Tonight is a spicy show boys and girls! Trinity invokes her rematch clause, Nic Nemeth has his in-ring debut and Okato returns! With Samoa Joe in AEW, Okato doesn’t have anyone to drive for Green Hornet style, so he’s gonna help the Motor City Machine Guns against The System.

Do we trust the system, or is this a precursor to Okada’s choice of a post-NJPW home?

.@rainmakerXokada RETURNS to TNA TONIGHT on #TNAiMPACT to battle The System in our MAIN EVENT! @SuperChrisSabin @AlexShelley313 pic.twitter.com/Q3YjYJl0FX

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 26, 2024

Ratings:

• Chris Bey w/Ace Austin vs Kevin Knight: Bey wins via Art of Finesse – ** 3/4
• Oleg Prudius & Dirty Dango w/Alpha Bravo vs Damian Drake & Dante King: Dango wins via Falling Inverted DDT – SQUASH
• TNA Knockouts World Championship: Trinity vs Jordynne Grace (c): Grace retains via Counter Cradle – *** 1/2
• Nic Nemeth vs Zachary Wentz w/Trey Miguel: Nemeth wins via Danger Zone – ***
• Dani Luna & Jody Threat vs MK Ultra (Killer Kelly & Masha Slamovich): MK Ultra win via Tandem Powerbreaker – **
• The System (Moose, Eddie Edwards & Brian Myers) w/Alisha Edwards vs Money City Machine Guns (Kazuchika Okada, Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin): Shelley wins via Shellshock – *** 1/4

Results:

Chris Bey w/Ace Austin vs Kevin Knight

Bey and Knight start with a friendly handshake, so I’m guessing Kenny King didn’t extend his time with TNA; or they’re just really starting fresh with the return to the classic name. Knight takes a few early advantages over Bey. Nothing super impactful, but the general pacing and better offense lands for Knight until he misses a Plancha to the outside, Bey uses the top rope in a Neckbreaker and then a Suicida finally shifts the momentum. Knight tries to fight back with punches, but Bey stops him with a Spinning Back Kick, but Knight returns the favor by Dropkicking Bey mid flight and going back to work.

Knight has solid control, Bey blocks a suplex a few times, eats some punches and then Suplex attempt again, but Bey floats over for a Cradle, but Knight gets out. Knight then catches Bey’s foot, but Bey hits him with the Feint for another two. Knight literally leaps over Bey’s next offensive attempt and lands a Brainbuster for only 2. He goes the the top feeling Froggy, but Bey rolls away to the corner. Bey manages to flip Knight to the apron, then kick him around in the ropes, Rope Assisted Guillotine Leg Drop into Art of Finesse and Bey wins!

Post match the GYV hit the ring as soon as the match is over. Bey gets dumped out and they double team Ace, finishing him with an Assisted DDT. Bey tries to rally, but a Double Chop to the throat drops Bey, Grit Your Teeth keeps him down and GYV stand tall with the titles. 

She is "Ash by Elegance"#TNAiMPACT pic.twitter.com/nZsz8upXSo

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 26, 2024

See, like I said last week…these vignettes look like a Dior commercial. 

Oleg Prudius & Dirty Dango w/Alpha Bravo vs Damian Drake & Dante King

I have no clue who these jobbers are, but I hate the Robin Mashup name of the one guy…and these just generally sound like the most basic create-a-wrestler names. Prudius starts, Dango goes to the ramp to sit down and take a call while Prudius destroys the two jobbers. Dango gets the tag with a phone in his hand, slams Jobber number 1 into Prudius and then hits his Falling Inverted DDT for the win.

Just announced by @milanmiracle! A Best Of 3 Series kicks off next week on #TNAiMPACT between ABC (@DashingChrisBey & @The_Ace_Austin) and The Grizzled Young Vets! (@JamesDrakePro & @ZackGibsonGYV ) pic.twitter.com/yR6F6v23C4

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 26, 2024

TNA Knockouts World Championship: Trinity vs Jordynne Grace (c)

We get a handshake, but Trinity doesn’t let go and clocks Jordynne out of nowhere. A few fast strikes, she even attempts Rear View quickly, but Jordynne ducks it. Trinity gets very physical, wrestles her down and tries to lock in Starstruck as well, but its too early and Jordynne breaks out. Trin keeps up the offense, even dropping Jordynne again and going for the Running Split cover, but only 2 again. Trinity seems to be running out of a steam a little as she tries to chase Jordynne from corner to corner, Jordynne gets her foot up twice, Up and Overs twice, and then slams Trinity down, finally getting a second to collect herself. Suicida from Jordynne but Trinity blocks it with a Bitch Slap before Jordynne dives.

