By John Moore, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)
Impact Wrestling TV
Taped July 19-20 in Nashville, Tennessee at Skyway Studios
Aired August 11, 2020 on AXS TV
Highlights from Rich Swann’s wrestling career aired. In the background, there was Swann’s “retirement” speech from last week. They also aired Eric Young’s quick attack on Swann from last week…
Josh Mathews and Madison Rayne were on commentary…
Willie Mack and World Class Maniac Eric Young were brawling backstage before entrances took place. Security guards separated the two men, but EY managed to sneak in a right hand. EY and Mack brawled to ringside. Once they got separated again, Mack got a mic and talked about how this match was scheduled for later in the show, but Mack wants this match to happen now.
Mack said he was going to beat the bricks off of Young’s ass. Young tried to walk away, but Mack chased him and brought him back to the ring. Josh said the bell might ring once the two men enter the ring…
1. Willie Mack vs. “World Class Maniac” Eric Young. Young took control with some boots, but Mack regained control with a dropkick. Mack worked on Young corner to corner. Mack hit Young with a plancha at ringside. Josh noted that this match might have gone longer than we knew because they joined the brawl in progress. Josh then plugged the “Emergence” show. Mack caught Young on the top rope with a right hand. Young dropped Mack to the mat with a bite to the face.
Young hit Mack with a beautiful looking elbow drop for the two count. Young worked on Mack with methodical strikes and pin attempts. Young tortured Mack with a Dragon Sleeper. Mack caught a diving Young into a Northern Lights for a two count in the bridge. Young knocked Mack back to the mat for a two count. Young locked Mack in a modified cravate, Mack kept from fading. Mack got to his feet and fought against Eric.
Mack turned the table with a jump kick and lariat. Mack body slammed Young and hit Young with a leg drop. Mack hit Young with the standing moonsault for a two count. Young blocked the Stunner with an eye claw. Mack reversed Young’s sleeper into a Stunner. Mack took his time getting to the top rope and then decided not to. Mathews noted that it might not be wise to not go for the pin.
Mack dragged a chair to the ring and the ref warned Mack that he’d be DQ’d. Mack trapped Young’s knee in the chair. Young recovered and crotched Mack off the top rope. Young hit Mack with a Pile Driver for the victory .
Eric Young defeated Willie Mack via pinfall in 8:30.
Eric Young kept yelling “My world! Eddie!”…
John’s Thoughts: A surprisingly good match from these two. Young has been consistent over the last few weeks in his “maniac” character while Mack showed a lot of solid intensity (aside from him doing his pose before the moonsault, which took away from the story). I liked that Mack was more serious. Mack costing himself the win and taking too much time thinking made sense since avenging Rich Swann as a higher priority for him. Mack is protected because of his rage and EY continues to be reintroduced to Impact viewers in solid fashion.
Josh Mathews and Madison Rayne checked in from their commentary set. Josh wondered if Eric Young is going to challenge Eddie Edwards for the world title during this week’s Open Challenge segment. Madison Rayne talked about the return of Locker Room Talk with Katie Forbes and RVD as guests…
Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson were looking for Ace Austin and Madman Fulton. They ran into a random guy and a guy they called “Striker”. I’m assuming this bearded man is a bearded Matt Sriker. Gallows threatened to beat up the random guy and then walked off saying they’d find somebody that matters…[c]
John’s Thoughts: Random Matt Striker sighting? I actually wouldn’t mind him shifting to Play-by-play to freshen things up away from Josh.
It was time for Wrestle House (ugh). Taya called her hygene packs from last week a success. Taya said she was going to lead another activity this week. Taya told everybody that they get to watch Taya Valkyrie’s greatest hits on video this week. Hokey b-movie background music played during the “comedy” segments. After a bit of banter, Crazzy Steve chatted with his former stable-mate Rosemary. Steve talked about Rosemary looking jealous of Taya. They then cut to Alisha Edwards and Cody Deaner getting Cousin Jake and Susie Yung ready for a date…
John’s Thoughts: Maybe the reason I kinda like Raw Underground (minus their terrible camera cuts) is because Wrestle House exists. Can Daba-Kato show up and destroy the Wrestle House with his bare fists?
