Impact Wrestling Emergence Night 1 Results and Grades

Everything that went down on Impact Wrestling’s first night of the Emergence TV special.

Impact Wrestling has found a resurgence in 2020 with the updated restrictions on live wrestling. From being an early adopter to running PPV cards in isolation to being the first company to offer PPV level cards on their weekly television program.  This week is no different as the company presented the first week of a two-week event with Impact Emergence. Promising a stacked card split across the two weeks with 4 title defenses just on the first night.

Impact fans are being treated to some truly incredible wrestling over the next few weeks. And if you’re new to the promotion? Shows like this are the perfect time to jump in with both feet and immerse yourself in the Impact Universe. With strong matches and culmination of feuds promised it is a perfect time to add more wrestling to your weekly calendar.

TJP vs. Rohit Raju vs. Chris Bey for X-Division Title

Result: Rohit Raju pins Chris Bey [TITLE CHANGE]

Grade: B –

A fantastic high energy match that lent itself heavily to both TJP and Chris Bey’s strengths. Rohit Raju was no slouch either during the match operating more in the ground and pound spoiler role for the duration of the match breaking up big moves from both TJP and Bey. If this match proved anything it proved that Impact still has one of the most electrifying and satisfying cruiserweight divisions in the sport of professional wrestling. I only wish AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels were still in the mix of the division so that we could see the magic these five men could work in the squared circle.

Following the match, we were shown a vignette from John E. Bravo and TNA original Crazy Steve playing with dolls and discussing who they think will win the match between Kylie Ray and Taya Valkyrie later tonight. (Yes, seriously.)

Following that vignette, The Good Brothers delivered a promo on their opponents for the night and perennial thorns in their side Ace Austin and former OvE member Mad Man Fulton saying, “You wanted to get the Good Brothers attention. [You’ve] been a thorn in our side since we got here at Slammiversary. You wanted the Good Brothers to come after you? Congratulations, you hid from us for a week. Do you realize who you’re messing with?”

The Good Brothers also promised to make them both famous with the beating that they will take by the hands of the Good Brothers.

Following the promo, we were introduced to the second match of the night by Josh Matthews and Madison Rayne as Trey will face off against TNA Heavyweight Champion Moose. This title shot came about when Moose was backstage and saw Trey making fun of Moose while wearing a suicide mask. Trey is one of the wrestlers currently believed to be beneath the mask by Impact Wrestling fans.

Moose vs. Trey Miguel for TNA World Heavyweight Championship

Result: Moose pins Trey

Grade: D

I did not enjoy this match. I am a big fan of Trey Miguel and The Rascalz but this match really could have been about 15 minutes shorter. Moose looked like a monster while destroying Trey and that’s great but I just couldn’t get into it. The match was redeemed however when following the pin EC3 appeared in the ring and dropped Moose before grabbing his title and quickly exiting the ring.

Following the match, we saw Homicide paying the Reno Scum for their work over the last few weeks getting his money back from Rhyno that was lost in an arm-wrestling match. Homicide promised them that he would have more work for them soon. Who could be in Homicides sights now? RVD?

Eric Young Promo

We also got a promo from recent WWE alumni Eric Young. Eric Young used his time to promise that we would see him at his most pure form in Impact wrestling.

His promo led into the Impact Flashback moment of the week. This week’s match was Kurt Angle vs. Eric Young in a gurney match from Impact Television 5/11/15.

Grade: C.

The promo was good but not great. There is only so long that wrestling fans can justify the “I was so good the last time I was here.” argument. If you want to be respected you need to do something to earn it.

Brian Meyers Promo

Following the flashback match, we saw another WWE alumni Brian Meyers interrupt Willie Mack’s backstage interview so that he could get something off his chest. Meyers had this to say, “I have always played by the rules, Done what I was told. Listened to the veterans, and what did it get me? Fired! With a six months pregnant wife sitting at home! I’m sick of being referred to as a good hand! It makes me sick that major decisions in this business are made by out of touch 70-year-olds in a production meeting. You and the rest of Impact Wrestling have been put on notice. I am the most professional wrestler Brian Meyers.”

Following his promo, Meyers was attacked and the cameraman was knocked down. We were not able to see the attacker’s face but we could see his legs. He is a black performer who wrestles in trunks. My guess is that Willie Mack did not appreciate being interrupted and decided to take things into his own hands.

Grade: A+

This promo was phenomenal and only goes to show just how badly mismanaged his career was by the WWE. Meyers can talk with the best of them and if you are only familiar with his work in the wrestling behemoth you would have no reason to know that. I cannot wait to see where his career goes from here.

Heath Slater Promo

Grade: B

Heath also had his chance on the promo stage and showed again just how funny this guy is choosing to take his time to speak directly to Joe Biden, admonishing him for picking his running mate in the upcoming presidential election on a Tuesday because the only thing that needs to trend on Tuesday’s is #HeathForImpact. The promo was legitimately hilarious as it ended 11 seconds early and heath struggled to fill time finishing, of course, with his catchphrase “I’ve still got kids.”

The Good Brothers vs. Madman Fulton and Ace Austin

Result: Doc Gallows pins Ace Austin

Grade: C-

A solid match that served to build Ace Austin and Madman Fulton as a legitimate tag team. It would have been all too easy to feed the pair to the former IWGP Tag Team champions. The fact that they got as much offense in as they did and controlled as much of the match as they did serves to prove that Impact believes in the pair wholeheartedly.

WrestleHouse Segment

Following the match, we got a WrestleHouse segment where the Deaner’s discovered that their two extra cases of beer had gone missing.  They began to accuse the other residents of the house before team XXXL came in and got more beer from the fridge showing that they were responsible. The Deaner’s were about to challenge them to a match before Suzie reminded them that they had agreed to a truce and that fighting would break the truce.

Rosemary, who was jealous that John E Bravo was paying attention to Taya Valkyrie in a previous segment had used magic to make Lary D of team XXXL fall in love with her to make John E Bravo jealous. The rest of the segment was spent with him hitting on her before they all exited to watch the match between Kylie and Taya. Wrestlehouse is weird.

Grade: D

Taya Valkyrie vs. Kylie Ray  with Rosemary as a special referee- WrestleHouse Match

Result: Kylie pins Taya

Grade: C+

I am a huge fan of both women in this match and anywhere else it would have been a high B or even an A match. But the convoluted WrestleHouse segments being added to these matches definitely downgrades them in my eyes.

The North vs. The Motor City Machine Guns for Impact Tag Team Titles

Result: Chris Sabin pins Ethan Page

Grade: A

With rumors swirling that Ethan Page is soon to jump to AEW sooner rather than later it was good to see The North lose clean to the current champions MCMG. It was a phenomenal high flying, high intensity, and technically sound match that showed even though they are TNA originals the Motor City Machine Guns have not lost a step and will be stewards for the Tag Team Division in the days and weeks ahead.