Which barriers to break? If the show must go on, it has to be, but safely. Rumours have been running rampant since Tuesday afternoon but I’m able to tell you Impact Wrestling are going to tap some new content this week from Nashville. Will it be some PPV or weekly content? I have no clue. All I know is no wrestlers have been forced to come. Everything has been done to make sure their health will be safe. Scott D’Amore promised it, it’s happening. The show will go on. So, The Nygma show will go on.
On the menu this week, from Atlanta, Georgia, Chris Bey will face off Daga. Madison Rayne will compete against Havok. The Crist Brothers will tam up against Rhino and Tommy Dreamer. The North are putting their Tag Team Titles on the line against World Champion Tessa Blanchard and Eddie Edwards. So no more words, let’s get ready for some action, but your French Enygma Steph way, of course…
The Nygma’s Chart of the Week
Josh Mathews and Madison Rayne were on commentary again this week.
- Willie Mack arrived and called out Ace Austin and Reno Scum for their actions last week against Swann. He wanted them right now and Reno Scum arrived. Mack wanted them both and defeated them both. After the match, Austin ran down to the ring and attacked Mack. Austin will face The Mack for the X-Division title at Rebellion.
- Kylie Rae ran into Gail Kim. Kim was so happy that Rae is part of the Knockouts Division. After running into her, Rae met Susie. Kiera Hogan arrived and informed Rae that all of the Knockouts are fake. Susie told Hogan that it’s not nice to say that. Hogan then challenged Susie to a match tonight. Kiera and Kylie will face off at Rebellion.
- Chris Bey defeated Daga, with a little help from the middle rope.
- Backstage, John E. Bravo was all padded up as Taya beat on him with a chair. Taya wanted the Knockouts title back and was using him to prepare, it’s the best use of Bravo ever.
- At The Rascalz Treehouse, they were discussing the tag team main event match between Tessa Blanchard and Eddie Edwards versus The North for the tag team titles. Dez informed the guys that he invited some guests to come to hang out with them to watch the match. The first guests to arrive were The Deaners. Fallah Bahh and TJP made their way to the Treehouse. XXXL also joined in on the fun. Wentz and Trey stepped out.
- Havok defeated Madison Rayne.
- Backstage, Tessa Blanchard wanted to clear the air with Eddie Edwards. She asked Edwards why he came down to the ring after she told him not to last week. Edwards said that sometimes when you need help, you need help. He was offering his hand to help her.
- Jimmy Jacobs wanted to know how Ken Shamrock was doing, after receiving a fireball from Sami Callihan a few weeks back. Shamrock said it’s been rocky. He was scared that he wasn’t going to get his eyesight back. Shamrock believed that Callihan does not care about other people’s careers. Jacobs announced that he and Callihan will have a contract signing next week for their match at Rebellion. As Shamrock was talking, the screen started to glitch. Shamrock went looking for him.
- Tommy Dreamer & Rhino defeated Dave & Jake Crist (w/ Madman Fulton). The referee ejected Fulton from ringside during the match but he came back after. He and the Crist Brothers sent Rhino out of the ring. Fulton flattened Dreamer before they left the ring.
- Jordynne Grace will defend against Taya at Rebellion in a Full Metal Mayhem match.
- At the Bar, Rosemary was having a great time mingling. Johnny Swinger ran into her and informed her that he’s calling The Young Buck, specifically a guy named M. Jackson, so he could show off in front of her next week. She was looking forward to this.
- Kiera Hogan defeated Susie.
- Backstage, Michael Elgin wanted in on The North’s match against Blanchard and Edwards tonight. The North said they’ll soften Blanchard and Edwards up for him.
- Tenille Dashwood told Jimmy Jacobs that she will face Taya Valkyrie next week.
- The North defeated Eddie Edwards & Tessa Blanchard to retain the Impact World Tag Team Championships. Post-match, Edwards wanted to know why she wouldn’t tag him in. Blanchard yelled out that she knows what Edwards wants. Edwards headed towards the ramp. Michael Elgin sneaked up on Blanchard, who was still in the ring and attacked her. Edwards turned around and walked away.
