Impact Wrestling
Date: November 11, 2021
Location: Sam’s Town Live, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Matt Striker, D’Lo Brown

We continue on the way towards Hard To Kill, though it is going to take some time to actually get there. There are a few things going on at the moment as well, which includes the build towards Turning Point. That could mean a few different ways to go on this show so let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Opening sequence.

Bullet Club vs. FinJuice

The winners get the Tag Team Title shot at Turning Point and Hikuleo is here with the Club. Bey headlocks Finlay to start and gets a grand total of nowhere. Instead Finlay takes him down and drops a knee to the chest. Robinson comes in for a slam and a backsplash crushes Bey again. Bey slips out of a delayed vertical suplex though and a distraction lets Robinson get dropped throat first across the barricade.

Back in and a legsweep takes Robinson down so El Phantasmo can hit a Lionsault. The top rope back rake wakes Robinson up a bit though and he starts firing off the snap jabs. The double tag brings in Finlay and Bey so the pace can pick up in a hurry. A running dropkick/Russian legsweep combination gets two on Bey and a modified Demolition Decapitator is good for the same. What looks like a Doomsday Device is broken up so Finlay dives onto the rest of the Club at ringside. Instead, Robinson rolls Bey up for two but Phantasmo hits a superkick to give Bey the pin and the title shot at 8:04.

Rating: C+. These guys work well together but it feels like a match we have seen far too often as of late. What we got was good with both teams doing their thing until the numbers game got the better of FinJuice. I’m not sure how well the Club vs. the Good Brothers is going to go, but at least it’s a fresh match, even if it involves the Good Brothers.

Post match the Good Brothers come out and the brawl is on, including Hikuleo clearing out Doc Gallows (who is shorter for a change).

Commentary previews Turning Point and tonight.

Scott D’Amore talks about Josh Alexander getting his rematch for the World Title but things are complicated. Cue Alexander, who says D’Amore won’t answer his calls. D’Amore knows Alexander is focused on Minoru Suzuki, so they can fight next week. When that is taken care of, then Alexander can go after the World Title.

We look back at Sam Beale pinning Brian Myers in a tag match on Before The Impact.

Brian Myers blames the Learning Tree for the loss. Zicky Dice keeps getting hit in the face off camera. Myers vs. Sam Beale is set for a singles match at some point.

Kaleb With A K vs. Minoru Suzuki

I sense pain. We see Josh Alexander watching in the back as Kaleb bails to the ropes to start. A variety of submissions send Kaleb to the ropes again but for some reason he tries slugging it out. This goes as expected and Suzuki hits the Gotch style piledriver to finish Kaleb at 1:37.

Moose isn’t worried about Eddie Edwards, Matt Cardona or W. Morrissey, who are in a #1 contenders match tonight.

Decay vs. Undead Bridesmaids

Decay clears the ring before the bell but here is the IInspiration to watch on the stage. We take a break and come back with the opening bell as Lee kicks Rosemary in the head for two. Rosemary pops up to beat on Lauren and Havok comes in to add a corner splash. Everything breaks down and Rosemary spears Lauren so Havok can get the pin at 2:10. Well that was fast.

Heath and Rhino are back together but it’s not done with Violent By Design. Rhino wants to get rid of Eric Young and they’re ready for Turning Point.

The IInspiration isn’t happy with the Undead Bridesmaids and will beat them up next week.

Chris Sabin doesn’t like Ace Austin’s “I Beat Chris Sabin” shirt and is ready to take him out at Turning Point.

Last week, Madison Rayne ranted about Mickie James so Scott D’Amore comes in to make Rayne vs. Mercedes Martinez for this week.

Madison Rayne vs. Mercedes Martinez

Martinez doesn’t like Madison running her mouth and hits an early delayed vertical suplex. Madison slips out of something though and hits a Codebreaker into a Backstabber for two. Some choking on the ropes and shoulders in the corner have Martinez in more trouble but she’s right back with a tiger driver. A short DDT connects but Madison is right back with an enziguri. There’s a Blockbuster to give Madison two more so she loads up the cutter, only to have Mercedes counter into a rollup for the pin at 5:28.

Rating: C-. I was a bit surprised at how much Madison got in here, as you would think this would be the place where Martinez should run through her to look like more of a threat to Mickie at Turning Point. Madison continues to be rather good in her latest comeback and I wouldn’t be shocked to see her in the title picture again at some point. That isn’t the case at the moment though, as Martinez vs. James should be great.

Post match Madison jumps her again and grabs a chair, only to have Mickie James make the save. With Madison gone, Mickie helps Martinez up and gets planed with an Air Raid Crash.

Steve Maclin is annoyed that he has lost twice in a row without getting pinned. Trey Miguel comes in and wants Maclin added to the X-Division Title match at Turning Point. Scott D’Amore comes in to say that Maclin can get in the title match if he beats Laredo Kid next week.

Sam Beale is ready to face Brian Myers next week because it’s time to show what he learned. Rich Swann and Willie Mack have his back but he has to do this alone next week.

Last week, Rohit Raju yelled at Rocky Romero.

Rohit Raju vs. Rocky Romero

Raj Singh is with Raju. They trade takedowns to start as Striker talks about how he used to be the opening match on a lot of cards back in the day. Yeah you’re still Matt Striker. Raju tries a leapfrog but gets poked in the eyes as Romero starts getting smart. Romero sends her outside and hits a running dive off the steps as we take a break.

Back with Raju chopping in the corner and Singh getting in some choking on the rope. Raju doesn’t get very far by cranking on the arm so Romero is right back with a running clothesline. The middle rope double stomp to the back gets two on Raju and a tornado DDT is good for the same. Raju takes him down and goes up top, only to miss a top rope knee. Romero’s running hurricanrana gets two and he takes Singh out for a bonus. There’s a running Sliced Bread for two more but Raju is back with the jumping knee. The running knee finishes Romero at 11:30.

Rating: C+. As usual, your mileage on both guys may vary, but they had a nice match here. The Singh stuff was annoying as Raju can’t get away from fairly lame tag partners for whatever reason. He’s good enough to do this on his own and I have no idea why Impact keeps having him do this stuff over and over. At least he can still do well enough in the ring though and that was the case here.

Hernandez has gotten Johnny Swinger a match with the two of them against Decay and the Demon. Swinger isn’t happy, so here is John E. Bravo to offer Fallah Bahh to even things up. That’s still not enough for Swinger, but the match is on anyway.

Chelsea Green wants the Digital Media Title and now she is in a #1 contenders match.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

W. Morrissey vs. Matt Cardona vs. Eddie Edwards

The winner gets a title shot against Moose at Turning Point. Cardona gets knocked down in the corner to start so Morrissey shoves Edwards over the top by the throat. That leaves Cardona to get beaten up but Edwards dives back in…and right into a choke from Morrissey. There’s the double chokeslam and we take a break with Morrissey dominating.

We take a break and come back with Morrissey splashing Cardona in the corner and hammering away as Edwards is down on the floor. The neck crank goes on, followed by the fall away slam to send Cardona flying. Edwards is back in with a knee to Morrissey, who sends him flying with another fall away slam. Edwards slips out of a suplex and gets his head kicked off for messing with Morrissey’s plans.

Cardona is back in to knock both of them down and it’s finally time to double team Morrissey. That goes well for all of ten seconds before he runs both of them over in a hurry. Edwards goes up top and Morrissey follows him, setting up the Tower of Doom. There’s a double suplex to put Morrissey down and he falls out to the floor. Cardona and Edwards slug it out but stop to deal with Morrissey again. The Boston Knee Party off the apron drops Morrissey again and a running knee to the back of Cardona’s head gives Edwards the pin and the title shot at 16:25.

Rating: C+. Another case where they stuck with the formula here and getting some positive results. Edwards vs. Moose is the right call for the title match as it’s hard to imagine Cardona getting the spot and Morrissey sounds like a big Impact main event. They told a nice story with having to deal with Morrissey and Edwards beating Cardona without much trouble, so this went as it should have.

Moose is watching from behind the stage to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. I liked this show as it did a nice job of setting up both next week as well as Turning Point. That’s the kind of show that you need from time to time and they made it work here. As usual, Impact knows how to set things up and then pay it off almost every week. Add in the fact that we had some good matches on top of it and I had a rather nice two hours.

Results
Bullet Club b. FinJuice – Superkick to Robinson
Minoru Suzuki b. Kaleb With A K – Gotch style piledriver
Decay b. Undead Bridesmaids – Spear to Lauren
Mercedes Martinez b. Madison Rayne – Rollup
Rohit Raju b. Rocky Romero – Running knee
Eddie Edwards b. Matt Cardona and W. Morrissey – Running knee to the back of Cardona’s head

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Impact Wrestling
Date: November 4, 2021
Location: Sam’s Town Live, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Matt Striker, D’Lo Brown

Things are staying interesting after Bound For Glory as Moose is the World Champion and needs some friends to go after his challengers. This time around, that means a guest star in the form of Minoru Suzuki, who will be in for a six man tag. I think that’s enough to hype up the show so let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Opening sequence.

Steve Maclin vs. Rohit Raju vs. Laredo Kid vs. Black Taurus

For a future X-Division Title shot and Raj Singh and Crazzy Steve are here too. Maclin and Taurus clear the ring to start and take turns running the ropes until Taurus scores with a clothesline to the floor. The two of them wind up on the floor and Laredo hits a moonsault onto everyone else. Back in and Raju hammers Kid into the corner, setting up a sitout gordbuster for two. Taurus comes back in so Kid hurricanranas out back to the floor, setting up a dive for two. Raju rolls up Kid for two but gets kicked into Taurus, allowing Kid to hit a Michinoku Driver for the pin and the title shot at 5:21.

Rating: C+. Kid is the right choice to get the title shot as a match with Trey Miguel could be excellent. I’m also glad that Maclin didn’t take the fall, as he has still been protected and now they are moving him up the ladder, at least a little bit. Hopefully they figure something out for everyone, as this is becoming a bit more interesting.

Post match X-Division Champion Trey Miguel comes out for the staredown but Maclin jumps him. Kid and Miguel clear Maclin out.

Here’s what’s coming tonight.

Madison Rayne is ready for Mickie James tonight, but she doesn’t know anything about hosting Locker Room Talk on the same show.

Ace Austin shows off an I Beat Chris Sabin shirt and thinks Madman Fulton can do the same.

Here is Violent By Design for a chat. Eric Young talks about how Rhino had a decision to make and made the wrong choice. If you’re Violent By Design, you’re Violent By Design forever. Young has been out of the ring for six months and now it is time to get his hands dirty again. Tonight, the first brick will be laid in the monument to violence.

Eric Young vs. Jay Vidal

The fans know Vidal and Young gives him a chance to introduce himself. Vidal is excited, which Young says is a sign of the sickness. The beating is on in a hurry, including a running clothesline into a powerbomb. The piledriver finishes Vidal at 1:07.

We go to the IInspiration’s locker room (which looks like a hotel) for Locker Room Talk, where the lights go out and Decay haunts them. TURNING POINT is written on a mirror.

Ad for Turning Point.

The IInspiration says they don’t want to do Ghostbusters so Gia Miller tells them to stay away from the Undead Brides. Don’t worry though, because the IInspiration has a plan for them.

Good Brothers vs. FinJuice

Non-title. Finlay grabs Anderson’s arm to start for some early twisting, plus Robinson to come in with an ax handle. Anderson manages to send Robinson outside though and Gallows adds a big boot to send us to a break. Back with Robinson getting crushed in the corner to set up the chinlock. Robinson avoids a chinlock though and it’s back to Finlay to pick the pace way up. A Rock Bottom onto the knee gets two on Anderson but the Doomsday Device is broken up. Everyone collides for a four way knockdown….and here’s the Bullet Club to attack Robinson for the DQ at 10:06.

Rating: C. FinJuice continues to look good in the ring and they feel like an established, regular team over here. I was worried that they were just more guest stars from New Japan but it is nice to have had them sticking around for the time being. Now just get the Good Brothers off of this show for the better part of ever and we’ll be getting somewhere.

Post match the beatdown is on, including a bunch of low blows and title shots.

Johnny Swinger is trying to sell his decorations to raise money for his own casino. Hernandez isn’t interested.

FinJuice is sick of the Bullet Club so Scott D’Amore gives them a match against said Club next week. We’ll make that a #1 contenders match too.

Knockouts Title: Madison Rayne vs. Mickie James

Rayne is challenging and has Kaleb With A K with her. They grapple around the ropes to start before fighting over wrist control. With that not working, Mickie catches a kick to the ribs but gets in a tug of war with Kaleb With A K over Madison. Mickie gets the better of things and goes up, only to get slammed back down for two.

