Hype of Hulk Hogan’s partnership and his run through the media circuit kicks off this week’s Impact. The Impact intro hits and we are welcomed to this week’s show and are shown footage from earlier in the day where Dixie Carter addressed the TNA roster.

Carter says there have been big changes in recent months and expects that they all support her decisions. She goes on to say that if they aren’t there to support her, then they will need to find a new place to work. Carter ends by saying she wants to show everyone what TNA is all about.

AJ Styles’ music fill the Impact Zone as the World Champion comes down to the ring with a microphone. Styles says there have been some big changes recently, but he is still AJ Styles and he is still the World Champion. However, with the addition of Hulk Hogan, they are on a whole new level now.

On to different things, Styles says he wants the person who has been attacking him from behind to man up and meet him in the ring. Daniels’ music hits and he comes down to the ring and claims his innocence and asks if Styles is really that stupid for thinking it. Daniels goes on to say that Styles has been pampered and spoiled in the past seven years yet he has gotten nothing and they came into TNA at the same time.

Samoa Joe’s music hits and says Daniels is lying to Styles during their entire friendship as he is jealous of Styles. Joe says he and Styles cannot be friends since he has something he wants, the TNA World Championship, and has the guts to say it instead of attacking him from behind. Daniels again claims his innocence and says he can beat Styles in the ring to prove it.

Styles takes him up on the offer and challenges Daniels to a match tonight on Impact. The two shake hands and make the match official.

Match 1: Eric Young & Big Rob vs. Beer Money
Big Rob powers James Storm around in the opening moments before using quick tags with Eric Young to wear down Storm. Mike Tenay announces that Samoa Joe will be the special guest referee during tonight’s match between Daniels and AJ Styles. Meanwhile, Storm is able to tag in Roode and he comes in like a ball of fire picks up a two count on Rob before EY broke it up.

Rob is able to fight his way back into the match but some miscommunication causes EY to nail Rob in the head with the Global Championship. Storm then tosses EY out of the ring as Roode rolls up Rob for the win. After the match Beer Money tries for the Pay Off on EY but the British Invasion hit the ring and beat down Storm and Roode. Security comes into the ring to break it up. As they walk away, the Brits are attacked by the Motorcity Machine Guns as security breaks that up.

The Beautiful People are ready to make their next movie as they head into the dressing room of Taylor Wilde and Sarita but are surprised to find ODB sitting in the room. ODB fires off some insults before the trio attack her and putting her in a dirty laundry bag.

Lauren is backstage with Jay Lethal who says he has some history with Hulk Hogan and wants to welcome him into TNA. To celebrate the reformation of the Mega Powers, he is going to start holding the Black Machismo Invitational and invites anybody with legendary status to see if they still got it.

Jeremy Borash meets up with Mick Foley in his office who wants to talk to Abyss. Foley is holding on a framed photo and he says he has a surprise for Abyss and will let the whole world know about it shortly.

Match 2: Desmond Wolfe vs. Cody Deaner
The announce team has Kurt Angle on the phone for this match. The bell rings and Wolfe delivers a hard lariat to Deaner to pick up the pin fall victory. Angle says Wolfe has a lethal clothesline and he damaged his larynx last week. Angle says he was caught off guard and wasn’t ready for what Wolfe had.

Wolfe grabs a microphone and says that he has left yet another victim in the ring. As for Angle, or Mr. Mangled as he likes to say, he has to wonder why he would want to step into the ring with him once again. Wolfe says he will give him his match and he is hungry like a wolf.

Lauren is backstage with Suicide who says there is a reason he wears a mask and it is a reason he is not ready to share with anyone. As for Homicide, the dark savior will soon strike down before him.

Lauren is standing by with Team 3D who gives props to Hulk Hogan joining TNA. Ray is about to talk about Rhino, but he steps into the picture and talks about them losing to the Motorcity Machine Guns last week and now they are facing Hernandez & Matt Morgan this week, the same two people who have been trying to take him out the last couple of weeks. Rhino says it is not a coincidence and walks away.

Before the match between AJ Styles and Daniels starts, Jeremy Borash catches up with AJ Styles backstage. Before Styles can say much he is attacked by a hooded assailant. Daniels watches the attack from the ring on the big screen and is about to go run back and check on Styles but Joe stops him and drives him down to the mat with the muscle buster.

