Welcome ladies and gentlemen to this week’s TNA “Insight into Impact” review for the 8th November 2012 episode of Impact Wrestling. As always, I will be giving you the lowdown on this episode, and giving you my own thoughts on this show.

The show opens with the leader of the Aces and Eights holding a meeting. He reminds the “Director of Chaos” (the artist formerly known as Luke Gallows) that he isn’t even a fully patched member yet, and has now lost his mask. The Director has 1 week to show why he deserves to be in the gang. Devon suggests the Director teams with him for their match later on. DOC (as he keeps getting referred as) says he knows what to do to make it right.

James Storm makes his way to the commentary table to join Jeremy Borash and Todd Keneley for the opening bout.

Match 1: AJ Styles vs Bobby Roode

Back and forth opening between these two former friends, before Roode gains the upper hand, avoiding a forearm smash, and clotheslines AJ from behind. After a short break, Roode is in control, and tries to wear down AJ with a headlock, AJ breaks out of it and strikes with a enzugiri, before blocking a top rope move and hitting a huricanrana on Roode. Roode strikes back with a spinebuster, only to then miss a spear. AJ himself can’t strike with the Pele Kick or Styles Clash, and Roode hits PayOff for 2. Roode goes for a chair, causing James Storm to come down. The ref stops any fight, and AJ hits a springboard crossbody to Roode. AJ throws Roode back in, then argues with Storm, as AJ goes to the top, Roode knocks him off the ropes, causing AJ to land heavy, and Roode to pin him.

Winner: Bobby Roode

Hulk Hogan walks into Austin Aries backstage. Hogan tells Aries to stop walking around like he’s still the Champion, and go win it back, rather than stealing it. Aries thinks it shouldn’t be a Ladder match, but Hogan disagrees, and warns Aries to hand the title back to Jeff Hardy, or he’ll be replaced in the match.

Kurt Angle is passing on wrestling tips to Wes Brisco when Sting appears. Sting says he picked Angle to team with him tonight, and with Wes backing them up, they have Aces and Eights to take care of.

Joseph Park is stood in the ring, and it’s been a trying week for him since he went through the table last week, but it felt good to unmask an Ace. His lawyer partners think he shouldn’t want to fight, but he feels he needs to, so calls out Hulk Hogan to help him. Hogan comes down, and while being proud of Park, doesn’t want to deal with liability claims. Bully Ray interrupts, and says he expects Hogan to refuse to back Park, because Hogan’s not backed him. Bully says Park has heart and is a tough son of a bitch, before saying the fans and Bully believe in Park, so Hogan should too. Hogan thinks it over, then agrees to booking the match of Park vs an Aces and Eights member for Turning Point.

Tara and Jesse are in their dressing room, and Jesse is gloating how he dominated ODB, and hit all his big moves. ODB interrupts, disagreeing. She says there is only 1 power couple in TNA, her and Eric Young. Since EY isn’t here, she wants to face BOTH Tara and Jesse tonight.

AJ Styles isn’t happy with James Storm and wants to know who suggested Storm could commentate. Storm appears and says he made the call himself, and asks AJ “how it will feel this Sunday, when the face of TNA gets kicked in?”.

Match 2: ODB vs Tara and Jesse

ODB ducks a double clothesline, chops both opponents to the chest, puts Jesse’s face in her boobs, then bangs Jesse and Tara’s heads together. Tara and Jesse with a double elbow, before Jesse slams ODB, and Tara tries to choke her out. ODB holds the ropes to block any offence, dropkick to Tara, slams Jesse, then slams Tara onto him! Jesse misses a corner splash, ODB hit one of her own, before delivering a droptoe hold to Tara, onto Jesse’s nuts. ODB with a double bronco buster, before a spear to Tara for the 1-2-3.

Winner: ODB

Jesse tries to attack ODB from behind, who turns and stops him, allowing Tara to hit ODB with her flask, and then the Widow’s Peak.

After an commercial break, ODB is on the phone to Eric Young, and is livid. She warns him, he better be at the PPV this Sunday to back her up against Jesse and Tara.

Time to lookback at GutCheck. Taz says it’s a no-brainer for him, but does wonder why Christian York hasn’t made it yet. Al Snow suggests it’s always been the other member of the tag team taking the spotlight. Bruce Prichard wonders if York can make it as a singles wrestler, with Snow suggesting it happens often in TNA. Snow isn’t 100% sure which way he’ll be voting tonight.

Match 3: Kurt Angle and Sting vs Devon and the Director of Chaos

Sting and Angle attack at the barrier, and all 4 fight around the ring. Sting and DOC take the fight inside, Devon distracts Sting, allowing the match to turn the Aces way. The Aces keep tagging in and out, keeping Sting away from him tag partner. The DOC hits Sting with a splash, and Angle breaks the pin. DOC and Sting with a double clothesline, allowing Sting to finally tag out. Angle is in, and explodes, taking down both Aces with German Suplexes, and an Angle Slam to Devon. Sting is in and hits the DOC with a DeathDrop, then locks in the Deathlock, which is only broke up by Devon striking Sting with a baseball bat.

Winners: Sting and Kurt Angle by DQ

Bully Ray rushes down and attacks Devon, and sets up a table, only for Devon to run away, with his former tag partner giving chase. The DOC grabs Sting and goes to powerbomb him, but Sting strikes with a low-blow. Sting goes to attack, but two Aces rush in, and one strikes him with a hammer. The DOC puts Sting through the table, before taking the hammer, and smashing Sting with it, repeatedly! Samoa Joe, Hernandez and Chavo Guerrero slowly make their way down to make the save. Sting is checked over by paramedics, before being helped out of the Impact Zone.

