Andrew’s Impact Wrestling Results & Match Ratings 5.26.20

Impact Wrestling returns with the anticipated Deaner Compound Tag Team match. Anticipated since it was a week between the initial discussion and everything The North have done so far is fantastic. So a little Deaner southern fried carny mixed with Canadian humour; should lead to something cool.

Rosemary has her manipulation plan for Bravo in the works. Oh yeah, the whole #1 Contender Tournament is still going on. Michael Elgin is the favorite, so let’s see how this all plays out.

BUT FIRST! The North arrive at the Deaner Compound.

.@OfficialEGO and @Walking_Weapon have just arrived at the Deaner Compound and they've already run into the welcoming party. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/O8fxnkJMYP

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) May 27, 2020

Ratings:

• #1 Contender Tournament Match: Ace Austin vs Hernandez: Ace wins via The Fold – ** 1/2
• Chris Bey w/Johnny Swinger vs Cousin Jake: Bey wins via Final Finesse – **
• Kimber Lee vs Havok: Kimber wins via DQ – **
• Deaner Compound Cinematic: Impact Tag Team Championship: Cody & Wheels Deaner vs The North (c): North retain via Low Blow Crooked Ref Assistance – ****
• #1 Contender Tournament Match: Michael Elgin vs Trey: Trey wins via Jacknife Cradle – *** 3/4

Results:

#1 Contender Tournament Match: Ace Austin vs Hernandez

Well this was an interesting match up, since Ace is the X Division Junior style wrestler and Hernandez is…well…Super Mex. This was a solid effort from Hernandez, and Ace proved he could overcome a big size difference. The speed, the striking and ref distractions were enough to give Ace multiple opening. A few clever dodges and chop blocks put Hernandez on the back foot, and doubled him over for The Fold. Solid match, which plays into my playlist angle for this whole thing. Let’s see if it plays out.

Chris Bey w/Johnny Swinger vs Cousin Jake

Bey worked a much slower match, since Jake is a bigger guy and they needed to get Swinger involved. Swinger talked about bringing some tricks, Fuji Dust, and what not; and it sortuv worked. Jake had some big Sky High slams, and generally used his power to impose an advantage. However, I feel this show is going to suffer a bit from multiple similar style matches. Two big versus little guy matches, capped off with a big versus little guy match…a bit much boys.

I find it clever how Impact are making nods to the TNA talent, and even nipping things in the bud with the fourth wall lines from Chase Stevens.

Looks like @HakimZane has a match with TNA Original @NaturallyChase NEXT WEEK! #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/FJfziks46y

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) May 27, 2020

Kimber Lee vs Havok

This was a solid rematch, where Havok was on a warpath. Kimber was on a heavy receiving end of slams, knee strikes and big brutal strikes. When Kimber went to get her brass knuckles, Nevaeh showed up and finally revealed her true intentions. She attacked Kimber, causing the DQ and we finally get the ladies of oVe showing their true colors. They show an interesting tandem move, a Wheelbarrow Sit Out Slam with a Cutter (think and inverted 3D of sorts).

I like how the women are getting paired up. Maybe we see a return of the Knockouts Tag Titles?

Speaking of women teaming up. Is this good, or bad?

.@RealTSteelz and @HoganKnowsBest3 may come to regret picking on @realsuyung and @IamKylieRae. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/nVVzzCx7Am

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) May 27, 2020

Deaner Compound Cinematic: Impact Tag Team Championship: Cody & Wheels Deaner vs The North (c)

So the Deaner’s are Impact’s more inbred version of the Dudleys. Or, well, more straight forward inbred family? Either way, this was like a combination of Boneyard, Broken Universe, Hills Have Eyes, Dukes of Hazard and Letterkenny. This also added something a little different than other cinematics, since the rest of the Deaner family acted as a bit of an audience.

This worked for me much better than a bunch of the cinematic matches. Still consider the Boneyard Match the best, but this was a close second. You have to watch this.

TJP & Fallah have an interview and The Rascalz make solid points.

Looks like The Rascalz have something to settle with @MegaTJP and @FALLAH1 to decide who is truly on top of the division. #IMPACTonAXSTV @DezmondXavier @zachary_wentz pic.twitter.com/gIAr4kSNNr

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) May 27, 2020

ImpactPlus Flashback Moment: Moose vs Cody Rhodes, Grand Championship Match, March 30,2017

Hey! We get a vignette for Deonna Purazzo! She actually was a bit of an up and coming force during her short stay in Impact. Knockouts are starting to come back to form.

Rosemary’s manipulation starts to work on John E. Bravo

.@JohnEBravo1st has a demon in his corner now. #IMPACTonAXSTV @WeAreRosemary pic.twitter.com/daoXUyHGec

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) May 27, 2020

#1 Contender Tournament Match: Michael Elgin vs Trey

Trey started off trying to take it to Elgin. A few strikes, a few attempts power moves from the corner with his legs, but Elgin slowly starts dominating. Elgin pulled off a sick Butterfly Backbreaker, to go along with a ton of lariats and brutal power moves. Right before the break Trey finally starts putting some offense together; including mostly Super Kicks and Knee Strikes which end in both of them being down as we fade to black. When things come back, the two men are in the Strong Style Fighting Spirit spot of Forearms back and forth.

We actually get a lot of close back and forth, which gets punctuated nicely when Trey drives Elgin off the middle turnbuckle with a Meteora. Trey gets the near fall, sets up for his real Diving Meteora, but Elgin counters it into a Liger Bomb. Elgin fires looking to finish the match, but Sami Callihan’s ICU intro and lights hit, which as we all know, distracts people in the ring. Trey takes advantage of the old cliche and gets the upset with a Jacknife Cradle.

Overall Score: 6.5/10

While a few of the segments were cool, Deonna Purrazzo vignette was a nice surprise and the Deaner Compound thing was awesome…the tournament throws me a little. I really expected Elgin to win, and then Ken Shamrock to cost him the Finals…since Shamrock has a real reason to want revenge. Trey facing Ace Austin is a weird spot for me. Ace has an established story with Tessa, which would be fine. But if Trey loses to Ace again, that would be like the fifth time Ace beat Trey, and you’ve got to wonder where Trey will go from there.

I’m obviously overthinking the finish, and that probably distracted me from the show on a whole. Plus the not so subtle implication that the Knockouts Tag Division is returning, is definitely nice. The best thing about the return of Knockouts Tag Titles, is the fact the first incarnation wasn’t great. Let’s be honest, the fact that Lacey Von Erich, Rosita (now Zelina Vega) and Eric Young are past champions, doesn’t really exude legacy or prestige.

So yeah, the show was pretty damn good, probably better than the rating I gave it, but this is the first time the match direction leaves me scratching my head in a while.