Last week’s episode was such a joy to watch. If you had to choose between Saudi Arabia and the Impact Zone, Impact was the place to be. Three weeks before Slammiversary XVI, the wind of change finally started to blow and it will probably be enough to tease the fire as the PPV is coming soon. Impact is definitely the place to be… and the show to watch…
On the menu this week, from The Melrose Ballroom in New York City, Rob Van Dam and Sabu will face off The North, Jordynne Grace will square off with Madison Rayne, The Mack will compete against Michael Elgin. Jessicka Havok will also be in action. 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=11BkXoonvLw]

The Nygma’s Chart of the Week

• The North (Josh Alexander & Ethan Page) defeated Rob Van Dam & Sabu w/Super Genie. Moose distracted RVD. The North won an opportunity to face LAX for the Impact World Tag Team Championships. After the match, Tommy Dreamer came out to help Van Dam and Sabu got rid of Moose. Right when Van Dam was attempting to do the Van Terminator, Moose slid right out of the ring.
• Backstage, Moose asked The North “where the hell were they” when he needed them. He then went on to call Alexander a disrespectful Canadian. Alexander said good luck to him because he is on his own taking on RVD at Slammiversary.
• Havok w/ Father James Mitchell and Su Yung destroyed Masha Slamovich. After the match, Mitchell stepped into the ring to tell the audience that Rosemary needs help with her anger. He was quite furious that she stole Yung and the Undead Brides. He also addressed how she committed the ultimate sin by putting her hands on him. So, he brought in Havok to take care of Rosemary. He’s making it his personal mission that Havok will become the new and future Impact Knockouts Champion and Rosemary has no chance.
• Raj Singh w/ Rohit Raju & Gama Singh vs. Cody Deaner w/ Jake Deaner. Gama fainted a heart attack.

• Michael Elgin talked about how he’s beaten up Willie Mack in recent weeks. Johnny Impact popped in while talking on his phone, and mocked Elgin for not sending Mack to the hospital yet. Elgin told him to save the phone number, as he’ll need it on speed dial if he keeps pushing it. He doesn’t need Johnny’s help, so he warned him to stay out of his business.
• Rosemary laughed at Mitchell’s words. She said there’s no time for diplomacy as she’s a creature of action. It was fine that he took her pet last week, she’s not much of an owner anyways. All of this is a big joke, and it doesn’t matter what he thinks because it’s given her a mission. She told him to continue along the path to destruction set for us.
• Backstage, Alisha Edwards asked Slamovich if she was okay, after coming into the women’s locker room all banged up. Callihan made his entrance into the locker room for Edwards to tell him he didn’t belong in there. He seemed to not care and told her that it’s 2019, he’s allowed to be in there if he wants to. Blanchard told the ladies she’s got this and told Callihan that she wants him to bring oVe next week and settle all this mayhem he keeps bringing onto the Knockouts.

• Madison Rayne defeated Jordynne Grace. Kiera Hogan was at the announce table and distracted Jordynne.
• Backstage, Killer Kross cut a promo about if Eddie Edwards wants to know why he killed Kenny. Kross said it’s because it was for Edwards’ own good.
• Killer Kross defeated The Sandman. Kross refused to release Sandman from the Kross Jacket. Edwards made his appearance to attack Kross. Kross then sneaked out of the ring only to taunt Edwards and a rising Sandman. “It’s not over…”

• LAX were celebrating their success. Konnan warned his boys they almost got beat last week. He was worried that they didn’t take The Rascalz seriously. Rascalz showed up uninvited and demanded a rematch. After a shove, barroom brawl. LAX came out on top .. and before walking away, they told their former friends they can have a title match next week. In the closing moment, Laredo Kid showed up (he was invited by Konnan) and stumbled across The Rascalz’s bodies.
• The Smoke Show with Scarlett Bordeaux and Fallah Bahh. They were with Taya Valkyrie and John E. Bravo. Bordeaux reminded Taya about her 30-day clause to defend the title, or be stripped. Scarlett knew who she will face, and Taya demanded to know. It’s Su Yung, which angered Taya enough to leave the set.
• Michael Elgin defeated Willie Mack w/ Rich Swann. After the match, Elgin went for another Elgin Bomb, but Rich Swann rushed to the ring and kicked him in the head. Johnny Impact ran out and attacked Swann. He slammed the X-Division champ. Johnny nodded at Elgin, sharing his delight with their work. As Impact turned his back, Elgin hit him with a German Suplex. He picked up Willie and smashed his back against the turnbuckle post on the outside.

