TNA iMPACT! Review - March 28, 2024

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Steph De Lander def. Rosemary, Xia Brookside, TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Champion Dani Luna, Havok, Masha Slamovich, Alisha Edwards and TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Champion Jody Threat in a TNA Knockouts World Championship No. 1 Contender's 8-4-1 Match

TNA first tried out the 8-4-1 gimmick at last year's Against All Odds event and it's a cool concept. It's hard for everyone to get time to shine with so many people involved (at least at the start), but this was well worked and the four-way was especially solid. De Lander was a last-minute replacement for Ash by Elegance (who claimed she couldn't compete and sat ringside) and I like her as a one-off opponent for Jordynne Grace as they had great chemistry when they collided last year. I also like that Matt Cardona has returned so they can do their act in TNA.

Grizzled Young Vets def. Deaner in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match

It seems like Deaner is back to being the same character he was before turning heel a few years ago. He's got direction for now, but I don't know how long that's going to last. This feels like a waste of Grizzled Young Vets, but at least it gives them something to do, too. This was decent with Deaner attempting to overcome the odds before falling short. Will the payoff be Deaner reuniting with Jake Something (who's finally involved in something meaningful as a singles star right now)?

Josh Alexander def. "Hot Sauce" Tracy Williams

Alexander once again called out Hammerstone but got Williams instead, leading to an impromptu match between the two. Williams has been making the rounds in MLW and Ring of Honor over the last year and I'm all for him making appearances in TNA as well. This was the wrestling clinic you'd expect from them. Hammerstone emerged afterward to lay both of them out, so I could certainly see Hammerstone facing Williams on an upcoming iMPACT! before his likely rematch with Alexander at Rebellion.

TNA World Tag Team Champion Eddie Edwards def. "Speedball" Mike Bailey

This served as a nice preview of the TNA World Tag Team Championship match we're getting Rebellion with The System defending against Speedball Mountain. Similar to the last match, it was unsurprising that this was an enjoyable outing given the level of talent involved. I had no issue with the outcome as it puts more heat on The System and they could use it as Moose might not be TNA World Champion for much longer.

First Class Addressed the Audience

First Class is the name for the new duo of A.J. Francis and Rich Swann. I'm glad they took the time to explain their alliance and Swann's heel turn. I've only ever seen Swann work as a babyface, so I thought Swann's first heel promo was a good one. Francis can do most of the talking while Swann does most of the wrestling. They'll be a quality addition to TNA's tag team ranks. I assume Joe Hendry will find a partner to oppose them.

Steve Maclin def. Chris Sabin

It was reported recently that The Motor City Machine Guns will officially be free agents as of April 1, so it's smart of TNA to get what they can out of them until then. That includes this match and Alex Shelley vs. Nic Nemeth next week (which was already taped, obviously). They got an ample amount of time and delivered an entertaining main event. Maclin hasn't won too many high-profile singles matches lately, so this was a necessary victory for him and I appreciated that it came in clean fashion.

Overall Show

There was also a backstage sit-down interview Tom Hannifan did with Laredo Kid and I thought it did an effective job of getting viewers to know him a little better. The Rebellion card continued to take shape on this show, and when you throw in the last three matches being fun, it was a worthwhile edition of iMPACT!. As noted, Motor City Machine Guns are on their way out of the company, so I'm looking forward to the remainder of their run.

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