TNA Impact: There’s a new main event for Turning Point
A show-long angle on Thursday night’s TNA Impact ended with Matt Morgan taking the injured Mr. Anderson’s place against TNA world champion Jeff Hardy in the main event of Sunday’s Turning Point pay-per-view.
Eric Bischoff, dressed in his karate outfit, opened the program by announcing that the only way Anderson would keep his title shot against Hardy is if he could first beat Bischoff on this show.
After it was teased throughout the evening that Anderson – who is out of action due to a concussion – might actually make it to the Impact Zone to face Bischoff, Morgan made a dramatic entrance in the final segment. He delivered a Carbon Footprint to Bischoff, pinned him and then signed the open contract to face Hardy on Sunday.
I liked the angle, but the combination of TNA only having two weeks to transform Morgan from the heel enforcer of Fortune into a top-level babyface and the fact that he and Hardy have no heat with one another makes this match a tough sell as a pay-per-view main event.
Other thoughts on Thursday’s show:
It seems really odd for Hardy, the world champion, to only appear via taped vignettes on the final two shows before a pay-per-view. ...
Samoa Joe busting through the entrance ramp to attack Jeff Jarrett was something I didn’t see coming. ...
With Jarrett constantly mentioning Kurt Angle in his promos, it sure seems as if Angle is going to get involved in the match between Jarrett and Joe on Sunday. ...
During Jarrett’s promo, he said that he didn’t sell out by aligning with Bischoff and Hulk Hogan, he bought in. That’s a great line. Too bad Hardy already used it three weeks ago. ...
The three-way match for the TNA TV title that saw champion A.J. Styles defeat Rob Van Dam and Rhino was disappointing. It only went about five minutes and wasn’t anywhere near as good as it could have been. ...
A match between a paranoid RVD and fellow former ECW star Tommy Dreamer was announced for Turning Point. How is it that Dreamer gets to work with top talents such as Styles and RVD every month on pay-per-view? ...
I liked the mutual respect deal with Team 3D and The Motor City Machine Guns, but the more these guys smiled at each other and exchanged compliments, the more convinced I became that at Turning Point either Team 3D is turning heel or Brother Ray is turning on Brother Devon. ...
The six-person tag team match in which Ink Inc. and Mickie James defeated Generation Me and Tara was entertaining. ...
Eric Young and Orlando Jordan in couples counseling was not entertaining. At all. ...
After Abyss attacked some more “fans,” it was announced that he will face “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero at Turning Point in a match in which fans will be lumberjacks. My guess is that the lumberjacks will all be plants. ...
The Sarita-Velvet Sky match (which Sarita won) was only fair at best, and that’s because Sky just couldn’t keep up with the more talented Sarita. ...
Bickering announcers can either be funny or annoying. In the case of Mike Tenay and Taz, it’s the latter. ...
The match between Fortune members Kazarian and Douglas Williams was good while it lasted. Williams – who lost after being thrown into James Storm, who was standing on the ring apron for some reason – appears to be doing a slow-burn babyface turn. ...
When Ric Flair sat in on commentary during the Kazarian-Williams match, he had a lollipop in his mouth. I thought that was Jordan’s gimmick.







Comments
Oops, imagine that this came up while I was commenting this below, haven't read what you wrote above yet but I figured I'd have some fun,copy and past my comment on your last post that is more appropriate for this one that wasn't up yet, then I'll see what you say.Here it is********
Kev nothing on the go home show from TNA? Morgan kicks Easy E in the chops with his carbon footprint and nothing? Ponder this, notice Flair's facial expression as he hugged the "out of it" Bischoff, I wouldn't be surprised if this whole Flair kissing up to Eric and Hulk turns out to be a GIANT SWERVE, how about Morgan (finally getting his push) with a Championship match against Hardy, he wins and Flairs Fortune helps,leaving sending Immortal to a backseat as Fortune takes control.After the match Flair comes out blasts Hogan and Bischoff with HIS MASTER PLAN, all the while a smiling new Champion (the Carbon Footprint Matt Morgan laughing and gloating by his side, Morgan goes on laughing about how stupid we are all thinking he "cared" about Anderson's concussion and Immortal is left being Mortal after all. Just a thought (really a wish). Also opening up a possible Fortune/Dixie tie in. What are the chances?
Posted by: mickfowl | November 6, 2010 2:00 AM
I'm glad to see Morgan finally getting the push he, I feel, greatly deserves. I just think that he's so very lucky. If it wasn't for this Anderson injury, TNA would still overlook Morgan's abilities in and out of the ring.... Sometimes, I think TNA is 'doing a WCW' with regards to ignoring talent (Morgan, Ink Inc, etc) and pushes the burnt out has beens (Dreamer, Nash, Hall etc.)
Posted by: Kenny Graham | November 6, 2010 2:08 AM
Hardy missed the tapings because his girlfriend had a baby, I saw it posted on another site last week.
RESPONSE FROM KE: Yes, I saw that. Not saying he didn't have a good reason, but it was still weird not to see the champion live on two straight shows before the PPV. That's one of the fallbacks to taping multiple episodes on the same day/week.
Posted by: Jim | November 6, 2010 2:22 AM
"A match between a paranoid RVD and fellow former ECW star Tommy Dreamer was announced for Turning Point. How is it that Dreamer gets to work with top talents such as Styles and RVD every month on pay-per-view? ..."
My guess would be that Dreamer is laying the pipe to 'ole Dixie.
