wrestling / TV Reports
Ciocco’s TNA Impact Review 7.9.26
Image Credit: TNA
Loading...Impact Zone! It’s Thursday, which can only mean one thing, and that is a brand new episode of the weekly delight known as Impact! Coming to us from the taped sessions in Albany, tonight’s show will feature a heavy focus on the Knockouts, and if you’re like me (and I know I am!), then that is definitely a good thing! But that’s not the only thing we have cooking tonight, as we have a couple of tag team matches, one including a title defense!
For more, let’s roll out the Headlines!
So, how is everyone doing on this Thursday Night? I have to tell you, I am NOT one to complain about the cold (unless it’s zero or below), but you WILL hear me complain about the heat, and after the heat dome finally broke last Saturday, it looks like we’re heading back into the 90’s again next week. Yay. In sports talk, both the Phillies and the Fever let me down last night, and it turns out that the Flyers will not be getting Leo Carlsson after all, as the Ducks matched the offer sheet we gave him. Well, looks like Danny Briere will have to pivot to another possible 1C. I hear Columbus might have one on their hands.
But enough about me and enough about you, let’s get ready to brace for Impact!
Tonight, we are LIVE (to tape!) from the capital of New York, Albany! Tom Hannifan and Matt Rehwoldt will have the call for us!
I’M READY FOR YOU aka the Title Sequence!
Tom welcomes us to the show and says tonight is Title Thursday! To that end, we are starting off with the Tag Team Titles!
TNA Tag Team Titles Match: The Broken Hardy’s (C) vs. The Great Hands W/Tasha Steelz
Oh dang, Hotch and Skyler don’t even get an entrance!
Hotch and Jeff will start this one off. Hotch grabs a side-headlock, and he mocks Jeff’s finger gun dance lol. Jeff shows him how it is done after a shoulder tackle. Hotch tries to hip toss Jeff, but Jeff counters with one of his own. Jeff to the corner and he tags in Matt, and both men try to kick Jason through the corner. Matt tries to DELETE Hotch’s arm and he tags in Jeff. Double team offense from the Champions, but Hotch kicks out.
Hardy with a front face suplex, but Hotch rakes his eyes and he tags in Skyler. Jeff manages to get to his corner and he tags in Matt, who does a double axe handle from the top. Skyler takes Matt to their corner, and they work quick tags and work over the leg of Matt. Matt stumbles into the Great Hands corner, and Hotch again mocks Jeff and his dance. This draws Jeff in, and Matt gets his left leg worked over some more.
Matt manages to kick Hotch to the corner, and Skyler gets the tag. Matt kicks him away as well and tags in Jeff. Jeffrey wrecks the shit of Skyler with his trademark offense, but the pin is broken up by Hotch. Jeff heads to the top for a Whisper in the Wind, but both guys move. They hit the Helping Hand, but Matt saves Jeff! Side Effect from Matt to Hotch, Jeff with a Twist of Fate to Skyler, tag to Matt, who hits his own TOF! Jeff gets the tag, his shirt comes off, Swanton Bomb, and that’s a wrap!
WINNERS: The Broken Hardy’s (And still!)
TIME: 5:30
THOUGHTS: Not that we expected Matt and Jeff to lose here, but you had to figure that the Great Hands were in a bad way when they didn’t even get a TV entrance. The Hardy’s played the hits, and it worked.
RATING: ***
Post-match, Hotch, Skyler, and Steelz commiserate on the floor. Mustafa Ali is out with Special Agent Zero, and Ali looks on disapprovingly and gets on his phone.
Gia Miller has Lei Ying Lee in the back. She reminds Lee that she lost her title to her best friend, but tonight, she has a No-DQ rematch. Lee says when she lost Xia, she lost a friend. Tonight, no excuse, no past, no Angel Warriors, only a fight! She will give everything in her heart, soul, spirit, because that title belongs to a REAL Warrior! And tonight, she will take it back!
The King of TNA is here, and Frankie will host the King’s Speech with his special guest Moose, next!
BREAK IN PROGRESS!
Frankie has the ring ready post-break. Albany, New York! My god is this place boring. Luckily for you the King is here to spice things up, so having said that, welcome to the King’s Speech! I am the King of TNA, Frankie Kazarian! My guest tonight is coming off a monumental win at Slammiversary, please welcome, Moose!
