IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Slammiversary 2018
Date: July 22, 2018
Location: Rebel Entertainment Complex, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Don Callis

Believe it or not this actually looks like a great show. Impact Wrestling has been on a roll as of late with one very good show after another, but now they need to pay that off with a strong pay per view. It’s not impossible either as nothing on the card looks bad. Just please deliver for once. Let’s get to it.

Here’s the preview so you can see how badly I did.

The opening video features the amazing voiceover guy (Barry Scott) that does this show every year, talking about how great things have been around here in the last year. This show is treated like the biggest show of the year in a way and this voiceover helps a lot.

Petey Williams vs. Johnny Impact vs. Taiji Ishimori vs. Fenix

Williams is replacing an injured Rich Swann. After a quick staredown, everyone is sent into the corner with Ishimori getting a very early advantage. Impact sends Williams to the floor for the big showdown with Ishimori. Both of them miss standing flips and that means a staredown. Fenix comes back in and bounces off the ropes for, of course, a staredown.

A series of bounces on the ropes send Impact to the floor so Petey comes back in with a flying headscissors. There’s O Canada to Fenix but Ishimori comes back in with a hurricanrana on Fenix and Williams making a save. Impact hits a big dive onto Fenix and Williams so Ishimori hits an even bigger one onto the other three. That gets a rare IMPACT WRESTLING chant, which doesn’t have a great cadence but it’s a nice idea.

Everyone comes back in with their series of springboards, capped off by Petey getting the Sharpshooter on Ishimori. Fenix is back in with a 619 on Impact before rolling through the ropes for a cutter. Ishimori knees Fenix in the corner and a Tombstone gets two. Impact uses the ramp to flip into the ring and it’s a circle of strikes for a four way knockdown. Ishimori hits the 450 on Impact but gets caught in the Canadian Destroyer. The springboard double knees drop Petey for two more but it’s Impact with a superkick and Starship Pain for the pin on Fenix at 12:27.

Rating: B. That’s how something like this should have gone as it was four guys going nuts and getting to showcase their talents. That’s how you want to open a show: fast, getting to the point, not putting the big match on first and just letting the fans have a good time. Impact will be a big player again soon, just for the presence that he brings to the matches.

King rants to the OGz about how much he hates Konnan. They’re ready for tonight and want the LAX name back.

We recap Tessa Blanchard vs. Allie. Tessa is here to show how great she is and doesn’t care who she runs over in the process. Allie doesn’t care for that so Tessa is ready to teach her a lesson.

Tessa Blanchard vs. Allie

Allie gets the hometown pop and is in a hybrid of her two gears. They talk a lot of trash to start and Allie kicks her down, followed by a basement crossbody. Tessa isn’t happy with this getting beaten up thing and forearms her down, only to have Allie come back with a spinning crossbody to the floor. A hot shot onto the barricade rocks Allie though and Tessa is getting the swagger going.

More forearms and right hands to the head have Allie in more trouble but she manages a hurricanrana to the floor. Tessa comes up limping a bit so Allie hits a Death Valley Driver on the floor to put them both down. They do the double slide back in and it’s time for the slow motion slugout.

Tessa gets the better of it again and chokes Allie down followed by a scary super hurricanrana to drop Allie on her head for two more. Allie avoids a top rope backsplash and the running Codebreaker sends Tessa outside. The Best Superkick Ever gives Allie a near fall of her own and frustration is setting in. Another Death Valley Driver is countered into the hammerlock DDT to give Tessa the pin at 10:58.

Rating: B-. Tessa is as good of a Charlotte clone as you can get and that’s not a bad place to be. The win is the right call and a suggestion that Madison Rayne actually picks up the title later on. It’s not like there’s anyone else to challenge for the title and Tessa has history with Madison already. Allie will be fine as she’s charismatic enough to make anything work. Shame about losing in her hometown, but it makes sense.

We recap Eddie Edwards vs. Tommy Dreamer. Edwards has gone insane thanks to Sami Callihan so Dreamer stepped in to reminisce about ECW and talk about his feud with Raven. Eddie accused Dreamer of sleeping with his wife (Dreamer’s “LOOK AT ME” defense was funny) and tonight it’s a hardcore match with blood promised.

Eddie Edwards vs. Tommy Dreamer

House of Hardcore rules. Dreamer isn’t going to wait and starts the brawl in a hurry. They fight to the floor with a water bottle going off Eddie’s head and the metal weapons being brought out. Dreamer trashcans him in the head and we get the ECW chants because this is somehow about the promotion that ended seventeen years ago. Eddie gets in a shot to the head and busts out the staple gun.

You don’t do that to Dreamer, who easily takes it away but can’t get in a shot either. Eddie tries a hardcore sunset flip and gets stapled, meaning it’s time to chant for another promotion again. Someone hands Dreamer an ECW Title for the shot to the head and we’ve got some blood. That just fires Eddie up even more and he hits Dreamer in the head a few times to take over. Back in and some kendo stick shots rock Dreamer again with Eddie declaring himself the new Innovator of Violence.

A stick shot to Edwards rocks him again and a super Death Valley Driver through a pair of chairs gets two because Dreamer isn’t allowed to win anything (as he shouldn’t). It’s time for a table, lighter fluid and a lighter (I’ll let you figure out the combination) but Eddie hits him low. The fans want fire but Eddie hits the Boston Knee Party to drive a chair into Dreamer’s head for the pin at 11:12 instead.

Rating: D+. I’m not a fan of the ECW stuff but they kept it short enough and Dreamer lost as everyone knew he would. Edwards has been a great psycho and if they can keep that up, there’s potential there. Just don’t turn him into a Dreamer tribute wrestler and we should be fine. That and if we can stop the ECW chants, but that ship sailed many years ago.

Post match Eddie starts sobbing and yells to Tommy (not in anger). Alisha Edwards comes out as Dreamer hands Eddie the kendo stick in a passing of the torch. That torch has probably been passed more often than an ECW check.  Alisha leaves on her own and Eddie holds the stick.

Matt Sydal is ready to use his mind and third eye to get past the Machine Brian Cage and all those muscles.

We recap the X-Division Title match, which is pretty much exactly what Sydal said. Cage is unstoppable so Sydal is trying to use his mind and spirit to beat him instead of the physical aspect.

X-Division Title: Matt Sydal vs. Brian Cage

Cage is challenging and tosses the champ around in a hurry. A standing moonsault gives Cage two as Callis says Hulk Hogan beat the Iron Sheik in 3-4 minutes. Not really but for a title change it was rather short. Sydal kicks at the knee and gets in a suplex as Cage has already lost a bunch of his explosiveness. Another kick to the knee brings Cage off the top and it’s back to the knee.

Sydal gets two off a standing shooting star but Cage is right back up and throwing Sydal around. The knee gives out though and Sydal kicks away, only to get turned inside out off a pumphandle slam. Sydal speeds things up with some more kicks and a snap modified Angle Slam rocks Cage again. The shooting star misses though and Cage blasts him with the discus clothesline for two.

Cage tries the Drill Claw but gets reversed into a snap hurricanrana and another near fall. Another Drill Claw is countered into a small package for a near fall I actually bought. The shooting star hits a raised boot (and the ropes on the way down, which thankfully didn’t lead to a much worse result) though and now the Drill Claw makes Cage champion at 9:48.

Rating: C+. Cage winning was the only result that made sense and it’s not like Sydal was doing much with the title anyway. I’m not a fan of the third eye stuff but they got the title off of him as they should have and that’s the best result. That being said, I have no idea how they get the title off of Cage outside of a triple threat or a climbing match but we can worry about that later on.

Austin Aries says he’s ready to perform at his best with the lights on bright because it’s one on one.

Madison Rayne is trying to make history by becoming a six time Knockouts Champion. She wants to hand the title to her daughter so her daughter can know Madison has made it. Su Yung is the latest evil crazy zombie bride (there are a million of them) and it’s time for her next big title defense, this time against non-scary/evil Madison.

Knockouts Title: Su Yung vs. Madison Rayne

Madison is challenging and continues the trend of starting fast. Yung gets knocked down but here come the undead bridesmaids. They’re dropped as well, allowing Madison to forearm Yung in the face for two. Yung neckbreakers her out of the corner though and ties Madison in the Tree of Woe for a running dropkick. The red mist hits a bridesmaid though and Madison has an opening. A ripcord cutter gets two on Yung, who is now wearing a bloody glove. The Rayne Drop gets two more but a quick Mandible Claw with the glove knocks Rayne out to retain the title at 6:58.

Rating: C. Madison looked rather good here but I’m not sure where they go with the title from here. Unless they do Tessa vs. Yung (which they won’t/shouldn’t), I have no idea who can challenge for the title. How nice is it to have a reason to believe they could pull it off though? That’s not something I’m used to around here but maybe it can work this time.

Post match Rayne is put in a coffin.

We recap the LAX civil war. Konnan was the manager of the original LAX (Homicide and Hernandez) and then eventually returned with Santana and Ortiz as the new version. The team had its ups and downs but Konnan was eventually attacked. This brought in King, who turned the team back around. Konnan returned and said King took him out, so Santana and Ortiz sided with Konnan against their new boss. King brought in Homicide and Hernandez as the OGz and we’re having a street fight. This is a remake of the Midnight Express feud from thirty years ago and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Tag Team Titles: OGz vs. LAX

Street fight and LAX is defending, though I thought this was non-title. LAX comes through the crowd and Konnan meets them on the ramp to say go to it. Hernandez shrugs off the beating but can’t hit the Border Toss to the floor. Instead Santana dropkicks Homicide off the apron and it’s some dives (with the camera missing one) to drop the OGz. A pair of tables are set up in the corner while Homicide puts up one on the floor against the barricade.

Hernandez starts cleaning house and Ortiz gets choked with a chain. The big dive over the top has Santana rocked as Hernandez flashes back to the SuperMex days. More metal shots to the head put Hernandez down and Homicide actually walks into a suplex. Yes that was in fact a wrestling move. The OGz take over again without much effort but Santana superkicks his way out of trouble.

