Which barriers to break? Tuesday is the new Wednesday. Again. Saying this year was full of surprises would be a euphemism and the way we end it let predict a hell of a beginning of 2021. Do you think I’m afraid? 2021 motto, right here, right now. Trust me when I say that they will need way more than too much to make me have enough. That is not my Final Resolution.
On the menu this week, from Nashville, Tennessee, Taya Valkyrie and Rosemary will face off Tasha Steelz and Kiera hogan in the first semi-final of the Knockouts Tag Team tournament. Tenille Dashwood will face off Alisha Edwards. The new IMPACT X-Division Champion Manik will compete against Chris Bey. Karl Anderson will square off with Chris Sabin. And we’ll hear of Don Callis and Kenny Omega. 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.
- Tenille Dashwood w/ Kaleb with a K defeated Alisha Edwards w/ Eddie Edwards. Kaleb interfered. After the match, Sami Callihan’s music was heard but he appeared on-screen. Sami told Eddie that their story is far from over. He warned him to enjoy his family over the holidays because it may be his last one.
- Backstage, the MCMG told Gia Miller that they are ready to keep their Three-Step list going. So far, they’ve done everything they said they were going to do. Now that they’re on step three, they want Anderson and Doc Gallows Tag Team Championships.
- In the bus, Kenny Omega asked Karl Anderson to go get prepared. Bring these guys some pop-corn, please…
.@KennyOmegamanX and @TheDonCallis have FIRED UP @MachineGunKA to take out @SuperChrisSabin. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/rXcocO9L2E
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) December 16, 2020
- Backstage, Karl Anderson asked IMPACT World Champion Rich Swann if he’s seen the Motor City Machine Guns. Swann told him that he hasn’t, and he needs to calm down. MCMG entered and confronted Anderson.
- Moose came to the ring, announced Willie Mack is injured and will be out for a couple of weeks. He said he hurt Mack because that’s what he does, hurt people. The people at home don’t understand what Moose is capable of, and is annoyed no one talks about him and instead focus on Swann. He said Swann stayed hurt while Moose was hurting people. He asked Swann to call up Mack and ask what pain feels like. Mack showed up, security got between them. Moose asked Mack if he really wants to make Moose angry. Mack said he’s not mad about what Moose did, he’s mad that the referee stopped their fight. He promised to take matters into his own hands, he and Moose will fight in an I Quit match at Genesis. Moose asked if that’s a smart move, Mack just came to deliver the message, then got into the right and they brawled. Moose started laying into security people, one of the security guys tore his suit.
- Backstage, Moose told Gia Miller he’s tired of indy wrestlers trying to make their name at the expense of a signed talent like him. He warns all future talent taking jobs as security not touch him ever again. The next one to do so will get hurt.
- Backstage, Chris Bey came to see Rohit Raju and mocked his loss of the X-Division title. Rohit pointed out he wasn’t the only one who lost at Final Resolution, and he’ll get a rematch for his title while Bey gets nothing. Bey had an idea for Raju. He thought he should unmask the new champion Manik to reveal that it’s TJP. He informed Raju that he has a match against the new X-Division champion tonight and would like to have Raju be in his corner. Raju accepted his request.
- AEW advertisement.
- Eric Young promo, he wanted to teach people about life and death and everything in between. He talked about sickness needing to be destroyed, and his true purpose here in Impact is to baptize Cody Deaner in the holy waters of change.
- Chris Bey w/ Rohit Raju defeated IMPACT World Champion Manik via DQ. Nutcracker, ladies and gentlemen…
- Backstage, Ethan Page was apologizing to Josh Alexander. Alexander said he’s been best friends with Page for a while but told Page to figure out what’s going on. Page said he’ll get help, but “we’ll” always have your back. Page headed out, Brian Myers showed up and asked Alexander to team up with him. Alexander said he’d rather kick Myers’ ass.
- In the bus, Anderson was back. Omega tried to fire up Anderson, he headed out again. Omega is pissed at Rich Swann trying to run things, he’s going to handle him later.
.@KennyOmegamanX seems to be getting a little agitated toward IMPACT World Champion @GottaGetSwann. #IMPACTonAXSTV @MachineGunKA @TheDonCallis pic.twitter.com/xYGpEOclNH
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) December 16, 2020
- IMPACT Knockouts Tag Team Tournament – Semi-finals: Tasha Steelz & Kiera Hogan defeated Taya Valkyrie & Rosemary. Kimber Lee and Deonna Purrazzo attacked Rosemary and distracted Taya. Hogan and Steelz will face Havok & Nevaeh or Jazz & Jordynne Grace at Hard To Kill.
- Eric Young promo #2 – The baptism continued.
- Backstage, Kiera and Tasha were celebrating but they still didn’t know where the wad of cash is. Johnny Swinger came in and asked the girls if they’re ready to celebrate with him. They were both disgusted and left the room. Swinger looked through Tasha’s luggage to find the big wad of cash.
- Brian Myers defeated Josh Alexander via DQ when The Karate Man that is not Ethan Page cleaned the house. But once again, it infuriated Josh Alexander…
- Eric Young Promo #3 – Young freed Cody from his past demons.
