REVIEW: IMPACT! WRESTLING - November 8, 2018: Final Hour
This edition of IMPACT! was billed with the "Final Hour" portion of the show, and had some big matches built in for tonight's show. The OGz looked to rattle Konnan some more by taking out the Lucha Bros., Brian Cage travelled to Ohio to face Callahan with the X-Division Title on the line, Eddie Edwards and Moose continue their feud, and Johnny Impact defends the IMPACT! Title against Killer Kross. Plus, the debut of Jordynne Grace.
The OGz /w King v. The Lucha Bros: This match got off to an early brawl that spilled outside. As Hernandez runs over Fenix, Homicide tries to stab Pentagon. They continue to brawl outside, as Fenix and Hernandez make the ring. Everybody gets settled on their sides, and Fenix hits a springboard headbutt, King pulled Pentagon off the apron, and Fenix moonsaults everyone on the floor. Hernandez then does a flying cross body dive over the ropes onto everyone. OGz in control as they work over Pentagon. But the Luchas come back and get a superkick on Hernandez. Hit Lucha Wassup for a near fall. Pentagon launches Fenix in the air, who lands a splash on Hernandez. King tries to interfere, he gets superkicked for his troubles. Fenix then lands the 450 splash for the pin and the win.
We see backstage Konnan and LAX give props to the Luchas for a job well done.
Was a decent match, and had plenty of back and forth action. Have a feeling that these two teams are far from done.
Katerina v. Jordynne Grace: Thick Mama Pump makes her IMPACT! debut as she faces Katerina in a solo match. Not any real offense by Katerina, as she's tossed around by the much more powerful Grace. Katerina did manage to hit a DDT, but Jordynne bounced back nailed Katerina with a forearm, then polished her off with a bearhug. Pretty much a squash match to introduce Jordynne Grace to the crowd. In time, she'll be on Tessa Blanchard's radar.
X-DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP - Sami Callahan v. Brian Cage (C): Cage said he'd travel to Dayton, Ohio to battle Callahan, and he did just that. He arrived at the arena, and beat up a the Crist Bros., and a few more of Callahan's cronies before hitting the ring. He calls out Callahan, and Sami comes out with a fake belt. The two go at it, but it's all Cage, pounding down Callahan, and not allowing Sami much offense. Cage delivers a sit down slam and is ready to do more, when the Crist Bros. arrive to lead the attack. The bell rings, and the match is ruled a no contest, as Cage starts destroying everyone in the ring. As he disposes of Callahan and the Crist Bros., more of Callahan's local cronies come from the back to attack Cage. Cage fends them all off for awhile, but eventually the numbers game gets the best of him, and they put on a huge beatdown. Callahan hits Cage with the belt, and stands strong with the local crowd cheering as Cage is left helpless in the ring. I didn't care for the overabundance of interference from Callahan's cronies. He and the Crist Bros. should've been enough. Didn't like the way this match was shot, either. Wasn't sure what they were going for, but it didn't turn out all that well. Regardless, the heat between these two will not be cooled anytime soon
We get Taya Valkyrie calling out Tessa Blanchard again. Taya calls Tessa a coward, and when Tessa is ready to step up, Taya will be waiting.
Moose & Kross have an interview, saying what they'll do to Eddie Edwards and Johnny Impact, respectively.
KM & Fallah Bahh come across Scarlett Bordeaux. They state their case about being the talent that she's seeking. Bahh is about to go "Full Monty", when she states that if they win her something nice when the show is in Vegas, she'll consider them.
Eddie Edwards v. Moose: One of the big matches of the night pit these two former pals against each other. Edwards on the attack early with the kendo stick, and the match is on the outside as Edwards begins working over Moose. Edwards pours an ice bucket over Moose. Back in the ring, Moose lands a dropkick on Eddie to drop him to the floor. Moose back out to work on him. Moose stomps on him, and Eddie's head is under the ring. Moose does the slingshot with Eddie's head connecting with the ring. Moose with a bucket on Eddie's head, lands a huge kick. Both men are back in the ring, and the match actually starts officially. Moose continues to work over Eddie. Eddie tries a comeback, and gets to the top turnbuckle, but Moose dropkicks him off to the floor.Moose tries for a power bomb, but Eddie does a head scissors roll on him.Moose goes for a kick, but his foot lands on the apron, Eddie grabs it, and pounds on Moose. Eddie gets a sitting power slam, but Moose kicks out of the pinfall. Up on the rope, Moose lands a chokeslam on Eddie, but only gets a 2 count. Eddie lands a sit down slam of his own for the pin, Moose kicks out. Back and forth they both go with chops and elbows. Eddie clotheslines Moose. He gets back up, more blows exchanged. Eddie goes to the rope for a flying hedscissors, but Moose catches him and powerbombs him out onto he ramp. Alisha comes out to save Eddie. Moose goes for a spear, but Eddie moves out of the way, and Moose hits into the ring. Eddie can't avoid another one as Moose lands the spear and the pin for the win. Decent match, though both Eddie and Moose just come off slow in the ring. But otherwise, not a bad match.
