5/19/20 Impact Wrestling Recap

The show opens up with a recap package of last week’s show, highlighting the #1 Contenders Tournament. The package ends with a clip from last weeks Main Event for the TNA World Championship win Moose had over Suicide.

Josh Mathews and Madison Rayne are on the call for this episode of Impact. The scene is a empty, black arena with a lit stage. Ace Austin enters the runway to the ring ready for action. It is announced he will take the place of Ken Shamrock in the #1 Contenders Tournament due to the injury sustained by Ken Shamrock last week at the hands of Michael Elgin, during the Locker Room Talk segment.

Match 1. Ace Austin VS Rhino (#1 Contenders Tournament)

Both lock up in the center of the ring, followed by Rhino tossing Austin in the corner. Rayne questions why the former X Division Champion, Austin was not in the tournament to begin with. Austin bails to the outside to recover, then comes back in and both trade wrist locks with neither gaining an advantage. Austin bails again for a breather which is nothing news if you have seen him before. Austin’s mind games work as he enters to a frustrated Rhino, but eventually he flips Austin with a hiptoss. Austin bails again, but this time Rhino chases him to the outside and works him over, whipping Austin into the barricade. Austin gains an advantage as Rhino gets on the ring apron. Ace hits some impressive moves that prevent Rhino from getting back in the ring. Austin re-enters the ring and hopes for a count out win, but Rhino makes it at the count of 9. Austin immediately attacks, but Rhino reverses Austin and whips him in the corner. Austin jumps to the top rope and lays out Rhino with a aerial kick. Ace goes for a clothes line at the same time as Rhino. Both lay prone. Rhino gets up first and lays out Ace with more clotheslines and Gore in the corner. Austin recovers and hits a leg lariat off an Irish Whip. Austin heads to the top rope, but Rhino cuts him off and sets up Ace for a Superplex. Rhino gets a two count. Ace gets to his feet and sees a chair in the corner and grabs it. Rhino steals the chair, but the ref interjects. While the refs is dealing with Rhino and disposes of the chair, Ace gets a cane and slams Rhino over the head and gets the pinfall.

Winner and Moving on in the #1 Contenders Tournament, Ace Austin

Josh Matthews is shown backstage in a sit down interview with Moose, the self-proclaimed TNA World Champion. Matthews claims the belt is a prop. Moose says he is the Real World Champion. Matthews is cut off again and shows evidence why he is the Champion and Josh agrees. Josh then says Suicide had him beat, but Moose cheated to retain the championship. A tease for a rematch is proposed by Matthews and Moose says they will do that match.

Kiera Hogan and Tasha are seen backstage. Hogan says she saw the match she had last week and said she was impressed and would like to have her back and take her under her wing.

Match 2. Dave Christ (oVe) VS Crazy Steve

Crazy Steve has resigned with Impact. Steve is all over Dave. Joseph P. Ryan comes out to take notes. Christ takes the advantage when the oVe teammates take a few cheap shots to Steve. Christ hits a clothesline followed up by a ground attack of knees to the face. Ryan continues to take notes. Dave Christ continues to work over Crazy Steve in the corner with kicks and elbows. Fulton and Jake Christ work over Steve in the corner as the ref is trying to contain Dave. Steve finally punches Christ and runs to the ropes and jumps to the top and hits a flying DDT. He gets the 3 Count and the win.

Winner of the match… Crazy Steve

Madman Fulton then attacks Dave Christ and then Jake. He then quits oVe and leaves the brothers on the mat.

Rosemary is back at the bar talking to a stuffed animal about Taya. Bravo shows up and she temps him to join her since Taya is mean to him. Johnny leaves.

Match 3. Triple XL VS Fallah Bahh and TJP

Two face teams match up for this tag team battle. Fallah starts with AC Romero enter first. They do the traditional heavy guy shove fest, with Fallah gaining an advantage and making a tag to TJP. AC tags to Larry D. TJP repeatedly gets outmuscled by Larry D, but Larry missed with a sitdown splash. TJP then hits some basement dropkicks and kicks then makes the tag. Larry gets back to his feet, but Bahh continues to be too much for Larry. A tag to TJP sees him drop an elbow from the top, then tag back to Fallah. Double team moves continue with several more tags. TJP slows the match down with elbows until Larry D finally whips TJP into the ropes and AC hits him from behind. XXXL double team TJP as we come back from break. Larry lays on TJP with a side head lock then a bear hug. Fallah finally gets tagged in when TJP escapes. Bahh takes out AC and Larry D. with a Crossbody. TJP hits the ring to help, but AC tosses him again. Bahh hits another double Crossbody. He gets a count of two on Larry D. AC hits Fallah from behind and he falls from the ring. Larry heads to the top rope, but Fallah makes the save and TJP hits a top rope dive for the 3 count.

