IMPACT! WRESTLING - March 15, 2019

IMPACT! WRESTLING – March 15, 2019:  As we conclude our trip to Sam’s Town in Las Vegas, we have a big card tonight as OVE takes on Rich Swann, Willie Mack, and Tommy Dreamer, Fallah Bahh & KM square off against Reno Scum in a tag team rematch, Tessa Blanchard and Jordynne Grace face off to see who the #1 contender will be for the Knockouts Title, and Brian Cage will see if he can capture gold as he faces off against the World Champion Johnny Impact.

We kick off this week’s show with some six man tag team action as OVE faces off with Rich Swann, Willie Mack, and Tommy Dreamer.  And it doesn’t take long before the action starts because as soon as Swann, Mack, and Dreamer hit the ring, the fight is on!  The action spills out of the ring, as the team of Swann, Mack, and Dreamer get the early advantage.  Things settle in, and Dreamer starts off against Callahan.  He then tags out to Jake Crist, but Dreamer gets the advantage, and tags in Willie Mack.  More offense from the good guys as they keep Crist isolated into their corner.  The tide turns, and OVE takes over, and begin working over Dreamer.  Callahan tries for a piledriver, but Dreamer takes him down, and flips him into the corner, tags to Mack, and Mack cleans house.  Mack hits a mini moonsault, and tags in Swann, who hits a rolling thunder, and tags in Dreamer again.  OVE is outside the ring when Mack hits a rolling dive over the rope.  Swann follows suit with a Phoenix Dive off the top rope.  Dreamer then attempts a suicide dive, but instead gets out of the ring, and lands right hands to OVE…then he heads to the apron, and does a roll onto OVE.  Sami and Swann are back in the ring and Sami gets the upper hand.

Back from the break, and Sami is in firm control over Swann.  Sami tags to Jake and Jake continues the offense, tries for a submission, but Swann won’t yield.  He hits a move off the ropes for a pin, but Swann kicks out.  Quick tags again for OVE as they continue to punish Swann.  Swann delivers a kick to the face, and manages to get the hot tag to Tommy.  Tommy starts going after everybody, as they come in with Dusty Elbows.  Sami spits in Tommy’s face, but he eats it (gross!).  Tommy hits Sami, and tags into Willie Mack…Mack lays everyone out, and Swann lands a superkick, and Sami gets back up and sends Tommy into the corner.  They each try to take turns nailing him in the turnbuckle, but Tommy blocks one with a kick, puts Sami in the corner, then Jake, then Dave.  Mack comes in with a barrel roll.  Dave and Jake are laid out, and Mack and Swann land splashes.  Sami then gets a splash for his troubles by Dreamer.  As Tommy goes for his finisher, Mack and Swann are dragged out of the ring, as Sami grabs Tommy by the crotch, stuns him enough to deliver the piledriver for the pin and the win. 

Backstage, we see the World Champion in a neckbrace with his wife, getting geared up, when Brian Cage walks in and asks him if he’s ready.  Johnny tells him to just make sure HE is ready…and Brian walks off.

They hype the main event one more time, giving a tale of the tape for each wrestler.  Josh and Don keep talking about Johnny’s injury.

We get another Rascalz segment where they keep laughing and talking about a mask match of some sort.  Moose shows up, saying he likes those guys.  He’s wondering what’s with the smoke, then they laugh about how Moose got rejected by Melissa Santos last week.  He wasn’t pleased, so he beats up the boys.  I don’t know what more I can say about these segments.

Glenn Gilbertti discos his way to the ring to put on a “display” of his skills.  He gets on the mic and asks where Scarlett Bordeaux is at, and also asks what does Impact have…clowns?  Well…he gets one when Kikutaro heads to the ring.  Kikutaro and Gilbertti lock up and Gilbertti gets him in a headlock, but then Kikutaro then performs a series of chain wrestling moves to frustrate Mr. Disco Boy.  Gilbertti has enough and lays on the heavy offense, with a series of rights, and then sends Kikutaro out of the ring, rams him into the ring post, and tosses back him in.  He sends him back and forth across the ring into opposite ring posts a couple of times.  Gilbertti then hits his Disco neckbreaker, but only manages a two count.  He then does the Village People Elbow, but he misses.  Kikutaro fights back.  Kikutaro hits a Shining Wizard, but only got a two count.  After a slam, Kikutaro goes for a moonsalut, but misses, Disco lands the Chart Buster, and scores the pinfall.

Taya is cornered by Mr. Hernandez for an interview, and he tries to talk to her about the #1 Contender match, she makes brief mention, but says that’s not what she’s worried about.  Johnny’s about to have his match tonight, and she’s worried about him.

KM & Fallah Bahh have their rematch against Reno Scum, and the fight breaks out quickly before the bell rings.  Bahh is tossed into the ring steps, and hurts his knee.  Scum go to work on KM.  They work a double team from time to time, as Bahh is still hurt on the outside, leaving KM to fend for himself.  KM tries to buy himself some time, when he sees that Bahh is still hurt.  We see Bahh on the outside crawling back towards the ring corner.  But manages to climb to the ring apron.  KM manages to get the tag, and Bahh lands some serious chops to one member of Scum, then lands a cross body block to the other, but can’t get a pin.  Bahh nails a samoan drop, but can only get a two count before it’s broken up.  Bahh then lands a powerslam to score the pin and the win.  That’s 2-0 against Scum for KM & Bahh.  But I see a rivalry building here.

