5/26/20 Impact Recap

The show opens up with a recap of last week’s show. Highlighted was Moose’s win over Suicide to retain the TNA World Championship. The package also hypes the end of the first round of the #1 Contenders Tournament for the Impact World Championship.

Josh Matthews and Madison Rayne are at commentary once again. The arena is blacked out besides the stage and ring.

Match 1. Semi Final Match for the #1 Contenders Tournament.. Ace Austin VS Hernandez

Ace as usual, stalls outside and makes Hernandez wait for him, even though he entered the arena first. The TNA original, Hernandez takes it to Ace early with shoulder tackles, chops, hip tosses and splashes to the corner. Ace finally gains some offense with a kick to the gut, but Hernandez shrugs it off and lays more big man offense to the smaller, Austin. After more kicks to the midsection and some forearm smashes to Ace’s back, Austin reverses a sit out powerbomb attempt to a basement dropkick, and then hits another kick that knocks Hernandez from the ring. Austin dives from the ring, but Hernandez catches him and slaps his ears with a wicked bell ringer. Austin gets thrown back in, but shakes of the pain and puts the boots to the slow to reenter, Hernandez. Ace relentlessly stays on the offense with kicks, until he tries to go for a slam that is reversed. Ace and Hernandez recover, but Austin is quicker and kicks the larger foe down to the corner and puts the boots to the back of Hernandez head. This is a very methodical move set doesn’t seem to impress Josh, but Madison says it is brilliant. A series of basement dropkicks earns Ace a count of two. Hernandez finally connects with a shoulder tackle and clothesline off a reversed Irish Whip. Next a splash in the corner and a vicious backbreaker that gets a count of two before Ace kicks out. Hernandez fails at a Border Toss and Ace scoots behind and clips the knee. Hernandez is down and hurt. Hernandez fights to his feet and attempts to give the Border Toss again to Ace, but his knee buckles under the weight. Ace goes for a crossbody, but Hernandez recovers and catches him and rocks Ace like a baby in his arms. After a blocked suplex, Ace clips the leg again and hits The Fold for the ring.

Winner and going to the Finals, Ace Austin

Josh and Madison are shown at the desk going over tonight’s card. Madison tells Josh to practice social distancing and move away.

Cody Deaner is shown on the side of the road watching a rough looking biker drive by. He makes a few American Badass comments and yells at him to slow down. Deaner is on a golf cart. Bey and Johnny Swinger are shown backstage next. Johnny is telling Bey to listen to him and he can win his match, 80’s style of course. Bey asks if they can just play it by ear. The North are on the hunt, and find the Deaner Compound. The sign is a painted board that is spelled incorrectly. Next Elgin says he is ready for Trey.

Match 2 Chris Bey (with Johnny Swinger) VS Cousin Jake Deaner

Josh questions the connection of Bey and Swinger as we begin the match. Bey runs for his life, but Jake just tosses the smaller, Bey around like a rag doll again and again for the first few minutes. Swinger gives terrible encouragement (but funny) from the outside. Cousin Jake gets a count of two after a slam. Jake drops a knee to the chest. Bey flees to the apron and Swinger interferes, which gets himself hurt, but Bey gains his first advantage while Cousin Jake was stepping on Swingers toes. Bey hits a series of lightning quick kicks as we go to break. Back to the action, Bey is hits a splash to the corner and then a series of impressive boots to Jake’s chest over and over. Jake can’t regain the advantage and the kicks from Bey are starting to wear the bigger man down. Bey connects with a double stomp which finally is enough to force Jake to fight back. Jake hits a discus clothesline and series of tackles. Bey kicks out after a powerslam. Bey hits a high knee after rolling out of a powerbomb. Bey then hits a form of the Canadian Destroyer, which got a count of two. Jake recovers and hits a huge powerbomb, but Bey kicks out. Jake hits a spear on Bey and grabs Swinger by the neck when he jumped to the ring apron to break up the potential pin. Bey recovers and goes to attack Jake from behind, but as he goes to attack he hits Swinger who tumbles from the apron to the floor. Bey then hits the Famouser and the Final Finesse which gets him the win.

Winner of the Match, Chris Bey

Swinger runs in the ring after and starts kicking Cousin Jake. Josh is going ballistic on commentary. Bey joins in until Willie Mack makes the save. Swinger and Bey celebrate on the ring ramp, but Bey seems a bit embarrassed to be with Swinger.

Rahit is backstage and asked what is next for him without the Hit Squad. Rahit says he is on the bottom of the ladder. Chase Stevens enters which ticks off Rahit. Rahit challenges Chase to a match next week.

Match 3 Kimber Lee VS Havok

These two tear into each other right from the beginning. Kicks and punches are thrown by each. Kimber Lee finally knocks Havok to a knee. Lee jumps on her back and puts on the sleeper. Havok backs her into the corner and follows it up with a spine buster than then a backbreaker and clothesline. Havok has been on a bad run, but looks determined as she lays in three stiff kicks to the head. Kimber Lee uses an eye gouge in desperation. Lee then goes for the brass knuckles she used last week on Havok again. From the back, Navia sprints to the ring and punches Lee repeatedly. Navia and Havok then work together to down Lee. They then smile and raise each other’s hand in victory.

No winner was declared for the match. The match was thrown out.

Kylie Ray gets confronted Kiera Hogan and Tasha backstage and Suzy comes out looking sad for Kylie. Hogan and Tasha then attack Suzy. Suzy has some flashbacks in her mind of her alter ego, who may be coming back soon.

The North are shown next back at the Deaner Compound. Three Deaners emerge from a barn and imvite The North to come in the barn. We go to break.

oVe and Joseph P. Ryan are shown backstage. Ryan, although disgusted by their presence, asks oVe to join him next week in his match. He then walks off. oVe are ecstatic and say this is what they need to get back on track.

