Which barriers to break? As you’re back on the road, the one to Hard To Kill, here comes a Turning Point to suddenly make you stop and maybe make your road more complex than it should be. When chasing glory, you have become a target. You can feel your opponents right behind you, waiting patiently, because, for them too, this moment will be a Turning Point. So, overcome all odds, don’t make it easy for yourself like for your opponents. Too much will never be enough, don’t have any doubt about that.
On the menu this week, from Nashville, Tennessee, Madison Rayne will come back to the Impact Zone and team up with Tenille Dashwood against Havok and Nevaeh. TJP will face off Rohit Raju for a last chance at the title. If he loses, he’ll never challenge Raju as long as he is the X-Division Champion. Reno Scum will compete against Fallah Bahh and Crazzy Steve. Chris Sabin will square off with Acey Romero. Chris Bey will face off Eddie Edwards. Karl Anderson and Josh Alexander will fight in the main event. Also, alongside Tommy “Sherlock” Dreamer, we’ll try to find out who shot John E. Bravo. 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.
- Havok & Nevaeh defeated Madison Rayne & Tenille Dashwood w/ Kaleb with a K.
- Backstage, The Good Brothers told Gia Miller even asking about is… something when it comes to their Turning Point match. Anderson said the Impact Tag Team Championship are the one title that’s eluded them and trust him: they’re walking out champions. Ethan Page showed up and said they can’t stop talking about him. They mocked his Karate Man character and Page slapped Alexander. Alexander responded with a slap back.
- Backstage, Detective Sherlock Dreamer had a biometrics meter/lie detector attached by USB to his laptop. He interviewed Larry D and Cody Deaner. Larry D said he didn’t shoot Bravo, what the computer confirmed. Cody said the same, but the computer felt something wrong. He lost to Johnny Swinger last week, which is a career lowlight, and was pissed at everyone.
- IMPACT X-Division Champion Rohit Raju defeated TJP. As long as Raju is the Champion, TJP couldn’t challenge him anymore.
- Backstage, Fallah Bahh was hiding when Hernandez came out of Dreamer’s interrogation room. Bahh was surprised Hernandez passed the test, but Hernandez said he thinks Bahh shot him because Bravo was going to sell him out and tell Hernandez that Bahh has the money. Tasha and Kiera showed up to defend Fallah and said it looks like Hernandez wants the smoke. Hernandez mocked and walked off, and Kiera said not to worry about him. While Kiera was talking, Tasha took the money and switched it out with a roll of electrical tape. Tasha said they forgive him because it isn’t his fault, they told him to have a great day and they fist-bumped. Bahh checked his pocket and felt the roll of tape, thinking it was the money and walked into the interrogation room.
- In the Tree House, Trey asked who has the papers. Dez said he has no papers, but he has a piece of paper. It said they’re being convicted. Trey said he didn’t shoot Bravo, then grabbed the paper and said it’s “evicted.” Apparently, they haven’t paid rent in two years. Wentz said the paper says they have a week. Trey says does this mean they have to leave Impact? Apparently, the Rascalz are leaving.
- Chris Sabin defeated Acey Romero w/ Larry D. After the match, Larry D attacked Sabin, followed by Acey.
- Backstage, Sami Callihan came to talk to Chris Bey. He said that Bey would be his #1 draft pick and has untapped potential. Callihan pointed out that Bey is about to face Edwards and Bey said not to finesse him, but if there’s something they need maybe they can work together. Callihan said you can’t outfinesse the Ultimate Finesser, and you can’t out grift the Ultimate Grifter. He went to lay out his plan as we went to black.
- Backstage, Sherlock Dreamer interviewed Father James Mitchell. He said they’ve been over it and over it, and he gets he’s the perfect suspect with motivation, means, and opportunity. No one wants to spite Rosemary more than him and this would be a perfect way, it makes sense. But there’s just one thing, guns are inelegant. They’re loud, messy, and not his style. After all, he wouldn’t waste all that pure virgin blood. Dreamer said he’s inclined to agree, but that the lie detector is off the charts. Mitchell said it’s just that deception runs through his veins and is in his DNA. He said he didn’t do it, but he thinks he knows who did. Dreamer looked intrigued.
- Eddie Edwards defeated Chris Bey. After the match, Bey grabbed a chair. The ICU sign appeared on the screen. Lights off. Sami Callihan was in the ring with his baseball bat when lights went back on. Callihan attacked Edwards with the bat. IMPACT World Champion Rich Swann rushed to the ring, hit Chris Bey, attacked Sami Callihan but Ken Shamrock arrived. Shamrock targeted Swann while Callihan took care of Eddie. Bey hit Eddie’s back, then Swann’s back with the chair. Callihan put the chair on Swann but The Rascalz came to make the save.
