Andrew’s TNA iMPACT! Results & Match Ratings: 5.21.2026

While I was heavily underwhelmed with Fabian Aichner’s end of show debut, there’s still things to be excited for on this show. Steve Maclin gets the concussion rematch for the TNA World title and Starboy answers Mustafa Ali’s International Championship Open Challenge.

Now if we can just get Ricky Sosa back consistently and maybe have the AJ Francis win over KC Navarro actually go somewhere, that would be nice. Time to see what we got to deal with tonight!

Ratings:

• Elayna Black vs Indi Hartwell: Indi wins via DQ – * 1/2
• Vincent w/Dutch vs Broken Matt Hardy w/Brother Nero: Matt wins via Twist of Fate – ***
• International Championship Open Challenge: Chazz Starboy Hall vs Mustafa Ali (c): Ali retains via Jacknife Backslide – *** 1/4
• Jada Stone vs Xia Brookside: Xia wins via Darkside – *** 1/4
• TNA World Championship Match: Mike Santana (c) vs Steve Maclin: Santana retains via Spin the Block – **** 1/4

Results:

The System comes out with all their arrogant swagger since they hold the Tag Team titles and X Division title now. Cedric Alexander, the record taker! Myers puts Eddie over as the uncrowned World Champ and future Hall of Famer…where at least half of that is true. Cedric talks a little smack to Leon but calls out Aichner. Fabian walks out, makes a typical new hire comment about working to beat the best and become champ. At least the brawl was cool, but Aichner does nothing for me aside from remind me of an Italian Johnny Sins.

Elayna Black vs Indi Hartwell

Elayna has started to win me over a little more since she’s been cutting better promos and seems to wrestle a little better. Oh, Arianna and Stacks are canoodling at commentary, this doesn’t seem suspicious…nooo.

 They tie up, Elayna pushes Indi into the corner but she shoves Elayna out with quick power and Elayna continues to try offense but Indi is handling her easily while staring down Arianna. Elayna gets hung up in the ropes, eats a Knee Lift, Indi takes her to the corner for 10 Count Punches  but Elayna shoves her off the buckles and makes Indi crash to the floor. Elayna continues to the punishment into Indi’s back, smashes her face into the floor just for good measure and then rope assisted Stomps Indi’s back for a near fall. Indi tries to fire up but Elayna puts the breaks on it and a Running Knee levels Indi.

After a few more strikes, Indi fires, Face Smash, Forearm, Indi goes to the top but Stacks and Arianna get off of commentary and attack Indi. The referee ends the match because it’s not subtle, just a beatdown and Arianna chucks Indi out of the ring.

Arianna starts cutting a promo afterwards but the crowd is booing her and she reacts well to it. She tries to start her promo again and Santino’s music hits. Santino calls her a stinky little brat who should be grounded. Stupid Face Stacks is to blame. Santino is going to Cobra him, but Daria comes out to cut him off. Daria even insults Judo but alludes to Santino making a legit match against Stacks. 

.@WeAreRosemary, Allie and @itsmarasade leave an ominous message for The Elegance Brand. #TNAiMPACT @justmaggielee @Heathereckless @AJZiggy1818 @IamGeorgeIceman pic.twitter.com/GdUvJ9lrJ2

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) May 22, 2026

I will say again, I love Maggie Lee, she’s doing great work in this terrible gimmick, but the Elegance Brand is awful. 

Vincent w/Dutch vs Broken Matt Hardy w/Brother Nero

Apparently Dutch and Jeff will be handcuffed to the posts? This can’t go poorly…of course not.

Matt drives Vincent into the corner growling and chomping at him, then biting him as Vincent tries to powder but gets jettisoned from the apron. Matt follows like an idiot, so Vincent turns it around back in the ring, Sliced Bread attempt, but Matt stops it. As the referee gets distracted by Vincent, Dutch trips Matt because being handcuffed to the posts is stupid.  Vincent continues instigated, including messing with Jeff on the outside, but we go to commercial.

