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Following another explosive episode of Impact Wrestling, we now know when Rich Swann and Moose will settle their differences in a world title match.
The revelation of their upcoming title bout headlined a show that also sought to crown the top contenders to the Knockouts tag team titles with Jordynne Grace and Jazz battling Kimber Lee and Susan, featured The Good Brothers in action and brought an end to the Jake Something-Deaner feud that has dominated in recent weeks.
Who emerged with momentum on their side, and how did it affect the Impact program moving forward?
Find out now with this recap of the February 23 episode.
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Violent By Design's Deaner sought to put his past life behind him in the night's opening match as he battled his cousin, Jake Something, in a tables match.
The uber-aggressive Deaner attacked from the opening bell and dominated early until Jake turned the tide on the floor. That all changed with a blind charge into the corner that the heel sidestepped, leaving Something to crash face-first into the edge of the table.
With the table set up between the ring and guardrail, the competitors each teased crashing into it before Deaner caught his opponent with the weapon in the chest. Jake recovered and caught Deaner up top, teasing a superplex through the table on the floor.
Deaner fought him off and delivered a hair-mare, pulling Something to the mat. Back outside, the babyface teased a powerslam off the ring steps, but Deaner wiggled free and Jake crashed back-first onto the stairs.
The fight spilled to the stage, where Something tried for a powerbomb, but Deaner escaped and delivered a low blow. Jake recovered and caught a charging Deaner in a Black Hole Slam, driving him through the table for the win.
After the match, Moose exploded from out of nowhere and drove the victor through a table. He produced a chair and warned that if he does not get an Impact World Championship match against Rich Swann, there will not be a show tonight.
Result
Jake Something defeated Deaner
Grade
C+
Analysis
This was actually a cleverly wrestled tables match, with a handful of fun spots that teased either of the competitors could win at any time.
Something repeatedly had to fight from underneath to fend off defeat, and he did just that, seizing a momentary opening to emerge victoriously.
The one gripe with the presentation was that Moose's involvement immediately erased what should have felt like a monumental moment for Jake. Maybe this is the first hint of long-term booking and a potential showdown between the two over the world title once Moose wins it, but there's no supporting evidence.
So why not let Something have his moment, having erased the heartache and disappointment of his cousin's defection to VBD?
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Moose continued to take up television time following the break, demanding his world title opportunity.
Impact Executive Vice President Scott D'Amore emerged from the locker room and said after watching Moose tote around the TNA World Championship for the last year, he is officially recognizing the title. As such, Moose will now defend his title against a vengeful Jake Something later tonight in the main event.
Something seethed as referees held him back at the top of the stage.
Grade
B
Analysis
There will be some who question Impact needing another recognized world title, but if you think about it, there is no secondary title in the company outside of its X-Division Championship.
Wrestlers outside of that particular division often wander somewhat aimlessly, wrestling matches for the sake of wrestling them, sometimes with no rhyme or reason for it. Imagine how beneficial that title can be to guys like Brian Myers, Matt Cardona, Sami Callihan and Eddie Edwards, who are not currently in the title picture but have to continuously come up with reasons to fight.
This helps, but certainly faces challenges.
The TNA World Championship has been utilized as a prop by a delusional Moose, so it will take time to rebuild it. Impact certainly has the talent to help the title regain its significance and credibility. Hopefully, it sees it through.
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X-Division action took center stage in the night's next match as Josh Alexander, Trey Miguel and Willie Mack battled Chris Bey, Austin Aries and The Decay's Black Taurus.
Mack and Taurus engaged in some impressive grappling before the latter grounded Alexander and punished him with a headlock heading into the break. The isolation of Alexander continued after the break as the heels picked him apart, leaving Mack and Miguel to watch from across the ring.
Alexander dropped Bey across his knee with a backbreaker and made the tag to Miguel, who exploded into the match and took the fight to Austin.
The action broke down late, leaving Mack and Austin to pair off. Willie scored a near-fall and headed up top, only for The Inevitable to crotch him on the top rope. Austin delivered the Fold, but Alexander and Miguel made the last-second save.
Taurus wiped out Miguel, and Alexander responded with a German suplex. The Walking Weapon wiped out Austin, only to fall prey to Bey.
Bey benefited from a kick from Austin and delivered the Art of Finesse for the pinfall victory on Mack.
As a result of their win, Bey, Austin and Taurus will meet next week to determine the No. 1 contender to TJP and the X-Division Championship.
Result
Black Taurus, Chris Bey and Ace Austin defeated Trey Miguel, Josh Alexander and Willie Mack
Grade
B+
Analysis
This was a wild, chaotic tag match that appropriately highlighted Taurus while also giving Bey a much-needed victory.
The babyface trio may have been a more appealing team based on name value alone, but they needed to lose to continue Miguel's program with Sami Callihan, who did not miss the opportunity to comment on the former Rascal's drive and determination after the match.
