Friday, December 7, 2018

IMPACT! WRESTLING - December 6, 2018




REVIEW:  IMPACT! WRESTLING – DECEMBER 6, 2018:  The Road to Homecoming continues, The Ultimate X match qualifiers begin, and Dark Allie makes her debut




We had quite a bit of action going down at Sam’s Town in Las Vegas as IMPACT! Continues to build towards HOMECOMING on January 6th.  The Ultimate X qualifying matches begin, Dark Allie makes her debut as a disciple of Su Yung, and our main event pairs Moose with Knockouts Champ Tessa Blanchard against the husband and wife team of IMPACT Champ Johnny Impact, and Taya Valkyrie.

We begin another show from Sin City with an Ultimate X Match qualifying match.  Jake Crist makes his way to the ring with oVe.  Willie Mack is his opponent.  Dave Crist and Sami Callahan are at ringside to lend support to Jake.  Mack shows his amazing agility early with a flip splash pin attempt following a samoan drop.  Crist out of the ring, and the distraction from the rest of oVe put Mack on the defense.  Jake goes to work on Mack.  Mack eventually works his way back into the match.  Mack nails Crist with a forearm he throws up midair after he tosses Crist up in the air.  He lands a codebreaker, but Crist kicks out.  Mack on the top rope, Crist goes for a superplex, but Mack beats him down and lands a brutal flipping sitting power slam.  Crist kicks out, though, and lands a couple of kicks to Mack.  He can’t pin Mack. Mack sets Crist up for a Coast to Coast, but his brother interferes along with distraction from Callahan.  Mack takes care of Callahan, but Jake Crist gets up, lands the Cutter from the top rope to get the upset pin.  Jake Crist is heading to Ultimate X.  Interference pretty much ruined a good match between Crist and Mack…who, for a big guy, is AWFULLY agile!

Tessa is backstage, mouthing off about how she’s better than Taya because SHE is the Knockouts Champion, and that all she’ll ever be is Johnny Impact’s wife.  She brings in Moose, who says he’s the real Mr. Impact Wrestling, and that he’s out to prove that Johnny and his “skeevy” wife will learn why he’s called Moose.

Heather Monroe got the play the unfortunate victim yet again, as she had to face the new Dark Allie.  She must be a glutton for punishment, after taking abuse at the hands of Su Yung about a couple of weeks ago.  Heather wastes no time in taking it to Allie early with chops, forearm smashes, and a backflip into the corner.  Allie retaliates with a backstabber, and begins to pummel her.  You see the twitching reactions from Allie.  Monroe mounts one last bit of offense, but it seems as if Allie is only toying with her, as she slaps herself, then lands a kick in the midsection to Monroe, but Monroe kicks out of the pin.  Allie finally hits her with a codebreaker and scores the pinfall.  After the match, Allie gets the bloody glove from Su Yung, and preparing to deliver the mandible claw to Monroe, which she does. Kiera Hogan comes to the aid of Heather Monroe by sending Su Yung into the stairs, and Kiera tries to get through to Allie, but Allie drops her.  Su and Allie continue their attack on Hogan.  Allie delivers a codebreaker to Kiera, and she’s out.  Su and Allie stand tall over the fallen Hogan.  Rosemary can’t return fast enough.  I wanna see this feud kick into high gear.  ESPECIALLY if it gives us a match between the Demon Assassin and the Dark Bunny.

Willie Mack is backstage with Rich Swann, griping about how he lost, and why wasn't Swann there to back him up.  Swann said not to sweat it, and he’ll have his back next time.  Swann walks away as Mack replies that he’d feel better if he belted Swann upside the head.

The new Desi Hit Squad come out to face Damian Hyde and Manny Lemons…who…ate lemons before the match.  Raj and Rohit work well together to dominate the jobbers and prove their unity.  Lemons decided to mack on a few more lemons, which Callis calls an “idiot”.  The Hit Squad scores the pinfall in a squash.  They look to work their way up the ranks in the tag team division.  Good showing of the new team in a squash. 

