TNA IMPACT TV RESULTS (2/1): Lilly’s report on Nemeth vs. Miguel, ABC vs. Grizzled Young Vets

TNA IMPACT TV RESULTS
FEBRUARY 1, 2024
ORLANDO, FL AT OSCEOLA HERITAGE PARK
AIRED ON AXS TV
REPORT BY DARRIN LILLY, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

-Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt

-Recap video of last week’s show.

-“Cross the Line” open.

(1) NIC NEMETH vs. TREY MIGUEL (w/Zachary Wentz)

Trey attacked Nemeth at the bell. Nemeth made a comeback and clotheslined Trey over the top rope. Nemeth argued with Wentz on the outside, causing a distraction that let Trey do a dive on Nemeth. Back in the ring, Trey was on offense. They traded sending each other into the ringpost. Trey mocked Nemeth’s hip swivel. Trey went for a flying crossbody block, but Nemeth dropkicked him in mid-air. Nemeth made a comeback, including clotheslines and a series of ten elbow drops. Nemeth went for a superkick, but Trey blocked it and rolled him up. Nemeth was going for the superkick, but Wentz grabbed his leg. The referee threw Wentz out. Trey caught Nemeth with a dropkick and a meteora. Trey went for a superkick, but Nemeth superkicked him first and got the pin.

WINNER: Nic Nemeth in 8:00.

Nemeth slapped hands with the fans after the match. Steve Maclin attacked him from behind on the ramp and threw him back in the ring. The Rascalz joined in and superkicked Nemeth. Maclin gave Nemeth a DDT.

(D.L.’s Take: Good opener to further expose Nemeth to the TNA audience. The post-match angle added to the Nemeth/Maclin feud.)

-Deaner and Kon promo. Deaner talked about the TNA rebranding. Kon declared that The Design is dead. Deaner objected. Kon grabbed Deaner and said it was time for him to remind people who the baddest man in TNA is and it starts tonight. [c]

-Maclin and The Rascalz gloated about beating up Nemeth as they walked down the hallway. They confronted Mike Bailey. Wentz said he could beat up Bailey again. The group walked off.

(2) DECAY (Rosemary & Havok) vs. MIA MOORE & SAVANNAH THORNE

This was a non-title match. Hannifan plugged that they would go behind the scenes of Jordynne Grace at WWE’s Royal Rumble event later. Rosemary and Mia started the match. Rosemary bit Mia after threatening to bite her face off. MK Ultra were shown watching the match on a monitor backstage. Rosemary stretched Mia over the ropes. Thorne slapped Rosemary. Havok tagged in. Thorne punched Havok, but she no-sold the punches. Havok gave Thorn a Death Valley Driver. Rosemary and Havok did a double team powerbomb and Havok pinned Thorne for the win.

WINNERS: Decay in 3:00.

(D.L.’s Take: An entertaining but short squash. They kept it simple but it was a good way to keep Decay on TV.)

-Gia Miller interviewed MK Ultra. Killer Kelly said they wanted a rematch against Decay at No Surrender. Dani Luna and Jody Threat interrupted and said they wanted another match against MK Ultra. Jody challenged Masha to a match. Both teams left. [c]

-Debut of “The Sound Check” with Alan Angels. Angels was adjusting the lighting as Josh Alexander sat and waited. Angels finally started and welcomed Alexander to the show. Alexander said that he wanted to be world champion again. Angels said that Alexander had to step on toes to get to the top. Alexander said it was about hard-fought matches and working to get to the top. Angles said that Alexander was coming off as ungrateful and a bad example for his son. Alexander said that Angels crossed the line, then he walked off. Angles closed the show.

