The Stories
Bully Ray defeated Jesse in impressive fashion. Bully Ray gets the crowd behind him with multiple chops to Jesse's body, hits a few clotheslines, and scoop slams the former TV star. I was surprised to see Jesse get as much offense in as he did, but I was happy he did. Jesse used basic moves to get himself the advantage, including a simple boot to the face of Bully. There is only so much one guy can do to carry the other. The end of the match saw Ray hitting his finisher on Jesse for the victory. Grade: B-
While this match was alright, I really enjoyed the exchange that Bully Ray had with Hulk Hogan before the match. I am not sure what the payoff will be between Hogan and Ray, but this is making Bully Ray feel so much more important than anyone else in TNA. He does not need to chase a championship to be considered the most important heel or face in the company. Ray talks about how he used to respect Hogan, but he does not anymore. Hulk blames Bully for Brooke being in danger and they argue back and forth. I think the biggest thing here is that it did not feel forced or scripted. You could see the raw emotion in their faces, as their eyes told a story as well. Grade: A-
–AJ Styles makes his way out and talks about basically an identity crisis he is going through. He talks about always cleaning up TNA's mess and being a corporate guy. He bashes the crowd, Dixie, and the entire company. They want Styles to be a heel so bad right now, but the crowd is not letting him do it. I love Styles as a heel, but he is such a likable guy in many aspects. His offense is tailored for the casual fan, not the hardcore one. He is a guy who has been known to being one of the most consistent and best workers TNA has ever had. I really enjoy his character, heel or face, and think this will ultimately make him a bigger piece in a large picture. Grade: B+
James Storm and Jeff Hardy defeat D.O.C and a masked member of Aces and Eights. D.O.C is still Luke Gallows to me, even though his offense has changed quite a bit since being in the WWE. I cannot forget Festus or Luke, but he has more of an aggressive intelligence to him. He works on a specific part of the body during the match, and does not use his size just to get over from the opponents. The match was really good, with Hardy and Storm taking control after an onslaught of attacks. They were able to fight off the other members late in the match, and Hardy hits a Twist of Fate after Storm connects with a Superkick. It was revealed that Austin Aries was the man that paid Aces and Eights for the attacks at Final Resolution. Great match, and it added a twist to the story. Does this hurt the overall numbers game of Aces and Eights? I am getting weary that they have not progessed much in recent weeks. Grade: B+
