IMPACT Wrestling
October 13th, 2020
Skyway Studios, Nashville, Tennessee
By: Davie Portman
Commentary by: Josh Matthews and Madison Rayne
Moose Controls His Narrative
The show starts with Moose screaming at Scott D’Amore for not doing anything about his stolen TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Moose is angry that he has now been put in a match in an “undisclosed location”. Moose is begging for D’Amore’s help, but he is too busy trying to find out from Rich Swann’s doctor if he is healthy enough to compete.
Moose storms out of the locker room and walked down the hallway where we see a projection of EC3 talking to Moose. EC3 calls Moose pathetic and says that the things he thinks he owns are actually owning him. He tells Moose that he is starting to learn and control his narrative and when he is ready he will be able to cross the bridge and find what he is willing to seek. EC3 holds up the TNA World Heavyweight Championship (which was thrown into a river last week) and Moose says that he knows where he needs to go.
Rosemary & Taya Valkyrie vs Kiera Hogan & Tasha Steelz vs Havok & Nevaeh
Rosemary and Nevaeh start off the match as Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz are talking trash on the apron. Nevaeh goes for some early pin attempts, which Havok is able to kick out of. Rosemary tags in Taya who hits an assisted Elbow into the corner followed by a Northern Lights Suplex for a two count. Rosemary is able to make the tag to Havok and the two double team Taya as Kiera and Tasha are still heckling from ringside. Taya begins to make a comeback and attempts to knock Steelz and Hogan off the apron but they drop to the floor and continue to talk trash. Tasha Steelz blind tags herself in and she and Hogan continue to attack Taya in their corner. Taya manages to hit Tasha off the apron and hits a Back Suplex to Kiera before making the tag to Rosemary. Rosemary hits an Exploder Suplex to Kiera, sending her into Havok and Nevaeh’s corner but both refuse to tag her. Rosemary then tags in Nevaeh who continues the attack on Kiera Hogan. Hogan makes the tag to Steelz who is very quickly taken out by Nevaeh. Both Tasha and Nevaeh both tag back in their partners but Rosemary is able to blind tag herself in as Havok is sent to the outside. Rosemary catches Steels from a Top Rope Crossbody and delivers a Fallaway Slam. Hogan hits a Tope Suicida to Havok on the outside. Taya hits a Top Rope Crossbody to Nevaeh, Havok, and Kiera on the outside. Steelz fakes going for a Tope but turns around into a Spear from Rosemary followed by the Wing Clipper for the win.
Rosemary & Taya Valkyrie defeated Kiera Hogan & Tasha Steelz and Havok & Nevaeh via Pinfall in 9 mins 17 secs
After the match, Taya & Rosemary stare down Havok & Nevaeh.
Davie’s thoughts: I thought this was a great opening match for this week’s episode. There was always something going on whether it be excellent in-ring work or Steelz and Hogan being very entertaining on the ring apron. Havok and Nevaeh seemed to land on the ramp with quite the thud after Taya’s Crossbody and I hope they aren’t hurt. I feel this women’s roster is very deep and it could be a good time to consider reintroducing Women’s Tag Titles to give the women not going for the Knockouts Title something to fight for. That being said, I am impressed by how IMPACT is always able to find stories for the women who are not in the title picture. Really fun opening match, which I recommend to anyone who cherry picks what they watch from the weekly TV.
John E Bravo’s Groomsmen
John E Bravo is yelling at his Groomsmen for going over budget. Fallah Bahh and says that he wasn’t able to get the money. Crazzy Steve questions if Fallah Bahh is being honest and the two get into an argument to set up a match for later tonight. Cousin Jake asks Cody, Swinger, and Alisha if they want to start practicing the dance number for the reception to which they all say “No!” Cousin Jake starts dancing anyway but they all shut him down again.
Rosemary Needs Havok’s Help
Havok is in her dressing room when Rosemary appears out of nowhere. Rosemary tells Havok again that she needs her cooperation in the resurrection of James Mitchell. Havok says that she made him “exit this reality” for a reason. Havok suggests that next week they have a match and if Rosemary wins she will help her but if Havok wins Rosemary will leave her alone and James Mitchell stays where he is.
