Impact opens with highlights from Sacrifice from last Friday night. Still coming to us from the same venue on the campus of St. Clair College in Windsor Ontario, Canada for tonight’s episode of TNA Impact. Tom Hannifan brings us in as we are officially on the road the Rebellion!
Chris Sabin vs Mustafa Ali
Tonight’s opening contest pits the former ten-time X-division champion, Chris Sabin vs Mustafa Ali. The match was solid as you’d expect with these two great wrestlers. But, if I know the likely outcome before it starts, it takes away from the match. I did like how Sabin was willing to get himself disqualified in order to hit Ali with the X-division strap. It shows the frustration and anger he has towards Ali. In the end it didn’t matter as the champ ducked out of the way and rolled up Sabin while putting his feet on the ropes for the one, two, three. It continues to solidify Ali with victories over Sabin. But we know at this point, Ali is not relinquishing the X-division title to Sabin anytime in the near future.
GRADE B-
Josh Alexander In-Ring Promo
Alexander comes out in his ring gear and carries a very serious look and has a very serious tone. Being from Canada, the Canadian crowd chants Walking Weapon enthusiastically for quite a bit. The Weapon starts out by tooting his own horn and asks the crowd why he’s special. He continues on and tells them how he has beat the very best professional wrestlers in the world. He talks about the pain of losing his TNA World Heavyweight Championship due to injury and how he wants it back. But he turns his attention to Alexander Hammerstone. The man that defeated him at Sacrifice. He applauds Hammerstone for earning his way to TNA. But he says that Hammerstone couldn’t beat him fair and square. It’s noticeable that Josh Alexander is in his wrestling gear, but his headgear is missing. Hammerstone took it with him at Sacrifice. The Weapon lets everyone know that his heart matters the most. The crowd is popping for this promo with favorable chants for Alexander throughout it. Alexander finally challenges Hammerstone and lets him know the time is now for that ass-kicking. Music hits…but it’s Dirty Dango and company. Alpha Bravo and Oleg Prudius come down the aisle and Bravo lets Alexander know that Dango softened him up last week on Impact. As Alexander asks for Dango, the dirty one attacks him from the blindside. But to no avail, as Alexander quickly tosses him out of the ring. Pruduis enters the ring and TNA security separates the two. It feels like it has been a while since we heard Santino Marella’s music hit. He comes out and calls for a match between Prudius and Alexander. Prudius looks strong early, but in a quick match, Alexander gets Prudius to tap to the ankle lock submission. This angle had Alexander look as strong as ever. The Weapon and Hammerstone obviously have more work to do with each other. It’ll be interesting if they play-it-out until Rebellion in late April or if they’ll solve the feud before then. The only thing I didn’t care for here is it looked as though Dango and crew had a little push going for them. Tonight, did not do anything to help that cause.
GRADE A-
Crazzy Steve Promo/PCO Appearance
I am absolutely loving where Steve is in TNA today. He is the digital media champion and getting the first significant push I’ve ever seen him get in his ten years in TNA/Impact wresting. The Crazzy one lets the Windsor Ontario crowd know that he’s taken out Tommy Dreamer, Rhino and Joe Hendry in his short reign as champion. He also says that he defends his title every time he’s in the ring. This is also true…and AWESOME! As he states that no one else can handle that type of pressure, PCO’s music hits. Steve and Perfect Creation One stand face-to-face on the entry ramp as Steve slowly walks away and heads to the back. This is a matchup that I think we be great for the digital media title. These are two truly hardcore wrestlers that put-on fan-friendly matches and aren’t afraid to take some hard bumps. Hard bumps with metal souvenirs in the ring if you know what I mean. I hope this plays for a while.
GRADE A
Ace Austin vs Frankie Kazarian
Ace makes his way to the ring first with tag team partner Chris Bey. Kaz comes out and makes ring announcer Jade Chung, much to her chagrin, call Kaz the “King of TNA.” This match filled a lot of time as both guys here can truly work. Kaz looked strong much of the way, but Austin is one of the most skilled tacticians in the business today. A couple of late counters from both wrestlers saw Kaz end up getting Austin to tap to the chicken wing with a clean win. Kaz held the hold much longer after Ace tapped to continue to show his heel side and that he is looking out for number one. After the match, Bey was in the ring checking on his tag team partner and Kaz attacked him. For Kaz to be able to take out Austin and then Bey without any help made Kaz look very strong here. Eric Young’s music hit and he got to the ring quick in an attempt to get his hands on Kazarian. Kaz was able to escape without a moment to spare. EY was unsuccessful last week at Sacrifice because of Kazarians attack. I expect this to be a fun feud for quite a while.
