Austin Aries vs. AJ Styles
Rating; ****
The last of our three Bound for Glory Series contests tonight, billed as a "dream match". Tenay is saying this is the first Aries/Styles match on Spike ever, which I found hard to believe, but is surprisingly true. Extremely solid back and forth match, with both guys countering finishers, submissions, pins, etc. The finish comes when they take each other out, and Aries barely gets his shoulder up at the last minute. Austin Aries wins via…pinfall?
KILLAM: I would have rated this phenomenal match higher if it was on pay-per-view and we didn't have to deal with commercial. Man, do I hate commercials in main event matches. The human brain is way too A.D.D. for that shit. Fantastic match; pretty weak finish. The idea was fitting, but the execution – at no fault of the workers – just didn't come off well. One of those things that probably sounded good backstage, but I feel just didn't come through on TV the way they had hoped.
The Main Event Mafia comes out and makes the Aces & Eights – again – an "offer they can't refuse". At Hardcore Justice, it's going to be a 5-on-5 match, and whoever gets pinned must leave TNA for good. The lights go out and the #August1Warning mystery man is revealed as…. UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz!
FINAL THOUGHTS: Man, it's like I called Tito Ortiz as the big reveal. OH WAIT!
I watch Impact every week because I like the roster (most of it), they have good matches, and generally there's at least a few interesting things happening to keep me going. It was my favorite promotion around in 2011, and kept that title for several months into 2012. Now, I'm frustrated. I don't like Chris Sabin as the world champion; not because of him, but because of how TNA handled the situation. It is now impossible for me to take him seriously.
The Knockouts are consistently great though. I'm intrigued enough by Gail Kim to continue following her story. I hope they don't blow off the big match with Mickie at Hardcore Justice on free television. Go back to the well a second time with ODB, it will more than suffice.
This week's Impact had good matches, furthered the BFG series, and had the big reveal of Tito Ortiz. I'm not sure if he can pop the TNA ratings, or sell more Bound for Glory tickets, but if anybody can it's him. Or rather, a shoot fight between him and Rampage. Except, that fight is happening at Bellator's first PPV, and there's no way they spoil it by hosting it FIRST on a wrestling show. Even if that wrestling show is the TNA pay-per-view of the year. This is why, although Tito is a much bigger name, it would have been smarter to do the angle with King Mo.
I wasn't terrible excited by this week's show. I was anticipating the reveal, but ultimately expected it to be who it was, so one can only get so pumped. The payoff, while a big name, also wasn't executed very well. I feel there's some good stuff ABOUT to go down, and Hardcore Justice is now looking like a great show, but it's GETTING THERE that is seeming more like a chore right now. Not a bad show, and good wrestling to compensate for my lack of attention tonight. Just not the best.
