Impact Plus monthly special events have shown us they can become some interesting game-changers in the IMPACT routine. The return of the Super X-Cup on Genesis is a good way to remember the X-Division has always been what set TNA/Impact Wrestling apart from any other company in the business. Every wrestler who took part in the 2003, 2005 and 2017 editions are reknown for their influence not only on the X-Division itself but the business in general. Winners Chris Sabin, Samoa Joe and Dezmond Xavier won their ticket for SuperStardom. And what am I supposed to add when it comes to wrestlers like AJ Styles, Alex Shelley, Petey Williams, Taiji Ishimori, or Davey Richards, who all took part in them? Whatever they have done after taking part in that Cup tournament, they have become legends on their own.
We’re just 7 days away from Hard To Kill, so Genesis comes as the perfect match for an already stacked PPV card. For the best or for the worst? I call that an enigma for a Nygma… Let’s dig into it. 

#Genesis is NOW on @IMPACTPlusApp!

WATCH HERE: https://t.co/FJfmJQy3Jc pic.twitter.com/y8HFj5Qg1v

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) January 10, 2021

Before every first-round match, some videos presented the wrestlers to the fans. 

• Super X-Cup First-Round Match: Ace Austin w/Madman Fulton vs Suicide
• Super X-Cup First-Round Match: Blake Christian vs KC Navarro
• Super X-Cup First-Round Match: Daivari vs Cousin Jake
• Super X-Cup First-Round Match: Crazzy Steve vs Tre Lamar
  

I chose to treat these four matches as a block, same with the two semifinals, just to show you how different these matches were and perfectly represented what X-Division is about.

Josh Mathews and Madison Rayne summed up what all of this was about perfectly very early in the tournament, “The X-Division has never been about weight limits, it has always been about no limits. Hall of Famer Abyss was X-Division Champion, Samoa Joe was too, Jordynne Grace almost became X-Division Champion.”

He's wearing gloves @The_Ace_Austin. #Genesis pic.twitter.com/tWHSNSFrk6

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) January 10, 2021

We started with the classic “Impact guys” match, with two former titleholders. I asked myself who would be in the Suicide costume and the match gave the answer just by the moves (not everyone does the Octopus submission hold on IMPACT…) Suicide got the advantage very soon in the match, with some shoulder blocks and side headlocks. He continued with the Octopus Stretch and a Romero Special, and Fulton intimidated him. Austin rebounded with a drop toe hold into the steel steps outside the ring. Back into the ring, Austin took control with a springboard roundhouse kick, mounted punches. Suicide connected with an electric chair facebuster and a double stomp to the back. Suicide headed up top, Austin moved to the apron. Suicide headed to the apron with him and they traded blows, then Suicide connected with a fireman’s carry into the ring. Austin intercepted Suicide’s top-rope climb with a kick and rolled through on a crossbody from Suicide. Suicide replied with a modified cradle suplex, Austin nearly got dropped straight on his head. Suicide was ready to finish but Fulton distracted him. Austin landed a knee to the head, then the Fold to win.

New Kids on The Block alert. Well, last Tuesday on IMPACT, we had the chance to see a bit of what these two guys are capable of but that was another match and another context. The advantage moved from one man to the other pretty often. They traded a lot. A wristlock from Navarro replied to a headlock from Christian. Christian landed a wheel kick after landing strikes from Navarro. They then brawled outside. Back in the ring, Navarro unloaded a modified blockbuster and a double stomp. Navarro started working the arms, Christian escaped with a donkey kick, then hit an enzuigiri. He continued with a triangle dropkick on the apron and a 619. A running kick from Navarro replied to s a running kick from Christian. Navarro unloaded a running flipping neckbreaker and a Death Valley Driver, Christian a standing moonsault. He escaped a superplex from Navarro with a sunset flip powerbomb and the Air Blake to pick up the win.

A former titleholder against an explosive talent now on his own. Less “fast” than the usual X-Division kind of match, but is there a usual X-Division kind of match? Daivari took control with clubbing blows and chops in the corner but Cousin Jake replied with a clubbing clothesline. Out of the ring, he started brawling with Daivari around the ringside area. Daivari set on the apron, Jake set for a charge but Daivari moved and Jake caught his neck on the ropes. Back in the ring, Daivari was going after the neck with chokes, a neckbreaker, elbows to the neck, a knee to the spine, and a dropkick to the back of the head. Back outside the ring with more brawling, Daivari slammed Jake into the steps a few times. Back in the ring, Daivari hit a body-scissors but Jake fought free with elbows. Daivari continued to control, Jake wanted a powerbomb, nearly got backdropped but rolled through and hit a sit-out powerbomb. Daivari hit a DDT and a shin breaker, then set Jake in a Figure-Four. Jake got to the ropes, Daivari went for another Figure-Four attempt, Jake avoided it and unloaded a black hole slam for the win.

