12/16 IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT: Josh Alexander vs. Rohit Raju, Miguel vs. Skyler, Hard to Kill championship contract signing, more

IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT
DECEMBER 16, 2021 (RECORDED)
NASHVILLE, TENN. AT SKYWAY STUDIOS
AIRED ON AXS TV
REPORT BY DARRIN LILLY, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Commentators: Matt Striker, D’Lo Brown

-A black & white graphic and photo paid tribute to Jimmy Rave.

-Recap video of last week’s main event.

-Show intro video.

(1) JOSH ALEXANDER vs. ROHIT RAJU (w/Raj Singh)

Rohit threw punches at the start, but then hid in the corner. Alexander and Rohit traded strikes, before Alexander went on offense. The action went to the outside. Alexander knocked down Singh. Rohit ran Alexander into the rails at ringside. Back in the ring, Rohit took control. Alexander made a comeback, but Rohit battled back with suplexes.

Alexander gave Rohit a belly to belly suplex. Rohit rolled Alexander up for a two count. Alexander bridged out of a pin attempt. Rohit put Alexander in a submission on the mat. Alexander turned it into an ankle lock, then knocked Singh off the ring apron. Rohit got in a series of moves. Rohit landed the double stomp off the top for a two count.

Rohit fought out of the C-4 Spike and landed a jumping knee. Alexander attacked Rohit’s knee. Alexander got the C-4 Spike for the win.

WINNER: Josh Alexander in 9:00.

(D.L.’s Take: A good win for Alexander on his way to facing Jonah at Hard To Kill. Rohit was good as usual and got in a lot of offense against a top level star.)

-Striker and D’Lo ran down the matches for Hard To Kill and for tonight.

-Gia Miller interviewed the Good Brothers and Violent By Design. Karl Anderson talked about the teams joining forces. He said they couldn’t trust VBD though. Doc Gallows said they were keeping their friends close but their enemies closer. Eric Young talked about trust and his alliance with the Good Brothers. He called it a business deal. He said they’d show the world what violence is all about. [c]

-Gia Miller interviewed Chelsea Green and talked about the Ultimate X Match at Hard To Kill. Chelsea said it would be legendary. She said the world was waiting to see her face Deonna Purrazzo or Mickie James for the Knockouts Title. She vowed to win Ultimate X and the title. Moose appeared from behind her. He wished her luck.

Moose said she was loyal because she wakes up every morning to a guy who will always be a mid-carder and most women wouldn’t do that. Chelsea said Moose confronted her because he was scared of Matt Cardona. Moose noted that Chelsea and Matt would be getting married soon. He said it would be a short marriage, even by wrestling standards.

(2) RICH SWANN & WILLIE MACK (Heath & Rhino) vs. JOE DOERING & DOC GALLOWS (w/Deaner & Eric Young & Karl Anderson)

Swann and Doc started the match. Swann and Mack tagged in and out and worked on Doc’s arm. Swann sidestepped Doc and Doc sailed to the floor. Swann and Mack dove over the top rope onto Doering and Doc. [c]

Doc knocked Swann to the floor with a kick. Back in the ring, Doering stomped Swann. Doering and Doc tagged in and out to keep the advantage on Swann. Mack made the hot tag and got an offensive flurry on Doering and Doc. All four wrestlers fought in the ring. Swann gave Doc a crossbody block.

Doering knocked Swann off the top rope to the floor. Doc kicked Mack. Doc and Doering double chokeslammed Mack. Doc pinned Mack for the win.

WINNERS: Joe Doering & Doc Gallows in 10:00.

-After the match, The Good Brothers and VBD stomped Heath and Rhino. Eddie Edwards ran in with a kendo stick for the save. The faces cleared the ring and ran off the Good Brothers and VBD.

(D.L.’s Take: It was a basic tag team match with some hard hitting moves thrown in. It looks like Eddie Edwards is being added to the mix and perhaps we’ll have a five-on-five match at Hard To Kill.)

