TNA Impact 5/22/2025

TNA Impact 5/22/2025 

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/05/tna-impact-5152025.html

Next week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/05/tna-impact-5292025.html

We are in Irvine, CA.

Mustafa Ali vs Ace Austin

Ali's arm is all taped up and Ace's knee is taped up. Ali trips him and side headlocks him. Ali shoulders him over. Ace upkicks him from the mat. Ace tilt-a-whirl side slams him. Ace trips him and kicks him in the back. Ace then basement dropkicks him.

Ace kicks him from the apron. Ali ddt's Ace's leg into the mat. Ali then clips Ace. Ace's leg is banged off the post. Ali dragon screws him. Ace step up enzugiri's him and gets stuck in tree of woe up top. Ace is then kicked as he hangs.

Ali misses a baseball slide and goes crotch first into the post. Ace misses a backwards splash off the top. Ali sharpshooters him. Ace gets some 2 counts on him then Ali lariats him for 2. 

Ace belly to belly suplexes him into the buckles. Ali pulls Tasha Steelz in to shield himself. Tasha goes into Ace and Ali clips Ace's leg. Ali then submits him with a leglock.

Thoughts: I liked it. Ali worked Ace's injured leg and eventually submitted him with a leglock. 

The System do a promo. JDC says they are the only real men in TNA and can beat up Elijah and Joe Hendry. Brian says they couldn't pass up the chance to beat them. Eddie says this will be a taste of what he has for Deaner when he ends his career at the PPV. Moose says The System doesn't believe in Joe. Moose says they will walk to the ring and stick their foot up Elijah's @ss. They say they will make their presence felt and let Canada know you always trust the system.

Rosemary says Xia Brookside has been walking on the edge too long. She says we can't find what pushes her over the edge. We then see her over top of Lei Ying Lee who is laid out. She says Xia either embraces the darkness or is dragged kicking and screaming into it.

The Northern Armory (Judas Icarus and Travis Williams) vs The Aztec Warriors (Octagon Jr. and Laredo Kid)

Laredo and Trav go at it. Trav wristlocks him and Laredo headflips out. Trav trips him and they stare down. Laredo shoulders Trav over. He cartwheels over him then uses the ropes to headscissor him. He then hits another headscissprs. Judas takes a double shot.

Oct spin kicks Judas in the gut then walks up the buckles and tornillos him. Oct backflips into a spinning headscissors on him. Judas takes a double superkick. Judas bites Laredo's face then Laredo takes a double kick in the corner for 2. Trav stomps Oct. Judas flying forearms Oct in the back of the head. Eric Young argues with someone outside and Travis joins in. Laredo hits an enzugiri on Judas then Oct hits a springboard crossbody. Oct then does a springboard kicks on Trav. Oct tornillo plancha's both opponents outside. Laredo then top rope moonsaults everyone outside.

Judas takes a michinoku driver then Oct hits a split-legged moonsault on Judas and pins him.

Thoughts: It didn't get that much time but it was fine with both sides getting offense in and the faces getting the win. 

Xia Brookside helps up Lei Ying Lee in the back. She said she tried to show Rosemary that she doesn't need to hurt anyone or cheat to succeed. She says she won't listen. She says if she drags her down to her world, she will see she is stronger than she thinks. She says she is fighting for herself and Lee and for anyone who refuses to sell their soul.

Cody Deaner comes to the commentary table. He says he's doing it for the people at the PLE and can do it.

Eddie Edwards vs Jake Painter

Eddie hits a running forearm then hits mounted punches. Eddie hits a corner lariat then a short arm lariat. Jake hits a back elbow and is thrown over the top, smacking his face off the floor. Cody asks if Jake is okay. Eddie tells him to watch this then he chops Jake. Jake takes a blue thunder on the apron.

Eddie stares down Cody and has words for him. Jake cradles Eddie for 2 then is lariated. Jake hits a backcracker for 2. Jake enzugiri's Eddie out of the corner. Jake comes off the top and is hit with a knee to the ribs. Eddie shining wizards him and wins.

