SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
HITS
Leon Slater’s resoundingly enthusiastic opening promo and ring awareness
Slater just exuded enthusiasm and confidence in his show opening, in-ring promo. His energy is infectious and the crowd is strongly behind him. The only critique that I would have is maybe slow down a bit and change the volume throughout his promos when it is called for. I liked that Slater called out Nic Nemeth for trying to get into his head with the comment about his absent Father (have we ever been introduced to this fact before?) and for knowing that Ryan Nemeth was waiting behind him and trying to get the jump on him.
I always prefer my babyfaces to look smart. I’m also glad that Santino forbade any contact between Slater and Nic Nemeth until Bound for Glory, but I hope that holds true to that order. Of course, the get-around is that Ryan Nemeth can still do Nic’s bidding. I hope that Ricky Sosa is the one to level the playing field for Slater when the numbers game comes into play.
Indi Hartwell is finally given her Knockouts Title match against Xia Brookside at Bound for Glory
I’m curious to see if this stays a singles match between Indi and Xia Brookside at Bound for Glory. I think that I would actually prefer that this stays a singles match and that Indi is treated as the resilient underdog opposite of Brookside between now and the PPV. I would imagine that it will stay a singles match now that Elayna Black is tied up with challenging for the Knockouts TV Title.
Joseph Sawyer and Samuel Shaw being in TNA
I enjoyed these two as a tag team when they were in WWE in the Wyatt Sicks and I think that their ability and characters will fit well in the TNA environment. I wasn’t a huge fan of their debuting storyline and debut entrance (as you’ll see in my misses section) but them being in TNA is an overall net positive for the company that is strongly lacking in both tag divisions. This adds some strong depth and it makes sense for the new duo to take the tag titles off of the Hardys at Bound for Glory. The only issue is how do they get the tag belts on the Hardys between now and Bound for Glory now that the Hardys know that the Nemeths weren’t the mystery attackers? What would justify another tag title match in that three to four week period? I’m curious what the Hardys meant when they ended the show telling Sawyer and Shaw to “prepare to go to war”? Is that a specific match or just a general statement?
Ricky Sosa helps even the odds for Elijah against Eddie Edwards and the System
I thought that Ricky Sosa evening the odds for Elijah against Eddie Edwards leading to Elijah upsetting Edwards was a smart move. This will enrage Edwards further and make the match between him and Sosa feel more personal at Bound for Glory. Even though I’m not the biggest Elijah fan, if he’s going to remain a credible gatekeeper, he needs to get quality wins on Impact every once in a while.
Elayna Black redeeming herself with a win to qualify for a Knockouts TV Title match
I think that Elayna Black just needs to defeat M by Elegance and take the Knockout TV Title off of her in their first match. The title already feels lesser being in the Elegance Brand and TNA can’t afford another hapless title like both tag titles have been for months. I like the idea of Black holding a mid-card title. It can be a pathway for her to reach for bigger things after Bound for Glory.
Triple Threat Main Event for the International Title delivers
Unsurprisingly, the Triple Threat match for Mustafa Ali’s International Title was high-energy and high-drama. Perhaps, a few too many finisher kick-outs and lack of subtlety between moves for me but this match out-shined those small critiques. The fluidity and continuity of moves was a masterclass and the timing and athleticism was on another level. With Ali retaining, I don’t believe that this is the blowoff between the three. There will likely be another Triple Threat iteration (with a stipulation) at Bound for Glory.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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MISSES
The Hardys demand that the attackers “show themselves”
Why would the viewers believe that the mystery attackers would reveal themselves simply because the Hardys demanded it when they’ve been running rampant for weeks without consequence and evidently successfully completing what they set out to do?
It was a poor hook to begin with and then hokey video board and lighting malfunction that opened up the Hardys to be attacked by the former Joe Gacy (Joseph Sawyer) and Dexter Lumis (Samuel Shaw) was not the best way to introduce them, in my opinion. Hannfin also referenced buzzards and said “they’re here.” These were references to their WWE character that a new or strictly TNA viewer would not likely understand. In my opinion, it seems a bit too early to debut the former Wyatt Sicks members?
