wrestling / TV Reports
Irene’s Impact Wrestling Against All Odds Review
This month’s IMPACT Plus event is rather spicy as Against All Odds emanates from two locations tonight, with the main event taking place in AEW’s home field, Daily’s Place. This is quite possibly the biggest match IMPACT can book, and we’re getting it a month before Slammiversary, where the winner will face Sami Callihan.
Blockbuster main event aside, we will also see Callihan team with a returning Tommy Dreamer (again) to face The Good Brothers, Japanese wrestling veterans, Joe Doering and Satoshi Kojima meet on American soil, and an X-Division contenders match that should display the full capabilities of the division today.
TAG TEAM STREET FIGHT
The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows) vs. Sami Callihan and Tommy Dreamer
Interesting to kick things off with this match. No tags here as they brawl to start. Callihan takes a chair to Doc’s back. Callihan and Dreamer utilize a broom and a ring bell to continue their momentum. Callihan and Doc trade shots with Callihan sending him out with a bicycle kick. Dreamer leads him to the back where they gather a plethora of weapons. Doc gains an advantage with a chair but Callihan tries to hog tie him. Karl saves him and The Good Brothers get back on track with a frying pan. They floor Dreamer with assistance from a steel chair. Callihan is kept outside as Karl whacks Dreamer with a cookie sheet. Dreamer hits a cutter followed by a DDT for a near fall. Karl hits a spinebuster but Callihan shoves the ref to break the count. The Brothers set up a table and deliver a Magic Killer to Dreamer. They pin him but Callihan comes out of nowhere for the save. Callihan finds his bat and nails Karl to score the pinfall win.
WINNERS: Tommy Dreamer and Sami Callihan
**1/2
That was definitely decent but nothing crazy. Callihan looked good and got the needed win.
*We get an overhead look of Daily’s Place
SINGLES
Joe Doering (w/Violent by Design) vs. Satoshi Kojima (w/Eddie Edwards)
They trade shots early on with Doering getting toppled by a shoulder block. He returns the favor and floors him. Doering grounds him with chokes and punches. Doering looks comfortable tossing Kojima with a scoop slam and a grin on his face. Kojima goes nuts with chops and nails Doering in the corner with an elbow. He hits another elbow from the top rope for a near fall. Doering hits a big spinebuster to send Kojima outside. Kojima trips him on the apron but Rhino attacks him with the ref distracted. Kojima reverses and DDT’s Doering in the ring for a near fall. Doering crushes him with a crossbody for a close one. Kojima clubs his back and hits a cutter. He hits the ropes but Doering hits a DVD and clothesline combo for a near fall. Doering wastes no time and hits a spinning sit-out bomb to win.
WINNER: Joe Doering
***1/4
That was a really fun bombfest and an amusing matchup. Good stuff here, matches like this is what IMPACT Plus shows should be all about. Doering gets a good singles performance.
FIVE-WAY X-DIVISION CONTENDERS
Ace Austin vs. Chris Bey vs. Rohit Raju vs. Petey Williams vs. Trey Miguel
No Madman Fulton tonight as he was Super Canadian Destroyer’d on IMPACT. Petey controls Rohit and Bey in the ring with a dropkick/senton combo. Bey uses his quickness to nail Petey with an enziguiri and back him up in the corner. Ace drags Petey out from the outside and takes control of Bey. Trey takes everyone out with a dive and displays his incredible speed in the ring with Ace. Everyone gets wrapped in submission attempts but Rohit breaks it up with some kicks. Rohit hits a big falcon arrow on Bey and grounds Trey for control of the ring. Petey blindsides him but gets suplexed. Rohit maintains control but gets caught in a big neckbreaker by Bey. Ace takes them both out with his double springboard leg drop for a near fall on Bey. Petey looks for the Destroyer on Ace but he’s placed in the corner. Ace looks for the superplex but eats a Destroyer from the top. Trey takes everyone out but Madman Fulton appears out of nowhere to take him out. He chases the ref out as Bey tries to fight him. Fulton destroys everybody with a simultaneous chokeslam/powerslam/powerbomb. He places Ace on top for the pin but the ref rules a no contest.
