Coming off the heels of TNA Bound for Glory, tonight’s episode of TNA Impact was headlined by Matt and Jeff Hardy. So did it live up to the hype? In some ways yes, but in others it failed. Luckily, we only have one column to deal with a show like this, three matches/segments we loved and three we hated.
From the opening promo where the Hardy brothers laid out their plan for the episode to the main event of the ladder match, you’ll know we’re going to have a lot of input on what happens tonight. If that’s not enough for you, feel free to check out our TNA Impact Results page, then come back for our take on it all. Without further ado, here are our thoughts.
Hateful. pointless 20 minute opening promo
“We are selfless bookers, we don’t book any title matches.”
Now I can’t lie. I found this Matt Hardy line in the middle of the opening segment of tonight’s show a bit ironic considering the opening segment of this edition of TNA Impact was a pointless 20 minute segment with the Hardys at the center of the whole thing. I wouldn’t mind so much if this was used as a way to set up a future storyline for The Hardys and didn’t really accomplish much. It was boring to watch, incredibly long and really drawn out.
While I understand that TNA most likely wanted to combine the past and present into one segment, I don’t think that’s a good enough excuse for it to be as long as it was. There’s been enough of Matt and Jeff on this show, and this was wasted TV time that felt like it could have been devoted to something else that would have benefited more instead.
Written by Olivia Quinlan
Favorite: Brother vs. Brother
The Hardy Boyz were given full creative control of Impact tonight and were definitely missed. There were also some hits, one of which was Ryan Nemeth vs. Nick Nemeth.
Naturally, one would assume that the Nemeth brothers could be trying to go against each other by deliberately laying down for cover. They did just that as Ryan hit a light slam (emphasis on the light) and Nick collapsed to the mat. Before Ryan could grab his older brother, Matt and Jeff Hardy stepped in to remind them that if they didn’t actually wrestle each other, they would be stripped of the TNA World Tag Team Championship.
What followed was a hilarious three-minute scene.
Ryan tried to surprise Nick by speed dialing. Nick returned the favor as the crowd and the Hardys loudly encouraged them to fight. The Nemets then traded punches and kicks until Nick hit Ryan with a superkick. The former TNA World Champion reluctantly followed the Famouser to provide for his younger brother.
As is the tradition of the Nemeths (in the story), we’re sure their mother will get the call about what they perceive as a great injustice. For us here at WINC, however, it served as a moment of sobriety, especially when contrasted with much tougher provisions such as the tables and ladder matches that followed later in the night. We also wouldn’t mind a rematch at some point in the future.
Written by Ella Jay
Hateful. Indy Hartwell’s title streak begins with a loss
Indi Hartwell was not pinned or submitted tonight. He still walked away from Impact with a loss, and we’re not thrilled about it.
Coming off of his TNA Knockouts World Championship win at Bound For Glory, we expected Hartwell’s momentum to keep rolling, at least a little bit. Bound For Glory is TNA’s biggest show of the year, and now Hartwell as World Knockouts Champion is Finally, the face of the Knockouts division. Before she could even settle into her throne, however, Hartwell found herself on the losing end of a six-woman tag team match.
In this match, Hartwell, Gabby Forza and Harley Hudson took on Sia Brookside and Knockouts Tag Team Champions Zoe Serrano and Shayna Basler. Serrano obliterated Hartwell and Forza with a crossbody to the outside, leaving Hudson alone in the ring in a choke locked by Basler. Hartwell then tried to get back into the squared circle to break things up, only to be physically stopped by Brookside. As a result, Hudson stayed on the show.
A loss in the record books is not the best way to start a world title. In our opinion, a traditional tag match with Forza-Hudson vs. Serrano-Bassler, with Hartwell and Brookside interfering, would have worked better as it would have protected Hartwell while keeping the tension between him and the now former KO champion.
Written by Ella Jay
Beloved Note the team table game
Tonight’s show was a nice little break from TNA’s regular programming. It felt like the first hour flew by. One of the matches that hour was a tag team table match between The Righteous and Syx. Since they showed a bit of Hardy style fighting, I had to love this match this week.
I have to give TNA its props. The rules for his tag team table matches are unique and very different from what you see in other commercials. To win, both members of the same team must be thrown through a table, or speared, or what have you. The two teams featured tonight were perfect opponents for him. It was very well put together, very clever. I think this matchup will open up a very fun Pandora’s box of what could escalate further between the Justices and the Six in the future. Both teams are scrappy and hot, which makes for great television.
However, my only complaint was that this game was too short in terms of its time. If I remember correctly, there was a commercial break (which felt so long) that many things we could see were lost in the shuffle. Of course, if you were there live, you saw it in its entirety. But for fans like me at home, I felt like I missed out on some great moments.
Why do I get the feeling that a GIF or meme is going to be made of Vincent when he didn’t go through the table the first time?
Written by Bree Coder
Hateful. What a dumb way to celebrate
So the whole premise of this week’s show was that the Hardys could book it however they saw fit to celebrate their 35-year milestone in the business. To be clear, it’s a huge milestone that should definitely be celebrated. It’s just a shame that this had to happen in the worst version of TNA in a few years.
At the top of the show, the Hardys were joined in the ring by X-Division Champion Amazing Red and World Champion Leon Slater. Jeff Hardy said the one match he’s wanted for a long time is a one-on-one match with Slater, and he couldn’t think of a better way than a world title shot. But then Matt Hardy cleared that record and said the Hardys weren’t looking to book matches for themselves like egomaniacs.
A shame, but a great shame. Except, as it would turn out, they were there to record their game. Specifically, a tag match against AJ Francis and Expressions. Francis is a somewhat limited wrestler on his own, then you add in the aging Hardys, who are shells of themselves, and Expression, who just isn’t a wrestler. As you can probably guess, the match was terrible and defined by its finish. And it’s not because the ending was cool or anything, it just signaled the end of the match and that was the best part.
It’s a shame that the Hardys, legends that they are, celebrated 35 years in business by tagging Francis and the Expressions. There was no legendary dream game, just a really boring game that had no right to even be anything.
If you had been told when the Hardys were on top of the tag team wrestling world that they would be in this position, what would you have said?
Written by Max Everett
Loved. The Hardy’s Impact ends with extreme success
As promised in their opening promo, Matt and Jeff Hardy booked some extreme points on their own episode of Impact, and I’d argue the main event was the most successful yet.
One of the best parts of the game was seeing Ricky Sosa and Jason Hotch mix it up with some of the more established members of the roster. Both received plenty of attention, and while neither came away victorious, the experience is invaluable and will help position their images in the long run in such a matchup.
When Nemeth ran out and interrupted Elijah at the end of the match, it really looked like Nemeth was going to opt out of the contract for a rematch against Leon Slater. Instead, all it did was buy enough time for Trey Miguel to finish the job.
Miguel is sure to have a strong showing when he faces Leon Slater at Destination X next month. As mentioned on commentary, the former Rascal (minus the Z) has spent quite a bit of time in TNA with just one world title to his name. He was clearly emotional at the end of the match and it’s safe to say he’ll give it his all when the time comes.
Written by Nick Miller
