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Pruett's Pause: TNA Impact Wrestling - Final hype for Turning Point, frantic storytelling slows, Jeff Hardy and Austin Aries confront each other again, Luke Gallows gets a silly name

Posted in: Pruett Editorials, MUST-READ LISTING
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Nov 9, 2012 - 10:50 AM

By Will Pruett

- This show was a vastly improved version of Impact Wrestling compared to what we have seen in the past month. TNA managed to slow down their pace of storytelling and actually create a reason for fans to want to see Turning Point. I was surprised to see it and delighted to watch a show that made sense.

- Director of Chaos is not a bad position for a wrestler to have on a faction. It is a terrible name for a wrestler to go by. Branding Luke Gallows as DOC seems short sighted and altogether dumb. Hopefully Gallows gets more of a shot in TNA than it looks like he is going to.

- I'm not sure I like Todd Kenely, but I have no real reason to say that.

- Opening Impact with A.J. Styles vs. Bobby Roode is never something I'll complain about. TNA changes up what gets to open the show pretty often. It's an effective strategy for making the show unpredictable.

- James Storm did a really nice job on commentary for the Roode vs. Styles match. He is great in most talking situations and this one was no different. Storms adds something to any feud he is able to sit down and chat in.

- Roode vs. Styles was a great match. The end, however, came abruptly. Falling off of the top rope usually doesn't cause a wrestler to lose a match, but it did here. This segment did a great job selling the complicated and intriguing Turning Point match.

- Austin Aries being forced to hand over the title belt he stole prior to the end of the show was a fine hook. I was surprised about the lack of hype this segment was given throughout the night.

- Wes Brisco showing up with Kurt Angle and Sting so often is working really well. It seems obvious to so many that he is the fluffy haired Aces and Eights member, but this is allowing him to feel more familiar, which will help with his reveal.

- Joseph Parks and Bully Ray and had a great exchange (with Hulk Hogan). I liked the segment and felt it built to the pay-per-view well. My only question is why Hogan has the ability to force the rebel biker gang into matches.

- The build to Tara and Jesse vs. ODB and Eric Young was a fun one. I will be sad if that is the last match we see Eric Young in. I'm not into Jesse or the whole "him hitting women" thing.

- TNA continues to hype Aces and Eights matches, but they all seem to end the same way. The entire group jumping other wrestlers makes sense given who they are. It also creates some repetitive television.

- The hammer attack on Sting was a vicious and mildly frightening visual. I'm guessing this is a way to write him off for another long absence, which originally seemed to be the purpose of Aces and Eights in the first place.

- I like pretty much everything about Christian York, aside from the way he talks. York was unimpressive on the mic. I'm willing to overlook that since there isn't really an X Division anyways and those wrestlers don't receive promo time.

- Hopefully York actually has the opportunity to wrestle for TNA, unlike every other Gut Check winner. York is ready now.

- Is Brooke Hogan going to be involved in a romance with Bully Ray? I'd be oddly okay with that.

- Joey Ryan won't have Matt Morgan in his corner at Turning Point. This is the most hype an X Division Championship match has received in almost a year.

- Magnus, Kazarian, and Christopher Daniels vs. Samoa Joe, Chavo Guerrero, and Hernandez was a nice tag match that followed a standard formula. It seems basic, but throwing six guys with pay-per-view matches together on the go-home show is a tried and true formula.

- Magnus' top rope elbow is his finisher. I had forgotten that.

- There was very little hype for Jeff Hardy throughout the night. I knew that we would be seeing him, but the show didn't seem built around him the way one would expect it to be.

- Austin Aries' final promo was great. His current gimmick is still odd, but the final hype for this match at Turning Point was well done.

- Will both belts be suspended above the ring at Turning Point? It seems rather arbitrary for Hardy's custom belt to be up there. It's an easy detail to pass over.

This show had a great amount of focus. It was all about building to Sunday. When TNA writes a show with focus that doesn't get too rapidly paced, they put together some great TV. This was a really good wrestling show. I'm not sure that people will buy Turning Point because of it, but they will probably be compelled enough to wonder what is happening.

Did you enjoy TNA live? 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.

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