This week on the ever-so-inaptly-named program we’ve come to know as Impact, we saw two Playboy bunnies stink up the six-sided ring, a Knockouts title match, and the debut of TNA’s newest Knockout entity.
First Knockouts match on the card: Christy Hemme vs. Traci Brooks in a Playboy something-something match. I have no idea why Christy is dressed up as a Chippendale dancer, but the ever so bodacious Traci forces her against the ropes and into a pin attempt. Christy kicks out at 2, and Traci follows up with a mat slam. Traci follows Christy into the corner, but receives a boot to the face. Christy lands a charging 180 spinning facebuster. Christy delivers an axe kick to the back of Traci’s head, but Traci kicks out as well. Christy attempts the FFG, but the only thing catching her firecrotch is the unforgiving canvas. Traci covers Christy which results in a nearfall. A stinging chop to the tatas later… Traci falls into a Sunset Flip pin and Christy Hemme picks up the win.
Traci blindsights Christy from behind with an uninspired attack. So short, it was almost painless. As gracious as Traci Brooks is, I cannot bring myself to peg this match in a positive light, unfortunately. Not your best, TNA. Simply put, gimmick matches just don’t fit in with the M.O. of the Knockouts division. This Playboy exhibition was moreso reminiscent of WWE pre-2008. It just doesn’t seem right to put Christy Hemme over Traci Brooks, although I do realize that either one could do better. Moving on…
Next, Awesome Kong (accompanied by Raisha Saeed) takes on ODB for the Knockouts Championship. With Tara on commentary, ODB and Awesome Kong begin with the match in somewhat of a shoving contest. ODB makes several attempts to overpower Kong, but Kong knocks her down effortlessly. Kong then delivers the Awesome Press, but to no avail. ODB quickly rolls out of the way and catches Kong in the corner with the Bronco Buster. With an encouraging chant from the crowd, ODB leads Kong into the corner but catches nothing but turnbuckle. Kong hits ODB from behind… and, dare I say it… Kong forces ODB’s face into her armpit. Sweet. I think ODB just may have discovered the true meaning behind “Parts Unknown.”
Awesome Kong goes for the cover after a scoop slam and devastating leg drop. ODB kicks out. Meanwhile, TNA commentary treads into left field, taking a moment to address Tara’s MMA endeavors and even name dropping Kim Couture. While Kong locks in the Camel Clutch, Raisha Saeed makes her way over to the commentary table. Raisha grasps Tara’s attention, who follows her toward the ring. While Tara is preoccupied with Raisha, Kong snatches a handful of her weave (miraculously with no mishaps, this time). Tara outsmarts Kong with a forceful jawbreaker against the ropes. Kong falls into a roll-up, and ODB gets the win.
Tara enters the ring to applaud ODB, expecting some show of gratitude in return for her efforts. When ODB refuses to reciprocate the love, the two duke it out. Kong then blindsights the dueling duo. ODB suffers a cringe-worthy Implant Buster, and Tara follows suit.
ODB’s first “real” title defense was met with some issues. The Knockouts’ title has been put through hell and back whilst in ODB’s possession. Despite the champion picking up the win here, this particular match seemed more about putting the Tara/Kong rivalry over rather than the best interest of the title. This never-ending brawl between Kong and Tara rivals that of Family Guy’s Peter Griffin vs. Giant Chicken. Now with ODB thrown into the mix, I’m pulling for some sort of pay off so we can all move on. Due to the heat now boiling amongst the three, I sense a triple-threat match in the future. In the meantime, I must resign myself to the fact that ODB just cannot catch a break, either way.
Last night marked the “highly anticipated” debut of Lacey Von Erich. Certainly not the best debut of all time, but it wasn’t Shockmaster-bad.
Madison Rayne and Velvet Sky enter the Impact Zone looking to make “amends” with Sarita and Taylor Wilde. Taylor I can certainly understand, but for what reason do they owe Sarita an apology? Either way, Lacey becomes the proverbial party crasher and bestows the “Claw” upon Sarita’s poor forehead. The onslaught seemingly gets so intense that the remaining members of Mi Pi Sexy have to pry their new-found leader off of their crotch-panted adversary. The Beautiful People take a bow for their handywork and partake in a little lesbian tango of their own. Maybe next week we’ll have a dance-off, eh?
