It’s not secret I wasn’t entirely happy with last weeks show, I expected more story and creative to be pushing the envelope a bit more. Let’s hope it gets a bit better as far as my expectations are concerned today.
January 25th, 2024
Palms Casino Resort
Las Vegas, Nevada
Attendance: 1,280.
Singles Match
Chris Bey vs. Kevin Knight
Background:
This appears to be a cold match between two high flyers. Kevin Knight hasn’t been seen in TNA for a while!
The Match:
Knight shines early, the guy clearly has a great vertical leap. I think its pretty obvious Chris Bey is going to win this one, and this is one of those X Division Matches they usually have open the show, I see this as a theme going forward, considering last week. They had a pretty good, physical contest.
Chris Bey hit the Art of Finesse, and it was predictably over. The Grizzled Young Vets attack The ABC after the match! It always seems like it’s easy for teams or singles wrestlers who have just joined the company to come in and within a few shows, be in contention for a title. I’m not opposed to this and it’s a fresh match up, but it’s a little cold.
Aftermath:
The Grizzled Young Vets will challenge The ABC soon for the titles, I suppose it would be at TNA No Sacrifice next month.
Winner: Chris Bey via pinfall.
Ash By Elegance had another vignette, and yowza! They really are making her look quite seductive at the moment with these vignettes! I would have to assume she will be debuting in the ring soon.
Frankie Kazarian Speaks
Frankie Kazarian cuts a promo about why he turned on Eric Young last week and that we will hear from him next week as to why. He’s looking into the camera and then Rich Swann interrupts him. Come on guys. Honestly.
Rich asks him why, Frankie gets annoyed with Rich, he walks off, and then AJ Francis interrupts Rich. Who wrote this? AJ wants to be in Rich’s corner.
AJ tries to convince Rich it’s time to turn heel, and Rich turns him down. AJ ends the segment putting sunglasses on whilst being indoors.
Tag Team Match
Dirty Dango & Oleg Prudius vs. Damian Drake & Dante King
Background:
Another cold match, I am sure it will be a squash match.
The Match:
It’s still popping me that Oleg is in TNA. Nobody has seen the man in years and suddenly in 2024, the former Vladimir Kozlov is active again.
Oleg is essentially just destroying the two young guys. Dango was on the phone at ring side, and got tagged in and he was still on the phone. Oleg had the lads knocked out, and Dango did one move and got the pin. It’s pretty humerous.
Aftermath:
No clear signs of where Dango and his boys are headed from here.
Winner/s: Dirty Dango & Oleg Prudius via pinfall.
The Grizzled Young Vets cut a promo and they cut a promo about what they did and Santino interrupts them. At least it makes sense because he’s the Director of Authority.
Ace and Bey come in looking like they want to fight. Santino books a 3 match series. I just don’t understand why all the scenarios to continue angles are so simple and similar.
Kazuchika Okada/Motor City Machine Guns Interview with Gia Miller
Finally, Gia Miller is here. They cut a promo on The System and tonights Main Event. Pretty standard stuff.
TNA Knockouts World Title Match
Jordynne Grace (c) vs. Trinity
Background:
Jordynne Grace defeated Trinity for the TNA Knockouts World Title at TNA Hard To Kill earlier this month, and this is the rematch – all built up from you guessed it, a backstage interview interruption last week. I believe this is Trinity’s final match of her TNA Contract.
The Match:
Trinity went in hard at the beginning of the match, and I am hoping for her final match in TNA, she get’s her timing right. It’s no secret I haven’t been entirely happy with her TNA run.
It’s hard to get into it when you know whos going to win ahead of time. They were having a better match than the Hard to Kill match though, I will say that! They were being super stiff with one another, it was fantastic. The finish of the match was TREMENDOUS!
Great back and forth pins, Jordynne reversed Starstruck into another pin and it was over! Jai Vidal and Savannah Evans attacked them after the match, and Gisele Shaw laid both of them out with the big X she won at Hard to Kill!
Aftermath:
Trinity exits TNA and heads to WWE. Gisele makes her intentions clear as Jordynne has been laid out, and Trinity has been laid out. That’s the kind of angle I’m looking for on this show!
Winner: STILL TNA Knockouts World Champion, Jordynne Grace via pinfall.
The System cut a promo backstage, and they hyped up the Main Event, and I bet you anything, the new heel stable are going to lose the Main Event. I bet you anything.
