On tonight?s edition of IMPACT Wrestling:
- The Bound For Glory Series concludes as?Rob Van Dam?takes on?Bully Ray?and?Jeff Hardy?takes on?Samoa Joe?in the final two matches.?Three of these man will join?James Storm?in the semi-finals at?No Surrender?while one man will go home.
- ?Championship Thursday? begins as TNA Tag Team Champions?Christopher Daniels/Frankie Kazarian?face a mystery team to be decided during the show (the contenders:?Robbie E/Robbie T,?Chavo Guerrero Jr./Hernandez,?Gunner/Kid Kash, and?AJ Styles/a partner of Styles? choosing.
- The Aces and 8?s drama continues to unfold and TNA World Champion?Austin Aries?will certainly be involved.
All this and more on the September 6th edition of?IMPACT Wrestling.
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Previously on IMPACT Wrestling:?Eric Young?reunited with?ODB,?we?re down to the final five in the BFG Series,?Joseph Park?offers to investigate the Aces and 8?s, and?Austin Aries?gets laid out by the group to end last week?s show.
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The pyro goes off at the Impact Zone as?Mike Tenay?welcomes the home crowd to another?live?edition of?IMPACT Wrestling.?He runs down the BFG Series matches that remain tonight.
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A BFG Series video package plays to hype up the Hardy/Joe and RVD/Ray matches for tonight.
- Thoughts:?Wonderfully put together. Really gives the BFG Series the weight it deserves.
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We get our first look at the BFG Series leaderboard, which isn?t that necessary since we already know who?s left.
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Jeff Hardy?makes his way out for the first BFG Series match tonight.?He gets a?massive?ovation from the Impact Zone.?His opponent,?Samoa Joe, makes his way out next. His mohawk is looking more pronounced than usual. Tenay gives the story behind the match: if Joe wins, he takes first place over?James Storm?and will get the right to pick his semi-final opponent for?No Surrender.
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Match #1: Jeff Hardy Vs. Samoa Joe in a?Bound For Glory Series match
They lock up and Joe gets an early wristlock on Hardy. Hardy gets to the ropes, forcing Joe to break the hold. They lock up once again, and Hardy grabs a side headlock. Joe sends Hardy into the ropes and knocks him down with a running shoulderblock. Hardy rolls to the outside to recover. Hardy gets back in the ring as the crowd chants his name. Third lockup, and Joe pushes Hardy into the corner. Joe lays into Hardy with a series of right jabs and kicks. Joe throws Hardy to the outside and follows suit.
Joe sits Hardy up and knees him in the face. Joe rolls in to break the count and rolls back out. Joe tries to send Hardy face-first into the steps, but Hardy blocks it and throws him in. Hardy launches off the ringsteps and connects with a flying leg into Joe. Both men are down as we go to commercial.
*Commercial Break*
Both men are duking it out in the ring as we come back from commercial. Joe gets the advantage with an elbow to the face. He goes for the pin. 2-count. Joe picks Hardy up and connects with a headbutt. Joe sets Hardy in the corner and hits a series of right hands. He whips Hardy into the opposite corner and connects with a back splash followed by a jumping kick (I?m not good with move names). Joe goes for another pin. 2-count.
Joe and Hardy trade blows, but Joe responds with a powerslam for another close 2-count. Joe is getting frustrated. The crowd loudly chants Hardy?s name. Joe picks him up, but Hardy starts fighting back. Joe squashes that with a headbutt then whips him into the corner. Hardy comes running out with a series of moves. Hardy hits an inverted atomic drop and drops his legs into his midsection. Hardy then dropkicks Joe in the head and goes for the pin. 1?2?KICK OUT.
Hardy delivers a jawbreaker and goes to the top. Joe gets up and Hardy jumps over him. Joe applies the beginnings of a rear naked choke but Hardy smashes him into the turnbuckle. Hardy hits the Twist of Fate then wraps up Joe in a submission move (headlock while squeezing Joe?s ?injured arm? with his legs). JOE TAPS! Whoa.