Back in and Hernandez pulls Santana out of the air, followed by a heck of a sitout powerbomb for two. Ortiz is back up with the trashcan lids to the head and it’s ladder time. A flip dive into a Lionsault onto Hernandez onto the ladder has Hernandez down and the Street Sweeper gets two on Homicide. Santana hits a big flip dive to put Homicide through a table at ringside but they’re not done.

Back in and a running Death Valley Driver puts Homicide through a table. It works so well that Ortiz loads it up but Hernandez gives him a Border Toss through the other table. Santana is back up this time with a superkick as Konnan goes after King. Homicide loads up the Gringo Killer but stops to spit at Konnan. The distraction lets Konnan throw a bag of tacks to Santana, who THROWS THEM AT HOMICIDE for what could be a terrifying result. A slam and frog splash put Homicide away at 13:55.

Rating: B. This was exactly the kind of match it should have been, meaning it was barely wrestling and was instead the wild weapons brawl that showed off the violent hatred. You can almost guarantee a rematch and the OGz getting the titles at one point, as they certainly should. I liked the match a lot, though it didn’t hit the level I was hoping it would reach.

Post match King comes in and distracts Konnan so Hernandez can beat him down. King whips Konnan in the back and the titles are spray painted. Must be time for yet another set of new belts.

Sami Callihan doesn’t like being the underdog in the fans’ eyes. Tonight, Pentagon loses his mask.

We recap Callihan vs. Pentagon. Callihan and OVE started going after luchador masks because they’re a little nuts so Pentagon stood up for his friends and brother. Tonight it’s mask vs. hair in the big lucha de apuesta match.

Sami Callihan vs. Pentagon Jr.

After some yelling, they get to the kicking each other in the face. Pentagon scores with a Sling Blade for the first real offense and it’s time for the chops. Sami opens his vest and wants the best shot. The ensuing chop brings Callihan to his knees and a face that says how bad of an idea that was. He’s fine enough to take it outside for a water bottle to the head but they both chop the post.

Pentagon slaps him down as the announcers mention that this has relaxed rules. I know that’s expected and understood, but it’s nice to be officially told. Callihan posts out some spikes of all things and starts gouging at the head, drawing some much needed blood (just kind of necessary in a match like this). That’s fine with Pentagon, who knocks a spike back into Callihan’s head. With nothing else working, both guys grab a chair and beat the fire out of each other, earning a FIGHT FOREVER chant.

There is blood everywhere and Pentagon chairs him down again. The armbreaker is broken up so Pentagon chairs him down for the second time in a few seconds. Cue the Crists to take a shot each, allowing Callihan to throw some powder. Pentagon breaks the ref’s arm instead so there’s no one to count the Pentagon Driver.

Rating: B-. This needed to be a few minutes shorter but it also needed to be a little away from the previous match as having two violent brawls in a row wasn’t the best idea. Pentagon winning was really the only call here given how big of a star he is on the indy scene at the moment so it’s hard to argue with the ending. Give Sami something to bring him back to earth and OVE can go insane again.

Post match OVE jumps Pentagon until Fenix makes the save. Sami has his head shaved and cries throughout.

Bound For Glory is October 14 in New York.

Impact Wrestling World Title: Austin Aries vs. Moose

Aries is defending and Curtis Granderson of the Toronto Blue Jays is holding the title. Feeling out process to start with Aries’ headlock getting shoved away with no trouble. Aries gets in a hard elbow to put Moose down so Moose nips up with no trouble. He sends Aries outside in a heap and the champ collapses on the floor.

Moose’s big dive sends him sailing over the barricade though and Aries is already trying for the countout. Back in and Aries gets one off a slingshot hilo but Moose shrugs off the shots to the chest. A headbutt has Aries sprawling into the corner and there are some rapid fire chops in the corner.

One heck of an elbow drops Moose but he’s fine enough to hit the discus lariat. The spear is countered into the Last Chancery (cool) and Moose takes a long time making the rope. Moose can barely move so Aries hits a Death Valley Driver on the apron, setting up the big suicide dive.

With nothing else working, Moose wins a slugout and throws him over the barricade. Another dive misses though and Aries gives him a brainbuster on the floor. Somehow that’s only good for nine so Aries grabs the belt. Granderson takes it back and Aries gets rolled up for two, only to have him grab the brainbuster to retain the title at 15:55.

Rating: B+. That’s the kind of main event they needed with Moose fighting as hard as he could but coming up short. It didn’t seem likely that he would actually win the title so seeing him get this close and make you believe he could pull it off was quite the accomplishment. Aries is going to lose the title in a big deal down the line and this was the kind of win that is going to make it seem that important.

Overall Rating: A-. Now that worked. They didn’t have the big blow away match but they had about six good to very good matches and that’s more than I would have ever guessed for them about six months ago. The company needed a great show tonight and they got about as close as you can get, so we’ll call this one a big time success. Now follow up on it and make this consistent and it can go somewhere.

Results

Johnny Impact b. Petey Williams, Taiji Ishimori and Fenix – Starship Pain to Williams

Tessa Blanchard b. Allie – Hammerlock DDT

Eddie Edwards b. Tommy Dreamer – Boston Knee Party into a chair

Brian Cage b. Matt Sydal – Drill Claw

Su Yung b. Madison Rayne – Mandible Claw

LAX b. OGz – Frog splash to Homicide

Pentagon Jr. b. Sami Callihan – Fear Factor

Austin Aries b. Moose – Brainbuster

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

Now I know I shouldn’t get my hopes up about this show but really, it’s kind of hard not to in this case. Believe it or not, Impact Wrestling has actually put together a heck of a card and built it up quite well over the last few weeks. I want to see what they have for Slammiversary and there’s a good chance it’s going to be an awesome show. If nothing else, it’s not like they have a high benchmark to beat in order to have their best pay per view in years. Let’s get to it.

Allie vs. Tessa Blanchard

The more I see of Blanchard, the more impressed I am. She’s been in the promotion for all of a few months and they’re already pushing her to the moon. If Su Yung wasn’t Knockouts Champion, Blanchard probably would have won the thing weeks ago. Allie is a good test for her as she’s one of the most popular members of the roster and can go in the ring. This should be fun, especially with Allie being more serious as of late.

I’m going with Blanchard here, as while there’s nothing for her to do in the title hunt right now, a win is a lot more valuable to her than Allie. That being said, Allie needs a win to get her back on track. She took a bad hit when she lost the title to Yung and a win over Blanchard would help. Blanchard has lost enough already though so I’ll go with her to win here, as she should.

Pentagon Jr. vs. Sami Callihan

This is mask vs. hair and they’ve started to book Calliah the way he needs to be booked. He’s not the best in-ring worker and the shouting about how great Ohio is still doesn’t do much for me, but at least they’re booking him as a crazy brawler/lover of anarchy instead of going against his better characteristics.

However, Pentagon almost has to win here as he’s WAY too big of a star pretty much everywhere at the moment to lose one of his trademark things. Callihan’s hair isn’t exactly famous or anything and can be grown back in pretty short order. The match should be a good, violent brawl and with the roll that Pentagon has been on in recent months, there’s a good chance it’s going to be better than I’m expecting.

Eddie Edwards vs. Tommy Dreamer

I’m torn on this one. Edwards’ heel turn and descent into madness has been outstanding….but it’s Dreamer. The guy who has spent probably twice as long talking about ECW than he was actually in ECW. I respect what he did and how he came from nothing to become a nice something in wrestling, but he just doesn’t do anything for me. The whole “I’ve given everything to this business and don’t want you to end up like me” has been done and Dreamer playing the sad old man who can still be violent has lost its charm.

Of course Edwards wins here but the more interesting question is where does he go from here. There’s a ton of potential in that character and if Impact uses him properly, he could be a heck of a star. Just having him target someone new (say Pentagon for getting to hurt Callihan instead) and going all psycho on them could be great, as Edwards has knocked this thing further out of the park than I ever would have guessed.

Knockouts Title: Su Yung(c) vs. Madison Rayne

You can call this one another surprise as Rayne has done far better with the one more run story than I ever would have expected. The problem though is they’ve built her up to the point where she almost has to win the title to validate going over so many others but I don’t think they want to (or should) take the title off of Yung, even if it’s just for a short reign for…well for Rayne.

I’m going to go with Yung retaining through some shenanigans, which is the best way possible to keep things from getting in trouble. Yung can feud with Allie or someone else for the title going forward, though giving it to Rayne and having her drop it to Blanchard isn’t the worst idea in the world either. I’ll stick with Yung retaining though, as it makes more sense at the moment.

Fenix vs. Johnny Impact vs. Rich Swann vs. Taiji Ishimori

It should be noted that Swann suffered a concussion on Thursday and may not be able to work the show. That being said, this has the potential to be a heck of a match. Just throwing a bunch of people who can fly around out there is an idea that usually works and that’s what we’re getting here. Having Impact back is a big positive as well as he has the star power to lend some more credibility to a match like this.

In what isn’t likely to happen, I’ll take Fenix to win. He and his brother are two of the biggest stars Impact has at the moment and having him pin Ishimori, who is cool but not exactly around very often, would be a good way to give him a boost. If you have someone as popular as Fenix at the moment it would make sense to push the heck out of him and a win here would help do that.

X-Division Title: Matt Sydal(c) vs. Brian Cage

It’s another title match where they seem to have booked themselves into a bit of a corner. Cage is on fire at the moment and seems ready to be pushed to the moon. The problem is the X-Division Title isn’t on the way to the moon, nor is having him drop it eventually or having Sydal escape with the title through more shenanigans. That’s a problem here and I’m not sure how they’re going to get out of it.

My guess is they’ll solve it by giving Cage the title and then moving on from there. It’s no secret that Cage is seemingly being fast tracked for the main event scene and this would be a good way to start that process. I mean, a better way would have been to sidestep the X-Division in general and move on to the main event scene but it’s a bit late for that. Having a monster like Cage as champion could be interesting for a change so this seems like the right way, or at least the least painful way, to go.

