TNA Reaction Report
October 28, 2010
Aired on Spike TV - Official episode #11 (pilot aired 4/12)
By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

TNA Impact was scheduled to run three minutes past the top of the hour and the main event "chain match" between Jeff Jarrett and Matt Morgan, followed by the post-match happenings went 13 minutes past the top of the hour. To begin the "Reaction hour," TNA previewed what's to come tonight involving Fortune, Matt Morgan, Jeff Hardy, and Mickie vs. Tara, and cut to a commercial break.

[Q2]

[Commercial Break]

Jeff Hardy: New heel Jeff Hardy said he has no regrets turning his back on the old Jeff Hardy. He said he would ask that guy what he was thinking destroying himself for the fans. He said he's the type of role model he wants to be now. ... Mr. Anderson has a re-match against Hardy at Turning Point. Eric Bischoff interjected his political views to knock Anderson as a non-threat to Hardy. He said he was on a tour with Hulk Hogan and Anderson in Australia and was impressed with Anderson. He said that because they had respect for Anderson doesn't mean Anderson has the ability to be close to Hardy's level.

Last week: Hardy with the chair shot of doom on Anderson, opening him up with a nasty cut. They rolled footage of Anderson's head being stitched up afterward. Hardy said Anderson experienced a turning point when he bashed his brains in. He said he wouldn't be surprised if Anderson doesn't make it to Turning Point. Back to Bischoff, who said he believes it's a "leap of faith" to suggest Hardy intentionally tried to inflict pain on Anderson. He said accidents happen. Are these injuries intentional? Bischoff said too many people in TNA are paranoid. He talked in vague terms about "fighting for a spot on the card" and said there's too much thought on conspiracy theories.

Back to Hardy, who said people laughed when Anderson said he was an a-hole. He said back in the day, people wouldn't have cared if Anderson got his head bashed in. Hardy said he's not planning to back down and the chair shot on Anderson "wasn't fake." Back to Bischoff, who put over Hogan "crawling off a hospital bed" against doctor's orders to be at Bound for Glory to take care of business. Bischoff mocked concussions to continue playing up Bischoff being behind the times, or something like that, and said Hogan has "set the bar" for enduring physical stress. The voice-over man asked if Anderson has the fortitude to make it to Turning Point.

Up next: Tara talks about being released by WWE. Jarrett talks about founding TNA.

[Commercial Break]

[Q3]

Sit-down interview: Tara said she believes there could be "some truth" to Mickie James getting her released from WWE. She said she had two years left on her deal, but is happier in TNA. Mickie said she's living in the moment. Tara said the first time she saw her backstage was surprising. She said she stereotyped Mickie as a "typical Diva," while she considers herself as a wrestler. Mickie said she has some unfinished business with Tara. They recapped Mickie and Tara brawling to start Impact, then the Beautiful People jumping both of them. Back to Mickie, who said Tara had it coming getting hit by a trash can.

Impact backstage: Tara said Mickie is trying to "take her spot." Madison Rayne complained as Sarita backed them up. They cut to Mickie walking around backstage saying she used to respect Tara, but now that's out the door. Back to Tara "outside of the ring" saying Mickie is self-promoting and backstabbing. Back to Mickie "outside of the ring" talking about politics and looking out for number one. Tara then talked about their upcoming match at Turning Point and said she has some MMA training to utilize. She talked up Mickie "the wrestler" and said she had a chance to "work with her" in the past. Tara said it's going to be a brawl at Turning Point that she plans to dominate.

Up Next: Jarrett talking about PPV buys, ratings, selling tickets, etc. This is officially the most frustrating show ever trying to push this phony "worked shoot" narrative.

[Commercial Break]

Fortune feature: Ric Flair assembled an all-star cast and seemed unstoppable until what happened at the end of Impact. Cameras caught up to an upset Jarrett saying he's not going to narrate the whole thing. A.J. Styles said Morgan is a cancer and they took care of him tonight. James Storm said Morgan tried to work outside the group. Morgan said the wrestlers know his feelings on concussions. He said it's a major issue and as a pro athlete, it's up to him to dictate safety. Jeff Jarrett said they think it's a little boy's game. Jarrett said he's in it for keeps.

