TNA Impact 2/29/2024
Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/02/tna-impact-2222024.html
Mike Bailey vs Steve Maclin
Mike cradles him early then hits a kick combo with an enzugiri at the end. Steve goes outside and they trade shots there. They nearly get counted out, go back in together and Mike is lariated over the top. Mike then gets clipped by The Rascalz outside.
Steve works on Mike's leg. Steve kicks the leg and Mike goes for a crane kick out of it. Mike is put into a split and is forearmed. Mike is in tree of woe and gets stomped. Mike corkscrew dives on Steve outside.
They trade on the apron then Mike is lariated back into the ring. Steve ends up on the apron then Mike misses a moonsault double knee there. Steve then spears him off the apron. Steve misses a top rope knee drop then hits sitout tombstone on Mike for 2.
Mike rolls him up for 2 then pump kicks him. Mike superkicks him then Steve blocks his tornado kick. Steve buckle bombs him then Mike poisonrana's him out of the electric chair position. Mike misses the ultimate weapon off the top then northern lights suplexes him for 2. Steve holds onto him and hits a nasty double underhook ddt right on the head. Steve then picks up the win.
The leg work early on went nowhere then they did some big moves before the finish. It kept my interest but wasn't that great of a match.
Steve Maclin does a promo after. He says this is what he does best. He said he continues to stack body after body and take people out. Steve asks where Nic Nemeth is. Nic then does a video on the tron that is obviously taped, but I don't know if we are supposed to think that or not. Nic says he's not kicking his @ss because he's in Japan and the new IWGP Global Champ. He said he will be back in TNA at Sacrifice and challenges him for that show.
Frankie Kazarian is trying to get in the building. Gia Miller tells him he is suspended. Kaz says he will leave but says he has a message for Santino. He says to ask him if he really thinks this is the right thing to do.
Laredo Kid vs Jake Something
Jake pushes him over then Kid hits kicks to the leg. Kid flying headscissors him then headflips up. Kid jumps out and has his hurricanrana turned into a sitout powerbomb on the floor. Jake throws him in, of course for only a 2 count. Jake knocks him down with a forearm then Kid superkicks him.
Jake spears the buckle when Kid moves then Kid top rope dropkicks him. Kid running forearms him then does a canadian destroyer style ddt to him for 2. Kid superkicks him in the head then 2nd rope moonsaults him for 2. Kid rolls him up with the tights for 2 then Jake hits a black hole slam for the win.
It was short and I hated it with people kicking out of powerbombs on the floor and canadian destroyer ddt's.
Sound Check with Alan Angels
Alan interviews Kon. He says he has the best security money can buy. Alan says "big bros proud of you, dude". Kon says he doesn't need anyone to lead him anywhere and goes anywhere he wants. He tells him to watch his mouth. Alan tries to back down. Kon says he's the baddest man in TNA and says PCO may still be dead. The lights go out, PCO appears and PCO pushes Alan away. PCO and Kon then go to fight as the camera cuts.
Deaner and AJ Francis vs Rich Swann and Joe Hendry
Joe says it's AJ's TNA in-ring debut tonight. He says they haven't always gotten along and says AJ's family and friends are watching. He says the pressure is running high and says the last thing AJ wants to do is flop. Joe says he wants the crowd not to chant AJ sucks. He said the crowd loves to chant "we believe" and says what they believe in is Joe Hendry.
AJ wants Joe then forearms him off the apron. Joe gets back in then AJ tags out. Deaner grabs Swann and we go to PiP break. We return and Deaner takes a double back elbow. Joe superkicks him in the knee then hits chops. Joe spins and squats before suplexing him. Joe then knocks AJ off the apron.
Deaner hits Joe from behind then runs him into a big AJ shoulderblock. AJ running knees Joe then somehow goes over the top and lands on his feet off of it. Deaner foot chokes Joe then Joe is sent into an AJ boot. AJ kneels on Joe on the ropes then chinlocks him.
Joe hits chops and euros on AJ then dropkicks him. Joe takes a shot to the back then ddt's AJ. Swann and Deaner are tagged in. Swann hits lariats then hits various shots and a high kick. Swann rolls into a splash on him. AJ grabs Swann by the hair then Swann hits shots on him.
AJ is pulled out by Swann then Swann cannonballs him off the apron. Swann hits a lethal injection on Deaner then Joe hits his standing ovation (spinning spinebuster) and wins it.
It was what it was. I thought they could have focused a little more in the issues between Joe and AJ here. There was nothing too special about this one.
Decay does a promo. They say patience has patience is a virtue that not everyone possesses. They said the spirits are invite for dinner at New Orleans. They hint at making a devil with the devil and said that deal will only keep them away from the tag titles for a short time.
Josh Alexander is interviewed about facing Hammerstone. he said the first match between them was hard and the next will be harder. Dirty Dango and crew walk in. Dangr tries to raise money for his wrestling school. Alexander thinks he wants a match and said he will go try to get it made. Dango says to check the email on the screen to find out where to send them money but the email isn't shown.
