IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling
Date: May 31, 2019
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Don Callis

We’re going back in time again tonight with the further adventures of the ECW stars in modern times, plus what should be the destruction of Glenn Gilbertti at the hands of Tessa Blanchard. Last week’s show wasn’t the kindest thing in the world so hopefully this one is a lot better. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Moose/The North vs. Rob Van Dam/Tommy Dreamer/Sabu

Maybe we can just get it out of the way early on. Dreamer and Page start things off with Dreamer getting in an armbar before handing it off to Sabu. Alexander comes in as well and the fans declare this awesome less than a minute in. Sabu’s legbar doesn’t work so he sends Alexander into the corner for a YOU STILL GOT IT chant. So apparently the fans here have no idea what IT is.

Moose and Van Dam come in for the pose/chant off before Van Dam kicks him in the face. The combination of Rolling Thunder/slingshot legdrop get two on Moose and it’s back to Dreamer, who gets kicked low. Back from a break with Moose trying his own Rolling Thunder but getting a chair pelted at his face instead. That’s enough for the warm tag to Van Dam, who hits the split legged moonsault for two on Alexander.

Everything breaks down and Sabu hits Air Sabu on Alexander. Sabu’s manager Super Genie hits his own, followed by another dive to the floor to drop the North. Moose hits No Jackhammer Needed on Dreamer but walks into the Van Daminator, leaving Sabu to bring in the table. An Arabian facebuster through the table, with the referee casually watching, sets up the Five Star to finish Page at 10:09.

Rating: D+. It’s not the worst match in the world or even close to it, but there are so many problems with this. The biggest thing is that, again, they’re catering to the live audience instead of the masses. What if you weren’t around for ECW’s heyday? Unless you’re at least thirty years old, odds are you weren’t a fan of the original ECW. Or what if you just didn’t like it? Yeah the fans in the arena are going to cheer, but outsiders see a bunch of old guys (with Dreamer being the youngest at 48) having a not very good match while the fans chant for another company. They didn’t have anything else to put in these spots?

Brian Cage is still banged up but he’s been cleared to train. He’ll meet Michael Elgin at Slammiversary.

Moose is tired of these people messing up so he’ll do things himself.

Glenn Gilbertti vs. Tessa Blanchard

Gilbertti drops to the floor and says that Tessa is one of the best female wrestlers in the world, though that doesn’t count very much. The road to superstardom is paved with potholes and you know how women drivers are. It’s clear that Tessa has daddy issues so tonight, Gilbertti will be her daddy. Tessa hits a bunch of forearms and a big forearm finishes Gilbertti at 2:59. Exactly how it should have gone, but it still feels like the most random detour for Tessa, who just got done with a huge feud against Gail Kim.

The Rascalz invade LAX’s clubhouse with the smoke and set up a match for later. Trey drinks a lot.

Rich Swann and Willie Mack are ready to get revenge on Michael Elgin and Johnny Impact tonight.

Desi Hit Squad vs. Deaners

For the love of all things good and holy make it short. Cody works on Raju’s arm to start but Raj pulls Raju to the floor for a breather. The big dives take them down though and we seem to be in near squash territory. Raj trips Cody and the Squad takes over with a dropkick to the back getting two.

That doesn’t last long though as it’s back to Jake as everything breaks down. The Squad hits a faceplant/top rope double stomp combination for two on Cody with Jake making the save. Jake posts himself though and Cody gets shoved off the top. Cody is fine enough to send them into each other though and a rollup finishes Raj at 6:05.

Rating: D+. Again, not that bad of a match but it felt like filler. Are we really supposed to believe that the Desi Hit Squad or the Deaners are going to move up towards the Tag Team Title picture? LAX and the Lucha Bros just had a blood feud for the titles that headlined a pay per view. I’m not buying the redneck cousins as being a serious threat.

Killer Kross is ready to hurt Eddie Edwards tonight. Kenny has been broken and Eddie will be next.

Elgin is ready to take the World Title at Slammiversary. Johnny Impact comes in to say he’s taking the X-Division Title at Slammiversary, so he’s ready to hurt people tonight. That’s cool with Elgin. Johnny plugs the upcoming special including the Great Muta, which is also cool with Elgin.

Killer Kross vs. Eddie Edwards

Hardcore. Kross is wearing a flack jacket but Eddie dives onto him anyway to start fast. A belly to back suplex drops Kross on the apron and it’s time for the weapons. That takes too long though and Kross takes over by sending him into the barricade. A trashcan shot and a suplex on the floor make it even worse for Eddie and they get inside for the first time. Eddie gets in a Blue Thunder Bomb onto a trashcan but Kross won’t stay down.

Some trashcan lid shots to the head get one and it’s time to bring in a small ladder. The Krossjacket Choke has Eddie in trouble so he hits a few metal sign shots to the head to escape. Kross kicks him in the head though, allowing him to load up some chairs. A chokebomb through the ladder on the chairs breaks Eddie in half but there’s no cover.

Instead more chairs are brought in but Eddie manages a sunset bomb onto all of them for two. Two more chairs are set up and Eddie loads up a tiger driver. That’s countered with a backdrop, which was supposed to be a belly to back piledriver but didn’t really come close. Kross loads up some lead lined gloves but here’s Sandman with a kendo stick to Kross, allowing Eddie to hit the Boston Knee Party for the pin at 13:51.

Rating: C. Eddie is one of the better performers Impact has ever had, winning everything there is to win around here, including the World Title. But what he really needed was Sandman’s endorsement. Yeah that guy who only ever succeeded in ECW? That’s the ticket for Eddie. I thought Sandman was cool back in the day and he certainly had his place, but come on with the ECW stuff already.

Post match Sandman gives Eddie Kenny II and beers are consumed. And yes, the fans are chanting for ECW instead of Eddie or Impact. That seems to be the plan all along.

Rosemary has the still chained up Su Yung when James Mitchell comes in. He recaps their entire feud, including Allie’s involvement and death. Mitchell wants Su back and blames Rosemary for Allie’s death. Rosemary chokes Jim and says she’s keeping Yung.

Flashback Moment of the Week: Chris Sabin/Kazarian/Christopher Daniels vs. Sanada/Great Muta/Yasu from Lockdown 2014.

OVE isn’t happy with Scarlett Bordeaux and Fallah Bahh. Next week, the Crists will take care of them.

Michael Elgin/Johnny Impact vs. Willie Mack/Rich Swann

Johnny Bravo is in Elgin/Impact’s corner. Mack and Swann hit the stereo flip dives to start us off in a hurry, which is probably their best idea. We take a break thirty seconds in (erg) and come back with Impact in trouble in the corner thanks to the reverse Cannonball from Mack. Johnny slides between his legs though and scores with an enziguri before handing it off to Elgin. Mack elbows his way out of trouble and manages to drag Elgin over to the corner for the tag off to Swann.

A powerbomb attempt is countered with a hurricanrana and Elgin almost punches Impact. Swann sends them into each other and rolls Elgin up for two. Elgin drives Mack into Swann for a crotching though and it’s a Death Valley Driver for two on Mack. Back from another break with Swann still in control until he ducks the Flying Chuck to the face. The hot tag brings in Mack for some rolling Wastelands to Impact but Elgin tags himself back in.

That means a slingshot elbow to Swann’s face and a big running flip dive to take out Mack and Impact. Johnny isn’t happy so Swann adds his own running flip dive dive onto all three. Back in and Elgin hits a heck of a superkick on Swann with Impact adding a knee to the head for two. The Moonlight Drive gets two and Elgin breaks up the handspring elbow to make things even worse.

Mack comes in for the Samoan drop and standing moonsault for no count as he isn’t legal. A Rock Bottom/neckbreaker combination gets two on Impact, who is fine enough for a middle rope Spanish Fly on Mack. Swann kicks Impact in the head and everyone is down. Elgin and Impact hit stereo superkicks but Impact hits Elgin by mistake, sending Elgin up the ramp. Swann kicks Impact in the face and hits the 450 for the pin at 22:58.

Rating: B+. This was a blast and I was actually surprised by the finish here. I was thinking they would go with the monster heels winning in the end but they kept both teams in there until I wasn’t sure who was winning in the end. Swann and Mack have something and I could see both of them going a lot higher up the card. Very good main event here after a very good Elgin vs. Swann match from a few weeks ago.

Overall Rating: C. It’s kind of amazing how this show can go from feeling like a bad indy promotion to having an awesome main event in the span of two hours. If nothing else, the main event shows what this company is capable of doing while they go with whatever else for the sake of either the easy way out or popping the audience in the arena. This company is capable of better and they showed that in the main event. Do more of that and less of the 50 year old crowd.

Results

Rob Van Dam/Tommy Dreamer/Sabu b. Moose/The North – Five Star Frog Splash to Page

Tessa Blanchard b. Glenn Gilbertti – Forearm

Deaners b. Desi Hit Squad – Rollup to Singh

Eddie Edwards b. Killer Kross – Boston Knee Party

Rich Swann/Willie Mack b. Michael Elgin/Johnny Impact – 450 to Impact

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s History Of In Your House (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/05/31/new-paperback-kbs-history-of-in-your-house/

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: May 24, 2019
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Don Callis

You knew this was coming at some point and there was no way around it. This week’s show is headlined by an ECW tribute match between Rob Van Dam and Tommy Dreamer. They’re both somewhat regulars around here, but I still can’t stand it when the promotion stops what they’re doing to praise a promotion that went out of business nearly twenty years ago. How many times have they done this over the years? Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap of last week’s pretty good show.

Opening sequence.

Sami Callihan vs. Fallah Bahh

Sami is on his own but Bahh has Scarlett Bordeaux. Callihan goes straight at him in the corner so Bahh is back with a clothesline and running splash. Some running clotheslines don’t do much to Bahh, who slams Callihan with little effort. Bahh’s spinning elbow gets two and the toe goes into Sami’s mouth.

That earns Bahh a bite and Callihan is knocked outside. They head outside with the spit chop having Bahh in even more trouble. A middle rope clothesline knocks Bahh down again and it’s back to the toe. Some shots to the head anger Bahh, but he gets taken right back down into a chinlock. Bahh fights up again and screams his name a lot, meaning it’s time for some chops and a belly to belly.