Josh Alexander cuts a promo about last week and beating Will Ospreay. Alan Angels interrupts him. Is that the 4th time on this show?
Alan wants him to come on his new show ‘Sound Check’. Is there no other scenarios to think of other than promo interruptions? Gia Miller is looking a bit obsolete on this show.
Singles Match
Nic Nemeth vs. Zachary Wentz (w/Trey Miguel)
Background:
Nic Nemeth made his debut in TNA at Hard To Kill earlier this month, and his Impact debut last week in a confrontation with Steve Maclin. This is his in ring debut against one half of the Rascalz, Zachary Wents.
The Match:
It’s pretty crazy to think outside of WWE and OVW, Nic Nemeth has never wrestled for any other company. It’ll be interesting to see if there’s any difference in his work. I am laughing, what the hell is Trey Miguel wearing? Also, I thought the Rascalz had a 3rd member now?
Nic really gave Wentz a lot here, and they were given a bit of time. Nemeth hits the Zig Zag which he calls the Danger Zone and he wins, and then he lays out Miguel who tried to attack him, and then Steve Maclin arrived and went after Nemeth! Maclin went for KIA and Nemeth reversed and laid him out!
Aftermath:
Nemeth and Maclin are on a collision course for No Surrender, I am sure of it. This is going to be a great first feud for him. It’s funny, Maclin is the king of the failed attack.
Winner: Nic Nemeth via pinfall.
Crazzy Steve has a vignette where he talks about being Digital Media Champion and what do you know. Even their vignettes have interruptions.
Rhino interrupted the vignette and shoved Steve into a wall. Looks like we have a new challenger for Crazzy Steve, but good lord, it’s like this show has been a rib on me.
Decay have a vignette now, talking about becoming the new TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Champions. It looks like they’ve turned heel again, and they’re doing things their way.
Tag Team Match
Dani Luna & Jody Threat vs. MK Ultra (Killer Kelly & Masha Slamovich)
Background:
MK Ultra lost the TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Titles to Decay at Hard to Kill earlier this month, and this is their first match since then.
They’re taking on a team that appears to have just been thrown together here, Dani Luna and Jody Threat.
The Match:
Here comes the best part of the show, MK Ultra making their entrance. Most of these matches have been foregone conclusions, which is something I give AEW a hard time about.
Usually I’m not so harsh on TNA but I’m looking at them from a different angle now they’re trying to push forward so much.
They hit a double high angle powerbomb to get the victory, which was a relief, as I was worried the miscommunication was leading to a lazy split. They’re the best team in Womens Wrestling right now.
Aftermath:
MK Ultra will probably challenge Decay again, and MK Ultra attacked Dani and Jody after the match. That double team finisher of theirs though is way too dangerous.
Winner/s: MK Ultra via pinfall.
Six Man Tag Team Match
Kazuchika Okada & The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) vs. The System (Brian Myers, Eddie Edwards & Moose) (w/Alisha Edwards)
Background:
Okada was announced to be at this show at Impact Wrestling’s final show before the rebrand, Final Resolution in December.
Okada is about to leave NJPW, and this is his first TNA match since he was young in the wrestling business where he was famously not used very well.
It’s almost as if this was booked just to repair that relationship now that TNA are under completely different management.
The Match:
Not a lot happened to start with but there was a bit of a pop when Okada faced off with Moose.
Okada is cool but this is a fairly niche aquisition for this show, I get it though.
I don’t know what their TV deals are like internationally but I hope it airs in the UK for Ospreay, Japan for Okada and Mexico for Vikingo. Of course we couldn’t get through the Main Event without 2 commercial breaks. Sabin was really cooking with gas in this one.
The smoke cleared and Okada got a hot tag! Okada hit the big high angle Elbow Drop, and Okada went for the Rainmaker but Moose reversed it and ended up wiping Okada out with a dropkick.
It broke down a bit more, and I KNEW Myers was going to take the pin. Shelley pinned him after a Rainmaker into Shellshock.
Aftermath:
No where to go with this as Okada won’t be back, and MCMG may work with The System for a while.
Winner/s: Kazuchika Okada & The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin)
Final Thoughts:
Again, I’m not entirely happy with what TNA is giving me but I guess I am going to have to live with it and watch it realizing it’s just the old Impact Wrestling with a different name and logo.
