9/27 IMPACT WRESTLING RESULTS: Moose & Killer Kross vs. Johnny Impact & Eddie Edwards, Tessa Blanchard vs. Faby Apache

MCMAHON’S IMPACT WRESTLING REPORT
Sept. 27, 2018
Taped from Ciudad de México, Mexico (Fronton Mexico)
Aired on Pop TV

Announcers: Josh Mathews & Don Callis

Immediately following Impact on POP TV, head over to pwtorchlivecast.com and listen to Mike McMahon and Andrew Soucek break down this week’s Impact and talk anything and everything Impact Wrestling on the Thursday PWTorch Livecast. Call the show at 515-605-9345 or listen online at pwtorchlivecast.com 

— Impact began with highlights from last week’s episode.

— The Impact opening montage aired.

(1) Tessa Blanchard def. Faby Apache to retain the Knockouts Title

After the match, Taya Valkyrie returned to Impact Wrestling in a video promo that appeared on the big screen. She challenged Tessa Blanchard to a Knockouts Title match at Bound for Glory. The way it was left, Tessa has to respond to Valkyrie’s challenge.

This was a really good opening match, and it’s a little surprising to see them open the show with this. Honestly, it could have been the main event, and I’m not sure anyone would have objected. Tessa feels more and more like a star each and every week, and she presents herself as this tough ring veteran, not a 23-year-old relative newcomer.

Valkryie vs. Blanchard is, by far, the best women’s match they can present at Bound for Glory, so it’s really no surprised to see them go to that match right here, right now.

— Alisha Edwards was trying to talk sense into Eddie Edwards backstage. She couldn’t. Johnny Impact walked into the room and called Austin Aries a “turd cutter” before leaving.

— oVe cut a backstage promo on their camcorder, where Sami Callihan said that he had accepted a challenge for Jake Crist, and he’ll get to face Brian Cage tonight. Crist looked worried before Callihan slapped him in the face in an effort to pump him up.

— Eli Drake was outside in Mexico City and said that next week he would issue an open challenge for all of the luchadors.

(2) Brian Cage def. Jake Crist (w/ oVe)

Cage hit the Drill Claw for the win. After the match, oVe attacked Cage and the lights would eventually go out. When they came back on, Dave Crist was gone. Soon thereafter, Pentagon and Fenix were shown on the video screen, and they had Dave Crist tied to a chair. The Lucha Brothers begin to beat Crist with kendo sticks, while Cage takes out Callihan and Jake Crist with a double clothesline in the ring.

This was a fun angle ahead of their Bound for Glory match. The babyfaces got the one-up for now, which means oVe needs to get some heat back before the pay-per-view match in a few weeks.

— Austin Aries, Moose and Killer Kross were interviewed backstage.

— The GWN Moment of the Week … it was from 2006, when AJ Styles & Christopher Daniels faced LAX inside a cage.

— Katarina approached Grado and Joe Hendry backstage. Katarina asked Grado if he lost weight. Katarina kept trying to say something, but Joe Hendry and Grado kept singing “access denied.” Katarina said that this was a case of just wires getting crossed, and she had a gift for Grado and Hendry tonight. They turned around and Katara had a huge man standing behind them … Murder Clown. Katarina said that Murder Clown would face Hendry next week.

— Rolando Martinez had Scarlet Bordeaux for an announcement. Scarlet announced a global talent search, saying someone would get her attention 24/7.

— Gama Singh introduced the Desi Hit Squad.

(3) LAX def. The Desi Hit Squad (w/ Gama Singh)

This match was far more competitive than I thought it was going to be (or should be). LAX is getting ready for a big marque match against the OGz at Bound for Glory, and they were in a highly competitive (and long) match against a lower-card tag team that has been beaten more often than not on television. At one point, the gimmick was that they lost, and then Gama Singh would “punish” them for losing, according to Don Callis. LAX got the win, which was good, but the match was too competitive for them, given the competition.

After the match, while LAX celebrated, King and the OGz were on the big screen. King cut a promo, holding up old photos of Konnan. King had one of Konnan’s old mask. King said that Konnan leeched off Eddie Guerrero, and he still leeches off Rey Mysterio. King took Konnan’s old mask and set it on fire.

There has been a lot of big screen use tonight. Tessa wrestled and then had Taya cut a promo on her from the screen. oVe wrestled and then the Lucha Brothers appeared on the screen with Dave Crist. Now here, LAX wrestles and the OGz appear on the big screen.

— Somewhere in a pink room, Fallah Bahh was reading KM a story while KM lay sick and injured on the sofa. Bahh sang KM a song. KM told Bahh to go and get revenge.

— Backstage, Tessa Blanchard said that Taya Valkyrie was really tough from thousands of miles away. Tessa pointed out that Taya vanished as soon as Tessa joined the company. Tessa accepted Taya’s challenge.

(4) Kiera Hogan & Allie def. Su Yung & Undead Bridesmaid

Pretty formulaic match, without anything post-match. Hogan looked good, and it was surprising to see her pick up a win. Mathews wondered if she set herself up for a future Knockouts Title match, and given that she (not Allie) scored the pin here, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Impact push Hogan as a potential challenger to Tessa Blanchard coming out of Bound for Glory.

— Outside, Rich Swann confronted Matt Sydal.

(5) Moose & Killer Kross def. Johnny Impact & Eddie Edwards

Slow, methodical, and kind of bleh that felt like it put the live crowd to sleep. Again, this could have come at the end of a long taping, which could be the reason for the perceived lack of energy, but not enough about this match felt like it was leading to the main event of the biggest show of the year in a few weeks.

Impact-Aries doesn’t feel like a must-see match yet, and the heat that Moose had for turning on Edwards hasn’t resonated enough just yet. Moose is playing the cocky, self-interested heel well, but the lack of depth in this “crazy Eddie Edwards” gimmick really shows in an angle like this.