IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling
Date: September 20, 2018
Location: Fronton Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
Commentators: Don Callis, Josh Matthews

After all the weeks of telling us multiple times a night that the show was going to Mexico City, the show is now in Mexico City! Odds are these tapings will take us up to Bound For Glory next month and that means we should be seeing some big stuff taking place over the next four weeks. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video looks at the major feuds around here, including the World Title situation, OVE and LAX. The World Title match gets a lot of time as well.

Aerostar/El Hijo Del Vikingo/Laredo Kid vs. OVE

They waste no time in the six way staredown until Laredo kicks away at Dave, who has grown a Wyatt Family size beard in a week. Aerostar comes in and kicks Jake until Sami powerbombs him down. It’s Vikingo’s turn now and he hand walks into a hurricanrana to send Jake outside. That means we hit the dives with Kid moonsaulting onto everyone and Vikingo shooting starring onto an even bigger pile.

Rating: C+. That’s a very good way to start off a big series of shows like this. You need something fast paced and exciting, which is what a trios match is going to do. Most importantly though they had Aerostar in there, which gives the fans someone they recognize. His partners could hang with him, which lets you know their skill level. Otherwise, I have no idea who Vikingo is and therefore I don’t know if OVE should be squashing him or winning a hard fought match. Well done for such a simple match.

Matt Sydal again offers his services to Rich Swann. He suggests a tag match against the Lucha Bros and Swann actually agrees, though he tells Sydal to keep up.

Tessa Blanchard throws a woman out of the locker room and Faby Apache (a big name in AAA) tells her to show some respect. That sounds like a setup.

Here’s Eli Drake for an Open Challenge and it includes a first class ticket on the Gravy Train.

Eli Drake vs. Trevor Lee

Trevor is fired up to start and uppercuts Drake in the corner but a running clothesline takes him down. A trip to the floor doesn’t last long as Lee brings it back inside for two off a backbreaker. The Gravy Train is countered into a rollup for two but the second Gravy Train attempt is enough for the pin at 3:37.

Rating: D. Lee showed some fire here and was better than I was expecting. Drake winning these matches in a hurry tells me that TNA has something planned for him and that’s a good sign going forward. The action made the match work and they were smart to keep things going at such a fast pace.

King wants to beat up a luchador to show Konnan what he has.

King vs. Kronoz

The OGz beat Kronoz down and a spinning back fist gives King the pin at 19 seconds.

Post match King calls out Konnan to no reaction.

In the clubhouse, Konnan and LAX rant about King’s lack of respect. Konnan tells them not to tell him what to do because the ceasefire can’t be broken up. The revenge can take place at Bound For Glory.

Alisha vs. Faby Apache

They kick at the legs to start with Faby getting the better of things. A surfboard has Alisha in trouble until she hurricanranas her way out of trouble. Alisha gets two off a victory roll but she charges into a boot in the corner. The Black Widow doesn’t last long so Alisha goes with a clothesline instead. A Flatliner gets two on Apache but she kicks Alisha in the face and hits a Batista Bomb for the pin at 5:10.

Rating: C-. The earlier segment made it pretty clear that Apache is destined to face Tessa at some point down the line so she’s not about to lose to a low level name like Alisha. That being said, Alisha got in some offense here and it made the match watchable enough. Not too bad here and Apache is in for something bigger.

Post match Faby (through a translator) says she wants to face Tessa next week because Tessa is a new girl and needs to learn respect.

Texano Jr. says he has two partners of his own: his fists and his bullrope. Those are enough to let him win the World Title and ride away on his horse holding it.

Scarlett Bordeaux will have an announcement next week.

Rich Swann/Matt Sydal vs. Lucha Bros

As you might expect, the Lucha Bros are crazy over. Swann and Fenix go to an early standoff and Fenix isn’t sure what to make of that. It’s off to Pentagon vs. Sydal as things break down in a hurry. A cutter drops Sydal and Pentagon superkicks Swann out of the air for two. We settle down to Sydal kicking Pentagon in the face for two but Swann comes back in and eats a superkick.

The hot tag brings in Fenix to clean house and there’s the big corkscrew dive to the floor. Everyone is down and we take a break. Back with Sydal kneeing Fenix in the face and stereo hurricanranas taking the Bros down. Pentagon is fine enough to Fear Factor Sydal on the apron, followed by the Muscle Buster driver (Black Fire driver) for the pin on Swann at 13:04, though Fenix looked surprised that he won.

Rating: C+. Usual good stuff from these four, as Sydal is much easier to watch when he’s not allowed to talk. The Lucha Bros are really entertaining and work so well together, which is the case with any brothers. You can’t fake that kind of thing and it’s a good reason why so many brother teams are that good.

