4/28 Impact Wrestling Rebellion results: Powell’s review of Johnny Impact vs. Brian Cage for the Impact World Championship, Pentagon Jr. and Fenix vs. LAX in a Full Metal Mayhem match for the Impact Tag Titles, Tessa Blanchard vs. Gail Kim

By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)

Impact Wrestling Rebellion
Aired live on pay-per-view television and FITE TV
Toronto, Ontario at the Rebel Complex

A video package opened the show… Josh Mathews and Don Callis were on commentary…

1. Petey Williams vs. Aiden Price vs. Ace Austin vs. Jake Deaner vs. Jake Crist vs. Eddie Edwards in a six-way scramble match. The ring announcer actually said that Edwards was “accompanied to the ring by Kenny” the kendo stick. Mathews noted that the rules were simple in that the first person who picked up a pin or submission wold win the match.

Prince set up for a big dive, but ended up running into a kick from Austin. Ace went for a running dive, but Crist caught him in mid-air with a cutter onto the pile for the first “holy shit” chant of the night. Late in the match, Williams hit the Canadian Destroyer on Deaner. Austin rolled up Williams out of the pin on Deaner and held his tights to get the win…

Ace Austin defeated Petey Williams, Aiden Prince, Jake Deaner, Jake Crist, and Eddie Edwards in a six-way scramble match.

Powell’s POV: Austin worked as a heel on Friday’s Impact television show in a match against Prince. Williams made the save in that match, so it makes sense for Austin to beat him here to build to a singles match between the two.

The broadcast team ran through the match lineup. They showed off Rebellion DVDs and said they are available for pre-sale. They also announced the Impact Plus app. A video package on Impact Plus aired. The narrator said you could experience Impact like never before with access to Impact, Xplosion, and pay-per-views, plus one bonus event per month. It will be available on May 1…

Powell’s POV: This appears to be a relaunch of the Global Wrestling Network rebranded as Impact Plus. Does this mean we’ll get Impact Plus matches of the week on Impact? In all seriousness, they had to do something because the GWN app had no steam.

A pre-taped black and white Sami Callihan promo aired. Callihan spoke about his X Division Title match with Rich Swann…

2. Scarlett Bordeaux (w/Fallah Bahh) vs. Rohit Raju (w/Gama Singh, Raj Singh). Prior to the match, Gama delivered his usual uninspired introduction for Raju. Scarlett kicked Gama through the ropes. Raju caught her with a side Russian leg sweep into the apron. Back inside the ring, Raju had the pin, but he picked up Bordeaux to break the count. Raju talked smack. Bordeaux responded with a slap and then spat at Raju.

Bordeaux caught Raju with a tilt a whirl head scissors take down and applied a crossface, but Raju powered out. Bordeaux performed a German suplex. Raju rolled to ringside. Bordeaux dove onto Raju and Raj from the top rope to ringside. Bordeaux went back to the top rope and was tripped by Gama. Raju pulled up the corners of his trunks and teased a stinkface, but Bordeaux kicked him low and followed up with her finisher and scored the pin…

Scarlett Bordeaux defeated Rohit Raju in 5:00.

Powell’s POV: This was fine as an undercard spectacle match. Raju did a nice job with his end of the match and Bordeaux executed her spots well. I’m still concerned that Bordeaux becoming a regular wrestler will end up doing more harm than good. Scarlett is a star, but she needs to be showcased in the right role. I’m not even sure what that role is, but I don’t believe that having her beating men in undercard matches is it.

A video package recapped the issues between Moose and The Rascalz…

3. Moose, Josh Alexander, and Ethan Page vs. “The Rascalz” Zachary Wentz, Trey Miguel, and Deszmond Xavier. The North duo of Alexander and Page received a nice ovation from the Canadian crowd. Impact continues to refer to the Rascalz as Wentz, Trey, and Dez. There was a “Walking Weapon” chant when Alexander tagged into the match. Dez was seated on the ropes and Moose dropkicked him from the ring. Dez came back with a DDT on Moose and tagged out. Late in the match, The North performed a nice combo move on Dez, then Moose had them pick up Dez so that he could spear him, which led to the pin…

Moose, Josh Alexander, and Ethan Page defeated The Rascalz in 9:30.

