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Csonka’s Impact Wrestling Redemption 2018 Review

April 22, 2018 | Posted by Larry Csonka
Pentagon Impact Wrestling Redemption 2018
7
The 411 Rating
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Csonka’s Impact Wrestling Redemption 2018 Review  

Csonka’s Impact Wrestling Redemption 2018 Review

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– AeroStar defeated Drago @ 11:40 via pin [***]
– Impact Tag Team Title Match: Eli Drake & Scott Steiner defeated Champions LAX @ 8:00 via pin [**¼]
– Cage defeated Ishimori, Dezmond Xavier, El Hijo del Fantasma, DJZ, & Trevor Lee @ 12:58 via pin [***¼]
– Taya Valkyrie defeated Kiera Hogan @ 8:00 via pin [**]
– X-Division Title Match: Champion Matt Sydal defeated Petey Williams @ 11:58 via pin [***]
– House of Hardcore Match: Ohio Versus Everything defeated Tommy Dreamer, Moose, & Eddie Edwards @ 13:00 via pin [***¼]
– Knockouts Title Match: Champion Allie defeated Su Yung @ 7:17 via pin [**½]
– Impact World Title Match: Pentagon defeated Champion Austin Aries and Fenix @ 16:15 via pin [***¾]

– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

– You can read my preview for the show at this link.

– NEW TITLES…

ALL HAIL TO OUR OWL OVERLORD

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– Josh Mathews & Don Callis are on commentary tonight.

Drago vs. AeroStar: This is a good pick for the opener. They lock up and Drago looks to take control, working the arm, but AeroStar escapes. They work into a stand off, Drago then takes control, hits a sidekick and AeroStar picks up the pace, hits an enziguri and follows with a corkscrew moonsault and Drago powders. AeroStar wipes him out with a plancha. Back in and AeroStar lays in kicks, but Drago cuts him off with a superkick. Hot crowd so far. Drago lays in more kicks, but AeroStar heads to the floor and Drago wipes him out with a twisting tope. Back in and Drago covers for 2. Drago hits a clothesline and kicks, but AeroStar sidesteps him and Drago to the floor. AeroStar hits a springboard coffin drop to wipe out Drago. AeroStar rolls him back in and covers for 2. Drago counters into a cradle for 2. They trade pin attempts, and work into a double down. Drago now hits a back breaker, covering for 2. The draping DDT follows for 2 again. They trade strikes now; AeroStar dropkicks Drago to the floor and hits a suicide dive. Back in and AeroStar covers for 2. Drago avoids the charge, and hits a sliding dropkick, covering for 2. The cradle then gets a near fall. Drago follows with a powerbomb and looks for another, but AeroStar counters and hits a cutter. AeroStar up top now, and slips coming in. He now hits an enziguri and springboards in with a code breaker for the win. AeroStar defeated Drago @ 11:40 via pin [***] This was an overall good opening match with a hot crowd, unfortunately they lost some steam down the stretch and AeroStar had some sloppy moments near the finish.

– We see Mathews telling Sydal that he’s ready to go it alone.

– LAX is at the clubhouse playing dominoes. Konnan isn’t there so Santana steals his seat. The get a call from “King,” and it seems as if Konnan won’t be there, as he was apparently kidnapped.

Impact Tag Team Title Match: Champions LAX (Santana & Ortiz) vs. Eli Drake & Scott Steiner: Steiner is in t-shirt mode again tonight, like at WrestleCon. LAX is out alone. Drake and Santana to begin. Santana hits a dropkick and takes control. Drake fights off LAX, but they start working double teams and take control back, covering for 2. Drake battles back, tagging in Steiner. Ortiz lays in strikes, and Drake low bridges him. Drake attacks Ortiz on the floor and rolls him back in. Steiner now hits a belly to belly for 2. Steiner dumps him as Drake rolls him back in as Steiner hits flatliners and clotheslines. Drake tags in and they hit elbow drops and the cover gets 2. Ortiz makes a comeback, DDTing Steiner and tags in Santana. He runs wild on Drake, and hits a cutter. LAX then hits double teams on Drake, but Steiner makes the save. He follows with suplexes, takes Santana up top and hits a Frankensteiner 2k18. He locks in the recliner but Ortiz makes the save. Drake wipes him out, but Santana hits a superkick. Santana up top and Drake pops up and Ortiz cuts him off, Santana dives to the floor onto Steiner. Drake rakes the eyes and hits gravy train and we have new champions. Eli Drake & Scott Steiner defeated Champions LAX @ 8:00 via pin [**¼] This was ok, they smartly limited Steiner to playing the hits, but I’m not a fan of the title change as company seemingly cannot keep any momentum on LAX.

