Pruett's Pause: TNA Impact Wrestling - Final hype for Lockdown, D'Lo Brown is revealed as a head-wobbling biker, Jeff Hardy and Bully Ray respect each other, and more!

Pruett's Pause: TNA Impact Wrestling - Final hype for Lockdown, D'Lo Brown is revealed as a head-wobbling biker, Jeff Hardy and Bully Ray respect each other, and more!

By Will Pruett

- In 2013, it makes no sense for a wrestler to see something one week and then not reveal it until the next. I understand episodic TV requires certain suspensions of disbelief, but when Twitter is an intricate part of TNA storylines, Kurt Angle not revealing anything on Twitter makes little sense.

- Opening the show with Austin Aries vs. Jeff Hardy felt like a special treat for the Impact Zone fans on their last show in said zone.

- Since when does attacking someone before the bell and then rolling them into the ring constitute the beginning of a match. Hardy never even got a chance to answer Aries' challenge.

- I loved the way Matt Morgan attacked Hardy and the vicious promo he cut later in the show. Morgan can be a true monster and it is time for TNA to release the beast. They need a new lead heel and Morgan can be that guy.

- Wes Brisco is almost as bad on the mic as he is in the ring. This was a supremely weak promo. It made me less excited to see Brisco in the ring. I can't believe he was allowed about five minutes in the middle of the ring alone. Isn't this why Taz was added to Aces and Eights? Why not allow Taz to get Brisco over with a promo?

- What was worse than Wes Brisco's promo? The reveal of D'Lo Brown as the V.P. of Aces and Eights. I cannot see a situation where D'Lo enhances the group. This was a weak move and another in a long line of weak reveals for Aces and Eights. The entire roster of this group feels like a worst case scenario.

- No wonder TNA is leaving the Impact Zone. Their fans keep hitting wrestlers with bottles to join Aces and Eights! This was a weak ending to Devon vs. Sting.

- The final hype for Gail Kim vs. Velvet Sky was just a placeholder. So many pay-per-view matches seemingly came out of nowhere for this show. How does this happen with three months to hype the show?

- Danny Davis is replacing Taz who replaced Ric Flair. Is the next replacement going to be a random indie wrestler? This roster of judges just gets worse.

- If the plan was for Lei'D Tapa to get picked over Ivelisse, why did she lose to Ivelisse last week? Tapa is a fine talent and a very good fit for the Knockouts Division. I don't mind picking her, but Ivelisse actually won last week. The Gut Check this week was a really weak followup to last week's great match.

- The six-person mixed tag added some final hype for the Tag Team Championship match and the Knockouts Championship match. That's about all it did as well.

- A.J. Styles is coming back next week with a new beard and riding a motorcycle. Good for him.

- The reunion of Samoe Joe and Magnus was the highlight of this show. I loved this team in 2012 and they could easily reunite permanently to the benefit of both men. I truly hope this is the plan.

- Kenny King is going to win his match at Lockdown. What match? Yeah. I'm not sure either. Would it be too much to build up a feud in the X Division?

- If I had to make a slightly bold prediction, I'd say Eric Young turns heel at Lockdown because Sting wouldn't pick him for the man advantage mask. Young's promo asking to be picked was good, but I fear a return of the World Elite version of Young with a biker twist.

- I like Lei'D Tapa a lot, but her promos on this show were weak and probably should not have happened. What kind of character is she supposed to be after seeming mildly sympathetic.

- James Storm isn't the most intelligent babyface, but he only falls for standard heel tactics. The Aces and Eights have to add someone that can win a match without a distraction, don't they?

- This show could have ended with Jeff Hardy and Bully Ray's mutual respect handshake and the final segment would have been decent. Adding the Hulk Hogan cornucopia of empty platitudes hurt the segment and the show.

- Big brawl before a big multi-man match? Check! TNA delivered on that trope.

This was a really bad show. From beginning to end, it told weak stories going into Lockdown and made me less excited for the actual Lockdown card. Every match seemed to be hurt after this episode. I'm amazed at how weak this storytelling was. I don't want to be overly negative, but this was a supremely weak episode.

So, what did you think of the show? Agree? Disagree? Either way, feel free to email me at itswilltime@gmail.com or to follow me and interact on twitter at twitter.com/itswilltime.