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Welcome to the Impact Wrestling Report here on PWInsider.com!
We start the show with a brawl between Michael Elgin and Eddie Edwards, and they get separated by referees before Eddie goes into the ring, gets a mic, and says they don't need to wait for Hard To Kill. He takes a dive through the ropes and takes Elgin out, and...we go to the opening!
Okay, we're back and they're still fighting around ringside. Eddie goes for a Frankensteiner on the floor, Elgin catches him, but Eddie maneuvers onto the apron and comes off there with the Frankensteiner instead. Elgin gains control and tosses Eddie into the ring, and the bell rings, so I guess we've got an impromptu opening match...
Michael Elgin vs Eddie Edwards
Elgin blocks an overhead release suplex, then he hits the ropes and Eddie chucks him on the second attempt. They trade blows in the middle of the ring, Eddie hits an inverted atomic drop, Elgin blockss a vertical suplex and reverses, Eddie slips out the back, but Elgin connects with a leaping enziguiri to turn the tide. Elgin goes for an STJoe, Eddie blocks, Elgin goes for a vertical suplex, and Eddie reverses to finally hit it after trying earlier. Eddie with a super Frankensteiner, but Elgin is right back up and hitting clotheslines. Eddie pops Elgin into a blue thunder bomb out of nowhere for 2, but then Elgin hits the STJoe, and both men are down. Elgin hits a corner clothesline and a falcon arrow for 2. NOBODY KICKS OUT OF THE FALCON ARROW! They trade heavy shots, Eddie gets Elgin in the corner and unloads with Kobashi chops, Elgin turns it around with a series of heavy clotheslines in the corner, back to Eddie's Kobashi chops, Elgin with clotheslines, and back and forth until they now trade forearms in the middle of the ring. Eddie turns Elgin inside out with a suplex and hits the Boston Knee Party to the back of Elgin's head, and both men are down as we head to commercial.
We're back as Eddie hits another Boston Knee Party to the back of Elgin's skull, then back to trading shots in the middle of the ring. Elgin nearly separates Eddie's skull from his body with a roaring elbow, but somehow Eddie comes back with one of his own and hits a Tiger driver for a close 2. Eddie goes for a third Boston Knee Party, and Elgin pops him up into a powerslam, but he's too tired to make a cover. Instead, he puts Eddie on the top rope for a super air raid crash, but Eddie sunset flips through and super powerbombs Elgin. Elgin hits Chaos Theory and then a hard clothesline flattens Eddie, who still somehow kicks out at 2. The crowd is loudly showing their appreciation for this. Eddie escapes the Elgin bomb and another German suplex, sunset flips Elgin, goes for the Achilles lock, Elgin reverses to a Crippler crossface, Eddie rolls Elgin up for 2, Elgin buckle bombs Eddie and hits the Elgin bomb for the win.
Winner: Michael Elgin
This was an OUTSTANDING match and a hell of a way to open 2020. Go out of your way to watch this one.
We see a video package of the North trying to corrupt Willie Mack against Rich Swann, then Josh and Don talk about stuff before sending us back to the ring...
Mahabali Shera & Desi Hit Squad vs TJ Perkins, Fallah Bahh & Daga
Raj and Daga start us off with a back and forth, and Daga takes Raj to the floor with a flying headscissors. Gama takes a shot at Daga and hits Raj by accident, so Rohit comes in and gets outmaneuvered by Daga as well. TJ makes Fallah hit the ropes until he gasses out and falls on Rohit for 2, then TJ tags in and goes to work on Rohit. Daga tags back in and gets caught in the wrong part of town, and Rohit hits a spike DDT for 2. Daga takes a beating for a bituntil TJ tags in and cleans house. All heck breaks loose with everyone in the ring, then everyone hits dives, then everyone hits high impact spots, and Shera finishes TJ with a pop up Sky High.
Winners: Mahabali Shera & Desi Hit Squad
Decent spotfest.
Willie Mack finds Rich Swann and says he's still banged up after winning the title shot, and he's not sure he is ready for the match, and he doesn't want to hold Swann back from hitting his potential. Swann says when he hit him up last year to help him out, he knew Willie was the guy who was going to help him get where he wanted to be in wrestling, and he tells Willie to never sell himself short or think he's dragging him down, because when they're in the ring together, it's great. Swann needs Willie this Sunday, because they're going in there to win the title because there's no stopping them together. Willie says they got this, but he doesn't look so sure.
We go to the oVe Cam where they are angry at people, then Johnny Swinger spikes Joey Ryan's water backstage. Tommy Dreamer walks in and doesn't look amused. Tommy asks what he's doing with Joey's stuff, and Swinger says he's taking his gimmicks. Dreamer tells him to drink it then, Swinger tries to talk his way out of it, so Tommy holds up a kendo stick and tells Swinger again to drink it. Swinger drinks it...and then we go to the Impact Flashback of the Week, a Kurt Angle vs AJ Styles match from forever ago.
