5 weeks before Homecoming… The PPV is taking shape so well I can’t wait for January 6, 2019. This comeback to the Asylum is really a crossroads for Impact, a place where the past, the present and the future of the company will collide, action wise and talent wise. If you need more selling points, read the enygmatic piece from the great Liz Manchester here. Another Impact addict…
On the menu this week, like every week, tons of action and talent. Dark Allie will make her official debut. The first 2 Ultimate X Qualifying matches will take place. We’ll have some news from Eddie Edwards, who’s locked in the Shady Acres asylum. In the main event, we’ll see who are the real deal on Impact, as Johnny Impact and Taya Valkyrie will square off against Moose and Tessa Blanchard. So no more words, let’s get ready for some action, but your French Enygma Steph way, of course…
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtB4h5G0l5g]
The Nygma’s Chart of the Week
- Jake Crist w/ Sami Callihan & Dave Crist defeated Willie Mack to qualify for the Ultimate X match.
- Backstage, Tessa Blanchard said Taya is nothing more than Johnny’s wife and Moose said he’ll prove he’s Mr. Impact Wrestling and a legend.
- Dark Allie w/Su Yung defeated Heather Monroe. After the match, she pulled out Su Yung’s glove and choked Monroe with the mandible claw. Kiera Hogan came to make the save but Allie and Su Yung attacked her.
- Backstage, Willie was talking to Rich Swann about how angry he was after what oVe did in his match. Swann tried to reason with Mack and told him that trying to fight oVe is not the path they should be going down.
- The Desi Hit Squad (Rohit Raju & Raj Singh w/ Gama Singh) defeated Damien Hyde & Manny Lemons
- Backstage, Ethan Page told Matt Sydal he should be ready for their match tonight, while Katarina introduced her new friend Ruby Raze.
- Outside of the Impact management office, Eli Drake emerged and shows off the letter he received last week. It was Abyss, inviting Eli Drake to a Monster’s Ball match at Homecoming on January 6th. Eli Drake accepted the match and said he will end Abyss.
- New “That 70s show” pot smoking parody from The Rascalz, but with Scarlett Bordeaux this time.
- Ethan Page defeated Matt Sydal to qualify for the Ultimate X match.
- Back with Eddie Edwards at the Shady Acres asylum. He was playing chess with Raven and beating him. Eddie said he doesn’t belong here, while Raven said he checked himself in once a month. Raven detailed a lot of the shitty things he’s done, and that Eddie didn’t go far enough. Raven distracted the orderly, stole his keycard, and gave it to Eddie, noting that he owed him one.
- Backstage, The Lucha Brothers and LAX were greeting one another and talking about how they need to stay family through all of the fightings. Konnan wanted everyone to mutually agree that their tempers won’t get in the way. They promised him they won’t be dysfunctional but something physical was taken the wrong way and they already began arguing. Konnan left.
- Backstage, Johnny Impact was excited to tag with Taya for the first time tonight, while Taya Valkyrie says that Tessa Blanchard was about to get a taste of what’s coming to her at Homecoming.
- Johnny Impact & Taya Valkyrie defeated Moose & Tessa Blanchard. Moose and Tessa Blanchard attacked Impact and Valkyrie after the match. Killer Kross came out and seemed like he was going to stop them. Brian Cage came out and started taking out Killer Kross and Moose. Kross chose to peacefully leave as Cage and Impact had a stare down.
The Nygma’s Nutcracker(s) of the Week
– Ultimate X Qualifying Match: “Mini-Draw” Jake Crist vs. Willie Mack
First of the 4 qualifying matches for the Ultimate X match at Homecoming. Let’s see if Mini Draw Jake Crist can make it on his own…
Jake attacked at the bell, but Mack hit a shoulder tackle and a dropkick. Mack followed with uppercuts, Jake looked for a high cross, got caught into a Samoan drop and a standing moonsault. Sami distracted Mack, allowing Jake to fire back with kicks and a dropkick. Jake grounded things, strangled Mack’s eyes, and choked out Mack in the ropes. Sami choked out Mack too. Jake grounded things again, Mack slowly powered up and ate a big boot.
Jake followed with clubbing strikes, but Mack replied with lariats and a rolling uppercut. The slam and leg drop followed, Jake fought off the stunner, but Mack caught him with a pop-up punch and hit a codebreaker. Mack headed up top, Jake cut him off and followed him up. They battled for position and Mack stopped him with a clumsy sunset bomb. Jake fired back with kicks and a German suplex. Mack now hit an exploder suplex to the buckles and put Jake into the tree of woe and headed up top. Sami and Dave distracted Mack, allowing Jake to hit the super cutter from the top rope for the win. The answer is no, Jake can’t win on his own…
– Johnny Impact & Taya Valkyrie vs. Moose & Tessa Blanchard
Husband and wife wrestling for the first time on Impact, versus… a ladies’ man who has very complicated tastes in clothing and the Knockouts Champion. A strange combination, but a good match to expect as the main event.
