Impact 1/11/2018

Tonight, Impact Grand Champion Ethan Carter III issues an open challenge. Eddie Edwards teams with Moose to take on the team of Bobby Lashley & KM. LAX and OvE take their feud to the next level. All this and more!

Impact Wrestling presents Impact
Date: 1/11/2018
From: Ottawa, Ontario, Canda

Bobby Lashley and Dan Lambert make their way down to the ring to start the program for an interview. Lambert wants to ask a question and wonders if the fans are getting tired of them coming out and gloating about their success in professional wrestling. Lambert says he’s having the time of his life. He notes that he was surprised by how resilient Impact Wrestling has been and compares the company to the cockroaches at his home. He’s here for two reasons. Number one, he wants a moment of silence for the end of James Storm’s career. He suggests that the crowd make a collection for Storm’s beer money fund. Lambert is also out to introduce the newest member of American Top Team. Lambert credits the new member for taking out Storm, which is something Lashley couldn’t do. Lashley doesn’t like that line. Lambert introduces KM. KM starts off telling Lashley that he wanted to run with the group and thinks that he has done a great job proving himself. KM takes some credit for retiring James Storm. He also takes credit for taking out Moose.

That brings out Moose to confront the trio. Moose makes his way down to the ring despite being outnumbered and spears KM. Lashley helps out KM hammering away on Moose. KM and Lashley double team Moose until Eddie Edwards runs into the ring and takes them out with a dropkick. Moose has gotten up and delivers a running clothesline. Lambert is begging off in the corner and is pulled to the floor by Lashley. These four men will compete in a tag match in the main event for the evening.

Impact Grand Champion Ethan Carter III makes his way out to cut a promo. He puts himself over as the best wrestler anywhere. He wants to know who’s better than him. Ethan talks about Matt Sydal, who is Mr. Nice Guy and taunts him for choking when given a title shot. He thinks that Sydal lacks a killer instinct. Carter suggests that Sydal play for the Ottawa Senators. This leads to Carter issuing an open challenge.

Opening Contest: Impact Grand Champion Ethan Carter III vs. Petey Williams: Carter attacks from behind to get the cheap advantage. Williams takes Carter over with a head scissors and a middle rope head scissors before putting Carter over the middle rope with a drop toe hold. Petey quickly delivers a dropkick before putting Carter in the tree of woe. Williams stands on Carter’s groin while playing to the crowd. Carter recovers and is able to drop Williams with a clothesline. Carter sends Williams chest first into the corner to keep control in his favor. Carter drives Williams down to the mat with a back suplex. Carter drives Williams down with a front slam for a near fall. Williams gets a rollup on Carter for a two count. Petey avoids right hands and punches Carter several times. Carter knee lifts Petey before sending Williams chest first into the corner. Williams is able to hit a side Russian leg sweep for a two count. Williams gets a two count following an elevated Flatliner. Williams signals for the Canadian Destroyer but Carter is able to fight out of it. Carter plants Williams with a TKO but Williams kicks out at two. Petey avoids the One Percenter by sending Carter to the floor. Petey misses a slingshot cross body and holds his knee. However, Matt Sydal storms into the ring and attacks Carter to give Carter a victory by disqualification. (**. They were working a decent match before a lame DQ finish. It was a little weird to see Williams, an X-Division guy, manage to easily hit slams and whatnot on a heavyweight. There wasn’t much crowd investment into the action, but it was a fine match to kill some time.)

Backstage, Allie is interviewed. Allie is mad about Laurel attacking her from behind last week. Allie says things are changing and she says she’s not small or weak. She’s down to play a game.

Outside, Impact Global Champion Eli Drake and Chris Adonis have arrived to the building. Alberto El Patron is throwing things backstage because he’s livid about not being champion.

Backstage, Matt Sydal says that EC3 called him out and he arrived. Sydal says you don’t make fun of him without paying a consequence. Sydal wants Carter for the Impact Grand Championship in a singles match. If Carter can beat him then he’l; shake his hand. Sydal is the change that professional wrestling needs.

