Impact Wrestling 4/15/2021

Impact Wrestling 4/15/2021

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2021/04/impact-wrestling-482021.html

This is Impact's first night on Thursdays.

TJP vs Josh Alexander

They do a knuckle lock and fight for position. Josh bridges and TJP climbs on top of him. TJP does a nice armdrag and Josh headscissors him. TJP handstands to get out of it and rolls him with a bow and arrow. TJP  puts him in the hammerlock and headstands.

Josh german suplexes TJP and TJP is whipped down from the electric chair position. They trade hard chops in the corner and Josh traps him with the gory special. TJP tries a dropkick to the apron from the inside but is caught with an ankle lock. Josh tries to crossbody his back as he sits on the apron and TJP turns it into a triangle, then is slammed on the apron.

Josh climbs the ropes with TJP on his back. TJP gets out and superplexes him, then holds on and fails on another octopus attempt as he is put into a Josh ankle lock. TJP high kicks him then facewashes him. TJP does a rolling armbar and Josh turns it into a ankle lock. TJP then goes back to the armbar.

TJP backdrops him but Josh moves for the frog splash. TJP then ankle locks him. They continue to reverse each other then Josh wins with the double arm hooked piledriver. This was a very strong match with some awesome counter wrestling. These two always work so well together and the match made a lot of sense.

Crazzy Steve with Decay vs Karl Anderson

Karl attacks him to start. We go to a long break with Karl still in control whne we return. Steve ocmes back with a neck twist then basement flatiners him. Steve headscissors him over the top rope then is caught with a spinebuster for the win. We missed so much of thise due to the break that it is hard to even rate it.

We cut to Swinger's Palace. Ace Austin and Fulton head there with Alisha already there.  Ace is told his odds for retaining the title at the PPV aren't good. TJP then comes in and he is the odds on favorite. Josh Alexander then joins the party. Petey Williams then pops in and does a Scott Steiner math promo which was really funny. Josh then says he likes his odds as Petey put him over in the Steiner math parody and Swinger says he will be called the "Million Dollar Swingman" as we go to break.

We return from break and Eddie Edwards and Willie Mack are in the ring. Eddie says they lost to VBD at Hardcore Justice and says it happens. They brought up how VBD jumped tommy Dreamer and took him out of the match at Hardcore Justice. Eddie says when you mess with Dreamer, you are messing with Eddie, Mack and Swann. He said they don't want a rematch, they want a fight and tell EY to come take a whooping like a man.

Violent By Design then comes out. EY says what they did to Dreamer was beautiful. EY says he enjoyed it. He said he isn't a liar but says VBD had nothing to do with the attack on Dreamer. Eddie and Mack say they want a fight either way.

VBD goes to attack 3v2 then Storm and Sabin come out to help. VBD runs. Storm says they run when the numbers aren't in their favor and challenges them for Rebellion.

Susan and Deonna talk in the back. They go up to Scott D'Amore. Scott tells them to stay away from Jazz's retirement speech tonight but Deonna says she wasn't planning on getitng involved anyway.

Tenille Dashwood hosts "It's All About Me". She has guests come in to ask her questions. Gia Miller the interviewer is the host tonight. Tenille says she is good at everything and she can't help but win the knockouts title at the PPV. She said she started the women's revolution. Gia tries to end the show as she is the host but Tenille says she is the host instead. This was confusing, weird and bad.

Jazz's Retirement Ceremony

Jordynne Grace accompanies Jazz. She said she was hoping for one more title run but that didn't happen.  She says Deonna is the present and future of women's wrestling. She thanks Grace for letting her tag with her. She said Grace's future was bright. She said she has gone out with a bang and then Fire n Flava comes out. Tasha has tissues and is pretending to cry and Kiera says it is about time she retired.

Kiera says jazz needs to go to the retirement home and says good riddance. The heels said they'd like to beat Jazz one more time before she leaves but they don't have time. The ref then comes behind them and says "you've got a match" and we are on.

Jazz and Jordynne Grace vs Fire n Flava

The faces get the advantage early and Grace vader bombs Steelz. Jazz hits a nice punch on Hogan then sit out drivers her for a quick win.

