TNA Impact Review – 08.07.25

We are a week away from Emergence and as we continue to emerge toward Bound For Glory. We are still in Kingston, RI on campus at the University of Rhode Island. Fun factoid, the first US Open tennis tournament was held in Rhode Island (ergo, the Tennis Hall of Fame is in Newport.) So, let’s watch Tom Hannifan and Michael Rewholdt volley barbs at each other and see who hits an ace and who’s at fault tonight as we engage in some Impactful Discourse? Shall we? We shall.

Previously on Impact: We get highlights from the Masha Slamovich vs. Jacy Jayne match and the Ash….by Elegance interference. We also get highlights of the main event as Moose and Eddie Edwards defeated Trick Williams and AJ Francis with a missed crutch shot by KC Navarro.

Right from jump street, we get Trick Williams (and the chant…) Williams just exudes star. He has grown into the role incredibly well. Hannifan and Rewholdt talk about the Moose vs. Williams main event at Emergence. Williams gets the mic and talks about all the energy right now and all that sound we hear is not an Earthquake or a Moose but it is the sound of records breaking at “TrickNA.”

He pins the loss last week on Navarro but enough of that; at Emergence, it is Trick Williams vs. the forehead of Moose. He talks about beating Moose in his hometown at Emergence. We should ask Mike Santana if Williams knows how to beat a man in his hometown.

He then turns his attention to talking about Moose’s family. He is going to drive to the arena and will be searching and scanning for Moose’s ’family and refers to Moose’s mom, uncle and grandma as bobbleheads and will smash them in a hammer like Groundhog’s Day.

But now we get the face of the franchise, Moose. As Mose gradually heads to ringside we get a talk about NXT. Williams asked if Moose was insulted when he called him a bobblehead. Moose looks around and then hits Wiliams with the mic (bit of a light shot but using the mic amplifies the sound.) Wiliams sells like a huge shot and goes scurrying into the corner as Wiliams gets ready to Hit The Stick and get the spear on Wiliams but Williams bails to the floor.

The fans then change their tune and a loud “Moose” chant emerges and Williams skulks off up the ramp.

Backstage, Gabby LaSpisa is proud to welcome back Gia Miller. Miller thanks LaSpisa and the fans for their well wishes and for LaSpisa’s filling in for her. That being said, she has a message for Tessa Blanchard. Miller has been patient and we’ve all put up with her petty bullcrap. Her patience is done; if Blanchard lays her hands on her one more time she will For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge-gerund kill her (EASY, GIA!!!) . LaSpisa hands her the mic and Miller gets to introduce Joe Hendry.

He is glad to see Miller and compliments her toughness. Ali hides behind other people like the Servicemen. There are no secrets in TNA; what is no secret is when Hendry appears people believe and wave their hands from side to side. Tonight, Ali will believe in Joe Hendry and heads off screen. We, however, head to commercials.

We come back to Sami Callihan hanging out in the back of the arena when Mike Santana comes into screen. He heard what Callihan said last week and respects what Callihan said given the past the two had. He accepts the match and wants to tear the house down come Emergence.

However, Eric Young and the Northern Armory come into the shot. Young is not going to rain on Callihan’s parade but instead to focus on the “failed TNA hero” Santana. While Santana was in high school, Young was running the place. Young said TNA needs a cleanse and wants Santana to think about this: he let down his adoptive family TNA at Slammiversary. He failed his blood family. Santana gets riled up and Callihan acts as the voice of reason and cooler heads prevail as Young and the Armory head out of shot as does Santana and, eventually, Callihan.

We go back ringside as Frankie Kazarian slowly struts to ringside with paper in tow and a TNA hat. Hannifan said he had enough of this. Hanifan asks for security as Rewholdt asks why is he doing this again. Kazarian has documentation signed by Carlos Silva, TNA President, giving him the official okay to be here and should be announcing. Hannifan and Rewholdt are not happy.

Jake Something vs. “Bulletproof” Steve Maclin

Speaking of unhappy, Jake Something barrels his way to ringside for his match with “Bulletproof” Steve Maclin. Hanifan discusses the meeting two weeks ago as Hanifan, Leon Slater and the Hardys stood in the ring and represented what real TNA champs are like, not interlopers like Wiliams and Jayne.

