IMPACT Wrestling Hard to Kill 2020: Full card preview and predictions

Live from Dallas, Texas, IMPACT Wrestling’s first Pay-Per-View of 2020 sees Sami Callihan defend his World Championship against Tessa Blanchard in the first ever intergender World Title main event in PPV history.

This Sunday, on Pay-Per-View and on the Fite app, IMPACT Wrestling televises its first big event of the year with Hard to Kill. The main event of the show will see Tessa Blanchard challenge for the leader of oVe’s World Championship. This marks the first time that a woman has wrestled in the main event of a PPV for a World Championship that has been entirely held by men.

That is just one exciting match-up slated for tonight’s show. I’ll rundown the rest of the card and offer my predictions for who win, while also recapping the history of how these matches came to pass. Starting with this one:

Michael Elgin vs. Eddie Edwards – Winner Gets Call Your Shot Trophy

At Bound for Glory last October, Eddie Edwards won the first ever Call Your Shot Trophy, granting him a title shot whenever he so pleases. Michael Elgin, who has been obsessed with trying to insert himself into the main event title picture, started a feud with Edwards shortly after, challenging Edwards to put his trophy on the line for a match at Hard to Kill.

Edwards refused, but Elgin went into the locker room and stole the trophy. This inspired a brawl to kick off last week’s IMPACT go-home show and rather than wait for Hard to Kill, they wrestled that night and Elgin won. A rematch was booked for Sunday, but this time, the trophy is on the line.

I predict Elgin to win. I can’t quite explain why just yet, but keep this in mind for when you reach the last slide for the main event.

Prediction: Michael Elgin wins the trophy

Rob Van Dam vs. Brian Cage

Since turning heel at Bound for Glory, Rob Van Dam has been bashing everyone in the wrestling world (name dropping everyone from Daniel Bryan to Kenny Omega) for “an entire generation of wrestlers” stealing his moves and not giving him credit.

One of the wrestlers he’s bashed is Brian Cage and a few weeks ago, RVD attacked him for it. My guess is Cage wins. Not only to get his revenge and not even just because RVD’s contract expires this month anyway, but since Cage is still fresh out of losing the World Title and a number one contender’s Gauntlet Match last month, he could use a big win here.

Prediction: Cage wins

Moose vs. Rhino

This feud started off simply. Moose taunted Rhino backstage about being a loser backstage, Rhino retaliated, a fight ensued, now have a match. Easy peasy. Almost as easy as it is to predict Moose wins, if only to continue his quest to be the greatest athlete in the world.

Prediction: Moose wins

Madman Fulton vs. Ken Shamrock

The monster of oVe absolutely destroyed Ken Shamrock last month. It’s not hard to imagine Shamrock winning to get his revenge on the course of his comeback run, but a young monster like Fulton could use a big singles win here.

Prediction: Madman wins