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TNA Impact Reax #1: "I think TNA was trying to get us thinking about Nash possibly turning on Team Cage." Apr 11, 2008 - 1:26:59 AM
Shane McKinley of Danville, Calif. (6.5): Best Match: Angle vs. Joe Video Package. Worst Match: Black Reign vs. Super Eric. When Scott Steiner pulled out the clippers, I had flashbacks to when Raven got his head shaved (one of those wrestling moments that got me queasy). Would you trust the genetic freak with clippers in his hand to shave your head? I'm just relieved that this ridiculous "initation" process is hopefully over. Kudos to both men for keeping a straight face during when Petey was getting zapped. That's one of the main problems with TNA, in that they don't believe that their product can match up. So they keep talking about WCW, which closed it's doors in 2001 (and had the distinction of having actor David Arquette as World Champion) when they should have some history and bring it up. Forget about WCW and focus on your own product. They didn't bring up what Sting and Kevin Nash have done in TNA. It's hard to remember what happened in TNA two years ago, for example. Not much to say about the wrestling tonight, but there was some nice hype for the PPV. Although one could argue that it's been pretty much the same Impact we have seen for the last month, with long-winded Team Cage complaints to start and run-ins to end the show. I'm not sure what to make of Lockdown, and I think that I will wait till it gets reviewed if I decide to order it. The two main events got a whole lot of hype throughout the month, but I don't agree with throwing the rest of the card at the last televised show before the PPV. Better planned show than last week's debacle.
Johnny B of Clifton, N.J. (6.0): Best match: Main event and post-match brawl. Worst match: Super Eric vs. Black Reign. In the final Impact before TNA's Lockdown PPV we opened up with a good segment in which Brother Ray and Christian Cage got to show off their mic skills. The only negatives for the segment were Brother Ray saying Sting and Kevin Nash caused WCW to go out of business and West and Tenay reading their scripted lines during the promos. On a side note, A.J. Styles had a funny line when he said "don't bring it, sing it!" They cut to the back where Samoa Joe was standing by for an interview wearing a suit. I know Joe had a contract signing later in the night but every time Samoa Joe has worn a suit or a dress shirt in TNA, he just looked out of place. In my opinion, suits and dress shirts do not fit the Samoa Joe character. If Joe isn't in his ring gear, he should be dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt. Consequences Creed returned to TNA tonight, he had a fine match with Jimmy Rave. I'm glad TNA decided to get rid of Creed's goofy hat and over-the-top ring attire that he wore at Bound for Glory and toned it down by just going with silver and black tonight. Consequences Creed has great athletic ability and natural charisma, he can be something really special. All of the Petey Williams-Scott Steiner initiation stuff has been stupid; dunking Petey's head in water, electrocuting his nipples, riding on the hood of a car, whipping Petey, etc. just dumb. All that being said, I do like the dynamic between Petey and Steiner, they just need to tone down the silliness (wishful thinking). Petey and Steiner had a good match with The Guns, but I guess Sabin and Shelley are continuing to pay the price with TNA management for not blading, The Guns lose yet again. On a side note, Don West calling Petey Williams "Little Petey Pump" was funny. Next we had a video package recapping Joe and Angle's history; Angle announcement, Angle-Joe Impact confrontation, BFG brawl and their first four matches, well done video. I'm glad TNA decided to end the Joe-Angle contract signing with them in a stare down because it left us wanting more and probably tempted some people to think about ordering the PPV who otherwise wouldn't have. "Super Eric" is such a corny character but it's hard not to smile, chuckle and enjoy it a little because Eric Young does such a good job with it. The "Rough Cut" videos have been very well done and I've enjoyed them but I still don't care to see B.G. vs. Kip. One of the low points of the show was the Sting and Kevin Nash backstage segment. Sting used the term "marking out" (as in Vince Russo marking out for insider terms and Internet fans). Kevin Nash said he wrestles only for money; leaving the segment it was unclear to me if Nash was a babyface or a heel even though he's on Team Cage (a babyface team), I think TNA was trying to get us thinking about Nash possibly turning on Team Cage during or after Lethal Lockdown. The show ended with a good main event with Team 3D taking on Sting and Nash, they gave it some time but it ended in a DQ which lead to a crazy brawl between Team Tomko and Team Cage. The only reason to order Lockdown is for Lethal Lockdown and Joe-Angle V, everything is just multi-person filler. Even though TNA is basically pushing only two matches for Lockdown, this Impact did make me want to see those two matches so that being said, this was a good show.
We welcome your 1-10 score and comments on this show for a "Impact 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 Impact, click here.
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