TNA IMPACT TV RESULTS (5/9): Lilly’s report on ABC vs. Speedball Mountain, The System Championship Celebration

TNA IMPACT TV RESULTS
MAY 9, 2024
ALBANY, NY AT WASHINGTON AVENUE ARMORY
AIRED ON AXS TV
REPORT BY DARRIN LILLY, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

-Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt

-Recap video of Under Siege.

-“Cross the Line” opening.

-Cheerleaders (in black and red outfits) lined the stage and did a dance routine to start The System’s Championship Celebration. A male ring announcer introduced The System. Moose, Brian Myers, Eddie Edwards, and Alisha Edwards walked down the ramp with cheerleaders on both sides. They got in the ring, which had decorations all around.

Myers spoke first and said they were the greatest faction in TNA history, to loud boos. He bragged that they were all champions. Moose said he’s been on a lot of great teams but they are the greatest team of all-time. I said to ask Nic Nemeth and Matt Hardy if they were the best and compared themselves to the USA Dream Team running Croatia off the court. Eddie Edwards spoke next. He introduced Alisha and talked about her winning a title. He said she might be the greatest TNA Knockout of all-time.

Alisha spoke next. She introduced a highlight video of the team. “Broken” Matt Hardy interrupted and got in the ring. He said the war isn’t over and that he wanted to still go after the title. He said he understood The System a little better and knows what the must do to render them obsolete. Cue the “obsolete” chants. Matt said this is merely the beginning. He said he’d like to see Moose’s Super Bowl ring and the fans “oooo’d”. Alisha said no one can understand what he is saying and he called her a witch.

Moose got in his face and said there are four of them and only of him. Matt said he didn’t like their odds and attacked The System with a chair. He took a kendo stick from Alisha, but the distraction allowed The System to attack him. They wrapped a chair around his neck. Ryan Nemeth ran in for the save and hit everyone with a kendo stick. Matt recovered and sent Moose out of the ring. Fans chanted “Delete” as The System left up the ramp. In a funny shot, Matt, Ryan, and all the cheerleaders did the “delete” gesture together.

-Clip from Under Siege of Mustafa Ali beating Ace Austin to retain the X Division Title, with help from his security team.

-Gia Miller interviewed ABC. She talked about their match against Speedball Mountain tonight (in which the winning team will face each other to get an X Division Title shot). Chris Bey said the match wouldn’t put any strain on their relationship. He said he and Ace are on the same page. Ace said he would be the X Division champion right now if Bey had been in his corner to help fight the interference. He said that tonight they would operate like the champions that they are and worry about the aftermath later. [c]

-The System complained to Santino Marella about an unsafe working environment and wanted something done about Hardy and Nemeth. Santino told them to hold on for a huge announcement.

(1) FBI (Ray Jaz & Zack Clayton w/Guido) vs. FIRST CLASS (Rich Swann & AJ Francis)

The  FBI had the early advantage on Swann. Swann raked Clayton’s eyes to turn the tide. AJ used power moves on Clayton as Swann interfered when the referee wasn’t looking. AJ and Clayton clotheslined each other to the mat. Jaz and Swann tagged in and fought. Jaz gave Swann a back suplex for a two count. All four wrestlers fought in the ring. AJ chokeslammed Jaz and Swann followed with the 450 splash for the pin.

WINNERS: First Class in 5:00.

(D.L.’s Take: Basic tag team action. The push of First Class continues. It does appear that the lengthy feud with Joe Hendry is over however.)

-Jake Something confronted Santino backstage. He was interrupted by the Rascalz, who complained about their match at Under Siege. Santino said the Rascalz would face Jake and a partner of his choice. Cody Deaner showed up and said it would be the people’s choice. He pulled Santino aside and said he had an idea for the match. [c]

-Sound Check with Alan Angels. Alan had Steph De Lander and Kon as his guests this week. Alan said that Kon was the first ever two-time guest and he brought his girlfriend with him. Kon pushed him away. Steph said they weren’t dating. Alan asked if she was single; she was disgusted. Steph asked Kon if  he and Alan were friends and Kon said Alan was starting to annoy him. Kon got out of his seat. Security ran in and Kon beat them up. Kon and Steph left.