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

Aries is ready to face Texano because there’s no one left.

The Desi Hit Squad is getting a massage before their non-title match next week against LAX. Gama Singh comes in and orders them to exercise and beat each other up.

Joe Hendry and Grado have a new video on Katarina, with Hendry saying he’d never leave his best friend for her. As usual: Hendry is fun and entertaining and Grado is there too.

From Bound For Glory 2005: Ultimate X. The ending isn’t actually shown.

Video on Tessa Blanchard, Su Yung and Allie.

This year’s Hall of Fame inductee: Abyss. I have no issue with that whatsoever as he’s been around since the beginning.

Impact Wrestling World Title: Austin Aries vs. Texano Jr.

Aries is defending and has Moose and Killer Kross with him. Feeling out process to start and Aries takes him down for a dropkick. Back up and Texano scores with a forearm into a slingshot headbutt, only to have his neck snapped across the top rope. They fight to the floor and we take an early break.

Back with Aries raking the back and sending Texano into the corner as we break open the Hollywood Hogan Starter Offense. A tilt-a-whirl backbreaker gets Texano out of trouble and a Rough Ryder gets two on the champ. Aries takes a breather on the floor, where he picks up the bullrope. The referee takes it away so Texano hits a superkick for two. That’s about it for Texano though as the brainbuster retains Aries’ title at 12:12.

Rating: D. There was no spark to this at all and I was actually surprised when the match just ended out of nowhere. I’ve seen Texano put on some entertaining matches before and Aries is capable of great stuff but this was a bad effort from both of them. The stuff early on wasn’t anything to see and the ending was even worse. Really bad and disappointing match that certainly didn’t feel like a main event.

Post match Johnny Impact pops up with a graphic saying he’s in Los Angeles. Aries doesn’t buy it and asks where Impact is. Cue Impact down the ramp to clear the ring. Now it’s Eddie Edwards with the kendo stick to get in a few shots on the villains to end the show.

Overall Rating: D+. Very meh show overall with nothing that stood out and two matches that were both rather bad. The fact that they were in Mexico City really just meant that they had some different jobbers, though I would prefer that to trying to make the show look like it’s in Mexico as some theme week idea that WWE uses in England. Not the worst show they’ve put on, but it didn’t help much in the Bound For Glory build.

Results

OVE b. El Hijo Del Vikingo/Laredo Kid/Aerostar – All Seeing Eye to Vikingo

Eli Drake b. Trevor Lee – Gravy Train

King b. Kronoz – Spinning back fist

Faby Apache b. Alisha – Sitout powerbomb

Lucha Bros b. Matt Sydal/Rich Swann – Black Fire driver to Swann

Austin Aries b. Texano Jr. – Brainbuster

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

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/09/07/new-book-kbs-complete-smackdown-2003-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

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

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

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

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

Opening sequence.

Petey Williams vs. Rich Swann

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

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

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

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

Desi Hit Squad vs. Joe Hendry/Grado

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

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

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

Post break Hendry and Grado laugh a lot.

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

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

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

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

Eli Drake vs. Stone Rockwell

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

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

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

Knockouts Title: Su Yung vs. Tessa Blanchard

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The announcers preview next week’s card.

Zachary Wentz/Ace Austin/Trey Miguel vs. OVE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Results

Petey Williams b. Rich Swann – Canadian Destroyer

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

Eli Drake b. Stone Rockwell – Gravy Train

Tessa Blanchard b. Su Yung – Hammerlock DDT

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

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

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

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

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

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

Opening sequence.

Su Yung/Undead Bridesmaid vs. Kiera Hogan/Allie

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

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

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

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

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

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

OGz vs. ???/???

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

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

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

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

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

Desi Hit Squad vs. KM/Fallah Bahh

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

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

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

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

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

Impact Wrestling World Title: Austin Aries vs. Dustin Cameron

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grado/Joe Hendry vs. Eli Drake/Trevor Lee

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

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

Post match Hendry and Grado hug it out.

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

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

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

OVE vs. Fenix/Pentagon Jr.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling
Date: July 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: 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 12, 2018
Location: Impact Zone, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Sonjay Dutt

We’re past Impact Wrestling vs. Lucha Underground and that means we need to hit the hard push towards Redemption. Now that being said, there’s the whole fact that Alberto El Patron has been dropped from the main event due to being Alberto. Hopefully they’ve had time to record something to address the situation, as otherwise a big chunk of this show will be a big waste of time. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a long recap of the Impact vs. Lucha Underground show, including the announcement of Alberto no showing and the new Redemption main event of Austin Aries defending the World Title against Fenix and Pentagon Dark. Really, that’s better for everyone all around.