Rhino was walking out of the restroom where he was ambushed by Adam F’n Thornstowe and Luster the Legend. They managed to get the wad of money that Hernandez wanted after leaving Rhino lying…
2. Jordynne Grace vs. Kimber Lee. Grace hit Lee with a series of lariats and a sidewalk slam for a two count. Grace womanhandled Lee around the ring. Kimber Lee grounded Grace with a roundhouse heading into commercial.[c]
Lee worked on Grace with methodical offense back from break. Grace used a low base to reverse Lee’s suplex with her own. Grace came at Lee with a series of shoulder tackles and a spinebuster for a two count. Grace and Lee traded rollups for no success. Lee caught Grace with a enzuigiri and German Suplex for a two count.
Madison Rayne abruptly left for Locker Room talk. Grace staggered Lee on the top rope with palm strikes. Lee fought Grace off with a headbutt. Grace blocked the Swanton with double knees. Grace made Lee tap via Rear Naked Choke.
Jordynne Grace defeated Kimber Lee via submission in 4:58 of on-air time.
Jordynne Grace’s generic entrance theme played…
John’s Thoughts: A good tune up match for Grace and I like that they’re establishing a submission finisher with her. Solid stuff heading into what should be a hot match against Deonna Purrazzo (given that their last match was arguably the match of the night at Slammiversary). Impact needs to eventually give Kimber Lee wins. She’s already at the point where she’s the obvious gatekeeper. They don’t want Kimber Lee to become Impact’s Kassius Ohno where you just start ignoring his matches because there’s no chance of him ever winning.
Madison Rayne introduced Locker Room Talk and noted that Johnny Swinger is trapped at Wrestle House. Rayne cut to a Heath (Slater) fake commercial where he talked about having kids and how he needs a job. Rayne cut off the commercial and introduced Rob Van Dam and Katie Forbes as her guests. Rayne talked about RVD and Katie being back to their “natural state”. Katie talked about how she likes showing her body.
Rob and Katie then started making out again. This caused Madison Rayne to storm off the set. Rob and Katie had joking banter with each other. The ICU graphic cut in and Sami Callihan teleported on Madison’s seat. Sami then attacked Rob for attacking him last week. Katie sprayed Sami with pepper spray and Katie and Rob put the boots to Sami…
The Rascalz were playing around with Suicide’s mask backstage. Moose approached Zach Wentz and berated him for wearing an EC3 sweater. Moose then handed Trey an “invitation” for a TNA title match next week, thinking Trey was Suicide because he was wearing the Suicide mask…[c]
They cut back to Wrestle House where the house was watching Taya Valkyrie highlights. Rosemary shot some “love dust” (?) at Larry D. Ugh. They then aired a date between Susie Yung and Cousion Jake where both people didn’t know how to date. Tommy Dreamer showed up when Acey Romero and Larry D bickered to book them in a match…
3. Larry D vs. Ace Romero in a Wrestle House match. Larry hit Acey with gut punches early on. Ace hit Larry with a leapfrog hip attack. Acey hit Larry with a Claymore-like kick. Acey missed a senton. Larry hit Acey with a curb stomp. Larry hit Acey with a knockout punch for the victory.
Larry D defeated Ace Romero via pinfall in 1:25.
Larry told Rosemary that he knocked Acey out for her. Josh Mathews hyped upcoming segments…[c]
John’s Thoughts: So, Wrestle House still sucks, unless you’re a fan of a bad version of 90s sitcoms. But I’m also baffled as to why they decide to let these meaningless campy matches have spectator wrestlers, while their Skyway Studios set is suffering with an empty crowd. Priorities Impact?
