IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling
Date: September 6, 2018
Location: Rebel Sports Complex, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Don Callis, Josh Matthews

Things are getting interesting around here again as we now have a three headed monster on top of the promotion. Last week Moose joined forces with Austin Aries and Killer Kross as the trio beat down Eddie Edwards. That means that Eddie is going to need some help in this fight and that could be anyone. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening recap looks at Cage retaining the X-Division Title over Fenix and beating up OVE, the LAX issues, Tessa Blanchard winning the Knockouts Title and the Edwards issues.

Opening sequence.

Petey Williams vs. Rich Swann

Rematch from last week and Matt Sydal is on commentary. Swann dances to start and offers Petey the chance to retaliate but gets rolled up instead. A drop toehold puts Swann in the ropes for a dropkick to the back but O Canada is reversed into a German suplex out of the corner. Swann gets shoved to the floor for a slingshot hurricanrana but it’s way too early for the Canadian Destroyer. The lifting Downward Spiral works a little better but Swann reverses another Destroyer attempt.

A Lethal Injection gives Swann two but Petey takes the leg out and grabs the Sharpshooter. Sydal says pain is just a state of mind as Swann makes the rope. Petey hits a Russian legsweep into a crucifix but Swann is right back up with a shooting star press for two of his own. Williams bails to avoid the middle rope Phoenix splash so Swann kicks him in the head. It’s Phoenix splash time but Sydal sits on the ramp for a distraction, allowing the Destroyer to finish Swann at 7:52.

Rating: C-. Every week I watch these non-Cage X-Division matches and I try to not lose even more interest in everyone involved. That’s not working as Sydal and Williams aren’t doing a thing for me and haven’t in a long time. Swann is a little better but that’s not exactly saying much. The match was fine but the characters and story aren’t there.

Post break Sydal tells Swann that he’s trying to help him but Swann tells him to stay away.

Desi Hit Squad vs. Joe Hendry/Grado

Hendry’s new song is about his platonic love with Katarina. Raju gets elbowed down to start and the good guys dance into a double elbow drop. Hendry suplexes him for the same but Grado walks into a neckbreaker. A legsweep gives Singh two but he charges into a boot in the corner, allowing the hot tag off to Hendry. Everything breaks down and Hendry hits the fall away slam on both of them at once. Callis: “Even Grado couldn’t screw this up!” Grado proceeds to miss a cannonball, setting up a wind-up knee into the Sky High to give Singh the pin at 5:00.

Rating: D. As usual, it’s a bad sign when the match being short is the best thing about it. Grado is much more acceptable in small doses and Hendry has all the makings of a midcard star but the Hit Squad is just so average and mediocre that it’s hard to watch them. Now just get Hendry away from this mess and see what he can do. The songs alone will give him a spot for as long as he wants it.

Post match Katarina yells at Grado for losing and says she loves Hendry. She goes to kiss him but Hendry says Grado is his best friend so Katarina is out. That earns Hendry a slap as my head hurts all over again. Dang it we were this close to that story being done.

Post break Hendry and Grado laugh a lot.

Classic Clip of the Week: Bully Ray wins the World Title at Lockdown 2013.

Video on Su Yung vs. Tessa Blanchard set to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, which is far more eerie than you might think. Of note: Tessa first appears on the word “diamond”, which is the kind of little touch that makes these things that much better.

Bob sings to Scarlett Bordeaux when KM and Fallah Bahh come in to thank her for helping them. She flirts with them a bit and they have an idea.

Here’s Eli Drake for a chat. Drake talks about all the dummies around lately, like those two last week that took the Gravy Train. Let’s see if anyone who can come out here and impress him. Cue Stone Rockwell, an Indiana Jones style character from a show on the Impact Twitch channel. Drake wants to hear about his latest adventure but cuts him off. Rockwell wants to be a World Champion so Drake wants to get him off to a hot start.

Eli Drake vs. Stone Rockwell

Gravy Train in 12 seconds. I’m not sure where this is leading but Drake is always entertaining.

The Lucha Bros invite Cage to team with them again OVE and Sami Callihan but they’re fine if he doesn’t.

Aries, Moose and Kross are in the back and throw an interviewer out. Alisha Edwards comes in and the trio leaves.

Knockouts Title: Su Yung vs. Tessa Blanchard

Tessa is defending and grabs a very early rollup. The Panic Switch is broken up but Tessa has to bail from the bloody glove. Tessa: “SHE’S CRAZY!” Back in and Su throws her around a few times but gets her legs tied up in a modified Indian Deathlock. The running dropkick to the back gives Tessa two and a hanging DDT out of the corner rocks Yung again. Tessa can’t bring a chair in so she sits it down, only to be knocked into said chair.

Yung cannonballs her off the apron to knock Tessa out of the chair in a big crash. Back in and Yung takes her to the top, only to get pulled back down with a super cutter (supposed to be a neckbreaker but close enough). Back from a break with Tessa firing off right hands but getting hurricanranaed into the corner. The Panic Switch is broken up again and the hammerlock DDT retains Tessa’s title at 12:40.

Rating: C. Tessa was extra aggressive here and that’s something she needs to do every now and then. The point of her character is that she knows she’s better than everyone else so having her show what she’s capable of doing when she needs to makes her seem all the more dangerous. Yung losing again isn’t a good sign for her, as she doesn’t exactly have the best record.

Post match the Undead Bridesmaids bring out a casket with Tessa’s name on it. Yung jumps her from behind and hits the Panic Switch. Allie and Kiera Hogan run out for the save. Thankfully Tessa gets up and yells at the two of them as turning Tessa face would be a really bad idea.

Time for your weekly reminder that Impact will indeed be in Mexico for tapings next week.

Cage doesn’t like Sami Callihan and OVE. He’s the Machine and will take them apart.

Konnan and King go to see their bosses, who aren’t happy over the kid being run over two weeks ago. Konnan blames King, who says he can’t believe the hypocrisy around here. Everyone is against him and he did what has to be done to make money. It was ok when Konnan and the bosses did it but not when King does the same? The bosses say there’s a ceasefire until October 14 in New York City (at Bound For Glory). There will be a six man final war with Konnan getting involved too. King won’t shake hands.

The announcers preview next week’s card.

Zachary Wentz/Ace Austin/Trey Miguel vs. OVE

OVE cleans house to start but Wentz knees Callihan in the face. A big flip dive takes the villains out and Miguel dives onto everyone else. Fans: “THIS IS IMPACT!” Egads that’s bad even for a wrestling chant. Back in and Jake kicks Miguel in the face a few times before handing it off to Dave. Everything breaks down and Austin gets kicked in the head, sending him into a hanging Downward Spiral. The All Seeing Eye finishes Austin at 3:44.

Rating: C-. Well it was certainly energetic, which is more than you would have expected out of a short squash. OVE has grown on me a lot and while I’m still not big on them, they’re far better than they used to be. The jobbers all looked good here and I wouldn’t mind seeing more of them in the future.

Post match Callihan piledrives Austin and says they’re the best trio in the world today. Their war with Fenix and Pentagon will never end and if Cage wants in, bring it on.

Here are Aries, Kross and Moose (in a very shiny shirt) so the latter can explain himself. Aries introduces Moose as Moose Money, which is going to need some time to sink in. Moose says Eddie is a fraud because he was the one who had Eddie’s back through everything. When Moose was in the hospital with a concussion, Kross and Aries were the only ones who cared.

Moose thanks Aries for being the greatest man who ever lived and Aries thanks Moose for listening. No one is taking the World Title but here’s Johnny Impact to interrupt. Aries agrees that Impact is a nobody but says that while Impact looks the part, Aries is the part. Impact announces that he’s getting the World Title shot at Bound For Glory but Aries wants to do it right now.

Johnny is smarter than that and, after plugging Boone the Bounty Hunter, asks Aries to come fight out here. An insult to bananas brings Aries onto the ramp but the numbers take Impact down. Kross chokes him out and Aries adds a Figure Four. With Impact out, Aries Pillmanizes his throat against the post to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. This was a little weaker than some of the previous shows, mainly with the not so great wrestling and the storylines that aren’t the best in the first place. It’s not a terrible show or anything but it’s a show that didn’t do anything for me and nothing on it is really interesting or memorable. The build for Bound For Glory could be good though and that’s the more important thing going forward.

Results

Petey Williams b. Rich Swann – Canadian Destroyer

Desi Hit Squad b. Joe Hendry/Grado – Sky High to Grado

Eli Drake b. Stone Rockwell – Gravy Train

Tessa Blanchard b. Su Yung – Hammerlock DDT

OVE b. Zachary Wentz/Ace Austin/Trey Miguel – All Seeing Eye to Austin

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/07/23/new-book-kbs-complete-2003-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling
Date: August 30, 2018
Location: Rebel Sports Complex, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Don Callis

Tonight is the Redefined show, which could mean several things. We’ll be getting a few title matches, including Su Yung defending the Knockouts Title against Tessa Blanchard and Allie, along with Fenix challenging for the X-Division Title. I’m sure there will be some more with Eddie Edwards/Moose vs. Austin Aries/Killer Kross as well. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of the two title matches plus the Edwards vs. Aries feud.

Opening sequence.

X-Division Title: Brian Cage vs. Fenix

Fenix is defending and has Pentagon Jr. with him. Some early flips keep Fenix away from Cage until a drop toehold sets up a 619 from the champ. Fenix tries some springboards but gets his head taken off with a clothesline. That’s not something you see most X-Division people doing but it works well for him. Another springboard is broken up and a delayed apron superplex has Fenix in even more trouble.

Fenix finally scores with some kicks to the face but Cage runs him over again without much effort. More kicks just get Fenix tossed onto the ramp but he manages a Lethal Injection onto the ramp for a breather. A Swanton gets two but Cage hits his own superkick and a reverse Death Valley Driver. The fans are already on the FIGHT FOREVER chants. People it’s been six minutes. Chill.

Rating: B. There was a story here with Fenix trying to hang with Cage as long as he could but Cage kept shrugging it off and hitting one more big move after another. The ending was great with Fenix just not being able to survive the power. I could go for Pentagon vs. Cage but I’m not sure who in the world is supposed to stop Cage. Unless we’re coming up on Option C again.

Post match OVE comes in for the beatdown but Cage makes the save.

Recap of Moose returning last week and saving Edwards from Kross and Aries.

Scarlett Bordeaux charms her way past security.

Classic Clip of the Week: Drew Galloway debuts in January 2015.

Impact is coming to Mexico.

We look at the OGz running over a kid last week to get at LAX.