Everyone’s favorite Canadian animal is here! Tom says that Moose is a proud graduate of Syracuse. Frankie welcomes Moose to the show, Moose says thanks for having me. Frankie says you’re not supposed to sit on the stool. Frankie says you defeated every member of the System, tell me how you’re feeling? Moose says that the match at Slammiversary was one of the greatest moments of his life. He says Frankie should know that Eddie Edwards likes to get in people’s heads. Moose says that he got to celebrate a beautiful moment in the ring with my wife and my son.
Frankie says that while some people think it was a beautiful moment, some people think they’ll need therapy. Moose cuts him off, and he says he knows what Frankie is trying to do. He is here to beat people up and pin them, because you are looking at the face of the franchise!
Frankie says that cute, and he will give it to Moose, he’s been dominant for nearly a decade. He says it is the truth, and Moose is in the conversation for best TNA wrestler of all-time. Moose says he IS the discussion, not a part of it. Frankie wants to know if he is stupid, because you call yourself the face of the franchise when a King is here. Moose says Frankie has been on one since he returned, and he wants to know who calls him a King.
Frankie says the people do, and Moose says he’s been here for a decade. He’s seen people come here, make a name for themselves, and then they go and chase a check and they chase stardom. But he isn’t doing that, he makes TNA his home and he isn’t going anywhere. That is why Moose calls himself the face of the franchise.
Frankie thanks him for running down his resume, so let him run down his. His name is Frankie Kazarian, BITCH! He has been here since day one, he is the last OG standing. He is the pioneer of the X-Division and Ultimate-X, he is a Triple Crown Champion, and that is why he is a damn king.
Moose calls him annoying, but he appreciates Frankie for what he has done, but he’s not a pillar, unlike Moose. You know, come to think of it, they have never had a singles match. So, let’s give the people a dream match, for the first time ever, Frankie Kazarian and Moose!
Frankie says he has no interest in that. He spoke to a gentleman a couple of minutes ago, and they agreed that he is an idiot, that they wish the System had taken Moose out, and that your career in the NFL was a joke.
AJ Francis and Expressions are here! Francis says that unlike Moose, he didn’t waste his career. He played with Tom Brady, and Tom told him that Moose got out the year before Francis got there because he was scared of Moose. Moose says since Frankie won’t fight him, then how about he throws down with AJ instead? Expressions says hold it, hold it, hold it! They don’t do things on your time; we do things on our time. That being said, we accept your challenge, but for next week! Frankie says it is official: The Irresistible Idiot (Moose) and the Immoveable Mark (Francis).
Wow, that was a LOT of talk, my dudes.
Talking is NOT done, as Elijah wants to talk to us. His guitar is omitting smoke now, but I think it’s the funky kind of smoke lol. He talks about being a warrior and being the man who will walk this way, or something. TBH, he kind of says the same stuff all the time.
Tom and Matt run down the card for tonight. Indi and Vicki will do battle, next!
BREAK IN PROGRESS!
We see the KO TV title tourney bracket. We see that both Heather by Elegance and Mara Sade will face off in the next round after winning last week.
TNA Knockouts TV Title Opening Match: “Vicious” Vicki Venuto vs. Indi Hartwell
Inset promos continue, making this feel more important, which I can appreciate. Also, a reminder that these matches have a ten-minute time limit.
The bell rings, and both ladies shake hands. Tom reminds us that they were teammates on the Countdown back before Genesis in January. Indi looks for a quick roll-up for a two. Indi goes to help Vicki up, but Venuto goes on the attack. That ends when Hartwell hits a big boot for a two. Hartwell with a corner lariat into a bulldog, as Vicki rolls out onto the ramp. Hartwell goes for her, but Venuto snaps her face off the top rope. Flying clothesline from Vicki for a two.
Snap suplex from Venuto, but Hartwell is out at two. Venuto takes Indi from corner to corner and rams her head into each one. Snapmare into a thrust kick for another two. Vicki with the chinlock, Indi to her feet, but Vicki throws Hartwell into the corner and she hits the mat. Another pin, another two. A snapmare from Venuto leads into a basement dropkick for another two. Cravat by Venuto, but Indi gets to her feet and rams Vicki into the corner. Clotheslines from Indi followed by the Spine on the Pine, but that’s just a two.
Indi looking Hertz Donut, but Vicki fights it off. CUTTER by Venuto, but Hartwell is out at two. Vicki looks for something, but Indi rolls her up for a two. Indi lands the Hertz Donut proper, and she’s moving on!