Posted by: RDB | November 6, 2010 3:06 AM
"Eric Bischoff dressed in his karate outfit"
"Eric Young and Orlando Jordan in couples counseling"
"Abyss will face “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero at Turning Point in a match in which fans will be lumberjacks"
"Bickering announcers can either be funny or annoying. In the case of Mike Tenay and Taz, it’s the latter. ..."
Wow...Hogan was right: fans don't want fake-a** wrestlers with fake-a** storylines.
Posted by: Anonymous | November 6, 2010 8:50 AM
So, Vicki Guerrero wears a necklace that says cougar and Tara wears a shirt that says cougar. Who is the real cougar???
Posted by: Michael | November 6, 2010 9:58 AM
Kev, I agree with the Morgan vs. Hardy match that it has no heat, but look at the bright side TNA could have made the main event Hardy vs Tommy Dreamer.
Posted by: The Nature Boy | November 6, 2010 11:19 AM
Actually, Hardy "sold" in. Of course, Hardy sounds like a doofus when he talks and probably meant to say "bought in." When is he going to jail?
Posted by: Cliff | November 6, 2010 11:52 AM
I thought the lollipop was Kojak's gimmick. Who loves ya, baby?
RESPONSE FROM KE: Wow, you're dating yourself with that reference. Guess I'm not the only old guy here.
Posted by: Aaron Goldstein | November 6, 2010 12:52 PM
@mickfowl
An interesting theory, but there's one problem.
TNA's just not smart enough to do something like that.
Posted by: Pete | November 6, 2010 4:12 PM
I could be dating myself. Or it could be I am wise beyond my years.
Posted by: Aaron Goldstein | November 6, 2010 6:14 PM
TNA SUCKS PERIOD .
Posted by: ryan | November 6, 2010 8:12 PM
I think Morgan is still with Fortune. Perhaps Flair is setting this all up to turn against Eric at the PPV. I always thought Fortune should be a seperate faction from Immortal.
Posted by: William Blanchard | November 6, 2010 9:04 PM
Nope, Morgan has less than zero chance to win and Flair/Fortune are not turning (yet) on Immortal. Because that would have necessitated some planning ahead and forethought. Which TNA does not possess. Russo lives his life against those qualities. They are booking this thing by the seat of their pants, TV taping-to-TV taping. Plus Hogan and Bischoff "own" (or whatever) TNA now not Dixie, so neither she nor Flair would have any "power". Face it folks. You are stuck with this, for better or worse, until the next "thing that will change the face of TNA and professional wrestling forever" (aka Matt Hardy haha).
P.S.: Morgan goes back to mid-card by New Year's. Book it. Just not his time...yet.
Posted by: Jeremy W | November 6, 2010 11:17 PM
I realize they had to make the last-minute switch in the main event because of Anderson's legit injury, but otherwise... how can TNA possibly expect to build audience interest in a PPV when they're making half the matches at the go-home show?
Posted by: jvwalt | November 7, 2010 2:25 AM
Douglas Williams should remain a heel. He's rather good at that role.
Posted by: Jack Windham | November 7, 2010 3:25 AM
Flair talked about when "Horsemen settled their differences by facing each other in the ring." I was a Horseman afficionado from as far back as the TBS days and I can't ever remember a Horseman facing a Horseman except for when Arn and Ric had that falling out for about two weeks in the early 90's. Lex Luger facing Barry Windham or even Sting wasn't Horseman facing Horseman. Face it, the Four Horsemen were Ric, Arn, Tully, and Ole with JJ Dillon managing. Any other iteration of the Horsemen was a fraud.
I can't believe you were surpried by Joe coming through the ramp. Jarrett was kind of sauntering up the ramp so I was not surprised but I won't say that I saw it coming either. The paranoid RVD angle is just stupid and Dreamer saying that "this is us" just makes no sense but then the whole EV2.0 is not for me, although Stevie Richards saying that he is the best talent in that faction at least allows for some decent interaction among them. A year ago I had so much hope for Eric Young and now he is just made out to be a buffoon on such a level that he'll never be taken seriously again. Words can't begin to describe the worthlessness of Orlando Jordan as a character. Generally I'm not a fan of 3-way matches and the AJ v RVD v Rhino match didn't change my thinking and the fact that it lasted as short as it did was its only redeeming value for me. I love Velvet Skye as the heel tag team partner. She has a fabulous looking face (really pretty) but as a baby-face she''s mis-cast and like you said she can't keep up with a talent like Sarita. BTW, where is Taylor Wilde?
Posted by: Johnny Valentine was great | November 7, 2010 12:57 PM
In regards to the Pope-Abyss match, this isn't the first time they did a fan lumberjack match. Back in '05 or '06, Samoa Joe and Jeff Jarrett fought in a fan-lumberjack match, and I believe Kurt Angle was the special referee. It was non-title, and Joe stole the belt.
Posted by: paul | November 7, 2010 3:25 PM
What is with Ric Flair showing off his pants on reaction? That I could do without to begin with.
How stupid is TNA when you have Bischoff ripping into Anderson most of the night, but earlier you have a phone interview and it says he is at home. Ummmm, wtf?
I do not like to see Morgan as a "pinch hitter" so to speak.
When is the EV 2 thing going to finally end? I want to see more of Rhino and Raven, less of Tommy Dreamer and his tears.
What is the point of having Jeff Hardy around if he is not going to *gasp* wrestle! Or even be on Impact. He calls himself the "Antichrist of Wrestling". I thought Vince Russo was. Hardy is a face that looks like he is uncomfortable playing in this new role.
Posted by: Peter | November 8, 2010 12:29 PM