TNA Post Bound For Glory Impact! Review

An Immortal Comeback!

By Phil Allely

The Bound For Glory fallout episode of TNA Impact! This past week has proved to be the highest rated one since January this year and it’s all down to a man who many thought was past his sell by date, ‘The Immortal’ Hulk Hogan.

This weeks Impact! Had an awful lot of ground to cover and answers to give after Bound For Glory’s unveiling of a new league within the TNA hierarchy, who were aligned with new champion Jeff Hardy. That group of course were fronted by the Hulkster.

Attracting a very healthy audience of 1,985,000 viewers on Spike TV (a very impressive 1.4 rating) TNA must be extremely happy with how things are panning out right now.

Impact! Itself featured Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff officially taking control of TNA from a legally bound and gagged Dixie Carter, in a move that many think will mark the companies rise to greater heights. Hogan (still on crutches) advising all that his ‘Immortals’ were now the TNA Company.

The show also saw Ric Flair tease a feud with Hogan’s faction before hugging his one-time foe. Meaning Hogan’s Immortals and Flair’s Fortune groups have an affinity in the new TNA. The whole plan seemingly being that whilst Dixie Carter brought in inferior quality performers o pad out her under card, guys like Hogan, Jarrett, Bischoff and Flair were negotiating backstage to work her out of the company.

Jeff Hardy’s new title reign got off to a good start when Bischoff welcomed him to the fold and said he was a lynchpin in the whole deal. Former WCW/N.W.O. stalwarts Kevin Nash (in his last TNA role) and Sting both declined a part in the Immortals line-up, both citing that’s not why they were in TNA these days.

In an exciting and confrontational encounter Dixie (who is really growing into her onscreen character) confronted The Bisch and The Hulkster about what has been going down, Carter’s husband Serge even fell to a punch, as the higher powers of TNA prevailed in their quest.

Match wise the action and re-jigging of all things TNA came thick and fast, first of all first of all Madison Rayne challenged new Knockouts champion Tara to a bout, which was accepted, but Tara simply lay down for Rayne to relinquish her strap (in a nod to a very infamous WCW title change orchestrated by TNA writer Vince Russo).
Tara acted as if she has done something monumental and Rayne as if she has just been through the fight of her life to reclaim her gold. Mickie James interrupted and said that they’ve made a mockery of the championship.

Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett had a face-to-face meeting that in some ways hit home to many in attendance and at home, the pair arguing over the finish of the BFG title match and Kurt’s former wife (Jarrett’ new one) Karen. Angle ending up being rescued from a beating by colour commentator Taz.

The next match saw Abyss face off against a pretty annoyed Samoa Joe. Joe had the advantage throughout until Abyss used a chair and hit him with the ring bell to lose by DQ.

TNA’s Pope D’Angelo Dinero was excommunicated next as he faced the insurmountable odds of Douglas Williams, Beer Money, Kazarian and AJ Styles. The Pope did get some decent moves in and even a pop at Fair at ringside, but the numbers game prevailed and he went down for the three count.

Newcomers to TNA J Woww and Cookie had a brief braw (with Angelina Love, Velvet Sky and Lacey Von Erich in attendence) before the main event.

Rob Van Dam and Mr Anderson has been sanctioned and its time for them to hit the gorund running.
Both men have something to prove, Anderson wants his shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Title down the line and RVD is up for a shot at Jeff Hardy if he wins.

Both men went hard at it, each trading near falls, signature moves and risky set-pieces, before Bischoff makes an appearances and removes the referee from the action, leaving a prone Anderson and Van Dam to feel the brunt of a running in Hardy’s ire.

Impact! Certainly seemed to set up TNA’s new direction, the action was well paced, the talking told the story well and if viewing figures are anything to go by TNA are on course to end the year on a high.