wrestling / TV Reports
Himanshu’s TNA Impact Review 01.18.24
Image Credit: TNA
Loading...Hey there, TNA fans! It’s Thursday and that means it’s time for another episode of iMPACT! I’m Himanshu (you can follow me on Twitter @Himanshu_Doi) and you know how this works. Tonight on iMPACT!, Nic Nemeth speaks for the first time since Hard To Kill, Will Ospreay takes on Josh Alexander in a hotly anticipated rematch, Xia Brookside makes her iMPACT! debut against Tasha Steelz, Grizzled Young Veterans battle TNA originals Eric Young and Frankie Kazarian plus a huge six-man X-Division scramble. So let’s jump right in!
As a reminder, the GoFundMe for Larry’s daughters is still active and if you can make a donation, that would be awesome. Thank you so much to everyone who’s done so thus far.
IMPACT Wrestling
Date: January 18th, 2024
Location: Palms Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matt Rehwoldt
Match 1: KUSHIDA vs. Trey Miguel vs. Laredo Kid vs. Mike Bailey vs. El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Jake Something
Bailey hits a running boot on Kushida and Miguel and Vikingo hit suicide dives on the outside. Laredo Kid goes for a crossbody on Trey but Trey moves out of the way. Kushida hits a kick on Trey. Trey hits a back heel kick on Kushida and goes for a submission on Laredo Kid but Something hits a chokeslam onto Laredo Kid. Vikingo hits a running forearm on Something but Something floors him with a right and knocks everyone out on the apron. Something powerbombs Laredo Kid on the outside of the ring onto everyone. Bailey hits a moonsault to the outside and Laredo Kid hits a Spanish Fly onto Bailey from the top rope. Something hits Into The Void onto Laredo Kid for the win.
Result: Jake Something def. KUSHIDA, Trey Miguel, Laredo Kid, Mike Bailey and El Hijo del Vikingo by pinfall
Rating: ****
Will Ospreay is backstage with Gia Miller and Will says he came in as an outsider and left Josh laying in the ring and the reason he returned was because of the three letters TNA. He says it’s time for Josh to step up and asks him if he can handle the pressure.
We see a vignette for Ash by Elegance. A voiceover says she is irresistible and undeniable.
We see a clip from the Knockouts Ultimate X match from Hard To Kill which was won by Gisele Shaw.
A promo by Gisele Shaw and she says the X guarantees her a shot at the Knockouts World Title. Gail Kim walks up to her and says she doesn’t need the Shawntourage and that’s the Gisele Shaw she knows. Gisele Shaw walks off without saying anything.
Match 2: Xia Brookside vs. Tasha Steelz
Xia drops Tasha with clotheslines and follows with a headscissors and double knees in the corner for two. Tasha hits double knees for two. Tasha goes for the cutter but Xia reverses. Tasha goes to the top and Xia hits a Brooksy Bomb for the win.
Result: Xia Brookside def. Tasha Steelz by pinfall
Rating: **½
We see a clip from Hard To Kill where Joe Hendry played his music video for AJ Francis but was left laying.
A promo from Joe Hendry and he says he understands because AJ paid for the airtime. Joe says he’ll let bygones and bygones. He says he got a new laptop so he’ll throw it with the rest of the trash. We see WhooKid in the trash.
Match 3: Grizzled Young Vets vs. Kazarian and Eric Young
Kazarian goes for a backslide on James Drake for two and James drops him with a clothesline. Drake tags to Gibson and hits a spinning heel kick on Kazarian. Kazarian hits a chop on Gibson but Gibson hits an uppercut. Tag to Drake and Gibson throws Drake onto Kazarian for two. Kazarian tries to go for the tag but Drake pulls him away and tags to Gibson. Kazarian throws Drake to the outside and hits a vertical suplex onto Gibson. Kazarian goes for the tag but Drake pulls Eric Young away. Assisted Sliced Bread onto Kazarian for two. Drake hits a splash onto Kazarian on the outside. Kazarian tries to get to Young but Gibson pushes him in the corner and tags to Drake but Kazarian breaks free and tags to Young. Young bites Drake. Drake and Gibson hit Grit Your Teeth for the win.
Result: Grizzled Young Vets def. Kazarian and Eric Young by pinfall
Rating: ***½
After the match, Kazarian clotheslines Eric Young and is about to leave the ring but returns to kick on Eric Young and hits a Fade To Black onto Young and leaves as the fans chant “Fuck you, Frankie”.
We see Moose celebrating in a restaurant with The System. Myers says Moose did what he was destined to do. Eddie Edwards says that at Hard To Kill, they proved that The System works. Moose says no more 5 Star Athlete, no more Wrestling God, now he only wants to be known as the TNA World Champion.
