IMPACT Wrestling review – September 20, 2018

Eli Drake defeats Trevor Lee

Eli Drake has been holding his open challenge recently. Basically, he’s looking for someone to impress him and prove he isn’t a dummy. I was completely expecting a local competitor here. Historically, that’s what we’ve seen in this challenge.

Eli cut a pre-match promo that was good but the content was mostly fluff. He has charisma and is a good talker but he needs some real content to connect to. He’s just saying a bunch of catchphrases right now. He needs something he can sink his teeth into to show his chops on the mic. Instead of a local competitor, Trevor Lee answered the challenge.

.@TLee910 has answered Eli Drake's open challenge! #IMPACTonPop pic.twitter.com/z92CIndEwh

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) September 21, 2018

The match was fine. Nothing special. Trevor Lee is better than what he showed tonight.

Again, commentary was good in this match – they actually explained why Eli, who is a former World Champion, is not going after a title. He’s currently only interested in embarrassing wrestlers by proving they can’t hang with him.

Again, a simple explanation, but it’s that attention to detail that is so refreshing. Instead of insulting our intelligence by more or less saying “nobody cares about that,” Impact is respecting its fans by these little intricate inclusions.

King w/ the OGz defeat. Kronoz

Prior to the match we get a backstage promo. King tells us he’s going to show us what he’s going to do to Konnan at Bound for Glory. Before the match gets started, Homicide and Hernandez attack Kronoz. The bell rings and King hits a spinning back-fist for the 1-2-3.

.@realjoshmathews summed it up perfectly – a spinning backfist gives @MadKing1981 a hollow victory. #IMPACTonPop pic.twitter.com/QfADMk8SwD

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) September 21, 2018

This feud has been an attempt to recreate gang warfare through the eyes of wrestling. Honestly, the gang violence isn’t my cup of tea, but I have to give Impact credit for thinking outside of the box. The way they have shot the vignettes is different and impactful, pun intended.

One thing’s for sure, you really feel like there is true hatred between these teams. Consequently, this Bound For Glory match should be off the charts.  I’m looking forward to it, for sure.

Backstage Segment:  LAX

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbI73S8tIek

Holy cow! This was good. Santana and Ortiz are the young boys with hot tempers.

Not all of the build up has been my cup of tea but this promo was excellent. There was a little bit of cheesiness. Do we really think Santana and Ortiz are going to get burned alive in a bucket of acid if they break the ceasefire? No, but Konnan was excellent in his delivery and this felt like they were all really buying into their characters.

I have said it before but this match will be a highlight at Bound For Glory. If you haven’t seen much of LAX 2.0, take notice. They are stars on the rise. I fully expect them to go over at BFG and become a cornerstone in the tag division. I’m really hoping for a Lucha Brothers program in the future.

• austin aries
• Pentagon Jr
• chris jericho
• IMPACT

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