Tonight, we’ll have a new Knockouts Champion. Who will come after TNA Hall of Famer Gail Kim, Rosemary or Laurel Van Ness? Not only we’ll have a new Champion, but a new #1 contender will also be determined in a 4-Way match between the other competitors of the Knockouts tournament, KC Spinelli, Allie, Sienna and Madison Rayne. LAX and oVe are set to hold a summit on the upcoming Tag Team Championship rematch. James Storm and Moose will have a few things to say to Dan Lambert, Lashley and their sidekicks (as long as Dan Lambert doesn’t open his big mouth…). Dezmond Xavier saved Taiji Ishimori last week, they’ll work together this week against X-Division Champion Trevor Lee and Caleb Konley, while Alberto El Patron, Johnny Impact and Petey Williams will team up against IMPACT Global Champion Eli Drake, Chris Adonis and a mysterious opponent. With such a menu, let’s get ready for some action, the “Doctor Frenchy” Steph way, of course…
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMAKW05KOrE]
#1 Contender Match for the Knockouts Championship: Sienna vs. KC Spinelli vs. Allie vs. Madison Rayne
Both Sienna, Madison Rayne and KC Spinelli targeted Allie in the corner right in the match. Once she was out, Spinelli and Rayne focused on Sienna, with a dropkick for KC and a splash from Rayne that sent Sienna to the floor. Spinelli then attacked Rayne from behind, hit a Northern lights suplex but Rayne kicked out. Rayne went for a crossbody but was caught and slammed. Allie came back in the ring now to send both Sienna and Spinelli down. While Rayne was working on Allie in the ring, Sienna and KC started to fight outside. Rayne was on her way to win but Sienna cut her momentum with a big boot. Sienna connected with the running crossbody but Allie broke the count.
Sienna then used Rayne as a weapon by throwing her into the other wrestlers. But her momentum was short as all women decided to attack her. They finally all brawl, Allie hit a superkick on Rayne, Sienna hits a suplex on Allie, Spinelli took down Sienna. Everybody was down until Allie put everyone in a corner and hit all three with an elbow. Allie nailed Sienna with a codebreaker but Spinelli broke the count. Allie then hit a huge kick and the Allie Valley Driver on KC but Sienna stopped the count. As Sienna was going for the AK-47 on Rayne, Allie out of nowhere rolled Sienna up for the win. The fan favourite was the winner…
X-Division Champion Trevor Lee & Caleb Konley vs. Taiji Ishimori & Dezmond Xavier
Ishimori and Lee started the match with back and forth action. Ishimori tagged in Xavier as he was in control. Xavier connected with a double dropkick but was yanked by Konley when he went for a springboard. Lee then came with his huge kick on the apron right into Xavier’s head. After the break, Konley was in control, Xavier was trying to tag in Ishimori but both Konley and Lee prevented him from, with Konley smacking Ishimori off the apron and Lee hitting another boot to Xavier’s face and a lariat.
Konley came for a suplex but Xavier was finally able to tag in Ishimori. Springboard on Lee, handspring kick on Konley, followed by a bodyslam and a double foot stomp on Lee. Ishimori reached the top rope to jump off on Konley. Lee and Konley answered with double team work, but Xavier quickly came to clean up the ring. Lee and Konley put Xavier in the tree of woe, Konley went up on the top rope but Xavier smacked him to the floor. Ishimori got the win with a roll-up on Lee. This match could have been really better, but Ishimori is proving himself as the #1 contender for a X-Division Championship Trevor Lee feels like he’s not going to keep a long time yet.
– Backstage, Dan Lambert talked about American Top Team and how they are the best at what they do, while Johnny Impact and Petey Williams had to deal with their future teammate Alberto El Patron. At the same time, Eli Drake and Chris Adonis were negotiating with Jimmy Jacobs.
Alberto El Patron, Johnny Impact, Petey Williams vs. Global Champion Eli Drake, Chris Adonis, and a mystery partner
Jimmy Jacobs came to the ramp to say he’s in Impact to help, not to hurt. He’s not going to help Adonis and Drake, but his Monster will, Kongo Kong.
Alberto and Adonis started off the match, Adonis was having the best of Alberto when Johnny tagged himself in. A mess of tags until Petey Williams was the official man. Great teamwork from Williams and Johnny on Adonis while Alberto was watching from the ramp. Drake was tagged in, was dropped by Petey, and tagged in Kongo Kong. The size disparity between Kong and Williams was clear and, of course, when Williams trying to test Kong, he was roughly slammed.
A tagged-in Adonis stomped away at Williams but Williams hit a sunset flip. Adonis grounded him and tagged in Kong. Williams ate a big splash in the corner from Kong. Drake and Adonis retained Williams in their corner but was able to rush to tag in Impact when Kongo and Adonis messed up. Johnny attacked with a leg lariat, a springboard kick on Drake. Adonis broke the pin attempt.
