Last week, Ethan Carter III lost his Impact Heavyweight Championship #1 Contender spot in a Six Sides of Steel match. This week, Impact Wrestling is in Mumbai, India, for a few Wrestling Namasté of his own. The Impact Heavyweight Champion Lashley and the GFW Global Champion Alberto El Patron will be in the ring together, X-Division Champion Low-Ki and Impact Wrrestling Knockouts Champion Rosemary will put their titles on the line (you can read our interview of Rosemary here). This is Impact Testing, brought to you by the “Doctor Frenchy” Steph !
Before the show opens, Bruce Prichard is asking Josh Mathews and Bruce Prichard not to fight before Slammiversary, otherwise they will both fired on the spot. A video is showing the arrival of Impact Wrestling team in India for the first-ever TV American wrestling show taped in Bollywood country.
Alberto El Patron makes his way to the ring. He’s very happy to be in India. He has been putting rings on fire and winning titles in many companies all over the world. But what he wants now is Bobby Lashley Impact World Heavyweight Title Championship at Slammiversary on July 2 and become the Undisputed Champion.
Bobby Lashley arrives to confront him. He’s tired of hearing him and wants to shut him off. Lashley claims he is the realest wrestler in the entire wrestling business, he’s ready to fight El Patron in a ring, in a cage and even in a parking lot. Lashley adds Alberto is not the only wrestler who traveled the worlds and won titles. The crows chants “Si !”. Lashley adds he doesn’t care of Alberto’s family wrestling heritage, he can’t wait to shut him off, walk out of Slammiversary as the Undisputed Champion and send him back to Mexico.
Bruce Prichard is coming to calm both guys. Two champions are ready to compete, so he’s going to give them each an occasion to defend their championships tonight in India. Their opponents are going to remain a mystery for both Alberto and Bobby. If any or both of them win tonight, they’ll both be the main event of Slammiversary.
* Backstage, Prichard is talking to “The Mumbai Cats”, a masked tag team. He understands that they want a shot at Alberto El Patron’s Global Championship belt.
X DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH – Low-Ki (c) vs. Caleb Konley
Konley goes straight on the fight but Low-ki quickly shuts it down with rough strikes. Abdominal stretch on Konley who escapes and hits a suicide dive on Low-Ki outside the ring. Low-Ki is bleeding near to the eye due to his fall into the first rope before the suicide dive. Konley tries to control a blinded Low-Ki but the Champion hits a running double foot stomp and the Warrior’s Way for the victory.
Sonjay Dutt stops Low-Ki as he’s coming backstage. After a few words in Hindi, he brings the Champion back to the ring and tells him about the eye pacth he has because of the injury he sustained thanks to him. Duut demands a title shot, in English and in Hindi, next week on Impact. Low-Ki agrees and thr two shake hands.
* Video feature on Rockstar Spud- Swoggle feud. Swoggle claims that Spud is 45 and tries to dress like he’s 20. Swoogle promises revenge on Spud very soon.
‘The Lone Wolf’ Davey Richards vs. Vikas Kumar
Richards was not supposed to there as Prichard told him to stay at home. Kumar made his best but Richards trapped in an ankle lock for the win.
As Richards was leaving, EC3 made in his way to the ring with a strap in his hand and whipped Kumar. James Storm rushed to the ring to save Kumar and make Carter leave.
* Backstage Eli Drake is asking Prichard to be one of Lashley or Alberto’s contenders for tonight title defense matches. A video about Impact Hall of Fame is aired.
* After a Borash and Mathews hype session, we saw Swoggle chasing Rockstar Spud in the arena and into the crowd.
* Another video, this time about Mahabali Shera. He talks about his background, his family in India, his love of wrestling and of Indian people. He’s proud to represent his country in Impact.
* Another video about Joseph Park motivating Jeremy Borash to train for their upcoming tag team match.
IMPACT WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH – Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Moose
Tough match between the two big men. Elbow from Lashley followed by a flying dropkick from Moose and a nearfall. Crossbody from Lashley, nearfall. Lashely hits Moose into the corner with a shoulder block. Moose answers with a bicycle kick. After a belly-to-back suplex from Lashley, the action goes outside the ring, Moose is sent into the ring apron and into theguardrail. Lashley raked Moose in the eyes and brings him back to the ring. Neckbreaker and sleeper hold from Lashley, but Moose rallies and hits a standing drop kick. Lashely is sent outside again, where he counters a dive from Moose and sends him face front into the ring apron.
Lashley is in control. He hits ten straight strikes in the corner but Moose stops him with a power bomb. Moonsault from Moose, near fall. Moose knocks down Lashley with a splash and an hesitation basement dropkick. Lashley blocks a corner splash and hits a huge lariat. Moose escapes the running spear to try himself a spear. Near fall again. Superplex from Lashley off the top rope. Another attempt of running spear from the Champion but Moose hits another bicycle kick and a go to hell choke slam. Not enough to make Lashley relinquish as he hits the Impact Grand Champion with a running spear for the victory.
* Video of LAX in their headquarters celebrating their GFW and Impact Tag Team championships. Konnan claims the team has now all power in Impact Wrestling.
KNOCKOUTS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH – Rosemary (c) vs. ‘The Hot Mess’ Laurel Van Ness w/Sienna
The disfigured bride tries to work on Rosemary but it’s Sienna who’s successful at it by sending the Champion into the ringpost outside the ring. Laurel is now in control and kicks Rosemary. Not enough as Rosemary rises up on her knees. Massive attack of Rosemary on Laurel, Sienna tries to distract the champion, but she puts Laurel into Sienna. Roll-up on Van Ness for the pin.
Sienna and Laurel then attacks Rosemary but Allie runs with a kendo stick. Rosemary grabs the stick to make the bad chicks leave.
She then comes to Allie with a smile and drops the stick in front of her as a sign of respect.
Exchange of blows before fighting into the crowd. Back in the ring, Adonis counters a dive from El Patron. Adonis tries his Adonis lock in the ropes, hold broken. Adonis then locks him in a camel clutch submission hold. Adonis keeps on knocking El Patron down but Alberto counters and Adonis is sent outside. Alberto battles back with a kick, a clothesline and a back stabber. Near fall. Alberto hits the “Si” kick but Adonis counters with a spine buster. Another big “Si” kick but Adonis counters the attempt of cross arm breaker. He lifts Alberto on the top rope but El Patron is able to apply his cross arm breaker into the ropes.
Back in the ring, Adonis hits a sky high sit out power bomb for a near fall. Alberto counters the Adonis Lock and puts him in the ropes to hit a leaping double foot stomp into Adonis’ chest for the win.
Eli Drake then attacks El Patron from behind (Adonis seems to be injured in his shoulder). Moose runs to save the Champion as Lashley is staring from the ramp.
Overall, 4 big title matches with real tough action. Because that’s we’re expecting from Impact, action. India TV tapings was beneficial for Impact. Back to Orlando next week, will the show be as good ? We’ll see…
3,5/5
All screenshots courtesy of Impact Wrestling