1-10-13 Impact results and thoughts

Coverage and thoughts on the January 10, 2013 episode of Impact

The show starts with Sting, Samoa Joe & Kurt Angle coming to the ring. Sting says he’s just getting started. This Sunday he will be looking for Doc. Tonight he feels frisky. He brought his bat and “shooter” Angle and “killer” Joe. Aces & 8s have been invited to come get some. Joe says last week when the cage door closed Aces & 8s might have had him out manned but they didn’t have him out done. When they get in Joe’s face he will beat them down and choke them out. Angle says he made a promise in 2013. All the masks will come off and they will exposes Aces & 8s for the cowards they are. Tonight he wants to expose someone who did absolutely nothing while he; Sting & Joe were getting beaten by Aces & 8s. He tells Ken Anderson to come out and tell every one whose side he’s on. Out comes Ken Anderson. Anderson asks where they were when he was getting is teeth kicked in by Aces & 8s. He says he was on his way to the ring to stand not toe to toe but shoulder to shoulder with Sting and Sting left him and replaced him with Bully Ray. Angle tells him he’s either on their side or they will fight. Anderson gets in the ring and he & Angle have a stare down. Then Anderson tells Angle that he doesn’t have to answer to him. He never liked Angle. Angle says the feeling is mutual. Then Angle hits Anderson and Anderson bails up the ramp. This was ok, but I’m not sure what they’re doing with Ken Anderson.

Time for a video package on gut check contestant Jay Bradley. He’s from Chicago. He learned hard work and sacrifice. He’s watched some of the guys he’s broke in with make it and then says he’s sorry for Brian Cage because only 1 of them will make it and it will be him. Good video to introduce the fans to the new wrestler.

Brooke Hogan is backstage riding a golf cart (I’m not sure what that was about) and the camera guy asks if she’s talked to her dad. She says she will now. Then she gets a call from “Mark.” She tells him that she’s gonna talk to Hulk now. This was idiotic. I’m WAY PAST TIRED of this crap!

X Division number 1 contender Title Tournament – First Round: Kenny King vs. Zima Ion. Kenny gets the pin. This was a good match. Then Kenny gets the mic. He says on Sunday Christie will announce him as the new X Division Champion.

The Robbies are backstage. E says this has been a terrible week for him. Jessie & Tara have challenged him to a mixed tag. He wants a Knockout to team with him. The cameras pan to Brooke Tessmacher. Tessmacher says he disgusts her and would never team with him. Then she says that she will agree to team up with a winner (Robbie T). Whatever. This was lame.

Joseph Park is backstage. He says that when he sees Hulk Hogan it won’t be as an attorney, it will be as a wrestler. Then he bumps into the door. It was locked. This was stupid. Can they do away with the Joseph Park character? This is getting old.

Robbie T & Brooke Tessmacher vs. Jessie & Knockouts Champion Tara. Robbie T & Tessmacher win when T pins Jessie. Then Robbie E raises Tessmacher’s hand. Then Robbie T & Tessmacher dance in the ring. Finally T plants 1 on Tessmacher. Robbie E looks on in envy. What is this? The match wasn’t much and the post match stuff was weird. So Robbies E & T are baby faces now?

Time for a video package on Brian Cage. He had a chance to be a wrestler once before but it didn’t work out. His family asked him what’s he gonna do. He says this is his life and he will prove to the world that he belongs in this business. He will be sure that he gets the TNA contract. This was a good video too.

JB is in the ring and says for the time 2 gut check contestants will wrestle for a TNA contract. He introduces Bradley & Cage, who are also in the ring.

Jay Bradley vs. Brian Cage in a gut check match. Bradley gets the pin. This was solid.

