Andrew’s TNA iMPACT! Results & Match Ratings: 1.16.25

So Genesis is Sunday, followed by next week’s Live Episode of iMPACT! Let’s see exactly how we get to Genesis and not to bury the lead, the fact the WWE/TNA partnership was extended for a few years is very big news for TNA. More visibility for a nostalgic brand and the younger NXT wrestlers get more opportunities with potential sprinkles of a big name here or there (yes I only really mean AJ Styles, but that’s what we all want to see one more time).

Let’s get to the show and see if it’s a Go Home worth anything.

After her shocking appearance on @WWENXT, @mashaslamovich steps into the confessional with @WeAreRosemary…

WATCH #TNAiMPACT on TNA+: https://t.co/Dw7ITswj28 pic.twitter.com/YSTXfJZw6X

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 17, 2025

Ratings:

• Trent Seven vs Leon Slater: Slater wins via Swanton 450 – *
• Fir$t Cla$$ vs Maniac Marines (Eric Young & Steve Maclin): EY wins via Macho Elbow – ** 3/4
• Laredo Kid vs Jake Something: Jakes wins via Avalanche Something Bomb – **
• The Hardys vs Ohio Versus Frankenstein (Sami Callihan & PCO): Hardys win via Crouton Bomb – ***

Results:

Trent Seven vs Leon Slater

British on British violence! I just appreciate that Trent’s theme is a down tuned remix of Seven Nation Army. 

A little back and forth until Slater hits a Reverse Gamengiri, Trent tries to climb back to the apron after the powder, eats a Shotgun Kick. Trent dodges the dive, and Suplexes Leon down the steps at Center Stage. I feel like Slater over sold the spot, but I suppose using your surroundings is always interesting. Leon slides in at 9.5, Trent gets a little cocky and Leon hits two Flash Cradles for near falls, as Trent is reeling from the quick pinfall attempts he eats another Shotgun Kick for a near fall. Trent sells to the corner, eats a Jumping Bootwash, Leon perches Trent, goes for possibly a Spanish Fly but Trent turns it into an Avalanche Flowsion for two!

Bop and Bang, 7 Star Lariat, Piledriver with flourish and…still a two. Birminghammer attempt but Slater flips out of it, Crucifix pinfall for two, Uppercut by Trent and Birminghammer is hit! But Slater…kicks…out? He sells a Suplex where he slides down steps like death, but eats huge signature and finishing moves and kicks out. The psychology in this match is non-existent. Trent does the Finger Break, Leon sells away, hits another Shotgun Kick and Trent powders. X Plex gets reversed into a DDT from Slater. Trent powders off the Ramp, Leon goes to the entrance way runs and jumps off the ramp, then hits the Swanton 450.

Completely stupid match with spots that make no sense. All sizzle no steak, so dumb my IQ dropped 5 points.

The Elegance Clique have a “Pre-Launch Championship Celebration”. Tom Hannifan hates it, the crowd hates it, and the Personal Concierge uncovers a cardboard cut out with a Knockouts Title around their waists…and they are size accurate. Heather is like a My Size Barbie. Ash gives a very cringey speech where she thanks everyone except Heather, the Concierge passes the mic to Heather, Spitfire interrupts of course, and at least Dani cuts the promo to start so it’s tolerable. Yeah this is painfully bad cringe, as much as I didn’t mind the Ash gimmick to start with, this is lame. The only thing saving the segment is the crowd is hot for the the Elegance Clique getting their stuff ruined. So it was lame, but the crowd was into it and Ash sold the destruction of cardboard cut outs like Spitfire just murdered her puppy. 

.@PCOisNotHuman and @TheSamiCallihan take on The Hardys! If they win, they’ll secure their spot in the TNA World Tag Team Title match at #TNAGenesis!

WATCH #TNAiMPACT on TNA+: https://t.co/Dw7ITswQRG pic.twitter.com/fO9P2F5d9d

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 17, 2025

Well the first 40 minutes of this show are making me wish for a stroke instead of watching this. So hopefully it picks up somewhere. 

Fir$t Cla$$ vs Maniac Marines (Eric Young & Steve Maclin)

KC flips out of two of EY’s Back Body Drops and does his “First Class” taunt, so EY just slaps him upside the head and tags in Maclin to start beating on Navarro. I do really like KC’s work. He’s like WWE Lio Rush, but likable and talented. Maclin is beating the hell out of KC though, Lariats him out, goes for the SCUD, but AJ low bridges so Maclin crashes to the outside, KC hits the Tope con Hilo with blind tag so AJ is now legal and they start working over Maclin in the corner. Tennessee Whiskey, and there does seem to be a few First Class fans in the crowd.

Navarro is back in for the 305, quick tags though to keep Maclin eating offense. Splash into Big Boot into Assisted Splash while AJ leans on Maclin literally. KC starts picking on kids in the crowd near Judd Normand, he shoves the actor, the actor shoves him back and AJ comes over to mad dog the actor. Maclin takes advantage of the distraction and drops AJ on the way back in with an Olympic Slam, tags in EY and EY comes out hot. KC tags in, EY levels KC and they start messing around in the corner, AJ tries to break it up but eats a Busaiku Knee from Maclin and then a SCUD. EY manages to throw KC off the turnbuckle and then hit the Macho Elbow for the win.