Konnan catches the Lucha Bros backstage and asks when LAX will get their rematch.  And, in Spanish, Pentagon says “Zero”.  And gives the sign in Konnan’s face.  That doesn’t sit well with Konnan, who says they’re gonna pay for that.

LAX is backstage.  They’re thinking about the tag team rematch with the Lucha Bros, then Konnan comes in, and says it’s on.  He wants a street fight, and he said his “sons” dissed him.  LAX says they have the match, but Konnan says not yet, but they’re going to.  I think the animosity has reached a fever pitch.

It’s time for the #1 Contenders match for the Knockouts Championship between Tessa Blanchard and Jordynne Grace.  Early lock and tie up, and Tessa and Jordynne come off the ropes and bang into each other, neither budging.  Tessa slaps Jordynne and asks who she thinks she is, then runs to the ropes, where Jordynne blocks her down, and says THAT is who she is.  Jordynne follows up with a running clothesline.  She goes for Tessa in the corner, but Tessa pulls the ref in front of her to protect her.  Jordynne stops her momentum, but Tessa uses the ref to take advantage of Jordynne and goes to work.  Tessa runs Jordynne’s face across the ropes.  Jordynne fights back, and heads to the ropes, but Tessa catches her, and nails a codebreaker.  Tessa only gets a two count on the pin attempt.  She tries for another maneuver, but Jordynne and her collide and fall down.  Solid match so far.

Back from break, and Tessa is in a striking contest with Jordynne, and Jordynne slams her down.  Tessa gets up, and lays into Jordynne again, but again, Jordynne slams her.  Tessa, again up and laying in the forearms, but yet again, Jordynne lays in a piledriver like slam, but can only get a two count.  Jordynne gets Tessa up on the top rope, tries to go for the muscle buster, but Tessa reverses it, and gets a neckbreaker on Jordynne to regain the edge.  Tessa then gets into the ref’s face again.  Tessa goes up to the top rope, but Jordynne defends against the move.  Tessa tries to nail Jordynne, but Jordynne gets her into the Driver, and scores the upset win.  Jordynne Grace is now the #1 contender for Taya Valkyrie’s Knockouts Championship.  Tessa isn’t happy.  She’s throwing a tantrum in the ring.  She screams at the crowd, then at Don and Josh.  She then looks at the bell ringer, and drags him up to the ring, throws him in.  Tessa then nails the poor kid with a forearm.  Then she just lays into the poor guy with right hands.  Tessa has snapped.  She tosses him into the corner, and as she pounds on him, Gail Kim comes out and pulls her off him.  Tessa tries to swing at Gail, but Gail ducks, and wails into Tessa before Tessa rolls out of the ring.  Tessa beats a hasty retreat.    I see the next match for the RETRIBUTION PPV coming. 

Backstage, Tessa is still whining, and one of the producers comes in and says that Gail was out of control.  Gail comes in and says did the guy see what Tessa did, but he says that Gail is supposed to be office staff, and she crossed the line.  She’s suspended a week, because she put her hands on Tessa, who mocks her the whole way.  Gail walks away pissed off. 

We are in a room, where Dark Allie is surrounded by the bunny doll and things that are there to remind her of her former self.  Rosemary tells her that they warned her about the Darkness, wonders why the Bunny left---and Allie says because Rosemary left.  She mocks Rosemary, who wants to know where the Bunny is.  Allie is bored.  Rosemary disappears. 

We get a backstage segment with OVE, where Sami addresses Rich Swann.  Sami says that he had a chance to be part of Ohio, but he messed it up.  He says that he’s going to take everything away from Swann, starting next week with his X-Division Championship. 

Desi Hit Squad are heading to the ring as they are squaring off with Eli Drake and Eddie Edwards.  Match begins with Eddie and Raj, as there’s some equal start.  Eddie gets the upper hand, as Eli tags himself in, and going to work.  Raj tags in Rohit, but Eli still maintains the advantage.  He stomps Rohit in the corner, and tags to Eddie, who lands a series of chops.  Rohit manages to get a tag from Raj before Eddie goes after him, but Raj absorbs a couple of chops before slamming Eddie.  Raj works on Eddie.  Raj talks trash to Eli to get him to distract the ref as he tries to attack Eddie, but Eddie fights back.  Raj still manages to maintain the advantage, and they work a double team.  Eli wants in, but the ref blocks him.  Eddie fights back a little, but Rhoit rakes the eyes, but Eddie fires back with a couple of chops.  He heads into the ropes, but gets a knee to the back for his troubles.  He’s tossed into the corner where Rohit gets a barrel roll on Eddie.  Eli’s had enough, and comes into the ring and clears house.  He tries to go after Gama, but Gama squirrels away.  This provides a distraction for the ref, as Eli tosses Kenny into the ring, and Eddie uses hit to nail Rohit, tosses it back to Drake, and Eddie scores the pinfall.  Quick match, but it shows the great teamwork between Eli and Eddie.  They’re a good combo.

