The briefcases were opened last week and EC3 was fired. But the New Chapter is not done yet, we still have a few pages to turn before Redemption PPV on April 22. And when it comes to this week, we have enough action to be satisfied. KM will face off Fallah Bahh, Brian Cage and Lashley will finally collide in a ring, Austin Aries and Matt Sydal will put their titles on the line. Is Aries going to be a double Champion, or Sydal a Triple Champion? Su Yung will make her debut in the Impact Zone against Amber Nova. And for the fans of X-Division, Petey Williams, Taiji Ishimori, Suicide and Rohit Raju will face off in a Fatal 4-Way match. Let’s get ready for some action so, your French Enygma Steph way, of course…
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXlxp3Shs3o]
Petey Williams vs. Rohit Raju vs. Taiji Ishimori vs. Suicide
We kicked off the show with a match. And what a match… Rohit and Suicide ended up out on the floor as Ishimori and Williams were squaring off in the ring. Ishimori hit a hurricanrana, but Williams fought back, tripped him up against the ropes and hit a dropkick to the back. Suicide worked on Williams and Raju but Ishimori stopped him with a missile dropkick. Williams cut Ishimori off and locked him in a sharpshooter, but Raju broke that up with a kick to the chest.
Suicide came back and hit some palm strikes on Raju, went for a sunset powerbomb to the floor on Williams who ended up holding on to the ropes. Rohit connected with a suicide dive to the floor on Williams and Suicide. Ishimori followed with a golden triangle moonsault to the floor on everyone. Back in the ring, everyone went for near falls and then rapid-fire moves. Petey hit a code breaker on Raju, followed by a Russian leg sweep and a flatliner. He went for the Canadian Destroyer but Suicide cut him off with a superkick.
Ishimori then laid in rights on Suicide, hit a springboard seated senton. He then attacked Petey with a slam and hit the double stomp. Suicide stopped him, Raju then stopped Ishimori and connected with running kicks. Petey hit a powerbomb on Suicide, but Raju hit a neck breaker and a suplex. Ishimori hits Raju with the Dodon’s Throne and a 450 splash but Suicide made the save. Suicide missed a moonsault, allowing Petey to hit the Canadian Destroyer for the win.
Nice match to open up the show that showed Williams earned his #1 contendership, even thanks to the briefcase. After the match, Williams announced he would be cashing in his “Feast or Fired” opportunity at the Redemption PPV against Impact X-Division Champion Matt Sydal.
– While Eddie Edwards was in Ohio looking for Sami Callihan, Eli Drake said to McKenzie Mitchell he wasn’t really happy about the tag team title opportunity he won. Drake said as he’s one of the best in the company, he should be going after the top title, not the tag titles. He announced he didn’t need to have a tag partner. “You think I want some cross-eyed half-wit” as a partner, asked Drake. He then suddenly had an idea and headed off.
Su Yung vs. Amber Nova
Her entrance took longer than the match itself as in 40 seconds, Su Yung attacked Nova, laid in strikes, hit a running knee and the Panic Switch for the win. Period.
– Backstage Johnny Impact told McKenzie he wanted to win the World Title. Jimmy Jacobs said that was not what he wanted. Jacobs said Johnny was living in a beautiful bubble and that his monster Kongo Kong was about to pop that bubble.
The flying Demon Assassin
Backstage, Taya Valkyrie was in a good mood after what she did to Rosemary. As the camera moved, we saw Rosemary following Taya from up above with a trash can. She launched it down on her, suddenly showed up behind her and the two began to brawl. A bystander got too close and ate the trashcan in the face. Richard Justice came to check but Taya punched him. Taya headed back to Rosemary and got mist to the face. Blinded, she grabbed a passing Amber Nova and started to choke her. While Taya was retained on the floor, Rosemary appeared again above and dove down Taya and the ones who were detaining her. Rosemary laughed as she walked away.
KM vs. Fallah Bahh
Highlights of a match from Wrestle Pro in New Jersey. KM was getting the best of Bahh and mocking him. But Bahh answered with a Samoan drop, chops and a running crossbody. Bahh rose to the second rope, went for the Banzai drop but KM rolled out. KM stole a victory with his feet up on the top rope. KM called Bahh a “fat-ass”…
Lashley vs. Brian Cage
It was the first “real” match of Brian Cage on Impact. Against a “real” opponent. They worked around the ropes until Cage connected with a suplex and a hurricanrana. Lashley then answered with one of his own. Cage replied with a clothesline that sent Lashley to the floor. Lashley reached the apron, draped Cage’s neck over the top rope, went up to the top rope and stunned Cage off the ropes. Lashley stomped at his opponent, hit a neckbreaker. But when Lashley charged Cage, he got dumped over the top and down to the floor. Cage followed with a flip dive to the floor on Lashley.
Back in the ring, Cage hit a superkick and headed up top, but Lashley cut him off and hit a press slam. Lashley grounded things, laying in stomps to Cage’s knees. Lashley continued with corner shoulder blocks and tossed Cage to the floor. Back in Lashley followed with corner mounted strikes, and another corner spear. Lashley grounded things again, but Cage escaped with a jawbreaker and hit a springboard into a tornado DDT.
