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11/10 Kester's TNA Impact Wrestling Live Coverage Review: Jeff Hardy, Mr. Anderson, and a mystery partner vs. Bully Ray, Jeff Jarrett, and Scott Steiner, A.J. Styles vs. Christopher Daniels, Gunner vs. Garrett Bischoff, and more

Posted in: TNA TV Reports, MUST-READ LISTING
By
Nov 10, 2011 - 08:00 PM

By Ryan Kester

Impact Wrestling on SpikeTV
Taped 10/26/11 in Macon, Georgia.


[Q1] The show opened with a video package covering Bobby Roode's turn from last week with a brief promo from both Roode and James Storm.

Roode kicked things off by making his way to the ring with his new music. As he made his way to the ring, Tenay spoke out in disgust while Taz defended his actions.

Once in the ring, Roode jawed with the fans and asked if they were booing or chanting his name. He called the fans morons and he said he killed Beer Money. He asked the fans why they hated him, and asked if it was because they know they would have done the same thing. He called himself the leader of a new generation.

Roode referred to Storm as a stupid son of a bitch. Roode said opportunities like he had only come around so often, and he did what he had to do. Storm showed up on the ramp and tried to get to the ring but security intervened.

When Storm fought his way into the ring, Roode ran like a scolded dog. Sting made his entrance before Roode could make an escape. Sting said that there will be a world title rematch between James Storm and Bobby Roode. Sting started James Storm's catch phrase, and the fans finished it for him.

Backstage, Ronnie from Jersey Shore and Eric Young were shown walking backstage with matching shirts and holding championship bets… [C]

Ryan's Rant: Very well done. I would have preferred to see Roode slowly get to the supreme jerk state instead of going straight from blue collar babyface to absolutely jerk of a heel, but he is obviously more comfortable in this role.

Backstage, Dixie Carter was talking with the Bellator Fighting Championships CEO, Bjorn Rebney.

[Q2] A video package covering Mat Morgan and Crimson and their new rivalry aired.

1. Crimson beat The Pope in 2:37. Pope took control early and nailed Crimson with a DDT and a fist drop.

Pope went back to the top and tried to attack Crimson again, but he jumped right into the Red Sky from Crimson.

Backstage, Gunner talked about how his daddy used to deal with him if he disrespected him. Gunner looked into the camera and told Garrett he was going to teach him a lesson, and that it would be a walk in the park… [C]

Ryan's Rant: Short match, and I was really surprised to see Pope dominate Crimson in such a capacity. If you're really trying to build Crimson as an unstoppable force, why wouldn't he just run through the Pope, who hasn't done anything in a long time?

2. Garrett Bischoff beat Gunner by DQ in 1:30. Gunner jawed with garret to start, and after about a minute walked right into an arm drag from Garrett. Garrett started working over Gunner and Eric Bischoff and Ric Flair jumped in the ring to cause the DQ.

[Q3] Garrett retreated up the ramp while Eric Bischoff and Gunner fought in the ring.

Backstage, a security guard fought with Rob Terry and Robbie E. Eric Young and Ronnie appeared from their dressing room and Ronnie caught Robbie with a cheap shot… [C]

Ryan's Rant: I get the feeling we're going to get a series of quick matches tonight. Should make for a very fast show. This feud still does nothing for me, and I wish they had Gunner doing something other than selling for Garrett.

Backstage, James Storm was found slumped on the floor and covered in blood.

3. Jesse Sorensen defeated Zema Ion in 1:55. Sorensen took control early and hit a springboard cross body to Ion. Ion answered with a tilt-o-whirl facebuster. Ion went to the top and dove, but Sorensen moved.

Sorensen hit his neckbreaker for the win.

Kid Kash came out and mocked Sorensen. He announced that There would be a three-way dance between Austin Aries, Sorensen, and himself at Turning Point for the X-Division Championship. Kash had a contract in his hand and demanded Sorensen sign it. Sorensen did, Kash made a crack about his mother, and Sorensen attacked Kash.

Aries ran out and floored Sorensen with the belt. Kash followed up with a nasty piledriver.

Backstage, Karen Jarrett was fawning over Gail Kim and Madison Rayne.

[Q4]… [C]

Ryan's Rant: I'm enjoying what I am seeing, but these matches are really almost too short to really mean anything. It's like they're trying to cram as much onto this show as possible.

4. Gail Kim and Madison Rayne beat Velvet Sky and Mickie James to retain the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championships in 3:35. Sky speared Rayne to start and immediately began throwing punches.

Both women tagged out and the heels took control. Kim worked her offense on James while staring holes through Velvet Sky.

James hit a neckbreaker on Kim and tagged in Sky, who tore through Kim. She ahd her pinned, bu Rayne got into the match. The match broke down, Karen Got on the ramp, and Kim hit Eat Da Feet on Sky for the win... [C]

Ryan's Rant: Usual Knockout tag fare, but they are doing an excellent job of making Kim looks like an absolute heel. They need a strong heel woman in the Knockouts division, and she is doing a good job so far.

[Q5] Backstage, James Storm and Sting argued over whether or not Storm was fit to compete.

A brief video package covering the Eric Young vs. Robbie E feud aired.

5. Eric Young and Ronnie from Jersey Shore defeated Robbie E and Rob Terry in 4:09. Robbie and Ronnie started the match, but both men immediately tagged out. Young locked up with the referee.

