IMPACT Wrestling on AXS TV: Results, Highlights and Grades for Nov. 5
Petey Williams vs. Bhupinder Singh
All Petey Williams from the start as the vet gets all the offense on the big man to start until an elbow from Bhupinder. Williams reverses a corner clothesline to hit a hurricanrana. He goes for another on the outside, but the big man powerbombs Petey on the apron. Back in the ring, Bhupinder picks Petey up for a scoop slam, followed by a leg drop, knee drop, and elbow drop. All that for a two count. Then a backbreaker, then a swing slam to Williams for another two count.
The IMPACT legend eventually gets back into this with a comeback spot following a failed attempt at a powerslam. Springboards onto Bhupinder, but catches him in mid-air. But Williams wiggles out into a Sharpshooter and Bhupinder taps out. Bhupinder argues with the ref, takes off his mechanical legs, Petey for the safe. Ref hits a 6-1-9 variation, followed by a Canadian Destroyer by Petey, then a 450 by the ref.
Winner: Petey Williams
Grade: D
Now, this was odd. Really odd given Bhupinder Singh had about 95% of offense, only to tap out with a lucky Sharpshooter.
Elsewhere, Ace meets Alisha in her hotel room. She tells him to get undressed and she’ll be back, changing in the bathroom. Ace dresses down to a pair of boxer briefs and puts on a bandanna that Alisha hands him (all while wearing his X-Division Championship). After feeling a hairy hand brush against his face, he takes it off to see her husband, Eddie Edwards. He pounds on Ace, then Alisha wails on Ace with a kendo stick.Ace runs off as Eddie and Alisha make out on the floor of the hotel lobby.
Backstage, John E. Brave offers to manage Petey Williams, but the vet refuses. oVe interrupt the argument and say they’re ready to bring their party to the ring.
As promised, oVe hit the ring. Jake Crist arrives with a cake. A drunken IMPACT World Champion Sami Callihan has a beer in one hand and his title in the other.
Callihan berates the Windsor crowd and demands respect from the crowd. He gloats about winning the title before Tommy Dreamer makes his way to the ring. Dreamer says Callihan ruined their premiere episode by being a bully, being a troll and winning the title.
He tells the self-proclaimed Draw that the real “draw” is the crowd. Callihan laughs at “Mr. Fat Dreamer,” so he calls him. He says if he has an issue with oVe, then Dreamer should hit the ring. Dreamer says since they’re in front of a sold out hardcore Canadian crowd, let’s make this an “extreme celebration” with a ref and his crew. His crew includes Rich Swann, Daga and Tessa Blanchard. Four on four and this Street Fight match is official.
Chaos everywhere to start this match. Just one big spot fest. The most notable moment was near the end with Callihan and Blanchard squaring off. Staredown, trade blows, then a Cutter from Blanchard before she dives on top of everyone on the outside. Then a huge powerbomb onto Madman Fulton into the ring.
Rich Swann gets a surprise roll up on Callihan for the win.
Winners: Team Swann
Grade: C-
Good promo work, but the random brawl was the least interesting part about this whole thing. Just a bit too much happened in the span of about 5-7 minutes for my liking and even in the name of hardcore havoc, it felt a little rushed. Doesn’t help that I’m not really a hardcore enthusiast so big, weapony, chaotic smozes like this don’t entertain me. In fact, they kind of bore me most of the time and this was one of those spotfest matches that bored me.
Again, loved the promo work and if I had to grade the promo by itself, I’d give it an A, but didn’t care for the hardcore match because it was underwhelming. Grading it all in a box, it just gets a C grade. Much like the show itself.
Overall Grade: C+
Step down from last week (although, I’m also super tired and ready to sleep, so that may have something to do with it) but not a bad show.