POLLOCK’S IMPACT REPORT: The return of Frank Trigg

This week’s episode of Impact Wrestling was the second show taped at Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas, Nevada last month coming off last week’s wedding angle.

It featured a recap of Sami Callihan smashing the champagne bottle over the head of Melissa Santos and whether it was intentional, or was aiming for Brian Cage.

oVe arrived at the building flanked with security for fear of their retaliation.

MADISON RAYNE VS KIERA HOGAN VS TENILLE DASHWOOD

It was a three-way match but worked as a handicap match with Rayne and Hogan working together. Dashwood has some power moves including a powerbomb delivered to Hogan on top of Rayne. Dashwood had to overcome the numbers hitting a running forearm to both in the corner but got hit with a running boot from Rayne and swinging neck breaker from Hogan. The two argued over who would pin Dashwood, who got up and shoved Rayne into Hogan and hit the Spotlight and pinned Rayne.

WINNER: Tenille Dashwood at 8:52

Dashwood is challenging Taya Valkyrie for the Knockout’s title at Bound for Glory, so it was a showcase for her to look strong. For a three-way, it was average at best and the crowd doesn’t enhance these matches a lot. Dashwood isn’t a very strong babyface because they haven’t gone in-depth with who she is and why the audience should be behind her and is still trying to evolve past being a former WWE performer.

Johnny Swinger was walking backstage, slapped someone in the ass and it was Jimmy Jacobs.

Eddie Edwards was in a room confessing he has a problem and it’s revealed he’s speaking to Tommy Dreamer. He said he was messed up at the wedding because Reno Scum slipped something into his drink. In the best explanation, Dreamer asked how he knew, and Edwards said, “because the TV told me”, so we have evidence of a wrestler watching the episode back where you can see the drugging.

Somehow, there was an arrest on this show, and it wasn’t Reno Scum being confronted by the cops for this action.

JOHNNY SWINGER VS OWEN TRAVERS

This was Swinger’s first match on Impact with the new gimmick he’s doing as a wrestler out of the ‘80s. His gear is ridiculous with a spandex singlet that doesn’t cover his chest at all. He plays the character well and led to Don Callis speaking carny while calling it. Swinger won with the Swinging Neck Breaker.

WINNER: Johnny Swinger at 3:10

It’s a fun undercard character and Swinger is jacked for 44 years old. If you haven’t seen the character, it feels heavily influenced by Sex Ferguson.

Gabrielle Loren interviewed The North, they cut a promo about facing Rich Swann & Willie Mack at Bound for Glory and got upset when Loren informed them it’s a three-way with Rob Van Dam & Rhino added.

Tessa Blanchard reacted to the attack by Sami Callihan at the wedding and said she’s been on a mission to end oVe since Slammiversary and it’s her mission to go through them one-by-one. It seems the long-term plan is for Blanchard to avenge the Slammiversary loss and triumph over Callihan.

Ace Austin approached Alisha Edwards and said he knows people that have dealt with substance issues and believes Eddie Edwards has one, Alisha disagreed. Austin continued to play the creep that is trying to get with Austin by burying Eddie at every chance and insinuating he cheats on her.

EDDIE EDWARDS VS RENO SCUM

This was a tag match with “Kenny the Kendo Stick” teaming with Edwards for whatever reason.

Reno Scum, Luster the Legend and Adam Thornstowe did the Nasty Boys’ old Pity City spot on Edwards. Edwards made the “hot tag” to the kendo stick and attacked Reno Scum with the stick. Edwards got slammed onto the stick but fought back with the stick and hit the Boston Knee Party (Shining Wizard) for the win.

Eddie Edwards is a great performer but it’s a character they go too far with on the comedic stuff that makes it impossible to take seriously. I guess Edwards got his revenge for being roofied at the wedding.

The North walked into Konnan’s office, when they returned from break, he was laid out.

oVe came to the ring and Sami Callihan read a prepared statement that the bottle attack was not an intentional act. Brian Cage stormed the ring and laid out security and took out the members of the group minus Callihan, who ran away and hopped the guardrail. In the heat of the moment, Cage tossed a fan over the barricade and immediately regretted it. Scott D’Amore was out and Cage was arrested for his actions.