(3) BRIAN MYERS (w/Eddie & Alisha Edwards) vs. KEVIN KNIGHT

Knight did an inset promo on his way to the ring. He said he had friends of his own. They traded the advantage early. Knight did a standing splash on Myers’ back, then worked on his arm. Knight caught Myers with a crossbody block for a two count. Myers regrouped on the ramp. Myers threw Knight into the side of the ring and gave him a suplex on the floor. [c]

Myers put Knight in a chinlock. Knight battled back with a dropkick. Fans chanted “TNA!” Knight punched Myers. Knight caught Myers with a dive on the floor. Knight gave Myers a flying clothesline for a two count. Knight gave Myers a flurry of offense including a DDT. Myers kicked Knight low as he was getting back in the ring and got a two count. Knight dropkicked Myers as he was going for the Roster Cut. Knight missed a flying clothesline and Myers gave him the Roster Cut and got the pin.

WINNER: Brian Myers in 11:00.

Eddie and Alisha got in the ring to celebrate. The System was about to attack Knight, but Kushida ran in for the save. The System left.

(D.L.’s Take: Knight’s high-flying skills were on full display. If he ever gets a sustained push here, he will be a crowd favorite. Myers is looking good in his new featured role.)

-Gia Miller interviewed Chris Sabin. He talked about Mustafa Ali coming after his title. Sabin said he was a fighting champion and he was impressed with Ali. He was interrupted by an “ad” from Mustafa Ali that had clips of Sabin. Ali talked about change being necessary and that the fearful need leadership. After the video, Sabin said he guessed the speculation is over. The Good Hands walked in and said Ali would be the next  X Division champion. John Skyler challenged Sabin to a match next week. Sabin agreed, then walked off. The Good Hands speculated if Ali would be watching. [c]

-Frankie Kazarian walked to the ring to deliver his promo. Fans booed. He said people have asked why he betrayed Eric Young and TNA Wrestling. He said the people may not like the answers but it was all absolute fact. He said he returned to TNA last year and saved the company. He said he was the guy in the promo video bringing TNA out of the water into the light. He said he has given more than anyone and now he will start taking. He said he earned the right to do what he wants. He said less deserving people were given opportunities. Fans chanted “Please shut up.”

Kazarian said he has given up being a hero to the people. He said the hero must become the monster and that’s what the intends to do. Fans chanted “Frankie sucks!” and he said they were embarrassing themselves. He talked about Eric Young and said they were similar. He said history doesn’t remember soldiers, they remember kings, so he will become the king of TNA. He called Eric a means to an end. He said everything he does from here on out will be for the betterment of TNA. He said the people have permission to hate him now. Fans booed as he walked up the ramp to his theme music. Eric Young was shown looking on from behind the curtain.

-The System celebrated their win backstage. Alex Shelley approached. He said he’d take his title back at No Surrender. Moose agreed to the match. Shelley said they could fight right now. Moose said that’s not how The System works, but Shelley will find out. The System walked off. [c]

-Ash By Elegance promo. Undeniable. Irresistible. Unforgettable.

-Deaner walked to the ring. He admitted that The Design is dead. Fans cheered. He said it might even be his fault. He said he was wrong that he thought you could bring Violent from Design from the dead. He said if something is dead, it never comes back to life. Cue PCO’s music. He was wheeled out on the table.

(4) PCO vs. DEANER

They brawled at the start. PCO gave Deaner a neckbreaker. Fans chanted “He’s not human!” PCO hit the moonsault and got the pin.

WINNER: PCO in 1:00.

Kon ran in and attacked PCO from behind. Kon helped Deaner off the mat, but then clotheslined him. Kon said “It’s over when I say it’s over” then twisted Deaner’s neck. PCO rose up, but Kon slammed him to the mat, then put his hands over PCO’s face and pressed his head to the mat. Kon raised his arm as PCO was laid out.

