TNA Impact 1/23/2025

TNA Impact 1/23/2025

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/01/tna-impact-1162025.html

This is a live show in San Antonio, Texas. It is the first time it has been live in 8 years.

Gia Miller interviews Santino Marella. Santino says there's a surprise. Someone arrives in a car and he says we are making history tonight.

Joe Hendry comes out to talk. He says he's the TNA champ and says TNA is live for the first time in 8 years.

Santino Marella comes out. Santino says he's proud of Joe saying he would be a fighting champ who would defend his title in or out of TNA. He says he has someone who took him up on his offer. He then brings the mystery man out and it's Matt Cardona. He hasn't appeared for a few months but has been a pretty regular feature. I was expecting someone from NXT.

Josh Alexander and Eric Young talk in the back. Eric asks if he will just leave after everything. Josh then walks away.

We see a video from the PPV. Eric Young and Steve Maclin talk. Eric says he sees something in Josh and he's worth saving. Steve says Josh tried to end both of their careers. Steve says he stood up for Eric. Eric says Josh is in a dark place and is reaching for someone. He says he will pull him out of the hole like he did with Steve. Steve says no one owes Josh anything. Eric says maybe he's right but says maybe Josh heard him.

Josh Alexander walks in. He says he's not here to make excuses. He says he respects both of them and thanks them for everything over the years. Steve won't shake Josh's hand.

Gia Miller is outside of Nic Nemeth's locker. Ryan Nemeth comes out. Nic then comes out. Nic says he will address everyone next week.

George Iceman comes out in a cowboy hat. He stomps the hat and says that's what he thinks of San Antonio. He says they are all trash. He then brings out Ash.

Ash By Elegance, Heather By Elegance and Rosemary vs Jody Threat, Dani Luna and Masha Slamovich

Heather and Ash have cowgirl attire and come out on horses on a stick. Ash slaps Jody and poses. Jody forearms her over. Jody hits corner lariats then exploders her for 2. Dani slams Ash then slams Jody onto her for 2.

Rose and Dani fight. Dani shoulders her over. Rose takes a basement dropkick and a low crossbody. Rose grabs Dani by the throat and Heather as well. Ash tries to get her to stop as they are partners. Ash lariats Rose for 2. Rose hits mounted shots on Jody then exploders her.

Ash suplexes Jody for 2. Masha hits Ash and Jody codebreakers her. Masha beats up on Heather and Rose then facekicks Heather. Masha lariats Rose, making her ddt Heather. Rose reverse ddt's Masha. Dani flying kicks Rose. Ash ddt's Masha then Jody michinoku drivers Ash. Heather dropkicks Jody out. Masha spin kicks Heather down.

Dani germans Heather twice. Cora Jade comes out. She gives Masha an envelope with a photo of someone crossed out. The heels then pick up the cheap win while the faces are distracted.

Thoughts: I wouldn't have opened up the show with this. This is a bigger episode than usual with maybe some new people watching and you'd like an x-division match, not something like this. It was just average.

The Northern Armory comes out. Josh says he quit TNA this week. He says he's been a wrestler for 20 years and has prided himself on being unbreakable and an iron man. He says he broke at Genesis. He says Mike Santana is the new standard of TNA. He says he doesn't want to be remembered for the last few months, he wants to be remembered for the good times.

He said his son is 6 years old, which is how long he's been here. He says he's seen him as a champ. He says he tuned into the first TNA broadcast and became a lifelong TNA fan. He says the fans have no reason to trust him. He says his time here has been a dream come true.  He says it's time to step away.

He tells Judas and Travis to relax. He says they have all the talent in the world. He says he went to bat for them to get them a shot. He said The Motor City Machine Guns did too. He says they are the best up and coming tag team in the world. He says they can do it - just do it the right way. He says it'll be without him.

They tell Josh he can't leave them. Josh says he's quitting nd is done. Travis says Josh can't leave. Travis then clips Josh. Judas then forearms Josh. Josh is beaten up on by Judas and Travis. Eric Young comes out to make the save.

Eric says you don't mess with Texas or Eric Young. Eric says him and Josh will sort things out next week like men.

The System (Moose and JDC) vs The Hardy Boyz

 

They all fight to start. JDC is sent into Moose in the corner and Matt splashes both. Jeff jumps off Matt's back and splashes both opponents with his belt on. Alisha trips Matt and Moose hits Matt from the apron.

Moose gets in and nails Jeff on the apron. JDC dropkicks Matt. JDC misses a top rope legdrop. Jeff atomic drops Moose then legdrops him between the legs. Jeff elbow drops Moose.Moose misses a corner spear and takes a twist of fate. Matt hits a twist of fate on JDC outside.

Moose jumps up top and is knocked off. Jeff hits a top rope swanton on Moose for the win.

Thoughts: This was really short. I'm not sure why either. It ended before it really even got started. I assume Moose getting pinned will lead to something. 

The lights go out and we get the 23 with the "it's just a number". The announcers say it is January 23rd and then we cut away.

Sami Callihan comes out to talk. Sami says he's sick of waiting to find out who 23 is. He calls 23 out.

