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We're well on the way to Slammiversary, and the biggest question still remains; Who will show up at Slammiversary? Several IMPACT Wrestling World Champions have been rumored to be returning, and possibly some new faces. Not to mention the return of old TNA veterans and groups. We kept up that build all through the night.
Chris Bey continued to get in the head of Willie Mack tonight. A six-man tag featuring Bey, Johnny Swinger, and a mystery partner took on Mack and The Deaners. However, the mystery partner wasn't exactly everything Swinger promised Bey.
We kicked off the night with one of the newcomers to IMPACT Wrestling and the Knockouts Division, Nevaeh, taking on Tasha Steelz.
Tasha Steelz w/Kiera Hogan vs Nevaeh w/Havok opens IMPACT Wrestling
Nevaeh laid out Tasha Steelz early on, sending her to the floor. Hogan and Steelz regrouped, looking for a gameplan. Steelz was able to connect with a low kick to the gut and a flying knee, rocking Nevaeh's jaw.
Steelz distracted the referee, allowing Hogan to choke out the newcomer. A cover earned Steelz a two-count. Nevaeh seemingly got back in the match, stomping Steelz out in the corner. However, another distraction from Hogan let Steelz connect with yet another flying knee. A neckbreaker kept Nevaeh down for two again.
Nevaeh eventually delivered a running dropkick to Steelz, and a rebound German suplex put Steelz on the mat for a near fall. Hogan distracted Nevaeh one more time, but was chased off by Havok. This time, though, it was enough to help Steelz put her away.
Results: Tasha Steelz defeated Nevaeh on the kick-off match of IMPACT Wrestling.
Grade: B-
We saw a recap of Busted Open Radio where Jordynne Grace and Deonna Purrazzo went at it. Grace said that she would crush the Virtuosa the next time she saw her. Purrazzo called the Knockouts Champion out for interrupting her interview, and believed that Grace was jealous of the new face of the Knockouts Division.
Backstage, Purrazzo was interviewed regarding her back-to-back attacks against Grace. Purrazzo said she wasn't in IMPACT Wrestling to brawl. She came here to be a champion. A long-time IMPACT Wrestling star, Alisha Edwards, came in to call out Purrazzo, leading to a match between the two later on.
However, Purrazzo has watched IMPACT Wrestling before, and wasn't too excited to get involved in the business of the Edwards family. Smart move.
Another vignette played regarding the return of a certain "World Champion" returning to IMPACT Wrestling at Slammiversary.
Johnny Swinger was waiting backstage for the "mystery partner" he had for himself and Chris Bey tonight. Who did he call? None other than Willie Mack's best friend, Rich Swann. The former X-Division Champion reminded Swinger that he's still injured, and he'd never turn his back on Willie Mack.
Backstage, Ethan Page is venting to Josh Alexander about how much he hates Ken Shamrock. Page stated that the IMPACT Wrestling Tag Team Champions should be the focus of IMPACT Wrestling, not Ken Shamrock. The World's Most Dangerous Man came in mid-rant, and when Page noticed, he shut up quite quickly.
However, his tag team partner was there to back him up. Josh Alexander challenged Shamrock to a match later on tonight.
Moose was backstage demanding gifts from the crew for what he's done for IMPACT Wrestling as TNA World Champion. Crazzy Steve interrupted, serenading him with a song stating he's not a real world champion.
Offended, Moose revealed he'd be putting his title on the line against Steve next week. Steve was pretty excited for an opportunity to be the fake world champ.
Deonna Purrazzo vs Alisha Edwards on IMPACT Wrestling
Deonna Purrazzo went after Alisha Edwards' arm, hoping to get a quick tap-out with the armbar. Edwards escaped several submission attempts, including a painful Koji Clutch, leaving Purrazzo to try to break Edwards' arm in some pretty creative ways.