Kazarian takes a shot at Ring Announcer McKenzie Mitchell’s mustard yellow and blue outfit as something borrowed from Elton John.

We immediately lock up and Something grabs a side headlock followed by three shoulderblocks. However, on the fourth try Maclin hits the Thesz press for two. A bulldog attempt is blocked as Something pushes Maclin to the ropes and gets a body block on his charge. Something hits a huge shoulderblock to Maclin’s abdomen for two. Something misses a clothesline, which is reversed to a back elbow and an Olympic Slam for two.

Maclin launches Something to the turnbuckles and gets a clothesline to the back of the head but a German Suplex attempt is thwarted by a series of elbows by Something. Maclin hits another clothesline but another back suplex is reversed as Something heads to the other side of the ring and two meet in the middle with simultaneous clothesline.

They both eventually rise and trade blows. They also trade hard forearms in the ropes to each other until Something charges at Maclin who backdrops him over the ropes and then hits a diving shoulderblock between the ropes. However, Something recovers and launches Maclin to the ring steps. Maclin recovers and the two trade shots again on the floor and the apron. However, the two continue to throw shots as the referee counts to 10 and we get a double count out.

Post-match: They continue to throw punches as a battalion of security guards separate the two. Maclin gets in the ring but then dives over the top rope into he guards and Something. Security gets some tranquility for a moment until Maclin heads up the ramp to attack Something one more time. Something makes his way backstage as Maclin vulgarly (albeit censored) states his disapproval.

As we head backstage to Santino Marella’s office, Steph DeLander and Mance Warner approach and DeLander knocks (huh, aren’t they psychopaths, why would psychopaths suddenly develop enough manners to knock?) DeLander continues to knock and then opens the door (ah, there that anti-social behavior) and notices no one is there. He then grabs Warner and we presume physical intimacy occurs. We don’t know because we get the rundown of the rest of the card for tonight. We also get the rundown of ads.

We come back to a rundown to an Bound For Glory hype package. We then go backstage to Cedric Alexander. He said when he committed to go into wrestling full time, he watched the greats of the X-Division like Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels and AJ Styles. He even wrote on his Myspace Page (tee-hee) that the X-Division title was his birthright. Now, jump ahead and Leon Slater is the current champ and is not in his athletic prime. And that’s the difference, Alexander is in his prime and is the best he has ever been and sooner, versus later, he will be X-Division Champion.

Xia Brookside and Lei Ying Lee vs. the..By Elegance Brand

Brookside is in a Union Jack themed jacket and trunks. Lee is in her standard traditional gear. The crowd is fired up for her. But, speaking of being fired up , here is the Personal Concierge. He had a full speech written out but the fans don’t deserve it because this place sucks. He rips the speech up and tells the fans to shut their mouths and show some respect for M and Heather….By Elegance.

The duo emerges as we get this we get this nice little dialogue

Rewholdt: And shall I say two of the absolutely perfection, representing, emanating radiating

Hannifan: What? Can you read and write? That wasn’t a sentence.

Rewholdt: I know those words were too big for you, Tommy Boy.

Meanwhile the tandem head to ringside as Concierge yells at the audience. The two start to balk at each other as M makes the gesture to head back to the corner. Except, they took two steps and attacked Lee and Brookside, only to be stereo dropkicked. Lee and M are still in the ring. M blocks a run to the ropes but Lee gets a side headlock and a tag to Brookside. Lee trips M as Brookside hits the ropes and hits an elbow drop (as Lee dropped to all fours for extra elevation.) Brookside gets two.

Lee tagged and throws M to the corner and got the 10-punch spot and then an exploder suplex. Lee clotheslines M on the ropes as M flips over and hits the floor as we hit commercials.

We come back and Lee and Heather are in the ring as Lee snapmares Heather. Lee gets a two count from a blocked Heather kick. Heather gets the momentum back with a clothesline for two. Rewholdt called it a lariat versus a clothesline. Heather sends Lee to the turnbuckle and sets up the seated dropkick (Heather) and the running boot by M in the corner. M works on Lee’s arm on the ropes. Heather got a two-count ad tagged in M.

