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MCMAHON’S GFW IMPACT REPORT
August 24, 2017
Taped from Orlando, Fla. (Universal Studios)
Aired on Pop TV
Announcers: Josh Mathews & Jeremy Borash
Immediately following tonight’s Impact Wrestling, tune in to the PWTorch Livecast. Mike McMahon and Andrew Soucek will discuss tonight’s show with callers. Listen at www.pwtorchlivecast.com and call the show at 515-605-9345
— A new GFW signature aired.
— Eli Drake was shown arriving earlier in the day with Christopher Adonis. American Top Team was then shown arriving at the building with Lashley. Scott D’Amore talked to Dan Lambert as they arrived. Jeff Jarrett came outside and got into an argument with Lambert.
Lambert told Jarrett to “shove that olive branch.”
— Highlights of the gauntlet match were shown.
— The Impact open aired.
— In-arena: Eli Drake made his entrance wearing a suit for his championship celebration. Drake and Adonis were both wearing light colored suits and were smoking cigars.
“14 years, I’ve busted my keister all over this business and all over this world, and now I stand here and hold this,” Drake said. “People say this should make be happy? Wrong! This pisses me off that it took me this long!”
Drake said it took 14 years because of politics. Drake said he’s as hungry as ever, despite winning the title. Drake said while he was at the pool today, a woman came to him. “She was a cougar, and she was looking for a cubby.”
Drake said despite all that, he stands as Global Champion. Drake said that Jim Cornette tried to stop him, and he overcame everyone, including Cornette, Lashley, Johnny Impact and everyone else.
Impact made his entrance with a microphone. Impact told Drake not to get excited. Impact said Drake can mark out all he wants, but he speaks for everyone in the back when he says he’s sick of listening to Drake run his mouth. Drake said he spoke for all the fans, when he says he wants Drake to shut the hell up.
Impact said he’s had more names than Drake has championships. Impact pointed out that he’s a champion in AAA. He said the reality of being a champion isn’t winning the title, it’s keeping the title. Impact said he’s there because he wants to win the title.
Eddie Edwards entered. Edwards told Drake that this isn’t his first rodeo. Edwards said if you want something in GFW, you need to speak up. So, he’s there to speak up. Edwards told Impact this isn’t AAA, this is Impact, and in GFW, he outranks Impact. Edwards said he has been World Champion here, and he wants it again.
Impact said he didn’t care who he would have to take to “slam town” first. Impact said he respects what Edwards has done, but he’s had his shot.
Jim Cornette walked to the ring, mic in hand. He said there was no reason to bicker or argue. Cornette made a tag team match for tonight. Edwards & Impact vs. Adonis & Drake. Cornette said if Drake gets the pinfall, he doesn’t have to defend the title against anyone. But, if Impact or Edwards gets the pin, they get a title shot against Drake.
— Backstage: Allie approached Taryn Terrell. She asked Taryn why she was so mean to Gail Kim? Taryn said it was weighing on her a lot. Taryn asked Allie to give Gail a message, and then she attacked her with a forearm and threw Allie into some boxes.
McMahon: The No. 1 contender scene is becoming a little crowded. Matt Sydal could, potentially, be the No. 1 contender for the World Title. He beat Lashley for a “title shot of his choosing,” and given that the World Title is the most important in the company, I hope that Sydal chooses the World Title.
So, now we’re in a spot where we’re determining a No. 1 contender who will be behind the potential current No. 1 contender? Confused yet? Well, if that didn’t do it, we’re going to determine if there is a No. 1 contender in a match where the two guys teaming will not want their partner to win the match. Are we clear? Ok.
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(1) oVe (Dave Crist & Jake Crist) vs. MARIO BOKARA & FALLAH BAHH
Bokara and Dave Crist begin the match. Bokara kicked out of an early pin attempt. Jake tagged in and hit a cutter on Bokara. LAX was shown in their clubhouse, watching the match. Bokara hit Jake with a suplex and Bahh tagged in. Bahh hit a crossbody on Jake. Bahh missed a leg drop. oVe hit a double-team kick in the corner and Jake tied up Bahh on the second rope while diving to the outside. Dave Crist tagged in. Jake put Bokara on his shoulders and Dave hit a flying cutter off the top rope for the win.
