By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Impact Wrestling Hits
EC3 promo: This was the anti “I’m finally free and yet still extremely bitter with WWE” promo that we’ve seen from far too many WWE castoffs over the years. It would have been easy to return to the Ethan Carter III comfort zone given the character’s successful history in Impact. But EC3 didn’t take the easy path and that’s to be applauded. He has reinvented himself and the early returns are very encouraging.
The Good Brothers vs. Reno Scum: The Reno Scum duo have been beaten too many times to feel television main event worthy in most cases, but Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson feel fresh and therefore the company was able to get away slotting this match in the final segment. The post match brawl between the Good Brothers and Ace Austin and Madman Fulton continued the build to their eventual match.
Eddie Edwards vs. Trey Miguel for the Impact World Championship: A well wrestled match. I still don’t feel great about Edwards in the champion role. It’s also tough to buy the broadcast team’s talk about how he has carried the company on his back when he spent so much time playing the Crazy Eddie character. On the bright side Crazy Eddie appears to be a thing of the past and I enjoy the current version of his persona, so maybe he will grow on me as champion. Miguel continues to come off as a talented guy who never wins big matches. It will be interesting to see if there’s a plan in place to get him over the hump.
Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo vs. Kimber Lee in a non-title match: A Hit for match quality and the ongoing big push for Purrazzo. I still have no idea what Impact creative wants viewers to think of Lee in terms of whether she’s a heel or a babyface. The post match angle with Jordynne Grace attacking Purrazzo to set up their rematch was brief and yet it accomplished what it needed to.
Impact Wrestling Misses
Wrestle House: COVID House would be more appropriate. Seriously, who actually thought that cramming a group of people into a room for a faux reality television shoot during a pandemic was a good idea? Hell, some of this footage might make Vince McMahon blush. Putting that aside, I’m not a fan of all the campiness. Impact finally ditched the Undead Realm, but they just can’t stay away from the corny sports entertainment style comedy. I cared so little about the Wrestle House matches that I’m not even going to bother including them in the Hit List. The new roster additions have breathed new life into Impact. The company has the potential to be a good, straight forward pro wrestling product, but the creative forces continue to have a soft spot for campy comedy. Some people enjoy it. I question whether this will turn off more people than it will bring in, but to each their own. It’s just not what I’m looking for in a pro wrestling product in 2020.
Sami Callihan hacks Katie Forbes’ photos: Callihan’s hacker gag was neither funny nor clever. The Rob Van Dam and Forbes act continues to be an over the top trashy turnoff.
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