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Jeremy’s Impact Wrestling Review 5.26.20

May 26, 2020 | Posted by Jeremy Thomas
Impact Wrestling 5-26-20
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Jeremy’s Impact Wrestling Review 5.26.20  

Heya, folks. We’re back with tonight’s Impact Wrestling coverage. I’m Jeremy, you all know how this works. Last week we had Ace Austin and Michael Elgin advance in the #1 Contender’s Tournament, Moose defended his WORLD TITLE, and Crazzy Steve returned. This week we have the #1 Contender semifinals, an Impact World Tag Team Championship match and more. Here’s hoping for a fun show!

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.

* Our opening video recaps Moose’s successful title defense against Suicide, and a recap/preview of the tournament.

It’s time…FOR THE TITLE SEQUENCE!

#1 Contender’s Tournament Match:
Ace Austin vs. Hernandez

Austin out first, and he’s feeling his oats. Hernandez beat Madman Fulton in the first round, as a reminder. Austin demands that the ref warn Hernandez, which gives him the chance for a couple shots that do nothing. Hernandez manhandles Austin they come off the ropes, shoulder tackle sends Austin to the ground. Knife-hand chop, then Hernandez chucks Austin across the ring. Austin slides into the ropes to avoid a splash, springboard boot and kicks to the chest before Hernandez stops the momentum with a boot to the chest. Gorilla press slam by the big guy. Austin off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, tries a sunset flip to no effect but a kick to the head and dropkick sends Hernandez to the outside. Austin tries a dive but Hernandez catches him and takes control. Austin chucked back in and he begs with the ref as Hernandez is climbing back in, low blow to Hernandez who gets choked against the ropes. Austin is trying to keep Hernandez down and gets shoved away. Punches in the corner and a kick to the leg, another rope choke. Austin goes for a suplex, that wasn’t ever gonna happen and he gets suplexed instead. Hernandez tries to grab Austin in the ropes but Austin moves and takes back control with kicks to the leg. Foot choke on the ground in the corner, then an elbow and boots to the back of the head. Comes off the rope with a head stomp. Austin wears the big man down, snapmare and a kick to the spine. Chinlock to Hernandez and a couple of dropkicks in the corner. Pin attempt gets two. Knees to the chest by Austin, who comes off the ropes to get hit with a shoulder tackle. A couple of more and then a splash in the corner by Hernandez. THE SHIRT IS OFF and he uses it to throw Austin across the ring. Charge in the corner but Ace gets the boot up. Ace runs at the big man but gets pulled up into a gutwrench backbreaker against the shoulder. That almost gets the three. Hernandez goes for the Border Toss but Austin slips down and clips the knee. Punches unloaded but Hernandez fights back, another Border Toss countered but Hernandez catches Ace off the ropes. He rocks the baby, but Austin counters with a hurricanrana. Roll-up and he’s got the pants, but Hernandez gets out. Boot to Austin off the ropes, Ace gets out of a suplex and clips the knee again. Austin hits The Fold to pick up the win and is moving on!

Winner: Ace Austin (9:46)
Rating: **
Thoughts: Some decent psychology here with Austin working the leg, but man did this get repetitive and bog down in the middle. Right guy won though.

* During the breakdown, Madison Rayne warns Josh Matthews about getting too close, using social distancing as an excuse. I’m really digging these two as a broadcast team. Also in action tonight: Chris Bey vs. Cousin Jake.

* Some guy drives his motorcycle down the road and Cody Deaner yells at him to slow down, because it ain’t a Boneyard. Another Undertaker reference and he drives off toward the Deaner Compound. Sorry, “Compund.”

* Backstage, Johnny Swinger talks up Chris Bey and their chemistry. He says Bey just needs to listen and they’ll be great together. He says he has the roll of quarters, the Fuji dust and more in his fanny pack. Bey tries to talk some sense but Swinger is being Swinger so no luck with that.

* The North head out to the Deaner Compound, and Ethan Page is laughing his ass off about the area. They find the Deaner Compound sign and joke about how the sign says “Compund.” Suddenly a Deaner shows up. The North laughs, but the welcomer tells them that the last guy out here laughed at them and when asked what happened to him, runs off. The North is perplexed.

* Michael Elgin talks about his win over Sami Callihan in the Tournament and how he’s just the latest in a long list of champions he’s beaten. He says Trey is next and it’s time for him Trey to be serious, but he doesn’t think he can be. He stands there the #1 Contender and will always be the #1 Contender until he wins the title.

