Impact Wrestling – January 1, 2026: Sad Santino

Impact Wrestling
Date: January 1, 2026
Location: El Paso County Coliseum, El Paso, Texas
Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt

We’re back to our regular show here with the first show of the year. With only two weeks before the big debut on AMC, there are a few things that still need to be set up, which isn’t even factoring in the Genesis pay per view in a few weeks. That means there is a lot to cover in the next few weeks so let’s get to it.

Opening recap.

Opening sequence.

TNA, Impact Wrestling, Elegance Brand, Angel Warriors, M By Elegance, Heather By Elegance, Lei Ying Li, Xia Brookside,

IMG Credit: TNA Wrestling

Angel Warriors vs. Elegance Brand

Li starts with Heather, who quickly hands it off to M before anything can get physical. M teases some martial arts and gets pulled down into a leglock, meaning Brookside can come in to kick her down. A knockdown gets M out of trouble though and it’s Heather coming back in to stomp away. M’s boot from the floor gives Heather two but a double faceplant leaves them both down. That’s enough for the tag off to Li to clean house, only for Brookside to come right back in. Another kick takes her down as Dani Luna runs in to post Li. M holds up Brookside for a missile dropkick from Heather for the pin at 6:21.

Rating: C+. The Brand continue to hang around the title picture and are likely to get a shot at the titles in the near future. At the same time you have Luna, who has done better in recent weeks and deserves a shot against Li for the title on the big stage. That’s likely either the AMC debut or Genesis, either of which would work fine.

Santino Marella is crushed after Arianna Grace and gives a note to be read by “Tom and Jerry”.

Post break, Stacks vs. Steve Maclin is set for the AMC debut.

TNA, Impact Wrestling, Order 4, Mustafa Ali, Elijah, Hometown Man

IMG Credit: TNA Wrestling

Mustafa Ali vs. Home Town Man

Order 4 is here with Ali, who knocks Man down to start fast. That’s shrugged off and Man knocks him into the corner for some stomping. A neckbreaker puts Man right back down but the rolling X Factor is countered into a rather spinning TKO. Order 4 offers a distraction though and it’s the 450 to pin Man at 2:59.

Post match the beatdown is on but someone walks by the entrance with a guitar covering their face. Ali thinks it’s Elijah and sends Order 4 after him, only for the real Elijah to show up and chase him off. Elijah even plays a bit of Man’s theme.

The Rascalz go talk to Santino Marella about getting an X-Division Title shot. Marella says the team can fight each other for a title shot on the AMC premiere, with the winner of that being added to the Genesis title match.

We look at Ethan Page beating Moose on NXT to retain the North American Title.

Here are Arianna Grace and the NXT stars for a chat. Grace talks about being tired of living in Santino Marella’s shadow. She knew she had to change things when her dad didn’t get her booked around here so now Stacks is the only person who matters. Stacks says Grace is his girl now and sometimes she even calls him daddy. Well that’s an image.

TNA, Impact Wrestling, Jada Stone, Indi Hartwell, Jody Threat, Mila Moore, Tessa Blanchard, Victoria Crawford

IMG Credit: TNA Wrestling

Indi Hartwell/Jody Threat/Jada Stone vs. Tessa Blanchard/Victoria Crawford/Mila Moore

Blanchard and company are rapped to the ring live by a singer from El Paso. Threat and Crawford start things off with Threat driving both Crawford and Moore into the corner. The villains are sent outside and Stone takes them out with a dive as we take a break. We come back with Stone still in trouble in the corner and Moore coming in to grab a chinlock. Stone fights up and ducks a boot, allowing the tag off to Hartwell to pick up the pace. Everything breaks down and Magnum finishes Stone at 9:02.

Rating: C+. I can always go for a good six person tag as it gives you such a nice variety of options. That was the case here, with newcomers Stone and Moore getting their chances to show off a bit. It wasn’t a great match or anything close, but I’ll take this over having the same singles matches over and over again.

We recap the Righteous’ time in TNA, including kind of kidnapping Matt Hardy.

Here are the Righteous for a chat. The fans would rather have Matt, with Vincent talking about how they are many voices. “Last week”, Matt Hardy fell but the Righteous were there to pick him up. Then you have Jeff Hardy, with Vincent being just a reflection of him. Cue the Hardys, with Matt saying this sounds a bit cultish. They’re willing to defend the titles against the Righteous but that’s not what the Righteous want. They want the brotherhood, but the Hardys already have that covered. Threats are made, but the Hardys are more concerned about the AMC Era. And that’s that.

TNA, Impact Wrestling, Zachary Wentz, Myron Reed, Trey Miguel, Rascalz, Leon Slater

IMG Credit: TNA Wrestling

Trey Miguel vs. Myron Reed vs. Zachary Wentz

For an X-Division Title shot against Leon Slater (on commentary) on the AMC premiere. Respect is shown to start and they trade some early rollups for a standoff. A series of armdrags sends Wentz outside but he’s back inside for a kick to Reed’s face. The spinning middle rope crossbody gives Reed two but tempers start to flare between Reed and Miguel.

Wentz joins in to kick Reed down and a neckbreaker drops him for two. The cover doesn’t sit well with Wentz and it’s a DDT/Blockbuster combination to Miguel to leave everyone down. Back up and Miguel hits a bit flipping dive but Wentz is back in with a UFO Cutter. Reed hits the springboard 450 to grab the fast pin on Wentz at 6:15.

Rating: B-. This was another match which fit the total nonstop action moniker as they got out there and went nuts for a little while. It was nice to see Reed get the win, as he’s the least established of the team. I could go for seeing Reed get back into the title picture and he got there in an entertaining match.

Post match everything is cool.

Here is the System for a chat. Eddie Edwards knows they are getting close to Genesis and the Last Dance, but JDC has one more idea. Next week, it’s the System against Leon Slater/Cedric Alexander and the Hardys. Works for the team, though I’m not sure why they needed to come to the ring to announce the match.

The Hardys are happy with the match…and then find a shrine to them.

TNA World Title: Frankie Kazarian vs. Bear Bronson

Kazarian is defending and runs his mouth to start, earning a hard shot from Bronson. Chops in the corner and a big backdrop have Kazarian in trouble and he tries to walk out, only to get thrown back into the ring as we take a break. We come back with Bronson fighting up but getting struck back down. Kazarian tries a sunset flip, only for Bronson to sit down on his chest.

The clothesline comeback is on and a running powerslam gives Bronson two. A chokebomb is countered into a DDT to give Kazarian two so the chickenwing goes on. That’s broken up with a bite to the hand and Bronson sends him outside for a dive. Kazarian slams him onto the steps for a near countout and Bronson gets a quick rollup for two. His back gives out on a powerbomb attempt though and Fade To Black retains the title at 13:06.

Rating: B-. This is a good example of how to get the most out of someone new. Bronson isn’t an established name around here and this match did a good job of making sure the fans got to know him. I’m not sure how much of a future he has, but it’s interesting to see someone start on top rather than having to work there way up over a long time. He did well with his chance too, as this was an effective debut.

