This week’s episode of Impact Wrestling opened with EC3 video message.
EC3 asks the audience if they were going to be subservient to what is fed to them or if they were going to fight back, find enlightenment and control their narrative. They need to find their moment and live in it. Tonight, he’s living his moment and the audience has been warned.
New opening and theme song for the series.
X-Division Champion Chris Bey vs. Willie Mack
No Johnny Swinger with Bey.
They recapped Bey’s Slammiversary win.
Bey nailed a dropkick in the corner at the bell but Mack took him down and ground and pounded him with right hands. They slugged it out. Mack got the better of the exchange. Bey nailed a throat thrust that led to Mack going to the floor to recover. Bey went for a pescado but Mack caught him and slammed him on the floor with authority outside.
Mack returned Bey to the ring and nailed a slingshot senton into the ring. Mack maneuvered Bey into the corner and peppered him with forearms. Mack went for a leaping clothesline in the corner but missed and got caught up in the buckles. Bey nailed a ZigZag out of the corner for a two count. He cinched in a side chinlock, grinding away at Mack to wear him down. Mack fought his way out and sent Bey into the ropes but he changed direction and caught Mack with a double stomp. He went for a standing moonsault but took too much time talking trash. Mack moved and instead nailed him with the standing moonsault of his own. Mack went for a stunner but Bey kicked him off. Mack elevated him into a big uppercut. Mack went for the frog splash but Bey rolled out of the way.
Bey hit a big leaping springboard into a cutter for the clean pin.
Your winner and still X-Division Champion Chris Bey!
During the match, Josh Mathews said 58 countries watched Slammiversary.
They spent time recapping everyone who showed up. Heath Miller was referred to as just “Heath.” Mathews noted EC3 doesn’t work for Impact but will be here at tonight. Josh and Madison ran down the lineup for tonight’s broadcast. They discussed the events that took place during the Slammiversary PPV, including Eddie Edwards’ title win and Eric Young’s attack on Rich Swann.
The Good Brothers, Gallows and Anderson, came to the ring. He’s back to being Doc Gallows.
Karl Anderson said for months the rumors were circulating and people wondered where The Good Brothers were going to end up. It was safe to say they are beyond excited to be here in Impact Wrestling. At Slammiversary, the show trended worldwide thanks to the Good Brothers. They heard from everyone in all companies saying they were excited to see what they were going to do. They are not only the best tag team in the world but Gallows is the best big man in the business right now. Anderson said he was the best wrestler in the ring right now. Gallows there is a reason Slammiversary trended worldwide and their t-shirts sold out immediately and that they will have their own PPV on FITE.TV on 8/1. There’s a reason. They have a Magic Killer and these days, they don’t even need a “Too Sweet.” They cracked a few beers to congratulate themselves on their arrival, but Ace Austin and Madman Fulton came out.
Austin said he doesn’t think they’ve been formerly introduced. He’s going to let them apologize for what they did at Slammiversary. He and Fulton are the guys around here. He gets they had to step up to the two top guys and he gets that but Fulton is the best big man in the business. He said they can share a few beers with the apology they owe him. He said he’s not much of a beer guy and slapped it out of Anderson’s hands. They started brawling. Gallows clotheslined Fulton over the top to the floor. They tossed Austin out of the ring. Gallows said, “There’s your apology.” Austin and Fulton backed up the ramp as the announcers plugged their PPV again.
Heath Miller was backstage trying to get in. Security wouldn’t let him in and his name wasn’t on the list. They asked him if he had a last name. He said he used to but he’s not allowed to use it. They couldn’t find him on the list. He tried to call Rhino. With this crack security, How the hell did he get in at Slammiversary anyway?
Elsewhere, Rhino and Hernandez were arguing, no longer content with splitting the money they fought for last week in half. Rhino challenged him to a winner takes all the money match later tonight. Hernandez agreed. Hernandez has grown in a hell of a goatee since the last TV taping.
Backstage, Chris Bey was drinking some champagne, surrounded by some ladies. Rohit Raju showed up and took a glass, saying he was here to make a toast to Bey for winning the title. He said that he’s been the last resort as a partner before and he might be needed to watch Bey’s back. Bey agreed that’s possible. Raju left and Bey asked who let him in.
Kiera Hogan & Tasha Steelz vs. Havok & Neveah
The announcers said these four have to be separated even backstage because of their hatred for each other.
Neveah and Steels started out. Steelz is great at trash talking. Neveah nailed a suplex and tagged in Havok, who nailed a sideslam. Hogan tagged in and charged but ate a boot in the face. Havok went for another but Hogan ducked under and nailed a clothesline. Havok came back and wiped her out, then dragged Hogan to her corner. Neveah tagged in and nailed snapmare. She rolled through but Steelz grabbed her hair. That allowed Hogan to attack and maul her in the corner.
