TNA Impact 1/10/2013

TNA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Hardy teams with James Storm to take on Bobby Roode & Austin Aries. Also, Bully Ray has a major announcement.

Total Non-Stop Action presents Impact
Date: 1/10/2013
From: Orlando, FL

Sting, Samoa Joe and Kurt Angle make their way down to the ring to kick off the program. Sting says he will be looking for DOC this Sunday at Genesis. Sting brought some close friends including his bat. Sting issues a challenge to Aces & Eights to come get some. Joe gets the microphone and talks about how he is going to put them on notice. Joe is going to beat them down and choke them out! Angle gets the microphone and says all the masks are going to be coming off in 2013. He wants to expose someone else, and that is Mr. Anderson. He wants to know where Anderson stands since he didn’t do anything while standing outside the cage. Anderson comes out and wants to know where they were when he was getting beaten up by Aces & Eights. Anderson says he was on his way to stand next to Sting but he was just left in the back and was replaced right away by Bully Ray. Angle tells Anderson that he is either with them or they are going to fight. Anderson enters the ring and says he doesn’t have to answer to Angle. He says he never liked Angle. Angle says he feels the same and begins to attack Anderson. Ken leaves the ring and heads to the backstage area. So, we still don’t know if he is exactly with Aces & Eights.

Jay Bradley shared some comments saying this is his shot and he will make sure he wins.

Outside, Brooke Hogan arrives and says she is going to talk to Hulk and he will listen this time.

Opening Contest: Zema Ion vs. Kenny King TNA X-Division Tournament
The winner meets Christian York at Genesis to get a title shot at the same show. King gets the quick advantage with some stomps in the corner and kicks Ion off the apron to the floor. King misses a twisting dive but lands on his feet. Ion hits a somersault dive over the top! King nails Ion with a spin kick but can’t keep Ion down. King hits a snap suplex and mounts Ion with right hands. Ion drops King throat first across the top and hit a tornado DDT for a two count. Ion counters the Royal Flush with an inside cradle for a near fall. Ion drops King on his head for a near fall. Zema heads to the top but misses the 450 splash. King dropkicks Zema into the corner and hits the Royal Flush for the win.

After the match, King says that Christy Hemme will announce him as the next TNA X-Division Champion.

Your Winner: Kenny King
Match Rating: **. A really quick match as they didn’t get nearly enough time to make the match notable.

Backstage, Robbie E is upset about Jersey Shore got canceled. He is asking Brooke Tessmacher to team with him to wrestle Jessie and Tara.

Backstage, Joseph Park is ready to be wrestler and is going to meet with Hulk Hogan tonight.

Second Contest: TNA Knockout Tara & Jessie vs. Robbie T & Brooke Tessmacher
Jessie attacks before the bell but is simply shoved away by Robbie. Robbie scoop slams Jessie and he tags out to Tara. Brooke comes in and clotheslines the champ several times. Brooke face plants Tara out of the corner and gives her a stink face. Jessie and Robbie tag back in. Robbie sends Jessie into the corner and drives Jessie down with a big powerbomb to win the match.

After the match, Robbie and Brooke dance while Robbie E is pissed in the corner. Robbie T plants a kiss on Brooke!

Your Winners: Robbie T & Brooke Tessmacher
Match Rating: *1/4: Well, they played the strengths of Robbie T and they just squashed the heels. Robbie T babyface turn appears to be in the works.

Brian Cage shared some comments before his big match. Cage says being a wrestler is the only thing he wants to do. This is his chance to prove to the entire world that this is his destiny.

Third Contest: Jay Bradley vs. Brian Cage – TNA Gut Check
Neither man gets an entrance. Cage is the face while Bradley is the heel. Bradley shoves Cage away after a clean break. They are doing some mat wrestling to start until they begin to trade right hands. Bradley drops Cage with a big boot and works over Cage with a series of strikes. Jay scoop slams Cage and drops a knee across Brian’s chest. Cage dropkicks Bradley to the apron. Cage hits a superplex from the apron while on the middle rope. Cage goes to the top and hit a twisting elbow drop but Bradley kicked out. Jay ducks a discus clothesline and wins with a running lariat.

Your Winner: Jay Bradley
Match Rating: **. Well, they didn’t get much time to make an impression, but Bradley seems to be the better of the two when it comes to being ready to work right away. Cage is all muscle and Bradley just has a good look to him. We shall see who gets the contract.

Backstage, Mr. Anderson is with the Aces & Eights and asks them if they are having a good time. He says right now isn’t the right time to be having a good time. A masked man says tonight is about business being on the table. They leave the room and sit at a table. The first order of business is Mike Knoxx. He is scolded for losing his mask last week. Knoxx tries to defend himself but no one wants to hear it. DOC earned his way back into the group. The segment ends there.

Joseph Parks is standing in the ring to call out Hulk Hogan to talk to him. Hogan doesn’t make Parks wait too long and makes his way out. Hogan says he is proud of Parks. Hulk says he has more important issues than Parks. Hogan doesn’t look overly interested in being in the ring. Parks is begging Hogan to give him a spot on the roster. Hogan tells him that he needs more years under his belt. Parks wants one of the Aces & Eights in the ring. Hulk just gives him the match he wants and Parks leaves happy about the victory. Hogan stays in the ring while his music plays. Brooke Hogan is on the big screen and tells Hulk not to move because she is coming out as we go to commercial.

