Csonka’s Impact Wrestling Review 9.20.18

Csonka’s Impact Wrestling Review 9.20.18

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– oVe (Sami, Jake, & Dave) defeated Aerostar, Hijo del Vikingo and Laredo Kid @ 8:25 via pin [***½]
– Eli Drake defeated Trevor Lee @ 3:33 via pin [**]
– King defeated Kronoz @ 0:37 via pin [NR]
– Faby Apache defeated Alisha Edwards @ 5:18 via pin [**]
– Pentagon & Fenix defeated Matt Sydal & Rich Swann @ 13:00 via pin [***]
– Impact World Title Match: Champion Austin Aries defeated Texano @ 12:15 via pin [**]

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– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

– I did a column, “Where Are They Now, The Cruiserweight Classic Finals Performers” which you can check out at this link.

– You can check out my top 51 matches of AUGUST list at this link.

– My Impact Wrestling vs. UK 2018 review is at at this link.

– My Impact Wrestling One Night Only: Bad Intentions 2018 review is at at this link.

For the first time ever IMPACT emanates from Mexico!

TODAY IS #IMPACTonPop DAY! pic.twitter.com/Nco5HCwxTK

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) September 20, 2018

Three matches are OFFICIAL for https://t.co/9G3u5azjtC presents Bound For Glory on October 14th!

What else will happen on the road to Bound For Glory IN 20 MINUTES on IMPACT? #BFGCOMDA pic.twitter.com/NvfxmkBdBL

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) September 20, 2018

I return to Mexico for the first time in over a decade when I defend the Impact World Title on tonight’s @impactwrestling on @poptv. https://t.co/1nL7KrcAxq

— Austin Aries (@AustinAries) September 20, 2018

Austin Aries last match in Mexico was, naturally, a three way match with Super Crazy & Ricky Marvin for the ROH championship in 2005 https://t.co/ps7P46EstA

— luchablog (@luchablog) September 20, 2018

oVe (Sami, Jake, & Dave) vs. Aerostar, Hijo del Vikingo and Laredo Kid: No fucking around tonight as we kick things off with trios action. It immediately breaks down into a big brawl, and Kid then works over Dave, hits an enziguri and knocks him to the floor. Jake cuts him off and lays in kicks. Aerostar in and he hits a RANA and the gets cut off by a Sami powerbomb. Vikingo in and Sami cuts him off with a bicycle kick. Vikingo fights back and the tope is caught and oVe hits a triple apron bomb. Aerostar dives off of Kid’s shoulders as heists up top and wipes out oVe. Kid follows with a moonsault and Vikingo hits a shooting star press to the floor. Back in and Sami cuts off Kid with a lariat for 2. Jake & Dave in as they isolate Kid, and double teams follow. Vikingo in and hits a corkscrew head scissors and then gets suplexed to the buckles. Jake follows with a superkick, triple teams follow and Kid makes the save. Vikingo fights them off and Aerostar is in and runs wild, hitting a double cutter and then a springboard code breaker. Shooting star press from Vikingo and it completely breaks down. oVe now hits triple tombstones and the faces kick out. The all seeing eye finishes Vikingo. oVe (Sami, Jake, & Dave) defeated Aerostar, Hijo del Vikingo and Laredo Kid @ 8:25 via pin [***½] This was a very good little sprint to kick off the show, and gives oVe momentum ahead of Bound for Glory.

– Sydal meets with Swann; Swann still hates him and doesn’t want to work with him. Sydal wants them to face the Lucha Bros, and Swann says it’s a good opportunity, and tells him not to mess things up.

– Chik Tormenta prepares in the locker room and Tessa arrives and runs her down for taking her seat. Faby Apache arrives and tells Tessa to show some respect.

– Eli Drake arrives and is ready for another open challenge. Trevor Lee arrives.

Eli Drake vs. Trevor Lee: Drake attacks and lays the boot to him. Lee fights back, lays in kicks and strikes but Drake cuts him off but lee sends him to the floor. Drake slams him to the apron and back in; Drake hits a leg drop in the ropes. Lee hot shots him off the ropes and hits a back breaker for 2. Lee follows with chops and kicks, and then chokes out Drake. Drake fires back with a lariat, and then slams Lee down by the hair and hits the powerslam. Lee gets a cradle and the tights for 2. The gravy train finishes it. Eli Drake defeated Trevor Lee @ 3:33 via pin [**] This was ok while it lasted, with Drake picking up another win. I like that Drake keeps winning, but he needs a program to sink his teeth into.

– King & The OGz talk back stage and want LAX to break the cease-fire. King will wrestle tonight to show the young boy marks and Konnan how it’s done.

King vs. Kronoz: The OGz are at ringside. King offers a handshake and the OGz attack. The bell rings, King hits a spinning back fist and wins. King defeated Kronoz @ 0:37 via pin [NR] SQUASH

– Post match, King calls out Konnan & LAX, but they don’t come out.

– Konnan & LAX are in their clubhouse as LAX rants at Konnan about how King has disrespected them. They want to take care of business, but Konnan says he’s been stabbed, shot, burned, kidnapped, and left for dead. He says the OGz and King can talk all they want, but if the break the cease-fire, the bosses will take them out permanently. Konnan says they will wait for BFG and get their revenge there.

