Slammiversary is two weeks away and we still have a few things to flesh out for the show! We’re missing a few Ultimate X participants, Honor No More is looking for a match and Sami Callihan is haunting Moose. So something’s gotta start to give in how we’re getting resolutions there.

Plus the scuttle butt around Twitter was that tonight’s episode is W. Morrissey’s last match under the initial contract he signed. I’m not expecting him to sign an extension, so my guess would be he eats the pin and maybe they have a segment or two where he can get written off the show in the coming weeks. So with Jonah done, Morrissey done (most likely) and The Good Brothers done after Slammiversary (another most likely), this is looking to be an interesting turning point for the company.

More throwback intros thanks to the 20 years of IMPACT! TNA! TNA! TNA!

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Feel the nostalgia with the 2005 throwback intro to tonight's #IMPACTonAXSTV! #IMPACT20 pic.twitter.com/OqhTVkUqPP

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) June 3, 2022

Ratings:

• Savannah Evans w/Tasha Steelz vs Mia Yim: Mia wins via Protect Ya Neck – **
• Kenny King vs Blake Christian: King wins via Royal Flush – ***
• Matthew Rehwoldt vs Rich Swann: Swann wins via Phoenix Splash – ** 3/4
• OGK w/Eddie Edwards vs Heath & Rhino: Taven wins via Climax – ** 1/4
• PCO & Massive Cassidy vs Moose & Scott Maclin: Maclin wins via DDT – ***

Results:

The show opens with Deonna walking out and joining commentary for the upcoming match. 

Savannah Evans w/Tasha Steelz vs Mia Yim

Mia tries to get some movement and string together a few moves since Savannah has the power advantage, but that twists when Yim gets bounced off the ropes and dropped on her head with a Snap DDT.  Savannah controls the pace, stifles a few fire up attempts for Mia. Rising up with the crowd, a Sole Butt into a Running move but Savannah just drops Mia with a Pop Up Powerbomb. Mia rolls away from a leg drop and we get successive Roll-Up attempts.

Savannah stops the locomotion stuff with a Scoop Slam, but Mia is trying to fight back. Savannah misses the Spear in the corner and Mia finally starts stringing things together. John Woo into Cannonball and a near fall. Mia goes for a Tornado DDT, but Savannah shrugs her off a few slams and then a nice Fisherman’s Suplex Hold for 2. Tasha tries to interfere on Savannah’s behalf, but Jordynne charges down to even the score and that distracts Savannah. Protect Ya Neck and Mia wins.

DECAY is not afraid to take it to a dark place!@WeAreRosemary @steveofcrazzy @Taurusoriginal @TenilleDashwood @MadisonRayne #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/cOiMvKAJ15

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) June 3, 2022

Kenny King vs Blake Christian

So sadly Trey is on commentary since he was instrumental in this match creation, but this means we’re gonna have to hear Trey talk. Ugh. At least Blake tends to be mostly entertaining, his look is the only thing that’s hard to buy into. 

I do appreciate Kenny King’s Cobra Kai trunks. After an early shortcut gives King some momentum, we get a lot of quick flips and dodges which end with Blake making contact on Kenny’s face. He tries to fire, they go outside, and it’s just a lot of Kenny trying to talk shit and Blake slipping in and out of positions.

After the commercial they’re back in the ring and King has Blake in a Bow and Arrow. Long and short of the next few minutes is more of Kenny being cocky and Blake having spurts of flipping out of nowhere and throwing feet. Classic Tiger Feint and the Rolling Pop-Up Splash give Blake a nearfall. Blake tries to spring off Kenny again, but Kenny gets away, Springboard Blockbuster, Eddy Gordo Handstand Kick, Spinebuster and…only 2.

They get into the ropes, Kenny gets hung across the top and Blake hits a Splash as Kenny drapes and then flops to the outside. Blake tries to get him back in as fast as possible, but only 2. Goes for the 450, misses, Kenny tries a few things but Blake goes for a whole plethora of different cradle attempts. 450 attempt 2, Knees Up, Suplex, Royal Flush and Kenny keeps his Ultimate X spot!

They announce the 5th participant for Ultimate X and its…Jack Evans. Ugh. So between him and Trey they’ve got the worthless spots with no psychology covered. 

Matthew Rehwoldt vs Rich Swann

After the Drama King decided to enter the gauntlet for the gold, he eliminated Swanny from a World title opportunity. So Rich wants a little revenge.

Drama King gets the best of things initially with the Cravat Headlock Takeover, a little solid smack talk. Both try for Knuckle Lock mind games, but Swann gets the best of things with his little disco dancing hands thing he does. Very Lucha Up and Over exchange before Rich connects with the Gamengiri. Rehwoldt powders, Rich chases, Rehwoldt asks Tom to protect him and Tom responds with the “why the hell would I do that”. So a few fun entertainment aspects as well solid wrestling.

Rehwoldt does hit a nice…walking in off the top rope Boot Stomp…I don’t know how else to call it. But it’s cocky, seems somewhat effective and he made it look good. Rich fires back a little, goes for the Crossbody and Rehwoldt catches him, throws him on the shoulders and hits an Attitude Adjustment for 2. Swann hits a Lethal Injection as Rehwoldt is figuring out how to continue, then eats the Phoenix Splash, and Rich wins!