King yells at the OGz for feeling sympathy about the kid. Someone calls King and he leaves.

We recap the Knockouts Title match, which is Allie trying to get revenge on Yung for all of her attacks on Allie’s friends. Tessa is here because she wants to be champion.

Tessa isn’t feeling pressure because she’s a Blanchard. That means you need something though, and that’s why she’s winning the title tonight.

Here’s Eli Drake for a chat. Eli has had the Cult of Lee following him around for the last few weeks. They’re never going to be friends and Drake wanted to see what happened last week when they got in over their heads. Cue Mr. Atlantis and Brandon Tidwell, the guys who beat the Cult of Lee last week. They’re not quite ready to be stars yet because they have one more test. After pausing to listen to the THEY ARE DUMMIES chant, Drake says one of them has to face him tonight. Atlantis volunteers so Drake says he’ll face Tidwell.

Eli Drake vs. Brandon Tidwell

Gravy Train in 24 seconds.

Atlantis takes a Gravy Train of his own.

Moose and Edwards are ready for revenge.

Impact. Mexico. Still happening.

Knockouts Title: Su Yung vs. Allie vs. Tessa Blanchard

Yung is defending and has the Undead Bridesmaids while Allie has Kiera Hogan. Tessa hits them both in the face but Allie snaps off a Backstabber to take over. Allie clotheslines Tessa to make her DDT Yung but the champ pops back up for a staredown with Tessa. That earns Yung a shot from Allie but Tessa takes her down into a leglock.

Yung is back up for an armbar on Allie at the same time but ropes are grabbed in short order. Tessa press slams Yung onto the Bridesmaids but gets suplexed into the corner to give Allie two. Allie superkicks Tessa into the Mandible Claw but takes one herself a few seconds later. A slam gets Allie out of trouble but Tessa rolls her up for the pin (with trunks) and the title at 6:21. Tessa looks shocked that she won.

Rating: D+. They didn’t have time to do much here but Yung dropping the title was the only option. She’s been a near afterthought to Tessa for a long time now and the real feud is Tessa vs. Allie anyway. Yung felt like a Rosemary knockoff since she debuted and that’s not exactly how you present a top star. Time killed this one but they got the ending right.

In the back, Tessa says she knew she could do it and proved it. Come try her to see how tough a diamond can be.

Gama Singh beats up the Desi Hit Squad for failing.

Aries and Kross promise pain for Moose and Edwards. They’ve turned everything upside down and no one is safe.

LAX isn’t happy with the kid being run over. Konnan tells them to take care of the kid’s family but gets a phone call from someone he calls sir and leaves. LAX isn’t sure what to think but they’re not happy.

Mexico part three.

It’s time for the Smoke Show with Grado, Katarina and Joe Hendry. Scarlett suggests that there’s something between Katarina and Hendry but Joe says it’s not true. They’ll have a tag match next week and Hendry’s song will fix things. Scarlett whispers something to Grado and the water shoots out of his bottle. Katarina isn’t happy and the guys run off, leaving her to yell at Scarlett. Can we please get somewhere with this story already?

Petey Williams vs. Rich Swann

Swann goes straight to the dancing to start and throws in some splits for good measure. Petey sends him outside but comes back in with the slingshot Codebreaker. Swann flips over him and scores with a dropkick, only to be sent outside in a heap. Back from a break with O CANADA but Swann avoids a charge in the corner.

A pinfall reversal sequence gives them two each until Petey pulls him down for a Sharpshooter attempt. Can we just change his name to Mr. Canada already? That’s broken up as well and Swann hits a Falcon Arrow for two more. Swann misses the middle rope Phoenix splash but slips out of the Canadian Destroyer. Another pinfall reversal sequence gives them two each and Swann this the running shooting star for the pin at 10:20.

Rating: C-. I am so over Williams. He’s not interesting, his whole offense revolves around one move and he’s only there for the Canadian fans. He was funny back in the Scott Steiner days but good grief that was the better part of ten years ago. Just find someone else to do this stuff already and stop talking about the Destroyer already.

The announcers talk about Konnan apparently having a boss.

Swann wants the X-Division Title when Matt Sydal comes in to say Swann doesn’t know what he’s in for. As Sydal offers his help, Moose is found with the X symbol next to him. I think you know where this is going.

Austin Aries/Killer Kross vs. Eddie Edwards

No Moose. Kross starts for the team and plants Eddie with an early spinebuster. Aries comes in for a kick to the back of the head but Eddie is back with some kicks of his own. A running kick can’t knock Kross off the apron so Eddie kicks Aries to the floor. Kross cuts him off though and Aries takes over again. The villains take turns kicking and stomping away but Aries takes too much time going up.

The Backpack Stunner out of the corner gives Eddie a breather and a Blue Thunder Bomb gets two. Kross gets knocked outside and Eddie drops Aries with a suicide dive. With Aries back in, Kross suplexes Eddie on the floor to take him down again. Back in and a tiger bomb plants Aries but here’s the taped up Moose to grab Aries by the throat….and then spear Eddie. The referee gets thrown out and we’ll call it a no contest at 7:40.

Rating: C. This was much more of an angle than a big time match and the ending was far from a shock. It’s been a trope in wrestling for years and while it’s not a bad idea, it wasn’t exactly surprising. I’m not sure why Aries needs two monsters with him when Kross was doing his own thing but it’s not the worst idea in the world.

Post match Moose chairs Eddie. Alisha runs out to yell and slap Moose, who glares at her to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. So uh, what exactly was redefined here? I’m curious about some of the stuff they’re setting up here (LAX’s story is interesting) and the main event angle could go somewhere. It could be interesting to see who challenges the new trio but Cage, Pentagon and someone joining them is an option. That being said, this show didn’t do much for me as a lot of the wrestling was just ok to average and the good opener doesn’t quite cover it.

Results

Brian Cage b. Fenix – Superbomb

Tessa Blanchard b. Su Yung and Allie – Rollup with trunks to Allie

Rich Swann b. Petey Williams – Running shooting star press

Austin Aries/Killer Kross vs. Eddie Edwards went to a no contest when Moose threw the referee out

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/07/23/new-book-kbs-complete-2003-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling
Date: August 23, 2018
Location: Rebel Sports Complex, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Don Callis

This is all about the violence with a Mexican death match between Sami Callihan and Pentagon Jr. These two have been feuding for weeks now and it’s actually been one of the best things about the promotion. Sometimes it’s just about beating the heck out of each other and when you have the representative lackeys to help move things along. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening recap talks about Fenix beating Sami Callihan last week, Killer Kross and Austin Aries laying out Eddie Edwards, Jimmy Jacobs and Kongo Kong (sweet goodness that’s a lot of alliteration) vs. Johnny Impact and the LAX war.

Opening sequence.

Here’s Eddie, in a Rocky Balboa shirt, to admit that he’s been beaten up for the last few weeks and lay down on the mat. He’s picked himself up though and now he’s standing in this ring again. Now that he’s back on his feet, he’s looking for a fight because he has nothing to lose. Eddie wants Aries and Kross out here right now so here they come.

Aries talks about how Kross is even crazier and more dangerous than Edwards so Eddie hits Aries in the face. Some stick shots have Kross in trouble but Aries chop blocks him. The Cross Jacket Choke and a Figure Four go on at the same time but here’s Moose with a chair to chase them off.

Callihan is ready for Pentagon Jr. and says OVE can blame Pentagon for their troubles.

Eddie and Moose are in the back when a very excited Alisha comes in to thank Moose for the save. Things seem to be better between she and Eddie.

Zachary Wentz vs. Matt Sydal

Sydal promises to help Wentz awaken. A headlock takeover puts Wentz down but he’s right back up with a corkscrew crossbody for two. Sydal bails to the floor and gets taken down with a dive. Back in and Wentz charges into a boot in the corner, setting up a cobra clutch. That goes nowhere so Wentz kicks him down and hits a standing moonsault for two. A Codebreaker looks to set up a running shooting star but only hits knees. Sydal hits a Paige Turner for the pin at 4:08.

Rating: C. They packed a good amount in there and Wentz looked good, even in defeat. I still don’t get the appeal of this third eye thing but Sydal can have a good match when he gets the time to do something. The match didn’t go long enough to get very far but Wentz should get a few more chances.

The Cult of Lee come up to Eli Drake in the back but he wants nothing to do with them. Two unnamed guys come in and the Cult impersonates Drake to yell at them. Drake says this should be interesting and leaves.

Video on Impact coming to Mexico.

Video on Brian Cage. He wants to bring a new era to the X-Division Title. Whatever Fenix can do in the ring, Cage can do just as well.

Classic Clip of the Week: AJ Styles returns in 2013.

Earlier today, Fallah Bahh had a present for KM (in a bag with Bahh’s face on it) that should help them win.

Video on Impact coming to Mexico. Nothing has changed in the last ten minutes.

Video on Callihan vs. Pentagon.

KM/Fallah Bahh vs. Desi Hit Squad

How many times can these teams fight? The gift was matching gear, albeit in a small size and KM’s has a ferret on the side. Actually hang on though as Bahh tells him to lose the boots. The announcers talk about a Scarlett Bordeaux photo shoot and Callis does a slightly less creepy Jerry Lawler impression. The Squad can’t hurt Bahh so it’s off to KM, who hurts his foot by kicking without a boot on.

This works a bit better for the Squad, who double teams KM down and hit a basement dropkick. KM’s comeback gets stomped down as Callis actually offers some insight to wrestling barefoot. A double clothesline gets KM out of trouble and it’s off to Bahh, who sits on Singh’s chest. The double roll crushes the Squad and KM sends Singh into Raju’s jumping knee. KM gives Raju a Project Ciampa, followed by a Banzai Drop for the pin at 5:26.

Rating: D. The oddball tag team isn’t my cup of milk in this case but some of the fans seem to like it well enough. The problem is there isn’t exactly a division of teams for these guys to fight and now that the Squad are just two guys, there’s a limit to how far either team can really go. Can you imagine either of them against LAX or the OGz? There’s such a divide between those teams and anyone else that it’s not even a division at this point.

Katarina yells at Grado for losing every single time. Joe Hendry just wants Grado to make progress and gives him a pep talk. Hendry and Katarina leave together and it turns out Scarlett Bordeaux is behind them. She wants him on her show….and then Grado is stripping on a pole. The interviewer from a few weeks back eats popcorn as Grado goes over to Scarlett, who spanks him over the couch. I never need to see this again.

