The Final Impact
April 12, 2013
By: Josh Boutwell of Wrestleview.com
Corpus Christi was fortunate to get one of the two best Impact matches so far this year with the Tag Titles & World Title on the line. Unfortunately those two great matches sandwiched a lot of average and below average filler in between them.
They went right to the Tag Titles to start the match off and they took a page out of many big Lucha Libre matches where there are two quick surprise falls followed by a long, dramatic third. There was a ton of great action but I don’t understand the title change whatsoever at this point. Roode & Austin Aries were doing great at the champs and it’s pretty much consensus amongst fans that Roode/Aries vs. Bad Influence is the match everyone wants at this point. Regardless it was a really fun match and the addition of Jesse James Leija accompanying Chavo & Hernandez was a nice touch and made it feel different than just a typical Impact match.
Terrell & Gail was way too short to really get anything going but ODB as the Knockout Ref was fun. Taryn’s continued slapping of Christy Hemme’s ass is odd but I’m not complaining.
The AJ Styles confrontation added another layer to this story with Bad Influence coming out to try and pull AJ into yet another direction. If they go the route of AJ going against everyone and really doing the “I’m out for me” thing it will be cool to see him giving the finger to everyone including babyfaces & heels as they try to recruit him. The match with Storm next week is going to be our first chance to see AJ in the ring since December so it’ll be great to see him do his thing again.
The Gut Check made absolutely no sense to me. I think most people felt like Adam Pearce made a ton of sense and honestly he really should be on TV at this point. Not only do they eliminate him but Magno gets the big NO too. I understand you want to keep people guessing and you have to throw some No’s in there for Gut Check, but why not do it with two green guys/girls that you plan on sending to development anyway. It just seemed like such a waste of time for two talented wrestlers that deserved so much better. It blows my mind to think that Alex Silva and Sam Shaw get signed but Adam Pearce and Magno are sent packing. What the hell?!
Rob Terry and Joey Ryan was a squash and I have zero desire to see Terry do anything let alone squash creepy Joey Ryan.
Bully Ray and Jeff Hardy truly worked hard and put on one hell of a show in the Main Event. Some of the bumps Hardy took were absolutely wicked with the backdrop on the ramp, suplex on the ladder, and superplex off the ladder standing out the most. So many years later and he has absolutely no fear in putting his body on the line (not quite as often though) and the crowd loves him for it. The only botched spot in the match was when the table collapsed as Bully Ray was placed on it (the direct opposite to what happened to CM Punk & Taker at WrestleMania). They built this match up as a big event and it felt like it.
The two title matches really made this show last night and those two really made it stand out.
Last Friday was TNA’s X-Division PPV “One Night Only: X-Travaganza” I recapped and reviewed the show here on Wrestleview so check out and check out the PPV if you’re a fan of the X-Division.
* Recap of TNA’s “One Night Only: X-Travaganza” (4/5/13)
* Review of TNA’s “One Night Only: X-Travaganza” (4/6/13)
– Promo/Segment of the Night: AJ Styles/Hogan/Bad Influence/Storm
– Match of the Night: Bully Ray vs. Jeff Hardy (****1/2)
– Overall Grade: A
Until next week… PEACE! 
Follow me on Twitter: @BamaBoyJosh