WINNER: Indi Hartwell
TIME: 5:15
THOUGHTS: Finally, some action after all of the talking. Both ladies showed a great sense of urgency, and Vicki definitely looked good out there, although obviously, Indi wasn’t losing.
RATING: ***1/2
It’s time for the Injury Report brought to us by AMC!
BREAK IN PROGRESS!
Fabian Aichner video package when we return. He is here in TNA to prove that he is the best. He loves to go home to Italy, because everyone welcomes you there. He was an Olympic Skier, but he saw wrestling on TV, and that was what he wanted to do. His next goal is to become the X-Division Champion. He deserves it, and compares himself to Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, and Leon Slater. He calls Cedric Alexander a smart man, but Aichner knows that Cedric is scared of him. He will prove that the facts are just the facts, and that Fabio is Numero Uno!
The Righteous vs. The System vs. Leon Slater and Ricky Sosa
Brian Myers and Bear Bronson are representing the System for this match.
Myers and Slater will start this off, with the Righteous on the apron. Slater runs over Myers and then hits a recoil enziguri to Myers. Brian ends up in the corner, where he ends up tagging in Dutch. Slater knocks Vincent off the apron, as Slater and Sosa both hits SUPERKICKS on Dutch until he hits the floor. Bronson is in, and Slater uses his momentum against him to dropkick him from the ring. Slater and Sosa countdown, Bronson asks why they are counting down, and we find out why, as they both wipe out both teams on the floor!
Back in the ring, and Slater and Sosa corner Vincent. Slater with the mounted punches, Sosa with a corner clothesline, a chop, and a dropkick, but Vincent kicks out at two. Back to the corner he goes, as Slater gets the tag. Slater throws Vincent into a neutral corner, and Slater throws Sosa into the corner. Assisted Powerslam from the guys, but again Vincent kicks out at two. Slater heads to the top, Myers tries to knock him off the top, but Slater kicks him away. Sosa is tied up with the ref, allowing Dutch the chance to knock Slater to the mat.
Vincent hits Slater with a Flatliner and some grounded punches. Dutch comes in, Vincent dances, and Dutch throws Vincent on top of Slater, but Leon kicks out at two. Vincent kicks Sosa off the apron, and the Righteous work over Leon. Dutch is in officially with the dreaded chinlock to Slater, as he gets back to his feet. The commercial break is a LITTLE bit late again, but we get an ad for TNAmerch.com.
When we return, Slater tries to fight his way free of Dutch, but he can’t. Bronson tags in when he slaps Dutch on the back, so Dutch and Bronson go face-to-face. Vincent and Myers keep their partners apart, and Bronson hits Slater with the Choke Bomb! The cover, but Ricky with the save for Leon. Myers looking for the Roster Cut, but he runs smack into a SUPERKICK from Slater!
Sosa is finally in the match, and Bronson is in. Sosa has to fight off both Bronson and the Righteous. Full Nelson Slam to Bronson, and he hits a springboard moonsault, but Vincent makes the save. The Righteous look to work over Sosa, but Myers pulls Dutch out of the ring, and Vincent ends up on the floor, too. Officially, we have hit the part of the match where everyone gets their shit in.
After Dutch hits Myers with Death Walks, Bronson pulls down the straps, and both men square up. MEAT match has broken out! Dutch drops his suspenders, Bronson with strikes, but Dutch salts him with a forearm. Bronson with the low bridge of Dutch to the floor, and he hits a shoulder tackle from the apron. Both men trade on the floor, but here comes Leon Slater, and he clears the corner and takes out both men! Slater feeds Bronson to Sosa, who hits a BIG flying European Uppercut for the win!
WINNERS: Leon Slater and Ricky Sosa
TIME: 10:40
THOUGHTS: I don’t know what the future holds for Slater and his plans to go to WWE, but damn if these two kids are not a fun team! A wonderfully fun match!
RATING: ***3/4
Santino Marella is in the back doing Ricky’s dance. Here comes the Suit Daria Rae. She wants to know what the hell Santino is doing. Ryan Nemeth is here. He has a favor to ask of Daria. He knows that pink haired goof is going to say something mean about his big brother, so he wants to “talk” to KC. Santino says he has had a rough week, let him vent, but Daria says that Ryan wants to defend his brother, which Santino wouldn’t understand, because he ends up fighting his own daughter. Daria tells Ryan to do what he has to do, he leaves, and Santino continues to dance.
