By John Moore, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)
TNA Impact (Episode 1,042)
Taped June 28, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 2300 Arena
Aired July 4, 2024 on AXS TV
Highlights from last week’s TNA Impact aired… Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt were on commentary. Jade Chung was the ring announcer… Entrances for the opening match took place…
1. Trey Miguel (w/Zachary Wentz) vs. Leon Slater. Both men started out with Akido chain wrestling. Slater got control with a modified enzuigiri. Trey tried to grab on to the ropes to stop himself but he was dumped to ringside with a dropkick. Slater hit Trey with a plancha at ringside. Trey begged for mercy and then used the distraction to slam Slater’s face into the buckle.
Trey got a two count after a dropkick in the corner. Trey choked Slater on the 2nd rope. Wentz choked Slater’s face on the 2nd rope when the referee was distracted. Trey slammed Slater to the mat by the dreadlocks, but Slater dodged a Lionsault. Slater rallied back with a big boot for a two count. Trey blocked a back suplex. Both men traded Boo Yay forearms. Slater surprised Trey with a twisting cutter for a good nearfall.
Trey hit Slater with a CQC and double stomp combo for a two count. Slater blocked a scorpion kick and got a two count off a rollup. Trey came back with a kick. Slater blocked a Meteora into a Standing Blue Thunder Bomb. Slater went to the top rope, but he was knocked off the top rope by NXT’s Charlie Dempsey (Son of William Regal). Dempsey attacked all three men around the ring for the no contest.
Leon Slater vs. Trey Miguel ended in an apparent no contest in 6:55.
Dempsey also gave the referee a Gutwrench Suplex. Dempsey then put Slater in the Regal Stretch. Referees ran out to chase away Dempsey. Desmpsey calmly agreed to head to the back. An NXT chant ended the segment…
John’s Thoughts: First of all, great match before the interference. Slater and Miguel did some good wrestling with Slater showing off some wonderful counter moves. I like how Slater isn’t treated like most newer young wrestlers who have to pay their dues, and they allow him to look great and even pick up a win here and there. The interference was actually good because it keeps the NXT x TNA connection alive. While they aren’t actually booking Dempsey well in NXT (they have him doing weird comedy), he’s an upgrade over a developmental type like Tatum Paxley due to his experience and connection to the legendary William Regal. Dempsey running in here has me even more anxious and excited for a Rascalz-MSK reunion with Wes Lee (Dezmond Xavier) rejoining Trey and Zach.
Gia Miller knocked on a door that Matt Hardy opened so she can interview him and Reby about their match against Eddie and Alisha Edwards. Matt said Eddie will learn the repercussions of laying hands on his wife. Reby said only a man that attacks a woman is a clown. Reby said Eddie and Alisha are probably both clowns and their noses honk when they kiss.
Matt said he was going to decimate the vessel of “Edward Edwards” (Matt sometimes forces these names, but that was clever). Matt said Reby has been out of the business for 208 fortnights, and Eddie dragged her back in. Reby said that translates to 8 years. Reby said she has to come back and teach a lesson. Matt said they will eat, beat, and delete the Edwards…[c]
Trey Miguel and Zachary Wentz were pacing backstage and venting about Charlie Dempsey. Wentz said Dempsey isn’t going to make a name out of Trey, Zach, or TNA. He said he knows Dempsey’s home because it was once his home too, and he knows they don’t allow bullcrap like that there. Zach said Dempsey isn’t going to do that here. Zachary Wentz challenged Charlie Dempsey to a match next week…
Entrances for the next match took place. Jade Chung noted that the stipulation was requested by Rancid’s Lars Frederiksen…
2. Dani Luna vs. Jody Threat in a 10 Minute Challenge Match. Dani and Jody started the match with a collar and elbow which led to a stalemate. Both women then moved to chain wrestling. Dani got a two count off a lateral press. Jody returned the favor with her own pin. The picture in picture showed that Nic Nemeth was laid out on the stairs. Ryan Nemeth showed up to check on him.
Dani and Jody continue to be at a stalemate. Jody hit Dani with rapid corner lariats. Dani turned the tables and did the same ten lariats to Jody. Dani then hit Jody with a suplex. Jody kept Dani under control with a armbar. Jody draped Dani on the ropes with a pump kick. Jody crash and burned to ringside off a dropkick attempt which Dani dodged.
Jody beat the ten count. Jody dropped Dani to ringside with a slingshot single leg dropkick. Dani caught Jody with a Yakuza Kick on the apron. Jody returned the favor with a boot. Dani hit Jody with the Seth Rollins’ Superplex Falcon Arrow to leave both women lying. The ref called for the bell via time limit.
Jody Threat vs. Dani Luna ended in a 10 minute time limit draw.
