Phrederic Reviews TNA

As TNA has developed an actual following of dozens of fans, I’m going to consider doing a quick little reaction to TNA and try to foster some post-show discussion.

Joe Hendry (c) vs. Jake Something – TNA World Championship

Will this match change your world? No, but Joe is a very solid meat and potatoes worker and Jake is good too. Just a good, solid title defense where the challenger was stronger than the champion but through guts and gumption the face champion rode out the abuse and won clean. Unfortunately it seems Something suffered a bad injury sometime in this mix so all hope he recovers well from it.

This was Good.

LOLTNA, what an unfortunate catchphrase for a company to have but one that has honestly been very well deserved over their run. We’ll get to the LOLTNA but first we have some T-N-A! T-N-A! As we focus on a show that kinda embodied the good, the bad, and the meh of that stupid promotion I still love despite myself.

Ash By Elegance and Heather By Elegance (w/ The Personal Concierge) vs. Xia Brookside and Brinley Reece

Actually some heat on this one as they’ve been feuding on TV for a while. We got classic glamorous mean ladies vs. the hardscrabble babyfaces (who aren’t at all glamorous of course). It all feels very 2012. They do some very basic stuff and the Personal Concierge gets a lot of heat and Xia is apparently CRAZY over with the crowd and they build into a big hot tag for her as she runs wild but gets distracted by the PC and By Elegance win. All very silly but the crowd dug it and Xia feels maybe like she could be something later on.

This was Good.

Bob Ryder gets inducted into the TNA HoF and it’s all very sweet. It pulls the curtain a BIT but guys like him do deserve praise and credit. Well done and these TNA HoF deals are always so very sweet and wholesome.

Next up is Rhyno’s induction and he absolutely deserves it as well. Unfortunately we have Tommy Dreamer beforehand. But hey, Rhyno still rules. And Rhyno gave a great, kinda awkward speech (thanking Cornette! Thanking Scott D’Amore on a TNA broadcast!) but man, if you want to feel good about the world, listen to Rhyno put over Heath Slater as just an awesome human being and cry a little bit.

This was Good, c’mon now, I’m not a monster.

Hey everybody, I know it’s weird for me to review something that isn’t a Japanese wrestling show streamed for 1500 weirdos, but I also like American wrestling shows streamed for 1500 weirdos. By no means am I trying to step on Tommy’s toes here, but this show looks so uh, interesting I felt like I should toss my hat in the ring and give it a review. I will tell you that I am actually a TNA fan and do enjoy the product and want it to do well so if I am mean or cruel to this show, understand that it comes from a place of love and the hope that TNA reaches the heights I know it can reach.

Sami Callihan vs. Jonathan Gresham

Background: Gresham is a tiny technical wizard who recently turned evil and wears a mask and coughs toxic black ink on people. Sami is a violent babyface brawler who cosplays as Mick Foley. Gresham inked Sami before and now they’re back for round 2. Oh also the ref is wearing a mask cause Gresham is poisonous and is getting people sick with his evil ink.