Opening sequence.

Here’s Eli Drake with both briefcases….and an apology? He didn’t think much of the Tag Team Title briefcase but now he realizes he could have all the titles in this company in no time. At Redemption he’s picking up the Tag Team Titles but here’s LAX to interrupt. Konnan gets straight to the point of asking who Drake’s partner is going to be. Drake brings out Scott Steiner, looking like a grandfather more than anything else.

Steiner talks about how awesome the Steiner Brothers were and brags about being a World Champion on the NWO (wrong stable). They’ll win the titles but LAX doesn’t want to hear about it. Konnan laughs all of this off and says Steiner might beat Drake down before they even get to the match. Eli doesn’t care and says they’ll win anyway, but Konnan says play the LAX music so everyone can leave. Bringing Steiner in makes my head hurt, as it costs money and ignores the rest of the roster, many of whom could benefit from something like this.

The announcers talk about how awesome WrestleCon was and plug the rest of the card.

From December 1, 2016, Rosemary defeats Jade in a Six Sides of Steel match to win the Knockouts Title.

Sami Callihan vs. Moose

Moose wastes no time in hitting some running splashes in the corner, followed by a running hesitation dropkick. He can’t suplex Callihan to the floor though and gets clotheslined outside instead. A suicide dive sends Moose into the barricade but he’s right back with a weak apron powerbomb. The second attempt looks a little better so Sami is right back with a low blow to send us to a break.

Back with Sami hitting a running boot in the corner and walking into a powerbomb for his efforts. The chokebomb out of the corner gets two as the crowd is almost eerily quiet for this. Sami eventually pulls him down into a sunset bomb but walks into the Game Changer for two. Not that it matters as Sami hits him with the baseball bat for the DQ at 14:10.

Rating: D+. I’m just not feeling Sami and I never have. He’s a pretty standard brawler (though I’ve seen him crank it up before). At the same time, this is a pretty solid waste of Moose. He went from a Feast or Fired World Title case to getting beaten up by OVE. Maybe it’s me not caring for OVE whatsoever, but that’s quite the significant downgrade.

Post match the beatdown is on until Eddie Edwards runs in for the save. He’s beaten down as well so here’s Eddie’s wife Alisha to cover him up. The lights go out and it’s Tommy Dreamer (ERG) coming in for the real save with the kendo stick. Dreamer talks about fighting a war for his entire career so it’s a six man House of Hardcore match at Redemption. Cross promotion is fine, but my goodness why does it have to be Dreamer?

Josh Matthews vs. Petey Williams

Before the match, Josh blames Petey for the loss the Grand Championship and preventing Matt Sydal from being the World Champion. Tonight, he destroys the Destroyer. Josh hides in the corner to start and then bails to the floor and there’s no contact in the first two minutes. Sydal offers a distraction and Josh forearms Petey in the back so the chase is o again. Another distraction lets Josh forearm him down again but Petey is right back up with the Sharpshooter as Dutt is in stitches. That’s broken up with a distraction so Petey loads up the Destroyer, drawing in Sydal for the DQ at 3:57.

Rating: F. I’m not sure what the point of this one was but I know it was rather stupid. Matthews and Sydal’s spirit animal/spiritual guide thing isn’t working for me as Matthews should have been more like Michael Cole to Sydal’s Miz. Williams isn’t exactly thrilling me either but it’s not like much depth in the first place.

Petey gets beaten down post match.

Video on Brian Cage beating Bobby Lashley twice in a row.

Johnny Impact is tired of Kongo Kong and Jimmy Jacobs interfering so here they are again. Impact wants a fight next week and it seems to be set.

We recap KM insulting Richard Justice (who is TOTALLY above being mocked) and setting up a six man tag tonight.

KM/Cult of Lee vs. Fallah Bahh/Tyrus/Richard Justice

Bahh cleans house to start by running Lee over and rolling over him for good measure. Justice comes in for some lefts and rights as we seem to be firmly in the comedy match zone to start. A few shots keep Justice in the wrong corner but it’s off to Tyrus in short order. Tyrus gets two off a Big Ending and everything breaks down. The Tongan Death Grip into a Banzai Drop puts KM away at 5:26.

Rating: D. Well that happened. They set up the match last week and then blew it off here with almost nothing significant happening. I get the idea here, but Justice has been there as a joke for months now (and not a very funny one at that) so I have it kind of hard to make myself care about his feelings being hurt. Nothing match of course.