Fallah Bahh vs Crazzy Steve
Crazzy Steve demands that the referee searches Fallah Bahh at the start of the match but the referee doesn’t find anything. Steve rips off his shirt and then does Johnny Swinger poses. He tells Fallah Bahh to do the same, as he is convinced the stolen money is under his shirt. Fallah Bahh refuses and lights up Steve with a load of Palm Strikes to the chest followed by a Running Crossbody. Fallah Bahh is continuously clutching at his chest to try and protect the money. Crazzy Steve is able to rip off Fallah Bahh’s shirt, revealing the money, and rolls him up for the win.
Crazzy Steve defeats Fallah Bahh via Pinfall in 2 mins 22 secs
Davie’s thoughts: This was another quick comedy match from the cast of Wrestle House/Bravo’s Groomsmen. Not much wrestling to talk about but now it is common knowledge that Fallah Bahh has the stolen money. This comedy storyline isn’t really doing much for me but if you’re invested in this whole wedding/stolen arm-wrestling storyline maybe you’ll like it!
Rhino Gets Heath an Opportunity
Rhino approaches Heath backstage and to make amends for last week says he managed to get Heath a slot in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet Match at Bound For Glory. If Rhino or Heath wins the gauntlet, Heath will get his contract and an opportunity. However, if neither win they will never receive an opportunity at IMPACT ever again. Rhino tells him they also have a match coming up with Gauntlet implications, so Heath runs off to get ready.
Scott D’Amore then comes out of his office and asks if Rhino told Heath “the other part”. Rhino says that Heath doesn’t need to know that. D’Amore says that if neither of them wins the Call Your Shot Gauntlet Match not only does Heath not get a contract but Rhino will give up his IMPACT contract as well.
Tenille Dashwood, Tommy Dreamer, Brian Myers, Cody Deaner and Johnny Swinger vs Hernandez, Cousin Jake, Alisha, Rhino, and Heath
Kaleb With A K is in the ring to introduce Tenille Dashwood. He says that her latest picture on Instagram has already got over 30,000 likes and that she is the future winner of the Call Your Shot Gauntlet Match.
Johnny Swinger and Heath start the match. Swinger does a load of poses but instead of locking up with Heath decides to tag in Tenille Dashwood. Heath, therefore, makes the tag to Alisha. Dashwood grounds Alisha with a headlock goes for a Big Boot but Alisha catches the leg and throws her to the mat. Cody Deaner gets tagged in and Alisha says that she doesn’t know which Deaner he is and that she is going to tag in her new friend “Her-And-ez”. Cody Deaner starts Square Dancing in the ring, so Hernandez tags in Rhino instead. Rhino knocks down Cody and tags in Cousin Jake. Just before they square up, Cody deeds to tag in Rhino. Cousin Jake knocks down Dreamer with a Shoulder Tackle and goes to follow up with an Elbow Drop but misses. Hernandez gets into the ring and applies a Bear Hug but Dreamer is able to escape after biting his head. Brian Myers and Heath get tagged into the match and finally, we get some actual wrestling. Heath hits a Flying Knee, Leg Lariat, and Reverse Neckbreaker for a pin but Cody Deaner is able to break the fall. Myers hits a Flatliner to Heath but Johnny Swinger tags himself in. Heath ducks a Clothesline and hits the Wake-Up Call to Swinger for the win.
Heath, Rhino, Alisha, Cousin Jake, and Hernandez defeat Tenille Dashwood, Tommy Dreamer, Brian Myers, Cody Deaner, and Johnny Swinger via Pinfall in 7 mins 18 secs
The winning team will face each other next week to determine who will get the Number 20 spot in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet Match at Bound For Glory
Davie’s thoughts: Unfortunately, too much of the mid-card in IMPACT rely on comedy in their matches. This, for me, gets tiring when we have already seen one comedy match on the show. The match picked up in the brief seconds towards the end when Heath was in the ring. I actually really like Heath as a wrestler. Unfortunately, for too much of his career, he has been positioned as a comedy jobber so we rarely actually get to see him work. Here he showcased that he is great for a hot tag. His moves looked effective and he was very slick. I really hope once he actually gets his “contract” he is positioned a bit more seriously because I think he has great acting chops and is more than capable in the ring.
Callihan & Shamrock Attack Edwards
Sami Callihan approaches Eddie Edwards backstage asking how his ankle is. Edwards gets into his face but Sami starts to say that “with one click of a button…” but before he can finish Edwards slaps the phone out of his hand. Shamrock then runs in and attacks Edwards as Callihan films on his phone.
