Thursday Night Smash: Say No To Pork

In yet another installment of "Days Of Our Angle" we get to see segment after segment with a Karen/Kurt/AJ promo. This angle, no pun intended, had better have one huge payoff, or it’s going to be the biggest waste of time since Big Boss man and Big Show had a feud. AJ is playing his part, but he’s having to play it too often and too much.

James Storm and Eric Young for the spinner belt replica, er, I mean TNA Drinking championship is overdone, as is Rhino and Storm. Selling Storm’s fear of heights doesn’t do much for me, but Gail Kim/ODB/Kong is the first female storyline that I’ve cared about in some time.

The Rellik/Black Reign angle still isn’t one I’m fond of, but I do understand it. What I don’t like however, is the way Kaz keeps playing it off calling them actors. Is that not the opposite of what the angle is trying to do? The other monster characters he mentioned, Hillary Clinton, Michael Myers, all those, strike fear, so maybe they’re trying to legitimize the characters.

For a long time I was really high on Eric Young’s chickenshit face gimmick but I would like to see it turn into a heel run. Tonight was a good leading off point for it when he left Kaz, Shark Cold and Curry Man. I don’t see anything of that nature coming from it, but it could easily go that way. Have Bubba and D-von in pants, though, always.

I also really like what TNA is doing with Devine. The footage of Bubba and D-Von was classic, and his part was just as good. I know it was a complete comedy bit but it was great. Bubba getting through the Chinese food with only eating salad was one of those Kevin Nash funny moments. D-Von having to put down the pork was equally entertaining as you can tell by the title of this article.

I could have done without Team 300lbs stripping down, but it too was funny. The sock spot was one of those undersold moments that I’ll remember for a while. The Looney Tunes boxers were good, but who wouldn’t have marked out for a Pat Patterson like skid mark? I don’t know if the Sharkboy angle is funny to anyone else, but I like it.

Chris Daniels as Curry Man is one of those moves that I was apprehensive about to begin with, but it’s another one of those “damn that’s funny” moments that make it acceptable. TNA tonight was laced with a good bit of comedy, a good bit of feuding, and a good bit of everything else. It was a pretty good show, not great, but now one of the worst ones.

Booker T and Bobby Roode has the potential to be one of those feuds that people remember for a long time. There is genuine emotion. The way Roode came to the ring and cut the promo like Booker would was so classic heel that I popped. Bobby Roode is one of those guys that should be a top guy before too long.

It’s a drawn out story that will have a payoff because it hasn’t been a one way drama and hasn’t incorporated too many characters, or too many twists, but just the right amount. I loved the way Booker sold the catfight between Traci and Banks, Booker is so good on so many levels, it bears repeating.

I can’t remember how many weeks in a row this makes, but dammit AJ Styles is so good it makes other guys look bad. He and Kurt Angle work really good together and as long as the promo’s don’t get too out of hand and extended, they serve their purpose and put it over. I want to see where this goes, but as I’ve said, there needs to be a huge payoff. Anything less than a title change or stellar match will be more than a disappointment.

The Angle/Nash match was good, but left some to be desired. The spots with the referee out of position or out of the ring dealing with something on the outside are so overdone and so tired. As soon as Angle shoved Karen it screamed that he’d be out of position to give Nash a victory. I understand putting Angle over, but not with that tired of a spot.

As I stated last week, TNA is still acting like a Mom & Pop operation instead of a global entity. They have a way to go before they get there, but each improvement is an improvement nonetheless, here’s hoping that they do it.

Tha results…
*Sharkboy & Curry Man def. Rellik & Black Reign
*Big Poppa Pump & Maple Leaf Muscle def. The Guru and Black Machismo
*Jackie Moore for James Storm def. Eric Young in a ladder match
*Awesome Kong def. Angelina Love
*Kurt Angle def. Kevin Nash

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