By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Impact Wrestling TV
Taped October 25-26 in Windsor, Ontario at St. Clair College
Aired October 29, 2019 on AXS TV
[Hour One] A video package showcased the Impact talent for the premiere on AXS TV… The broadcast team of Josh Mathews and Don Callis stood in the ring and welcomed viewers to the show and touted the AXS debut. They hyped Ken Shamrock discussing his career future and the cage match for the Impact World Championship. Callis predicted that Brian Cage will retain the championship over Sami Callihan… A new Impact opening video aired…
Powell’s POV: The new opening is well produced and the ring skirting with the Impact and AXS logo looks good. I won’t be doing Impact live reviews every week. Typically, John Moore’s reviews will be available on Wednesday mornings and my Impact Hit Lists will be available on Wednesday afternoons, but I thought I’d jump in for the AXS premiere edition.
1. Naomichi Marufuji vs. Josh Alexander (w/Ethan Page). Mathews noted that Marufuji comes from Pro Wrestling Noah. Mathews boasted that Impact has partnerships with Noah in Japan and AAA in Mexico. Late in the match, Marufuji caught Alexander with a nice kick. Alexander came right back and put Marufuji in a torture rack and then spun him into a powerbomb for a close near fall. Marufuji came back with a kick and a knee to the head for a two count. Marufuji followed up with another kick and Sliced Bread No. 2 and scored the pin.
Naomichi Marufuji defeated Josh Alexander in 9:30.
After the match, Marufuji offered a handshake and the crowd chanted “shake his hand.” Alexander appeared to be on the verge of shaking his hand, but Alexander stopped him. Alexander teased it again, then pulled his hand back and posed with Page…
The OVE foursome of Sami Callihan, Jake Crist, Dave Crist, and Madman Fulton arrived at the building and were met by security. One of the security guards informed Callihan that the rest of OVE was banned from the building. Fulton grabbed the security guard by the throat. Callihan talked his men down and said he wouldn’t get fined again. He told his crew to take the night off… [C]
Powell’s POV: A good, competitive opening match. Mathews played up the idea that Alexander’s near fall was close enough that Impact management should take another look to see if he actually got the pin, so I guess that’s their way of trying to protect him. It was a little strange to see someone who isn’t an Impact regular win the first match on AXS, but I enjoyed the match and hope we see more of Marufuji going forward.
Dez and Wentz of The Rascalz were sitting in their usual smoke circle area talking about how hot a woman is while the lame laugh track played. When Trey showed up, they informed him that they were talking about his mother. Fallah Bahh sat down and said Bahh a few times. Wentz said he knows Bahh can say more words than that. “Maybe,” Bahh responded. The awful smoke effects played to imply they got stoned, then Bahh was able to speak coherently. Bahh spoke about how he let TJP down…
Powell’s POV: The bad homage to That ’70s Show continues. I like The Rascalz trio, but I was really hoping these segments would be left behind on Pursuit because they are cheap, tacky, and rarely funny.
2. Rosemary, Jordynne Grace, and Alexia Nicole vs. Taya Valkyrie (w/John E Bravo), Kiera Hogan, and Madison Rayne. Only Rosemary’s entrance was televised. All six women ended up involved early on despite Mathews pointing out that normal tag rules were in play. “We let them play a little in Impact Wrestling,” Mathews said before noting that it’s left to the referee’s discretion. They cut to a break a couple minutes into the match. [C]
Hogan performed a huracanrana on Nicole and then sold a shoulder injury. Two referees checked on her. Hogan went at Nicole and tagged out while Mathews wondered if she was actually okay. Late in the match, Valkyrie went to her corner for a tag, but only Bravo was there holding up the stuffed dog toy. Grave caught Valkyrie in an inside cradle and scored the pin.
Rosemary, Jordynne Grace, and Alexia Nicole beat Taya Valkyrie, Kiera Hogan, and Madison Rayne in 9:40.
After the match, Mathews wondered if Grace’s win will put her in line for a shot at Valkyrie’s Knockouts Championship. On the stage, Valkyrie slapped Bravo…
Footage aired from the Bound For Glory pay-per-view of Rob Van Dam turning on Rhino. Footage aired of Van Da speaking in a hot tub while his girlfriend Katie Forbes sat beside him. Van Dam asked if people knew where he came up with his move set. Van Dam pointed at his head. Van Dam said most of the current generation of wrestlers got their moves from him. He said wrestling is on six days a week. He said without him there would be no Kenny Omega, Daniel Bryan, or Young Bucks. Van Dam said the landscape has changed and pointed out the size difference. He asked Rhino if he wanted an apology, then said he’d try to find hm one and added he’s not apologizing… [C]
Powell’s POV: The six-woman tag match was fine. I’m surprised they make the Knockouts Champion look like a bigger deal on the first show by at least televising her entrance. That said, it will be nice to see Grace back in title contention. Impact found the right approach for Van Dam promos. It wasn’t just one long promo. Rather, they selected clips from his rant and presumably selected the best of the bunch to air.
