Is Impact* the best wrestling promotion in history? *(Now TNA again, 2024)

[SirEdger]

I tend to agree with the notion that the Su Yung vs Rosemary payoff doesn't need the title around it to keep fans interested. There is so much meat to add to it per the already existing backstory and mystery around their characters that I'd rather see more "traditional" wrestlers like Tessa Blanchard and Allie to contend for the title. And I'm also assuming that Taya Valkyrie will return soon and that Impact will probably add some depth to that division, which I think is still lacking. While the Impact product has grown leaps and bounds this year, I still think that the tag & Knockouts division still need more depth, within the financial parameters they're allowed to have with Anthem.

[Alucard]

10 hours ago, TonyPulis'Cap said:

She had a really strong No DQ match with Keira Hogan that I liked a lot and in my opinion carried Alisha Edwards to a damn near *** match.

I really liked both of those matches as well. Though I do think Alisha is super underrated, she did real fun heel work back 6 or 7 years ago on the indys and had some breakout feeling matches back then.

I think the knockouts division could probably use some more depth but the tag division is looking pretty solid.. just need to get Z & E back in the mix.

[TonyPulis'Cap]

I caught the Impact Wrestling vs UK show from the Mediacon in Manchester at the weekend and thought it was a really fun show, with a hot crowd. Because it was shown on a channel with a much wider reach than WWE, for us in UK, we've always had something of a love affair with the artists formerly known as TNA.

As it's available on their Twitch site for free I would definitely recommend it to check out - it's a breezy couple of hour watch and you get to see a lot of fun matches.

In particular, the LAX vs Jody Fleisch/Jonny Storm tag match is a cracker. As any that have read some of my FWA reviews on the site will know I am an unabashed, fully paid up member of the Jody/Jonny fan club, and it's absolutely awesome to me to see them still out there and tearing it up in dream matches with the teams of today. I was also there live for their match in London at ROH against the Young Bucks which is also worth seeking out. Yes, this match has a lot of spots and the tag legalities are stretched (an understatement), but it's a great balls to the wall action throughout. 

The other tag matches on the show are also really good, and I was pleased to see guys like Adam Maxted, Robbie X, Nathan Cruz and Justin Sysum, who don't get used by the more high profile and 'cooler' UK companies get a chance to shine. Don't skip them if you watch the show. The interactions between Eddie Edwards and Moose in their tag match give me a lot of confidence for the singles match that should be upcoming between them.

Elsewhere you also get a really solid women's match between Su Yung and Lana Austin, which I'd actually argue was better than some of Su's more recent outings on Impact. I really like Lana Austin and she more than holds her own here, and I don't think would look out of place appearing for Impact again.

The main event between Sami Callihan and Jimmy Havoc will be an acquired taste with the blood and hardcore spots, but they go all out and there's some absolutely violent moments. It also doesn't get too 'schticky' and I enjoyed it (if you can ever truly enjoy a man having lemon juice sprayed on an open wound and then stapling it to close it himself).    

[sek69]

So were the three guys in the "commission" who called a sit down with Konnan and King anyone of note or just actors? Maybe it was just because they were playing mob boss stereotypes we've all seen in countless movies but they seemed familiar. 

[Web Conn]

TNA or Impact is best as a weekly wrestling show on an obscure cable network. And I don't mean that as a negative they are excelling at what they are right not. They've lasted longer then WCW by 5 years and ECW by 9 years. They've managed to stay in business for 18 years and they've had some dark days. The amount of talent that has passed through TNA is a whose who of the past the present and even the future. 

[fakeplastictrees]

I feel like Impact has found the sweet spot. I honestly would not be upset if they stayed at this level and eventually reached a peak where they can do 4-6 shows outside of the Impact Zone every year that sell out 3-5k capacity venues.

[Alucard]

On 8/22/2018 at 3:22 PM, WingedEagle said:

What's the projected lineup?  I was thinking about going given some of the buzz Impact has gotten in recent months, but will have to weigh that against the MLW taping a week or so before as well the Evolution PPV.  Can't drag the wife to everything and getting home at 1AM on a Sunday night isn't exactly appealing, but it is a chance to see Io Shirai in person.

So this is what has ended up as the final lineup for Bound for Glory this Sunday:

IMPACT WORLDS HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Austin Aries(c) vs. Johnny Impact

THE FINAL WAR: CONCRETE JUNGLE DEATHMATCH
LAX (Konnan, Ortiz, & Santana) vs. The OGz (King, Homicide, & Hernandez)

oVe RULES MATCH
Brian Cage, Fenix, & Pentagon Jr. vs. oVe (Sami Callihan, Dave & Jake Crist)

KNOCKOUTS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Tessa Blanchard(c) vs. Taya Valkyrie

Eddie Edwards vs. Moose

UNDEAD REALM
Su Yung vs. Allie

Matt Sydal & Ethan Page vs. Rich Swann & Willie Mack

Eli Drake's Open Challenge to anyone from New York

 

[WingedEagle]

That card doesn't exactly make me regret passing on the show.  Hope its a great one but its not a lineup I'm going out of my way to attend on a Sunday night.

[Stiva]

I don't think Impact has been on form as it was in the summer but there's still enough on that card to make me interested. The six man matches, more Su Yung antics and Aries' running ability to put together great main event title matches is enough. Not to mention I'm a mark for open challenges.