The Banzai Drop is loaded up too early and Sami knees him down for two. The Samoan drop (he likes drops) plants Sami to set up the Banzai Drop but here are the Crists for the save. Jake superkicks Dave by mistake so Scarlett takes Jake down, leaving Bahh to plant Sami. Bahh hits the suicide dive onto the Crists but a hanging Cactus Special finishes Bahh (with feet on the ropes) at 10:47.

Rating: C-. Not too bad here with a lot of stuff going on to make it a little better. Scarlett and Bahh’s Beauty and the Beast thing is an easy way to go, though Scarlett seems to be destined for something a lot bigger. Bahh has been putting in the effort recently though and has slimmed down a bit. I still see potential in OVE, but they never really break through to the other side for some reason.

Tommy Dreamer talks about wrestling Rob Van Dam in this building in 1996 (first match I can find for them there was in 1997). Then they headlined Madison Square Garden to unify the Hardcore and Intercontinental Titles (that match didn’t headline the show) and then Hardcore Justice (Dreamer and Van Dam were never involved in a match together, either working with or against each other, at any Hardcore Justice event, nor did Dreamer ever main event one of those shows). They’ll bring it against each other and make it extreme one more time. Or for the first time since he isn’t the most accurate narrator.

Johnny Impact has the red X from United We Stand that makes him #1 contender to the X-Division Title. He insults Michael Elgin, who is right behind him. Impact backpedals and suggests that they team up against Rich Swann and Willie Mack.

Knockouts Title: Madison Rayne vs. Taya Valkyrie

Taya is defending after losing to Madison in a series of non-title matches. Madison chases her outside and then back inside so the punching can begin. A middle rope crossbody gives Madison two and we take a break. Back with Madison getting two off a cutter to send Taya outside. Taya suckers her to the floor and gets in a kick to the leg to take over. With Don making some subtle references to Josh being Madison’s husband, Taya starts in on the leg. That means we stop for some posing before it’s off to the half crab.

The rope break gets Madison out of trouble so it’s the swinging Rock Bottom to take her down again. The limping Madison forearms back, only to walk into a spear. Madison is right back with her own half crab (which she used to win last time). Taya evens up the rope grabbing score and grabs the referee for a distraction, setting up the Road to Valhalla to retain the title at 14:07.

Rating: C. This was a good way to wrap up the story which didn’t overstay its welcome. Madison might not be the most interesting talent in the world but she’s more than capable of having a match like this. Taya winning when she had to makes her seem especially dangerous, though you can feel the showdown with Tessa coming from here, as should be the case.

Post match here’s Rosemary with the chained up Su Yung so Taya bails in a hurry.

The Deaners eat and talk about getting in shape. Their solution: beers and cheese steaks.

Rosemary and Yung run into James Mitchell, who isn’t happy with them. He wants Yung back but Rosemary tells him to go back and cower at his father’s boots. Rosemary wants the title now and Yung is going to die.

Flashback Moment Of The Week: Sami Callihan vs. Pentagon from last year’s Slammiversary.

Eddie Edwards talks about his highs and lows with Kenny by his side. Next week, he’s getting back at Killer Kross for breaking Kenny in half.

The Rascalz hate training and argue with each other so the smoke starts up again and everything is calm. We get a fresh training montage, which goes far better than last week.

The North vs. LAX

Non-title. Santana works on Alexander’s arm to start and it’s quickly off to Ortiz for a rollup. Page comes in and takes LAX’s rapid fire double teaming, setting up a suicide dive onto Alexander. Back in and Alexander takes Ortiz down for a top rope elbow from Page as the villains take over. A suplex out of the corner gives Alexander two and Page grabs the chinlock.

That’s broken up in short order and Santana comes in off the hot tag to clean house. A dropkick through the ropes sends Page up the ramp and it’s time for some kicks to Alexander’s head. Page comes back in for a knee to Santana’s head to give Alexander two of his own and a double Neutralizer is good for the same on Ortiz. LAX has had it though and their rapid fire kicks into the double belly to back faceplant finishes Alexander at 8:19.

Rating: C+. Nice match here, despite the North being one of the least interesting teams this side of the Desi Hit Squad. I know Don Callis is booking but is that really the best idea they have? They’re the tag team version of Petey Williams with the main sticking point of their characters being that they’re from Canada. At least the match was pretty good though, which does help a lot.

Here’s Glenn Gilbertti for a special exhibition. He hates women’s wrestling and wants to prove how worthless women are so here’s Ashley Vox to challenge him. Gilbertti asks which of the boys she’s dating because she must have been fired from Hooters.

Glenn Gilbertti vs. Ashley Vox

Gilbertti shoves her down to start and talks trash on the mic while sending her into the buckle and grabbing a hard headlock on the mat. Gilbertti: “I know this isn’t a five star match but it’s not my fault!” More trash talk lets Vox get in a rollup and some dropkicks so Gilbertti hits the Chartbuster. That’s good for two with Gilbertti pulling her up and shouting that Vox kicked out of his finish. Cue Tessa Blanchard to chase Gilbertti off for the no contest at about 3:30.

Rating: F. I get what they’re going for (it’s not exactly subtle) and Gilbertti is good at what he’s doing, but this feels like it’s out of 1984. This was going to be Eli Drake and that would have helped with the blowoff, because there is no reason to believe that this is going to end with anything other than Tessa beating him in ten seconds. They spent months building up Tessa for Gail Kim and this is the best they have for her? You can’t just have her slaughter some jobbers for a few weeks until she has something else to do? It’s not the worst, but it certainly feels like a bottom of the barrel storyline.

Rohit Raju vs. Petey Williams vs. Ace Austin vs. Dezmond Xavier

They start fast with Austin hitting a springboard spinning kick to Raju’s jaw. Petey’s slingshot Codebreaker staggers Austin and a running bulldog drops him onto Raju. Austin breaks up a very early Canadian Destroyer attempt and it’s time to cut Raju’s finger with the playing card. Dez comes in and fires off the strikes, plus a suicide dive onto Raju. Austin adds his own dive and kicks some people in the head. Petey comes back in with a Canadian Destroyer to Austin but Raju stomps on his back to break up one on Dez. The backflip kick to Raju’s head gives Dez the pin at 3:49.

Rating: C-. Was there really a need to not even give them four minutes? This was entertaining while it lasted but it felt like the first third of a fun match that never got the chance to get going. The X-Division could use some fresh blood and there are some viable challengers in here, with the Rascalz being great candidates along with Austin.

Next week: Impact/Elgin vs. Mack/Swann, Eddie Edwards vs. Killer Kross in a street fight and Gilbertti vs. Blanchard.

Tommy Dreamer vs. Rob Van Dam

They soak in the dueling chants and the ECDUB chants are back in full force. Feeling out process to start with Dreamer getting in a suplex of all things before stopping for a high five. Dreamer seems rather pleased and it’s even better as he trips Van Dam down for a headscissors. Rob flips up and we get another I RESPECT YOU TOO BUDDY staredown. Back up and Dreamer starts punching away until a kick to the face cuts him off. They head outside (you knew this was coming) with Dreamer throwing water in his eyes and then…going back inside because we’re not going full extreme here.

Rob grabs the chair instead and skateboards it into Dreamer’s face in the corner. Dreamer is right back by putting Rob in the Tree of Woe for the running dropkick (after the ECW chant of course). Rolling Thunder misses and Dreamer hits the DDT on the chair for two more. The fans want the table but settle for Rob’s spinning legdrop on the chair. Dreamer is right back up with the piledriver and a flipping sell from Rob. An elbow hits the chair and Rob is right back with a drop toehold into the chair ala Raven. The Five Star finishes Dreamer at 9:23.

Rating: D. It wasn’t terrible and they didn’t embarrass themselves, but is there a reason that these two are getting almost ten minutes and the X-Division guys, who are going to be here in a few years and could be stars of the future, are stuck cramming in everything they can into less than four minutes? Are Van Dam and Dreamer really the best this company can do for a draw to a TV taping? The guys were trying, but it just makes you realize that their heyday was twenty years ago. That’s the best you have?

Post match the North runs in to beat down Van Dam and Dreamer with Moose coming in to make it even worse. The lights go out and freaking Sabu is here with the chairs for the save. A Van Daminator lets the ECW guys pose to end the show.

Overall Rating: D+. There are two big issues sticking out in this show and it hurts everything else. The booking goes from fine to “we’re really doing this?” far too often and that’s going to become an issue. It’s still a watchable show, but they seem to force these things in for the sake of some short term booking which could be used on much more valuable stuff. I don’t need to see Gilbertti, Van Dam and Dreamer (though he’s on every show anymore) in 2019, though Impact seems to think they’re the best options. What does that say about how they view their own talent?

Results

Sami Callihan b. Fallah Bahh – Hanging Cactus Special with feet on the ropes

Taya Valkyrie b. Madison Rayne – Road to Valhalla

LAX b. The North – Double belly to back faceplant to Alexander

Glenn Gilbertti vs. Ashley Vox went to a no contest when Tessa Blanchard interfered

Dez b. Rohit Raju, Petey Williams and Ace Austin – Backflip kick to Raju’s head

Rob Van Dam b. Tommy Dreamer – Five Star Frog Splash

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2000 Monday Nitro and Thunder Reviews Part 1 (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/02/22/new-book-kbs-monday-nitro-thunder-reviews-volume-vii-january-june-2000/

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: May 10, 2019
Location: Rebel Sports Entertainment Complex, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Don Callis, Josh Matthews

We’re still in Canada and we still don’t have a World Champion around at the moment due to Brian Cage’s back injury. What we do have though is a new #1 contender in the form of Michael Elgin, who seems rather content with waiting around until Cage gets back. I’m not sure what that means for this week so let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap, with the World Title situation getting some extra time, as it should.

Opening sequence.

Josh: “We sit just fifty eight days away from Slammiversary!” You might want to wait a bit on that countdown.

Moose/Josh Alexander vs. LAX

Non-title and no Konnan with LAX. Alexander and Santana start things off with an exchange of wristlocks until Ortiz comes in for the running splash. It’s off to Moose, who puts Ortiz on top and dropkicks him to the floor. That leaves Callus enough time to list off Moose’s athletic stats and then say they’re off the charts. Hence why they have been charted you see. Back to Alexander for some forearms in the corner and the required chinlock.

