The Dark Knight of TNA...

In recent weeks, we have noticed a change. A man that was once known as the 'face of TNA', now making his own path. Doesn't follow any rules, does what he wants, when he wants. And I LOVE every single second of it. THIS is the change we've been waiting for. To finally see AJ Styles being used in such a unique way, it makes sense why he was put in such a horror storyline to begin with.

From being accused by Daniels and Kazarian of sleeping with Dixie Carter to impregnating a drug addict. It drove him to the brink of insanity. But he got his revenge and cleared his name. But there was more hishaps to come for Styles, more than he could handle. His loss in the triple threat match between Bobby Roode, James Storm and himself was the end of the line for him. He was finally seeing the big picture. He claimed to have been tired of being ''TNA's corporate janitor'' or something along those lines.

So he decided that from that point on, he was gonna be a lone wolf. Only taking care of himself and nobody else. To the amusement of his detractors Bad Influence of course, who mocked his name for weeks and celebrated his decision to leave Impact Wrestling.

While there was chaos in TNA with Aces & Eights dominating the roster, AJ was nowhere to be found. TNA cameras did however catch him for a moment, and it was clear he was a changed man. The new AJ Styles was so full of anger and bitterness and couldn't care less about anyone. So he took off in his motorcycle. 2 weeks later, it's announced that he will return to Impact Wrestling. And he did, but not the way people expected it. He showed up after Daniels match with James Storm. With Bad Influence beating down 'The Cowboy', AJ came out in a rush with no music, attacked Kazarian and gave Daniels a cold, hard look. But in the blink of an eye, he attacked James Storm as well. People asking themselves, 'what happned to AJ Styles?'

The week after that, he was being interviewed by Mike Tenay about his actions. AJ didn't say a word and the Cowboy came out. Tried to get some explanation over why he did what he did. But there was nothing from AJ. Only a cold look and then he left the ring.

This is what we have got people. Now I don't know if there are people that are unhappy with the direction AJ has taken, but I believe it's a breath of fresh air. From his attire, to his disdained look to his quiet persona, this is a brilliant storyline by TNA management. I hope they keep this up with him, because I can see a bigger picture here. He should be neither face nor heel. Just someone that does things for his own good and doesn't care who he hurts, as long as it satisfies him.

This Thursday, AJ will finally speak out. Personally I would have had him be silent for a bit longer but I can understand why he must do so. TNA have the ball in their court, now is not the time to drop it. With AJ looking the best he's ever been, they simply must generate success...

Lockdown predictions...

It's been a while people. I have taken a long hiatus to deal with some personal issues. But now I'm back and I'll be doing more work within the coming weeks. Now as you all know, Lockdown is this Sunday. I've taken the time to analyze all the matches and from what I've seen, the card is pretty solid. Now that's said, let's run down the card...

Joey Ryan vs. Joseph Park

This is a match that was randomly made. No build up, no nothing. While it seems strange that TNA had such a long time to build this match, it's probably going to be a decent match since Park is in it. I'm not expecting major stuff from this, but I could see Park snap and turn into Abyss once again. My vote goes to Park for the win.

Winner: Joseph Park


Robbie E vs. Robbie T

These two wrestlers have been working as a tag team for over a year, before their eventual split a few weeks ago. Bigger Rob has been given a decent push as a face and I'm glad to see the two of them going their separate ways. I always felt like Rob Terry was given more of a jobber role, instead of being this decent midcarder. Now that it's finalized, we will see these two go head to head in the steel cage. This shouldn't come as a surprise as I believe Terry with his current face push will squash Robbie E and take the victory.

Winner: Robbie T


TNA Knockouts Championship: Velvet Sky (c) vs. Gail Kim

In my opinion, this will be a pretty entertaining match. Gail Kim has been vocal lately about being given a shot for the title and with her credentials, I believe she fits the bill. Not to mention Velvet Sky's push since returning to the company and winning the strap, I believe Sky will continue to win and defend her title successfully.

Winner: Velvet Sky


TNA X-Division Championship: Kenny King (c) vs. Zema Ion vs. Christian York

These three guys right here are likely to tear the house down at Lockdown. All three of them have a reason to win the title. They are all impressive and will wow the crowd. But if we're gonna look their title chances induvidually and why they should hold the belt, Kenny King has the strongest reason. He recently turned into this cocky heel, beat RVD for the title and needs to be pushed that way. I can see him going over Ion with a bit of cheating and keeping title at his grasp.

