TNA Impact Review + Random Thoughts on Wrestling News Including MVP’s AEW Debut

Another Thursday, another Impact, baby! As we sit and wait to see what happens with Hurricane Helene, I’m grateful to not only still be alive, but also to still have power and working internet so that I can bring my 3 faithful readers exactly what no one on the internet is asking for: another TNA review! But before we delve into this latest episode, I wanted to give my reaction to some of the news bits in the whacky world of wrestling (all of which can be found on the very site you are visiting).

Nikki Bella’s Estranged Husband Was NOT the Primary Aggressor in Domestic Violence Incident
I remember the moment that news of said incident hit the internet streets. Fans who don’t even like the Bella Twins were calling for this husband’s head (and no- not liking the Bellas doesn’t mean you believe they deserve to be victims of DV). Some fans suggested that members of AEW’s BCC go pay the guy a visit (insert eye roll). However, after reading the inital report- despite the very limited details- I felt that the gutteral reactions of commenters were premature. Strange as it may be to some, men can be victims of DV as well. Bottom line is we weren’t there and we don’t know what the heck happened. Hopefully justice prevails, and may whatever is in the best interest of their son be ruled.

MVP is All Elite
…and I’m happy for the guy. Count me in the number of fans who are STILL bitter and baffled at the breaking up, and subsequent never-getting-back-together of the Hurt Business. WWE wasted the guy (and the stable). Him showing up and cutting a promo on Prince Nana (a promo with a lot of truth in it, might I add) and attempting to steal away Swerve Strickland was a great first impression in the land of AEW. I’m all for the Hurt Business reunion we were robbed of, but let’s not forget who books AEW… so… don’t get too excited.

AEW to Tack on “Injury Time” to Rey Fenix’s Contract
I started reading this and saw the words “Observer” and “Meltzer” then immediately clicked off. My brain has been conditioned to take anything Meltzer says with a speck of lint. If reports of Hurricane Helene came from Dave first, I would have treated this like another work day- even as I’m looking at the heavy rain outside. I’ll believe stuff when someone else- ANYONE else- reports it.

Jey Uso Finally Wins his First Singles Title
… and Rikishi will STILL find something to complain about. Seriously, Kish, be grateful for the career YOU were allowed to have (not mention your entire family), and stop whining about what your son “deserves, but isn’t getting”. Congrats to Jey though. Enjoy the “YEET” thing while fans are still willing to chant it and buy your shirts. Please add some better moves to your repretoire.

Ricochet: In a Better Place Because the Previous Place Stifled His Upward Mobility
But the good news is Samantha is staying put.

For the tiny corner of the internet that remembers, Lucha Underground was one of the best wrestling programs ever produced. It was where I (a guy who doesn’t follow New Japan) was first introduced to Ricochet. He wrestled under a mask, went by the name Prince Puma (sorry, but that jumps off the screen a little better than ‘Ricochet’), was managed by Konnan, and- this was probably his biggest positive- HE DIDN’T TALK. The man can dazzle us between the ropes, but once you place a microphone in front of him- may whatever allure he had rest in peace. And from what I’ve heard thus far on the mic from him in AEW- I don’t think he has managed to grow in this area, so he will have to continue to rely on his flips and dives. No doubt, we are in for plenty of “HOLY SH–” chants and lots of beautiful choreography. I certainly don’t blame the guy for leaving WWE even if his fiancee is still there. He wasn’t going any further up that ladder in the company that has a pretty crowded main event scene. I think WWE got everything they needed out of a guy who can give good highlights but can’t buy a personality. Given AEW’s history, nothing will shake the notion that after a while, Ricochet will become just another highly paid warm body in an already bloated locker room.

Darby Allin: AEW Isn’t for Everyone
The guy who really needs to learn how to look both ways when crossing a New York City street appeared on the Busted Open Radio and Talk is Jericho (hosted by Chris Jericho– The Man of 1,004 Trademarks) podcasts recently. There have been comparisons of WWE to Taylor Swift and other things quoted. Allin said something to the tune of “if you don’t like what you see in AEW, watch something else” (not a direct quote)- and this is something that I’ve seen plenty of diehard AEW fans say. Looking at the decline in ratings and attendance, y’all *might* wanna STOP saying that. Just sayin’.

***Back to our regularly scheduled programming.***

Opening Match: Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace and NXT’s Sol Ruca vs. Rosemary and Wendy Choo
So, I guess Arianna Grace DOES believe that everyone is her “very close friend”. I’ve been getting on WWE’s case about sending the low-level scrubs of NXT to TNA shows. I highly doubt anyone in WWE even knows that I exist, but perhaps I put it into the atmosphere- and it worked. We finally get someone from the NXT women’s roster that actually got a good reaction from the TNA crowd. I’m still not sold on the Choo character, but at least Rosemary looked more like the leader of the duo instead of the sidekick she appears to be whenever the two team up on NXT TV.

