After it was all but confirmed last week, Impact Wrestling has made Rich Swann vs. Johnny Impact official for Slammiversary XVII.
Swann will defend his X-Division Championship against Johnny at Slammiversary, which is taking place in Dallas, Texas on Sunday, July 7. Johnny is cashing in his X-Division title shot to get the match.
Johnny got the title shot by defeating Jake Crist, AR Fox, Ace Austin, and Pat Buck in an Ultimate X match at Impact’s United We Stand show during WrestleMania week in April.
On last week’s Impact episode, Johnny did an interview saying he was going to challenge for Swann’s X-Division title at Slammiversary. Swann teamed with Willie Mack in the main event of the episode and defeated Johnny & Michael Elgin. Swann got the pin on Johnny after Elgin walked out on the match. Johnny was thrown into Elgin before Elgin walked out.
Elgin will challenge for Brian Cage’s Impact World Championship at Slammiversary. The PPV is being held at Gilley’s Dallas.
The night before Slammiversary, the first day of this year’s NJPW G1 Climax will take place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The American Airlines Center is also hosting WWE Raw on July 1.
Impact Wrestling has officially announced the World Championship match for their next pay-per-view.
Impact World Champion Brian Cage will defend his title against Michael Elgin at Slammiversary XVII on Sunday, July 7. The event is being held at Gilley’s Dallas in Dallas, Texas.
Video of a promo from Cage, who suffered a legitimate back injury at April’s Rebellion PPV, aired on last night’s Impact. Cage vowed that he would be at Slammiversary and would defend his title against Elgin.
Cage won the Impact World Championship by defeating Johnny Impact at Rebellion. Elgin then made his Impact debut and laid out Cage in a post-match angle.
Elgin defeated Johnny Impact and Pentagon Jr. in a triple threat number one contender’s match on the May 3 episode of Impact.
X-Division Champion Rich Swann & Willie Mack defeated Elgin & Johnny Impact on last night’s episode, with Elgin walking out on Johnny at the end of the match after Johnny was thrown into him. During an interview earlier in the show, Johnny indicated that he would cash in his X-Division title shot for a match against Swann at Slammiversary.
Slammiversary XVII is taking place the night after the American Airlines Center in Dallas hosts the opening night of this year’s NJPW G1 Climax. WWE Raw will also be at the American Airlines Center on July 1.
Impact Wrestling celebrates its 16th anniversary as this year’s Slammiversary pay-per-view takes place at The Rebel Entertainment Complex in Toronto, Ontario, Canada tonight.
We’re looking for your thoughts on this show, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to [email protected]
Slammiversary XVI will be headlined by Impact World Champion Austin Aries defending his title against Moose. There will also be three more title matches: Knockouts Champion Su Yung vs. Madison Rayne, Tag Team Champions LAX (Santana & Ortiz) vs. The OGz (Homicide & Hernandez) in a 5150 street fight, and X Division Champion Matt Sydal vs. Brian Cage.
The feud between Pentagon Jr. and Sami Callihan will culminate in a mask vs. hair match, while Eddie Edwards and Tommy Dreamer’s program leads to a House of Hardcore match tonight.
Johnny Impact vs. Taiji Ishimori vs. Fenix vs. Rich Swann was originally supposed to take place, but Petey Williams will replace Swann in the match after Swann suffered a concussion last week.
Tessa Blanchard vs. Allie rounds out tonight’s lineup. Our live coverage starts at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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By Dave Meltzer
PETEY WILLIAMS VS. TAIJI ISHIMORI VS. FENIX VS. JOHNNY IMPACT
This was an all-action high spot match ending when Impact pinning Fenix with Starship pain. Fenix was the most impressive of the four but it one big move after another, constant big moves dives and such. Fenix did great rope work. Lots of dives., This was like X Division heyday. Everyone did their big moves, Williams with the Canadian Destroyer, Ishimori the tombstone into codebreaker, Fenix did a 450. Ishimori did a top rope moonsault to the floor. Fenix did a twisting flip dive. Williams did a plancha into a hurricanrana on the floor. Strong match to open.