After the rhythmic breathing is covered, Madison starts raking the eyes on the ropes. A hard whip into the corner has Mickie in trouble but she makes the clothesline comeback. There’s a neckbreaker to drop Madison but another Kaleb With A K distraction lets Rayne grab a cutter for two. Mickie is sent outside, where Kaleb With A K slaps the post by mistake. Back in and the top rope Thesz press retains the title at 7:42.

Rating: C. I know Rayne might not feel like a legend at times, but this was actually quite the high profile match for the division. Both of these two should be in the Impact Hall of Fame, as they have held the Knockouts Title more than almost anyone else. Rayne is a veteran who can still have a fine match and James can do well with anyone. Nice job here and a bigger feel than I would have expected.

Post match here is Mercedes Martinez to continue the trend of M named women. She congratulates Mickie on everything she has done, but now she wants her title shot (which she earned by winning the Knockouts Knockdown tournament). The title match is on at Turning Point.

The IInspiration comes up to the Undead Brides and asks them to face Decay on their behalf next week. A discussion on the belief in ghosts ensues.

Josh Alexander, Matt Cardona and Eddie Edwards are ready for the main event.

Chris Sabin vs. Madman Fulton

Ace Austin is in Fulton’s corner. Sabin tries to start fast but his middle rope crossbody is pulled out of the air. With that not working, Sabin goes for the hair, twisting it around like a wristlock. You don’t do that to Fulton, who takes him outside for a Rock Bottom onto the apron. We take a break and come back with Fulton hitting a middle rope crossbody of all things. Sabin manages to low bridge him to the floor for a breather though, setting up a dive. Back in and Fulton is too big for the Cradle Shock but Sabin flips out of a spinning Rock Bottom. A small package gives Sabin the pin at 8:16.

Rating: C. Sabin continues to make almost everyone else look better as his Impact renaissance rolls on. I could go for the next Sabin vs. Austin showdown and they are doing a nice job of setting everything up. Fulton is still a heck of a monster, though they might hold off on having him eat so many pins.

Post match Sabin has to duck Austin’s interference and runs off to fight another day.

Turning Point rundown.

Moose/W. Morrissey/Minoru Suzuki vs. Matt Cardona/Eddie Edwards/Josh Alexander

Alexander and Moose start but it’s off to Suzuki instead for the big showdown. Alexander gives us a token headlock before they slug it out, meaning it’s quickly off to Morrissey. The ankle lock doesn’t last long so Eddie comes in to send the villains outside. A hard dive sends Moose into the barricade and we take a break.

Back with Morrissey kneeing Cardona from the apron, allowing Suzuki armbarring him over the ropes. Suzuki comes in for a Crossface before handing it back to Morrissey. The monsters take turns beating on Cardona, who enziguris his way to freedom. The referee misses the tag to Eddie though and Morrissey gets to beat on Cardona even more.

That lasts all of a few seconds before the real tag brings in Alexander to wreck things. Everything breaks down and Eddie Blue Thunder Bombs Morrissey, leaving Alexander and Suzuki to slug it out again. Suzuki hits the Gotch Style piledriver for no cover, as Eddie kicks him in the face. In the melee, Morrissey hits a powerbomb to finish Eddie at 14:26.

Rating: C+. They managed to make a Matt Cardona match feel important so well done. The evil trio looked good here, even if they are likely a short term team. Edwards is a made man and Alexander is fresh off the run of his career so they both should be fine going forward. Alexander vs. Suzuki alone should be enough to get us somewhere so well done again.

Overall Rating: C+. When the heck did Impact get so competent? This was a well put together show with stories being advanced and characters I care about. I know a lot of people are never going to give them a chance and after so many years of disappointment, I can’t fault them whatsoever. For now though, Impact is one of the more consistently good shows today and I’m starting to look forward to watching it week to week. Nice job, and not something I would have ever bet on being the case.

Results
Laredo Kid b. Black Taurus, Steve Maclin and Rohit Raju – Michinoku Driver to Raju
Eric Young b. Jay Vidal – Piledriver
FinJuice b. Good Brothers via DQ when Bullet Club interfered
Mickie James b. Madison Rayne – Top rope Thesz press
Chris Sabin b. Madman Fulton – Small package
W. Morrissey/Moose/Minoru Suzuki b. Josh Alexander/Eddie Edwards/Matt Cardona – Powerbomb to Edwards

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Impact Wrestling
Date: October 28, 2021
Location: Skyway Studios, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Matt Striker, D’Lo Brown

We’re at the beginning of a new era in Impact Wrestling as this is the first show after Bound For Glory. We do have a new World Champion, but it is not Josh Alexander, who was challenging Christian Cage at the pay per view. Alexander did win, but Moose cashed in his Call Your Shot title match to leave as champion. That’s your big story and now we get to see everything else too. Let’s get to it.

Here is Bound For Glory If You Need A Recap.

We open with a long recap of Bound For Glory, as you kind of have to do.

Opening sequence.

Here is Moose to get things going but cue Eddie Edwards with a kendo stick. The brawl is on with Moose tossing him outside but getting caught with some kendo stick shots. Security breaks it up and gets Eddie to the back, meaning it’s time for Moose’s title win. Moose talks about everything he had to do to get here and brags about finally getting his hands on the title. He took the title from Josh Alexander in front of Alexander’s wife and child, but Moose has no sympathy.

Now he is the greatest champion and it doesn’t matter if you are elite, the chief of a tribe, the Boss, the Man, a king, the queen or what day you own a title. You can add a NEW DAY to the week and he is still the greatest champion in wrestling. He has done some horrible things to get here, but imagine what he will do to keep it.

Cue Alexander to take Moose down and hammer away but Moose gets away. Now it’s Minoru Suzuki for the showdown with Alexander and I think we have Alexander’s rebound match. Alexander turns to stare at Moose but Suzuki turns him around to start the brawl. Referees and security break it up in a hurry and I could go for more of this. Moose’s promo was rather braggadocios but it felt like something that suited him rather than just crazy rambling.

Here’s what’s coming tonight.

We get part of the IInspiration music video.

Moose is ready to deal with the locker room that he has angered over the years and yes, he can handle it. Cue Matt Cardona to say he got this close at Bound For Glory and he’s coming for the title. Security has to break them up too.

X-Division Title: Rocky Romero vs. Trey Miguel

Miguel is defending. They fight over wrist control to start with Romero getting the better of things until Miguel gets in an armdrag. A dropkick puts Romero in the ropes and Miguel grabs something like an Octopus with Romero still down. Miguel sends him outside for the middle rope moonsault as we take a break.

Back with Romero elbowing him in the face and working on the arm that he banged up during the break. A dropkick puts Miguel on the floor and Romero hits a running shot to rock him again. Back in and a hurricanrana into a cross armbreaker has Miguel in trouble so he stacks it up for the escape.

Romero doesn’t let go though and powerbombs the heck out of Miguel. They slug it out from their knees until Miguel kicks him in the face. The top rope Meteora connects but Romero rolls through into a half crab. That’s broken up as well and Miguel hits him in the face but has to counter the Forever Clotheslines. Miguel cuts him off again and this time the top rope Meteora retains the title at 11:40.

Rating: B-. This was the good version of Romero with the counters and the good strikes and it was a solid match as a result. Sometimes Romero can be all over the place so it’s nice to see the better side coming out. Miguel gets a win over a name challenge in his first defense as well, meaning we can move on and find the first big challenger.

Post match, Steve Maclin runs in and takes Miguel out.

Jordynne Grace thinks she is perfect as the first Digital Media Champion. Tasha Steelz and Savannah Evans come up to mock Grace and Rachael Ellering. That doesn’t bother Ellering, who is ready to fight Steelz, as scheduled, tonight.

Steve Maclin says no one has beaten him and he wants the X-Division Title. Scott D’Amore comes in to say he can get the title shot if he earns it next week. With that done, Eddie Edwards and Matt Cardona come up to argue over the title shot. D’Amore makes a six man tag with the two of them and Josh Alexander vs. Moose and anyone he can find. Hold on though as now D’Amore has to go and stop Alexander from attacking a referee. D’Amore explains the six man tag and tells Alexander that he can be the face of the company. He is a machine, but don’t run on emotions. Do it for his family.

Tasha Steelz vs. Rachael Ellering

Savannah Evans and Jordynne Grace are here too. Ellering chops away in the corner and scores with a running backsplash, setting up an STO. Steelz snaps her throat across the top though and the forearms ensue. A tornado DDT plants Ellering for two and we hit the chinlock. Steelz sends her outside and then back in for the stomping but this time Ellering grabs a fisherman’s buster for a sudden two. A rather messy backslide finishes Steelz at 5:09.

Rating: D. This was a pretty lame miss as they didn’t seem to have much to do and then the ending was even worse. Steelz isn’t the greatest in the ring and while Ellering is good, she needs something better to work with here. It could have been worse, but this wasn’t the best.

W. Morrissey says Moose betrayed him and he still wants the World Title. Moose comes in to say he screwed Morrissey before Morrissey could screw him, which is what he promised. He offers Morrissey the first shot for help in next week’s six man but Morrissey doesn’t answer.

The IInspiration is happy to be here and say they want to give back and inspire the division. When asked what that means, they talk about how great they are and end the interview. Yeah they’re still just the IIconics.

Joe Doering vs. Heath

The rest of Violent By Design and Rhino are here too. Heath dodges around to start but Doering runs him over with a crossbody for two. Some right hands put Heath down again but he’s back up with some forearms. There’s a running ax kick to drop Doering again as the comeback is on. Deaner trips Heath though and it’s a big brawl for the no contest at 3:14.

Rating: D+. Another match that didn’t have time to go anywhere as we continue on the road to what is likely a big tag team showdown. I’m not sure how long this feud can keep going, but it has breathed new life into Rhino, which is quite the trick at this point in his career. At least they didn’t have Heath lose here, so it could have been a lot worse.

Post match the brawl is on until Eric Young distracts Rhino so Violent By Design (including the now healthy Young) destroys Heath and Rhino.

The Good Brothers brag about their win at Bound For Glory but FinJuice comes in to say they did the work in the match. The challenge is on but the Brothers tell them to earn it.

The (certainly not KISS) Demon is here but Johnny Swinger complains about how 1993 has been the worst year of his career. Swinger shouts a lot but the rest of Decay comes in to scare him off (as he thinks it’s the Dungeon Of Doom, which was awesome).

Here is Mickie James for a chat. When she came back, she didn’t have the Knockouts Title on her mind but she wasn’t about to turn down that kind of opportunity. She thanks Deonna Purrazzo for an amazing match at Bound For Glory but there are a lot of talented women back there who want a shot of their own. Cue Madison Rayne, with Kaleb With A K, who is glad that Mickie is back. Madison doesn’t know why she isn’t listed among the all time greats, because she has been here forever. Mickie points out the times Madison has left but Madison is right back with the challenge for the title match next week. Game on.

Moose and W. Morrissey recruit Minoru Suzuki to be their partner. The chance to get his hands on Josh Alexander is enough to get him to say yes.

Ace Austin vs. Chris Sabin

Madman Fulton is here with Austin. They go with the exchange of arm cranking to start until Sabin gets two off la majistral. Back up and Austin misses a spinning kick to the face, allowing Sabin to take him down by the leg. The Iron Maiden works on the leg some more but Austin gets out and kicks him down. Austin eventually hits a suplex for two and it’s time for the playing card cut on the finger. A legdrop is good for the same and we take a break with Sabin in trouble.

Back with Austin catapulting him throat first into the bottom rope but missing a middle rope legdrop. That’s enough for Sabin to start the comeback with the running forearms and a fisherman’s buster for two of his own. It’s too early for the Cradle Shock though and Austin kicks him in the back.

An exchange of kicks to the head puts both of them down, with the fans chanting THIS IS IMPACT. It’s Austin back up first with a springboard kick to the face but the Fold is blocked. Sabin’s big tornado DDT gets two and the fans are way into this again. Back up and Sabin backdrops Austin over the top and onto Fulton but Fulton is back up with a distraction. Now the Fold can finish Sabin at 14:48.

Rating: B. I was getting quite into this one by the end and that shouldn’t be much of a surprise. These guys are able to do all kinds of things in the ring and they had a good back and forth match here. Fulton interfering gives Austin the win and saves some of Sabin’s face so this was about as good as it could have gone. Solid match and it was nice to see a main event where the other stars got a chance to shine.

