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3.07.2008

Tha iMPACT Playback: Just Do Better!

On a night where, as advertised, every man in the Destination X main event was to be in action, they were. That’s fine, I guess, but don’t make them gimmick matches. As a matter of fact, don’t give gimmick matches away period unless it’s very important.

Kevin Nash and A.J. Styles in a street fight doesn’t fall into the “important” category. Neither as a matter of fact does Tomko and Joe in a First Blood match. The final was Christian and Angle in Six Sides of Steel. Are you serious?
You have three matches that could have been at Destination X on free TV broadcast three days before the event. Correct me if I’m wrong, but does that not defeat the purpose of the pay-per-view?

Nash beat A.J. with a choke slam. Choke slams as a finisher is something that I cant remember seeing Nash use in a long time, if ever. How sad was the playing up, on the part of TNA, that A.J. was preoccupied missing Karen Angle. Too much at one time TNA, simply, or not so simply, too much at one time.

I can’t remember seeing a First Blood match end with a cut on a dudes arm, but by God TNA decided that was the thing to do. I’m serious by the way. A cut to the arm was the finish in case you didn’t watch the show. I’ve seen chair shots bust dudes wide open in the face before, but never the arm. Arm blood, as is any blood unless strategic is usually hard way, and I can’t see why Joe would blade to get color for an arm on free TV.

The main event of the night, which could legit main event a PPV, take notes Russo, Mantel and Jarrett, a PPV, not a free iMPACT, was Angle, the champ against Christian in a Cage. Legit a Six Sides of Steel was the main event of iMPACT with absolutely no implications whatsoever towards anything except furthering a feud.

The finish was one of those “too close to call” gimmicks and of course Cage won, but reaps no immediate reward for being the TNA Champion in a Six Sides of Steel match. He still has to do the six man match at Destination X.

All six men ended up involved in the SSoS, and Cage took the beat down while locked inside the ring and of course, “our heroes” came in to save the day as TNA was, as Tony Schiavonne used to say, “desperately out of time.” Go figure. A quick message to TNA, do better.

I don’t want to be too hard on the product as a whole, but they gave so much away this week it isn’t even funny. They are defeating the PPV purpose by giving gimmick matches away on TV and not putting the title on the line at the PPV’s. Why is that? Is there something I’m missing?

James E. announced that at Destination X Robert Roode and Robert Huffman, er, Booker T would be facing one another in a “Stand by Your Man” Strap Match. Yet another gimmick that makes even less sense. The stip states that the lady in the corner of the winner gets to lash her rival female.

That being said, I’m left with a question, that question is simply, what? This would be fine, but, last time I checked Booker is NOT Traci’s man, unless there are some behind the scenes antics this Carolinian aint aware of. So if Book wins, Traci beats the shit out of Peyton Banks, and if Roode wins, Banks whips Traci. Come on TNA, do better.

The “Fish Market Street Fight” was decided tonight when Curry Man and Shark Boy Steve Austin won a battle royal and was “allowed” to pick the stip of that match. In other action Rhino beat Judas Messias, so, adios Judas see you on TV in a few years. Awesome Kong beat Salinas.

I’m not questioning the ability of TNA’s performance, because dammit most of that roster can work circles around the other TV rosters, but what I am questioning is the intelligence of the writers. These guys are good enough to allow regular matches to speak for themselves. They just aren’t being allowed to do that.

Where the big question comes in though, is why Russo, Jarrett, Mantel and whoever else doing meth back there keep booking PPV matches on free TV. Why would anyone, other than die-hards and PPV whores shell out the money for PPV’s when they can see the same matches on free TV on any given night? It’s painful.

Tha results…
*Kevin Nash def. AJ Styles in a Street Fight
*Rhino def. Judas
*Tomko def. Samoa Joe in a First Blood Match
*Awesome Kong def. Salinas
*Shark Boy and Curry Man won a battle royal
*Christian def. Kurt Angle in a SSoS


3 comments: on "Tha iMPACT Playback: Just Do Better!"

Anonymous said...

but were these free matches good? since when did people get upset about getting good things for free? social leeches aside

D.J.B. said...

I understand exactly what you're saying, and yes they were decent matches, but my biggest complaint is that they do this 3 days BEFORE a PPV where all six of those men will be in a sixman tag.

Anonymous said...

I had to try and find ways to enjoy this show. I really did. The street fight was lamish. I was surprised that Nash and Styles didnt tie bandanas around their legs signifying that this was indeed a street fight. Nash looked weak but still won.

I dont like Judas. I just dont. I see his matches in Mexico and wonder what is so good about this dude that TNA wanted him. And has Rhyno totally accepted his alcoholic status? A drunk Gore would be funny to watch. And someone please tell Don West that when you shout The Gore that it doesnt get lower with each one but louder. He was like "GORE Gore gore..."

The Tomko match was better than I expected but the finish was both shit and good. I actually wondered why the ref stopped the match and then there was the bloody arm. Very cool...but not. I'm not asking for blood loss of Abyss proportions or anything. If Joe had cut his leg on the chair going for that wild kick then maybe I would have been happier.

Kong is running out of competition. I still dont like ODB. And was it me or did Kong's handler sound more Russian than Arab? She reminded me of Linka on Captain Planet. And tell me that Kong standing up to Hernandez and being his height didnt look cool!

I like Curry man. Shark Boys Stone Cold voice is slowly fading.

Christian cant have a bad match anymore. Dude is great.

Booker T's match has stipulation upon stipulation. Fuck. Cant they just have a match?