MCMAHON’S IMPACT REBELLION PPV LIVE REPORT (4/28): Cage vs. Impact (World Title), LAX vs. Lucha Bros (Full Metal Mayhem)

McMahon’s Impact Wrestling Rebellion PPV Report
Date: April 28, 2019
Location: Rebel Entertainment Complex (Toronto, Ont.)
TV: FITE/PPV

— The show opened with a montage that aired highlights of what built up to this show.

— Josh Mathews welcomed us to the show with Don Callis. The ring is featuring red ropes, which is in line with the theme of the PPV.

(1) SIX PACK SCRAMBLE: Petey Williams vs. Jake Crist vs. Aiden Prince vs. Ace Austin vs. Cousin Jake vs. Eddie Edwards

Petey Williams pulled Ace Austin out of the ring to begin the match as Austin and Edwards were about to have a standoff. After a few dives, Ace Austin rolled up Petey Williams inside the ring and it looked like he pulled the tights to get the win.

WINNER: Ace Austin in 5:00.

McMahon: A five-minute six-man match. They both fit in a lot, and not much happened. Good opener that had some movement and notable names to get the crowd excited. I don’t think it was meant to be much more than that. 

— After the match, Mathews and Callis announced “Impact Plus” … it’s “going to set the wrestling world on its ear,” according to Don Callis. Impact Plus looks like it’s the Global Wrestling Network, essentially. Only now, it’s going to include live monthly specials. They’re giving away free 30-day trials and it begins on May 1.

— Sami cut a promo backstage in black and white.

(2) INTERGENDER MATCH: ROHIT RAJU (w/ Raj Singh & Gama Singh) vs. SCARLETT BORDEAUX (w/ Fallah Bahh)

Bordeaux hit a baseball slide to Raju on the outside. Raju pinned Bordeaux in the ring but lifted her shoulders before a three count could be made. Bordeaux slapped and spit on Raju. Scarlett hit a back elbow in the corner and began clawing at Raju with fingernail chops. Scarlett locked in a crossface and the crowd was chanting, “tap!” but Raju got out. Scarlett dove off the top to the outside, taking out the Desi Hit Squad. Raju set up for a stinkface but Scarlett kicked him in the groin and then locked in Raju’s legs for the pin,

WINNER: Scarlett Bordeaux in 5:00.

— A video package aired The Rascalz, Moose, Killer Kross, Josh Alexander and Ethan Page.

(3) Moose, Ethan Page & Josh Alexander vs. The Rascalz

Moose’s team was in control of the match for the opening minutes, with Dezmond Xavier taking most of the heat. Moose nearly dropkicked Dez out of the ring. Moose tagged Alexander and he was able to cut off Dez from making a tag. Wentz hit a cutter on Moose. Wentz then hit their finisher off the ramp to the floor. In the ring, Alexander nailed Miguel on the jaw. Miguel tried to dive over the top onto Moose but Moose caught him and powerbombed him on the floor. Wentz came in with a cannonball on Moose. Page saved a pin by powerbombing Miguel onto Xavier, who was pinning Alexander. Moose hit a pump kick and The North hit their finisher. The North picked up Dez and Moose killed him with a spear for the pin.

WINNER: Moose & The North in 10:00.

McMahon: Wow! The Full Metal Mayhem match will likely steal the show, but this was a sneaky Match of the Night candidate. All six of these guys did a great job with high-impact and innovative moves. The crowd was hot for the entire thing. 

— Johnny Impact and Taya Valkyrie cut a promo backstage with Johnny Bravo.

(4) KNOCKOUTS TITLE: Taya Valkyrie (c) vs. Jordynne Grace

The match started hot with Grace attacking Valkyrie with a double leg and then punches. Back in the ring, Taya had Grace down and was trying to do damage of Grace’s arm with a submission. Callis noted that she wasn’t so much going for the submission as much as she was trying to wear down Grace’s arms, which is where all of her power comes from. Grace hit a Muscle Buster but it was only a two count. Taya took advantage of the arm she injured earlier and hit the Road to Valhalla for the win. Callis noted that it was Grace’s first loss in Impact Wrestling.