LAX vs. OGz

Now this is the one that I’ve been wanting to see as Impact FINALLY has a hot story to run on. It’s a retelling of the Midnight Express vs. Midnight Express feud from 1988 and that’s not the worst place in the world to be. If they can do something with the kind of energy they potentially have here, this could be a heck of a match that easily steals the show. At worst, it should at least be pretty good.

As for winners, you almost have to go with LAX, but it entirely depends on how long Homicide and Hernandez are sticking around. If they’re staying then they should win, but if this is a one off appearance then LAX wins easily. Either way, it should be a heck of a brawl and King vs. Konnan on the floor should be interesting as well. The street fight idea is the right call here and they could easily steal the show.

Impact Wrestling World Title: Austin Aries(c) vs. Moose

This has been a very odd build as Moose and Aries have only been in the ring together once in recent weeks. The idea has been to have Moose off training for the biggest match of his life, which is a fine way to write off what was likely a case of Moose not being available for most of the tapings. The match is as interesting as it can be, but Impact has a long history of not having the best main event builds in the world.

I’ll go with Aries retaining here, as the idea has been that Moose has to win the title at some point in the year. There’s a lot of time left in the year for him to pull that off and Aries fighting off some of the other big stars of the promotion is an interesting concept. Also I’m not sure if they would want to switch the title again so soon after having done the Pentagon reign at the last pay per view.

Overall Thoughts

I’m excited. This show looks very good on paper with nothing that feels like filler or a bad match. Don Callis has turned this promotion around (though that’s been said before to less than stellar long term results) and for now, they have a pay per view that I want to see. This is a near miracle for them and if they can pull off a great show, I’m certainly not going to be complaining for once.

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

IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling
Date: June 21, 2018
Location: Impact Zone, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Don Callis, Josh Matthews

With about a month to go before Slammiversary, the card is starting to come together. We have Moose challenging Austin Aries for the World Title and likely a match between Tommy Dreamer and Eddie Edwards for the sake of getting Dreamer on a pay per view in 2018. Other than that we also know who the X attacker was, but we don’t know anything else about him. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Moose becoming #1 contender in a rather under performing match last week. We also look at the rest of last week’s big stories, including Pentagon coming to El Hijo Del Fantasma’s rescue from OVE and Brian Cage staring Kongo Kong down.

LAX is challenging. It’s a brawl in the aisle to start until someone gets inside, only to have Everett flip dive over the top onto Santana to empty the ring in all of four seconds. We settle down to Everett working on Santana and elbowing him down to bring in DJZ. Everett’s legdrop gets one but Ortiz comes in for help on a backbreaker to put the champs in trouble.

It’s time to start working on Everett’s shoulder but he flips out of a belly to back suplex. A double dropkick is enough to bring in DJZ to no reaction, even as the pace picks up. The champs hit a Blockbuster/spinebuster combo (cool) on Santana and Ortiz gets kicked in the back of the head.

Back from a break with LAX in control and something like Poetry in Motion with a Cannonball crushing Everett. The champs are right back with a More Bang For Your Buck ripoff (even Callis says it reminds him of the Bucks) but Santana breaks up Everett’s shooting star press. The Street Sweeper gives LAX the titles back at 15:01.

The announcers preview the rest of the night.

Jimmy Jacobs and Kongo Kong want Brian Cage.

Video on Fallah Bahh and KM getting together and then splitting up last week.

Here’s KM to discuss what happened last week. KM did everything he could for Bahh and then Bahh failed him. This company needs to be renamed after KM (“KMpact Wrestling”) and Bahh needs to come out here right now and face him like a man. Cue Bahh who pulls a note out of the rolls in his skin, hands it to KM, and leaves. The note says KM is a bully who needs to grow up, with BAHH at the end of every sentence. A standby wrestler is going to face KM tonight.

Scott Steiner vs. KM

KM tries to jump him at the bell but gets pulled outside and whipped into the steps. They get inside with KM begging off and getting suplexed for his efforts. A hanging Downward Spiral sets up the Steiner Recliner for the tap at 2:40. Complete squash.

The Slammiversary press conference took place earlier this week with Moose talking about being ready to take the World Title in his fifth year in wrestling. Austin Aries said he’s merging the World and Grand Championships (Didn’t that happen months ago?) and is ready to beat up Moose, who has nothing on his resume.

We go to Boston where Eddie Edwards is trying to find his wife Alisha but can’t get into his house. Eventually he kicks the door in but finds house empty. Well save for the cameras and a mirror, where his reflection turns into Sami Callihan. A flashback montage ensues and Eddie blames Dreamer for everything.

Calihan and OVE are ready for Pentagon and Fantasma tonight.

Taya Valkyrie vs. Madison Rayne

Taya pulls her down by the hair to start as we hear about Lucha Underground season four debuting. Choking on the ropes has Madison in more trouble but she comes out of the corner with a tornado DDT for the break. A cutter gets two on Taya but she’s right back with a running hip attack in the corner. Taya gives her a curb stomp for two, only to have Madison come right back with Cross Rayne (a stupid name for Cross Rhodes) for the pin at 5:33.

Rating: D+. I’m not wild on Rayne getting this push but they’re going with it and I’ll take a story that gets time over something that they fly through almost any time. The match should be fine, though I don’t buy Rayne as having a real chance at becoming champion for a second.

Post match Madison says she didn’t come back to be an in-ring competitor but she’s going to take the chance when it comes to her. She’s been making moments for the last few weeks and this win gives her a chance to make another moment. This win gives her the chance to win the Knockouts Title for the sixth time at Slammiversary. Su Yung’s laugh is heard and Madison freaks.

LAX is celebrating in the clubhouse when Konnan comes in. He’s proud of the team but wants to talk to King. Back from a break, Konnan thinks King had something to do with him being taken out. King denies it, but Konnan says he better be telling the truth.

The X attacker, now named Killer Kross, talks about how why he did it. Well why not? There is only chaos in this universe so let’s shake everything up and see where it falls. He is the new beginning.

Video on the Desi Hit Squad. I’ve heard about them for so long that I’m having issues making myself care.

From last year’s Impact in India, we look at Sonjay Dutt winning the X-Division Title.

OVE vs. El Hijo Del Fantasma/Pentagon Jr.

Callihan is at ringside and the luchadors start brawling early on. Fantasma beats on Dave to start and a middle rope stomp has Dave in more trouble. One heck of a chop rocks Jake and there’s a running knee to his jaw. One sided so far and Fantasma makes it better with the suicide dive.

Back in and things settle down, this time with Jake working on Fantasma’s leg. A half crab doesn’t get him very far and we take a break. Back with the leg work continuing with Dave cannonballing down. Fantasma scores with a pair of tilt-a-whirl backbreakers but still can’t get over for the tag to Pentagon.

That means it’s time for more pulling on the knee with Jake putting on kind of a kneeling half crab. A neckbreaker finally gets Fantasma out of trouble and it’s off to Pentagon for the Sling Blades. Dave superkicks Jake by mistake but they’re fine enough to superplex Fantasma into a sitout powerbomb for two. Not that it matters as the Pentagon Driver is enough for the pin on Jake at 16:32.

Rating: B-. Nice main event here with OVE taking the loss to the much bigger name in Pentagon. I’m glad that they’re treating him like a big deal even after he’s lost the World Title as he seems like someone who is going to be a player around here for a long time instead of just showing up for a few months and leaving.

Post match Pentagon goes for Jake’s arm but gets hit in the face with the baseball bat. OVE goes for the mask but Fantasma grabs a chair for the save to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. As has been the case lately, Impact puts out a good show with nothing too bad and some building towards future shows. Killer Kross’ interview was fine, though I’m hoping he’s treated well once he gets in the ring. The tag matches were both good, though I really question the point in having Steiner win a match, let alone squashing someone. Granted, it’s just KM so it’s not like it matters very much.

Results

Scott Steiner b. KM – Steiner Recliner

Madison Rayne b. Taya Valkyrie – Cross Rayne

Pentagon Jr./El Hijo Del Fantasma b. OVE – Pentagon Driver to Jake

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: April 26, 2018
Location: Impact Zone, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Don Callis, Josh Matthews

We’re past Redemption and that means it’s time to get ready for Slammiversary. What that means is kind of up in the air at this point but it really could go in a variety of directions. Above all else though, we have a new World Champion as Pentagon Jr. defeated Austin Aries and Fenix in a triple threat match on Sunday. Let’s get to it.

Here are the Redemption results if you need a recap.

We open with a long recap of Redemption, including results from every match.

Earlier today, Austin Aries talked to the roster and said he’s still the Grand Champion so it’s now the top title. Aries makes a bunch of excuses and Moose calls him out on them before walking out. The rest of the people leave as well. Sounds heel turnish to me.

Opening sequence.

The pay per view set is now the regular set.

Brian Cage vs. Trevor Lee

Lee drops to the floor for a meeting with Caleb Konley to start before a shoulder drops him to the floor again. Cage throws him around and shrugs off a forearm but a Konley distraction lets Lee kick him outside. Back in and a bridging German suplex gives Lee two and Konley adds in some choking. That’s enough for Cage who Hulks Up and hits a powerslam, followed by the apron superplex. The Drill Claw puts Lee away at 5:04.

Rating: D+. Cage is starting to run through some bigger names and it wouldn’t shock me if the names get bigger and bigger as we move forward. There’s a certain monster quality to him and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him near the World Title picture within the next year or so. Lee isn’t going to lose anything by getting destroyed here, but it was nice to have him get in some offense.

A livid Eddie Edwards arrived earlier today and ran into Tommy Dreamer (in a Lucha Underground shirt). Tommy told him to go be with his wife but Eddie shoved him out of the way.