GRADE B+
The System Pre-Recorded Promo
Of the four members of the System stable, the three men are all holding championship hardware. The promo opens with Moose talking about his accolades on the gridiron. He mentions that he played with Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, the two best QB’s of all-time. That he also played in Bill Billichik’s system and that he was the greatest coach of all-time. But while he played in that system, this currently THE System. Meyers talks about being the most professional wrestler ever and his illustrious 20-year career with many tag team championships and a digital media champion over that span. Double E, Eddie Edwards has his turn and lists off all of his accomplishments, which include being a six-time tag champ, and a two-time heavyweight champion, amongst others. He says he’s forgotten more about success than the rest of the TNA roster will ever have. They come together, along with Alisha Edwards and tell us all to “Trust the System!” I like their power plays right now. A strong veteran group with a lot of titles. It’ll be interesting if they add to the stable. I feel like they could really blow this group up. I like what I’m seeing thus far.
GRADE A
AJ Francis vs Joe Hendry
This match was made last week on Sacrifice by Santino Marella. Francis out first and Hendry enters second to the fans waving their hands side-to-side in accordance with his theme song. Hendry addresses the crowd and lets them know that AJ is a giant and he should be afraid but lets him know that he’s tough on the outside, but quite sensitive on the inside. Hendry implores the crowd to start an AJ Sucks chant. While Joe tells the audience his typical jargon, he couldn’t finish before Francis attacks him from behind. A decent match that showcases Francis’s strength and solid athleticism for a big guy. Hendry, very strong in his own right gets a body slam on his third attempt in the match. AJ tried to use a chair but Hendry ducked out of the way. With the chair on the mat, both guys go for the chair. At this point, the referee has already been knocked out. In comes Rich Swann, who has had quite a bit of tension with Francis, grabs the chair and hits…Hendry! That’s right, he joined forces with AJ and woke the referee up with Francis on top of Hendry for the easy pin. Not a bad way to go here. Not sure what’s in store for these guys, but with Swann being a longtime face with nothing on the horizon, this could be a good thing. I’m sure they’ll feud with Hendry for the foreseeable future.
GRADE B-
Soundcheck W/ Alan Angels
Angels brings in Ash by Elegance and her concierge George Iceman. Ash and the concierge are vocal about what a dump the place is. The elegant one lets the TNA world know that she has a third match next week on Impact. Iceman says they have to go because the limo is waiting. Angels is over the moon that Ash was on his soundcheck. The soundcheck is not a bad idea. I kinda like it. But it needs to be longer. They are pre-recorded bits and not actually happening in the ring. I do think drawing them out a bit longer would do the segment some justice as well as do Alan Angels some more justice.
GRADE C+
Spitfire vs Beaa Moss & Vanna Black
Before the contest gets underway, Mk Ultra make their way ringside to watch the action. MK Ultra just lost the titles last week at Sacrifice to Spitfire. More music hits, this time it is Rosemary and Havoc of Decay. They stay standing atop of the walkway entrance. This match was clearly a squash match to showcase the new champions, which consist of Dani Luna and Jodi Threat. Luna very powerful and Threat very wild make easy work of Moss and Black with a beautiful double team suplex to get the easy pinfall victory. This three-way dance will be fun to watch unfold. As Tom Hannifan mentioned on the broadcast, Decay has a contractual rematch when they lost their titles to MK Ultra at No Surrender. MK Ultra has a contractual rematch from when they lost their titles to Spitfire at Sacrifice. Possibly a three-way dance at Rebellion? I like what I’m seeing.
GRADE B+
Tasha Steelz Surprise Appearance
The Boricua Bad Ass comes out and says she was not pinned at Sacrifice and if Jordynn Grace is the fighting champion she claims to be, then she will give a championship rematch to Steelz next week on Impact. Within moments, Hannifan and broadcast partner Matthew Rehwoldt confirm that match will happen next week. I hope this match is the main event as both women can absolutely work. I like this match a lot since we are still six weeks out from Rebellion, and we need a meaningful match in the meantime.
GRADE A
Speedball Mountain & Nic Nemeth Vs The Rascalz & Steve Maclin
The Rascalz come out first followed by their partner Steve Maclin. Then enters Speedball Mountain and Nic Nemeth. A really fun match where both combatants saw the upper hand at times in this match. Nemeth is hot in his first few months in TNA. Maclin tries to control the Rascalz throughout the match as far as instruction and gameplan. Late in the contest Maclin looks to takeout Nemeth on the outside as he asks Trey Miguel to hold up Nemeth, so he come through the ropes with a spear. Nemeth slips out of harm’s way just in time as Maclin takes out Miguel. Miguel’s partner Zachary Wentz is beside himself and gives Maclin an earful. The Rascalz say they don’t need this and let Maclin fend for himself against the trio of Speedball Mountain and Nemeth. Bailey hits a moonsault on Maclin and Nemeth hits his danger zone finish for the 1-2-3. But as the three are celebrating, the System hits the ring and takes out the three victors. Moose tells Nemeth welcome to TNA. I thought this was where we were going. Nemeth vs Moose for the TNA title. I’m certain that will be the main event at Rebellion. Also, Speedball Mountain and Moose and Meyers could make for a fun tag team match. Whether that will happen before Rebellion or not, remains to be seen. But I think this new rivalry will offer us two new feuds. This action should play out nicely over the next six weeks as we are officially on the road to Rebellion! GRADE A