Winner [via Submission]: Jeff Hardy (12:02)
- A submission win by Hardy? I didn?t see that coming. Good match between the two and the crowd was?hot?as well which made the match extra special. Joe tapped out to Hardy. I can?t believe it. I like being surprised. (B)
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We get a recap of the end of last week?s?IMPACT Wrestling?that ended with TNA Champion?Austin Aries?laid out once again.
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Backstage,?Hulk Hogan?is stopped by TNA Champion?Austin Aries. Aries is frustrated with being constantly attacked by the Aces and 8?s and wants answers as to why they keep getting in. Hogan says the guy who attacked him last week was on the TNA Payroll so they have infiltrated. Hogan says they are trying to ruin the company. Hogan says the member who attacked Aries last week will be here this week at Aries? disposal. Hogan says Aries has his permission to ?do what he needs to do? to get him to talk.
- Thoughts:?Interesting. The story continues to unfold; hopefully it does more than tread water this week. If Aries waterboards the Aces and 8?s guy though I?m out for the night. That sh*t is terrifying.
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*Commercial Break*
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Christy Hemme?is with Samoa Joe at the entrance stage but before he can say anything, his former partner Magnus comes out to interrupt. He wants to explain why he attacked Joe after their match a few weeks ago. Magnus says they were a really good team but Joe ruined it by being an egomaniac. Magnus says he?s over it and will be the bigger man by wishing him all the best. Hemme tries to get the interview back on track, but Magnus attacks him from behind. This interview is not happening.
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Championship Thursday, Part One
Backstage,?Hulk Hogan?is with three of the four teams up for the chance to face Daniels/Kazarian for the TNA Tag Team Titles tonight.?Robbie E?says he and?Robbie T?should get the match because they?re the youngest and most in shape. Robbie E demands the opportunity.?Kid Kash?says he and?Gunner?are the best pick.?Chavo Guerrero Jr.?says he?s been winning tag team championships since he was 10.?AJ Styles?comes in and says he wants the match to get revenge. Hogan eliminates him immediately from contention because he doesn?t have a partner.
- Thoughts:?So this is essentially what Aries did with the X-Division awhile back eh? Right on. The information about ?Championship Thursday? stated that Styles would have a mystery partner of his choice so to see him eliminated immediately for not having a partner is?odd. But it?s all good. Out of the three teams left, I want to see?none of them face Daniels/Kazarian.
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Backstage,?Brooke Hogan?commends?Tara?for beating?Miss Tessmacher?a few weeks ago but Hogan wants her to prove herself again. She says Tara will fight again at?No Surrender.?They are interrupted by?Gail Kim?who says she deserves the shot. Hogan books Tara/Kim for tonight, and the two women argue as we go to commercial.
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*Commercial Break*
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TNA will air?Countdown to Bound for Glory?on SpikeTV before the PPV. Cool.
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Taryn Terrell?is in the ring ready to officiate the next match.?Gail Kim?makes her way out and argues with Terrell. Next up is her opponent?Tara.?Didn?t she announce her retirement forever ago?
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Match #2: Tara Vs. Gail Kim
Kim gets the early advantage with a headlock takeover, then continues the assault with a nice looking dropkick. She takes time to showboat, allowing Tara to gain the advantage with an armdrag. Tara whips Kim in the ropes and hits a back bodydrop. Kim fights back with a flying armbar out of the corner. Kim whips Tara into the corner and throws herself into Tara?s midsection. Kim goes for the pin. 2-count.
Tara rolls up Kim for a 2-count but gets a boot to the face immediately after. Kim goes for the pin and gets another 2-count. Kim whips Tara into the corner. Tara moves from another splash attempt and connects with a powerslam. Tara takes her down with a series of clotheslines. Tara connects with a delayed vertical suplex for the 1?2?kick out. Kim grabs Tara?s leg and sends her face-first into the second rope. Kim climbs the top turnbuckle but gets crotched. Tara picks her off and connects with the Widow?s Peak for the 1?2?3!
