1-24-13 Impact results and thoughts

    Coverage and thoughts on the January 24, 2013 taped episode of Impact

They start the show by showing what happened after the show went off the air last week. Hulk was helped out of the ring and Ray helped Brooke up the ramp.

Then they show Aces & 8s outside the building celebrating.

The actual show starts with Taz & Aces & 8s coming to the ring. Taz says everyone’s been asking him why he’s with Aces & 8s. He couldn’t pass up the chance to be part of the group of men that have an agenda for revenge & redemption. He also couldn’t pass up the chance to be part of a vision from a higher power. Taz says all the wedding was was a chance for Aces & 8s to make the others just another victim. Taz then says that Dixie should take a look at his contract. It says if someone touches him, he will own this place. They’re Aces & 8s and they’re driven to rule TNA and they will. Ray & Brooke with just collateral damage. This was a solid promo from Taz. He talked about the “higher power” so he’s not the leader of this faction.

Jessie tells Tara that she has a huge match with Velvet. Tara’s a winner, Velvet’s a loser. Jessie & Tara are Impact’s power couple. Tara is motivated. This was lame.

They show a Christopher Daniels video package mentioning that he has a world title match tonight. This was good.

Backstage Kazarian says he is a licensed manager. Camera guy asks Daniels how he prepares for a big match. Daniels says this isn’t a match, this is a turning point. He’s not a creature, he’s a feature. He asks how world heavyweight champion of the world sounds. Solid promo from Daniels here.

Velvet Sky vs. Knockouts Champion Tara for the Title. Tara gets the pin when Jessie trips Velvet as she was going for a slam. Tara fell on top of Velvet, Jessie held Velvet’s foot and Tara got the pin. This was ok.

Next week is Open Fight Night and Impact will be in Manchester, England. Last year’s Impacts from the UK were great. These should be just as good!

Camera guy asks Sting if he’s talked to Hulk, Brooke or Ray. Sting says now’s not the right time. What he has to say he will say in the ring shortly. Well of course.

Kenny King is backstage looking at himself from a mirror on his locker. He says he is the fairest of them all. Then Zima Ion comes in. They talk about their tag match with Christian York & RVD. Kenny mentions that RVD beat Zima for the belt. Kenny then tells Ion to watch what he does. Then Ion looks in the mirror, sprays his hair and says he’s the best X Division Champion. This was alright.

Joseph Park comes to the ring. He says being in TNA over the last year, he’s realized his place is as an active member of the Impact roster. He realized that his debut match didn’t go they way he hoped, but he fought hard. He might not have won, but he realized that he is here to be the best that he can be in Impact Wrestling. Next week Impact takes place in England & it’s open fight night. He’s ready. He has a passport and says that next week he will be competing in his first open fight night. Then he asks who he should pick to face next week. He will watch videos of every wrestler and will make his decision next week. Next week will be his first Impact Wrestling match. He will hold his court in that ring and get that “W.” This was a decent promo but I don’t get why they’re making like this is his debut. We’ve seen the guy in action in the Joseph Park character before.

X Division Champion Rob Van Dam & Christian York vs. Kenny King & Zima Ion. Kenny & Ion win when Ion pins York. This was a good match. Kenny gave York a spring board block buster & Ion covered York for the pin.

Bully Ray & Brooke Hogan arrive at the Impact Zone. Camera guy asks Ray about the wedding. Ray says they’ll do their talking in the ring. He tells the camera guy to get the camera out of his face. Everyone wants to do their talking in the ring.

Samoa Joe is backstage with Wes & Garrett. Joe says that if they want to know how Angle’s doing, they should ask him themselves. He tells them not to ride the back of his coat tails. Angle comes in and says he’s not 100% but he knows what he has to do. Joe walks out. Wes & Garrett say they got his back. This was pointless. Can they have Wes & Garrett turn heel & be revealed as Aces & 8s guys already?

They replay the end of last week’s show when Taz revealed to be part of Aces & 8s during the “wedding.”

Bully Ray & Brooke Hogan go over to the announce table. Ray says something to Tenay. Then they head to the ring. Ray says that last week should’ve been the greatest night in their lives, but in reality it turned into a nightmare. A lot of people were hurt. Ray expected this from Devon, but not from Taz. He says Taz in nothing but a coward. Ray doesn’t care that he got hurt. It’s more about the people that Taz hurt around Ray. Taz hurt Sting and the man Ray’s been trying to get him to trust, Hulk Hogan. But most of all Taz hurt the woman Ray loves. How dare Taz ruin their biggest day? The things he will do to Devon, Taz and Aces & 8s he can’t say on national TV. They better sleep with 1 eye open. He guarantees that he will not sleep a wink till he kicks every singe 1 of their asses. But he can’t to that unless Hulk lifts his suspension. He knows that Hulk’s at home resting up but Ray wants him to lift the suspension. Then out comes Sting. Sting will do his best. He says that Hulk doesn’t do anything half way. He goes all the way. Sting says that Hulk’s only come half way when he came down the Aisle with Brooke. Now it’s time for Hulk to go all the way because he is the best of all time. Next week they’ll be in the U.K. & Sting believes that Hulk will reinstate his “son in law” Bully Ray next Thursday. This was a mixed bag segment! Ray’s promo was really good but this whole thing is weak. If Ray’s “suspended” then how come he’s in the arena. Also Sting called Hulk the best of all time? Really?

