No Surrender Go Home show! Do we see any crazy wrinkles or match changes before the PPV? Chris Sabin will be kicking off the show against Jason Hotch; which ya know, both Good Hands have actually found wins at Rich Swann’s expense on Xplosion. So I’m not sure if they’re gonna get elevated slightly, or if its just to cement how much of a skid Swann is on.

Let’s get to it!

Will The System work TOMORROW NIGHT at #NoSurrender!? @MrsAIPAlisha @TheEddieEdwards @Myers_Wrestling @TheMooseNation pic.twitter.com/RSF2CTodfT

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) February 23, 2024

Ratings:

• Chris Sabin vs Jason Hotch w/John Skyler: Sabin wins via Cradle Shock – ** 3/4
• Simon Gotch vs Jack Price: Gotch wins via Bulldog Choke – SQUASH
• Trent Seven w/Mike Bailey vs Steve Maclin w/The Rascalz: Maclin wins via KIA – *** 1/4
• Eric Young vs Big Damo: EY wins via Piledriver – ** 3/4
• Savannah Thorn vs Ash by Elegance: Ash wins via Rarefied Air – ** 1/2
• The System (Moose, Eddie Edwards & Brian Myers) vs Kushida, Kevin Knight & Alex Shelley: Moose wins via Lights Out – *** 1/4

Results:

Chris Sabin vs Jason Hotch w/John Skyler

They start with a little World of Sport style chain wrestling, so nothing impactful, just constant contact, twists, take overs and wrestling. Hotch is on the losing end of most of the wrestling maneuvers but a cheap shot gives him a small opening, yet it is quickly stifled by Sabin. Side Russian Leg Sweep, Atomic Drop into a Cradle pin, but only for a 2.

Hotch powders into the ropes, Sabin follows, and Hotch uses the ropes to catch Sabin…but that offense is short lived when Hotch misses the chop into the post. Sabin throws him back in, Crossbody from the top, but Hotch rolls through it and into a pinfall for 2. Three Quarters Neckbreaker from Hotch, and Sabin is now suddenly on the back foot. Hotch bounces him off corners, Sabin counters for space, but when he tries to follow Hotch catches him with a Gamengiri and then an outside in Rolling Neckbreaker for a near fall. Sabin is tied up in a Straight Jacket, but Sabin fights up to his feet, flings Hotch off and then levels things with a Leg Lariat.

They get up, Back Body Drop from Sabin as Hotch retreats to the corner, eats a Yakuza Kick and then a Tornado DDT for 2. Thrust Kick to the gut for Sabin, Cradle Shock attempt, but Hotch slips it…runs Sabin into the corner and hits a Chaos Theory German Suplex for 2! Hotch looks to finish the match, Sabin uses the ropes to climb out of it, Locomotion Cradle attempt spot punctuated with Hotch landing a Superkick. Skyler tries to give Hotch a gameplan, so Hotch distracts the ref, Skyler gets involved. Hotch tries to dive on the restrained Sabin, but Sabin slips and Hotch collides with Skyler. Sabin takes over, rolls Hotch back in, Missile Dropkick, Cradle Shock, and win.

.@SuperChrisSabin Vows to put @MustafaAli_X in his place TOMORROW NIGHT at #NoSurrender! #TNAiMPACT pic.twitter.com/4nCjN2h8X8

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) February 23, 2024

Simon Gotch vs Jack Price

Gotch gets the jobber tune up debut match, but Josh Alexander walks out before the match starts to I suppose make a point. Isn’t Josh supposed to be the face? 

Gotch takes control quickly and makes sure to eyeball Josh the entire time. Uppercut while his opponent is halfway off the apron, into a Wrecking Ball Dropkick sending the jobber to the floor. Price tries something, but Gotch twists into a Neckbreaker angle, but just Uppercuts the back of the neck. Jams the guy into the corner, Superplex standing on the middle rope, into a Gotch Style Piledriver, and then Gotch doesn’t want that to be the finish so he locks in the Bulldog Choke for the submission and refuses to let go after the tap to see if he can goad Alexander.

Josh doesn’t take the bait, but Alexander being out there in the first place seems stupid and trying too hard for a “stare down” excuse.

