‘Impact Wrestling: Homecoming’ PPV – Results & Review

Welcome to the Impact Wrestling Pay Per View event known as Homecoming. I’m Nathan Favel and we’ve got a review of the first Impact PPV of the year, right here on Nerdly. There are some excellent matches to cover, so let’s get right to it.

Rich Swann (New Champion) defeated Jake Crist, Trey Miguel, and Ethan Page – Ultimate X Match For The X-Division Championship

The following comes from ImpactWrestling.com:

Page throws Trey off the top rope into Crist and Swann on the floor. Crist hits a double cutter on Swann and Trey. Page climbs the cables but instead of going for the belt, he drops an elbow on Crist. Trey is next to climb across the cables but Page pulls him down into a backbreaker! Crist flies over the top rope and hits Trey with a DDT on the floor. Swann launches himself over the top, crashing into everyone on the outside. Trey climbs a truss and connects with a Moonsault to the floor! Crist hits Swann with a Tombstone Piledriver on the steel ramp. Crist is hanging from the cables when Page spears him to the mat. Swann and Trey race for the title but Swann gets there first! Rich Swann is the new X-Division Champion!

My Take: 3 out of 5 – This was the standard spot-fest that these matches tend to be, but the spots were exciting, despite being a bit too dangerous for my taste. I always cringe when they take a bump from the X, but that’s the deal with this match. Swann is a great choice for champion and will do well, if he keeps his wits about him and doesn’t get involved with more controversy like he did a year or so ago. Good luck, Rich.

Jordynne Grace & Kiera Hogan defeated Su Yung & Allie

The following comes from ImpactWrestling.com:

Allie and Su wear down Kiera on their side of the ring, preventing her from tagging in Grace. Grace attempts to get involved but the referee stops her, allowing an illegal two-on-one assault from Allie and Su. Su hits Kiera with a big neckbreaker out of the corner. Kiera turns the tide and gets the hot tag to Grace! Kiera hits Allie with a suicide dive to the outside. Su wants to fly next but Grace cuts her off. Grace picks up Su and Kiera jumps off the apron, slamming Su on the floor! Grace uses her power to slam both Su and Allie with incredible force. Kiera attempts a pin on Allie but she kicks out at two. Su spits red mist in the face of Grace! Su then gives the bloody glove to Allie and she locks in the Mandible Claw on Kiera for the win. After the match, Su calls on the Undead Bridesmaids to bring out a coffin for Kiera. When they open it, the returning Rosemary is inside! Rosemary throws Su into the Undead Bridesmaids, then confronts Allie in the middle of the ring. Allie retreats as Rosemary stands tall.

My Take: 2 out of 5 – There were some nice moves here, but it was not all that much to write home about. This felt like a random TV match and it came and went too quickly to make putting on the ring gear worth the time.

Eddie Edwards defeated Moose – Falls Count Anywhere Match

The following comes from ImpactWrestling.com:

Eddie attacks Moose from behind during his entrance to jump-start the match. Moose hits a sick powerbomb on the edge of the ring apron. Eddie flies through the ropes, connecting with a big suicide dive. The brawl spills out into the crowd. Eddie hits a slingshot crossbody off the balcony! Moose is perched on the top rope as Eddie hurls a steel chair at him. Eddie connects with a Superplex off the top rope into a pile of steel chairs. Moose charges at Eddie but Eddie sends him over the top rope and through a steel guardrail on the floor! Alisha Edwards comes out, pries a kendo stick out of Eddie’s hands and cracks Moose over the head with it. Eddie hits his signature DDT to score the victory.

My Take: 3.5 out of 5 – This was an excellent brawl that got a bit rough in parts, but it looked good. They didn’t really do a whole lot of pinning on weird surfaces, which is what these matches are usually booked to do. Why don’t they just have and actual Hardcore Match and just make the stipulation feel more special? Splitting hairs by calling it a Falls Count Anywhere or No Holds Barred or No Disqualification match just dilutes the idea of fighting in a stipulation match at all. Wait, Lio Rush said adults need to stop whining about wrestling, so all of my whining from just now is scratched off the list. Wait, I don’t have a delete button. Screw it. I guess Lio Rush will just have to deal with it.

Sami Callihan defeated Willie Mack

The following comes from ImpactWrestling.com:

Mack hits a flip-dive over the top rope into Callihan and Crist on the floor. Crist distracts Mack on the floor, allowing Callihan to gain the advantage. Mack hits a Samoan Drop, followed by a standing Moonsault for a near fall! Mack connects with a Sky High sit-down powerbomb but Callihan kicks out. Callihan hits a powerbomb of his own, followed by a knee to the jaw. Crist grabs Mack’s leg, allowing Callihan to connect with a Death Valley Driver off the top. Callihan goes for the pin but Mack kicks out at one! Callihan is finally able to score the victory with a devastating Piledriver.

My Take: 3 out of 5 – This was a fine match that shoud’ve gone a bit longer and been announced far longer in advance than it was this time. I never even heard about this match happening until I started watching the PPV. Wait, remember Lio Rush. Every-thing was perfect… $#@!&?% perfect. Well, the match did feel like it ended before it could really begin and was a bit too simple for its own good. As a matter of fact, while this match was good, it didn’t feel like a real PPV fight. I wish these two guys could have gone a lot farther with this bout, but good is better than bad, even though great is better than good.

