After a night for a One Night Only pay-per-view (PPV) on Saturday, Impact Wrestling returned Sunday in Orlando with another night of action from the second set of tapings of the Anthem/Jeff Jarrett era.
We already mentioned the Big Poppa Pump sighting they spoiled themselves, but here we’ve got details on what exactly Scott Steiner will be doing at Slammiversary, and a whole lot more.
This is compiled from a variety of live reports, which are subject to a couple levels of interpretation, and final production of the material for airing on television usually changes context, so...
Take these with a grain of salt, is all I’m saying. Still the big matches, winners/losers and story beats are here.
Filmed Saturday, April 22:
- Josh Mathews and The Pope are announcing with Jeremy Borash still suspended. Crowd chants “Free JB” during the opening segment.
- Andrew Everett def. Caleb Konley, Desmond Xavier & Matt Sydal (pinned Xavier following a spike hurricanrana)
- Alisha (with Eddie Edwards, on crutches selling brawl from earlier in tapings) def. Angelina Love (with Davey Richards) via disqualification when referee caught Love hitting Alisha with a chain/brass knuckles. Davey & Angelina beatdown Eddie when he checks on his wife.
- They’re having a tournament to crown new Global Force tag champs. LAX def. Garza Jr. & Laredo Kid in a first round match (after Diamante took out Garza with a rana, Laredo Kid was pinned following a Street Sweeper from Ortiz and Santana)
- Alberto El Patron def. Magnus via submission with a cross armbreaker to become the new GFW World champ. Afterwards he cuts another promo about leaving “that other place” because he was miserable and making Impact his new home.
- Mahabali Shera & Braxton Sutter (with Allie) defeated KM & Kongo Kong (with Sienna & Laurel Van Ness) via pinfall (Shera on KM following Sky High) (Xplosion match)
- Dezmond Xavier def. Suicide via pinfall following Fatal Finish (Xplosion match)
- Kongo Kong (w/ LVN) def. Braxton Sutter(w/ Allie) via pinfall following an Emerald Frozion; KM & Sienna came out afterwards to attack, but Shera made the save to set-up a future six-person tag.
- LAX holds a funeral for Decay. Konnan says this also represents all the other teams in the GFW tag tournament. He disrespects a guy with an American flag, and the Veterans of War run-in and chase the group off.
- Magnus (selling an arm injury) joins the announce team for Ethan Carter III vs. James Storm. EC3 tries to use a belt, but Magnus takes it away. The Hebners & Bruce Prichard run-in and try to send Magnus to the back; while that’s happening, Carter battles referee Brian Stiffler for the strap. EC3 pushes the official down and beats him with the belt. Magnus returned and pulled Storm out of the ring to get to Carter. Officials get them separated and Prichard announces the Triple Threat for next week since this screwed up their Slammiversary plans. He also says he told EC3 to go find himself a few weeks back, and now he needs him to go find his balls. Carter attacks him and Pat Kenney when he comes to help, then has to be pulled off by Al Snow and others.
- Borash says he’s been reinstated thanks to help from his new attorney - Joseph Park! Park proposes a tag match between he & JB and Mathews & a partner of his choosing. Josh leaves so Borash can call the main.
- Low Ki def. Andrew Everett & Trevor Lee in Ultimate X to retain the X Division title.
Filmed Sunday, April 23:
- Mahabali Shera def. QT Marshall via pinfall following Sky High; KM took out Shera afterwards (Xplosion)
- Marshe Rockett def. Chris Silvio via pinfall following a Floating Side Kick (Xplosion)
- Jeremy Borash announces Josh Mathews will not be there “tonight”.
- Bruce Prichard (selling his ribs) says management has hired Tyrus as security after a review Ethan Carter III’s actions. Storm, EC3 and Magnus will have a no-disqualification Triple Threat match to determine Lashley’s next challenger for the Impact World title, but if they fight before the match, it’ll be called off. All four men come out during this segment, with Magnus saying he’s here to thwart Team Prichard.
- KM & Kongo Kong (with Sienna & Laurel Van Ness) def. Braxton Sutter & Mahabali Shera (with Allie); Shera was rolled up by KM when distracted by Kong.
- Post-match, the guys brawl to the back, leaving Sienna & LVN attack to Allie, but Rosemary runs in to mist Sienna and hit Black Wedding on Laurel. She points at Allie and leaves (at the ONO taping, Allie apparently helped Rosemary, so this looks like quid pro quo for that).
-Veterans of War def. Mario Bokara & Fallah Bahh in a semi-final match (Mayweather pinned Bokara after a modified 3D).
- Josh Mathews calls Borash to the ring during a promo. Mathews says he’s made a ton of mistakes while here, but he’s apologized to Mike Tenay for taking his job, unblocked ring announcer Dave Penzer on Twitter and made up with Shark Boy. He offers Borash his hand, but Joseph Park advises Jeremy not to shake it. JB wants to know who his partner is. Josh says that will be revealed in due time, but he’s willing to face Park tonight. The bell is rung, and that’s when Steiner rolls in and takes out Park. He’s Mathews partner for the tag match at Slammiversary!
- Mathews calling the action with Pope from here after JB went to the back with his tag partner.
- Eddie Edwards & Alisha def. Davey Richards & Angelina Love (announced as Davey & Angelina Richards) via pinfall after Alisha rolled up Angelina. Afterwards, Love puts Alisha through a table while Davey holds Eddie back and tells him this is all his fault.
- EC3 def. Magnus & Storm to become the #1 contender to Lashley’s Impact World title. Carter & Magnus worked together until EC3 accidentally hit Magnus with a Singapore cane. Finish saw Storm hit Magnus with Last Call, but Carter blindsided the Cowboy with a knee to dump him to the floor so he could steal the pin.
- Marshe Rocket def. Mahabali Shera in a no-DQ match with an assist from KM
- Moose def. Eli Drake (w/Chris Adonis) to retain the Grand championship via decision. Prichard (w/ Tyrus), Scott D’amore and Dutch Mantell were the judges. Drake won round one for attacking and working Moose’s knee. He focused on that in round two, but Moose came back and took that one. Moose almost got a pin in round three, but Adonis saved Drake while the ref wasn’t looking, and judges gave Moose the decision.
- Allie def. Amber Devine
- EC3 brings out the Orange Blossom Quartet for a rendition of “Trouble” as he celebrates being #1 contender. The celebration is interrupted by Prichard & Karen Jarrett (how many authority figures can one show have?) who announce Carter will face GFW champ El Patron in Six-Sides of Steel with the winner going on to face Lashley at Slammiversary.
- LAX def. VoW in the finals of the GFW tag title tournament, via pinfall on Mayweather following a Street Sweeper. LAX now holds both tag belts.
- Sonjay Dutt (wearing an eye patch) joins commentary for Low Ki def. Andrew Everett following Warrior’s Way to retain his X-Division title.
- Spud drags Swoggle into the arena from the back and beats him with a hammer for a while. Spud then limps off while officials carry Swoggle away.
- Alberto El Patron def. EC3 via pinfall following a Frog Splash after a double stomp in what was reportedly a good match, and we have champion vs. champion main eventing Slammiversary.
That’s what we know... what do you think?
Looks like that’s it for tapings in Orlando until July - but it was announced during the Sunday taping they will be filming in Mumbai in June.
H/T: WrestleZone and Sir Owen Disney on Twitter