Impact Wrestling Redemption: Predictions
4/22/18
Universal Studios, Orlando, FL
Match Card:
- Aerostar vs. Drago
- X Division Championship: Matt Sydal (c) w/ Josh Matthews vs. Petey Williams
- World Tag Team Championship: Latin American Xchange (Santana and Ortiz) (c) w/ Konnan vs. Eli Drake and Scott Steiner
- House of Hardcore Match: Tommy Dreamer, Eddie Edwards, and Moose vs. Ohio Versus Everything (Sami Callihan, Jake Crist, and Dave Crist)
- Knockouts Championship: Allie (c) vs. Su Yung w/ Braxton Sutter
- Six Way Match: Brian Cage vs. Taiji Ishimori vs. Dezmond Xavier vs. El Hijo Del Fantasma vs. Trevor Lee w/ Caleb Konley
- Impact World Championship Triple Threat: Austin Aries (c) vs. Fenix vs. Pentagon Jr.
Predictions:
This will be the first Impact Wrestling pay per view of 2018, the first one of the new regime, and the first one since Bound for Glory 2017. The television show under Don Callis and Scott D'amore has been a huge improvement and while this card lacks star power, this will be a good, quality show in ring. Hopefully it will gain Impact some buzz that will lead to better television ratings. I do not see this show drawing huge numbers on pay per view but this is just the first step, as Impact is still trying to gain its footing.
This was the newest match added to the card this week. While it lacks a storyline on Impact television, this was a featured feud in Lucha Underground. Aerostar and Drago were former tag partners and Trios Champions (with Fenix) but Drago was brainwashed and turned on Aerostar. That story was not told on Impact, as Drago wrestled as a babyface for the company last year. This match could be the show stealer, as Aerostar is an amazing talent. With the departure of Garza Jr. and Laredo Kid, along with the lack of tag teams, I hope these two stay for the tapings and challenge LAX for the tag titles. As for the match result, it really serves no purpose at this point.
Prediction: Aerostar
This is a match that I want to like but have a few issues with. Brian Cage has been a unique character on television and felt like an attraction. While he will certainly have his moments in this match, he will also have to share the spotlight with 5 other wrestlers. I would much rather see him in a singles match with someone like KM. This will also be DJ-Z's second match in the company following a career threatening injury and there was a story that could have been told there. He could have returned on television, following a sitdown interview or two, explaining the injury and his recovery. This could have been a great comeback story.
Ishimori, Fantasma, Lee, and Xavier have not done much on television lately and could have had a fatal 4 way or an elimination match instead, giving them more time to showcase themselves. That could have even been a number one contender match. While this match will be great, there is no way anyone other than Brian Cage will win, as he is the only one constantly featured on television.
Prediction: Brian Cage wins.
Eddie Edwards and Sami Callihan have had a strong, personal feud ever since the accidental injury to Edwards' eye by Callihan. I can understand them not having a one on one match, since the Crist brothers will most likely interfere anyway. The insertion of Moose was a good choice and it played out well on television. Tommy Dreamer feels so random in this match. He is an agent for the company and an angle where oVe attacked him backstage would have made sense. Despite not having a real reason to be there, I do like having him in the match. He is popular among hardcore wrestling fans and can bring some good will back to the company.
Moose and Callihan are both guys that Impact seems to have big plans for in 2018. Moose needs a rebound win after losing his Feast or Fired briefcase while Eddie Edwards simply needs revenge for the attack. The Crist Brothers are pretty much background characters when not chasing for the tag titles so there is no point in protecting them.
Prediction: Tommy Dreamer, Moose, and Eddie Edwards
Aside from the main event, this match seems to have the most buzz given Steiner's return. His media call on Thursday added to that, with his controversial comments on Konnan, Dixie Carter, and Hulk Hogan. That is the most Impact can get out of him at this point in his career. If he sticks around for the television tapings, I would like to see him as Eli Drake's right hand man as he pursues the World title. Given his in ring limitations, I do not see this team winning the tag titles from LAX.
The tag division in Impact is seriously lacking. The only other teams are oVe and the Cult of Lee. Hopefully we will see new teams debuting during the tapings but this is a good buffer match in the meantime.
Predictions: LAX
It's nice to see a one on one X division title match. Now hopefully we can also see some number one contender matches in this division. Petey earned this match by winning Feast or Fired, despite guys like Rohit Raju getting random title matches on television. The feud has been built up as well as it could be. This will be a good, solid match, but it's hard to imagine Sydal losing. He and Josh Matthews are just getting started as a duo and they will not lose the X title this early on.
Prediction: Sydal retains.
The Knockouts title match is the only other feud, aside from Callihan and Edwards, that has been built up on television. Su Yung, despite looking similar to Rosemary, does not come off as a similar character. I hope her alliance with Braxton Sutter has some sort of backstory behind it because at this point it feels random. However, Su Yung plays her character well and her in ring work looks good. Allie's character, while still innocent, has a little more confidence now and it was great to see her attack Su Yung on the go home show. Allie is still a new champion while Yung is still a new character so this match is a little difficult to predict. I would give this one to Allie, as I feel Yung can be rehabbed later on. I can also see this match going to a non finish.
Prediction: Allie wins and retains.
With the departure of Alberto El Patron, Impact management had to quickly come up with a new main event. While the company received some criticism for doing the same match from the Impact Wrestling vs. Lucha Underground special, and re-airing that match in its entirety on the go home show, this was the best thing that the company could have done. Pentagon Jr. and Fenix are excellent wrestlers and characters so it will be a great match. While neither has gotten any character development on the television show, the match has been hyped up well and still feels like an attraction.
Austin Aries is having a great title reign so far and it is hard to imagine it ending here. It looks like both Fenix and Pentagon will be at the tapings following the pay per view so I would not be surprised to see Pentagon continue a world title chase here.
Prediction: Austin Aries retains.
Redemption is missing a few key players, such as Johnny Impact, Kongo Kong, Rosemary, and Taya. I doubt these talent would significantly increase the buyrate but I am still surprised by their absence. Overall, this looks to be a solid card from top to bottom. With 7 matches announced, I would not be surprised by another match or an angle taking place with someone like Kong, KM, or Fallah Bahh. This will hopefully set the right tone for the tapings following it and lead to a successful year for the company.
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