5/30 Impact Wrestling in Mumbai, India (Night 1): Detailed TV taping report including Low Ki, Sonjay, EC3, Moose, Alberto, Trevor Lee, Lashley

IMPACT WRESTLING TV TAPING (Night 1)
MAY 30, 2017
GOREGAON, MUMBAI, INDIA AT THE RELIANCE MEDIAWORKS STUDIO
REPORT BY HIMANSHU D., PWTORCH CORRESPONDENT

The venue was full and the floor area had no seats but rather people were standing the whole time (so it was literally standing room only). Definitely many more people than the Impact Zone attracts in Orlando.

(1) Low Ki vs. Caleb Konley: During the match, a suicide dive by Konley caused Low Ki to bleed near the eye. Low Ki wins. Sonjay Dutt’s music plays and he comes out wearing an eye patch asking if Low Ki knows his name. He tells the crowd to tell Low Ki what his name is. He sees Low Ki is hurt om his eye so ge asks how does it feel to be on the other side. Sonjay Dutt talks about years ago when they wrestled at Elks Lodge. He says there is no Homicide or Hit Squad to hold him back. He says they’re in Mumbai, India. He says if Low Ki is a man of honour he would give him a title match. Low Ki shakes his hand to comfirm the match.

(2) Vinaash Verma vs. Davey Richards: Davey goes after him right from the bell. Some hope spots for Vinaash, a somersault attempt is missed by him and Davey puts on the ankle lock for the submission win. After the match, EC3 comes out and whips Vinaash with the belt. James Storm’s music hits and EC3 escapes the ring as he runs in.

(3) Laurel Van Ness (w/Sienna) vs. Rosemary: Sienna tries to distract the referee but Laurel accidentally pushes Sienna off the apron and Rosemary gets a rollup for the win. Sienna and Laurel attack Rosemary until Allie comes out with a kendo stick (more like a broom) and hits them both with it. After the heels leave, Allie and Rosemary are in the ring. Rosemary snatches the kendo stick but instead of attacking her with it, drops the kendo stick and smiles. Allie looked tense the whole time.

EC3 comes out wearing an Indian dress with Ethan Singh 3 on the big screen and custom music. He is accompanied by a translator. He says he is EC3. “Loser” chants from the crowd. He talks about his lineage, says his great great great great grandfather was born in India and is a full-blooded Indian. He says you’re with me and I’m with you. He tells the translator to translate what he said. He says India is a land of rich cultural opportunity. He says Impact Wrestling in India is making history. He says he’s rich and he doesn’t see culture in a third world hellhole. “Loser” chants from the crowd again. EC3 says when it comes to history he’s not here to create it, he’s here to destroy it. He says he came to find zen and tranquility, instead he found despair and anger. He says Sony and Impact deserve each other because they’re just like the people out here. He says his name is EC3. He says he is the best guy here, the best guy there and in a country of 1.3 billion he is the best anywhere. He tells the translator to translate but he wouldn’t do so. EC3 says he shall be punished. He takes out his belt and whips the translator. Storm’s music hits and he runs in. EC3 tries to whip him but Storm kicks the belt off his hands. He is about to whip EC3 with it but he escapes. Storm brings the translator back in the ring and they pose to end the segment.

Josh Matthews out for a match wearing his GOAT shirt. He asks if the crowd knows who Scott Steiner is. A million people watched on YouTube as he made his return to Impact. He says he has handpicked his opponent. He says was in the 2008 Indian Olympic Team. He says he was in the Bollywood film Sultan. “You can’t wrestle” chants. He introduces Sandeep, a fat wrestler wearing a singlet. Josh takes him down with a hip toss and taunts to the crowd. He did the bit where he spins around his opponents’ back and slaps his head to make him look stupid. Taunts to the crowd again. An arm drag and a dropkick shocks Josh and he kicks the ropes out of anger. He is pissed at Sandeep. He gains control of the match and hits a Swanton Bomb on him, followed by a Steiner Recliner for the submission win. Josh Mattgews wouldn’t let go of the hold and Mahabali Shera comes out. Shera botches a lift to the shoulder and he tried it another time. Lashley comes out and attacks Shera. He clothesline him and Josh puts Shera in the Steiner Recliner. Alberto El Patron’s music hits and he clears the ring. He poses with Shera and his GFW Title.

