Winfree’s Impact Wrestling Review 7.15.21

Hey there people, Winfree tagging in again last minute. Hopefully Jack will be back next week, but in the interim I’m here to keep you updated. Tonight is the go home show for Slammiversary, Sami Callihan is looking to take the Impact world title from Kenny Omega and they recently announced their match will be No Disqualification. So I imagine we’ll get something to continue that story tonight. We’ll have a fatal 4-way Battle of the Hosses when Willie Mack, Fallah Bahh, Doc Gallows, and Joe Doering collide. The multi-man madness continues in an eight man tag match wen Ace Austin and his cronies Rohit Raju, Shera, and Madman Fulton battle Chris Bey, Petey Williams, Trey Miguel, and X-Division champion Josh Alexander. Also on the card Havok takes on Tasha Steelz, Tenille Dashwood and Kaleb take on the recently reunited Jordynne Grace and Rachel Ellering, and in another hoss style battle Moose takes on Hernandez. Well that’s enough preview work, let’s get to the action.

We open with a recap of the Callihan and Omega stuff from the last couple of weeks, then transition to the usual intro. We get right into the action.

Match #1 – Tag Team Match: Tenille Dashwood and Kaleb vs. Jordynne Grace and Rachel Ellering

Kaleb and Grace get us going. They do the test of strength spot, Grace is stronger and drops him with a shoulder block. They hit the ropes a few times, then Grace lands a sidewalk slam and a back suplex. Grace shoves Kaleb to his corner and Tenille tags in. Grace kicks Tenille and tags in Ellering. Ellering runs wild on Tenille for a bit, including a worlds strongest slam but Tenille kicks out then powders. The heels try to leave, the faces wont let them and hit stereo spinebusters back in the ring. Kick from Ellering, then she levels Kaleb but Tenille catches a kick and drops her down to take over. Tenille is after the head and neck of Ellering, she tags in Kaleb. Ellering tosses Tenille out of the ring, winds up pantsing Kaleb and tries to tag but Tenille takes out Grace. Kaleb gets his pants back up and hits an avalanche in the corner for a near fall. Tenille tags back in and lays in strikes. Ellering avoids an elbow drop, Kaleb in but charges into the corner and Ellering tags Grace. Grace runs wild on Kaleb with strikes, catches him off the second rope with a running powerbomb but Tenille breaks up the pin. Running knees from Grace as Ellering makes a tag, Grace hits a Vader bomb, Ellering with a second rope spinning leg drop but that all just gets 2. Grace tags back in, but Kaleb fights back and super kicks Grace before taking a sling blade from Ellering, then Tenille heads in to Spotlight Kick Ellering and Grace plants Tenille with a spinebuster. The heels head out of the ring, Grace with a suicide dive onto Kaleb, but back in the ring Kaleb gets a small package for 2 then a snap powerslam for another near fall. Grace fights both heels off, then Ellering comes in illegally to hit an assisted Catatonic then Grace pins Kaleb.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Rachel Ellering and Jordynne Grace won

Rating: 2 stars

Perfectly average match, they told a decent story and no one seemed to botch anything. Grace and Ellering have some good tag team chemistry which was still on display. That sends us to a break.

Scott D’Amore is with Deonna Purrazzo looking to sign the contract for Slammiversary despite her not knowing who her opponent will be. D’Amore schmoozes a bit to get her to sign, she is annoyed she doesn’t get the respect she deserves as she rebuilt the division when it was in shambles and she runs down her resume while D’Amore is bored by all of this. Eventually Purrazzo signs, D’Amore says she’s made one of the best champions they’ve had and then intimates her opponent being one of several recently released wrestlers such as Chelsea Green, The Iiconics, or Mickie James, or even No Way Jose.

Commentary runs down the Slammiversary card for us. Back to the ring for our next match.

Match #2: Tasha Steelz w/ Keira Hogan vs. Havok w/ Rosemary

Some jaw jacking, then Steelz powders only to be menaced by Rosemary back into the ring. Havok starts choking Steelz and tosses her into the corner. Steelz gets tossed around for a bit, takes an avalanche in the corner, and Havok starts stomping on Steelz as we head to a commercial break.

