I do love a double pay-per-view weekend. As many wrestling fans are looking forward to AEW’s show on Sunday, they were able to pregame with one of TNA’s biggest shows of the year, Rebellion. Going into this show there were rumors of Tessa Blanchard returning to the company and vignettes saying lights out! Now with all that being said let’s review this year’s Rebellion pay-per-view!
Pre-Show:
Leon Slater and ABC (Ace Austin and Chris Bey) vs The Rascalz (Trey Miguel, Zachary Wentz, and Myron Reed): This was a fun six-man tag. Before this match, I had never seen Leon Slater wrestle, but I was impressed as he is super talented. The crowd was super invested throughout the match as Slater hit the Swanton Bomb to pick up the win for him and ABC.
Winners: Leon Slater and ABC (Ace Austin and Chris Bey)
Digital Media Championship: Crazzy Steve (C) vs Laredo Kid: Kid won this title by simply biting Steve’s forehead and hitting his finisher to become the new champion. When TNA first introduced this title I did not understand the purpose of this title, especially since it only seems to be defended on the Pre-Shows of pay-per-views or on the internet exclusive shows that TNA has. Regardless, this match was fine and we were able to see a new champion come out of it.
Winner: “And New” Laredo Kid
TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Championships: Spitfire (Dani Luna and Jody Threat) vs Decay (Havok and Rosemary): Speaking of titles I do not understand that TNA has. TNA has the most in-depth women’s roster in all of wrestling right now and if there was any company that should have a mid-card women’s championship it should be this one. Especially when all of the teams that have won the titles since they have come back are make-shift teams, not true women’s tag teams. In terms of the match, Spitfire was able to get the job done and retain their tag team titles. Havok did a lot of trash-talking throughout the match, which is one of my pet peeves in wrestling, but this match was fine and a good way to close out the pre-show before we started the main show. After the match ended Masha Slamovhich and Alisha Edwards confronted the champions as it looked like Spitifre already had some new challengers.
Winners: “And Still” Spitfire
Main Show:
TNA X Division Championship: Mustafa Ali vs Jake Something: What a great way to kick off the show. Something showed out here and if it weren’t for Ali’s secret service as well as Ali cheating to win the match and holding the rope he would have won. In all of the years that I have watched TNA Wrestling, I have never seen a bad X-Division Championship match and tonight was no different.
Winner: “And Still” Mustafa Ali
Joe Hendry vs Rich Swann: Before the match started Hendry’s titantron had an AI version of both AJ Francis and Swann singing and dancing to his theme song. He cut a quick promo saying that Francis and Swann have a case of Hendry-itis and by the time the match is over they will be chanting “We believe in Joe Hendry.” Shawn Merriman got involved and it looked like he was going to help Hendry fight off Francis, but he turned heel. He knocked out Hendry which led to Swann taking advantage and getting the win for First Class.
Winner: Rich Swann
Full Metal Mayhem Match: Eric Young vs Frankie Kazarian: I was so happy that Eric Young brought Janice to this match. That is a throwback to Abyss. It is a 2×4 with spikes on it, those original TNA kids know what I am talking about. This was a fun one, every weapon you can think of was used in this match even baking sheets which by the time this match was over were destroyed. Young got a bad cut on a table at the end of the match that caused him to take the loss, but I do not think this is far from being over.
Winner: Frankie Kazarian
Steve Maclin Promo: Maclin says that he wanted to make his presence known on the show and he came out with his new TNA Contract. He says that all of his needs were met except for one and he wanted that issue solved. Santino Marella came out and said that he just signed a new contract for another superstar who is eager to get his start tonight and set up a match between Maclin and that superstar. The wrestler ended up being AEW alumni and former TNA Tag Team Champion, Santana.
Mike Santana vs Steve Maclin: There is just something about seeing Santana in TNA that feels right. Since Maclin’s TNA Contract is up next month I have a feeling he will be joining his wife in AEW so they can be together once again. Since he is leaving he will most likely be on the losing end of all of his matches until then, so that is why he lost this match.
Winner: Mike Santana
TNA World Tag Team Championships: The System (Eddie Edwards and Brian Myers) vs Speedball Mountain (Mike Bailey and Trent Seven): This match was a lot better than I thought it was going to be. Speedball Mountain is a great team and I am happy that they found something for Bailey to do instead of putting him in infinite X-Division Title Matches. The problem with Bailey is that he keeps losing and he can never truly win the big one and it seems like the stem he once had when he first signed with TNA has disappeared. Even though The System is still a newer team they seem to be very consistent in getting the job done to make Moose happy and that is what they did in this matchup.
Winners: “And Still” The System (Eddie Edwards and Brian Myers)
Last Man Standing Match: Josh Alexander vs Hammerstone: Given the time this match started and knowing we had two more matches after I was a little nervous that this match was not going to get the time it deserved, but it did! Alexander and Hammerstone fought all around the ring and used a various number of weapons as if we did not see enough earlier in the night. Alexander was finally able to get his revenge on Hammerstone as he looked towards a future TNA World Heavyweight Championship Match.
Winner: Josh Alexander
TNA Knockouts World Championship: Jordynne Grace vs Steph De Lander: Since Cardona got injured last weekend at an independent show and got surgery earlier in the week he was unable to be in De Lander’s corner. Instead, she hired the Good Hands during the pre-show to ensure that she was going to walk out of Las Vegas the new TNA Knockouts Champion. I hated everything about what went down in the match, as it was the most TNA thing I have ever seen. The referee got knocked out accidentally by Grace and the Good Hands got involved and started beating down Grace. The lights went out and PCO came out to level the odds. Then Kon came out so the heels had the advantage as the lights went out again and Sami Callihan returned. He cleared the ring and put Del Lander back in it as Grace hit her finisher and retained the title. I understood why this was done, but in the middle of the Knockouts Title match, that’s a no for me.
Winner: “And Still” Jordynne Grace”
TNA World Heavyweight Championship: Moose vs Nic Nemeth: This match sort of made up for the previous matchup. Given the fact that Nemeth is signed with the company, and I thought they would want something new I assumed he would win. Well, I was wrong. Nemeth came close on several occasions and he even had his brother and dad cheering him on in the front row. After the match was over and The System was celebrating the lights-out vignette played again as the arena went pitch dark. Before the lights came out we heard an evil laugh that we have heard in TNA before, because Broken Matt Hardy is back in TNA! He beat up Moose and raised the TNA World Heavyweight Championship high as they went off the air.
Winner: “And Still” Moose
Overall: Besides the cluster of the Knockouts Championship match I thought this was a good show. All of the matches got the appropriate time and for the most part, all of the right people won on the show. The matches were also good and nothing felt out of place during the entire pay-per-view. Since TNA only puts on four pay-per-views a year they always know how to put on a good show when it counts. Despite some of the bad booking, TNA has an amazing and talented roster, and that is why the future is so bright for TNA heading into Slammiversary in July.