Steelz and Hogan tagged in and out, working over Neveah. Hogan scored a two count after a kick to the back. Neveah was worked over for a long time until nailing Steelz with a clothesline. Steelz regained control with a pump kick, scoring a near fall. Steelz rebounded off the ropes but was caught with a back elbow. Neveah tagged Havok but the referee was distracted by Hogan, so he didn’t allow it. Steelz grabbed Neveah, who surprised her with a neckbreaker and made the hot tag to Havok. She cleaned house on Hogan but Steelz knocked Neveah off the apron and hit the ring with a chair. Havok went for a tombstone but Steelz nailed her with a DQ.
Your winners by DQ, Havok & Neveah!
The chairshot didn’t faze Havok. Neveah dispatched Steelz and Havok nailed the tombstone.
The Impact+ flashback was Eddie Edwards vs. Bobby Lashley.
Backstage, Ken Shamrock encountered Sami Callihan. Callihan said their loss was on Shamrock, not him. Shamrock said he knows that and he’s harder on himself than Callihan can ever be. He said if he wants to talk, find next week.
Backstage, Rob Van Dam said there’s been a lot of changes lately for the better. He asked Katie if she was happier not covering up. She said she likes showing her body and realized that by punishing the fans, she was punishing herself. Now, she has a website so the fans can see her but she can’t see them. Next week, the fans can see it for FREE.99. She danced. RVD said it was good stuff and began making out with RVD. Welcome back?
Hernandez vs. Rhino
Rhino gored Hernandez and pinned him.
Your winner, Rhino!
Backstage, Impact Wrestling Tag Team Champions The North said they are etched in the history books as the greatest tag team the company has ever seen. Ethan Page said they did that until Slammiversary but now the Motor City Machine Guns returned and want to differ. Page said all their accolades are opinion but if you want to talk about fact, they are the only team to hold the belts for a year. They want to put fact against opinion and dared the Machine Guns to take the belts tonight.
Impact Champion Eddie Edwards is next.
They aired a video feature with reactions from Slammiversary PPV winners.
No Heath update. I guess he’s outside like Bobby Heenan on the first episode of Raw.
Gia Miller attempted to interview Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo. Purrazzo said that she told everyone she was the greatest technical woman’s wrestler in the world and it appears Jordynne Grace has a separated shoulder so there’s no one for her to compete against. Kylie Rae showed up and tried to introduce herself to the new champ. She reminded Purrazzo won the number one contender Gauntlet Match at the PPV, so she has an opponent. Purrazzo said she was looking forward to it and offered her hand but when Rae took it, Purrazzo tried to grab her arm and snap it. They began scrapping and were pulled apart.
Impact Wrestling Champion Eddie Edwards made his way to the ring. The announcers recapped everything that went down in the Slammiversary main event. Edwards said this title belt feels right. He can once again call himself the World Champion. Leading into the PPV, he talked about the highs and lows of his journey and the journey brought him back to the World title. The journey is over and it’s time for a new one to begin. He wants to be a champion that the company and the fans can be proud of. The only thing that is harder than getting to the title is keeping it. The title had hardly been defended over the last year, noting the last title defense was five months ago. He said people call him crazy but he’s going to defend the belt each and every week against anyone who feels they deserve a shot. He’s going to be the fans’ fighting champion. He is living proof that anything is possible and his new journey is to bring credibility and stability to the title. Solid promo that got stronger as it went on.
Eric Young came out on stage. They referred to him as a World Class Maniac. Edwards cut him off before he began speaking. Edwards said that Rich Swann was his friend and thanks to Young, he may never walk or wrestle again. He’s back in the hospital and Young doesn’t deserve anything but an asskicking. Young said Edwards is pathetic to think he has any sway or power for the World title going forward. Impact now belongs to Young. Eric said Eddie should be thankful that Young targeted Swann and not him because that’s what happens when you stand in between him and what is right. If Edwards thinks any of this has to do to him, he’s wrong. None of his hard work and his journey mean nothing to Eric Young. The only reason they are even standing here is because Young made it so.
Edwards hit a dive on Young and began beating on him. Officials pulled Edwards off, allowing Young to nail a cheap shot. He backed off as officials continued to hold back Edwards. Fine, logical angle to set up a future grudge match on TV.
Gia Miller interviewed TNA Champion Moose and asked his reaction to Edwards offering an open challenge every week. Moose said it was a dumb question. He said that’s a hard no, because the title he carries is the most prestigious belt in all of professional wrestling. If someone wants to face him, they’ll need an invite from him. She asked him about EC3. He blew that off and said he was inviting Fallah Bah to face him tonight.
After commercial, Gia Miller caught up with Eddie Edwards. She asked who he had in mind for a title shot. Trey walked out and said that he may have missed his opportunity, but Edwards has something he wants. He challenged Eddie for next week. Edwards agreed.
TNA Champion Moose vs. Fallah Bah (with TJP)
Fallah Bah used his girth and controlled Moose early with his power but was cut off with a running boot to the face as he rebounded off the ropes. Moose drilled him with chops. Moose controlled the match for some time until Bah caught him with a pair of Avalanches and a hip attack in the corner.