Winner: Kenny King


TNA Tag Team Championships: Money's Worth (c) vs. Bad Influence vs. Chavo Guerrero & Hernandez

I am definetly enjoy the fanatics of the two heel teams in this match up. After some observation, it's clear that the latter team do not need the strap right now. While I've been entertained by Daniels and Kazarian, the only logical choice in this match are Roode and Aries. They're bent on winning all the titles and in my eyes, they'll continue towards that goal and defend their titles at Lockdown.

Winners: Money's Worth


Steel Cage Match: Kurt Angle vs. Wes Brisco

Teacher vs. Student. That's what we're going to be seeing as Angle has been playing the mentor of the young Wes Brisco before he was eventually betrayed and beaten down by him and a certain Garrett Bischoff. With Angle looking for revenge and the situation looking as intense as it is, I just can't see Brisco coming away with the win. Angle for the victory.

Winner: Kurt Angle


Lethal Lockdown Match: Aces & Eights (Doc, Devon, Knox, Garrett Bischoff and Anderson) vs Team TNA (Sting, Magnus, Samoa Joe, Eric Young and James Storm)

I am personally stoked to see this match. There is alot to be gained from this match up, so we need to see people like Doc really being dominant in the match to make him look good. The group as a whole has looked very weak, which is a disappointment. However, there is no way that is going to happen at Lockdown. I see the Aces & Eights winning the match after some hard work with the President finally being revealed. Who that is, I can't say for sure. If I'm gonna guess, I'm gonna have to go with Joseph Park as the president. I'll give my reasons for that in another column but this is pretty much what I believe is gonna happen.

Winners: Aces & Eights


TNA World Heavyweight Championship: Jeff Hardy (c) vs. Bully Ray

This will be a face vs. face match. Both men have shown great intensity in their promos and both of them deserve to be champions. However, I think it's time for Hardy to let go of the belt. While he has been a great champion, it's time for Bully to take over. While I would like to see Ray as a heel champion, it's still nice to see him as a face winning the belt for the first time. He deserves it for all his contributions.

Winner: Bully Ray


Those are my predictions. I personally am very excited for this PPV as it has been prepared flawlessly without minor mistakes. Who the leader will be for the Aces & Eights will be revealed at Lockdown and I can't wait to see who the puppetmaster has been all this time...Let's enjoy the ride...

Competition brewing...

I have some good news that I believe will please a lot of the TNA wrestling fans everywhere. According to reports, TNA will be taping their ''One Night Only'' PPV'S in March and will then terminate their lease with Universal Studios in Orlando to start wrestling on the road. I can't begin to tell you what this means for the company, the fans and the wrestlers included. It means they can finally show WWE that they're competition.

Dixie Carter revealed on Facebook when and where they will be on the road:

March 14th: Chicago, Illinois
March 28th: Jonesboro, Arkansas
April 11th: Corpus Christi, Texas
June 6th: Duluth Georgia

Impact Wrestling will be taped while they are in these respective cities. As of now, TNA are in New York running the show there, and the WWE are doing everything they can to keep them away from their own wrestlers. That may not sound like much, but when they are actually considering derailing TNA from occupying bigger arenas, then you can tell that there is a definite fear in the WWE's eyes.

The fact is, WWE is nothing more than a corporate bully. They always have been. Recently, a small Indy company that was touring were blocked from wrestling in a certain arena because WWE felt that they shouldn't be there. They very much dislike other wrestling companies becoming successful and even having the slightest chance of trumping them. Hence why they don't allow any of their talent to appear at any indy events. If they're that nervous, what do you think Vince Mcmahon thinks ?

If there is one thing I'm positive about, it's that WWE like to come off as a company that minds their own business. Vince Mcmahon is a tyrant and will go to any lengths to make sure he stays on top. If TNA are successful on the road, they have a major shot of reaching WWE's level, especiallly with the way they are presenting their product at the moment. I'm confident that TNA will do great things this year, mark my words.

With Eric Bischoff at the helm, things are gonna look good. He is known among wrestling fans as one of the people that brought WCW to it's own demise, but I am certain that this time around, he can outwit Vince Mcmahon. If they hold their cards tight to their chest and play the game right, they'll go far. That's a certainty.

The fall of the Chosen One...

