Here’s some quick thoughts on last week’s TNA.
Concussion mania is on in the Impact Zone as Mick Foley is here to complain about another one. What is the payoff for this going to be? A guy with a concussion wrestles and is okay?
Amazing Red, the white Funaki?
A Fatal Fourway with all heels?
The women’s backstage brawls are getting nastier than the men’s. And I’m not keen on someone just taking the place of an injured competitor when it’s a tournament. Regardless Angelina Love and Winter are now the Knockout Tag Team champs.
I could watch AJ Styles versus Douglas Williams several more times.
I’m not a big fan of tag titles being on the line in 8-man tag matches. It makes the extra four competitors with no shot at the title seem out of place. But if it gets the Motor City Machine Guns in the main event, and winning to boot, then it’s not all bad.
On to this week’s show.
We open with Mick Foley. He immediately calls out Ken Anderson. Same old same old, concussions bad. Matt Morgan interrupts to remind Ken once the bell sounds at Genesis it’s on. Ken is willing to fight right now. It’s Jeff Hardy’s turn to interrupt. He thinks these guys are ready to fight so he’s selected two partners for them so they can battle each other in a tag match.
Robert Roode and Chris Sabin square off in singles action. These guys prove why tag teams still matter when they can put on a good singles match to build a tag feud. Roode picks up a clean win this time out. Orlando Jordan and Eric Young’s New Year’s party features lame bisexuality jokes and an appearance by Shark Boy.
RVD’s mystery opponent is Robbie E. Not a good sign for him. Robbie E can’t be an X-Division contender forever, he’s not ready for the TV title and there’s no good tag partner for him on the roster. He hasn’t caught fire so what’s left for him? Losing to RVD tonight for one. Van Dam will have yet another mystery opponent for Genesis. Survive that and he gets his chance for revenge on Hardy.
Lets see how Velvet Sky and Sarita can do in a Strap Match. It’s a very long strap. I forgot these matches are won by touching all four corners. It’s not too long, somewhat violent, but the ending is pretty typical. Velvet drags Sarita behind her as she touches the corners but Sarita touches them too. When they get to the last one Sarita flips Velvet and wins the match. Angelina makes the save but Velvet is not happy with her or anything else. Angelina tracks down Sarita to bully the bully. Sarita turns the tables and Winter makes the save.
When Jeff Jarrett challenges Amazing Red’s baby brother I’m expecting Angle or Joe to come out. Instead it’s a big guy, a debuting wrestler I guess. Jeff finds himself in genuine trouble and his ring crew have to come to his aid. Even a guitar attempt is stopped by Red himself. Jarrett ends up walking off, being “held back” by his guys. So shouldn’t he get counted out and forfeit the prize money?
Now that Rob Terry is in Fortune he gets to tag with AJ Styles. Magnus and Douglas Williams are teaming up once again so the announcers actually remember The British Invasion. Terry is the least talented here to say the least, but it’s not a bad match and AJ gets the win by using William’s finisher, Rolling Chaos, on Magnus. Feuds involving stealing the other guy’s move are rare these days, but there’s also a title and AJ’s place in Fortune on the line, which makes me wonder if they are overcomplicating things.
Madison Rain is starting to act like Vickie Guererro in her promos. She gets to dress up and do an elaborate entrance for the holiday but it doesn’t stop Mickie Jame from coming out to smack her around.
That brings us to the main event, with Foley on commentary. Ken Anderson has “Bully” Ray as his partner, Morgan draws Devon. The match gets ignored as Bischoff orders Gunnar and Murphy to remove him and they end up knocking him out with a nightstick. We finally focus on the ring as not only does Anderson not get along with his heel partner but he’s overselling every blow to the head. I’m sure Anderson is fine but this storyline still makes me uncomfortable. Everything they’re saying about concussions is very true and Anderson did have one. So why is it okay for them to play off this? Reaction looks back at what was, we must admit, an eventful year for TNA. But with every opportunity TNA has had all year why aren’t they doing a lot better than they are?