Overall Rating: C+. This didn’t exactly feel like the fallout show from the biggest night of the year but it did feel like a pretty nice regular television show. I’ll certainly take what I can get in that regard and the action was more good than bad. I liked the show and I’m curious to see where some of these stories go, so they are off to a good start after Bound For Glory.

Results
Trey Miguel b. Rocky Romero – Top rope Meteora
Rachael Ellering b. Tasha Steelz – Backslide
Heath vs. Joe Doering went to a no contest
Ace Austin b. Chris Sabin – The Fold

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Bound For Glory 2021
Date: October 23, 2021
Location: Sam’s Town Live, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Matt Striker, D’Lo Brown

It’s the biggest night of the year for Impact Wrestling and we have a pretty stacked card. The main event is the battle of Canada as Impact Wrestling World Champion Christian Cage is defending against Josh Alexander. The second biggest match on the card is probably Deonna Purrazzo defending the Knockouts Title against Mickie James in a grudge match. Let’s get to it.

Pre-Show: Digital Media Title: Jordynne Grace vs. Madison Rayne vs. John Skyler vs. Chelsea Green vs. Crazzy Steve vs. Fallah Bahh

One fall to a finish for the inaugural title, which will be defended on online shows, kind of like a modern TV Title (that’s a good thing). Rayne is replacing Tenille Dashwood for reasons that are not clear. Before the bell, we get a countdown clock, showing about 7:40 to go before Bound For Glory, just in case you thought this match might get some substantial time.

Skyler poses in the middle of the ring to start and is promptly beaten down by everyone else. Bahh clears the ring save for Grace, who actually drops him with a running shoulder. A running Vader Bomb gives Grace two but Skyler runs her over. Green knocks Skyler off the top (to a strong reaction), followed by Rayne tornado DDTing Steve. A double stomp crushes Rayne to give Green two but Grace loads her up in a MuscleBuster.

While still holding Green on her shoulder, Grace clotheslines Rayne and then plants Green for two. Grace piles up a bunch of people in the corner, but Bahh throws her in as well for the big running splash. Skyler catches Steve with a super Regal Roll with Green making the save this time. That’s enough for Grace, who picks Skyler up for the Grace Driver for the pin and the title at 5:02.

Rating: D+. This was kind of a mess and they didn’t get much time, which is always a problem in a match like this one. You can only get so far with so many people in the match at the same time, but at least they went with an interesting winner. That being said, the whole point of this was to have people in the ring to warm up the crowd and that went well enough, though it wasn’t exactly quality.

We open with part of a video from a recent Impact, featuring Josh Alexander sitting in the empty stands and talking about what the X-Division Title means to him. He handed the title to his sons and now he can’t wait to do the same thing with the World Title.

Knockouts Tag Team Titles: IInspiration vs. Decay

The debuting IInspiration is defending and Harley Cameron sings them to the ring. We get all of the signature IIconics poses and it’s time for an official introduction. They say they are here to inspire up and strike the hands on hips pose…..so yeah they’re still the same team, minus some of the annoying voices. Rosemary (in orange) scares McKay into the corner to start so Rosemary sideslams Lee for two instead. Havok comes in to scream and hammer away, setting up the Upside Down from Rosemary. That’s enough for Lee to grab a suplex and McKay grabs a quickly broken chinlock.

They take each other down by the hair and it’s back to Havok to crush the IInspiration in the corner. Lee manages to send Havok outside though and it’s McKay coming back in to take over. The bulldog onto McKay’s knee gets two but Rosemary is back with a Scorpion Death Drop. Havok misses a legdrop though and gets sent into the post. That just makes her scream, so she gets sent in again, followed by another posting. Rosemary makes the save but gets sent into McKay’s knee. A sitout powerbomb/neckbreaker combination is enough to give McKay the pin and the titles at 8:58.

Rating: C. The action wasn’t great, but the IInspiration feels SO much bigger than any team that has held the titles since their return (save for maybe Fire N Flava). It isn’t like Rosemary and Havok were some legendary team (with their 98 day reign ending here) so this is the right call. It isn’t a case of Impact bringing in WWE rejects and putting them over, because this is a nice upgrade for the titles.

Here’s what’s coming tonight.

Deonna Purrazzo is ready to beat Mickie James, even with Matthew Rehwoldt barred from ringside.

We recap the X-Division Title match for the vacant title. Josh Alexander vacated the title so we have had a series of triple threat matches. Tonight, it’s another triple threat for the title, because modern wrestling law dictates a minimum of triple threat matches.

X-Division Title: Trey Miguel vs. Steve Maclin vs. El Phantasmo

For the vacant title. They all start going in a hurry with Phantasmo dropkicking Maclin to the floor. Miguel adds a kick to the face but Phantasmo breaks up a slingshot dive. Back in and Maclin gets punched into the corner, leaving Miguel to take Phantasmo down into a leglock. Maclin makes a save and Miguel is sent outside, leaving Phantasmo to walk along the top rope into a hurricanrana to drop Maclin again.

Phantasmo rakes both of their backs but Miguel is back in. The comeback lets Maclin knock both of them down again before putting Miguel and Phantasmo in the Tree of Woe. A running shoulder to the ribs hits Phantasmo but Miguel slips away. That’s fine with Maclin, who hits a spear to send a handspringing Miguel through the ropes and out to the floor in a nasty crash, much to the fans’ amazement.

Maclin isn’t done yet and hits big running dives onto both of them for more crashes. It’s Phantasmo up first though with a kick to Maclin’s head to knock him outside, setting up a Lionsault. Miguel takes Phantasmo down though and sends Maclin back inside. That’s about it for Maclin though as he catches a charging Miguel in something close to an AA, with Phantasmo making the save.

Phantasmo isn’t done and sunset bombs Maclin off the top. A super hurricanrana sends Miguel crashing onto Maclin, setting up a top rope splash for two. The fired up Maclin blocks Miguel’s top rope Meteora, only to get kicked in the head for his efforts. That leaves Phantasmo to punch Miguel low….and he hurts his own hand because Miguel is wearing a cup in a smart move. A brainbuster sets up the top rope Meteora for the pin and the title at 13:21.

Rating: B-. It was your run of the mill X-Division three way match, with everyone moving around and multiple cases of two people in the ring with one on the floor. What we got was entertaining though with the right result. Miguel has lost so many times now that there is almost no way he could lose again, so it makes a lot of sense to give him the big win he has been needing for a long time now. Throw in Maclin not taking a fall and this went rather well.

Mickie James knows that Deonna Purrazzo is her toughest challenge to date, but Purrazzo has made this personal. Mickie has been through a lot in recent years and tonight it is about proving that she is still worthy of being a champion.

We recap Heath vs. Violent By Design over Rhino. Violent By Design got Rhino to join the team, perhaps by brainwashing, but then blamed him for losing the Tag Team Titles. Rhino tried to leave but Eric Young wouldn’t let him. Then Heath returned and tried to get Rhino back to the good side, which is what he is gambling on tonight.

Heath vs. Violent By Design

Heath is on his own to start but hopes that Rhino will join him. Joe Doering and Deaner are representing the team here, with Eric Young in their corner. There is no Rhino to start so Heath gets double teamed, which he said he would accept if Rhino didn’t show up. The bell rings and Heath hammers away in the corner but a Doering distraction lets Deaner get in a cheap shot.

The beatdown is on in the corner as the villains start taking turns. Doering grabs the neck crank, setting up a running crossbody for two on Heath. Deaner comes back in so Heath fights back until a double clothesline puts them both down. That brings out Rhino, who takes the tag from Heath so house can be cleaned. The Gore finishes Deaner at 4:57.

Rating: C-. This was little more than an angle instead of a full on match and that’s ok. The whole point here was about having Rhino return to the side of good to save his friend. Somehow Impact managed to make me care about a story involving Rhino, Heath and Eric Young, so they must be doing something right. There was no need to have a long match here as they got to the important part and did it rather well.

We see part of Awesome Kong’s Hall of Fame induction. It’s still weird to hear her speaking as a normal person after so many years of seeing her as a monster.

We recap Jordynne Grace winning the Digital Media Title on the pre-show.

Jordynne Grace is very happy and Rachael Ellering is so happy for her. Ellering is going to win the Call Your Shot gauntlet match, but Moose and W. Morrissey come in to say not so fast.

Video on the Call Your Shot gauntlet match, which is basically a gauntlet match for a Money in the Bank contract.

Call Your Shot Gauntlet Match

There are 20 entrants, with two minute intervals in a battle royal format until the final two have a singles match, with the winner getting a shot at any title any time they choose. Chris Sabin is in at #1 (due to being the last person eliminated from a battle royal) and Rocky Romero (a surprise) is in at #2. They go technical to start with neither being able to get any kind of an advantage. An exchange of armdrags gives us a standoff as Madman Fulton is in at #3, giving Sabin and Romero a joint target.

The clock speeds WAY up and it’s Rohit Raju in at #4 to go after the non-monsters. The mini tag match breaks out until Tasha Steelz is in at #5 as a bit of a wild card. Steelz joins in with the villains to get rid of Romero and it’s Rachael Ellering in at #6 to go after Steelz in a hurry. A bunch of people get rid of Fulton and it’s Savannah Evans in at #7. Sabin and Raju pair off as Ellering goes after Evans and Steelz. Johnny Swinger is in at #8 as Ellering and Evans eliminate each other. That leaves Swinger to hit on Steelz, who takes him down and hammers away instead.

Melina is in at #9 (another surprise) so Swinger shows her the guns. It actually works for a change, as Swinger is ready for her drop down into the splits and sends her face first into the mat. The Demon (as in WCW’s KISS Demon) in is at #10 so Swinger gets a quick autograph, followed by a quick elimination. Brian Myers is in at #11 as these intervals are all over the place. Matt Cardons is in at #12 and goes right at Myers due to the laws of the wrestling world.

More brawling against the ropes ensues and it’s Laredo Kid in at #13. A handspring DDT hits Raju as Myers dumps Melina and Steelz to clear the ring a bit. The ring is filled up a bit more though as Sam Beale is in at #14 and goes after Cardona (on Myers’ orders of course). Rich Swann is in at #15 and strikes away at Myers and Beale. Myers gets in a shot of his own but Beale tosses him out to a pretty big reaction. Ace Austin is in at #16 and kicks the Demon in the face, setting up the elimination, because the Demon was still in the match for some reason.

Moose is in at #17 and powerbombs Beale out in a huge crash. Eddie Edwards is in at #18 and there goes Kid. Moose gets kicked outside without an elimination, where he pulls Eddie out, also without an elimination. Alisha Edwards is in at #19 and it’s a family kendo stick beatdown on Moose. W. Morrissey is in at #20 (meaning we had 18 entrants in less than 20 minutes), giving us Sabin, Raju, Cardona, Swann, Austin, Moose, Eddie Edwards, Alisha Edwards and Morrissey as the final grouping.

Morrissey tosses out Alisha and then kicks Eddie out, meaning it’s time for the alliance with Moose. Raju wants to join them but joins the Edwards on the floor instead. Sabin dumps Ace Austin so here is Madman Fulton to attack Sabin, allowing Moose and Morrissey to get rid of him too. We’re down to Moose, Morrissey, Cardona and Swann so everyone takes a corner. Morrissey goes to get rid of Swann but Moose dumps both of them, leaving us with Cardona vs. Moose in a regular singles match. Cardona swings away and hits the Future Endeavored, only to miss Radio Silence. Moose spears him down for the pin at 29:38.

Rating: C-. They were flying through this one and your mileage may vary on that part. The bigger issue here was how fast people were coming in, as there wasn’t time to do much in between. It does help that there were multiple possible winners and they didn’t waste time once it was down to one on one. This could have been shortened a good bit though and the longer time is what holds it back a lot.

Heath says Rhino was running a little late tonight but Heath knew he would be there. Rhino thanks Heath for never giving up and wants Heath to tell his kids that Uncle Rhino is back. Heath: “Hey kids Uncle Rhino is back!”. Well he did what Rhino asked.

The Good Brothers aren’t happy with having to defend against two teams.

Tag Team Titles: Good Brothers vs. Bullet Club vs. FinJuice

The Brothers are defending after the other teams went to a double pin. For some clarity, this is Doc Gallows/Karl Anderson vs. Chris Bey/Hikuleo vs. David Finlay/Juice Robinson. Bey and Finlay fight over arm control to start and trade armdrags to keep up the pace. That means an early standoff until Bey flips into a dropkick to cut him off. Robinson comes in to start in on Bey’s arm and the Swanton off of the shoulders crushes Bey again.

