IMPACT! WRESTLING - February 1, 2019

REVIEW:  IMPACT! WRESTLING – February 1, 2019:  The Champ & The Machine take on Kross & Moose, Jordynne Grace & Kiera Hogan hook it up with The sinister Su Yung & Dark Allie, Rich Swann adresses his past, and LAX & The Lucha Bros get together in a six man tag with partners Daga & Taurus.

We’re back across the border in Mexico City for another installment of IMPACT! Wrestling, as tonight’s installment features The World Champion Johnny Impact teaming with “The Machine” Brian Cage to take on Moose & Killer Kross, X-Division Champion Rich Swann & Sami Callahan’s issues come to light, and Jordynne Grace & Kiera Hogan look to avenge their loss at HOMECOMING, as they square off against the evil duo of Dark Allie & Su Yung----with Rosemary roaming about….

Our show starts off with the Lucha Bros and their teammate Taurus, as we get a six man tag team match against LAX and their teammate,  Daga.  Crowd is hyped for the Luchas, and this looks to be a great match…especially if it’s anything like the match they put on at HOMECOMING.  All six men meet in the middle of the ring for a face off.  Pentagon and Santana are the ones to start the match, but Fenix catches Santana with a drop kick, and the match is on…all men climb in and start going to work.  Apparently we’re on Lucha rules for this tag match.  Daga lands a suicide dive over the top rope onto Fenix.  Santana and Pentagon are back in the ring trash talking. Then a chop fest happens.  Both men land superkicks, but Santana misses one.  Into the ropes and Santana lands a cutter, goes for a pin, but Pentagon kicks out.  Ortiz tags in and with Daga, they get Pentagon, and work him over.  Pentagon is alone in the ring against LAX and Daga, but somehow tosses Daga out of the ring when Daga tries to nail him in the corner, Ortiz hits the ring post, then Santana misses Pentagon, and hits Santana in the corner.  He then tosses Ortiz into Santana.  Fenix tags in and begins to work over Ortiz.  But he tags out, as Fenix tags out to Taurus, who’s not had much to do in this match.  Him and Daga go at it….seems a bit of history there.  They trade moves, then Taurus gets flown out of the ring by Daga.  Ortiz tags in, and gets Fenix outside.  Then Pentagon nails everyone with an over the rope moonsault.  Ortiz gets back into the ring and then he gets nailed by Ortiz with a moonsault outside.  Then, Fenix lands his own moonsault onto everyone on the outside as we go to break.

Back from the break, where Pentagon on Taurus land a double superkick to Ortiz.  They start working him over.  Taurus goes for a pin, but Ortiz kicks out.  Pentagon tags in, and they’re going for the spike, and nail it. Pentagon seals the pin, and the Lucha Bros and Taurus win it in an exciting, fast paced match to get the crowd into it early.  After the match ends, respect is given, but Pentagon wants the mic…I think he wants another crack at the tag team championship.  He gets right in the face of Konnan.  He then calls out Ortiz about asking for another beating.  Ortiz admits it, and Pentagon throws down the challenge.  Pentagon demands a title shot.  He wants a rematch next week.  Another chapter of this great rivalry is coming….I would’ve waited for a pay per view, but hey…IMPACT needs to get eyes on the product, and this is a good start.  I look forward to seeing this match again.

Matthews & Callis promote the title match between Cage and Impact at a show called UNCAGED.  Backstage Melissa is interviewing Killer Kross, who’s upset that he’s not in the title match against Impact.  Kross doesn’t like Cage sticking his nose in his business.  He calls out Impact, calling him a fraud and a hypocrite.  Moose calms him down, tells him that they’ll take care of business, go downtown, and take Melissa with them. 

LAX and Konnan are backstage where they talk about the match next week with them and the Lucha Bros.  Konnan warns them to just keep it business, and they agree.

We get the name for the next PPV, REBELLION, which happens on April 28^th, and will feature the match between Impact and Cage.

