‘Impact Wrestling’ Review (Oct 14th 2021)
Welcome to this week’s Impact Wrestling review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and first off, I need to apologize for my humor as of late. Phil let me know that I’ve offended some people in some recent reviews and I feel very bad about that. I’ve been leaning on the more bizarre part of my sense of humor lately to compensate for how bad I’ve felt some of these shows have been. That was a bad habit for me to get into and is my fault, regardless of why, what and how I wrote the reviews. So, I’ve decided that I need to stop writing daily reviews. While there’s nothing wrong with writing a critical review of what you see, being vindictive about it is just terrible. I don’t wanna be the kind of reviewer that gets away with being a jerk for a living, so I’m going to do the proper thing and step aside so different people can write reviews.
Going forward I’m just going to write The Last Week In Wrestling and columns about wrestling and whatever else instead, so I hope that works out. I’m sorry that I’ve just grown to hate the process of reviewing a whole show. It’s not fair to those of you who want some impartiality when you read these things. As for the wild, reckless humor, I just got so pissed about all these wrestling leagues having all this TV time and just using it to do dumb comedy or short matches that are nothing but spots. Most people don’t wanna see any of that on a wrestling show, yet these promotions keep doing it anyway. I figured that if they weren’t going to take it seriously, then neither was I. Well, that’s fighting fire with fire and doing so with people who aren’t even in the same vicinity as me, so I’m just wasting all of our time with that. I’ll still review matches in The Last Week In Wrestling and maybe some other columns, but I just don’t wanna review the rest of the stuff that I don’t care about. If you’ve heard me complain about promos in wrestling once, then you’ve heard it enough times to last you the rest of your life!
Which means that his will be my last Impact review. From this point forward, my thoughts on Impact will be written in The Last Week In Wrestling. I may have grown to not like the reviews any more, but I do appreciate those of you who have read these reviews. Thank you. Well, let’s get to Impact!
[Author’s Note: Moose and Rich Swann, who have been accused of spousal abuse in recent years, are on this show and if that alarms or upsets you, then viewer discretion is advised].
Before The Impact
Match #1: Fallah Bahh def. Hernandez w/ Johnny Swinger
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
We kick things off with this week’s BTI exclusive match before IMPACT! begins. Hernandez attacks Fallah right at the opening bell. Fallah hits a running crossbody, then clotheslines Hernandez over the top rope to the floor. Fallah launches himself off the apron, colliding with Hernandez on the floor. Hernandez distracts the referee, allowing Swinger to attack Fallah from ringside. Hernandez hits a running senton for two. Hernandez sends Fallah flying across the ring with a pounce. Fallah builds momentum with a big splash in the corner, followed by a belly-to-belly suplex for two. Hernandez goes for a top rope splash but there’s nobody home. Swinger inadvertently hits Hernandez with his loaded fanny pack, allowing Fallah to capitalize with a splash to win!
The Verdict: 7 out of 10
Impact
Match #1: El Phantasmo w/ Bullet Club (Chris Bey & Hikuleo) def. Rohit Raju and Willie Mack – X-Division Championship Tournament
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Who will join Trey Miguel and Steve Maclin in the three-way X-Division Title match at Bound For Glory? We find out right now! Willie hits Rohit with a pop-up forearm. Phantasmo takes Willie off his feet with a springboard crossbody, followed by a springboard Moonsault for two. As soon as Willie kicks out, Phantasmo dives to the floor and collides with Rohit. Rohit takes out both of his opponents with a running cannonball in the corner. Rohit almost puts Willie away with a top rope double foot stomp. Wilile stacks Phantasmo and Rohit on his shoulders before dropping them to the mat with a double Samoan Drop. Phantasmo picks Willie off the top with a Frankensteiner senton combination, followed by a top rope splash. Willie counters Phantasmo’s superkick into the stunner but the Bullet Club provides a distraction on the apron. Willie takes them out with an aerial assault to the outside. Rohit hits the Flatliner on Phantasmo for two. Phantasmo turns the tide and spikes Rohit into the mat to win!
The Verdict: 7 out of 10
Match #2: Savannah Evans w/ Tasha Steelz def. Lady Frost
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Hot off her victory in the Monster’s Ball match at Knockouts Knockdown, Savannah Evans looks to continue her wave of momentum! Savannah squashes Frost in the corner, then hits a double underhook suplex. Frost hits the ropes but Savannah shuts her down with a big boot. Frost quickens the pace with a series of running attacks in the corner. Savannah comes back with another clothesline, followed by her signature Full Nelson Slam to score the victory!
The Verdict: 7 out of 10
Match #3: Rich Swann w/ Willie Mack def. VsK w/ Brian Myers
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Rich Swann is out for revenge after he was attacked by VsK following a tag team match last week! VsK hits a powerslam, followed by a standing frog splash for two. VsK is all over Rich in the early going as he begins to wear him down with a chin lock. Rich fights back with combination strikes, followed by a superkick to the side of the head. Rich hits the Phoenix Splash to win!