Father James Mitchell shows up behind Allie and Kiera as they're talking in the stairway. Mitchell says that when he embraced the darkness, it made him the man he is...and that Allie should follow the darkness as well, and let it consume her. It's then Su Yung appears behind Mitchell. Allie takes their hands and is led away, eyes turning black, as Kiera can only watch on. It finally appears that Allie is embracing the darkness, having lost her soul in the Undead Realm. What will this mean for Kiera...will she have to battle Allie to save her---and where will Rosemary fit into all this?
Backstage, Alisha is trying to get Eddie to smarten up and forget about Moose...Eddie will have none of it.
Eli Drake comes out with Joseph Park. He again complains about how Abyss took him out on a table at Bound For Glory, says he's part of a dying breed. And because of all the objects strewn about the ring, Drake feels that him getting hurt made it an "unsafe working environment", and there is suing IMPACT!. Park reiterates Drake's words, but then Drake lowblows Park and starts pounding him. He starts looking under the ring for a chair, nails Park with it, and pounds him with it as well. All this segment did was make Drake look like a whiny baby, and hasn't done anything to draw him anymore heat than he already had. There's no one coming out to challenge him, or getting in his face and calling him out. How much longer do they expect this to go on---where's the payoff?
The champ is getting interviewed before the match, and he said that if Kross wanted a match, all he had to do was ask. Johnny vows to take Kross down.
IMPACT! CHAMPIONSHIP - Killer Kross v. Johnny Impact (C): Kross and Impact get face to face, Kross shoves Johnny. Johnny with a take down into an arm lock. Kross goes to work. Tries to suplex Johnny of the top, but Johnny block it. Moose get sup to cause interference, but the ref tells Moose he outta there, and it told to head to the back. Forearm exchange until Kross hits Johnny in the throat. Johnny is thrown outside. Kross gets him back into the ring. Leg takedown, and Kross goes to work. Johnny with a few deft moves and is about to leap off the rope onto Kross, but Kross catches him, and eventually slams him to the mat. Suplex attempt by Kross, but Johnny counters it, hits a shining wizard. Goes for a piledriver, and Kross tries to block, but Johnny hits it. Can't score the pinfall. Johnny attempts another pinfall, Kross kicks out. Swining neckbreaker by Johnny, still can't put Kross away. Johnny tries another move from the middle of the rope, but Kross pushes him off, and Johnny lands on the walkway. Both battle up the walk way, and Kross gets him onto his shoulders and gives him a razor's edge powerbomb. Johnny kicks out of the pin attempt. Kross with a semi Boston Crab, but Johnny gets to the ropes. Kross had the legs again, but Johnny reverses it into a cradle, Kross kicks out. Johnny lays a kick on Kross, and Kross slides out of the ring, his feet hooked on the ropes. Johhny goes to the apron and delivers a flying footstomp on Kross. Johnny gets him back into the ring, and tries for his finishing move, but Kross gets the knees up, and Johnny misses. Kross for a pin, but Johnny kicks out. Johnny sees that Kross is limp, but he's only playing possum, as he nails Johnny with consecutive suplexes. Kross tries for his clutch hold and Johnny gets out of it. Johnny with a hurricanrada. Johnny quickly delivers the Starship Ender, and scores the pinfall. Match was alright...didn't match the pace of the the OGz and Lucha Bros., and didn't have the brutality that Moose and Edwards had, but it's a good title defense for Johnny Impact, and we'll see where they go from here.
Was definitely a match heavy show, with very few segments, which I liked. No Desi Hit Squad this week, which was a bonus. My disappointment was the Cage/Callahan match, which I thought was poorly shot, and having every single one of the local talents pound Cage was a bit much. Allie's descent into darkness takes an interesting turn, as we have seen her with darker hair, darker clothes, and now, her joining up with Su and Father Mitchell, leaves Keira as our only hero, as we have seen the Slayer fall. Will we see an Evil Allie in the next few weeks? And what of Rosemary? When will SHE return to save her Bunny? I like that we get more of Taya and Tessa...knew THAT feud would be far from over. What can be done to up the stakes with Moose and Eddie Edwards? They'll have to have some huge stipulation match at the next PPV...that's the only way I see that program ending. With Kross being the first to fall to the Champ---who's next that will challenge Johnny Impact?
That's all this week. Please comment and spread the word. I appreciate it!
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