Kiera Hogan vs Alisha

The go technical to start with Hogan armbarring her way out of a headlock. A pinfall reversal sequence goes to a standoff as Josh plugs upcoming tapings in Las Vegas. Alisha gets two off a neckbreaker but Kiera is right back with a dropkick in the corner. A charge connects for two more and a kick to the face is good for the same. Hogan shrugs off a comeback and hits a running faceplant but Alisha uses Eddie’s Backpack Stunner. That goes nowhere though as a fisherman’s neckbreaker finishes Alisha at 6:08.

Rating: D+. Neither of them were impressive here as it was just a match with no fire or interest for the most part. I haven’t seen Alisha do anything of note since she’s been in the company and while Kiera is better, she’s not exactly leaps and bounds ahead. It could have been worse, but this felt like filler.

Post match Allie praises Kiera before saying that Su Yung has driven her to the darkness. She has to get rid of Yung but now she has to look over her shoulder for Tessa Blanchard. Allie wants a triple threat next week.

Johnny Impact was making an appearance at a pool party when Kongo Kong showed up. Impact beat him up without much effort and sent him into the pool.

The triple threat is accepted and the title will be on the line.

Rich Swann went for a walk with one of the interviewers and says his ultimate goal is the X-Division Title. A bunch of names have influenced him, including Petey Williams, who he’s facing next week.

Pentagon is ready to make Sami respect him tonight.

Remember how Impact was announced as coming to Mexico soon? Still the case.

Aries and Kross are ready to end Moose’s career. Sounds like a tag match next week.

Cult of Lee vs. Brandon Tidwell/Mr. Atlantis

Drake is on commentary and those would be the guys from earlier. The Cult starts doing Drake moves, including the E-Li-Drake elbow. The Gravy Train is broken up though and Tidwell rolls Konley up for the pin at 1:52. Drake finds this kind of funny.

LAX celebrates with their people on the street. Konnan says the OGz are done and has a surprise for some of them. They go to the car…..and a kid is run over by a car driven by the OGz. Well that got rather dark in a hurry.

We run down next week’s Redefined card.

Sami Callihan vs. Pentagon Jr.

Mexican death match, meaning anything goes and falls count anywhere. They go straight for the chairs to start until Sami kicks him in the face. A Sling Blade cuts Sami off and Pentagon opens the vest so the chops are even louder. Two chairs are set up in the middle of the ring but Pentagon’s hurricanrana is countered into a powerbomb through (not really) the chairs. A table is set up at ringside but it’s Pentagon hitting the big flip dive to send Sami through it.

Back from a break with Pentagon bringing in a pinata but stopping to kick Sami down. Inside the pinata: a staple gun. Sami spits at him and gets stapled in the arms and crotch, followed by the hat being stapled to Sami’s head. Pentagon is nice enough to rip it back off before hitting a backstabber for two. Another pinata has an electric razor inside so Sami grabs him by the crotch for the sake of saving his beard. They head outside with Sami opening another pinata to find a ball bat.

A trashcan is wrapped around Pentagon’s head for a bat shot but Pentagon hits him with the can to get a breather. Pentagon grabs a running Death Valley Driver through another table and it’s time for one last pinata….which is full of Legos. They trade package piledrivers on the Legos for two each with Sami being left laying. Pentagon loads up a third table but gets caught on top, setting up a super Cactus Piledriver through the table for the pin at 15:52.

Rating: B. They beat the heck out of each other here and the ending looked awesome. Sami has really grown on me with the violence fitting in very well, especially in something like this. Also, I liked that they played into the Mexican part with the pinatas, though the Legos thing may not be up your alley. I get what they were going for with it (with commentary saying how much it hurts to step on one) and it’s nice to not have it be tacks or glass again. This should be a blowoff to the feud and if so, they went out in a pretty violent way.

Overall Rating: C+. Some of the wrestling wasn’t the best here but they set up next week’s big show and there was a good main event to close the show out. They’ve come down a few levels since the build to Slammiversary but I can gladly go for a somewhat above average show rather than something uninspired or bad. They’re going in the right direction and there’s stuff that I want to see, so keep up what they’ve been doing as of late.

Results

Matt Sydal b. Zachary Wentz – Paige Turner

KM/Fallah Bahh b. Desi Hit Squad – Banzai Drop to Raju

Kiera Hogan b. Alisha – Fisherman’s neckbreaker

Brandon Tidwell/Mr. Atlantis b. Cult of Lee – Rollup to Konley

Sami Callihan b. Pentagon Jr. – Cactus piledriver through a table

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/07/23/new-book-kbs-complete-2003-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling
Date: August 16, 2018
Location: Rebel Sports Complex, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Don Callis

The main event scene took a surprising turn last week with Killer Kross revealing himself to be working for/with Austin Aries. I’m not sure what the point of that is when Kross has been one of the better villains for a few weeks now and really doesn’t need to be affiliated with Aries. You can imagine Eddie Edwards won’t be happy about what went down last week. Let’s get to it.

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

In Memory Of Jim Neidhart.

The opening video looks at the recent goings on around here, including the LAX war, Kross and the Knockouts.

Sami Callihan vs. Fenix

Sami goes straight at him to start so Fenix gets in a dropkick to the floor, followed by the big flip dive. A Swanton gets two back inside but Jake Crist pulls Fenix’s foot. What looked like a half nelson drop on Fenix’s head gets two and a clothesline takes Fenix’s head off. They head outside with Sami’s spit chop setting up a Russian legsweep into the ropes for two.

Sami ties the arms behind the ropes for a hard forearm to the back of the head as the fans think Ohio suck. Some right hands to the head have Fenix in more trouble and we hit the chinlock. Fenix tries to fight up and goes to the top, only to be shoved off onto the ramp. Sami loads up the Cactus Piledriver but Fenix escapes and hits a Lethal Injection of all things. A springboard twisting cutter (freaking sweet) gets two back inside and we take a break.

Back with Fenix winning a slugout but getting powerbombed for two. It’s off to an STF on Fenix, which is switched into a Crossface as Sami channels his inner Samoa Joe. The hold is broken and as usual, Sami spends too long talking trash, allowing Fenix to run the ropes for a super hurricanrana. Fenix gets the better of an exchange of kicks to the head but OVE gets up on the apron. Cue Pentagon Jr. for the save, allowing Fenix to hit his spinning Muscle Buster driver for the pin at 18:27.

Rating: B. Callihan is starting to grow on me and when he’s putting in the effort, he’s more than capable of putting on a good match. I mean, having Fenix out there with you kind of helps a lot given that he’s one of the hottest stars in the world at the moment. Pentagon is that much better though and he’s giving the story another level of credibility. They were rocking out there and that’s a great way to open a show.

The announcers preview the rest of the night.

Video on LAX vs. the OGz, who already fought in a street fight at Slammiversary where LAX won. Now they’re having another street fight, which is different because….I have no idea actually. Still though it should be great.

Fenix is fired up at getting an X-Division Title shot in two weeks. Cage comes in and holds up the title without saying anything.

Classic moment of the week: the insane 32 man brawl from Impact in 2009.

Allie is ready to fight Su Yung tonight and Kiera Hogan has her back. Tonight is for Madison Rayne and Rosemary.

Jimmy Jacobs vs. Johnny Impact

Before the match, Jimmy says that just because he’s a princess, people think he’s soft. Tonight, he’s the monster. Speaking of the monster, Kongo Kong jumps Impact from behind before the bell and the referee is fine with starting the match. Jacobs gets a quick two but Kong comes in for the DQ at 55 seconds.

Post match Jacobs and Kong load up the steps but Impact DDTs Kong on the ramp. Jacobs tries to bail but Impact flips in front of him. With Impact stalking him, Jacobs trips over the steps and Impact (“Eye for an eye Jimmy!”) blasts him in the face with them. Jacobs is out cold.

Josh: “Up next, Austin Aries and Killer Kross will be in the middle of the ring. But next, Scarlett Bordeaux and the Smoke Show debut!”

KM and Fallah Bahh fight over champagne to try and woo Bordeaux. They run into her and the fight continues. She doesn’t like the champagne but asks them to explain their issues. KM yells at Bahh but she suggests KM try things his way. KM doesn’t buy it but teases kissing her, only to have Scarlett tell him to try things her way. That means matching gear apparently and KM leaves. Bahh says his name and gets slapped, with Scarlett saying that’s disgusting.

I’m not sure on this idea. They’re not hiding what they’re going for with Scarlett and she plays the character well, but I’m not sure what kind of a shelf life this is going to have. She would be great as a manager but just having talking segments in the back like this isn’t going to work for very long. If I just have to have Bordeaux on my screen every week though, so be it.

Here’s Aries to explain last week. It’s a great day to be great but a lot of people have been asking him what’s up with Killer Kross. Well Kross, who Aries refers to as his new insurance policy, can speak for himself so here he is, now in a suit. Kross comes out and says he and Aries see things the same and are both here to change everything. You can like it or not, but the change is being shoved down your throat.

Aries talks about getting rid of Anthony Carelli, who showed how important it is to surround yourself with the right people. That’s why Aries picked the best man possible to have his back. Aries calls out Eddie Edwards for not handling his stick as well as his wife would like, which is why she left him. Cue Eddie so Aries lies across the top rope as Kross isn’t phased by stick shots. A shot to the knee slows him down though and a cutter puts him down. Eddie takes way too long going after Aries though, allowing Kross to get up and choke him out.

During the break, Eddie freaked out about what just happened when his wife Alisha came in to check on him, even though they’re still not good. Eddie yells about everyone thinking he’s crazy.

Eli Drake vs. Joe Hendry

Drake has the Cult of Lee with him and Hendry has Grado/Katarina. Hendry also has a new video, showing him wearing a Drake mask and singing about how Drake is joining the Cult to get his revenge. As usual, the song is hilarious and well done as Hendry has a rather unique set of skills. Hendry wristlocks him down to start but Drake flips out and points at the crowd a lot.

A shoulder puts Drake down but he’s right back with the jumping neckbreaker and right hands to the head. Hendry starts his comeback with clotheslines and a DDT as Grado takes care of Caleb Konley. Unfortunately Grado doesn’t know when to get off the apron and Drake shoves Hendry into him, setting up the rollup pin at 4:25.

Rating: D. Hendry isn’t anything great in the ring, but those videos and songs are going to carry him for as long and far as he wants to go. It’s a special talent and that’s almost a guaranteed job, especially when you throw in a good look. The Grado story seems to be progressing, which is at least a step in the right direction. I still don’t get his appeal (at least not in the US) and the faster he’s gone, the better.

Post match Katarina seems to have nearly had it with Grado.

Matt Sydal meditates on his recent losses until his eyes pop open, seemingly having figured something out. Good for you.

