandez, Daniels/Kazarian and Aries/Roode. Which faces are floundering on the card and are in need of something to do on pay-per-view? I'm stumped. This is probably really obvious and it's going to bug me all the way up until June 2nd.

In our wrestling main event of the evening, we had Dumb vs Dumber, as Aces & Eights' whipping boy D'Lo Brown took on the forever sweating buckets Joseph Park. To D'Lo's credit, he dominated a fair portion of the match, demonstrating a rare agility in the otherwise stocky backstage agent. However, he made a key mistake when he busted Park open in the corner of the ring. Thus the usual process of Park losing his mind kicked in, as the Lawyer jabbed and clotheslined his opponent into oblivion before finally hitting "his brother's" Black Hole Slam for the win. Surprisingly, there was absolutely no interference from the Aces & Eights tonight. They all stayed backstage and refused to come to the aid of their prospective member. D'Lo's losing streak would be funny, if it wasn't so sad.

Last but not least, we had the contract signing for the World Heavyweight Championship match at Slammiversary between Bully Ray and Sting. The supposed press conference was initially hosted by Jeremy Borash, but his presence was deemed unnecessary by the World Champ, who ran him out of the ring like a rat out a door. Little mannerisms such as this, really go a long way towards Bully earning his name. He goes on to boast about having beaten Jeff Hardy in his own specialty match and promises to do much the same to Sting come Slammiversary. One after the other, both Sting and Hogan come out from the back to confront their nemesis. Hogan was there mostly to worry about his make-up laden best friend, however, Sting cut a truly inventive promo offering up suggestions to his opponent as to where they should injure him. The tactic was more than a little terrifying and freaked the hell out of the Bully. This naturally led to the suggestion of the Slammiversary match being changed to a No Holds Barred contest, a Sting staple due to his ever-decreasing move set. But in return, the Bully wanted a stipulation of his own. Should Sting lose, he'd never be able to compete for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship ever again. In a fantastic twist of the proverbial knife, Bully reiterated this was nothing to do with retiring the Icon, this is simply a way to make him suffer. To have him wrestling to the end of his days, knowing he'll never hold the top prize in professional wrestling once more. Pretty ingenious if you ask me. And a fantastic way to exclude Sting from any future main event matches. Because, let's face it, he's ridiculously old at this point and should've been shuffled off long ago. The episode ends with Sting and Bully exchanging blows, each landing their fair share, with no true victor coming out on top. A fitting, if indecisive, close to the show.

This week's Impact Wrestling was packed to the rafters with content and yet never showcased a damn thing. There were six matches in total, each suffering from a short runtime and competitors going through the motions, showing us the same old shtick we had last week and the week before that. Wrestling will always feature a degree of repetition, but I felt as though it was particularly acute in this instance, with most stars running on autopilot. Also, the show failed to adequately follow up on the promise of Abyss from last week's cliffhanger, making proceedings feel hollow at best, time wasted at worst. The high points were the X Division match for pure athleticism and the closing exchange between Sting and Bully Ray for a clear display of passion and intensity. Not a bad episode necessarily, but not a good one either.

6 out of 10

Review: Impact Wrestling 09/05/2013

Since General Manager Hulk Hogan granted Sting a six man tag match against three of Aces & Eights' best, the race has been on to find the Icon his ideal partners. The Olympic Gold Medalist, Kurt Angle, made the first decision easy by volunteering. The second spot seemed destined for the recently returned AJ Styles, but the Phenomenal One is out for one person only - himself.

Addressing the issue right off the bat, we arrived in Tupelo to find Sting and Angle making their way to the ring. Cutting impassioned promos about the evil of Aces & Eights, the pair effectively push both the main event tonight and the centerpiece of Slammiversary. Sting was his usual dependable self, while Angle came across as borderline irrational. In calling out AJ Styles once again and forcing the issue, Angle's rash behaviour made the situation ten times worse, leading to the pair exchanging vicious blows on the walkway. Frankly, I don't blame Styles for not wanting to team with Angle if this is the treatment he'd receive. While this is going on, the three members of Aces & Eights scheduled for the main event (Bully Ray, Devon and Mr Anderson) pull off a perfectly timed sneak attack on Sting, planting a rare 3D on the Icon.

