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Heya, folks. It’s time for some Impact Wrestling action! I’m Jeremy, and you all know how this works. Last week, Ace Austin earned a shot at the Impact World Championship by beating Wentz of The Rascalz after Trey was found attacked backstage. Speaking of wentz, he and Dez became the #1 contenders to the World Tag Team Titles. This week Jordynne Grace will defend the Knockouts Title against Taya Valkyire, we get an announcement on the future of the Impact World Title and more. Let’s get into it!

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 the #1 Contender’s Tournament finals and recalls Taya’s loss to Tenille Dashwood back in March, which ended in Grace coming to Tenille’s rescue and a beating for Miss Taya.

Ladies and Gentlemen — YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE! (AKA Title Sequence)

* Backstage, Scott D’Amore and Don Callis have been discussing the future of the Impact World Title and don’t seem happy about it.

Michael Elgin vs. Sami Callihan vs. Ken Shamrock

Shamrock rushes in sans music and goes right after Elbin before Sami is even out. Shamrock assaults Elgin with punches and then we get Callihan’s graphics. Sami’s suddenly sitting in the corner watching and the bell rings. He just casually watches as Shamrock clotheslines Elgin in the corner. Elgin reverses an Irish whip into a powerslam and Shamrock rolls out of the ring. Elgin turns around to face Sami, and they just stare off before trading kicks to the head. Elgin charges, Sami sidesteps and tosses Elgin outside. Springboard punch to Elgin on the apron and he’s out to the apron to kick Elgin in the head; a follow-up dive is caught and Elgin slams Callihan on the apron. Shamrock with a dive over the top to both men! He picks up Elgin, slams him headfirst into the apron and rolls him in. Shamrock moves in but Elgin with a superkick and a second-rope dropkick. He stomps Shamrock and drops a forearm across Shamrock’s neck, turns and goes after Sami on the apron but Callihan comes off the ropes and brings Elgin throat-first onto them. Elgin back into an armdrag by Shamrock, Callihan is in the run and comes right up to Shamrock. A bit of jawing gives Elgin the opening for a double clothesline and he sends Shamrock into the ringpost and outside. He turns around, catches a charging Sami and throws him to the mat. Charge into the corner and suplex gets a two-count. Elgin batters Sami, slams him into the turnbuckle and whips him across the ring. Sami fights back to Elgin’s encouragement. They trade forearms until Elgin goes in with the knee, Sami reverses a whip right into a waiting Shamrock strike. Double-team to Elgin, belly-to-belly toss and Elgin rolls out. Sami and Shamrock face off and it turns to traded blows and chops. Sami takes over with a low kick and a punch off the ropes for a two-count, broken up by Elgin. Elgin picks Sami up, they start trading punches but Sami nails a kick. Elgin hits a German suplex, running forearm for a pin attempt that Shamrock breaks up with an ankle lock. Elbin fights out, hits a DDT but Shamrock no-sells. Another DDT no-sold, enzuigiri turned into another ankle lock. Elgin manages to fight to the ropes but Shamrock won’t let go and Chekov’s turnbuckle is exposed as Elgin is pulled back into the middle of the ring. Sami finally in and prevents Elgin from tapping by physically holding Elgin’s hand, so Shamrock locks Sami in the ankle lock! Shamrock manages to roll through and sends Shamrock to the exposed turnbuckle. Shamrock stops just short but Elgin grabs Sami and shoves him into Shamrock and the turnbuckle. Spinning back fist to Sami and Elgin hits the spinning powerbomb on Shamrock for the win!

Winner: Michael Elgin (8:51)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: It started off with the right intensity, and Shamrock looked way better than he has of late (though he was admittedly used somewhat sparingly). This dragged when they kept repeating some of the sequences and there wasn’t much ring psychology or story to the match, but it ended well and the right guy won.

Post-match, Elgin leaves. Shamrock is pissed and he and Sami stare down. Sami holds up his phone, the Sami graphic comes up and when the lights come up, he’s gone.