Callihan wants a Mexican Death Match with Pentagon to finish this once and for all.

Su Yung vs. Allie

Non-title with the Undead Bridesmaids and Kiera Hogan at ringside. Yung jumps her to start but Allie slugs right back and sends her throat first into the ropes. For some reason Allie heads outside and gets distracted by the Bridesmaids. Yung takes off the dress and hits a dive onto Allie but gets headbutted in the chest. Allie screams a lot until Yung palm strikes her down. A missed charge sends Yung into the buckle and a dropkick to the back makes it worse. Kiera dives onto the Bridesmaids and the Panic Switch is countered into the Backstabber. Cue Tessa Blanchard to jump Allie for the DQ at 5:36.

Rating: C-. This was more about the big circus of interference but it never became too much to handle. There’s a good chance this sets up a triple threat title match in the near future and that’s what makes sense storyline wise at the moment. They’ve put together a story here where all three are involved instead of having a champion and two challengers. That’s a rare thing and they’ve done it well.

Post match Tessa loads up the hammerlock DDT but gets the Mandible Claw from Yung. Allie superkicks Yung and stands tall.

LAX and the OGz meet in the actual streets (or maybe a parking lot) with a bunch of people behind both teams. Konnan and King agree that just the wrestlers themselves fight and the OGz lay the belts down. Since this isn’t an actual match, I’m assuming the belts aren’t on the line. Hernandez gets sent into a fence and beaten with a plastic sign by Ortiz but King sends one of the unnamed goons in with a fork.

Homicide and Santana fight with the fork but Santana gets out of a Gringo Killer on the concrete. Ortiz breaks a broom over Hernandez’s back and Santana hits Homicide with something King accidentally throws him. Hernandez comes back in with what might have been a bottle and Border Tosses Santana onto the pile of people.

King throws in a rope to hang Ortiz but Santana is back in with some kind of club and LAX takes their belts back. With the OGz down, King gets in Konnan’s face and shouts that he’s leading LAX down the wrong path. He yells about Konnan doing something to him fifteen years ago and begs Konnan to knock him out. Konnan swears and does exactly what King requests to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. Good show here, though I’m still not sure about Kross being Aries’ muscle. The shows and angle are still working for the most part and I’m liking what we’re getting. There hasn’t been a show that has been a chore to sit through in a long time and for Impact, that’s a minor miracle. Another perfectly watchable show and that’s becoming the norm, which is taking some getting used to.

Results

Fenix b. Sami Callihan – Spinning Muscle Buster driver

Johnny Impact b. Jimmy Jacobs via DQ when Kongo Kong interfered

Eli Drake b. Joe Hendry – Rollup

Allie b. Su Yung via DQ when Tessa Blanchard interfered

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/07/23/new-book-kbs-complete-2003-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

IMG: Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling
Date: August 9, 2018
Location: Rebel Sports Complex, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Don Callis

We’re already at a big night with the World Title on the line. This time around it’s Eddie Edwards getting the title shot against Austin Aries, who is in need of a next major challenger. There’s a ton of time before Bound For Glory so this probably just a one off match. Let’s get to it.

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

The OGz and LAX are fighting in the back with Ortiz throwing hangers at Hernandez. Those are some dangerous weapons. Hernandez wraps a chair around Ortiz’s head and slams it into a wall though and security breaks it up after the OGz get the better of it.

Opening sequence.

Taiji Ishimori/Petey Williams vs. Desi Hit Squad

Ishimori spins around Singh to start and takes him down with a springboard seated senton. Williams comes in for a few running dropkicks to both Singh and Raju but the numbers get the better of him. A knee to the back sets up a jumping Downward Spiral and Raju gets two off a DDT.

The gordbuster gets the same but Petey sends them into each other and tags Ishimori. House is cleaned, including a reverse DDT/Downward Spiral combination. Raju sweeps the leg and gets two off a double stomp as everything breaks down. The Canadian Destroyer is broken up with a Backstabber so Ishimori knees Singh. Now the Destroyer can hit Raju, followed by the implant DDT onto the knees to finish Raju at 6:29.

Rating: C. I can’t imagine they’re pulling the plug on the Hit Squad so soon but my goodness they’re lifeless as a team. Their work is fine though rather generic but the bigger problem is there’s no spark. They’re just not very interesting and don’t have anything to distinguish themselves other than they’re from India and their manager was a star in his day. I need a lot more than that.

Pentagon Jr. promises to introduce Matt Sydal to a universe of pain.

Allie promises to get back at Tessa Blanchard. She’s not done with Su Yung either and wants to fight next week, even if it’s a non-title match. Kiera Hogan says bring the Undead Bridesmaids and the whole Undead family.

Video on Eddie Edwards snapping and his descent into madness, including attacking Austin Aries two weeks ago.

Aries wants to know what happened to Edwards. He used to be one of the best wrestlers in the world but now Aries doesn’t know what has become of him. Aries is that much better, no matter how dangerous and over the top Edwards has become.

Grado is annoyed at losing last week but Joe Hendry and Katarina calm him down. Hendry will take care of Eli Drake next week. They leave without Grado.

Alisha vs. Tessa Blanchard

No more Edwards name for Alisha. Tessa isn’t waiting here and gorilla presses Alisha in an impressive power display. A headscissors is shrugged off and Tessa suplexes her for two. Alisha gets caught on the ropes for a running dropkick to the back as this is pure dominance so far. Tessa misses a running elbow on the ropes though and comes up favoring her arm. A bulldog gives Alisha two and a bulldog is good for the same. Tessa gets creative with a slingshot spinebuster (she’s been watching her dad) and the hammerlock DDT is good for the pin at 6:19.

Rating: D+. Mostly a squash here and Tessa looked good in the process. You don’t need to have her destroy Alisha so the minimal offense was fine and the ending was all it needed to be. That’s a good two move combination for Tessa as well with the homage to her dad and then the finisher. They have something special with her and if the company pushes her right, she could be a big deal for a long time to come.

Post match Tessa calls out Allie as being selfish. If she’s coming for Yung and the Knockouts Title, Tessa is coming for Allie.

Bob, the love smitten interviewer from last week, carries all of Scarlett Bordeaux’s bags, including a small one that she gets on him for forgetting.

Matt Sydal says he’s lost the X-Division Title but he has the same spirit that allowed him to win it in the first place. He’ll open everyone’s third eyes.

From Unbreakable: Chris Sabin vs. Petey Williams.

KM and Fallah Bahh argue with Bahh only saying his name. Bordeaux comes in and says they’re looking good, flustering both of them.

Bordeaux complains to the faceless reporters about all of the women being mean to her. They fall all over her (the leaning forward in the revealing top likely helps) and she gets a talk show out of it.

Matt Sydal vs. Pentagon Jr.

A lot of shouting about CERO MIEDO and third eyes fill in the first minute until they go to the mat for some broken headlocks. Pentagon goes with what works best for him by kicking at the leg and chopping at the chest. Some kicks from Sydal gets him out of trouble just as fast but Pentagon hits back to back Sling Blades, as is his custom.

Both guys crawl under the ring with Sydal coming out first and dropkicking Pentagon in the side of the head. Sydal stays on the knee and Pentagon has some trouble getting back inside. Instead of following up, Sydal points at the third eye over and over. Dude it didn’t work for CJ Parker in NXT and it’s not going to work for you either. A running knee off the apron takes Pentagon down and takes us to a break.

Back with Pentagon hitting a Backstabber out of the corner for two but Sydal avoids having his arm broken. The Pentagon Driver only gets two and Sydal blocks another Backstabber. A top rope splash to the back of a standing Pentagon gets two and it’s time to go up again. The shooting star only hits knees though and the Fear Factor gives Pentagon the pin at 16:58.

Rating: B-. I’m really not feeling the third eye thing but at least the matches have been fine enough. Pentagon is an absolute star and is tearing it up everywhere he goes at the moment. The fact that he’s a former World Champion here makes it even better as he has credibility in the bigger promotion instead of just being an indy sensation. Good match.

Post match OVE pops up on screen with Sami Callihan ranting about how he’s sick of being mocked for having his head shaved. One of the Crist Brothers is getting their head shaved right now so Jake shaves Dave. Sami likes the three of them looking like a family.

Here are LAX and Konnan for a chat. Konnan talks about winning the street fight because they’re undefeated in that kind of a match. If the OGz and King want a fight, come get one. King and the OGz are in the balcony but Konnan cuts him off, calling King a glory hole. King talks about taking the titles from LAX and yells at the fans to shut their stupid Canadian mouths. They need to take it to the streets, which seems to be accepted with Konnan being involved in some way.

Preview for next week, including Bordeaux’s Smoke Show.

Jimmy Jacobs says he’s a good guy and didn’t deserve to have Johnny Impact punch him in the face last week. He was trying to spare Johnny from the wrath of Kongo Kong but Johnny wants the monster. Jimmy says it’s on next week, because Jimmy is the monster. I think that means Jimmy vs. Johnny next week.

Impact Wrestling World Title: Austin Aries vs. Eddie Edwards

Aries is defending. After waiting for Eddie to put down his kendo stick, we’re ready to go with Josh listing off Eddie’s career accomplishments. Eddie is in street clothes and hits an early belly to belly before doing angels in the snow on the mat. Aries is so freaked out that he goes to the floor as we take a break.

Back with Josh saying that absolutely nothing happened during the commercial because Aries is so scared. They switch places with Eddie blocking Aries’ suicide dive with a forearm to the head and chopping him up against the barricade. Aries begs off and gets thrown down with a release gordbuster. He’s fine enough to pull Eddie to the floor and that means a suicide dive. Back in and Aries slugs away with forearms and chops, though Eddie just opens his shirt and invites him to chop harder.

A Blue Thunder Bomb drops Aries, with Josh pointing out how long it’s been since Eddie has used that move. In other words, despite the insanity, the talented Eddie is still in there. Eddie gets two off a tiger driver but Aries is right back with a sunset bomb off the top into the Last Chancery. A bite of the finger gets Eddie out and Aries grabs the belt. The referee breaks that up so Eddie hits him low and rolls Aries up for two.

There goes the referee but Aries misses a belt shot, allowing Eddie to grab a DDT. There’s no count so let’s get the kendo stick. A shot to the head knocks Aries silly and Eddie chokes in the corner. Cue Killer Kross to give Eddie a Saito suplex, leaving Aries to hit the brainbuster to retain at 17:11.