Gabby Forza will make her TNA debut against Jody Threat, next!
BREAK IN PROGRESS!
Same ad for TNAmerch.com that we got during the previous match. How original!
We get another look at the KO TV Title Tourney, with Indi moving on to face the winner of Harley Hudson and Thea Hail in the next round.
TNA Knockouts TV Title Opening Match: Gabby Forza vs. Jody Threat
This is the first time that I have reviewed a Threat match, and I really liked what I saw from Forza during the Collective weekend at WM42.
The bell rings, as both ladies come face-to-face. They show respect before they lock-up. Forza wins on an opening lock-up, but Threat grabs arm control and goes into a headlock. She tries to knock Forza down, but Gabby yells at her. Jody tries again, but she stands still and they both do primal screams at one another. Threat finally gets Forza on the mat and then proceeds to hammer away on her in the corner. Threat goes back in, but Forza drops her on the apron.
Threat rams Gabby’s head into the corner and Jody heads to the top and hits a dropkick for a two. Threat applies the Cross-face, but Forza gets to her feet and smashes Threat into the corner. Gabby charges in and proceeds to ram Threat. Threat tries to fight back, but Forza snatches her up and hits the Okla-Gnome-A Slam for a two. Threat rolls to the corner, and Forza hits the Vader Bomb for a two. Threat rolls up Forza for a two.
Both ladies are back to trying to see who is more of the badass, as they run into one another three times. Threat counters Forza with a drop toehold and a leaping teabag. Release German from Threat sends Gabby to the apron. Jody takes off and hits a dropkick to the back of Forza. Gabby ends up on the floor, where Threat takes her out with a CANNONBALL! Threat returns Forza to the ring, but she takes too long climbing to the top because she misses her move and Forza clobbers her with a lariat. Powerslam and a Torture Rack Bomb from Forza, but Threat is out at two. Forza looking for another Vader Bomb, but Threat moves, and she hits the Pop Shove-It (F-5) and Jody is moving on!
WINNER: Jody Threat
TIME: 6:30
THOUGHTS: A really good match. Threat is always great in TNA from what I have seen/read, and I have been impressed by Forza since I saw her matches back in April.
RATING: ***1/2
In the back, we see Mustafa Ali putting on his tie. He tells someone off the screen that change is needed, so let’s move forward. Apparently, there will be a State of the Order-4 meeting next week.
We will hear from KC Navarro, next!
BREAK IN PROGRESS!
As promised, KC Navarro is here post-break! We see inset from last week, where Nic Nemeth turned on KC and hit him with the Danger Zone. KC has the mic. You know, last week, I learned a valiable lesson. A really hard lesson, as a matter of fact. He spent a lot of time working with and looking up to a man that I called my hero. He turned on me, and he hit me with the Danger Zone. KC doesn’t know what he did, did he let him down, did he disappoint him, did he insult him? Nic claims he is a man, but his actions weren’t that of a man, so KC wants him to come out and explain why he did what he did.
Here comes Nic Nemeth. Kid, my God, I believed in you, we all did! And then, I thought, if I could just have some time, I could make you something special. I could make you into the next star of TNA. But no one has that much time. Nic realized that he didn’t even deserve to stand near me. And, kid, you’re pretty good, but you just don’t have it. Is that clear enough for you?
PARDON ME, says KC, I don’t have it, brother? He busted his ass for years in order to get to TNA. And he busted his ass to get a TNA World Title shot, right here in Albany. And you say I don’t have it, brother, I just beat your brother, so he doesn’t have it.
Say his name, and here is Ryan, as he attacks from behind. Nic gets in the ring now. Kid, the saying blood is thicker than water is true, but you never deserved to stand in the ring next to me. He wants KC to lose his number, his name, and stay away from him and his family.
So, no chance this is over then, right?
Lei Ying Lee and Xia Brookside are walking! The Knockouts Title is on the line in the main event, next!
BREAK IN PROGRESS!
We see Rosemary standing in a hallway when we return. She stops in her tracks, and we see someone with an axe at the end of the hallway annnnnnnnnnnnd that’s it. I wonder if there was supposed to be more or if that was just the whole bit.
It’s Title Time, Dudes!
TNA Knockouts Title Match: Xia Brookside (C) vs. Lei Ying Lee
Lee wastes no time, as she attacks Brookside during her entrance. Sorry, no in-ring intros from Mackenize for this one!
