By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Impact Wrestling Hits
Moose vs. Jake Something for the TNA Championship: It was a very good night for Jake Something with strong opening and closing matches on the same show. The main event was a good win Moose, and Jake was protected by having already worked the tables match earlier in the show. In other words, Impact can come back to this match and I hope they do when the time is right.
Deaner vs. Jake Something in a tables match: Deaner has spent a lot of time in Impact over the years and this felt like his most important match to date. Both men worked as mid-card comedy characters before their recent gimmick overhauls turned them into more serious acts, and they both seemed very motivated to make strong impressions. Tables matches rarely do much for me, but these guys worked really hard and produced one of the better versions of the gimmick match.
Willie Mack, Trey Miguel, and Josh Alexander vs. Chris Bey, Ace Austin, and Black Taurus: An entertaining spot-fest with good action from start to finish. It was nice to see Bey get the win for his team, and I like the growing frustration that Miguel showed afterward, which boiled over in his backstage exchange with Sami Callihan.
Impact Tag Champions Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson vs. Larry D and Acey Romero in a non-title match: A soft Hit for what was basically a showcase for Gallows and Anderson. The backstage exchange between the Good Brothers and the team of Juice Robinson and David Finlay was fun with Robinson and Finlay stating that the Gallows and Anderson are the best at wrestling…hungover.
Tony Khan and Tony Schiavone paid advertisement: The usual fun with Tony & Tony being joined by Britt Baker, Reba, Brian Cage, Ricky Starks, Ryan Nemeth, Private Party, and Matt Hardy. AEW continues to play the heel promotion in these segments and it will be interesting to see who will be next to show up at Skyway Studios.
Impact Wrestling Misses
Scott D’Amore makes the TNA Championship an official title: D’Amore has his own entrance music? Anyway, I’ll be fine with the move to make the TNA Title an official championship if it’s simply to set up a unification match between Moose and Rich Swann. Otherwise, I have no interest in this company having two world champions. It’s interesting that D’Amore booked Swann vs. Moose for the Impact Championship for the Sacrifice show on Impact Plus. I wonder if the plan is to go with a cheap finish to that match so that they can come back with the title vs. title match at April’s Rebellion pay-per-view.
Jordynne Grace and Jazz vs. Kimber Lee and Susan for a shot at the Knockouts Tag Titles: I just can’t get past the lousy Susan persona and how she works matches while dressed in business attire. Su Yung is great when they avoid the hocus pocus, and Susie was an enjoyable persona, but Susan is a dud. At least the right team went over.
Eddie Edwards vs. Hernandez: A throwaway win for Edwards in what’s turned into a tag team feud with Edwards and Matt Cardona feuding with Hernandez and Brian Myers. I got a kick out of D’Amore taking a jab at WWE over the ridiculousness of the “eye for an eye” match in the backstage segment that followed, but…
Swinger’s Palace: …those who live in glass houses should not throw stones. As awful as the “eye for an eye” match was, let’s not forget that Impact gave us the Undead Realm, Wrestle House, and the “who shot John E Bravo” drama. And now they have Swinger running an illegal gambling operation in the backstage area for no good reason.
“And now they have Swinger running an illegal gambling operation in the backstage area for no good reason.”
No good reason? He wants to make more scrizatch to use with the rizats, Daddy! Just like he and Terry Gordy used to.