Rating: B. Eddie is becoming a fascinating character and while I could go without the Tommy Dreamer tributes, he could go quite a ways off of this thing. Kross being Aries’ muscle isn’t something I’m thrilled with as Kross could be something special on his own. I’m not sure why he should be working for someone else, even the World Champion, when he could be a top heel on his own. If nothing else it does make more sense to have him lay out Anthony Carelli last week.

Kross leaves his calling card on Eddie and poses with Aries to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. That’s back to what it was a few weeks ago with two very good matches, angle advancement and some stories that make me want to come back and see where this is going. They also set up some stuff for next week, which is a lost art in wrestling outside of NXT these days. Very strong show this week and I had a lot of fun watching it, as is the case more often than not as of late.

Results

Taiji Ishimori/Petey Williams b. Desi Hit Squad – Implant DDT onto the knees to Raju

Tessa Blanchard b. Alisha – Hammerlock DDT

Pentagon Jr. b. Matt Sydal – Fear Factor

Austin Aries b. Eddie Edwards – Brainbuster

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/07/23/new-book-kbs-complete-2003-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling
Date: August 2, 2018
Location: Rebel Sports Complex, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Don Callis

Things are still fresh off of Slammiversary but at the same time we don’t really have anything big going on yet. Austin Aries’ next challenger seems to be Eddie Edwards, but I’d assume that’s more of a one off TV match than a major pay per view story. Still though, there’s enough interesting stuff going on around here to keep me entertained. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video looks at Aries retaining at Slammiversary but getting jumped by Eddie. Johnny Impact, Brian Cage, Pentagon Jr. and Sami Callihan get some attention as well.

Opening sequence.

Su Yung/Undead Bridesmaid vs. Kiera Hogan/Allie

Allie and Kiera slug their way through the read of the Bridesmaids with Kiera diving onto one of them and Allie diving onto the rest. Yung gets caught inside for a double teaming but Allie gets takes into the corner as the Bridesmaid comes back in. It’s Kiera getting beaten up in the corner with Yung coming in to hammer away with wild rights and lefts.

Kiera kicks the Bridesmaid away and hits a dropkick, allowing the hot tag off to Allie. The Codebreaker is blocked so it’s the Best Superkick Ever for two on Yung instead. Everything breaks down and a fisherman’s neckbreaker drops the Bridesmaid. The Panic Switch sends Kiera outside but the Codebreaker gives Allie the pin at 6:10.

Rating: D+. That should set up Allie for the next title shot but with Tessa Blanchard in the background, there’s a chance that we might be in for a triple threat. I’m not sure if it’s the best idea to have Yung lose twice already but it’s a little better than having her go on a long undefeated streak and then losing in a tag match like this.

Post match Tessa Blanchard comes in and takes Allie out with a hammerlock DDT.

Post break Tessa mocks Alie for wanting to save everyone when she can’t even help herself. Allie is only in this for herself and isn’t getting a Knockouts Title shot before Tessa.

Aries vs. Edwards in a title match is set for next week.

OGz vs. ???/???

Hernandez throws one across the ring and Homicide hits the Gringo Killer on the other one (in a SICK landing) for the pin at 50 seconds.

Post match, King says he told us so by getting rid of Konnan and the young boys and taking their titles. Cue LAX for the brawl as Konnan watches from the ramp. Ortiz pulls out A HATCHET but security and Konnan break it up. It being the attempted murder/butchering that is.

Post break Konnan says that was a trap and they’ll get their revenge when the time is right.

Classic clip: Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Petey Williams from Sacrifice 2006.

Sami Callihan, still with a bad arm, and OVE are ticked off but tonight they’ll make up for it by beating up the Lucha Brothers.

Desi Hit Squad vs. KM/Fallah Bahh

Bahh pounds his chest to start so the Squad tries some double teaming. I say try because Bahh whips them both in for a double crossbody and the Squad is flattened. The big fat leg connects and it’s off to KM for….well nothing of note before Bahh comes in again. This time he spends too long going after Gama though and a chop block brings him down.

Raju comes in for some kicks to the ribs but Bahh crushes him in the corner. That’s enough for the tag back to KM so house can be cleaned. The double roll over has the Squad in more trouble and some pokes to the eye make them scream. KM hits a full nelson slam but Bahh won’t leave, allowing Raju to hit a jumping knee to the face. Singh adds a jumping Downward Spiral for the pin at 6:13.

Rating: D. I still don’t get the point of either of these teams but neither of them are likely to go anywhere anytime soon. The Squad is your pretty run of the mill foreign team and KM/Bahh are the oddballs, which don’t exactly inspire me either way. When the LAX vs. OGz feud is dominating the title scene, it’s not like they’re getting close to the titles anytime soon. Can we get some better filler?

Anthony Carelli gives his student Dustin Cameron a pep talk before the match with Aries tonight. Cameron leaves and Carelli prays that he doesn’t die out there.

Johnny Impact wants his rematch with Kongo Kong but gets Jimmy Jacobs instead. Before Jimmy can say much, a right hand takes him down.

Impact Wrestling World Title: Austin Aries vs. Dustin Cameron

Aries is defending, eating a banana and wearing street clothes. Cameron gets taken down with ease, followed by a headlock takeover and a walk on his back. Some judo tosses give Cameron his only offense but there’s a discus forearm into the brainbuster for two, with Aries picking him up. Carelli throws in the towel at 3:29.

Rating: D. I was tempted to not even call this a match as it was just an angle, but the problem is it’s an angle to advance Aries vs. Santino Marella. I don’t know if Carelli can get in the ring (though I don’t think he can) but this doesn’t exactly scream great idea. The angle makes sense, but I’m not sure about one of the people involved.

Post match Aries puts on the Last Chancery, drawing Carelli in. The fans chant for the Cobra but settle for a low blow to Aries instead. Eddie Edwards comes in for a kendo stick shot to send Aries running.

Alisha Edwards says she’s getting back in the ring when Eddie comes in to say things are going to be back to normal. He’s going to be World Champion again! That’s too much for Alisha and she leaves. Eddie: “Ok bye.”

Here’s Scarlett Bordeaux for a chat in the aisle. The interviewer can barely talk because he’s too busy staring at her and the stuttering is intense. Scarlett flirts with him (after naming him Bobo due to his stuttering) and says she won’t be hot shamed. He leaves and she dances a bit because the Smoke Show is here. I still need to see more of this but I don’t hate it.

Grado comes up to Eli Drake to yell about the gift from last week. A challenge for a tag match is thrown out and Drake steps to the side to grab Trevor Lee as his partner.

Grado/Joe Hendry vs. Eli Drake/Trevor Lee

The villains, including Caleb Konley, send Hendry outside and triple team Grado before Drake starts with the latter. A knee and basement clothesline have Grado in more trouble and Drake shouts to the crowd a lot. Grado is right back with his clothesline and the snap jabs but Lee pulls Hendry off the apron. The distraction lets Drake hit the Gravy Train for the easy pin at 3:12.

Rating: D-. Another match designed to be more angle advancement than anything else and that’s fine, but the match was a bunch of very simple stuff until the finish. They’re taking their time getting to Katarina leaving Grado and I’m not sure why. Unless there’s a surprise in there, we’re just kind of wasting time until we get to the obvious and correct ending.

Post match Hendry and Grado hug it out.

The Desi Hit Squad is pleased with themselves but Gama Singh comes in to slap them in the face.

Video on Brian Cage retaining the X-Division Title last week in a good match.

Sydal admits that Cage is the better man but he’ll be looking inside of himself and questioning everything.

OVE vs. Fenix/Pentagon Jr.

They start fast and take turns running at each other until the Lucha Bros slide to the floor and take stereo suicide dives into the barricade. OVE beats them up a little more with Pentagon going into the post, only to come back with stereo superkicks. Now it’s a pair of flip dives to take out the Crists as we take a break. Back with Pentagon opening Dave’s shirt for a skin ripping chop.

Fenix launches Pentagon into Jake in the corner but Sami saves him from the spike Fear Factor. Some kicks to the head sent Pentagon outside, leaving Jake to put on something like a reverse Rings of Saturn (Naomi used to use it) on Fenix. Jake and Dave take turns going for the mask until Fenix kicks Jake in the head. Pentagon comes in but the Crists tie their masks together so the Lucha Bros are in even more trouble.

The masks come untied and Jake spikes Fenix for two. Pentagon gets back up though and it’s time for some corner clotheslines, followed by stereo superkicks on Jake. Fenix hits a top rope double stomp to Jake’s back, leaving Dave to take the spike Fear Factor. A flip dive takes out Jake and Sami as Dave is pinned at 17:23.

Rating: B-. Good match here to continue the Sami vs. Pentagon feud, with Sami’s arm selling being a nice surprise. Seriously how many people sell an injury for more than a week anymore? Pentagon and Fenix are one of the best acts around right now with Pentagon looking more and more like a star every time he’s out there and Fenix being close to a modern day Juventud Guerrera with a little more size.

Killer Kross talks about realizing you’re in your final moments. The camera pans down to show an unconscious Carelli to end the show. That feels like writing him off TV, and that’s for the best.

Overall Rating: C. It’s not quite up to the standard they had a few weeks ago but this was still a perfectly watchable and at times good show. The main event is entertaining and they’ve set up a main event for next week, but there wasn’t much else as far as good wrestling went. I’ll chalk this one up to an off week and really hope that they bounce back to where they were recently. Still though, far from bad.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/07/23/new-book-kbs-complete-2003-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling
Date: July 26, 2018
Location: Rebel Sports Complex, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Don Callis

Believe it or not this company is on fire at the moment and they’re coming off a red hot Slammiversary this weekend. I don’t remember the last time this company was going so strong and if they can continue at this rate, I’m curious to see where they could go from here. This is very fresh territory for them and I wonder how far they can go with this run. Let’s get to it.

Here are Sunday’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of Slammiversary, which almost makes me want to watch it again.

Opening sequence.

Here’s Austin Aries to open things up. Aries is proud of being on top of what is being called the greatest Impact Wrestling pay per view ever. He was in what a wrestling match should be because he beat Moose, just as promised. Aries is ready to face anyone in the world and if you think you’re the best, it doesn’t matter what company you’re from. Cue Eddie Edwards with his gifted kendo stick to hit Aries in the back, followed by a double arm DDT.

Petey Williams vs. Taiji Ishimori

Petey starts fast with some rapid fire armdrags and a dropkick to the back. There’s the O Canada stand on the crotch but Ishimori is fine enough for a springboard seated senton. A chinlock sends Williams bailing for the ropes as Ishimori can’t get much going here. Williams ducks a charge in the corner and hits a lifting Downward Spiral to drop Ishimori again.

