When Don Callis aligned himself with AEW’s Kenny Omega and helped him capture the Impact World Championship, he might have felt like he was flying high. But like Icarus, it was inevitable that one day he would fly too high, and his choices would bring about negative consequences and send him crashing back to earth. And that’s exactly what happened on Thursday night when he was fired from Impact Wrestling in the show’s closing segment. We wish him the best in his future endeavours.

The show started with Gia Miller standing outside Scott D’Amore’s office, trying to get a word with him about what transpired at Against All Odds this past weekend, when Don Callis conscripted the Young Bucks to help Omega retain his title over Moose, and then Don fired Sami Callihan, who was supposed to be Omega’s next opponent at Slammiversary. D’Amore didn’t answer her knock, but he did come out when Moose started pounding on the door, demanding that he should replace Sami in that match. D’Amore said that he had no time to deal with Moose tonight, because he had more important problems to deal with. Namely, that Anthem – Impact Wrestling’s parent company – was sending a representative to the building to deal with the Callis situation.

 

Match 1: TJP (w/ Fallah Bahh) vs. Black Taurus (w/ Crazzy Steve)

They started off quickly, with evasions and counters, ending up with an ECW-style standoff. But then a big Headbutt by Taurus knocked TJP flat on the ground, and the scary one took over. He hit some power moves, like a nice Tilt-A-Whirl Backbreaker, and a big Clothesline. Eventually, TJP was able to buy some space with some of his speed, and a few kicks later, he was in control. A Tornado DDT was enough to have Taurus roll out of the ring to avoid getting pinned, so TJP simply dove over the top onto him, Steve, and even poor Bahh. TJP then threw Taurus back into the ring and hit him with a Mamba Splash for the pin.

This was good. TJP can work with just about anyone and make it good. It’s a shame that Taurus is now losing most of his matches, because he really has the aura of a potential big star.

Winner: TJP

As TJP was celebrating the win, Moose ran in and clocked TJP from behind. He then grabbed a chair and took a seat in the middle of the ring, calling out D’Amore, saying that he was hijacking the show until D’Amore came out and talked with him. A security team came out instead, and Moose started screaming at them before they could get into the ring. When he turned around, he was rocked by a Missile Dropkick by Chris Sabin. Sabin then took the chair and smashed Moose right in the head (it was a padded chair, and even then Sabin was careful in delivering the  move, but this is still something you don’t want to see happen routinely), sending the big man out of the ring. Sabin challenged Moose to a match right then and there, but Moose headed back up the ramp and left.

 

In the back, Rohit Raju was complaining to Ace Austin and Mad Man Fulton about Fulton’s interference in the X-Division Championship match at AAO. Austin said to get over it and put it behind them. He offered that the two work together in the Ultimate X Match at Slammiversary to take out the four other competitors, leaving the two of them left to fight it out for the X-Division Championship and determine who was the better man that way. Raju agreed.

Backstage, Gia got some comments from Sabin who challenged Moose to a match at Slammiversary.

 

Match 2: Mad Man Fulton (w/ Ace Austin) vs. Josh Alexander

It’s rare that Alexander doesn’t have the strength and power advantage in a match, but that was the case here. Fulton hit the first big move with a huge Suplex, and then pulled Josh to the floor where he Lawn-Darted him into the ring post. After commercials, Alexander was mounting a comeback, but again Fulton’s strength prevented it, and he hit Alexander with Snake Eyes, and then a big STO. Alexander fought his way back up, though, and soon he had Fulton down with a Flying Knee to the Head, and a Delayed Vertical Suplex.  Fulton escaped a Double Underhook Piledriver attempt, but he couldn’t avoid a second one, and that was all she wrote.

Immediately after the final bell, Austin ran in and attacked Josh. He was looking to hit The Fold, but Petey Williams ran in and started beating up Austin. This ultimately brought out Raju who was followed shortly thereafter by Trey Miguel. Miguel put Raju down, but then Shera made his return, running into the ring and taking out both Trey and Petey. Shera and Alexander went toe-to-toe, with Shera getting the better of things, hitting Alexander with a huge Chokeslam Backbreaker. Afterward, Raju, Shera, Fulton, and Austin all celebrated their villainy together.