Tag team action again as Allie & Su Yung are ready to hook it up with Kiera Hogan and Jordynne Grace.  This is a rematch from HOMECOMING.  Allie and Su waste no time in attacking Grace.  But Jordynne gets them into a double suplex.  She starts working over both Allie and Su Yung.  Grace rams Yung in the back in the corner, and goes for a pin, but Su kicks out.  Tags Hogan in and gives her a body slam onto Yung.  Goes for a pin, but she escapes at two.  Kiera just keeps going on the offense with Su in the corner throwing kicks and hip attacks.  Goes for a pin, and still kicks out.  Jordynne’s back in on the offense, and Su manages to tag to Allie, and she tries to get on the offense on Grace, but Grace counters. Grace then falls out of the ring after the attack on Allie.  Su tries to spray her mist into Grace, but misses.  Grace tries to samoan drop Su, but Allie lands a superkick.  They work Jordynne over on the outside, as Kiera keeps trying to get to her partner, but the ref keeps holding her back.  Kiera can’t seem to keep her temper in check as Allie and Su goad Kiera while punishing Jordynne.  Jordynne tries to fight back against Su, but she taks Allie, and Allie tries to work over Jordynne, but Jordynne fights back, and lands a huge shoulder block in a cross ropes maneuver. Both women try to get to their partners, but the lights go out, and when they come back on, Rosemary arrives…looking for a tag.  Allie stares at Rosemary, and Kiera Hogan takes advantage, nails a neckbreaker, and scores the pin.  Rosemary disappears yet again, and all Kiera and Jordynne can do is stare in disbelief at what just happened.

We’re back from the break, and we get another Scarlett Bordeaux vignette where she’s training with her trainer, whom she mocks during the whole thing.  The guy ends up spilling water on her, and she ISN’T pleased.  Still find it interesting she’s working out in THAT outfit…with heels.

More tag team action tonight, folks, as we get Eddie Edwards and Eli Drake.  Eli wants the “old” Eddie back, but Eddie’s in the ring with “Ken”.  The Rascalz arrive and will Drake and Edwards be able to coexist.  Drake wants Eddie to get rid of the kendo stick.  He wants Eddie to wrestle.  We get Wentz picking up the pace in the match early with some quick moves of chain wrestling.  Eddie gets back into the corner, where Eli tags in, they both talk it over, and Eli comes in, and immediately gets into some chain wrestling action with Wentz.  A corkscrew plana leads to a two count, and Drake kicks out.  Finally, Wentz tags in Dez, and they both go to work on Eli.  They get a two count on Eli, and Eli manages to get a tag to Eddie, and Dez goes to work on Eddie.  Another tag, and Wentz over the top rope for a splash and a two count.  Wentz fights off both Drake and Eddie, heads to the top rope, but Drake knocks him off.  Eli and Eddie argue about his taking advantage on the outside.  Eli comes back in, and begins working over Wentz.  Eddie gets tagged in, and begins to really work on Wentz with a couple of chops.  Thrown into the ropes, Wentz manages to avoid a clothesline and nail Eddie with a flip splash.  Both men down, and as Wentz ties to go for a tag, Drake takes out Dez.  Eddie lands a rolling back drop. Eventually, Wentz gets the tag, Dez is in and works on Eli, both of them come in and try to suplex him, but Eli gets one instead with BOTH men.  Only gets a two count, and Eddie comes in, and he and Dez trade blows until Eddie lands a vicious clothesline.  He then suicide dives out onto Wentz.  He picks up the kendo stick and looks to end the match with it, but Eli stops him, as well as the ref.  While the ref is distracted, Eli nails Dez with the kendo stick, tosses it out of the ring, and gets the Gravy Train for the win.  Eddie and Eli talk about the kendo stick, and says Eddie didn’t need it.  Dirty tactics by Eli Drake gets them the win for tonight.   Was not a bad match, every entertaining.  Unusual tag team Eddie and Eli are…but it could work.  Even in a loss, Rascalz look exceptional.  Tag team division is in pretty good shape.

We get a video package from former Knockouts Champ Tessa Blanchard.  She basically said she’d hurt Gail Kim all over again.  But February 15^th, she issues a challenge Taya Valkyrie.

Interview with Rich Swann and his history with Sami Callahan, who used Swann’s personal life to try and persuade him to join OVE.  Swann recalls their history, and gives Callahan credit for saving his life, but he said he saw Sami change.  He says all Sami wants is another person to watch his back, and for Swann…that’s not family. 