Cage connected with kicks, a leg lariat and a spinebuster. Lashley countered the F5 into a spinebuster and hit a powerslam. Lashley is not pleased. Cage fired back again, hit a powerslam but missed the moonsault. Lashley hit the Spear, and Cage rolled to the floor. Back in the ring, Cage manages to fire up again and hit a rolling lariat for the win. Lashley was not pleased at all… Usually not the kind of match I love, but both Cage and Lashley were impressive… A rematch would be welcomed…
– Backstage, as Gail Kim was giving advice to Allie after being attacked by Su Yung, Drake told Moose he really missed what Moose had in his case. He offered Moose to trade their cases because Drake’s case has two titles, where he has one. Moose said no. Drake told him he was not sure if Moose was ready for the Impact World Championship, but maybe with a buddy, he could win the tag titles. Moose then said they’ll have a match next week. If Drake wins, he gets Moose’s case. If Moose wins, he keeps his case and takes Drake’s case.
Ohio is for revenge…
At a Rockstar Wrestling show in Ohio, Eddie Edwards rushed while oVe was in the ring and called for Callihan. The Worldwide Desperado slowly made his way out to the ring with a baseball bat. The brawl started but a 3-on-1 situation was not in favour of Edwards. Callihan pushed down on Edwards’ eye that he injured. Callihan went to hit him with the bat and Edwards kicked in him right in the jewels of the Crown. Edwards took the bat, attacked Jake and Dave, but Sami attacked again and hit him with his bat right in the face. Jake and Dave followed with the dropkick piledriver to finish Edwards off. Sami Callihan later told Edwards if he thought he could just come into Ohio and try to run oVe down, he forgot Ohio is versus Everything.
Title vs. Title Match: Impact World Champion Austin Aries vs. Impact Grand Champion Matt Sydal w/ Josh Mathews
Earlier this week, Impact World Champion Austin Aries bumped into X-Division Champion Matt Sydal and Impact Grand Champion Josh Mathews. Aries ended up challenging Sydal in a “Title vs. Title” match. Sydal agreed to step in and defend the Grand Championship, despite Mathew’s protest. While Aries and Sydal were fighting, we saw Alberto El Patron eating a steak…
Aries and Sydal locked up and worked some back and forth. Aries hit a shoulder tackle and grounded the action. Sydal avoided the Last Chancery and attacked with leg kicks. Series of counters, Sydal escaped a dropkick. Aries attacked with a kick and the basement dropkick. After the break, Aries had the action grounded, then laid in kicks, and slammed Sydal into the turnbuckles. Aries continued with the knee drop and an elbow off the ropes. Sydal fired back with a leg kick and chops, but Aries dumped him to the floor. Sydal cut off the suicide dive with a spin kick.
Sydal grounded things, working the knee of Aries. Sydal followed with a lariat, a knee strike and kicks. Sydal hit the standing moonsault but ate the knees of Aries. Aries rallied with forearms, but Sydal cut him off with a kick. Aries cut off the springboard attempt, reached to the top and hit the double sledge to the floor. Aries followed with strikes on the floor. Sydal fought back, knocking Aries back to the floor. Aries rolled back in and turned him inside out with a nasty lariat. Aries went for the brainbuster, Sydal countered it, but Aries hit the Final Cut. Sydal laid in kicks and forearms, but Aries fired back with chops. Sydal then hit the German Suplex.
Sydal kicked Aries again, but Aries connected with a shin breaker and a Saito suplex. While Sydal was to the floor, Mathews tripped up Aries as he went for a dive. Sydal hit a knee strike, but a not-so-distracted Aries hit a rolling forearm. Mathews prevented Aries from hitting a Death Valley Driver on the apron on Sydal. Aries replied with a neckbreaker in the ropes. Aries headed up top, but Mathews distracted the referee, but Petey Williams arrived and took out Mathews. Sydal crotched Arie, and hit a hurricanrana. Sydal went up top for the Shooting Star Press but missed. Aries hit a forearm, the John Woo dropkick and didn’t miss his signature Brainbuster. Austin Aries is now an Impact Double Champion and Sydal is not very Namasté anymore…
The Belt Collector has now 5 belts around his waist, the Impact World and Grand Championship, the DEFIANT Championship in the UK, the WSW Heavyweight Championship in Australia and the IPW:UK World Championship. That’s huge, like the match he did with Sydal. Like I said last week, one episode can be better than the following, as long as action is there and is good. And this week was amazing. Redemption PPV build-up is starting great, characters are strong and, of course, action was there. Same thing next week? No problem for me, and I’m sure for you… And if you agree with me, of course, I see you next week… And never forget to stay #eNYGMAtic…
All pics, videos, and screenshots courtesy of Impact Wrestling. Photomontage by @frenchnygma exclusively for @steelchairmag.