Acting almost as a breather after the frantic opener, the Knockouts tag team match of Velvet Sky & Mickie James vs Gail Kim & Tara was a complete change of pace. Literally. No sooner had the four ladies made their way to the ring and the bell had rung, the match was over. It's impossibly short bouts such as this which lead to outbursts in the media *cough*MickieJames*cough*. The country singer found herself dominated by the heel team for the majority of the match, only to make a hot tag to Champion Velvet, who rushed the ring and had the match wrapped up in a matter of seconds. The only redeeming feature of the segment was Gail's post-match beatdown of partner Tara. Seeing the first lady of the Knockouts division snap and try to end the careers of her competitors is hugely intriguing and almost worth sacrificing the match time for. But not entirely.

Finally getting around to the matter of Aces & Eights' D-Lo Brown submitting to Kurt Angle "last week", the band of outlaws are led to the ring by World Heavyweight Champion, Bully Ray. Continuing his impressive body of work on the mic, Bully strips the Vice President of his colours, leaving little chance of redemption for his former right hand man. Neatly leading into D.O.C. vs Magnus, D-Lo must ensure his brother's victory over the British titan. The match itself was treated as entirely throwaway, the first half not even making it to air in favour of commercials. Both men were a few paces off their game and it made for several sloppy maneuvers. The finish came as a visually-impaired Brown cost his own man the match in a refreshing change to the usual Aces & Eights M.O. Sufficed to say, this didn't go down well with the rest of the club, who promptly held D-Lo down for a beating. Bully swore he simply wanted to cave the man's skull in, but the whole thing took on a creepy prison rape vibe. I really don't want to know what happened after they cut away.

Now, in what I would refer to as the TRUE main event of the evening, we have Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian taking on Austin Aries & Bobby Roode for the number one contendership to the Tag Team Championships. I make this very clear, as announcer Christy Hemme didn't have the slightest clue what she was talking about, announcing one team as the other and forgetting another man entirely. Thank god for Austin Aries' covering by bullying her into doing it correctly or I'd say fire her on the spot. As it transpires, the key feature to the match was James Storm acting as referee. Having been bribed with alcohol by both teams and each cheating to their heart's content during the bout, the Cowboy was forever at a loss as to what to do, wanting neither of them to win. The body of the match was fast paced and fun, with equal focus on wowing us and making us laugh. The opening salvo of flips and reversals by Austin Aries and Frankie Kazarian were of particular note. Only to be topped by their double eye-rake, leading to both men retreating to the opposition's corners and tagging the wrong men in. The conflict quickly devolved into a sequence of power moves, until Aries was left the victor. However, not wanting to count the pinfall due to so many despicable tactics, it's superkicks all around, courtesy of James Storm. While I can understand the hero not wanting to make the count for the villain, simply having him leave to his music, with no clear end to the match was confusing and frustrating. Taking into account the resulting backstage assault later in the night, I would hope Storm is itching to find a tag team partner and inject himself into this reinvigorated division.

In somewhat of an unusual move for them, TNA decided to give the X-Division a little bit more attention than usual this week. Not only were there video packages promoting the returns of both Suicide and Chris Sabin, but Kenny King was allowed to walk to the ring and cut an honest to god promo. I can't for the life of me remember the last time this division's competitors were allowed to speak in front of an audience. To the Champion's credit, his promo was downright entertaining. It turns out that not only can these men perform crazy videogame-like moves, but they can talk as well! The bait and switch with King flipping from respectful to snide was predictable, but hard-hitting. The sheer sincerity with which he greeted his challenger Chris Sabin had to have been genuine, otherwise King is a far better actor than I gave him credit for. After the killer insult that was "Frail Sabin", I can't wait to see these two lock-up next week. Poor Petey Williams is nothing but an afterthought.

