Impact Wrestling Results – May 5, 2020
Impact Wrestling on AXS opened with a recap of the recent events that took place at Rebellion, including Moose declaring himself the new TNA Heavyweight Championship, Willie Mack winning the X-Division Champion and Ken Shamrock vs. Sami Callihan.
Sami Callihan, limping from the effects of Ken Shamrock’s anklelock at Rebellion, made his way to the ring. He said that he has a message to say to everyone watching. He tells OVE he doesn’t need their help. Ken Shamrock comes out and says he has something to say to Callihan. Callihan tells him to get in the ring and say it. Shamrock said he has fought a lot of tough guys in his career, some he has knocked out but most he has tapped out. Callihan didn’t tap. Callihan says, “No sh**.” Shamrock says that he’s one tough SOB. He’s tapped out the Big Show, Bas Rutten, The Rock and more. Shamrock told Callihan they only have two choices. They can go back outside and finish this fight or they can go after what they came here to get, the Impact Championship belt. Everyone in this company came here for it. They can go outside or shake hands and put this behind them.
Callihan considered the offer and was about to shake his hand when Michael Elgin’s music began playing and Elgin came out. He said that he heard them mention the Impact title and the rightful champion is Big Mike. Callihan said he was getting the same reaction he always gets from the crowd, nothing. Elgin said he gets a reaction when the fans are here and then they go home and tweet to their friends. He doesn’t need to use toys like Callihan does to get excited like staple guns and he doesn’t need middle fingers and spitting like Callihan does. He said Callihan can try to put on his wrestling boots but they won’t fit. Elgin said he’s the rightful number one contender. Shamrock said he’s here to fight and can go anytime. Elgin said he was going to win the title at Rebellion and that time will come and the line will start behind him. Callihan wondered if Elgin was trying to convince himself or the world he was so great, but said Elgin is going to do the same thing he always does, choke.
Elgin nailed Callihan and then Shamrock. They all brawled until Elgin escaped and ran off. Shamrock and Callihan faced off but before anything could happen, the lights went out and when they returned, Callihan disappeared. A good segment to set the stage for the future. Elgin has been really coming into his own with promos of late. Callihan and Shamrock were both really good as well.
Backstage, Chris Bey said there may be uncertainty as to who the top contender for the World Champion is, but there’s no debate who is the number one contender for the X-Division title – him. He said that he gets what he wants, when he wants it. Tonight, he’s going to finesse his way into becoming the X-Division Champion. He’s going to be the first Finesse Division Champion.
Backstage. X-Division Champion Willie Mack said he didn’t expect someone to come after his title so quick, but Chris Bey says he’s going to take this from him. What Bey did was finessed his way into Mack putting his foot up Bey’s a**.
Madison Rayne and Josh Mathews put over the X-Division title bout later on tonight and that The North will be defending the Impact Tag Team titles from Canada. Rayne is bringing Locker Room Talk later tonight. Mathews will sit down with TNA Champion Moose. They made it clear he was the self-proclaimed TNA Champion and they will let him explain his recent actions tonight.
OVE’s Jake Crist & Madman Fulton (with Dave Crist) vs. XXXL’s Larry D & Acey Romero
Fulton and Larry started out with neither getting an immediate advantage. D worked him over with a side headlock but was sent into the ropes. He shoulderblocked Fulton, who rebounded off the ropes and took him down with a shoulderblock of his own. D avoided a stomp and grabbed Fulton with a big slam. Romero tagged in and nailed Fulton, who backed up into his corner and tagged in Crist.
Crist charged Romero but immediately bounced off and was hiptossed across the ring several times. D tagged back in and they whipped Crist into the ropes, nailing a double back elbow with D scoring a two count. D shoulderblocked Crist down for another two count. D slammed Crist and nailed an atomic legdrop for another two count. He cinched in a side chinlock but Crist fought his way to his feet and elbowed his way out. Crist was backdropped over and controlled with a front facelock.