Faby Apache vs. Alisha Edwards: they lock up and Faby grounds things. Edwards counters out, but Faby hits arm drags and they work into a stand off. They trade leg kicks, Faby grounds the action and it’s a slam and leg drop. She follows with the Romero special, but Edwards escapes and hits a RANA. Edwards lays in strikes, and the cradle follows for 2. Faby cuts her off with a superkick and covers for 2. Edwards counters back, gets an octopus hold, but Faby makes the ropes. Edwards fires up with strikes and a clothesline, and the flatliner gets 2. Edwards heads up top and hits a high cross but Faby cuts her off and the sitout powerbomb finishes it. Faby Apache defeated Alisha Edwards @ 5:18 via pin [**] This was ok overall, but Alisha is such an awkward performer in terms of flow and none of her offense looks as if it hurts at all.

– Faby is interviewed post match and sets up a match with Tessa for next week.

– Texano cuts a promo on tonight’s championship match with Austin Aries.

– Scarlett has a huge announcement for next week.

Pentagon & Fenix vs. Matt Sydal & Rich Swann: The crowd is hot and loves the Lucha Bros. Fenix & Swann to begin. They work into some back and forth and into a stand off after a series of counters. Sydal and Pentagon tag in, Sydal talks his third eye bullshit so Pentagon attacks, and lays in kicks. Fenix tags in and double teams follow with Fenix hitting a cutter. Pentagon takes out Swann and the luchas run wild with kicks and double teams. Pentagon lights up Sydal with chops but Sydal manages to cut him off and covers for 2. Swann tags in and lays in chops and rights. Sydal tags back in but Pentagon fights them off and tags in Fenix, who hits the double cutter. Fenix follows with a tope tornillo. Swann cuts off Fenix and follows with a dive to the floor. Post break, and Fenix flies in with a high cross, but Sydal cuts him off with a knee strike. Swann tags in and it breaks down with all four in. Swann and Sydal hit RANAS off the ropes and then head up top. The lucha cut them off and Fenix hits an apron double stomp as Pentagon hits an apron package piledriver. Back in and Fenix hits the black fire driver for the win. Pentagon & Fenix defeated Matt Sydal & Rich Swann @ 13:00 via pin [***] This was a good match, with some fun spots. It never really kicked into second gear and the layout never felt all that smooth.

– Post match, oVe arrives but Cage is here to run them off.

– Austin Aries cuts a promo on Texano, saying he’s only facing him since he took everyone else out.

– Desi Hit Squad get massages and talk about next week’s match against LAX. Gama arrives and beats on them before running them down for getting massages. He then makes them hit and kick each other. Gama is pleased.

– We get a new wacky Joe Hendry song on Katrina & Grado.

– The GWN flashback is an Ultimate X, with Sabin, Williams, & Bentley.

– We get a video package on Tessa, Su Yung, & Allie.

– Abyss is going into the Impact Wrestling Hall of Fame.

It is our absolute honor and privilege to announce that "The Monster" @TherealAbyss will be the 2018 inductee into the IMPACT Hall of Fame. #IMPACTonPop pic.twitter.com/s4XlpQdFqg

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) September 21, 2018

Champion Austin Aries vs. Texano: Moose & Kross are out with Aries. They lock up and Aries picks up the pace, takes early control and hits arm drags. The basement dropkick follows. Texano powders, back in and Texano picks up the pace and hits a senton atomico. Aries backs off and Texano mocks him. Aries attacks with boots, stuns Texano off the ropes but the Aries senton atomico eats knees. Texano lays in rights as they work to the floor. Post break, and Aries rakes the back. Texano fires back with rights and he rakes the back of Aries. The back breaker follows and Texano fires away with chops, and the leg lariat gets 2. Aries powders to the floor and teases walking off. He gets Texano’s bull rope, distracting the ref and gets the title and the ref takes it. Texano grabs the rope, hits a superkick and whips Aries with the rope, covering for 2. Aries now hits the brainbuster for the win. Champion Austin Aries defeated Texano @ 12:15 via pin [**] This was a completely flat and disappointing main event, that felt like they were working a half speed house show match. There was no sense of urgency here, and the crowd, which had been hot and lively previously in the evening just didn’t seem to care an I can’t blame them. Texano is a largely unspectacular performer, but in the past has worked up to better opponents and had good matches, unfortunately, that didn’t happen here and they also just didn’t mesh well together; it was ok at best, the post match came off much better, hyping Aries & Impact as well as Eddie vs. Moose.

– We get a Johnny Impact video, teasing not being medically cleared for Bound for Glory. Aries says he knows what’s up and knows Impact is actually here. Impact does arrive and attacks and beats down Aries. He superkicks Kross and knocks Moose to the floor. Aries escapes and Impact stands tall. Eddie Edwards arrives an attacks the heel trio with kendo shots.

– Next Week: Faby Apache vs. Tessa Blanchard, Desi Hit Squad vs. LAX, Jake Crist vs. Cage, Allie & Hogan vs. Su Yung & The Undead Maid of Honor.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

I love when Impact Wrestling gets to go to new places and I generally enjoyed the vibe of tonight’s show, the mostly hot crowd, and some different talent being used. Overall, I found this week’s episode of Impact Wrestling was a solid show, there was nothing bad and the two tag matches were good and fun. They set matches for next week, continued some pretty good build for Bound For Glory, but felt a bit uneven. Impact Wrestling is a consistent show right now, putting the pieces in place, but I’m desperately waiting for that hot streak like they hit before Slammiversary.