By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Impact Wrestling Hits
“Time Machine” Kushida, Alex Shelley, and Chris Sabin vs. “Violent By Design” Eric Young, Joe Doering, and Deaner: The show closed with a really well worked six-man tag team match. I was actually hoping to see VBD go over to add some intensity to the feud and to create the need for a rematch. The babyface trio went over and I’m not really sure where they go from here. Again, though, a highly entertaining match, particularly down the stretch.
Chelsea Green and Deonna Purrazzo vs. Mia Yim and Jordynne Grace for the Knockouts Tag Titles: A good tag team match to open the show. With Grace holding the Knockouts Title, it’s hard to imagine that she and Yim will be regular contenders, so I am curious to see who ends up being slotted as the top contenders for the tag titles.
Impact World Champion Josh Alexander vs. Vincent in a non-title match: A clean and decisive win for Alexander over an Honor No More member. I suspect I’ll be writing those words a lot between now and the Bound For Glory pay-per-view when Alexander defends the title against Eddie Edwards. Impact creative has their work cut out for them. I have no doubt that Alexander and Edwards will have a strong match, but it currently feels like their match belongs on an Impact Plus show. In other words, they need to find a way to make this match feel worthy of the main event slot of the company’s biggest show of the year. Heath laying out Edwards wasn’t a great start, though one has to assume that it will lead to Edwards beating him in a match.
Karl Anderson vs. Mike Bennett: A nice match with a mildly surprising outcome. With Bennett and Matt Taven challenging for the tag titles next week, I thought we might see Bennett get the win in this match. Rather, Doc Gallows fought off Taven and helped his tag team partner get the win. As down as I am on the Honor No More vs. Bullet Club feud, I enjoy Bennett and Taven as a team, and I am looking forward to the tag title match. Hopefully it will be a bounce back week for HNM considering that Edwards was taken out by Heath, Vincent lost to Alexander, and Bennett lost this match on last night’s show.
Steve Maclin and Moose attack Sami Callihan: A double team attack that included the heels using barbed wire on Callihan to set up a match for the Victory Road Impact Plus special. It’s a shot in the dark, but with the Motor City Machine Guns appearing at AEW All Out, I wonder if Callihan is bringing in his buddy Jon Moxley to team with him at Victory Road or Bound For Glory.
Jessicka vs. Alisha Edwards: As much as I am strongly opposed to anything involving the silly Undead Realm, the Jessicka character had a good in-ring debut. She played to the crowd nicely, her enthusiasm was infectious, and this was good mid-card fun.
Impact Wrestling Misses
Bhupinder Gujjar vs. Jason Hotch: A basic match complete with Gujjar’s awkward second rope spear finisher. It wasn’t all bad. Brian Myers sitting in on commentary is entertaining, and the post match angle between him and Gujjar was solid. I still can’t say that I care about the Digital Media Championship, but this feud has made the belt feel mildly relevant for the first time.
Be the first to comment