A Michael Elgin video package aired…
3. Rich Swann and Willie Mack vs. Raj Singh and Rohit Raju (w/Gama Singh). Gama delivered his usual lifeless introduction of his team. Swann caught Raju with a nice Cutter and then tagged in Mack, who hoisted up Raju and held him while Swann performed a neckbreaker from the ropes. Mack pinned Raju…
Rich Swann and Willie Mack beat Raj Singh and Rohit Raju.
Powell’s POV: A showcase win for Swann and Mack. Does this mean the new Desi Hit Squad is reverting to their old losing ways?
Rhino was shown grabbing people backstage and demanding to know where Rob Van Dam was located. Rhino looked into the camera and said he would Gore Van Dam… Mathews hyped an update on the future of Ken Shamrock… [C]
Moose cut a promo on a golf course. He boasted about his football and wrestling career and then claimed he became the best MMA fighter in the world by defeating Ken Shamrock at Bound For Glory. He said he was going to show everyone how easy it was for him to hit a hole in one. Moose hit the ball and then barked at a couple of guys for being there while he was playing. Moose accused one of the men of taking his ball, then took a ball from him and put it in the hole. The other man backed up Moose’s claim of a hole in one. Moose said he would return to the Impact Zone next week…
Ken Shamrock made his entrance. Mathews said Moose and his cornerman Frank Trigg used every trick in the book to beat Shamrock at Bound For Glory. Shamrock was about to announce the conclusion he came to when he was interrupted by the entrance music of Joey Ryan.
[Hour Two] Shamrock acted confused by Ryan interrupting him. Ryan put his blow pop down the front of his trunks and then addressed Shamrock. Ryan looked down at his junk and said Shamrock has one more mountain to climb. “I don’t know who you are,” Shamrock said. Ryan said he’s the guy who made wrestling fun again.
Shamrock said he knows after all. “You’re that penis guy,” Shamrock said. Ryan assumed Shamrock is a fan. Shamrock said he wouldn’t go that far, but Ryan is pretty funny. Shamrock said he’s a real fighter and Ryan is a gimmick. “A little stiff, no pun intended,” Ryan said. He asked if he’s a gimmick then why is Shamrock afraid to touch it. He wondered if it’s because Shamrock would tap out quicker than he would in a Gracie choke.
Shamrock said he wasn’t coming out to retire. He said he was coming out to put Impact on notice. Shamrock said he wouldn’t play Ryan’s game, but he would snap his ankle. Ryan said the The World’s Most Dangerous Man will face The World’s Most Dangerous Manhood next week. Ryan offered a handshake. Shamrock accepted it and then tried to pull Shamrock’s hand onto his dick. Ryan left the ring…
Powell’s POV: I wouldn’t have guessed that Ryan would be Shamrock’s next opponent if you had given me ten guesses, but I guess we’ll see how it goes.
A Tessa Blanchard video package aired…
4. X Division Champion Ace Austin vs. Eddie Edwards in a non-title street fight. Mathews noted that Edwards won a gauntlet match to earn a shot at any championship in Impact, but this was not a title match. Eddie headed backstage and returned with a trashcan. Edwards hit Austin with a trashcan lid. “He almost knocked the purple off his head,” Mathews said. Austin fought back and pulled a table out from underneath the ring. Austin slid it into the ring, then pulled it back out and threw it on the floor, which drew some boos.
Edwards knocked Austin down, then went to ringside and slid the table inside the ring. Austin eventually set up the table in a corner of the ring. Edwards went back on the offensive. The “Reno Scum” duo of Luster the Legend and Adam Thornstowe came out. Edwards fought them off and put Thornstowe through the table. Edwards came back with a leg drop from the top rope that drove Edwards onto a trashcan. [C]
Edwards went to ringside. “There’s Kenny,” Mathews exclaimed in reference to the kendo stick that Edwards has named. Edwards tried to hit Austin with the stick, but Austin blocked it with the X Division Title belt. Austin hit Edwards with the kendo stick and then broke it over his knee. Austin went for a spear, but Edwards held up a trashcan, which Austin dove into in a fun spot. Edwards slid another table inside the ring and set it up.
