wrestling / TV Reports
Himanshu’s TNA Impact Review 9.26.24
Image Credit: TNA
Loading...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. This week, Frankie Kazarian and Joe Hendry will battle it out on TNA iMPACT to determine who will challenge Nic Nemeth for the TNA Championship at Bound For Glory, Bailey teams up with KUSHIDA and Leon Slater to take on ABC and Wentz, Heather Reckless faces the resilient Xia Brookside, Jordynne Grace is set to team with a mystery partner from NXT to face off against the undead duo of Rosemary and Wendy Choo, Laredo Kid meets “The Octopus” Jonathan Gresham, Josh Alexander will address the TNA faithful and more. 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: September 26th, 2024
Location: Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, TX
Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matt Rehwoldt
Arianna Grace comes out before the match and introduces Sol Ruca as Jordynne Grace’s mystery tag team partner.
Match 1: Jordynne Grace and Sol Ruca vs. Rosemary and Wendy Choo
Sol Ruca hits a crossbody on Rosemary and looks for a tag but Wendy Choo clears her from ringside. Wendy Choo gets a Cobra Clutch on Sol and teams up with Rosemary for a double suplex but Sol reverses it into a neckbreaker and tags to Jordynne. Jordynne hits a Death Valley Driver on Wendy onto Rosemary and Sol hits a splash. Sol hits a Sol Snatcher on Rosemary and Jordynne looks for a Juggernaut Driver but Tasha attacks Jordynne and the referee calls for the bell.
Result: Jordynne Grace and Sol Ruca def. Rosemary and Wendy Choo by disqualification
Rating: ***
Reaction: It’s pretty cool to see Sol Ruca in TNA. It would be nice to see some of these NXT talents get a run over multiple weeks in TNA and get involved in some stories while they’re there. Sol Ruca had a solid showing here and got to do the Sol Snatcher for the pop before the disqualification finish.
Tasha, Rosemary and Wendy Choo continue the attack until Masha Slamovich’s music hits and they bail.
Gia Miller is backstage with Frankie Kazarian. Kazarian asks if she believes in Joe Hendry and says the answer is no. He says he’s beaten Joe Hendry before and he’ll do it again. He says everybody will understand that every head must bow and every tongue must confess that Kazarian is the King of TNA.
Match 2: Laredo Kid vs. Jonathan Gresham
Laredo Kid hits a Suicide Dive on Jonathan Gresham and throws him back into the ring for two. Laredo hits a running forearm on Gresham in the corner and goes for a moonsault off the second rope but Gresham gets his knees up and hits a standing moonsault for two followed immediately by a Boston Crab. Laredo tries to get to the ropes but Gresham pulls him back and converts it into a single leg Boston Crab. Laredo gets to the bottom rope and Gresham breaks the hold. Laredo slaps Gresham and goes to the top rope and hits a crossbody. Laredo hits the Three Amigos for two. Gresham hits a running springboard moonsault onto Laredo and smashes Laredo Kid’s knee repeatedly into the mat and Laredo taps out.
Result: Jonathan Gresham def. Laredo Kid by submission
Rating: ***½
Reaction: It’s always nice to see Laredo Kid in TNA who’s unfortunately not valued enough to get a consistent run on television. Great match as you’d expect with these two and Gresham continues to find new and innovative ways to finish a match. It’s certainly the first time I’ve ever seen someone tap out to their opponent smashing their knee into the mat.
Santana is backstage and runs into The System’s locker room.
Match 3: Mike Bailey, KUSHIDA and Leon Slater vs. ABC and Zachary Wentz
KUSHIDA clears house and hits a running crossbody on Bey and hits a cartwheel dropkick on Ace. He takes Bey to the top rope and goes for a hurrancanrana but Bey reverses it into a pin for two. KUSHIDA tags to Bailey and he faces Bailey. Wentz hits a German Suplex on Bailey and hits a handspring jumping knee on Bailey. Bailey hits a running uppercut onto Bailey followed by a vertical suplex and Wentz hits a Swanton but the pin is broken up. Wentz runs into Bailey in the corner but eats a boot. KUSHIDA takes out ABC in the corner and Bailey hits a moonsault to the outside. Leon Slater goes for a Swanton 450 but Wentz moves out of the way and hits the UFO Cutter for the win.