Here’s Eddie in the arena to talk about putting Sami Callihan in the hospital. He’s not done though because he wants to put OVE in there right next to Sami. Cue OVE for the 2-1 fight and Eddie runs through them before grabbing the kendo stick. We cut to the hospital room where someone in a wheelchair with balloons covering his face rolls up to Alisha Edwards’ bed. It’s a very banged up Callihan, who says he wants to talk.

OH MY GOODNESS how stupid can Eddie be? A few weeks ago he sees OVE in his wife’s hotel and then LEAVES after checking on her for a few seconds. Now he leaves her IN THE SAME HOSPITAL WHERE CALLIHAN IS STAYING??? My goodness I know he’s a face in wrestling but Sting would find this dumb.

We look at Sunday’s main event.

Classic clip: the Steiner Brothers vs. Team 3D at Bound For Glory. I really wouldn’t point out that one half of your Tag Team Champions was old eleven years ago.

Video on DJZ, who is back after over a year away.

Moose vs. Braxton Sutter

Sutter’s pre-match promo is cut off by Moose’s music. Moose throws him into the corner to start and dropkicks him out to the floor in a heap. Sutter gets in a whip to send Moose into the barricade, followed by a suplex into the corner for two. That earns Sutter a running elbow and running dropkick in the corner, followed by a spear for the pin at 3:32.

Rating: D. Nearly a total squash here, which makes sense as Sutter has announced that he’s done with the promotion. It’s not like Sutter has done anything of note in the company and now that he and Su Yung seem to be done, there’s no reason to not have him go out on his back like this.

Post match the fans chant HAPPY BIRTHDAY at Moose. He wants Pentagon Jr. and the World Title.

Matt Sydal promises to retain the X-Division Title against Taiji Ishimori. A commotion is heard and we go to see someone (not clear who) unconscious with an X on their chest.

LAX wants the titles back but also want to know what’s happened to Konnan.

Knockouts Title: Taya Valkyrie vs. Allie

Allie is defending. Taya wastes no time in jumping Allie and hammering away in the corner. Allie’s comeback is cut off in very short order as Taya powers her down without much effort. A running dropkick in the corner only hits buckle and Allie is in even more trouble. Taya is all fired up but the Road to Valhalla is broken up, allowing Allie to hit the superkick and Codebreaker to retain at 4:17. That was pretty much all of her offense.

Rating: D. Nothing to this one and Taya deserved more than that in a title shot. Allie shrugged off everything Taya threw at her and won with her regular stuff in short order. The match needed more time, but then we wouldn’t have been able to plug the Steiner Brothers vs. Team 3D match and that’s WAY more important.

Post match Su Yung appears, flanked by a bunch of dead brides. They load up a casket but Rosemary appears for the showdown. The lights go out again and Su is gone.

Slammiversary is in Toronto.

KM yells at Fallah Bahh, his partner for next week. Why in the world are these two getting TV time?

Eddie goes to the hospital to see Alisha, who isn’t happy with him leaving her there. He goes into Callihan’s room and beats the heck out of him until a bunch of doctors make the save. This crazy Eddie character is actually working for me.

Video on Kongo Kong vs. Johnny Impact from last week.

Tag Team Titles: Eli Drake/Scott Steiner vs. LAX

Drake and Steiner are defending. Before the match, Steiner says he promised he’d win “last night” (which he says twice) because he’s world famous. Konnan was at Taco Bell due to a discount on burritos so we know his priorities. The champs stall on the floor for a long time before Ortiz drives Drake into the corner to start. Santana comes in for a chop of his own but gets taken outside and sent into the steps by Steiner as we take a break. Back with Steiner getting two off a belly to belly as he picks Santana up.

The fans chant for LAX but get cut off when Steiner “hits” a belly to belly superplex (not rotating enough and nearly falling backwards). It’s back to Drake (thankfully) for a chinlock as we hear that Edwards has been arrested. Well duh. Santana rolls over for a tag so Ortiz can get two off a short DDT. The Death Valley Driver gets two more on Drake but the Street Sweeper is countered into a powerslam (ala Rick Steiner back in the day) to pin Ortiz and retain the titles at 10:54.

Rating: D+. Steiner continues to be scary with some of those near botches, but at least they have a “big name” on the roster now right? Steiner does offer some star power but really, how much is he going to be able to offer without maiming someone? I can’t imagine that he’s going to be around very long but I’m still not a fan.

Post match Drake holds up the World Title briefcase and suggests that he’s cashing in right now. Actually it’s just a warning, but here’s Aries anyway. Back from a break, Aries says he’s healing from a dislocated elbow and looks at the “suitcase”. The fans chant for Aries, who says he wishes they were here on Sunday. The Grand Championship is what matters now but he’ll get the World Title back soon enough.

Drake wants to fight Pentagon, Aries and the Easter Bunny because it means he’s getting the title back. Cue Pentagon Jr. to say CERO MIEDO (zero fear) but Steiner and Drake beat down Pentagon and Aries. They fight back and clear the champs out of the ring, leaving Aries and Pentagon to stare each other down to end the show.

Overall Rating: D. I wasn’t feeling this one, as there wasn’t a lot in the vein of storyline advancement and the wrestling was nothing of note. Allie and Rosemary continue to be an interesting team but really, there’s not much else to go on here. That being said, they have a ton of time to get ready for the next pay per view so it’s not like this needed to be incredible. Not the worst, but nothing that pulled me in.

Results

Brian Cage b. Trevor Lee – Drill Claw

Moose b. Braxton Sutter – Spear

Allie b. Taya Valkyrie – Codebreaker

Eli Drake/Scott Steiner b. LAX – Powerslam to Ortiz

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the WWE Grab Bag (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/03/23/new-paperback-kbs-grab-bag/

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

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

IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Redemption 2018
Date: April 22, 2018
Location: Impact Zone, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Don Callis

It’s the first pay per view in nearly six months (Not counting the nothing One Night Only shows because….well who does really?) and the main event as changed about ten days ago due to Alberto El Patron having high levels of Alberto El Patron. Now it’s Austin Aries defending the World Title against Pentagon Jr. and Fenix in a rematch from Impact Wrestling vs. Lucha Underground. Let’s get to it.

Here’s the go home show if you need a recap.

The opening video is what you would expect: wrestlers wanting to be redeemed, which means winning matches in their feuds.

There’s a new set (an elevated video screen with vertical rectangular metal structures on both sides) and it looks….I guess better. There will be new belts tonight as well.

Drago vs. Aerostar

Not a bad idea to start with what should be the most entertaining match on the card. Drago goes for the arm to start as we hit the token technical stuff. That goes nowhere so it’s an early standoff with Drago going with a superkick, earning himself an enziguri. A corkscrews moonsault sends Drago outside, which of course means a big suicide dive. You knew that was coming.

Back in and Drago nails another superkick to send him outside, meaning it’s time for Drago to hit his own suicide dive. They head inside again for more kicks (more than I would have expected here) but Drago gets sidestepped to the floor. One heck of a corkscrew dive drops Drago on the floor for two, only to have Drago hit a hanging DDT for the same. This time it’s Aerostar getting the better of a strike off as the lack of psychology is starting to show here.

Aerostar sends him outside again for a suicide dive and the fans sing about the match being lucha. That’s good for two back inside and Drago is right back up with a kick to the ribs. Kind of basic so he goes with a dropkick to the side of the head for two of his own. La majistral gets Drago two more but Aerostar is right back up with a rolling cutter. With that not working, Aerostar is right back up with a springboard Codebreaker for the pin at 11:35.

Rating: C+. Good choice for an opener here, even though Aerostar seemed a little banged up at the end. They went with the right idea here to go with the entertaining stuff instead of starting with something a little more flat. These two could have a good match in their sleep and that’s all this needed to be in an opener.

Josh Matthews tells Matt Sydal that he’s taught him everything he can and now Matt is free. They’re cool with this but I’m hoping Josh gets a better fit for a client soon.

Callis makes fun of Josh.

We recap the Tag Team Title match. Eli Drake won the Feast or Fired Tag Team Title briefcase but Chris Adonis walked out on the company. Therefore, Scott Steiner was brought in to be Drake’s partner because NO ONE ELSE was available.

Santana and Ortiz are in the clubhouse with Santana getting a phone call saying someone named King has taken out Konnan.

Tag Team Titles: Eli Drake/Scott Steiner vs. LAX

LAX is defending but there’s no Konnan. Ortiz starts with Drake and takes him into the corner, meaning we get some early double teaming to put the champs in control. Steiner, covered in tattoos, comes in for some knees to the face and suplexes before handing it right back off to Drake. A double back elbow drops Ortiz again and the villains are in control. Ortiz grabs a DDT for a break and it’s off to Santana as things speed up. A cutter into a double dropkick has Drake in trouble as Santana is rolling.

Scott catches him on top though and snaps off the Frankensteiner (to a rather limited reaction) but Ortiz is back up with a superkick for the save. Santana starts speeding things up again and Ortiz breaks up a superplex. Instead he pulls Drake down for the Street Sweeper but Santana dives onto Steiner instead. The Gravy Train pins Ortiz for the titles at 8:01.

Rating: D. Well of course that happened. I’m going to go on a hopeful limb and suggest that this reign is done by the end of the next tapings but odder things have happened. I’m also sure that Steiner doing a hurricanrana is enough to prove that HE STILL HAS IT while others will point out how this spot could go to someone who needs the rub, but why let that get in the way?

Trevor Lee vs. Taiji Ishimori vs. El Hijo De Fantasma vs. Dezmond Xavier vs. DJZ vs. Brian Cage

One fall to a finish and lucha rules. DJZ headlocks Xavier to start but Xavier hits a dropkick for a breather. Hang on though as DJZ has to hit the horn for some noise. Xavier goes after Ishimori with a flip dive so Trevor comes in, only to be tossed as well. Fantasma is in next and hurricanranas Dezmond into the corner. DJZ tags himself in and hits a springboard missile dropkick as the fast tags continues.

