wrestling / TV Reports
Jeremy’s TNA Impact Review 4.16.26
Image Credit: TNA
Loading...Hello, everyone and welcome to our live TNA Impact coverage on 411! I’m Jeremy Thomas, here with you tonight. Himanshu has sadly had to step back from his Impact coverage going forward due to scheduling commitments so for tonight at least, my apologies for being having to deal with me instead. We’re coming off TNA Rebellion and this week we have the return of EC3 to the Impact Zone has he takes on Eric Young. In addition, KC Navarro will seek revenge against AJ Francis in singles action while Mike Santana will speak following his TNA World Title retention on Saturday.
In other developments, we’ll hear from The System and Jada Stone will battle Tasha Steelz. And my favorite thing in Impact continues as we get Chapter Three of the Undead Realm saga. Soungs like a fun show, so let’s get into it!
As a reminder, the GoFundMe for Larry’s kids 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.
* We kick off with a montage recap of Rebellion including KC Navarro’s return, Xia Brookside betraying Lei Ying lee, Mustafa Ali winning the TNA International Championship, The System winning the Tag Team Titles from The Hardys, and Mike Santana retaining the TNA World Title against Eddie Edwards.
I’M READY FOR YOU! (aka opening theme)
* We’re starting with Nic Nemeth! Nemeth comes down with his Call Your Shot Trophy to join commentary for the first match.
AJ Francis vs. KC Navarro
AJ and KC circle and lock up, AJ shoves KC down. KC dodges a lunge and another, comes off the ropes and goes right into a Down Payment — countered into a rana. KC charges into him in the corner, dodges a couple lunges, kick to the back of the head but AJ blocks an Olympic Slam.
KC manages to dodge a charge and AJ to the floor, KC off the ropes and dives but is caught and slammed into the apron. AJ picks KC up on his shoulder — head-first toss into the ring post! Navarro rolled back in and AJ steps over the ropes to manhandle KC and shit talk. Navarro sent hard into the corner and AJ showboats for the heat.
AJ takes aim and charges in but eats a boot. Navarro to the second rope, crossbody is caught. KC on AJ’s shoulders, he slides off, Olympic Slam blocked and AJ knocks him down. He yanks KC clean onto his shoulders and just TOSSES him! Charging knee to KC!
AJ toys with KC and shoves his head, then grabs him — jawbreaker by Navarro and a dropkick sends AJ into the corner. Splash, he is sent into the corner but goes up — caught by AJ but KC counters into a DDT! Navarro with charging dropkicks to the gut in the corner, charging knee to the back. KC sets AJ on the second rope and climbs — second rope Olympic slam! One, two, no!
Navarro out to the apron and climbs up to the top. He takes aim — leaps RIGHT INTO A TFL! Navarro talks shit to Nemeth, who stands up and talks shit back. Down Payment — countered into a Victory Roll for three!
Winner: KC Navarro (7:02)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Perfectly good big man vs. little man match. It was a bit by the numbers, but I can dig it. Nice to see Navarro get a big win.
* The System WALK backstage.
* EC3 says a story requires three acts. First act: he carried the company as champion. Second act: he was banished and created a standard. Is the third act a comeback? No, that requires compliance and permission. This is a crusade and if it has to start with Eric Young, so be it. He guesses he can say he’s back.
* The System is here! Brian Myers asks about the boos and asks if people are upset that he and Bear ended the evil reign of the Hardys? He says they are the new Tag Team Champions. But the System keeps it real and they know not everything went as planned.
Eddie says it’s true; he should be here repping The System as your TNA World Champion. He lost, but not because of him; he lost because of one person, Moose. He says Moose oculdn’t stand the thought of him becoming a three-time World Champion and The System holding all the power in TNA, or that Alisha is his Ride or Die.
Alisha takes the mic: “Do You Wanna Know Something?” (Fans: “No.”) She’s glad Moose hanging out with her made him a little smarter. Playing the video was a smart move. And it doesn’t change that they played Moose like a fool because he is one.
Cedric says Rebellion was meant to be total dominance and a clean sweep, but instead they’re dealing with the Moose problem. He calls Leon Slater a lying, conniving piece of garbage by using the title. That means a DQ, he never lost and he wants another shot.
