Impact is back for its second episode of The Pursuit Era, and the opening video recapped the events between World Champion Johnny Impact, Killer Kross, and Moose. Plus Sami Callihan’s new rivalry with X-Division Champion Rich Swann, and Scott Steiner getting a front row seat for Scarlett Bordeaux’s “show”.
KM and Fallah Bahh came to the ring, but amazingly it wasn’t for the obligatory show opening promo. It was actually for a match! It’s a day to mark the calendar.
KM nc. Caleb Conley when Brian Cage interfered – But alas, it isn’t enough that there is a match going on in the ring, there has to be backstage antics as well. Brian Cage was running amok looking for Johnny Impact. He ran out and tossed KM out of the ring. He also German Suplexed Conley, and powerbombed Bahh. Josh Mathews kept questioning why Cage was doing this, even though Cage was clearly yelling for Impact. Cage followed up by hitting KM with an F5 on the stage, and hitting referee Johnny Bravo (hey there, smart mama) with a Drillclaw.
Cage took the mic and yelled that Johnny told him he’d have the next title shot. But now Johnny is putting the title on the line against Killer Kross. “Well, if that isn’t a bunch of…. daawwww!”. He said he’d get his rematch.
Johnny’s Music hit, and Johnny came to the stage. Before he could reply, Johnny was jumped by Kross, who covered his head in a jacket. Moose joined in to help beatdown Johnny. Cage strode up to the stage, picked Johnny up, and carried him back into the ring. Cage looked like he was going to F5 Johnny, but Moose hit a Spear to break it up. Kross and Moose then put the boots to Cage.
Backstage, Cage cut a promo saying he wanted Moose tonight. Josh and Don went over the rest of the card, with Rich Swann facing Trey and Jordynne Grace facing Dark Allie.
Eli Drake’s music hit, and he joined the commentary booth.
“All Ego” Ethan Page b. Eddie Edwards via DQ – Page is no longer Chandler Park, if that was even addressed at all, and that’s for the better. The announcers and Drake recapped the story of Eddie turning into a hardcore wrestler after having so much success. Eddie went for his kendo stick, which he apparently named Kenny, and smacked Page with it for the disqualification. This was the second match in a row without a finish.
After the match, Drake took the mic and cut a promo on Edwards saying ever since he went the hardcore route, he hasn’t been a champion. Drake said we should see the old Eddie Edwards back, because the Eddie Edwards now is a loser.
The Flashback Of The Week was a Cage Match between Abyss & The Redshirt Security vs. Raven, CM Punk, and Julio Deniro. I remember this because it was when Punk and Deniro turned on Raven and the END of a bloody cage match. I’ll never understand waiting until after you get beaten bloody in a match to turn on somebody. If you want to see a heel turn in a cage match, look up Dusty Rhodes and Ole Anderson at The Omni in 1980. THAT is a heel turn. Anyway this “moment” was approximately 12 minutes of TV time.
Back in modern day, Sami Callihan cut a promo saying Rich Swann needs to come back home to Ohio. But tonight the bloodiest feud of 2017 comes back to Impact Wrestling.
The three members of The Rascalz had a conversation where they each had their own camera placement, like a Google Hangout or something. All I understood was it ended with a fart joke.
Jordynne Grace (w/Keira Hogan) p. Dark Allie (w/ Su Yung) – Before the match the lights flickered. This was clearly storyline based on how everybody reacted. Probably Rosemary’s electrical powers. Grace went on the offense until Yung distracted her. This allowed Allie to hit a backcracker to take control. Allie tried some strikes and went for a Codebreaker. Grace blocked and hit a driver for the quick win.
Su Yung stood over Allie, then the lights went out. When they came back on, Rosemary was standing in Yung’s place. Apparently Rosemary also has shapeshifting powers. Allie backtracked in fear.
Scarlett Bordeaux said she had watched thousands of videos and looked over the entire Impact roster, and had her winner for her Talent Search. That winner was of course her. She must have taken notes from the Limp Bizkit school of talent searches. She announced she will be making her in ring debut soon.
An ad aired for TV tapings in Las Vegas for mid February.
Brian Cage p. Moose with a Drillclaw – The two brawled outside the ring. Moose tried to kick Cage, but Cage dodged. Moose managed to stop himself before kicking the post. Moose responded by saying “Don’t try to outsmart me”, and going for a chop. Cage dodged the chop, and this time Moose chopped the post. I chuckled. Cage dropped Moose spine-first on the post, and tossed him back in the ring. Moose got control of the match by targeting Cage’s knees. Crowd didn’t seem too invested in a match between two heels. Cage fired up and made a comeback with several power moves. Moose countered with a Go To Hell Powerbomb. Moose grabbed a chair from the outside, and charged at Cage with it. Cage dodged and hit a Drillclaw for the clean pin.
A replay of Taya getting attacked by Killer Kross as a phone conversation played between Josh and Taya. She said she will be cleared to wrestle next week.
MacKenzie Mitchell asked Tessa Blanchard if she wanted a rematch. Tessa freaked out and attacked everybody until Gail Kim ran in. Sonjay Dutt and others broke up the commotion. Scott D’Amore shouted at Tessa that she was suspended.
X-Division Champion Rich Swann p. Trey with a 450 Splash in a non-title match – An impressive show of athletics by Swann when he hit a standing hurricanrana on Trey while Trey was on the top turnbuckle. Trey kicked out of a Frog Splash. A dueling battle of roll-ups ended with Swann kicking out. Swan hit a superkick and a 450 splash for the pin.
OVE wasted no time making their way to the ring for the main event. They surrounded Rich Swann, who prepared himself by holding the X-Division Title belt at the ready. Again, Sami tossed the T-Shirt at Swann to put on. Before Swann responded, LAX’s music hit.
LAX (Ortiz & Santana w/Konnan) b. OVE (Dave & Jake Crist w/Sami Callihan) when Santana pinned Jake Crist – Santana got beaten down during the break, which allowed the heels to get the heat on Ortiz. Finally, Santana got the hot tag and ran wild. Dave broke up a pinfall attempt. Jake landed several kicks, and OVE scored a near fall with an assisted powerbomb. LAX rallied with a cutter and a double flip on Jake to get the three count.
Backstage, The Lucha Bros. Hi-Fived LAX. While Penta & Fenix were leaving, Ortiz hollered “If ya ever want another ass-beating, let us know!” The program abruptly ended as Konnan yelled “WHAT? What are you doing?!”
Overall: Another solid episode of Impact, with logical story progression and of course good wrestling. I know I complained about the first two matches having no finishes, but when the next four all have clean pins, there’s nothing at all to complain about.
