ZeeWI: Pentagon’s Redemption

NO SPOILERS PLEASE!

So, this is issue of ZeeWI is going to be a little weird this week. Truth be told, this columnist has yet to see Impact: Redemption. By the time this is published, that may very well have changed, but as of this writing, I know of only one thing that transpired.

However, that one thing is pretty amazing, from where I sit.

The reign of the Banana Champion is over! All hail Pentagon!

Credit to Austin Aries – faced with a difficult situation after Alberto El Patrón ditched Impact Wrestling, the Champ had the ability to hand-pick any opponent for a replacement main event at Redemption. And he decided to pick not one opponent, but two. And they were the same two opponents from his WrestleCon match that saw Aries leave without a victory.

Knowing that the odds would be stacked against him, Aries still went into battle against The Lucha Brothers, Fenix and Pentagon. I may not approve of the methods he used to steal the championship from E_Li_Drake, but credit where it’s due, absolutely.

It was a little over three years ago now when I first made it abundantly clear that Pentagon is a wrestler that we here at ZeeWI are proud to support. His brand of evil and violence was so refreshing, and so welcome in a Lucha Underground world where high flying and colorful masks were the norm.

Since then, the man has yet to let me down. Sure, maybe the Pentagon DARK stuff isn’t the best, but the last time we saw him in The Temple he was the Lucha Underground Champion, retiring Prince Puma in the process.

I’ve also been lucky enough to see the man in action twice out here in the last year and a half – once against Cody, and once teaming with his brother to take on Rey Misterio and Juventud Guerrera at the Cow Palace. He’s never disappointed.

So when I heard on Sunday night that Pentagon had in fact captured the Championship, I was ecstatic. I’ll again apologize for not having yet seen the match – this obviously keeps me from commenting on the action at this point. Still, there are plenty to wonder about in the wake of this new reign.

Question 1: Does Austin Aries get a Rematch?

From the second Austin Aries surprised the Impact faithful and stole the championship, he made it clear that he had never actually signed a contract with Impact. It was more of a handshake deal, one bonded by the word of an honorable wrestler and a company that has always been trustworthy. Many were skeptical of this deal, but Aries did good by it, trying to erase the stain of how he became champion by defending his belt earnestly against all competition. I can begrudgingly admit that Aries did fine in this last reign as Impact Global Champion.

But, now that he’s no longer the man with the belt, is he entitled to the rematch that nearly every other champion has had before him?

I’m not going to pretend to be Billy Law here – I’m but a simple wrestling reporter, and a Spanish major on the side – but if Aries is under no obligation to Impact, what’s stopping them from simply moving on?

Aries had one use – getting the belt off of E_Li_Drake, no matter the cost. Impact management never wanted him in that spot, and despite trying desperately with Johnny Impact and Alberto, never managed to get him out of it. So they reached deep into the bag of tricks, and gave Aries the sweetheart deal he wanted just to make sure he could surprise an unprepared Drake and take the championship.

That’s all done now. Impact no longer needs Aries. They have this fun new relationship with Lucha Underground, and Austin Aries is just a guy with a few regional belts, and no deal.

Sure, Impact could do right by Aries. They could give him a rematch. But we’ve seen the underhanded tactics that the suits making the decisions will use to get rid of someone deemed to be problematic. Maybe they remember the bad things Aries has said about the company in the past, and this was all some final end game to not only get rid of Drake as champion, but to also get one back on Aries, too. Now that he’s used up, where does he go from here? Will he be more open to signing a traditional deal now, if only for that rematch? Does he even care?

Lots of questions. Gonna have to think about them over a banana or two.

Question 2: Will Pentagon Sign a Deal with Impact?

This is the second Global Champion Impact has had that was working without an exclusive-to-them contract. Will Impact try to entice the demon ninja to sign with them? Or do they dare not rock the boat with Lucha Underground?

Impact would be wise to tread carefully with Pentagon. We’ve seen what happens to those that make deals with him in the past. Vampiro once learned a valuable lesson when it comes to playing with Pentagon’s fire. Prince Puma did, too.

If he desires, Pentagon could use the belt as a bargaining tool. He could also use it as leverage in this Lucha Underground/Impact partnership. Or maybe he holds it hostage, and turns this partnership into a full-blown war. The warriors of The Temple aren’t known for their ability to play nice – that’s what got most of them banished to Boyle Heights in the first place. Perhaps Pentagon knows he now holds all the cards, and on his word, he can set the whole world ablaze if he so desires.

At the same time, there are plenty of faces – new and familiar – waiting for the chance to compete against the new champion. Matches with Johnny and Brian Cage seem like easy choices, as well as matches with Drake, Eddie Edwards, or even a brawl with Braxton Sutter! A no-BS match for the championship sounds good to this columnist!

Perhaps Pentagon has tired of Lucha Underground? Their third season was a rough one, complete with a huge break that seemed to strip all momentum away by the time they resumed. There’s also been rumors of pay issues, and talent unhappy with contracts. Maybe Pentagon saw this partnership as his chance to ditch his old home, and then fate gave him the perfect opportunity to stay, by putting him in a match for the Impact Championship.

Now that he holds the belt, there’s no reason to stay loyal to Lucha Underground. Did making a deal with the devil actually pay off for Impact? Or, as I suspect, is Pentagon playing his usual game where the only one that will come out ahead is himself? If that’s the deal, I feel he will not sign with Impact, but will definitely continue to reign as their champion.

Question 3: When Does The Kavorka Strike?

Whether it’s Austin Aries, or Pentagon, or even KM, the man holding the Impact Global Championship has to know that he is, more or less, just keeping it warm for E_Li_Drake.

He may have gone into Redemption looking to take the Tag Team Titles from LAX, but regardless of whether he and Scott Steiner were victorious (that’s a result I still don’t know), everyone knows that the tracks on which the Gravy Train runs lead to the top of the mountain once again.

Drake may have been more eager to cash in had Aries walked out of Redemption still champion. He had a personal issue with the man, and had competed against him enough to know, more or less, just what to expect. With Pentagon now in control, Drake would be wise to bide his time, to learn a little bit about this new guy on the block.

There’s no reason to rush things – Drake has the briefcase, and as long as he doesn’t let anyone antagonize him into doing something stupid (like putting the briefcase on the line), that title shot is just waiting for him. Sitting back, biding his time, letting Pentagon forget that he even exists – these would be the smart plays by Drake. When he sees that perfect moment present himself, that’s when he can right the wrong, and take his championship back.

But if he tries to force the circumstances, then he’s going to find out exactly why Pentagon is one of the baddest wrestlers on the face of the planet today.

I hate to think about the two fighting, I really do. But I smile when I think of the matches that we’ll get.

Impact is getting its groove back. The Global Championship scene is at a full boil. Something’s got to give. The good news, of course, is that we all get to sit back and watch it happen.