- Backstage, Kaleb with a K was backstage with Tenille and said they really don’t have to do this but Tenille said they do. They approached Jordynne Grace and Tenille made Kaleb ask for a team-up in the tournament after Rayne “screwed things up.” Kaleb said it’s Jordynne’s “big opportunity, kid.” But Grace wanted Tenille to ask. Tenille muttered asking, and Grace said she hasn’t thought a lot about it. She said that she needs a partner she can trust, so maybe not in the tournament but she’ll give Tenille an opportunity to earn her trust at Turning Point.
- Backstage, Rich Swann thanked the Rascalz from the bottom of his heart, and the Rascalz said they still have a week. Swann suggested they do something special and go out with a bang like DDP. He suggested Trey and Swann vs. Dez and Wentz. Dez and Wentz talked briefly and said they’ll do it next week. Trey called himself and Swann “Team Last Name” and Dez and Wentz headed off.
- Backstage, Deonna Purrazzo told Gia Miller it’s uncharted territory for her and it’s Su Yung’s playground. It has the potential to be uncomfortable, but Kimber Lee said they can handle it. Deonna said she always has a plan, which is how she became Knockouts Champion and Impact’s first Iron Woman, and how she’ll beat Yung. Suddenly, the music got creepy and Kimber was gone. Deonna saw written on a window in red, “I think ur alone now” and Kimber got slammed against the window in a jump scare moment.
- Backstage, Sherlock Dreamer was still interviewing Father James Mitchell. Havok took the place. Dreamer pointed out that Havok didn’t want to bring Mitchell back, but Rosemary made her do it and it made her mad. Mad enough to make her want to kill Bravo in revenge? Havok said ask Rosemary. Dreamer said he has questions for Rosemary, but she has a match at Turning Point so he’s holding off on asking her. He demanded to know if Havok shot Bravo, and we got no answer.
- Reno Scum defeated Fallah Bahh & Crazzy Steve.
- Backstage, Chris Sabin was at a bar talking to someone and asking him to watch his back because he can’t take XXXL by himself. The man gave him a beer and it was James Storm. Storm said the devil in him has been asleep for way too long, and apparently, they have a match at Turning Point. Sabin took the beer and hated it, but Storm said if they’re going to fight this weekend, they need to drink together so all the boys can hear “Sorry about your damn luck!” Sabin drank, with difficulty.
- Backstage, Willie Mack was making his neck checked. Dr Ross said he has a bruised larynx but he’s cleared to wrestle. Moose attacked. Mack choked him with the stethoscope and said he’ll see Moose at Turning Point. Moose grinned as Mack walked off.
- Karl Anderson w/ Doc Gallows defeated Josh Alexander w/ Ethan Page via DQ when Ethan Page interfered. They all brawled until the security set them apart.
The Nygma’s Nutcracker(s) of the Week
– Rohit Raju vs TJP
Raju thwacked TJP with his coat from outside the ring and TJP attacked with a baseball slide. They brawled on the outside, Raju took control and stomped TJP on the ramp. TJP fought back and hit a suplex on the ramp. The referee told them to get in the ring and the bell was rung. TJP went to lock in a Romero Special, Raju blocked it so TJP hit a double stomp on Rohit’s knees. He went for it again but Rohit pushed him off. TJP attacked Rohit in the corner, then whipped him across the ring and hit a backdrop. The Irish whip was reversed, Rohit connected with a back elbow. He stomped TJP and boot-choked him in the corner for a second, then picked him up and decked him in the corner. Raju whipped TJP across the ring, TJP leapt up and caught Raju with his legs, a hurricanrana sent the champ into the turnbuckle. TJP continued with an uppercut, a whip was reversed, kick by TJP. TJP went in but Rohit pulled the referee in the way and went for a kick. TJP ducked but got the leg swept. Raju hit the double stomp.
