Ciocco’s TNA Impact Review 10.29.26

Impact Zone! It’s Thursday Night, which means that we are in for a brand-new edition of the delight known as Impact! Coming to us from the taping sessions in Dothan, Alabama, tonight’s edition of Impact features not one but two titles being defended as well as a rematch with a new set of rules in place.

The X-Division Title will be on the line when Amazing Red makes his first defense of the title since winning it at Bound for Glory against former Champion Cedric Alexander, while M by Elegance will defend her Knockouts Television Title against Jada Stone. After losing to syX at Bound for Glory in a Falls-Count-Anywhere match, the Hardys will face syX once more, this time in a Slaughterhouse syX match.

Elsewhere on the card, John Skyler will defend the honor of his woman when he faces off with AJ Francis, Elijah will face the uber-annoying LITTLE BROTHER, and we will hear from our TNA World Heavyweight Champion Leon Slater! All of this and, of course, so much more in store for us tonight!

So, how is everyone doing on this Thursday Night? For no reason at all except for the fact that I can, I am doing a marathon (with interruptions) run of the Batman animated films, starting with the Mask of Phantasm in 1993 up to Knight Fall Part 1, which came out this August. Currently, I am eight films in and watching Batman: Year One. That was definitely one of my favorite Batman storylines, and it translated well to film!

But enough about me and enough about you, let’s get ready to brace for Impact!

Tonight, we are LIVE (to TAPE!) from the Dothan Civic Center, as Tom Hannifan and Matt Rehwoldt are on the call!

Highlights from last week, including the Hotch-Ali match and the post-match promo between Hotch and Slater that closed out the show.

I’M READY FOR YOU aka the title sequence!

It’s the Spark that Moves!

TNA Knockouts Television Title Match: M By Elegance w/the Elegance Brand (C) vs. Jada Stone

Reminder that TV Title matches have a ten-minute time limit.

Stone takes the fight to Maggie at the bell! Dropkick, headbutt, and a Rana connects! Stone with a standing moonsault for a two. She says that was close BABY! Mr. Elegance is on the apron, but Maggie ends up kicking him in the face lol. Maggie screams at him and then gets dropkicked to the floor by Jada. Stone goes flying and wipes out Maggie on the floor! Back in the ring, Spark Stunner is cut off, and Maggie dumps Stone out of the ring. The Brand close in on Stone, but Maggie sends her back into the ring. Maggie with not one but two covers for a two and another two.

Maggie tries to choke out Stone as the fans are behind Jada. Stone to her feet and she hits a jawbreaker. Strikes from downtown by Stone, but Maggie shuts that down with a big boot. Maggie shows off (giggity) but she misses the moonsault. Corner bumps from Stone, Jada off the second rope with an arm drag! Area Code Jones from Jada and she is fired up! Stone to the top, but she is caught by Maggie. Roll through counter by Jada for a two, but Maggie hits the SUPERKICK! Both women follow the other into the ropes and counter one another. Stone hits the Spark Stunner, but Maggie rolls out of bounds.

Stone heads to the top rope and hits a moonsault, but Mr. Elegance ends up taking the brunt of it. Jada attacks Heather from behind and Stone hits Maggie with a Spanish Fly from the steps! Heather in the ring and she argues with Paige the Ref. Maggie asks Mr. Elegance for her title belt, but he says I QUIT and leaves. Okay then? Counter sequence ensues and Maggie plants Stone with her Tombstone for the win.
WINNER: M by Elegance (And still!)
TIME: 6:40
THOUGHTS: The match itself was fine, but the ending and the drama of Mr. Elegance allegedly quitting the Brand didn’t need to happen here. It took away from the match in and of itself.
RATING: **3/4

Post-match, Maggie takes her title and celebrates with Heather like nothing happened. That ending was definitely a choice.

