SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
TNA IMPACT TV RESULTS
FEBRUARY 29, 2024
NEW ORLEANS, LA AT ALARIO CENTER
AIRED ON AXS TV
REPORT BY DARRIN LILLY, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
-Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt
-“In Memory of” graphics for Ole Anderson and Virgil.
-Recap video of last week’s show and No Surrender.
-“Cross the Line” intro video.
(1) “SPEEDBALL” MIKE BAILEY (w/Trent Seven) vs. STEVE MACLIN (w/The Rascalz)
Bailey gave Maclin a series of kicks. The action spilled to the floor and they brawled. Maclin had the upper hand when the action returned to the ring. Bailey avoided a charge and landed a spectacular twisting dive from the top rope to the floor. They brawled on the apron. Bailey missed a moonsault on the apron, then Maclin speared him to the floor. Back in the ring, the Rasclaz caused a distraction, leading to Maclin giving Bailey a piledriver for a two count. Bailey landed more kicks. Maclin blocked a tornado kick. Maclin gave Bailey a buckle bomb. Bailey gave Maclin a reverse rana. Bailey missed an Ultima Weapon. Bailey escaped a KAI, but Maclin finally hit it and got the pin.
WINNER: Steve Maclin in 8:00.
Maclin took the mic after the match and said this is what he does — takes people out. He asked the Rascalz if they’ve seen Nic Nemeth. He said Nemeth doesn’t even show up to work and he said all along he would abandon this place. A promo played of Nemeth from NJPW. He said he couldn’t be there because he was in Japan winning a title. He challenged Maclin to a match at Sacrifice. [c]
(D.L.’s Take: This was all action. They worked very well together. Good way to get Nemeth on the show since he wasn’t able to be at the tapings.)
-Clip of Eric Young beating Frankie Kazarian at No Surrender, then Frankie attacking the referee after the match. They played a clip of “earlier today” where Frankie was arguing with security on his way into the building. Gia Miller informed Frankie that he has been suspended. He told her to ask Santino Marella if he really thinks this is the right thing to do. Frankie walked off.
(2) JAKE SOMETHING vs. LAREDO KID
Kid took Jake to the mat with a rana. Kid tried to gave Jake a rana on the floor, but Jake turned it into a powerbomb. Jake got a two count in the ring. Jake decked Kid with a punch. Kid caught Jake with two superkicks. Kid dropkicked Jake from the top rope. Kid missed a moonsault and Jake gave him a DDT. Kid landed a moonsault for a two count. Jake hit Into the Void for the pin. [c]
WINNER: Jake Something in 4:00.
(D.L.’s Take: Decent while it lasted, but didn’t have enough time to really get going. Mostly a showcase for Jake, although Kid did get some offense. This looks to be the start of an X Division push for Jake.)
-Sound Check segment. Alan Angels interviewed Kon. Security was on standby. Angels said he was proud of Kon and noted they were former partners in The Design. Angles called him “little brother” and Kon told him to watch his mouth. Angels kissed up to him. Kon said he was the baddest man in TNA and PCO may be dead. The lights flickered. The screen went to black and white as PCO appeared. Angels yelled at PCO that he was ruining the Sound Check. PCO knocked him down and went to brawl with Kon, but the segment cut off.
(3) RICH SWANN & JOE HENDRY vs. AJ FRANCIS & DEANER
Fans chanted “We believe!” as Hendry took the mic. He said it was the in-ring debut for AJ and the pressure was on because AJ’s whole family and his friend Steve were watching. He said the last thing AJ wants to do is flop. Hendry said he didn’t want anyone to chant “AJ sucks!”, which they immediately did. Hendry apologized and said the fans also like to chant “We believe!” which they did. The match finally started. AJ knocked Hendry off the apron. Deaner and Swann squared off. [c]
Hendry suplexed Deaner. AJ and Deaner got the heat on Hendry. Hendry finally made the tag to Swann. Swann delivered a series of kicks to Deaner. AJ broke up a pin attempt and grabbed Swann. Swann slapped AJ and sent him over the top rope. Swann did a dive on AJ. Swann gave Deaner a cutter. Hendry gave Deaner the Standing Ovation and got the pin.
WINNERS: Joe Hendry & Rich Swann in 10:00.
(D.L.’s Take: This was okay. Fans were really into getting on AJ’s case. I suppose the Swann/AJ feud will continue.)