Match 3: Tara vs. Hamada
Tara and Hamada go back and forth in the opening moments of the match with Tara getting the first pin attempt after hitting a standing moonsault. Mike Tenay then announces that TNA management is going to make a major announcement next week concerning the suspension of the British Invasion. Back to the action, Hamada is able to connect with an enzuigiri and rolls Tara up for a two count. Hamada then tries for a moonsault but Tara counters by lifting her knees. Tara then follows by hitting the Widow’s Peak for the pin fall.

Awesome Kong’s music hits as she charges her way down to the ring but security hold her back. Tara then leaps off the top rope and takes everyone out with a cross body block as security has to separate the two.

Lauren meets up with Tara after a commercial break and says that she didn’t come to TNA to be disrespected and attacked by an animal. She goes on to say that Kong better think twice about meeting Tara in the Six Sides of Steel at Turning Point.

Mick Foley makes his way down to the ring with a microphone and a framed photo. Foley calls Abyss out to the ring and promises him no harm with the framed photo. Foley says that Abyss reminded him of himself and he had to find out how good he really was. Foley gives Abyss credit for his toughness and that he has only scratched the surface of what he can accomplish. Foley then grabs the framed print and hands him a caricature of Foley and Abyss and leaves the ring.

Foley stops the music half way up the ramp and says he has one more test in front of him. Foley then books Abyss in a match against Dr. Stevie next week and if he pins Stevie, he is gone from TNA.

Jeremy Borash is backstage with Scott Steiner who gives his thoughts on Hulk Hogan coming to TNA. Steiner talks about their nWo history and says that he may offer him a spot in the MEM. As for Lashley, he can tell his wife isn’t getting any satisfaction and she wants to be his freak. He then tells Borash that you cannot stop the lust of a woman.

A video is aired in which Matt Morgan gives his thoughts on Hulk Hogan’s arrival. Morgan says he idolized Hogan growing up and was thankful for his help on American Gladiators. Morgan goes on to say that he is looking forward to working with Hogan more often in TNA.

Match 4: Homicide vs. Bobby Lashley
Kristal Lashley accompanies her husband to the ring but Earl Hebner sends her to the back before the match starts. The bell rings and Homicide goes right on the attack and takes Lashley off his feet with a missile dropkick. Tenay announces the Daniels and Styles will meet tonight in a match as scheduled earlier. Back to the action, Lashley comes back with a choke slam and picks up the pin fall victory.

After the match, Homicide attacks Lashley from behind and tries to use his boot against him but Lashley stops him. The big screen then shows Steiner trapping and carrying Kristal Lashley away. Lashley runs back and catches up with them and he brutally attacks him. A group of wrestlers come out to stop Lashley and pull him off of Steiner.

Back in the ring, Homicide and Hebner are arguing in the ring and Amazing Red comes out and attacks Homicide. Red hits a clothesline from the top rope and chases Homicide out of the ring.

Match 5: Madison Rayne vs. Taylor Wilde
Madison takes Taylor down and connects with a series of punches and picks up a quick two count. Madison then takes her time and mocks Taylor, which gives her time to recover and she rolls her up and bridges for the pin fall. After the match, the rest of the Beautiful People run into the ring and attack Taylor. Sarita runs out to help out her partner but the numbers game is too much. ODB finally runs down and clears the ring as the two sides share some words.

Lauren is backstage with Matt Morgan and Hernandez and Hernandez says that they are in TNA to win matches. Morgan says there is no conspiracy with them but they will knock Team 3D off their perch and they will have their work cut out for them this week.

Daniels is back in the ring as we are about to get the match between AJ Styles and Daniels started once again. Styles is able to make it to the ring without being attacked as Samoa Joe steps into the ring and this match finally gets started.

Match 6: Daniels vs. AJ Styles w/ Special Referee Samoa Joe
Daniels focuses on AJ Styles’ injured ribs in the early going and picks up a couple of quick pin attempt on the champion. Daniels continues on the attack but Styles fights his way back into the match and connects with a neckbreaker and a series of clotheslines. Styles then heads out for a flying forearm but Daniels counters and they both take a brunt of the punishment. Styles, though, is able to recover and hits the Styles Clash for the pin fall.

After the match, Samoa Joe handed the TNA World Championship to AJ Styles before locking in the rear naked choke. Joe then holds the title up high above both of his opponents as we head into a commercial break.

A video showing Hernandez talking about the arrival of Hulk Hogan is aired. Hernandez talks about his name recognition and says that it is good for TNA, so it has to be good for the roster.

