Impact Wrestling results: The Dark War

This week’s Twitch stream was hosted by Melissa Santos. Don Callis, who is in Japan doing commentary for the New Japan Cup, made a cameo.

The post-show interview was former Impact wrestler Crimson, who promoted the upcoming Salute to the Troops show on May 11.

X-Division Champion Rich Swann defeated Ethan Page in a non-title match

This was a speed vs. power bout. Swann got the advantage every time he had the space to run around Page, but when Page would get his hands on Swann, he would strike or drop Swann with power moves.

Page gained control by hitting a set of backbreakers and continued working Swann’s back with knees and forearms to the lower back. As the match went on, Page started getting cocky, taking his eyes off Swann, who finally got enough space to connect with a jumping neckbreaker to take Page off his feet.

Swann dodged an incoming Page, tossing him outside and connecting on a tope con giro. Back in the ring, Swann hit a frog splash for a two count. Swann went for the 450, but Page pushed the referee to the ropes, dropping him. Page followed up by tossing Swann to the mat for a two count.

Page and Swann traded some strikes in the middle of the ring that ended with both men kicking each other and Swann dropping Page with a Lethal Injection. Swann connected with the Phoenix Splash for the win. Okay match — it picked up towards the end.

After the match, oVe came out. Sami Callihan cut a promo saying that tonight is the night that Swann finally joins oVe. Callihan said that family is everything — and Swann and Callihan hugged it out in the ring.

Swann put the oVe shirt on and started chanting with them, but behind their backs, he superkicked Callihan and hit a double cutter on the Crists before ripping the shirt off. The crowd popped.

Backstage, Konnan told Santana and Ortiz that he is getting them their rematch against the Lucha Bros. He told them to just pay attention to tonight’s Lucha Bros vs. Rascalz match.

Josh Mathews told us that Brian Cage is next in line for a shot at Johnny Impact’s World Championship as soon as Johnny can return.

Ace Austin defeated Jake Atlas

Austin made his Impact debut tonight with his X-Men Gambit gimmick.

The match was fast paced. Austin and Atlas had a few reversals and counters to begin things — but quickly enough, Austin hit a few unique looking kicks to gain control. Atlas had some hope spots as he caught Austin with a kick and chops, but Austin used his athleticism to dodge Atlas’ offense, jumping around the ropes.

Atlas hit a big Fireman’s Carry for a two count. Atlas went for a kick, but Austin countered with a kick combo, ending with an interesting looking Curb Stomp and finishing Atlas with a running blockbuster, which he calls The Fold. Good showing for Austin, but Atlas looked even better if you asked me.

Rolando Melendez interviewed Johnny Impact and Taya Valkyrie, who were in their house in Los Angeles, California. Melendez asked about letting Brian Cage down, to which Johnny answered that he did, but it was an accident.

Melendez asked about working injured like others do, and Valkyrie brought up that Johnny is getting neck fusion surgery. Yikes — bad timing to make that the kayfabe injury after Tommaso Ciampa’s legit injury.

Johnny said that Cage will get his title shot when he is ready to return. Rolando Melendez is a great character.

Reno Scum cut a promo backstage. Adam Thornstowe said that it took them two years to come back to Impact and that Fallah Bahh and KM were their unfortunate victims. They accepted a rematch against Bahh & KM.

Alisha Edwards came out for a special announcement. Alisha thanked Impact Wrestling and said that her contract is expiring at the end of the month. She said that she enjoys coming out every week, but she also has considered staying home and starting a family. Suddenly, the Desi Hit Squad interrupted.

Rohit Raju cut a promo against the women’s empowerment movement and said that Alisha should indeed go home because it’s her job. Raj Singh said that all the women in wrestling should follow in her footsteps. Gama Singh said that God created women to serve men. Alisha finally had enough and slapped Gama in the face.

When Raj and Rohit got in Alisha’s face, Eddie Edwards came out to help her, but the numbers game was too much for Eddie until Eli Drake came down.

Eli Drake hinted at joining in with the Desi Hit Squad on the attack, but Drake attacked them and defended Eddie Edwards. Drake told Eddie that this was “something to think about” before walking to the back.

Rolando Melendez interviewed Brian Cage, who shut him down about his investigative approach. Melendez showed him the Johnny video from earlier, but Cage blew him off.

Backstage, Eddie and Alisha were talking when Drake walked up to them. Eddie thanked Drake for helping them both. Drake once again suggested they team up and chase the Tag Team, titles.

Alisha actually agreed with Drake and pushed for the tag team too, bringing up that Drake is the only man Eddie has left. Eddie agreed to team with Drake and take on the Desi Hit Squad next week.

The GWN Flashback Moment of the Week was The Wolves vs. The Hardys vs. Team 3D in a ladder match for the Tag Team titles from No Surrender 2014.

Melissa Santos interviewed Killer Kross and Moose. She asked about what is next for them now that they have taken out Johnny Impact and Brian Cage. Moose celebrated with a new suit. Killer Kross said if he or Moose can’t get title shots, then no one is getting title shots, and so if he doesn’t get a shot once Johnny returns, Johnny is going back to the hospital.

The Rascalz were in their roundtable. Dezmond Xavier said that in order to win tonight, they need masks to gain lucha powers — and Xavier revealed he had Kikutaro’s mask. They made fun of Moose’s Pepto-Bismol colored jacket. Zachary Wentz told Xavier to just give Kikutaro his face back. This was funny, but not a lot of substance.

