By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
TNA Emergence
Baltimore, Maryland, at Chesapeake Arena
Streamed live August 15, 2025, on TNA+
Tom Hannifan and Matt Rehwoldt provided commentary. This is a small arena, but it appears it is a good-sized crowd. Production is what you’ve come to expect from TNA. (I do like that we’ve gone back to having the crowd across from the hard camera; I don’t want to see the stage with no fans.) During the pre-show, Hannifan said, “We’ve sold out the lower bowl” here.
TNA Emergence Pre-Show
1. Rosemary vs. Indi Hartwell. Basic offense early on, and Rosemary tied her in a modified Tarantula in the ropes and kept Indi grounded, and she hit a snap suplex at 1:30. She hit a tornado DDT out of the corner that didn’t quite land perfectly, so she hit a second DDT for a nearfall. Indi hit some clotheslines and a spinebuster for a nearfall. Rosemary hit an inverted DDT for a nearfall. Indi hit a second-rope flying elbow drop for a nearfall. Rosemary was going to mist Indi; however, Dani Luna ran to ringside and grabbed Rosemary, causing Rosemary to spray mist away from the ring. Indi immediately hit her Implant Buster faceplant for the pin. Solid opener.
Indi Hartwell defeated Rosemary at 5:27.
* Backstage, Moose apologized to Sami Callihan for saying harsh things to him. Callihan said that what Moose said (about him getting fat and out of shape) has “lit a fire under my ass.”
2. Ryan Nemeth vs. “Hometown Man” Cody Deaner. Hannifan reiterated that Nic Nemeth is suspended tonight (he’s competing at a GCW/Juggalo Championship Wrestling show I hope to watch later this weekend.) Ryan came out first, got on the mic, and made fun of Baltimore and the fans. Deaner wore a Cal Ripken jersey. Some local deejays from a Baltimore station joined him. He thinks Nemeth should “apologize to the people of Baltimore.” We got the bell and Deaner hit some jab punches. Nemeth hit a dropkick and some punches. He choked Deaner with the Ripken jersey and got booed. Deaner put Nemeth on his shoulders and did an airplane spin-into-a-TKO stunner for a nearfall at 5:00. Nemeth hit a DDT for a nearfall. Deaner got a rollup for the flash pin. Basic.
“Hometown Man” Cody Deaner defeated Ryan Nemeth at 5:41.
TNA Emergence Pay-Per-View
1. Leon Slater vs. Cedric Alexander for the X Division Title. Alexander pinned Slater in a six-man tag on Thursday’s taped Impact; this is a first-time-ever single match. Slater immediately grabbed the left leg and tried to apply a half-crab, but Cedric reached the ropes. Cedric hit a uranage on the ring apron at 2:00, then he slammed Leon back-first to the apron. In the ring, Cedric hit a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall. They got up and traded chops. Cedric hit a German Suplex for a nearfall at 4:30, and Leon was selling the pain in his lower back. Cedric stomped on him in the corner and was in charge (but still also being a babyface). Slater hit a hard clothesline at 7:00.
Leon hit a basement dropkick to the knee that dropped Cedric face-first into the corner, then Leon hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. Cedric hit a fisherman’s buster for a nearfall at 9:00 and they were both down. Slater hit a second-rope twisting suplex. He went for a 450 Splash but Cedric got his knees up to block it. Slater kicked out Cedric’s legs; Cedric hit a pair of German Suplexes, then a third one at 12:00. They traded rollups. Slater hit his dive over the ring post and crashed onto Alexander on the floor, earning a loud “TNA!” chant. In the ring, Slater again missed a 450 Splash, and Cedric hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly. Slater avoided a Lumbar Check, and he nailed a Styles Clash! He then hit the Swanton 450 for the pin. “What a match!” Hannifan accurately shouted.
Leon Slater defeated Cedric Alexander to retain the TNA X Division Title at 14:28.
* Backstage, Gia Miller interviewed Trick Williams (w/AJ Francis and Rich Swann). Trick noted that TNA has taken off in the Trick era. We then saw Mike Santana stretching out backstage in advance of his match. We also saw Sami Callihan preparing.
2. Mustafa Ali (w/Order 4) vs. Matt Cardona. Standing switches to open, and Ali got an armdrag and a rollup for a nearfall at 1:30. Cardona hit a decapitating clothesline, then a flapjack for a nearfall. They brawled to the floor, and Matt whipped Ali face-first into the ring post at 3:30. Ali hit a superkick. Cardona hit a back-body drop on the thin mat at ringside. The Great Hands attacked Cardona, and Ali hit a DDT onto the thin mat at 5:30 and was loudly booed. They finally got back into the ring, and Cardona hit a faceplant at 7:30, then a DDT for a nearfall. Ali hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Jason Hotch and John Skylar got in the ring, but Matt beat them up. Ali hit a 450 Splash, but Cardona flipped him over and got the pin!
