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Sami Callihan now holds the IMPACT World Championship. All is wrong with the world, as oVe has completely taken over. With the Crists and Madman Fulton at his side, it's hard to believe that anyone will be able to dethrone him in the near future.
Tonight, we'll find out who will be first to try. An incredible six-man gauntlet would main event tonight's show. Tessa Blanchard, Rich Swann, Michael Elgin, Daga, Brian Cage, and Moose all earned their way into this epic match, hoping to be the one to silence Sami Callihan and the rest of oVe.
Before that, we opened with a fantastic four-team tag match featuring some of the best IMPACT had to offer.
The Rascalz (Dez & Wentz) vs The Desi Hit Squad vs The Deaners vs Reno Scum
Adam Thornstowe and Wentz kicked off the show, with Wentz getting into Thornstowe's head early. Tagging Dez in, the Rascalz lit up Thornstowe with a series of kicks, Taunting Luster the Legend all the while.
Thornstowe was able to tag his partner, however, and Scum took out Dez with a Battering Ram. As Thornstowe came back in, he drove Dez's face into Luster's armpit for some nasty Pity City action.
The Deaners and the Desi Hit Squad came in next, with Rohit Raju and Raj Singh tearing apart Cody Deaner. A fireman's carry neckbreaker nearly gave the Squad the pinfall victory over their backwoods rivals.
Deaner made it to his corner where Jake leapt in, lighting up Raju and Singh with some massive clotheslines. Raju, however, escaped a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker attempt for a double foot stomp to the back of the head. Jake recovered, almost driving Raju through the mat with a sit out powerbomb.
Everyone jumped in to break up the pin leading to a brawl that took three teams to the outside. Jake held the ropes open for Deaner to take out their competition, save for Thornstowe, who snuck in behind. Jake countered a suplex attempt, dropping him on all six men below. Following that, Jake dove over the ropes with an incredible dive.
Back inside, Raju faked a dive and was taken out by Wentz, who used Raju for a platform for a senton over the ropes. Dez, not to be out done by his fellow Rascal, connected with a space flying tiger drop.
The Desi Hit Squad recovered, spiking Dez on the inside with an elevated DDT. Jake dumped Singh outside, and the Deaners plaated Raju with a swinging sidewalk slam. Before they could hit the pin, Luster and Thornstowe took out Deaner and set Jake up for their finish. The Rascalz made the save, only to rock big Jake with a double superkick and the Hot Fire Flame for the win.
Results: The Rascalz defeated The Deaners via pinfall.
Grade: B
Following the match, Reno Scum attacked the Rascalz. Trey ran down to make the save, only for X-Division Champion Ace Austin to follow closely behind, laying out Trey with the title. He loaded his wrist brace with a piece of metal before laying him out with a backfist.
Last week, Jordynne Grace looked to get a title match following a pinfall victory over the Knockouts Champion. Taya Valkyrie denied her the opportunity. Grace then decided she'd prove herself once again, this time taking on both Valkyrie and her hired hand John E. Bravo.
Taya Valkyrie and John E. Bravo vs Jordynne Grace
Bravo was tagged in quickly, but couldn't prevent Grace from rocking Wera Loca with a right hand. Bravo was then dumped outside for a suicide dive. Valkyrie stood far away from the action, trying to keep out of harm's way.
Valkyrie caught Grace coming off the ropes, allowing Bravo to hammer her with a double axe handle to the back. He then held Grace in place while Valkyrie lit her up with chops. In the corner, the two crashed into Grace with a pair of body splashes.
Grace fought out of the corner, sending Bravo into Valkyrie. A dropkick to Valkyrie forced her down to the mat, inadvertently DDT'ing Bravo. Grace battered Bravo with some boots to the skull, following up with a running senton. Grace allowed Bravo to reach for the tag, knowing that Valkyrie would refuse.
Valkyrie, surprisingly, dropped down from the apron and took her Knockouts Championship, standing on the ramp to watch the show. Bravo was launched into the ringpost shoulder first. Grace followed that with double knees to the back and a running elbow across the jaw. A running corner slingshot splash.
Results: Jordynne Grace defeated John E. Bravo via pinfall.
Grade: C
Backstage, the Desi Hit Squad were verbally run down by Gama Singh for failing to produce yet again. They took out their anger on Fallah Bahh, bouncing him off the walls near the stairwell.
Rob Van Dam sent a video to his "fans" stating that he and Katie Forbes wouldn't be able to make it tonight, due to all the partying they did the night before. However, his influence would still be felt throughout the show, as everyone has been ripping him off for decades.
