Ain’t Too Proud to Beg

Segment 4: Magnus vs. Christopher Daniels, Kazarian, and Bobby Roode in a Gauntlet Match

Magnus
Positives: Daniels and Magnus worked an appropriate first match in the gauntlet. There was good action, but Magnus didn’t have to take many actual bumps, which makes sense given he had to work two more guys. The finish also helped get over Magnus’ Michinoku Driver, which is crucial if he is going to be a legit singles stars – he needs the crowd to respect his signature moves.

As with the Daniels match, the finish with Kaz helped get over another one of Magnus’ big moves.

Negatives: To say Magnus vs. Kaz “wasn’t anything special” would be the understatement of the century. Much like the tag match earlier, this felt like something from the middle of the card on a house show.

Kaz clipping Magnus’ leg just as Roode entered the ring was the most blatant possible example of giving the babyface “an out.” There were a laundry list of better, subtler, more heelish ways to accomplish that, but TNA went with the quick and dirty strategy.

Pacing the first match in a gauntlet carefully makes sense. The third match in a gauntlet pouring out like molasses makes no sense. The finish was the right thing to do, but they got there in such a slow, uninteresting way that it really took the heat off of things. If Magnus had just completed a comeback that made him look close to victory and Roode cut him off for the win, that would be fine. Unfortunately, the match never got out of second gear.

Segment Score: +0

***

Segment 5: Brooke Tessmacher vs. Velvet Sky (Which Never Happens)
Tessmacher

Positives: The Knockouts division is in desperate need of some new blood, so injecting a new character is good.

Negatives: I won’t lie and say I was excited to see Tessmacher wrestle, but having ring entrances only for the match to never happen is so WCW that it makes me sick. They could have easily wrestled for one minute only to have Tapa come down and destroy them both.

Here’s an indicator of what bad shape the Knockouts are in: re-debuting heel Lei’D Tapa beat up recently-turned heel Velvet Sky to establish herself. This was necessary because the only babyface in the entire division is champion ODB.

Segment Score: -1

***

Segment 6: Gunner/Kurt Angle Hype Packages

Positives: The first package put Gunner in a really good light. As awful as Gunner n’ Murphy were, it was smart of TNA to remind people that he’s actually been in the company for quite a while. The clips of Storm talking about him were solid, as Storm is well-established as an honest, wrestling-minded guy.

Negatives: Kurt Angle was announced for the Hall of Fame back at Slammiversary, but given his history of addiction (and even more troubling his history of putting others at risk by driving under the influence), it seemed a little strange for TNA to be deifying him so much. If anything, they should be bracing themselves for the next Kurt Angle disaster.

Segment Score: +0

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