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This is it. The final Impact before Bound for Glory. Heading into one of Impact's biggest PPVs of the year, we've got some bad blood spilling over with several heated feuds, capped off with the Impact World Championship match.
As if Sami Callihan wasn't despicable enough, he along with oVe forced Brian Cage to watch as the Callihan Death Machine delivered a piledriver on his wife Melissa in the middle of the ring. Though he claimed the shattered bottle that broke over her head two weeks ago was an accident, what we saw on the previous Impact leads us to believe otherwise. At BFG, the World Champion will defend his gold, hoping to tear through Callihan for everything he's done.
At Bound for Glory, Ken Shamrock will make his return to Impact's wrestling ring when he faces Mr. Impact Wrestling himself, Moose. The former NFL player has harassed Shamrock and even raided his own gym, Syndicate MMA, attacking several of his pupils. With that, Moose made it personal. At Bound for Glory, Shamrock is out for blood.
Michael Elgin has all but dominated all of Impact Wrestling. The only man he hasn't conquered on the roster is Impact World Champion Brian Cage...and that's debatable depending on your definition of domination. The Unbreakable One is all about making his name bigger, and at Bound For Glory, he'll take on the legendary Naomichi Marufuji. Elgin has been tearing through opponents as of late, constantly reminding Marufuji that each match is a message to him.
All that, plus the Knockouts Champion Taya Valkyrie defending against Tenille Dashwood, a five-person ladder match for the X-Division Championship, a triple threat tag team match for the Tag Team Titles, and more!
As we headed into the final episode of Impact before BFG, we kicked off the show with a brawl between two colossi of the company, Fallah Bahh and Michael Elgin.
Michael Elgin vs Fallah Bahh w/TJP
Bahh stood strong against Elgin, keeping his feet on the ground despite some pretty powerful shoulder blocks. Elgin was caught with a body slam but avoided an elbow drop. Bahh shook off two boots to the jaw and took Big Mike down with a shoulder tackle.
Elgin was met by a running Bahh in the corner, but avoided a second attack and dumped him overhead with an exploder suplex. Bahh's head was bounced off the top turnbuckle, but he only continued to fire up and trade shots with the Unbreakable One. Elgin stunted Bahh's momentum with a big boot and running forearm strike, then dropped him in the middle of the ring with a body slam.
A superkick from Elgin rocked the big man. As he attempted a suplex, Bahh took him up for a Samoan drop. Elgin escaped, rolling him up. However, Bahh countered with a hip drop to his chest. A few palm strikes left Elgin gasping for air.
Elgin missed an enziguri attempt, but was able to send Bahh crashing into the mat after he went for a running body splash. Though, he was crushed into the mat shortly after when Bahh connected.
Back to his feet, Elgin hit the enziguri and a big boot, and bounced Bahh off the ropes to assist in a German suplex. Bahh withstood a pair of clotheslines and caught Elgin going for a third. However, Big Mike avoided Bahh's offense and took him out with a third running clothesline. Bahh kicked outat two.
The discus clothesline was countered by a Samoan Drop. Elgin was able to finish Bahh off, however, when he prevented the big man from hitting a Banzai Drop, instead burying him into the mat with an Elgin Bomb.
Results: Michael Elgin defeated Fallah Bahh via pinfall.
TJP stood up to Elgin, staring him down as Big Mike walked up the ramp. Elgin looked to the camera and said he was sending a message to Marufuji before going back inside the ring. TJP was dumped outside, and Elgin exposed the floor. A DDT bounced TJP's head off the hardwood.
Elgin then wrapped a steel chair around TJP's neck and sent him into the ring post, leaving him out cold. However, he wasn't done. A buckle bomb and a 360 Elgin Bomb left TJP broken while Bahh struggled to get to his friend.
Chris Bey vs Jake Crist
Bey was taken off his game immediately with a running boot to the jaw. The X-Division Champion scrubbed his opponent's face with his elbow, but when he was pulled away by the ref, Bey rushed him with a series of kicks and a leg sweep. A springboard dropkick took the champ outside where he was met by a tope con hilo. A commercial took us away from the action.
Back from the break, the Golden Draw had taken back over, tearing at the eyes of Bey in the corner. Bey escaped an attack in the corner and bounced off the ropes for a springboard, but a perfectly timed superkick knocked him flat on his back. He kicked out and rocked the champ with a back elbow, but a running forearm smash left him on the mat for a headlock.
A Russian leg sweep set up for a modified stump puller, trapping Bey's arms. Bey kicked Crist in the head to break the hold and fired up with a standing dropkick and a back elbow, sending Crist into the corner. A running elbow and a springboard fameasser gave Bey a nearfall.
Crist pelted Bey with a trifecta of varied kicks, earning him a two-count. A roll-up in the corner gave him another two-count. Bey was placed up top where he was driven in to the mat with the Super Crist Cutter.
Results: Jake Crist defeated Chris Bey via pinfall.
