Impact Wrestling No Surrender 2021
Exclusively on Impact+
February 13th, 2021
Skyway Studios in Nashville, Tennessee
Commentary: Matt Striker & D’Lo Brown
The Birthday Dream
The show starts with a video package from the birthday boy, Tommy Dreamer saying how he went to a wrestling show on his 10th birthday and had his first match when he turned 18. He talks about some of his favorite moments like in 2009 with his WWE ECW Championship and wearing the same boots that he wore when he won his first World Title. He talks about all the routines and injuries he’s had over the years and if it was worth it with a montage of video and pictures of his career. He said he would do it all over again and he regrets nothing. He’s not the man who he was, but tonight he will try his hardest to be the Tommy Dreamer everybody remembers him by. We cut to Tommy Dreamer coming into the building who says he just saw Tom Brady beat a much younger champion, and he will try and do the same tonight.
Tenille Dashwood & XXXL (Acey Romero & Larry D) (w/ Kaleb with a K) vs. Decay (Rosemary, Crazzy Steve & Black Taurus)
Kaleb with a K out with a neck brace from his attack from Black Taurus this past Tuesday. Steve and Romero go to start the match until Rosemary sneaks in, prompting Tenille to get tagged in. Rosemary quickly takes down Tenille as Steve and Larry come in. Nice exchange ending with Steve taking down Larry and working on his arms. Taurus and Romero then tag in and have an epic style staredown followed by a forearm exchange. Taurus gets the better of the offensive knocking Romero to the outside, and all 3 members of Decay tease jumping to the outside but Tenille & XXL dodge stopping any attempt. Kaleb with a neck brace gets involved by tripping up Steve’s leg causing Larry D to gain the upper hand. Taurus headbutts and takes down both members of XXXL, including a Samoan drop on Larry for a two count. Tenille stops for a photo op holding a red shirt trying to have Taurus charge to it. Kaleb ends up with it on the outside, so Taurus chases him ringside until he gets stopped by a dive from Larry D. Taurus comes back with a tope con giro of his own, while Steve crossbodies both Taurus & Larry on the outside. Acey teases joining them but gets stopped by Rosemary. Tenille takes her out and teases a cross body but stops. Instead, Acey grabs her and powerbombs Tenille to the outside of the other 4 competitors in this match. Rosemary spits green mist to Romero on the outside, while Black Taurus hits a moonsault and a driver to Larry on the inside for the pin.
Winners: Decay by pinfall at 7:57
Matt Cardona & Eddie Edwards vs. Brian Myers & Hernandez
Myers is still sporting the eye patch from his eye poke injury as he starts the match with Edwards. Cardona quickly comes in as the Major Brothers have a staredown, but Myers wants nothing to do with him and he tags in Hernandez. The big Hernandez is able to clothesline both Cardona & Edwards until he tags Myers back in. Myers complains to the referee that he can’t see, running around the ring, Edwards chases him until he runs into another clothesline by Hernandez. Myers tries to slow down Edwards inside with a sleeper hold, Edwards escapes but gets tripped up by Myers trying to run the ropes. Hernandez comes in and rips off the top turnbuckle padding. Myers and Edwards take turns attempting to bash their heads in the exposed turnbuckle, but Hernandez gets tagged in and goes to work on Edwards. Edwards attempts to tag out a couple of times, but Hernandez keeps knocking Cardona off the apron. Edwards hits a giant Superplex to Hernandez and finally tags in Cardona with the hot tag exploding on Myers. Cardona hits the Broski Boot but only gets a two count on Myers. Myers hits a sit out slam and gets a close 2 count that didn’t look like Cardona kicked out on. Hernandez takes out Edwards on the outside, while Cardona hits a hurricanrana off the top rope that gets broken up by Hernandez at 2. Cardona attempts the Rough Ryder but gets flipped right into the exposed turnbuckle as Myers hits his lariat that he calls the Roster Cut for the pin.
Winners: Brian Myers & Hernandez by pinfall at 9:55
The Second Greatest Tag Team Of All Time
Matt Hardy & Private Party are backstage, and Hardy says tonight is the night they become kings and become IMPACT World Tag Team Champions. Hardy says even though they made this a triple threat, they got this, and they are special because they have him in the corner. Isiah Kassidy is complaining about James Storm & Chris Sabin taking their shot, but Marq Quen says it’s ok because they have already beat them. Hardy says they will take these titles back to AEW Dynamite on Wednesday and they will never come back to IMPACT after that. Hardy says it’s their first step to becoming the second greatest tag team of all time.
