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AN EXCELLENT SHOW WORTH TRACKING DOWN: IMPACT WRESTLING ON AXS TV REPORT

Note from Mike: A few weeks ago, when Impact on AXS TV taped in Atlanta, GA, my good friend Terrelder attended the taping at Center Stage and raved about how good the show was live.   This week's episode showed he was not undersellng the show.  The promotion has been in an excellent groove since hitting the ground running for next week's Slammiversary and this episode was no exception.   If you have the ability to find it after missing it airing, go our of your way to track this one down.

This week's Impact on AXS opened up with clips of everything that led us up to this week, including highlights of the excellent Scott D'Amore piece last week that we are told was actually the highest rated segment for Impact TV in a LONG time.  Go figure that one out, theoretical physicists!  

Eddie Edwards (with Alisha Edwards) vs. Frankie Kazarian

Kazarian was distracted by Alisha and attacked at the bell but he fought back.  The story of the bout was that she kept getting involved, which kept giving Edwards the advantage.  Kazaian finally came back to hit a slingshot over the ropes into a DDT and his springboard guillotine legdrop to score several two counts.  Edwards regained control but Kazarian blocked the backpack stunner.  Kazarian nailed a Tomakaze but a near fall and went for the crossface chicken wing.  Edwards escaped and they went back and forth with some nice action before Edwards nailed the Tiger Driver for another near fall.

Edwards set up for The Boston Knee Party but missed.  Kazarian locked in the chicken wing submission but Edwards distracted the official.  Edwards drive them into the official.  The battle continued.  Kazaran went to the top for the Flux Capacitor but Alisha nailed him with the Singapore Cane. Edwards nailed the Boston Knee Party and scored the pin.

Your winner, Eddie Edwards!

This was an absolutely fun and great back and forth match.

Chris Sabin cut a promo "last week' challenging Lio Rush to face him at Slammiversary.

Lio Rush cut a promo talking up the match with Sabin when Nick Aldis walked in, said they needed to win tonight and he didn't want Rush's ego to get in their way of winning.

Backstage, Kazarian challenged Edwards to face him at Slammiversary and said he'll be bringing his wife, Traci Brooks, to the PPV in order to counteract Alisa Edwards.

Rich Swann & Sami Callihan vs. Champagne Singh & Mahabali Shera

Just a spotlight for Swann and Callihan.

Backstage, Gia Miller interviewed Moose and Brian Myers, who will face Swann and Callihan next week.

They did another video package for Dirty Dango, playing up the idea he was this bitter, disenfranchised wrestler who doesn't care about anything related to wrestling.  He said the last time he watched and cared was 1998 and knocked Santino Marella and Heath Miller.

Angels (with Deaner) vs. Jonathan Gresham

Lots of good action packed into this.  Angels was having issues with Deaner, who wasn't happy Angels wasn't listening to his strategy.  Gresham is ridiculously smooth in his transitions, almost like Dean Malenko in his prime.  He dropkicked Angels to the floor.  They battled over a suplex attempt.  Angels nailed a Northern Lights suplex and they went back and forth with a series of reversals.    Gresham locked in an Octopus and forced Angels to tap.

Your winner by submission, Jonathan Gresham!

Gresham offered a handshake but Deaner demanded Angels not do it,  Angels blew him off and took the shake.  Deaner wanted Big Kon  to attack Angels but Kon instrad tried to calm the situation.

Backstage, The Rascals confronted ABC, wanting a Tag Team title bout.   If Zach Wentz can beat Chris Bey next week, they'll be added to the Slammiversary challengers.

They did a vignette where PCO freaked out Scott  D'Amore by using cables to electrocute himself (with the idea it was powering him up)

They showed a vignette from last week's Australia tour.

PCO vs.The Good Hands 

This was a spotlight for PCO.  The Good Hands said they were going to take out the monster but PCO controlled and pinned them after a moonault.

Your winner, PCO!

Jason Hotch attacked D'Amore but D'Amore came back with a sit-out powerbomb and was setting up a Canadian Destroyer when Bully Ray came out.  Steve Maclin attacked D'Amore PCO after coming through the crowd with a lot blow and then nailed Scott with a steel chair.  D'Amore was handcuffed to the ropes and beaten.  They put PCO through a table and then draggd him to the back where the idea was they used the car battery he was charging himself with earlier and poured "Battery acid" on him, then poured gasoline over his back and set him on fire.  Yes, fire.

Backstage after commercial, Gia Miller tried to find out how this would impact the tag match at Slammiversary but Scott said he didn't know or care.

Gisele Shaw (with Jai Vidal & Savannah Evans) vs. Courtney Rush (with Jessicka)

Another really good match with Rush, in this persona, playing a strong. likable babyface.  Rush was in control early but missed out on a chance to use a Sharpshooter.  She remained in control and they had nice and back forth action.  Shaw nailed a double stomp while Rush was caught in the ropes.  Vidal and Evans attacked Jessicka, distracting Rush, allowing Shaw to roll her up and hook the tights for the pin.

Your winner, Courtney Rush!

Backstage a fan asked Kenny King and wanted a photo.  They tried to slip some money in King's pants because of the Joe Hendry stripper song.  Yeah, I have THAT problem ALL the time!  King warned them not to say Hendry's name but he appeared.  Love the Hendry presentation.  King said Hendry had no backup and but Yuya Uemura showed up to another Hendry style song.  This was so fun.

The Motor City Machine Guns, Impact Wrestling Champion Alex Shelley & X-Division Champion Chris Sabin vs. Nick Aldis & Lio Rush

This was absolutely excellent and the best Aldis match in this run for Impact thus far.  No idea if Lio is signed here but man, that dude can work his ass off.  The story was Aldis' size and Rush's speed kept Sabin off balance and on the defense for a good portion of the early part of the bout.  Shelley tagged in and the Guns double teamed everyone before Aldis and Rush cut off Shelley.

After a commerical, now the Impact Champion was getting beaten down for a long time before Sabin scored the hot tag.  Sabin unleashed a  series of hot moves including several dropkicks.  He knocked Aldis to the floor.  Rush was hit with a series of double team moves, including the Magic Killer.  Rush fired back and hit a handspring kick off the ropes and hit an insane flip dive to the outside on Shelley.  Back in the ring, he scored with a series of near falls on Sabin, including a Michinoku Driver.  The Guns made a comeback and hit the Dream Sequence.  Rush hit Sabin Low and scored the pinfall while Aldis blocked Shelley from rescuing him.

Your winners, Nick Aldis and Lio Rush!

Overall, a great two hours.

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