This week’s edition of TNA Impact on POP has an advertised match of DJZ vs. Trevor Lee plus the teased debut of Cody. This week promises to be a very newsworthy show.
TNA Impact Review 9/22/16: Cody Debuts
DJZ Defends the X Division Championship
Before the match, DJZ thanked the crowd and said it means a lot to him to be the X Division champion. He said that in his first title reign, he was very immature and did not understand what it meant to be champion. DJZ said that he was going to be a fighting champion and challenged any X Division wrestler to a fight. Trevor Lee answered his challenge, accompanied by Andrew Everett.
Lee took control of the match early on, only to be cut off by DJZ. DJZ performed a flip over the top rope on to Lee and Everett on the floor. DJZ came back with a missile drop kick followed by a springboard back elbow. Everett tried to get involved again, but DJZ pushed him away. This gave Lee time to get the upper hand again for a moment before DJZ hit a springboard huricanrana. DJZ hit the ZDT for the pin and the win. Andrew Everett attacked DJZ after the match, and both Everett and Lee put the boots to him. Eddie Edwards made the save as Everett and Lee took off.
Edwards got on the microphone and talked about how he and DJZ were boys and used to party together. He put over DJZ by saying he was what the X Division was all about and challenged DJZ to a match next week for the X Division title, which DJZ accepted.
Rating – 4/10: It was awkward when DJZ issued an open challenge when it was already advertised that he would defend against Trevor Lee. Josh Mathews and The Pope kept putting over that the match would be a treat to watch, but it felt like it failed to deliver. The only thing that was out of anything else we saw tonight was a dive over the top rope.
Maria Has a Public Workout
Maria enlisted Allie to set up a public work out for her tonight to prepare for her match at Bound For Glory against Gail Kim. Maria continued to berate Allie and told Sienna that she deserves a title shot, but that she would not get it tonight. The crowd chanted for Allie, which set Maria off. Maria told Allie to bring out her opponent, which turned out to be an unnamed woman. Maria kicked her in the gut and threw her in to a turnbuckle where Sienna choked her out. Maria eventually hit the woman with her wrist protector and pinned her. Maria told Allie to get her next opponent, and Allie said she didn’t have one. Maria called her stupid multiple times. A woman in a ninja outfit came out and got in the ring. After the ninja messed around with karate moves, she removed her mask to reveal herself as Gail Kim. She went for Eat Defeat on Maria but Sienna cut her off, only to eat the move herself.
Rating – 3/10: Maria has actually done well on the microphone recently and this was in line with her recent work. But anything with Allie has and continues to be atrocious. There was one point tonight where she almost laughed when she was supposed to be timid. The Gail Kim review was pretty obvious once the ninja came out, but the live crowd bought into it.
The Continuation of the Grand Championship Tournament
Tonight’s show offered the semi-final matchups to determine which two competitors will go on to Bound For Glory to crown the first ever Grand Champion. The first match of the semi-finals was Drew Galloway versus Eddie Edwards. The first round spilled to the outside where Galloway hit a gut wrench slam on the ring apron. Galloway won the first round 29-28. The second round was very physical, with some of the action spilling into the front row. Eddie Edwards wins round two, 29-28. The third round showcased both men trying to lock in their signature submission moves to try and win and not rely on the judges. At the one minute remaining mark, both men traded chops back and forth and were both acting completely exhausted. At the end, Galloway hit the Future Shock DDT and covered but the time ran out before the ref could finish the three count. The match went to a judge’s decision, which Galloway won via split decision. Afterwards, Galloway told Jeremy Borash that his match at Bound For Glory better go on last because Ethan Carter III and Bobbly Lashley would not want to follow it.
The second semi-final match is Eli Drake versus Aron Rex. Before the match, Eli Drake and Aron Rex had a war of words on the microphone, trading insults back and forth. Rex completely undressed Rex with his jabs on the microphone. The first round was a more traditional match with Rex clearly getting the better of Drake. Rex won the first round 30-27. In the second round, Drake hit a neck breaker and went for the pin, only to have Rex grab the bottom rope to stay alive. Drake clearly got the best of round two, and won the round 29-28. Drake came out firing in the third round, only to eat the spinning elbow that Rex calls “The Revelator” to win via pinfall.