Deaner (w/ Eric Young & Joe Doering) vs. Jake Something
Jake Something comes out shedding the ‘Cousin’ look with brand new music and look. Deaner right away gets knocked to the outside and gets consulted by Violent By Design who encourages him to get back in there. Something using his power and strength and makes Deaner keep cowering to the outside as Young gets more and more frustrated telling Deaner that Jake is not his family anymore and he is dead to him. Deaner fires up and goes back in to attack Jake. Something comes back and easily clotheslines Deaner down until Deaner comes back and takes Something to the outside who gets a neck breaker from Young while the referee is distracted inside. Young is able to get another cheap shot on Something while he was resting on the ropes. They stay inside with their offense until Something ends up back outside again this time he doesn’t get attacked by Young and Doering but blindsided from behind by Deaner who starts cranking Something’s neck into the post. Something misses a splash into the corner and while trapped into the corner gets drop kicked from behind by Deaner. Very innovative move that looked like it would actually cause a lot of damage. Something fires up hitting double ax handles and a sit-out slam, but Deaner rolls through into the corner. Something screams ‘What’s My Name’ and hits a shoulder block into the corner for a two. Deaner comes back with a neck breaker out of nowhere for a 2 count of his own. Young screams about Something ‘He does not exist’ and Something attempts to Superplex Deaner to the floor. Deaner escapes and hits a turnbuckle assisted powerbomb for a two. Young gets on the apron distracting Something, but Something takes out both Young & Doering with a dive, runs back in, and hits a Black Hole Slam on Deaner for the win.
As soon as the bell rings, Young & Doering run in and take out Something. Young brings a table as he tells Doering to go to the top rope. They hit a triple Shield like powerbomb off the top rope into the table to the victorious Something.
Winner: Jake Something by pinfall at 10:23
Crazy Uncle Tommy
We go backstage where Eddie & Alisha Edwards have a birthday gift for Tommy. Edwards says the real gift is when he will beat Rich Swann later for the championship. Edwards thanks Dreamer for being there for them the entire time and he is grateful to call him a friend, a crazy uncle, and a brother and if anybody can do the unthinkable tonight it’s Dreamer. As Eddie leaves, Alisha plants a big hug and says she loves him.
Triple Threat Revolver Match: Daivari vs. Suicide vs. Willie Mack vs. Ace Austin (w/ Madman Fulton) vs. Chris Bey vs. Trey Miguel vs. Blake Christian vs. Josh Alexander
The rules for this are that 3 men start at the same time for a triple threat when one man gets eliminated the next man comes in until there are 3 left and the winner of that match wins the entire Revolver Match. The first three men to start the match are Trey Miguel, Blake Christian & Suicide. Miguel & Christian double team on Suicide hitting a double dropkick and more until Suicide is able to separate the pact. Suicide & Miguel then team up on Christian for a little. Great quick offensive with all 3 that ends with Suicide hitting a moonsault to the back of Miguel. Christian and Suicide hit a couple of dives to the outside and take it inside, but Miguel quickly applies a leglock submission on Suicide eliminating him at the 3:28 mark. The bell never rings to stop the match as Chris Bey comes out as the next man. Miguel quickly tries to apply a submission on Bey, but Bey escapes and begins attacking both Miguel & Christian. On the outside, Christian hits a standing C4 to Miguel who sells he is seriously injured on the outside. Back on the inside, Bey hits a Vertebreaker on Blake Christian at 6:28 to pin and eliminate him. Daivari walks in as the next man who just laughs and steps over the injured Miguel on the way inside but quickly gets attacked by Bey. Miguel finally finds his way back in hitting a Meteora on Daivari for the pin and elimination at 8:23. Josh Alexander comes in next. Alexander slows down the speed of the match with some powerful takedowns on Bey and Miguel, but Miguel jumps on his back for a sleeper hold, but Alexander hits a suplex on Bey while Miguel is on his back taking them both out. Alexander and Bey go at it in the middle of the ring, but Bey hits a spinning heel kick and then springboards into a torture rack position, and Alexander hits a tilt-a-whirl powerbomb into an ankle lock to make Bey submit at 11:22.