The match was decent. A wee bit clunky whenever the NXT rookies were in the ring, but nothing botchy, horribly mistimed, or ugly. Sol is uber-athletic and has a ton of potential, even though I think her springboard somersault cutter is a bit impractical as a finisher. The run-in by my girl Tasha Steelz was a perfect heat move that interrupted the babyface’s finishing sequence the crowd was anticipating, and the save by Masha Slamovich (minus the weird whistling in her theme) shows us that this feud is just getting started. One thing about TNA’s Knockouts: quality over quantity. Doesn’t matter if they only have six women to work with; they will make whatever storylines with those six ladies effective and entertaining.

Frankie Kazarian Interview

I love how Kaz “flipped the script” on interviewer Gia Miller by asking her questions, then cutting her off and answering them for her (her facial expressions were gold). Frankie very carefully treaded the line between serious heel and over-the-top comedic heel, adding elements you could laugh at (and possibly a bit of blasphemy as he alluded to the Bible), while still taking him seriously as a threat to both his opponent and the world champion.

X-Division Showcase: Laredo Kid vs. “The Octopus” Jonathan Gresham

If you’re not a regular viewer of TNA, just know that whenever you see Laredo Kid come out for a match- the other guy is winning. He must really be comfortable with his TNA paychecks and his irregular appearances. After all these years of being affiliated with TNA, Laredo just has a forgettable run as Digital Media champion on his TNA resume (a reign that was ended by AJ Francis of all people). I think it’s really difficult to stand out as a masked luchador in the U.S.

Speaking of luchadors, I’m kinda particular about seeing people perform the “3 Amigos” suplexes made famous by the late, great Eddie Guerrero. There’s just a certain finesse that Eddie gave off when he did the suplexes that nobody has been able to duplicate. I almost want to urge people to stop doing it if they can’t do it as smooth as Eddie did it, but I understand that it’s their connection to the legend and their way of paying tribute to one of the greats.

The lucha libre style can be a bit much for some fans, but Laredo’s lucha was spectacularly tempered by Gresham’s technical abilities to the point where it didn’t look like aggressive ballet, and instead looked like two guys wanted to beat each other. A Gresham match is a masterclass in technical wrestling, and reminds me of his brilliant run as the Ring of Honor Pure champion where he won every match with a different move. The match was back-and-forth, with Laredo getting the fans behind him, and Gresham being able to shut him down while showing off. Gresham shed the cool-looking mask and the vomiting of ink, but is still showing signs of some sort of inner conflict, and added intensity and aggression. I admit that while at some moments it feels like they don’t know what to do with Gresham, it’s always intriguing to see him on screen. That finish where he mercilessly pounded Laredo’s knee into the mat for the tap out victory was sick.

A Heel-less Six-Man Tag

In another X-Division showcase, we have a six-man with X-Division champion “Speedball” Mike Bailey, Kushida, and Leon Slater squaring off against Team Former Champs, Zachary Wentz and ABC. Looking at this match on paper, I have no earthly idea why it’s even taking place. Wentz, who is a member of the Rascalz, was once at odds with Ace and Bey, and with his partner Trey, repeatedly cheated ABC out the tag titles or title opportunities. Yet, they’re teaming together like it’s all good? The same could be said for Slater and Kushida, with the former getting pinned on the Victory Road pre-show by the latter. The only two guys in this match with a verifiable beef are Bailey and Wentz, and this very well could’ve just been the contractual title rematch between the two. The match was a fast-paced spectacle with everyone getting to show off what they can do (especially Slater, who pulled off an insane dive over the turnbuckles). Wentz and ABC stand tall as the victors, but there’s no mention of Wentz leveraging this win for a rematch against Bailey- just a plug for his future street fight against Wes Lee in NXT. Great six-man match here, don’t get me wrong. I just wish the teams made more sense and that we were given reasons why these guys were fighting each other.

Psycho Santana

Earlier in the evening, Mike Santana had that evil look in his eye as he was menacingly hanging outside of the locker room of the System. He barges in with a chain, slamming the door behind him, and all we hear is thumping and crashing, leaving us to wonder about the outcome of this 1-on-4 thrashing. Later on, we catch up with a bloody Santana, who looks like how he did following his Texas Death Match from last week (which I strongly suggest you check out if you haven’t). Was Mike able to get the best of his foes with the surprise attack? Or were Moose, Myers, Edwards, and Dango able to fend him off? The answer isn’t entirely clear. However, we do know that whatever pain is inflicted upon Santana won’t be enough to stop his quest to take down the System one by one, once and for all.