It’s off to Gallows vs. Hikuleo for the big power showdown though and the slugout is on in a hurry. They collide with neither getting the better of things so Gallows powers him into the corner. Bey comes in and gets dragged into the Brothers’ corner, but some rapid fire tags leave us with Hikuleo sending Finlay into the vacant corner. A delayed vertical suplex gets two on Finlay and we hit the chinlock.

That’s broken up and Hikuleo misses a running boot in the corner. Robinson comes in and starts cleaning house, including the big shot to Bey’s head for two. Everything breaks down and it’s a six way knockdown for a breather. Robinson is up first with the Cannonball to Bey and the PowerPlex connects, only to have Anderson steal the retaining pin at 9:55.

Rating: C-. I believe the term you’re looking for here is erg, as not only do the Good Brothers retain the titles but they did so in the most cliched triple threat ending possible. The action was good enough, but the match was kind of slow and it was nothing we haven’t seen before. The ending made me roll my eyes hard though and that’s not how you should feel about a major match.

Minoru Suzuki is still coming.

Christian Cage knows Josh Alexander has sacrificed a lot to get here, but Cage has too. He gave up everything to come here, then worked hard to come back after a seven year retirement. Tonight, he isn’t giving up the title without a fight.

We recap Mickie James vs. Deonna Purrazzo for the Knockouts Title. James is back and wants to prove she still has it, so she is going after Purrazzo’s championship. This has turned into a personal issue so it is time for the showdown for the title and revenge/respect.

Knockouts Title: Mickie James vs. Deonna Purrazzo

Mickie is challenging and is in full on cowgirl gear here, while Purrazzo appears to be some kind of royalty. Purrazzo gets knocked outside before the bell and Mickie hits the Thesz press off the apron to hammer away. They fight up the ramp as Striker lists off various legends in women’s wrestling history. Purrazzo takes it back to the floor and kicks Mickie in the face to put her down at ringside.

Back inside and we get the opening bell with Mickie getting stomped down in the corner to keep her in trouble. A lot of stomping puts Mickie on the floor but she scores with an elbow to the face back inside. Something like a powerbomb gets Purrazzo out of trouble though and Mickie is right back down. They trade crossbodies and it’s a double knockdown as a few fans think this is awesome.

Mickie gets the better of a slugout and hits something like a Regal Cutter. The top rope Thesz press gives Mickie two, followed by the MickieDT for the same, with Purrazzo getting in the ropes for the save. Purrazzo sends her into the corner and grabs the Fujiwara armbar, sending Mickie into the ropes this time.

The Queen’s Gambit gives Purrazzo two and she isn’t happy with the kickout. Purrazzo goes outside for a chair, allowing Mickie to go back up. The top rope Thesz press hits the referee by mistake, so Mickie gets in a chair shot of her own for two. Purrazzo catches Mickie on top with the Fujiwara armbar but Mickie slips out again. This time it’s the tornado DDT to plant Purrazzo for the pin and the title at 13:18.

Rating: B. This was about the big moment in the end but it helps that they also had a heck of a match. Mickie can still go in the ring and works well with anyone, which works even better if she is in the ring with someone as good as Purrazzo. I’m not sure how long James will hold the title, but it was cool to see her win here, as she certainly still has it.

Hard To Kill is in Dallas on January 8.

We recap Josh Alexander vs. Christian Cage for the Impact Wrestling World Title. Cage won the title from Kenny Omega in AEW to get back to the top of the mountain after a seven year retirement. At the same time, Alexander was the unstoppable X-Division Champion who cashed in his title to get a shot at the World Title here, via Option C. Alexander wants to prove himself against someone he watched for years, while Christian wants to prove that he is still at the top of the mountain.

Impact Wrestling World Title: Christian Cage vs. Josh Alexander

Alexander is challenging. Feeling out process to start and they lock up to shove each other around. Christian takes him to the mat and grabs a headlock as Striker talks about drums. Alexander catches him up top and gets in a big shove to the floor as things get a bit more physical. Back in and Christian has to backdrop his way out of a double underhook and they’re right back on the floor.

Alexander gets sent into the barricade and it’s right back inside where Christian grinds him down again. This time Alexander comes up with a wristlock, only to get sent into the corner for two. Christian strikes away in the corner but Alexander flips it around and hits him in the face. A release German suplex into the corner rocks Christian hard (that looked painful) and a running big boot puts him down again.

Christian punches his way out of a powerbomb attempt but Alexander drops him down for two more. It’s too early for the ankle lock though as Christian kicks the leg out and puts on a choke. Alexander backflips his way to freedom and the middle rope knee to the back of the head gets two. Christian is back up with a tornado DDT (Striker: “Geez.”) but Alexander pulls him down into a Crossface.

We keep up the Canadian violence with a Sharpshooter but Christian makes the rope in a hurry. Alexander misses a moonsault and gets speared down for two, meaning it’s a double breather. The Killswitch is broken up so Christian snaps the back of Alexander’s neck over the top rope. The frog splash gives Christian two but he misses a charge into the post and gets caught in the ankle lock. Alexander cranks away to keep Christian in the middle and the gets really clever by stepping onto Christian’s hand to hold him in place. That’s too much for Christian, who taps out to make Alexander champion at 18:57.

Rating: B+. They had an awesome match here with a great story throughout, as Christian was doing his best but got reeled in by Alexander. The ending was about Christian getting trapped by a submission machine as Alexander was just the better man. Alexander also knew what Christian would be trying because he has watched Christian for so many years. This was a heck of a main event and felt like a true passing of the torch, which is exactly what it should have been.

Alexander’s family gets in the ring to celebrate with him…and here’s Moose to cash in.

Impact Wrestling World Title: Moose vs. Josh Alexander

Moose is challenging and hits the spear for the pin and the title at 7 seconds, because Money in the Bank is the greatest idea in the world and must be copied as often as possible.

Overall Rating: C+. The ending really brought this down, as it felt like something out of the old school TNA days. It came off like they were going for shock value instead of the happy ending. Moose winning the title is a good thing, but it took away from a nice moment. Alexander vs. Moose will be good stuff, but egads this was frustrating and that is something Impact has avoided in recent months. I didn’t hate the ending, but I certainly didn’t like it.

The rest of the show did feel like a major night though, as you had all kinds of title changes up and down the card. That’s what you need to make the biggest show of the year feel important, as a lot of things happened here. There was more than enough quality to make the show good, but some of the matches pulled things back down. What matters here though is there was more good than bad, but a few tweaks would have made it that much better.

Results
IInspiration b. Decay – Sitout powerbomb/neckbreaker combination to Rosemary
Trey Miguel b. El Phantasmo and Steve Maclin – Top rope Meteora to Phantasmo
Heath/Rhino b. Violent By Design – Gore to Deaner
Moose won the Call Your Shot Gauntlet Match – Spear to Matt Cardona
Good Brothers b. FinJuice and Bullet Club – PowerPlex to Bey
Mickie James b. Deonna Purrazzo – Tornado DDT
Josh Alexander b. Christian Cage – Ankle lock
Moose b. Josh Alexander – Spear

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Impact Wrestling
Date: October 21, 2021
Location: Skyway Studios, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Josh Matthews, D’Lo Brown

It’s the go home show for Bound For Glory and the card is set. That could leave a few different directions to choose this week and I’m curious to see where things are going to go. The good thing is that Impact has earned the benefit of the doubt over….dang a year plus or so? Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Opening sequence.

Bullet Club vs. FinJuice

For the Bound For Glory Tag Team Title shot and that would be Chris Bey/Hikuleo for the Club. Finlay starts with Hikuleo with the big man knocking Finlay down without much effort. It’s already off to Robinson, who backsplashes Bey for a fast two. Robinson knocks Bey off the top and a double bulldog drops Hikuleo for two. Finlay gets knocked down though and it’s Bey coming in with a springboard rake to the back.

The chinlock goes on but Finlay gets up and, with Bey holding a leg, hops over for the tag to Robinson in a unique visual. Everything breaks down and a Russian legsweep/running big boot gets two on Bey with Hikuleo making the save. The referee gets bumped so Hikuleo’s chokeslam gets no count. Another referee runs in to count two but Finlay manages a cutter. The double tag brings in Robinson to strike away on Hikuleo but a snap powerslam plants Robinson back down. Everything breaks down and it’s a double rollup to give us a double pin at 9:22.

Rating: C+. These teams have some good matches with each other and that was the case again. The draw isn’t exactly surprising as I couldn’t imagine one of these teams being left off of the Bound For Glory card. You just learn to live with the three way matches and it could be fun watching these two trying to make the Good Brothers look better.

Post break the referees explain things to Scott D’Amore, who will make a decision by the end of the night.

Here’s what’s coming tonight and at Bound For Glory.

Josh Alexander talks about growing up in the middle of nowhere and not being able to afford to play hockey. Then he found pro wrestling and he was instantly hooked. He started wrestling but broke his neck and had to have surgery. Somehow he came back and then broke his neck again but actually came back one more time, albeit with a different attitude. Now he wanted to put in the work to become the best he could be, even if it was just in Canada. He won the Destiny Wrestling World Title and then got signed by Impact Wrestling (with a clip of Scott D’Amore handing him the contract in a great moment).

It was off to Impact Wrestling, where he wanted to win the X-Division Title, after being inspired by Low Ki. He held the title for so long that there was only one thing left for him to do, which led him to Option C and the main event of Bound For Glory. It isn’t that failure isn’t an option, but Alexander doesn’t think he can fail. This was REALLY good and showed you a different look at Alexander, which had been lacking for a long time. I want to see him win now and that had not been the case coming in.

Jordynne Grace/Fallah Bahh vs. Chelsea Green/Crazzy Steve vs. John Skyler/Tenille Dashwood

Three way tag between the six people in the Digital Media Title match at Bound For Glory. Grace powers Green into the corner and it’s off to Bahh, who doesn’t seen to scare Green. It’s off to Steve to hammer away on Bahh in the corner. Skyler comes in to take over on Steve, who bites Dashwood in the face to escape.

That’s enough for the hot tag to Grace, meaning it’s time to clean house. The running knees in the corner set up the running backsplash to crush Skyler. Everything breaks down and Skyler has to save Dashwood from the Banzai Drop. Steve hits the middle rope DDT on Bahh but Dashwood sneaks in with the Spotlight Kick to finish Bahh at 4:25.

Rating: C-. I’m not wild on these this kind of a match as it is little more than a preview for Sunday’s title match. They threw everyone in there and one of them happened to get a win. I guess that counts as momentum, but this is such a lower card title that it is hard to get overly interested in a short and wild match like this one.

Here is a serious Rhino for a chat but Heath cuts him off before anything can be said. Heath says it has been a little while but they have been through a lot over the years. Their families know each other but Heath didn’t hear from him throughout the course of his injury. Heath knows it’s Eric Young doing this to Rhino but the one thing he wants Rhino to know is that he misses you. His daughters miss Uncle Rhino (you know that’s a chant) and that’s good for a smile, but Violent By Design interrupts.

Eric Young says Violent By Design isn’t something you walk away from. Heath makes it sound like a cult and says Rhino is brainwashed. The brawl is on and Heath gets beaten down until Rhino finally pulls Young off. Rhino teases Goring Heath but walks out instead, leaving Heath to get beaten down. They are managing to make me care about a Rhino/Heath/Eric Young story so well done.

Minoru Suzuki is coming.

Savannah Evans vs. Mickie James

This is James’ first Impact match in six years and Tasha Steelz is here with Evans. Mickie gets shoved down by the much bigger Evans to start but slugs away anyway. Some forearms are cut off by a Steelz distraction, allowing Evans to choke on the ropes. We hit the bearhug, with Mickie biting her way to freedom. The MickieDT is blocked so Mickie settles for the middle rope Thesz press for a near fall. Cue Deonna Purrazzo for a distraction, allowing Evans to hit a full nelson slam for two of her own. Evans misses a charge into the post, so Mickie kicks her in the head and hits the MickieDT for the pin at 7:27.

Rating: C. This was a way to get Mickie in the ring and give her a win over a monster and that worked out just fine. They didn’t need to make this complicated and what we wound up getting was the right way to go. Mickie vs. Purrazzo might not be a dream match but it’s a heck of a match for the biggest show of the year.

Post match, Purrazzo gets in James’ face but there is no contact allowed. Instead, here is Matthew Rehwoldt to lay Mickie out instead.

Post break, Scott D’Amore isn’t cool with what just happened. While Purrazzo didn’t break the agreement, she broke the intent of it and should be stripped of the title. That’s not what D’Amore wants though, because he would rather see her lose it at Bound For Glory. Purrazzo isn’t happy so D’Amore bans Rehwoldt from ringside for the title match to make it worse.

