TNA Impact Wrestling Is Being Felt Across Enemy Lines

Last night proved once again that TNA Impact wrestling is moving at a more consistent pace.

The show was exciting from the opening bell and provided another dose of charisma that had been missing in months past.

Dare I say it, but maybe Eric Bischoff, Vince Russo and his cast of characters finally know what they are doing.

While the “Bound for Glory” series is getting the push and attention it needs to sustain itself for the next three months, the “Destination X” PPV, coming up in two weeks, is taking center stage in what I hope will be the best thing we have seen in years from TNA and its writers.

The idea that the “Dark Angel” Christopher Daniels and A.J. Styles, best friends and members of Fortune, will do battle in the main event is the best thing Impact can do for the fans and the business—it provides momentum and drama. And while I am still leery of a face change (Daniels) and the fracturing of Fortune, I think that the match will define the new era that TNA is trying to develop.

When Jerry Lynn, who is under contract with ROH (so is Daniels), and Rob Van Dam hit the ring and the four men, who have helped to define an X-Division style over the last nine years (Van Dam has not been in the X-Division, but spent many years in ECW perfecting the style that has made him a great off-the-mat competitor), agreed to a “Four Corners” match next week, it was all we needed to know that the commitment is being made towards improving Impact and making it more reputable in the wrestling circle.

The fact that Daniels and Lynn are currently wrestling in ROH and Daniels just lost the world television champion has nothing to do with Impact; but as a cynic, it makes me wonder when the two will join forces in Impact and somehow turn the tide on Fortune. Daniels professed on the show that at the end of the match with Styles, win or lose, he will “shake the hand of his best friend.”

Sounds like a plot if you ask me.

The match has a feel to it like Chris Jericho, Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit facing off against each other in WCW. It is that important to the business and the promotion.

Impact is challenging WWE. Maybe not in the way that WCW did by meeting them head on, but that would be a mistake. Here, the quality of matches is better and the wrestlers right now are better as well. And with CM Punk and his rant, RAW was more style than substance on Monday.

As for the “BFG” series, Gunner is becoming “The Man” in Impact and has taken his game to the level it needs to be at in order to become a champion.

Even Taz commented that the two leaders in the tournament are Gunner and Crimson, both newcomers to Impact and younger guns in line for the title.

Gunner has shown that he can beat Sting, Mr. Anderson and A.J. Styles, no matter what the terms, situation or interference. It seems like we have a new heel to embrace, but I could see him as the outsider looking in if he wins the title, which Bully Ray and Scott Steiner so desperately want as well.

Think of it as a situation similar to Evolution when Randy Orton won the title and Triple H decided with Ric Flair and Batista to kick him out of the faction.

Devon was impressive in his match with Samoa Joe, which makes me wonder what the hell has happened to Joe as of late. His feud with The Pope ended, his feud with Crimson was not victorious and now he has two losses against RVD and Devon in the tournament.

Joe used to be a dominant force in the promotion and now he looks like a mid-card exception with great size and power, but he cannot close the deal on a win. I see a remake of Joe’s character and a feud with Kazarian in his future.

Did anyone notice that the Knockouts Division might soon see another twist? Miscommunication or greed by Winter and Angelina Love led to Mickie James pinning Love, Winter and Madison Rayne in a six-woman elimination.

The women have really stepped up their game lately, and Miss Tessmacher is proving to be more than a pretty face (or body). I would love to see a women’s tournament with eight to 10 combatants going after the TNA Knockouts title.

And yes—I have not forgotten—Sting is proving to be quite the actor. His vignette with Hogan was better than last week and his battle with Scott Steiner was a flashback from WCW.

But the real winner in this was Bully Ray, who appears to have become the leader of Immortal and has more of a voice in the faction, which makes him a more than capable leader and very dangerous as a singles wrestler.

Oh, it just keeps getting better. I can’t wait for next week!