IMPACT Wrestling
June 2nd, 2020
Skyway Studios, Nashville, Tennessee
By: Davie Portman
Commentary by: Josh Matthews and Madison Rayne
Kylie Rae & Susie vs Kiera Hogan & Tasha Steelz
The show opens with a Tag Team Match for the Knockouts Division. Hogan and Steelz immediately look like a tag team dancing their way to the ring. Tasha slams Rae to the mat as Hogan is talking trash on the outside. Susie gets tagged in and comes in looking confused. Steelz continuously taunts her but Susie comes back with a big slap across the face. Kiera gets tagged in and gets hit by a Double Bulldog by Susie and Rae. Steelz and Hogan come back with some quick tags and double team Susie. Susie grabs the bow that was stolen from Kylie Rae off of Steelz and makes the tag to Kylie Rae. Rae takes out Steelz and hits the Kylie Special to Hogan. Tasha hits a Codebreaker to Susie. The match breaks down as all four women are in the ring. Steelz hits the Hurricanrana to Susie and Hogan follows up with the Swinging Neckbreaker for the win.
Kiera Hogan & Tasha Steelz defeat Kylie Rae and Susie via Pinfall in 7 mins 47 secs
Davie’s thoughts: In my opinion, these are the top four women in the Knockouts Division with Rae being at the very top. Hogan and Steelz gelled together really well and looked like they’ve been teaming for a while. Really solid match between the four with some entertaining spots.
Ace Austin Interview
Austin is asked about his X Division Championship lost to Willie Mack. Austin says that he doesn’t dwell in the past and looks to the future. He says that he has outgrown the X Division Championship and it’s time to look for something more his size.
Moose interrupts holding the TNA Heavyweight Championship. He says that his TNA Championship is prestigious and if Austin wins tonight he should challenge for the TNA Heavyweight Championship.
Joseph P Ryan w/ Dave & Jake Crist vs Crazzy Steve
Crazzy Steve starts the match by saying “I know you. You’re the D**k Guy” and Ryan slaps him across the face. Crazzy Steve comes back with a series of Clotheslines, a Jawbreaker, and a Busaiku Knee for a two count. Ryan hits a Dropkick and gloats about hitting him “right in the face”. Ryan asks if we want to see the “Greatest Suplex on Earth” but Steve hits a Vertical Suplex of his own. The two start to trade blows until Steve bites the hand of Ryan. Steve hits a Running Cannonball into the corner when Jake Crist gets on the apron to distract the referee as Dave Crist attacks Crazzy Steve. Ryan follows up with the Superkick for the win
Joseph P Ryan defeats Crazzy Steve via Pinfall in 3 mins 49 secs
After the match, Ryan asks Jake Crist if he wants to join #CancelCulture. He tells him that he will have to put #CancelCulture before everything else. Jake then takes out his own brother with a Roundhouse Kick and joins #CancelCulture.
Davie’s thoughts: The match itself was very quick and reminiscent of many of Joseph P Ryan’s matches recently. I did however like the angle at the end. oVe has been a low point for me on Impact every week and in my opinion, Jake Crist is the most talented of the three. With Rob Van Dam out of action, Ryan needs more people for his faction, so it’s nice to see Jake Crist going in a different direction.
Rohit Raju vs Chase Stevens
Rohit attacks Stevens early with some vicious shots to the back. He follows up with a strike to the legs and a Running Boot to the head for a two count. Stevens comes back with a Short Arm Clothesline and a Snap Suplex for a two count. Rohit hits an Inverted Leaping Neckbreaker for a two count and follows up with a Chokehold, which the referee tells him to break. Rohit gets into the camera and says “This is my spotlight. It belongs to me.” He continues to talk trash to Stevens who fires back with a German Suplex and Scissor Kick for a two count. Stevens kicks Rohit in the gut who pulls the referee in front of him to complain that the shot was low. With the distraction, Rohit hits Stevens with a Flying Knee and follows up with a Double Foot Stomp off of the top rope for the pin.
Rohit Raju defeats Chase Stevens via Pinfall in 5 mins 47 secs
After the match, Rohit is talking trash to the camera when Rhino sneaks into the ring and hits him with the Gore.
Davie’s thoughts: I really liked the aggressive side Rohit Raju was showing in his match this week. He’s going through a bit of a character change and needs to start stacking up some wins to be taken seriously but this was definitely a step in the right direction.