Powell’s POV: An entertaining match with The North duo looking good, and the Rascalz performing some crowd pleasing dives and moves. The North are impressive in the ring and I hope the company takes the time to establish their personas. It will be interesting to see if Impact makes any attempt to turn the Canadian fans against The North at the television taping or if they are content with the fans cheering them north of the border.

Melissa Santos interviewed Johnny Impact and Taya Valkyrie while former referee John E Bravo stood by. Impact said Cage wouldn’t see Starship Pain coming. Valkyrie said Grace’s unbeaten streak would end. Impact said he and Valkyrie would walk out of Rebellion the same way they walked in – with everyone talking about them and with all the gold…

A video package focused on the Knockouts Title match…

4. Taya Valkyrie vs. Jordynne Grace for the Knockouts Championship. Grace took Valkyrie down to start while the broadcast team noted that she was upset about the weight room incident that took place on Impact. They went to ringside where Grace powerbombed Valkyrie onto the edge of the ring just 35 seconds into the match. Back in the ring, Grace covered Valkyrie for a two count. Callis wondered when the last time Valkyrie worked a match where she didn’t have the power advantage.

Valkyrie went on the offensive for a stretch. Grace sold an arm injury. Grace bounced back with a Muscle Buster for a good near fall. Grace acted shocked that she didn’t get the pin. Grace’s arm gave out late. Valkyrie came back and hit the Road to Valhalla and scored the clean pin…

Taya Valkyrie pinned Jordynne Grace in 9:00 to retain the Knockouts Championship.

Powell’s POV: A good match. I like that they came up with a way for Valkyrie to go over clean while also making Grace look like a major threat to her championship. Taya continues to shine as a heel, and Grace is catching on nicely as the powerhouse babyface of the Knockouts division. I can’t imagine we’ve seen the last of this feud. By the way, I just posted a report on the main page on the NXT live event that was held in St. Paul, Minnesota this afternoon.

An ad hyped Impact Wrestling running Philadelphia’s 2300 Arena on Friday and Saturday…

Santos interviewed Gail Kim backstage. Kim said she loves her job in Impact and working with the talent, but no matter what she said or did she couldn’t get through to Tessa Blanchard. Kim said she’s coming out of retirement with the goal of teaching Blanchard the lesson of respect…

A video package focused on the X Division Title feud…

5. Rich Swann vs. Sami Callihan for the X Division Championship in an OVE Rules match. Callihan came out on the shoulders of Madman Fulton prior to the match. Swann was all business and didn’t dance. The broadcast team noted that Swann was wearing a new jacket and wasn’t wearing his usual goggles. Callihan sent Fulton to the back while the broadcast team noted that Callihan stated in his promo that no one from OVE was allowed at ringside in what is an OVE rules match. Swann used a staple gun early on.

The wrestlers introduced chairs, trashcans, cookie sheets, and other weapons. Callihan caught Swann diving through the ropes with a cookie sheet, then picked up the X Division title belt and licked it. Callihan brought Swann to the apron and gave him a piledriver. Callihan set up a guardrail over the side of the entrance ramp and something on the floor. Callihan grabbed a drink from the broadcast table and threw it at Swann. Back inside the ring, Callihan set up for a crucifix slam onto the guardrail piece, but Swann slipped away. Swann hit Callihan with a chair and then set it up in the ring. Callihan caught him running the ropes and performed an exploder suplex onto the chair. Damn.

Swann suplexed Callihan onto a garbage can and covered him for a two count. Callihan rolled under the ropes onto the entrance ramp. Swann grabbed a “wet floor” style sign, broke it in half, and beat Callihan with both pieces. Swann performed a Lethal Injection on the entrance ramp. Callihan knocked Swann off the ramp to the floor. Callihan leapt at Swann, who superkicked him. Callihan landed on the piece of the guardrail. Swann set up for a move, but Callihan low-blowed him. Callihan performed a piledriver onto the piece of the guardrail. Callihan rolled Swann back inside the ring and got a two count.

