IMPACT Sacrifice Report: Rich Swann becomes Unified Champion

John Siino reviews IMPACT's Sacrifice card featuring the title unification match between Rich Swann and Moose, and a full review of the show.

Photo Courtesy: IMPACT Wrestling

IMPACT Wrestling Sacrifice 2021

By: John Siino

Exclusively on Impact+

March 13th, 2021

Skyway Studios in Nashville, Tennessee

Commentary: Matt Striker & D’Lo Brown

Decay (Crazzy Steve & Black Taurus) (w/ Rosemary) vs. Reno Scum (Adam Thornstowe & Luster the Legend)

Steve and Thornstowe start the match. Steve quickly takes Thornstowe down and attempts a pin, Steve uses his speed a bit more to control Thornstowe before tagging in Taurus as Luster gets tagged in as well. Luster runs into Taurus’ boot in the corner, as Taurus targets the left arm of Luster before tagging Steve back in. They double team Luster in the corner before Taurus spins Steve right on top of Luster for another pin attempt. Thornstowe comes in and gets taken down by a neck breaker by Steve, as Taurus comes in and they hit a double backbreaker as Taurus gets a 2 count. Thornstowe himself comes back with a double stomp and senton but only gets a 2 before tagging Luster in. Reno Scum starts double-teaming Taurus in the corner before Thornstowe takes him down with a dropkick for a 2 count. Luster comes in and starts dominating Taurus before Taurus comes back with a dive from the top rope as both men crawl to their partners. Steve comes in and takes down Thornstowe with a Russian leg sweep and a low-angle flatliner before Luster comes in who slingshots Steve into Thornstowe. Steve comes back and tags Taurus. All four men battle, but Thornstowe accidentally takes out his partner to the outside. Luster grabs Steve and tries to slam him into the post but Rosemary blocks him and sprays green mist in his face. Back inside Crazzy Steve hits a cannonball into Thornstowe, and Taurus hits the Taurus Driver on him for the pin.

Winners: Decay by pinfall at 7:46

Tenille Dashwood & Kaleb vs. Havok & Nevaeh

Tenille and Nevaeh start the match. Tenille is able to take Nevaeh down and ‘noogie’ her, but Nevaeh gets out. They trade off wrist locks before Tenille goes and tags in Kaleb (still with a K). Kaleb body slams Nevaeh but misses an elbow as Havok gets tagged in. Kaleb tries to run away, but Havok grabs Kaleb by his neck brace and throws him into their corner as Nevaeh comes back in. They start to double team him including splashes to the corner as Nevaeh gets a two count. Kaleb attempts to chop Nevaeh, but she ducks it and applies chops of her own. Kaleb takes her down by her hair and tags in Tenille who right away goes for the pin and only gets a 1. Kaleb goes and grabs his phone to record as Tenille hits offense on Nevaeh. Kaleb gets tagged in and taunts Havok before putting on a leg lock on Nevaeh and tagging Tenille in. Tenille applies a rear chin lock as Kaleb continues taking pictures. Kaleb comes in and rakes the back of Nevaeh, but she comes back and hits a neck breaker. Havok & Tenille both get tagged in, and Havok takes out both Kaleb and Tenille with running knees to the corners. Nevaeh comes in and hits a clothesline on Tenille, but the pin count gets broken up by Kaleb. Nevaeh rolls up Tenille, Kaleb distracts the referee, pushes Tenille to roll Nevaeh over her way, and gets the pin.

Winners: Tenille Dashwood & Kaleb by pinfall at 7:08

3 Belts Rich

We go backstage where Eddie Edwards bumps into Rich Swann and tells him it’s his night and he’s the man who represents the company and can hold both the TNA and IMPACT titles tonight and go onto Rebellion to face Kenny Omega. Swann agrees and screams HELL YEAH, as Edwards tells him he’ll win the AEW Championship.