Melissa is with the Knockouts Champion, who reminds Tessa that it’s her own damn fault for getting suspended.  But assures Tessa that if she wants a title shot on February 15^th, she’s got it.  Then she ups the ante----she wants a street fight for the title at UNCAGED on February 15^th.

Fallah Bahh heads to the ring, as we have singles action against another luchadore…Psycho Clown, who’s got a giant “Hang Loose” hand that shoots flame out of it.  He’s the face of AAA wrestling, and Fallah Bahh is in a bit of disbelief.  Mexico City crowd hyped for their home country star.  They trade cheers, and then the match begins.  Bahh throws down some chops to get Clown down, but misses the legdrop, and Clown tries to mount some offense.  Clown gets out of the ring, and Bahh comes off the apron onto clown.  Both men get into the ring, and Bahh immediately goes for the mask.  Clown goes to the top rope to get a move on Bahh, but Bahh stops him.  Clown, however, manages to reverse it, and gets Bahh with a stomp off the ropes.  He gets Bahh out of the ring, and nails a suicide dive.  Clown goes to the top to get another high impact move after a chop on Bahh, but Bahh catches him in a belly to belly, but only gets a two count.  Back into the corner where Bahh was ready to do the butt drop, but Clown reverses it into a quasi-powerbomb.  Only gets a two count, they battle again, and Clown manages to get Bahh into a cradle, and uses his weight to score the pinfall.  Clown scores an opening salvo against Team Impact for AAA as they ready for the World Cup at UNCAGED.

In the locker room, Cage approaches Johnny and they both argue about the match tonight, and Johnny doesn’t want to be screwed over.  Cage says that’s HIS problem, and says he wants to keep him healthy, so that UNCAGED, he can take Johnny’s title.  Johnny says he got his title shot, and even got the PPV named after him.  Tensions are high for this main event.

In the locker room, Psycho Clown is motivating his guys from AAA for the upcoming World Cup against Team Impact.

Main Event time as Moose and Killer Kross head to the ring.  Cage heads to the ring first.  Then the Champ arrives.  We get some quick offensive moves from Moose and Impact early.  Both men tag out and Cage and Kross enter.  Both men throw some blows, and Cage gets the upperhand, lands the hurricanrada, and Johnny tags himself in, and lands a senton over the rope, but only gets a two count on Kross.  Impact goes to the ropes and Moose threw a knee into Impact’s back, but Impact lands a boot to the face, but the distraction is enough for Kross to get the upperhand.  Tags into Moose, and Moose starts working over Johnny with closed fists.  Moose goes over to Cage and nails him, and Cage tries to get into the ring, but is held up by the ref, allowing the double team.  Moose and Kross keep working Johnny over into the corner, keeping him away from Cage.  Kross keeps up the offense, and then drags Johnny over to Cage, mocking him about making a tag. Moose is tagged in, and works Johnny over in the corner with shoulder blocks and a vicious chop.  He keeps pounding on the back of the Champion, but the last time he does it, Johnny turns over and nails  Moose right between the legs….but Moose ensures that he can’t make the tag, tags in Kross, and Kross tries to go to work, goes for a move, but Johnny reverses it, but can’t make the tag.  Champ is looking like a chump in this match.  Moose tags back in, lands a side slam, but only gets a two count.  As Moose gets Johnny into the corner, Johnny manages to escape any further damage and gets the hot tag to Cage, and Cage starts beating down both Moose and Cage.  He lands a slam, but only gets a two count on Moose.  Just as Cage looks to put Moose away, Kross comes in and lands a kick to the head, but it doesn’t faze Cage, as he lands a couple of blows to Kross.  Moose then lands a blow to Cage, but unfazes him as well. He lands a blow onto Moose.  Things break down and all four men are in the ring.  Johnny manages to get Kross down and hits a 619.  Cage looks to get an F-5, but Johnny’s on the top rope in the middle, and goes for a kick, but Moose moves out of the way and Johnny hits Cage.  Cage goes for a clothesline on Johnny but Kross gets nailed instead after Johnny moves.  Cage and Johnny argue in the ring, and when Moose nails Johnny with a spear, and Cage watches as Johnny gets pinned.  The Champion has been pinned yet again.  Cage walks out of the ring as the show goes off the air.

