MCMAHON’S GFW IMPACT REPORT 8/10: ACH vs. Ishimori, Go-Home to Destination-X, Sienna Sit-in

MCMAHON’S GFW IMPACT REPORT
August 10, 2017
Taped from Orlando, Fla. (Universal Studios)
Aired on Pop TV

Announcers: Josh Mathews & Jeremy Borash with The Pope

Immediately following tonight’s Impact Wrestling, tune in to the PWTorch Livecast. Mike McMahon and Andrew Soucek will discuss tonight’s show with callers. Listen at www.pwtorchlivecast.com and call the show at 515-605-9345

— The GFW signature aired.

— The show cut immediately to a brawl backstage between LAX and the Veterans of War. Chairs and trash cans were flying everywhere. Jeremy Borash said the teams will fight for the Tag Team Titles later tonight. Mathews said the fight was happening in catering. Konnan was egging on LAX.

— A video package on Rosemary and Sienna aired.

— The Impact opened aired.

— In-arena: Sienna is sitting in the middle of the ring with a microphone and both of her Knockouts Titles hanging on the ropes. Borash said she was staging a sit-in. Sienna said she was the epitome of a champion and has destroyed every obstacle Karen Jarrett put in her way. Sienna said Karen was making a match for the championship next week, but she won’t tell Sienna who she is facing. Sienna said she was sitting there until she had answers.

Karen Jarrett entered. Karen said she has never liked Sienna. Karen said Sienna is the type of woman that other women hate. Karen said that Sienna’s opponent next week is always ready. Karen then introduced Gail Kim as Sienna’s opponent next week. Gail Kim came to the ring and said Sienna was great six weeks ago, but she wasn’t now and she won’t be next week. Gail said that she intends to beat Sienna and retire as the Knockouts Champion. Sienna attacked Gail Kim from behind but Gail started to come back and Sienna bailed out of the ring. Gail then dove on Sienna from the apron to the outside and was throwing right hands out of the mount. The brawl continued in the ring. Referees then came in the ring to break up the fight but Gail and Sienna were able to separate and continue fighting. Sienna left the ring and Gail Kim raised both title belts in the ring.

(McMahon: Karen is supposed to be the babyface here, I gather? It’s hard to tell. She comes across as a heel in her demeanor. Also, let’s realize the context here … she won’t tell Sienna who she is facing. What’s fair about that? A babyface should have a set of values and hiding an opponent is not exactly a babyface ideology, even if she is doing it to a heel.) 

— Backstage: Grado and Joseph Park were talking about how Grado could possibly be deported. Grado and Joseph Park will wrestle Kongo Kongo in a handicap match later tonight.

(1) LAREDO KID & GRAZA JR. vs. EL FANTASMA & MARUFUJI

Laredo Kid went for an early cover on Marufuji for a two count. The match spilled to the outside. Marufuji was cut off by Laredo Kid. Fantasma hit Garza Jr. with a dive. In the ring, Fantasma hit double knees on the chest. Fantasma hit a frog splash for a two count. Garza Jr. hit a kick from the mat and tagged in Laredo Kid. After a scoop slam, Laredo Kid went for three moonsaults off the turnbuckles but missed on the third one. Fantasma went for a cover but Laredo Kid grabbed the bottom rope. Garza Jr. went for his pants spot, where he pulls off the long pants to reveal tights, but Marufuji and Fantasma hit a double super kick. Laredo Kid hit Marufuji with a DDT for a two count. Garza Jr. hit a GTS and gloated to the fans, so Fantasma caught him with a superkick. Laredo Kid tagged in and he and Fantasma hit double kicks to send both men to the mat. Laredo Kid tried for a dive to the outside but Fantasma moved and Laredo Kid landed on his feet. Fantasma then dove through the ropes to hit Laredo Kid. Back in the ring, Garza Jr. did the pants spot and kicked Marufuji. He tried for a moonsault and missed. Marufuji hit a super kick for a two count. Marufuji hit a neckbreaker off the top for the win.

WINNER: Marufuji & El Fantasma in 10:00

After the match, Laredo Kid and Marufuji and Fantasma helped Garza Jr. to his feet and then all shook hands.

(McMahon: Good opener. I’m not a huge fan of Garza Jr.’s pants spot, where he tears away the pants for the trunks mid-match. I was glad to see Marufuji and El Fantasma super kick him when he went for the spot. Realistically, why wouldn’t the opponent do that every time? If Garza Jr. did the spot with his opponent on the ground or woozy, then it would be fine. But essentially asking for a timeout and having the opponent go along with it looks as silly as El Patron’s finisher).

— A vignette aired on OVE. The group will debut next week. The graphic said “Ohio vs. Everything.”

