By Chris Shore

TNA Impact Wrestling on SpikeTV
Taped in London, England

[Q1] A video compared the Bischoff storyline to Star Wars and showed clips from last week of Sting making the four way match at Against All Odds...Mike Tenay and Taz checked in on commentary and the English fans were still red hot. Bully Ray made his ring entrance. He demanded his music be turned off and paced in the ring as he cut his promo.

He said he wanted to talk to his "good, personal friend," Bobby Roode and demanded Roode come to the ring. Ray left the ring as Roode made his entrance and demanded Roode's music be cut off. Ray verbally attacked Roode and said he had Roode's back, but where was Bobby for him. Roode told him to calm down. They climbed in the ring, and Ray said the only reason Roode was still champ was because Ray protected him.

They bickered back and forth as the crowd did the "What" gimmick. Roode said that Ray's problem wasn't with him, it was with the same person he had a problem with, Sting. Sting's music hit and he came to the ring with his cricket bat. Sting cut off Ray who was trying to talk and said he would be the special enforcer for the four way at the PPV, and then booked Ray and Roode in a tag match against James Storm and Sting before leaving...Hogan and Garrett Bischoff were shown backstage...[C]

Shore's Slant: I like what they were trying to do there, but the execution wasn't very good. Roode and Ray needed another minute or two to continue to build the moment before Sting came out. Not only did Sting cut them off, but his quick announcement and exit sucked all the heat off the moment. Right idea, wrong execution.

Back from commercial, the announce team hyped the main event, and then a video recapped the AJ Styles, Kazarian, Christopher Daniels angle...

[Q2] Ring introductions occurred for the first match...

1. Christopher Daniels (w/Kazarian) defeated AJ Styles at 6:45. Daniels attacked AJ and his shitty tattoo before the bell to start the match. Styles came right back with a drop kick that sent Daniels tot he floor and Styles followed with a suicide dive. Back in the ring, Styles went for the Styles Clash, but Daniels kicked him and pulled a foreign object from his boot. The ref saw it and Daniels sneakily tossed it to Kaz who looked confused.

Daniels hit a clothesline on the apron and worked Styles with a rest hold. Daniels broke the hold and hit a step up enziguri. He went for Angel Wings, but Styles escaped and hit his own enziguri. Daniels called for Kaz to give him the knucks, but Kaz stalled. Styles went on the attack and hit his springboard forearm. Daniels grabbed the rope and Styles stomped him. When the ref forced the break, Daniels demanded the knucks again and Kaz handed it over. Styles ducked the punch and went for a powerbomb. Daniels hit the ref with the regular hand on the way up to distract him, and then punched AJ in the head with the loaded hand for the win...

Backstage, Eric Bischoff spoke with Gunner about Hogan and Garrett. He told Gunner he wanted Gunner with him and fir Gunner to take out Hogan and Garrett one knee cap at a time...[C]

Shore's Slant: Fun match from Daniels and Styles, but no real surprise there. I like how they used the knucks there, and Daniels managed to hide them well enough that the ref didn't look like a moron. I assume this means AJ goes over and Kaz's secret is revealed by Daniels.

[Q3] Magnus and Samoa Joe made their ring entrance, and the crowd was unsurprisingly hot for them. Magnus talked about the UK tour and said that he needed to make a correction, they were in England, which got a huge pop. He said he was back home and he brought his tag team partner with him. The crowd went crazy.

Magnus said they were paired up randomly and nobody thought it was going to work, but they had proved that theory wrong. He said the tag champs were only a team because they were afraid to face each other. He said they would win the tag titles at the PPV. Matt Morgan and Crimson made their way to the ring. Morgan said there was only one thing to say, their talking was done. The champs attacked and sent Joe to the floor and worked on Magnus with a double shoulder tackle. Joe pulled Magnus from the ring and flipped off the champs and the two teams stared each other down...[C]

Shore's Slant: Holy shit, Magnus can talk. Color me surprised. That was a babyface promo, but it was also very well done. Nice segment. I don't care about this match, but it was a good segment.

2. Alex Shelley defeated Doug Williams and Austin Aries at 4:39. Aries took a quick powder and Shelley went for sliced bread on Williams. Williams shoved him off and kicked him in the leg. Shelley rolled to the floor. Williams went for a dive, but Aries swept his legs. Aries went for a senton, but Williams got the knees up and Shelley followed with a single leg drop kick from the top to send Aries back to the floor.

[Q4] They pulled off several triple moves for some nice spots. Williams hit a German suplex with a bridge on Shelley and Aries kicked Williams in the nuts. Aries tried for the brainbuster on Shelley, but Shelley hit a knee and followed with Sliced Bread for the win...[C]

Shore's Slant: Fun but short match. I hate that they threw Williams into this match just so he could make a UK appearance and to protect the PPV match. I don't mind the protection so much, but some logic as to why a guy who has been out with an injury suddenly gets a three way match with a champ and number one contender. Just odd.