Result: ABC and Zachary Wentz def. Mike Bailey, KUSHIDA and Leon Slater by pinfall
Rating: ****¼
Reaction: Awesome match between these six. It’s been great to see Zachary Wentz getting some shine outside of his tag team with Trey Miguel on both iMPACT and NXT. It was also great to see Leon Slater getting to show what he can do here. He has the potential to be a star for TNA in the X-Division if they choose to use him that way.
Jake Something is backstage with Hammerstone and Cody Deaner says he has something to talk to him. Jake says he is sick of him and he’s sick of failure. Cody says Hammerstone is not the person to listen to. Hammerstone says he is a failure. Cody says he doesn’t walk away from family and he doesn’t walk away from a fight.
We see a vignette with Santana where he’s bleeding with chains around his neck. He says he will fear no man and no evil. He says they’re locked in there with him. He says he’s going to make each of them feel his pain and his agony. He says he’s in his playground having fun.
Match 4: Léi Ying Lee vs. Hyan
Lee hits a snap suplex on Hyan. Lee goes to the top rope but Hyan rolls to the outside. Lee hits a running kick from the apron and throws Hyan back into the ring. Hyan pulls Lee onto the mat. She whips Lee into the ropes and hits a back elbow. She hits a belly to back suplex for two. Lee hits forearms followed by a neckbreaker. She climbs onto Hyan and hits a knee and hits a spinning kick called Thunderstruck for the win.
Result: Léi Ying Lee def. Hyan by pinfall
Rating: **¾
Reaction: Solid debut for Lee. I wasn’t sure before this match if Lee could go in the ring but TNA manages to do more with less. Looking forward to seeing more of her in TNA as she certainly brings something different to the Knockouts division.
Leon Slater is backstage and he apologises to Bailey. Bailey tells him not to apologise and he’s the future of this division.
ABC in a backstage vignette and Bey says they have the opportunity to win the tag team championships. Ace says they have their rematch clause. The Hardys walk up to them. Matt Hardy says the last time they were in the ring with The System, they won. Matt Hardy says they’re coming for the tag team championships. He says nothing will stop this Hardy train.
Josh Alexander walks out to the ring and he grabs a mic. The fans chant “You tapped out”. He says he deserves that. He did a lot of questionable things. He says he didn’t believe in Joe Hendry because he didn’t think Joe Hendry believed in Joe Hendry and go on to beat the TNA World Champion. He says Joe got the toughest fight Josh could bring. He says in the ring with these 3 letters makes him remember the matches and the fans like those here in San Antonio. He says he had a friend who is the lifeblood of TNA say something to him. He calls out Eric Young. Eric Young says Josh is the real Walking Weapon. He says that kind of applause is earned over a lifetime. He says they’ve seen him grow up and become one of the best wrestlers in the world. He says nobody personifies professional wrestling excellence more than him. He says if he’s the lifeblood then he’s the heartbeat and he says it feels good to see the real him back. He says like a man Josh said he went out on his shield. He said Josh didn’t go down on the wrong path. He offers his hand for a handshake. Josh says he’s not just a friend, he’s a mentor and he’s grateful to have him in his life. He hugs Eric Young. Eric Young opens the ropes for Josh but Josh opens the ropes for Eric and as he’s leaving he hits a German Suplex. He says he’s exactly who he needs to be and if he doesn’t see that then he’s going to burn this place to the ground. Josh goes for a C4 Spike but Maclin runs out and Josh bails. Sinner and Saint run out and attack Maclin. They feed Maclin to Josh who hits the C4 Spike. Josh screams that he’s the future and that he’s all they got.
