wrestling / TV Reports
Jeremy’s TNA Impact Review 5.8.25
Loading...Hello, everyone and welcome to our live TNA Impact coverage on 411! I’m Jeremy Thomas, here with you in Himanshu’s place this week due to some technical issues. There’s a lot going on so lets just jump right in, cool? Cool.
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 recap of Trick Williams attacking Joe Hendry, both at Rebellion and then on last week’s show. We also cover Steve Maclin being attacked by Eric Young and the Northern Armory, and the Nemeths and Franki Kazarian battling Hendry and the Hardys.
* We’re kicking off with Trick Williams coming to the ring with a whole load of security! It’s recapped that Trick attacked Hendry on NXT this week which led into a TNA World Title match being made for NXT Battleground on May 25th.
Trick asks if TNA doesn’t have love for him and says that he’s finally arrived and has 3% body fat and can snatch your woman’s heart. He talks about his cars named after ladies and says he’s here for one reason and one reason only — he took out the golden goose of TNA in Joe Hendry. He says the fans can boo him all they want, but that Hendry came to NXT to embarrass him so he’s here in TNA embarrassing Average Joe. He says Joe wanted to be everyone’s friend and liked, but Trick wants to be respected. He says he’s going to take Joe out, take all his friends, and then take over his brand and that will probably make him sick.
SAY HIS NAME AND HE APPEARS! Hendry comes down to the ring looking none too pleased. Security stops him — and he nails Trick’s security team! He dives in and brawls with Trick, but security separates them. Trick escapes to the outside and talks trash. Joe grabs a security guy and gives him a Standing Ovation!
* The card gets run down for the night.
* Mr. Stone is backstage with Victoria Crawford and complains about the wrestling card, saying the higher-ups won’t like that. He says to focus on her match and he’ll be out to keep his eye on it.
Rosemary vs. Lei Ying Lee
Bell rings and Lee offers a handshake but Rosemary slaps it away. Crossbody off the ropes from Lee for one, Rosemary blocks a whip out of the corner and gets kicked in the chest. Irish whip reversed by Rosemary into a sidewalk slam for one. Rosemary lays in punches for a four-count and backs off, then sends Lee into the corner hard. She charges in for a shot and then hits a half-and-half suplex. Cover gets two.
Lee shoves Rosemary off, she puts Lee in a chokehold in the corner for four. Rosemary charges, Lee moves and hits chops but Rosemary blocks the third and bits Lee. Upside Down from Rosemary for another four-count, she goes up top but Lee kicks the ropes and ROsemary is down. Clotheslines from Lee get no sold, Lee off the ropes into a headbutt. Knee strike by Lee and a front dropkick, she charges in for a mounted 10-count of punches and an Exploder suplex for two-plus.
Rosemary slides down Lee’s back and hits a BIG spear, then pulls out brass knucks. Xia Brookside is on commentary and she pulls the knucks away from her, Rosemary argues with Lee and turns around into a Thunderstruck for three.
Winner: Lei Ying Lee
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: Perfectly good for the time it received. It was sort of a standard match that doesn’t go out of second gear, but it did what it needed to.
* Mike Santana walks by Trick backstage and stops to stare him down before walking along to Sami Callihan and John Goblikon. Santana gives Sami props for his abomination of a match at Unbreakable and gives him a shoutout. Sami says he usually doesn’t care about things like that put appreciates it coming from him.
First Class walk in and AJ Francis says no one gets to disrespect KC Navarro but him, and says he came here to talk to Sami. He says Goblikon is ridiculous and a Shrek joke comes into play. AJ says he saw killer instinct with Sami and suggests he join First Class. Sami says he doesn’t to cliques or caviar and walks off with Goblikon. Santana asks if he and First Class have problems and AJ says he doesn’t have problems; he solves them.
* The Elegances are backstage to do a makeover for someone. Heather says her life is about to change and we get the makeover montage. The Elegances squeal happily.
* The Great Hands come out and John Skyler says this is where they normally tell the Irvine people who stupid they are, but they need to address something. Ever since Rebellion, Mr. Ali has changed and is different and so for the sake of TNA and the people, they would like to apologize for what might happen next.
The Great Hands vs. The Aztec Warriors
Hotch and Laredo start off, Hotch shoves Laredo who shoves back. Into the ropes, they go back and forth and leapfrog — slap to the back of Hotch’s head puts him in the corner. Octagon tags in and chops Hotch, then delivers a knee in the corner. Hotch sends Octagon into the corner and he runs up it for a corkscrew crossbody. Rana off the ropes and a kick to the gut, Octagon sent into hostile territory and he fights both off before Skyler knocks him down from the apron.
Skyler now in and works over Octagon, with a chinlock. Blind tag to Hotch, Skyler off the ropes with a few strikes, Hotch with a neckbreaker for two-plus. Octagon misses a clothesline, off the ropes and they knock each other down. Octagon goes for the tag but Hotch grabs his leg — enzuigiri. But Skyler tags in and blocks Octagon — wheelbarrow into a hot tag to Laredo, who runs wild on the Great Hands.