Post match Mike Santana comes out to congratulate Kazarian. It’s not on the win though, but rather that their title match is at the AMC debut rather than Genesis.

Overall Rating: B. For a show that was almost just a placeholder before the big stuff in a few weeks, this did rather well. They had some solid action throughout and a logical change of the big title match to the AMC debut, which is a far bigger show than Genesis. Throw in Santino Marella being toned way down for a bit and it was a nice way to start the year.

Results
Elegance Brand b. Angel Warriors – Missile dropkick to Brookside
Mustafa Ali b. Home Town Man – 450
Tessa Blanchard/Victoria Crawford/Mila Moore b. Indi Hartwell/Jody Threat/Jada Stone – Magnum to Stone
Myron Reed b. Zachary Wentz and Trey Miguel – Springboard 450 to Wentz
Frankie Kazarian b. Bear Bronson – Fade To Black

 

 

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Impact Wrestling – December 18, 2025: They Went Big

Impact Wrestling
Date: December 18, 2025
Location: El Paso County Coliseum, El Paso, Texas
Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt

It’s a pretty big show this week, with a battle royal to crown a new #1 contender to the TNA World Title. That’s actually by far the smaller of the two main matches though, as we also have TNA vs. NXT in a ten man cage match. There is probably some more stuff throughout the show, but really, what else do you need? Let’s get to it.

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

The opening recap looks at the cage match.

Opening sequence.

Eric Young, Jake Something, Bear Bronson, Rich Swann, Home Town Man

IMG Credit: TNA Wrestling

Battle Royal

Eric Young, Rich Swann, Mance Warner, Myron Reed, Trey Miguel, Zachary Wentz, Jake Something, Moose, Jake Painter, BDE, Brock Anderson, Cedric Alexander, Bear Bronson, CW Anderson, Jesse Funaki, John Skyler, Judas Icarus, Ryan Nemeth, Home Town Man, Travis Williams

For a World Title shot against Frankie Kazarian (on commentary) on the first Impact of 2026. Man throws Painter out to start and Funaki follows him. BDE actually eliminates Skyler and the brawling ensues as we take an early break. We come back with BDE getting knocked out, followed by Nemeth poking Man in the eye for another elimination. CW and Wentz are both out, with Miguel and Williams joining them.

Reed dives at Icarus for an elimination but the other Rascalz catch Reed for a nice save. Brock is superkicked out but Something tosses Reed as the ring is rapidly clearing. Something and Bronson knock each other down as here is AJ Francis to eliminate Swann, followed by a chokeslam onto the apron.

We’re down to Nemeth, Young, Something, Warner, Bronson, Moose and Alexander and it’s time for the big staredown. The brawl is on and Something is out, with Warner bulldog drivering Moose. Back up and Moose boots Warner out but Young’s double clothesline gets rid of Moose and Alexander. Bronson tosses Nemeth so Young throws Bronson, who holds on. Young doesn’t pay attention and Bronson tosses him to win at 11:14.

Rating: C+. I mean…why not? It’s a battle royal so it isn’t like anyone is really hurt by a loss. Bronson is brand new around here so this is a nice way to get things going. He doesn’t exactly have anything in the way of star power, but I do like adding some surprising, fresh names in the mixture, as that can go a very long way.

Team TNA is ready to end NXT.

Bear Bronson says he knew he would win and all of his scars tell a story. Now he’s coming for the title.

Robert Stone, Victoria Crawford, Tessa Blanchard, Mila Moore, Xia Brookside, Angel Warriors, Lei Ying Lee

IMG Credit: TNA Wrestling

Angel Warriors vs. Tessa Blanchard/Mila Moore

Robert Stone and Victoria Crawford are here with the villains. Brookside and Moore start things off with Brookside sending her into the corner. Blanchard comes in and wants Lee, who quickly knocks her out to the floor. The Warriors hit stereo dives to the floor and we take a break.

We come back with Lee in trouble but kicking her way out of the corner. A middle rope dropkick connects for Lee and she pulls Blanchard into a half crab. Stone pulls Brookside off the apron though and there’s no tag. Lee fights out of the tag though and the tag brings in Brookside to clean house. A kick to the head drops Moore and Brookside Iconoclasms Lee onto Moore for two with Blanchard making the save. The Warrior’s Way (spinning torture rack faceplant) finishes Moore at 11:06.

Rating: B-. This got going near the end and it’s nice to see the Warriors pick up a win as a team for a change. At the same time though, it feels like this is more about Blanchard coming after Lee and the Knockouts Title. If nothing else, at least Lee got the pin, which is something a champion should be doing on occasion.

Dani Luna wants a Knockouts Title shot.

Robert Stone yells at Mila Moore/Victoria Crawford/Tessa Blanchard (the Diamond Collective), with Blanchard saying she wants any three Knockouts to face them.

Elijah, Order 4, Tasha Steelz, Mustafa Ali

IMG Credit: TNA Wrestling

Here is Elijah for a concert. After chuckling about what he did to Mustafa Ali (involving dragging him away with a horse), Elijah starts singing about coming to El Paso. Cue Tasha Steelz with a podium so Ali can come out and complain about being dragged away by a horse. Elijah doesn’t want to her it so here are the Great Hands to jump him. With the Hands dispatched, Elijah goes to the stage, where he has to move Steelz, allowing Ali to get in a guitar shot to the back.

Indi Hartwell says she’s down but still coming for the Knockouts Title.

We look at Leon Slater in a huge match on Saturday Night’s Main Event and then this week on NXT, the latter of which saw him becoming #1 contender. Moose showed up on the same show and got a shot at the NXT North American Title on December 30.

Moose wants the X-Division Title back but Cedric Alexander comes in to say not so fast.

Frankie Kazarian isn’t worried about Bear Bronson and promises to keep the title for as long as he likes.

Team TNA vs. Team NXT

This is basically WarGames, including the timed (two minutes for the first period, then one minutes each) entrances. Mike Santana is in at #1 for TNA and Brooks Jensen is in at #1 for NXT. Jensen teases going through the door to start but Santana sends him into the cage a few times. Santana hammers away in the corner and grabs a top rope superplex for the big crash. Lexis King is in at #2 for NXT (who has the advantage after a win last week) and canes Santana down.

Steve Maclin is in at #2 for TNA to even things up and sends King into the cage. Tyson DuPont is in at #3 for NXT as these entrances are really, really fast. The TNA guys are beaten up again until Matt Hardy is in at #3 for TNA to even things up. It turns out that’s only in theory at Tyriek Igwe runs in to jump Hardy from behind and go in before him. Igwe is officially in at #4 for NXT but Santana manages to fight back as Jeff Hardy is in at #4 for TNA and actually gets inside. The numbers game take Jeff down though and Stacks is in at #5 for NXT.