Ortiz fights up and suplexes Alexander into a Stunner for the tag off to Santana. Moose gets sent outside and it’s a double flapjack into a facebuster combination to drop Alexander again. It’s already back to Moose for the power, including a powerbomb to Ortiz onto Santana. The chokebomb gets two on Santana but Moose hits Alexander by mistake, allowing LAX to hit a double enziguri. With Moose down on the ground, LAX hits their usual flurry into the double faceplant to finish Alexander at 7:38.

Rating: C. LAX can do no wrong at this point and that was the case again here, with another entertaining performance against a team that didn’t have the best chemistry. If nothing else though, hearing “their opponents, Moose and Josh Alexander” sounds a lot better than The North. That’s such a bad name for a team and while their work is good, it sounds like the most indy of names.

Madison Rayne is ready for her third non-title match against Taya Valkyrie, even if Taya doesn’t have to defend the title for thirty days. I get the story they’re going for here, but Madison is another shining example of what is wrong with a lot of the roster: she’s perfectly adequate. She’s going to give you a fine match, a fine promo and a fine everything, but there’s no reaching for the next level. Madison, along with so many others on the roster, are a safe bet and that’s a big reason why Impact never goes any higher than they already are.

Tommy Dreamer gives his partners a big pep talk about how they’re all a bunch of misfits. He knows about that, because he used to work for ECW. I actually yelled at my screen OH MY GOODNESS SHUT UP ABOUT ECW. Dreamer promises that the team will fight tonight, because this is the kind of company he wants to fight for.

Announcers’ preview.

Madison Rayne vs. Taya Valkyrie

Non-title again and Tessa Blanchard comes out for commentary, definitely acting a lot more faceish. Taya heads straight outside for the stalling so Madison chases her back inside, where the champ gets in a dropkick to the head. That means the always annoying break less than a minute in and we come back with Madison hitting a running shoulder in the corner.

Taya throws her down again and we have an inset window showing Tessa on commentary. I don’t really need to watch commentary talking, but EGADS is that better than cutting to Gail every ten seconds. Taya cuts off a springboard with a faceplant and it’s a Jeff Hardy legdrop between the legs. A little dance sets up Taya bending Madison’s ribs around the post as the announcers talk almost non-stop about Gail vs. Tessa.

Back in and Madison gets in a tornado DDT, followed by a few forearms for two. A windup cutter gives Madison two as Tessa forgets that this is non-title. Taya stops for more trash talk and slow kicks to the back/chest. A big kick is countered into a half crab and Taya taps immediately at 12:08.

Rating: C-. The story is fine and they can do a title match before Slammiversary, but I’m still not buying Madison as a top challenger. She hasn’t missed a step since her previous run, but that doesn’t make her all that inspiring. Taya tapping so fast makes sense and it’s very nice that they’re doing a story with the champion losing over and over again rather than just doing it and rarely going anywhere other than “here’s a title shot to make it 50/50”.

This week’s Flashback Moment of the Week: Rob Van Dam beats Abyss at Bound For Glory.

Van Dam thinks he’s facing Diamond Dallas Page tonight instead of Ethan Page. He’s not worried about Rob Van Dam.

Rosemary wants a Demon Collar match against Su Yung, winner take all. That would be all the souls/people I presume?

Jordynne Grace vs. Alexia Nicole

Grace shrugs off the kicks to the leg and hits a one armed delayed vertical suplex. Nicole’s sleeper doesn’t work at all and it’s a giant swing to make it even worse. A clothesline goes even worse for Nicole and Grave hits a torture rack into a spinning powerbomb. The Grace Driver is good for the pin at 3:03.

Rating: D. Grace continues to look dominant and at some point they’ll make her the monster champion that she should be. Sometimes you need a nice squash like this as it’s one of the best ways to keep someone over. She doesn’t have anything going on right now but keeping her dominant on TV like this works just fine.

Josh Alexander gives Ethan Page a pep talk for his match with Van Dam tonight.

Kiera Hogan walked away from Rosemary last week because that’s what Rosemary wanted. She has tried to be friends with everyone around here and it hasn’t worked. Grace comes in to say they are friends but Kiera doesn’t care about her. Grace can die like Allie did.

Ethan Page vs. Rob Van Dam

Alexander is here with Page and the announcers talk about Van Dam’s marijuana enthusiasm as both villains yell at Rob. They’re knocked to the floor as the discussion moves over to ECW and all the great moments Rob had there. An Alexander distraction breaks up the spinning kick to Page’s back and it’s Page taking over in the corner.

A backbreaker and suplex have Van Dam in trouble but he’s back with kicks to the face. Rolling Thunder looks to set up the Five Star but Alexander’s distraction lets Page get up. There’s a bicycle kick to Rob, who is right back with a spinwheel kick. The Five Star (with very little elevation) finishes Page at 6:10.

Rating: D+. It wasn’t terrible or even bad, but it was a 48 year old Van Dam playing the hits while the announcers tried to treat it as anything other than nostalgia/a way to draw a crowd for Philadelphia next week. There’s nothing wrong with Van Dam not being able to do it as well as he used to, but treating him like he’s still the same athlete is hard to take. Bringing Rob back in makes sense as he has star power, but I’m worried about how hard they’re going to push him at this point.

Brian Cage is still injured and starting rehab on his back soon.

Johnny Impact comes up to Michael Elgin and they argue over who injured Cage. Elgin will send him to the hospital to prove he’s right.

Deaners vs. Desi Hit Squad vs. Brent Banks/Aiden Prince vs. Rascalz

Banks flips a lot and dropkicks Raju into the corner so it’s off to Singh as we’re already in the rapid fire offense as no one is going to have time to really showcase themselves. The Squad takes over on Prince with a boot to the face giving Raju two. Prince gets in a kick of his own and the fans want the Deaners, showing that Canadian fans don’t have the best taste. The Deaners come in a few seconds later as everything breaks down with the Rascalz taking over. Wentz hits a big dive onto a bunch of people and Dezmond hits a cartwheel corkscrew dive but Raju uses the distraction to roll Cousin Jake up for the pin at 5:05.

Rating: D+. What am I supposed to say here? The Desi Hit Squad wins (because the Rascalz aren’t allowed to build any momentum) in a match with eight people trying to get stuff in over the course of about five minutes. It’s too much in one match and the Squad winning took away a lot of the energy that the match could have build up.

Killer Kross talks about stealing Kenny the Kendo Stick last week, which he did to prove a point. Now he wants to hear from Eddie Edwards. Tick tock.

LAX is in the Rascalz clubhouse and they talk about lions protecting the stash. Ortiz wants to fight the Rockers, the Eliminators, Bert and Ernie and Tango and Cash. Shots are consumed.

The announcers talk about going to the 2300 Arena next week and say EXTREME about half a dozen times.

Tommy Dreamer/Fallah Bahh/Rich Swann/Willie Mack vs. OVE

OVE Rules, meaning anything goes and Scarlett Bordeaux is here with the non-Ohioans. Joined in progress after a break with Bahh splashing Dave Crist in the corner. It’s time for some chairs with Dave being slammed onto the steel, leaving everyone to head outside. Mack comes back in and slams Sami, setting up a standing moonsault onto Dave. The big flip dive lets Mack knock everyone down, followed by Dave moonsaulting off the top onto everyone else. Jake dives, then Tommy dives as we get in the required exchange of dives out of the way. Dreamer heads to the back to get something as we take a break.

Back with the weapons abounding, including a big ladder that Dreamer pulled out. Dreamer wraps the ladder around his head and does the spinning knockdowns until Fulton gets in a shot to take over. Fulton sets the ladder up on the ramp as Sami and Dave beat on Fallah with a chair. That leaves Mack to pile a bunch of stuff up in the ring, only to take a cutter from Jake for two.

Bahh’s belly to belly onto a trashcan gets two but he’s fine enough to set up some chairs. A superplex to Dave is broken up with Fulton powerbombing Bahh through some chairs. The chair wrapped in barbed wire is sat on Bahh’s chest for a top rope double stomp into a near fall. Swann comes back in (Was he in at all?) and goes to the ladder but Fulton makes the save, allowing Dave to hit a super cutter off the ladder.

Fulton dives off the ladder into a Samoan drop to give Bahh two. Dreamer busts out the Legos and DDTs Sami and Dave onto them for no cover. That leaves the barefooted Bahh to walk onto the Legos but Fulton plants him with a chokeslam. Mack Stuns Fulton onto a chair but Sami blasts Mack with a stop sign. The Cactus Special onto the Legos gives Sami the pin at 16:29.

Rating: C+. It’s a garbage brawl that I’ve seen done a million times but they were putting in some effort and got the time to make it feel more violent. I’m not sure why you would have Mack take the fall when you have Dreamer in there, but they do seem to be teasing a Mack vs. Swann feud. This wasn’t bad, and thank goodness they didn’t put it in the ECW Arena instead.

Overall Rating: D+. I really wasn’t feeling this one as it seems that they’re building up to both Slammiversary but more importantly the 2300 Arena shows. It’s not the worst thing in the world, but I’m worried about how big of an ECW tribute we’ll have to sit through for the next few weeks. This wasn’t terrible, though they’ve lost some momentum from Rebellion.

Results

LAX b. Moose/Josh Alexander – Double faceplant to Alexander

Madison Rayne b. Taya Valkyrie – Half crab

Jordynne Grace b. Alexia Nicole – Grace Driver

Rob Van Dam b. Ethan Page – Five Star Frog Splash

Desi Hit Squad b. Rascalz, Brent Banks/Aiden Prince and Deaners – Rollup to Jake

OVE b. Tommy Dreamer/Fallah Bahh/Rich Swann/Willie Mack – Cactus Special to Mack

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2000 Monday Nitro and Thunder Reviews Part 1 (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/02/22/new-book-kbs-monday-nitro-thunder-reviews-volume-vii-january-june-2000/

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 19, 2019
Location: St. Clair’s College, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Don Callis, Josh Matthews

We’re down to two shows before the pay per view and again, it’s not the most interesting main event scene in the world. There are some good things going on but at the same time, the main event scene really isn’t inspiring. Hopefully the final two shows before Rebellion get better, but I’m not getting my hopes up. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Johnny Impact vs. Brian Cage before we get to the title match at Rebellion, including Killer Kross and crooked referee Johnny Bravo joining Impact.