Havoc and Nevaeh Interview
Nevaeh says that she and Havoc have been friends for years and she was there when Havoc won the Knockouts Championship. After everything that happened with Father James Mitchell she has wanted to come and check that Havoc is ok. The team of Havoc and Nevaeh has arrived.
Davie’s thoughts: I didn’t really think this promo was very good. Nevaeh’s delivery wasn’t great and her message was confusing. She said that she wanted to check on Havoc since she left Father James Mitchell but she is a force on her own but also wants to be a team with her? That being said I like the idea of having more tag team wrestling in the Knockouts Division and with Rae and Susie being a team as well as Steelz and Hogan, we could have some pretty entertaining women’s tag matches.
Locker Room Talk with Madison Rayne & Johnny Swinger
This week’s guest on Locker Room Talk is Johnny Swinger’s “new tag team partner”, Chris Bey. Bey is asked why Impact Wrestling was the right choice for him. Swinger interrupts and says that he has so much talent and bigs him up. Rayne lists off his victories over the last few weeks and asks if he thinks he has what it takes to dethrone Willie Mack. Swinger again interrupts and says that he’s got what it takes to be the X Division Champion and be able to focus on being a Tag Team with him. Swinger calls them The Finesse and Bench Press Express and says they have their debut tag match next week. Bey says that after they win their match next week, Swinger can help him win the X Division Championship.
Flashback Moment of the Week
This week’s Flashback Moment of the Week is a match between Drew Galloway and Bobby Lashley from Slammiversary 2016 in which Bobby Lashley won the TNA Heavyweight Championship via Knock Out. Clearly with these two set to have a WWE Title match at Backlash they thought it would be a good idea to promote their match from a few years ago.
Jordynne Grace Interview
Grace says that since being at home she has been watching all the new women in the division. Taya interrupts and says that it looks really bad with the champion not being around for the last month. Jordynne sets up a title defense against Taya next week.
Tag Team Championship Number One Contenders Match
The Rascalz (Dez & Wentz) vs TJP & Fallah Bahn
At the start of the match, The Rascalz and TJP agree to perform for all the people at home. They go to shake hands but Bahh tells them that they have to elbow bump and wash their hands.
Fallah Bahh and Dez have a very light-hearted exchange with Bahh impressing by showing off his speed. TJP then mixes it up with both Wentz and Dez. Wentz hits the Bronco Buster on TJP. Bahh comes back in and takes out Dez with a Cross Body. TJP hits a Poetry in Motion to Wentz for a two count. The Rascalz manage to isolate TJP in their corner and double team him with quick tags to one another. TJP fires back and makes the tag to Fallah Bahh who throws both men around and hits Splashes to both corners. Bahh hits a big Samoan Drop to Dez for a two count. Bahh gets TJP on his back and hits a Splash to Dez for another two-count. Wentz makes the hot tag and hits a Standing Moonsault to TJP for a near fall. Dez Catapults TJP into a Superkick from Wentz who follows up with a Double Stomp but Fallah Bahh breaks the pin attempt. TJP goes for his Frog Splash but Dez counters it into a pin attempt. Both Fallah Bahh and Wentz keep rolling Dez and TJP back and forth for pin attempts. Dez attempts a Pele Kick but gets caught in the Knee Bar by TJP. Dez gets into his corner and Wentz pushes him back so that he is able to counter the submission into a pin attempt
The Rascalz defeat TJP & Fallah Bahh via Pinfall in 12 mins 38 secs
After the match, The Rascalz said that they will grant TJP & Fallah Bahh a rematch at any time. The four men shake hands.
Davie’s thoughts: I thought this match was excellent. It started playfully as both these teams are babyfaces but as it went on it got more competitive and exciting. The Rascalz and TJP have a very similar style and gel together so well. Fallah Bahh contrasts that with his big-man style but also has some surprising speed and athleticism. Some of the pinfall counters were really creative and entertaining. All round a very fun, creative, and competitive match that I would love to see again down the line.
Deonna Purrazzo Vignette
Deonna Purrazzo explains again what being a “Virtuosa” is. She says that she starts preparing for a match long before the bell rings and that she is prepared for Impact Wrestling…” but is Impact Wrestling ready for me?”
Deonna Purrazzo will be debuting for Impact Wrestling next week.
