Jeremy’s Impact Wrestling Review 3.02.21

Hello there, Impact fans! It’s Tuesday and you know what that means: it’s time for another episode of Impact Wrestling. I’m Jeremy, stepping in for Jack Irene who had some things going on tonight. Anyway, y’all know how this works. It’s been a while since I’ve done live coverage (a couple months, to be specific) so be gentle; I’m out of practice. Anyway, Impact is in deep with its AEW and NJPW crossover work and we have a lot going on tonight, from a big eight-man tag team match and Eddie Edwards vs. Brian Myers to a three-way #1 contender’s match for the X-Division title and more. It promises to be an eventful evening, 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.

* Previously on Impact: FinJuice mock the Good Brothers for taking as long as they needed to beat XXXL, while Moose defends his now-official TNA Worlds Heavyweight Championship against Jake Something in a big win after attacking Jake. He then attacks after, only to have Rich Swann make the save and Scott D’Amore make the Swann vs. Moose match for Sacrifice.

WE OWN THE NIGHT! (AKA Title Sequence!)

X-Division Title #1 Contender’s Match
Ace Austin vs. Black Taurus vs. Chris Bey

Well, this is a hell of a way to get me back into the live coverage swing of things. Pray for my fingers. Bey and Austin double team Taurus to start, with elevated boot chokes on him in the corner. Austin whips Bey in for a baseent dropkick and then hits one of his own. Double whip but Taurus counters and takes out Austin in the corner, then powerslams Bey into Ace! He takes out Bey and then picks him up for a hard shot. Whip across the ring and Austin avoids it, then kicks Taurus in the head. Double dropkick to Taurus who is out of the ring and then they double dive (mostly) onto the Decay member. The two cruiserweights are back in the ring and start chain wrestling with Bey in a waistlock, but Ace gets out and takes him down with a side headlock. Bey into a legscissors but Ace gets out, back into a standing side headlock. Bey gets out and hits one of his own, headscissors fliped out of by Ace and he goes for one of his own but Bey flips out! They both try for a test of strength and both catch each other, Bey takes over with shots to the head. He runs in but goes up and over, he takes Austin down and goes to springboard but Taurus grabs his leg and pulls him down to the floor! Austin dives over the ropes but caught by Taurus, who takes him down and then gets him back in the ring. Big punch by Taurus and a bite, then hard knees from a reversed Irish whip. Ace ducks a clothesline, kick caught by Taurus who drops Ace and comes off the ropes with a shot and a two-count. Taurus manhandles Ace, Irish whip and Bey on the apron pulls down the ropes to send Ace out! He kicks Taurus and hits a DDT for a two-count. Big splash by Bey, a kick to the back of the head and Bey goes up but Ace is on the apron! Bey fights him off and leaps off, but Taurus catches him! Ace with a springboard dropkick as Taurus is going for a suplex and all three men are down. Ace and Bey are up first, Ace with a kick to the head and he goes in but Taurus tackles Ace out of the way! Taurus with a pop-up Samoan drop on Bey! He goes at Ace but Ace with a boot, and an elbow on a second try. Ace off the ropes, he catches himself and Taruus goes in but is sent over the ropes by Bey! Bey goes for the Art of Finesse but Fulton catches him! Ace with the Void for the pinfall.

Winner: Ace Austin (8:22)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Really solid starter to kick off the show, and Austin gets the expected win. Nothing to complain about here, everything was good and the match had a bit of story with Austin and Bey teaming up to take down Taurus.

* Gia is backstage with Jordynne and Jazz who are the #1 contenders to the Knockout Tag Titles. Jazz brings up ODB being attacked after their win last week and say they know it’s Deonna Purrazzo. Jordyne hypes her match with Deonna tonight for revenge, and Fire & Flava come in to say that they’re going to lose against them because they’re not focused. Jordynne says she’d love to face Kiera, but they say they’ll let Deonna do the work and they’ll watch from the audience. Jordynne says she’s going to give Kiera the Platinum Package upgrade, putting her in the ring. She and Jazz go off to talk to D’Amore, and Kiera and Tasha say they’re going to do the same as we go to break.

* We get the Impact Rebellion promo back from break.

* Backstage, Matt Cardona is flexing when Brian Myers comes in and tries to butter him up. Cardona says he knows what he’s doing, it sucks that he has to be the ref for their match but he has to call it down the middle. Myers asks him to call it “down the middle-ish,” but Cardona says that wouldn’t be professional and walks off, leaving Myers looking frustrated.

