It’s time to leave Ottawa behind us with a special edition of Genesis. Also, time to end the feuds that have been fuelling my reviews over the last few weeks. Four titles matches are set for tonight. Will Allie grab the Knockouts title out of Lauren Van Ness’s shoulder? Who’s going to escape the Six Sides of Steel with the Global Championship? Will Matt Sydal finally be able to beat EC3 and become the IMPACT Grand Championship? Right from Pro Wrestling NOAH in Japan, Taiji Ishimori will square off with Andrew Everett for the X-Division Title. And finally, will the war between ATT and Moose come to an end, maybe with a little change in mind from Lashley?

Many questions, but a lot of action on the menu. No pre-show as this “special event’ is taking place during IMPACT weekly broadcast time slot. But it’s still your French Enygma Steph who watched the show for you.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyT62AP9FGQ]

Impact Grand Championship No Judges, No Rounds Match: EC3 (c) vs. Matt Sydal

For weeks and weeks, Sydal has tried to defeat Ethan Carter III to become the IMPACT Grand Championship. But in the classic system of rounds and judges match, Sydal came up short every time, even when Fallah Bahh was involved. So at Genesis, Sydal was having his last chance…  Sydal attacked EC3 right in the match, ended up taking him to the floor. But back in the ring, it was EC3 who took control on the match. He hit double knees to face, chops, kicks, a suplex. Sydal rallied and went for the standing moonsault but fell right on Carter’s knees. EC3 continued his offence with a suplex and powerbomb, before mocking Sydal with the “choke taunt”. Sydal hit some kicks and a standing moonsault.

EC3 missed a charge, Sydal connected with the Meteora. Carter countered a top-rope attack and hit a corner splash and a cutter. On the apron, EC3 stunned Sydal off the ropes. But back in, Sydal hit a spin kick that sent EC3 to the floor. Back to the apron, EC3 hit a DDT and stayed outside, expecting a count out but Sydal broke the count. He unloaded a hurricanrana, kicks and a knee strike. Sydal missed the first attempt of Shooting Star Press when EC3 suplexed him into the turnbuckles. Carter hit the One Percenter but Sydal rolled to the floor. Carter mocked Sydal again with the choke sign. EC3 climbed up the ropes with Sydal on his shoulders, but Sydal hit a sunset bomb and the shooting star press to become the new Champion.

Carter was obviously in control of the match, but it seemed like taunting Sydal the way he did was enough to allow Sydal to finally find the momentum he had been looking for weeks. A good match where the underdog prevailed.

Knockouts Championship Match: Laurel Van Ness (c) vs. Allie 

Since Laurel Van Ness became Champion and Allie the #1 contender, these two had been involved in a cold war. The two women worked on the floor right in the match, Allie leaping off the steps to take out the champion. Laurel hit a big chop, Allie tried to charge in but Laurel dodged it and hit a big kick and a forearm to Allie’s back. Back from break, in the ring, Laurel was in control, throwing Allie on every level of the turnbuckles, hitting a curb stomp and the draping DDT.

Back and forth strikes from both women until a double clothesline brought the two wrestlers down. Laurel missed a charge allowing Allie to connect with running forearms and a dropkick face-first into the turnbuckle. Allie continued with a suplex into the turnbuckles. Allie on fire put Laurel upon her shoulders, but Laurel battled back with the Unprettier, Allie countered. Allie went for the Codebreaker, LVN countered. Laurel hit a massive curb stomp and went for the Unprettier again. Allie countered again and hit a superkick. Laurel mistakenly hit an elbow on the referee, allowing her to grab her title, hit Allie with and get the pin.

Allie gave everything she had in this match and it was a pleasure to watch. Van Ness won the worst possible way but proved she had the guts to be the Champion. And a bit of desperation too. Not bad.

Lashley (w/ Dan Lambert and KM) vs. Moose

The ATT-Moose- Lashley has been running since Slammiversary XV. Dan Lambert retired James Storm. KM joined ATT, something Lashley seemed not to appreciate. This winter soap opera had to find an end. Lashley started with big strikes of his own, elbows, forearms, and punches. Moose slowly fought back but Lashley stroke back again with shoulder blocks in the corner. Moose rallied with a run up to the top rope and a high cross. Lambert & KM distracted Moose, allowing Lashley to hit a clothesline. Lashley started to argue with KM. Back from break, Lashley was still in control with a neck breaker. Lashley dumped Moose to the floor into the barricade and then slammed Moose to the apron. Lashley also choked out Moose in the ropes.

Moose hit a dropkick as Lashley was heading to the ropes. Moose followed Lashley to the floor but was slammed into the steps and the barricade. KM brought a table into the ring but  Lashley yelled at him and as he didn’t want to be distracted. Moose obviously rallied and took control, hitting a running corner dropkick and the GTH (go to hell, a kind of Lesnar’s F5). Moose missed a charge, Lashley hits a running hurricanrana and a spear. KM distracted Lashley again, Lashley got mad. Moose threw Lashley into KM, hit a rolling lariat and the GameChanger for the win.

