Johnny Impact turned heel, Taya Valkyrie turned heel, Killer Kross enjoyed every second of it. If Brian Cage was screwed up last week, The Machine is more than ever determined to become World Champion. The expected rematch will happen at Rebellion. The question now is, who and what more can prevent him from being the Champion? Brian Cage’s life in the Impact Zone has been a living hell since Homecoming. And this week, at Against All Odds, Killer Kross is back on his road. The same way, Rich Swann thought Sami Callihan would finally let down, he brought Madman Fulton on his road. Another war is in the making for the X-Division Champion…
Only one title is on the line, the Knockouts Championship. Taya Valkyrie will defend against ‘Thick Mama Pump’ Jordynne Grace. Scarlett Bordeaux will make her debut in the Impact Zone in an intergender match against Disco Inferno/Glenn Gilbertti. Rosemary is going back to the Undead Realm to save Allie’s soul. We may hear more about oVe’s newest addition, Madman Fulton. Gail Kim will apologize to Tessa Blanchard, even if I’m not sure she will… And Killer Kross will square off with Brian Cage, and it should be bloody… This “special event” and last episode from Vegas is taking place during IMPACT weekly broadcast time slot. But we’re still ready for some action, your French Enygma Steph way.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-wnu1KJEqs]
LAX and The Lucha Brothers – The Unsanctioned Fight
LAX came down to the ring accompanied by Konnan. Konnan grabbed the microphone and said that both LAX and the Lucha Bros are his family. He reminded the two teams that he told everyone not to wrestle one another because of the likelihood that everything would spiral out of control. Konnan told Penta and Fénix that if they want the smoke, now is the time to fight.
The Lucha Bros sprinted down to the ring and immediately started throwing hands with LAX. Security rushed down to help and tried breaking things up. Penta jumped over the security to get some shots in on LAX. The Lucha Bros gave the security guards superkicks while LAX tossed the other guards outside of the ring. One last guard was left and LAX tossed him from inside the ring to the outside, wiping out all of the other security guards in the process. Penta and Fénix were lurking behind LAX and they threw chairs off the duo’s skulls.
Penta and Fénix grabbed two tables and tossed them into the ring. Fénix rammed the chair into Santana as Penta set up a table in the corner of the ring. Fenix did the same in the opposite corner. As the crowd chanted “Si!”, LAX surprised The Lucha Bros and gave them each a rolling driver through the two tables set up. LAX pulled the team into the middle of the ring and posed with the Lucha Bros’ Impact Tag Team Titles.
Back from commercial, LAX entered the backstage area while saying that their names should be forever engraved on the Impact Tag Titles. Konnan challenged the Lucha Bros to a Full Metal Mayhem match for the Impact World Tag Title match at Rebellion.
The Nygma View: So we’ll have LAX vs. Lucha Bros IV… And to be honest, I wish it will be the last. Full Metal Mayhem means everything metal is allowed, from chairs and chains to ladders, cookie sheets, barb wire, thumbtacks… This storyline definitely has to come to an end. And I’m sad to say the fate of this match is widely expected…
Scarlett Bordeaux vs. Disco Inferno
Glenn Gilbertti came down to the ring, grabbed a microphone, and told Scarlett Bordeaux that she can call off this next intergender match if she would like to. Scarlett came down to the ring completely unfazed by Gilbertti. Gilbertti grabbed the mic once again and asked Bordeaux if she still really wants to carry through with this. Bordeaux replied with, ‘Shut up and wrestle, Turkey Boy.’
Bordeaux went for pins right away, followed with chops and Disco powdered. Back in, Disco grabbed her hair and attacked. He missed some attacks, Bordeaux stunned him off the ropes and hit a stunner. She headed up top and hit the high cross. Bordeaux connected with stiff clotheslines, but Disco cut her off. The hip toss followed, and he then stomped away at her. Disco talked trash and continued to stomp away at her. Bordeaux slowly fired back, but Disco cut her off again. He missed a charge and Bordeaux followed with kicks and strikes. The stink face and the stunner followed. Disco hit the side Russian leg sweep, and the YMCA – Village People’s elbow connected. He followed with mounted punches, but Bordeaux scored with a powerbomb and pinned him.