Ace Austin was seen bragging about his opportunity at Bound For Glory where he'll be one of several challengers vying for the X-Division Championship this Sunday. Alisha Edwards was hesitant, but when asked if she'd join him for a party after he won the title in two days, Alisha said yes.
Taya Valkyrie cut a promo on Tenille Dashwood, reminding her that she's the longest reigning Knockouts Champion of all time. Valkyrie said that Dashwood was there when she made her in-ring debut, and though their paths diverged earlier in their careers, they find themselves battling at Bound For Glory for the Knockouts Championship. No more ducking, no more avoiding challengers. On Sunday, Wera Loca proves why she's been the most dominant Knockouts Champion in Impact history.
Josh Alexander w/Ethan Page vs Rich Swann w/Willie Mack vs Rhino w/RVD
Swann was sent into the turnbuckle as Rhino and Alexander brawled. Alexander launched Rhino into the corner and stomped him out, turning into a hurricanrana from Swann. Swann was dumped on his face with a back body drop then sent crashing to the floor outside.
As Alexander turned around, Rhino continued his assault, bringing him into the corner with a headbutt. Alexander fought out with a boot and took the War Machine to the ground with a second rope dropkick.
Alexander kept Swann out of the match with a strong right to the jaw, then continued pelting Rhino with strikes to the head. Rhino was left out on the mat after a serious beatdown, but managed to get to his feet to catch Alexander trying to take Swann over for a superplex. Rhino added to the move, powerbombing Alexander and sending Swann hurtling towards the mat.
Rhino bounced Alexander around the ring, but the Living Weapon laid him out again, this time with a rolling elbow. Swann recovered and launched him off the top with a super hurricanrana.
As he moved to the top for a dive, Ethan Page leapt on the apron. Willie Mack yanked him off and the two began to argue. RVD soon joined in as Alexander sent Swann crashing onto the three men outside.
As Alexander turned around, he was met with a Gore. Ethan Page yanked out the ref before he could make the three count, then blamed Willie Mack. Rhino went out to confront Willie, allowing Swann to hit a 450 Splash from the second rope on Alexander.
Results: Rich Swann defeated Josh Alexander via pinfall.
At Bound For Glory, The North will defend their Impact Tag Team Titles against Rich Swann & Willie Mack and the Extreme Originals Rob Van Dam & Rhino.
Rohit Raju w/Gama Singh vs Sabu w/Super Genie
Raju and Sabu traded punches at first. Sabu was given a chair by Super Genie who hit Raju in the gut before he and Super Genie leaped onto him in the corner. As they pandered to the crowd, Raju hit him in the gut, following that with a Russian leg sweep.
Sabu responded with a flying DDT and trapped Raju in the Camel Clutch. Genie rushed around the ring and was met by Sabu outside in order to bring out a table, which was left elevated between the apron and barricade. A chair was bounced off Raju's head after he tried to stop them. He was then placed on the table where Sabu drove him through the wood with a leg drop.
Neither man could get in the ring before the ten-count.
Results: Double count-out.
With that, neither man advances to the X-Division Championship match at Bound For Glory.
The main event of Impact was a special Battle Royal, featuring both male competitors and Knockouts. The last two left in the match get some special prizes depending on who wins. The winner themselves gets the #20 spot in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet at BFG, while the last person eliminated will be #1.
Battle Royal for the #20 spot in the BFG Call Your Shot Gauntlet
Johnny Swinger was eliminated immediately by the Knockouts. Jordynne Grace was next, thanks to her former friend Kiera Hogan. Mahabali Shera attempted to target her next, but the Deaners and Reno Scum ran in for the assist. All four men were leveled by the big man as we went into the final break of the night.
Back from the break, we learned that Cousin Jake had been eliminated by Shera, who then laid out Cody Deaner. Keira Hogan targeted Havok, as terrible an idea that was. Havok dumped her outside the ring into the arms of Cousin Jake. Though he was about to place her on the apron, Hogan attempted to demand he does so, leading him to drop her to the ground.
Inside the ring, the majority of the contestants were laid out as Cody Deaner tried to take Raj Singh to the floor with head scissors. Havok eliminated them both, leading to a showdown between her and Shera. Before they could square off, Rosemary jumped on Havok while Eddie Edwards went after Shera.
Rosemary clotheslined Havok over the ropes. However, her taunting of her long-time rival led Havok to pull her over the ropes, eliminating her. That left Eddie Edwards in a three-on-one situation with Reno Scum and Mahabali Shera.
Edwards was battered in the corner with three back to back body splashes. He managed to fight out, though, and tricked Luster into eliminating Thornstowe. Edwards finished off the rest of Reno Scum and hung onto the ropes as Shera dumped him over.
Shera rushed the former World Champion, only to be sent to the apron. A few punches and a running boot rocked him. However, Reno Scum distracted him, allowing Shera to get back inside and slam him over the ropes onto the apron. Edwards dropped straight to the floor.
Results: Mahabali Shera eliminated Eddie Edwards last to win the Battle Royal.
With that, Mahabali Shera is now #20 in the Gauntlet match while Eddie Edwards will be forced to enter #1.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
