TNA Impact Review June 12, 2025

We’re still in Tempe, AZ with the fallout from Against All Odds. We start the build for Slammiversary and we have plenty of action to get to. Hannifan and Rewholdt are here. You are here and I am here. So, let’s engage in some Impactful Discourse, shall we? We shall.

Previously on TNA we were Against All Odds, because we shared the laughter and the pain and even shared the tears. No Phil Collins or Jeff Bridges but we do get highlights of the Iinspirations return after the By Elegance Brand victory. We get highlights of Slamovich vs. Lee with the return of Killer Kelly. And, some footage of Trick Williams vs. Elijah.

Earlier today, Santana is….walking. He is walking to the entrance but is cut off by Santino Marella who informs he is suspended for two weeks. If he is seen in the Mullett Arena area, he could get fired. Marella empathizes with Santana but warns him not to blow it right now. He knows Santana wants the match and Santino will work with him on it, post suspension. Santana respects Marella and he leaves.

However, as he leaves Robert Stone tries to bum rush the door and sneak into the arena. Marella sees him and has security (better than the ones from last week) to forcibly remove him from the premises.

The opening rolls and we are still in the Valley of the Sun in Tempe and we are greeted by Marella. The crowd gives him a good pop and name chant. He said the Tempe crowds are too kind (offer void with Steve Kerr.) He said he did want he had to do to regain his position. He said the crowd gave him the extra oomph to beat Stone and now Stone is gone forever from our screen (until WWE Evolution but magic hand wave.)

We are on the road to Slamiversary. And, he is working on making it the biggest show in history. He just booked an X-Division Title match between Moose and Leon Sla-tar (Marella malaprops are never not funny.) He hypes next week show and talks about this week’s show featuring the 8-4-1 match.

While all this is good, he does address Tricky (his words) Williams holding the TNA Title despite not being in on the roster. Everyone is chomping at the bit (with Marella providing the chomps) to get Williams and there will be some incredible, exciting and inspirational information at matches.

And speaking of Inspirational (Iinspirational) here is Cassie Lee and Jackie McOkay (Marella, not me.) They are in action for the first time in three years.

After the usual rounds of ads, we get

The Iinspiration vs. Missa Kate and Brittany Brooks

McKay offers her hand but Kate shoves it away. McKay grabs a headlock and takes Kate down with a shoulderblock. Kate gets up and now offers her hand in friendship, which McKay accepts but turns it into an arm flip. Lee tagged in and delivers a top rope standing elbow drop to Kate’s shoulder. Brooks is tagged but gets an arm drag and a leg by Lee before getting stomped.

McKay tagged and we get stereo kicks on Brooks before Kate comes and the Iinspiration delivers stereo kicks to loud applause and ….we hit the pose. McCay is whipped into the ropes but grabs Brooks and gets a cradle for two. McCay delivers a knee to the head, meteora and a salto suplex for two. McCay hits the ropes but Brooks grabs her hair to distract her, giving Brooks enough time to hit a clothesline.

Kate and Brooks take turns stomping McCay in the corner. Kate is tagged and threw McCay to the ropes for a shoulder block but McCay reverses it into a back elbow smash and throws Brooks through the ropes. We get the hot tag and Lee delivers a series of kicks to both Kate and Brooks. She delivered kicks to both before delivering flying knees to both in opposite corners. Lee hits a neckbreaker on Brooks and a perfectplex on Kare for two before Brooks breaks the count. McCay enters the ring and stomps Lee to the floor. McCay is officially tagged in and the Idolizer gets the victory, who get huge applause up the rampway.

The Hardys are out for an interview. Matt said they have won and lost titles and faced a lot of bumps on the road. However, they are looking to get back on the right track by beating First if they win and by some twist of fate, they will get closer to facing and beating the Nemeths and prove they are the greatest of all time. And Jeff agrees.

After we hail our corporate overlords, we get a review of First Class returning (at least Francis) to NXT. We look at First Class’ verbal altercation with Josh Brooks and Yoshiki Imamura. First class makes inferences to winning the NXT tag titles and Imamura called the duo annoying. Elijah comes into frame. Francis goes to attack but Navarro cools him down as they look for Williams offscreen.