- Backstage, Acey Romero wanted his tag partner Larry D to be set free after his arrest on Saturday. Tommy Dreamer said he’s heard that one before and doesn’t buy it. Romero left. Dreamer saw Rhino and Cousin Jake take about Cody Deaner’s betrayal. Dreamer told them both they should do something about it.
- Karl Anderson defeated Chris Sabin w/ Alex Shelley. Rich Swann came to congratulate Anderson and Omega got out of the bus. Omega, Gallows and Anderson attacked Swann, Sabin and Shelley. Omega teased the return of the Bullet Club and a 3-on-3 match at Hard To Kill, Callis made it official as the main event of the PPV.
The Nygma’s Nutcracker(s) of the Week
– Karl Anderson vs Chris Sabin
The match was underway following the commercial break. Sabin worked a rear waist lock, Anderson escaped, hit a headlock takeover, then a headscissors and escaped to get both men to stand off. Anderson went after the arm of Sabin, Sabin escaped and hit an arm drag for another stand-off. Sabin connected with a side headlock, then he took Anderson down with a shoulder block. Dropkick to the knee from Sabin, but Anderson avoided a roll-up attempt and they stared at each other again. They tied up, Anderson got Sabin to the corner and started laying in strikes. Anderson started tearing at the face of Sabin, then sent Sabin into the corner.
They started trading punches, Anderson got the better of that and continued with kicks and stomps. Sabin hit a tilt-a-whirl headscissors to the outside, he tried a punt kick from the apron but Anderson caught it and face-planted him. After the break, Sabin was hitting a stunner but running into a back elbow. More elbows from Anderson, then he started working the leg of Sabin. Anderson abandoned that for more chin locks. Sabin tried to fight back but got slammed to the mat. Sabin connected with an arm drag but Anderson cut him off with a clothesline. Some punches from Sabin, minor feed glitch and both men were down. They got up, and Sabin connected with an inverted atomic drop into a series of clotheslines.
Running elbow from Sabin who headed up top and hit a diving crossbody for a near fall. Sabin went for the Future Shock, Anderson escaped but ate a running kick in the corner. Tornado DDT from Sabin, Anderson blocked another Future Shock attempt and they started trading forearms. Sabin got the better, but tried a roaring elbow and runs into a blow. They hit stereo clotheslines a few time and both men were down again. Anderson was up first and they ware trading blows again. Anderson avoided a corner rush but ran into a boot. Sabin ran into a spinebuster. Anderson tried the gun stun, Sabin connected with a backslide. They traded go-behinds, Anderson got a roll-up win with the tights grabbed.
The Weekly “Enigma For a Nygma”
It is happening… Probably for the first time in the TNA/Impact Wrestling history, the main event of Hard To Kill won’t be a TNA/NWA/IMPACT World Championship match. That won’t be happening, not this time. Am I disappointed? Guess if…
Happy Holiday to @TheEddieEdwards & @MrsAIPAlisha.
Love you.
Signed,#TheDRAW@IMPACTWRESTLING #IMPACTonAXSTV https://t.co/gFSjW0Z7IV
— ₮ⱧɆ ĐⱤ₳₩ (@TheSamiCallihan) December 16, 2020
The Nygma’s Noticeable Facts of the Week
– The Church of EY
If EY’s message was difficult to understand, the way he turned in into action is very clear. The three segments of the liberation and baptism of Cody Deaner were extremely well done. But this baptism was for the worst, not for the best…
.@TheEricYoung has baptized @CodyDeaner in the holy water of change to reveal his purest form. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/nqTlLe08AV
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) December 16, 2020
– Losing The North…
Since The North lost the World Tag Team Championships, it has been clear Ethan Page has started to lose his mind and drive Josh Alexander crazy. The Karate Man that was not him made Josh lose, again. Expect a Josh vs Ethan very soon, at Genesis, maybe at Hard to Kill… And let’s hope Ethan Page will stay with Impact Wrestling in 2021…
– Holidays episodes, Genesis and Hard To Kill
So you have the schedule of the coming weeks, my lovelies. December 22 and 29, Holidays episodes with the Best of 2020 and the Year-End Awards. Then, we’re back with IMPACT on January 5 for the go-home show to Genesis iPPV that will take place on January 9 on Impact Plus and Premier Sports in the UK. January 12 episode will be the go-home show to Hard To Kill PPV that will air live on Fite TV (and Premier Sports in the UK) on Saturday, January 16. Just to type that, I have fear for the first 15 days of 2021…
2020 has been a hell of a year on the wrestling side. The lockdowns and curfews have changed our habits but we couldn’t deny they’ve also changed the business everyone is involved in…
To be eNYGMAtic…
If this episode was meant to retain the fans of Mister Curly Man who made the figures explode last week, missed. And sadly, the rest of the show would not have made them stay. Every four weeks now, we have a new iPPV, which means more shifts in the storylines and some matches coming outta nowhere.
After an excellent Final Resolution, we found back our routine even if some storylines remain in the making, like Moose/Swann or Page/Alexander and some are emerging. Despite everything that was said, despite everything that has been happening, IMPACT will always be IMPACT, our show, our weekly Rendez-vous.
Sadly for you, I’ll be there for the 2 Year-End episodes with all the Best of 2020, and what follows. I will be there again, again and again. I will be more and more tired but someone has to hold the fort…
On this “Nygma Will Never Be An Omega, She’s An Alpha For Life” 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.