The crowd booed because they wanted more match. A 5 more minutes chant enused which Jody hyped up. The referee agreed to extend the match…
3. Jody Threat vs. Dani Luna in a 5 Minute Challenge Match. The match didn’t really get to start because Alisha Edwards and Masha Slamovich ran out and beat down both babyfaces.
Jody Threat vs. Dani Luna ended in a no contest in 0:13.
Alisha and Masha left both women lying. Alisha and Masha also posed with the tag team titles. Masha then dumped Jody and Dani to ringside…
John’s Thoughts: I like Lars Frederickson, but at the same time I think it’s weird that somehow he’s treated like this combat sports Sifu. That’s probably the only weird part of the story, because I actually like that they’ve spent a lot of time developing Spitfire in what would usually be a neglected tag team division. The crowd was actually into it, being into the first part being a sparring match as opposed to a fight. Then they fired up for the the five more minutes. I would have wish we got some of that five minutes but I get that they are also trying to keep them in the orbit of the tag titles.
TNA X Division Champion Mustafa Ali caught up with Director of Authority Santino Marella backstage. Ali said he was a bit emotional last week challenging Mike Bailey, and because he was emotional, he wants to retract the challenge. Ali said you can’t just hand out challenges, you have to earn them. Santino said Ali has a point.
Ali said he refuses to show up at Slammiversary unless Bailey earns a title shot. Santino said he actually agrees that titles have to be earned. He said he’ll give Bailey a number one contenders match next week. Santino left, saying that it’s weird that Ali surrounds himself with the Blues Brothers…
Tom Hannifan plugged upcoming segments…[c]
Entrances for the next match took place, complete with both wrestlers getting their pre match hype promo package…
4. Mike Santana vs. Frankie Kazarian in a Road to Slammiversary qualifying match. Santana rallied with armdrags. Santana then caught Kaz with a springboard crossbody. Kazarian came back with a draping hip toss. Kazarian dumped Santana to ringside heading into picture-in-picture.[c]
Santana was dominating back from break. Kazarian missed a draping dropkick. Kazarian blocked a Suicide Dive with a punch. Kazarian hit Santana with a One Final Beat DDT for a two count. Santana blocked a Chickenwing. Kazarian reversed Santana’s finisher into a neckbreaker and springboard legdrop. Santana rolled up Kaz for a two count.
Santana reversed a cutter into a backstabber and Chickenwing. Santana broke it by pinning Kaz’s shoulders to the mat. Santana hit Kazarian with a rolling cutter for a really good nearfall. Johnny Dango Curtis (a.k.a. Dirty Dango) ran out to trip Santana’s leg. Santana hit Kazarian and Curtis with a flip dive.
Curtis tossed Santana into the ring post when the referee was distracted with Kazarian. Santana couldn’t beat the ten count for the loss.
Frankie Kazarian defeated Mike Santana via countout in 10:07 to qualify for the Road to Slammiversary Elimination Match.
The camera focused on a woozy Santana who had blood dripping from the face…
John’s Thoughts: A surprising finish, but I’m okay with it given how Santana is seemingly trying to build himself as a man on a journey. The match was solid. Can’t go wrong with Mike and Frank. Kazarian seems to always find a way to pull out these meaningful wins, which I think is fine because it makes it mean something when he loses. Mike Santana vs. Johnny Curtis should be solid (Johnny Dango Curtis/JDC is a bit of a kit bashed name). I hope Curtis doesn’t stick too close to “The System” because they are a bit of a heat vacuum and Curtis was one of the most entertaining parts of TNA in 2023.
The show cut to a stylized Ace Austin and Chris Bey promo. Bey talked about it being a long time since things felt right because ABC hasn’t had the tag team titles. Bey said that The System have been thriving on luck for a long time, but their luck is about to run out. Ace said ABC doesn’t need luck because they make their own luck. ABC said it’s clear that ABC are back on the same page.
Bey said they beat several sets of tag teams in recent weeks and the odds are saying that ABC are going to kick The System’s ass. Ace said ABC means 1-2-Sweet…
Hannifan plugged upcoming segments…[c]
A replay aired of First Class crashing PCO and Steph De Lander’s Bride of Frankenstein date…
The show then cut to a darkened room where Dr. Ross Foreman (who’s actually TNA’s Media Relations guy) was looking nervous. You couldn’t hear what he was saying because PCO was yelling off screen. Ross then entered the room where PCO found a way to revive Steph De Lander…
Rich Swann and AJ Francis were hanging out in a bar and bragging about their recent success. AJ then bragged about putting De Lander through a table. Santino Marella showed up and said he noticed AJ bragging about being a “fighting champion”. Santino said he has a special opponent for AJ next week for the Digital Media title. AJ said he didn’t agree to that.
