8-4-11 Impact results and thoughts

Coverage and thoughts on the August 4, 2011 episode of Impact

The show starts with Bully Ray, Gunner, Scott Steiner, the Jarretts, Abyss and Ken Anderson. Ray and Anderson have words about Anderson losing to Kurt Angle last week and Anderson challenges Ray to a match at Hardcore Justice. Anderson and Ray then go at it for a bit and then Fortune comes out, Kazarian talks a bit and a brawl starts. Not a bad segment. Ray was great on the mic as usual and the brawl was ok.

Miss Tessmacher vs. Madison Rayne. Earl Hebner sends Tara to the back. Tessmacher gets the pin. Mickie James does commentary. After the match Mickie James heads to the ring to help out Tessmacher but Winter and Angelina come out and attack Mickie. The match was ok for what it was. So was the post match attack.

Bound For Glory Series – AJ Styles vs. Devon. Devon gets the pin. Pope comes out and sits with Devon’s kids during the match. Daniels also came out and sat at the front of the ramp, which distracted AJ. Devon and AJ shake hands and hug after the match, then Devon has words with Pope while AJ & Daniels also argue.

They show a video package recapping the history with Kurt Angle and Sting. I thought it was well done.

Pope cuts a promo talking about his match Samoa Joe and that he has a match with Devon at Hardcore Justice.  

Bound For Glory Series – Samoa Joe vs. The Pope. Devon comes out to watch. Pope wins by reverse decision DQ. Joe won by submission but he wouldn’t release the hold and the decision was reversed.

Joe cuts a promo saying that the people in TNA don’t want him anywhere near the Title because they know that he is a threat. Good intense promo.

Beer Money in the back with Storm saying that he hurt his back during the brawl. Roode offers to take Storm’s place and Storm okayed it.

Bully Ray talking to Hogan on his cell phone saying that Anderson wasn’t Immortal material. Hogan wants Ray to apologize for starting the tension, Ray refuses, then he will out of respect for Hogan. This made no sense.

Bobby Roode vs. Hernandez in a Street Fight. Roode tells the ref that he is taking Storm’s place. Hernandez tapped to the arm bar but the ref missed it and Mexican America got involved and Hernandez gets the pin. This was a decent brawl.

Ray goes into Anderson’s dressing room saying he respect for the business and the guys who there before him and says that neither would be there if it weren’t for Hogan. He then apologizes for provoking Anderson and Anderson reluctantly shakes his hand, then Ray hits him. Good heal tactics from Ray, who is easily the best heal in TNA.

Alex Shelly vs. Austin Aries. Aries gets the pin. This was really fun match. Aries then gets the mic and says that he beat Shelly clean with a wrestling maneuver. Kendrick then comes out, Aries bails and says he will see them at the PPV. This was really great stuff, Aries cut a great promo. This was easily the highlight of the show!

More Eric Young, this time saying he’s taking acting lessons. More stupidity.

JB interviews Kurt Angle in the production truck about the empty arena match Angle and Sting had back in 09. Angle says that he got a few injuries from the match and they show the match and talk about the history of that feud. Angle then says that he is looking to beat Sting clean. They talk about the match Sunday and show the empty arena match and do commentary on that. This was odd. I have no idea why they had this segment.

Bound For Glory Series – RVD & Crimson vs. Gunner & Scott Steiner. RVD & Crimson win when RVD pins Steiner to get more points and is now in second place. This was a good back and forth tag match. Christie interviews RVD & Crimson and they announce RVD vs. Crimson in a Bound For Glory Series Finals Match for Hardcore Justice.

Kurt Angle and Sting have a contract signing for their World Title match Sunday. There’s a lot of back and forth talking and they say that they respect each other. Sting also says that he is going to make sure that Dixie Carter regains control of TNA.

I thought that this show was mediocre. The Roode- Hernandez Street Fight and the BFG series tag matches were good and the Alex Shelly-Austin Aries match was easily the highlight of the show. Bully Ray did some good heal stuff too and is the best heal in TNA. The Sting-Angle segment was decent too.