Impact Wrestling Emergence Night One – August 18, 2020
After a video package setting up tonight’s Impact Wrestling Emergence Night One, we head right to the ring!
X-Division Champion Chris Bey vs. Rohit Raju vs. TJP
Bey is knocked out of the ring. TJP nailed a head scissors that sent Raju to the floor and then nailed one off the ropes on Bey. Lots of fast paced action early on. Bey caught TJP in the ropes and nailed a springboard move, splashing him. Bey worked him over with stomps and punches before Raju joined in.
The storyline is that Raju convinced Bey to make it a three-way with the idea Raju, in the ring, could assist him. TJP caught Bey in a leg submission. Raju tried to save him but was caught in a Northern Lights suplex at the same time. Bey was worked over until Raju caught him with a clothesline. Raju kept working over TJP, allowing Bey a chance to recover. Fallah Bah yelled at Raju, who told him to shut up.
TJP’s submission wrestling was on full display as the bout continued, including using a Gore Guerrero Especial on Bey the same time he had a leglock on Raju. TJP locked a crossface on Bey but Raju nailed a big forearm smash. The champion and Raju began double-teaming TJP. TJP nailed Bey with a tombstone and went to the top rope, only to be knocked into the ring by Raju. Raju went to the top but TJP nailed him. Bey slipped in underneath and locked TJP in the Electric Chair position. From there, TJP nailed a superplex on Raju and locked on an Octopus. Bey tried to make the save but was hit and TJP locked on stereo armbars on each of them. He nailed a hiptoss into a driver on Bey for a two count.
Raju was able to take TJP down but missed a big running kick. He was caught in a head & arms Tazplex but everyone was too spent to score a pinfall. Raju nailed a big kneestrike and caught TJP with a series of big moves in the corner before missing a cannonball. Bey went after TJP and caught him with a forward roll for a two count. Bey nailed a slam out of an over the shoulder backbreaker for a two count. Really good wrestling throughout here.
TJP used his knees to drill Bey into the mat. He and Bey crashed into Raju, knocking him off the apron. TJP locked in a submission. Bey was going to tap out but Raju grabbed his hand to prevent it. TJP nailed a springboard dropkick to the outside on Raju, then hit one inside the ring on Bey. He and Bey fought in the corner. Bey was trapped and TJP tried to go for a back suplex. Raju returned to the fray and knocked them off the ropes. Bey was caught on the ropes. Raju realized he had Bey and got ALL EXCITED, then hit a double stomp off the ropes onto Bey and scored the pin.
Your winner and new X-Division Champion, Rohit Raju!
Nice to see this as Raju has been one of the most underrated performers for the company for months. Good, fun wrestling all the way through.
We go to WrestleHouse! John E. Bravo and Crazzy Steve, using their toys, played up the Taya vs. Kylie match.
The idea is they are all in the house too long and were getting ring rust. Larry D said ring rust was his actual fragrance. D is still enamoured with Rosemary since she put a love hex on him. I can’t believe I just typed that. Acey Romero is completely befuddled by “Lawrence D.”
Backstage, The Good Brothers said Ace Austin and Madman Fulton wanted to get their attention. They wanted the Good Brothers to come after them and now they have that attention. They wondered if Ace and Fulton know that they have done. The Good Brothers don’t play around. This is what they wanted and now they have it. Gallows told Madman and his little stooge that what they pulled wasn’t the first time Gallows ended up behind bars but tonight, they get to become famous.
Madison Rayne and Josh Mathews officially welcomed everyone to Emergence. They reacted to Raju’s title win and ran down the lineup for tonight’s broadcast.
TNA Champion Moose vs. Trey Miguel
The storyline was whether Moose would be distracted by everything EC3 has pulled on him of late.
Dave Penzer did the big championship introductions.
Moose controlled Trey early with big chops in the corner as they went to commercial. When they returned, Trey was working over Moose with kicks to the legs. Moose was able to reverse a whip into the corner and nailed a running elbow. Trey ducked a clothesline and went back to the kicks, battering the lower back. Trey went to the top rope but Moose dropkicked him off the turnbuckles to the floor, which looked insane. Moose followed him to the floor and murdered him with a hard chop to the floor. Moose elevated and dropped him across the apron outside before tossing Miguel back into the ring. Moose used his boot to smother Trey in the ring. He followed up with a huge Beel toss across the ring. He followed up with a big fall away slam, then whipped Miguel into the buckles.
