Pruett's Pause: TNA Impact Wrestling - Aces and Eights make some money from Austin Aries, Bobby Roode and Jeff Hardy share a moment of confusion, James Storm is a sidekick, A.J. Styles is sad

By Will Pruett

- This show did a really nice job enhancing the fallout from Final Resolution. The video packages about it made it seem like a major deal. TNA's production department (which tends to be hit or miss) did extremely well here.

- Bobby Roode opened the show questioning why the Aces and Eights turned on him. When the show began, I was wondering why he trusted a rebel biker gang that has beat him up in the past.

- The top of the card in TNA at this moment is becoming jumbled. Jeff Hardy is involved in feuds with Austin Aries and Bobby Roode. Those two are involved in rivalries with each other. The Aces and Eights are involved with all three guys, Kurt Angle, Bully Ray, and Hulk Hogan. There's quite a bit of intermingling going on and it isn't well done.

- I will never care about Velvet Sky's pigeons. I also don't understand what they are.

- Mickie James' promo while backstage and upset after her Final Resolution loss was one of the highlights of this show for me. She was completely invested in the world wrestling attempts to create. James is great at this type of thing. It's a shame she's trying to be hardcore country instead of an amazing athlete most of the time.

- Madison Rayne attempted to carry Velvet Sky through a passable match, but Sky is still as weak of a worker as she has always been.

- Was anyone else concerned when Kurt Angle was giving advice about an unnatural substance to two young wrestlers backstage?

- Are Wes Brisco and Garett Bischoff going to hug awkwardly every time they win a match? I'd actually be okay with that. Their hugs are some awesome unintentional comedy.

- Kurt Angle's leg injury at the hands of Aces and Eights should give him some time to recover from recent real life injuries. This was a nice way to write off Angle with the current stories going on.

- Joseph Park's wrestling school vignette was half a commercial for OVW and half an opportunity for Park to be funny. It succeeded as an OVW commercial, but I wouldn't say that Park was brilliant here. The Park character is funny most of the time, but I don't see how Park going to wrestling school will enhance that.

- There is an actual story in the X Division. We are getting an opportunity to learn about Kenny King and what motivates him. We are also getting an opportunity to see his athleticism. I'm very happy to see King getting this chance.

- How often does a faction have to lose before people stop caring? The Aces and Eights were supposed to be dominating, but they lose every time they're matched up against TNA talent. Jeff Hardy and James Storm didn't just beat DOC and the other chubby Ace or Eight, Hardy and Storm dominated them.

- Do people in TNA not talk during the week? They all have cell phones that they use, but they only seem to be able to do so during two hours on Thursdays.

- I really liked A.J. Styles' emotional promo after losing his match to Daniels. This is a losing streak story with some real opportunity. Styles hit the right emotional notes as he claimed not to be in it for the company anymore. It could turn him into an odd generic heel, but this promo could also be the beginning of a special and significant character shift.

- Kenny King and Rob Van Dam had another good match. I'm glad we're getting these developments between them.

- Hulk Hogan and Bully Ray are a perfect example of two guys who should probably talk more often than just during Impact. Maybe a coffee date is in order.

- Bully Ray absolutely tore Jesse apart in an entertaining and aggressive match. I felt for Jesse as a person, but I'm sure he knew what Ray was going to do. It made Ray look vicious and serious, which was a nice tone for him to take.

- Austin Aries and Jeff Hardy had a surprising closing segment. I was entertained and I actually thought Hardy did well with the mic work he had to do. This wasn't a perfect angle between them, but it brought them back into focus nicely.

- Aries vs. Hardy happening on Impact next week is a major main event. It's possible that TNA will be able to produce a fun show for their last big one of the year. I hope this match doesn't turn into the jumble that the main event scene is and it is just a great match between Aries and Hardy.

This show had some great elements to it. The videos recapping Final Resolution were well done. The A.J. Styles promo was the beginning of what could be a great story. There are things that are working about Impact. What isn't working is the jumble of characters in the main feuds, especially surrounding Aces and Eights. Everyone is feuding with a faction without direction and it's not going well.

That lack of direction often spills into the rest of the show. TNA needs to figure out where it is going and do so soon.

Did you enjoy TNA this week? Am I way off? Feel free to email me at itswilltime@gmail.com or to follow me and chat me up on twitter at twitter.com/itswilltime.