Trinity slams Jordynne’s head into the turnbuckle, tries to get to the top from the apron, but Jordynne cuts her off, punches out the legs and Trinity crashes to the floor. Jordynne methodically heads out and starts picking Trinity apart. Jordynne’s offense is a little TOO methodical, Trinity manages a few kicks, Enzuigiri, corner Splash and she tries a suplex in the center of the ring; but Jordynne blocks and gives her one instead. Drives her into the corner, Splash Lariats into a Short Arm Lariat for 2. Juggernaut Driver attempt, but Trin fights out. Kick to the head and then an X Factor gives an opening to Trinity.

Trinity heads to the corner after Jordynne, two back elbows, Jordynne hits the ropes, but Trinity kicks her feet out, tries the Hanging Neckbreaker but Jordynne hangs on and hits a Vader Bomb for 2! Kudome Valentine attempt but Trinity has done great fighting out and keeping the match physical (wish this was the match they had at Hard to Kill). Trinity tries for the Bubba Bomb, but Jordynne slams her into the corner and blocks the offense. They head to the top, Superplex maybe but strikes and then Jordynne uses her knee to slam Trinity’s head into it. Superplex into Juggernaut Jackhammer, but Trinity kicks out!

Jordynne kicks at Trinity telling her to get up, Trinity slaps her and Jordynne peppers in a few strikes for insolence. Jordynne talks shit, Jawbreaker from Trin into the Bubba Bomb and Booty Pop Cradle for 2! Trinity keeps trying a Suplex, Spinning Backfist says no, Juggernaut Driver…but blocked again. Trin is thrown into the corner, they’re fighting back and forth, Kinniku Buster tease, but Trin fights out, Sunset flip into Locomotion Cradles, about a dozen cradles, Trinity tries Starstruck but Jordynne manages to turn it into a Cradle for the win!

SHAWntourage hits the ring, Trinity and Jordynne fight them off, but Gisele shows up with the X and takes out both women. Jai and Savannah hold Trinity, Gisele hits the Denouement and poses with the X. 

The System faces off against @SuperChrisSabin, @AlexShelley313, and @rainmakerXokada in TONIGHT's Main Event! @Myers_Wrestling @TheEddieEdwards @MrsAIPAlisha @TheMooseNation #TNAiMPACT pic.twitter.com/f2js9Uvl15

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 26, 2024

Nic Nemeth vs Zachary Wentz w/Trey Miguel

Nic seems to be starting off more with his Amateur Wrestling moves, Collar Elbows, Wheelbarrow takedowns, body positioning, leverage, none of this is flashy stuff, but it does remind everyone he’s more than just a Shawn Michaels knock off. Wentz a few quick flurries, but then he gets cocky and “tunes up the band”, only to annoy Nic and get him to get dropped with a nice Dropkick. Nic sidesteps a Back Handspring and sells his knee, so Nic tries to hit the ropes and take advantage, but Trey trips him and eats a V Trigger from Wentz. Wentz keeps control after the initial interference, and then when Nic is back in the ring and close to the ropes; Wentz distracts the referee and Trey interferes some more.

Wentz gets cocky, steals some Ziggler taunts and Nic finally finds an opening, runs Wentz from corner to corner, Splash, Slam and Jumping Elbow for 2. Superkick attempt from Ziggler but it misses, Roll Up with tights, but Nic kicks out, Nic charges the corner and misses, another Roll Up with tights but Nic keeps kicking out. A little bit of back and forth Cradles, but they stand and Nic hits the Stalling DDT for 2. Superkick is blocked again, Kneebreaker from Wentz, Back Handspring Knee from Wentz, Half Nelson Spinout Slam for 2. Wentz swings a Roundhouse Kick, misses and eats the Danger Zone! Nemeth wins!

Trey tries to attack Nemeth after, but is quickly thwarted. Maclin hits the ring, gets in a couple shots, looks to hit K.I.A. but Nic counters and Maclin eats a Danger Zone as well!

Dani Luna & Jody Threat vs MK Ultra (Killer Kelly & Masha Slamovich)

Jody and Luna had a little bit of chemistry during the Ultimate X match, and they make sense. Punk Rock styles from both, power and high energy. But our crazy S&M Voyeuristic Lesbians are looking to get right after being Shanghaied by Decay’s return. Dani ducks a double team after getting worked over, Jody with a head of steam, Double Knees to Kelly against the ropes, release German Suplex but Kelly kicks out at 2. Jody goes to the top, Masha distracts Jody, kicks Dani into the first row and Meeting in the Middle into a Tandem Power Breaker with a Rhea Ripley style pin from Kelly…so…lots of things to like. Oh yeah, MK win.

