IMPACT Wrestling Results - 08-04-2020 - Who Answered Eddie Edwards' World Title Open Challenge?
IMPACT World Champion Eddie Edwards has vowed to be a fighting champion and he'll put his title on the line this week in an open challenge. Self-appointed TNA World Heavyweight Champion Moose puts his gold on the line against Heath, the self-proclaimed hottest free agent in wrestling. X-Division Champion Chris Bey joins forces with Rohit Raju against the team of Fallah Bahh and TJP. Drama continues to brew on WRESTLE HOUSE, IMPACT Wrestling's bizarre new reality show. Rich Swann returns to the IMPACT Zone to make a special announcement. Plus IMPACT World Tag Team Champions The Motor City Machine Guns sit down with Jimmy Jacobs for an exclusive interview.
The show begins with a recap of last week’s show.
As always our commentary team is Josh Matthews and Madison Rayne.
TNA Championship Match - Heath vs. Moose (C) – If Heath wins he earns a roster spot in IMPACT Wrestling
Result: Moose retains his TNA Championship
Thoughts: Relatively standard fare, with Heath periodically gaining the upper hand only for Moose to cut him off and take that control back. Heath does look to be in the best shape of his career as Moose trash talks his way through the match. The latter half of the match is a complete beat down with Moose completely dominating over Heath until Heath gets the hot comeback with a near fall. The ref gets taken out in the corner and Heath hits the Wake Up Call (a Zig Zag) and gets the visual pin while the referee is out cold. Moose hits a low blow and gets the pin on Heath with a handful of tights.
Josh Matthews and Madison Rayne plug IMPACT Emergence, a two-week event where Deonna Purrazzo will defend her IMPACT Knockouts Championship against the former champion Jordynne Grace.
Gia Miller interviews Willie Mack backstage about Rich Swann’s announcement tonight saying he does not know what Swann’s announcement but seemingly building towards a future match with Eric Young.
EC3 cuts a promo about wanting the TNA Championship so that he can burn its legacy to the ground.
In the ring, Jimmy Jacobs conducts a sit down interview with the IMPACT Tag Team Champions the Motor City Machine Guns. Alex Shelley discusses what the team has done since they last teamed in 2012, including his run in NJPW and Sabin becoming TNA World Champion. As expected, The North interrupts the interview. Josh Alexander speaks about the preferential treatment the Machine Guns receive while they had to work their way to the top. Ethan Page claims they were not at 100%. Shelley offers to give them the rematch right now, but Alexander claims it will be on their terms and will be at Emergence in a few weeks.
Backstage Kimber Lee approaches Deonna Purrazzo and offers to take out Jordynne Grace ahead of Emergence if she is given another shot at the Knockouts Championship. Purrazzo tells her she has a deal.
Back to WrestleHouse where Taya Valkyrie collects everyone to discuss the bad BO that plagues the house and with John E. Bravo she hands out personal hygiene kits. Kylie Rae asks when they can go back to the IMPACT Zone since she is the number one contender. Rosemary informs her that they can’t leave until he (Bravo) takes a hint. Alisha attempts to give Susie advice on seducing a man and is interrupted by Johnny Swinger, leading to Tommy Dreamer announcing a handicap match.
Handicap Match – Alisha & Susie vs. Johnny Swinger (Referee Cody Deaner)
Result: Alisha & Susie win with a double splash.
Thoughts: A quick comedy match to put over how sleazy Swinger is and nothing more.
Back in WrestleHouse, Bravo is cleaning up and is approached by Kylie Rae. She lets him know about Rosemary and Bravo says it might take him a while but he can take the hint.
Our IMPACT! Plus Flashback Moment of the Week is from IMPACT on 10/29/2019 in a steel cage match between Sami Callihan and IMPACT World Champion Brian Cage. The clip shows Callihan landing a top rope piledriver to win the IMPACT World Championship.
Outside of the IMPACT Zone we see the Good Brothers approaching their car. The car door is open with beers on the ground, and they are approached by police. Ace Austin shows up and talks about them drinking and driving, leading to Gallows attacking him and accidentally elbowing one of the officers. As Gallows is arrested, Anderson tells the cops t’s an obvious set up.
Another Brian Myers vignette airs.
