By John Moore, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)
Impact Wrestling TV
Taped in Nashville, Tennessee at Skyway Studios
Aired February 16, 2021 on AXS TV
Highlights from the Impact Plus No Surrender show aired. The package ended with the teaser for New Japan’s David Finlay and Juice Robinson appearing on Impact…
Matt Striker and D’Lo Brown were the commentators for this show…
1. TJP vs. Josh Alexander for the Impact X Division Championship. Matt Striker called TJ Perkins one of the best overall wrestlers in the world. The match started off with chain wrestling. The chain wrestling ended in a stalemate. Alexander slowed down TJ with a backbreaker. Alexander locked Perkins in a knee-trap surfboard. TJ wiggled out and locked in an armbar on Alexander. Alexander deadlifted TJ into a power bomb.
Perkins quickly recovered and went back to the triangle. Alexander escaped by catapulting TJ’s face into the turnbuckle. TJ whiped Alexander to ringside from the ankle lock. Perkins followed up with a wrecking ball kick. Alexander no sold a TJ crossbody. TJ hit Josh with a Face Wash kick and Tornado DDT for the two count. Alexander kicked TJ with a PK and followed up with a crossbody to TJ’s back to send him to ringside.
Alexander went for an ankle lock but TJ escaped with a enzuigiri. Perkins went for a Mamba Splash, but he was staggered by a forearm from Alexander. Perkins escaped a superplex with a front suplex. Perkins went for a Mamba Splash, but Alexander got the knees up. Alexander grapvined TJ into an ankle lock. TJ reversed Alexander’s Tiger Bomb into an octopus stretch. Alexander escaped. TJ reversed a big boot into a Detonation Kick. TJ hit Alexander with the Mamba Splash for the victory.
TJP defeated Josh Alexander via pinfall in 11:20 to retain the Impact X Division Championship.
Gia Miller interviewed Tommy Dreamer about why he just exited Scott D’Amore’s office. Dreamer cut an emotional promo and talked about how he asked D’Amore to book him in an “Old School Rules” match against Moose so he can avenge Rich Swann…
John’s Thoughts: An extremely fun X Division title match that I felt got hurt due to lack of build. The lack of build did both of these guys a disservice, especially Josh Alexander who did a factory reset on his character after The North dissolved.
Brian Myers paid Hernandez the rest of his promised money in the hallway. Myers gave Hernandez another advance payment for more services in a match later in the show. Fallah Bahh showed up and tried convice Hernandez to invest his new wad of cash with the help of Bahh. Hernandez gave Bahh some cash to invest…
Matt Striker and D’Lo Brown checked from what may or may not be Josh Mathews’s living room (I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Josh actually deserves a lot of credit for having such a good commentary setup at his home). Striker hyped up “Fin-Juice” appearing on Impact…
2. Shawn Daivari vs. Suicide vs. Willie Mack vs. Trey Miguel. Once Mack and Daivari were taken down, Trey and Suicide had a lucha libre exchange. Mack recovered and hit both opponents with a flying lariat. Striker welcomed new viewers to Impact who may be watching because of the New Japan crossover. Suicide dumped Mack and Trey to ringside. Daivari shoved Suicide to the mat. Daivari got a two count on Suicide. Mack pulled Daivari to the center of the mat and hit him with a power bomb.
Mack caught Suicide and hit Suicide with a Samoan Drop. Mack hit Miguel with a Suicide Drop. Mack hit Suicide and Miguel with a standing moonsault. Miguel kicked out at two. Daivary yanked Miguel to ringside. Daivari hit Mack with a missile dropkick. Suicide hit Diavari with a back elbow. Miguel hit Suicide with a diving meteroa for the victory.
Trey Miguel defeated Suicide, Shawn Daivari, and Willie Mack via pinfall in 4:50.
Striker noted that it’s a young man’s game today and Trey Miguel winning is an example of that…
Sami Callihan was clapping when Trey passed by him backstage. Callihan called Trey a coward and said he doesn’t have passion. Trey simply walked away…[c]
John’s Thoughts: Suicide, Daivari, and Mack were just filler in this match, but I do like that Impact is being consistent with Trey so far since he made his Impact return. A Callihan vs. Miguel feud can be very fun. Miguel is one of those characters that could use a vignette or two (like Josh Alexander) because he’s rebooted after the Rascalz left to WWE. It looked like they were going to give him some promo time during that one interview with Gia Miller a few weeks ago, but before he was able to say anything Sami cut off his promo.
