Andrew’s IMPACT Results & Match Ratings: 12.16.2021

With this Saturday being a Throwback IPWF App Special, and non-canon like a Dragonball Z Movie, this should be leading to Hard to Kill. I wonder if anyone will get rocked during the contract signing?

Well last week got away from me because work decided to drop a reconciliation project spanning 3 years on me, and by the time I got home on Thursday I passed out. So let’s see where the Hard to Kill build is going.

The thing I will find the most interesting is if this ends up being the last real IMPACT before 2022. In the past few years they’ve taken a liking to using the last few weeks as a Year End Wrap up. So I’m intrigued to see if we’re building to something next week or January 6^th.

.@JONAHISHERE is terrifyingly ready for #HardToKill and @Walking_Weapon!#IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/jiZp8gQUu5

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) December 17, 2021

Ratings:

• Rohit Raju w/Raj Singh vs Josh Alexander: Alexander wins via C4 Spike – *** ¼
• Joe Doering & Doc Gallows w/VBD & Karl Anderson vs Willie Mack & Rich Swann w/ Rhino & Heath Slater: Towers win via Double Tandem Chokeslam – ** ¾
• John Skyler vs Trey Miguel: Trey wins via Meteora – **
• Chris Bey w/Hikuleo vs Laredo Kid: Bey wins via Cutter – *** ½
• Tenille Dashwood w/Madison Rayne & Kaleb vs Jessie McKay w/Cassie Lee: Tenille wins via Spotlight Kick – ** ¼

Results:

Opening the show they do the memorial still for Jimmy Rave. Still one hell of a tragic story with what he went through the last few years. No matter what details come out of at a later date, he gave everything to wrestling and wrestling took more than it has from most. He will be missed.

Rohit Raju w/Raj Singh vs Josh Alexander

It takes Rohit a second to notice that Josh’s ribs are taped under the singlet after an attack from Jonah. So once Rohit sees this, he focuses his attacks on the mid-section. Alexander fights through it early, sets up for the Apron Crossbody, but Raj moves Rohit and then Alexander gets distracted with Raj. Rohit takes advantage and starts working over Alexander.

Rohit gets a little cocky and Alexander looks to pick the ankle, but Rohit blocks hits a Russian Leg Sweep and tries to keep moving forward. Alexander catches Rohit in a Fireman’s Carry, rolls through, looks for a top turnbuckle move but Raj distracts him and Rohit hits a Vertical Suplex and then hangs Alexander on the ropes mid-section first. There’s a small burst of offense from Alexander after a few solid strikes and a Release German Suplex, but Rohit keeps finding openings.

After a distraction from Raj, Rohit hits a Running Yakuza Kick, Cannonball to the seated Alexander and then a Double Footstomp right into the ribs…and kick out! Alexander keeps selling the ribs, can’t hit the C4 Spike so Rohit hits a Jumping Knee, goes for the Mumbai Driveby but eats a Rolling Forearm. Josh Alexander goes dark after that, draped Rohit’s leg in the corner, drops down on it, stays pissed and finally hits the C4 Spike after digging into something different.

Joe Doering & Doc Gallows w/VBD & Karl Anderson vs Willie Mack & Rich Swann w/ Rhino & Heath Slater

Gallows starts off with Swann, and Swann starts running the big man in circles. Quick tags and general quickness give Willie and Rich the early advantage. Gallows gets oki-doked to the outside, Doering goes over to check on Gallows and double Planchas from Willie and Rich take us to commercial. When we get back, Gallows and Rich are in the ring trading blows, where Gallows finally connects with a Round Kick and drops Rich off the apron.

After a small flurry by the big men, Willie evens the score and we see some tandem corner attacks. Eventually we get a High/Low from Willie and Rich on Doering to focus on Gallows. Doering stops Rich from a top rope move by just pushing him off. Double Tandem Chokeslam from the Towers and Willie eats the pin.

Rich and Willie put up a better fight than expected but eventually fall to the size difference. Afterwards the heels beat up all the faces and Eddie Edwards comes out to make the save. I wonder if this could possibly lead to a Lethal Lockdown match? It’s been a while since we’ve seen one of them.

John Skyler vs Trey Miguel

Really awkward early chain wrestling. Trey with his typical too many twist and World of Sport way of doing chain wrestling while Skyler tries to slow it down. Things don’t get interesting until Skyler hits a Slingshot Spear, but it’s a Trey Miguel match. It will be predictable, wasted movement, no real story beyond his wannabe Myles Morales underdog approach, he’s just trash.

Speaking of which, the trash starts to block a few charges by Skyler, an unnecessary handspring into Skyler hitting a Release Overhead Belly to Belly into the corner. Trey fights back off the top rope, attempts an Avalanche Powerbomb, but Skyler blocks, Cheeky Nandos, Corner Tiger Feint and then the Meteora.

As usual, a waste of like 5 minutes. Trey is everything that was bad with Will Ospreay and Ricochet early in their career. Except Ospreay had charisma…Trey is just more bland than describing the taste of vanilla to someone. After the match, Steve Maclin attacks him and then drags him into the back and does some kind of tie up torture porn video to try and get Trey to agree to his title match. I’m…I…why?

