IMPACT! WRESTLING – March 1, 2019: We continue on the road to UNITED WE STAND on
April 4th and REBELLION as The Champ and
The Machine face off against Kross and Moose, Delilah Doom squares off against
an irate Tessa Blanchard, Sami Callahan tells his side of the story, and Jake Crist takes on Willie Mack.
We get the recap from last week to open the show (which I DO
like, by the way---and it’s also good for YOU, the audience, so you can keep
TRACK of what’s going on---not like SOME shows on TV). And as the intro goes off, we see Willie Mack
head down to the ring to face off with Jake Crist of OVE, as we are back for
week 2 in Las Vegas. The action between
the two starts off quick, as both have
had issues with each other, being involved in Swann and Callahan’s
feud. There’s a bit of back and forth, as
the action spills out of the ring.
Eventually Crist lands a rolling moonsault out of the ring and onto the
floor, stunning Mack. He gets Mack back
into the ring, but Mack begins to fight back.
He catches Crist as Crist tries to land a flying splash. Mack turns it into a samoan drop, then a flip
splash, goes for the pin, but only gets a two count. Then Crist goes after Mack, who flips him out
of the ring. Crist tries to come back
in, but Mack nails him with a codebreaker.
He tries to go up top, but Dave pushes Mack off, and the ref catches
him, and calls for the bell. Mack wins
by DQ, but the brothers Crist of OVE begin a beatdown, but Tommy Dreamer comes
out for the save. Tommy comes out to say
that he’s here to right the wrongs, and challengers OVE to a match.
Back from the break, and the match is on, as Mack and Tommy attack
the Crists outside, with Tommy eating someone’s food, and smearing it in Dave’s
face. Also, he throws liquid in his
face. The action gets back into the ring,
and finally the bell rings. Tommy and
Mack are working exceptionally as a team as they keep Jake isolated in their
corner. The tide turns once Tommy is
tagged back in, and the Crists take hold of the match, and then isolate Tommy
in their corner. They continue their
double team, and deliver a double kick to Tommy’s head, but can’t secure the
pin. Tommy sneaks in a sunset flip, but
can’t get anything but a 1 count. OVE continue to wear Tommy down, and keep him
on their side of the ring. Eventually,
Tommy manages to battle back, and make the hot tag to Willie Mack. Then, all 4 men are in the ring, with Tommy
and Dave outside duking it out, while Mack recovers to face Jake. Tommy then gets back into the ring and delivers
a Death Valley Driver to Jake, with Mack finishing it off with a frog splash to
get the pin.
Backstage, the Champ is being interviewed about tonight’s
tag team match with Brian Cage against Moose and Killer Kross. The guy conducting the interview asks him
about why he’s handing out title shots to anyone that’ll help him out…is he
looking to protect himself? The fans feel
Johnny has changed. Johnny takes the mic and says he’s a fighting
champion, and Cage doesn’t have his title shot YET, but blames Kross and Moose
for that reason.
We come back with tag team action as Reno Scum are in the
ring to do battle with KM & Fallah Bahh.
KM and Bahh get in on the offense early, but eventually, Reno Scum turn
it around by keeping KM hurt on the outside, as they work over Bahh. Bahh is rammed into the steps, and he’s gone
for the majority of the match as KM gets beaten down by Reno Scum. But Bahh and KM battle back and managed to
secure the win with a toss/Somoan drop combo.
Reno Scum are sore losers after the match, and instigate a beatdown on
the winning team. Afterwards, backstage,
KM and Bahh are visibly upset, and vow to take down Scum.
Glenn Gilbertti---Mr. Disco Inferno himself, is looking for
the IMPACT offices. He asks Ethan Page,
who says it’s right behind him. Gilbertti
goes to get the door, and D-Lo Brown comes out.
He says he needs to talk to management right away, and Brown tells him
they’re in there. One of the officials
tells him he’s a week late. But he goes
on to explain some ideas he’s got for himself, where he pitches a tournament
where wins and losses really count. The
management laughs at him, and he says he used to work for Vince. They laugh even more, and tell him that he
misunderstood why he was hired. He’s not
there to pitch ideas, but to get their coffee.
He’s not thrilled, and is going to have a chat with Don Callis.
Eddie Edwards is talking to “Kenny” backstage when Eli Drake
rolls up and continues to try and convince Eddie to forego the hardcore life,
and go back to what he once was. They
talk about how they teamed and were good together. Eddie says that this tag team is NOT going to
happen between him and Eli. His only partner is "Kenny".
We get the lovely Scarlett Bordeaux talking about her in
ring debut next week, and we’ll see who it is that she faces. But she’s got us interested as only the Smokeshow
can.
