TNA Impact: Jeff Jarrett delivers a striking performance
Jeff Jarrett showed once again on TNA Impact Thursday night why he has been the company’s most compelling heel since his turn at last month’s Bound for Glory pay-per-view.
Jarrett’s turn clicked right from the start because his motivation for doing so and his subsequent promos were believable. On Thursday’s program, Jarrett showed a lot of intensity in a backstage segment in which he berated and slapped ring announcer Jeremy Borash, and then he did an MMA demonstration in the ring that led to him chickening out of a physical confrontation with Samoa Joe.
The live crowd chanted “boring” during the MMA bit, which featured Jarrett demonstrating MMA moves on six unknowns, but I thought it was an effective way to get heat since he was bullying the young guys and mocking Joe. It appears that TNA is setting up a submission match between Jarrett and Joe at the Final Resolution pay-per-view on Dec. 5.
Jarrett’s inevitable program with Kurt Angle most likely will get underway after that. During the MMA exhibition, Jarrett once again made a veiled reference to his marriage to Angle’s ex-wife, Karen. As he was about to apply a rear naked choke, he said he was more familiar with the “naked rear choke on you know who in the bedroom.”
Other thoughts on Thursday’s show:
This episode was better than last week’s largely because Eric Bischoff was not on at all and Hulk Hogan was on very little. As I said last week, I think Bischoff is a great performer, but he has been overexposed and it was refreshing to see a show without him. ...
One of the highlights of the show was the match in which Mickie James defeated Angelina Love to become the No. 1 contender for Madison Rayne’s TNA Knockouts title. Even though James winning was predictable, the match still delivered. ...
Matt Morgan’s win over Ric Flair was far from a great match, but it was entertaining for the most part. I really could have done without seeing Flair bleed all over the place again, but Morgan looked like a star, and that’s the most important thing. ...
By virtue of his victory, Morgan now gets to choose who the special referee will be for his match against TNA world champion Jeff Hardy at Final Resolution. My head is going to explode if Morgan selects Jackson James -- the young referee whose mistake during the Morgan-Hardy match at the Turning Point pay-per-view earlier this month cost Morgan the title – and James intentionally screws Morgan and reveals his true identity as Bischoff’s son, Garrett. ...
The Hardy-Raven match in which Raven’s career was on the line was decent, although we all knew that Raven was losing. ...
The video package on Hardy that opened the show was very well done. ...
The Morgan-Flair verbal confrontation that set up their match later in the show was good, but did I actually hear Flair say that he had sex with Zenyatta the horse? ...
Douglas Williams turned babyface after he refused to participate in Fortune’s attack on Morgan, so Fortune is down to four members. ...
Brother Ray cut a good heel promo, although I’ve come to expect great ones, not good ones, from him. In talking about Brother Devon, he made the old “I’m the Shawn Michaels, you’re the Marty Jannetty” analogy. That’s become a cliché. ...
The Abyss-Shannon Moore casket match was pretty good as far as the action, but I wouldn’t have booked it the way it went down. No offense to Moore, but Abyss is supposed to be an unstoppable monster, and I think the match was far too competitive before “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero got involved and caused it to be ruled a no-contest. ...
Is there anybody who didn’t know that Dinero was going to be inside the casket when Abyss opened it up? By the way, it’s silly enough when The Undertaker does the bit where he appears in the casket out of nowhere, but at least in the story line he is supposed to have supernatural powers. Does TNA want us to believe that Dinero is some type of magician or something? Hopefully there’s a rational explanation for Dinero’s hocus pocus, because we all know that Hogan doesn’t want any “fake wrestling story lines” like the ones in “that company up North.” ...
Speaking of hocus pocus, Winter again popped in on Love, only this time she didn’t appear in a mirror. ...
Rhino showed good intensity on the mic during his exchange with Tommy Dreamer. ...
The eight-person tag match in which Generation Me, Robbie E. and Cookie defeated The Motor City Machine Guns, Jay Lethal and Velvet Sky wasn’t bad. ...
One of the guys in the ring with Jarrett for the MMA exhibition was Maryland Championship Wrestling’s own Teddy Stigma. ...
Some thoughts on Reaction: TNA tried something new with Reaction this week, as instead of a show of nothing but talking, there was an empty arena match between The Motor City Machine Guns and Generation Me. In an effort to get people to watch Reaction, TNA set the match up on Impact and then hyped it throughout the show. The “match” was intense and hard-hitting and I liked the fact that it was different, but it had some flaws. Because of the dim lighting, the action was hard to follow at times and the fight went on a bit too long. Plus, Mike Tenay and Tazz doing commentary during parts of made it seem less real. Generation Me dished out and absorbed a lot of punishment, so they gained some needed “street cred.” ... Raven delivered a good farewell performance as he talked about having to leave TNA. His best days in the ring are clearly behind him, but Raven is still an interesting character. It’s a shame there isn’t some kind of role for him in TNA. ... Hogan used the word “kayfabe” and the phrase “it’s a work.” He also talked about “fake belts” when referencing guys “who brag about winning 34 tag team titles” (an obvious shot at Team 3D, which seemed kind of random). The insider talk is so counterproductive. I suppose the idea is that by using that language it comes off like a shoot, but of course all it really does is hit you over the head that the business is a work, thus making it difficult to suspend your disbelief. And before anyone brings it up, no, Michael Cole and Josh Matthews dropping insider terms on NXT isn’t just as bad. They’re doing it on an online-only show that few people watch and the company obviously has given up on.
