TNA Impact 2/8/2024

TNA Impact 2/8/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/02/tna-impact-212024.html 

They had a graphic up for Toby Keith, who worked with TNA during the weekly PPV days.

John Skyler gets on the mic. He said he doesn't get why Sabin is so upset. He said him and Hotch are trying to embrace the change in TNA. He said they change they want the most is Sabin losing his X-title at No Surrender. John said he will get a taste of that when he loses to him tonight.

Chris Sabin vs John Skyler

Sabin hits a punch out of the corner then John hits some shots. Sabin 2nd rope twisting crossbodies him then armlocks him. John spears him against the ropes then Sabin goes over the back and armdrags him twice. Sabin is thrown out then John pushes him into the steps from behind.

John hits a finlay roll. He comes off the 2nd rope and eats a boot then belly to belly suplexes Sabin into the buckles. John waistlocks him then throws him out. Hotch throws Sabin into the apron on the outside then John sentons Sabin.

Sabin sunset flips him but John blocks it and misses a punch. Sabin germans him then hits a ddt. Sabin does a flying kick for 2 then John slingshot spears him. Sabin face kicks him in the corner then hits a cradle shock for the win.

It was an average match. Nothing wrong with it and it was perfectly fine for an opener. We knew Sabin wasn't losing here.

Alex Shelley is interviewed. Alex says life is a risk. He said he mentored a lot of people and has been part of some great tag teams. He said The System isn't made up of team players and they seem to fight off of each other. He say she will make Eddie Edwards his voodoo doll in New Orleans. He wants Moose and Brian to feel the pain when he works Eddie's body. He said when you take out one part of The System, the rest crashes. This was a short but creative promo.

Tasha Steelz vs Xia Brookside

Tasha has a nice egyptian themed outfit and mask. Xia avoids a lariat and dropkicks her. Xia hurricanrana's her off the ropes. Xia 2nd rope crossbodies her. Tasha boots her from the ropes and bridging ddt's her. Tasha hits boots in the corner and foot chokes her.

Tasha chinlocks her and pulls her down backwards. They trade forearms to the chest then Tasha is thrown into the buckles. Xia double knees the back of her neck and hits a neckbreaker. Xia abdominal stretches her then does an octopus stretch.

Tasha spinebusters her then hits a boot out of the corner. Xia kicks her on the buckles then Tasha sunset bombs her. Tasha gets the win while holding the tights.

It was nothing special. The finish could have been hit a little cleaner here. I don't like Xia losing so early into her run here.

Ace Austin and Chris Bey talk about The Grizzled Young Veterans. They said The Vets lost on their debut and weaseled their way into another tag title opportunity. Ace said they took them to their limit last week and took a shortcut to beat them. Ace asks if that's what veterans do? Bey said they have no love for The Vets. The Vets then jump them and slam Ace's arm into a production box. Security then breaks it up. 

We get clips of Frankie Kazarian's promo from last week. We see Eric Young watching behind the curtain.

Frankie walks in and Jake Something confronts him. He questions what he's doing and said he used to look up to him. Frankie says if you aren't looking up at him, don't even look at him. Jake said he tried to talk but there's other ways they can do this. He asks if he understands that.

Mike Bailey vs Zachary Wentz

Mike wristlocks him. Zach reverses it. Mike rolls up and headflips then is pulled back by the hair. Mike back rolls then kicks him in the chest. Mike hits a kick combo and drops him. Zach begs off and Trey Miguel gets on the apron. Zach drops him with a punch.

Zach stomps Mike's back then does a grounded abdominal stretch. Zach chinlocks him. Zack legsweeps Mike then chokes him over the 2nd rope. Trey cheapshots Mike on the ropes. Mike is flipped then pump kicks Zach off the apron. Mike triangle knees Zach on the apron and moonsaults onto him.

We go to break and return. Mike hits a top rope dropkick then axe kicks him. Mike drops him with a kick and misses a running ssp. Mike leapfrogs, is brought down by the leg and german suplexed. Zack step up knees him then rolling snapmares into a kick. They high kick each other at the same time and both go down.

They trade forearms. They evade each others moves and Zach handspring knees him. Zach hits a half-nelson slam for 2. Zach crossbodies him and Mike spanish flies him in the air. Zach rolls him up for 2 then jumping knees him. Mike high kicks him and superkicks him.

Mike corkscrew kicks him in the corner then Trey pushes him off the 2nd rope. Zach does a nice springboard ufo cutter and wins it. 

There was a lot of flying and flippy moves here in this cruiserweight match. Trey got involved multiple times and ultimately cost Mike the match.

Mike is beat up on after then Trent Seven walks out. Trent nails Zach then hits chops on Trey. Trent hugs Mike then Steve Maclin jumps both. Steve lariats Mike then hits mounted punches. Nick Nemeth comes out and beats up Maclin. He hits Zach then superkicks Maclin out.

Kon says he's the baddest man in TNA and said he proved it last week. He said he will do it tonight and break two men bone by bone with his bare hands. We then see him scream in slow motion.

