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Csonka’s Impact Wrestling Review 4.20.17
Image Credit: Impact Wrestling
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Csonka’s Impact Review 4.20.17
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Non-Title Match: Champions LAX (Santana & Ortiz) vs. Johnny & Jimmy Boots N’tights @ 2:35 via pin [NR]
– Knockouts Title Match: Champion Rosemary defeated ODB @ 3:45 via pin [*½]
– Kongo Kong defeated Chris Silvio @ 1:25 via pin [NR]
– Impact World Title Match: Champion Lashley defeated James Storm @ 17:05 via pin [***]
– X-Division Title Match: Low Ki defeated Champion Trevor Lee, Andrew Everett, Suicide, Sonjay Dutt and Desmond Xavier @ 19:12 via pin [***½]
– In memory of Matt “Rosey” Anoa’i.
– We see Storm and Lashley arriving, and then a video of Storm’s first world title win and setting up tonight’s match, really good video package.
– The Pope & Borash welcome us to the show.
Champions LAX (Santana & Ortiz) vs. Johnny & Jimmy Boots N’tights: Konnan, Homicide & Diamante are out at ringside. Santana & Ortiz have some spiffy new LAX gear. LAX controls with ease, running through some double teams and getting the near fall off of the suplex/high cross combo. The jobbers actually got a luke warm tag, got cut off as LAX continued to dominate, hitting the street sweeper (blockbuster into a sitout powerbomb) for the win. Champions LAX (Santana & Ortiz) vs. Johnny & Jimmy Boots N’tights @ 2:35 via pin [NR] Tremendously effective squash, allowing LAX to play the hits and show off their offense
– Konnan says that they have power now and that this isn’t the same old good old boys club because they have the tag titles. Konnan puts over the crew, noting that you can’t stop the revolution. Decay then arrives. EVERYONE FIGHT EVERYONE! Konnan stands around since he can’t bump, Abyss takes out Homicide and then Steve works over Santana. I guess we have our tag title feud. We go to break.
Karen Jarrett Speaks: Karen confirms what we already speculated, announcing that Jeff Jarrett has completed the best long con in wrestling in a long time, announcing that Global Force Wrestling and Impact have officially merged; fair pay to you Jeff Jarrett. Tonight we get three title matches, (knockouts, X and world), as this is the night of champions. Sonjay Dutt then makes his return, and he’s happy to be back. Dutt introduces himself to the crowd in case some of them didn’t know him. Dutt says he was a pioneer of the X-Division, and he wants in the X-Division title match and also suggests it should be the main event. He wants to win the title, because it’s something he’s never done. Andrew Everett arrives, pays respect to Dutt, but says he’s worked hard to get his one on one title shot, and the title is his tonight. Lee & Helms arrive, and Helms wants no part of this. He says that no one wanted Dutt back and that he controls the X-Division. Bruce Prichard arrives and makes the X-Title match the main event, and Dutt is included, and he will add three more competitors to make it a six-way for the title. Helms, Lee, Everett and Dutt all brawl; Dutt & Everett stand tall and then argue. So we’re getting yet another multi-man X-Division match, when it would have been nice to see a one on one; it may be a great match, but one on one X-Division matches are an endangered species in Impact. The segment was fine, but I continue to feel that Prichard is already a tired character, feeling forced into his segments as an authority figure.
– We get a video package for Crimson. The Veterans of War debut next week.
– They promote this month’s One Night Only PPV nearly a week after it debuted.
Knockouts Title Match: Champion Rosemary vs. ODB: ODB controls early with strikes and a clothesline, but Rosemary escapes the TKO. They brawl to the floor, with Rosemary hitting a clothesline on the ramp. Back in and Rosemary lays in the ground and pound. The corner charge follows and then a suplex for 2. Rosemary up top, misses the missile dropkick and ODB hits the sack of shit slam and follows with shoulder blocks. ODB works her over in the corner and hits a Thesz press for 2. Rosemary counters the broncobuster, hits red wedding and wins. Champion Rosemary defeated ODB @ 3:45 via pin [*½] It wasn’t very good, just clunky and never felt locked in; but it was thankfully short with Rosemary winning clean.
– Swoggle is in the crowd.
– LAX defends against Decay next week in a street fight.
– Karen and Bruce walk backstage; Prichard reveals that Suicide will be in the X-Division title match. Sienna arrives and demands that Karen bring her the GFW women’s champion. Karen says she will be here and Sienna better be ready.
– We get a video package on the Lauren Van Mess saga, including the arrival of KM and Kongo Kong.
Kongo Kong vs. Chris Silvio: KM, Sienna & Van Mess are with Kong. Kong attacks right away, mauling poor Mr. Silvio. Silvio tries to fire up, but Kong just runs through him and hits a belly to belly. Kong hits the cannonball and top rope splash for the win. Kongo Kong defeated Chris Silvio @ 1:25 via pin [NR] SQUASH
– Storm cuts a fired up promo, saying he will win the title tonight.
– We get a promo sent in by Alberto el Patron, he’ll be watching the title match, and plans to beat who ever wins tonight; the title is his, and he will be the next champion. GFW Champion Magnus is interviewed, claiming that he’s back. he won the tag last week, and due to that, feels he is the rightful contender for the Impact title. Magnus says Patron has done nothing in Impact, and needs to go to the back of the line. He feels the GFW title is his golden ticket to the Impact title.
