5/12/20 Impact Wrestling Recap

by Scott Porter

May Madness starts tonight with the tournament to see who is the #1 contender to the Impact Championship… but a Moose promo package interrupts the intro saying how great he is with every major impact player from the past touting, self appointed TNA World Champion, Moose. Hogan, Bully Ray, AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy and more are shown. This is a bogus vignette, but entertaining. They are just playing clips from previous interviews and patching it together, but it is well done. Tonight’s show opens with Josh Mathews and Madison Rayne again on commentary. The scene is a blacked arena except the entrance stage.

Match 1 (oVe) Madman Fulton VS Hernandez (May Madness Tournament)

The first match of the tournament starts with the two struggling to gain an advantage until Hernandez gains a side headlock that turns into two clotheslines. Neither knock Fulton off his feet. Hernandez chops Fulton, but Fulton whips him into the corner and sets him up for a superplex off the top rope. He maintains control, draping Hernandez over the ropes and diving on him followed up with a count of 2. Fulton hits boots and punches repeatedly and his oVe teammates hold Hernandez up from the ropes so Fulton can deliver a splash. Fulton follows up with a side headlock, whip and sideslam. Hernandez is prone as Fulton dives from the top rope. Hernandez moves from the attack and scrambles to the outside and builds a comeback to the now downed, Fulton. Hernandez hits a flying tackle from the outside and a senton followed by a chokeslam. Fulton rolls to the outside, and oVe members block Hernandez from gaining a further advantage, but Hernandez tosses Jay into Fulton. Fulton then recovers briefly and goes to the top rope. He is met by Fulton and tosses Fulton off to his back. Hernandez hits a top rope splash and gets the three count for the win.

Winner and moving on in the Tournament.. Hernandez

Promo with Michael Elgin is next. He is directing is comments at Impact, asking why he needs to be in the tournament since he has been beating people for 16 years. If that isn’t enough, he threatens he will send them to the hospital.

Fulton is shown backstage tossing furniture in the back, as his partners argue with him. Crazy Steve interrupts and tells them they have no leadership. This sets up a match next week. Joseph P. Ryan walks by and says the word crazy is offensive.

Match 2 Kylie Ray VS Tasha Steelz

Steelz is a newcomer to Impact, but Rayne mentions she is not new to wrestling. Steelz and Ray work scientifically with arm twists and reversals, as they feel each other out. Rey eventually puts Steelz in a head scissors, but Steelz handstands her way from the hold. Steelz has a lots of attitude, but if remains to be seen if she is a heal. Rae hits a shoulderblock and then a deep arm drag. She follows it up with impact moves as they run the ropes until Steelz flapjacks her into the corner and then boots her in the face. Steels hits 3 short arm clotheslines which down Rae where she puts on a headlock. Rae stands up and backward rams Steelz into the corner repeatedly. Both are staggered, but Rae manages to hit a clothesline then a Kylie Special rollup for a count of 2. Steelz regains the advantage and gets a count of two after a top rope splash, but it isn’t enough as Rae immediately regains the advantage and taps out Steelz with the STF.

Winner Kylie Rae

Rae looks both happy and apologetic for winning as she gleefully heads up the ramp.

Rahit is shown backstage promoting his chances in the #1 Contenders Tournament. He says change is coming again to Impact. The fact that nobody believes in him makes it better. Trey will be his first victim and he will gain respect.

Rae is backstage with Suzie. Suzie appears to be in a friendly daze. She is friendly though, and the meeting ends with Rae saying she likes her.

Match 3 Kimber Lee VS Havok

Havok is ready to gain some revenge on Kimber Lee from the digs Lee made last week during the Locker Room Talk segment. Havok grabs Lee by the hair and tosses her across the rings several times. Lee recovers after scrambling to the ring apron, and hits two side kicks as we go to break. Kimber Lee is back from break working over Havok in the corner with chokes and then a foot pushed against Havok’s throat. She then locks on a illegal Octopus hold using the ropes. The ref breaks up the hold and Havok collapses to the center of the ring. Lee hits a Swanton as Navia is seen in the background. Lee gets a 2 count on Havok, but is upset she can’t make the pin. Havok regains the control over the frustrated Lee and hits a swinging slam. Lee kicks out, but notices Navia on the side of the stage. Lee pulls from brass knucks from behind the corner post and waits for the perfect moment to knock out Havok for the win.

Winner Kimber Lee

Kiera Hogan promo again from the streets of Atlanta. She says she is the hottest flame.