Aces & 8s are in the clubhouse. Anderson says he enjoys having a good time but right now isn’t the time for it. He says that something has to be done with Kurt Angle. The big masked guy tells Anderson it’s about business. Then they go into the boardroom. VP says the first order of business tonight…then he turns to Mike Knox and rags on him for losing his mask. Knox says he was left in the middle of…VP doesn’t wanna hear it. When Doc lost his mask he managed to earn their respect. Tonight Knox will get to do the same. Tonight Knox will either be right, or he will be gone. This Aces & 8s faction is really getting stale. I’m really tired of these lame clubhouse segments.

Joseph Park is backstage and says that he will talk to Hulk in the ring next. That will be painful!

Joseph Park is in the ring. He says he’s back from wrestling camp and thankfully in 1 piece. He requests that the Impact GM Hulk Hogan come to the ring. Cue Hulk’s music and out he comes. Hulk congratulates him on his short stint but they have business at hand. Joseph thanks Hulk for giving him the motivation for the wrestling training. Then he thanks Danny Davis. He is standing in front of Hulk, not as a lawyer, but as a wrestler. Hulk says he needs more years. Joseph tells him to listen to the fans. He did everything Hulk asked him to do. He trained at OVW. Now his business is at Impact Wrestling and with Aces & 8s. Hulk asks what he wants. Joseph wants a match. Hulk reluctantly agrees. Then Joseph hugs him. Park then walks to the back. Then Brooke shows up on the Tron. She says she’s texted and left messages on his phone but he hasn’t responded. She asks if he really wants to handle it like this (Well that seems to be the Hogan way of settling family issues, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE FANS/MEDIA ON CAMERA!). Then she tells him not to move because she is coming to the ring next. The bit with Joseph was thankfully short but this next bit with Brooke is gonna be really hard to watch!

Back to the show and out comes Brooke Hogan (UGH!) She says Hulk hasn’t answered her text messages or voicemails. He’s never done this before. She asks Hulk if he will reinstate “Mark” or continue with this personal vendetta. He says no. Hulk leaves the ring and Brooke is getting emotional. This was terrible but not as long I was afraid it was going to be!

Austin Aries & Bobby Roode are backstage bickering over whose merchandise is better. Then Aries says that they both deserve to be TNA Champion then Jeff Hardy or James Storm. Roode was the longest reigning champion till Aries beat him. Roode calls Aries a fluke. Aries says after the match they can argue. Roode says he will be wearing his robe, Aries says that he will be wearing his cape and his shirt. This was good. Aries & Roode were both funny here.

They show a Jeff Hardy-Bobby Roode-Austin Aries video package promoting their match at the PPV.

TNA World Champion Jeff Hardy & James Storm vs. Austin Aries & Bobby Roode. Jeff & Storm win when Aries hits Jeff in the back of the head with the belt. During the match Daniels & Kazarian came out and Storm fought them. In the ring Jeff gave Roode a Twist of Fate. Then he was going to give him a second 1 when Aries came in and hit Jeff with the belt, leading to the DQ. Afterwards Aries & Roode double team Jeff. Then they each pose both with both belts. Finally Aries & Roode have a tug of war over the real title. This was good. I liked the match. Aries & Roode trying to outdo each other and having the tug of war over the belt was entertaining. I also liked Storm fighting off Daniels & Kazarian. Storm will face Daniels at Genesis.

Brooke Hogan is on the phone with “Mark.” She tells him it’s not a good idea to show up. She’ll see him outside the office. Who cares?

Backstage Matt Morgan & Joey Ryan begin cutting a promo on their tag title match this Sunday but then Hernandez & Chavo Guerrero come by and a brawl starts.

Time to run down the Genesis line up and James Storm will face Christopher Daniels.

Time for another video package on Jeff Hardy, Austin Aries & Bobby Roode. Mike Tenay says Jeff will retain the Title. Jeff says he will be Champion as long as he can be. He is willing to do whatever it takes to remain champion.

Ken Anderson comes to the ring after a long entrance. Then the mic lowers and he does his Mr. Anderson, Anderson bit. I really haven’t missed that.

