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I missed Impact Wrestling last week as I was down with a fever, and my colleague Greg Bush did a fantastic job writing up 'Best and worst' then. I happened to catch all the action that I'd missed last night, and I cursed myself for not watching the show live when it actually aired.
The thing is, that Impact Wrestling is by far, the best weekly product out there. Every storyline has a long-term payoff and it is clear that everyone in the roster is committed to giving it their best.
This week was no different, and I'm glad that I'm back writing this feature again because it's certainly the highlight of my week. You can assemble an all-star cast for RAW Reunion, and it still won't compare to a show that dishes out exactly what the fans want- quality pro wrestling.
With that in mind, let me list out what I liked and did not like from the show this week.
#1 Best: The return of Rhyno
Remember the masked man that showed up at the end of Slammiversary, who was so very clearly Rhyno? Well, this week the man attacked again. Only this time Michael Elgin was ready for him. Which was the point that a second masked man came to the ring, and delivered a gore to Michael Elgin.
We may never know who the first man in the mask was, but it's such a thrill to see Rhyno come to Impact Wrestling, for what may potentially be his final pro-wrestling run. It makes all the sense in the world to see him in Impact, as all of his ECW friends are currently in the company.
Maybe he does have a Dustin Rhodes-like final run, that's left in him. I'd personally love to see that.
#1 Worst: No main event
I did like what happened at the end of the night with Michael Elgin and Rhyno, but I know that a lot of us wanted to see the main event match between Cage and Elgin. If it was even a fraction of the match we were treated to at Slammiversary, I knew that it would be a treat to watch and enjoy.
I wonder if fans feel betrayed if they're promised a match that does not actually take place at the show and if it makes them not want to tune in again. A street fight between Cage and Elgin would have brought the house down.
Cage and Elgin are obviously not going to be wrestling for a while now. Rhyno vs. Elgin seems like the feud we'll get to see, in weeks that follow.
Were you guys disappointed at the lack of an actual main event match?
#2 Best: Brand new X-Division Champion
This was a surprise that I personally did not see coming at all. Jake Crist squared off with Rich Swann in what was a pretty nice match. And even though it took three men to do it, he is your brand new X-Division Champion of the world, at last.
I've spoken to Rich Swann in the past, and he's always put over Jake Crist as an underrated worker. I'm sure he was thrilled to hand over the reins of the X-Division to this talented man. I can't wait for the sequel to the match that the two men had this week, because I'm sure that it'll be a blast to watch for fans of pro wrestling.
I wonder if this will lead to a feud between Sami Callihan and Jake Crist as well because it certainly seemed like it. Now, that should be interesting!
#2 Worst: Too long?
If you've heard Jim Cornette's AEW review podcasts, you'd know one of his criticisms of the promotion is how every single superstar had a competitive match. Sometimes, you have to pull the plug on a match when it exceeds its sweet spot, in my opinion. When it begins to lose the audience because it's going far too long.
Such was the case with Willie Mack vs. RVD on this week's show, in my opinion. There are few people who can do the things that RVD does at his age, but the issue is that he cannot do his moves with the same speed and finesse that he once had.
Willie Mack moves great for a man of his size but he quickly needs a gimmick and a compelling storyline for people to sink their teeth into. This was a match that went far too long, I felt.
#3 Best: Moose wants to get into the world title picture
I almost slotted this into the 'Worst' column but honestly, a few seconds later, I changed my mind. Moose faced off against a local enhancement talent and he put away his opponent in almost no time.
And then, Moose would grab the mic and let the Impact Wrestling management know that he'd been kept away from the title picture for far too long. Even though he's a heel, the crowd was firmly on his side because they knew that he lives Impact Wrestling through and through, and he's definitely capable of being in the main event spot as well.
This was a worked shoot because everyone in the audience and everyone watching at home has wondered pretty much the same thing. Why is a physical specimen like Moose not competing for the top prize?
Looks like he will, soon!
#3 Worst: John E. Bravo
The Ace Austin stuff with Alicia Edwards was actually funny. I can also see it leading to a feud between Austin and Eddie Edwards which should actually be quite a treat for fans to see.
But on the other hand, I just cannot wrap my head around John E. Bravo as a comedy character and I honestly do think that his gimmick has run its course for the time being. His acting is not up to the mark and because it was his chemistry with Johnny Impact that made him what he is, it just feels weird without Impact.
Taya Valkyrie and John E. Bravo just do not have the same kind of connection that Impact and Bravo did, I feel. If anything, this alliance just undermines Taya as a believable, strong, and worthy champion.
Maybe Bravo should go back to being a referee again!
#4 Best/worst: Daga arrives at Impact Wrestling
I'm glad that LAX is going to be part of at least one more program with Impact Wrestling for now. However, it's just odd to see Ortiz without Santana, who's out with an unfortunate injury. But then, it will be interesting to see how Daga figures into the whole thing, is what I'm wondering.
With Konnan in the mix stirring the pot, we could see the beginning of a very exciting program. The unlikely duo of Ortiz and Daga could challenge for the tag team Championships and learn how to coexist down the line. When Santana returns, things could become very exciting.
It's just that I don't really know if LAX will be LAX with one of the components missing. Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt made a fun team, but they weren't The Hardy Boyz.
Also much love for Melissa Santos, who's great on the Twitch live stream!