The Nygma’s Nutcracker(s) of the Week

– The North (Josh Alexander & Ethan Page) vs. RVD & Sabu
Alexander tried to put Sabu over his shoulders but didn’t quite get it. Instead, he was clotheslined by Sabu. Van Dam was then tagged in, only to have Alexander pin him up into a corner. Van Dam then countered with a big kick and then an arm reversal. Van Dam tagged in Sabu who then threw a chair on Ethan Page. Van Dam tagged in again to try and pin Page. Van Dam twisted Page’s arm to give several kicks to the chest.

Both men of The North were in and pushed Sabu off to only keep hitting and throwing him. Alexander kicked Van Dam in the angle. Van Dam fought back with a forward punch at Page after he was tagged. Van Dam tried to reach for a tag from Sabubut was pulled to the opposite corner. Sabu finally got the tag and threw a chair in both Alexander and Page’s faces. Van Dam then did a flip on Alexander.

Van Dam and Sabu left the ring while The North were knocked out to bring a table into the ring. Sabu and Van Dam both were about to do their signature moves, only for Moose to come in and push Van Dam off the top rope. Sabu was able to perform his leg drop through the table. It was 2 vs1 now as Sabu was fighting, The North hit a tandem Styles Clash for the win.

– Jordynne Grace vs. Madison Rayne
Kiera Hogan asked to be a part of the commentary team during this match. In the ring, Grace had Rayne in a few arm locks, then hit a side headlock on Rayne. Grace pushed Rayne into the ropes next. Grace prevented Rayne from trying to do anything by throwing her off the apron. Rayne came back into the ring. Grace lifted Rayne into the air holding her up for several seconds before dropping her to the mat.

Rayne had a submission locked in on Grace, on for her to get out of it, and put Rayne into a submission hold instead. Rayne threw a few chest hits on Grace, which did nothing to her. Rayne went in for a dropkick and succeeded. Outside of the ring, Rayne back elbowed Grace with a counter to put Grace on the floor. The referee started counting for the women to come back into the ring. After an 8 count, both women ran into the ring as fast as they could.

Grace blocked a northern lights suplex attempt, Rayne then hit the crucifix bomb. Grace set Rayne on the top rope and looked for a muscle buster but Rayne fought free and tried a tornado DDT but Grace set her back on and this time hit the muscle buster. Grace set for the Grace driver, Rayne escaped but ate a hard clothesline. Grace set for the Vader bomb again, Hogan distracted her from the floor. Rayne went for a powerbomb but Grace fought free and kicked her in the face. Rayne slipped off of her shoulders, hit the Cross Rayne off of a Hogan distraction for the win.

– Michael Elgin vs. The Mack
A stare down began the match, then both men locked up. Elgin signalled Mack to come on and fight. Elgin then threw a punch and Mack did the same. Elgin went for another big shot, as well as Mack. Mack then went for a shoulder tackle. Mack put Elgin in a suplex that shocked him. With Elgin outside on the apron, he tried to go for a suplex on Mack, only for it to be reversed. Elgin stepped back into the ring and hit a dropkick on Mack onto the floor. After the break, Elgin had Mack in a headlock, only for Mack to reverse it. Elgin hit a standing dropkick after Mack escaped the headlock.

