Impact Wrestling Review 11/1/18: Tessa Blanchard Defends the Knockouts Title

Tessa Blanchard loses to Taya Valkyrie

Finally, Impact gives a match and one I’ve been looking forward too.  These two ladies have pretty good chemistry in the ring.  Tessa Blanchard has really come into her own.  If she were in WWE, we’d be talking about her in the same conversations with Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair.

This match had pretty solid back and forth action.  Certainly, it wasn’t as good as the Bound For Glory match the two had a month ago.  However, it was good.  Tessa hit a nice suicide dive during the match.  Similarly, Taya hit a great cross body to the outside.  The finish came with Tessa pulled an old school heel move and got herself disqualified to save her title.  Seems like these two have something left in the tank and there will be more to this feud moving forward.

Final Hour Hype Videos

Killer Cross and Johnny Impact hype their championship match next week.  This was by far the best video package of the night and we’ve had a lot to choose from.  Both men did a pretty good job of selling the importance of the match next week.

https://youtu.be/IV7ujl7EvNU?list=PLcovtt7Bdo9MFiKG92Qxsy_8_HWRtyhd0

Continuing to hype Final Hour, we get another video hyping the debut of Jordynne Grace.  If that name sounds familiar, she’s the lady who was in the All In Over the Budget Battle Royal.  I think she’s going to be a great signing.  As a result, I’m looking forward to her debut match next week.

You’ll Never Guess…

More video packages.  Here’s the obligatory GWN flashback of the week.  You know the one where Impact show’s something from when they were known as TNA and a wrestler who’s currently in WWE.  This week we get Candice LeRae.

Up next, a video package from the Lucha brothers.  They let us know they are going to take out the OGz in the ring later tonight.  Oh, that’s right, this is a wrestling show where actual matches take place.

After the commercial, we get a video promo from Brian Cage.  He’s going to Ohio next week to defend his X-Division Title against Callihan on Final Hour.

LAX defeat Matt Sydal and Ethan Page

.@SantanaLAX is running wild. #IMPACTonPop pic.twitter.com/sA2zqzVQP6

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) November 2, 2018

This was a pretty typical television match.  LAX is pretty great in the ring.  Ethan page and Matt Sydal are both good individual performers and should be a good team.  Something just doesn’t seem to be clicking between the two though.  LAX hits their finish for the win.

Just one more…

That’s right, it’s our last video package of the night.  Allie is staring into a mirror and seeing the Demon Bunny.  Kiera demands to know what’s going on.  As a result of Allie’s confession, Kiera swears they are taking out Su Yung.

Pentagon Jr. defeats Homicide

https://youtu.be/vDsdanO35DY?list=PLcovtt7Bdo9MFiKG92Qxsy_8_HWRtyhd0

The main event of the night featured one of Impact’s most over guys with the crowd and Homicide.  Pentagon Jr. has definitely won over the Impact crowd and most of the wrestling world.  Don Callis made the comment that he’s so good he can have fun in the ring when he want, but is very dangerous when he get serious.

Homicide is not the wrestler he used to be, but he helped put on a pretty entertaining match.  After some shenanigans, Pentagon catches Homicide in a quick roll-up for the pin.

After the match, the OGz leave the Lucha Bros laying.  King hit them with his stuffed sock.  The OGz took the loss but stand tall to end the night.

And, in case you didn’t have enough video packages, we do get one more hyping next weeks Final Hour show. Tic Toc.

Nate’s Take

I’m giving this a 2 out of 5.  Based on Impact’s current roster, I’d say their biggest strength is in ring action.  Yet somehow, we get overloaded with these promos that just aren’t great.  Callihan can cut a promo.  He’s really good.  King can cut a promo.  Let them do the talking.  Limit those who can’t.

Given the change in time-slot, you need to give fans a reason to tune in or at least catch it on the DVR.  If Impact could focus on the in-ring action, then I think they could do that.  Although, they’ve been putting on fairly solid shows and it hasn’t helped the viewership.

What they really need is a hot angle.  One that gets people talking for the right reasons.  Maybe this partnership with ROH could be the answer.  I’m not sure.  What I would do though is focus on what I do have.  Keep pushing Tessa.  Push Brian Cage in the ring, not on the mic. Find the right feud for Sami Callihan and Johnny Impact.  You have to have a hot feud for the world title.

I’m not sure Killer Cross is the right fit for Johnny Impact.  Who is?  I’m not sure.  Let us know you think would be in the comments below.

 

• taya valkyrie
• Pentagon Jr
• rich swann
• Impact Wrestling

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