Impact Wrestling: Results, Highlights and Grades for December 17th, 2019

Rob Van Dam and Katie Forbes address the “ladies, gentlemen, and wrestling fans” of the crowd

RVD says he’s not sure why he’s got so much attention recently, but he’ll take advantage of it since wrestling fans have such a short attention span.

While all eyes are on him, RVD says he wants to take a stand for giving every wrestler the crowd has seen tonight their entire moveset, claiming they all ripped off his moves. He particularly singles out his Hard to Kill PPV opponent, Brian Cage.

He says this is a dream match for Brian Cage, who is “the biggest RVD mark of all.” Cage comes out and the two brawl, until Cage takes RVD down with a clothesline. Cage goes for an F5 until Forbes low blows Cage. RVD capitalizes with a leg drop. RVD teases a Van Terminator, but refuses to entertain the “marks.” Instead, he just kicks the chair into Cage’s face.

Grade: B-

The “Everyone stole my moves!” schtick is starting to get old, but Katie Forbes is slowly proving to be a great asset in RVD’s heel role. She really makes him hateable in many ways and was used perfectly tonight. Just as the build towards Cage vs. RVD was perfectly built.

“Suzie” runs into Rosemary while looking for James Mitchell backstage. Rosemary speculates that Father James may be hiding her memory from her. Mitchell runs in on cue, urging to Suzie that Rosemary is not her friend and they need to stay away from each other.

Havok runs in to choke the life out of Rosemary, briefly allowing Suzie’s memory to surge off and it appears, briefly, Suzie turned back into Su Yung. That was … interesting. Genuinely love how this whole storyline is playing out.

Elsewhere backstage, Taya Valkyrie tries to recruit her “friends” Kiera Hogan and Madison Rayne to help her against Dashwood and Grace. They are reluctant to agree, until the champ promises that if she’s still champion after Hard to Kill, she’ll grant both Hogan and Rayne title shots.

Rich Swann (w/ Willie Mack) vs. Ethan Page (w/ Josh Alexander)

Lockup to start. Page with a headlock. Swann sends Page to the ropes eventually leads to a dropkick. Swann bounces one-half of the Impact Tag Champs into the corner turnbuckle before nailing the 10 punch spot, then a chop.

Swann snapmares him down before kicking him into the back. Swann then tries to run at Page, but Alexander grabs Swann’s foot from the outside. Page capitalizes with a thumb to the eye.

Mack gets on the apron to call out the heels cheating, which inadvertently distracts the ref from more cheating. Behind the ref’s back, The North hit an assisted Impaler DDT. Page makes the cover for a two count.

Page is in control until Swann briefly goes for a roll up. Swann kicks out before getting clotheslined, sending an aggressive All EGO back in control with stomps in the corner.

Eventually, Swann is able to mount a comeback, including his signature cartwheel moonsault for a two count. Swann climbs to the top, but gets distracted by Alexander until Page punches Swann in the face before pulling him off the top to hit a Neutralizer (yes, the one Cesaro does) for a two count.

Page sets up a Razor’s Edge, but Swann nails a series of kicks to the head before setting up a 450 Splash. Page evades it before hitting a big shoulder tackle. The bad guy climbs to the top before getting blocked by Swann. Swann goes for a superplex and gets blocked. Instead, Page scoop slams Swann off the top rope and hits a Swanton for a two count.

Page climbs to the top again, only to get hurricanrana’d off the top. Page then rolls to the outside where Swann sets up a tope dive,

Page punches Willie Mack, who gets goaded into chasing Page into the ring and clotheslines him to cause a DQ. Page raises his own hand with a smile on his face as Mack and Swann argue outside the ring.

Winner (by DQ): Ethan Page

Grade: C+

This had the opposite effect of Daga vs. TJP where Page and Swann were high enough on the totem pole to warrant a longer match, but this seemed surprisingly shorter. Could’ve gone a little longer, but good chemistry with plenty of memorable spots nonetheless.

Really digging the story elements their introducing between Mack and Swann as well. It’s interesting, and has me really interested to see how it plays out at Hard to Kill in 2020.

Backstage, Moose finds Rhino and goes for a Spear, but gets countered and the two brawl before being separated by security.