It was well thought out because it was designed to represent Cage making the same type of mistake that Callihan did last week, however, you’re supposed to believe Callihan is irredeemable while Cage was legitimately a mistake.

There was a jarring transition as we just came off the attack by Brian Cage, including Jake Crist being laid out, and here is back looking fine and doing commentary for the match.

The audience was familiar with Bey, who wrestles for Future Stars of Wrestling in Las Vegas and had a good match with Daga.

Both executed dives to the floor, Bey leaped off the turnbuckle to execute a crucifix for a two-count and kicked out of a Spanish Fly by Daga for a big near fall. Daga won with a double underhook suplex onto his knees.

The match was good, and it was the only match that had the audience to any degree in this show. I thought Bey had a good showing for his first time on the program and this leads to Daga being added to the ladder match for the X Division title at Bound for Glory.

Dave Crist ran in and the Crist brothers attacked Daga with Tessa Blanchard running in to save Daga. They did not reference their relationship on commentary but the two will be in the ladder match together at the pay-per-view.

Then, we had clips from the press conference involving Moose and Ken Shamrock. Stephan Bonnar is training with Shamrock and Frank Trigg made his big return to Impact to cut promos on Shamrock because he is working with Moose. Moose said he has no respect for MMA and it’s barbaric with no skill involved. Trigg just stood there as he said all this. Shamrock confronted Moose and they had a pull-apart ending with Shamrock cursing at him. I liked the segment, and this build-up has been done well, even if the match is going be limited with what Shamrock can be expected to do in 2019.

Father Jim Mitchell scolded Jessicka Havok over her attempted murder of Su Yung, which ended the show two weeks ago as Yung flatlined and then rose up from the dead. It sounded very important but was barely mentioned on this show outside of this segment. Mitchell said that Havok has upset “you know who” as their mysterious leader. Taya Valkyrie offered to give Havok the title shot at Bound for Glory if she can take out Tenille Dashwood. I guess Taya would rather take her chances with the woman that used a noose to hang someone last week rather than face the former Emma.

MICHAEL ELGIN VS TJP

The match was alright and hurt by the lack of interest from the crowd. Fallah Bahh was in TJP’s corner and they seem to be the new pairing for Bahh after KM left.

Elgin sold his shoulder and broke free from a Fujiwara armbar by deadlifting TJP and slammed free. There was a cool spot where Elgin caught TJP’s cannonball off the apron and powerbombed him onto the apron. Elgin hit the buckle bomb, spinning back fist, and Elgin Bomb.

WINNER: Michael Elgin

It was a fine television main event but didn’t stand out in a big way with the disadvantage of being interrupted by a commercial break, which was the only match on this show to have a break inserted.

The show ended with Melissa Santos outside the jail where her husband was being held. She was on the phone with her Mom when Callihan appeared, hung up on the mother and told Santos that the bottle wasn’t meant for her, but when he hit her “it felt really, really good” and told her to bail out her meathead husband.

I felt this was a by-the-numbers program and if you weren’t sold on the matches at Bound for Glory, this show didn’t push you in that direction strong enough.

The follow up to the wedding segment was decent with the Cage angle and I did enjoy the subtle note of Cage losing his cool and injuring an innocent person this week in response to Callihan doing the same thing.

The press conference with Moose and Ken Shamrock easily had the best promos on the show and they continue to build that effectively. Moose is doing great work with this character and Shamrock has an air of legitimacy that translates well because his promos are strong. After all these years, Frank Trigg is still a great talker.

I wouldn’t say any matches on this show were “must-see”. The main event was a good showcase for Michael Elgin to get a strong win heading into the Naomichi Marufuji match and the same for Tenille Dashwood for her Knockout’s title match.

I’m not a big fan of the Eddie Edwards stuff where he is so goofy. I don’t write off the character entirely because they have done some great stuff with him as this loose cannon that is watching his world fall apart around him. In a nutshell, pro wrestling is destroying his life.

Next week’s show will feature Moose facing Stephan Bonnar.