The final IMPACT before Redemption PPV… In less than 2 days, we’ll know if we were right to put our trust back in the company and its talents. Very few matches and appearances announced for this week’s episode as most of the card of the PPV has been revealed on Impact Wrestling Twitter account (find the full card at the end of the review) all along the week. But Fallah Bahh will team up with Kiera Hogan to take on Braxton Sutter and Su Yung. Johnny Impact and Kongo Kong will square off. KM is set to appear for an Open Challenge, Brian Cage too. Of course Redemption will be on the menu, but not in this review’s as I’m preparing a special Stakes and Predictions for you, with that you need to know about this PPV. Let’s get ready for some action so, your French Enygma Steph way, of course…
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5OvN6kXxT8]
Braxton Sutter and Su Yung vs. Fallah Bahh and Kiera Hogan
Sutter and Yung attacked at the bell, but Hogan and Bahh fought them off. Bahh charged in with an elbow to the face, a belly-to-belly suplex and a steamroller over Sutter. Hogan connected with a crossbody off the top rope and nearly landed on Yung’s head. Hogan hit a low dropkick but Yung tagged out. Hogan attacked Sutter and dropped down on his back. Bahh was tagged in, tried to drop down on Sutter but missed. Su Yung in hit a low dropkick to Bahh’s face. She tried to drag Bahh, was of course not able to so she tagged out. Sutter tossed Bahh out to the floor and hit a couple of chops.
Back in the ring, he distracted the referee so Yung could hit a cannonball dive off the apron to the floor. Sutter then bit Bahh but get caught in a Samoan drop. Women were tagged in, Hogan connected with a kick to Yung’s face, a big elbow, a boot to the face, slaps and a butterfly suplex. Sutter broke her momentum, Hogan replied with a slap to his face. Thanks to Sutter, Yung hit a throat chop. Sutter distracted the referee again, allowing Yung to grab her kendo stick and hit Bahh in the back. But it did nothing. Sutter sent Bahh out to the floor, Yung hit the Panic Switch on Hogan for the win.
As Yung was heading up the ramp, Allie rushed and stroke from behind. Sutter pulled Allie away, Yung punched her in the midsection. Sutter tried to break the 2 women up but Allie stroke back again until referees separated them.
– In LAX Lair, Santana and Ortiz tried to figure out how to handle Scott Steiner who has no soul or compassion. Konnan wondered if he would even show up, he might just beat up Eli Drake. Konnan said Steiner’s time has come and gone and they are the now. The mystery case created a stir between Konnan and Santana.
– Backstage, Jimmy Jacobs told McKenzie Mitchell his problem with Johnny Impact was a matter of look. Kongo has never had the look but he was going to ruin Johnny’s pretty face, maybe gouge out an eye.
KM Open Challenge
KM headed to the ring and wanted to start up an open challenge, but just for top talents. Bad choice, here came Brian Cage. KM tried to talk his way out of this, but Cage refused to allow him to leave.
Cage attacked with a dropkick. He hit clotheslines on KM in the corner, tossed him into it. He continued with a kick to the head and a release German suplex. Deadlift superplex off the second rope followed by a flying elbow and a rolling lariat. The F-5 followed for the win. One minute and a half were enough…
Johnny Impact vs. Kongo Kong
Before the match, Jimmy Jacobs talked about meeting Kongo Kong 18 years ago, wanting to make a monster out of him and creating some chaos. He said He then said Kongo maybe needs to break some bones and mess up some eyes to Johnny. There can be only one monster at Impact Wrestling”, he confirmed
Johnny went for a test of strength right off the bat. He kicked Kongo in the midsection but it did nothing. Kongo grabbed him and sent him back over the top rope. Back in the ring, Kongo connected with a shoulder block. He stepped on his back and threw him into the corner like a puppet. He continued with a big splash, a belly-to-belly suplex and a rolling senton over Johnny.