Deonna Purrazzo cut a promo backstage, hyping up her match against Jordynne Grace in a few weeks. She challenged Grace to a 30 minute iron-woman match for the title…
John’s Thoughts: Given how good their last long match was, that has match of the year potential. It also has the potential to overstay it’s welcome, so it’s not a sure thing that giving it more time would make it better…
A hype video aired to hype up The Motor City Machine Guns vs. The North for the Tag Titles…
4. Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz vs. Jessika Havok and Nevaeh in a No-DQ match. Steelz and Kiera tried to fool Havok and Nevaeh, but the larger team regained control. Havok hit Tasha with a Running Knee in the corner. Tasha recovered and tried to hit Havok with a chair to the back, whick Havok no-sold. Tasha grounded Jessika by kicking the chair into her. Nevaeh hit both opponents with a lariat.
Nevaeh tossed around Tasha with suplexes. Tasha rolled up Nevaeh for a two count. Nevaeh came back with a lariat. Kiera hit Nevaeh with a metal stick. Kiera hit Nevaeh with a baseball slide in the corner. Tasha hit Nevaeh with a neckbreaker for a two count while Kiera kept Jessika under control at ringside. Kiera choked Nevaeh against the bottom rope. Kiera took down Nevaeh with a series of kicks. Josh Mathews referenced Kiera Hogan being unhappy being held down over the years.
Jessika and Tasha brawled at ringside. Nevaeh hit Kiera with a suplex. Havok set up a table at ringside. Nevaeh rolled up Kiera for a two count. All four women traded forearms in teh center of the ring. Havok was left standing tall after all the women hit each other with kicks. Kiera helped Tasha escaped Havok’s pile driver.
Tasha and kiera went for a suplex on Havok but Havok reversed it into a suplex of her own. Tasha and Kiera pulled the rope down to send Jessika to the apron. Tasha put a sleeper on Havok while on the apron. Kiera kicked Tasha off to prevent Tasha falling into the table. Kiera kicked Havok off the apron through the table. Nevaeh tried to hit Kiera with a street sign, but Kiera kicked it into Nevaeh’s head. Kiera hit Nevaeh wiht a swinging backbreaker for the victory.
Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz defeated Nevaeh and Jessika Havok via pinfall in 7:48.
John’s Thoughts: A well wrestled match for an extremely cold feud. I like all four women in the ring, but they’ve just been having meaningless matches week after week. What doesn’t help is that this has been booked in parity, with Steelz and Kiera seemingly getting more wins. Can’t tell. Not sure why they’re booking Nevaeh and Havok to be so vulnerable. Jessika Havok was once supposed to be the monster heir apparent to Awesome Kong and now they have her trading wins and losses with smaller wrestlers every week.
Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson approached Scott D’Amore about the wereabouts of Ace Austin. D’Amore said he doesn’t think they’re in the building. Anderson and Gallows left to look for Ace. D’Amore told the person on his headset that Gallows and Anderson are acting like Scott Hall and Kevin Nash…
Moose ran into a projector playing an EC3 promo on it. EC3 said he’s here for one reason, Moose. Not Moose the man, but what Moose is synonomyous with. EC3 said he’s here to destroy Moose. He said it’s not a threat, but a declaration. The projector turned off and Moose looked paranoid…[c]
5. Dezmond Xavier (w/Zach Wentz) vs. Suicide. The match started off with a collar and elbow. Dezmond fought out with a series of chops. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows interrupted the match. Gallows hit Dez with a boot to call for the bell.
Dez vs. Suicide ended in an apparent no-contest.
