Right here, right now. Happy Day 61 of 2021. Exactly 30 years ago, one of the French finest minds died. He destroyed himself to inspire others. Putting your body on the line, is this the magic recipe to be a hero, whether you’re a singer, a wrestler, a painter, well any kind of artist? Right here, right now, life will always get you in the end.
On the menu this week, from Nashville, Tennessee, Chris Bey, Ace Austin and Black Taurus will face off to determine the #1 contender for the X-Division Championship. IMPACT Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo will square off with Jordynne Grace. XXXL and Reno Scum will team up against FinJuice and IMPACT World Tag Team Champions The Good Brothers. Eddie Edwards will face off Brian Myers with Matt Cardona as special guest referee. So no more words, let’s get ready for some action, but your French Enygma Steph way, of course…
TODAY IS #IMPACTonAXSTV DAY! pic.twitter.com/MSnqgNLo9L
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) March 2, 2021
The Nygma’s Chart of the Week
D’Lo Brown and Matt Striker were on commentary. On ‘Before The Impact’, James Storm w/ Chris Sabin defeated Rohit Raju w/ Shera. It ended up in a big brawl.
- Ace Austin w/ Madman Fulton defeated Black Taurus and Chris Bey to become the new #1 contender for the X-Division Championship.
- Backstage, Jazz and Jordynne Grace were with Gia Miller. Jazz brought up ODB being attacked after their win last week and said they know it’s Deonna Purrazzo. Jordynne hyped her match with Deonna tonight for revenge but Fire ‘N Flava came in to say that they’re going to lose against them because they’re not focused. Jordynne said she’d love to face Kiera, but they say they’ll let Deonna do the work and they’ll watch from the audience. Jordynne said she’s going to give Kiera the Platinum Package upgrade, putting her in the ring. She and Jazz went off to talk to D’Amore, so did Kiera and Tasha. D’Amore added Hogan to the Jordynne vs Deonna match.
Looks like our @DeonnaPurrazzo vs. @JordynneGrace main event is now a triple threat match! #IMPACTonAXSTV @Phenom_Jazz @RealTSteelz @HoganKnowsBest3 pic.twitter.com/xa87lpFFDm
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) March 3, 2021
- Backstage, Matt Cardona was flexing when Brian Myers came in and tried to butter him up. Cardona said he knows what he’s doing, it sucks that he has to be the ref for their match but he has to call it down the middle. Myers asked him to call it “down the middle-ish,” but Cardona said that wouldn’t be professional and walked off.
.@TheMattCardona plans to call things down the middle between @TheEddieEdwards and @Myers_Wrestling. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/0i8nijp6uy
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) March 3, 2021
- Tenille Dashwood w/ Kaleb with a K defeated Havok. Of course, Kaleb with a K interfered. Nevaeh attacked him after the match while Tenille was watching from the ramp. Havok and Nevaeh hugged while Tenille was doing some selfies.
- Backstage, Sami Callihan was in Toledo, Ohio at Trey’s Skull & Bones School. He said Trey has no passion. He pointed out a video of the Rascalz and said that Dez and Wentz kicked him to the curb because he’s a loser. He knocked on a door and walked in, asking the staffer there where Trey is. When he was told he’s out of town, he shoved the guy over the desk. Sami walked into the training room and attacked the trainers, assaulting one of them with a chair. He asked where the lead trainer is, and he said it’s Tuesday so he’s at Impact. Sami asked if he teaches them to be a loser like he taught Trey. The trainer said Trey is living in Sami’s head rent-free, and Sami says Trey is such a quitter because he saw the trainer as a broken-down has-been. The trainer said he’s given everything to this business and Trey will show how much passion he has by caving Sami’s skull in. Sami attacked him, choking him in the chair and going to cripple him when another guy comes in. Sami said the guy has potential and he wanted to save the guy from Zero Passion Trey. He told the guy to hear him out, and they walked off. Sami said not to worry, Trey, he’s in good hands.
You should have listened @TheTreyMiguel.
Now I’m going to destroy EVERYTHING you care about.
Wait until you see what I have planned for next week.@IMPACTWRESTLING #IMPACTonAXSTV https://t.co/vPvIsIaQ7l
— ₮ⱧɆ ĐⱤ₳₩ (@TheSamiCallihan) March 3, 2021
- At Swinger’s Palace, Alisha and TJP were playing in the Swinger’s Palace casino when Ace came in and said not to bet against him. TJP said he bet that Ace would say that. Bey walked in and said the only way he wins is if Fulton helped again. Swinger said they won’t fight until he gets odds on this and told Bravo to go get this match happening.