Violent by Design (Joe Doering & Deaner) (w/ Eric Young) vs. James Storm & Chris Sabin (w/ Jake Something)

Sabin and Deaner start the match as Deaner takes down Sabin right away with a shoulder block and he looks over to Eric Young for approval. Sabin is able to take down Deaner, as Deaner goes over to Young for advice and tags Doering in. Doering easily takes down Sabin, Sabin is able to trick Doering and go for his legs and jump on top of him. Sabin tags Storm in, and they get a double clothesline from Doering. Deaner tags back in and takes down Storm, but Storm tags in Sabin, and they hit a double back elbow and kick as Sabin gets a 1 count. Sabin hits a suplex for a 1 count. The Beer Guns corner Deaner and hit a barrage of double team moves, ending with Storm getting a 2 count. Storm gets thrown out but skins the cat, before getting clotheslined on the apron by Doering who then gets tagged in. Doering quickly tags Deaner back in who holds Storm down and targets the neck of Storm who starts struggling for breath. VBD starts trading tags back and forth as Storm struggles to try and fight them off. Eventually, Storm is able to kick off Deaner and tag Sabin in. Sabin is able to hit an atomic drop and a kick to Deaner and takes out Doering on the outside. Sabin hits a missile dropkick on Deaner, attempts to dive on Doering on the outside but he catches him. Storm saves him, back inside, Sabin hits a Fisherman’s Suplex, Storm with a flying elbow, and Sabin only gets a two count. Doering takes Storm back to the outside, comes in, tries to chokeslam Sabin, but Sabin ducks and runs into a cross body by Doering. Deaner hits a flying headbutt and looks like the match would be over, but only gets a 2 count on Sabin. Sabin comes back and hits an enziguri, but Young puts Deaner’s foot on the rope to break the count. Jake Something starts attacking Young, as Deaner throws Sabin into the referee to take him out. As Sabin has Deaner up, Young comes in the ring but gets taken out by Something. Sabin and Deaner hit a double clothesline on each other. On the outside, Young hits a jumping neck breaker on Something, and he and Doering slowly get into the ring. Rhino returns and when it looks like he’s going to help Sabin, he ends up hitting him with a Gore as Deaner gets the pin.

Winners: Violent by Design by pinfall at 11:30

After the match, Rhino aligns himself with Violent by Design, the same group that took out his partner Heath.

Acting Professional

We go backstage where we see Brian Myers hand off some money to Hernandez, as Gia Miller asks him about his match for tonight. Myers is upset at everything, including Matt Cardona and tonight’s match but says that Eddie Edwards will get the Most Professional Wrestler tonight.

Hold Harmless Match: Brian Myers vs. Eddie Edwards

The rules to this are pretty much the same as a no-holds-barred match, the wording of it was just a way to trick Myers into signing on for it. They quickly go at it, before Edwards is able to get Myers on the outside. They start brawling towards the entrance but quickly go back near the ring where Edwards targets the injured eye of Myers. Back inside, Myers is able to come back and trip Edwards up, before Edwards kicks Myers to the barricade and dives right onto him. They quickly go back in, and immediately Edwards throws Myers back outside just so he can dive onto him again. Edwards gets on top of the ring steps, but Myers is able to trip him up as Edwards goes elbow first down against them. Myers continues to slam Edwards down on the steps and grabs a trash can lid from under the ring before smacking Edwards in the ring with it and getting a two count. Myers starts driving the lid down onto the throat of Edwards and transitions into a chokehold asking the referee if he wants to give up. Edwards does not give up and fights out, but Myers slams him right back down by the hair before grabbing a cookie sheet and smacking Edwards with it and taking turns between the trash can lid and cookie sheet and hits a suplex for a two count. Edwards tries a comeback but runs into a Michinoku Driver by Myers for the two-count. Myers goes and grabs more weapons from under the ring including more cookie sheets and a bunch of chairs. Myers lays Edwards down on the chairs, goes to the top rope but Edwards smacks Myers in the face with a cookie sheet. Edwards hits a superplex on Myers right on top of the pile of chairs, but both men were hurt by the landing. They start trading blows and kicks but Edwards hits a Blue Thunder Bomb for a 2. Edwards goes under the ring and grabs a table and sets it up on the outside. Edwards goes inside to go and grab Myers, but Hernandez runs in and starts attacking Edwards. As Hernandez has Edwards up, Matt Cardona runs in and takes Hernandez out with the Radio Silence as they go to the outside. Edwards grabs a Kendo stick, but Myers tries to hide under the ring, as Edwards tries to grab him, Myers grabs him and yanks him into the edge of the ring, hits a flatliner on the outside, and places Edwards on top of the table. Myers tries to jump off the top rope but Edwards quickly gets up, takes him down with a Kendo stick, and hits a backpack stunner from the top rope onto the table on the outside. Edwards throws Myers back inside but runs into a superkick by Myers. Myers pulls out an object, but Edwards quickly comes back, takes down Edwards, puts the object into his knee pad, hits a loaded Boston Knee Party, and gets the pin.