Second Contest: Impact Knockouts Champion Laurel Van Ness vs. KC Spinelli: KC gets the early offense until Laurel sends her face first into the middle turnbuckle. Laurel delivers a knee strike to the midsection of KC over the middle rope. Spinelli drives Laurel down with a slam and slaps her. Laurel had slapped KC moments earlier for touching her fur coat. KC clotheslines Laurel to keep control of the match. Laurel eye rakes KC and delivers a boot. Laurel comes off the ropes and hits a flip bulldog. Laurel comes off the top but misses KC. KC hits a bridging vertical suplex and argues with the referee to count. KC tosses Laurel with a double under hook suplex for a near fall. KC argues with the referee and Laurel nearly wins with a rollup. They knock each other out with kick attempts. KC misses a splash in the corner and Laurel delivers a few clotheslines and dropkick. Laurel hits a side Russian leg sweep for a near fall. Laurel comes off the ropes to deliver a curb stomp. Laurel hits a jumping Un-Prettier for the win. (**. It was a fine, competitive Knockouts match. It felt like it went a little long and should have been more of a squash for Laurel.) After the match, Allie runs into the ring and attacks Laurel briefly.

Impact Global Champion Eli Drake and Chris Adonis make their way down to the ring for a promo. Adonis tells the fans to sit down and shut their mouths to show Eli Drake and himself some respect. Adonis puts over Drake for still being the Impact Global Champion. Drake can’t wait to get back to LA. Drake doesn’t understand how people can live in sub-zero weather and calls them all dummies. Drake talks about beating Alberto El Patron in Rahway, New Jersey. Drake thinks that El Patron should have just stayed at the bar and drank some more. Drake is winning titles and keeping titles that El Patron continues to try and win the Impact Global Championship. Drake is going to Detroit next week and is defending the title again. He gets cut off by…

Alberto El Patron making his way out to the aisle way. El Patron tells Drake to shut his mouth. He sees a loser and a little kid acting like he’s the champion. El Patron doesn’t think that Drake has the balls to defend the title against him. I mean, he did in Rahway and beat him, but that’s okay. El Patron says he’s not booked tonight but he’s going to book himself tonight. El Patron thinks they shouldn’t wait because there’s an audience and ring right now. El Patron sees himself as the real champion. That brings out…

Johnny Impact to join the segment. Impact says that Detroit is getting a party and he likes a good party. Impact says he’ll see them both in Detroit. Impact tells El Patron that he usually just talks nonsense but this week he made some sense. Impact thinks they shouldn’t wait either. El Patron quickly attacks Impact on the floor. Adonis and Drake attack both men. Adonis and Drake are sent into the railing. Impact superkicks El Patron and takes everyone out with a corkscrew dive! Impact rolls back into the ring and stands tall.

Backstage, Dan Lambert is praising KM for getting rid of James Storm. Bobby Lashley doesn’t look very thrilled about it.

Backstage, Chandler Parks and Joseph Parks are talking where Chandler is thrilled about winning his first match. Joseph tells Chandler this place can be dangerous. Jimmy Jacobs enters the scene and says he knew who Joseph Parks once was. Jacobs recalls Joseph being the person that caused ambulances to be called. Jacobs says that if Abyss ever showed his face again that he’d find out there is only one monster. Chandler defends Joseph until Kongo Kong comes in and Chandler cowards into Joseph’s arms. Honestly, Chandler was quite entertaining here.

Backstage, OvE is counting money while drinking or something and then they wreck their station. Oh, it’s apparently LAX’s area. Sami Callihan gets the flags and says welcome to Ohio. LAX comes to their area and see that it’s been jacked up and they took their money. Konnan says OvE is crazy. Konnan thinks they need to go back to their roots and take down the ropes and put up barbed wire. That looks to be the setup for a barbed wire match.

Third Contest: Trevor Lee, Caleb Konley & Hakim Zane vs. Sonjay Dutt, Garza Jr., & Dezmond Xavier: Garza and Zane start the match shoving each other. Garza headbutts Zane a few times followed by a strike to the midsection for a two count. Xavier tags in but Zane kicks him away but Xavier gets a few near falls on quick covers. Xavier dropkicks Zane on the back to send him to the floor as the show goes to a commercial break.

