The A.J. Styles babyface turn that has been building for months came to a head with a hot angle last night on TNA Impact.

The show climaxed with Styles being battered and bloodied by Booker T., Tomko and Team 3D. Karen Angle was bullied by the heels for trying to protect Styles from the attack, so she went to the back and returned with Kurt Angle, who was carrying a chair. Instead of saving Styles, however, Kurt joined in on the assault and nailed him with the chair.

This was a strong, well-executed angle to kick off the Styles-Angle program.The beat-down seemed to go on forever, and it almost seemed like watching a scene in a slasher flick when the camera doesn’t pan away from the carnage as quickly as you might like. The blood oozing out of Styles’ forehead was used to great dramatic effect, as well. Brother Ray at one point rubbed Styles’ blood on his own face, and Karen Angle had his blood all over her top. Believe me, it was not a coincidence that she was wearing white.

Anyone who has been paying attention knew Kurt wasn’t going to save Styles, but sometimes predictable is OK. Everything doesn’t have to be a swerve – although I think one is eventually coming in this story line. I’m still betting that Karen, who seemingly walked out on Kurt earlier in the show after he begged her to take him back, will end up turning on Styles at some point and reuniting with Kurt.

Other thoughts on last night’s show:

Team 3D also participated in a beat-down to open the show, as they combined with Booker T. to lay out and bloody LAX. Team 3D are such tremendous heels. I hope it’s a long time before they go back to being babyfaces. …

In the first segment, Team 3D was shown talking to someone behind a partially closed door, and the announcers were speculating as to who it could be. Gee, do you think it might be Booker T., the guy they formed an alliance with last week? Why is TNA so adamant about making its announcers look like idiots? …

I think Karen Angle has been a good performer for the most part since becoming an on-air talent, but she was overacting during her verbal confrontation with Kurt. At one point, her shrill voice was more annoying that Christy Hemme’s. I was waiting for Kurt to say, “On second thought, maybe we should separate.” …

Kurt asked Karen if she was seeing someone else, but didn’t she already indicate a while back that she was seeing someone on the TNA roster? …

Thank God Styles finally tossed away that ridiculous crown. …

The on-again, off-again tension between Samoa Joe and Kevin Nash was back on, as Joe did not choose Nash to be one of the participants in the King of the Mountain qualifying. If Joe ends up being duped by Nash it officially makes him the most gullible babyface of all time. Joe and Nash being allies has always seemed like a stretch anyway. …

I like the angle of Awesome Kong issuing an open challenge to fans in the audience. It gets Kong over as a monster and a sadistic bully, and it also has the potential to create a new star when someone comes out of the audience and gets the better of her. The plant on last night’s show was trying so hard not to look like a plant that it was obvious that she was one. She took a very scary-looking Awesome Bomb. …

The second part of Mike Tenay’s interview with Sting focused on Jeff Jarrett, although Jim “Ultimate Warrior” Hellwig’s name was dropped again. Sting talked about Jarrett losing his wife to cancer and him having to raise three girls now on his own. I really hope that Jarrett is coming back as a babyface. Yes, it would be a shocking swerve for him to go heel, but no one wants to boo him at this point. Plus, his heel persona has been played out. …

It’s difficult to get a predominantly male audience to boo attractive women such as Angelina Love and Velvet Sky, but TNA is making it happen. Not only has the head-shaving angle succeeded in getting heat on The Beautiful People, but it also has helped Roxxi Laveaux get over as a babyface. Love and Sky have become really good in their roles as the conceited hot girls who tease men with their provocative antics but make it known that they are unattainable. …

Referee Rudy Charles came off as one of the biggest heels on the show when he stopped Laveaux from shaving Love’s head. TNA is doing a good job of making people want to see Love lose her blonde locks, but I have a hard time believing that will ever happen. …

There were two separate references to “plastic breasts” on the show, and we also had ODB placing backstage interviewer Lauren’s hands on her breasts (and she kept them there for most of the interview). I’m not really offended by any of this, but it’s funny that TNA used to push the idea that their program was suitable for the entire family. Yeah, maybe the Manson Family. And speaking of which, with her shaved head, Laveaux kind of looks like ex-Manson girl Leslie Van Houten. …

What was the point of having the Rock and Rave Infection brawl with Black Machismo and Sonjay Dutt when the cameras were just going to cut away after the first punch was thrown? …

Eric Young continued his search for Elvis in Memphis. Perhaps he should look for him at the corner of Know Your Role Boulevard and Jabroni Drive. Surely, there is a better use of two minutes on the show than this. I think I’d rather see Super Eric.