wrestling / TV Reports
Ciocco’s TNA Impact Review 5.28.26
Image Credit: TNA
Loading...Impact Zone! It’s Thursday Night, and we’re tuning in for a new episode of Impact, coming to us from the taped sessions that took place in Sacramento, California! Tonight, the Champion’s Challenge will take front and center, but we have much more on the card to look forward to!
For more on tonight’s card, let’s get to those headlines!
So, how is everyone doing on this Thursday Night? The Phillies continue to astonish me with how erratic and bipolar they are, going from a 2-4 homestand against Cincinnati and Cleveland to sweeping San Diego on the road. Given that we have the reigning two-time Champions Dodgers next, I’d say we need all the wins here. It also looks like we are one day closer to a determination as to where AJ Brown will be traded. Can’t wait, if I’m being completely honest.
But enough about me and enough about you, let’s get ready to Brace for Impact!
Tonight, we are LIVE (to tape) from the taping session in Sacramento, California! Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt are on the call tonight!
Well, no introduction this week, as we’re going right into the first match of the night! Wait, never mind, we cut in just to see Frankie Kazarian make his entrance, and then we cut back out lol.
I’M READY FOR YOU! (AKA the Opening Sequence!)
Men’s Championship Challenge Match: World Heavyweight Champion Mike Santana, X-Division Champion Cedric Alexander, International Champion Mustafa Ali, and Tag Team Champions Brian Myers and Bear Bronson vs. Frankie Kazarian, Eric Young, KC Navarro, and Elijah
So, if I understand this, if someone on the challenging team pins any Champion, then they will get a shot at their title(s). That is definitely interesting, I dare say. Also, since EY already has a World Title shot, if he pins Santana here, it won’t matter. Got it.
Myers and Elijah will kick this one off. Elijah works over the shoulder of Myers, and he heads to the top. WALK WITH ELIJAH and down comes the Drifter! He gets a two off the pin. Ultra-fast first break of the night.
And we’re back, as Elijah and Santana are going at it now. Counters and reversals galore, Santana with wrist control, but Elijah uses the ropes to escape. Rope running ensues, Elijah hooks the ropes, both men proceed to miss moves, and we have a stand-off! SANTANA chants, as Alisha argues with fans at ring side. Young attacks Santana from behind as Elijah pushes him to the corner.
Kazarian tags himself in and he mocks Santana, but he eats a back kick and a dropkick. Santana with a chop, but Kazarian grabs an eyelash and tags Elijah back in. Santana escapes and Ali tags himself in. He hits a running kick to Elijah, and he mocks the All-Star Team. Chops from Ali, but he can’t hammer throw Elijah. Ali off the ropes, but Elijah hits him with a Pop-Up Powerbomb! The cover, but Alexander breaks up the pin! He gloats in the ring, but he eats a big right hand from Elijah! Everyone is in the ring now, as the ref has lost complete control!
Now everyone is fighting around the ring, except for Ali, as he tries to take out Elijah with a Tope Suicida, but Elijah catches him and choke slams him on the apron. SLATER CLEARS THE CORNER AND HE WIPES OUT EVERYONE ON THE FLOOR! He also stomps on Alexander because why not lol. The All-Star team takes their time to regroup, as Slater and Navarro stomp on Alexander.
In the ring, Ali and Elijah are the legal men, apparently. Ali off the ropes, but Elijah sends him flying with a back body drop. The cover, Ali is out at two. Elijah tags in Navarro, who comes off the second rope with an axe handle. KC tags in Slater, and he comes off the top with a double stomp to the arm. The babyfaces on the All-Star team work quick tags, and Elijah wants to WALK the top rope, but Kazarian stops him. Ali throws Elijah to the mat and tags in Bear Bronson. Bear with a big splash for the pin, but Elijah is out at two.
Myers with the tag now, as the Tag Champs hit a double elbow, and Myers get a two. Brian to the dreaded chinlock, but Elijah gets to his feet and fights free. Unfortunately for him, he runs into the knee of Myers. Myers tags in Bronson and locks up Elijah, allowing Bronson the chance to hit a knee drop. Bear reels it in and he smashes Elijah in the corner. The cover, Elijah is out at two. Bronson goes back to the dreaded chinlock.
