Countdown to Hard to Kill

John Powell

4 years ago

Event Countdown

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AEW and Impact Wrestling collide at Hard to Kill. The band may be back together in the main event with Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers taking on Rich Swann and The Motor City Machine Guns but Hard to Kill is so much more. Deonna Purrazzo is putting up the Knockouts Championship against Taya Valkyrie, Eddie Edwards and Sami Callihan are meeting in a Barbed Wire Massacre bout and Rosemary and Crazzy Steve reunite to battle Tenille Dashwood and Kaleb with a K. Check out our predictions and prognostications below for the big event.

John Powell

Editor-in-Chief

Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz have their work cut out for them taking on Havok and Nevaeh. What Hogan and Steelz have though is heart and that is what will push them through. Winners: Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz

Bob Kapur

Senior Editor

Steelz and Hogan have huge personalities, and their brash, cocky promos are always a highlight. Them winning the tournament and walking around with the titles should crank up the entertainment value up to 11. Winners: Tasha Steelz and Kiera Hogan

Rasslin' Merch Machine

Contributor

This feels like an opportunity to establish new stars. Winners: Tasha Steelz and Kiera Hogan

"Loony" Philippe DeCoyne

Winners: Havok and Nevaeh

John Powell

Editor-in-Chief

I am enjoying this angle although I am not sure why Impact and AEW are soft selling it. They should have Omega challenge Swann immediately and not worry about this nonsense. They then could have FTR or the Bucks win the Impact Tag Team Championship from The Good Brothers. Think of what chaos and what interest that would drum up. This could built into something amazing if done properly. Winners: The Motor City Machine Guns and Rick Swann

Bob Kapur

Senior Editor

The build-up for this hasn’t done Rich Swann any favours, as he’s basically been outsmarted by Omega at every turn, and referred to – on his own show – as a B-level paper champion. So, he really needed to win here to get some of his credibility back. Unfortunately, the introduction of Moose into this one will likely lead to plots colliding, and Swann is going to end becoming a sacrificial lamb. Counter-productive and illogical booking, but with AEW involved, that’s pretty much par for the course. Winners: Kenny Omega and the Good Brothers

Rasslin' Merch Machine

Contributor

The mission of this one is to help Impact – and Kenny seems to be generous at times. Winners: Rich Swann, Chris Sabin, and Moose

"Loony" Philippe DeCoyne

Winners: Rich Swann, Moose, and Chris Sabin

John Powell

Editor-in-Chief

Really too close to call as any of these competitors would be a solid champion. I suspect the working relationship between Chris Bey and Rohit Raju will hit the skids when Raju takes the title. Winner: Rohit Raju

Bob Kapur

Senior Editor

This could be a really fun one, if they get enough time. I think that Raju’s storyline of winning/holding the belt through weaselly tactics has naturally played itself out, so I don’t see him winning. Of the other two, I think they’re going to start pushing TJP up the card, and having him lose the X-Division title as Manik will allow them to do that while still protecting TJP. Winner: Chris Bey

Rasslin' Merch Machine

Contributor

A general rule of three-way matches is that the winner of the match is the wrestler that seems the least-sensical to win. I see that as being Chris Bey. Winner: Chris Bey

"Loony" Philippe DeCoyne

Winner: Chris Bey

John Powell

Editor-in-Chief

Deonna Purrazzo as Knockouts Champion is working so well for Impact right now so there is no reason to mess with a good thing. Valkyrie will offer a strong challenge, however, Purrazzo is being portrayed as long-term champion. Winner: Deonna Purrazzo

Bob Kapur

Senior Editor

I think that these two may be the best in-ring talents in the company, and because of that, this is actually the match I’m looking forward to the most. I hope they let them just have a clean match and don’t bog it down with nonsense involving Rosemary, Kimber Lee, and Rosemary. If the rumours of Taya leaving the company soon are true, this would be a great way to pass the torch to Purrazzo. Even if not, extending a strong championship reign is rarely a bad idea, . Winner: Deonna Purrazzo

Rasslin' Merch Machine

Contributor

There’s not enough heat going in to this match for the title to change. Winner: Deonna Purrazzo

"Loony" Philippe DeCoyne

Winner: Taya Valkyrie

John Powell

Editor-in-Chief

I loathe these stupid Deaners. Impact needs to portray Eric Young as a charismatic cult leader and build a really creepy but impressive stable to take over Impact even if that means giving some of the talent new and improved personas. Winners: Cousin Jake, Rhino and Tommy Dreamer

Bob Kapur

Senior Editor

The “feel-good” ending to this one would see Jake get payback on Cody Deaner for turning on him, Rhino get revenge on behalf of his friend Heath who was injured by Doering, and Dreamer… well, it’s unclear why he’s there. But the right ending would be for Young and his stable look like an unstoppable, dominant threat. Winners: Eric Young, Joe Doering, and Cody Deaner

Rasslin' Merch Machine

Contributor

The new heel team needs to come off as a threat against the other team, all of whom can handle a loss.. Winners: Eric Young, Cody Deaner, and Joe Doering

"Loony" Philippe DeCoyne

Winners: Eric Young, Joe Doering, and Cody Deaner

John Powell

Editor-in-Chief

This match could be worth the price of admission alone. We want it brutal and we want blood. Winner: Sami Callihan

Bob Kapur

Senior Editor

The great thing about these two guys is that neither of them are afraid of getting ultraviolent and bleeding buckets. As a deathmatch fan, that’s exactly what I want to see with this kind of match, and if they go for it, it should steal the show. After the beatdown Eddie got the other week, he really needs to win here and end the feud. Because, if he doesn’t, where else can they go? Winner: Eddie Edwards

Rasslin' Merch Machine

Contributor

Edwards is Dreamer’s protégé, right? And how did Dreamer get over? Edwards gets tortured and loses but remains “Hard to Kill.” Winner: Sami Callihan

"Loony" Philippe DeCoyne

Winner: Sami Callihan

John Powell

Editor-In-Chief

I actually like this Karate Man gimmick. It coincides well with the new season of Cobra Kai. If they push him the right way this persona could be very entertaining indeed. Winner: Karate Man

Bob Kapur

Senior Editor

Maybe I’m old and out of touch, but I just don’t find the Karate Man thing funny, interesting, or PPV-worthy. Look, I like Ethan Page, and I think his career evolution in Impact has been a real triumph. But this seems like a joke – and the fact that I have to pay to see something that I wouldn’t watch for free on the YouTube – a bad joke at that.

Rasslin' Merch Machine

Contributor

I don’t know who wins, but I predict Chandler Park makes an appearance. If that happens, I should get an extra point for calling it!

"Loony" Philippe DeCoyne

Winner: Ethan Page

John Powell

Editor-In-Chief

In order to build up Young’s stable they should have Steve turn on Rosemary and join up with him costing her the match but… Winners: Rosemary and Crazzy Steve

Bob Kapur

Senior Editor

I thought they dropped the ball a little last Saturday when they didn’t have Crazzy Steve advance to the finals of the Super-X Cup, despite having a couple of really strong matches. He and Rosemary as a psychotic power couple could be an interesting storyline, and a win here could be a good start. Tenille has kind of fizzled since returning and perhaps dumping Kaleb after a loss here might fix that. Winners: Rosemary and Crazzy Steve

Rasslin' Merch Machine

Contributor

This is a tough one. But I’m thinking there has to be a reason to reunite Steve and Rosemary so quickly out of nowhere. Winners: Rosemary and Crazzy Steve

"Loony" Philippe DeCoyne

Winners: Tenille Dashwood and Kaleb