TNA Impact live results: Nic Nemeth in-ring debut, Kazuchika Okada trios bout

The second TNA Impact of the new era will feature the in-ring promotional debut of Nic Nemeth, the return of NJPW legend Kazuchika Okada, and a Knockouts title rematch from Hard to Kill.

In his first TNA bout, Nemeth will go against The Rascalz’ Zachary Wentz after making his surprise debut at Hard to Kill in a confrontation with TNA World Champion Moose. In his debut promo last week, Nemeth was confronted by Steve Maclin.

Okada will team with the Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) against The System (Moose, Brian Myers & Eddie Edwards) in a high-profile trios bout. This will be Okada’s first TNA match since 2011.

Trinity will look to regain the title she lost earlier this month as she faces Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace.

Chris Bey will take on Kevin Knight in singles action while former Knockouts Tag Team Champions MK Ultra (Masha Slamovich & Killer Kelly) face Dani Luna & Jody Threat.

**********

Impact began with a tribute graphic for Francisco Ciatso alongside a recap of Nic Nemeth’s promo after Hard to Kill promising to become TNA World Champion and his brawl with Steve Maclin. The show is very hit or miss visually with a lot of odd problems happening – so hopefully that gets resolved soon.  

Chris Bey defeated Kevin Knight

Bey has been in a groove during his entire Impact/TNA run and Kevin Knight has been a low-key showstealer live when I’ve seen him on NJPW shows – so this should be a lot of fun. Bey got a quick two count off a cradle before Knight gained an advantage with a tornado armdrag. Knight missed a dive to the floor, but did a flatfooted jump to the ring apron before taking a top-rope necksnap. Knight sent Bey into the corner with his gorgeous dropkick before a floating Stinger splash landed perfectly. Knight double-stomped the arm to avoid a backdrop and landed a brainbuster for 2. Bey avoided a frog splash and landed a corner enzuiguri before hitting a draping second-rope elbow drop. The Art of Finesse hits for the win.

After the win, the Grizzled Young Veterans attacked Bey before taking out Ace Austin. Gibson and Drake took out Bey with Grit Your Teeth – the double-team codebreaker to boos. An Ash By Elegance cheesecake video aired to hype her eventual in-ring debut. 

 A recap of Kazarian turning on Eric Young and being a heel for the first time in many years in TNA airs. Kazarian said that he has nothing to explain right now and he’ll explain it next week. Swann interrupted him and Kazarian tells him to join him because he’s doing nothing. AJ Francis told Swann that he’ll be there for him when he faces Hendry. Francis asks where they met and it was in the back row of a plane five years ago and now he flies first class while Swann flies at the back. Well that sure makes the former TNA World Champion look great.

Dirty Dango and Oleg Prudius defeated Dante King and Darian Drake

Prudius demolished both opponents while Dango sat on the apron talking on his phone. Prudius is working this in a way that reminds me of something Wade Keller said about Kevin Nash where you could place a camera above him and see how little he’s actually moving. Dango tagged in and hit an Eye of the Hurricane to win. 

The Grizzled Young Veterans complained about being put into a four-way title match on day one, while Santino let them know that a best two out of three series will begin next week between the GYVs and ABC for the tag titles. Backstage, Gia Miller interviewed the Motor City Machine Guns and Kazuchika Okada and they’ll show everyone what nonstop action is.

Jordynne Grace defeated Trinity to retain the Knockouts Title

A “knockouts” chant started the match off before Trinity worked as a heel landing forearms during a handshake. Trinity landed a V trigger and got Starstruck on early before Grace got to the rope quickly. Grace escaped a corner charge with a massive forearm and got two off a Double A spinebuster. Grace hopped up top, but got kicked down before sending Trinity down and getting two off a Vader bomb. 

Grace went for a vertebreaker before Trinity rolled out and landed an enzuiguri. Trinity trapped her in the ropes and landed a headscissor variant of the Heatseeker for two. Grace backed her into the corner off a full nelson bomb attempt and wanted a superplex, but settled for a few headbutts and knee strikes before finally landing a delayed superplex and Juggernaut jackhammer for two. 

They go back and forth on slaps before Trinity fell and Grace yelled at her to get up and see if she wants it. Trinity got a desperation full nelson bomb for 2, but couldn’t follow up with Starstruck. Grace wanted a muscle buster, but Trinity got two off a sunset flip off the top before a slew of one count cradles. They lead to a two count, then a cradle that Trinity turned into Starstruck, but was then turned into a pinfall to win it for Grace. This was one of the better matches in either woman’s careers and the best knockouts title match on TV in many years.

