IMPACT Wrestling on AXS TV: Results, Highlights and Grades for Dec. 3

A week removed from a special Thanksgiving Throwdown, IMPACT is back with your regularly scheduled canon programming. Tonight’s episode of IMPACT will see Brian Cage vs. Eddie Edwards, Taya Valkyrie will defend her Knockouts Championship and the legendary ODB returns.

Following a cold open where Michael Elgin threatens to hurt “somebody” after failing to win the number one contenders Gauntlet Match the other week due to a DQ, IMPACT opens up with Brian Cage vs. Eddie Edwards.

The two lock up to start. Cage with the waist go behind, but Edwards turns it into a wrist lock only for Cage to return the favor. Edwards wrestles out of it, but struggles until he’s taken down by a headlock takedown. Edwards pushes him to the ropes, but gets shoulder blocked. Edwards tries to chop him back down, but Cage is unfazed as he runs through the back chop for another shoulder block.

Edwards does manage an atomic drop before tossing Cage out the ring then going for a hurricanrana off the apron. Cage nearly catches him with a powerbomb reversal, but Edwards finishes the hurricanrana. He chops Cage in the chest a few times before tossing him back in the ring, but gets kicked by Cage on the way in. Cage then deadlift suplexes Edwards off the apron for a two count.

After a headbutt in the corner, Cage chops Edwards in one corner, then shoulder block in another corner. Cage continues to wear Edwards down with a backbreaker stretching rest hold, followed by an actual backbreaker for a two count. Eddie tries to come back with a chop, but Cage hits a big boot and another backbreaker for a two count.

Cage sets up a suplex, but Edwards blocks it, forcing Cage to hit a huge forearm. He goes to run at Edwards, but they play cat and mouse in and out the ring until Cage finally attempts another suplex, only for Edwards to hit a suplex of his own instead. He throws Cage in the corner for a series of unorthodox chops. Then, Edwards dives off the middle rope for a hurricanrana.

Cage retakes momentum with a european uppercut against the ropes. He attempts to run to and off the ropes for a follow-up move, only to get grabbed for a Blue Thunder Bomb.

Cage fights back into this and sets up an F5, but Edwards wiggles out. Edwards then blocks a Discus Clothesline, but gets caught with a Lariat. Both men down. They stir and trade blows until suddenly, Michael Elgin runs in to double clothesline both men for the no contest. He stomps out both men as the bell rings. Before we cut to commercial, commentary says this match will be restarted as a triple threat.

Winners: No Contest

Grade: C-

I won’t lie, I wasn’t feeling this one. Also disappointing because I expected more from these two together. Chemistry just wasn’t there for me. Wasn’t a great match to me and didn’t look like it was anywhere close to getting kicked in high gear when Elgin did his run-in. Hopefully, the new triple threat stipulation is an improvement.

Brian Cage vs. Eddie Edwards vs. Michael Elgin

Cage and Edwards immediately double team Elgin. Cage sneakily goes to german suplex Edwards. Elgin goes for a clothesline, but it gets ducked as Edwards wiggles out.

Elgin and Cage are sent to the outside. Edwards suicide dives onto Elgin and right after, Cage hits a tope dive onto both men.

Back in the ring, Edwards hits a spinning fisherman suplex for the cover, but Elgin breaks it up. Back to their feet, Elgin chops Edwards and receives a chop in return. They trade strikes, Edwards blocks a kick and Cage superkicks Edwards. After striking each other, all three men are down.

Elgin climbs the middle rope, but Edwards kicks him. Edwards with a top rope hurricanrana, right into Cage who catches him for a suplex, while Edwards kicks him.

Action spills outside and Elgin climbs to the top rope, where he hits a corkscrew senton onto both men. Which sends us into a commercial break.

Back from the break, Elgin sits Cage onto the top rope, setting up a suplex, only for Edwards to run in and chops Elgin in his hips. This seems to set up a Tower of Doom spot, but Edwards gets kicked away, but Cage pushes Elgin off and Edwards nails a Blue Thunder Bomb. Edwards eventually locks a Single Leg Crab onto Cage, while getting punched in the face by Elgin. Edwards breaks the hold to lock a Crab onto Elgin before getting clotheslined by Cage.

Cage picks Edwards up for an F5, but Elgin pulls him off to german suplex Cage, but gets denied. But follows up with a Dragon Suplex on Cage before Elgin clotheslines both men.

Elgin hits Edwards with a pop-up powerslam before DDTing Cage, then nailing a Michinoku Driver for a two count. Elgin sets up a powerbomb on Cage, but Cage fights out for a sit-out Alabama Slama. Edwards hits a Boston Knee Party on Cage during the pin attempt, then hits Elgin with a Tiger Driver for a nearfall. He runs at Elgin and gets Uranage.

Elgin and Cage collide with clothesline attempts. Edwards intervenes, but Elgin hops onto Edwards’ back to DDT Cage.

Series of kicks from Cage to Elgin in the corner. Climbs to the top for a move off the ropes, but Elgin pushes him onto the ropes.

Edwards hits a Boston Knee Party onto Cage, only for Elgin to hit him with a german suplex, but he lands on his feet and hits a suplex of his own. Only for Elgin to pop up with a lariat. Elgin powerbomb tosses Edwards into Cage in the corner, then hits a sit-out powerbomb for the win.

Winner: Elgin

Grade: B+

Yep, the triple threat stipulation helped A LOT. Guess Edwards and Cage knew that since the one-on-one would get interrupted, there wasn’t a reason to go all out. But boy, the triple threat kicked into high gear from the start. Fun ride from start to finish.

Elsewhere, The Rascalz are in the Treehouse as Trey rants about Ace Austin, just as his mom walks in. Still sore about Austin attacking her son, she wants to watch his match at rinsgside. Trey turns her down, until she asks if he’s embarassed of his mom. He changes his tune and allows her at ringside. She then promises to make cookies for The Rascalz after the match, which elates Des and Wentz.

Afterwards, the self-proclaimed “greatest multi-sport athlete of all time,” Moose, says he’s disappointed he lost the Gauntlet Match, but Muhammad Ali lost to Joe Frazier and Conor McGregor lost to Nate Diaz. Both men are still legends and Moose will prove his legend status by winning a basketball game. So he bogards on a local game at the park and bets he can hit his first three point shot.

Moose bets that if he makes the shot, he’ll buy everyone beers, but if he misses, “you should be worried.” The locals are terrified, but ecstatic that Moose won so he wouldn’t have to beat them up. But he beats them up anyway. These segments are still hilarious and I hope Moose never stops doing them.