Tessa Blanchard comes out to face Delilah Doom, and it doesn’t
take long for the two to get to it, as they trade blows in the ring. Delilah came for a fight tonight, as she
delivers some serious offense to Tessa, making the former Knockouts Champ work
for it. Tessa isn’t messing around
though as she eventually gets on the offense and starts to work over Doom. She delivers a vicious clothesline, and then
works her into the ropes. Delilah gets
some offense back, and has Tessa at a disadvantage going to the ropes, but
Tessa moves away from her. Both trade
more blows, and Doom gets a pin attempt on her, but Tessa kicks out. Tess then lands a solid elbow to Doom, gives
her the DDT, and it’s over. Tessa wins
by pinfall. Doom put up a decent match for
her second appearance. Tessa talks to
the camera and demands a rematch for the Knockouts Title.
Melissa Santos is backstage talking to Brian Cage. She asks him if he’s ready and able to work
with Johnny Impact, and help take out Moose and Kross. Brian says that he’s going to do what it
takes in order to win the match, so that he can get his title shot against
Johnny, and making him live up to his promise.
Backstage, Rosemary is contemplating the Dark War, and how
she will fight it, when Kiera Hogan and Jordynne Grace approach to offer their
services. Rosemary is against it, and
says it’s not their fight, but Kiera reminds her that she’s been with Allie
since the beginning, and she’s been to the undead realm. Rosemary finally relents and agrees to join
forces to take down the Rev. Mitchell, Su Yung, and get Allie back.
Ethan Page comes out to wrestle the Rascalz’s Wentz. The action between the two is fairly fast an
furious, with Page getting an upperhand.
He gets Wentz with a nasty neckbreaker outside. Page mocks the crowd inside the ring. Wentz gets back in, and after a minute, gets
the upper hand on Page. Wentz ends up
beating Page with a flying cutter and the pin. The Rascalz are proving
themselves well in the ring.
Backstage again, and Mr. Disco Inferno, Glenn Gilbertti, as
he enters the arena, looking for the IMPACT offices. He bumps into Tommy Dreamer, who says that IMPACT
management likes to help out legacy wrestlers like himself, and Gilbertti goes
into the door Tommy is next to, as Tommy calls it, the “Anthem Room”only to see
an owl in there. It’s an Anthem
Owl. Dreamer gives a long drawn out
explanation before shoving Disco into the door. Glibertti comes out later,
looking like he got attacked, draped in feagthers.
We get a promo for new signee to IMPACT - Ace Austin.
Sami Callahan gives his side of the story about his history
with Rich Swann, telling everyone HE is actually the hero, because he saved
Swann from trouble. He helped Swann get
back on his feet, and wants him to join OVE.
He says that Swann won’t join because Sami uses people, and corrupts
them into what he wants. Sami says that,
either way, Swann WILL join OVE.
Melissa is interviewing Moose and Kross, who are trying to
put aside THEIR own differences in order to take out Johnny and Cage. Kross reminds Moose that doesn’t like the situation,
but he will do what it takes to get the
job done.
Backstage, Konnan is reaming out the boys of LAX for their
actions from last week. The boys say
they aren’t gloating. Konnan says he’s
going to straighten everything out, but he does NOT want to see LAX cutting their
own promos. LAX said they’d take care of
it, they got it.
Main Event time as Moose works his way to the ring with his
elaborate robe. Kross comes out. The Machine makes his way to the ring, as he’s
ready to team with Johnny Impact. Cage
starts the match off with Kross, and he immediately goes to work, nailing Kross
with a 619, and avoids Kross’ attack. Cage
tags to Johnny, and he goes to work, as Moose has been tagged in. Johnny and Cage working as a team very well. As
Cage and Impact land a mini moonsault, as Moose and Kross collect themselves
outside the ring.
Back from the break, and Johnny continues laying on the
offense along with Cage to Moose, who then tags in Kross, and they work him
over. As Johnny goes for a flip type maneuver,
he lands wrong, and hurts his neck.
Johnny is hurt, and he can barely get over to the edge of the ring. Cage comes in to keep up the offense on Moose
and Kross. The numbes game eventually
gets the better of Cage as Moose comes in to rescue Kross. Johnny is still laid out on the ring apron,
as the ref in the ring calls to the back to get him some help. Meanwhile, Kross nails Cage with the
Championship belt outside the ring. Cage
is busted open, and Kross continues to work on him, then tosses him into the
ring. While all THAT is happening,
Johnny is STILL laying on the ring apron, unable to move as the refs from the
back tend to him. Moose and Kross continue to work over Cage, making him bleed even
more. Cage tries to fight back, and
reaches to tag Johnny, but Johnny’s still in pain. The refs manage to get Johnny off the ring
apron, and are trying to get him to the back.