Taya Valkyrie vs. Rosemary

This is a Demon’s Dance match, which seems to be another anything goes match. They waste no time in starting the brawl and head straight to the floor. Taya can’t hit the Road to Valhalla on the ramp but Rosemary can’t get the Red Wedding there either. Back to ringside with Taya throwing a bunch of chairs inside.

One gets wedged into the corner but Taya puts a second onto Rosemary in the corner, setting up some running knees. Another shot drives a chair between Rosemary’s legs for two but she’s right back up with a Sling Blade onto another chair. Now it’s ladder time but Taya gets in a suplex instead of being thrown into the steel.

The second attempt works better for Rosemary though and now it’s time for a table. Back in and Rosemary misses a charge into the chair to give Taya two. They head to the corner and neither can hit a super version of their finisher through a table. Instead Rosemary PILEDRIVES HER OFF THE MIDDLE ROPE THROUGH THE TABLE, which thankfully is good for the pin at 10:13.

Rating: B. These two beat the heck out of each other with that finish being a sight to behold. In theory this puts Rosemary on a path towards a match for the Knockouts Title but seeing her vs. Allie is almost hard to picture for some reason. If nothing else I don’t want to see her vs. Su Yung in a battle of too similar characters, so maybe Allie is the easier call. Either way, very fun brawl here with a nearly scary finish.

Here’s the same video that opened the show.

We wrap up the show with nearly ten minutes of highlights from Impact Wrestling vs. Lucha Underground. I’m guessing this was all they could do to replace an Alberto segment. If so, that’s perfectly understandable.

Overall Rating: D+. The main event helped but there’s only so much you can do with the rest of this show. It wasn’t the worst show in the world but my goodness I don’t even want to imagine how bad the show would have been with some more focus on Alberto. The stories are developing, though they’re just nothing that I’m all that interested in at the moment. Hopefully Redemption is a lot better, but at the moment I’m not exactly thrilled.

Results

Moose b. Sami Callihan via DQ when Sami used a baseball bat

Petey Williams b. Josh Matthews via DQ when Matt Sydal interfered

Tyrus/Fallah Bahh/Richard Justice b. KM/Cult of Lee – Banzai Drop to KM

Rosemary b. Taya Valkyrie – Super piledriver through a table

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

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:

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Impact Wrestling
Date: November 2, 2017
Location: Impact Zone, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Jeremy Borash, Josh Matthews

It’s the go home show for this year’s Bound For Glory and that really could mean anything tonight. The big question is how much action will actually take place in this country, which has been up and down over the last few months. They need to set up some stuff for Sunday though and that needs to be done in a hurry. Let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

Video on Rosemary vs. Taya Valkyrie.

From Border City Wrestling in Canada.

Rosemary/Allie vs. KC Spinelli/Sienna

Well at least most of them are from GFW. The villains jump Rosemary and Allie to start and Allie gets choked in the corner. It’s quickly off to Rosemary for a crossbody and a kick to Sienna’s head. A cheap shot from behind puts Rosemary in trouble as the announcers talk about everything on Sunday.

Rosemary’s choke over the ropes has Sienna in trouble but she has to let it go and falls to the floor. The lights are so dark that she’s hard to see out there, suggesting that there are very few fans at the show. A double collision allows the hot tag to Allie so house can be cleaned. Everything breaks down and Sienna kicks Spinelli by mistake. A Codebreaker from Allie sends Sienna into a German suplex, allowing Allie to grab the pin at 6:20.

Rating: C. This was a noted improvement: three of the four people involved actually work for the company putting on this show. They tried to tie something in with Allie pinning Sienna but that title match is so entirely focused on Gail Kim that these two are really just details. Passable match, but I’m really hoping we get something else to hype up the title match.

Video on Lashley/King Mo vs. Moose/Stephan Bonnar.

Here are Lashley and American Top Team to yell about how fake wrestling is. The men they’re fighting on Sunday are athletes, but Moose isn’t a fighter and Bonnar is famous for losing. On Sunday, they’ll be exposed as fake fighters and everyone will know that wrestling isn’t legit. Then they’ll stop coming and wrestling is destroyed for good. Again: Lambert is a good heel, but he’s stuck in this story which is both really downplaying wrestling and is also the show’s main event. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Moose and Bonnar lose either, because TNA really is that dumb.

Recap of Grado vs. Joseph Park.

From Pro Wrestling Noah in Tokyo.

Moose/Yuji Okabayashi vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima/Masa Kitamiya

Yuji and Masa trade some shots to start before it’s off to Moose to clean house with a dropkick and bicycle kick. Kitamiya gets dropkicked off the top rope and out to the floor and a hesitation dropkick in the corner gives Moose two. Moose and Kitamiya get in a hoss fight until Moose sends him shoulder first into the post.