Jeremy Borash and the GutCheck judges are in the ring, and Christian York is introduced. JB runs through the process, and asks York is he has given it is best, York says he knows he did his best, and the fans know it too. Taz is up first, he says York did a great job, and is in good condition, so for him, it’s a yes. Bruce Prichard next, suggests York should wonder why he’s never made it to the big league yet, and thinks it’s cause he hasn’t had a chance….which he now has, becomes Prichard votes yes! That’s all they need, and Christian York is now on the TNA roster. JB asks for his thoughts, and York tells the fans to never give up chasing their dreams.

Austin Aries is on the phone to someone, looking for a loophole in this Jeff Hardy situation, when he walks past Bully Ray with Brooke Hogan?! Bully says to her “I gave your father my word”…what the hell?

Video shown highlight the feud between Austin Aries and Jeff Hardy, as well as promoting their ladder match at Turning Point.

Hulk Hogan is on the phone, trying to find out info about Sting’s injuries. After his call, he goes back into his office, and Joey Ryan is in there, as well as Matt Morgan. Ryan offers Hulk the chance to congratulate him on winning the X-Division title, which Hogan refuses to do, as it hasn’t happened. Hogan then tells Morgan he’ll be banned from ringside for that match. Morgan gets in Hogan’s face once more, suggesting Hogan doesn’t know who he’s messing with. As Ryan and Morgan leave, Hogan says “but I do know…” and smirks.

Match 4: Magnus, Daniels and Kazarian vs Samoa Joe, Hernandez and Chavo Guerrero

6 man brawl to open this match, before it comes down to Chavo vs Daniels. Chavo has control, until Daniels manages to squirm away and tags in Kazarian, who seems over-zealous, and is hiptossed. Magnus and Joe come in, Magnus dodges him, before Daniels twice helps Magnus out. Daniels comes in, and Joe beats him down, back splash and a few combo moves. Hernandez tagged in, bearhug to Daniels, followed by a release belly to belly suplex. Chavo back in, but he takes his eye off the ball, allowing Daniels to throw Chavo against the barrier. Magnus, Daniels and Kazarian take it in turns to beat Chavo down, while we also see Daniels do “Gangnam Style”. Chavo manages to catch Kazarian with a headscissors takedown, and Hernandez is in. SuperMex takes down all 3 opponents, but when he tries for Border Toss, it’s stopped. Daniels and Kazarian try a double suplex, Hernandez blocks, and suplexes them both! Joe and Magnus back in, Joe hits the STJoe, and Daniels break the count. Hernandez and Chavo clear out their opponents, and Hernandez hits Air Mexico to Daniels. Chavo tries to go to the top, and Kaz stops him, before Magnus knocks him off the top. Joe tries for a Muscle Buster, Daniels stops him, Joe locks the Coquina onto Daniels, before Daniels first drops Joe with a jawbreaker, then teams with Kazarian for “High-low”, before Magnus hits an elbow drop to win!

Winners: Magnus, Daniels and Kazarian

Bobby Roode is leaving the arena, and in “A-Team” style, loves it when a plan comes together. He beat AJ Styles tonight, and AJ and James Storm are at each others throats. Next, he’ll move one step closer to getting back HIS World Title.

Mike Tenay gives us an update on Sting, saying the Icon has been taken to a local hospital for a check up, and to check the TNA site for further updates.

The REAL World Champion, Austin Aries makes his way down the ramp. He says how Jeff Hardy has been calling himself the “best wrestler on planet Earth”, which is such an overplayed phrase, before Aries refers to himself as “the Greatest wrestler in the entire universe”. Aries suggests 3 seconds didn’t change this, and Hardy has suggested a Ladder match, so he doesn’t have to pin him again. Hardy is a great risk-taker, and has taken some great falls, but the next fall will be one he won’t get up from. Aries also says when he wins, he’ll melt Hardy’s title down, and wear it as a belt buckle. Aries suggests Hardy come take his title back now, if he wants it, and so Hardy appears and rushes the ring. Hardy and Aries brawl, Aries gets the upper hand and goes for the Brainbuster, Hardy counters and hits a Sit-down Twist of Fate. Hardy puts both World Titles on the title hook, and climbs the ladder to taunt….only for Aries to pull the ladder from under him, causing a hell of a fall for Hardy. Aries puts the ladder on Hardy and climbs it, imitating Hardy’s pose as the show goes off…..

I felt this was a good “go-home” show before Turning Point, leaving me undecided on how a few things will go at the PPV. The build up to Aries/Hardy has been good (apart from inner monologues), and they ended the show well. Both guys got the upper hand at one point, with TGMTEL coming out on top as the show went off the air. I just can’t predict how this will go, I want Aries to win, but think Hardy may retain. I enjoyed the 6 man tag, and felt this helped built towards both respective matches on Sunday. Daniels doing Gangnam Style in the match amused me. Loved the opening match between Roode and Styles, and as Roode mentioned, he’s trying to screw Storm and Styles at the same time. These 3 could steal the show at Turning Point, just like the opening match was the best of this show. Interesting developments in the Aces storyline, and there’s a few things I’m intrigued by. Something is bothering me about Bully Ray and Joseph Park, and I can’t quite put my finger on it…going to be watching this with interest. Finally, delighted Christian York got a TNA contract, he fully deserved it off his GutCheck last week, has the look and talent to do a good job for TNA. Here’s hoping this chance pays off well for the guy.

Thanks for taking the time to read this article, it’s appreciated as always!

@GoofyVillain of @TheTopRope

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