Bully Ray is one of TNA’s most polished products. His mic skills are well-developed, his in-ring mannerisms are perfect for his character, and he plays the role of a mean-spirited bully to perfection. No matter what garbage he’s given to work with each week, he nails it. And that’s why I’m perfectly fine with him beating just about anybody on the TNA roster.
Sure, Christopher Daniels just came back and could use a win to re-establish himself in TNA. But when he met Bully Ray in a lumberjack match last night, he pulled the job, as he should. Ray won with a little help from his lumberjacks (Immortal) and a chain punch to the Fallen Angel’s head from the fist of Hulk Hogan. Naturally, Immortal and Fortune brawled all over the place. Earlier in the night, the two factions were involved in an in-ring promo to open the show, and it was a nice change from the usual Hogan / Anderson / Bischoff opening. Ray worked the microphone like the seasoned vet that he is, and Daniels said all the right things to get himself over with the Orlando crowd. During said segment, Daniels was added to Fortune’s team at Lockdown, by his own request. I’m getting a strong feeling that Daniels will be turning heel at the event and joining up with Immortal. Granted, this wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense, but it is TNA that we’re talking about. Making sense was never one of their strong points. The rest of Impact, regurgitated and reviewed, after the jump.
- Despite it not opening the show, the usual promo of the World Title contenders and Hulk Hogan did take place. All night, Mr. Anderson was following a trail of notes, seemingly left by Sting. Anderson, lead pipe in hand, hoped to find the World Champion and give him what he felt he had coming. When his hunt led him to the rafters, he was ambushed by Rob Van Dam, who had presumably orchestrated the whole note scavenger hunt. Van Dam beat the hell out of Anderson, and at about the 10 o’clock hour, confronted Sting in the ring. Sting wasn’t happy with RVD’s antics, and as a result, the main event of the evening was made to feature Sting vs Rob Van Dam in a non-title match. Shortly after the match was made, Mr. Anderson approached Hulk Hogan backstage and requested that he be made the referee for the main event, and in return he would offer his services to Immortal.
- In the main event, RVD beat Stinger after Mr. Anderson hit a Mic Check on the Champ. Post-match, Murphy and Rob Terry came to the ring and lifted Anderson onto their shoulders, evidently welcoming him into Immortal. The celebration was short-lived, however, as Anderson promptly attacked them with the pipe he had been carrying around. Personally, I feel that TNA lets all of their feuds run too long. I’ve lost interest in the RVD / Sting / Anderson triangle. Hopefully Lockdown can wrap it up and something new can begin.
- Mexican America defeated Tommy Dreamer & Devon after a distraction from Rosita and a chairshot from Anarquia. After the closing bell, Hernandez teased Border Tossing Tommy out of the ring to the unprotected concrete floor, but Matt Morgan made the save. The match was a quick one and likely just a platform to have Morgan attack Mexican America, but it served its purpose well. Hernandez and Matt Morgan’s heated rivalry is still sizzling in my book, and I look forward to their eventual payoff match. Devon grabbed and kissed Rosita square on the lips in the middle of this one, lucky son of a gun.
- Madison Rayne & Tara apparently ran over Mickie James with a motorcycle. Seriously. Tara was shown protesting to a plan that had yet to be revealed earlier in the night, but Madison insisted that they follow through. A while later, cameras cut to the parking lot, where Mickie James was piled in a lifeless lump next to Tara’s motorcycle. Madison and her crony quickly sped away and the camera man approached the unconscious Mickie to make sure she was alive. Vehicular homicide angles don’t work in wrestling, it’s a hardboiled fact. Just ask Rikishi.
- Hogan is tired of the damn Network! Yawn.
- Samoa Joe crushed Murphy with the Pope on commentary. Nothing to see here folks. Move along, move along.
- The Beautiful People received a shot at the Knockouts Tag Team Titles, but unfortunately for Velvet Sky, Angelina Love was still zombified. It was pretty much a handicapped match with Velvet taking on Sarita & Rosita, and things eventually got worse when Winter appeared at the entrance to the Impact Zone. After signaling Angelina with a hand gesture, Love turned on her partner, flooring Velvet Sky and leaving her in the ring by herself. This led directly to Sarita and Rosita’s victory, and it looks like TNA has committed to this brainwashing angle. I feel guilty that I’m enjoying this. It’s just so goofy that it’s kind of fun to watch.
- Suicide, Brian Kendrick, & Chris Saban stole a victory over Robbie E & Generation Me when Max Buck turned on Jeremy Buck. Again. Mike Tenay tells us that the Motor City Machine Guns have decided to focus on their singles careers. Great. I can’t complain about any match that involves the Young Bucks or Price is Righter The Brian Kendrick, but this one was chock full of bad news for the tag team division. The match was decent enough though. I’m curious if Christopher Daniels is pulling double duty again in that Suicide get-up. Anbody care to enlighten me?
- Jeff Jarrett cut a promo on Kurt Angle inside of a 3-sided cage. This of course led to Angle zip-lining into the ring through the unwalled side of the cage. Convenient. This feud is getting too ridiculous to talk about anymore. Blah.
Although it was not without its flaws, I enjoyed this week’s Impact more than I enjoy most. I think that had a lot to do with the inclusion of TBK and the Bucks, but hey, I’ll take what I can get. Six matches ain’t too shabby these days either.