The Grizzled Young Vets are FIRED UP ahead of their match with ABC at #NoSurrender for the TNA World Tag Team Titles! @JamesDrakePro @ZackGibsonGYV #TNAiMPACT pic.twitter.com/TcINoZ8U0Q

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) February 23, 2024

Trent Seven w/Mike Bailey vs Steve Maclin w/The Rascalz

Tie up and shoot off early, with Trent eating an Elbow, catching a Headlock Takeover and staying on the back foot early. Maclin runs over British Strong Style with a Shoulder Tackle, and when he goes for another Rope Run, Trent catches him with a Cross Body, into a Scoop Slam and starts to fire into some offense. Trent with the Chop & Gut Punch corner combo, whip into a Hip Toss, but Maclin finds a chance to stop the momentum and start throwing some heavy shots to level Trent.

Float over Vertical Suplex gives Maclin a quick near fall, and Trent continues to get all lit up again. Maclin with the King Kong Knee Drop only for 2, Trent tries a few slaps and Maclin doesn’t sell it at all. After Trent goes for a few more wild slaps and kicks, Maclin returns some strikes, giving much better than he’s getting. Trent then gets thrown out, The Rascalz strike and Bailey tries to interfere. Maclin moves in too slowly and allows Trent some offense before reversing an Irish Whip and bouncing Trent’s face off the post. Back Body Drop onto the apron, Maclin slides him back in and gets a 2 count. Maclin drops a few knees into Trent’s back and locks in a Crossface. Trent keeps crawling to the ropes and finally gets there, but Trent has effectively done nothing all match.

Maclin lets Trent chop him twice, and then levels him with a Big Boot. Trent looks half out in the ring, so when Maclin goes to collect him, Trent just starts throwing some strikes and almost gets something out of it until Maclin reverses the whip, Trent goes in chest first and then eats a Rebound Lariat for a near fall. Maclin keeps on the back, a Back Rake, into another Knee Drop…but Trent actually fires up old school style…and then Maclin shuts it down with a Backbreaker. Trent gets up fairly quickly to cut off Maclin on the top rope, but this reeks of desperation. A few strikes traded, big Headbutt from Trent into a legit Superplex for Trent’s first real moment in the match.

They both get up slow, a Chop trade, Trent delays one chop to get Maclin to duck and catch him with a DDT. Trent rocks Maclin to the outside, Rascalz try to intimidate Trent and Bailey hits the Triangle Moonsault to lay out the interreference. Trent then goes to the top for the Corkscrew Senton into the pile of people. Back into the ring, Trent hits the 7 Star Lariat…but only for 2! Maclin tries to collect himself and fight from the corner but Trent hits a quick Driver variant and sells the hell out of his back. Trent looking for The Meltdown, but Trey tries to yell at him from the apron, Bailey hits the Spinning Heel Kick to trip Trey and send him to the floor, then Bailey takes out Wentz but the distraction is enough. Maclin hits Caught in the Crosshairs and then the K.I.A. for the 1,2,3.

.@gailkimITSME checked @GiseleShaw08 on #TNAiMPACT but it went in one ear and out the other! pic.twitter.com/h8IYzbyQMt

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) February 23, 2024

Eric Young vs Big Damo

EY comes out expected Kaz, but Kaz said everyone has ghosts and here’s on of EY’s. 

Damo comes out hot running over Eric Young. Big Slams, Splash in the corner, Uranage over the rope from the apron into the Slingshot Senton, then Damo just hits the Grounded Abdominal Stretch to work over EY. Eric tries to fight back, but Damo lays a Back Elbow into EY’s chest and sends him flying. Big Splash in the corner, calls EY “soft”, whips him across, follows and then eats turnbuckle. Back Elbow, quick strikes into an Attitude Adjustment from EY for 2.

EY tries to charge, Damo counters it into a Popup Spinebuster, Elbow Drop and then Damo takes to the ropes. EY cuts him off, a few strikes, Superplex for 2. A bit of a positioning struggle between the two and then EY manages to grab Damo and land a Piledriver for the win!

.@RealTSteelz takes on @XiaBrookside NEXT WEEK on #TNAiMPACT! pic.twitter.com/AWLXChN9Y3

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) February 23, 2024

Oh God, a rubber match incoming…I’m gonna need to cross fade myself and put Ketamine in my humidifier to tolerate that impending pile of shit. 