Fantasma hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker on DJZ but Lee is in with a clothesline to put him down. The fans want Cage, possibly because they know the match is over as soon as he comes in. Lee makes the mistake of forearming Cage in the face and the fans tell him that he f***** up. A belly to back suplex gets two on DJZ but he rolls over and makes the hot tag off to Cage so pain can begin.

Cage starts throwing people around and moonsaults Lee for two. Xavier and DJZ superkick the heck out of him though and Cage is down on the floor with Ishimori moonsaulting onto him for good measure. The DDT from DJZ plants Cage again and DJZ has to save Dezmond from the Thrill of the Hunt.

Ishimori’s spinning kick to the head gets two on DJZ but Cage is back in. Just to show off, it’s a fall away slam to Fantasma and a Samoan drop to Ishimori at the same time. Lee comes back in with a crossbody for two, leaving Fantasma to suicide dive Dezmond. Cage is back in with Weapon X on Ishimori, followed by the Drill Claw to end Dezmond at 12:58.

Rating: C. Total spot fest here with the right ending as Cage needs a win like this. They’re placing him into a good spot and if that means he’s going to be a top name, I can live with that very easily. It’s not like the rest of the division has much left to do so let these guys be cannon fodder. That’s all well and good and the Drill Claw still looks awesome.

Allie is ready to get her hands on Su Yung and prove that she’s not a paper champion. She’s proven herself time and time again and is ready to go it again here. Tonight, she fights for her redemption.

Taya Valkyrie vs. Kiera Hogan

Taya runs her over to start but gets sent outside for a walk around the ring as Tessa Blanchard joins commentary. She’s officially a Knockout and the announcers seem very happy. Back in and Taya shoves her way out of the corner and slowly kicks away while shouting trash talk.

Taya chokes a lot as Tessa talks about how she’s the real wrestling royalty around here because she has the real wrestling pedigree. A hard knee to the face knocks Kiera silly for two but she gets in a jawbreaker for a breather. We go split screen so we can look at Tessa talking as Kiera gets two off a double stomp to the back. Taya folds her in half with a Saito suplex for two more and Kiera is rocked again. The Road to Valhalla is good for the pin on Hogan at 8:15.

Rating: C. I liked this a little more than I was expecting to but the focus being on Blanchard made this feel a lot more like an Impact match than anything else. Tessa is a good addition to the roster though, which needs all the help it can get at the moment. Not too bad, even with the stupid split screen involved.

Petey Williams is talking about his odds of winning the X-Division Title when Scott Steiner comes in to talk numbers. See, the best years of his career were when Petey looked like him, because it made his wife want to make love. Scott: “How is your wife anyway?” They’re going to Cracker Barrel after the show.

We recap Matt Sydal vs. Petey Williams. Sydal has become enlightened and won the X-Division and (now defunct) Grand Championship. Petey on the other hand pulled down a briefcase and was champion ten years ago, but does have a cool finisher. That’s all there is to this one and that’s not much to go on.

X-Division Title: Petey Williams vs. Matt Sydal

Sydal is defending. Feeling out process to start with an exchange of holds and near falls on the mat as the announcers discuss the history of the shooting star press. Sydal takes him down again though and avoids an early Destroyer attempt, followed by a standing moonsault for two.

Petey is back up and can’t hit the Codebreaker but can hit a Russian legsweep for two. Something like a TKO puts Sydal down but he sends Petey into the corner. It’s WAY too early for the shooting star though and Petey slaps on the required Sharpshooter. Petey gets kneed in the face and a top rope hurricanrana gets two.

Sydal’s shooting star hits knees and the comeback is on. The Canadian Destroyer connects this time but Sydal rolls to the floor. Back in and a super Canadian Destroyer is blocked (because death would ensue) but another shooting star is broken up, only to have Sydal grab a pumphandle rollup to retain at 12:01.

Rating: C+. This was about as good as it was going to get because Williams has nothing more than the Canadian Destroyer. Really, other than that slingshot of his, there’s nothing else to offer. I’m not sure how many times I can make myself care about this story again, but a fresh story might be nice. Sydal winning was the right call though so I have few complaints.

Tommy Dreamer quotes Martin Luther King Jr. to talk about how violence is for everyone and we’re in a new era of wrestling.

We recap OVE vs. Moose/Eddie Edwards/Tommy Dreamer. Sami Callihan crushed Eddie’s face with a baseball bat and bragged about it so Edwards went after the trio. Realizing that wasn’t going to work, Eddie got some friends and we’re getting a six man hardcore match to settle things.

Tommy Dreamer/Moose/Eddie Edwards vs. OVE

Anything goes and the good guys are in street clothes. OVE wastes no time with an early cheap shot attempt, only to get taken down with a hard shot. Eddie dives onto Callihan and it’s time for the wild brawl early on. A trashcan lid to Callihan’s head has Sami in even more trouble as Moose beats on Jake. There goes the ECW chant because it’s still not allowed to die. Dave gets caught in the Tree of Woe but Sami superkicks Tommy down for the save.

Eddie gets sent back first into a chair for two as control changes. It’s time to go after Eddie’s face with Callihan ripping away. The announcers rip on Dayton, Ohio for a bit as Moose and Dreamer are laid out on the floor. Back in and Callihan has a pair of chairs laid on the mat for the All Seeing Eye onto the steel. Moose runs in for the save and it’s time for some high rising dropkicks.

Jake gets a trashcan put on top of him for a running delayed dropkick in the corner. This time it’s Dave making a save but Jake pulls out the duct tape. That earns him a toss through a table at ringside so Dave pours out the thumbtacks. That’s fine with Eddie as Moose lifts Dave up for a powerbomb and the Boston Knee Party from the top drives him down into the tacks.

Dave is placed on a table and Moose tries a splash, only to have Jake dive in with some hands to the head (supposed to be a cutter) and everyone is down. Back in and Sami grabs the Get Out Of Here (double underhook shoulderbreaker) for two of his own and it’s baseball bat time. Cue Dreamer with the barbed wire bat for a shot to Sami’s ribs. The DDT plants Sami but a low blow and small package end Dreamer at 13:05.

Rating: B-. This one depends on your taste for hardcore matches but at least the right guy took the fall. Dreamer was the perfect choice to take the fall as there’s no reason for Eddie or Moose to get pinned. You can have Eddie vs. Sami in the big blowoff later anyway, so this was the right call. Somewhat above average hardcore match but nothing that hasn’t been done better.

Post match Eddie uses the barbed wire to bust Sami open and duct tapes him to the ropes. Eddie rubs Sami’s blood all over himself and loads up the bat but Dreamer steps in. That goes nowhere as Eddie wrecks everyone with a kendo stick. Cue Eddie’s wife Alisha and Eddie hits her with the stick by mistake for the big horrible moment. We hit the Owen Hart voices as Alisha is tended to.

Fenix is ready for the World Title.

Austin Aries, still billed as the Grand Champion and carrying all his belts, felt what Pentagon and Fenix were all about in New Orleans. He knows what they are and they’re not the World Champion. Aries is the new standard bearer of professional wrestling but tonight he could lose the title without losing the fall. He can beat anyone one on one and tonight he’ll beat them two on one.

We recap Allie vs. Su Yung. Allie won the Knockouts Title back and became a bit more serious so Braxton Sutter proposed to her again. Allie said no so Sutter brought in Su Yung, an evil demonic bride, to torment her. Tonight the title is on the line.

Knockouts Title: Su Yung vs. Allie

Yung is challenging and Sutter does her introduction. Su drives her up against the ropes to start but Allie gets in a few shots of her own. Sutter grabs the leg though and Allie gets tied in the Tree of Woe for some kicks to the ribs. A neck snap across the top rope puts Allie on the floor, followed by a flip dive to crush her again.

Back in and Allie scores with a Codebreaker for a breather. That’s enough to get her fired up and Allie hits a running forearm to a seated Yung. The Best Superkick Ever connects but Sutter gets on the apron for a distraction, earning himself a right hand. Yung loads up the Panic Switch but Allie reverses into a sunset flip to retain at 7:17.

Rating: C. This was an Impact match and I can’t say I’m surprised. Allie retaining the title is a good call but I’m not sure where she goes from here. She just beat Yung clean and even beat up Sutter in the process. I’m not sure how that necessitates a rematch so it’s off to Rosemary in theory, which is similar to what we just saw. Not bad, but nothing that needed to be on pay per view.

Post match Su is livid so Sutter proposes to her. Su seems to continue it but takes him down with a Mandible Claw.

The announcers recap the show.

Slammiversary is in Toronto on July 22.

We recap the main event, which again focuses on Alberto walking out. With him gone, Aries needed a challenger so we get a rematch from the WrestleCon show, which is really about all they could do.

Impact Wrestling World Title: Austin Aries vs. Pentagon Jr. vs. Fenix

Aries is defending. We hit the trash talk to start (well duh) and it’s Aries starting fast with a bunch of chops all around. Remembering that they’re brothers, Fenix and Pentagon send him outside but Pentagon is right back up with a Sling Blade. Aries is back in and getting kicked in the face soon thereafter, followed by a jumping cutter to Pentagon.

A smart Aries steals the near fall and grabs the Last Chancery, only to have Fenix springboard in with a missile dropkick for the save. Pentagon heads outside and it’s Fenix chopping the heck out of Aries. For a change of pace, Aries chops the head out of Fenix. Aries gets two off a forearm as it sounds like one of the announcers is opening a can. Pentagon comes back in and gets bulldogged for two, followed by the Last Chancery with Fenix making another fast save.

That sends Pentagon outside so Fenix throws Aries at him, earning his brother a hurricanrana. Fenix isn’t about to be shown up though and busts out a corkscrew plancha to the floor to drop them both again. Back in again and Fenix drops a Swanton for two on Pentagon, who pops up to German suplex both guys. He can’t quite break Aries’ arm though as Fenix makes a save. Now why wouldn’t he want the World Champion taken out?