Matt Cardona defeated Mustafa Ali at 9:45.
* Agent Zero (Bill Collier) got in the ring, wearing his Men In Black suit, and he chokeslammed Cardona and got booed. This brought out Eddie Edwards and Brian Myers, who cleared out the heels. Out came First Class for our next match.
3. Eddie Edwards and Brian Myers (w/Alisha Edwards and JDC) vs. “First Class” AJ Francis and Rich Swann. A fan held up a sign that read “KC Navarro deserved better.” Myers and Swann opened, and Brian hit a dropkick. Rehwoldt praised the shape Swann has gotten into. First Class began working over Myers in their corner. Eddie finally got a hot tag at 5:00, and he hit a hard clothesline on Swann, then a massive hip-toss.
Eddie hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall, but AJ made the save. Francis tried to get a chokeslam, but Eddie blocked it, and he hit a suplex at 7:00. Ali’s faction returned to ringside! Myers dove onto Ali’s Secret Service. Alisha brawled with Tasha Steelz. Agent Zero slammed Eddie against the ring frame and rolled him into the ring. AJ immediately hit a chokeslam for the pin. This felt like a basic TV match to continue the System’s Feud with Order 4.
AJ Francis and Rich Swann defeated Eddie Edwards and Brian Myers at 8:37.
* The injury report aired, reminding us that Trey Miguel is still out with a hernia injury, and KC Navarro has had surgery on his injured ACL. (That is a nine-month recovery period.)
* Joe Hendry came to the ring; he’s not dressed to wrestle. “What a surprise!” Hannifan shouted. (Why? It’s not like he’s been absent from TV.) Looks like he’s joining the commentary team for the next match.
4. Mike Santana vs. Sami Callihan. Sami got on the mic and vowed that if he loses here, he’s “leaving my boots in the center of the ring, and I’m retiring.” Sami asked Santana to make this a Baltimore Street Fight! Mike said he came to Baltimore because he wants the Death Machine! (So that’s a yes?) We got a bell and we’re underway! They shook hands, but Sami tried a piledriver, but Santana escaped. They traded forearm strikes. Hendry said a street fight increases the chances that Callihan wins. Sami hit a stunner at 1:30, and Santana rolled to the floor. Santana hit an Asai Moonsault onto Sami on the floor.
Sami hit a back-body drop on the entrance ramp at 3:00. Sami went under the ring and got a chair, and he struck Mike on the back with it. He went to the back and returned with a garbage can. They got back into the ring, with the trash can and chairs. Sami got a glossy photo to give Santana a papercut between the fingers at 5:30, earning the “you sick f—!” chant. They bit each other, and Sami gave Mike a papercut on his lips. Santana fired back with a second-rope missile dropkick for a one-count.
Rehwoldt noted that Callihan “has his own promotion and is bringing up the next generation.” Sami got a staple gun, but Santana blocked being hit by it. However, Sami eventually stapled Mike’s chest at 8:00, then one into the armpit! Callihan grabbed Santana’s groin, then hit a piledriver for a nearfall. Santana hit a rolling stunner for a nearfall at 10:30. He nailed the Spin The Block (discus clothesline) for the pin! I’m shocked! I didn’t think we were already wrapping up, and I expected Sami to win somehow.
Mike Santana defeated Sami Callihan at 11:13.
* Santana left. Callihan began untying his boots as the fans chanted, “Please don’t go!” He bowed and kissed the mat and covered his face with his hands as the fans now chanted, “Thank you, Sami!” He left the ring, bowed, and headed to the back. The cameras zoomed in on Callihan’s boots as we headed to a commercial. After the commercial, we saw several guys hug Sami backstage and give him an ovation. Eric Young walked up to Sami and said these guys were all phonies. Joe Hendry interjected, so Eric barked at Hendry.
* Ryan Nemeth spoke backstage, upset he lost to the Hometown Man. But he vowed in a few days, “my big brotherrrrrrr returns to Impact,” and he said they’ll be going after the Hardy Boys tag titles.
* Masha Slamovich came to the ring; she isn’t on the show either.
