Impact Wrestling Preview: Pick Your Poison, Hogan/Flair and More

It’s Thursday again and that means a new episode of TNA Impact Wrestling!

Last week TNA introduced their first showing of Open Fight Night and it was certainly a success. The concept does need work but it was good for a first-go.

Since the concept is only once a month, the gimmick will not be featured this week. The company has instead confirmed four matches and an in-ring segment for this week’s show.

Let’s see what TNA Wrestling has in store for the fans!

Will Devon Continue to Defend the TNA Television Championship?

When Hulk Hogan announced Open Fight Night, he said that any champion could be challenged on that night. The Television Championship was going to be different, though.

He wanted the belt treated like it was in his day. Back then the title was defended on every show and TNA’s version will now be treated the same way.

That night Devon defeated former television champion Gunner, and last week he retained the title over his former tag-team partner, Bully Ray.

Will this trend continue? If so, who will get a shot at Devon and the Television Championship this week?

Gail Kim and Madison Rayne vs. Brooke Tessmacher and Velvet Sky

Gail Kim has been Knockouts champion since November, and she has beaten everyone TNA has put in front of her. There are some Knockouts on the roster that Gail has avoided since her return, though, but now one of them is stepping up. 

The champion and Brooke Tessmacher briefly crossed paths late last year when Gail and Madison Rayne took the Knockouts Tag Team Championship away from Tessmacher and Tara.

Tessmacher disappeared after that but now she’s back and she’s taking aim at the Knockouts Championship.

Two weeks ago she was able to defeat Gail in an eight-Knockouts tag-team match and last week she took advantage of Open Fight Night. She successfully challenged Gail in a non-title match and it looks like their feud is now official.

This week they go at it again, this time in tag-team action as Gail brings her lackey, Madison, to take on Tessmacher and former champion Velvet Sky.

Can Gail Kim finally gain some revenge or will Brooke Tessmacher keep the momentum going?

Ric Flair to Call out Hulk Hogan

Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan are two of the biggest names in the history of professional wrestling.

While Flair was at the top of the National Wrestling Alliance, Hogan was the top dog in the World Wrestling Federation. The two would finally cross paths in 1994 when Hogan joined World Championship Wrestling and they went to war for six years.

When WCW closed its doors they briefly crossed paths again when they returned to the WWE, and now in 2012, the two wrestling legends are butting heads once again.

Due to Hogan’s stipulation at Lockdown, Eric Bischoff was forced to leave TNA Wrestling after losing to his son’s team in Lethal Lockdown.

Flair was none too happy about the situation and plans to address everything this week when he calls out TNA’s general manager.

What will Ric Flair have to say? Will this lead to one final match between them?

A.J. Styles, Samoa Joe and Magnus vs. Kurt Angle, Christopher Daniels and Kazarian

The feud between A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels has been a long one. Every time it seems to be over it starts right back up again.

It’s been going strong for almost a year straight this time but it now seems like Daniels has something over Styles. With Kazarian by his side, they cost Styles a match against Kurt Angle a few weeks ago after they slipped something to him.

The said something that clearly upset him and Angle took advantage of that.

Wanting to prove that he doesn’t need help in defeating Styles, Angle will now face him at Sacrifice.

Not only are Daniels and Kazarian screwing with Styles, they attacked Samoa Joe and Magnus last week after being denied a title shot. That attack got them their shot, though, as the two teams will meet at Sacrifice.

This week on Impact Wrestling, these six men go to war.

What will happen as these six combustible elements go at it? Who will gain momentum as Sacrifice draws near?

Pick Your Poison: Bobby Roode and Rob Van Dam Choose Each Other’s Opponents

Bobby Roode has been quite the dominate champion. He has taken down the likes of James Storm, A.J. Styles, Jeff Hardy and Bully Ray in his quest to keep the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

While his methods of winning are quite questionable at times, he has managed to keep the title for close to 200 days. If he is able to keep the title for at least the entire month of May, Roode will become the longest-reigning champion in the title's history.

He has some stiff competition for Sacrifice, though.

Rob Van Dam joined TNA in March 2010 and would win the title from A.J. Styles the following month. He held the title for four months until it was vacated due to injuries he sustained at the hands of Abyss.

He returned in September but didn’t get his rightful shot at the title he never lost until February.

He failed in his attempt here as well as two other shots at the belt. Now a little over a year later, Van Dam is back in the No. 1 contender’s spot.

This week on Impact Wrestling the champion and his challenger will be choosing warm-up opponents for each other two weeks from Sacrifice.

Who will Bobby Roode and Rob Van Dam choose for the others' opponent? Will their matches be more than just a warm-up?

This week’s episode of Impact Wrestling is shaping up to be quite the good one.

Will it be? Tune in to find out!