Eric Young on Rich Swann’s Status
Jimmy Jacobs interviews Eric Young asking his thoughts on Rich Swann possibly not being medically fit for Bound For Glory. Young spins the question back onto Jacobs and asks him whether he thinks Swann will be fit for Bound for Glory. Jacobs says that he thinks Rich is very resilient and thinks he will be okay. Eric Young says that he doesn’t care either way if Rich Swann is fit as he hasn’t dealt with someone like Young before and IMPACT wrestling has never dealt with someone like him before. Young says that he is going to go to the ring and get to the bottom of this.
Kimber Lee w/ Deonna Purrazzo vs Kylie Rae
Kylie Rae catches one of Kimber Lee’s kicks early and turns it into a Spinning Leg Scissors. Kylie Kicks Kimber Lee in the side of the head and gets a one-count. The two start to fight on the apron, delivering elbows to each other. Kimber Lee attempts a German Suplex off the apron onto the floor but Rae blocks it and hits an Elbow to send Lee to the floor. Rae jumps off the apron to hit a Hurricanrana but is caught by Lee and thrown against the ring apron. As Kylie makes it back into the ring Kimber Lee continues the attack. Kylie Rae catches Kimber Lee with a Forearm and follows up with a Springboard Arm Drag to shift the momentum in her favor. Kimber Lee very soon comes back and delivers a great looking Delayed Vertical Suplex for a two. Kimber Lee follows up with a Calf Crusher but Rae is able to counter it into an Arm Triangle. Lee breaks free and delivers a Sliding Lariat for another two-count. Kylie comes back with the Kylie Special but only picks up a two count. Kylie Rae starts to sell that her knee could be injured. Rae runs the ropes but gets caught with a Powerbomb by Kimber Lee. Rae fights back with a Hurricanrana pin attempt followed by a Rainmaker. Deonna Purrazzo tries to interfere but Kylie is able to lock in the STF (Smile To The Finish) on Lee to pick up the win
Kylie Rae defeats Kimber Lee via Pinfall in 9 mins 47 secs
After the match, Kylie Rae refuses to let go of the submissions so Purrazzo attacks her from behind. The two started to brawl and Kylie Rae knocks Deonna down with a Superkick. Purrazzo bails to the outside and retreats up the ramp to end the segment.
Davie’s thoughts: I thought these two had a really solid match beginning to end. Kylie Rae has begun to show some much-needed edge going into her title match against Deonna Purrazzo and it is making me like her a lot more as a performer. I think this feud is in a great place right now and I am really looking forward to this match at Bound For Glory.
DOC Gallows w/ Karl Anderson vs Madman Fulton w/ Ace Austin
Before the match, Anderson and Gallows get on the microphone and talk about how they realized when coming to IMPACT that they like it here but that they are also the best. The best wrestlers, the best talkers, the best storytellers, and the best drinkers but to be the best they need to be the champions. They promise that at Bound For Glory they will walk out as new IMPACT Tag Team Champions.
DOC Gallows hits Fulton immediately with a Big Boot. Fulton comes back right away with Snake Eyes and sends Gallows to the outside. They continue to brawl on the outside, unaware that the referee has started the count and they are both counted out.
DOC Gallows & Madman Fulton fight to a Draw in 1 min 19 secs
After the commercial break, we are informed that the match has restarted under No DQ/Falls Count Anywhere rules. Fulton puts a trash can on Gallows’ head and hits it with a metal pipe. Gallows smashes a beer over Fulton’s head and starts to attack him with a steel chair. Gallows jumps off the second rope with the steel chair but Fulton is able to boot the chair into his face. Fulton is now in full control of the match after choking him with a crutch and attacking him with a steel chair. Fulton sets up a chair in the corner and attempts a One Man Conchairto but Gallows is able to Kick the chair back into Fulton’s face and then sends Fulton face-first into the chair in the turnbuckle. Gallows then follows up with a Double Choke Bomb through two sets of chairs and picks up the win.
Doc Gallows defeats Madman Fulton via Pinfall in 6 mins 37 secs (including commercials and initial match)
Davie’s thoughts: This was pretty bad. There was nothing creative about the hardcore elements and there was very little actual wrestling. I was surprised that Ace Austin and Karl Anderson didn’t get involved at all. The saving grace was that the match was pretty quick.