During the build-up towards the main event, the commentators hyped that in the coming weeks, four lucky former Gut Check winners will be competing in a tournament to win a spot in this year's Bound for Glory Series. While I like the idea on paper of giving these four developmental talents some much needed TV time, everything I have seen of the winners in question has been worryingly weak. Devoting three entire matches of an Impact Wrestling episode to these no-name wannabes is a surefire way to make viewers change the channel. Even worse, it's a dead-cert that the botch-happy Christian York will be the one to take the spot and torture us with many more matches in the near future. Here's an idea, try cutting the dreadlocks off, maybe losing that extra weight will speed you up and let you hit moves when you're supposed to.

As we reached the main event of the evening, the mysterious third man for Team TNA had yet to be named. This left Sting and Angle walking to the ring, with only the vague hope Hulk Hogan would come through backstage, pulling the proverbial rabbit out of a hat. The majority of the bout was fought as a Handicap match. Not that it mattered, as Sting and Angle effectively held their own for the longest time, without any need of a third man. Unfortunately, the numbers game soon worked against them, allowing Aces & Eights to isolate Angle until the final few minutes. Finally making the hot tag to Sting, the Icon looked worryingly old, tired and haggard. His thinning hairline looking outright comical by the time he was going nose to nose with his Slammiversary opponent. When all looked lost and Team 3D were setting up their trademark table in the corner, the third man was finally revealed. It was none other than the Monster, Abyss! Truly shocking me that they'd bring back the gimmick so soon (Joseph Park RIP), Abyss decimated the heels, sending Anderson crashing through the table and hitting a devastating Black Hole Slam on Devon, making the cover soon after. If TNA can maintain the momentum from this return, they may finally light the fire under the character of Abyss that they've always hoped for.

7 out of 10 

Preview: Thursday on IMPACT: Sting, Kurt Angle and ? vs. The Aces and Eights in a Main Event War

Preview Thursday's all-new IMPACT WRESTLING broadcast on SpikeTV at 8/7c as the road to the June "Slammiversary" event continues! IMPACT will be LIVE from Tupelo, Mississippi! If you can't watch all the action on Thursday, make sure to set your DVR!

Not only is Sting back in TNA to fight the Aces and Eights, but "The Icon" will now challenge Bully Ray for the World Heavyweight Championship at Slammiversary!

The huge main event of Thursday's broadcast will feature Bully Ray, Devon and Mr. Anderson of The Aces and Eights battling Sting, Kurt Angle and a partner to be determined! The question is, while AJ Styles step up and join Sting and Angle in the match? Will Styles end weeks of speculation and choose a side - is he with TNA or The Aces? Don't miss Thursday's main event!

IMPACT will also feature a #1 Contender's Match for the World Tag Team Championship as Bobby Roode and Austin Aries take on Christopher Daniels and Kaz (Bad Influence) - with the winning team earning another shot the gold! An added wrinkle is the special guest referee Cowboy James Storm. There is no love lost between Storm and either team in this match. Will Storm call it down the middle?


All this and much more on Thursday, plus Hulk Hogan, the high-flying X Division stars, the lovely but lethal TNA Knockouts and so much more - LIVE from Tupelo, Mississippi on SpikeTV at 8/7c!

Preview: TNA Lockdown 2013

Robbie E vs Rob Terry

In what is sure to be the comic relief of the evening, the tale of two Robbies finally comes to an end. For over a year now, E and T have presided over who makes it onto "The List", but when push comes to shove, which of them will? The breakup of TNA's favourite duo had been teased for months, but the pair always found a way to reconcile, leaving their feud lightly simmering in the background of their comedy segments.

The instigating incident that led to this match came several weeks ago, while during the UK tour, Robbie E mocked anyone from our great country, calling us all "hamsters" (I've been called worse). In doing so, it immediately raised the ire of his towering bodyguard, Rob Terry, who ended up siding with the debuting Rockstar Spud and helped the newbie go over. This past week on Impact, Robbie E once again tried to make peace with his best friend, handing him the spotlight in one last "Bro-Off". But it was all a ruse, as E smashed their long-standing VIP sign over Terry's head and sealed his own fate.