Cue the Righteous to take Matt to the back (nothing good can come from this) and it’s Santino Marella in at #5 to complete TNA. That means it is first pin or submission to win and Marella cleans house, only for Jensen to jump him from behind. We take a break and come back with the TNA guys still in trouble but Jeff gets in a Twisting Stunner. Marella hits some splits Stunners and Maclin ties Stacks in the cage for a spear. Maclin goes up but gets caught, meaning it’s kind of a Tower Of Doom. The Cobra comes up to hit Jensen, setting up Spin The Block to give Santana the pin at 20:05. Matt never even got in the cage.

Rating: C. The fact that TNA never even had its full lineup in there and still didn’t feel like they were in danger tells you a lot. This was a TNA all star team (four former World Champions and Santino Marella, who is seen as a legend) against a bunch of NXT midcarders. TNA might not be a huge deal, but they’re bigger than this, and that was on full display with the match. It felt like a big match coming in, but that didn’t quite hold up once the bell rang.

Post match Marella glares at Stacks but Arianna Grace comes in to knee Marella low. Maclin gets back in to chase Stacks off.

In the back, Matt Hardy wakes up around a bunch of Hardys stuff with the Righteous promising to make him immortal. Dutch offers him…something, but Matt gets up and staggers away instead to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. While the execution might not have been great, this definitely felt like a big time show and that’s the best thing you can say about the whole thing. It’s nice to see TNA taking a step forward to something as huge as their debut on AMC and at least they’re trying something different. It might not have been a great show, but it felt big at the right time and I’ll absolutely take that, as there are more than a few things coming up worth seeing.

Results
Bear Bronson won a battle royal last eliminating Eric Young
Angel Warriors b. Tessa Blanchard/Mila Moore – Warrior’s Way to Moore
Team TNA b. Team NXT – Spin The Block to Jensen

 

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TNA Turning Point 2025: There’s A Big Surprise

Turning Point 2025
Date: November 14, 2025
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt

So we’re back with another special, which is coming a day after the Bound For Glory fallout show. The big stories coming out of last night are the NXT invasion and Frankie Kazarian winning the World Title as a result. That is going to make for quite the fallout and we might be seeing some of that here, even on such a short turnaround. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Jake Something vs. Home Town Man vs. Mance Warner

Steph de Lander is here with Warner. The fans are behind the Man, who gets jumped by Something as Warner watches on. Warner gets in on the slugout but Man punches away at both villains. A double running elbow has both of them in trouble and some right hands connect in the corner. Something clotheslines Warner by mistake so Man punches both of them in the same corner for a bonus.

Then he even alternates to get up to about thirty total punches in a funny move. The double clothesline drops Something and Warner and the fans greatly approve. Something finally manages to run Man over before dropping Warner as well. A delayed suplex has Man in trouble as the fans remind Something that he is NOT from here. De Lander gets in a cheap shot so Warner can chokeslam Man for two (de Lander does NOT like the count).

Something goes up so Warner catches him on top, which is of course turned into a Tower Of Doom for the huge crash. This time it’s Man getting caught on top and the other two slug it out, with Man hitting a big dive to take them out. De Lander yells at Man, saying he is NOT FROM HERE, earning Man a clothesline and de Lander a kiss (from Warner, in case that wasn’t clear). Back in and the Home Town Slice drops Warner but Something sends Man Into The Void for the pin at 7:30.

Rating: B-. Good stuff here in a cold match, with a far more interesting match than I was expecting. At the end of the day, Something is a guy who could be turned into a solid monster if he was allowed to win a bit more (and with some work on the name). Man is a fun novelty act and Warner….did I mention Something and Man?

Here is new World Champion Frankie Kazarian for The King’s Speech. The fans are of course all over him (save for one FRANKIE RULES fan), with Kazarian saying “you wanted the best, you got the best”. He is officially the World Champion and what matters the most is that he knows he is self made, with no one deserving this more than him.

There have been a lot of angry social media posts about him, but every tear off their cheeks is a shot of adrenaline into his black heart. Do not stop being jealous and envious of him because he will not stop hating all of the people. Oh and to make it clear: he had nothing to do with NXT’s invasion. As for tonight, he doesn’t have a guest, but instead he’s going to call someone out. He wants TNA President Carlos Silva to come out to his ring, which is exactly what he gets.

Normally, Silva awards the new champions with their belts, but he was nowhere to be seen last night. So now, Silva gets the chance to right a wrong by handing him the title. Silva does so, and congratulates Kazarian for winning the title, but there will be a formal investigation into the NXT invasion, with Kazarian being a big piece. Cue the Nemeths, with Nic holding the Call Your Shot trophy. Nic says he was attacked by NXT as well, but Kazarian was left alone. He knows Kazarian was behind this, but Kazarian denies it again, saying Nic was on his way to the ring to call his shot before Kazarian came out there.

Kazarian calls him Mr. Money In The Bank and says they’re equal levels of scoundrel. Nic agrees, and says he’s calling his shot, but only after they win their tag match tonight. Kazarian tells him to trust the champ, which Nic will only do for awhile. Nic: “I’ll have your back, and then later I’ll have your title.”

And now, the show proper.

We open with a recap of NXT costing Mike Santana the World Title last night. What else is there to talk about?

Knockouts Title: M By Elegance vs. Kelani Jordan

M, with the rest of the Elegance Brand, is challenging. After the Big Match Intros, M jumps her to start fast and fires off some chops. Jordan gets in some shots of her own but walks into a hip attack to the face. Back up and Jordan knocks her to the floor, with a big moonsault taking her down again. The Brand offers a distraction though and M gets in a boot to the head as a result. A northern lights suplex gives M two and it’s off to the double arm crank.

Jordan fights up but walks into a wheelbarrow suplex, allowing M to go up. The moonsault misses though and they slowly get up to slug it out. Jordan flips out of a belly to back attempt and hits a rolling shot to the face for the knockdown. A standing legdrop gives Jordan two but One Of A Kind is broken up. M’s Samoan driver gets two so Jordan starts in on the leg. The half crab has M down and Jordan stomps her out of the corner, setting up One Of A Kind to retain at 9:42.

Rating: C+. I’m not sure what to make of Jordan around here. While she’s a full on villain in NXT, she’s a big more neutral here, as she’s the invader but doesn’t wrestle in any different way. In theory a bunch of people are going to come after the title, but it’s not like she’s the female Trick Williams as the ultimate dragon to slay. Having her face the Elegance Brand on back to back nights didn’t help much either, though at least Jordan got to show off her incredible athleticism.

Lei Ying Lee, Xia Brookside and Mara Sade want the Knockouts Title. Ryan Nemeth comes in to say he’s the real story. Oh and Sade’s hair looks wet.

We run down the rest of the card.

We look at the World Title situation from last night. Again.

Santino Marella asks Ava and Arianna Grace about the invasion but Ava says they can manage their own locker rooms and storms off.

AJ Francis vs. BDE

BDE is a Youtuber who Francis put through a table last night before Impact went on the air. Francis takes his time coming in and gets jumped to start fast. Francis’ charge only hits the buckle and BDE strikes away, setting up the required “jump on the bigger guy’s back” choke. That’s broken up with a drop onto his back and Francis hits a splash in the corner. BDE’s ribs are stretched around the post but he avoids a charge, only to get powerbombed HARD onto the apron.

