Welcome to BodySlam’s Recap of tonight’s episode of IMPACT Wrestling on AXSTV, we hope if you missed the show you’ll kick back with me @ChatChatterson and catch up with the show here. Tonight we’ve got another Eddie Edwards IMPACT World Championship open challenge, more WrestleHouse, X-Division Champion Chris Bey and Rohit Raju taking on Fallah Bahh and TJB, a sit down interview with MCMG plus more great stuff than you can shake a stick at. Let’s get down to business!
Show kicks off with a cracking video package of last week’s show. Brilliantly put together.
The in ring action is going to start with Heath taking on Moose to open the show. Heath’s theme is a banger. Really looking forward to this match, hopefully Heath can pick up that IMPACT Wrestling contract and TNA Championship tonight!
Talking about banging themes though…MOOSE! Both of these guys are smooth looking gents.
Moose (c) vs. Heath – TNA Championship
Hard hitting from the get go Heath lays in big blows to Moose and Moose gives them back. Brawling on the outside. Back on the inside Heath starts building momentum but Moose cuts it off with a high elevation before hanging Heath by his neck over the top rope. We head to commercial and as we come back Moose is still in control. Moose goes for what looks like a catapult but Heath’s head is still under the bottom rope, disturbing. Another attempt at a comeback from Heath, big strikes but he’s cut off by a HUGE Moose dropkick. Pinfall attempt by Moose but Heath kicks out. Big Pump Kick by Moose cuts Heath off again. Moose just dominating Heath here. Moose tells Heath his kids are ugly before attempting one last Big Boot to put Heath away but Heath mounts a comeback. Big strikes and forearms by Heath trying to cut the big man down but once again Moose cuts him off and takes back control. High knee and a sidekick by Heath out of nowhere and a cover…Moose kicks out at 2! Heath keeps in control and attempts a roll up from the corner that again doesn’t quite get the job done. Heath whips Moose into the corner but the ref is there, he’s knocked out! Wake Up Call by Heath and a cover but there’s no ref. Low blow by Moose as the ref is coming round and a handful of tights gets the job done for Moose.
Winner – Moose
Decent little match there, shame Heath didn’t get it done here tonight but I’m sure he’ll find a way.
Josh Mathews announces Emergence, an IMPACT Wrestling special two week event kicking off two weeks from tonight. The second week will be headlined by Deonna Purrazzo defending her IMPACT Knockout’s Championship against the former champion Jordynne Grace! Time for Deonna to show the world that she is NOT a fluke.
Gia Miller is with Willie Mack discussing what Rich Swann’s announcement might be later tonight. Willie Mack calls Eric Young a dirtbag for what he did to Rich Swann. He says he has no insight as to what Swann is going to say but he’ll find out with everyone else and of course be there for his friend. How can you not love Chocolate Thunder? What a guy.
Another Control Your Narrative promo from EC3, this time talking about how his moments in the sun were fleeting and that he’s been punished by the industry ever since. He says that he has returned to IMPACT Wrestling to recapture the TNA Championship and burn it’s legacy to the ground. Moose has been warned. Heck yeah, can’t wait to see how all of this pays off. Moose vs. EC3 is going to be sick.
Really interesting sit down interview with The Machine Guns who talk about their background and why they’re back in IMPACT Wrestling. They start running down the tag teams in the company and here comes The North to interrupt proceedings. Josh and Ethan are so good on the mic, they talk about how they weren’t at 100% when they lost the championships. Page goes off on a tear and Alexander calms him down reminding him they have a rematch. Shelley tells them they can have it right now. Page asks if he’s a maniac, they’re still not 100%! Alexander says they’ll have their rematch on their terms, they’ll be back when they’re 100% and take their IMPACT Tag Team Championships back at IMPACT Emergence.
Backstage Kimber Lee offers to take Jordynne Grace out for Deonna Purrazzo ahead of Emergence in exchange for a Knockout’s Championship match. Purrazzo agrees. As long as Kimber Lee is getting TV time I’m a happy boy, she’s SO good.
IT’S WRESTLEHOUSE TIME! Dang I don’t think I can ever get tired of that opening sequence.
This week’s episode starts out with Taya inviting everyone to a group bonding session but really it’s just to call them all out on having B.O? Alright…I can see that. John E. Bravo hands out personal grooming kits to everybody. Alisha tries to teach Susie about her feminine wiles so that she can let Cousin Jake know she likes him too while Rosemary explains to Kylie Rae that they’ll only be allowed to leave WrestleHouse when John E. learns how to take a hint. Johnny Swinger tries to hit on Susie and Alisha and says he could take both of them when Dreamer appears and announces that once again it’s MAAAAATCCHHH TIIIMMMEEE!!
