Reviews by Dave
By David E Houston II
Show air date: June 3, 2021
Impact Wrestling on AXS TV was a great show, starting with the show picking up in the final 8 minutes of the Josh Alexander/TJ Perkins 60 minutes Iron Man X Division title match.
Josh Alexander defeated TJP
for the Impact X Division Championship
A simply perfect match, going into overtime when TJP pulled out a beautiful counter to Alexander’s ankle lock in the closing minute. Alexander dominated the OT, winning with a Jay Driller piledriver. Afterward, in a backstage promo, Alexander looked like a guy who had just been in a fight with the flecks of blood on his face and the black eye. He then delivered his best promo to date on being THE king in Impact as long as a non-Impact wrestler was world champion.
He also must have looked like food as “The Ultimate Finesser” Chris Bey, Trey Miguel, “The Inevitable” Ace Austin (with Madman Fulton), and even Josh’s ally, Petey Williams all petitioned Executive Producer Scott D’Amore for a title match (do not miss Miguel slipping Scott a couple of bills). Great segment. The X Division is the best it’s been in 15 years.
Don Callis and the Good Brothers–Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson– looked to be plotting but notice the cameraperson. Wrestlers noticing someone holding a camera on them might be the most original thing done anywhere in two decades.
Jake Something defeated Rohit Raju
in a Tables Match
Good Tables match with longtime rivals Jake Something and Rohit Raju having a good brawl with Something relying on his superior size and strength, Raju on his speed and cleverness. Rohit was smart enough to take advantage of the no-DQ stipulation and bring in a chair to get the upper hand but came up short as he only clipped Something with a chair toss. Something speared him through a standing table. Very good brawl.
Morrissey and Swann Didn’t Want to Wait
W. Morrissey and Rich Swann didn’t want to wait for Against All Odds for their match and got D’Amore to make it for this show. Morrissey got the jump on Swann as Rich was getting in the ring. It took security and Willie Mack with a chair to get him off the former world champion. This feud has picked up intensity quickly.
Fire ‘N Flava defeated Jordynne Grace and Rachael Ellering
for the Impact Knockouts Tag Team Championship
Knockouts Tag champions, Fire N Flava–Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz–successfully defended their titles in a rematch against former champion Jordynne Grace and Rachael Ellering in a good bout that saw both teams breaking out some nice tag team combination moves. Steelz pins Grace with a frog splash while Grace is in a choke by Hogan. Now they get Susan and Kimber Lee at Against All Odds, who they came to blows with last week (touching Karen inappropriately in the process).
Satoshi Kojima defeated Deaner
Funny exchange with a warming up Satoshi Kojima being polite to Eddie Edwards who wanted to greet him. Kojima almost shoo-ing him away and telling him “I don’t speak English”. Edwards came to Kojima’s rescue as the Japanese legend defeated Violent By Design’s Deaner in a nice debut.
Interesting debut video for the incoming Maclin, the former Steve Cutler from WWE. He’s going to sink or swim on his own merits in Impact.
Neither Sami Callihan nor Moose can get any promos done without Callis interrupting.
Good face-off with VBD and Decay–Crazzy Steve and Black Taurus–in the back. This should be good.
Main Event: Sami Callihan defeated Moose
By DQ
The main event of Moose vs Callihan was every bit as physical as you would expect with a lot of hard work and a lot of smart work with the story being Callihan working on Moose’s right shoulder. Very good match with Callihan picking up the win by disqualification when the Good Brothers hit the ring, attacking Sami first, getting Moose DQ’ed, and THEN, with world champion Kenny Omega, attacking Moose, his Against All Odds world title challenger.
Before they go off the air, D’Amore confronts the Elite, noting the Brothers did the same thing to Edwards, getting him DQ’ed to keep him out of the Under Siege main event and with Callihan getting the win, he should be in consideration for a title shot.
For the first time ever, it’s understood that the feud is not AEW vs Impact but The Elite against both. Tony Khan will be there next week to iron out the Against All Odds main event.
Very good show with a lot of good wrestling and a great build for Against All Odds.
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