Callihan reached under the ring and pulled out a giant lego, which contained a bunch of regular sized legos. Callihan brought Swann to the ropes and set for a move, but Swann escaped and ended up giving Callihan a huracanrana onto the legos, which led to a two count. Swann went back to the ropes. Callihan threw powder in his eyes, then performed a piledriver from the middle rope onto the legos and only got a two count. Callihan pulled out a barbwire baseball bat. Swann spat at Callihan, who wound up with the bat, only to have Swann grab his nuts. Swann ended up with the bat, ignored Callihan telling him loved him, and hit him with it. Swann used the bat to perform a crossface style move and got the submission win…

Rich Swann defeated Sami Callihan in 16:20 in an OVE Rules match to retain the X Division Championship.

Powell’s POV: A well worked hardcore style match. The broadcast team framed this as a new side of Swann. I like that he’s more than the happy go lucky dancing guy, as that act had really taken him as far as it could go. Both guys worked hard and I enjoyed this more than the greatest hits of hardcore match that Callihan had with Jimmy Havoc at United We Stand over WrestleMania weekend. If the feud continues, I hope they find a way to make the X Division Title feel more important, as it felt like it took a backseat to the personal issues storyline between Swann and Callihan.

An ad hyped Impact returning to New York’s Melrose Ballroom on June 6-7 and the narrator labeled it a “live television taping”…

Santos interviewed Tessa Blanchard backstage and recalled Kim saying that she was going to teach Blanchard respect. Blanchard said she knows about respect, she’s earned respect, and she comes from a family that earned respect. She said her grandfather is in a hall of fame and her father is in two hall of fames.

Blanchard said she once looked up to Kim, but all of that respect ended when Kim put her hands on her and cost her the Knockouts Championship. Blanchard said she would teach Kim a lesson in regret. Tully Blanchard showed and told his daughter that he couldn’t miss the biggest match of her career. Tully said he would be sitting at ringside. He said her words were the truth in that she came from a family that earned respect. He told her to fulfill her destiny and show Kim what it’s all about…

A video package focused on Kim vs. Blanchard…

6. Gail Kim vs. Tessa Blanchard. Kim received a nice ovation from her hometown crowd and the ring announcer’s voice cracked as he said her last name (poor guy will probably hear some Peter Brady jokes about that one). The broadcast team noted that Kim’s husband Robert Irvine was in the crowd, just as Tully Blanchard was. Tessa knocked Kim off the apron with a nice dropkick, then dove onto her and sent her into the barricade. Tessa jawed at Irvine. Kim came back and held onto the ring post and then swung her legs into Tessa.

At 7:40, Kim applied a figure four around the ring apron. She released the hold and both women returned to the ring and exchanged punches. Tessa knocked Kim down. Kim looked up and said, “Screw you.” Moments later, Kim performed a top rope cross body block for a near fall. Fans chanted “you’ve still got it.” The fight went to the ramp. Tessa picked up Kim in Full Nelson style and tossed her off the ramp and onto the floor. Irvine was shown watching stone faced while the broadcast team played up his concern. Kim rushed back to the ring to beat the referee’s ten count.

Tessa went for her father’s slingshot suplex, but Kim threw knees to her head and ended up countering into Eat Defeat for a good near fall. Kim went up top. Tessa cut her off and joined her on the ropes. Kim went for a dragon sleeper, but Tessa bit her arm. Tessa stood on the middle rope, pressed Kim over her head, and tossed her into the ring. Tessa leapt from the middle rope and performed a Codebreaker on the way down, which led to a near fall. Blanchard applied a submission hold. Kim reached the ropes, but Tessa rolled her over and held onto the hold, forcing Kim to tape out.

Tessa Blanchard defeated Gail Kim in 13:10.

After the match, Tessa went to ringside and hugged Tully, who told her that she made him proud. Tessa returned to the ring and scowled at Kim, who was in the opposite corner. Kim got to her feet. Tessa offered her a handshake. Kim accepted the handshake and hugged her, then spoke off-mic to her. Tessa got emotional and cried, then Kim hugged her. Kim raised the arm of Blanchard, who pointed at her, thanked her, and left the ring in tears. Kim remained in the ring and soaked up the “Thank you, Gail” chants from the crowd…

Powell’s POV: A fun match. I’d love to see more from those two, but the finish and post match angle didn’t seem to point in that direction. I was surprised to see the post match handshake if only because the feud had been positioned as being so personal, but it still made for a nice moment. The broadcast team put over Blanchard’s new finisher, and also touted the post match scene as a passing of the torch.

