11-21-13 Impact results and thoughts

Coverage and thoughts on the November 21, 2013 Turning Point episode of Impact

The show starts with Mike Tenay mentioning that James Storm attacked by Bobby Roode at a bar “last night.” Then they show the video. Tenay says they’ll stay on top of this story. “Turning Point starts right now.”

Then they a show a video package hyping tonight’s show.

Backstage Dixie comes up to Samoa Joe. She watched last week’s show over & over. She does that to be the best she can be & give the fan everything they could want. Her performance was great but if Joe talks to Dixie the way he did last week he will pretty much be in the same spot as AJ. If Joe wins the title he’d better get the thought of a title unification match with AJ out of his head. AJ’s not returning & isn’t the champion. She says the fans would rather see her first than Joe & she makes her way to the ring. This was terrible. Dixie’s heel character just doesn’t do it for me.

Dixie comes to the ring. The fans boo. She talks about Sports Illustrated publishing some article on her called Dixie Land. Now she has to publically address AJ. Since AJ decided not to be on team Dixie he’s been wrestling all over the world for peanuts. She says that he took her intellectual property, but she has lawyers ready to shut him down & not 1 more company is gonna make any money off of her. Then out comes James Storm. He talks about Roode attacking him at the bar. Roode wants to jump him & try to cost Storm his chances in the title tournament. Storm has a bull rope & says that rope isn’t enough. He wants to be able to use chairs, tables, barbed wire, etc. Since they’re back in Orlando he wants a Florida death match. Dixie doesn’t care about Storm’s bar room escapades. The Wheel of Dixie has spun & she can’t & won’t change it. Storm then says that the cops asked him if he wanted to have Roode arrested. He said no. That’s what an ordinary guy does. Storm tells Dixie to grant him the match or he will call the cops & there will be no match. Dixie does her heel bit saying she doesn’t like Storm’s tone. Storm then asks Dixie if she will please give him this match. It will benefit them both & make the cops go away. Dixie says the match will happen only because Storm asked so nicely &if he calls the cops & tells them there’re no problems on her show. Storm asks if he’s got the match & Dixie says that he does. This was a hit & miss promo. Dixie was her usual terrible heel self but Storm was good with his promo.

Magnus comes to the ring. Then Joe shows up on the Tron & tells Magnus to come get some. Magnus heads to the back. Break time.

Back from break & the match is in progress.

TNA World Title Tournament – first round: Samoa Joe vs. Magnus in a falls count anywhere match. Magnus gets the pin. This was a really good back & forth match.

Backstage Joseph Park says he can’t believe he did it, but tonight is the night he ends all of the speculation. He will face Abyss.

Bad Influence come to the ring. Kaz says in a few moments, Joe Park will face his “brother” Abyss. So they will sit at ringside to enjoy this. They give the fans permission to worship them now. Then out comes Joseph Park. Park heard what Kaz & Daniels had to say. He tells them to sit & shut up. For 18 months Park’s been looking for Abyss & now he goes 1 on 1 with his brother tonight. He’s doing this for himself. He will prove he isn’t a loser. If it means getting whipped by his “brother” then so be it. Then he tells Christie, “Let’s do it.” Then she announce Abyss. The Abyss music plays but of course he doesn’t come out. Kaz asks where Abyss is. These people came to be entertained so Park better start entertaining. Then Daniels says usually the story of man who trains to become a TNA wrestler would be an inspiration, but not when it comes to Park. That’s because Park isn’t a man. The fans are booing him because he’s a loser, Abyss isn’t coming out because Park’s a failure & the reason the rest of the Park family isn’t there is because he’s an embarrassment. Daniels taunt Park some more & knows that a little blood sets Park off. Then Kaz dumps fake blood on Park. Daniels then asks where the monster is. He’s not there because Park is a waste of space. Park doesn’t deserve to be in the same ring, state or planet as Daniels. Daniels screams at Park to get out of his ring. Park leaves & Daniels tells him to get out of their lives. Park walks up the ramp. Daniels tell him the “blood” isn’t ketchup & tells him not to eat it. Daniels tells Park to get out of their business. This was a solid in ring segment. Daniels & Kazarian were good here like usual. Park was decent here too & I was ok with the bucket of fake blood. Daniels & Kazarian both said a lot here & it was really hard to keep up with everything, but they were entertaining.

Gail Kim & Tapa are in the ring. It’s week 2 of Gail’s open challenge. If anyone thinks they can beat the greatest knockout in TNA history, come on down. Out comes some chick I never heard of.

Candice LeRae vs. Knockouts Champion Gail Kim. Gail gets the pin. This was ok but short.

Backstage we see James Storm getting weapons for his match with Bobby Roode. That match is next.

Time for a video message paid for by the friends of AJ Styles. They show clips of his title match in Wrestle 1.

Backstage JB says tonight will be a turning point for Anderson or Ray. Anderson comes in. JB says this could be the last we see of Anderson. Anderson says that’s not gonna happen. Ray tried taking his career & his kids. Anderson is gonna do the taking tonight. Aces & 8s will be done.