After the match Eddie, Lish and Brian Myers stand at the entrance way to send a message but not cause any real chaos. 

Josh Alexander and his two bitch boys come out to cut a promo on Santana or something. I am about as interested in this as I am in Norwegian Dog Sledding. Josh trying to say Santana is too hurt to go at Genesis when we all know this was filmed the same time like a month ago. You really can’t do doofus attempts a story when you’re promoting the first live episode in nearly a decade or something for next week. At least the match should be good because this build is lame, the jabronis are useless, “Bald Ass Head” is the big insult…sheeeesh. 

Laredo Kid vs Jake Something

Well…someone has to win this match, so there’s that.

Nothing special start until Jake comes off the ropes and runs over Laredo sending him flying over the ropes onto the ramp. Jake panders to the crowd, Laredo tries to get something going but Jake steps on his foot to stop any Lucha things, and mollywops him. Jake runs him corner to corner until Laredo moves, strings a few moves together, tries to fly and then gets knocked out of the sky with a Forearm. Only a two count for Jake, but Laredo is definitely doing his best impression of a pinata so far in the match. Laredo gets a desperation Satellite DDT, misses his big attempt, but Jake misses the Spear in the corner, La Magistral gets a 2, a few bad spots from Laredo where it looks like he missed a Satellite Facebuster and sloppy Essex or Canadian Destroyer. Laredo goes to the top, Jake bear paw slap, goes up top and Avalanche Something Bomb for the win.

The Hardys vs Ohio Versus Frankenstein (Sami Callihan & PCO)

Before the Hardys intro, the 23 thing flashes a few times again. So at least they didn’t forget that.

Sami starts with Jeff and gets in a few early shots and goads Jeff with Hardys taunts, then all four get in, throw hands and we go to commercial. We come back from commercial to Matt Delete Turnbuckling Sami, and then Poetry In Motion the classic way! A few quick tags, but Sami eventually knocks down Matt, tags in PCO, Matt’s moves aren’t very effective, Jeff throws himself in too and they get their asses beat by PCO. PCO tags in Sami, Sami slaps around Matt, drags his face across the ropes, tags PCO back in and uses PCO as a battering ram into Matt’s chest. PCO keeps Matt in their corner, tags back in Sami, some simple tandem work and a short 2 count for Sami. Sami calls PCO back in and they’re formulating a tag move, they try the Double Back Drop, but Matt turns it into a Double DDT instead.

Jeff tries to fight them both off, Sami grabs Jeff, PCO goes for the Lariat, malfunction at the junction, Whisper in the Wind mostly hits PCO so Jeff Splashes Sami. Twist of Hate, Twist of Fate, Swanton Bomb from Jeff and the Hardy Boys win!

Before the obligatory contract signing on the Go Home before a PPV, Jordynne walks over to the announce table with the contract for her match with Tessa. Says she’ll leave it with them so she can’t miss it, but hey, “if she doesn’t show up at Genesis it wouldn’t be the first time”. That’s funny. 

Joe starts the promo saying he has to win, but its on him to take the title from Nic. There’s an intensity, so it’s not all cornball jokes and shenanigans. That’s kinda nice to start with. Nic takes the babyface angle of “you’re not wrong but I don’t think you’re ready yet kid”. Then he plays the JBL clip from Bound for Glory. Nic tries to use the video to clear his name because Ryan got attacked too. Joe is about to poke a hole in the defense but then Hollywood Abyss Mokuba shows up. “MY BROTHER SETO” Ryan interferes, Nic tries to stop the stupidity but Ryan plows through is about to eat a Standing Ovation but Nic Superkicks Joe to save Mokuba. Nic does stand there as the crowd chants “kick your brother”, but Nic doesn’t pull the trigger but you can tell he’s contemplating. 

OH! Sexy Tessy shows up, signs the contract but Jordynne was waiting for her and leaves Tessa laying with a Grace Driver and solid intensity. Okay most of the show was kinda mid but the ending was pretty solid.

Overall Score: 6.25/10

As I said at the very end, most of this show was mid…or mediocre for the older crowd. Indie Spotfest Dumbassery to kick off the show, a few segments that made me question if I was tasting pennies, a decent match with First Class, the stalled push never relevant squad match between Jake and Laredo, and at least the main event match was fun.

The video packages always feel lackluster because the only people really watching TNA currently are hardcore fans. I never really see too many people pull the whole “whoa first TNA episode in 11 years and I decided on the random Go Home instead of the first live episode since 2015”. See, this is why logic matters in booking. WWE gets to have the mentality of “it could be someone’s first time watching it” every week because they the biggest show in town. The name alone will garner random views or transient lapsed fans if they get a whiff of something. However when it comes down to TNA, people are only surprised its still alive.

Even with many questionable hours it wasn’t terrible. It did fine…plus like I just said, there’s opportunity for more random eyes thanks to the WWE merger AND a live episode next week. So the Go Home format won’t change, but hopefully the exposure gives us more congruent storylines.