Impact starts off with a very somber Josh Matthews explaining that Don Callis was to receive the ComeBack Of The Year award presented by Anthony Carelli (Santino Marella) on behalf of Destiny Wrestling in Toronto but instead was viciously attacked by Sami Callihan. This attack all stemmed from Don Callis coming to throw in the towel on behalf of Eddie Edwards during the I Quit match between Callihan and Edwards at the Impact vs Lucha Underground Show.
We’re then shown Sami who is cutting a promo saying that Don robbed him and that he’s gonna make an example of Don Callis calling him Booker Man. Sami continued the verbal attacks on Twitter.
We are finally shown the footage of Don receiving the award from Anthony Carelli. Sami interrupts him and attacks him with a bat. He busts Don open and continues choking him until help arrives for Don. Sami then cuts another promo saying he doesn’t care if Don Callis calls him unsafe because he is Pro Wrestling. Impact management is in a meeting deciding the future of Sami Callihan. As soon as a decision is made they’ll cut away from whatever is going on and let everyone know. This meeting is going to be taking place throughout the show.
Video package hyping tonight’s main event between Eli Drake and Pentagon Jr.
1. Z & E defeated LAX
This is the first time Z & E have teamed on Impact but teamed often in Pro Wrestling NOAH in Japan. This was a Good tag match LAX is a really good team that haven’t had the opponents to showcase their abilities but this match showcased both teams. This was a fast paced tag match with both teams doing great double team moves and various aerial maneuvers. The finish came when LAX went for the street sweeper and DJZ countered with a hurracarana to pin Ortiz. LAX continues their losing streak without Konnan by their side.
Backstage segment:
Joseph Park is getting Grado ready for his first match back in Impact in over 6 months. They’re exercising by doing Hindu squats. Joseph is asking Grado about his new girlfriend, Grado brushes him off saying she’s walking dogs. Joseph isn’t buying Grado has a new girl Katarina walks in and hugs Grado. Joseph is stunned that someone as good-looking as Katarina would be into Grado.
Backstage Segment:
Austin Aries wishes Eli Drake luck and that he’ll be watching closely because whoever wins that match that’s the guy Aries will reclaim the Impact World Title from.
2. Grado defeated Rohit Raju
From the little we’ve seen of Raju he isn’t bad but Grado is, so this match was not good. Grado is a personality at best but he has yet to get over in Impact. The finish came via cannonball to Raju. The match was longer than it needed to be.
Backstage Segment:
Joseph Park has been attacked by the mystery assailant. This is the 3rd week in a row someone has been laid-out.
Tessa Blanchard hype video
McKenzie interviews Eli Drake and Scott Steiner
Eli calls himself the new belt collector he’s looking to add the Impact World Title to being one half of the Impact Tag Team Champions. Scott Steiner tells Eli to be greedy and offers to have his back. Eli wants to do this by himself and doesn’t want Steiner’s help. Steiner seems hurt as Eli walks off.
3. Lucha Rules X Division #1 Contenders 4 Way Match: El Hijo Del Fantasma defeated Drago, AeroStar, & Taiji Ishimori
Great high-flying match with each guy getting a chance to shine. AeroStar is such a great high flyer and shined throughout the match. Impact has really taken advantage of the partnership with AAA/Lucha Underground. The Lucha style on American tv really makes a product unique. Fantasma hit the thrill of the kill on AeroStar for the pin.
Backstage Segment:
Eddie Edwards storms into the room where Impact executives are deciding Sami Callihan’s fate. Eddie begs them not to fire Sami, and off camera Don Callis tells him that Sami is gone that he’s been fired. Eddie fires back at Don telling him that they owe him because they screwed him in New Orleans and that he almost lost an eye so he needs to get him. Scott D’Amore off camera says fine Sami stays but warns Eddie whatever he does not to do it there to Sami. Josh Matthews confirms Sami is staying. He also speculated that Impact management are washing their hands clean of this Sami/Eddie feud.
4. Moose defeated Kongo Kong from House of Hardcore event in Indiana
Last week when Moose told Jimmy Jacobs to bring his monster next week I assumed we would get Moose vs Kongo Kong from the Impact Zone and not those cut-aways from the various indies Impact works with. This was a slow boring match Kong isn’t good and his look is even worse. They’re wasting Jimmy Jacobs as his manager. Most of the match was Moose selling Kong’s 1980’s big man offense the crowd looked bored to death. Moose finally gets going and the crowd finally wakes up. Jimmy Jacobs interferes and hits Moose with a chair on the back Moose no sells it. Match ends in a DQ no idea why they’re protecting Kongo Kong. This match makes not want to see these two in the ring against each other ever again.
Backstage Segment:
KM telling Falla Bahh that he’s going to make him become the best Falla Bahh he’s been. KM says that he’s gonna get Bahh into the best shape he’s ever been in. We then get a great Falla Bahh training video with KM as his coach. This was great and both played their role to perfection.
5. Brian Cage World Tour: Brian Cage defeated Takashi Sugiura
We join the match in progress with Brian Cage taking on current GHC Heavyweight Champion Takashi Sugiura from Pro Wrestling NOAH in Japan. This match is actually from 2017 prior to Sugiura winning the GHC Title. No idea why Impact aired this match this week but the match was great and it was perfect way to continue pushing Cage as an unstoppable machine. The Crowd loved Brian Cage and was super hot for any impressive move he would do. Brian Cage wins via Drill Claw.
Backstage Segment:
Allie is being haunted by Su Yung.
6. Impact World Championship: Pentagon Jr defeated Eli Drake
This match really showed Eli Drake’s limitations. Eli is great on the mic but in the ring he is average to below average. This match he was below average and it hurt Pentagon. He just looked like a guy in a mask and not a star. They never really meshed and the match was too short to ever feel special or get going. Pentagon Jr won via Penta Driver.
The way they’ve built up the Eddie Edwards/ Sami Callihan feud has been great unfortunately the payoff is going to happen as one of those cutaway matches they do with the Indies they have partnerships with. Overall this episode featured 2 good matches, a good match joined in progress and a backstage training video that was great. Unfortunately Kongo Kong is still being featured and doing no one any favors. He just looks goofy and almost a parody of an 1980’s wrestling monster.
Instinct Culture 