Next Week
Hernandez vs Cousin Jake vs Rhino vs Alisha vs Heath (winner enters #20 in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet)
Eddie Edwards vs Sami Callihan
Chris Bey, Rohit Raju & Jordynne Grace vs TJP, Trey Miguel & Willie Mack
The North vs The Good Brothers
In Two Weeks
The Wedding of John E Bravo and Rosemary
Bound For Glory
Call Your Shot Gauntlet Match
Eddie Edwards vs Ken Shamrock
Chris Bey vs Trey Miguel vs Rohit Raju vs TJP vs Jordynne Grace vs Willie Mack (6 Way Scramble Match for the X Division Title)
Fulton & Ace vs Motor City Machine Guns vs The Good Brothers vs The North (IMPACT Tag Team Titles)
EC3 vs Moose (Undisclosed Location)
Deonna Purrazzo vs Kylie Rae (Knockouts Title)
Eric Young Wants Answers
Eric Young makes his way to the ring and says it’s eleven days until Bound For Glory and he has to deal with wondering if Rich Swann will be fit enough to compete. Young says that this is his world and he won’t leave the ring until someone comes out and tells him that Rich Swann has quit.
We see Scott D’Amore watching in his office when he gets a phone call. He asks if the person on the other end of the phone is sure and then says he has somewhere he has to be.
After the commercial break, Scott D’Amore comes out to ringside. Eric Young gets in D’Amore’s face and tells him to tell the world that Rich Swann is a cripple and that he will have the night off at Bound For Glory. D’Amore says that he spoke to Swann’s orthopedic surgeon and Eric Young did additional and substantial damage to Rich Swann’s ankle. Eric Young starts to gloat and tells D’Amore that he works for Young now and not the other way around. Young tells D’Amore to finish his statement and tell the world that Rich Swann is unfit to compete at Bound For Glory. Scott D’Amore asks where the old Eric Young is. He says he isn’t the same teenager he met all those years ago or the Eric Young from Team Canada. D’Amore says that Young lost himself along the way and is now a different person. D’Amore then says that Rich Swann is a different kind of athlete and is ahead of schedule and will be ready for their title match at Bound For Glory. D’Amore says that he hopes that Rich Swann knocks the stupid smug look off Young’s face. Eric Young then attacks Scott D’Amore and attempts to break his ankle. Rich Swann runs out for the save and hits the Lethal Injection to Eric Young. Rich Swann poses with the IMPACT World Heavyweight Championship to end the segment.
Davie’s thoughts: I thought both Eric Young and Scott D’Amore played their parts well but this story has lost me. I feel like we have seen Rich Swann gets injured, question whether he will return, and then eventually return too many times in the last few months. There was never any doubt in my mind that the match would take place and I felt that they got lazy writing the story. For Swann to make the save a week after being injured and hit a Handspring Cutter was completely unbelievable to me.
Moose Confronts EC3
Moose arrives at a bridge to confront EC3 as dramatic music is playing. EC3 questions if Moose seeks a false title or a false idol. Moose calls EC3 a “sonofabitch” and calls himself a “Wrestling God”. EC3 calls Moose a fake wrestler, fraud, and a laughing stock. EC3 lays the title down on the ground and the two start to fight. EC3 gets the upper hand in the brawl and laughs at Moose for not being able to put up a fight. As EC3 is laughing and walking off, Moose attacks him from behind. Moose picks up the title and walks off with it as EC3 is seen with a bloody face, laughing.
Davie’s thoughts: I have enjoyed these two over the past few weeks however this didn’t work for me. I thought the dialogue was very cheesy and I think that I’m burned out on the cinematic segments. For me, I would have preferred to have seen these two not touch each other until Bound For Glory.
Overall, the women stole the show for me on this week’s episode of IMPACT. Both the Women’s Tag and Kylie Rae vs Kimber Lee were excellent and showcased the kind of wrestling I like to watch. Unfortunately, there were too many comedy segments in the middle of the show, the end of the show suffered by an awful No DQ match, there was a repetitive Eric Young segment and a corny cinematic scene to close the show. I still think that Bound For Glory looks to be in good shape and there are a lot of good things that happen weekly on IMPACT. I just wish they were able to hold my attention for the entire show.
6 Reinjured Ankles Out Of 10