Reviews by Dave
By David E Houston II
Show air date: April 25, 2021
Impact Wrestling and its entire roster knew there would be eyes on them that don’t normally watch so they put on as good a show from top to bottom as they could. Maybe not the best show they ever did but only because they’ve put on some absolute timeless classics.
Havok and Rosemary defeated Kimber Lee and Susan
Nice pre-show match with former enemies (and uneasy allies here) Havok and Rosemary beat Kimber Lee and Susan. A lot of shenanigans but once they got going (Lee seemed to shake off some rust), it got pretty good with Havok picking up the win with the tombstone piledriver on Susan. Noticing Rosemary really slimming down and starting to look like the 2016 Rosemary, who was the undisputed queen of the Knockouts division.
Josh Alexander defeated TJP and Ace Austin (c)
for the Impact X Division Championship
Starting off hot, “The Walking Weapon” Josh Alexander won the X Division title in a triple threat match over defending champion Ace Austin (with Madman Fulton) and TJ Perkins. It was an incredibly fast paced match with a lot of great near-falls with all three guys getting to shine and play to their individual strengths. This is Alexander’s first singles title in IMPACT!.
Violent By Design defeated James Storm, Eddie Edwards, Willie Mack, and Chris Sabin
After the typically creepy Violent By Design backstage segment where they reveal they have a partner to take the place of their injured leader, Eric Young, VBD–Deaner, Joe Doering, Rhino and the newly arrived W. Morrisey (formerly Big Cass in WWE)–win a good 8 man tag match over “Cowboy” James Storm, Eddie Edwards, Willie Mack and Chris Sabin, with chiseled Morrisey pinning Mack after hitting his spinning side slam finish. He then lays in some punches after the match. VBD is a killer group that just got more dangerous.
Brian Myers defeated Matt Cardona
Matt Cardona went down in defeat to his friend–maybe– “The Most Professional Wrestler” Brian Myers, sans eye patch for the first time in weeks. Another good match with Myers taking advantage of his longtime friend/tag partner hurting his leg and hitting him with two Roster Cut lariats. Real scuzzball heel work here by Myers. I loved it.
Jordynne Grace and Rachael Ellering defeated Fire N Flava (c)
for the Impact Knockouts Tag Team Championship
In the first Knockouts title match of the show, Fire N Flava–Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz–lost their Knockouts Tag titles to Jordynne Grace and the in-ring debuting Rachael Ellering, accompanied by the legendary Jazz. It was a solid match but it got instantly better when FNF got on offense. They are smooth as silk and for smaller women seem to really lay in their shots. Steelz hitting Ellering with a cutter on the ring apron as she was being tossed out by Grace was the first moment that made me sit up straight and yell “Holy Shit!!”. Ellering got the win, hitting Hogan with a sit-down powerbomb variation. Impressive work, particularly by Steelz.
Trey Miguel defeated Sami Callihan
in a Last Man Standing Match
Last Man Standing saw Trey Miguel beat “The Draw” Sami Callihan in the biggest win of Miguel’s career in a match he took a bad beating and fought back to overcome his foe. This time of the year Callihan delivers a classic and this is the third year straight. Entertaining and inventive with the spots and the finish.
FinJuice (c) defeated The Good Brothers
for the Impact World Tag Team Championship
Impact World tag champions FinJuice–David Finlay and Juice Robinson–won the rematch with former champions, the Good Brothers–Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson–in a very good tag match. Something of an upset but both teams looked good and the match had a good flow. You want to see how to work a chin lock and it does not look like a lazy resthold? Watch Gallows. Good backstage interviews all night from Gia Miller.
Deonna Purrazzo defeated Tenille Dashwood
for the Impact Knockouts Championship
In a surprisingly tough match, “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo (with Kimber Lee and Susan) successfully defended her KO title against Tenille Dashwood (with Kaleb With a K). Even with the expected interference by both camps, this was really good with the two KOs trying to live up to the name, throwing some of the hardest shots of the night. Purrazzo wins with her Queen Gambit face front piledriver. The three women start triple-teaming Dashwood who’s saved by the returning Taylor Wilde, who takes out Lee and Susan, forcing all three women to leave. Good return for Wilde.
Kenny Omega (c) defeated Rich Swann (c)
in a Winner Takes All match for the Impact World Championship and AEW World Championship
Mauro Ranallo definitely brought out the best in Matt Striker and D’Lo Brown as they fell back on their normal trash commentary and complemented Ranallo, who sounded better here than he ever did in NXT, where he used to scream and yell way too much for me. Striker got off a hot one, naming Omega to beat over all the other “world champions”, who he named on air. Saving the best for last, in a historic win, AEW World champion Kenny Omega defeated IMPACT! Unified World champion Rich Swann in a great, great match that saw both guys empty the tank to put on a classic.
I see, I enjoy IMPACT! Omega more than AEW Omega as he seems more focused on telling a story than just getting his shit in for 20 mins. They really showed how important this was, having AEW President Tony Khan and agent Jerry Lynn (and Tony Schiavone) at ringside and the camera occasionally cutting to IMPACT! Executive Producer Scott D’Amore, who was working his real job with a concerned and invested look on his face.
I think IMPACT! just invented the False Swerve when the Impact official went down and looked to be replaced by the AEW referee, who stopped Omega from using a chair, being a fair and impartial official. Great moment. Omega picked up the victory after a vicious V-Trigger knee strike and the One-Winged Angel. They go to black with Omega, Don Callis, and the Good Brother celebrating. Great show. Just great.
Thanks for reading!
