IMPACT Wrestling AXS TV Premiere Oct. 29: Results, Highlights and Grades

The first episode of IMPACT Wrestling on AXS TV (and the first post-Bound for Glory show) offers a stacked card, including a main event title rematch between World Champ Brian Cage and Sami Callihan inside of a steel cage.

Following a “Dawn of a New Era” video package, IMPACT opens with commentators Josh Matthews and Don Callis introducing us in the ring.

Momentarily, following the intro video (low key, IMPACT might have the best tv show opening theme in the world now), we are introduced to our first match of the night.

Naomichi Marufuji vs. Josh Alexander (w/ Ethan Page)

The week before, Marufuji accepted a singles match challenge

Lock up to start. Evenly matched as they meet at the ropes. They break until Marufuji kicks Alexander in the face twice. He goes for a third, but Alexander hits a double leg takedown. Marufuji retaliates with a drop toe hold. Both men dodge kicks and punches. We’ve reached a stalemate.

Alexander brings Marufuji down to the ground with a headlock, that Marufuji briefly turns into a pin attempt, but Alexander kicks out and won’t break the headlock. To get out of it, Marufuji wrenches Alexander’s arm, but Alexander chops him. Marufuji chops him right back. Alexander looks like he’d chop back, but instead kicks Marufuji in the gut and clobbers his back. Followed by a knee to the temple, for a two count pin attempt.

Alexander tosses Marufuji to the corner and hits some punches/elbows, but Marufuji hits a cartwheel dropkick. He gets Alexander in the corner and hits a chop, then an elbow. In prone position, Marufuji stomps Alexander’s chest, then kicks him in the back. Two count.

Alexander gets back into this with a chop, rolling fireman’s carry, then a knee from the middle rope for a two count. Alexander attempts a powerbomb, but Marufuji knees him in the stomach. Attempts a Sliced Bread #2, but Alexander reverses with a backbreaker for a two count. Garvin Stomps on the prone Marufuji as The Walking Weapon has a sinister grin.

Attemps a powerbomb once more, but Marufuji gets out, hits  a Super Kick. Another Sliced Bread attempt, but Alexander evades it. They go hit for hit until both men are down.

Back to their feet, we get a chop exchange. Alexander attempts an elbow, Marufuji dodges it, but Alexander elbows him in the back of the head. Alexander nails a Torture Rack Bomb for a near fall.

Series of kicks from Marufuji back to his feet, but a two count. He sets up a kick to the back of the knee, then a Sliced Bread. Nails it for the win.

After the match, Marufuji offers a handshake to Alexander. Alexander goes to shake it, but Page stops it. Page looks furious as Alexander goes to shake his hand but SIKE! Josh is joshing around as he retracts his hand and the Tag Champs laugh it off as they walk away.

Winner: Marufuji

Grade: B+

Solid, solid, wonderfully solid bout between these guys. If you’ve never seen these guys before or IMPACT before, this is a great introduction and should offer a wonderful first impression for new audiences.

Great displays of athletic ability from both, and a great post-match angle; teasing dissension between the tag champs (planting that idea in case IMPACT ever decide to split them up for a feud) and highlighting The North as two jerks running the tag division.

As they enter the arena, oVe are approached by security with orders from management that Jake Crist, Dave Crist and Madman Fulton are banned from the building before Callihan’s main event. Furious, the big Madman goes to choke out security, but his boys hold him. Sami says if management want the rest of oVe gone, then he’ll give the rest of oVe “the night off.” Sends us to our first commercial break.

Back from the break, The Rascalz are in their pothead cave as Dezmond is describing the big “juicy fruit” lips are on Miguel’s mom. Fallah Bahh joins the chat to “BAHH” about Elgin. Also says his first non-BAHH words. The Rascalz offer to “open [Bahh’s] mind.” They get high, and suddenly, Bahh’s speaking complete sentences about Shakespeare and not being true to himself, like The Rascalz are. Essentially, The Rascalz eloquently pontificate how and why Bahh should just “beat his ass!” Hilarious stuff, as always.