SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The Impact special No Surrender will air exclusively on Impact Plus on February 13, 2021. As usual in the age of the pandemic, it will emanate from Skyway Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. AEW will be represented in the form of Private Party and I can’t discount any other guest appearances. Tony Khan has said he will be visiting Impact again soon.
The Good Brothers (c) vs. Private Party vs. Chris Sabin & James Storm, Impact World Tag Team Championship match
Story in a nutshell: The AEW team of Private Party, Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen, have inserted themselves into the Impact Tag Team Championship picture with the help of their sleazy manager Matt Hardy and AEW President, Tony Khan.
At Hard to Kill, the Good Brothers, Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson, won the tag team titles without ever pinning then-champions Motor City Machine Guns due to it being a four-way match. Chris Sabin wanted a rematch but due to his usual tag team partner, Alex Shelly, being out for the time being, he’s made an unlikely alliance with James Storm and now call themselves Beer Gun. Together they challenged the Good Bros, but were interrupted by Private Party. The Good Bros agreed to face the winners of Beer Gun and Private Party at No Surrender. It was a match Private Party won with help from Tony Khan and Jerry Lynn. However, Beer Gun had a shot at the belts on an episode of Impact which saw interference from Private Party. Scott d’Amore then made it a triple threat match.
Prediction: The Good Brothers retain. They are too important in the bigger Impact/AEW/NJPW story that is developing.
Rich Swann (c) vs. Tommy Dreamer, Impact World Championship match
Story in a nutshell: Rich Swann gave Tommy Dreamer a title shot for his birthday.
Yup, that was pretty much it. Moose has also made his presence felt.
Prediction: This has the feel of being “Tommy Dreamer’s Last Big Match.” Swann retains, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the locker room come out in support of Dreamer.
TJP (c) vs. Rohit Raju, X Division Championship match
Story in a nutshell: All pretense of secret identities cast aside, TJP defends the X Division Championship against Rohit Raju, who now has the returning Mahabali Shera with him.
While champion, Rohit Raju won a match against TJP with the stipulation that if he lost, TJP would not be able to challenge Rohit again. So TJP donned his Manik masked identity and won the title from Rohit. Frustrated with being outfoxed, Rohit recruited Mahabali Shera as an “insurance policy”.
Prediction: This is a coin flip since a lot rides on the Triple Threat Revolver match results. If a heel or Trey wins, then it’s TJP. Otherwise, Rohit.
Fire ‘N Flava (c) vs. Havok & Nevaeh, Texas Tornado No Disqualification Impact Knockouts Tag Team Championship match
Story in a nutshell: The runners up in the Impact Knockouts Tag Team Championship tournament get another chance at the team that beat them, Fire ‘N Flava, Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz.
After winning the tournament by defeating Havok & Nevaeh, Hogan and Steelz celebrated in what was ultimately a Fyre Fest parody. After losing a few singles matches against Havok and Nevaeh that were refereed by Brandon Tolle who was involved in the fraudulent festival, Hogan and Steelz complained to D’Amore of unfair ref bias. D’Amore agreed by removing the referee from the decision in their upcoming match by making it a no disqualification match much to the champs’ chagrin.
Prediction: Not a good idea to have your newly minted tag team champions drop the belt so quickly, so Fire ‘N Flava retain.
Jake Something vs. Deaner
Story in a nutshell: Violent by Design tried to recruit Cousin Jake into their group but after Jake refused, his cousin Deaner, a member of VBD, wanted this match.
Tired of getting beaten up by Eric Young and Joe Doering, Cody Deaner decided to join them instead by attacking Cousin Jake and rechristening himself, Deaner. The three took out Rhino but gave Cousin Jake an opportunity to join them instead. Cousin Jake refused rechristening himself Jake Something and now the two cousins face each other.
Prediction: I think Jake needs this win if they plan on ever doing anything with the guy. He gets beat up after the match though necessitating someone making the save. Rhino returns perhaps.
Decay vs. Tennille Dashwood & XXXL
Story in a nutshell: Bad blood between Rosemary and Larry D stemming from her ensorcelling him leading to him spending time in jail has led to this match.
Larry D went to jail for the attempted murder of John E. Bravo after Taya Valkyrie triggered an enchantment Rosemary had placed on Larry D back in Wrestle House that turned Larry into the lothario Laurence D so that he’d kill Bravo because Taya believed Rosemary deserved better.
I am going to go ahead and let that sink in for a moment.
Blaming Rosemary for his travails, but not wanting to hit a woman, Larry D recruited a passing Tennille Dashwood to join their group and challenged Rosemary (with her Decay stablemate Crazzy Steve) to this match. Kaleb with a K challenged Decay’s third member, confident they couldn’t find one. Enter AAA’s Black Taurus who promptly squashed Kaleb with a K.
Prediction: Decay wins this.
Jordynn Grace & ODB & Jazz vs. Deonna Purrazzo & Kimber Lee & Susan
Story in a nutshell: A hot-headed Susan has continued to press things with Grace, Jazz, and a returning ODB leading to this match.
January 19, Kimber Lee and Susan defeat Grace and Jazz when Purrazzo interfered. January 26, while bragging about their wins Grace and Jazz confronted Deonna Purrazzo but Susan challenged Grace to a match. February 2, Grace beats Susan but Jazz and Grace are attacked by the trio. A returning ODB makes the save. February 9, Kimber beats ODB when ODB is distracted by Susan and Purrazzo brawling with Grace and Jazz. An incensed Susan demanded this match. Bog standard angle really.
Prediction: Unless they are using this to get Grace another title shot, Team Purrazzo wins. However, will we see any hints of Susie or Su Yung?
Eddie Edwards & Matt Cardona vs. Brian Myers & Hernandez
Story in a nutshell: Brian Myers is an ass, and everyone wants to punch him.
Pretty much all Brian Myers feuds start with him running into someone in the back, talking like jerk, and that person challenging him. This time the person was Eddie Edwards, fresh off his brutal match with Sami Callihan. The twist? Myers paid Hernandez to attack Edwards only Matt Cardona made the save, leading to this tag match. As and aside, a cash starved Fallah Bahh witnessed the cash transaction between Hernandez and Myers so there may be a panda sighting.
Prediction: Edwards and Matt win.
Ace Austin vs. Blake Christian vs. Chris Bey vs. Daivari vs. Josh Alexander vs. Suicide vs. Trey Miguel vs. Willie Mack, Triple Threat Revolver Match
Story in a nutshell: Having been a while since Impact has created a weird, convoluted match, they’ve created the Triple Threat Revolver Match to determine the number one contender for the X Division title.
Of the eight competitors, three men start a triple threat match. When one is pinned or submitted, another competitor takes his place. Once all competitors have entered, the last fall wins the match.
Prediction: Everyone except Trey Miguel (Callihan has his eyes on him), Josh Alexander (who is finding himself as a singles wrester after the North dissolved), and Blake Christian (who is being touted as a great prospect), feel very cold so the winner comes from those three. Of the three, Trey Miguel is the most intriguing choice. While it seems like he might be headed to a match with Callihan, Callihan has been calling him out for folding when faced with adversity. Winning here, then losing to TJP (or Rohit) can be what pushes Trey over the edge and he turns heel under Callihan’s tutelage.
NOW CATCH-UP ON IMPACT WITH THIS WEEK’S TV REPORT: 2/9 IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT: No Surrender main event contract signing, tag team title match, Dreamer’s birthday, and more
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