TNA Impact Wrestling Review: No DQ Main Event between Gunner and James Storm

IMPACTWRESTLING.com

TNA Impact Wrestling is following up the Mangus-Samoa Joe main event from last week. Advertised for this week is the No DQ match between Gunner and James Storm.

MVP, Magnus, Samoa Joe and Eric Young promo

MVP comes out to talk about the events that transpired at the end of last week’s show. He gets set to discipline Abyss, but Magnus and Abyss interrupt. Magnus says that Abyss is under contract with him, not TNA. MVP verifies with Magnus that Abyss can only compete if Magnus is involved, and Magnus confirms that, so MVP puts Abyss in a three-way TNA World Heavyweight Championship match against Magnus and Samoa Joe for next week. Joe comes out as he realizes he is not getting a fair title shot. All four men end up brawling and EY comes out to help MVP and Joe.

After a commercial break, it is just MVP, Joe and EY in the ring. EY says that in order to make sure that Joe is not outmanned. MVP is unsure, and Joe says that EY has to get in line if he wants a title shot. MVP ends up adding EY to the title match next week, now Joe and EY brawl. Joe demands that MVP make a match between Joe and EY, MVP agrees. Good segment that furthered a couple different storylines. The difference between TNA now and TNA a couple of months ago, is that this wasn’t confusing.

Bully Ray backstage/The Wolves and MVP backstage/Rockstar Spud and EC3 in the woods

Bully says Bobby Roode ignited something in him and he is going to unleash it on Roode.

The Wolves greet MVP backstage and say they want a match. He says that they originally told him they wouldn’t ask for special favors, but they want to do something for him. They ask him if they can have a match with Abyss and Magnus. MVP makes the match.

Before the commercial, Rockstar is crawling on the ground, covered in camouflage, while EC3 is walking with a sweater and scarf. A screen caption reveals they are looking for Willow.

After the commercial, they are standing outside Willow’s house. Rockstar is very weary of what’s going to happen next, but EC3 is undeterred.

The Wolves vs. Magnus and Abyss

Eddie Edwards picked up the win with a single-leg Boston crab on Magnus. Magnus tapped quickly to save himself from getting seriously injured, which upset Abyss. Abyss picked up Magnus’ title and started walking towards Magnus, Magnus thought Abyss would hand him the title, but Abyss just walked on by him with the title and Magnus chased after him. Really good match. The Wolves went over, and it put some tension between Magnus and Abyss heading into their title match next week, everything it needed to be.

Angelina Love and Velvet Sky promo

Love called Sky out, saying Sky hadn’t answered her calls all week. Sky comes out and says she is mad at Love because Love said things wouldn’t be like they were before, but she attacked Madison Rayne for no reason anyway. Love says that what she did was for Sky and the sake of the Beautiful People. Love says that she has a match with Rayne tonight, and by the end of that match, Sky needs to decide what side she’s on. This has Sky being in Rayne’s corner, until the end written all over it.

Rockstar Spud and EC3 in the woods

Before the commercial, Rockstar is very concerned about the coming nightfall. EC3 yells at him and says that it is only noon.

After the commercial, EC3 drops gems such as, “Nothing bad happens in barns”, then he scares Rockstar and says “Classic EC3”. When EC3 has his back turned, Willow appears and captures Rockstar. EC3 starts to look for him, then hears Willow’s laugh.

Bully Ray and Bobby Roode promo

Bully comes out to call out Roode for all that’s happened between them the past few weeks, and said he had to do it to stop Dixie Carter. Roode completely blows his promo. It wasn’t bad until he used Bully’s “Do you know who I am?” line, it just felt out of place. They then brawl for way too long. With six tables in and around the ring, there’s a lot of teasing that one of them will go through a table. Bully endsup going through two tables when he charges at Roode and Roode sidestepshim, twice.

Abyss and Magnus backstage/Knux vignette

Abyss goes into Magnus’ dressing room and brings him his title. He is upset with Magnus for tapping out as quick as he did. I like that Magnus is willing to lose non-title matches as a heel, but it can only be done so much, so TNA must be careful.

Angelina Love vs. Madison Rayne

Velvet Sky is rooting for Rayne the whole way and helping her out. At the end, Love distracts the referee and Sky attacks Rayne and rolls her back in the ring so Love can get the three count. Sky is now a heel and The Beautiful People are reunited.

Eric Young and ODB backstage/Kenny King and MVP backstage

EY is furious that Joe is so against letting EY help him. ODB is trying to calm him down and prepare him for his match.

King goes into MVP’s office and asks who his match is with. MVP says that he has nothing for him tonight, but next week’s show will be fit for a king. King appears to be a face now, we’ll see how that plays out.

Samoa Joe vs. Eric Young

Joe wins by making EY pass out while in the Coquina Clutch. Brian Hebner was the referee, and after the match, his father and senior referee Earl Hebner came down and explained to Brian that Joe’s shoulders were down and he should have counted three. Nothing comes of it though as they leave, but that could be something for EY to complain about next week.

Samuel Shaw backstage w/ Christy Hemme from last week

Shaw walks into Christy’s dressing room. She is backing away but he keeps advancing. He cuts a piece of her hair off and takes it for himself as she cries. We’ve officially gone too far. The guy playing the Shaw character is doing a fantastic job, but this is just too weird and is very uncomfortable to watch.

Gunner vs. James Storm (No DQ and No Countout)

Gunner wins by hitting Storm with a beer bottle and following up with the Hangar 18 for the win. Decent match, this feud just feels overplayed. I will give them credit for trying and pulling out all the stops, including a spear off the apron through a table. However, if you follow up a Last Man Standing match with a No DQ match, you’re asking for a very similar looking match.

Rockstar Spud, EC3 and Willow in the woods

EC3 is looking for Rockstar and finds him tied up. He’s calling out for Willow, and Willow appears when EC3 has his back turned. He takes EC3 out and runs off as Impact goes off the air.

Overall Impression

This was a pretty good show. The main event wasn’t great, but it wasn’t terrible. A lot of really good storyline development throughout the show. It all made sense, as opposed to classic TNA, which is swerves for the sake of swerves. TNA is certainly trending up.

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