WINNER: Taya Valkyrie retained in 14:00.

McMahon: Really good match. I wonder if seeing Taya get the first win over Grace to retain means that Impact is losing the World Title to Cage later in the show, and they didn’t want both members of the duo to lose their titles in one night. That could be the justification for Grace losing in her first match. But, I’m not sure that really needs justification. She’s been with the company for a while now, and Grace is a big enough star to give Grace her first loss. 

— A video package aired for Impact’s tapings at 2300 Arena in Philadelphia next weekend.

— Melissa Santos interviewed Gail Kim backstage.

— A video package aired on Rich Swann vs. Sami Callihan.

(5) X-DIVISION TITLE: Rich Swann (c) vs. Sami Callihan

Well, I had some streaming issues at the start of the match, but apparently, it got hardcore because when the stream came back, there was a trash barrel in the ring and someone was bleeding. On the ramp, Swann is beating Callihan with a wet floor sign. Swann hit Callihan with a cutter. Callihan hit Swann with a piledriver on the railing, which was set up on the ramp. Callihan brought legos into the ring. Callihan hit a piledriver on the legos. Swann had Callihan locked in a crossface with a barbed wire baseball bat for the win.

WINNER: Swann retains via submission.

— Tessa Blanchard was interviewed backstage by Melissa Santos. Tully Blanchard walked in and Tessa seemed emotional. Tully said this was the biggest match of her career and of course he would be there. He told her to be Tessa Blanchard and show Gail Kim what that’s all about.

(6) Tessa Blanchard vs. Gail Kim

Tessa hit a dive on Gail Kim early in the match and jawed at Kim’s husband at ringside. Back in the ring Gail hit a pump slam for a two count. After some heat, Gail made a comeback with flying knees. Gail hit a crossbody for a two count. Tessa hit a forearm on the ramp and Gail followed up with a kick. Out on the ramp, Tessa went for a suplex but Gail blocked it. Standing on the elevated ramp, Tessa picked up Gail and tossed her face first off the ramp to the floor. Gail beat a 10 count by rolling back in at nine and hit Tessa with Eat Defeat for a two count. Gail went to the top rope and Tessa cut her off. On the top rope, Gail locked in a dragon sleeper but Tessa broke it by biting Gail’s arm. Tessa press slammed Gail off the top rope. Then Tessa a diving Magnum for a two count. Tessa locked Gail into a modified crossface finisher for the submission.

WINNER: Tessa Blanchard via submission.

After the match, Tessa hugged Tully at ringside. Tully said, “you made me proud” and Tessa was very emotional. Tessa rolled back in the ring and the emotion on her face turned into a scowl. Gail got up and Tessa reached out her hand for a handshake. Gail hugged her in the ring and began saying something to Tessa, who looked like she was openly weeping. Tessa raised Gail’s hand and gave her the ring, mouthing “thank you.”

McMahon: For a second time tonight … Wow! Good match, and the stuff after was just awesome. This felt like a proper retirement match for Gail Kim. Impact screwed it up last time, cutting away very quickly and not letting the moment breathe when she had her “retirement match” at Bound for Glory a few years ago. Gail passing the torch to Tessa the way she did, and then Gail getting the ring as her music played so she could thank the crowd was the proper send off. Very well done, all around. … Oh, and Tessa Blanchard has to be a babyface now.

— Brian Cage cut a backstage promo.

(7) WORLD TITLE (Lance Storm referee): Johnny Impact (c) (w/ Taya Valkyrie & Johnny Brav0 vs. Brian Cage