5. M by Elegance and Heather by Elegance (w/Ash By Elegance, The Concierge) vs. Xia Brookside and Lei Ying Lee (w/Masha Slamovich) vs. “The IInspiration” Jessie McKay and Cassie Lee (w/Mara Sade) vs. “Fatal Influence” Fallon Henley and Jazmin Nyx (w/Jacy Jayne) in a four-way tag for the Knockouts Tag Team Titles. We had several officials in the ring, and Hannifan was “curious what is going on.” Tommy Dreamer told the crowd that Lei Ying Lee has signed a new contract, and he oozed praise. Lee signed the contract in the ring. Sade (f/k/a Jakara Jackson) wore pink like her faction partners. (I’ll point out that 9 of the 12 women at ringside are or were under WWE contract at some point.) Maggie and Heather wore Edgar Allen Poe “Raven”-inspired gear. Between the contract signing, all the intros, and hearing from the Concierge, this has been a long time since the last match ended. Hannifan kept stressing that no one wants to see WWE win more TNA titles.
The IInspiration did some quick team moves early on. Fallon and Nyx hit some quick team moves on the tiny Heather, who rolled to the floor at 3:00. Maggie hit a Helluva Kick on Xia for a nearfall at 5:00. Lei got a hot tag and hit some clotheslines. She did an airplane spin on Nyx for a nearfall, but Jacy put Jazmin’s foot on the ropes at 7:00 to stop the count. Mara and Jayne began shoving each other, and they got into the ring and fought. Jacy hit a discus forearm. Masha now jumped in the ring and attacked Jayne. Everyone started fighting, and the female ref had lost control; I think she just ejected the corner-women for each team.
Xia hit a top-rope dive to the floor onto everyone at 9:00. Lei hit a dive, too. In the ring, Cassie hit a leg lariat in the corner. They did a tower spot from the corner. Cassie hit a superplex on Maggie, and suddenly, everyone was down. Lei hit a roundhouse kick to Maggie’s head. Xia hit a Lungblower move to the chest. Maggie struck Cassie in the face with a title belt and pinned her. Merely okay; this was more about the women who were not in the match.
M by Elegance and Heather by Elegance defeated Xia Brookside and Lei Ying Lee, “The IInspiration” Jessie McKay and Cassie Lee, and Fallon Henley and Jazmin Nyx in a four-way to retain the Knockouts Tag Team Titles at 11:22.
* Backstage, Indi Hartwell (w/Dani Luna) was livid and she wants a shot at the TNA Knockouts title. She told Dani she wants to win it on her own; Dani seemed crestfallen.
* Frankie Kazarian joined commentary for the next match.
6. Steve Maclin vs. Jake Something for the TNA International Title. Maclin wore white-and-black face paint like Marvel’s Crossbones supervillain. They brawled to the floor in the first minute. Kazarian said Maclin served years “in the Salvation Army.” Hannifan was disgusted by how Kazarian was disregarding Maclin. Back in the ring, Steve hit a short-arm clothesline for a nearfall at 3:00. Jake hit his own series of clotheslines, and they traded forearm strikes. Maclin hit a hard back elbow and an Angle Slam at 5:30. Maclin went for a dive through the ropes, but Jake hit a forearm strike. Kazarian jawed at them. Jake hit an Into the Void (Black Hole Slam).
Jake powerbombed Maclin onto the steel ring steps at 7:30! Ouch! Jake began dragging Maclin’s lifeless body up the entrance ramp. However, Steve hit a back-body drop on the stage at 9:00. Maclin ran the length of the stage and dove onto Jake. “These guys are savages!” Kazarian said. They brawled through the crowd. They got back into the ring. Steve tied Jake in the Tree of Woe at 10:30 and hit a spear, but Jake held on and began choking Maclin out in a Dragon Sleeper (while still tied upside-down!) Maclin finally escaped and hit some more spears as Jake was still in the Tree of Woe. Maclin then hit the KIA (double-arm DDT) for the pin. A really good brawl.
Steve Maclin defeated Jake Something to retain the TNA International Title at 12:22.
* Gia Miller interviewed Maclin at ringside. He put over Jake for bringing a good fight. Kazarian stood up and walked over by them. Maclin and Kazarian jawed at each other. Steve rolled into the ring and wants to fight right now! Kazarian turned and walked to the back. “Coward,” Hannifan muttered.
7. Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy vs. “The Rascalz” Myron Reed and Zachary Wentz for the TNA Tag Team Titles. Matt and Wentz opened. Jeff tagged in. All four began arguing. The Hardys shoved them, and they fought. Jeff hit a guillotine leg drop and got a nearfall on Wentz at 4:00. The Hardys hit a team suplex and kept Zachary in their corner. Reed tagged in and he superkicked Matt at 6:00, then hit a slingshot axe kick to the back of the head for a nearfall. Matt hit a Side Effect on Wentz. Jeff and Myron tagged in, and Jeff hit a basement dropkick on the knee. Jeff hit a swinging dropkick into the corner for a nearfall at 8:30.
