Impact Wrestling – May 15, 2025: The One Big Problem

Impact Wrestling
Date: May 15, 2025
Location: Bren Events Center, Irvine, California
Commentators: Matthew Rehwoldt, Tom Hannifan

We’re just over a week away from Under Siege and the cards has mostly come together. The company has quite a few things going on at the moment, including World Champion Joe Hendry defending the title against NXT’s Trick Williams later this month at NXT Battleground. That should make for a good match on that show, but they both need something to do at Under Siege. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

In Memory Of Sabu.

Opening recap.

Opening sequence.

Tessa Blanchard/Victoria Crawford vs. Masha Slamovich/Nikkita Lyons

Lyons misses a kick to Blanchard to start but is able to send her into the corner for some hip drops. Slamovich comes in and hair mares Crawford a few times, followed by a kick to the chest for two. It’s back to Blanchard to knock Slamovich down and hand it back to Crawford. Slamovich fights up but Blanchard is right there to pull Lyons off the apron. Blanchard slides Crawford a chair but Slamovich takes it away and nails Crawford for the DQ at 4:14.

Rating: C. This was a weird one as Crawford isn’t bad but feels WAY over her head compared to Blanchard and Slamovich. Lyons isn’t much better, as she seems to be there for whatever star power she allegedly has. Other than that, this was more about Crawford and company getting under Slamovich’s skin, but I’m still not buying Crawford as having a chance at Under Siege.

Post match Slamovich takes out Blanchard as well but Santino Marella comes out to restart the match…but Robert Stone says no and the winners are Blanchard and Crawford. As in the TNA wrestlers rather than the team with an NXT wrestler, because this storyline doesn’t need to exist.

Cody Deaner is nervous about getting to wrestle in such a big match so close to his hometown. His family means the world to them and they will get to be there. His lack of a singles win in over a year is brought up but apparently he does a lot of things backstage and helps with the younger wrestlers. A loss can’t happen. Sweet goodness it’s CODY DEANER. TNA has treated him like nothing for the better part of ever now but suddenly I’m suppose to feel bad that he might be leaving?

Great Hands vs. Rascalz

Skyler gets punched in the face to start and sent to the floor, followed by some rapid fire kicks back inside. Hotch low bridges Miguel to the floor though and Skyler gets to take over. Miguel comes back with a pretty awesome Sling Blade backbreaker and everything breaks down. The Rascalz hit a string of running elbows in the corner but cue Mustafa Ali for a distraction. The Favor finishes Miguel at 4:18.

Rating: C. Another acceptable enough match here with Ali’s continued issues causing troubles for various people. The Great Hands aren’t exactly a top level team either but they’re good enough as lackeys. The match again didn’t have much time, and that’s not doing it many favors.

Post match Ali runs in to hammer on Miguel but Ace Austin runs in for the save.

During the break, the Great Hands jumped Austin, who is scheduled for a four way match.

Matt Cardona vs. Elijah vs. Ace Austin vs. Mance Warner

For a future International Title shot, Steph de Lander is here with Warner and Austin has a bad leg. Austin sends Cardona outside and takes Warner down but hurts his leg again trying a nip up. Back in and Cardona gets backdropped out to the floor and we take a break. We come back with Warner going after Austin’s leg and sending Cardona shoulder first into the post. Warner’s superplex to Austin is turned into a Tower Of Doom and Elijah knees Cardona out of the air.

Cardona grabs a chair but Warner takes it away and uses it for a springboard DDT. Elijah gives Warner the Highwayman’s Farewell onto the open chair but Cardona breaks it up. Austin is back in and can’t hit his springboard kick due to the leg, allowing Cardona to grab a rollup for two. The Fold attempt doesn’t work either and Cardona hits Radio Silence to pin Austin at 11:11.

Rating: B-. Austin’s leg was the story here and it went fairly well, as that is going to give him a reason to want some revenge on Mustafa Ali. Cardona is a good next challenger for the title, as he’s an established name and offers something fresh. The other two were just kind of there, but that’s often going to happen in a four way match.

Tessa Blanchard yells at Ariana Grace, who argues back. That earns Grace one heck of a slap.

It’s time for the First Class Penthouse with First Class bragging about their celebrity connections and mock the city. They bring out their guest O’Shea Jackson Jr., who didn’t like the Los Angeles insult. Jackson says AJ Francis looks like Uncle Phil so Francis threatens to treat him like Jazz. Cue Mike Santana to chase First Class off.