Cage attacked Impact right at the opening bell, charging him and throwing punches. Cage hit a buckle bomb and then hit a deadlift suplex for a two count. Storm, preoccupied with Bravo and Tessa on the outside, missed Impact hitting Cage with a thumb to the eye. The match spilled out to the ramp, where Impact hit a side kick. Cage tried for a powerbomb on the stage but Impact countered. Lining up on the side of the ramp, Impact hit Cage with a Spanish Fly off the ramp and onto the floor … it made a sickening thud. Lance Storm began counting for a 10 count but then he pulled back Impact, who was sliding back into the ring. He told Impact he wasn’t going to keep counting and that Impact had to win it in the ring. Impact and Storm argued. Impact and Storm got into the ring and began arguing. Cage has been down for several minutes. Impact and Storm feel like they’re stalling for something. Impact went outside and rolled Cage back into the ring, and he’s bleeding from his face. Impact speared Cage for a two count. Cage seems like he’s laboring. He’s either selling well, or Cage might be legit hurt. On the outside, Bravo and Taya set up a table on the outside. Callis is trying to cover it, but Impact isn’t “jaw-jacking” Cage, as Callis said. He’s asking him if he’s OK to do the table spot on the outside. Cage is hurt, I think. Cage powerbombed Impact through the table. Impact was in Cage’s ear before that spot. It looks like they modified something there, maybe working around whatever happened to Cage. Cage is moving very slow. Something about this appears off. Cage was hit with the belt and Impact dropkicked Storm from inside the ring to the outside. Impact faked being hurt. While that was happening, Cage powerbombed Taya. Impact nailed Cage with the belt and hit Starship Pain. Johnny Bravo ran in with a referee shirt and only counted to two because Cage grabbed the rope. Storm superkicked Bravo. Back in the ring, Cage stopped Storm from calling for a DQ. Cage hit a sloppy drillclaw on Impact for the win.

WINNER: Brian Cage in 15:00 to win the World Title.

After the match, Michael Elgin hit the ring. Elgin looked at Cage and they went face to face in the ring. Cage put up the World Title. Elgin pointed at the title and appeared to say, “I’m coming after that.” Elgin hit Cage with a backfist. Elgin hit Cage with a spinning sitout power bomb and then stood over Cage. Callis said Elgin left New Japan because he wanted the Impact Title.

— Slammiversary will take place on July 7 in Dallas, Texas. They didn’t announce the venue, but said all of the info will be on the website, including ticket on sale date. July 7 is the night after the New Japan G1 Climax card in the same city.

— Konnan fired up LAX with a speech in their clubhouse.

(8) TAG TEAM TITLES (Full Metal Mayhem): Lucha Bros. (c) vs. LAX

LAX charged the Lucha Bros. to begin the match. Lucha Bros. hit simultaneous dives over the top rope and put LAX through tables. After some action, both teams set up furniture inside the ring. The teams set up chairs and sat across from each other to trade punches. Lucha Bros tried to use the chairs first but LAX cut them off with kids. Konnan gave LAX forks but Fenix and Pentagon grabbed their arms before they could use them. Lucha Bros. and LAX then took turns throwing chairs at each other’s heads. They set up six chairs near the corner. LAX went to double-superplex Fenix through the chairs but Pentagon made the side. Lucha Bros. spiked Santana with a Fear Factor through the chairs. Ortiz ate a double superkick. The match slowed down again so the wrestlers could set up the furniture for their next big spot. Fenix hit Ortiz with a Spanish Fly off the ladder through a table on the outside. Fenix looked like he smoked his head on the ramp as that happened. In the ring, Pentagon hit Santana with a Pentagon Driver through a chair for a two count. Then, the match slowed again for the furniture set up. Pentagon grabbed tacks and spread them out over two tables in the ring. Santana threw a handful of tacks in Pentagon’s face. Pentagon and Santana climbed the ladder and began fighting. Ortiz hit the ring and climbed under Pentagon. Santana began stabbing him in the head with the fork. Ortiz hit a power bomb on Pentagon off the ladder and through the tables — Mathews yelled “Holy Shit!” and Ortiz got the pin.

WINNER: LAX wins the World Tag Team Titles in 23:00.

After the match, Konnan got into the ring. LAX celebrated as Fenix and Pentagon tried to recover inside the ring. Mathews said Impact delivered tonight. Konnan asked if they could be a family? All five hugged and Konnan raised the hands of both teams. Then, the Impact locker room emptied out giving them a standing ovation and they entered the ring to give everyone hugs. LAX held the titles high as the show went off the air.