Csonka’s Impact Wrestling Review 3.22.19

Csonka’s Impact Wrestling Review 3.22.19

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Moose defeated Trey @ 9:20 via pin [***]
– Eddie Edwards & Eli Drake defeated KM & Fallah Bahh @ 5:12 via pin [**½]
– Ace Austin defeated Damian Hyde @ 3:10 via pin [**]
– Willie Mack defeated Ethan Page @ 5:55 via pin [**¾]
– X-Division Title Match: Champion Rich Swann defeated Sami Callihan @ 15:00 via pin [***]

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Moose vs. Trey: Trey looks to pick up the pace right away, working into counters and dropkicks Moose to the floor. Moose cuts off the dive and poses, and eats another dropkick. Trey hits two suicide dives, but Moose catches the tope and hits an apron bomb. Trey fights off another buckle bomb and lays in kicks. The dropkick follows and Moose catches a RANA and slams Trey into the steps. Back in and Moose lays in strikes and covers with one foot for 2. He then lays in chops, forearms, and then runs into a boot. Trey looks for the RANA, but turns it into a code red for 2. Moose then kills him with a rolling lariat, takes him up top but Trey slips out and hits Cheeky nandos. The enziguri follows and then the missile dropkick. The step up tope connects, back in and the frog splash gets 1. Moose then hits the pop up powerbomb for 2. Trey fires back, hits a superkick and knee strike. The enziguri and reverse RANA follows for 2. Trey heads up top, meteora misses and Moose posts him twice. The spear finishes it. Moose defeated Trey @ 9:20 via pin [***] This was a good opener, as they played the size difference well and Trey looked competitive against the bigger opponent.

– Sami cuts a promo about tonight’s match with Rich Swann.

– Tessa cuts a promo on Gail Kim being suspended. She says she’s just getting started and threatens legal action against the company and has demands. She wants a public apology and for Kim to be fired.

– Cage vs. Impact will headline Rebellion.

BREAKING: @MrGMSI_BCage will be out for revenge as he gets his World Championship match against @TheRealMorrison on April 28th at Rebellion in Toronto.

TICKETS: https://t.co/qXpKQR3zQJ pic.twitter.com/zckfBCdBhn

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) March 23, 2019

Eddie Edwards & Eli Drake vs. KM & Fallah Bahh: Bahh and Drake begin. They lock up, and Bahh hits a shoulder tackle. Drake lays in strikes, but fails at slamming Bahh. Bahh grounds him, KM tags in and lays in kicks. Drake cuts him off and tags in Edwards. They work quick tags and double teams, taking control until Bahh tags in. Edwards follows with chops, but Bahh hits the side slam and KM hits the slingshot splash for 2. Edwards fights back, and Drake tags in and hits the neck breaker and double teams follow. KM cuts him off, but Drake takes him up top and follows him up. KM fights him off, enziguri by Edwards and Drake hits the superplex. Bahh wipes out Drake, but Edwards dumps him and hits the suicide dive. He gets Kenny, tosses it to Drake and he hits KM. The Boston knee party finishes it. Eddie Edwards & Eli Drake defeated KM & Fallah Bahh @ 5:12 via pin [**½] This was a solid match with Drake & Edwards continuing to roll.

– Impact & Taya arrive.

– The GWN Flashback is Cage vs. Fenix from 2018.

– The geek reporter tries to talk with Impact, but Taya arrives and shoves him away.

– Swann & Mack talk about oVe and their matches tonight. They have each other’s back. Ethan Page arrives and says Mack has bigger issues when they face off tonight.

Ace Austin vs. Damian Hyde: They lock up and Austin take control, lays in kicks and trips up Hyde. The dropkick follows. Austin then connects with a kick from the apron and hits another dropkick. The Fosbury flop then follows. Austin connects with strikes, back in and Austin lays in kicks. Austin hits a disaster kick, and then a springboard senton. Austin lights him up with more kicks, and the fold finishes it. Ace Austin defeated Damian Hyde @ 3:10 via pin [**] As a match, this was only ok. But the good news is that it was way better done than Austin’s debut match as he took the whole thing and really got to shine.

– We get a video package for an unnamed knockout, coming in two weeks. I’m guessing the Killer Queen’s return.

Two weeks. #IMPACT

WATCH NOW – https://t.co/jyZYT6QL46 pic.twitter.com/0TYN2wD3wd

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) March 23, 2019

Johnny Impact Explains His Actions: Johnny & Taya arrive. Josh asks Johnny why, and he says that everyone wants to know. He runs down the “smart marks,” and says he would be a fighting champion and was. But the people didn’t care; they just wanted to see him wreck his body. A new meathead in Cage arrived and they all loved him and turned on Johnny. Cage is too dumb to understand the people don’t care about him. He can’t be loyal to the fans when they weren’t loyal to him. He cheated on them with himself and he loved it. Taya comments on her match with Grace next week, but says she comes up short in certain areas. She mocks the smarky fans for trying to dictate things around here. They will not bleed her husband dry, and she will decide things because they have the power and make the rules. Johnny comments on facing Cage at Rebellion, and he will beat him again. But he’s not sure Cage will make it there. He used to care about the fans, but now all he cares about are the title and Taya. This was a solid follow up to last week, but a bit flat with very little crowd reaction.