Tensions escalated between @MegaTJP, @The_Ace_Austin and @DashingChrisBey in Swinger's Palace. #IMPACTonAXSTV @swinger_johnny @JohnEBravo1st @MrsAIPAlisha pic.twitter.com/LRpAGQGRUQ
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) March 3, 2021
- Violent by Design segment. Eric Young reminded Deaner that he lost at No Surrender. He failed to punish Jake Something and failure makes you weak and susceptible, which they don’t want. Young said if they don’t do the right thing, the disease can come back and he knows this has to happen. Joe Doering took Deaner out of view and beat the hell out of him while Young was listening. Deaner crawled back looking beat up, EY picked him up and said he’s doing this because he cares. Deaner said he knows, and Young shoved him away. The door was closed on Deaner, EY and Doering walked off.
There is a great cost for failure in Violent By Design. #IMPACTonAXSTV @TheEricYoung @CodyDeaner @bigjoedoering pic.twitter.com/x0pEHBf0LL
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) March 3, 2021
- AEW’s paid advertisement.
- Moose vignette. He talked about how he’s always considered himself a champion even though people didn’t take the TNA World Title seriously. He got it, Impact isn’t called TNA anymore, and his problem isn’t with Swann but with the disrespect of him not being seen as a real World Champion. To get respect, he has to win the Impact World Champion. He put over Swann’s athletic skills but said they’re no match for him and at Sacrifice, he’s fulfilling his destiny by becoming Impact World Champion.
.@TheMooseNation plans to fulfill his destiny at #Sacrifice. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/it42xJvtN5
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) March 3, 2021
- IMPACT World Tag Team Champions The Good Brothers and FinJuice defeated Reno Scum and XXXL.
- Rich Swann vignette. He talked about how, while Moose has dominated the sport, the one thing he hasn’t done was with the World Title. He said the TNA World Title isn’t valid and Sacrifice is Moose’s chance to win a real World Title. He said Moose has all the attributes on paper, but Moose doesn’t have the fire, heart, and determination Swann has. He pointed out all he’s come back from and overcome and said he’ll overcome Moose at Sacrifice too.
Few know more about sacrifice than @GottaGetSwann. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/kafLCRnD66
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) March 3, 2021
- Backstage, The Good Brothers and FinJuice were arguing backstage, with FinJuice saying they almost lost thanks to the Brothers and Brothers saying they won because of them. Anderson told FinJuice to be young boys and get their bags, FinJuice said all they’re interested in carrying are the Impact Tag Team Titles. The Good Brothers agreed and headed off. FinJuice smiled at each other and said, “Got ’em.”
.@njpwglobal's Juice Robinson and @THEdavidfinlay will challenge @MachineGunKA and @The_BigLG for the IMPACT World Tag Team Titles at #Sacrifice! #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/P47uPI9w4K
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) March 3, 2021
- Eddie Edwards defeated Brian Myers via DQ. Special referee Matt Cardona saw Myers putting something in his shoulder protection and disqualified him.
- Backstage, Deonna Purrazzo w/ Susan and Kimber Lee told Gia Miller her game plan had to change, but she’s the Virtuosa and changing her gameplan is what she does best. She was happy that Kimber and Susan will get to see her beat half the Tag Team Champions and played innocent about laying out ODB for a second before admitting that, of course, she did it. That’s what happens when you mess with the Virtuosa.
.@DeonnaPurrazzo just admitted to attacking @theodbbam last week! #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/bcjE4f67Q3
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) March 3, 2021
- IMPACT Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo w/ Susan and Kimber Lee defeated IMPACT Knockouts Tag Team Champion Kiera Hogan w/ Tasha Steelz and Jordynne Grace w/ Jazz. During the match, they all brawled at ringside, Jordynne stopped that with a dive. After the match, another brawl, they all went backstage, ODB came and targeted Purrazzo. She laid her down and posed with the belt.
.@theodbbam is HERE and she's coming for @DeonnaPurrazzo's title! #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/AzeguY1Yey
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) March 3, 2021
The Nygma’s Nutcracker(s) of the Week
– Ace Austin vs Black Taurus vs Chris Bey
Bey and Austin double-teamed Taurus to start, with elevated boot chokes on him in the corner. Austin whipped Bey in for a basement dropkick and then hit one of his own. Double whip but Taurus countered and took out Austin in the corner, then powerslammed Bey into Austin. He took out Bey and then picked him up for a hard shot. Whip across the ring and Austin avoided it, then kicked Taurus in the head. Double dropkick to Taurus who was out of the ring and then Austin and Bey double-dove onto Taurus. Back in the ring, they started chain wrestling with Bey in a waist lock, but Austin got out and took him down with a side headlock. Bey into a leg-scissors but Ace got out, back into a standing side headlock. Bey got out and hit one of his own, headscissors flipped out of by Ace, he went for one of his own but Bey flipped out.
