Impact Wrestling results: Sami Callihan vs. Ken Shamrock

Impact Wrestling returns from Queens, NY for tonight’s show, on the road to Hard To Kill. Opening video focused on the great 3-way match from last week between Elgin, Edwards, and Cage. It touched upon the stories with Joey Ryan, James Mitchell, Suzie, Trey Miguel vs. Ace Austin, and ODB’s return.

Rob Van Dam (with Katie Forbes) defeated Rhino in an old school rules match

Tommy Dreamer served as the special guest referee. Old School Rules means that there are no rules according to Don Callis.  

Rhino had the upper hand early as the brawl started outside the ring, but as he started bringing out weapons, RVD brought the fight back. Rhino got the first chair shot in, but accidentally lariat the ringpost in the follow up. RVD took him down with a senton from the apron. 

Back in the ring, RVD kicked around Rhino a bit, but he came back with a mop, choking RVD, then followed with a scoop slam on a chair. Rhino went for a headbutt, but Rob dodged. 

Rhino tried to choke out Rob with a chair, went for a running stomp, but Rob caught him with a low blow and followed with the running Van Daminator on the corner. Rob went for a monkey flip, but Rhino countered with a powerbomb into a chair for a two count.

Rhino brought out a table, but he gave RVD the time to recover and catch him with a slingshot to the ropes and a leg drop. Rob brought out a trash can, but also gave Rhino time to recover and attack him with a clothesline.  A trash can and table were both set up in the corners. 

RVD failed to land the split-legged moonsault and took the Gore into the table, but Forbes pulled Dreamer out of the ring to break the pin, and took him out. Rhino pulled Forbes into the ring, but the distraction was enough for RVD to try and school boy him. Rhino countered and went for another Gore, but RVD dodged and sent Rhino into the garbage can, followed with the 5-Star Frog Splash to pick up the win. 

Match was weak, way too slow even for these guys, but the last minutes of the match were ok. 

After the match, RVD attacked Dreamer with a superkick. 

Sami Callihan cut a promo saying that oVe equals ratings and that Impact owes everything to him. He said that the Crist brothers are winning tonight’s tag team no. 1 contendership match, that Fulton will destroy Tessa tonight, and that he will hurt and defeat Ken Shamrock. Good promo.

Josh Matthews and Don Callis ran down the card for tonight, talked about ODB being added to the Knockout’s Title match at Hard To Kill, and announced that Eddie Edwards vs. Michael Elgin has been signed for Hard To Kill. Tonight’s theme is Pick Your Poison, with Tessa picking Sami’s opponent and vice versa. 

Moose defeated Acey Romero

Moose started by going for shoulder tackles but couldn’t even move Acey. Moose started slapping Acey, but it didn’t work and ended up getting tossed around from corner to corner instead. Moose tried to escape to the outside, but Acey caught him with a suicide dive. 

Back from commercial, we see Moose ram Acey into the turnbuckle, and now work over him, he stomped him around, but then he fought he had a chance at suplexing Acey, but it was Romero’s opening to reverse the suplex and get some space to recover. Acey hit a huge crossbody to take out Moose, followed with a backdrop and a spinebuster, earning a two count. 

Moose hit a couple of running dropkicks, but Acey countered the third with a kick, slowing down Moose. Acey went to the second rope, but Moose hit the Go To Hell for a two count. 

They traded strikes in the middle of the ring. Moose poked Acey’s eyes,  but failed to land the discus lariat and took a big pounce by Romero instead. Moose went for the spear, but Acey caught him with a kick. Acey went for a running splash to the corner, but Moose dodged and hit the No Jackhammer Needed for the win. Pretty good hoss fight.

Somewhere in the Underworld, James Mitchell kept introducing Suzie around, when she accidentally touched the noose she was hanged with, which kinda gave her flashbacks to her former self. Not sure why Mitchell decided the noose should stay as decoration. 

