Impact Wrestling results: Cali Combat

Impact Wrestling returned to the West Coast for this week’s Cali Combat special episode from Port Hueneme, California. The show took place from the Championship Wrestling from Hollywood venue, which looks great, but the ring is considerably smaller than their usual one. 

The opening video featured Moose defeating Fallah Bahh, Rosemary’s return, the ongoing story with Ace Austin and the Edwards household, Michael Elgin and Rhino’s feud, the build to tonight’s title matches, and — finally — Tessa Blanchard defeating Dave Crist in last week’s tag team main event.

The Twitch stream was hosted by Melissa Santos. She hyped Ken Shamrock’s return to Impact Wrestling and helped build up his ongoing feud with Moose.

Michael Elgin vs. Rhino ended in a double countout

The episode opened with the biggest match of the night. The match started and they went straight to trading shoulder tackles and forearms. Elgin was the first to be taken off his feet as he rolled out of the ring and stalled. Elgin returned to the ring, but Rhino stayed on the upper hand with a spear to the corner, forcing Elgin to leave the ring again. This time, Rhino followed. 

After a couple of strikes outside, Rhino sent Elgin back to the ring. Elgin gained control, stomping Rhino and hitting a couple of Irish whips. They traded chops in the corner until Rhino couldn’t take any more. Elgin hit a scoop slam and several elbows for a two count. 

Elgin and Rhino collided when Rhino intended to make a comeback. Rhino went for a running attack, but Elgin caught him with a uranage. Elgin went for a senton, but Rhino moved out of the way, sending Elgin crashing down. Rhino finally made a comeback with some strikes and a big spinebuster for a two count. 

Elgin rammed Rhino to the corner and hit a running clothesline before going for a suplex, but Rhino kept blocking it, forcing Elgin to hit a discus forearm and German suplex combo for a two count. Rhino hit a desperation piledriver, but he couldn’t follow up with the pin quickly enough. Rhino hit a superplex, but once again, he was taking too much time to pin Elgin. 

Rhino finally tried for the Gore, but Elgin got him with a jumping knee and a huge clothesline. They both rolled out of the ring, where they brawled to a double countout. That got huge boos from the crowd and chants of “let them fight.”

After the bell, Elgin and Rhino kept brawling inside the ring. They traded strikes until referees and security came out for the big pull apart.

Backstage, Elgin cut a promo on Rhino and told him that this isn’t over. Rhino chased Elgin through the halls and they brawled once again, with all the security chasing behind Rhino. This is heating up nicely. These two need to explode in an all-out brawl.

Impact Tag Team Champions The North (Josh Alexander & Ethan Page) defeated Reno Scum (Adam Thornstowe & Luster the Legend) to retain their titles

Luster looks to be in great shape — he has lost some weight and picked up some muscle definition. 

Page and Luster started the match with a good old collar-and-elbow lock, but it took mere seconds for Luster to get the upper hand on Page. Luster hit a falling headbutt to the gut and a scoop slam before bringing in Thornstowe. Alexander tagged in. He blocked Thornstowe’s dropkick to gain control, then worked over Thornstowe’s head. 

Back from commercial, The North still had control over Thornstowe and worked him over in the corner. Page landed a huge backbreaker for a two count. Thornstowe finally managed to get an opening after dodging a running Page and tagged Luster in. 

Luster came in and took out both Page and Alexander with running clotheslines to each corner, a bulldog, and a running knee. Alexander took a huge spinebuster for a two count. Thornstowe hit a foot stomp on Page to take him out, but he still managed to break up a pinning attempt on Alexander.

Luster hit a suicide dive on Page, leaving Thornstowe in the ring to hit a Death Valley Driver on Alexander. But as Thornstowe went for a moonsault, he got cut off in the corner, where The North recovered and hit their finisher for the win. Good match — Reno Scum looked the best they have in Impact.

Backstage, Ace Austin pretended to be injured and asked Alisha Edwards to help him get out of his T-shirt. 

Jordynne Grace was in her locker room when Madison Rayne approached her. Rayne, as the locker room leader, felt it was her duty to tell Grace about Rosemary and warned her that everyone who gets involved with Rosemary ends up hurt. Grace told Rayne that she doesn’t need Rosemary.

Havok defeated Alisha Edwards

Alisha managed to dodge Havok for a bit at the start. She got a couple of strikes in, but it was a total squash once Havok caught her.

Havok tossed Alisha around from the hair, hit a backbreaker, and choked her around the ring. Alisha had a hope spot hitting a top rope plancha, but Havok caught her, hit a Tombstone piledriver, and pinned Alisha for the three count.

After the match, Ace Austin came out to look after Alisha. But right behind him was Eddie Edwards, who chased Austin until Eddie mistakenly ran into Havok. Havok chokeslammed Eddie, allowing Austin to take off with Alisha. Eddie sold for Havok afterwards.

The video was then interrupted by Su Yung talking backwards Twin Peaks style. 

We got a video promo by oVe where Sami Callihan blamed Dave Crist for last week’s loss to Tessa Blanchard & Tommy Dreamer. Callihan said that he will soon capture the World title — because he doesn’t care if Cage is injured or not. He said that tonight, Jake Crist won’t need help defending against Rich Swann. Good stuff.

We got a video interview from Moose as he walked with two ladies in LA. He looked amazing. The interviewer asked about Ken Shamrock being there in Las Vegas. Moose said that it was all Shamrock looking to get some attention and so Shamrock was coming after Mr. Impact Wrestling himself. Moose said that he’s been putting down legends for a long time and Shamrock was next.

