Ciocco’s TNA Impact Review 5.7.26

Impact Zone! It’s Thursday Night, which means that TNA Impact is here to provide us with 120 minutes of some Total Nonstop Action from the Syracuse Sessions!

(Sorry, not sorry, Kaval).

Anyway, I rolled out this concept last night and I will try it here as well. Rather than writing three sentence paragraphs for every match (or segment) like I was doing before, I will bring the HEADLINES instead! Also, as I mentioned, this is totally still a work in progress! But let’s get into it!

Lei Ying Lee will get another shot at taking the Knockouts Title from Champion Ariana Grace. This time, there will be no Xia Brookside at ring side, which was a smart decision, since she turned on Lee

Nic Nemeth and KC Navarro AKA not the Odd Couple will get a shot at the Tag Team Titles, held by the System. Outside forces in the form of Ryan Nemeth and AJ Francis could collude to keep the challengers from winning

Speaking of the System, Eddie Edwards and Cedric Alexander will come face-to-face with Moose and the X-Division Champion Leon Slater. On an even playing field, Slater and Moose hopefully will extract revenge on Edwards and Alexander

Roll the calendar back to 2014, because Eric Young and EC3 will do battle in a No-DQ match. Young wants to cleanse TNA, while EC3 wants to go through Young to get to the World Title again

TNA World Heavyweight Champion Mike Santana AKA the Walking Copyright will speak to us. Here is hoping that it is more than just the one line he got to speak last week before Nic Nemeth cut him off backstage

Elayna Black will also speak to us tonight. Last time they said this, she ended up wrestling Katie Arquette instead, so I’ve learned to expect the unexpected when it comes to Ms. Black. All of this and, of course, so much more in store for us tonight

So, how is everyone doing on this Thursday Night? With both Owen and Noah out of the line-up, I’m not feeling too confident that the Flyers can win game three tonight, much less make a run to win this series. It is kind of ironic that, with the Phillies back on the winning track, that the Flyers have faded out, but it is what it is.

But enough me and enough about you, let’s Brace for Impact!

Tonight, we are LIVE to Tape from Syracuse, New York at the Upstate University Medical Arena! As always, Tom Hannifan and the Drama King Matt Rehwoldt are on the call!

Recap from the events of last week on Impact. First, we get what happened with Slater, Moose, and the System. Then, we get the Walk with Elijah match.

I’M READY FOR YOU (The title sequence).

EY is here to get crazy! I’m glad they showed who did EY’s theme, it’s pretty good.

No-DQ Match: Eric Young vs. EC3

Young looks to attack at the bell, but EC3 is ready for him (heh) and he beats Young from corner to corner. Carter launches himself into Young, and Eric heads to the floor. Carter makes the clear rookie mistake of putting his head between the ropes, and Young punches him. Young looking piledriver on the floor, but Carter with a back body drop to counter.

Much to the delight of the fans, Carter brings out a table, but Young attacks him. Carter manages to reverse, and he chucks Eric into the ring steps. Ethan goes under the ring for more goodies, including a trash can, the accompanying lid, and a chair. Young intercepts the chair, but Carter ducks the shot and disarms Young. He smacks Eric with the chair, and he wraps the chair around his neck, but Young rams EC3 into the corner. Young attacks Carter with the trash can in the ring, but Ethan manages to fight back, and both men end up on the floor now, and that will take us to the break.

We’ve graduated from Lockdown highlights to Slammiversary highlights, with this one being a World Title Street fight between Kenny Omega and Sami Callihan.

Carter with chops to Young as we return. The 1% is avoided by Young, who takes Carter to the mat, and he kicks him in the groin repeatedly. Young smacks Carter with the garbage can not once but twice, and it sure was nice! Young heads outside, and he grabs Junkyard Dog’s Chain! Young wraps the chain around the mouth of Carter and chokes him out with it. Young proceeds to whip Carter with the chain now.

The World Class Maniac goes back to choke Carter, but Ethan reverses it and hits a back trip into a Flatliner. Carter looks to choke out Young now, but Eric picks him up with a back suplex. Young to the top rope, but his moonsault comes up empty. Carter lines up Young and hits the rolling neck breaker! Carter goes back to the chain, Young to his feet, but Carter picks him up and hits the TKO!