The match itself probably won't be anything special, as neither man is renowned for their wrestling ability. However, what they will excel at is telling a good story. If this is to be the end of their affiliation, they'll go all out in an impressively quick squash to warm up the crowd for bigger things later in the night. Look for Robbie to initially try falling back on their friendship, followed by a few underhanded heel tactics, before Terry finally unleashes his inner-monster and tears Robbie a new one.

Prediction - Rob Terry defeats Robbie E via pinfall.

Lethal Lockdown

Aces & Eights vs Team TNA

Devon, Anderson, Knox, D.O.C. & Bischoff vs Sting, Magnus, Joe, Storm & Young

In the crown jewel of this speciality pay-per-view, a year's worth of story pays off as the Icon, Sting, tries to run off the biker gang, Aces & Eights, once and for all. Not just in a regular match though, this is Lethal Lockdown. After all participants have entered the cage, the roof will seal and allow access to a multitude of weapons. If they had a choice, it'd be baseball bats and hammers at dawn!

I've long since forgotten exactly why Aces & Eights are invading TNA, that's if they ever explained it in the first place. But what this match does have is a team of pissed off Impact wrestlers who've been systematically attacked and taken out, put on the shelf for months at a time, who're ready for some payback. The star of the angle is undoubtedly Sting, who has forever led the charge against the outlaws since they first attacked him last summer. However, the legend is getting on a bit and I don't expect him to do even half the legwork this match needs. That task falls to his teammates. Most of whom are borderline main event talent with nothing better going on due to their being no room left at the top of the card. The wildcard of the bunch being "Showtime" Eric Young, who is more often than not, strictly a comedy act. Just what role the bearded wonder will play is anyone's guess. But you could say that about the underdeveloped flunkies that are D.O.C. and Mike Knox.

While wrestling promotions inevitably play up the finality of encounters such as these, the feud between Aces & Eights and TNA is far from over. Especially with Kurt Angle having barged into the clubhouse and unmasked the leader of the group on last week's Impact. Something tells me the final reveal of the leader's identity won't be given away this week in the lead up to the pay-per-view, but instead saved for this match, when one of Team TNA itself are revealed as the mastermind. Due to Kurt's reaction to this off-screen fiend, we know for a fact it's surprising and a deep personal betrayal, one that could be achieved by few members of the ragtag group.

Sting himself is a possibility, but how many times now would he have orchestrated his own beat-downs? It'd be literally insane. Samoa Joe would be a good bet, having stuck closely by Angle in recent months, but similarly he's lost far too much in the process, what with his Television Title defeat and humiliation at the hands of Garret Bischoff and Wes Brisco. As for Magnus or Eric Young, it'd be a shocking reveal, but only because they're so low on the TNA totem pole and make Aces & Eights look even worse for having followed them. That leaves the finger pointing squarely at the Cowboy James Storm, who would certainly fit in with the rowdy beer-drinking bikers and finally give him something to do, as he's been toiling in obscurity since his feud with Bobby Roode came to an end last year. However, I would hate to see Storm turn heel now, as I don't feel as though TNA fully capitalised on his popularity as a babyface upon winning the World Title, if only for a matter of weeks. Put him against the right opponent and let the crowd get behind him and they could have the next Stone Cold Steve Austin. Turn him heel now and they're leaving money on the table, simple as.

The match will no doubt come down to the wire and just as faces get the upper-hand, the leader of Aces & Eights will stand revealed as a traitor in the TNA ranks, winning the match for the opposite team with a despicable act of betrayal, most likely aimed at the Icon, Sting. He's been their favourite patsy all along, so why break the habit of a lifetime.

Prediction - Aces & Eights defeat Team TNA via pinfall.