Gabbi Loren interviewed Michael Elgin, asking about his motivation to interrupt the Cage vs. Edwards match last week. Elgin said that he attacked him both to show Impact management that he had defeated them before and he didn’t get anything out of it. He challenge Eddie Edwards to put his title shot on the line at Hard To Kill. 

Fallah Bahh defeated Raj Singh (with Desi Hit Squad) 

Aw man, I guess we’re not getting Rohit and Raj in the tag team match later tonight. 

Two weeks ago, Raj and Rohit attacked Bahh, so he came in hot and went after them. He quickly landed a belly-to-belly on Raj and a corkscrew elbow Drop. He went for the corner splash, but Gama distracted, giving Raj the opening to hit a rolling elbow and reverse STO, follow with a series of kicks for a two count. 

Raj now in control, started striking Bahh, even managing to hit a backplex for a one count. Raj continued with strikes, but Bahh now started a comeback. Bahh hit a couple of opened Palms and a Crossbody for a two count. 

Gama distracted the ref, allowing Rohit to jump Bahh, but both Desi Hit Squad members ended up squashed in the corner, with Bahh hitting a Running Hip Attack and the Banzai Drop on Raj for the win. 

Good match, not the best to follow an Acey Romero match with a Bahh match since a lot of their offense is the same, but it does make me wonder of a match-up between the two.

After the match, Rohit caught Bahh with a superkick and him and Raj jumped him until TJP made his return and took out both Hit Squad members with kicks and DDTs. 

Backstage, Joey Ryan is told to go to the management office, which is all a rouse since it’s in the bathroom. It turns out it’s Wrestler’s Court, judged by Tommy Dreamer.

This was done in People’s Court comedy style. It’s Johnny Swinger accusing Joey Ryan of not helping him out last week, but overall Joey is being accused that he is killing the business. Joey Ryan is not selling it and is calling this stupid. 

We got a cameo by the returning KM. D’Lo Brown was a witness and is revealed to be called Dee Lorean Brown. Several wrestlers made statements against Joey Ryan’s penis. Joey Ryan made a statement against all those people that try to take all their insecurities and failures against him. Ryan said that wrestling should be fun. 

Dreamer proclaimed that Ryan was sentenced to face Acey Romero in a match. This was stupid, but hilarious. I think we all felt like Joey Ryan for a while. This segment was apparently written by R.D. Evans.

Rich Swann & Willie Mack defeated The Rascalz, oVe and Reno Scum (Luster The Legend & Adam Thornstowe) to become the number one contenders for the Impact Tag Team titles

This is Tornado Style, so no tags necessary in this match.

All men started brawling in the ring, pairing up. We got The Rascalz superkicking Reno Scum and hitting dives to take them out. Jake Crist followed with a Suicide Dive DDT on both Rascalz. 

In the ring, Swann and Mack double teamed Luster and Thornstowe for a two count when Jake pulled Swann out of the ring. Mack slammed Jake, followed with a standing moonsault for a two count. Mack hit a dive on Luster and Wentz. Swann tossed Dave Crist on the pile, Swann was gonna follow, but suddenly, Willie Mack was injured outside, doing a stretcher job, so Swann had to go at it by himself. The rest of the wrestlers stopped the action to sell the injury as legit. 

Back from commercials, the match has continued with Swann fighting off both Reno Scum, being able to land a double Lethal Injection. 

Jake and Dave Crist come in to double team Swann with kicks and a Spike Piledriver for a two count when Wentz breaks the pin. 

Rascalz double team Jake Crist, only to get taken out by Reno Scum, who then double team Dave Crist with a German and an ugly footstomp combo. Thornstowe pretty much stomped Dave’s head. Luster hit a Razor’s Edge on Swann onto Dave Crist, who was in the Tree of Woe. Swann kicked out at two. Reno Scum went for their finish, but Dez and Wentz returned and took them out, hit a kick combo on Luster, finished with Hot Fire Flame, but Jake Crist was there to break the pin. 