Carter picks up the chair and wraps it around the neck of Young again, but Eric kicks Ethan between the uprights. EC3 no sells this and hits a drop toehold to Young with the chair still around his neck! Carter with the 1%, but he’s not done, as he stalks Young out to the apron. Young with not one, not two, but three low blows to Carter! YOUNG WITH A PILEDRIVER THROUGH THE TABLE THAT ETHAN SET UP! Young rolls Carter back into the ring and sets up the chair in the middle of the ring. Young hits another Piledriver onto the chair and that’s good enough for the win!
WINNER: Eric Young
TIME: 13:10
THOUGHTS: So, they bring back EC3 and make it a big deal, only for him to lose to Eric Young in his first match in TNA in five or six years? That’s certainly a choice. As for the match itself, it was fine, although it shouldn’t have went 13+ minutes.
RATING: ***

Gia Miller has Ariana Grace and Stacks in the back. Grace doesn’t understand why she is facing Lei Ying Lee again, but maybe she does, because apparently her father wants to humble her. Stacks says he knows Grace will win, and Ariana takes that as him having a plan. They do an Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy rhyme, which Miller mocks throwing up at lol.

Tom runs down the matches for tonight, and he lets us know that we will hear from Elayna Black, next!

COMMERCIALS! This time, we get Old School LAX and the new LAX in a tag team title hardcore match. Konnan and Eddie Kingston were also involved

Ad for Slammiversary, June 28th from Boston, Mass! Apparently, it will also start at 3:00PM, with it not going head-to-head with Forbidden Door.

Alisha Edwards is testing the capacity of my hearing as we return. Myers and Bronson say that they are going to take care of Nemeth and Navarro. Alexander calls Leon Slater his favorite subject (again), and Edwards yells about everyone and everything, and no one can beat the System! WOO!

Tom shills Mackenzie Mitchell’s book!

Elayna Black is here. I wonder if she wants us to sign-up for her Only Fans. She gets the mic. Let’s go ahead and talk about something that everyone knows. She is the number one Knockout in this division; she is the only one that matters in this division. She doesn’t know why she isn’t involved in tonight’s title match, but it doesn’t matter, because she is coming after the winner. She will get more money, more fame, and she’s smarter than the rest of the women who come into the ring and bust their ass. That’s the difference between her and the other Knockouts, she is not just a wrestler, she is a business.

The Personal Concierge is here to interrupt. He tells her to watch her mouth, because there is someone who has something to say about that. Ash by Elegance comes out, and she calls Black a Gothic Reject. Good lord, this is just turning into a battle of who has a bigger dick. Lame.

Indi Hartwell is here now. She says this is lame that you two are out here arguing about who makes more money. There is a Knockout Titles match tonight, and you should be focused on that and not on your money. Black and Ash mock her for being poor. Black leaves, saying that you two can continue arguing. Ash says that’s just as well, the two real Knockouts to discuss this. Hartwell rips Ash for having nothing real about her, including her fake breasts. Ash goes to attack Indi, but Hartwell smacks her one and sends her from the ring. Ash holds her breasts as an act of defiance lol.

Daria Rae is in the back. She is on the phone, bragging about someone canceling Santino’s flight. She hangs up and has a smug look on her face.

Tom runs down the matches for tonight. The Tag Team Titles will be on the line, next!

This commercial break features action from the Women’s Queen of the Mountain match from the 2022 edition of Slammiversary!

Sacramento! Get ready, because for the first time, TNA brings the action to Sac-Town on May 14th and 15th!

We get Tag lines for the Tag Team Title match, coming up next!

TNA Tag Team Title Match: The System (C) vs. Nic Nemeth and KC Navarro

45 minutes into the show, and this is ONLY our second match. This does feel like a WWE pace, NGL.
The bell rings, and Myers and Navarro will start this off. Brian mocks KC because of the height advantage, but Navarro keeps Myers off balance and hits a head scissor. He follows that with a dropkick and a two on the pin. Myers rips Navarro down by his hair and taunts the crowd.

Bronson with the tag, they look for a double suplex, but Nemeth enters and saves KC from certain danger. Nemeth and Navarro with stereo dropkicks, and they hit a double shoulder tackle to Bronson. Nemeth in the match officially with an axe handle to Bronson. Bear doesn’t let it phase him, as he hits a lariat to Nemeth. Grounded punches and an ass drop get him a two.