Opening sequence.

Fallah Bahh/Scarlett Bordeaux vs. Desi Hit Squad

Apparently KM is done with the company, though Bahh was the star of the team anyway. Bahh and Raju start things off with the big man easily taking over off a big shoulder. Raj Singh comes in for a kick to the ample gut so Bahh knocks him down and drops the big leg. It’s off to Scarlett so the Squad starts tagging in and out instead of having to fight her.

With that going nowhere, Bahh comes back in and fights both of them off. Singh gets in a spinebuster, which just seems to get on Bahh’s nerves. That’s fine with Singh, who hits a running dropkick to the side of the head. Bahh shoves him over for the tag (Callis: “The HOT tag if you know what I mean!”) and it’s Scarlett chopping Raju into a hurricanrana. Bahh DIVES onto the Squad and Scarlett adds one of her own and the fans are way, way into this.

Back in and Raju begs for a Stinkface and if you don’t know what’s coming here, you have no business watching wrestling. Scarlett can’t German suplex Raj but she can send him into Bahh for a belly to belly. A double Banzai Drop (with Scarlett on Bahh’s back) finishes Raj at 8:22.

Rating: D+. The best thing about Scarlett (ok one of the best things) is that she can work a match very well. She’s no mat general or anything but there’s a lot more to her than your traditional eye candy. That’s such a relief as otherwise, she would be a major step backwards for the women’s division. It’s fine to portray her as a bombshell because she can back it up, which makes all the difference in the world.

The Lucha Bros are ready for Eli Drake and Eddie Edwards but they haven’t forgotten about LAX.

The Deaners train for their Impact debut next week.

Eli doesn’t want to admit that Eddie was right but he’s happy with getting the Tag Team Title shot tonight.

The announcers recap last week’s main event and preview the rest of the night.

Tommy Dreamer is ready for Madman Fulton. They’ve both fought madmen before and tonight, Fulton is in for the fight of his life.

Moose vs. Dezmond Xavier

It’s the final Rascal vs. Moose, who throws Xavier off of a headlock. Some rights and lefts work a little better for Xavier but a right hand gets caught so Moose can wrench it around. An enziguri is shrugged off with Moose picking him up for a lawn dart into the corner. A catapult sends Xavier throat first into the middle rope and Moose, apparently bored, just stands on Xavier’s back.

Xavier manages to knock him outside but the dive is caught, allowing Moose to swing him head first into the steps. Moose powerbombs Xavier onto the other Rascalz but gets caught with an enziguri from Wentz. That’s enough for Xavier to grab a rollup for the surprise pin at 8:18.

Rating: D+. I’m not sure what the point of this story has been, though at least the Rascalz didn’t get swept. It’s not like Moose should be having trouble with them, but maybe he shouldn’t have been destroying the team in the first place. There’s a good chance this isn’t over though, which isn’t likely to go well for the Rascalz.

Rosemary yells at Kiera Hogan for getting in over her head. Kiera says Allie is to blame for what happened to her but Rosemary doesn’t want to hear it. As long as there are two of them here, there will be two of them in the fight. That’s fine with Rosemary, who chokes Kiera out with a chain and says now it’s just one.

Moose is furious about losing and says two can play that game.

GWN Flashback Moment of the Week: Gail Kim retains the Knockouts Title over Awesome Kong at some show.

Tessa Blanchard doesn’t want to hear about Gail, because at 23 years old she’s already better than Gail ever was. All Gail is known for is marrying a chef, who wouldn’t have married her if he knew who Gail really was. That’s why she’s at Robert Irvine’s (Gail’s celebrity chef husband) restaurant and looks for him, eventually realizing that the chef is in the kitchen.

Before that though, she re-dirties a dishwasher’s dishes and finds out that Robert isn’t here today. That earns the replacement chef some sauce to the head. The manager comes in and gets soup on the head. Tessa says that makes it personal. I’d think that makes it business/legal actually.

Post break Gail says she won’t be pressing charges because she’ll teach Tessa a lesson in the ring. Tessa is what Gail used to be so she knows what to do.

Madman Fulton vs. Tommy Dreamer

Sami Callihan is here with Fulton. Tommy is dumb enough to go straight at him and gets punched in the back for his efforts. A trip to the floor means Tommy needs to go after Sami, who gets ejected as a result. Back in and Fulton kicks him in the face, setting up a hard whip into the corner and a bearhug. Dreamer bites his way out and hammers away in the corner but has to hurricanrana his way out of a powerbomb. They head outside with Fulton missing a big boot and crotching himself on the post.

That just seems to wake Fulton up so he crotches Dreamer on the barricade to even things out. A suplex slam into a splash gets one and it’s off to a waistlock. The side slam gives Fulton two but he misses a middle rope headbutt (from the side to avoid landing on his head in a smart move). Dreamer gets in a kick to the leg and the DDT but it’s kendo stick time instead of covering. Since it’s not smart to scream as you charge with a kendo stick, it’s a swinging Downward Spiral to finish Dreamer at 8:00.

Rating: C-. Match of the night so far and that should tell you a lot. Having Fulton get his I Pinned Tommy Dreamer beginners’ badge is a good starting point, though just being a big monster is probably good enough. I could see going somewhere with Fulton as the muscle of OVE, which is turning into a nice stable.

Post match Fulton goes after Dreamer again, drawing in Willie Mack for the save. The Crists come in and take Mack down so Rich Swann makes another save, earning himself a beatdown from Callihan. Dreamer’s arm is Pillmanized and Callihan calls Swann his little brother as OVE stands tall.

Rob Van Dam is happy to be coming back.

The Deaners are STILL coming next week. These guys are going to overstay their welcome in a hurry.

Dreamer is going to a hospital to get his arm looked at. Swann and Mack are cool and Swann leaves. Killer Kross again comes in and asks why Mack has to make so many saves. Mack goes into a weird tangent about Moose being the annoying uncle who likes potato salad. Kross vs. Moose next week.

Madison Rayne vs. Taya Valkyrie

Non-title. Before the match, Taya rants about how horrible Canada is and how glad she is that she’s gone. Since she has a title match at Rebellion, she isn’t wrestling tonight. Not having that, Madison jumps her from behind…and gets beaten down anyway. Taya tries to walk out but here’s Jordynne Grace to throw her back inside to give Madison the rollup pin at 1:12.

We get a sitdown interview with Johnny Impact at Johnny’s home. He doesn’t like Bravo being referred to as his errand boy and says he’s ready for Cage at Rebellion. What Cage doesn’t understand is that it doesn’t matter what people think. Impact can get to anyone in Cage’s life and that’s his downfall. Cage will never live up to his potential because he doesn’t get how this business work.

In the arena, Cage grabs Callis and yells at him about Johnny. Callis calls someone on his phone and, after a break, it’s Scott D’Amore answering. Apparently Callis has a plan but here’s Cage to grab D’Amore. Lance Storm comes in and says to have some integrity, which earns him the guest refereeing job in the Rebellion main event. I mean…for you Storm fans out there I guess?

Tag Team Titles: Eddie Edwards/Eli Drake vs. Lucha Bros

Drake and Edwards are challenging. Fenix kicks both challengers down to start and it’s Pentagon coming in as well for the early posing. It’s way too early for the spike Pentagon Driver though and it’s Drake making the save to calm things down. Fenix gets dragged to the challengers’ corner and the rolling cutter is countered into a torture rack/top rope knee drop combination.

The tagging part is dropped again and it’s a double superkick to Drake. Fenix dives to the floor to take Eddie out and it’s time for the spike Fear Factor…but here’s LAX. Drake tries to use the distraction for a rollup but gets kicked back down. Now the spike Fear Factor retains the titles at 5:14.

Rating: B-. Is it any surprise that the Lucha Bros were the most entertaining things on the show? It was very fun while it lasted, even though they managed to get interference and three attempts at a single finisher, counting the actual finish. I’m glad they didn’t change the titles here, though at the same time I’m a little surprised that they didn’t. Just give us more Lucha Bros and everything will be fine.

Post match Eddie offers Drake condolences but gets laid out. A big beating with Kenny, including a shot to the head, ends the show.

Overall Rating: C. Can we please just get done with Rebellion already? It feels like they’re dragging their way to the show as I can barely find a reason to get interested in almost anything that’s coming up on the show. This wasn’t a bad show, but there’s nothing to get invested in and I don’t see that changing as we get closer to the pay per view. The show itself is likely going to work (they almost always do) but the TV is just there week to week. It’s nothing bad most of the time, but egads I can’t get interested in what they’re doing.

Results

Fallah Bahh/Scarlett Bordeaux b. Desi Hit Squad – Double Banzai Drop to Raju.

Dezmond Xavier b. Moose – Rollup

Madman Fulton b. Tommy Dreamer – Swinging Downward Spiral

Madison Rayne b. Taya Valkyrie – Rollup

Lucha Bros b. Eddie Edwards/Eli Drake – Spike Fear Factor to Drake

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2000 Monday Nitro and Thunder Reviews Part 1 (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/02/22/new-book-kbs-monday-nitro-thunder-reviews-volume-vii-january-june-2000/

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 15, 2019
Location: Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Don Callis, Josh Matthews

Things are rolling along as usual around here, which means a lot of the same stories that kind of need to go somewhere already. That’s one of Impact’s biggest problems and it’s been the case for years: they don’t seem to know how wrap up stories so things just keep going on and on for months. Hopefully we get some advancement soon because the good things that they have are rapidly approaching their expiration date. Let’s get to it.

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

Standard opening recap.

Opening sequence.

OVE vs. Rich Swann/Willie Mack/Tommy Dreamer

Yes seriously. It’s a brawl to start with Swann and Callihan being left in the ring until Rich kicks him to the floor. The good guys are left inside until it’s Dreamer and Sami starting things off, allowing Callis to talk about Dreamer sticking his nose into everything. Preach it man. Mack comes in to work on Jake’s arm and Dreamer adds a bottom rope ax handle. Dave takes over on Dreamer and it’s off to Sami for an elbow drop.

The Cactus Piledriver is countered though and it’s a catapult to send Sami into the corner. Mack comes back in for a powerslam and the standing moonsault, followed by a nip up. Dreamer drops an elbow and does his version of a nip up (it’s funny because he’s old and fat), leaving Mack and Swann to do their dives.