John E Bravo and Rosemary
John E Bravo says that he had a really good time with Rosemary. Rosemary invites him to summon a hell hound. Bravo says that he’s had a lot of fun and never had that much fun with Taya. Rosemary asks Bravo to work for her and says to do so all he needs to do is take a bite out of an apple. As Bravo is about to bite into the apple Taya calls his phone and he runs off. After Bravo has gone Rosemary says that “this is going to be harder than I thought”.
Davie’s thoughts: I feel like I actually understood what was going on here this week. Rosemary is trying to use Bravo to get at Taya. I haven’t been a fan of this story but I felt both performers played their parts well here and it was delivered much more clearer than it has been in the past few weeks.
Michael Elgin and Ken Shamrock
Michael Elgin is at production and demands that they play his music as he storms to the ring. Elgin complains that he is the rightful Impact World Champion and has been for over a year. Last week he beat himself by allowing Sami Callihan to distract him. The lights go off as Callihan’s logo comes on the screen. Elgin says that Callihan can not get the job done and that’s why he’s not showing his face. Elgin says that he isn’t leaving the ring until he is announced as Number One Contender or Impact World Champion.
Ken Shamrock’s music hits and he storms into the ring. The two brawled in the ring and Shamrock attempts to apply the Ankle Lock but Elgin escapes.
Davie’s thoughts: Another solid promo from Michael Elgin. I feel they are just loading Elgin with feuds until Tessa Blanchard is back for him to face.
Number One Contenders Final
Ace Austin vs Trey
Trey doesn’t come to the ring and we see backstage that he has been taken out.
Austin cuts a promo in the ring saying that this is such a shame as we are depriving the audience of a five-star match. Austin demands that the referee raises his arm and declare him Number One Contender. Wentz storms the ring to attack Austin as the referees separate them.
Scott D’Amore comes out to announce that Wentz will replace Trey in the match.
Ace Austin vs Wentz
As the bell rings Wentz hits a Shotgun Dropkick followed by a Modified Cutter for a two count. Wentz is continuously beating down on Austin and the referee has to pull him off. Wentz yells “That’s my brother!” as he is very emotional after the attack on Trey. They brawl on the outside and Austin makes a comeback after Back Body Dropping Wentz on to the ramp. Austin repeatedly goes for a countout victory. Wentz throws Austin into the guardrail and hits him with a boot to the face. Wentz takes a run-up and leaps off the steel steps but gets met with a Roundhouse Kick by Austin.
Back in the ring, Austin applies a Fujiwara Armbar to Wentz and slices in between his fingers with a playing card. Wentz goes for The Fold but Wentz comes back with a Handspring into a Knee Strike to the face of Austin. Wentz hits a series of impressive kicks and hits the Standing Moonsault for a two count. Wentz attempts a Swanton Bomb but Austin gets his knees up. Austin hits The Fold for the win.
Ace Austin defeats Wentz via Pinfall in 17 mins 16 secs (Plus commercial breaks)
Davie’s thoughts: Another excellent main event for Impact Wrestling TV. Wentz really had quite the night after having an excellent tag match and then a great showcase against Ace Austin. I really liked the story of the match with Wentz’s emotion over the attack of Trey firing him up and making him way more aggressive than usual. I feel this could also be a way to prolong the eventual match between Blanchard and Austin as you could have Trey come back before then to have the proper Number One Contenders match.
You’re Fired!
As the show ends there is a video of a man wearing a black hoodie pouring himself a glass of whiskey and watching breaking news on TV. A news reporter is in front of a screen with the words “You’re Fired!” And says that over twenty superstars have been released from their contracts amidst the ongoing global pandemic. The screen flashes and we see images of Eric Young, Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson, Rockstar Spud, Curt Hawkins, Mike & Maria Kanellis, and EC3 as the screen flashes again to advertise Slammiversary 2020 on July 18th.
Davie’s thoughts: An excellent video to leave fans of Impact with something to get excited for at the end of the show. I loved the way it was presented giving a dig at WWE for releasing superstars during a global pandemic. It was interesting to see Rockstar Spud shown as he is currently in a major storyline on NXT TV. So it appears that perhaps he is definitely leaving WWE. It would be interesting to see what kind of contracts these guys have signed and whether they are long or short term deals. With Impact and AEW being the only other companies currently running it was only a matter of time before we started seeing more people show up.
Overall, I thought it was a really strong episode of Impact. I thought both tag matches on the show were excellent and Wentz vs Austin over-delivered. Pair that with an interesting video at the end made it a very enjoyable two hours of wrestling TV.
7.5 Released Superstars Out of 10