Terry threw Young halfway across the ring then worked a few quick tags with Robbie while they tore down Young. Terry hit a stall suplex on Young. Robbie spat at Ronnie, and he tried to get into the ring several times only to be stopped by the ref.

Young tagged Ronnie into the match, and he hit a few basic moves before hitting a standing splash for the win. For some reason, Young was suddenly without his trunks and standing in the ring in his underwear.

Backstage, Bully Ray and Jeff Jarrett were talking about beating down hardy and Anderson. Steiner showed up to make a poop joke, and Ray told him to take a courtesy flush.

Ryan's Rant: Much like last week, if you're a fan of Ronnie, that was probably a highlight for you. I know nothing about the man, so this just felt like filler for me. I've seen the Young shtick before, so it's entertainment value is pretty well spent.

[Q6] Backstage, Mexican America found Ink Inc. and started to jaw with them. Ink Inc. responded with their fists, and the two factions brawled for a while.

Bjorn Rebney joined the announce team for the following match.

6. A.J. Styles defeated Christopher Daniels in 6:20. The two men took turns early getting in strings of offense. Neither man went for a pin.

Styles fought out of a rest hold of Daniels, and went for a springboard maneuver, but Daniels cut him off. Daniels proceeded to send several kicks to Styles' spine. Daniels followed up with a great springboard moonsault.

Daniels set up for the Angel Wings, but Styles dumped him. Styles hit a springboard reverse DDT for a near fall. Styles hit the Pele Kick, but Daniels got his foot on the rope to break the pin. The fight ended up on the floor and Daniels grabbed a screwdriver.

RVD ran down and took the screwdriver. Daniels turned around and got caught with the Styles Clash. Styles covered him and got the 1-2-3.

Ryan's Rant: Good match, and it made up a bit for the rapid-fire segments on this show. I still say that TNA is better off giving good hype to a few storylines a week rather than trying to cram every possible angle into a show, but that doesn’t change the fact that Daniels and Styles put on a good performance here.

[Q7] The announcers ran through the Turning Point PPV card… [C]

7. Jeff Hardy, Mr. Anderson, and Abyss defeated Bully Ray, Jeff Jarrett, and Scott Steiner in 8:13. Jarrett and Abyss started, but both men tagged out. Scott Steiner and Jeff Hardy entered the match and after sizing each other up, Steiner proceeded to dominate Hardy.

[Q8] Anderson tagged into the match and got hit with a cheap shot by Bully Ray from the apron. The heels began to work quick tags as they beat down Anderson.

Anderson eventually got the hot tag to Hardy, who took out Bully Ray. Hardy went for the Swanton Bomb but got his legs knocked out from under him by Jarrett. Steiner pounced and hit a superplex on Hardy. Ray tagged in and locked hardy in a body scissors.

The heels returned to quick tags as they worked over Hardy, but Jeff caught Jarrett with Whisper in the Wind. Hardy tagged in Abyss, who flattened Steiner and Bully Ray. Abyss made a weird face and hit Jarrett with Shock Treatment.

Ray knocked Abyss to the floor and hardy hit the Twist of Fate and the Swanton Bomb on Ray. The rest of the men hit their finishers on each other, ending with Abyss hitting the Black Hole Slam on Steiner for the win.

The announcer argued over whether or not Bobby Roode attacked James Storm, and Roode made his way to the ring for the main event… [C]

Ryan's Rant: That match was much better than I expected it to be. I know some aren't fans of the series of finishers at the end of multi-man tag matches, but they always serve the purpose of getting the crowd fired up. I can't think of a better thing to do leading into the main event.

James Storm's music played, but he didn't show up. His music played again, and Storm slowly made his way to the ring. For some reason, no one wiped the blood off of his head for the past two hours. Storm ran into the ring.

[Overrun] 8. Robert Roode beat James Storm to retain the TNA Title in 1:47. Storm pounced on Roode, but his injuries quickly caught up to him and he slumped to the mat. The referee stopped the match and a doctor came out saying Storm had a head injury and can't compete.

Roode showed concern and told the doctor to call an ambulance. He helped Storm to his feet with the referee and Roode asked if the match was over. The referee said he never rang the bell, so Roode rolled him up and the referee reluctantly made the count.

Kazarian, Styles, and Sting made a beeline into the ring. Styles demanded to have a match with Roode at Turning Point for the TNA Title, and Sting gave him his wish.

Ryan's Rant: That announcement could not have felt anymore thrown together. It simply doesn’t make sense to announce the main event of the PPV in the overrun of the go-home show. Getting past that, I loved seeing Roode twitch back to his babyface promo voice when he showed concern for Storm, only to switch back to his heelish ways when he realized his title was still at stake. I hope they continue to play up Roode's obsession with the belt going forward as that would make a much stronger, fresher heel than the stereotypical jackass-to-the-bone., and it looks like it would be more of a natural role for Roode to play.

Overall, tonight's show was entertaining and went by in a flash, but this was also the type of show that leaves me feeling exhausted by the end. TNA oversaturates its shows with storylines to the point that things simply get lost in the shuffle.

If you have any questions or comments or just wish to chat with a fellow wrestling fan about whatever, then feel free to email me at ryan.kester@gmail.com, or follow me on Twitter at @TheRyanKester.

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