TESSA BLANCHARD VS. ALLIE
Blanchard escaped from the Allie Valley Driver (Death Valley Bomb) and hit a hammerlock DDT for the pin. Blanchard has great ring presence and works a very aggressive physical style, very much like a Japanese male wrestler. It’s a very different thing than any of the WWE women. Allie did a crossbody off the top to the floor. She also did her Allie Valley Driver to the floor. Solidly worked.
TOMMY DREAMER VS. EDDIE EDWARDS IN A HARDCORE RULES MATCH
This was all the ECW cliches like the blood and kendo stick shots. The story here is that Edwards thought Dreamer was having an affair with his wife. After it seemed like Edwards wanted to make up but Dreamer shoved him off. Edwards bled from being stapled in the forehead. Dreamer used a Spicolli driver off the middle rope through two tables. Alisha Edwards came out and told Edwards to shake his hand. Edwards did shake his na d and they hugged. Dreamer handed Edwards a kendo stick like this was a passing of the torch to the new hardcore guy. The crowd was really into this match with ECW chants. The crowd was upset because Dreamer brought out a table and poured lighter fluid on it, but when Dreamer went to set it on fire, Edwards gave him a low blow and a shining wizard into a chari into Dreamer’s head for the pin. Crowd wasn’t into one guy winning or losing, they wanted old ECW stunts so that’s why the finish didn’t really work. The crowd didn’t care about the story either as the handshake when they made up wasn’t cheered either. They were very into the idea of seeing an ECW match, though.
MATT SYDAL VS. BRIAN CAGE FOR THE X TITLE
Cage won the title with the drill claw after Sydal missed a shooting star press when his feet hit the ropes as he landed short, so Cage is the new champion. Cage is heavier than I’ve seen in the past. I think it worked against his style but this was a good match. Fans were chanting “This is awesome.” Sydal did some cool stuff as did Cage. It never felt dramatic.
SU YUNG VS. MADISON RAYNE FOR KNOCKOUTS TITLE
Yung retained in a pretty quick match with the mandible claw. Rayne had most of the offense and wrestled well. Yung went to blow mist at Rayne but she moved and Yung blew mist at one of the undead bridesmaids. Yung picked Rayne up and put her in a coffin after the match.
ORTIZ & SANTANA VS. HOMICIDE & HERNANDEZ IN A STREET FIGHT FOR THE TAG TITLES
This was another weapons match done ECW style. It felt early too similar to the Dreamer match but this had a lot more cool moves and the fans ended up getting really into this. The finish saw Konnan throw thumbtacks to Santana and he poured them on the mat. Santana slammed Homicide him on the thumbtacks and pinned him after a splash off the top rope. A good mount of blood. There were three table breaks. Homicide & Hernandez brought in Drano, which fans thought was lighter fluid so they wanted fire again. Homicide at one point did a tope con giro which put Santana through a table on the floor. Ortiz used a Death Valley bomb to put Homicide through a table and Hernandez gave Ortiz a border toss and put him through a table. After the match King beat down LAX with a flapjack and then they beat down Konnan and hit him with the blackjack and then spray painted the tag title belts.
PENTAGON JR. VS. SAMI CALLIHAN MASK VS. HAIR
This was another weapons ECW style match and three is too many for a show but this was easily the best of the three. Really this was like a classic match of this type in Mexico from the 70s or 80s with the blood and the great heat. Both used spikes on each other and both juiced. There was a ref bump as Callihan threw powder and Pentagon couldn’t see and chopped ref John E. Bravo and then Pentagon broke the ref’s arm. Penta used a Penta driver on Callihan but no ref. Callihan used a piledriver on a chair but again no ref. A second ref came in but Pentagon kicked out. Penta gave him a Penta driver on four chairs but Callihan kicked out. Pentagon broke Callihan’s arm and then used a package piledriver for the pin. Before Pentagon could cut the hair the Crist brother attacked Pentagon while Callihan bailed. Don Callis yelled at Callihan about delivering on the stip. Fenix chased Callihan back out and Fenix and Pentagon superkicked Callihan and security held the Crist Brothers and they cut Callihan’s hair.
They announced Bound for Glory on October 14, 2018 at the Melrose Ballroom in New York which is the same place Court Bauer has been running.