Pentagon beaks up Aries’ running corner dropkick and Backstabs his brother for two. This time it’s Fenix getting back up with a superkick to Aries but Pentagon’s Fear Factor (package piledriver) gets two with Aries making another save. Pentagon is fine enough to block a suicide dive so Aries sends him into the crowd instead.

Back in (again) and the 450 hits both challengers, including Pentagon taking some hard knees. That’s enough for the two of them and it’s time for the brother double teaming, including a double superkick. Pentagon lays Fenix out though and snaps Aries’ arm. The Fear Factor gives Pentagon the pin on Aries and the title at 16:15.

Rating: B. Good match here and that’s all you can ask for in a big time main event. The surprise title change isn’t shocking enough to be too far and you can probably pencil in Pentagon dropping it no later than Slammiversary. That being said, it’s really cool to see Pentagon getting some more exposure like this as he’s been a gem to watch down in Lucha Underground. Strong main event here.

The brothers embrace to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. That’s your run of the mill Impact pay per view: completely watchable with nothing too terrible and a solid main event. The problem is the same as well though: there’s nothing worth going out of your way to see and it’s just not a stand out show. Impact has definitely shifted more towards finding the safe middle ground and I’ll take that over the train wreck that we usually get. I liked the show enough and wasn’t bored so I’ll take what I can get. Not great, but certainly good.

Results

Aerostar b. Drago – Springboard Codebreaker

Eli Drake/Scott Steiner b. LAX – Gravy Train to Ortiz

Brian Cage b. Dezmond Xavier, DJZ, Trevor Lee, Taiji Ishimori and El Hijo Del Fantasma – Drill Claw to Xavier

Taya Valkyrie b. Kiera Hogan – Road to Valhalla

Matt Sydal b. Petey Williams – Rollup

OVE b. Tommy Dreamer/Moose/Eddie Edwards – Small package to Dreamer

Allie b. Su Yung – Sunset flip

Pentagon Jr. b. Fenix and Austin Aries – Fear Factor to Aries

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the WWE Grab Bag (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/03/23/new-paperback-kbs-grab-bag/

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: March 8, 2018
Location: Impact Zone, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Sonjay Dutt

It’s a big show tonight with Crossroads. The name doesn’t really mean anything but it’s a stacked card with Austin Aries defending the World Title against Johnny Impact as the main event. Last week’s show saw Sami Callihan crush Eddie Edwards’ face with a baseball bat so you can almost guarantee some fallout there. Let’s get to it.

Here’s last week’s show if you need a recap.

In the studio, Dutt and Matthews run down the card and talk about how important tonight is.

We recap LAX vs. the Cult of Lee, which boils down to “LAX needs challengers and the Cult of Lee is all we have”.

Tag Team Titles: LAX vs. Cult of Lee

LAX is defending and jumps the Cult before the bell. They slug it out on the floor with Caleb Konley throwing Ortiz into the steps to take over. We finally settle down to Santana and Konley in the ring with a Lionsault/legdrop combination crushing Caleb as we take a break. Back with Santana hitting a running kick to the face to put Lee down. The hot tag brings in Ortiz for some running ax handles and a backdrop.

The champs start their double teaming, followed by the barrage of flip dives. Back in and some hard forearms into a superkick rock LAX, followed by a Samoan Driver for two on Santana. Ortiz hits a quick suplex into a Stunner but Lee breaks up the Street Sweeper. Konnan offers a quick distraction though and now the Street Sweeper puts Konley away at 13:00.

Rating: C+. This wasn’t interesting coming in but the action more than made up for it. The problem of course is where do the champs go from here, but odds are it’s going to be a long series of rematches with the Cult. Hopefully they’re like this though as it was a lot of fun and better than I ever would have expected.

Bobby Lashley doesn’t have a partner tonight but is ready to face OVE on his own tonight.

Classic clip: Monty Brown vs. Christian.

We recap Taiji Ishimori vs. Matt Sydal in a title for title match. Grand Champion Sydal has been following the advice of his spirit guide and won the title as a result. Now the guide has told him to go win the X-Division Title as well.

X-Division Title/Grand Championship: Taiji Ishimori vs. Matt Sydal

Title for title. I didn’t hear a bell ring but it’s a feeling out process to start with Sydal taking him up against the ropes and saying PEACE twice in a row. Ishimori spins out of a wristlock as the announcers make fun of internet reports. Sydal takes him up top but gets shoved down, followed by a jumping Codebreaker as we take a break.

Back with Ishimori holding a chinlock but getting slammed head first into the mat for the break. A half crab keeps Ishimori down and a reverse Muta Lock makes things even worse. Ishimori fights up and hits a running kick to the chest, followed by a Vader Bomb double stomp (I still don’t get how that doesn’t crack a rib) for two. A modified TKO (Sydal’s back was against the back of Ishimori’s head) gets two more but Sydal snaps off a middle rope hurricanrana to get things to even.

Sydal is sent outside and Ishimori gets a running start down the ramp for a hurricanrana. Back in and they exchange near falls until Sydal’s jumping knee t the face drops Ishimori. The shooting star misses and Ishimori’s Tombstone gutbuster puts him down. The 450 hits knees though and Sydal hits the shooting star for the pin at 16:25.

Rating: B. Heck of a match here with both guys hitting each other with everything they had. The clean ending is kind of surprising but hopefully this leads to the end of the Grand Championship. This show just doesn’t need that many titles floating around, especially when the Grand Championship is just a standard midcard title anymore.

Allie is ready to win the Knockouts Title back because she’s grown as a Knockout. She’ll dedicate the win to Gail Kim. WELL OF COURSE SHE WILL!

We recap Allie vs. Laurel Van Ness. Laurel is all crazy and such but Allie is growing up and immune to her mind games.

Knockouts Title: Laurel Van Ness vs. Allie

Laurel is defending and Allie jumps her in the aisle to start. They head inside with Laurel hammering away and pounding Allie in the face on the mat. Laurel misses a dive off the top though and walks into a Codebreaker for a double knockdown. Allie suplexes her into the corner and takes Laurel outside where the champ is sat in a chair.

A running elbow drops Laurel but she grabs an Unprettier onto the floor to knock Allie silly. That’s only good for nine so Laurel stomps away back inside and a curb stomp sends Allie face first into the buckle. Laurel grabs the belt but walks into a Death Valley Driver. A superkick is enough to give Allie the title back at 8:40.

Rating: C. This didn’t have time to really go anywhere but Allie getting the title back should have happened about a year ago. It’s nice to have her FINALLY get to do something positive instead of being a glorified joke. Good enough match here too, but it’s really just a way to get the title off of Laurel before she leaves the promotion.

Post break, Gail congratulates Allie. Good, now go away.

Austin Aries is sore from carrying the world on his back. Tonight, he’s ready to defeat Johnny Impact because he doesn’t take nights off.

We recap OVE vs. Lashley. OVE decided to go after a big prize like Lashley but Eddie Edwards came to Lashley’s aide. Then Sami Callihan crushed Eddie’s face with a baseball bat, making this a handicap match.

Lashley vs. OVE

Lashley clotheslines them down on the ramp and then suplexes both of them inside. Some kicks to the ribs take Lashley down though and we take an early break. Back with Lashley still in trouble but here’s Brian Cage to tag himself in and start cleaning house. Dave is sent to the floor so Sami comes in with the baseball bat. That earns him a spear though and Cage Drill Claws Jake for the pin at 9:56.

Rating: D. This was more of an angle than a match and really, that’s fine. It’s not like there was a ton of motivation from OVE in the first place so having them lost (in dominant fashion) to Cage was a good idea. Not a good match or anything, but it’s fun to see Cage destroy people as he’s exceptionally good at doing so.

Post match Cage won’t shake Lashley’s hand.

Johnny Impact has more names than Aries has titles but he doesn’t call himself the greatest man that ever lived. He’s not that insecure and only wants the Impact World Title. Tonight is his night.

Feast or Fired is back next week.

Impact Wrestling World Title: Austin Aries vs. Johnny Impact

Johnny is challenging. Feeling out process to start with Aries rolling into the corner for a standoff. Aries jumps over him in the corner and snaps off an armdrag into an armbar. That’s broken up so Aries settles for a basement dropkick instead. Back from a break with Johnny hitting a jumping fall away slam and grabbing a cobra clutch with a body scissors. Johnny lets go but Aries breaks up a springboard by knocking the legs out.

Aries follows him to the floor with an ax handle and a middle rope elbow to the back gets two. The sliding German suplex gets Johnny out of trouble and a double springboard Flying Chuck gives him a near fall of his own. A leg lariat and the standing shooting star give Johnny two more but Aries is right back with the Last Chancery.

Johnny gets a foot on the ropes for the break and manages to catch Aries on top with a Spanish Fly. That’s not enough for the Countdown to Impact as Aries blasts him in the face and pulls Johnny to the apron. A Death Valley Driver on the apron knocks Johnny silly, followed by the brainbuster to retain the title at 18:11.

Rating: B+. These two know how to have a big match against each other and that’s what we got here. I could have used a story between them but that’s just not the way Impact does big time matches like this. Aries winning is another big deal for him and whenever he loses, the new champion is going to look like a big deal, which is very important for a reign like this.

Alberto El Patron comes out to applaud Aries to end the show. Well where would we be without Alberto getting a title shot?

Overall Rating: A-. Heck of a show here, as is usually the case with these specials. They don’t try to be anything more than a bunch of very good matches and that’s what we got here. The problem of course is going back to the storytelling episodes, which are rarely the strongest things in the world. Impact knows how to do something like this very well though and they did it again here.

Results

LAX b. Cult of Lee – Street Sweeper to Konley

Matt Sydal b. Taiji Ishimori – Shooting star press

Allie b. Laurel Van Ness – Superkick

Austin Aries b. Johnny Impact – Brainbuster

Remember to check out my new forum at steelcageforums.com, follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the 2018 Updated Version of the History of the WWE Championship in e-book or paperback. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/01/26/new-book-kbs-history-of-the-wwe-championship-2018-updated-version/

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: February 22, 2018
Location: Impact Zone, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Sonjay Dutt

We’re back again after last week’s major main event with Austin Aries successfully defending the World Title against Eli Drake. Johnny Impact is the #1 contender so we have a big match coming up in the near future but for tonight, we have….actually I’m not sure so let’s get to it.

