MCMAHON’S IMPACT WRESTLING REPORT 5/4: Sydal vs. Edwards, Matt Morgan vs. Magnus, Alberto vs. Drake, EC3 Hype

MCMAHON’S IMPACT WRESTLING REPORT
May 4, 2017
From Orlando, Fla. (Universal Studios)
Aired on Pop TV

Announcers: Jeremy Borash, “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero & Josh Mathews

Immediately following tonight’s Impact Wrestling, tune in to the PWTorch Livecast. Mike McMahon and Andrew Soucek will discuss tonight’s show with callers. Listen at www.pwtorchlivecast.com and call the show at 515-605-9345

[HOUR ONE]

– Impact opened with a recap video on last week’s show.

– The video open aired and then a live shot of the Impact Zone was shown as Matt Sydal made his ring entrance. David Penzer was back as the ring announcer. He wasn’t shown on camera, but he announced Sydal on the ring entrance.

(1) EDDIE EDWARDS (w/Alisa Edwards) vs. MATT SYDAL

The match began with a slower pace as Edwards and Sydal worked some wrist and arm locks. Mathews plugged Slammiversary. Sydal hit Edwards with a spinning heel kick. Sydal kicked Edwards in the shins twice and landed a spinning side kick followed by a standing moonsault. Sydal flipped Edwards off the top rope with a hurricanrana and went for a cover but only got a two count. Edwards counted a springboard with a kick to Sydal’s head, sending him to the outside and Edwards then took out Sydal with a dive.

[Commercial break]

Back from the break, Edwards has Sydal covered for a two count. Mathews said that live events were confirmed for this summer. Sydal countered a pedigree. Mathews boasted about his “2 million” Twitter followers (he has 500,000). Sydal hit a shooting star press for the win.

WINNER: Matt Sydal in 15:00

Alisha tended to Edwards in the ring after the match. Sydal came back to the ring and shook hands with Edwards. Edwards raised Sydal’s hand and the were thanked by the live crowd.

Sydal made his way to the back. Mathews went to throw to McKenzie Mitchell in the locker room, but Davey Richards and Angelina Love ran down the aisle with a chair and attacked Edwards. Richards and Love set Edwards up on top of the rail and smashed his leg with a chair. Alisha ran off the stage and dove on Richards and Love. Security separated Alisha and Love.

(McMahon’s Analysis: Good match. The post-match angle was pulled of well, too. Mathews has taken a lot of flack lately, and deservedly so, but I liked how he was trying to throw to McKenzie Mitchell backstage when Richards and Love attacked. It made the moment feel more spontaneous. This should be an indication that Impact plans on doing something big with Sydal. He’s not involved in any programs, yet he beat a former World Champion who is involved in one of the bigger, more heated programs in the company right now. And, he beat him clean.)

– Backstage: Mitchell interviewed Magnus. She said that Magnus would face Alberto El Patron next week. Magnus said as GFW Champion, he should main event Slammiversary against Lashley. Magnus said Impact has put obstacles in his way, and if he has to go through those obstacles, he will. Matt Morgan walked into the interview said he takes exception to Magnus using the GFW Title to get himself to the front of the line. Bruce Prichard runs in and interrupts them. Prichard said that tonight, Magnus would defend the GFW Title against Matt Morgan.

[Commercial]

– Somewhere in the back, KM is doing situps. Someone comes in and sweeps up some trash. He tells KM to have a good day and leaves. KM then rips paper out of a notebook and throws it on the floor, telling the guy to come back. The man with the broom apologizes. KM does it again, and the guy says that the paper wasn’t there 10 seconds ago. KM gets up and asks if the man is calling him a liar? KM knocked off the man’s hat and said he wasn’t calling him a liar. KM said that people need to work on their people skills.

(2) CHRISTINA VON EERIE (c) vs. SIENNA (w/KM) – GFW Women’s TItle match

Sienna and Von Eerie brawled early in the match. Sienna dumps Von Eerie over the top rope. Von Eerie kicked Sienna into KM and then dove on Sienna from inside the ring, to the outside. Sienna backdropped Von Eerie on the apron. Sienna rolled Von Eerie into the ring for a two count. Sienna hit a Silencer for the win.

WINNER: Sienna wins the GFW Women’s Title in 4:00.

After the match, KM came into the ring and celebrated with Sienna.

– Backstage: Eli Drake walks up to Bruce Prichard backstage. Drake said that he isn’t one of Prichard’s guys. Drake said that he’s at the door, and Prichard can invite him in. If not, Drake said he’ll kick the door down. Prichard said all Drake needed to do was turn around. El Patron was standing there, and said, “What’s up dummy?” El Patron said all Drake needs to do to get a match with him is ask. El Patron even said he’d put his title opportunity on the line. Prichard said thanks, and booked Drake vs. El Patron in the main event, with the GFW Title shot on the line.

(McMahon’s Analysis: Sienna’s win was clean and concise. The GFW Title just doesn’t have any value. It’s barely a title. It has no lineage, and therefore, no real meaning. They’re putting too much value into these GFW Titles. Even the booking for the main event, why should El Patron or Drake care about a GFW Title shot? And if they do care – and we’re made to believe they do – why then is El Patron so willing to put it at stake for a match that Eli Drake wanted? Drake wanted a match with someone like El Patron, and El Patron agrees, and offers to put the title shot at stake? Weird situation. The KM backstage segment was funny. He’s channeling Biff from the Back to the Future movies, and it’s working for him. He has a good look as a big, bad bully.)

– A “Make Impact Great” video with ODB aired.