The three-way on next week's show should be a hell of a match, with the unique element of Taurus ever-present. How will Austin and Bey work with someone of the masked luchador's size and unmatched agility?
It will be a story those three will look to tell.
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XXXL's Larry D and Acey Romero faced their greatest opportunity in months as they battled Impact tag team champions The Good Brothers' Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson in a non-title match.
The champions worked over Larry D early, but Anderson soon fell prey to the focused assault of his opponents, who took turns beating him down.
Anderson made the tag, and Gallows tore through the opposition en route to a Magic Killer to Larry D and another win for the top tandem in Impact.
Result
The Good Brothers defeated XXXL
Grade
C
Analysis
This was little more than a glorified squash that put The Good Brothers over and allowed the commentary team to tout it as a message sent loudly and clearly to New Japan Pro-Wrestling's FinJuice.
In that regard, it worked. Otherwise, there was not much here to justify a grade any higher than average.
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Brian Myers was originally slated to battle Eddie Edwards in singles competition Tuesday night, but attorney "Smart' Mark Sterling appeared via video screen and revealed that Edwards' actions had led to irreparable damage that prevented The Most Professional Wrestler from competing.
As a result, Hernandez filled in for him and dominated Edwards for a large portion of this week's match.
The former two-time champion slithered out of his opponent's grasp, made it to the second rope and delivered the Boston Knee Party for the hard-fought victory.
Result
Edwards defeated Hernandez
Grade
C
Analysis
Even in defeat, Hernandez still proved useful to Myers. He provided Edwards an opponent and prevented the eyepatch-wearing Myers from having to endure his just desserts.
With that said, Edwards easily won this match from out of nowhere, shaking off a couple of minutes of Hernandez dominance and hitting a single strike to win the match.
If the idea is to rebuild Hernandez, this doesn't work. If he is simply there to give Edwards someone to beat up on, there are far worse choices.
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Knockouts champion Deonna Purrazzo accompanied Kimber Lee and Susan to the ring for their match against Jordynne Grace and Jazz, a shot at Fire 'N Flava's Knockouts Tag Team Championships awaiting the victor.
The Virtuosa interfered early, choking Jazz until ODB hit the ring and fended her off. The referee, seeing this, ejected Purrazzo from ringside.
Back from the commercial, Lee worked over Jazz in the center of the ring, cutting her off from Grace. A big back heel kick allowed the former WWE women's champion to create some separation. Lee downed the veteran competitor, though, and regained control for her team.
Grace finally tagged into the match, exploding into the ring and taking the fight to the opposition. She obliterated Susan with a spinebuster and joined Jazz for a double front suplex.
Susan would recover later, trapping Thicc Mama Pump in an ankle lock. Grace fought out, delivered the Grace Driver and scored the pinfall victory.
Result
Jordynne Grace and Jazz defeated Kimber Lee and Susan
Grade
B
Analysis
Whether you are into the Susan character or not, Su Yung remains one of the more underrated female workers in wrestling. She was great down the stretch here, especially when it came to grappling with Grace late.
The same could be said, though, of Kimber Lee. The Seattle native is one of those hidden-gem workers WWE did not know it had on its hands when it had her signed to a contract. Now, she gets to showcase her abilities every week in matches like this.
Grace and Jazz winning makes sense, if only because the current tag champions are heels. They have solid chemistry, have routinely delivered and will make for great opposition for the red-hot Tasha Steelz and Kiera Hogan.
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Jake Something wasted no time unleashing his frustration on TNA world champion Moose in Tuesday's main event, attacking him during his entrance and basking in the titleholder's spotlight.
Moose recovered and dominated. He overwhelmed Something with his power advantage, but the artist formerly known as Cousin Jake fought back and delivered a near-fall in the hoss fight.
Moose fought back into the match and launched himself at Jake, only to be flattened with a pop-up powerbomb for a count of two.
In disbelief, Something found himself caught in the grasp of the champion, who flattened him with a uranage.
Something would put up one last offensive before Moose turned him inside out with a spear for the win.
After the match, Moose attacked Something with a chair before Impact world champion Rich Swann hit the ring to make the save. Security filled up the squared circle before Scott D'Amore again appeared and announced the long-awaited title match between Swann and Moose for March 13 at Sacrifice on Impact Plus.
Result
Moose defeated Jake Something
Grade
B
Analysis
Many months of build have given way to Moose vs. Swann in the next Impact special. It is the company's biggest, most logical title bout. We know Swann will be defending, but might Moose put his title up for grabs, too?
This was a heavy-hitting, fun main event that continued to demonstrate Jake's potential star power while using it to put Moose over.
The right man went over, especially on the road to a title opportunity, but there is no denying that Jake Something seized the spotlight (literally) and made a potential star of himself tonight.
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February 24, 2021 at 10:08AM
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