Beautiful sequence, as Willie Mack comes in next. Mack comes in and takes out both Alexander and Miguel followed by a moonsault on both for a 2 count. All 3 battle it out in the corner that ends with Willie Mack hitting a sit out powerbomb onto Alexander who had Miguel in a suplex. Alexander starts stomping out Mack in the corner as the fatigued Miguel is catching a breather in another corner as he was the first man to come out for this match. Miguel hits a Meteora on Alexander who falls on Willie Mack pinning him for the elimination at 15:40. The last entrant Ace Austin comes running to the ring with Madman Fulton by his side. The fresh Austin tries to take out Alexander and Miguel, but they come back and lay it on Austin. In the corner, taking turns. Miguel is able to hit a poison rana on Alexander followed by a springboard cutter, but Austin breaks up the three-count. All 3 men end up on the outside with a pair of dives from Miguel & Austin. Miguel with a burst of energy takes Alexander on the inside followed by a spinning leg sweep to Austin inside for a 2 count. Alexander with both Miguel & Austin on his back hits a death valley driver and boots Miguel to the outside. Alexander attempts a double hooked piledriver but gets reversed and reversed again into an ankle lock. Alexander hits a powerbomb, takes out Fulton, followed by a double hooked piledriver on Austin for the pin to become the #1 Contender for the X Division Championship.
Winner: Josh Alexander by pinfall at 22:14
Impact Knockouts Tag Team Championship – Texas Tornado No DQ Match: Fire ‘n Flava (Kiera Hogan & Tasha Steelz) (c) vs. Nevaeh & Havok
All four women start brawling in this tornado tag match. Havok tries to sit on Hogan, but Hogan dodges it followed by a splash and a dropkick into the corner by Hogan. Nevaeh tries to get involved but gets taken out by Steelz. A lot of fast-paced double team action from Fire ‘n Flava but Havok hits a backbreaker followed by a clothesline from Nevaeh for a two count. Steelz comes into the ring with a chair but Havok is able to snatch it from her and sets it up in the corner. Havok tries to whip Hogan into it who stops herself right before running into it. Nevaeh and Havok start hitting a pair of splashes but Hogan comes in with a Kendo stick taking out the heels, slamming Havok over the head with it for a two count. Nevaeh is able to make a comeback until Hogan & Steelz hit a double suplex on her and attempt a couple of pin attempts until Havok comes to her senses and takes out Steelz with a backbreaker. Havok on her own with complete control inside until she runs face-first into the steel chair set up from earlier. Nevaeh comes in with a street sign but is on the receiving end by a cutter from Steelz right into the street sign for the pin.
After the match, Nevaeh seemed to be upset and walked out from Havok.
Winners: Fire ‘n Flava by pinfall at 9:17, to retain.
New Set of Teeth
Gia Miller backstage with IMPACT World Champion Rich Swann asking him how he feels about tonight’s huge match. Swann says since Moose interfered during their contract signing, management has said Moose will be suspended if he tries to interfere tonight. Swann said Dreamer got LIT with fire during their contract signing, and although he gave him the gift of this title shot, he will give him another gift tonight with a new set of teeth as he’ll kick his teeth down the throat tonight.
Impact X Division Championship: TJP (c) vs. Rohit Raju (w/ Mahabali Shera)
Raju attacks TJP on the outside and even attempts to pin but the referee refuses to ring the bell until they properly start the match. They continue to brawl without the match officially starting on the outside. After a few minutes of brawling on the outside, they finally get in the ring to start the match. Shera takes a few cheap shots on TJP with the referee distracted. Raju angrily screams at the invisible crowd before TJP comes back with a suplex, that Raju counters into a fisherman’s suplex for a 2 count. TJP gets thrown to the outside where Shera applies a choke on TJP. Raju consistently works on TJP’s left arm throughout but ends up in a single leg crab while stuck in the ropes with TJP on the top rope, followed by TJP quickly missing a Mamba Splash. Raju escapes and hits a knee and blocks a tilt-a-whirl for a close 2 count. Raju climbs the top rope but TJP runs up for a quick Superplex, and another suplex for a 2. TJP slowly goes up to the top again attempting another splash but falls into a Triangle choke by Raju, TJP reverses it into a heel hook, that Raju tries to fight out of and eventually counters himself into a crossface. A couple more reversals and pin attempts as Raju gets frustrated with how close he got. Shera tries to hold TJP, but TJP moves and Shera gets taken out by Raju. TJP flies up and hits the Mamba Splash finally for the pin.