Locker Room Talk with Madison Rayne and Johnny Swinger is up next. This weeks guest is Ken Shamrock. Shamrock looks at Johnny and tells him to go get him some water and refuses to shake his hand. Swinger leaves somewhat scared. Shamrock says he is focused on the Impact belt when Elgin walks in and hits him over the head with a chair. Elgin then drapes another chair over his head and smashes that chair with another while Shamrock is down. Elgin says the championship is his and walks off.

Sami Callahan promo next. He targets Michael Elgin. He calls Big Mike a failure. Next week he sets up the match with Big Mike in the tournament.

Match 4 Rohit Raju VS Trey from the Rascalz #1 Contenders tournament

This will be a fast paces match, as all are with Trey. Rahit and Trey trade wristlocks and reversals as this match opens. Trey goes to the air with a moonsault while holding a wristlock. Rahit gains control with kicks and punches, but Trey hits a series of head scissors and handstand leglocks. Rahit retreats to the outside and gains an advantage as he reenters the rings. Rahit wants to keep the match slow and ground based. Trey fights back, but Rahit hits a face buster. Rahit keeps the pressure for a few minutes and hits a fishermen’s suplex for a count of two. Trey hits a desperation neck breaker and bother are down. They both get to their feet and trade punches and kicks until Trey and Rahit end up down again. Rahit hits a suplex for a two count. Trey catches Rahit with a 619 while Rahit was climbing the ropes. Trey goes for a leap off the top rope, but Rahit heats a wicked high knee as Trey jumps off the ropes. Rahit applies a swinging neck breaker and goes for another, but Trey rolls him up for a 3 count and the win, moving him to the second round of the tournament.

Winner Trey

A shocked Rahit looks on as Trey celebrates. Rahit’s shock turns into rage in the rings.

Cody Deaner is shown next, back at the cornfield in a Canada. He is drinking beer and talking on a flip phone yelling at someone, then saying he loves that guy as he hangs up. Then he is shown doing redneck yoga, dancing in the street and jogging. He then has a pretend match against a tree and the air. He then pins a stuffed animal and finishes the segment drinking another beer.

Match 5.. The North VS Smoes for the Impact Tag Championships

This match is back in Canada again. Ethan Page promises this will be better competition this week. Josh Alexander looks annoyed as this is another job match. The best part of the segment is the announcer introducing Ethan page. Everyone from Dean Malenko, Chris Jericho, Doc Gallows and Ken Anderson are mentioned or implied. It was pretty funny. The match is a joke and over quickly. Alexander looks like he isn’t enjoying this stupidity.

Winners and still champions, The North

Rosemary is back at the bar with her cards. The promo centers around Taya but it was very confusing.

Flashback match AJ VS Matt Hardy. AJ with the win.

Swinger vs Chris Bey are backstage. Bey says he is a big fan and is upset Willie Mack was talking about him behind his back. Swinger cuts a bad 80s promo on Mack and walks off as Bey makes fun of him for being so dumb.

Back from break Swinger confronts Mack and challenges him to a match next week. This was again funny. Swinger is hilarious.

Match 6 TNA World Champion Moose VS Suicide

Moose demands David Penzer to introduce him as the TNA World Champion and this match is for the championship. Josh Matthews continue to imply the championship reign is bogus. Suicide has Moose scrambling out of the ring after a 30 second series of high paced moves. Back from break, Moose is being chopped and kicked by Suicide. Then Suicide basement dropkicks Moose to the outside and follows him out. Moose whips Suicide to the barricade and tosses him back in the ring. Suicide recovers and boots Moose twice, climbs the ropes, but gets launched across the rings like a rag doll. Moose now in control methodically chops and kicks Suicide. He tries to comeback, but Moose just lays a boot to him that lands him back outside the ring. Moose follows and swings Suicide into the barricade ala the Cesaro Swing. Moose follows this up with a powerbomb to the floor. Moose celebrates in the ring thinking Suicide won’t beat the count back, however once it appears that won’t happen, Moose kicks him back to the ground. Moose tosses Suicide back in the ring and stands gloating, but Suicide gets to his feet and does a dive outside the ring to the unsuspecting Champion sending him to the barricade hard. Suicide continues to hit high impact moves like a swinging head scissors. Eventually the chops knock Moose down. Suicide climbs the ropes but Moose recovers then Suicide leaps over Moose to the center of the ring. Moose attempts a powerbomb, but gets flipped and dropped on his head. A Lionsault gets Suicide
a two count, but not a win. Moose corners and stomps Suicide in the corner until the ref stops it. Moose accidentally squashes the ref as they go back and forth. Suicide is pining Moose after a failed top rope move by Moose. Suicide revives the ref as Moose recovers. Suicide hits a sunset flip for another 2 count. Moose hits a low blow and jackhammer spear for the win.

Winner and still TNA World Champion, Moose