Brian Cage delivered a fired up backstage promo and yelled the entire time about Johnny Impact… A video package set up the Impact World Championship match…

Powell’s POV: It looks like they are saving the Full Metal Mayhem match for last. Is that because they have a cheap finish in mind for the Impact vs. Cage match? Or is it because nothing will top Pentagon Jr. and Fenix vs. LAX? My guess is both.

Lance Storm headed to the ring as the special referee while the broadcast team touted the Impact World Championship match as the first of their co-main events. Brian Cage made his terminator entrance. Callis said that Storm has more integrity than anyone he’s ever met and said we’d find out who the better man is with him as referee. Johnny Impact made his entrance with his wife and sidekick….

7. Johnny Impact (w/Taya Valkyrie, John E Bravo) vs. Brian Cage for the Impact World Championship with Lance Storm as special referee. The ring announcer delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. The bell rang and Cage drove Impact into the corner with a spear. It was all Cage early, as he dominated the offense and got several near falls. Cage attempted to pull Impact from the apron to the top rope for a superplex, but Impact slipped behind him and ended up flinging him from the ropes from his first offense of the match. Cage came back with a standing moonsault for a two count at 3:20.

At 4:05, Impact performed a Spanish Fly from the entrance ramp to the floor a few feet below (still impressive despite the small fall). Impact got to his feet first and rammed his knee into the back of Cage’s head, which hit the guardrail. My feed cut out momentarily, and Cage was bleeding heavily from the forehead when it returned about 20 seconds later. The wrestlers returned to the ring where Impact remained on the offensive. Impact leapt from the top rope to the middle rope and speared Cage for a two count.

At 8:25, Valkyrie and Bravo pulled a table out from under the ring and set it up at ringside. Impact and Cage did a lot of talking to one another. They rolled to ringside and Cage leaned against the table. Impact went to the apron, and Cage powerbombed Cage through the table. Cage threw Impact back inside the ring and tried to follow. Bravo grabbed the foot of Cage, who shook him off. Once Cage was in the ring, Bravo grabbed his leg again. Cage brought Bravo inside the ring and gave him a forearm.

Cage set up for a powerbomb. Impact had the title belt and Storm tried to take it away. Storm ducked Impact swinging the belt, which ended up hitting Cage. Storm was dumped to ringside by Impact. Valkyrie ended up in the ring. Cage powerbombed Valkyrie. Impact hit Cage with the title belt. Bravo entered the ring and removed his shirt to reveal a referee’s shirt. Impact performed a terrible version of Starship Pain and completely missed Cage, which led to a two count. Storm returned and superkicked Bravo. Storm teased calling for a DQ, but Cage talked him out of it. Cage performed the Drill Claw on Impact and pinned him clean…

Brian Cage defeated Johnny Impact in 13:20 to win the Impact World Championship.

After the match, Michael Elgin made his entrance and entered the ring for a staredown with Cage, who held up the title belt. Elgin jawed at Cage and pointed at his title belt. Elgin teased leaving and hit Cage with a back fist. Elgin picked up Cage and gave him a sit-out powerbomb. Elgin picked up the title belt and looked at it, then held it over his head. Callis said we know why Elgin left New Japan Pro Wrestling. “He wants the world title, Josh,” Callis said…

Powell’s POV: With all the talking between the wrestlers it left me wondering if Cage was hurting from the Spanish Fly spot, as he seemed to be moving slowly for a bit. He seemed fine afterward, though, so hopefully he’s fine. The match felt overbooked with the interference of Bravo and Valkyrie, plus Storm being taken out and returning. It felt like the old swerve of a swerve with Impact teasing a crap finish only to deliver a clean finish. A clean finish would have been more satisfying, but at least they delivered a clean finish. I felt like Impact was just finding his groove as the heel champion, but it would have been risky to have Cage come up short again. The addition of Elgin has been rumored since his NJPW run ended. He’s a good powerhouse opponent for the new powerhouse champion.

A video package aired for Slammiversary taking place in Dallas, Texas on July 7…

Powell’s POV: Dallas? Hey, maybe Bob and Janice will show up and have a few too many. Er, um, never mind. Slammiversary will be held a day after New Japan Pro Wrestling runs American Airlines Center in Dallas. If nothing else, I guess it makes for a light travel schedule for Callis, and perhaps some fans who travel in for NJPW to stick around for the Impact show. For what it’s worth, I actually miss the days when pro wrestling companies avoided running holiday weekends. And, yes, I’m old enough to remember that the territory promotions ran major shows on holiday weekends.

