By Chris Reed, Torch specialist

-- 9/3 TNA IMPACT HITS & MISSES

Last week's Impact seemed to hit a major stall. We got some pushes of some of the usual youth movement within the show, but overall the wheels just seemed to spin for no reason. This week's Impact showed us some more of the same Misses, but still had some Hits as well.

IMPACT HITS

A.J. Styles vs. Chris Sabin: Speed, crispness, execution, story-telling, moves that looked devastating, and a finish that had the crowd on its feet. This, ladies and gentlemen, is how you book a great wrestling match. Styles and Sabin have worked together in the ring in the past, and you could tell that these two were comfortable working in the ring. By far and away this match was the highlight of this show. Does anyone else remember when matches of this caliber were the status quo in TNA?

A.J. Styles vs. Doug Williams: Yes, it is possible for one man to have two hits within the same show, especially when that one man is The Phenomenal A.J. Styles. I've said it before that he brings it over and over again in the ring, and this week he did it twice in one show. Williams also gave a great effort, including in his earlier match with Suicide, giving both him as a character as well as the whole British Invasion/World Elite group a push upwards in the minds of the audience. I've said it before that Styles is probably the best overall athlete in TNA right now, and he showed tonight that he is worthy of another World Title run.

IMPACT MISSES

Sojo Bolt and Hamada vs. Christy Hemme and Tara: Snore. As good as Hamada looked last week in her Hardcore match with Daffney, she looked out of place in this tag match. There was no explanation for why she was teaming with Sojo, and the kick she delivered to her opponent that was showing respect should have been an instant heel-turner, but it was just frowned upon by the crowd. When I predicted the failure of the Knockouts Tag Team Title recently, I somehow knew that matches as bad as this one would be delivered. I would like to point out that I was right, thank you very much.

Homicide and Hernandez Split Forecast: At this point, it's just a matter of time. When Homicide faced Hernandez this week, you could see the frustration in his face after the loss. And just how did Eric Young get access to Homicide's gear in order to disguise himself as Homicide? The only answer that I can see is one of those famous Vince Russo swerve jobs involving a Homicide turn. And that's just sad. LAX has been one of the best and most popular tag teams in the business, and TNA is just going to shoot themselves in the foot with this. Hopefully it will give Homicide another push, but I'm just sad to see the break-up of LAX.

Too Much Reliance On The Brawl: When Impact had the locker-room-clearing all-out brawl in the middle of the show a few weeks back, it was fresh, original, and designed to keep people watching the rest of the show. This week, we get yet another brawl, this one at the end of the show, with the all-too predictable ending of the heels standing tall at the end. And this brawl really didn't do too much to advance any of the angles that have been slowly developed over the past few weeks. And it really didn't do anything to help any emotion or excitement of the show.

Chris Reed is a PWTorch Specialist covering TNA Impact with a weekly Hits & Misses column. You can currently listen to his exclusive interview with Homicide and Hernandez in the Torch VIP Audio section.

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