In the aftermath of TNA No Surrender, the promotion presented fans with another episode of “TNA Impact.” Have things improved from last week’s dire installment? Yes, even if just marginally. There was a fun and creative main event, a promising performance from former WWE NXT star Indi Hartwell, and further development on several storylines the company has been cooking up for the past few weeks.
Not everything was great, though, with the TNA Knockouts division entering a new era at No Surrender with Arianna Grace’s title win over Lei Ying Lee. Plus, Tessa Blanchard’s push continues, arguably at the expense of the division as a whole.
If you’re looking to find out precisely what happened on “Impact,” our results page has what you need. Here’s where our dutiful staff writes about all the things they hated and loved on tonight’s show, so continue on and let us know if you agree or disagree.
Loved: A Great Opening Match
Indi Hartwell and Heather By Elegance are both some of my favorite talents in the TNA Knockouts Division, and two people that I’ve grown fond of across “NXT” and TNA. For that reason, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that I quite enjoyed a singles match between them.
Now admittedly, this match wasn’t really any different than the other occasions that Hartwell and Heather have met in the ring in tag team competition. With that said, I still found myself having a good time during this match and enjoying the action that was playing out in front of me on my screen. Aside from that, I also liked the many attempts that The Elegance Brand made to cheat in this match before getting ejected from ringside as it perfectly fit with their character and current gimmick.
Whether it was The Personal Concierge tripping Hartwell as she ran the ropes or Ash hopping up on the apron as a last ditch effort of trying to aid Heather in winning, it added an interesting element to something that feels like it’s been done before. It was a great opening match, and a great choice to set the tone for the rest of this edition of “Thursday Night iMPACT”.
Written by Olivia Quinlan
Hated: Arianna Grace’s Knockouts Title Win Feels Like An Afterthought
With a title win so shocking and a persona so animated, one would expect Arianna Grace’s first full television appearance as TNA Knockouts World Champion to be grandiose, potentially with streamers or a red carpet. Instead, Grace’s post-title win outing consisted of a brief promo, then her interfering in her fiance’s failed attempt at regaining the TNA International Championship.
Don’t get me wrong, I can understand why many fans consider Grace’s Knockouts Championship victory. to be controversial, especially given that she used The Cobra (a literal sock puppet) to do it. But coming off such a controversy, wouldn’t you want to make those same fans seethe even more?
Tonight, Grace’s win felt like an afterthought. Initially, it seemed promising after she mentioned the idea of her and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo being TNA’s top power couple. As soon as she said it, though, the possibility evaporated into thin air due to Lorenzo’s second straight loss to Trey Miguel, the new TNA International Champion. And rather than celebrating her victory – the first major one of her career, might I add – and capitalizing on the genuine disbelief of No Surrender, Grace was relegated to a role behind Lorenzo’s loss.
Frankly, I would have liked to have seen more from Grace’s booking tonight. After all, the Knockouts Championship is the biggest prize for TNA’s women. Based on tonight’s events, however, it appeared more like a background prop.
Written by Ella Jay
Loved: Say His Name – Mike ‘Dr. Death’ Santana
Several weeks ago, many of us were disheartened for Steve Maclin, when he received what we thought was the axe from his tenure at TNA. However, we were swerved. But what did Maclin’s true blue friend Mike Santana get for offering his sympathy for Maclin’s unexpected “termination?” A blind ambush! That’s what. And it didn’t just happen once, but several times.
Santana is a man of few words, but when he has something to say, boy, you better listen. During his in-ring promo tonight, “The Realest” finally talked right down to Maclin in a language he hopes that the former world champion can easily understand: “When you keep a knockin’ on death’s door, someday, he’s going to answer.” Chills, right?