-VSK and Zicky Dice were backstage. VSK said they needed to call Brian Myers but Dice took the phone from him. Dice said that Scott D’Amore gave them a match against Decay and they could redeem themselves. VSK said he hoped Dice would be sober next time and walked off. [c]

-Jonah vignette. He described why he calls himself Top Dog. He talked about someone attacking his father in prison, but he got respect from the top dog by not reporting it. Jonah said that he never forgot that story. He said that he attacked Josh Alexander from behind and he could have stayed down and said nothing, but Alexander got back up, so now Jonah will beat him and beat him.

(3) TREY MIGUEL vs. JOHN SKYLER

Skyler took the early part of the match with an armlock and punch. Trey battled back and dropkicked Skyler to the floor. Trey hit a dive to the outside also. Skyler caught Trey with a spear. Skyler hit Trey with punches and forearms. Skyler suplexed Trey. Fans chanted for Trey. They battled on the top rope. Trey hit a combination of moves, followed by the meteora for the win.

WINNER: Trey Miguel in 4:00.

Steve Maclin attacked Trey as he was celebrating on the ramp. Maclin took the X Division belt and hit Trey with it. [c]

(D.L.’s Take: Trey impresses as always and Skyler put in another good showing. The post-match attack added some needed spice to the upcoming X Division Title match.)

-Trey Miguel was tied up backstage with Steve Maclin taunting him off-camera. Maclin talked about not taking no for an answer about the title match.

(4) LAREDO KID vs. CHRIS BEY (w/Hikuleo)

Bey took Kid to the mat early. Kid battled back. Bey punched Kid and ran his head into the turnbuckle. Kid came back with a springboard crossbody block and head scissors. The action went to the floor. Kid gave Bey a back fist and punches. Bey threw Kid into the ring post. Bey and Hikuleo celebrated.

Bey threw Kid back in the ring. Bey stomped Kid’s hands, then dropkicked him. Bey choked Kid over the rope. Hikuleo interfered while the referee was distracted by Bey. Kid fired back with punches. Bey gave a clothesline from the top rope and got a two count. Bey taunted Kid and kicked him.

Bey put Kid in a chin lock. Bey missed an elbow drop, which allowed Kid to make a comeback with a series of moves, including a dive to the floor. Hikuleo knocked Kid off the top rope to the floor as the referee was checking on Bey. [c]

Kid was on offense but Bey returned a spin kick. Kid gave Bey a slam from the top rope. Fans chanted “This is awesome”. Kid missed a dive. Kid and Bey battled on the top rope. As Kid was laying on the top rope, Bey gave him a double stomp and got a two count. Kid gave Bey a flipping DDT. Hikuleo interfered from the outside. Kid dove from the top rope to the floor on Hikuleo.

Bey caught Kid with a kick. Kid dove off the top rope, but Bey caught him with a cutter for the win.

WINNER: Chris Bey in 17:00.

(D.L.’s Take: The excellent fast paced match you would expect between these two wrestlers. Even though the commercial broke up the match, it was nice that they were given extended time. The match got really good at the end.)

-A clip was shown of last Saturday’s ROH Final Battle PPV where Deonna Purrazzo confronted ROH Women’s champ Rok-C and challenged her. Striker said the match was confirmed and would happen after Hard To Kill.

-Deonna Purrazzo and Matthew Rehwoldt were shown signing autographs in a hotel lobby. Mickie James confronted them. Fans chanted for Mickie. As Mickie walked off, she was attacked by Deonna from behind. They brawled to the floor before security broke it up.

