IMPACT Wrestling 1-7-20
From the Melrose Ballroom in New York City
Available on AXS TV, Twitch, and IMPACT Plus
By Dylan Hager
Alright! It is time for the first IMPACT of 2020, and the last episode of IMPACT before the Hard to Kill ppv this Sunday!
Don Callis and Josh Matthews are on the call, and we open right up with security and referees trying to pull apart Eddie Edwards and Michael Elgin. Eddie takes the mic and says they don't have to wait until Sunday. Eddie hits a suicide dive as we go to the signature open.
Eddie Edwards vs Michael Elgin
The two brawl on the outside of the ring. Elgin sends Eddie into the ring and Kid Ref calls for the bell. Looks like this is one is official. The match is back and forth with a quick pace. Eddie's chops vs Mike's forearms is a big story here, as they exchange throughout the match. Mike uses his power advantage to hit several big slams, but it is not enough to keep Eddie down for three. Eddie gains the advantage and hits a top rope hurricanrana. Eddie follows up with a Blue Thunder Bomb but only gets two. Elgin comes back with a Falcon Arrow, but Eddie is out at two. They exchange strong style chops and lariats in the corner and follow that with a kick exhange in the middle of the ring. Elgin hits a German suplex, but Eddie comes right back with a running knee that sends us to a commercial break. Back from break, Elgin hits another German, and Eddie again follows with a knee. More chop and forearm exchanges leaves Eddie with the advantage and he hits a Tigerdriver for two. Elgin comes right back with a popup powerslam, and Eddie is out at two. Elgin takes Eddie up to the middle rope, but Eddie counters with a powerbomb. A third huge German and lariat puts Eddie down, but he is up at two. Pace picks up even more and the two counter a series of suplexes and submission attempts. Elgin lands a buckle bomb and follows it up with an Elgin Bomb that puts down Eddie for three. Great match! That is how you start a show! Winner: Michael Elgin
We see a hype package for The North vs Swann and Mack.
Josh and Don say that Eddie's trophy and title shot will be on the line in his match vs Elgin at the ppv, and they hype up Roesmary vs Havoc, RVD and Moose vs Cage and Rhino, and a special look at Sami vs Tessa for later in the show.
Desi Hit Squad vs TJP, Fallah Bahh, and Daga
Daga and Raj start. Daga looks great with a fast start. Gama
tries to interfere but hits Raj instead. Rohit comes in, but is met with a double team by TJP and Bahh. In comes Daga and Shera. Shera and the DHS take the
advantage. Shera looks great tonight. Daga avoids the Double team by DHS and brings in
TJP. Daga uses some lucha to take out all three members. Fallah connects with a
suicide dive! Big backstabber from Daga, but TJP only gets two on the pin. DHS gains the advantage and Rohit connects
with a dive. Gama trips up TJP, and Shera connects with a Sky High for the win. Pretty fun match. DHS make great heels. Bahh is just so fun to watch. Winner: Desi Hit Squad
We see Swann and Willie backstage. Mack says he might not be ready for
Sunday. He doesn’t want to hold back Swann. Swann says Willie helped him get to
where he is in wrestling and life. Rich doesn’t want Willie to sell himself short. Swann says he knows
Willie is hurt, but Swann needs Willie on Sunday. He says that together Swann and
Mack are hard to kill, and they will win the tag titles on Sunday.
OVE promo time. Jake says that all of them know Sami as the IMPACT World Champ, and that Sunday is going to be special for all of them. Dave says that Sunday is not going to be special for all of them because he lost. He says that Sami is going to lead them into the
future. Dave says that the ppv isn’t about Tessa. The ppv is about how hard it is to kill OVE. Dave says that Fulton, not Shamrock, is really the most dangerous man. Fulton says that he is going to break everything in Shamrock.
We see Johnny Swinger backstage. Swinger finds Joey Ryan's stuff and puts a soma into Joey's water bottle. Tommy Dreamer walks in and questions Swinger. Dreamer makes Johnny drink the water.
We see a hype package for Ace Austin vs Trey.
