She said a few weeks ago she was wrestling for Impact Wrestling without a contract. This time is over for Tessa Blanchard as she’s there for a while…
ICYMI: @Tess_Blanchard has signed a long-term contract with IMPACT Wrestling. pic.twitter.com/sHa2n5jOXj
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) July 11, 2018
The Road to Slammiversary XVI, Chapter 2, Act 6. We’re just 8 days before the PPV and it smells like good wrestling is coming on July 22. Last week’s episode was one of the best we’ve ever seen. But this week is not going to be synonymous with action as the only match we heard of is oVe vs. Pentagon Junior, Fénix and Rich Swann. But we’ll hear about a lot of people as Allie, Madison Rayne, Austin Aries, DeAngelo Williams, The King and the LAX OG’s like LAX and Konnan. No more words, let’s get ready for some action, your French Enygma Steph way, of course…
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhsjhrcyitQ]
The LAX OG’s (Homicide & Hernandez w/The King)vs Silver Smith & Lee
When a match lasts less than one minute, I can’t call that a match. Homicide and Hernandez destroyed the enhancement talents, Hernandez hit a Border Toss and picked up the win. This was a very quick match but it sent a message. The LAX Originals are not done yet.
The King then cut a promo on Konnan and said it was not his time anymore. They appreciated him but he needed to hit the road. King got tired of waiting so he decided to stay two steps ahead. That’s where The OGs came in. Homicide was left in a Mexican strip club while Hernandez was stuck at home, as they are multi-time tag team champions. But King added they don’t care about titles right now. He announced a 5150 Street Fight for Slammiversary between LAX and the OGs.
The Ove Creepy Cam was back to let Sami Callihan say they do the best six-man tag matches ever. At Slammiversary, he’s going to take Pentagon’s mask because they are for Ohio by Ohio and they’re taking over everything.
Shotzi Blackheart vs. Allie
The Rise Wrestling talent was chosen after a seminar held in May. The green-haired Shotzi Blackheart said backstage she was ready to roll and “this mango is ready to tango.” In the ring, after some armdrags, Allie took Shotzi down with a shoulder block. Blackheart countered with a bridged leg submission. Allie escaped and they traded slaps until Allie hit a sliding elbow but missed a dropkick.
Blackheart kept the pressure on Allie with a headlock and a combination of knees and kicks. Allie tried to fight back but Shotzi hit a neckbreaker and a forearm. She rose up top for a dropkick but Allie sidestepped her. Allie unloaded a missile dropkick in the corner and a German suplex. Blackheart missed another dive. Allie connected with the codebreaker and that was it. Allie didn’t have the time to celebrate as Tessa Blanchard attacked her on the ramp. She brought her back in the ring and landed the hammerlock DDT.
After Eli Drake decided he wanted to “wrestle” Katarina, Tessa Blanchard sais she was focused on the Knockouts Championship. Madison Rayne got in her way and when she was handling business, here came Allie. She said Allie doing the right thing hasn’t gotten her anywhere, so she’ll teach her that at Slammiversary. And the mysterious blonde lady is still coming soon…
A-Double and the NFL guys
After Austin Aries cut a backstage promo on Moose and DeAngelo Williams, we were in the ring with Josh Mathews and DeAngelo Williams who said he never thought he’d be back in the ring. He’s been training with Moose but he’s not telling where. He called Aries trash before some clips of Moose training for Slammiversary were shown. Williams said everything Moose has lived for, everything he’s done, he’s ready to take on “Austin Crybabies.”
Austin Aries came out, he didn’t look impressed. He talked down to Williams and mocked his clothing choice, his training camp and the fact he’s forced to retire from football this year. He also made fun of him for never winning a Super Bowl. Aries told Williams to deliver a message to Moose before punching him and stomping him to the mat. Aries grabbed a chair next, but William ducked under the chair shot, landed a kick to the stomach and picked up the chair. Aries landed a low blow kick to Williams before he could hit him (the nutcracker moment of the week is brought to you by A-Double). Then Aries beat down Williams across the back with a chair.
Eli Drake vs. Grado
A former World Champion unable to make the Titanic sink? Impossible… Drake took Grado down from the jump and kept on him for a bit. Drake nailed a neckbreaker and some elbows in the corner. Grado hit a hurricanrana and a back body drop. Grado nailed a splash in the corner and took down both straps on his singlet before Drake took him down and nailed the Gravy Train for the win. Drake then tried to hit on Katarina but Joe Hendry got in the middle. Eli accused Hendry and Katarina of having something before walking off (I think he’s right…).