The collision of generations between an Impact Wrestling man and a “New Kid on The Block” (the right stuff…). Despite Lamar’s athleticism, don’t ask an old monkey how to smile (you prefer to teach an old dog new tricks, we French, prefer to learn monkeys how to smile… mostly when it comes to Steve). Lamar tried to avoid the wackiness of Steve early, trying to figure out what was going on here. Steve scared Lamar who had to try to regain himself out of the ring but got freaked out by the monkey. Back in the ring, Lamar landed a Pelé kick and Steve rolled out of the ring. Lamar followed him and started landing kicks and forearms. Back into the ring, Lamar kept control with kicks and knees. He continued with a back elbow, some stomps and a rear chinlock. Lamar headed up top, Steve avoided his jump though. Up to the second rope, Lamar was looking for a Spanish fly but Steve fought out. Steve hit a side Russian leg sweep from the second rope and both men were down. They then went blow for blow, Lamar got the better of it but then Steve fought back and hit a side Russian leg sweep into an arm submission. Lamar hit a jawbreaker to take over. Steve avoided a corner rush from Lamar and tried a sunset flip, but Lamar grabbed the ropes. Lamar hit a shoulder block but missed a high crossbody. Steve connected with a diving DDT for the win.

• Meanwhile, backstage…

Moose told Gia Miller Willie Mack made a stupid decision when he was angry to make this match. He said he hasn’t been angry at Mack yet, but now his stupidity has angered him. He’s going to use tonight to send a message to Rich Swann and the world that’s tuning in, a message about what happens when you step into a ring with an angry Moose. He was looking way beyond Mack just quitting, he wanted to send him to the hospital. He asked Mack to relay to Rich Swann that Moose is the real World Champion.

.@TheMooseNation plans to send a message to @GottaGetSwann through the pain he will inflict on @Willie_Mack TONIGHT! #Genesis pic.twitter.com/5hUFXmmfur

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) January 10, 2021

• Super X-Cup Semi-finals: Ace Austin w/Madman Fulton vs Cousin Jake
• Super X-Cup Semi-finals: Crazzy Steve vs Blake Christian
  

After some trash-talk and stalling, Austin grabbed a side headlock but eventually, he was overpowered and ran into a shoulder block. Austin tried to seek for advice from Fulton. Austin tried leg kicks, a leg scissors takedown but Jake easily stopped that. Austin landed a right, ducked a return but Jake grabbed him and clubbed him to the mat. Jake threw Austin into the corner with authority, then started clubbing the back of Austin. Austin tried to fight back with strikes, Jake tossed Austin over the top and onto Fulton but Fulton caught Austin. Jake dove onto the both of them, but Fulton didn’t go down. Fulton and Jake stared each other down, Austin landed a blow then ran away from Jake over the back of Fulton. Jake had enough and punched Fulton, Austin connected with a baseball slide and a running dive over the top rope onto Jake. Back into the ring, Austin unloaded kicks, some knees to the neck on the mat, a low dropkick in the corner, and some knees before running into a body block from Jake.

Jake tried to hit a suplex, Austin kneed him in the head a couple of times to escape, then hit a wheel kick and another knee strike. He continued with a front headlock and knees to the top of the head. Jake fought to his feet, Austin avoided some punches but ate a kick and a facebuster from Jake. Austin avoided a powerbomb but Jake replied with a Michinoku driver. Fulton pulled Austin to the ropes, then Jake worked some power moves to floor Austin. He avoided a lunge and hit a sunset flip, a spinning kick, and a tornado kick in the corner to floor Jake. Jake caught a jumping Austin and hit a buckle bomb, a diving shoulder block, and a black hole slam. Austin went out of the ring, Jake went out after him and set Austin on the apron. Jake dragged Austin up to the top rope, tried a gutwrench move but Austin hit a Springboard Fold for the win.

