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Impact Wrestling Reviews

The Policy of Truth – Impact Wrestling’s “Victory Road” Results And Review

BySteph Franchomme

Sep 19, 2021 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Impact Plus monthly special events have shown us they can become some interesting game-changers in the IMPACT routine. From the classic weekly shows and 4 PPVs a year system, we now have a monthly addition when a title can change hands, feuds can find an end or a beginning.
Victory Road is a name that the TNA fans have never forgotten. It was initially the first three-hour pay-per-view card held by the promotion in November 2004. Victory Road, Turning Point, Genesis, No Surrender, Lockdown, Hard Justice, Against All Odds, these names are related to some of the greatest pages of TNA’s history book. Now, they are Impact Plus Special Events 
Five weeks before Bound For Glory, Victory Road is the penultimate step before the PPV. Some chapters may be closed tonight but, for sure, some will stay open… Follow the tired soul of a Nygma, let’s dig into it. 

  • Steve Maclin vs TJP vs Petey Williams

Steve Maclin is decided to cause Mayhem for All on the Impact Zone. He targeted Petey Williams but TJP stuck his nose into their problems. Maclin divided his time between Williams and TJP. Williams caught Maclin with a baseball slide. TJP grabbed a lift from Williams and dove on Maclin.

Back in the ring, Maclin went for a crossbody but turned it into a vertical suplex. Maclin stepped out of the ring and took care of TJP up on the ramp. Maclin returned to the ring and almost knocked Williams’ head off. Maclin maintained control with a German suplex. Maclin hoisted Williams up with a double underhook backbreaker. Maclin took his frustrations out on TJP with a choke in the corner. Williams climbed over to save TJP. Maclin stacked Williams and TJP in a double Tree of Woe and smashed into both of them.

Williams hit a suplex, followed by a running knee strike. On the outside, Williams popped a hurricanrana. Williams returned to the ring and continued with a codebreaker. TJP spiked Maclin. All three men traded haymakers in the centre of the ring. TJP and Williams created a brief alliance and cornered Maclin with some top rope punches. Williams applied the Sharpshooter on Maclin. TJP locked Williams up in an Octopus stretch. Maclin toppled the pile and broke it up. Williams missed a Canadian Destroyer attempt on TJP. TJP fired a suplex on Maclin. TJP hit two running kicks on Maclin and Williams, then planted a Detonation Kick on Maclin. Williams caught TJP with a Canadian Destroyer. Maclin hit the Mayhem for All on Williams and pinned TJP for the win. Maclin was extremely impressive, mastering two very talented wrestlers. Good match even if I wouldn’t have made it an opener.

  • 5-Way Scramble Match: Black Taurus vs Trey Miguel vs Laredo Kid vs Jake Something vs John Skyler

This match was not on the card… Ok, I take it because that’s the X-Division, high-flying match we all love. Laredo Kid is back in the Impact Zone and his feud with John Skyler reminded us how good the Kid is.

Black Taurus and Laredo Kid sent Jake Something up and over the top rope. Everyone flew off to the outside except Kid and Taurus. Taurus and Kid displayed the Lucha Libre magic. John Skyler joined the fray. Jake Something slid back into the ring and hit a triple clothesline. Laredo Kid escaped a powerbomb attempt by sending Something into the corner with a hurricanrana. Laredo Kid executed a missile dropkick on Something. Something rolled out of the ring.

Trey Miguel slide back in. Both Kid and Miguel exchanged monkey flips. John Skyler caught Miguel with a Spear in between the ropes. Black Taurus planted a Samoan Drop on Skyler. Miguel jumped off the top with a Meteora seconds before Something spiked a DDT. Something chokeslammed Kid on top of Miguel. Taurus caught Laredo Kid with a crucifix bomb. Skyler flew in with a Spear on Miguel. Trey Miguel dove out of the ring with a Somersault senton. Laredo Kid hit a Moonsault belly-to-belly suplex on Skylerfor the win. Exactly the kind of match we could have expected.

  • Tenille Dashwood w/ The Influence vs Taylor Wilde w/ Rachael Ellering & Jordynne Grace

Tenille Dashwood attacked, so did Wilde with forearm smashes of her own. Wilde swirled around Dashwood with a tilt-a-whirl takeover. Dashwood sent Wilde into the corner. Dashwood charged towards Wilde and ate a back elbow. Kaleb grabbed hold of Wilde’s leg. Wilde donkey-kicked him off. Kaleb slammed back into the barricade. Madison Rayne got involved too. Dashwood connected with a Full Nelson lock.

