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Another episode of Impact Wrestling is in the books. And the show continues to deliver on a weekly basis with some power packed action. Despite the fact that the promotion may be running low on firepower with constant departures, the new blood that steps is always hungry to prove how good they are. This was a very entertaining show overall.
Even the Josh Mathews-Don Callis segments during the commentary break were a lot more entertaining this week, I thought. Both of them were extra goofy and it came across well. The two men have great chemistry now and it shows even during the commercial breaks!
Let me preface my article by saying that there was certainly more good than 'bad' during the show. But there are some 'worsts' from an overall perspective, in my opinion.
And I will list everything, good and bad, in this very article for your reading pleasure.
#1 Best: 5-star main event
So, we already saw this match at Homecoming. And unlike most matches were the first time's the charm, fans wanted more. So the sequel happened in Mexico in front of an audience that was rooting for The Lucha Bros. And it was just as explosive as the first match was.
I was on an Impact Wrestling conference call hours before the episode and Josh Mathews had hyped the match up. But then again, it's his job to sell Impact Wrestling's matches. Thankfully, this contest did live up to the hype.
Pentagon and Fenix are now the Impact Wrestling Tag Team Champions, ending a fantastic reign from LAX who've put on some extraordinary matches in the recent past. They've made the Tag Team Division the hottest thing in the entire promotion.
You guys have to watch this match!
#1 Worst: The timing
On the same conference call that I was on a few hours ago, Josh Mathews claimed, when asked by Wrestling Inc., that he does not know what the status of Pentagon and Fenix is, with regard to their Impact Wrestling futures. It would be a shame if the two of them were to disappear, so soon after winning the titles.
Moreover, their victory, as grand as it was, will not have the right kind of buzz around it because of the timing of it! Only a few hours ago, the Lucha Bros confronted the Young Bucks and officially signed with AEW.
Of course, I would love to see a match between Pentagon, Fenix and The Young Bucks, possibly at 'Double Or Nothing'. I wonder if the title change makes sense in the light of The Lucha Brothers' futures being uncertain.
Well, for what it was, it was a cool match.
#2 Best: Miguel vs. Raju
I had a chance to interview Rohit Raju as well, and it should be up on the site in just a few hours. During the course of the interview, he told me that his match against Trey Miguel was a showcase of who he really is. He likened himself to Dean Malenko and other 'technical wrestling' superstars.
I kept a keen eye out for this match and no, it did not disappoint. Trey Miguel is, of course, on another level and can do things in the ring that many can't even think of pulling off. But Raju is also a very gifted superstar and pulled his weight during the course of the match.
I wonder if this match will inspire the think tank at Impact Wrestling to split up the Desi Hit Squad and have Raju chase the X-Division title next. The Rascalz are definitely in line for a title shot.
#2 Worst: Not using Eli Drake right
Eli Drake is perhaps the most talented superstar in the entire Impact Wrestling roster. And yet, he's in some AAA vs. Impact Wrestling feud that few really care about. He's just been kept away from the title picture for far too long and yes, I think this hurts his character.
Why should Drake be concerned about Eddie Edwards and his hardcore wrestling tactics, when Drake should be targetting the top dog in the promotion? The same argument can be made for Eddie Edwards as well. Do not forget that he's a former world champion who's been away from the title picture for too long.
This is obviously leading to an Eddie Edwards vs. Eli Drake feud and while it'll be great, I'd rather see both men add firepower to the title picture. This feud is doing no man any favours, and even Edwards seems a lot less deranged than he did during his feud with Moose from not long ago.
#3 Best: Making the title match even bigger
I'm a big fan of both Johnny Impact and Brian Cage. But one has to admit that their match at Homecoming was a bit of a dud. Both men have had far better matches with other opponents. They just do not have chemistry with one another.
I'm glad that Killer Kross and Moose have been added to the Uncaged lineup because it actually makes sense. There is the added drama of whether or not Moose and Kross can coexist with one another.
Just having Impact and Cage main event Uncaged would have perhaps been a dampener for fans who are still not over the Homecoming main event that saw contestants from Survivor get involved in the main event. It was certainly not Impact Wrestling's best moment by a long shot.
Who do you think is walking out of this match as the next Impact Wrestling Champion?
#3 Worst: Not advancing the Swann-Callihan storyline at all
So, Swann and Mack teamed up to take on oVe at the top of the show. While Mathews addressed the storyline between Callihan and Swann and their shared history on commentary, it was not advanced during the show.
Sami Callihan would appear later during the show and have a match with Puma King with no real stakes at all. It was a good match for what it was but the compelling storyline between Swann and him would not be touched upon for the duration of the episode.
In my mind, this is a definite 'worst' because you had two whole hours to tell a story but you chose to not advance an arc that had built up quite nicely. The audience member may stop caring about the storyline entirely, because Callihan didn't even accompany oVe to the ring, this week.
Also, why is nobody stepping up to challenge Rich Swann for the X-Division title yet?
