Impact Wrestling results: Two championships on the line

Impact Wrestling returns from Nashville, TN for tonight’s episode, where both the TNA World Championship and Impact World Championship will be defended.

Opening video focused on Eddie Edwards’ successful defense against Trey Miguel from last week. There was also footage of Heath getting a shot at the TNA World Championship, Jordynne Grace’s return, The Good Brothers’ in-ring debut, and ECIII’s warning video.

Self-Proclaimed TNA World Champion Moose defeated Heath to retain his title

Moose started the match pushing around Heath, who had to come back with strikes and a clothesline to send Moose to the floor. They brawled around the ring, ramming each other into the barricades and stomping each other into the apron. 

Back in the ring, Heath continued with momentum, striking around Moose. But out of desperation, Moose tossed Heath throat-first into the ropes and cut him off.

Moose worked on the throat for a while, choking Heath against the ropes. Heath tried to strike his way back, but was easily cut off again.

As Moose kept working over Heath, he started getting cockier, talking trash after whipping him from corner to corner. But after talking trash about Heath’s family, Heath fired up and started going at him with running strikes, a running knee, and a sidekick to finally bring down Moose for a two count.

Heath followed with another school boy for a second two count. Heath then accidentally tossed Moose into the referee and hit the wake-up call for a visual pin, but the referee was down. Heath woke up the referee, but Moose took advantage to low blow Heath and steal the win. 

Heath will remain unemployed for now, but this was a good showing for Heath, he looked like a completely different person.

Josh Matthews and Madison Rayne ran down tonight’s card, as well as announce the Emergence shows on August 18 and August 25, where Purrazzo defends against Jordynne Grace.

Gia Miller interviewed Willie Mack about Rich Swann’s announcement for tonight. Mack said he didn’t know much, Rich was keeping it to his own. Mack said that he was pissed at Eric Young for what he did to Swann.

We got another promo by ECIII. He said that he achieved all he wanted, but ever since, he got punished by the fanbase and management who were fighting for control of the company, punished because of his last name. He said he would regain the TNA World Championship and finally burn and bury the legacy of that title. He told Moose he was going after him.

Jimmy Jacobs brought out Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin for a sitdown interview. Jacobs asked them about returning to Impact. Shelley said that after all these years, their hard work was paying off and that their separate work had taken them to a lot of success. But after injuries and rehab, they gravitated to each other and started wondering if they could do it again against the Impact roster.

The North finally interrupted them and came down to the ring. Page is still quiet, not even wearing The North’s uniform, so Alexander did the talking. He said that MCMG were being given things by management without earning them, while The North had to earn their shots and keep the titles for so long. Page finally snapped and said that they didn’t beat The North, they beat a North that were not at 100%. 

Shelley said that they would give them their rematch whenever they wanted, even now. Alexander said that they would return at 100% and reclaim the titles at Emergence.

Backstage, Kimber Lee walked into Deonna Purrazzo’s locker room. She said that she doesn’t trust Purazzo can retain against Jordynne Grace at Emergence, so she offered to take Jordynne out if Purrazzo gives her a shot at the title.

We got another installment of Wrestle House. Taya is trying to get everyone together for some bonding exercise and get some of these people to take a shower, so she passed around soap for everyone. Meanwhile, Susie and Cousin Jake are flirting, Kylie Rae is trying to get back to Impact for her title match, and Johnny Swinger is antagonizing Alisha Edwards and getting himself into a handicap match. This is still bad, but at least they’re starting to introduce some stories and motivations for the characters.

Wrestle House: Alisha Edwards & Susie defeated Johnny Swinger

Swinger figured he would start the match by showing his guns, but Alisha and Susie teamed up and went for double team moves. Swinger kept hitting on them, so they pulled his legs and hit a double splash for the pin. This was terrible, worse actually.

Back in the house, Kylie Rae tried to get Bravo to take the hints that Rosemary was tossing at him, so they could all go home.

Impact Plus Flashback Moment of the Week was Sami Callihan winning the Impact World Championship from Brian Cage.

Outside the building, The Good Brothers realized that someone had broken into their car and left opened beers on the floor. Sheriff and security approach them, just in time for Ace Austin to trick Gallows into getting arrested when he accidentally punched the sheriff.

We got another vignette for Brian Myers. Still no debut date.

Eddie Edwards came down for his open challenge, which was answered by Sami Callihan. Iin an awesome visual, when the lights flickered during Callihan’s entrance, there was another shadow there with a chair — Rob Van Dam. RVD took out Callihan with the chair until security took him away. Regardless, Callihan still accepted the challenge.

Impact World Champion Eddie Edwards defeated Sami Callihan to retain the title

Eddie tried to talk him out of the match, but Callihan responded with a slap. Eddie hit a tiger driver immediately for a two count. Eddie kept Callihan down with punches and dropping knees. Eddie went for a running shoulder tackle to the corner, but Callihan sidestepped, sending Eddie shoulder first into the corner and out to the floor. Callian followed with a suicide dive. Eddie managed to recover quickly and return the favor with a dive of his own.

They brawled a bit outside and onto the apron where Eddie went for another tiger driver, but Sami blocked and went after Eddie’s eye. Instead, it was Callihan who dropped Eddie with a Cactus special on the apron. Since Callihan couldn’t pin Eddie outside, he decided to keep brawling and tossed Eddie into the guardrail. 

