REVIEW: IMPACT! WRESTLING - November 15, 2018: A rematch made, A challenge thrown down, and the Dark Bunny surfaces!
This week's episode of IMPACT! provided some okay action, but did set the stage for the next PPV - HOMECOMING. We had Tessa Blanchard in action, Johnny Impact defending the Championship against Matt Sydal, LAX made an appearance, Su Yung was also in the ring tonight, and yet more from Eli Drake.
Show started off with Tessa Blanchard taking on newbie Ray Lyn. Lyn got some shots in on the Knockouts champion in this bout, but it wasn't enough as Tessa dominated this match early and often. Several body blows and strikes to the back of the head for both women to feel each other out. Then Tessa went to work. She hit Lyn with a beautiful facebreaker and a cutter on Lyn, before mouthing with the ref. She continues to pile on the offense. At one point, Lyn gets the offense attack back, hits Tessa with a knee, and then a flying hurricanrada and a dropkick, but Tessa proves to be too much as she continues clubbing her, and finishing her off with a turnbuckle powerbomb and an a buzzsaw DDT for the pin and the win.
Tessa then gets on the mic, and starts trash talking Taya Valkyrie, mocking her marriage to IMPACT! Champion Johnny Impact, and says that's why Taya is popular, and mocks her as to why she's used every excuse in the book as to why she's not Knockouts Champion. Tessa feels she's better than Taya. After mocking her about her husband, that's when Taya came out, and cause Tessa to run up the ramp. Taya says Tessa better be ready, because January 6th at Homecoming, she's got her title shot!
KM & Fallah Bahh are backstage, and KM lets Fallah know they're out to impress Scarlett tonight by taking on LAX.
We get this promo from a new group called The Razcals, who put on this cheap "That 70's Show" skit.
KM & Fallah Bahh square off against LAX. Both teams get in some offense early, with some early chain wrestling from Bahh and Santana. Both men shake hands, and then Santana uses it to deliver an enziguri, and LAX goes to work. They double team Bahh, work on his arm. Bahh takes control, starts kicking LAx, but they toss him from the ring. Action gets back inside, and KM delivers a body slam and a standing elbow drop to Ortiz. Bahh comes in and they pound on Ortiz. He reverses moves and gives and elbow and dropkick to re-assert command of the match. Santana tags in, but is met by KM when he tries a bodyblock with KM trying to deliver a bodyslam, but Santana reverses and delivers several kicks to KM's head. Then a flying senton splash. 2 count for Santana, tags in Ortiz. They go for a double suplex, but KM reverses it! Double suplex of his own, and Fahh tags in, delivers a double crossbody to LAX in their respective corners. He then uses his backside splash to both. Fahh with a samoan drop on Santana, only a 2 count! Fahh tries to go for a splash, but LAX avoids him, and he's out of the ring. They double team KM with a springboard lionsault to get the victory.
Backstage, Ortiz is giving Santana grief about how Bahh dominated them in the match. They bring up the OGz, and wonder why they've been quite, and Konnan says to stop worrying about them. The Lucha Bros. disposed of them. LAX feel that their next tag title defense should be "in the family", and want to give the Lucha Bros. the chance, but Konnan says this isn't the right time.
Heather Monroe is another newbie to the IMPACT! scene, and she gets the unfortunate challenge of former Knockouts champ, Su Yung. Kiera Hogan comes out and warns Monroe about Su...saying that she's left a trail of bodies in her wake, and to be careful.
Matt Sydal and Ethan Page are saying they need to separate themselves from the pack, and Sydal says that he's going to use the power of the "third eye" to help guide him to glory against Johnny Impact tonight. He says he sees right through Johnny.
The Desi Hit Squad are lazing about in Vegas, mocking America and Thanksgiving Day. Gama Singh says that he will show up next week, and ruin Thanksgiving for everyone.
Eli Drake comes out, and says he's finally rid of Abyss. He's used this lawsuit to get to Abyss because he's the last of a dying breed. Meaning that he's the only one who can grab an audience and not put his body at risk. It was all about getting rid of the stunts and gimmicks, and to put all the focus on Eli Drake. That doesn't sit will with Tommy Dreamer, who comes out and lectures Eli and what it means to be hardcore, and lists the men who busted their asses to entertain the crowds Insulting the fans is like insulting Tommy himself. Eli mocks Tommy, says he can't touch him in the ring or on the mic. Tommy gets pissed off and says he wants to fight. Both men ditch their coats, but Eli bails the ring before anything happens.