* Striker & D’Lo break down tonight’s card:

– Brian Myers vs. Eddie Edwards (Special Referee: Matt Cardona)
– The Good Brothers & FinJuice vs. XXL & Reno Scum
* Deonna Purrazzo vs. Jordynne Grace vs. Kiera Hogan

Tenille Dashwood vs. Havok

Havok doesn’t have Nevaeh by her side for this one. Tenille ducks a lockup and Havok backs her into the corner, mocking her and cutting her off. Tenille tries to go through the legs and Havok grabs her foot, but Dashwood fights out. She tries to Irish whip Havok, which is reversed. Tenille goes for a Russian Legsweep but gets caught, and Havok goes to toss Tenille only for Kaleb with a K to keep Tenille on the ropes. Havok charges at her and goes through the ropes, Tenille with a kick and she gets a two-count as we go to break.

Back from break and Tenille had Havok in the ropes with a submission. She lets go and Havok ends up in the corner, where Tenille hits a diving crossbody. Dashwood delivers stomps and a few shots, gets a two-count. Kaleb yells at Havok from ringside and Dashwood takes her down for another two-count. Tenille chokes Havok against the ropes for four, then pulls her into the center of the ring. She goes for a full nelson and locks it in, but Havok gets to her feet and slams Tenille back into the corner. Tenille holds on and Havok has to power out. Tenille charges in, right into a big boot. She kicks Tenille in the gut, hits a knee strike, backbracker and clothesline combo gets Havok two. Havok picks Tenille up in a fireman’s carry, Tenille slides off for a roll-up but Havok picks her up and throws her into the corner. She charges in but Tenille manages to get her down, pin with a feet on the ropes but Havok kicks out. Havok takes over and picks Tenille up, Kaleb distracts her on the apron. She goes for a legdrop but Tenille dodges, she comes off the ropes with a Spotlight for the win!

Winner: Tenille Dashwood (11:40)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Very decent match that went longer than I expected. Tenille needed a win and it plays into Havok and Nevaeh’s storyline, so I have no complaints..

Nevaeh comes down after the match to attack Kaleb! She takes him down and hits a big ol’ DDT as Tenille watches from the ramp. Nevaeh hugs Havok and Tenille goes to get her cellphone, then poses for pictures on the ramp.

* A Sami Callihan video comes up, with Sami in Toldeo, Ohio which is the home of Trey’s Skull & Bones School. He says Trey has no passion and didn’t deserve his Impact Match of the Year award. He points out a video of the Rascalz and says that Dez and Wentz kicked him to the curb because they he’s a loser. He knocks on a door and walks in, asking the staffer there where Trey is. When he’s told he’s out of town, he shoves the guy over the desk. Sami walks into the training room and attacks the trainers, assaulting one of them with a chair. He asks where the lead trainer is, and he says it’s Tuesday so he’s at Impact. Sami asks him about his training regimen and if he teaches them to be a loser like he taught Trey. The trainer says Trey is living in Sami’s head rent-free, and Sami says Trey is such a quitter because he saw the trainer as a broken-down hasbeen. The trainer says he’s given everything to this business but Sami just takes, and Trey will show how much passion he has by caving Sami’s skull in. Sami snaps and attacks him, choking him in the chair and going to cripple him when another guy comes in. Sami says the guy has potential and he wants to save the guy from Zero Passion Trey. He tells the guy to hear him out, and they walk off. Sami says not to worry, Trey — he’s in good hands.

Listen, I get the Sami hacker stuff, but the audio was awful in that and it doesn’t seem like a hacked audio; it just sounds like cheap audio. That drug down a solid segment to continue the feud.

* Alisha and TJP are in the Swinger’s Palace casino and ask about Ace’s odds against TJP. Ace comes in and says not to bet against him. TJP says he bet that Ace would say that, and Bey walks in and says the only way he wins is if Fulton helps again. TJP stirs the pot between the two and Ace hits on Alisha. Swinger says they won’t fight until he gets odds on this, and tells Bravo to go get this match happening.

* The Impact! Plus Flashback Moment of the Week is RVD vs. Sting at Sacrifice 2011, which saw Sting pick up the win to retain the TNA World Title.

* We get a Violent By Design segment next, with Eric Young reminding Deaner that he lost at No Surrender. He failed to punish Jake Something and failure makes you week and susceptible, which they don’t want. Young says if they don’t do the right thing, the disease can come back and he knows this has to happen. Joe Doering takes Deaner out of view and beats the tar out of him while Young listens. Deaner crawls back looking beat up, and EY picks him up and says he’s doing this because he cares. Deaner says he knows, and Young shoves him away. The door is closed on Deaner, and EY and Doering walk off. Creepy.

