11/8 Kester's TNA Impact Wrestling Live Coverage Review: Sting and Kurt Angle vs. Aces and Eights, AJ Styles vs. Bobby Roode, and Christian York faces the Gut Check judges

By Ryan Kester

Impact Wrestling on SpikeTV
Aired live from Orlando, Florida.

[Q1] Luke Gallows was admonished by the high-ranking Aces and Eights members. The VP told Gallows he had one week to prove himself.

Todd Kenely and Jeremy Borash welcomed us to the show and ran down the card for the evening. James Storm made his entrance and joined the hour-one broadcasters.

1. AJ Styles vs. Bobby Roode. The two men traded control several times before the first commercial break…

[Q2] [C] Back from the break, Roode went to work wearing down Styles. Styles made his comeback and got a near fall off of a huracarana. Roode came back with a Fisherman's Suplex for a near fall of his own. Roode elected to grab a chair and Storm left the announce table.

Styles jawed with Storm briefly before trying for a springboard maneuver. Rode swept his legs and covered him for the pinfall victory.

Bobby Roode defeated AJ Styles in 14:50

Hulk Hogan and Austin Aries spoke backstage and Hogan warned Aries that if he doesn’t turn over the TNA Title by the end of the show, he will forfeit his rematch for the belt… [C]

Ryan's Reaction: Good opening match. I always enjoy when TNA elects to shake up the format.

Angle gave Wes Brisco a pep talk backstage before Sting showed up and told Angle he wants him to team with him against Aces and Eights tonight…

[Q3] Joseph Park stood in the ring and recounted the events of last week. Park said he still wants his match against Aces and Eights. He asked Hogan to come out and give him a match. Hogan made his full entrance and started to decline Park when Bully Ray made his way to the ring.

Ray cut a babyface promo and urged Hogan to give Park the shot he wanted. Hogan was reluctant, but he eventually told Park yes. Borash noted the match will take place this Sunday…

Tara and Jesse flirted backstage over him defeating ODB last week. ODB showed up and asked to face both of them in a handicap match… [C]

Ryan's Reaction: Tara has been pretty insufferable since the boyfriend reveal. She is way more cartoonish now when she was a good heal. Ray continues to shin on the mic in whatever role TNA puts him in.

Backstage, Styles complained about Storm being on commentary. Storm showed up and promised to kick Styles' face in this Sunday.

[Q4] 2. Tara and Jesse vs. ODB ODB dominated the couple and rolled up Tara for the quick victory.

ODB defeated Tara and Jesse in 2:34

After the match, Jesse struck ODB with a flash and Tara hit her with the Widow's Peak. Jesse poured the flask contents onto ODB before making out with Tara... [C]

Ryan's Reaction: Like I said earlier, I'm not crazy about this story. TNA loves putting men in matches with women, but it really does nothing for me. It's not funny, and it never produces quality wrestling.

ODB called Eric Young and told him to be at the PPV this Sunday so they could face Tara and Jesse…

The Gut Check judges discussed Christian York backstage…

Kurt Angle and Sting made their entrances…

[Q5] [C] 3. Kurt Angle and Sting vs. Devon and DOC (Director of Chaos). Gallows' new name is awful. Sounds like a superhero villain not a wrestler.

Anyway, the match began as an outright brawl. The heels quickly settled into control and worked a series of quick tags to wear down Sting.

Angle eventually got a hot tag and he tore into DOC and Devon. Sting locked DOC in a Scorpion Deathlock but Devon grabbed a bat and blasted both of his opponents for the DQ.

Sting and Kurt Angle defeated Devon and DOC in 6:00 via disqualification.

Bully Ray ran down and floored Devon with a clothesline. Ray grabbed a table and started to set it up but Devon ran off. The rest of Aces and Eights ran out and attacked Sting and Angle and DOC put Sting through the table with a chokeslam.

DOC then beat String with a hammer and smashed his hands. The locker room emptied far too late to chase the group away…

Ryan's Reaction: DOC's name is terrible, but his post-match assault was very effective. I think that name further damages the group as a whole, but I like how brutal DOC came off.

[Q6] [C] Tenay recapped the attack on Sting…

Christian York made his entrance for his Gut Check judging. They did the standard Gut Check opening. York had a chance to speak and he did the stereotypical wrestler yelling bit. Ugh.

Taz said yes. Prichard said yes and York celebrated in the ring. York cut a brief promo about how dreams can come true…

Backstage, Bully Ray and Brooke Hogan were shown separating quickly and Aries was on the hone asking for a loophole… [C]

Ryan's Reaction: I like York. He easily should have been the first to win a Gut Check match. They need to keep him off the mic, but he's good.

Tenay and Taz ran down the card for Turning Point…

Hogan was on the phone backstage saying he needed Sting back as soon as possible. Joey Ryan and Matt Morgan were in his office. Hogan told Morgan that he cannot be in Ryan's corner at Turning Point. Morgan threatened Hogan and Morgan and Ryan departed…

[Q7] [C] 4. Magnus, Christopher Daniels, and Kazarian vs. Samoa Joe, Chavo Guererro, and Hernandez. The faces stormed the ring and quickly overcame the heels. The heels eventually managed to regain control and they focused their assault on Chavo.

[Q8]Joe got a hot tag and he stormed the ring, striking each opponent in turn. Chavo went for a Frog Splash but he was cut off by Magnus. Joe got caught by a double-team maneuver by Daniels and Kazarian, and Magnus put him away with a top-rope elbow drop.

Magnus, Christopher Daniels, and Kazarian defeated Samoa Joe, Chavo Guererro, and Hernandez. In 10:51

Austin Aries was shown walking backstage… [C]

Ryan's Reaction: Good match. Every man got in their spots and the result of the challenger going over the champion was a good call heading into a PPV.

Bobby Roode bragged backstage about how he defeated Styles and made his two opponents at Sunday focus on each other…

Taz and Tenay recapped the attack on Sting again…

Austin Aries came out and called out Jeff Hardy. He said a lot of people call themselves the Best in the World, but he is the Best in the Universe. Aries said Hardy cannot defeat him in a wrestling match, which is why he wants a ladder match. Aries promised to melt down Hardy's version of the belt after Sunday and turn it into a belt buckle.

Aries said he wasn't going to hand the title belt over. He said hardy had to come out and take it from him. Hardy's music hit and he quickly made his entrance. The two men brawled briefly, but Hardy hit a Twist of Fate and Aries ran for the hills. Hardy called down a double hook and he put both belts on the hooks and climbed the ladder.

Hardy posed briefly, but Aries ran down and swept the ladder to cause Hardy to drop to the floor below. Aries placed the ladder on hardy, climbed the ladder, and retrieved both belts.

Ryan's Reaction: Why would Hardy go down to retrieve the belt at all? Aries got the belt in the first place because Hardy discarded it without a second thought. Getting beyond that, this was another effective segment in making the challenger look strong. I still don't care for the CM Punk Lite we get from Aries, especially when he references Punk's gimmick, but it is what it is. Overall this was one of the better go home editions of Impact as they managed to sell the show without resorting to a frantic pace that undermines the impact of their various segments.

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.