MCMAHON’S GFW IMPACT REPORT 7/6: Fallout from Slammiversary, including Alberto El Patron’s title win

MCMAHON’S IMPACT WRESTLING REPORT
July 6, 2017
From Orlando, Fla. (Universal Studios)
Aired on Pop TV

Announcers: Josh Mathews & Jeremy Borash with The Pope

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

— Impact opened with an LAX vignette. The group was backstage gambling. Konnan said that tonight, LAX would have the best hand in the house. Konnan said that he would present the newest member of LAX tonight.

— A recap video of Slammiversary aired, followed by the Impact opening montage. The montage was different, and included clips from Slammiversary.

— In-arena: Alberto El Patron came to the ring with music. He was dressed in a suit and he carried both the Impact and GFW World Titles to the ring with Dos Caras behind him. There were Mexican flags hanging from every corner of the ring. There was a table set up in the ring as Borash said this would be El Patron’s first comments as World Champion. Streams and confetti flew down from the roof of the Impact Zone.

El Patron said that tonight they are partying and celebrating. El Patron said that his brother, El Hijo de Dos Caras, would be joining Impact Wrestling soon. El Patron called the Slammiversary main event one of the toughest matches of his life. El Patron then thanked the fans and said it was all due to their support. El Patron said every wrestler would have an opportunity to challenge him. He said it didn’t matter if they worked for a different company. If they wanted a piece of him, “come and get it.”

Lashley’s music played and he came to the ring dressed in all black. Lashley called El Patron a huge egomaniac. He said he fought everyone and he never had a party or confetti. Lashley said that El Patron was celebrating a fluke win. Lashley asked if Patron’s father and brother were even allowed to be there? Lashley said that he wanted to beat up their son, but he also wanted to make sure they “built a wall” around Dos Caras and El Hijo de Dos Caras to “keep them where they belong.” Dos Caras slapped Lashley. Lashley said El Patron’s dad hits harder than him. Impact officials ran into the ring and began separating them. El Patron said challenged Lashley to a fight then and now. El Patron began to take off his shirt as his music played.

(McMahon’s Analysis: I’ll admit, it was a little weird seeing Lashley without the Impact World Title. Going forward, we’ll see if they get this World Title main event in the ring. Generally, it hurts GFW’s ability to promote main events on pay-per-view in the future if they so willy-nilly on giving out rematches. Four days after you asked fans to pay $40 for this main event, you’re willing to give it away for free on TV? The previous regime did something similar after Bound for Glory, when Lashley retained against ECIII at the pay-per-view, but then lost the title to Eddie Edwards four nights later).

— Backstage: Josh Mathews, Jeremy Borash and The Pope are meeting with Bruce Prichard backstage. Prichard asked if all the bickering were left at Slammiversary. Prichard said they were both lucky that they weren’t fired before Slammiversary. Prichard said if they continued to bicker on commentary, and if there was any physical confrontation whatsoever, they would be fired. Both of them. Pope looked unamused. Prichard said Pope would be fired, too. Pope said he had nothing to do with it, and he was just the middle man. But Prichard didn’t care and said Pope would be fired too if Mathews and Borash didn’t stop bickering and if there was any physical contact.

— Ringside: The announce team was discussing, briefly, how they couldn’t touch at ringside. Then Mathews and Borash broke down all the action from Slammiversary.

[c]

— Back from the break, Borash plugged a new show, Swolemates, which will debut in a few weeks airing after Impact.

(McMahon’s Analysis: There is a 0.0 percent chance either of those guys pass drug tests. Maybe less than 0.0 percent).

(1) SONJAY DUTT vs. CALEB KONLEY — non-title match

Konley hit a big left uppercut for a two count. Borash confirmed the Slammiversary rematch would be tonight’s main event. Mathews said that Konley will earn a future X-Division Title opportunity with a win in this match. Konley hit a clothesline out of the corner for another two count. The announce team is talking about who the newest member of LAX might be. Pope said that Konley hit a “roundhouse pimp slap” for another near fall. Dutt landed a rolling dropkick and then a tornado DDT out of the corner. Dutt went to the top rope and hit a splash for the win.

WINNER: Sonjay Dutt in 6:00.

After the match, Trevor Lee ran to the ring and attacked Dutt from behind, hitting elbows and forearms to the back of Dutt’s head. Lee grabbed the belt and a microphone and declared himself the new X-Division Champion. Borash said, “well, not in the record books.” Lee then left with the belt.