Brooke is upset with Hulk for not answering her calls. Hulk wants to know what Brooke’s question is. Brooke wants to know if Hulk is going to reinstate “Mark” who is Bully Ray. Gotta love breaking kayfabe. Hulk says he is not going to and Brooke pretends to cry. That’s how they open the second hour with a poor angle? Wonderful.

Backstage, Bobby Roode and Austin Aries argue about what they are going to wear. They both agree they deserve to be the TNA World Champion rather than Jeff Hardy. Aries says they need to be professionals in order to beat Hardy. These two are entertaining.

Fourth Contest: Bobby Roode & Austin Aries vs. TNA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Hardy & James Storm
A predictable choice for Hardy to pick Storm, which was announced earlier in the program. Roode and Hardy start off the match. Roode shoulder blocks Hardy early on to get the upper hand. Hardy does the same and Roode backs off in the corner. Aries tags in to try his luck with Hardy. Austin takes Hardy down to the mat and taunts him. Hardy hits a head scissors out of the corner and atomic drops Roode. Storm tags in and drops Roode with an elbow. Storm splashes Aries and Hardy jumps off Storm’s back to splash Aries in the corner. The heels are shoving each other on the floor as the show goes to commercial.

Aries crotches Hardy on the top and knocks Hardy to the canvas. Roode stomps Hardy and Aries tags himself in. Aries comes off the top with an elbow strike. Aries jumps down across Hardy’s knee. Roode is rolled up but the referee was distracted. They are working over Hardy for several moments. Roode comes off the middle rope with a splash for a near fall. Aries hits a twisting splash off the middle rope for a near fall. Roode hits a vertical suplex and drops a knee on the champ. Aries comes off the middle rope with a knee drop. Roode enters and comes off the middle rope but Hardy gets his feet up. Storm gets the tag after Hardy kicks Roode away. Storm cleans house with forearm strikes and a side Russian leg sweep on Roode. Storm backdrops Aries. Storm kicks Roode from the apron and hits a running neckbreaker for a near fall. Storm hits the Closing Time on Aries. Christopher Daniels appears on the apron and Kazarian comes out but is sent into the ring steps. Storm is fighting with Daniels on the floor. Hardy hit the Twist of Fate on Roode. Aries nails Hardy over the back with the championship to cause the DQ.

After the match, Roode and Aries try to pose with the championship. They tug on the belt to end the segment.

Your Winners: TNA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Hardy & James Storm by DQ
Match Rating: **3/4. An alright match here, but the finish was lackluster. They are trying to make us care about Storm/Daniels since there isn’t exactly a story or reason for their fight.

Backstage, Brooke Hogan tells Bully Ray that it’s not a good idea to come to the arena over the phone. He is going to come and pick her up anyway.

Backstage, Joey Ryan and Matt Morgan say they are going to win the gold this Sunday. Chavo and Hernandez enter the room and they brawl. The champs get the better of the challengers.

Kurt Angle is attacked by Mike Knoxx from behind with a hammer. Wes Brisco and Garrett Bischoff run out. Samoa Joe comes out as well as Aces & Eights are in the crowd laughing at the beating. We aren’t going to be getting a match between Angle and Anderson as Angle is getting on a stretcher. So, Sting comes out and wants Mike Knoxx himself right now!

Main Event: Sting vs. Mike Knoxx
Sting hits Knoxx in the gut with the bat before the bell. Knoxx hammers away on Sting as the bell sounds. Knoxx delivers a short arm clothesline and chokes Sting over the middle rope. Knoxx jumps onto Sting’s back. On the floor, Sting sends Knoxx into the ring steps three times! Sting looks for the Stinger Splash against the railing and actually hits it for the first time in seemingly a decade or longer. Sting splashes Knoxx in the corner and plants him with the Scorpion Death Drop for a squash win.

Your Winner: Sting
Match Rating: DUD. What a complete joke.

After the match, Sting smashes Knoxx’s hand with a hammer. Devon and the Aces & Eights have gotten Brooke! They are threatening to rearrange her face! Devon asks who is in control and says that this year is going to be their year. Bully Ray runs out with a chain and the group lets go of Brooke. Once again, one man with a chain reigns supreme over eight guys. Hulk Hogan is at the top of the ramp stroking his beard as we go to commercial.

Hulk Hogan is in the ring and says he guesses he is supposed to thank Bully Ray for putting his daughter in danger. Hulk doesn’t believe Bully Ray and says he is not the man for his daughter. Ray wants Sting to convince Hulk. Bully thinks Hulk is crazy and says wrestling is his life. Bully said his dream was to be as great as Sting and Hulk. He never thought he could love anything more than wresting and then Brooke entered his life. Oh brother. Bully says that Brooke apologized to Hulk for Hulk being a hard ass. Bully knows this has happened really quick. You’ve got to be kidding me. Bully says when he is with Brooke things are different. Jesus, Bully is down on one knee. Bully tells Brooke that he loves her. Bully wants Brooke to marry him and she says yes. Brooke kisses Bully and Hulk leaves the ring in disgust. He wants to marry her next week on Impact in front of everyone. What a complete and utter joke.

Final Thoughts:
For as much progress as TNA has made in the past year, in my eyes, they took about three steps backwards this week. The first hour saw the matches get hardly any time to do anything. Mike Knoxx is squashed and the major heel group continues to fail at getting any kind of momentum. The relationship between Bully/Brooke has never been interesting and now it’s just been rushed. Figures, we can’t go a year without a wrestling wedding. I didn’t like the show at all this week. A big thumbs down from me.

Thanks for reading.