A Hammer-Something Workout

Jake Something is doing some barbell curls while his new-found buddy Hammerstone shouts meathead motivational stuff at him. Cody Deaner walks in trying to talk some sense into his ‘cousin’, and walks away with a pending beatdown at the hands of Hammer. Can you imagine Deaner once being the leader of a heel stable? Or that he once stabbed Eric Young to death? I like the pairing of Something and Hammerstone. I hope it leads to big things for them- especially the former MLW champ.

Enter Lei Ying Lee

It is now time for the TNA debut of the former Xia Li. Lee looks amazing in her Kitana from Mortal Kombat-inspired gear (complete with the fan). Here to help make her look good in her debut is indie wrestler Hyan. I saw Hyan wrestle at a local show against Kylie Rae. Hyan was presented as the heel in that match, yet she had some fans in the audience rooting for her (myself included, despite that being my first time ever seeing her). I hope that girl finds herself under contract in someone’s televised company very soon. But this isn’t about Hyan. It’s all about Lei Ying Lee (which Tom informs us, translates to “thunder shadow”). Lee still has that sharpness and aggression that she displayed in her WWE days before injury and creative not having anything for her kept her off television. Hyan got in some minor offense, but it only served to fire up Lee. Lee hit some unique strikes and showed off her strength, lifting up the bigger Hyan for a fireman’s carry. Fans chant “we want tables” for some reason. Y’all do know that you don’t *have* to be idiots when you go to a wrestling show, right? Anyway, Lee finishes off Hyan with the “Thunderstruck” (think Hikaru Shida’s finisher- except Lee’s actually connected). Great debut for the new Knockout.

Leon Slater is in the back, pissed off at himself for eating the pin earlier. Speedball encourages him, and- I kid you not- I thought Bailey was about to steal Toni Storm’s “chin up; t*ts out; and WATCH FOR THE SHOOOOOE!” catchphrase. He tells Slater not to fret, because he’s in “the most competitive division in wrestling”. Yeah, but he still lost. Bum. Go do some push-ups.

ABC is in the back, vowing to get back their tag team titles when suddenly they are confronted by the Hardys. Matt and Jeff remind Ace and Bey that they pinned the System twice, and they are throwing their names in the hat for a future title opportunity- regardless of who the team is that they face. Matt is looking like he is in great shape, I must say. ABC seems cool with the future challenge. Matt says that nothing is stopping the Hardy train, and Jeff proceeds to make “choo choo, chugga chugga” noises to add emphasis. He… is clean and sober now, right? Weird preschool noises notwithstanding, we now know the clear intentions of the Hardys and we get the tease of a potential Hardys/ABC showdown.

“Walking Weapon” Josh Alexander requested some in-ring promo time. Someone had a sign with Josh’s head in a carton of eggs that read “Find Josh Alexander” (because his head looks like an egg- you know- a bald joke). I understand that fan’s comedic intentions, but I found that sign triggering due to the astronomical cost of a carton of eggs in today’s economy. Please think these things through before you go making traumatic signs, people. Fans are chanting “you tapped out”. Josh looks humbled by that chant. He puts over Joe Hendry and appears to be rather contrite about his recents actions. He calls out Eric Young to thank him personally for talking some sense into him. Young obliges, puts over Josh, tells him he loves him, and says that TNA will be better thanks to Josh not going down the wrong path. The two embrace, and EY offers to hold the ropes open as Josh exits the ring. Josh pulls the “no, after you!” bit- but BAM! German suplex to Young. It was all a ruse! Josh picks back up the mic and says he is who he is supposed to be, and will “burn this place down with you in in!”. Josh continues the attack, and before EY can make a comeback- the tag team of Sinner and Saint run in to make it a 3-on-1. Steve Maclin rushes in for the save, but the faces are outnumbered, and Alexander stands tall with his new buddies. I love that Josh Alexander has doubled down on his heel turn, and this ruse on EY was well done. Perhaps working with Josh can help Sinner and Saint look like they are worth something.

I had already forgotten about the saga of PCO/Steph De Lander and Matt Cardona (mental block, maybe?). Alas, the saga continues. Santino Marella encourages Steph to step away for a while as she recovers from her future neck surgery, citing that “this is a dangerous place”. He may be confusing TNA with his daughter’s place of employment where people regularly get jumped in the parking lot (and sometimes kidnapped). Then again, a chain-wielding Puerto Rican did run up on some unsuspecting guys in their locker room, so I guess Santino has a point. Steph offers to assist Santino while she’s in recovery. “Cordoba”, as Santino calls him, scoffs at that idea, and gets booked in a Monster’s Ball match against PCO at Bound for Glory. Gotta have something for everybody to do. Let’s see if Santino agrees to allow Steph to be his assistant and if it can get her over with TNA fans.