(4) Trevor Lee vs. Braxton Sutter (w/Allie): Trevor Lee attacks right from the bell. He hit a deadlift German suplex for a two count. Trevor dominates the match until Trevor goes after Allie outside the ring. Braxton catches him as he’s about to lay his hands on Allie. Back and forth until the Pepper Shaker Neck Breaker gets the win for Sutter. Allir and Braxton are celebrating in the ring until Sienna’s music hits and she’s out with Laurel. She tells Braxton to get that stupid look out of his face,he wears a beanie in India, it’s a 150 degrees. She said everyone thinks Allie is so innocent and pure. Tell her why Allie attacked her with a weapn for no reason? She says since Allie wants to act as a wrestler, she can be a wrestler. Allie and her pal Rosemary. She asks if Allie thinks Rosemary has a decent bone in her body. She says we’ll see if Rosemary even shows up.

(5) Ten-man gauntlet for the Sony SIX invitational with a trophy at ringside. Over-the-top elimination with a new entrant every 90 seconds, until the final two when it’s pinfall or submission. Suicide and Sydal start off. Davey is the next one in, followed by KM, Davey eliminates Suicide, Swoggle is the next entrant and he has a comedy spot where he slaps Davey’s chest and KM’s midsection and it has no effect on them. KM takes down Swoggle. Eddie is the next entrant and he eliminates both himself and Davey. They brawl to the back. KM removes his belt and goes to whip Swoggle but Sydal stops him, they both try to eliminate KM, Spud is the next entrant and he goes right after Swoggle. Swoggle fight back and Sydal crouches behind Spud and trips him.Spud dominates and gets Swoggle in corner, KM goes for Sydal, Kongo Kong is the next entrant. KM and Kongo Kong eliminate Sydal and Spud. Moose is the next entrant with Kong and KM in the ring. Moose fights but they both double team and eliminate Moose. Shera is the last man. Kongo Kong charges to clothesline him but falls over the top rope and gets eliminated. It’s down to Shera and KM in normal rules. KM dominates, “You’re a liar” chants. Shera hits the Attitude Adjustment, comes back in the match. KM tries to go for the pumphandle slam but it is countered into the Sky High for the win. Shera celebrates and he hugs his dad and brother at ringside. the CEO of Sony Pictures Network, Bruce Prichard and Scott D’Amore present the trophy to Shera and celebrates in the crowd.

Moose out. He says two weeks ago he successfully defended the Impact Grand Championship against a dummy. Eli Drake’s music hits and he’s out with chris Adonis He says “India, India, India… Shut up, dummies. I’m not talking to you, I’m talking to me. Let me talk to ya” He says he thinks when he came to Impact Wrestling he has been fed BS, by the old regime and now with Bruce Prichard, nothing’s changed. Then he looks at this crosseyed halfwit with a title he doesn’t deserve. He says Moose knows he was defeated by Eli Drake. He says Moose got his nose so far up Bruce’s keister, he knows what curry he ate today. Moose says he’s not big on going back and forth. He tells the crowd if they want to see Moose and these two asses at Slammiversary, let him hear it. Moose chants. Eli Drake’s says “quite dummies”, they wanna go two on one. Chris Adonis warns Moose that he has Eli Drake and Eli has him. Moose says he has a partner but he will reveal him in due time.