Thoughts: It was a decent squash with Eddie stiffing Jake and Jake being a likeable underdog.

Eddie stares down Cody after and Cody says he's looking at him too. Cody says he won't beat him because he wants to, but because he needs to. Eddie and Alisha call him a loser.

We get a video on Steph de Lander and Mance Warner. Mance says TNA is where he clocks in. Steph says this is as real as it gets and says you aren't meant to understand them. Mance says the worst pain of your life is another day for ol Mancer.

Mike Santana and Sami Callihan vs First Class (AJ Francis and KC Navarro)

O'Shea Jackson is on commentary here. AJ shoulders over Mike. Mike kips up and hits an enzugiri. AJ gets mad and KC holds him back. Mike and KC miss shots. Mike chops him then sentons him.

Mike chops KC down. KC flips over Sami's back and mocks his pose. Sami then pop-up powerbombs him. Sami throws KC across the ring. AJ grabs Sami from the apron and is hit. Sami throws KC out onto AJ, who catches him. KC pulls Sami's throat over the top rope then hits a slingblade.

KC hits mounted shots on Sami. KC is dropped onto Sami by AJ then AJ hits a senton on Sami for 2. Sami is double choked on the ropes. Mike comes in and chops down KC. Mike backrolls into a cutter on KC. Mike forearms AJ off the apron then tope con hilos him. Mike hits a nice death valley driver on KC then lariats AJ over the top.

Sami is held and KC does a tiger feint kick over the top rope. KC then a standing sliced bread #2 and wins.

Thoughts: It was alright. KC did most of the work here and did a bunch of flipping in this. I was kind surprised to see First class win.

Gia Miller moderates a debate between Santino Marella and Robert Stone. Ariana Grace is with Santino and Victoria Crawford is with Stone. Santino says no one in his family had the position of political power like him. He said he thought he could get a taste of the business with this job. Santino says the Marella name will not be pushed around by Stone.

Stone says he needs everyone to listen as they boo him. Stone says Santino has done nothing to make TNA a better place. Stone says Santino is a joke and always will be one. Stone says Santino does not deserve to be a position of power in TNA. 

Stone says this isn't about him vs Santino, it's about making TNA a better place. He says when he's in charge of TNA, he will fire the losers, make real stars and make everyone a lot of money (which he says the company desperately needs). Stone says Santino will keep running it to the ground if he has control.

Santino says Stone is stupid and says TNA is rising to the top. Santino says he has a sense of what the people want. He says he came from the people and he is the people. He says this is his family. He says Stone's lingo doesn't match up with the heart and soul. He says the people are family for him and says they will stick together and fight together.

Tessa Blanchard then comes down and trips Arianna Grace. Stone nails Santino from behind and Tessa punches Gia over. Tessa foot chokes and stomps Grace. Masha Slamovich then grabs Victoria. Tessa drops Masha with a forearm. Grace pulls Tessa by the hair and hits a big forearm. Tessa is then double powerbombed onto a table, which doesn't budge much. Masha tries to corner death valley driver Tessa through the table but it still doesn't break.

Thoughts: I liked the segment. Santino was a good face here and cut a nice promo.

Matt Cardona does a promo from earlier in the day. He says the match with Steve Maclin isn't happening. He says he's ready but Steve isn't cleared. Matt says he should be handed the title if Steve can't defend it. Santino then pops up behind Matt. Santino says he won't handle the title over. He says Steve will be cleared next Thursday and says Matt can have his match then.

Thoughts: It wouldn't be a TNA PLE without a match being cancelled or changed.

We see Spitfire talk earlier. Dani asks why they can't get the job done against The Elegance Brand. Jody says they have. Dani asks how they can prove they are one of the greatest teams without those belts. Dani says they need motivation and suggests they should risk that they break up if they lose. Dani says they can do it and says it's do or die.