Chris Bey (w/Johnny Swinger) vs. Cousin Jake

A bit of jawing before they lock up, Bey up on the corner and talks trash before getting tossed. Bey ducks a clothesline, tries a hip toss to no love. Jake takes over with a couple of short-arm clotheslines, Bey flips over a third and comes off the ropes into a body block. Big fist knocks Bey out of the ring, he comes back in and gets sent hard into the corner. Jake picks Bey up for a big bodyslam for two. Kneedrop as Johnny hypes Bey up, Bey dodges a charge and Swinger distracts Jake which allows Bey to recover. Kick to Jake’s head and springboard dropkick as we go to break.

Back from break and Bey hits a Stinger Splash then dropkick into the corner for two. Stomps in the corner, boot choke and as the ref is warning Bey, Swinger gets a cheap shot in. Bey works Jake over with kicks to the back, Jake wants some more as he Hulks up but a kick to the head gets two again. Bey talks some trash, chokes Bey against the second rope. Jake reverses a whip but Bey goes low, takes Jake down but Jake dodges a standing moonsault. Bey and Jake trade a couple punches, Jake obviously wins that exchange. Tackles and a spinning clothesline, he preps for a clothesline but Bey dodges. Jake hits a big slam off a tilt-a-whirl try and gets two. He goes to pick Bey up for a power bomb, Bey fights back, goes for an headscissors and gets caught in power bomb position. He rolls out the back with a flip power bomb for two. Bey off the ropes, caught into a power bomb by Jake for his own two. Jake charges in with a shoulder tackle, Swinger on the apron. Jake dodges an attack by Bey and Swinger almost gets hit, then Bey dodges and Swinger goes down. Bey with a springboard Famouser, hits the Final Finesse for three.

Winner: Chris Bey (9:46)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Swinger’s antics were fun and didn’t distract from the match, which was a solid strength vs. agility matchup.

Swinger attacks Jake after the match and Bey joins in. Out comes Willie Mack and the heels powder right quick.

* Rohit Raju is backstage and asked what’s next for him without the Desi Hit Squad. Raju says the real question is, when is his next opportunity? Everyone gets new title shots after losing, but there’s nothing for him. In comes Chase Stevens and Raju complains about all the TNA guys trying to take his spotlight. Chase talks about his TNA accolades and asks what’s on Raju’s resume. Raju says Chase crossed the line and challenges him to next week.

Kimber Lee vs. Havok

Kimber charges in right at the bell and starts laying in punch after punch to Havok. She comes out of the corner and charges but Havok grabs her and slams her into the corner, then whips her into the opposite corner. Big boot misses, Lee fires back and kicks her in the head with several roundhouses to get Havok to her knees. Sleeperhold wears Havok down, but Havok stands up and slams Havok back-first into the corner. Kimber off the ropes right into a spinebuster. Havok waits, catches Kimber into a backbreaker and then a slam into the mat. Running boots into a prone Kimber in the corner, Havok puts Kimber on her shoulders but Kimber rakes the eyes to escape. Lee gets the brass knuckles but Neveah comes out and hits Lee which causes the DQ.

Winner: Kimber Lee (3:29)
Rating: * 3/4
Thoughts: It was good for what it was, but didn’t have enough time to get up to the ** mark. The feud development was good though.

After the match, Kimber gets caught between Havok and Neveah and gets picked up, then double-teamed. Havok and Neveah share a moment and then celebrate together.

* Kylie Ray runs into Kiera Hogan and Tasha backstage and gets berated. Kiera gets the situation riled up and they accuse her of being disrespectful. Kylie yells for then to stop and says it’s okay before Susie shows up and says she knows what Kiera’s doing, and it’s bad because bullying is bad. That gets Kylie a punch to the stomach and Kiera mocks Susie. Susie walks up and gets attacked by the Kiera and Tasha for her troubles. Kylie checks on Susie and we get Su Yung flashes.

* The North continue their journey through the Deaner Compound to a locked barn. They knock and no answer at first until the Deaner who met them shows up and runs away. The barn door opens and the Deaners welcome them in.

* Joseph P. Ryan is backstage with oVe and says he has a match with “Mentally Unwell” (Crazzy is problematic) Steve. He wants to invite oVe to come to the ring for the match so they can see how Cancel Culture deals with problems. The Crists are down.

Impact World Tag Team Championship Match:
The North vs. Cody Deaner and Wheels

The Deaners get hyped up for tonight’s tag team championship match in their barn. In runs the runner, and it’s time to get it! The North walks in and Ethan complains about all the Deaners here. It’s two on two, after all. Cody promises that things will be fair, it’s always fair at the Deaner Compound. In comes Cameron Adamson, and Cody says that he’s not Wheels because he’s the ref. Page asks where Wheels is, and we see a tractor approaching. The door open, and out steps a sexy women. Cody says that’s not Wheels either. Page goes off on the situation and picks up a toy car. Cody says that was Wheels’ car. We get a Jurassic Park shaking, the door opens and The North look spooked. Cody looks excited. Wheels is a big boy, and no one touches his cars. “Ring the bell.”

