SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
MCMAHON’S IMPACT WRESTLING REPORT
May 24, 2018
Taped from Orlando, Fla. (Universal Studios)
Aired on Pop TV
Announcers: Josh Mathews & Don Callis
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
— Highlights of last week’s show aired.
— The Impact open aired.
(1) OVE (w/ Sami Callihan) vs. DRAGO & AEROSTAR
Don Callis is back on commentary for Impact this week, which should be nice and refreshing. Josh Mathews talked to Callis a lot about Callihan’s attack in Toronto, and how Callis was feeling. Callis said that Callihan puts butts in seats.
Eddie Edwards showed up in the middle of the match with a camera shot to the backstage area. Edwards got out of his car with a kendo stick. Alisha jumped out of the car and began yelling at Eddie that it was over. Edwards hit the ring and hit Jake Crist and Dave Crist with the kendo stick to cause the DQ.
WINNER: OVE in 8:00 via disqualification.
After the DQ, Edwards began choking Callihan with the kendo stick. Referees tried to break up the fight. Alisha was on the outside screaming, “Eddie, it’s over!” Callihan’s body went lifeless and he slumped to the mat as officials pulled Edwards off of Callihan. Callis said it was clear Edwards is turning into a different person.
Alisha jumped up on the apron and pleaded with Edwards to stop. She was again screaming at him, “It’s over!’ Stop it!” Edwards finally agreed and was about to walk to the back, but he instead grabbed the kendo stick and started taking out security. Mathews told someone to call the cops. Alisha was practically in tears at ringside.
[c]
— Back from the break, Callis and Mathews showed highlights of the Edwards segment. Mathews said he was possessed.
— Backstage, Alisha Edwards was yelling at Eddie. Alisha said that Eddie was acting just like Callihan. Edwards said the street fight wasn’t enough. He wanted to fight him without ropes and without a referee. Eddie said this wasn’t over until Callihan was completely destroyed.
— Mathews and Callis reset the show from the graphic set. Callis said he sees blood feud, and it doesn’t seem like Edwards can stop. Mathews previewed Sydal vs. Fantasma for later tonight as well as Moose vs. Kongo Kong in the main event and LAX vs. Cult of Lee.
McMahon’s Analysis: Really strong opening segment with a lot of drama to set up the show. We’ll see if the rest of the card can live up to the intensity of that first segment. Don Callis’ return to commentary is definitely welcome. … It seems, even now more than ever, that they are definitely going heel with Eddie Edwards. That will be an interesting change, because he’s played a babyface role in Impact for such a long period of time.
(2) TREVOR LEE & CALEB KONLEY vs. LAX
Cult of Lee had the early advantage in the match before the show crashed to a commercial.
[c]
Back from the break, the match had evolved into more of a brawl. Mathews and Callis were really playing up LAX’s losing streak since Konnan went missing. LAX hit a Death Valley Driver for a two count. Konley rolled up Santana and grabbed a fistful of tights for leverage to get the pin,
WINNER: The Cult of Lee in 11:00.
After the match, Santana was visibly frustrated as Ortiz tried to gather himself on the outside of the ring.
McMahon’s Analysis: I really like the way this storyline is playing out. They’ve struck a balance with LAX where they are playing up this losing streak, but it’s also not hurting their stock in the company.
— Mathews threw to highlights of Kongo Kong vs. Grado from last week, when Moose made the save.
— Jimmy Jacobs was backstage with Kongo Kong, cutting a promo on Moose for tonight’s main event.
— KM and Fallah Bahh were backstage, and KM said the possibilities for them were endless. KM and Bahh found Grado and Katarina. KM wondered what kind of woman Bahh would get considering Grado was with a “fat ass” like Grado. Katarina said she was a chubby chaser, and Grado seemed offended. She corrected herself and said she just liked big bones.
— The GWN Moment of the Week aired .. it was Bully Ray cutting a promo against Jeff Hardy before Lockdown.
McMahon’s Analysis: Another weekly reminder that Impact used to have big name superstars. There’s a striking difference between the fans TNA attracted back then, and the fans filling the Impact Zone now. It’s the same venue, with the same basic setup, but it looks so much different. They lit the crowd because … well, because they could.
— Highlights of Madison Rayne stopping Tessa Blanchard from last week were shown.
— McKenzie Mitchell interviewed Madison Rayne backstage. Tessa broke in and told Madison Rayne to meet her in the ring, face to face.
[c]
— Back from the break, a video package on DJ Z aired, including Z & E winning the Impact World Tag Team Titles.