We go back to Tempe for the First Class Penthouse. The champagne, um..bottle is popped and First Class thanks us for being here. We get reintroduced to Francis and his co-host Navarro. This installment of the FCP is special because Francis is out here dripping because it is a First Class Summer. Navarro hypes the new First Class T-shirt (available now.) Francis, despite the crowd, is in a good mood. The crowd breaks into a “What” chant but Francis deftly stems the tide with the old “If you’re a dum—-, say what.” The crowd responds and realizes what happened. Booing ensues.

Nonetheless, Francis is in a good mood. Such a good mood he has a $100 bill. He shows the cameraman that it is authentic and unlike others they have money so you know it’s legitimate. They bring a young fan from the stands named Pedro. Pedro gets a good pop and a name chant. Even Francis noted the kid is over with the crowd. All the kid has to do is say the First Class chant of “money, money, money” and the Benjamin Franklin is his. The kid hits the chant and Francis asks the audience if the kid deserves it. Being generally benevolent souls, they say yes.

However, Francis said its’ too bad and he don’t care because nothing in life is free and life is unfair. The kid made an attempt to grab the money but Francis was too quick. Hopefully, this might be the reboot of the Rob Van Dam story.

But enough of that, let’s bring out our guest, Trick Williams. First Class tries to get a “First Class Trick” chant going to his music (with Francis providing the Booker T comments.) Francis asks the crowd why did they take up for Williams and turn their back on TNA. He said the answer was obvious, Francis said he made Hendry but never got a title shot. So, when Williams beat Hendry, it was an easy choice. Wiliams said First Class and when you say First Class..they appear (nice turn of phrase.)

Williams digs first class. He looked at Francis and Navarro and said that they are alright with him. Franics did say the title glistens in the pale moonlight and First Class would like some gold with it. They are headed to NXT and after they beat the Hardys, they are first in line for a Tag Team Title shot. Willams told them to slow their role but eventually props up First Class and then all three raise their classes and toast the “TrickNA” reign will last forever.

Hannifan said the scene makes him sick as the troika tried again to get the “First Class Trick” chant going as we head to break. The segment was lengthy but it filled in the blanks and Franics was very entertaining.

We head back to Jason Hotch getting ready for his match until we hear the, well, antithesis of dulcet and mellifluous tones of Alicia Edwards yelling if we want to know something. The rest of the System follow in tow. Edwards said he could get Hotch a replica System ring and commented on the dissention in the Order Four. JDC said he likes what he sees in Hotch and in the System, there are no leaders just equals. If he can defeat Leon Slater, there might be a spot for him in the System.

At this point, Order Four walk into frame on the left side of the screen. Ali scowls and glares and Hotch falls in line. All four back away as Edwards pops off at them but sees a new target she wants to ask if he wants to something – Matt Cardona. The System and Cardona start to jaw about Cardona’s status and his love of coffee. Next week, if Cardona can get a partner, we have a tag match against the System. The System walk off screen, save Brian Myers, who has a longing look with Cardona. I kid, they glare without saying to each other and walk away as we ponder the possible Edgeheads Explosion.

As we ponder, we get a Bioflex report. Heather by Elegance chipped a tooth but is ready to go. Tessa Blanchard has been cleared and ready to go (which is good because she wrestles tonight.) Jason Hotch got banged up vs. Ali at AAO but he is ready to go. That’s good, because he is up next.

Before that, let’s pay the bills.

Coming back, we get some Slammiversary hype.

Lason Hotch vs. Leon Slater

As Slater walks/bounces to the ring, we get an inset promo from Slater on facing Moose. He is going to win the title and live forever or die trying. DO we get him? Yeah, it seems straight forward.

Hannifan and Rewholdt talk about what Slater is trying to accomplish – become the youngest X-Division Champion (Slater turns 21 in September.) The current record holder is the Amazing Red back in 2003.

