Impact Wrestling – November 12, 2019: I’m Starting To Like This Show
IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling
Impact Wrestling
Date: November 12, 2019
Location: St. Clair College, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Don Callis, Josh Matthews
It’s the second week in Canada and we are getting ready for Hard To Kill in January. The build started over the last two weeks with Tessa Blanchard being named #1 contender to Sami Callihan’s Impact World Title. They’re setting themselves up for something historic if that is where they go and I would be interested in seeing them take that route. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
The opening recap looks at OVE’s celebration last week, capped off by the team losing an eight person tag when Rich Swann pinned Callihan.
Trey vs. Rohit Raju vs. Aiden Prince vs. Brent Banks vs. Willie Mack vs. Petey Williams
One fall to a finish for the #1 contendership to the X-Division Title with champion Ace Austin on commentary. Raju sends Prince and Mack to the floor, followed by the big suicide dive. Trey teases a springboard wristdrag but flip dives onto everyone outside instead. Back in and Petey hits a dropkick to Banks’ back, followed by a slingshot hurricanrana to Trey on the floor.
Mack comes back in and starts headlock takeovering Banks and Williams. A double clothesline takes them down and it’s another flip dive to take everyone out on the floor. Prince and Banks hit stereo crossbodies inside, setting up Banks’ big flip dive of his own. Raju cleans house and sends Trey outside, only to get caught by Petey’s slingshot Codebreaker. The Russian legsweep into a short Downward Spiral gives Petey two and the Sharpshooter goes on FOR CANADA.
Mack is back in for the save and a standing moonsault to Petey so here’s Prince to break that up. The brainbuster plants Banks and it’s Prince hitting a 450 onto Banks and Williams at the same time. Mack gives him a frog splash but Raju makes the save with a top rope double stomp. Petey hits the Canadian Destroyer but Trey runs in and steals the pin at 14:15.
Rating: C+. I’m rarely big on these matches as they’re just complete insanity until someone gets a pin. They’re certainly entertaining though and that is what matters most. The spots were fun and Trey is someone fresh, though they could have easily cut out Prince and/or Banks and Williams and done a tighter match. This division has been about bigger being better for a long time though so the additions aren’t surprising.
Post match Petey raises Trey’s hand and Trey kisses his mom. Ace seems impressed by the mom and I don’t see this going well.
Rich Swann is ready to win the World Title as soon as he gets a shot. He’ll become #1 contender in next week’s five way elimination match.
Michael Elgin says he’ll win the title shot next week.
Madison Rayne vs. Alexia Nicole
Kiera Hogan is here with Madison. Hold on as Madison has to point out the LRL trunks as Callis talks about her being trained in the Dungeon and winning the WWF Title from Ric Flair in Saskatoon. Nicole’s Backstabber out of the corner is blocked and Hogan gets in a cheap shot so the chinlock can go on. Back up and they forearm it out with Nicole hitting a Backstabber. An electric chair gives Nicole two but a Hogan distraction lets Madison get in a catapult into the ropes. CrossRayne finishes Nicole at 5:27.
Rating: D+. This was just above a squash and not a very interesting one. I can appreciate some things that they are doing but there are only so many ways you can present Madison Rayne as the stuck up heel. They’ve been doing it for so long now and it’s not like her work is all that great. She’s passable and that’s about it, which makes these matches not the most thrilling in the world.
Aiden Prince comes up to Johnny Swinger, who declares him his young boy. Petey Williams comes in and doesn’t think much of Swinger. Prince and Williams leave so here’s Ken Shamrock to tell Swinger to take a shower.
Rob Van Dam and Katie Forbes are in the hot tub again with Katie gyrating in a swimsuit. He’ll be back in the ring next week.
Daga vs. Jake Crist
They trade kicks to the face to start until Daga snaps off a hurricanrana to the floor. The spinning dive off the middle rope takes Jake down again but it’s a dragon screw legwhip over the ropes back inside. Daga blocks a DDT on the floor and snaps off a belly to belly. Back from a break with Daga fighting out of a chinlock and winning a chop off.
Something like the Last Chancery has Daga in trouble so he elbows Jake in the face for the escape. Some clotheslines set up a backbreaker into a DDT for two but Jake is right back with a Death Valley Driver. Daga’s German suplex gives him two more but Jake suplexes him into the corner. A few kicks to the face have Daga in trouble so Jake puts him on top, only to get hurricanranaed right back down. The double underhook piledriver finishes Jake at 11:31.
Rating: B-. Daga has grown on me in recent weeks and that is the kind of thing that Impact needs to do. They have a few stars who are becoming bigger deals than they had been before and it is starting to give Impact an identity. That has been what has plagued them for most of their existence and if they finally get somewhere with it, they may be on to something.
We get a big, serious video about Joey Ryan vs. Ken Shamrock. Yeah it’s funny and stuff.
The North knows they’ll keep the Tag Team Titles tonight.