Romero tagged back in. XXXL sent Crist into the ropes but Dave grabbed him and pulled him out of the ring as they went to commercial.
When they returned,
OVE had gained control after sending Romero into the ring steps on the floor. Fulton worked over Romero and choked him against the ropes. They went into old school heel tactics, distracting the referee to allow Dave Crist to asisst from the outside. Fulton powered Romero up and nailed a rolling Samoan Drop. Fulton nailed D, which distracted the referee, backfiring on Fulton, as the referee was out of position for the pinfall attempt. Fulton had words with the referee.
Fulton nailed a big running boot on Romero, who tried to fire back with right hands but was shoved backwards into the corner and swarmed by OVE. Romero finally blocked a Fulton right hand and fired back with a series of his own. Fulton was backdropped up and over and nailed with a spinebuster. Romero crawled to Larry D to make the hot tag. D hit the ring with a series of clotheslines and a big suplex.
D nailed a big splash on Crist, who kicked up at the last second. D charged into the corner but was caught with a series of kicks. Crist charged D but was backdropped over the top to the floor. D hit a tope to the outside. That is a scary sight. D tossed him back into the ring and went to the top but was attacked by Fulton. OVE worked over D in the corner and nailed a double-team maneuver as the referee argued with Romero. They covered D but Romero broke it up.
Everyone brawled. Romero nailed a shoulder tackle on Fulton. D nailed a big right hand on Crist and scored the pin.
Your winners, XXXL!
Not pretty at times but a solid, physical tag bout. XXXL had really started to come together in the ring. Fulton is really underrated.
The Impact+ Moment of the Week is Mick Foley vs. Kurt Angle.
Madison Rayne hosted another edition of Locker Room Talk with Madison Rayne. Johnny Swinger is again the co-host, taking credit for the show being #1 in their timeslot. Their guest this week is Havok. They asked her how she felt losing to Rosemary. Havok just stared angrily. They asked her what was next. Havok said that perhaps they have forgotten what happened to the last person who got under her skin and if Rayne said another word, she was going to be added to the list. Rayne asked Havok why her old friend Neveah was at ringside last week. Havok said she didn’t know why she was there. Rayne said that wsasn’t Havok’s only old friend to come to Impact and introduced former WWE developmental and CHIKARA start Kimber Lee. Havok told her that she knows exactly who Lee is, but Lee knows exactly who she is. It was too short and abrupt a debut for Lee to really make any big impact (no pun intended) for the audience that didn’t know her, but long-term fans should be happy to see her get the opportunity. Swinger’s ridiculousness really adds to all of this.
We went to a Cody Deaner promo. He’s parked his trailer to set up shot and begin self-quarantining. He’s got a deal with his neighbor to use his hose to wash his hands. They showed footage of the neighbor catching him using the water and yelling at hiom to get away. It was pretty funny. They showed Deaner losing his mind being alone, arguing with LJN WWF action figures as if they were old friends. I popped for the Terry Funk doll cameo. Deaner even set up a merchandise table for cars passing by. It was a pretty funny vignette.
Johnny Swinger vs. Suicide
A lot of the commentary here was putting over Kimber Lee and Neveah coming from Havok’s past to Impact Wrestling.
Swinger was trash-talking before the match, demanding the referee check Suicide for foreign objects. As the referee obliged, Swinger attacked him and raked his back and eyes. It didn’t have any effect due to the complete bodysuit. Swinger backed off but kicked him low. He charged Suicide, who was hanging in the ropes, but missed and crashed to the floor. Swinger was hit with a pescado. Suicide went to the top but Swinger knocked him off the ropes and nailed a series of rights to the head and choked him down on the mat.
Swinger went for a low headbutt but missed. Suicide made a comeback but was caught with a right hand. Suicide nailed a Codebreaker and ascended to the top. Suicide nailed a swanton off the top and scored the pin.
Your winner, Suicide!
