Himanshu’s TNA Impact Review 12.19.24

Hey there, TNA fans! It’s Thursday and that means it’s time for another episode of TNA iMPACT! I’m Himanshu (you can follow me on Twitter @Himanshu_Doi) and you know how this works. Tonight on iMPACT, relive the Best of 2024 as we take a look back at the unforgettable moments, shocking matches, and biggest highlights of the year, including Jordynne Grace vs. Trinity, Josh Alexander vs. Will Ospreay and ABC vs. The System. Plus, we will find out the winners for Knockout of the Year, Tag Team of the Year, Moment of the Year and One to Watch in 2025. 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.

TNA iMPACT!

Date: December 19th, 2024
Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matt Rehwoldt

Match 1: 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: *****
Review: A match of the year contender, certainly one for TNA. Do go out of your way to give this one a watch if you haven’t already.

Tom Hannifan announces Jordynne Grace as the winner of the “Knockout of the Year” award. A promo from Jordynne Grace who thanks the fans and TNA and says she wouldn’t be anything without it. She says deep down she thinks it won’t be her last win.

Match 2: Trinity vs. Jordynne Grace for the TNA Knockouts World Championship

Ash by Elegance is here at ringside for this match. Trinity avoiding Grace early, gets her in the corner, then some kicks. Grace dumps Trinity to the mat for two. Grace with some shots in various corners to Trinity. Grace hits a Worlds Strongest Slam for two, goes for a Juggernaut Driver and Trinity goes to the ropes. Crossbody by Trinity, a scissor driver gets 2. Jordynne keeps working Trinity over, Trinity fights back until she gets clotheslined down. Jordynne with a dive, then a suplex on the floor. Trinity fights back on the floor, backdropping Grace onto the mat. Back in the ring, Grace wants some more and they fire back and forth. Split legged moonsault by Trinity gets 2. Jordynne with a full nelson. Trinity gets to the ropes. Jordynne places Trinity up top, Trinity fights off, but Jordynne hits a muscle buster for two. Some roll throughs lead to a couple of near-falls. Trinity hits a Heat Seeker on Jordynne for two. Back in the ring, some forearm shots, a sitout powerbomb by Trinity gets two, then the Starstruck submission is locked on, but Jordynne fights out. Grace Driver ends it.

Result: Jordynne Grace def. Trinity by pinfall to win the TNA Knockouts World Championship
Rating: ***¾
Review: A really good match. Trinity really got to shine in her TNA run and had some of the best matches of her career like the one here with Jordynne Grace.

We see the return of Tessa Blanchard at Final Resolution.

We see the Moment of the Year and it’s Joe Hendry’s going viral.

Hendry comes out to the ring with his guitar with a chair set up in the ring and mic. Hendry says it’s time for him to apologize to First Class, noting that his issues with them began in this building with a song, so it will end with a song. He reminds the crowd that the first song mocked them brutally, and he performs the song as a reminder, mocking AJ’s NFL career and saying he’ll never be World or X-Division champion.

He notes that he did a second song, and he performs that one to AJ Styles’ theme, talking about how AJ Francis is banned from diving. AJ and Swann are not pleased, but Joe says it’s time for the apology song. Before he went low but he’s taking things higher. He spoof’s Creed’s “Higher” and says he’s sorry he makes fun of them but it’s too easy and shows a photo of AJ and Swann where AJ’s hand is on Rich’s ass. The song is “Can you please get fired? Because it’s happened twice before.” He gets the audience to join in on the chorus. He closes with “I’m sorry.”

A promo from Joe Hendry who thanks the fans for the Moment of the Year award, and he says he looks forward to 2025.

Leon Slater gets the One to Watch in 2025 award and he says he’s going to follow it up by becoming the youngest X-Division Champion of all time.

Match 3: Mike Bailey vs. Leon Slater for the TNA X-Division Championship

Mike Bailey hits a moonsault onto Slater outside the ring and throws him back into the ring. Bailey goes for a shooting star press but Leon Slater moved out of the way and hits a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Leon Slater runs into Bailey but Bailey catches him with a Spanish Fly. Leon Slater hits a kick onto Bailey in the corner and hits a senton onto Bailey outside the ring. Leon throws him back in the ring and goes to the top rope but Bailey catches him and goes for a superplex but Leon counters. Leon goes for a Swanton 450 but Bailey moves out of the way. Bailey get him in a half Cobra clutch and hits an overhead suplex. Mike Bailey hits the Tornado Kick and the Ultima Weapon followed by a Flamingo Driver for the win.

Result: Mike Bailey def. Leon Slater by pinfall to retain the TNA X-Division Championship
Rating: ****
Review: Leon Slater is really talented, and I hope he gets more focus in 2025. He could even be booked as the young prodigy that they build the X-Division around with Mike Bailey gone.

ABC win the Men’s Tag Team of the Year. Ace Austin cuts a promo, and he thanks his partner Chris Bey and also the fans that have blessed them with the plaque for two years in a row.

Match 4: Brian Myers & Eddie Edwards vs. Ace Austin & Chris Bey for the TNA World Tag Team Championship

Austin stomps a mudhole in Myers. ABC with some double teams, a Hart Attack gets two. Chris Bey eats some double teams for two. Alisha works Bey over on the ring ropes to get the fans more mad at these guys. Austin tags in and the System gets dumped outside. Bey takes out both on the floor. Edwards blocks Austin on a springboard attempt. Edwards eventually takes Austin over in the ring, then tags Myers back in. Austin gets decapitated on the bottom rope. Ace fights out of a chinlock, but can’t get the tag when the official sees it. Myers with a modified Cobra Clutch. Austin fights out, but Myers hits a back suplex. Austin blocks a move in the corner and hits a kick to Myers. Edwards & Bey tag in, Bey takes Edwards & Myers down with chops. Alisha blocks Bey from doing what he wanted to do. Bey cuts Edwards down on the apron, Austin hits Soar to Glory. A frog splash on Edwards in the ring gets two. Bey gets taken out by a spear that gets two. ABC hits a Magik Killa for two. Alisha gets knocked out. The 1…the 2…the 3…leads to new tag team champions.

Result: Ace Austin & Chris Bey def. Brian Myers & Eddie Edwards by pinfall to retain the TNA X-Division Championship
Rating: ****

The Chris Bey fundraiser is plugged to end the show.

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

It's always interesting to look back at these shows and see how things have changed for the company and they will change going forward. It seems like such a long time ago that Will Ospreay and Trinity had a match in TNA and I'm sure by the time the next Best of show comes around, it will seem like a long time since Jordynne Grace, Mike Bailey and Josh Alexander were in TNA. This show had some great matches and moments from TNA in the past year so if you haven't watched any of them earlier, it could be a fun watch, especially the Josh Alexander vs. Will Ospreay match.