Post by wildfire on Jan 30, 2015 22:01:58 GMT -4
So, I haven't watched any TNA for, oh, maybe 2 years... but here I am, with the oppertunity (in a hotel that gets destination America), and I'm kinda sick, so I'm no goin' anywhere, so let's see what they're up to.
Apparently there's a show called 'Unlocked' that is last weeks episode with 'new behind the scenes insights'... seems like TNA pop up video to me, but whatever. The regular show starts at 9, so maybe the behind the scenes insights will help. It's not a bad set up... it actually shows Taz and Josh Mathews in a studio, re-watching and commenting. I'm not sure I'd be interested if I'd already seen it, but it's a nice catchup sorta thing. I can't imagine they're doing this every week, though...seems like overkill.
Starting not quite from the beginning:
Kenny King vs. Lashey (maybe for the title?) -- The top Heel Stable, the BDC (Beat Down Club.. really?) just parted ways with Lashey, and are holding the belt hostage. King came out and fought him, though whether it was a title match, or he was offering to give the belt back, or whatever, they don't say. Lashey wins, but the rest of the stable, which is Samoa Joe (Who looks like Bill Belichick's overweight nephew), Low Ki, and MVP, come in and beat him up.. again apparently. Lashey came off really, really bad.. not got for your champ.
Havok Vs. Gail Kim - Havok squashes her, beats up the ref for the DQ, then beats up Kim some more. The lights go out, and Awesome Kong comes out and beats her up. Not a bad set up/start of a feud, if you're happy with making a top draw (I think) like Gail Kim look like a jobber. Havok (who I've heard of, but not seen) looks like a hobo.. her pics online in other places are alot better as far as gear and such... her indy look was far better.
Hype for later... apparently Jeremy Borash is going to wrestle? Oh Goodie. ECIII (I think Dixie's something... he was new last I watched).
Tigre Uno vs. 'Khoya' Poya is apparently a new 'character' that James Storm has 're-branded' for his stable Revolution (with two guys in Lucha masks and Abyss). After a early Exchange, Storm tells him to focus, and he wins in about a minute with a Sky High. Storm then cuts a promo to threaten/Recruit Matt Hardy. Way to put over new talent *SMH*
Back Stage: Kurt Angle and Bobby Roode are apparently having a tag match against 2 of the BDC, but aren't totally on the same page. Roode, it seems, was the champ before Lashley, and got screwed out of the title. Guess he's a face, then. Angle, meanwhile, was 'executive director' and just came back. (for the new TV deal, I assume)
Hype about 'feast of fired'- I HATE feast or fired, since it's random, and no one ever really gets fired, but apparently there doing it still (or again). The 4 guys this time are Rockstar Spud (who I don't remember) Robbie E, Austin Aries, and Magnus
Eric Young/Low Ki Vs. Kurt Angle/Bobby Roode - Angle has a huge knee brace on, no idea if that's legit, or in story. Decent match...cool to see Low Ki in action, even if it is a bit mystifying how he has a job. Usual main event tag team ending here, the good guys get distracted, and allow the bad guys to cheat (in this case, with a chair). Roode apparently has been beat a bunch of times by Eric Young recently.
heh, advertisement for WWE Immortals during the commerical break.
Skit: MVP wandering the streets with the belt, daring Lashey to come take it... much like WWE, that's ALOT of focus on the top of the card.
Hype: Background on the ECIII Vs. Jeremy Borash feud... Borash is buddies with Rockstar Spud, that's the problem. Spud, incidently, is apparently British Spike Dudley. Also, Brodus Clay is ECIII's henchman... they haven't mentioned him at all, though.. he's clearly back to 'monster' though.
ECIII vs. Jeremy Borash - Carter introduces himself, since he's fighting the announcer, which was cute. Borash came down in a hoodie and sweats. Carter started doing the 'announcing' when Borash attacked him and got in about 30 seconds of offense, before the obvious. Titus (Brodus finally gets mentioned!) obliterated Spud when he tried to make the save, but Mandrews (winner of TNA's British version of Tough ENough), came from the audience to take him down (with Spud's help). If you're going to have a stupid feud with an announcer, that wasn't badly done.
Plugs for future TNA:Unlocked (also plays Saturday Morning) and TNA's greatest matches... wow, they sure have alot of this network.