Chris Bey w/Hikuleo vs Laredo Kid

Hey look, Light Heavyweights that know how to tell a story while wrestling, concepts.

Early on Bey tries to play tactical heel by calling to the ref that Laredo was pulling hair, tries to find quick spots but Laredo responds and actually out-quicks Bey on the first real exchange. Laredo gets Bet on the run, Laredo goes for the Senton from the Apron, Bey moves and Laredo just rolls through. Hikuleo runs interference and Bey takes the advantage off the little bit of help from his big buddy.

Bey hits the Apron Tiger Feint, bounces Laredo off the post, Low Sweets, taunts in the ring and then goes back out to deliberately work over Laredo’s ribs and back. Laredo tries to get an advantage during some rope runs, but Bey sweeps the leg, stands on Laredo’s hands and hits a Dropkick and then taunts. So Bey and Hikuleo continue the taunting and interspersed cheating in classic Bullet Club style.

Bey drives Laredo into the corner, hits an Enzuigiri followed by a Top Rope Crossbody for a near count. Every kick Bey hits after, he mocks Laredo saying “breathe”. Bey does a good job slowing things down and just being very deliberate in his attacks and taunts. Laredo manages to block a move and hold on to land a Slingshot Senton, a few other high impact moves and starts working toward a possible finisher. As the referee checks on Chris Bey, Hikuleo shoves Laredo off the corner and we go to commercial.

Out of the commercial, Bey has the advantage but Laredo turns the tides by dodging the corner Hip Attack, hits a Michinoku Driver and then subsequent Moonsaults. Laredo goes for a Suplex, Bey Blocks, hits a Spinning Corkscrew Kick into a TKO for the near fall. Bey taunts on the top turnbuckle, Laredo counters Bey and turns it into an Avalanche Driver for 2. Some quick counters bring us to more top turnbuckle jockeying. Bey rocks Laredo and Laredo lays back on the top rope. Bey hits a Double Footstomp onto the suspended Laredo for 2. Laredo blocks the Art of Finesse into an Essex Destroyer.

Hikuleo distracts Laredo, so Laredo hits a Swanton on Hikuleo. Laredo goes back to the top rope to get intercepted by Bey. Bey backflips off the top rope, Laredo goes for a Diving Headbutt and Bey does his best Randy Orton impression and hits the Cutter for the pinfall!

.@JessicaMcKay has @CassieLee by her side and is ready to go one on one with @TenilleDashwood w/@kalebKonley!#IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/tDageNeH1R

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) December 17, 2021

Tenille Dashwood w/Madison Rayne & Kaleb vs Jessie McKay w/Cassie Lee

Tenille and Jessie start with a little playful mocking, the double foot catch, then they both put down share a good laugh and Tenille cracks Jessie in the face. This actually is a decent match admist some of the silliness. While there’s posing and some cute mocking spots, the spots are pretty rough. Jessie hits the Big Boot, looks for the pinfall but Kaleb pulls out the referee. When he does so, he blames Cassie for pulling out the referee. So there’s outside ridiculousness and Jessie goes out to get involved.

As she heads back in, Kaleb trips her, Tenille hits the Spotlight Kick and Tenille wins!

We have a nice triple threat contract signing. So if the contract signing is tonight, I’m going to go out on a limb and say we’re getting the year in review shows for the remainder of the year. Massive Cassidy makes his point, signs the contract and walks out. So he’s immediately distancing himself from a possible trope.

Moose can’t quite provoke Cardona, but after insulting Chelsea, calls her a whore and of course gets in the great Mid Card-ona line…Matt snaps. But Moose takes control and Uranage’s Matt through the table. Nothing ground breaking, but it was entertaining and Moose managed to put some damage on Cardona.

Chelsea tries to get Moose to leave and he almost does, but he just removes his blazer, heads back in and decides to line up Cardona for a Con-Chair-to. Chelsea grabs the chair and asks Moose to stop. Cardona gets to his feet, grabs the other chair and turns just in time to see Cardona and moves out of the way so Chelsea eats the Chairshot. Moose and myself are heartily amused. Chelsea took that chairshot like a champ.

.@ImChelseaGreen just got laid out by @TheMattCardona!@TheMooseNation @TheCaZXL #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/Y8PqULXgkr

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) December 17, 2021

Overall Score: 7/10

So what I’m figuring is the last IMPACT before 2022, ends to keep us entertained for Hard to Kill. The contract singing was good, the Knockouts Title had some good build with Deonna and Mickie, the Knockouts Tags are at least entertaining, X Division is weird though. Not just me disliking Trey with the fury of 1000 suns, the torture porn scene with Maclin was…I’ll say different. Not really sure what they’re doing with the Tag Team scene, but at least the people are involved even if the belts don’t end up on the line at Hard to Kill.

There’s plenty to sink your teeth into, a few choice lines and vignettes, and some solid wrestling. All in all, no real complaints.