Indi Hartwell vs. Kelsey Heather

Heather doesn’t want anything to do with a handshake and grabs a headlock instead. As commentary runs down Hartwell’s career resume, she fights out and drives Heather into the corner, followed by a big boot. A spinning full nelson faceplant finishes for Hartwell at 2:29.

Post break Hartwell is talking about her win but Mustafa Ali’s Cabinet takes over the camera to talk about how unfair things have been to Ali. Hartwell isn’t happy but the Cabinet doesn’t care.

Rosemary vs. Xia Brookside

Rosemary bails to the floor to start and gives Brookside a mischievous look before snapping Brookside’s throat across the rope. Back in and Rosemary chokes on the rope, only to offer Brookside some brass knuckles. That doesn’t make Brookside go evil so Rosemary grabs a quickly broken crossface. Brookside fights up and hits the Broken Wings for two before she picks up the knuckles. A headbutt drops Rosemary again and she wants Brookside to use the knuckles. When that doesn’t work, Rosemary loads up the mist, only for Brookside to hit her in the throat. Brookside snaps a bit and the referee is shoved for the DQ at 5:30.

Rating: C+. Another storyline advancing match here as Brookside continues to show aggression, even if it comes after she is being pushed by Rosemary. In theory this is what Rosemary wants, but I really don’t need another “and now this person is evil” story. I’m sure we’ll get more of this, and I’m a bit curious about where it is going to go.

Post match the brawl stays on and Lei Ying Lee runs in to break it up, with Rosemary bailing.

We look at Trick Williams and Joe Hendry’s contract signing on NXT.

Ariana Grace asks Santino Marella to make a match with Tessa Blanchard at Under Siege. Robert Stone comes in to say it’s a great idea.

Here is Frankie Kazarian for a chat. He hates this town and complains about things going badly at Rebellion. Kazarian hates Joe Hendry and her fans, but there is one person who gets what he means. That would be his tag partner at Under Siege, Trick Williams. Cue Williams, who says they don’t like each other but they’re here to be respected. Williams mentions Hendry so here he is. Cue Elijah to help Hendry clear the ring. Cue Santino Marella to say let’s do the match tonight but Robert Stone runs out to say we’re not doing this here, as this story needed to be done multiple times in the same show.

We look at Sabu vs. Rob Van Dam from Hardcore Justice 2010.

Jeff Hardy vs. Nic Nemeth

Matt Hardy and Ryan Nemeth are here too. Jeff hits a quick dropkick to start but walks into the running DDT. That’s fine with Jeff, who sends him to the floor for a big dive. We take a break and come back with Jeff sending him into the corner and dropping a splash for two. A neckbreaker gets Nic out of trouble and he starts in on Jeff’s knee. The chinlock goes on for a bit, followed by the Shot to the Heart for two. The chinlock goes on again and we take a break.

Back with Jeff avoiding a charge into the post and hitting the basement dropkick. Jeff hits the Whisper In The Wind for two but misses a charge of his own. Nic hits the Fameasser for two but Jeff is back with the Twisting Stunner. The Swanton is blocked though and Nic hits a superkick for two. The Danger Zone is blocked as well and it’s a Twist Of Fate into the Swanton to give Jeff the pin at 10:59.

Rating: B-. This is the kind of match where you know it’s going to work just based on who is involved. That’s not a bad thing at all and they made it work well. Having Jeff beat one of the champions when he won’t be involved at Under Siege is kind of a strange choice though, as you would normally want the Nemeths to be presented in a stronger way.

Post match Ryan jumps the Hardys but Leon Slater (Matt’s partner at Under Siege) makes the save to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This was a nice push towards Under Siege, but my goodness the Stone vs. Marella stuff is killing the show. I have no idea why I’m supposed to like Marella in the first place when Stone is being proven right about everything he does. At the same time, I have no interest in seeing a battle of the bosses, especially from these two. The rest of the show was the usual building towards the pay per view, but dang that one big story is hurting things.

Results
Tessa Blanchard/Victoria Crawford b. Masha Slamovich/Nikkita Lyons via DQ when Slamovich used a chair
Great Hands b. Rascalz – Favor to Miguel
Matt Cardona b. Ace Austin, Elijah and Mance Warner – Radio Silence to Austin
Indi Hartwell b. Kelsey Heather – Spinning full nelson faceplant
Rosemary b. Xia Brookside via DQ when Brookside shoved the referee
Jeff Hardy b. Nic Nemeth – Swanton

 

 

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