MCMAHON’S IMPACT WRESTLING REPORT 3/22: Feast or Fired reveal, Abyss vs. Kongo Kong in a Monster’s Ball Match

MCMAHON’S IMPACT WRESTLING REPORT
March 22, 2018
Taped from Orlando, Fla. (Universal Studios)
Aired on Pop TV

Announcers: Josh Mathews & Sonjay Dutt

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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

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— The Impact Global signature aired.

— Alberto El Patron came to the ring. He called out Austin Aries, and said he was ready to have a face-to-face with a real champion at Redemption, and not a paper champion.

Austin Aries came to the ring and Patron clapped over and over. Aries told El Patron to knock it off. Aries told Patron that they are similar, they both love wrestling, but he considers himself “the truth” because he tells it like it is. Aries said he sees BS when he looks into Patron’s eyes. Aries told Patron he has the title match, “so put the bullshit aside.”

Patron told Aries to stand face-to-face. Patron said he has something to prove to himself. Aries told the producers to cut his music and play Patron’s, telling him to enjoy it because at Redemption, it will be Aries’ music playing at the end of the match.

McMahon: This was the first time in weeks that Impact didn’t open the show with a match. Generally, I’m not a fan of these segments, especially to begin the show, but it worked well here. Aries and Patron were both good and I thought sold the pay-per-view well. I liked the bit at the end where Aries told the truck to play Patron’s music.

[c]

(1) TREVOR LEE (w/ Caleb Konley) vs. FALLAH BAHH

Bahh and Lee traded moves to begin the match. Konley got involved early, distracting Bahh, and then throwing him into the steps while the referee was looking away. Back in the ring, Lee tried for a sunset flip but Bahh sat on him. Bahh pulled Konley in the ring when he tried to get involved again and rolled over both of them, but Lee got his foot on the rope out after a Samoan Drop. Bahh set Lee up for the Bonzai Drop but Konley again gets involved, hitting Bahh while the referee’s back was turned. Lee then pulled Bahh off the rope and covered him for the win.

WINNER: Trevor Lee.

McMahon: Lee and Konley lost in a tag title match, and now they’re back to singles duty with Konley helping Lee win. That’s fine, if they’re going to build Lee as a singles star — and they should — but I don’t think that’s where they’re ultimately going here. I’m willing to bet we’ll see Lee and Konley tag again soon, and with so few tag teams in the division, I would have rather seen those two guys beat even a jobber team that they bring in for a one-off. Fallah Bahh feels like Allie from a year ago, when she was generating some natural momentum with the live crowd, and even with the interference and I don’t seeing him lose like this when it feels like he has some natural momentum with the crowd.

— OVE is is stalking someone at a hotel with their camcorder camera. After a few seconds, it’s revealed that they’re stalking Alisha Edwards, Eddie Edwards’ wife. Back at the Impact Zone, Eddie Edwards was about to do an interview with McKenzie Mitchell when he saw the monitors and ran out. Sami Callihan asked to be let into the hotel room where Alisha was staying, claiming that he had been locked out.

[c]

— Back from the break, Petey Williams was interviewed by McKenzie Mitchell, talking about Feast or Fired.

(2) MATT SYDAL (c) vs. ROHIT RAJU — X-Division Title Match

Sonjay Dutt was on commentary solo for this match, while Josh Mathews took on his “spiritual advisor” duties with Sydal.

Sydal wore his spirt animal mask to the ring and had early control of the match but Raju began to come back with some shots to the gut and then a neckbreaker for a two count.

[c]

Back from the break, Raju hit a kick in the corner for a two count. Raju cut off Sydal, who was setting up for a shooting star press off the top. Sydal came back with a sunset flip powerbomb off the top, and then Sydal climbed back to the top for a shooting star press, getting the win.

WINNER: Matt Sydal.

McMahon: This was a good showing by Raju. Mathews wasn’t involved and also wasn’t on commentary, because he was a ringside. I thought that Sonjay Dutt again did a nice job pulling solo duty. He’s not a polished play-by-play man, but I think Mathews sometimes is too polished a broadcaster. The commentary lacks emotion with Mathews at times, but Sonjay brings it well. He sounds like a fan, which is a good thing. 

— After the match, Josh Mathews and Sydal celebrated in the ring.

— McKenzie Mitchell interviewed Moose about Feast or Fired.

[c]

— McKenzie Mitchell interviewed Eli Drake about the Feast or Fired reveal.

(3) ALLIE (c) vs. SIENNA — Impact Knockouts Title Match

Sienna charged across the ring at the bell and jumped Allie in the corner, throwing multiple kicks at her gut in the corner and then stomping her. Sienna continued to get heat on Allie but she hit a quick super kick for the win.

WINNER: Allie

McMahon: That was quick. It was good to see Sienna back in the ring after she had some medical issues earlier in the year at the last set of television tapings, but that felt like they were writing her out of TV, honestly. It was such a quick match, despite Allie fighting from underneath. Also, the announce team talked about everything other than this match during the match itself. That really made the finish feel like it came out of nowhere, it was like the announce team wasn’t even paying attention.

— Braxton Sutter came to the stage after the match with a microphone. He told Allie that he was trying to re-evaluate things in his life. He said when he closes his eyes at night, the most important thing he sees is “you, Laurel, I mean, Allie.” Sutter said he loved Allie … she doesn’t look pleased.

Sutter said he was there to propose … and then he got on one knee. “Me and you should spend the rest of our lives together,” he said. “Until death do us part.”