AUSTIN ARIES VS. MOOSE FOR THE IMPACT TITLE
This was a hell of a main event. It as hot from start to finish. Aries looked tremendous and Moose looked like a star. The match had super heat as well. Moose speared him but Aries got his hand on the ropes. Moose missed a dive and crashed onto the ramp. Aries used a brainbuster on the floor and they teased a count out win but Moose beat the count. Aries went for a belt shot but Curtis Granderson of the the Toronto Blue Jays took the belt away and Moose got a great near fall with a schoolboy. But Aries then got the clean pin with a brainbuster to retain the title.
Rich Swann is officially off Sunday’s Impact Wrestling Slammiversary XVI pay-per-view due to a concussion he suffered when working at an MLW event in Long Island, NY, Thursday night.
In a tag team match between Swann and ACH vs. Teddy Hart and Davey Boy Smith Jr., Swann hit his head on the guardrail badly during a spot. He was hospitalized and released that night, and Impact management was in contact with him immediately after.
For Slammiversary, Swann was booked for a potential show-stealer in a four-way that also includes Rey Fenix, Johnny Impact, and Taiji Ishimori. (Ishimori will also be working this week’s TV tapings as he’s not booked for the NJPW G1 tour.)
Slammiversary XVI is scheduled for Sunday from Toronto, Canada, and features Impact World champion Austin Aries vs. Moose, Knockouts Champion Su Yung vs. Madison Rayne, X Division champion Matt Sydal vs. Brian Cage, Pentagon Jr. vs. Sami Callihan in a mask vs. hair match, and more.
UPDATE: Impact officially announced that Swann is off the PPV this afternoon and revealed that Petey Williams will be added to the four-way in his place.
Confirming plans for some of the names who had been announced for the show, Impact Wrestling added a four-way match to the Slammiversary XVI card last night.
It will be John Hennigan (the former John Morrison, who goes by “Johnny Impact” for the company) vs. Taiji Ishimori vs. Rich Swann vs. Fenix at the July 22 pay-per-view. Hennigan is returning to Impact for the first time since filming the next season of CBS’ “Survivor” reality series earlier this year, while this is Ishimori’s first appearance for the promotion since joining New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Swann made his debut on the episode of Impact that aired last night, defeating Trevor Lee. His match against Fenix from the most recent set of tapings in Windsor, Ontario, Canada will air next week. Swann & Fenix also teamed with Pentagon Jr. against Sami Callihan & oVe at the tapings.
Pentagon is facing Callihan in a mask vs. hair match at Slammiversary, which is taking place at the Rebel Entertainment Complex in Toronto. Impact World Champion Austin Aries defending against Moose is set to headline the PPV.
Despite making NJPW his full-time home, Taiji Ishimori will be working Impact Wrestling’s next pay-per-view.
Impact announced Ishimori for Slammiversary XVI at a press conference for the event today. The PPV will be taking place at the Rebel Entertainment Complex in Toronto on July 22nd.
After departing Pro Wrestling NOAH, Ishimori last wrestled for Impact at Redemption and their subsequent TV tapings in April. He was revealed as the new “Bone Soldier” and joined the Bullet Club at NJPW’s Wrestling Dontaku night two in May. He then participated in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, making it to this morning’s finals against Hiromu Takahashi.
Impact also officially announced today that Austin Aries has merged their World and Grand Championships. Aries will defend the World title against Moose in the main event of Slammiversary, and Madison Rayne will challenge for Su Yung’s Knockouts Championship.
Impact will hold post-Slammiversary TV tapings at the Rebel Entertainment Complex on July 23rd and 24th before returning to the venue on August 12th and 13th for more tapings.
Fantasma fought out the rest of oVe after the match. Callihan with a baseball bat ran in. the lights went out and Pentagon Jr. was there to help Fantasma.
Eddie Edwards vs. Grado was supposed to be next, but it never started as Edwards attacked Grado with a kendo stick. He did a promo talking about bloodying Sami Callihan and wants to expose him as a fraud. Called out Tommy Dreamer, who tried to calm him down. He called Dreamer a hypocrite and it winds up in a shoving match. Edwards retaliates by caning Dreamer before making an exit.
