Andrew’s TNA Xplosion Results & Match Ratings: 3.15.2024

So this is what I’m considering the first Xplosion under new creative. With Sacrifice being so close to No Surrender, I’m figuring that most of the booking decisions were decided upon before Scott’s firing.

With that said, iMPACT! definitely felt weird, so now we get to see if they screw with the formula of Xplosion. It’s been charming so far in its return; will that continue?

But while I may have concerns about the new management and booking…I still trust the system:

Ratings:

Aiden Prince vs Sheldon Jean: Prince wins via Flying Splash – **

Results:

The show opens with Sacrifice 2022 highlight match of Mickie James vs Tasha Steelz. I guess they’re trying to remind people why Tasha is credible with her challenge to Jordynne on Thursday. I’ll admit, starting off with a highlight match and not commentary into something…feels like old WCW Worldwide, and that’s pretty lame. Never open the show with a throwback match again. Especially since this is confusing for people who don’t actively watch the product. On the YouTube feed, there are literally people wondering if this is just old stuff they’re showing or if Xplosion is new content. 

Don West, You’ve Got to be Kidding Me! Trending Topics of the week:

5. International Women’s Day moment with Knockouts

4. Hammerstone’s post match comments about Hammerstone vs Alexander 2 at Sacrifice

3. ASH by Elegance champagne bump spot

2. New Knockouts Tag Champs in Spitfire

1. New Tag Team Champions in Eddie Edwards & Brian Myers

Again, this is being used as a lame Dirt Sheet rundown of “major stories”. Stop doing the corny lame shit, make it entertaining. 

Around the Ring with Gia Miller has Tasha Steelz as the guest. So they talk about her favorite sports teams, New England Patriots, Miami Heat and Toronto Maple Leafs. I can respect having teams all over the map, since my personal favorites are a very similar mess of cities. 

TNA+ Flashback Moment: Taya Valkyrie vs Jordynne Grace, iMPACT! 2/11/2020

Aiden Prince vs Sheldon Jean

Sheldon opens with a kick, a Shoulder Tackle and gets cocky calling it light work before Prince grabs at his foot and Sheldon allows him to stand back up. Prince picks up the pace, few quick moves into the old Triple Dives spot, but Sheldon catches him on the third one and bounces his face off the post.

Prince crawls into the ring as Sheldon is waiting for him, Half Nelson suplex, into some ground and pound before Prince tries to fight back up, but Sheldon stops the momentum swing. Prince tries to fight back with some rope runs, goes for a Satellite move, but Sheldon blocks it, then Prince gets away from Sheldon’s slam, does a Tiger Feint to dodge Sheldon’s offense, Tiger Wall kick keeps things moving for Prince but Sheldon cuts him off and hits a big Neckbreaker to slow things back down. Sheldon picks up Prince and just kinda throws him…sortuv….but it looks weak. Prince fights back with a Thrust Kick, but Sheldon grabs him again and lands a Spinning Scoop Slam.

Sheldon tries to continue the offense, but eats a Springboard Flatliner into a Flying Splash for…the win? Not only was the crowd not into this, but what the hell was the finish? The work was alright, but it was just a match, no story, no nothing and the enhancement guy beat the talent that we’ve gotten more used to seeing…so what in the hell?

Overall Score: 1/10

Just skip this, Jesus Christ, if they decide to make Xplosion effectively Worldwide and just do dumb clips and interview segment and one match with no story relevance, this might as well be shut down again.

At least the first few months have had story relevance of building towards a match on iMPACT! or something. This is a terrible use of the extra time. The only good thing that came from this is showing that Sheldon Jean is still part of the company, since he hasn’t been utilized in these first 3 months. But then it was also in an 8 minute match, the only new match on the show, and a losing effort. So yeah…very low light positive point.

This show was a waste of goddamn time, throw this episode directly into the trash, set the trash on fire and then punt it into orbit.