By Jon Mezzera, Torch Specialist

IMPACT HITS

Motor City Machine Guns vs. Lethal Consequences: This was a fun 6 minute high energy tag team street fight. I don't fully understand doing a street fight to start a show that would feature a main event empty arena brawl, but that's just me. Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley and Jay Lethal are all very talented wrestlers (the jury is still out on Consequences Creed). These three should be given bigger roles. It has been good to see the Motor City Machine Guns in a more prevalent role. I could question why this match wasn't saved for the next PPV, but I assume that some (or all) of these guys will be in Ultimate X.

Off the Wagon Challenge: This challenge from Beer Money Inc. is interesting. It helps establish the Tag Team Champions as a legit team, as they now have an open challenge to any team, any time. The notion that the challenging team has their careers on the line has some potential. This is a way to present a storyline reason for a wrestler who is leaving the company to disappear. Robert Roode and James Storm have a chance to come away with a list of retired wrestlers for bragging rights. It has the potential to be bad too, but I am hoping it turns into a good angle for TNA.

Team Canada vs. Beer Money: This was a good tag match. I could have done without the old Team Canada music, but for nostalgic fans it was probably nice. Eric Young, Petey Williams, Roode and Storm worked hard to put on a good 11 minute match. It went back and forth nicely and had one really good near fall after Williams hit a big leg drop from the top rope. The end was predictable with the interference from Jackie. TNA needs to get away from the idea that Beer Money (and all heels) always have to cheat to win. Still, it was a good match. Petey Williams will be missed. TNA could have done a better job turning him into a star.

IMPACT MISSES

Foley's Role: I have complained before about the ambiguity in the power structure of TNA. Tracy Brooks seems to be gone, so that is one less authority figure, but with Jeff Jarrett, Jim Cornette and Mick Foley, there are still three. I was under the impression that Jarrett had given power to Foley since he couldn't wrestle and run the show. I guess that's over. Cornette still seems to have some power. But, what about Foley? He only appears to have the Hardcore History 101, which is a major waste of his talent. If I want trips down Foley's memory lane, I would read one of his three autobiographies (oh wait, I have). This is a total waste.

The Governor: I don't understand why the Sarah Palin impersonator is still around. I understand that she has a wrestling background. I also understand that she is great at screaming at ringside. I applaud TNA for trying to come up with something original for her and not just have her rest on a bit of name recognition from WCW nine years ago (or whatever). But, continuing to do this lame Palin impersonation is ridiculous. The practical joke on the Beautiful People is over. The gimmick should be too. Just introduce her with her "real" name and give her a character and let her wrestle if you really want to keep her around.

Referee / Wrestler: Introducing Shane Sewell as a former wrestler, turned referee, only to have him turn back into a wrestler was a decent way to bring him into TNA. But, the Impact after his wrestling debut, he was back to being a referee. It is stupid that he is both. I laughed (not in a good way) when Mike Tenay called him a "referee slash wrestler." How many times can we see a heel get angry at him for a slow count, leading to a feud between the two? The mission is accomplished. He has been introduced to the TNA audience. Make him a wrestler.

Kongtarage Tension: Didn't this team just form? And, now they are already fighting amongst themselves? This isn't the first time that we've seen TNA force tension into a team or a faction early in its conception. They tend to rush these things. They don't sufficiently established the team before they break them up. This is too soon for Sojourner Bolt to be at odds with Awesome Kong.

Team 3D and Rhino: It was nice to hear Rhino deliver a soft spoken interview for a change. It was also nice that he didn't treat Lauren with disrespect. Brother Ray got in a humorous line early about once tearing an ab doing crunches. But, this was still a bad scene. Maybe there is a reason why Rhino yells so much. I understand that he was trying to be serious and trying to make the main event seem like a very solemn and dangerous occasion. But, it was boring. It almost put me to sleep. Brother Ray's promo was fine, but then the scene turned way too silly with the talk about going to a strip club and Brother Devon's fetish for large women.

Empty Arena Brawl: TNA didn't do a very good job of explaining why this was happening at all. Other than the fact that Kurt Angle and Sting hate each other, why did it have to be in an empty arena? If Angle just wanted to beat up Sting, why wouldn't he go to his house? He knows where he lives. He stalked his family before, and threatened to do the same to Jeff Jarrett. So, why even wait to see if Jarrett would allow it? Why not just go kick his ass? They tried to make it feel like a special event, but it didn't work. I also can't be the only one who thinks it was ridiculous that Kurt Angle came out with his entrance music, from under the stage, with his pyro. That was terrible under these circumstances. Angle begging for forgiveness was weak. I thought the arena was supposed to be empty, but then Scott Steiner and Kevin Nash were there. And security too? So much for the concept of an empty arena. This "match" had a very anticlimactic ending. It just didn't work.

Jon Mezzera is PWTorch.com's Hits & Misses Specialist, providing his point of view for Raw, Smackdown, ECW, and TNA Impact each week. Email him at jmezz-torch@sbcglobal.net.

For another view from the original Hitlist author, compare Jason Powell's views to mine by visiting prowrestling.NET's "Hitlist" section here.

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