TNA IMPACT HITS & MISSES (7/11): Slammiversary developments, Kushida vs. Gresham vs. Mike Bailey, Santino plays routlette, Hendry & Alexander vs. Maclin & Moose, Mustafa Ali, more

TNA HITS AND MISSES
JULY 11, 2024
PHILADELPHIA, PA. AT 2300 ARENA
AIRED ON AXS TV
BY JOHN LASLO, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

(1) JORDYNNE GRACE (c) vs. IZZI DAME — TNA Wrestling Knockouts Title match- HIT

I don’t watch NXT. I might catch the highlights, but Izzi Dame is not someone I’m familiar with. I’m not a fan of her name, feels like a Vince-ism for Dizzy Dame or Ditzy Dame. That said, this was a fun match, Dame really sold Jordynne Grace like a million bucks. However, I did not enjoy the Ash By Elegance in the corner taking up the valuable screen real estate. The Personal Concierge being attacked by Rosemary is possibly the best outcome for Ash By Elegance right now. Rosemary would help raise her profile or at least let Ash by Elegance show her chops.

SANTINO PLAYS ROULETTE – MISS

I like the IDEA of a roulette to choose who would be in the wild card main event, I just really disliked the EXECUTION of the idea. It felt like Santino was reading off cue cards, not what the graphic was. The graphics department did good with the roulette, but it didn’t work for me, I would have rather had an old fashioned bingo cage.

(2) ZACHARY WENTZ vs. CHARLIE DEMPSEY – MINOR HIT

Ok, this match was decent. I would expect nothing less from William Regal’s kid. For a really quick squash match, it was really well performed.

NO QUARTER CATCH CREW BACKSTAGE – MISS

YOU JUST TOLD US ABOUT THE TOUCHING REUNION BETWEEN THREE OF THE FOUR RASCALZ AND THAT THEY HAD A TRIOS MATCH AGAINST THE NO QUARTER CATCH CREW TWO MINUTES AGO!

(3) KUSHIDA vs. JONATHAN GRESHAM vs. “SPEEDBALL” MIKE BAILEY (w/Trent Seven) – HIT

This was a great match, and a really interesting comparisons between styles. Fantastic mat work and flying by all involved. It was a short match with both black ink and green mist, but the canadian with regular spit won. I think this is going to be a match that I’ll come back to in the future.

MUSTAFA ALI AND SECRET SERVICE BEAT DOWN SPEEDBALL – HIT

Look, I’m going to tell you to go back and re-watch this segment, but pay close attention to Mustafa Ali’s and Mike Bailey’s faces. That is the single place that I think that TV wrestling does better than small venue live wrestling- you can really see the wrestler’s put so much into what they are doing with their faces.

STEPH DELANDER’S LOVE LETTER TO PCO – HIT

Ok, I’m a sentimental old fool, but I’m really enjoying this. I have no idea what to make of it, but it’s here, and it’s enjoyable.

(4) A.J. FRANCIS (c) vs. RHINO — TNA Digital Media Title match- MISS

This was a waste of time.

(4) A.J. FRANCIS (c) vs. RHINO — TNA Digital Media Title match 2: Philadelphia Boogaloo. – EVEN BIGGER MISS

This was an EVEN BIGGER waste of time. Honestly, Rhino should have been a big deal at 2300 Arena. This was the worst Philly Street Fight since I ate that bad cheesesteak. Nothing to justify it being a Philadelphia Street Fight, and barely enough stuff to be considered a Street Fight. THE TABLE WAS STILL INTACT AT THE END. It didn’t even get used when PCO showed up at the end!

(5) GISELE SHAW vs. TASHA STEELZ – MINOR HIT

These two could have main evented a PPV or PLE, but here they are doing a quick 5 minute match in the dead middle of the card. They are both directionless right now, and could really use something.

XIA BROOKSIDE BACKSTAGE WITH GIA MILLER – MINOR HIT

Ok, I like this. I think that Xia Brookside is in a good starting position, and a nice feud with Alisha Edwards could nicely elevate them both.

(6) CHRIS BEY (w/Ace Austin) vs. JDC – HIT

This was another short match, yet again showing why ‘The System Works’, JDC managed to make some nice moves, and got to show off his abilities against a high caliber opponent. I think that there will come a reckoning soon for the System.

(7) JOE HENDRY & JOSH ALEXANDER vs. MOOSE & STEVE MACLIN – MINOR HIT

Man, I tried SO HARD to be invested in this match, and I just couldn’t. I love tag wrestling, but I hate random pairings. This was the most random pairing groups of random pairing groups. It was good, I mean everyone in the match is fantastic, but guh, I did not care at all.

FINAL THOUGHTS –  MINOR HIT

This card had some highspots, but it felt like treading water until Slammiversary. I’m dreading the upcoming TNA Impact Go Home Show to be honest.

RECOMMENDED NEXT: TNA IMPACT TV RESULTS (7/11): Lilly’s report on Grace Open Challenge, Dempsey vs. Wentz

OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: TNA Impact results (7/11): Moore’s review of Jordynne Grace defends the Knockouts Title in an open challenge, Charlie Dempsey vs. Zachary Wentz, AJ Francis vs. Rhino for the Digital Media Title