Back from break, Raju was working TJP over in the corner. TJP crawled out of the corner, Raju went for a back suplex, TJP flipped out and went into the corner. Kick to Rohit’s gut, Tornado DDT but Rohit pushed him off and launched into the kicks, including a big one to the head. Raju slammed TJP’s arm into the mat and launched a series of elbows into the shoulder before an armlock. TJP escaped but Rohit connected with a double knee drop to the shoulder. TJP went up in the corner, Raju moved in and ate a kick to the gut. TJP connected with another kick but Raju fired back with one of his own and a suplex. Kick to the back of TJP and Rohit walked over the challenger, then started clubbing on the back. He came off the ropes with an elbow drop. Raju continued to club to TJP’s back and hit a back wristlock, TJP was trying to get out of it to no avail and got shoved hard shoulder-first into the turnbuckle. Raju continued with a single-arm DDT.
Rohit twisted the injured arm again and cinched it in, getting to his feet for leverage. TJP managed to fight up and tried to fight out of it, he managed an inside cradle but Raju fired back with a kick and then a twisting suplex. He held on and went for a front suplex but TJP countered out. Rohit charged at TJP in the corner but the challenger went up and over with a tornado DDT. Both men went up, clothesline by TJP and another, big dropkick, and an Irish whip, which was reversed but TJP connected with a springboard crossbody. He kipped up and went for the Romero Special and locked it in. Rohit was feeling the pain, TJP tilted him back into a pin. TJP connected with a knife-edge chop, an uppercut in the corner, an Irish whip and charged in with a splash. He set Rohit on the second rope, leapt off the top to the apron for a dropkick. TJP went up top now, but Rohit was up and hit a hard shot.
He hanged TJP up on the corner in the Tree of Woe and climbed up, but TJP pulled himself up and yanked Rohit down. Raju recovered while TJP got to his feet and ran in for an avalanche, then came off the ropes with a big kick. He went in, TJP dodged but Rohit connected with a big elbow and a DDT. Rohit went for the crossface, TJP had it blocked and got up in a straitjacket position, dropped Rohit into his knees and went up top. Rohit was laid out, TJP came off for the Mamba Splash but Rohit moved and immediately locked in a crossface. Rohit had it fully locked in but TJP rolled through and managed to unload a kneebar. Rohit was crawling for the ropes, he was close to tapping but managed to get to the corner. He grabs bed the title, the referee argued with him over it and got ahold as TJP was pulling on Rohit. Raju hit a NutCracker while the ref was dealing with the belt. Rohit connected with a big knee off the rope that got the pin.
The Weekly “Enigma For a Nygma”
Who shot Bravo? The suspects continue to come at Sherlock Dreamer’s table and one name is coming back again and again… Would The Demon Assassin have shot her husband? Father James Mitchell and Havok seem to think so… I think so too… Come back next week for a new game of Cluedo©…
The Nygma’s Noticeable Facts of the Week
– No more Rascalz?!
At first, I wrote apparently. And then, I started to check on Twitter and noticed there was nothing “apparently” in the fact The Rascalz will wrestle their last match on IMPACT next week. The way the roster reacted online, the way Dez, Wentz and Trey have been talking about it, there’s no apparently anymore. Their contract came to an end and it seems like they chose not to renew it. Not only they were making us laugh with the Tree House segments but they were bringing the smoke in the ring. Their intensity, their innovative high-flying style, their wit have been a delight to watch and review.
If Dez made his debut with Impact Wrestling before his friends, like a singles competitor, the trio really has something special they showed right when they started. They can work perfectly as singles competitors like teams or trio. They are matching each other so well all the combinations are possible. Despite all the opportunities they have been given, Trey for the X-Division and World Championship, Dez and Wentz for the World Tag Team Championship, they have never been able to hold any of those titles, which is a shame. For each and every moment they have made write about, in and out the ring, I just want to thank them from the bottom of my heart. Stay unique, guys…
Many matches were added this week and Turning Point is now a 9-match card. All the titles are on the line and the reason why no match has been announced yet for next week is related to the fact everything can change this Saturday. To watch on Impact Plus and Fite TV at 8 PM ET (1 AM GMT).
To be eNYGMAtic…
Good episode, a true go-home show for Turning Point. I have to say the announcement of The Rascalz leaving was a shock and the rest of the show was then more difficult to appreciate, with that idea in mind. Of course, the show will go on without them, like it went on after any departure.
I will probably have more to tell you next week as Turning Point would have been aired. Right now, I have way too many questions in my head to give you a clear conclusion and perspective to this episode. Some weeks are harder than others…
On this “Nygma Don’t Know” note, until next week, take care, stay safe, watch wrestling, and never EVER forget to stay #eNYGMAtic…
All pics, videos, and screenshots courtesy of Impact Wrestling, Basil Mahmud and AXS TV. Photocollage custom made by @frenchnygma exclusively for @steelchairmag.