The match was good, but it seemed like a bit of an under-utilization, since an extended Fulton-Alexander feud has some great potential, and here it was merely a setup for the post-match stuff. Hopefully after Ultimate-X is done with, we can get that feud.

Winner: Josh Alexander

In the back, Deonna Purrazzo was chastising Kimber Lee and Susan for not winning the Knockouts Tag Team Championship. She told them that she was tired of their failures and done with them, then stormed off.

Gia Miller interviewed W. Morrissey who said that people shouldn’t rely on friends, because friendship doesn’t matter and you’ll only get betrayed like he has been in the past. Which is why he only trusts himself.

 

Match 3: Steve Maclin vs. Jason Page

Jason Page looks a bit like a bigger and bulkier Johnny Gargano. But the only Way he was going was down. Maclin pretty much squashed him with power moves and hard shots. A series of elbows to the head nearly turned Page’s lights out, but instead Maclin picked up a groggy Page and dropped him with a Reverse Suplex Driver to get the quick pin.

 

This was a good debut. It would be nice if they’d have given his finishing move a name, just to help complete the presentation. But that’s a minor quibble.

Winner: Steve Maclin

In the back, Rachael Ellering and Jordynne Grace had a heart-to-heart. Ellering said she wanted Grace to be out there during her match against Tenille Dashwood, despite being upset about them losing their Tag Team titles. Grace said that she wasn’t upset about that, but rather everyone chirping that she only could win them because of Ellering. Ellering said that only Dashwood has been saying that so Grace should pay it no mind. But Grace said that Ellering only hears it from Dashwood because that’s the only person she talks to anymore.

Gia interviewed Don Callis to get his comments on what happened at AAO, and on the different views he’s been having with D’Amore on the Sami Callihan firing. Don said that he and Scott are like a family, and sometimes families fight. He said they work well together because they complement one another through having different skill sets. And one skill he has that Scott lacks is the ability to put his emotions for the wrestlers aside. Callis said that he can make hard decisions and be the heavy, and Scott was too nice to fire Sami, but they both knew it was necessary. Gia asked if Callis was nervous about the Anthem representative coming in, but Callis dismissed the notion, saying they should thank him for getting rid of the problem that is Callihan.

 

Match 4: Tenille Dashwood (w/ Kaleb) vs. Rachael Ellering

Ellering outwrestled Tenille in the early moments, tying her up and basically schooling Dashwood on the mat. But when it looked like Rachael was going for the kill, Kaleb got involved behind the referee’s back, grabbing her foot, which allowed Dashwood to get in a cheap shot and turn things around.

 

Dashwood got aggressive, taking things to the floor and whipping Ellering hard into the guardrail. Dashwood got a very close call after a High Cross Body, but then Ellering fired up, and the advantage started switching back-and-forth. Tenille went too far by insultingly slapping Rachael in the face, and Ellering fired back with some big forearms. She got distracted once again by Kaleb on the outside, and when she turned towards him, Tenille rolled her up for the upset win.

This was a pretty by-the-book match, although it dragged a bit near the end – Rachael’s comeback just seemed to lack fire and emotion. The bigger story was that Grace wasn’t in Ellering’s corner for this one, and that may finally be the final blow to their friendship.

Winner: Tenille Dashwood

TJP and Fallah Bahh were pounding on D’Amore’s door. He didn’t answer, but instead Black Taurus and Crazzy Steve came up to them. They said that the two teams had unfinished business, and this set up Crazzy Steve vs. Fallah Bahh for later on.

Fire N Flava, still the Knockouts Tag Team Champions, went around backstage to ask random people who was the best Knockouts tag team of all time. The two people they asked were a couple of janitors who didn’t even know who Fire N Flava were. Rosemary came up to them, and they yelled at her. Until Havok came up behind them, and things got violent. In the end, Steelz was thrown into a brick wall, and Hogan was thrown into a garbage dumpster. Along with a trash bag marked “Mickie”, which was the payoff.

