Welcome to this week’s edition of Insight into Impact, giving you the rundown and results from the 4th April 2013 of TNA Impact, as well as adding my views on the show too.
Aces and Eights open the show, and they have a “special package”. They tell AJ Styles they have a waistcoat for him, seeing as TNA turned their backs on him. They also have an envelope that will give a new meaning to “a changed relationship” concerning Brooke Hogan and Bully Ray. Finally, D’Lo Brown has a gift he received….his termination notice from TNA. He wants someone from the back to tell him to his face why he got fired. Well, Kurt Angle appears, and says he’ll look D’Lo in the eye and say how he really feels….he takes down D’Lo but the Aces attack. Magnus, Samoa Joe, Eric Young and Joseph Park rush down, and manage to clear the ring.
Brooke Hogan is pacing backstage when Joey Ryan comes in to offer a favour. Not sexual like it keeps appearing. But he offers to be the new Knockouts ref. Brooke agrees, but tells him “no touching the girls”….
Match 1: Tara (with Jesse) and Gail Kim vs Taryn Terrell and Velvet Sky
Joey Ryan is ref, and gets a bit hands on, massaging Velvet’s shoulders while she has a headlock on, before just admiring the way Taryn or Velvet goes for a pinfall. Gail puts Velvet on her shoulders, then drops her, with Velvet landing awkward on her knee. Tara tries to choke Velvet in the corner, and Joey pulls her from the corner, causing Jesse to be jealous. Taryn gets the hot tag, and hits a crossbody on Gail. Velvet blocks Tara getting involved, and Gail removes Velvet. Gail flirts with Joey, allowing Taryn to try and win by roll up. Because the ref isn’t concentrating (Ryan was oiling himself up in the corner), he misses a 3 count, and when he turns, Gail reverses the rollup, and Ryan delivers a quick pin.
Gail Kim and Tara win this match by pinfall in a time of 5:26
Afterwards, Joey Ryan tries to leave with Gail Kim, but she ignores him. So he goes back to try and kiss up to Taryn and Velvet….only for Taryn to low blow him.
From a break, Jeremy Borash is in the ring with Dirty Heels and Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez. Aries and Roode aren’t Tag Champs, but a Tag Team of World Champions. Clever. Chavo says how he’s a Guerrero, while Hernandez is a strong son of a gun. Aries wants to raise the stakes for their Tag Title match next week, mentioning more cash for the winners. Chavo and Hernandez agree, but want to add something else (it’s not mentioned). Dirty Heels add one more thing though…next week, it’s a 2 out of 3 falls match, and if Chavo and Hernandez fail to win the titles, they’ll split as a tag team.
TNA GutCheck video highlighting former NWA Champion, “Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce. Colt Cabana sighting in his video, BOOM! Talks about his 17 year contract, and how he’s confident in himself. Wants to do this for his son.
After a break, we see a video on Pearce’s opponent, Magno. Talks about being trained for 15 years, and the mask he wears, saying that he’s following tradition by wearing it. Says he’ll be something different.
Match 2: Adam Pearce vs Magno
Magno catches Pearce with a headscissors takedown, before Pearce throws Magno about. Magno tries to flip over Pearce, and slips, before slipping with a 2nd rope moonsault. Magno tries another risky move, and gets caught in a spinebuster. Magno with a headscissors takedown once more, clothesline to the outside followed by a top rope moonsault. As they get back inside, Pearce trips Magno and pins him, holding onto the ropes for help.
Adam Pearce wins this match by pinfall in a time of 4:17
AJ Styles is walking about backstage, and is stopped by the Aces and Eights. Mr Anderson says he’s noticed the change in AJ, and the gang like the new attitude. They leave him with the Aces vest to try on.
Promo video of what’s happened with Hulk Hogan, Sting and Bully Ray, before we hear from Hogan. He says Sting is banned from the arena tonight, as he needs warriors. Speaking of that, he’s on the way to the ring to call one out….
