Don't call it a comeback - Impact is slowly getting better

Impact Wrestling is an easy target for snarky wrestling fans. Or normal wrestling fans. Or anyone who has ever watched television. Even with all the recent improvements in developing talent and in-ring action, it's still a tough sit. There was a period where TNA was a pretty solid alternative to the WWE, particularly around '05 to '08 when Vince's circus was getting stale. The don't-call-them-cruiserweights X division was on fire, great main eventers like Kurt Angle, Christian, and Sting were at the top of the card, and tag teams like LAX and America's Most Wanted were putting on 4-5 star barn burners.

Not unlike the implosion of the WCW, the blame for TNA/Impact's fall from grace could be laid at the feet of a few key figures: Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan. Yeah yeah, there are a lot of other factors, but it is an eerie coincidence that the waters were all icebergs once those two arrived in the Impact Zone. Now that era has passed us by for the most part and we can breathe a sigh of relief as things (hopefully) get better. It's been a long road to recovery, but the future looks bright.

Well, bright-ish.

I've been doing my due diligence, catching up on Impact's summer output, and there are some fun things going on over there that are worth highlighting. So, in the spirit of positivity, here are a few of the reasons you might actually want to seek out Pop TV and give Impact's "new era" a shot.

First, let's get THE FINAL DELETION out of the way. In the spirit of a Tim & Eric skit or perhaps Tommy Wiseau's The Room, the big feud between the Hardys has been surreal to say the least. Matt Hardy has emerged from a gruesome near-injury as "Broken" Matt, complete with an inexplicable accent and references to cosmic forces that would make the late Ultimate Warrior scratch his head in confusion. Their outdoor match at the Hardy estate was something to behold and the best part of it is . . . I think the Hardys are in on the joke. This is a wrestling angle with a touch of "meta", a real-life recreation of what you're average teenage Hardy fan would find "deep" or "disturbing". When you learn to relax and laugh along with the people involved, you'll see this is a pretty ingenious angle.

Willow still baffles me though. Put down the model airplane glue, Jeff. We've all been there, man.

As Ric Flair famously said, "To be the man, you have to beat the man!" The Man in Impact right now is Bobby Lashley. If that name rings a bell, it's because Lashley did have a pretty good run with the 'E, even challenging John Cena for the strap at one point. He's always been a force to be reckoned with in the ring, but now he has some mic skills to back it up. His braggadocio is similar to how AJ Styles has been acting on Smackdown lately, but he's got three(!) title belts dangling from his massive frame to reinforce his words. I'd like to see him stay on top for as long as possible. He's a former serviceman, a legit amateur wrestler, and a "damn good hand in the ring" as Stone Cold would say.

Ethan Carter III (EC3 for short) and Drew Galloway are the next two that deserve a shout-out. Carter is the nephew (?) of Impact Wrestling figurehead Dixie Carter, who until a few minutes ago I was certain was the same lady from Designing Women. Nepotism aside, he's developed into quite a persona over the last few years in and out of the ring. (I especially like his "political campaign" shtick from when he was feuding with Mr. Anderson.) Drew Galloway was a solid worker who the WWE passed on. He's found his footing in Impact now, improving as a wrestler and exuding confidence and swagger on the mic. He has that "intensity" that's so hard for certain guys to fake.

The tag division is plentiful, but I'm sorry to say many of the teams aren't all that memorable to me. I do really like the American Wolves team of Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards. Both are lean, fast "internet darling" types who would be right at home on NXT or in the Cruiserweight Classic tourney. They're getting over with fans in a way not dissimilar to another old TNA tag team, the Motor City Machine Guns. Both guys are fantastic in the ring, I just wish they had a stronger division surrounding them.

I want to rave about the Knockouts divison, but I can't say it's made much of an impression on me. Gail Kim is still great (and always has been), but like I said about the tag division, there just aren't enough contenders to surround her with. Her and Jade did have a pretty good match last week, though. The "Knockouts" branding for the female wrestlers is a bit hard to swallow now, especially since WWE has ditched the whole "Diva" thing. I'd like to see them follow suit.

I'm well aware that I'm not quite qualified to make projections like these, but if Impact just stays the course, avoids inconsistent booking, and is careful of frivolous spending on guests and washed-up talent, they can turn things around. I want them to succeed. I want ROH to succeed. I want NJPW to succeed. I even want Vince McMahon's evil empire to succeed. It means more opportunities, more jobs, and most importantly, more money for everyone trying to make a living in and around this business.

Thanks for reading! Next update I'm going to blade another match open and do some analysis. Hit me up on Twitter (@ChrisBComics) or via e-mail (backissuechris@gmail.com).