After a double whip into the turnbuckle but Lee fights out a clothesline attempt and a turnbuckle charge by M. M stops a hope crawl by Lee by shoving her back to the turnbuckle but Lee jumps over another Heather charge and rolls under M’s charge to tag Brookside.

Brookside hits a series of clothesline on both Heather and M and then escapes a double team (possibly a botched headscissors attempt) but M ends in Heather’s arms and then Brookside hits a neckbreaker on Heather which also DDT’s M. Brookside is riled up and hits two meteoras on the Elegancers and a Russian Legsweep gets two on M.

Lee is tagged and the two hit a double clothesline and stereo kicks and a senton by Lee. During the count, Brookside jumps off Lee’s back to stop Heather but Heather hits a code breaker and it looked like it hit Lee’s head. Lee recovered but Heather and M take advantage of the opportunity by hitting a backstabber and then a small package on Lee for two.

However, Heather tries to charge Lee but Brookside grabs her legs and pulls her out to the floor. Lee, meanwhile, hits Thunderstruck and then hits an airplane facebuster for the win.

Post match: Brookside and Lee celebrate as the Concierge tried to gather the troops, as we gather around for the Bio flex Medical Report. KC Navarro is out (we knew that, by and large. It is ligament damage; he is frustrated but is ready for rehab. Hometown Man was injured in his match versus the Nemeths and he is not cleared for this week. And both Ali and Hendry were precautionary checked but are cleared to wrestle (and in Hendry’s case, squeeze into refrigerators to make Wren Sinclair’s Day.)

Marella and Ariana Grace arrive at his office and Marella had something he wanted to talk to her about (about dating mob guys, no doubt.) Grace enters first and sees DeLander and Warner and shrieks (so would I, for that matter.) Marella covered her eyes. He yells at Warner and DeLander behind the door that this is TNA Wrestling not National Geographic (cue the theme.) There will be consequences for this later as they both leave. Before Marella goes to the lecherous card and takes a small peak inside before leaving. Hannifan said Marella’s office needs to fumigate the office but before Orkin gets here, we leave for commercials.

We come back to an Emergence hype advertisement. And we come back; we head to the By Elegance locker (which is quite nice.) Ash is berating Heather and M that they dropped the ball and lost on HER NIGHT. She has the biggest match of her career and she is worried about those two? She needs to change the energy and focus on Jayne so M and Heather can get out – now. They scurry off camera as the PC jokingly agrees with Ash they should get out. Ash said that means him, too. He scurries away, too. The cameraman stays, though.

Rewholdt is incredulous but we change gears to an “emergency” First Class Penthouse. AJ Francis and Navarro head out. Francis gets a glass to drink but Navarro only gets the mic. Navarro looks very dejected. Rewholdt reads the room that the situation is dire.

Francis welcomes us to the Penthouse. Francis announces himself and Navarro. We had to call this so Navarro can break the news about his knee. Navarro said they were close to winning the Tag Titles at Slammiversary and now even worse, he went to the doctor and he has a torn ACL. Navarro is giving great emotion here (as a twice ruptured quad tendon guy, I feel you, Navarro.)

However, Francis said much like in the NFL, the motto is “next man up.” So, Francis wants to reintroduce us a former TNA world Champion and an original member of First Class….Rich “Homey” Swann. Francis wants Navarro to hold the mic for Swann. Francis asks how it feels to be back in TNA; no, how does it feel to be back in First Class.

Swann said it feels great back in First Class. He gets to help and aid Francis in making this “TNAJ” Francis (wait, I thought it was Trick NA.) Francis is elated by the thought.

However, there is one last piece of business. Francis makes the proclamation that KC’s services are no longer required. Francis made the (rather salient) point that when Swan was out of TNA, Navarro took his place. Now, Navarro is out, so naturally, Swann takes his place.

Suffice to say, Navarro is not happy. He said he broke his butt for 10 years to get here. Navarro talked about how he took the bullet for Williams so he would not get pinned. He mentioned how Francis was dog walked by Santana, but it was Navarro. At Slammivesary, Navarro went against doctor’s order just to compete.