As you already know, I'm not a big fan of the WWE. I don't like the direction they're headed and how they use some of their Superstars. Which is why I've decided to write about one of these wrestlers because in my opinion, it's really a travesty how someone can be so close to greatness then being held back. I'm referring to Drew Mcintyre, the Scot that plays this rocker in the 3MB. Ever since he debuted with Heath Slater and Jinder Mahal as this rocker that plays the air-guitar, I knew he had been ruined. 

I remember him making his mark in the WWE, seemingly hated by the crowd as he went undefeated for quite a while before he eventually lost to Kane. He has been on a downward spiral since people claiming that he's getting TV time and that he is fine are being naive. You could once look at this man and claim he could be a World Champion some day. He drew a lot of heat from the audience every time got out, they just hated his guts. Now, he barely gets a reaction as he's been reduced to play this horrible character and be involved in what is likely the most unbalanced faction I've seen in years. 

This is what I believe is gonna happen if he continues to play this character or any other mediocre role. I believe he's gonna be released, and we're not gonna see him for a few months. He will probably be performing at Indy events, before TNA try to sign him. I might look like I'm exaggerating but if you think about it, wouldn't you sign this guy if you knew about his potential? Forget about his past gimmicks, you realize that you have a potential star in your hands and it's up to you to mold him into that star. 

Like so many other wrestlers misused by the WWE, they come to TNA to continue wrestling and get a fresh start. If I'm gonna name a few, I'm gonna say Luke Gallows and Mike Knox. They were nothing but midcarders and jobbers back in the 'E but now they're looked at as these big bad men of the Aces and Eights. They still have that chance, and they're in a better place now. I'm hoping to see Drew Mcintyre in Impact Wrestling some day, hopefully before it's too late. 

Gamechanger...

Yesterday, Dixie Carter tweeted that there was going to be this major announcement that would change Impact Wrestling. Upon hearing the news, I could only presume that they were gonna launch their second show, but I was wrong. It turns out they have decided to take the show on the road and hold a live episode and tape the following epsiode, much like WWE did back in the late 90's with Raw. I couldn't be more stoked to hear this. It means they could leave the Impact Zone permanently and start competing with the WWE. 

Although it's good news, one has to take into account the risks of TNA going on the road. We all know WWE are the dominant force in wrestling today and even though they may put on lackluster shows more often than not, people are still coming to their shows in droves. That's what is a bit worrying. That TNA can put on a great show and yet only get small attendance numbers and possibly lose money. And what about being LIVE whilst on the road? It could be quite the challenge financially as it was comfortable for TNA to be broadcasting live in the Impact Zone but if they're gonna be successful then they need the viewing public to come out and support them. They've got consistency while they were in the Impact Zone, but now that they're getting out of their comfort zone, one can only hope that the arenas are high in attendance. 

It might seem like I'm questioning TNA's decision here. I'm only slightly concerned because the US is not the U.K. They've had success abroad but being at home it poses a bigger concern. HOWEVER, they've garnered many fans while being in cities like New York for their BaseBrawl, where around 6000 people came to see them, their best attendance yet for a live event. 3000 fans in Missouri came to the TNA live event, which shows they can still get those attendance figures. 

I often hear people of the WWE product saying how they are tired of the same old skit that's put out there and how it's too PG. If that's the case, then go to a TNA event. By supporting the #2 company, you will not only be getting great wrestling and a good product, you will also be getting a more serious WWE and a more competitive rivalry. Watching TNA is benefitial for everyone, no doubt about it. There hasn't been a better time to tune in as 2013 will likely be the year that TNA finally gets taken seriously. 

Unfair criticism...

Perhaps I've said it before, but I have to say that writing these columns successfully back-to-back is quite the mission. It's one of the reasons why I'm not a frequent writer, as I'm taking time to get my self up to 100% and bring you another quality column. With that being said, I do have a piece of information that I want to share with you. A few weeks ago, Brooke Hogan was interviewed and she was teasing a in-ring debut. Just today, when Hulk Hogan was asked what he thought of his daughter competing in the ring, he said he wasn't sure about it as he knows the dangers of the business.

The critics were of course bashing the Hogans and claiming they've ruined TNA and are hogging the spotlight from all the other wrestlers. They also said that the only reason why Brooke would wrestle in TNA would be because of who her father is. They said the same thing about Garrett Bischoff with his father being the producer of the show. One has to wonder if the critics are being hypocrites.