Instead of diving, Dreamer runs to the apron and climbs down for some right hands (it’s funny because he’s old and fat if you didn’t get the same joke a minute ago). Back from a break with Swann fighting out of Sami’s chinlock but getting caught in Jake’s reverse Rings of Saturn.

With that broken up, Dave works on the leg until a kick to the head lets Dreamer get the hot tag. Sami comes in to spit in Dreamer’s face as everything breaks down. Dreamer knocks all three of them into a corner for a running cannonball from Mack, and it’s stereo frog splashes onto the Crists. Tommy even hits his own splash onto Sami (BECAUSE HE’S OLD AND FAT!) but Callihan pops up and hits the Cactus Piledriver for the pin at 19:03.

Rating: C-. So now the heel commentator’s line is “Dreamer needs to go away because he keeps stealing spots from people”? Why would I disagree with that? Is is because Dreamer is a legend who won’t go away? Or is it because he’s old and fat and makes fun of being old and fat? It’s not funny but you can’t make fun of Dreamer because he was in ECW or something.

Brian Cage asks Johnny Impact, in a neck brace, if he’s ready for tonight. Johnny says he’ll be there. The swerve is strong with this one.

Video on Impact vs. Cage, with the title on the line tonight.

The Rascalz are in their circle when Moose joins them and wonders what’s up with Melissa Santos. Moose punches them all for making fun of his clothes.

Here’s Glenn Gilbertti to call out Scarlett Bordeaux, who he fights next week. Instead he gets a clown.

Glenn Gilbertti vs. Kikutaro

He’s a Japanese comedy guy in a mask. They fight over arm control to start with Kikutaro stopping to dance. Some shoulders don’t work so Glenn punches him down and whips Kikutaro across the ring over and over. The chinlock goes on for all of two seconds so Glenn slams him down but misses the Village People’s Elbow (with a YMCA dance). Kikutaro hits part of a Shining Wizard but a missed moonsault lets Glenn hit the Chartbuster (Stunner) for the pin at 4:23.

Rating: D. It’s kind of hard to complain that much about this story as it’s mostly harmless and isn’t getting a ton of time. Scarlett is going to beat Gilbertti up and the fans will be happy while no one of value takes a loss. They’re giving the story about five minutes a week and that’s all they need to do. In other words, this was harmless.

Taya Valkyrie isn’t worried about defending the Knockouts Title because her husband is in danger tonight.

Reno Scum vs. KM/Fallah Bahh

Rematch from a few weeks ago when Scum lost but beat them up after the match. It’s a brawl on the floor to start with Scum taking over and sending Bahh into the steps. KM gets punched in the corner until an enziguri drops Luster. There’s no Bahh though, meaning KM has to clothesline Thornstowe down before making the real hot tag. The Samoan drop gets two on Thornstowe, followed by Luster going shoulder first into the post. That’s enough for Bahh to hit a belly to belly for the pin on Thornstowe at 4:32.

Rating: D. Another nothing match but that’s the best way to use Scum. They’re just loud and obnoxious which isn’t enough to make me want to see them stick around. I don’t say this often but KM and Bahh deserve better than this. Hopefully this was just for the Las Vegas tapings as I really don’t want Scum around regularly.

Konnan asks the Lucha Bros when they’re giving LAX their rematch. That’s not happening so Konnan threatens them as they leave.

Post break Konnan tells them that there’s no rematch yet. LAX doesn’t seem worried because it’s going to be a street fight.

Tessa Blanchard vs. Jordynne Grace

#1 contenders match. Tessa can’t do much with the power to start so Jordynne runs her over with a clothesline. The threat of a splash in the corner makes Tessa pull the referee in front of her, meaning it’s a hard forearm to Jordynne’s face. The hanging Downward Spiral is countered but Tessa grabs the Codebreaker for two instead. That kickout doesn’t sit well with Tessa so she hammers away but walks into a spinebuster.

Back from a break with Tessa unloading with forearms until a Michinoku Driver gets Jordynne out of trouble. A Muscle Buster is broken up and Tessa hits some kind of a swinging reverse DDT. Tessa goes up but spends too much time talking about Gail Kim, allowing Grace to slam her down. An elbow to the face staggers Jordynne but she’s right back with the Grace Driver (pumphandle driver) for the pin at 10:21.

Rating: C. Nice power match here, even if we’re just killing time until Kim vs. Blanchard. I mean, you have to give them time to set up the 194 video packages on how legendary and amazing Kim really is. Grace going after the title could be interesting as you can only have a monster like her in the midcard for so long.

Tessa sells the heck out of the driver and barely moves. After she finally gets up, Tessa snaps, yells about Kim some more and beats up the timekeeper. Gail Kim comes in for the save and clears the ring.

United We Stand ad.

Tessa yells at Scott D’Amore and demands something be done about Gail. Speaking of Gail, she comes in and yells as well, earning herself a suspension. This story really doesn’t warrant such a long build.

United We Stand rundown.

GWN Flashback Of The Week: Brian Cage vs. Eli Drake from last year’s Lucha Underground vs. Impact show.

Rosemary tries to get inside Allie’s head and find the Bunny. Allie says it’s gone and laughs because Rosemary looks pathetic. Rosemary: “WHERE’S THE BUNNY?” This is more interesting, even though we had to sit through all those losses for Allie and company.

Callihan yells about Swann turning his back on OVE. Now he’s going to take everything from Swann, starting with the X-Division Title next week.

Desi Hit Squad vs. Eddie Edwards/Eli Drake

Eddie and Raj start things off and trade some right hands before it’s off to both partners. It’s already back to Edwards to chop Raju, who brings Raj back in for a flapjack into a sliding knee from Raju. A jumping Downward Spiral gets two and Eli gets knocked off the apron. That’s too much for him so he comes in sans tag to beat up the Squad, which amazingly enough isn’t all that hard. Gama Singh gets on the apron for a distraction so Drake throws in Kenny, allowing Eddie to knock Raju cold for the pin at 5:21.

Rating: D+. The Hit Squad is less annoying than they used to be but they’re still not an act that I want to watch every week. Drake and Edwards are fine as a team and Drake getting a tweener push is rather interesting for a change. He’s still one of the best talkers in the company and it’s a good idea to see him getting this kind of a chance. Throw in the eternally good Edwards and they might have something here.

Impact Wrestling World Title: Johnny Impact vs. Brian Cage

Impact is defending and comes out first…being carried unconscious on Killer Kross’ back. Kross has a cinder block with him too and grabs a chair for a bonus. Security runs in and gets beaten up so Kross can put Johnny’s head against the block. Taya tries to bring Cage in for the save but he stays on the ramp as Cage yells at Taya instead. Cage finally comes in and takes out Kross, allowing Taya to hit Cage low. Impact nips up and destroys Cage, putting the block on his head and blasting it with a chair. Kross laughs from the floor to end the show.

Overall Rating: D+. The main event angle was nice and FINALLY advanced the story somewhat, though the rest of the show left a lot to be desired. You can only get so far with doing the same stuff over and over, but for some reason Impact is fine with spinning their wheels on stories for months at a time. There’s a long way to go before Rebellion but you can at least see the card being set up. As usual: some good stuff here and there, just not enough that makes you want to come back.

Results

OVE b. Tommy Dreamer/Rich Swann/Willie Mack – Cactus Piledriver to Dreamer

Glenn Gilbertti b. Kikutaro – Chartbuster

KM/Fallah Bahh b. Reno Scum – Belly to belly to Thornstowe

Jordynne Grace b. Tessa Blanchard – Grace Driver

Eli Drake/Eddie Edwards b. Desi Hit Squad – Kendo stick to Raju

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2000 Monday Nitro and Thunder Reviews Part 1 (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/02/22/new-book-kbs-monday-nitro-thunder-reviews-volume-vii-january-june-2000/

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

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

IMG Credit: Major League Wrestling

Fusion #44
Date: February 8, 2019
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Matt Striker, Rich Bocchini

We’re done with SuperFight and now we’re on the way towards Intimidation Games because MLW is actually making some steps forward around here. Tom Lawlor won the World Title in a very short match, which might have been due to time constraints. Fair enough, though you can imagine the rematch coming from here. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video looks at SuperFight, which was a rather snappy little show.

Opening video.

Myron Reed vs. DJZ

They fight over arm control to start with no one getting anywhere. Reed bails into the ropes, followed by a cartwheel to stay away. DJZ gets a bit more serious with a dropkick into a jawbreaker to put Reed in some early trouble. A trip to the floor lets DJZ hit a suicide dive, followed by a nice slingshot splash back inside. Reed is right back up with a dive of his own (no hands) before going with a chinlock to slow things down. Reed: “He’s going to sleep!” Then why are you not using a sleeper? Young whippersnapper.

The comeback doesn’t take very long (I guess DJZ wasn’t very sleepy) as DJZ grabs a jumping neckbreaker. Reed is right back with the springboard cutter and DJZ’s tornado DDT is shoved off. An O’Connor roll is reversed into another one and Reed grabs the tights for the pin at 6:26.

Rating: C. Perfectly watchable showcase match for both guys here with DJZ suddenly being a somewhat respected name. Reed is someone who needs a lot more ring time but you can see the potential inside of him. A little more time for both guys is going to do them some good though they’re doing well enough here.

The Hart Foundation answers some questions about Valentine’s Day. Brian pleads the fifth about which girlfriend he’ll spend the holiday with, though he’s known for stacking them up like pizza. Teddy asks about his cats and uses a certain word. The solution to spicing up a twenty five year marriage: leave. Davey is indeed single and fills out his shorts. Finally: no hair, though they do like these beIN Sports sunglasses. This was funnier than it had any right to be.

Gringo Loco vs. Puma King

These guys are both rather popular. They start with the flipping that doesn’t make any actual contact and covers for some far falls. Of course it’s a standoff, which certainly pleases the fans. Puma takes over in the corner but we stop to dance, because dance breaks have made it to MLW. Loco flips forward to get a breather and they trade hurricanranas. One of them sends Loco outside and Puma is right after him with a dive. Back in and King nails a superkick, followed by more dancing.