.@MeanGiaMiller caught up with @MrsAIPAlisha to ask about what happened earlier with @mashaslamovich on #BeforeTheIMPACT!@GiseleShaw08 knew exactly what It meant…#IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/lP32M5sBLW

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) June 3, 2022

Brother Brothers come down to talk shop and hype a little for their title match. Could very well be their last IMPACT match. Okay they even bring up success in Saudi Arabia for the cheap heat. I was amused, but it’s low hanging fruit. They do a Top 10 of their best moments, and it’s always a Magic Killer and them beating someone, then when we get to 6, they keep doing the time they beat The Briscoes, just to rub it in. Briscoes have seen enough before the number 1 is officially revealed, and you hear the “REACH FOR THE SKIES”. 

As can be expected, things break down. Briscoes say the Good Brothers are soft and pampered and they grind all day on the farm or in the ring. Then we get a few quick strikes exchanged before The Good Brothers decide it’s best to powder and wait for Slammiversary.

OGK w/Eddie Edwards vs Heath & Rhino

I’m fairly sure OGK will go over here, so I’m hoping that we can see Heath and Rhino pick up some momentum after Slammiversary. I don’t mind them “jobbing” since they’re back together for the first time in a long time. So you gotta re-establish the chemistry.

Bennett starts off with Rhino…and yeah Rhino takes control and then tags in Heath. After a few tandem spots, Heath lets Bennett stumble off and get Taven into the match. Taven is not fairing well, but through the magic of the commercial break, OGK puts a blind tag a few things together and start laying it into Heath. Bennet has Heath sitting in the middle, runs the ropes passed him 4 or 5 times like he’s building something…and then stops and pokes Heath in the eye.

OGK try to distract the referee but it backfires a little as Heath dumps out Bennett but Taven keeps cutting off Heath from the tag. Taven eats a few strikes, but Heath can’t quite find the energy to reach Rhino. Shortarm Lariat from Heath, tag is finally made and now Taven is getting his head bounced off the mat. Bennett stops Rhino from killing Taven, Heath tries to even the numbers but Bennett dumps out Heath, Climax on Rhino and Taven wins!

Post match beatdown, Honor No More go right after Rhino’s leg, wrap one chair around the knee and slam another chair into it. Motor City Machine Guns and Kazarian hit the ring for the eventually save, but Rhino is ambulanced off the episode. We’re setting up for a big Honor No More versus Team Impact again, Frankie and The Guns are told to find 2 more guys for a 5v5 against Honor No More! 

PCO & Massive Cassidy vs Moose & Scott Maclin

Maclin and PCO start and are somewhat even. PCO tries the Armwringer into the tag, but Maclin slips it and Moose & Cassidy come in. Cass and Moose trade slap chops in the corner, Moose tries to fire out of it into more offense but eats a Big Boot from Cassidy. PCO comes back in and Moose keeps looking for a way back into the match, but it’s not looking great right now for M&M. PCO and Cass have more tag experience in genera and they actually work together fairly well.

We see Maclin eat a Double Chokeslam while Moose is still the legal guy and getting worked over. Cass with the old Kevin Nash Foot Choke in the corner, looks for another big boot but Maclin gets in a cheap shot and then Moose Chop Blocks Cass when he gets distracted. Maclin and Moose stay on Cass’ banged up leg, but eventually PCO comes back in and starts clearing house. DDT for Moose, Cannonball for Maclin, Deanimator on Maclin while Cassidy holds Maclin still! Moose lands a Pump Kick on PCO, tries for another but PCO catches him and slams him down with a Belly to Belly. Stalling Middle Rope Headbutt but Maclin breaks it up. PCO dumps out Moose and Maclin, then dives through the ropes onto both opponents!

PCO slides Moose back in, PCO-Sault and Moose moves! Both miss Lariats and then connect simultaneously. PCO fires first, tags in Cass and Moose is getting rocked until the tandem stuff plays in a little. They put Cass on the top rope, Moose hits the Okada Dropkick which has Morrissey fall back into the Tree of Woe, Maclin hits the Crosshairs on Cass, Dives on PCO on the outside, Double Arm DDT on Cass, and Maclin wins!

Overall Score: 7/10

A solid main event, that ended with a nice Sami Callihan spot to pop the crowd. This does however lend weight to Massive Cassidy not coming back to IMPACT. Which all in all, I’d say it was a really good run for W. Morrissey. He’s in the best shape he’s been in, put together solid matches, works better, talks better, and kept his nose clean for a little over a year. WWE could very well be looking to bring him back.

The sprinkles of old TNA faces like Shark Boy and Chris Harris make me hopeful they might do a little bit of what they wanted to do in 2020 with the TNA themed event during WrestleMania week. If Kazarian and The Guns get maybe…America’s Most Wanted to help them out; I would love one last wrinkle being Lethal Lockdown. There hasn’t been a Lethal Lockdown match since 2016, and for some reason they were gonna bring it back in 2020 with Team Elgin vs Team Edwards, but the pandemic ruined all that.

So aside from that, the rest is just solid TV entertainment. The prospects of old TNA names possibly showing up is a little exciting as long as it’s not obvious people. Like I don’t need Christian and Christopher Daniels to be the last two. James Storm, Chris Harris, Jerry Lynn (if he’d unretire that is), Kazuchika Okada (pipe dream but could be cool), Samoa Joe, Jeff Jarrett; there’s a ton of people they could pull from, I just don’t want it to be lazy adds. Either way, pretty good show for 2 weeks away from Slammiversary!