Kongo tried to drop down but missed. Johnny hit a running knee, some elbows and a standing shooting star press. Kongo rallied and hit a massive headbutt that pulled Johnny down. Johnny tried using his speed to get around Kongo with a springboard, but Kongo caught him and blasted Johnny down to the floor. Kongo tried to send Johnny into the steps, he leapt over and came back, launched himself off the steps, but got shoved back into them. Kongo connected with a rolling senton into the steps.
Kongo picked up the steps and put it on the apron. The referee tried to stop him but was thrown into the guardrail. Kongo put Johnny on his shoulder and sent him face-first into the steel steps. Johnny’s nose and face were bleeding. Johnny won the match via DQ. Kongo and Jacobs headed to the back happy.
– Backstage, as Eli Drake was talking to McKenzie, Steiner showed up and confirmed he was going to help deliver him the tag titles. Steiner also talked some trash about LAX…
WrestleCon Impact Wrestling vs. Lucha Underground main event: Austin Aries vs. Fenix vs. Pentagon Jr.
Nice way to introduce the upcoming PPV main event than airing the match that led to it. They all ran wild at the bell, hitting superkicks and working at a fast pace. Pentagon and Fénix dumped Aries, the Lucha Brothers worked some back and forth. Fénix dumped Pentagon and Aries attacked with a missile dropkick and an elbow drop.
Pentagon back in broke things up. He cut off Aries with a kick, but Fenix flew in and hit a cutter. Aries hit a dive onto Pentagon, Fénix hit a wild tornillo to wipe out Aries. Back in the ring, Fénix worked over Aries but the Impact Champion crotched Fénix up top. Back in the ring, Fénix hit a German Suplex. Pentagon came back in and he hit a nasty powerbomb on Fénix. Aries cut off Pentagon’s signature package piledriver attempt and hit a neck breaker in the ropes.
Aries now hit a nice 450 splash and The Last Chancery, but Fénix made the save. The little Luchador went for a muscle buster Aries countered out. Pentagon attacked. He laid in chops before he and Fénix started double teaming on Aries. That ended as they both went for pins and started trading strikes. They lighted each other up, Aries joined in and ate superkicks from both. Aries rolled outside, allowing Pentagon to hit a marvel of a pop-up powerbomb and the Penta Driver (pump-handle half nelson driver) for the win. In a Championship situation, Austin Aries would have lost the Impact Championship without even being pinned. Is it going to happen on Sunday?
This episode was definitely not the best one. The main event originally recorded was a match involving Alberto El Patron, so of course things had to be changed the last-minute. Having the chance to watch the Impact Wrestling vs. Lucha Underground confrontation between Austin Aries, Pentagon Jr and Fénix was a great way to tease the main event of the PPV. Now, let’s be honest, Redemption is the do-or-die PPV for Impact Wrestling. After building up something great over the last 3 months, this PPV can make people definitely stay… or definitely leave…
What’s going to happen next week? Like you, I have no clue. All that I know is, after Austin Aries earlier this week, you’ll find my Scott Steiner media call report this weekend as well as my Redemption preview, with all the stakes and predictions on the matches. On Monday, you could find out my Redemption review, with the full results. And obviously, I’ll be there next week to open up another Chapter of Impact Wrestling history with you. So if you agree with me, of course, I see you next week… And never forget to stay #eNYGMAtic…
Redemption Card
– Impact World Championship Triple Threat Match: Austin Aries (c) vs. Pentagon Jr. vs. Fénix
– Impact X-Division Championship Match: Matt Sydal (c) vs. Petey Williams
– Impact World Tag Team Championship Match: LAX (c) vs. Eli Drake and Scott Steiner
– Impact Knockouts Championship Match: Allie (c) vs. Su Yung
– House of Hardcore 6-Man Tag Match: Tommy Dreamer, Eddie Edwards, and Moose vs. oVe (Dave Crist, Jake Crist and Sami Callihan)
– 6-Man Match: Taiji Ishimori vs. Dezmond Xavier vs. El Hijo del Fantasma vs. Brian Cage vs. DJZ vs. Trevor Lee
– Lucha Underground Superstars Match: Aero Star vs. Drago
All pics, videos, and screenshots courtesy of Impact Wrestling. Photomontage by @frenchnygma exclusively for @steelchairmag.