Bronson chokes Nemeth on the middle rope, and he takes the ref so Alisha can choke him out. Myers with the tag, and he chokes out Nemeth again. Alisha AGAIN chokes out Nemeth. Myers with a Snapmare into a chin lock on Nemeth. Nemeth fights free with a jaw breaker only to run into a rising knee strike from Myers. That gets Brian a two. Myers goes back to the chin lock, Nemeth tries to get to his feet, but Myers hits a belly to back suplex.

Brian loads up the Roster Cut, but Nemeth intercepts him with a Fameasser! Tags are made, and Navarro sticks and ducks Bronson. Bronson picks up Navarro, but KC with a DDT! The cover, but Myers breaks it up. Nemeth hits a SUPERKICK to Myers, and Brian falls onto Edwards and Alexander! Nemeth takes flight, but Myers moves, and Nic hits Eddie and Cedric instead. SPEAR by Myers to Nemeth! Alisha grabs the foot of Navarro, allowing Bronson to hit Bear Down and the System retain!
WINNERS: The System (Still Champions)
TIME: 6:30
THOUGHTS: I mean, it was a match, and it happened. Kind of wild that this match got half of what EC3-EY did, but it is what it is.
RATING: **3/4

Eddie has a mic post-match. Since the System are one-for-one, how about you say we keep this train rolling. How about we beat Slater and Moose’s asses?

Ask and you shall receive, as Leon Slater and Moose are here! We are getting that match, next!

COMMERCIALS, this time we get Tessa Blanchard and Sami Callihan. IIRC, this was where Sami beat Tessa to win the World Title

On August 23rd, Lockdown returns to TNA, live from Chicago, Ill!

The System vs. Moose and X-Division Champion Leon Slater

Slater and Alexander to start this one off. They go at one another, as Slater ducks Cedric’s kick and hits an Enziguri of his own. Snap Rana from Slater, and Edwards tags in. Slater with a head scissor to Edwards, and Moose is in. He flattens Edwards, who desperately tags in Alexander. Cedric runs in, but he gets chopped so hard it could be heard around the World.

Slater is back, and he corners Alexander with punches. Edwards charges in, but Slater moves, and Eddie smashes Cedric. Moose lines them both up and crushes them in the corner. Slater with a dropkick to Eddie, sending him to the floor. Stereo crossbody blocks from Slater and Moose, taking out the System on the floor! Back in the ring, and Slater hits the Crossover on Alexander, but Cedric kicks out at two.

Moose gets the tag, and he chops the skin off of the chest of Alexander. Slater gets the tag, and he shows he too can chop like Moose, just not as hard. Moose is back in; he headbutts Alexander and knocks Edwards off the apron. Moose stomps on Alexander before tagging in Slater, who hits a running UFO Splash for a two. Cedric charges Leon to the System corner, and Eddie tags in.

Eddie with a thumb to the eye to stop Leon’s momentum. Edwards with a hammer throw that sends Slater out of the ring and to the arena floor. Moose heads to the outside and sends Alisha running away. Tom says we’re going to commercial break, but this has happened before, and it never does lol. Moose cheers on Slater, and he makes the count of nine. Eddie is waiting for him, and he rains down punches to Slater. Eddie with a cheap shot to Moose, and Leon is in the wrong part of town.

Alexander gets the tag, and he cuts off Slater from making the tag. Big chop from Cedric, he rams Slater’s head into the corner, and he chops him again. Alexander mocks Slater with a light kick to the back and he proceeds to choke him out. Much like last match, Alisha has to get in on the action, choking out Slater. Eddie gets the tag, as Slater cannot get out of the System corner.

Slater tries to fight back, but Eddie hits a cross chop to his throat. Alexander sends Edwards in, but Leon moves, and Eddie hits the ring post and then the floor. Slater escapes Alexander and he had the tag, but Edwards pulls Moose off the ring apron. Okay, NOW we get that commercial break that Tom said we were getting lol.

We return, and Edwards hits chops to Slater. Leon rolls up Eddie for a two, so Eddie hits a lariat. Alexander comes in because he can, and the double teamwork starts. Michinoku Driver from Alexander, but Slater is out at two. Alexander mocks Slater and then proceeds to land punches. Slater fires back with a Springboard Back Elbow, and he FINALLY gets the tag.

Moose is in, and he smacks both Eddie and Cedric with headbutts. Urinage and the back Senton to Eddie! Eddie with a self-defense elbow, but Eddie jumps into a Go to Hell from Moose! The pin, but Alexander makes the save. Slater is back, and he fights off both System members with another Springboard Back Elbow! All four men get to their feet, face-to-face in pairs. A forearm battle breaks out in the middle of the ring. Slater and Alexander both kick each other, and Edwards and Moose collide on matching lariats.