Brian Myers isn’t happy with the Learning Tree for screwing up last week and fires Manny Lemons (who seems to explode). Sam Beale is cut as well, but he asks for an autograph from Myers. Instead, he has to settle for VSK in a disappointing downgrade.

Scott D’Amore is in his office for the Knockouts Tag Team Titles contract signing but no one shows up. Cue RD Evans, the IInspiration’s entertainment lawyer (and former barrister for Deonna Purrazzo), with Decay appearing as well. Rosemary isn’t happy about having to sign in ink instead of blood but the champs are in anyway. Evans signs for the IInspiration and we get the promise of heads being bitten off. I’ll let you guess who promises to do so.

Alex Zayne vs. Trey Miguel

They go with the grappling to start with Miguel throwing him down, giving us a standoff. Zayne rides Miguel down to play some mind games of his own as commentary promises that it is going to pick up. Miguel sends him outside and loads up the dive but Zayne comes back in and we get a kneeling staredown to keep up the mind games. Zayne scores with an enziguri and they both crash out to the floor as we take a break.

Back with Miguel pulling him down into something like a reverse Koji Clutch to put Zayne in trouble. With that broken up, Miguel goes up but Zayne hits a running flip super hurricanrana (because he can just do that) to bring Miguel back down. Some kicks rock Zayne, who is back with a jumping knee. Zayne puts him on top but has to block a sunset bomb. The 619 around the post rocks Zayne though and the top rope Meteora finishes for Miguel at 11:56.

Rating: C+. This was just starting to cook when it wrapped up. Miguel getting the pin is a good way to build him up for Saturday and Zayne looked good in defeat. I’m not sure what is next for Zayne, but there is always the chance that he falls into the pack in the X-Division. That’s better than doing nothing on 205 Live, but not by much.

Post match here is Steve Maclin to lay Miguel off but Bullet Club comes in to jump Maclin. El Phantasmo hits the big low blow on Miguel so the Club can stand tall (more so in Hikuleo’s case).

Bound For Glory rundown, including the announcement of the triple threat Tag Team Title match.

Here is Josh Alexander for the final chat before Bound For Glory. He is two days away from a shot at the World Title and doesn’t understand what a risk is. Alexander spent years at a construction site but took the chance to prove that he could do everything he dreamed of doing. That was a risk, but the risk that he will not take is letting his boys think he won’t take a shot. Cue Christian Cage to say he knows what it’s like to be on this stage. Everything comes down to emotion and you have to be able to keep it in check. Some people crack under the pressure but some people thrive and win World Titles, like Christian himself.

Over the last few weeks, Christian hasn’t seen anything to suggest that Alexander has what it takes. Alexander has heard all of this before, including about Christian when he first came here in 2005. As long as Christian is getting paid by a billionaire in another company, he can’t be the face of Impact Wrestling. At Bound For Glory, he’s slamming the Forbidden Door in Christian’s face because he’s the best in the world. Christian: “You’re not even the best wrestler from Canada.” The brawl is on and security/wrestlers break it up to end the show. This was good stuff, though that Alexander video from earlier was hard to top.

Overall Rating: B. They were in a weird spot here as the wrestling was taking a distant backseat to everything else going on. This show was about the final push towards Bound For Glory and very few people on the pay per view card were active on this show. What mattered was making me want to see Bound For Glory and that worked very well. Impact is doing everything they need to do right now and if they can stick the landing on Saturday, they could be in a heck of an awesome place for the first time in the better part of ever.

Results
Bullet Club vs. FinJuice went to a double pin
John Skyler/Tenille Dashwood b. Jordynne Grace/Fallah Bahh and Chelsea Green/Crazzy Steve – Spotlight Kick to Bahh
Mickie James b. Savannah Evans – MickieDT
Trey Miguel b. Alex Zayne – Top rope Meteora

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

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Impact Wrestling
Date: October 14, 2021
Location: Skyway Studios, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Josh Matthews, D’Lo Brown

We’re less than two weeks away from Bound For Glory and that means it is time to really hammer home the stories. Most of the card is set, save for the final spot in the X-Division Title match. Things have been going well as of late and I’m actually interested in where the show goes. Keeping that up is not going to easy but maybe they can make it work. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening recap looks at last week’s main event as Josh Alexander vs. Christian Cage continues to heat up.

X-Division Title Qualifying Match: Rohit Raju vs. El Phantasmo vs. Willie Mack

The winner joins Trey Miguel and Steve Maclin for the title match at Bound For Glory and the rest of the Bullet Club is in Phantasmo’s corner. Phantasmo is sent outside to start, leaving Mack to shoulder Raju down. Phantasmo replaces Raju and can’t get anywhere with some shoulders of his own. This time it’s Mack being knocked outside so Raju and Phantasmo can slug it out. That’s broken up and Raju is sent outside again as they certainly have a formula here.

Phantasmo manages to knock Mack down and hit a springboard Swanton for two. Back in and Raju hits a Cannonball to both of them at the same time. Mack runs them both over though and shows off the crazy power with the double Samoan drop. The double standing moonsault gets two but Phantasmo catches Mack on top.

That means a super hurricanrana, with Mack Swantoning onto Raju for a big crash. A top rope splash gets two on Mack but he’s right back with the Stunner. The Club has the referee so Mack kicks them to the floor and hits the big flip dive. Raju uses the breather to Flatline Phantasmo for two but Phantasmo is back with a rather low punch. The Pedigree style Neutralizer gives Phantasmo the pin at 9:37.

Rating: C+. It’s hard to screw up a match like this and they certainly didn’t here. Phantasmo winning is fine as you don’t want to have two heels in a three way match for the title. The drawback here was the fairly fired formula of having two in and one out, as there was barely any stretch of the match with all three involved. That’s how triple threat works, but it would be nice to try something else for a change.

Ace Austin and Madman Fulton are ready for tonight’s battle royal to determine the entrance order for the Call Your Shot gauntlet match (this company has a bad history of making things a bit complicated). Neither of them are worried about possibly being #1, because Fulton likes fighting a bunch of people at once.

Here’s what’s coming tonight and at Bound For Glory.

Savannah Evans vs. Lady Frost

Tasha Steelz is here with Evans. Frost strikes away to start and is easily sent into the corner for a running shoulder to the ribs. The comeback is cut off with a big boot and we take a break with Evans in full control. Back with Evans hitting a Samoan drop but Frost manages some running shoulders in the corner. That earns Frost a heck of a clothesline, setting up a full nelson slam to give Evans the pin at 7:39.

Rating: C-. More or less a squash here with Evans being established as the new monster. You can always go with that as it serves as a way to keep her strong at the moment, which can set up someone conquering her later on. Frost has a good look but hasn’t exactly done anything to make herself stand out so far.

Post match here are Deonna Purrazzo and Matthew Rehwoldt for a chat. Purrazzo is here because she gets to pick Mickie James’ opponent for next week and Evans sounds like a good idea. Evans is down.

Steve Maclin says people don’t know his background but he’ll let us in. Where he comes from, there are people called ribbon chasers and they almost got him killed. Around here, he sees people chasing titles, but he’s going to win the X-Division Title because he wants a target on his back.

Gail Kim recaps Knockouts Knockdown, including the announcement that the IInspiration will get a Knockouts Tag Team Title shot at Bound For Glory. Decay comes in to say they shouldn’t have to defend the titles, but Kim gets a letter from a deliveryman. It’s from the IInspiration, who think it’s nice that Decay gets to share the ring with them. We wrap it up with “if this letter is not read out loud in an Australian accent, please start again from the beginning.” That was funny, but Rosemary is ready for violence and chaos at Bound For Glory.

VSK vs. Rich Swann

Brian Myers and Willie Mack are here too. VSK strikes away to start and scores with a fast fireman’s carry backbreaker. A slam into a splash gives VSK two and we’re already in the chinlock. Swann fights up and slugs away, setting up a neckbreaker. The Phoenix splash finishes VSK at 2:59.

Johnny Swinger is still cleaning out Swinger’s Palace but Hernandez comes in to take all of his money. One of the Swingerellas comes up to Swinger and asks him out. That’s a no, and she walks away in tears. Swinger leaves, so here is Chris Sabin to see the place one more time. Swingerella #2 (or Riley) says she likes him but his love is the wrestling ring. She leaves, so Sabin sits down and we get a montage of moments from the Palace. I’m going to miss the place too, as it went from a one off joke into a pretty funny running gag.

Heath comes in to see Scott D’Amore and is ready to sign his contract. One thing though: he wants his first match to be at Bound For Glory and wants to team with Rhino against Violent By Design. D’Amore doesn’t think Rhino is interested, but Heath will fight by himself is Rhino doesn’t show up. That’s good enough for D’Amore and the contract is signed.

Chris Bey vs. Chris Sabin

The Bullet Club and FinJuice are here too. Feeling out process to start with Sabin shouldering him down and grabbing a quickly broken armbar. They fight over armdrags and that means an early standoff. The guys on the floor almost get into a fight so the referee tosses them before anything can happen.

We settle down to Sabin grabbing a snap suplex for two but Bey ties him in the ropes for a middle rope elbow. Another elbow gets two on Sabin, setting up a top rope clothesline for the same. The chinlock goes on but Sabin fights up and scores with a pretty hard kick to the chest.

A rolling fisherman’s buster (as in a fisherman’s suplex but Sabin rolls through and hits a buster) gets two on Bey, who kicks him in the head again for another near fall. Back up and they trade clotheslines for a double knockdown. They slug it out until Bey loads up a rolling…something, only to get kicked out of the air. The Cradle Shock finishes Bey at 12:07.

Rating: B-. This was fun and good at the same time, which is quite the hard to pull off. The two of them are both able to go in the ring and do just about whatever they want, which is rather hard to pull off. Sabin is a legend around here and it makes sense to warm him up again, even if that means beating Bey clean in a good match.

Trey Miguel is ready for the X-Division Title match and has already beaten a few people. Cue one of those wrestlers in Alex Zayne, who says Miguel never beat him. That’s fine with Miguel and a match is made, for some reason with an allegory about a chicken sandwich. Also of note: Zayne TOWERS over Miguel and it’s a bit of a strange visual.

The Good Brothers are still on vacation and are ready to be back at Bound For Glory. Now get them some opponents already.

Battle Royal

Ace Austin, Madman Fulton, Fallah Bahh, Moose, Hernandez, W. Morrissey, Brandi Lauren, Kimber Lee, Matt Cardona, Johnny Swinger, Petey Williams, Alisha Edwards, Matthew Rehwoldt, Jake Something, Brian Myers, Rachael Ellering, Laredo Kid, Black Taurus, Raj Singh

The winner is #20 in the Call Your Shot gauntlet but the runner up is #1. Moose tosses Alisha in a hurry and Swinger eliminates himself to get away from Lauren and Lee. Austin hides behind Fulton and Cardona tosses Williams. Cardona can’t eliminate Myers as the Learning Tree catches him for the save, only to have Ellering kick Myers out instead. Kid is tossed with Taurus and Hernandez following. There goes Rehwoldt, followed by Ellering and Singh. The ring is getting cleared out a bit and we take a break.

Back with a bunch of brawling and near eliminations until Austin kicks Something out. Fulton shrugs off some mist and helps Austin get rid of Lauren and Lee. Cardona takes too long loading up a running boot and gets tossed, leaving us with Moose, Morrissey, Fulton, Austin and Sabin. Fulton gets the better of a brawl between the giants until a double big boot knocks him out.

We take another break and come back again with Fulton saving Austin from an elimination. Austin tries to get together with the monsters, who toss him out in a hurry. Sabin manages to low bridge Moose to the apron and kicks the leg out, leaving us with two. A missile dropkick puts Morrissey down but Moose pushes him back over the top. Morrissey unloads on Sabin before tossing him out for the win at 19:38.

Rating: C. These things are always kind of hard to grade but a monster winning is a smart move, especially if you put Sabin at the start. Sabin is someone who could put on a good run and even tease a win in the end so this was a well thought out match. It wasn’t the most interesting match, but it could have been a lot worse.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Minoru Suzuki is coming. Well dang.

The ropes have been taken down and we get a sitdown interview between Christian Cage and Josh Alexander. Christian talks about how important it was to win the title back because he spent so many years out of the ring due to his injuries. Alexander talks about how much the X-Division means to him but now he wants to make it mean even more by winning the World Title. He doesn’t have a single regret about the decision he made and is ready for Bound For Glory.