Francis, however, has a different recollection. He remembered after the match carrying Navarro’s limp body through the curtain. In fact, that was not the first time Francis had to carry him. Francis said he had been carrying 165 pounds of dead weight for a while. Navarro had lost match after match. The first time, they lost the title. Then, he cost Trick the match when Navarro hit him with the crutch. Francis called a Navarro a loser and since he doesn’t know how to use a crutch (it’s harder than you think) Francis and Swan will demonstrate.

They both kick the crutches out from Navarro who fell to the ground. After bullying Navarro, Francis said he is glad he tore his ACL and that Navarro never deserved to be there. Francis and Swann gloat as Navarro looks back dejectedly. Rewholdt is glad Swann is back but heartbreaking to see what happened to Navarro. Hannifan this is as low class as you can get.

Let’s see if the mood brightens with the next match

Mara Sade vs, Vicious Vicki

Sade gives some great dance moves as the heads to ringside. Vicki is already in the ring. They lock up and Sade grabs an armbar which Vicki reverses. Sade goes to the ropes and does a forward flip to reverse the armbar to an armdrag. Sade then gest a second rope assisted arm drag. Sade sends Vicki to the corner and lands some elevated knee strikes on Vicki. Vicki and Sade slug away with Vicki getting the best of it until Sade gets in her shots and hits an Olympic Slam and a twisting handstand elbow drop for oneSade gives her lollipop to the referee and kicks Vick in the gut. She lifts Vicki with a double underhook into what looked like a J Driller but ended in what she called the Finish Her (which is a Codebreaker from the elevated double underhook.)

Post Match: Sade basks in the adulation of the crowd. As we bask in the adulation of advertisers.

We return to a review of NXT and we get Sinclair’s admiration of Hendry (and the refrigerator spot.) Charlie Dempsey is none too pleased, though. Nonetheless, a match is signed for next Tuesday. We also get the recap of the Williams, Femi, Evans and Moose angle complete with Job State interference. That eight man match is also on the docket for Tuesday. Meanwhile, we get…

Ash….by Elegance vs. Jacy Jayne

Ash seemed to have her mind right and walks to the ring with the Concierge in tow. Jayne is next. Hannifan discussed the PC showing up at NXT this past Tuesday. Concierge gets the mic and Hannifan has this little barb.
“Guy goes to NXT once and now he thinks he’s Bobby Heenan.”

PC insults Jayne’s wardrobe as one of a lady of ill repute and says the fans should stand on their feet, keep their mouths shut and show some respect to the ultimate object of desire, often imitated, never duplicated and soon to be the neeewww TNA Knockout champion, Ash….by Elegance.

The two jaw at each other and then lock up. Jayne gets an armdrag and loses her gum. She throws it out (ewww.) and holds onto the arm as Ash climbs to the second turnbuckle, jumps down and hits an arm drag but Jayne stays locked in the arm bar. They get to the topes and the two start to have a shoving match.

Ash gets a go behind and a rollup for two which is reversed by Jayne for two. They exchange takedowns before Ash blocks a kick and gets a shoulderblock.

However, Masha Slamovich comes bolting to the ring and slugs Ash for the disqualification. Jayne gets a pump kick and a beat down and then the rest of Fatal Influence jump in the fracas as Jayne beats on Ash and Fallon Henley and Jasmyn Nyx beat on Masha. Until, the rest of the By Elegance Brand even the odds.

Now, Brookside and Lee join the fracas as the Iinspiration come to ring and make it a full bore schmozapalooza. They focus their attack on the Influence. The faces all stand in the ring as the Elegancers are one side of the floor and the Influence is on the other side.

Meanwhile, the Hardys are backstage. They announce that Marella is going to announce who their opponents are going to be at Emergence but Matt is nonplussed about it. The Hardys confidence is at an all-time high. Their job is to make TNA as great as it can possibly be and preserve the art of pro wrestling. Jeff said they are not defending titles; they are defending history. They are building something bigger than themselves; they are building a legacy. We build toward a commercial break.