The count is beaten and Francis grabs a crossface chickenwing. Somehow BDE gets out and hits a cutter but the superkick is cut off. A Canadian Destroyer actually drops Francis and a running knee gets two. The frog splash misses though and it’s a spear into the Down Payment. For some reason BDE tells him to bring it, so it’s another Down Payment to give Francis the pin at 8:40.

Rating: B-. All things considered, this was a fun match with BDE clearly having the time of his life out there. He knows how to do big spots and that’s about all he needs to do, with Francis being there to handle the selling. It wasn’t a great match, but this could have been FAR worse. Maybe just don’t have BDE around that often though, as the charm might wear off quickly.

Steve Maclin doesn’t know if Mike Santana will be here tonight but he’s ready to fight alone if he has to. If NXT wants to go to war, they picked the wrong man.

Indi Hartwell vs. Dani Luna

No DQ after Luna brought in a chair last night but Hartwell used it on her instead. The brawl starts in the aisle with Hartwell managing another chair shot. They go to ringside, where Hartwell gets a quick drink and throws a collection of weapons inside. A ladder takes a bit too long though and it gets dropkicked into Hartwell for the delay. Hartwell is fine enough to drive her into the steps and it’s time to set up a table.

This takes too long as well (she has a problem with that) and gets powder thrown in her eyes, allowing Luna to snap off a German suplex. Back in and Luna unloads with some stop sign shots to the back for two. Luna sends her into a chair for two more but Hartwell is back with some kendo stick shots. The Hurts Donut is broken up though and Luna hits a slingshot Blue Thunder Bomb for two.

A crossface with the kendo stick is broken up as well and Hartwell gives her a spinebuster onto the ladder for two. Hartwell kicks her onto the table at ringside and drops a big elbow through it for the double down. They get back inside and Luna tries the Lunar Landing, which is reversed into the Hurts Donut onto the chair to give Hartwell the pin at 14:02.

Rating: B. It was a good, violent brawl and the kind of win that Hartwell needed after coming up short at Bound For Glory. Odds are she’ll become a bigger part of the division for a bit, though I’m not sure she’s going to be the one to rescue the title. On the other hand you had Luna, who was a good dragon for Hartwell to slay in a hard hitting match.

Santino Marella apologizes to Ava for the earlier accusations and they seem cool as Ava leaves again.

Knockouts Tag Team Titles: Tessa Blanchard/Victoria Crawford vs. Angel Warriors vs. IInspiration

For the sake of simplicity, Cassie Lee will be referred to as Cassie and Lei Ying Lee will be referred to as Lei. The IInspiration is defending, but Blanchard is in street clothes. It turns out that she isn’t medically cleared and, after insulting the Orlando friends, introduces Mila Moore as her replacement. Lei and Cassie start things off with an exchange of rollups for two each and everything breaks down. The IInspiration gets to clean house and strike their pose but Lei suplexes Moore for two.

Back up and Moore drops her throat first across the top rope and stomps Lei down in the corner. The chinlock goes on for a bit, followed by a knee. The IInspiration is knocked outside and it’s Crawford coming in…and getting kicked into the corner almost immediately. Brookside comes in with Broken Wings and the IInspiration has to make a save. Everything breaks down and Moore’s big boot gets two as a six way brawl breaks out. Lei sends Moore into the post and dives onto Crawford and Moore, leaving the IInspiration to hit a quick Idolizer to pin Brookside and retain at 8:31.

Rating: B-. Fun enough match here, even with pretty much no story and one of the teams not being a regular pairing in the first place. The IInspiration are still the best team around and should be champions for a good while, though at least there are some teams coming together to go after the titles. Moore did get off to a nice start and certainly looked poised out there, with her size being a nice natural advantage.

Order 4 vs. Hardys/Cedric Alexander

Order 4 doesn’t like any of them and the good guys are…well they’re all from North Carolina. Alexander and Hotch start things off and run the ropes a lot with neither getting very far. Hotch gets caught by the arm though and it’s off to Jeff to stay on said appendage. Matt rams Hotch into all of the buckles before sending Skyler and Ali out to the floor. The good guys complete the ring clearing until Alexander sends Ali into the corner, allowing commentary to talk about their previous match at Wrestlemania.

Tasha Steelz offers a distraction though and Ali goes to the eyes to break up the Lumbar Check. Agent Zero gets in a cheap shot to Alexander, meaning it’s time for a glare off on the floor. Back in and Alexander hits a quick Michinoku Driver and an enziguri, but Skyler pulls the Hardys off the apron in an always smart move. As tends to be the case, the hot tag connects a few seconds later with Matt coming in to clean house. The Twist Of Fate is broken up though and what looks like a foreign object shot hits Matt for two.

A DDT gets Matt out of trouble and it’s Jeff coming back in to take over. Everything breaks down and the Lumbar Check hits Hotch, with Ali making the save. Jeff tries to go up but Steelz breaks up the Swanton attempt, leaving Matt to hit a double Twist Of Fate on Steelz and Ali at the same time. Zero pulls the referee at two so the Hardys use chairs to clear him out. Unfortunately that leaves Alexander alone and Ali kicks him low, setting up the small package for the pin at 13:33.

Rating: C+. Order 4 continues to be a good choice for a pesky midcard group who could wind up being a threat. I could go for Ali and Zero going after the Tag Team Titles, as they definitely feel like a better threat than the Great Hands. The Hardys should be losing the titles in a big deal sooner than later and Order 4 could be a good choice.

The System vs. Rascalz/Dezmond Xavier

Xavier is the former Wes Lee, who is out of NXT. JDC and Reed start things off and fight over some waistlocks until JDC snaps off a headscissors. Reed takes him down just as fast and dances a bit so it’s off to Miguel to dropkick Myers for two. Edwards comes in to work on Wentz’s arm until Wentz is back with a springboard high crossbody. Moose comes in to face Xavier and the fans certainly approve.

A missed charge takes Moose down though and it’s a quick quadruple dropkick for two as the System just watches from the apron. It’s back to Myers to take over but a shot to the face cuts that off just as fast. Xavier comes back in to pick the pace way up and Moose adds the dropkick to knock Xavier off the ropes. The chokebomb gets two, followed by a powerslam/top rope knee combination. The Rascalz are back in for a triple dropkick to Moose but Xavier’s dive to the floor is countered with an apron bomb.

Myers spears Wentz off the apron and we hit the parade of dives, with Reed hitting a huge one onto the pile. Down And Dirty hits Xavier but a top rope Meteora makes the save. The parade of strikes to the face is on until it’s a double torture rack/double top rope double stomp to JDC for two, with Moose powerbombing Miguel onto the cover for two. Moose goes up but dives into a cutter, followed by a UFO Cutter. Hot Fire Flame into the Spinal Tap gives Xavier the pin on JDC at 14:21.

Rating: A-. Easily the best thing on the show thus far and one of the best TNA matches in a long time. Once they stopped having a regular match and just went nuts, it was all kinds of entertaining, with Moose as the big power guy and the Rascalz trying to find a way around him with all of their teamwork. I loved this and it was far better than anything I was expecting on this show.

