TNA Impact! Wrestling: Review and Thoughts (7/21/11)

The July 21^st edition of TNA Impact! Wrestling opens with a video recap of last week’s show. 

We open the show with Sting entering the ring with his TNA World Heavyweight title.  Sting says he feels great and he has what Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff wants.  Sting says that he will be doing things his own way.  He begins to mention that he’s insane and calls out Hogan and Bischoff. 

We see Kurt Angle in a joker outfit.  Angle said he helped Sting because it was the right thing to do.  Angle says he has to win the TNA title. 

Suddenly, Immortal’s Mr. Anderson and Bully Ray appear.  Ray created a tag team match.  It will be Bully Ray and Mr. Anderson against Sting and Angle.  Mr. Anderson tells Sting he needs to deal with him tonight.

Scott Steiner vs. Rob Van Dam (Bound For Glory Series Match)

Your winner, Rob Van Dam.  Good opening match.  Better than expected with the first time both men were wrestling each other on Impact! Wrestling.  The length of the match was also pretty good.

Match Rating: 3.5/5

Backstage, Mickie James is shown walking with the Knockouts title before commercial. 

Back from break, Mickie James comes to the ring.  James asks Velvet Sky to come out.  James says she’s been watching Velvet in the past few weeks.  James is honored and privileged to give her a shot at the Knockouts title later tonight.

 She says both wrestlers are going to tear down the Impact! Zone and show the world why TNA has the best women’s division. 

However, Winter and Angelina Love interrupt.  Love says she comes to realize that the Knockouts locker room has total disrespect for her.  Love mentions that no Knockouts want to compete with her.  She finally says it doesn’t matter who will win the title tonight because it will come back to her. 

Backstage, Sarita and Rosita attack Miss Tessmacher and Tara.

After commercial, we see a quick promotion of the four-way Bound For Glory series ladder match between Samoa Joe, Matt Morgan, Gunner and AJ Styles. 

Tara and Miss Tessmacher vs. Sarita and Rosita for TNA Tag Team Knockouts Championship

Your winner and new TNA Tag Team Knockouts Champions, Tara and Miss Tessmacher.  Decent tag team match and enjoyed seeing the belts put into play with new champions.

Match Rating: 3/5 

 AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe vs. Matt Morgan vs. Gunner  (Bound For Glory Series Ladder Match)

Your winner, Matt Morgan.  A very good and physical match to watch.  However, it needed more TV time for a match like that.  I enjoyed it while it lasted. 

Match Rating: 4/5

Back from commercial, Eric Young is at Shell gas station.  Young thinks it’s Cee-Lo Green but it’s really D-Lo Brown.  Young takes off his shirt and wants to fight.  Young takes down Brown and counts three.

Alex Shelley vs. Brian Kendrick for the TNA X-Division Championship

Your winner and still X-Division champion, Brian Kendrick.  Nice featured match with the X Division title.  Picked up more action towards the end.  I like how TNA is using newly signed Austin Aries in a feud with Shelley.

Match Rating: 4/5

Mexican America comes out to the ring and begins to rant about Rosita and Sarita losing the Knockouts Tag Team title.  The crowd begins to chant U.S.A.  They are upset and want to start kicking butt in TNA. 

Beer Money is called out and they come to the ring.  James Storm takes the microphone and tells Mexican America to be quiet, leave the ring and company and go find something to do.  Storm introduces Bobby Roode and himself and says they will be taking care of business at Hardcore Justice.

After commercials, Mickie James comes out to the ring but is attacked by Angelina Love and Winter.  Velvet Sky comes in to help James.  While they fight in the ring, ODB and Jackie appear from the crowd and begin to attack James and Velvet. 

Traci Brooks makes her return to TNA to come in for the save.  Security comes but Jackie attacks most of them.  Crowd chants “Let them fight.”  ODB attacks more of the security, who are looking very weak against the two wrestlers.  Finally, police arrive and arrests Jackie and ODB. 

Bully Ray and Mr. Anderson vs. Sting and Kurt Angle

Your winners, Sting and Kurt Angle.  Quicker main event.  Again, would have liked to seen a match like this see more TV time.  After the match, Angle and Sting went face to face as both face off for the TNA title at Hardcore Justice.

Match Rating: 3/5

Overall TNA Impact! Wrestling Rating: 3/5

Overall Grade: C+

PERAGINE’S THOUGHTS:

This week's Impact! Wrestling show did not deliver what I was expecting to see.  It looked terrific on paper but when it came down to watching it, the matches were simply too short.  TNA put more focus on backstage segments and promos this week.  However, Impact! Wrestling did have some very good spots.

An example of the positives was TNA setting up what could be a great feud between Alex Shelley and Austin Aries, who helped Brian Kendrick get the win.  Aries is being set up as the top heel in the X-Division.  Another is most of the matches had a meaning to it, such as the Bound For Glory series or titles on the line.  

What needs to improve for next week is more time in the ring.  The matches looked very good in the previews.  It would be safe to say that this show could've been one of the best in 2011 but the match times held that back.

Also, I hope TNA puts an end to the Beer Money and Mexican America feud. The whole Mexican America group just isn't clicking and they aren't very good on the mic was well. Hopefully, we will see The British Invasion up next. 

For me, this was a passable episode that should've delivered a better show.