What more can I say, else than the now usual stacked episode sentence? Under Pressure is coming up next week, there are still a few matches to settle in. Five matches were announced for this week. oVe will square off with Lucha Underground Superstars Aerostar and Drago. And if oVe is in the Impact Zone, we may expect Sami Callihan to be there, which may mean Eddie Edwards could be too… Moose will try to make Kongo Kong more than bend, while The Cult of Lee will wrestle LAX. On the X-Division side, Petey Williams and Dezmond Xavier will compete for the first time ever. And Matt Sydal is putting the X-Division title on the line against AAA Latin America Champion and Lucha Underground star El Hijo del Fantasma. What do I usually say after that? Yes, no more words, let’s get ready for some action, your French Enygma Steph way, of course…
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t8Oas1flMo]
oVe w/Sami Callihan vs. Drago & Aerostar
Aerostar and Drago took to the skies and dove on oVe. Sami got involved, allowing Jake to cut off Drago and oVe to take control. They isolated Drago in their corner and worked quick tags. They sent Drago to the floor so Sami could attack him and then rolled him back in. Jake laid the boots to Drago and oVe then worked double-team moves again.
But the Luchadores rallied, Drago connected with a couple of superkicks, Aerostar hit a hurricanrana off the second rope. Dave was able to fight off both opponents and bring in Jake who hit a flurry of kicks. In the back, Eddie Edwards arrived with a kendo stick. Alisha was s with him and begged him not to go into the building. He arrived, attacked the Crist brothers and Sami for the DQ. He then choked out Sami with the kendo stick.
Referees tried to stop him, more security came out to pull him away. Edwards had completely snapped as Alisha kept yelling at him “it’s over”. Callihan was in a terrible state and fled at ringside with the help of security. But in the ring, Eddie Edwards attacked all of the security guards with kendo shots, yelling all along the way.
Outside the Impact Zone, Alisha was yelling at Eddie he was just acting like Sami Callihan. Eddie claimed that this won’t over until he totally destroyed Sami. Edwards said next time he wants him no ropes, no referee… this feud may end in a bloodbath…
Cult of Lee (Trevor Lee & Caleb Konley) vs. LAX (Santana & Ortiz)
LAX, like Austin Powers, has seemed to have lost his mojo. Ortiz and Lee began the match until Konley rushed in. They all brawled to the floor. Back in Konley and Lee took control and showed the world their ugly carpet of chest hair. LAX battled back, but Konley whipped Ortiz to the steps and then popped Santana down to the floor. Back from break, Konley was working over Ortiz. But Konley distracted the referee so Lee could choke him out.
The Cult of Lee worked double-team moves. Ortiz was dumped to the floor and Lee hit the apron punt kick. Back in the ring, Lee and Konley continue their teamwork until Ortiz hit a desperation stunner. He finally gave Santana the hot tag and ran wild. He kicked out the leg of Lee, hit a DDT on Konley and a boot to Lee’s mug. Nice assisted Death Valley Driver from LAX, but Lee broke the count up. LAX sent Lee at ringside and hit him with chops. But Lee tripped up Ortiz and Konley rolled up Santana for the victory.
Meanwhile, backstage…
– Jimmy Jacobs told McKenzie Mitchell he didn’t appreciate the accusations about Kongo being the one that was taking people out backstage without any proof (the mysterious man that attacked Joseph Park and a man backstage, with the X-Symbol). But tonight, he claimed he wanted Kongo Kong to destroy Moose. Because he’s a Princess and Princess always got what they want.
– KM was teaching Fallah Bahh the “KM Way.” They noticed Grado hanging with Katarina. KM cleverly said, “If a fat ass like Grado can get a woman like that!” KM told Bahh to give her his best line, “Bahh!” KM then wondered how Katarina got with Grado and she replied, “I’m a bit of a chubby chaser.”
– Madison Rayne was telling McKenzie about her return and coming back to commentary. Rayne said someone has to stop the bullying from Blanchard on Hogan though. Before she could finish, Blanchard showed up to tell Rayne next time they would meet face to face in the ring.
– As DJZ and Everett were talking about being Tag Team Champions, Scott Steiner and Eli Drake showed up, Steiner started yelling at them about being lucky. Drake and Steiner suddenly started to bicker on the match. Seems like the love story is already over, somebody may be punched in a near future…
Impact X Division Championship Match: Matt Sydal (c) vs. AAA Latin America El Hijo del Fantasma
It was a main-event match, but not. They shook hands, Sydal opened his third eye. Back and forth to start the match and Fantasma hit shoulder tackles, an enzuigiri and the Lucha arm drag. Sydal faked an injury to attack with a Russian leg sweep and then grounded the action with submission holds. Fantasma started to fire back, but Sydal cut him off and took him back down. Sydal then connected with kicks and a final cut kick. He continued with the jumping kick, Fantasma countered the standing moonsault and followed with shoulder tackles.
