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Sadly, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the wrestling world has undergone a difficult change. For the moment, anyway. Still, IMPACT Wrestling was able to adapt incredibly well, turning the Rebellion PPV into a two-night event. Tonight, Rebellion Night One, featured the X-Division Championship bout between Willie Mack and "XXX-DIvision Champion" Ace Austin, two great tag-team bouts, and Kylie Rae vs Kiera Hogan.
Not to mention the main event, Sami Callihan vs Ken Shamrock. The former leader of oVe was revealed to be the man behind the strange technical glitches that haunted IMPACT over the past few months. Callihan appeared on the night of Shamrock's IMPACT HOF announcement, blinding him with a fireball. Tonight, Shamrock is out for revenge.
Speaking of oVe, we kicked off the night with the group, as they faced Tommy Dreamer, Rhino, and a mystery partner of their choosing. In quite a surprising move, Tommy Dreamer and Rhino brought out an IMPACT veteran that wasn't also an ECW legend. The former IMPACT Tag Team Champion, Crazzy Steve, made his incredible return at Rebellion Night One.
oVe (Jake Crist, Dave Crist, & Madman Fulton) vs Tommy Dreamer, Rhino, & Crazzy Steve
The Golden Draw kicked off Rebellion with Tommy Dreamer. Jake Crist challenged Dreamer to a nip-up contest, leading to Dreamer failing twice before getting some help from Crazzy Steve and Rhino.
Dreamer dumped Jake with a hip toss before tagging in Steve. Jake crawled over to his corner where Madman Fulton tagged in. The monster of oVe demanded to face Rhino, who was happy to oblige. Fulton easily overpowered the War Machine, but that upper hand was lost when Dave Crist tagged in.
Rhino tagged out to Steve, who took Dave down with a drop toe hold and a series of running clotheslines. A cannonball senton forced Dave to tag in Fulton once again. Rhino move in to get a second chance.
This time around, Rhino was able to hold off the big man. Dave and Crazzy Steve were back in the ring in a moment's notice, with oVe managing to trap Steve in their corner. Fulton and the Crists weren't able to hold him down for long, as he was able to get to Tommy Dreamer.
Dreamer's combination was cut off by a poke to the eye from Jake, but he rebounded with a cutter. Fulton distracted Dreamer allowing Jake to hit his kicking combination, capped off with a heavy windmill kick.
Jake and Dreamer took each other out with clotheslines before crawling to their corners for Dave and Rhino. The former NWA World Champion lit up all of oVe before tossing Dave Crist with a belly-to-belly suplex. As oVe came in to break up the pin, Dreamer took Jake to the floor.
Steve tried to neutralize Fulton, but was tossed to the floor instead. Rhino dumped Fulton outside before cutting Dave Crist in half with a Gore.
Results: Rhino, Tommy Dreamer, & Crazzy Steve defeated oVe via pinfall.
Grade: C+
We were shown an interview with Josh Mathews and Eddie Edwards, the latter of whom wasn't able to show up at Rebellion for his IMPACT World Championship bout against Mike Elgin and Tessa Blanchard due to travel constraints amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Blanchard, as well, was not at the event, as she was unable to make it back from Mexico.
Michael Elgin was interviewed backstage about the issue. The Unbreakable One ran down his list of accomplishments from ROH to NJPW to his career in IMPACT Wrestling. Elgin calls Blanchard a coward, claiming that since she's an American citizen, she should be able to make it to Rebellion. As far as Eddie Edwards goes, the former world champion isn't man Elgin thought he was, as he found a way to avoid the beatdown next week.
It doesn't matter for Big Mike, though. By the end of Rebellion Night 2, he'll be IMPACT World Champion.
The Rascalz (Dez & Wentz) vs XXXL (Acey Romero & Larry D) vs TJP & Fallah Bahh
Dez squared up with TJP. The expert technician was able to bring Dez down with a headscissor takedown and an armbar.