Sami Callihan/Madman Fulton vs. Tessa Blanchard/Rich Swann
Tessa charges to the ring and we’re ready to go in a hurry. Sami gets sent to the floor and Tessa tries to choke Fulton to little avail. Instead Swann hits a Phoenix splash to hit Callihan on the floor but Sami is right back in to take over on Tessa. Swann comes in instead for a bunch of clotheslines, only to have Fulton break up the handspring cutter. A hard slam gives Fulton two and Callihan drops an elbow for two.
There’s a splash to give Fulton two more and we hit the bearhug. Swann’s attempts to punch his way out earns himself a suplex and Sami comes in to show off some cockiness. The chinlock goes on for a bit but the Cactus Special attempt lets Swann crawl through the legs and make the tag to Tessa. Everything breaks down and a DDT plants Fulton but he’s back up for a powerslam/running neckbreaker combination. Swann makes a save and brings himself back in to kick Sami down. Sami tries to bring in the bat but gets it taken away, allowing Fulton to throw in the belt and knock Swann out for the pin at 10:57.
Rating: C. That’s a little confusing as you give Swann the pin last week and then have him take the fall here. I’m not sure how logical that is but Sami gets to build himself back up. Now of course we’ll ignore the fact that Sami needs to be built back up just two weeks after winning the title. Tessa is destined to be the big challenger so Swann taking the fall isn’t the worst thing in the world.
Post match Tessa gets beaten down but Brian Cage runs in for the save.
Post break Cage says he’s coming for the World Title.
Flashback Moment of the Week: Ultimate X from Homecoming.
Johnny Swinger brags about relieving himself in Ken Shamrock’s bag, but no one seems impressed.
Taya Valkyrie yells at John E. Bravo when Jordynne Grace comes in to challenge for the title. That won’t be happening so Grace says it can be any match next week. Bravo accepts on Taya’s behalf.
Moose shows that he is a great tennis player by beating a pro named Mikey. The threats of violence may have something to do with the loss. Next week, he’ll become #1 contender.
Jessika Havok vs. Crystal Moon
Havok wastes no time in throwing her around to start and snaps off a German suplex. Some running hip attacks in the corner keep Moon rocked but she avoids a charge into the post. Moon gets in a few shots but jumps into a chokeslam. The Tombstone finishes the destruction at 3:58.
Rating: D+. Havok is being treated like the monster that she should be and that’s a good sign. You need someone like her in the division so she can put someone over on their way to the title (Grace for example) and Impact is building her up well. The Tombstone is a great killer finisher and that’s what they’re going for here.
Post break Susie compliments Havok on her match but Havok walks away. She touches Susie’s shoulder on the way though and we get some Su Yung flashes.
Tag Team Titles: Eddie Edwards/Naomichi Marufuji vs. The North
North is defending. Eddie and Alexander lock up to start with Eddie taking him down in a headlock. Marufuji comes in but gets headlocked takeovered for his efforts but it’s off to Eddie to work on Page’s arm in a hurry. Some double chops put Page down until Alexander comes back in to send Marufuji into the corner. Everything breaks down though and Eddie hits a dive onto the champs as we take a break.
Back with Page getting chopped some more but he gets in a cheap shot so Alexander can knock Eddie to the floor. A catapult sends Eddie’s throat into the bottom rope and it’s a Rock Bottom backbreaker into a regular backbreaker from Page. Eddie finally gets in a suplex to take Alexander down and it’s Marufuji coming in to clean some house. A kick to Page’s head gets two but he’s back up to strike it out with Marufuji.
The assisted spinebuster doesn’t work so it’s Eddie hitting a Blue Thunder Bomb for two on Alexander. Everything breaks down again until Eddie clotheslines Page for a four way knockdown. Eddie tiger bombs Alexander for two more and the shock on the kickout is real. Page grabs Eddie’s leg so the Boston Knee Party can’t launch. Marufuji gets sent outside and it’s the double Neutralizer for two on Eddie. The assisted spinebuster gives Alexander the retaining pin at 16:43.
Rating: B. This worked, as the North continues to be one of the best things going in Impact, if not the absolute best in the whole company. I don’t remember they didn’t have a very good match, though the problem is they may start running out of opponents. Other than maybe Mack and Swann, who is supposed to challenge them? Maybe we can get a new team eventually, but for now it’s going to be the North for a long time to come.
Overall Rating: C+. The last few weeks really have felt different around here and that’s the best thing that could happen. Impact has a bad tendency to go into a funk every now and then so it’s very nice to see them getting into a groove like this. I liked the wrestling more often than not and there wasn’t anything overly stupid. Consistent shows like this could turn them into something, but that has been a problem for them for years. At least we’ve had this nice run though and that’s better than nothing.
Results
Trey b. Rohit Raju, Aiden Prince, Brent Banks, Willie Mack and Petey Williams – Rollup to Williams
Madison Rayne b. Alexia Nicole – CrossRayne
Daga b. Jake Crist – Double underhook piledriver
Sami Callihan/Madman Fulton b. Tessa Blanchard/Rich Swann – Belt shot to Swann
Jessika Havok b. Crystal Moon – Tombstone
The North b. Naomichi Marufuji/Eddie Edwards – Assisted spinebuster to Edwards
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