IMPACT! ReDefined Review - August 30, 2018

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Impact X-Division Champion Brian Cage def. Fenix

I'd argue Fenix is one of the most underrated athletes in the wrestling world right now and that he never gets the credit he deserves for being as great as he is. This was another outstanding performance from him and I thoroughly enjoyed the dynamic he had with Cage. This was the type of match Cage should have had with Matt Sydal in that the action was exciting and there was never a dull moment. Cage successfully retained his title, but he helped out Fenix and Pentagon Jr. afterward by evening the odds against oVe. The inevitable oVe vs. Pentagon, Fenix and Cage match should be amazing. On a side note, and I realize that they're separated universes, but Cage coming to the aid of Pentagon a week removed from their Last Man or Machine Standing match in Lucha Underground just felt strange.

Eli Drake def. Brandon Tidwell

Before the bout, Drake patronized Tidwell and Mr. Atlantis about their victory over Cult of Lee last week in comical fashion as only Drake could. I guess the point of this was for Drake to drive home how he doesn't think Cult of Lee aren't worth his time, so I wouldn't be surprised if they continue to try to win him over in the weeks ahead. Drake then gave Tidwell an "opportunity" by facing him, yet decisively defeated the local loser in under 20 seconds (if that).

Tessa Blanchard def. Su Yung and Allie in a Three-Way Match to Win the Impact Knockouts Championship

It's hard to go wrong with three very talented women in one match, so unsurprisingly, this was a well-worked three-way where Yung, Allie and Blanchard all had solid showings. It wasn't incredibly exciting at certain points, but any one of them could have won and thus I liked the unpredictability surrounding the outcome. Admittedly, the finish came off as slightly flat (it didn't seem like the crowd was ready for it), but I do love the title change. Blanchard has been a real revelation for the Knockouts division since signing with the company a few months back and can have a terrific run as champion with the right opponents.

Rich Swann def. Petey Williams

For some reason, I thought this would be a No. 1 Contender's match for the X-Division title, but obviously not. Swann did say afterward that he hopes to continue climbing the ladder in the division by stacking up wins such as this one. He and Williams had a pretty good match, but I'm sure they could have done better. Perhaps time constraints held them back from doing more.

Impact World Champion Austin Aries and Killer Kross vs. Eddie Edwards and Moose Ended in a No Contest

Moose was "mysteriously" laid out beforehand and viewers were led to believe it was of Kross' doing. I honestly assumed it was Edwards, if only because he has been unhinged lately and easily could have attacked his best friend after he sensed he was warming up to his wife Alisha. This was a glorified Handicap match up until the final minute or so, but all people will remember from this is Moose turning heel on Edwards and aligning with Aries. After all Aries put him through, I have no clue why Moose would side with him, but I suppose we'll find out next week.

Overall Show

I'm a big fan of these mini specials IMPACT does in between their pay-per-views because they are made out to feel special. They delivered a straightforward show for the most part that featured some newsworthy moments such as the Knockouts title changing hands and Moose betraying Edwards at the end. Cage vs. Fenix is also worth checking out (it was undoubtedly the best bout of the night) and Swann vs. Williams was entertaining as well. Only Drake's segment was somewhat pointless, but this was a quality episode otherwise.