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This weekend, IMPACT Wrestling gave us an incredible event in Sacrifice. It was a stacked card, capped off with an absolutely enthralling Champion vs Champion match. Tessa Blanchard, the IMPACT Wrestling World Champion, took on X-Division Champion Ace Austin in a match for the X-Division championship.
We'd also see the continuation of the Best of 5 series between Michael Elgin and Eddie Edwards tonight. Elgin currently leads the series 2-1, and the winner will go on to challenge for the IMPACT World Championship at Rebellion.
We kicked off the night with Rob Van Dam taking on Daga in a rematch of their Hard to Kill bout.
Rob Van Dam w/Katie Forbes vs Daga
Rob Van Dam drew out the opening of the first contest, taking time to kiss his girlfriend Katie Forbes a few times before wrapping up with Daga. El Jefe sent RVD to the floor, where he was immediately covered by a twerking Katie Forbes.
The break from Daga allowed RVD to recover, and he took his opponent around ringside with a series of right hands. Back inside, Daga was set up on the top rope for a flying sidekick, catching Daga in the chest. RVD's pin earned him a two-count.
Van Dam teased a Rolling Thunder only to move outside to lock lips with Forbes again, upsetting the fans. As he went up for a springboard move on the apron, a dropkick rocked him. Daga followed up with a dragon screw leg whip, but his momentum was cut off with an eye poke.
Another dropkick countered a monkey flip, but Daga's train of momentum was again stunted with a wheel kick. However, an inadvertent distraction by Forbes allowed Daga to hit a GTS, following up with a suicide dive on the outside.
Van Dam eventually noticed that Forbes had left ringside, having been upset about some negative attention she'd gotten on the internet. He walked off to find her, giving Daga the win.
Results: Daga defeated Rob Van Dam via count-out.
After the match, Joey Ryan approached Van Dam and Forbes, stating that he knows what's going on. They've all been victims of internet trolls and haters, and he's around if they ever need to talk.
Gabby interviewed Jordynne Grace backstage, highlighting her impressive title defense against Havok at Sacrifice this past weekend. The Knockouts Champion said she'd defend the title against anyone, prompting Madison Rayne to come in and steal the spotlight. Rayne claimed that Grace stealing from her, and promised to push some young hungry talent towards Grace.
The Locker Room Leader promised to find a challenger for Grace tonight.
Next up was a grudge match between Rohit Raju of the Desi Hit Squad and Wentz of The Rascalz. At Sacrifice, the Rascalz nearly shocked the world, capturing the IMPACT Tag Team Championships. However, Rohit Raju interfered, allowing The North to retain. Tonight, Wentz looked to get some revenge.
Rohit Raju w/Gama Singh & Mahabali Shera vs Wentz w/The Rascalz
After a feeling out process, Wentz sent Raju overhead with a release German suplex. Raju responded with a striking combination, ending in a leg sweep and a running knee to the side of the head. Wentz kicked out at two as we entered a commercial break.
As we returned, Raju planted Wentz with a Russian leg sweep for a near fall. Wentz managed to respond with a running knee to the jaw in the corner followed by a running kick on the mat. Raju nearly tricked Wentz into crashing and burning on a suicide dive. Wentz, instead, caught him in the ropes with a stunner. A leaping knee on the inside and a spin-out sidewalk slam gave im a two-count.
Raju responded with a flatliner that almost put away Wentz, who bounced back with a headlock driver. A distraction from Shera, however, allowed Raju to avoid a Swanton Bomb, capitalizing with a mushroom stomp to the back for the win.
Results: Rohit Raju defeated Wentz via pinfall.
In the middle of their celebration, the Desi Hit Squad was momentarily interrupted by the static images that have been plaguing IMPACT since Hard to Kill.
Madman Fulton and the Crists were backstage, contemplating looking for a new leader. With Sami Callihan nowhere to be found, Dave felt like it was time to step up. However, Fulton seemingly stepped up to the challenge. Jake reeled them both in, reminding them that a leader didn't matter. They're for Ohio, by Ohio
IMPACT Knockout Championship: Miranda Alize w/Madison Rayne vs Jordynne Grace (c)
Alize caught the champion with a cheapshot, leading to Grace hammering her challenger with some stiff shots. A tilt-a-whirl headscissors takeover, body scissors takedown, and a hurricanrana dizzied Grace, who was rocked with an elbow thereafter for a two-count.
Grace drove Alize into the corner for a hip attack and a Vader Bomb, which earned her a near fall. Rayne tried to coach up her new protege as she blocked the Grace Driver. A back elbow nearly broke Alize's nose, but she responded with a ripcord cutter ala Rayne.