The Nygma’s Nutcracker(s) of the Week
– Chris Bey vs Daga
They locked up and worked into counters as they traded near falls and ended in a standoff. Daga countered the cutter. He followed with a head scissors and a dropkick. Bey made him taste the Nutcracker on the springboard arm drag attempt from the top rope and followed with an enzuigiri. Bey delivered grounded kicks and a suplex. They traded strikes, Bey cut him off, hit a backdrop as he maintained control. Post break, Daga fired back until Bey cut him off with the double stomp. He slowed things with an abdominal stretch.
Daga escaped until Bey grounded him with the body scissors. Daga fought to his feet and slammed Bey to the buckles, escaping the sleeper. He followed with clotheslines, a Dragon Screw into the Doctor bomb. Bey to the floor as Daga followed and Bey slammed him to the stage. They traded, Daga ran and dived off the stage with a high cross, landing face first. Back in, Daga headed up top and the high cross followed. Bey countered into a sunset flip but Daga countered until Bey hit a bulldog on him with the ropes to pick up the win.
– The North vs Tessa Blanchard & Eddie Edwards
Page and Edwards started off. They locked up, working into counters as Josh tagged in, Edwards controlled, Tessa in and Josh easily grounded her. Tessa countered into a head scissors but Josh countered the DDT and shoved her down. Tessa finally dumped him and Page cut off the dive, Josh attacked and dumped Edwards. Tessa countered, tagged in Edwards as he ran wild. Edwards followed with chops on the champions and continued to control. He dumped Josh and followed with the suicide dive, Tessa then hit a high cross to the floor. Post break, the challengers were in control, with Edwards taking over until Page helped cut off an avalanche RANA and Josh hit the knee strike. The champions followed with quick tags, double-teaming Edwards and isolating him in their corner. They continued with double-team moves as Page took control.
Josh quickly tagged back in and Edwards countered the double teams, hit the double RANA and tagged in Tessa. Tessa flew in with the high cross, a RANA, and suicide dives. The cutter to Page followed. Page countered the buzzsaw DDT, it broke down and Tessa was double-teamed. Edwards made the save, but the challengers got to run together until Tessa hit a desperation cutter. Edwards was back but Page cut him off. Tessa dumped him, Edwards hit the Tiger Driver and Tessa followed with the Destroyer. The Magnum was countered and the champions ran wild with the double crucifix bomb but Edwards made the save. He was dumped and Tessa countered the double Gotch, hit Samoan drops and the tornado DDT. Tessa refused to tag in Edwards, she ran into Edwards and was pinned with the Northern exposure.
The Nygma’s Noticeable Facts of the Week
– Taya Valkyrie’s anti-stress method
Damn, if I could do the same… At Day 24 of lockdown, trust me, that would make me feel good…
We live in very stressful times. @TheTayaValkyrie has found the perfect stress relief. #IMPACTonAXSTV @JohnEBravo1st pic.twitter.com/0HLWdNQ2nl
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) April 8, 2020
To be eNYGMAtic…
Is Rebellion going to take place or not? Not on April 19, that is sure. Then I have no clue when it happens and I made as if, to respect what the company has built up for it. This episode was very good, with some excellent action, the intensity that is supposed to surround PPV 10 days before it happens. Kylie Rae, Tenille Dashwood, Kiera Hogan are back. Jordynne Grace and Taya Valkyrie should face in a Full Metal Mayhem match, I want to see that.
In nearly 3 years, I have never had a shadow of a doubt about Impact Wrestling and its capacity to rebuild or reinvent itself. After all that I have told you about the cinematic orchestra, week after week, it came as no surprise that suddenly last weekend a company decided to develop its own. But a copy has never been better than the original…
We will have some new episodes, some new content, some more wrestling to watch. It makes me very happy even if the safety of all is everything I want. On this “Nygma Is Locked Home – Day 24 – And It’s Not Over” note, until next week, never EVER forget to stay #eNYGMAtic…
All pics, videos, and screenshots courtesy of Impact Wrestling and AXS TV. Photocollage custom made by @frenchnygma exclusively for @steelchairmag.