Ethan Page and Matt Sydal are backstage, and they’re talking about using their “third eye” to attain success, and they have a chance with this match to get one of them to Ultimate X.  Page tells Sydal that he should get ready for his match.

Katerina is being interviewed by McKenzie Mitchell about her issues with Jordynne Grace.  Katerina says that she’s going to be more conniving.  She pushes McKenzie out of the way to introduce her new friend, Ruby Raze, who’s about the same size as Jordynne Grace, and Katerina says she’ll now be Jordynne’s nightmare.  So, the former Knockouts Champ is in no way, shape or form, good enough to take on Grace, so she had to hire a hitgirl to do the job.  Figures.

Back with McKenzie Mitchell, and she’s outside the IMPACT offices, where Eli Drake comes out, holding a paper with an invitation to a Monster’s Ball from Abyss.  IMPACT has made an official match between Eli Drake and Abyss at HOMECOMING.  Eli promises to end Abyss at the PPV.  Looks like all of Eli’s wheeling and dealing and his empty threats have now come home to roost.

We get another cheap “That 70’s Show” stoner table bit again…only THIS time, Scarlett Bordeaux makes and appearance, saying she’s impressed with the Razcals, and reminds them she’s holding a talent search.  She then disappears.  Another lame segment by a team that should be cutting better promos than this crap.

Back to action, we get another Ultimate X qualifying match, as Matt Sydal faces Ethan Page.  It’s the teacher vs. the student.  Both competitors begin a series of chain wrestling moves for the first few minutes of the match.  Sydal tries to get inside the mind of Page.  And takes advantage of it.  But it lasts briefly as Page delivers a solid slap to the chest in the corner. Sydal gets the advantage again, and lands a reverse DDT with a legdrop on top of it.  Page kicks out at 2.  Sydal begins to work on Page’s leg.  Sydal keeps Page in the corner, and delivers a vicious knee to the face, followed up by a foot to the face. Sydal tries to go for a hurricanrada, but Page lands a nasty backbreaker to counteract it.  Tosses Sydal into the corner and levels Sydal with an awesome elbow.  Sydal tries to nail Page, but Page counters.  Sydal then kicks Page’s leg, taking it out from under him.  Page in the corner, and gets nailed by Sydal.  Another leg blow by Sydal land both men out of the ring.  Both guys are giving their best, but the match is slow, and the crowd is just dead. 

Back from the break, both men still outside (there’s a surprise).  Both men back in the ring, and some back and forth.  Page gets taken off the top rope, Sydal with a pin, Page kicks out.  Fans REEEAALLLY not into this match.  Both men on the top rope, Page kicks off Sydal, Page lands a swanton bomb, but Sydal kicks out…Page covers again and gets the pin.  Page is the 2nd man heading to Ulitmate X!  After the match, Sydal and Page point to their third eyes and shake hands.  The student has learned well from the teacher.

We’re back at Shady Acres, where Eddie Edwards is playing chess with…RAVEN?!!  Eddie is restless and says he can’t be there anymore.  Eddie is freaking out and everyone has told him he took it too far.  Raven says that he’s not taken it far enough.  Raven calls over the orderly, and distracts him enough to get his keycard.  He gives the keycard to Eddie, who can now escape. 

LAX and the Lucha Bros are backstage, being chummy.  Konnan is reminding BOTH teams to keep it cool and have no issues, because of what he’s seen done in the past.  When Pentagon does the “Cero Meido” into the face of LAX, it’s a diss LAX doesn’t like, and things start getting chippy.  Konnan does what he can to calm things down.  This is going to be an amazing match at HOMECOMING.

The Mayor and Mrs. Of Slamtown are backstage with McKenzie when they discuss the match with Moose and Tessa.  Johnny says his path with Moose has crossed before, and he owes him a few.  Taya then reminds everyone how Tessa has taken several shortcuts to hold onto the Knockouts Title, and riding on her family name.  Taya says she’s going to give Tessa a taste of what to expect at HOMECOMING.  Johnny says that Taya is going to kick Tessa so hard, Tully will feel it.

