SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
TNA has been working hard to build a number of high profile storylines culminating in matches at the Bound For Glory show, their biggest event of the year. On the go home episode of Impact last week, TNA recapped the Order 4 dissolution leading to a four-way match for the International Title between defending champion Mustafa Ali, plus Jason Hotch, John Skyler, and Special Agent Zero.
A recap video of the struggles between the Hardys and Syx also aired before the show began. Matt & Jeff Hardy kicked off the show with an in-ring promo.
FEUD: Hardys – Syx / Nemeths – Leon Slater
The opening segment of Impact this week had a lot going on. The Hardys cut a promo to bring out the Nemeths who asked “why won’t you die already, Hardys,” continuing a string of allusions to murder over the last couple of weeks. The Hardys and Nemeths exchanged barbs, highlighted by Matt Hardy declaring Leon Slater would defeat Nic Nemeth for the TNA World Title at Bound For Glory, leading to Slater entering the segment and cut his own promo.
Breakdown: I thought this segment was mostly good. The Hardys’ long-form entrances where they each enter separately, and then together, is becoming a bit grating to me, but alas. Leon Slater obviously shined in the segment. Nic Nemeth was pretty good too, but they are just having to spread Nemeth too thin with the last minute return to the Hardy feud.
Grade: B
Match: TNA KNOCKOUTS TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS ALLIE & KIERRA HOGAN vs. KI VIBES & ALEX GRACIA
Feud: Allie & Kierra Hogan – Zoey Serrano & Shayna Baszler
Allie and Kierra Hogan have been searching for a purpose lately. Before this match against two lesser known talents in Vibes & Gracia, Allie & Hogan encountered Zoey Serrano, who they challenged to a match at Bound For Glory for the Knockouts Tag Team Championship. Allie & Hogan made quick work of the enhancement team in this match before issuing their challenge to Serrano.
Breakdown: Serrano and the later revealed Shayna Baszler, getting a shot at the Knockouts Tag Titles does feel like a step up for the titles, and with just a show’s worth of build for the match, I’m actually intrigued.
Grade: B
MOOSE CUT’S A PROMO, ISSUES AN OPEN CHALLENGE AT BOUND FOR GLORY
Breakdown: After the Dudes Wipes stuff last week, I was curious where Moose would be going into Bound For Glory. I guess an open challenge for Moose works well enough. I am curious if this will be a newly debuting wrestler or someone already on the roster. The promo was fine.
Grade: B
KAZARIAN, ACCOMPANIED BY AVERY STYLES
MATCH: KAZARIAN & ELIJAH & TREY MIGUESL & BEAR BRONSON vs. AJ FRANCIS & BRIAN MYERS & JOE ALONZO & HOMETOWN MAN
Kazarian and Avery Styles, in his debut match with TNA, will both be in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet match at Bound For Glory. On Impact this week, an eight man tag team match would decide the first and last entrants for the Bound For Glory match. After a decent match, Joe Alonzo stole the pinfall over Trey Miguel, set up by AJ Francis.
Breakdown: Honestly, this was a confusing match, as they only showed the entrances of Frankie Kazarian and Elijah, who now has like ten different nicknames during his introduction, for some reason. The teams had a collection of faces and heels, some of which were tag team partners, i.e. Brian Myers & Bear Bronson. Ultimately, I like that TNA gave the rub to Joe Alonzo here, since I think he will definitely not be winning the Call Your Shot. The big storyline out of the match, though, was Avery Styles interfering in the match on behalf of Frankie Kazarian. I like the idea of Styles leaning heel, showing the negative influence of Kazarian, and remain intrigued at how this plays out in the gauntlet match at Bound For Glory.
Grade: C+
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
Check out the latest episode of “Destination Impact” with Zac Clarke and Jerud Buhagiar, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
HARLEY HUDSON/THE RIGHTEOUS VIGNETTE
Seemingly moving on from Rich Swann & BDE, The Righteous set their sights on another very odd fit in Harley Hudson.
Breakdown: Continuing the Righteous’ pursuit of people that seemingly are the most obscure fits in their group, TNA aired a weird vignette from both Harley Hudson’s and the Righteous’ perspective. This was so strange to me; I assume, strongly, that it is a red herring of sorts just building up random storylines to fill time in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet match, but I am not positive about that.
Grade: D
ORDER FOUR CINEMATIC SEGMENT
Feud: Mustafa Ali – Jason Hotch – John Skyler/Mila Moore – Special Agent Zero/Tasha Steelz
The entirety of Order 4 met around a table to air their final grievances to each other heading into their four-way match for the International Title at Bound For Glory.
