MCMAHON’S IMPACT REPORT 3/29: Sydal vs. Aries, Lashley vs. Brian Cage

MCMAHON’S IMPACT WRESTLING REPORT
March 29, 2018
Taped from Orlando, Fla. (Universal Studios)
Aired on Pop TV

Announcers: Josh Mathews & Sonjay Dutt

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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 or email impactlivecast@gmail.com

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— The Impact Global signature aired.

(1) PETEY WILLIAMS vs. SUICIDE vs. ROHIT RAJU vs. TAIJI ISHIMORI

Mathews said that Matt Sydal asked him to do some extra scouting this week during this match. The match spilled to the outside early. In the ring, Raju dropkicked Williams for a two count. Ishimori hit a springboard dropkick on Suicide. Williams put a sharpshooter on Ishimori but Raju broke up the submission. Ishimori hit a moonsault to the outside that took out the other three opponents. The four wrestlers went through a spot with a lot of near falls. Ishimori hit Suicide with a sitdown senton. Williams tried for the Canadian Destroyer but Ishimori had it scouted. Suicide missed a moonsault on Ishimori. Williams hit a Canadian Destroyer on Suicide for the win.

WINNER: Petey Williams in 9:00.

McMahon: This was what you would expect from a four-way dance with the X Division. It was fast-paced and the action was all over the place. Like with most of these matches, it feels like they were trying to force 20 minutes into a 9-minute match, but it worked well. 

[c]

— McKenzie Mitchell interviewed Eli Drake backstage about Feast or Fired.

— Mathews and Dutt reset the show at their green screen.

— Eddie Edwards is shown traveling to Ohio to find OVE.

[c]

Braxton Sutter introduced Su Yung, calling her the “the bloody, undead bride.”

(2) SU YUNG vs. AMBER NOVA

Yung attacked Nova before the bell, and had hit her finisher, the Panic Switch, within a few seconds for the win.

WINNER: Su Yung.

McMahon: That was a very quick match, but it did help Yung look strong. If she needs a mouthpiece, and she does, Sutter is actually good in his role as the arrogant lackey riding Yung’s coattails. 

— McKenzie Mitchell interviewed Johnny Impact. Jimmy Jacobs interrupted the interview. Impact asked Jacobs if he wanted a match? Jacobs said that Impact was gorgeous but he lives in a bubble. Jacobs said that he was about to step into the ring with a monster.

[c]

— Taya Valkyrie was backstage talking about how she was better than Rosemary. However, lurking above Valkyrie was Rosemary, and she threw a trash can down at her and attacked. Rosemary swung the trashcan but missed and hit a stagehand. The brawl continued with Valkyrie landing some kicks and she threw Rosemary into a bunch of wooden pallets. Rosemary spit mist into Valkyrie’s face and she was blinded. Rosemary dove off the top of the trailers onto Valkyrie and other wrestlers — Raju and Amber Nova — who were trying to help her.

(3) FALLAH BAHH vs. KM — from WrestlePro

KM had early control in the match. KM threw kicks at Bahh’s back. Bahh came back with a crossbody for a two count. Bahh went for the Bonzai Drop but KM moved and put his feet on the ropes on an ensuing rollup to get the win.

WINNER: KM

After the match, KM grabbed the mic and said that they needed to change Fallah’s name to “Fat Ass Bahh!” Dutt said he went too far.

— A video package aired on Lashley vs. Brian Cage.

[c]

(4) BRIAN CAGE vs. BOBBY LASHLEY

Cage and Lashley had a stare off to begin the match. Lashley went for a waist lock and Cage threw an elbow. Cage hit a standing hurricanrana. Lashley came back with a hurricanrana. Cage clotheslined Lashley over the top rope. Cage took out Lashley with a front flip dive over the top rope. Cage and Lashley were on opposite sides of the ring staring off. Lashley and Cage both, from a standing position, hopped on the apron and then collided in the ring with a double clothesline. Lashley then had control of the match on the mat. Lashley charged Cage in the corner. Cage hit a springboard DDT off the second rope. Cage hit a standing leg lariat. Cage hit a spinebuster into a jackknife pin for a two count. Lashley hit a spinebuster for a two count. Lashley hit a running powerslam for a two count. Cage hit a powerslam and went for a springboard moonsault but missed. Lashley hit a spear on Cage and Cage rolled to the outside. Lashley rolled him back in for a two count. Cage hit a discus lariat for the win.

WINNER: Brian Cage in 13:00.

McMahon: Cage looked a little too happy on his ring introduction. It’s not that you don’t want to see people happy, but he’s supposed to be this killing monster. He’s been stone-faced and serious for most of his early run, and he had a lot of energy. It’s not that it’s a bad thing, like I said, it was just a big contract and felt out of place.

That said, once the match started … wow! Cage showed off a lot of his aerial attack that had been kept hidden from Impact viewers since his debut. Cage then got the clean win over Lashley. Like Andrew Soucek and I said on the Livecast, it feels rushed (this win), but if the option was rushing this win over Lashley or not giving him a win over Lashley at all (he’s leaving the company), then I’d much prefer this. Well done.

[c]

— Allie asked Gail Kim for advice backstage. Gail told Allie that she has overcome a lot, and she needs to believe in herself. She told Allie to stand up to Su Yung.

— Dutt and Mathews reset the show.

— The GWM Flashback of the Week aired, where AJ Styles won the X Division Title.

[c]

— Eli Drake approached Moose backstage and wanted to trade cases with him. Moose challenged Drake to a match next week … case for case.

— Eddie Edwards crashed an indie show looking for Sami Callihan and OVE. Callihan came out from backstage with a bat. Edwards attacked OVE on the apron and then Callihan hit the ring and they brawled. OVE entered the ring and it broke down to a 3-on-1 brawl. Callihan attacked Edwards with a baseball bat while OVE held him.

[c]

Callihan cut a promo on their camcorder telling Eddie Edwards they will take out every person he loves just to prove a point.

— A video package aired on Matt Sydal vs. Austin Aries.

(5) AUSTIN ARIES vs. MATT SYDAL (w/Josh Mathews) [c] — Impact Grand Championship match

Alberto El Patron was shown backstage scouting Aries for their pay-per-view title match; El Patron was eating a huge steak. Mind games. Dutt played up how well Sydal and Aries know each other for while no one had control early. Lots of counters.

[c]

Back from the break, Sydal was in control with kids to the Aries on the mat. Sydal went for a shooting star press but hopped down. The match spilled to the outside with them brawling. Aries tried for a clothesline. Sydal hit a German Suplex for a two count. Aries hit a kneebreaker into a suplex and Sydal rolled to the outside. Sydal missed a kick on the apron. Aries threw forearms from the apron and Aries hit a neckbreaker from the apron. Josh Mathews went to interfere, but Petey Williams made the save. Sydal hit a hurricanrana of the top. Sydal went for a shooting star press but landed on his feet. Aries his a forearm and Aries hit a running dropkick and a brainbuster for the win.

WINNER: Austin Aries retains the Impact World Title and wins the Grand Championship in 21:00.

McMahon: This was a really entertaining match. The entire show was built around two matches, but both of those matches delivered in a big way. The other portions of the show fit well around those two co-main events. Overall, another solid show for Impact Wrestling.