It’s finally time for our Main Event as Taya and Johnny face off against Moose and Tessa.  The ladies face off first, and Taya gets the advantage after a bit of chain wrestling, and tosses Tessa into the corner, delivers an elbow, and then kicks Tessa in the back of the head, and Tessa’s out of the ring.  Taya’s on the ring apron about ready to spring on Tessa when Moose heads to the ring to run interference and knock Taya down, but Taya swerves to miss, and Johnny comes in and delivers a kick to Moose, and out the ring HE goes.  Johnny then delivers a splash onto Moose.  Soon, Moose gets the upper hand on Johnny, and the heels take control of the match. 

Back from the break, Tessa is putting the boots to Taya, and is really working her over.  A serious of kicks, a toss into the ropes, a leg smash on Taya’s head on the ropes, then slows down the match with  a neckhold.  Tessa goes for a DDT, but Taya defends against it.  Tessa tosses Taya into the ropes, and charges, but Taya evades, and Tessa’s shoulder hits the post.  Taya tags in her husband, and Moose comes in, and Johnny works on Moose.  Gets a 2 count on Moose.  Goes for Starship Pain, but Moose moves out of the way, Johnny lands on his feet and charges, but Moose meets him with a boot.  Johnny with a hurricanrada, but Moose kicks out of the pin attempt.  Moose lands a move, but Johnny kicks out.  Johnny lands a vicious neckbreaker and goes for the pin, but Moose tags Tessa.  Taya back in and she’s all over Tessa.  Tessa lands a neckbreaker of her own, but can’t score the pin.  Tessa tries for a DDT again, but Taya blocks.  Taya reverses in to a german suplex.  Moose and Johnny go at it outside.  Taya gets Tessa into her new submission move, but she reaches the ring rope.  Johnny enters the ring and holds off Moose while Taya drags Tessa back to the middle of the ring, reapplies the hold, and Tessa taps out.  After the match, Moose lands a spear.  Moose is now face to face with Taya, and distracted her enough for Tessa to sneak attack her.  Tessa goes for the kill with a chair, and all of the sudden, Killer Kross shows up.  As Tessa is ready to deliver the blow, Kross grabs the chair.  Tess and Moose are shocked.  Brian Cage hits the ring, and clears it of EVERYONE, while Taya is down on the mat.  Kross hops back up in the ring and faces Cage.  He then leaves the ring, smiling the whole way.  Cage helps Taya up, and the two friends look face to face as they’re ready for their title match at HOMECOMING.  Show ends.

________________________________________________________________________

This show was not a BAD show...it was actually pretty okay, except for a couple of places where I felt the show died---mostly in the middle.  The Page/Sydal match was slow, and just had NO audience involvement in it.  They were dead the whole match.  NEITHER guy generates any heat or cheers from the crowd, and they just seemed like they were going in slow motion.  It really killed the momentum of the show until the Main Event.  

Can we PLEASE do away with the stupidly cheesy and unnecessary Razcals promos?  They're poorly thought out, and the fake smoke is too obvious.  And it shows a lack of creative writing when you have to rip off the basement stoner scenes from "That 70's Show" to promote these guys.  What they hell are they supposed to be...stoner wrestlers?  After last week's debut, we know they're not.  So, what kind of story are well trying to tell the audience with these guys?  It SHOULDN'T be THIS one.  Think of something better. Scarlett Bordeaux's appearance in this skit didn't help matters, either.

Do enjoy the rivalry building up between LAX and the Lucha Brothers.  These are the two best teams in the division, and their match at the PPV is going to be pretty damn good match.  It's about time LAX had someone OTHER than the OGz to wrestle.  If it's one thing I'll say for IMPACT!...they sure as hell treat their tag team division MUCH better than both RAW and Smackdown!  LAX, the Luchas, Desi HIt Squad, KM & Fallah Bahh, oVe, now the Razcals...that's some pretty solid talent for this division.  And they're NOT just being thrown out there haphazardly, or meant to just be idiot goofballs in the ring.  All of these teams bring something to the table, and as long as the creative staff continues to tell quality stories, and build these teams up...you've got the makings of one of the best divisions in the company.