Alisha Edwards is in the back pleading with Moose to stay away from Eddie, because Eddie's not done with him. Moose says if he sees Eddie, he'll just beat him up again like he did last week. It didn't take too much longer after that, when Eddie comes rushing in, and starts wailing on Moose. Alisha can't control Eddie, and he and Moose start duking it out until 3 guys in blue hospital like outfits grab Eddie and hold him off. Moose gets a couple of shots in before Eddie's carted away, with his wife apologizing to him trailing behind them.
Backstage yet again, and we see the refs discussing how Tessa Blanchard decked one of them last week, and that can't be happening again. Scarlett Bordeaux comes up to the refs, flirts, and says she likes men of authority.
Matt Sydal and Johnny Impact face off. Series of reversals before Sydal nails Impact in the gut with a kick. Impact gets Sydal in a headlock, and more reversals happen. A series on the ropes leads to a standing moonsault, that Sydal counters. Johnny sweeps his legs, goes for a standing shooting star press, only a 2 count. Tossed into the corner, Sydal avoids Impact, and Johnny hits the floor. Matt works Impact's spine a little, gets him back into the ring. Johnny tries a sunset flip on Matt, and another 2 count. Sydal gets Impact locked up with his knees and face, but Impact breaks the hold. Sitting corner dropkick by Matt, but only a 2 count again. Impact fights back, but Sydal attempts a spinning heel kick and misses, Impact nails Sydal with a backbreaker. Impact with a flying kick of his own, followed by a shining wizard, still only gets a 2 count. Impact with an attempted neckbreaker, Sydal breaks it with a knee. Johnny fights back, delivers a german suplex, but Ethan Page gets up on the apron to distract the Champ, but Sydal only manages a 2 count. Another springboard shining wizard from Impact to Sydal, but no pin. Impact tries to go for the Starship Pain, but Page drags Sydal out of the ring. Impact with a parkour dive on Page, and sends him reeling. Sydal takes advantage, and kicks Impact's head against the barrier. Sets him up for a shooting star press, but Impact is up, and Sydal hits a meteora. Impact delivers his neckbreaker and Starship Pain for the win.
After the match, Killer Kross comes out to admit that Johnny got the better of him last week, but reminds Johnny that he has no friends in the back, and that he could use one...Kross. Kross reiterates that change needs to happen, but maybe it's not HIM that's the leader of change...maybe it's Johnny. The Champ says a big fat "NO" to Kross, and leaves the ring.
Katerina meets up with Jordynne Grace, and says they should team up, they'd be a powerful tag team. Thick Mama Pump is having none of it, and challenges Katerina in two weeks.
Su Yung meets up with Heather Monroe in the ring. Monroe does her best to get some offense in with some forearm blows, but Su proves she's too much for the young star. Su kicks her multiple times, lands a devestating neckbreaker off the top rope. Monroe tries to get in more offense, but a right handed palm smash ends the threat. She lands the Panic Switch, but refuses to pin...instead, it's the bloody glove mandible claw that Su clamps on for the submission win. After the match, Su looks to feast upon her prey some more, before Kiera Hogan comes out and tosses Su from the ring. Hogan checks on Monroe until this dark music hits. It's Allie! Garbed all in black, with a bloody veil over her head. She's got face paint on, and a dead look in her eye. She gets in the ring, and Hogan tries to reason with her. With her back to Su, Su attacks Hogan and delivers a Panic Switch to her. Allie just looks down at her with no emotion at all. Su grabs Allie by the arm to lead her away, and there's slight hesitation, before Allie relents and leaves with Su. The bubbly Allie has completely lost her soul, and the Dark Bunny now belongs to Su Yung.
Our Main Event of the night sees another match up between Sami Callahan and Brian Cage for the X-Division Championship. There has been A LOT of bad blood over the last few weeks between these two, and the score would be settled here. As the bell rings, Cage is all over Callahan, pounding on him and delivering a series of clotheslines until Callahan meets him with a foot to the face. Sami hits the ropes for a clothesline, but Cage is doing his best Hulk Hogan imitation, and it's not fazing him. Sami hits a few more, to no avail. Cage clotheslines him, and tosses Callahan around the ring like a rag doll, before doing some curls and delivering a fall away slam. Into the ropes, and Callahan reverses, delivers a hurricanrada to Cage, who responds with one of his own. Off the ropes again, and Cage hits him with a dropkick.
