SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
MCMAHON’S IMPACT WRESTLING REPORT
Oct. 26, 2017
Taped from Orlando, Fla. (Universal Studios)
Aired on Pop TV
Announcers: Josh Mathews & Jeremy Borash
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 or email impactlivecast@gmail.com
— The Impact signature aired.
— A video recapping the feud between AAA and Impact aired.
(1) EL HIJO DEL FANTASMA & TEXANO vs. ETHAN CARTER III & JAMES STORM — taped in Mexico
Out of the video package, it was a cold open (of sorts) into the match underway in Mexico. All four wrestlers were brawling early in the match. In the ring, ECIII suplexed Texano for a two count. Texano used his rope to whip storm and ECIII across the back. Fantasma hit a crossbody off the top rope. Texano tripped up Fantasma. Storm hit a Last Call on Fantasma for the win.
WINNERS: ECIII & James Storm in 8:00.
(McMahon: With friends like these, who needs enemies? The idea of being a “global” wrestling product is a good idea, but Impact has partnered with promotions that too many ardent North American fans just don’t care about. They’re trying to mimic the success of ROH and New Japan, but these partnerships aren’t with New Japan, they’re with organizations who might be good in their home markets, but there’s not a demand for AAA, Border City Wrestling, Pro Wrestling NOAH and Crash the way there is demand for New Japan).
— Eli Drake was backstage in Orlando on his cell phone. Dutch Mantel was shown listening to the conversation. Drake said, “it’s unfair what they did to you, and if you get a chance to come back, you should.” Dutch asked Drake what happened last week? He missed three media appearances. Drake told Dutch to tell management that if they want promotion, his face should be everywhere. Drake said the other “dummies” should do the stupid interviews.
[c]
— Back from the break, Dutch and Jim Cornette are in the office talking about Eli Drake. Cornette said if Drake loses the title at BFG, the situation would work itself out. Dutch said that was a good thought.
(2) OVE vs. PHIL ATLAS & BRENT BANKS — Impact Tag Team Championship match taped from Border City Wrestling (Windsor, Ont.)
OVE was in control of the match from the onset. Atlas came back with a kick to Dave’s head but he missed a dive on the outside and Dave kicked him in the face. Banks tagged in. Banks hit a dive to the outside. Dave was shot into the corner and moved on a splash attempt, but Banks hit a cutter. Banks hit a Macho Man elbow off the top for a two count. OVE ended up scoring the win after Banks was in control for most of his portion of the match.
WINNER: OVE in 6:00.
(McMahon: Banks looked really good. It almost felt like this match wasn’t originally intended to air on Impact. I suggest that because OVE was selling for most of the match, which is the way you would want the match structured if you’re Border City. OVE has to win, but you make the hometown team look good. On paper, this idea of shooting around to different places for different matches sounds like a really good idea, but the execution hasn’t been great. Border City, for example, was dimly lit and it doesn’t reflect well on Impact when an indie promotion in Windsor, Ontario seemed to draw more people than the parent brand for their television tapings).
— A video aired on Moose and Bonnar teaming up to fight American Top Team.
[c]
— PlutoTV rewind aired featuring Hulk Hogan.
— Production people tried to get Eli Drake for an interview backstage. Drake said he was trying to do things. The production people said the interview would only take 45 seconds, and he yelled at them to get away from him.
(3) EDDIE EDWARDS [c] vs. MARUFUJI — GHC Championship match taped from Pro Wrestling NOAH in Japan
Mathews tried to explain the difference in Japanese fans to explain the quieter crowd. After really quick chain wrestling, they did a double dropkick and then squared off. The match cut ahead a few minutes and Edwards hit a thunderbomb for a two count. Marufuji was trying to take control of the match but Edwards was countering almost everything. We skip ahead again and Edwards hit a kick as Marufuji tried for a springboard and he crashed to the floor. Marufuji hit a dive to the outside. Edwards hit a powerbomb for a two count. Edwards ended up getting the win.
WINNER: Eddie Edwards retains.
After the match, Edwards and Marufuji shook hands and Marufuji raised his hand.
(McMahon: This was clunky. The action was really good, and I’m sure the full match was great, but they kept skipping ahead — I’m assuming for time — and Mathews and Borash were left to call the match as if it were happening live, not really explaining why the action would suddenly jump ahead. The best example was when they were on the floor after a dive. Then all of a sudden they were grappling on the ring apron and Borash had to say, “Now up on the apron.” … It’s not his fault. It was really weird presentation with live commentary to something that was clearly taped and constantly jumping ahead. But again, the full match was probably at least **** based upon the shortened version we saw).