Cody Deaner is shown back at the barn. There is a ring set up and is yelling that tonight Great Great Grampa Deaner and all the other Deaners all over. The North are confused as to why there is 19 Deaners. A female enters from a tractor. The North said enough wasting time. Then a Wheels walks in. He is a huge rotund man. The North now look concerned. One of the Deaners says, “Ring the bell.”

Match 4. Deaners VS The North (In a barn)

Wheels and Cody start the match right away double teaming Josh Alexander. Wheels then hits a splash in the corner. Ethan Page enters and gets tossed out of the ring and followed by Wheels. Alexander gains some advantage over Cody. Page gets some help from a set of golf clubs on Wheels. Everyone stumbles to the grounds outside. Other Deaners are everywhere drinking beer and yelling. The North start double teaming the Deaners and connect with a Double Razor’s Edge from the back of a moving truck onto Cody. They then move in on Wheels and slam him into various barnyard contraptions. Cody then leaps from a horse trailer Superfly Snuka style, onto both members of The North. This match seems to be cut into clips. Wheels is thrown right through a fence, Alexander is slamed on a car, then Page tries to kill Cody with a led pipe, but misses. The match heads to the top of a trailer where Alexander piledrives Cody. The North then double team Wheels in the ring as the rest of the Deaners try revive Cody. The ref, who is a legless Deaner, saves Wheels and hits a 619 on Page. (I am not making this up.) Legless Ref Deaner then goes for a moonsault from the top rope, but misses. This gave Cody time to recover and he enters and destroys The North, but the Legless Ref Deaner is still knocked out from missing the moonsault. The North then double team Cody. Wheels re-enters the ring, but gets crotched by a new ref, that was also the ring announcer for The North the last few weeks TV. The North mercifully get the count of 3 and retain the tag championships. They then run for their life as the segment ends with the Deaners chasing them off the grounds with pipes, axes and pitchforks.

Winners and still Impact World Tag Team Champions, The North

TJP and Fallah are interviewed next and they say they want The North. The Rascalz enter and say they beat them, so they should be ahead of them. TJP says it is one win a piece. They should do a match next week. Both teams exit as we go to break.

The Rascalz are backstage again with Trey. Trey is then given a pair of sunglasses by Moose. Rascalz are wondering why Moose is there and why he thinks he is the TNA Champion. Moose then says why don’t you come after him instead of the Impact Championship. They start making fun of Moose, who threatens the group as we go to the Flashback.

Moose VS Cody Flashback, Moose wins.

Deonna Purrazzo vignette. The former NXT performer, says it is now her time to no longer be ignored. She says she is the Virtuoso. She is talking to the camera close up, using very eloquent words, almost talking down to the listener.

Rosemary is back at the bar. Talking about moral compasses of lost loves with Bravo. She said she had to kill him. Bravo starts complaining about Taya. Rosemary says she is his friend and Taya’s. Bravo asks if she is going to sacrifice him. She calls him a slut, and says not on the first date. WOW.

Josh and Madison wonder out loud if Taya is going to be upset about the date between the two.

Match 5 Elgin VS Trey, #1 Contenders Match

The match begins with Trey countering everything Elgin tries until Elgin goes to a ground attack with arm bars and headlocks. After they break, Trey blocks a suplex and ranas Elgin from the ring. Trey then kicks him from the ring apron and DDTs Elgin to the floor. Trey hit hard too. They both enter the ring and Trey hits a moonsault and count of two. Trey hits a back elbow, but Elgin then connects with a underhook suplex. Elgin then slows the match with chops in the corner. Matthews then tells us, Elgin was a ROH World Champion, NJPW IC Champ and beat Kenny Omega. Dig Dig. Elgin lays brutal forearms to Trey. Elgin tells Trey to get up and fight. He tells Trey to hit him. Trey’s punches have little effect. Elgin whips Trey and hits his face with an elbow and follows up with a suplex. The announcers give Trey no chance to win and say it repeatedly. Elgin just stalks Trey, knocks him down, and does it again. Trey finally fires back with fire, and does a jaw breaker. Trey follows Elgin and gets Trey with a insiguri and powerbomb. Trey follows up with two knees to Elgins chest of a Irish Whip as we goto break. We come back to Trey gaining an advantage with his fists. Trey hits a Pele kick. Trey hits more kicks and heads to the top rope, but Elgin pulls him off with a cutter and neckbreaker for a count of two. Elgin picks up Trey and they begin to throw strong style punches. Elgin loves this and gives Trey time to fight back. Trey and Elgin trade superkicks and a destroyer, but Elgin comes out the stronger and connects with a vertical suplex, then a clothesline next about ripped off Trey’s head. Elgin hits a corner clothesline, but this seems to awaken Trey who connects with multiple low cutters and beautiful kicks to the head of Elgin. Trey heads to the top, but Elgin catches him and puts Trey on his shoulders, Trey reverses and hits a rana off the top. Trey gets on Elgins shoulders again, but Elgin drops him face first on the turnbuckle. Elgin puts Trey on the top rope and goes for a superplex, but Trey reverses that and hits a double knee to the face to the floor! Trey goes back to the top and waits for Elgin to get up, as he jumps Elgin catches Trey and hits a Powerbomb. Trey kicks out at two. Elgin looks rejuvenated. He hits a clothesline for another two count. Elgin stalks Trey again and sets him up for a powerbomb, but Sami Callahan’s ring entrance vignette briefly flashes on the screen when the lights go out. Elgin looks around and doesn’t see anything. Trey sneaks behind him and gets a roll up 3 count for the win.

Winner and Moving to the finals, Trey!

Elgin goes crazy and the dazed, Trey gets his arm raised. Elgin destroys the set as the show closes.