"TNA iMPACT!" 1-3-08 Talkback (Spoilers)

[The Penguin]

It's the first iMPACT! of 2008. I have to go out so we're up a bit earlier than usual.


http://library.toonzone.net/talkbacks/spike.jpghttp://library.toonzone.net/talkbacks/tna.jpg"iMPACT!" Preview: 4 Gauntlets, 1 Night

PREVIEW FOR THURSDAY’S “iMPACT!”: WILL AJ STYLES MAKE HIS DECISION? PLUS, FOUR GAUNTLETS IN ONE NIGHT!
By Bill Banks

This Thursday night at 9pm, TNA Wrestling returns to SpikeTV for two hours of Total Nonstop Action as TNA continues down the road to the January 6 “Final Resolution” Pay-Per-View event! The below is a preview of what is scheduled to take place on the broadcast:

- The big question is will “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles make his final decision on which side he will choose: either TNA World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle or “The Instant Classic” Christian Cage? Both Cage and Angle have demanded that Styles make his decision – and they want an answer ASAP. What about AJ’s tag team partner Tomko? Will he stay with Angle or return to Cage’s side before the big Final Resolution main event showdown between Cage and Angle? Tune in this Thursday night to find out AJ’s answer!

- Also this Thursday night, TNAwrestling.com has learned that for the first time in wrestling history, four gauntlet matches will take place on one night to determine the rankings for the TNA Championships. There will be a Tag Team Gauntlet, a Women’s Gauntlet, an X Division Gauntlet and a Heavyweight Gauntlet. The participants for each Gauntlet are as follows:

TAG TEAM GAUNTLET:
The Latin American Xchange
Rock N’ Rave Infection
Voodoo Kin Mafia
Team 3D
Motor City Machineguns

KNOCKOUT WOMEN’S GAUNTLET:
Velvet Sky
Christy Hemme
Awesome Kong
Angelina Love
Ms. Brooks
ODB
Roxxi Laveaux

X DIVISION GAUNTLET:
Petey Williams
“The Guru” Sonjay Dutt
Johnny Devine
“Primetime” Elix Skipper
Shark Boy
Senshi

HEAVYWEIGHT GAUNTLET:
Abyss
Kevin Nash
Booker T
Christian Cage
Samoa Joe
Black Reign
“Wildcat” Chris Harris
Kaz
Rellik
Robert Roode
Eric Young
Scott Steiner
Judas Mesias
“Cowboy” James Storm

- Finally, TNA Management Director Jim Cornette will announce the full card for the January 6 “Final Resolution” Pay-Per-View on Thursday’s broadcast! All this and much more on “iMPACT!”

[hobbyfan]

Meh. Typical Russo swerve. Styles now has to make his choice at the PPV. Tomko is going the Batista route, obviously, so figure either he & Styles retain, or they'll go with another dysfunctional tag team (Nash/Samoa Joe) as tag champs.

Women's gauntlet was a real surprise, as ODB, a former OVW women's champ, won the match after helping Roxxi & Jackie eliminate Kong. I'm figuring Kong's winning the title on Sunday, so it makes a little sense not to have her go over.

Sounds to me like Team 3D will turn on Johnny Devine after he costs them Ultimate X. Sounds like a team on their way out......

Jay Lethal, we know you can do Randy Savage, and very well. However, you're well served, my friend, to put it away and move forward. You don't want to be typecast forever, and that's what TNA's threatening to do.

Matt Morgan is at ringside for the main event, and does......nothing. What a shock.

TNA is never going to get better as long as Russo is involved.

[Hyper Shadow X]

Only really saw the last match and wish that Samoa Joe had won it.

[RedNinja84]

Joe's one of the most over guys in TNA and yet he still isn't in the title picture. I mean they can put his face on the promotion like WCW did with Sting. TNA is really missing an oppertunity with Joe.

[SonGoku V3]

Jay Lethal, we know you can do Randy Savage, and very well. However, you're well served, my friend, to put it away and move forward. You don't want to be typecast forever, and that's what TNA's threatening to do.
Prior to being "Black Machismo," Lethal had absolutely no character at all. Basically, he was Shelton - great athlete but nothing that could or would make the fans interested. The fact that Lethal was able to keep the character fresh this long is a surprise in itself (to me at least), so I'd at least like to see how far Lethal can push it before doing something else. When you have a working gimmick, you're bound to be forever associated with it.

[Toon Capone]

TNA is never going to get better as long as Russo is involved.

That's not true at all and if your going to blame someone for TNA's current state and what gets on television blame Dutch Mantell since he is the head booker and Jeff Jarrett since he has final say as to gets on TV.

From what I heard Vince Russo doesn't even have much power in the company.

As someone who has been following TNA since 2003 at a time in which Russo was more involved in the booking of the show it was very good.

So that's why I don't buy this whole Vince Russo is killing TNA argument.

[Matt Hazuda]

I finally ended my long run of not watching TNA and managed to catch the women's gauntlet match. Who knew it was possible to have that many good women wrestlers in the ring at the same time? ODB was really impressive and so is Kong. I guess that's what you can do when you're not trying to turn models into wrestlers.

Sadly, the next segment I saw had the phrase "Let's talk to AJ Styles' high school coach" and I smelled the stink of Russo and just gave up again.

Makes me wish WWE had a good ladies division though now that I know it is possible.

[n1c3guy707]

Once again an average Impact.

They focused too much on AJ and his decision. Am I the only one who's getting sick of this? It's been over a month and TNA keeps dragging this out.

The gauntlet matches were pretty good especially the Womens gauntlet. ODB winning was a surprise to me. I thought that Kong would win it again like the free for all 2 weeks ago but surprise surprise she didn't. I'm starting to like Roxxi too, since she stopped wearing all that make up I finally saw her real face and she's very pretty.;)

[hobbyfan]

That's not true at all and if your going to blame someone for TNA's current state and what gets on television blame Dutch Mantell since he is the head booker and Jeff Jarrett since he has final say as to gets on TV.

From what I heard Vince Russo doesn't even have much power in the company.

Then you haven't been paying close attention of late. Russo has gained more power of late, especially since insinuating himself with the Angles. Mantel gets his share of blame, but the bulk of it falls on Russo. The one other thing they have in common is that they're both well out of touch with reality.