Andrew’s IMPACT Results & Match Ratings: 9.30.2021

Aside from Bound for Glory, IMPACT is also building toward Knockouts Knockdown. A few names have been announced, do we finally find out who will challenge for the Knockouts Tag titles?

Qualifying matches for the X Division championship match at Bound for Glory are also starting tonight. Granted, the trio picked doesn’t leave much room to suspend disbelief, but I’m just happy to see Alex Zayne back, good old Taco Bell reference maniac!

Let’s find out what else IMPACT has in store for us.

.@MachineGunKA and @The_BigLG have proposed a number one contenders match between FinJuice and The Bullet Club for a shot at #BoundForGlory. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/b4SJRfKmwU

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) October 1, 2021

Ratings:

• Alex Zayne vs Laredo Kid vs Trey Miguel: Trey wins via Meteora – ** ½
• The Influence w/Kaleb vs Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering: Imfluence wins via Tandem Assisted Driver – **
• Madman Fulton w/Ace Austin vs “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels: Daniels wins via Best Moonsault Ever – ***
• Street Fight: Eddie Edwards vs W. Morrissey: Eddie wins via Boston Knee Part w/Barbed Wire Chair – ***

Results:

Alex Zayne vs Laredo Kid vs Trey Miguel

Now I’m beyond happy that Alex Zayne is back on IMPACT since he was one of the few wrestlers I enjoyed the first few months of NJPW Strong, but let’s be honest, this has Trey winning written all over it before it started and even if you didn’t read spoilers. They start with the Indy-riffic Triple Dropkick into a Kip Up spot, but it’s not cleanly timed and looks stupid. From there on we don’t get an X Division match, we get spots for the sake of spots.

I don’t care about Standing Corkscrew Sentons, Rope Assisted Cutters into each other. It’s just ridiculous stuff that is marginally entertaining but it’s not engaging. There’s no attempt at a story beyond “hit the bigger move or take advantage of a situation to win and move to the Bound for Glory finals match for the X Division Championship”. So I sleep.

They work Sami Callihan’s injury into the story claiming it happened after IMPACT! when Moose laid into Sami and caused the injury. Which sets up for a Massive Cassidy vs Eddie match where Moose is banned from ringside.

The Influence w/Kaleb vs Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering

Well this was an odd match, since early on Rachael was outwrestling both members, and then a little bit of heel distraction and we actually see Tenille and Madison prove they could wrestle. This was a match where The Influence proved they know how to wrestle, they’re a decent tag team, but they still need Kaleb and shortcuts to win.

Even after CrossRayne and a Spotlight Kick, Jordynne escaped the pinfall thanks to Rachael breaking up the pin. So the face team looks like they are on the path to winning, until we see some outside interference. Kaleb manages to keep Jordynne on the outside, then we see a little Double Team Driver and a playful kiss between Tenille and Madison, then whatever they’re calling that finish.

So The Influence will face Decay for the Knockouts Tag Titles.

.@Myers_Wrestling's latest lesson for The Learning Tree is all about physical fitness. #IMPACTonAXSTV @sambeale23 @mannylemons @ZickyDice @isThatVsK pic.twitter.com/kLRYP0DCSP

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) October 1, 2021

Okay so this is different, Deonna decides to pay Mickie a house call at her…farm? So we get a farm brawl, which you know at least Deonna thought ahead to only wear a white tank top and jeans, the same as Mickie. But hey, there are plenty of farming areas in New Jersey, so I mean, maybe she visited Allentown or attended a Future Farmers of America meeting once. As brawls go, it was ridiculous, similar to a Hardy Compound segment. Sure no magic, but plenty of buckets, wheelbarrows and hoses being used. Summation – cheesey as hell, but marginally effective.

FinJuice have @SuperChrisSabin as an ally in their battle against The Bullet Club. #IMPACTonAXSTV @THEdavidfinlay pic.twitter.com/FXARTrMUH6

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) October 1, 2021

Oh my God Juice looks human. He needs to stop looking ridiculous, he is probably much more marketable looking like how he is here, or during his Blues Brothers phase…than usual.

Madman Fulton w/Ace Austin vs “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels

Even though Daniels’ getting his first match back in a decade, you’d assume he wouldn’t lose. But the match was solid. Fulton actually had moments where he showed aspects of strategy, sure his power gave him a lot of big advantages, but Daniels’ ring savvy kept it logically close.

Arabian Moonsault, STO, Angel Wings and finishes with a BME. Daniels played all the hits, and to keep the story going, Josh Alexander comes out to neutralize Ace Austin giving Daniels the openings for the finish. Should be interesting to see how Christian, Daniels, Ace, Fulton and Josh Alexander all figure by Bound for Glory.

.@ScottDAmore has SHUT DOWN Swinger's Palace. #IMPACTonAXSTV @JohnEBravo1st @swinger_johnny @SuperMexCTM pic.twitter.com/6teWjtVLuP

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) October 1, 2021

VBD comes to the ring, calls out Rhino for his decision. Does the gang angle of wording with, ”no one walks away”, Rhino stays mostly quiet until Heath’s music hits. Heath comes out, cleans house since for those who forgot, VBD are the kayfabe reasons that Heath has been on the shelf for most of this year. Heath offers Rhino the hug, Rhino just walks out back through the crowd, conflicted but I think we all expect Rhino and Heath to get back together.

What did I just see? IMPACT Digital Media champion? I don’t know how to feel about that. IMPACT doesn’t have good luck with Mid Card titles, so…one can only wonder. Digital Media really doesn’t sound catchy, they should’ve just went with Internet Championship.

Street Fight: Eddie Edwards vs W. Morrissey

This match actually utilized the concept fairly well. Eddie used the steel steps, barbed wire chairs, regular chairs, kendo sticks, trash can lids and the weapons were reciprocated as well. This had decent back and forth with Cassidy applying his size more as a weapon than as a direct advantage.

Morrissey perches Eddie in the corner, sets up a bunch of chairs and maybe looks for East River Crossing through a bunch of chairs, but Eddie fights a little. Then Alisha shows up with Kendra, and beats Morrissey to give Eddie the opening he needed for an Avalanche Powerbomb. I also can’t overlook Alisha’s jeans were pretty fantastic, they have like the back of the thigh cut out, it’s just a great look. I’ll give her credit where it’s due.

Lish gives Eddie Kendra, Eddie beats Morrissey, sets up for the Knee Party, but Lish slides in to stop him. She holds the Barbed Wire Chair in front of Morrissey’s face and tells Eddie to do it. So a Boston Knee Party through the Barbed Wire chair wins the match for Eddie!

Moose attacks after the match, puts Eddie through a table and then gives him a steel chair necktie, smashes him into the ring post and then takes a chair to the chair around Eddie’s neck. So Eddie is left laying at the end of the show.

Overall Score: 7.25/10

This show did a solid job moving stories forward even if the match quality left a little to be desired. IMPACT may be known for a little better wrestling, but I’m positive people will probably enjoy the first match more than I did, so that raises the ring product quality to many right there. Also getting the announcement of a new championship (even if I think the name is a little dumb) is something to maybe cause buzz. The IWC loves to judge either the concept or the way the belt looks, so IMPACT will get a day or two of traction out of that.

Plus we also get to wonder, with Sami injured and Eddie beaten, there needs to be someone to watch Eddie’s back. Are bridges mended well enough to maybe see a return of Davey Richards? American Wolves/The Wolves could easily take the titles off the Good Brothers and still have cache in Japan. I guess now is a wait and see, though I will be attending MLW Fightland on Saturday, so I’ll get to judge Davey Richards pretty closely.