Edwards set up Austin on the ropes. Austin kicked him off and then loaded a steel plate into his wrist wrap, hit Edwards of it, and then performed his Fold finisher through the table and scored the pin…
Ace Austin defeated Eddie Edwards in a non-title street fight.
Powell’s POV: A good garbage style brawl that the live crowd had fun with. Eddie may have lost the match, but at least his wife hasn’t yelled at him yet tonight.
The flashback moment of the week showed Su Yung and Jessicka Havoc brawling from the arena and into the backstage area at a show in Mexico. Havoc eventually hung Yung with a noose (yes, really). The footage also showed doctors tending to Yung and giving up, only for Yung to come back to life after the doctors had left the room…
New footage aired of Su Yung showing up backstage dressed in white and introducing herself to the Deaners as Susie. They asked her what she was doing there. She said she didn’t know, but it felt like she should be there. Yung told them that it was nice to meet them. Cousin Jake said that was terrifying. Cody Deaner said Yung is hot now… [C]
Powell’s POV: Yes, a murder by hanging with the woman coming back to life. I can’t even imagine what someone who hasn’t watched Impact lately must be thinking.
Backstage, Johnny Swinger told Alisha Edwards that he could probably get her booked by Don Owen in the Portland territory. Ace Austin showed up and said Alisha is a married woman and doesn’t needs a sleazy man hitting on her. Swinger said there are plenty of rats in the sea and then walked away. Austin said he put Eddie Edwards behind him and suggested she do the same. Austin invited Alisha to dinner and said it would just be as co-workers. She agreed under that premise for next week…
Mathews hyped Michael Elgin vs. Fallah Bahh, Moose vs. Willie Mack, and Ken Shamrock vs. Joey Ryan for next week’s television show. Mathews also hyped the cage match main event… A video package recapped Brian Cage beating Sami Callihan at Bound For Glory, then aired the footage of Callihan forcing Cage to give him a title match by threatening to have the rest of OVE break into his home and harm his baby daughter…
Sami Callihan made his entrance for the main event… [C] Brian Cage made his entrance coming out of the break. Cage stormed to the ring and didn’t wear a Halloween costume or whatever the hell that was at Bound For Glory…
5. Brian Cage vs. Sami Callihan in a cage match for the Impact World Championship. Cage went to enter the cage, but Callihan kicked the door into his face. Callihan went to ringside and Cage regrouped and slammed Callihan’s head into the cage. Callihan shoved Cage into the steel, then entered the cage and locked Cage out. Cage climbed the cage like it was nothing and then the bell rang once he was inside to officially start the match.
Callihan dodged a charging Cage and then ran him head first into the cage. Callihan picked up the bat that he brought out as part of his entrance and hit Cage with it. Mathews pointed out that Callihan’s vest had Cage’s wife Melissa’s name written on it. Cage bled from the forehead, and Callihan targeted the wound and then jabbed Cage with the baseball bat. Cage fired up and called for Callihan to bring it. Callihan spat at Cage. Callihan charged at Cage, who moved aside, causing Callihan to run head first into the cage. [C]
Callihan hit a piledriver and went for the pin, but Cage kicked out at the referee’s one count. Cage powerbombed Callihan, then followed up with a powerbomb into the cage. Cage set up for his Drill Claw finisher, but Callihan countered into an inside cradle for a near fall. Callihan kicked Cage several times and followed up with three more piledrivers and got a near fall. A “fight forever” chant broke out.
A short time later, the wrestlers fought on the ropes. Cage headbutted Callihan repeatedly. Callihan dropped off the ropes and then threw a kick at the head of Cage. Callihan went back to the middle rope and performed a piledriver and then covered Cage and pinned him clean.
Sami Callihan defeated Brian Cage in 14:15 to win the Impact World Championship.
After the match, the referee handed Callihan the title belt. Callihan kissed the belt, then celebrated inside the cage with it. Mathews narrated highlights of the piledriver from the ropes and the pinfall. Tessa Blanchard’s music played and she walked out and entered the ring and went nose to nose with Callihan to close the show…
Powell’s POV: A good main event. I enjoyed this match more than the Bound For Glory main event. Callihan has done a tremendous job in Impact and it’s nice to see him get a run with the championship. It will be interesting to see where Cage goes next. It looks like we know what’s next for Callihan given that post match staredown with Blanchard. They’ve been working toward her becoming the first woman to win the Impact World Championship for some time now, so I assume that’s the end result of their feud. I will be by on Wednesday morning with my audio review of this episode for Dot Net Members, and John Moore’s Impact Wrestling Hit List will also be available on Wednesday.
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