Andrew covers the first Pursuit/Twitch Impact. Will it rebound from Homecoming?

Well if you read my Homecoming review notes, or listened to POD is War…that PPV didn’t really ring my bell. With Don Callis promising Edgier and Sexier, does the inaugural Pursuit/Twitch show pay off?

Firstly, Impact’s Twitch TV link: https://www.twitch.tv/impactwrestling

So now let’s get to the reason why most people prolly clicked this.

Impact Ratings:

• Wentz & Dez vs Pentagon Jr & Fenix – Pentagon & Fenix wins via Tandem Gory Bomb/Fear Factor/Cutter combination – *** 3/4
• FLASHBACK MATCH 8/20/2003 X Division Ultimate X Match: Michael Shane vs Chris Sabin vs Frankie Kazarian: Shane wins for those who forgot – *** 3/4
• Willie Mack vs Sami Callihan – Mack wins via Cradle – ***
• Tessa Blanchard vs Cali Collins – Tessa wins via Eat DeFeat – N/A Job Match
• No DQ Match: Johnny Impact vs Killer Kross – Kross wins via CrossJacket Sleeper – ***

Review Notes:

• Kicks off with Johnny complaining about Killer Kross Powerbombing Taya off the stage. Brian Cage shows up to state that Johnny isn’t done with him since he had him pinned for a 10 count, but a bunch of extra crap saved the championship for Johnny. Kross then shows up, says once Taya is back he’ll put her back in the hospital. Johnny Superkicks Cage, dives on Kross, Kross rolls in the ring, Cage wipes out Johnny with a Discus Clothesline, Kross tries to lay out Cage, but Cage pops up and Kross looks shocked but leaves the ring before anything crazy happens.
• Well now, if anyone had questions about The Rascalz, this stopped those questions. Match was basically run like a Lucha Rules match since I don’t remember a clean tag the whole time, but there were quick, crisp and great moves. Dez started off mirroring Pentagon for amusement, and the Rascalz continued their stoner/playful gimmick, while looking impressive as hell. As Dez and Wentz were trying to set up for Hot Fire Flame, Fenix shows up to turn the tides, Pentagon has Dez in a Gory Special, picks up Wentz for the Fear Factor, and drops down, while Fenix hits a cutter on Dez. Could easily have been a PPV match, all four were tremendous.
• GWN Flashback to the first ever X Division Ultimate X Match – Apparently they’re doing a full Flashback match now. Well…that’s kinda cool. I miss Frankie Kazarian’s hair.
• Broken Hardys interlude, not sure if just a Twitch thing for when commercials are on, but nice to see some of those clips again.
• Killer Kross is a great promo. He plays unhinged and sadistic so beautifully.
• Rich Swann promo is solid, turns into Sami Callihan offering him a spot in oVe, Willie Mack then comes out before the answer and they start scuffling before their official match.
• 2002 Hidden Gem Match, Hot Shots vs The Briscoes (yes the ROH Briscoes).
• Callihan and Mack have a nice match that looks more like a brawl. Lots of heavy hands and solid strikes. False finish with Callihan hitting the Piledriver on the stage, but Mack makes it back to the ring right before the 10 count. Mack never hits the Stunner, but they end the match after locomotion cradle attempts and then Mack sits down on the Sunset attempt, grabs a leg and gets the Cradle victory.
• Scarlett Bordeaux Strip Show, she gives a countdown after saying she’ll declare the winner of her talent search next week. Desi Hit Squad plays Mike Knox and interrupts, a few amusing lines, but then Scott Steiner shows up. Lays out the Desi Hit Squad, says Scarlett will continue and sets up a chair for a front row seat. And well, she reveals this lacy little red and black number under the robe. Looks similar to her wrestling gear in Mexico, but yeah…I’m not complaining. I hope Steve Cook is watching.
• Tessa is pissed and this job match adds to her calling out Gail. Using Gail’s finisher to end the match is a cute wrinkle. I guess Gail is coming out of retirement soon.
• Backstage segment with Eddie Edwards and Eli Drake hints very heavily that if Eddie wants to maintain this more hardcore persona, Drake may be in his future.
• Quick backstage piece with Dark Allie and Su Yung. Ahh…Dark Allie…<3
• One more Hidden Gem before the Main Event, and it’s Elix Skipper vs Shinsuke Nakamura from 2008. Subconscious is still the best wrestling theme ever.
• Well this was a hell of a fight. Impact started off aggressively, Kross then got in some offense with chairs, then we get a fun spot. Johnny knocks down Kross, asks the crowd for chairs so they feed up about a dozen. Johnny does a Moonsault onto the pile of chairs with Kross under. He then starts moving the steal steps and throws one or two chairs in the ring as Kross pops up looking like a monster, grinning from ear to ear. Kross then tosses a chair into the ring, and they have this understood armistice of “Yeah, chairs in the ring sounds cool”. They keep eye contact going into the ring, and then have a chair duel like a bunch of 12 year olds (in an amusing way). Right when it looks like Johnny has a chance to win, Moose comes out, pushes Johnny into a previously propped up table and Kross chokes out Johnny.

Overall Score: 8/10

The first episode after a disappointing Homecoming had to deliver in my book, and boy did it. Moose and Kross joining back up is a nice to pull on a fairly recent affiliation. Since Johnny promised Cage a shot after he dealt with Kross, I feel we’re going to get Johnny Cage vs Killer Moose in some combination over the next few weeks.  Eli and Eddie most likely colliding is nice since they are both former World Champions and you’d have to figure the winner of that feud should be positioned back towards the top. oVe’s story with Mack and Swann is solid, as well as the Dark Allie/Rosemary stuff.

Impact definitely felt more like Attitude Era WWF/Old TNA, not sure if that was purposely done cause they’re taping from the Asylum or if it’s their new model. But this was damn good and I think the Twitch stream maxed out around 10,350 viewers and held steady between 8,500 – 9,000 for most of the show.