Winners. Fallah Bahh and TJP

Match 4. Suicide VS Moose for the TNA World Championship

Moose enters last looking more like a serious champion every week. He makes the call to have a formal introduction to his presence and the championship match. The rematch starts as fast as last week match ended and spills to the outside quickly, but neither gain an advantage from aerial moves. Suicide finally puts Mosse in the Octopus and rolls it into a quick count of 2 and kickout. Moose bails to the outside and Suicide tries a flip from the ring apron, but Moose catches him mid air and swings him into the barricade repeatedly. Suicide struggles to get back in the ring by the 10 count. Once he does, Moose methodically works over Suicide with chokes and slams. His size is a clear advantage in this matchup. Suicide is whipped in the corner and is just rag dolled back out with a hip toss half way across the ring. Suicide tries to get to his feet, but this is all Moose. Moose picks him up and talks smack and then Irish Whips Suicide to the turnbuckle. Suicide then attempts a punch which makes Moose laugh.. then again… and again. Moose is mocking him telling him he can’t hurt him. This time the clothesline knocks Moose down. They bother get to their feet and Moose tries three times to catch him in the corner, but misses. Suicide builds momentum with kicks and then hits a rolling sentan into a lionsault for a 2 count. Moose then regains the advantage and lays the boots to Suicide in the corner, but gets yelled at by the ref. Suicide recovers and hits a Codebreaker and 4 Superkicks. Suicide then climbs the ropes and hits a Crossbody and roll up, but Moose rolls threw it and pins Suicide with a handful of trunks.

Winner and TNA World Champion… Moose

Michael Elgin is shown backstage complaining the world isn’t a place for those looking for handouts. That is why he will be the Impact World Champion. He says the fans will eventually love him. He then talks down Ken Shamrock and Sami Callahan.

Chris Bey and Johnny Swinger are backstage. Bey continues to use talk up the gullible Swinger into weakening Willie Mack. Bey says even if you lose attack him.

Match 5. Johnny Swinger VS Willie Mack (X Division Champion)

This title match starts off with Johnny Swinger jumping Mack and gaining the advantage with 80’s style elbows and other moves like that. Mack takes control with a slam and a leg drop. Swinger hides in the corner, but is splashed. Swinger hits a swinging neckbreaker and gets a count of 2. Swinger decides that is close enough and celebrates with the belt. Mack pulls the goofy Swinger from the second rope and hits a Samoan Drop and a standing reverse moonsault for the win.

Winner and still X Division Champion. Willie Mack

Swinger attacks Mack after the loss and Chris Bey comes out to help. Swinger and Bey celebrate in the ring and continue to lay the boots to Mack.

The North are then seen in Canada talking about how great they are. Cody Deaner enters and challenges The North. He has a partner next week they will have a match at the Deaner compound. The North leave and Cody drinks his beer. We are left wondering how many Deaners are there, and which one will be his partner.

Match 6. Sami Callahan VS Michael Elgin (#1 Contenders Tournament)

The final match of the first round may be the best match on paper in the tournament. These two have been going at it verbally for weeks and finally they will meet. Callahan comes out limping, still injured from the wild match at Rebellion with Ken Shamrock. Elgin looks on with disgust. Neither gain an advantage for several minutes as Callahan simply outsmarts the impatient Elgin. Eventually Elgin chases Sami to the outside, only to be outsmarted and DDT by Sami coming back in the ring. Sami then goes on the offensive and takes it to the outside. He works Elgin’s arm on the barricade until Elgin fights back and Atomic Drops Sami on the barricade bad leg first. Callahan is now in bad shape, but refuses to stop fighting from his back laying on the ground. Elgin picks him up and puts him in the ring. Elgin then dropkicks Sami’s leg, as he was struggling to stay on his feet. Elgin works the ankle the entire commercial break. Elgin floors Sami with a punch and boot to the head. Callahan refuses to give up and goes back and forth with Elgin in the center of the ring. Both go down exhausted. Elgin is first to his feet, slow to take the advantage and Sami throws him to the ring and crosses the ropes and takes a dive to Elgin on the outside. Sami in pain, tosses Elgin back in the ring and goes right back on the offensive and hits a suplex for a count of 2. Elgin shakes of the pain and hits another vicious move to Sami’s bad ankle. Sami is brutalized in the corner with repeated blows to his injured leg. Elgin gets a count of two. Elgin puts on a single leg Boston Crab. Sami does a pushup out and slides to the ropes to force a break. Elgin goes for a Powerbomb, but is blocked. He hits repeated blows to Sami, but Sami asks if that is all he has. Sami then collapses as Elgin looks on. Elgin picks him up, but Sami out of nowhere hits a suplex and a running blow to the back of the head off the ropes. Sami then goes for the Powerbomb, Elgin reverses and Buckbombs Sami to the corner. Elgin tries another Powerbomb and misses, then finally connects and gets the pinfall and moves on the second round.

Winner. Micheal Elgin