-Scott D’Amore and Gail Kim stood between Deonna Purrazzo & Matthew Rehwoldt and Mickie James in an office. Scott said he was instituting a no-contact rule. He declared they would have a Texas Death Match at Hard To Kill. Mickie said “Welcome to Hardcore Country” and walked off. [c]

(5) TENILLE DASHWOOD (w/Madison Rayne & Kaleb) vs. JESSIE MCKAY (w/Cassie Lee)

Tenille and Jessie shoved each other at the start. Tenille floored Jessie with a punch. Jessie knocked Tenille down with a shoulder tackle. [c]

Tenille pulled Jessie’s hair. Kaleb took photos of The Influence. Tenille slapped at Jessie’s head. Tenille landed a crossbody block to Jessie in the corner. Tenille put Jessie in a full nelson on the mat. Jessie backed Tenille in the corner to break it. Jessie came back with clotheslines and a kick.

Tenille cradled Jessie for a two count. Jessie went for a pin, but Kaleb pulled the referee out of the ring. Madison knocked down Cassie at ringside. Kaleb pulled Jessie’s foot from the outside, allowing Tenille to connect with the Spotlight Kick for the win.

WINNER: Tenille Dashwood in 10:00.

(D.L.’s Take: Not much to it, but it was fun for what it was.)

-Striker and D’Lo ran down the matches for the Hard To Kill PPV in January [c]:

• Ultimate X Match
• Deonna vs. Mickie James
• Josh Alexander vs. Jonah
• Moose vs. Matt Cardona vs. W. Morrissey

-Scott D’Amore was in the ring for a contract signing. He said all three competitors were uniquely different. He said each wrestler had what it takes to be the face of the brand. He brought out W. Morrissey first and he sat at the table. Matt Cardona, accompanied by Chelsea Green, was next. Moose was introduced last.

Moose and Cardona sat on one side of the table, Matt sat on the other side, Chelsea stood behind him, and Scott stood at the head of the table. Scott gave Cardona the opportunity to sign first, but Morrissey took the contract. Morrissey vowed to win the title then signed the contract and left.

Cardona talked about the sneak attacks and BS. He said Moose tried to kill his passion for wrestling. He said no one has been counted out and came back more times than him. He said his passion was impossible to kill. He said he was never more ready than he will be at Hard To Kill. Fans chanted for Cardona. Cardona signed the contract.

Scott gave the contract to Moose to sign. Moose asked Cardona if he really wanted to do this. He called himself the greatest World Champion in Moose. He said Cardona would fail. Cardona told Moose to sign the contract. Moose signed. He said Cardona was in the main event and had a tough challenge ahead of him.

Moose said Chelsea also had a challenge in front of her. He talked about her staying with a man who has always been average. He said once he crushes Cardona’s dreams at Hard To Kill, will she stay loyal or will she leave like the whore she is. Cardona jumped across the table and attacked Moose. Moose caught Cardona with a kick.

Moose choke slammed Cardona through the table. Moose held the title in the air as Chelsea checked on Cardona. Moose walked up the ramp but turned around and took off his jacket and got back in the ring. He knocked Chelsea to the mat, then punched Cardona repeatedly. Moose put Cardona’s neck in a chair.

Chelsea pleaded for Moose to stop and grabbed the chair. Moose shoved Chelsea. Cardona swung a chair but accidentally hit Chelsea instead of Moose. Moose left the ring and smiled as he went up the ramp. Cardona and officials checked on Chelsea.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This was the last original episode of the year, as the next two weeks will be Year In Review shows. The three main title matches for Hard To Kill had good angles to advance the storylines (the World Title Triple Threat match, Deonna vs. Mickie, and Trey vs. Maclin). Everyone played their role well in the main event angle. The in-ring action was good, highlighted by Chris Bey vs. Laredo Kid, which was given a lot of time. It was a nice touch adding the ROH footage with Deonna Purrazzo and Rok-C. The tribute to Jimmy Rave at the start was a classy move.

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NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S IMPACT WRESTLING REPORT: 12/9 IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT: Matt Cardona vs. W. Morrissey, Rhino vs. Young in a Street Fight, more