MCMAHON’S IMPACT WRESTLING REPORT 5/3: Sydal vs. Ishimori, Rosemary vs. Su Yung

MCMAHON’S IMPACT WRESTLING REPORT
May 3, 2018
Taped from Orlando, Fla. (Universal Studios)
Aired on Pop TV

Announcers: Josh Mathews & Don Callis

---

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

---

Seg 1

— The Impact Global signature aired.

— Impact began with a video package highlighting last week’s episode.

— Eli Drake came to the ring for a promo. Drake told the crowd that he gave Scott Steiner the night off. Drake talked about his title shot for the Impact World Title, and said he was giving Pentagon one week; Drake said he would challenge Pentagon on next week’s episode, and that brought Pentagon Jr. out to the stage. Pentagon Jr. hit the ring and he jawed with Drake.

— McKenzie Mitchell interviewed Kiera Hogan backstage, but she was interrupted by Tessa Blanchard, who called herself the total package. Tessa said that Kiera will always take the backseat to her, because she’s just better. Kiera called out Tessa for watching matches and not wrestling matches. Kiera said she was going to go beat Taya Valkyrie.

McMahon’s Analysis: Not the typical hot start to the show we’ve seen in recent weeks. Drake’s promo was OK, setting up his title match with Pentagon next week. I would hope that they run an angle later in the show to hype that match even more. 

The backstage segment with Kiera Hogan and Tessa Blanchard was well done. I liked that Kiera called out Tessa for not wrestling and just watching, especially where Tessa is a heel. So far, Tessa Blanchard has been a lot of talk but has yet to back that up in the ring. Obviously she’ll have to get in there at some point, and she’ll have to deliver, but I like how they’ve theoretically introduced her, albeit the execution was a bit sloppy at Redemption a few weeks back.

[c]

Seg 2

— Grado and Joseph Park were backstage. Grado said he has a girlfriend, and she’s “smoking.” Park asked to see her and Grado said she was at the dentist. Austin Aries walked into the shot and made fun of Aries and Grado. Aries, who was still wearing his sling for his arm, and he said he was still the man, not to worry. Aries smacked the jellybeans out of Grado’s hand and gave him in a banana.

(1) OVE vs. KM & FALLAH BAHH

OVE jumped KM & Bahh before the opening bell to begin the match. Bahh tagged in mid-match and splashed both OVE brothers in opposite corners. Bahh rolled over both members of OVE and KM copied him. The finish came when OVE superkicked KM to the outside and then hit a superkick on Bahh and a schoolboy for the pin.

WINNER: OVE in 4:00.

After the match, Bahh and KM argued a big in the ring before shaking hands.

McMahon’s Analysis: Bahh and KM work as a fun comedy act, although it doesn’t seem like they’re willing to go all-in with KM giving Bahh grief after the match. That being said, I don’t like the use of OVE in a match like this. Sure, they got the win, but OVE has been booked in some pretty serious, heavy-handed storylines this year. Seeing them in the spot where Bahh and KM took turns rolling on top of them just didn’t fit with the way they’ve been booked in recent months.

The Aries vignette backstage just reiterated his heel turn, which is fine. Aries is upset the focus isn’t on him, just like a nice heel should be.

[c]

Seg 3

— McKenzie Mitchell interviewed Moose backstage. Moose said he’s never been the World Champion, but 2018 will be the year he becomes Impact World Champion. Jimmy Jacobs walked into the set and said he loves the comments from Moose, but he wondered why he wanted to call himself Mr. Impact. Jacobs said the last guy with the name “Impact” didn’t fare so well. Moose grabbed Jacobs by his shirt and Jacobs said he wanted Moose to face his Monster, Kongo Kong, next week. Moose told Jacobs to bring his monster, and he’d “whoop his big ass.”

(2) TAYA VALKYRIE vs. KIERA HOGAN

Valkyrie jumped Hogan at the bell. Hogan came back with a superkick to the side of Valkyrie’s head. Valkyrie went to the outside and was resting on the steps when Hogan gave her a modified curb stomp on the steps.

Tessa Blanchard’s music played and she walked to the ring. Blanchard pulled Hogan out of the ring and they began to brawl at ringside. Hogan threw herself into the railing when Tessa moved and Tessa drove Hogan into the ring post on the outside. Tessa grabbed Hogan and threw her into the ring steps. The referee seemed to be checking on Valkyrie on the outside as Tessa brought Hogan into the ring and hit her with a hammerlock into a DDT.