[c]

(2) KONGO KONG vs. JOSEPH PARK & GRADO — Handicap match

Mathews joked that Grado only wanted to stay in the U.S. for the food. Kong grabbed Park and Grado for a double chokeslam but Park powered out. Grado and Park then double-tackled Kong. Grado splashed Kong and Park splashed him next in the corner. Kong came out of the corner for a double clothesline. Kong chokeslammed Grado and splashed Park in the corner for the win.

WINNER: Kongo Kong in 2:00.

After the match, Kong continued the attack on Grado. Kong put Grado on top of Park and then went to the top rope but Laurel Van Ness ran to the ring and stopped Kong. Grado and Park rolled out of the ring while LVN screamed “NO!” at Kong and then slapped him across the face. Kong picked up LVN and was about to go for a slam but Tyrus’ music played and he appeared on the stage. Tyrus climbed into the ring and went face-to-face with Kong. LVN pulled Kong back and told him to get out of the ring.

(McMahon: Interesting booking with Tyrus coming out to save Laurel Van Ness. I’m sure this builds to a Tyrus-Kong match, maybe as soon as next week, but I almost want to see them as a tag team more than I want to see them as opponents. They’re both heels — remember, Tyrus is Bruce Prichard’s bodyguard — and they could be a really powerful team. Tyrus is a hired gun, for the most part, aligning with whoever pays him, so in that regard it felt weird for him to make the save for Laurel. Did she hire Tyrus? It has potential and it’s only the first chapter in what could be a multi-part story, but the angle definitely leaves the audience with more than a few questions).

— Backstage, McKenzie Mitchell interviewed Trevor Lee, Low Ki and Bobby Lashley. Lee said he would show everyone who the real X Division champion is tonight. Low Ki said something about El Patron in Spanish. Low KI said that El Patron wasted a great opportunity and he paid the ultimate price. Low Ki glared at Lashley and said he would prove El Patron can be beat. Lashley said he would throw Matt Sydal all over the ring tonight. Lashley told Low Ki and Lee they aren’t friends, they’re just associates tonight.

[c]

— A video package aired on Sonjay Dutt, who talked about winning the X Division Title in India and how Trevor Lee stole it from him. Lee said in the video that the title was rightfully his.

— A video aired on Jeff Jarrett touring American Top Team. Jarrett asked if MMA or wrestling was tougher? They aired the comment from King Mo who said wrestling was tough. Jarrett said everyone has an opinion but people in American Top Team think Lashley is wasting opportunity in MMA. Jarrett said that American Top Team is dead set on Lashley moving away from pro wrestling, but Jarrett said that Lashley has a contract with GFW. Jarrett said Lashley is the best of the best when he has his A game. Jarrett said that Dan Lambert has his opinion, and Jarrett has his opinion. Jarrett said that Lambert would be at Destination X next week.

(McMahon: Well, this was better than the American Top Team video from last week. It’s been reported that the folks at ATT want Lashley to stick with MMA and give up pro wrestling. That’s a real thing, apparently. If so, I don’t mind GFW making a storyline out of it. But, leave the “we’re real fighting” talk from the MMA guys out of it, please).

— A video aired from earlier today where Dutch Mantel interviewed Lashley and Matt Sydal ahead of their match next week at Destination X. The video ended with Lashley attacking Sydal after the interview and Dutch calling for security.

(McMahon: This was a really good sit-down segment. They hyped the match next week, gave a good backstory for the match, and it definitely feels like a bigger match now than it did before).

[c]

— Borash said that next week, Bruce Prichard will make a huge announcement.

(3) LAX vs. VETERANS OF WAR — Street Fight for the GFW Tag Team Titles

The match started on the ramp, when LAX jumped VOW on their entrance. Santana came off the apron with a kendo stick but Wilcox hit an overhead belly-to-belly on the ramp. The VOW hit the M.O.A.B. on Ortiz through a table. Wilcox went for a cover but Konnan dragged the referee out of the ring to break up the count.

[c]

Back from the break, Mayweather powerbombed Santana onto the ring steps. Diamante ran into the ring and hit Wilcox with a low blow. She tried to hit Wilcox with the chair but misses. Santana hits a kick with the chair across the face. Low Ki handcuffed Mayweather to the rope. Ortiz smashed Mayweather with a cookie sheet to the head and then kicks. Wilcox hit the ring with clotheslines and then connected on a Samoan Drop to Santana for a two count. Ortiz took out Wilcox’s knee with a kendo stick. Ortiz and Santana continued to assault VOW, with Santana using a kendo stick on Wilcox while Ortiz beat on Mayweather, who was still handcuffed. Santana dove on Wilcox, driving him through a table that was in the corner. Santana then covered Wilcox for the win.

WINNER: LAX retains in 11:00.

After the match, LAX came in the ring. Konnan yelled that he told GFW not to mess with LAX.