Winner [via Pinfall]: Tara (3:37)
- Good match for what it was. Built up Tara well for her Knockouts Title match against Tessmacher at?No Surrender.?But still it was short, so it can?t get that high of a grade on principle. (C+)
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A recap of?Joey Ryan?s dismissal from TNA Gut Check back in May, followed by his attacks on?Al Snow?over the past few months.
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Al Snow?is on his way to the ring to address the situation next!
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*Commercial Break*
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Al Snow is in the ring. He says he has extended an offer to Joey Ryan for another shot. He calls out Ryan, who is hiding in the audience somewhere. Ryan emerges from the crowd with his megaphone. Ryan cuts a promo about bringing sleazy back, and Snow cuts him off. Snow makes him an offer: wrestle another Gut Check match and if he wins, he gets a TNA contract. Ryan says he doesn?t need to prove himself again and Snow calls him gutless. Snow takes off his coat and rolls up his sleeves. Snow says Ryan will have to earn the contract; he isn?t giving it to him. Ryan accepts Snow?s challenge and his opponent is: Al Snow! Ryan says it?s not the 90?s anymore and no one wants to see Snow in spandex. Snow slaps him in the face and yells at Ryan to fight him. Ryan rolls out and threatens to sue him for the slap. Ryan exits through the crowd.
- Thoughts:?That was pretty damn good and I?m glad to see the Ryan story going somewhere.
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Backstage,?Joseph Park?is on the phone when?Bully Ray?shows up. Ray says he?s not here to fight Park because he has bigger things to worry about. Ray asks Park if he?s found anything out about The Aces and 8?s. Park says it?s none of Ray?s business and he will get back to?Hulk Hogan?and?Sting?when he finds something out. Ray tells Park to be careful while snooping.
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Backstage, a security guard delivers the tied up Aces and 8?s member to?Austin Aries. Aries says if he doesn?t answer his questions, he?s going to have some ?fun?.
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RVD?and?Bully Ray?is up next after commercial!
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*Commercial Break*
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Championship Thursday, Part Two
Hulk Hogan?asks?Chavo Guerrero Jr.?why he thinks he and?Hernandez?deserve the shot even though he just arrived in TNA. Guerrero says they already beat?Kid Kash/Gunner.?Kash says he doesn?t respect Guerrero.?Robbie E?says he and?Robbie T have been together longer than the two teams. Hogan eliminates Kash/Gunner from contention. Kash threatens both teams as they exit.
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A video package hypes the?RVD/Bully Ray?BFG Series match.
- Thoughts:?I love these hype videos. Seriously.
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We see the updated BFG Series leaderboards.?James Storm?is locked in at number one so he will pick his opponent for the semis after the RVD/Ray match.
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Bully Ray?makes his way out.?His opponent?Rob Van Dam?comes out after. I probably didn?t need to recap this part for you. Sorry.
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Match #3: Rob Van Dam Vs. Bully Ray in the FINAL?Bound For Glory Series Match
RVD and Ray trash talk each other and Ray shows off his calves. RVD kicks him in the calf, and goes for another but Ray grabs his leg and takes him down. They go to lock up and Ray kicks RVD in the stomach. Ray gets a series of blows in but RVD applies a side headlock out of nowhere. Ray whips him in the ropes and hits an elbow. Ray stomps on the fallen RVD. RVD rolls Ray up out of nowhere for a quick 2-count. Both get up and stare one another down.
RVD gets another side headlock. Ray tries to escape by picking him up, but to no avail. Ray whips him in the ropes and tries a bodydrop but RVD flips over. Ray ducks an enziguri but gets another kick for his troubles. RVD unloads and gets another kick. He goes for the pin. 2-count. Ray rolls to the outside and trash talks, allowing RVD to connect with a baseball slide. RVD runs the ropes and connects with a flip dive onto Ray on the outside.