In terms of Knockout action, this week on Impact, as a whole, was rather underwhelming. The Playboy match was certainly nothing to write home about (not that I expected much from it), Kong vs. ODB was almost laughable, and Lacey Von Erich’s debut could have been better. The offense was somewhat unbelievable. Though, kudos to Sarita for selling that glorified scalp massage like a champ. It seems we have finally gotten some closure on Angelina’s departure, but that doesn’t make it any less of a bitter pill to swallow. Still a bit homesick for the Beautiful People of yesteryear, I’ll reserve further judgment on Lacey Von Erich until I see what she can actually bring to the stable.
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20 Comments
this is her first appearance let see what she will do in future .
Lacey looked great but that clothesline & takedown were weak. She seems like such a sweet girl, so I was wondering how she’d fit in as a heel, I was actually very convinced by her facials etc. so good job in that department.
Playboy — tacky. ODB/Kong didn’t set the world alight. I’m actually already quite bored of this whole ODB/Kong/Tara thing and it hasn’t even really gotten out of first gear. They haven’t actually developed it into a storyline yet. Just random staredowns and brawls. Very WWE-esque uninvolved booking.
Uninspired is an apt description.
I wouldn’t write Love off yet.Not longer than a few months,necessarily.Yeah,many want her back.But depending upon what the exact details of her situation are,I’d think there’s a reasonable possibility she could return unless TNA leadership has taken leave of their senses.Why hang around Florida and TNA tapings if there’s no possible future?
Anyway,I haven’t been spending money on TNA since the whole Angel thing broke,and last night pushed me further away from them and closer to other sources like the WWE or indies for my fix.If Vince,AAA,or whomever beats TNA to the punch and brings Angel aboard,I’ll cut TNA out from all my viewing too.Can’t say I watch with much passion anymore anyway.
i can tell that theyre trying hard to regroup and madison seems to fit in better with lacey than she did with angelina. TBP 2.0 ftw but TBP 1.0 will always have a place in my heart.
My main problem with the ODB-match is, that i just dont see ODB as a “credible” champion. She didnt pin Angelina Love for it, she was basicly given the title in a crappy match against a clown. And since then she never really proved herself as a worthy champion.
TNA should take advantage of this, and have some Knockouts make fun of her in backstage sketches, and then send ODB on a “quest to prove herself”, that would actually be interesting to watch. But i doubt TNA is that creative (at least not anymore).
So lets hope we get a ODB-Tara-Kong match where ODB either pins Kong or Tara cleanly, but probably she will just only “finish” Tara or Kong with a pin without doing actual work. Either way, i doubt she will loose the title at the next PPV.
Does anyone know when ODB’s contract is coming up for renewal? I heard it was later this year and that TNA is considering not re-signing her.Granted,without Love I probably won’t be watching much anymore anyhow,but Jesus,regardless.
i thought Lacey’s attack was cool, the clothes line was botched but it looks like taylor may have thought it was a shoulder takedown she gets quite close to lacey so its not entirely her fault,
i have never been mad on the claw as a finnisher,
but it makes more sense seeing a female do it (long nails = ouchie)
she fits in well with the beautiful people and at least they have a team pose now (with madison)
but i enjoyed tna knockouts matches more then raw or smackdown divas match
Well at least the ODB/Tara/Kong stuff was done well. The tension between ODB and Tara reminds me of the issues she had with Gail Kim at the start of 2008.
Playboy Bunnies Match: meh, filler match & i honestly think they could have done better.
TNA Knockouts Title Match: I loved it, ODB is certainly becoming one of my Favorite Knockouts & ODB was great to but the storyline is getting boring just like the Melina vs Michelle feud.
Lacey Von Erich’s TNA Impact Debut: I agree it wasnt one of the best debuts eve but i will give her time cause she hasnt wrestled that much on TV.
If they’re going to make this new TBP work, Lacey & Madison need to wear slutty wardrobe like Velvet, or start a new look by having Velvet & Madison dress high class fashionista like Lacey. At the very least, color coordinate.
But I don’t know if it’s enough. Velvet needs to stand out as leader (she’s easily the best wrestler of the three). Problem is Lacey stands out more and is actually too beautiful for TBP.
@Mikas:
I’m not a fan of ODB, but in her defense, Angelina never had a clean win over Kong. And most of Angelina’s wins were due to interference & hairsprays. That said, I do see your point of ODB not looking credible. Kong, Tara, and Sarita are the only 3 Knockouts I see as championship material (though I’d love to see how Daffney would fare as an evil scary heel champ).
“I’m not a fan of ODB, but in her defense, Angelina never had a clean win over Kong.”