– Jim Mitchell meets with Rosemary and she wants the bunny, not a useless meat suit. She needs her soul back, but Mitchell says she has to go and see “him.” She will return to the undead realm to get the bunny’s soul back.

Willie Mack vs. Ethan Page: Page attacks at the bell and lays the boots to Mack. Page follows with elbows, but Mack cuts him off with the Samoan drop and standing moonsault. He then lays in chops, and Page powders. Mack follows with rights and Page lays him out with a kick. Back in and Page grounds things, but Mack fights to his feet and is then mowed down with a running elbow. Page grounds things again, but Mack fights to his feet and hits a running boot and then an elbow. The atomic drop follows and Mack goes John Wooooooooooo. The cannonball follows for 2. The DDT connects and Mack covers for 2. Mack up top and Page cuts him off with iconoclasm and an elbow drop for 2. Mack fights off the spinning Dwayne, they trade kicks and Mack hits the stunner for the win. Willie Mack defeated Ethan Page @ 5:55 via pin [**¾] This was pretty good, I just wish that they got more time as it was going well.

– Johnny meets with Kross backstage and whisper something to each other.

– We get a promo for Disco Inferno vs. Scarlett Bordeaux.

– Disco is interviewed, and he’s doing shots and says he doesn’t have to train to face a girl. He says I twill be a 1 star match, mocking the women’s revolution and next week, he’ll teach her a woman can’t beat a man.

– Melissa interviews Gail, and says there is nothing she can do about Tessa’s demands. She’ll do what she needs to do. LAX & The Lucha Bros are brawling now backstage.

– Backstage, Jake & Dave jump Willie Mack but Mack fights them off and locks them in a room.

Champion Rich Swann vs. Sami Callihan: They brawl right away. Swann hits the cutter and follows with a dive. They now brawl on the floor, with Sami laying in chops but Swann fires back and they fight onto the steps. Eye rake by Sami, but Swann fights off the cactus driver and Swann dives off the steps and wipes out Sami. They continue to trade strikes, but Sami hits an XPLODER onto the ramp. Post break and Sami has Swann grounded, stunning him off the ropes. Sami then follows with strikes, spits on his hand and follows with chops. The slam follows and the neck crank is then applied. The elbow drop follows for 2. Sami keeps things grounded, but Swann fights to his feet only to be cut off with strikes. Swann escapes the sleeper, follows with elbows and then kicks, Swann lights him up with strikes and then a RANA. Swann fires away with kicks, and then a RANA for 2. They trade strikes and Sami hits a powerbomb, knee strike, and get out of here for 2. Sami now picks him up, looks for cactus driver, but Swann counters out and they trade kicks. Swann to the ropes, and the 450 connects for 2. Swann up top, gets cut off and they both work up top. Sami counters the RANA into a superbomb for 2. The crossface follows, Swann fights, and makes the ropes. Sami spits in his face, and Swann fucks him up with strikes, spits at him and hits the cutter for 2. The Phoenix splash misses and Swann counters the cactus driver into a cradle for the win. Champion Rich Swann defeated Sami Callihan @ 15:00 via pin [***] This was a good main event that played into the feud well and delivered a good post match angle, butt there was no drama in regards to Sami actually winning the title here, which hurt the match.

– Sami attacks post match, but Swann fights him off and Sawyer Fulton debuts and lays out Swann. He’s with Sami and oVe. Mack tries to make the save, but Fulton lays him out as well. Sami gets the bat and lays out Swann.

– Next week:

* Champion Taya vs. Jordynne Grace
* Disco Inferno vs. Scarlett Bordeaux
* Cage vs. Killer Kross
* Rosemary goes to the undead realm
* Gail Kim Apologizes

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 5. On today’s show, 411’s Larry Csonka is joined by longtime friend Jeremy Lambert Jr III. On the show, the guys discuss Kofi Kingston’s booking, WWE cooling off Braun Strowman, Asuka’s road to WrestleMania, Rey vs. Joe at WrestleMania, John Cena not having a match yet, the women’s tag title scene in WWE, Allie signing with AEW & the company’s business model, New Japan Cup & G1 Supercard thoughts, and their excitement for WrestleMania weekend. The show is approximately 83 minutes long.

* Intro
* Kofi: 3:40
* Braun Strowman: 9:00
* Asuka: 14:50
* Rey vs. Joe: 20:15
* John Cena: 25:20
* The WWE Women’s Tag Title Picture: 31:00
* Allie signs with AEW & AEW Business Model: 35:45
* New Japan Cup & G1 Supercard thoughts: 56:00
* WrestleMania excitement: 60:10

You can subscribe and listen to the 411 on Wrestling Podcast via the
above player on Transistor, or on the following platforms:

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

This week’s episode of Impact Wrestling was another solid show, following up on the recent weeks well. It was again bookended by good things, while the middle was largely fine but unspectacular.