Santino said his Director’s badge is the agreement. Santino then said that whether or not AJ has the title, at Slammiversary AJ will wrestle against the French Canadian Frankenstein “Pee Co”. AJ wondered who Pee Co was? Swann said Santino probably means PCO. AJ said he’s not afraid, but he thinks that Santino is biased in favor of fellow Canadians, and is doing this injustice on the 4th of July.
AJ said those people need to go back where they came from. AJ said they broke PCO’s body and heart so he’s not coming back. Swann agreed and both men dapped it up to end the segment…
5. “The System” Eddie Edwards and Alisha Edwards (w/Brian Myers) vs. Matt Hardy and Reby Hardy in an intergender tag team match. Reby and Alisha started the match with Alisha quickly running away around the ring. Myers got in Reby’s way. Matt and Eddie tagged in. Matt tackled Eddie in the corner. Matt hit Eddie with tackles while Reby pulled his hair.
Matt hit Eddie with a leg to the back of the neck. Matt and Reby then stomped on Eddie in the corner, using quick tags to keep the double team. Eddie came back with a chop to Matt. Both men traded chops. Eddie sent Matt’s shoulder into the ring post. The show cut to regular commercial.[c]
Back from break, Eddie was dominating Matt. Alisha tagged in, but Matt tossed Eddie into Alisha. Reby tagged in and hit Reby with a kick and leg drop. Reby hit Alisha with a crescent kick in the corner. Reby then hit Alisha with a Thesz Press. Matt and Reby then slammed Eddie and Alisha’s heads into the buckles in stereo.
Reby hit Eddie with Poetry in Motion. Reby then hit Alisha with a Hart Attack for a two count. Eddie knocked Matt down after a Myers distraction. Eddie then tripped Reby after a Twist of Fate attempt. Alisha choked Reby on the 2nd rope and forced her to watch Eddie beat down Matt at ringside. Alisha then worked on Reby with methodical heel offense for a stretch of time.
The Edwards also made sure to cut the ring in half on Reby. Reby managed to crawl under Eddie’s legs to bring in Matt for the hot tag. Matt hit Eddie with his signature delayed elbow drop for a two count. Hardy hit Eddie with a Side Effect for a two count. Myers tried to interfere and was ejected by the referee. The distraction allowed Eddie to hit Matt with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count.
Reby got in the way when Eddie went for a Boston knee Party on Matt. Alisha tried to distract the ref, but it backfired because Reby kicked Eddie in the nuts. Reby hit Alisha with a Twist of Fate. Matt hit Eddie with a Twist of Fate for the victory.
Matt Hardy and Reby Hardy defeated Eddie Edwards and Alisha Edwards via pinfall in 16:37.
John’s Thoughts: I had my expectations low, but I was intrigued to watch what should be a fun battle of married couples. That said it kinda exceeded my expectations, and also surprised me in terms of the in-ring quality. No, it wasn’t a barn burner match of the year candidate or anything; but it was actually better than a lot of average tag team matches. I didn’t know what to expect from Reby, especially coming off her long in-ring hiatus; but she looked great in her selling and getting in the Hardy signature moves. Matt had one of his better live in-ring performances and he looked fresh as opposed to being damaged and limping.
Brian Myers barged into Gorilla Position to argue to Santino about the Hardys. ABC showed up to mock Myers. Johnny Curtis showed up to have Myers’s back. Santino booked ABC vs. Myers and Curtis for next week…[c]
Jordynne Grace cut a promo about Ash by Elegance not showing up to work on the Road to Slammiversary. Grace said she always shows up to work every week. Grace proposed a open challenge next for next against anyone from “any where”…
John’s Thoughts: They didn’t necessarily say NXT, so I wouldn’t let my hopes up and be disappointed if a AAA or Stardom wrestler shows up, but with Dempsey vs. Wentz being booked for next week, I don’t see why NXT can’t send someone over from their extremely deep women’s roster. I like Tatum, but Tatum is in the early stages of her character creation. Wouldn’t mind if we get someone who’s not “developmental”.
The following segments were advertised for next week: AJ Francis vs. Rhino for the Digital Media Championship, Mike Bailey vs. Jonathan Gresham vs. Kushida, Jordynne Grace’s open Challenge, Zach Wentz vs. NXT’s Charlie Dempsey, and Tasha Steelz vs. Gisele Shaw.
Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt checked in from commentary where the plugged upcoming live events…
Entrances for the next match took place, complete with the Road to Slammiversary pre-match hype promos…[c]
Back from break, Joe Hendry had a mic in hand for his obligatory pre match promo. Joe Hendry said he’s been watching Jake Something’s recent matches and he wonders if Jake is sure if he’s ready to challenge for the world title.