Spitfire (Dani Luna and Jody Threat) vs Vipress and Mazzerati

Dani side headlocks Maz then takes her down by the arm. Dani armlocks and wristlocks her. Maz slides out between her legs then Dani knees her in the gut. Dani hits a corner spear. Jody hits lariats in the corner. Jody exploders Maz and Dani sliding lariats Maz.

Maz flips out of a double suplex and pushes Spitfire into each other. Vip comes off the 2nd rope and rolls Jody into the 2nd buckle for 2. Vip stomps Jody. Jody hits her in the gut. Vip kicks Jody in the back of the leg and PK's her for 2.

Maz bangs Jody's face off her knee for 2. Maz doesa spin kick through the ropes and rolls her with her legs. Maz cravates Jody. Jody does a stunner on Maz and both tag out.

Dani knocks Vip over twice then single leg dropkicks Maz. Vip comes off the 2nd rope and is lariated for 2. Dani germans Maz hard then germans Vip. Dani facekicks Vip on the apron then hits a disgusting 2nd rope german. Vip lands like a rag doll. Vip is then thrown into a stiout powerbomb and is pinned.

Thoughts: Vip took a nasty 2nd rope german here. It was one of Spitfire's better matches though and I did kind of like it. There weren't any botches and it got enough time to be something more than a squash.

The Elegance Brand tries to attack Spitfire after but are dropped. Spitfire grab the titles but give them back.

Injury Report

Ace Austin has been dealing with a leg injury and he's not cleared to compete.

Matt Hardy and Leon Slater talk. Matt says tag wrestling is more than tagging in and out. Matt says they need to be in sync and gel as a unit. Matt says he thinks they have it and says The Nemeth's do too. Matt says they compliment each other.

Matt tells Leon not to let them out of his focus. Leon says he's excited to put on a show and whoop The Nemeth's. Matt says Leon is a weapon in the ring that he wants to use on The Nemeth's. Matt says he's been tag champs with others like Bray Wyatt and MVP and he wants to be tag champs with Leon. Leon says he has his back. 

The System (Moose and Brian Myers) vs Joe Hendry and Elijah

Trick Williams is on commentary.

Eli shoulders BM over then BM armdrags him. Eli rolls it into a headlock though. Eli side headlocks BM. Eli flying lariats BM then BM calls for timeout. Moose gets in and wants Joe.

Joe and Moose test strength. Joe's head is banged off the buckles. BM and Moose chop Joe. Moose pump kicks him then Joe suplexes him. Eli rope walks and tornado ddt's Moose. Eli tries it again with BM but JDC distracts Eli and Eli is crotched.

BM stomps Eli and sleepers him. BM trips Eli. We go to break and return. BM stomps Eli. Moose misses a chop on Eli against the post then BM does as well. Trick thinks its hilarious.

Moose chinlocks Eli. Eli jawbreakers Moose. BM is thrown out. Eli goes for the tag and Joe is pulled off the apron. Moose foot chokes Eli. JDC chokes Eli on the ropes and nails him.

BM back elbows Eli. Moose stomps Eli then chokes him with his shirt. Moose foot chokes Eli. Moose hits a uranage on Eli. BM front facelocks Eli. 

Joe gets in and hits lariats on Moose. Joe hits a fallaway slam and Trick asks to drug test Joe for the 2nd time. Joe nails JDC on the apron. Moose facekicks Joe then walks up the buckles and Joe walks away from Moose's dive. Moose and Joe double clothesline each other.

Joe pop-up powerbombs BM. Eli top rope crossbodies Moose. Eli tombstones BM and pins him.

Thoughts: It was an okay and standard tag match. There was nothing particularly great or memorable about it but it was fine for what it was.

Frankie Kazarian attacks Joe and Eli after. Eli smashes his guitar over Kaz's head and drops him. Trick and Joe then stare down.

Overall thoughts: It was one of TNA's better tv shows. Every match was passable at worst, so it was a solid night in the ring. There wasn't anything must see here though. I'd give it a 6 out of 10 overall as it was a good show.