Nick Nemeth comes out to the ring. Nic asks how the fans are doing. Nic says Hard To Kill was one hell of a moment. He says from start to finish there was something in the air and he was happy to be a part of it. Nic says he’s been very fortunate and he’s had 19 years and he’s done a lot of things. Nic says he was very fortunate to rack up a lot of accomplishments but he did it in one world. He says he is intimated, nervous and excited and he says he picked his time and place and lined up face to face with the TNA World Champion. He says he is going to become TNA World Champion. He says when he wins it, he is going to celebrate it with everyone and it is going to be the best day of his career. He says he respects every man and woman in the locker room. He says this is his first day doing it all over again. He says this time he earns it, he’s done it in the past and he will never stop. He says this is the first time he’ll do it as Nic Nemeth.
Maclin comes out to the ring. Maclin says he agrees with everything Nic says. Maclin says he was in the same world he was. He says he worked his way to the top. He says he and Nic are very similar but there is one difference. He says when he said something, he meant it, but Nic is a phoney. He says Nic says he gives so much to the business but he’s here to take it. Maclin says he’s here to suck this place and go somewhere else. Maclin says no one is going to ask about Nic Nemeth, they’re going to ask what happened to Dolph Ziggler. Nic Nemeth hits him with the ZigZag, now called the Danger Zone.
Gia Miller is backstage with Jordynne Grace and Grace says it was an incredible night and it was an honor for to be a part of it. Grace says Trinity has been undefeated but she has been at the top of her game. Trinity comes and says she is taking her rematch next week and she is going to get to face her again, except this time, she is going to become Knockouts Champion.
Jai Vidal comes out to the ring. He says he broke out in professional wrestling in Las Vegas. He says as he looks around, he is reminded why he left that disgusting place. He says there is not one person in this building that can beat him up. The lights turn off and PCO is wheeled out by a bunch of nurses.
Match 4: Jai Vidal vs. PCO
Jai Vidal tries to leave the ring but PCO pulls him and hits a chokeslam followed by a Showstopper. PCO goes to the top rope and hits a PCOSault for the win.
Result: PCO def. Jai Vidal by pinfall
Rating: **
The Motorcity Machine Guns are backstage and Alex Shelley says what goes around comes around. Sabin says their history with Okada goes back to 2006. Okada walks up and says next week he returns to TNA.
Match 5: Josh Alexander vs. Will Ospreay
Lock up to start and Josh grabs his wrist but Will flips out of it. Josh with a headlock and Will pushes him off but Josh gets him down with an elbow. Will drops Josh with a headscissors followed by a standing shooting star press for two. Will chops Josh and hits a backbreaker for two. Josh hits forearms but Will hits a dropkick and goes for a backhand spring but Josh catches him with a German Suplex followed by a powerbomb onto the knee for two. Ospreay and Josh are on the apron and Ospreay hits a Tiger Driver onto a table at ringside. Josh gets back in the ring at 9 but Ospreay hits a dropkick off the top rope across the ring followed by a OsCutter for two. Ospreay whips Josh in the corner but Josh drops to the ground out of exhaustion. Ospreay hits a dropkick and Josh fights back but Ospreay hits a Spanish Fly for two. Ospreay goes for a Stormbreaker but Josh reverses it and Ospreay hits a Stundog Millionaire and goes for a springboard cutter but Josh hits a forearm. Josh goes to the ramp and Ospreay goes to the top rope but Josh catches him. Ospreay goes for the Hidden Blade but Josh ducks and hits a Tombstone Piledriver. Josh takes Will on his shoulders and goes to the second rope and hits a rolling senton for two followed by an Ankle Lock but Will reverses it and throws Josh in the corner. Josh runs at Will in the corner but Will locks Josh up and hits the Cheeky Nandos and hits a Poisonrana off the top followed by a Hidden Blade for a nearfall. Will hits another Hidden Blade followed by a Storm Breaker ’93 for another nearfall. Will hits a kick but Josh turn Will inside out with a clothesline. Josh goes for a C4 Spike but Will reverses it into a Styles Clash but Josh gets out of it and hits his own Styles Clash for two. Josh hits a C4 Spike for the win.
Result: Josh Alexander def. Will Ospreay by pinfall
Rating: *****
Scott D’Amore comes out to the ring after the match and says “Holy shit” as the fans chant the same. Scott says he has loved this business since he was 4 years old and watched wrestling at his dying grandfather’s bedside. He says he saw the lowest of the lows when he came here years ago and he saw the corpse that Bruce Prichard called dead years ago in the ring. He says he looked around and saw Josh Alexander and others and they pumped blood into it. Scott says it never died because of them and it gave them something to live for and something to fight for. Scott says TNA is back and it is never ever going away.
