Read on for my thoughts on last night's Impact Wrestling.
Putting the announcers back at ringside is a good move. I'm sure it's an added expense, but it just feels right to have them call the action live-ish.
They've really done a good job building up the importance of the World Title with this big series. It's given them a chance to hit the reset button for 2016 and Pop TV.
Dang, Dixie didn't even invite Ethan to Thanksgiving or Christmas or anything? That's pretty serious.
Good recap of where we've been since Bound For Glory. That has been a while at this point.
Whoa! Our first big heel beatdown for TNA in 2016. What if we get EC3 and EY in the finals?
Good stuff overall to start the show.
BAH GAWD EY ENOUGH IS A DAMN NOUGH.
- EC3 vs. Lashley:
Lashley is one of the best workers in the business. Just an out-and-out BEAST.
Lashley's a monster. He's fun to watch.
Tyrus still has that No. 1 Contendership from BFG. He has a chance to kind of shape his future if he gets involved in the matches tonight.
That was mostly good. I'm not crazy about EC3 still needing help to win. I hope we see something new from him in 2016. I'm a big fan of his, but it's time for his character to do new things.
I'm really curious to see what they do with Angle in his last month in TNA (which will take us through Lockdown in TV time). Personally, I think I like Matt Hardy vs. Kurt Angle for the title in a cage, with EC3 vs. Tyrus as the semi-main (in a cage, too). Matt could be a really good face champ, I think.
WE GOT OURSELVES A MIRACLE, MAGGLE!
I love Bobby Roode. I hope he's got a really good future ahead of him. He's really worked hard and never really got to go to that next level. Yes, he was TNA Champion for a good amount of time, but that's been long enough ago now the effect's kind of worn off.
Angle's had a HoF-worthy career, no doubt. I'd even consider him an icon at this point given how many big main events he's had and titles he's won.
I'm already really excited for Angle vs. Galloway. I hope Drew has a big career ahead of him, too.
I like Godderz getting a chance to show what he can do as a heel. I've missed TNA.
Eli and Godderz make a pretty natural team of heels, I think. Future tag team champs?
So, Eli insults Jessie and then wants to tag with him?
Angle and Drew wiping the floor with Eli and Godderz makes sense to set up the main event next week.
I know there are people out there who want to see Jeff turn heel on Matt, but I don't think TNA would throw away one of their few big faces with big name value.
EY is a natural heel, and they've set Matt up as a great babyface. This really basic storytelling is often lost with "cool heels," spotfests, etc.
- EY vs. M. Hardy:
EY's vicious.
Hardy fighting from behind is good.
Young isn't out to "have a great match" or sell T-shirts; he's trying to get the win by any means necessary.
That was good overall. EY/Jeff feud now? They could really set up EY as a major heel by taking Jeff out ahead of the UK tour.
It's pretty unprofessional to show up this later in the show. What was more important than being at Impact?
EY bullying a lower-level face could be fun to get the face sympy. EY's a big veteran for TNA now.
The "Jeff Hardy's brother, Matt" thing is cruel but often funny. Matt is a really great wrestler, but Jeff's always been the more popular name.
Bram's legitimately a scary individual. This man has a criminal record. We're not talking about "Vince being arrested on Raw" kind of stuff either.
- Roode vs. Bram:
This is pretty good so far.
Roode's a strong worker. I wish this would have been longer, but it was good for what it was.
Damn, EY's just mad at everyone tonight.
Sorry 'bout y'all's damn luck. I think it was kind of clear NXT didn't have a big push in mind for him, but it was good to see him contribute there. He would have been a good partner or coach.
I kind of wish they wouldn't have acknowledged Storm leaving TNA, or kayfabed it as being a result of not winning the World Title.
They could have also kayfabed him being a Tennessee Cowboy again as finding himself after the Revolution fell apart instead of it being about "who he portrayed."
Storm and Roode definitely helped make TNA in a lot of ways, although I think TNA "made" them in some ways, too, by putting them in prominent main event roles.
I'm a little surprised they brought Angelina in with her being pregnant. Kong teaming with Rayne and Velvet could make that match tolerable. Still no word on her contract status.
Beer Money vs. Bram/EY should be pretty good.
Oh. Wow. I expected Kong to be their partner. Awkward.
- Dollhouse vs. Velvet/Rayne/Gail:
That was OK for the time it got. I mean, really, I wasn't expecting greatness.
Well, looks like Kong's still around for now!
Kong teaming with the Dollhouse just doesn't feel right at all.
I hope Bennett does better in TNA. I wasn't really a big fan of The Kingdom as a faction.
WHOA. Bennett's going hard on the state of wrestling. There are some washed-up guys, for sure, but I think the bigger problem is people who don't know how to actually work a match.
Given how many people Matt beat on his way to tonight's main event, what does it say about all the TNA stars who can't even beat a "washed-up" guy? I mean, he's basically the top face.
Nice segment with Matt's family. Good stuff from a babyface perspective.
That tag match could be absolute chaos given the mix of experienced workers, developing performers, and MOVES guys.
They could do a really big angle with this match. I don't know if they will, but they could.
How long can they hold off on EC3 vs. Tyrus?
- EC3 vs. M. Hardy:
Hardy's got some really good babyface fire.
Pretty impressive stuff by both men.
DAMN. Kicking out of three side effects in a row is some ROH shit.
Too many finishers not actually finishing the match. Less is more!
That was mostly good. They definitely worked really had. It was just too many ineffective big moves for my taste.
What does EC3 do from here? Heck, what does Matt do from here? And Jeff? So many questions.
All in all, a solid show to start 2016. They're kind of in "reboot" or at least "re-establish" mode, so we'll see how things play out going forward.
More wrestling coming up.
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