TNA IMPACT! Preview: Battle Lines Continue to Be Drawn

TNA continues to cross the line and begins to pull slightly ahead of RAW in the battle for the best weekly programming on television. After the announcement last week that Mick Foley would be on TNA tonight, every wrestling fan should pin themselves to the television screen. Here's a quick look at tonight's IMPACT!

The Return of Monster's Ball

Bound For Glory is just a few weeks away, and after last week, it's shaping up to be one of the best shows of the fall. As learned last week from Team 3D, the tag team warfare goes up another notch as at BFG, it will be the return of the Monster's Ball!

We know that 3D and The Monstrous Blueprint will be at the party. Tonight, we find out who will join them as the Monster's Ball Qualifying matches begin. First up, the Motor City Machineguns, fresh off the scuffle with Christian Cage, will battle LAX, who is still reeling from the loss of manager Hector Guerrero.

Keep Your Enemies Close...and your Allies Closer?

Last week, Booker T sent a message to AJ Styles in regards to his friendship with Christian Cage. In their match, it was a miscommunication between Cage and Styles that allowed Booker T to walk out the victor. Tonight, anything is possible. And anything just might happen.

Booker T teams with Team 3D to take on Cage, Styles and "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal, and everyone is wondering if Cage and Styles worked out the issues from last week. Even more, the young guys are still doing it their way, while the veterans are still demanding respect. But with the young studs making it clear that they aren't taking any shit from the vets, will the man in the middle Christian Cage finally choose a side?

The Trouble With Age Is...

Everyone wants what they can't have. Kurt Angle has made it clear that he is the only reason that TNA is still standing. He did everything in his power to goad Jeff Jarrett out of retirement. If any parent knows, dragging the kids through the mud is not the best thing to do.

Now Angle has officially bitten off more than he can chew because after he finally got his one on one showdown with The King of the Mountain at Bound For Glory, he spewed an avalanche of insults about TNA to the UK Sun (who no one should take seriously).

So while Jeff Jarrett deals with the recent actions of Angle, he also will be welcoming a new superstar to TNA: Mick Foley! The Hardcore King/Legend/God will make his first official appearance in the IMPACT! Zone tonight to discuss his role in TNA. In the process, he looks to do his part in choosing sides of the fence he wants to be on. But before Foley can officially enjoy the light of TNA, he has to go through three men who are all out for respect: Booker T, Kurt Angle, and...

The Icon Sends A Clear Message

Last week, Sting gave everyone a history lesson on the people who taught him what he knows about the business. From Tully Blanchard to Arn Anderson, Sting went down the list of the legends of the business that made it clear that respect was everything in this business.

Despite a barrage of chants of "overrated," Sting showed the photo of Hulk Hogan, and no one in TNA was buying that one. After showing the shot of Ric Flair, Sting started to show passion and fire as he sent a direct message to Samoa Joe that he is coming to bring respect back to the TNA World Championship.

But with every clear message, there is a clear response. In the back, Samoa Joe sent two messages to Sting. The first one was that it wasn't about words or respect. He was going to let his actions do the talking from here on out. In the ring, he sent his second message by not only picking up the win over Sheik Bashir, but also choking him out with the Kachina Clutch.

Tonight, the war of words and actions continues as The Icon and The Samoan Submission Machine are both expected to be in The Zone tonight.

With Angle in Jarrett's crosshairs, Cage still on the sidelines, Monster's Ball getting a Midway Upgrade, Sting and Joe, plus the return of Foley?! What more could a wrestling fan ask for?