However, Grace would ultimately connect with the Grace Driver, putting away her challenger.
Results: Jordynne Grace defeated Miranda Alize via pinfall.
Gabby was backstage with The North, who successfully defended their titles against The Rascalz at Sacrifice. She congratulated them on the defense only to then let them know that they'd be competing against TJP and Fallah Bahh in non-title action next week.
Ethan Page and Josh Alexander reminded her, and the IMPACT fans, who they are and why they've been so dominant since the summer of 2019. Next week, they'll put away TJP and Bahh and continue to prove why they're one of the greatest IMPACT tag teams in the company's history.
Havok was caught off-guard by Rosemary, who assumed that Havok would be happy for James Mitchell being taken out of the picture. Rosemary offered her another gift, a No Disqualification match against Su Yung next week.
Havok was...not pleased.
Best of 5 Series: Michael Elgin (2) vs Eddie Edwards (1)
Elgin, much like most of their matches before, dominated the early part of the bout with heavy clubbing blows. An overhead belly to belly suplex only momentarily stalled Elgin, who popped back up for a springboard corkscrew reverse elbow.
Edwards responded with a fisherman suplex for a two-count. Elgin bashed Edwards with several elbow strikes and a sliding elbow to a sitting Edwards, smashing him right in the face. Edwards' chops seemed to have little effect, as Elgin shook them off and drove him into the mat with a waist-lift side slam.
Elgin was caught with a Blue Thunder Bomb but was able to kick out at two. Elgin fought out of a Backpack Stunner attempt and rocked Edwards with a superkick and a release German suplex. The lariat was dodged, as Edwards slammed him with a German of his own.
Big Mike popped back up to his feet and sent Edwards around the world with a spin-out sidewalk slam for a near fall as we cut to commercial.
Back from the break, the two brawlers traded boots and elbows. Elgin set up for a sit out facebuster but Edwards landed on his feet, connecting with a superkick to a seated Elgin. A tiger bomb saw Elgin kick out at two-and-a-half.
A moonsault from the top was avoided by Elgin who followed up with a discus clothesline that turned Edwards inside out. As he set up for another one, Edwards crumbled to the mat, unable to stand on his feet.
It turned out, Edwards was playing possum, as he rolled Elgin up for a nearfall. With a few more pinfall attempts, Edwards was able to put away Elgin, forcing a match 5 between the two.
Results: Eddie Edwards defeated Michael Elgin via pinfall.
Backstage, Scott D'Amore and Petey Williams, the coach and captain of Team Canada, respectively, hyped up the return of TNA. On April 3rd, we'll revisit the good ol' days when some of the greatest stars in the company's history returns to mix it up with the best and brightest of IMPACT.
Moose interrupted the plug, stating that TNA never created stars, especially not anybody as impressive as himself. He named Amazing Red, Wildcat Chris Harris, and Petey himself as nobodies, but the Canadian Destroyer reminded him of something very important.
Unlike those three, Moose isn't a champion in IMPACT (We don't count the Grand Championship here).
We were introduced to seven up and coming competitors on the newest season of Gut Check. One of the trainees, Shogun, accidentally knocked out his opponent with a back elbow that left Scott D'Amore and John E. Bravo wondering if he really has what it takes.
X-Division Championship Match: Tessa Blanchard vs Ace Austin (c)
Austin was rolled up quickly for a near fall. He countered a cutter but was taken down with a dropkick to the knees and a series of kicks to the head. Austin got hung up in the corner for a rope-assisted Magnum but managed to kick out at two.
Blanchard avoided a suplex for another roll-up, but Austin was eventually able to catch her in a series of backbreakers, leaving her crumpled on the mat as we cut to the final commercial.
Back from the break, Austin was focusing more on the back, driving knees into the spine and locking in a bow and arrow in the middle of the mat. As she got to her feet, a high knee nearly knocked her unconscious.
The World Champion managed to recover, sending Austin out for a suicide dive. Back in the ring, a DDT was countered with a double knee gutbuster.
Blanchard, back on her feet thanks to the corner, was punished by Austin with boots and elbows. The X-Division Champion trapped her in a dragon sleeper, but Blanchard made it to her feet, driving Austin into the corner. A striking combination set Austin up for the Buzzsaw DDT.
Blanchard escaped the Fold and sent Austin down with a clothesline, hurricanrana, and tornado DDT. As she looked to finish off Austin, Taya Valkyrie rolled in and speared Blanchard.
Results: Tessa Blanchard defeated Ace Austin via DQ.
Thanks to Taya Valkyrie, Ace Austin retained his title. Valkyrie slammed the back of Blanchard's head into the canvas, attempting to crack the skull of the champ.
