TNA Impact! Wrestling: Review and Thoughts (7/28/11)

We open the July 28th edition of TNA Impact! Wrestling with Kurt Angle walking out to the ring.  

Angle calls out Hulk Hogan.  Hogan comes forward to the ring.  Kurt says Immortal is nothing appealing to him. Angle is certain he will beat Sting for the TNA title.  He says he wants to prove that he is the best wrestler in the world.  

Kurt asks if Hulk knows what it is like being the best.  Hogan talks about his past success and that he made what wrestling is today.  Hulk feels some sort of disrespect from Angle.  Kurt said if he didn't respect him, he would be beating him in the ring.

Angle says Hogan's name meant something special years ago, but today, it's very different. Hogan gets angry and says he will never be back in the ring because of several back surgeries.  

Angle said Hogan can still go and instead of paying him to take out Sting, Kurt tells Hulk to do it himself.

Backstage, Eric Bischoff is shown getting a letter from The Network.  

GUNNER VERSUS ROB VAN DAM (BOUND FOR GLORY SERIES MATCH)

Your winner, Rob Van Dam.  Very good, competitive opening matchup to begin the show.  Van Dam is getting closer to the number one spot in the Bound For Glory series.

Match Rating: 3.5/5

Bischoff, with the rest of Immortal, begins to read them the letter from The Network.  The Network says because of the Destination X pay-per-view success, they want to focus on the X-Dividion and sign on a few more talents.

Hulk Hogan angrily comes into the room and says he wants to take out Angle.  Mr. Anderson, after pressure from Bully Ray, says he will fight Angle.  

Suddenly, we see Sting arrive in a red suit with his joker face paint.  Sting announces he is the new Network Executive and makes a steel cage match later tonight for Mr. Anderson and Kurt Angle.

In the ring, Brian Kendrick and Alex Shelley call out Austin Aries.  Shelley tells Aries to play by the rules.  Aries says he came to TNA to win, get the X-Division title and make money.  

Shelley announces that The Network wants a three-way match at Hardcore Justice for the X-Division title. Abyss comes out and says Kendrick won't make it to Hardcore Justice.  

Abyss says that Hogan and Bischoff gave him special permission to face Kendrick for the title tonight. However, Sting appears on screen and says its an Ultimate X match.

BULLY RAY VERSUS CRIMSON (BOUND FOR GLORY SERIES MATCH)

Your winner, Crimson.  This match was going decent but it ended very suddenly.  Crimson is getting a major push with his current seven-month winning streak.  

Match Rating: 3/5

WINTER VERSUS TARA 

Your winner, Winter.  Decent Knockouts action in the ring but very short.

Match Rating: 2.5/5

ABYSS VERSUS BRIAN KENDRICK (FOR X-DIVISION TITLE IN AN ULTIMATE X MATCH)

Your winner and still X-Division Champion, Brian Kendrick.  Not exactly a high flying match but effective enough with Kendrick coming away with the win, which is making Abyss not being on good terms with Immortal.  

Match Rating: 3/5

Traci Brooks and Velvet Sky call out ODB and Jackie.  Brooks says all the attacking on Velvet stops. ODB disagrees and talks about her time leaving TNA.  Velvet says she isn't going back down and is done being anyone's punching bag.

Before the main event, Eric Bischoff is on the phone with The Network.  He is very frustrated that Sting was elected the Executive.  However, the Network hasn't talked to Sting in weeks.  

Bischoff is getting confused and gets a surprise visit from Sting.  Sting says he isn't the Network Executive.  He apologies and begins to fake cry.  He has a present for Bischoff and presents him with a cage, in which Sting was carrying around throughout the show.  

Sting opens the cage and it's a bird that flies on Bischoff's desk.  Sting says to be careful because it can poke at any time.  He takes the cages keys and leaves, essentially having Bischoff stay put during the match.

MR. ANDERSON VERSUS KURT ANGLE (STEEL CAGE MATCH)

Your winner, Kurt Angle.  Good, fun main event match with solid in-ring action.  There was a wild brawl between Fortune, Immortal and even Mexican America, who attacked Beer Money outside the ring.  

We also got to see Bully Ray and Mr. Anderson's tensions flare.  After the match, lights go out the Impact! Zone and Sting is face to face with Kurt Angle before celebrating in the ring.

Match Rating: 4/5

Overall Impact! Wrestling Rating: 3/5

Overall Impact! Wrestling Grade: C+

PERAGINE'S THOUGHTS:

I felt this show wasn't much better than last week's episode.  Overall, it was pretty in line with last week's edition.  This week's show had two good matches to watch: RVD versus Gunner and Mr. Anderson against Kurt Angle in the steel cage.  

The rest were pretty average.  The Austin Aries and Alex Shelley feud was well done and I'm looking forward to the three-way match at Hardcore Justice for the X-Division title.  

Also, the Sting and Hogan feud is heating up and it was pointed in the opening promo with Angle telling Hulk to take out Sting himself, hinting a potential final match between the two.

What I felt wasn't on the better end of this show was the Ultimate X match, which is designed for high-flying quality action.  There wasn't much to it, as I expected.  

Also, the ending of the show was just fine but too much outside action can take the focus out of the actual match, which I felt it did a little.

There were definitely some good points on this show.  As mentioned, I felt the show was in line with last week's episode.