-AJ Francis walked up to Rich Swann and said he saw how Joe Hendry got the better of Swann on Xplosion. AJ offered to team with Swann. Swann declined. Rhino walked by. AJ talked to him about Crazzy Steve and Rhino told him to F off (he was bleeped). Swann told AJ that no one in TNA messes with him. Swann walked off. [c]

-Video package recapping Jordynne Grace at the WWE Royal Rumble. She talked about learning she was going to be in the Royal Rumble. They showed her at the hotel with her mother, training, packing, looking out at the empty arena, on her way to the ring, match footage, and clips of people cheering her entrance (including Gail Kim).

(5) MASHA SLAMOVICH (w/Killer Kelly) vs. JODY THREAT (w/Dani Luna)

They traded punches right at the start. Jody gave Masha a series of clotheslines. Masha caught Jody with a spinning kick. Masha gave Jody a series of headbutts and a suplex. Masha gave Jody hard kicks. Jody got a sunset flip and a roll up for two counts. Masha clotheslined Jody three times and got a two count. Jody came back with kicks, double knees, and a German suplex. Kelly held onto Jody’s legs, but Dani decked Kelly. Masha used the distraction to give Jody the Snow Plow and got the pin.

WINNER: Masha Slamovich in 4:00.

(D.L.’s Take: Decent, but short match. MK Ultra continues to look strong on their way to the tag team title rematch.)

-They cut to backstage to show The System was beating up Kushida. Alex Shelley and security made the save as The System gloated and left. [c]

-Hannifan and Rehwoldt plugged matches for No Surrender, including Moose vs. Alex Shelley and Jordynne Grace vs. Gisele Shaw.

(6) ABC (Chris Bey & Ace Austin) vs. THE GRIZZLED YOUNG VETS (Zack Gibson & James Drake)

This was the first match in a best 2 out of 3 series, where the winning team will get the tag team titles. Bey and Gibson started the match. Bey dropkicked Gibson. ABC hit some double team moves on Gibson. Fans chanted “ABC!” Ace fought out of a double suplex. Bey gave the Vets a flying crossbody block. ABC sent the Vets out of the ring. [c]

The Vets had the upper hand. Drake put Bey in a chinlock. Gibson suplexed Bey and put on a chinlock of his own. Gibson gave Bey a spinning neckbreaker. Bey finally made the hot tag to Ace, who ran wild. Fans chanted “ABC!” Ace took on the Vets by himself. ABC double teamed Drake. Bey gave Drake a frog splash for a two count. Fans chanted “TNA!” and “This is awesome!” Drake took Bey out on the floor. Drake kicked Ace in the head and got a two count. Drake gloated to Ace that no one was there for him. Drake continued to punch Ace. Bey got back in the ring to break up the Doomsday Device. Bey gave Gibson a neckbreaker and Ace got a two count.

All four wrestlers squared off and brawled. ABC kicked Drake in the head. Bey did a dive on Gibson. Drake threw Bey into the ring steps. Ace did a dive to the outside on Gibson. Drake choked Ace with a scarf. The Vets hit their finisher and Drake pinned Ace.

WINNERS: Grizzled Young Vets in 16:00.

(D.L.’s Take: Exciting tag team action. The Vets continue to impress. These teams worked really well together and the fans were into it all the way through. Great start to the series.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: A well-rounded show. This was the first show since the rebrand where there wasn’t a guest star like Will Ospreay or Kazuchika Okada, but it was entertaining with the crew of “regulars.” Frankie Kazarian gave an effective mission statement promo after his heel turn. Nic Nemeth’s climb to the top continues. The Knockouts Tag Team division is heating up. The Alan Angels segment was good in showing his personality and these segments could be a nice treat going forward. The Jordynne Grace video was a good follow-up to her appearance at the Royal Rumble and made her seem like a bigger star. Good main event to top off the show. The company’s momentum continues headed into No Surrender.

Darrin Lilly is a Pro Wrestling Torch contributor who writes the weekly Impact Wrestling TV results and co-hosts the Impact Wrestling podcast for the site with John Laslo. You can find him on Instagram and Threads at dklstl or on You Tube at Darrin’s Wrestling World.