Sydal was sent to the floor and Fantasma hit a baseball slide. Back from break, Fantasma was slamming Sydal into the steps. He connected with chops at ringside before sending Sydal into the ring post. Back in the ring, Sydal rallied and headed up top for the Shooting Star Press. He missed but escaped Fantasma’s Thrill of the Kill. Fantasma locked Sydal in a death lock but the Champion grabbed the ropes. Fantasma hit a superkick, but Sydal countered it into the Chemical Imbalance cradle slam for the pin. A third eye can be pretty useful…
– In LAX Lair, Santana and Ortiz were mad about losing but suddenly LAX original Eddie Kingston showed up. He told them Konnan was fine and with Homicide. He told Santana and Ortiz they are on a rough streak and need to step up. He seemed to ease up Santana and Ortiz.
Winner will face Brian Cage at Under Pressure Match: Dezmond Xavier vs. Petey Williams
These two in the same ring are synonymous with a great match because they’ve never squared off before and they were looking forward to. They shook hands and locked up, worked into counters, and then into a standoff. Petey then hit the head scissors, teased the Destroyer, but Xavier bailed out. Back in the ring, Xavier cut off Petey with a dropkick. Petey battled back with a dropkick in the ropes and a slingshot hurricanrana on the floor.
After the break, Petey was working over Xavier in the ring and grounded the action. Petey hit some suplexes, his personal version of the 3 Amigos. If Petey was in control, he was showing frustration that Xavier kept fighting back. He put Dezmond in the tree of WHOA, teased a move, but Xavier fought back with a German Suplex from the ropes. Xavier picked up the pace with quick offences and a tope.
Xavier misses the 450, rolled through but Petey cuts him off with the Side Russian leg sweep. Petey called for the Destroyer, Xavier countered it into a cutter. Petey connected with a codebreaker, but Xavier countered another Destroyer and hit a running Meteora double knees. Petey unloaded a powerbomb, but Xavier countered the hurricanrana and hit the Jocay-le, his signature back handspring followed by a backflip kick for the win. Petey raised his opponent’s arm as a sign of respect.
Rosemary’s Allie
Allie was haunted, looking at that note that went with the doll she received last week. Clips of Su Yung setting Rosemary’s coffin on fire are shown. We could hear Rosemary saying, “I’m sorry, I know this isn’t what you wanted, but it has to be.” Allie put a hoodie up and she suddenly had Rosemary’s face paint on. She was looking at the mirror in which was written, “B, don’t let the darkness consume you – R”
Kongo Kong vs. Moose
Jimmy Jacobs didn’t come out with Kongo Kong who couldn’t help but look around for him. Moose and Kongo looked to work power for power to begin. Kong laid in strikes and then hit a shoulder tackle. Moose replied with a dropkick, clotheslined Kong to the floor and followed with a plancha, but Kong was still on his feet. They brawled on the floor and Kong slammed Moose into the steel steps. Kong followed with a cannonball into the same steps. Kong rolled back in and we got a count out tease on Moose.
But Moose rolled back in last minute and Kongo laid the boots to him. He continued with a belly-to-belly suplex and a rolling senton, before working a nerve hold. Moose struggled but fired up with chops. Moose looked for a slam but collapsed under Kong’s weight (376 pounds..). Kongo worked the nerve hold again, hit strikes that lit up Moose. Kongo ate a headbutt. Moose connected with the hesitation dropkick, but Kong countered the Game Changer into an ushigoroshi. Kong headed up top, missed the splash and Moose rallied with a bicycle kick. He hit two more and was able to lift and slam Kong. Despite saying RIP to his lumbar vertebras, he connected with the Spear. Kongo was done. Another one lost his mojo tonight…
After the match, we saw the “X” symbol in a promo, the sign was about to explode, a man appeared in the shadow. We then saw Jimmy Jacobs knocked out backstage with the red card on his arm. Who’s this mysterious man?
I loved the gloomy beauty of Allie’s segment. I loved the two X-Division matches. But the rest of the show was pretty mild. I’ve never been a fan of big men matches, so the main event was not my cup of tea. As we move slowly but surely to Under Pressure next week, 4 matches only are on the card. So stay tuned this week as some new may be announced. As far as I’m concerned, a special event means a special review, so come back next week, you’ll find there everything you need to know. And because 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.
Making his IMPACT Wrestling debut at our June 1st and 2nd tapings in Windsor, ON – one of the UK's finest @joeshendry!
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— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) May 25, 2018
Scottish indie star Joe Hendry has signed with Impact Wrestling and will make his Impact debut at the June 1 & 2 tapings in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Hendry is a former Defiant World Champion in the UK and has been a regular with ICW since his debut in 2013. He also competed for the Ring of Honor World Television Championship against Silas Young on ROH’s Honor United UK tour this Thursday in Edinburgh.