Then after Angle comes out, Anderson leaves the ring. Then Angle gets the mic and asks the a**hole when he turned into a b**tch. He tells Anderson to get in the ring and “lets do this.” Then out comes Mike Knox and he hits Angle in the back of the neck with the hammer. Then out come Wes & Garrett and Knox bails. Aces & 8s are in the front row. Wes, Garrett & Joe check on Angle and EMTs get him on a stretcher. Aces & 8s celebrate. Then Sting’s music hits and he comes to the ring as Angle gets wheeled out. Sting tells Devon to call off his troops and Sting will call of his troops. Sting wants a piece of Mike Knox right now. He tells Knox to get in there. This was decent for this storyline. I knew Aces & 8s were gonna come out. This Aces & 8s storyline is getting really old however. I believe the Angle attack was done here because Angle is having legit neck issues.

Back to the show. Knox gets in the ring and Sting hits him with the bat.

Sting vs. Mike Knox. Sting gets the pin. This was a decent brawl. Afterwards Sting hits Knox in the hand with the hammer. Then out come Devon & Aces & 8s. They have Brooke hostage. Devon says that if Sting keeps going, he will never recognize Brooke Hogan again. Then he says that 2013 was going to be Aces & 8s year and he guarantees that they will reign supreme just like they did in 2012. Then out comes Bully Ray and he runs Aces & 8s off, rescuing Brooke. Then out comes Hulk. He stands on the stage and they go to break. This was hokey.

Back to the show Hulk, Ray, Brooke & Sting are in the ring. Hulk guesses he’s supposed to thank “Mark” for saving his daughter. He doesn’t believe Ray and says he is not the guy for his daughter. Ray says Hulk is so wound up that he is talking crap to 1 of his best friends. Ray’s been in this business for 20 years and it’s his life. He’s always cared about being the best wrestler he can be and hoped to be as great as Sting & Hulk (Ray’s better than Hogan ever was). Ray then says that Brooke came into his life because she was apologizing for Hulk being a hard ass on him, even when he had Hulk’s brother’s back till the end. Ray knows this has happened to fast. Hulk throws down his mic. Ray says he can do that too. Then Ray tells Brooke he’s not real good at the feelings/emotions bit. When he’s with Brooke things are different. Then Ray gets on his knee and places a ring around Brooke’s finger. He says he loves Brooke. They’re entire relationship has played out in front of the entire world, but Ray doesn’t care. He wants Brooke to marry him. He says he wants the wedding to happen next week in front of the fans. Hulk walks up the ramp in disgust as Ray & Brooke kiss in the ring. This crap fest ends the show. UGH! THIS IS WAY BEYOND TERRIBLE!! WE GOT ANOTHER F’N WEDDING ON A WRESTLING SHOW! I’M WAY BEYOND TIRED OF THIS CRAP!! THIS STOPRYLINE GETS WORSE EVERY WEEK!!

I thought this was a mixed bag show overall. The start of the show ok but I’m not sure what they’re doing with Ken Anderson. The segment at the end was beyond terrible! This whole Hulk-Brooke-Ray storyline is really idiotic! Hardy & Storm vs. Aries & Roode was good. Aries & Roode play really well off each other. Their backstage bickering was funny too. I also liked Daniels & Kazarian coming out and going at it with James Storm. Jay Bradley-Brian Cage was solid but they both look a lot alike. It was hard to tell who was who. Robbie T & Tessmacher vs. Jessie & Tara wasn’t much and the Robbie T-Tessmacher bit afterwards was lame too. Aces & 8s in the clubhouse is old too. The Hulk-Joseph Park bit was weak too. That Joseph Park character is also stale. I also haven’t missed Ken Anderson and I wasn’t into him doing his old bit. Kenny King-Zima Ion was a good match. I’m guessing they’ll have Kenny beat York and then beat RVD for the X Division Title. So on the whole I thought this week’s show certainly had a lot of ups and downs.