This Sunday, IMPACT Wrestling returns to where it all began, THE ASYLUM in Nashville, TN for their first Pay Per View of 2019, Homecoming. 2018 was an incredible year for the company. Some would compare the company as the Phoenix rising from the ashes in Greek Mythology. A company where all of it’s performers have characters and where character continuity exists. And not to mention the in ring performances being at an all time high as stars such as Johnny Impact, Pentagon Jr., Sami Callihan, Fenix, Brian Cage, Tessa Blanchard, Taya Valkyrie, Killer Kross to name a few, lead the way for the company.
Impact Wrestling begins the year with a hell of a match card as Impact World Champion goes one-on-one with The Machine, Brian Cage in the main event. In a blockbuster first time ever tag match for the Impact World Tag Team championship, we will see the Lucha Brothers, Pentagon Jr. & Fenix take on LAX. The Knockouts headline with the uber-talented Tessa Blanchard versus “La Wera Loca”, Taya Valkyrie in a rematch from Bound For Glory. It is safe to say that this could be the show stealer of the weekend.
FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE: EDDIE EDWARDS vs. MOOSE
Ever since Moose had a change of character and sided with those the likes of Killer Kross, Moose has gone to the dark side and left all his friends in the process. Eddie Edwards was one of those friends. This rivalry has spiralled out of control to the point that a ring cannot hold the hatred these two men have for each other. Recent episodes of Impact Wrestling have shown Eddie Edwards being committed to Shady Acres after his wife, Alicia Edwards, under the influence of Moose, decided it was best to send Edwards to the insane asylum, but with the help of none other than, ECW Legend, Raven, Edwards soon made his escape from Shady Acres and interrupted a match Moose had and nearly decimated the big man leading to the match.
MONSTERS BALL: ELI DRAKE vs. ABYSS
Since Bound For Glory after a brutal defeat by Abyss, Eli Drake has been on a mission to eliminate the Hardcore style of pro wrestling as he feels he is the last of a dying breed of pro wrestler who is able to entertain through wrestling and talking rather than performing high-risk maneuvers while using props to get over. Thus far, “The Namer Of Dummies” has already gone through Joseph Park and Tommy Dreamer to solidify his quest to finish off all hardcore wrestlers. Drake has even had a run in with Raven at Shady Acres regarding his plans. Will the former Impact Champion defeat Abyss at his own game in “Monsters Ball”? Or will Abyss come out on top with further punishment than the one he inflicted onto Drake at Bound For Glory?
WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: LAX VS. LUCHA BROS.
2018 has without a doubt been a year to remember for LAX. The men were heavily involved in a lengthy program with the O.G.z of LAX, Homicide and Hernandez along with Eddie Kingston who ran the New York territory. After the gang warfare concluded which had LAX victorious and no longer having to feud with the O.G.z, Ortiz and Santana went looking for new challengers for their Tag Titles. They looked no further than to the Lucha Bros. A decorated tag team who have built their name together and individually around the world. While this match was made on a recent episode of Impact Wrestling, it did not go well with Konnan as he was LIVID with Santana and Ortiz for making this match, with the feeling that this match could very well separate the team due to Konnan’s past experience with other tag teams. Will the two teams be able to get along after their match at Homecoming? Or will an implosion take place as the two teams battle it out?
ULTIMATE X MATCH FOR THE VACANT X-DIVISION TITLE: DAVE CRIST vs. “ALL EGO” ETHAN PAGE vs. RICH SWANN vs. TREY MIGUEL
During a recent episode of Impact Wrestling, Brian Cage decided it was time to utilize “Option C” and relinquish his X-Division Title for a chance to go up against current Impact World Champion, Johnny impact. Due to his decision, this left the X-Division Title vacant and awarded an opportunity for someone to become the next X-Division Champion. To do so, however, four matches were booked where the winner of each of their respective match would go on to face each other in a match that has been with the company since close to its inception. A match questionably created by Co-Vice President of the company, Don Callis. A match that has historically made former X-Division stars into household names, such as AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, Kazarian, many others. That match, Ultimate X. This match has been synonymous with Impact Wrestling and still holds as one of the most brutal matches in the history of pro wrestling. One thing is for sure on Sunday, history will be made when a new X-Division Champion is crowned after overcoming this nearly impossible obstacle.
KNOCKOUTS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: TESSA BLANCHARD vs. “LA WERA LOCA” TAYA VALKYRIE
After an incredible match between these two gladiators at Bound For Glory 2018, which saw Tessa Blanchard come out on top, the tension between the two has thickened since to the point where it has gotten personal. Tessa Blanchard continues to taunt Taya being nothing more than Johnny Impacts wife, while Taya continues to follow Tessa and get her hands on her wherever Tessa goes. Blanchard has skyrocketed through the knockouts division ever since her debut and continues her journey to be the best ever. Taya has certainly been in the way of Tessa’s goal as being the strongest competitor Blanchard has ever faced in Impact Wrestling and giving her a run for her money.
IMPACT WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: JOHNNY IMPACT vs. “THE MACHINE” BRIAN CAGE
Since becoming the number one contender for the Impact Heavyweight Championship by invoking “Option C” after defeating Sami Callihan, the story here has been whether or not Johnny Impact is able to overcome the power, strength and speed of Brian Cage. While things have been quiet between the two, until their match at Homecoming, things have been getting quite complicated for Johhny Impact, as an unlikely name in Killer Kross has been attempting to offer his assistance to Johhny Impact in order to defeat Cage at Homecoming. While the champ has persistently denied Kross’ each chance it’s offered, it will be interesting to see what happens at Homecoming between The Machine and Impact and if or how Killer Kross comes into play.