Crazzy Steve asks Swinger why he’s so happy to be in a handicap match and Swinger explains it’s the two for one special daddy!
Alisha Edwards and Susie vs. Johnny Swinger
The two girls kick Swinger’s ass as he jokes around and doesn’t take them seriously. The ladies hit a double splash for the pin and the win.
Winners – Alisha and Susie
Not really much of anything in the nicest way. It was what it was, good for a laugh if you’re a fan of the Swingman which I am.
Kylie Rae tries to help John E. take the hint and he says that he knows what he has to do and why Rosemary is mad. It just might take him a while.
Flashback moment of the week this week is Sami Callihan defeating Brian Cage for the IMPACT World Championship.
Ace Austin has been messing with the Good Brother’s car and drinking their brewskis? Oh no! He tries to frame them for drunk driving and then as Gallows lays a beating on him he accidently hits a cop. Looks like it might be a night in the slammer thanks to Ace Austin for Gallows and Anderson.
Another Brian Myers promo runs. Again, hopefully he leaves a better impression on me this time round.
HERE COMES MY BOY EDDIE EDWARDS! It’s IMPACT World Championship match time folks, interested to see Eddie has in store for him this week.
Sami Callihan shows up to answer the challenge but RVD appears from the darkness too and lays a beating on Callihan with a chair. Here comes Forbes too, shaking her ass in Callihan’s face. Wow. Just wow. Security gets rid of RVD and Forbes before trying to usher Callihan to the back but Callihan still wants his match! Of course he does, madman.
Eddie Edwards (C) vs. Sami Callihan – IMPACT World Championship
Edwards nails the Tiger Driver on Callihan right out of the gate for a two count. Edwards lays a beating on Callihan, there’s no letting up from him here. Eddie sent to the outside and a huge suicide dive by Callihan sending both men into the guardrail but it’s not long until Eddie is back on his feet and he gives Sami a huge suicide dive of his own. Eddie tries for a Tiger Driver on the apron but Callihan sticks a thumb in his eye and delivers a piledriver on the apron to Edwards. Viscous. Sami keeps dishing out pain to Edwards and both men almost get counted out. Huge chop by Callihan as he sends Eddie back inside the ring before delivering a devastating running elbow drop. Cover and a 2 for Callihan! Callihan just keeps bearing down on Edwards, it doesn’t look like Eddie can catch a break here. Big kick from Eddie as he mounts a comeback but Callihan gives him one right back, the two go blow for blow and a big clothesline from each man sends them both to the mat. Both men back up and it’s a slugfest, Eddie beats Callihan back into the corner before countering a huge clothesline into the Blue Thunder Bomb. Could that be it? No, two count for Eddie Edwards. Another Tiger Driver attempt by Edwards but Callihan struggles out of it, roll through and a Brainbuster by Callihan to Edwards. Still not enough to put him away though as Eddie kicks out at two. Neither of these men want to give up the ghost here, another back and forth and Callihan hits a Go 2 Sleep on Edwards before drilling him with a massive forearm to the back of the head. This really could be all she wrote. Edwards kicks out at 2! Unbeliveable. Edwards comes back with a flurry of strikes, Tiger Driver time again and Edwards hits it. 1…2..and another kick out by Callihan. It looks like Edwards can’t believe it. Open palm strike by Callihan followed up by the Piledriver and another pinfall but this time Eddie Edwards gets his foot on the rope. Is there anything these men haven’t hit each other with? Callihan grabs a chair and threatens the ref before setting Edwards up but he decides against it, as he throws the chair to the outside Edwards nails him with the Boston Knee Party and then a second one to the back of his head. That has to be all she wrote, cover…1…2…3.
Winner – Eddie Edwards
I’M TAKING BACK WHAT’S MINE, YOU CAN’T HOLD ME DOWN, I AM THE FIIRRREEEE WOOOAH-OHH-OHH…Another definitive win for Eddie Edwards as he retains the IMPACT World Championship after a hard hitting spectacle. Really good stuff. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Back in WrestleHouse it looks like John E. Bravo has packed his bags and is leaving. How? Kylie Rae sees him off and as he goes Taya and Rosemary suddenly want to know where he is. They run into Kylie and ask her what she did to make him go to which she reveals that she said something about taking hints. Rosemary is MAD, like BIG MAD. She calls on Tommy Dreamer and you guessed it…it’s MAAAATTTCCHHH TIIIIMMMEEE!!