HERE COMES SLATER! Slater says he always here Cedric talking; when will he shut up? He tells Cedric to take his name out of his mouth before he walks down and slaps it out. He says Cedric lost, and he has the title around his neck to prove it. He knows Cedric is upset and mad, and understands why Cedric has a boo boo face backstage. Because he’s on the verge — okay, the fans are chanting “BOO BOO FACE.” Leon says he’s on the verg eo being the longest-reigning champion of all time.
Eddie says Leon is like Moose and gets lucky all the time, but he doesn’t have what it takes.
HERE’S MOOSE! He says it’s just like Eddie to make excuses. Eddie lost at Rebellion because he’s a little bitch, and all he sees in that ring is bitches. He beat Bear and Cedric on TV so they’re his bitch. And we all know who has the balls in the Edwards so he’s Alisha’s bitch. Brian Myers is Edge’s bitch, and Alisha is the biggest bitch that’s ever stepped through the doors of TNA.
Alisha says Moose is nothing compared to her husband and has a pea brain and needs to stay out of their business. Leon says they’re talking, but they’re all in wrestling attire so let’s have a match!
HERE’S DARIA RAE! Daria says absolutely not. She says this might have been okay with Santino in charge, but he’s suspended so no match tonight. Leon says he isn’t having it and this is why people think Santino is the superior GM. Daria says shut up and on second thought, they will have a match tonight — Leon and Moose vs. all of The System.
* Jada and Order 4 seperately WALK backstage.
* We get a recap of Frankie Kazarian getting a win over Elijah via a low blow.
* Daira is backstage sullen as Elijah walks in asking where Santino is. Daria says he’s suspended but the suit is here. Elijah wants a rematch with Kazarian. Daria says she makes the decisions and says she’ll make a phone call for him. She calls Frankie and says Elijah wants a rematch. Frankie laughs and says no, Daria hangs up and says it’s not going to happen.
Before the match, Mustafa Ali says that he’s happy and why wouldn’t he be? He has the TNA International Championship and fans should be happy because they finally have a champion in TNA that doesn’t need a second chance. Mike Santana, Trey Miguel, second chances; The Hardys, many chances. But Ali doesn’t need a second chance and is the guy that gives a chance. So he’s announcing a TNA International Championship Open Challenge for any TNA star or indie wrestler to come and get it.
He says they should be excited but he’s excited about what happens next. Jada is a thorn in Order 4’s side, so she needs to come down, get her ass kicked and then declare that In Ali We Trust.
Tasha Steelz vs. Jada Stone
Stone goes right after Steelz and it becomes a brawl before intros are done! Tasha with a shoulderblock to Jada, they go into the ropes, a sloppy rana. Hip smash into Tasha in the corner, Tasha escapes to the outside but gets kicked. Jada on the apron, warns John Skyler and then kicks Tasha. But Tasha takes back over and throws Jada face-first into the ringpost.
The ref counts as Tasha saunters over and pulls Jada up for a punch to the face. Jada first back but gets knocked down, Steelz then with a short-arm clothesline as we go to break.
We’re back with Tasha hitting a suplex for two. Tahsa stomps Jada against the bottom rope for four. She goes back in, drop toe hold into the bottom rope and a boot choke for four. The ref warns Order 4 to stay back, Tasha manages to counter into a jackknife pin for two but then gets pump kicked right out of it.
Tasha goes for the camel clutch and locks it in — oh no, it’s just a chinlock now. Jada gets free but gets knocked down for two. Another cover for two. Jada over to the corner and gets stomped down again. Tasha talks trash, Jada shoves her back and starts laying in punches! Into the ropes, Jada with a clothesline and another. She hits a Sling Blade and is feeling it! Charge into the corner, Tasha dodges, Stone with a kick to the face and double knee off the second rope! Jada with a split legged moonsault for a nearfall!
Tasha with a jawbreaker and neckbreaker to kill Jada’s momentum, cover gets two-plus. Jada reverses a whip into the corner, but Tasha to the apron and a kick to the head. She somersaults into the ring, Jada with a handspring into a sloppy catch for a German suplex. That they replay, even.
