Csonka’s Impact Wrestling Review 2.08.18

Csonka’s Impact Wrestling Review 2.08.18

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Taiji Ishimori & Matt Sydal defeated Rohit Raju & El Hijo del Fantasma @ 15:45 via pin [***]
– The Cult of Lee (Trevor Lee & Caleb Konley) defeated TECH (Monroe & Reed) @ 4:23 via pin [*¾]
– Knockouts Tike Match: Champion Laurel Van Ness vs. Keira Hogan @ 4:10 via pin [**]
– Hania defeated Amber Nova @ 3:30 via pin [*¾]
– #1 Contender’s Match: Johnny Impact defeated Moose, EC3, and Alberto El Patron @ 20:40 via pin [**¾]

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– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

– You can read a review of last week’s show at this link.

– Josh Mathews & Sonjay Dutt are on commentary (which was redone following Borash’s departure).

Rohit Raju & El Hijo del Fantasma vs. Taiji Ishimori & Matt Sydal: Raju was formerly known as global forged winner Hakim Zane. He’s part of the Desi Hit Squad (managed by Gama Singh) that will see more members debuting soon. Thank you Impact Wrestling for starting off again with a match. We get handshakes to begin. We get some solid back and forth to begin. Ishimori and Fantasma push and shove, Fantasma looks to take control, and we get tags to Raju & Fantasma. They pick up the pace a bit, and Sydal hits the standing moonsault, covering for 2. Ishimori back in and double teams follow on Raju. Quick tags follow and Sydal grounds Raju with a single leg crab. Ishimori back in, continuing to work over Raju. Wholesale changes to Fantasma & Sydal, Fantasma takes control and superkicks Ishimori and then gets a cover for 2 on Sydal. Post break, and Fantasma is in control, working a Romero special on Sydal. Ishimori makes the save, and takes out Raju. It breaks down and Raju hits a suicide dive on Sydal. Ishimori takes Fantasma to the floor and follows with the golden triangle moonsault to the floor. Back in and Ishimori works over Raju, but Raju locks on la mistica. Ishimori escapes, tags in Sydal and he lays in kicks on Raju. Double teams follow on Raju, but Fantasma makes the save. Sydal& Ishimori look to work over Fantasma, but Fantasma cuts them off with back breakers. Fantasma follows with chops, Raju tags in and they double-team Sydal, covering for 2. Sydal fights back, fighting off both men, Ishimori flies in to help and hits the modified dodon on Raju and Sydal follows with the shooting star press for the win. Taiji Ishimori & Matt Sydal defeated Rohit Raju & El Hijo del Fantasma @ 15:45 via pin [***] This was a good, back and forth, opening match to kick off the show. The exact type of thing they should be doing.

Austin Aries Comments on His Return: This is footage from the press conference after Aries won the title last week. Aries says it’s great to be back, and even he is shocked to be champion again. He says he hasn’t signed a contract and is traveling the world, winning titles. Eli Drake arrives and argues that he didn’t sign a contract for their match. Aries tells Drake to get ready for their rematch and he’ll drop him on his head again. They will face off next week.

Next week it's official – there will be no excuses as @TheEliDrake gets his rematch against @AustinAries in a BIG TIME title match. #IMPACTonPOP pic.twitter.com/6U2Mcpv3W0

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) February 9, 2018

– We get footage of Aries winning his first world title from Bobby Roode.

The @GWNApp Moment of the Week looks back at Austin Aries' first IMPACT World title win over Bobby Roode! #IMPACTonPOP pic.twitter.com/lg8QSX8pBb

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) February 9, 2018

The Cult of Lee (Trevor Lee & Caleb Konley) vs. TECH (Monroe & Reed): The Cult of Lee attacked LAX last week, stealing their bandanas. TECH takes early control, working over Konley. Lee districts Reed, tags in and takes over. Lee and Konley now work quick tags, taking the heat on Reed. Double teams continue and Konley covers for 2. Lee back in, but Reed runs Konley & Lee together. Lee takes out Monroe, and the spiked piledriver follows and finishes Reed. The Cult of Lee (Trevor Lee & Caleb Konley) defeated TECH (Monroe & Reed) @ 4:23 via pin [*½] The match wasn’t bad, Lee & Konley mocking LAX was amusing, but I felt that this went too long. This was The Cult of Lee ‘s official in ring debut as a team, and if you want people to take them seriously, they should have completely mowed down these jobbers with no resistance at all.

– Konnan cuts a promo on the screen, and promises that LAX incoming to take them out. LAX’s music hits and the Cult of Lee bails.

– Allie meets with Keira Hogan, praying for her win last week. Allie promises to watch her back. Allie then gets delivered a giant card, labeled top secret. It’s a Valentine’s Day card, from a secret admirer to meet next week.

– Moose cuts a promo about tonight’s #1 contender’s match. He’s never had a world title shot, and that changes tonight, because he’s the next #1 contender.