We come back to Matt tryin to rally against Vincent, it becomes a strike exchange. Vincent tries to snap off a DDT to stop Matt, but he sits up Undertaker style and gives Vincent the Delete Head Smashes int he corners, into a pull-out Sitout Powerbomb for two! Vincent assumes the Up and Over will work, acts like he’s hurt his ankle so the referee stops Matt from continuing. It’s all a ruse, Vincent tries to use the boot to hit Matt but Matt ducks, charging Lariat, Snapmare and Delete chants begin. Vincent tries a Roll-Up with some assistance from Dutch but not enough. Crossbody from Vincent keeps Matt down, Vincent climbs the corner but Matt gets up quick enough, bites his finger, Whips him down from the buckles, tries the Twist of Fate but gets shoved into the referee! Ref Bump into Vincent hitting a Back Body Drop. Vincent grabs the key from the refs pocket, but the lights go out. WILLOW THE WISP! Takes out Vincent with a Baseball Bat! Lights off, back on, Twist of Fate and Matt wins!

Daria makes the Santino versus Stacks match a thing for next week. 

International Championship Open Challenge: Chazz Starboy Hall vs Mustafa Ali (c)

Ali grabs a quick Headlock and they do the rope run back and forth, Ali does a bridge out and tries to mock, but they continue, then Starboy does the same to Ali but sits on him being funny. Ali makes him pay a little, but a Leap Frog Back Flip into a Jumping Spin Kick, then a Wrist Control Corkscrew Takeover into a Fosbury Flop! Skyler gets involved to distract Starboy and Ali pulls him into a Cutter for a two count. Ali perches Starboy on the corner, looks for an Avalanche Outsider’s Edge but Starboy with the Counter Frankensteiner sends Ali crashing. Triangle Headscissors from Starboy into a Moonsault Satellite DDT into the Cosmic Swirl! Only a two count, but he’s looking good.

Shiranui attempt but Ali stops it, Bell Clap from Ali, and then Ali catches Starboy mid Back Handspring into a Jacknife Backslide for the pinfall!

Mara Sade approaches Keith Jardine to be in her corner during the Champion’s Challenge next week since they have an Albuquerque Connection. Jardine agrees to play neutralizer on Mr. Elegance if necessary.

.@TheEricYoung has a message for @SteveMaclin ahead of tonight's World Title main event. #TNAiMPACT pic.twitter.com/H961PC7tmG

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) May 22, 2026

Jada Stone vs Xia Brookside

Xia shoves Jada into the corner and chokes her for a 2 count before breaking. Jada wrestling Xia to the ground and then goes for an Arm Twist Crucifix cradle for an early two and Xia powders to collect herself. Xia just shoots and grabs Jada’s leg forcing Jada to crawl to the ropes for a fast break. Jada has Xia in an Arm Wringer, Xia uses the rope to break it World of Sport style but Jada flips out of Xia’s attempts, which annoys Xia and then Jada connects on some quick kicks and offense. When she heads to the corner, Xia grabs her, pulls her down to the mat and drives the Elbows into the hamstring a few times before twisting the bad leg into the ropes and then Dropkicking the leg. Xia applies an Indian Deathlock and keeps focusing the injured leg. She smacks Jada around a bit, and is just dissecting her. Xia Sabre Jr at work.

Jada tries to fire back out while selling the leg, pushing through for some Lariats, kicks, wants the Split Legged Moonsault and hits it! Only a two count though. Jada tries to lift Xia, but the leg gives out repeatedly. Xia gets a little arrogant and eats a Codebreaker, Jada tries the Spark Stunner, but Xia just kicks the bad leg out from under her and then hits her Implant DDT she calls Darkside.

TNA World Championship Match: Mike Santana (c) vs Steve Maclin

Entrances start with 26 minutes left in the show, so we might get a real PPV level match.