Austin Aries tells Roode that they both know they can beat Hernandez & Chavo. Roode says Aries’ brain buster is a devastating finisher. Roode says Aries should face Hernandez. Aries says that Hernandez is a power guy; Roode is the power guy of their team. Roode’s also a technician and the longest TNA World Champion and Roode should face Hernandez. Roode then says that Aries beat him. Aries says that he beat Roode twice but Roode said that it was a fluke; he will admit that Roode is the better man & should face Hernandez. This was decent.

They show highlights of the Hardy-Aries-Roode title match from Genesis.

Backstage Jeff Hardy mentions that last week Daniels hit him with Angel’s wings on his World Title. He knows exactly who Daniels is & tonight he will show the rest of the world exactly what he isn’t. This was a decent promo.  

TNA World Tag Team Champion Hernandez vs. Bobby Roode. Roode gets the pin. This was a decent match. Aries came to ringside & he & Roode shove each other. Then Chavo fights with Aries. Earl Hebner is tied up with Chavo & Aries. Roode then hit a bulldog on Hernandez for the win. Afterwards Aries & Roode still argue as they walk up the ramp.

They reshow Aces & 8s attacking Kurt Angle in the cage, followed by Angle calling out Anderson & Knox hitting Angle with the hammer.

Kurt Angle comes to the ring. He says that he thought Aces & 8s would be temporary, but their obviously in it for the long haul. He’s tired of their cheap shots and the injuries they’ve given to everyone including himself. He says they don’t know what revenge is. Angle says next week he will get his revenge on Ken Anderson. Then he tells Anderson to come to the ring because he has something to tell him personally. Out comes Mr. Anderson through the Aces & 8s entrance & in Aces & 8s get up. He asks Kurt if he wants to fight him next week. Anderson doesn’t wanna fight him next week, he wants to now. Then he hits punches Angle and then pounds on him for a bit. Then Kurt clotheslines him. Anderson rolls out of the ring. Angle then says that next week Anderson can’t run & no one will run in to attack Angle because next week they will face each other in a steel cage. This was decent too.

Aces & 8s are in the clubhouse and Anderson tells them to shut up. Devon knows Anderson’s got Kurt Angle coming up, but Devon isn’t gonna let him go in there without a battle plan. He tells Anderson to relax. This was a typical Aces & 8s bit. These bits are way old.

TNA World Champion Jeff Hardy vs. Christopher Daniels for the Title. Jeff gets the pin. This was a really good match.

Then Taz gets the mic & heads to the ring for a word from Jeff. Taz asks Jeff what he’s gonna do when Aces & 8s destroys everything around here and he’s left lying & his title is gone. Then an Aces & 8s guy comes in and hits Jeff in the knee with a tire iron. Referees check on Jeff to end the show. This was good.

I thought this was a good show overall but there was a lot of talk it. Some good, some not. The opening segment with Taz & the rest of Aces & 8s was good. Taz cut a really good old school Taz promo. Jeff-Daniels was really good. Great back & forth action there! The post match bit with Taz distracting Jeff and then having the Aces & 8s guy hit Jeff was solid also. The Angle-Anderson segment was decent too. Let’s see if this cage match will be as good as the cage match they had back at Lockdown 2010. RVD & Christian York vs. Kenny King & Zima Ion was good too. Hernandez-Roode was decent also and I like how they have Aries & Roode forming this uneasy alliance. Their backstage bit was good too. The Sting-Ray-Brooke in ring segment was a mixed bag. Ray cut a great promo but I wasn’t really into Sting’s. How come Ray’s always in the Impact Zone if he’s “suspended?” I wasn’t a fan Sting called Hulk the best of all time, or calling Ray Hulk’s “son in law” since they never were “Officially married.” The Joe-Angle-Wes-Garrett bit backstage was weak. Can Wes & Garrett turn heel already? I wasn’t a fan of the Anderson-Devon in the Aces & 8s clubhouse bit. I’m really tired of those. Velvet-Tara was ok but there wasn’t much to it. Joseph Park’s promo was decent too but I’m tired of the whole “kay-fab” bit. I also don’t get why they’re hyping next week up as his in ring debut since we’ve seen him in the ring before. SO on the whole I thought this was a good show.