Back in the ring, Callihan dropped an elbow for a two count, then went right into the choke. They traded boots until the double clothesline left them both down for the ten count tease. They continued trading strikes, but Eddie was trying to chop a protecting vest, so instead he hit a blue thunder bomb for a two count. 

Eddie looked for another tiger bomb, but Callihan blocked. Eddie tried to roll him up instead, but again Sami countered with a kick and a brainbuster for a two count. They traded more strikes. Callihan seemed to try to hit the DVD, but instead hit a version of the GTS and a running forearm for another two count. 

Eddie caught Sami with two elbows and a jumping kick and hit the tiger driver for yet another two count. Sami hit a second cactus special, but Eddie was next to the ropes. 

Callihan brought out a chair, but had second thoughts. He got rid of it, but all the distraction gave Eddie the opening to hit the Boston Knee Party and a shining wizard for the win. Pretty good match, though this could have been promoted for a week.

Back at Wrestle House, Bravo decided to leave both Taya and Rosemary, who were onto Rae for getting involved. Rosemary asked Dreamer for a match with Rae. See, this installment was perfect! Short and Rosemary and Rae played their parts well.

Wrestle House: Kylie Rae defeated Rosemary

Taya is the referee for the match. She antagonized and distracted Kylie Rae to allow Rosemary to jump her from behind. Kylie recovered and took down Rosemary with a nice headlock, leading to some nice mat wrestling with Rae countering Rosemary over and over. Rae covered Rosemary, but Taya wouldn’t count, saying her hand hurt.

Kylie Rae distracted Rosemary telling her she had stolen her nose, but once again, Taya helped Rosemary to realize that it was a trick. Rosemary blocked a superkick and stomped on Rae for a bit, but as she rushed at Rae at the corner, Kylie dodged and hit a running European uppercut, followed by a cannonball, and once again, Taya didn’t count the pin.

Rosemary hit a spear, but Kylie kicked out at the fast count. At this point, Bravo joined the crowd and by chanting for Rosemary, he distracted Rosemary who took a superkick. Taya was forced to count the pin since Rosemary was completely out. Ok comedy match.

After the match, Bravo looked after Rosemary. Bravo said that he couldn’t choose between Rosemary and Taya since Taya had done so much for him. Taya berated Bravo after.

Backstage, Karl Anderson was on a call with Gallows, telling him that he’s getting things fixed. Ace Austin approached him. Anderson replied with an elbow to the face. Fulton jumped Anderson from behind, taking out Anderson.

Hernandez tried to recruit Reno Scum to help him get his money back from Rhino. Reno Scum agreed.

TJP & Fallah Bahh defeated X-Division Champion Chris Bey & Rohit Raju

Bey and TJP started the match, wrestling for wrist control with a series of counters and reversals. It later transitioned into a sequence of ranas and reversals, but it was TJP who drew first blood when he tricked Bey, locked in a quick Pentagon armbreaker, and snapped Bey’s arm. Bahh tagged in and hit a belly-to-belly on Raju, a falling elbow.

Back from commercial, TJP and Bahh have been working on Bey, but thanks to the distraction from Rohit, Bey manages to dropkick TJP and cut him off, finally separating him from Bahh. 

Rohit hit a low superkick for a two count. Pancake and a running dropkick for another two count. 

Bey came in, but TJP caught him with a donkey kick and a tornado DDT to get the opening to tag out. 

Bahh ran wild over Rohit, but when he went for the running cannonball, Rohit caught him with a great jumping knee. 

Bey and TJP tagged in again. TJP hit two amigos and a backplex, then went for a swanton. Bey moved, hit TJP with a spinning kick, then set him up for a flatliner by Rohit for a two count when Bahh broke it up. Bey went for an ozcutter, but TJP reversed it into the cross armbreaker and submitted Bey for the win. Great match.

After the match, Chris Bey threw a fit. TJP vs Bey seems to be where this is going.

Matthews and Rayne ran down some of the matches for next week, including Havok and Nevaeh vs. Tasha Steelz and Kiera Hogan in a No DQ match, Jordynne Grace vs. Kimber Lee, and Eddie Edwads’ open challenge.

Rich Swann came down to the ring for his announcement, back in crutches. Swann said that thanks to heart, love, and support, he was able to become a wrestler. In January, he got injured and was told that he’d be walking with a limp for the rest of his life and thus no more wrestling. He worked hard to rehab and prove that doctor wrong, and finally, he was able to return at Slammiversary XVIII. He managed to pin Eric Young in that match, and EY’s jealousy came back at him and brought him back to seven months ago with a potential career ending injury.

Swann announced that he is retiring. Thanked everyone who supported him, to all the talent in the back who bust their ass for Impact Wrestling. Out came the roster to applaud. Swann made it up the ramp for the final goodbye, and suddenly EY jumped him, broke the crutch on his leg. The whole roster went after EY while Mack and Eddie tended to Swann. Eric Young is making an argument for heel of the year.

Final Thoughts —

Pretty good show by Impact, miles better than last week. Good action inside the ring, several storyline developments as they start to build towards Emergence, and even Wrestle House was watchable.