Winner: Eddie Edwards by pinfall at 16:45

IMPACT Knockouts Tag Team Championship: Fire ‘n Flava (c) (Kiera Hogan & Tasha Steelz) vs. Jordynne Grace & Jazz

Kiera and Grace start the match, and Grace right away takes down Kiera, ending with a shoulder blocker. Jazz and Steelz both get tagged in and start comparing muscles before squaring up. Steelz hits a tilt-a-whirl head scissors but Jazz catches a flying Steelz and drives her down for a 2 count. Grace comes in and hits a slam and a couple of elbow drops on the back of Steelz. Grace tries to further the attack, but Steelz rolls over to the outside. Back inside, the referee holds Grace back as Steelz plays possum in the corner. Kiera comes in and starts taking Grace out in the corner followed by a 1 count followed by Fire ‘n Flava cornering Grace. Grace carries Steelz over to her corner, tags Jazz in who strikes Steelz down with a couple of punches. Kiera interferes and distracts Jazz who gets hit with a cutter for a two count. Kiera tags in, and attempts to pin Jazz after a kick to the back. Jazz fights back but gets a rake to the eye from Kiera as Tasha is distracting the referee. Jazz fires back, as she and Steelz trade shots, but Jazz hits a roundhouse kick to Steelz before tagging Grace in. Grace hits a double knee to the back of the head of Kiera, followed by a Vader Bomb, but Steelz interferes and hits a splash onto her to stop the count. Grace tries the Vader Bomb again but Steelz stops her and they hit a double stomp/neck breaker but the pin gets stopped when Grace grabs the rope. Grace hits a wheelbarrow face plant on Kiera, only gets a 2, but tags Jazz in who hits a powerbomb and into submission, but Steelz interferes. Jazz tags Grace in, and Grace tries a muscle buster on Kiera, but Kiera escapes, Steelz hits a crucifix bomb, followed by Kiera hitting a Roll of the Dice for the pin.

Winners: Fire ‘n Flava by pinfall at 10:29, to retain

Enough Talking

Gia Miller backstage with Moose asking him about tonight’s title unification match, but Moose says nothing. Miller presses on, but Moose says “He’s done enough talking, just watch what happens to Rich Swann tonight”.

IMPACT X Division Championship: TJP (c) vs. Ace Austin (w/ Madman Fulton)

The match starts quickly and fast, with TJP getting the better of it. Austin is able to get TJP down on the mat, but TJP comes back with an abdominal stretch. Austin goes to get some advice from Fulton, and is able to power TJP down, before TJP counters and hits a twisting head scissors, headstand, and trips up Austin followed by a low dropkick. Austin ends up on the outside, and TJP hits a kick on Fulton instead and ends up getting a Fosbury Flop by Austin. Back inside, Austin takes advantage of the weakened TJP, but TJP dodges an elbow but runs into a kick by Austin for a 2 count. Austin applies a Dragon Sleeper on TJP in the middle of the ring. TJP fights out with a couple of knee strikes. TJP hits a springboard DDT, Austin ends up on the outside and TJP hits a springboard dropkick. Back inside, TJP hits a crossbody followed by a boot in the corner, and a tornado DDT getting a two-count on Austin. TJP goes on top and calls for the Mamba Splash, but Austin rolls out. TJP comes back and misses the boot in the corner, but tries to apply a submission, ending up in a pin and they exchange pinfalls until they both hit a double boot to fall down. Austin comes back with a rolling kick and a springboard leg drop for a 2 count. Austin tries to go for the fold, but TJP collapses down as the referee checks on him. Austin goes for a submission, but TJP reverses and goes right into the kneebar in the middle of the ring. Austin tries to reach for Fulton, but TJP pulls him back to the middle of the ring, but Austin is finally able to reach for the ropes. They start trading blows until TJP comes back with kicks, they counter each other until TJP applies the kneebar once again. TJP hits a suplex and calls for the Mamba Splash again. Austin pulls Brandon Tolle in between them and kicks TJP. Austin hits a double stomp followed by the Fold and quickly goes for the pin and the win.

Winner: Ace Austin by pinfall at 12:13, to become the NEW IMPACT X Division Champion

Meow, Daddy!

We go to the Swinger’s Palace where Alisha Edwards is having trouble in Poker. Tenille Dashwood & Kaleb walk in and look confused and want to redecorate. Johnny Swinger welcomes them, but Tenille says she’s just looking for a place to do her Boomerang. Alisha seems disgusted by Tenille, but Tenille says she forgot her name. Alisha gets upset and says she’s going to go to Scott D’Amore and demand a match, but Tenille says she is doing it first. Swinger says “Meow, daddy”.

