6/28 IMPACT WRESTLING RESULTS: Rich Swann debuts vs. Trevor Lee, Matt Sydal vs. Dezmond Xavier, Tessa Blanchard vs. Rayne, plus Edwards-Dreamer, Moose

MCMAHON’S IMPACT WRESTLING REPORT
June 21, 2018
Taped from Windsor, Ontario (St. Clair College)
Aired on Pop TV

Announcers: Josh Mathews & Don Callis

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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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— Highlights of last week’s show aired.

— The Impact opened graphic aired.

— Madison Rayne began the show with a promo talking about her return to Impact and how she is challenging Su Yung for the Knockouts Title at Slammiversary. She was soon interrupted by Tessa Blanchard, who mocked her return and also talked about how Madison Rayne is a bad mother and a bad wrestler. Blanchard said this isn’t 2011, Madison isn’t the best because Tessa is. Madison said she pinned Tessa, but Tessa claimed it was a fluke. Madison said she had no problem giving Madison a reminder of who she was.

The lights flickered and screaming could be heard. Both Tessa and Madison looked frightened in the ring. As soon as the screaming and light flickering stopped, Tessa belted Madison with a forearm. Tessa’s music played and she left the ring.

(1) RICH SWANN vs. TREVOR LEE

Mathews mentioned that Swann is a “former Cruiserweight Champion,” as Callis praised Swann as a great get for Impact. Lee and Swann played with the crowd at the opening bell. Swann dropkicked Lee to the outside and the show crashed to a break.

[c]

Back from the break, Swann remained in control of the match with a kick to Lee’s back. Mathews made a World Cup reference, so you know they’re somewhat live on their commentary. Lee was back in control with an Irish Whip into the corner and a cover. Lee gouged Swann’s eyes. Mathews said Blanchard vs. Rayne has been booked as the main event tonight. Swann rolled up Lee for a two count. Lee tossed Swann with a suplex. Lee hit a full 360 dive to the outside. Lee hit double boots for a two count. Lee hit Swann with a huge swinging uppercut. Swann came back with a spinning heel cut and a reverse hurricanrana. Swann went to the second rope and hit a twisting dive for the win.

WINNER: Rich Swann in 13:00.

(McMahon: Really, really good debut for Rich Swann. Usually I like building up characters with squash matches, but in Swann’s case — they acknowledged he’s a former WWE Cruiserweight Champion — this established him right away as one of the top wrestlers in the company, beating Lee in a long, competitive and very entertaining match.)

[c]

— From PCW Wrestling, Callihan attacked Pentagon Jr. in a cage. From there, the Crist brothers enter the cage and it became a 3-on-1 attack on Pentagon. Callihan threatened to take off Pentagon’s mask again … Callis for some reason spoke about the “long hair that Callihan has had for his whole career.” Callihan ripped off Pentagon’s mask and he fell to the mat quickly, covering his face. Callihan held up the mask. Mathews said Callihan stole the mask.

(McMahon: Callis randomly mentioned Callihan’s hair tells me we’ll have a hair vs. mask match at Slammiversary.)

— A classic Slammiversary moment aired.

[c]

— A promo for Slammiversary aired.

— Katarina snuck up on Grado backstage and told him that she’d have a match next week. Grado didn’t know she used to wrestle. She said it was a “different season” back when she wrestled last.

— Gama Singh was in the ring and he introduced the Desi Hit Squad, which was a tag team of Rohit Raju and Gursinder Singh.

(2) THE DESI HIT SQUAD (w/Gama Singh) vs. Z &E 

Z&E were in control of the action early in the match. Singh hit Raju after a miscommunication. DJ Z hit a back elbow off the second rope. DJ Z tried for a dive to the outside but the Desi Hit Squad caught him. The Desi Hit Squad was back in control now in the ring. Everett was trying to collect himself on the outside while DJ Z was the victim of double-team moves in the ring. Everett tagged in with the Desi Hit Squad on the outside. Everett hit a springboard moonsault off the top rope to the outside and down the aisle. Everett hit Singh with a springboard spinning heel kick. Raju broke up a pin while DJ Z wasn’t paying attention to his partner gettin the boots — he was too busy counting with the crowd. Singh kicked Everett in the head and then Singh hit a Sky High for a two count after DJ Z made the save. Everett and DJ Z traded moonsaults onto Singh. … Everett went for a cover and Gama Singh distracted the referee. Singh then rolled up Everett for the win.

