Impact Wrestling returned to the Impact Zone in Orlando, Florida, this week. With the promotion moving towards their annual blockbuster event Slammiversary, things have started to heat up.
The show opened with a video package summarising last week's show where EC3 became the number one contender for Bobby Lashley's Impact World Heavyweight Championship. Also included in the vignette was Josh Mathews announcing Scott Steiner as his tag team partner for Slammiversary.
The action started with a Barbershop Quartet in the ring. Ethan Carter’s music hit and the number one contender made his way to the ring. He announced that it was a night of celebration and joined the Quartet in singing some songs that included a piece titled ‘Goodbye My Bobby Lashley.’
Alberto EL Patron marched down to the ring and demanded a match with Carter. This chaos led to authority figures Bruce Prichard, Dutch Mantell, and Karen Jarrett rushing to the ring. Prichard booked a steel cage match for the main event where the stipulation was laid that if EC3 won, he would win the GFW title and if El Patron won, he would replace Carter at Slammiversary.
As the show returned from a break, Matthews and Pope promoted the Impact tapings that would be held in India.
#1 Moose (c) vs. Eli Drake w/Chris Adonis for the Impact Grand Championship
Special judges Bruce Prichard, Dutch Mantell and Scott D’Amore, were at ringside for the matchup.
Round One: Moose started the match with some initiative. He took the fight to Drake and struck him down with some hard strikes. With just a couple of minutes on the clock, Drake turned the tables by clipping Moose's knee. Eli then concentrated his attack on Moose’s left knee. Drake clutched a figure four leg lock as the first round ended.
Round one winner: Eli Drake. All three judges scored it 10-9 for Eli Drake
Round Two: Drake continued to target Moose's knee. Drake used the ring post to wrap Moose’s legs and slammed his injured knee. Drake took a page out of Bret Hart’s book with a ring post figure four, but Moose countered. Moose hit a standing dropkick on Drake with just one minute on the clock. Moose then connected with a moonsault but could not cover Eli as the time expired.
Round Two winner: Moose. Mantel and Prichard scored the round 10-9 for Moose while D'Amore scored the round 10-9 for Drake
Round Three: The final round started with a brawl in which Moose emerged on top. He connected with a ‘Go To Hell’ on Eli for a near fall. Eli Drake got a near fall for himself with a suplex. With just a minute left, Eli and Moose started trading strikes. Moose landed some powerful shots on Drake bringing him to his knees. With just 10 seconds left, Chris Adonis grabbed Moose’s bottom leg. Drake used the distraction to hit his finisher, but time ran out before he could cover Moose.
Round three winner: Moose. Mantel scored the round 10-9 for Drake. Prichard and D’Amore scored the round 10-9 for Moose.
Result: Moose defeats Eli Drake to retain the Impact Grand Championship
A backstage segment aired where Allie was having difficulties coming to grips with the fact that Rosemary was helping her. Rosemary appeared, and Allie asked her about her motives. Rosemary replied that she might have lost her family, but the hive told her to protect those who needed protection.
#2 Allie w/Braxton Sutter vs. Amber Nova
Nova brought Allie down with a collar and elbow tie-up. Amber cornered Allie, but the bubbly one battled back with successive clotheslines. Amber to the fight to Allie as the crowd chanted for the latter. Allie finally got in some offence with a leaping lariat. Braxton Sutter was full of encouragement for Allie. Allie finally grabbed the win with an "Allie Valley Driver" on Nova.
Winner: Allie defeats Amber Nova by pinfall
#3 LAX (Santana & Ortiz) w/Konnan, Diamante & Homicide vs. The Veterans Of War
The GFW tag team championship tournament finals were contested in a no disqualification match. LAX emerged victorious in the first few exchanges of the match. Mayweather hit an overhead suplex on Santana and then a hip toss on Ortiz. With the no disqualification stipulation in place, Homicide got into the ring to turn the tables in favour if LAX. LAX isolated Mayweather in their corner and prevented him from making a tag.
LAX controlled the match as Mayweather took a heavy beating. Mayweather finally got the tag to get Wilcox in the scheme of things. Wilcox hit a fallaway slam on Ortiz and caught him with a stiff lariat. Wilcox then went for a cover following a Samoa drop on Ortiz, but Diamante put Ortiz's leg on the bottom rope.
Mayweather went after Diamante, but Konnan walked by him and hit him in the knee with a bat. Homicide sneaked up on Wilcox and hit him with one of The Impact tag titles. LAX then connected with their assisted top rope power bomb on Wilcox to secure the victory.
Winners: LAX defeats VOW to win the GFW Tag titles and become dual champions
After another break, the action shifted backstage where McKenzie Mitchell was interviewing Jeremy Borash and Joseph Park. Jeremy Borash was discouraged and bowed out of his tag team match at Slammiversary before Joseph Park motivated him to wrestle that match.
#4 Low-Ki (c) vs. Andrew Everett for the X Division Championship
Sonjay Dutt came out for commentary before the match started. He was wearing an eye patch as a result of the injury he sustained on the night of his return. Everett frustrated Low-Ki with his offence as the match started. Low-Ki and Everett traded shots for the next few minutes. The action shifted to the outside as Low-Ki grounded Everett with a drop kick. Low-Ki taunted Sonjay teasing a new feud between the two.
Low-Ki then took the action inside the ring and floored Andrew with a martial arts kick. In the final moments of the match, Andrew knocked down Low-Ki and went for a shooting star press from the top rope. Low-Ki countered by putting up his knees. Low-Ki then hit his patented warrior's way foot stomp from the top for the victory.
Winner: Low-Ki defeats Andrew Everett to retain The X Division Championship
Rockstar Spud finally made his return seeking revenge on Swoggle. Swoggle was in the crowd watching the matches when Spud attacked him. Spud pulled out a hammer from under the ring and started assaulting Swoggle with it. He landed a hard shot in the groyne area as Swoggle was shown bleeding.
#5 Alberto El Patron (c) vs. Ethan Carter III for the GFW Heavyweight Championship
The winner of this match would face Bobby Lashley for the Impact World Championship at Slammiversary. El Patron started the match aggressively and tried to escape the steel cage. Carter caught him and brought him down. Alberto rallied back with a DDT. Carter picked Alberto on his shoulders and flattened him with a Samoa drop from the third rope. Carter continued the offensive with consecutive belly to back suplexes.
Alberto eventually hit a backbreaker and tried to escape the ring. EC3 caught Alberto in an electric chair and dropped him face first onto the mat. Alberto then got ready to wrench in the arm breaker, but Carter avoided it. Carter then hit a cutter on Alberto for a near fall. EC3 tried to land the TK3, but Patron countered into the cross arm breaker. EC3 rolled through to escape the hold. Carter then got the TK3 on EL Patron for a near fall.
In the finishing moments of the match, EC3 hit a Liger Bomb on Alberto for another near fall. Carter rushed to the top of the cage, and Alberto followed him. The two battled on top of the cage, and EL Patron kicked Carter down. Finally, Alberto hit a frog splash from the top rope and pinned EC3 for the victory.
Winner: Alberto El Patron defeats EC3 in six sides of steel to retain The GFW Heavyweight Championship
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