TNA IMPACT HITS & MISSES (9/19): Matt & Jeff Hardy & Masha Slamovich vs. Myers & Edwards & Steelz, Mike Santana, Mike Bailey, Rhino, Matt Cardona, more

TNA IMPACT HITS AND MISSES
SEPTEMBER 19, 2024
SAN ANTONIO, TEX. AT BOEING CENTER AT TECH POINT
AIRED ON AXS TV
OPINION BY JOHN LASLO, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

THE SYSTEM ADDRESSES THE AUDIENCE – MAJOR HIT

Alright, first off, while this started out as a System promo, it was not about the System whatsoever. It was Masha Slamovich’s segment, and she dominated it. Honestly, I think they’ve been planning this for a little while, and I think they pulled it off at exactly the right time and in the right way. I think the intention had always been for Masha to do a face turn and begin speaking English at the same time, but it just got put off for a bit. A great turn that I think will be looked back on fondly in the future. It catapulted Slamovich back to the main event.

Then the post match beat down, and save by the Hardys for a build to the main event was great.

FATHER FIGURE ERIC YOUNG TALKS TO  JOSH ALEXANDER BACKSTAGE – HIT

I get it, EY. You are trying to prevent Josh Alexander from going down the wrong path. However, like everyone else, the only way to learn is by doing. Cool, build it out.

MASHA SLAMOVICH FANGIRLS – MINOR HIT

Normally, I feel like showing wrestlers being fans of other wrestlers is kinda cringe, or unearned. I kinda like this one. I have no idea why.

(1) SAINT & SINNER vs. FIRST CLASS (A.J. Francis & K.C. Navarro) – HIT

This was a good match, and really showed off K.C. Navarro. It would have been nice to get more Saint & Sinner, but it wasn’t bad for them.

MIKE SANTANA BACKSTAGE – MINOR HIT

This could have been better last week, as a build to the match, but it was enjoyable.

SPEEDBALL MIKE BAILEY BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW WITH GIA MILLER – MINOR HIT

Bailey is great as the X-Division champ, especially after the long but very lackluster reign of Mustafa Ali. I love that Bailey wants the challenge, and to push for great matches. I’m not sure why ABC is teaming with Wentz (I mean what are Trey Miguel and Myron Reed doing? However, Bailey, Kushida, and Leon Slater is about the highest skill trio that you could imagine.

(2) RHINO vs. MATT CARDONA – MISS

I’ve seen this match before. I’ve seen them do this match at a PPV. Rhino/Cardona is not a feud for the ages. It’s fine, but not something I’m looking forward to. PCO showed up in the end, and moonsaulted a chair, which furthers the PCO/Cardona feud, which IS a match I’m looking forward to.

(3) SPITFIRE (Dani Luna & Jody Threat) vs. KENDAL GREY & CARLIE BRIGHT – MINOR HIT

I mean, fine, I guess. Bringing over NXT talent to bolster the decimated Knock Outs division. It was just short and gave a little time to showing off either pair.

HEATHER RECKLESS DRESSING ROOM – MISS

This was a thing that happened. I don’t think that it served Heather Reckless very well. I really hope it is leading to a Reckless and Ash By Elegance feud.

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(4) MIKE SANTANA vs. JDC — Street fight match – HIT

Match of the night. It really elevated Mike Santana and JDC nicely. It was really good to see an old school hardcore match. While a ton of old ECW guys have come and gone, the further we get from 1999 the more that those are nostalgia acts. However, these guys remembered and elevated the hardcore match. Technically, it was a Texas Deathmatch, but it Texas Deathmatch is just a precursor to hardcore matches.

JOSH ALEXANDER TRIES TO BE FATHER FIGURE TO SAINT AND SINNER – MINOR HIT

Aight, let’s see how this plays out. Alexander was part of the best tag team in TNA history, so let’s see how this plays out.

(5) JEFF HARDY & MATT HARDY & MASHA SLAMOVICH vs. BRIAN MYERS & EDDIE EDWARDS & TASHA STEELZ (w/Alisha Edwards) – MINOR HIT

This was fine. It should not have been the main event, but it was fine. The Hardys have taken this position where they are consistently teaming with random faces, and they do a great job of integrating those younger wrestlers into their team. I think in most situations this would have been a great main event (especially compared to the other, shorter matches). However, the Santana/JDC match overshadowed this one.

FINAL THOUGHTS – HIT

I think that I was tougher on individual portions of this show than I felt about the show in total. Overall, it was good, but possibly in the wrong order. There were a lot of promos, most of which should lead to something interesting in the short term, and a few things that might take a bit longer to cook. I’d like the ratio of promo to wrestling to be a little more in favor of the wrestling side of it, but overall, a good show.

Stay right here and keep the flow going. We think you’ll like to read this next…

RECOMMENDED NEXT: TNA IMPACT TV RESULTS (9/19): Lilly’s report on Santana vs. JDC, Cardona vs. Rhino, plus Matt & Jeff Hardy, Mike Santana, more

OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: Powell’s TNA Impact Hit List: Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, and Masha Slamovich vs. Eddie Edwards, Brian Myers, and Tasha Steelz, Mike Santana vs. JDC in a Texas Death Match, Matt Cardona vs. Rhino