TNA Impact: Tournament episode is no turkey
Thursday’s TNA Impact featured a tournament that had an interesting premise and some good matches. Best of all, no one ended up in a turkey suit on this year’s Thanksgiving episode.
I’ve read that tournaments don’t do well in the ratings and that TNA’s Vince Russo books too many of them, but I have always been a mark for tournaments, going all the way back to the annual Thanksgiving tag team tournament held at The Omni in Atlanta in the early ’80s.
What made the TNA tournament unique is that it consisted of eight wrestlers competing for a title shot in the division that they currently compete it. For example, Kurt Angle would get a world title shot if he won, Suicide an X Division title shot and Robert Roode a tag team title shot (along with his partner, James Storm, of course).
Speaking of Roode, I thought he was the star of the tournament. He defeated Homicide clean in the first round and Angle (by count-out) in the semifinals before losing to Bobby Lashley in a competitive match in the final. I’ve long thought that Roode deserved a major singles push. As much as I enjoy Beer Money, I hope Roode’s showing in the tournament planted the seeds for him to break out on his own.
Other thoughts on Thursday’s show:
Since turning babyface, Angle has done a good job of helping younger guys get over. He allowed both Roode and D’Angelo Dinero to get in a lot of offense before they lost. Angle shaking Dinero’s hand after their match as a show of respect legitimizes Dinero. ...
I wrote last week that I thought there have been too many turns recently in TNA, and now it looks as if Kristal Lashley (and perhaps Bobby) may be turning heel. She feigned an ankle injury during Bobby’s first-round match against Abyss, which distracted “The Monster” and allowed Bobby to choke him out. And while we’re on the subject of Abyss being choked, it’s nice to see that he wasn’t killed on last week’s episode when he was hung by Raven and Dr. Stevie. TNA cut to a commercial during the attack and never mentioned it again the rest of the show. ...
I didn’t care for the finish to the Desmond Wolfe-Lashley match. Wolfe was disqualified for not breaking when he was choking Lashley on the ropes. Why would he do that with a title shot at stake? Mike Tenay’s explanation that Wolfe was so “focused on Angle” that he had a brain cramp doesn’t cut it. In Wolfe’s first-round victory, Suicide looked bad when he took the Tower of London. ...
An interview with TNA president Dixie Carter in which she discusses Hulk Hogan was announced for next week. Since TNA pulled a bait and switch last week with the Sting interview, I don’t know if I should believe it. ...
Daniels was so good on the mic that he really overshadowed A.J. Styles during their verbal confrontation. Daniels’ best line: “Tell your kids that Uncle Chris is sorry, but somebody had to put daddy in his place.” The promo could have been even more intense if it had been acknowledged that Styles and Daniels really did name their sons’ middle names after one another. ...
Does anyone know what Mick Foley actually said when he was bleeped after Scott Steiner asked him who the smartest man that he knows is? I couldn’t read his lips...
Kevin Nash said that Ed “Brutus Beefcake” Leslie is not coming to TNA with Hogan. I sure hope he’s right about that one. I loved it when Nash said, “Between you and me, if [Brian] Knobbs comes in, I’m quitting.” The downside to those lines is that they may be too inside for some fans. TNA does a lot of that stuff, and while I may get all of the references, TNA shouldn’t assume that everyone does. ...
Alissa Flash and Traci Brooks are supposed to be in a serious angle based on Flash “crossing the line” by going after Brooks’ real-life disability, yet when the two women were brawling, Tenay and Taz were chuckling and making jokes about fighting for the last turkey leg. Taz also said that someone should yell “catfight.” As much as I like and respect Tenay, I think Taz is bringing him down. ...
Daffney was the first one eliminated in the women’s battle royal – which was won by Tara – to determine the No. 1 contender for the TNA Knockouts title. Isn’t this the second time that Daffney was out first in a battle royal? TNA is missing the boat with her.
Comments
What I got out of Wolfe's DQ is that he really didn't care at all about the tourney, especially since he cost Angle his shot later in the night. I buy that he's more focused on Angle right now than the world title.
I would have much rather seen Roode win the tourney. Lashley does nothing for me, even if they are turning him heel.
Posted by: sebastian | November 28, 2009 9:42 PM
Dinero was impressive in defeat. It beats me how he got lost in the shuffle in WWE, and on the C Show, no less.
Posted by: Christopher | November 28, 2009 9:51 PM
I only had one eye on the screen for much of Impact, but I assumed that Foley said Vince. That was the only remotely plausible guess I had, and even that's a stretch.
Posted by: Michael in Virginia | November 28, 2009 9:53 PM
Call me crazy .
... I enjoyed it last year seeing A.J. in the turkey outfit . ( and I think the prior year spending the holiday w/the Angle family ) :)
Posted by: the artist formerly known as jack in hebron | November 28, 2009 10:03 PM
"Vincent Kennedy McMahon"
Posted by: RH | November 28, 2009 10:09 PM
Right on about Taz. What makes Daniels worthy of a title push? He looks like he's 5'8 170 non threatening. Makes the Sheamus decision look better, TNA seeming to take a step backwards right now. Bad news considering funeral ahead when "$60millionindebtmania" arrives and probably makes Angle tap out
Posted by: Al in Chicago | November 28, 2009 11:09 PM
It must be Ric Flair that Hogan is bringing with him to TNA.
