-- 1/17 TNA Genesis PPV Reax

Justin Rishel of Lock Haven, Pa. (9.0): Best Match: A.J. Styles vs. Kurt Angle. Worst Match: Sean Morley vs. Daniels. Personally, I think this PPV delivered on many levels. Yes, it was disappointing that Ken Anderson was the "major acquisition," but I'm very glad to see him in TNA and he's a lot better than some of the old-timers they have brought in. The only thing I disliked about this pay-per-view was that the best matches were the ones that they gave away for free two weeks ago on the Monday Impact. TNA needs better feud-building skills to make us want to buy their shows. Hogan and Bischoff at the beginning was a total crowd killer, but unlike the people who have commented here and elsewhere I think the crowd was quite alive for most of the show. On the other hand, I think TNA would serve well in trying to bring PPVs to other cities. It's fine to see the weekly shows in the Impact Zone, but there's no reason that we should have to put up with the PPVs being there. So in the end, the good was Mr. Anderson's appearance, A.J's heel turn, and the fact that I didn't have to sit through a Scott Hall match. The bad: Bobby Lashley, Hulk Hogan, and where did Jeff Hardy go after all the effort they put into bringing him in?

Kevin of N.C. (6.0): Best Match: Styles vs. Angle. I cannot believe TNA got rid of the six-sided ring. That was one thing that made TNA stand out. It is getting old already that most of Hogan's buddies are going to get pushed over the great talent that TNA already has. The A.J. Styles heel turn was the best part of the show. TNA is just reminding me too much of the old WCW when they were starting to die out. Please go back to the old TNA.

David Bryant of Asheboro, N.C., entertainer/producer (8.0): Best Match: Styles vs. Angle. Worst Segment: Hogan tells TNA fans to shove it. This is the first PPV I have purchased since WrestleMania 25. For ten years, I bought each company's monthly PPV, but lately I haven't been as motivated to do so. On January 4, both TNA and WWE re-captured my interest, so I bought this PPV and, overall, I am happy I did. I LOVED the ending to Angle vs. Styles. A conflicted A.J. Styles holding the belt and looking glossy-eyed over the heads of the crowd felt like a classic moment for the history books. Wolfe vs. The Pope was good and was helped even further by Wolfe's chilling statements during his Spin Cycle promo. I loved the great use of psychology surrounding Pope's knee, as it led to some creative maneuvers from Wolfe. I also greatly enjoyed the two out of three falls match for the Women's title and the psychology during the match to play up the idea that a brawler such as ODB wouldn't have the same cardio stamina as a more technical wrestler like Tara. And, when it comes to the debut of Mr. Anderson, I am in the minority because I was not disappointed by his appearance. He is 33, Mr. Money In The Bank 2007, and a former United States Champion. While I am not a fan of Mr. Kennedy because of his personal life, I do think he has things he can bring to TNA's table. All of that said, there were a couple of negative aspects to this program. I think Sean Morley is talented and can contribute something to TNA, but how could the writers not anticipate the audience's reaction to his character? Is sports entertainment good or bad? They need to pick a side on that issue, or better yet drop that issue (since at least some form of Sports Entertainment will be required for decent Spike TV ratings) and re-focus on differentiating themselves from WWE. Instead of being anti-sports entertainment, how about anti-cheap-dumb-lethargic-childish-PG-rated sports entertainment? And finally, there was one other really disturbing moment in this program that I felt just slightly damaged the overall experience. Hogan messed up big time over his response to the "we want six sides" chant. To me, after the awesome AJ Styles vs. Angle match, that is the biggest story coming out of this PPV. The way Hogan reacted was flat out unprofessional. It was disturbing to see Hogan telling the Impact Zone fans that their opinions don't matter one lick. I don't think Hogan really feels that way, but it sure came off as though he did...and it stung. I'm not upset about the change in the ring, but they should have been better prepared with a comment more along the lines of: "Thank you, we value your opinion, but please just give this new ring a try, brother. If you'll give the new ring a shot then we'll give you the most heart and action one can possibly back between these ropes." They certainly should not have had their babyface authority figure telling the diehard TNA fans in the Impact Zone to shove it.

We welcome your 0-10 score and comments on this show for a "TNA PPV Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. Just to add a twist to this feature, include not just your hometown, but also your occupation (mechanic, lawyer, stay-at-home-dad, college student, etc.) so readers get a flavor for what everyone does as "day jobs." To contribute your thoughts on the PPV, click here.

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