All three members of the System try to corner Elijah, but he sends Bronson to the floor, and he reverses the attempt from Alexander and Myers. Myers goes to tag out, but he can’t make up his mind over who he wants to tag in. Someone takes Ali off the corner, and Santana tags himself in. Kazarian and Young get fed to Santana by the babyfaces, Santana with a Rolling Buck Fifty to Kazarian and a crossbody block to Young!
Back in the ring, but Santana misses his splash. Roll through, Ali tags himself in, Santana with Outline in Chalk to Kazarian, but Ali hits him with a neck breaker for a two. Ali and Santana get in each other’s face, and Navarro takes the opportunity to hit both men with a dropkick. Navarro spikes Ali with a DDT, but he kicks out at two. KC goes to tag in Leon, but Ali holds on to the knee of Navarro, and Bronson enters the ring with a splash to the knee. he punches away on KC’s head, and he screams at the fans. Bronson lifts up Navarro and he throws him away like refuse, and that gets him a two.
Ali tags himself in, despite Myers trying to get into the match. Navarro counters Ali and he tags in Slater. Leon goes after Alexander before he crowns Ali with a Brain Buster! The cover, but Cedric saves Ali. We have hit the part of the match where everyone gets their shit in! Everyone is on the floor except for Ali and Slater. Leon with a corner double stomp to Ali and he goes to the top! Swanton 450 from Slater! The cover, but Alisha puts Ali’s foot on the rope! The ref is busy with Alisha, and Tasha Steelz hands Ali his title! The ref disarms Ali, Slater with a SUPERKICK, and KC hits Ali with the Blessing in Disguise and he has won it!
WINNER: KC Navarro pinned Mustafa Ali: He has earned an International Title shot
TIME: 20:40
THOUGHTS: Early commercial break and the match went 20 minutes when it didn’t need to. There were also lulls in the match when there shouldn’t have been with ten men in the match, but it wasn’t bad. Navarro winning is a great choice.
RATING: ***1/4
Gia Miller has Arianna Grace and Stacks in the back. Grace says that thanks to her father, she should have been in the Champions Challenge to regain her title. Stacks calls Santino an embarrassment, and he will send him to the nursing home, where he can play with his sock puppet. Arianna says don’t expect her to visit him in the home, DAD!
Tom runs down the matches for tonight. Tessa and Harley will face-off, next!
BREAK IN PROGRESS!
Advert for Lockdown, coming to Chicago on August 23rd!
Vignette for the zany and wacky antics between The Righteous and the BROKEN Hardys. Matt says you want the broken Hardys, and that is what you got. Vincent talks about watering dead flowers in the wicked garden (I take that as a Stone Temple Pilot reference). Dutch says he is Righteous, and Vincent says they are many. Dig what I’m saying, MAN? Ha, I’ll dig whatever drugs these cats are on.
Diamonds are forever!
Tessa Blanchard vs. Harley Hudson
Apparently, Hudson won Gut Check a year ago, and she moved 4,600 miles from England to come to TNA. That’s good stuff.
Tessa doesn’t care, though, as she attacks at the bell. Hudson gets wrist control and she knocks Blanchard to the mat, and she touches her own thigh because she is sizzling! Hudson again shoulders Tessa, and this time she pins her for a two. Blanchard with a self-defense back elbow, but Hudson pulls Blanchard out to the apron, and she hits her with a knee drop on the apron. She admires her work too much, and Blanchard dropkicks her from the apron and to the floor.
Blanchard plays ground and pound to the left knee of Hudson on the floor. Fisherwoman’s set-up, but Blanchard ends up slamming Harley on her knee. Blanchard returns Hudson to the ring, where she stomps on Hudson’s leg in the corner. Tessa locks on a double arm submission before she lets go and goes back to the bad knee of Hudson. Blanchard turns that into a pin for a two.