Kylie Rae vs. Rosemary
Taya is the ref and allows Rosemary to get the jump on Kylie. Rosemary beats her down. Rosemary and Taya try co-ordinating something else but Kylie avoids it and just wrestles the heck out of Rosemary. Rosemary comes back but Kylie just works around it with ease, dang this girl is so good. Rae gets Rosemary’s nose before rolling her up but Taya counts so slowly that there’s no way Rosemary doesn’t kick out. Taya says it was because her hand hurt but Rae still plays up that she has Rosemary’s nose. The Demon Assassin pitches a fit not understand what sorcery this is. Taya tries to explain that Rosemary still has her nose in tact. Rosemary figures it out and lays a beating on Kylie including choking her on the bottom rope. Huge uppercut on Rosemary in the corner followed up by a cannonball by Kylie Rae. Another cover and another slow count by Taya. Forearms and a big Spear by Rosemary leads to the cover but despite Taya’s fast count Kylie Rae kicks out. John E. Bravo is back and he’s cheering Rosemary on, it’s heartwarming but Rosemary turns into a huge Superkick by Kylie Rae and even with the slow count Smiley Kylie picks up the win!
Winner – Kylie Rae
Post match Bravo comes to Rosemary’s aid and the two talk things out. He explains that he owes a lot to Taya and that if she found out about his feelings for Rosemary it might not end well. Rosemary tries to suggest they keep things on the downlow but Taya interrupts and drags John E. away. In the stooge room Rosemary backs up her position…”As long as it takes.”
Anderson is in the back talking to Gallows on the phone, saying he’s going to get him out of jail. Ace Austin and Madman Fulton attack and do a number on Karl Anderson while they have him on his own.
Hernandez hires Reno Scum to go after Rhino and reclaim his money.
Chris Bey (C) and Rohit Raju vs. Fallah Bahh and TJP
TJP and Chris Bey go back and forth with some fast paced, technical action. These two men are showing off everything they have. Great work. Fallah and Rohit both in and a beautiful Belly to Belly from Fallah to Rohit. Chris Bey in but Fallah Bahh and TJP are working together like poetry in motion. Double elbows from the pair onto Chris Bey sending Bey rolling to the outside as we go to commercial.
Back from commercial Bahh and TJP are still in control but it’s short lived as Rohit gets involved and allows Bey to take over. Bey lays a beating on TJP and goes for the cover but it’s not enough. Rohit in and he keeps the pressure on TJP. Rohit will not allow TJP to make the tag and is all over Perkins, a big running knee and an attempt at a cover but TJP kicks out. Bey back in to continue the onslaught. Bey works over TJP. Big kick and a tornado DDT by TJP to Chris Bey and finally TJP makes the tag to Fallah Bahh. So does Bey and Rohit is in as well. Bahh runs wild on Rohit and Rohit can’t seem to do anything to stop it, big palm thrust by Fallah but Rohit comes out of the corner with a huge knee. Bey and TJP both back in now and the action picks up again. Nice Suplex Combination by TJP as he looks to go high risk, Rohit causes the distraction however and the two men go to work on TJP leading to a complete shot by Raju and a cover by Bey. Fallah Bahh breaks it up! Rohit shoulder tackles Fallah to the outside and the pair once again try and double team Perkins but Bahh trips Rohit and TJP locks in the cross armbreaker for the win. Chris Bey taps out.
Winners – Fallah Bahh and TJP
Outstanding match, really fun watch.
Time for Rich Swann’s announcement. Dude seems broken. He says with hard work, dedication, heart, love and support he was able to become a professional wrestler and live the dream. He talks about his injury and what it entails. He says the doctor said he’d walk with a limp for the rest of his life but he went home to prove him wrong. Eventually the doctor told him he was ready to go and seeing the open spot at Slammiversary he knew he had to have it. He says he gave that match his all and his heart but jealousy and hate ruin that. Eric Young got jealous. He says all his hard work was set back when his leg was put in the chair and stomped repeatedly. He’s back at square one and if he continues this time his body won’t cope with what he’s about to put it through. Rich Swann says he has to think about his family and future and with that he has to retire. He wants to thank everybody who ever supported him and everybody in the back who bust their ass for IMPACT. He loves us all.
The locker room unloads and everyone is giving it up for Rich Swann. What a heartbreaking moment. Swann is crying his eyes out. Sad.
Whaaaaa?! As Swann makes his way up the ramp to applause Eric Young comes from nowhere and drills him from behind. Young takes one of Swann’s crutches and drives it down over Swann’s injured leg. My word, what an end to IMPACT!
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