TNA Wrestling presents a taped show on Thursday night on AXS TV.
Three matches are advertised for the show.
We will see a rematch for the TNA International Championship when former champion Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo challenges current champion Trey Miguel.
Tessa Blanchard will go one-on-one with Jody Threat. Threat won a Knockouts battle royal at No Surrender, earning her a future title shot. Threat eliminated Blanchard last in the match to secure the win.
A first-ever gimmick match will take place on tonight’s show. Mustafa Ali and Elijah will settle their rivalry with a guitar case casket match.
We’ll also see a tag team match pitting Sinner and Saint up against YouTube star BDE and Rich Swann.
Also advertised for Thursday’s episode of Impact, we will hear from Elayna Black on the show. Also advertised, we will hear from TNA World Champion Mike Santana.
Our live coverage, courtesy of Joseph Collins, kicks off at 8 p.m. Eastern.
Taped! from the Pinnacle in Nashville, TN.
Tom Hannifan & Matthew Rehwoldt were on commentary.
Indi Hartwell v. Heather (w/ The Elegance Brand)
Ash joined the commentary team to continue the feud that started on social media between her and Mickie James. Ash invited James to show up to Impact next week.
Hartwell climbed the ropes, but while Heather distracted the ref, M pushed Hartwell to the floor. Ash tried to talk about how much Heather has improved just as she flubbed a spot in a corner. Heather did follow that up with a nice moonsault for a near fall. Heather wore down Hartwell with a sleeper and a body scissors while Mr. Elegance shook his pecks at ringside. Hartwell broke the hold by backing Heather in the corner. Then they both fell over when Hartrwell tried a snap mare with Heather on her back.
Hartwell hit a spinebuster and went to the top. The rest of the Elegance Brand tried to interfere, so the ref threw everyone out of the ringside area. Heather tried a Spanish Fly, but Hartwell hung onto the ropes and Heather crashed to the mat. Ash (still at ringside, since she was on commentary) tried to interfere, but Hartwell caught Heather with the Hurts Donut and got the pinfall.
Match Result: Indi Hartwell pinned Heather (7:09).
— Security tried to kept Steve Maclin out of the building, and Tom Hannifan tried to reason with him. Hannifan agreed to see what he could do with “TNA Management” to get Maclin into the building.
Is “TNA Management” Santino Marella? Daria Rae? Carlos Silva? A fourth person or group?
Mike Santana Apologized to Leon Slater
Santana addressed Steve Maclin, “a guy who doesn’t work here no more,” and that if he continues to kick on death’s door, eventually Santana is going to answer and take care of him. Santana called out Leon Slater, and admitted that even though Slater had his back and No Surrender, but Santana didn’t have Slater’s back. Santana apologized to Slater for abandoning him, but then also kind of knocked Slater a little bit by saying Slater wouldn’t have won the match without Moose’s help. Slater doesn’t mind so much though, since he pinned Nic Nemeth in want everyone is trying to put over as the biggest victory of Slater’s career.
This brought out the Nemeths. Nic tried to play off Slater’s victory as lucky, but Santana would have none of that, putting over Slater over as “The Youngest In Charge” and the X Division champion. Slater challenged The Nemeths to a tag match tonight, with Santana as his partner.
Out came Daria Rae, “the SUAT.” The silhouette in her name looks like an “A” on her video tron entrance. Anyway, Rae doesn’t just let the wrestlers make the matches on her show. The match might happen down the road, but they need to get out of the ring for a scheduled match.
— The System call out Moose from their locker room. It’s time for the Moose to move on, and Eddie Edwards predicted gold for the members of System.
— In the back, Frankie Kazarian confirmed with Daria Rae that the Santana/Slater v. Nemeths match would take place next week, and Frankie added himself to the commentary team for that match.
Stacks (w/ Arianna Grace) v. Trey Miguel for the TNA International Title
Grace cut a promo before the match addressing all the online hate. She also (not surprisingly) admitted to “playing [Santino] like a fiddle” to get the title match. Grace said that Stacks would win back the International title and they would solidify themselves as the most powerful couple in wrestling.
Miguel debuted a new “custom” TNA International Title, which had a green strap instead of a blue strap. This is Stacks “contractually obligated” rematch.
Stacks tried for a couple of quick falls early, then did a good job basing for Stacks high spots, then went to work on the arm. Stacks dropped to the floor to regroup with Grace. The fight went to the floor, and Stacks got in the face of Carlos Silva.
Back in the ring, Stacks got the advantage and slammed Miguel. Stacks mocked Santino Marella by dropping a Santino-like headbutt for a near fall. Stacks cut off a comeback from Miguel with a clothesline. Stacks suplexed Miguel for a near fall. Stacks wore Miguel down with a reverse cravat.
Stacks missed an elbow and Miguel hit him with a Lionsault. Miguel fired up with clotheslines and right hands. Miguel hit a Northern Lights suplex, then rolled through into a hammerlock. Stacks escaped and Miguel hit him with a dropkick to the back of the head. Miguel went for Shellshock, but Stacks countered.
Stacks hit an implant DDT for a near fall. Stacks went to the top and missed. Miguel hit a double stomp for another near fall. Miguel went to the top, but Stacks cut him off. Miguel hit a couple of kicks and came off the top with a meteora for another near fall.
Grace slid her title belt into the ring, distracting the ref and allowing Stacks to rake Miguel’s eyes. Stacks went for a death valley driver, but Miguel countered with a cradle. Miguel hit a Shellshock and a Lightning Spiral to get the pinfall.