Rating – 6/10: The finish of the Edwards and Galloway was clunky as they seemed to be ahead of the timing and had to slow down to get the pinfall/saved by the bell finish. Both of the workers in the Galloway and Edwards match sold being absolutely gassed after about 7 minutes of match time. They might be trying to sell it as being exhausted, but what happens when just minutes later you have another match that goes 13 minutes and both workers are not as tired? The winners of both semi-finals matches should have never been in question as Rex versus Galloway was teased before the tournament even started. The format still has some flaws. Are there no disqualifications? No count outs? And why do we not get a little more background on who the judges are instead of just seeing people in the shadows?
Delete or Decay
The Decay told the Hardy family that they had no idea what they had done and that they were tired of their games. Rosemary said the great war would be the end of the entire Hardy family. Abyss said that The Decay would destroy what is left of the Hardy legacy. Crazzy Steve said that once the war is over, the zombie sheep would all belong to Decay and all began laughing maniacally.
Broken Matt showed up in the crowd and said that The Decay exists in a broken universe, a universe that is magic. Matt said that with the great war taking place all over the world, he could bludgeon The Decay again, and again, and again, and… you get the point. Matt said he will delete the title reign of The Decay. Brother Nero showed up and said he has embraced being broken and that at Bound For Glory, Abyss will no longer be beautiful, Steve would no longer be crazy and Rosemary will not be rosy. Brother Nero said they will fade away and classify themselves as obsolete.
Rosemary said they fear nothing and that they are the death dealers and said the Hardy’s were testing fate since there was only two of them and three members of the Decay. Broken Matt said the seven deity’s told him that The Decay was bound for glory. The lights went out and when they came back on, Crazzy Steve and Abyss were tied to ring posts and Reby was in the ring behind Rosemary. Reby attacked her, and Rosemary got away.
Rating – 7/10: Broken Matt continues to be the best thing on TNA. Brother Nero could take some pointers from Matt, as he just comes off as campy and isn’t doing as good of a job playing the “broken” role. The bout at Bound For Glory promises to be absolutely wild. They keep teasing that the great war will take place all over the world, so one can only imagine what they have cooked up.
Cody Debuts
A video played that had a well-dressed man walking, talking about how his past does not define him and how the road he is on is bound for greatness and that he is Bound For Glory. Cody got in to a Corvette and drove off. Text on the screen just said “Cody” and that he would be at Bound For Glory.
Rating – 6/10: Cody is a great signing for TNA, as long as they do not book him like they have Aron Rex. WWE owns the Rhodes part of his name, so he cannot use it here. Cody should be a player in TNA the moment he arrives.
The Build For Mike Bennet/Moose and Ethan Carter III/Lashley
Ethan Carter and Drew Galloway had a confrontation after the Galloway match where Galloway told EC3 that he would not be able to last in the type of match that goes with the Grand Championship. Galloway told Carter he would give him a title match after he wins. As Galloway left, Bobby Lashley’s music played and he made his way to the ring. During his entrance, Mike Bennett attacked EC3 from behind. Moose made the save, only to eventually eat a super kick from Bennet and a spear from Lashley.
The main event of the night is Lashley and Bennet versus Moose and EC3. At the start of the match, Bennet rolled out to leave Lashley alone with their opponents. Things got back in order and the heels worked over EC3 and his bandaged ribs. After a few minutes of keeping EC3 in their corner, Moose finally got the hot tag and hit a springboard cross body. EC3 was tagged back in and pinned Bennet with a sunset flip. Moose pulled Bennet out of the ring and the two fought to the back. Lashley attacked EC3 back in the ring and eventually security separated them. Lashley and EC3 fought off the security and went back at it. Trevor Lee, Andrew Everret, DJZ and Eddie Edwards came out and separated. Billy Corgan came out and said that next week, both Lashley and EC3 would captain a team and have a fight in Lethal Lockdown. The winner of the match gets to pick a stipulation for their match at Bound For Glory.
Rating – 7/10: The match and the brawl afterwards is nothing special, but the announcement of a major match next week with something on the line is a nice hook for this feud. TNA has done well making Lashley look like a monster, but they need to do some work to make people think EC3 can win the championship. Those who watched tonight might assume that EC3 will lose only to go into a program with Drew Galloway based on their interaction earlier tonight. By giving EC3 a win next week and allowing him to choose a stipulation may get people to buy in to the thought that he can actually win.
Read More: TNA Impact Review 9-15-16