An ad aired for Impact Plus…
TJP was meeting up with Scott D’Amore in his office. Ace Austin said that he thinks D’Amore and TJ are conspiring against him. TJ said they only conspire against Rohit Raju. Ace Austin talked about how he won a match a few months ago and should be number one contender to the X title. D’Amore proposed a trios match next week where the winning trio will face in a triple threat the following week in a triple threat to become number one contender. Ace was confident and said his eventual win is inevitable…
Entrances for the next match took place. Dave Penzer announced Matt Cardona as “Always Ready” Matt Cardona…
3. Hernandez (w/Brian Myers) vs. “Always Ready” Matt Cardona. The commentators stressed that Hernandez is a hired gun. Cardona had the early advantage after a dropkick on Hernandez. Hernandez retreated to Myers for a bit of planning. Hernandez came back in the ring and gave Cardona a shove. Cardona hit Hernandez with a wrecking ball kick and flip dive. Myers distracted the referee so Hernandez could pop up Cardona into a low blow. The show cut to commercial.[c]
Hernandez had Cardona locked in a bear hug in the center of the ring. Cardona escaped and hit Hernandez with a missile dropkick. Hernandez came back with a pounce. Cardona escaped a Border Toss. Cardona hit Hernandez with the Ruff Ryder Leg Lariat for the victory.
Matt Cardona defeated Hernandez via pinfall.
Gia Miller interviewed Cardona in the ring. Cardona cut off Miller when Miller tried to ask about Myers. Cardona said he’s not here to pass the torch, but he’s here to light a new torch. Myers showed up in the ring and said he came to Impact first and Cardona is just copying Myers. Cardona asked Myers what was his deal? Hernandez attacked Cardona from behind. Eddie Edwards showed up and tossed Hernandez to ringside. Eddie hit Hernandez with a Plancha. Myers ran away after Cardona punched Myers in the eye…
The teaser for David Finlay and Juice Robinson aired again…[c]
John’s Thoughts: The match was okay, but at the same time I feel like all of Matt Cardona’s matches are very formula, dating back to the Zack Ryder days. I also can’t say I’m too excited to see a feud between the former Edge Heads. Myers has done a solid job distancing himself from his failed Curt Hawkins run, and he’s kinda right that Cardona showed up to ruin all of that. Eddie Edwards is clearly aimless in this program too.
It was time for the best part of Impact every week, the Tony and Tony AEW Paid Advertisement. Both Tony’s had heart shaped sunglasses. Schiavone had heart baloons. Schiavone asked if Khan got anything for Valentines. Khan said he didn’t get anything because he’s the one giving all the time. Khan said he is giving to Impact right now in terms of revenue via these paid ads. Khan and Schiavone ran through tomorrow’s Dynamite Card. Khan thanked Impact again for helping him open “himself”, the Forbidden Door. Khan said he has a belated valentines present for Kenny Omega tomorrow…
Jessika Havok ran into Nevaeh backstage. Nevaeh talked about how they lost their last tag team title opportunity and how she’s wondering if they should still be a team. Tenille Dashwood showed up and asked Havok to drop the baggage, Nevaeh, and be her tag team partner instead. Nevaeh challenged Dashwood. Dashwood accepted and said she’ll show Havok that she’s a better partner than Nevaeh…
John’s Thoughts: Oh look. Nevaeh can talk! Hopefully we find out more about her character now.
4. “Reno Scum” Luster the Legend and Adam Thornstowe vs. David Finlay and Juice Robinson. Striker noted that Finlay and Robinson are former IWGP Tag Champions and Striker name dropped other pass champions. Finlay and Luster started off the match. Striker noted that Dave is more technical than his father, Fit. Dave and Juice traded quick tags to keep Luster under control. Dave and Juice hit Luster with a bulldog for a two count. Luster ended Finlay’s momentum with a spinebuster.
Adam F’n Thornstowe tagged in and gave Dave a dropkick. Reno Scum traded tags to isolate Dave away from Juice. During this isolation, Reno Scum ended up doing their armpit move. Dave slipped away and tagged in Juice for the hot tag. Juice hit Luster with the punches into the Bionic Elbow. Juice hit Thornstowe with a cannonball for a two count. Finlay hit Adam with a Superplex. Juice hit Adam with a splash for the victory.
Juice Robinson and David Finlay defeated Reno Scum via pinfall in 4:09.
Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson showed up to cut a promo. Anderson talked about Finlay and Robinson being New Japan Young Boys at one point. Anderson also bragged about making it to the finals of the 2012 G1 Climax. Gallows shilled Good Brothers whiskey. Juice said that it’s not 2012 and he and Dave aren’t young boys anymore. Dave said they can all drink, as long as Gallows isn’t in a buddle of puke and piss in the end. Finlay and Robinson’s theme played to close the segment…
John’s Thoughts: A good debut for Robinson and Finlay in Impact. I want to be excited for a Finjuice vs. Good Brothers match, but I can’t say I am because it feels a bit too New Japan to be exciting. Part of the excitement from promotion crossovers is seeing the potential fantasy matchups between two distinct companies. Even though Gallows and Anderson are technically Impact wrestlers, they are still defined as New Japan Bullet Club guys more than they are Impact wrestlers.
Rohit Raju and Mahabali Shera were hanging out at the Impact Wrestling bar set. Rohit berated Shera for not being any help in his match against TJP at No Surrender. Shera shoved Rohit into James Storm, who was hanging out with Chris Sabin. Rohit asked for an apology. Storm hit Rohit with a (sugar glass) beer bottle. Shera confronted Storm, but Sabin calmed them down. Johnny Swinger ended up showing up and invited Sabin and Storm for cheap beer and girls. Storm and Sabin followed Swinger away. Swinger took away the tip that Storm left the bartender…[c]
Johnny Swinger invited Sabin and Storm to “Swinger’s Palace”, which is the Locker Room Talk set which they’ve been using as a casino for the last few weeks. Storm and Sabin acted drunk. Storm called Alisha Edwards “the rapper” Beyonce. Chris Sabin chopped Fallah Bahh when Bahh asked for a hit in Blackjack. Bahh ended up losing the money that Hernandez loaned him. Swinger had his “girls” escort Bahh out…
John’s Thoughts: That segment was all over the place and unfunny, like a lot of Impact’s comedy segments. It’s segments like that combined with Tony Khan lampshading the TNA stank in his segments that leads me to believe that any new viewers might be turned off to Impact.
5. Nevaeh vs. Tenille Dashwood (w/Kaleb Konley). Nevaeh womanhandled Dashwood to start the match. Nevaeh dumped Dashwood to the apron and slammed Dashwood into the ringpost. The show cut to commercial.[c]
Dashwood was dominating Nevaeh back from the break. Dashwood got a two count after a suplex. Striker and Brown talked about how Dashwood got the advantage after a distraction. Nevaeh came back with a blockbuster and sliding clothesline. Dashwood came back with a draping neckbreaker. Nevaeh hit Dashwood with a sidewalk slam to get a moment of recovery. Nevaeh hit Dashwood with a punch, STO, and bulldog. Nevaeh hit Dashwood with a face slam for a few nearfalls.
Dashwood gave Nevaeh a back elbow and Emma-mite sandwich. Dashwood hit Nevaeh with a Spotlight Kick for the clean win.
Tenille Dashwood defeated Nevaeh via pinfall in 5:10 of on-air time.
Kaleb took pictures of Dashwood for her Instagram after the match…
The Impact Plus Flashback Moment of the week was Moose attacking Rich Swann and Tommy Dreamer this past Saturday on Impact Plus (did this need to be billed as the Flashback moment of the week?)…
John’s Thoughts: Nevaeh looked pretty good in the ring and I hope we see more from her in terms of spotlight. It was a good start to have her talk in the backstage segment and I think that there might be a decent story of Neveah being crestfallen after a few losses. Someone who really needs a character reboot is Tenille Dashwood. She really needs to go back to her bubble popping babyface character because that’s the only character that really caught on with the fans. Dashwood is making WWE creative look like genuses for pulling the plug on the Instagram influencer character after day one.
The show cut to a Violent By Design backstage promo. Deaner was leading the promo with Eric Young finishing Deaner’s sentences. Deaner talked about how they offered Jake Something a chance to be healed but he rejected it. Deaner said Jake didn’t win on Saturday, but rather the Sickness won. Deaner said Jake then felt the fury of Joe Doering. Deaner said he needs to finish things and make Jake suffer. Deaner challenged Jake Something to a Tables Match next week and said he’s doing it alone. Deaner ended the promo by saying that nothing is more important than family…[c]
John’s Thoughts: Can whoever is writing the Violent By Design segments, write the rest of this show? The Violent By Design segments seems so fun, innovative, unique, and entertaining compared to the rest of the stale show. I’m not kidding when I say that the Tony and Tony and VBD segments are the best parts of the Impact show. Everything else is in autopilot in terms of creative and the best parts of everything else is the effort put in by the wrestlers.