Mack went for a clothesline. Elgin ran to the ropes to get a spinning heel kick from Mack. Elgin replied with a strong back kick while he had Mack pinned in the corner of the ring. Mack went for the stunner but got rejected by several big kicks from Elgin. Both men were on the top rope and Elgin hit a superplex on Mack. Elgin ran towards Mack in the corner only for him to move out of the way. Elgin then attacked Swann. Back in the ring, Elgin bucklebombed Mack for the win.

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

So, Michael Elgin failed to send everyone to the hospital? Wonderful, not-Nygma 6,000%… He failed with Mack, he tried with Johnny… They are stronger than you think, Big Mike…

Johnny Impact had his hair cut… And I think many people nearly had a heart attack…
Dear John, those things need to be told before, a haircut like that can cause major health issues to the fans…

The Nygma’s Award of the Week

– Scarlett Bordeaux
One Nygma award for 3 months. I will miss this moment in 3 weeks… At least Scarlett had champagne to celebrate my dedication this week…

– Tessa Blanchard / Sami Callihan
“Sami, you’re wrong, in the ring kicking your boys’ asses is exactly where I belong.” Tessa is not afraid of anyone, even Sami Callihan. The fact is Tessa is used to intergender wrestling matches. On oVe side, even if Dave, Jake or Sami already wrestled some, they’re not that used to it… You may hate intergender wrestling, and I understand that, but the way women are depicted as powerful and fearless is a lesson many companies should learn…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtRhigOBITY]

– Laredo Kid
Who’s back, cleaning The Rascalz’ pockets? Since I started to write this review, Laredo Kid has come and gone to Impact, thanks to Lucha Libre AAA partnership. Due to the fact Pentagon and Fénix are not meant to come back to Impact, LAX needed some new allies. Laredo Kid is one of the best Mexican wrestlers today, on his own or in a team. Well done, Konnan…

– Father James Mitchell & Havok
Father James Mitchell had to go to Hell to bring such a Demon to the ring, look below how pumped he was. His “Kaiju Queen” is a monster, a demolishing machine. Rosemary may be Undead, Havok is alive and fearless. During her first ride with Impact Wrestling, in 2014 and 2015, Havok destroyed, attacked, won the title. Only Madison Rayne, Taryn Terrell and Awesome Kong were able to defeat her…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES0kvGNp96I]

– Slammiversary XVII
Usually, 3 weeks before a PPV, and we only have 4 per year, I’m starting to freak out. Where are the matches? Where are we going? Last PPV, Rebellion, was completed in a hurry. The last set of episodes was incomplete due to Brian Cage’s injury but, this time, there are no more excuses. Impact Wrestling already has 4 matches on the PPV menu, a fifth should be announced next week. I’m looking forward to hearing from another Knockouts match, maybe an X-Division one, and an ECW vs. Impact bout. Trust me, I wouldn’t miss that for all the money in the world, injured neck and jaw or not!

To be eNYGMAtic…

What to say about this episode… On a Father’s Day weekend, once again, Impact is all about women. Every woman of the Knockouts roster was on the show this week, every one of them. They were wrestling or doing a promo, but they were ALL there. I don’t try to say male wrestlers are not interesting to watch or so, I allow myself to say these words because I know they will agree with me on the fact women have to be treated as equal to them.
If the action was good, promos and cinematic moments were excellent, sometimes you need to look way beyond that. This week, I and my “brother in arms” John Dinsdale reviewed the very first episode of Impact that was aired 15 years ago. And I realized something has never changed when it comes to Impact, this show is a trailblazing one. It has always been one step beyond everyone, with X-Division, Knockouts Division and now intergender wrestling. Next week, you’ll probably hear about Slammiversary Knockouts title match and (no spoilers) I know most of you will fall off their chairs. Three weeks before Slammiversary XVII, things couldn’t have been any better…
To every Impact wrestlers and Impact Wrestling fans, happy Father’s Day. To the men in my life who are tired of hearing of Impact constantly, thank you, and I’m sorry…
On this truly “David Bowie was a wrestling fan, I’m sure” note, until next week, never EVER forget to stay #eNYGMAtic…

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