WINNER: N/A
***1/2
That was ridiculous fun as always from these guys. The Fulton finish was crazy and I suppose they are leading towards some form of a six-way at Slammiversary.
SINGLES
W. Morrissey vs. Rich Swann
Swann is manhandled to start but Swann squirms away and hits him with quick strikes. Swann hits the ropes but gets booted in mid-air by Morrissey. He clubs Swann while dragging him through the ropes and dumping him on the floor. He begins toying with Swann, making his size advantage known. Swann drives him into the post and buys some time. He hits a kick off the steps and breaks the count to continue the onslaught. Swann hits a 450 from the apron but they both return to the ring promptly. Swann hits a Phoenix splash but Morrissey snatches him and lifts him into a standing F-5. Swann flips out of a chokeslam but gets booted once more to the spine. Morrissey hits chained powerbombs and Swann responds with a middle finger. Morrissey hits a running bomb to pin the former World Champion.
WINNER: W. Morrissey
***1/4
That was a good match with Swann making for a great underdog as always and Morrissey’s offense looking physical.
SINGLES
Tenille Dashwood (w/Kaleb with a K) vs. Jordynne Grace (w/Rachael Ellering)
Tenille struggles to match the power and intensity of Grace. Grace swings her around with ease as Kaleb with a K expresses concern. Kaleb helps drag Grace to the floor and takes a selfie with her. Tenille takes advantage of this and is in and out with her attack. Tenille locks in a tarantula and hits a crossbody in the corner. Grace catches her in a fallaway slam. They trade striks and Grace gets the best of it. Grace crushes her in the corner and hits a Vader bomb for a near fall. Tenille hits a crossbody from the top for a count of two. Tenille hits a neckbreaker through the ropes but Grace finds the ropes. Grace slingshots into a rear naked choke but Kaleb distracts the ref. Ellering takes out Kaleb but Grace blames her. Tenille wakes up and wraps her up in a quick pin. Grace hits a Michinoku Driver on Kaleb, taking out her aggression.
WINNER: Tenille Dashwood
***
This was another good match that told a consistent story and featured a bit more progression. Tenille is really peaking with this character and Grace will be a fantastic heel.
*Brian Myers is mentoring Sam Beale but Jake Something interrupts.
IMPACT KNOCKOUTS TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
Susan and Kimber Lee vs. Fire n’ Flava (Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz) (c)
A lot of charisma displayed across the ring before Kimber Lee’s knee buckles. Susan attacks from the outside as Kimber reveals that she’s okay. Susan and Kimber use frequent tags and cut the ring off on Tasha. Kimber eats some shots but maintains control. Tasha ranas out of the ropes and hits the tag to Kiera. They unload on Susan in the corner with a flurry of kicks. Kiera hits an assisted shiranui for a near fall. Kimber gives Susan the tag as she hits a swanton for a near fall. Tasha lands the tag and hits a dropkick on Kimber. She heads back up for a frog splash and Fire n’Flava retain.
WINNERS: Fire n’Flava
***
That was another fun match with everyone shining and a strong defense for Fire n’Flava. Good action throughout with a frantic finish.
IMPACT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
Decay (Black Taurus and Crazzy Steve) vs. VBD (Deaner and Rhino) (c)
Deaner and Steve lock it up, both sharing Eric Young as their trainer. Deaner struggles early on and heads to EY for advice. Rhino enters the match, meeting Rhino. Taurus uses his quickness to work away at the arm. Steve continues the good work until Rhino slows him down in the ropes. Taurus goes off on Deaner but Rhino clotheslines him from the apron. Taurus bounces back with a dive from the top rope and hits the tag to Steve. Steve hits a pedigree variation, spinning out of the corner. Taurus and Steve double up on Deaner, with a Steve finishing off with a swanton. Rhino breaks up the pin and takes out Taurus. Steve hits a cannonball in the corner as EY talks to him. Rhino chops him down and Deaner hits his DDT to retain the tag belts.