Dez broke out and tried to drag TJP to his corner. The former X-Division Champion wrapped up his opponent with an Octopus stretch. Dez broke out and managed to tag in Wentz. The Rascalz lit up TJP with a kicking combination before the duo knocked XXXL and Fallah Bahh off the apron.
Wentz locked TJP in the Last Chancery. Eventually, TJP escaped and tagged in Fallah Bahh. TJP dropped Wentz with a rolling fireman's carry, following up with body splash from both he and Bahh. Acey Romero broke up the pin before we cut to break.
When we returned, Larry D was hammering Fallah Bahh in the corner with a series of shoulder thrusts. Romero tagged in for a big splash. Bahh kicked out at two. Larry D came back in, attempting to keep Bahh on the mat with a chin lock. Bahh broke away but was rocked with a massive elbow to the jaw.
Bahh caught Larry D coming off the ropes for a belly-to-belly suplex. Still, Larry was able to shake it off and tag in Romero. The duo crashed into Bahh in the corner, flattening him with a pair of big body splashes.
Larry D stunned Bahh with a headbutt, but was flattened with a Samoan Drop. TJP tagged in, connecting with various kicks. Larry shoved him into the corner of the Rascalz, who tagged themselves in before knocking out TJP with a series of kicks. The Rascalz nearly hit the Hot Fire Flame on Larry D, but TJp yanked Dez out mid move, forcing Wentz to crash into the mat.
XXXL took back over, getting rid of both Wentz and the team of TJP & Bahh before a big pounce nearly put Dez down for the three count. They set up Dez for a move up top, but Wentz sent Acey to the floor before hitting two back-to-back superkicks and a springboard cutter on Larry. Dez landed the Spiral Tap, giving the Rascalz a big win.
Results: The Rascalz defeated XXXL via pinfall.
Immediately following the match, the IMPACT Wrestling Tag Team Champions The North cut a promo from Canada. Though they're stuck in Canada, they'll be giving the best team in their country a shot at their belts while they wait to return to dominance in IMPACT Wrestling.
Grade: B-
X-Division Championship Match: Willie Mack vs Ace Austin (c)
The XXX-Division Champion taunted his challenger, moving in and out of the ring in an attempt to frustrate Willie Mack. When he finally moved inside, a schoolboy nearly gave him a quick win.
Mack kicked out, however, and rocked him with a right hand that sent him flying through the ropes. The No.1 contender followed, battering Ace Austin around ringside. Back on the inside, Austin avoided a cannonball senton, catching Mack with a roundhouse to the head as he bounced off the turnbuckle.
Tied up in the tree of woe, Austin pelted Mack with a series of boots to the jaw. However, as soon as Mack got back to his feet, he caught Austin, planting him with a Samoan Drop before hitting a picture-perfect standing moonsault. Mack followed up with a long series of right hands that nearly knocked out the champion. Luckily for him, he was near the ropes.
Austin sent Mack throat first into the middle rope, giving him the upper hand yet again. The Ace of the X-Division choked out Mack in the corner, driving the sole of his boot into the throat of Mack. A spinning roundhouse nearly left Mack unconscious. However, he was able to shake it off, managing to catch Austin leaping off the top for a sit-out powerbomb.
Mack won a striking trade, following up with a running elbow and mafia kick combination. The cannonball senton connected as well. Though Mack snapped a perfect Stunner, Austin flipped onto his feet, catching an off-guard Mack with The Fold. It wasn't enough to put the challenger away.
Austin pulled out his laminated playing card and set up for another Fold. Mack tossed him up, though, landing a devastating pop-up cutter. Austin found himself sat up in the corner, where Willie Mack crashed onto him with the Coast to Coast. Mack wasn't done, however, and set up for his Six-Star Frog Splash.
Austin rolled out of the way, leaving Mack to crash hard from on high. Austin attempted to use the ropes for a pin, but the ref saw it. Instead, Austin moved up top. Mack caught him, landing a strong back elbow.