The collision of generations between an Impact Wrestling man and a “New Kid on The Block” (the right stuff…) continued. Steve weirded out Christian, not quite as much as Lamar. Steve offered a handshake, Christian accepted but Steve switched to a hug. Some arm wringers to start, a top wrist lock from Steve, some kip ups from Christian. A slow start UNTIL Christian accidentally kicked the stuffed monkey off of the apron and Steve snapped. He pounded on Christian in the corner, landed an elbow, a snap suplex, and a double underhook suplex. Steve threw Christian into the corner again, then went outside to check on the monkey (he is OK, apparently). Christian avoided a corner rush and attacked with a running dropkick, a split-legged moonsault, a snapmare and a dropkick to the back of the neck. He went up top and tried the split-legged moonsault again but ate the knees of Steve.

*Catherine O'Hara voice*: "KEVIN!" #Genesis @steveofcrazzy pic.twitter.com/j0XhovjvpY

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) January 10, 2021

Steve connected with the kitchen-sink knee, a senton, a tilt-a-whirl headscissors that sent Christian out of the ring. Both men ended up down outside of the ring. Back in, Steve hit some lefts, a snapmare and a neck twister. He sent Christian into the corner, hit some clotheslines, a shoulder block, a running European uppercut and a cannonball senton in the corner. Steve went for the diving DDT but Blake countered with kicks and a roll-through into a standing frog splash. Steve replied with a short-arm clothesline but Blake set Steve on the top rope, Steve set Christian into the Tarantula but ran into a knee when trying to return to the ring. Blake hung Steve on the top rope, headed up top and hit a 450 splash to the elevated Steve for the win.

Strange combinations that didn’t necessarily work well. The matches were okay, not more.

• Meanwhile, backstage…

Mack and Swann met up. Swann felt Mack could win, he knew Mack has more heart than Moose and that Mack won’t quit. Mack was trying to get in the zone, he was gonna prove that what goes around comes around. Swann said he’s got Mack’s back if necessary.

Jazz told Gia Miller she was happy of the match but she was also ready to show the world that the b*tch is back.

• Jazz vs Jordynne Grace

We could also call that a collision of generations but it would be disrespectful for this immensely talented ladies. They showed respect and tied up. Some reversals until they hit the corner, then switched a few times before breaking. Some shoving, and Jazz started laying in kicks. Jordynne replied with a right, then they collided on shoulder block attempts. Jordynne finally got Jazz down with a shoulder block. Both women to the apron, Jazz picked the ankles though and dropped Jordynne onto the apron. Jordynne avoided a kick and dropped Jazz face-first onto the apron. Jazz nearly got counted out, but Jordynne headed out and tossed her back in the ring.

Jordynne connected with two snap suplexes and a fisherman suplex, her Three Amigos. Jazz landed a back elbow to a charging Jordynne, then stun-gunned Jordynne across the top rope and hit some stomps and a leg drop. Jazz guillotined Jordynne under the bottom rope, then went for some cross faces blows. Some kicks from Jazz floored Jordynne who fought to her feet but ate some headbutts to the spine. They traded forearms but Jazz started stomping Jordynne in the corner and connected with a double underhook suplex. Jordynne tripped up Jazz, hit a backdrop and both women were down.

Back on their feet, both women landed rights, but Jordynne hit Jazz with a spinebuster. She slammed Jazz into the corner, hit a Meteora, a running elbow and a Vader bomb. Jazz fought off a pump-handle move, hit a modified Glam Slam then locked in an STF. Jordynne grabbed the ropes and avoided a corner rush. Jazz hit a slingshot into the buckles, started jabbing Jordynne but Jordynne avoided a right. She landed rights to drop Jazz, puts her on the top rope but Jazz fought free and hit a tornado DDT. Jazz avoided another right, tried an O’Connor roll. They traded roll-ups with Jordynne getting the win on a reversal.

• Meanwhile, backstage…

Blake Christian told Gia Miller his emotions are all over the place but he couldn’t give into them and had to focus on Ace Austin. But he planned to prove why he’s known as “all heart”.

• Super X-Cup Finals: Ace Austin vs Blake Christian

The Future vs The Future, being both 23 and utterly talented. Ace Austin asked Madman Fulton to stay backstage, oozing confidence or did he have another trick in his bag? They tied up, Christian reversed a go-behind from Austin. Some arm wringers and a chop from Austin. He got the card between the fingers, Christian hit him with a hurricanrana on the feet. Back elbow from Austin, they traded some athletic escapes until Christian landed a dropkick. Austin grabbed a side headlock and then a takeover. Head scissors from Christian, Austin escaped and started landing blows in the corner. Christian landed a right as Austin was on the apron, Christian missed a springboard moonsault. Austin attacked him. Both men brawled on the outside, Christian connected with a step-assisted somersault onto Austin. Austin went to the apron, missed a kick, avoided a trip, then hit a superkick. Back in the ring, they traded strikes.

