IMPACT WRESTLING HITS & MISSES 1/17: Stellar Tessa Blanchard vs. Sami Callihan video, Moose & RVD vs. Rhino & Gage, Elgin vs. Edwards, Desi Hit Squad vs. TJP & Fallah Bahh & Dana, Rich Swann vs. Willie Mack

Overall – HIT: And… we’re back. After a hiatus due to the holidays, Impact Wrestling returns with the final episode before their next PPV event, Hard to Kill. They have done a great job setting things up and this is the most I’ve looked forward to a (non-NJPW) wrestling card in a while. From the hot start to the show, to the many video packages setting things up, including a Callihan/Tessa package I consider must watch, this is a momentum building show.

Michael Elgin vs. Eddie Edwards – HIT: I love the opening of the show. Coming back from a long layoff with a brawl already in progress was a great idea and it serves to immediately grab the viewer’s attention. After the two get pulled apart, Eddie Edwards takes to the ring and tells Michael Elgin that they don’t have to wait until Hard to Kill to fight. The match itself is like an avalanche. It starts slow and keeps gathering momentum taking the crowd along with them. Elgin wins with the Elgin Bomb. Thanks to Elgin’s victory, Eddie’s Call Your Shot trophy is on the line at the PPV.

Desi Hit Squad (Mahabali Shera & Rohit Raju & Raj Singh) vs. TJP & Fallah Bahh & Daga – HIT: TJP, Fallah Bahh, and Daga try to gain some measure of revenge against the Desi Hit Squad in a fast paced spot-fest that includes some comedy spots with TJP and Fallah. There is one obvious miscue when either Daga was late with his move or Rohit was early to his spot and Rohit looks like he was obviously trying to catch Daga. Otherwise, unless you are allergic to fun, this was an entertaining match. Shera wins when he catches TJP with a Sky-high powerbomb.

Rich Swann and Wille Mack backstage – HIT: This segment is a big HIT with me. Willie Mack has let Ethan Page’s words get to him and is now doubting himself. Willie tells Rich Swann that it might be better for Rich if they go their separate ways. Rich doesn’t want to hear it and gives Wille a motivational speech, psyching Willie up for their tag team championship match at Hard to Kill.

OVE (Sami Callihan, Jake & Dave Crist, Madman Fulton) promo – HIT: Jake and Dave Crist cut a promo on Tessa Blanchard and Madman Fulton cut a promo on Ken Shamrock as Sami Callihan just stands there, silently clutching his championship belt. Keeping Sami, who is always running his mouth, silent before what may be one of iMpact Wrestling’s most historic nights, speaks volumes. Very effective segment.

Johnny Swinger skit – HIT: Johnny Swinger comes across Joey Ryan’s stuff backstage and decides to drug Joey’s water bottle. Tommy Dreamer catches Swinger red handed but Swinger tries to sell it as him prepping his workout drink. Dreamer forces Swinger to drink the drugged water. Later, after RVD and Moose finish their skit, Swinger is passed out on the couch. Joey Ryan and Petey Williams arrive and Joey asks Petey for a sharpie so he can draw, on Swinger, a… well it’s Joey Ryan so… Funny if you are into puerile humor.

Video package for Tessa Blanchard vs. Sami Callihan’s Hard to Kill match – HOMERUN: I’ve followed Impact ever since NWA-TNA first started as a Wednesday PPV (minus five years around the time Hogan was around) and my favorite thing that Impact does are these video packages. Even when the storyline they are promoting is garbage, their almost trailer-like video packages never fail to suck me in. This one is no exception. We learn who both these wrestlers and their motivations are. Both Sami and Tessa are humanized which makes their conflict feel more real. This is great stuff.

Jessicka Havok vs. Rosemary – MISS: The Saga of Suzie continues but unfortunately it came down with a bout of reality. This came in the form of Don Callis and Josh Mathews commenting on the story thus far including referencing the supernatural and outlandish events. This kind story only works if you can suspend your disbelief and play into it, and that can only happen if we, the person watching at home, are treated as a “fly on the wall” and are the only one privy to events (other than the actors involved). We are special because we know something nobody else does. Once Don and Josh reveal they know what is going on, the real world intrudes and overrides the worldbuilding they’ve done for the fantasy they’ve created. Basically, Rosemary, Mitchel, Suzie, and Havok go from being these magical beings fighting, in secret, for Suzie’s soul, to a bunch of wrestlers LARPing. Bad call. It was not much of a match, not really serving much of a purpose. Havok wins with a Tombstone piledriver.

Kiera Hogan & Madison Rayne & Taya Valkyrie vs. ODB & Tenille Dashwood & Jordynne Grace – MISS: This is a serviceable match but is marred with a weird, forced ending. ODB hits Taya Valkyrie with a modified cutter and Jordynne Grace follows it up with a Vader bomb and goes to pin Taya. Problem is, Grace was not the legal man, ODB was. ODB pulls Grace off of Taya and scores the pin herself. The commentators sold it as ODB stealing the win from Grace. Grace then gets into it with ODB with Tenille Dashwood keeping them apart.

Moose & RVD vs. Rhino & Brian Cage – HIT: Prior to the match, Moose finds RVD in the back making out with Katie Forbes and tries to make sure that there are no hard feelings between them since Moose had beaten RVD at Slammiversary. RVD had no recollection of the incident, nor did he know what day it was. This is a great way to sweep the past under the rug since the two are now on the same side. The match itself is okay, never really getting out of second gear. Cage wins by pinning Moose after hitting him with a discus clothesline after a Rhino Gore. A bit lack luster for the go-home match on the go-home episode. Afterwards they show a video package setting up all the matches for Hard to Kill.