By John Moore, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)
TNA Impact (Episode 1,098)
Taped July 25, 2025, in Kingston, Rhode Island, at Ryan Center
Simulcast August 7, 2025, on AXS TV and TNA+
Highlights from last week’s TNA Impact aired…
Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt were on commentary. McKenzie Mitchell was the ring announcer…
TNA World Champion Trick Williams made his entrance. Trick talked about how the sound in the arena is the sound of Trick breaking records in TNA. Trick talked about how Santino booked a match between Trick and Moose’s big ol’ forehead at Emergence. Trick said he’s going to beat Moose’s big bald head and if Moose keeps steppin’ Trick might have to beat Moose up in front of Moose’s momma. Trick talked about beating up Mike Santana already in his home town.
Trick said he’s going to be scanning the crowd at Emergence until he sees Moose’s Momma, Uncle, and granny, all lookin’ like bobbleheads. Trick said he’ll take a hammer to smack the head of the bobblehead section like it’s groundhog’s day. Moose made his entrance to his good ol “Moose” Ring of Honor entrance theme. Moose got up in Trick’s face (same height too). Trick asked Moose if he offended him when he called him a bobblehead.
Moose took the mic and punched it into Trick’s face. Trick rolled to ringside to avoid Moose’s spear attempt. Moose stood tall in the ring leading Moose chants with his arm pump…[c]
John’s Thoughts: A good segment to allow Trick to do what he does best, clown on peeps, while also retooling Moose as a serious threat in the singles division. Moose has developed into a good talker over the years, especially when they put him in press conference situations. Where he sometimes shoots himself in the foot is by being too quirky or comedic, which undercuts upper level feuds. Moose was great here with no words, all action (And he was solid on NXT on Tuesday, when they did give him a mic). Trick, in a positive way, is overshadowing even WWE’s NXT Champion just because of how he’s handling the role of top dog really well. With an entourage, with in-ring credibility, and with stellar mic skills.
Gabi Laspisa interviewed Gia Miller and welcomed her back to TNA. Gia took back her mic and thanked Gabby for filling in for her. Gia also thanked the fans for the well wishes while she was in the hospital. Gia then looked at the mic and said she wanted to direct this message to Tessa Blanchard.
Gia said that the locker room has had to put up with Tessa’s petty bull crap for long enough, but Gia’s patience has run out. Gia said that if Tessa lays her hands on her one more time, “I will fu*king kill you”. Gia told Gabby that she’s ok with taking her role back. Gabby left and Gia introduced Joe Hendry as her next interview. Gia asked Joe about his thoughts on his match against Mustafa Ali later on.
Joe first praised Gia for being tough and coming back. Joe then talked about how Mustafa Ali hides behind a “secret service”, but there are no secrets in TNA. Joe said that it’s not secret that when Joe Hendry makes his entrance, the entire crowd waves their arms up side to side. Joe said by the end of the night, Mustafa Ali will believe in Joe Hendry…
Tom Hannifan hyped upcoming segments…[c]
Hannifan ran down TNA’s upcoming live event schedule…
Steve Maclin was shown doing a media appearance at the arena of Rhode Island’s professional soccer team…
Mike Santana dapped it up with Sami Callihan backstage and talked about how he respects Sami so much after their long history against each other (notably OvE vs. LAX). Santana said he’ll take a break from dealing with Trick so they can tear the house down at Emergence. Eric Young showed up and said that Sami needs to ride into the sunset. Young then called Mike the failed TNA hero. Young said while Mike was in high school, Young was running this place (it would be funny if “running this place” was when Young was Super Eric or Showtime Eric).
Young said he wants Mike to think about what he did at Slammiversary, fail his adopted family in TNA. Young said that Mike also failed his actual family, his daughter. Young left and Mike and Sami looked disgusted…
Frankie Kazarian made his entrance cosplaying as TNA President Carlos Silva. Kazarian joined the commentary team. Kazarian said he has a paper signed by Carlos Silva that allows him to join commentary again. Entrances for the next match took place…
1. Steve Maclin vs. Jake Something for the TNA International Championship. Maclin took down Jake with a Thesz Press early on. Jake came back with a front hip attack and tackle in the corner. Maclin hit Jake with an Olympic Slam for a nearfall. Both men traded counters and took each other out with a clothesline.