Blanchard goes back to the bad knee, Hudson smacks her, but she can’t get free. It takes a few more strikes before Hudson gets Blanchard off of her. Undeterred, Blanchard takes Hudson to the ropes and rag dolls her. The ref backs her off, allowing Hudson the chance to reverse it and she lays into Blanchard! Hudson, on one leg, hits the Fallaway Slam! Hip Attack in the corner from Hudson, the pin, Blanchard kicks out at two and screams. Hudson puts Blanchard on the top rope, but Tessa escapes and she kicks out the feet of Hudson. Tessa tries to take Harley out of the corner, but Hudson rams Tessa’s head in the corner. Harley tries to free herself, but Tessa hits her with the Magnum! The cover, but Hudson kicks out at two.
That doesn’t sit well with Blanchard, who grabs Harley’s hair and wails away on her. Hudson snatches up Blanchard though and hits Yushiguroshi! That’s good for a two. Hudson rolls up Blanchard for another two. Tessa targets the other knee of Hudson and hits her with the Buzzsaw DDT for the win.
WINNER: Tessa Blanchard
TIME: 8:10
THOUGHTS: Hudson had a gutsy effort and hit some incredible moves, but Blanchard was no match for her. Perhaps someday.
RATING: ***1/4
The TNA Injury Report, brought to us by Over Your Dead Body!
Speaking of Santino and Stacks (and Ms. Grace), we see them walking to the ring because their match is next!
BREAK IN PROGRESS!
Yei Ling Lee strikes the air in the back, and Iceman is here. He tells her this is very important, so don’t screw this up for us. She scares Iceman off. That was a segment, but at least I got to see Lee, so I’m very happy.
The true lovers are here!
Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo W/Arianna Grace vs. Santino Marella
I didn’t think that, in the year 2026, that I would be reviewing a match with Santino in it, but here we are!
The bell rings, and Santino does a roll, freaking out Stacks. Finally, we get a lock-up, as Marella double legs Stacks, but Stacks gets to the rope, and he heads to the floor. Arianna commiserates with him before Stacks gets back into the ring. Santino catches Stack’s foot and he rolls him up for a two. Another quick pin for a two. Santino with a modified armbar, and Stacks again has to get to the ropes.
Grace yells at her dad as Stacks gets back into the ring. Lock-up, Santino goes behind, but Stacks with a back elbow and a straight punch. Hammer throw, but Santino leap frogs Stacks and he hits an arm drag. Marella goes for Stacks, but he gets to the ropes. Stacks tries again, but Santino smacks him one, and he retreats. Grace on the apron, and it looks like the lovers will kiss, but Marella slingshots Stacks back into the ring. Marella with the hip-toss, but his diving headbutt meets the knees of Stacks.
Stacks on the offense now, as he lays in knees to the midsection of Santino and he taunts him. Hammer throw by Stacks, and he takes time to taunt his future Father-In-Law. Stacks with some body blows and NOW we get the kiss from Grace! Knee to the gut by Stacks, and Marella kicks out at two. Kitchen Sink from Stacks, but his splash meets the knees of Marella. Santino with punches to the gut and his own Kitchen Sink. Marella with a second Kitchen Sink and he hits a corner SPEAR! HERE COMES THE COBRA! Grace is on the apron and she disarms the cobra, allowing Stacks to roll-up Marella for the win.
WINNER: Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo
TIME: 5:40
THOUGHTS: That was a match, and it happened.
RATING: *1/2
Post-match, Arianna berates Santino. She goes to slap Santino, but he catches her hand, allowing Stacks to attack him. The beatdown is on until Indi Hartwell makes the save! Hartwell says she told Arianna she was coming for her, so she wants to team with Santino to face Grace and Stacks right now!
That brings out the Suit, Daria Rae, who say no this isn’t happening tonight. Stacks won fair and square, this is over. But you know what? On second thought, she would love to see Stacks beat up Santino again. There might be room on the show next week, so Stacks and Arianna will face Santino and Indi. Grace isn’t very happy about this, but Indi and Santino are thrilled.
Tom reminds us that Knockouts Championship Challenge is our main event. Fabian Aichner makes his TNA in-ring debut against Eddie Edwards, next!