Josh says this is strong style you’re only going to see in Impact. Well, save for IN THE NOAH PROMOTION WHERE THIS IS TAKING PLACE BECAUSE GFW CAN’T EVEN GET TV RIGHT. Moose gets sent outside and a double bulldog gets two on Yuji. A spear gets two on Yuji but he pops up to slug it out with Kitamiya. Yuji takes him down and hits a top rope splash for the pin at 8:32.

Rating: D+. Same problem on a different show: this focused on the three Japanese guys, none of whom I’m supposed to be paying to see in a feature match on Sunday. The commentary was more about hyping up the GFW Network so you can see more of this kind of wrestling there. The match was fine enough with four big guys hitting each other hard, but it does nothing to set up the match that matters.

We run down the Bound For Glory card.

LAX is in their clubhouse when Eli Drake and Chris Adonis show up. They bring guacamole as a peace offering and an agreement is made for one night only. They’ll help take out each others’ opponents for Sunday in a six man tag tonight.

Video on OVE vs. LAX.

Video on the six people in the X-Division Title match on Sunday. What title match you ask? Eh don’t worry about it, as this is the first time it was mentioned.

Trevor Lee vs. Dezmond Xavier vs. Sonjay Dutt vs. Petey Williams vs. Matt Sydal vs. Garza Jr.

Non-title and one fall to a finish. It’s a huge brawl to start (of course) with Williams dropkicking Garza in the back of the head. Stop though, because GARZA HAS TO TAKE OFF HIS PANTS! Sydal comes back in to drop Xavier and Garza at the same time, followed by a standing moonsault for two on Dezmond. It’s Lee coming in to take Sydal down and we take a break.

Back with Lee getting kicked in the face by Dutt as we hear about THE EXACT SAME MATCH taking place at Bound For Glory. Not an Ultimate X match, not an elimination match, not even a match with tags etc. No, it’s the same match and it happens to be for a title. In other words, they had two chances to come up with an idea other than “throw everyone in there at once” and couldn’t manage to do so.

Dutt dives onto a pile of people at ringside, leaving Garza to hit a powerbomb on Xavier and a World’s Strongest Slam on Williams at the same time. That’s only good for two though as Sydal comes back in, only to have Petey hit the Canadian Destroyer for two. A powerbomb gives Lee two on Petey but Xavier comes back in with his moonsault kick to put Lee away at 11:30.

Rating: C+. That’s all well and good but, as announced during this match, NONE OF THIS MATTERS EVEN A LITTLE BIT. Yeah quite literally, this match will be repeated on Sunday with the title on the line. Watching the match happen was supposed to make me want to pay to see the match happen again. That’s what I’m sitting through with this company people. It’s not easy on Thursday nights.

Long recap of Team Impact vs. Team AAA.

Video on Gail Kim and the other women in the title match with her.

Here’s Gail Kim to talk about what her journey has meant to her. She’s ready for both opponents and promises to take the title back where it belongs as she ends her career.

Global Forged video.

We run down the pay per view card. Again.

Video on Eli Drake vs. Johnny Impact.

LAX/Eli Drake vs. OVE/Johnny Impact

The tag teams start brawling in the aisle before Impact shows up. Drake waits for Impact at the entrance and gets in a belt shot from behind. The beating is on outside the ring with the villains in full control. Johnny is finally thrown in where he has to take care of Adonis before we get an opening bell. Impact hits a big corkscrew dive to take out all of the bad guys and we take a break.

We come back joined in progress with Johnny superkicking Ortiz into a double spinebuster for two, only to have him come back with a flapjack. Jake gets beaten down in the corner and Santana gets belly to back suplexed for two. Drake’s over the shoulder powerslam drop gets two more and it’s time to plug a movie on Pop! Jake fights up and makes the hot tag as everything breaks down. A big flip dive sends Jake crashing onto Ortiz as we hear about LAX going to Germany. Is that where we’re going next week? Johnny sunset flips Santana for the pin at 5:13.

Rating: C-. Not enough time to mean much here but we’ve got important stuff like Canadian tag team matches to air instead of the World Title feud. Johnny pinning a member of LAX makes the most sense and sends him into the pay per view with some momentum, but there’s no hiding how unimportant the World Title match really is going into Sunday.

Post match the villains beat the winners down with Johnny being sent back first into an exposed buckle. Drake and Adonis pull back the mat and expose the wood, setting up a Gravy Train to leave Impact laying to end the show….at 9:57, with another Bound For Glory ad ending the show.

