Winfree’s Impact Wrestling Review 7.01.21

Hey there people, Winfree making a late notice run in again. I know, I can feel your disappointment and Jack should be back next week. Until then let’s see what Impact has in store for this evening. The trios match between Team Callis (Kenny Omega, Karl Anderson, and Doc Gallows) vs. Team Dreamer (Sami Callihan, Chris Sabin, and Moose) should be a good one. We’re also getting Satoshi Kojima and Eddie Edwards, which has some serious potential if they’re given time and how they might blend their styles. There’s also a clash between Chris Bey and Petey Williams which should give us a decent X-Division match.

We head straight to the ring for our first match. Kojima makes his way to the ring, but there’s no sign of Eddie Edwards. In the back W. Morrissey says Edwards wont make it tonight. He mocks the respect between the men and how they watch out for each other, except no one was watching Edwards’s back in the parking lot when he jumped him a minute ago. Now Kojima is alone, just like everyone else in this world. Just feel that edge.

Brian Myers is out next and tells Kojima to beat it since there’s no match for Kojima now. Normally he’d get Sam to shadow Kojima a bit, but Sam has nothing to learn from Kojima after all the shadowing he’s done of Brian. Kojima objects to this and attacks but is overwhelmed until Jake Something shows up and is able to chase them off. A ref is out here now, and we’ve got a tag team match (playa). Myers and Beale try to leave, but Jake and Kojima chase them down and we get some brawling around the ring.

Match #1: Satoshi Kojima and Jake Something vs. Brian Myers and Sam Beale

Kojima and Beale start things off eventually. They hit the ropes and Beale lands a shoulder block, but then Kojima gets a hip toss and his own shoulder block. Jake tags in and Beale takes more abuse before Jake tosses him across the ring towards Myers. Myers tags in and super kicks the knee of Jake. Jake hits a charging Myers with a body block. Myers avoids a Black Hole slam and hits a jumping knee to Jake. Beale tags in and they start working the body of Jake. Jake takes some shoulder blocks in the corner then Myers tags back in. Myers gets a chin lock, but Jake fights out only to get tripped up. Beale back in and resumes working over Jake with a short arm clothesline. Jake fights out of a sleeper hold, but gets slammed down by the hair. Myers tags in and hits a suplex for a near fall. A chin lock from Myers then Beale tags in and lays in a right hand. Jake lands a right of his own and they trade blows until Beal drops Jake in the corner. A headbutt from Beale, then another one and Myers tags back in. Jake gets slammed into the corner then Beale tags in but Jake flips out of a double back suplex and drops both men with a double clothesline. Kojima finally gets tagged in and runs wild with rights. Shoulder block from Kojima then he unloads the machine gun chops in the corner on Beale. Kojima climbs the ropes and hits a diving elbow drop for a near fall. Beale eats a barrage of forearms but avoids a discus forearm before Kojima drops him with a DDT. Myers is in to block a Koji Cutter and hits a Flatliner. Myers wants a spear, but Jake intercepts him with a Black Hole Slam then Kojima hits the Koji Cutter and follows with the lariat to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Kojima and Jake Something won

Rating: 2.5 stars

Solid fundamental tag team work, though having your big monster in Jake Something be the face in peril was kind of an odd choice. I’m also never a fan of bait and switch matches, it’s kind of a cheap tactic, but all four men worked well together.

Gia walks up to Scott D’Amore and wants his take on Dreamer being another authority figure. He’s got a phone call, but pulls out a tarot card and that makes Rosemary and Havok appear by magic. Rosemary wants a tag team title shot at Fire and Flava, D’Amore will take it under advisement but next time please just schedule a conversation.

Josh Matthews and D’Lo Brown talk about the main event, then we get the introductions for our next match.

Match #2: Tenille Dashwood w/ Kaleb vs. Rachel Ellering w/ Jazz

Tenille jumps Ellering at the bell and lays in strikes. Slightly awkward back elbow from Ellering, then she hits a shoulder block. Tenille tries to beg off, then misses a right leading to a series of go behinds before Tenille lands an elbow. Ellering lands an elbow, then Tenille hits one of her own before Ellering hits a Marufuji style elbow off the ropes then hits a senton for a near fall. Ellering boots Kaleb off the apron, but that allows Tenille to slam her down by the hair and send us to break.

We come back to Tenille stomping Ellering in the corner. Suplex from Tenille gets a near fall. Ellering counters another suplex attempt with a small package but that only gets 2 then Tenille drops her with a clothesline to retain control of the match. Tenille tosses Ellering into the corner a few times and stretches her between the ropes. Double underhook suplex from Tenille but she still can’t keep Ellering down. Low angle cross body in the corner from Tenille only gets 2 as well. Ellering lands a kick and a sling blade and both women are down. Tenille moves to the apron, then hits a neckbreaker over the second rope to get back in control. Tenille up top, but Ellering catches her, slams her with a standing STO but Kaleb distracts things, Tenille tries a sunset flip but Ellering counters with a roll up and pins to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Rachel Ellering won

Rating: 2 stars

Ellering was a bit sloppy in a few spots, which knocks about half a star off, but that’s mostly me being a fairly harsh critic. There’s some decent chemistry between these two though and this was far from a bad match.

