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IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT: “UNCAGED”
FEBRUARY 22, 2019
AIRED ON PURSUIT & TWITCH TV
REPORT BY JACK IRENE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Josh Mathews, Don Callis
Fresh off of a solid special edition of Impact in Mexico City with Uncaged, we look forward to the newest set of Las Vegas TV tapings from the Sam’s Town Casino. I’m usually not the biggest fan of these crowds, but it’s hard not to get excited about tonight’s matches so let’s see how Impact fares in Impact Wrestling’s return to Sin City!
The Impact World Champion Johnny Impact is out in street clothes. Johnny is boasting about being the fighting champion he dreamed about being when he was a child. He proved himself at Uncaged by beating 3 men and now he feels he can move on to the next contender. Moose Money is out in ring gear. Moose considers Johnny Impact a baby. Killer Kross looks like a lunatic as he comes down to a hometown pop. Kross and Moose argue about Moose’s questionable fashion sense. Moose compares Kross to his days in the NFL, claiming he put him on the bench when he betrayed him last week. Johnny says he would like to find out who is on the A side and the B side of this former alliance. He offers a no.1 contender shot to the winner of a match between the two. Moose cheapshots Kross before the match starts and Kross switches things around as we go to commercial break.
(1) MOOSE vs. KILLER KROSS
Johnny Impact joins commentary. They trade strikes with Kross getting the better of the exchange. Kross repeatedly running clotheslines Moose into the corner to the chants of “Kross is gonna kill you”. Moose pulls the ref in the way followed by a low blow to Kross on the official’s blind side. Kross tricks Moose into a low blow of his own for a near fall. They trade strikes again, as Moose clotheslines Kross to the outside who lands on his feet, dragging Moose with him. They brawl ringside. Kross tosses hot coffee into the eyes of the world champion! Moose inadvertently bicycle kicks him to the ground. Johnny snaps and comes into the ring attacking both men. Moose and Kross find a common enemy one more time, both ganging up on Johnny. Brian Cage comes out clotheslining both men. Johnny gets up and they deliver a double superkick to the dysfunctional duo. Cage grabs the belt and hands it to the champ.
RESULT: No contest.
(J.I.’S THOUGHTS: This was an enjoyable short match, but more of an angle featuring an effective post-match segment as well. They built some more tension between Johnny and Cage while also giving Mr. Impact some extra fire.)
– Konnan hits all of his trademark catchphrases while hyping up LAX to get it done tonight against the Lucha Bros!
– An audio clip of Don Callis hiring Disco Inferno from “Keepin’ It 100” with Konnan is played. [c]
-Johnny proposes that they team up and eliminate Kross and Moose. Cage does not trust Johnny after he has repeatedly denied him a championship opportunity. Johnny realizes this and has a printed contract that he offers Cage. If Cage takes them out side by side with him, he will get his title shot.
-United We Stand card rundown
-GWN Flashback Moment of The Week is highlights from the Dezmond Xavier, DJZ, and Andrew Everett vs. Drago, King Cuerno, and Aerostar match from the Impact vs. Lucha Underground Twitch event.
-The Rascalz are in their circle smoking. Trey brags about beating Page. Wentz wants to one-up him next week against All Ego. Gama Singh questions their preparation method for the Desi Hit Squad tonight. Gama then brings out his “real stuff” which makes The Rascalz pass out. Gama clearly has some veteran experience. I’m not sure if this was awful or great but I liked it. I promote anything Impact does that is different at this point, as they need to stick out desperately. [c]
-Reno Scum returns next week.
(2) DESI HIT SQUAD vs. THE RASCALZ
Gama introduces his boys, as The Rascalz come out seemingly a bit too buzzed. Raj Singh gets a near fall on a roll-up immediately. Dez tries to get back on track but is throwing strikes at half speed. Raj maintains control on Dez until The Rascal implements some unique offence to send himself and Raj to the canvas. He goes for the hot tag to Trey, who is staring into space and misses. Dez then accidentally slaps him, which makes the tag. Trey acts like a ninja as he cleans house. Trey shows off some quick kicks followed by a springboard cutter from the first rope for a breakup near fall. He sends Raj over the top, as Rohit Raju takes him down with a sweep. Both Desi Squad members are in the ring for a double team DDT variation as Dez breaks it up. Rohit sends Trey to the middle rope but Trey counters with a superkick against the turnbuckle pad, and a double 619 with his partner. Trey heads to the top and hits a meteora on a downed Rohit for the win. The Rascalz pinned The Desi Hit Squad high.
WINNER: Trey pins Rohit Raju. (**1/2)
(J.I.’S THOUGHTS: The Rascalz are always fun to watch and I actually enjoyed the character work as the That 70’s Show buddies. This was a solid match.)
-Mellissa Santos interviews Eli Drake backstage. Drake says he will prove that Edwards is a hardcore loser. He is wrestling and nobody can stop the Gravy Train. Great promo as always. [c]
-Sami Callihan visits Rich Swann in the hospital. He forces him to look at him. He tells him that he is proud of him for having the balls to stand up to him. He says he was in Japan when he was helping Rich through tough times. He exclaims that Swann is not living up to his full potential. The doctor comes over telling Sami that only family is allowed in the room, Swann interjects, accepting Callihan as family. Sami leaves an oVe shirt on Swann’s bed.