Aztec Warriors both in the ring now and come off the ropes with ranas, Laredo dives through the ropes on the Hands and Octagon dives over! Skyler in the ring, Octagon whipped into a splash. Big Superman punch in the corner by Laredo and a Michinoku driver, Octagon does a handstand on the ropes into a springboard splash for three.
Winner: The Aztec Warriors
Rating: ***
Thoughts: This was a showcase for Laredo and Octagon and I’m okay with that. Not long but lots of fun.
Ali attacks the Aztec Warriors from behind post-match and beats on Laredo before smothing him with the ring apron! Tasha is trying to talk sense into Ali and officials are out to separate them –
HERE COME THE RASCALZ! They back Ali and the Cabinet off.
Trey Miquel vs. Mustafa Ali
Straight into this from break. Trey and Ali circle and lock up, Trey backed into the ropes and dodges a strike, then hits chops but is hit hard with an elbow. Ali unleashes another elbow, but he gets pushed into the ropes, rolls through a sunset flip and hits a BIG powerbomb on Miguel!
Ali beats on Trey and hits a Euro uppercut, talking shit before stomping on him. Trey counters a powerslam into a rana, Ali to the outside and Trey hits a handspring kick. He goes for a basement dropkick but is caught, spun around, BIG DDT on the outside!
Ali talks trash to Wentz and then rolls Trey in. Somersault into the ring for a neckbreaker, spinning standing senton and cover for one. Tray with some back elbows and into the ropes, caught with a crossbody by Ali who hits a modified belly to back suplex for two-plus.
Ali goes outside, somersault neckbreaker — countered by a cutter by Trey! Both men up and Trey unleashes strikes, dropkick and a springboard moonsault! Ali to the outside, Try dives through them onto Ali! He rolls Ali in, climbs up top, TOP ROPE METEORA for a nearfall.
Both men slow to get up, Trey grabs Ali but Ali with a backslide pin for two. Trey rolls up Ali for two and hits a slap to the chest, Trey into the ropes and tries to spin through but is caught with a dropkick! He orders the Great Hands to take care of him — and Wentz takes them out with a moonsault off the top! Ali nails Wentz, rolls Trey in and tells Wentz to stay out of his business — diving DDT to the floor by Trey!
Trey rolls Ali in and follows behind, taking aim but Tasha distracts the ref and the Great Hands hit a double chokeslam onto the apron. Trey rolled in, Ali wipes him out for three.
Winner: Mustafa Ali
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Great match here, but I’d expect nothing less with these guys. Ali arguably needed this win and he looked great of course doing it.
* We get a good portion of the Mustfa Ali vs. Ace Austin match from Under Siege 2024, which saw Ali retain the TNA X-Division Title.
* The TNA injury report notes that Steve Maclin is cleared to compete tonight after the attack on him last week. Earlier this week, Maclin said they have been doing this for seven months and that Young has been spewing this bond of brotherhood. Young had his respect but that’s long gone. He has an idea — the Dog Collar match tonight for the title.
* We get a montage of Indi Hartwell growing up as a wrestling fan and seeing TNA as a kid, that it opened up her world. She recalled how the Knockouts killed it every week and wanted to be like them. She got a job at Toys R’ Us for 20% off wrestling merch and says she has a huge TNA DVD collection, noting that the plastic belts are why she’s here and she wants to turn them into the real thing. She praises Gail Kim, ODB, Tara and others, saying they got the recognition that wasn’t seen among women at that time. She’s going to be part of that legacy. She’s had the highs and lows and it was all taken from her. People thinks that’s the end of the world but she’s just getting started. If she were to go back and ask that little girl if she thought she’d achieve what she would, she’s say yes. She says she sat down with a good friend a few months before she went to TNA and realized she wanted to be here, but she doesn’t want to be A Knockout; she wants to be THE Knockout.
The Hardys come out to the ring! They get mics and Matt says that the fans have so much love for them, and they appreciate it. He’s going to start off with cold hard truths; they lost the TNA World Tag Team Titles at Rebellion. And their last couple weeks haven’t been great. He says they have such a special connection with the fans that helps them push through every match. And the first thing they want to say to the fans is, they are sorry because they let them down at Rebellion. They lost the titles to the Nemeths and they cheated, but they don’t make excuses and should be able to beat people no matter what tactics they use.
Matt says people are asking what the future is for Matt and Jeff Hardy. He says they’ll do what they’ve always done: fight, claw and scratch their way back to the tag titles!
Jeff says the last few weeks have ignited something in him and now its a Hardy Soul Train. Matt tells the Nemeths to listen closely: their title reign shall be DELETED!
Here come the Nemeths! Ryan and Nick come out and Ryan says that’s so touching! But they’re right; they let the fans down and blew it hard. But don’t worry, because Ryan’s BIG BROTHER and him are going to take the tag division to new heights.