Comments
Kev, just because it's a web show that nobody watches and the company doesn't care about...doesn't make it right. It's not the same level as Hogan and Impact, but I don't think ANY wrestling company should be actively employing that as a strategy. Big or small show.
That Jarrett segment was terrible. Boring and long. Not nearly as good as previous Jarrett promos and did absolutely nothing for he or Joe. When the Impact (THE IMPACT!!) crowd turns on something...that should be a clue. If "The Shore" gimmick got that reaction we'd be calling it "go-away" heat. Oh, wait it did and we did...
Angelina v. Mickie was best match and segment of the night by a lot. More of THAT please. I also like the MCMG v. GenMe thing on Reaction...but where were Tazz and Tenay announcing from if the arena was empty?
Posted by: Jeremy W | November 20, 2010 4:09 AM
Flair has bladed more in the last 24 months than the last 24 yrs....
It's become pathetic..
I doubt TNA has the brains to make this a storyline....A wrestler that doesn't know to call it quits...
Posted by: Anonymous | November 20, 2010 6:49 AM
Whoever the special referee is we all know what would happen at the ppv right Kevin?
Morgan got screwed again and the ref joins
Immortal
Posted by: AIRA | November 20, 2010 7:20 AM
The last empty arena match I saw had something to do with a raw turkey, a pole, a failing federation, and Eric Bischoff.
Posted by: Lee Michaels | November 20, 2010 7:55 AM
Haven't we already figured out that Brother Ray and Brother Devon are both "The Marty Jannetty" of Team 3D? Weren't they terrible as single wrestlers in WWE? That's right, Russo can make anyone a star like The Demon and himself.
Posted by: The Nature Boy | November 20, 2010 11:17 AM
The best part of the TNA was at the end of Reaction and the empty arena with Motor City Machine Guns and Generation Me i like intense matches when they can go ether way and Matt Morgan and Ric Flair match was not bad either Hey Kev you think Morgan may choose Jeff Hardy 's brother Matt Hardy at Final Resolution .
Posted by: ryan | November 20, 2010 11:33 AM
I have to agree with you that this week's iMPACT was more impressive that the previous one.
I too enjoyed the video package done with Hardy at the beginning, I like how they used his newer theme music in it as I feel it suits his new persona flawlessly.
I'm actually glad Raven is gone, don't get me wrong...in his hay-day I used to love him, he was an awesome wrestler...but isn't it sort of a joke to see him wrestle now, I mean he's nothing like he used to be :-/.
The mixed tag match was a pleasure to watch, I loved when Sky attacked Gen Me, the crotch hit in the corner and later the head scissors.
I also hope they make sense of Pope showing up out of no where in the casket...and while I agree that it was sort of weird that the "monster" was being beat down by Moore I still really enjoyed seeing Moore attack him, I felt like he just chose his moves very carefully. in the end though didn't he get a black hole slam like all the rest? Maybe Abyss was just sluggish at first, haha.
If Morgan is smart he would try to team up with WIlliams and choose him as the ref. Although I think he might pick Eric's son, and I'm going to be p***ed if he does...it's really just sort of stupid.
Posted by: Steven P | November 20, 2010 2:08 PM
"Hogan doesn’t want any “fake wrestling story lines” like the ones in “that company up North.” ..."
__________________________________
Oh. So there can't be any story lines like Paul "Giant" Wight falling off the roof of Cobo Hall after his monster truck match with a certain somebody, only to make an unexplained recovery later in the evening? There can't be any story lines involving a "Dungeon of Doom" with powers of teleportation whose members consisted largley of ex WWF/E guys who followed a certain somebody into WCW? There can't be anything like a "Yeti" busting out of a block of ice and attacking a certain somebody? Is that the kind of fake stuff The Hulkster is talking about? Well, why the heck not, brother? A certain somebody seemed to think that it was okay back in WCW.
Posted by: Christopher | November 20, 2010 2:48 PM
*YAWN*
No matter how hard they try they just can't make Jeff Hardy a convincing heel...not after all of his work in the past. Of course, it doesn't help that this is the same bloody story line we saw with the nWo a decade ago. Hulk Hogan could pull this role off but Jeff Hardy can't.
