By Curtis Shanks, Torch specialist

Welcome to the TNA Impact edition of Under the Microscope. We're here to review all those little observations and tidbits you may have missed. This is not a detailed recap of the show, but a review for those of you that saw the show but didn't actually "watch" it.

After last week, we know that Jeff Jarrett is a family man, Scott Steiner is the "modifier" between Jenna and Sharmell, and Foley is not a fan of the old Nashville Asylum. But what else is there to notice? Let's see what we can spot. Cue the opening pyro.

Have you forgotten that Sabin and Shelley are the IWGP Junior Hvt. Tag champs? Ring announcer Dave Penzer hasn't. The straps haven't been mentioned much in the past month as most of the focus is on Team 3D's belts and their tournament. The MCMG, Lethal Consequences, and Suicide/Daniels made their way to the ring for a three-way tag match as Penzer announced the following match is "a non-title match-up." It actually took me a second to realize what titles Penzer was referring to. Despite the lack of importance put on the belts by TNA, it's nice to see they still exist and haven't been merely forgotten.

Samoa Joe turned into a kidnapper last month, as he grabbed Sharmell from ringside and left the arena with her as the show faded to black. Nothing was really explained, as Sharmell returned with no ill effects from the abduction. I criticized TNA for their lack of storyline follow-up to the Sharmell situation, but they still haven't improved in that department.

It was strike two this week, as Eric Young was back in the Impact Zone to face Sting. Young faced Samoa Joe in a match last week that was more of a squash match than anything. Following the finish of the match, Joe carried Young backstage and proceeded to throw him in the trunk of a car. That was the last we saw of either man until this week, when Young was talking to Jeff Jarrett backstage. Like Sharmell, it was business as usual for EY with no explanation or ramifications from the Samoa Joe abduction. He may be known as the Nation of Violence, but Samoa Joe has to be the least effective kidnapper in history.

After missing last week due to filming a movie role, Kurt Angle was back this week and he was looking for Sting. We saw two backstage segments where Angle was unable to locate Sting before he finally tracked him down. Angle is a smart man, as he found Sting in a very logical place. The confrontation between the two took place just before the ring entrances of the EY-Sting match, but did not occur in a hallway, a locker room, or the backstage interview set. Angle found Sting in the guerrilla position at the bottom of the entrance tube. Makes sense that Sting would be there right before he is due for a match. Nice work Detective Angle.

The "Denver Debacle" has dominated the wrestling news throughout the week. While this is a WWE story, I would be remiss if I did not mention it, as I am one of those unlucky fans who held a ticket to the Denver Raw who now has nothing to do on Memorial Day aside from the stereotypical barbecue. Raw was in Denver last Memorial Day as well, the first time in five years. It may now be another five years before I get the chance to see WWE TV in person. I'm not mad at WWE, or even the Denver Nuggets. I'm just upset that I may miss something memorable. It's always cool to say "I was there" for any landmark in wrestling, no matter how small. Last year's Raw in Denver gave us the announcement of McMahon's Millions as well as the TV debut of Ted DiBiase, Jr.

There are plenty of fans in the Colorado area who will go without their wrestling fix now that all three dates (Loveland, Denver, and Colorado Springs) are history. TNA could capitalize and increase some of their ticket sales, as they will be presenting a house show in Pueblo, Colorado next Friday and a show just north of the border in Cheyenne, Wyoming on Saturday.

The hype for this week's show on the TNA website and through TNA mobile hyped the "quadruple main events" with four matches involving each of the participants in the Sacrifice world title match. While this pre-show hype contradicted the fact that Mick Foley apparently made the decision on the spot to start the show, it also devalued the X Division wrestlers. We got our four main events, but there was only one other match on the show - the opening three-way tag match. Doesn't do much to boost the X Division when every match on the show is a main event except for their match.

What did the name-drop counter catch this evening? Sting's quick confrontation with Angle gave us six "Kurts." Jarrett and Foley did their best in the opening segment to best Sting, as Foley gave us 12 "Jeffs" and Jarrett gave us ten "Micks" and one "Foley." While the name-drop counters were in full swing, I did not catch one instance of a bleep on this week's show. That's bleeping odd for an episode of Impact.

Numbers crunched harder than an unprotected chair shot to the head: a great ring name is important for a wrestler in the business today. Promotions like for the name to be easily recognized, easy to chant, and cool-sounding. Many of us go through our lives with a name that is not easy to remember and lacks that certain "cool" factor. This lead me to wonder, just how many performers on wrestling TV today are using their real names when they step into the ring?

When we think of wrestling rosters, we usually think of just the in-ring performers who compete in matches on a routine basis. But there are other characters such as referees, announcers, and authority figures who we see on a weekly basis. They can undergo a name change just as easily as a main event wrestler or rookie coming up from developmental. Looking at all the TV personalities for the two companies, stage names are used far more often than given names.

In WWE, 39.0 percent of the on-screen characters are using their real names (whether it be a full name of a first name only in the case of talents such as Melina or Maria). TNA is strikingly similar, as 38.8 percent of the TV characters are using a name that can't be trademarked. While the overall numbers are close, WWE's three shows vary. When looking at how many talents use their real names, Smackdown is at 45 percent, Raw 36 percent, and ECW only 23 percent.

There is also quite a bit of disparity when looking at the female wrestlers too. 10 of 18 divas use a real name in WWE, while TNA has only two Knockouts (Christy Hemme and Jacqueline) that do not use a fake name.

The TNA Microscope will be going on a two-week hiatus next week. It's summer vacation time, but I will return for the June 11 edition of Impact. I'm not taking time off to rehab an injury or film a movie. This is not a "Sim Snuka" situation where Creative has nothing for me. And this is NOT a suspension resulting from a Wellness Policy violation, just a simple vacation. See you in two weeks!

Curtis Shanks is a self-described wrestling nerd. Who else understands what Matt Striker is talking about all the time. Feedback is welcome, as comments, suggestions and questions can be sent to Curtis at curtisshanks.torch@gmail.com or in the comments section below.

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