Backstage Gunner tells Storm he doesn’t need all these weapons. Storm says what he needs & wants are 2 different things. Storm appreciates Gunner for being there for him as a partner & a friend, unlike Roode. Gunner has Storm’s back.

They show a video package recapping the James Storm-Bobby Roode feud.

TNA World Title Tournament – first round: James Storm vs. Bobby Roode in a Florida death match. Roode wins after Gunner throws in the towel. Roode was about to slam Storm onto a barbed wire bored. Then Gunner came out, threw in the towel & the referee called for the bell. WINNER – BOBBY ROODE. Then Gunner checks on Storm. Break time. This was a really good brawl. It had that old school wrestling feel of the 2 enemies beating the crap out of each other.

Back from break & Storm flips out on Gunner for throwing in the towel & costing him a chance to become world champion. Gunner says he’s looking out for Storm. It looks like they’re splitting this team up & it seems that James Storm will be the heel.

They show a video of Christie Hemmie interviewing Sam Shaw at his house or somewhere. He wants to be called Samuel now. He shows her some art book that has some of his drawings. The camera man then says cut but the cameras keep rolling. Then Shaw asks Christie out to dinner. She gives him his number. This was weird.

Backstage we see Norm Ferguson & Dewey Barnes. Then EC3 comes in. He says that he flew them there just to tell them that he is done with them. Tonight he will face somebody who helped build this company. He’s a Carter & the world need them. Whatever. This was entirely pointless.

Backstage JB was gonna interview Bully Ray but Knox tells him to leave. So Brooke interviews Ray. Ray says he’s never met anybody as ungrateful as Anderson. Just a year ago TNA turned their back on him. Ray’s the guy who breathed life back into him. He brought Anderson in. Tonight he pile drives him through that stage. Then he says that he will take care of Anderson’s pregnant wife. This was a good heel promo.

Kurt Angle says Magnus is 1 of the best wrestlers today. He talks about what Magnus did in the BFG Series & mentions that Magnus will be facing him in the next round of the tournament. Then some guy comes by & tells Angle that Dixie wants to see him.

EC3 comes to the ring. He says it’s time he raises his competition level. Tonight he faces a returning TNA legend. Out comes Shark Boy.

Shark Boy vs. EC3. EC3 gets the pin. This was ok but it was no surprise that EC3 was winning this.

Then he gets the mic & says he’s EC3. He’s a Carter; the world needs “us.” I’m tired of this.

Time for a video package recapping Anderson being named Aces & 8s VP followed by the tension that followed. Then they show Anderson costing Ray the world title match with AJ.

Backstage we see Angle & Roode arguing. Then Dixie comes in. She congratulates them on making it to the final 4 of the tournament. Then she says that both guys will face each other next week in an 8 man tag team elimination match.

After Anderson & Ray come out for the main event. Then Joe, Gunner, Angle, Magnus, Daniels & Kazarian come out on the stage to make sure Aces & 8s doesn’t get involved.

JB does the big fight intro, but only gets to announce Ray because Anderson goes after Ray. Then Anderson does his own introduction. He also hits Ray in the groin with the mic.

Ken Anderson vs. Bully Ray. Anderson gets the pin. Knox attacked Anderson but Anderson sent him into the steel steps. Then he pile drove Knox on the concrete floor & then takes Knox’s vest off. Then Brooke heads to the announce table & Taz gives her a hammer. Brooke threw it into the ring but wound up over shooting the throw & Anderson got it. Then he hit Ray with the hammer for the pin. WINNER – KEN ANDERSON

Then Kurt Angle makes Taz take his vest off. Angle then throws it to Anderson. Anderson stands in the ring posing with the vests to end the show. This was a good brawl & I’m glad they finally did away with Aces & 8s.

This was a good show overall. The Storm-Dixie promo at the start was a mixed bag. Dixie’s backstage bit with Joe was lame too. I did enjoy the Joe-Magnus, Storm-Roode & Anderson-Ray matches. They were all great brawls! I liked that they finally ended Aces & 8s too. That “club” got old. The backstage bit with EC3 ragging on Norm & Dewey was pointless. His match with Shark Boy was pretty decent though, but I’m tired of this whole “I’m a Carter & the world needs us” gimmick. The Joseph Park-Daniels & Kazarian in ring segment was solid too. Daniels & Kazarian were their entertaining selves like usual & I thought Joseph was decent here too. The Candice-Gail match was ok but short. Anderson & Ray both cut good backstage promos before their match too. The Angle-Roode-Dixie bit in the office was weak but at least it set up a “Thanksgiving tradition” 8 man tag elimination match next week. The Christie-Sam Shaw video was weird & pointless. It looks like Shaw is a heel now since he’s going by Samuel now. I also liked that Storm got upset with Gunner for throwing in the towel during the Storm-Roode match. Gunner saying he did that because he was looking out for Storm made sense since they are a team. It does look like that team will be splitting up though & Storm might be turning heel. So for the most part I thought this was a good show.