Susan Yung tried to march to challenge Jazz, but was stopped by Deonna Purrazzo and Kimber Lee. Deonna walked up to Scott D’Amore to ask D’Amore for a tag title shot for Kimber Lee and Susan. D’Amore said that sounds like a good match, but he likes multiple matches. D’Amore said he is booking Lee and Susan vs. Jazz and Grace in a number one contenders match…
Matt Striker and D’Lo Brown checked in on commentary to announce the following matches for next week: Jake Something vs. Deaner in a tables match and the six-person X Division Trios match that D’Amore booked earlier.
Entrances for the main event took place. D’Lo Brown noted that Old School Rules favors Tommy Dreamer (but hasn’t Dreamer lost every single Old School Rules match in Impact? At least, he rarely wins these).
6. Moose vs. Tommy Dreamer in an “Old School Rules” match. Moose manhandled Dreamer at ringside and was clawing Dreamer in the face. Dreamer came back by biting Moose in the head. Dreamer hit Moose with a cookie baking pan. The show cut to commercial.[c]
Moose tossed Dreamer into the ringpost with a chair wrapped around his neck. Moose crotched Dreamer on the barricade and followed up by hitting Dreamer with a trash can lid. Moose wipped Dreamer into a trash can for a one count. Moose grounded Dreamer with a high dropkick. Dreamer hit Moose with a float over slam for a two count. Moose reversed Dreamer’s DDT with an STO. Moose tried to set up a table in the corner, but Dreamer speared Moose through the table.
Dreamer did his Dreamer pose and hit Moose with a few cane shots. Moose no-sold Dreamer’s cane shots and hit Dreamer with a Uranage. Moose hit Dreamer with the spear for the victory.
Moose defeated Tommy Dreamer via pinfall in 9:44 of on-air time.
The show closed with Moose posing with his TNA toy belt…
John’s Thoughts: The match was what it was. It wasn’t horrible, but it was on the lower-end quality wise in terms of the many “old school rules” matches we see from Tommy Dreamer. What hurt this one was it just being a tame hardcore walk and brawl. Dreamer’s better Old School Matches are the ones where his opponent can provide movement. On top of that, the Impact world title picture has been aimless for a while, just like most of Impact’s creative.
I was hoping for an exciting show with all the hype of New Japan crossing over, but instead this show was even more dull than last week. Again, the only intriguing parts on the show week to week are the Violent By Design and Tony-and-Tony segments. I don’t know what their problem is because, maybe it’s burnout and they need some fresh faces on the creative team? All these crossover relationships can benefit them for one week here and there, but new viewers don’t get any entertainment value and it’s already been proven that they’ll end up leaving (as us evidenced in their AEW crossover). If anything, this is a parasitic relationship where AEW draws more eyes towards Dynamite.
Why do you review the show when you clearly have issues with the product? It feels like you go out of your way to be negative instead of enjoying the product. It isn’t a John Moore review without a TNA jab.
John is reviewing the show and giving us his opinion of what he likes and doesn’t like which is the job of a reviewer. If you enjoy the product and don’t want to read his criticism, go check out a recap instead.
It’s just funny that most other reviewers on most other websites give the show praise for being a consistently solid show week after week, T.V. and Twitch viewership is steadily rising, yet every week, he hates the show and only like whatever non-Impact content is on that week. If the show is so terrible, and watching it is such a terrible chore for him every week, why not get some other contributor, who isn’t such a negative downer week after week, to review the show? He makes watching the show sound like purgatory for himself every week. Maybe there is someone else on staff that could start reviewing the product who might actually enjoy watching and reviewing it. It seems many other people consistently enjoy it…..with more starting every week. He’s entitled to his opinion of the show, of course, but if it’s that horrible a product for him to watch every week, maybe someone else on staff should give it a try?
He does come across as an AEW mark when he reviews it, the two Tony’s segment isn’t the best part, it’s boring and repetitive and makes no sense, impact hasn’t done anything wrong, it was callis and omega who aren’t working with impact, they have made that clear, yet every week they attack impact and make them look pathetic bc impact never says anything back, they just take the ridicule, makes impact look weak
As usual, I just call the show as I see it, and as a person who’s watched every single episode of Impact for the last 5 or so years, I can tell you that Impact is currently not putting any effort into their storytelling and are in a creative lull. 2018 might have been Anthem’s best year in terms of telling stories on TV. Impact’s best creative year, in my opinion was 2016 during the Corgan-Lagana era; when effort was actually put into trying to develop characters.
I do agree that while the Tony and Tony segments are entertaining, it is a bit odd that Impact isn’t given a chance to rebuttal on Dynamite TV.