 Gisele Shaw and her goons beat up both women and she V triggered Trinity down and out. Backstage, the System said that they’re the standard bearers in TNA and Moose as the TNA World Champion proves that the System works. Josh Alexander talked about living his dream since he was 15 – wrestling in a TNA ring and then wrestling the best in the world in Will Ospreay and putting him down to become the world beater. Alan Angels let him know that he could be the first guest on his new show the Sound Check and Alexander agrees. The announcers hyped up Nemeth’s first TNA match being his first match outside of WWE ever.

Nic Nemeth defeated Zachary Wentz

A giant “wanted man” chant started things off hot with just a tie-up. Zentz got out and wanted a superkick, but ate a dropkick. A Trey Miguel trip on the outside led to Wentz getting an edge with a pumping knee strike. Wentz wore him down with a kneeling surfboard before Nemeth slugged away to escape. Nemeth landed a stinger splash and Rude awakening out of the corner for two. Wentz avoided a corner charge and got a schoolboy with the trunks for two. Nemeth’s leaping DDT got two. Wentz got a slick handspring knee strike and a half-nelson slam for two. A snapmare driver from Wentz was countered into the Zig Zag/Danger Zone for the win.

Miguel came in and took a Danger Zone before a Maclin run-in took out Nemeth. He wanted KIA, but ate a Danger Zone instead. Well, other than this continuing the formula of a winner having their heat cut off by a run-in and beatdown tonight, this did at least get the Danger Zone name over. A Crazzy Steve video airs saying that Tommy Dreamer held him back. He is going to use the Digital Media Title to carve a scar into the history books of TNA Wrestling. Rhino confronted him and wants the title. Well, that’s better than Steve wanting to scar TNA by having a Digital Media Title match with Cheex. A Decay video airs saying that they’re here to be reborn in the reborn TNA.

MK Ultra defeated Dani Luna and Jody Threat

Luna started off with Slamovich and a tie-up that Luna turned into a fireman’s carry. Threat tagged in for a quick two. MK Ultra double-boots Luna down for two. Threat comes in and lands a pump knee and shotgun knees on the second rope for two on Kelly. MK Ultra hits a slick double-team short-drop powerbomb on Threat for the win. This was pretty fun and a nice showcase for everyone involved. After the match, instead of a run-in, MK Ultra just keeps beating up Dani Luna and hit the same short-drop double powerbomb. 

The Motor City Machine Guns and Kazuchika Okada defeat Moose, Brian Myers, and Eddie Edwards

The Machine Guns’ entrance gained so much with the fans chanting “motor city” alongside their theme and Hannifan openly talked about how much Okada hated his first TNA run – but loves the company in its current incarnation. Shelley started the match off working over Edwards’ arm before Myers is tagged in to face off with Sabin. Sabin ran wild with fast backhands before Okada and Moose go at it mid-ring. Moose got a quick two off a schoolboy and avoided a Rainmaker.

Shelley and Edwards came in with the Guns taking down Edwards with a series of kicks to the body. Okada tagged in to drop elbows on Edwards’ knee before Shelley lands a grounded dragon screw. Myers came in and locked on a chinlock before they returned from a break with Shelley sending him down with a boot before Sabin tagged in and ran wild. Sabin landed an apron PK on Moose before a tornado DDT to Edwards got two.

Eddie got Shelley stuck in the corner and a Sabin helluva kick hit Shelley by mistake. I love this – they’re setting up Shelley vs. Sabin, possibly Shelley getting the X Title from him and then can go with Option C to get Shelley a World Title match. Sabin landed a big top rope crossbody on Myers and Edwards before a run-up tornado DDT! Moose and Okada came back in before Moose got spiked on a DDT. An Okada flapjack hits Myers before landing the air raid crash neckbreaker to Moose for 2. 

Okada landed the diving elbow before the rainmaker pose, but Moose avoided the rainmaker but ate the dropkick. Moose responded in kind with one of his own! Edwards avoids shell shock and the backpack stunner gets two. A ___the System chant got muted before Moose ate a double superkick from the Guns. Combo dropkick lands before Myers hits a jumping knee to Shelley. Roster Cut misses on Okada, but the Rainmaker doesn’t and the Shell Shock wins it! The faces close the show out with a hug and Okada gets one last rainmaker pose on US TV while in New Japan.

Mustafa Ali

A video teasing Ali’s TNA debut aired after the post-show credits.