But Angelina is a heel, heels rarely get clean pins over face champions unless they are monster heels like Kong. ODB however is a face, so that makes a big difference.
heres the match between odb and awesome kong http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAB-Y-CIzeM
I’m starting to actually like ODB again,i guess I only hated her because that clown Deaner was with her but she’s better by herself.ODB has been in the KO division since the title was created and over those 2 years,I think ODB has definity build the credability to be KO champion,she’s actually worked hard for it unlike Tara who got the title just weeks into her debut.Anyway,I think TNA has done a VERY GOOD job building this kong/Tara fued,they’ve had many staredowns,many brawls,many interviews with Tara regarding this fued,great video packages so i’m looking forward to the match,adding ODB into the mix was a great idea because a fued this big should have the KO title in it
i’m not even going to comment on the plyaboy match
Lacey is BEYOND GORGEOUS,shes so HOT!!!!Sarita sold that claw perfectly and in time,i think Lacey will improve,i’m not going to bash her into pieces just in her first appearance like some diva dirt commenters who don’t give anyone a chance.I looking forward to seeing lacey in the future,she definitly has the look,now she just needs to improve
Michelle gets clean wins. And her win over Melina at NOC was legit. Top heel over top face. The “heel must cheat” rule certainly applies with female wrestlers, but not as much as the males.
Angelina didn’t even pin Kong to win the belt. Months later she got flattened in seconds by Tara, who debuted two weeks before the match. I like Angelina a lot, but she had two weak runs as champ because the writers would never put her over convincingly. Maryse at least had one solid title defense (granted it was against Gail waaaaaaay back on SD), plus two cookie-cutter defenses versus Kelly (bad wrestler, but has biggest pop of any diva).
It’s pretty sad that ODB had to ‘win’ her belt from Cody Deaner. They need to distance her from that awful angle if they’re going to sell her as a solid champion. At least she has a better finisher than a claw.
With Cody Deaner out of the picture, I am as happy as can be now. At first, the relationship was funny [for one show]. But, when the company started making it a ODB & Cody alignment, I instantly lost all hope for ODB. I figured that ODB would forever be ODB & Cody, but luckily I was wrong.
I still haven’t watched the match between Traci and Christy and to be honest I don’t intend on watching the match. Christy, in my opinion, is still not an incredible athlete despite her being a better wrestler than before. Traci Brooks, in my opinion, is decent [like Christy]. However, putting two decent wrestlers in the same ring with one another seems like a weak match. As for the Lacey debut, I was obviously disappointed with the clothesline. However, ‘the claw’ was epic, in, uh, my opinion. But at least, Angelina [if she returns] will have a babyface role rather than that of a heel. I’m interested [if she returns] in seeing how she is as a babyface. I’m so use to her being a heel it would be like seeing Maryse’s character turn heel and in my opinion, watching Melina [WWE] go babyface – not the same.
Error: Maryse’s character turn
heelface…:D
I have to agree with Melanie Rob, this feud between Awesome Kong and Tara has seemingly never shifted out of first gear but one thing I am looking forward to is the development of the new Beautiful People or Beautiful People 2.0, however you wanna call it. Lacey Von Erich may be green as they call it but I do like how this is more of a team than a female Legacy or sorts with Angelina Love as the Randy Orton walking around with two lackies/ jobbers. With addition of Lacey, I feel they finally fit the mold they made for themselves as a mean girls Sorority. We’ll see where it goes.
Angelina’s runs as champions were somewhat compromised by the bookers deciding to wedge a brief Tara run in between.That said,they were overall still more enjoyable and of better stuff than Maryse’s run.I actually like Maryse too and was hoping her vs Mickie would produce something nice.But it isn’t good when the most memorable person in your title feud is neither you nor your opponent(in her case,it was the Miz.)
I’m actually OK with the claw for a finisher, if sold properly, especially if you are dealing with an inexperienced wrestler. It’s a safe move, and I don’t think Lacey is quite ready to do her version of the spiral tap or some high-flying finisher.
But you have to sell the claw. She put it on 1950s style on Sarita, who sold well, but it’s too boring. Tenay and Tazz have to sell how LVE inherited an inhumanly strong hand from her father and grandfather. I’d have actually lift the wrestler off the mat during the move with one hand on her head (the girl just jumps into it), and although the TNA and WWE women don’t blade, you could always pull out the bloody towel and cover the victims face. I also like using a breakable wall backstage, and having LVE put on the claw and slam someone’s head through the wall.
The ckaw just needs to be updated a bit.