From a sit-down setting, Morgan said that back in Flair's day, they didn't have this research. He said they have the research now. Now, he can fault the younger wrestlers his age who don't do the right thing. Morgan said they're too worried about "their spot" in TNA. They cut to Robert Roode saying Morgan made a mistake. Kazarian said Morgan was a hired insurance policy and they're looking at the Core Four of Kaz, Styles, and Beer Money.

Doug Williams was heard from. Williams said he backs Morgan on his point and said he admires him for taking that stance. He said that as soon as he decided to speak up, Flair made a decision to get the group in order. Williams said he doesn't believe he's been allowed a chance to showcase himself while standing in the background. He said he wanted to bring that to Flair's attention. Back to the Core Four complaining. Williams said he just wanted to have a chance to show what he can do. Back to the Core Four complaining. Back to Williams, who said only time will tell if he gets a spotlight opportunity. Morgan said this concussion issue is bigger than all of them and he'll be donating his brain to the Sports Legacy Institute.

[Q4]

Backstage after Impact: Morgan said those "vanilla midgets" in Fortune should have killed him when they had a chance after the chain match. Morgan said he's going to prove he's the main stud in Fortune. He said Flair picked him first. Morgan said he didn't go out to the ring to have a match with Jarrett; just to talk and stand up for what's right. Morgan said he thought he made sense with Jarrett until Jarrett landed a sucker punch. He said there are other guys in the locker room who respect him a whole lot more after he stood up for the concussion issue.

[Commercial Break]

Impact Player of the Week: Mickie James. Mickie, from a studio setting, said she grew up watching Georgia Championship Wrestling with her dad and little brother. They showed photos from Mickie growing up, followed by older TNA clips from early in her career. Mickie said she's determined to keep pushing herself. She said she's come "full circle" from the beginnings of TNA to what the company has become now. Mickie said the biggest rush for her is standing in front of the curtain before hearing the roar of the crowd. Regarding the TNA Knockouts division, she said she's a force to be reckoned with. Mickie said she came back to TNA to take the TNA Knockouts Title.

The Shore recap: They replayed JWoww's comments on The Shore copying them and asked whether JWoww is coming back to settle the feud with Cookie. They cut to Cookie and Robbie E. saying there's no way JWoww is coming back because she's out of her element. They cut to Jay Lethal saying he can get down and dirty if that's what it takes to retain the X Division Title. Lethal told the camera to deliver a message to Robbie he just wants to know what the rules are for their match at Turning Point.

Up next: RVD talks about his accomplishments thus far in TNA.

[Commercial Break]

[Q5 -- passing the midnight EST hour]

Next week on Impact: It all comes down to "this." They cut backstage at Impact with Jeff Jarrett saying Fortune is where the money is selling PPVs and tickets. He said that "tub of goo" Samoa Joe can't sell one ticket. Styles said they are the workhorses. Jarrett said Kazarian has been "held down," then "went up North" to find out the politics are worse than here in TNA. He said Robert Roode is a future World champ and James Storm has been part of two top tag teams in TNA.

RVD said he's not necessarily proud of TNA, but it's the best place to be in the wrestling industry. RVD said Jeff Hardy not only almost ended his career, but almost ended his life. He said it's "very personal" with Hardy and now it's in a negative way. RVD said he's going after Hardy. They cut to Hardy saying he doesn't worry about anyone other than himself. Hardy said these are likely the last years of his wrestling career.

Back to Bischoff talking about brands and characters regarding Hulk Hogan. He said Flair is the best in-ring wrestler to help build the foundation with Hogan. Bischoff said they don't need anyone else, but they can find others who can bring something more contemporary or vibrant to the group. Bischoff said their phones have been ringing off the hook and a lot of people want to be part of the group. The show went off the air three minutes past the top of the hour.

FINAL THOUGHTS: It's a whole lot of talk about nothing. Positive things like Matt Morgan coming across like a sympathetic babyface promoting concussion awareness and being the first active wrestler to really acknowledge he's donating his brain to SLI are completely lost in the shuffle with all this non-sense talk about "characters" and "drawing money" and "brands" and "working with someone in the ring" and "politics" and "backstabbing" in the context of a televised wrestling show. It's just a mess.

It's unfortunate the wrestling content on Impact continues to take a backseat when this Reaction show could enhance the wrestling product by focusing on the consequences and ramifications of what happens bell-to-bell inside the ring. The only real hint of that this week was Jay Lethal talking about his match against Robbie E. setting up the PPV. Unfortunately, that took a backseat to Cookie vs. JWoww.

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