IMPACT! Wrestling Review - September 13, 2019

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Tenille Dashwood def. Kiera Hogan

Hogan was the perfect first opponent for Dashwood in IMPACT, as she's really come into her own as a heel lately and is a very skilled competitor to boot. This was probably a bit more competitive than it should have been, but it was very well wrestled and both ladies came away looking good. Dashwood is a great get for the Knockouts division and I fully believe she's the right woman to beat Taya Valkyrie for the Impact Knockouts Championship.

Michael Elgin def. Dinastia

Dinastia is the current AAA World Mini-Estrellas Championship, so as you could probably imagine, there was a pretty distinct size difference between these two. It was obvious from the get-go that this would be a complete squash, and sure enough, Elgin made quick work of Dinastia and put him away with Marufuji's signature finisher. He called out Marufuji on the mic afterward, so it looks like they'll be going one-on-one at Bound for Glory.

Dr. Wagner Jr. def. Texano Jr.

I'm familiar with these two from their time in Lucha Underground, and I could've sworn they were both business clients of Famous B at one point while there. I'm not really sure what purpose this was supposed to serve aside from appeasing the live crowd in Mexico and hyping up how AAA will be hosting an event from Madison Square Garden this weekend. It was perfectly fine for what it was (and I'm impressed Wagner can move around as much as he can at his age), but it ultimately didn't do anything for me, personally.

Ace Austin def. Eddie Edwards by Disqualification

I find myself more engaged in this storyline that almost anything else in IMPACT at the moment, which is saying something because IMPACT has been producing a lot of strong content lately. Both Edwards and Austin have been playing their roles exceptionally well and Austin has benefited a lot from working with an established star in Edwards. I loved the intensity they brought to this bout and how Austin came close to securing the victory on multiple occasions. Edwards once again went too far and got himself intentionally disqualified, giving Austin another victory over him. It's a simple storyline but I've been digging it.

Desi Hit Squad def. Nino Hamburguesa and Big Mami

Big Mami's last match against Valkyrie a few weeks ago was absolutely atrocious, so I have no idea why IMPACT officials opted to have her wrestle again during the tapings. Meanwhile, I find it difficult to get behind anything involving Desi Hit Squad, so you can only imagine how little I cared about this contest. Hamburguesa is half decent, but everything else about this was a joke. Following Desi Hit Squad's latest loss, Mahabali Shera returned and predictably joined the group. Sadly, he's probably the best of that bunch.

oVe def. Tommy Dreamer and Tessa Blanchard in a Street Fight

The Dreamer main events in IMPACT in 2019 keep on coming. Ugh. Thankfully, the Street Fight stipulation played to his strengths and the fact that it was a tag team match helped him hide his weaknesses. They kept things entertaining for the most part and I continue to enjoy any interaction between Blanchard and Sami Callihan. oVe going over was the right call with Callihan set to challenge Brian Cage for the Impact World Championship at Bound for Glory, but Blanchard was able to get a measure of revenge afterward. Rhyno and Rob Van Dam then made the save, so ECW remains alive and well in IMPACT (whatever the hell that means).

Overall Show

This edition of IMPACT! Wrestling was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I appreciate the company bringing in local talent for their shows in Mexico, but if they aren't going to factor into any of the current storylines or help build toward Bound for Glory (their biggest pay-per-view of the year) next month, then they're pointless. The slightly-above-average main event, Dashwood's successful in-ring debut and the progression of the Edwards-Austin storyline saved this show from being a total misfire.