IMPACT! Wrestling Review - August 23, 2018

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Moose Saved Eddie Edwards From Impact World Champion Austin Aries and Killer Kross

The progression of Edwards' unhinged character has been well done so far, but it made sense for him to get some backup now that Aries has Cross in his corner. Moose hasn't been seen since Slammiversary last month, so it was logical for him to return to aid his established best friend and exact some revenge against Aries. After the eventual tag team match, expect Edwards to turn on Moose eventually because he's jealous of Alisha warming up to Moose the same way he did to Tommy Dreamer.

Matt Sydal def. Zachary Wentz

Sydal has been in a bit of a funk since losing the Impact X-Division Championship to Brian Cage at Slammiversary last month, but based off promos he has been cutting in pre-taped vignettes recently, he is determined to get back on track. I know I've heard of Wentz elsewhere before, but I appreciated the commentary team filling me in on who he was during this bout. It was very fun while it lasted and Wentz looked impressive before ultimately falling to Sydal, who obviously needed the victory much more.

Fallah Bahh and K.M. def. Desi Hit Squad

I never thought I'd say this, but the comedic duo of Bahh and K.M. are slowly growing on me. They seem to have grown into their friendship and the crowd is beginning to embrace them more and more by the week. They're so stupid together yet I find it entertaining. That translated well to this match, too. It wasn't the most memorable matchup from an in-ring standpoint, but at least it was enjoyable. It's weird Desi Hit Squad was winning for a while and now all of a sudden they're on a losing streak.

Kiera Hogan def. Alisha

Alisha has been wrestling for several years and has that experience factor, which I was surprised she didn't have the greatest showing here. I'm not sure how new Hogan is to the business, but she has had better bouts in the past. Perhaps it was a lack of chemistry because this had its fair share of sloppy spots and awkward moments. Post-match, Allie challenged Su Yung and Tessa Blanchard to a three-way title match on next week's show.

Brandon Tidwell and Mr. Atlantis def. Cult of Lee

I guess the story is supposed to be that Eli Drake has no desire to have Cult of Lee around as his lackeys, therefore explaining why they came across as losers in this match being beaten by a couple of enhancement talents. Needless to say, this was a throwaway match. It's such a shame because of Cult of Lee can be a strong addition to IMPACT's weak tag team division, but being booked like this won't help their cause any.

Pentagon Jr. def. Sami Callihan in a Mexican Death Match

If you thought their Hair vs. Mask match at Slammiversary was crazy, you'll be blown away by what you see here. It's interesting because there weren't any disqualifications this time, yet it was less bloody. Despite that, they went all out in producing a phenomenal matchup that was at times uncomfortable to watch, but they work so well together and continue to raise the bar every time they clash. I loved Callihan scoring the victory because he has lost a lot lately and this evens the score in the feud, meaning a rubber match might be coming. Fenix and oVe being banned from ringside was a nice touch as well.

Overall Show

Next week's ReDefined special episode has potential on paper and I liked the final build for the show this week. In addition to all that, the main event kicked ass and needs to be seen to be believed. Speaking of which, a kid was apparently murdered during an LAX/OGz vignette, so I'm not sure how well that's going to go over with fans. Other than that, this was a solid edition of IMPACT! Wreslting.