10 Precise Moments TNA Was The Best Wrestling Show On Earth
6. Bully Ray And The Aces & Eights Reveal
Yes it took a long sequence of explanatory vignettes on the following edition of Impact and yes several of those highlighted some not-unsubstantial plot holes, but yes there was a great deal of joy in hearing Hulk and Brooke Hogan shout "No!" as Bully Ray revealed everything he'd done to get to the top of TNA.
To recap (and they sure did), Bully Ray had babyfaced himself for the good of the company as Aces & Eights used their strength in numbers, a sense of mystery and sort-of scary Sons Of Anarchy aesthetic to run roughshod over the show.
Siding with Sting in the ring and Brooke Hogan outside of it, Bully Ray quickly became TNA's favourite son and Hulk Hogan's favourite son-in-law. A babyface battle for the company's top prize against Jeff Hardy loomed, and their Lockdown main event served as the perfect place to reveal the extent of his evil scheme.
He'd led the gang from the very beginning, carefully used their threat to earn the trust of those he needed to get close to, and eventually gotten all he wanted as a result. The belt was the last bit - and a trademark A&8s hammer attack was the way he got it done. Big, broad and stupid, this was a rare case of longterm investment in some TNA silliness actually proffering partial reward.