Andrew’s TNA Xplosion Results & Match Ratings: 4.5.2024

So Xplosion is advertising a match that should at least be entertaining. Still very skeptical over the usefulness of this show, but at least the main event has some promise.

As usual, I’m also curious who Gia will interview since that’s the only consistently good segment on this waste of time.

Ratings:

Kushida vs Ace Austin vs Mike Bailey: Kushida wins via Hoverboard Lock – **

Results:

TNA+Throwback Moment: Monster’s Ball Match, The Wolves vs Decay, 2.16.2016, Impact!

So they’re showing this obviously because of the impending Monster’s Ball match with PCO and Kon…but this was a weird choice. 2016 is during the Dark Times of TNA/Impact, so anything from this era is a bit rough to watch. If anything this just makes me miss The Wolves. 

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

5. Steph de Lander winning #1 Contender for Rebellion

4. 2005 Essential Matches available on TNA+

3. Mustafa Ali on the cover of PWI

2. Matt Cardona returns

1. Ace Austin re-signs with TNA

Around the ring with Gia Miller has Chris Sabin as the guest! Gia asks about The High Crusade which is a band with Sabin, Alex Shelley, Petey Williams and two others. Sabin is the bassist, Shelley is the singer and Petey is one of the guitarists. She punctuates the interview by telling Sabin that he’s her favorite wrestler, always will be and Ace Austin knows it.

ICYMI: Nic Nemeth vs Alex Shelley iMPACT! 4.4.2024 

This match was legit good, so I’m not mad at this being the ICYMI…but clips do still annoy me. 

Kushida vs Ace Austin vs Mike Bailey

Weird Arm Wring trade offs, then End Arounds for Suplex attempts, and this all is a little goofy mirror gymnastics early on. Kushida does thankfully break the silly indie bullshit with a Cartwheel Dropkick and then Baseball Slide pushes Bailey to the floor. Shotei into a Frankensteiner sends Ace flying but then Bailey gets back in and things get a little silly again. People keep trying to grab a limb, shake it off and leave themselves wide open to someone else. This match feels like its in slow motion and too telegraphed, when it comes to signature misses, trying to steal pinfalls…its just kinda dumb looking. Bailey does pull off a Double Crucifix Pinfall attempt for 2, Ace does a Double Backslide, and then Kushida and Bailey kick Ace and then each other so they’re all down.

Kushida dodges Bailey’s Double Knees on the apron, Ace takes advantage, clocks both of his opponents and then lays them out with a Fosbury Flop. After some counters, Kushida is doubled over in the ring, Bailey goes for Ultima Weapon and Kushida counters it with the Tanaka Punch. Bailey powders, Kushida flies over the post to level Bailey, Ace tries to take advantage of Kushida coming back in but after a little back and forth, Kushida locks in the Hoverboard Lock and Ace taps right before Bailey can break the pinfall.

Overall Score: 3/10

Jesus Christ, you put three of the best Junior Heavyweights in a match, only give them like 7 minutes and it was indie-riffic. Now I see why it was on Xplosion, its very nearly a waste of film. Nothing had any lasting effect, it was just silly car crash spots over and over, and the only person with a singles trajectory got the win…so suspension of disbelief was out the window.

This is such a waste of time show. Even when you put on something that should be fun…its soo god damn lame. I hate what this has become. It had promise in the beginning of the year, now even calling it an after thought is an insult to after thoughts.