We come back to Havok missing a corner splash, and Steelz lands a jumping neckbreaker. Some strikes from Steelz, she’s working to keep Havok off of her feet. Havok moves to her feet in the corner, Steelz lands a super kick then a flying forearm and uppercut. A running kick from Steelz gets a 1 count. Steelz tries a sleeper hold, Havok slams her into the corner and throws her down to the mat. Backbreaker into a clothesline from Havok, then a running knee strike. Steelz is in the corner, eats another running knee strike. Some headbutts from Steelz as she fights back, Havok kicks her in the gut then hits a pop up belly to belly suplex for a near fall. Steelz slips out of a Tombstone piledriver and hits a pump kick. Havok catches a jumping Steelz and kills her with the Tombstone piledriver to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Havok won

Rating: 2.5 stars

Steelz played the size difference well, and Havok knows how to play a monster better than most.

Hype package for W. Morrissey airs, and that will send us to break.

Back to the show and Kimber Lee is pacing in the back while Susan comes out of a room. Susan says everything went exactly according to plan. Kimber asks about Father James Mitchell, but apparently Su Yung wont be coming back. Susan always knew about Su Yung, and she tosses Kimber into the room with a scream.

To the ring for our next match.

Match #3: Steve Maclin vs. Kal Herro

Quick German suplex from Maclin, who is disgusted by Herro’s presentation. Maclin abuses Herro with strikes, then hangs Herro in the tree of woe and he verbally abuses Herro for his attire. Spear in the corner from Maclin, he could get the pin but wants to hurt Herro more. He says Herro is gonna quit, just like everyone tried to do on him. Bit of a jawbreaker from Herro then a crossbody but Maclin bounces up and hits a clothesline. Maclin lays in elbows on the mat, then hits the Michinoku Driver 2-B to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Steve Maclin won

Rating: Casertarmis. . . SQUASH

Maclin gets a mic after the match. He says the worst thing you can do is give him time, because all he does is prepare and wait. He’s come to Impact pretty prepared, but he’s done waiting.

In the back Rosemary and Havok consult with Crazzy Steve and company. Rosemary plays Greek Chorus for a bit, and says they need Havok to fully join the group. There’s just one being capable of bonding the two of them, and he’s here tonight. Enter James Mitchell, who apologizes for being late but he barely escaped the prior segment. But he’s here and wants to get the show on the road, Havok says she’s ready and they head out which leads to a commercial break.

To the ring for our next match when we come back.

Match #4 – 8 Man Tag Team Match: Ace Austin, Shera, Rohit Raju, and Madman Fulton vs. Josh Alexander, Trey Miguel, Chris Bey, and Petey Williams

Rohit and Williams start us off, they run the ropes with neither man getting an edge before Rohit goes to some knee strikes. Williams avoids a kick, tries the Canadian Destroyer but Rohit gets free and eats a Russian leg sweep into a crucifix for a near fall then both men tag out. Alexander and Ace are in, Ace tries to avoid Alexander, they trade counters before Alexander drops Ace with a big boot. Trey tags in and the faces look to isolate Ace. Jawbreaker from Trey then a drop kick. Ace avoids a corner rush, lands a back elbow and then tags Fulton who takes out Trey. Fulton hauls Trey up for a Snake Eyes then a running big boot for a near fall. Rohit tags in and starts stomping on Trey. Some corner offense from Rohit then Shera tags in. Shera tags Ace, and then tosses him into Trey and Ace hits a Northern Lights suplex for a near fall. Ace lands strikes in the corner, but runs into a kick. Trey fights off a German suplex attempt and hits a double stomp and both men are down. Fulton in and takes out the good guys. Things break down, and Trey tags Bey. Bey runs wild on everyone for a bit, he super kicks Fulton but runs into a tilt a whirl powerslam. Alexander hits Fulton with a German suplex. Rohit with kicks to Alexander then a neckbreaker but Williams from behind takes him out with the Canadian Destroyer. Ace in with a series of offensive moves but Trey counters a Fold attempt with a combination. Shera’s turn for his finisher, a chokebreaker to Trey, but Bey school boys him to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Alexander, Trey, Bey, and Williams won

Rating: 2 stars

A little generous perhaps, but these kinds of multi-man matches are always a bit of a car crash with everyone trying to get their stuff in.

Post match Everyone gangs up on the bad guys, Bey lays in chair shots to Fulton and Shera and the faces stand tall. Well they do until Bey finds a chance to take out Alexander and Trey with chair shots then he runs off reminding us that Saturday is everyone for themselves.

In the back Brian Myers walks up to Hernandez, he wants to recruit Hernandez’s assistance against Jake Something but Hernandez isn’t interested. But Myers does see someone else off camera who he offers the same thing to, but we cut to commercial before we see who it is or what their answer might be.

