Impact Wrestling has been the subject of many rumours over the last few days. I hate the words “reportedly”, “sources said”… Listen to the wrestlers, listen to the company, them only can tell you the truth. The proof is coming with this tweet:

Sometimes happiness isn’t a feeling. It’s a decision.

Many paths have been placed in front of me during the past 24 hours, but just one place I feel I truly belong.

Happy to officially call @IMPACTWRESTLING home for years to come. pic.twitter.com/Pb53dz3vET

— Trisha Parker (@JordynneGrace) May 19, 2019

Last week, we officially took The Road to Slammiversary XVII and a very good way. But a lot of things can happen until then before July 7… On the menu this week, from Philadelphia, Rosemary and Su Yung will finally face off in Demon Collar match, X-Division Champion Rich Swann will square off with “Big Mike” Elgin. Killer Kross and Eddie Edwards will compete. A Knockouts Battle Royal was announced after my last review. We’ll also hear about Glenn Gilbertti. 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=zdN3pr9uC0A&w=727&h=409]

The Nygma’s Chart of the Week

• Glenn Gilbertti won a 10-Knockouts Battle Royal. At the start, Gilbertti was pushed out of the ring by the Knockouts but did not go over the top rope. He then joined commentary. Tessa Blanchard was the last Knockout standing but Gilbertti entered the match and threw her from the top rope.
• Footage from after last week’s show where Michael Elgin brawled with Willie Mack and Elgin laid him out. Elgin was interviewed and said he came from Japan and was sick of waiting in line, so that’s why he’s putting guys in the hospital. Rich Swann arrived and challenged Elgin, they brawled.
• Rosemary defeated Su Yung in a Demon Collar match. Rosemary dragged Yung to the back post-match.
• Backstage, Madison Rayne said she knows her games and that Taya doesn’t want to defend against her because she will lose. Next week, she will beat Taya for the title.

• Mad Man Fulton destroyed, sorry defeated, Randy Shawn.
• Backstage, RVD told Melissa Santos he is happy to be back at the old ECW arena and said that Tommy Dreamer wants to face him next week, and he’s happy with that. They have loved each other and he will also love beating him.
• Update on Brian Cage from his doctor. He’s suffered significant spinal trauma. Spinal injuries are very serious so he couldn’t predict when the champion can return to action.
• Killer Kross defeated Eddie Edwards. Post-match, Kross zip tied Edwards to the ropes, put on black gloves and teased attacking with Kenny, but instead held up and broke Kenneth.

• In the Rascalz “70s Show Pot Smoking Segment”, they were hungry, but still talking about food. Maybe they should go to train? Next up was a “Rocky” montage featuring them. They struggled to complete the easiest training routines.
• Ethan Page and Josh Alexander argued and said they aren’t done with RVD. Moose arrived and said they will get a title shot soon enough, but first, they will take out RVD.
• Rich Swann defeated Michael Elgin via DQ. Post-match, Willie Mack made the save. Johnny Impact then attacked Mack and laid him out. He also attacked Swann and came face to face with Elgin.

The Nygma’s Nutcracker(s) of the Week

– Killer Kross vs. Eddie Edwards
I have been waiting for this match for quite a while…

Kross still had possession of Kenny and came to the ring with it. They brawled right away and Edwards dumped him and followed with a plancha. The suicide dive connected. Edwards then laid in chops, back in Kross cut him off with a suplex. He then laid the boots to him and grounded the action. Edwards countered back, hit a suplex, but Kross followed with knee strikes and a lariat.

Kross choked him out in the ropes. He follows with clubbing strikes. Kross followed with body kicks but Edwards hit the Blue Thunder Bomb and both men were down. Back to his feet, Edwards hit a marvel of top-rope hurricanrana and a running chop. Edwards kept firing away and hit the Tiger Driver. Kross strangled Edwards’ eyes dumped him. Edwards got Kenny, the ref stopped him and Kross hit the Doomsday Saito for the win. 

– Rosemary vs. Su Yung – Demon Collar Match
Another match I have been waiting for for a quite a while because the storyline between the two has never really ended. Demon Collar match is a no DQ match, you win via pin or submission.

Rosemary was over huge. They got chained up and the match started. They immediately brawled, with Rosemary tossing Yung around. She took her up top but Yung fought her off and Rosemary locked on the tarantula. She then hung Yung with the chain. Back in, Yung dropped to the floor and slammed Rosemary to the buckles. Yung posted her and then choked out Rosemary. She followed with an apron cannonball.