DOYOUWANNAKNOWSOMETHING? Yes, why is the System still a thing in TNA in the year 2026? Cedric says he will become X-Division Champion yet again, and Eddie says Cedric can do this by himself. Bronson laughs at Eddie and they trade words, with Myers trying to keep the peace. Bronson tells Eddie he is making a BIG mistake!

Tom gives us the 411 on the matches for tonight. Special Agent Zero will be in action, NEXT!

BREAK IN PROGRESS!

Impact is coming to CALGARY…

ALBERTA…

CANADA!

Promo for Rebel and her ongoing fight against ALS.

The Suit is in the back. SHUTUPSHESTALKING! Some dude walks up to her, and she says that he is pathetic for constantly emailing the company for a job. He lets her know that he was hired by the Board of Directors to keep an eye on Daria because they are concerned after her suspension. She wants him to watch her call the board of directors and she walks off. Riveting Shit, Cotton!

It’s Special Agent Zero!

Zero vs. BDE

BDE has a Deathwish as he attacks Zero at the bell. Zero throws him off, but BDE sends him to the floor. BDE wants Paige to film this while he hits a Tope Suicida to the floor! Back in the ring, and BDE jumps right into a headbutt. Fun time is over, kids! Zero turns BDE inside out with a big lariat. Cross-face shots between the ropes are followed by a big release suplex by Zero. Zero picks up and chucks BDE across the ring like he was a football. Big leg drop from Zero, but BDE Is out at two. Strikes from Zero, and BDE tries to buy some separation. Clip Cutter, no, self-defense elbow, BDE hits the Clip Cutter! He looks to follow up, but Zero hits him with a double arm lariat! Choke bomb wins it for Zero.
WINNER: Zero
TIME: 3:00
THOUGHTS: Rest in Paradise, BDE. Hopefully your followers can still see your content on YouTube.
RATING: Zero Chance of being nice

Post-match, Zero continues the beating. Rich Swann is here, but he suffers a Choke Bomb as well. Security hits the ring and, well, they don’t do their job again. At least two of them were smart enough to get back out of the ring lol.

Ricky Sosa promo time! He proved at Bound for Glory that he belongs here, and he has bigger goals. He is inserting himself into the X-Cup Match and he will be representing his home country, Belgium! Fabian Aichner is here. He embraces Sosa and he says he is a warrior and he has respect for him, but the Gladiator is entering as well and representing Italia! Fabian says there is no alliances in that match if they cross paths, which Ricky accepts, but he says everyone will be saying BANG BANG, SOSA SOSA!

The X-Division Title is on the line, next!

BREAK IN PROGRESS!

Promo for Destination-X, November 15th in Edmonton!

Shotzi Blackheart promo! For the past year and a half, she has been watching the Knockouts Division, and she has been thinking about being here. Well, she is now, and she wants to know if the Division is as tough as it looks. She is here for things like Last Knockout Standing, Monsters Ball, and the Undead Realm!

X GONNA GIVE IT TO YOU!

TNA X-Division Title Match: Amazing Red (C) vs. Cedric Alexander

This is Red’s first defense of a title in 16 years, and his first match on Impact in 15 years.

Slow start to this one. I’m not sure what the fans want here, it sounds like they want walnuts or something. Go-behind and a throwdown by Alexander, who yells MY TITLE, MY TITLE! Red with wrist control, Alexander reverses with a side headlock. Red goes running and takes Alexander out with a running forearm. Cedric hits the floor, he avoids a Tope, but he isn’t avoiding that Moonsault! That will take us to the “break.”

Cedric has turned the tables during the break, and he has grounded Red as we return. Red to his feet, but Alexander goes back to the grounded bearhug. Nice shoutout to Don West there by Matt. Red to his feet, he gets free and he gets running, a bad combination for his opponents! Drop step reversals ensue, Red off the ropes, but Cedric catches him with a DVD for a two. Cedric takes his hair band out and goes back to a reverse cuddle with Red. Red back to his feet, he connects with strikes while ducking Alexander. Red off the ropes with the flying head-scissor! Forearm Shiver from Red, Cedric goes around the World and takes the DDT for a two. Thrust Kick from Red, no Code Red, though. Alexander with the Michinoku Driver for a two.