Moose eats a chop from Edwards and delivers a big headbutt. Alexander with a thrust kick to Moose and the Lumbar Check to Slater! Eddie rolls up Moose for a two. Moose counters with a jackknife pin for the win!
WINNERS: Moose and Leon Slater
TIME: 16:00
THOUGHTS: So much for the System being one-for-one on the night. I do wonder if Slater being on the winning side tonight means he will lose the title next week?
RATING: ***1/2

It’s time for the Bioflex Injury Report!

Both Eric Young and EC3 are being evaluated after their match earlier tonight

Both Elijah and Frankie Kazarian are being held out tonight. Elijah did reaggravate his bicep injury, but it is not considered a long term injury

Both Lei Ying Lee and Ariana Grace are cleared to compete tonight

We will hear from the World Champion next!

COMMERCIALS, as we revisit the King of the Mountain Match from the 2007 version of Slammiversary

We return and we see the events of the Jeff Hardy and Vincent match from last week. BROKEN Matt Hardy returned, and Jeff won after the lights went out.

Promo time for the Hardy’s. Brother Dutch, Brother Vincent, you don’t understand the gravity of the situation says BROKEN Matt. You have opened up Pandora’s box. People do not understand what it means to be broken, but Broken Matt and Brother Nero understand. They understand the pathway to being broken, and the gateway will be insidious! Brother Nero wrote this song for you, to inspire fear, to bring out Brother Nero. We see Jeff’s eyes change colors, and Matt yells DELETE! Cool, I guess.

Mike Santana is here to talk to us! What does the TNA World Heavyweight Champion have on his mind? He wants the music to be cut. He asks Syracuse what’s good? Last summer, when he was fighting to bring the title from the clutches of NXT, he said he was bringing back the essence of the World Title. And two weeks ago, Rich Swann and himself tore the freaking house down. He proved what the letters TNA mean, and he stands in this ring and gives us his all every week.

He’ll tell us what’s up, and he likes creating opportunities. He is going to choose the next opponent who will face Santana for the World Title. But wait, Daria Rae is here. She will speak slowly, so Mike can understand. You don’t choose your opponents, you don’t choose when you will defend the title, and frankly, she didn’t like his match with Rich Swann. Santana goes to speak, but Daria tells him to shut up. Since Santino can’t pick his opponent, and since Mike can’t, then Daria will. Next week, there will be a Battle Royale, and the winner will face Santana for the World Title.

Santana says he doesn’t make his own matches, true, but the fans do. He knows that Daria has been stroking her ego since she got here, and that’s cool. But it doesn’t matter who wins, because he will Spin the Block, and Outline them in Chalk! Santana’s music plays, but Daria says no, she wants her music to be played instead.

Promo time for AJ Francis. Allow him to reintroduce himself, his name is AJ Francis. And a year ago, TNA Management forced him to add that pink haired freak KC Navarro to his group. And he has been a thorn in his side ever since. Navarro stole his moment from him, along with Nic Nemeth and Bernie Kosar. So now, Francis will steal KC’s health. Next week in Sacramento, it will be a Sac-Town Street Fight. Because it is all about money, money, money!

Lei Ying Lee is walking! Ariana Grace and Stacks are walking! The Knockout Title is on the line in the main event, next!

COMMERCIALS, featuring the King of the Mountain match from the 2005 edition of Slammiversary

Tom tells us that, for the first time in ten years, Lockdown is returning to TNA! That takes place on Sunday, August 23rd in Chicago!

KC Navarro promo. He would say pardon me, but this is his casa. He’s listened to Francis talk about his money and complain about KC week after week. You took advantage of me, and even after I tore my ACL, I came back and we still went after the tag team titles. Then you bring back Rich Swann, and you kick me out. He’s been losing friendships and gaining new ones over the last eight months. His Uncle isn’t doing well, but he told him that he would be back sooner. And he’s back to kick AJ’s ass. He might have lost his tag team title match tonight, but he is still coming after you, AJ. You don’t have to tell him that he is blessed, he knows he is blessed. That was a lot of fire from KC, I like it!