IMPACT Knockouts Championship: Deonna Purrazzo (c) (w/ Kimber Lee & Susan) vs. ODB

ODB right away uses her power to fluster Deonna. Deonna gets in her face, but ODB takes her down with a chest bump. Deonna takes ODB down with a headlock takeover, but ODB counters with a side suplex. Deonna misses a jumping pump kick as they square back up in the middle of the ring. They start pushing each other, but ODB hits a chest press, splash in the corner, and a fallaway slam. With Deonna on the outside, Kimber holds ODB’S leg as she tries to dive onto her. Kimber Lee gets involved once again, so Brandon Tolle ejects both Kimber and Susan (who did nothing) to the back and the piped-in crowd goes absolutely wild. Back inside, they trade kicks but Deonna takes ODB down with a side Russian leg sweep into the Fujiwara armbar. ODB rolls out but runs into an elbow by Deonna. Deonna gets on the top rope and applies another armbar as the referee breaks it up. Deonna climbs the top again but gets tossed off by ODB. They stand toe to toe and start trading shots again before ODB whips Deonna to the turnbuckles, but Deonna comes back with a boot to the chin. ODB hits a running powerslam but only gets a two count. ODB tries to go for the Dirty Dozen, but Deonna blocks it, ODB tries to dive onto her but Deonna dodges it and applies an armbar, and transitions into Venus de Milo for the submission victory.

Winner: Deonna Purrazzo by submission at 8:29, to retain

Digital Exclusive

Alisha Edwards and Tenille Dashwood both rush into Scott D’Amore’s office and demand a match. D’Amore agrees and says this Tuesday they will get their match but it’s a 6 on 6 tag match, and to find out who the participants are they must log onto IMPACTWrestling.com to find out. I did, and there was no announcement just yet.

IMPACT World Tag Team Championship: The Good Brothers (c) (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson) vs. FinJuice (Juice Robinson & David Finlay)

Anderson and Finlay start the match. They trade off basic wrestling moves in the middle of the ring, and Finlay rolls up Anderson for a pin attempt. Anderson takes him down with a shoulder block, runs into a dropkick by Finlay as he tags Juice in. FinJuice hit double team moves, and Juice hits a senton for a 2 count. Gallows gets tagged in and whips Juice around until walking into a boot by Juice, but Gallows’ clotheslines Juice to stop him. Anderson comes in and holds Juice down before he starts taunting the camera. Juice comes back, tags in Finlay who stops Anderson in the corner but gets tripped up and falls headfirst on the turnbuckle. Gallows comes in and hits a snap suplex on Finlay followed by a couple of elbow drops for a two count. Anderson distracts the referee as Anderson starts choking Finlay on the ropes. Finlay tries to fight off Gallows but runs into a boot. Anderson comes in and holds Finlay down before throwing him in the corner and scrapes him with his forearm. Anderson runs right into a boot of Finlay, but Gallows gets tagged in and stops Finlay from tagging Juice. Gallows on the mat drives elbows down to the neck of Finlay and throws him right into the boot of Anderson, tagging him in and they hit a couple of double-team moves before Anderson knocks Juice off the apron. Gallows comes back inside and knocks Finlay down with punches. Finlay is finally able to duck out of a move by Anderson and tag Juice in. Juice eagerly knocks Anderson all around the ring but finally gets stopped by a European uppercut. Juice misses a cannonball in the corner, and Anderson tags Gallows in who pulls down the straps. Gallows hits a huge roundhouse kick but only gets a two-count. Anderson gets tagged in, and the Brothers double team Juice in the corner but gets a three-count broken up by Finlay. The Brothers attempt the magic killer, but Finlay breaks it up. They try again, but Juice comes back only to get hit by a spinebuster by Anderson for a 2 count. Juice tags in Finlay and FinJuice hit a backbreaker/elbow combo for a 2 count. FinJuice clothesline Gallows to the outside and Finlay dives onto him. FinJuice hit the Doomsday Device on Anderson for the pin.

