Email This Article - Contact Us - VIP Sign-Up - Back to Home Page

|

James Caldwell, Torch Assistant Editor (3.0)

Everyone has weighed in on the opening segment with Dixie Carter telling the TNA roster, staff, writers, cameramen, sound guys, and catering department to "love it or leave it." I believe the one moment that captured the entire scene was TNA World champ A.J. Styles leaning on his fist while appearing to be completely bored or disinterested. It's obvious why he would be disinterested. How many times has TNA said they're going to hit the reset button...in the last month? First, it was the youth movement, then it was Hulk Hogan, now it's Dixie Carter laying down her law and telling everyone to fall in line behind her endorsement of a horrible wrestling product.

TNA's wrestling product is absolutely horrendous. Somehow, the writing crew has snake-charmed Carter into believing they're heading down the right path. I've never seen such a waste of talent on a wrestling show. Matches don't matter because there are run-ins, referee incompetence, other shenanigans. Even when there are clean finishes, there is always - always - an immediate post-match happening to completely erase the meaning and significance of the fall during the match. It's borderline insane that this is allowed to occur on a weekly basis.

As for the storylines, they are beyond incomprehensible. I have given up on Mick Foley and Abyss. It wasn't bad enough Foley keeps turning heel and face, but then Foley cut a promo basically saying everything he said during the build-up to the Bound for Glory match was a bunch of lies to the fans. He's a fraud, a bamboozler, and a snake. But, be sure to cheer him because he's just another veteran who took a bunch of bumps in a previous era and is trying to live off the legacy of those bumps.

And then there's the usual batch of unintentional comedy on the show. Where do you start? The TNA security is so horrendous that it's comical. I can't help but laugh every time they appear on my screen because they carry no authority and appear to be completely useless. Then, there was Kurt Angle forcing a cough with every sentence during a phone call in the middle of Desmond Wolfe's segment. Leave it to TNA to kill his gimmick by taking the "Wolfe" aspect of his gimmick name and creating all sorts of "wolf" references. He was fine just as Desmond Wolfe! Why change it? It's over-kill marketing.

Greg Parks, PWTorch.com Contributor (5.0)

Let's start with the British Invasion's track outfits. As Jerry Seinfeld would say, what's the deal with them? Did they really need matching outfits? The Daniels-Styles-Joe triangle is mildly intriguing. The Beautiful People don't nearly have the momentum they once did, thanks in part to them having to book around Lacey Von Erich doing ANYTHING in the ring. I've kind of zoned out on all of Foley's stuff, thanks in part to his constant turns.

I didn't think Angle's constant coughing was as bad as James did, but it wasn't great. It should be interesting to see if TNA can get Wolfe's clothesline over as a legit finisher (outside the Impact Zone, that is). I don't care for Rhino, and his will-they-or-won't-they angle with Team 3D doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense. I was surprised that, rather than the Styles-Joe segment, ended things. Sad to see Homicide used as enhancement talent, but they need to get Lashley over more. Hamada and Tara was a real good four minute match.

Curtis Shanks, PWTorch.com Contributor (5.5)

This week's show started off strong. The company meeting clip to start the show was done well. I am a fan of making your product seem more realistic without acknowledging it's fake. It gave us a different view of Dixie Carter, and let's us know she's the one in charge. It's got to be a tough time for TNA wrestlers because of the uncertainty surrounding their TV time, their pushes, and even their jobs. But Dixie did have some good points that should be focused on. I hope these guys can pull together like she said and bring this company to another level.

The three-way exchanges between A.J., Daniels and Joe have been well-written. Some of the Styles attacks seem a little corny, but on paper this feud is great. We know Daniels' motives and his side of the story, and we know A.J.'s side of the story. No clear-cut babyface, that's up for the viewers to decide. In certain situations (like this one) that is a great approach. Samoa Joe is great in his role as well, as I like the manipulative mind-games Joe more than the yelling all the time Joe.

The rest of the show just sort of went down hill though. Desmond Wolfe, what happened to all your momentum? The Beautiful People segments are what TNA needs to do less of. I'm a fan of the characters in the group, but their material has been sub-par lately.

I am intrigued with the Rhino and 3D storyline, but that should not have ended the show. Styles, Joe and Daniels - your three world title participants in two weeks - should have ended Impact this week. Instead we get Rhino, 3D, Hernandez and Matt Morgan as our last image. Last I checked, not one of these five guys is even scheduled for a match at the next PPV yet.

Send feedback on this article to pwtorch@gmail.com and we'll regularly publish reader feedback in the "Torch Feedback" category on the Main Listing.

For more BREAKING NEWS on WWE, TNA!
VISIT OUR AFFILIATE - PROWRESTLING.NET

For UFC & MMA NEWS & BLOGS:
VISIT OUR SISTER SITE - MMATORCH.COM

Upgrade to PWTORCH VIP: DETAILS & SIGN-UP INFO

(c) 1999-2009 TDH Communications Inc. - All rights reserved.