Kurt Angle deserves much praise for quietly (and without fuss) making the transition from near unbeatable top guy to a strong veteran who puts the young guys over regularly.

So many main eventers struggle with the transition, i assume because they fear for their spot and their character, but Kurt hasn't missed a beat and despite losing far more often, he is a strong, credible character.

Credit must also go to TNA creative for helping keep Kurt looking strong despite this transition.

TNA is now seriously pushing younger stars and The Pope D'Angelo Dinero is the man in front of the line. He is way over the fans. Hope he will help get TNA into the mainstream.

Used to work out at Bally's in Dundalk years ago with Brian Knobbs.Don't remember if Jerry was his tag team partner but kind of amazed they are still around.Neither of them was what I would call in tremendous shape.And at 6'5 I was bigger than both of them,no way did I think they would still be around.They actually had and probably still do have pictures of them as tag team champions in the lobby in a celebrity book of people who worked out there.I'm guessing that was at least 9 years ago before my auto accident.

RESPONSE FROM KE: Brian Knobbs has actually been inside a gym?

i can't believe that you actually watched a TNA PPV on Valentines day or for that matter any time doing the year. Really surprisingly Happy with the outcome of the PPV I was expecting Dinero to be gone in the first round and probably Angle winning the whole thing that was a nice surprise. Finally I am wonderingnwhat took so long for Hart to come to TNA he is/was one of Hogans top 5 boys through the years and has worked in TNA prior so I thought he would be here right away.

RESPONSE FROM KE: I didn't watch it -- only read the reports.

Bischoff as ref in a main event PPV match in 2010? The Nasty Boys winning a PPV match in 2010?

Worse. Than. WCW.

I'm not too happy about the Nasty Boys winning and staying on the program but at least Jimmy Hart is back. I like the idea of bringing Hart to TNA because he was one of the greatest managers of all time. I really enjoyed watching him on WCW during the Monday Night Wars. Also, it has been confirmed that today's big announcement will be that Impact will be moving to Monday nights. What are your thoughts about that Kev?

Kev, I missed it. WHAT no women rasslin'?

WOOOOOO

I really enjoyed the "8 Card Stud" Tournament and thought all the matches worked well. Of course there were some flubs here and there (Hernandez and Morgan in particular--a little sloppy and slow) but the build up matches to Pope vs. Anderson at the end of the show made up for the missed spots. For one thing, whoever decided to book Anderson as heel was definitely on the right track. Anderson REALLY went over as a GREAT heel with the "dogtag" attack and then the kneel and spit routine after taking it to the GREAT Kurt Angle. I was honestly surprised by the ferocity of Anderson in the match and thought it was a solid way to establish him as a strong heel going forward. The other person who is absolutely SOLID for TNA now is unquestionably "The Pope" D'Angelo Dinero (formerly Elijah Burke). If I'm Vince McMahon, I am finding a wall to slam my head against for letting this guy go. Pope has the mic skills, look, attitude and passion to get over BIG with any crowd and this guy it going to be HUGE. I mean "The Rock" HUGE. The best thing for TNA to do is to let him go and watch him shine. It was EXACTLY the right move to have The Pope win the Title Shot as he is in position to make a HUGE IMPACT (pardon the pun) in the future. TNA has a true star and I am really anxious to see where he goes from here. All in all, I thought Morgan, Anderson, Pope and Angle were the most solid for the night.

On the other hand, Abyss, Foley and even Wolfe were disappointng to me. Don't get me wrong, I like them all but Abyss as a face is getting stale quick. Foley is great but he seems to be just going through the motions now. Their "hardcore" match was hardly that. Even the lame threat of Bischoff "umasking" Abyss was just not necessarily interesting. Both Foley and Abyss just kind of wandered around each other and never really went at it the way we all know they both can when they're on top of their game. I mean, does anybody really care about "Socko" anymore? Does anyone really need the barbed wire bat gimmick? The best thing TNA could do right now is flip Abyss back heel (and I mean MONSTER heel) and give him a James Mitchell type manager again. We are all tired of cuddly Abyss TNA!

As for Wolfe, I have always liked his schtick, his look and his ring skills. However, he just looked like he didn't care last night against Pope. Again, if you're going to make him a heel; LET THE MAN HEEL! No one gives a crap about his valet or his entrance to the ring--it's too campy and it's beneath Nigel (er, I mean Desmond) to continue. Booked properly, Wolfe is a real threat. He should have been the one to go against Abyss, not Foley.