Winner: TJP by pinfall at 10:27, to retain
One More Pushup
Gia Miller backstage with Tommy Dreamer and wishes him a happy birthday before she asks his thoughts. Dreamer retells the story of being taken to his first wrestling match on his 10th birthday and starts tearing up at the fact his father who took him isn’t here anymore. He says when he was 17, he took his girlfriend to see Demolition vs. the Twin Towers. He asks Gia how old she is, she says 22 and says when he was 22, he was being caned by the Sandman. He starts crying a bit more saying he just wants to prove himself before asking Gia to leave as he has to do one more pushup.
Deonna Purrazzo, Kimber Lee & Susan vs. Jordynne Grace, Jazz & ODB
ODB and Lee start the match, as ODB kindly hands her flask over to the referee. Grace & Susan quickly come in with Susan asking for a test of strength for some reason. Purrazzo gets tagged in but hesitates as Jazz comes in as well. Grace, ODB, and Jazz all take turns diving to everybody else on the outside. Deonna and Grace battle it out until Deonna hits Divorce Court before tagging Lee back in. The heels take turns in the corner tagging each other in and beating down on Grace. Grace finally takes all three down and crawls her way over to make the hot tag to ODB. Susan struggles to get out of her jacket as ODB rips off the sleeves to Susan’s shirt. ODB hits the Dirty Dozen in the corner followed by a chest press that gets broken up by Deonna and Kimber. All six women start brawling inside, but Grace takes out Susan with a spinebuster. Jazz and Susan end up being the legal ladies, Susan thumbs Jazz in the eye who unintentionally strikes on Grace. Kimber Lee hits a senton to everybody else on the outside, while Jazz applies an STF to Susan on the inside as Susan quickly taps out.
Winners: Jordynne Grace, Jazz & ODB by submission at 8:47
Impact World Tag Team Championship: The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson) (c) vs. James Storm & Chris Sabin vs. Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen) (w/ Matt Hardy)
Marq Quen and James Storm start the match. Quick start that gets quicker once Chris Sabin and Isiah Kassidy make their way into the match. Matt Hardy screams at Kassidy that he is better than this, Sabin says to not listen to Matt as ‘that was good’ and offers a handshake on Kassidy. Kassidy teases the shake, but it’s a trap as the Private Party takes down Sabin. Private Party continues their teamwork on Karl Anderson as D’Lo Brown compares them to the Rock & Roll Express. Interesting exchange when Gallows goes to pin Quen, Sabin breaks it up before Kassidy who seems to get a bit ‘jealous’ Sabin interferes first. The Good Brothers keep Quen in their corner as they take turns keeping him down and out. Hardy is screaming that he doesn’t need any more stress in his life as Quen is being stretched out by Anderson. Anderson promptly takes out Kassidy, before James Storm tags himself in smacking Quen. Storm & Sabin now with double team maneuvers on Gallows including an assisted tornado DDT from Sabin off of Storm for a two count. Matt screams it’s only temporary and to fight through the pain to the Private Party. Sabin confuses them and makes Private Party runs into each other before Quen hits a moonsault off the back of Sabin who’s being held down by Kassidy. Party hit a pair of more double team maneuvers including an assisted sliced bread for a 2. All six men start brawling in the middle of the ring that ends with Kassidy hitting a DDT on Gallows. Sabin runs into a spine buster by Anderson, and Storm hits a spinning powerbomb to Quen for a 2. Gallows comes back inside with a steel chair but as the referee is trying to stop him, Matt Hardy hits a twist of fate on Storm. Quen hits a shooting star press but as he was on the top, Karl Anderson lightly tagged himself in, so he comes in and gets the pin on Storm for the win.
Matt Hardy starts screaming at the Private Party that they let him down after the match.