(McMahon’s Analysis: That seemed like an awfully long way to go for Trevor Lee to come out and steal the X-Division Title. It remains to be seen where Low Ki ends up in all of this, but given that Dutt has two straight wins over him and now a new, fresh rivalry seemingly brewing with Trevor Lee, it’s safe to assume Low Ki might be put on the back burner for now. The angle has been done before, but it’s early enough that I’m willing to give them to the benefit of the doubt to see where it goes).

— Backstage: McKenzie Mitchell is “anxiously awaiting a huge 8-man tag match.” The Veterans of War and Grado joined her. Grado said he was glad to be back in the USA. Eddie Edwards was also there. They talked about the Fourth of July. Edwards said they were “Team USA and they were proud to be Americans!”

Mitchell went to throw to a break, but before she did, there was a rather large individual doing squats.

— Eli Drake and Chris Adonis made their ring entrance with music. Adonis and the two meatheads from Swolemates bickered at ringside.

[c]

(2) ELI DRAKE, CHRIS ADONIS, FALLAH BAHH & MARIO BOKARA vs. GRADO, EDDIE EDWARDS & THE VETERANS OF WAR

Before the match, Borash said we were “going to now find out who the final member is of the Veterans of War team,” but we saw Edwards cut a promo right before the break. Poor editing there.

Drake and Wilcox began the match. Mayweather tagged in, as did Adonis. Grado hit some jabs on Bokara before Adonis cut him off with a clothesline. Grado tagged in Edwards. Bahh hit Edwards with a crossbody. Grado landed jabs on Bahh. Edwards hit a codebreaker. Edwards flipped through a German from Bokara and then hit a Boston Knee Party for the win.

WINNER: Eddie Edwards in 5:00.

After the match, the babyfaces celebrated. Joseph Park came to the ring as the heels were walking to the back. Park has paperwork in his hands. He was talking to Grado and then showed Grado something on the paper. Grado looked disappointed and said, “oh, no.” Grado was begging Park for something, and Park was telling Grado that they should go to the back.

(McMahon’s Analysis: It was only five minutes, but that felt like five wasted minutes. I’m honestly not sure that you could come up with a more random collection of wrestlers for an eight-man tag match).

[c]

(3) MATT SYDAL vs. BRAXTON SUTTER (w/ Allie)

Sutter was very aggressive early in the match. Allie cheered Sutter on from the outside. Sydal landed a round kick to the head. Sydal hit a Shooting Star Press for the win.

WINNER: Matt Sydal in 4:00.

After the match, Sutter shrugged off Allie as she tried to console him.

(McMahon’s Analysis: In recent weeks, matches on Impact all feel very similar. One wrestler controls the action for most of the match, and then the other wrestler ends up hitting a finisher and picking up the win. We saw that in the opening match, where Konley got in a lot of offense but Dutt got the win, and we see it here as well. This feels like GFW’s version of WWE 50/50 booking. Also, Sutter and Allie have been together for all of three months, so it’s way too soon to be teasing a breakup there).

[c]

— LAX had another backstage segment.

— Jeremy Borash was in the ring to announce the Super X Cup Tournament would begin. Borash said eight wrestlers from around the world entered. The first-round matches are:

• Drago vs. Sammy Guevara
• ACH vs. Andrew Everett
• Davey Richards vs. Taiji Ishimori
• Dezmond Xavier vs. Idris Abraham

Borash said that the first-round would begin tonight.

— A video package aired on Idris Abraham. He talked about how important it was for him to win the Super X Cup in order to elevate his career. An Xavier video aired next, where he also talked about how important it was for him to win the Super X Cup.

(4) IDRIS ABRAHAM vs. DEZMOND XAVIER – Super X Cup first round

Pope predicted that Xavier would win the tournament. Abraham controls the bulk of the opening few minutes.

[c]

Back from the break, Abraham still has control on Xavier. Xavier begins to make a comeback at the 11:00 mark. Xavier hit his finisher off the top rope for the win.

WINNER: Dezmond Xavier in 11:00.

(McMahon’s Analysis: Good match, but again, it fell into the similar formula where Abraham controlled most of the offense and Xavier won in the end. Xavier has been impressive in his short run with GFW/Impact, and hopefully they can use the Super X Cup as a vehicle to get over someone new, like him, in an effort to rebuild that division. Davey Richards and Andrew Everett are the only long-tenured GFW/Impact talents in the tournament, and they should be used as a way to get over someone new, like Xavier).