* Josh Matthews and Madison Rayne run down the card for tonight’s show including the announcement about the Impact World Championship, Deonna Purrazzo’s arrival, and Grace vs. Valkyrie.

* Gia Miller is with backstage with Jordynne Grace and asks her if she’s uneasy about facing Taya after six weeks off. Grace says coming here is like home and uneasy is being at home for six weeks not defending it. All she can do is study and train and it gets exhausting, and drives her crazy. She’s ready to return to normal by dominating the competition. Tonight she drives Taya’s head through the mat and everything’s back to normal.

* Back from break, Wents and Dez are backstage. Wentz says it’s like their 17th time being #1 contenders and says he was almost a double #1 contender. Trey shows up and they try to play it cool, but he’s not happy and wants to find out who jumped him. Dez says he saw Ace going into the bathroom not too long before, and Wentz says it HAD to be Reno Scum. The champs show up and say they’re there to let the Rascalz know that their match is next week and they’re gonna lose. Wentz says it had to have been The North that jumped Trey, but Trey astutely points out they were in Canada. Josh casts suspicion on Wentz and Page says he had the most to gain from it. Wentz says he’d never do that, and Page says they need to focus on next week. Dez says they’re prepared, but Josh says it’ll end the same way it dud last time, and Page tells Trey to watch his back before exiting. Wentz and Dre take off, leaving Trey alone.

Tasha Steelz vs. Susie

Tasha has Kiera Hogan at her side, while Susie is out all alone waving all around at no one. Tasha talks trash and mocks Susie, then ducks a clothesline but Susie takes her down. Bulldog by Susie and Tasha rolls out of the ring. Susie goes for a dive but gets cut down by Tasha, who starts stomping away. She sends Susie into the corner, hits charging clotheslines and then a neckbreaker for two. Jabs by Tasha and a spinning forearm. She showboats which lets Susie get a roll-up for two, but Tasha right back with a clothesline. Susie with a chops and forearms, comes off the ropes with a Thesz press. She runs at Tasha in the corner but Tasha counters, then tries the same but Susie counters. Tasha sent over the ropes and lands on the apron, kicks Susie over the ropes and goes up top. She leaps off right into a palm strike to the face for two. Susie looks distraught and Kiera up on the apron, she distracts Susie who gets hit with a cutter by Tasha for three.

Winner: Tasha Steelz (3:47)
Rating: * 3/4
Thoughts: It was a workable match without a lot of time given to it. Everything was proficient but nothing really stood out as going above the average. It was just a match, and fine for what it needed to do.

* Gia backstage and she was supposed to interview Ace Austin, but he’s not there so they wait. Eventually Ace shows up and Gia asks him about the Impact World Title announcement. He says he knows what it will be: he won the tournament and since the World Champion isn’t showing up, he’ll be named champion. Moose shows up looking very dapper in a white suit with the TNA World Title and says Austin gets a chance to be the youngest world champion in Impact history, but Moose thinks he’ll be challenging for his “title” so it won’t happen. He says he’ll have his designer make a new, expensive robe so the match will be special. Austin says the belt looks good and walks off. Hernandez then shows up and says he wants to get a shot at Moose next week. Moose walks off.

* Deonna Purrazzo has arrived as we go to break.

* Back from break, we get a replay of the Slammiversary promo teasing new arrivals from WWE’s releases. Drake Maverick is still in it despite the fact that we know he’s not showing up.

* Backstage, Kiera and Tasha are still flying high aftrer Tasha’s win. They mock Susie a bit and say they’re not afraid of anyone, as they run right into Havok and Neveah. Havok says they’re all having fun here and tells Kiera to finish her though. She says if any Knockout was in front of her, she’d handle her business but it’s not a big deal. Havok says they’re scared, they deny it, and Neveah says they should face off tonight. Kiera says they’re off the clock and maybe another time, then powder.

* The Flashback Moment of the Week is Mike Bennett beating Earl Hebner in a “match,” but only after Earl kicked out and low-blowed Mike.