– LAX (with the returning Eddie Kingston) defeated Z&E to win the Impact tag team titles
KM came out and talked about taking Fallah Bahh under his wing. Fallah gives him a note and leaves, saying “bye-bye”. This leads to…
– Scott Steiner defeated KM
– Madison Rayne defeated Taya Valkyrie
Rayne after the match said she wanted a match with Su Yung for the Knockouts title at Slammiversary. Yung didn’t appear but her laughter was heard in the arena.
– Matt Sydal defeated Brian Cage by countout to retain the X Division title
Jimmy Jacobs and Kongo Kong came out to distract Cage, throwing him into the steel steps which caused the countout. Jacobs and Kong aligned themselves with Sydal after the match.
– Tessa Blanchard defeated Kiera Hogan in a no DQ match
– Dezmond Xavier defeated Petey Williams
– Pentagon Jr. and El Hijo Del Fantasma defeated oVe
Callihan took out both Pentagon and Fantasma after the match with the bat. Pentagon tried to break Jake Crist’s arm but took another bat shot. Callihan tried to unmask Pentagon but Fantasma made the save with a steel chair.
– Xplosion: Su Yung defeated Diamante
This would be Diamante’s first match back with the company since an injury back in July.
– Xplosion: Katarina Leigh defeated Alisha Edwards
Impact Wrestling is bringing this year’s Slammiversary pay-per-view to Toronto.
During Redemption last night, a video aired confirming that Slammiversary XVI would be taking place at Rebel Entertainment Complex in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on July 22nd. It will be Impact’s second PPV of 2018 and the second since Don Callis and Scott D’Amore were announced as part of the company’s senior executive team.
Ticket information wasn’t revealed, but Impact noted that VIP packages will be available soon.
Impact is returning to Canada after Bound for Glory 2017 and their post-PPV television tapings took place in Ottawa last November. Last year’s Slammiversary event was held at the Impact Zone in Orlando, Florida during the Jeff Jarrett regime.
Impact will follow up on Redemption and Pentagon Jr.’s World Championship win as this week’s TV tapings begin in Orlando tonight. The four nights of tapings are set to come to an end on Thursday.
Impact Wrestling returns to pay-per-view tonight with a show that will further the company’s rebrand into Global Force Wrestling.
Both Impact and GFW gold will be on the line in the main event. Impact World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Lashley faces GFW Global Champion Alberto El Patron in a match where it’s winner-take-all. The same goes for the Impact and GFW Women’s Championships, with Knockouts Champion Rosemary facing GFW Women’s Champion Sienna.
The feud between Josh Mathews and Jeremy Borash will get physical as Mathews teams with Scott Steiner against JB & Joseph Park. In another tag team match, NFL free agent DeAngelo Williams will make his in-ring debut as he teams with Moose against Eli Drake & Chris Adonis.
Elsewhere on the show, EC3 will face James Storm in a strap match, the X Division title will be up for grabs as Sonjay Dutt defends against Low Ki in a two-out-of-three falls match, LAX defend their Impact/GFW tag titles in a four-way match, and Eddie & Alisha Edwards take on Davey Richards & Angelina Love in a Full Metal Mayhem match.
Our coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET.
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Pre-Show Match
Braxton Sutter, Mahabali Shera & Allie defeated KM, Kongo Kong and Laurel Van Ness
Van Ness slapped Sutter before the match and Allie tackled her to the ground. Shera tagged in and had the brief advantage but the heels took over. Allie got the hot tag and ran wild on Van Ness. KM backed Allie in the corner but Sutter nailed him with a forearm. Allie hit the Allie driver on KM and Sutter followed up with the BS Express to win the match.
– Slammiversary kicks off with an owl flying to the ring. Robert Flores and Don West open up the show.
Impact/GFW Tag Champions LAX (w/ Konnan, Homicide & Diamanté) defeated Laredo Kid & Garza Jr. (The Crash), Drago & El Hijo del Fantasma (AAA), Naomichi Marufuji & Taiji Ishimori (NOAH)
Before the match, all four of the heads of each promotion were introduced. The match is being fought under Lucha rules.
This is was a fast paced match with a ton of insane moves. Marufuji and Santana traded stiff chops in the middle of the ring. Drago and Fantasma hit an insane tornado DDT for a close near fall. Ishimori hit a suicide dive to the floor.
Diamanté attempted a hurricanrana on Garza but he caught her and tossed her onto LAX. Homicide gave Garza the Gringo Killer on the apron. Lardeo Kid scored a very close near fall. LAX made a comeback and hit their powerbomb combination for the win.
