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IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT
NOVEMBER 3, 2020 (RECORDED)
THE IMPACT ZONE
AIRED ON AXS TV
REPORT BY DARRIN LILLY, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Madison Rayne
-Recap video of the lead-up events to the John E. Bravo/Rosemary wedding and subsequent shooting.
-Tommy Dreamer (wearing a Sherlock Holmes outfit) met up with Scott D’Amore backstage. Scott said that Bravo was in critical but stable condition and in a medically induced coma. Dreamer said he was launching an investigation and that everyone was a suspect. Scott said he might want to be shot by the time this was all over.
-Opening video.
(1) SU YUNG (c) vs. DEONNA PURRAZZO (w/Kimber Lee) – Impact Wrestling Knockouts Title match
After going back and forth, Su got the early advantage. Deonna took over and started working on Su’s arm. Su made a comeback with clotheslines, a Thesz press, and punches. Deonna battled back, but Su put the mandible claw on her. Kimber Lee threw a chair in the ring. Deonna and Su battled over the chair; Su won the struggle and was disqualified for using it. Su hit Kimber Lee in the back with the chair. Deonna and Kimber Lee rolled out of the ring.
WINNER: Deonna Purrazzo in 3:30 by DQ.
(D.L.’s Analysis: This never really got going. Just seemed like a teaser leading to a rematch down the line).
-Josh and Madison appeared on camera and recapped the wedding shooting and the matches for the evening.
-In a boardroom, Rhino helped a wincing Heath into a chair. Scott D’Amore entered the room with a contract and sat down. Heath said he felt great, but he was grimacing. Scott questioned if Heath was really fine. He said that as soon as Heath was healthy, then he could sign the contract. Heath limped out of the room, followed by Rhino. Barrister R.D. Evans sat at the table and requested another rematch for Deonna Purrazzo. Scott granted the rematch at Turning Point (November 14th) in a no DQ match. Evans left and looked like he was dreading telling Purrazzo. Scott smiled as Evans left. [c]
-Rich Swann and Eddie Edwards talked in the locker room. Swann was excited to be teaming with Eddie tonight. Eddie said he was proud of Swann and said they would take care of business tonight. They sang together to end the segment.
(2) CHRIS BEY vs. TREY MIGUEL
After the initial lockup and trading some moves, Trey armdragged Bey three times. Bey slapped Trey, then landed a dropkick and kicks in the corner. Trey made a comeback and got a standing moonsault for a one count. Trey stayed on the attack but eventually got whiplashed against the top rope and tripped. Bey landed a flying elbow drop for a two count.
Bey stayed in control with kicks, an eye rake, and a clothesline. Bey continued to stomp on Trey and stood on him. Trey fought back with a quick offensive series. Trey got a unique reverse 619, a kick to the head, and a neckbreaker for a two count. Bey caught Trey on the top rope, battled back and forth, then Bey landed a cutter off the top rope for the win.
WINNER: Chris Bey in 6:30. [c]
(D.L.’s Analysis: Really good action between two wrestlers that always deliver. Looks like Bey is back in the X Division title hunt).
-Locker Room Talk segment with Madison Rayne. Johnny Swinger was the co-host. Swinger said he was innocent of the Bravo shooting. Madison introduced Jordynne Grace and Tenille Dashwood (with Kaleb with a K) to the show. Kaleb said Madison looked great, but not as great as Tenille. Madison pointed out that neither has a partner for the tag team tournament. Jordynne said that from being in the ring with Tenille, she knows she will do anything to win and maybe they should team up. Tenille said the person she wanted to team with was in the room, then asked Madison if she would like to team up. Tenille complimented Madison’s dress. Madison said they could make this work. Kaleb wanted to take pictures and asked if Jordynne could leave. Jordynne grabbed Kaleb’s camera and threw it as she walked off. Tenille gave Kaleb her phone to resume taking pictures. Swinger jumped in the shot and put his arm around Tenille. Madison ended the segment and said they could crop Swinger out.