Gallows and Anderson beat up Dez and Wentz and tossed them outside. The Good Brothers hit Suicide with the Magic Killer and tossed Suicide out. Anderson took the mic and said the Brothers aren’t leaving the ring until Ace and Fulton show up. Ace and Fulton showed up on the big screen. Ace said they aren’t even in the same state as the Impact arena. Ace said he’s only fighting the Good Brothers on his time. Ace said that time is Night 1 of Emergence. Gallows accepted the challenge…
This week’s Impact Plus Flashback Match of the Week was Eddie Edwards vs. Cody Rhodes for the Impact World Championship. Eddie defeated Cody to retain the championship…
John’s Thoughts: This flashback actually gave me a bit of a chuckle, given that Eddie and Cody are currently both running weekly challenges on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Rohit Raju was trying to cheer up Chris Bey backstage. Bey assumed that Rohit was trying to get in Bey’s corner again. Raju propsed that Bey defend the title against Rohit and TJP at Emergence. Bey teased that he didn’t trust Raju, but laughed it off because Raju loses every week and is not a threat. Bey agreed to Raju’s plan…[c]
They cut back to the Susie Yung and Jake Deaner date at Wrestle House. Jake talked about liking this side of Susie. Susie then started speaking like Su Yung which caused Jake to run away. Alisha Edwards walked in and Susie said Alisha’s dating advise was bad. This would lead to a match…
6. Susie Yung vs. Alisha Edwards in a Wrestle House Match. Crazzy Steve was the referee. Alisha was mad at Susie saying the advise was bad. Susie slapped Alisha. Alisha gave Susie a double leg takedown. John E Bravo yelled Cat Fight!. Steve tried to get control, but Susie hit Alisha with a rising palm. Alisha took down Susie. Both women got to their feet to break Steve’s count.
Alisha hit Susie with an axe handle strike. Susie came back with back elbows to Susie. Susie rolled up Alisha for the victory.
Susie Yung defeated Alisha Edwards via pinfall in 1:56.
Taya tried to call everyone in the house to watch more of her matches. Kylie Rae talked about how everyone wants sleep. Taya called Kylie a loser. Susie reminded Taya that Taya lost twice to Kylie and Kylie is number one contender. Kylie challenged Taya to a match. Tommy Dreamer was about to announce the match, but Rosemary shhhh’d him. Taya said she’d callenge Kylie next week…
Josh Mathews and Madison Rayne checked in from the commentary set. Josh announced that Emergence was next week. They announced the following segments: Taya Valkyrie vs. Kylie Rae in a Wrestle House match, Moose vs. Trey Miguel for his toy belt, Chris Bey vs. TJ Perkins vs. Rohit Raju for the X Division Championship, Good Brothers vs. Ace and Fulton, and The Motor City Machine Guns vs. The North for the Tag Titles. Josh announced Deonna Purrazzo vs. Jordynne Grace in a 30-minute-ironwoman match for Night 2. Josh also announced that Eddie will still defend his title weekly…
Eddie Edwards made his entrance for his open challenge title defense…[c]
Eddie Edwards called out Eric Young for the weekly challenge. Instead he got new entrance music. It was the artist formerly known as Curt Hawkins. He’s going by his real name of Brian Myers. He wore his face mask for a second and tossed it aside. He had a mic and said he understands what Eddie is stressed about.
Myers said the title is just a belt in Eddie’s hand, but in Brian’s hand it’s a championship. Myers called himself “the most professional wrestler”. He’s still wearing his old Curt Hawkins ring gear, minus the name…
John’s Thoughts: Uhm? I was kinda hoping for something different, but he looks like the same Curt Hawkins that lost over 100 matches in a row and WWE did nothing with it other than establish Brian as a j-brone. I was actually in the building when Brian Myers made his return to WWE after a stint with Impact (in Sacremento, CA), and it was just as underwhelming.
7. Eddie Edwards vs. Brian Myers for the Impact World Championship. Eddie Edwards dominated the early collar and elbows. Josh noted that Myers is a former TNA Tag Team Champion with Trevor Lee. Josh then plugged Myers and Cardona’s action figure podcast. Eddie and Brian traded headlocks. Myers choked Eddie on the second rope a bit. Eddie dumped Brian to ringside heading into break. [c]
Eddie hit Brian with an atomic drop and Belly To Belly. Brian gained a moment of respite by tossing Eddie from the apron into the ringpost. Brian tackled Eddie into the apron. Brian then worked on Eddie with methodical offense for a good few minutes. Eddie got Brian grounded with a Fantasma-like Suicide Dive. Josh noted that Eddie got so much air that he overshot and busted his knee.