Tenille attacks post match, but Jazz fights everyone off before Jordynne Grace shows up and abuses Kaleb and Tenille. Ellering and Grace clear the ring, then share a hug.

In the back Chris Bey is interviewed about last week and how he wont take a side in the X-Division war. He doesn’t really answer, then here comes Ace Austin and his goons, Bey wont join their side, but Ace says they’ve got enough muscle they don’t need Bey and thank him for staying out of it. They appreciate him staying in his lane, and since Bey wasn’t going to win the Ultimate X match anyway if he stays out of their way he wont get ripped in half. This all annoys Bey, and he storms off and sends us to break.

Back to the ring for our next match.

Match #3 – Tag Team Match: TJP and Fallah Bahh vs. Willie Mack and Rich Swann

TJP and Swann start things off. Swann avoids a drop kick, they hit the ropes with neither man getting an edge and both heavy’s tag in and then run into each other. Things break down without anyone getting an edge and things settle into Mack and Bahh. They trade forearms, then Bahh avoids a Stunner but runs into a Samoan drop. TJP drop kicks Mack, and Swann heads in and kicks him in the body, everyone groups up on the outside so Swann can hit a phoenix splash onto the pile. Here’s Violent by Design though and everything is thrown out.

OFFICIAL RESULT: No Contest

Rating: DUD

Angle, not a match. Back in the ring Rhyno Gores Mack, Deaner DDT’s TJP, Doering with an FU into a clothesline on Swann and your maniacal group stands tall over their potential challengers. Eric Young tells the camera there’s nothing anyone can do against them.

Hogan and Steelz wonder how Rosemary and Havok can just jump to the front of the line, they’re not even a real team. They’re sick and tired of being mistreated and will now talk to D’Amore. D’Amore tries to avoid them but they catch him. Hogan wants to know how people can demand matches, D’Amore calls them the very best and he doesn’t want them to feel they’re not heard, he agrees that Rosemary and Havok should have a match to prove it and next week they’ll get a shot at earning it. Hogan wants to know how he always talks around them like this. That sends us to break.

Back from break Gia talks with Tommy Dreamer and his team about their cohesion. Dreamer says that together the team will stand, they don’t like or trust each other apart from Sabin and Dreamer. Sabin can get along with Sami, but he hates Moose though he’ll put the team first. Moose says they should know by now he doesn’t care who likes who, all he cares about is winning, and Sami saw what happened in Jacksonville and no one has a bigger issue with Kenny Omega than him. Sami says he’s got beef with everyone across the ring tonight, but this is bigger than all of them it’s about Impact putting their foot down and beating Team Callis.

Back to the ring for our next match.

Match #4: Chris Bey vs. Petey Williams

Bey goes after the arm right away, Williams counters then Bey with a drop toe hold and starts laying in stomps. More strikes from Bey, then they run the ropes and Williams his a tilt a whirl head scissors. A hurricanrana from the second rope from Williams then a drop kick to the back. Bey gets a jawbreaker but runs into a back elbow. They head up top, Williams puts Bey in the tree of woe then the old “O Canada” spot. Williams with another right, but gets sent to the apron and takes a series of kicks from Bey then Bey hits an elbow drop as Williams is draped over the second rope for a near fall. Bey hits a swinging neckbreaker for a near fall. More stomps and kicks from Bey but Williams avoids a standing moonsault and gets an Oklahoma roll for a near fall. Bey lands a clothesline to floor Williams. Head scissors hold from Bey, Williams fights out of it then lands rights. Bey charges into kicks in the corner and Williams lands more rights. Bey gets kicked and eats a German suplex then Shining Wizard from Williams. Williams is feeling it, he wants the Canadian Destroyer, but Bey counters into a reverse TKO for a near fall. Bey lands a super kick, but Williams off the ropes gets a Russian leg sweep into a roll up for a near fall. Bey misses a kick, Williams hits a pop up powerbomb but Bey avoids a Canadian Destroyer. Williams picks the ankle of Bey and locks in a Sharpshooter but Bey gets to the ropes to force a break. Williams tries a suplex, Bey counters with a small package for a near fall. Back slide from Williams gets another near fall, then Bey counters the Canadian Destroyer into a cutter and hits the Art of the Finesse for the win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Chris Bey won

Rating: 2.5 stars

Nice non-stop action style match, Williams and Bey work very well together. Post match here’s Ace Austin and Rohit along with Shera and Mad Man Fulton. The big men start abusing Petey Williams while Ace and Rohit tell Bey to head out. Bey heads out, he’s thinking about it on the ramp, here comes Alexander and Trey and they take out the heels while Bey stands on the ramp. Everything breaks down, the heels start standing tall then Bey says screw it and heads to the ring, he drop kicks Shera and takes out the heels. Rohit gets dropped by Alexander and Bey. Ace is the last heel in the ring, Alexander, Bey, and Williams abuse him for a bit before tossing him onto Fulton and Shera. The faces stand tall to close the segment.