Now, I will spend just a few words in regards to The Nasty Boys vs. Team 3D: STOP IT, STOP IT, FOR GOD'S SAKE STOP IT! Team 3D was doing GREAT recently in heel mode but now we have these two relics (The Nasties) showing up and suddenly flipping 3D into face mode inexplicably. I think I speak for all wrestling fans when I say "Get The Nasty Boys The Hell Out Of TNA". I am all for people making a living but these two guys are laughably past their prime and it shows BADLY. STOP IT NOW HOGAN. PLEASE.

Now onto A.J. vs. Joe. I am a HUGE mark for both these guys and am completely satisfied with them as both either heel or face. I think having Flair as A.J.'s manager is going to pay off BIG TIME; however, STOP IT ALREADY WITH THE "FLAIRIFICATION" OF A.J.STYLES! Let A.J. be heel without all the hair streaking, feather robe wearing bull. Just let the man be the BEAST that he is with Flair as his chief counsel and don't add the silly extras! A.J. doesn't need them! Joe was as usual a complete monster. This guy, like Styles, has nothing but passion for raising the bar and taking the fight to WWE and it shows not only in the ring, but in his mic work and the way he carries himself on the show. If ANY of the current WWE roster cared as much as Joe does right now, they would find themselves at the top of the roster. The man is just awesome and gives his all each and every week and show.

Kevin

stop with the BTLS bashing it really makes you look like a hater, I really enjoy your blogs but come on, Bubba and Hogans are buds, and whether we like it or not, Bubba is very successful on the radio

RESPONSE FROM KE: Good, let him stay on the radio. If he continues to appear on Impact, I will continue to bash him.

Bischoff also thought it would be a great idea to unmask Rey Mysterio. It did absolutely nothing to elevate him in WCW.

I think it makes no sense to be writing a review of a show based on second hand information.

RESPONSE FROM KE: I'm writing about the story lines and where things might be headed, not the match quality. National football writers don't watch every game every week but they still write about the league, right?

Any wrestling company using and pushing The Nasty Boys, deserves all the bad luck in the world.

These guys were (not unlike Hogan) past it at least 15 years ago. Can someone send a reality check to Dixie Carter before The Nasty Boys are tag-team champions?

Hogan, for someone who's been in the business so long, actually knows very little about the business. When TNA is out of business in a year's time, you'll all agree.

There was a Bally's in Dundalk?

Adding an initial to my handle since I see some others with James around here too.

About a month ago I commented on how much of a trainwreck TNA was once Hogan formally appeared on screen and was going to give them a month or so to show me something.

I think they're starting to for the most part, enough that I'm interested enough to keep watching. Most of the people who should be getting the majority of the time on screen are. I may not like everything they're doing but if I got my way I'd be the one writing the stories and others would get to dissect them, for better or worse.

Either way, some of it's been predictable, some of it's been dumb and some of it's worked, but for the most part it's starting to look like the people Hogan brought in have been used to get the ones who had been there over a little more. Kevin's also been right on the money about Bischoff's on-screen character. That guy is good at what he does in front of a camera.

Yeah he unmasked Rey mysterio because he didn't think he was marketable....how much money has Vince made from Rey you ask? Answer: a lot!

The guy stole one idea from Japanese wrestling (nWo), and milked it, and has been living off it ever since. He's a joke.

That fan with the "Bubba Army" sign sitting in the arena every taping should be taken out. He's probably hired by the TNA heads to make things appear like they are not.

I'm loving the push both Anderson and Pope are getting. They're both great on the mic and know how to excite.

Where were Daniels? Beer Money? The knockouts?

Please don't give Hogan any ideas. Ed Leslie should stay in Largo or Clearwater doing whatever he's doing. I wonder what they are going to do with Sting. As long as they are pushing The Pope and Morgan, Sting isn't really needed. Baseball season starts in 6 weeks and Knobbs can then go back to Tropicana Field to support the Rays.

Stoked Pope won, makes watching wrestling worth while when you see one of the guys you like go over, I always wanted to see him get a belt at the fed.

I think he's got the charisma to take it to Raw on Monday nights, I know i'd rather watch the Pope than HHH opening 10 minute promo 3456. . .

Maybe when Ed Leslie arrives they'll bring back Kip James so that we can have that "Booty Man/ Mr. Ass" feud we never knew we wanted.

Where were the knockouts? At least zombie Hot Daffney and Super Hot Angelina Love?!?!?!?!?

What? You didn't actually watch it? I feel cheated