Myers recovered and tossed Edwards into the guardrail. Myers hit Eddie with a back suplex for a two count. Eddie reversed Brian with a snap suplex into the bottom buckle for a moment of respite for himself. Eddie hit Brian with running axe handles. Brian came back with a back elbow. Eddie hit Brian with a step up kick and backpack stunner for a two count.
Josh noted that Myers might not be used to long matches like this (ouch). Brian blocked Eddie’s tiger driver and then hit Eddie with the Edgeucation for the two count (Nice Edgehead throwback). Brian then struck the Edge pose that Edge does before the spear. Eddie caught Brian with a kick. Eddie hit Brian with a Tiger Driver for a two count.
Eddie missed a Boston Knee Party and Brian hit Eddie with a Pele Kick. Brian ran the ropes and ran right into the Boston Knee Party for the victory.
Eddie Edwards defeated Brian Myers via pinfall in about 11:00 of on-air time to retain the Impact World Championship.
Eddie Edwards celebrated his win to close the show…
John’s Thoughts: A decent match, but nothing special. Brian Myers looks like he just took his Curt Hawkins charcter over and rehashed it here. It’s not like Heath Slater, who’s looking jacked off the 3MB diet, where he looks different and credible against Moose. Nah, this was a bit underwhelming and I was kinda hoping the best for the guy. I do like that the announcers did protect Eddie, by saying that the fatigue is catching up due to weekly title defenses, but this was a step down from even last week’s Sami Callihan match.
A pretty run-of-the-mill show. The show started strong and had a few good matches, but then you have them dedicating most of the show to a diarrhea joke on Wrestle House. Wrestle House should have been an online thing and I have now idea why they feel the need to force feed experimental concepts on their viewers. This is similar to Global Forged/Gut Check which no one cared about other than your TNA fan boys. That said, I expect the next two weeks of shows (or at least next week’s Impact) to be PPV worthy given the hot cards they put in a short amount. Looking forward to Emergence
No one cared about Gut Check/ Global forged other than TNA fanboys isn’t that a ll that matters? We are the ones buying merch, Impact plus and ppv’s consistently!
I’m not quite sure how the reviewer here sees booking to your fanbase as a bad thing either? If those segments appeal to the core audience, they work. I’m not saying everything they do is a hit. I just don’t understand the opinion that something shouldn’t be produced that appeals to a loyal base. That’s the equivalent of watching American Idol and saying they should cut out the judges.
Their fanbase was literally live shows in front of less than 100 people before the lockdown and their TV viewership (that Anthem had to pay Nielsen to even measure) averages less than 150k.
Their fanbase enjoyed watching a small woman as the world champ and is currently enjoying a show where one of the women teleported other wrestlers into a house for a reality show that takes place in the middle of their wrestling show.
They need a much larger fanbase than the one that is willing to swallow whatever stupid thing they do next.
TBH, ever since the ads for potential returns at Slammiversary, I’ve been really into IMPACT. It’s not great, no. But I find it far more refreshing than WWE. AEW has been good but that’s expected. I still prefer NXT overall, but I’ve really enjoyed the effort put in lately in Impact. Except Wrestle House. Just no.
I totally agree and would argue that their show actually improved immensely since they started running empty arena shows. Their recent crowd shows in Mexico, Canada, and Sams Town came off as meaningless house shows with apathetic crowds and lack of story development. Only odes to TNA. The new names coming in did take them up a level in recent weeks.
Since they went to Skyway, their writing has gotten tighter and they’ve gotten back to building characters, especially in their deep women’s division. The only thing holding them back in some ways is their obsession with hokey comedy and going overboard with it. Someone on their creative team is also obsessed with “teleportation” to the point where they’re running a stupid idean into the ground.