Steph De Lander comes out. She says she's 23 - the new TNA Digital Media champ. She says she won it in a divorce. 

She says what's his is mine. She then brings out her new boyfriend. Mance Warner then nails Sami to no reaction and hits him with the belt. Mance then kisses Steph.

Thoughts: This didn't work at all or make much sense with a title supposedly changing hands via divorce. Why Steph and PCO are divorced is also unknown but it probably means we are not seeing PCO again anytime soon (He broke a TNA title on a GCW show this weekend, confirming his exit from the company due to budget cuts). I forgot the 23 angle was still going on due to how little it has been featured.

Santino's daughter Arianna Grace joins the commentary booth for the next match.

WWE NXT Tag Titles - Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom) vs The Rascalz (Trey Miguel and Zachary Wentz)

Ax and Trey start us off. Trey wristlocks him. Ax bridges out and dropkicks him. Ax does an octopus to Trey and NF dropkicks Trey while he's in the hold. NF and Trey move fast. Trey moonsaults and double stomps NF's back.

NF is held for a baseball slide. NF ddt's Trey for 2. Ax back elbows Trey for 2. Trey takes a double superkick for 2.  Trey germans Ax. Wentz hits back elbows on NF. NF is pulled down and takes a stiff german.

Wentz rolls NF into a kick then running ssp's him for 2. NF boots Wentz out of the corner. NF sling blades Wentz for 2. Ax hits a top rope dropkick. NF top rope superplexes Wentz and holds on so Wentz can take a brainbuster + superkick combo. Ax superkicks Trey.

Wentz handsprings and hits a jumping knee on Ax. Wentz superkicks Ax. Wentz handsprings into an Ax superkick. Ax takes kicks from both opponents. Ax takes a double stomp to the back. NF asai moonsaults and takes a double superkick. Ax takes a powerbomb + blockbuster combo for 2.

Wes Lee comes out. Dupont and Igwe then come out and stop The Rascalz. Wentz is sent into the steps. Ax top rope spanish flies Trey. NF phoenix splashes Trey and Trey is pinned.

Thoughts: I liked what we got here. It was a high flying juniors match as expected. At least The Rascalz didn't lose clean and hopefully the loss leads to something with Dupont and Igwe. That should be a good match if nothing else. Wes has issues with The Rascalz and is a heel so him screwing them makes sense. 

 

Mike Santana comes out and talks in Spanish. He says he went toe to toe with one of the best wrestlers in the world at Genesis. He says Josh Alexander passed him the torch and he made him say I quit. He says he's planning to become champ in 2025.

Mustafa Ali then returns. He says he has signed with TNA. He says TNA needs great leadership and he's that great leader. He says he's launching a campaign where he becomes the next TNA champ. He says in Ali, we trust.

Thoughts: I guess it's good news for TNA but I'm not a fan of Ali and didn't really miss him.

Tess Blanchard comes out. She says it feels good to be back in Blanchard territory. She says people would say this is where legends were made. She says her family owned San Antonio. We see Tully Blanchard in the crowd. She says her grandfather brought wrestling to TV for the first time. She says San Antonio is only famous for losing The Alamo.

She says her dad and grandad knew there was something in her that couldn't be taught when she was a kid. She said they knew there was something in her greater than a Funk, Von Erich or Stone Cold. She said they told her she was going to be great.

She says you have to pay the price to be great. She says you will never hear that Tessa is not great. She says she took out the trash at Genesis and it's time to take care of business. She says she answers to no one.

TNA World Title - Joe Hendry (c) vs Matt Cardona

 

They lock up and shove each other. Matt goes out. Joe headflips out of a wristlock. Matt headsicssors him and they stand off. Joe hits chops on Matt then drops him with a forearm. Joe jumping knees Matt. Joe delay suplexes Matt.

Matt dropkicks Joe through the ropes. Matt chokes Joe with a shirt outside. Joe death valley drivers Matt on the apron. Joe is sent into the steps. We go to break and return.

Joe sunset flips Matt and rolls him up for 2. Matt neckbreakers him twice. Joe suplexes him then hits a fallaway slam. Joe blocks a facewash kick. Matt his him in throat then dropkicks him off the buckles. Matt ddt's him for 2. 

Frankie Kazarian comes out. He says he's not in a good mood and it's his right to call his shot. Matt nails the ref on accident then Joe pop-up powerbombs Matt. Joe has the pin but the ref is out. Matt low blows him. Matt grabs the TNA title. JBL comes out and lariats Matt. Joe and JBL then stare down. Matt hits Joe with the TNA Title for 2. 

Matt misses a title belt shot and Joe hits a chokeslam to get the win.

Thoughts: The match wasn't anything too special but they did convince me Matt was going to screw Joe out of the title so it did work to some extent. JBL appeared again and it's still unclear where that angle is going. This was a random match though and it's not getting Matt off to a good start in his latest TNA run.

Overall thoughts: It was just an average edition of TNA. The NXT Tag Title match was good but not as good as it could have been and it had some shenanigans. The main and the women's match weren't anything special. Mance Warner's debut and Steph's return weren't handled well and this wasn't quite the great show they could have used. I'd give this a 5 out of 10 and would not recommend it.