Hotch gets an armdrag but Slater flips out of it and hits a drop kick. Slater grabs an armbar and after a series of reverses, Hotch tried to hit a dropkick but missed. Another Slater dropkick hits the target again. Slater throws Hotch to the corner Hotch gets out and hits two elbows in the corner. Hotch gets an armdrag and finally hits the dropkick. He follows it with a rolling kick for two. Hotch sets upon him with forearms and chops. Hotch pushes Slater to the ropes and hits a forearm and a slingshot backbreaker gets two.

Hotch keeps the attack going delivering knees to Slater’s back and then puts him in the corner for a series of shoulderblocks before he hits the chinlock. Slater, with the crowd support tries to power up but falls victim to armdrag and back to a head and armlock. Slater again powers back up and slugs his way out. Hotch grabs the arm and tries a slingshot gourdbuster but Slater reverses it to a suplex.

Both combatants struggle to their feet but Slater gets there first and hists a series of clotheslines and a backsrping elbow for two-and-a-fraction. Slater tries to build upon his offense but Hotch stops the tied with a head kick. Hotch and Slater fought on the floor but Hotch pushed him back into the ring and hit a rolling neckbreaker through the ropes for two.

Hotch chops away in the corner but Slater reverses it and hits a Blue Thunder Bomb. Slater goes to the top but Hotch catches him chops him down. Both wrestlers are fighting on the apron. Hotch attempted a suplex on the floor but it is blocked. However, Hotch pushed Slater back on the apron with his boot and then hit a Cave-in on the apron. A Suplex in the ring by Hotch and goes for the pin; however, we do get a series of reversals and rollups. Slater gets up and hits a jumping side kick and then scales to the top and hits the 450 Senton for the victory and a date with Moose (well, a match, at least.)

Post-match, Slater basks in the crowd adulation while Hotch…disappeared? He got out of there fast.

We are now with Gia Miller and Tessa Blanchard. Blanchard actually compliments Miller on the questions she is asked about the 8-4-1 match. She said the quantity does not matter of opponents; the result will be the same. There will be no question who the number one contender is and everyone is in the way. Gia attempts a follow up, now Blanchard starts to berate her for her attempt at relevancy. She finished with a great line that TNA “doesn’t need a leader, it needs a reminder who built it” and walks away. Miller is not happy.

Now, it’s time for a Muppet….well no, actually a Hannifan news flash as they announce the Thursday after Slammiersary they will be in the Ocean State at the Ryan Center on the Campus of the University of Rhode Island.

8-4-1 match

The first team is comprised of Rosemary (who Rewholdt noted is on the same team as her rival from Monster’s Ball), Dani Luna, Tessa Blanchard (with Victoria Crawford in tow) and Xia Brookside.

The other side is comprised of Jody Threat, Tasha Steelz (with Order Four theme,) Killer Kelly and lastly Indi Hartwell, who receives a big pop.

Luna and Steelz start. However, Steelz starts the mind games and quickly tags Threat. Both show respect and go through a series of headlocks and headlock takeovers which get two counts for both. Luna pushed off Threat and tried a Russian Legsweep. Threat reversed it and we get another set of rollups for two. Threat tags in Steelz who reluctantly gets back in the ring. She promptly gets backdropped by Luna and Brookside gets the tag. However, Steelz reclaimed momentum by thumbing Brookside in the eye.

Steelz started to slug away in the corner. However, Brookside reversed a whip into the corner into a series of chops and punches and a hurincanrana out of the corner and a dropkick. A quick bodypress gets one. And now, Brookside tags Rosemary, Rosemary thinks for a moment and goes after Brookside but Blanchard and Luna tried to keep them apart. Whilst that was happening, Steelz hit a back stabber. Rosemary arose from the canvas and STeelz crawled across the ring in a panicked state and tagged in Kelly.

The two faced off in the ring and then the two start to slug away at each other. Kelly reversed a armbar into a series of knee strikes to the front and back of the head. Kelly followed it with a clothesline to the back of the head for two. Threat tagged him slams Rosemary twice. Rosemary grabbed threat and threw her face first into the corner.