Still, Austin was able to slip through, crouching Mack on the top. He set up for a half-and-half from the top, but was bounced off the turnbuckle with a modified stunner. With the Six-Star Frog Splash, Willie Mack finally captured his first championship in IMPACT Wrestling.
Results: Willie Mack defeated Ace Austin via pinfall.
Grade: A
Backstage, Willie Mack and Rich Swann were celebrating the win when they were interrupted by Johnny Swinger. The Swing Man congratulated his "long-time" Mack & Pack Connection friend and was excited for an opportunity at the X-Division Championship down the line. Mack reminded Swinger that:
A- they were never a tag team, and
B- he never promised him a title shot.
Swinger took Mack's "joke" in tried and hoped to go out celebrating with Swann and Mack. Sadly, he got ditched.
Kiera Hogan vs Kylie Rae
Kiera Hogan wasn't a fan of Kylie Rae and her smiling. Hogan attempted to bully Rae early on, but was quickly taken down with her STF, Smile To The Finish. Though Hogan made it to the ropes, she was again taken down by Rae.
The Kylie Special was countered with a running forearm that left Rae hanging in the ropes. A step up legdrop smashed Rae's face off the mat, earning Hogan a two-count. Hogan choked out Rae in the corner as we cut to commercial.
When we returned, Hogan connected with her rounding corner dropkick. Rae's face was bounced off the top turnbuckle, and was met with a running forearm in the ropes. Rae responded with one, leading to the two Knockouts trading forearms. They then moved on to trading superkicks, leading to both falling to the mat.
They didn't let up, fighting from their knees back to their feet. Rae began building a head of steam with a series of clotheslines and the Kylie Special. Another superkick earned Rae a two-count.
Hogan managed to catch Rae flush with a roundhouse kick that nearly gave her the win over the new Knockout. However, Rae kicked out and countered the fisherman's backbreaker with a suplex. A running uppercut and a cannonball senton saw Hogan kick out at two.
The Smile To The Finish was eventually locked in, forcing the submission.
Results: Kylie Rae defeated Kiera Hogan via submission.
Grade: B+
Unsanctioned Match: Sami Callihan vs Ken Shamrock
Before Ken Shamrock could get to the ring, Sami Callihan flew through the ropes with a suicide dive. Shamrock managed to turn things around early, lighting up the Draw with a series of strikes.
Both competitors tossed each other into the guard rail, with Shamrock getting the better of Callihan. The former NWA World Champion dove off the stage, crashing into Callihan and the concrete floor.
Callihan ducked out, running to the back as we cut to commercial.
When we returned, Callihan blinded Shamrock with some powder before battering him with a steel chair and a trash can lid. The man behind I.C.U. claimed that he was the new "World's Most Dangerous Man" before driving the lid into the head of Shamrock.
Callihan then found a chain, wrapping his fist with it before laying into the UFC Hall of Famer. Shamrock was choked with the chain, but refused to quit, only screaming "I'll kill you!" For that, Callihan moved onto the next weapon of choice. However, Shamrock caught him with a kick to the gut, taking him to the floor and laying into him with mounted punches.
As Callihan struggled to shake the cobwebs, Shamrock picked up the trash can. Before he could take out Callihan, oVe ran in, driving the trash can into the spine of Shamrock. Fulton and the Crists assumed that they were still with their leader.
Callihan surprised them, laying them out with his baseball bat. He allowed Shamrock to stand up before they moved to the parking lot to finish their brawl. The two rivals tossed one another into the production truck before Callihan locked in a sleeper hold.
Shamrock tried his best to fight out of it, driving Callihan's back into the truck. Eventually, he tossed Callihan overhead with a hip toss before synching in the ankle lock. In the end, the former leader of oVe refused to tap, instead choosing to pass out from the pain.
Results: Ken Shamrock defeated Sami Callihan via submission.
Grade: B+
Tune in next week, as Rebellion continues! What did Michael Elgin mean when he said he'd walk out as the IMPACT World Champion? All that and more on next week's IMPACT Wrestling!
