The Final Impact
June 11, 2015
By: Josh Boutwell of Wrestleview.com
As it seems they do every year for Destination X TNA lived up to the “Total Nonstop Action” moniker this week. Chock full of fantastic in-ring action, Destination X was the best show of the year in my opinion with TNA’s Match of the Year thus far. Tonight is proof that TNA needs to do everything in its power to re-sign Austin Aries before his contract ends next month. They let AJ Styles get away but they cannot let Aries get away. He is putting on an unbelievable series of matches with the Dirty Heels-Wolves series and then puts on the Match of the Year thus far in TNA with Angle. Sign this man!
I did something I usually never do this week too, I read comments from “fans” on the internet before watching. That is such a bad way to go. I’m having to do this reviews the next day because my day job won’t allow me to recap Impact on Wednesday right now so late last night I just decided to scroll through some comments from people on Reddit, Twitter, and other sites. That was a horrible idea. The negativity is so overpowering from people, some of which admittedly not even watched the show, that he really just puts a sour note on things for me. It’s hard to get excited about something that so many people collectively “shit” on and I understand that it has been the “cool” thing to do on the internet the last several years to just bash TNA without mercy (and sometimes they deserve like the Storm-Mickie angle) but actively wishing death on the company still grates on my nerves and just confuses me how some people can just be such assholes. Thankfully the show itself and the quality wrestling, because that is what I love: wrestling! Not the production quality or whether or not there is 12,000 people in an arena or whether four million people watched the show. But I guess I’m in the minority in that stance because I don’t feel the need to be a troll fan. Anyway, sorry about the rant, back to the show.
The opening match with Angle and Spud was about as good as you are going to get with an opening match. They told an excellent story with Spud, the underdog, refusing to lay down and they both worked hard as hell. The one thing that bothered me about the match was Josh Mathews. He was continuously saying on commentary that Spud had no chance, you are not going to rally support for someone by doing that on commentary. I get trying to get over the fact that Spud is the underdog but when you are giving him no chance, it only hurts him further when Angle inevitably wins.
Speaking of Mathews I am getting so sick of his off and on heel commentary. It’s like sometimes he doesn’t know whether he wants to be a heel or not. Sometimes he is cheering EC3 and downing Spud and then others he is giving Spud and other babyfaces props. It is frustrating but The Pope, however, is a breath of fresh air. His analysis is perfect on commentary and he seems to add to each match rather than hurt them.
The X-Division matches were fun as hell and nonstop action throughout. Tigre Uno looked the best and his match was the best of the three as well. I think it is time to finally put that belt on him and see what he can do with it. I don’t like Grado and I don’t get anyone that does. He is like a less talented Colt Cabana and I can only stomach the REAL Colt Cabana for so much. There was just too much comedy stuff in his match and that is not what the X-Division is about. Some comedy here and there is fine but when Crazzy Steve was already in one match it is just too much, and there is no question that Ki vs. Tigre vs. King would have been a hell of a lot better than Ki vs. Tigre vs. Grado. The dynamic of what would happen if Ki and King have to fight alone would be better. I just pray they don’t put the belt on Grado like I fear they will.
The Dollhouse stuff was pointless to me and I have no interest in seeing Brooke feud with Terrell.
Bram-Crimson was pointless as well. I understand they want to keep Bram on our minds before his next feud but why not do this next week or last week? Crimson looked pretty decent but the guy has always just been so bland.
What can I say about the Main Event? It was absolutely terrific and man those two laid it out there! They built to the false finishes late in the match beautifully without overdoing them and Aries going after Angle’s neck the whole match was the obvious way to go there. Just great, great stuff from those two and it is the TNA Match of the Year so far for me.
Is Kurt Angle a damn machine or what though? This guy gets so much criticism, some very deservedly so, but this dude is still out there busting his ass and putting out these quality matches still and not just that but he did it twice in one night here! In my book Kurt Angle is a Top 10 Wrestler of All Time and it is without question.
– Segment/Promo of the Night: Tigre Uno calling Grado a jackass (because I agree) and Bram’s promo
– Match of the Night: Angle vs. Aries (****1/2)
– Overall Grade: A
Until next week… PEACE!
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