We get another Emergence Hype package and then we get Marella who heads to the ring for said Emergence match announcements. He checks on the crowd how they are doing. Marella went over a myriad of Emergence matches. He announced a No DQ International Title Match between Maclin vs. Something. As alluded last week, it is Santana vs. Callihan and Callihan’s career is on the line. And, with what happened pre-break, we get a four-way TNA Knockouts Tag Championship bout between Fatal Influence (Nyx and Henley,) Brookside and Lee, the By Elegance Brand and the Iinspiration.

Now he calls the Nemeths from backstage. The Nemeths will not be facing the Hardys at Emergence. Nick gets the mic and accuses Marella of long-term jealousy, just like everyone. He is the draw around here. He has an iron-clad contract. Marella said they had one but due to their attack on the Hometown Man, they have been suspended and the Hardys will face the Rascalz. Ryan grabbed the mic and said he has all kind of lawyers. He said the Nemeths deserve the title match. Marella said Ryan has a match at Emergence against the Hometown Man.

After hype for next week’s show, we get the main event

Mustafa Ali vs. Joe Hendry

The Great Hands, Steelz, the Servicemen and Agent Zero are in tow for Ali. Hendry is next and gets a huge pop. Hendry stops by to goof on one of the Servicemen but generally is more serious headed toward the ring. The crowd gets their hands waving and we STRIKE THE POSE!!! (one great sign in the crowd: “Joe Hendry eats corn the right way.” I laughed.)

We get another Bound For Glory ad and we start the match. This, according to Hannifan, is the first time they have met. We get a loud “Let’s go Hendry” chant. Ali is jawing away at Hendry and the crowd. Hendry backs Ali into the corner but Ali reverses and the two shove each other. Hendry grabs an armbar. Ali gets the rope-assisted forward flip to reverse the arm bar but Hendry rolls out of that and gets the armdrag takedown.

A test of strength is teased until Hendry rolls out of it; Ali reverses an armbar but Hendry gets a fireman’s takedown and reapplies the armbar. Ali flips out of it and reverses it only for Hendry to do the same. Ali showed a little frustration but gets the advantage again with a side headlock. Ali hits the ropes as the two trade leg takedowns and two counts. Ali hits the matrix escape from Hendry’s pin, mockingly STRIKES THE POSE but Hendry gets a headlock takedown to be reversed by an Ali headscissors which Hendry escapes.

Ali whispers something to John Skyler and then a kick in the gut and a headbutt gets Ali the advantage. Ali slugs away at Hendry but a whip to the ropes is reversed to a high hiptos by Hendry and then a delayed, one-arm suplex gets two for Hendry. Ali gets a double thrust to the throat to regain the momentum followed by some forearm smashes. Ali kicks out of a backdrop attempt but Hendry comes straight back with a clothesline as Ali goes to the floor and we go to our last commercial break.

We come back to Hendry hitting a series of European uppercuts but another uppercut attempt is reversed to a neckbreaker as we get a rare picture-in-picture of some action during the break, including Ali hitting a clothesline between the ropes to Hendry on the floor. Ali hits his between the ropes rolling neckbreaker for two-and-a-fraction.

Ali badmouthed Hendry but a standing, twisting bodypress gets nothing but canvas but a charge to the turnbuckle is met with a knee. A Tornado DDT attempt is blocked by Hendry, who carries Ali around the ring into a vertical suplex as both combatants are on the ground.

Hedry slugs away on Ali and drops him with a clothesline. Hendry then gets the fallaway slam and we STRIKE THE POSE!!! Hendry gets the crowd fired up and stet up for the Standing Ovation but Ali escapes and went to the floor. Hendry pursued him and clotheslined Skyler and Jason Hotch for their interference attempts. Ali and Hendry are back in the ring and Ali gets a quick two on a rollup. However, Hendry kicked out and hit an Olympic Slam for two-and-a-fraction.

The Great Hands get on the apron but Hendry flips them into the ring and then clotheslines them out of the ring. Another of the Servicemen tried to attack and he was thrown to the floor (not Agent Zero, though.) Hendry charges Ali in the corner but Ali evades. Another Serviceman now tries to attack Hendry in the corner but Hendry escapes and a charging Ali dropkicks him to the floor. Hendry charges again but Ali escapes to the apron and lands a kick. However, Ali tried to hit another rolling neckbreaker but Hendry reversed it into a cutter.