Cedric takes off his elbow pad, and he screams like a MADMAN! Red won’t take this disrespect and hands are traded. Reversals, roll-up by Red for a two. Red counters another Michinoku Driver with a roll-up for two. Another roll-up for a two. Alexander with a forearm shiver, Red sends Alexander to the corner and hits a hook kick. From the top rope comes Red who hits a DDT. Code Red connects and the Hall-of-Famer retains!
WINNER: Amazing Red (And still!)
TIME: 11:15
THOUGHTS: It was a good match, don’t get me wrong, but it felt like something was missing here. Red hasn’t wrestled in TNA for a long time before BFG, and he is getting used to being back in TNA. Good, but it could have been better.
RATING: ***1/2

Heather is checking herself out in the mirror. I can’t say I blame her. Elayna Black is here. She wants to know where Maggie is, and Heather says she knows what Black is doing. Elayna doesn’t think she understands, because she can tell that Heather also wants her TV Title. Black leaves and Heather is deep in thought.

The TNA Injury Report is brought to us by BioFlex!

BDE is dead thanks to Zero.

Mustafa Ali sustained a rib injury last week during his 2-out-of-3 falls match. His status after tonight remains uncertain.

Medical staff is awaiting damages from tonight’s Slaughterhouse SyX match, even though they don’t know where the men are competing. Makes total sense!

We’re going to get a feature on the new Knockouts World Champion Indi Hartwell, next!

BREAK IN PROGRESS!

Tom pimps Destination-X post-break.

Indi Hartwell introspective. She does a voice-over while we see clips from her childhood leading up to her debut in TNA and winning the Knockouts Title at Bound for Glory. During all of this, she is writing her story down in a notebook. That’s so old school.

Tom is seriously talking to us, but here comes Zoey Serrano! She kicks a dummy at ring side in the head! Shayna Baszler rips off Tom’s headset, and she says that Daria hired her to take out Indi at Destination-X, and she will fulfill that promise. She’s going to take Hartwell to pound town and take her title.

Next week, the Righteous want Harley Hudson to stand next to them. They want her to become one of the many. We see a close-up of Harley’s face; she smiles and she says I accept! Well then.

Tom with the mid-show match rundown for hour two. John Skyler will look to defend his woman’s honor against AJ Francis, next!

BREAK IN PROGRESS!

Promo for the syX-Hardy’s match later tonight.

The Blue chew Gold Rock Hard moment of the night is Amazing Red hitting the Code Red on Alexander to retain his title.

Fire and Flava are back! Hogan says her thing with Allie was nothing, she dropped her like a bad habit. Steelz says Shotzi put her nose in their business, and they are going to take care of her. If you can swing it, then bring it!

Expressions is here to cut edgelord insults on the Bama crowd before introducing TNAJFrancis.

AJ Francis w/Expressions vs. John Skyler w/Mila Moore

Francis goes for a corner splash at the bell, but that doesn’t go his way. Skyler with a dropkick and a clothesline that sends AJ to the floor. Skyler with a slingshot axe-handle I guess, I’m not sure what that was. Expressions looks to sneak up on John, but Skyler turns around and Clown Shoes backs off. This allows Francis to ram Skyler into the ring post. Strikes from AJ before sending Skyler back into the ring. Francis chokes out Skyler in the ropes, allowing Expressions to choke out John. Mila comes over, but Expressions creeps her out. Francis sends Skyler to the apron, but he fires back with a slingshot SPEAR for a two.

