VIDEO: Hulk Hogan At iMPACT! (Wembley Arena)

Credit: Ian Hamilton, Charlie Greenfield and PWInsider

I went to last night’s TNA Impact wrestling TV, at Wembley Arena. The production for the show was below standard in comparison with the other Impact TV tapings done on the road in the USA. The lighting for the show was poor, no pyro and it looked very cheap. I am not sure how this will look on TV, and may avoid showing the entrance stage. The camera’s for filming the show were from the entrance way and not like the usually angle they shoot TV.

I would say the crowd was just over 7,000. I don’t think Wembley arena is the best place to shoot TV and would suggest moving to a new venue, next year if they tape in the UK. Manchester Evening News Arena is a much better venue to do this.

The crowd for the show was really strong and were chanting, cheering and booing throughout the night. Hulk Hogan, stole the show as usual and will now take credit for the large crowd, thinking he can still draw. Sting, James Storm, Samoa Joe, Magnus all got huge pops. The UK fan base really liked Samoa Joe, and it felt like he was a big star tonight. AJ Styles, got an OK reaction, but not as strong.

Bully Ray, Eric Bischoff, and Bobby Roode, got strong heel reactions, and played the crowd well. Matt Morgan and Crimson, were booed out of the arena, the UK fan base, does not like them.

Dixie Carter came out and thanked the UK fans as usual; making them the number one rated wrestling show in this country, saying we are the best fans in the world. Same old stuff! There was no backstage segments shown, so all that is going to be guess work, leading to when it broadcasts.

February 2nd Show:

Bully Ray and Bobby Roode came to ring. Bully Ray and Bobby Roode, talking about last week’s actions, laying out Jeff Hardy.

James Storm came out saying he wants revenge. Sting comes out, announces a four way match at Against All Odds, for the world title, between Jeff Hardy, Bully Ray, Bobby Roode and James Storms. He also announces, James Storm, will face Roode and Bully Ray is one on one matches tonight.

1. Samoa Joe and Magnus Vs Matt Morgan and Crimson in a Buckingham Brawl. Samoa Joe and Magnus, had the advantage, where they were in the ring at the same time, and Matt Morgan and Crimson, had to tag in the match. Magnus and Samoa Joe win the match.

2. Austin Aries beat Mark Haskins in a very good little match. Aries won by a submission, but Haskins did botch his move of the top rope and looked like he hurt himself.

3. Bobby Roode beat James Storm, with a spear. This was due to Bully Ray coming out and interfering in the match. This was a strong match between the two and went around 13 minutes. There was a beat down on Storm, but Sting made the save.

Eric Bischoff came out and called out his son Garrett Bischoff. Garrett reveals to Eric that his trainer is in the building and that he will appear later tonight.

4. Tara beat Gail Kim with the Widow’s Peak. The match was the best knockouts match in while, but the interference hurt the ending, because it looked like they did it wrong, with Madison Rayne getting involved.

5. In James Storm second match on the show, James Storm beat Bully Ray clean in the ring, a decent match between the two. Sting stopped Bobby Roode, from helping Bully Ray.

In a very boring segment and not very climatic to end the show, Hulk Hogan returns to TNA to become the trainer for Garrett Bischoff, a strong reaction for Hogan, but a stupid ending. Eric Bischoff and Gunner are in this segment to.

February 9th show:

1. Daniels Vs AJ Styles, was a good match to begin with. Daniels hit the brass knuckles on Styles, as he attempted a move.

I did enjoy this match and glad Daniels, won to get the heel heat. But this feud has been going on and off for too long now.

Bully Ray and Bobby Roode came to the ring. Bully Ray wanted to know, why Roode, would not help him in the match between Ray and James Storm. Sting comes out and announces he will be the enforcer for the main event match at Against All Odds. He also announces the main event for the show, James Storm and Sting Vs Roode and Bully Ray.

2. 3 way X division match between Alex Shelley, Austin Aries and Doug Williams, a very good match and Alex Shelley cleanly pins Austin Aries, with the Slice Bread.

Magnus and Samoa Joe, cut a promo in the ring. Magnus put’s over the England crowd. They challenge Matt Morgan and Crimson to a Tag Title match at Against All Odds. Morgan and Crimson come out, a brawl starts.

3. Velvet Sky beat Mickie James in a short match. It was OK, nothing special.

Hulk Hogan and Garrett Bischoff come to the ring, Hulk Hogan puts over Garrett, crowd boo’s Garrett. Strong promo from Hogan, Bischoff and Gunner come out, match between Garrett and Gunner is announced for PPV. Hogan gets a low blow from Bischoff. They beat down on Garrett, Hulk Hogan comes back to be Hulkamania and save the day.

4. Main event: Sting and James Storm, beat Roode and Bully Ray. Sting made Roode tap out. But Ray was thinking on saving Roode, but then teased him and also turning his back on him. Sting was over big and still can wrestle a decent match. He did injure himself in the match and it looked quite serious. It looked like his ankle or heel went out.

Sting gave a thank you speech, talked about thanking the fans for being the best in the world, and wanting to come back next year. He plans to not retire just yet and also talked about his injury.

Kurt Angle made an appearance ran into the ring and did a beat down, with Ray and Roode. Sting was sent to the back, due to Injury, Hulk Hogan made the save, doing his usual punches and big boot’s to the face, then did his normal music routine.

I think this was going to be a 6 man tag match, due to it being done on the other house shows, but the crowd was exhausted and think it may have been good not to have seen Hulk Hogan wrestle.

The show was good and thought it was great to see Sting and Hulk Hogan there. It is the first time in a while, since they have been here and was a special moment for the fans. The crowd was near enough exhausted by the end of show and people were leaving slowly. The show did lack something special and the roster depth for the show was very poor. This did give a lot of TV time to Roode, James Storm and Bully Ray. I think they needed Jeff Hardy there tonight. The wrestling on the show was good and was an entertaining show.

If they do come back here next year they need to bring all of the production and all of the wrestlers. I think not having Rob Van Dam, Mr Anderson, Jeff Hardy, Ric Flair and a few others, really made the roster depth for the show look quite stale. I was not happy they did not use Kurt Angle, the best wrestler in the world, not being used at the biggest show on the tour, is quite bizarre.

The Show was good, but you can notice some bad points as well.

FOUR more videos from the TNA iMPACT! tapings >>