Another fantastic Killer Kross interview wasn’t happy about Petey Williams for interjecting himself in a situation he had nothing to do with last week. He called him Peter and said he will find him again and squeeze the oxygen out of his skull. “Everybody pays the toll.” Well, kill him… ( it’s a must-watch… see below)
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jUW13KfX-Q]
Backstage Matt Sydal told Alicia Atout the X-Division Championship has attached itself to him and it’s not going anywhere. Moose commented about what happened to DeAngelo and he was not happy. Next week he’ll be in the Impact Zone. Madison Rayne was doing a sit-down interview but things got all creepy and Rayne walked off and saw someone had carved out “the time has come” on a sheet. She ran down a hallway, tried to get into a door but it was locked.
6-Man Tornado Tag Match: oVe & Sami Callihan vs Pentagon Jr, Fenix & Rich Swann
A tornado tag match means all wrestlers can be in the ring at the same time. Pentagon and Sami went face to face to start and the superkick party began. Swann and Sami worked some fun back and forth while Fenix and Pentagon then work double team moves on the Crist Brothers. Sami cut off Pentagon and suplexed Fenix into him. Fenix fired back with kicks, but Sami cut him off with a lariat. He dumped Fenix but Swann hit a tope. Jake worked over Fenix and he then hit a tope onto the pile on the floor. Fenix followed with a springboard tornillo to the floor.
Dave and Swann worked up top and Dave superplexed him onto the pile of bodies on the floor. After the break, Sami was laying in chops to Fenix. Dave joined in, they teased a superplex that turned into a Tower of Doom as Jake caught Fenix with a powerbomb on the way down. Jake and Fenix battled up top, Fenix knocked him to the mat and hit a Swanton Bomb. Dave cut him off with a Square and Compass, Swann took Dave out after that.
Sami spiked Swann with a piledriver, but Pentagon made the save. Sami and Pentagon traded chops while Pentagon hit the Penta driver. Sami strangled Penta’s eyes and hit a cutter. Dave also hit a cutter on Pentagon, Fenix too, Sami too. Swann was double teamed until he hit cutters on Sami and Jake. Jake went up top, Swann as well on the other corner, and Jake hit a cutter outta nowhere of mid-air. Breathtakingly marvellous but deliriously dangerous hell of a move…
Pentagon and Fenix looked to attack Sami, but he spat at them and fought back. The double stomp/package piledriver combo from the Lucha brothers connected, but Sami kicked out. Pentagon hit an apron package piledriver on Jake while Swann superkicked Sami. Swann headed up top but Sami cut him off and hit the big boot. They worked back up top and Sami hit the Get Out of Here and get out of here for the win.
We went back to Madison Rayne who opened the door and was now in the middle of a forest. She walked through, Su Yung was seen walking, Rayne looked scared. Then Undead Brides started to surround her and close in a terrified Madison. Suddenly, everyone was gone and Rayne was just in the middle of a field. But Su Yung was still there. As soon as Madison saw her, Su nailed her with a palm strike to cover the camera lens and the show ended.
It could have been a Lucha Underground episode. Without all the Slammiversary promos and build-up, the matches and the cinematic segments were LU worthy. Nice debut for Shotzi, nice comeback for Homicide and Hernandez. Killer Kross is killing it even more. The heel Austin Aries is delightful. Su Yung is more and more frightening. And what a main event! A perfect 5-Star daring and mind-blowing match. Trust me, Slammiversary will be unmissable… And because you agree with me, of course, I see you next week for the last IMPACT before Slammiversary XVI… And never forget to stay #eNYGMAtic…
Slammiversary XVI card (as of Friday 7 PM):
Impact World Championship Match: Austin Aries (c) vs. Moose
Impact Knockouts Championship Match: Su Yung (c) vs. Madison Rayne
Impact X Division Championship Match: Matt Sydal (c) vs. Brian Cage
House of Hardcore Match: Tommy Dreamer vs. Eddie Edwards
Mask vs. Hair Match: Pentagon Jr. vs. Sami Callihan
Four-Way Match: Johnny Impact vs. Taiji Ishimori vs. Fénix vs. Rich Swann
5150 Street Fight: LAX OG’s (Hernandez & Homicide w/ The King) vs. LAX (Santana & Ortiz w/ Konnan)
Knockouts Match: Tessa Blanchard vs. Allie
All pics, videos, and screenshots courtesy of Impact Wrestling. Photomontage by @frenchnygma exclusively for @steelchairmag.