Maclin hit Jake with a Tope at ringside and tossed him into the steel steps. Both men traded right hands on the apron. Because they didn’t clear the ropes and enter the ring, the referee counted both men out.
Steve Maclin vs. Jake Something ended in a double countout in 3:45.
Security held back Jake Something after the match ended. McKenzie Mitchell made the official double countout announcement. Maclin didn’t like this, so he gave Jake and the security guards a flip dive. Security held back both men with Maclin having to have his curse words bleeped out…
John’s Thoughts: Welp, that was pointless. The crowd even let out a loud groan at the nothing match result. Where’s Speedball Mike Bailey when you need him to build up a hype new wrestling division? I bring up Bailey because of how Bailey did a great job over the last few years with his epic matches, rebuilding the X Division brick by brick. Again, I agree that this belt is a huge upgrade over whatever the “Digital Media Championship” was (the belt ascetically looks good too). The problem here is you have three ice cold wrestlers, wrestling meaningless and short matches that nobody cares about. Jake is coming off a garbage match that didn’t have to happen, and losing under 3 minutes clean to Enzo Amore (who up and dipped).
Mance Warner and Steph De Lander wanted to ask Santino Marella something, but noticed that Santino wasn’t in the office. Mance said “yeah yeah yeah”. Apparently Mance and Steph are too horny, so they entered Santino’s office to presumably get some nuts in during work hours…
Hannifan hyped upcoming segments…[c]
An ad aired for TNA Emergence…
Cedric Alexander was sitting down talking about how the TNA X Division left a huge impression on him a long time ago. He then talked about how you fast forward to today and you have a young man that’s not even in his prime as the champion. Cedric said that’s the difference between him and Leon, because Cedric is in his prime. Cedric said he’ll soon be the new X Division Champion…
Xia Brookside and Lei Ying Li made their entrance. The Personal Concierge walked out and said he can’t even say his prepared speech because Rhode Island sucks. The Concierge then introduced Heather and M by elegance…
2. Heather and M by Elegance (w/The Personal Concierge) vs. Xia Brookside and Lei Ying Li. The heels tried to jump the face team before the bell, but the faces saw it coming and dumped them to ringside. Xia jumped off Heather’s back and gave her an elbow drop. Li and M tagged in. Li gave M ten punches in the corner, an Exploder, and clothesline to dump M to ringside.[c]
The heels cut the ring in half on Li back form break. Li eluded both opponents and tagged in Brookside who cleaned house. Li tagged back in. The face swarmed M. Heather hit Xia with a Codebreaker and hit Li with a backstabber. M got a two count on Li. Li hit M with Thunderstruck and a Helicopter Argentine TKO for the win.
Lei Ying Li and Xia Brookside defeated M and Heather by Elegance via pinfall in 8:10.
John’s Thoughts: WWE and TNA have struggled over the years to sustain a tag team division due to it being hard to book at the same time as the main women’s division (while also managing roster balance). TNA has done a solid job over the last few years to only focus on two teams at a time as to not cannibalize their Knockouts division. Recently though, TNA has stocked up on a lot of talented women, to the point where they can have more teams in the division and not lose depth on the singles side.
It was time for TNA’s sponsored injury report. KC Navarro is out with his reaggravated dislocated knee. Home Town Man is bruised ribs. Joe Hendry and Mustafa Ali are medically cleared and have no injuries…
Santino Marella was walking to his office with his daughter, but had to cover up her eyes because of all the presumed sex going on in his office. Santino yelled into his office, telling Steph and Mance that it’s not National Geographic and there will be consequences for defiling his office…
Hannifan hyped upcoming segments…[c]
An ad aired for the TNA Plus Emergence show…
Ash was berating Heather and M backstage, saying she doesn’t need the energy of failure messing up her upcoming title match. Ash yelled at M, Heather, and The Concierge to get out of her dressing room…
AJ Francis and KC Navarro made his entrance with KC still on crutches. AJ said this was a emergency edition of the Penthouse show. KC took the mic and said he and AJ almost won the tag team titles, but unfortunately he reaggravated his knee injury. He said it was worse than we all thought, because he got the news every athlete dreads, that it was actually an ACL tear that needs surgery.