Allie backed up slowly, shaking her head “no.” Su Yung climbed into the ring from behind Allie and attacked her. Yung hit Allie with a Panic Switch as Sutter looked on in surprise. Sutter applauded Su Yung.

McMahon: Well that’s one way to debut Su Yung. It’s going to be interesting to see what they do with her. Her character resembles Rosemary in so many ways, there’s a natural rivalry there at some point.

[c]

— McKenzie Mitchell interviewed ECIII about the Feast or Fired reveal. Tyrus walked across the shot and said, “I hope he gets fired.” Moose cut in and said “he’s getting fired.”

— GWN highlights of the Mick Foley vs. Abyss Monster’s Ball match was shown.

— Eddie Edwards was shown arriving at the hotel where OVE was stalking his wife. Josh Mathews said they sent a camera crew with Edwards. Edwards ran up the stairs and past one of the cleaners in the hallway. Edwards got to his room and burst in to find Alisha asleep in bed. She asked him what he was doing? She said she was fine. Edwards then began searching the room. Edwards wouldn’t tell her what the problem was and said everything was fine. Edwards bumped into the cleaner as he left, and it was actually Callihan in disguise. Callihan and Edwards brawled in the hotel hallway. Alisha ran into the hallway and said she had called the cops.

McMahon: OK, so I’m fine with segments like this once in a while. It was cool to see wrestlers fighting somewhere other than the ring or backstage. However, Mathews said that Impact “sent a camera crew” with Edwards. Well, apparently the camera crew got there before Edwards did, because they already had a still camera setup in the hallway when he burst in the door, had a camera in the stairway to shoot him climbing up the stairs and, apparently, they had a camera in the hotel room where Alisha was sleeping. … This should have been shot guerrilla style, with a single cameraman running behind Edwards with a small handheld. It was fine the way it was, but this was a case where segments are sometimes over-produced. It looked good, but it lacked realism.

[c]

— Sonjay Dutt and Josh Mathews reset the show at their (terrible) green screen.

— A video aired on Abyss vs. Kongo Kong.

(4) ABYSS (w/James Mitchell) vs. KONGO KONG (w/Jimmy Jacobs) — Monster’s Ball Match

Abyss went down to the mat after a collision early in the match, and the announce team was shocked. Kong splashed Abyss in the corner. Kong choked Abyss in the corner. Abyss threw Kong to the outside.

[c]

Kong climbed to the top rope back from the break, but Abyss cut him off and tossed him off the top to the mat. Abyss brought tacks into the ring. Jacobs hit Abyss from behind with a kendo stick. Abyss chased after Jacobs on the outside and Jacobs walked into Janice, which Mitchell was holding. Abyss grabbed Jacobs in the ring and went to chokeslam him on the tacks but Kong made the save. Kong chokeslammed Abyss onto the tacks for a two count. Kong laid Abyss onto the table setup in the ring. Kong went to the top rope and was going to splash but Abyss got up and powerbombed Kong off the top tope through a table. Abyss made the cover for a two count. Kong slammed Abyss onto a barbed-wire board and then Kong hit a splash off the top rope for the win.

WINNER: Kongo Kong.

McMahon: Give credit where it’s due, Josh Mathews was good on the finish of this match, showing emotion and then also proclaiming, “we have a new monster!” The match itself was relatively tame by Monster’s Ball standards. Part of that is Abyss’ age … he’s just more limited now than he was in prior years, which is to be expected with what he’s put his body through. It was also tamer, perhaps, because they were on free TV and not pay-per-view.

[c]

— Jeremy Borash was in the ring for the Feast or Fired reveal …

Eli Drake won a tag title match, which was was unhappy with because he lost his tag-team partner. Drake threw the case and walked to the back.

Petey Williams opened his case to reveal an X-Division Title match.

ECIII and Moose played it up in the ring, knowing one of them would be fired and the other would receive a world title match.

ECIII and Moose both opened their cases at the same time to reveal that Moose would have a World Title match and ECIII was fired. Moose said that 2018 would be the year of Moose.

ECIII actually didn’t open his case yet. Borash tried to talk to ECIII, who was frozen. Borash again asked ECIII to open his briefcase. He said it was a formality, but he asked ECIII again to open it. ECIII stood up straight and laughed; he said the case wasn’t his. ECIII said the case belonged to Ishimori. ECIII said there was no one on earth who could make him open that case. ECIII again screamed that he would not open the case.

Borash said it was a formality and he opened it to reveal that ECIII was fired. Borash put over ECIII’s career in Impact Wrestling, and he wished him “all the best of luck” moving forward.

ECIII laughed again and said this was a joke. Borash said this was very real, and ECIII was done with Impact Wrestling. ECIII said he was the best guy anywhere in the world. The crowd chanted for ECIII, and he said the most important part of his name was “Carter!”

“I’m a Carter and this company needs me!” he yelled. ECIII threw a fit. “I’m Dixie Carter’s nephew!” He screamed, multiple times.

ECIII finally calmed down and said he was a man and a professional. ECIII said he accepts his fate, and sometimes getting fired can light a spark that carries someone to greatness. ECIII then thanked Borash, but picked up the briefcase and attacked JB from behind. ECIII continually beat JB with the briefcase until Brian Cage came out to make the save.

McMahon: They almost had to do it, allowing Cage to dispose of ECIII as his last thing before leaving the company. It gives Cage the rub … as he’ll get next week against Lashley as well.