Bah picked him up for a Samoan Drop but Moose raked his face and speared the blinded Bah for the win.
Your winner and still TNA Champion, Moose!
EC3 hit the ring and laid out Moose with an inverted DDT. How did he get in, the announcers wondered.
Outside, The Good Brothers were leaving. Ace Austin and Madman Fulton drove up and distracted them, allowing Reno Scum to attack. The Good Brothers fought them off and turned their attention to Austin but Ace told Fulton to get out of their and he drove off into the distance as the Good Brothers stood tall.
Rosemary was walking around with John E. Bravo. She was impressed by the house Bravo had gotten him through a friend. She implied she wanted to sleep with him. He implied he was a virgin. She got excited. She was finally going to get Bravo to eat the apple to pledge his soul to her. I was thinking I cannot believe I get paid to write about this, but Taya showed up. She was the friend who got him the house. Bravo didn’t know she was going to be there so he wasn’t thrilled. Rosemary said three’s a crowd unless there’s a party. She said that Taya loves a good party. Rosemary teleported a bunch of Impact stars into the house. It was Kylie Rae, then the Deaners, then Alisha Edwards, then Johnny Swinger, then Crazzy Steve, XXXL and finally Susie. Swinger tried to hit on Susie and Alisha said not to speak to him. Taya asked what was going on. Crazzy Steve was seen wandering the house and said this was the craziest reality show ever. They ran a promo for WRESTLE HOUSE, next week on Impact Wrestling. This was great!
How did they not throw Tommy Dreamer into that madness?
Impact Wrestling Tag Team Champions The North vs. The Motor City Machineguns
Ethan Page and Alex Shelley kicked off the bout. They had some nice in-ring work as they felt each other out. Page controlled him with a side headlock. Shelley broke free and they went back and forth with kicks and strikes but the other kept avoiding and they faced off. Chris Sabin and Josh Alexander tagged in. Alexander tagged Sabin with a kick to the mid-section and controlled him. Sabin tried to take him down without success several times but finally kicked Alexander and locked on an Octopus, then maneuvered into a pinfall combination.
Sabin controlled him with several armdrags and controlled his arm. Shelley tagged in and came off the ropes. Alexander shoved Shelley into Sabin and dragged Alex back to his corner, stomping away at him. This broke down into chaos with the Machine Guns double-teaming Alexander with kicks and then laid out Page with stereo kicks on the floor as they went to commercial…
When Impact returned, Shelley came off the top with a bodypress on Page for a two count. Page was sent into the buckles. Page was beaten down with chops and whipped out of the corner. He reversed the whip but Shelley slipped away, only to be nailed by Alexander. Shelley, out dazed on the apron, was knocked to the floor and then sent into the apron. Alexander tossed him back into the ring, where he ripped at Shelley’s arm. Shelley was worked over for a long time by the Tag Team Champions, but kept kicking out.
Shelley tried to fight his way out to make a tag but he kept getting taken down. Sabin began breaking up pinfall attempts, realizing how desperate things were getting. Page held him up for a long delayed suplex, handing him off to Alexander, who finally executed the move. Alexander went for a moonsault but Shelley rolled out of the way and finally made the hot tag, crawling to Chris Sabin.
Sabin kicked off a Page charge and nailed a swinging rana. Sabin nailed a beautiful missile dropkick. Sabin went for a swinging DDT and took out Page, then did the same move to Alexander, scoring a two count.
The Guns doubleteamed Page. Sabin hit a tope suicida onto Alexander. Shelley went for a double stomp off the top but Page moved. Shelley rolled through and caught Page with Sliced Bread #2 for a CLOSE two count. The Guns cleaned house with a series of synchronuzed kicks and double-team maneuvers. The North were trapped in stereo submissions. Page rolled up Sabin but Shelley released his submissions to break up the pinfall.
Sabin fired at Alexander but couldn’t budge him. They went into a series of back and forth big moves until The North nailed a series of moves on Sabin. Shelley broke up the pinfall but was tossed out of the ring. The North hit a series of superkicks. Sabin shocked Page with a small package and scored the pin as Shelley held Alexander away from breaking up the pinfall.
Your winners and new Impact Wrestling Tag Team Champions, The Motor City Machine Guns!
After they went off the air, they aired a stinger that saw Jimmy Jacobs leaving the venue but as the door closed, someone grabbed it to keep it from slamming shut and in walked the former Heath Slater…..
The lack of EC3 was extremely underwhelming given how strongly the episode was branded around his return. I feel that was a hugely missed opportunity.
NEXT WEEK:
*Impact Wrestling Champion Eddie Edwards vs. Trey.
*The Good Brothers vs. Reno Scum.
*Sami Callihan confronts Ken Shamrock.
*The debut of WRESTLEHOUSE.
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE:
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
LATEST NEWS var numposts = 7;var showpostthumbnails = true;var displaymore = false;var displayseparator = true;var showcommentnum = false;var showpostdate = false;var showpostsummary = true;var numchars = 100;