Wilde hammered away some shots on Dashwood. Kaleb climbed up on the apron and started chatting with the referee. Madison Rayne tried to step in again. The referee ejected everyone from ringside. Dashwood was pleading for Kaleb and Rayne to come back. Wilde stacked her up with a schoolgirl pin. Dashwood then rolled Wilde up. Wilde popped out. Wilde caught Dashwood with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Wilde recovered from some heavy offence from Dashwood to go for a suplex. Wilde forced Dashwood onto the mat with her Wilde Ride/German Suplex for the win. This storyline has lasted way too long… Next match, please…

Meanwhile, backstage…

Gia Miller asked Callihan and Edwards about agreeing to team up. Sami said hell must have frozen over since they’re working as a cohesive unit. He said he’s been saying for years he’s not a bad guy and referenced the baseball bat, and Eddie said don’t push it. They’re teaming because they need to in order to beat Morrissey and Moose. He’s doing it for himself and his family. Sami said he likes Eddie’s style and they’re taking it to the two biggest dogs in the yard, proving that they’re the gatekeepers of Impact. Sami walked off, Alisha said she doesn’t trust Sami and wanted to be ringside. Eddie agreed.

  • No DQ Match: Rohit Raju w/ Shera vs Matt Cardona 

Can we say it’s a matter of pride? Probably. If Shera refuses to hit a woman, in a ring, Raju has zero problems with that. And that bothered Matt Cardona, to the point of Scott D’Amore making this match a No-DQ bout.

Matt Cardona came storming out just as Rohit Raju and Shera made their way down to the ring. Raju and Shera attacked Cardona, Shera could, it’s a no-DQ. But Shera backed off to let Raju finish the job. Cardona came back into this hot. Cardona took Raju and slammed in back-first into the barricade. Raju dragged Cardona around the ring and found a chair to use. Raju slammed Cardona’s throat onto the steel chair and continued the brutal assault by stomping on Cardona’s throat. Raju looked underneath the ring and brought out two more steel chairs.

Back in the ring, Cardona hammered down some forearms. Raju put a chair on top of Cardona’s chest just as he hit a cannonball in the corner. Raju’s head crashed into a chair in the corner. A trash can joined the fray, and Cardona dropped Raju on top of it with a TKO. Raju recovered and connects with a DDT. Raju scaled the ropes and hit a double foot stomp while Cardona laid between two set chairs. Cardona fired back with the Radio Silence but Shera dragged Raju out of the ring.

Cardona ran to the outside and hit a Radio Silence on Shera on the ramp. Chelsea Green rushed to the ring and hit a knee to Raju’s face, the same way he did to her. Cardona hit another Radio Silence on Rohit Raju for the win, before making sure Chelsea Green still has her tonsils (the carwash kiss was for RVD and Katie)… If Raju perfectly played the hardcore game, Cardona can thank his future bride for this win. She is gutsy for the two, and I like that…

  • Hikuleo & Chris Bey vs FinJuice (David Finlay & Juice Robinson)

The Bullet Club is in the Impact Zone, after Jay White, here came the giant Hikuleo. He was the one who attacked Juice Robinson a few weeks ago. It was almost an NJPW match, in fact.

Juice Robinson and Chris Bey kicked things off. Bey ducked several of Robinson’s offences, making fun of his leg injury. Robinson caught Bey’s leg and dropped him with two powerslams. Robinson tagged in Finlay who jumped off the top with an axe handle. Robinson, back in, connected with a jumping senton and sent Bey to the ropes. Bey slid under with a chop block on Robinson’s injured leg. Bey tagged Hikuleo. Hikuleo worked on Robinson’s injury. Bey, back in, cut the ring off from Robinson who got trapped in Bey’s corner. Robinson connected with a heavy elbow to escape out and tagged Finlay. Finlay caught Bey with a dropkick. Hikuleo viciously slammed Finlay on the mat with a short powerslam.