Jake Crist took out both Rascalz with kicks and a powerslam. oVe went for Swann, who tried to stand against them with kicks and strikes, managing to take them out for a bit until he went for the Lethal Injection again, only for oVe to cut him off. oVe went for the Doomsday Blockbuster, but Swann rolled up Dave Crist and win the match. Great action packed match, but I didn’t see the need in doing the Mack injury angle unless it becomes a thing all the way to Hard To Kill.

Backstage, Josh Alexander wants to go and take out Swann, but Page stops him and tells him to trust him and do it his way instead. 

Loren interviewed Taya Valkyrie about having to defend her title against ODB and Jordynne Grace. Taya said that everyone is always trying to get in her space. She doesn’t understand why Jordynne would help ODB get in the match and worsen her chances at winning. Taya said that at Hard To Kill, she proves she’s the woman on power. Usual great Taya promo.

Impact Plus Flashback Moment of the Week was ODB vs. Gail Kim vs. Brooke Tessmacher from Bound For Glory 2013. I had completely forgotten about Lei’d Tapa.

Jimmy Jacobs interviewed Brian Cage backstage. Cage talked about losing the championship, the rematch, and the chance to regain it. Cage said he supported Tessa as the new contender to Sami’s championship and said that he will be looking close to whoever wins. He said that for now, he wants to take the opportunity to challenge someone he hasn’t had the chance to fight. Suddenly, RVD and Katie Forbes started making out on the couch they Cage and Jacobs were on. Cage was annoyed at RVD. 

Before leaving, RVD said that Cage has stolen a lot of his moves, except for the time he got beat by Tessa. 

Tessa Blanchard defeated Madman Fulton by disqualification

Tessa started defiant by striking Fulton, but she didn’t make any damage. Fulton retaliated by slamming Tessa into the turnbuckle repeatedly, tossing her around, choking her against the corner, stomping her. 

Tessa tried to make a comeback, only to get hit by a powerbomb, that accidentally landed on the ropes and she used the moment to roll over Fulton and roll him up for a near fall. Tessa used the distraction to hit a couple of dives until Fulton regained composure and catch her. Tessa came back with a tornado DDT and went for the top rope Magnum, but the Crist brothers were out there to attack her and give her the win via DQ. Jake hit a top rope Cutter and fed her to Fulton’s crazy chokeslam. More of a segment than a match.

Ken Shamrock came out for the save. Shamrock took out both Crists, faced off against Fulton and started to fight him, but Callihan came out and pulled Fulton away. Callihan wanted Shamrock for himself.

Sami Callihan defeated Ken Shamrock by referee stoppage

Callihan slapped Shamrock to start the match, provoking his anger. Callihan spat on Shamrock, further provoking the wrath. Shamrock punched and kicked Callihan, but the champ kept trying to anger Shamrock with slaps and calling him names. 

They started brawling outside the ring, with Shamrock having the upper hand with strikes, forcing Callihan to rely to heel tactics. Callihan kept trying to chop Shamrock, but they were not that effective. 

Back in the ring, Callihan caught Shamrock with a desperation DVD for a two count. Shamrock countered Sami with a powerslam and went for a corner splash, but Callihan pulled he ref in front of him. Callihan went for a belt shot, but Shamrock dodged, hit a slam, locked in the ankle lock and submitted Callihan, but there was no referee. 

Madman Fulton came back, hit an End of Days on Shamrock, giving Callihan to lock in the Ankle Lock, but with Shamrock already knocked out, the referee awarded the match to Callihan via ref stoppage. 

After the match, Callihan celebrated while Shamrock recovered. Fulton went after Shamrock again and had to be pulled off by Callihan, but drowned in the rage, Fulton even pushed off Callihan. Fulton hit a Front-facing Suplex on Shamrock to the outside, it looked ugly enough that even Callihan told Fulton to stop. Referees checked on Shamrock as the show went off.

Final thoughts — 

An ok show for Impact. We got some good wrestling and a great Wrestler’s Court skit, but not many great storyline developments.