Eddie Edwards comes to the ring for an open challenge. As Sami Callihan arrives to be his opponent he is attacked by Rob Van Dam with a steel chair alongside Katie Forbes. Despite the attack, Callihan still heads to the ring hurt.
IMPACT World Championship Match – Eddie Edwards (C) vs. Sami Callihan
Result: Eddie Edwards retains with two Boston Knee Parties.
Thoughts: Giving a star as established as Callihan an out due to the attack from RVD makes any progress he can make in the match look great. Edwards nails a tiger driver right away for a quick near fall, kicking the match off in high gear. Matthews and Rayne bring up the intense history between the two men, back to the baseball bat incident that was huge news a few years ago. Some brawling outside of the ring as the men take turns controlling a rather even match. Callihan introduces a steel chair but thinks better of it and tosses it out of the ring, only to be met with two Boston Knee Party attacks.
Back to WrestleHouse where Kylie Rae sees John E. Bravo leave. Both Rosemary and Taya Valkyrie go looking for him and confront Kylie Rae. Tommy Dreamer announces match time for Kylie and Rosemary.
Kylie Rae vs. Rosemary (Referee Taya Valkyrie)
Result: Kylie Rae wins with a superkick.
Thoughts: I really wish this match was in the IMPACT Zone as both Rosemary and Kylie Rae are two of the best female wrestlers on the roster. Some good back and forth starts the match before it devolves into comedy spots with Kylie “stealing” Rosemary’s nose. It’s as if any semblance of common sense fades away in WrestleHouse and the ring outside of it. That said, this is still the best “match” in this scenario we’ve gotten. Kylie has the win but Taya does a slow count and checks her nails before the three. Rosemary hits a spear and Taya goes for a fast count but Kylie kicks out. Bravo shows up at ringside and starts cheering for Rosemary distracting her for a superkick that gives Kylie the win.
Following the match Rosemary and Bravo confer in the ring before Taya take Bravo away and we cut to Rosemary saying “as long as it takes.”
Backstage Ace Austin and Madman Fulton attack Karl Anderson.
Following the break, Hernandez bribes Reno Scum to help him take care of his problem with Rhino.
Tag Team Match – Chris Bey & Rohit Raju vs. Fallah Bahh & TJP
Result: Fallah Bahh & TJP when TJP makes Chris Bey tap to a cross armbreaker.
Thoughts: Some great action early between the X Division Champion Bey and TJP. Before the commercial break everything breaks down with all four going at it as Bahh and TJP dominate. Returning from the break we get Raju and TJP for a little while, as Raju slows things down with an armbar. Rohit cuts the ring in half preventing TJP from making the tag to the monstrous Bahh. Bey continues dissecting TJP while talking trash until TJP finally gets the hot tag to the big man. Bahh like a house of fire until he takes a knee to the face. The match ends when Rohit gets pulled out of the ring by Bahh leading to Bey getting in a cross armbreaker. A fun tag match that may have flowed better without the commercial break but is entertaining nonetheless.
Next week we will see Tasha Steelz & Kiera Hogan face Havok & Nevaeh in a No DQ match, and Kimber Lee will face Jordynne Grace, as well as Eddie Edwards continuing the IMPACT World Championship open challenge.
Rich Swann comes to the ring on crutches and an aircast on his right foot. Swann cuts an emotional promo about becoming a professional wrestler and living his dream. He talks about the injury he suffered in January and how the doctor told him it was severe enough that he would be walking with a limp for the rest of his life. He talks about working his ass off to prove that doctor wrong and how he went back to the same doctor for an MRI and was cleared to return. Heart and willpower, and the desire to claim that open spot at Slammiversary. Then Eric Young dismantled him after Swann eliminated him. He says he had to go back to the same doctor and the doctor told him that if he continues to wrestle he will not be able to live a normal life. He announces that he will have to retire and thanks those who supported him, the girls and boys in the back, the production team, the commentators through tears.
The roster comes out and surrounds the ring clapping, and helps an emotional Swann out of the ring. Just as he reaches the top of the ramp he is jumped by Eric Young who takes one of the crutches and smashes it on his broken leg.
Overall Thoughts: Another decent show for IMPACT, but I can’t help but wonder with how sincere the Rich Swann finale was before the attack if it is all a swerve or was just Rich’s way of doing business on his way out. Perhaps we will find out more next week on IMPACT Wrestling on AXS TV.