Cage keeps the offense on, pounding Callahan and keeping him grounded, until Dave of oVe intervenes, drags Cage out of the ring. The ref spots them, and forces both members of oVe to the back. Match continues, with Cage giving Callahan a vertical suplex on the outside. Sami lands a brutal piledriver on the apron to Cage. He then uses the steel staris on Cage's legs, injuring one knee. Cage gets control again, delivers a kick to the head, then both men trade reversals until Cage delivers a sit down spine buster. 2 count. Cage goes for a powerbomb, but Sami turns it into a guillotine choke. Cage powers Sami to the corner, and attempts to climb the rope, but Sami delivers a death valley driver, which looked nasty, and Sami only gets a 2 count.
Both men slow to get up, Sami attempts a pile driver, but Cage reverses it to attempt a german suplex, but Sami counters that into an ankle lock. Cage gets to the rope for the break. Sami gets to the 2nd rope, and Cage catches him mid-air, but not enough to stop Sami from deliering a sunset flip powerbomb. Cage kicks out at 2. Cage delivers another powerbomb and a devestating drill claw for the pin and the win. Cage retains the X-Division Title.
Afterwards, Cage gets on the mic, and says he's cashing in his option, and giving up the X-Division Title to challenge Johnny Impact at Homecoming!
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This show had some pretty decent action. The KM/Bahh match with LAX was excellent, and SHOULD put KM & Bahh in the Tag Title conversation---they earned that tonight against LAX. It's good---LAX NEEDS to challenges instead of the OGz. It's time for that feud to end and move on. I'd also like to see a Lucha Bros./LAX match...that would be great! The Johnny Impact/Matt Sydal match wasn't too bad, but could've done without the Page interference. Still, it's a good build for the Champ and remain credible. And despite his words tonight, I still feel Killer Kross is NOT done with the Champion yet.
Tessa Blanchard in a squash tonight to prove her dominance. Loved that she threw shade at Taya, and that Taya gave it right back. Their match at Homecoming should be a a good one. But I feel it's just not quite the right time to take the belt off Tessa. She's doing some of the best heel work right now, and is very much taking a page or two out of dear old Dad's book.
The Desi Hit Squad....who honestly cares? I don't.
Scarlett Bordeaux looking like the minx that she is....moving on.
The Razcals? In a cheap, wasted bit of TV time trying to copy a bit from "That 70's Show"? No originality there. These guys don't look like much, and I certainly hope they wrestle better than they can cut a promo. That was crap.
Su Yung has finally gotten Allie over to the dark side. She is now complete with Dark Bunny music...and Kiera Hogan looks like our only hope right now to save her. But it may be too much to save Allie's soul. Rosemary is needed back immediately. Look, as cheesy and hokey as this story may come off to some, I credit EVERYONE involved for staying in character. I can see this prompts a heel turn for Allie of sorts, and with Rosemary HOPEFULLY back by the early part of 2019, we can finally see the Demon Assassin take on Su Yung and finish her once and for all...and save Allie's soul. But I believe that means having to battle the Dark Bunny for that soul, and these two go back a long ways..well...their dopplegangers do. I'm enjoying the hell outta this. Plus, it gives a big boost to Hogan as one of the big babyfaces on the Knockouts roster.
Eddie Edwards has lost it! He's obsessed with destroying Moose, and no matter what his wife Alisha does, it won't stop him. I feel a Homecoming match between these two with some kind of stipulation involved is coming.
Eli Drake's little fake out isn't something that's impressing me too much. I just think that this swerve to get rid of Abyss, of all people, is going to give him a rise? Then to bring out and piss off Tommy Dreamer...not doing yourself any favors there. Not sure what they have planned for Drake, but I do see an ass whipping by Dreamer in his future.
I thought that maybe Cage's and Sami Callahan's little feud would go on longer, but with Cage's win tonight, it's done. Cage is hunting for bigger fish, and he wants the top prize. Cage and Impact should make for a pretty decent match. One guy all power with great resiliency and intensity, the other, some power, lot of finesse, and high (dare I say) impact moves. It's a nice contrast that will HOPEFULLY make for a good main event at Homecoming, should the match be signed. It looks like the card is beginning to shape up. We'll check back next week as we hear more, with any luck, about more matches on the card.
Until then, hope you enjoyed the review, and, as always, feel free to comment and subscribe. I greatly appreciate it.
Until next week...
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