Airing following tonight’s edition of Impact Wrestling, this One Night Only special was originally intended as the go-home show for the TNA: No Place Like Home show during WrestleMania week which was unfortunately cancelled like everything else that week. As a result, some of the matches referred to didn’t end up happening but were left in.
The cold open video was a look back at TNA and Impact’s history, their roster through the years, and their champions. In the commentary booth tonight are David Penzer and Scott D’Amore.
Hernandez defeated “The Natural” Chase Stevens
Stevens tried to start strong, but was easily sent down with a headbutt. Hernandez went for the Border Toss, but Stevens escaped and hit a German instead. Hernandez hit a springboard shoulder tackle, but Stevens later came back with a running clothesline and a dropkick to Hernandez, who was in the ropes. Followed by a superplex, Stevens got a two count. That was it for Hernandez who hit the Border Toss for the pin and win in a near squash.
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– D’Amore and Penzer ran down the card and we got a good video package on the Knockouts: a rundown on some of the biggest moments and biggest title reigns. You forget some of the spots these ladies used to take.
– Jimmy Jacobs then interviewed Gail Kim and she talked about the Knockouts Gauntlet and who she wondered would appear.
– We got a video package of when Don Callis, many inches of hair ago, introduced the idea of the Ultimate X match. We also got a quick highlight reel of some of the historic spots in those matches.
– Jacobs interviewed Ace Austin about defending his championship in an Ultimate X match on this TNA nostalgia show. Austin said that he didn’t win his first Ultimate X, but he also wasn’t a champion then. Now he is and he’ll do anything to defend his title.
Suicide & Manik defeated Johnny Swinger & Kid Kash
Kid Kash looks to be in fantastic shape. Is it revisionist history that Manik and Suicide are not the same wrestler anymore? Penzer made reference to it and D’Amore said that WIkipedia was wrong.
Swinger and Kash jumped the masked men to start the match. Manik was able to rally and hit a double dropkick to get rid of Kash. Along with Suicide, he then hit three Poetry in Motions on Swinger.
Back from commercial, Manik was still working over Swinger as he locked in the Pentagon Jr. armbreaker on him. Suddenly, as Manik ran the ropes, Kash caught him with a kick to turned the match around. Kash and Swinger worked over Manik, using several quick tags to swap out on the offense. Eventually, Manik managed to escape and dodge Kash to get the tag.
Suicide took on both men with a series of kicks and enzuigiris. Manik and Suicide hit the tranquilo swerve on the ropes and sent both Kash and Swinger to the floor, followed by over the top rope planchas.
Back in the ring, Manik hit a top rope crossbody, followed by a swanton by Suicide for the win. This was a good match and Kash and Swinger were surprisingly good in it.
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– We got a video package about the King of the Mountain match rules. It’s been an ongoing joke for the last few weeks on Impact that there are so many rules, no one remembers them all and that it takes too long to explain either way.
– “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner then came out to the ring, sold as the unpredictable Steiner having a live mic. He said that he is the reason why T&A shows up on TNA and that a lot of people on the Internet say he’s not politically correct and not part of the PC culture, which, unfortunately for society, got a big pop.
Steiner talked about an upcoming match teaming with Petey Williams and then proceeded to cut his third or fourth installment of his infamous math promo.
Suddenly, Joey Ryan interrupted Steiner. Ryan, doing his Right to Censor gimmick, said that Steiner should have been cancelled a long time ago just like TNA was. Ryan invited Steiner to join him in Cancel Culture as “Big Proper Pump.”
Ryan offered Steiner a handshake, but Steiner instead hit a clothesline and tossed him out of the ring. This was underwhelming on all accounts.
– Raven talked about how the Raven’s Clockwork Orange House of Fun match was created. He mostly said that it was a match designed to match his own psyche and that the purpose was to scar people.
Rhino defeated Madman Fulton by DQ
Fulton rushed Rhino, but Rhino was ready and caught him with some punches and a clothesline to the outside. They brawled a bit outside the ring, ramming each other to the ringpost. Back in the ring, Fulton had the upper hand and tackled Rhino into the corner, stomping him several times. Rhino kept trying to come back with punches, but Fulton would cut him off over and over.
Fulton went to the top rope for a headbutt, but Rhino moved out of the way and recovered. Rhino punched and chopped Fulton, took him down with elbows, tackled him into the corner, and hit a belly-to-belly before setting up the Gore.
Jake and Dave Crist came down and attacked Rhino for the DQ, so I guess it really was a TNA show. Tommy Dreamer came down to make the save and fought all the Crists, but oVe still had the numbers advantage and took him down.
The lights went out and then, Raven was in the ring with a kendo stick. He attacked the Crist brothers and sent them packing. Raven offered Dreamer a helping hand, a hug, and then took out his old rival with the stick.
Raven then left and once again, oVe attacked Dreamer and Rhino until Manik and Suicide came down for the save.
Kash, Stevens, and Swinger then ran out to brawl and attacked Manik and Suicide. Hernandez also came out because it’s not TNA if there’s not a brawl happening somewhere in the arena. Kash and Hernandez did matching dives on everyone else as the show went off the air.
Final Thoughts:
This wasn’t really a good show as the tag match was the only thing worth checking out. This failed as a go home to the nostalgia show or even as a history special.