Video package of the history setting up Ace Austin vs Trey Miguel at Hard To Kill, especially Ace trying to bang Trey's mom. I can't believe I just wrote that and accurately described a real wrestling storyline in a title program.
Next video package is the history setting up Sami Callihan vs Tessa Blanchard for the World Title at Hard To Kill, then they both talk about their childhoods and the influence their parents had on them. They discuss their early introductions to the wrestling business, and finally their road into Impact Wrestling and the title match this Sunday. They both say how they think the match this weekend is going to end, and they also got comments from Magnum TA, who said Tessa's been proving people wrong all along, and she'll do it again for the title.
We return to the world of Suzie, and Jim Mitchell locks her in a closet and tells her to stay there because she'd get upset by what's about to happen.
Jessicka Havok vs Rosemary
Rosemary rushes Havok, who shoves her off, but Rosemary fires back with a VICIOUS FOREARM, then jumps on Havok's back and...gets tossed on her ass. They wind up on the floor where Rosemary takes Havok out with a dive off the apron. Mitchell tries to distract Rosemary, but that backfires when Rosemary dodges and Havok wipes Mitchell out. Back into the ring where Havok hammers Rosemary with heavy shots, and Suzie wanders out, waving vacantly at the fans as she slowly makes her way out...then sees what's going on and starts to freak out. Don offers for her to sit down, and he gently explains that it's a headset and she can use it to hear things, then asks her if everything is okay. Rosemary gets a hanging choke on Havok as Suzie calls Rosemary the lady with the nice smile. Mitchell comes over and herds Suzie away as Havok and Rosemary continue to fight. Havok hits a hanging DDT, and Mitchell covers Suzie's eyes as Havok hits a Tombstone for the win.
Winner: Jessicka Havok
Suzie is confused, but is led away by Mitchell as we go to commercial.
Kiera Hogan, Madison Rayne & Taya Valkyrie vs Jordynne Grace, ODB & Tenille Dashwood
Tenille controls Madison to start, then Jordynne tags in and gets caught in the heel corner. She gets beat up for a bit and Taya says LOCA until ODB tags in and cleans house as only ODB can. Jordynne goes for a pin on Taya Valkyrie, but ODB pulls her off and dumps her to the floor so she can get the pin.
Winners: ODB, Jordynne Grace & Tenille Dashwood
ODB and Jordynne get in between them and ODB tries to offer Jordynne a swig from her flask, but Jordynne slape it out of her hand and storms off.
Moose interrupts RVD and Katie Forbes making out backstage, and Moose says after their history with each other, can he trust RVD? RVD is like "we have history? At Slammiverary?" They all leave, and we see Johnny Swinger passed out on the couch behind them. Joey walks in and looks at him, then Petey Williams comes in and goes "Don't you have a match with him next week?" and Joey goes "Yeah, if he wakes up." Joey suggests Petey draw something on him, and Petey seems to take it under strong advisement.
Josh and Don run down the card for Hard To Kill, and then...IT'S MAIN EVENT TIME!
Moose & Rob Van Dam vs Rhino & Brian Cage
RVD and Cage start us off, and RVD...tags out to Moose. Cage and Moose beat on each other until Rhino tags in to hit a double team backdrop on Moose. Rhino works Moose over as Josh points out that Moose is the only man in this match who hasn't been the World Champion here. Rhino is still in control as we go to commercial.
We're back as Katie trips Rhino from the floor, allowing RVD to baseball slide Rhino in the face. Rhino is on the wrong side of the tracks here as he takes a sadistic, deplorable beating from these two untoward ruffians for a prolonged interval. He finally gets free and makes the hot tag to Cage, who cleans house on RVD with clotheslines, and then German suplexes him into next week. Moose comes in with a big superkick to Cage, Rhino comes in and lays Moose out, and RVD hits a stepover leg lariat on Cage, then teases Rolling Thunder and stops to piss the fans off. Cage takes the opening to hit an F5, Moose and Rhino trade blows in the middle of the ring, and now everyone just starts taking turns hitting BRUTAL stiff shots. Rhino gores RVD, Moose dodges a gore aimed at him, lays Rhino out, and comes off the top rope with a five star frogsplash in honor of his new tag team partner. Rhino gores Moose, Cage hits a roaring lariat to Moose, and covers for the win.
Winners: Rhino & Brian Cage
Awesome, hard-hitting match to close the show, and a great go home episode leading into Hard To Kill.
Oh wait, we have a go-home video package hyping all the matches for this weekend's PPV, and THEN we're out. For reals this time.
Thanks for reading the Impact Wrestling Report here on PWInsider.com, I'll be back this weekend to discuss Impact and more with Dave Scherer on the Stu & Pid Show!
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