Tha iMPACT Playback: Happy Slammiversary

I’m not completely negative when it comes to TNA, though sometimes it may seem that way. TNA has too much talent to be terrible. By that I mean talent in the ring, not behind the scenes or at the announce table. I don’t know how many guys TNA has that can draw a full house at an indy show, but together…it would do the job.

Their roster is incredible, their veteran talent, former WWE guy or not is awesome. They can put on great matches, their downfall is their booking. Overbooked finishes, ultra repetitive storylines, and the like, but there is a silver lining, just wait, you’ll see.

I’ve said this before, but it does need to be said again, Scott D’Amore should book that company. He has taken the seemingly dead, except on the indy scene (don’t kill me Lufisto) women’s division and made it the most interesting part of the show. That’s not me talking, that’s the ever important numbers.

When Talia Madison and Lauren/Angel Williams put on their Velvet Skye and Angelina Love persona’s Scott D’Amore makes them interesting. I paid attention to their segment. I cared what they said, and it made sense. These girls are over, over as heels, not typical female babyfaces.

When a worker cuts a promo and says that they have a pimple on their ass…that’s more attractive than the people that hate them, and it doesn’t come out of left field, you have something. They also went after the most over babyface women, One Dirty Butch, Kim Chi, and nub-head. Thank you Scott.

Onto the males, starting the show was a KotM preview match, the ultimate man beast Rhino Cage against Robert Roode and Booker T. Not only did Roode and Booker do a great job in their program against one another, they are both over as heels and damn good workers.

The match of course was thrown out, when 3D hit the ring and let the carnage began but that’s a moo point. (I hope somebody gets that) I want to give a lot of credit to AJ Styles. Here’s a guy who not that long ago was scared of a mic, and people were scared to give him one.

That’s gone. AJ came out, cleaned house and cut a very solid face promo. He and Cornette both cut “down home” promo’s what with AJ saying he’s going to beat the piss out of Angle, and Cornette talking about getting beaten like a Drag Queen at a Tractor Pull, but it fit, and worked.

AJ has always been above the competition, now he’s up to par with most, and better than some on the mic. I don’t know of many AJ Styles detractors, the first time watchers will usually throw out a couple, “oh damn,” or “wow” comments, and with a few exceptions, keeps the longtime fans talking. Kudos AJ.

Now during that same segment, with Christian, Rhino and AJ and as I alluded to earlier, the announce booth dropped the ball. Mike Tenay said something along the lines of given these two men’s history who could see them together. AJ then said that they were once like brothers, but he wanted to see a day when they were on the same page. There was static at the other end.

Now I see where Tenay was coming from, but AJ shot that down. They’ve had problems, but in wrestling how long do problems last? Hell Rhino cut a promo months ago that centered on his child saying, “Daddy, why was Uncle Christian beating you up.” This is a taped show, edit that. Especially if it’s been building for a while.

For the first time in a long time, I’m really behind Eric Young. Hell yeah I’m an Elvis mark. Eric Young is damn funny, and with the Elvis thing he’s over the top funny. “Did you see that? Nobodies allowed upstairs, but I just saw that curtain move.” A friend of mine’s dad has a Pink Cadillac, and that is the shit. Aint that right Brian?

While I’m on that topic…there’s a wedding at Slammiversary this year. Now if we’ll all think back there was a divorce as well. After the fifth Slammiversary Christopher Casur wanted a divorce. The splitting was less than amicable, words were exchanged, not everyone left happy. He shouldn’t have to cover the sixth Slammiversary, but I can’t, so, that’s just all up in the air.

Sting was back with more of his shoot interview. I do like the way that he goes paintless, and they way that they speak candidly about people they wouldn’t usually talk about. His comments on Ric Flair were great, I just hope they don’t steal it from WWE and do a big retirement angle with him. I don’t want that to become a huge gimmick.

The King of the Mountain match on TV wasn’t that bad. Commercial breaks don’t do it justice, but isn’t that always the downfall of TV? Kaz took some sick ass bumps, as did everyone else. It was all in all a good match, I wasn’t that surprised to see Kaz get the win, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see an X-Division Champ vs. TNA Champ match next week on iMPACT.

It was nice to see Daffney, it was also really nice to see Becky Bayless, makes you want to watch more RoH don’t it. I did like seeing Daffney get back in the ring. She took it like a champ and it put Kong over even further, if that is at all possible.

Abyss is coming back. He’ll be released in three days. Could it be at Slammiversary!? These bastards are math geniuses. Yawn. All apologies to any Abyss marks out there, but this gimmick hasn’t done much for me since Kane and Bearer went their separate ways. I hope he destroys the announce table, and the announcers, now there’s something I can get behind.

Black Machismo’s bachelor party, I don’t really know what to say. There are some legends involved, but Sonjay Dutt was slapping Kip James on the ass. Why? There was no football, baseball, basketball or croquet, nothing competitive, no ass slapping. Christy Hemme dancing was ok, that’s an ass worth slapping, a lot.

This Sunday, and I hope somewhere, in their heart of hearts Christopher Casur and TNA can put aside their differences for this one special night, their Slammiversary.

DJB’s What to Watch
Whole show on play
Kurt/Karen>>>
Lethal’s Bachelor Party >>
Storm/James/Hoyt vs. LAX/Matt Morgan >>

Tha Results…
*Rhino Cage def. Bobby Roode & Booker T via DQ
*ODB def. Velvet in a street fight
*Kaz wins King of the Mountain
*Awesome Kong def. Daffney
*LAX & Matt Morgan def. Kip James-James Storm-Lance Hoyt
*AJ Styles def. Tomko with Nash as special guest referee

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