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Another Tuesday, another episode of IMPACT Wrestling. Last week, we kicked off the No.1 Contenders Tournament for Tessa Blanchard's IMPACT World Championship. Tonight featured two more matches in the tournament, as well as an X-Division Championship bout between Johnny Swinger and Willie Mack.
Both Trey and Hernandez advanced to the semi-finals. We continued the tournament tonight. However, it came with a twist. Originally, Ken Shamrock was set to face Rhino. Due to a heinous assault by Michael Elgin last week, though, Shamrock was knocked out of the tournament.
His replacement? Former X-Division Champion Ace Austin. We opened the night with the Ace of Spades and the War Machine on IMPACT. As far as Elgin goes, he'll be competing in his own tournament match tonight against the Callihan Death Machine, Sami Callihan.
No. 1 Contenders Tournament for IMPACT World Championship: Ace Austin vs Rhino
Rhino, as expected, overpowered Ace Austin early, forcing Austin to ringside several times. Back inside the ropes, Austin went low, getting a chance to chop down the former World Champion.
Austin's attacks barely hindered Rhino, and he had to throw himself to the floor again to avoid an early Gore. This time, Rhino followed him to the floor, suplexing him and driving him into the barricade repeatedly. He picked up a steel chair as well, but decided against it, wanting to avoid the DQ.
That moment of hesitation allowed Austin to get back in the match, connecting with a shot to the gut before rocking Rhino with a running kick to the jaw. Austin drove Rhino face first into the steel post before rolling inside, looking for a count-out victory.
Rhino barely made it back inside, where he was met by a nasty array of strikes, including a springboard cyclone kick. Rhino kicked out at two. Austin was able to evade Rhino's offense for a while. However, a double clothesline gave Rhino the chance he needed, bringing both men down to the mat.
Back to their feet, Rhino blocked a roundhouse kick and manhandled Austin with a series of shoulder blocks and clotheslines. Austin responded with a single leg lariat, but couldn't keep the War Machine down. Rhino would drop Austin with a superplex eventually, but couldn't keep secure the pinfall on IMPACT.
Austin looked for the chair that Rhino brought in, but the ref prevented it. Rhino went for the same, forcing the ref to toss the chair outside. As he had his back turned, it allowed Ace Austin to bring out his cane and crack Rhino over the skull. The Fold finished Rhino and sent Austin into the next round.
Results: Ace Austin defeated Rhino via pinfall.
Grade: B-
Austin's next opponent? Supermex, AKA Hernandez.
Another interview with Josh Mathews and "TNA World Champion" Moose went...about as well you'd expect on IMPACT. Mathews continued to try and prove that he's not actually a champion. Moose presented some pretty solid evidence. The ref held the belt up, and the ring announcer called the match at IMPACT Rebellion a championship bout. Now...Moose demanded, and threatened them to do so, but that's not important.
Mathews then brought up Suicide, who would've beaten Moose had the ref not gotten taken out last week on IMPACT. A low blow allowed Moose to cut Suicide in half with the No Jackhammer Needed spear.
Ace Austin gave his thoughts on the situation regarding the No.1 Contender's tournament for the IMPACT World Championship. He claimed that IMPACT was too worried about the old guard, with guys like Ken Shamrock. It's time they focus on the future. It's time they focus on the future IMPACT World Champion, Ace Austin.
Kiera Hogan met Tasha Steelz backstage on IMPACT and congratulated her on her match with Kylie Rae last week. Hogan was so impressed, in fact, that she wanted to take Steelz under her wing. Steelz accepted, leading to an interesting duo in the IMPACT Knockouts Division.
Next up is the in-ring return of Crazzy Steve, who took on Dave Crist after coming face to face with oVe last week.
Dave Crist w/Madman Fulton & Jake Crist vs Crazzy Steve
Crazzy Steve's insane offense left Dave Crist struggling to figure out where the shots were coming from. Some awkward misdirection left Crist confused for a while, but Joey Ryan made his presence known on the ramp, distracting Steve.
Crist took advantage, choking out Steve in the ropes. In the middle of the ring, Crist attempted to trap Steve in an armbar while hammering his ribs with vicious knee strikes. Steve was assaulted by Jake Crist and Madman Fulton while Dave Crist distracted the ref.
A falcon arrow nearly put Steve away. He pulled himself up in the corner and planted Crist with a leaping impaler DDT, which was enough to put Crist away.
Results: Crazzy Steve defeated Dave Crist via pinfall.
Grade: C-
Madman Fulton and the Crists started arguing in the ring, leading to Fulton breaking away from oVe. He shook off an attack from the brothers before tearing off his shirt, leaving while Jake and Dave stared off in shock.