The Good Hands are in the ring with American flags for Mustafa Ali. They say Ali brought the change the x-division and TNA needed. Skylar forgets which state they are in, then is told it's Mississippi and goes with it. He then brings Ali out.
Mustafa Ali gets on the mic. He says "we did it" and says we accepted change and embraced the future. He says we made the x-division great again. He said we were able to do this because we believed "in Ali, we trust".
Chris Sabin then interrupts. He said they both believe in change. He said change is inspiring people to be better or that they can do great things as long as they believe in themselves. He says Ali's idea of change is all about him. He said Ali manipulates people into doing the dirty work while he takes the glory. He said he'd still be the x-division champ without The Good Hands.
Ali said nobody in the building supporting him at No Surrender. Sabin said he's not a politician. He said he respects his opinion and isn't here to debate, but to fight. He nails him then The Good Hands grab him. Kushida and Kevin Knight then come help out and beat up The Good Hands. The faces then clear the ring and destroy the decorations as Ali gets mad.
George Iceman brings out Ash by Elegance. She says she will have her 2nd match next week and says you're welcome.
Ali is mad in the back at what happened. He said Kushida/Knight/Sabin ruined everything. He said they ruined the inauguration and property funded by campaign funds. He said actions have consequences
Tasha Steelz vs Xia Brookside
They go face to face then Xia hits forearms. Xia flurries her then Tasha pump kicks her. We see Jordynne Grace watching this in the back. Tasha falcon arrows Xia for 2. Xia does a nice single leg dropkick then crossbodies her for 2. Xia dropkicks her and hits another crossbody for 2.
Tasha gets the advantage back and takes shots to the gut. Tasha clubs Xia's back then chinlocks her. Xia hits lariats then spinning headscissors her. Tasha blocks a neckbreaker and Xia uses the bottom rope to kick her in the face.
Xia knocks her off the apron with a kick and hits a stiff baseball slide outside. Xia then neckbreakers her on the floor. They fight outside and both get counted out.
The finish was lame here. It was interesting to see Xia work as a pure face here.
Jordynne Grace comes out after. She said she thinks she saw enough. She said they both want a title shot and says she will defend against them in a triple threat at the PPV.
Rhyno does a promo. He said Crazzy Steve hit him with a title and said they will fight in a no DQ match. He said he can hit him with whatever he wants and he will hit him with a gore. I'm pretty sure we saw this already.
The System vs Eric Young and ABC (Ace Austin and Chris Bey)
They tease EY vs Moose but Moose backs off and tags out. EY knocks Eddie off the apron then EY back elbows him. EY kicks him in the side of the head. Myers takes a double japanese armdrag and double basement dropkick. Bey armdrags Eddie then Eddie takes a russian legsweep and a double legdrop for 2.
EY holds Eddie's arm at The System, pretending to tag them in. Eddie takes running corner attacks then Bey spinning euros Eddie's neck. Moose chops Bey then rakes his chest. Myers chokes Bey on the ropes then Myers takes a double dropkick.
Ace throws Myers back in and is legswept by Ace on the apron. We go to PiP break and return. Myers throws Ace hard into the buckles. Moose stomps on Ace's leg. Ace fights out of the corner and high kicks Moose. Ace makes the tag but the ref doesn't see it. Moose drabs Ace into his corner and stomps him.
Ace trips Myers then spinning high kicks him. EY and Eddie get in. EY hits shots on Eddie and spinning lariats him. EY does a high death valley driver for 2. Myers is death valley drivered on Eddie for 2. Eddie and EY trade shots then Eddie eye rakes him.
EY and Eddie lariat each other down at the same time. Bey hits superkicks on Moose. Moose gets crotched on the ropes and takes a springboard kick. Bey tope con hilos Moose and is caught then powerbombed on the apron. Ace kicks Moose from the apron then Myers spears him on the apron. EY topes Myers.
Bey lariats Moose but gets nowhere with it. Bey armdrags him out of the uranage then Ace kicks Moose while using Bey. Moose takes a double spin kick to the head then Ace is lifted into a cutter on Moose. Ace hits his corkscrew headhunter for 2. Myers superkicks EY off the apron then Ace double springboard kicks Myers. Ace goes to dive but take a pump kick from Moose. Alisha distracts Bey and Moose dropkicks Bey. Bey takes a face kick > backpack stunner > top rope elbow drop and is pinned.
It was a good main. Not great or super memorable but the heels were heels and he faces did okay as the faces. The System got the win, which I thought they needed here. It was a fast paced main and the finishing sequence here was nice.
Overall thoughts: I liked the main but not much else here. I didn't think they did a good job following up on some of the PPV stuff like Kaz/EY or Alex Shelley having the towel thrown in on him. I also don't think they did a great job of building up to the next PPV, which is only 9 days away. I wouldn't recommend this one.
