Written by: Craig Ferriman (@MrImpact_Blog)
Eight days to go till IMPACTS big pay per view of the year, The third episode of the IMPACT Wrestlings las Vegas tv tapings aired last night and what a show it was. Impact keep showing why they put out the best two hours of weekly wrestling, another time change from 5star tv here in the UK but was still a great show with some great matches.
Ace Austin Def. Eddie Edwards- X Division ladder qualifier. 7/10
Before the match Ace debuted a new shirt which everyone who tuned in to watch now wants. A parody of Stone Colds, Austin 3:16 shirt but on the back it has written “I Just banged your wife” which had me in hysterics. Ace is such an arrogant heel & is slowly on his way to being the best heel in IMPACT today.
The match was brilliant, a lot of the match was spent on the outside of the ring with Ace picking up a drink with Ice and throws it in the face of Eddie. Edwards picks up Austin and drives him crotch first into the side of the ring post. When the match did go back inside the ring the two worked so well together and their personal rivalry put an emphasis on everything they were doing to each other. The match took a turn for the worst when Reno Scum came out to ringside and pulled the referee from the ring after Eddie nailed the Boston knee party, Eddie dove outside the ring taking out both members of Scum. Then after finding Kenny under the announcers table, Edwards took out Luster the Legend with Kenny, Ace takes advantage of this and delivers the fold for a 2 count. Austin would then be slid a metal rod by Adam Thornstowe which he loaded into his wrist brace and cracked Eddie over the head with it for the win. Ace & Reno Scum attack Eddie after the match.
Ace is heading to Bound for Glory. A highly entertaining match, Ace Austin is amazing and backs up his heelish antics with his athletic moveset. Eddie Edwards is still as good as ever and with his crazy man character he’s so entertaining.
Backstage, Taya Valkyrie is still trying to enlist the help of the demon assassin Rosemary but this time wanting her to deal with Havok. I really enjoy their segments always makes me laugh, highly entertaining.
Desi Hit Squad (Shera, Rohit Raju & Raj Singh) w/ Gama Singh Def. Rascalz (Dez, Trey & Wentz) Trios match. 7/10
I’m really enjoying the resurgence of the Desi Hit Squad, for years they were seen as the joke of the IMPACT roster but since bringing Shera back to IMPACT and having him join the DHS has done them all wonders. The perfect mix of Strength power & athleticism between the trio & are thoroughly deserving the push they’re getting recently. The raw athleticism of the Rascalz made them perfect opponents for the DHS, I can’t imagine many thinking the Rascalz would lose this match to DHS but they did although it was close especially with the duelling offence between the 6. Despite trying to keep him out of the match for as long as possible Shera got his hands on the Rascalz & quickly dealt with them after catching Trey and kicking away Dez and using Trey to take out Wentz then slams Trey onto the mat & pulls Raj on top of the Rascal for the win. A huge win for the DHS, possibly their biggest win on IMPACT.
Katie Forbes arrives at Sams Town Casino for her match later in the night against Jordynne Grace, telling her to park her car. Grace refuses and let’s her know she’ll kick her ass instead.
Knockouts Championship- Taya Valkyrie (C) w/ John E Bravo Def. Havok w/ Father James Mitchell via DQ 6/10
After the introductions Tenille Dashwood makes her way down to ringside and Joins Josh & Don on commentary. I really don’t like roster members on commentary because they’re just trying to get themselves over which is always the case and it takes away from the match we’re watching.
The match itself was great despite being fairly short but both did a great job and played their characters to perfection, Havok must be under consideration for a reign as knockouts Champion. Should Tenille defeat Taya at Bound for Glory then surely the eventual winner of the feud between Havok & Sü surely have to become the next contender to the Knockouts champion. Both knockouts did everything they can to beat the other, Taya delivered a heavy double footstomp off the top rope then Havok dropped the champ with a Chokeslam and made the cover but Bravo pulls the referee from the ring then pushes him over getting Taya disqualified to retain her title heading in to BFG next week. Havok would get her hands on Bravo and drops him with a Chokeslam, then as Taya climbs back in the ring to celebrate her retention Tenille jumps in and attacks her. Dashwood stands tall as Valkyrie retreats.