RVD rolls Ray in and heads to the top rope. Ray runs into the ropes and crotches him. RVD gets his leg caught between the top and middle rope, and Ray continually hammers RVD?s left knee. Ray continues working on his left knee, and after an elbowdrop, applies a leglock. RVD tries to reverse it into an armbar but Ray overpowers him. Ray finally breaks the hold after a series of punches by RVD. Ray works him over in the corner. Ray and?Earl Hebner?get into a spat, which allows RVD to hit a spinning leg lariat out of the corner.
RVD mounts his comeback and connects with a series of clotheslines, followed by a spinning heel kick. RVD connects with the Rolling Thunder and goes for the pin. 1?2?KICK OUT. RVD hits a roll-through monkey flip out of the corner and hits a springing flying cross body for the 1?2?KICK OUT. Ray connects with a boot to the face and goes for the pin. 1?2?KICK OUT.
Ray misses a Vader Bomb in the corner and RVD hits a springboard kick. He jumps to the top rope. Ray catches him with a Bully Cutter as he jumps off the top for the 1?2?3! Cool ending.
Winner [via Pinfall]: Bully Ray (8:55)
- A better than I expected match between these two with a cool ending sequence. Glad to see Ray in the ?Final Four? of the BFG Series. Is it wrong that I want him to be the next TNA Champion? (B)
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Ray celebrates as RVD lays on the mat. RVD is now eliminated from the BFG Series. We see the final leaderboard and it?ll be Storm/Joe/Ray/Hardy at?No Surrender.
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Backstage,?Austin Aries?is interrogating the Aces and 8?s slapjack guy, whose name is apparently ?Mike?. Aries says Mike can just talk to him and tell him what he wants to know, but he won?t, so Aries slaps him in the face. Aries brings out a pair of pliers and sticks the pliers in his mouth as he threatens him.?Hulk Hogan?interrupts and joins in on the fun. Hogan goes to punch Mike in the eye, but answers his cell phone instead. It?s the ?VP? of the Aces and 8?s. They want Mike back, so Hogan cuts him a deal: they?ll get Mike back if the man who broke Aries? arm agrees to a match with him at?No Surrender.?They have until the end of tonight to bring him to the Impact Zone.?Hogan says Mike is all Aries? and slaps him before leaving.
- Thoughts:?This is so cheesy but at the same time intense.
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*Commercial Break*
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James Storm?heads to the ring to pick his BFG Series semi-final opponent for?No Surrender.?Storm recaps his life over the past year, from losing to?Bobby Roode?to disappearing to coming back and leading the BFG Series.?Storm invites his three potential opponents for?No Surrender?out to the entrance stage so he can pick which one he will face. Storm picks?Bully Ray?as his opponent and invites him to meet him face to face in the ring right now.
Storm says that last year Ray ended his chance for glory but this year he?ll end his. Storm says Ray will find out what he?s all about this Sunday. ?Sorry ?bout your DAMN luck!? and such.
- Thoughts:?Strong promo from Storm and from a storyline perspective it makes sense why he picked Ray; Ray spent the past two months saying Storm was behind the Aces and 8?s and running his name through the mud, so now it?s time for Storm to get his revenge. I wish I could order?No Surrender;?sounds like it?ll be an interesting show?now that they actually announced some matches.
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We see a glimpse of ?Mike? coughing and being all beaten up.
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TNA Tag Team Champions?Christopher Daniels?and?Frankie Kazarian?are backstage nervously waiting to find out who they will be facing tonight on CHAMPIONSHIP THURSDAY! We find out next!