Rosemary, Kiera Hogan & Jordynne Grace defeated Su Yung, Dark Allie & The Undead Maid of Honor (w/ Father James Mitchell) to gain control over Allie in the Dark War

The Undead Maid of Honor was Buggy Nova, formerly known as NXT’s Skylar Moon. Rosemary came out with a big entrance attire — she got a huge pop from the crowd.

The match started with all six wrestlers in the ring, with the babyfaces getting rid of the heels quickly. Alone in the ring, Hogan beat on Yung for a bit. Allie and Rosemary tagged in, but Allie ran away and tagged in the Undead Maid of Honor.

Rosemary easily got the upper hand and locked in the upside down choke. Allie and Grace tagged in. Grace dropped Allie with a German suplex and tagged in Hogan, who also went crazy over Allie, but she got caught in the ropes and the heels took control.

Back from commercial, Yung worked over Hogan. Allie tagged in and got a two count after a clothesline. Team Yung kept working on Hogan for a couple of minutes, getting a near submission and two counts in the process. Eventually, Hogan made a comeback on Allie and worked her way to tag Rosemary.

Rosemary finally had Allie for herself and dropped her with a reverse DDT. Every woman came in and hit their finishers on each other, leaving Rosemary and Allie at the end. Yung went for the mist, but she hit the Undead Maid of Honor instead.

Hogan took out Yung while Grace held Allie, allowing Rosemary to pin the Undead Maid of Honor and win the match.

Rosemary put a collar on Allie and dragged her to the back as James Mitchell had to hold off Yung.

Backstage, Glenn Gilbertti asked Konnan about Don Callis. Konnan instigated Gilbertti by telling him that Callis said he had been hired to become a mascot. Konnan told Gilbertti to go into a room and call out Callis. Gilbertti went in and saw a bald person, who he said his piece to, but the bald person turned out to be Killer Kross, who kicked Gilbertti’s butt.

Back from commercial, Gilbertti walked out from his beating. He was hallucinating and confusing people with Vince Russo, Jeff Jarrett, Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks, and name dropping AEW. He finally found Scott D’Amore, who talked him down. Gilbertti walked out and joined Callis on commentary.

In the ring, Josh Mathews introduced Scarlett Bordeaux. Matthews asked about Bordeaux’s talent search, to which Bordeaux responded that none of the entries showed any potential to win a championship. Bordeaux made fun of Gilbertti wearing the turkey suit on Thanksgiving.

Gilbertti got in the ring and asked why Bordeaux would want to wrestle. He said that just by walking around she was the biggest deal, but the only thing that would happen if she wrestled is that she would just suck. Gilbertti said that women’s wrestling hasn’t been good since the last bra and panties match. Bordeaux, in the name of all women, slapped the misogynist Gilbertti.

Bordeaux challenged Gilbertti to her debut match. Gilbertti talked some more trash, telling Bordeaux to go home and do the dishes. He said if after all that she still wants to wrestle, he’ll be there waiting.

Disco Inferno and Scarlett Bordeaux just had one of the best angles I’ve seen in a while on TV — they were both great. I’m sold on that match, which takes place in three weeks on the Against All Odds special episode.

Rosemary, Hogan, and Grace dragged Allie outside. Rosemary told Hogan and Grace that she will take it from there. Grace agreed that they had only signed up to get Allie back. Hogan did not want to let Allie go until she got the old Allie back.

Melissa Santos interviewed Tessa Blanchard about a number one contender’s match she has against Grace. Blanchard said that Impact management is screwing her over for what she did to Gail Kim. Blanchard said that she will defeat Grace and get her rematch.

Impact Tag Team Champions The Lucha Bros (Pentagon Jr. & Fenix) defeated The Rascalz (Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz) in a non-title match

Fenix and Xavier started off, but not with the usual reversals and counters one would expect from them. Xavier tried to trick Fenix and caught him off guard with a superkick, but the Lucha Bros were on the top of their game and got control, getting a quick two count with the assisted wheelbarrow slam.

The Lucha Bros took out Wentz, leaving Xavier to take on both Penta and Fenix. He actually managed to dodge them, tossing Fenix into Pentagon with a spear. Wentz came in with a combo on Fenix, a huge running knee, and a springboard knee for a two count.

Fenix caught Wentz with some chops and tagged in Pentagon, who took out Wentz’s knee, but as he went to follow up, Wentz kicked him outside. Fenix went for a jump outside, but Wentz hit an uppercut and tossed him to his brother. Xavier hit an assisted senton over the ring post on both Lucha Bros.

Back in the ring, the Rascalz got a near fall after each guy hit a senton on Pentagon, but Fenix broke up the pin. Finally, after exchanging some strikes, Pentagon picked up the win on Wentz after the superkick and Penta Driver combo. Great short match — the Rascalz looked awesome in defeat.

Backstage, the Lucha Bros were greeted by Konnan. Pentagon and Fenix told Konnan to tell Santana and Ortiz to never touch their masks again. Konnan asked for the rematch, but the Lucha Bros told Konnan to wait.

Konnan said he wasn’t asking, he was telling them and that the next time he saw them, he wanted a date. Konnan walked away. Pentagon told Fenix that they’re not going to take orders from Konnan.

Overall, this was a great show. Impact Wrestling low-key made a big deal of International Women’s Day by putting their own female roster over and not just selling a women’s revolution. While the main event was great, the storyline developments of tonight were the stronger parts of the show.

Next week: Johnny Impact returns, oVe takes on Willie Mack, Rich Swann & Tommy Dreamer, and Tessa Blanchard and Jordynne Grace face off in a Knockouts Championship number one contender’s match.