Austin connected with a modified codebreaker. Christian avoided a tornado kick in the corner, tried a springboard splash but Austin kicked him out of the ring and hit a diving Fosbury flop. Back in the ring, Austin retained control with stomps and knees to the grounded Christian. Austin started hitting the ribs of Blake, but Christian fought back to his feet. He avoided a corner rush but ate a forearm. A Snapmare into a dropkick from Christian stalled Austin out a bit. Christian avoids a springboard kick, hit a roll through into the frog splash and a standing shooting star press. Austin connected with a drop toe hold into the ropes. Christian fought off a front headlock, he landed some back elbows and hit a flying clothesline to drop Austin. Enzuigiri in the corner from Christian, he headed up top, Austin met him there but Christian DDTed him onto the top rope and hit a sunset flip powerbomb.

Blake back up top, Austin rolled all the way away from him and out of the ring. Christian went after him and hit the springboard moonsault to the outside. Back in the ring, Christian hit a springboard 450, then went up top again but Austin shook the ropes and dropped Christian onto his crotch. Austin up top went for a superplex but Christian escaped, hung up Austin and hit a double stomp for a near fall. Christian draped Austin over the top rope, he went for the 450 again but Austin moved and Christian ate the canvas. Austin connected with a springboard kick, a slam and a top rope splash. He then locked Christian in a modified Boston half crab, Christian grabbed the ropes. Stomps from Austin, then chops.

Christian avoided a kick, they traded spinning kicks and knee blows. Austin landed a kick to the back, hit a standing Spanish fly, both men were down. Back up, Christian continued with a combination of blows, Austin headed out of the ring and Christian hit the Fosbury flop into the Nightmare on Helms Street (Spinning Inverted facelock elbow drop) on the entrance ramp. Back into the ring, Christian crawled his way up to the top rope, tried the twisting splash but Austin avoided it and tried the Fold. They traded roll-ups, Austin replied with a kick and La Magistral. Christian botched a bridge out of the jackknife pin. Both men started laying in forearms. Austin tried the card spot again but Christian stole the card. They traded monkey flips until Austin hit a Fold outta nowhere to win the match. Madman Fulton came to congratulate Austin, D’Amore gave him the trophy, which means a guaranteed X-Division title shot in the next 12 months.

He’s smug but uber talented
Congrats to 2021 @IMPACTWRESTLING Super X Cup winner @The_Ace_Austin

Tip of my hat to @Air_Blake2234 for an unbelievable showing. This kid has major league talent

Thank you to all the competitors tonight. Hold your heads high and be proud#Genesis https://t.co/3nFa1mbr6W

— Scott D'Amore (@ScottDAmore) January 10, 2021

I Quit Match: TNA World Heavyweight Champion Moose vs Willie Mack

I was started to blink of tiredness (you don’t know what my weeks can be about) when the magic happened, it turned into a wild brawl. It started as a classic match and it turned out into a TLC bout. They squared up and stared each other down, then started landing rights. Mack connected with more punches, Moose tried to counter but ran into a right. Moose landed a big boot but ran into a double leg. Moose escaped and tried to recover on the outside. Mack didn’t let him rest, landed a pump kick against the barricade, Moose did not quit. Another boot from Moose, but he ran into a scoop slam on the entrance ramp. Moose still didn’t want to quit. Moose threw into the ring post, Mack landed rights and posted him again. Back into the ring, more rights from Mack, Moose asked for more. He avoided a pump kick in the corner and hit a running kick to the head to take over. Mack Didn’t quit. Some stomps to the neck and the body from Moose. Body shots from Moose, then an abdominal stretch but Mack definitely didn’t want to quit. Moose talked to the camera, but Mack tossed him to the outside. Moose Lesnar-jumped to the apron to stop his dive.

They started trading blows with the top rope between them, then Moose grabbed a punch and dropped the arm over the top rope. In the ringside area, Moose threw Mack into the barricades. He whipped Mack all the way to and over the other barricade. Moose tossed Mack over the barricade again, then meandered back to him to continue the beating. Stomps from Moose, then he got some chairs and a table from under the ring. Moose set up the table near the entrance ramp, then tried to powerbomb Mack through it but Mack blocked that. He got a chair and sent it into Moose’s gut and back. Moose headed into the ring, Mack followed him with the chair. More chair shots from Mack to the back of Moose, but Moose didn’t quit. Mack connected with a chair shot to the head, Moose didn’t quit. Mack wedged the chair in the corner and threw Moose’s head and shoulder first into the chair, but Moose still didn’t quit.