– In-arena: Jeremy Borash is in the crowd, behind Mathews and Pope. He’s heckling Mathews while he tries to run down the rest of the show. Pope gave JB a high five. Mathews said JB sucks.

[Commercial]

– Backstage: Karen Jarrett announced that Alisha Edwards would debut against Angelina Love next week. Sienna walked in. Karen congratulated her and asked how it felt to have a target on her back, because there’s a lot of women who want the GFW Women’s Title. Sienna told Karen to line them up, because she’s going to knock them down.

(3) ETHAN CARTER III vs. JON BOLEN

ECIII started the match by stomping Bolen in the corner. ECIII raked Bolen’s eyes and then threw multiple crossfaces. Bolen fell to the outside. ECIII hit a splash in the corner. ECIII hit a TK3 and a running knee. ECIII planted Bolen with a One Percenter for the win.

WINNER: Ethan Carter III in 2:00.

After the match, ECIII grabbed a mic. He yelled to “get this overrated piece of crap” out of “his” ring.

“Impact new regime, you told me to take a look in the mirror. You do the exact same thing, and be accountable for the hell you’ve unleashed. You can’t stop me. The coward, James Storm, can’t stop me. Nothing can stop me from going to Slammiversary and once again being the EC-III time World Hvt. champion.”

(McMahon’s Analysis: I’m not going to knock the squash match. They serve an important purpose and Impact is smart to use them. ECIII’s promo after the match was also solid. The World Title scene is crowded, though. You have Morgan, El Patron, Magnus, Drake, Lashley, Storm and ECIII. Impact has two months to sort it out before Slammiversary, though.)

Meanwhile, Borash is still behind the announce team, holding up signs and heckling Mathews. Mathews said he’s sick of JB. He threw papers and said he was trying to do a TV show.

[Commercial]

(4) MATT MORGAN vs. MAGNUS – GFW World Hvt. Title match

After some early brawling, the match spilled to the outside. Morgan snatched Magnus and tried for a chokeslam but Magnus threw him into the post. Morgan collected himself in the ring and landed a big right hand on Magnus. Morgan tried for a Carbon Footprint but Magnus ducked and took out Morgan’s knee. Mathews again plugged Slammiversary. Magnus locked Morgan into a Figure Four. Morgan got out and hit a clothesline. Morgan splashed Magnus. Pope said Morgan’s knee is hurt but he’s fighting through it. Morgan hit a chokeslam but Magnus breaks up the pin by getting his foot on the bottom rope. Morgan hit a Carbon Footprint, but Magnus rolled to the outside. Magnus hit a low blow with the referee distracted. Magnus hit an elbow off the top for the win.

WINNER: Magnus retains the GFW Title in 10:00.

[Commercial]

– Backstage: Mitchell interviewed Lashley, who said that the GFW Title is the one they can attain. The Impact Title is the most prestigious thing in the company.

– Ringside: Mathews is still screaming about Borash, who is still behind the announce team.

– A video aired on LAX. Konnan said that next week, they would hold a funeral for Decay.

– A video aired on Rockstar Spud. He’s shown with a neck brace, a wheelchair and taking pain killers. Clips of Swoggle beating Spud were shown.

(McMahon’s Analysis: Ew, did not like that. Pain killers are a real problem in this country, and a real problem in pro wrestling, and it just felt uncomfortable watching a wrestler pop pills on television. Even if it was just a little comedy skit featuring Spud and Swoggle. I said it on the PWTorch Livecast last week, I feel like Spud is woefully underutilized. He could be an important part of the X Division, and his push a few years ago is perfect evidence of that.)

(5) KONGO KONG (w/Laurel Van Ness) vs. WILLIAM WEEKS

Weeks is Impact’s version of James Ellsworth. Just a helpess looking jobber. Kong tossed Weeks into the bottom turnbuckle and then stomped him in the corner. Kong utterly destroyed Weeks and Kong got the win after a vicious clothesline and three chokeslams into a back breakers and then a splash.

WINNER: Kongo Kong in 2:00.

After the match, Braxon Sutter and Allie came to the ring. Sutter attacked Kong. Kong missed a splash and Sutter clotheslined Kong over the top, but Kong landed on his feet. Laurel held Kong back, telling him, “not now!”

(McMahon’s Analysis: Kong looked awesome, again, even in the post-match angle with Sutter. Weeks is literally Impact’s James Ellsworth. Just a helpless looking guy who got destroyed without a single offensive move.)

[Commercial]

– Back from the break, Sonjay Dutt is featured in a video. Clips of him getting his eye cut open after the X Division Title match two weeks ago were shown. Dutt wondered if Low Ki injured him on purpose?

(McMahon’s Analysis: Smart move making this into an angle between Low Ki and Dutt. It’s something that happened, and even if it was unintentional, why not use it? Everyone saw Dutt’s eye completely swollen shut.)

(6) ALBERTO EL PATRON vs. ELI DRAKE (w/Tyrus) – GFW No. 1 Contender match

Early in the match, Drake looked like he was trying to escape but El Patron chased him down and threw him into the steps at ringside. After Tyrus tried to interfere as the match was on the outside, Brian Hebner threw him out of the ringside area. El Patron hit a dive on Drake through the middle rope.

[Commercial]

Back from the break, Back from the break, Drake hit a back suplex on the apron. Mathews thanked Jim Ross for a tweet that he didn’t send, that supposedly praised him. El Patron missed a dropkick and fell through the ropes, to the outside. Drake continued to work over El Patron’s neck. El Patron landed a kick, knocking Drake off the top rope. Drake hit a suplex for a two count. Drake hit a moonsault for a two count. Drake missed a splash. El Patron hit a stomp for the win.

WINNER: Alberto El Patron