Impact Wrestling aired on AXS TV this Saturday night with the first of two scheduled “Best of 2019” shows. The second show will air on Saturday, January 4th, 2020 before Impact is back in their normal Tuesday night timeslot the following week.
Here are 7 takeaways from Impact Wrestling 12/28.
Sami Callihan Title Win Re-Visited
Sami Callihan defeated Brian Cage in a steel cage match for the Impact World Championship on the first episode of Impact on AXS TV this fall. It took Callihan several piledrivers to win the match and the title but he was able to pull it out. The match was featured on Impact’s Best of 2019 part 1 show this weekend.
Callihan had earned the title match after he and Tessa Blanchard won the Mash-up tag team tournament and later met in single’s competition. After Callihan defeated Blanchard for the second straight time, he was declared the new #1 contender to former champion Brian Cage’s title.
Blanchard would earn a title shot at Callihan booked for Hard to Kill by winning a Gauntlet match recently on Impact Wrestling.
Michael Elgin and Naomichi Marufuji Collide
Michael Elgin’s arrival in Impact Wrestling after leaving New Japan Pro Wrestling has been big for the promotion. Elgin announced earlier this year that he wanted to face Naomichi Marufuji in single’s action and he got his wish at Bound for Glory.
Elgin may have gotten the win over Marufuji earlier this year but he’ll be in tough against Eddie Edwards at Hard to Kill next month.
X-Division Ladder Match From Bound For Glory Featured
At the Bound For Glory PPV held in Chicago this October, Tessa Blanchard looked to have the X-Division title all wrapped up. As she was climbing the ladder to win the title, Madman Fulton from OVE interfered and cost her the title. While Blanchard was able to fend off Fulton, Ace Austin used the extra time allotted by the interference to recover and climb the ladder himself. Austin used a foreign object to knock Blanchard off the ladder and claim X-Division glory for himself.
Acey Romero also made his Impact PPV debut on the show and took a harsh bump from the ladder through a table.
Alisha Edwards Helps Eddie Edwards Beat Moose
Eddie Edwards and Moose formerly teamed together in Impact and Pro Wrestling NOAH. The two would clash on PPV this year, however, as they went one-on-one at Impact’s Homecoming PPV this year in Nashville on January 6th, 2019. The match kicked off this week’s “Best of 2019” show.
For Moose, the loss to Edwards kicked off a year for him which would be much more successful and included PPV wins over Rob Van Dam and Ken Shamrock. He’ll face Rhino at Hard to Kill.
For Edwards, he would go on to defeat Killer Kross on PPV and then when the Call Your Shot Gauntlet on PPV as well in 2019. He’ll face Michael Elgin at Hard to Kill.
First Batch Of 2019 Awards Given Out
Impact announced several of its 2019 award winners on this weekend’s show. The Wrestler of the Year, Match of the Year, and Tag Team of the Year will be announced on next week’s show.
Impact Wrestling 2019 Award Winners:
- Knockout of the Year: Taya Valkyrie
- X-Division Star of the Year: Rich Swann
- Move of the Year: Magnum (Tessa Blanchard)
- Moment of the Year- Sami Callihan Wins World Title On AXS TV Debut
- One to Watch in 2020: Willie Mack
One To Watch In 2020: Willie Mack
Willie Mack won the award for one to watch in 2020. He’ll team with Rich Swann at Hard to Kill in an attempt to win the tag titles from the North. This week on Impact, Mack’s single’s victory over Trey from the Rascalz was featured.
Later in the show, the tag champs tried to break up their upcoming challengers in a backstage segment.
LAX vs Lucha Bros Rivalry Featured
LAX vs the Lucha Bros from Homecoming was featured on this Best of 2019 show. The two teams would engage in an epic rivalry before both would leave for AEW later in the year. In this particular contest, LAX picked up the win and retained their Impact tag team championships.
By the time they would leave the promotion, LAX had secured their position as the top tag team champions in the history of the company.