Leave it to outside interference to ruin a good match....that's what we got with the first Ultimate X qualifying match between Jake Crist and Willie Mack.  They were giving us a good match, and, while yes I get it's the heel thing to do, and it generates heat, I still hate the fact that a match was decided by outside interference...especially when BOTH men were giving us a quality match by themselves.  The interference just seemed to cheapen it for me.  Now, had Jake Crist HIMSELF did something illegal and dastardly, I'd have been okay with that.  But it ruined a good performance from Mack, whom I gotta say, for a big guy...he's pretty damn agile.  Didn't expect some of the moves the man pulled off in the ring, but I'm just getting used to him, and haven't seen him before.  But I liked what I saw.

If it is one thing I will say about the talent on this roster---they ALL play their roles exceptionally.  They are committed to not only doing their best with the in ring product, but staying true to the characters they portray on screen.  Allie, Su Yung, and Kiera Hogan have been doing a PHENOMENAL job with this "Dark Realm" storyline.  Sure...it's cheesy and over the top...but didn't we love that about the Undertaker back in the day...or some of the Attitude Era stuff in the late 90's?  These ladies have developed such intriguing and rich characters, that, no matter HOW impossible it seems, we're INVESTED in the story, nonetheless.  Dark Allie's new theme is just KILLER!  I DIG it!  And the titantron with the old Allie logo and rotating bunny now all black...just adds to the persona.  Her face paint, the look....she's committed 100%  Now she's the soulless heel working with Su, and now Kiera has her hands full.  This is ONLY going to get better once Rosemary makes their return.  The Demon Assassin has talked about a "Dark War" coming on her Twitter.  I'm hoping we get to see a match between Rosemary and Dark Allie...it's coming.  

I tip my cap to Raven for making a guest appearance tonight for Eddie Edwards' sanitarium visit.  I'm glad it wasn't long---he's got a score to settle with Moose.  Raven is always great for something like this.  It's totally logical and within character for him to be there.  And to fuel Eddie's rage only makes it better.  

Tessa and Taya's rivalry is at a fever pitch right before the PPV.  Taya making Tessa tap out with her new submission hold adds a new added factor into the match.  I expect their match at HOMECOMING to be really good.  Tessa's great at being the chicken heel, who will cut ANY corner and do what she has to in order to stay the champion---and be arrogant enough to believe she's the greatest ever, even if she gets her ass handed to her.  She has certainly taken the lessons from her Dad Tully, and utilized them to the fullest.  Taya is just an incredible talent who's done everything from Lucha Underground, Shimmer, and many other promotions before coming to IMPACT.  She inserted herself right into the title picture, and their story is the story in the Knockouts Division next to Allie's.  

Killer Kross' insertion into this week's main event gave an interesting little wrinkle into what could happen at HOMECOMING in regards to the IMPACT Championship.  While he save Taya from a chair beating, he took a shot from challenger Brian Cage, and we already know that Johnny the Champ has spurned him twice, despite Kross' warnings.  I have a strong feeling that he will have A LOT to do with that main event come January 6th.

And don't think I forgot about Eli Drake.  Yeah...I think we all knew that Abyss was NOT done with him.  And this "Monster's Ball" match at HOMECOMING...have NO IDEA what it is...but I've no doubt it'll be brutal.

So...at looking at the PPV, here's the matches we have as the card is starting to take final shape:

IMPACT CHAMPIONSHIP:  Brian Cage v. Johnny Impact (C)
KNOCKOUTS CHAMPIONSHIP:  Taya Valkyrie v. Tessa Blanchard (C)
IMPACT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP:  Lucha Bros. v. LAX (C)
ULTIMATE X MATCH (X-Division Title Match):  Jake Crist v. Ethan Page v. TBD v. TBD
MONSTER'S BALL MATCH:  Eli Drake v. Abyss

And that's what we got so far.  I feel that Allie and Kiera will face off, with Su Yung lurking about, and Eddie Edwards and Moose will have a rematch as well.  We'll get more next week.

That's going to do it for this week.  PLEASE subscribe and pass the word along, don't be afraid to comment as well.  I'd greatly appreciate it.  

Until next week...

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