The Rascalz and Xavier have a big hug in a nice moment. Respect is shown as well.

Eric Young comes up to Santino Marella and wants to expose the truth, which he seems to suggest is something Marella is hiding. Or something.

X-Division Title: Leon Slater vs. Rich Swann

Slater is defending and takes him down by the arm to start. Swann is taken into the corner for a clean break before a nice headscissors lets him dance a bit. Back up and Slater sends him to the apron for a big boot, followed by the dive to the floor. Some running shots in the face in the corner rock Swann but he’s right back with a rolling clothesline. Swann wins a strike off and backdrops Slater face first onto the steps for a SICK sounding crash.

We pause to look at his eye but Slater wants to fight anyway, allowing Swann to superkick him out of the air for two. Slater is fine enough to hit something like a spinning White Noise for two so Swann goes right back to the eye. A slingshot cutter gives Slater two but the Styles Clash is cut off.

Swann’s frog splash is countered with a cutter for two more and a spinning torture rack slam drops him again. A quick hurricanrana and the Lethal Injection drop Slater again and the middle rope 450 gets two. Swann goes up again but gets thrown down again, setting up a Styles Clash. The Swanton 450 retains the title at 13:25.

Rating: B. They had a good match but there is only so much you can do after the previous match was stealing the show. It doesn’t help that Slater is at the point of “everything he does is great” and that’s going to become an issue. This was supposed to be another match that was some instant classic and it’s just pretty good. That’s not a bad result, though granted a lot of the issues here was it was set up in about 38 seconds.

Post match Slater is a bit emotional because he recently lost his grandmother, but he says he’s crying because of his eye injury. Oh and he and Je’Von Evans are going to win the NXT Tag Team Titles.

Steve Maclin/Mike Santana vs. Nic Nemeth/Frankie Kazarian

And there’s no Santana, as Maclin is going to have to fight on his own and Ryan Nemeth is making it 3-1. Maclin jumps them both to start fast and hits a Scud on Nic, followed by an Angle Slam for an early two. The spear in the Tree Of Woe gets two more and here is Mara Sade to take Ryan out. Kazarian is back in to slam Maclin and drops a leg for two as we settle down into a regular handicap match. Maclin manages to knock Kazarian away and get up top for a double missile dropkick and a needed breather.

Santana arrives, in jeans, and tags himself in to take over, including a Death Valley Driver on Nic. The running flip dive mostly hits Kazarian but Santana bangs up his already injured arm. Nic’s superkick gets two and it’s back to Kazarian, who rolls Santana up (how he won the title) for two. That just earns him a Spin The Block to give Santana the pin at 10:21. On the new champ. The night after he won the title. Which he stole. Dang I hate the instant cash in stuff.

Rating: C. This felt like a quick TV main event, though it wasn’t quite as good as when Steve Austin and Dude Love did something similar in 1997. Maclin continues to be an underrated valuable player around here, as he’s a firm midcard hand and someone who feels like he could be elevated into the main event in the blink of an eye. Santana needed the win after last night, though I’m almost scared to know how long this latest chase to the title is going to go.

Post match Nic tries to cash in his title shot but the NXT guys run in to beat down everyone (including Kazarian) down. Some other TNA wrestlers are cut off and Santino Marella comes out to yell. That earns him a beating of his own so here are the Hardys with chairs…to get beaten down as well. The NXT stars keep up the attacking to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. Underwhelming main event aside, I was expecting absolutely nothing coming into this show and wound up having a good time. The eight man tag absolutely stole the show and thankfully it wasn’t the only good thing on here. I’m really not sure what they’re doing with the main event scene, but the rest of the show was more than worth a look. I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re looking for the next big step in TNA, but it was a good example of what their stars can do.

Results
Jake Something b. Home Town Man and Mance Warner – Into The Void to Man
Kelani Jordan b. M By Elegance – One Of A Kind
AJ Francis b. BDE – Down Payment
Indi Hartwell b. Dani Luna – Hurts Donut onto a chair
IInspiration b. Mila Moore/Victoria Crawford and Angel Warriors – Idolizer to Brookside
Order 4 b. Hardys/Cedric Alexander – Small package to Alexander
Rascalz/Dezmond Xavier b. The System – Spinal Tap to Moose
Leon Slater b. Rich Swann – Swanton 450
Mike Santana/Steve Maclin b. Frankie Kazarian/Nic Nemeth – Spin The Block to Kazarian

 

 

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

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Impact Wrestling – November 13, 2025: Just Like Dinosaurs And The Ghostbusters

Impact Wrestling
Date: November 13, 2025
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

In the words of the 1993 forgotten classic, “A Dinosaur Story”, or “Ghostbusters II”, WE’RE BACK! After about a month removed from Bound For Glory, we FINALLY have a regular episode of the show. While a lot happened at the show, the biggest story is Mike Santana winning the World Title. Let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

Here is Mike Santana to get things going. He’s happy to be back in front of the fans, who think he deserves the title. He knew it was going to be hard but he believed in himself, just like his daughter believed in him. That kept him fighting and clawing and now he’s here as the World Champion.

He knows there’s a target on his back and he doesn’t care what letters you come from, because you better bring the fire. This includes Frankie Kazarian and Nic Nemeth, so here is Ryan Nemeth to interrupt. Ryan says his usual stuff about Nic, with Santana cutting him off. Santana apologizes to the fans for wasting their time with this guy and says they’ll have a title match tonight.

Kelani Jordan is ready to retain the title. Mara Sade, Xia Brookside and Lei Ying Lee come up and say they’ll win the title. Brookside translates Lee, who called Jordan a “See You Next Tuesday.”

Here is Santino Marella, who introduces Ava for a chat. She puts over the TNA/NXT partnership and brings in Arianna Grace to help run things in Ava’s absence.

Video on the upcoming Gold Rush shows.

Dani Luna vs. Indi Hartwell

Hartwell takes her down and hammers away a few times to start. Luna uses the power to block a slam though and drives her into the corner, followed by a clothesline for two. The basement clothesline gets two more but Hartwell hurricanranas her way out of the corner. They head outside with Hartwell grabbing a spinebuster, setting up a top rope elbow to the back for two. The Hurts Donuts is blocked though and Luna scores with a dropkick. Luna tries a chair but gets booted in the face. Hartwell grabs the chair and blasts Luna for the DQ at 6:05.

Rating: C. Hartwell seems to be blowing off some steam after the loss at Bound For Glory, which is fine as long as it doesn’t mean an angry version of her or whatever TNA loves to do in that situation. Hartwell has something, though I’m not sure if having her as the straightforward hero is it. Maybe find something for her, as it’s not like there are a ton of options at the top at the moment.

Eric Young says the Cleanse is coming. He has fliers.

Indi Hartwell wants Dani Luna at Turning Point, No DQ.