-Decay promo. They talked about losing the belts and having patience. They said they came to New Orleans. And said a bunch of spooky things. [c]
-Hannifan announced that TNA has signed Hammerstone and he will face Josh Alexander at Sacrifice.
-Gia Miller interviewed Josh Alexander. He was interrupted by Dirty Dango, Oleg Prudius, and Alpha Bravo. They plugged their wrestling school. Alexander challenged Dango to a match next week.
-Mustafa Ali inauguration ceremony. The Good Hands were in suits and introduced Ali. John Skyler said they were in Mississippi (they were in Louisiana) and the fans booed. Ali finally came out with his security. There was a podium and bunting in the ring. Ali gave a victory speech and said they were able to do it because the fans believe in Ali. The fans chanted “Ali!” He was about to give his first executive order, when he was interrupted by Chris Sabin. Sabin challenged him to come from behind the podium and talk face to face. They faced off.
Sabin talked about change and how people can change things if they believe in themselves. He said that Ali thinks change is all about him and he gets people like the Good Hands to do his dirty work. He said if it weren’t for the Good Hands, he would have kept the belt. Ali said it was slanderous. He said the Good Hands were there not because they are being paid, but because they support him. Sabin said no one in the building supported Ali. Fans chanted “Ali!” Sabin said he wasn’t there to debate; he was there to fight. He punched Ali. Fans booed. Ali and the Good Hands attacked Sabin, but Kushida and Kevin Knight ran in for the save. Ali and his team left up the ramp. Sabin, Kushida, and Knight tore up the decorations.
-Ash by Elegance’s assistant brought her to the stage. She said that next week she will have her second match in TNA. [c]
-Ali said that Sabin, Kushida, and Knight ruined everything. He said they would find out that actions have consequences.
(4) XIA BROOKSIDE vs. TASHA STEELZ
The winner will get a Knockouts Title shot at Sacrifice. Jordynne Grace was shown watching on a monitor. Xia was on offense at the start, but Tasha eventually got the upper hand. Tasha put Xia in a chinlock. Xia made a comeback. Xia kicked Tasha off the apron then gave her a running knee and a neckbreaker on the floor. They brawled on the floor and got counted out.
WINNER: Double countout in 5:00.
Grace walked to the stage and said she would face both at Sacrifice in a triple threat match.
-The System were shown on their way to the ring. [c]
-Matches for next week include:
*Mustafa Ali vs. Kevin Knight
*Josh Alexander vs. Dirty Dango
*Dani Luna vs. Masha Slamovich
*Ash By Elegance in action.
-Rhino promo. He challenged Crazzy Steve to a no DQ match.
-Hannifan and Rehwoldt ran down the matches for Sacrifice.
-The System, ABC, and Eric Young did their ring entrances. [c]
(5) ERIC YOUNG & ABC (Chris Bey & Ace Austin) vs. THE SYSTEM (Moose & Brian Myers & Eddie Edwards w/Alisha Edwards)
Moose and Eric started the match. Fans were solidly behind Eric. Myers tagged in before they even locked up. Eric bit Myers’ hand. ABC double teamed Myers. Eddie and Eric faced off. Eddie chopped Bey. Moose scratched Bey’s back and chopped him. The System kept the advantage on Bey. Bey finally tagged to Ace and they double teamed Myers. Moose knocked Ace off the apron. [c]
The System kept the advantage on Ace. Moose knocked Ace’s partners off the apron. Ace made a tag, but the referee was distracted. The System continued to attack Ace. Ace gave Myers a spin kick and finally made the tag to Eric. Eric had a flurry of offense on Eddie, then Myers. Eric got a two count on Eddie. Eric and Eddie traded strikes. They clotheslined each other to the mat. Moose and Bey tagged in. Bey did a dive on Moose but Moose caught him and powerbombed him on the apron. There was a sequence where everyone traded moves. The action returned to the ring, where Moose and Bey had an exchange. ABC double teamed Moose. Bey gave Moose a cutter and Ace hit the The Fold on Moose. Bey went for the pin, but Eddie broke it up. Everyone fought in the ring and exchanged moves. Moose dropkicked Bey on the top rope, after a distraction from Alisha. The System triple teamed Bey. Myers gave Bey an elbow drop and got the pin.
WINNERS: The System in 17:00.
(D.L.’s Take: Pretty standard six-man match, but picked up with lots of action at the end. The ending made The System look like a dominant faction.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: This was kind of a lackluster episode of the show coming off of No Surrender. The next Impact+ special has a short turnaround and they built to some of those matches, but there was a spark missing.
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.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.