By Craig Ferriman@MrImpact
Last night was the second live event this week bought to us by IMPACT Wrestling & Championship Wrestling from Hollywood. Once again, they put on excellent show live on Twitch with great matches from everyone involved featuring Reno Scum, Michael Elgin, Eddie Edwards, Jordynne Grace and Peter Avalon (Shhh). This was certainly one of the best streams in terms of audio and visual quality and in match quality also with a couple of matches that should surely be in discussion for match of the year. This show had a decent audience number streaming on Twitch despite going up against Triple AAA biggest show Triple mania.
On commentary was the excellent combination of Don Callis and Scott D’amore. Both of whom where very funny and proves that IMPACT have the most entertaining announce team including Josh Matthews who is someone I feel has improved massively since his time in WWE.
Andy Brown © Def. Andy Quest (CWFH Heritage Title)
A Match for the CWFH Heritage championship opened the show as the champion Andy Brown successfully defended his title against a man who featured in that great X Division championship match at Unbreakable on IMPACT Plus the night before Adrian Quest with a Death Valley driver style backstabber. It was a strong opener and a solid starting point for a very good show with plenty of strong matches throughout, I thought this match was put together to give the audience a chance to see what these guys can do, they certainly impressed me. There were a few issues in the beginning with the ring announcers’ microphone didn’t work so Callis & D’amore were unsure as to who the two competitors were at the start of the match, still a very good and I hope to see more from both on IMPACT.
Peter Avalon Def. Jordan Clearwater
Next was a match between “The Professional” Peter Avalon vs someone I’m not really familiar with in Jordan Clearwater. The crowd obviously played up to the fact Avalon is now playing a librarian in AEW by shushing him and someone shouting, “Someone revoke his library card”. Avalon showed a lot of people he is an excellent wrestler and has earned the nickname “The Professional”, Clearwater also showed us he’s technically sound as he nails Avalon with a vicious Spine Buster followed by a Running Power Slam but as Avalon sends a running Clearwater into the corner before landing a pair of knees for the 3-count and Peter Avalon picks up the win.
Reno Scum Def. Rocknes Monster
A tag team match was next up on the card as Reno Scum (Luster the Legend & Adam Thornstowe) defeats Rocknes Monster (Johnny Yuma & Johnny Goodtime) after Thornstowe drops double knee strike from the top rope onto Yuma. A strong showing from both teams although not knowing much about Rocknes monster, upon first impressions they seem like a good team and a team with a strong future ahead. Scum were great in this match and as Don & Scott said I hope they’ll be around a lot more because they’re a great team and very entertaining.
Jordynne Grace Def. Madison Rayne
Her Royal Highness the Queen Bee Madison Rayne made her entrance for her match and played the heel towards the fans to perfection. As her opponent Jordynne Grace made her way to the ring Madison would grab a microphone and would proceed to cut a promo on Grace saying how she doesn’t need to get angry and how she understands Thicc Mamma Pump is still young and learning what to do but saying it in a very condescending way. During the match both women would look to put the other away as Rayne would even connect with her Rip chord cutter but only for a near fall. Jordynne would look for her Grace Driver but somehow Rayne snuck her way out of it, however Grace would eventually hit the Grace Driver to pin the 5-time Knockouts Champion and pick up the win.
Grace would once again show everyone that she is more than capable of being the face of the knockout division as the champion.
Jake Crist © Def. Trey & Ace Austin
After the superb Knockouts match Jake Crist would once again successfully defend his X Division championship in a triple threat against two of his opponents from the night before and two serious contenders and future champions in Trey Miguel & Ace Austin. Again, to the surprise of no one the X Division are one of the highlights from any show they’re put on, Crist proves himself as a great X Champion. All 3 would trade kicks however Trey would come out on top of that exchange after he nailed both Crist & Austin with a double over head kick, then just like most X division matches it would break down into outside dives and become quite spot heavy with a superb finish as Ace Austin is lay on the mat near the corner and Jake on his knees next to him Trey would climb the ropes and attempt a Splash onto Ace but is met with a cutter from “The Golden Draw” and is bought down onto the body of “The One True Ace” Jake would cover Trey for the 1-2-3 and retains his X Division championship.
Havok Def. Viva Van/w John E. Bravo
John E. Bravo would come out to ringside before the next match and After Havok’s entrance and informs us his goal is to put an end to the death machine but he’s not going to do it alone and introduces us to Viva Van. Again, Viva Van is someone I’m not familiar with and haven’t seen her before, but she was very impressive although Havok didn’t take too long to put her away with a tombstone piledriver and Havok would win the match.
Havok Def. John E. Bravo
Straight after the match with Viva Van, Bravo whines about how sick he is of the death machine and informs her she is now facing him. Despite wearing a neck brace Bravo steps in the ring and the bell is rung but just as soon as it was rung to start the match it was being rung to end it as Havok once again destroys Bravo and puts him almost through the ring with another chokeslam and just like on IMPACT it seemed to almost Jack Knife. I don’t know if that’s something to do with Bravo’s selling of it’s just the force in which Havok is slamming him, but it looks like it really hurts.
