IMPACT Wrestling Hard to Kill: Results, Highlights and Grades

Taya Valkyrie (c) (w/ John E. Bravo) vs. ODB vs. Jordynne Grace – Knockouts Championship

All three have a shoving match until ODB collides both their heads together. Kicks and slams both competitors to boot. ODB sends Taya to the outside. Irish whips Grace to the corner, but she lands on the apron. ODB kicks her before attempting a piledriver on the apron, but Taya knocks ODB off the apron.

Grace shoulder blocks Taya. Goes for a seated clothesline, but Taya turns it into a crucifix pin attempt, which Grace quickly recovers from with a powerslam before hitting a tope on Taya outside.

Outta nowhere, out comes ODB to hit a fallaway slam on Grace on the ramp. Back in the ring, Taya flapjacks ODB onto the turnbuckle. Continues to stomp on ODB while she’s in the corner, including a seated meteora for a quick kickout. While goading ODB, she curb stomps ODB while calling her a “lunch lady” before locking in a Regal Stretch, until Grace breaks it up.

ODB slides outside while Grace forearms Taya on the ropes. Taya reverses with a high knee and bites Grace’s wrist. Follows up by wrenching the arm, but Grace lifts Taya onto her shoulders. ODB bulldogs Taya off of Grace’s shoulders. Everybody down.

Grace hits a comeback, slamming everyone in sight. Taya attempts to reverse a slam, but gets spinebustered for a two count. Grace German suplexes Taya. ODB breaks the pin attempt to lock a single leg crab on Taya while Grace sleeper holds ODB. After trading pin attempts, Grace runs at Taya only to catch a high knee.

ODB bashes Grace’s face into the turnbuckle until Grace picks the ankle. Grace hits a big top rope senton on ODB, but Taya breaks it up.

ODB fights out of Road to Valhalla to hit a TKO. Goes for the pin, but it gets broken up by a Vader Bomb by Grace. Grace pins ODB for a near fall. Grace nails the Grace Driver on ODB, but John E. Bravo distracts the ref while Grace gets a visual pinfall. Grace disputes it with the ref, but gets swept out the ring by Bravo while Taya pins ODB for the win.

Winner: Taya Valkyrie

Grade: C+

Standard triple threat match, but not a bad one. All three women worked their butts off and for what it was, it was good.

RVD and Katie Forbes are interviewed, but they’re too busy smooching before insisting Forbes interviews him instead. Forbes promises RVD will beat Cage tonight, but asks what RVD’s plans are after the match. He thinks a fan is approaching him for an autograph, but it’s actual Daga.  Daga is insulted. RVD smooches with Forbes again.

Brian Cage vs. Rob Van Dam (w/ Katie Forbes)

Cage comes down the ramp, slapping five with fans, until a fan (who turns out to be “RVD’s girlfriend’s girlfriend) grips Cage’s arm, allowing RVD to dive on top of him. Attacks Cage around the ring, focusing on injuring Cage’s arm.

Back in the ring, the ref asks Cage if he can still compete, but with one good arm, suddenly grabs RVD by the neck, clotheslines, and clotheslines him into the corner. Then two superkicks. Katie Forbes slides a chair into the ring, Cage grabs it, but turns around into a Van-Daminator.

Forbes in the ring, she holds the chair to Cage’s face while he’s seated in the corner to hit a Van-Terminator. His girlfriend celebrates by twerking. RVD goes for the pin, but the bell never rang apparently, so the ref refuses to call it.

Daga runs in to tell RVD to back off while a bloody Cage is helped to the back. RVD kicks the kid in the back. For some reason, the bell rings. I guess this is our match now.

Daga vs. RVD

After flipping the fans off, he kicks Daga into the corner. Whipped into the corner for a rolling monkey flip, but Daga dropkicks RVD instead. RVD tries to recover with a back drop, but Daga lands on his feet and kicks RVD out the ring. Daga springboard crossbodys RVD outside.

RVD evades a flying … thing (it looked weird) and hits a body scissor pin for a quick kickout. Daga hits a suplex for his own quick kickout. Daga bounces off the ropes, but Forbes grabs his leg, allowing RVD to kick him, following up with a corkscrew leg drop. Then hits the Five Star Frog Splash for the win.

Winner: RVD

Grade: D

This whole booking was … weird. Seemed like this whole spiel was done and we didn’t get Cage vs. RVD just to introduce RVD’s girlfriend’s girlfriend and give us a three minute match with Daga rather than the advertised match. None of this was good. I want to like RVD’s heel schtick, but this was not great.

Interviewer tries to get an interviewer with Sami Callihan. Knocks on oVe’s locker room, only for Jake Crist to shoo her off while we hear an angry Callihan angrily yelling in the background.