Francis changed his tone and talked down to KC, saying that in the NFL you go to the next man on the bench when ACL injuries happen. Francis introduced former TNA World Champion Rich Swann. Rich Swann made his entrance. AJ demanded the injured KC hold the mic for Rich. AJ asked how it was to be back in First Class. Rich said that it feels wonderful to make TNA into TNAJ Francis.
AJ said that KC’s services were no longer needed. AJ said that KC replaced Rich when he couldn’t go, so it only makes sense that Rich replace KC when he can’t go. AJ said that KC was always a replacement. KC said he busted his ass for ten years to get in TNA, and earned it. KC talked about taking the bullets for AJ and for dying on the sword for AJ. KC talked about how he went against doctor’s orders and risked his life at Slammiversary or AJ.
AJ said he remembers carrying KC’s lifeless body at Slammiversary. AJ said he also carried KC’s dead weight for nine months. AJ said that he and Swann were champions before KC showed up. AJ said that KC’s first title shot was a tag title shot that he and Rich earned. AJ talked about how KC’s injury cost them their recent NXT bookings (which is true as WWE had to sub in High Ryze last minute to replace them). AJ said KC keeps costing everyone everything, even Trick by hitting him with a crutch last week.
AJ said KC is a loser. AJ said he’ll properly show KC how to use a crutch. AJ slapped away KC’s crutches to leave him on the floor. AJ said he’s actually happy that KC tore his ACL. AJ told KC to get off his stage, before he throws him off the stage. KC got up limping. AJ told KC bye and that he doesn’t deserves to be here. AJ and Rich were all smiles while KC limped off stage…
John’s Thoughts: A great segment. Almost too good on AJ’s end in that a lot of his words were true and made KC look a bit bad. Hearing AJ’s Ariel Helwani interview adds more to it as Ashanti the Adonis (Tehuti Miles) was supposed to wrestle at Slammiversary, but KC said he was okay. I’m totally sympathetic to life changing injuries, but AJ spoke almost too much truth and it almost makes KC look at fault (KC’s prior injury also costing AJ the NXT gig was facts too). Where AJ was good, was he made sure to be a dick about it, which is good heel work. Sucks for KC, and I assume it’s legit with the ACL because that’s not something you lie or kayfabe about (look at the cumulative eye roll the universe gave Aaron Rodgers when he claimed that through the theraputic sounds of dolphin sex, that he was the first person to come back from a torn Achilles in 4 months. He actually mentioned dolphin sex. ACLs and Achilles have a similar nine month time frame).
Tom Hannifan plugged TNA’s electrolyte drink sponsor…
John’s Thoughts: Oh! And I forgot to give my thoughts on Rich Swann being back. I’m so happy to see him back and on his feet again. When Swann used to wrestle in California, I used to always have discussions with this guy. Very humble and kind dude who is also very transparent and accountable for some of his past demons. He’s someone who’s legitamately trying to set things straight. Prayers that he can get back to being the top guy we all know he can be. Hey, post Mike Santana title win, I wouldn’t mind some weird dark horse scenarion where AJ Francis finds a way to get that world title and Swann elevates the International title to bring First Class to the main event. I griped about the International Title needing Mike Bailey? Rich Swann can be that Mike Bailey! (Jason and I also constantly bring up how TNA took a huge hit losing Josh Alexander and Speedball, and Rich Swann definitely has the skillset to fill in that void).
Mara Sade made her entrance with a lollipop. Her local opponent was already in the ring…
3. Mara Sade vs. Vicious Vicki. Sade took down Vicki with armdrags. Sade hit Vicki with knees in the corner. Sade hit Vicki with shortarm chops and an Angle Slam. Sade broke up her own pin. Sade hit Vicki with an Implant Buster into double knees for the victory. Hannifan noted that the finisher was called “Finish Her!” (which I assume is a Mortal Kombat pun).