Backstage, Ace Austin commented on tonight’s X-Division title bout. He said that a “brazen SOB who’s brand new” in Impact called his shot for a title match, but who has Chris Bey ever beaten? He ran down a list of people he’s beaten and noted it took him eight months to get a title shot. He told Bey that he was sorry but Willie Mack contractually owes him a rematch and announced he was putting himself into the match tonight, which was now a three-way match.
Josh Mathews sat down with Moose, who was holding the TNA Championship belt. They recap everything that happened at Rebellion. He said Elgin claimed he was the true Champion but Moose is the one who has beaten former TNA Champions – Ken Shamrock, Rob Van Dam, Rhino – and that makes him champion. Mathews said that it was true Moose has beaten those men but the TNA title belt was in a warehouse until being brought out for a TNA TV special. He asked Moose how he even got the title. Moose said it didn’t matter and he didn’t know what Josh was even talking about, but the truth of the matter was that he was sitting here as the TNA Champion and therefore the Real World Champion. Mathews noted a number one’s contenter tournament for the Impact title will begin next week. Moose said he was pulling himself out of the tournament as he didn’t care about a second class title. He has the most prestigious title in the world around his waist. Mathews said he didn’t win the title. Moose said he won it when he pinned RVD, Rhino, and Ken Shamrock and beat the hell out of most of the men who walked into the building representing TNA. Mathews said he didn’t mean to disprespect him, but he didn’t win the title. Moose said the interview was over and walked off.
Joey Ryan vs. Cousin Jake.
This is a rematch from Rebellion last week. Ryan stalled for a long time. Ryan was chased around the ring and stomped Jake. Jake quickly rebounded and nailed a series of right hands. Jake stomped away on Ryan in the corner. Ryan sent him into the ropes but Jake rebounded and nailed a leaping strike.
Ryan went to the floor, again stalling. Jake went to grab him but Ryan snapped his arm over the ropes. Jake nailed a short-arm clothesline and worked over Ryan. He rebounded off the ropes but was dropkicked in the face. Ryan celebrated by Jake immediately got up and Ryan’s face upon realizing this was great. Jake nailed a big choke into a slam, then sent Ryan into the buckles, where he crumbled.
Ryan slipped to the outside but Jake followed and worked him over. The ring mats outside looked slick and wet and you could see Jake slipping on the floor. Ryan regained control and tossed him to the ring, nailing a series of knees to the back. Ryan tried to slam Jake but was unable to lift him, so he maneuvered him into a Side Russian Legsweep and a kneedrop for a two count.
Ryan continued to control Jake until being caught with a big slam. Jake walloped Ryan with a big clothesline and a sit-down powerbomb for a two count. Ryan was clotheslined over the top to the floor. Jake went for a dive but Ryan slipped back into the ring for a superkick, scoring a two count. Ryan went for a suplex but Jake blocked it and tossed Ryan across the ring. He charged Ryan, who pulled the referee in the way. Jake stopped short, which allowed Ryan to thumb him in the eye and roll up Jake, hooking the tights for the pin.
Your winner, Joey Ryan!
They aired a vignette on Kiera Hogan, showing her walking around Atlanta.
They went to the Don Kolov Arena in Canada. They had a silly over the top carnival barker type ring announcer, piped in crowd noise (which made the segment better than most Raw episodes these days) and pretend fans in the crowd. So, they are going all silly here.
The North came out, playing to non-existent fans in a comedic way. They are here for the best competition in the world. They messed with the fake fans. Page tripped getting back in the ring. They played a TNA chant for that. Page said that everyone watching at home is caged in the United States while they are enjoying a staycation in the best country in the world, Canada. They could just relax but they are here to defend the title. Page built up the scenario with Page responding with one word answers. He said they were going to have the match Alexander always wanted. Alexander responded, Kurt Angle. Page said, “Kayfabe. His 90 days isn’t even up yet.”
Page said they need to worry about their huge World Tag Team titles happening right now. Out came two ham and eggers. Page laughed at this while Alexander just looked disgusted.