* We’re back with Tony Schivone and Tony Khan hyping AEW Dynamite and Revolution. Khan says that while they have their differences, AEW, NJPW, and Impact are together against “them.” And while Impact was once a leader in the wrestling industry, that isn’t the case anymore. He says he granted the Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch on Don Callis’ request and hypes Paul Wight’s debut on Dynamite this week, as well as the mixed tag match pitting Shaq & Jade against Cody & Red Velvet as well as Tully Blanchard teaming with FTR match against Jurassic Express this week. He hypes up the week, getting a little hoarse he’s shouting so much, and Schivone breaks down the full card. He then hypes the card for AEW Revolution.

* Next is a vignette with Moose, talking about how he’s always considered himself a champion even though people didn’t take the TNA World Title seriously. He gets it, Impact isn’t called TNA anymore, and his problem isn’t with Swann but with the disrespect of him not being seen as a real world champion. To get respect he has to win the Impact World Champion, and that’s Swann. He puts over Swann’s athletic skills but says they’re no match for him and at Sacrifice he’s fulfulling his destiny by becoming Impact World Champion.

Good Brothers & FinJuice vs. XXXL & Reno Scum

Hey look, Reno Scum still exist. Finlay starts against Luster, and whips him into the ropes for a dropkick. Luster quickly tags in Larry, and Juice gets tagged in too but Juice tags in Anderson. Anderson with a kick to Larry’s gut and he tags in Doc, double whip into the ropes and double elbow drops Larry. Doc then tags Juice hard and Larry charges in for an inverted Atomic drop, Finlay in for some double-team action but FinJuice are busy crowing to the Brothers as Acey tags in. Karl and Doc are in and Anderson hits a big knee to Acey in the corner, then tags in Finlay. Acey takes control of Finlay and gets him in the hostile corner, where he gets mass assaulted by XXXL and Reno Scum. Thornstowe goes for a back suplex but Finley slides out, Finlay hits his own and then tags in Gallows. Gallows in and cleans house, sends everyone to the floor and hits a big splash, then runs Thornstowe over. Anderson in and they jaw with FinJuice, Thornstowe manages to get a roll-up for two but Good Brothers recover and hit the Magic Killer for the pin.

Winner: Good Brothers & FinJuice (4:14)
Rating: * 1/4
Thoughts: More angle than match. There wasn’t much to the action and it was too short for an eight-man tag match to mean anything.

* We get a vignette for Rich Swann talking about how while Moose has dominated the sport, the one thing he hasn’t done is with the World Title. He says the TNA World Title isn’t valid and Sacrifice is Moose’s chance to win a real world title. He says Moose has all the attributes on paper, but Moose doesn’t have the fire, heart, and determination Swann has. He points out all he’s come back from and overcome, and says he’ll overcome Moose at Sacrifice too.

* The Impact Rebellion ad airs again.

* The Good Brothers and FinJuice are arguing backstage, with FinJuice saying they almost lost thanks to the Brothers and Brothers saying they won because of them. Anderson tells FinJuice to be young boys and get their bags, FinJuice say all they’re interested in carrying are the Impact Tag Team Titles. The Good Brothers agree and head off, and FinJuice smile at each other and say “Got ’em.”

Brian Myers vs. Eddie Edwards

A brief lockup to start, and Myers instantly complains to Matt Cardona who is referring. Myers thumbs Edwards in the eye behind Cardona’s back, takes Eddie down for a one-count. Eddie whipped into the ropes, he ducks under and hits an inverted atomic drop and then a belly-to-belly suplex. Myers is out of the ring and grabs a chair, Cardona warns him and Eddie JUMPS OVER CARDONA onto Myers on the floor! And we’re on break.

Back from break and Myers is stomping on Edwards. he hits a suplex for two and then locks in a reverse chinlock to wear Eddie down. Eddie fights to his feet and hits a jawbreaker. He comes off the ropes but Myers follows, slides out and trips Eddie. Myers chokes Eddie in the corner, then snapmares him into another reverse chinlock. Eddie back to his fight again, he punches out but gets cut off with a kick. Myers comes in but gets cut down, Eddie in control and hits a Northern lights suplex for two. Eddie goes for a double underhook but Myers fights out, both off the ropes, Eddie with a forearm to the head and then Blue Thunder for two-plus. Eddie goes in but Myers with a kick to the head, big slam for two-plus. Myers goes for a facelock, Eddie fights out and kicks Eddie on the top rope, backpack Stunner and a pin but Myers got his foot on the ropes at two. Myers hits Eddie with a shoulder to the gut and hangs him on the ropes, comes back in and hits a big clothesline but Cardona calls for the DQ?