Jeff hit a superpelx, but Zachary hit a Swanton Bomb on Jeff, so Matt hit an elbow drop on Wentz, and everyone was down. Nice spot. Jeff tried a Poetry In Motion, but was caught, and the Rascalz dropped Jeff onto Matt. Wentz dove through the ropes onto Matt. In the ring, Wentz hit a doublestomp on Jeff for a nearfall at 10:30. In a nice spot, Reed went for his Flame On stunner to the floor, but Matt caught him and hit a stunner on the floor. In the ring, Jeff peeled off his shirt and hit the top-rope Swanton Bomb to pin Myron. A fun match with a really good final few minutes. They all shook hands and hugged.
Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy defeated Myron Reed and Zachary Wentz to retain the TNA Tag Team Titles at 11:52.
* AJ Francis and Rich Swann got on the stage, and it’s time for the “First Class Penthouse.” Francis talked about being from here and going to the U of Maryland. “Go Terps!” he said. Swann got on the mic and cut a similar faux-babyface promo. AJ finally said they learned the important thing… to become successful, you have to leave this dump! (We all knew this was coming.) “Poe,” the Baltimore Ravens mascot got on the stage. The crowd cheered for the mascot. AJ told Poe that “this is my city.” The System came out and confronted them. Poe shoved Francis. AJ was irate and said this show is over and they stormed to the back. Well… the live crowd loved it…
8. Trick Williams vs. Moose for the TNA World Title. A pretty good babyface pop for Trick. He said “the real birds of the NFL are the Philadelphia Eagles” and that got massive heat. Trick hit some chops early on that Moose no-sold, and Moose hit some loud chops. They fought to the floor, and Moose ran into the ring steps at 2:00. They continued to brawl at ringside. In the ring, Moose hit a top-rope twisting crossbody block at 4:00. Trick flipped a charging Moose into the turnbuckles. Trick hit a flapjack at 6:00 and was in charge. They traded more chops.
Trick hit a running neckbreaker for a nearfall. Moose hit a uranage and a senton for a nearfall at 8:30. He hit a pop-up powerbomb for a nearfall. Trick hit a discus pump kick and a uranage at 10:00, then a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. Moose hit a superplex, but Trick held on and hit a suplex, and they were both down at 11:30. Moose hit his spear, but Trick rolled to the floor to avoid being pinned. Moose followed to the floor and charged at him, but Trick hit a back-body drop onto a table at 13:30!
In the ring, Trick accidentally struck the ref! Moose immediately hit a spear on Trick for a visual pin, but we had no ref! Moose hit a Buckle Bomb, but Williams immediately hit a Trick Shot (jumping knee to the chest) for a nearfall at 15:30. Moose hit a headbutt, but he crashed shoulder-first into the corner. Trick immediately hit a jumping knee to the back. He hit another running knee, this one to the back of the head, and scored the clean pin. Good match.
Trick Williams defeated Moose to retain the TNA World Title at 16:45.
Final Thoughts: The show is bookended by two very good matches. I’ll narrowly take the energetic Cedric-Slater match for best, ahead of the main event. The Hardys vs. Rascalz was fun and takes a distant third. Maclin-Jake was really good and hard-hitting, and didn’t get gross and bloody. I went into this show expecting no titles to change hands, and it never felt like a single champion was ever in danger of losing. So, it was a fun show, but it was also awkward how they kept pointing out some of their bigger names (Masha, Kazarian, Hendry, Nic Nemeth) were not wrestling. We had matches that felt like a PPV (Cedric-Slater, Moose-Trick), but we had other matches (The System’s match, the women’s four-way tag) that were basic and just there to set up a future match.
I’ll reiterate that TNA is making its Twin Cities debut soon, and I’ll be celebrating my 52nd birthday at the Sept. 5 show. (My only prior time seeing TNA was a trek to Chicago.) Point being, it’s great to see TNA growing and hitting new markets.
There has been a lot of talk of WWE buying TNA, and I really hope that doesn’t happen. We saw how WWE started its own ECW show, and that was a massive dud. We saw them purchase Evolve only to shut it down (and recently revive it as a training, developmental program.) Sure, TNA is using a LOT of ex-WWE/NXT talent. With Cardona and Swann on this show, it might be a record-high number of ex-WWE guys. But if TNA became fully part of WWE, it would just be part of WWE’s machine. Like or hate what TNA is doing… they are a bit of an alternative to WWE; they have selected the best of the athletes that WWE has cut and found great value in most of them. I just don’t see how a WWE purchase works out well for TNA in the long-term.
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