Jazz gets on the mic after. She says she is retiring and the whole roster comes out for her. She thanks them for the support. Well, that was a nice moment but I was really expecting something else since they had the heels interrupt. I assume that wasn't the end, but we will see.

Fire n Flava yell at Scott D'Amore in the back. Scott calls them disrespectful and tells them to put the tag titles on the line with Grace and Jazz. Steelz says okay.

Jazz and Grace then go up to Scott. Jazz says she will honor the stipulations and is done. Jazz says Jordan can be in the match though and she has a person to take her place. Scott agrees.

Pick Your Poison Match - Brian Myers vs Jake Something

Matt Cardon gets to pick the opponent here and picks Jake Something. Jake fought Brian at the PPV and won after shenanigans from Matt. Jake does a nice body block early. Jake hits some forearms and a hard corner spear.

Jake chases Brian around the ring and gets hit with a big lariat for the Brian Myers win out of nowhere. Brian gets on the mic after. He says it's hard to see with the eye patch, but harder to see in the dark. The lights go out and Sami Callihan nails Matt Cardona in the back.

Pick Your Poison Match - Sami Callihan vs Matt Cardona

Brian Myers got to pick the opponent here. We return to break and see Sami in control choking Matt. Matt does his jumping legrdrop for 2. Sami hits a big clothesline. Matt chases Sami outside and neckbreakers him on the floor. Sami tries to chop him near the post, but just gets the post. Sami is then russian legsweeped into the rails.

Matt tries to crossbody him but takes a wild bump over the top to the floor. They punch each other on the floor and Matt takes an exploder on the floor. We go to break and return with Sami having Matt in a sleeper.

Matt missile dropkicks Sami from the 2nd rope then facewash kicks him for 2. Matt slices Sami from the reverse ddt position for 2. Matt goes for his jumping legdrop but is slammed down. Sami grabs his leg for a backdrop for 2. Matt top rope hurricanrana's Sami.

Sami puts the ref in the way and thumbs Matt in the eye before winning it with a package piledriver. Sami then pulls off his bloody fingernail. They did too much here with all the floor moves that didn't end up meaning too much.

Sami gets on the mic after and said he just took care of that piece of trash. He calls out Trey Miguel. Sami says he is proud of Trey for showing passion at Hardcore Justice. Trey said he doesn't need Sami to validate his passion. He said he didn't try to help out Sami last week either, as he had an issue with XXXL.

Sami said didn't it feel good to get revenge? He says if he mentors him, he can teach him to use that rage he has. He tells him to shake his hand and join forces with him. Trey says no. Sami says Trey should thank him as he got to be on Hardcore Justice because of him. Sami says he took out Tommy Dreamer to get him on the show and tells him to shake his hand again. Trey then pounds on him and Sami low blows him. He then lariated him. He tells Sami to come on then Sami chairs him and throws the chair in and nails him accidentally. Sami then exploders him onto a chair that is sitting out. Sami leaves but Trey is starting to get up.

This was a cool angle due to Sami being the one who attacked Dreamer. It's a surprising twist that made sense.

FinnJuice do a promo. They said they like seeing The Good Brothers struggle. They said they proved they were the better team and will prove it again at the Rebellion PPV.

Rich Swann vs Kenny Omega Press Conference

Tony Khan and Jerry Lynn were there for this.

Rich is asked how he will overcome adversity with Omega. He says he has been dealing with adversity his whole life. Tony Khan says Kenny will win the match and says they can accomodate the schedule that comes with being a double champ. D'Amore says he will make sure there is a winner. Tony says there has never been a "non-finish" and will bring an AEW ref. Omega and Callis arrive late.

Don is asked when he will stop playing sides, being both with TNA and Omega. Don says Rich is a great champ and has advocated for him. He says Kenny is his family.

Kenny then talks. He said he has done a lot of these press conferences and says it is just another day for him. He says Rich is nervous and scared since he never had to deal with this before. He says he is wearing a bargain bin outfit. He says he was put here to change the world but Rich is just here because he likes wrestling. Kenny says Rich doesn't belong on this stage. He said Rich is taking part in history and he better bring his A-game. Kenny offers to shake his hand but slaps him then they fight. The belts all get knocked over as we end the show.

Overall thoughts: This was a good show overall with TJP/Alexander being good and Jazz's segment and Sami's segment being good.