Match Result: Miguel pinned Stacks to retain the TNA International Title (9:53 aired)
This was a million times better than their match at No Surrender.
The TNA Injury Report:
- BDE is cleared, although dealing with a neck injury.
- Jeff Hardy is banged up and not cleared.
- Elijah is not at 100% but cleared anyway.
— Eric Young is going to save TNA by cleansing TNA. Young will start with Leon Staler, who is ruining the legacy of the X Division while trying to impress some other company.
Tessa Blanchard (w/ Victoria Crawford & Mila Moore) v. Jody Threat
Threat won a battle royal at No Surrender to get a TNA Knockouts title match by last eliminating Blanchard.
Blanchard took the match to the mat and thoroughly outclassed Threat. Blanchard countered a Boston Crab attempt, but fell victim to a battery of clotheslines in the corner. Blanchard reversed an Irish whip and buried a knee into Threat’s midsection. Blanchard hit a slingshot splash for a near fall.
Blanchard locked Threat in an abdominal stretch and worked over her ribs. Threat escaped with a hiptoss. Threat came back with some forearms and chops. Threat hit a pump kick and a release German suplex. Threat lifted up Blanchard for a fireman’s carry, and Mila Moore ran in and kicked Threat in the stomach for the disqualification.
Match Result: Threat won via disqualification (4:40).
This match had no heat. Blanchard worked over Threat’s injured ribs until Myla Grace and Harley Hudson made the save.
Rich Swann & BDE v. Sinner & Saint (Judas Icarus and Travis Williams)
Swann and BDE hit some impressive combination moves early, but Williams cut off BDE with a chop. Icarus and Williams hit BDE with a double-team kick in the corner for a near fall. BDE escaped a double suplex and got the tag to Swann. Swann hit Icarus with a superkick, then rana’d Williams onto Icarus. Hannifan put over BDE’s “ond million followers” watching the match on his social media channels.
Williams hit BDE with a brainbuster, but Swann made the save on the pin attempt. BDE hit a “clip cutter” and Swann followed that up with an Oscutter for a near fall. Swann went to the top, but Williams sent BDE into Swann, crouching him. Sinner and Saint hit Total Elimination on BDE to get the victory.
Match Result: Sinner & Saint won via pinfall when Icarus pinned BDE (5:33)
— Steph DeLander called AJ Francis a pig, and her husband Mance Warner said she showed him all the trash Francis was talking on social media. DeLander and Warner invaded Francis’ dressing room, whixh ruined a romantic encounter he was having with two ladies. DeLander got in Francis’ face, which kicked off a brawl and soon had to be separated by security.
— The Hardys aren’t hiding from anybody, including the System. The System showed up to confront the Hardys, but The Righteous showed up to back up the Hardys. Brian Myers advised the Hardys not to trust the Righteous. The System left, and Dutch apologized for the miscommunication at No Surrender. The Hardys left, and Dutch mentioned something about Daria making sure “their foot was in the door.”
Elayna Black Challenged Mara Sadé
Black was “thisclose” to getting a shot at the Knockouts title until Mara Sadé eliminated her in the battle royal at No Surrender. Black called out Mara Sadé to explain herself. Sadé mentioned their shared history of coming from the “same place, same locker room” before TNA. Black “eat, sleeps and breathes” wrestling. But Sadé is only in wrestling because she “fits the optics” and “sucks up to management.” Sadé challenged Black to prove that she was a fraud, and Black called Sadé a “stupid little obstacle course” she get past on her way to the title.
Next Week on Impact:
- Dani Luna v. Lei Ying Lee
- Santana/Slater v. The Nemeths
- AD Francis v. Mance Warner
- Ash by Elegance & Mickie James go “Face to face”
- Jada Stone v. Tasha Steelz
- The Hardys & The Righteous v. The System
- “TNA Management” will allow Steve Maclin to plead his case on next week’s show, with Tom Hannifan doing the interview.
Mustafa Ali v. Elijah in a “Guitar Case Casket Match”
Order 4 were barred from ringside, but that didn’t last. Ali set up six chairs, which Elijah backdropped him onto from the entrance ramp. There were also other musical instruments around ringside for them to use as weapons. Ali cut off Elijah when he pulled a table out from underneath the ring.
Ali found a guitar case and hit Elijah with it. Elijah came back with a popup powerbomb. Ali tried to whip Elijah into the guitar case (that had been wedged in the corner), but Elijah reversed it and Ali went into the guitar case headfirst.
Ali sent Elijah into the post and he tumbled to the floor. Ali hit a 450 to put Elijah through a table on the floor and both guys were down. With both guys down, the members of Order 4 came out and attacked. Agent Zero dumped Elijah in the casket. He tried to close the lid, but Elijah threw powder in his face. Elijah tossed Agent Zero into the instruments at ringside.
Back in the ring, Elijah set up Tasha Steelz for the tombstone. Ali took a swing at Elijah with the guitar, but Elijah turned around and Ali hit Steelz with the guitar. Elijah hit the tombstone and dumped Ali in the casket, but Jason Hotch and John Skylar kept Elijah from closing the lid. Ali recovered and low-blowed Elijah.
Ali hit Elijah with a superkick while Skylar and Hotch put a bedroom door on top of the open casket. Ali went for the 450 but missed, and Elijah hit Ali with a guitar. Elijah put Hotch and Skylar through a table. Elijah then choke slammed Ali through the door and into the casket, then shut the lid.
Match Result: Elijah put Ali into the casket (11:50).
The crowd loved the match. Hopefully Ali moves onto better things.
