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IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT
AUGUST 12, 2021 (RECORDED)
NASHVILLE, TENN. AT SKYWAY STUDIOS
AIRED ON AXS TV
REPORT BY DARRIN LILLY, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Matt Striker, D’Lo Brown
(1) TAYLOR WILDE vs. TENILLE DASHWOOD
Due to storms in the area, I joined this match in progress. The action was back and forth. These two were given more time than usual and had a good match. Tenille was in serious mode. Kaleb tried to interfere. While the referee was distracted, Madison Rayne ran in out of nowhere and attacked Taylor. Tenille gave Taylor the Spotlight Kick and got the win.
WINNER: Tenille Dashwood in 13:00.
Madison and Tenille hugged afterwards. The announcers were puzzled.
-D’Lo and Striker plugged tomorrow’s Kenny Omega vs. Christian Cage match on AEW Rampage. [c]
-Video package on tonight’s 20 man battle royal to decide a number one contender.
-D’Lo and Josh plugged the matches for tonight.
(2) JOSH ALEXANDER vs. DAIVARI
This was a non-title match. After some back and forth action, Jake Something walked to the stage to take a look at the action. [c]
Back from the break, Alexander had the upper hand and stomped Daivari. The action spilled to the floor with both wrestlers trading the advantage. Daivari took control of the match once they were back in the ring. Josh made a comeback and got Daivari in an ankle lock. Fans chanted “Walking Weapon”. Daivari battled back and got a DDT for a two count. Alexander gave Daivari a series of German Suplexes, then put him away with the piledriver.
WINNER: Josh Alexander in 11:00.
Jake entered the ring and held the title belt. He gave it to Alexander and they had a brief staredown before Jake left the ring.
(D.L.’s Take: Brief but solid match. Alexander continues his dominance. This push looks to be building to something).
-Video package of tomorrow’s Kenny Omega vs. Christian Cage match. Tony Schiavone did the narration, followed by clips of Sami Callihan, Ace Austin, Deonna Purrazzo, Jim Ross, and Brian Myers talking about the match. [c]
-Good Brothers promo. They talked about Emergence and defending the belts against Violent by Design and Rich Swann & Willie Mack. The lights flickered. Eric Young and Violent by Design confronted the Good Brothers. Doc asked which members they would be fighting. Doc and Joe Doering got in each other’s faces. Doc challenged Doering to a match.
-Kiera Hogan walked to the ring. Striker said this wasn’t scheduled. A clip was shown of Tasha Steelz and Savannah Evans attacking Kiera last week. Fans cheered for Kiera. Kiera said that Fire N Flava were supposed to be better than that. She addressed Tasha Steelz directly. Kiera said she thought Kiera understood her more than anyone and accused her of getting someone to do her dirty work. Kiera challenged Tasha and her “goofy friend” to come to the ring. Su Yung’s music played instead. Su Yung and Kimber Lee (now wearing face paint as well) walked to the ring.
Lee got in the ring and attacked Kiera. Kiera fought back. Su stood on the ramp and pulled out her glove. Lee had a glove of her own and put the Mandible Claw on Kiera. Lee dragged Kiera by the hair up the ramp and to the back. Su smiled then walked backstage too. [c]
-Don Callis and Kenny Omega backstage promo. Callis complained about Christian Cage being granted an Impact title match. Omega called it skullduggery. Callis said that Scott D’Amore and Tony Khan were plotting together. Callis vowed to have the Impact title for the rest of their lives. Omega said Scott and Tony could use their daddy’s money to buy competition but he would keep the title.
(3) JAY WHITE & CHRIS BEY vs. FINJUICE (David Finlay & Juice Robinson)
White and Finlay locked up to start. Finlay caught White with a dropkick. The action spilled to the floor. White had the advantage once they were back in the ring. Bey tagged in and stomped Finlay. Finlay caught Bey with a back elbow then tagged Juice. Juice kept the advantage over Bey. Bey dropped an elbow on Juice, who was on the second rope. White rammed Juice into the ring apron, then threw him back in the ring.
Bey and White tagged in and out to keep the advantage on Juice. Juice made a comeback and made the hot tag to Finlay. Finjuice hit the Doomsday Device on Bey. Juice went for the pin, but White attacked Finjuice with a chair for the DQ.
WINNERS: Finjuice in 9:00 by DQ.
