6-6-13 Impact results and thoughts

Coverage and thoughts on the June 6, 2013 episode of Impact

The show starts with Bully Ray coming to the ring. He hugs Taz & gets in Tenay’s face. Then he gets in the ring & says obviously the fans are all very happy to see him. He says he is the TNA World Champion. He says he comes from NYC. He is the guy who beat Sting at Slammiversary. He is Bully Ray. Slammiversary hasn’t been to kind to Sting. Last year it was the first time Sting got jumped by Aces & 8s & everyone knows what happened Sunday. He single handedly beat Sting. Rumor has it that Sting might even retire. TNA has no more heroes. He has destroyed everybody. No one can do any thing about it. There’s only 1 thing left to do. Ray says that he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. He tells Dixie to come down to his ring. Cue Hulk’s music & out he comes. He says it sounds like this is Hulkamania country. On Sunday Ray was at the top of his game & he couldn’t believe how Sting slipped on a banana peel when Aces & 8s helped Ray win again. Hulk asks if he just heard Ray say there’s no one left for him to face. Ray tells “dad” that he heard him well. Hulk begs to differ. All summer long TNA will be packed with competition because the BFG series is starting. Next week Ray will get to see the 12 guys who will be in the series. Tonight in Atlanta, GA…Ray tells Hogan not to go for the cheep pop. Hulk says Ray will face the guy that he screwed over twice. Ray will face Jeff Hardy. Out comes Jeff. Ray leaves the ring & says Hulk can’t to this. The fans chant Hardy. Ray says Hulk just can’t put him in as match with Jeff tonight. Hulk says as the GM he can do what he wants. He figured he would make Jeff feel at home in this match. The title is not on the line but so Jeff can feel like he’s back home this will be a ladder match. Tonight what will be hanging above the ring is what Aces & 8s have used many times. Jeff takes out a bull hammer. Hulk says tonight will a ladder match with the bull hammer hanging above the ring. “May the best man win brother.”  This was a typical Hulk opening segment. I don’t know why he has to start every show. I liked Ray’s promo. He was awesome as usual & Hulk was his usual self here. I have this very predictable feeling that in the main event Aces & 8s will come out & the match will end in a no finish.

Backstage Chavo tells Hernandez he’s frustrated, they should’ve come out of BFG tag champions. But they got added to the BFG series. Hernandez thanks Chavo. Chavo says he taught him a lot but not everything. It looks like they’re hinting at a Chavo heel turn.

Hernandez vs. Chavo Guerrero in a BFG series Qualifying match. Hernandez gets the pin. This was a solid back & forth match. Then Hernandez offers Chavo his hand, then after a bit they fist pump & then Chavo raises Hernandez’s arm. The seed for a Chavo heel turn have been planted.

Backstage we see Rampage Jackson. Gunner & James Storm welcome him to TNA.

 Devon comes to the ring. He says the jackasses in GA know that when he gets in the ring they should sit & shut up. He says Abyss has something that he stole from him Sunday. That wasn’t a sanctioned match. He will give Abyss the chance to hand over the TV Title to him. Out comes Joseph Park. He & the fans would be happy if Devon shut up. Sunday Devon robbed him of a title match. Park’s done being bullied. He will do what he should’ve done a while ago. He gets Devon with a double leg take down & then throws Devon around. Then Devon with a clothesline & then he hits Park with the mic. Devon takes it outside the ring, gets a chair & goes to hit Park in the back but then Abyss’ music plays. Devon screams for Abyss to get out there now. Devon says if Abyss doesn’t wanna come out then he will find him. Then Joseph looks at his own blood & huffs. This was a decent segment.

 Backstage Devon & Knox are looking for Abyss.

Robbie E comes to the ring. He says it’s no secret that in the 2012 BFG series Robbie E was the MVP bro. He beat Jeff Hardy & Jeff won the thing. E got 5 points bro. Tonight after he wins his 2013 BFG qualifying match the sky’s the limit. Whoever his opponent is, that guy’s going down bro. Out comes Samoa Joe.

Samoa Joe vs. Robbie E in a BFG series qualifying match. Joe wins by submission. This was a squash.

Backstage we see Velvet. Mickie James comes in & has a lottery ticket for her. Mickie says last week she felt like everything was in slow motion & before she can do anything Taryn came out & stole the show & her moment just like she stole their moment Sunday. Velvet & Mickie bury the hatchet. Velvet says how about Mickie gives her a rematch tonight. Mickie says that Brooke booked Mickie in a match tonight. Mickie walks out & Velvet kicks the wall. This was solid. Mickie is good in this role.    