After the match, Konnan took the mic and announced LAX is expanding. He promised a new member.
-In the back, Joseph Park informed Jeremy Borash that tonight’s match is No Disqualification. J.B. freaked out but Park said to rely on old friends.
DeAngelo Williams & Moose defeated Eli Drake & Chris Adonis
Moose and Adonis started off the match with some brief action. Drake tagged in and demanded Williams. They did some basic back and forth moves but Williams looked really good. Williams hit a cannonball in the corner on Drake. The heels isolated Moose in their corner.
Williams hit a Samoan drop and standing moonsault for a near fall. Moose slid a table in the ring but the heels took back over. Moose made a comeback and placed Adonis on the table. Williams hit a frog splash to win the match but over shot and the table didn’t break.
After the match, Williams and Moose dragged Drake back to the ring and power bombed him through the table.
Ethan Carter III defeated James Storm in a Strap Match
EC3 gained the advantage and choked Storm with the strap. EC3 pulled out a pair of handcuffs from underneath the ring. He tried to handcuff Storm to the corner but Storm countered and handcuffed EC3 instead. Storm viciously whipped EC3 32 times.
The referee freed EC3 from the handcuffs. EC3 took the strap off and went to the floor. EC3 pulled on the strap and drove Storm face first into the corner. Storm made a comeback and hit the superkick but collapsed due to hitting the corner. EC3 hit a modified pedigree to win the match.
After the match, Storm didn’t move and medical staff ran out to check on him.
-In the back, Karen Jarrett and Dutch Mantel searched for Bruce Prichard. They haven’t seen him all day.
Jeremy Borash & Joseph Park defeated Josh Matthews & Scott Steiner in a No Disqualifcation Match
The Pope joined Robert Flores and Don West on commentary for the match. J.B. came in but Matthews tagged out to Steiner right away. Steiner and Matthews chased Park and J.B. to the back.
In the back, the heels chased the faces in a golf cart until they sprayed them with a fire extinguisher. Later, the heels chased the faces down the street in a truck.
J.B. back dropped Matthews into a pool and dove in after him. Steiner tossed Park through a door. Back in the pool, Shark Boy showed up and attacked Matthews. Father James Mitchel approached Park with an Abyss mask.
The heels chased J.B. back into the ring. Matthews locked on the Steiner Recliner on J.B. Shark Boy ran down for the save but Steiner took him out with a belly-to-belly. Steiner locked on the Steiner Recliner on J.B.
James Mitchell distracted the heels and Abyss appeared behind them. Abyss spread thumbtacks in the ring and gave Matthews the black hole slam in the tacks. J.B. hit a splash on Matthews in the tacks and Abyss scored the pin for the win.
Eddie Edwards & Alisha defeated Davey Richards & Angelina Love in Full Metal Mayhem
Edwards and Alisha jumped the heels as they were making their way to the ring. Edwards trapped the heels in a trashcan and they hit the can with kendo sticks. Edwards power bombed Alisha onto Richards. Love brought in a can of thumbtacks and poured them into Edwards mouth. Richards then super kicked Edwards in the mouth.
Edwards placed Richards on a table and climbed a ladder. Love tried to stop him but Alisha power bombed her through a table. Edwards and Richards fought at the top of the ladder and Edwards flipped over Richards, power bombing him through the table for the win.
Sonjay Dutt defeated Low Ki to retain the X Division Championship in a 2 Out of 3 Falls Match
The match started off them trading submissions and mat wrestling. Dutt hit a springboard hurricanrana from the top but Low Ki rolled through and hit the Warrior’s Way to win the first fall.
Low Ki went for a second Warrior’s Way but Dutt moved and Low Ki injured his ankle. The referee checked on Low Ki but he was just faking and nailed Dutt with a kick. Low Ki attempted a Warrior’s Way on the steps but Dutt moved and Low Ki really injured the ankle. Low Ki tried to apply the Dragon Sleeper but Dutt rolled him up to win the second fall.
They traded stiff shots in the middle of the ring and Low Ki injured his hand. Low Ki put Dutt in the tree of woe and climbed up the corner but Dutt pulled Low Ki off the top. Dutt hit the moonsault into a double foot stomp to retain the title.