Johnny and Taya kissed, so Moose tried to get a kiss from Tessa, but he got rolled up. Impact hit some arm drags and Moose ran and hugged Tessa. The ladies tagged in and work into some back and forth, Taya laid in kicks in the corner and Tessa powdered. Impact hit the Flying Chuck kick on Moose and a corkscrew plancha to the floor. The Impacts worked them over on the floor, but back in Moose hit the Nygma Nutcracker on Impact and dropkicked him to the floor. After commercials, Tessa was working over Taya with kicks, Moose tagged in and knocked Impact to the floor. Tessa continues to control and grounded the action. Tessa connected with strikes, Taya fought off the DDT, and Tessa missed a charge and ate the ring post.
The men tagged in and Impact ran wild, hit a leg lariat, a running knee strike and the standing shooting star press. Impact went for the Starship Pain, but Moose avoided, looked for the Go to Hell, but Impact hit a hurricanrana. Moose connected with a pop-up powerbomb and a senton. Impact avoided the spear and followed with the Moonlight Drive. The ladies tagged in and Taya took control with a corner ass attack and some corner knees. Tessa rallied and hit the ripcord cutter. Taya fought off the DDT, hit a German suplex and covered for 2 as Moose pulled out the referee. Impact wiped him out with a tope, Taya hit the surfboard face stomp and locked Tessa in the figure-four STF. Tessa grabbed the ring skirt, but Taya pulled her back in and Tessa tapped. So who are the real Mr. and Mrs. Impact?
– Ultimate X Qualifying Match: Ethan Page vs. Matt Sydal
Sydal requested this fight, that is the second qualifying match for the Ultimate X match at Homecoming. But what will happen if the student beats the Master?
After the third eye thing, they locked up and Sydal worked into some slick escapes. Page countered back, did a cartwheel, and then worked a side headlock. Sydal picked up the pace, they stood off and discussed some third eye again. They worked to the ground, and into another standoff. Sydal was impressed but laid in leg kicks and chops. Ethan Page fired back with chops, slammed him into the buckles, but Sydal countered into the final cut leg drop. Page laid in rights, but Sydal dropped him with a knee strike. Sydal started working the leg, grounding the action.
Page fired back but ate another knee strike and a running dropkick. Page caught Sydal out of the air and his a backbreaker. Page lit him up with strikes, back elbows and a big boot. Sydal hit some leg kicks, but Page turned him inside out with a spinning slam. Sydal hit a spin kick, they worked to the apron where Page hit a cutter. After the break, they traded chops, strangled the eyes. Page headed up top but Sydal hit the head scissors. Sydal headed up top but Page cut him off, they battled up top. Page kicked Sydal to the mat and hit the Swanton, but Sydal then cradled him. They traded pin attempts until Page picked up the win. Ethan Page’s third eye was definitely more “opened” than Sydal’s tonight. Ethan Page gave everything he had in this match, and it was a real pleasure to watch.
The not-Nygma’s Moment(s) of the Week (or the Nygma’s Broken Record Moment of the Week)
Some Desi Hit Squad this week, some Scarlett Bordeaux, but forget about them… I found a new target…
– Katarina/Jordynne Grace
Jordynne Grace defeated Katarina twice, but it seems like she’s not done yet with her. To the point of bringing a kind of clone of Grace to ensure a future win on Jordynne. Not being fair trade is not Nygma at all…
The Nygma’s Award of the Week
– Raven
As we’re coming close to Homecoming, like I told you in the intro, the past, the present and the future are meant to collide. Raven had been a part of the legend of the Asylum and of TNA early years. Some will say it’s not a surprise to see him pop up in an asylum segment. The Nygma thinks it’s cool. Raven has been a part of hardcore wrestling history, in ECW, WCW, WWF and TNA. Whatever he will do at Homecoming, I’ll be by his side 100%.
– Dark Allie
Where is the pink and shy little lady? The dark woman that was in the ring tonight was just terrifying. She nearly shrank Heather Monroe with a phenomenal forearm that would have made AJ Styles blush. The psycho bunny lost herself in the Undead Realm, she came back better than ever.
– Eli Drake
Someone is decided to leave his body and soul in the Asylum on January 6. Does Eli Drake understand Abyss will be at home, in his match that night? Dear Eli, say hello to Janice for me…
– Matt Sydal
Was he fair trade when he congratulated Ethan Page or did Sydal have an ulterior thought, hidden right behind his third eye? Sydal could easily cost Page the X-Division title at Homecoming or make him win… The Nygma thinks everything is possible, even Sydal ensuring Page to win in order to take the title away from him after…
– Killer Kross
Who is Killer Kross really helping? Johnny Impact or Moose? Kross is never doing anything without a serious reason, but the question is which one? For sure, expect him to leave some doom behind him, whoever he helps and whoever he betrays…
To be eNYGMAtic…
Again a strong build-up episode that is really shaping up Homecoming. Too much backstage segments, some nice cinematic moments with Eddie Edwards and Raven. The action was neither good, neither bad. But, in the process of building up a strong PPV, Impact seems to forget the weekly episodes need a little bit more than what we’ve seen since Bound for Glory. Guys, give us some weekly reasons to follow Impact until Homecoming, and some very good ones… Because, with the December 20th and 27th episodes as “Best of 2018” shows, we only have 2 weekly episodes before the PPV. On this worried note, until next week, never EVER forget to stay #eNYGMAtic…
All pics, videos, and screenshots courtesy of Impact Wrestling. Photomontage by @frenchnygma exclusively for @steelchairmag.