They run the ropes and for no logical reason, King bails outside, setting up a flip dive from Loco. Back in and a spinning Vader Bomb gets two but King is right back with a top rope Codebreaker. Gringo catches him on top though and a springboard cutter gets two. Puma’s Code Red gets the same and it’s time to fight on the corner at the same time. The required super Spanish Fly finishes King at 7:38.

Rating: C+. Yeah this worked and they did exactly what was advertised here. They flew around, hit big spots and played to the crowd. Really, what else were they supposed to do? The match was entertaining and didn’t overstay its welcome, which is a great result for a TV match like this.

Tonight: the future of the Lucha Bros is revealed.

MJF doesn’t want to hear about Teddy Hart’s redemption because he doesn’t get it. Why are we praising someone who messed up in the first place? Where is the praise for MJF, who never did anything wrong? He’s never been to jail or done drugs, so now it’s time for him to get back the title he never lost.

Tommy Dreamer says Brian Pillman Jr. is coming into his house tonight. He has a mystery partner and because he’s been around for so long, he had about 2000 people to pick from. It’s going to be Sandman and I don’t know why they don’t just say so.

Jimmy Havoc is coming back.

Brian Pillman Jr./??? vs. Tommy Dreamer/???

Street fight for what should be obvious reasons. Before the partners are revealed, Pillman grabs a mic and says the smart marks have been waiting for him to have a microphone in this arena. Without saying much, he announces Davey Boy Smith Jr. as his partner. Well he had two realistic options and he picked one of them. Dreamer’s partner is of course Sandman, who comes through the entrance in a visual that feels completely wrong.

The first spit of a beer lets us start things off in a brawl, as it certainly should be. They actually get inside with Sandman falling down off an elbow drop attempt. We settle down to Dreamer getting kicked in the back to put the Harts in control, allowing Pillman to hit a good looking dropkick. The delayed suplex gets the fans to cheer against the ECW guys for a change, though Sandman’s swearing brings them back.

Smith hurts his head off a headbutt attempt and walks into a DDT, allowing the hot tag to Sandman. Everything breaks down and Dreamer hits his cutter on Smith as Sandman has found a cane. The slow chase is on and Dreamer finds some chairs. Pillman goes underneath the ring and finds….the Blue Meanie. The distraction lets Sandman get in the first cane shots to Pillman but Sandman gets dropped. Back in and Dreamer gets powerbombed through the chairs for a pin at 8:08.

Rating: D+. I’m not sure why I didn’t mind this as much as the Ring of Honor match from Sandman. Maybe it’s how serious that was treated compared to this, but for some reason this was a lot more acceptable. For one thing Sandman wasn’t doing much here and that’s best for everyone. His entrance is still cool and that’s why you bring him in. Not a very good match, but the ending was the right call.

Dreamer and Sandman get the heroes’ farewell.

Next week: MJF vs. Hart for the Middleweight Title.

The Lucha Bros say they’ll be around MLW. They’ll fight anyone anywhere anytime because they’re the best tag team in the world.

Tom Lawlor staggers out of a strip club, seemingly still drunk from last night with the title. That was funny.

Overall Rating: C. This one really did fit the idea of a fusion of a bunch of styles and that’s a good idea. You had three different matches on here and it made for a very breezy show. As usual, MLW is good at being able to go through a bunch of stuff without having any of them seem weak or unimportant. It keeps things fresh and that was the case here.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/11/20/new-paperback-complete-1997-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: WWE

Fusion #42
Date: February 1, 2019
Location: Scottish Rites Temple, Miami, Florida
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Rich Bocchini

So because I’m not allowed to get caught up with all the shows I’ve missed over the last month, there’s this show, which aired the night before their big SuperFight special and isn’t even on their YouTube page. I can’t find a single mention of this show on their site either, but for the sake of completion, let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Ricky Martinez vs. Fred Yehi

Well if I just have to deal with more Salina. Yehi muscles him over with an early German suplex and hits some loud strikes in the corner. A running kick to the head makes it even worse as it’s all Yehi so far. Martinez goes simple by ax handling him in the back of the head, followed by a dropkick to the side of the head for two. A pop up knee to the face keeps Yehi in trouble and Martinez does the Madison Rayne faceplants into the mat. Yehi blocks the last one though and pops up with a brainbuster for two of his own. Back up and Martinez gets in a quick poke to the eye, setting up a rollup for the pin at 3:57.

Rating: D+. This was a weird one as they were setting up a back and forth match and then just ended it out of nowhere. What we got was good enough and both guys are capable of having a rather nice match, but instead they went with the short form idea. Martinez going after the eye ties into his feud with Kotto Brazil, but they could have expanded this one by a good while.

Video on Tom Lawlor vs. Low Ki.

Low Ki is in Orlando and talks about everyone he’s beaten as champion. You get to the top based on skill instead of who you train with and Lawlor will find that out tomorrow night.

We see clips of Low Ki’s reign of terror, including winning the title, taking Fenix’s mask, ripping off Daga’s ear and stabbing Konnan.

SuperFight Control Center, including the matches taking place in the upcoming weeks.

Lawlor is tired of hearing all the talk from Low Ki and Salina so on Saturday, it’s time to fight. He still can’t talk very well, but he’s certainly trying.

We look at Lawlor’s path to the title, starting with Battle Riot and wins over Jake Hager, Shane Strickland and Sami Callihan.

Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Tommy Dreamer

Empty Arena match taped earlier in the day. Pillman comes through the stands and brags about being trained in Calgary, which brings Dreamer up the steps for some very un-PG language as the fight begins. Pillman sends him head first into a wall and into what looks like a closet where Dreamer gets hit with a metal sign. Back down the steps we go and Dreamer gets a chain put in his mouth.

Dreamer is back up with a trashcan to the head as a referee asks if Brian wants to quit. Uh, the lack of an audience doesn’t mean there aren’t rules here. Could we have some control here people? They fight outside with Dreamer being sent into a wall and calling down some steps. They choke each other a lot until Dreamer suplexes him on some grass.

It’s time to head back inside again and they wind up in a kitchen, with Dreamer getting both mayonnaise and a door stop to the head. A low blow gets Dreamer out of trouble and Pillman starts to beg off from the threat of a light tube to the head. Pillman crawls out of the ring and says thank you as the fight ends at about 6:45.

Rating: D. What am I supposed to say about this? It wasn’t a match by any traditional definition and it wasn’t particularly good as they didn’t do anything that hadn’t been done before. The ending means we’re not done yet and for lack of a better term, Dreamer won. This felt like they had an initial idea but didn’t bother to figure out where it was going to go in the end.

One last rundown for SuperFight wraps us up.

Overall Rating: D+. This was the most skippable show the company has ever had as it was more or less their version of a Kickoff Show. I can understand why it wasn’t immediately uploaded to their YouTube page because it’s not like anything on here was meaningful in the slightest. It’s not the worst show in the world and it did a nice job of setting up the main event, but this might as well have been some kind of special instead of a regular show.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/11/20/new-paperback-complete-1997-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: Major League Wrestling

Fusion #38
Date: January 11, 2019
Location: Scottish Rite Temple, Miami, Florida
Commentators: Rich Bocchini, Tony Schiavone

We’re still down in Miami and it’s time for a fairly big show. This time around we have Tommy Dreamer vs. Brian Pillman Jr. in a Singapore cane match, which should be a win for Pillman, assuming there is any form of sanity left in the world. Other than that, the build towards Super Fight continues, which should mean more Tom Lawlor vs. Low Ki. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with Lawlor outside of Promociones Dorado’s office where Salina de la Renta and Sami Callihan are arguing over a bounty. Apparently she wants Sami to take Lawlor out tonight, which Tom hears. I’ll take that over the camera inexplicably being in the room instead.

Opening sequence.

Low Ki says he’s been undefeated in MLW for fifteen years and has run through everyone in front of him. He’s not going to lose anytime soon because one day he’ll retire as the greatest champion ever.

Dragon Lee vs. Rich Swann

Swann doesn’t seem to think much of the fans, which is quite the abrupt heel turn. Lee takes over with an early front facelock as we hear about him being on a reality show. An exchange of armdrags goes to a standoff and the pace picks up in a hurry with an exchange of trips into an exchange of one counts. Not bad for about two minutes, meaning it’s a nice exchange rate. The offer of a test of strength turns into Swann dancing, which at least ties into his norm.

Swann flips over him and hits a dropkick before dusting himself off a bit. Some chops in the corner let Swann swagger a bit until Lee knocks him outside. Lee strikes a quick pose ala Andrade Cien Almas so Swann pounds him down back inside. With Swann favoring his wrist, he goes with kicks to the ribs instead to keep Lee down. Lee gets sat on top and it’s time to go after the mask, because of course that’s what you do.

That’s enough for Lee to come back and hit a slingshot dropkick in the corner and pick up the pace. A sliding knee to the face gets two but Swann kicks him in the ribs and hits a running flip Fameasser of all things. Lee snaps off a reverse hurricanrana but Swann pops up and kicks the heck out of his jaw for the double knockdown. There’s another kick to the head to rock Lee but the Phoenix Splash misses, setting up the Dragon Driver to give Lee the pin at 10:53.

Rating: B-. Swann’s random heel turn aside, it’s a good opener with Lee getting to show off. This company certainly does love its luchadors and they’re entertaining, though at some point you have to have some people beat them instead of giving them win after win like this. It’s what got Ring of Honor in trouble with New Japan and that’s not a good thing.

Sami Callihan is looking for Tom Lawlor and yells at Ace Romero for not knowing where he is.

Brian Pillman Jr. hits his cane against a wall and says that’s the sound it made when it hit Kevin Sullivan’s head. Pillman is tired of old men telling him to get off his lawn because it’s Pillman’s lawn now. Dreamer keeps hanging on too long and it’s time for Pillman to use weapons just like Dreamer does. Tonight, Pillman is taking him out. We can only hope.

Video on Lawlor vs. Low Ki at Super Fight.

Lawlor runs into Team Filthy teammate Fred Yehi and tells him to tell Callihan that he’s warming up in a side room by the kitchen.

Tommy Dreamer vs. Brian Pillman Jr.