On oVe cam, Sami tells us that Jake & Fulton will take care of Tessa & Daga later whilst Brian Cage is sitting in Jail.
Gabby Loren who is doing a great job as the backstage interviewer for these tv tapings and hope she sticks around, She’s interviewing the world tag team champions The North about their upcoming triple threat tag team match at BFG. Swann & Mack remind All Ego that they beat him at last years Bound for Glory but as Page reminds them that was with a different partner. Rhino & RVD appear and tell them they’ve been in line since before Swann & Mack were born, RVD tells them that they’re “Welcome for the rub”.
Stephan Bonnar Def. Moose w/ Frank Trigg- Via DQ 8/10
Frank Trigg is on commentary giving insights into mooses training which makes it feel more legit, Bonnar was very impressive in this match and certainly showing a lot of potential as a pro wrestler, the match was exactly what I was hoping for. Moose sending a message to Ken Shamrock that he can match him in the ring and can match his striking style. Moose would bust Bonnar open just above his eye but that just woke the UFC hall of Famer up more and got him more fired up, Moose would however get himself disqualified after Bonnar climbed the ropes and Mr IMPACT Wrestling pushes the official into the ropes causing Bonnar to lose his footing.
After the match Moose is about to attack Bonnar with a steel chair, Shamrock makes the save looking jacked. Locks Moose in the Ankle lock causing him to tap. Definitely more than ready for their BFG match.
Jordynne Grace Def. Katie Forbes 6/10
I think like most who are new to Katie Forbes didn’t think she would put on the showing that she did in this match with Grace due to the way she acts but she impressed me and certainly has athleticism on her side and being the girlfriend of Rob Van Dam must be a benefit to your pro wrestling skills as well as strength. They both worked very well together, hitting big moves and having close calls throughout. Katie hits a handspring elbow in the corner, Jordynne retaliates with hard hitting moves in the corner followed with a Vader bomb and a Gracedriver for the win.
Backstage, Johnny Swinger makes a move on Katie Forbes but she rejects him, Jordynne Grace confronts him & pushes him down to the ground. I really am enjoying the Johnny Swinger character, he’s very entertaining.
Daga let’s Tessa know he didn’t need her help & that he can take care of himself, Tessa let’s him know that oVe are her problem.
I’m loving the growing partnership between Fallah Bahh & TJP, must admit when I found out that Fallah Bahh was going to start talking I was unsure about it because I felt it would ruin his character but it’s just made him better. As TJP is trying to keep Fallah in shape & tells him that Fallah will be facing Michael Elgin next week.
Tessa Blanchard & Daga Def. oVe (X Division Champion Jake Crist & Mad Man Fulton) 8/10
This tag team match was so good, Tessa Blanchard is the best in the world, Daga is going to be a massive star very soon & everyone’s going to know who he is. Jake Crist is a great X Division Champion and manages to shine perfectly within oVe & Mad Man Fulton is constantly showing wwe they had a natural monster in their ranks & has the power to back it all up.
Fulton drives Daga into the ring post and brutally connects with the back of his neck, the Mad Man follows that up with a hard Chokeslam but Daga soon changes the pace with a cutter to Fulton then makes the hot tag too Blanchard, then dives over the top rope with a corkscrew press as Tessa delivers the Magnum off the top rope for the win over Jake Crist.
oVe continue the beat down on Tessa & Daga however the world champion Brian Cage had gotten out of Jail and stormed through backstage on a rampage searching for Sami Callihan and Jimmy Jacobs tells him oVe are out in the ring. That’s exactly where he heads. Starts battling Jake, Dave & Fulton but Sami comes to the ring steel chair in hand, the numbers game becomes too much for the world champion and he is handcuffed to the ropes and is about to be nailed with the Callihan slugger until his wife Melissa Santos runs to the ring & begs for mercy for her husband but Sami turns his attention to Melissa Santos & drops her with a piledriver in front of Brian Cage who is forced to watch.
That was such a great way to end what was a perfect two hours of wrestling, IMPACT are about to start opening people’s eyes. Come Bound for Glory everyone will surely be talking IMPACT wrestling.
Thanks for reading.
