(6) Abyss & Mr. Anderson def. Bully Ray & Scott Steiner
I will never understand what Hulk Hogan, or anybody else in TNA management sees in "the Monster" Abyss. I had hope in Anderson years ago, but his "asshole" gimmick turns off just as many people as it draws in, and he's not that good of an in-ring worker. Bully Ray is having a good year, but being the last credible guy in Immortal is doing nothing for him. And Steiner is…well, Steiner. You could tell the crowd didn't care about either of the faces, as "Big Poppa Pump" got cheered and chanted from beginning to end. The more he rejected them, the more they got behind him. It was comical, but altogether useless…
Is it sad that Scott Steiner's god-awful promos are something you start looking forward to at TNA events? Regardless of the outcome of this feud, one thing is for sure: Scott Steiner is the best tag team of all time.
Grade: C
(7) Gail Kim def. Velvet Sky to become the NEW Knockout's champion
I'm glad Gail Kim is back in a company that will use her properly, but winning both of the women's titles in TNA in her first few weeks back with the company is just ridiculous. Sorry Velvet, I know how big that Bound for Glory win was to you and your career, but you're just not worth as much as "that one girl who I saw once on Raw".
Grade: C
(8) Jeff Hardy def. Jeff Jarrett … three times
Jeff Hardy is an ever-evolving talent, but I particularly liked his outfit/face-paint combo at Turning Point – green is definitely his color! Say what you will, but I also really liked that Jarrett had the match restarted not once, but twice. It was something different, showcased Jarrett's power as founder and "king of the mountain"but also continued Jeff Hardy's slow climb back to the top of pro wrestling. I respect that TNA is making him work his way up, rather than throwing him into a title feud and trusting him with the reigns. I honestly can't wait for this to continue, as I think these two have excellent chemistry. The post-match backstage segment with some of the faces applauding Hardy, culminating with an AJ Styles handshake was well-done, and I think a much needed component to the "charismatic enigma" winning back the respect of the fans and the boys in the back.
Grade: B
Random thought: was there a "We Want Ryder" chant during this match?
(9) Bobby Roode def. AJ Styles to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship
Bobby Roode looked great holding the World title as the PPV went off the air, and I'm easily buying in to his heel character. If only the match leading up to that point was worth sitting through a lackluster card to watch. It wasn't that the match was bad, but considering the level of the talents in the ring, I can't help but feel slightly disappointed. Roode needed a strong victory in his first PPV title defense, and beating AJ Styles will give that to you…but it wasn't as good as it could have, and should have been. Here's hoping they give the title picture more time to develop leading into Final Resolution.
Grade: C
My biggest problem with Turning Point wasn't the card or the actual booking of the PPV itself. I just couldn't seem to get invested at any point, or keep my interest for more than a few minutes. There were some solid matches, and it's wonderful to see so many home-grown talents being utilized on a single card, so to that extent I give TNA credit. It wasn't bad, and in a lot of ways they got the job done. But I think they've been "getting the job done" for awhile now, and I'm getting bored watching an average product. Granted, average is a huge step up from "terrible", but I think management needs to have a team meeting and focus on new ways that they could improve the TNA product. All the right pieces are there, all the right guys are getting focused on, unfortunately too many times we're left with a PPV that gets the job done, rather than one that truly excites us.
Final TNA Turning Point Grade: C
Did you watch Turning Point? What were some of your favorite moments, and how did you rate the PPV? Let me know on Twitter @MikeKillam
