TNA Victory Road 2012 Preview & Predictions

Another month another nonsensical TNA Impact Wrestling PPV that's only true purpose is to build up to next months event.

By Matt Aspin /

Yes folks, it's TNA PPV time again and we've had a look into our crystal ball to see who will be upsetting who and who has all the gold when the dust has settled. Over the last few months we've seen the slow build of Robert Roode as a legit heel World Champion despite knowing in our heart of hearts that he's only carrying the title while TNA build James Storm into the new Super-Face of the company. In the meantime he's been feuding with on-air authority figure Sting, which leads us into yet another PPV main event starring a wrestler way beyond his prime despite a full roster of young talent that could put on a show stealing performance. Robbie E and his TV Title Open Challenge. I can't believe Robbie E still has a job, or at least this horrendous gimmick. He looks like the illegitimate love-child of Rick Martel and Tom Brandy. That aside he's TNA's current Television Champion, which is the equivalent of WWE's US and Intercontinental titles at the moment - this roughly translates as: Without value. We'd love to see someone fresh come in and take the belt, maybe give it some credibility but the most likely opponent will be weirdy beardy Eric Young. Prediction: EY regains the gold after lots of shenanigans. Gail Kim Vs Madison Rayne - TNA Knockout's Title I love Gail Kim. Quite literally. If I were in attendance I'd even help her keep the title. Sadly I wont be there - thanks in no small part to the restraining order she has against me - so she'll have to do this by herself. I'm not sure what direction TNA are taking this feud or if there's a face turn on the cards for either Knockout but at least both women can wrestle so it shouldn't be the usual car wreck we've been force-fed since the division went belly up. Prediction: Kim retains, but only just. Austin Aries Vs Zema Ion - X Division Title There's no one better to represent the X Division right now than Austin Aries. He's a fantastic wrestler, has a great look, is top class on a microphone and carries himself like a classic Heel champion. In fairness to Ion I haven't seen much of his work as I was put off him when he first entered the company. From what I hear he's pretty good but is he good enough? Prediction: Aries retains the gold through superior Heel tactics and the X Division continues to be built around him. Samoa Joe & Magnus Vs Matt Morgan & Crimson - Tag Team Championship Joe and Magnus are an odd couple but they've really worked well as a team and I'm completely convinced they can carry the division for a while. Imagine these guys at their best against a returning tandem of the Motor City Machine Guns? TNA can differentiate itself from the WWE by rebuilding it's Knockout, X and Tag divisions, making them must see TV again much like they were a few years back. Morgan and Crimson aren't going anywhere. Creative has nothing for them as individuals so they found themelves thrown together. Every partner Morgan has ever had has ended up feuding with him. Abyss, Hernandez - Crimson is surely next. Prediction: Morgan nails Crimson with the Carbon Footprint. Joe and Magnus retain. Morgan and Crimson go onto Lockdown where Morgan hands Amazing Red's big brother his first loss. James Storm Vs Bully Ray This isn't the first time these two guys have faced off. The only thing for sure is it will be a Hell of a match. TNA's future top guy against one of the top Heel's in the business today. Who would have thought we'd be saying that about the €œoverweight€ and €œlazy€ Brother Ray 12 months ago? Prediction: Storm will win. Perhaps with help from Abyss. Either way Storm needs the victory to stay strong for his inevitable title match at Lockdown. AJ Styles & Ken Anderson Vs Christopher Daniels & Kazarian Here's one feud I couldn't care less about. Styles, Daniels and Kaz all deserve to be doing something a little more constructive on the card but at least we're pretty much guaranteed an exciting high spot match, that also includes Mr Anderson. Apparently this whole feud is based around Kaz having a dirty secret and Daniels blackmailing him. Whether that will be revealed or not tonight is unclear but I'm hoping this doesn't lead to a reformation of Fortune with injury prone Kenny Anderson along for the ride. Prediction: Anderson and AJ go over. Kaz remains subservient to his balding buddy. Jeff Hardy Vs Kurt Angle Everyone raves over Angle and Hardy's matches from a while back but to be honest this one is really overdone and holds minimal interest for me. It's pretty much a given that Hardy will jump off something (and miss) and Angle will hit a moonsault from somewhere high up. Neither man will benefit from the victory nor be damaged by a loss. In my opinion this is a marquee matchup with no real purpose. Prediction: This one could go either way. I wouldn't be surprised if this went to the time limit again so TNA can milk another match out of them involving a cage at Lockdown. Robert Roode Vs Sting - World Heavyweight Championship Let's cut to the chase. Sting isn't leaving with the World Heavyweight title. It would be a massive step back for TNA to go this route. This match only exists to make Roode look as strong as possible before he drops the gold to Storm next month. It's all part of the company's plans to make James Storm look red hot when he wins back the belt he never should have lost. Prediction: Roode wins. He'll cheat of course, which will only undermine any attempts to make him look strong, but he'll still be champion come Monday. So there you have it. Another month another nonsensical TNA Impact Wrestling PPV that's only true purpose is to build up to next months event. Unfortunately this has been the case for almost every PPV in recent memory for Impact Wrestling so Lockdown had better be something very, very special. But with the threat of Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and the Bischoff's in the main event dark clouds are already forming over Tampa.