WINNER: Apparent no-contest in 4:00.

McMahon’s Analysis: That’s two matches booked ahead for next week! That’s a refreshing change from the “let’s have a match tonight” structure that pro wrestling often uses. 

It was odd to see both matches on the show start similarly, with the heel jumping the babyface at the bell. Tessa Blanchard’s attack made sense, but they again seem to be de-emphasizing Taya Valkyrie. At the same time, they also seem to be de-emphasizing Johnny Impact, so you have to wonder if there’s potentially some contract issues there? Taya went from someone who looked like she was going to be a featured player in the Knockouts Division to getting pushed aside for talents like Su Yung, Hogan, Tessa Blanchard and even Allie. Impact, meanwhile, went from the main-event picture with El Patron to the midcard with Kongo Kong; even then, he hasn’t been on the show since before Redemption and he wasn’t on the pay-per-view. 

[c]

Seg 4

— A video package aired on Brian Cage.

— Impact aired a GWN-exclusive match featuring Brian Cage in Australia. Cage beat Nick Moretti, Slex and Brodie Marshall in a fatal four-way match.

[c]

Seg 5

(3) EL HIJO DEL FANTASMA, DRAGO, AEROSTAR vs. DJ Z, Andrew Everett & Dezmond Xavier

The match had a lot of action and then broke down with the babyfaces gaining control. Xavier hit a twisting flip dive over the top. DJ Z brought down Fantasma and Drago before hitting a dive of his own, off the second rope to the outside.

[c]

Seg6

Back from the break, there was still chaos all over the ring. All three babyfaces hit splashes on the heels on the ground. All three went into a cover but all three heels kicked out at two. The three heels tried three schoolboys but the babyfaces kicked out. The finish came when DJ Z pinned Aerostar.

WINNER: DJ Z, Andrew Everett & Dezmond Xavier

After the match, the AAA wrestlers shook hands with the Impact wrestlers. Callis said the show of sportsmanship made him sick. All six men raised each other arms to end the segment.

— Austin Aries approached Eli Drake backstage and said things got out of control last week. Aries said he would do something for Drake, and that’s wish him luck. Aries said that the World Title would eventually come back to him. Aries said he knows he can beat Drake, and that’s not an insult … “well, you now the rest,” he finished.

— Matt Sydal was shown warming up backstage along with Taiji Ishimori.

McMahon’s Analysis: Some of what these guys are able to do, from an athletic standpoint, is simply incredible. The six-man match was really insane, and if you are a fan of Lucha wrestling, you should check that out. The athleticism was really off the charts. 

[c]

Seg 7

(4) MATT SYDAL [c] vs. TAIJI ISHIMORI — X-Division Title match

Ishimori had the early control when the match went to commercial.

[c]

Back from the break, Ishimori caught Sydal with a kick to the face. Ishimori hit double knees on Sydal and then tried for a double stomp off the top. Sydal tried for a Shooting Star Press but Ishimori had it scouted. Ishimori hit a tombstone on Sydal and then went to the top rope but Sydal caught him with a backfist. Sydal crossed up Ishimori and inverted him for the pin.

WINNER: Matt Sydal retains in 12:00.

— Tommy Dreamer was with Eddie Edwards backstage. Dreamer said he threw away 3-4 years of his life obsessed with beating Raven. Dreamer was trying to talk sense into Edwards, but Edwards said that he’s a grown man and Dreamer isn’t his father.

— Allie met Rosemary backstage and tried to say she’d be there for her tonight, but Rosemary said no. She made Allie promise to stay away from the ring tonight.

[c]

Seg 8

— Before the match with Rosemary was set to begin, Su Yung hit a Panic Switch on Rosemary, sneaking from behind and hitting the move on the floor.

— Su Yung’s undead brides brought the casket to ringside. Allie charged the ring and threw Su Yung into the barricade. Rosemary yelled at Allie for coming to help her. ALlie said she would never leave Rosemary, who screamed at Allie to go before it’s too late. The undead brides grabbed Allie as Su Yung continued to attack Rosemary. Rosemary fought back and grabbed a kendo stick. Rosemary stalked Su Yung up the ramp. Yung got Rosemary with mist and then hit a Panic Switch off the stage, through a table. Su Yung picked up Rosemary and carried her to the ramp. She called over the undead brides and they dragged Rosemary to the casket, putting her inside to end the show.