-Dreamer was in a room and interrogated the senior referee. Dreamer said the referee was a suspect because Bravo had belittled him. Footage was shown of Bravo insulting the referee. Dreamer sent him out of the room. Swinger and Cody Deaner entered the room and argued about who should be next. Dreamer yelled “MATCH TIME!” like in Wrestle House but Deaner cut him off and said “wrong show”. Dreamer said they could go have their match, but to come back afterwards because they are both suspects. Dramatic music played as they left. [c]
-Rohit was in the ring for a “Defeat Rohit Challenge”. He bragged about his win at Bound for Glory and asked for a new challenger. TJP’s music played and he walked to the ring, with a cup in his hand. TJP said he was there to answer the challenge. Rohit said his chances were done and offered TJP a chance to get the hell out of his ring. Rohit got serious and talked about how he clawed and scratched to get to the top. TJP talked about his 22 years of putting in work and he ran down his accomplishments. Rohit called him a has-been and pathetic. TJP paused then dropped the mic. Rohit told TJP to leave. TJP was leaving but came back in. He poured the tea on Rohit and they brawled on the mat, then exchanged punches. TJP threw Rohit over the top rope.
-Gia Miller interviewed Chris Sabin. He said that Alex Shelley would be okay. He talked about how The North and XXXL tried to isolate the Motor City Machine Guns. He challenged any of them to a match. [c]
-Rohit and TJP argued backstage with Scott D’Amore. TJP asked for one more title shot. Scott made the match. If Rohit wins, TJP can’t get any more shots while Rohit is X Division champion.
(3) ETHAN PAGE (w/Josh Alexander) vs. DOC GALLOWS (w/Karl Anderson)
Josh Matthews plugged The Good Brothers merchandise. Doc Gallows shoulder tackled Page, who rolled out of the ring and regrouped. Back in the ring, Gallows took over with punches and an elbow. Page was frustrated on the outside again. Gallows punched Page to send him out of the ring a third time. Alexander jumped on the ring apron to distract Gallows. Page attacked from behind and got the advantage.
Page landed kicks and a DDT for a two count. Gallows battled out of a headlock but Page countered with a nice dropkick. Doc landed some big punches but Page gouged his eyes to regain the advantage. Matthews plugged the upcoming Talk N Shop-A-Mania 2 PPV. Page went back to the headlock. Gallows fired back with punches, an elbow, clotheslines, a flying shoulder tackle, and a big boot. Alexander grabbed Gallows foot on the outside. Anderson ran over to fight Alexander, but he was thrown into the ringpost. Page ran into a big boot from Gallows and was pinned.
WINNER: Doc Gallows in 7:00.
Immediately after the pin, Alexander hit the ring. He and Page double teamed Gallows until Anderson made the save and sent The North fleeing up the ramp. [c]
(D.L.’s Analysis: Good match and glad to see Ethan Page showcased in a singles match. Good way to keep the North/Good Brother feud going).
-Gia Miller interviewed Swoggle. He said he was glad to be back home in Impact and he wanted to be viewed seriously as a professional wrestler. Brian Myers interrupted and called him a sideshow attraction freak. Swoggle took Myers to task for fighting Tommy Dreamer after Dreamer had helped both of them. Myers said he runs Impact and would rename Swoggle’s book “My Run in Impact Wrestling Was Short—and So Am I”. He pushed Swoggle down and left.
(4) JOHNNY SWINGER vs. CODY DEANER (w/Cousin Jake)
Both wrestlers were already in the ring. They traded the advantage early. Cody stomped Swinger in the corner repeatedly. Swinger turned things around and choked Cody on the ropes. Cody got two atomic drops and a series of punches. Swinger gouged Cody’s eyes then rolled out of the ring and put on his fanny pack. Cousin Jake took a chair from Swinger. Swinger hit Cody with a loaded fanny pack for the win.