Breakdown: I am generally not a big fan of the overly-produced cinematic stuff in wrestling, but I thought this was pretty good. I thought all of the former subordinates of Ali shined. I really liked Tasha Steelz. I think they will have an exciting match at the big show. I still like giving Special Agent Zero a run with the title.
Grade: A
KNOCKOUTS TV TITLE MATCH
Feud: M By Elegance (c) – Elayna Black
Elayna Black’s pursuit of gold in TNA continued as she suffered another defeat. M By Elegance became obsessed with the clock late in the match, which would play into the finish with Black pinning Elegance with a two-count when the match reached a time limit draw.
Breakdown: I thought Black and Elegance had a strong match with a bad finish. I get that Elegance is a heel, but the random obsession with the time limit draw as a cheap way to escape defending the title in the ring, is a bad trope, in my opinion.
Grade: C
BACKSTAGE RICKY SOSA PROMO
Ricky Sosa got his opportunity to speak his mind about his upcoming match against Eddie Edwards.
Breakdown: Sosa delivered a great babyface promo here. I have wondered why Sosa has not been given more time on the mic, but he made the most of what he was given in this segment. I really liked this.
Grade: A
BACKSTAGE EDDIE EDWARDS PROMO
Eddie Edwards delivered his response to Sosa’s promo in a similarly formatted segment.
Breakdown: Edwards was also really good in his chance to build his match against Sosa at Bound For Glory. In just one week, TNA put some time in and, at least for me, did a great job adding some intensity and interest in this match. I really hope Ricky Sosa goes over in the feud.
Grade: A
FABIAN AICHNER vs. KC NAVARRO
Ahead of the six man scramble match for the X-Division Championship at Bound For Glory, two of the competitors in that match went head to head on Impact this week. Aichner and Navarro have been allies in past months, and played into some mutual respect, but in the end, Aichner got the definitive win over Navarro.
Breakdown: I was kind of surprised how emphatically Aichner went over Navarro in this match. I am not necessarily upset about that, just a bit confused. Cedric Alexander’s commentary was sometimes decent, but sometimes bad and even counterproductive with some of his comments about Navarro.
Grade: B-
BACKSTAGE WITH ZOEY SERRANO
In this segment, Serrano was on a video call with a person revealed to be Shayna Baszler. Baszler accepted Serrano’s invitation to face Knockouts Tag Team Champions Allie & Kierra Hogan at Bound For Glory.
Breakdown: The Knockouts Tag Titles have been in a weird place for basically the entire year, but this development garnered a significant amount of intrigue from me. I have always been a fan of Baszler, so if she is going to be on TNA TV for a while, I am all for that.
Grade: A
INDI HARTWELL – XIA BROOKSIDE VIDEO PACKAGE
Feud: Indi Hartwell – Xia Brookside
TNA aired a well-produced video package featuring both Indi Hartwell and defending TNA Knockouts World Champion Xia Brookside, who will face off at Bound For Glory for the title.
Breakdown: I felt this was the strongest build to this match that TNA has produced since they have been feuding. I really enjoyed it and I thought that both Brookside and Hartwell were very effective in their roles ahead of this title match. Though Hartwell really harped on her agony of defeat in past pursuits of the Knockouts World Title, I am not feeling very confident about her chances in the match. Brookside has been trending up a bit for me lately, and we will see what TNA feels about that.
Grade: A
TNA TAG TEAM TITLES MATCH
Feud: Nemeths – Hardys – Syx
The Hardys randomly cashed in their obligatory rematch for the tag titles on Impact this week against the Nemeths. The Nemeths retained after the Hardys were distracted by flickering lights and weird noises associated with their new rivals, Syx. Leon Slater, who was on commentary, was attacked while the lights were out, seeming to frame Nic Nemeth, who was barred from touching Slater. The lights went out and returned again, revealing Syx (Joseph Sawyer & Samuel Shaw) had attacked the Hardys as the show came to a close.
Breakdown: I was surprised and a bit flummoxed that the Nemeths retained the tag titles. The presence of the tag titles in the Nemeth-Slater feud, I think, has been a detractor in the build to their World Title match. I thought it was obvious that the reason they did this match was to get the tag titles involved with the Hardys-Syx feud, also, but I was wrong. I remain down on the tag titles being so near the World Title, but perhaps Leon Slater is about to change that.
Grade: D