The Narrator runs down matches for next week in Sacramento. Tom and Matt kick it to a tale of the tape for Ariana and Lei. Tom mentions that Santino banned Xia Brookside from ring side for this match.

TNA Knockouts Title Match: Ariana Grace (C) W/Stacks vs. Lei Ying Lee

Mackenzie with the in-ring intros for this one, because we clearly had WAY too much time left for this match.

The bell rings, and Lee hypes herself up ahead of the opening lock-up. Lee sends Grace off, but Ariana hooks the ropes and mocks Lee. Hammer throw by Lee, but Grace sends Lee to the apron. Lee keeps Stacks at bay, and Grace tries to kick her from the apron, but Lee won’t have that. Lee with a sunset flip for a two. Lee uncorks the kicks and a dropkick to follow! Lee charges Grace in the corner and she lands punches to the back of Grace’s head.

Lee snatches up Grace and hits an Exploder. She goes for the cover, but Grace rolls out of the ring and to the floor, where Stacks comforts her. Lee isn’t having any of this, and she hits a running knee strike to both Stacks and Grace! Again, Tom says that we’ll be back, but apparently that isn’t the case on TNA+ lol. Lee smacks Grace’s face off of the apron and off of the barricade as she’s in complete control right now.

Lee returns Grace to the ring and she heads to the top. Stacks again jumps onto the apron, allowing Grace to knock Lee from the top and to the arena floor. Grace heads to the outside, where she punches Lee and hits a snap suplex. Back in the ring, Grace hits a running crossbody for a two. She mocks Lee and throws her down to the mat face first. Cocky cover by Grace, and Lee kicks out at two.

Grace with a hammer throw and a back elbow to Lee, that gets her a two. Grace mounts Lee (giggity) and drops her weight down on her not once but twice and that definitely was nice! Lee to her feet, but Grace rips her back down to the mat by her hair and she applies a side headlock. Commercial break officially happens, and Grace hits Graceland (World’s Strongest Slam) for a two.

Grace continues to mock Lee, as we see Xia Brookside blankly starring at the screen in the back. Lee trips up Grace and applies a single leg crab. Stacks helps pull her to the ropes in front of the referee, and he’s still here. Lee opens up with the kicks and she is feeling it! SPEAR by Lee, the cover, two count. Lee picks up Grace, but Ariana escapes out the back door. Face buster and a bulldog from the Champion gets her a two. Grace heads to the apron and heads to the top, as Stacks wills her on. Crossbody block from Grace, but Lee rolls her through and picks her up for a Fallaway Slam! The cover, two count!

Hammer throw by Grace, but Lee kicks her away. Lee to the top, but Grace follows her. Grace lands on her feet, and she repositions Lee. Superplex from the Champion to the Challenger! Grace grabs Lee by the hair, yells at her, and smacks her. She tells her this is why Xia betrayed her, and she slaps her again. Lee fires back, but Grace won’t back down. Knee to the gut from Grace, but she runs into a spin kick from Lee. Warrior’s Way, Lee spins Grace around, and she dumps her, but she’s gets dropped in the corner. The cover, and Stacks puts Grace’s foot on the rope! Referee Frank kicks out Stacks!

Stacks tries to get back into the ring, but Lee with a dropkick. This allows Grace to roll-up Lee, but that’s just a two. Double knees from Grace into a twisting neck breaker, but Lee kicks out again at two. Grace picks up Lee, but Lee out the back door. Kick to the gut, Lee to the very top, neck breaker from the top rope! The cover, and we have a NEW Champion!
WINNER: Lei Ying Lee (And NEW)
TIME: 13:45
THOUGHTS: And the tyrannical run of Grace comes to an end. While I am very happy that Lee won the Knockouts Title again, this seems to be telegraphing a loss to Brookside at some point, perhaps at Slammiversary.
RATING: ***1/4

Daria Rae is here to award the Knockouts Title to Lee. She celebrates with the title, and with that, we are done!

But wait, as the late and very great Billy Mays would say, but there’s more! We cut to the back, and we see Moose buried under some guardrails! Some stagehands call for help, and NOW we are done!

7.4

The final score: review Good

The 411

Tonight's show was fine, although you can tell that this one was deep into the Syracuse Sessions. I feel like a live show next week will definitely help spruce things up some. But as for tonight, the System and Moose/Slater match was the high point, and everything else kind of existed. I am VERY happy that Lei won her title back, but it was overshadowed by the usual shenanigans from Ariana and Stacks.