Andrew’s Ratings & Analysis: Impact Wrestling 1.7.2020

So the last few weeks were recap shows, but now we get the Go Home for Hard to Kill!

The final touches for the Hard to Kill card actually feels more necessary since there were two weeks of clip shows, so it’s been a few weeks without real momentum.

Tessa and Sami are the big story driving Hard to Kill, so let’s watch the video package!

.@Tess_Blanchard vs. @TheSamiCallihan at Hard To Kill is one of the biggest World Title matches in IMPACT history.

This AMAZING special feature will have you counting the seconds to Sunday. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/t74aJjD9QQ

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) January 8, 2020

Ratings:

• Eddie Edwards vs Michael Elgin: Elgin wins via Elgin Bomb – ****
• Desi Hit Squad & Mahabali Shera w/Gama Singh vs Daga, TJP & Fallah Bahh: Shera wins via Sitout Chokebomb – ** 1/2
• Havok vs Rosemary: Havok wins via Tombstone Piledriver – **
• Taya Valkyrie, Keira Hogan & Madison Rayne vs  ODB, Tenille Dashwood & Jordynne Grace: ODB wins via Vader Bomb – * 1/2
• RVD & Moose vs Brian Cage & Rhino: Cage wins via Discus Lariat – ** 1/2

Analysis:

Eddie Edwards vs Michael Elgin –  The show opened with Eddie and Elgin brawling which turned into a match ahead of schedule. What we got was PPV level to kick off this show. The two had a great chop battle in the corner which turned into Eddie laying in a few lariats before getting a little momentum. A Blue Thunder Bomb almost put things away for Eddie, but Elgin kicked out. Great submission transitions between the two, great strikes and near falls. This was really a treat to watch, Eddie got caught mid Boston Knee Party, Buckle Bombed and then Elgin Bombed.

Tag Team titles hype package that we will probably see on Hard to Kill. Not bad to recap the build, but purely a time fill.

Desi Hit Squad & Mahabali Shera w/Gama Singh vs Daga, TJP & Fallah Bahh – Decent enough 6 man match. Daga looked pretty impressive, Fallah and TJP had great comedy and tandem spots, but they’re really keeping Shera looking strong. Fallah had a big dive to the outside, TJP channeled his inner Rocky Romero by pushing Fallah while he was rope running to get more momentum and the attempted Double Kip Up spot with Fallah and TJP that was more just a fat man comedy spot. All good stuff, very fun, nothing super special, but an easy and fun watch.

Swann and Mack have a little conversation backstage where Mack is saying that he doesn’t want to hold Swann back.

"I need you. I need you this Sunday. And we're going go in there this Sunday and be Hard To Kill and become World Tag Team Champions." @GottaGetSwann just gave @Willie_Mack one hell of a pep talk. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/NPPMFLGFjr

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) January 8, 2020

Johnny Swinger and Tommy Dreamer have a short segment. Swinger tries to drug Joey Ryan’s water, but Dreamer catches him and forces him to drink the water. So Swinger roofied himself…should be interesting to see what happens from here. 

Havok vs Rosemary – “What condition is your life in, if Father James Mitchell is your guardian” – Don Callis asking the best questions. But yeah, this match was alright, a lot of the usual big versus little wrestler, Mitchell even took a bump from Havok before Suzie came out and stole the spotlight. Wandering around clueless adorable, even getting on commentary before Mitchell saw her and pulled her off, which distracted Rosemary enough for Havok to grab her by the hair, pull her back in with a Top Rope Hanging DDT, and then the Tombstone Piledriver finished the match.

Taya Valkyrie, Kiera Hogan & Madison Rayne vs  ODB, Tenille Dashwood & Jordynne Grace – This match was carried more by the entertaining commentary than what was going on in the ring. Madison got dominated early by Tenille and Jordynne, then eventually the heel team got some momentum, but ODB shenanigans and Grace’s power put the face team too far ahead. Jordynne hits a Vader Bomb, but ODB tosses Jordynne to the outside so she can get the visible pinfall. A little unnecessary since the legal person would be the only person who can get the pin…but I guess to get a little heat between ODB and Jordynne…it’s a thing? Maybe? Hey, at least we got to see Kiera and Tennile.

Great backstage segment with Moose and RVD, also further developments in the Johnny Swinger/Joey Ryan story!

RVD & Moose vs Brian Cage & Rhino –  This match was to add a little more heat to the respective matches at Hard to Kill. Moose did a lot of the work since RVD seemed mostly disinterested in…well…whatever wasn’t Katie Forbes. Cage showed a lot of power, Rhino played the classics, and it was alright. Nothing too bad, but nothing crazy. Moose got a decent bit of offense in and things were looking up until he went for a Five Star Frog Splash. Missed splash, into Gore, into Discus Lariat, and that was all she wrote.

Overall Score: 6.75/10

This was pretty good when it came to building for this Sunday’s PPV. Eddie Edwards and Michael Elgin got an extra stipulation since Elgin won tonight’s match. The Hard to Kill match will be for the Call Your Shot chance that Eddie won in the Gauntlet at Bound for Glory. Tessa and Sami had a great video package hyping.

RVD’s stuff has been great since he plays a very convincing douchebag and even though the finish was unnecessary and kinda dumb…the Knockouts Triple Threat should be entertaining. We do live in an interesting world where ODB is on two wrestling shows in the same week (NWA Powerrr and Impact!).

So yeah, decent show, started with a great match and the in-ring was never up to that standard, but the way it built the feuds and stories were pretty good.