Purrazzo piled on the pain, tearing away at the arm and shoulder. Edwards managed to get some strikes off, but was stunned with a nasty running knee. Purrazzo effortlessly turned Edwards over following a Russian legsweep for her Fujiwara Armbar.
Results: Deonna Purrazzo defeated Jordynne Grace via submission on IMPACT Wrestling.
Grade: C-
Jordynne Grace ran Purrazzo out of the ring.
Swinger found another possible partner in Suicide. However, the former X-Division Champion quickly hit him with an Irish goodbye, disappearing as Swinger had his back turned.
Johnny Swinger's next choice? It was IMPACT Wrestling veteran SuperMex! Hernandez said he'd be happy to tag with Swinger and Chris Bey tonight...if Swinger could beat him in an arm-wrestling contest. Clearly, Swinger didn't win. Hernandez did have a consolation prize for him, though, a Rhino Microbrawler!
Swinger ran into Taya Valkyrie as he was leaving, and offered her an opportunity to be the "first woman to ever wrestle a man." Valkyrie outright declined him before running off to look for John E. Bravo, someone Swinger also wanted to use for a partner.
Ken Shamrock came down to the ring for his match but was attacked by The North. Shamrock was able to quell the numbers advantage for a while but was eventually trapped in an ankle lock by Josh Alexander. The IMPACT World Tag Team Champions tore Shamrock apart.
Taya Valkyrie w/John E. Bravo vs Susie on IMPACT Wrestling
Taya Valkyrie bullied Susie a bit while dropping her to the mat, calling her a little girl. Susie nearly caught her with a schoolboy and took Valkyrie down with a series of snapmares. A running bulldog gave Susie a two-count.
Valkyrie avoided a splash in the corner, sending Susie across the ring with a German suplex. Bravo choked out Susie while the former Knockouts Champion distracted the ref. Valkyrie continued to pelt Susie with right hands.
Susie crawled toward the rope while in a modified STF. She just barely made it there, leading to Valkyrie getting pretty heated. Susie blocked an attack in the corner, rocking Valkyrie with a boot. A spinning back kick and headscissor into the corner nearly knocked Valkyrie out. She began to build up momentum before getting taken out with a flying clothesline. Susie kicked out at two on IMPACT Wrestling.
Valkyrie set Susie up for her running knee strike, but missed. Susie rocked her with palm strikes and took her to the mat with a Thesz press. A jackknife cover earned Susie a close call. Valkyrie responded, bouncing Susie's face off the mat with a leg trapped curb stomp. Still, Susie kicked out.
Susie managed to escape the Road to Valhalla for another roll-up. However, Valkyrie kicked out, and ultimately planted Susie with the Road to Valhalla for the win on IMPACT Wrestling.
Results: Taya Valkyrie defeated Susie via pinfall on IMPACT Wrestling.
Grade: B+
Valkyrie continued to trash Susie, claiming it was embarrassing to fight her like she did tonight. She was cut off by Smiling Kylie Rae, who rocked Taya with a pinpoint superkick on IMPACT Wrestling.
Backstage, Jimmy Jacobs attempted to get an interview with Ace Austin. He was met at the door by Madman Fulton. Austin followed. Jacobs wanted to know what Fulton thought about this alliance with Austin. The Ace of IMPACT Wrestling said it wasn't about what Fulton thought, but what about he's capable of.
Johnny Swinger met Chris Bey backstage, introducing his "first pick" for the match and a prized star in IMPACT Wrestling, Rohit Raju. Bey wasn't exactly a fan of the arrangement, and neither was Riju, but he needed a rental car that Swinger apparently promised him.
Chris Bey, Johnny Swinger, & Rohit Raju vs Willie Mack & The Deaners on IMPACT Wrestling
Cody Deaner and Rohit Raju kicked off the bout, leading to a quick tag to Cousin Jake for a double gutbuster. Willie Mack followed up with a standing moonsault. As Jake tagged back in, Raju hightailed it to his corner.