(3) ELI DRAKE vs. EDDIE EDWARDS
Drake is out to a slightly different version of his theme song. Eddie Edwards has a shorter intro on his song as well. Edwards chases Drake out of the ring with Kenny. The bell finally rings after what felt like forever, and Drake wants to do things with no weapons. The Vegas crowd is hot. Some chain wrestling to start out. Irish whip to Drake where he jumps to the top rope in the corner, hopping backward and over Edwards. Drake stalls more. He gets in the ring as the crowd chants Eddie’s name, as Drake uses that as proof that he does not need weapons to be popular. Eddie chooses to chop him and clothesline him to the outside. Edwards sends Drake crotch first into the post on the outside and heads up to the ramp to take a seat and think about his next move. He goes for Kenny but Drake catches him with a big right hand, sending him back in the ring. Drake repeatedly throws his shoulder into Edwards’ gut. Drake from the middle rope looks for a diving elbow and comes up empty. Drake attempts another diving move with a top rope springboard moonsault which gets nothing but canvas. After going up again, Edwards catches him with a backpack stunner for a near fall. Edwards nearly chops the skin off of Drake’s back and hits a blue thunder bomb for another near fall. Very slick countering culminating in a quick sleeper slam from Drake. Drake attempts a burning hammer, but Eddie comes down with a tiger bomb for a 2 count. Out comes Kenny as the ref begs him to set it down. Drake nails the burning hammer for a close call. Eli grabs Kenny and Eddie rolls him up for the victory.
RESULT: Eddie Edwards by pinfall. (***3/4)
(J.I.’S THOUGHTS: This was a great match with some slick reversals and a sense of chemistry. They also conveyed the story and implemented several near falls. Once again a great match, progressing the story.)
-Tessa is angry backstage for an interview. She says Impact management won’t give her a title shot. She says it’s only because they want to protect Gail Kim. [c]
-Glenn Gilberti shows up looking for the office. He receives instructions from an uninterested stranger who gives him incorrect directions leading to him being locked out of the building.
(4) DELILAH DOOM vs. ALISHA EDWARDS
Delilah Doom is making her debut. She enjoys jazzercise. They get right into the action, as Delilah hits a 619 out of nowhere. The jazzercise enthusiast is displaying a very high tempo but Alisha catches up and gets the crowd behind her. She hits a slipping crossbody from the top which Delilah rolls through for a pin attempt. Tessa Blanchard comes out and completely launches Alisha onto the ramp. Delilah tries to fight her off but the angry former champ catches a 619 attempt and hits a deadlift sit-out powerbomb. Buzzsaw DDT and Tessa sends a message.
RESULT: No contest.
(J.I.’S THOUGHTS: Not much of a match but the angle was pretty simple yet enjoyable. Tessa came off as a major threat and carries herself like a true star.) [c]
– Ace Austin vignette as he repeats his name nearly a hundred times and pulls a card out
-Delilah Doom challenges Tessa to a match next week
– Highlights from the NFL Alumni press conference
-James Mitchell is here warning Rosemary to not take things that don’t belong to her. Mitchell reminds her that he still owns Allie. Rosemary wants to make a deal with the devil. Mitchell wants Rosemary to trade herself for Allie. Rosemary will assemble her dark army and Mitchell will assemble his. If Rosemary’s army wins, Allie will be saved. If Mitchell’s army wins, Rosemary must join him. Now those are some high stakes. [c]
-Interview with Taya. She doesn’t feel too threatened by Tessa.
– They preview United We Stand on April 4th.
(5) LAX VS. THE LUCHA BROS! – Impact Tag Team Title match
LAX attacks the champs on the ramp. They brawl on the outside for a bit. Ortiz dives through the middle rope. Fenix tightropes the top rope and punts Santana. [c]
Ortiz smacks Fenix with a flip flop and we get a superkick party. Penta taunts Santana and they exchange strikes. Sweet double team offense from LAX sending Penta to the outside. Fenix fights them off but not for long as Ortiz hits a diving headbutt. Frequent tags from LAX as they slow down the action. Fenix comes back against both men in the ring and sends Penta in with a diving crossbody. Ortiz accidentally dropkicks his partner and Penta hits a sling blade. Dual superkicks from the brothers. Pentagon Driver after a big kick from Fenix for a near fall. Fenix hits another beautiful spinning back kick. The Lucha Bros hit Ortiz with a dropkick from the top between the legs. LAX destroys Pentagon but only for a two count. Ortiz is now the legal man as the pace lowers. Never mind because Fenix is back. He kicks Santana’s head off on the top rope and they nail the stomping Fear Factor for the pinfall.
Konnan shakes their hand, telling his boys to follow. LAX extend their hands which the Lucha Bros! decline causing LAX to completely take their masks off as the show ends.
WINNER: The Lucha Bros. when Pentagon Jr. pined Ortiz. (**1/2)
(J.I.’S THOUGHTS: This match was certainly not my favorite of the trilogy. This was by far the weakest of the series and felt like their other matches at half speed. With that being said, the post-match angle was very effective and taking the masks will certainly add some more heat on LAX who is hard to dislike. Also, I know I seem harsh on this match but it was actually very good. In my opinion, it just didn’t compare to the others.)
FINAL THOUGHTS (7.0): This was a very good episode with some unique segments and some good wrestling. There isn’t too much to complain other than minor issues such as rough audio mixing, similarities between the Tessa angle and the opening segment, and as always, too long of a GWN flashback. Still, a really good show that you should check out.
CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 2/15 Impact Wrestling TV Report: “Uncased” Impact vs. Cross vs. Cage vs. Moose for Impact World Title, 2019 World Cup Team AAA vs. Team Impact
Another good review this week. Please don’t ever let McMahon or Soucek review the show again. A reviewer that actually puts effort into reviewing it, and remembering events from previous shows…….imagine that?
Thank you so much! That means a lot, this is just my second review and I really do care about the product so it’s nice to see some praise for my work.