Impact Wrestling: Main Event Specialists

Impact Wrestling are becoming the go-to guys for quality main events and are becoming specialists at delivering satisfying final contests on a weekly basis. This past weeks Mexican Death Match between Sami Callihan and Pentagon Jr was just the latest example of Impact’s burgeoning top line scene.

2018 has seen Impact Wrestling deliver a varied main event rotation that has seen everyone from Rich Swann, through to Brian Cage get a look-in at the weekly top spot. Instead of focusing the final segment on the chosen few, the company has sought to showcase the depth of their roster each week.

A rematch from Slammiversary, the Sami Callihan/Pentagon Jr, Mexican Death Match sold itself. After the blood, brawling and bravado of their epic Hair vs Mask contest, their second effort was a good sequel.

With weapon-loaded pinatas, broken tables and a mid-rope, Cactus-driver (through a table!) for a Callihan win, this was great fun. While not reaching the heights of their previous, instant classic, this was a quality, anything goes, hardcore match that ended a patchy week for Impact, on a high note.

In another Slammiversary return match (from the 26th July), Brian Cage delivered a superb, reputation-building, X-Division title defence against the workhorse that is Matt Sydal. Cage is 300lb of flying muscle and Sydal performs at a world-class level that he doesn’t often get the credit for.

The Machine versus The Spiritual Guru was a great example of two diametrically opposed wrestlers working to elevate each other. The massive Cage has GMSI emblazoned on his merch, against Sydal he proved that he can “Get My S**t In” and still make the, much smaller, Sydal seem like a threat to his title. This match was superb.

Cage versus Kongo Kong (from the 5th May) showcased the versatility of the X-Division champ, as the two behemoths put together a BIG MAN match that saw a ring shattering super-plex (from Brian) and a gravity defying hurricanrana from The Monster.

I’ve written about the crazed OVE vs Rich Swann/Pentagon/Fenix (from the 12th July) before. Jake Crist’s mid-air Cutter interception may be the focus of highlight reels for years to come, but Dave Crist, Callihan, Swann and The Lucha Bros all kept pace. This was the best television match I’ve watched all year.

Amongst other contenders, honourable mentions can be thrown out to Tessa Blanchard vs Madison Rayne (June 28th), Austin Aries/Pentagon Jr for the World Title (May 31st) and Bobby Lashley’s exit match versus Brian Cage (March 29th), as examples of the revolving and evolving show closing spectaculars.

Impact’s main event scene is apples one week and oranges the next. The analogy of pro wrestling as a multi-faceted circus has never been more apt. Looking at 2018, the top line of Impact showcases the acrobats one week, the strongman the next and the clowns in equal measure.

Given the quality and variety presented at a main event level, it must be disheartening to not see the results in viewership figures. Wrestling Inc report that the Mexican Death Match garnered 212,000 viewers, a big disappointment given the hype surrounding the original Slammiversary match.

While limited on POP TV, the March 29th episode of Impact reached 399,000 homes. That was main evented by Aries/Sydal for the World Title. Another quality bout, there doesn’t seem to be a pattern as to what Impact die-hards and casual fans tune in for.

Creative have crafted an enviable run of great rivalries and compelling pay offs for their 2018 television product. The company are tied to their current TV partners for (at least) the remainder of the year. Perhaps a move to a different, more visible channel, needs to be Impact’s next big signing.

Impact’s main eventers deserve a shot at the big time. Between Mexican Death Matches, LAX Street fights and some of the best wrestling in the world, this iteration of Impact are leaving it all on the line to get your attention.

The slow-burn rebuild of the fledgling company needs a stroke of televisual luck. Maybe WWE’s $1.025 billion deal for Smackdown will have networks and advertisers hungry for a piece of the wrasslin’ pie. It’s time for Impact to become MAIN EVENT once more.