Now this is the go home before Hardcore Justice on Saturday! The show airs at 3pm, so it will be over before night 1 of Mania starts! Does Tommy Dreamer have any more fun ideas for the show?

So the opening teaser does the trick for today right? I mean…we’re setting up an ImpactPlus App special. So let’s just get to things!

Oh first up, Impact’s special brand of off beat quirky humour still rings through nicely even during a lot of IWC blow back with the AEW partnership. Don’t believe me? Check out the Trust Me, I’m Susan Tik Tok dance.

Introducing the next big TikTok dance. #BTIonAXSTV @realsuyung @DeonnaPurrazzo pic.twitter.com/VDt2zGpPiA

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) April 8, 2021

Ratings:

• Alisha Edwards, Nevaeh & Tenille Dashwood w/Kaleb vs Rosemary, Jordynne Grace & Havok: Rosemary wins via Red Wedding – ** ½
• Matt Cardona vs Jake Something: No Contest – ***
• XXXL (Acey Romero & Larry D) vs Sami Callihan & Trey Miguel: Trey wins via Hourglass – ** ¾
• Chris Sabin w/James Storm vs Deaner: Sabin wins via Cradle Shock – **
• Eddie Edwards, Willie Mack & Rich Swann vs Good Brothers & Kenny Omega w/Don Callis: Swann wins via Phoenix Splash – *** ¾

Results:

Alisha Edwards, Nevaeh & Tenille Dashwood w/Kaleb vs Rosemary, Jordynne Grace & Havok

Alisha made it a point on Twitter to state she’s sick of being seen as weak or the worst in the Knockouts Division. Alisha started things off with Jordynne, she gave Alisha a little bit, and Lish got a chance to pull off a couple decent combinations. Rosemary and Jordynne brought intensity in the ring, Havok had a quick moment with Nevaeh that ended with them both going through a table, all while Tenille…well she wanted nothing to do with any of this.

Knockouts personalities were obvious, and it was pretty cool to see each woman get moments to shine and push their stories. Nevaeh could end up with a great push if she and Havok turn this split into something special. Nevaeh has a great look, decent enough ability, I just feel like some of the chemistry is off at times.

Matt Cardona is interviewed by Gia Miller in the back to get his reaction to Brian Myers denying the challenge. Cardona is happy, he doesn’t want to fight his friend, and then he plugs his match later with Jake Something!

TAYLOR WILDE IS COMING BACK!

Let's get Wilde! #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/8XJfojwPLj

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) April 9, 2021

Matt Cardona vs Jake Something

This was actually a solid back and forth. Both Cardona and Jake took short cuts and telegraphed moves, which allowed the other to take advantage of moments. The beauty of this match, is that Cardona and Jake were about the same size. Jake has that farm boy build, so he’s obviously stronger, but given the Zack Ryder past; it’s occasionally lost on people that Cardona isn’t a small chump.

Jake was able to bowl over Cardona at times. Cardona attempted Radio Silence a few times, but Jake caught him and countered with a Powerbomb. Cardona however learned from mistakes and rotated while in the second Powerbomb, and hit a Frankensteiner to the outside.

This allowed for Brian Myers to come down the ramp, shove both men into the apron, lay out Cardona and then drive Jake’s face into the steel steps. Afterward, Myers hits the Raven pose, and maybe he’s just trying to start a faction of Scotty Riggs clones. Eye patches everywhere!

.@TheEricYoung is sending @CodyDeaner out there ALONE against @SuperChrisSabin tonight. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/WsNlGYZiV4

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) April 9, 2021

XXXL (Acey Romero & Larry D) vs Sami Callihan & Trey Miguel

It takes Trey a moment to come out, but he finally does; but doesn’t face Sami and comes out purely to fight XXXL. Trey starts off hot, and gets Acey down for a moment, a few quick strikes to Larry put the match in 4^th gear in 3 seconds. Larry however blocks a Codebreaker attempt, then uses Trey’s aerial attack against him as he pushes him back and hits a Pop Up Knee Lift.

Acey gets tagged in, Trey counters the tandem move. Low bridge on Acey, drives Larry out next, then looks to dive, but Sami tags himself in. Sami hits a Yakuza Kick as Acey climbs to the apron, and then a Triangle Lariat. You see Sami turn to Trey and say something to the effect of “See, that’s how you use your head” – and now it’s a commercial.