Why is this a love? Well, for starters, it goes to show that TNA made the right call to reposition Santana as its world champion. Despite having Eddie Edwards breathing down his back, the champ can handle any and all of his enemies. Whether they all come gunning for him one at a time or all at once, he can dress to his challengers needs. Yet, when it comes to ruined friendships, he becomes a whole new beast. An immortal “Dr. Death,” if you will. Don’t knock on his door if you don’t want your fate as his challenger to end so abruptly.
I’m looking forward to seeing how far Maclin’s green eye of envy will carry him against Santana’s indestructible attitude in the coming weeks.
Written by Brie Coder
Hated: Daria hits all the familiar notes
Before I begin, let me first say I was a fan of Sonya Deville in WWE, whether she was wrestling or acting in a more managerial onscreen role. I think she could bring a lot to TNA as an authority figure, but so far, she hasn’t really done anything of note. Instead, it’s more like she’s fulfilling a need for the show as a villainous authority figure in the most straightforward way possible.
It’s something we’ve all seen a million times before. Just when it looks like a match, the big bad boss steps out to put a hold on things. In this case, it’s not exactly clear why Daria was so adamant that Mike Santana and Leon Slater vs. the Nemeth brothers had to wait until next week. I guess maybe she was just trying to keep the show running on time, and who can blame her for that?
Anyways, I’d like to see just a little bit more from Daria going forward. My criticism is far less with her than it is with how she’s being utilized. A good start would be to give her some motivation. Is there someone she’s trying to impress? Or does someone on the roster start standing up against her oppression?
Even if she’s not a wrestler, the show would benefit from Daria being an actual character rather than a walking talking plot device. In general, I think TNA could stand to put more of an emphasis on character work, and Daria’s a prime example.
Written by Nick Miller
Loved: A stupid fun main event
Wrestling can be a little bizarre on occasion, and sometimes those matches are where fun is guaranteed to be had. Such was the case during this week’s main event between Elijah (not to be confused with his siblings Elias and Ezekiel – wrestling has more than one royal family) and Mustafa Ali.
Which just so happened to be the first-ever Guitar Case Casket Match, and as its name suggests saw them face off with the goal of putting one another into a guitar-shaped casket and shutting it for the *ding-ding-ding*. See, wrestling can be weird. But it was also really fun.
Naturally, the guit-asket was just the centerpiece to all the wacky weaponized chaos, with doors and tables and smaller guitars brought into a bout that also saw Mustafa Ali doing Mustafa Ali things. He’s pretty damn good, and thus the match was pretty damn good. That’s basic arithmetic.
That does of course make it a shame that he didn’t win the match. But then at the same time one does not see the sense in making a guita-sket match and have the babyface guitarist lose. And it’s not as though winning this would have put Ali atop any mountain.
When all was said and done, the main event did nothing to really capture any sense of strong emotion or advance the creative in any meaningful direction. But it was fun. Considering recent weeks have felt like the very meh yet very inevitable TNA shows, this was a highlight. As gimmick matches tend to be, even if they are a little odd in their nature.
Written by Max Everett
Hated: C’mon TNA, Give Us A Real Fight Between Blanchard and Threat
I’ll be honest: after the anger that beamed across Tessa Blanchard’s face after being eliminated from the Knockouts Battle Royal by the overall winner, Jody Threat, at No Surrender, I was excited to see “The Undeniable Diamond” and “The Wild Child” throw hands. But what came out of their exchange tonight? An interference by Blanchard’s Diamond Collective and a DQ victory for Threat. To say I was disappointed on how this match ended is a massive understatement!
Between Blanchard and Threat, they are two veterans of the craft and good, if not the best, within the Knockouts division currently. Blanchard is a former Impact World Champion, and while perceive that reign and her return back to the company with a mixed bag of emotions, I understand. However, she and Threat have a lot to showcase that can help build the division to what it used to be.
I hope that tonight’s bad booking decision will lead for these two to once again step into the ring in the near future. I’d like to see how a diamond can still remain pretty and shiny when a wild child tosses it throughout and across the ring.
Written by Brie Coder
Read the full article here