Blanchard tagged with an elbow drop over the top rope. Threat reversed a whip to the ropes and blocked a Blanchard punch. But, Crawford grabbed Threat’s leg and Blanchard dropped Threat’s neck over the ropes. Blanchard turns to cheap shot Hartwell and starts to jaw with Hartwell. This gives Threat a chance to get a quick rollup for two. Luna is tagged, as is Rosemary. Rosemary whips Threat to the turnbuckles but misses a shoulderblock. Blanchard is back in and hits an elbow. Blanchard draped Threat over the ropes but a running back elbow is missed. Threat gets to her feet, despite the beat down by Blanchard and get the hot tag to Hartwell.

Hartwell gets a spinebuster but Luna breaks up the pin. Kelly and Luna are brawling but Steelz hits a code breaker to Luna ant hen hits a cutter. Brookside in and hits a cutter of her ow. Threat hits her finisher. Rosemary hits a spear. However, she is in the middle of the ring, Hartwell hits the Hurts, Don’t it for the victory to get us to the four. All four of the victors take a moment to gather themselves as we go to break. Hartwell is still very over with the crowd.

4-1 portion

Back from break the action has started as Hartwell and Threat clothesline Kelly and then Steelz. Threat hits the topes and hits a shoulderblock on Hartwell. Threat throws Hartwell into the corner but Hartwell catches her with a boot. Hartwell charges but is met with an exploder suplex for two. Threat throws Hartwell into the ropes but it is reversed into a Fireman’s Hotshot and a side suplex for two.

Threat traps Hartwell into the ropes but Kelly grabs Threat and she ran the ropes. Kelly threw out of the ring and into the ring steps. Steelz returned to action with an elbow but a knee smash is blocked to a series of forearms but Kelly grabbed Hartwell and started to pound away. Steelz and Kelly double suplex Hartwell but break up each other’s pin attempts. The two then trade forearms. Kelly blocks a clothesline into a series of headbutts and partially lands the Angel’s Wings on STeelz for two. Threat goes to the top and hits a body press on both. Threat grabs Steelz as Hartwell jumped in and decided to clothesline the other two.

However, Threat and Hartwell double clotheslined the other as now everyone is now on the mat. Crowd is still going nuts for Indi STeelz gets up and grabs Kelly for rope assisted bulldog. Threat throws her off and hits a suplex. Hartwell attempted to hit a boot but Threat ducked and got caught in the ropes, making her susceptible for Threat suplex.

STeelz hit another rope-assisted bulldog for two. Hartwell grabbed Steelz but the Hurts, Don’t It is reversed. STeelz goes around Hartwell and does hit the Hurts, Don’t It but Kelly kicks Hartwell during the pin attempt and Kelly gets the Pin and title shot against Slamovich.

Slamovich was watching in the back with her face very close to the screen (my parents would have a conniption if I sat that close.) Miller asked Slamovich for her response regarding facing someone she knows so well. Masha said this felt like it was meant to be. Slamovich knows Kelly better than she knows herself. She knows every scar on her body and mind. When they face each other, she will put Kelly back in her place, on her knees and being her umm..female dog. Miller seems shocked by that last comment as we go to break.

Back from break we get a vignette with Steve Maclin. Maclin said Warner was right about going through hell and coming out. And, Warner hit him harder than he has been hit in a while. But, he is still front toward enemy when defending the International Title. He does have an issue with Trick Williams, who has the TNA title but doesn’t know about TNA wrestling. Maclin said he is one of the last pillars the is company has left. If you cross the line with him, he will drop you with a KIA and anyone else who does the same it will be “tag ‘em, bag ‘em and mayhem.”

Now we head back to ringside for Mance Warner and Steph DeLander. DeLander does the talking and said AAO result was robbery and she knew Warner had him beat. While the referee and officials tried to screw Warner, the only people doing the screwing will be them. The “Mancer/DeLancer Era” is here as we try to finish. But first, Warner has words with a production assistant as security tries to keep him restrained.