WINNER: Johnny Swinger in 3:00.
(D.L.’s Analysis: It was all comedy. Swinger is really good in his role).
-Moose was shown backstage walking to the ring. [c]
-Moose walked to the ring and took the mic. He said the last few months he and the TNA title belt haven’t been taken seriously. He laid the belt down. He mentioned his victories over Rob Van Dam, Rhino, Ken Shamrock, Tommy Dreamer, and EC3. He complained that despite that, people consider Rich Swann as the real champion. He pointed to the stage and footage of last week’s parking lot attack on Willie Mack was shown. He told Swann to ask Willie what pain is really like. Willie ran to the ring, took Moose down, and punched him. They fought on the outside and Moose got the advantage. He kept punching Willie then wrapped a camera cable around Willie’s neck.
-Backstage, Chris Bey sat down with Rich Swann on a sofa and congratulated him for winning the Impact title. Bey asked Swann to go to the office to give him a title match. Swann said it would take more than going to the office to ask for a match; you have to earn it. Eddie Edwards came to get Swann and they headed to the ring for their match, leaving Bey talking to himself on the sofa. [c]
-Dreamer was backstage addressing a bunch of wrestlers about the shooting. Father James Mitchell said it couldn’t be him because he is a complete angel. Everyone laughed. Taya said she has been on her best behavior. Dreamer said that made her a suspect. Dreamer said they wouldn’t find the shooter tonight, but one of them did shoot Bravo. A montage of mug shots of the wrestlers played.
-Josh and Madison previewed the matches for next week, including:
- Rohit Raju vs. TJP
- Acey Romero vs. Chris Sabin
- Madison Rayne & Tenille Dashwood vs. Havok & Nevaeh
They also plugged Turning Point on Impact Plus on Nov. 14 with matches including:
- Su Yung vs. Deonna Purrazzo
- Moose vs. Willie Mack
(5) SAMI CALLIHAN & ERIC YOUNG vs. RICH SWANN & EDDIE EDWARDS
Swann and Sami started it off. They went back and forth with fast paced action. Swann dropkicked Sami out of the ring. Eddie dove on Eric on the outside and Swann took out Sami. [c]
Back in the ring, Swann and Eddie double teamed Sami. Sami tagged to Eric. Eric took over on Eddie. Sami tagged back in and continued attacking Eddie in the corner. Eric tagged back in and got a neckbreaker on Eddie for a two count. Sami had Eddie in a headlock. Eric and Sami tagged back and forth and kept the advantage over Eddie.
Eddie got the Blue Thunder Bomb on Sami. Eric knocked Swann off the ring apron to prevent Eddie from making a tag. Eddie superplexed Eric off the top rope. Swann tagged in and ran wild on Sami and Eric. Swann got a two count on Sami, but Eric broke it up. All four men fought in the ring. Swann delivered a double cutter to Sami and Eric.
Eddie tagged in back Eric caught him with a neckbreaker. Sami clotheslined Swann. Sami and Eric both went for piledrivers but Swann and Eddie turned them into sharpshooters. Eric stopped Sami from tapping out. Eric kicked Eddie into Swann, who rolled outside the ring. Eddie sent Eric outside the ring. Eddie and Sami went back and forth. Eddie had Sami in a single leg Boston Crab. Ken Shamrock ran down and attacked Swann on the outside. Eddie reached for Shamrock but got rolled up by Sami for a two count. Sami hit a piledriver on Eddie for the win.
WINNERS: Sami Callihan & Eric Young in 11:00.
Sami, Eric, and Shamrock congratulated each other on the victory to end the show.
FINAL THOUGHTS: A pretty basic show, which is a good idea since it was going up against election coverage. There was no big standout moment; the show was mostly building to the Turning Point show in a couple of weeks and setting up new feuds and storylines. I expect the “Who Shot Bravo?” skits to be part of the show for weeks to come.
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