Eli Drake defeated Abyss – Monster’s Ball Match

The following comes from ImpactWrestling.com:

Monsters Ball means there are no disqualifications, no count-outs and anything goes! Drake attacks Abyss from behind to gain control in the early going. Abyss grabs a staple gun and staples the chest of Drake. Abyss flips Drake over the top rope, sending him crashing through a table on the floor! Thumbtacks are brought into the match by Abyss. Drake grabs a handful and throws them at Abyss but he ducks, causing Drake to hit the referee! Abyss hits the Black Hole Slam but the referee is blinded. Abyss retrieves his signature weapon, Janice from underneath the ring. Abyss swings but Drake cuts him off with a chair. Drake attempts to use Janice but Abyss chokeslams Drake into the thumbtacks! Abyss goes for the pin but somehow, Drake kicks out at two! Drake assaults Abyss with a steel chair, then breaks a paddle over his head to win the match.

My Take: 3 out of 5 – It was a graphic version of the garbage match that saw Abyss lose the fall in what is typical fashion for him. Actually, Abyss losing his specialty match felt like a nice bit of nostalgia, which works considering that Home-Coming is booked to be nostalgic. Drake looked good and got what he should have gotten out of this match, although I hope he heals up quickly.

LAX (Santana & Ortiz) [Still Champions] defeated Lucha Bros! (Pentagon Jr & Fenix) – Impact World Tag Team Championships

The following comes from ImpactWrestling.com:

The Lucha Bros are on fire in the early going as they almost put LAX away in the opening minutes. Ortiz hits a flip dive through the ropes, taking out Fenix on the floor. Santana is next to fly with a springboard Moonsault to Pentagon. The Lucha Bros continue to fly as Pentagon launches Fenix into LAX on the floor. Pentagon hits Ortiz with a Codebreaker, followed by a double foot stomp from Fenix for a near fall. There’s a crazy flurry of action that ends with a sick Destroyer from Pentagon! The Lucha Bros hit the spike into the Fear Factor Piledriver for a very close near fall. Santana and Ortiz connect with the Street Sweeper on Pentagon but Fenix flies into the ring to break the pin attempt! LAX hit an insane flurry of action on Fenix to put him away and retain the Tag Team Championships.After the match, Konnan comes to the ring and admits that he was wrong. LAX and the Lucha Bros! were able to compete without ruining their relationship. Konnan congratulates both teams on an amazing performance in the birthplace of IMPACT Wrestling.

My Take: 4 out of 5 – This was some wild $#!@. The action was fast and furious, as if these guys felt like they had something to prove. I wouldn’t mind having a whole series of matches between these two teams this year. I feel like Picard on Star Trek. Make it so, Number One! …and don’t forget the shake.

Taya Valkyrie (New Champion) defeated Tessa Blanchard – Impact Knockout’s Championship Match With Special Guest Referee – Gail Kim

The following comes from ImpactWrestling.com:

Tessa wears down Taya in the early going. Taya hits a German suplex to turn things around. Taya connects with double running knees in the corner for a two count. Tessa attempts the Buzzsaw DDT but Taya counters into a Northern Lights suplex! Taya misses a Moonsault, allowing Tessa to connect with the Spear for a near fall! Tessa inadvertently hits Gail Kim, knocking her down to the mat. Tessa hits Taya with the Buzzsaw DDT but Gail is unable to make the count. Tessa grabs the title and Gail attempts to pry it out of her hands. Tessa lets go, causing Gail to hit Taya with the title! Tessa goes for the pin but Taya kicks out again. Tessa attempts to hit Gail but she turns it around and connects with Eat Defeat! Taya follows up with the Road to Valhalla to score the pin and the Knockouts Championship!

My Take: 3.5 out of 5 – This was an excellent match that had a screwy finish. The wrestling was as good as anything that has happened between the two of them yet. This pairing may prove to be one of the important ones for 2019, which is already really saying some-thing. The whole thing was aggressive and felt like an athletic contest with an attitude, which is just how a PPV title match should feel.

Johnny Impact (Still Champion) defeated Brian Cage – Impact World Championship Match

The following comes from ImpactWrestling.com:

Impact attempts a slingshot into the ring but Cage catches him and hits a Northern Lights suplex. Cage hits an Electric Chair face-plant for a two count. Impact connects with a tornado DDT, sending Cage to the outside. Impact follows up with a flying knee from the top rope to the floor! Both men exchange running strikes. Cage gets the better of it with a German suplex that sends Impact flying across the ring. Impact hits back-to-back swinging neckbreakers, followed by a big kick for a two count. Impact attempts a Razor’s Edge but Cage fights it off. Instead, Impact connects with a sliding German suplex through the ropes. Cage hits the F5 for a near fall! Impact counters Weapon X into a rollup but Cage kicks out! Cage connects with a huge discus clothesline but Impact still gets his shoulder up before the three count. Impact hits Starship Pain for a very close near fall! Impact connects with a Spanish Fly off the top rope but this time, Cage kicks out before the one count! Cage fights back with a series of powerbombs. Cage hits Weapon X but Impact breaks the pin by getting his foot on the bottom rope. Impact’s buddies from Survivor cause a commotion around ringside, distracting Cage and the referee. Impact launches himself off the top and pins Cage to retain the World Championship!

My Take: 4 out of 5 – This was a great match and it was a true World Title match. These guys went hold for hold and strike for strike until there was nothing left but a winner and a loser. I would’ve booked Cage to win, as he had enough momentum to possibly become a drawing champion for a little while, to say the least. It’s funny to see two WWE rejects (at least in a certain respect) do more here in one match than either would have arguably done in the WWE. It just goes to show that you never know what league will be the one to give you your big run.

News Of The Night:

1. Rosemary returned to fend off Su Yung, Allie and the Undead Bridesmaids.
2. A Gail Kim/ Tessa Blanchard feud may be on the horizon, if the finish of the match is any indication.
3. Killer Kross attacked Johnny Impact after the title match.

Final Verdict: 3.5/5

The wrestling was, mostly, excellent stuff, which made this show quite good, even when the booking tried to screw the pooch.