Tommy Dramer is now the voice of reason and we get a fight between those two. Yeah… Warner suplexes Dreamer on the rampway and the Knee Pad Up, Knee Pad Down floors Dreamer for good. DeLander drags Warner backstage and into break.

And, back from break we have Sami Callahan talking about Trick Williams as Eric Young and Northern Armory enter scene. Callahan does not like the Armory staring at him but respects Young. HE talks about how Williams doesn’t measure to Bobby Roode, AJ Styles, Abyss, Samoa Joe and others. Young and Callahan are the heart and soul here and there is respect, just not for Northern Armory. Young walks off screen and then runs back on screen to attack Callahan before leaving for good. Callanan recovers and is not happy.

Main Event First Class vs. Hardys

First Clas struts to the ring first. The Hardys are still amazingly over with the crowd. Francis tries to start the action by clotheslining the Hardys but the Hardys duck and Francis ended up being clotheslined out of the ring. Jeff starts with Navarro and gets the early advantage by dropkicking Navarro in the back. Jeff worked the arm and quickly tagged Matt who dopped the second rope elbow on Navarro’s arm.

Matt worked the arm of Navarro and then tagged in Jeff for a double elbow smash and a legdrop and fist drop combo for two. Francis is back in the ring but is thrown into the turnbuckle and Jeff hits the Poetry in Motion and Francis is again clotheslined out of the ring as we hit a break.

Jeff and Navarro are still in the ring. Jeff still working the arm and tagged in Matt for a double suplex on Navarro for two. Matt works the arm with the shoulder. They push Navarro to the ropes and we get a top rope assisted Guillotine and Jeff Hardy legdrop. Jeff continues to pound away with forearms and then works the arm again.

Jeff hits the ropes but Francis grabs the leg, Hardy fights off the interference. Hardy recovers and throws Navarro over the top rope but Francis does the catch spot with Navarro. Francis puts Navarro aside and starts to jaw with Hardy. This gives Navarro a chance to run around the ring and hit a flying forearm smash between the ropes.

However, on landing, Navarro hurt his leg and the referee instantly noticed it as did ringside people. This looked really bad. Francis finished the match alone. Francis headbutted Jeff down and chocked Jeff on the ropes with his knee. For some odd reason, the crowd starting chanting that they want tables.

Francis gabbed an armbar and Jeff tried to power up but Franics hair pulled him down to the mat. Navarro is still writhing on the floor, so Franics cannot make the tag. Franics bodysplashes Jeff in the corner. Francis lines up to land his running knee but Francis missed and goes over the top rope (the referee might be letting him know the scenario.)

Francis continues to beat on Jeff as Hardy tried to make it to the corer. However, we get two kick.wham, Twists of Fate and Matt finally gets the hot tag. Matt slugs away at Francis and we get the turnbuckle smash spot as Francis hits every turnbuckle on the way down. Francis reversed a run to the turnbuckle but a clothesline is blocked into a side effect.

However, Trick Williams runs in and attacks Matt as Francis beats on Jeff for the DQ. However, Joe Hendry and Elijah then run in to aid the Hardys and then the System run in to attack the faces and it is a schmozz-a-palooza. Slater also managed his way to help the faces. The faces clear the ring and the heels congregate on the floor by the corner. This gives Slater the ample opportunity to hit his dive over the turnbuckle to wipe out the heels as we go off the air.

Impactful Ruminations

Francis deserves a lot of credit for tonight. The First Class Penthouse segment was quality and the fact he carried the last part of the match by himself was commendable. I always liked him and he has really started to put the Plancha flop in the rear view window.

Given the big return at AAO, Kelly winning the 8-4-1 did seem like fait accompli. I still think there is something brewing with Blanchard because she is too talented to be stuck with….Victoria Crawford. I know Tessa is still Tessa but it just seems like something is happening there. Good for Kelly, though. She looked great.

Still don’t get the Hartwell response but I will file it under “The Heart Wants It Wants.”

Keep Fighting the Good Fight.