IMPACT! Wrestling Review - October 4, 2018

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Matt Sydal def. Rich Swann

Although this wasn't the exciting, chaotic contest I was hoping for from these two, I still enjoyed it for what it was and thought they made the most of the time they had. Unfortunately, the live crowd didn't seem to appreciate the slower pace because they were extremely quiet during this match. At least Josh Mathews attempted to explain their silence by saying they were trying to be respectful. Ethan Page aided Sydal to victory and that's an alliance I can get behind.

La Parka def. Eli Drake by Count-out

Well, I certainly wasn't expecting to see La Parka in an IMPACT ring in 2018, but here we are. This show did emanate from Mexico, so I guess this was supposed to appeal to the audience in attendance, but it just came across as flat to me. This wasn't much of a match at all considering it ended in a matter of minutes, which was probably for the better. Drake losing was a dumb call, but I have faith that this will lead somewhere. It was teased that Scarlett Bordeaux would be joining him and that's another pairing I'd love to see.

Murder Clown def. Joe Hendry

Katarina has now linked up with Murder Clown after she was exposed for who she really is by Grado and Hendry. Clown must be a big deal in Mexico because the crowd was in awe of his offense against Hendry. Although it wasn't an incredibly compelling match by any means, this glorified squash did help establish Clown as a dominant force. If this is leading to Clown vs. Grado at Bound for Glory, I can't say I'm looking forward to it.

Johnny Impact Called Out Impact World Champion Austin Aries

There hasn't been much straight-up hype for Impact vs. Aries at Bound for Glory, so this segment was definitely necessary and I liked it a lot. Promos have never been Impact's strong suit, but I thought he fared well for himself here by specifically focusing on how Aries always needs someone by his side to retain his title. While that was true to an extent, Aries was beating people clean long before he aligned with Moose and Killer Kross, including Impact. Aries absolutely decimated Impact with his mic work and managed to get me excited for their upcoming clash next Sunday.

Su Yung def. Kiera Hogan

I found it strange that Yung was losing so many matches decisively, so this win was a nice way of getting her back on track. The bout itself was well-wrestled and Hogan in particular had a solid showing. Afterward, Yung and her bridesmaids not only fended off Allie but also put Hogan in a casket, something Allie promised she'd prevent from happening at all costs (but was obviously unsuccessful at). I'm sure Allie vs. Yung in some sort of gimmick matchup will be made official for Bound for Glory within the next week.

The Lucha Brothers and Impact X-Division Champion Brian Cage def. oVe by Disqualification

Yes, these two trios are already set to clash at Bound for Glory, but for some reason, IMPACT gave it away on free TV before then. On the bright side, this was less of a match and more of an angle, giving fans a small preview of what to expect when they collide next Sunday. Plus, it didn't last long and what we got from them was fun, so I can't complain. The bedlam that closed out the episode was entertaining and I'm excited for that matchup more than any other on the pay-per-view.

Overall Show

Bound for Glory is quickly approaching and the entire card is virtually complete. The build hasn't been as exceptional as the build to Slammiversary was this past summer, but I have no doubt it will be a quality event (assuming it's booked properly and the wrestlers are allowed to shine). As for this edition of IMPACT! Wrestling, there was plenty of hype for the pay-per-view, and while none of the matches stood out in a major way, the two hours featured little filler and flew by as a result.