They both tried for a test of strength and both caught each other, Bey took over with shots to the head. He ran in but went up and over, he took Austin down and went for a springboard but Taurus grabbed his leg and pulled him down to the floor. Austin dove over the ropes but caught by Taurus, who took him down and then got him back in the ring. Big punch by Taurus and a bite, then hard knees from a reversed Irish whip. Ace ducked a clothesline, kick caught by Taurus who dropped Austin and came off the ropes with a shot. Taurus manhandled Austin, Irish whip and Bey on the apron pulled down the ropes to send Austin out. He kicked Taurus and hit a DDT.
Big splash by Bey, a kick to the back of the head and Bey goes up but Austin was on the apron. Bey fought him off and leapt off, but Taurus caught him. Austin with a springboard dropkick as Taurus was going for a suplex and all three men were down. Austin and Bey were up first, Austin with a kick to the head and he went in but Taurus tackled Austin out of the way. Taurus connected with a pop-up Samoan drop on Bey. He went at Austin but Austin replied with a boot and an elbow on a second try. Austin off the ropes, he catches himself and Taurus went in but was sent over the ropes by Bey. Bey went for the Art of Finesse but Fulton caught him. Austin connected with the Fold for the win.
– Deonna Purrazzo vs Kiera Hogan vs Jordynne Grace
Jordynne and Kiera attacked Deonna and threw her out, then went at each other. Back from break, Deonna and Kiera were stomping Jordynne in the corner. Deonna whipped Kiera at Jordynne but she countered and hit Deonna with a suplex. Kiera charged into a sidewalk slam. Big clubbing blows from and back on Kiera, Jordynne off the ropes but tripped by Deonna. Deonna went for a kick, Kiera dodged and fired shots on Deonna. She reversed momentum and locked in an armbar, with Jordynne quickly breaking it up. Jordynne ejected Kiera in the corner, threw Deonna after but Kiera got out of the way. Jordynne manhandled Kiera, threw her into the corner. Kiera stopped Jordynne and got shoves into her by Deonna, who locked in the Venus de Milo on Jordynne who managed to get to the ropes.
Deonna tried to whip Jordynne out of the corner with no luck, so she kicked Kiera and whipped her at Jordynne. Kiera went up and over, Jordynne was fighting out of the corner but Kiera nailed her and then hit a big top rope dive onto Deonna. Kiera took out Jordynne, went for pins on both competitors for two. Kiera stomped on Jordynne, picked her up but she fired back. Big blow to the back and she grabbed Kiera, who fired off some shots but eventually ate an elbow. Jordynne hit a huge German suplex but Deonna broke it up. Fujiwara armbar/Venus de Milo by Deonna, Kiera broke it up.
Jordynne hit a spinebuster on Deonna. Jordynne hit a forearm to Deonna and to Kiera. Jordynne connected with an elbow to the back of Deonna’s head and then ate shots from Kiera, kick to Jordynne’s head, rolling exploder from Deonna. Jordynne went for the Grace Driver but Deonna avoided it. Kiera and Deonna went for a double suplex and Jordynne powered out, hitting a double clothesline. Both Kiera and Deonna were out, an argument broke out outside and everyone was brawling, leading to a big Jordynne Grace dive over the ropes. Jordynne rolled Kiera back in, picked her up and went for the Grace Driver but Kiera elbowed out and got shoved into the ropes. Double knee to Kiera’s back and a dropkick, Jordynne went for a Vader Bomb but Tasha pulled her out of the way. Deonna got the win with a roll-up.
The Weekly “Enigma For a Nygma”
To be or not to be professional… Since Brian Myers came back to IMPACT, we have all been asking ourselves where the limit was and to which extent Myers could define himself as “Super Professional.” Am I right to say Matt Cardona had the last word?
The Nygma’s Noticeable Facts of the Week
– Sacrifice
Three Championship matches announced in one night, and quite strangely the ones I was telling you about last week… Expect more “who’s the true champion” in the future. We all saw the Omega sign on the Rebellion poster, so I let you imagine how epic The Road to Rebellion will be, till April 24.
To be eNYGMAtic…
Once again, I am pretty short on words here because, first, it’s extremely late, and second, the show was great. The mix of promos and action had sense and was pretty flawless. We can discuss Myers’ sense of professionalism, Ace Austin being a kind of double contender as he has the #1 contendership and the Cup. The title was my pretty nod to the late Serge Gainsbourg, a French singer, musician and poet who died 30 years ago today. Instead of “Zip, shebam, pow, blop, wizz,” I chose the Bim of change in plans, the Bam of ODB and the Boom of the wrestlers falling on the mat. I’ve never pretended to be a poet but when it came to wrestling, I definitely think I have the words for it…
On this “Nygma Wants Her Bed” note, until next week (if I want), take care, stay safe, watch wrestling, and 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.