Impact: Contenders is this week’s highlight

Bob Kapur

Impact: Contenders is this week’s highlight

With the Impact Plus special Under Siege happening this Saturday, everything on Thursday was geared towards the build for that show. The first hour of the show was particularly good in that regard, as it included two really good matches to establish who would be competing for titles on Saturday. And though the second hour was a tad weaker generally – save for the main event – in terms of a go-home show, it ticked all the right boxes.

Match 1: Rosemary (w/ Decay) vs. Havok

The winner of this one challenged Deonna Purrazzo for the Knockouts Championship on Saturday.

They started off with a handshake, which was disturbing, and then the fists and forearms flew. Havok eventually got the advantage, and used her size and strength to punish Rosemary for a while. She clamped on a Camel Clutch, and then tried to knock Rosemary out with some strikes to the head, but Rosemary wouldn’t give up. Rosemary avoided a running charge and took Havok to the Upside Down, turning things around. Rosemary barely got Havok over for a Suplex, and then nearly got the pin after a Spear. Havok reversed a Plunge to Hell, picked Rosemary up, and put her away with a Tombstone.

After the match, Deonna Purrazzo attacked Havok, but didn’t fare too well in the end.

She tried to retreat, but Rosemary blocked her escape, and then prevented Kimber Lee and Susan from running out to save Purrazzo, who ultimately got Tombstoned by Havok.

This was a fun match to kick things off. Havok as champion would be an interesting development.

Winner, and number one contender for the Knockouts Championship: Havok

Gia Miller interviewed the Good Brothers who were there with Kenny Omega and Don Callis. Anderson said he would beat David Finlay tonight, just like Doc Gallows beat Juice Robinson last week. Kenny took the credit for Gallows’ win, said that he would be the reason Anderson will win, and that if he wasn’t there, they would continue to lose. Then he berated Gia for a while. This could have benefited from another take, as Omega fumbled his words at times, and, though his berating of Gia was funny, it ended pretty awkwardly, like they were trying to fill time and had no blow line.

Match 2: Petey Williams vs. Ace Austin (w/ Mad Man Fulton) vs. TJP vs. Rohit Raju (w/ Shera) vs. Acey Romero (w/ Larry D) vs. El Phantasmo – Six Man Scramble match

The winner of this one challenges Josh Alexander for the X-Division Championship on Saturday.

This was too quick to call, with bodies flying everywhere. As some of the smaller guys zipped around the ring, Acey hung out on the floor, and would grab guys if they got too close, and make them pay – first slamming Austin through the ringside barrier, and then with a Powerbomb on Petey into the apron.

An impressive spot saw El Phantasmo do the Undertaker Top Rope Walk around three sides of the ring. And when Austin tried to block him, PHantasmo picked him up and then hit him with a Death Valley Driver off the top down to the floor where he landed on Acey and Fulton – that was incredible.

After the commercial break, some more fast action ensued– including guys hitting double moves on Acey who finally got into the ring – but not before he body-blocked Raju right over the top – and a Canadian Destroyer by Petey on El Phantasmo that would have ended the match but for TJP making the save. Later, Petey went for another on TJP, but he blocked it and hit Petey with a Destination Kick. But Petey rolled out of the way of the Mamba Splash, and TJP crashed hard. El Phantasmo dispatched of TJP, and then hit Petey with a modified Styles Clash to get the win.

This was fast-paced and exciting, if a little chaotic at times. El Phantasmo really impressed with his stuff, and even though he’s new to Impact, looked like the biggest star in the match, and maybe even the favourite against Josh on Saturday.

Winner, and number one contender for the X-Division Championship: El Phantasmo

Kimber Lee and Susan were meeting with Impact Executive Vice-President Scott D’Amore, so Susan could formally file a complaint against Tenille Dashwood who cheated in their match last week. Susan said she wanted a match. Not a rematch, but rather a tag team match with Susan and Kimber Lee against Tenille Dashwood and Taylor Wilde. D’Amore made the match for Saturday. Kimber wasn’t thrilled with this, as Susan hadn’t consulted her first.

The Flashback Moment of the Week saw Havok beat Gail Kim to win the Knockouts Championship back in October 2014.

A Violent By Design promo aired. They haven’t been racking up wins lately, and the sickness is to blame. So they will change their plan to amp up the violence.

At Swinger’s Palace – where it was Alisha’s first day as the new Swingerella – TJP came in to take some action on which team would become the new number one contenders for the Tag Team Championship. Austin and Fulton walked in and said it would be them. But then XXXL came in and the jaw-jacking began. Rohit and Shera followed and made their claim for the spot. TJP said that he would end the debate by finding himself the right partner – and who should walk in but Petey Williams.

Match 3: Sam Beale vs. Willie Mack

This wasn’t a true squash because Beale did get a few moments of offense. But for the most part, Willie was in control. APop-up Forearm Smash and a Frog Splash had Willie’s arm raised ten feet off of Beale.

After the match, W. Morrissey ran in and clobbered Willie from behind, then dropped him with a Short-Arm Clothesline and a Big Boot to the Head.

The match pretty much just happened to setup the post-match attack by Morrissey. Skippable.