Mack went to the top rope and hit the 6-Star frog splash but Moose still didn’t give it up. Another splash to the back of Moose, no quitting. Mack got a chair again and started driving it into the ribs of Moose, then started choking Moose with the chair. No quitting, so Mack set the chair on Moose and went for another 6-Star frog splash but  Moose caught him on the top rope and punched him off balance. Moose to the apron punched Mack. Mack punched back, they were both in position to potentially fall through the table. They kept trading blows, Moose strangled his eyes and hit a very bad-looking Go To Hell through the table. Mack’s head hit the metal entrance ramp pretty hard. Both men get back into the ring after quite a moment. They started trading from their knees. Mack landed a wheel kick, Moose replied with a pump kick. Mack returned the pump kick and hit the stunner but Moose connected with a headbutt off the ropes.

Moose ran into a lariat from Mack. None of them wanted to quit. Moose grabbed more chairs into the ring, went up top, but Mack threw a chair into his head. Mack stacked the remaining chairs on the mat, then headed onto the ropes with Moose. All the way up top, superplex onto the pile of chairs and both men were down but neither would quit. Moose slowly rolled out of the ring, Mack headed out after him with a chair. More chair shots from Mack, Moose got his TNA title belt, but won’t quit and blasted Mack with the belt. Moose dragged Mack back into the ring and started landing mounted elbows to try to knock Mack out. Moose set to Pillmanize the neck of Mack, but sat and noted Mack was KO and couldn’t quit. He promised to end his career but Rich Swann showed up before he could complete that. Moose wanted a shot at the title, Swann gave it to him to save his friend. Moose thanked Swann and quitted.

To be eNYGMAtic…

I regret that this tournament was treated as a single-event block. Usually, it’s a multi-week event and it gives us the time to know the participants, to get used to their styles and, in the end, to choose our favourite. Things happened way too fast, in about two hours of time. I wished I could have seen more of KC Navarro and Tre Lamar. Even as in-ring veterans, Cousin Jake and Crazzy Steve delivered something I think we would have probably never had the chance to see in a weekly episode of IMPACT. Very impressive. Then, Ace Austin vs Blake Christian as finals was way too predictable, in my eyes. Despite being the same age, they fought in the classic former Champion vs underdog match and Ace Austin’s win was, in a way, set in stone. After the finals, I saw many “Sign Blake” on social media and I 100% agree with that.
I hated the end of Moose vs Mack match because, as you know, I’m a huge fan of brutal or hardcore match, even if the GTH into the table was terrible to watch. Then, if you followed, like me, Moose’s “new way of thinking”, how clever it was to let Willie Mack choose this stipulation to make sure his friend would rush to save him, that was very well done. Jazz vs Jordynne match was good without being fantastic but just watching Jazz wrestling is something incredible, knowing she’s about to retire, so I won’t bicker on that.
In the build-up of Hard To Kill, Genesis looked like a parenthesis. No AEW insertion, nothing related to the upcoming PPV matches, excepted Josh Mathews constantly talking about them. Then, Ace with the X-Cup is a threat for X-Champion for the next 12 months. This Saturday, Austin could definitely turn the Triple Threat into a Fatal Four-Way match.
What’s next? The go-home show to Hard To Kill this Tuesday night, my interview of Chris Sabin, AXS TV’s Wrestle Week, Hard To Kill CELL-Ebration, the countdown to the PPV, and the PPV itself. For the moment, all I know is I will need gallons of coffee to hold on, then…

Genesis Complete Results:

• Super X-Cup First-round match: Ace Austin defeated Suicide
• Super X-Cup First-round match: Blake Christian defeated KC Navarro
• Super X-Cup First-Round Match: Cousin Jake defeated Daivari
• Super X-Cup First-Round Match: Crazzy Steve defeated Tre Lamar
• Super X-Cup Semi-finals Match: Ace Austin defeated Cousin Jake
• Super X-Cup Semi-finals Match: Blake Christian defeated Crazzy Steve
• Jordynne Grace defeated Jazz
• Super X-Cup Finals Match: Ace Austin defeated Blake Christian
• I Quit Match: Willie Mack defeated Moose

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