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Add former WWE star and Lucha Underground announcer Matt Striker to the list of those working for Impact Wrestling as a Producer. He worked the TV taping Friday and last night's Cody Red iPPV. He also made appearances as an interviewer.
The original plan for last night's Code Red show in NYC main event was Brian Cage defending the Impact title against Sami Callihan, but with Cage injuring his back at the Rebellion PPV, Tommy Dreamer was placed against Callihan. Given New York is his hometown, it made sense and Dreamer did a good job of putting Callihan over, despite being (as he always is) banged up. There's no word on when Cage will return.
The big talk of the locker room over the weekend was Sabu's performance at the TV taping this past Saturday in Philly, where he was on fire and worked like it was 1995. There was a moment in the six man tag he worked where Sabu hit an insane DDT and the entire Impact locker room exploded backstage. We are told that Sabu was very emotional backstage after the match as it was in the 2300 Arena and it was the highest profile match he's had in some time. We are told Sabu is not back with Impact full-time but the door is open for future appearances.
Last night's iPPV was titled Code Red because the original plan for the United We Stand event last month over Wrestlemania weekend was for The Amazing Red to capture the X in the Ultimate X match and challenge Rich Swann for the title in his home promotion and building. Red announced on 4/1 that he has been advised by doctors that he needed to retire immediately. We are told it's a neck issue. Red was not at the show last night. Johnny Impact ended up with the Ultimate X match win instead.
Those at Impact we spoke to last night at Code Red pegged the Friday taping attendance at 350-400 (more than the estimate we received from multiple people) and Saturday at 450-500, which is about the same estimate. Code Red had in the 500-600 range last night.
Anthem Wrestling President Ed Nordholm was at all the events over the weekend and is slated for meetings in NYC this week. The company remains very positive on a new potential TV home this fall and are very much playing the long game, working on goals on where they want the company in 2-3 years, as opposed to where it will be a month from now.
Among those at the show last night were former WWE NXT star Bull James, who has dropped 30 lbs and looked great coming off his tour of DDT in Japan.
The North are really coming along as a working tag team and you can see the potential in them cast as a modern day Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson. If Impact plays their cards right, they can be a legitimate main event team to book against LAX.
Speaking of LAX, the push to sign them by Impact to a new, long-term deal continues. It was apparent last night in NYC they were the most popular act on the show and are very much in a position where it's the right time and place for them as given the nuclear arms race to sign talents right now, they will very much be in demand. Last night was very much a homecoming for them and they had a lot of family members in attendance at Code Red.
The 6/8 Philadelphia and 6/9 Long Island Impact iPPV and Twitch broadcasts are very much still House of Hardcore shows, with Impact talents appearing and Impact getting the broadcast rights for the show. They remain HOH events officially.
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