Moose continues the assault on Cage, and looks to beat him further. Cage keeps fighting back, but he’s
weakened. Both men end up going down
after coming off the ropes into each other, and Moose crawls over to get the
tag. He gets Kross down, and looks for a
tag. Meanwhile, Taya Valkyrie has come down
to tend to her husband, as the refs surround him, checking him out. Kross then gets Cage into his Kross hold,
cobra clutch type maneuver, and manages to get Cage to pass out. Kross and Moose are victorious, as the
officials help Johnny to the back, and Cage is a bloody mess in the middle of
the ring as the show goes off the air.
_________________________________________________________________________
Once again, we had the show from Sam's Town in Las Vegas, and I was also at this show, and I gotta tell you---it looks faster on TV than it does in person---but still...fun as hell.
We're starting to get some decent builds for the PPV and for United We Stand. But, as usual, IMPACT has some good storylines they're telling, and they're having a nice balance. Reno Scum, a local talent, but with some great potential, prove their quintessential heels by attacking KM & Fallah Bahh post match. It's good that IMPACT is doing what it can to build it's tag team division, and Reno Scum offers one more bit of talent to a growing roster. KM & Bahh should be in line for a title shot soon, what with LAX possibly fading into the back for now, or...if their AEW commitments take them away from IMPACT---the Lucha Bros. But nonetheless, we could have a nice mini-feud here to elevate BOTH teams in the division, and give a new challenge to whomever the tag team champions are going to be.
Speaking of the tag team champions...now that LAX ripped off and stole the masks of the Lucha Bros last week, thus breaking Lucha Libre rules of respect...I wonder if the next match we get with these two teams will have some sort of stipulation involved. You HAVE to up the stakes this time. A cage match would do nicely, though it WOULD limit the ability of the Lucha Bros AND LAX's aerial attacks. But there has to be SOME kind of gimmick with high stakes, because this SHOULD be the blowoff match between these two teams.
Teams...a big theme so far this week. Eli Drake and Eddie Edwards. As crazy as it sounds, this is actually a pretty good combo. They have great chemistry, and I will enjoy seeing where their story goes.
Rosemary's "Dark War" is here, and as much as she'd like to take down Rev. Mitchell's 'army' of undead brides, Su Yung, and rescue Allie back to the Shadow...she's reluctant to take on help. Kiera telling her she's got a stake in it too is good in setting up a tag team match for next week. Jordynne Grace is also pretty good to have at your side. My curiosity is THIS, though: say they DO get Allie back...what then? And...if not---will we get the Rosemary of old...when she was a part of Decay? We shall find out last week.
Can I just say that EVERY member of The Rascalz are talented as hell? These kids have all the ability in the world, and while they are exceptional as a tag team...with interchangeable parts, but as individuals as well. Wentz got to shine tonight against Ethan Page. I'm really high on these guys (and NO...I don't mean "high" like the dumbass segments they're still stuck in, but I digress). I see only huge success in their future.
Tessa is on a rampage! She will NOT rest until she gets the Knockouts Title back. She feels slighted by IMPACT management, and feel they're only protecting Gail Kim. But she won't take responsibility for her own actions. But that's a true heel---feels that the world is against her, and will pull every dirty tactic she can, and be as cruel as she can be until she gets what she wants. And she wants two things: The Knockouts Title...and a piece of Gail Kim.
Sami got to have his say this week...but I seriously doubt it will sway Rich Swann from joining OVE. And it looks like Sami is willing to do whatever it takes---even destroying Rich Swann...to get Rich to "come home".
Johnny's neck injury tonight didn't help Cage, as he took a beating at the hands of Kross and Moose. And what does this do for Cage's title shot? Does he get it or not? And will Johnny even be able to compete after this week? How serious is his injury. It didn't look good tonight as he was helped out of the arena by the staff. Hopefully, we get more answers next week as to what the Champs condition is.
And Mr. Disco Inferno himself...Glenn Gilbertti. I guess he's the new gopher of IMPACT! Well...at least he can dress well for the job.
Well gang...another good show. Again, they set a nice pace, didn't overload you with a lot of stuff, and kept a good flow. The stories pick up next week, and looking forward to seeing where things go. Especially the "Dark War". But before I go...I have some news to impart as far as transactions go in IMPACT:
Caleb Konley has been released from his contract, so he's now a free agent. Sami Callahan and Eddie Edwards signed new contracts to stay with IMPACT, helping to solidify the roster for the forseeable future. Welcome newcomers Ace Austin and Josh Alexander...two new talents looking to make an impression in the promotion. And just this week...Ring of Honor released her, but the Queen Bee is now coming home. IMPACT! welcomes back the iconic Madison Rayne back to the fold. She will be a tremendous asset to the Knockouts Division, but as an in-ring competitor, and has a leader backstage, helping all the new gals coming in, and those there, helping them elevate their game, and keep the tradition of the "Women's Revolution" that began here in IMPACT! a long time ago.
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