WINNER: oVe in 3:00.
oVe had their hands raised after the match.
— Mathews wondered if Lashley’s career was over? Mathews plugged the tag-team main event.
McMahon: Decent match for oVe. Their debut was a dud, but they’ve been impressive since then. I don’t think they stand out as being anything above where some of the other teams in GFW are, though. Right now, I’d say that oVe feels on the level of Reno Scum, before an injury derailed them in the spring.
[c]
– Back from the break, Jim Cornette was in the office with Moose. Cornette said he was proud of Moose for being invited to AAA TripleMania. He said Lashley would be there too, and he wanted to warn him. Moose said that was fine. ECIII walked in and put the Grand Championship on Cornette’s desk. ECIII asked why he wasn’t on Triplemania? Cornette said that ECIII was busy defending the Grand Championships on Impact against Fantasma.
(2) PETEY WILLIAMS vs. CALEB KONLEY (w/Trevor Lee)
Konley attacked right at the opening bell. Mathews said that Konley is taking his career more seriously. Koney was prone on the ropes and Williams landed a dropkick. Lee distracted Williams on the outside and Konley kicked out his legs. Konley landed Knees to his back. Konley landed a kick. Konley hip tossed Williams into the corner. Williams came back with chops. Konley hit a huge backhand right chop. Konley missed a top-rope moonsault. Williams was distracted again by Lee. Williams took out Lee with a hurricanrana while diving over the rope. Williams hit a Canadian Destroyer on Konley for the win.
WINNER Petey Williams in 6:00.
After the match, Lee hit the ring and attacked Williams. Sonjay Dutt ran in to chase off the heels.
McMahon: Williams looked great. Like, really great. The Canadian Destroyer still looks crazy impressive. The post-match attack was fine. I’m not sure anyone is getting really excited about a tag-team X-Division feud, but this is a nice way to feature Konley and Williams. The big fear is that Lee will just get lost in this shuffle. But, the way he’s been utilized in GFW, that seems bound to happen no matter what.
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— Back from the break, Karen approached Taryn and Sienna backstage. She told Taryn that they don’t do business the way she has in GFW. Sienna said she had nothing to do with Taryn. Karen booked Sienna and Taryn in a tag match against Gail Kim and Allie. Karen said she might think of some different rules this week.
(3) “THE STANDBY WRESTLER” RICHARD JUSTICE vs. KONGO KONG
Justice jumped at Kong with some right hands but it didn’t last long. After some squats, Justice literally ran into Kong’s fist. Kong went to the top rope and hit a splash.
WINNER: Kongo Kong in 1:00.
After the match, Kong continued to attack Justice. Mahabali Shera came to the ring to stop the attack. Shera and Kong traded punches and forearms. Shera hit Kong with a shoulder block that sent him to the outside.
— Backstage: McKenzie Mitchell interviewed Johnny Impact.
— LAX was in their clubhouse. Konnan was giving Low Ki a strategy talk.
(4) LOW KI vs. JAMES STORM
After some back and forth, Storm brought Low Ki around to turnbuckles. Mathews pointed out that this is Storm’s first match since Slammiversary vs. ECIII. Storm hit a clothesline off the rope (twice). Low Ki dumped Storm over the top but Storm came back with a kick. Storm tried for an Eye of the Storm at the 6:00 mark but Low Ki got off his shoulders. Low Ki hit a double stomp for a near fall. Low Ki went to the top and missed a Warrior’s Way. Storm picked up Low KI for an Eye of the Storm for a believable near fall. Ortiz argued on the ring apron. Storm grabbed Ortiz but LAX pulled him down. Low Ki hit a springboard kick for a two count. Storm hit Low Ki with a super kick. Santana hit the ring and nailed Storm with a GFW Tag Team Title belt. Low Ki went to the top rope and hit Warrior’s Way for the win.
WINNER: Low Ki in 9:00.