James Storm Vs. Matt Hardy - No idea who's the heel and whose the face.. the crowd was dead for both... Storm seems like a tweener. I think his Lucha guys are the tag champs, or maybe he and Abyss are, it's not clear. Abyss was carrying both belts around... and Storm didn't bring the belt with him to the ring (Which I HATE if he's the champ). Really, it should be clear, so that's bad. They just said the Hardys are the #1 tag team contenders.. the Hardys are tagging again? that's kinda crazy. So far my favorite part of this match is seeing Earl Hebner as a ref.. I miss him in WWE... he was my favorite back in the day. OK, so I think Storm is the heel, based on style, and Hardy got a smal pop for the side effect... very slow paced match, as if it was 2 big 7 foot guys.. not sure what that says about these two at this point in their careers. Hardy ends up winning with a roll up out of Eye of the Storm.... ugly, boring match though. Abyss comes down post match for a beat down, until Jeff Matches the save (with no paint, shockingly!) Hardy challenges Abyss to a Monster's ball match for next week.. it took a while for him to get the crowd to chant with him. Overall, not a good segment, I don't blame the crowd for being dead.
Feast or Fired time: Robbie E apparently is doing Tyler Breeze's gimmick, complete with selfie Obsession. Spud goes first, and gets the X-Division Title shot. Magnus gets the Tag Title... so, be shocker, the best and worst prize are last. Robbie E is flipping out as they go to commerical... Aries hasn't said a word.
Top 5: They spoil both of the next two segments with what should be a cool segment... could have easily worked if they just did it last.
finishing Feast or Fired: Robbie E passes off the suitcase to Velvet Sky (His valet/girlfriend) since she actually took it... and she gets fired, and Robbie goes nuts in a uncomfortably bad spot. Aries sits, cool, and apparently has a future World Title Shot... which is apparently like Money in the Bank
Street Fight - Lashley vs. MVP I guess Lashley is trying to get his belt back.. MVP is looking to 'teach a lesson' MVP starts strong (outside, in a t-shirt, THAT'S a tough guy), but as expected, the rest of the BDC pitch in once Lashley gets the upper hand... Roode and Angle run them off, and then realize they left the belt. Roode picks it up and the show ends in a staredown... kinda odd, since that essentially set up 3 different guys for a title shot in like 10 minutes. and the champ still looks weak and dumb.
So, Not all that much better than I remember, I'll probably leave it on while I do other stuff for this week's show, though.
Apparently there's a show called 'Unlocked' that is last weeks episode with 'new behind the scenes insights'... seems like TNA pop up video to me, but whatever. The regular show starts at 9, so maybe the behind the scenes insights will help. It's not a bad set up... it actually shows Taz and Josh Mathews in a studio, re-watching and commenting. I'm not sure I'd be interested if I'd already seen it, but it's a nice catchup sorta thing. I can't imagine they're doing this every week, though...seems like overkill.
Starting not quite from the beginning:
Kenny King vs. Lashey (maybe for the title?) -- The top Heel Stable, the BDC (Beat Down Club.. really?) just parted ways with Lashey, and are holding the belt hostage. King came out and fought him, though whether it was a title match, or he was offering to give the belt back, or whatever, they don't say. Lashey wins, but the rest of the stable, which is Samoa Joe (Who looks like Bill Belichick's overweight nephew), Low Ki, and MVP, come in and beat him up.. again apparently. Lashey came off really, really bad.. not got for your champ.
Havok Vs. Gail Kim - Havok squashes her, beats up the ref for the DQ, then beats up Kim some more. The lights go out, and Awesome Kong comes out and beats her up. Not a bad set up/start of a feud, if you're happy with making a top draw (I think) like Gail Kim look like a jobber. Havok (who I've heard of, but not seen) looks like a hobo.. her pics online in other places are alot better as far as gear and such... her indy look was far better.
Hype for later... apparently Jeremy Borash is going to wrestle? Oh Goodie. ECIII (I think Dixie's something... he was new last I watched).