Here’s last week’s review in case you need to catch up.

We open with a recap of last week’s show, including a look at the big stories. That’s a very good idea and something they should do more often.

Opening sequence.

LAX vs. Cult of Lee

Non-title with LAX going right after Lee and Konley for the big brawl before the bell. They finally head inside with Ortiz chopping Lee and getting two off a suplex. Konley comes in and gets caught with a basement clothesline for two. Santana adds a moonsault (using Ortiz as a launching pad) for two more and it’s Konley getting double teamed in the corner. That’s not something you often see from faces but LAX aren’t your usual faces.

Lee pulls Santana to the floor though and Konley snaps off a Saito suplex to take over. The announcers try to talk up the cult aspect of the villains and it’s just not working. Don’t you need more than one follower to be a cult leader? Even Bray Wyatt would find that lame. Lee drops a knee to the head as Dutt talks about being a gamer. Ortiz can’t fight out of the corner as we go to a break.

Back with Lee kicking Santana off the apron but Ortiz hits a top rope double dropkick. That’s enough for the hot tag to Santana as things speed way up in a hurry. Konley takes an enziguri and it’s a wheelbarrow facebuster/cutter combination to Lee with Konley making the save. The Street Sweeper is broken up though and Lee grabs a rollup (with a lot of shorts) to pin Ortiz at 13:31.

Rating: C. The ending picked things up a lot and the ending was the right call. The Cult of Lee isn’t the most over team in the world so having them win here should put them up for a title shot. That’s as good of a way as you’re going to have when the division is primarily three teams, the other of which are also heels. This wasn’t anything spectacular but it accomplished its goal.

Brian Cage vs. Hunter Law

Dropkick, gorilla press powerslam, discus lariat, Drill Claw (Screwdriver) to end Law at 1:11.

Eddie Edwards and Bobby Lashley are ready to take out OVE.

From Destiny World Wrestling in Toronto.

Grand Championship: Matt Sydal vs. Petey Williams

Sydal is defending and the camera shot is over a ring post (ala the old Maple Leaf Gardens shows). Matt offers a clean break as the fans are all behind Petey (of course). Petey shrugs off a headlock and scores with a headscissors, followed by a dropkick for two. Something like a reverse Muta Lock puts Petey in trouble for a few seconds and we’re clipped to Petey hitting a lifting Downward Spiral.

Sydal grabs a sliding German suplex but Petey is right back with the slingshot Codebreaker. The Sharpshooter has the fans all happy again but Sydal makes the rope. Sydal’s shooting star doesn’t work so Petey powerbombs him down. The Canadian Destroyer is broken up as well though with Sydal driving him down instead and getting the pin at 5:49 shown.

Rating: C-. And it’s in Canada! Like really, that’s the entire appeal of this match: it’s taking place at a small promotion in Canada. I’m not sure why that’s supposed to be interesting and it’s certainly not just a way to stretch out the shows without having to film more at the Impact Zone. Nothing to see here, other than Canada of course.

Post match Sydal grabs a scroll and talks about his spiritual adviser telling him to wrestle like you’re in a war. On March 8, Sydal wants an X-Division Title match. But will it be in CANADA?

Jimmy Jacobs and Kongo Kong want Abyss.

Here are Jacobs and Kong for a chat. Jacobs declares himself to be a princess and recaps the invasion of Joseph Park’s offices. He’s done being nice though and wants Abyss to come play with the new monster. Cue an older lady, who turns out to be Grandma Jenny Park. She calls the two of them sissies because Joseph is like a son to her.

Jimmy insults her and gets slapped in the face so Kong gets in Jenny’s face. This brings out Joseph who defends his Grandma (after thanking her for a delicious Thanksgiving) but Jimmy threatens her if Abyss doesn’t come back. Joseph decks him but Kong lays Park out. This is a fine story, but egads I can’t bring myself to care about Jacobs or Kong in the slightest.

Sydal is on the phone with his adviser.

We look at Lashley vs. Edwards from Destination X 2016, featuring the debut of Moose.

From Future Stars Wrestling in Las Vegas.

Alberto El Patron vs. Moose

Anything goes with a slightly better lit arena. Moose drives him into the corner to start and Alberto heads to the floor for some water. This time it’s Moose being taken to the floor with Alberto doing the Moose pose and sending him into the barricade. That earns El Patron a pump kick to the face as the announcers mention that Moose’s knee seems ok, likely because this took place before he was hurt.

They fight into the crowd with Alberto sending him out the door and getting in a trashcan shot. Alberto brings the can into the ring and we’re clipped to Moose being cut off by a low blow. A DDT drops Moose again and the top rope double stomp gives Alberto the pin at 6:43 shown.

From the early days: Brian Urlacher beats up Johnny Fairplay.

Video on Rosemary vs. Hania.

Ethan Carter III and Tyrus are officially allies again (Carter’s words) and they’re like the Avengers combined. Ethan is ready to win the #1 contendership and then get the title back at Crossroads.

OVE vs. Bobby Lashley/Eddie Edwards

It’s another brawl to start as Dutt gives us Edwards’ career history. Lashley gives Dave a very delayed suplex, followed by a double back elbow for two. Dave manages to drive Eddie into the corner though and it’s Jake hammering away. A big kick to the face gets two and Sami Callihan drops Eddie back first onto the apron.

With Eddie down, Jake needs to shout OHIO VERSUS EVERYTHING into the camera because that’s almost the entire gimmick. Eddie knocks them both down and the hot tag brings in Lashley for clotheslines and suplexes. Jake gets powerslammed and Eddie hits a double Shot of Caffeine. Back in and the Boston Knee Party ends Jake at 8:11.

Rating: C. Ever since the heel turn, OVE has turned into a chore to watch. Maybe it’s Sami yelling every ten seconds or maybe it’s them getting rid of their interesting/cool offense and shifting to a generic brawling style, but they’ve lost anything about them that was remotely interesting. The match was fine, though the tag division still needs A LOT of upgrades.

Video on Aries vs. Drake. Eli promises to get the title back because that’s what he deserves.

The Cult of Lee gets their Tag Team Titles hot in two weeks at Crossroads.

Also at Crossroads, Kong vs. Park.

Ethan Carter III vs. Johnny Impact

Impact’s #1 contendership is on the line and Tyrus is in Ethan’s corner. Just to hammer it in, Tyrus breaks Johnny’s sunglasses. Ethan bails to the floor for a bit before a quick wrestling sequence ends with Johnny’s leglock being countered into a standoff. Johnny gets taken down and chinlocked, only to fight up with the breakdancing legdrop for two. An enziguri looks to set up a springboard but Carter knocks him out to the floor instead.

Back from a break with Tyrus hitting an elbow to Johnny’s chest and Ethan getting two off a suplex. We hit a chinlock followed by a DDT, though Johnny pops up for a superkick for a double knockdown. Johnny’s standing shooting star gets two but Starship Pain is countered into a rollup into a powerbomb for the same. A Spanish Fly gets two on Ethan but he counters Starship Pain again into a super TK3 for another near fall.

The 1%er is broken up (You knew it would be as he wasn’t looking at the camera. Gotta learn that in NXT chum.) but Tyrus trips Johnny up, allowing Ethan to put his feet on the ropes for two. Ethan gets caught up in those ropes and Johnny adds a sliding German suplex. Starship Pain is broken up AGAIN (this time by Tyrus) and the 1%er connects for two. For some reason Ethan blames Tyrus, who walks out in short order. Johnny’s flip neckbreaker into Starship Pain is good for the pin at 18:15.

Rating: B. I liked this one more than last week’s with a very solid back and forth match. There’s also the idea of Tyrus and Carter already splitting, which makes sense as Carter is on his way out. Impact vs. Aries should be a good match and feels like an indy show main event, which is about as accurate as you can get here.

Austin Aries comes out for a staredown with Impact to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. The more I watch this promotion, the more it comes off as an independent promotion with a budget. They’re booking show to show (which is fine), people are being brought in or back in and the quick stories that don’t have a lot of long term developments. That’s their best bet at the moment as they start over (again) and it made for an inoffensive yet not exactly memorable two hours.

Results

Cult of Lee b. LAX – Rollup to Ortiz with a handful of shorts

Brian Cage b. Hunter Law – Drill Claw

Matt Sydal b. Petey Williams – Kneeling belly to back piledriver

Alberto El Patron b. Moose – Top rope double stomp

Eddie Edwards/Bobby Lashley b. OVE – Boston Knee Party to Jake

Johnny Impact b. Ethan Carter III – Starship Pain

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the 2018 Updated Version of the History of the WWE Championship in e-book or paperback. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/01/26/new-book-kbs-history-of-the-wwe-championship-2018-updated-version/

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

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

Impact Wrestling
Date: January 4, 2018
Location: Aberdeen Pavilion, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Jeremy Borash, Josh Matthews

We’re back to the regular shows after two weeks of Best of 2017 episodes drew higher audiences than the standard ones. This is a big week as well with multiple title matches, including Eli Drake defending the World Title against Alberto El Patron in a match which might be taped from a WrestlePro event. Let’s get to it.

Dan Lambert tells the American Top Team guys that he has this tonight.

We preview tonight’s big tag match and four title matches. This is a stacked show but it really, really needs to draw.

Opening sequence.

X-Division Title: Taiji Ishimori vs. Trevor Lee

Lee is defending and has Caleb Konley in his corner. They fight over arm control to start because that’s the kind of exciting stuff this division is built on. Giving this match the level of attention it has earned, the announcers talk about every other big match taking place tonight. Ishimori dropkicks him out to the floor and moonsaults into a pose. Konley trips him up though and the champ takes over with a running kick on the apron.