Bravo really is a great heel and Havok’s booking is doing what it’s supposed to be doing and making her look like a legit monster.
Sami Callihan Def. Willie Mack
The newly minted number 1 contender to the IMPACT world championship once again put on a showing against South Central LA’s own Willie Mack who also proved himself as a possible contender to the X Division championship. Sami would really heel it up in front of the crowd claiming that “This is his City”. Mack is a former CWFH US TV champion so he’s very well known to the local crowd, Willie would hit his signature Samoan drop followed by a standing moon sault for a near fall but as soon as “The Callihan Death Machine” drops Mack with the move gifted to him by the Hardcore Legend Mick Foley (Cactus Special Piledriver) Mack was done and Callihan would swiftly move on after his second great match of the weekend for IMPACT. Both guys looked very good in this match and I just wish Mack got more opportunities; I know many people believe he had no choice to sign a long-term deal with IMPACT, but everyone has a choice in these matters plus it doesn’t hurt Willie.
Eddie Edwards Def. Moose (Street Fight)
Before the match started Moose would try and draw Eddie in and catch him off guard by proposing that the two rekindle their excellent tag team that they had whilst over in Pro Wrestling NOAH as well as a few matches in IMPACT. I’d be very much down for this to happen as a sort of mismatched convenience tag team. But Moose would attempt a big boot however Eddie had it scouted and the match would get good with the introduction of Trash cans and Steel Chairs, the match would also spill over behind the barrier and into the crowd with Moose landing on a fans lap whilst Eddie would deliver one of his heavy chops to Mr IMPACT Wrestling. Eddie would tweak his knee during the match but that wouldn’t stop him hitting a couple top rope hurricanrana’s one of them being onto a stack of chairs, Eddie would grab a kendo stick from under the ring to a loud pop from the crowd and few chants of “Kenny”.
After all of the chair shots and just fighting from the two former best friends it was a wrestling move that would end it as Eddie would pick up his trusty kendo stick and nail Moose on the head with it as he was charging at Edwards attempting his spear. The former world champion Edwards would catch his opponent and counter into a small package for the 1-2-3.
You can’t go wrong with an Eddie and Moose match, the two just have great chemistry and through their friendship they just make each other better. A scary good thought however, as pointed out by Don Callis Moose is still fairly new to pro wrestling and can only get better. I don’t think there’s ever been a better transition from the NFL to pro wrestling than Moose.
Michael Elgin Def. Rich Swann
Just like their match a few months ago on IMPACT Swann & Elgin show they have excellent chemistry and work so well together. Both guys are amazing signings for IMPACT wrestling and have the brightest future, Swann is already a former X champion and Elgin is destined to be the world champion. The match was flawless and although their should have been a contrast in styles it was for the most athletic, trading superkicks and several German suplex’s from Big Mike and Swann nailing the former IWGP Intercontinental Champion with a couple of cutters and even a phoenix splash which Elgin would kick out of for a very near fall. Both men found it difficult to put the other away and both hit big moves but would only come to near falls even when Elgin would drop Rich with a super Elgin bomb from the second rope which Swann would kick out of. However, the combination of a buckle bomb followed up quickly with the Elgin bomb would eventually give Big Mike the win Elgin is definitely one of the best acquisitions for IMPACT in recent memory.
The North © Def. Rhino & Tommy Dreamer (Tag Titles)
The North “All Ego” Ethan Page & “Walking Weapon” Josh Alexander are one of the best pure tag teams around today and will go down as one of the best tag teams both in IMPACT & in the wrestling world. Rhino and Dreamer are still great as Tommy is as good as he was and Rhino might be the best he’s ever been and that showed in this match with The North executing their perfect double team moves and Dreamer & Rhino putting them over strong which is something both are great at doing. WWE really dropped the ball with Rhino and as he keeps mentioning he didn’t want to get paid more money than he’s ever been paid just to sit in catering and I’m very excited to watch his feud with Michael Elgin unfold. During the course of the match there were a few close calls like when Rhino would drop Alexander with TKO for 2. But after another near fall after Tommy drops Page with DDT for another 2 count but “All Ego” would throw a chair at Rhino and Alexander delivers a sit out powerbomb to the War Machine and The North have another successful titledefence. So, the crowd would go home happy Rhino would Gore the tag champs and leave us with the image of the ECW Originals standing tall.
IMPACT Wrestling delivers again and yet there’s still people out there sleeping on this great company and all because they hated TNA. They are a mile’s apart from TNA now just because TNA left a bad after taste, I promise you will enjoy IMPACT Wrestling. Take a look at TWITCH.TV/IMPACTWRESTLING for the replay of Starstruck, thank you for reading
