What an episode to come this week! Eli Drake has some things to tell, oVe will be in action, Fallah Bahh and KM are supposed to team up too, Brian Cage is starting his World Tour in Australia. And in the ring, Taya Valkyrie will face off Kiera Hogan in a rematch of Redemption, Lucha Underground luchadores AeroStar and Drago will team up with El Hijo del Fantasma to square off with Andrew Everett, Dezmond Xavier and DJ Z, Matt Sydal will put the X-Division title on the line against former Champion Taiji Ishimori, and The Demon Assassin Rosemary will face off The Queen of the Legion of the Undead Brides, Su Yung. No more words, let’s get ready for some action, your French Enygma Steph way, of course…
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLMjrk8aBqA]
Eli Drake’s statement
Eli Drake arrived to kick off the show. He said he was here alone as Steiner had the night off, hanging with some freaks and working on his peaks. He reminded us that he holds a shot at the Impact World Title. He then ran down Aries and ripped on Pentagon’s “Cero Miedo” catchphrase. Drake said next week he will cash in his opportunity to take the World Title to Pentagon Jr. Out came the Champion, the two started jawing at each other in the middle of the ring. Pentagon raised up the title, did some more taunting before heading up the ramp.
– Kiera Hogan was telling McKenzie Mitchell about her first PPV match at Redemption. Hogan said even if she lost that match, she’s moving on and asked for a rematch for her own redemption. Tessa Blanchard showed up and proclaimed herself a Diamond and the Total Package. Blanchard added women like Hogan will always be behind someone like her. Hogan replied to Blanchard to do what she does best, sit and watch her match tonight. Meanwhile, Austin Aries was offered jelly beans by Grado who was working his DDP Yoga with Joseph Park (the fat nightmare is back…)
oVe (Jake & Dave Crist) vs. KM & Fallah Bahh
Bahh was still sketched out about KM being so nice to him after being so mean. So oVe attacked before the bell rang. KM cut them off and launched Jake across the ring. Dave slowed KM down and Jake stomped him away. He tagged in Dave. KM tried to fight off the double team moves but failed as they laid the boots to him. Commentary noted KM has dropped 30 pounds over the last few months, very important thing to know…
KM fought of the suplexes and tagged in a fired-up Bahh. He ran wild, hit some corner splashes on the brothers. He then steamrolled over oVe (I empathize with their pain…), did it a second time until KM decided to do the same. Bahh charged in into the corner, missed, ran in and mistakenly hit KM. Jake and Dave unloaded the strikes, the schoolboy made it for the win. KM was grumpy after the match but shook Baah’s hand anyway. The match of the night, to forget…
– Backstage, Moose was describing to McKenzie Mitchell how he plans to get to the World Title. But Jimmy Jacobs came to tell him he loved his confidence. He reminded us of the fate of Johnny Impact until Moose lifted him up to ask him what he wanted. Jacobs said he wanted Moose to face Kongo next week.
Taya Valkyrie vs. Kiera Hogan
Taya attacked at the bell, took down Hogan with chops to the chest and tossed her across the ring. Taya ran in, missed the charge, allowing Kiera Hogan to fire up with a couple of strikes. But Taya cut her off with a clothesline to the mat. Taya tried to stomp Kiera’s head, missed, and Kiera replied with a kick to the side of the head.
A sloppy head scissors followed and Taya was sent to the floor. Kiera attacked with a kick from the apron and then stomped her head down to the steps. While the referee was checking Taya, knocked out on the floor, Tessa Blanchard arrived and distracted Hogan. Kiera started swinging away on Tessa but she threw Hogan into the ring post and steps. In the ring, Tessa hit the hammerlock DDT to floor Kiera and taunted in the middle of the ring.
Brian Cage’s World Tour
We were in a WSW event where Cage was involved in a Fatal 4-Way match. Cage destroyed everyone, pulled a flip over the top rope and down to the floor on three guys. The discus lariat and the Drill Claw ended the massacre.