* Backstage, Rohit Raju is pissed at Rhino for goring him last week. He says the days of old-school tough love is done and Rhino should lift him up and treat him like a tag team partner. Rhino says he has a partner already, “and he’s got kids.” Raju complains about respect and gets run down by Rhino who tells him to get out before he gets ripped in half. Raju backs off but then attacks and they brawl off screen.

* Back from break, Taya is running around backstage looking for John E. Bravo to no avail.

The Finesse and Bench Press Express vs. Cousin Jake & Willie Mack

Bey starts off and he wants Mack, who’s willing to oblige. But wait, Bey backs up and tags in Swinger, and he kicks Mack in the gut. Punches in the corner until Mack picks him up and brings him out for an atomic drop. Cousin Jake tagged in and he kicks Swinger in the gut, then floors him with a punch. Swinger back into the corner and Mack’s in for an uppercut. Forearm to the back staggers Swinger, who gets a waistlock and pushes Mack into a kick by Bey. Swinger off the ropes with an elbow drop and a choke before tagging Bey in. He starts to kick away at Mack and follows it with a chop, then sends him into the friendly corner and tags Swinger in for shoulders to the midsection. More choking and then an Irish whip, Mack with a big kick and he tags Jake in for the hot tag. Bey in both both men are clotheslined down. He picks up Bey, kicks Swinnger down and drops Bey on top of Swinger. Bey in the corner, Jake charges in but Bey pulls Swinger out of the way and we’re off to break.

Back from break and Swinger and Bey are working Jake over. Bey with a boot choke and then while the ref is distracted by Mack trying to get in, he chokes Jake against the ropes with help from Swinger. A couple of punches and chops, and Jake fires back but Bey with an enzuigiri. Bey pulls Jake back to the friendly corner, tags in Swinger. Swinger taking it to Jake and gets pushed back by the ref from a boot choke, allowing Bey to do some more choking from the floor. Swinger gets a two-count, Bey in and they whip Jake across the ring and Swinger gets whipped in but is knocked down by a body check and Bey is knocked down too. Cousin Jake back up, he tags Mack in and unloads fists to both before hitting a Samoan drop on Johnny. Bey tries to sneak in a standing moonsault but Mack moves out of the way and then hits his own standing moonsault on both men. Pin attempt broken up by Bey and Jake comes in to clothesline Bey out of the ropes. Swinger goes for the spinning neckbreaker but Mack gets out of it and hits a stunner for three.

Winner: Willie Mack & Cousin Jake (7:42)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: An unspectacular but solid tag team effort by both teams that gives Mack some momentum against Bey and Swinger. Swinger was of course the right guy to take the pin.

Bey and Swinger attack the babyfaces after the match and beat them down until Cody Deaner comes out! He takes down both Swinger and Bey, hits Bey with a Deaner DDT and the bad guys run for it. Jake and Cody have a happy moment in the ring before failing to figure out how to reunite properly via social distancing, so it’s just time for a pose together.

* It’s Rosemary time backstage with John E. Bravo! Rosemary says Bravo has nowhere else to run off to with Taya back, so he has no excuses not to bite the apple. That’s when Taya comes in of course and tries to eat the apple as a snack, but Rosemary rescues the fruit. Taya isn’t happy that Bravo isn’t wearing his accessories and doesn’t have streamers for her. Rosemary comes to his defense, and Taya calls him worthless. Rosemary accuses Taya of abandoning them all, and Taya says she was just trying to keep everyone safe via quarantine. She’s a rule follower. She tells Bravo to get read and gives Rosemary a Taya Micro Brawler. She orders John E. to leave, and Rosemary says they have a present for Taya; they’re going to be ringside for her. Taya’s excited and they run off.

