Impact Wrestling returns from Sam’s Town Casino from Las Vegas, Nevada for the fallout of Sacrifice and the build up towards Rebellion.
Opening video focused on the main event from Sacrifice where Tessa Blanchard pinned the X-Division champion, Ace Austin.
Show began with footage from last week’s post-show where Ace Austin told D’Amore that he wants a rematch and he wants it to be a title match. D’Amore makes it for the X-Division Championship instead.
Daga defeated Rob Van Dam (with Katie Forbes) by countout
Rob started the match shoving Daga around a bit, but once the actual wrestling started, Daga used his armdrag abilities to send RVD to the floor and take him out with a quick dive. Outside the ring, Rob gained the upper hand slamming Daga a bit on the floor and kicking him.
Back in the ring, RVD kept working over Daga, mostly with kicks and stomps. Rob got a two count with a leg-scissors pin.
Rob teased the Rolling Thunder, but didn’t deliver as usual, and went outside to make out with Forbes. The distraction was enough for Daga to recover and catch RVD with a dropkick and a dragon screw, at least until Rob poked Daga in the eye.
Forbes got in the apron and distracted Rob about what people were saying in social media about them, which gave Daga an opening to roll up RVD for a two count.
Katie Forbes left to the back, which distracted Rob again, and once again, Daga got a dropkick and a monkey flip, got some clotheslines in then connected with a GTS for a two count. Daga hit an ugly suicide dive, and was going for the top rope finish but RVD walked out of the match. This was terrible, it made Daga look weak.
During the match, there was a lot of focus on Katie Forbes blocking people on social media and it worked into Rob getting distracted. May mean something later on.
After the match, the camera followed RVD to the back where Katie Forbes was saying those people don’t deserve to see them. RVD said they paid tickets, so they kinda do. Joey Ryan walked up to them and said he agreed with them and that he went through the same because of his ‘super penis’. Joey Ryan said that if they ever needed to talk, he was there for them.
Gabbi Loren interviewed Jordynne Grace about her successful defense against Havok. Jordynne said that she is a fighting champion and made an open challenge to anyone. Madison Rayne walked up and said that she is only copying her open challenge from last week. Rayne implied that she has a protege she is preparing to challenge Jordynne tonight.
Matthews and Callis ran down tonight’s card and explained the return of Gut Check.
Rohi Raju (with Mahabali Shera & Gama Singh) defeated Zachary Wentz (with The Rascalz)
This match comes from Rohit costing The Rascalz the tag titles at last Saturday’s Sacrifice match against The North.
Match started with a little bit of chain wrestling with both men getting the upper hand at some point. They later transitioned into a fast paced sequence of reversals and strikes that ended with a release German suplex by Wentz. Rohit recovered and came back with a strike combo and a running knee for a two count. Rohit sent Wentz to the floor for Shera, but Xavier and Trey were there to stand up against him.
Back from commercial, Rohit was still under control of Wentz, the former got a two count with a side leg sweep. Rohit went for a running knee, but Wentz caught him with a strike combo, a running knee, and PK to gain some momentum. Rohit rolled out, Wentz went for the dive, but Rohit faked him, and went for a dive himself only to get caught with a stunner on the ropes. Wentz hit a Bitter End-type maneuver for a two count.
They exchanged strikes in the middle of the ring, with Wentz having the upper hand, but Shera was there to distract Wentz, giving Rohit the opening to hit a Jumping Knee and a Flatliner for a two count. Raju went for the strikes and bites, and finally the finisher, but Wentz countered.
Wentz went for the top rope, but Shera distracted him. The Rascalz took care of Shera, but it was enough time for Rohit to move away from the Swanton Bomb and hit a Foot Stomp for the win.
The show was interrupted by the hacker, who blocked the music and lights, but then the show continued.
Ace Austin cut a promo about tonight’s match. He said that Tessa doesn’t deserve to get a title shot first since he has defeated Tessa more times. He said that after he defeats her tonight, he’s coming for the World Title. He had a great line that ‘Tessa may be undeniable, but he’s inevitable.
We got a promo by oVe, minus Sami Callihan. Dave Crist said that Sami is gone and that no one knows where he is. Dave said that they need a new leader, which prompts a face off between the Crist brothers and Madman Fulton. Jake Crist is there to calm them down and said that it’s all about Ohio.
Knockout’s champion Jordynne Grace defeated Miranda Alize (with Madison Rayne) to retain the title
Miranda Alize is great, but a bit underwhelming as the challenger. She also came out first and unannounced, making it lackluster.
Match started with Jordynne having the strength agvantage in the lock up, but Alize didn’t grant a clean break, slapping Jordynne in the face and angering her. Jordynne retaliated with a slap and slammed Alize down for a quick two count.
Jordynne gave Alize some stif shots and went for the clothesline, but Alzie used her speed and lucha style to counter with a couple of ranas and knee to the face for a two count.
Jordynne once again used her power to strike down Alize, hit a snap suplex and a running knee, a sliding shoulder block to the corner, and the Vader bomb for a two count. The shoulder block was so heavy that Alize looked legit hurt in the ribs.
Alize tried to come back with a cutter, but Grace kicked out, blocked a suplex, landed the Grace Driver and pinned Alize.
Weak match. Alize is good, but Jordynne didn’t mesh well with her.