Reaction: A really good segment. You knew that Josh was going to attack Eric, but I liked that they tried to delay it the way they did and played his music as they were leaving the ring before he did it. Maclin as babyface might take a while to get used to. Sinner and Saint aligning themselves with Josh Alexander is great use for them too. I wouldn’t even be against them being packaged with Josh in the same way that Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas were as part of Team Angle, coming out with matching tracksuits.
Santino Marella is backstage with Steph de Lander and Santino says he had a neck surgery too and he advises her not to come around here. Matt Cardona walks in and Santino books him in a Monster’s Ball match against PCO.
Match 5: Heather Reckless vs. Xia Brookside
Ash by Elegance comes out to ringside with her Personal Concierge. Xia hits a baseball slide to Reckless on the outside and hits a vertical suplex outside the ring. Xia throws her back into the ring but Heather rolls to the outside and pulls Xia into the ropes from the apron. Heather goes to the top rope and hits Rarefied Air for the win.
Result: Heather Reckless def. Xia Brookside by pinfall
Rating: **
Reaction: Solid win for Heather Reckless and they established her connection with Ash by Elegance by having her win with Ash’s finisher.
Match 6: Frankie Kazarian vs. Joe Hendry for the No. 1 contendership for the TNA World Championship
Nic Nemeth joins the announcers’ table for the match. Kazarian demands that he be introduced properly. Hendry takes the mic and says he promises he will introduces him properly. He calls Kazarian the winner of the 2024 Antonio Banderas look-alike contest, the dad in Spy Kids and Puss in Boots. Kazarian attacks Joe Hendry. The fans chant “Puss in Boots”. He throws Joe into the corner turnbuckle and chokes him with his knee. Kazarian hits a vertical suplex and the fans chant “Puss in Boots”. Kazarian gets a chinlock on Hendry and he gets out of the but Kazarian hits a scoop slam and a leg drop for two. Kazarian gets a mic and asks everyone if they believe in Joe Hendry. He says the only thing that matters is that he does not believe in Joe Hendry. Hendry fights back with punches and hits a Fallaway Slam. He goes for a Standing Ovation but Kazarian reverses and goes for a chickenwing. Kazarian goes for a crossbody and Hendry moves out of the way. Hendry hits a pop-up powerbomb for two. Hendry gets an ankle lock but Kazarian pushes him and gets a roll-up for two. Kazarian goes for Fade To Black but Hendry reverses into an ankle lock but Kazarian gets to the bottom rope. Kazarian hits a guillotine leg drop from the apron followed by a slingshot DDT for two. Hendry whips Kazarian to the outside of the ring. Hendry hits a vertical suplex on Kazarian on the outside and rolls back to the inside. Kazarian gets brass knuckles and hits Joe Hendry in the head with it when the referee isn’t looking. Kazarian pins Hendry for the win.
Result: Kazarian def. Joe Hendry by pinfall
After the match, Nemeth shows the referee the brass knuckles. Santino Marella comes out and says he saw what everybody else saw and restarts the match.
Kazarian hits a clothesline. Joe Hendry catches Kazarian and hits the Standing Ovation for the win.
Result: Joe Hendry def. Kazarian by pinfall
Rating: ***
Reaction: I like doing the tease with Kazarian winning over Joe Hendry. I wouldn’t even have been against them staying with this decision until Hendry got his payback in coming weeks, but it also makes sense that Santino would’ve wanted to immediately reverse the decision as he watched it happen. I don’t get why Nic Nemeth had a problem with Kazarian winning with the brass knuckles after he said not once but twice on commentary that it’s only cheating if you get caught. I just wish they built more drama for Joe Hendry winning here which everyone knew was happening, made it seem like a much bigger deal than they did and built more tension between him and Nic Nemeth before closing the show. While it was the right result and the fans are firmly behind Joe Hendry, I was left wanting with the ending here.
After the match, Hendry celebrates as Nemeth raises his belt from ringside.