Equal opportunity sadists, they pose a little after their win and then beat up their opponents and hit the Tandem Power Breaker on Dani to make sure she knows how it feels as well. 

The System (Moose, Eddie Edwards & Brian Myers) w/Alisha Edwards vs Money City Machine Guns (Kazuchika Okada, Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin)

Things almost break down immediately, but they stop and we get some Shelley versus Eddie action, until Sabin gets a blind tag and we see a little MCMG tandem offense that is…”legal”. Sabin works the arm, tags back in Shelley and I really enjoy the fact they’re slow rolling Okada. Shelley works into the corner, Sabin tags in, and MCMG doing their thing. Eddie does manage to find a little space to tag out to Brian Myers. Moose manages to tag in after Myers eats a lot of offense but gets away, Moose and the crowd want Okada…and we get Okada finally!

Some quick back and forth, Moose misses Light Out into the corner, Okada goes for the Rainmaker but Moose ducks it, and then Moose tags out, so Okada does as well. Eddie gets controlled immediately, Dragon Screws in the corner ropes, Dragon Screws in the middle of the ring, just the Oprah of Dragon Screws. Wishbone on Edwards, and Eddie’s gonna turn into Lieutenant Dan if this keeps up. Okada tags in, keeps up the leg work, a little more silly than usual (think balloon era Okada). But in usual Japanese tag style, the faces get a little too silly or have too much fun and that’s when the heels pick their spots to cheat and take over. Shelley gets beat on in the ring with Garvin stomps, thrown out and thrown around, even Lish gets involved in some of the shortcuts.

The offense is basic so not really worth going play by play, but Shelley has been eating offense for a few minutes straight. Moose comes in to square off at the beat up Shelley, Shelley tries to bait in an attack, tries Sliced Bread #2 but Moose stops it, Shelley clears out the enemy corner but Moose stays on him, Shelley sneaks a Flatliner into the middle turnbuckle for space but Eddie tags in and tries to stop Shelley’s tag by attacking the others on the apron. Shelley ducks a Yakuza Kick, so Eddie hits Myers, and Shelley tags in Sabin. Hot tag clears the ring and we come down to Eddie and Sabin. Superkick plus Lariat guns offense on Eddie, Slingshot Assist Cutter, Eddie tries to stop Sabin, Shelley pulls him off and a Yakuza Kick from Sabin goes wild and hits Shelley. Blue Thunder bomb on Sabin for 2. Sabin almost gets Tandem Superplexed but he fights it off, Tornado DDT kicking off Myers, simultaneous tags to Moose and Okada. Okada goes for the rope run Back Elbow but bounces off Moose a little, but still connected. So we see Okada controlling the match, but selling Moose’s size well even with the Reverse Neckbreaker, Elbow Drop, ZOOM OUT, Rain-NOPE Moose ducks it. Okada Dropkick on Moose, Moose then returns the Million Dollar Dropkick and simultaneous tags again! Eddie and Shelley now, Enzuigiri into Backpack Stunner from Eddie for 2.

Tiger Driver, but Sabin walks up Shelley’s back, Enzuigiri to break it up, High Speed Dirt from the Guns, but Myers got a blind tag. Myers tries to clean house, lines up a Roster Cut, but he eats a Dropkick from Okada and then a Rainmaker. Shellshock from Shelley and that’s the match!

Overall Score: 7/10

So this was a fun show, even if some of the early product was hit or miss there was a lot to like. Wentz’s match with Nic was gorgeous because Wentz did everything in his power to continue the comment from Maclin last week of people only wondering what happened to Dolph Ziggler. Wentz copied all the Ziggler taunts and mannerisms, and it just fueled Nic to take him out, and never hitting his own Superkick does two things; it protects Nemeth’s Superkick in case he uses it as like a psuedo finisher again, or it will slowly get him to remove it from his arsenal, further distancing the Dolph gimmick. Trinity and Jordynne’s match was what we should’ve gotten at Hard to Kill. Great contact, solid pacing, only hurt a little by the fact Trinity looked gassed kinda early, but I’m always entertained by locomotion Cradle spots.

Of course the main event was fun. Was it a formulaic Japanese 6 Man? Yes, very yes. But they slow rolled Okada’s involvement, gave him a big save, lots of fun offense from both sides and just generally a lot of good entertainment. Nothing really offensive and nothing mind blowingly brilliant. But definitely a solid show for people willing to give TNA another chance.