Singapore Cane match, meaning the canes are legal. Pillman’s (who is smart enough to wear multiple layers of clothing to block some of the pain) first swing is blocked so it’s time for the pain to begin. A swinging neckbreaker takes Pillman down and Dreamer sends him outside. Dreamer borrows a beer from a fan and spits it in Pillman’s face so we can hit that ECW chant. They head into the crowd with Dreamer ripping off one of Pillman’s shirts to find another one as the logic is certainly there.

Dreamer gets crotched on the barricade and superkicked though as Pillman gets in his first offense. Pillman stays smart by caning Dreamer’s hands, followed by a middle rope cane shot to the head. Some finger bending keeps Dreamer in trouble so Pillman grabs the regular cane. The intelligence goes flying out the window as Pillman goes up top while Dreamer is holding a cane of his own.

Dreamer comes back with the Flip Flop and Fly as the announcers get into a debate over who exploits someone more: Dreamer with Dusty Rhodes of Pillman Jr. with Pillman. I’ll let you figure out why that doesn’t really work as Dreamer bends him over a chair and gets in a cane shot to the exposed back. A drop toehold sends Dreamer into the chair and it’s time for more caning. Of course that fires Dreamer up enough to make the comeback with cane shots of his own. A cutter gets two but Pillman is right back with a low blow into a swinging neckbreaker for the pin at 9:29.

Rating: D+. Nothing that we haven’t seen done better in other brawls but it’s good to see Pillman get the win on his own. Dreamer putting someone over is fine in theory but when he keeps doing it over and over again, it doesn’t quite have much of an impact. Nothing great here but at least the right person won.

Yehi tells Callihan where Lawlor is and gets a box knocked out of his hands.

Mance Warner is coming.

We look back at Konnan’s recent assaults, which may have caused Pentagon to lose to Teddy Hart.

Super Fight Control Center. New matches: Ace Romero vs. Simon Gotch II, Rey Horus vs. Aerostar and Mance Warner’s debut. Apparently it’s much anticipated, even though I don’t remember the name being mentioned until two minutes ago.

MLW World Title: Low Ki vs. Fred Yehi

Low Ki is defending. It’s a grapple off to start with Yehi taking him into the corner but getting caught in an armbar over the top. That’s broken up and we reset in a hurry. Yehi blasts him with a shot to the face and takes the champ down to work on the leg. That’s broken up so Yehi sends him into the corner for a breather. Some shots to the foot and leg have Low Ki in trouble and a quick cradle gets two. Low Ki knocks him down with a hard shot though and a really painful looking top rope double stomp to the back finishes Yehi at 4:29. I still don’t know how they can do that without some severe injuries.

Rating: C-. This was fun while it lasted but it didn’t have the time to go anywhere. Giving Low Ki a win before the title match is a good idea as Lawlor has been so hot lately that you have to give him something to even things out. Yehi is good, though he’s been away for so long that the win didn’t mean as much as it would have before.

Callihan, carrying a hammer, goes to find Lawlor and heads into a side room. A fight is heard and Lawlor comes out with the hammer, which has some blood on it. Lawlor licks the blood off to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. The rise of Lawlor continues and it’s all but time to wrap everything up with the big title change at Super Fight. Having him take out Callihan to end the show is a good idea and there doing some rather solid stuff up and down the card. The middleweights continue to go well and I’m wanting to see where some of these stories go. That’s a good place to be as we head into a major show.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/11/20/new-paperback-complete-1997-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: Major League Wrestling

Fusion #33
Date: November 30, 2018
Location: Cicero Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Rich Bocchini

We’re still in Chicago after last week’s explosion from Shane Strickland. That seems to be his final night for the company, but the question now is where do things go from here. The Miami shows should cover them for most of the time until the big February show, but until then we’ve got some time left to fill. Let’s get to it.

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

Salina de la Renta is rubbing some rocks together and speaking a different language. Her fingers are bleeding and she licks the blood while saying LA Park. So is she a witch now?

Opening sequence.

There will be a live version of Fusion on December 14 from Miami. Cool.

Here’s Simon Gotch for his Prize Fight Challenge, but first he talks about having a lot of filthy history around here. To be the best you need funds though, so tonight it’s $10,000 on the line against anyone filthy enough to take the money from him.

Simon Gotch vs. Ariel Dominguez

Dominguez is about as big as Rey Mysterio. Gotch wastes no time in throwing him down and lays in some forearms in the corner. A buckle bomb doesn’t quite work as Dominguez isn’t big enough to reach the corner. The cradle piledriver finishes Dominguez at 1:26.

Post match Gotch shoves the money in Dominguez’s mouth and gives him another piledriver. How Ted DiBiase of him.

We look back at MJF jumping Kotto Brazil last week. Kotto has promised to be ready for Miami.

MJF says there won’t be a ladder match in Miami, because he’s better than that. He is NOT afraid of heights but he’s not going to do the match because it’s not worth his time. Like the interviewer.

Tommy Dreamer was excited to fight Brian Pillman Jr. because he knew his dad. Now though, he has to teach a skinny jeaned millennial (ERG) some respect, because he’d rather fight than insult people on those podcasts that everyone has. I heard a similar promo on Eli Drake on this week’s Impact. Moral of the story: STOP HAVING TOMMY DREAMER AS A FEATURED PERFORMER!

Stokely Hathaway likes domination and is here to take MLW to new heights. Whoever he manages, they will right the wrongs of MLW.

Tommy Dreamer vs. Brian Pillman Jr.

Dreamer works on a wristlock to start and Pillman bails tot he corner like he probably should. That’s enough for a standoff and Dreamer’s chop just seems to annoy Pillman. The snap jabs have some more luck and there’s the Flip Flop and Fly. They head outside so Dreamer can spit beer in his face but takes too long trying to hammer in the corner, allowing Pillman to superkick him in the leg.

We hit the chinlock for a bit until Pillman lets it go and drops an elbow. The conversation stays on Pillman and the Harts turning on Kevin Sullivan, with Tony comparing it to Larry Zbyszko and Bruno Sammartino. I don’t think it’s that severe just yet. Dreamer gets two off a cutter but gets chopped hard, which seems to hurt Dreamer’s neck. Pillman grabs the cane but the referee takes it away, allowing Dreamer to hit a low blow for the pin at 6:34.

Rating: D. My head hurts again. The match wasn’t the worst but I’m so sick of seeing Dreamer anywhere, let alone pinning anyone. They had a story here and it helped a bit, but my goodness this is the second time in a week I’ve seen Dreamer in a big match. Are there no other veterans available? Or a veteran who can talk about more than legends and hardcore?

Post match Dreamer raises his hand, and gets taken down by a neckbreaker because Pillman is a villain. Pillman unloads on him with the cane and here’s Teddy Hart to raise Pillman’s hand. Teddy leaves and Pillman adds another neckbreaker. Good. Now take some time off TV. Like seventeen years or so.

Konnan says there’s bad blood in the title match but his boys will be ready.

Tom Lawlor calls Gotch a liar who wasn’t really family. Gotch chose the short term over the long term and he won’t be able to use that money and the gold watch because Lawlor is going to break every one of his fingers.

Miami control center. Added to the first night: Teddy Hart vs. Pentagon, Rush vs. Shane Strickland (well that’s a surprise), Dragon Lee vs. Rich Swann, DJZ vs. El Hijo De LA Park and Andrew Everett vs. Dezmond Xavier.

For the live show on December 14: Dreamer vs. Pillman Jr. in a Singapore Cane match, Rush vs. Rich Swann, Ace Romero vs. Barrington Hughes, Dragon Lee vs. DJZ and Low Ki vs. Konnan (I’m still curious about that one) and MJF vs. Dezmond Xavier vs. Kotto Brazil vs. Jason Cade vs. Andrew Everett in a five way ladder match for the Middleweight Title. I kind of want to see the show, save for the Dreamer match because somehow Dreamer is getting a match on a featured show.

Tag Team Titles: Lucha Bros vs. LA Park/El Hijo De LA Park

The Parks are challenging and have Salina de la Renta with them while the champs have Konnan. This is under “Mexican” rules, which means tornado. The slugout is on to start with the champs getting kicked in the face to cut them off. Hijo takes Fenix outside for a crotching on the barricade, followed by a broken piece of table to the head (I guess Mexican rules mean no DQ). Some chair shots, including using one for a crotching (egads man), keep Fenix in trouble.

Park chairs Pentagon in the head and Fenix gets the same as the skeletons are in full control. To keep things even, Pentagon gets crotched against the post, with Fenix taking a THIRD crotching a few seconds later. Somehow Fenix is fine enough to hit a double Lethal Injection, followed by Pentagon’s back to back Sling Blades. The champs nail some running dives over the top, with Fenix banging his elbow up in the process. Back in and the champs whip Hijo with Park’s belt, followed by a 619 into the wheelbarrow splash for two.

Park tries to come in as well and eats a pair of superkicks for his efforts. With nothing else working, Park backdrops his son to the apron, allowing him to come back in for some stereo tilt-a-whirl backbreakers. That means stereo suicide dives from the skeletons as the fans are WAY into this one. Everyone misses something from the top though and things slow down a good bit. Fenix tries his springboard hurricanrana but gets caught in a top rope Spanish Fly for two, even as Park spears Pentagon down.

A hanging double stomp to the back knocks Fenix silly on the floor as his very rough night continues. Hijo makes the mistake of trying his luck with Pentagon, earning himself a suplex into the corner. That means a showdown between Park and Pentagon, which I don’t think means as much as they think it does. They chop it out until Park gets two off a clothesline. Pentagon is fine enough to kick Park’s leg out and hits the top rope double stomp for two.

Fenix finally gets back up and casually sidesteps a dropkick from Hijo. A rolling cutter puts Hijo down but he jumps onto Fenix’s back, spins around a bit, and pulls Fenix into a Canadian Destroyer for two. The Black Fire Driver gets the same on Hijo and it’s Pentagon coming back in with a chair to Hijo’s back. Park is fine enough to take out Pentagon’s knee though and a basement dropkick gets two.

The Backstabber out of the cover gives Pentagon the same but the dive is broken up by Hijo’s chair to the head. Fenix comes back in and kicks away at Hijo but gets sent outside for a twisting Asai moonsault. Park headbutts Pentagon down and the delayed cover gets two. Back up and Pentagon kicks Park low, leaving Hijo to take the spike Fear factor. Fenix hits a big flip dive through the ropes onto Park and flies into the crowd as Pentagon retains the titles at 21:08.

