Impact Wrestling
Thursday, October 25th
RESULTS: Sami Callihan over Trevor Lee, LAX over Heavenly Bodies, Rohit Raju over Gama Singh by DQ, Moose & Killer Kross over KM & Fallah Bahh, Su Yung over Kiera Hogan, Johnny Impact over Fenix to retain the Impact title
-This was Impact’s first show at 10 pm on Pop TV and they have also changed time slots in Canada with the show airing at 10 pm on Fight Network and 11:30 pm on Game TV.
-The highlight of the show was the main event between Johnny Impact and Fenix with Impact retaining the title after hitting Starship Pain. They have a very good television match, I’d place is behind Impact’s match with Austin Aries at Bound for Glory though. One spectacular spot saw both balanced on the top rope and Fenix executing a super huracanrana flawlessly. After the match, the OGz attacked Fenix and Pentagon Jr. ran out to save his brother and set up their next program. Killer Kross was cutting a promo in the back and they revealed a lifeless Johnny Impact on the ground with the “X” as they will have a title match in two-weeks.
-During his short tenure on the show, Killer Kross has stood out a lot for me. His promos are unique, he has great poise and delivery that set him apart. On this show, I could see the growing chemistry he’s having with Moose as they had a fun backstage interview where they are opposites in their roles, but it works.
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-Moose and Eddie Edwards brawled onto the roof of the Melrose Ballroom and gave me flashback to Hulk Hogan and The Giant on top of Cobo Hall. No one fell off and came back to life by the main event, but Edwards chased off Moose with the kendo stick while laughing maniacally. Alisha Edwards appeared screaming at Eddie, who kissed her.
-Is there anyone on this show more underutilized than Trevor Lee? He looked great in a short match with Sami Callihan at the beginning of the show. He fired up against Callihan, landed a moonsault to the floor onto Jake Crist and then was knocked off the top by Dave Crist and finished with the Cactus special piledriver by Callihan. I’ve seen Lee get over in other places and in Impact he’s never got past a preliminary level and he’s very talented.
-Scarlett Bourdeaux reviewed fan submissions during her scouting contest. I don’t know what she is scouting these fans for, to wrestle? To replace Bob Kapur? Anyway, this segment reinforced most stereotypes of wrestling fans. Although, I got a chuckle out of the dude whose talent was making coffee and then spit it out after sipping. It’s a low bar.
-Allie fell under Su Yung’s trance during Yung’s match with Kiera Hogan. Yung stared down Allie, who retreated to the back and left Hogan to be beaten with a pedigree off the middle rope and Panic Switch. I feel this story is Impact’s version of The Conjuring with Su Yung as Bathsheba and Allie is playing any one of the Peron children. So, perhaps the Warrens are coming to Las Vegas next month.
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-After the first week, I think this time slot is going to very tough for this show. It’s not late enough to avoid the last quarter of the Thursday night game from the NFL and for non-football fans, it’s a big ask to run until Midnight on a weeknight. Yes, you will have people following it with DVR viewership and finding the show online, but many will skip it altogether if the show isn’t convenient. I’ve said it many times, but this would be such a better show at 60 minutes and easier on this crew when taping so many episodes at once. A change isn’t possible with their television deals worldwide that call for a two-hour show, but I think two-hours is way too long most weeks.
-Next week’s show will have Tessa Blanchard and Taya Valkyrie for the Knockout’s title, Santana & Ortiz vs. Ethan Page & Matt Sydal, Rich Swann vs. Willie Mack, and Pentagon Jr. vs. Homicide.
