TNA Impact 2/22/2024

TNA Impact 2/22/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/02/tna-impact-2152024.html 

Chris Sabin vs Jason Hotch

John Skyler, who is with Hotch, tells the ring announcer to shut up. He said Sabin is the embodiment of the X-Division. He said history will be made when Sabin loses his x-title for the 10th times. He said he will get a beating tonight from these good hands.

Jason rolls out of a wristlock then Sabin does as well. Sabin armdrags him and armlocks him. Jason corner forearms him. Sabin goes up and over then backslides him. Savin 2nd rope sunset flips him then atomic drops him. Sabin hits a russian legsweep and Jason grabs the ropes to get a breather.

Sabin is pulled down over the top and Jason chops him outside. Jason misses a chop and hits the post. Sabin bangs Jason's hand off the apron then PK's him from the apron. Sabin top rope crossbodies him for 2 then Jason does an over back neckbreaker on the knee. Jason tries mounted punches and chops but can't because of his injured hand.

Hotch rolls into a neckbreaker on Sabin for 2. Hotch cranks Sabin's neck then straightjacket chokes him. Sabin armdrags and leg lariats him. Hotch takes a big back body drop.

Sabin face kicks him in the corner then jumps off the 2nd rope with a tornado ddt for 2. Hotch hits a chaos theory german on Sabin. Sabin flips out of a reverse ddt then they roll into pin attempts. Hotch superkicks him  and Sabin is sent over the top. Skylar punches Sabin outside then Hotch topes him when Sabin moves. Sabin plancha's Hotch outside then missile dropkicks him in the neck. Sabin hits a cradle shock on Hotch and wins it.

I would have liked to have seen more focus on the hand and maybe a few minutes cut from this but it was okay otherwise. I liked Hotch's selling of the hand.

We get a Mustafa Ali promo. He talks about Chris Sabin and said while he won the x-title 10 times, he lost it 9 times. He said he is cracking under pressure and leaving fans without a leader. Ali says he's a visionary and a generational talent. Ali said TNA must embrace change at No Surrender and said he approves this message.

The System do a promo. They say The System works and says their opponents are in trouble tonight. Moose says Alex Shelley gets the beatdown of a lifetime at No Surrender. Moose says not to throw the towel in during the no surrender match and says they know how no disqualification works. Santino Marella walks in. He said if The System gets involved and lays a hand on Shelley, Moose loses the title. Santino said Shelley will be DQ'd if his friends get involved too.

Chris Sabin does a promo. He said he was excited when he heard Mustafa Ali was coming. He said he doesn't know who he thinks he is. He said he will find out why Sabin is a 10x champ and why he's Chris Sabin, b!tch.

Simon Gotch vs Jack Price

 

Josh Alexander comes out before this starts. Gotch mockingly claps for him as Josh goes to do commentary.

Goch takes Price down then kicks him in the back. He euros him as he hangs on the apron then sentons him there. Gotch euros him in the back of the neck then dropkicks him through the ropes, sending him off the apron. Gotch euros him on the floor.

Gotch euros him in the back of the neck and hits him in the back of the neck. Gotch rams his neck into the buckles then superplexes him. Gotch hits a Gotch style piledriver then taps him out with a bulldog choke.

It was a quick squash. I liked Price's bump to the floor here.

Josh goes to help Price after when Gotch won't let go of the hold.  They stare down.

The Grizzled Young Veteran's do a promo. They said they came here to fight the best teams in the world and because they need to be tag champs. Gibson said the story between them and ABC ends one way. Gibson said they have never been in water this deep and will be dragged even deeper. He says they will be the new tag champs. Drake said they will rip Ace's shoulder out if they have to and tear Bey's head off if they have to. They tell them to grit their teeth when they see them coming.

We see clips of Violent By Design's breakup then the fighting between Kon and PCO.

Trent Seven vs Steve Maclin

Steve back elbows him then headlock takeovers him. Steve shoulders him over then Trent crossbodies him. Trent slams him and legdrops him. Trent hits chops on Steve in the corner then hiptosses him. Steve short arm lariats Trent then suplexes him and floats over on it. Steve 2nd rope elbow drops him for 2. Steve drops Trent with a forearm and hits chops.

We go to PiP break and return. Trent hits chops then lariats him off the ropes. Steve kneedrops him on his back and pulls on his chin. Steve uranage backbreakers him then gets caught up top. Trent superplexes him. They trade shots and Trent ddt's him. Trent misses a lariat to knock Steve over the top but Steve goes anyway. The Rascalz get in Trent's face outside then Mike Bailey triangle moonsaults them. Trent then top rope corkscrew dives outside. Trent hits a seven star lariat for 2.

Trent hits an emerald flowsion on Steve for 2. Trent chops Steve's back. Trey Miguel gets on the apron and is knocked down then Wentz is thrown out. Steve flying knees Trent then spears him while he's in tree of woe. Steve hits a double underhook ddt and wins it.

I thought it ran longer than it needed to and wasn't that great. The interference didn't help things. Half this match was spent on chops and I didn't like the emerald flowsion kick out.

Eric Young is headed to the ring.

Mike Bailey and Trent Seven do a promo on The Rascalz. Mike says it's about coming into the ring and coming out stronger or reaching the top of the mountain. Trent says they invite The Rascalz to meet them at the peak of Speedball Mountain tomorrow and see who comes out up top or at the avalanche of failure.