Backstage, Hogan was talking to Garrett. Sting walked in and he and Hogan hugged. Hogan said he appreciated Sting helping him be him again and they hugged again. Garrett took off and Hogan put Sting over and said he had one problem. He said he was afraid Sting didn't realize how big the target was on his back, but he would be there for Sting in any way he could. Hogan said, "Once this goes down..." and stopped. He chased the camera man out and closed the door...A video showed several of the UK fans talking about TNA being in England, and then a video hyped Tara vs. Gail Kim fighting in the street for next...[C]

Shore's Slant: Oh god, no. Please don't tell me there's going to be more palace intrigue. Please.

[Q5] Tara was outside filming being at Wembley stadium. Gail Kim walked up and attacked Tara and left her lying backstage...A video had Hogan very close to the camera putting TNA over as "this close" to being the top company. Whatever Hogan. Hogan and Garrett made their ring entrance and the place went nuts. Hogan cut a standard babyface, cheap heat promo, and then put over Garrett as the future.

Eric Bischoff's music hit and he and Gunner came to the ring. Eric asked Hogan who he thought he was interfering with his family business. Hogan said this was about Garrett's future. Eric said Garrett didn't have a future and it was time for Hogan to ride off into the sunset. Hogan said he had the Hulkamania stroke after seeing the error of his ways. He said he sat down with Sting and Sting gave him the right to book a match for Against All Odds of Garrett vs. Gunner.

Hogan started to say more, but Gunner shoved Garrett and they started to brawl. Bischoff hit a low blow on Hogan and Gunner beat up Garrett. Hogan recovered and knocked Bischoff out, and then tossed Gunner from the ring. Garrett and Hogan did something to Eric after that, but I was busy gagging on my lack of caring to see what it was...

Shore's Slant: I honestly do not think I could care less about Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff. I'm just too burned out from WCW still. Garrett is being forced down out throat, and they're putting him in a match with a guy who was also shoved down our throat. I'm all about pushing young wrestlers, but neither Garrett or Gunner have their own heat. And that's really what's wrong with this whole angle, it's still about Eric and Hulk. Gag.

[Q6][C] A trailer for the Phantom Menace 3D movie aired...Backstage, Bully Ray and Bobby Roode argued and then hugged it out, but Ray left by saying, "Three days," referring to the four way match at Against All Odds...Hogan and Garrett where shown talking and Hogan finally announced both he and Eric would be in the corners of their respective fighters at the PPV...

3. Velvet Sky defeated Mickie James at 5:19. Mickie did her best to carry Velvet, but it just didn't work. Velvet won with a very poorly done inside cradle...Another video had UK fans talking about coming to the show...[C]

Shore's Slant: Velvet Sky is dead sexy, but I can't take her serious as a competitor. That match was awful.

[Q7] Another video hyped TNA in the UK...A video hyped the four way title match at Against All Odds...Sting and James Storm got hyped for their match...[C]

Shore's Slant: Decent hype for the title match, but it was booked too late in the cycle to really build up. But not a bad video at all. Sting and Storm made me want to go to sleep though.

[Q8] Ring introductions occurred for the main event...

4. James Storm and Sting defeated Bully Ray and Bobby Roode at 15:31. Sting and Roode started. Roode wanted to tag immediately, but Ray walked away. Ray said he had Roode's back and so Roode started. Sting no sold a chop and punches from Roode and then attacked. He locked in the Scorpion on Roode. Ray ran in to break it up and Sting knocked Ray to the floor. Storm ran in and knocked Roode to the floor...[C]

Back from commercial, Stng and Ray were in the ring, but Ray demanded Storm so Sting tagged out. Storm hit a couple of arm drags and then a wind up thumb to the eye before tagging Sting back in. Sting raked the eyes and went back to Storm. Ray reversed a whip and Roode kicked Storm in the back and tagged in.

[Overrun] The heels worked Storm in the corner and then Ray ripped the shirt and tape off Storm. The heels worked Storm's ribs with slams and waist locks. Bully Ray tried to use the chain, but Storm kicked him and hit a side Russian leg sweep and got the hot tag to Sting.

Sting worked both heels with Stinger splashes. He stacked them in the corner and hit a splash on both. Ray fell down, and Storm kicked Roode in the back of the head causing him to fall face first into Ray's nuts. Sting hit the Scorpion Death Drop on Roode and locked in the Scorpion Leg Lock. Bully Ray took out Storm and grabbed the belt. He climbed in the ring and acted like he was going to help Roode, but he squatted down and said, "See you in three days, champ." He dropped the belt and left. Roode tapped out to end the show...

Shore's Slant: Bleh. Feature matches like this should rarely be the main event, if ever, and I still can't believe I saw the TNA champion tap to a senior citizen. Ugh. A pretty good show overall, but not great hype for Against All Odds, and many problem still. Jason will have full Against All Odds coverage on Sunday. Thanks for watching along tonight.

Questions? Comments? Anyone, anyone? Let me hear from you. Email me at css3238@gmail.com or tweet me @TheShoreSlant with whatever is on your mind.

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