Here is the System for a chat. They’re happy with their win in Hardcore War at Bound For Glory, with Eddie Edwards praising Alisha. His mom, his brother and his daughter were in the building for the match and he couldn’t be prouder. Moose says Alisha is hardcore and they are a family. JDC is a bit emotional and talks about how he got married two months ago.

They’ve decided that he’s going to retire from the ring after Genesis in January. He is thankful for the 27 years he’s spent in this business. There’s going to be a void in the System but he’ll help them find a replacement. Cue the Rascalz who are here to respectfully issue a challenge for an eight man tag. They know someone who can join them, with JDC saying make the match. It seems to be on.

Mustafa Ali gives Jason Hotch a pep talk. Order 4 runs into the Hardys and suggests they want the Tag Team Titles. The Hardys are fine with that.

AJ Francis beat up a YouTuber and a match is set for Turning Point.

BDE (said YouTuber) is grateful to have this opportunity. Leon Slater comes in to give him a pep talk but Rich Swann comes in to mock Slater. The title match is set for Turning Point.

Jason Hotch vs. Cedric Alexander

Mustafa Ali is on commentary as Alexander chases Hotch out to the floor to start. Back in and a Downward Spiral gives Alexander two but Hotch tosses him outside. John Skyler gets in a cheap shot on the floor and we hit the chinlock back inside. Alexander snaps off a German suplex but the Lumbar Check is countered into a rollup for two. Hotch’s rolling…something is countered into the Lumbar Check to give Alexander the fast pin at 3:33.

Rating: C+. I could go for more of Alexander, who is one of the better hands around here. It’s nice to have someone like him around as he can be heated up rather quickly, which might be what we’re seeing again. The match didn’t have much time, but Ali getting annoyed is worth a listen.

Post match Agent Zero comes in to lay out Alexander, drawing in the Hardys for the save. Ali gets back in and is taken out as well.

We meet Mila Moore, who talks about getting into wrestling in college and then getting signed. She was emotional when she was signed, but now she’s not sure what took everyone so long.

Knockouts Title: Kelani Jordan vs. Heather By Elegance

Jordan, with the Elegance Brand, is defending. After the Big Match Intros, Jordan snaps off a dropkick and Heather is on the floor in a hurry. We take a break and come back with Jordan slugging away but Heather knocks her down again. The chinlock goes on for a bit until Jordan escapes, meaning it’s time for the slugout. Jordan puts her down but One Of A Kind misses, allowing Heather to hit a tornado DDT. Back up and Heather gets sent into M, who….I’m not sure what she did but it knocks Heather down. One Of A Kind retains the title at 9:03.

Rating: C+. Jordan gets to show off her athleticism and beats the weaker member of the team in the process. It’s still weird having her be an invading champion defending against heels, as Jordan is still new at being evil. I’m sure someone will get the big win over Jordan sooner or later, though I’m not sure just how big that’s going to be as she doesn’t feel like some horrible evil monster champion.

The IInspiration is ready for the triple threat for the Knockouts Tag Team Titles.

Tessa Blanchard and Victoria Crawford are ready for the same match.

The Angels Warriors? They are too.

Here is Elijah for a concert. He talks about attacking Nic Nemeth at Bound For Glory because he didn’t want to steal Mike Santana’s night. He’s still recovering from triceps surgery, which has messed up his guitar playing, but hopefully we can have a good time. The first song is an up tempo Amazing Grace, with the first verse being the traditional version before shifting into something about walking with Elijah.

Cue Mustafa Ali (still banged up after the Hardys attack) who says no one cares about this and issues the challenge to the Hardys for a six man at Turning Point. Elijah cuts him off and wants Ali right now, only to get hit with the microphone. Ali adds in a guitar shot and Elijah is left laying.

Turning Point rundown.

TNA World Title: Ryan Nemeth vs. Mike Santana

Santana is defending. Before the bell, Nemeth demands that the fans cheer for him and threatens to have them ejected when they don’t comply. Nemeth jumps him to start and hits a running shoulder in the corner, only to get enziguried for his efforts. The Cannonball connects…and here is Nic Nemeth to…well actually get jumped by a masked man on the way to the ring. Cue a bunch of NXT stars to jump Santana for the DQ at 1:58.

Steve Maclin and the Home Town Man run in and get beaten down as well. The Rascalz are beaten up too, with Santana’s arm being cranked and Pillmanized. NXT leaves and here’s Frankie Kazarian, Call Your Shot trophy in hand.

TNA World Title: Mike Santana vs. Frankie Kazarian

Santana is defending and charges into Fade To Black for two. The chickenwing is broken up but Santana’s arm gives out as he tries to Spin The Block. Kazarian rolls him up for the pin and the title at 55 seconds. While I’m willing to give them some time and hope that they have some kind of a hot angle out of this, using the Money In The Bank cash in on the first real night after Santana wins the title is as stereotypical of a TNA move as you can get. They better have something huge planned, because otherwise, this is another horrible move.

Kazarian celebrates while Santana is crushed to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. This was far from their finest hour, as it took a month to get here and it feels like every bit of the momentum from Bound For Glory is long gone. At the end of the day, this show was trying to set up a hasty Turning Point and that went well enough, but then they had the big deal at the end. I’m really not sure why Santana lost here, but I’m going to need a heck of a reason to take the title off of him after he spent months becoming the hottest thing in the company. Either way, it wasn’t a good ending and it really does not bode well for the company’s immediate future.

Results
Dani Luna b. Indi Hartwell via DQ when Hartwell used a chair
Cedric Alexander b. Jason Hotch – Lumbar Check
Kelani Jordan b. Heather By Elegance – One Of A Kind
Mike Santana b. Ryan Nemeth via DQ when NXT interfered
Frankie Kazarian b. Mike Santana – Rollup

 

 

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

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Impact Wrestling – October 2, 2025: Showdown Throwdown

Impact Wrestling
Date: October 2, 2025
Location: Edmonton Expo Centre, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt

We’re done with Victory Road and that means a few new champions, including Frankie Kazarian as the new International Champion. The biggest news is that we have a new Knockouts Champion in the form of NXT’s Kelani Jordan as Ash By Elegance was forced to vacate the title. Let’s get to it.

Here is Victory Road if you need a recap.

Long Victory Road recap.

Santino Marella tells Mike Santana that he can’t touch Trick Williams outside of being physically provoked.

Opening sequence.

Here is Frankie Kazarian for the King’s Speech. There are a bunch of people coming for his title so he’s ready to fight. First though, he’s ready to wait here for his standing ovation. Kazarian talks down about various other champions before bringing out new Knockouts Champion Kelani Jordan.

Kazarian tells her about how evil the other Knockouts can be and suggests that Jordan is a fluke. Jordan lists off what she’s done but Kazarian says he doesn’t like the NXT stars as champions. That includes Trick Williams, who wouldn’t have beaten Kazarian. Cue Williams, who wants some respect on his name.

Williams brings up Mike Santana, but gets interrupted by Matt Hardy, who talks about why this company is on fire. Kazarian brings up how Jeff Hardy isn’t allowed in Canada but here is Leon Slater to defend his mentors. Jordan talks about herself instead so here is Indi Hartwell, to say she’s a different kind of challenger. Cue Santino Marella to try and calm things down. And make a six person tag, with Santana on commentary.

