Bound for Glory Fallout is continuing this week. American Top Team, Lashley and King Mo are back, Gail Kim will share her career and Title decisions. LAX with Homicide will compete against oVe and Sami Callihan. And The Canadian Destroyer Petey Williams will square off with Global Heavyweight Champion Eli Drake for the title (check our website next week as I had the chance to talk to Petey Williams and he had a lot to tell you on his career, his signature move and his future). Things were great last Thursday, is it going to be the same this week? So let’s get ready for some action and, I think, emotions, the “Doctor Frenchy” Steph way.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kdj0huuSrlw]
We saw Gail Kim entering the Aberdeen Pavilion, followed by Dan Lambert, Bobby Lashley and American Top Team.
Taiji Ishimori, Caleb Konley, and Trevor Lee vs. Sonjay Dutt, Dezmond Xavier, and Garza Jr.
X-Division time, so quick-paced high-flying on the menu. Dutt and Ishimori started the match with back and forth. Konley tagged himself in, tried to attack Dutt who replied with a dropkick. Dutt tried to go up to the top but Konley kicked him out from under him. Konley and Lee stomped Dutt before Lee continued his attack. He also provoked Garza Jr. and Xavier to allow his partners to hammer Dutt even more.
Lee tagged in Konley who came with a big splash on Dutt who really needed to be tagged out. Dutt tried to fight off Lee, Konley and Ishimori by throwing Lee and Konley into each other and finally tagged in Garza Jr. (his shoulder was still injured and he was wrestling with one arm). Garza ripped his pants off (those who read my review every week know it’s my favourite moment of the episode…), hit a hurricanrana before tagging in Xavier for a brilliant flip over the top rope onto Lee and Konley to the floor.
But Ishimori stopped Xavier with a double knee drop. He reached the top rope for a standing double foot stomp, and then his 450 splash but Konley tagged himself in. Seemed like Lee and Konley were not in phase with Ishimori… Xavier countered Konley with a kick and sent him into the ropes where Ishimori was still on top of. Ishimori got dropped, Konley went for a dive, Xavier caught him and hit a nice corkscrew senton for the win.
Sami Callihan and oVe hyped their upcoming 6-man tag match against LAX using an old camera.
Fallah Bahh vs. EC3 (Grand Championship Match)
Round 1
EC3 suffered a lot in this round, trying moves but always being stopped by Baah massive body. The suplex got bounced back. Bahh went for a stomp, fortunately, EC3 rolled away. EC3 connected with a kick to the gut went for a body slam and instead got body slammed himself. Bahh literally rolled across EC3’s body and hit some shoulder tackles. EC3 rushed outside but Bahh hit a body splash before tossing EC3 into the ring as round 1 ended.
Bahh won the round – Bahh 1-0 EC3
EC3 this time was able to work on Bahh after he slammed his shoulder into the ring post and was lowered. EC3 attacked Bahh on the ground with punches as the crowd was supporting Bahh. Carter followed with chops, a jawbreaker, a splash into the corner. Bahh crashed down to the mat (what a noise…) as the round ended.
EC3 won the round – Bahh 1-1 EC3
An IMPACT Grand Championship match can end by pinfall at every moment or by judges’ decision if there’s no winner by the end of the 3 rounds. Bahh took control of the round, EC3 replied with some clotheslines, but Bahh hit a Samoan drop. Bahh then connected with chops, a big splash in the corner, a belly-to-belly suplex, and EC3 survived. Down to the last minute of the last round, Bahh hit a massive crossbody block, headed up to the ropes to drop down on EC3 but Carter dropped him down and pinned him with both feet on the ropes. Cheap win, yes, but Carter survived the Baah machine.
oVe and Sami Callihan vs. LAX (Santana, Ortiz, and Homicide w/ Konnan)
Homicide is back in a ring and that’s a good thing. After last week turmoil by the end of oVe match, LAX attacked right in the match. Callihan and Santana started the match but Jake Crist was quickly tagged in. He dropped Santana before Ortiz jumped in and hit a backbreaker. Callihan came into the ring to attack Ortiz and send him to the floor with a suicide dive. Homicide sent everyone on the floor with a cannonball dive.
Callihan and Homicide were now back in the ring, Callihan hit a low blow, Santana and Ortiz complained to the referee (is LAX turning face?). Homicide was unable to tag out and suffered his 3 opponents’ attack. Dave Crist sent Ortiz and Santana to the floor. Jake hit a belly-to-back suplex, Callihan traded shot with Homicide. He went for a suplex, but flipped out and tagged out. Dave Crist in hit a cutter reached the top rope but Santana stopped him with a kick to the back.
