By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

TNA Impact drew a 1.0 rating last Thursday, up from the 0.9 the week before. The peak ratings came during Q4 and Q5 (1.11 for both) which included, no surprise, Awesome Kong, in her latest fan challenge. The second highest rating came for the main event featuring Christian Cage & A.J. Styles vs. Team 3D (1.08). The lowest rating came, no surprise, for the World X Cup tag match featuring Daivari & Tyson Dux vs. The Motor City Machine Guns. The other low point was Q6 (1.01) which featured the end of Kaz vs. Alex Koslov in another World X Cup preview match, plus a Tough Cut on Matt Morgan's high school basketball career and a Dutt-Lethal skit.

KELLER'S ANALYSIS: The World X Cup is not going to be a strength of the show in terms of ratings as long as the X Division is demeaned and diminished for months and years before they introduce the concept. Add to it a lack of familiarity with any of the characters of a sense that what's happening in the ring matters and it's logical to expect some viewers to flip away for a few minutes. Of course, some fans love great athleticism and are excited as Mike Tenay, but most viewers want athleticism, context, an attachment to the characters involved, and a sense that what happening matters in the big picture. The World X Cup delivers only athleticism, but none of the rest. Ideally, the X Division year-round would be treated as an equal of the heavyweight division, it's character would get as much attention and prestige in how they're treated, would be protected from looking small or treated like jobbers. Then the concept of international superstars coming for a showcase annual challenge could be a draw.

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