Winners: The Good Brothers by pinfall at 13:52, to retain
Impact World Championship: Rich Swann (c) vs. Tommy Dreamer
The presentation of this match really made you feel how important it is for Tommy Dreamer. Swann and Dreamer start the match with a handshake. It was pointed out Dreamer is wearing the same boots he wore when he beat Taz for the ECW World Championship. Dreamer with a bunch of technical wrestling to slow down Swann and dodges a couple of kicks and moonsaults from Swann. Dreamer attempts to jump off the apron but misses and Swann hits a dive of his own. Swann attempts it again, but Dreamer catches Swann and hits a Death Valley Driver to the outside but insinuates that he might have dislocated his finger. A doctor (Dr. Ross) runs down to check on Dreamer, but Dreamer just asks for some water that he pours on his finger as he pops the finger back in. Back on the inside, Swann targets the injured finger right away but pulls on and stomps on it. Dreamer is able to catch Swann mid-move and dropkicks Swann’s pre-injured knees out followed by a reverse DDT. Dreamer applies a Texas Cloverleaf, but Swann breaks it up grabbing the ropes. They both try to rush each other but end up crashing to the outside. Dreamer attempts a piledriver on the outside, but Swann kicks him in the face on the way up and follows with a springboard cutter off the apron. Back on the inside, Dreamer hits a Superplex that Swann turns into a 2 count. Dreamer attempts a slingshot to Swann, who bounces off the turnbuckle right into a cutter by Dreamer for a two. Dreamer attempts another DVD, but it turns into a couple pin attempts and reversals, right into Swann pulling Dreamer’s fingers back until Dreamer causes the rope break. Swann apologies to Dreamer before going for the kick, but Dreamer reverses for a backslide for a 2 count, Swann does hit the kick and then misses the frog splash, Dreamer attempts the pin, which gets reversed and reverses again into the Rings of Saturn by Swann. Dreamer gets out and hits a Spicolli Driver for a close 2 count. Dreamer attempts a DDT, but Swann grabs the injured finger and hits a couple of kicks followed by Phoenix Splash for the pin.
Winner: Rich Swann by pinfall at 15:21, to retain
As Dreamer is handing the title over to Swann, Moose bum rushes and takes out Dreamer and Swann, more on Swann consistently slamming his knee over and over to the canvas followed by a spear to Dreamer. He follows by using a steel chair before holding up both TNA and Impact Titles in the air to close the show.
The show closes with a teaser from NJPW showing David Finlay & Juice Robinson (FinJuice), possibly hinting at more forbidden doors being broken down soon, with them coming to Impact.
Siino Vision: Even in 2021, the main event focused on Tommy Dreamer can still deliver. At 50 years old, Dreamer has taken the role once occupied by one, Terry Funk. Even with the match not being the prettiest, the promos throughout the show by Dreamer definitely got me invested in the match. The aftermath attack by Moose was expected, and I feel like we finally see that TNA/Impact World Title unification match at March’s Impact Plus show with the winner of that facing Kenny Omega at Rebellion in April. The tease of FinJuice surely will get a lot of people talking about the possibilities now.
As far as the rest of the show goes, we had some hits and misses. I was extremely impressed with the Deaner and Jake Something match, and it feels like Something had a total transformation now shedding the cousin persona and I see him in the world title picture very soon especially against someone the likes of Moose. I expected a bit more from the Triple Threat Revolver match, as a lot of the finishes seemed pretty quick and out of nowhere, but I am happy they went with Alexander as the winner as a possibility of Alexander becoming the X Division Champion surely spices up that division a bit. Out of the Knockouts matches, I was only happy with the tag match where I felt like both teams were able to look better in the No DQ atmosphere and wouldn’t mind seeing more matches like this from them, total opposite for the six women match, as Deonna and Jordynne seemed to be lost in the match being caught up with the 4 other women, something about that just didn’t click for me.
After having the most hype going into the show originally, the World Tag Team Title match felt a bit flat, and I feel like that could have been because of the sudden inclusion of Storm & Sabin just clogged up the match a bit, and Private Party coming up short didn’t really advance anything for me in this ‘forbidden door’ story, I feel as if Storm & Sabin were included just so Party doesn’t look as weak. Not sure where they go from here, besides right back to AEW and maybe someone else gets to have a short run in Impact. With the tease of Tony Khan possibly returning at the next set of tapings I am sure we will soon find out. Every other match on the show didn’t deliver for me, therefore this show was on the low end of their more recent strong deliveries of Impact Plus events.
6 birthday candles out of 10.