The Flashback Moment of the Week was from Destination X in 2013 when Chris Sabin beat Bully Ray to win the World Championship. Hail Sabin.

Backstage, Satoshi Kojima was warming up for his match against Rhino next. Eddie Edwards was there too. If Kojima wins, then he and Edwards will get a future Tag Team Championship match against Violent By Design.

 

Match 5: Satoshi Kojima (w/ Eddie Edwards) vs. Rhino (w/ Violent By Design)

This was just a good old-fashioned hoss fight. The two of them slugged it out early and then exchanged body smashes, with Rhino taking a hard one that sent him to the floor to get some advice from Young during the ad break.

When the show resumed, Rhino was in control, smothering Kojima in the corner and then cranking on a neck hold to try to sap Kojima’s strength and restrict his movement. A missed corner smash saw Rhino trapped for Kojima’s many chops, and then Kojima dropped him with a Running Forearm, before dropping a Flying Elbow Smash on Rhino for a 2-count.

 

They had another exchange of hits and then some more power moves. Rhino went for a GORE, but Kojima avoided it, and dropped Rhino with a Koji Cutter. Rhino was able to kick out of that, but he couldn’t after a Cozy Lariat, much to the chagrin of VBD.

This was a strong, hard-hitting fight. I’m still failing to see all the hullaballoo about Kojima, and after losing to Doering on the weekend, figured his time was coming to an end. Now that may happen after he and Edwards don’t win the tag titles.

Winner: Satoshi Kojima

Don Callis Gets Fired

Josh Matthews and D-Lo Brown were running down next week’s card, when they heard a commotion. Which ended up being Sami Callihan who was in the ring screaming that he couldn’t be fired, because he IS Impact Wrestling. He called out Don Callis and Kenny Omega.

After a commercial, Omega and Callis hadn’t joined Sami, but a security team had. He was ready to fight all of them, but was talked down by Scott D’Amore, who came to the ring.

D’Amore told Callihan that what happened to Sami wasn’t fair, and that D’Amore was going to fix it. He warned Sami that if he continued acting uncontrollably, then the Anthem representative may decide that Callis was right in firing him. Sami grudgingly agreed to let D’Amore handle it, and disappeared with his teleportative hacking magic.

After he disappeared, Don Callis came to the ring and told Scott that Sami proved his point, that he couldn’t be controlled and firing him was the only option. Callis told Scott that the two of them are better than the wrestlers and Scott should treat them that way. And that he fired Sami as a favour to Scott because he knew Scott wouldn’t be able to. Scott fired back that the only person Callis did it for was Kenny Omega.

As they argued, Tommy Dreamer’s music hit and he came to the ring. D’Amore said that he didn’t have time to hear “I told you so” because he had to deal with the representative that Anthem had sent. Dreamer then dropped the bomb that he was Anthem’s representative. That he went to the Anthem Board to express his concerns about Callis, and they delegated him to deal with it.

His first act was to reinstate Sami Callihan, and his second act was to fire someone else. They teased it being D’Amore who was the one, but it was obviously going to be Don Callis. And it was. Callis blew a gasket and screamed at both of them, basically threatening them with revenge, as he stormed back up the ramp.

He was still seething when he went through the curtain and ran into Sami Callihan who was waiting for him. Sami said that he wasn’t going to beat up Callis. But rather that his vengeance would be to bash in Omega’s brains at Slammiversary, and make Callis watch. Callis was flustered as Sami turned and walked away with evil intentions on his mind.

 

 

Impact Wrestling - June 17th, 2021
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Skyway Studios - Nashville, TN

The matches were good this week, but by far the biggest segment of the show was the closing segment. While Callis may no longer be part of Impact, he’s still aligned with Kenny Omega. From a storyline aspect, his firing could actually make him more fervent to destroy Impact, and could simply be more fuel for the fire in the inter-promotional war. Time will tell.