Page said he was putting the title up against the best the country has to offer. One of them was carrying a mask. He said it was a tribute to comic books, like Al Snow as Avatar. Page told him don’t be disrespectful to comic books.
They made a referee magically appear in the ring.
The North destroyed ham and egger. They edited this to a ridiculously silly and entertaining degree.
A pretty damn great segment. All this needed was a Degrassi reference and Ed the Sock and they’d have hit peak Canadian.
Rosemary said it was fun being back in the heat of battle last week but wondered what the cards foretold for the future. Someone spoke to her from beyond via the cards. She teased she was going to seduce someone and leave them for dead…but wasn’t sure who to start with. Okaaaaay!
Rohit Raju was interviewed backstage. He said that as soon as Moose dropped out of the top contenders tournament, and he’s taking that spot. He’s been here for three years and he’s put the Desi Hit Squad first and now, he’s putting himself first. He has fought and clawed and scratched his way and now he demands his seat at the table. He said his mother called him son because he shines like one. Good, short promo.
X-Division Champion Willie Mack vs. Chris Bey vs. Ace Austin
Austin and Bey teased working together against Bey but Austin immediately grabbed Bey and sent him into the ring post.
That left Mack and Austin reprising where they left off at Rebellion. Mack worked over Austin early on but was caught with an anklepick and a kick to the back of the head. Austin worked over his arm but was pulled from the ring by the recovered Bey as he hit the ropes for a rebound. Bey sent him into the ringpost.
Bey went for a dive but Mack nailed him as he went to sail through the ropes. Mack drilled him with big uppercuts. They had some nice sequences in the ring. Mack went for a pop-up powerbomb but Bey turned it into a rana. He went for a dive but Austin grabbed him and pulled him out of the ring. They exchanged punches on the floor until Mack nailed a flip dive to the floor.
When they returned from commercial, everyone battled in the ring. Austin gained control and scored several two counts over Mack.
He drilled Bey with knee strikes and elbows. He kicked Mack out of the ring but was nailed by Bey, who choked him with his boot. Bey nailed a big back suplex for a two count. Bey choked out Mack on the top rope, but was caught by Austin with a big book. Austin dropkicked Mack off the apron to the floor. He continued beating Bey in the corner and slammed him with authority. Austin nailed a legdrop off the ropes for a close two count.
Bey ducked a spinning roundhouse kick. They each fired with kicks to the head, KOing the other. Willie Mack returned to the ring and slapped Bey hard. Austin nailed him. All three battled each other. Austin nailed a flurry of kicks. Mack gained control with a series of running clotheslines in opposite corners, then cannonballs. He nailed a big head and arms Tazplex on Bey. Mack went to the top for a frog splash on Bey, but Austin cuts him off with a leaping kick. He tried to superplex him but Bey caught him with a back cracker. Bey was bleeding from the nose. Mack and Bey battled. Mack nailed a big stunner and returned to the top for a frog splash but Austin nailed a head scissor takedown, crashing Mack down upon Bey.
Austin nailed The Fold on Mack but Bey broke up the pinfall. Mack ended up back on the floor. Bey and Austin battled. Bey blocked the Fold and nailed a big kick. He was backdropped over the top to the apron but was caught with The Fold. Mack broke it up just as the referee was about to count three.
Austin nailed a spinning kick on Mack and repeated the fear, leaving Mack groggy in the corner. Mack was placed atop the ropes. Ace knocked Bey out of the ring and went for a top rope rana. Mack held on and Austin took himself out. Mack nailed the frog splash and scored the pin.
Your winner and still X-Division Champion, Willie Mack!
A good, fun, athletic main event.
Overall, a solid episode.
Set for next week’s Impact:
*TNA Champion Moose vs. Suicide.
*Impact Wrestling #1 Contenders Tournament: Rohit Raju vs. Trey Miguel.
*Impact Wrestling #1 Contenders TournamentHernandez vs. Mad Man Fulton.
*Kimber Lee vs. Havok.
Credit: PWInsider.com