— Backstage, Gail Kim said that she had an announcement that would come next week.

— A video aired on Pro Wrestling NOAH.

[c]

— Xavier was interviewed backstage. He talked about his big win in the first round. He said his finishing move was called the “Final Flash” and tonight wasn’t going to be the only time that we see it.

— Moose was interviewed by McKenzie Mitchell. Moose was talking about how he would challenge Naomichi Marufuji next week, and the match would be for the Grand Championship. ECIII entered and was upset that an “outside” was getting a chance. Moose said he didn’t care of his last name was Carter, he would need to wait in the back of the line.

(5) SIENNA (w/ KM) vs. REBEL — non-title match

Sienna choked Rebel on the middle rope. Borash and Mathews talked about how Rebel just had a tour of Japan and only recently returned to the U.S. Rebel hit a diving forearm off the rope. Rebel hit a handspring clothesline in the corner. KM grabbed Rebel’s ankle and Rebel stomped on his hand. Rebel tried to dive on KM on the outside but he caught her. Rebel then slapped KM in the face. Rebel went back in the ring but Sienna snatched Rebel’s arm and forced a tap.

WINNER: Sienna in 4:00.

(McMahon’s Analysis: Again! Rebel controlled most of the offense, and then once again, Sienna sneaks out a win. This was a good showing for Rebel, though. Her offense isn’t totally believable, but I thought she looked like she fit in against Sienna. They also protected her with KM’s involvement, so it would seem that they plan on using Rebel more in the future).

— The announce team plugged what was coming up next week, including Gail Kim’s announcement and Moose vs. Marufuji.

[c]

— Lashley and El Patron are introduced for the main event. Mathews specifically said, “El Patron’s fiance, Paige, was here,” talking about how she was at Slammiversary.

(6) ALBERTO EL PATRON vs. BOBBY LASHLEY — Undisputed Unified World Championship match

Mathews said that, in the coming weeks, a new championship would debut to replace the champion having to carry two belts. Lashley charged at the start of the match but El Patron stepped out of the way and El Patron began hitting punches on the turnbuckle. Lashley came back, tossing El Patron into the ring post and El Patron fell to the outside. Back in the ring, Lashley tries for two covers but El Patron kicks out at two (twice). Lashley dumped El Patron to the outside.

[c]

Back from the break, Lashley has El Patron in a rear chinlock. El Patron landed a dropkick as Lashley charged him from the corner. Patron hit a 619. El Patron missed a kick. Lashley hit a huge powerbomb for a two count. El Patron hit a double stomp off the top while Lashley was hunched over, but Lashley kicked out at two. Lashley hit El Patron with a neckbreaker. Lashley set up El Patron in the Tree of Woe. Lashley went to the top rope but El Patron bridged up and tossed Lashley off the top rope. El Patron went to the top rope and went for a dive but Lashley countered into a spear. Lashley hit a Dominator. Santana from LAX was on the top rope and dove at Lashley. LAX hit the ring and attacked Lashley to force the DQ.

WINNER: Bobby Lashley via disqualification in 15:00.

After the match, LAX continued the assault on Lashley. Konnan said “this cracker company tried to bury us.” Konnan introduced Alberto El Patron as the newest member of LAX.

LAX got El Patron to his feet but he was unconscious as LAX held him up. His eyes are closed as Konnan raises his hand. LAX then helped an unconscious El Patron to the back.

(McMahon’s Analysis: It was comical watching LAX drag an unconscious El Patron to the backstage area after the match. Ultimately, I’d be surprised if this results in El Patron actually joining the group. They seemed to leave it open that he could actually pass on the LAX spot, and that could open up an opportunity for someone else to join the group and feud with El Patron for the title. But, that doesn’t shade the fact that GFW decided to give away the same match, for free, four days after they charged people $40 for it on PPV. That could seriously damage their ability to promote PPV main events in the future. Not enough about Slammiversary felt “can’t miss” and with just two PPV shows per year, those two main event matches should be something they go out of their way to protect. That didn’t happen here, and you could argue they didn’t adequately protect the Bound for Glory main event either, with Lashley beating ECIII and then losing the title four days later to Eddie Edwards).