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*Commercial Break*
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Backstage,?Christy Hemme?is with?Rob Van Dam.?Hemme goes to ask RVD about his loss, but?Magnus?interrupts. He twists the knife about RVD?s loss and says that the ?old? RVD wouldn?t have lost like he did tonight. Magnus says RVD may not be the man he once was, and a brawl breaks out. Al Snow and other TNA officials try to break them up.
- Thoughts:?Well I guess they need to put Magnus in?something?while Samoa Joe is tied up with the BFG Series. It was an awkward way to go about it though; feels shoehorned and forced.
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TNA Tag Team Champions?Christopher Daniels?and?Frankie Kazarian?head to the ring for the next (and final I guess?) match.
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Championship Thursday, Part 3
We are backstage and?Hulk Hogan?makes his final choice:?Chavo Guerrero Jr.?and?Hernandez?get the shot! They immediately make their way to the ring.
- Thoughts: Not surprising. Also not a match I really want to see.
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Main Event: Christopher Daniels/Frankie Kazarian (c) Vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr./Hernandez for the?TNA World Tag Team Titles
Guerrero/Hernandez rush the ring and knock the champions to the floor. They follow suit and continue the beatdown. Hernandez rolls Daniels in and delivers a massive bodyslam. Guerrero tags in and hits an uppercut. Hernandez tags back in and locks Daniels in a bear hug before turning it into a release belly to belly overhead suplex. Guerrero tags back in and dropkicks a sitting Daniels. Guerrero goes for the pin. 2-count.
Guerrero beats Daniels down in the corner. Hernandez tags in and hits Daniels in the midsection with his massive fist. Hernandez chops Daniels to the mat and puts him in a head vice. Guerrero tags back in and Hernandez bodyslams him on top of Daniels for a 2-count. Kazarian tags in but gets a hip toss and a bodyslam for his troubles. Hernandez tags back in and continues the assault. He throws Kazarian head-first into the turnbuckle. Guerrero tags in and they hit a double elbow on Kazarian. Kazarian gets a knee into Guerrero?s midsection. Daniels tags in and tries to continue the offense but Guerrero delivers a head scissors. Hernandez tags in and Daniels tries to float over but Hernandez catches him. Daniels gets out and tags Kazarian.
Hernandez picks Kazarian up and hits a one armed backbreaker. Hernandez holds Kazarian in a vertical suplex position while Guerrero hits the Three Amigos. Hernandez finally drops Kazarian and the champs roll to the outside as we go to commercial.
*Commercial Break*
Back live and Guerrero is working Daniels over in the corner. Daniels reverses an Irish whip but gets a boot to the face. Guerrero tries to swipe at Kazarian, who drops him throat-first on the top rope. This allows Daniels to?finally?get some offense in. Daniels bodyslams Guerrero then hits a springboard elbow, followed by a springboard legdrop by Kazarian for a 2-count. Daniels tags back in and they hit a double team move.
Daniels throws Guerrero to the outside and distracts the ref while Kazarian gets some cheap shots in before rolling him back in the ring. Daniels hits some sort of neckbreaker thing for another 2-count. Kazarian tags back in and Daniels hip tosses him onto Guerrero. Kazarian locks on a double armhook to wear Guerrero down but the crowd gives him in the energy to break out. Kazarian flips out of a suplex, but Guerrero rolls under him to tag in Hernandez.
Hernandez cleans house with flying shoulder blocks. Kazarian catches him with a boot in the corner and tries a cross body but Hernandez catches him and hits a sitdown powerbomb. Daniels breaks the pinfall attempt. Daniels/Kazarian whip Hernandez into the corner and attack but Hernandez manages to kick Daniels out of the ring. Hernandez goes to the top and Kazarian jumps up to meet him . Guerrero knocks him off then hurricanrana?s Hernandez onto Kazarian for the 1?2?Daniels breaks the count.