Eric Young is in the ring. Frankie Kazarian comes out. He said he doesn't know what he expected and asked if he wanted a verbal debate. Kaz said he doesn't get to decide when they wrestle, only Kaz does. Kaz says he's not in the mood. He said when you have been around as long as he has, you have ghosts in your past. He then says he will introduce him to one of his ghosts. He then brings out Big Damo.

Eric Young vs Big Damo

Damo throws him in the corner and splashes him. EY flips out of the corner and hits him. Damo flying crossbodies him then lariats him in the corner. Damo slingshot swantons him for 2. Damo legdrops him for 2 then bow and arrows him. Damo running back elbows him then corner splashes him. EY flying forearms him and lariats him. EY hits a death valley driver for 2. Damo spinesbusters him and drops a big elbow.

EY superplexes him then drops him on his chest and gut with a piledriver. EY gets the win.

It's a shame this story was wasted here. They could have gotten a lot more out of it if they wanted to. Instead it was just a throwaway with no build. I didn't EY throwing Damo around so much and not respecting his size more.

EY tells Kaz he doesn't understand what's going on or going through Kaz's mind. He said he's sure what's going on his mind though. He said it won't end well for Kaz. He tells him to get a scarf and matching shoes and bring himself to No Surrender.

Tasha Steelz does a promo on Xia Brookside. She said she beat her but Xia wants a rubber match. She said she will have to make an example of her like she had to women in the past. She said this is her division and is the flava decision.

Jody Threat goes up to Dani Luna. They say they are the top of the pile and said they worked for everything they had. She said they are waiting on whoever wins the Knockout Tag Title match at No Surrender.

Ash By Elegance vs Savannah Thorne

 

Ash's hypeman kicks the other people out of the ring and brings her out.

Ashe shoulders her over and bangs her head off the buckles. She hits a forearm flurry then a boot flurry to the gut. Ash hits wasteland then does a handstand into an elbow drop. Ash hits mounted forearms. Ash then handstands and foot chokes her. Ash handspring back elbows her and hits a top rope swanton to win it.

It was a total squash here. Ash did fine in her debut busting out some things he didn't do in the WWE and showing some aggression. I was disappointed Thorne didn't get anything in again as I'd like to see if she's any good or not.

The System head to the ring. 

Ash's hypeman says she has left the building.

The System (Moose, Brian Myers and Eddie Edwards) vs Kevin Knight, KUSHIDA and Alex Shelley

 

It took two commercial breaks to get through the entrances for this.

Moose misses a shot and Alex goes for the fujiwara armbar. Moose hits corner spears then goes into the buckles. Alex then knocks him into the buckles. Alex works the arm. Brian comes in and Alex trips him, then works his arm. Kevin continues the work on Brian's arm then double knee drops it. Kevin armdrags him.

Kush bangs Eddie's arm over his shoulder then Eddie eye rakes him. Kevin hits a nice dropkick on Eddie then springboard twisting crossbodies Brian. Kevin splashes Eddie's back.

Kevin hits Eddie with euros then battering rams him while he's seated. Eddie has both arms worked on at the same time. Kush hits shots Moose and then is pump kicked off the apron to the floor. We go to PiP break and return.

Kush makes his comeback, sending Brian and Eddie out while hitting a doublt boot on Moose. Kush goes for the tag but both of his partners are pulled off the apron at the same time. Brian chokes Kush on the ropes then Alisha slaps and chokes Kushida.

Kush baseball punches Moose then tags in Alex. Brian is tagged in as well and takes a flatliner on the middle buckle. Alex rolls up Brian then border city stretches him. Alisha gets on the apron and Eddie breaks it up. Eddie is tripped onto Brian and Alex does a submission on both at the same time. Alex baseball slides Moose outside then Alex armbreakers Eddie and Brian at the same time.

Kush and Eddie trade forearms and Kush flying back elbows him. Kushida hits la silla off th apron onto Brian. Eddie takes a top rope moonsault + neckbreaker combo for 2. Kush pele kicks Eddie and Eddie running knees him. Moose pops up Kevin and is dropkicked. Moose gets on the 2nd rope and Kevin jumping hurricanrana's him down. Kevin lariats Moose. Moose goes out then Kevin tope con hilos on him. Moose catches him and Kevin hurricanrana's him on the floor. Kevin is then popped up outside and lariats Eddie.

Kevin jumps off of Kush's back and dives onto his opponents outside. Kevin springboards and rolls up Moose for 2 then sunset bombs him for 2. Brian takes a double team sequence and is dropkicked in the face off of it. Alex and Kush plancha outside.

Kevin sunset flips Moose and superkicks him when he rolls through. Alisha gets on the apron and Kevin tries not to hit her. Moose then rolling spears Kevin and wins it.

It was a good tag that got enough time and had some different and creative moves than usual that made it better.

The 6 fight after. Alex border city stretches Moose but Brian and Eddie save Moose. Alex then grabs the title and poses with it while looking at Moose.

Overall thoughts: As I always say, a good main helps the rest of the show out and it did here. I liked the main and I thought Ash had a good debut. The opener was okay but the rest wasn't that great. I'd say it was slightly good.