He continued to stomp away at Trey, following up with big chops. The storyline from the announcers was that Miguel is always the ultimate underdog when facing larger competition. Moose pulled Miguel up by the ear and nailed another Beel.
Miguel started to fire back from underneath, nailing a series of forearms but was cut off with a big dropkick, covering him for a two count. Moose began trash-talking Miguel, telling him this match was meant for Suicide, not him. He went for another Beel but Miguel landed on his feet and nailed pair of superkicks, then an enziguiri. Miguel began working him over with dropkicks. He went for a springboard DDT but Moose caught him and went for a suplex but Miguel countered the counter and nailed a big DDT. Moose went to the floor. Miguel went for a flip dive but was caught and slammed into the guard rail. Moose powerbombed him on the apron, leaving him for dead on the outside. Miguel fights to beat the countout and does. Moose tossed him into the buckles and speared Trey for the pin.
Your winner and still TNA Champion, Moose!
EC3 hit the ring and nailed Moose with an inverted DDT. EC3 stood over him, grabbed the TNA title and walked out with the championship.
They aired a video piece on the return of Eric Young.
The Impact+ flashback was Young vs. Kurt Angle in a Stretcher Match.
Willie Mack was being interviewed, knocking Young for attacking Rich Swann and for returning to retire Rich after everything Young has accomplished in his career. Brian Myers hijacked Jimmy Jacobs and the cameraman, demanding a sit-down interview. He said he had done everything right his entire career and all it got him was fired while his wife was six months pregnant. He listened to every rule and every veteran and it got him nowhere and he’s tired of being told a “goofy 70 year old” in a production meeting knows what’s best. He said he was the most professional wrestler and would show the world that. Mack, offended by Myers’ disrespect, attacked him as the cameras were knocked over. This was very good.
The Good Brothers vs. Madman Fulton & Ace Austin
They noted on commentary The Good Brothers were looking to recruit others to Impact. That was a reference to AJ Styles.
Austin and Anderson started out with Anderson clipping him with a lariat and nailing a series of right hands down on the mat. Gallows tagged in, which Fulton wasn’t happy about, and manhandled Austin easily in the corner. Anderson tagged in but Austin cut him off and tagged in Fulton. Fulton worked him over in the corner, nailing a series of shoulderblocks. Fulton tagged out to Austin, who nailed a dropkick.
Anderson was able to muscle Austin back into his corner, tagging in Gallows. Gallows missed a charge in the corner so Austin tagged in Fulton. The big men faced off. Gallows slapped him. They went back and forth with big punches and clotheslines but neither man gained an immediate advantage. Gallows finally caught him in the corner and nailed a series of shots to the mid-section, then a big uppercut. He missed a charge. Fulton worked him over, smashing his head into the buckles. Austin assisted but was caught with a big right. Anderson tagged in but was overwhelmed by Austin and Fulton double-teaming them. Austin worked over Anderson’s arm and used a playing card to slice between his fingers. Anderson was worked over as Fulton and Austin tagged in and out. Fulton lifted Anderson up for a suplex but then dropped him chest-first over Austin’s knees. They went to execute the move again but Anderson slipped out and clipped Fulton’s knees. He nailed a spinebuster on Austin and tagged Gallows.
Gallows cleaned house on Austin. Fulton took out Gallows. He worked over Anderson and scored a two count after a big clothesline. Anderson mounted a comeback against Fulton but was nailed with a big knee strike. Gallows was attacked by Fulton on the floor. He sent Gallows into the guard rail and went for a kick but caught his foot in the rail. Gallows clotheslined him over the railing to outside the ring area.
Gallows tagged himself in and he and Anderson nailed the Magic Killer on Austin.
Your winners, The Good Brothers!