Alberto El Patron out. Fans are chanting “Si si si”. Alberto says this is amazing, sisisi in Mumbai. Alberto says he took multiple flights and came here just three hours ago. He says he was in the back and felt energy in the building then the crowd gave him that amazing “Sisisi” and just because of that he promises that he is gonna do what he does best, he is gonna kick some traseros here tonight. He says he has been doing this for so many years in so many different countries, China, Mexico, Japan, India, winning titles in different companies, but there’s one title that he hasn’t won and we’re few weeks away from Slammiversary live on PPV and that’s the place where he promisrs he will be the undisputed Impact Wrestling Champion. Lashley’s music hits and he says he is sick and tired of how these fans are cheering for him. He says he ks gonna smarten Alberto up, he is the Impact Wrestling Champion and the realest wrestler in the business, he could take Alberto in the cage or even in the parking lot, he says Alberto is telling about winning titles around the world, he asks him if he thinks he’s the only person. Alberto says my Indian friends are gonna answer for you and the crowd chants “Si si si”. Lashley says he has to go against another cheerleader, he says he knows Alberto comes from a rich wrestling family which he doesn’t care about, he says he is gonna bust his bubble at Slammiversary and when he does that Alberto can walk his ass back and he won’t be needed here. He says at Slammiversary it’s just you vs me, all the talking will be up. Bruce Prichard is out. He says he loves seeing two champ ready to fight. Bobby corrects him and says one champ. Bruce says he’s got one question: they want to defend their title tonight? They should both defend it tonight right here in India. As they get ready to fight, Bruce says not fight against each other, they’re gonna save it for Slammiversary, Alberto’s gonna defend the GFW Title and Bobby the Impact Wrestling Title. Bobby asks against whom. Alberto says how about Bruce cuts this bullshit and let him fight this bitch. Bruce warns if they lose they won’t go to Slammiversary. Alberto asks Bruce who’s it gonna be. Bruce says they’ll find out just like everybody finds out when they walk down that aisle. He wishes them both good luck.

(6) Lashley vs ??? for the Impact Wrestling Championship: Moose is revealed as Lashley’s opponent. A mostly back and forth match till Lashley gets the upper hand, comes down to a sleeper hold where Moose gets his hand up before 3 and fight back, dropkicks Lashley out of the ring, Lashley gets the upper hand in the match again, Moose countered Lashley’s spear to hit one of his own but Lashley kicks out at 2. Moose countered another spear to hit a sit-out chokeslam but still can’t get the win. Eventually, Lashley countered the Gamechanger for a spear to win and retain his title.

(7) Alberto El Patron vs ??? for the GFW title: Chris Adonis is revealed as his opponent and he’s out with Eli Drake. Alberto goes after Eli outside the ring and Adonis attacks him right at the bell, Alberto fights back and takes the fight through the crowd, Adonis comes back in the match and dominates. The finish comes whem Adonis goes for the Masterlock but Alberto countered it, Adonis runs towards him but he is hung from the corner and Alberto hits the double foot stomp for the win. After the match, Eli and Adonis attack Alberto. Moose’s music hits and he clears the ring. Alberto and Moose pose in the ring to end the segment.

(8) Low Ki vs. Sonjay for the X-Division Title: Low Ki controls the match early on and rips off Sonjay’s eye patch. They took the fight to the crowd. Sonjay throws Low Ki off the first tier seating onto the ring apron on the other side of the barrier, Sonjay then hits a somersault onto Low Ki outside. Low Ki comes back and takes Sonjay into the ring. Crowd chants for Sonjay, he comes back in the match but Low Ki thwarts him off, goes for the jumping kick in the corner, takes him to the top rope but Sonjay comes back. Sonjay takes Low Ki to the top and attempts a superplex but Low Ki fights it off. Sonjay rolls on the ground, jumps to the top rope and hits the superplex. Cover but Low Ki kicks out. Sonjay flips over Low Ki and tries to cover but Low Ki stomps him down. He goes for the cover but Sonjay kicks out. Low Ki puts him on top rope, gets him in Samoan carry position and runs towards the other corner but Sonjay counters, hits the tiltawhirl tornado DDT on Low Ki, goes to the top rope and hits the Hindu press for the win to become the new X-Division Champion. Sonjay is in disbelief as he finally wins the X Division championship. Shera and other X-Division faces come out with champagne to celebrate. Eddie Edwards sprays champagne on Sonjay. Shera takes him up on his shoulders. Sonjay celebrates in the crowd and hugs Shera’s dad. Sonjay says in Hindi that this isn’t for me, this is for the entire nation. Shera says thank you, you guys are awesome.