The Nygma View: Last week, I said if Scarlett was winning this match, I would give her a Nygma award every week for the next 3 months. I’m a woman of my words, and I will do it. Not only because I’m the Nygma, but because Scarlett Bordeaux was impressive this week. I was looking forward to watching her wrestling because I knew how good she was. She’s a blonde bombshell, but she’s a trained wrestler and a Champion. Her style is tough and audacious. Over the last few months, I’d said a lot of bad things about her, voluntarily to come to this moment. To tell you, Scarlett, you’re like a good glass of Bordeaux, tasty, divine and sultry…
Meanwhile, backstage…
– Backstage, Johnny Impact and Taya Valkyrie were talking to Melissa Santos. Valkyrie told Santos that she’s been watching Jordynne Grace since she arrived in Impact and even though she’s strong, she’s not Wera Loca strong. She added she isn’t worried about Grace, and she’ll be leaving tonight as Champion. Johnny told her that it’s going to be a good night to see his wife retain and then be able to watch Killer Kross beat up Brian Cage. Before exiting, he hinted at possibly concussing Brain Cage once again.
– Alisha Edwards and Kiera Hogan were teasing Glenn Gilbertti for losing to Bordeaux, calling him “loser”.
– We saw a video package advertising the upcoming arrival of Josh Alexander.
.@Walking_Weapon is coming. #IMPACT
WATCH NOW – https://t.co/jyZYT6QL46 pic.twitter.com/gehIEh93C3
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) March 30, 2019
– Backstage, Blanchard said Melissa Santos that Gail Kim has no other choice but to follow her demands because she has Impact management by the balls. Blanchard told that legends come and go but diamonds are forever. Tessa added she will go to the ring right now to demand her apology out of Kim.
– Madison Rayne is returning to Impact next week.
.@MadisonRayne returns to IMPACT NEXT WEEK!
And she hasn't forgotten about her unfinished business with @Tess_Blanchard and @realsuyung!
WATCH NOW – https://t.co/jyZYT6QL46 pic.twitter.com/HtqsDY577b
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) March 30, 2019
– Fénix and Pentagon said that they are the best tag team on the planet and they accepted the challenge of a Full Metal Mayhem match at Rebellion. They promised to defeat LAX one more time.
Gail Kim’s apologies to Tessa Blanchard
Tessa called out Gail Kim and wanted the apology and resignation from Kim she felt she deserves. Kim arrived and Tessa ran her down. Tessa demanded her apology, and Kim said says she’ll do what she needs to do and she’s sorry. Tessa made her expand on the apology, and she did. Tessa wanted Kim’s resignation, which Kim said she gave to management.
Tessa said she’s sorry that in Kim’s era they were only known for bra & panties matches and pillow fights, while she’s now main eventing shows. Tessa added that Kim couldn’t compete in her era or lace her boots. Tessa told her to leave, but Kim added she resigned under one condition, she’s out of retirement to kick Tessa’s ass. She attacked and Tessa bailed. Kim followed to the floor and rolled her back in, but Tessa escaped.
The Nygma’s View: The one who told me he didn’t see it coming is a liar. It was utterly expectable and it’s happening in 4 weeks. It’s a battle between 2 generations of wrestlers, more than a simple match. Gail Kim struggled to build her career when Tessa Blanchard is doing her on her name. At the same time, I have nothing against this match, but I have something against people who say that they’re retiring, to come back a few months later…
Meanwhile, backstage…
– The oVe Creepy Cam showed how the stable was physically abusing and electrocuting Madman Fulton. Sami Callihan explained that these methods of torture made him turn into the Madman that he needs to be. They kept repeating “Everything!” until Madman finally joined them in with an “Everything!” of his own.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6RXsGkzt34]
Impact Knockouts Championship Match: Taya Valkyrie (c) vs. Jordynne Grace
They locked up, working into some back and forth and Grace took early control as she overpowered Taya. Taya cut her off strangling her eyes, but Grace hit a shoulder tackle. Grace unloaded strikes, but Taya cut her off with kicks and knee strikes. Grace battled back, hitting a German Suplex but Taya powdered. Grace followed and got posted. Back in, Taya mocked Grace and followed with chops. The charging knees followed, then Taya choked her out, laid in more chops and then strikes.
Grace looked to fight back, but Taya hit a nasty spear. After the break, Grace hit a suplex and then posted Taya. The double knees followed, a running elbow and the Vader bomb. They worked into counters, Grace followed with rights and took Taya up top. Grace followed her up and Taya fought her off with head butts. The moonsault then missed, but Taya escaped the Grace Driver and Johnny Impact went out to check his wife. Johnny took her backstage and Grace won the match, but not the title, via count-out.