A Tajiri handspring into a kick to the head gives Ishimori his first offense but he misses the 450. The DDT is reversed into a failed Canadian Destroyer attempt so Ishimori picks him up for a DDT but drops Williams chest first onto his knee (kind of a weird cousin of the Codebreaker) for the pin at 7:21.

Rating: C. I still don’t quite get the appeal of Ishimori, though the Bone Soldier name is a great one. His matches are good enough and he looks tough but he hasn’t broken through to that next level. Then you have Williams, who is little more than a big finisher. His offense is getting better, but basing the whole thing around that one move isn’t going to offer him much more of a ceiling.

We get a post match hug but here’s the Desi Hit Squad to lay them out. That’s some better fire but Gama is still more interesting than the two of them.

Anthony Carelli (Santino Marella) talks about how much he misses wrestling when Aries comes in and talks down to him. If Carelli can’t get in the ring, maybe one of his students can. This might be better if it wasn’t a former comedy guy who is suddenly supposed to be a legend of some sort.

Tessa Blanchard vs. Rebel

Tessa talks a lot of trash to start and throws Rebel throat first into the middle rope to start. The hammerlock DDT is broken up and Rebel kicks her in the chest and face. Rebel gets caught on top though and a hanging DDT brings her back down. The hammerlock DDT gives Tessa the pin at 2:35.

Here’s the debuting Scarlett Bordeaux to dance a bit as Callis is in full on Jerry Lawler mode. Scarlett says she wants to be an inspiration to little girls and be remembered as the greatest women’s activist of all time. Like Marilyn Monroe or Cardi B! She refuses to be told to cover up and will not be hot shamed.

The interviewer is confused so Scarlett tells the five to shut up because “a ten is talking”. She’s here to bring sexy back to wrestling and that’s all that matters. Given how women’s wrestling is going these days, this is certainly a different way to go but it’s going to take a rather intelligent writer to pull it off. Or it’s not a very good idea and this is going to be a disaster.

Matt Sydal is devastated over his loss because he lost his harmonious state and stopped looking with his third eye. Tonight he refocuses and gets his title back.

Video on Pentagon vs. Sami Callihan with Pentagon saying he has the ultimate prize in Sami’s hair to go with cero miedo.

Johnny Impact vs. Trevor Lee

Impact isn’t on the motorcycle he was sitting on in the back before the break. They start fast with Impact spinning around Lee and kicking him in the face but getting kneed down. Some choking in the corner sets up a backbreaker as the announcers talk about Scarlett. Impact slides under the ropes to counter a whip into the corner and comes back in with a springboard crossbody.

A corner dropkick sets up the Flying Chuck for two but, as usual, the Countdown to Impact takes WAY too long, allowing Lee to roll away. The standing double stomp (always looks cool) gets two but Impact knees him hard in the face. Starship Pain doesn’t work so Impact flip dives off the top onto Lee and Caleb Konley. Now Starship Pain is good for the pin at 8:57.

Rating: C+. Impact was looking awesome here and brought out one of Lee’s better matches in a few months. Lee’s slower offense is kind of hard to get into and even harder to make work against a faster paced guy. At least Impact is starting back with a bang after several months away. He’s a big star around here and it’s about time he gets into the main event scene again.

Post match Impact says it’s great to be back and now he wants to be World Champion. First though, it’s time to get his hands on Jimmy Jacobs and Kongo Kong.

Video on Su Yung destroying everyone in her path.

Allie says she lost on Sunday but is more upset over not being there to stop Madison Rayne from being stuffed in a casket. She’s not letting that happen again and Kiera Hogan comes in to say she’s in too.

Classic match: Motor City Machine Guns vs. Young Bucks from No Surrender 2010. Appropriate given Shelley retiring this week.

Joe Hendry gives Grado a shirt when Eli Drake comes in with a gift for the two of them and Katarina. It’s a picture of Hendry and Katarina (standing next to each other) with no Grado. That’s not cool but they brush it off, even though Grado isn’t happy.

Fallah Bahh and KM need to find Bahh’s mean streak. They put some sunglasses on him as KM steals some stuff from other people.

Killer Kross is an evil man who wants to make people suffer.

King isn’t happy with what happened on Sunday because Konnan is still around. It’s all Konnan’s fault and there will be more violence.

Callihan yells in the mirror about messing everything up. The Crist Brothers try to calm him down and tell him that everything is fine because he looks like Jason Vorhees. He thinks someone laughs at him and shaves their head in a fit of rage.

The announcers talk about Sami being nuts.

X-Division Title: Brian Cage vs. Matt Sydal

Cage is defending in a rematch from Sunday. Sydal tries the speed to start and gets two off a small package. That’s not cool with Cage who takes it to the floor and powerbombs Sydal against the post as we take a break. Back with Sydal hitting a Meteora on the ramp as Cage is holding his knee. Sydal’s Muta Lock is broken up with one hand so he goes with a more standard leglock, followed by a running knee in the corner.

Cage’s knee is fine enough to hit a hurricanrana and a pumphandle Samoan drop for two. A powerslam is blocked though and Sydal hits a reverse log roll for his own near fall. Sydal kicks at the knee but Cage throws him with a German suplex. The 619 gives Cage two but the Drill Claw is countered into a hurricanrana for an even nearer two. An F5 sets up the Drill Claw to retain the title at 11:30.

Rating: B. I’m not wild on Sydal’s third eye thing but that was a heck of a match, assuming you ignore the knee suddenly being fine. Cage is such a beast and someone who can do things that no one who looks like him could pull off. Sydal even got in some great near falls, which gave the match some drama I wouldn’t have bet on coming in.

Overall Rating: B-. They covered most things here and set up some stories, but this was much more about letting things settle down a bit after Slammiversary. That’s a good idea after spending over a month building up a pay per view and something they needed to do. It’s not a classic or anything but it was another good night, which is becoming the norm around here.

Results

Taiji Ishimori b. Petey Williams – Lifting knee to the chest

Tessa Blanchard b. Rebel – Hammerlock DDT

Johnny Impact b. Trevor Lee – Starship Pain

Brian Cage b. Matt Sydal – Drill Claw

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/07/23/new-book-kbs-complete-2003-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling
Date: July 19, 2018
Location: St. Clair College, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Don Callis

It’s the go home show for Slammiversary and for once I’m actually interested in where we’re going. The build for the show has been rather good so far and that could make for a solid pay per view. They can still hammer in a few more things tonight but really, Sunday is all that matters at this point. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a rapid fire recap of the big stories.

Petey Williams vs. Killer Kross

The Canadian fans are behind Petey, who gets driven into the corner early on. Petey tries to strike away but gets tossed with a t-bone suplex as Kross laughs. Another t-bone drops Williams but he avoids a charge to send Kross shoulder first into the post. A Codebreaker and a tornado DDT have Kross rocked so he comes right back with a hard Saito suplex.

The Krossjacket (a not great looking choke) has Petey in trouble but Kross lets him go. Kross bends over and puts Petey in position for the Canadian Destroyer (as in he puts Petey in position to give Kross the Destroyer) before slamming him down. The Krossjacket knocks Petey out at 5:03.

Rating: D+. I’m not feeling the choke finisher but this was a very effective match and something they should have done rather than the Fallah Bahh match two weeks ago. Kross feels like a monster and that’s exactly what they should be going for with him. Let that kind of evil flow and see how far up the ladder he can go. I liked this WAY more than the Bahh match and Kross looks like he could be a player.

Post match Kross leaves the card on Petey’s chest.

The announcers give their regular preview.

Madison Rayne talks about her daughter wanting to grow up to be a superhero like her mom. Or maybe a ballerina.

Joe Hendry is at a photo shoot when Grado and Katarina come in. Grado isn’t happy with Hendry for flirting with Katarina but Hendry has a surprise.

Desi Hit Squad vs. KM/Fallah Bahh

So yeah, KM and Bahh are back on the same page again. Raju jumps Bahh to start and has as much success off a crossbody as you would expect. Singh comes in and gets crushed by Bahh’s crossbody so Raju gets in a few more cheap shots. Bahh sends the Squad into each other and it’s off to KM (whose full name of Kevin Matthews is mentioned, possibly for the first time ever around here) to clean house. The Squad gets put down so Bahh and KM do the rolls over them twice in a row. Gama Singh offers a distraction though and it’s a rake to the eyes into a rollup to pin Bahh at 4:34.

Rating: D. The Hit Squad is still fine, though not exactly great. Bahh is exactly the same person he’s been since his debut, though you could say that his charisma has gotten better. KM….actually wasn’t too bad here. Imagine that: you let him wrestle an actual match instead of being a clueless putz and his value goes up. The Squad will probably win the Tag Team Titles one day and while I understand why, it’s not the most inspiring thought in the world.

Video on the LAX civil war, which is actually an awesome story so far.

King doesn’t think anything of Konnan who has turned his back on the Latino nation to join his nice white friends in his white neighborhood. Yeah he put the hit out on Konnan because he had the OG’s in his back pocket. Nobody wants the three of them there so they’ve got nothing to lose. They’re taking over.

Eli Drake vs. Joe Hendry

Drake has kind of been lost in the shuffle of late. Hendry sings his own music about making things better, featuring a video of people celebrating in various ways. To be fair, that’s a heck of an entrance and a rather catchy song. The fans chant LOCAL HERO (Hendry’s nickname) but hang on though as Hendry has a video about Eli Drake with Hendry singing about how big of a dummy Drake really is. Apparently Drake likes to dress up like a woman, complete with what looks like regular photos.

Drake isn’t happy and decks Hendry before the bell with the referee starting the match as Drake is choking in the corner. Hendry gets in a jumping knee to the face but misses a charge in the corner to take him right back down. A pair of neckbreakers take Hendry down but he’s right back up with one of his own. Hendry’s DDT gets two but Drake takes him down without much trouble. The Gravy Train is countered into a rollup to give Hendry the pin at 3:50.

Rating: C-. Hendry is someone with a lot of upside as the singing will carry him for a long way and he has a great look. Once you get him away from Grado things can get better, but for now there’s a big upside to him. That’s what has gone well for Impact as of late: bringing in some fresh names who can make an impact in a hurry.

Hendry celebrates with Katarina, much to Grado’s annoyance.

The new LAX knows that the OG’s helped get them here but it’s their time now.

Andrew Everett vs. Dezmond Xavier

And here’s Eddie Edwards to attack the referee at 15 seconds. The bell rang so yes, this was a match.

Eddie says the time has come for Tommy Dreamer and no matter what the stipulation is, pain is coming for Dreamer. There will be blood and Eddie is going to taste it straight from Dreamer’s head. Then Eddie will be the new Innovator of Violence and Dreamer’s never ending nightmare. This was very good and if you just get rid of the Dreamer factor, it’s that much better.

