Powell’s Impact Wrestling Hit List: LAX’s farewell match vs. Rich Swann and Willie Mack, OVE vs. Tessa Blanchard, Rob Van Dam, Rhino, and Tommy Dreamer in a street fight, Jessicka Havok vs. Su Yung in a No DQ match, Joey Ryan’s cameo appearance

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

Impact Wrestling Hits

LAX vs. Rich Swann and Willie Mack: It was good to see Impact spotlight Santana and Ortiz even though they have already left and debuted for AEW. We’ve seen companies get petty in situations like this, but Impact did right by LAX, who did right by the company by working hard and doing good business right to the very end of their run. Swann and Mack going over clean was the right call in that it elevates them and puts them in line to replace LAX as the top babyface tag team. It was also a nice touch to have the babyfaces come out to celebrate LAX afterward.

OVE vs. Tessa Blanchard, Rob Van Dam, Rhino, and Tommy Dreamer in a street fight: This week’s show opened with the followup to last week’s main event and post match angle. It was a crowd pleasing match that got a rise out of the Mexican crowd that is typically on the quiet side during Impact tapings unless AAA wrestlers are involved. Blanchard getting the win over Jake Crist added to my suspicion that they are building toward the two of them meeting for the X Division Championship at Bound For Glory.

Joey Ryan appears at Melissa Santos’s bachelorette party: A fun cameo with Ryan appearing as the stripper at the party attended by most of the Knockouts. Brian Cage’s bachelor party “cheat” joke gag was silly fun and at least the men’s party wasn’t filled with an odd mix of babyfaces and heels coexisting.

Mehabali Shera vs. Cody Deaner: A solid showcase win for the returning Shera. Josh Mathews said we’re in for a whole new Desi Hit Squad. Here’s hoping that also applies to Gama Singh and starts with the elimination of his lifeless introductions. I like the way Shera seems completely devoted to Gama and hopefully this leads to Gama becoming more of a serious and sinister leader. Rohit Raju and Raj Singh have the potential to be a good team if they are actually presented as something more than comedy goofballs. That said, I appreciate the versatility that Roju has signed by making the most out of his comedy segments.

“The Rascalz” Dez, Wentz, and Trey vs. Australian Suicide, Arez, and Toxin: A good athletic showcase for The Rascalz. The trio seems to be spinning their wheels at the moment, but I they should also be in the running for the top babyface spot now that Santana and Ortiz have left for AEW.

Impact Wrestling Misses

Jessicka Havok and Su Yung: The post match scene with Havok hanging Yung was a turnoff and just isn’t what I want from a pro wrestling product. The final image of the show with Yung coming back to life on a medical table left me worried that Impact is going to drift back into the Undead Realm nonsense. Either way, there’s still no incentive for viewers to pick a side.

Taya Valkyrie vs. Alisha Edwards: Some of Ace Austin’s antics are comical. It’s just a shame that the story is written in a way that requires viewers to turn their brains off to enjoy it. Not only is Alisha too oblivious to notice the games he’s playing in hopes of seducing her, but apparently no one in the company, including her own husband, wants to smarten her up.