Frankie Kazarian/Trick Williams/Kelani Jordan vs. Indi Hartwell/Matt Hardy/Leon Slater

Mike Santana is on commentary. Hartwell and Jordan trade rollups for two each to start before Kazarian comes in. Hardy works on his arm and it’s off to Slater to hammer away in the corner. The women are already back in as we hear about TNA vs. NXT Showdown. Some knees to the back set up a bodyscissors on Hartwell, which doesn’t last long as Hartwell brings in Slater. Some running kicks in the corner put Williams down but he’s back with a full nelson as we take a break.

We come back with Kazarian hitting Williams by mistake, allowing the tag back to Hardy. The Side Effect gets two on Williams but Kazarian comes back in. Kazarian can’t get the chickenwing, instead having to settle for a slingshot cutter to Slater. Hartwell shoulders Kazarian down though and hits a top rope elbow as everything breaks down. Kazarian knocks Williams into Santana so the beatdown is on, with Slater hitting a big running flip dive to take Kazarian out. The Swanton 450 gives Slater the pin at 12:56.

Rating: B-. Slater’s rise continues and that is rather nice to see. The guy is one of the most talented stars in the company and he is holding up when it comes to the bigger challenges. You don’t see that very often, though I’m not quite sold on seeing the new champion take a fall less than a week after winning the title.

The TNA Showdown teams, plus some other stars, come out to the stage, with Tommy Dreamer getting to do the big pep talk.

Video on Mara Sade (Or “Kay…Mara Sade.” according to Kelani Jordan this week on NXT).

We look at the big TNA vs. NXT brawl earlier this week.

Angel Warriors vs. Kat Von Heez/Ava Lawless

Lawless pulls Lee by the hair to start and it’s already off to Brookside as everything breaks down. Stereo right hands in the corner have Heez and Lawless in trouble and it’s off to Heez for a big legdrop. Brookside fights out of Lawless’ chinlock as everything breaks down. Thunderstruck sets up an assisted Brooksie Bomb for the pin on Heez at 4:06.

Rating: C. Just a step above a squash here and that’s how you get a new team over. The Warriors aren’t anything revolutionary but I can go with actually building up a new team to come after the titles. Just let them do this again a few more times and they’ll be set, as it isn’t like there is much of a division in the first place.

Joe Hendry is happy with beating Eric Young when Santino Marella comes in to make Hendry vs. Young next week, No DQ.

We get another Mike Santana video as Amazing Red (TNA legend) talks about all of the people who have paved the way for him to get here. He has faced disappointment after disappointment and now Santana needs to succeed. Trick Williams has come into his house and it’s time for Santana to fight back for all of them.

Nic Nemeth vs. Hometown Man

Ryan Nemeth is here too and offers an early distraction so Nic can take over. Man fights back but gets neckbreakered down, allowing Nic to drop the elbows. Some choking on the ropes lets Nic go after the mask, which triggers a comeback. A dropkick and running elbow set up Sliced Bread #2 for two on Nic, with Ryan putting a boot on the rope. Man dives onto Ryan and gets his mask back from Victory Road but he walks into a superkick. The Danger Zone gives Nic the pin at 4:19.

Rating: C. That’s Man’s first loss and it’s not exactly a terrible moment to lose to one of the biggest stars in the company. The same thing has happened to a bunch of people on the roster and there is a good chance that this continues for a few more weeks. Man’s deal isn’t exactly high concept stuff, but it’s working well enough.

Post match the beatdown is on but Matt Cardona makes the save. Where was he five minutes ago?

Gia Miller has allowed Tessa Blanchard’s suspension to be lifted and now they’re fighting at Bound For Glory. Miller doesn’t even care if she wins or loses, as long as she gets to beat Blanchard up. That’s the best they have for Blanchard at the biggest show of the year?

Tasha Steelz vs. Alisha Edwards

Their respective stables are here too. Edwards hammers away to start but Order 4 offers a distraction. Steelz chops her around and pounds Edwards down into the corner. A Falcon Arrow and superkick give Steelz two each and it’s time for everyone to argue on the floor. In the melee, Steelz gets a kendo stick but Edwards takes it away. One good shot and a Pedigree finish Steelz off at 4:23.

Rating: C. This was a good example of “it was exactly what it needed to be” as they gave us a nice preview of the Hardcore War at Bound For Glory. You don’t often see Edwards getting in the ring but she can handle herself in there and what little time she got here went well. They’re setting this story up well and that’s a promising sign.

Post match the brawl is on again.

Tessa Blanchard talks about helping Gia Miller, who stormed off and went to train with Mike Jackson. She’s fine with beating Miller up again.

Knockouts Tag Team Titles: IInspiration vs. Elegance Brand

The Brand is defending. McKay clotheslines Heather down to start and Lee quickly comes in for a double hiptoss. Heather sends her into the corner though and it’s off to M for a running boot to the face. Lee hurricanranas her way out of the corner and stomps away on Heather as everything breaks down.

Stereo corner clotheslines allow the IInspiration to pose but Heather sends Lee into the corner. It’s back to M to stomp away and a suplex gets two as we take a break. We come back with M’s running backsplash getting two but McKay breaks away. Thankfully M is right there to pull Lee off the apron, meaning there’s no tag just yet.

A big boot gets two on McKay and it’s off to the double arm crank. That’s broken up and the tag brings in Lee to clean house. Lee’s Blue Thunder Bomb gets two on Heather but M is there with a superkick to give Heather two of her own. The Personal Concierge gives Heather some champagne, which goes into M’s face by mistake. The Idolizer gives the IInspiration the titles back at 14:17.

Rating: B-. They didn’t have much of a choice here, as there was little reason to keep the Elegance Brand together after Ash went away. The IInspiration are a great example of a team who can give the titles some stability before they drop them down to another team. If nothing else, this shows that the IInspiration still has it rather than living off their past successes, which was rather needed.

Overall Rating: C+. In theory all sights should be set on Bound For Glory but that is only going to happen after Showdown next week. That makes for a bit of rushed build, though the stuff with NXT will give TNA even better exposure. They need to get to the Bound For Glory build exclusively though, which hopefully will be the case next week.

Results
Leon Slater/Matt Hardy/Indi Hartwell b. Frankie Kazarian/Trick Williams/Kelani Jordan – Swanton 450 to Kazarian
Angel Warriors b. Kat Von Heez/Ava Lawless – Heaven Sent to Heez
Nic Nemeth b. Hometown Man – Danger Zone
Alisha Edwards b. Tasha Steelz – Pedigree
IInspiration b. Elegance Brand – Idolizer to M

 

 

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

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Impact Wrestling – September 18, 2025: One Of Those Builds

Impact Wrestling
Date: September 18, 2025
Location: The Armory, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt

We’re coming up on Victory Road, which is going to have its work cut out for it with Bound For Glory coming up just a month later. That show is going to get the big focus so Victory Road is only going to mean so much. The big story this week will be focusing on the Tag Team Titles as the Nemeths are getting a shot at the Hardys. Let’s get to it.