Back in, they traded strikes. Yung tried to whip Rosemary with the chain, but Rosemary hit a DDT. Yung fought off the German suplex and hit her with the chain. Yung then sent her to the buckles and hit the draping pedigree. Yung got her bloody glove, Rosemary fought her off and avoided the mist but Yung got the mandible claw. Yung went to the ropes but Rosemary spread the mists on her and hit the spear. The Red Wedding followed for the win.

– Michael Elgin vs. Rich Swann
Two definitely different wrestling styles, sizes and attitudes. One man I like, one man not…

They locked up and Elgin overpowered Swann early on. Swann picked up the pace, followed with strikes, and tried shoulder tackles, but Elgin shook them off and then countered out of a hurricanrana. Swann followed with a dropkick, the head scissors and then rights. Swann fired away with kicks, took Elgin to the floor but, back in, Elgin overpowered Swann and followed with a rolling elbow. He then planted Swann on his head with a German. Elgin followed with chops and then whipped Swann to the buckles. Swann fired back but Elgin dropped him off with forearm strikes and the Slingshot Splash.

Swann went up top, Elgin followed him up and Swann fought him off and knocked him to the mat. Swann flew in and Elgin cut him off with a dropkick. They traded, Swann followed with kicks, and then a DDT as both men were down. Swann dumped him and followed with a suicide dive, a tornillo, and then headed up top and hit the big cannonball to wipe out Elgin. Back in, Swann headed up top and hit the elbow drop for 2. Post-break, Elgin fired back with elbows, but Swann hit the enzuigiri but Elgin hit corner clotheslines and then did the deal with a Falcon Arrow. Elgin followed with clubbing clotheslines, but Swann fired back with kicks and a superkick. Elgin levelled him with a lariat.

The Side Effect followed. Elgin took Swann up top, followed, but Swann fought him off. He looked for a hurricanrana, Elgin stopped it momentarily but Swann hit it and followed with the Lethal Injection and the 450 Splash. Swann went back up top but the Phoenix splash missed. Elgin shrank him with a lariat and hit the Splash Mountain Bomb. Elgin hit the Buckle Bomb but Swann hit a reverse hurricanrana to counter the Elgin Bomb. Elgin spilt to the floor, Swann followed, but Elgin powerbombed him into the post. He tried it again and it connected. The ref warned Elgin but Elgin shoved him down. Elgin hit a third post bomb and the ref disqualified Elgin.

The not-Nygma’s Moment(s) of the Week 

– So, Michael Elgin still wants to send everyone to the hospital? Wonderful, not-Nygma 2,000%…

– Rob Van Dam vs. Tommy Dreamer
Great Scott Marty (in France, we say Name of Zeus)! Jump in the DeLorean, we’re back to the future! I agree with the fact we’re at the old and legendary ECW arena. But Dreamer and RVD have been squaring off since 1996 (I checked)!

– Glenn Gilbertti
He may have been emasculated, which is absolutely possible, but Glenn Gilbertti is officially an Impact Knockouts. Congratulations!

The Nygma’s Award of the Week

– Scarlett Bordeaux
One Nygma Award for 3 months… In this Battle Royal, she showed she was definitely a part of the Knockouts roster. She can fight a man or a woman, Scarlett rocks.

– The whole Knockouts roster
Kudos to you all, ladies, for accepting Gilbertti in the match, and in your roster… I want to be there for the next balls’ contest. Because, for sure, I already know who has more than others…

– Madman Fulton
This week’s match was a squash match. But, if you looked carefully at these 2 minutes and a half, you may have noticed Fulton is becoming more and more unpredictable. One day, the student has to beat the master. Be careful, Sami…

– Kenny
Rest in Peace, little bamboo stick… Your buddy Eddie Edwards, for sure, will cry for you, but he will fight for you too…

To be eNYGMAtic…

What to say about this episode… Action: 200% Nygma. Cinematic moments and promos: 50% Nygma, there was not a lot… Some things are moving forward, that’s undeniable. But some are not. May I even say moving back? The fact of being in the old ECW arena is not a reason to take a look at the past again, mostly when you have such a great, fresh and talented roster.
On this truly “I missed the Disco and I still can”t make it” note, until next week (maybe), never EVER forget to stay #eNYGMAtic…

All pics, videos, and screenshots courtesy of Impact Wrestling. Photomontage custom made by @frenchnygma exclusively for @steelchairmag @vulturehoundmag.