Overall Rating: D-. I don’t know what they were going for here but it really didn’t work. This taping cycle, which has now gone on over several months, has completely ruined their biggest show of the year. The fact that they can’t even fill in a two hour show every week without bringing in nothing matches (like that Moose tag) to cover the rest of their time shows what a mess this place is in.

You can give whatever excuses you want (it’s cheaper this way, it’s showcasing other promotions etc) but there’s a simple fact: GFW looks like a joke right now and that’s been the case with whatever you want to call this promotion for a very long time. At this point I’m wondering how many of the outsider teams are going to win on Sunday as you can almost guarantee at least one screwup of that nature.

I’m almost completely fed up with this company (again) as they’ve managed to turn this show into a showcase for the rest of the world without giving us a reason to care. If they can’t run a two hour show on their own (and I’m curious to see how they’re going to do that without the GFW talent), just stop running the thing already. I don’t want to watch Noah, I don’t want to watch the Crash, I don’t want to watch Border City Wrestling and I don’t want to watch Global Forged. I want the wrestlers I watch the show to see featured rather than thrown into cards around the world.

This promotion has been bad before but now they’re being bad in other countries and making me not want to see them either. How many times are the fans expected to just stick with it for the sake of loyalty to this place? We’re coming up on what is likely to be another two month long taping cycle and it’s likely going to be even more of a mess this time around. I’m so thrilled.

As for the show itself, it wasn’t a terrible go home show but how much other stuff could be built up in exchange for the Japan and Canada matches? It’s certainly not the worst I’ve ever seen (I’m sure TNA has put on a worse one before) but it comes at the end of one of the most miserable set of taping I can remember, which showed off every deficiency this place has, which is covering A LOT of ground. The worst part: Sunday’s show will likely be fine as the wrestlers will be fresh and just wrestling instead of trying to keep going when the energy is all gone. At least it’s finally something fresh, but that might make things even worse.

Results

Rosemary/Allie b. KC Spinelli/Sienna – German suplex to Sienna

Moose/Yuji Okabayashi b. Katsuhiko Nakajima/Masa Kitamiya – Top rope splash to Kitamiya

Dezmond Xavier b. Trevor Lee, Sonjay Dutt, Petey Williams, Matt Sydal and Garza Jr. – Moonsault kick to Lee

Johnny Impact/OVE b. Eli Drake/LAX – Sunset flip to Santana

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the Updated History of the Intercontinental Title in E-Book or Paperback. Check out the information here:

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Impact Wrestling
Date: October 19, 2017
Location: Impact Zone, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Jeremy Borash, Josh Matthews

Hopefully with more wrestling this week. We’re less than a month away from Bound For Glory 2017 and that means it’s time to really crank things up. The big story is Johnny Impact becoming #1 contender to Eli Drake’s World Title. Well at least that’s the big story on the wrestling side. On the MMA side, Moose has been joined by Stephan Bonnar to go after American Top Team. Let’s get to it.

Moose and Stephan Bonnar arrive with everything they stole from the American Top Team facilities.

American Top Team is here as well. It’s going to be another one of those shows.

Recap of Chris Adonis attacking Johnny Impact last week.

Chris Adonis vs. Johnny Impact

Adonis slugs away at Johnny to start but gets kicked in the ribs. We hit the bearhug on Impact for a bit before a spinebuster gets two. The Adonis Lock goes on but Johnny is able to dive over the top for the break in a unique idea. Back in and Impact slugs away in the corner, including a kick to the head. The flip neckbreaker gives Impact two, followed by a springboard corkscrew kick to the head for another near fall and we take a break. Back with Impact breaking up a superplex attempt and hitting the countdown 450 (Countdown to Impact) for the pin at 10:15.

Rating: C. Impact looked fine here, albeit about as bored as you’re going to be against Adonis. At least this match made sense for Impact as he was fighting Eli Drake’s lackey instead of fighting Garza Jr. for no logical reason. The match was more about advancing the story than anything else and that’s what this story needs.

Post match Eli Drake runs in but gets his pants ripped off. The double teaming takes Impact down but Garza Jr. runs in for the save because HE is the one who rips the pants off around here.

Alberto El Patron is back at Bound For Glory. Again I say: PLEASE NO!

Hijo de Fantasma vs. James Storm vs. Texano vs. Eddie Edwards vs. Ethan Carter III

This is from Cancun, Mexico, the winner goes on to a match we won’t be seeing and it’s one fall to a finish. It’s a brawl to start with Storm being sent outside as JB talks about how Team Impact needs to work as a unit. Again, one fall and singles matches of course so let’s talk about teamwork. Carter clotheslines Texano down and it’s time for some triple teaming until Carter doesn’t want Storm to get the pin. Fantasma crossbodies Eddie for two but it’s Storm up again to take over.