(2) JAKE SOMETHING & CODY DEANER vs. THE RASCALZ (Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz)

Deaner did mic work and announced that Santino said they could have a regular match or an Albany tornado tag match. The fans chose the tornado tag match. All four wrestlers traded punches at the start. Trey was sent out of the ring, leaving Jake and Deaner to double team Wentz. Jake and Deaner clotheslined the Rascalz out of the ring. [c]

Jake threw Trey out of the ring and to the floor. The Rascalz double teamed Jake on the outside. In the ring, they did the same to Deaner. The Rascalz stomped Deaner. Jake finally got back in the ring and ran wild on the Rascalz. Trey went for a dive on the outside, but Jake threw Wentz into him. Deaner did a dive on the Rascalz. Jake powerbombed Trey for a two count.

Trey did a Poison Rana on Jake. Deaner and Wentz both had two counts at the same time. Deaner and Wentz collided in the center  of  the ring. The fans chanted “This is awesome!” Trey sprayed Jake in the eyes with spray paint. The Rascalz double teamed Deaner. They both pinned Deaner after Wentz gave Deaner a double stomp.

WINNERS: The Rascalz in 11:00.

As the Rascalz were celebrating on the ramp, Steve Maclin ran in and attacked them from behind, leaving both laid out. The camera cut to Maclin going backstage. Gia Miller interviewed him and he said it was revenge for them walking out on him. Frankie Kazarian showed up and blamed Maclin them losing at Under Siege on Maclin being distracted. Frankie  reminded him that they weren’t done with their Eric Young and Josh Alexander problem. They argued and apparently dissolved their brief partnership. [c]

(D.L.’s Take: This turned out to be a fun match. The Rascalz are in need of direction and a feud with Maclin should help.)

-Mike Santana sitdown interview with Tom Hannifan. Santana said he was on top of the world and it was good to be home. Hannifan recounted Santana’s days teaming with Ortiz in TNA, as clips played. Santana talked about their accomplishments and Konnan’s mentorship. He said it was their first experience on TV. Hannifan asked about what he learned during his time away from TNA. Photos of Santana’s family were on the screen. Santana talked about his father passing away and how it crushed his soul. He talked about changes in himself and dealing with problems, including getting sober over a year ago. He said it saved his life before the segment faded to black. This segment was very well done and did an effective job of re-introducing Santana to the TNA fans.

-Gabby LaSpisa was in the ring and talked about her Gabby AF podcast. She said she finally scored an interview and was about to introduced Ash By Elegance before she was interrupted by the Concierge, who said that he handles her introductions. He got in the ring and Gabby asked who he was. She wanted to know his name. He said he would give her a name and said “Ash By Elegance.” Ash did her ring entrance.

Gabby asked what was Ash’s actual name and why is she Ash By Elegance. Ash said it is a lifestyle brand. Gabby said she never heard of the brand. Ash asked if she lived under a rock. Ash insulted the interview and the town. Gabby said she wasn’t trying to make her angry and pitched to a video of Ash choking Havok with the garlic necklace and attacking her with a chair at Under Siege.

Gabby said that Ash seemed very angry and asked if it was because of Xia Brookside pinning her after the referee took Ash’s rings, as the footage played. The Concierge was angry and thought the video had been scrubbed. Ash said she wasn’t angry about the match but the referee had stolen her jewelry (the rings she tried to knocked out Xia with). Gabby said that she would have the opportunity to get her jewelry back, she just had to beat Xia, who walked to the ring.  Xia challenged Ash to a match next week for the rings. Ash agreed.

(D.L.’s Take: This took a long time to get where they were going.)