Expressions is AGAIN on the apron, which prompts Mila to get onto the apron. Francis throws Skyler into Mila, who hits the floor. Skyler is clearly distraught, and Francis attacks from behind. Tornado DDT from John, but the ref is on the floor and is late to the count. REF, YOU SUCK chants as Skyler checks on the situation between the ropes. He turns into a TFL and the Down Payment from AJ who gets a hard-fought win.
WINNER: AJ Francis
TIME: 4:15
THOUGHTS: More storyline than actual match. The noble Skyler is distracted by his girlfriend who is totally out of his league, but I don’t blame him.
RATING: **1/2

The System are in the back. They check on Alexander, and Bronson says this is YOUR fault, Eddie! Bronson is challenging Edwards to a match, and if he wins, then he calls the shots in the group. Eddie says he likes that, and if he wins, then Bronson has to fall back in line and take orders like he should be. The option is always there to end the group, ya know?

We will hear from the TNA World Champion next; YA GET ME?

BREAK IN PROGRESS!

Tom runs down the remainder of the TNA 2026 calendar post-break.

The Nerd Guy is in the back, and Daria Rae walks up. He wants to know how the conversation went, and Daria says not great. She got confirmation from the board that they hired him to watch and oversee her, so now, he is going to be her lapdog, and he will see how things really work around here. Apparently, his name is Brian Johnson. That does nothing for me, BRUV.

Speaking of BRUV, Leon Slater is here, YA GET ME? Dothan, you good, YEAH? No, let me try this again, Dothan, are you good, YEAH? Slater stands here at the happiest part of his life. He feels like this is a dream that he doesn’t want to wake up from. But it was a nightmare when he was younger, especially with an absent father. He could have strayed down the wrong path to get here, but thanks to his mum and his sister, he is the man that he is today. They sacrificed everything for him, and he is going to try and pay that off. LEON chants (kind of), and Slater says he made a promise to pay this debt off. And he is proud to say he is the World Champion, and he has paid it off. Velveteen Dream cosplayer has been spotted. YOU DESERVE IT chants, and Slater says you are going to make him cry again. He is no stranger to gold here in TNA, he is a two-time X-Champion, he set records that will never be broken, and matches that will never be forgotten.

That brings Leon to his opponent for Destination-X, Trey Miguel. Slater says he feels like they got off on the wrong foot last week, so he asks Miguel to come out to the ring. Miguel makes his way out. WHAT’S UP? WHAT’S UP, CHAMP? Trey is here if the Champion has something to say. Leon says he has respect for Miguel and everything that he has done here in TNA. He says they have so much in common, including their will to continue fighting no matter what. But that’s where the similarities end, because you have never held this title before. The World can be yours, but there is no shame in losing a match that no one will forget. But the World will not be yours until I am done here.

Trey wants Leon to listen to him now. He is right, they have so much in common. But when Leon says he has fought his entire life, it is different than when Trey says it. His first match was eight years ago, when Leon was 14. It’s been five years since he got an opportunity at the World Title, and he doesn’t know when he ever will again. He throws the Rascalz under the bus and he proved he can stand on his own two feet. Leon says let it out, brother, and Trey says you got your moment with your family. But Trey’s family deserves the same moment, and he will scratch and claw until he FINALLY, FINALLY, FINALLY, becomes TNA World Heavyweight Champion.

We get a handshake, as both men get up close and personal with one another. Good fire from both men here, especially from Trey.

Promo for Stranglehold, which Ryan Nemeth “stars” in. Speaking of the LITTLE BROTHER, he makes his way out with a mic. Goody. Wait, now he doesn’t have the mic, and we are “going to the break.” Well, alright then! Nevermind, he talks a lot during the “break.” Everything sucks, and the fans boo the shit out of him lol. Both men pose in the corner, with Elijah getting cheered and Nemeth getting booed lol.