Nic says to shut up for a second to the fans and they have to catch a plane so he’ll talk over them. The fans boo the shit out of the Nemeths and chant “YOU SUCK!” He says they don’t suck and says he’s known Matt & Jeff for a long time and they’re absolute legends, but sometimes legends fall, fall and get defeated, espcially against them. He says they run TNA now. Ryan calls them the greatest brother tag team of all time, and Nic says as a generous guy: May 23rd, Under Siege in Canada, they get their rematch! Ryan suggests a ladder match!
Of course, the Hardys aren’t impressed and Nic “remembers” that Jeff can’t come to Canada because his law problems. Ryan says sorry, the match is cancelled and they’ll move on. Nic and Ryan say that’s their time —
SANTINO IS HERE! He asks what kind of shenanigans the Nemeths are up to. He gets that Jeff can’t go to Canada so next week it’s Jeff vs. Nic one-on-one. And at Under Siege it’s the Nemeths vs. Matt and a partner of his choice-ing. Jeff says he’ll see Nic next week.
Victoria Crawford vs. Brittnie Brooks
Brooks offers a handshake and Crawford knocks her down. Into the ropes but Brooks with a Thesz Press and mounted punches. But Crawford with a throat thrust and a Northern Lights suplex. Brooks pushes Crawford into the corner and hits a BIG slap, then backs up and charges — Vix moves, and she hits a headscissors followed by an Axe Kick for three.
Winner: Victoria Crawford
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP Brittnie Brooks. Vix got some ring rust.
Crawford gets a mic — but here comes Masha right off the bat! Masha comes to the ring and stars down Vix — she takes her down and beats on her! Tessa Blanchard comes out and attacks Masha — Buzzsaw to Masha!Tessa checks on Victoria Crawford as Santino comes out.
He says this is an easy one, lemon squeezie. Next week Tessa and Vix vs. Masha and a partner of her choosing. But Mr. Stone disagrees and says he already let Matt pick his partner earlier and can’t let the inmates run the asylum so he’ll pick Masha’s partner — Nikkita Lyons from NXT.
* Stone is backstage post-break on the phone and tells Nikkita she’s set and took care of it. Arianna Grace comes up with Santino and says he’s the liaison with NXT and TNA, and Stone is ruining everything. Tessa walks in and asks who she thinks she’s talking to? She says step into reality — Arianna was handed a participation ribbon and coming from a family may have gotten her in the front door, but her name built wrestling. Arianna took her name and turned it into glitter; she turned it into diamonds. Tessa and Stone walk off together.
Dog Collar Match
Steve Maclin vs. Eric Young
They’re chained up and the bell rings. EY tries to resist being dragged forward so Maclin runs him over and lays in the punches. Matt Cardona is on commentary as Young takes over and puts Maclin in the corner, chokes Maclin and applies an elevated inverted facelock in the corner.
EY grinds the chain into Maclin’s forehead and he’s busted open already. Young grinds the chain again across the forehead, Maclin drops out of the ring and EY grabs Maclin, hitting a big shot to the forehead. Young whips Maclin with the chain a couple of times, then one more. He grabs Maclin and hooks the chain in his mouth as the Northern Armory beat on him. EY with another shot to Maclin and rolls him in, then directs the Northern Armory — and Maclin with the SCUD to the trio through the ropes!
EY fires back and knocks Maclin down, then rolls him into the ring. He talks shit to the fans and then comes into the ring, nailing Maclin with the chain. Bite to the forehead in the corner, whip reversed across the ring but EY to the apron and he yanks Maclin throat-first into the ropes as we go to break.
We’re back and EY is choking Maclin with the chain. He lays in a punch to Maclin’s forehead and there’s a lot of Maclin’s blood on both men. EY hooks the chain in Maclin’s mouth again in the center of the ring, Maclin to his feet and elbows his way free, hitting a jawbreaker. EY charges into a big boot, clothesline by Maclin. Whip into the ropes, Thesz Press by Maclin and headbutts to the downed Young! Chain whips to the back and Maclin is feeling his oats — he hits Judas Icarus with a backdrop and the other with a backbreaker. Olympic slam for two-plus. KIA attempt countered but Maclin off the ropes with a Psycho Knee. Maclin with a Jarheadbutt for two-plus.
Mance and Steph are watching from the stage and Elijah and Ace are watching from the back as they go outside and Maclin snapmares Young to the mat with help from the chain. He takes out Williams and Icarus but gets yanked to the floor by Young. Cover gets two-plus.
Young goes up top but Maclin crotches him and gets him in the Tree of Woe. Maclin takes out Travis Williams and them Judas Icarus with powerbombs, he puts Williams in the Tree of Woe and nails EY. Maclin backs up and takes aim — SPEARS to Northern Armory! EY with a kick to the gut though and a piledriver, cover gets THR–NO!
EY can’t believe it! He signals for the elbow and goes up top — Maclin puts him down! KIA! That finishes it!
Winner: Steve Maclin
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: This was hideously bloody, and that’s not my thing as many of you know. But it was also a good match that was enhanced by the blood; the blood didn’t serve as the whole point of the match. Brutal and well-executed match with the right guy winning.
And with that, we’re done for the night!