Joseph Park goes in to see Kurt Angle, and mentions how he watched Angle win the Olympic Gold Medal and is quite an inspiration. Angle says Park is a little green, but if he sees an opportunity tonight, to just take it.
Hulk Hogan makes his way down, and says he won’t make mistakes like he did in the past. For now, his gut is telling him to call someone out, and that guy is AJ Styles. AJ comes down with the Aces vest in his hand. Hogan says he understands all the personal crap AJ went through last year, and the pressure put on him with the “No title shot for a year” stipulation. He’s never strayed from his TNA family for years, but Hogan’s worried AJ will now go down the path of joining the Aces. Hogan says they need help, and need someone who is dangerous. He wants AJ on their side. Before AJ can say much, James Storm comes to the ring. Storm remembers the “no title shot” stipulation and match from last year, as he pinned AJ. But he’s more bothered with how AJ walked away while he was getting a kicking last week. He says how they perform for these people, as it’s what they love to do, and they built TNA. He says if AJ wants to join the Aces, go ahead, as it’s not the same AJ they cheered for years. But if he does, he better “Clock out before he gets Knocked out”. AJ and Storm stare down, before AJ once again walks off.
We’re shown a backstage “During the break” interview with Hulk Hogan. He’s done with sucking up to AJ Styles (ooo-er) and wants an answer next week, whether AJ is with them or against them.
TNA One Night Only PPV promo video shown, and the highlights look good. Certainly want to check that event out.
Match 3: Sonjay Dutt vs Mason Andrews vs Petey Williams
Fast-paced opening with each guy trying to get a quick pin. Andrews then backs off, allowing Williams vs Dutt. Williams drops Dutt on the 2nd rope, hits a dropkick followed by a quick suicide dive to Andrews. Dutt misses a leap to the outside, and Andrews takes Williams in the ring, beating him down, biting and trying to pin Williams. Dutt is back in and tries to make Williams submit, Andrews throws him out, before Dutt leaps back in with a dropkick to both opponents. Dutt tries to take both guys down, Williams blocks it, spins round Dutt before a russian leg sweep. Action then speeds up, as Dutt is dropped to the apron, Andrews huricanranas Williams off the top rope. Dutt with a standing sliced bread to Andrews, but as he tries the moonsault Stamp, Andrews moves, knocks Dutt out the ring with a high knee, only for Williams to deliver the Canadian Destroyer!!! 1-2-3, match over!
Petey Williams wins this match by pinfall in a time of 5:19
Bully Ray holds a meeting with the Aces backstage. He’s not in a good mood, and it’s down to the TNA guys “pissing on their parade”. He knows his guys will stand up and be counted, but wants the TNA guys souls to be taken. Devon asks Bully if he’s ready to deal with Brooke….and Bully says he misses his wife. *throws up* Devon asks for a “hot tag”, and Bully doesn’t think she’s into tag-teaming. Bully says he’ll look in her the eyes, hand her the envelope, and then they’ll move forward.
We’re given a rundown of next week’s show from Corpus Christi, including Full Metal Mayhem Match for the TNA World Title of Jeff Hardy challenging Bully Ray, Dirty Heels vs Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez in a 2 out of 3 falls for the Tag Team Titles, Gail Kim vs Taryn Terrell and AJ Styles’ decision.
Match 4: Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, Magnus, Eric Young and Joseph Park vs Aces and Eights (Wes Brisco, Garett Bischoff, Knux, D.O.C. and Devon)
TNA guys get rolling, with Angle throwing Wes about, before Magnus and Joe dominate Garett and Devon. Knux is in, and gets caught with a flying knee, before EY is tagged in. This move allows Knux to turn the match the Aces way, and he beats EY down. EY dodges Knux rushing at him, then leaps over the top at him. Back from a break, Knux knocks EY outside, who lands awkward on his arm. The Aces use quick tags, wearing the Bearded wonder down. EY leaps over D.O.C. and hits a jawbreaker, but before he can tag out, the Aces clear the TNA guys off the apron. EY then hits an enzuigiri and tags in the 1 guy left: Joseph Park! Park removes D.O.C., knocks Wes off him then clears the apron, before a big splash to Wes. A brawl breaks out in the ring, which is then left at just Devon and Park. Devon hits the Spinebuster, but misses his diving headbutt, Park goes to 2nd rope, but before he can end it, Wes and Garett stop him, D.O.C hits a low blow and pins Park.