Joe said it doesn’t look like Jake is sure of anything because of Jake asking questions during matches: like “what’s my name?”, “what day of the week is it?”, “what’s the meaning of life?”, “what does 2nd base feel like”? Hendry then closed his promo with is usual “we believe in Joe Hendry” sequence…
6. Joe Hendry vs. Jake Something in a Road to Slammiversary qualifying match. Jake no sold a shoulder tackle early on. Joe hit Jake with a Tiger Knee. Joe then hit the big Jake with a Delayed Vertical Suplex. Jake ran the ropes a few times and crumpled Joe with a tackle to the gut. Jake dumped Joe to ringside. Jake sat Joe on the apron and gave him a leaping crossbody into the rope.
The crowd started to chant “you suck” at a fan who tried to chant “Jake is something” (poor fan). Jake gave Joe a body slam in the ring. The show cut to picture-in-picture.[c]
Jake was dominating back from break. Joe tried to rally back with chops, but Jake came back with a power Irish Whip into the corner. Jake worked on Joe with a Front Chancery. Joe rallied with chops once he got up to a vertical base. Jake quickly came back with a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall. Jake used a overhead chop to get Joe on the mat. Jake hit Joe with a shortarm lariat for a two count.
A “Something’s missing” chant ensued. Jake tried to put Joe to sleep with clubbing blows and a Sleeper. Hendry powered upand hit Jake with a Backpack fall. Hendry used a clothesline to dump Jake to ringside. Jake came back with a headbutt. Jake hit the rope when Hendry dodged the crossbody that Jake hit earlier. Joe rallied with clotheslines and a Fallaway Slam.
Hendry let the crowd in claps. Jake escaped a Standing Ovation attempt and hit Jake with a sit-out powerbomb for a good nearfall. Jake did the Ultimate Warrior rope shake. Both men traded counters. Joe no sold a front hip attack with a kip up. Both men took each other out with clotheslines. Hendry rallied with right hands.
Jake came back with a strong haymaker. Hendry came back with a cutter. Hendry hit Jake with a delayed Standing Ovation Uranage for the victory.
Joe Hendry defeated Jake Something via pinfall in 15:04 to qualify for the Road to Slammiversary elimination match.
Hendry took the mic and said he moved one step closer to becoming World Heavyweight Champion. He said it was all because of you, you, you, you, and you, the fans. Hendry said he’ll see you all in Montreal. Hendry said don’t tell him anything is impossible, because anything is possible when you believe. Tom Hannifan closed the show…
But wait? There’s more. The show cut to a stinger segment where The System were all exiting the venue. There was that weird creepy music playing that TNA likes to use. Moose thanked Johnny Curtis for taking out Nic Nemeth and Mike Santana. Curtis said he took out Santana, but not Nemeth. The System drove off with Moose wondering who took out Nic Nemeth. The camera then cut to Frankie Kazarian smoking a cigar outside. He chuckled and said the word “Marks”. Kazarian then told the camera to cut the camera. The show closed…
John’s Thoughts: Awesome match to go out of you way to see. The booking has really been grooming Joe Hendry to be their top protagonist, and it was up to Hendry to prove their trust in him right. So far, he’s doing a wonderful job. He always had the wit and natural charisma. He had to break away from his repetitive literal song and dance routine, and he has somewhat in a good way. He also had to elevate his in-ring to more of a main event level, and I thought that Jake Something vs. Joe Hendry match was a great main event.
Credit to Jake for holding his end too, but also credit to Joe for making Jake look elevated in defeat. On top of that, Joe Hendry is really killing it in terms of Social Media numbers. Over a million views for his NXT cameo? That’s upper card/main eventer WWE main roster analytics. I’ve been rooting for this guy since he put Ken Kennedy in a Pokeball, so I’m really happy to finally see everyone else seeing what I saw back then.
Overall, this was a great episode. I don’t know what it is in a way? Maybe some of ya’ll would think I’m just overpraising the show, but you also know that if a show is bad, I’ll call it bad as I see it. TNA has actually been doing a good job the last three or so months. What I like most is they’re developing characters, being patient, and not being lazy falling into formula. Almost WWE and NXT in terms of nuance. The only thing that I “HATE!!!” is the current Jonathan Gresham doo doo ink character (and I loved the therapy cinematics that developed it, but they went in a totally different direction. And now Kushida is trying to “develop a cure”? Ugh). Maybe that’s why this show was even better. No Johnathan Gresham having literal diarrhea from the mouth.
So sad that you think you have to explain that you liked a show, but I get it, being negative is what everyone gets into nowadays.
I also enjoyed the show. Good wrestling, some good storylines going on.
As for ” I don’t see why NXT can’t send someone over from their extremely deep women’s roster.”, it’s only because WWE doesn’t play well with others. I.E., “We’re too good for you.”
Sad.