* Scott D’Amore is in the ring to address the Impact World Championship situation. He reminds people that they couldn’t deliver the advertised World Title match at Rebellion and that Ace Austin won the #1 contender’s match. He says his responsibility isn’t just to the wrestlers and the Impact World Champion, but also the fans and the title’s integrity. And Tessa is still not in the building, so —

And here comes Austin to the ring with a mic. He gets in the ring and says Scott’s wrong about one thing: the Impact World Champion is in the building and announces himself the World Champion. That’s when Michael Elgin’s music hits and he comes out to the ring. Elgin says that Ace is speaking out of turn, but Scott’s right in that the match at Rebellion didn’t happen. So if Ace wants to stake claim to a championship that’s rightfully his, Ace has to deal with him. The way he sees it, Ace either leaves the ring or faces Elgin for the title. And anyone who tries to fight him can’t handle him.

That of course brings out someone else — namely, Eddie Edwards! Edwards hits the ramp and tells Elgin that his short-term memory is gone. Everyone’s afraid of Elgin, but Eddie isn’t and he’s beaten Elgin. He says both Elgin and Ace want to be handed the title when they haven’t earned it. You don’t get handed a championship in Impact; you have to fight for it. D’Amore tries to speak up and Austin cuts him off, saying D’Amore was out here for a big announcement; crowning him Impact World Champion. D’Amore backs him up and says that Ace fails to understand that here you fight to be champion. It’s won in the ring, so none will be the champion tonight. But at Slammiversary, the three of them get to earn the right to become champion because Blanchard will defend against all three of them in a five-way. Ace isn’t happy and points out that’s only four. D’Amore says Austin should turn around, and he sees Trey hitting a missile dropkick on him. It devolves into a brawl as we go to break.

* We’re back and Gia is outside Deonna Purrazzo’s locker room. She says Deonna was seen entering the building and knocks on the door to no response. She opens the door and calls out, but she’s not in there so she’ll continue looking. Okay then.

* Cancel Culture is out including new member Jacob Crist. Joseph P. Ryan says that Jacob is truly a new man and where once he was versus everything, now he’s for everyone. And now he is our biggest advocate to make Impact the safe space it can and should be. A place where a woman like Katie Forbes can feel free to express herself in any way that feels comfortable; a place where problematic words like crazy are no longer used. Jacob is going to teach Mentally Unwell Steven a lesson: use words that hurt, and you get hurt.

Crazzy Steve vs. Jacob Crist

Crist attacks before the bell and starts to beat on Steve. Whip into the ropes, Steve ducks a clothesline and hits a diving dropkick, then a front senton. Russian legsweep gets one, and he pulls Jacob up for an Irish whip, reversed by Jake and a series of counters that ends with a Steve snapmare and a head twist. Steve runs into the corner but gets countered by an uppercut. Crist puts Steve on the top rope, goes for a punch but Steve kicks him, wraps the legs around his neck and falls back into a rope choke. Crist ends up on the apron, Steve grabs him and pulls him up but Jacob grabs the arm and jumps down to jam it into the ropes. Back in and he starts working the arm. Steve fights back with kicks and comes off the ropes into a hiptoss, and Jacob goes right back to the arm. Atomic drop attempt is countered, Steve gets to the ropes but Crist counters, Steve with a series of knockdowns followed by a clothesline for two. Joseph distracts Steve and Crist runs in, Steve dodges but eats a whole lot of kicks to hit the mat. Pinfall gets three.

Winner: Jacob Crist (3:30)
Rating: **
Thoughts: Much like Tasha vs. Susie this was too short to mean much, but it was higher impact and Crist got the expected win now that he’s had a gimmick change. It did what it needed to do.

* Another replay of the Slammiversary promo for good measure, and Mathews and Rayne hype up the PPV. They mention the World Title match and tease some potential new arrivals from the promo. Next week is:

Rhino vs. Rohit Raju
TNA World Title Match: Moose vs. Hernandez
Street Fight: Ace Austin vs. Eddie Edwards
TNA World Tag Team Titles Match: The North vs. The Rascalz

Impact Knockouts Championship Match:
Taya Valkyrie vs. Jordynne Grace

Both Rosemary and Bravo are out with Valkyrie. Grace goes after Taya who bails to the outside, so Jordynne dives over the ropes onto all three! She starts pounding on Taya as we go to break.