Sami continues the pressure on Acey, Trey tags himself in and gets quick, but again bites off a little too much. Sami tags himself in, and we see malfunction time. Trey swings on Sami, Sami ducks, lifts Trey and throws him at Larry, so Larry has him in Powerbomb position. Sami grins, walks forward, and as Trey tries to take Larry over with the Frakensteiner, Sami kicks Larry’s foot out from under him, to help out the move.

Trey and Sami continue to bicker and try to show up the other, they have a brief moment of understanding, Dual Dives, Sami throws in Larry, tells Trey to finish it, and he does. Sami lifts Trey’s hand after the victory, Trey wrenches away and Sami just smiles.

Trey might end up being tolerable if they pair him with Sami.

.@SuperChrisSabin and @JamesStormBrand have left @AMWwildcat to have his fun in Swinger's Palace. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/DLwOp8iOow

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) April 9, 2021

Chris Sabin w/James Storm vs Deaner

Deaner actually kept up with Sabin for the most part. Deaner has shown a lot more wrestling ability since dropping the dumb redneck gimmick. Sabin was almost screwed by his lack of ring awareness when he went for a Mouse Trap Roll-Up, but his right foot was under the rope so the referee stopped the count.

Deaner almost pulled off the win with feet on the ropes, but Storm pointed it out and the referee stopped the count. Looking about ready to kill the referee, Deaner gives Sabin too much time to recover, Cradle Shock gets hit and we all hail Sabin.

EY is on the tron, EY and Doering have Chris Harris laid out, Rhino sneaks in behind people in the ring, Gores James Storm and Deaner hits the DDT on Sabin after the match. VBD get the last laugh with the set up!

So TJP, Josh Alexander, Ace Austin and Fulton are exchanging words, Dreamer breaks things up and creates a mystery partner match at Hardcore Justice.

.@THETOMMYDREAMER has put @Myers_Wrestling in a HARDCORE BLINDFOLD match against @JakeSomething_ THIS SATURDAY at #HardcoreJustice! #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/8oMBaoYla9

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) April 9, 2021

Eddie Edwards, Willie Mack & Rich Swann vs Good Brothers & Kenny Omega w/Don Callis

Team Impact starts hot, sending Kenny to the outside, diving into each member of the Bootleg Club. Each member of the Impact squad keeps momentum after the first commercial as we see Sentons, Drop Toe Holds/Elbow Drops, and just really fun locomotion team moves, very Japanese. BC combats that with more western tactics of pushing Eddie into the corner and mauling him with outside restraints and going through the legality of who gets in a few attacks. This starts a few nice back and forth moments, where as soon as the BC side gets arrogant, the Impact squad takes advantage.

After commercial break two, it seems like Willie lost the advantage and he’s getting beat on by everyone. Willie almost gets some space after crotching Karl into the corner, but Kenny gets in and BC stays in control.

Eventually Eddie comes in, evens the playing field, then we see signature spam like in all Japanese multi-man tags. After a big crash and burn style spot, we get Rich in, while Kenny is still legal. So Rich wipes out the Brother Brothers and goes after Kenny. Kenny hits the Croos Legged Fisherman Neckbreaker and then goes for One Winged Angel, but Rich slips it. Rich then sets up, hits the 450 Splash, and nearly picks up the pin on Omega, but Callis pulls Swann’s foot.

Omega tags in Karl, Karl hits the Shotgun Kick and TKO for a near fall. He calls in Big Hoots for the Magic Killer, but Eddie breaks up the Killer, Willie takes Gallows to the outside and the double team on Karl happens. Karl eats a Lethal Injection, Boston Knee Party and then Phoenix Splash for the Swann to grab some momentum for a champion vs champion match that seems extremely lop sided.

Overall Score: 7.25/10

Now let’s hit the note again, that Impact is back on Thursdays which moving forward means AJ will be covering these, but it’s nice since I’ve been a fan for like 15ish years; the day just feels right. A lot of fun story building for Hardcore Justice happened in this show. Everything from the Knockouts showcasing their personalities, Dreamer making his goofy digs with a Millennium of the Blind match or whatever it was called and a few references to things spread throughout were also cool (Beer Money reference that Chris Harris got offended by).

Given this had the unfortunate timing of going against the second day of an NXT Takeover, I think the quality of the show was really well done. Also personally, I took a little bit off the main event, because it was a damn good match with a solid 20ish minutes; but I called the finish last week. It was all executed well, but fill in the blank matches are always a little eye roll inducing to me.