— McKenzie Mitchell interviewed Z&E backstage. Eli Drake and Scott Steiner broke into the interview. Steiner said they slipped on a banana peel. Drake tried to calm down Steiner, who said they would have never lost if Drake was in the right place. Drake and Steiner ended the segment arguing.
(3) MATT SYDAL [c] vs. EL HIJO DEL FANTASMA — X-Division Championship Match
The story of the match centered on Matt Sydal working on Fantasma’s legs, in particular his left knee. The match wasn’t as high-flying as you might expect, but more methodical with Sydal working the knee early and then pulling out more high-impact moves around the midpoint of the match.
[c]
Back from the break, the match was on the outside and Fantasma dropped Sydal on the steel steps. Later in the match, back in the ring, Fantasma locked in a submission on Sydal’s legs and Mathews said that would limit Sydal’s ability to fly through the air. Fantasma hit a jumping super kick. Sydal hit the Stacked Up for the win.
WINNER: Matt Sydal retains the X-Division Championship.
After the match, Sydal celebrated with fans.
— LAX was in their clubhouse and they were tearing it apart. Santana and Ortiz were mad about losing again earlier tonight. “King” walked into the room, and it was Eddie Kingston. Kingston said that Konnan called him, and he was jumped, but he’s good and he’s safe. Kingston said he knows this because of the chain of command. Kingston said that he runs New York, and the chain of command is Konnan, Homicide and then him. Kingston said he gets that LAX is on a losing streak, but LAX needs to remember that the name LAX rings bells in the streets. Kingston said he needs LAX to step up and have that hunger. Kingston said he was there to bring out that hunger in LAX.
[c]
— A video package aired on Austin Aries vs. Pentagon.
— Josh Mathews and Don Callis talked about next week’s show. Mathews said there has been no mystery attack yet this week. Callis said they don’t know what’s going on, but they’ve contacted authorities.
(3) DEZMOND XAVIER vs. PETEY WILLIAMS — X-Division Championship Eliminator Match
The winner of this match will face Brian Cage next week, and the winner of that match will be the No. 1 contender for the X-Division Championship. The action was fast at the start of the match. The crowd seemed to be behind Williams, but not against Xavier. Williams hit a big dropkick.
[c]
Back from the break, Xavier launched Williams out of the corner with a German Suplex. Xavier hit a running forearm uppercut and then a delayed dropkick before Williams rolled to the outside, which set up a Xavier dive over the top rope. Williams hit a DDT. Williams hit a running knee and then a powerbomb. Xavier got out of a Canadian Destroyer. Xavier hit a springboard kick for the win.
WINNER: Dezmond Xavier
McMahon’s Analysis: This was a really fun match, and Xavier vs. Cage should be good as well. Xavier can bump like crazy for Cage, who I am sure is going to go over strong. I doubt Moose-Kong beats this in terms of match quality, so this was the match of the night for me. Both guys brought it and put on a fun display.
— Su Yung’s undead brides were finishing the funeral for Rosemary. However, as the coffin burned (from last week), we saw Allie getting ready in a mirror, with her face painted like Rosemary. The mirror had a message from Rosemary to Allie, “Don’t let the darkness consume you,” but Allie said “I know this is not what you want, but this is how it has to be.” Allie vs. Su Yung is next week in a “Last Rites Match” … essentially it’s a casket match.
[c]
(4) MOOSE vs. KONGO KONG
Mathews notes that Jacobs did not come out with Kong to the ring, and he’s out here alone. Kong began to control the match with a huge belly-to-belly suplex. Kong continued to dominate the match with a big right hand. Moose challenged him for more though, and began to show some life. Kong missed a splash. Moose came back with a bodyslam on Kong. Moose hit a spear, out of nowhere, for the win.
WINNER: Moose.
As Mathews was wrapping up the show, the screen went red and the X logo appeared on the screen while clips of all the mystery attacks were shown. Then backstage, we see Jacobs laid out with the red X on his jacket as the show went off the air.
McMahon’s Analysis: It was a yawner of a main event, as far as the match was concerned, on what was a decent show. The in-ring action was really good, and the opening segment was also really strong, but the show felt like it had a lot of lulls. The last angle with Jacobs being laid out was an interesting twist as the show went off the air.
This was a really good show. In my opinion far superior to anything WWE put on this week. No lulls for me. Four solid matches and the advancement of some storyline. IN contrast, we have had Lashley vs. Elias for at least four weeks in a row on the other show. Not four years of pushing the same person as a face that nearly everyone boos. Quite refreshing.
That was the best match I have ever seen Kongo Kong in, the show ending cliff-hanger was awesome, and I’m intrigued with Kingston and LAX, Kingston gave a curious look as he lingered behind Santana and Ortiz.