Bey took advantage of this with a lateral press. Hikuleo threw Finlay to the corner. Finlay climbed out but Hikuleo held him in a vertical suplex position. Finlay fought Bey and Hikuleo off but was still too far away from Robinson. Finlay sent Bey out of his way to finally tag Robinson. Robinson attacked Bey with some powerful left-hand shots. Robinson told the referee to shut up when he advised him to back up. Juice landed a series of jabs and hit a DDT in the end. Bey tagged Hikuleo back in. Finlay sent Hikuleo up and over the top rope. Robinson saved Finlay with a Pescado on the outside, Juice followed. Bey cracked a chair onto Robinson’s injured leg, Hikuleo flattened Finlay for the win. Great match. Despite their styles differences, Bey and Hikuleo teamed up very well. Seems like this feud is far from over…

  • Moose & W. Morrissey vs Sami Callihan & Eddie Edwards w/ Alisha

Imagine Batman teaming up with The Joker, as D’Lo Brown said, and you’ll have the picture-perfect of Sami and Eddie working together.

Moose and W. Morrissey took the fight to Sami Callihan and Eddie Edwards moments before the bell rang. Callihan and Edwards turned it around with in-stereo dives on the opposite side of the ring. Callihan worked Morrissey with several chops. Edwards was tagged back in to do the same. Edwards and Callihan exchanged more quick tags and kept chopping Morrissey’s body. Moose joined in on the chop party.

Morrissey and Moose both knocked Edwards and Callihan off their feet. Edwards toppled off the top turnbuckle from a boot shot by Moose. Morrissey kept Edwards grounded and delivered a massive slap on Edwards before Moose became the legal man. Moose trapped Edwards in the ropes and tried to pull Edwards’ arm out of his socket. Morrissey charged in with hammerlock fists.

Morrissey tossed Edwards to the corner with an Irish Whip. Edwards slipped out of Morrissey’s attack and hits a Blue Thunder Bomb. This allowed Edwards to bring Callihan back in. Moose was also in. Callihan strangled the eyes of Moose. Callihan drove Moose to the mat with a Death Valley Driver. Callihan climbed to the top rope. Moose sent Callihan flying with the Go to Hell.

Callihan and Edwards joined forces with Edwards, dropping Moose with a Tiger Driver. Morrissey stepped back in and broke it up. Moose and Edwards went up top and crashed onto the mat with a superplex. Edwards reached Callihan’s outstretched hand for the tag. Callihan took too long to set up his Cactus Special ’97 on Moose. Morrissey made the save. Moose grabbed a kendo stick and ran in the ring with it. Edwards hit a Callihan’s piledriver on Moose.

Morrissey captured Alisha and taunted Eddie. Eddie turned around and got rammed with the Lights Out Spear. Morrissey and Moose dragged Alisha into the ring. Morrissey powerbombed Alisha to the mat. Eddie took Alisha to the back. It was all up to Callihan to settle the score. Callihan gave Moose and Morrissey the one-finger salute and attacked them. Morrissey and Moose stopped Callihan, who ate a big boot and a Spear. The big guys grabbed the win.

This was not a no-DQ match and some things happened that should have not. The match was really good, excellent work from both teams but something escaped my attention.

  • Knockouts Tag Team Championship Match: Rosemary & Havok (c) vs Savannah Evans & Tasha Steelz

Rosemary and Havok jumpstarted this match early, ready to grab their belts back. Rosemary and Tasha Steelz exchanged some fast-paced offence before Havok was tagged in. Havok demanded that Savannah Evans steps into the ring with her. Evans came in and unloaded combo strikes on Havok. Once Havok trapped Evans in the corner, Havok connected with some heavy hits before tagging Rosemary back into this fight. Evans turned a wrist lock into a short arm whip in the corner. Rosemary trapped her in the Tarantula.

Havok made her way back in, and so did Tasha Steelz. Steelz ran roughshod on Havok before bringing Evans back in. Evans continued softening Havok up. Havok found a way to escape and made a desperate tag on Rosemary. Steelz was back in too. Rosemary created an opening from Steelz that allowed her to get Havok back in. Havok landed a big boot in the corner on Evans. Evans seemed rocked by it and tagged Steelz in.

Havok drove Steelz to the mat with a Sky High, to D’Lo’s delight. Rosemary spat some green mist into Evans’ eyes on the outside before Havok threw Steelz on top of Evans. Rosemary dragged Steelz back into the ring. Havok sent Steelz away with a tombstone piledriver for the win. The titles were back where they belong. Nice match, good to see Rosemary at her best. I just hope the feud is over now and some new contenders could emerge.

