TNA Impact Wrestling: Results and Thoughts as Sting Returned to the Ring

TNA Impact Wrestling opened with TNA champion Bobby Roode heading to the ring with Bully Ray.

Roode and Ray talked of what they did to Hardy and Sting last week. They’re very giving—but like to give beatings the most.

They wish them a “season’s beatings.”  Roode called out Sting and wanted him to suspend him. Being Christmas he wanted the time off.

Jeff Hardy then made his way out. He said that this wasn’t about Roode/Sting; it was about Roode/Hardy. He will take the World Championship and end his selfish generation.

He then announced that the main event would be Roode and Ray vs. Hardy and a partner of his choice.

Ray said that he had no friends and that brought out Sting, whose back was turned.

He turned around and revealed he had his paint on. Sting loved Hardy and will be his partner.

I thought this was a good way to open the show. It’s good to see Sting return to the ring since he can still perform, unlike some older wrestlers.

Roode is really coming along great as a heel and it’s about time Bully Ray returns to being a heel instead of just running away from Abyss.

A.J. Styles and Kazarian vs. Rob Van Dam and Christopher Daniels

Styles and Kaz picked up the victory when Kaz pinned Daniels.

The match was pretty good but it was basically a handicap match. RVD did most of the work for his team while Daniels avoided the tag.

Daniels only got in when he hit RVD and the referee considered it a tag.

Daniels was squashed by Kaz and when RVD kicked him in the head, that gave Kaz the chance to hit his finisher for the win.

Styles and Kaz make a great team and I hope TNA keeps them together while they rebuild their once great tag team division.

After seeing the interaction between RVD and Daniels it seems like their feud is continuing, which I have no problem with.

I just hope that both move on soon since it would be nice to see one enter the world title picture while the other becomes a contender for the TV title.

Zema Ion vs. Anthony Nese: Match Two of a Best-of-Three Series

Nese rolled up Ion after he was bragging a bit too much to pick up the win and tie up the series.

I thought this was a great match with some very good fast-paced, high-flying action.

These two performed a great series of moves throughout the entire match; both are real spectacles in the ring.

I feel Ion has quite a bit more charisma and personality then Nese. It’s because of that I think he’ll reach real heights in the X-Division while Nese will eventually fall into X-Division obscurity.

With his in-ring ability, though, that may not happen. Either way both will go far in the division, but Ion will go farther.

Backstage, Madison Rayne said that Impact Wrestling will never be the same again as Karen gave her power of the Knockout division before she left.

This is not going to end well for Madison.

Elsewhere, D’Angelo Dinero declared that he’s a father to the fatherless and husband to the husbandless.

Devon’s boys realized that he’s “pimpin’” and that Devon should act more like him. He announced that they’ll go at it at Genesis when Devon showed up.

Devon yelled at him and soon jacked him up against something. His kids then appeared and hit him with a chair.

I really hope this feud ends at Genesis; I’m really getting tired of it. Pope should be the TV champion or at the very least be a contender.

Earlier, Eric Young and ODB were having dinner.

Young tried to discuss the match but ODB wasn’t listening. A waiter then walked up and EY attacked him for staring at ODB.

EY thought "it’s a date" but ODB was shooting him down. EY seemed disappointed and left.

They make an interesting pairing. I kind of like it. They seem to work well together, but we’ll see if they can work as a team in the ring later.

Madison Rayne then made her way out in a referee shirt. She called out someone and it turned out to be Tara and Brooke Tessmacher. She once again stated that Karen made her VP of the division before leaving.

She will destroy all the people beneath her and will start with TNT. She will break them up and make them face each other with her as referee.

There can only be one queen and it’s her.

I was quite impressed with Madison’s mic work here. If she actually lasts as the VP I think it could work out. I don’t think it’s going to last, though.

Tara vs. Brooke Tessmacher with Madison Rayne as the Referee

The match ended in a no-contest, or possibly a double disqualification, when TNT hit Madison after she screamed “Would somebody just hit somebody!”

This was long and drawn out. It started with TNT messing around with Madison until she hit Tessmacher and made her believe it was Tara.

The match finally started there but it kind of dragged. After hitting Madison, TNT did a Tebow pose and made up.

While the match was long and drawn out, I understand the purpose it served. This saw the seeds planted for Madison losing complete control.

This match  also showed that Madison Rayne won’t be in charge for long.

Backstage, Sting is glad to be teaming with Hardy. He endorsed Hardy and said he deserved a second chance. I too believe he deserves one more chance, but if he screws up again he won’t deserve a thing.

Back with Eric Young, who's in the restaurant kitchen looking for gifts for ODB. A chef caught him and EY locked up with him. He then grabbed some random items and ran off. This team is going to be quite the interesting one.

James Storm headed to the ring and addressed Kurt Angle looking for him. He’s not hard to find as he’s either there or at the bar.

He admitted that Angle beat him down for most of the match at Final Resolution but at the end he channeled Tim Tebow and got the job done.

Angle appeared on the screen in Storm’s hometown and was dressed like an old western cowboy. He spit out some moonshine and walked off.

James Storm is really getting good on the mic. I think he’ll be carrying the company at some point next year.

Kurt Angle looked ridiculous in his cowboy gear and I really hope him being in Storm’s hometown is going somewhere.

Backstage, Shannon Moore has no strategy teaming with Anarquia and facing ODB. He’s just going into fight.

With Jesse Neal gone, I hope Moore will become a mainstay in the X-Division.

Shannon Moore and Anarquia vs. Eric Young and ODB

This wasn’t a good match, but it was an entertaining match.

The ending saw Moore walk out on Anarquia for slamming ODB and ODB kicking him in the family jewels after a flying elbow from Eric Young. EY and ODB make a very entertaining pairing.

Young has really embraced his comedic character and I’m starting to board the EY train.

I’ve always been a fan of ODB and would rather see her in the title picture, but if this alliance with EY keeps her on television then I’m all for it.

Backstage, the tag champions discuss the tournament. They put themselves over and basically say that no matter who wins they’ll retain. They’ll take on all challengers, it doesn’t matter who they are.

That makes me think that TNA will be bringing in some legendary teams down the line. Hopefully the ones that they do bring in aren’t so past their prime that they’ll embarrass themselves.

Back with Kurt Angle, he’s taking out some people in the bar. He eventually lined them all up on stools and super-kicked each one.

This was kind of entertaining. It showed that Angle still has aggression but I couldn’t help but laugh since he was doing it in that ridiculous outfit.

Bully Ray and Bobby Roode vs. Jeff Hardy and Sting

Hardy and Sting won when Hardy hit a splash on Roode through a table.

I thought this was a great match. It was very physical and advanced the storylines nicely.

Sting still looked great though I hope he remains mainly as the authority figure as it really is time for him to step aside.

Bully Ray was finally allowed to be Bully Ray and his dragging heel persona was knocked up a couple of notches here. If TNA can keep him going strong as a heel I can see him as world champion sometime next year.

Bobby Roode and Jeff Hardy are two of the best workers in TNA right now and this match showed that.

Hardy really seems to be making the most of this millionth chance. With the faces picking up the victory it will be interesting to see what happens next week.

Overall I thought this week’s episode of Impact Wrestling was quite good.

There were some good matches and the in-ring and backstage segments all advanced their respective storylines nicely despite some being kind of ridiculous.

Next week will be TNA’s final show of 2011 and I can’t wait to see what they have in store for the fans!