This past Thursday, Impact Wrestling drew one of it’s highest rating in years with a show that main evented with a gruesome and brutal match up between OvE‘s Sami Callihan and Eddie Edwards. While the match itself was hard hitting and fast paced, it was the ending that had the internet world a-buzz, when Callihan seemingly struck Edwards in the face with a baseball bat, that resulted in major blood loss and a trip to the hospital.
This is sick. @TheSamiCallihan RUTHLESSLY smashes @TheEddieEdwards with a baseball bat and it violently ricochet's right into Edwards' face. #IMPACTonPop pic.twitter.com/fKtCAjiN7F
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) March 2, 2018
This is exclusive behind the scenes footage of @TheEddieEdwards moments after @TheSamiCallihan brutally struck him in the face with a baseball bat. It includes alternate angles of the incident that weren't seen last night and is tough to watch. pic.twitter.com/RdxAWM6DMG
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) March 2, 2018
For die hard fans, this segment was old news, as it was heavily reported on when it happened back in mid-January when it was originally filmed. Eddie Edwards even reported in the next day that everything was okay and it was just a “couple broken bones”. Edwards hasn’t wrestled since the incident.
Thanks to everyone checkin in. Im good, couple broken bones couple cuts and a sweet black eye. Somedays youre the bat, somedays youre my eye
— Edward Edwards (@TheEddieEdwards) January 14, 2018
Following the airing of the episode, TMZ followed up on the event the following Friday morning, including interviewing Eddie Edwards himself on the incident.
While many within the internet wrestling fan community and industry had heard of the matches horrific ending, for most, Thursday night was the first time they saw the encounter. Many wrestling personalities to quick to criticize Callihan for the spot, including Jim Cornette and an equally fired up Kassius Ohno (formerly Chris Hero).
OK, I just saw this for the first time– @TheEddieEdwards should have beat the shit out of this stupid fuck–he set it up shoddy, was careless with his shitty swing & they shouldn't have been doing it to begin with. Who the fuck "trained" @TheSamiCallihan ? I'm fucking hot. https://t.co/lpTIqxca29
— Jim Cornette (@TheJimCornette) March 2, 2018
This hurts Jimmy…. I’ll just keep watching my bank account go up. https://t.co/EAY7JVKSKG
— Death Machine (@TheSamiCallihan) March 2, 2018
You'll need a microscope. Shame when untrained garbage wrestlers injure talent through clumsiness–most careless thing I've seen in years, you should have been fired. This is what happens when a company can't afford real talent. Also fuck you. https://t.co/p3pUdq6fNf
— Jim Cornette (@TheJimCornette) March 3, 2018
Really? Really? There is ZERO correlation between how much money you make & what happened in that ring. You should be embarrassed. ASHAMED.
— Chris Hero (Is Back) (@ChrisHero) March 3, 2018
With the wrestling community (both performers and fans) worked up and somewhat divided, Sami Callihan appeared in a video for TMZ today to address the situation, apparently sent by Impact Wrestling management to apologize for his actions. What happened next, was another promo from Callihan.
Reports state that privately Callihan and Edwards have made piece over the incident since it occurred, but as far as TV goes – Impact or TMZ alike – it seems that kayfabe is still very much alive. For those watching at home, Edwards’ ally of late, former Impact World Champion Bobby Lashley, was scheduled to team with Edwards next week for the special Cross Roads event against Callihan’s brethren in OvE, Dave & Jake Crist, but Impact is holding out on whether the match will still take place.
@TheEddieEdwards was meant to team with @fightbobby to take on oVe next week at Crossroads but after the brutal attack by @TheSamiCallihan tonight that match is in doubt. More as we have it. #IMPACTonPop pic.twitter.com/fNYJlccaen
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) March 2, 2018