Christian sees the fire in Alexander’s eyes but no one thinks in the ring like he does. Alexander grew up watching Christian and is a huge fan but at Bound For Glory, Alexander is the wild card. Christian knows what it takes to be on this stage and it’s going to be sink or swim, which Alexander will learn soon. He’s a fan of Alexander, but we see a clip of a fan asking if Christian would like to face him, and Christian doesn’t know who Alexander is. Alexander storms off to end the show. That’s the kind of personal Edge that the match needed.

Overall Rating: B-. This show was a nice boost toward Bound For Glory and that’s what it needed to be. The pay per view is looking better every week and I’m still getting used to this idea of being into Impact. If they can make Bound For Glory a better version of TV, we’re going to be in for a heck of a show. Nicely done here, and that has been the norm for a good while now.

Results
El Phantasmo b. Willie Mack and Rohit Raju – Double underhook faceplant to Raju
Savannah Evans b. Lady Frost – Full nelson slam
Rich Swann b. VSK – Phoenix splash
Chris Sabin b. Chris Bey – Cradle Shock
W. Morrissey won a battle royal last eliminating Chris Sabin

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Impact Wrestling
Date: October 7, 2021
Location: Skyway Studios, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Josh Matthews, D’Lo Brown

We are just over two weeks away from Bound For Glory and if you don’t know all of the card so far, you can probably guess what is coming on the show. There is still a lot of work to do though, including Eddie Edwards needing to deal with Moose. That could go in a few different directions so let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Opening sequence.

Bullet Club vs. FinJuice/Chris Sabin

It’s Chris Bey/Hikuleo/El Phantasmo for the Club. Bey takes Sabin into the corner to start but we actually get a clean break. They go back back and forth with neither actually getting anywhere so Phantasmo comes in to take Robinson down. A standing moonsault hits Robinson he’s back up with an atomic drop. The non-Club starts taking turns on Phantasmo’s arm. Robinson has to fight off everything at once but Bey finally knocks him down to take over. Hikuleo teases coming in but jumps down to rake Robinson’s back instead.

Somehow Robinson survives and gets over to Finlay to pick up the pace. That just earns him a shot to the face though as everything breaks down in a hurry. Sabin high crossbodies Bey and Phantasmo at the same time and it’s a triple dive to take out the Club on the floor. A Dominator spun into a DDT gives Sabin two on Phantasmo but Hikuleo is back with a chokeslam. Phantasmo adds the top rope splash for two but Sabin is back up with a backslide. Hikuleo offers a distraction though and it’s a low blow from Phantasmo, setting up the Art of Finesse for the pin on Sabin at 8:47.

Rating: C+. I can always go for a six man tag and that’s what we got here with everyone getting to have their chance. There is always something about taking this many people and putting them in the ring for a showcase. The fact that they have some international star power makes it that much better.

Josh Alexander says it would usually be an honor to team with Christian Cage but tonight is about getting rid of Ace Austin and Madman Fulton before Bound For Glory.

Here’s what’s coming tonight.

Here is Heath for a chat. The fans seem happy to have him back as he has been out for a year. Last year at Bound For Glory, he was ready to get his Impact contract but he had to sit at home. Thank goodness he had some little girls to be doctors for daddy. While he was out though, he saw Rhino joining Violent By Design and that isn’t the real Rhino.

What he wants right now is to talk to his best friend but he gets Violent By Design instead. Eric Young asks what Heath doesn’t get because the team made Rhino better. The fans tell Young that he isn’t Rhino but Young goes on a rant about how that Rhino isn’t coming back. Heath is going to lower his eyes, leave the ring and never come back. That isn’t happening so the beatdown is on with Heath being buried under the flag.

Willie Mack, with Rich Swann, is ready to win the X-Division Title back. Brian Myers’ Learning Tree comes up and a tag match is teased for later.

Post break, Myers tells the Learning Tree that they’re on their own.

Brandi Lauren/Kimber Lee/Lady Frost vs. Tasha Steelz/Savannah Evans/Mercedes Martinez

Martinez powers Frost into the corner to start but gets wristdragged back down. The threat of a right hand sends Frost off to Lauren, who bites Evans’ hand. We take a break and come back with Lauren in trouble in the corner but clotheslining her way to freedom. The hot tag brings in Lee to clean house as everything breaks down. The illegal Martinez cleans house until Steelz steals the pin on Lee at 9:38.

Rating: C-. Not much to this one and a good chunk of it was spent in the break. The double Su Yung deal isn’t the most interesting idea as it doesn’t make Yung look all that unique, but if Yung isn’t around, it doesn’t matter that much. It was a fine way to set up some stuff at Knockouts Knockdown, but not exactly great on its own.

Post match here is Alisha Edwards to clean hour with a kendo stick.

Flashback Moment of the Week: Christopher Daniels b. James Storm at Genesis 2013.

Alisha Edwards rants about Kimber Lee so Gail Kim puts the two of them, Savannah Evans and Jordynne Grace in a Monster’s Ball match for Knockouts Knockdown. Works for me.

It’s time for It’s All About Me, with Tenille Dashwood and company. Tenille and Madison Rayne are excited to win the Knockouts Tag Team Titles at Knockouts Knockdown so here are their opponents: Decay. We get a weird beeping noise and Decay is ready to retain, but we’re out of time. That’s not cool with Decay, who says this is their show now. The Influence runs off in fear. There is some pretty awesome chemistry between these four, though that could just be Rosemary being scary and funny at the same time.

Moose and W. Morrissey are ready to get rid of Eddie Edwards, just like they did Sami Callihan. For now though, they’re going to be in the Call Your Shot at Bound For Glory. They’re still not friends either.

X-Division Title Tournament First Round: Black Taurus vs. Steve Maclin vs. Petey Williams

Maclin takes over to start but Taurus takes him down with a Sling Blade. With Maclin on the floor, Williams hits a running dropkick to Taurus’ back. A slingshot hurricanrana to the floor takes Maclin down but Williams has to deal with Taurus. The distraction lets Maclin hit an Angle Slam to Williams, followed by something close to a Death Valley Driver on Taurus.

Maclin goes after Williams though, allowing Taurus to fight back and powerslam him for two. Williams’ crucifix gets two on Taurus, followed by a running knee. Maclin runs both of them other but gets caught with a DDT to put everyone down. We get the three way strike off until Taurus hits Maclin with a running crucifix bomb (or close to it). Taurus ties Williams in the Tree of Woe but gets sent outside. Williams slips out and gives Taurus the Canadian Destroyer but walks into Mayhem For All to send Maclin to Bound For Glory at 7:13.

Rating: C+. The multi-person theme continues this week and this time around we get Impact continuing to push Maclin, which is a good thing. Above all else, Impact is trying someone new and maybe it works in the end. Maclin might not be the most thrilling, but he also isn’t bad and is being treated as something important. That’s something any promotion needs to do at times and it’s working well enough here.

Christian Cage says Josh Alexander can scout him tonight but keep his emotions in check. Christopher Daniels comes in to say he’s here to win the World Title. It can be in Impact or AEW, but he’s coming for the belt.

Johnny Swinger is panicking over Swinger’s Palace being shut down so they’re cleaning out the closet. This includes a photo of Dixie Carter (Swinger approves) but here is Fallah Bahh to say his money paid for a lot of this stuff. He’s glad they’re being shut down and leaves, as John E. Bravo finds a poster for a Jeff Jarrett DVD set. Swinger: “Did we buy this?” Bravo: “Won it. In a lawsuit.”

Rich Swann/Willie Mack vs. Manny Lemons/Zicky Dice

Lemons (so that’s his name) and Dice jump them to start and get knocked down without much trouble. Dice gets caught in the wrong corner, allowing Swann to plant him with a bulldog. Mack chops away and then twists Lemon’s nipples to mix things up a bit. Fans: “SQUEEZE THE LEMONS!” Everything breaks down and Mack holds Lemons up for a middle rope Blockbuster from Swann for the pin at 2:44. As much trouble as Mack and Swann should have had with these two.

Post match Brian Myers and the rest of the Learning Tree comes out to beat down Mack and Swann.

We look back at Mickie James vs. Deonna Purrazzo at James’ horse farm last week.

James and Purrazzo get in a fight in Scott D’Amore’s office. Scott gives them a no contact clause until Bound For Glory and the match is off/the title is stripped if they fight before them. They can do a Pick Your Poison series as well, with James picking Purrazzo’s opponent at Knockouts Knockdown.

Here’s what’s coming at Knockouts Knockdown.

Christian Cage/Josh Alexander vs. Madman Fulton/Ace Austin

Cage and Fulton start things off with Fulton powers him down without much effort. Back up and Christian scores with some right hands to the jaw to knock Fulton into the corner. That doesn’t seem to matter as Fulton clotheslines both of them down and hands it off to Austin, who is quickly backdropped. Austin gets in an elbow in the corner and a superkick gets two on Alexander as we take a break.

Back with Austin kicking him in the head for two more but Alexander gets over for the tag to Christian. A few rooms of the house are cleaned but Fulton runs Cage over to cut that off in a hurry. We hit the chinlock for a bit before Fulton powers him into the corner again. It’s back to Austin for a springboard DDT but Christian spears him out of the air.

The double tag brings Fulton and Alexander, with the latter hitting a torture rack spun into a powerbomb for two. Some rolling German suplexes get two on Alexander but everything breaks down. Austin has to kick away Alexander’s ankle lock so Alexander grabs Rolling Chaos Theory, only to have Cage tag himself in. The Killswitch finishes Austin at 16:30.

Rating: B-. This was your above average main event tag match to advance the biggest match of Impact’s year. As a result, it worked out rather well, a lot of which is due tot he four people involved here. Good match here, with Cage playing some mind games as Alexander was rolling until the ending.

Alexander isn’t happy to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. What matters here is the fact that they have a target with Bound For Glory (and another with Knockouts Knockdown) and they are moving in that direction. You can see most of the card from here and now it is time to build up what is missing. Another fine show here and it did what it was supposed to do while including some solid enough action as well.

Results
Bullet Club b. FinJuice/Chris Sabin – Art of Finesse to Sabin
Tasha Steelz/Savannah Evans/Mercedes Martinez b. Brandi Lauren/Kimber Lee/Lady Frost – Butterfly suplex to Lee
Steve Maclin b. Steve Williams and Black Taurus – Mayhem To All for Williams
Rich Swann/Willie Mack b. Manny Lemons/Zicky Dice – Elevated Blockbuster to Lemons
Christian Cage/Josh Alexander b. Madman Fulton/Ace Austin – Killswitch to Austin

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

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Impact Wrestling
Date: September 30, 2021
Location: Skyway Studios, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: D’Lo Brown, Matt Striker

We are on the way to Bound For Glory and we now have the main event set for the World Title. As a result of Josh Alexander giving up the X-Division Title to set up the main event, we need a new X-Division Champion and the tournament begins tonight. It’s time to get serious around here so let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Opening sequence.

X-Division Title Tournament First Round: Laredo Kid vs. Alex Zayne vs. Trey Miguel

The winner goes on to the title match at Bound For Glory. Zayne hiptosses Kid over to Miguel for a hurricanrana but they’re all back up to miss dropkicks and that means a standoff. Kid is sent outside and Zayne hits a running twisting backsplash for two on Miguel. That doesn’t last long as Kid is back in to send Zayne outside but Miguel does the same, setting up a running hurricanrana over the top to flip Kid off the apron.

Back in and Miguel ties Zayne up for the Cheeky Nandos kick and then up Zayne’s legs while suplexing Kid at the same time. Kid is back up with a 450 to break it up so Zayne suplexes Kid down. Miguel takes Zayne down and hits a jumping double stomp to the back. With Zayne down, Kid springboard cutters Miguel off the top onto him for a crash in a cool spot. Miguel is fine enough to go up top and hit the super Meteora to put Kid away at 8:42.

Rating: B-. It worked in WCW and it worked here, as they had three young, talented high fliers go out there and go nuts for a few minutes, which is all you should do in something like this. It’s an idea that is always going to work and it is nice to see Miguel get a win. Now give him the title already!

Miguel is very fired up over his win.

Matthew Rehwoldt was watching that match and wants to attack Laredo Kid’s mask. They’ll fight next week. He was watching the match live and had a pre-tape ready? That’s some fast production.

Sami Callihan has been attacked and suffered a broken ankle at the hands of W. Morrissey and Moose. That’s about the best option they had to write him off for a legitimate injury.

Eddie Edwards is ready to face W. Morrissey in a street fight for revenge. Tonight it ends once and for all, and then Eddie is coming for Moose.

Here’s what’s coming tonight.