Mara Sade defeated Vicious Vicki via pinfall in 1:53.
Rehwoldt hyped upcoming segments…[c]
John’s Thoughts: TNA bounced back nicely the last two weeks with giving Mara Sade a proper TNA introduction compared to the cold surprise they tried week one. It’s cool seeing a different side of Mara in ring because we rarely see her dominate matches due to her doing most of the selling to lead to Lash Legend hot tags. She was good here. Good looking finisher, as I’m always a fan of nods to Awesome Kong; but at the same time she might want to get a alternate finisher that she can pull off on anybody because unlike Awesome Kong, I assume she isn’t going to be powering every single woman over her head.
A trailer aired for TNA’s Slammiversary behind the scenes documentary which is now available to monthly TNA Plus subscribers (two weeks ago it was exclusive to annual subs)…
A replay aired of Joe Hendry popping out from inside a refrigerator because Wren Sinclair said his name and he appeared. Joe Hendry vs. Charlie Dempsey was hyped for next week’s NXT. They also replayed Moose appearing on NXT. Trick, Moose, Oba Femi, and Je’von Evans vs. DarkState was advertised for next week…
Entrances for the Knockouts Title match took place. Fatal Influence and The Elegance Brand were banned from ringside. After the tale of the tape, McKenzie Mitchell handled the former in-ring championship match introductions. Because the Concierge wasn’t banned, he jumpped in and introduced Ash…
John’s Thoughts: I think it would be fun to have McKenzie Mitchell back on NXT TV every once in a while to do the intros for TNA title matches. It would help boost TNA as a brand while also being cute as her husband Vic Joseph is on the call and always throws shoutouts to her every once in a while.
4. Jacy Jane vs. Ash by Elegance for the TNA Knockouts Championship. Jayne started the match with a cravate collar and elbow. Both women traded shoves. Both women then traded rapid pin attempts. Masha Slamovich ran in the ring and shoved Ash to the mat for the DQ.
Ash by Elegance defeated Jacy Jayne via apparent DQ in 1:54.
Jayne hit Masha with a Yakuza Kick. Fallon Henley and Jazmyn Nyx ran out to put the boots to Masha. Heather and M ran out to even the odds. The IInspiration and Xia Brookside and Lei Ying Li ran out to join the brawl. The babyfaces dumped the heels to ringside and the faces stood tall…
John’s Thoughts: Another wonk Knockouts title match finish, but this one was more understandable. On top of it being turnabout’s fair play, this match looked like it was going to be an awkward heel vs. heel matchup based on the low crowd reaction. Presumably, this is going to lead to a triple threat also involving the backup players Jacy, Ash, and Masha have.
Matt and Jeff Hardy cut a promo about how they are defending their tag team legacy every time they get in the ring…
Hannifan hyped upcoming segments…[c]
Another Emergence ad aired…
TNA Director of Authority Santino Marella made his entrance to his weird gumshoe sounding theme (They are allowed to use WWE music now. Why have him come out Royalty Free on Tuesdays and have him come out to his legacy theme on Tuesdays?). Santino said he’s announcing several Emergence matches: Steve “Mc Clain” vs. Jake Something in a NoDQ No Countout match for the International Championship, Mike Santan “Na Na” vs. Sami “Calhoun”,and Fatal Influence vs. The “Elephant” Brand vs. Brookside and Li vs. the IInspiration for he tag team titles.
Santino asked Ryan and Nic Nemeth to join him on the stage. Santino said that Nic and Ryan aren’t facing the Hardys at Emergence. Nic said that he knows that Santino has always been jealous of him and he has a iron clad rematch clause. Santino said the Rascalz are booked for the tag title match due to Nic and Ryan injuring Home Town Man last week. Ryan threatened to sue Santino (like he is actively attempting to do to Tony Khan and CM Punk. That thing is still going on right?).