Back from break we’re back at the ring. Brian Myers heads to the ring and gets a mic. He says it’s his duty to be a man of his word and invites Jake Something out to the ring. Jake’s music hits, but he’s not alone as he’s got Matt Cardona with him and they head to the ring. Myers asks if he thinks this is fair. Cardona tells Myers to be a man of his word. Myers calls Jake a professional, but that doesn’t mean he’s a star or ever will be one. He mocks the plain black trunks and unkempt beard of Jake, and his premature grey hairs. Things break down into a brawl, Jake hits a Cactus clothesline to drop Beale. Cardona hits the Unprettier on Myers, but here’s Tenille Dashwood with a low blow to Myers. They stomp Cardona down then pose. That sends us to another break.

Cardona talks in the back, he wanted to make sure Myers was a man of his word but it turns out Myers is the same man he was 18 years ago when they met and he hasn’t talked to Tenille in years. Scott D’Amore is here, he makes Brian Myers and Tenille Dashwood vs. Matt Cardona and a female partner of Cardona’s choice, and again D’Amore says Slammiversary will be a hot mess intimating Chelsea Green is coming.

We get a recap of Sabin and Moose’s issue, then back to the ring for our next match.

Match #5: Moose vs. Hernandez w/ Johnny Swinger

Hernandez goes after Moose right at the bell and tosses him around landing clotheslines for a bit before Moose heads out of the ring. They brawl around the ringside area for a bit as Hernandez resumes tossing Moose around. Back in the ring Hernandez wants the Border Toss but Moose counters into a standing uranage. Spear from Moose and we’re done.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Moose won

Rating: Cocozelle. . .SQUASH

Delicious squash.

Moose wants to Pillmanize the ankle of Hernandez, but Sabin’s music hits and he and Moose brawl. Sabin hits a couple of Dragon screw leg whips, gets the chair and wants to Pillmanize Moose but Moose runs away as we take a commercial break.

Back to the broadcast and commentary sells us on Kenny Omega vs. Sami Callihan, then dovetail into talking about the rest of the card.

We head to the ring, where Doc Gallows makes his entrance for our main event and then we head to another commercial.

Back from break and more entrances for the main event.

Match #6 – Fatal 4-Way Match: Joe Doering w/ Violent By Design vs. Fallah Bahh w/ TJP vs. Willie Mack w/ Rich Swann vs. Doc Gallows w/ Karl Anderson

Gallows and Doering square off, then Bahh and Mack get involved with strikes. Gallows unloads on Willie, then Bahh takes him down. Bahh and Mack work together to take down Gallows and send him out of the ring. Doering and Gallows hang out on the outside, so Mack and Bahh start trading chops. The exchange of strikes escalates between Mack and Bahh, neither man can find a Samoan drop, then Doering and Gallows come in and floor the good guys. Gallows stomps on Mack in the corner while Doering takes on Bahh. Mack gets sent out of the ring as Doering sends Bahh out of the ring. Gallows kicks Mack around the ringside area, then moves on to Bahh. Back in the ring Bahh and Gallows square off as Mack and Doering trade strikes on the floor. Bahh avoids a corner splash then hits an avalanche on Gallows. Running hip attack from Bahh to a seated Gallows. Doering in the ring and takes out Bahh then kicks him out of the ring. Everyone’s outside the ring now, Gallows lands a big boot to Mack. Mack and Gallows head into the ring and Gallows hits an elbow drop for a near fall. Gallows lays in elbows then works a chin lock. Mack avoids an elbow drop from Gallows, and Doering heads into the ring. Doering right back out and starts attacking Bahh and Mack. Gallows and Doering haven’t attacked each other yet. Bahh headbutts Gallows and Mack lands a spinning back fist to Doering. Doering and Gallows head into the ring now they start trading rights. They hit shoulder blocks and both men fall out of the ring. Gallows winds up posting himself and Doering then smashes him with a clothesline. Bahh and Mack are in the ring, Mack dives at Bahh but is caught in a Samoan drop. Doering in the ring, hits a running crossbody to Bahh then hits the short arm clothesline to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Joe Doering won

Rating: 1.5 stars

Sloppy brawl, with action that was hard to follow with how much time they spent on the outside. That said the moments between Doering and Gallows were solid. Violent By Design pose to end the episode.

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

My biggest gripe is that this didn't feel like a go home show, it felt more like a run of the mill episode. No appearance by either man in your main event, repetitive hype videos, and a bunch of mystery opponents along with poorly veiled hints about who might be showing up at Slammiversary. In general the saving grace is the ring work, with almost all of it being solid to good, but for what's supposed to be a go home show for a marquee PPV event this felt incredibly lackluster.