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This was a pretty good show, with some pretty good action, and moved some stories along.  We also got wind of the next PPV...coincidentally a few weeks AFTER Wrestlemania.  We also have a big show called UNCAGED, that will be a part of the regular show I believe.  Either way, we're moving some stories along, and getting some decent matches set up before the next PPV.

They were smart in giving us an exceptional tag team match to get the show started.  Was good we got a quick recap of last week, but LOVE when they don't BS and get to the action.  And LAX with Daga, and the Lucha Bros with Taurus was just off the hook.  It had a great pace, some pretty decent high spots, and it really got the crowd into the show.  Sure, it's a lucha style match, and that'll win over the Mexican audience every time, but nonetheless, the match was excellent.  To get another match between these two teams is a gift we should all appreciate.  I really wouldn't put it on a regular show, but I'm not the one programming this thing.  And they need all the eyes they can get on the product, so I can't blame them, either.  But LAX and the Lucha Bros just tear the roof off of every arena they're in.  THIS is what tag team wrestling should be.

Speaking of tag teams, wasn't sure how Eddie Edwards and Eli Drake would work out.  And yes, Eli took advantage of a ref distraction to play dirty and use the kendo stick to win the match, but all in all, Eddie and Eli's story is a neat one worth watching.  I see Eli turning on him at some point, and these two WILL have a match against each other.  But for the sake of the World Cup they're planning against the AAA promotion, they're working well.  No shame in the Rascalz losing tonight....they lost in a screw finish, so they stay strong.  And lemme tell you, these kids are exceptoinal.  They have all the earmarks of a great tag team, and they should be in the mix real soon.  Dez and Wentz have extremely good chemistry together, and their future looks bright.  Add in Trey, and it's a group of young men with no ceiling.

Got to see even more lucha action tonight in the form of Psycho Clown, who handled the bigger Fallah Bahh, but Bahh did pretty well in this match as well.  He showed a little bit of athleticisim, and held his own against the much quicker Clown.  

Scarlett Bordeaux working out in that gear...yeesh.  And the heels---who does that?  Well, who CARES...long as we get to look at her.  Hope her hype is worth the look.

The Dark War has started....and while Jordynne & Kiera got some much needed revenge against Dark Allie & Su Yung...Rosemary is back, and the chaos is about to ensue.  I see a one on one with Rosemary and Dark Allie for her soul.  Should be fun to watch.  One thing that DID bother me about this match was too much Kiera trying to get into the ring to help Jordynne...she only made matters WORSE for Grace, and it got a little annoying.  That being said, Kiera dontinues to improve, and she's still young enough to improve dramatically, and REALLY take on the top tier talent when she's ready.  

Killer Kross & Moose work well as a team, and it showed greatly in tonight's main event.  What's really bad is how exposed the Champion is.  Twice he's been pinned in the middle of the ring clean, and they're milking the "paper champion" angle for all it's worth.  Cage is a freaking beast, and could quite possibly be the face of the company if they push him right.  He's over with the crowd, has a great look, built like a brickhouse, but is mobile and fluent in the ring.  Kross is determined to prove that Jonny is a phony and a hypocrite, and thus far...the Champion has not looked good at all.  So, unless he's going to put on a stellar match against Cage...I am not sure his title reign will be very much longer.  Kross and Moose are great heels...one vicious, the other cocky.  It's a nice ebb and flow from two distinct personalities.  

Finally...we get the thrid match between Taya and Tessa, this time Tessa is the one chasing the title.  And Wera Loca decided to add a stipulation for the match---a street fight for the strap.  This is going to be a barn burner.  Taya has the experience and the technique and power, while Tessa is quick, brutal, and dirty as hell when she has to be.  This match has got to be the payoff match for this feud---if it goes on beyond this, you're dragging the story down, as well as the talent.  They need to start building up their Knockouts roster to give Taya more competition.

Overall, a pretty good show, we got the lowdown on the new PPV coming up, a special show next week, and more down the road towards REBELLION.

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Same time, next week...