Elijah vs. Ryan Nemeth

Nemeth with kicks to the gut at the bell, officially. Nemeth uses Elijah’s scarf to strangle him with. Because of the movie, you see? Great, huh? Elijah is like fuck your movie and he chops down Ryan. The Drifter goes running and hits a flying clothesline. Elijah makes Ryan eat the apron and has a fun time with the fans. He grabs at the face of Nemeth while Matt says leave the merchandise alone lol. Elijah walks the top rope and comes down with the Taker shoulder attack. Nemeth shows he does have a use, and he kicks Elijah in the gut, and he stomps him out in the corner. More corner kicks, and Ryan heads to the top. He has the handkerchief again, but Elijah throws Nemeth from the top and to the mat. Elijah shows Nemeth how to choke out proper. Nemeth to the top, he gyrates and rightfully gets kicked in the face for it. Highwaymen’s Farewell, and Ryan’s next audition is as JTTS!
WINNER: Elijah
TIME: 4:00
THOUGHTS: I mean, did anyone really believe that Ryan was going to defeat Elijah here when the bigger money is “drifting” towards an Elijah-Nic Nemeth match? Like a lot of the action tonight, this existed.
RATING: **1/2

Post-match, Nic Nemeth sneaks into the ring and attacks Elijah! Nic checks on his YOUNGER BROTHER, but Elijah is back and he hits the EL KABONG to the head of Ryan!

Frankie Kazarian is in the back. He’s trying to talk, but here comes Mustafa Ali. Ali has all the respect in the World for Frankie, but he wants him to take his warning that Avery Styles is going to stab him in the back. Look at the young crop of talent coming up, he took in those ungrateful swine and they all betrayed him. Kazarian tells Ali, with all due respect, to check in your Order-4 baggage somewhere else and get out of his face. Ali says you’ll see what happens and leaves. Ali being involved with Frankie and Avery works for me!

We’re heading to the Slaughterhouse, next!

BREAK IN PROGRESS!

Creepy walking is creepy as we return. I’m not even going to use my typical match set-up for this one because it isn’t a typical match. Sawyer tries to murder Matt Hardy with an axe, but he murders a pallet instead. Shaw hits Jeff in the back of the head with a pot and then wants him to enjoy the ladder, because he knows Jeff loves ladders! Shaw wants to know if Jeff likes the stairs, but Jeff answers back in the negative lol. Jeff throws the ladder at the head of Shaw and makes his way up the steps. Jeff slides down the railing, but Shaw knocks him on his ass. Samuel throws Jeff into a locker and tells Jeff to stay here; he will be right back.

MEANWHILE, we see Matt beating up Sawyer with a shovel. Sawyer stops him with a garbage can, and both men fight down a very narrow hallway. Sawyer chokes out Hardy as he lays on top of a table, but Matt fights his way free. Sawyer gets a cookie sheet to the head and a ladder to the gut. Matt misses Sawyer with the ladder toss, and we get strikes. Matt applies a front-face Guillotine, but Shaw is here and syX double team Matt. They fight through a door and beat up Matt. They leave the room and block the door with a table.

The men want to get Jeff, but Jeff is instead waiting for them as he jumps from the perch. I just noticed that Jeff didn’t move the table to free Matt. Some brother, I tell you. Jeff gets beaten up by syX for a bit. Shaw puts a garbage can over Jeff, he takes off his shirt, and both men have their axes. They hit the garbage can at the same time. Shaw dramatically stares up at the ceiling, they remove their axes, and Jeff falls over in a heap.

So, folks, it would appear that Jeff Hardy is officially DED. Thanks for playing, and we’ll see you next week!

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

At this point, I think they should rename TNA Impact to TNA Rollercoaster, because two weeks ago, I gave this show a 5.5. Last week, I gave it a 7.8, but this week we went back to having a show that existed just because it had to exist. Alexander-Red was the best match going, and Leon and Trey cut a good in-ring promo, but everything else was just there, including the "main event match" where Jeff got axed through a garbage can. Let's hope this pattern continues, and next week is better.