Andrew’s Impact Wrestling Ratings & Analysis 4/12/2019

Andrew brings us Impact Wrestling coverage! Two weeks away from Rebellion, let’s see how it all plays out!

After a long WrestleMania weekend/week, I’m still extremely exhausted. I know we’ve got a mixed tag with Rebellion implications and Moose continuing his revenge on the Rascalz!

We also get the IMPACT debut of the Monster Mafia-wait, no?- okay they are now known as The North.

Before we get to the show, just for DeMarco:

.@OfficialEGO and @Walking_Weapon are here to beat the very best IMPACT has to offer. #IMPACT

WATCH NOW – https://t.co/jyZYT6QL46 pic.twitter.com/6ffrpU3ZcZ

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) April 13, 2019

Ratings:

• Moose vs Wentz: Moose wins via Spear – *** 1/4
• Rosemary vs Su Yung: No Contest – **
• The North (Josh Alexander & Ethan Page) vs El Reverso & Sheldon Jean: The North wins via Tandem Torture Rack toss into a Spinebuster – ** 1/2
• Tessa Blanchard vs Madison Rayne: Rayne wins via School Girl Roll-Up – *** 3/4
• Brian Cage & Jordynne Grace vs Johnny Impact & Taya Valkyrie: Johnny wins via Shining Wizard – *** 1/2

Analysis:

So this is an odd story. Rascalz are pretty well liked being cheeky stoned pranksters, but when they made fun of Moose for striking out with Melissa Santos, he came to their club house for a pound of flesh. So, even though Moose is a cocky, douchey, arrogant schmuck…he’s technically in the right here. As he took out Trey a few weeks ago, he now set his sights on Wentz. Wentz put up a good fight, the crowd reacted pretty well and the match was fun.

Melissa Santos interviews Madison Rayne, Tessa crashes the interview and it turns into a declaration of having a match. So Tessa versus Madison will happen tonight.

Rosemary comes out to try and avenge Allie’s death. The match starts off in favor of Rosemary, then the Undead Bridesmaids distract Rosemary. Kiera Hogan runs out to try and help, Rosemary goes out and admonishes Firefly for interfering. The Undead Bridesmaids dog pile Rosemary and Kiera for what should be a DQ, but they kept saying No Contest. They feed them both to Su Yung in the ring so she can hit the Panic Switch and leave them laying. So Kiera is being positioned as Rosemary’s new unwanted partner. This isn’t a bad way to keep the story going since it seems to be one of the more popular ones that Impact has been running with.

.@The_Ace_Austin is furious that @aidenprince prevented his victory in the X-Division six man last week. #IMPACT

WATCH NOW – https://t.co/jyZYT6QL46 pic.twitter.com/GJvubjwiLw

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) April 13, 2019

GWN Flashback Match: TNA Turning Point X-Division Championship: RVD (c) vs Joey Ryan, Nov. 11, 2012

Out of the flashback, we have Killer Kross approach Willie Mack on the steps with a cryptic, yet insightful promo. Trying to sow the seeds of doubt between Mack and Swann. Killer Kross is a damn treasure.

No more drinking…

Maybe less drinking…

MAYBE ONE MORE DRINK! @CodyDeaner and @JakeSomething_ are in training for IMPACT! #IMPACT pic.twitter.com/uSkMCvLrSo

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) April 13, 2019

Monster Mafia got rebranded as The North, and for a jobber match, this was actually kind of competitive. Alexander did a lot of the early work and looked scary impressive. Sadly Twitch chat focused more on the amateur wrestling head gear that Josh wears, and not the fact that he was throwing people around with ease. A Powerbomb Backbreaker, a few fun tandem moves and just generally a fun match. The North look like a force to be reckoned with.

Well now, this match was pretty damn good, told a great story since Gail was on commentary and Madison…looked…really good. By that I mean in the ring. This is the second week in a row Madison showed off much better in-ring skills. A few big Frakensteiners, nice transitional roll ups and generally nice movement. Tessa was dominant, but allowed her ego and Gail on the outside to distract her throughout the match. Really good everything.

Eli and Eddie ask Lucha Bros for a title match, LAX shows up and jumps Lucha Bros. Eli pulls Eddie away basically saying let them soften each other up.

Okay…Taya and Johnny have a great interview segment:

.@TheRealMorrison and @TheTayaValkyrie have absolutely no respect for Grace and Cage ahead of the main event. #IMPACT

WATCH NOW – https://t.co/jyZYT6QL46 pic.twitter.com/4gSyw8TE7A

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) April 13, 2019

Fallah goes looking for Scarlett and finds her! She doesn’t seem to quite understand Bahh, but she offers to tag with him next week against the Desi Hit Squad.

Taya starts the match and then Johnny jumps off the apron to avoid the tag. He tries to get the crowd to chant for Taya, but Jordynne tags in Cage to force Johnny’s hand. This was a solid match that solidified an angle through this entire feud with Cage and Johnny. Johnny played chicken shit heel, and then John E. Bravo showed his true colors by Chop Blocking Cage in the midst of a Drill Claw. So the questionable Homecoming stuff on the outside, counting 3 for Kross even though Cage kicked out, and overlooking interference…it’s all cause he’s basically Nick Patrick (among others but I’m a WCW fanboy at heart). So Taya and Johnny have a referee in their pocket.

Overall Score: 7.5/10

Pretty good show. Quality matches, storyline movement, a debut, a solid reveal with Bravo. I may not personally like the heel referee crap, but it has a place. Hopefully we don’t get too much of it since Cage and Johnny have had an odd feud since January. I don’t really need this angle to go much longer.

Either way, good show, no real complaints and Don Callis was manning Twitch Chat this week…and seemed to be received pretty well. Ramping up to Rebellion, this is all a good hype episode.