Rating: B-. Well that was long. I’m not sure how epic the skeletons are as a team but Park was doing well enough, overly large stomach aside. Other than that, you have the small Hijo who is fine but nothing special. It’s cool to have brothers vs. a father and son, though that’s about all this has going for it. Not bad, but nothing I’m going to remember as anything great.

Overall Rating: C-. Pretty flat show here as they seem to be holding the fort until we get to Miami. That’s not the worst idea in the world and this week certainly wasn’t terrible, but it’s also not thrilling. The main event is the best part by far, but even that’s not a great match. The Miami cards are looking good though and that’s what matters at the moment.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/11/20/new-paperback-complete-1997-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: November 29, 2018
Location: Sam’s Town Hotel & Gaming Hall, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Don Callis, Josh Matthews

We’re getting closer and closer to Homecoming and that could mean some interesting build as the final few weeks remain. Considering the last two episodes of the year are going to be Best Of shows, there’s only so much time remaining to really make things going. Hopefully the company figures that out and starts pushing things. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening recap looks at a little bit of everything around here, which is something that they do very well. It makes extra sense after last week’s nothing show too.

Opening sequence.

Willie Mack/Rich Swann vs. Lucha Bros

Swann and Fenix start things off and go with some grappling, only to have the flip into a standoff. Fenix flips across the ring but Swann flips over him for the second standoff in a row. With nothing having happened, we’ll go off to Mack vs. Pentagon for some Lucha Underground flavor. Pentagon throws up CERO MIEDO but Mack gets in his face too. We finally get to some offense as they slug it out but a four way knockdown ensues without much effort.

Mack kicks Pentagon in the face again and snaps off a hurricanrana. A Samoan drop into the standing moonsault set up Swann’s middle rope 450 but Fenix is right back with a double Lethal Injection. Pentagon follows that up with a pair of Sling Blades and it’s the What’s Up Double stomp to Swann, which still looks painful. Swann is fine enough to break up Fenix’s springboard, leaving Mack to Pounce Pentagon to the floor. The running flip dive has Pentagon in more trouble but it’s time for Swann and Fenix to hit their own dives.

Back from a break with Mack chopping Fenix down and then for a change, Mack chops Fenix down. Fenix goes with a spinning kick to the face but Swann breaks up something off the top. Pentagon isn’t having that though as it’s the spike Fear Factor onto the apron to crush Swann. Back in and a springboard headbutt sets up the wheelbarrow flip splash to finish Mack at 15:41.

Rating: B. The Bros are great of course but egads Mack and Swann have been killing it as a team. They compliment each other so well and Mack is as talented and charismatic of a guy as they’ve had on the roster in a long time now. The tag division is starting to get somewhere and either of these teams would be fine for some challengers, even though it’s clear that we’re getting LAX vs. the Lucha Bros in the most awesome match in like forever.

Post match here’s LAX minus Konnan to congratulate the Lucha Bros on the win. They’ve already beaten the best teams in the world, but now they want the Lucha Bros. The match is set for Homecoming.

Next week: qualifying matches for Ultimate X at Homecoming.

Video on Brian Cage, who is ready to finally get his chance to be on top.

LAX comes in to see Konnan, who isn’t cool with them making that announcement. He’s worried about the personal issues that have flared up in the past when we try to have dream matches. Konnan has to do something now and leaves.

Katarina vs. Jordynne Grace

They grapple a bit to start with the much bigger Grace winning the power battle. The whip spinebuster gets two but it’s too early for the bearhug. Katarina gets in some shots in the corner and puts on the reverse chinlock to little avail. The fireman’s carry just isn’t happening so Katarina switches to the top rope DDT for two. A heck of a Pounce sends Katarina flying and hits some running knees in the corner. There’s a Vader Bomb and the bearhug makes Katarina tap at 6:10.

Rating: D+. This could have been worse but, again, they don’t seem eager to push Grace as the unstoppable monster that she could be. She’s a different kind of talent but for some reason they won’t let her just go crazy out there. It’s not like Katarina has much going or her, so just let her get beaten up like a ragdoll out there.

KM and Fallah Bahh have lost their money gambling because they’re not all that bright. Scarlett Bordeaux shows up and says a lot of people are trying to get her attention.

Classic Moment of the Week: Low Ki wins Ultimate X last August.

Video on Tessa Blanchard vs. Taya Valkyrie.

A referee comes in to see Tessa and tells her that she can’t beat up referees. Yeah whatever.

Tommy Dreamer, now in a Superstar Billy Graham shirt because he hasn’t paid homage to enough legends yet, talks about how Eli Drake is everything he hates about people today. Drake is an entitled millennial you see and tries to be the Rock and Steve Austin. Yes TOMMY DREAMER just said someone is trying to be someone else. Drake lost the title and has just been mediocre since then and he’s not ending Dreamer’s career. Dreamer is done when he says he is.

Taya Valkyrie vs. Rae Lyn

Rae ducks behind her and dances to start so Taya hits a forearm in the corner. That earns her a middle rope dropkick to give Rae two but Taya is right back with the running hip attack in the corner. Rae slips out of the Road to Valhalla and dances some more, earning herself a curb stomp and a modified STF for the tap at 2:45. Good idea to add a new move to her arsenal as she can only ride the Road to Valhalla for so long.

Post match Tessa runs in and beats Taya down. The referee from earlier comes in for the save and gets punched in the face. More referees come in and get beaten up….so GAIL KIM makes the save, because OF COURSE SHE FREAKING DOES!

Video on Johnny Impact being ready to defend the title against anyone, including Cage.

Killer Kross again offers his assistance to Impact but gets turned down. That’s not cool with Kross.

Rascalz vs. Chris Bey/Mike Sydal

The Rascalz are a trio with Trey Miguel, Dezmond Xavier and Zachary Wentz with Miguel sitting out this time. Dezmond headlocks Sydal to start and flips away from some early shots to the ribs. Sydal has no idea where Dezmond is and it’s off to Wentz for some yelling. Bey comes in and gets yelled at, followed by a Bronco Buster.

Some rapid fire kicks and a double stomp have Sydal in more trouble and there are the stereo suicide dives, which you had to know were coming. Back in and some kicks put Sydal down before Wentz does a standing moonsault….from about a foot away from Sydal’s feet. Not that it matters as Xavier shoves him over so the moonsault hits the chest for the pin at 3:09. That’s certainly a unique finisher and it looked rather cool.

Rating: C. This was a good looking debut for the Rascalz, who had some great chemistry and some sweet offense. You can always have room for another high flying team like this, especially when they’re a little bit different than the Lucha Bros or LAX. Throw in the option of Miguel for a little change of pace later on and you have a good act here.

Kiera Hogan doesn’t believe that Allie is fully evil because Allie didn’t attack her when she had the chance. Allie can fight this.

Eddie Edwards is in a mental hospital with Alisha Edwards saying she had no choice. The doctor comes in and says the medicine Eddie is on takes some time to work. Alisha and the doctor leave and we come back to Moose coming in to see Eddie. Moose even has a book, called Anything Is Possible: The Eddie Edwards Story. He wants to know why all the important parts are missing. Like Eddie abandoning Moose or Alisha walking out on him. The book is a fraud…and that’s it.

We look back at Alisha having Eddie committed. Shouldn’t that have come first?

Eli Drake says his issues aren’t with hardcore wrestling. Apparently he touched a nerve in Tommy Dreamer and tonight, Dreamer is going to the retirement home.

Matt Sydal talks to Ethan Page about how his path to success keeps messing up. Page tries to calm him down but Sydal wants to show him the path to the X-Division Title. Next week: they’ll meet in an Ultimate X qualifying match.

Eli Drake vs. Tommy Dreamer

They circle each other for a long time, likely as Dreamer needs a bit of a breather from walking down to the ring. Drake shoulders him down and more circling ensues. Dreamer can’t get anywhere with a wristlock so Drake talks a lot of trash. A cutter sends Drake to the floor…and he takes the countout. Actually hang on as we’re restarting this as a No DQ match. Wouldn’t No Countout make more sense here?

Anyway we’re back with Dreamer spitting water in Drake’s face on the stage. Dreamer grabs the trashcan full of weapons and hits him with a box of donuts, of course stopping for a bite. Drake gets drenched with some water, which only seems to wake him up as he suplexed Dreamer onto the ramp. A catapult sends Dreamer’s throat first into the bottom rope and a jumping neckbreaker gets two. The chair is set up for the drop toehold for two on Dreamer so Drake picks the chair up.

A middle rope chair shot is blocked by a raised boot but the Dreamer DDT is countered with a leg trip to send Dreamer into the chair again. The DDT connects for two a few seconds later but Drake hits him low and nails the Gravy Train….for two? Egads man why is Tommy Dreamer kicking out of a former World Champion’s finisher? With nothing else working, Drake puts a chair around Dreamer’s neck and hits the chair with an oar for the pin at 12:04.

Rating: D-. I’ve complained about Tommy Dreamer wrestling at this level and with the same stories over and over again so we’ll look at Drake here. I still find him to be one of the best and most talented people on the entire roster and he should be doing something other than this. Hopefully he gets to beat Abyss at Homecoming and move on to something more important and better, rather than beating up Dreamer in main events.

Post match Drake goes to the back and finds a present addressed to him. He opens the card and finds a message which freaks him out to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. The show was entertaining enough and the strong opener balanced out the dreadful main event. They’re getting closer to having a solid pay per view card, though again the main event scene isn’t the most thrilling in the world. It often comes off as an afterthought and that gets a little annoying over time. These videos don’t do much and the lack of any kind of personal issue doesn’t help either. The rest of the show is looking fine, but it’s missing that spark. Anyway, fine show this week, but nothing really worth seeing.

Results

Lucha Bros b. Rich Swann/Willie Mack – Wheelbarrow splash to Mack

Jordynne Grace b. Katarina – Bearhug

Taya Valkyrie b. Rae Lyn – STF

Rascalz b. Mike Sydal/Chris Bey – Standing moonsault to Sydal

Eli Drake b. Tommy Dreamer – Drake wrapped a chair around Dreamer’s neck and hit it with an oar

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/11/20/new-paperback-complete-1997-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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