Backstage, Konnan fired up LAX and delivered a promo in Spanish in English… A video package set up the tag team main event…

8. “The Lucha Brothers” Pentagon Jr. and Fenix vs. “LAX” Santana and Ortiz” (w/Konnan) in a Full Metal Mayhem match for the Impact Tag Titles. The teams immediately fought before the champions could remove their pre-match garb. There were tables set up at ringside and the Lucha Brothers performed stereo flip dives that drove the LAX duo through two of them that were leaning against the barricade.

At 7:30, Ortiz had Fenix draped over his shoulder and the top rope. Santana went up top and performed a double stomp onto the back of Fenix, who then fell onto two chairs that were set up underneath him. LAX picked up a two count. At ringside, Santana told the fans to move, then threw Pentagon over the barricade and into the front row. LAX pulled out a ladder and slid it inside the ring. Fenix fought off both LAX members until Pentagon returned to the ring and rejoined the fight. The wrestlers each set up a chair and sat down, then exchanged a series of forearms at 10:10.

At 12:20, LAX set up six chairs in one corner of the ring where they had Fenix seated on the top rope. The LAX duo set up for a superplex, but Pentagon broke it up with a trashcan lid. Pentagon held up Santana while standing on the chairs. Fenix performed a double stomp into a piledriver onto the chairs, which led to a near fall. Santana came back by dropping Pentagon sideways onto a chair that was in the upright position. Ouch. Fans chanted for ladders. Santana took the cue and set one up in the ring. Santana and Ortiz set up a table on the slick entrance ramp. Ortiz climbed the ladder, but Fenix raced over and performed a Spanish Fly through the table in a crazy spot at 15:45. Wow.

A short time later, Pentagon performed a Penta Driver on Santana onto a chair for a near fall. Mathews is in all out WWE mode by making it seem like all the big moves are sure to lead to a pinfall. Pentagon slid a table inside the ring and set it up next to another table and a ladder. Pentagon went to ringside and returned with tacks, which he poured all over the two tables in the ring. Santana grabbed a handful and threw them at Pentagon’s face. Santana climbed the ladder, and Pentagon recovered and climbed up the other side. They traded punches on the ladder as Ortiz returned to the ring and climbed up underneath Pentagon and powerbombed him through the tables and onto the tacks before pinning him.

LAX defeated Pentagon Jr. and Fenix in 20:30 in a Full Metal Mayhem to win the Impact Tag Titles.

Mathews noted that it was the fourth time that LAX has won the Impact Wrestling Tag Titles. Konnan entered the ring and congratulated his team. Konnan helped Pentagon to his feet. Callis noted that Fenix was still down and holding his left arm. Konnan called the teams together and asked if they were going to squash it. Konnan called for them to chant Lucha Brothers and LAX on three. Ortiz asked why Lucha Brothers were first. “Because I said so,” Konnan said. The teams obliged and then hugged. The Impact Wrestling locker room emptied. The wrestlers came out in their street clothes and applauded the teams and then entered the ring to congratulate them. Mathews noted that Taeler Hendrix was among the wrestlers who entered the ring. LAX held up the tag titles while standing on the middle rope to close the show…

Powell’s POV: All the insanity that you’d expect from these teams in this type of match. A wild main event with all sorts of crazy spots. And unless I missed something while bouncing back and forth between the television screen and my laptop screen, they avoided any idiotic chair shots to the head. I was really down on the unprotected chair shot to the head that we saw on Impact television on Friday. It left me worried about what we might see from these teams, but fortunately they avoided going there. The post match scene was cool with the wrestlers applauding the efforts of both teams. Overall, Impact delivered a strong pay-per-view. The price tag is ridiculous in 2019, but those who paid it had to come away satisfied with their investment. Update: Dot Net Members are now listening my audio review of this event on the ad-free version of our website. Join us via PWMembership.net.

Check below for the latest Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast with Jason Powell and guest Dave Lagana discussing the NWA Crockett Cup pay-per-view, the NWA’s relationship with Ring of Honor, the future of the NWA, and more.