Meanwhile, backstage…

Ace Austin cut a promo talking about how Christian Cage is a legend, but you need to look into the future and he’s the future of the company. He said there have been some detours, but the destination has never changed and his path is not unstoppable, not undeniable, it’s inevitable. It’s not if, it’s when, and we’ve arrived at that time. Tonight, he is going to become the youngest Impact World Champion in history.

  • IMPACT World Tag Team Championship Match: The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows) vs Rich Swann & Willie Mack

Doc Gallows and Willie Mack started things off. Mack was on top of Gallows in the beginning. Mack trapped Gallows in the corner with some top rope punches. Gallows was rocked for a moment, allowing Mack to make a tag to Rich Swann. Gallows laid in some offence before tagging Karl Anderson. Swann hit a Pelé kick on Anderson’s back. Mack came back in for Swann. Mack mousetrapped Anderson in the corner. Anderson strangled Mack’s eyes to escape out.

Anderson tagged Gallows back in. Swann made his way back in as well. Anderson stormed over and knocked Mack off the apron. Anderson bit Swann’s forehead and turned to make a tag to Swann. Swann returns the favour on Anderson by biting him in the leg. Gallows tossed Swann out of the ring and welcomed him back in with a big boot to the face. Gallows gave everyone the “Too Sweet” gesture and hooked the leg on Swann.

Up next was Anderson, who threw Swann to the corner with an Irish Whip. Swann was fingertips away from making a tag to Mack, but Gallows stopped him. Gallows rained down elbow shots on Swann’s shoulder blade. Swann countered with an enzuigiri, creating some space between the two. Gallows made it in time to drag Anderson back in. Not Swann. Anderson grabbed Swann’s leg. Swann rolled through and made a desperate tag to Mack. Mack planted a slam. Anderson then ate a pop-up forearm. Anderson shift the momentum with a spinebuster.

The Good Brothers lifted Mack up for The Magic Killer. Mack turned it around with a neckbreaker, and Swann came in to make the save. Gallows caught Mack with another big boot to the face. On the outside, Gallows dropped Swann on top of the apron with a powerbomb. Anderson surprised Mack with a Gun Stun. This allowed the Brothers to set up The Magic Killer on Mack for the win. Not bad because no cheating this time. The Brothers were stronger but Swann and Mack did a good job.

  • X-Division Championship Match: Josh Alexander (c) vs Chris Sabin

The two circled to start and move in, Sabin with an arm drag to start. Lockup and Alexander got Sabin on the mat, but Sabin countered and it turned into a bunch of counter-wrestling. After another lockup, Alexander got Sabin in the corner and hit a chop. Irish whip from the champ, Sabin into a back elbow. On the apron now, Sabin flipped on top of Alexander. Then, he locked in a front facelock. Alexander found his way out.

Sabin continued to wear down the champion by focusing on his head and neck. Alexander drove Sabin to the corner to break it up. Sabin was up on the middle rope. He jumped off, and Alexander transitioned it into a flatliner turned ankle lock. Sabin was out on the outside, and Alexander rolled him back in. Alexander dropped Sabin on his knee with a backbreaker. Sabin turned a vertical suplex attempt into a cradle. Alexander popped out and stretched Sabin out.

Back on their feet, Alexander launched Sabin to the corner with an Irish Whip. Alexander blocked Sabin’s offence with a bodyslam. Sabin rolled out of the way in time before Alexander hit a moonsault from the top. Sabin caught Alexander with a running neckbreaker on the outside. Sabin followed it up with a twisting neckbreaker. Alexander rose to his feet and turned things around with a big boot on Sabin. Sabin refused to go down with the C-4 Spike just yet but ate a knee instead. Sabin floated over and locked Alexander in a submission hold.

Alexander moved out, causing Sabin to reposition himself. Alexander saved himself from a tap out. Sabin hit a hammerlock. Alexander dropped him on his head with an air raid crash for another near-fall count! Alexander had Sabin in the ankle in the centre of the ring. Somehow, Sabin bridged over and turned it into a pin. Alexander fought free. Alexander then set Sabin up for the C-4 Spike for the win. Josh Alexander has just cemented his greatness by beating one of the best to ever do it!