GFW Women’s Champion Sienna defeated Knockouts Champion Rosemary in a Unification Match
Before the match, Hall of Famer Gail Kim held up the titles. Sienna refused to shake hands with Kim. As the match started, KM and Laurel Van Ness came down to ringside. Van Ness pulled down the ropes and Sienna fell to the floor. Sienna sent KM and Van Ness to the back.
Rosemary hit the Red Wedding but Van Ness ran back and pulled Earl Hebner out of the ring. Allie ran out with a kendo stick and chased Van Ness to the back. Sienna nailed Rosemary with the belt for a near fall. Rosemary tried to spit the mist but Sienna covered her mouth and then rubbed the mist into Rosemary’s eyes. Sienna locked on a submission to win the match and unify the titles.
GFW Global Champion Alberto El Patron (w/ Dos Caras) defeated Impact World Champion Bobby Lashley (w/ King Mo) in a Unification Match
El Patron was briefly in control until Lashley took over after an uppercut. King Mo attacked El Patron and Dos Caras nailed him with a chop. Lashley power slammed El Patron on the steps. El Patron made a comeback and hit the back cracker for a two count. El Patron missed a suicide dive and went head first into the floor.
El Patron locked on the cross arm breaker but Lashley countered into a power bomb. El Patron and King Mo shoved each other at ringside. El Patron tackled Lashley through the ropes to the floor. King Mo tired to pick up El Patron but Dos Caras gave him a low blow. Lashley shoved Caras up the ramp. Lashley tired to re-enter the ring but El Patron hit the double foot stomp to win the match and unify the titles.
Jeff Jarrett, Ed Nordholm, Karen Jarrett and some of the roster came out to celebrate Alberto El Patron’s big win to end the show.
Pro Wrestling NOAH will be represented at Impact Wrestling’s Slammiversary pay-per-view on Sunday night.
Impact announced today that NOAH’s Naomichi Marufuji & Taiji Ishimori will be involved in the four-way match for the Impact/GFW Tag Team Championship at Slammiversary. That match features champions LAX (Ortiz & Santana) defending against Marufuji & Ishimori, AAA’s Drago & El Hijo del Fantasma, and Laredo Kid & Garza Jr.
Along with AAA and The Crash, NOAH is one of the international promotions that Impact has a working relationship with. The story is that it is a four-way match with teams from four different companies, to emphasize Impact’s various business partnerships around the world. Laredo Kid & Garza Jr. are Impact regulars from The Crash.
Speculation about Marufuji being involved with Slammiversary began when he was booked in a match for Michael Elgin’s Glory Pro in Belleville, Illinois on July 9th, meaning that he would be in the United States around the time of the PPV.
Marufuji has long been one of the top stars in NOAH. He’s made appearances for New Japan Pro Wrestling in the past as well, with his most recent run including an appearance in last summer’s G1 Climax and an IWGP Heavyweight Championship match against Kazuchika Okada at King of Pro Wrestling 2016.
He’s the only man to have held the IWGP, All Japan, and GHC Junior Heavyweight titles and is considered a master of timing as to when to do moves.
Ishimori has been a longtime standout in NOAH’s junior heavyweight division. He also teamed with ACH in NJPW’s junior tag team tournament last year while the companies were involved with one another.
Ishimori is one of the most underrated wrestlers in the profession. He’s a great worker who unfortunately hasn’t gotten his due because of NOAH’s lower profile in recent years.
As was noted previously, the teams in the match are interesting politically given that Konnan is the booker for The Crash in Mexico and is the leader of LAX. The Crash and AAA are rival promotions and Konnan had stated previously that he wouldn’t work with people from AAA.
Slammiversary takes place in Orlando with Bobby Lashley vs. Alberto El Patron to unify the Impact and GFW titles as the main event, with King Mo in Lashley’s corner and Dos Caras, the father of Alberto and a Hall of Fame wrestler, in Alberto’s corner.
Wrestling Observer Live with Mike Sempervive is back for the MOTHERSHIP EDITION. Two hours of your phone calls and tweets on everything from Impact Wrestling’s Slammiversary, stupid wrestler tweets, the World Cruiserweight Classic, the state of NXT and so much more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