Aces and Eights win this match by pinfall in a time of 14:38
Hulk and Brooke Hogan backstage, Brooke wants to just go out with security, and not have her Dad there. All she thinks, is Bully will hand her divorce papers. Brooke says to just get it over with, and she’ll be okay.
Recap of the “love story” of Brooke Hogan and Bully Ray, including showing Bully becoming World Champion at Lockdown.
Bully Ray comes through the crowd, scaring kids and abusing people who touch him. He calls Jeff Hardy stupid for asking for a match like Full Metal Mayhem. But that’s next week, for now, he wants his wife to come to the ring. Brooke Hogan answers and has security with her. Bully wants to know why she doesn’t have her wedding ring on, as he has his on. Bully says security should be here to protect him, considering how crazy Brooke was at Lockdown. She should have been loving him for being Champion. He says the envelope doesn’t contain divorce papers, as he loves her, and she’s his wife. Plus he couldn’t have done this without her. She opens the envelope, and it’s a front row ticket for Corpus Christi. He wants her to sit front row to watch him defeat Hardy again. He wants support, as lately, she’s let herself go. Brooke slaps him and rips up the ticket. Bully laughs, as he knows he’s in her head. He backs her into a corner, before Hardy comes to make the save. They brawl, Bully traps Hardy’s foot then low blows. Hardy no-sells it and the brawl continues as the show ends….
Impressive show this week for me, and felt it was good from start to finish, apart from 1 negative for me. Will get the negative out the way first, I felt the Knockouts match was pants, and found it ruined by Joey Ryan. I know his gimmick is that he’s sleazy, but it just felt a bit over the top with the constant interference. Surprised he doesn’t have 4 restraining orders from it either! 😛 The Tag Team title contract signing segment was done well, and does make me think there’s a slight issue building between Hernandez and Chavo Guerrero. I don’t think they’ll win next week, and after the look SuperMex gave this week, it makes me think he could turn on Chavo after the match. As if to say “you had to accept the stakes despite me feeling hesitant, so you’re at fault that we’re done!”. GutCheck match was fine for the time it had, but Magno may be kicking himself. The masked man seemed a bit eager to impress, and made a few sloppy mistakes. Don’t think TNA will look too pleased with that. Pearce had a good showing, with more time in a match, he could show how good he really is. Loved the X-Division action, it’s great seeing Petey Williams back, and I’m pleased to see “Harold” is over his anger issues too. Seems like we’ll get a development in the AJ Styles storyline next week. Once again, I can’t see which way this will go, but I’m pleased it’s getting moved forward. Also, quite intrigued to see how Styles will do in ring, especially after shocking photos of his condition during an in-ring return at a house show. As for the Aces and Eights, they’ve picked up a bit of momentum since Bully Ray was revealed, and been picking up wins. I’ve also got back into this storyline with them. Sure, it’s still containing a lot of crap like Garett Bischoff and Knux, and it could be better. But just the past few weeks, I’ve found myself more intrigued with where it’s leading to next. Having said that, the end of the show seemed a bit strange. Especially as it was being billed all throughout the show as an envelope containing something that will change Bully and Brooke Hogan’s relationship….and it was just a front row ticket. Hmmmm. A few people seem to think this could lead to next week seeing Brooke turn and side with Bully, ala Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in 1999….it could happen. But I hope it doesn’t!!
Thanks for taking the time to read this, as always, it’s appreciated!
@GoofyVillain of @TheTopRope
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Ringsidehustle.com 
This AJ Styles’ storyline is the same as Sting had in WCW. I’m looking forward to Hardy v Bully in Full Metal Mayhem.
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