Santino suspended Ryan and Nic. Ryan then tried to apologize. Santino said since Nic is innocent in this, he’s booking Nic Nemeth vs. Home Town Man for Emergence…
John’s Thoughts: The WWE x TNA deal is still in place. Can we get Ryan Nemeth vs. CM Punk in a ladder match, with Ryan Nemeth’s subpoena for Tony Khan and Phil Brooks hanging over the ladder? Book it Carlos Silva!
The following segments were advertised for next week’s Impact: Leon Slater and The Hardys vs. Cedric Alexander and The Rascalz, Matt Cardona vs. John Skyler, Mike Santana vs. Eric Young, A Frankie King’s Speech Talk Show Segment, and The IInspiration vs. Myla Grace and Holly Hudson.
Entrances for the next match took place…
John’s Thoughts: Ali in kayfabe talked about how he’s putting food on Hotch’s and Skyler’s table, but he is also presumably doing God’s work by getting paychecks to all these unnamed indie workers that follow him to ringside. These guys have it easy where at most they have to band together to eat a flip dive from a babyface. Cash those checks secret service!
5. Joe Hendry vs. Mustafa Ali (w/Tasha Steelz, John Skyler, Jason Hotch, “Ali’s Secret Service”, Agent Zero). Hendry and Ali sized each other up before the collar and elbow. Joe took down Ali with an Aikido wrist sweep. Both men traded rapid sweeps and pin attempts. Hendry took down Ali with a hip toss and delayed vertical suplex for a two count. Joe turned Ali inside out with a clothesline.[c]
During the break, Ali dominated with the help from Agent Zero. Hendry reversed a Tornado DDT into a Suplex. Hendry hit Ali with his signature Fallaway Slam into the Zoolander turn. Ali tossed Hotch and Skyler into Hendry, who ate clotheslines. Hendry got a two count on Ali after an Angle Slam. Joe Hendry got rid of several secret service members. Hendry reversed a neckbreaker into his own neckbreaker.
Hendry hit Ali with the Standing Ovation for the visual pinfall, but Tasha yanked the referee to the mat. REF BUMP! The Great Hands hit Hendry with their Samoan Blockbuster move. Hendry dodged Ali’s 450. Hendry took care of Hotch and Skyler. Hendry hit Ali with a Pop Up Power Bomb and Attitude Adjustment. Ali kicked out at two after the second ref ran out. Hendry tuned up the band, but Tasha held Hendry’s feet.
Agent Zero gave Hendry a big boot after Tasha distracted the referee. Ali gave Hendry a 450 for the victory.
Mustafa Ali defeated Joe Hendry via pinfall in 14:51.
Ali celebrated his win to close the show…
John’s Thoughts: I can understand if some people are tired of muddled up finishes involving a lot of interference, but I like what this accomplished. I liked that Tasha Steelz was at the center of all the plotting at ringside, making her the ring leader of Order 4. Agent Zero gets to get a lick in to establish his presence. What I ultimately like is how TNA is doing such a great job protecting Mustafa Ali. TNA hasn’t had the best track record with protecting heels. Babyfaces usually steamroll heels in the company, which is why you’re left with a bunch of buried Eric Young heel factions.
They are selective with Ali’s losses and his losses mean something to help boost babyfaces up the card. TNA did a great job with the whole Order 4 rebuild before Slammiversary, to the point where I’m looking forward to Ali facing someone like Mike Santana. They might even have him feud with heel Trick (and that can work given how complex Ali’s character is. I also would like it if Ali somehow found a way to feud with Trick and reference how Trick’s main event push started because Ali got released from WWE and they immediately shifted Trick from being a manager, to filling Ali’s spot in the match against Dom Mysterio).
I still think TNA is missing the guaranteed bangers that Josh Alexander and Speedball gave them. I thought The Rascalz would fill that void, but they’re in cruise control. What there’s that, I do think they do a solid job week to week in terms of writing to make this show a show to go out of your way to watch. They’re logical. I think Trick Williams is also helping boost TNA and TNA is in turn helping boost Trick. Symbiosis. Maybe if Nic Nemeth set his brother free, you definitely have two guys with Nic Nemeth and Rich Swann who can fill that in ring void. Good stuff. This week’s show was good.
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