Recap of last week’s Madison Rayne/Su Yung incident.

Rayne is in a funeral home with pictures of her and her family. She opens the casket and finds herself but a man comes up from behind her. His face is in Yung style paint and Madison runs away, finding a girl looking for her mom. Madison panics and is suddenly outside in the woods. Blood falls from the sky and the bridesmaids appear with Yung saying Rayne’s time has come.

Video on Pentagon Jr. vs. Sami Callihan.

Greg Osborne vs. Sami Callihan

Osborne is from Australia and has a boomerang. Callihan wastes no time in kicking him down in the corner but stops to get Pentagon’s mask from the Crist brothers. A double eye gouge sets up the Cactus piledriver for no cover. The fans sing the Goodbye Song and Sami puts the mask on Osborne. Sami starts a Pentagon chest but calls it bull, eventually accepting the hair vs. mask match. Wasn’t that accepted weeks ago? A low superkick sets up Get Out Of Here for the pin on Osborne at 4:09.

Rating: D. Just a squash here with Sami’s ranting being a good chunk of the match. Callihan is fine in short bursts like this and the violence works far better than seeing him trying to wrestle. Throw him in there with someone as good as Pentagon and the match should be a lot of fun.

Post match Sami promises violence on Sunday. Pentagon pops up to say bring it so OVE gives chase.

The OG’s are ready to take back what’s theirs.

Allie doesn’t like Tessa Blanchard but is ready for the tag match tonight.

Tessa is ready to take care of Allie for messing with her plans.

Allie/Kiera Hogan vs. Tessa Blanchard/Shotzi Blackheart

I’m glad to see Shotzi again. Kiera and Tessa start things off with Blanchard taking her into the corner and slapping Kiera in the chest. They switch places and do the same thing, followed by Kiera armdragging her down. Blackheart comes in and misses a charge to send her to the floor. Allie gets two off a snap suplex with Tessa shouting DON’T MESS THIS UP FOR ME.

Tessa kicks Kiera in the face and comes in, only to have stereo big boots give us a double knockdown. The hot tag brings in Allie to clean house on Shotzi with a Russian legsweep getting two. A Tessa distraction lets Shotzi grab a neckbreaker but the Best Superkick Ever puts Shotzi down. That’s enough for Tessa, leaving Allie to hit the Codebreaker on Shotzi for the pin at 7:03.

Rating: C. The division is getting better and better with Tessa clearly being a star (albeit pretty close to a Charlotte clone) and Allie being someone the division could be built around for a long time. Kiera has turned into a nice featured player and Shotzi got my attention as soon as she debuted. Good stuff, though nothing that hasn’t been done before.

OVE is still looking for Pentagon.

Scarlett Bordeaux, now named and shown, debuts next week. This works in a variety of ways.

Video on the international four way, featuring the return of Johnny Impact.

The announcers run down the pay per view card.

Video on Brian Cage vs. Matt Sydal, including Kongo Kong costing Cage the X-Division Title a few weeks back.

Santana talks about having history with Homicide. They’ve known each other for years now and Homicide has made the wrong decision.

Video on Austin Aries vs. Moose.

The search for Pentagon continues and the Crist brothers find him….or rather Sami tied up in Pentagon’s mask. The real Pentagon shows up and seems to break the brothers’ arms but the editing is so fast that it’s hard to tell.

Here’s Moose for the hard sell promo for Sunday’s main event. Moose has been away from the Impact Zone for a long time and wants Austin Aries down here now. Bring the banana with you too. Aries pops up on screen to say chill a bit because we don’t need a moose on the loose. He’s not coming out right now and Moose can just wait until Sunday. Cue Aries from behind (smart move) and the beatdown is on. Moose gets up behind Aries though and tosses him into the corner. A swing with a chair misses and Aries runs. This company has a history of not great main event builds and that’s true here, but it was good enough.

One more Slammiversary run down ends the show.

Overall Rating: B+. I want to see Sunday’s show more than I did when I came in so I don’t know how this could be anything but a success. They did exactly what they wanted to do here with some watchable wrestling but the pay per view build was what really mattered. As long as Sunday can live up to the hype they’ll be fine, but this company has a history of choking at the finish line. Hopefully they break the streak here though, as the show looks rather good. Very well done this week and the best Impact has looked in a LONG time.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the NXT The Full Sail Years Volume III (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/05/25/new-book-nxt-the-full-sail-years-from-dallas-to-new-orleans/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling
Date: July 12, 2018
Location: St. Clair College, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Don Callis

With Slammiversary less than two weeks away, there isn’t much left to be done. Most of the card is already set up but last week’s show saw a big angle in the return of the original LAX. I’m sure that will set up a match at the pay per view, which is starting to look like a heck of a show. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of the LAX split, which has been far better than I was expecting.

Opening sequence.

OG’s vs. ???/???

That would be Homicide/Hernandez and it’s a complete squash with a Border Toss ending one of the jobbers at 58 seconds.

Post match King says Konnan’s time is done so King decided to take him out. Konnan is a smart man though so King brought in the OG’s. When Konnan restarted LAX, he went with the young boys instead of these two guys who don’t need your cheers. That’s why at Slammiversary, it’s a street fight. Good followup here as they didn’t waste time and set up the match in short order. That’s what you should have done and if we get a fired up response, everything will be copacetic.

Shotzi Blackheart recently impressed at a RISE event and gets to face Allie tonight. She’s ready to go.

Video on Blackheart.

OVE talks about how great they are and they’re ready to show their greatness in six man matches in tonight’s main event.

Shotzi Blackheart vs. Allie

Shotzi has long green hair and is from the Black Lagoon so I’m already a fan. A shoulder puts Allie down to start and Blackheart grabs something like a Muta Lock but pulls on Allie’s arms instead of her face. This is getting more and more promising. Back up and they chop it out until Allie misses a charge in the corner and we hit a quickly broken chinlock. Shotzi misses a missile dropkick and Allie gets two off a German suplex. The running Codebreaker puts Shotzi away at 5:45.

Rating: C. It’s a small sample size but Shotzi looked good for the most part here. Hopefully she’s brought back for some more shots as the division can always use some extra talent. Allie’s transformation from fun Bayley style character to serious has worked well and the change in gear helps too. You can only be so serious in the goofier looking gear but the Allie shirt and black pants give her a very different vibe.

Post match Tessa Blanchard comes out to beat Allie down.

Grado annoys Eli Drake, who hits on Katarina. A match is set for tonight.

Tessa is tired of Allie interfering in her business so she took Allie out.

Long recap of Tommy Dreamer vs. Eddie Edwards. Eddie’s turn has been great, but Dreamer being involved has sucked away a lot of the interest I had in the story.

The silhouetted woman is still coming but seems to have red hair.

Austin Aries knows Moose isn’t going to beat him and doesn’t think much of a retired, washed up football player (“I’m not talking about Moose.”) being here tonight. He’s looking forward to hearing what DeAngelo Williams has to say.

From Slammiversary 2013, Gail Kim and Taryn Terrell had a heck of a Last Man Standing match.

Josh Matthews brings out Williams, who happens to be Moose’s friend. If nothing else I could go for seeing him have another match. Williams has been training with Moose and thinks Aries is trash. We see a clip of the training and here’s Aries with a rebuttal. The fans chant for Aries, who says he knows his own name.

Aries asks why Williams isn’t in training camp and realizes it’s because no one wanted to sign him. He and Moose can bond over their lack of winning championships and Aries has a message for Moose. That would be a left hand but Aries misses a chair shot. Williams takes it away so Aries kicks him low and blasts him in the back. With Moose not around, this was about as good as it could have been.

KM and Fallah Bahh are having the same talk they have every week when the Desi Hit Squad comes in. They want to bring glory to India (we know) so KM yells at him. Gama Singh says that’s typical of North Americans. Well that’s irony.

Eli Drake vs. Grado

Grado has Katarina and Joe Hendry in his corner. Drake jumps him from behind and fires off the shoulders in the corner. A hurricanrana out of the corner of all things puts Drake down and Grado slugs away. Drake fires off a clothesline and the Gravy Train is good for the pin at 2:06.

Post match Drake accuses Hendry of trying to steal Katarina. I mean, yeah.

Video on Aries vs. Moose.

Killer Kross is ready to end Petey Williams next week.

Matt Sydal says his third eye is open and he isn’t an underdog at Slammiversary. Size doesn’t matter because if it did, he wouldn’t have a career. Good line.

Moose calls in to say he’ll be here next week to face Aries face to face.

We get a sitdown interview with Madison Rayne, who can’t believe what she’s going to be doing at Slammiversary. The lights flicker and Madison gets up to look for Su Yung. The interviewer disappears and THE TIME HAS COME is written on a wall. Yung’s dress is seen leaving the room and Madison opens a door to follow her but the camera cuts off.

OVE vs. Fenix/Pentagon Jr./Rich Swann

Tornado rules. Pentagon and Sami get in each others’ faces to start until six superkicks stagger everyone. Swann and Sami are the only ones left standing and Swann flips over him to speed things up. They kick each other as well though and it’s another knockdown. The Lucha Brothers beat up the Crist brothers and kick Dave in the face in the corner for two. Sami low blows Pentagon and suplexes Fenix into him, followed by a heck of a clothesline to take Fenix’s head off.

Swann is right back with a dive though, only to have Jake flip dive onto everyone. Not to be outdone, Fenix springboards into a twisting dive of his own, giving us a pretty awkward IMPACT WRESTLING chant. Dave superplexes Swann onto the pile and we take a well deserved break.

Back with the Tower of Doom into a powerbomb from Jake for two on Fenix. Jake puts Fenix up top but gets punched back down, setting up a very high angle Swanton. Swann starts kicking Sami down but eats a piledriver for two with Pentagon making the save. The Pentagon Driver gets two on Sami and Pentagon is stunned.

A series of cutters take almost everyone down, including Jake diving off one corner to cutter Swann, who was diving off another for an awesome visual. Sami gets caught in a spike Fear Factor for two in a rather ridiculous kickout. Another Fear Factor onto the apron destroys Jake and Swann kicks Callihan in the head. Swann’s super hurricanrana is countered into a powerbomb though and Callihan’s Get Out Of Here is good for the pin at 17:51.