White gave Finlay the Blade Runner on the chair after the match. Striker plugged their upcoming match on NJPW Resurgence.
-Gia Miller interviewed Tasha Steelz with Savannah Evans. Gia asked Tasha why she attacked Kiera. Tasha said it got too hot for Kiera so she had to make some changes. Fallah Bahh walked in. He said he needed their help with Rosemary and Havok. Tasha said she had a problem with them too—they are holding her titles. [c]
-Gia Miller interviewed Melina. Melina said she was grateful to be there. Deonna Purrazzo walked up and mocked her. Deonna showed footage of her training with MMA fighter Alesha Zappitella. Deonna called the footage magnificent. Melina said she was impressed. Melina said next week she would have a match so that Deonna would see what was in store for her.
-Alex Marvez interviewed Christian Cage. Christian said he and Kenny Omega would get to know each other very well over the next month. He vowed to win the Impact title. He said he would be back in the Impact Zone and talked about his history in Impact. He wanted to come back to the Impact Zone as World Champion. He wished luck to all of the wrestlers in the battle royal. He ended by saying “if you don’t know, now you know.” [c]
(4) MATT CARDONA vs. JOHN SKYLER
Cardona caught Skyler with a dropkick at the bell. Cardona followed with a clothesline. The announcers talked up Skyler. Cardona got Sklyer with a flapjack, then clotheslined him over the top rope. They fought at ringside. Fans chanted “Always ready”. Cardona threw Skyler out of the ring again and caught him with a dropkick. Back in the ring, Sklyer made a comeback. Cardona came back with a dropkick off the ropes.
Cardona clotheslined Skyler. Rohit Raju and Shera walked to ringside. Cardona knocked them off the apron. Skyler hit a jumping knee on Cardona then rolled him up for a pin.
WINNER: John Skyler in 5:00.
Rohit and Shera celebrated up the ramp. The announcers made a big deal about the upset.
(D.L.’s Take: Good back and forth action. Skyler made a good showing).
-D’Lo and Striker plugged the matches for next week:
- Melina in action
- Doc Gallows vs. Joe Doering
- The winner of Omega vs. Christian will be in the building next week
-Eddie Edwards made his ring entrance. [c]
(5) 20-MAN BATTLE ROYAL
This match was to decide a number one contender for the Impact World Title. Sami Callihan was the last to enter. Suicide was the first person eliminated. Johnny Swinger was the next one out. Both were eliminated by W. Morrissey. Morrissey took out Hernandez next. A bunch of wrestlers attacked Morrissey but he threw them off. The fans chanted for Moose. Moose joined the group and they threw out Morrissey. [c]
Steve Maclin ran to ringside, which led to Petey Williams being eliminated. Deaner was on the verge of being thrown out, but he saved himself. Rich Swann eventually eliminated him. Swann and Rhino got thrown out. Willie Mack was thrown out. Ace and No Way battled. Madman Fulton threw out No Way. Fallah Bahh threw out Fulton. Moose threw out Bahh. Brian Myers threw Sam Beale into Trey Miguel to eliminate him.
Eddie got the Backpack Stunner on Myers. Sam Beale made the save. Eddie chopped Beale hard. Moose knocked Eddie off the top rope to the floor. Sabin and Moose went under the bottom rope and brawled on the floor. Myers threw out Beale. Sami kicked Myers low and gave him a piledriver. Ace Austin and Sami battled on the ring apron. Sami clotheslined Ace off of Fulton’s shoulders to eliminate him. Moose kicked Sami to send him to the floor. Moose and Sabin battled in the ring.
Fans chanted “This is awesome”. Sabin had Moose in a sleeper hold. Myers snuck up from behind and threw out Moose and Sabin at the same time and was declared the winner.
WINNER: Brian Myers in 18:00.
(D.L.’s Take: As far as battle royals go, this was decent. Myers makes a curious choice as the winner. At the least, the skits with Myers and Beale should be fun).
FINAL THOUGHTS: A fun watch that went by pretty fast. Not the most newsworthy show, but the action was good and they made the Christian vs. Omega match into a big deal. Myers emerging as the number one contender could be really fun.
“Alexander continues his dominance. This push looks to be building to something” – Yep, Josh Alexander v. Jake Something.. still a terrible gimmick name that, but the match should be pretty damn good.