(McMahon: LAX needed a good, strong showing like this to rebuild them a little bit after the last few weeks. Two weeks ago, EL Patron disposed of the group by himself, and then last week a 60-year-old Dos Caras was getting some offense in on the group. LAX controlled most of this match from start to finish and showed off some good gang warfare).

— Backstage: Sonjay Dutt was with El Patron and Matt Sydal. Dutt said he was going to get back his title tonight. Sydal said he needed help with Lashley tonight and El Patron said that he wanted Low Ki tonight.

(4) ACH vs. TAIJI ISHIMORI — Super X Cup Semifinal

They shook hands prior to the opening bell. ACH and Ishimori traded wristlocks to start the match. A clip of Dezmond Xavier watching the match backstage was shown. Ishimori flung ACH to the outside and tried for a 619 but ACH ducked. ACH hit the ring with a tackle as the show went to a break.

[c]

Back from the break, Ishimori hit a dive off the top rope and then a double knee in the corner. Ishimori hit a double stop after balancing on the top rope for a two count. ACH landed a kick to Ishimori’s head. ACH caught Ishimori but Ishimori turned it into a roll-up for a two count. ACH tried to suplex Ishimori but ACH grabbed his lower back and let go. Ishimori threw forearms to ACH’s lower back. Ishimori hit a super kick but ACH came back with a clothesline right away for a near fall. ACH continued to sell his lower back. Ishimori hit ACH with knees to the chest. Ishimori hit a springboard 450 off the top rope and then went to the top turnbuckle for another 450, which allowed him to get the pin.

WINNER: Taiji Ishomori in 10:00.

After the match, Borash and Mathews threw to a replay of the 450 splash. Dezmond Xavier came out from the back and walked to the ring. On his way there, he shook hands with ACH. Xavier looked at the trophy. Ishimori came out from the ring and then had some words at ringside while looking at the trophy. Xavier extended his hand and Ishimori shook it after a short tease.

(McMahon: Ishimori vs. Xavier is going to be really, really fun next week. This match was really, really fun as well. Hopefully this isn’t the end of ACH in GFW, and they can come to terms for him to stick around. He’s a welcome fresh addition to what was, otherwise, a stagnant X Division. I had real reservations about the Super X Cup when it started, but the tournament has elevated the X Division and it will, ultimately, elevate the X Division Title).

[c]

(5) LOW KI, BOBBY LASHLEY & TREVOR LEE vs. ALBERTO EL PATRON, SONJAY DUTT & MATT SYDAL

El Patron and Low Ki start the match with fists flying. Sonjay Dutt was in the ring quickly after a tag and Lee tagged in not long after. Lee, again wrestling with the X Division Championship on, ate a kick from Sonjay and then a double dropkick with Sydal. Sonjay and Sydal hit simultaneous standing moonsaults on Lee on Low Ki. Lee was back in control of Sydal and tagged in Lashley. Lashley missed a spinning backfist and Sydal hit a kick but Lashley tossed Sydal to the outside.

[c]

Back from the break, the announcers teased Prichard’s huge announcement next week. Mathews said it should shake GFW to its core. Low Ki and Matt Sydal were legal as the announcers ran down more of the matches for next week’s Destination X episode. Low Ki locked in a dragon sleeper but Sydal got to the ropes. Lee covered Sydal for a two count. Mathews said he had “over a billion” twitter followers. Sydal hit a spinning heel kick on Low Ki and both wrestlers were looking for a tag. Sonjay and Lee hit the ring. Sonjay hit a rollthrough dropkick. Lashley picked up Sonjay and flattened him with a dominator. Low Ki had Sonjay covered but El Patron distracted the referee, allowing Sonjay to kick out at two. Sonjay was stuck in the corner but fought his way out with a kick. El Patron took out Lashley with a suicide dive. El Patron ran back in the ring and Low Ki caught him with a double kick. Sonjay hit a spinning DDT on Low Ki. Sydal took Lee off the top rope with a head scissor. Sonjay hit a frogsplash but then took a clothesline from hell. El Patron tripped up Lashley and was set up Lashley for a super kick. El Patron hit Low Ki with a super kick but Lee hit him with a superman punch. Lashley powerslammed Sydal. Low Ki hit the Warrior’s Way on Sonjay for the win.

WINNER: Low Ki, Bobby Lashley and Trevor Lee in 17:00.

After the match, the heels celebrated as the announcers threw to replays. The heels continued to celebrate as El Patron and Sonjay Dutt looked on from the ramp. The heels were yelling up at the babyfaces as the show went off the air.

(McMahon: Good build up to the live show next week. The heels went over, which they should have, giving fans the hope to see the babyfaces come back and get redemption on the live episode of Destination X next week.

Overall, this was a good episode of Impact. The action was fast and furious most of the night and there were very few promo segments. Most of this show centered around in-ring action).