Savannah Thorn vs Ash by Elegance

Ash demands Savannah kisses her hand, and when denied, Ash snaps on her. Choke against the ropes, uses the rope to eject her back and it cuts to Iceman clapping and captivated by the elegance. Ash hits her weird Handstand Twist Elbow, tells her to hit her, gives her the free shot and then snaps again, throws her into the corner, Handstand Footchoke, into a Handspring Back Elbow, and then her Swanton-esque finish “Rarefied Air”.

Not nearly as awful as I expected since they focused heavily on her gimmick. 

The System (Moose, Eddie Edwards & Brian Myers) vs Kushida, Kevin Knight & Alex Shelley

Moose and Shelley start off for the PPV preview, Shelley ducks the punch and tries to lock in the Border City Stretch immediately. Shelley is continuing the arm work on Moose, which could play into the story tomorrow. Myers and Knight go back and forth next, into Kushida and then Eddie. So as we know in Japanese 6 Mans (which these tend to reflect since most of the competitors have heavy influence there), there’s not a ton on the initial moments. Each person gets a little bit of time to shine, Assisted Slingshot Crossbody sending Knight into Myers is the first big move of the match.

Myers does survive the smoz melee and starts working over Kushida for a while. Irish Whip into the corner as Kushida bounces off, Edwards tags in and continues to work on Kushida’s back, even going as far as holding his arm forward to feign the beg for a tag. Moose tags in and the heels go for a corner locomotion spot, but Kushida gets his feet up, dumps out Myers and Edwards, Moose grabs Kushida and goes for a Powerbomb – but Kushida slips it! Kushida dives for the tag, but very well timed dual ankle picks pull Shelley and Knight off the apron. Moose drags Kushida back to his corner, Myers tags in and lays out Kushida on the the mat near the rope so Alisha gets in some pot shots. Moose comes in an tries to make short work of Kushida, but Kushida pulls a Tanaka Punch out of nowhere right into Moose’s gut. Shelley tags in, everyone’s getting some action, Shelley has Myers in the Border City Stretch but Alisha distracts the ref on the apron. Eddie tries to break up the submission but Shelley stacks them up and goes for a simultaneous submission before Moose finally puts an end to that. Moose does get dropped outside, so Shelley has been in control for a while, but the numbers catch up to him a bit. Edwards tags in, Shelley finds a spot to tag out to Kushida and Kushi with the hot tag. Tanaka Punch rocks Eddie, Double Enzuigiri into the corner they hit OUTATIME, but Moose shoves a guarding Knight into the pin to break it.

Simultaneous tags bring in Knight and Moose, Knight is insane. Big drop kick, then keeps rocking Moose with Lariats, Moose tries to counter with an Uranage, but Knight turns it into a Hip Toss sending Moose to the outside. Knight dives, Moose catches him, tries a Powerbomb, but a Frankensteiner counter sends Moose to the ramp. Knight leap frogs Eddie and kicks Myers. Back in Uranage attempt again turned into a Body Scissors Roll Up for 2 and then immediately into a Code Red for Myers to break up. High Speed Dirt on Myers, Back Handspring Kick from Kushida wipes out Edwards. Knight tries a Jumping DDT, but no, Edwards and Myers try to get in but Knight clocks them. Alisha jumps up and Knight stops himself to not hit Lish, so Moose takes the opening to land Lights Out for the win.

Overall Score: 7.5/10

Nice matches from Maclin & Trent, as well as the main event, make this a fun show to watch. Sure the No Surrender Main Event gets more convoluted, but we’ll have to see exactly how ridiculously it plays out. The worst news to come from this show was a rubber match between Tasha Steelz and Xia Brookside, I don’t have words for my distaste of this. BUT HEY – Ash by Elegance actually had a really fun debut match, if you like gimmick and not expecting complex work rate. She’s some kind of fusion of Emmalina and Adrian Adonis…and ya know what…it works.

Gail Kim and Gisele get a little more time together to maybe hint towards something, Big Damo was a fun ghost of the past and actually, Ash’s finish name of “Rarefied Air” is actually a fantastic name. So it built some hype for the show tomorrow, it gave us solid matches and furthered a few story beats. Solid go home show.