Tha iMPACT Playback

So Lockdown has come and gone and we have a new TNA World Heavyweight Champion. Samoa Joe has long been heralded as one of the very best in wrestling. Be it the Indies or be it wrestling in the big two. Agree or disagree I don’t think anyone is unhappy that he’s wearing the belt.

The upcoming promise of Scott Steiner and Samoa Joe may or may not have you excited. I for one am, because I’ve seen their work together on house shows from a year or two ago. I think it could be another classic. But that’s a discussion for a later date. This is Tha iMPACT Playback.

The way that TNA gave the opening highlight package from Lockdown before the opening iMPACT package was very nice. Hell they played up the video highlights from Lockdown that were the best possible ones to make those that didn’t see Lockdown think it was a very good show. Good move on the part of the guys in the truck.

Now if TNA were a traveling company, at least for iMPACT, I have a feeling that when Joe’s music hit and he made his way out he’d have gotten a mega pop. It’s always hard to gauge pops in the iMPACT Zone, but that one was pretty damn good.

The way Joe keeps putting the fans into his promos, like tonight, “We are the champion,” makes me think that they may just run with him as an uber-face, not a tweener as he usually is. Putting over Angle didn’t bother me, because let’s face it, Kurt can go when the situation calls for it. Joe-Angle IV called for it, and Angle delivered.

You know if nothing else, putting the belt on Joe, albeit late, speaks highly of what TNA does. They do listen to their fans…sometimes. Joe has been a guy that was over from the word go, and now he has their big belt. Good for TNA. If the E would strap Punk then we’d have the two men involved in RoH’s 60 minute classics as the champions for both big American companies.

I wasn’t too disappointed with Scotty Steiner on the mic this week. I would say not at all, but then again he said, “Little Petey Pump.” Give him a better gimmick name. I’m tickled shitless Petey is back on TV full time, and I don’t even mind the Definition of Definition, Maple Leaf Muscle gimmick. Just don’t call him Little Petey Pump, it kinda sounds like something an old man uses.

Joe and Steiner should be a classic, but with Joe vs. Angle next week, I smell a triple threat at Sacrifice for the title. I did pop for Angle telling Steiner that his last big win was against the Road Warriors in 1975 with his idiot brother. It’s the little things that win you over. I just wonder how Angle-Joe V will be on free tv? I know I'll be watching just to find out.

You know though, with Petey as Steiner’s flunky, and Joe and Angle in the mix, why not have Petey wrestle Joe one week and Angle the next to warm them up for Steiner? It’d be a nice way to give him an extra rub, and it could add a little to the X title that’s been lacking as of late.

Speaking of lacking as of late, what’s wrong with putting the title on Devine? I understand that at this point with the Steiner storyline Petey benefits greatly by having his belt, since Steiner gave him that briefcase back. I guess I’m hoping that Devine can take the strap from Petey or hell anyone really, down the line.

The very money in the bank-esque way that Petey won the X title from Machismo appeared to be a shot at the WWE, or a blatant rip off. Either way I didn’t mind the way it went down, or actually I didn’t mind it all, but the mark in me hoped that Devine would be getting a run with the belt.

Anytime that Hermie Sadler calls a match it’s great. Even though he sounds more southern than most, that means the emphasis isn’t just on Tenay and West, and that's what makes it great. We all know that Don West isn’t that good on commentary, so any addition is a big addition, be it Frank "Dont call me Kurt Angle" Trigg or Hermie.

The TNA Tag Team title situation just went insane. Not only did you have Super Eric and Kaz(kinda) defeat Tomko and Styles for the TNA Tag titles after a reign that lasted six months, one of the longer tag team title reigns in TNA history, you then had them be stripped of the title less than an hour later. All because Eric Young was involved in the match, but Super Eric got the win.

There will be more on that next week when the announcement is made, but the tag team division went from being stacked with real tag teams and a solid set of champions, to being turned inside out with a gimmick gone wrong. Good luck fixing this cluster. Maybe they'll have a fatal four way with Team 3D, Styles & Tomko, LAX and MCMG, but I seriously doubt that.

I have been very supportive of what Team 3D has done lately. If not in the ring then definitely on the mic, and that wont change this week either. The segment backstage with Christian and Rhino was a great, albeit short promo. Christian and Rhino sold and went along with the promo nicely and it was one of the things TNA did right tonight.

Speaking of promos, LAX wasn’t on top of their game when it came to being on the mic. Homicide is great in the ring, but on the mic he is severely lacking. I shot down Scott Steiner in recent weeks for his slurring of words and stepping on himself. Homicide did that this week.

While I’m on the subject of LAX and their backstage promo, what’s up with another piece of ass interviewer? SpikeTV is the first network for men, yeah, I get that, but is there any need to keep bringing in pretty little blonds to interview the workers? You market for men with women, but you edit out curse words? Leticia, then Crystal, now Lauren, and if Tito ever gets involved with TNA again I’m guessing Jenna Jameson will be the next one.

Sticking with promos for a little while longer, the promo Joe cut backstage with the new eye candy girl was really good, but what pushed it over the edge was Nash just standing behind him. Nash didn’t talk, he really didn’t do much, but the way he did said something.

The six-man tag team match was pretty good. It wasn’t five stars, but it fit. Sting, Booker T and BG James isn’t a team you’d expect to see, but then again neither are Robert Roode, Kip James and James Storm. In the context of the storylines it makes sense. I do like the way that TNA will make multi-person matches to encompass a few storylines. Not all the time, but sometimes it works nicely.

I didn’t really expect Roxxi to take her title shot this soon, and I also didn’t expect her to lose either. I guess though, that ODB or Gail Kim will be the ones to unseat Kong from her position as Queen of the Mountain. Roxxi and Kong put on a very, very solid women’s match. Now I'm just waiting for Awesome Kong vs. Kurt Angle.

The tag team match between the newly rejuvenated Team 3D and The Instant Man Beast Rhino Cage didn’t disappoint either. I guess that Bubba and D-von are going to go face given the post match security interupting spat. I don’t see them breaking up again. Plus, given TNA’s histories breaking up legitimate tag teams isn’t that great. See James Storm, Chris Harris, Chris Daniels, Elix Skipper, Kip and BG James.

Sting and Booker T, will we get to see that? We all know Book can work his ass off as a heel, but then again, it may just be a Vince Russo tease that never comes to fruition. Nobody knows anymore, and I by the way refuse to read the TNA spoilers, because every time I do I don’t watch the product.

DJB’s What To Watch:
First segment-Joe/Steiner/Angle/Christian/Rhino/Team 3D
Jay Lethal vs. Johnny Devine
Jay Lethal sorta vs. Petey Williams (this wont take long truss)
Styles & Tomko vs. LAX vs. (Super) Eric Young & Kaz >>
Six man tag team match > or >> depending on whether or not you like the workers
The Instant Beast Rhino Cage vs. Team 3D

Tha results…
*Black Machismo def. Johnny Devine
*Petey Williams def. Black Machismo to win the X title
*(Super Eric) Young & Kaz def. Styles & Tomko & LAX to win tag titles
*Tha Instant Man Beast def. Team 3D
*Awesome Kong def. Roxxi to retain the Knocked Up title
*BG James-Sting-Booker T def. James Storm-Robert Roode-Kip James

Share |