Hendry hit the Standing Ovation but Steelz pulled the ref out of the ring. As Hendry is looking at her, the Great Hands sneak into the ring and hit the Favor on Hendry. They set Hendry up as Ali hits the 450 but Hendry evaded it as Ali rolled through it. Hendry grabbed a charging Ali and threw him hard into the turnbuckles (nice sell job by Ali.)

Skyler and Hotch again tried to interfere but are thrown out of the ring. Meanwhile, the referee was still recovering from Steelz interference. Hendry threw Ali into the ropes and hit a pop up powerbomb and an Attitude Adjuster but no referee was there. A second referee ran down to ringside but only got the two-and-a-fraction count. A loud ”TNA” chant emerged as Hendry once more STIRKES THE POSE!! The crowd gets into it but Steelz grabs Hendry’s leg.

The ref admonished Steelz but Ali threw Hendry to the floor. Agent Zero makes his presence felt by delivering a big boot to Hendry. He then threw Hendry into the ring and NOW the 450 splash gets the win for Ali as we go off the air to an elated Ali and a prone Hendry.

Impactful Ruminations

First, I am glad Navarro is taking time to heal the injury. From the onset, it did not look good. This will give him time to heal and give him a natural feud when he returns. Sure, he’s a moves guy and does the flip-a-dip-dip stuff; but, he has good mic work and that makes him infinitely more marketable. Now that being said..

Two, to quote Taylor Tomlinson, “Okay…….not this.” There is a litany of issues with Rich Swann but even before all of the issues came to light, I was not a fan of his work. His mic skills are okay; the moves are okay. The in-ring product is, well, okay. This seems like a step down, a big one at that. Francis, though, did remarkably well, as usual, with his mic work. He really has been a star since I have started these reviews.

Three, yeah, Hendry’s gone come contract renewal. Santana’s wave might be too much to ignore at this point. The Williams title victory, in retrospect, was the best way to throw extra optics on TNA Impact, give them a very intriguing storyline and gives whoever does not resign between Santana and Hendry an avenue out whilst the other (presumably) gets the title.

Four, I guess we are still seasoning Hudson and Grace and we are going with a patchwork team of Lee and Brookside. Lee is solid and delivers the goods. I am still not fully sold on Brookside. However, the quantity and quality of Knockout Tag Teams is sparse. The Iinspiration had a nice debut but really have not shown me that much. Even worse, their mic skills, long a plus for them, seemed to have dissipated.

Five, Vicious Vicki is a complete CAW name from Raw vs. Smackdown. She did a good job with the role handed to her. Sade did a nice job working with her and continues to show the in-ring work was underrated in NXT. The finisher is nice. The one argument Is still from last week, she showed elements of face and heel work in the match. I don’t think we really need a tweener, so a lane choice would be in order; everything else is in place.

Six, I didn’t realize the depth of twang in Miller’s voice. It was a nice way to bring her back to backstage but I do not need to see a match with her and Blanchard. I just don’t.

Seven, it is a shame we wasted a sports entertainment “Attitude Era” angle on Ali and Santana. However, presuming Santana gets the title at Bound For Glory. I would love to see another Ali and Santana program without the angles but just for the title. Ali was great in his match.

Eight, Marella is going to need a full hazmat cleansing after DeLander and Warner had sexy time, presumably, in his office.

Nine, I like the Maclin vs. Something feud. It does harken back to the old territory days and two hosses not doing moves but just beating each other. I don’t know what their ceiling is but would love to see more of both, especially from Something.

Lastly, as alluded earlier, Williams is a star. He delivers great promos and works very well in the ring. If this is the way to use an NXT person to win the title so either Hendry or Santana wins it down the road, Williams was a great choice. Now, TNA has a champ they can build, NXT gets the other one who is ready made for stardom. TNA gets extra eyes on its product and has a sustained sense of functionality and Williams makes himself into a star. That is how one concocts an all-winning scenario.

Keep Fighting the Good Fight