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Sean Ross Sapp's IMPACT Hard To Kill Live Blog and Match Ratings

Added 2020-01-13 01:08:01 +0000 UTC

Ken Shamrock defeated Madman Fulton
5.25/10

The lighting of the ramp and ring is great, but the crowd isn't lit well at all. It looks very ROH-ish.
Ken Shamrock can still move around the ring pretty well, but he gets tired pretty quick.
Ken Shamrock should not be able to do that dive better than the Usos.
He does an odd waistlock slam on the floor and throws some SHOOT KNEES at Fulton's face.
OVE get ejected.
They trade a few submissions, and Shamrock ends up getting the tap.
Fulton tapped to the Rings of Saturn with his head. Shamrock seems a little bit confused.

X-Division Championship
Ace Austin defeated Trey Miguel
6/10

This feud is primarily about Ace Austin making comments about Trey Miguel's mother.
Ace Austin had a very underrated 2019. He's going to be a guys you see all over the place for the next 15-20 years. Already very good.
Space Flying Tiger Drop from Ace Austin.
I LOVE Ace Austin's Bangarama move.
These guys are throwing everything at the wall, and it's amazing. The pace is incredible.
Austin retains after a great corner head scissors. The Fold hits and he wins. That's an amazing finish.
After the match, he tries to get a kiss from Miguel's mom. Miguel attacks.
This match was good enough to want to watch again, but if it's continuing with not much story advancement, I don't need to see that much more.

Knockouts Championship
Taya (c) (w/ Bravo) defeated ODB and Jordynne Grace
6/10

Jordynne Grace looks like she has TITLE VICTORY GEAR.
Grace has Taya lifted with one arm while ODB hits a facecrusher off the middle rope. A really good spot. It took a little bit to set up, but ended up aces.
Jordynne Grace's slams look effortless.
A good pop up knee hits for Taya.
ODB fits right into this match. I know a lot of people watching this that don't stay in the loop for IMPACT might see ODB as a third wheel, but she's not. She's working amazingly well with these two.
Grace hits a senton and a Grace Driver on ODB, but Bravo distracts. Taya then steals the pin.

Rob Van Dam (w/ Katie Forbes) vs. Brian Cage doesn't happen
SQUASH
Rob Van Dam defeated Daga
5/10

RVD is backstage making out with Katie Forbes. He mistakes Daga for a fan.
Last year, Rob Van Dam told me that he'd extended his agreement with Impact into this month. I haven't heard whether or not it's been extended further.
Katie Forbes' girlfriend distracts Cage, and RVD attacks. After working him over, he hits a Van Terminator and Cage is busted open.
RVD tells the ref to ring the fuckin' bell.
Daga makes the save
Daga gets a whole lot more offense than Cage did.
The point of these matches is to show RVD can still do everything.
He wins with a Five Star Frog Splash

Call Your Shot Trophy
Eddie Edwards (trophy holder) defeated Michael Elgin
7.5/10

Elgin lays one in hard to Eddie Edwards.
A great double suplex spot hits for both men.
Edwards lands on his feet off a German suplex and does a Blue Thunder Bomb.
Elgin's sliding forearm hits amazingly well and follows up with his brainbuster.
Eddie Edwards and Michael Elgin are going off! They're slugging it out and going move for move.
Elgin's crucifix Last Ride sold me a ticket.
Edwards survives a Buckle Bomb and wins with a sunset flip.
This match was outstanding.

Moose defeated Rhino
6/10

Rhino told me in our interview "If I hit a Gore and it doesn't get the pin, then it's a spear."
I've digged the build to this.
Moose hits his NJN, but Rhino back body drops him onto the ramp.
Rhino powerbombs Moose through a table.
Rhino wears out Moose with a chair and superplexes him onto a bunch of them.
Moose pulls the ref in front of him and they both get Gored through the table.
Moose recovers and wins with his No Jackhammer Needed after a low blow.
This was a fun match.

IMPACT Tag Team Championships
The North (c) defeated Willie Mack
7/10

This is an ultimate spot for Willie Mack, he's such a babyface. Rich Swann got hurt on Friday.
As reported on Fightful Select, we're getting a handicap match.
Page is battling salmonella.
All three of these guys are so good and innovative.
Willie Mack ends up doing a SUPER Canadian Destroyer.
The North overwhelm and get the win with their finish. This was a really good match.

Impact World Championship
Tessa Blanchard defeated Sami Callihan (c) to win the title
7.25/10

Immediate Piledriver from Sami, immediate Magnum from Tessa.
Blanchard does a great senton dive to the outside. When it happens later, Sami powerbombs her through a table.
In the mean time, Blanchard has her knee worked over and sells it really well.
She counters a piledriver on the apron with a Magnum.
The body language, selling and verbal aspects of this match are really good.
She Samoan drops Sami and sells the knee. She later hits a cutter.
Tessa is playing the selling babyface perfectly. Sami Callihan playing the ruthless heel amazingly well.
Sami Callihan just spit on the ref.......................................................................................................................................
Callihan grabbed brass knuckles, but gets kicked in the balls. She hits Magnum for the fourth time and he kicks out.
Blanchard kicks out of a piledriver. She hits a flying Canadian Destroyer and a Buzzsaw DDT to win.
They cut off air RIGHT after.

Rating Guide
10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor

Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a "star rating," which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive "TV match" lands at a 5. The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.
These are opinions, and incredibly inconsistent ones that may change upon a second viewing, or sitting on the match for a period of time. Don't take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own!