Suzie met James Mitchell in the back, with the Sinister Minister trying to bring her back into his fold. Mitchell managed to talk her into it, with the former Su Yung skipping down to his Cadillac outside. Rosemary appeared behind Mitchell out of thin air, threatening the demonic Mitchell.
The Demon Assassin said that her father, the husband of the Undead Bride, and Mitchell's "boss" really wants to see what Suzie can do free of Mitchell, and she'll do whatever she has to do to make that a reality.
Backstage at the Treehouse, the Rascalz were going over what went wrong between them, Reno Scum and Ace Austin. They were planning for revenge when Trey's mom came in, venting her fears and frustrations over her son being involved in such a dangerous sport. Next week, she said, she'll have a word with Austin and the Scum.
Johnny Swinger vs Buck Gunderson
Swinger lit up Gunderson, knocking him down with two short arm clotheslines and dropping onto him with a running elbow drop. Gunderson was clearly out of his element, failing to break away from Swinger's grasp.
Gunderson did managed to get some offense in when Swinger played to the crowd. However, he was caught by the Swingman for the Swinger Neckbreaker.
Results: Johnny Swinger defeated Buck Gunderson via pinfall.
Grade: D-
Ken Shamrock rushed the ring following the match. Last week, Swinger tried to play a prank on Petey Williams, attempting to defecate in the Canadian Destroyer's bag. However, he misjudged, instead targeting the back of the World's Most Dangerous Man.
Shamrock battered him for a few minutes before finally snapping his ankle with his patented Ankle Lock.
Backstage, Johnny Swinger claimed he owed Shamrock a receipt. He saw Joey Ryan and asked him for advice. Ryan gave him some pretty sound advice...don't let him go "low."
Six-person Gauntlet match: Moose vs Daga vs Rich Swann vs Michael Elgin vs Brian Cage vs Tessa Blanchard (Part 1)
Moose and Daga kicked off the six-person gauntlet match. The former NFL Lineman was unable to keep up with El Jefe's speed. Daga took Moose to one knee with a dropkick and planted him with a kneeling flatliner. A second dropkick sent him outside where a corkscrew press from the top rope, crashing onto Moose below.
Following Moose in, Daga was sent face-first into the middle turnbuckle pad, giving him the upper hand. Daga was turned inside out with some seriously heavy shots, as Moose began to toy with his opponent, the first of many should he advance.
A Dominator earned Moose a one-count due to a rather lazy pinfall. Daga made it to the corner, countering the Go To Hell with a hurricanrana. Following that, Moose was met by a delayed dropkick. Moose kicked out at two. However, catching Daga with a stun gun, Moose followed up with the No Jackhammer Needed spear for the win.
Results: Moose advances
Grade: C
Swann dumped Moose on his back with two hurricanranas, following that up with a double foot stomp. Moose nipped up and landed a gigantic standing dropkick, sending the former X-Division Champion outside.
Moose nearly sent Swann across the ring tossing him back inside. Swann responded with an apron senton. Moose caught him, but was again launched overhead with a hurricanrana. Moose recovered inside, launching Swann to the top rope and sending him crashing to the floor below with a standing dropkick.
Back on the inside, Swann was able to counter Moose with a DDT, spiking the big man. A tilt-a-whirl was blocked, though, and Moose sent Swann into the middle turnbuckle with a lawn dart like toss. Swann nearly kicked out before the three-count.
Moose moved up for a corner running springboard crossbody. Swann countered with a cutter, and dropped Moose with a handspring cutter. Moose blocked the 450 Splash and nearly sent Swann to Hell with the...well...Go To Hell.
Swann kicked out, but struggled to make it to his feet. Moose set up for another No Jackhammer Needed. Swann countered with a superkick, and countered a second spear with a crucifix roll-up.
Results: Rich Swann advances
Grade: A
Six-person Gauntlet match: Moose vs Daga vs Rich Swann vs Michael Elgin vs Brian Cage vs Tessa Blanchard (Part 2)
Michael Elgin was next up, thinking that Swann was easy pickings after taking so much punishment. Swann avoided a shoulder block, dumping Elgin outside. A springboard shoulder tackle took Swann to the other side of the ring as we went to commercial.
Back from the break, Elgin caught Swann in the handspring cutter, attempting a counter with the Burning Hammer. Swann flipped out and the two traded kicks. Elgin planted Swann with a Sky-High sitout spinebuster. Swann kicked out at two. \
Swann escaped a top rope belly-to-belly, slipping through Elgin's legs. A springboard schoolboy bomb bounced Elgin halfway across the ring. Swann was caught going for a tilt-a-whirl headscissors, getting launched into the corner with a buckle bomb. He rebounded with a jackknife pin. Elgin broke out and trapped him in a crossface.