Tasha gets Jada on her shoulders but she slips down, kick, DDT off the ropes. Weak shoulder in the corner, Northern Lights and floats through into a facebuster. Jada pulls Tasha over and climbs — Tasha is up and nails Jada in the back. She pulls Tasha into a Hail Mary for two. Tasha throws Jada to the outside, Order 4 surrounds her and the ref ejects them all! Jada gets a roll-up for two and a superkick — Spark Stunner gets three!
Winner: Jada Stone (13:16)
Rating: **
Thoughts: Someone tell me why this match needed to be 13-plus minutes. It was sloppy in parts — notucably so — .
* Back in the Undead Realm! She gets spooked. Rosemary is then walking around and runs into Joseph Parks! He hugs her and she rejects it, but says it’s fine. He says he’s handled the divorce courtesy of his lawyering. He says her man is egregious and felonious, but it’s handled and he has to go up North now.
Tessa walks around and runs into a chapel. She wants out but gets grabbed and has to fight her way free so she can run. To Be Continued…
* KC is backstage with Nic Nemeth. He says he owed KC a favor. Ryan Nemeth walks in and wonders what’s going on. KC calls Nic “brother” in a casual manner and Ryan takes offense.
The System walk up and call Navarro a charity case. Nemeth says that KC came back and showed guts. Bear says he doesn’t like Nic’s tone and Nic says he’s easy to find. The System walk off, Ryan doesn’t like any of this and is calling their mom.
* HERE COMES THE CHAMP! Mike Santana comes out of the crowd with his title. He poses for the crowd in the ring and calls for the music to cut. He hypes up Syracuse and says Rebellion went how he knew it would. Eddie threw everything he had at him, and he cracked the foundation and is still standing as TNA World Champion. And since he’s been holding down the fort, he’s put down every former champion so it’s time for him to hand out opportunities.
He says there’s a guy who also took his life and made it better: Mr. All Night Long himself, Rich Swann! Swann comes out to the ramp and says it’s not every day an opportunity at the World Title falls into your lap. He says Santana’s respect to him is back tenfold. He saw Santana defeat his demons and become World Champion. He asks Santana if he’s sure he wants to do it because he as agility, ability, athleticism and a lot more. He’s in the best shape of his life. He knows if they step into the ring in Syracuse, people will be talking about it for days, weeks, months, maybe for years. But Mike knows he’ll get every ounce of heart, fire and desire and Swann will fight him all night long.
Santana asks Syracuse what they think. They are for it. So he’s going to summon the god-awful Daria Rae for the match to be made for next week. The match sounds official!
* TNA Injury Report Time:
– Trey got a severe laceration to his knee at Rebellion and is out for now.
– The Hardys are out following last week’s Table Match and their match with The System at Rebellion.
– Indi Hartwell is cleared, but still suspended by Daria Rae.
– EC3 has been 100% cleared for competition for tonight.
* Eric Young and EC3 both WALK backstage,.
* Lei Ying Lee talks about how when she left her country she didn’t know what wrestling even was. But she fell in love with it and found a friend and support in Xia Brookside. They became a tag team, traveled together, trained together, and became best friends. Xia supported her after she lost the title but last week everything change and she didn’t just lose her title; she lost her best friend.
* Gia is with a blank-staring Xia and asks her why. Xia just walks off. Huh.
Eric Young vs. EC3
Young attacks EC3 during the latter’s entrance. They go to ringside and get into the ring, but EY tosses EC3 through the ropes and follows. Young pounds on EC3, but EC3 battles back. Into the ring again, EY takes over and tosses EC3 back to the mat. He wrenches on EC3’s nexk and locks in a chinlock. EC3 fights to his feet, tosses Eric Young off and builds momentum with some takedowns and a Thesz Press.
But Young with a rake to the eyes. The ref backs him off — EC3 runs into both of them and tosses them both outside! That turns it into a no-contest.
Winner: No Contest (2:30)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: That sure did happen. Not much to talk about, except for the concerning level of tanning EC3 had.