“I showed up.” – Ash By Elegance

Indeed, she did. Accompanied by her personal concierge, Ash decided to get a closer look at Heather Reckless vs. Xia Brookside. Ash’s cow-patterned cowgirl hat draws “Chick Fil A” chants from the crowd, and it looks like Heather is shedding. There are pieces of her hair extensions on the floor outside of the ring. Between those and the long fake lashes, I just don’t understand why female wrestlers bother with them while they’re in a match. Save that stuff for photo shoots. Tom on commentary points out that Brookside did everything the right way during her time in TNA, and Rehwoldt questions where that’s gotten her thus far. Rehwoldt’s point is proven when Heather picks up the win using Ash’s finisher (which is Jeff Hardy’s finisher). I think Ash was impressed. The Knockouts division is a very busy division. Backstage, Heather seeks feedback from Ash and the concierge. The latter dresses her down and tells her she looks like a mess, but they “have something for her”. They usher her off to an unseen limo, and it looks like Heather is going to get what she wished for.

Next week:

The Reckless Makeover (let’s see it)
Sinner and Saint vs. Young and Maclin (makes sense)
Six-woman tag match: Tasha Steelz, Rosemary, and Wendy Choo vs. Jordynne Grace, Masha Slamovich, and Sol Ruca (yes, please!)
And the Hardys vs. ABC (yikes. Too soon! But we’ll see what happens)

Main Event Time: Joe Hendry vs. Frankie Kazarian in a #1 Contender’s Match

World champion Nic Nemeth comes out to join commentary so he can continue to call Joe Hendry a “kid”. And he did more than once while putting him over. Come on, bruh. Hendry makes his entrance to his usual ovation. Kazarian enters, and throws away Nic’s bottled water. Kaz tries to bully ring annoucer Jade Chung into referring to him as “King of TNA”, but Hendry steps in and offers to do the honors. He calls Kazarian an Antonio Banderas look-a-like, and says he’s the “dad from Spy Kids” and “Puss-in-Boots” (which draws a “Puss-in-Boots” chant). Kaz has heard enough and attacks Hendry before he can finish his announcement.

We’re thick into the action, with the story of Hendry’s power versus Kaz’s veteran instincts, with both guys knowing each other’s moves pretty well. It favors Hendry that he adopted the ankle lock from Josh Alexander into his arsenal. There was a not-so-attractive sequence where there was too much space between punches and intended targets, but they recovered quickly with some nice counter moves and a near fall. Frankie uses the seconds where the ref’s eyes aren’t on him to pull out some brass knux. He hits Joe in the head with them when the ref isn’t looking, makes the cover, 1-2-3! The match is over! In modern wrestling, it takes a blast from a tank to keep guys from kicking out, so it was a shock to see someone stay down from a brass knux shot. But Nemeth hops on the apron to snitch on Kazarian (after he JUST GOT finish saying “it’s only cheating if you get caught”???), and his story is corroborated by another ref. Santino Marella comes out to restart the match. Another logical loophole. Why don’t authority figures do this every time someone cheats? But hey- we can allow it this time, because we know the result we really want to see. The match restarts, and there’s no time for chin locks. It feels like sudden death and Frankie, who no doubts feels like he was robbed of his victory, is moving with desperation. That is, until he realizes he has the advantage thanks to Hendry still reeling from the blow with the knux. Now, Kaz wants to enjoy the punishment he doles out, and wants all the “believers” to watch and weep. But the believers never stop believing, and the biggest mistake any Hendry opponent could ever make is allowing Joe even one second to feed off the energy of the crowd. A missed clothesline turns into a massive “Standing Ovation”, and our main event for Bound For Glory is set! Winner- and new #1 contender for the world title: Joe Hendry.

Overall Thoughts

If this episode was any indication, Bound For Glory is looking like yet another “great from top to bottom of the card” type of PPV. We’re seeing some really good storyline and character progression, as even some of the wrestlers I might not care too much for are involved in something of importance. How these newer stars handle themselves with the opportunities remains to be seen. The main event match was made to feel like a big deal throughout the show, and there were plenty of things to keep you hooked until the end. If you don’t watch anything else on this show, I recommend the promo and fight between Josh Alexander and Eric Young.

Did you watch this week’s Impact? What did you think? What’s your reaction to the above news? You know what to do. For anyone in the path of the storm- stay safe and dry. Until next time-

Peace.