That’s still not cool with Carter, who says he should be getting the fall. We hit a parade of big moves until Carter and Texano hit a double clothesline to put everyone down. Back up and Texano posts Edwards, leaving Fantasma to piledrive Carter. Storm and Texano tease going after Fantasma’s father at ringside but the distraction just lets Texano pin Carter at 8:22.

Rating: C-. I’m running out of ways to say I don’t care about this story. They’ve run the same people fighting in Orlando over the promotion invasion and now they’re fighting in Mexico for a spot in a match we won’t be seeing. These matches are watchable but I need more of a story to make me care whatsoever.

OVE is in Tijuana, Mexico to find Konnan, who agrees to meet with them in exchange for a title defense in the Crash promotion.

Carter, Storm and Edwards bicker about the loss in Cancun.

American Top Team yells at Jim Cornette over the stolen property. You have breaking and entering, destruction of property and theft on tape/national TV and you go to the wrestling boss?

Dezmond Xavier vs. Andrew Everett

Everett takes him down by the neck for two to start and a snap suplex gives him the same. Xavier is sent outside as we hear that Taryn Terrell won’t be in the Knockouts Title match at Bound For Glory. Sounds like an injury or someone else leaving the company. That’s enough talking about the Knockouts so the announcers discuss Alberto El Patron returning.

Xavier makes his comeback with some kicks and a backdrop to the floor, followed by the running flip dive to take out Everett and Trevor Lee. Speaking of Lee, he offers another distraction but Xavier misses a charge into the corner. The moonsault kick to the head gives Xavier the pin at 4:37.

Rating: D+. Yeah this happened. It was your usual flip match with the announcers ignoring the action because the X-Division doesn’t mean a single thing in this promotion. As usual, it’s the vaguest of issues (Lee thinks he and his boys are the best, the rest of the division disagrees) and odds are they’ll be thrown into Ultimate X for the title match. That’s lazy writing and I’m not a bit surprised.

Preview of Lee going to Tijuana next week to defend the title. GOOD GRIEF ENOUGH WRESTLING FROM MEXICO ALREADY! These are just matches for the sake of having matches and this is now the third story on the show set in Mexico. I get that a partnership is cool but this is taking over the show.

Oh hey let’s go to Mexico again where OVE is looking for Konnan. They’ll have to defend the titles tonight.

Bonnar and Moose have the Bellator gear in the back. Yes they really brought it here with them and we’re supposed to believe this is real.

Long recap of the issues between Grado and Joseph Park with Park exploiting Grado and taking his money.

Here’s Grado to call out Park. Grado is ready to prosecute Park for stealing from him (or maybe just taking whatever Grado agreed to give him in the contract) and he’s going to be Park’s executioner. We hear a rant about how Grado has been worked ragged for Park’s benefit and Grado doesn’t want to hear any jokes. Park admits that the money was too tempting for him and he gave in. However, the visa keeps Grado in the country so he pretty much has nothing to say right now.

Grado wants the visa handed to him but Park has a better idea: a match at Bound For Glory for Grado’s freedom. Grado immediately signs and Park is rather happy. See, Grado still hasn’t learned about reading the fine print. It turns out that the match is going to be Monster’s Ball and against the monster Abyss.

Recap of Moose/Bonnar vs. American Top Team. My goodness this show loves its recaps.

A panicked Grado gets in his car when someone changes the radio to Abyss’ theme. It’s Father James Mitchell of all people, who scares Grado away.

Tag Team Titles: OVE vs. Black Diamond/Black Danger

OVE is defending and this is in Tijuana for the Crash promotion. Jake, in most of a suit, crossbodies Diamond to start and it’s OVE firing off some kicks to the ribs. We finally settle down to Danger being sent into Diamond, only to have Danger catapult Jake into a spear out of the air. Cool spot if nothing else. A superplex into a powerbomb gets two on Danger and it’s a spike tombstone (with a top rope double stomp) to put Diamond away at 3:44.

Rating: C. Points for having OVE get a win but, again, the focus was this being in Tijuana than anything else. I get that the company thinks going to these other promotions is the coolest thing in the world but all it does is make me think that the Impact Zone is a joke and that the company doesn’t think much of their own talent because they need to go elsewhere to make the show work.