The Nygma View: If Johnny Impact said he was going to be a fighting Champion, we can say his wife is the opposite. She wanted to be the anti-Tessa Blanchard, no lies, no cheap shots. It’s a miss. The match was getting better and better, between 2 great female wrestlers, and it fell flat. At least, Jordynne Grace didn’t lose…
Wait, wait…
After Taya and Jordynne’s match, Brian Cage came down to the ring and went right after Johnny. He followed him around the outside of the ring as Impact tried to use Valkyrie as a barrier between the two. Killer Kross came out of nowhere, tied Cage in the Straight Jacket hold, and tossed him into the ring post, before the break.
Killer Kross vs. Brian Cage
This match started during the commercial break, so Kross was already in early control until Cage cut him off and levelled him with clotheslines. Kross then cut him off and posted him. The hammerlock slam followed. Kross started to focus on the arm of Cage, but Cage fought off the armbar. The enzuigiri followed, but Kross fought off the suplex by stunning the arm off the ropes. He grounded things and continued to work the arm. Kross looked for the armbar again, but Cage made the ropes.
Kross followed with strikes, but Cage cut him off with a desperation DDT. Post break they were trading strikes and Cage hit a superkick and clothesline. Kross fired up, locked on the choke, but Cage escaped and hit a powerslam and a moonsault. Kross attacked the arm again, hit the Saito Suplex. Cage replied with a pair of powerbombs and the lariat. Cage hit the F5, but Johnny Impact arrived and put Kross’ foot on the ropes. Taya arrived, hit the Nutcracker on Cage and Kross hit the Saito twice to only get 2, but the referee made the bell be rung the bell and claimed it was a 3-count.
Kross left the ring, allowing Impact to slide inside. Johnny started raining down punches on an incapacitated Cage. He connected with the Shining Wizard and then put Cage’s arm in a chair and slammed another chair against it, crushing Cage’s arm. Conchairto time…
The Nygma View:
The match itself was good, a 15-minute battle between 2 big men… But, like I said last week, to make Cage look like a future Champion, he has to look like a real outsider. And Johnny like the baddest man on the planet. The trio of Johnny, Taya and Kross is definitely not something new. A few years ago, in Lucha Libre AAA, they really shocked the company and put it on their feet. Will it happen on Impact Wrestling?
Rosemary back to the Undead Realm
I have no words to say, as of now. I just let you watch…
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ovm-ScLuUQ]
The Nygma View:
Of course, it was shot in the same arena the show was tapped in Vegas. Of course, the Undead Realm was not that undead. But these 9 minutes of cinematic orchestra were a hell of a write-off as they actually killed off the character Lucha Underground style. Allie didn’t leave Impact, The Bunny died in the arms of her beloved Demon. “Demon, it’s okay. I’m whole again.”
Kudos to Kevin Sullivan, as Impact’s Master of Production, he was definitely meant to be “Him”. Another special mention to the music that was chosen, it made the moment more epic and tearful at the same time. I won’t say if I loved or hated, because my feelings are definitely mixed…
To be eNYGMAtic…
Against All Odds was not the best special event we’ve ever seen, but something clicked this week. We’re definitely on the Road to Rebellion, the PPV is really taking shape, even if we had to say goodbye to a fabulous wrestler and old clichés.
This week, we saw emerge a real true female wrestler, a gorgeous blonde and talented woman with no fear. oVe reached new heights with this “ClockWork Orange” segment. The infamous trio that was leading Lucha Libre AAA a few years decided to reform to now lead Impact Wrestling. The only female Impact Wrestling Hall of Famer is coming back. And this travel to the Undead Realm opened lots of new possibilities for Impact, storyline wise and cinematically wise.
This week, we definitely moved forward and we took the right direction, the one that will lead us to a major and unforgettable PPV. If you still think Impact is not a worthy show, you’re really missing something. Because every week gives more reasons to watch it and, most importantly, to love it…
On this very proud note, until next week, never EVER forget to stay #eNYGMAtic…
*****
Against All Odds Full Results:
* Scarlett Bordeaux kicked the ass, sorry defeated, Disco Inferno
* Jordynne Grace defeated Impact Knockouts Champion Taya Valkyrie via count-out
* Killer Kross defeated Brian Cage
All pics, videos, and screenshots courtesy of Impact Wrestling. Photomontage by @frenchnygma exclusively for @steelchairmag.