TNA Tag Team Championship

Daniels & Kazarian vs Roode & Aries (c) vs Hernandez & Guerrero

After spending the entire of 2012 dominating the World Title picture, it's time for Bobby Roode and Austin Aries to move on to other things. While I would much prefer they return to the main event scene (where they clearly belong), their current tag team effort has been entertaining at every opportunity. Whether it's their backstage skits or selfish antics in the ring, the IT factor and the Greatest Man That Ever Lived have brought renewed vigor to the ailing Tag Team division. As it stands now, their opponents are the only two true tag teams in the entire promotion, so it's no wonder the two brightest stars in the business today were brought in to spice things up. On past pay-per-views, that honour had fallen to the Olympic Gold Medalist, Kurt Angle, and the Phenomenal One, AJ Styles. The pair worked tirelessly to put over their opponents, but it seems we're back to square one and now it's Roode & Aries turn at bat.

As the Champions are currently in the middle of a fantastic angle, having vowed to win all the gold in TNA before making their return to the World Title, it would be a shame to see their effort derailed so early on. I am genuinely interested to see if they can achieve the epic challenge of their own making, in contrast to the other two teams, who aren't in need of the Tag Titles on any level. Daniels and Kazarian fill their own unique role on the show, having become the resident pantomime villains of Impact Wrestling. It may involve lots of jobbing, but just last week they were mixing it up with Bully Ray and Jeff Hardy, the pair battling it out for the World Title and it doesn't get much higher. Meanwhile, there's Chavo and Hernandez, who on the opposite end of the spectrum, have failed to get over on any level. Chavo merely plays up the nostalgia we fans have for his Uncle Eddie, while bringing nothing new to the table. Not to mention, having been in both LAX and Mexican America, Hernandez has danced this dance a thousand times and he must be just as sick of it as us.

I don't see the Titles changing hands on this show at all. The Champions are building serious momentum in their push to win everything, while the contenders have a palpable feeling of been there, done that. Be on the look out for an insane amount of heel tactics, from both Roode & Aries and Daniels & Kazarian. The two teams are renowned for their "creative tactics" and are positioned for an outright cheat-off.

Prediction - Roode & Aries defeat Daniels & Kazarian and Hernandez & Guerrero via pinfall to retain the TNA Tag Team Championship.

Steel Cage Match

Wes Brisco vs Kurt Angle

Kurt Angle brought it on himself. Literally. Having spent months mentoring Wes Brisco and subsequently pushing for a Gut Check match, Angle personally opened the door and rolled out the red carpet, practically gift-wrapping the legacy's TNA contract. Of course, at the time he was unaware that his favourite stalker...I mean protege...was a patched-in member of the outlaw biker gang, Aces & Eights. Anyone with their eyes open could see Brisco's heel-turn coming, it was just a matter of when. That time finally came on the UK tour, following Angle's cage match against Mr Anderson, when both Brisco and Garret Bischoff showed their true colours and beat the Olympic Gold Medalist down in the centre of the cage. As such, it's only fitting that their confrontation comes in the very same venue as the initial betrayal.

I won't lie, I honestly don't see the appeal of Wes Brisco. He has an extremely odd look, a questionable move set and if his last name weren't Brisco, I have a suspicion we wouldn't be seeing him on the roster, let alone on one of TNA's premiere pay-per-view events. Kurt Angle's dogged appreciation of the young man is equally mystifying. I know Kurt is all about paying it forward now, what with him being in the final years of his career, but surely there is someone more deserving of the legend's attention. Due to his association with Brisco, Angle may as well have fallen off the radar entirely in 2012, he made so little impact. TNA need to make use of the former World Champion while he's still able and fumbling with rookies doesn't cut it. I have a horrible feeling that the match itself will be a genuine low-point in Angle's career, whether in amateur, WWE or TNA. Brisco desperately needs the rub Angle would give him, but he doesn't deserve it. I can't bring myself to entertain the possibility of Brisco going over, ergo Angle must win. He's too good not to.

Prediction - Kurt Angle defeats Wes Brisco via pinfall.