It’s Main Event time, as Johnny Impact is set to defend his title against Brian Cage.  The Champ’s music hits, but we don’t see him immediately.  We see Killer Kross carrying the Champ on his back, with a cinderblock in his hand.  He lays the cinderblock and Johnny in the ring, then reaches under the ring for a chair.  Kross has dastardly plans.  Security comes out, but Kross defeats all of them.  Kross is deranged.  He grabs the cinderblock, and sets it next to Johnny’s head, and he stands over the Champ, ready to strike Johnny with the chair against the cinderblock.  Taya drags Cage out of the ring.  She begs Brian to help, but Taya throws herself onto her husband.  Kross tells Taya to move, but she gets up, and strikes Taya.  He’s about to strike back but, Cage comes in and saves her by beating down Kross and sending him out of the ring.  Taya hugs Cage, and as his back is turned, she lowblows him.  Johnny kips up, showing that he faked the injury.  It was all a ruse, as Johnny’s heel turn is complete.  He takes down Cage with a neckbreaker, then delivers a few right hands to him, then sets him up with the cinderblock on his head.  Johnny then smashes the chair over the cinderblock, injuring Brian.  They both laugh in the ring, as Kross laughs outside.  Cage is lifeless in the ring as the Husband/Wife champions pose at the top of the ramp.  Kross continues to laugh at ringside.

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A few matches on the card tonight...one that never happened, but A LOT of story that got moved along.

Johnny turning heel, along with Taya in tow, apparently has been in the works since Bound For Glory I would wager.  The response that he got after winning the title, the no-sell from Austin Aries, and they planted the seeds right there.  Throwing in Killer Kross to tell Johnny that he needed "assistance" and someone to watch his back, was the other clue.  I wondered when they would make the full turn, and they did it pretty much on their schedule.  As the rivalry with Cage heated up, they laid the groundwork...very well done.  Of course they needed Taya to come along for the ride, because with Tessa spending as much time with WOW (not only as its champion, but as a trainer), she'll be more busy there, and not so much on IMPACT, which is okay.  It allows Jordynne Grace---who fulfilled HER obligation to the whole Dark War saga, to step up, and be the new challenger for Taya, who needed to be a heel to go up against a babyface.  That should make for a good feud.  

As for Tessa, now we have her grudge match with Gail Kim pretty much etched in stone.  Now, I don't buy this "suspend Gail" garbage for trying to protect an employee from talent, but I guess this is their way of giving heat to Tessa, and heighten Gail's return to the ring, if only for this dream match.  It'll be good...both women are into it.

Eddie Edwards and Eli Drake continue to impress with their win tonight.  Admittedly, it was a bit of a squash, but it shows that these unconventional allies make a solid team when they're on the same page, and I can see them stepping up to challenge the Luchas soon for the straps.

Speaking of the Tag Team Champions...dissing Konnan was a mistake.  I have a feeling that Konnan and LAX are going to get dirty before it's said and done, and who knows what tricks the man will pull out of his bag to secure his title match for his team.  But hey...if we can get another match between these two teams with a new wrinkle in it...I'm game!

KM & Fallah Bahh are certainly moving up the ranks in the Tag Team Division, and getting over Reno Scum again helps that along.  Reno Scum isn't bad, either.  It's a nice midcard tag team feud, and does well to showcase the division even moreso.

The OVE/Rich Swann feud is boiling up, as Sami Callahan has now laid down the gauntlet to Rich Swann.  Everyone saw THIS match coming, but I feel it may be too soon for this.  I'd have built this story up a little more, and extended it to REBELLION.  This is a PPV match...not something you give away on free tv.  If you want to build a good match in about the middle of the show or near the beginning....this one will light it up.  

Moose goofing around with the Rascalz...why does that seem oddly appropriate?  And what OF Moose?  Was HE in on the Johnny plan?  I'm curious, because is Johnny just taking the place of Austin Aries?  We can only see where Moose winds up in all this.

Glenn Gilbertti had a nothing match against Kikutaro, who's just there as enhancement talent.  Gilbertti is pretty much the same thing for Scarlett Bordeaux, and we'll see THAT in two weeks.

Finally, we see The Demon Assassin Rosemary having a difficult time already trying to get the Bunny back.  Dark Allie isn't going to go away quite so easily.  And I feel that, if they're smart...IMPACT will do just enough to get this story to REBELLION, and have a one on one match between the two.  If Dark Allie wins, she goes free (there needs to be an even balance of heels to babyfaces on the Knockouts side), and if Rosemary wins, Dark Allie goes bye bye, and the Bunny returns.  But there HAS to be a singles match between these two.  But I'm sure Su Yung, James Mitchell, and Kiera Hogan will all stick their nose in it before the story ends.  

Alright, kids.  That's it for this week.  Please subscribe, and leave a comment, and pass the good word around, willya?

Until next week...