The brawl continues and Young wraps EC3’s head in a chair but officials separate them. They get free and EC3 charges — Young throws him into the steps and he lands chair-first! Officials tend to EC3 as Young stomps around, then threatens security before leaving finally.
* More Undead Realm, yay! Rosemary is walking down a hallway and sees a man wiht a bag on his head and an axe. She says hi to Frank and he asks if she’s gotten his resume. They small talk, Frank walks off and Rosemary cringes, then walks.
Allie is with Mara Sade and Mara asks what Allie will eat first when she is alive again. Strange woman walks htrough them, Victoria Crawford shows up and strange woman scares her off. Mara and Allie go “meh.”
Tessa comes across Rosemary and demands that she tell her how to get out. Rosemary says “Tessa, darling — no.” They fight and Tessa chokes Rosemary with a chain, then wraps it around her saying “If I can’t leave, neither can you.” She says she’ll find her own way out.
Tessa catches up and finds Victoria and Mila. Meanwhile Allie and Mara find Rosemary and free her. Rosemary says it was just a little run-in with Tessa. Allie gets pissed, says “That’s my friend!” and stalks off as Mara goes to free her. Rosemary says that’s alright and shows a lock of Tessa’s hair.
Father James Mitchell is there as Tessa and company ask how to get out of here? Mitchell says use the door as the woman walks up. Tessa and company leave, the woman walks up and Mitchell puts the moves on her.
* We’re back to the ringside area and its dark before a video plays. Smoke comes from the ring — Tessa, Victoria and Mila are there! And the video plays again — Rosemary and Mara are there! They brawl but it’s a numbers game. Rosemary is thrown into the ring and the trio surround her. Rosemary says “come on,” the lights go out —
ALLIE! ALLIE IS OUT OF THE UNDEAD REALM! Allie cleans house! Rehwoldt saying “The dead are supposed to stay dead!” with a crack in his voice was great.
* The Hardys are backstage and ask if The Righteous are happy that they broke down them enough. He says The Righteous didn’t even want the titles and says he wants to thank Dutch because he’s feeling alive. He challenges Dutch for next and says it’s almost broken season. Jeff snaps, the lights go out and a maniacal laugh is heard.
Leon Slater & Moose vs. The System
Slater and Cedric are in the ring first, The System distracts Leon and Cedric takes him down. Slater with a hip toss and an enzuigiri, he tags in Moose who slaps the shit out of Cedrics chest and knocks everyone off the apron. Uranage, senton and a kip up — Bear is in as the ref checks on Cedric and beats on Moose, but he gets sent ouf of the ring and Moose DIVES on him! Myers charges, Moose dodges and Myers spears Bear! Moose throws Eddie into them and Slater DIVES over the ringpost onto all of The System!
Back in the ring, spear by Moose to Cedric. Myers breaks it up, Eddie with a Boston Knee Party! Bear tags in and beats on Moose. He showboats a bit and talks trash to Moose, who gets uop and chops away at Bear. Sunset flip but Bear holds on and drops onto Moose’s chest for two.
Eddie tags in and lays in knees to Moose, into the corner for a chop but Moose no-sells it and puts Eddie in the corner for a chop. Charge but Eddie moves, Myers tags in and pounds on Moose. Moose fights back but a kick to the knee.
Cedric in now, they put Moose in the corner and whip Bear into him. But Moose takes out both Cedric and Myers and drops Bear! Slater tags in and comes in hot. Spinning heel kick off the ropes to Eddie! Helluva Kicks to both men! Slater takes everyone out, bit crossbody off the top to Eddie for a nearfall.
Back suplex by Leon but Eddie stops it with a thumb to the eye. Triple team, frog splash by Cedric, cover but Moose breaks it up. He sends Eddie to the outside and pump kicks, but Eddie movesa and Bear takes out Moose. Slater counters the Lumbar Check, takes out Bear and Myers, Lumbar Check, countered, but Cedric hits it for three.
Winner: The System (7:49)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Fun brawl, lots of chaos here and it worked. The loss obviously protects Moose and Slater, and it sets up Cedric’s rematch which is great.
And with that, we’re done for the night!