Knockouts Tike Match: Champion Laurel Van Ness vs. Keira Hogan: Hogan pinned Van Ness last week to earn this title shot. Van Ness attacks, but Hogan hits arm drags and a dropkick, covering for 2. Van Ness cuts her off, stunning her off the ropes and working her over in the corner. Van Ness now slams her around by the hair, and covers for 2. Van Ness now chokes her out in the ropes, and then mocks Hogan. Van Ness maintains control as she is completely dismissive of Hogan here. Hogan fights of the unprettier into a roll up for 2. Hogan continues to fight back, hits a high cross and superkick, covering for 2. Van Ness counters a suplex, stuns Hogan off the ropes, and hits the unprettier to pick up the win. Champion Laurel Van Ness vs. Keira Hogan @ 4:10 via pin [**] This was an ok little match, LVN retains and continues her reign and path to a rematch with Allie. Hogan has looked solid in her two matches, adapting to TV well; she looks to be a nice addition to he roster.

– Post match, LVN attacks and lays the boots to Hogan. Allie makes the save, hits the code breaker and LVN bails.

– Next week, CAGE will be unleashed.

– EC3 is interviewed about tonight’s #1 contender’s match. He’s the best guy here, there, and everywhere and doesn’t plan to leave until he becomes the EC3-time world champion.

– We get a video package on Aries vs. Drake to set up next week’s match.

– Jimmy Jacobs is with Kong Kong, and says he’s not a bad guy. He asked nicely for Joe Park to bring back Abyss. Since he refused, they will drag the monster from him.

– Sydal talks about his win with Ishimori, and reveals that Ishimori defends against Fantasma next week.

– oVe attacks Lashley in the parking lot, and locks them in the trunk of a car.

Hania vs. Amber Nova: Here is Hania, who no longer works here after reportedly being fired, but don’t say that to her, she’ll get mad and say she quit. Nova tries to fire up early, but Hania cuts her off and poses. She then chokes out Nova in the ropes, follows with a kick, and covers for 2. Nova counters a powerbomb into a sunset flip for 2. The enziguri, clothesline and dropkick connect. Nova then slams Hania to the buckles, but Hania catches her with a powerbomb and inverted DDT for the win. Hania defeated Amber Nova @ 3:30 via pin [*¾] This was not a smartly laid out debut for Hania, it was her Impact in ring debut and having her go 50/50 with Nova was the exact wrong thing to do. This was a time for her to run through her opponent, show off her signature offence, and get her properly introduced ahead of facing Rosemary.

– Post match, Rosemary attacks but Hania escapes.

#1 Contender’s Match: Moose vs. EC3 vs. Alberto El Patron vs. Johnny Impact: Everyone brawls at the bell and Impact & Patron pair off. Moose & EC3 follow to the floor, as the brawling continues. Patron & EC3 double-team Moose, and then roll him back in and continue to work double teams. Impact returns, making the save for Moose. He beats down Patron, while Moose beats down EC3. Patron dumps Impact, and that allows he and EC3 to attack Moose. The double DDT follows and Patron attacks EC3 and makes a cover for 2. They brawl now, but Impact flies in to break that up and runs wild. He covers Patron, but Moose makes the save and hits a pop up powerbomb. Moose now fires up, but Impact cuts him off. Everyone is down, but start to make it to their feet and they pair off and brawl. Post break, and Moose dumps Impact. Moose follows to the floor, and he and Patron battle into the crowd. (that is where Moose legit hurt his knee) EC3 whips Impact to the steps, and Patron returns. He tosses Impact and EC3 into the crowd and follows. Patron puts Impact in a trashcan, but he escapes and throws the can at Patron. Back in the ring and Impact covers EC3 for 2. Patron back in and cuts off Impact. Patron & EC3 work together again, beating down Impact in the corner. They set him up top and follow him up. Impact fights them off, and looks for the double sunset bomb, and Moose limps back to the ring and double powerbombs follow. Moose is very hobbled here, keeps fighting and he and Impact work into a double down. Moose hits a lariat on Patron, head butts Impact, and just keeps going even though he’s hurt. Impact counters go to hell, and EC3 hits him with the one percenter. Impact makes the save, as Moose rolls to the floor. Impact heads up top, Patron cuts him off, sending him to he floor. He then hits the backstabber on Moose. Patron locks on the arm bar on EC3, but Moose breaks it up with a running senton and dumps Patron. Moose to the floor, but patron hits the superkick, Impact wipes out Patron, but EC3 rolls him up for 2. Impact counters the one percenter into a roll up for the win. Johnny Impact defeated Moose, EC3, and Alberto El Patron @ 20:40 via pin [**¾] First of all, mush respect to Moose for gutting through a legit knee injury and doing his absolute best to finish the match. While that slowed things down a bit and made for some flow issues, that didn’t realty hurt the match for me. Overall, the match was pretty good, but I thought that it was severely lacking in drama and a real sense of urgency, especially considering that this was a #1 contender’s match.

– Next week…

* Cage Debuts
* Hania vs. Rosemary
* X-Division Champion Ishimori vs. Fantasma
* World Champion Austin Aries vs. Eli Drake

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

5.8

The final score: review Not So Good

The 411

Tonight’s episode of Impact Wrestling was an overall downgrade from last week’s show. I loved that we started off with a good X-Division match, and that they set up three matches and a debut for next week, but outside of that, I found the show to be lacking, and that it didn’t do a good job of keeping me invested. Next week has some possibilities, with Austin Aries vs. Eli Drake & Ishimori vs. Fantasma possibly being really good matches.