We start off with some brawling before Cody gets Alexander inside, and he and Wheels double team him. Irish whip-assisted splash in the corner, Cody gets a two-count. Cody stomps Alexander in the corner while Wheels beats on Page on the outside. Page goes head-first into a cabinet, Alexander chokes Deaner against the ropes and the runner watches, then runs. Things get chaotic with Cody and Wheels as Cody hits Josh with a golf club. The match spills out into the outside, where Alexander turns the tables on Deaner but quickly hits a boot. Wheels is battering Page for a bit, then Cody throws Alexander into a trailer full of hay. Page gets free of Wheels long enough to give Alexander the assist, they do a double Razor’s Edge out of the trailer onto the other Deaners. The brawl continues across the compound and Cody goes up on a horse trailer for a dive onto both champions for a two-count. Cut to Alexander opening a car trunk where Runner Deaner is hanging out. He runs away. Page sends Wheels through a fence and covers him for two, but Cody breaks it up. He brawls with Page as Wheels slams Alexander on top of a car hood for two. Page rescues Alexander and goes to hit Cody with a pipe, but he misses. Cody brawls with Page, Alexander comes in with a lug wrench but it gets yanked away. Alexander and Cody end up atop a trailer, Alexander hits a Tombstone and Page says he’s got the big one in there. Cody is left on the top without a ladder and Page says it’s time to end it their way: in the ring. They take turns punching the crap out of Wheels and Alexander gets a nearfall as the Deaners try to rescue Cody. They argue with Cameron and attack him, he dodges them and hits a 619 on Page but then gets stomped by Alexander. Deaner rises from the side of the ring and comes in, takes control and hits a DDT on Alexander but Cameron is down. He crawls over to wake the ref up and Page attacks him. The North double team Cody, hit a forward slam and Cody is out of the ring. They get up, turn around into a double chokehold but a low blow by a new referee allows Page to make the pin. A quick count and the North retain.

Winner: The North (9:50)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Look, the Boneyard Match this was not, but then it wasn’t really trying to be. It was fun for what it was, didn’t try to be particularly linear or have a match flow and that’s fine. Not much on the workrate here, but I was entertained enough.

After the match, The North run away and the ref follows them with the belts. They have to escape the whole Deaner family who chases after with farming implements.

* Backstage, TJP and Fallah Bahh are asked about a potential shot at the North and their tag titles. TJP accuses Page and Alexander of “snatching boredom out of the jaws of fun.” The Rascalz show up and remind TJP and Bahh that they beat them and are ahead in line. TJP says they’re 1 – 1 now and challenge them to a match. Next week, it’s on.

* The Rascalz goof off in the Treehouse and talk about how next week is a match for the #1 Contendership for the Tag Team Titles. Trey says he doesn’t wanna hear about it anymore before Moose shows up and gives Trey a pair of sunglasses. Trey asks Moose about his title and Moose asks if they even watch the product? Trey points out that TNA doesn’t exist anymore, and Moose says he sees that they’ve all got chances at being #1 contenders. All he’s saying is, maybe Trey should come after the TNA World Title and be like Kurt Angle, Sting, and Moose. That last one doesn’t go over quite as well and Animal Crossing jokes follow. Moose says they’re still very funny, but don’t forget what happened the last time they made fun of Moose. That killed the room.

* Flashback moment of the week is Cody vs. Moose for the Impact Grand Championship in 2017, with the judges going to split decision for Moose.

* Vignette hypes up Deonna Purrazzo’s arrival. She calls herself the Virtuosa and asks if we even know what that means. She says she has outstanding technical ability and a cultivated appreciation for artistic expression. She has the perfect equation for success and unique training in technique and the movement in-between.

* Rosemary and John E. Bravo talk about past experiences, and Rosemary tells a story about a guy who she almost married but had to sacrifice. It’s part of the whole Demon Assassin thing. John E. says sometimes it seems like he sold his soul — not to Satan, but someone a little more evil. He says Taya is abusive and makes him wear sunglasses and earmuffs when it’s not even cold. Rosemary offers her support and says she’s in his corner. She hopes it hasn’t been too much of a trial, and John E. says it’s been perfect. Rosemary says they need to find somewhere new as this place is starting to look dead. John E. asks if she’s going to sacrifice him. “On the first date? Slut!” John E. is shocked. SHOCKED.