Bell rings, they stare at each other a few seconds, Hockey Fight start, same sequence with the Sole Butt, Forearm Rush, Santana throws the Superkick again but Maclin dodges it and they smirk at each other. A few more shared strikes, Maclin chops Mike, Mike smiles, they keep throwing at each other and having fun. Mike tries to Leap Frog but Maclin stops short, Mike falls back, kicks off of Steve and they run a bit more. Chop from Mike into a Side Slam and Senton, Maclin powders to collect himself. Mike wants a Dive, but Maclin walks away so Mike puts on the brakes. As Maclin is pacing, Mike climbs the buckles and flies into Mac, then plays with the crowd.

After a few seconds of energy, Maclin catches Mike with the Knee Lift, bounces his face off the post twice and grabs a table. The crowd pops for the table, and he actually sets the table up. Mike catches him with a Chop to cut him off, bounces Maclin’s face off the table. Santana runs up and jumps off the steps, but Maclin dodges. Mike is hobbled and Maclin Chop Blocks directly into the new injury! They brawl back into the ring, Maclin hangs up Mike in the ropes after the Stun Gun, Dropkicks him out of the ring and Mike crumples like a bag of trash. Mac follows out, uses the steps and also his own knee to inflict punishment to the new injury. Stump Puller from Maclin, as he talks crap to Carlos Silva before resetting the count. He throws Mike back in, goes for the cover, but Mike kicks out at one. Elbows into the injured leg, another Stump Puller, Knee Bar, Toe Loop and then Mike starts firing up but Santana’s leg buckles again and a Low Dropkick jumps on the injury.

Maclin ties up Mike in the corner, a few strikes to the knee before a running Dropkick into the bad leg. Figure Four from Maclin to keep pressure on the bad leg. Mike flips the Figure Four and Maclin gets to the ropes to break it. After a few seconds to get up, Mac charges but Santana catches him with the Back Elbow, Three Amigos gets blocked after two! Maclin tries a few things but Santana has a counter of his own as he snaps off a Spicolli Driver! Standing 10 count, they get up around 7, Fighting Spirit spot, Mac Whips Mike into the corner, but Mike catches the boot, Enzuigiri. More counters, Rolling Buck Fifty gets met with a Clubbing Forearm. Caught in the Crosshairs gets countered and Mike finally hits the Rolling Buck Fifty but it’s only a two count!

Santana wants a Powerbomb, but Maclin blocks it, ducks the Enzuigiri, eats a Pop-Up Powerbomb and Blue Thunder Bomb! Maclin manages to kick out! Mike signals for the STB, Maclin catches it, Back Elbow, Olympic Slam into the Mayhem For All! Only two count!  Maclin clubs Santana in the corner, Tree of Woe, Caught in the Crosshairs! Only two again! Maclin points to the table and grabs Santana. He wants the Superplex, Mike is trying to fight him off. Headbutt from Mac, Superkick from Santana and Maclin falls through the table! Santana hits the Frog Splash! Mac kicks out at two!

Mike is positioned for STB, Maclin collapses before the Spin the Block connects, harkening to Omega and Okada. Maclin baited him in though! Maclin snaps off a Super Kick for two! Maclin tries KIA but Santana counters it, rope run, Flying Lariat and Spin the Block! Mike Santana retains!

Overall Score: 7.25/10

Lots of solid wrestling on today’s show, with some fun wrinkles and the only dip in quality just being the fact that the Elegance Brand is too stupid anymore. I didn’t mind when they were just mean girls, but then the entire search for Mr. Elegance and his addition, have made them insufferable. Demon and Bunny need to take the belts off of them as fast as possible and get that faction to disband. Maggie needs to be pushed outside of this cringe comedy act.

Broken shenanigans are always entertaining, Starboy looked good even though it was a short match and Xia Sabre Jr is great. This darker more methodical side of her is awesome. Plus the main event really performed. While I wouldn’t say it was better than Cedric and Leon, it was still REALLY damn good, and the fact the opening sequence was the exact one from Sacrifice is classic psychology. While I would’ve preferred Maclin to win, I do enjoy Santana, so no argument there. Plus if Mike were to lose the title, it makes more sense at a bigger show than a taped TV.

Can’t be mad though, this might’ve been the most consistent TV episode in terms of in-ring wrestling during this AMC era.