After the match, Lambert rushed in to check on Lashley and Moose nearly got his hands on Lambert. Lashley pulled Lambert away from trouble and Lambert started yelling at Lashley for losing. KM tried to play peacemaker but ate a spear from Lashley. Lashley then threw Lambert in the ring and he gets kicked in the face. Moose understood what was about to happen and set the table up in the corner in order to allow Lashley to spear Lambert it. Lashley shook Moose’s hand and does the “Moose” taunt as he heads up the ramp.

I’m not a fan of the slow-paced, big men match. But just watching Lambert being thrown into the table and knowing the ATT story is over was enough to make me appreciate this bout.

X-Division Championship: Ishimori (c) vs. Andrew Everett 

Only highlights from this match that took place in Tokyo. Nice corkscrew leg drop from Everett, even if he missed. Everett dropped, dragged him into the corner and went for a Shooting Star Press. Ishimori raised his knees and grounded Everett with a massive lariat. Ishimori reached the top rope to hit his 450 Signature Splash and pick up the win.

Why only highlights? The very few minutes of this match we had the chance to watch were stunning, Everett was at the top of his game and we couldn’t see more of it…

Six Sides of Steel Impact Global Championship Match: Eli Drake (c) w/ Chris Adonis vs. Johnny Impact vs. Alberto El Patron 

The feud between Drake and Johnny Impact was not very new, but when El Patron made his Ottawa screw job, he stuck his nose in an already complicated mess. Borash and Mathews stated if Drake was retaining, Alberto and Johnny were done challenging for Drake’s title. The Six Sides of Steel and Chris Adonis at ringside were definitely on the side of Drake. But he and Patron attacked Johnny right in the match. Impact rallied and climbed the cage, but Patron pulled him off and hit a clothesline, followed by a backstabber on Drake. Patron climbed the steel cage but missed the double stomp. Impact replied with a double stomp on the back of Alberto but Drake cut him off with a powerslam.

Back from break, all 3 men were trading strikes. Drake hit a double low blow and took control of the match. He hit a powerslam on Impact, slammed El Patron and Impact into the cage. For the moment, Adonis was watching at ringside. Johnny rallied, using the cage as a Parkour element to ground Drake. He hit knee strikes on both his opponents. Impact climbed the cage, but El Patron stopped him and hit an enzuigiri. Drake broke the count. Patron repeatedly sent Drake to the cage and hit a DDT. El Patron climbed now, followed by Johnny Impact. The traded strikes on top of the cage. Impact fell into the Tree of Woe position, El Patron connected with the double stomp and then with the armbar on Drake. Impact broke the action with an elbow drop off the ropes. Impact and Drake climbed the cage this time, El Patron joined them, battle on top of the cage, Alberto was sent to the mat, Drake too. Johnny could have found his way out but chose to hit a marvel of a high cross from the top of the steel cage.

Impact hit a superkick but Drake countered with the Gravy Train. Drake countered a moonlight drive from Johnny. the two climbed the cage. Impact unloaded kicks while El Patron started to climb out the door. Johnny dropped down and pulls El Patron back in the ring. Patron hit an enzuigiri, while Drake was on top of the cage. Here came Adonis who slammed the cage door into Alberto’s face. Impact and Drake battled up on top and over the cage. johnny was about to escape but Adonis caught him, allowing Drake to drop to the floor and win the match.

If Drake is still the Champion, it seemed obvious Johnny Impact was about to become the winner. But Chris Adonis made a huge difference to give the win to his friend. El Patron did a good job but was definitely out of the Championship line. A very good main event, despite the end, Drake will now have a brand new bunch of contenders to take care of.

Since Bound for Glory, IMPACT Wrestling has been clogged with storylines that were not really going somewhere. Genesis was the moment to put an end to this chapter with a good and solid event. We witnessed wrestling, and only wrestling, performed by great talents who fought and didn’t talk. 

Next week, we’ll open the first pages of the Orlando Chapter, that was taped earlier this year, some of you already know many changes are set to happen, with new faces coming to the Impact Zone. But to find out which ones, and mostly what is going to happen, of course, I see you next week…

*****

Genesis Full Results:

* No Judges, No Rounds IMPACT Grand Championship Match: Matt Sydal defeated EC3 (c)

* IMPACT Knockouts Championship Match: Laurel Van Ness (c) defeated Allie 

* Moose defeated Lashley

* X-Division Championship Match: Taiji Ishimori (c) defeated Andrew Everett

* Six Sides of Steel Match for the Global World Championship: Eli Drake (c) defeated Johnny Impact and Alberto El Patron

All pics, videos, and screenshots courtesy of Impact Wrestling. Photomontage by @frenchnygma exclusively for @steelchairmag.