Tigre Uno vs. 'Khoya' Poya is apparently a new 'character' that James Storm has 're-branded' for his stable Revolution (with two guys in Lucha masks and Abyss). After a early Exchange, Storm tells him to focus, and he wins in about a minute with a Sky High. Storm then cuts a promo to threaten/Recruit Matt Hardy. Way to put over new talent *SMH*
Back Stage: Kurt Angle and Bobby Roode are apparently having a tag match against 2 of the BDC, but aren't totally on the same page. Roode, it seems, was the champ before Lashley, and got screwed out of the title. Guess he's a face, then. Angle, meanwhile, was 'executive director' and just came back. (for the new TV deal, I assume)
Hype about 'feast of fired'- I HATE feast or fired, since it's random, and no one ever really gets fired, but apparently there doing it still (or again). The 4 guys this time are Rockstar Spud (who I don't remember) Robbie E, Austin Aries, and Magnus
Eric Young/Low Ki Vs. Kurt Angle/Bobby Roode - Angle has a huge knee brace on, no idea if that's legit, or in story. Decent match...cool to see Low Ki in action, even if it is a bit mystifying how he has a job. Usual main event tag team ending here, the good guys get distracted, and allow the bad guys to cheat (in this case, with a chair). Roode apparently has been beat a bunch of times by Eric Young recently.
heh, advertisement for WWE Immortals during the commerical break.
Skit: MVP wandering the streets with the belt, daring Lashey to come take it... much like WWE, that's ALOT of focus on the top of the card.
Hype: Background on the ECIII Vs. Jeremy Borash feud... Borash is buddies with Rockstar Spud, that's the problem. Spud, incidently, is apparently British Spike Dudley. Also, Brodus Clay is ECIII's henchman... they haven't mentioned him at all, though.. he's clearly back to 'monster' though.
ECIII vs. Jeremy Borash - Carter introduces himself, since he's fighting the announcer, which was cute. Borash came down in a hoodie and sweats. Carter started doing the 'announcing' when Borash attacked him and got in about 30 seconds of offense, before the obvious. Titus (Brodus finally gets mentioned!) obliterated Spud when he tried to make the save, but Mandrews (winner of TNA's British version of Tough ENough), came from the audience to take him down (with Spud's help). If you're going to have a stupid feud with an announcer, that wasn't badly done.
Plugs for future TNA:Unlocked (also plays Saturday Morning) and TNA's greatest matches... wow, they sure have alot of this network.
James Storm Vs. Matt Hardy - No idea who's the heel and whose the face.. the crowd was dead for both... Storm seems like a tweener. I think his Lucha guys are the tag champs, or maybe he and Abyss are, it's not clear. Abyss was carrying both belts around... and Storm didn't bring the belt with him to the ring (Which I HATE if he's the champ). Really, it should be clear, so that's bad. They just said the Hardys are the #1 tag team contenders.. the Hardys are tagging again? that's kinda crazy. So far my favorite part of this match is seeing Earl Hebner as a ref.. I miss him in WWE... he was my favorite back in the day. OK, so I think Storm is the heel, based on style, and Hardy got a smal pop for the side effect... very slow paced match, as if it was 2 big 7 foot guys.. not sure what that says about these two at this point in their careers. Hardy ends up winning with a roll up out of Eye of the Storm.... ugly, boring match though. Abyss comes down post match for a beat down, until Jeff Matches the save (with no paint, shockingly!) Hardy challenges Abyss to a Monster's ball match for next week.. it took a while for him to get the crowd to chant with him. Overall, not a good segment, I don't blame the crowd for being dead.
Feast or Fired time: Robbie E apparently is doing Tyler Breeze's gimmick, complete with selfie Obsession. Spud goes first, and gets the X-Division Title shot. Magnus gets the Tag Title... so, be shocker, the best and worst prize are last. Robbie E is flipping out as they go to commerical... Aries hasn't said a word.
Top 5: They spoil both of the next two segments with what should be a cool segment... could have easily worked if they just did it last.
finishing Feast or Fired: Robbie E passes off the suitcase to Velvet Sky (His valet/girlfriend) since she actually took it... and she gets fired, and Robbie goes nuts in a uncomfortably bad spot. Aries sits, cool, and apparently has a future World Title Shot... which is apparently like Money in the Bank
Street Fight - Lashley vs. MVP I guess Lashley is trying to get his belt back.. MVP is looking to 'teach a lesson' MVP starts strong (outside, in a t-shirt, THAT'S a tough guy), but as expected, the rest of the BDC pitch in once Lashley gets the upper hand... Roode and Angle run them off, and then realize they left the belt. Roode picks it up and the show ends in a staredown... kinda odd, since that essentially set up 3 different guys for a title shot in like 10 minutes. and the champ still looks weak and dumb.
So, Not all that much better than I remember, I'll probably leave it on while I do other stuff for this week's show, though.