Time for the special look at Sami vs Tessa. They give the full background on the Tessa vs Sami rivalry, and look at both of their childhoods. Great job making the title match on Sunday feel special.
Father James Mitchell, Havok, and Suzie are backstage. Mitchell locks Suzie in a room instead of letting her come to ringside.
Havok vs Rosemary
Rosemary goes right at Havok, but Havok just shoves her away. Rosemary is able to mount some offense, but again, Havok shrugs it off. Rosemary avoids a charging Havok, and Havok goes to the outside. Rosemary comes off the apron onto Havok. Mitchell distracts Rosemary, but Rosemary avoids Havok, who crashes into Mitchell. Suzie makes her way to ringside. Havok gains the advantage and hits a sidewalk slam. Suzie has no idea where she is or what she is doing. She joins Don and Josh until Mitchell gets up and removes her. Rosemary gains the advantage, but stops to talk to Suzie. Havok uses this as a distraction. Havok gets Rosemary back into the ring and hits a tombstone piledriver for the win. I absolutely love everything about this story! Winner: Havok
Kiera Hogan, Madison Rayne, and Taya vs ODB, Tenille Dashwood, and Jordynne Grace
Tenille and Madison start us off. Very technical start, as both wrestlers exchange holds. Neck-breaker over the middle rope by Dashwood. Double team from Tenille and Grace on Madison. Kiera allows Madison to gain the advantage and Taya tags in. Taya works over Grace before bringing in Hogan. Triple team from the heels. ODB makes the hot tag, and she takes it to Taya and Rayne. Big modified cutter from ODB. Grace splashes Taya and goes for the pin, but ODB is legal. ODB throws Grace to the floor, and gets the pin on the champ. Tension between ODB and Grace after the match as they head to the ppv to challenge Taya. Short match, but fun while it lasted. Winner: ODB, Tenille Dashwood, and Jordynne Grace
We see RVD and Katie making out backstage. Moose interrupts and wants to make sure he can trust RVD. Rob doesn't remember feuding with Moose and says he doesn't even know what day it is. The trio walks off, and we see Swinger passed out on a couch. Joey Ryan and Petey Williams walk up. Joey send Petey away to get a sharpie.
Josh and Don preview Hard to Kill on Sunday, and it is main event time!
Moose and Rob Van Dam vs Rhino and Cage.
Moose and Cage start off the match. Both men show off their power and athleticism. Cage gains the advantage and tags in Rhino. The duo hits a huge double back drop. Rhino works over Moose in the corner before clotheslining him to the floor as we head to a commercial break. Back from break, Rhino and Rob are legal. Rhino sets up for the gore, but Katie holds his foot allowing RVD to gain the advantage. RVD and Katie execute a lip lock, and RVD tags in Moose. Moose goes to work on Rhino. Moose goes for a suplex, but Rhino counters with a suplex of his own. Both men make a tag. Cage and RVD exchange counters before Cage lands a combination of kicks and a suplex. Chaos breaks out as Moose comes in and stops Cage. Rhino comes in and takes out Moose. Rob takes out Cage with a kick, but Cage kicks out at two. RVD teases rolling thunder, but stops short and taunts the fans. Cage gets up and hits Rob with an F5. Moose comes in and sends Cage to floor. Moose and Rhino square off, but Rhino is sent to the floor. Cage back in and takes it to Moose. Moose hits his huge corner dropkick, but Cage off with a tornado ddt, leaving both me down. RVD hits Cage with a Five Star Frogsplah, but Rhino answers with a Gore on his former ECW rival.Rhino goes to Gore Moose, but Moose sidesteps and Rhino eats a buckle. Moose goes up top and attempts a frog splash of his own. Rhino moves, and Moose crashes. Moose gets up to eat a Gore from Rhino and a discuss lariat from Cage. Cage covers Moose for the three count! Great and chaotic main event! Winner: Brian Cage and Rhino
We go off the air with a hype package for the ppv on Sunday. Speaking of "Hard to Kill," you can order the show and help out the BWB team at this link: https://bit.ly/35LUqrJ. It is going to be a great show, and I cannot wait to see The North vs Swann and Mack and Tessa vs Sami!