Influence vs. Jordynne Grace/Rachael Ellering

For the Knockouts Tag Team Title shot at Knockouts Knockdown and Kaleb With A K is here with the Influence. Dashwood starts with Ellering and we hit the stall button so both teams can pose together. They eventually fight over a wristlock with Ellering getting the better of things and taking her down over and over. There’s a headlock takeover to do it again as Dashwood can’t get anything going to start. Dashwood slides outside, where she trips Ellering down as we take a break.

Back with Grace coming in for some shoulders in the corner to put Dashwood in trouble. A backsplash into a double suplex gets two on Dashwood but Rayne gets in a kick from the apron to rock Grace. Rayne’s knee to the face gets two and the Influence stand on Grace’s hair to make it worse.

Grace fights up in a hurry and brings Ellering back in to clean house. Everything breaks down and Ellering’s STO sets up a Vader Bomb from Grace for two, with Kaleb With A K putting the foot on the rope. Rayne gets in another cheap shot to take over but Ellering kicks her in the head. Kaleb With A K distracts Grace though, leaving Ellering to take a double Stroke for the pin at 12:44.

Rating: C. This might not have been the best match ever or anything but it was a perfectly competent match between two teams who felt like they belonged together. The division is starting to take a little shape and that is because we have some actual teams. You don’t get that very often around here and it is nice to see for a change.

Christopher Daniels is back to deal with Madman Fulton when Josh Alexander comes in. Alexander is glad he’s back, but Christian Cage comes in to say he didn’t need help. Daniels leaves and Christian says Alexander needs to be ready.

Brian Myers teaches the Learning Tree about physical fitness. Sam Beale thinks VSK is being treated better but Myers doesn’t want to hear it. Beale tells the other two to take some notes.

The Good Brothers are still on vacation, where they have been putting themselves over on Twitter and beating up Jon Moxley. They aren’t worried about any of the teams around here. Bound For Glory is coming though and they need opponents, so Bullet Club can face FinJuice for the title shot.

Deonna Purrazzo drives onto Mickie James’ horse farm and jumps her in the stables. Purrazzo hits her with a bucket but Mickie fights back and screams a lot. A pitchfork misses Mickie, who gets in a shot with….something hard. They fight outside where Mickie blasts her with a hose (the white shirt is just a coincidence I’m sure) but gets sent face first into a water bucket (the white shirt is just a coincidence I’m sure). Purrazzo leaves with Mickie down.

FinJuice doesn’t like the Bullet Club having a numbers advantage but Chris Sabin is here to even the odds. Six man next week.

Madman Fulton vs. Christopher Daniels

Ace Austin is here with Fulton. Daniels does get a nice reaction and it feels like a special return. Fulton throws him down to start and grabs an early delayed vertical suplex. Daniels slips out of a powerslam though and hammers away, including knocking Fulton outside. The Arabian moonsault takes Fulton down again but he kicks Daniels in the face to take over again.

Some elbows and choking in the corner keep Daniels in trouble but he comes back with a running DDT. A middle rope hurricanrana sets up the running STO for two on Fulton, who is back with a tilt-a-whirl powerslam (Striker: “Through the wasteland. The water is currency!”). Austin offers a distraction so here is Josh Alexander to cut him off. Angel’s Wings gets one and Daniels is stunned, so he tries a middle rope Downward Spiral instead. That sets up the BME to finish Fulton at 6:58.

Rating: C. I’m not sure I get the point in having Fulton kick out of the Angel’s Wings so easily when he was going to get pinned a few seconds later, but that’s a fairly minor point. What matters here is Daniels looked good and could still be a player around here. The guy seems immune to time and it is cool to see him back here where he was quite the big deal in the company’s glory days.

We go to Swinger’s Palace where Scott D’Amore comes in. Johnny Swinger tries to talk D’Amore out of taking Bound For Glory to Las Vegas but that isn’t happening. Swinger promises to make it the class of Las Vegas, but admits he doesn’t have a gaming license. That’s too bad, because D’Amore has no choice but to have them shut down.

Ace Austin and Madman Fulton go to see D’Amore because they don’t like Christopher Daniels and Josh Alexander. D’Amore makes a tag match…but with Christian Cage instead of Daniels. Makes a bit more sense.

Here is Violent By Design for Rhino’s decision. Eric Young talks about how the team was in full control (it was just the Tag Team Titles) but Rhino let the sickness back in. Now Rhino needs to make a decision because he’s either all the way in or all the way out. Cue Rhino, who looks confused about what to do. Young tells him to make the right decision so he can avoid the violence. Rhino is surrounded….so here is Heath to interrupt. The brawl is on and Heath clears the ring….but Rhino leaves through the crowd without making a decision.

The Digital Media Title is coming, with matches taking place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays on the various web shows. I kind of like that.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Eddie Edwards vs. W. Morrissey

Street fight as Edwards is out for revenge. Morrissey starts fast by kicking Eddie in the face and it’s time to go outside. It’s already time to bring in the weapons, with Morrissey hitting him with a wet floor sign. Eddie low bridges him to the floor though and hits a heck of a suicide dive. A replica TNA World Title knocks Morrissey silly and it’s time for a table. Morrissey sends him into the steps though and starts taking his time, which probably isn’t a good idea. Eddie manages a drop toehold into the steps (I knew it was a bad idea) and we take a break.

Back with Morrissey hitting a splash in the corner and unloading with trashcan lid shots to the head. Eddie gets in some shots of his own though and there’s a Blue Thunder Bomb onto the trashcan. It’s time for a barbed wire chair but Morrissey kicks him in the face again. Morrissey puts a chair onto Eddie and drives another chair onto him before setting up four chairs, two by two.

A superplex is loaded up but here is Alisha Edwards with a kendo stick for the save. Eddie powerbombs him onto the chairs and unloads with the stick, but Alisha has an idea. She puts the barbed wire chair over Morrissey’s head and the Boston Knee Party finishes for Eddie at 15:18.

Rating: B-. This was what you would want from a match like this and it was entertaining while it lasted. Alisha coming in to help her husband was a good way to go, though Edwards is going to need some help to deal with Morrissey and Moose at the same time. It was a good start to the next leg of the story though, especially when everything had to be reset due to Sami Callihan’s injury.

Post match here is Moose to throw Alisha down and spear Eddie through a table in the corner. The giants grab Alisha, with Morrissey holding her in place as Moose wraps a chair around Eddie’s neck. The chair is sent into the post and Eddie is out to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Impact being this good feels completely normal. It has been the case for a long time now and the good thing is that it seems like a new era for the show instead of a nice run. Impact has such a terrible reputation and while the idea of it being a player has long since sailed, it is very nice to have the show be such a steady offering. Another positive effort this week as we get close to the biggest show of the year.

Results
Trey Miguel b. Alex Zayne and Laredo Kid – Super Meteora to Kid
Influence b. Jordynne Grace/Rachael Ellering – Double Stroke to Ellering
Christopher Daniels b. Madman Fulton – Best Moonsault Ever
Eddie Edwards b. W. Morrissey – Boston Knee Party into a barbed wire chair

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Impact Wrestling
Date: September 23, 2021
Location: Skyway Studios, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: D’Lo Brown, Matt Striker

We are a month away from Bound For Glory and it seems that we have a main event. At Victory Road, X-Division Champion Josh Alexander announced that he was using Option C to cash in his title for a shot at Christian Cage’s World Title. This has been teased for a few weeks now and is the absolute best idea that they have at the moment. Alexander feels unbeatable and that comes from months of putting in the effort. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Opening sequence.

Here is Scott D’Amore to get things going. He explains Option C and brings out Josh Alexander, but reminds him that once he hands over the title, a tournament begins to crown a new champion. Therefore, make sure this is what you want. Alexander talks about having neck surgery six years ago and having doubts about his future. He has no doubts this time though, because he knows he can be the face of this company.

This brings out Christian Cage, who says Alexander almost lost his career but Christian DID lose his career for seven years. Cage tells him to think about this, because right now he is the face of the X-Division, but he won’t be the face of this company. Instead, he’ll just be a face in the crowd. Alexander says that makes his decision that much easier and hands over the title.

D’Amore leaves but here are Ace Austin and Madman Fulton to interrupt. Austin doesn’t go away quietly after a loss at Victory Road and calls out Alexander for being a quitter. He would never give up the title like that….but Alexander says that wasn’t an option because Alexander took the title from him. The fight is on but Austin’s cane shot hits Cage by mistake. There were some great lines in there and I like where this is going.

Rich Swann and Willie Mack aren’t happy with losing their Tag Team Title shot at Victory Road but they want their next shot. Mack wants in the X-Division Title tournament and Swann wants in the Call Your Shot gauntlet match. Cue Brian Myers to say he’s in the gauntlet as well, but he whines so much that a tag match is set for later tonight.

Josh Alexander complains about Ace Austin so Scott D’Amore makes the match between them for later tonight.

Here’s what’s coming tonight.

Hikuleo vs. David Finlay

Chris Bey and Juice Robinson are the seconds. The massive Hikuleo drives him up against the ropes to start but can’t hit a shot to the face. Instead he hiptosses Finlay into the corner, making Finlay pause for a second. Finlay’s crossbody is countered into a slam and Bey tripping him from the floor makes it worse. Hikuleo kicks him in the face for two and we take a break.

Back with Hikuleo getting two off a powerslam and grabbing a chinlock. Finlay fights up and grabs a jumping neckbreaker, setting up a middle rope crossbody for two. The sleeper slows Hikuleo down for a bit until he powers his way out and hits a heck of a clothesline for two of his own. The chokeslam is countered into a Stunner though and Finlay avoids a charge, setting up a rollup for the pin at 11:14.

Rating: C+. This was a totally fine big man vs. little man match, though pinning the giant so early on in his time around here seems to be a bit questionable. FinJuice continues to grow on me though and it is nice to see two guys getting over so well, mainly due to their talent alone. Nice match, and I’m curious to see where they are going.

Post match the brawl is on again with FinJuice getting the better of things, but El Phantasmo, also Bullet Club, runs in to help with the beatdown.

Violent By Design says what happened to Rhino last week was necessary. Violence is the only cure for the sickness and while Rhino can apologize, he needs to decide and do the right thing. They need an answer next week.

Matt Cardona is done with Rohit Raju and Shera but Chelsea Green is ready to take out Raju herself.

Su Yung’s followers present her with…..a red belt, which doesn’t seem to please her. Ok then.

Chelsea Green vs. Rohit Raju

Matt Cardona is here too. Raju shoves her into the corner to start but she’s back with a pair of kicks to the face for two. That earns her a hair takedown and a snap suplex gives Raju two of his own. Green Thesz presses him for some right hands to the face and a snap German suplex makes it worse. The jumping knee connects for Green but she can’t get the Unprettier, allowing Raju to grab a rollup and the ropes. Cardona breaks up the latter but here is the returning Raj Singh to send him into the steps. Raju grabs a small package for the pin at 4:07.

Rating: C-. Great, the Desi Hit Squad is back. Things have gotten better for Raju but the team was such a horrible waste of time before that I’m almost depressed at the idea of having to watch them again. The match itself was fine enough, and Green looked like was hanging in there rather well.

We look at W. Morrissey taking out Alisha Edwards at Victory Road.

Eddie Edwards swears vengeance but doesn’t want to hear from Sami Callihan. That doesn’t work for Sami, who wants revenge of his own. Moose comes in for the brawl but gets beaten down as Eddie wants to know where W. Morrissey is.

Rich Swann/Willie Mack vs. Brian Myers/???

Myers says his learning tree isn’t ready to team with him in this match so he has a surprise partner: VSK, another of Myers’ students. Swann and VSK start things off with the latter hitting a surprise dropkick to take over early on. Back up and Swann nails his own dropkick, setting up a double flapjack with Mack’s help.

Myers comes in and gets flattened with a flying shoulder but a Zicky Dice distraction lets VSK score with a sliding German suplex. Mack fights up and forearms the heck out of Myers, allowing the double tags to Swann and VSK. The rolling splash gives Swann two but VSK grabs an elevated DDT for the same. Swann superkicks him out of the air though and a high crossbody (possibly due to Dice’s mistimed shove) is good for the pin at 5:16.

Rating: C. Just another match here as VSK isn’t exactly a threat to a former World Champion. I know he has been around AEW for a while now but that doesn’t make him feel like a star here. The same is true of Myers, who feels about as firmly midcard as you can possibly be.

Johnny Swinger is worried about Impact going to Las Vegas and putting him out of business. He writes a letter to Scott D’Amore, who he thinks has just bought the company from Bob Carter’s daughter (Swinger: “Babe.”). Therefore, D’Amore needs to come to Swinger’s Palace next week and talk about this. Signed, JJ Dillon.