Impact World Title Match: Champion Lashley vs. James Storm: Josh Mathews is out with Lashley. Hopefully he applied for and received a proper manager’s license. Mathews joins commentary, claiming that he’s here to save the broadcast. After some basic back and forth, Storm looked to pick up the pace but Lashley quickly took control and started to pummel him in the corner. Storm skins the cat back in as Lashley tried to toss him and then sent Lashley to the floor and then follows. They brawl on the floor as EC3 strolls out (IT’S A TRAAAAAAAAAAAAAP); Mathews wants Lashley to use the beer bottle on Storm, but Lashley yells at him and goes back to brawling with Storm. Lashley then suplexes Storm onto the steps and works him over as we take a commercial break. Post break, Storm kept the heat and worked over Storm, grounding him. Storm managed to lock in a sleeper, but Lashley escaped and hit the powerslam and the cover got 2. Storm fires back with clotheslines and an atomic drop, the enziguri follows and then sling blade for 2. Lashley heads up top, but Storm cuts him off with an enziguri. Lashley shoves Storm away, but Storm runs back up and hits an overhead toss; the elbow drop connects for 2. Storm then hits the lung blower, Storm blocks the last call, but Storm hits a powerbomb for a near fall. Storm gets a roll up for 2, but Lashley hits the dominator for 2. Lashley to the floor and grabs a chair but misses, allowing Storm to roll him up for 2. REF BUMP, two superkicks from Storm and he covers, but there is no ref to count. Storm gets a bottle of beer, but EC3 slides in, takes it and KOs Storm with it and shrugs his shoulders at the camera.
Say whaaat⁉️🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️ @therealec3 #ImpactOnPop pic.twitter.com/9HzRrid0fm
— Pop (@PopTV) April 21, 2017
Lashley then spears Storm and retains. Champion Lashley defeated James Storm @ 17:05 via pin [***] I can work with Mathews being a manager for Lashley and talking shit, but his commentary really took away from the match at times, it feels like he tries to make it too much about him and not the match. Overall the match was good, but faded down the stretch as far as energy and interest goes. I feel that this was an example of the overall segment being better than the match itself. The EC3 turn was one that was greatly needed, and screwing over Storm is a good way to get there.
– Desmond Xavier will be in the X-Division title match.
– We see footage of Chris Adonis attacking Moose at a Border City Wrestling show over the weekend. Moose in interviewed, and knows he has new enemies. He challenges Adonis for next week. Adonis claims that Moose attacked him and broke his arm. Davey Richards attacks Moose, and he will challenge Moose next week.
– We get an X-Division video package.
X-Division Title Match: Champion Trevor Lee vs. Andrew Everett vs. Suicide vs. Sonjay Dutt vs. Desmond Xavier vs. Low Ki: Ki is wearing his Agent 47 suit; when motivated, Ki can still be great. Everyone brawls to begin, with Lee & Everett pairing off and Ki working over Suicide. Lee cuts him off, and looks to take control, but Suicide stops him and then locks in the octopus on Xavier Dutt hits a cool tornado DDT on Xavier for 2. They all look for a dropkick and we get a big standoff. It breaks down; Dutt appears to be hurt as the ref checks on him. Xavier works over Ki with strikes, but Ki wipes out a few with a sliding dropkick, PK by Lee and Dutt is back and hits a big moonsault to the floor, wiping out the pile. Dutt cuts off Lee, and back in hits a RANA on Xavier. Xavier avoids Ki and follows with a dive to the floor. We take a commercial break. Post break, Everett and Lee battle, with Lee hitting the running double stomp. Lee looks to keep the others on the floor as he works over Everett. The action slows as Lee continues to control, continually tossing the others to the floor. Dutt is down on the floor, and his right eye is badly swollen, almost swollen shut. Lee chokes out Everett, who slowly fights back with rights and chops only to be cut off with a head kick and the cover gets 2 for Lee. Everett hits the handspring elbow; Ki is back in and then gets tossed by Lee. Xavier and Suicide back in, but Lee takes them out. Lee tosses Everett around a bit, but Everett hits the PELE on Lee and then Ki. Dutt back in and lays out Xavier with a superkick, Lee hits collision course on Suicide but Ki is back and looks for a Ki Krusher, but Lee tosses him, Xavier him out as it breaks down with Ki and Dutt scoring near falls. Suicide tosses Dutt, and hits a dive onto the floor. Everett then hits the shooting star press to the floor. He fires up, tosses Suicide back in, heads up top and Xavier cuts him off. Xavier looks to fly, Everett attacks and Xavier back flips into the ring but eats a spikes RANA and then one on Lee. Ki in and hits Everett with the tidal krush and hits the double stomp on Lee to win the title Low Ki defeated Champion Trevor Lee, Andrew Everett, Suicide, Sonjay Dutt and Desmond Xavier @ 19:12 via pin [***½] Overall a very good and fun main event, and I love that the X-Division got time. Hopefully this signals an increased focus on the division moving forward. Brining Ki back is a risky move, when he’s motivated and on, he’s awesome, but he’s burned so many bridges over the years when things don’t go his way, which is my main concern. Hopefully as we move on we can break away from the never ending loop of multi-man X-Division matches, and lock in some feuds between the roster of talent they have.
– Borash and Mathews argue post match, because this feud must continue. Pope bails as Borash attacks Mathews. I hated that this was positioned as the last thing the fans saw instead of letting the really good X-Division match and new champion being the final thing they think about.
– End scene.
– Thanks for reading.
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”