We saw Madman Fulton leaving the arena when he was asked if "this was the end." Fulton booted the door open and left without giving an answer on IMPACT.
Rosemary, again, had Mr. Mundo at the bar, hoping to bring John E. Bravo to her. The Demon Assassin apologized for being rude to Bravo and promised that she doesn't bite...at least, not unless he wants her to.
XXXL (Acey Romery & Larry D) vs TJP & Fallah Bahh
Acey Romero and Fallah Bahh kicked off the bout on IMPACT, with Bahh, in a rare moment for him, being dwarfed by the size of his opponent. However, the weight loss improved Bahh's speed, avoiding a splash from Romero and bringing him to his corner for a tag to TJP.
TJP hit a diving ax handle but was shoved off by Romero. Larry D tagged in, shaking off all the offense of the former IMPACT X-Division Champion. Larry D caught TJP's cross body and attempted a banzai drop, but TJP escaped, rocking his opponent with a low cross body and a penalty kick.
Bahh tagged back in, with TJP climbing on his back for an extra heavy body splash. Larry D was left in no-man's land, as TJP and Bahh continue to tag in and out, wearing Larry down. Poetry in Motion in the corner gave TJP a nearfall.
Larry D ran in on TJP for a body splash, but TJP avoided it again. However, Acey Romero tagged Larry as he bounced off the ropes, catching TJP with a right hand. Throughout the commercial break, XXXL demolished TJP.
When we came back, Larry D had TJP trapped in an arm wrench. TJP fought out but was captured in a bear hug. A spinebuster planted him in the middle in the ring for a two-count. TJP nearly made it to his corner, but Romery ran in and knocked Bahh off.
TJP responded with a leaping DDT off of Acey Romero, planting Larry D. With Fallah Bahh finally in the match, things turned around For TJ-B. Bahh sent Romero to the floor with a flying shoulder tackle and cut Larry D in half with a cross body. The belly-to-belly suplex was blocked, allowing Romero to run in and pounce Bahh into the corner.
The pinfall was broken up by TJP. Though he was thrown to the floor, Bahh ran through both members of XXXL with another running cross body. The belly to belly suplex finally connected, but Larry D kicked out.
As Bahh moved up for the Banzai Drop, Romero drove him into the turnbuckle. However, Bahh was able to get rid of Romero and save TJP from certain disaster. A Samoan Drop to Larry D and a Mamba Splash from TJP earned them a huge victory over XXXL on IMPACT.
Results: TJP & Fallah Bahh defeated XXXL via pinfall.
Grade: B+
TNA World Heavyweight Championship Match: Suicide vs Moose (c)
Suicide avoided the No Jackhammer Needed at the beginning on IMPACT. He took Moose down with a tilt-a-whirl headscissor before launching himself into the ropes. Moose ran in, falling through to the floor.
Moose caught Suicide mid-dive, but was sent into the ring post. Suicide followed up inside the ring with another headscissor takedown. The Iron Octopus trapped Moose in the middle of the ring. Though the hold was broken, Suicide kept up the pressure on IMPACT, delivering two dropkicks to the knee of the "champion."
On the outside, Moose caught Suicide going for a rolling senton and slung him head first into the barricade repeatedly. Back inside the ring, Moose hoped for a count-out victory. Suicide narrowly beat the count.
Moose launched Suicide into multiple corners, leaving Suicide sprawled out on the mat. The "TNA World Heavyweight Champion" continued to batter his challenger, Suicide tried to muster up some offense, but his clotheslines did little to Moose. The first three barely affected him, but a fourth turned Moose inside out.
Suicide avoided some of Moose's offense, and lit up the "champ" with some running dropkicks in the corner. A rolling fireman's carry into a lionsault earned him a nearfall over Moose.
Not too happy, Moose sent Suicide into the corner again where he stomped a mudhole into the masked high-flyer. As Moose was distracted giving the referee some trouble, Suicide rocked him with a superkick and a Codebreaker. Three more superkicks connected, but Moose refused to go down. A fourth, though, knocked him on his back.
Suicide moved up top and connected with a flying cross body. Moose, though, rolled through and held the tights to steal another victory on IMPACT.
Results: Moose defeated Suicide via pinfall.
Grade: A-
Michael Elgin vowed again that he would be IMPACT World Champion. Elgin compared himself to Muhammad Ali and Conor McGregor, two men who vowed to be the best in the world and proved it. When all is said and done, Elgin will be the greatest IMPACT World Champion of all time.
Ken Shamrock learned that last week. Tonight, Sami Callihan would get that same lesson on IMPACT.