Winners: FinJuice by pinfall at 14:34, to become NEW IMPACT World Tag Team Champions

IMPACT World Championship / TNA World Heavyweight Championship Unification Match: Rich Swann (c) vs. Moose (c)

Moose comes in as the TNA World Heavyweight Champion and Rich Swann is the IMPACT World Champion. The winner of this goes to defend their unified championship against the AEW World Champion Kenny Omega and his title at IMPACT Wrestling Rebellion on April 24th. Moose starts by calling Swann in, who does with a dropkick. Moose comes back and throws Swann into the corner but runs into a couple of boots by Swann. Moose tries to powerbomb him from the top, but ends up catching Swann from a crossbody instead and misses Swann and goes to the outside. Swann hits a kick and tries to dive onto Moose on the outside but gets caught. Swann jumps off the apron for a moonsault but gets caught again. Swann then pushes Moose against 3 of the posts on the outside face first. Back inside, Moose is able to grab Swann and drop his neck first onto the ropes. Moose starts throwing Swann around by his hair from corner to corner. Swann finally comes back with some offense and takes Moose down with a couple of basement dropkicks until Moose throws Swann 360 with a back body drop. Moose goes back to the hair of Swann and absolutely controls Swann throughout. Swann is finally able to lay some smacks to Moose and roll him up with a pin but Moose kicks out and hits a big uranage for a 2 of his own. Moose goes and grabs a chair from under the ring and places it against the turnbuckle. Brian Hebner blocks it as Moose tries to throw Swann into it, instead, he hits a fall-away slam and Swann rolls out of the ring. On the outside, Moose throws Swann against the barricade and again goes after Swann’s hair by pulling it through the barricade. Back inside, Moose continues to stretch out Swann and digs his elbow into the ribs of Swann. Swann is able to fight out by biting Moose’s fingers but Moose ends up stopping Swann in his tracks with a gut buster. Moose with Swann on his back goes and climbs to the top rope, Swann reverses and hits a hurricanrana. Swann fights with kicks and smacks, but his springboard stunner attempt gets stopped with a kick to the spine. Moose goes for a step-up moonsault but lands right into a springboard stunner by Swann. Absolutely amazing. Swann only gets a 1 count, but Swann comes back with a 450 splash for a two-count. Swann back on top gets knocked down by Moose. Moose climbs to the top, but Swann hits headbutts and punches and bites Moose’s head to get him off and to the mat. Swann takes his time and rests on the top turnbuckle for a while and Moose runs up and hits a fallaway moonsault slam from the top rope which Moose only gets a 2 count on. Moose goes to the outside where he seems frustrated, back inside Moose goes for the spear, but Swann dodges it. The same thing happens once more, and on the third attempt Moose runs into the chair that was set up earlier, Swann ends up rolling Moose up for the pin and the win.

Winner: Rich Swann by pinfall at 20:15, to become the Unified IMPACT World Champion

Siino Vision: Wow, that main event was absolutely fantastic, for anyone that might have doubted Moose on possibly being the one to face Kenny Omega could have easily had their thoughts switched after that one, both he and Swann were able to work beautifully off of one another and that moonsault into the stunner will easily go into IMPACT’s highlight history. This is a match that IMPACT should capitalize on with either putting on their Tuesday show or for free on YouTube to drum up interests for any AEW viewers who aren’t familiar. Maybe even a throwaway line from Kenny or Don Callis on Dynamite about how good the match was could help. Can’t rave about this much enough.

On to the rest of the card, although I did like the fact that the last 5 matches were championship matches and 5 out of matches being tag matches, I do feel like except for the main event everything else just felt like it belonged on an extended version of a Tuesday IMPACT show, and the Swinger’s Palace and backstage segments with Scott D’Amore didn’t help. I know these are filmed bunched together with those shows, but they could have made this feel more like an actual pay-per-view. We did get a couple of title changes though to make it feel a bit special, and I was caught off guard by FinJuice winning as they have left for NJPW a while ago and looks like they didn’t bring their titles with them as the Good Brothers have had them in the more recent AEW shows. It does bring up the question if the Good Brothers might take a trip to Japan to reclaim their gold or if we would have to wait for Rebellion next month for FinJuice to return? Regardless, it’s nice to see wrestlers from other promotions winning titles, just another chapter in the Forbidden Door book. Rhino helping out the same group that took out his best friend sure needs some explaining and as of this writing there still is no match on their website that Scott D’Amore urged me to go and check for.

Rebellion could go down as their biggest show in a while, but they really need AEW to do their part and help out with some promotion on Wednesday nights, and I’m crossing my fingers we get a Rich Swann appearance and/or match on Dynamite in the next couple of weeks.

7 unified titles out of 10

About John Siino 359 Articles
New York native and reporter at POST Wrestling. He is also Associate Producer at POISONRANA, co-host of 'Collision Course' and the host of the 'Shot in the Dark' podcast.