TNA Knockouts Championship

Gail Kim vs Velvet Sky (c)

Time for take two. While Velvet Sky's first run with the Knockouts Championship, following Bound for Glory 2011, left much to be desired, this latest push gives her a genuine shot at redemption. Ironically enough, against the woman who came out of nowhere and crushed her dreams the last time. Gail Kim's re-debut with TNA, mere weeks after Velvet's big win, left the former Beautiful Person in the dust. But not this time. Both women have long storied histories with the company and if anything, Velvet is now the shiny new object of affection, after a brief absence of her own.

Strangely, there's no real feud to speak of between the two Knockouts and this match is more perfunctory than anything else. You could argue that alot of Velvet's recent victories have come at Gail's expense, but nothing out of the ordinary for professional wrestling. The past few weeks have been far more Tara-centric, with the former Champion cashing in her rematch and gracefully fading back into the pack. The focus is only truly coming onto Gail with the match itself.

I expect Gail to carry the majority of the match, as no matter how much progress Velvet has made in the ring over the years, she still pales in comparison to the very first Knockouts Champion. Luckily, Velvet doesn't have to get over with her move set, as the crowd will be behind her from the word go. Quite literally. Let the pigeons loose! If she can gain enough momentum through defeating a series of top tier opponents like Gail, Velvet could very well be the industry's next Trish Stratus.

Prediction - Velvet Sky defeats Gail Kim via pinfall to retain the TNA Knockouts Championship.

Steel Cage Match

TNA World Heavyweight Championship

Bully Ray vs Jeff Hardy (c)

It's been a long journey to get to "Bully Ray: Legitimate Main Eventer", but we're finally here. After two banner years in 2011 and 2012, the former Bubba Ray Dudley has drawn the entire wrestling world's attention and oddly enough, their respect. TNA have flirted with the idea of Bully Ray in the World Title picture for a while now, always having him reach the very end of the Bound for Glory series. For whatever reason, they never pulled the trigger, having him put over previous winners, Bobby Roode and Jeff Hardy, like a pro. But now, his time has finally come, and being on the grand stage of one of TNA's four remaining pay-per-views, it means more than ever.

Jeff Hardy on the other hand, despite being one of TNA's most recognisable faces, has had a rather forgettable run as World Champion. Since defeating A-Double, Austin Aries, for the Title back at Bound for Glory 2012, Hardy has been as quiet as a mouse. He defended his Title most notably against Aries and another former World Champion in Bobby Roode. But throughout these assaults on his position at the top of the card, he's been his usual moody monosyllabic self, never truly engaging in a feud, merely participating. Of course, it hasn't helped the Charismatic Enigma that he's coming off a disturbing absence of four Impact Wrestling episodes in a row. Having the Champion simply disappear with an injury for the entire month's programming, while they were in the UK, was unacceptable on so many levels. With only two weeks back in the Impact Zone before a major pay-per-view, Hardy has been noticeably handicapped. As opposed to Bully Ray, who's had that entire month of UK shows to steal the spotlight.

The pair have had little time to build a truly noteworthy program with each other, but given their tremendous shared history, dating all the way back to their infamous TLC matches in the early 2000's, they almost don't need a reason. In fact, Bully's ascension has come entirely on the back of General Manager, Hulk Hogan, and his faux marriage to Hogan's own daughter, Brooke. Several months worth of television now, have been devoted to developing this "romance" and just whether or not Hulk could trust his new son-in-law. It bares all the hallmarks of WWE's own attempt at such an angle with the McMahon-Helmsley marriage a decade ago, only Bully and Brooke have played nice up until now. Given the father's new-found faith and acceptance of the couple, not to mention the high stakes of the World Title on the line, I'm leaning towards an almighty heel turn on Bully Ray's part. Whether his new wife was in on the deception is another thing entirely, but looking at the current situation, he's gotten absolutely everything he could ever have wanted or asked for. Now is the time to drop the sham and use this ill-gotten power to become the new World Heavyweight Champion.

Prediction - Bully Ray defeats Jeff Hardy via pinfall to become the NEW World Heavyweight Champion.

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