One week removed from Rebellion, Impact Wrestling returns with weekly IMPACT! Professional wrestling continues on without a live audience and the rivalries and drama continue as well. “The Draw” Sami Callihan has unfinished business with “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” Ken Shamrock, Moose is the self proclaimed TNA World Champion, “Chocolate Thunder” Willie Mack has won the X-Division Championship and more came from the aftermath of Rebellion. Some hot questions were answered and some new ones were presented with the May 5th edition of IMPACT!
Opening segment
Josh Matthews and Madison Rayne welcome everyone to Impact Wrestling as “The Draw” Sami Callihan opens the show. Callihan reminds everyone that Ken Shamrock couldn’t put him down, and it was the referee that ended their bout. Callihan says he has unfinished business with “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” and calls him out. Callihan is hostile, but Shamrock seems to have gained respect for “The Draw”. He names a list of wrestlers that he’s tapped out such as Big Show, Bas Rutten, and The Rock. Sami Callihan never tapped out. The two realise they have the common goal of becoming Impact World Champion, and Shamrock extends a hand…right before “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin interrupts.
Elgin guns down Callihan and mocks his disrespectful antics saying he wouldn’t fit in his boots. Elgin says that he’s the rightful number one contender for Tessa Blanchard’s title, but Callihan tells him he’ll choke once again. Elgin hits him with a right and aims for Shamrock but gets taken down with an armdrag which forces him to retreat. It looks as if Shamrock and Callihan are on the same page until Callihan touches a button on his phone that “shorts the circuit” of the broadcast. The cameras come back on, and Callihan has vanished leaving Shamrock deserted in the ring.
Chris Bey backstage promo
Bey mentions the World Title scuffle over its number one contendership. However, there’s no confusion over the X-Division title because Bey defeated three other men at Rebellion. He says that he’ll “finesse” his way into an X-Division title match and become the first “Finesse-Division” Champion. Chris Bey leaves with the line “All I really need is one shot”.
(Commercial)
Willie Mack backstage promo
The new X-Division Champion says he’s riding high off his title victory…literally. He alludes to his buddy Rich Swann and tells him he knows how to party. Mack refers back to Chris Bey’s challenge and says that he’ll “finesse” his foot up Bey’s ass.
At the commentary table, Matthews and Rayne announce Willie Mack vs Chris Bey for the X-Division title. Also announced: The North defend their tag team titles, Cousin Jake and Joseph P. Ryan rematch, “Locker Room Talk” with guest Havok, and interview with Moose all set for later in the night.
oVe (Madman Fulton and Jake Christ) vs XXXL (Acey Romero and Larry D)
Larry D and Fulton tussle in the ring, and the latter gets the upper hand. Larry D reverses with a body slam while Romero tags in and follows with a senton. Christ tags in thinking that he’s got it but is manhandled by the bigger competitors. Dave Christ from the outside helps Jake Christ escape and regroup.
(Commercial)
During the break, Fulton rams Romero into the steel steps which turns the tide for oVe. Fulton with a feat of strength gets Romero onto his shoulders hitting a rolling hills. Romero fights back with heavy blows and whips Fulton into a backdrop and spinebuster. Both men make the tag to their respective corners. Larry D sends Christ over the top and catapults himself through the ropes for a huge dive. They return to the the ring, and oVe hit an illegal double team move before Romero breaks up the pin. Romero pounces Fulton to the outside, and Dave Christ tries to interfere before getting hit with a right by Larry D. Larry D follows up with one more right to Jake Christ earning his team the win.
Winner by pinfall: XXXL
IMPACT!’s Flashback Moment of the Week is Mick Foley vs Kurt Angle at Victory Road 2009)
“Locker Room Talk”
Host Madison Rayne and co-host Johnny Swinger introduce their special guest, Havok. Rayne wants to know how she’s feeling being that Havok lost to Rosemary last week. She also asks about the appearance of Neveah at Rebellion. Havok has no idea why her old friend showed up, but apparently Rayne has brought in another old friend of hers, Kimber Lee. Lee lets Havok know that she wants her spot at the top. (Swinger thinks they’re fighting over him, but he’s pushed out of the frame). Havok pulls Lee in and threatens her saying “I know exactly who you are, but you know exactly who I am”.
(Commercial)
“Cody Deaner in Kwaranteen”
Deaner is in front of his trailer with a beer bottle in his hand. He reminisces about first hearing of Covid-19 where he immediately pulled over into the middle of nowhere – his current location. Clips of him abiding to government regulation show him washing his hands with somebody’s hose, drinking with action figures, and selling merch on the side of the road. Cody Deaner lets the world know that “I’m doing my part to protect others and flatten the curve”.
Johnny Swinger vs Suicide
Swinger demands that Suicide is patted down before throwing a cheap shot in the corner. Although his ingenious attempts to rake the back and eyes of Suicide are stopped by the fact that Suicide’s wearing a leather body suit and mask. Suicide dives over the top and falls onto Swinger. He climbs to the top, but Swinger hits the ropes sending the masked man down. Swinger pummels his opponent and delivers a back suplex. Then he goes for a falling headbutt to the crotch, but Suicide moves out of the way. They have a short back-and-forth until Suicide hits the codebreaker, setting Swinger in postion for a top rope swanton. Suicide gets the cover and the victory.