Ishimori vs. Dezmond Xavier vs. El Hijo del Fantasma vs. Cage vs. DJZ vs. Trevor Lee: Nice to see Xavier & DJZ back. This is two men in at a time and lucha tag rules. Xavier and DJZ to begin. They lock up and work into some back and forth. Xavier hits a dropkick, DJZ fires back and then hits a dive onto Ishimori. Lee in and he gets dumped. Fantasma in and hits a head scissors and hits an enziguri. DJZ flies in and gets pulled to the floor by Fantasma. He and Ishimori pick up the pace, Ishimori hits a springboard senton. But gets cut off with a back breaker. Fantasma hits a jumping sidekick and Lee in to cut him off. He takes out DJZ, and then attacks Xavier. He cheap shots Cage, but DJZ fires away with jabs. The small package follows for 2. Lee follows with a belly to back suplex for 2. Lee again cheap shots Cage, and now Cage tags in. He tosses Lee around and pummels him with clotheslines. The spinebuster follows and then backdrops Xavier. He takes out Fantamsa with a German and catches Ishimori and hits a Finlay roll, slips on a moonsault, and then hits it the second time. DJZ & Xavier work him over with kicks, Ishimori hits the golden moonsault to the floor onto Cage. Lee gets taken out with a DDT to the floor by DJZ. Xavier cuts off Fantasma, but Fantasma looks for the thrill of the kill, but DJZ hits a superkick and powerbomb. The ZDT is cutoff by Ishimori, hits a DVD and head kick for 2. Cage returns and catches Xavier but Fantasma cuts him off. Cage now catches both and hits a fall away slam combo platter. Knee strike to Lee, but Lee hits the collision course for 2. Xavier takes out Lee, Fantasma takes him out and hits the big suicide dive. The Michinoku driver follows for 2 but DJZ makes the save. DJZ & Fantasma up top and DJZ hits a SUPER RANA but Lee makes the save. Lee hit a German, Ishimori hits a double stomp, but Cage hits weapon X. Lee double stomp DJZ but Cage kills him with a lariat. The drill claw finishes Xavier. Cage defeated Ishimori, Dezmond Xavier, El Hijo del Fantasma, DJZ, & Trevor Lee @ 12:58 via pin [***¼] This was a good, car crash style match, with Cage getting the featured spot and win. It was a bit rough in spots, but was certainly enjoyable.

– Allie says she will prove herself tonight and retain her title. She previously put others ahead of herself, but tonight, she fights for herself and her personal redemption.

Taya Valkyrie vs. Kiera Hogan: Valkyrie talks shit and slaps her around. Hogan fires back and hits a RANA. The dropkick follows and Valkyrie bails to the floor. Tessa Blanchard appears on commentary, immediately heeling it up.
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Valkyrie hits a buckle bomb and lays the boots to Hogan. She then chokes her out, and follows with forearms. Hogan fights back, hitting a high cross. Valkyrie then hits a catatonic, covering for 2. The commentary goes off the rails here, completely focused on Tessa. Back in the ring, and Valkyrie covers for 2. Valkyrie hits another slam, but Hogan battles back, and picks up a cover for 2. She misses the leg drop, but fires back with a double stomp for 2. Valkyrie now dumps Hogan on her head with a Saito suplex for 2. Valkyrie misses a charge, Hogan hits a superkick but Valkyrie hits the road to Valhalla for the win. Taya Valkyrie defeated Kiera Hogan @ 8:00 via pin [**] This was ok, but unfortunately, the ladies were never focused on as the commentary was all about Tessa. Despite her attitude issues, Tessa is a good get as far as good in ring performers go.

– Petey jokes and does a Steiner-esque math promo and Steiner arrives and says Petey was at his best when he looked like him, and asks Petey how his wife is.