Posted by: AMC | November 28, 2009 11:17 PM
The guy Hogan bring to TNA will be Eric Bishoff. Maybe I am wrong, but it seems so obvious.
RESPONSE FROM KE: That would be my best guess, too.
Posted by: Adriam | November 29, 2009 12:16 AM
I agree on TNA missing the boat with Daffney. I think she does a good job on the promos, and is very talented in the ring and willing to get dirty.
What I'm curious about is why the Beautiful People still get the push they get, but with out any real talent? I would have preferred to see Velvet Sky take over the reigns instead of bringing in someone that can't wrestle. It also appears to me that since the wrestling talent is gone from the BP they just sex them up more. There is little left to the imagination of what is under those shorts on Sky and Madison. Now I don't hate that, but I do lose respect for them.
Posted by: Duane | November 29, 2009 12:29 AM
I thought this was a solid episode. The tournament was a good addition. My only thought, though, is that it is happening so early. Aren't Styles and Daniels already having a title match at the next PPV? So now Lashley is the number 1 contender, but not for the upcoming PPV. At least when WWE does the same thing with the winner of the Royal Rumble getting a title match two PPVs way, the winner is getting to headline the company's biggest PPV, not some random PPV.
Posted by: Mike in AZ | November 29, 2009 12:33 AM
Is it just me, or has Mick Foley's character been completely unwatchable ever since his feud with Sting? He just annoys the hell out of me.
Posted by: Elevation | November 29, 2009 1:27 AM
right on about where it looks like Lashley is headed. Lashley would be a terrible heel too. He looks like a a lovable children's cartoon character, and he isn't charismatic enough to pull off the HBK, Rock heel.
Nice mention of the tag tourney. I've wished WWE would just go that route with Survivor Series anyway. Move it to Thanksgiving, make it all tag teams in a tourney for the belts. I might throw down like 30 dollars for a PPV, might even throw down for the HD feed if I've drank enough.
Posted by: MechanicalBull | November 29, 2009 2:20 AM
I thought Foley said Farooq, which since WWE would own that name would make sense why they bleeped it. They have mentioned Vince's name before so there is no reason why they would start bleeping it now.
Posted by: Angelique | November 29, 2009 2:42 AM
What can be more in-season and mouth-watering than a raw turkey on a pole match?
THAT'S How you say Thanksgiving, Pro Wrestling style.
Posted by: Bring Back the WWWF | November 29, 2009 8:37 AM
Wolfe forgot the rope count because he's been concussed to high heaven. No wonder WWE didn't bring him in-- they were afraid he'd forget the count and choke somebody out.
Posted by: Kelvin | November 29, 2009 10:16 AM
I'm still disappointed/confused about the Suicide/Wolf ending. Suicide is a legit talent, and to lose like that - in what should have been a great matchup - needs an explanation.
Posted by: Ruzious | November 29, 2009 10:40 AM
I have longed wanted a Roode singles push. I have also always thought he would be good as the face of a faction. Possibly with Storm bringing back Chris Harris and reforming AMW.
I also think that TNA should put Daniels and Tomko together to form a tag-team. They would work well together and would introduce a new force in the tag division.
Posted by: nate | November 29, 2009 5:20 PM
Daniels might not have that larger than life physique that McMahon loves, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't deserve a shot at the main event. He's a great overall performer, and he deserves his spot.
Posted by: Jack Windham | November 29, 2009 8:24 PM
Did anybody else notice that Hogan was wearing his WWE Hall of Fame ring during his pre-taped segment?
Posted by: Chris Slater | November 29, 2009 10:47 PM
Hulk Hogan is bringing Terry Bollea to TNA. While Hulk might want everyone to say their prayers and take their vitamins, Terry wants to be the main man in every aspect, make the most money, and otherwise crap all over any and all meaningful gains TNA has had in the last 6 months, Brothers!
Posted by: Jon | November 30, 2009 12:59 PM
The guy Hulk Hogan is bringing with him will be former-NWO member .... Jeff Jarrett!
Hogan/Jarrett will be buddies for a year (which is 12 weeks in TNA-time) and then they will have a bitter split, leading to a main event storyline centered around the Bash at the Beach incident from 10 years ago, sprinkled with limited references to their partnership over the prior 3 months.
Posted by: Mr. Sarcasm | November 30, 2009 4:08 PM
I think that it's Mr. Kennedy that Hulk Hogan finally brings in...just a thought!
Posted by: Jim Hayes | November 30, 2009 4:43 PM
Hogan will bring in Easy E. Together they will kill any momentum that TNA has achieved over the last several months.
Posted by: mjk | December 2, 2009 6:04 PM