Back with Ishimori scoring off a handspring kick to the face but missing the 450. Like a finisher is going to hit on the first attempt. Lee backslides him down but picks Ishimori up into a sitout powerbomb for two instead. Destino (Tetsuya Naito’s finisher) gives Ishimori two and the 450 is enough to get the title off of Lee at 13:16.

Rating: C+. There’s no secret that Ishimori is the best in the division but that’s not exactly saying much. The division barely means anything around here anymore and Ishimori isn’t going to be able to do anything on his own. It also doesn’t help that there’s not much setting the division apart. Ishimori has a good looking 450 but most of the division isn’t exactly known for flying around the ring. Give us something that makes them stand out aside from the label of being in the X-Division.

Alberto and Eli are ready to fight at WrestlePro. I know they need more content but this always feels like it’s cheap.

Dezmond Xavier wants a shot at Ishimori’s title. Makes sense after the Super X Cup and it’s better than nothing else.

LAX isn’t happy.

James Storm says tonight is a little different because he’s standing up for Impact Wrestling. I’m a big Storm fan but his “I’ve been here since the beginning” promo is getting old.

Grand Championship: Ethan Carter III vs. Fallah Bahh vs. Matt Sydal

Carter is defending and this is under the same round and scoring system as a standard one on one match. Yes they’re finding new ways to make this title stupid. Everyone brawls to start until Bahh clotheslines both of them down and slams Matt onto Eli. Bahh rolls onto both of them to break up a cover and chops the heck out of Carter in the corner. Carter gets run over again but he rolls away before a Banzai Drop. The first round ends and of course goes to Bahh.

Round two starts after a break with Bahh getting double teamed and knocked out to the floor. Sydal kicks Carter down for two but Eli gorilla presses him onto Bahh. Josh thinks Carter should try to win the match. Keep it up Josh and you’ll get up to Byron Saxton territory in no time. Carter throws Drake into the corner to end the round.

As you might expect, Carter wins the second round but Bahh runs them both over to start round three. Bahh sits on Carter’s chest for two with Sydal having to make a save. The TK3 plants Sydal and Carter breaks up another Bonzai Drop attempt. Bahh is back up and slows down the shooting star press, which Sydal hits just as time expires at 9:00. Carter wins round three and retains the title.

Rating: B-. As usual, the more fun I have with this match, the less interest I have in the whole concept. You could do the exact same thing with a ten minute time limit, which at least makes more sense than a nine minute time limit. I know I harp on these same issues over and over but sweet goodness they just do not learn with this thing. I’m not sure what they see in the whole concept but I don’t think anyone would be complaining if it was just dropped already.

Video on Johnny Impact. He really needs a fresh feud after all this stuff with Alberto, who hasn’t done much for Johnny’s status around here.

KM arrived and jumped Moose. Somehow, this has been quite the upgrade for him as of late.

Allie can’t believe she’s here but Gail Kim (take a freaking shot) told her she’d be here. Crazy Laurel Van Ness attacks her from behind.

Dan Lambert vs. James Storm

Loser leaves town and no holds barred. Lambert talks a lot of trash and here are the American Top Team guys for the beatdown. Lashley’s spinebuster gets two but Storm manages to Last Call everyone down. He hadn’t taken much damage but sweet goodness that’s quite the comeback. KM comes in with a beer bottle to Storm’s head for two. Lashley holds Lambert back, allowing a double beer bottle shot to put Storm away at 3:36.

Rating: F. And that’s it for Storm, who has been one of the longest standing stars of Impact for years now. It does kind of seem appropriate that he goes out putting someone else over, which is always the case for Storm. I could go for him putting over WRESTLERS on his way out but this American Top Team thing is out of hand at this point. It really would have been nice for Storm to get in any kind of important offense but this is how Impact is going to let someone go, because that’s what matters to them.

Post break, Storm gets an ovation from the locker room. Storm calls his family to say he’s coming home and you can barely hear him over the LAX chants while the other match is being taped at the same time. So he gets squashed and beaten down by non-wrestlers and then you can’t even hear his goodbye speech. As mentioned: such is life in Impact.

Video on the debut of Joseph Park, who started off looking for his brother Abyss. I was actually surprised that he was Abyss as I never would have recognized him. The fact that he looks like Penn Jillette made things more complicated.

We see the last few minutes of Joseph Park vs. Bully Ray from Slammiversary 2012.

Chandler Park vs. Jon Bolen

Park is indy mainstay Ethan Page. Bolen drops Park to start and runs him over with a shoulder for two. Josh plugs the upcoming Orlando tapings which will feature a miniature golf tournament. Well it’s better than a match from 2012. Joseph manages to get some cheers going and Bolen misses a charge in the corner. Chandler celebrates a bit too long though and gets the ropes kicked between his legs. For some reason Jon decides to insult Joseph’s Grandma Jenny and gets knocked into a rollup for the pin at 2:39. Park has a good look but this slip on a banana peel winning isn’t going to work for very long.

So to recap: they aired a video package which showed that they’re basically repeating the same idea with one of the participants being the same just five years later. Am I missing something here?

Sydal wants Carter one on one and says tonight’s defeat felt like a victory. He has a radical idea: a REGULAR MATCH for the title. I could certainly go for that idea, which is why I think they’ll manage to botch the thing.

Video on Alberto vs. Eli. Alberto is still mad about being abandoned by the company and makes threats in Spanish. Drake is a paper champion of course but says that the only paper involved with his title is all the paper money he makes. As usual, Eli is the best promo in this company.

From Rahway, New Jersey this past Saturday at a WrestlePro event.

Impact Wrestling World Title: Eli Drake vs. Alberto El Patron

Eli is defending and it’s a brawl before the bell. Jeremy tries to explain the low attendance on the horrible snowstorm over the weekend, even though this was taped nearly a month ago. Alberto gets an early two off a dropkick to the back and sends him into the barricade a few times. Drake is rammed into the buckles over and over but we’re clipped (on a show with a MATCH FROM NEARLY SIX YEARS AGO) to Drake choking on the ramp.

They take turns sending each other into the barricade with Drake getting the better of it for two inside. We hit the chinlock for a bit until Alberto gets the cross armbreaker over the ropes. Clipped again to the Gravy Train giving Drake two. Drake misses a belt shot and gets faceplanted onto the title for two more. The ref gets bumped though and a belt shot retains the title at 6:19.

Rating: D-. Oh sweet goodness no. In addition to the lack of the time (six minutes for a World Title match is almost inexcusable in the first place), the clipping of the match (maybe they could only air so much of it) and the REALLY lame ending, there’s the fact that it wasn’t even held under their own brand. If the match being under the WrestlePro banner necessitated the clipping, maybe don’t have the thing under another banner and tape the match at your own tapings. Why is this stuff so freaking complicated for just this company? I’ve seen indy promotions that run once every month that are put together WAY better than this.

Here’s a clip from a Team Canada match in case you had gotten enough of this modern stuff.

Drake brags about his win and says the belt shot was a receipt for the DDT onto the title belt a few weeks back.

Tag Team Titles: LAX vs. OVE

OVE is defending and this is titles vs. careers. The champs jump LAX during the entrances and the weapons beatdown is on. If this is anything goes, there was no announcement saying such in the arena. The lights finally come up and we get an opening bell with Santana getting superkicked down for two.

We settle down to Dave choking Santana in the corner before it’s off to Jake to choke on the ropes. Santana fights back up but has no partner, meaning Jake can kick him back down for two. The stomping and choking based offense continues with Santana’s right hands having little effect as we take a break. Back with Santana still on his own but managing a cutter on Dave. Ortiz finally manages to get back to the ring, only to be knocked down to the floor again.

Santana has to slap his way to freedom as Ortiz is up on the apron. A DDT finally gets Santana over to the corner for the hot tag so Ortiz can Death Valley Drive Jake into Dave in the corner. Ortiz heads up top for a superplex but Dave reverses it into the Street Sweeper (stealing the finisher) for two more. Santana breaks up the All Seeing Eye and looks for something off the top onto Dave, only to dive into a cutter from Jake in a sweet looking visual. Jake and Ortiz are left to slug it out with Ortiz getting the better of it, setting up the Street Sweeper for the pin and the titles at 14:42.

Rating: B. The story was solid here as you have LAX winning when all the interference goes away despite OVE getting an early advantage. They did this the way they needed to but hokey smoke it’s time for some fresh challengers. I know there aren’t a lot of teams to go around this company but these four can’t feud together much longer, just for the sake of people getting burned out on the match.

Overall Rating: C+. This one depends on how you look at it. The good wrestling outweighed the bad wrestling but egads why can’t this company get the most basic stuff down? I know I mentioned it multiple times but they aired part of a match from 2012 and clipped the World Title match (which aired in another promotion). This is their big return show with FOUR title matches on one show and a gimmick match and it felt like they stumbled to the ground and then crawled over the finish line.

This company doesn’t seem to understand the basics and those major issues are making it very difficult to make any real progress. They built up Alberto vs. Drake and for whatever reason it’s taking place in a small arena in front of a lot of empty bleachers and we don’t even get to see the whole thing. That makes this company seem low level and makes the casual viewers go to another promotion. You need to knock something out of the park once in awhile but I don’t remember the last time they even hit a stand up triple. This was a watchable show but it should have been so much more, which is the case way too often.

Results

Taiji Ishimori b. Trevor Lee – 450 splash

Ethan Carter III b. Matt Sydal and Fallah Bahh via judges’ decision

Dan Lambert b. James Storm – Double beer bottle to the head

Chandler Park b. Jon Bolen – Rollup

Eli Drake b. Alberto El Patron – Title shot to the head

LAX b. OVE – Street Sweeper to Jake

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the Monday Nitro and Thunder Reviews Volume VI: July – December 1999 in e-book or paperback. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/11/22/new-book-kbs-monday-nitro-and-thunder-reviews-volume-vi/

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

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