Posted by: Pete | November 20, 2010 3:19 PM
I think I hated watching the Flair-Morgan mic segment so much partly because I know Flair's legendary status & how he earned it, which is also why he doesn't need to waste time talking about it every week.
I love the X Division, esp. Guns & Lethal, but even I found that tag match hard to watch.
I have to agree with the basic idea of the article, though; I've watched JJ work for Vince, Turner, & TNA, & this week may've been the best work he's done in years.
Posted by: TJ. Church | November 20, 2010 4:34 PM
TNA realizes it's been around a few years now right??? Instead of the Michaels Jannetty line, how about I'm the James Storm and D-Von is the Chris Harris. Who's Chris Harris?? Exactly.
Your TNA audience knows what he's talking about and the new audience doesn't which makes them ask who is Chris Harris, I'll look it up on youtube
Posted by: brandon | November 20, 2010 10:37 PM
I think it's way to soon for Mickie to get a title match, plus I think she does too many head scissors and hurricanranas.
Posted by: Frank King | November 21, 2010 1:06 AM
re: Zenyatta... didn't you know Flair's a horse man?
WHOOOOOOOOooooo
Posted by: Jules B. | November 21, 2010 3:08 AM
The Jeff Jarrett segment was awful, an insult to MMA fighters. It actually had me wondering if this was a signal of a return from Bobby Lashley after seeing this.
RESPONSE FROM KE: It was supposed to be an insult to MMA fighters. That was the point.
Posted by: Surgeon | November 21, 2010 10:18 AM
Not only is the Shawn Michaels/Marty Jannetty line cliche, but it's such an unnecessary nod to WWE.
Why not use "I'm James Storm and you're Chris Harris"?
Posted by: Anonymous | November 22, 2010 6:28 AM
I think I did the wrong thing by watching the Rise and Fall of WCW dvd and then watching Impact. Its so nice to see how Hogan is killing a company and burying talent......again.
When Douglas Williams turned my first question was and still is "Are the british invasion getting back together"? And if so, include desmonde wolfe. Is he even still on the roster???
Why do I see Jarrett winning this submission match???
Jeff Hardy wrestled. That was new.
Posted by: Peter | November 22, 2010 10:19 AM
The mixed tag match was good, for a few minutes. Robbie E and Cookie are such a waste of time.
I thought Raven's last TNA match was not bad, but I did not need to see Hogan insult Raven after the match. I get the fact that he does not like EV 2 after being compared to them, YET they are very comparible because they both changed the wrestling game. In my opinion, its time for Hogan and Bischoff to leave TNA. I am tired of seeing WWE has beens or never weres that these two jokers brought with them.
And speaking of Hogan, I thought he was never going to work with Vince Russo ever again. I guess money does change everything.
Team 3-D are both bad singles wrestlers. Brother Ray and Brother Devon were horrible on their own in WWE and this is going to make the next pay per view worse. And in comparing one to Marty Jannetty, I would compare them both to Barry Darsow. At least Jannetty held the IC title.
When JJ was doing the MMA thing, I kept hoping for Bobby Lashley to come back......guess that is never going to happen.
I think Sabin had the best seat in the house for Velvet Sky's enterance.
Posted by: Peter | November 22, 2010 12:24 PM
"TNA realizes it's been around a few years now right??? Instead of the Michaels Jannetty line, how about I'm the James Storm and D-Von is the Chris Harris. Who's Chris Harris?? Exactly.
Your TNA audience knows what he's talking about and the new audience doesn't which makes them ask who is Chris Harris, I'll look it up on youtube"
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Man, that is a great, great comment. That's one of those ones that makes you stand up and say, "yeah, you absolutely have a point...they should have done that." Piggybacking of this comment, It's better brand recognition too, if TNA would have done that. Acknowledging their stars and history...which TNA consistently undermines.
Posted by: E | November 22, 2010 1:45 PM
I don't understand all the hate (in the comments - not from Kevin, who I thought gave a great review of the show and who liked it overall) towards TNA here. I thought this show was much better than recent episodes. Only had to wait 15 minutes this time for a match to start! Remember just a few weeks ago they ran an episode where there wasn't even any wrestling in the first HOUR?!? This is an improvement! There hasn't been an BTLS, no Nasty Boys, etc etc. for some time now. No, not every show is going to be perfect, and TNA certainly has it's ups and downs (consistency is definitely not one of their strong points), but I thought this episode was pretty strong from start to finish.
Posted by: Curtis | November 22, 2010 3:02 PM
Am I the only one that thinks Morgan doing a face turn, getting booted out of Fortune, and the series of events leading to him getting a shot at Hardy with his own personal ref choice... is just setting up another "swerve" where Morgan screws Hardy and rejoins Fortune, as they (Flair) turn on Immortal (Hogan)?
Posted by: Mitch | November 22, 2010 4:48 PM