In the back Susan and Kimber Lee try to figure things out now that Deonna Purrazzo has dumped them. They’ve got some kind of last resort backup plan in the form of Su Yung, Susan asks who that is. That sends us to break.

We come back to Jake Something talking. He says Myers made fun of his name, it wont be the last time because he deliberately put a target on his back. He used to need a family name like a crutch, but not anymore. Now you can question his name, but do not question him as a man or if he’s a professional. He challenges Myers to a match, if Myers wins Jake will say his catchphrase, but when Jake wins then Myers will acknowledge Jake as professional.

To the ring for our next match.

Match #5: Steve Maclin vs. Manny Smith

Maclin over powers Smith with a headlock takedown. He moves to a front headlock, snaps Smith down and controls things with mat wrestling. Back on the feet Maclin hits the ropes then a face buster and Angle Slam. Smith tries to kick but that’s caught and Maclin lays into him with strikes culminating with a clothesline. Maclin sets Smith in the tree of woe then kicks him several times while the ref warns him about the count. Maclin spears the inverted Smith then unties him. Smith tries to fight back, that just annoys Maclin who attacks him with blows then a German suplex and a series of grounded elbow strikes. Maclin ends things with an inverted DDT into a belly to back piledriver.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Steve Maclin won

Rating: Trombone. . . SQUASH

Delicious squash. That sends us to break, the main event should be on the other side of this one.

We come back and Myers talks to the camera. He accepts the challenge from Jake Something.

Next week Kimber Lee and Susan will meet Havok and Rosemary, and we’ll get the contract signing between Kenny Omega and Sami Callihan for their Slammiversary match.

To the ring for our main event. Well, in theory, but the entrances for Team Callis take so long we need another commercial break.

We come back and it’s time for Team Dreamer’s entrances.

Match #6 – Trios Match: Team Callis (Kenny Omega, Doc Gallows, and Karl Anderson) w/ Don Callis vs. Team Dreamer (Sami Callihan, Chris Sabin, and Moose) w/ Tommy Dreamer

Sabin and Anderson get things going. Anderson quickly goes to the arm, Sabin escapes and gets a side headlock. Shoulder block from Sabin, then a crucifix for a near fall. Anderson gets out of a headlock and we get a stand off. Sabin tags in Moose, they yell at each other then Sami tags himself in and runs wild on everyone. The heels all head to the entrance ramp and we get another commercial break while they regroup.

We come back to Anderson getting worked over by Sami. Sabin tags in and they’re working the arm of Anderson. Moose tagged in and puts the boots to Anderson. Aggressive tag from Moose to Sabin, they keep bickering which allows Anderson to rake the eyes of Sabin and send him out of the ring. Doc and Omega work over Sabin on the floor for a bit. Back in the ring and the heels keep Sabin isolated in their corner. Omega tags in and abuses Sabin, then Doc tags in. Doc lays in rights to the body and head then hits a scoop slam. Omega back in, and picks Doc up on his back and we get a dog pile with Anderson as well but Sabin kicks out of the pin at 2. Some punches from Omega then Anderson tags back in. Anderson gets a chin lock and keeps trying to wear down Sabin. Doc back in and laying in more rights, then an elbow drop. Sabin fights out of a chin lock, lands a kick and rolls through to tag but Moose walks away and Sabin tags air. Sabin enziguri’s Omega and tags in Sami. Sami runs wild on Anderson, hits a Sister Abigail for a 2 count. Anderson with a low blow as Omega distracted the ref but Sabin tags in and hits a cross body to Anderson. Moose is still not playing nicely with his team. Omega tags in, but Sabin avoids a few corner rushes, hits a tornado DDT to Omega after kicking Doc and Anderson. Moose tags himself in as Sabin hits a Shining Wizard, Moose then stops a Cradle Shock and yells at Sabin to get out. Sabin shoves Moose, Moose tags himself back out and walks off after slamming Sabin. Dreamer tries to talk with Moose, Callis shoves Dreamer into Moose and Moose shoves Dreamer. Sabin dives onto Moose, heads back in the ring and avoids a V-Trigger but gets dropped with a Snap Dragon suplex. Anderson tags in, he and Doc hit a Magic Killer to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Team Callis won

Rating: 2.5 stars

The pacing of this match was hurt by the mid match break, and per usual you can ignore everything that happened before it. Sabin did the majority of the work, which is smart because Moose isn’t that kind of worker and you want to keep Sami and Omega away from each other. Unfortunately the predictability of this whole thing hurt it as well.

Omega poses with all of his belts to close the show.

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

The wrestling quality was mostly here for this episode, which is always a plus. The build to the main event was fine enough, though the pacing for the last hour or so was pretty poor. Overall though this edges into the Good category.