Winner by pinfall: Suicide
Ace Austin backstage promo
The former X-Division Champion is ticked that Chris Bey can call his shot at the title. Austin lists the names of his previous big wins: Petey Williams, Eddie Edwards, Tommy Dreamer, Tessa Blanchard. He inserts himself into the X-Division title match tonight claiming that Willie Mack owes him a rematch. Ace Austin vows that the reign of the XXX-Division will continue.
(Commercial)
Josh Matthews’ interview with Moose
Moose says he strongly disagreed with Michael Elgin’s claim of being the new World Champion. He, like many others, lists out his top victories: Ken Shamrock, RVD, Rhyno. This is his reasoning for being the real World Champion. Moose calls out Tessa Blanchard for being on “vacation time down in Mexico”. Matthews’ questions how he even got the TNA belt, but Moose reiterates that he’s the real World Champion.
Matthews introduces the #1 Contenders Tournament for the World Championship starting next week on IMPACT. The quarter finals are revealed as Moose vs Trey, Sami Callihan vs Michael Elgin, Ken Shamrock vs Rhino, and Madman Fulton vs Hernandez. The winner is number one contender for Tessa Blanchard’s title.
However mid-interview, Moose pulls himself out of the tournament calling the IMPACT! World Championship a second class championship. Josh Matthews keeps saying that Moose never earned the TNA Championship which leads Moose to abandon the interview.
Joseph P. Ryan vs Cousin Jake
Ryan stalls on the outside before locking up in the ring, only to return to the floor and stall once again. Jake chases him back in and damages Ryan with strikes. A flying chest bump sends Ryan back outside while he calls for time. Ryan gets in singular attempts of offense like an armbreaker and dropkick, but “Big Nasty” is too big to keep down. Ryan retreats one final time before Jake brings the beating ringside. The momentum shifts when Jake is sent into the post and Ryan works his opponent down. Cousin Jake eventually reverses with a body slam and hits a lifting powerbomb for a two count. He goes for a corner splash but Ryan pulls in the ref who misses the blatant eye poke to Jake. With a handful of trunks, Ryan steals the win from Cousin Jake.
Winner by pinfall: Joseph P. Ryan
(Commercial)
Kiera Hogan vignette
Hogan is filmed walking through her hometown of Atlanta, GA. She gives reference to leaders who helped her reach her wrestling goal and walks past a memorial of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. The video suggests the motif of African American excellence that Hogan is aiming to bring to the female wrestling scene. However, she says she isn’t satisfied with her current path which hints at a change of attitude.
The North(c) vs The Creeps for the World Tag Team Championships
An empty arena with mannequins posing as fans await a tag team special from The North. Co-tag champ Ethan Page is in his element for this comedic, cinematic match type that’s taken over wrestling. Page spots a mannequin sporting a “The North” t-shirt and tells his partner Josh Alexander to give him five. With comical dubbed cheering, Page cuts a promo putting over Canada and The North and calls out their opponents. Two stick-like competitors awkwardly make their way to the ring at the Battle Arts Academy arena. A montage of The North destroying The Creeps plays over dubbed crowd cheering. Without breaking a sweat, Page and Alexander retain the gold.
Winners by pinfall: The North
Rosemary backstage promo
Rosemary reads out her next move with a deck of psychological cards. She’s able to communicate the results, but the actual implications are convoluted. Her conversations with the higher powers are dangerous for the IMPACT! Roster.
(Commercial)
Rohit Raju backstage promo
Previously, Moose had dropped out of the #1 Contenders Tournament. That spot is filled with former Desi Hit Squad member Rohit Raju. He says that for three years the faction has held him down but now there’s nobody else at IMPACT! to throw him off course. Raju closes by returning a fan-favorite catchphrase of his, “My mother calls me son because I shine like one”.
Matthews and Rayne at commentary reveal that Raju vs Trey and Hernandez vs Fulton will begin the tournament matchups next week. Also announced is Havok vs the debuting Kimber Lee, and Moose vs Suicide for the TNA World Championship for next week.
Chris Bey vs Ace Austin vs Willie Mack(c) for the X-Division Championship
Austin grabs the title from the ref and tries to hit Mack with it but ends up in a double head scissors by the champion. Mack hits a hurricanrana to Austin and follows with a double closeline that takes both challengers down.
(Commercial)
Willie Mack is still in control and delivers a samoan drop and standing moonsault on both Austin and Bey. The two are forced to regroup and gameplan on the outside, but the dastardly Austin throws his “partner” into the post. Austin had the champ in an arm hold, and while the ref checks on him, Austin pulls out a card and paper cuts Mack. A revived Bey pulls out Austin and sends him into the post and has a flurry with Mack. This time, Bey is pulled out by AA, but “Chocolate Thunder” flies into the both of them to the floor.
(Commercial)
Chris Bey missile dropkicks the champ, and he and Austin exchange moves. The two periodically work to keep Mack out of the ring, but soon knock each other out with mirroring high kicks. All three competitors trade blows with Austin getting the better of it. Willie Mack reverses with a lariat and explodes into both corners with running shots. The champion tries to hit his 6 Star Splash, but Ace Austin stops him. Bey runs in with a jumping suplex to AA and it’s anyone’s match. Willie Mack hits the stunner and positions Bey for the splash. Ace Austin intercepts and hits a top rope hurricanrana onto Bey. Ace Austin hits The Fold on the champion, but the pin is broken up. Austin hits the fold again onto Bey, and Mack interferes. The “One True Ace” tries the hurricanrana again onto Mack but is blocked, setting himself up for the 6 Star Frog Splash.
Winner by pinfall: Willie Mack