Swann was able to escape and make it to the apron, where he was spiked on his head with a release dragon suplex. Swann was dumped inside the ring, seemingly lifeless. However, a top rope corkscrew senton from Big Mike was avoided. Swann followed up with a Frog Splash, with Elgin rolling away this time.
Elgin rushed in for a clothesline. Swann avoided it. Both men blocked stikes, before Swann connected with a step up kick to the jaw. Elgin responded with a kicking combination, followed by a snap dragon suplex and a rebounding lariat. Swann just barely kicked out.
Swann was dragged to the top for a superplex, which connected. A float-over was reversed with a hurricanrana. A spinning back kick sandwiched by two reverse ranas gave Swann a two-and-a-half count.
Elgin met Swann on the turnbuckle again, this time bringing the former X-Division Champion down with a super Falcon Arrow. Swann kicked out and avoided the Burning Hammer. Escaping a backdrop, Swann stunned Elgin with a superkick. Elgin rebounded with a lariat.
In the corner, Elgin was battering Swann to the point where blood was spouting from his mouth. Elgin fought off the ref who tried to further damage Swann, leading to a DQ.
Results: Rich Swann advances
Grade: A
Following the match, Elgin rocked Swann with a back elbow and an Elgin Bomb. Blood was bubbling from the mouth and nose of Swann, who was struggling to breathe.
Six-person Gauntlet match: Moose vs Daga vs Rich Swann vs Michael Elgin vs Brian Cage vs Tessa Blanchard (Part 3)
Brian Cage was the next competitor. Swann struggled to stand, using the ropes for leverage. The former IMPACT World Champion didn't want to continue, but Swann slapped him across the face. Cage responded with a discus lariat attempt.
Swann countered, rocking Cage with an intense kicking combination and a 450 Splash. Cage kicked out at two. Cage caught Swann coming off the ropes, sending him overhead with a massive choke toss. Swann escaped the corner, rocking Cage with two more superkicks. Cage avoided the third kick for a pump handle slam, but Swann landed on his feet, catching Cage with another kick on the jaw.
A step up back kick laid out the Machine. Another 450 connected. Cage kicked out and countered the handspring cutter with a German suplex. Swann escaped the F-5, landing a cutter in mid-air. Another kick and a handspring cutter gave him yet another near fall.
Cage rolled away from the Phoenix Splash and drove Swann into the mat with Weapon X, ending Swann's incredible run against three back-to-back powerhouses.
Results: Brian Cage advances.
Grade: B
The final competitor for the night, Tessa Blanchard, strolled down to the ring as we entered another commercial break.
Sami Callihan's two latest rivals tied up, with Cage easily overpowering Blanchard. Cage blocked a hurricanrana, but couldn't get a hold of Blanchard, who escaped Cage's grasp and sent him outside for a triangle dropkick. She followed up with two suicide dives, sending Cage to a knee.
Cage caught the third one and launched Blanchard onto the apron with an F-5. The ref paused everything to check on the former Knockouts Champion as we cut to the final break of the night.
Back from the break, Cage battered Blanchard with chops. Coming in for a running clothesline, Blanchard caught Cage with a boot. A dropkick to Cage's knee set Blanchard up for a dropkick to the back in the ropes. Another boot to the jaw set up for a cutter. Cage caught Blanchard, but a tornado DDT spiked him.
Blanchard earned a near fall and tried to put the former champion away with the Buzzsaw DDT. Cage countered, only to find himself hung up in the corner for a Magnum. A top rope body splash gave Blanchard another two-count.
Blanchard took more punishment but escaped the Drill Claw, dropping Cage with the Buzzsaw DDT. Cage kicked out, revealing a newly busted open bloody mouth. Cage drove her into the mat with a sitout Alabama Slam. On the top rope, Cage set up for a second rope Razor's Edge.
Blanchard countered it into a super hurricanrana, and caught Cage with a top rope Magnum. Cage kicked out at the very last millisecond. A second top rope Magnum was countered, with Cage launching Blanchard into the corner with a buckle bomb. Blanchard was able to escape Weapon X, though, countering it into a sunset flip. 1-2-3, Tessa Blanchard is now the #1 contender to Sami Callihan and the IMPACT World Championship.
Results: Tessa Blanchard defeated Brian Cage via pinfall.
Grade: A
Cage congratulated Blanchard in the middle of the ring before leaving to let her have her moment. Blanchard will get another shot at the Draw, hoping to finally knock off her long time rival and become the first ever women's IMPACT World Champion.
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