Chris Bey tagged in and demanded to fight Willie Mack. The second the IMPACT Wrestling X-Division Champion tagged in, Bey tagged out to Johnny Swinger. The Swing Man was left in the corner of Mack & The Deaners. Bey and Raju tried to save him, leading to all three men getting dumped over the ropes as Cody, Jake, and Mack celebrated.
Back from the break, however, Cody Deaner was stuck in the corner with Rohit Raju in control. Bey tagged in, taking down the former TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion (yes, I remember) with a back suplex.
The Finesse & Bench Press Connection took turns battering Deaner before Swinger locked in the nerve hold. Deaner fought out only to get distracted by Raju. Swinger went to the eyes before tagging in the Ultimate Finesser.
Bey trapped Deaner in an octopus stretch. However, Deaner finally broke away and tagged in Cousin Jake, who bowled through Bey with ease. Mack tagged in and was taken out by Raju. Jake drove Bey into the mat with a sit-out powerbomb. Swinger dropped Jake with the Swinging Neckbreaker.
Deaner spiked Swinger with the Deaner DDT. Raju dropped Deaner wit a flatliner. Finally, once the smoke cleared, Bey planted Mack face first on the mat with the springboard Fameasser for the win.
Results: Chris Bey picked up a win over the IMPACT Wrestling X-Division Champion Willie Mack.
Grade: B
Reno Scum ran into TJP & Fallah Bahh backstage, leading to the announcement of a match between the two teams on IMPACT Wrestling next week. This feud blew up due to Reno Scum accusing TJP & Fallah Bahh of attacking Trey over the past month.
However, it was revealed on IMPACT Wrestling last week that it was Madman Fulton doing Ace Austin's dirty work for him.
Madman Fulton w/Ace Austin vs Eddie Edwards in the main event of IMPACT Wrestling
Madman Fulton took the former IMPACT Wrestling World Champion to the corner. Eddie Edwards managed to fight out, but a nasty back elbow took him down to the mat. Fulton hammered Edwards with several big blows, but Edwards managed to kick up some offense with an inverted atomic drop.
Fulton easily blocked the belly-to-belly suplex, countering with one of his own. Edwards was able to take Fulton to the floor as we cut to the final break for IMPACT Wrestling.
When we returned, Fulton was crushing Edwards on the apron. A one-handed choke toss sent Edwards over the ropes onto the floor, crashing and burning outside the ring. A snake eyes to the apron left Edwards dazed and confused. A neckbreaker in the ropes connected as well.
Ace Austin smiled on as Madman Fulton attempted to crush Edwards' head on the top turnbuckle. Edwards began building steam with a reverse suplex and a high speed suicide dive, sending Fulton into the barricade.
The suicide dive didn't affect Fulton, who stood back up and walked through all the chops and strikes from Edwards inside the ring. A leaping right hand dazed him, and Edwards followed up with the Blue Thunder Bomb. Two-count.
Madman took back over with a big slam, nearly knocking Edwards out. An elbow stunned Edwards, but he caught Fulton going up top. A step-up enziguri and an avalanche hurricanrana took Fulton to the mat.
Austin tried to intervene, and was knocked out for his troubles. Edwards set up for the Boston Knee Party only to be caught with a big punch to the jaw. Fulton kicked out of a Tiger Driver. Another Boston Knee Party was countered, as Fulton drove Edwards into the mat with a swinging inverted facebuster.
Results: Madman Fulton defeated Eddie Edwards via pinfall in the main event of IMPACT Wrestling.
Grade: A
After the show, DLo was seen talking to someone about "getting the band back together." He left the chair revealing his old Aces & Eights jacket. Could the group be back at IMPACT Wrestling Slammiversary?
We're still a little under a month away from the event. Which former IMPACT Wrestling World Champion will return at Slammiversary? Will Aces & Eights be involved? Will Madman Fulton lead Ace Austin to the IMPACT Wrestling World Championship? Tune into IMPACT Wrestling next week to find out!