McMahon: Storm looked sharp in his return, even though he was in there with a very athletic Low Ki. Despite the loss, they did a lot here to protect Storm, which could indicate they have plans to do some bigger things with him down the road. Low Ki needed interference from Ortiz and Santana for the win. Storm should be someone GFW builds around. He doesn’t have to be the top guy, but as the biggest original on the roster, he needs to be someone they protect and use wisely.
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— Backstage: Braxton Sutter got mad at Garza Jr. for asking if Allie was OK.
— Jim Cornette was featured in a video that highlighted the feud between American Top Team and GFW. Cornette said ATT is screwing up Lashley’s head. Cornette said Lashley can make a lot more money and he’d be a bigger star in pro wrestling. He called American Top Team a bunch of thugs. Cornette said that Lashley needs to pick the right people to be around.
– Joseph Park helped Grado and Laurel Van Ness plan their wedding in a vignette. But, they found out LVN was Canadian, so she’s not going to help Grado stay in the U.S.
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— Back from the break, Mathews and Borash threw to a Lashley interview.
— Lashley was sitting with American Top Team. He said that he doesn’t have to make a decision about wrestling or fighting right now. He said that he’s not making a decision right now because he doesn’t have to. Dan Lambert said that everyone on ATT knows that MMA is right for him. Lashley said he understands that, but if he leaves pro wrestling, the door for wrestling might be closed. Lashley said he’d like to wrestle for another 20 years. Lambert said if Lashley doesn’t decide on going full-time to MMA, he’ll be a token everything.
Lambert said that ATT is doing Jeff Jarrett and GFW a favor. Lashley said when it’s time, he’d make a decision on MMA vs. wrestling.
McMahon: Lambert talked on and on about how GFW and Jeff Jarrett disrespected him and his team. When? Seriously, did I miss something? One of their fighters have attacked referees for multiple weeks. Regardless, it seems as though this will be dragged out more weeks.
(5) ELI DRAKE & CHRIS ADONIS vs. EDDIE EDWARDS & JOHNNY IMPACT
Adonis and Edwards begin the match. Lots of back-and-forth action for the first five minutes of the match, but then the heels were able to zero in on Impact, getting the heat on him until the 13:00 mark. Impact fought back and flipped Drake off his back, but Drake hit a kick for a double down. Edwards tagged in, as did Adonis, and Edwards hit a blue thunder bomb for a two count.
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Impact tags in and hits a superkick on Adonis and a clothesline on Drake. Impact went to the top but missed a move, landing on his feet. Drake and Adonis double-teamed Impact. Edwards took Drake off the top with a hurricanrana. Impact is the legal man. He went to the top and hit Drake off the top but Adonis broke it up. Adonis threw Edwards to the outside. Impact pulled down the top rope, sending Adonis over the top. Impact and Adonis brawled on the outside. Drake hit the Gravy Train on Edwards for the win.
WINNERS: Eli Drake & Chris Adonis in 27:00.
After the match, Adonis and Drake celebrated. Dan Lambert, Lashley and American Top Team went to ringside. Lambert took the mic and said that Adonis, Drake, and the rest of the GFW roster should scatter when ATT comes to the ring. Lambert asked how anyone could call themselves a pro wrestler or a champion when Lashley was standing there. Cornette came to the ring and said if anyone from ATT touches the ring, or anyone from GFW, Cornette would suspend Lashley. Cornette said that next week, Drake would defend the GFW Global Championship against Matt Sydal.
Sydal came to the stage. Everyone was pointing and yelling (Adonis, Drake, Lashley, Sydal, Impact and Edwards).
The show signed off.
McMahon: The tag match just felt like a long stall to get to the angle with Cornette setting up Sydal vs. Drake for next week. The match itself was pretty good, if they just left it with the match. The angle afterwards made the last 25 minutes in the ring feel like a bridge or filler. Oh well.
I thought this was a decent show. A nine out of ten and better than anything WWE put out this week, in my opinion.
a lot of “Jarrett is Russo” again but that’s all it’s ever going to be. Still love the fact that Cornette and [Prichard slammed the product on their podcasts but now that they’re getting a paycheck, they’ve ‘conveniently’ changed their tune, imagine that.