This was solid. It may have been a little too long but it was nice to see Gallows and Anderson actually being given ring time. They showed Fulton competitively battling Gallows, which helped make Fulton look strong. Austin and Anderson in the ring had some good chemistry and I am looking forward to seeing more of that as well. This was a nice primer of what could be yet to come.
Back at Wrestlehouse, the group was gathered. Alisha Edwards was happy that Taya had a match so that she was distracted and couldn’t set up more bonding exercises. The Deaners wanted to stock up on beer but their supplies had mysteriously disappeared from the fridge. They were going to solve the mystery. Swinger said it couldn’t have been him as he’s straight edge. Everyone looked at him and he said he was on probation and to kayfabe. Alisha said she only drinks the fancy stuff, box wine. That was hilarious. Romero showed up and went into the fridge. They accused him of taking the beer. Susie said they made a truce and breaking a truce is bad. Larry D showed up and took some seltzer water from the fridge. He said he’s a lover not a fighter. He asked Rosemary if she’ll be at the match tonight. She said she would referee tonight but perhaps they’ll do something next week. John E. Bravo was beside himself over all of this.
They went to the Wrestlehouse ring for Taya vs. Kylie Rae. Kylie scored the pin. Taya claimed she kicked out. She wasn’t happy with Rosemary. Rosemary told Larry D she’d see him next week. Crazzy Steve told John E. Bravo that he was blind and even he can see Bravo is blowing it with Rosemary. The Deaners said they have to see who stole their beer.
Another Impact+ plug.
Josh Mathews and Madison Rayne ran down Night Two of Emergence.
Impact Wrestling Tag Team Champions The Motor City Machine Guns vs. The North.
Josh Alexander and Chris Sabin started out going back and forth with neither getting the early advantage. Sabin slipped under Ethan Page’s legs when he tried to interfere from the outside and pulled him off the apron. The North finally cut him off and controlled the ring, even taking down Alex Shelley when he hit the ring to assist.
The North controlled Sabin, tagging in and out. Shelley finally was able to tag in and peppered Alexander with forearms. The Guns began whipping out all their double-team maneuvers. They began working over Alexander’s leg as they went to commercial.
When Impact returned from commercial, the Guns continued to control the ring. They knocked Page to the floor. Alexander kicked Shelley off during a move and Page drilled him with a right hand from outside on the floor. That proved to be a turning point, as the North began beating down Shelley. Page worked over Shelley’s arm and held him up for a delayed vertical suplex. Shelley tried to use knee strikes to escape while being held up but Alexander tagged in and Shelley was drilled over his knee. Alexander covered him but Sabin hit the ring to break up the pinfall attempt.
Shelley finally avoided a charge from Page and made the hot tag to Sabin. He cleaned house with a series of forearms on Page, followed by a kick to the mid-section and a neckbreaker. He drilled Alexander with a kick and then sailed off the top with a missile dropkick. Shelley and Page battled back and forth. Page avoided Sliced Bread #2. Alexander hit the ring. Sabin assisted Shelley in hitting stereo sliced bread #2 on both.
The Guns and The North battled back and forth with kicks and strikes. The North nailed the double piledriver slam on Sabin, who got his shoulder up at the last second. Page was losing it over that. They worked him over, pinballing him back and forth with superkicks. They went back and forth with pinfalls before all four were down, completely spent.
Alexander charged Shelley, who went for Sliced Bread #2. The North overwhelmed him. Sabin fought the North off himself, nailing a tornado DDT on Page. Alexander rocked him with a strike. The Guns nailed the Dream Sequence on Alexander and worked over Page with superkicks. They doubleteamed Page and scored the pin.
Your winners and still Impact Tag Team Champions, The Motor City Machine Guns!
A very good back and forth, physical tag team bout.
Elite subscribers, stay tuned for my post-show audio!
NEXT WEEK:
*FIRST EVER KNOCKOUTS IRON MAN MATCH: Impact Wrestling Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo vs. Jordynne Grace.
*Eddie Edwards defends the Impact Championship,
*Brian Myers vs. Willie Mack.
*EC3 on why he stole the TNA title.
*WrestleHouse returns.
Credit: PWInsider.com