Winner: Eddie Edwards (11:06)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: That was a decent match, averaged between good for a Myers match and lackluster for an Edwards match. Not much more to say.

Myers and Cardona argue, Myers backs off and Cardona checks on Eddie. Replay shows that Myers put a load in his elbowpad.

* Gia is backstage with Deonna and asks about the match being a triple threat now. Deonna acknowledges her game plan had to change, but she’s the Virtuosa and changing her gameplan is what she does best. She is happy that Kimber and Susan will get to see her beat half the Tag Team Champions and plays innocent about laying out ODB for a second before admitting that of course she did it. And that’s what happens when you mess with the Virtuosa.

* We’re back with an ad for Impact Sacrifice on Impact! Plus.

* Striker and D’Lo break down the card for Sacririce:

– Impact World Championship Match: Rich Swann vs. Moose
– Impact World Tag Team Championship Match: Good Brothers vs. FinJuice
– Impact X=Division Championship Match: TJP vs. Ace Austin

And next week on Impact is:

– Ace Austin vs. Chris Bey
– Rohit Raju and Shera vs. James Storm & Chris Sabin

Deonna Purrazzo vs. Kiera Hogan vs. Jordynne Grace

Jordynne & Kiera attack Deonna and throw her out, then go at each other as we go to break.

Back from break and Deonna and Kiera are stomping Jordynne in the corner. Deonna whips Kiera at Grace but Grace counters and hits Deonna with a suplex. Kiera charges into a sidewalk slam that gets two. Big clubbing blows from and back on Kiera, Grace off the ropes but tripped by Deonna. Deonna goes for a kick, Kiera dodges and fires shots on Purrazzo. Deonna reverses momentum and locks in an armbar, with Grace quickly breaking it up. Grace chucks Kiera in the corner, throws Deonna after but Kiera gets out of the way. Grace manhandles Kiera, throws her into the corner. Kiera stops Grace and gets shoves into her by Deonna, who locks in the armbar on Grace who manages to get to the ropes. Deonna tries to whip Jordynne out of the corner to no luck, so she goes and kicks Kiera and whips her at Grace. Kiera goes up and over, Jordynne fighting out of the corner but Kiera n ails her and then hits a big top rope dive onto Deonna. Kiera takes out Grace, goes for pins on both competitors for two. Kiera stomps on Grace, picks her up but Grace fires back. Big blow to the back and she grabs Kiera, who firs off some shots but eventujally eats an elbow. Jordynne hits a huge German suplex for two but Purrazzo beaks it up. Fujiware armbar by Deonna, Kiera breaks it up, Grace hits a spinebuster on Deonna. Grace hits a forearm to Deonna and to Kiera, it becomes a three-way slugfest. Grace with an elbow to the back of Deonna’s head and then eats shots from Kiera, kick to Jordynne’s head, rolling exploder from Deonna! Pinfall gets broken up by Grace. Grace goes for the Grace Driver but Deonna avoids it. Kiera and Deonna go for a double suplex and Grace powers out, hitting a double clothesline! Both Kiera and Deonna are out, an argument breaks out outside and everyone’s brawling, leading to a big Jordynne Grace dive over the ropes! Grace rolls Kiera back in, picks her up and goes for the Grace Driver but Kiera elbows out and gets shoved into the ropes. Double knee to Kiera’s back and a dropkick, Grace goes for a Vader Bomb but Tasha pulls her out of the way! Deonna with a roll-up for the pin!

Winner: Deonna Purrazo (13:14)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Great match between three very good competitors that made for a worthy main event. This was a big match for Kiera, who showed she could hang with Grace and Purrazzo, and let Deonna get the win while furthering the Knockouts Tag Title feud.

Afterward, Grace brawls with Tasha on the ramp and Deonna is in the ring — ODB RUNS IN! She takes Deonna out with a Thesz Pres and punches, Samoan Drop flattens the champ! ODB poses with the title and we’re out.

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

A couple of damned good matches and some advancement of the feuds and matches for Impact Sacrifice made for a very watchable Impact this week. The opening match and main event are not to be missed, and everything else did its job adequately enough. This was a good, strong episode of Impact that is worth checking out for those two matches if nothing else.