The fact is, there have been so many wrestlers over the years that have wrestled, most notably in the WWE. If I have to mention some names, I would say Cody Rhodes, Ted Dibiase, Randy Orton, The Rock, Eddie and Chavo Guerrero, Randy Savage, Owen Hart and a bunch of other wrestlers. I could name them all day but I think you're getting my point.

What I don't understand is, why are they so hated? What have Brooke and Garrett done to be mocked constantly? Granted, Brooke might not be a great actress but looking at all the names above, there is no way that someone can actually make a valid argument over why Brooke shouldn't be able to wrestle. She could go to a nice wrestling school like all wrestlers do, train to the point where she's qualified and then she can step in the ring. Garrett Bischoff didn't seem like he could wrestle very well when he first debuted but he's really come to his own the last few months.

People need to look at things from a broader perspective. Just because Hulk Hogans daughter wants to possibly wrestle, doesn't mean it gives people the right to bash her for making that choice. If that's the case, then why aren't these wrestlers being criticized? Because they get another reason to poke fun at TNA. Typical fanboys. They always feel the need to disrespect other companies that could possibly be a threat to their beloved WWE. Rant over.

Genesis PPV predictions...

TNA have announced 8 matches for tonight. 2 of them are going to involve Aces and Eights while we will be having 2 matches featuring the X-Division with the winner competing in two matches on the same night. Here's the final card for Genesis PPV:


Devon vs. Joseph Park
James Storm vs. Christopher Daniels
Sting vs. DOC
Gauntlet match for Knockouts Title #1 Contendership
X-Division Tournament Finals: Kenny King vs. Christian York
X-Division Title Match: RVD vs. ???
TNA World Title Match: Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez vs. Matt Morgan and Joey Ryan
Elimination Match for The World Title: Jeff Hardy vs. Austin Aries vs. Bobby Roode


For a while the Aces and Eights held Park captive at their clubhouse and tortured him. After months of dealing with the faction, he decides to learn how to wrestle. Now he's having a match with Devon and I could see a few things happening in this match. We might get to see Park get bloodied by Devon and the Abyss ''channeling'' and laying Devon out with a Black Hole Slam. I believe Park will take home this one but get attacked after the match up.

And what about DOC vs. Sting? What's gonna happen there? Are we gonna get a violent match up with nothing but vengeance on Sting's mind or are we gonna see another interference by Aces and Eights? In my opinion, there might be a swerve here. Let's say DOC loses the match cleanly. What happens next? Do the faction come out and attack The Icon or do they leave their biggest member hanging for failing to beat his opponent? My vote goes to Sting for the win here.

James Storm vs. Daniels is a match I'm really looking forward to. Both men look like they could use this match to elevate themselves to the big belt. Daniels doesn't look like he needs to be in the World Title picture right now with his hilarious tag team stint with his partner Kazarian, but a win for him could make him a strong contender for the belt. My vote however goes to Storm.

Christian York and Kenny King are two wrestlers that have really put themselves in a position where they look like they deserve the title due to their performances of late. If you look at them induvidually though, you will notice that Kenny King has recently started being a heel and he's kinda in a feud with Rob Van Dam. While Christian York has impressed since debuting on Impact, he's not ready for the belt and doesn't need it right now. Kenny King is my victor and new X-Division Champ.

Here's my opinion on the Knockouts Gauntlet match. This is quite a difficult prediction to make due to the number of Knockouts in this match but also because of their title credentials and their credebility. I might be making a wild guess here but I think Mickie James is gonna win this match up. Having faced Tara twice already, it wouldn't really make sense to me to have one of the other females win it, each having their own reason.

The Tag Team Title match between Chavo/Hernandez and Morgan/Ryan is where I believe the titles changes hands. The current title holders are in a good position right now and this is the right time to drop them to Matt Morgan and Joey Ryan. We will see an inevitable split in the future, but for now these two men deserve to be champs.

This is where it gets tricky. If Hardy has indeed signed a new contract, he might keep the belt. If not, he might lose it. I believe he has indeed re-signed but I think it's time that he loses the belt. And I believe Bobby Roode will be the one standing tall with the belt in his hand after the match is over. Aries will likely continue the feud with Roode after Genesis and win the title back but that is for another time.

This will be a great year for TNA. A lot of changes being made, with the decision of cutting 8 PPVs. They will do a good job though of maintaining balance and making sure that their PPVs are better than they have ever been. Believe that.