WINNERS: The Desi Hit Squad

(McMahon: Good debut for the Desi Hit Squad. We’ve been hearing about this team with Gama Singh since January — no, really, do a search on the Impact website — so it was good to finally see Gama on TV. Another entertaining match and the crowd is into the action. That makes the show feel so much more entertaining to the TV viewer.)

— In a video package, Pentagon Jr. challenged Sami Callihan to a mask vs. hair match for Slammiversay.

(McMahon: I was right!)

— A video package/interview aired with Moose talking about his background and challenging Austin Aries for the Impact World Title at Slammiversary. Moose talked about his childhood, seeing his brother get robbed at gunpoint, and his football career.

— A video aired of Eddie Edwards at House of Hardcore, where he attacked Tommy Dreamer with a kendo stick. Mathews said Edwards is accusing Dreamer of being involved with Alisha Edwards. … Edwards gouged as Dreamer’s forehead with a stick and them smudged Dreamer’s blood over his face with his hand. Moose grabbed Edwards backstage and Edwards screamed at Moose to leave him alone.

[c]

— LAX was celebrating winning the tag team titles in their hideout. Santana was there with Ortiz and King, who said everything was good right now. Konnan returned, walking back into the shot. He welcomed Ortiz and Santana but when King went to say hello, Konnan didn’t shake his hand. Konnan said King exposed himself. King challenged Konnan to smack him. King said he helped out LAX while Konnan was laid up in the hospital. Konnan said King thinks he’s playing him, but Konnan is really playing King. Santana and Ortiz said the money is good, so what’s wrong? Konnan said King taking over was by design. Konnan told LAX he has never lied. Konnan said he had proof, and he’d soon give it to LAX.

(3) DEZMOND XAVIER vs. MATT SYDAL

Prior to the match, Josh Mathews said that Dezmond Xavier was “checking out the lights” before the show in order to make sure “they were high enough for him to come off the top rope.” Way to make your promotion feel small-time. It’s not hard … accentuate the positives and hide the negatives. If you’re in a small arena, don’t tell the audience.

Sydal tried to tell Xavier that he believed in him. Xavier hit an uppercut. Xavier hit a dropkick to Sydal’s back and rolled to the outside. Sydal pushed the referee into the ropes, causing Xavier to lose his balance. Sydal then picked up the win.

WINNER: Matt Sydal in 7:00.

After the match, Brian Cage hit the ring to attack Sydal but Kongo Kong attacked Cage from behind. Sydal and Kong double-teamed Cage as Jimmy Jacobs smiled and approved. Kong went to the top rope and hit Cage with a splash.

— Sami Callihan accepted Pentagon’s challenge in a video package.

— Swann vs. Impact vs. Fenix vs. Ishimori was announced for Slammiversary as an “International Four Way match”

— Next week: Fenix vs. Rich Swann and Killer Kross debuts. Cage vs. Kongo also happens next week.

— Austin Aries was interviewed backstage about Moose.

(4) TESSA BLANCHARD vs. MADISON RAYNE

WINNER: Madison Rayne

Tessa attacked Madison after the match. Tessa was about to hit Madison with a chair but Su Yung appeared on the stage with the undead bridesmaids. Su Yung directed the bridesmaids to surround the ring while Tessa was still in there with a chair. Tessa bailed out (the ramp side wasn’t surrounded), leaving Madison Rayne in the ring alone. Madison was surrounded in the ring and they all jumped her and attacked. Allie returned and cleared Su Yung and the bridesmaids from the ring.

(McMahon: So my YouTube TV froze and I missed almost the entire match. I caught just the finish at the end, so I can’t tell you if the match was any good. The Su Yung angle at the end was good, however. They’ve acknowledged — Josh has — on TV that Madison is his wife. So it’s interesting that he never once thought to help his poor wife in the ring.)