[c]
— A video aired on OVE vs. LAX.
— McKenzie Mitchell tried to interview Eli Drake. Drake told her that he’s busy.
— Laurel Van Less was looking for a husband again, we think, going through the crowd offering people champagne.
(3) PETEY WILLIAMS vs. IDRIS ABRAHAM vs. TARIK vs. ???
(Unfortunately, my wifi went down during this match and as a cord cutter, that meant I saw almost none of it. I had to reboot my modem and router).
[c]
— A video aired on Eli Drake vs. Johnny Impact.
(4) GARZA JR. & JOHNNY IMPACT vs. ELI DRAKE & CHRIS ADONIS
Garza Jr. and Adonis begin the match. Impact was sent to the outside by Adonis, who followed up with a clothesline on the outside.
[c]
Adonis was controlling Garza Jr. back from the break. Garza Jr. slipped out and kicked Adonis. Drake got the tag before Garza Jr. could and he cut off the ring. Impact tagged in and fired up on Adonis. Impact hit a heel kick and knocked Drake off the apron. Impact scored a rollup on Adonis for the win.
WINNERS: Johnny Impact & Garza Jr.
— After the match, Adonis argued with Drake for a second before checking on him. Garza Jr. and Impact celebrated on the ramp.
— A video aired on Alberto El Patron and his upcoming return at Bound for Glory.
— A video aired on Trevor Lee in Tijuana.
[c]
— Mathews and Borash ran down the card for Bound for Glory.
(5) TREVOR LEE [c] vs. ULTIMO NINJA — X Division Championship match taped from CRASH in Mexico
Borash said that Ultimo Ninja is Garza Jr.’s brother. Ninja hit a huge kick and a standing moonsault for a two count. Lee hit a right forearm and then kicked him from the apron. Lee hit the double stomp for the win.
WINNER: Trevor Lee retains.
[c]
— The latest Global Forged segment aired.
— Another video on King Mo, Moose, Stephan Bonnar and Lashley aired.
(6) BOBBY LASHLEY (w/Dan Lambert) vs. MOOSE (w/Stephan Bonnar)
The match began with Moose in control. Moose dropkicked Lashley to the outside.
[c]
The brawl continued back from the break. Lashley was in control of Moose in the middle of the ring. Lashley hit a back elbow. Moose hit Lashley with a dropkick. Lashley’s eye was swollen shut and Lambert hit the ring, hitting Moose with a trophy to force the DQ. Lashley speared Moose and Bonnar hit the ring. Bonnar clotheslined Lashley and was about to attack Dan Lambert but Americcan Top Team hit the ring and beat him down. Moose fought back and powerbombed an ATT member to the outside, on top of the group.
Moose grabbed a mic and said that everyone is used to steel cages, so he wanted to make the tag match at BFG a six sides of steel match.
WINNER: Moose via DQ
— A video aired on LAX vs. OVE.
(Final Thoughts: If this show were in the middle of July, it would have been a fine show. But considering this was two weeks before Bound for Glory, it fell short in a big, big way. There’s simply not enough build and excitement headed into what is supposed to be the company’s WrestleMania. The main event angle was strong, and that match has some hype behind it, but everything else feels very ‘meh. Roughly 70 percent of this show didn’t even take place from the Impact Zone, which is fine, but everything outside of the Impact Zone (with the exception of the first match) provided nothing as far as build to Bound for Glory. It enhanced the talent, but there is no heat headed into the PPV. They have a lot of work to do next week).
A fantastic show if you are a wrestling fan and not a Sports Entertainment fan who likes dick and fart jokes.
There is a huge demand for the AAA product and it is broadcast on multiple channels. The other promotions, I agree with you on, but as someone that enjoyed the territory wrestling days when I was a kid, this is far more interesting than the same 8 “sports entertainers” “wrestling” each other every week.
As far as going after the build up to the PPV, I do agree with you, however, quite often WWE tosses matches together the week prior to one of their “PPV’s” and to be honest are the WWE “PPV’s” really even ppvs anymore? Not really.
Scott D’Amore’s Border City Wrestling lists its next show in a suburb of Detroit on December 3, with Johnny Impact, Eli Drake and Albert Del Rio listed. With Jarrett gone, I wonder what becomes of D’Amore, Jarrett’s right-hand man.
So last week you buried the show for being nonsensical basically based off the AAA vs Impact wrestling stuff. But this week the show was fine with the same storyline AAA vs Impact wrestling guys who are teaming but don’t get along. I guess this is a prime example of letting stories play out and listening to the announcers as they tell a story. Go figure.
Quit making sense! 🙂