Crippled Tart chews up Impact Wrestling and spits it out

I don't like the TNA main eventers being referred to as Hogan and Sting's troops - the world champion is nothing but a “troop” for two 50-somethings?!

It's like if you imagine, back in 1998, Steve Austin being overshadowed by Bruno Sammartino and Bill Goldberg playing second fiddle to Harley Race.

Aries needs to be presented as being as much of a star as Hogan or Sting. In the TNA alternate universe Aries should be 'the man', not Hogan or Sting. He should also be portrayed as someone who could kick Hogan or Sting's backside.

The fans chanted 'We want Hogan'. That's another big problem with the impact zone. Because a few hundred tourists and smart marks are cheering for anyone named Hogan, the company thinks that's who they need to build around. They won't experience growth and expand their audience until TNA has its own stars, who are portrayed as the people to see in wrestling. They've given decent pushes to Aries, Roode and Storm, but at some point those wrestlers need to be portrayed as a bigger deal than Hogan or Sting. Otherwise nobody ever reaches that level again, and wrestling loses out as a result.

James Storm is very forgiving. Aces and Eights turned the TNA babyface roster against him with some third rate mind games, and he's all cool about it. Sting sulked in the rafters for eighteen months when the same happened to him.

Was I supposed to recognise the one they unmasked?

Tessmacher was terrible on the mic and even worse in the ring. But in her defence, wrestling really isn't easy, and her performance showed how difficult it is to make a wrestling match flow smoothly, especially when you're on live TV. It's an often underrated skill. It also highlights the problem with 'talent' being plucked from Hooters bikini competitions and given just enough training to throw them on a wrestling show.

I'm starting to really like Robbie E. I think he's a good heel. But why did he pin Van Dam and not Styles? If the five-star frogsplash does that much damage to RVD, he should consider a different finishing move.

Just after I noticed Jeff Hardy is seventh in the Bound For Glory series, he called out Robbie T for a match, acknowledging that he was eschewing the opportunity for a Bound For Glory match. So it was more important to get his hands on Robbie T than to get into the top four? This highlights another problem with the series - is there a fixture list? Will Hardy get the chance to catch up on the match he sacrificed in order to wrestle Robbie T? When does the series end? I thought the match was perfectly fine but didn't like that setup. I still question the wisdom of putting Robbie T on national TV. I think that, fairly or not, his body confirms the public's worst suspicions about wrestlers and steroids.

I love the dynamic between Daniels and Kaz, and I hope they don't break the team up. I hope they realise that the act has far more legs than if the two were broken up to have a midcard feud.

Sting's backstage promo challenging Aces and Eights was dreadful. He's never been able to cut a promo but the worst thing is that now he thinks he can.

If AJ Styles is supposed to be an admirable family man, there should be no doubt as to whether he's the father. There shouldn't be any “it might have been me, I don't know”. By admitting it might have been him, he's saying it's not beyond the realms of possibility that he might have got wasted and cheated on his wife.

Kaz was great on the mic in this segment. And kudos to Kaz and Daniels for getting matching outfits.

I hate that Daniels, the despicable heel, got fans to boo his announcement about the placental disruption (even if it turned out to be a lie). That's why people think wrestling is tawdry and crass. A miscarriage shouldn't be something that is used to get a crowd reaction.

In case you're wondering, Claire Lynch has quit TNA which is why they've dropped her from the storyline.

I did enjoy AJ obnoxiously celebrating the announcement that Claire isn't pregnant.

This is one of the weirdest segments I've ever seen on a wrestling show. I'm surprised the crowd was so into it. Full credit to all three wrestlers for not coming out of this angle with their careers in tatters. And a tiny bit of credit to TNA for at least tying up the loose ends.

I hate Gut Check. This man will get a job because he loves his family, he comes from a rough background, he needs money, he wants to entertain the fans and he'll kill himself to get a contract.

The only contestant that didn't get a contract was the one with talent...

The backstage segment with Hogan making his return was possibly the worst thing I've ever seen in wrestling. Was he having an asthma attack? I've never seen such self-indulgent bulldust.

The Gut Check guy said he’s so hungry his ribs are showing. He doesn't look like he's gone hungry to me, although his pants are a bit saggy. He's dreadful. He makes Tessmacher look like Georg Hackenshmidt.