X-Division Title Match: Champion Matt Sydal vs. Petey Williams: They work into some back and forth right away, really nice pacing so far as Petey hits a RANA and teases the destroyer, but Sydal counters into a cradle for 2. Petey quickly cuts him off, hitting a dropkick, and sets Sydal up top. Into the tree of WHOA and Petey does the Oh Canada but stomp. Petey follows with the half crab, and follows with a back breaker. Sydal cuts him off with a roundhouse kick. Sydal covers for 2, and then follows with leg kicks. The standing moonsault gets 2. They trade strikes, Sydal back to the leg kicks and then a dropkick to the knee. Petey battles back with a slingshot code breaker, and cradles Sydal for 2. The flatliner follows, and looks for the destroyer, but instead hits the TKO. Sydal fights off the destroyer, and hits a jumping kick and then heads up top. Petey cuts him off and locks on a sharpshooter, but Sydal makes the ropes. Sydal back to leg kicks, but Petey hits an apron code breaker as they fall to the floor. Back in they go, Petey follows with rights, but Sydal hits a knee strike. The RANA follows and Sydal heads up top, the shooting star press eats knees and Petey hits the destroyer, but Sydal rolls to the floor. Petey follows, rolls him back in and Petey heads up top. He pulls Sydal up with him, but Sydal backdrops him into the ring. The shooting star press misses, but Sydal hits a pump handle slam into a cradle and retains. Champion Matt Sydal defeated Petey Williams @ 11:58 via pin [***] This was an overall good match, worked differently than I think most expected. It had a strong layout, and the work was good and clean, but overall it lacked the drama to take it to the next level.

House of Hardcore Match: Ohio Versus Everything (Dave Crist, Jake Crist, & Sami Callihan) vs. Tommy Dreamer, Moose, & Eddie Edwards: This is anything goes. The babyfaces have raided the old Aces & 8s gear for tonight. Moose catches Jake on a dive and hits an apron bomb. Edwards now hits a dive as the babyfaces run wild with weapons. Dreamer and Jake into the ring and Dreamer attacks with a kendo stick, and then sets him in the tree of WHOA but Sami cuts him off. Edwards takes him out with a chair shot. Sami is back and suplexes Edwards onto an open chair, but Moose makes the save, hitting a spinebuster and senton. Sami is laid on a ladder propped against the ring and Moose goes for a senton but Sami moves and Moose crashes and burns. Dreamer and Edwards work submissions, but Sami makes the save with kendo stick shots. That allows oVe to take control, and they bring out tables and set them up. They isolate Edwards, but Edwards keeps fighting until the numbers game and a trashcan shot ends that. They hit the all Seeing Eye onto a chair, and Moose makes the save. He dropkicks Sami to the floor, and uses a dropkick to hit a dropkick on Jake. Dave chokes out Edwards with tape, while Dreamer hits a Spicolli driver on Sami onto a table on the floor. Dave pulls out thumbtacks in a tribute to Abyss spot, Moose takes out Jake and we get a doomsday Boston knee party on Dave into the tacks. Sami slams Dreamer into a table and lays the table on him. Moose flies onto Dave on the table but Jake hits him with a cutter out of mid-air. Sami & Edwards brawl now, Sami attacks the eye and hits the shoulder breaker for 2. he has the bat and a box on Edwards’ face, but Dreamer is back with a barbed wire bat and attacks Sami. The DDT follows, but Sami low blows him and rolls him up for the win. Ohio Versus Everything defeated Tommy Dreamer, Moose, & Eddie Edwards @ 13:00 via pin [***¼] This was a good hardcore match here, with all of the usual toys, and some really fun spots mixed in. As expected, Dreamer was hid well by the stipulation and in the end, took the pin. This was enjoyable stuff, and the Crist boys take a tremendous beating. The post match was also well done with Edwards snapping and losing his shit to get some revenge, and accidentally taking out his wife in his blind rage..

– Edwards busts open Sami with the barbed wire bat and tapes a bloody Sami to the ropes. Edwards low blows him and wipes Sami’s blood on his face and works him over with kendo shots. Edwards even takes out the ref and Dreamer calls him off. Edwards shoves him aside and continues to ruin Sami’s day. He also takes out Dave & Jake. Edwards’s wife Alisha arrives and Edwards accidentally takes her out in his rage.

– We get promos from Fenix & Aries for tonight’s main event. Aries does a good job of hyping the main event, even bringing up that his opponents are brothers, making his fight even harder.