We see Rhino getting low blowed by Crazzy Steve from TNA Xplosion. Steve drops him with a title shot to the face. He said he has no one to blame but himself and is a hypocrite.

Rhino does a promo. He said digital media means nothing to him but he likes championship gold. He said he's going to rip Steve in half next week and take his title. He said he knows Steve is crazy and likes pain, but he will give him so much pain he won't know what to do. He said he will rip him in half with a gore, gore, gore.

I will not be covering the next match.

Deaner said he's a man at a cross roads and a man with a string of bad luck. AJ Francis walks in. He said he could turn that luck around by benefiting from a new benefactor. Steve thinks he wants help dealing with Joe Hendry. Joe then walks in. Joe said people don't like AJ and starts reading tweets about him. AJ said the last time Joe spoke to him like that, he lifted him above his head and nearly killed him on the way down. He said that message didn't go through and he'll have to come up with a different approach. Deaner tells Joe not to touch him or speak for him again.

Handicap Match - Kon vs Richard Adonis and Ori Gold

Kon splashes Adonis. Ori grabs his shoulder and is seriously flipped with a lariat. Kon then chokeslams him and claws his face. Kon wins in this quick squash.

Kon then twists Adonis' head and goes to do it to Ori. The lights go out and PCO is wheeled out. Kon nails PCo on the stretcher then Kon throws PCO's doctors. The two fight on the stage and ramp. Kon throws him in the ring and they trade punches. Security comes to break it up. PCO and Kon knock the security guards away and keep fighting. They grab each other by the throat and Kon slams a guard down. Kon then chokeslams a guard onto other guards outside. PCO lariats Kon over the top then topes the security guards but not Kon. PCO is thrown backwards onto the ramp then PCO sits up. They then fight to the back.

The brawl was fun but PCO's punches sucked here. He was hitting Kon with his wrist and not even coming close to using his fist.

Alan Angels vs Josh Alexander

Josh is on the apron doing his pose and Alan nails him. Alan pushes him into the post. The ref asks Josh if he wants to go still and he agrees. Alan rushes him and pounds on him. Josh stands straight up then release germans him. Josh corner lariats him then overhead suplexes him. Josh chops him in the corner then throws him on a suplex.

Josh forearms him down and foot slaps him, telling him to get up. Alan slaps him then eye rakes him. Alan pushes him out then topes him. Alan top rope frogsplashes him for 2. Alan goes for a back body drop and is rolled up then Josh ankle locks him.

Josh is pulled into the 2nd rope after saying he will break his ankle. Alan enzugiri's him then Josh forearms him. Josh powerbomb backbreakers him. Josh ankle locks him again and makes him tap.

I thought Josh could have worked the ankle a little more here before winning. It was essentially a squash with them making it clear that Alan had no shot against him 1v1 in a fair match. I did like the pace though and wish they would have given it more time.

Josh greets the fans then he gets nailed by someone in a face mask and hat. Josh is sent into the steps and the fan is revealed to be Simon Gotch. Simon then walks off through the crowd. 

The announcer Matthew Rehwoldt, who used to be Aiden English and was partners with Gotch, said he had no idea about this.

Next week has Rhino vs Crazzy Steve, The Vets vs Ace and Austin, Kazarian vs Jake Something and Moose vs Kushida. We will also hear from Ash By Elegance.

Eddie Edwards vs Alex Shelley

Alisha Edwards is out there with Eddie. Eddie backs him into the corner and Alex avoids a chop. Alex headlock takeovers him, Eddie headscissors him and they get up. Eddie pushes him and Alex slaps him. They shoulder each other and Alex shoulders him over. Alex ducks a chop and spinning heel kicks him. Alex gets tripped by Alisha then Eddie hits a big chop.

We go to break and return. Alex pulls back on Edide's neck. Eddie blocks a kick and chops him. Alisha chokes Alex on the ropes then Eddie chops him. Alex dragon screws him then hits forearms and punches. Alex step up enzugiri's him then does a double leg dragon screw. Alex figure fours him and Eddie rolls over to break it.

Alisha gets on the apron and Alex is pushed into the buckles face first. Eddie chops him then Alex clips him. Alex sits on top then knee drops his arm. Eddie overhead belly to belly suplexes him. Eddie knees him in the body then Alex spits at him. Eddie running knees him for 1.

Alex superkicks him then Alisha distracts Alex again. Eddie rolls him up for 2. Alex avoids a knee and rolls him up to win it.

I didn't think it was that good. Alex worked the knee for a while and Eddie forgot about it. It wasn't awful otherwise but just average and not interesting.

Brian Myers comes out and Alex takes a 3v1. Kushida comes to make the save. The heels are sent out then Kevin Knight arrives and springboard dives on Brian and Eddie.

Overall thoughts: Not a real interesting edition of TNA Impact. There wasn't a ton of storyline developments and it was little but average matches. It wasn't awful, but it was nothing you need to see.