WINNERS: Violent By Design
**3/4
This was solid but lacked the energy of a lot of the previous matches. Steve and Taurus looked great together and are really making a great continuation of Decay.
*Maclin vignette airs, inviting us to meet “Mr. Mayhem”
IMPACT KNOCKOUTS CHAMPIONSHIP
Rosemary vs. Deonna Purrazzo (c)
Rosemary takes her over with some slingblades and hits the upside-down in the ropes. Rosemary hits a t-bone suplex on the ramp and breaks the count. Deonna traps her Rosemary’s arm in the corner structure and delivers a bicycle kick. She now targets the arm, setting her up for her finish. Deonna continues wrenching on the arm and applying joint manipulation. They collide with clotheslines creating an opening for Rosemary. Rosmeary applies a chinlock but is reversed. They exchange grappling positions on the mat. Deonna sweeps her and floats over into her armbar. Rosemary finds the ropes but ends up on bottom once more. Deonna traps her and loosen’s Rosemary’s knee brace on her surgically repaired knee. Rosemary is kicked down but sits up and hits a spear for a near fall. Deonna hits a piledriver to retain the belt.
WINNER: Deonna Purrazzo
***
Never a bad match with Deonna and this had intensity. Rosemary brings good star power and looked good here. Good storytelling as well with rare targeting of Rosemary’s documented injuries.
IMPACT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Moose vs. Kenny Omega (c)
We head to Tony Schiavone, Don Callis, and Scott D’Amore at Daily’s Place. Daily’s Place looks nice and has a little crowd of enhancement talent. Omega plays dirty to gain an early advantage. Moose shows great power and batters him in the corner. Omega looks for One Winged Angel but it’s early. He flips Moose over to the outside and the Terminator clap begins. Moose leaps to the apron but gets kicked down. Omega follows up with a flip onto Moose. Omega attempts a moonsault but Moose kips up and hits a standing moonsault to counter. Moose works on the back, whipping him into the turnbuckles repeatedly. Moose sends him into the barricade but flies over and crashes into the chairs. Omega dumps the trash on him and soaks it up. Omega works on the already damaged shoulder, ramming it against the post. Moose fights back but gets caught in a flying armbar. Moose powers him up into a powerbomb. Moose nails a hesitation dropkick in the corner. Moose hits the Go To Hell for a near fall. Moose eats a snap dragon and two V-triggers but kicks out at two. They trade forearms with Moose rocking the champ. Omega folds him with a clothesline and double underhook slam for a near fall. Omega hits the V-trigger all over and sets up for the OWA. Moose escapes the attempt with a ripcord lariat. Moose is checked on by the doctor for his shoulder. Omega hops in with a V-trigger but gets caught with a spanish fly from the top. Moose looks for the spear but catches Brian Hebner as Omega pulled him in. The Young Bucks hit the ring and superkick Moose. The Bucks assist Moose up onto Omega’s shoulders for the One Winged Angel and Omega retains. Lights go out and Sami Callihan appears. He takes everyone out with the bat. Callis threatens him as his boss. Callihan grabs a chair and a bat and looks to do what he did to Eddie Edwards. Callis fires him as D’Amore gets up in a rage.
WINNER: Kenny Omega
***3/4
This was a pretty great match with a meh finish. I’m not sure where Moose goes from here but he should be pretty mad at The Bucks. I’m also curious to see where they go with Callihan being “fired”. Let’s see how much we can trust D’Amore and if Callihan will receive some backup from someone on the AEW roster perhaps. Good action throughout though with some nice spots thrown in. The setting was cool as well but we’re building to something bigger.
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