Lucha Libre Rules match: El Hijo del Fantasma, Aerostar and Drago vs. Dezmond Xavier, Andrew Everett and DJZ
How to describe something as wild and crazy as this match? Fantasma and Xavier started it off, working a fast-paced opening stretch. They worked into a stand-off. Xavier got the best of him, Aerostar took out Xavier, DJZ hit a springboard dropkick, Drago connected with a side Russian leg sweep from the second rope. Aerostar flew in and hit a cutter, before hitting Everett with a ropewalk into a dropkick. Fantasma cut him off, laid in boots and chops. The Luchadores worked over Everett, Drago hit a dropkick. Aerostar hit a hurricanrana. DJZ and Everett flew in with stereo missile dropkicks on Aerostar. But Fantasma took control until Xavier cut him off.
Marvel of a four-way submission but Aerostar and Everett stopped the party to brawl. The Luchadores worked over Xavier with a three-way submission. DJZ and Everett made the save, here came dive time as Xavier connected with a handspring flip over the top to the floor and landed on his feet. DJZ followed with a step-up front flip to the floor. Fantasma unloaded the Arrow from the Depths of Hell. Aerostar put the exclamation point with the coffin drop, a reverse cannonball in the air.
All three wrestlers were up top now and each unloaded their own high flying move, mostly this toe-touch backflip from Everett. But Fantasma attacked Xavier and Aerostar flew in. Drago hit a double DDT before a corkscrew flip to the floor on DJZ. Everett followed with a corkscrew moonsault to the floor. Xavier dropped Fantasma in the ring, went up top, but Aerostar walked the ropes and hit a super hurricanrana and a springboard splash on Xavier. Aerostar went up again, but Everett stopped him. DJZ climbed to hit the ZDT to the mat, the perfect finish for a perfectly delirious match. The 6 men shook hand after the match.
– Backstage, Aries wished Eli Drake good luck as he was going to root for him and the title if he was successful in winning it… Meanwhile, Bahh and KM tried to find her common vibe. And Eddie Edwards was getting out of jail, Tommy Dreamer appeared and summoned him to jump in the car.
Impact X Division Championship Match; Matt Sydal (c) vs. Taiji Ishimori
We started off with some fast paced back and forth. Sydal attacked Ishimori’s leg with kicks, but Ishimori cut him off. He teased a dive. Ishimori replied with knee strikes and leg kicks. He tried to ground the action but Sydal took advantage with an inverted Muta lock and later a single leg Boston Crab. But in between Sydal unloaded a festival of kicks.
Ishimori grabbed the ropes but Sydal continued to attack Ishimori’s legs. He rallied with a back handspring kick, the corner knees and the double foot stomp. He countered the Standing Moonsault from Sydal and hit a rolling Death Valley Driver. Ishimori went up top for the 450 splash on the 450 but Sydal cut him off with a head kick. He looked for the Shooting Star Press, Ishimori countered and hit the Dodon’s Throne. Ishimori looked for the 450, Sydal cut him off and hit the pump handle driver for the win. What a match!
– Somewhere Tommy Dreamer couldn’t believe he had to bail Edwards out of jail. Edwards said he’s now a grown man and, although he appreciated his help, Dreamer was not his father. Eddie is ready to get mad again…
– Backstage, Allie wanted to be at ringside for Su Yung vs. Rosemary but Rosemary refused to let her go down to the ring. Allie initially said no, but finally agreed to stay behind. Meanwhile in the LAX Lair, Santana and Ortiz had no money, no girls, no alcohol, no Konnan but a match against DJ Z and Andrew Everett next week.
Su Yung vs. Rosemary
Su Yung attacked a very focused Rosemary before she even got the ring. Rosemary smacked her on some chairs while Yung connected with a palm strike and hit the Panic Switch out on the floor. The lights went down and Yung summoned her Legion of Undead Brides to bring down a coffin.
Yung tried to put Rosemary in it, but Allie headed out and attacked Yung. Rosemary was not happy to see her come at ringside. Yung asked the Brides to attack Allie and retain her. Yung kicked Rosemary in the face, but Rosemary grabbed a kendo stick.
She went to smack Yung in the ramp, but Rosemary got mist in the eyes. Yung then nailed a Panic Switch from th ramp through a table off the side of the ramp. Yung summoned her Brides to drag Rosemary to the coffin and put her inside. Yung did it . She slammed the top shut while Allie was looking on in disbelief.
This episode was fantastic, what can I add? Awesome action, Lucha Libre style, Knockouts on fire… it was perfectly mastered. Well almost… Do we really witness the Death of Rosemary? I’m still in shock of what happened and can’t wait to see what’s coming next. 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.