Guerrero hits a splash onto Kazarian on the outside, as Daniels and Hernandez fight it out in the ring. Daniels goes to hit a split legged moonsault outside, but hits his partner instead. Hernandez then launches over and hits both Kazarian and Daniels with a suicide dive. Kazarian gets rolled back in by Guerrero/Hernandez. Hernandez connects with a splash. Daniels comes in and backdrops Guerrero to the outside. With the ref distracted, Daniels hits Hernandez in the gut with the tag title belt, allowing Kazarian to roll him up for the 1?2?3!
Winners and STILL TNA Tag Team Champions [via Pinfall]: Christopher Daniels/Frankie Kazarian (14:47)
- That was an incredibly fast paced tag team match that I had a hard time keeping up with, but that?s not really me complaining; hell, that?s a good thing. Guerrero/Hernandez made a decent tag team but still need to work on their chemistry as their double team moves and communication were a little off. But there were definitely some really fun spots and it was a far far?far?better match than I was expecting. (B)
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Before Daniels and Kazarian can celebrate,?Hulk Hogan?comes out to break up the party. Hogan says?Daniels/Kazarian will defend the belts again at?No Surrender?against?AJ Styles?and?Kurt Angle! The champs protest in the ring as Hogan poses.
- Thoughts: Anyone else just get deja vu after this announcement? Didn?t this just happen in June at?Slammiversary??Whoa. It?s like they hit rewind and are playing that all over again.
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At the announce table, Tenay and Taz run down the announced No Surrender?card.?Zema Ion?will defend the X-Division Title against?Sonjay Dutt?amongst other matches.
- Thoughts:?THEY REMEMBERED THE X-DIVISION! THEY REMEMBERED THE X-DIVISION!
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Austin Aries?is leading ?Mike? to the ring as we go to commercial.
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*Commercial Break*
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The Hostage Hand-Off
TNA World Champion?Austin Aries?hits the ring with ?Mike?, whose hands are still cuffed behind his back. He rolls ?Mike? into the ring. ?Aries calls out the Aces and 8?s and says he?ll trade him for the man who broke his arm a few weeks ago for a fight at?No Surrender.?He says it?s time for the Aces and 8?s to hold up their end of the bargain. They don?t show so Aries continues babbling, and says his patience is starting to wear thin.
Aries puts ?Mike? in the corner and slaps him until he agrees to talk. Before he can, The ArmBreaker guy pulls him out of the ring and hits him in the head with a hammer (whoa). Aries jumps out and attacks him. They start brawling inside the ring as the show fades out.
- Thoughts:?That was a flat way to end the show, and for the first time since the angle started, the Aces and 8?s stuff ended up being the worst part of?IMPACT Wrestling.?Also, is ?Mike? going to be okay after?being hit in the head with a ball peen hammer??That was way over the top. The brawl was par for the course when it comes to this storyline but I?m hoping the Aries/ArmBreakerGuy ?fight? at?No Surrender?finally unmasks one of these guys. A buzzkill ending to a strong show.
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Overall Show Grade: B
- Best Match:?Rob Van Dam/Bully Ray
- Worst Match:?None (They were all good)
- Best Segment:?The Al Snow/Joey Ryan confrontation
- Worst Segments:?The Austin Aries/ArmBreakerGuy/Mike stuff.
Overall Show Thoughts:
A strong episode of?IMPACT Wrestling?with matches that mattered and storylines actually showing a little bit of progression. None of the matches were bad, and even the main event was fun to watch if a little on the botch-y side. Some stuff didn?t make sense as usual (WHO HITS A MAN IN THE HEAD WITH A HAMMER?!?) but it was a very entertaining show with no filler. But I?m not going to order?No Surrender;?despite the lineup finally being set, it screams of a show that?s just existing because they can?t hold Bound For Glory on Sunday instead.
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You can follow Jon?s wrestling ramblings on Twitter, Tumblr, and his own personal wrestling blog The Pro Wrestling Nerd. But it?s okay if you don?t want to. He has grown attached to your kid?s dog and doesn?t want to give it back anyway.
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