Chris Bey gave Johnny Swinger a "motivational speech" ahead of his IMPACT X-Division Title bout, claiming that there's more than one way to win. It's not about winning the belt, it's about teaching Willie Mack a lesson.
IMPACT X-Division Championship: Johnny Swinger vs Willie Mack (c)
As Willie Mack took his shirt off, Johnny Swinger rushed him, getting an early advantage. Swinger delivered a series of clotheslines and clubbing blows to the back. However, Willie Mack was able to turn things around with a leg drop.
Swinger nearly picked up a shocking victory with the swinging neckbreaker, but Mack put his leg on the rope. Swinger, thinking he won, rolled to the floor to grab the belt. Once the ref cleared things up, he tried to drive it into the skull of his former tag team partner.
Mack ducked, dropping Swinger with a Samoan Drop and hitting a standing moonsault for the win on IMPACT.
Results: Willie Mack defeated Johnny Swinger via pinfall.
Grade: C
After the match, Chris Bey joined Swinger in a beatdown of Mack. Swinger was excited that somebody "finally got him" and raised the arm of the Ultimate Finesser.
Ethan Page and Josh Alexander were still celebrating their incredibly long run with the IMPACT World Tag Team Championship. Well, Page was celebrating. Alexander was uh...he wasn't happy to be there.
They claimed that there were no contenders left, but were met by Cody Deaner, who wanted to challenge the North for the titles. Next week, Deaner will bring another member of the Deaner family, as Cousin Jake is currently stuck in America. At the Deaner compound, the North look to conquer the Deaners in their own castle.
No.1 Contenders Tournament for the IMPACT World Championship: Michael Elgin vs Sami Callihan
Sami Callihan was still limping after his war with Ken Shamrock at Rebellion. Michael Elgin attempted to work over that injured ankle. Elgin picked the leg and was slapped across the face.
Elgin responded with a knee breaker, but was pelted with punches and chops. He ran through Callihan's strikes, but had his eyes gouged, setting up for the Cactus Special. Elgin took Callihan to the mat and set up for the ankle lock, but Callihan escaped through the ropes on IMPACT.
Callihan tricked Elgin into chasing him, allowing the Draw to drop him on his head with a draping DDT. Two pump kicks sent Elgin to the floor. Callihan trapped Elgin's arm in the barricade, hoping to weaken the impact of the Elgin Bomb and discus forearm.
However, Callihan got too greedy and set up for the Cactus Special on the floor. Elgin countered again, driving his ankle into the apron before sending him leg first into the barricade.
Elgin attempted to wrap Callihan's leg around the ring post, but was yanked into the post instead, seemingly busting his lip. Back inside, a shot to the ankle took Callihan down again.
Every time Callihan began to build momentum, he was cut down by Elgin. However, Elgin's pride eventually allowed Callihan to hit him as hard as he could. It still wasn't enough, and an elbow sent Callihan on his back.
Callihan coutnered a sliding clothesline with a crucifix pin. Both men stood up, with Callihan somehow taking over with a series of kicks and a big clothesline that turned Big Mike inside out.
Back to their feet, Callihan sent Elgin to the floor for a dive. Elgin was hit hard with a suicide dive as Callihan continued to build momentum. However, On the inside, Elgin held onto the ropes to block a uranage slam. So, Callihan instead dumped Elgin on his head with an exploded suplex, nearly sending him to the next round.
Elgin went after the leg again, hanging it between the ropes and hitting a nasty dropkick. A modified kneebreaker and a clothesline to the back of the head nearly gave Elgin the victory. Elgin then locked in a single leg Boston Crab. Callihan fought, refusing to tap out. Though it seemed he was going to pass out, Callihan made it to the ropes just in time.
Several clotheslines and slaps hammered Callihan, and Elgin set up for a running clothesline, Callihan crumbled to the mat. Elgin signalled for the end, one final lariat. However, Callihan countered, dumping Elgin again with a back suplex. A sliding forearm almost knocked Elgin out.
The Cactus Special was countered a third time, but this time Elgin rolled through for a buckle bomb. Elgin escapes a surprise roll-up and batters Callihan with a backlist. Callihan escapes another buckle bomb, but his leg gives way. Another backfist sets up for the Elgin Bomb, which is enough to break the Callihan Death Machine.
Results: Michael Elgin defeated Sami Callihan via pinfall.
Grade: A+
Michael Elgin joins Ace Austin, Trey, and Hernandez in the next round of the tournament. He'll be taking on Trey, who has an incredible mountain to climb. It seems like Michael Elgin's dream may come true very soon.