Zane works over Dutt with strikes to keep control of the match. Zane forearms Dutt in the corner and gets a two count. Dutt boots Zane in the corner followed by a running hurricanrana out of the corner. Konley cheap shots Dutt and Zane manages a two count. Konley legally tags in to deliver a kick for a near fall on Dutt. Konley keeps Dutt on the mat with basic offense before tagging out to Lee. Lee drops Sonjay with a short arm clothesline. Lee delivers a few kicks to the chest of Dutt. Sonjay blocks a kick but Lee decks Xavier off the apron and Dutt is double teamed in the corner. Konley comes back in and delivers a forearm strike to keep Dutt on the mat. Zane tags back in and chokes Dutt in the corner. Zane controls Dutt with a sleeper hold but that doesn’t last very long. Dutt lands on his feet to avoid a back suplex and dropkicks Zane. Garza tags in and cleans house with clotheslines. Garza rips off his pants and Zane dropkicks his own teammates on accident. Zane drops Garza with a knee strike. Xavier tags in and kicks Zane to the mat. Xavier hits a twisting corkscrew senton for the win. (*1/2. I don’t know. The X-Division isn’t all that exciting as the heels here didn’t do much to hold my interest when they had control of the match. It’s awkward that the announcers promote the match as exciting when it’s really basic wrestling and isn’t very fun.) After the match, the Impact X-Division Champion Taiji Ishimori comes out and holds the belt in the ring to confront Dezmond Xavier. These two will wrestle next week on television. Xavier wants to shake hands and Taiji accepts it.

Main Event: Bobby Lashley & KM vs. Eddie Edwards & Moose: Lashley and KM attack before the bell but Moose dropkicks Lashley to send him to the floor. KM is kicked by Edwards in the corner and Edwards hits a head scissors off the middle rope. Moose works over KM with several chops to back KM into a corner. Edwards tags in but KM cuts him off with a boot to the midsection. KM misses a chop and Edwards delivers a chop. Lashley enters and scoop slams Edwards to help his partner. KM keeps control with an elbow drop for a two count as Impact goes to commercial.

Lashley continues to work over Edwards and taunts Moose. Lashley drives Edwards to the canvas with a vertical suplex for a two count. KM tags back in and Edwards ducks a double clothesline. Lashley falls through the middle rope to the floor. Edwards chops KM and tags in Moose. Moose drops KM with an elbow and along with Edwards hit a double senton splash for a two count. Moose tags in Edwards to keep control of the match but KM kicks Edwards before going for a slam. Edwards gets to the apron and shoulder rams KM followed by a chop. Lashley trips Edwards causing him to hit the apron hard back first. Lashley tosses Edwards back into the ring managing to get a near fall for KM. Lashley continues to shoulder ram Edwards in the corner and delivers a running spear in the corner. KM drives Edwards back first into the apron and rolls Eddie back into the ring. Lashley splashes Edwards over the back to keep control of the match. Lashley drives Edwards down with a swinging neck breaker and taunts Moose. KM tags back in and hits a slingshot splash from the apron for a two count. KM attempts a suplex but Edwards avoids it. Edwards takes KM over with a snap suplex. Lashley gets tagged in and knocks Moose off the apron. Lashley allows KM to get a few cheap shots in on Edwards. Lashley taunts Moose but Eddie comes back with a middle rope missile dropkick.

KM gets tagged in and stops Edwards. Eddie is able to tag in Moose on a second try and Moose delivers a headbutt. Moose dropkicks a seated KM in the corner. Moose runs into a boot from KM but hits a middle rope sit out spine buster for a near fall. Lashley gets kicked by Edwards on the apron. Moose clotheslines Lashley over the top to the floor while Edwards takes KM out with a suicide dive. Dan Lambert distracts Edwards allowing KM to hit a sit down Lung Blower and pins Edwards. (**. I’m actually glad that KM was able to get a pin over Edwards. This is going to continue the push for KM and I’d imagine this will lead to Lashley turning on his group. The match isn’t anything special, but there was some decent wrestling throughout.)

A video promoting a barbed wire match taking place next week between OvE and LAX closes the program.

Final Thoughts:
This week felt like a filler week for sure. Next weeks episode has my interest as I’m a sucker for a barbed wire match. I’m hopeful the X-Division match delivers, as well. There’s nothing to see on this weeks edition of Impact, though.

Thanks for reading.