Rating: B+. Heck of a main event here, rather ridiculous kickout for Sami aside. I can’t imagine Pentagon losing his mask at Slammiversary (it’s too valuable to him elsewhere) and Sami losing would be the right call. Other than that though, this was a rather fun match and Swann is looking like a star in the heavyweight division. I’m still not sure why he couldn’t do that in WWE, but then there would be no point to the cruiserweights having their own division. In other words, exactly how it is now. Really good match and a lot of fun in the style OVE should be doing most of the time.

Back to Madison, who follows Yung outside and gets surrounded by the bridesmaids. They come up to her but disappear, leaving Yung to grab Rayne to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. What does it say when this might have been the best TV show of the week? I’m looking forward to Slammiversary and most of the matches are looking very good. The show wasn’t perfect but the big stories are looking great and I’m curious to see who wins some of the pay per view matches. This is the best they’ve been in a long time and if that continues, they might be onto something.

Results

OG’s b. ???/??? – Border Toss

Allie b. Shotzi Blackheart – Running Codebreaker

Eli Drake b. Grado – Gravy Train

OVE b. Rich Swann/Fenix/Pentagon Jr. – Get Out Of Here to Fenix

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the NXT The Full Sail Years Volume III (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/05/25/new-book-nxt-the-full-sail-years-from-dallas-to-new-orleans/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling
Date: July 5, 2018
Location: St. Clair College, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Don Callis

We’re getting closer to Slammiversary and things are starting to take shape. The stories around here are getting better but they still don’t have that one big blow away idea that could get them some staying power. That’s been the case for a long time though and unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be getting any better. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of last week’s show in rapid fashion.

Opening sequence.

Rich Swann vs. Fenix

This could be good. Feeling out process to start with Swann doing about eight nipups in a row to get out of a wristlock. That’s fine with Fenix who bounces on the top rope to send Swann outside. You wouldn’t be able to do that. The fans chant for both these guys as they miss kicks and trade forearms for a standoff. Swann gets kicked to the floor but avoids a dive, setting up a dropkick off the apron to put Fenix down.

Back in and Fenix gets caught on top, banging up his knee in the process. The knee is fine enough to moonsault into an armdrag though as these two just don’t stop. There’s the big flip dive to the floor but Fenix misses a moonsault back inside. Of course he keeps backflipping though and cutters Swann for another close two.

Fenix’s Lethal Injection is countered with Swann standing on his hands (of course) so Fenix has to try it again, this time connecting for a double knockdown. Back from a break with a chop off until Swann gets two off a fisherman’s buster and a middle rope 450. Fenix is right back with an over the shoulder sitout Tombstone for two of his own, followed by a Muscle Buster spinning into a driver for the pin at 13:30.

Rating: B. Well that was awesome. They didn’t try to do anything else here other than taking two high fliers and have them throw out one cool move after another. Fenix is as good as anyone right now and Swann could hang with him, making this a very entertaining match. The four way at Slammiversary should be a blast.

Post match OVE runs in to beat Fenix down but Pentagon makes the save. Fenix is helped up but Pentagon turns on him, only to unmask as Sami Callihan. Swann tries to make a save but gets caught in the numbers game. Cue the real Pentagon for the save and a big flip dive. That probably sets up a six man and I could go for that as Pentagon is looking more and more like a superstar every week.

The announcers preview the rest of the show.

KM shouts an apology to Fallah Bahh and promises to prove his loyalty tonight.

Allie and Madison Rayne are ready to face the monster Su Yung and her undead bridesmaid. Allie knows you need light and darkness and Yung brought out another side of her.

Killer Kross vs. Fallah Bahh

This better be a squash. Bahh can’t run him over to start and Kross drives him into the corner without much effort. A running splash in the corner and a bunch of chops are no sold and Kross hits a running clothesline of his own. Some shots to the head rock Bahh and a Saito suplex puts Bahh down. A standing choke knocks Bahh cold for the win at 2:27.

Post match Kross stays on him but KM comes in for the save. That earns him a beating too so Petey Williams runs down with a chair. Two shots to the back have no effect so he pelts the chair at Kross’ head to knock him outside. I’d call it a stretch to put Bahh out there as Kross’ first opponent (and Kross didn’t really have any impressive offense aside from the suplex) but a character like this shouldn’t be selling anything for a long time. Williams is now next on the list, but him being able to knock Kross outside should have taken a few weeks, not on the first night.

Jimmy Jacobs says he’s ready to send Kongo Kong after Brian Cage because Kong has beaten everyone he’s gone against. Cage is the bad guy who snapped when he lost his first match, but Kong is just doing what a monster does. Jacobs wants Cage to lose and because he’s a princess, he gets everything that he wants.

Clip of Rob Van Dam vs. Sting from Slammiversary 2010.

The Desi Hit Squad is excited for their win but Gama Singh comes in to say follow his instruction if they want to become World Champions. It’s all about bringing honor to India. As it always is.

A silhouetted woman is coming.

Su Yung/Undead Maid of Honor vs. Allie/Madison Rayne

The fight starts early with Rayne and Allie hitting stereo Thesz presses. Allie sends the Maid into the corner to start and gets two off a Russian legsweep. Yung comes in for a side slam/sliding neckbreaker combination but Allie crawls over for the tag to Rayne. Everything breaks down and the Chance of Rayne (A cutter. Just because her name is Rayne doesn’t mean every one of her big moves has to be a rain pun.) drops Yung.

It’s not even good for a cover as Yung gets up and tries the Panic Switch, which bumps the referee. Rayne hits Cross Rayne (What does that even mean?) but Tessa Blanchard runs in to jump her from behind. Blanchard beats her down while Allie fights with the bridesmaids. The hammerlock DDT is broken up by Allie and another Cross Rayne ends the Maid at 6:04.

Rating: D+. Not the worst here and I like Yung having her own minions instead of tagging with one of the other Knockouts. It doesn’t make sense to have her suddenly be friendly with everyone so the Maid was a good idea. Blanchard running in makes enough sense, but having interference and a ref bump along with all the other minions at ringside was a lot for a six minute match.

Konnan says he has proof of who attacked him and LAX is nervous. King wants to see the proof and gets very defensive about it.

Singh trains the Hit Squad in the rain.

OVE, with Sami in Pentagon’s mask, speaks high school Spanish before yelling about Pentagon ruining everything. The six man is set for next week.

Austin Aries talks about wanting to be a wrestler growing up and paying a lot of dues. That’s different than Moose, who was an NFL player who was handed everything and then got a pass into wrestling because he was an athlete somewhere else. Aries doesn’t need a coach to make a game plan for him. After Slammiversary, Moose will be lucky to make the XFL. Now that’s taking it too far.

Konnan is on the phone and says he’s exposing the fake King for what he is.

A bloody Tommy Dreamer rants about Eddie Edwards throwing everything away because of an obsession. He doesn’t want to see Eddie go down that path and be right about everything. Of course he isn’t sleeping with Eddie’s wife because she’s 25 years old and look at Dreamer. Now it’s Dreamer who is obsessed with Eddie.

The House of Hardcore rules match is set for Slammiversary.

The announcers run down some of Slammiversary’s card and next week’s show.

Katarina vs. Rebel

Grado is out with Katarina, hopefully meaning he doesn’t talk. They trade some rollups to start until a headscissors sends Rebel into the corner. Rebel scores with a flapjack and a torture rack drop (which looked weird as Katarina is so tall) but gets caught in a sloppy tornado DDT. A Rock Bottom backbreaker ends Rebel at 3:05.

Rating: D. I don’t know if it was just Rebel not being very good or Katarina being rusty but this didn’t do much for me. They weren’t exactly looking polished out there and both of them botched more than one move. Thankfully they kept it short, but this didn’t exactly inspire me on either one of them.

Post match Grado does the Shawn Michaels pose in front of Katarina. I didn’t find the goofy guy with the beautiful girlfriend trope funny when Santino Marella did it so many times and I don’t find it funny here.

Post break Grado and Katarina are in the back when Katarina says she has a surprise for him. Joe Hendry, a Scottish wrestler, comes in and sings about how he makes things better in Impact. That could be interesting, especially if it splits up Grado and Katarina.

Kongo Kong vs. Brian Cage

Kong wins an exchange of shoulders so Cage hurricanranas him to the floor, followed by a big no hands flip dive. Or as Callis describes it, “WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT???” Back in and Kong counters a powerbomb with a hurricanrana out of the corner of his own. A World’s Strongest Slam drops Kong again and there’s a 619 just because he can. Cage gets two off a German suplex but Kong’s chokeslam is good for the same. Kong goes up but Cage catches him in a top rope superplex to shake the ring. An F5 gives Cage the pin at 5:05.

Rating: C. This was every Cage/Kong match I’ve seen since their debuts: Cage does things that no human being should be able to do and Kong makes me embarrassed to be a wrestling fan. The hurricanrana was more Kong falling backwards than anything athletic and it doesn’t make up for all the horrible stuff he does, not even counting his overall terrible look. Cage is an attraction, Kong is a disaster, as always.

Here’s Konnan to offer his evidence. First though he calls out King, who Konnan says put a hit out on him. Konnan was the one who bailed King out of a lot of trouble, including possible domestic violence. King wants the proof so here it is: those calls that King said Konnan made to give him orders from the hospital never happened. King is exactly what he used to be: a talking glory hole. Fans: “GLORY HOLE!” Josh: “It’s trending on Twitter.”

King admits that he did it because Konnan’s time is over. Konnan needs to leave before he gets shot in the back of the head like Old Yeller. Santana and Ortiz are told to pick their side and they flip King off. Konnan says King didn’t get the job done but he says he did. Cue Homicide and Hernandez to beat down Konnan, Santana and Ortiz, doing their best Paul Heyman/Randy Rose/Dennis Condrey pose to end the show. I liked this a lot and while it’s copying the Midnight Express angle from 1988, it was a great angle and took place thirty years ago. If this is anywhere near as good, they’re in outstanding shape.

Overall Rating: C+. A good match to start and a hot angle to finish it are more than enough to make this show work. There are still a bunch of issues to resolve (Kross not flattening a normal sized opponent is up there) but the World Title feud is heating up, despite the wrestlers not actually being in the same place, and the pay per view looks good. I’m actually digging the show right now and if that continues, they’re heading in the right direction.

Results

Fenix b. Rich Swann – Muscle Buster driver

Killer Kross b. Fallah Bahh – Choke

Madison Rayne/Allie b. Su Yung/Undead Maid of Honor – Cross Rayne to Maid

Katarina b. Rebel – Rock Bottom backbreaker

Brian Cage b. Kongo Kong – F5

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the NXT The Full Sail Years Volume III (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/05/25/new-book-nxt-the-full-sail-years-from-dallas-to-new-orleans/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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