I hate Gut Check.

He's so bad that he might actually not get a contract, despite having everything it takes to be a TNA professional wrestler: a sob story

I’ll admit it. I've missed ODB.

Mr Anderson talks like I'm hanging on his every word. I'm not.

Tenay just explained that the series ends when everyone has faced every other competitor. So why did Hardy make it sound earlier like he'd sacrificed a chance at a BFG series match in calling out Robbie T? Why isn't there just a fixture list?

Anderson vs Bully Ray was a good match.

How many members of Aces and Eights are there?! They aren't very good are they? I've never seen such a one-sided fight.

The closing segment had a sense of chaos and unpredictability, but my god Aces and Eights looked weak throughout the brawl. In fact, the only person who wasn’t capable of beating them up easily was the world champion. I'm glad they put a bit of heat back on the faction at the end though, even if it was at the expense of the wrong man.

I think Aces and Eights is one of those storylines that does much more harm than good to a wrestling promotion.

i think aces and eights is the best storyline going at the minute to be honest in either wwe or impact wrestling

crippledtart wrote:I don't like the TNA main eventers being referred to as Hogan and Sting's troops - the world champion is nothing but a “troop” for two 50-somethings?!

It's like if you imagine, back in 1998, Steve Austin being overshadowed by Bruno Sammartino and Bill Goldberg playing second fiddle to Harley Race.

Aries needs to be presented as being as much of a star as Hogan or Sting. In the TNA alternate universe Aries should be 'the man', not Hogan or Sting. He should also be portrayed as someone who could kick Hogan or Sting's backside.

It's not as simple as that. TNA have done a great job of building new main eventers over the last couple of years. Bobby Roode was the longest ever reigning world champion. AA became world champion after negotiating with Hogan to give every X-Division champ the opportunity of challenging for the world title at Destination X, the famous 'option C'. The world heavyweight title match is always the main event at every TNA PPV unlike in the WWE who now have Punk on a crusade to put the world champion back in the main event!? The problem is TNA's PPVs don't generate massive buyrates so TNA will never be financially and commercially on the same level with WWE. TNA's booking has been very good in 2012. Hogan is the GM and Sting was the first person Aces & 8s attacked so it's logical they 'lead' the war against Aces & 8s, besides Sting is the first inductee into the TNA hall of fame at BFG so it makes sense he is heavily involved in the lead up to BFG.

Don't watch TNA but always good to read Crips' views.... Well written

By the way, if you want your reaction to crips TNA review or to ask him a question ahead of tomorrow nights podcast, email him at wrestling@v2journal.com

Some things were spot on other things were way off in this review.

The gutcheck guy ironically had a gut. He was also suitably awful.

Crips is spot on though, TNA do seem to have made main event players but unless they're presented as at least equals to the Golden Oldies then they'll never sell PPV's off the back of their own name value

The Aces and Eights storyline is horrendous, its obviously screaming out for a big Heel turn to give them the big opening victory whenever that match actually happens

I stopped taking much notice of TNA after the completely botched Bobby Roode debacle after BFG but done enough to keep up to date, can't believe they're still throwing AJ and Daniels together, how many matches on TV and PPV have they had in the last year

It is unfortunate that whenever someone gets a bit of momentum off their own back (i.e. Roode, Aries) that Hogan and Sting come in to take the focus away.

I'd far rather both Sting and Hogan took a very back seat and allow the wrestlers to do what they do best.

After so much good stuff recently, i don't see what Hogan and Sting have to be leading the charge against the Aces and Eights. This should be left to the likes of Aries and even a heel Bully Ray to kick ass.

As for AJ v Daniels, at least it now looks like there is closure on that storyline. A pretty poor one I give you but at least its over.

Mort

P.S. All wrestling promotions have the same wrestlers facing off against each other time and time again, e.g. Sheamus and ADR; CM Punk and Cena to name but two.

P.S. All wrestling promotions have the same wrestlers facing off against each other time and time again, e.g. Sheamus and ADR; CM Punk and Cena to name but two.

Thanks Mort, I'm new to wrestling, glad you cleared that up