My Weekly TNA Catch-up, Impact 11th Dec 08

Delayed due to the reason already explained in alt.fan.tna, my head is in a slightly better place now and I'm getting back on with my life. As per usual this review is written by me and these are my views - if you don't like them either don't read this or killfile me. I have been known to swear but thats the way real people speak so be forewarned! Onto the catch-up.

Show opens with the MEM coming out to bore us on the mic, AJ Styles likewise. No-one cares about beatdowns that look they were thought up by a 9 year old, TNA Creative are getting as stale as WWE and seriously need to think about hiring new staff for new ideas or start stealing them from the fans reviews (feel free to steal ANY of my ideas, I won't sue or charge but I will expect my name in the damn credits!).

Backstage stuff with Mick Foley & Jeff Jarrett, more backstage with The Motor City Machineguns.

X Division Championship Quarterfinals - Sheik Abdul Bashir vs Eric Young. I assume they made some sort of decision I fast forwarded through which is why these qualifiers are taking place? Their still pretty damn pointless as they had a rankings tournament a while back, shouldn't those rankings still be valid or have TNA Creative got a frigging short memory? Having checked - Turning Point PPV Nov 08, X Division Ranking Match. Top 10 rankings were as follows:-
10th - Sonjay Dutt
9th - Volador
8th - Jimmy Rave
7th - Homicide (elminated due to injury)
6th - Consequences Creed
5th - Petey Williams
4th - Tanahashi
3rd - Doug Williams
2nd - Jay Lethal
1st - Eric Young

TNA, some of us write reviews and aren't going to forget information like this when its easily at hand. As Bashir had been Champion and Young had also "been" Champion (having not legally won it either match) neither man should have to fight in this round of the rankings, their previous status should automatically earn them a bye and they shouldn't be fighting each other either as its a pointless 2nd rubber match that no-one really wants to see. Poor match even by Bashir's standards, Young was poor too. Young took the win off a bridging suplex that was probably the best move & moment of the match. The remaining competitors were shown and I had to question why Shelley & Sabin were even getting a shot as neither man even took part in the rankings event, I have no clue who "Kiyoshi" is unless that's Tanahashi?

Backstage segment with JB talking to Mick Foley coming out of the MEM dressing room, segment with The Beautiful People and the Sarah Palin impersonator who I am assured is none other than former WCW Queen Of Scream, Daffney! Video package for new guy Brutus Magnus (Brit Nick Aldis, former swimmer, tennis player and Gladiator "Oblivion" - He is a former protege of Doug Williams and I assume this is how he got his shot in TNA)

X Division Championship Quarterfinals - Alex Shelley (with Chris Sabin) vs Jay Lethal. Lethal changed the dynamic of this match by bringing his Feast Or Fired case to the ring that The Guns felt was rightfully theirs. A better match, Lethal was owning both Shelley & Sabin until Shelley dropped Lethal on his head out of nowhere for Shelley to take the win but this was too short with not enough X Division style moves. Sabin bores us on the mic and Suicide clears the ring yet again.

Rough Cut video segment about James Storm.

Beer Bottle on a Pole Match - James Storm vs Abyss, yes the from the miniscule mind of Russo comes something else on a pole. The Stipulation being whoever grabs the beer bottle can use it legally. Abyss basically owned Storm from the get go for a good few minutes until Storm hit a super kick allowing him to get the beer bottle. Abyss countered with the Black Hole Slam only for Jaqueline to steal the beer bottle out of the ring and ran into Matt Morgan at the top of the ring. Morgan was struggling with Jaqueline at ringside and Robert Roode came down and hit the low blow then beaned Abyss with a chair allowing Storm to make the win. A standard post match beatdown, Morgan got hit with the bottle in the back of the head and Abyss made the save with a chair.

Brother Ray comes about to gab to Kurt Angle about something storyline related, no-one really cares. More backstage stuff that no-one cares about.

The Feast Or Fired reveal. 1st to open their case was Hernandez to reveal a World Title shot, 2nd to open their case was Curry Man to reveal he is fired (which he doesn't seem to understand) leaving Homicide with the X Division Title shot. All these were exactly like I predicted.

Knockout Match - Sojourner Bolt vs Christy Hemme. I'm not exactly sure why Bolt is deemed worthy of a match against Hemme who has just fought for the Knockout title? Hemme & Bolt had a nice start with holds & reversals, was this more of the training that Hemme received from AJ Styles starting to show through? Bolt mainly used power, Hemme stuck with speed and flexibility showing a nice Matrix style dodge into a Thez style press. Bolt had Hemme up to attempt a Powerbomb which Hemme countered into a roll-up to take the win. Fairly decent match but I would have liked to have seen more, it wasn't really long enough. Bolt's faceslap seemed a bit pointless as she's a nobody with no heat and this isn't going to help get Hemme or Bolt over.

Special Challenge Match - Brother Ray vs Kurt Angle. It was pretty obvious Angle was going to blindside Ray once Angle didn't enter using the lift within the 1st few seconds. Ray sold and generally put Angle over until it was his turn to be on top, Angle didn't sell as well as Ray did for him Ray did a bladejob aafter putting himself through the lower part of the stage by the ramp then the match was thrown out as the 2 of them fought into the backstage area, you had to mark for Ray blading in a match that didn't have an actual finish. Ray shot on Angle and his family after having beaten him into a stupor and Angle stalled playing scared rabbit long enough for the rest of the MEM to beatdown Ray with everything they could hit him with. Sting walked off leaving Booker & Steiner to finish the beatdown with Nash & Angle who finally threw him into a dumpster and you really have to mark out for Brother Ray for putting the MEM over like that.