Impact Wrestling: Hard To Kill

Which match are you most looking forward to?

Jack Goodwillie: From a pure match quality standpoint, I’m very curious to see how Brian Cage is able to push an aging, but still highly effective Rob Van Dam in the ring. I’m also intrigued by the RVD heel turn, but I will get to that…

Steven Jackson: Without a doubt Sami Callihan vs. Tessa Blanchard. It’s the best feud in wrestling right now and it’s going to be a war!

Juan Bautista: Tessa Blanchard vs. Sami Callihan. It has been building and now we’re at the point where the biggest prize is on the line. Both have had a long journey: Sami has had the long road back from leaving NXT to proving he is the draw. He will do whatever possible to keep his spot at the top. Tessa has had to prove that she’s not just a name. She’s been around the world and now she can be world champion.

John Corrigan: Eddie Edwards vs. Michael Elgin will be not only the show stealer, but an early MOTY contender. Elgin has been on a roll since coming to Impact and Edwards is one of the most underrated performers in the industry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvJ8D7gC064

Is it time for Taya Valkyrie to lose the Knockouts Championship?

Goodwillie: You really need the right challenger to come along. ODB’s role these days is not necessarily to be the woman on top, and Grace has had opportunities for the Knockouts Championship before. Why should things go any differently this weekend? The triple threat set up seems like a red herring. Grace COULD pin ODB and win the belt, but it seems like it would be too big of a waste of Valkyrie’s reign to go that way, and I’m not even if sure if Grace is the one to knock her off.

Jackson: Absolutely! Jordynne Grace should have won the title in 2019, but instead they’ve kept it on Taya for too long. Taya has had a great reign, but it is time for her to drop the title.

Bautista: Yes. While she should’ve lost it earlier, now is the time. The women’s division is in a good position where it won’t be a hot potato situation.

Corrigan: Nope. There’s nobody else in the Knockouts division as captivating as Taya. She delivers in the ring, on the mic, in the media and in any goofy segment backstage. Keep the belt on her for another year!

How do you feel about RVD’s heel turn?

Goodwillie: So, let’s talk Rob Van Dam. Although RVD had been a face for virtually his entire WWE run, did you know that the basis of the “Whole F’n Show” character was that of a flashy, arrogant showboat who still had the chops to finish his opponents convincingly without having to resort to traditional heel tactics? For its time, this was sort of revolutionary, but also a reason why Van Dam was so easily able to transition into a babyface role later in the lifecycle of ECW. Shockingly, he never revisited that side of his character in WWE, but Rob has said in interviews that he was pigeonholed into a stereotype in WWE which held him back as a character.

This new character really reflects who RVD is now in 2020. Laid back? As always. But his promos come across in more of a style akin to a standup comic than a traditional wrestling promo, which is something he’s always aspired to be. As far Katie Forbes goes, she and RVD have been together for nearly four years now, and even still, she’s not…what you would expect RVD’s significant other to be like. That’s not always a negative, however. This is the freshest RVD has felt in a long time, and her presence is a big part of that. It seems like an odd couple, but when you factor in their professions and love for the reefer, it’s really not. This pairing works reasonably well on screen. My only wish is that we got this RVD five or six years earlier, as he’s understandably not the same guy in the ring.

Jackson: RVD is much better as a heel than he is a babyface so I really like his heel turn. It gives an extra dimension to his persona, something we haven’t seen in years.

Bautista: The heel turn has suited him. He’s not pandering to the crowd. He walks to the beat of his own drum.

Corrigan: I love it. He’s hilarious, cutting the best promos in the company. This revamped character also feels genuine – I believe RVD believes an entire generation has copied his style. I also believe he doesn’t feel credited for it. Mick Foley says a heel has to believe in what they’re saying, and that’s why RVD’s heel turn has been so successful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH5FKsjrhyo

Should Impact have signed Joey Ryan?

Goodwillie: I don’t know. He’s not going to move the needle. His gimmick actually does him a disservice because as it pertains to television wrestling, he will now be typecast into one-dimensional storylines and it’ll be a challenge for the creative team to stretch this out. The dick act plays well on indie shows, but when you’re seeing it over and over again on a weekly television show, it’s only a matter of time before even people who really enjoy the act tire of it.

Jackson: I’m not a fan of Joey Ryan. I don’t know why, but he has always really annoyed me.

Bautista: Yes. The history is there and it was the best situation for him. This signing adds depth to the roster. He can go to his indie dates, be on the roster and most importantly, still be Joey Ryan.

Corrigan: Absolutely. Joey Ryan’s signing and antics have been the most talked about thing in Impact over the past couple months, even more so than a woman challenging for the world title.

Will Tessa Blanchard make history and become the Impact World Champion?

Goodwillie: Should Tessa Blanchard win the World Championship? No. Will she? Maybe, but taking gender out of the equation, probably not. Unless you’re WWE, January has historically been a slow month for wrestling companies and IF Impact is to put the title on her, it might as well wait til Slammiversary where the company can build it better and generate more of the publicity such a move would be made for. Aside from Tessa being the challenger, I also don’t see any reason for Sami Callihan to drop the title. He’s coming into 2020 with as much momentum as anyone in the current wrestling landscape.

Jackson: I really hope Tessa does. Tessa is one of the best wrestlers in the world, and a phenomenal talent headlining Impact Wrestling. I really want Tessa to make history and start the next decade with a bang!

Bautista: The time is right. Impact has been building this since the early fall. Tessa is the right person to do it and with a new TV deal, the marketing opportunity is there. She’s already on billboards and posters.

Corrigan: Of course. Scott D’Amore has made it clear Impact will be doubling down on intergender wrestling. Tessa is the chosen one – she’s a tremendous athlete, has name value, is already popular and most importantly, looks like she can kick any man’s ass. Her push hasn’t been force fed (lost to Callihan at Slammiversary) and her old man has a history in Dallas. With the company moving to AXS TV and the dawn of a new decade, Impact will make headlines this Sunday as Tessa Blanchard wins the Impact World Championship.