X-Division Champion Jake Crist defeated Rich Swann to retain his title

Jake was sporting a new look with blonder hair, sunglasses, and a new vest. He started quick with a superkick on Swann and immediately had control. They traded reversals in a quick sequence that ended with Jake hitting a diving DDT that Swann countered, hitting a kick instead. 

Back in the ring, Swann went for a top rope move, but once again, Jake caught him with a superkick. Jake went to choke out Swann, but Swann escaped and tried to pin Jake with a sunset flip that got a two count. Jake landed yet another superkick to keep Swann down. 

Jake dropped Swann on the apron back-first for a two count and again went for the sleeper. Jake hit a Russian leg sweep, then followed with a submission lock.

Swann finally hit a desperation jumping clothesline to get some space to hit a striking combo and send Jake to the floor. Swann followed down and hit a senton from the stage. Swann hit a Savage-like flying elbow for a two count. 

Jake hit a DVD for two. He tried for the Buckeye Drop, but Swann countered. Swann hit a kick to the head and the 450, but Jake managed to kick out at two.

Swann kicked Jake in the head one more time and went for the Lethal Injection, but Jake pulled the ref in front of him. That gave Jake enough of a distraction to roll up Swann, pull the tights, and retain his championship. Okay match — not as good as their previous one.

We got a vignette for Tenille Dashwood’s debut. She talked about wrestling all over the world and in some of the best promotions. She said that she wanted to wrestle in the Knockouts division and is going straight for Taya’s title.

We went to the Deaner farm, where The Desi Hit Squad had just arrived. The Deaners immediately made them wear overalls instead of their traditional clothing. Rohit Raju kind of liked it.

The Impact Plus Moment of the Week was Ken Shamrock winning the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship at the first-ever TNA show. Shamrock defeated Malice in the main event, which was refereed by Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat.

Taya gave her address about the Knockouts Championship. She brought up that she is on day 229 — and as of next week, she’ll be the longest reigning Knockouts Champion in history. She said that to celebrate, she will defend her title against someone new and big in Mexico.

Willie Mack defeated Trey Miguel

They worked a speed vs. power match with Miguel initially dodging every advance Mack made. But as soon as Mack got ahold of him, he dropped Miguel with a shoulder tackle. Miguel made Mack chase him around, leading to a sequence of reversals that ended with Mack hitting the Samoan drop and moonsault combo.

Mack, now in control, whipped Miguel around from corner to corner. Miguel went for a Fenix-like arm drag, jumping in the ropes, but Mack blocked it. Mack hit a kick combo in the corner and ended with a running cannonball. Mack went for the stunner, but Miguel countered, then hit a kick and a neckbreaker for a two count. 

Miguel and Mack traded strikes in the middle of the ring. Miguel got the better of Mack and went for a top rope move, but Mack blocked with an uppercut. Miguel hit some Cheeky Nandos and the Trey19. He went for a meteora, but Mack caught him with the stunner for the win. Short, fun match.

Melissa Santos interviewed Dreamer about facing Callihan tonight. Dreamer talked about how Callihan is a bad person who is spreading negativity around the wrestling world. He said that tonight, he’ll enjoy beating Callihan up and making the world a better place.

Commentary announced that next week, Rhino vs. Elgin will take place with a falls count anywhere stipulation. 

Sami Callihan defeated Tommy Dreamer in a no DQ match

The match started with both men going for the brawl style exchange of fists. Dreamer went for a Bionic Elbow early, but Callihan rolled out to the floor. Dreamer followed as they brawled around the ring. Callihan rammed Dreamer into the ring post. In retaliation, Dreamer attacked Callihan with the timekeeper’s bell and hammer. 

Back from commercial, Callihan and Dreamer were facing off with a baseball bat and kendo stick in hand. Dreamer got the better of Callihan with a Russian leg sweep, getting an opening to look for some chairs to bring to the ring. That gave Callihan time to recover and land a kick, dropping Dreamer and getting some kendo stick shots in. 

Callihan went for Dreamer’s DDT on some chairs, but Dreamer countered, forcing Callihan to only trip down Dreamer on the chairs for a two count. Callihan hit Dreamer with a chair, but he played to the crowd instead of going for the pin. Callihan set up a chair between the ropes. 

Dreamer came back with some jabs and the Bionic Elbow. He faked out Callihan, sending him straight for the chair in the corner. Dreamer then hit a quick DDT for a two count.

Dreamer brought a trash can and a short ladder into the ring, but he ended up being hit by both for a two count. 

Callihan set up the trash can in the corner and whipped Dreamer into it, but Dreamer stopped himself and sent Callihan face-first into the trash can with a slingshot. Dreamer followed with another DDT for 2.99.

Dreamer went for a piledriver, but Callihan blocked it with a groin claw and a drop toe hold onto a chair. 

Callihan brought out a piece of plywood that he used to set up as a bed between two chairs, with the fans chanting “that’s a table.” Dreamer then countered with a groin claw and a piledriver, but Callihan got his foot on the ropes.

Dreamer set up Callihan on the ladder and went for a flying elbow, but Callihan got out of the way. Dreamer landed terribly on the ladder, becoming easy prey for Callihan to hit him with the Cactus Special on the plywood for the win.

After the match, Callihan went to break Dreamer’s arm between the ladder, but Tessa Blanchard came out for the save. She went to take out Callihan with his own bat, but Jake Crist came out and took her out from behind, leaving her open for a Cactus Special as oVe stood tall in the ring.

Final Thoughts — 

Not much for a special episode. It was a fun and easy watch, but it really did feel like a transition show between tapings. The build for Callihan and Blanchard’s title chase moved on in a good way.