Winner: Willie Mack

Gia Miller interviewed David Finlay who was there with Juice Robinson and Eddie Edwards. Finlay said that he would beat Karl Anderson tonight. Eddie said he would be there to even the odds, and was bringing a Singapore Cane with him in case Omega got involved. FinJuice come across as kind of unlikeable, which seems to be par for the course for most of the Bullet Club / Elite crowd.

A hype video aired for Slammiversary, which takes place on July 17. There were images of Samoa Joe and Chelsea Green from their past TNA/Impact years, and teases of a few other recent WWE departees who will be out of their non-compete window by the time that show comes around. On an unrelated note, I can’t wait to visit Nashville again.

It’s All About Me with Tenille Dashwood

Tenille and Kaleb resurrected their talk show where guests get the chance to interview Tenille. Before things got underway, Taylor Wilde walked in. Taylor wasn’t happy that Tenille interfered on her behalf last week. She said that she’d team with Tenille on Saturday, but that was only to help Wilde reclimb the ladder to the top. But that despite Tenille’s assertions, they are not friends, nor does Taylor intend that to ever happen. Tenille and Kaleb were too self-absorbed to clue in on this message.

Match 4: Karl Anderson (w/ Doc Gallows, Kenny Omega, and Don Callis) vs. David Finlay (w/ Juice Robinson and Eddie Edwards)

Within seconds, interference from the outside behind the referee’s back saw both men get tripped. More distractions saw Anderson get the chance to throw Finlay to the floor where Omega and Gallows swarmed him like a school of hungry piranha. Back in the ring, Anderson grounded Finlay with some wear-down moves. But Finlay fought back. He had Anderson ready to tap with a Cloverfield Leglock, but Omega slid into the ring and attacked Finlay, leading to a disqualification. All six men briefly went at it, until Kenny and his crew skedaddled.

This didn’t really have a chance to get good before it ended. It was really more about building up for the Six-Man Tag Team match on Saturday. If you were interested in that match already, this did nothing. If you weren’t, this wouldn’t have convinced you otherwise.

Winner, by disqualification: David Finlay

In a promo video, Chris Sabin said he felt guilty for not being in James Storm’s corner last week when Moose injured Storm’s leg, even though Storm told him not to be there. Sabin said he would deliver Moose with his comeuppance tonight during their six-man tag match.

Backstage, Jordynne Grace told Rachael Ellering she was disappointed in herself for losing to Tasha Steelz on the Before the Impact pre-show. Ellering gave her a pep talk, saying that Grace should just use that to become motivated to beat Steelz and her Fire N Flava partner Kiera Hogan when they challenge Ellering and Grace for the Knockouts Tag Team Championship on Saturday.

Match 5: Brian Myers vs. Crazzy Steve (w/ Decay)

The presence of Rosemary and Black Taurus freaked out Myers early on. So much so that he tried the ref to send them to the back by pretending they attacked him on the floor. But the ref wasn’t buying it. After a commercial break, Myers was in control over Steve. Steve tried to mount a comeback, but Myers rolled him up and used the ropes for leverage to keep Steve down for three.

After the match, Black Taurus charged and Gored Myers. Decay stood over his fallen body in a creepy scene.

Give Decay some credit, because they made a Brian Myers segment not entirely boring. With that achievement unlocked, maybe they should stop doing anything with Myers and end his run on a high note. Well, not high. But at least not as bad as usual.

Winner: Brian Myers

In the back, Gia Miller tried to get some words from Don Callis. Scott D’Amore came in and confronted Callis about the mindgames he tried to play on Moose last week, which motivated Moose to injure Storm last week and put Storm on the shelf for an indeterminate length of time. D’Amore said that Callis would need to decide whether he was going to look out for Omega, or whether he was going to conduct himself as an Impact Executive Vice-President. The tension between the two was palpable. Surely I can’t be the only one who wants to see these two square off 1-on-1 in a match at Slammiversary?

Match 6: Moose, Sami Callihan, and Chris Bey vs. Chris Sabin, Trey Miguel, and Matt Cardona

These six will be in a Six-Man Scramble match on Saturday with the winner becoming the number one contender to Kenny Omega’s World Championship.

Don Callis and the Good Brothers were shown watching this match in the back, presumably to scout the opposition for Omega. Some fast back and forth action in the opening minutes, with everyone getting a chance to shine.

Moose entered the ring for the first time during the commercial break, and when the show resumed, he was dominating Trey Miguel, just bullying him with his size and strength. He, Sami, and Bey took turns putting the hurt on Trey for a while. Trey was finally able to fight back, knocking his nemesis Sami down with a big clothesline, and he got the tag to Cardona.

The pace of the match quickened with everyone getting involved and the action getting fast and furious. Trey even got to exact some revenge on Moose, hitting him with a hurancarana on the floor, after Moose caught him in a dive attempt. A parade of finishing moves followed, culminating with a Package Piledriver by Sami that kept Sabin down for the three-count.

After the match, Sami and Moose exchanged some words, both saying they would walk out of Under Siege as the number one contender.

This was good. The ending gives Sami the momentum heading into Saturday, but the tension with Moose adds some intrigue as to which of those two will walk away with the win.

Winners: Sami Callihan, Chris Bey, and Moose

A backstage shot showed the Good Brothers leave the room, leaving Don Callis alone. He looked worried about what he’d seen unfold in the match, and contemplated what this could mean to his boy Omega as the show came to a close.

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