The bell rings officially, and Xia rolls back out of the ring, so Lee gives chase. Lee hits a shotgun dropkick. she grabs her fan, opens it, and she goes to hit a corkscrew kick, but Lee hits her hand on the ring steps. Xia returns to the ring, but Lee gives chase and stomps her out. Lee with a big lariat. as Xia tries to get to the corner. Lee pulls her out of the corner, and she lays in strikes to the neck and a knee to the spine.
Brookside with a shot to Lee, but she absorbs this and continues to stomp out Brookside. Xia’s self-defense kick is blocked, and Lee lays in the kicks. Xia rolls to the outside and she indicates she is done with this. Brookside hangs around ring side, so Lee hits an elbow Tope! Xia says she doesn’t want this, but she has no say in the matter, as Lee stalks her around the ring and stomps on her leg.
Brookside rolls back into the ring, and Lee pins her for a two. Brookside grabs Lee’s fan, but Lee picks her up and drops her to the mat. Brookside still has the fan, and she hits Lee in the back of the leg with it. Brookside continues to assault the leg of Lee with the fan, and she taunts her by fanning herself with it. Xia continues the abuse with the fan, and she takes time to pose.
Brookside abandons the fan and hits a suplex. Brookside heads out to the floor, and she grabs a leather belt from under the ring. She intimidates us by snapping the belt, but she proceeds to whip Lee with the belt. Xia mounts Lee, hooks her foot with the belt, and she pulls back on the leg of Lee. After the “end of the break”, Lee rolls up Brookside to break the hold. Lee tries to fight back, but Xia continues the belt abuse.
Brookside grabs a headlock and she takes the buckle part of the belt and rams it into the head of Lee. Brookside looks for double knees, but Lee moves, and Brookside bounces off the ropes and to the mat. Lee with a hook kick, a running boot, and a dropkick, sending Xia to the corner. Lee tries to mount Xia for the punches in the corner, but her leg gives out initially. Lee eventually gets to the top and she lands the corner punches on Xia, plus one for good measure. Lee hits an Exploder to Xia, which takes her out of the ring and to the floor.
Lee heads out to the floor, as she finds chairs and a kendo stick and throws them all into the ring. Lee goes around the other side of the ring, she gives us a smirk, and Lee pulls out a table, much to the delight of the fans. The Challenger sets up the table, as Brookside finally emerges from around the corner. Lee smashes her face into the ring steps and then into the table. Both ladies end up on the apron, Lee looking powerbomb, but Brookside rolls back into the ring.
Lee heads back into the ring only to be greeted by kendo stick shots from Xia. Lee ends up on the apron, as Brookside heads to the top and she chokes out Lee with the kendo stick. Brookside takes time to admire her handywork, as Tom runs down next week’s matches. Brookside grabs her title belt and puts it on the apron. Xia moves the table and then taunts the fans by tipping the table over. BOO! All that does is give Lee the chance to hit Brookside with a shoulder tackle!
Back in the ring, and Lee wails away on Brookside with repeat chair shots! Lee slams the chair to the mat as the fans continue to cry for tables. Lee sets the title in the middle of the ring, but Brookside with a jawbreaker, so Lee responds with a running knee strike. Lee stacks up all the chairs that she threw into the ring and then throws Brookside on top of them. Lee to the top, Senton Splash, but Xia moves, and Lee hits the chairs! Brookside clocks Lee with her title belt, but Lee kicks out at 2.5!
Xia is beside herself, as both women trade strikes from their knees. Lee fires up, but Brookside smartly puts up one of the chairs as a shield, and Lee ends up punching it! Xia connects with the Darkside, and she has her first title retention!
WINNER: Xia Brookside (and still!)
TIME: 17:00
THOUGHTS: A really good main event that combined equal parts psychology, athleticism, and violence. Despite my personal feelings about Lei Ying Lee, I knew it was foolhardy to believe that Brookside would lose the title back here, but damn if they didn’t give it their all.
RATING: ***3/4
Post-match, Xia stands over Lee and celebrates with her title. And with that, we are done!
More Trending Stories
- Note on Who From TKO Can Interfere With WWE’s Creative Plans
- Finn Balor Reveals His Conversation With Seth Rollins After He Got Injured During SummerSlam 2016 Match
- Kevin Nash Says Losing Arn Anderson To Injury Hurt WCW More Than People Realize
- Dave Sahadi & Jim Cornette Allege That Kevin Nash Would Manipulate and Influence Dixie Carter in TNA
