Opening Segment
What I Liked:
Austin Aries comes out and talks about not being a fluke, and beating Bobby Roode. He turns his attention to Aces and Eights, and out comes Jeff Hardy. Hardy shakes Aries hand and calls out Aces and Eights. Bully Ray comes out and talks about James Storm being the leader of this group, as he talks about what has happened over the past week. They also talk about the Bound For Glory series, and then Aces and Eights say they are going to make a big Impact tonight. I really enjoyed the conversation between all three, interacting in their different personalities. This is a refreshing way to book the beginning of Impact because the champion needs to be seen right off the bat. Aries finds himself some competition without actually fighting. This opens up the storyline and also makes Ray and Hardy two guys you need to keep an eye out for.
What I Disliked:
Did this ultimately eliminate everyone else in the Bound For Glory series? I feel like with two main guys like this discussed with Aries, they already know who they want to face Aries. I believe it will be one of these guys, especially since Storm, Angle, and others do not need a championship run right now.
Grade: B+
Samoa Joe def. Magnus
What I Liked:
This match did absolutely nothing for me. Joe was obviously going to win, although Magnus could have benefitted from some sort of victory.
What I Disliked:
I was not interested in this match whatsoever. Magnus is a very bland guy who is stuck without a personality. He can have all the talent in the ring, but he lacks personality and charisma. Samoa Joe shows that he is still out of shape and tries really hard to pull off athletic moves. This makes him look sloppy, not smart. I really felt the booking of this match was random, out of place, and did nothing to further progress either of these guys. Even the chair shot after looked terrible.
Grade: D