Lauren is backstage with Dr. Stevie and Daffney and Stevie says that Mick Foley played him and he will not let Abyss beat him next week. Stevie says he will take Abyss out by himself once and for all and warns Abyss to back out of it as he has something big in store for him next week.

Match 7: Team 3D vs. Matt Morgan & Hernandez
The match starts and Morgan takes the early advantage over Devon as he powers the big man around. Hernandez is tagged in to the match and continues on the assault but Devon is able to connect with a back elbow and tags in his partner. Hernandez greets him with an elbow and gets a two count after hitting Ray with a shoulder block. Ray fights his way back into the match and takes Hernandez down with a superplex but it isn’t enough to keep Hernandez down.

Devon is tagged back into the match and it looks like he tweaks his knee as Hernandez puts his focus on the leg. Rhino comes out and tries to get Ray’s attention about what the youth movement is doing as Morgan is tagged back into the match. While Morgan is working over Devon’s knee, Rhino is trying to get Ray to take a chair but he pushes Rhino down instead.

Back in the ring, Morgan and Hernandez use quick tags to wear down Devon’s knee until Ray finally comes into the ring with a chair and lays out Morgan and Hernandez. The referee then calls for the bell as Team 3D has been disqualified.

Ray has a look of guilt on his face as Rhino slides into the ring and hugs Ray. Rhino then gores both Hernandez and Morgan before holding Team 3D’s arms up high. Ray and Devon both have confused looks on their faces as Impact comes to a close.

Quick Results
- Beer Money defeated Eric Young & Big Rob by pin fall.
- Desmond Wolfe defeated Cody Deaner by pin fall.
- Tara defeated Hamada by pin fall.
- Bobby Lashley defeated Homicide by pin fall.
- Taylor Wilde defeated Madison Rayne by pin fall.
- AJ Styles defeated Daniels by pin fall.
- Matt Morgan & Hernandez defeated Team 3D by disqualification.

Starman’s Thoughts
Impact started out on a great note that allowed AJ Styles, Daniels and Samoa Joe a chance to shine on the microphone. It is amazing on how much better Joe’s persona is when it is toned down a notch or two. Daniels also looked and sounded great on the microphone, as did AJ Styles. The main event for Turning Point really looked thrown together a couple of weeks ago, but these three have shown that they belong in the main event picture.

After all of the great work between the three, Impact started to slowly go downhill from that point. The cause of that lies solely on how the matches were booked and how they all played out.

Take for example Tara and Hamada. Even though these are two of the best Knockouts on the roster in regards to wrestling skill, there wasn’t any reason for these two to be in a match against each other. On top of that, what could have been a decent television match was rushed and barely given any time to unfold.

They did get more time, however, than three other matches… combined. The other Knockouts match on tonight’s show was over and done after a few moves, Desmond Wolfe defeated Cody Deaner with a single lariat clothesline and Bobby Lashley destroyed Homicide in about a minute. Yes, the same Homicide that two weeks ago defeated the X Division Champion in the middle of the ring in a non-title match.

When I heard about Daniels going up against AJ Styles tonight I figured I was going to be in for a treat. That, too, was ruined however as it was over and done in a matter of minutes with AJ Styles winning cleanly over one of his opponents at Turning Point.

It is kind of amazing if you think about it, TNA has an uncanny ability to overbook every single aspect of their shows, however, they go ahead and let the champion easily defeat one of his challengers on television just two weeks before their main event match at the next pay-per-view.

Seeing as Impact airs on television, I know I should not expect every match to be a 5-star classic. It would be nice, though, if there was at least one match per week that showcases what TNA has to offer and gives the fans something to talk about. Just look at how well received the match between Styles and Kurt Angle was a few weeks ago. And that match ended in a draw.

Aside from the wrestling, or lack of wrestling, tonight’s show felt a little all over the place with the focus changing from one angle to another in a blink of an eye. At times, the angle meshed together with Mike Tenay making announcements during the matches, which would almost be done before he finished talking about the other angles.

If TNA did anything right tonight, I will have to give them credit for keeping the Hulk Hogan signing to a minimum. Yes, a good majority of the roster gave their two cents about it but then it was back to the business at hand. In the past, TNA has been known for beating a storyline to death and doing so with Hogan could have killed any momentum he had before he even stepped foot in the Impact Zone.

Here’s to hoping that TNA returns to some form of wrestling next week.

Check out my other TNA thoughts and opinions on my web site, thehexagoncircle.com and feel free to give me feedback of any type at starman@inlinefusion.com.

Till next time…

The Starman