-Clip of Joe Hendry being interviewed on a radio show about his music and wrestling success. [c]

-Santino talked about the Champions Challenge, a  match where all of the champions would team together and take on a team of all-stars. The match will be The System, Masha Slamovich, Jordynne Grace, Mustafa Ali, and Laredo Kid vs. Matt Hardy, Ryan Nemeth, Spitfire, Steph DeLander, Joe Hendry, Eric Young, and Sami Callihan.

(3) JONATHAN GRESHAM vs. WILL FERRARA

Gresham wore his octopus mask to the ring and a black mask in the ring. Hannifan talked about Gresham and Ferrara being training partners. Gresham took Ferrara to the mat and put him in holds. Gresham kicked Ferrara in the knee. Ferrara made a brief comeback, but Gresham cut him off. Ferrara fired up. Gresham caught him with a boot. Gresham gave Ferrara a moonsault and drove his knee into the mat several times. Gresham put Ferrara in the octopus. He coughed up ink and put his fingers in Ferrara’s mouth and got the pin. [c]

WINNER: Jonathan Gresham in 4:00.

(D.L.’s Take: The match itself made Gresham look dominant. This bizarre ink gimmick is something to keep an eye on.)

-A tranquil shot of the woods was shown. A car pulled up to a cabin. A woman got out and entered the cabin. The woman walked outside to the porch. The camera revealed it was Gail Kim. She approached a meditating Gisele Shaw and said “We need to talk.”

-Matches for next week:

*Champions Challenge

*Xia Brookside vs. Ash By Elegance

*Alan Angels vs. Leon Slater

-Mustafa Ali and his security team walked to ringside. Ali joined the commentary team at ringside. Speedball Mountain and ABC did their ring entrances. [c]

(4) ABC (Chris Bey & Ace Austin) vs. SPEEDBALL MOUNTAIN (“Speedball” Mike Bailey & Trent Seven)

The members of the winning team will face each other in a match to determine who gets a shot the X Division Title. Bey and Bailey started the match. There were chants for both teams. Hannifan called Ali “two-faced” on commentary. Bailey caught Ace with a dropkick. Bey and Seven traded strikes. Seven chopped Bey and gave him a superplex. Bailey missed a shooting star press on Bey. Ace gave Seven a missile dropkick. [c]

Seven and Bey traded chops. Bey gave Seven a kick to the head and a cutter for a two count. Ali yelled from ringside for them to fulfill their destiny. Ace kicked Bailey to the outside. ABC double teamed Seven. All four wrestlers were laid out. Speedball Mountain made a comeback on ABC. Bey was sent out of the ring. Speedball Mountain double teamed Ace and went for a pin, but Bey broke it up. All four wrestlers were laid out again.

ABC wanted to go for the 1-2 Sweet but Speedball Mountain avoided it. Speedball Mountain did dives to the outside on ABC. Fans chanted “This is awesome!” Bailey gave Bey the tornado kick. Ace broke up the Burning Hammer. ABC took Speedball Mountain outside of the ring and Ace did a dive on them. Ace argued with Ali, who said he would gave Ace a rematch. Bailey booted Ace. Seven gave Bey a German suplex. Seven gave Ace a Burning Hammer, followed by Bailey giving Ace the Ultima Weapon for the pin.

WINNERS: Speedball Mountain in 17:00.

Bey and Ace seemed upset after the match, as Speedball Mountain celebrated and Ali walked up the ramp.

(D.L.’s Take: A really good main event where both teams had a chance to shine. Ali’s act was good on commentary. The possible ABC split continues. A match seems inevitable — no pun intended.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: The highlights of the show to me were the outstanding video packages for Mike Santana and the return of Gisele Shaw. The TNA production team does an amazing job with these packages and these two segments were fine examples of their work. This was another talk-heavy edition of the show, which is a bit understandable since they are building to a show that is over a month away. There were more short matches this week, but the main event was really good.