BREAK IN PROGRESS!
SLAMMIVERSARY IS COMING TO BASTAN ON JUNE 28TH! On a serious note, that’s a 3:00PM show, because AEW has Forbidden Door that night, and they are staying out of each other’s way.
In the back, we see AJ Francis walk up to some dude, and he asks where the paperwork is. The guy says he’ll get it tomorrow. and Francis says he needs that in his mailbox tomorrow. He gets handsy with the dweeb, and he tells him to relax. When you work with AJ Francis, you get that money, money, money!
CAN’T STOP THE SYSTEM!
Eddie Edwards w/Alisha Edwards vs. “The Gladitore” Fabian Aichner
Edwards tries to punk out Aichner at the bell as he takes him to the corner and rams his elbow in his face. Aichner with a side headlock, Edwards tries to break free, but Fabian won’t let go. Eddie to his feet, but Aichner hits the ropes and he takes down Eddie with a crossbody block. He clotheslines Eddie to the floor, and he looks for the baseball slide, but Eddie moves. Aichner smacks Edwards with a lariat on the floor as he sends Eddie back into the ring. Alisha distracts Aichner, allowing Eddie to hit him with a knee as he tries to get back into the ring.
Edwards hits a front face suplex and jams his knee into the gut of Aichner. Chop in the corner from Edwards and a hammer throw to the opposite corner. Edwards taunts Aichner, paintbrushes him, and then pins him for a two. Aichner back to his feet, and he kicks Eddie in the face. Off the ropes, spinning backbreaker from Aichner. Fabian lifts up Eddie for the Brain Buster, the pin, but Edwards is out at two.
Aichner looking powerbomb, but Eddie drives Fabian to the corner. Aichner with a back elbow, but Eddie picks up Fabian for the Backpack Stunner! The pin, but Aichner kicks out at two. Alisha uses the ref’s distraction to choke Aichner in the ropes. Eddie throws Fabian to the floor, he tries to distract the ref while Alisha has a kendo stick. Paige sees her, though, and after much dramatic deliberation, she ejects Alisha!
Eddie returns Fabian to the ring; he looks at his wife like a lost dog and tells the fans to SHADDUP. Eddie to the top rope, but Aichner with an Avalanche Butterfly Suplex! The cover, but Edwards is out at two. The rest of the System are here now, and Aichner hits the corner and he hits a crossbody block to everyone on the floor! He springboards back in with the DDT to Edwards! He throws Eddie to the mat and locks in La Fina (his submission) but here comes the System and that’s a DQ.
WINNER: Fabian Aichner VIA DQ
TIME: 7:30
THOUGHTS: it was a pretty solid match until the System had to get involved. I get protecting Aichner in his TNA debut, but Eddie has eaten pins before plenty of times. They should have had Aichner tap out Edwards and then the System attack him. But, hey, what do I know?
RATING: ***
Post-match, the System beat the crap out of Aichner. There is a smattering if YOU DESERVE IT chants. Must not have liked that guy who looks like Aichner, Giovanni Vinci or something.
The Knockouts Championship Challenge is up next!
BREAK IN PROGRESS!
Ad for the film Over Your Dead Body. Apparently, someone shot Keith Jardine in the ass. I’m not sure what to make of that information. Help me.
Tom shill’s tickets on sale for Slammiversary. Wait, they just started selling them NOW?
It’s time for some total Knockouts Action!
Iceman tells us that he saw people outside throwing up on themselves, and then they let them all in. His point is nullified when he refers to Sacramento as Syracuse. I mean, this shit is taped, the fuck do you NOT correct that in post? All the ladies (and the dudes) have made their entrances, and we have another break before we get going.
BREAK IN PROGRESS!
They shill TNA coming to Denver, Colorado, on June 6th and June 7th.
Next week, BDE will face Eddie Edwards, and Santino and Indi will face Arianna and Stacks. Plus, the Hardy’s and the Righteous will clash in the Wicked Garden!
Finally, the match!