I would’ve waited until the go-home Impact episode or at Bound for Glory itself with more hints added, along the way. Also, why is management and security perfectly okay with a renegade group attacking people for weeks and then taking over production to make a surprise entrance and attack on the Hardys?
Indi Hartwell asking Daria Rae who even gave her authority and Santino needing to film an assault?
This is the question that I’ve been asking since I started fully covering TNA on the AMC debut back in January and I am certain that’s what most new viewers between now and then have thought, as well. Who gave Daria Rae (and Santino, for that matter) their authority? Is there some secret board? Is it Carlos Silva? Is it Delirious the booker? This thought of this looming, ominous figure has often taken me out of storylines because the logic gap is so evident.
Also, why would Santino need to film, on his phone, Daria slapping Indi when it was already being filmed by the actual TNA programming TV cameras? Are we to believe that there are mystery cameras floating around in the back, at any time, waiting to film potentially important interactions across every arena they tape in? Are those mysterious, ominous background figures who have empowered Santino and Daria going to punish Daria now? Where is this going?
It’s frustrating to me because I like Indi but this dumb booking has me taking her less seriously and it’s not her fault, at all. Also, we learn later that apparently Daria has been blocking Santino from granting Indi her Knockouts Title match at Bound for Glory? Why does she have more power than Santino? Yet another unanswered question. And then Zoey Serrano is caught, once again, on the random backstage camera speaking to Daria Rae and promising to do her dirty work. Since that is broadcast for the entire audience to see (and presumably the board) shouldn’t that worsen Rae’s punishment?
Ryan Nemeth being in (and winning) a qualifying for the X-Division Title at Bound for Glory
What has Ryan Nemeth done, recently or ever, to deserve a qualifying match for the X-Division Title match at Bound for Glory? Also, I had barely even heard of his opponent KJ Orso? Why does what is essentially a jobber deserve an X-Division Title match? These are the questions that I wish the mysterious “board” would answer.
Why are they making John Skylar look like a dweeb?
John Skylar stood up to Mustafa Ali this week defending Mila Moore after she insulted his looks and said that she would never date a guy like him, last week. Are they trying to make him look like a weak loser that lacks a spine? If so, they’re doing a great job. The fact that Moore turned around her opinion of Skylar in one week and he ate it up hook-line-and-sinker is even worse.
We aren’t invested in the Skylar-Moore story because it’s so prosperous so no one cared when they quit Ali and Order 4. I believe they went through with the half-baked “love” angle because they couldn’t think of a better way to disband Order 4 and it needed to happen before the main event tonight. Lazy, lazy booking.
What is the point of the Righteous and BDE-Rich Swann feud?
The Righteous have beaten the tar out of BDE and Swann for weeks now to seemingly no end and yet they still persist at recruiting them to become part of their “flock”? Why would they even want these losers? They lose week-after-week and seem to have no passion to work with the Righteous. Also, way too much time was allocated to a “Tornado tag team match” that amounted to zero story advancement. I just want this “feud” or whatever it is to be over.
Why mention that random security guards were beaten and injured during the injury report?
We have like 30 authority figures on this show yet none of them are capable of actually reprimanding the beat down of innocent, hourly security guards who ostensibly did nothing wrong? The lack of structure is jarring here.
Moose interacting with AJ Francis (again)
I feel as though TNA, far too often, simply recycles grudges and feuds because they don’t have anything of stronger quality, from a creative perspective, to give to specific wrestlers. I particularly felt this way when Moose and AJ Francis faced off backstage tonight, similar to their interaction a few weeks ago. Francis has been improving but he regressed a bit tonight with his nonsense name dropping.
No one believes he’s as famous as he is covering Monday Night Football, College Football and bringing in “Dude Wipes” to TNA. It’s so unbelieve that it doesn’t’ bring heat on him, it brings heat on the company because it comes across as them seeming desperate for pop culture relevance. We also got yet another butt-poop joke for the week. This is becoming like the “Bitch-o-Meter” in WWE and AEW.
