By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Impact Wrestling Hits
Chelsea Green, Deonna Purrazzo, and Gisele Shaw vs. Jordynne Grace, Mickie James, and Taylor Wilde: A fun six-woman tag match that didn’t feel out of place in the main event slot. Green taking the loss was logical if reports of her returning to WWE are accurate. That said, Impact does need to do a better job of putting heat on the heel Knockouts. The company did a spectacular job of building up Masha Slamovich as the top heel, but she hasn’t been seen in Impact since she lost to Jordynne Grace at Bound For Glory. Perhaps Purrazzo can slide back into that top heel spot if her tag team partner Green is leaving.
Alan Angels vs. Trey Miguel in a tournament match for the vacant X Division Title: A match that looked good on paper and delivered. I’m surprised the tournament isn’t building to Miguel vs. Mike Bailey in the finals. They are on the same side of the bracket and will meet in the semifinals if Bailey beats Kenny King in next week’s quarterfinal match.
Tasha Steelz vs. Rachelle Scheel: Steelz got more out of a disqualification loss than she would have from simply beating Scheel in a squash match. Steelz’s character came off ruthless while in the ring with Scheel, and then took it to another level by forgoing to win because she wanted Savannah Evans to destroy the enhancement wrestler.
Matt Cardona vs. Alex Shelley: A cheap win for Cardona over Shelley. Impact needs a top heel tag team now that Matt Taven and Mike Bennett have left the company. It looks like they’ve wisely selected Cardona and Brian Myers for that role. While this wasn’t a tag team match, it did get Cardona and Myers in the mix with the Motor City Machine Guns, as well as new Impact Wrestling Tag Team Champions Heath and Rhino, who made the post match save.
Chris Bey vs. Tommy Dreamer: Bey did a nice job of carrying the load while working around the understandable limitations of Dreamer at this point in his career. Dreamer never hesitates to put over younger wrestlers and that was the case in this match, even with the spot where Moose tried to frame Bully Ray by tripping Bey, which easily could have led to Dreamer going over. Moose wasn’t exactly a criminal mastermind, as Bey could just go back and watch a replay to see who the guilty party was. Nevertheless, it played into the ongoing mystery of whether Bully Ray is shooting straight or up to his old heel ways. It’s actually good to have moments that Bully can point to while trying to clear his name in addition to having moments that leave viewers wondering if he’s still a villain.
Joe Hendry vs. Raj Singh: Hendry’s prematch promo about a guy in the crowd losing his home while gambling in Vegas, only to be okay with it all because he got to see him wrestle was good fun. The match was a simple squash as Hendry continues to establish his act in Impact.
Impact Wrestling Misses
Scott D’Amore fires Matt Taven and Mike Bennett: While it’s good that Impact acknowledged the departures of Taven and Bennett rather than just having them disappear without explanation, it’s odd that they didn’t build up to a loser leaves Impact match and get something out of it. It came off self-serving for D’Amore to be the person responsible for ridding the company of Taven and Bennett when a couple of actual wrestlers could have been given a moment of glory.
I believe in Joe Hendry. (Clap. Clap)
If you say his name…. he will appear