The Good Brothers are still on vacation because they have beaten every team around. They are on the top of the mountain and the only thing to do is knock any other team off the mountain. Can they get lost on the mountain while they’re up there?

Video on the Good Brothers.

Here is Mickie James for a chat. She is rather touched by her reception and talks about how awesome Empowerrr was, but Deonna Purrazzo has changed everything. Mickie calls Purrazzo out for a face to face chat so here is the champ. Purrazzo doesn’t like Mickie even saying her name after attacking her last week, which Mickie doesn’t buy.

Mickie throws out the Bound For Glory challenge, but Purrazzo isn’t interested in giving Mickie a boost with nothing in it for her. It’s a no, but the brawl is on anyway with security breaking it up. Cue Scott D’Amore to make the match for Bound For Glory. You know it was happening but it had to be set up.

Flashback Moment of the Week: Mickie James wins the Knockouts Title on Impact, May 23, 2013.

Eddie Edwards and Sami Callihan go after W. Morrissey, but get cut off by security. Scott D’Amore makes the street fight for next week.

Gail Kim announces a tournament for Knockouts Knockdown, featuring an eight woman tournament with four Knockouts and four from elsewhere. The winners get a Knockouts Title match, but here is the Influence to interrupt. Madison Rayne thinks they should get a Knockouts Tag Team Title shot, but Kim says they have to beat Rachael Ellering and Jordynne Grace next week.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Ace Austin vs. Josh Alexander

Madman Fulton is here with Austin, who bails into the corner to start. Austin drives him up against the ropes for a clean break but Fulton trips Alexander from the floor. That doesn’t seem to bother Alexander, who snaps off a suplex to send Austin outside. Austin jumps up to the apron, where he gets caught with a quickly broken ankle lock. Back in and Alexander gets two off a delayed vertical suplex but a Fulton distraction lets Austin get in a kick to the head.

We take a break and come back with Austin grabbing the chinlock with a bodyscissors. That’s reversed into a quickly broken ankle lock so Austin hits a belly to back slam. Alexander pops up with a German suplex and Austin is rocked again. A running big boot drops Austin but the C4 Spike is broken up. Instead, Alexander rolls some German suplexes until Austin grabs the rope for a break.

Another C4 Spike attempt is broken up and Austin grabs a neckbreaker for two. Alexander knocks him to the apron for a suicide dive to the back (that’s a new one), sending them both outside. Back in and Austin hits a heck of a superkick to knock Alexander off the apron and outside onto Fulton. The Fold is countered into a powerbomb onto the knee though and the C4 Spike finishes for Alexander at 15:12.

Rating: B-. Are you surprised that these two had a good match? There was no serious doubt about the winner here, as there shouldn’t have been. What mattered here was making Alexander into a bigger star and that is what they did, as he beat the most recent #1 contender. Good match with the right result.

Post match Fulton comes in to stomp on Alexander and the beatdown is on. Christian Cage comes in for the save and helps clear the ring but Alexander isn’t pleased. Fulton and Austin come back in to jump the good guys….until Christopher Daniels of all people makes a surprise return for the save. Everyone is stunned as Daniels clear the ring to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This was what they needed as Bound For Glory is beginning to take shape with a month to go before the pay per view. The Daniels return was a surprise and a nice one at that, especially if AEW isn’t going to be using him. I’m liking where things are going in Impact and if they can keep it up, we could be in for another strong month from them.

Results
David Finlay b. Hikuleo – Rollup
Rohit Raju b. Chelsea Green – Small package
Rich Swann/Willie Mack b. Brian Myers/VSK – High crossbody to VSK
Josh Alexander b. Ace Austin – C4 Stack

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

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Impact Wrestling
Date: September 16, 2021
Location: Skyway Studios, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: D’Lo Brown, Matt Striker

We’re on the way to Victory Road and ultimately Bound For Glory, which should make for a pair of back to back big shows. The main story this week is a ten man tag with most of the biggest feuds in the company being thrown into one big match. That should be enough to set up Victory Road so let’s get to it.

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

The opening recap sets up the ten man tag, as there isn’t anything else worth mentioning on the show.

Opening sequence.

Violent By Design vs. Decay

Rhino/Deaner for the team here, with everyone else at ringside. Rhino jumps Black Taurus to start and it’s already off to Deaner to kick away at the ribs. That’s broken up with an elbow in the corner and Crazzy Steve comes in for a backsplash. Deaner takes him into the corner though and the villains start taking turns in a violently designed way. Steve neckbreakers his way to freedom and bites Deaner in the head so Eric Young gets on the apron. The distraction lets Deaner…accidentally hit Rhino with a flag, setting up Steve’s middle rope DDT for the pin at 3:36.

Rating: C-. This didn’t have time to get going and was all about the storyline anyway. The idea of having Rhino’s troubles with the team continue is only kind of interesting, but Rhino is better than some of the options that Impact has. You know what you’re getting with him, but he still does his thing at a completely acceptable level.

Post match Young yells at Rhino, who isn’t having this. Young goes to turn away but Rhino grabs him by the wrist. That’s too far for the rest of the team and Rhino is beaten down. Seems like the team is minus a member.

We go to Swinger’s Palace, where Johnny Swinger seems happy that they’re heading to Las Vegas. That being said, he thinks Dixie Carter is still running this place and the idea of Scott D’Amore, the guy from Team Canada, being in charge, has to be a rib.

TJP is happy with winning money off of Steve Maclin beating Petey Williams last week. Williams comes in and I think we have a match for later.

Johnny Swinger thinks Billy Corgan runs the company.

Team Christian Cage is ready because none of them are afraid to fight. Chris Sabin tells Josh Alexander that they’re on the same team tonight but that changes at Victory Road. Eddie Edwards and Sami Callihan are willing to work together tonight too. That’s why Cage likes the team. As for Ace Austin, he better be ready, but it won’t be enough.

We run down the Victory Road card.

TJP vs. Petey Williams

TJP goes technical to start but gets taken down into a front facelock. That’s broken up so Williams goes with a headscissors on the mat instead. TJP is back up as well and hangs in the ropes to annoy Williams again, earning TJP a Codebreaker to the floor. Back in and the tilt-a-whirl Russian legsweep drops TJP as we take a break.

We come back with TJP having to fight out of a chinlock and grabbing a DDT out of the corner. The boot scrape in the corner sets up a missed Swanton but Petey can’t hit the Canadian Destroyer. Instead he grabs the Sharpshooter, which sends TJP over to the ropes. TJP loads up la majistral but Petey drops down for the pin at 9:30.

Rating: C+. They were having the near technical marvel you would expect and that is a good thing. Williams can be a fine member of the roster and it is nice to see him do more than just the Canadian Destroyer. TJP can work well with anyone and they had a rather nice, albeit a bit short, match here.

Post match Steve Maclin comes in to wreck both guys.

Flashback Moment of the Week: Chris Sabin wins the X-Division Title on July 4, 2013.

The Good Brothers say Rich Swann might have had a chance in last week’s Bunkhouse Brawl but Willie Mack is still in the hospital. Cue Swann and Mack to take them out in a hurry.

Post break, Mack says he’s back because it’s time to take out the Brothers and win the Tag Team Titles. Scott D’Amore comes in to make the title match for Victory Road.

Here is John Skyler for a chat. Laredo Kid beat him on Before The Impact so he’ll beat him now.

John Skyler vs. Laredo Kid

Skyler swats away a handshake offer to start so Kid slaps him in the face. With Skyler knocked to the floor, Kid takes him down with the suicide dive. Back up and Skyler snaps off a belly to belly before taking Kid inside. Kid manages a double clothesline for a double knockdown, setting up a slugout. Skyler goes for the mask like a villain should, setting up the rollup for the pin at 3:46.

Rating: C-. Another short match here and that’s probably a good thing. I like that they are actually building up someone new with Skyler, as they could use some fresh faces. Even if Skyler isn’t going to break through to the next level, it is nice to see Impact taking a shot at someone. Maybe they get something out of him, but at least it isn’t the same people over and over again.

It’s time for It’s All About Me with co-guests Madison Rayne and Kaleb With A K. Since this show is a little backwards, here is “host” Taylor Wilde, who brings in Rachael Ellering and Jordynne Grace. They don’t seem to like each other but Wilde asks what happened when she and Dashwood wrestled. Dashwood shouldn’t be scared of a match at Victory Road so the match is on.

Earlier today, Matt Cardona jumped Rohit Raju and Shera as they arrived.

Scott D’Amore yelled at Cardona so the match is made for Victory Road, No DQ. That’s cool with Cardona.

Matthew Rehwoldt vs. Trey Miguel

They fight over a lockup to start until Rehwoldt goes after the eyes to take him down. A running clothesline puts Miguel on the floor and Rehwoldt drops him face first onto the apron for a bonus. Back in and Rehwoldt twists him down by the arm for two, setting up some knees to the back for the same.

Miguel fights up and kicks him in the face so a springboard missile dropkick can connect for two. A split legged moonsault misses though and the Director’s Cut gives Rehwoldt two of his own. Rehwoldt misses a Swanton for the big crash and it’s a suplex into the Hourglass to give Miguel the pin at 7:49.

Rating: C. Much like the earlier matches, this was a way to bring in some fresh people and see what they can do. Rehwoldt might not be a top star, but he can go fill in some time on the show without being the same people we’ve seen over and over again. Perfectly watchable match and it’s always nice to see Miguel get a win.

Post match Deonna Purrazzo comes out to hit Miguel low. Mickie James runs in for the save and brawl, setting up the big dive off the top to take out the pile.

Tasha Steelz says she and Savannah Evans didn’t steal the titles because from Decay they had the titles stolen from them at Slammiversary. If the champs want them back, come get them at Victory Road.

We recap Hikuleo showing up last week and attacking Juice Robinson. At Victory Road, it’s Hikuleo/Chris Bey vs. FinJuice.

Bey says he and Hikuleo do whatever they want around here. On Saturday, one shot will be too sweet.

Victory road rundown.

Team Christian Cage vs. Team Ace Austin

Austin: Ace Austin, Madman Fulton, Brian Myers, Moose, W. Morrissey
Cage: Christian Cage, Sami Callihan, Eddie Edwards, Chris Sabin, Josh Alexander

Myers has Sam Beale and his prospects with him. Callihan and Austin start things off with Callihan taking him into the corner and stomping away. Eddie comes in to chop Callihan down and we get the rare Sami/Eddie collaboration. We get the big ten man staredown and that’s enough to take a break.

Back with everyone brawling on the floor until Callihan throws Austin back inside to keep up the beating. Hold on though as Beale comes in, earning himself a low blow, allowing Myers to get in a cheap shot of his own. Fulton sends Callihan into the corner but he gets in a shot of his own to put Fulton down. Sabin and Austin come in to pick up the pace with Sabin taking over. Now Cage is willing to come in to uppercut away at the also legal Fulton.

This lasts all of a few seconds before Cage has to slip out of a slam. Eddie comes in to help take Fulton down but it’s off to Moose, who gets caught in a belly to belly. Moose tosses Eddie outside though and we take another break. Back with Eddie not being able to sunset flip Austin, as Fulton comes in and keeps Eddie in trouble. Morrissey finally comes in to rip at Eddie’s face and the villains keep alternating the beatdown.

A big elbow keeps Eddie in trouble and Morrissey chokes with the boot in the corner. Eddie is fine enough to hit a running clothesline out of the corner and it’s time for the parade of secondary finishers. Austin kicks Christian low and goes up but Eddie catches him on top with a superplex onto the pile. Back in and Christian can’t hit Myers with the Killswitch but Alexander can hit Divine Intervention for the pin at 21:18.

Rating: B. This was about as efficient of a match as you could have as it was taking so many feuds and putting them all together. That opens up a lot of doors, as you can have some fresh matches while also pushing towards what is already set for Victory Road. Good action here too, with the ending sequence building up Alexander as well. Is it that insane to think he might be the Bound For Glory title challenger?

The winners pose to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. Impact has been doing some rather watchable stuff over the last few months, but it has been so far under the radar that it does not get the credit it deserves. This did a nice job setting up Victory Road, albeit partially by rapid firing matches to the card. To be fair, that is often the best way it can go and we had a good show as a result. Nice job again, which has been the norm around here for a long time.

Results
Decay b. Violent By Design – Middle rope DDT to Deaner
Petey Williams b. TJP – Cradle
John Skyler b. Laredo Kid – Rollup
Trey Miguel b. Matthew Rehwoldt – Hourglass
Team Cage b. Team Austin – Divine Intervention to Myers

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.