I wanted this match to be a classic. Chris Sabin and Josh Alexander did more than that. Despite the loss, Sabin remained the pro he has always been and shook the hand of Alexander. The Champion once again blew the fans’ minds. At this moment, I was thinking, does Alexander still have something to prove as the X-Division? Isn’t it time to cash in Option C? I wasn’t that wrong…

  • IMPACT World Championship Match: Christian Cage (c) vs Ace Austin w/ Madman Fulton

Lockup to start, Ace pushed into the corner and we got a break. They circled, Ace with a waist lock that turned into some counter wrestling, they broke and went back into the lockup. Cage went into the ropes and came off, taking Ace down with a body block. Wristlock by Cage, Austin rolled through but Christian maintained control, Ace connected with a couple of shots. Cage sent him into the ropes, Ace ducked under and hits a couple of kicks. Back and forth until Ace came off the ropes into a flapjack.

Ace sent Christian to the outside, he dove but Christian ducked and slid inside, hitting a dive of his own. Cage rolled Ace in but he leapt back out, caught Cage with a kick, Cage charged. Ace did acrobatics, leaving Cage face to face with Fulton. Austin hit a standing rope choke and a corkscrew sunset flip, classic Christian moves. Austin landed a shotgun elbow that sent Cage out of the ring. The referee caught Fulton’s second attempt on Cage, leading the referee to eject Fulton from ringside.

Cage slid back in the ring with an inverted tornado DDT and landed a few short combat shots before going up and over the ropes to hit a slap on the outside. His momentum continued with a jumping European uppercut. Cage hit 20 top rope punches on Austin from the top rope. Austin recovered quickly. Both men exchanged pin attempts. Austin rolled in just as Cage soared off the top with a frog splash. Austin was ready to end it all with The Fold. Austin charged towards Cage. Cage met him halfway with a Spear. Madman Fulton sneaked back down to the ring and hung Cage on the ropes. Cage recovered in time to catch Austin with the Killswitch for the win.

After the match

X-Division Champion Josh Alexander made his way to the ring, grabbed a mic and said, “Bound For Glory, Option C.” Alexander relinquished the X-Division title for a chance at the World title, something Christian seemed to welcome happily.

To be eNYGMAtic…

Oh, I saw it coming… Not just recently but at least a few weeks ago. Option C and a true Canadian match. It is awesome. Josh Alexander once again exceeded every expectation in a legendary match against THE X-Division legend. And when you killed the Legend, it’s time to target something new, something higher, well try to reach the top of the mountain. Cage vs Austin was excellent, too short in some ways. Except for the Tenille vs Taylor bout, even if Taylor did a great job in this match, the rest of the matches were pretty great. You can feel some storylines are coming to an end when others barely scratched the surface of possibilities. 

We are 5 weeks before Bound For Glory. The end of the match between Moose/Morrissey and Callihan/Edwards is a world of possibilities. Will Sami reload his feud with Eddie because he let him down? They have probably emptied the catalogue of possible matches, so what’s next? Where was Deonna Purrazzo? The Knockouts Champion didn’t defend her title. Who’s next for Rosemary and Havok? And what about the X-Division Championship, now vacant? I imagine the contenders will stand in line in front of Scott D’Amore’s office right on Thursday…
Victory Road has always been an important event, whether when it was TNA or Impact Wrestling. Once again, it lived up to its reputation.

Victory Road Complete Results:

  • Steve Maclin defeated TJP and Petey Williams
  • Laredo Kid defeated Jake Something, Black Taurus, Trey Miguel and John Skyler
  • Taylor Wilde w/Jordynne Grace and Rachael Ellering defeated Tenille Dashwood w/Madison Rayne and Kaleb with a K
  • Matt Cardona defeated Rohit Raju in a No DQ match
  • Chris Bey & Hikuleo defeated David Finlay & Juice Robinson
  • W. Morrissey & Moose defeated Eddie Edwards & Sami Callihan
  • Knockouts Tag Team Champions Rosemary & Havok retained over Savannah Evans & Tasha Steelz
  • Impact World Tag Team Champions The Good Brothers retained over Willie Mack & Rich Swann
  • X Division Champion Josh Alexander retained over Chris Sabin
  • Christian Cage retained the Impact World Championship by defeating Ace Austin

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

By Steph Franchomme

News, Reviews, Social Media Editor, Impact Wrestling Reviewer, Interviewer Well, call me The Boss... And French...

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