With Emergence being tomorrow (yeah Friday shows are still weird to me too), we get a Go Home main evented with a contract signing.

Since Go Home’s tend to be streaky with quality, I’m not sure where this is gonna land. A little bit of a throwback with Mia taking on Madison possibly before we stop seeing her because of AEW. Killer Kelly makes her official “debut”, yes she had 2 matches in the beginning of 2020 right before the Pandemic, but those were more her just filling a space for the women’s tag tournament.

We also prolly get a solid match with Bailey vs Romero; and we get to see who’s the heel in contract signing after Josh’s weird warning last week. Let’s get to the show:

Check out what happened backstage on #IMPACTonAXSTV when cameras caught up with VXT! @DeonnaPurrazzo @ImChelseaGreen #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/we3qEVjxlc

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) August 12, 2022

Ratings:

• Karl Anderson vs Kenny King: Karl wins via Gun Stun – **
• Kushida w/Chris Sabin vs Deaner w/Joe Doering: Kushida wins via Hammerlock Suplex Hold – ** 1/4
• Tiffany Nieves vs Killer Kelly: Kelly wins via Killer Klutch – N/A
• Mia Yim vs Madison Rayne: Mia wins via Eat DeFeat – ** 1/4
• X Division Championship: Rocky Romero vs Speedball Mike Bailey: Bailey retains via Ultima Weapon – **** 1/4

Results:

Karl Anderson vs Kenny King

This is a very simple opening match, we see basic wrestling, no real signatures until towards the end. A few submission attempts, a lot of solid striking, all while Karl wrestles nearly the entire match from behind. King looks to finish the match as he sets up the Corner Death Valley Driver, into the Chin Ch- GUN STUN counter! Karl wins a basic match with a Gun Stun out of nowhere.

They do a decent length hype package for the fact it’s been a 20 year journey for Shelley to finally get an opportunity at the World Title. 

Kushida w/Chris Sabin vs Deaner w/Joe Doering

Deaner tries to take and keep control early until two big Shotei’s wipe Deaner’s face off his skull. Kushida drops Deaner off the apron with the Handspring Kick, follows him outside and hunts for the Kimura, but Deaner wiggles away and Doering manages to make his presence felt. Deaner manages to take advantage, we go to commercial and come back with Deaner still very in control.

Kushida hits a flurry of strikes at the left arm, attempts a few submissions but nothing lands true. Float Over Cartwheel Dropkick, but Deaner fights through, catches the Back Elbow and then Deaner makes Kushida drop. Deaner wants the Diving Headbutt, but a Gamengiri, top rope fight and potential Avalanche Hoverboard, Doering tries to stop it, Sabin wipes him out, they fight off the turnbuckle, Kushida lights up Deaner, Hammerlock Suplex Hold, and Kushida wins!

ImpactPlus Moment: Genesis 2009, Vacant X Division Championship, Chris Sabin vs Alex Shelley

Check out what @TheEricYoung had to say to @CodyDeaner 24 hours before their match with @SuperChrisSabin & Kushida at #EMERGENCE! #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/Ax215gtfyI

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) August 12, 2022

Tiffany Nieves vs Killer Kelly

Kelly likes to play with her food, so this was a Squash match, Kelly just slowed it down so she could taste her victim.

A little backstage vignette action with Honor No More hyping up a potential last match in Impact. Does Honor No More win and finally get their well deserved title shots, or are they on the way out?

Mia Yim vs Madison Rayne

Yim is very literally running circles around Madison. Trips, lariats and quick strikes force Madison to powder and then bait Yim into chasing her, being put in a dumb position and then Madison capitalizes with the ring post. She uses the next few minutes to dominate using the ropes and other “classic veteran” heel moves.

Slowly we see Yim putting a few things together, Protect Ya Neck attempt, but Madison blocks it, then an Eat Defeat wins Yim the match!

X Division Championship: Rocky Romero vs Speedball Mike Bailey

Handshake early and then some classic Japanese Junior mat wrestling exchanges with no direct striking, just roll throughs, counter takedowns, Arm Drags and Dueling Dropkicks before an Inside Cradle gives Rocky the first near fall.

Low Kick exchanges go Bailey’s way, but Rocky slips him to the outside, Baseball Slide miss, Moonsault Miss, attempts outside back in apron move, but there’s counters everywhere. Frankensteiner from Rocky but Bailey flips through it, throws a Wild Spinning Heel Kick and Rocky retreats to the corner for the dodge. Commercial break during all of this counter play, as we come back, Bailey swings a kick and Rocky moves, so Bailey’s foot connects with the ring post. Avalanche Arm Breaker from Romero as he’s trying to worsen that hand injury.

Forever Lariats go to 2, before Bailey rushes out, a little rink-a-dink and then a Shotgun Kick drops Rocky. When they finally get up, Rocky tries to go after the Left Hand/Arm and Bailey is fighting through, gets caught in a Tornado DDT for only 2. Shiranui, nope, up and over, Bailey with the combo kicks, Rocky Lariats through the last kick, hits the ropes, eats a Superkick and both men are down going into the commercial.

Returning from commercial it’s a Kick battle again, Rocky lost last time, but purposefully focused the left hand and arm, and got the best of Bailey. Big Dive to the outside got a nice pop, Bailey responds with an Asai Moonsault to equalize the momentum. Rocky cuts him off going up, hung in the ropes, Rocky is kicking him around, does his half of Strong Zero, but only 2. PK from Bailey off the adrenaline rush, Moonsault Knee Stomp, Buzzsaw Kick and only 2.

Tornado Kicks to the corner, Tornado DDT block from Romero, holds on into an Armbreaker, Bailey counters it into a pinfall, Superkick thrown, Rocky dodges, hits a Knee Lift, Running Shiranui…only 2 for Rocky! Cradle bait, kick at 2, Ultima Weapon, miss, Uppercuts, Forever Lariat get met by Tornado Kicks, then Ultima Weapon and Bailey retains!

We get a contract signing as the main event. So the question is, will one of them take the heel angle or are they gonna both play fan favorites and not be stereotypical. 

Josh is the heel in the promo, starting with the nice pillow talk before saying he’s more of a Chris Sabin guy, Shelley has to be better than best because he’s never done anything his career. Though Shelley does get a great zinger in towards the end when he calls him and Alex Shelley mark and signs the contract saying “There’s your Alex Shelley autograph”. 

Overall Score: 6/10

I’ll be honest, the last like 45 minutes of the show saved it because a few long packages and bad matches is not compelling TV. As much as I love Alex Shelley and am pulling for him to get a deserved title run (yes yes no one deserves things in sports, but everyone knows what the sentiment means), I didn’t need a 10 minute video package after there was a different package a few weeks ago with Johnny Gargano.

Rocky Romero really brought it and that always makes me happy when Rocky reminds people how good he is. However, unless you’re a big TNA or Alex Shelley mark, that was the only real highlight of the show. If the only show you watch between PPVs is the Go Home, you’re doing yourself a disservice, but I guess this painted a decent enough picture for things for the completely uninitiated.