JB is in the ring for what sounds like the Hall of Fame announcement when American Top Team interrupts. Dan Lambert says this isn’t how it was supposed to be. This was supposed to be a thing with Jeff Jarrett but now he’s the villain in the story, despite being a huge wrestling fan for forty years. He got into MMA through Japanese shoot professional wrestling promotions and has the biggest collection of wrestling memorabilia in the world.

Lambert pulls out Bruno Sammartino’s first WWWF World Title belt, the National Tag Team Titles from Georgia, the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Titles, and Jerry Lawler’s AWA World Title (which I believe Lawler said he still had on the AWA documentary). Lambert talks about Moose and Bonnar taking their stuff and showing no respect.

Therefore, at Bound For Glory, we should have a fight with the two of them facing King Mo and Lashley. That’s a fight that wrestling can’t win because they’re not real fighters. Cue Moose and Bonnar with the Bellator titles but they’re quickly beaten down. Lambert runs his mouth about how horrible wrestling is and American Top Team beats down security and the invading roster.

This was a better segment than any other from the MMA guys but EGADS the level of focus this story is receiving is getting very old. It’s a bunch of guys who aren’t going to wrestle plus Lashley and King Mo, who wrestled like three times and wasn’t interesting. Lambert is a decent heel manager but I get really, really tired of hearing about how awesome mixed martial arts is every single week. As usual, this company has no idea what draws fans in and just goes with an idea that they like for months on end, probably leading to a tag match which should be a regular match, but that would imply that the wrestlers are the interesting ones.

OVE gets to meet Konnan and want their pay for the night. Uh, Konnan never said he’d pay them. He said he’d talk to them in exchange for them wrestling. Konnan basically says as much and here are the Crash guys to beat OVE down. Who decided to have two beatdown segments in a row?

Global Forged videos, as we continue to have ANYTHING but Impact on this show.

Recap of Taya Valkyrie vs. Rosemary.

Taya Valkyrie vs. Rosemary

Rosemary wastes no time in charging at Taya in the corner and throwing her across the ring. Taya chokes her in the corner a bit and we take a break. Back with Rosemary stomping in the corner as the announcers make a not so subtle reference to Sexy Star injuring Rosemary in Mexico. Rosemary’s modified Tarantula slows Taya down but Valkyrie throws her into the corner to take over again.

A quickly broken chinlock keeps Rosemary in trouble but she grabs a release German suplex. They loudly slug it out with Rosemary screaming a lot, only to be taken down by some hard kicks to the chest. Rosemary is dropped with her legs bent underneath her, only to come back up with an Undertaker style situp. Not that it matters as Taya hits a double stomp for the pin at 10:55.

Rating: C-. Well that was surprising. I would have bet on this being saved for Bound For Glory but we got it here instead. Having Rosemary lose here shows how strong they’re making Valkyrie, who will probably be Knockouts Champion when we’ve praised Gail Kim enough. I mean, that’s been the case for years now but why change what’s working so little over the years?

Post match Taya loads up the Road to Valhalla but gets misted for her efforts. Rosemary says they make each other see red so it can be a different shade of red at Bound For Glory: blood red. That sounds like a first blood challenge, though I’m more curious about why Taya’s face looks completely normal after taking red mist to the face.

Overall Rating: D+. What is Impact Wrestling? I know it’s supposed to be this promotion that has a bunch of international talent coming in but it feels like a place that has been taken over by that international talent and showcases it’s own talent when they’re given the chance. On this show, we saw the Team Impact guys, the X-Division Champions and the Tag Team Champions in Mexico, along with a woman who calls herself lucha royalty in the main event, the AAA World Champion challenging for the World Title and the main story on the show being built around something that started in Mexico.

As I’ve been saying for weeks now, this show is about everything other than Impact Wrestling. I’m having real issues caring about most of this stuff because I have no real reason to care about them. The MMA stuff continues to bore the heck out of me (pick a reason why, starting with the fact that it’s almost ALL about the MMA people with Moose feeling wedged in there to make it a wrestling angle) and the World Title feud feels like a midcard match. This show is really frustrating as they seem to be charging in the wrong direction as we had into the biggest show of the year.

Results

Johnny Impact b. Chris Adonis – Countdown to Impact

Texano b. Hijo de Fantasma, James Storm, Eddie Edwards and Ethan Carter III – Piledriver to Carter

Dezmond Xavier b. Andrew Everett – Moonsault kick to the head

OVE b. Black Danger/Black Diamond – Spike tombstone to Diamond

Taya Valkyrie b. Rosemary – Double stomp

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the Updated History of the Intercontinental Title in E-Book or Paperback. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/10/02/new-paperback-kbs-history-of-the-intercontinental-title-updated-version/

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

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