Gabbi Loren interviewed The North about their upcoming title match against Bahh and TJP. Ethan Page said that they are the standard of tag team wrestling in the world. I don’t disagree. He said that Bahh and TJP want to be like them, but if they do, they eventually will get to them in the way, and there is no defeating them. Page was fantastic.
We got a vignette for the ‘Ultimate Finesser’ Chris Bey, Impact’s newest signee.
Somewhere in the back, we saw Havok roaming around, looking for Susie. Rosemary sneaks up on her. Rosemary said that she is now free of Mitchell and that she has another present for her, a No DQ match versus Su Yung.
Eddie Edwards (1) defeated Michael Elgin (2) in match 4 of the Best of Five series
This match was taped in Dayton, OH by The Wrestling Revolver. Match was commented on by Josh Matthews and D’Lo Brown.
Match started with both men exchanging kicks, shoulder blocks, and a couple of forearms. Eventually, Edwards got an atomic drop and an over-the-belly suplex, but when he went for the dive Elgin leaped over the ropes and hit a back elbow to take down Eddie. Elgin didn’t follow up, letting Eddie hit a fisherman suplex for a two count.
Eddie went for some chops on Elgin, who came back with a huge elbow to drop Eddie. Elgin followed with another elbow and a sliding one for a two count. Now it was Elgin that went for the chops. Eddie came back with some chops, but Elgin just exploded with a huge Sambo Suplex and a Scoop Slam. Elgin went for the top rope, but Eddie blocked him and hit a Superplex.
Elgin went for another Sambo, but Eddie countered into an armdrag and hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. Eddie went for the Backpack Stunner, but Elgin got free, did a cartwheel out of the top rope, came down with a Release German, but Eddie fired up and hit one. Elgin hit a big Uranage.
Back from commercial, Elgin was clobbering Eddie with clotheslines, but as he went for the big one, Eddie wakes up and starts exchanging strikes with Elgin. Eddie counters a DVD and superkicks Elgin, but can’t capitalize. They went back to exchanging chops and forearms until Eddie landed a Tiger Bomb for a two count.
Eddie went for the Boston Knee Party, but Elgin caught him, set him up in the ropes and went for a second rope German. Eddie punched him off. Eddie went for a moonsault, which he rarely does, but Elgin moved away. Elgin took him down with a discus clothesline and went for a big lariat, but Eddie’s legs crumbled under him, dodging the clothesline.
Elgin was playing possum and got a small package for a two count. Eddie dodged another clothesline and rolled up Elgin with the Gedo Clutch and picked the win to tie Elgin 2-2. Great match.
Impact Plus Moment of the Week was Against All Odds 2010’s Ken Anderson vs Jeff Hardy in a ladder match for the purple TNA World title.
Gabbi Loren interviewed Petey Williams and Scott D’Amore. They’re introducing the upcoming nostalgia show – TNA: There’s No Place Like Home. D’Amore announces the return of Ultimate X, the return of the King of the Mountain, and hinted to a Reverse Battle Royal.
Moose interrupted them and said what we’re all thinking. TNA is dead and it should be left like that and that all focus should be on Impact, especifically Mr. Impact Wrestling. Moose made fun of the ‘stars’ of TNA. Petey Williams said that at least all those men were champions. Moose vs Petey Williams next week.
Also next week, Su Yung vs Havok in a No DQ match and TJP and Fallah Bahh vs The North in a non-title match.
Backstage, Willie Mack was approached by Johnny Swinger, who still doesn’t get it. Swinger said they’re getting better as a team. Disco Inferno approached them and said that he’d be a better partner for Mack because he’s a superstar and Mack needs him. In the end, Swinger and Inferno agreed to become a tag team.
We got a video package of this year’s Gut Check training camp. The trainer is John E. Bravo and the narrator is Scott D’Amore. They showed two guys that were terrible. One of them, Shogun, was straight up being stiff and unsafe.
We got the commercial for Lockdown, taking place on March 28th on Impact Plus.
Impact World champion Tessa Blanchard defeated X-Division champion Ace Austin by DQ
Ace went straight for the slam, but Tessa was ready to counter and rolled up Austin for a one count, she quickly followed with two low dropkicks, a running kick to the back and the middle rope Magnum for a two count. Hot start.
Ace went for a suplex but Tessa blocked and countered into a cradle for a quick pin attempt. Tessa went for a Rana, but Ace blocked it and landed a series of three backbreakers to gain control of the match. Tessa tried to make some comebacks, but he kept her at bay with kicks.
Ace focused on Tessa’s back with knee strikes and went for a bow and arrow. Ace got a two count with a backplex. Tessa tried to make another comeback, but Ace caught her with a strike. He started to show off more and more, giving Tessa more openings until she landed a tilt-a-whirl head-scissors and a dive to finally gain some momentum.
Tessa went for a tornado DDT, but Ace blocked her and landed a gutbuster. Ace focused on the back with strikes and sunk in a crossface.
Ace continued going for strikes and kicks to the back, and followed up with a dragon sleeper. Tessa made the ropes and finally made her comeback with chops and punches, but as she went for the Buzzsaw, Ace blocked.
Ace went for The Fold, but Tessa dodged. Tessa hit a rana and a big tornado DDT, but as she went for Magnum Taya Valkyrie ran down and jumped Tessa for the DQ finish. Taya kept banging Tessa’s head against the mat until the show went off the air.
Final Thoughts —
An overall good show for Impact. it started weak inside the ring, but it got better towards the second half. Storyline wise, we’re starting to get hints towards Rebellion and the TNA nostalgia show.
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