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

We get another promotion for the Minnesota charity shirt. Still nothing wrong with that.

Opening recap.

Opening sequence.

Mustafa Ali vs. Brian Myers

The rest of Order 4 and the System are both here. Myers slugs away to start and quickly knocks him out to the floor. We get the big staredown between the teams on the floor and Ali hits a big suicide dive. Back in and Myers hits his implant DDT but John Skyler offers a distraction, meaning the top rope elbow misses. Ali gets a rollup for the pin at 2:35.

Post match the teams get in a brawl and we get the big Moose vs. Agent Zero showdown. Zero drops him with a headbutt but Moose pops back up and they have to be held out. Santino Marella comes out to make a Hardcore War at Bound For Glory.

The Nemeths are ready to get the Tag Team Titles back because it’s not a ladder match.

The Personal Concierge suggests to Dani Luna that she could get a Bound For Glory title shot if she just takes out Indi Hartwell tonight. Luna thinks about it.

We look at the set up of Oba Femi vs. Trick Williams for the NXT and TNA World Title.

ODB is here.

Judas Icarus vs. Eric Young

Travis Williams is here with Icarus, who jumps Young to start fast. Icarus runs him over but Young hits an elbow to the face (with the lights seeming to dim) and is back with a gutwrench powerbomb. The piledriver is blocked though and Icarus makes the comeback, with a frog splash connecting for two. Something like a Blue Thunder Bomb gets two and they go up, with Young biting the face to knock him down. Young drops a top rope elbow for two and loads up the piledriver but here is Joe Hendry for a distraction. Icarus grabs a rollup for the pin at 5:11.

Rating: C. This was a big win for Icarus but it’s the kind of win that is more credited to Hendry than anything else. This feels like it might be one of the last big feuds for Hendry around here and that’s not exactly the best feeling. At least Young hasn’t been doing the Cleanse or whatever he was threatening us with before as I don’t think I could take another thing like that.

Post match Young knocks out the referee.

Victoria Crawford is back with her talk show, Mentor U, with guest Jody Threat. Crawford brings up Gia Miller, who interrupts and threatens Tessa Blanchard again. That doesn’t work for Crawford, who doesn’t like the profanity.

The Rascalz are happy with Myron Reed for going after the X-Division Title and let off some steam. And smoke. Santino Marella pops in and…has a cookie?

IInspiration/Masha Slamovich vs. Elegance Brand

Slamovich and Heather start things off, though Heather needs a quick spank to get her into the ring. Everything breaks down and the Brand is kicked down and sent out to the floor as we take an early break. We come back with the Brand getting to take turns on McKay in the corner, with Heather getting to stomp away.

The running corner dropkick gets two and Heather grabs the chinlock. McKay kicks her way out and brings in Slamovich to clean house, including an assisted DDT to make Heather DDT M. Lee goes after M but Ash throws…something in Lee’s eyes so M can get a rollup for the pin at 9:31.

Rating: C+. The match was a nice back and forth effort, with Slamovich being protected before she gets a title shot against Ash By Elegance. The other four are just doing their usual things and that’s not the most exciting stuff. It feels like the Brand could be a big deal for a long time to come, as they certainly seem to be in the right place at the moment.

Here is Frankie Kazarian for the King’s Speech and now it’s time to make this city focus on a King rather than a Prince. His guest this week is…himself, as he is ready to become the next International Champion. That’s not all though as he has another guest in the form of Mr. Anderson of all people. Anderson calls this home and he is happy to be back in a TNA ring for the first time in nine years.

Kazarian brings up Anderson’s military career but thinks Anderson seems like a coward. He asks what branch Kazarian served in but Kazarian brings up Anderson’s family being here. Would Anderson’s mother and kids be ok with seeing Kazarian give Anderson a beating? Kazarian keeps talking trash until Anderson goes after him, with Jake Something running in to take Anderson down. Steve Maclin makes the save. This is a good way to use a company legend and it was a nice surprise.

Dani Luna vs. Indi Hartwell

Hartwell jumps her to start fast and sends Luna out to the floor. Back in and Hartwell tries to send her to the floor but gets hit in the face. A suplex sends Hartwell down again and Luna adds another to keep Hartwell in trouble. Hartwell fires back with some elbows but gets dropped with a clothesline. Hartwell is up for the real comeback and knocks Luna outside, where Luna comes up with a chair to the ribs for the DQ at 5:31.

Rating: C. This only got so much time and the ending was more about Luna getting to hurt Hartwell rather than beat her. At the same time, I really don’t get the appeal of Hartwell, who feels like a rather generic star. She’s in for a huge title match at Bound For Glory and that could be the start of a rather uninspiring title reign.

Post match Luna wrecks her with the chair.

Lei Ying Lee and Xia Brookside talk about being great friends and dub themselves the Angel Warriors.

Mike Santana vs. AJZ

AJZ runs his mouth on the way to the ring and Santana Spins The Block for the pin at 31 seconds.

Santana calls out Trick Williams before their match at Bound For Glory but NXT’s Ridge Holland runs in to lay him out.

Tag Team Titles: Nemeths vs. Hardys

The Hardys are defending and Matt Cardona is on commentary. The Nemeths start fast and get sent outside with an early double clothesline. We take an early break and come back with Nic cutting Jeff off as Ryan grabbing Jeff’s leg. Jeff misses the Whisper In The Wind and Ryan comes in to pound on Jeff a bit. Nic’s chinlock doesn’t last long so he fires off the elbows, including the big jumping version.

Jeff finally fights up and hits a Whisper In The Wind to take them both out for a breather. The diving tag brings in Matt to clean house, including the powerbomb out of the corner for two on Nic. The middle rope elbow to the back of the neck drops Nic again but he’s right back with a Fameasser for two. Ryan’s DDT into Nick’s top rope elbow gets two more so Ryan tries to grab the belt. Cardona cuts that off and the Twist Of Fate into the Swanton retains the titles at 11:56.

Rating: B. This was a good match between the teams who work well together, though we’re coming up on the Hardys vs. the Dudleys one more time. That’s going to be a rather different kind of match and the nostalgia is going to have to carry them a long way. I’m not sure what is next for the Nemeths, as they seem to be ready to go after Cardona, who is going to need a partner.

Overall Rating: C+. This wasn’t a great show, though the main event did help it a lot. It doesn’t help that TNA seems to be building towards Bound For Glory more than Victory Road, which really feels like a nothing stop. Thankfully we’ll be done with that next week and ready to move on to the big show, but it isn’t making these shows much easier.

Results
Mustafa Ali b. Brian Myers – Rollup
Judas Icarus b. Eric Young – Rollup
Elegance Brand b. IInspiration/Masha Slamovich – Rollup to Lee
Indi Hartwell b. Dani Luna via DQ when Luna used a chair
Mike Santana b. AJZ – Spin The Block
Hardys b. Nemeths – Swanton to Ryan

 

 

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

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