Time for a Kurt Angle video package.

JB is in the ring. 2 days ago it made headline news across the world. He brings out the newest member of the Impact Roster Rampage Jackson. JB welcomes him to Impact. Rampage says it’s a big honor. He started out as a wrestling fan. He wants to be the best in TNA & to do that he has to beat the best. Out comes Kurt Angle. He says Rampage is looking at the best. Rampage might be the best in the cage but this is Angle’s ring. Someday when Jackson thinks he is ready he will have to go through Angle & that is real. They shake hands & have a stare down. This was a decent & short segment but I’m not sure about having a Rampage-Angle match.    

Backstage Jeff Hardy says Hulk made the match. He returned Sunday & he has his first match back on Impact tonight. It’s not for the title but he gets his chance at revenge.

Backstage we Bully Ray & Ken Anderson. Ray asks if Anderson heard from D’Lo. Anderson says D’Lo has a headache. They say it’s good they got rid of him & Anderson says that the VP slot is now open. Ray asks why he should have to face Jeff tonight in a ladder match. Why should he have to climb a ladder to grab a hammer to beat Jeff with. Hasn’t he done that already? Why would Hulk risk Jeff being injured again. Then he asks how come Aces & 8s don’t have a player in the BFG series? He will take care of that. Anderson asks if Ray needs any politicking done. Ray says this is Anderson’s call & that a good VP would know what to do.

X Division Champion Chris Sabin and TNA World Tag Team Champions Gunner & James Storm vs. Kenny King, Austin Aries & Bobby Roode. Sabin, Gunner & Storm win when Sabin pins Kenny. This was a good back & forth match.

Back to Devon & Knox looking for Abyss. They open some door & head outside the building.

Backstage Brooke Hogan tells Taryn that people are still talking about the last knockouts standing match from Sunday. Brooke never expected to see Taryn do what she did at the PPV. Taryn says Gail had it coming. Now she wants to be Knockouts Champion. Taryn then if Brooke still loves Ray. Brooke frantically waves it off, says they should keep this about wrestling & she wishes Taryn luck. This was a mixed bag segment. Taryn was good here but Brooke is awful.  

Taeler Hendrix vs. Knockouts Champion Mickie James. Mickie gets the pin. This was solid. Mickie faked a knee injury.

Back to Devon & Knox looking for Abyss. Then they show Knox’s shadow & Knox gets laid out. Then Abyss lays out Devon too. Abyss says he’s taking this belt into the Abyss. This was decent.

Jeff Hardy vs. TNA World Champion Bully Ray in a ladder match. Ray climbs the ladder & gets the bull hammer. Then he goes to hit Jeff but Jeff hits the Twist of Fate. Then Jeff gets the hammer. He goes to swing but Ray ducks. Ray bails to the back & as Jeff is going after him he falls on the ramp. Then backstage Ray asks where his belt is. Then Hulk shows up & was about to hit Ray with a hammer but then Brooke ran in & stopped her dad. Hulk stares at Brook as Ray bails. That ends the show. This was a good match but I wasn’t into the non finish. The backstage bit with Brooke stopping her dad from hitting Ray with the hammer was a weak ending too. It is kinda obvious that Brooke will turn heel & side with Ray.

This was a solid to good show for the most part. The opening bit was decent but it was your typical “Hulk Hogan starts the show” promo. The main event was good but the no finish was weak. I wasn’t really into Brooke stopping Hulk from hitting Ray with the hammer either. The Joseph Park-Devon in ring bit was decent, I was ok with Devon & Knox looking for Abyss & Abyss lying both guys out was decent. The Rampage-Angle bit was decent & thankfully short, but I’m not sure about a Rampage-Angle feud. The Velvet-Mickie backstage bit was ok too. Mickie is good at this new role. The Taeler-Mickie match was solid too. The Taryn-Brooke Hogan backstage bit was a mixed bag. Taryn was good here & Brooke was her usual terrible self. Hernandez-Chavo was solid too & it looks like Chavo will be turning heel. Samoa Joe-Robbie E was a squash but I thought Robbie E’s pre match promo was kinda comical. I liked the 6 man tag too. There was a lot of good back & forth action there. Overall I thought this was a solid to good show this week.