Austin Aries and Kenny King def. Bobby Roode and Zema Ion
What I Liked:
The match started before the show actually started, with all four guys brawling to the ring. I really enjoyed seeing an extended look at Kenny King, a guy with a world of talent and athleticism. He is very similar to Shelton Benjamin, in size, speed, and athleticism. I liked the match alot because it focused on the two single's champions and connected more than one feud at a time. It made the start of Impact feel important. Instead of the usual talking to start off the night, they gave us action. King hit a great flying neckbreaker on Ion, while Aries carried a lot of the match. His suicide dive is really effective, especially with his follow through when throwing his opponent on the ground. They were given a solid 20 minutes of ring work to tell their story. Also, Roode was able to escape without really losing to Aries once again. Ion can afford the loss, Roode cannot. You cannot have him continue to look weak, especially when he has a rematch with Aries in two weeks.
What I Disliked:
I almost would have given the victory to the heels, as I feel it benefits them much more in the long run. The two champions are just that, champions. They do not necessarily need the win on Impact. It is all about creating drama and curving the story to favor the unexpected. This was just expected.
Grade: A-
In Ring Segment
What I Liked:
This whole ordeal was to accuse James Storm of being aligned with Aces and Eights. Sting and Kurt Angle talk to Storm who gets defensive. I thought this came off well. You need to point fingers to make the reveal more surprising. James Storm is a great fit for this because he has the history of leaving TNA to go home. All logical signs could point to him, but I do not foresee that happening. You can keep guessing and have Ironic situations, and this was a nice touch to have him with Sting and Angle, two of the best and most reliable in TNA.
What I Disliked:
I wish there were more out to confront Storm, including guys like Anderson, Hardy, and the other popular guys in TNA. I liked what I saw, but it just felt a little flat and a little out of place. This is the biggest story, so throw this segment at the top of the second hour. It was placed right after a great tag team match and felt less of importance than need be.
Grade: B-