The Verdict: 7 out of 10
Match #4: Chris Sabin def Chris Bey
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
The Bullet Club may have defeated Chris Bey and FinJuice last week but it wasn’t without controversy! Will lightning strike twice in singles action tonight? After some commotion at ringside, referee Brandon Tolle sends the Bullet Club and FinJuice to the back. Sabin hits an elevated dropkick in the corner. Bey launches himself off the second rope as he drives his elbow into the back of Sabin. Bey hits a top rope clothesline for two, before mounting Sabin and pummeling him with repeated strikes. Sabin begins to build momentum with a rolling Fisherman Buster for two. Bey comes back with a spinning Torture Rack neckbreaker for a near fall of his own. Both men are down after a double clothesline. Sabin hits the Cradle Shock to score the victory!
The Verdict: 9 out of 10
Match #5: (Main Event) W. Morrissey Wins Battle Royal – Winner Enters Call Your Shot Gauntlet #20, Runner Up Enters #1
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
The ring is filled with IMPACT stars and Knockouts as they vie for the coveted #20 spot in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet at Bound For Glory! But whoever is eliminated last must enter the gauntlet in the disadvantageous #1 spot. Moose and Morrissey quickly eliminate Alisha. Swinger eliminates himself after being scared by the Undead Bridesmaids. Myers eliminates Petey. Cardona knocks Myers off the apron but he’s caught by The Learning Tree. He’s met by a bicycle kick from Ellering moments later for the elimination. Hernandez eliminates Laredo Kid but is then eliminated himself. Taurus is eliminated. Cardona throws Rehwoldt over the top rope, taking him out of the equation. Raj Singh eliminates Ellering. Jake Something knocks Raj from the apron to the floor. Jake is tied up with Fulton when Ace superkicks him for the elimination. Brandi spits black mist into the face of Fulton. Ace takes out Kimber as Fulton hurls Brandi over the top. Cardona sets up for a running boot when Fulton intercepts him for the elimination. Moose and Morrissey hit Fulton with a double big boot to eliminate him. The final four are Moose, Morrissey, Ace and Sabin. Ace tries to form a momentary alliance with Moose and Morrissey but it backfires and they quickly eliminate him. Sabin dropkicks Moose off the apron for the elimination. It comes down to Sabin and Morrissey. Sabin attempts to throw Morrissey over the top but Moose pushes him back into the ring. Morrissey goes on a rampage, assaulting Sabin and throwing him over the top rope to win!
The Verdict: 6 out of 10
Final Verdict: 8/10
Well bust my buckle! This was a really strong show! I mean it! What a great Impact to end the weekly reviews on. Even with the dumb Swinger’s palace comedy, the numerous long promos (the one that built up an Alex Zayne/Trey Miguel match next week, the Christian Cage/Josh Alexander that…). You know what? Let’s get out of the parentheses business for a minute and actually discuss what happened in that promo. Christian was giving Josh praise and said he’s watched him for years and he’s great and all that stuff. Then, Josh showed footage from an AEW Fan Access round-table where, when asked what he thought of Josh Alexander as an opponent, he said, “Who? Who’s that? Never heard of him.” Josh responded, “So you were lying then or you’re lying now. I have no respect for you.” This was a great way to make Christian Cage a heel without just doing another lame turn. Now, Christian can be a heel and not have to change what he is doing. Christian is still likable, but not more so than Josh Alexander. Josh should win at Bound For Glory and now he is set-up to do just that. This actually accomplished some cool stuff. Moving on from that, The IInspiration sent The Decay a letter telling them that they are honored to get the tag straps they’ve worked so hard for (they’ve never wrestled here). The Good Brothers want contenders for their tag titles. Minoru Suzuki is coming. Holy s–t! Minoru Suzuki is going to wrestle in Impact! Maybe he fights Josh Alexander? I’d love that!
As for the actual matches, this was fine wine every sip of the way…
The opener was exciting stunts and spots, which is not my preference, but at least it was performed with great skill. Evans and Frost clobbered each other in a real slobber-knocker of a fight that made both women look tough as nails. Rich and VsK jumped in that ring and sprinted from one move to another in what was a spectacle with some heft. Sabin and Bey made their battle of Chris vs. Chris into one for the ages. They did not just have a thrilling spectacle to share with the world. They went out there, with time one their side, and wrestled at so blistering a speed that the wheel peeled the pavement as it burned the rubber at a hundred miles an hour! I was floored by this fight. It was everything I was hoping for and more. Even having Sabin win is not a bad thing, because Bey losing to a top star like Sabin in a great match will still make him look credible and capable. Then, the main event was a solid and slick battle royal that had no lulls in the action. It was typical of a battle royal in that it was cumbersome and clumsy, but not because anybody wasn’t trying. W. Morrissey winning is appropriate, as he needs to win something of value at some point. Sabin was great in this match as well. Actually, Chris Sabin was the MVP of this whole damn show. Sabin was the one who sold the end of Swinger’s Palace (which had on Swingerella ask out Swinger and another ask out Sabin) as important, the one who sold Chris Bey as a warrior and who sold W. Morrissey as a vicious brute. Maybe Sabin will be one of Josh Alexander’s opponents for the World Title in the matches to come? I hope so. Oh. Heath got himself booked in a tag match with Rhino against Violent By Design. Heath is hoping Rhino makes the match and chooses his friend over a cult. I must say. I liked this episode. It could have been a lot better, but what was here was worth seeing and was absolutely enjoyable. I hope next week’s show, which includes a Mickie James/Savannah Evans Pick Your Poison match (courtesy of Deonna Purrazzo), is as good as this one was. This is the last weekly Impact review from me, but it is not the last time you will read about my opinions on Impact and its matches. Thank you for reading. I’ll see you next time.