Alberto finally got into the match to hit a backstabber on Johnny. Drake clotheslined Alberto who rolled out of the ring. Williams back in the match was dropped on his face by both Drake and Adonis. Kong went for a splash off the top rope but Williams avoided to be flattened by rolling out. Johnny smacked Adonis with a big kick while Williams kicked Drake to the floor. Johnny hit a corkscrew senton to Drake on the floor. Williams tried a hurricanrana on the floor, but Kongo caught him and powerbombed him into the crowd. Kongo carried Williams backstage area while Johnny hit a Starship Pain on Drake but Alberto stopped the count, pulled him off and dropped him on the ramp. Alberto hit a frog splash on Drake for the win.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqsAYnQ73xc]
Watch the video to understand how messy this match was. Alberto grabbed the belt and posed with it after the match, showing he’s able to do absolutely anything for the gold, anything. As of now, we still have no news on Petey Williams who is supposedly Kongo Kong’s new toy somewhere in his cave…
– Backstage Joseph and Chandler Park were talking business, while IMPACT Grand Champion EC3 said he was the greatest.
James Storm and Moose have enough of ATT…
And they’re not the only ones… Moose started saying ATT is really pissing him off. Storm responded, “Me too, my internet service is crap.” Moose claimed Lashley couldn’t beat him in a one-on-one match. He even thought about changing his nickname from “Walking Armageddon” to “B**ch Boy Bobby.” Lashley headed down with Lambert and told Moose to shut his mouth. He confirmed he could fight anyone at anytime. And as far as Moose was concerned, Lashley said he’ll fight, but on his time.
Storm told Lambert he respects what he does in MMA but not what he says about wrestling. Storm added Lambert is nothing but a “pile of poo poo.” Storm announced he wants Lambert one-on-one just to “kick the s**t” out of him. Lambert opened his mouth, I plugged my ears. One thing to retain, as Storm has been with IMPACT since Day One, Lambert agreed to wrestle him only if he put his career on the line. Storm agreed too, only if Lambert and ATT never ever came to the Impact Zone is Lambert lost. Lambert spit in Storm’s face, Lashley and Moose started to fight, KM rushed to stop Storm but Storm superkicked him right in the face. Cheers, Cowboy!
Knockouts Championship Match: Rosemary vs. Laurel Van Ness
Rosemary emerged as the fan favourite but Laurel Van Ness quickly charged in. Rosemary answered with a boot to the face, LVN was frustrated. Back from break, Rosemary was in full control until Laurel threw Rosemary into the steel steps and then stomped her down on the ramp. Rosemary kicked out of 4 pin attempts, making Laurel scream to the referee. “You’ve got issues!” chant from the crowd. Laurel continued to stomp at a grounded Rosemary.
Laurel shoved her foot in Rosemary’s throat while taunting a crowd that was not on her side. Laurel smashed her shoulder into Rosemary a couple of times. Rosemary finally rallied when Laurel was slamming her head into the mat. Rosemary went for the tarantula submission but Laurel broke the hold by dumping her to the floor and hitting an exploder suplex on Rosemary.
Laurel tried to charge but Rosemary caught her and punched her wildly. She went for the Red Wedding, Laurel countered, Rosemary tried to charge into the corner but Laurel punched her. She pushed the referee to hit Rosemary more and more. Rosemary tried to mist LVN, Laurel ducked the blow, receiving the mist on her hands so she could put the mist on her opponent’s face. Rosemary blinded, Van Ness hit the Unprettier from the top rope for the win. Laurel Van Ness is our new Knockouts Champion, a title she never held before.
When Konnan meets Callihan
Sami Callihan and Konnan had some things to take care of (for those who didn’t read what Sami Callihan has to say about IMPACT and the oVe brotherhood here). Konnan tried to give Sami some advice that he’s oblivious to his ignorance. Callihan told him to shut up and that oVe is taking over the territory, something LAX can do nothing about. Konnan said they want the belts and a title match. Sami agreed only if LAX leaves Impact if they don’t win the match. Konnan was about to agree but added that, if oVe lost the match, LAX would destroy everything they know in Ohio. “Just business”, like Konnan said. Sami didn’t appreciate the personal threats and sent a small flame into Konnan’s face, saying, “Now, it’s personal, b**ch!”
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxU6v29Cyy8]
Some things are moving on, some not (where is Garza Jr.? I need my weekly pants-off dose…). Two opportunistic women, Laurel Van Ness and Allie, won tonight and that’s good for me. The same way Gail Kim built the Women’s Division when she became the first-ever Knockouts Champion, I wish LVN to open new doors for the Knockouts, be a pioneer on her own. Women’s wrestling, on IMPACT or everywhere else, has never been more interesting, opportunistic, unapologetic, well the way it should have always been. Of course, the action was there this week, but where are we going for the moment? We’ll have to wait 3 weeks to know as IMPACT is going on “best-of” mode for the next 2 weeks. And as you’ll see below, the first IMPACT of 2018 is already full of promises… As far as I’m concerned, I’ll be on “best-of” mode with you until the end of 2017 and I will be there in 2018 to review IMPACT for you. If you agree with me, of course, I see you next Friday…
All pics, videos, and screenshots courtesy of Impact Wrestling. Photomontage by @frenchnygma exclusively for @steelchairmag.