Back from break and Grace is beating on Taya in the corner. She picks Taya punishes her with shoulder blocks and then stomps on her back. Taya picked up for a suplex for one. Grace picks up Taya and whips her into the corner, charges in for a clothesline. Openhanded slap to the chest, then another in the next corner. Taya turns it around and punches at Taya, then hits a couple openhand slaps to the chest of her own. Grace stops Taya ans knocks her down, back up and a belly-to-belly for two. Taya asks Rosemary for help and Grace hits a forearm that sends Valkyrie to the outside where she gets only a second of a breather before Grace decks her. Valkyrie back in, Grace is distracted on the apron just long enough for Taya to hit a running knee. Taya showboats a bit and then goes up top, ever so slowly. Grace gets up, nails Taya with a series of punches and knocks her from the top to the outside. And we’re off to break once again!

Back from break and Grace is pummeling Taya on the ropes, then picks her up for a sidewalk slam. Taya goes outside again to recover, Bravo goes over to help and Grace is now outside. She runs in but Valkyrie hits a back elbow and makes her eat the steel steps. She rolls Jordynne in and gets a two-count. Taya yells at the camer and picks Grace up, elbow to the back of the head and then a stomp. She chokes Grace against the ropes and trash talks to the ref, then kicks Grace in the head. Boot choke to Jordynne in the corner, then she comes off the ropes and smashes into Grace. Back again and she runs across the ring for a double knee smash to the face! Valkyrie puills Grace toward the middle for a two-count, then locks in a chinlock to wear the champ down. Grace pushes to her feet but gets stomped in the leg. Valkyrie slams Grace into the turnbuckle, puts Grace on the top rope and climbs up for a superplex. Grace fights back, headbutts and she goes for a sunset flip powerbomb off the top. Taya holds on but Grace breaks the grip and the challenger hits hard. Both women down, Grace and Taya get up at the same time and Grace hits a bodyslam and then another. They roar at each other, Grace goes for another slam but Taya slips out the back and charges at Grace in the corner to eat a big boot. Grace throws Taya shoulder’first into the corner, charges in for double knees to the back and then comes off the ropes for a splash against the bottom turnbuckle. Grace jumps onto the second rope into a Vader bomb for two. She gets up slowly, picks up Valkyrie and goes for the Grace Driver but Taya elbows out so Jordynne apples a sleeper hold. Taya backs Grace up and slams her into the corner to break it. She yells at Bravo and charges in, Grace avoids it but gets hit with a spear! Pinfall gets two. Taya goes for the legs, tries to go for a submission but Grace gets free. She comes off the ropes into a high knee followed by an attempt for the Road to Valhalla. Grace fights free, batters Taya with clubs to the front and back, then comes off the ropes with a double axehandle to the back of the neck and then goes for another sleeper. She’s got it locked in and Rosemary has Bravo distracted at ringside! Taya fights to get out of the hold but taps!

Winner: Jordynne Grace (12:47)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: These two match up fairly well together, and while they didn’t go all out they put on a nice, hard-hitting match that never got repetitive or boring thanks to some excellent pacing. The finish plays into the Rosemary/Bravo thing that’s been building up and Grace gets a good win to retain against the former champ.

After the match, Rosemary and Bravo get Taya out of the ring and moments later Purazzo’s music hits! The Virtuosa comes out and walks to the ring. She and Grace stare off and Grace goes to shake Jordynne’s hand, but then goes right into an armbar! Grace is locked in and can’t escape until Purrazzo breaks the hold. She picks up the title and puts it in front of her. Grace rolls out of the ring and Purazzo strikes a pose and end the show.

BUT WAIT! Michael Elgin is on the phone, talking to someone. He says everything’s going great and couldn’t be better. “Well, you know us Canadians. We’ve always been team players.” We then cut to the Slammiversary logo to REALLY end the show.