Knockouts Title Match: Champion Allie vs. Su Yung: Braxton Sutter is at ringside with Yung. Sutter distracts Allie, allowing Yung to attack. Allie quickly fires back, taking control. Sutter distracts her again, but she continues to attack Yung before Sutter pulls Yung to the floor. Allie up top and Sutter knocks her into the tree of WHOA, and Yung takes control and attacks, covering for 2. Yung then stuns her off the ropes, and hits a cannonball off of the apron. Back in and Yung covers for 2. Yung gets a bloody glove, but Allie hits a code breaker to cut her off. Allie hits a corner charge, Yung answers back and they trade attacks, before Allie hits a DDT. She follows with strikes and then clotheslines. The sliding D follows and then another. The Russian leg sweep follows for 2. Yung cuts Allie off and hits a draping pedigree, covering for 2. Allie fights off panic switch and hits a superkick, Sutter gets involved again and Allie takes him out. Allie then counters panic switch into a cradle to retain. Champion Allie defeated Su Yung @ 7:17 via pin [**½] This was a solid match overall, with Allie overcoming the odds to retain.

– Sutter begs Yung for forgiveness post match and says he loves her. He proposes to her, and Yung mists him and lays him out with a mandible claw.

– Impact returns to PPV this summer from Toronto, Canada on July 22nd for Slammiversary.

Impact World Title Match: Champion Austin Aries vs. Pentagon vs. Fenix: Main event time! Aries is up to six title belts now. They talk some shit and stall to begin. Aries attacks and starts working over Pentagon, and then attacks Fenix. He lays in chops on both, but the brothers send him to the floor. Fenix & Pentagon go face to face and Pentagon hits a sling blade. Aries back in and Fenix works him over and hits a cutter on Pentagon. Fenix hits a missile dropkick to break up the last chancery on Pentagon. He follows with chops on Aries, lighting up the champion. Aries now fires back with chops. The snap mare and second rope elbow follows with 2. He knocks Pentagon back to the floor, isolating Fenix. Pentagon back in and superkicks Fenix. Aries cuts him off and gets the last chancery, but Fenix breaks that up. Aries cuts him off, but gets dumped and hits a RAN onto pentagon on the floor. Fenix slips on a ropewalk moonsault, and opts for a corkscrew dive onto both. Back in and Fenix hits a swanton on Pentagon but Aries makes the save. Aries lays in knee strikes and Fenix counters the brainbuster, Pentagon over and Germans them both, making covers on both for 2. Pentagon looks for the arm break, but Fenix saves Aries. Pentagon to the floor, as Fenix lays in chops on Aries. Aries cuts him off with a rolling elbow and shin breaker. The shotgun dropkick follows, but Pentagon knocks Aries to the floor. Back stabber on Fenix by Pentagon connects and the cover gets 2. Pentagon takes time to check on his brother, allowing Fenix to hit a superkick and rolling uppercut. The muscle buster driver connects for 2. Fenix lays in more kicks; Pentagon hits fear factor but Aries makes the save. Aries takes down Pentagon and they work to the apron. Pentagon fights him off but Aries hits a neck breaker in the ropes. Pentagon cuts off a suicide dive but Aries dumps him into the crowd. Back in and Aries hits the 450 onto both (Pentagon ate knees), covering for 2. Aries now follows with strikes onto both, he looks for a brainbuster, but eats superkicks and the brothers work over Aries. Pentagon takes out Fenix and hits a Gory special package piledriver on both! He breaks Aries’ arm and hits fear factor and we have a new champion! Pentagon defeated Champion Austin Aries and Fenix @ 16:15 via pin [***¾] This was an overall very good main event, and easily the best thing on the show. They were able to take the really good base from WrestleCon, expand on it here, and create some really strong drama down the stretch. I noted that Pentagon winning wasn’t impossibility, but it still came off as a surprise, and for as strong a champion as Aries was, I think this was a great move to roll with Pentagon as champion.

– The brothers embrace post match.

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

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“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.0
The final score: review Good
The 411
Overall, the Impact Wrestling Redemption 2018 wasn’t a blow away show, but I felt it was a good return to PPV for the company with a little something for everyone. We had some good wrestling, the debut of Tessa Blanchard, some surprising title changes and retentions, and an overall sense of fun the product has lacked overall on PPV for a long time. They have three months to build to Slammiversary, and it will be interesting to see how things shake out as we build towards that show.
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