Knockouts Championship Challenge Match: Knockouts Champion Lei Ying Lee and Tag Team Champions the Elegance Brand vs. Elayna Black, Xia Brookside, and Mara Sade W/Keith Jardine
The bell rings, and Lee wants at Brookside, but Xia isn’t feeling it, so she tags in Black. After some posturing, Black ends up tagging out to Sade. Sade and Lee shake hands before they lock-up. Go behind by Lee, Sade reverses, she rolls up Lee for a two. Lee with a counter roll-up for a two. Backslide by Sade for a two. Magistral by Sade for a two. Both ladies reset!
M by Elegance tags herself in, and Sade off the ropes hits her with the Sling blade for a two. M with a back kick to the gut of Sade, and Heather by Elegance gets the tag. They try to work over Sade, but she escapes and tags in Black. Elayna with a basement dropkick to Heather, and she hits a springboard double stomp for a two. Hammer throw by Heather, but Black trips her up and hits her with a running knee strike. Xia tags in, and she shimmies on the back of Heather. Nice.
Brookside gets serious when she throws Heather to the corner and tries to stomp her through the mat. Brookside backs off, allowing Heather to trip up Brookside and she gets as good as she gives. The tag to M, WHO HITS THE COAST-TO-COAST DROPKICK! The cover, but Sade and Black both make the save! We have reached the point where everyone gets their shit in, with Lee and Sade standing tall on the apron. Brookside and M are returned to the ring, Lee drags M to the corner so she can get at Brookside. Unfortunately for her, Brookside tagged out to Black, so Lee with kicks and a back trip that gets her a two.
Black turns the table with an elevated knee strike to Lee, which gets her a two. Gut wrench Suplex for another two. Brookside wants the tag now that Lee is in trouble, and she stretches out her arms into a submission. Lee gets to her feet, but Brookside throws Lee to the mat by her hair. SHE IS PATHETIC, Xia tells us, but Lee does a thousand E. Honda slaps to Brookside, knocking her to the corner.
Sade and Heather get the tag. Sade is in control, she shows off, and she hits Heather in the back of the head with a knee drop for a two. Scoop slam by Mara, she goes to the top, but M grabs her by the foot, allowing Heather to hit a Code Breaker for a two. M gets the tag, and she straddles Sade in the ropes for a bit. Quick tag out to Heather, as Heather sets up Sade to he choked by her boot against the middle rope. Mr. Elegance is quite pleased with this, as M is back in. Drop toehold by Heather, M steps up off the back of Sade with a Senton Splash for a two.
M throws Sade back to the mat and she tags in Heather. M scoops up Heather, swings her around, and she slams Heather on top of Mara for a two. Sade can’t get away from the Elegance Brand, as M gets the tag and she kicks Sade and sets up the bow and arrow. Sade breaks free, but she STILL can’t tag out, as Heather tags in. Sade avoids a double clothesline, and Sade hits the ropes and takes both Champions down with a crossbody block. Sade FINALLY tags in Brookside. Xia tries to stop M from tagging out, but she gets to Lee. Lei lays into Brookside and into Black as she tries to get involved. Hammer fists in the corner to Brookside from Lee followed by an Exploder for a two. Warrior’s Way, and Lee hits it! The cover, but Black makes the save.
Black hits an enziguri to Lee, but the Elegance Brand hit her with a Codebreaker into a German. Sade takes out the Champions, but Lee takes her out. Mr. Elegance tries to get into the ring, but Jardine grabs him by the foot and puts him in an ankle lock, and he taps out. Iceman foolishly attacks Jardine from behind, and Keith chases him up the ramp. The ref is distracted, allowing Mr. Elegance to trip up Lee, and Xia hits her with the Darkside for the win!
WINNER: Xia Brookside pinned Lei Ying Lee: She has earned a Knockouts Title Shot.
TIME: 16:00
THOUGHTS: Fairly obvious result aside, this ended up being the best match of the night for my money. M By Elegance has something going for her, and she was very impressive in this match. But the end goal was setting up Xia and Lei for the Knockouts Title at, I’m guessing, Slammiversary.
RATING: ***1/2
Xia celebrates her win post-match, and with that, we are done!