NEXT WEEK:
* Rascalz vs. TJP and Fallah Bahh
* Keira and Tasha vs. Kylie Ray and Susie
* Joseph P. Ryan vs. Crazzy Steve
* Locker Room Talk with Chris Bey
* Finals of #1 Contender’s Tournament: Ace Austin vs. Elgin or Trey

#1 Contender’s Tournament Match:
Michael Elgin vs. Trey

Trey gets a waistlock to start, a bit of counter wrestling and Trey turns it into a wristlock. Elgin kicks him off, Elgin hits s slam into a leglock around the head. Trey out, goes for an arm throw but no love and Elgin tosses him. Chop in the corner by Elgin, he whips Trey across the ring and Trey leaps over. Springboard tries for another arm throw, no luck but a rana sends Elgin outside. Trey off the ropes but stops himself short, goes outside and tries a rana into a power bomb attempt that is countered. Elgin counters another exchange, but Trey hits a DDT on the outside. He’s back to his feet, throws Elgin inside and goes up for a split-legged moonsault for two. Trey back up top, Elgin ducks a leap, eats an elbow and Elgin counters a rana into a power move. Picks Trey up in a double underhook, backbreaker against the knees for two. Elgin pulls Trey up, shoves him into the corner and hits a chop. He bullies Trey a bit, kicks him in the head and hits a forearm. Whip hard into the opposite corner by Elgin. He mocks Trey and yells at him to hit him. Hard hit floors Trey. The referee backs Elgin up for a moment before Elgin moves in and tells Trey to hit him, Trey starts firing off and then gets taken down by a strike. Elgin sends Trey face first into the corner and hits a shoulder to the midsection. Whip into the ropes, back elbow to Trey’s face. Suplex gets two. Trey’s picked back up, forearms to head to punish the Rascal. Trey is getting hyped up, shrugs off some hits and chest bumps Elgin, then fires back with a flurry of punches but gets cut off with a kick. Jawbreaker stuns Elgin, but a charge results in an enzuigiri to Trey. Elgin goes for the Elgin Bomb, Trey fights back, flips on Elgin and then hits a leaping double knee and we’re headed to break.

We’re back and they’re trading punches, Trey unleashes a flurry but Elgin hits a punch. Leaping enzuigiri to Elgin, he Matrixes under a clothesline and takes Elgin down for a two-count. Announcers are selling the Cinderella story as Trey nails Elgin in the corner and then goes up top. Elgin goes in and Trey jumps from the top to the apron, but a cutter by Elgin off the leap into the ring downs Trey. Elgin picks Trey up for a TKO that gets two. Elgin clubs Trey, hits a clothesline but Trey counters a clothesline off the ropes. Elgin takes Trey down with a forearm, yells at Trey to hit him, it doesn’t do much and Elgin decks Trey. He picks Trey up, batters him with punches and goes for a spinning kick but is countered with superkicks. Elgin with a superkick of his own, he flips Trey around but Trey hits a flip bomb. Elgin goes for a suplex which is countered into a stunner, then Elgin hits a lariat that floors Trey. Ref counts, and both men are up. Elgin charges into the corner, hits an avalanche and goes for it again but Trey counters. Superkicks take Elgin down, he springboards off the bottom rope into a cutter for two. Trey climbs to his feet, goes up top and Elgin is up for a kick to the head. He joins Trey up top, gets Trey on his shoulders but Trey fights free. Super rana is countered, but the second attempt hits. Trey leaps up on Elgin’s shoulders, goes face-first into the turnbuckle. Elgin rolls Trey over for two. Trey’s on the apron and Elgin goes to the top, picks Trey straight up into a superplex but Trey fights free and hits a double-knee drop off the top for a near-fall. Trey goes to climb the turnbuckle again, Elgin’s up, he leaps into a power bomb by Elgin for two. Elgin’s back up, short-arm clothesline for two. Elgin stalks Trey, picks him up, goes for an Elgin bomb and everything goes staticky with the lights out and the Tron lighting up! Sami Callihan is getting into Elgin’s head, and the distraction gives Trey a moment to recover. He jack-knife covers Elgin to get the win and move on!

Winner: Trey (18:02)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: A good, hard-hitting match here with a lot of nice counter-wrestling and a decent melding of Trey and Elgin’s styles. The ending was a bit anti-climactic, but it plays into the storyline and Trey was competitive enough throughout that it doesn’t feel like a complete fluke win.

Elgin is livid after the match and tosses around the ringside area to end the show.

7.0
The final score: review Good
The 411
This week's episode was a better mix of action and storyline than last week's. People are either going to love or hate the Deaner Compound match, but I enjoyed it well enough and the rest of the in-ring action was good, leaving for a nicely-stacked card for next week.
legend

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Impact Wrestling, Jeremy Thomas