[SomethingSavage]

Slammiversary was tremendous. They earned enough goodwill with me there to give this one a shot. I agree it's not exactly the greatest lineup, but nothing looks outright bad either. I'm going in optimistic and hoping they'll deliver.

Some of their buzz has died down, but they're still doing some really good stuff. Their presentation is safe but solid. Their treatment of rivalries and conflicts is SOOO much better than anything you see in WWE. I can actually go into this show and EXPECT to see some proper payoffs and finishes with definitive direction. So yeah. I'm down for this.

[Coffey]

On 10/13/2018 at 1:21 PM, SomethingSavage said:

Slammiversary was tremendous. They earned enough goodwill with me there to give this one a shot.

This is exactly where I'm at. Thought there would be a thread for it but I guess iMPACT! still isn't to that level. Makes sense, they burned a lot of bridges. I'm sure a lot of fans have been burned by TNA one too many times. But the last show felt really different, so I'm hoping tonight will be more like that. 

Like my buddy Matt said to me on Twitter, it can't be worse than a current WWE product, so why not? I've not been watching very much modern wrestling from anywhere lately. ROH, NJPW, MLW, WWE, nothing. It's mostly just been old shows on the Network. So seeing someone current again will be a nice change of pace for me. I did watch Slammiversary & I watched some parts of Hell in a Cell but I don't watch any weekly TV anymore. I'll still watch NXT TakeOver shows & probably big WWE PPVs like Rumble & 'Mania but it doesn't feel like they care about the fans anymore for the most part. There's a big disconnect with WWE for me. Wrestle Kingdom in January is always fun but between now and then, I'm not really sure how much wrestling I'll be watching at all, so I hope the show tonight is good.

[Zoo Enthusiast]

Johnny Impact has been awesome on Survivor, at least.

[Coffey]

No words for whatever that Su Yung/Allie skit was.

Also that LAX match might be the most dangerous match I've ever seen. Goodness.

[tallmike]

Between the Allie/Su stuff and the finish to the main event... has Russo been given the pencil again?

[SirEdger]

I don't know about Russo but Aries seems to be the kind of dick IRL that could pull off what he did tonight without this being a work. And if it turns out to be a work, I don't know what this accomplishes other than tarnishing Johnny Impact's moment as new champ.

[El-P]

Just saw the clip. Holy shit.  Did Aries scream "I don't respect you, bookerman !" to Don Callis ?

[WingedEagle]

It seems as though a common theme throughout Austin Aries's career is Austin Aries performing unprofessionally.

[Stiva]

33 minutes ago, WingedEagle said:

It seems as though a common theme throughout Austin Aries's career is Austin Aries performing unprofessionally.

This seems like a work based around that. As well as something to get eyes on the product now that the ratings are dwindling.

[Tenese Sarwieh]

Appreciate them for trying to get eyes on the product I just don't want things to go all 2000 WCW. 

[sek69]

Bryan was saying that the plan was for them to work a "shoot feud" but Aries legit got upset about Johnny calling him short, and then made a comment basically calling Taya fat which Johnny didn't appriciate. Also their press conference brawl ended up running over one of their sponsors which would not have been part of the plan. So it looks like they worked themselves into a shoot and then turned it back into a work.

Rasslin. What a business. 

[SomethingSavage]

I didn't get a chance to check out the show due to work and all. But sounds like I may skip it entirely. Anything worth going back and scoping out?

[Alucard]

7 minutes ago, SomethingSavage said:

I didn't get a chance to check out the show due to work and all. But sounds like I may skip it entirely. Anything worth going back and scoping out?

Post-match aside I thought Aries/Johnny was a great match.  Tessa/Taya was a pretty good ten minute match. LAX/OGz was a spectacle in an uncovered ring of nothing but wooden boards but kept under 10 mins, fun brawl though.

[Alucard]

According to Petey Williams, who was the agent for Aries/Johnny, last night was Aries' last night under contract and he's done with the company.

[fakeplastictrees]

I might have lost complete faith in this company if this whole Aries/Impact thing started off as a work, turned into a shoot, and then back into a work, before finishing off as a semi-shoot work. And all for what? There was a lot of good stuff from BFG. 40 dollars worth? No. Is it worth checking out sometime this month when you get a chance- absolutely. WWE's Super Showdown was heatless and silly from start-to-finish. Impact's BFG had a lot of effort with both the company and the workers really trying to step out of their element.

[SomethingSavage]

Is all that really a result of Johnny calling him short? Aries responding by calling Taya "husky" seemed like a childish temper tantrum, but lashing out like this AT YOUR JOB is really a bad look. It's a shame, too. I enjoy Aries a great deal as a performer, but the guy's track record when it comes to these things just stinks.

I may actually make time for the show sometime this week. It'll likely be viewed in portions throughout the week, but there really is enough there that I'm curious about to make it worth checking out. The LAX brawl and the Tessa/Taya match top my list, but the main event and the wacky Su Yung stuff begs to be seen to some degree.

How was Edwards/Moose? I only ask because Eddie has often turned in some of his all-time finest showings against bigger guys, and I'm wondering how the Moose turn has worked out so far. I haven't seen much of the TV with him being featured in any significant capacity.