Jake had Santana in the piledriver position, Callihan kicked him in the head, Jake dropped him down for the win but Santana kicked out. oVe and Callihan decided to start again but Ortiz and Homicide attacked, hit their own powerbomb/blockbuster combo for the win. Konnan was there but never interfered in the match. It sure felt like LAX played as faces in this match, we’ll see if that continues going forward. Awesome match, I agree with the crowd, but strange to see LAX working as faces… After the match, LAX threw chairs on oVe and Callihan who was hit right in the face.
American Talk Team has a lot to say… again…
Dan Lambert came to the ring alone, talked about Moose, pro wrestling… – to talk some more trash about Moose and pro wrestling. Here came Moose, decided to beat up on Lambert but Lashley and the rest of American Top Team attacked Moose. James Storm came to help out, smashed a beer bottle on one of ATT guys’ head.
Fantastic promo by Storm who said wrestling has been around before Lambert and will be around long after Lambert is gone. If people have tried to bring him down, his Mom told him to work his ass off and make the haters beg you to come to their company. Storm recapped his time with Impact, America’s Most Wanted, Beer Money, and said that was professional wrestling as wrestlers were living for the moment to come down the ramp. He claimed his pride in being a pro wrestler, that ATT knew nothing about wrestling, but they do know about respect. Yes, “The Cowboy” James Storm is pro wrestling.
Backstage, KM wanted a chance at being with ATT, Eli Drake claimed Williams could not last more than 3 minutes in the ring with him and Allie stopped Gail Kim to tell her how honoured she was to be in a match with her.
Gail Kim decision
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvLm00cwQUo]
I prefer to let you watch the videos of Gail Kim’s career highlights (above) and farewell speech (below) instead of describing that moment. In front of Jeremy Borash and Allie, Gail Kim relinquished the Knockouts Championship and put an end to an 18-year wrestling career. She said she was fully confident in the future of the Women’s Division. With wrestlers like Allie, Sienna, Taya Valkyrie, Laurel Van Ness, Rosemary or Alisha Edwards, yes, the future is bright.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2ffXD4kAQQ]
While we learnt that Grado finally had a US visa (what?!!), but not a Canadian one, Jimmy Jacobs joined Josh Matthews at the announce table and Matthews made with The Princess.
Impact Global Championship match: Eli Drake (c) w/ Chris Adonis vs. Petey Williams
Drake attacked first but Williams gained momentum quickly. Drake bailed to the outside to slow him down and talk with Adonis. The Canadian crowd cheered their hero all match long. Williams dropped Drake. Back from break, the momentum was reversed as Drake hit a Facebuster on Williams. Drake distracted the referee to allow Adonis to choke Williams on the bottom rope. Drake continued with elbows, Williams rallied but Drake dropped him again. Adonis interfered again with cheap shots.
Drake went for a knee drop but missed. Williams replied with punches but Drake strangled his eyes (French way of saying a thumb in the eye). Williams rallied and dropped Drake. He went for the Canadian Destroyer but Drake countered with a kick before tossing Williams flat on the back. On the apron, Williams unleashed a codebreaker, a release German suplex and went for the Canadian Destroyer again, unsuccessfully. Drake rallied with a slam but missed a moonsault. He got out of the Canadian Destroyer again but Williams put him in the Sharpshooter. Drake struggled to reach the ropes but made it.
Drake brought Williams into his corner, Williams rallied with a DDT and hit a suicide dive into Adonis. Williams finally connected with the Canadian Destroyer but Drake kicked out. Williams went for another one but Drake hit a package piledriver. Williams countered the Gravy Train and went for another Canadian Destroyer but Drake turned it into the Gravy Train for the win. Amazing match, Adonis interfered but Drake did most of the job in front of an excellent Williams.
Taiji Ishimori and Dezmond Xavier definitely proved they have everything to become future X-Division Champions. If the Tag Team Division keeps boiling down to LAX and oVe, boredom will be on the menu soon. I may love these 2 teams, this feud has to end. IMPACT Grand Championship is fitting EC3’s waist like a glove. I don’t know what James Storm is doing in the ATT story but I can’t help but feel emotional with Gail Kim leaving the Impact Zone. Even if we know she’s now becoming a backstage producer, she will leave an indelible mark on a Knockouts Division she helped building and on Women’s Wrestling in general. Eli Drake is officially the first IMPACT wrestler to kick out of the Canadian Destroyer. Petey Williams and Drake offered a hell of a match, technical and intense. Well done again, very good episode. IMPACT is definitely great to watch. And if you agree with me, of course, I see you next Friday…
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5unYCGpXDNg]
All pics, videos, and screenshots courtesy of Impact Wrestling.