Posted in: Impact Wrestling, Sports, TV | Tagged: , , ,


Impact Wrestling Recap: Johnny Swinger in a Leopard Print Toga

Well, El Presidente already spoiled the ending of tonight's episode of Impact Wrestling, but if you want to know all the details, you're in the right place. Welcome to Bleeding Cool's Impact Wrestling recap. We promise to be gentle.

The official logo of Impact Wrestling.
The official logo of Impact Wrestling.

Impact Wrestling Recap – January 26th, 2021

After a recap of last week's shocking events wherein Private Party became the number one contenders for the Impact Tag Team Championships, this week's Impact gets underway.


Promo: Rich Swann

Rich Swann heads to the ring to cut a promo. He talks a little bit about being the champ and then calls out Tommy Dreamer. Dreamer heads out as the piped-in crowd goes mild! Honestly, I kinda prefer Impact's more subdued fake crowd noise.

Swann says that February 13th is both Impact No Surrender and Tommy Dreamer's 50th Birthday. He doesn't look a day over 65! Swann thanks Dreamer for inspiring him as a child and helping him in his career. He wants to offer Dreamer a shot at the Impact Championship at No Surrender.

Tommy looks reluctant. Sami Callihan comes out (and he has a new theme song). He accuses Dreamer of backstage politics and gives Swann crap for losing at Hard to Kill. Now Chris Bey interrupts. He too wants a title shot at No Surrender.

Moose comes out now. Can you guess what he wants? Well, Rich won't give it to him. He's dead set on that Dreamer match. A brawl breaks out. Willie Mack runs out to help Dreamer and Swann chase the heels from the ring. But Ken Shamrock runs out and turns the tide. The heels retake the ring and beat down the babyfaces. Time for Impact's first commercial break.


Backstage, Rich Swann, Tommy Dreamer, and Willie Mack stop by Scott D'Amore's office to demand a match. D'Amore says they need an additional partner to even the odds. Luckily, he has one right inside his office. Now that's serendipity! We don't get to see who it is yet though.


Matt Cardona and Josh Alexander vs. Ace Austin and Madman Fulton

Matt Cardona heads to the ring, followed by his new best friend, Josh Alexander, and then Ace Austin and Madman Fulton. These guys got in an argument backstage for reasons I don't remember and now they're feuding. There have been worse reasons. They have a match. Cardona and Alexander pick up the win when Cardona hits Rough Ryder on Fulton.

Winners: Matt Cardona and Josh Alexander

Imagine being Matt Cardona, a lifelong jobber in WWE, but you can still just walk into Impact without a contract and pin one of their rising stars. I'm not even hating.


They play a clip of Matt Hardy debuting in TNA back in the day, and then Rohit Raju talks to a mysterious figure about getting his X-Division Championship back.


Tony Schiavone and Tony Khan do another "paid ad." Khan says what he's doing, messing around in Impact, is a game to him, like his own personal fantasy league. They run through tomorrow's Dynamite card and then talk about Revolution and Beach Break, which will have an Impact/AEW crossover main event.


Matt Cardona, with Josh Alexander, meets up with Brian Myers backstage. Myers is a dick to both of them.

Brian Myers vs. Eddie Edwards

Brian Myers heads to the ring for a match with Eddie Edwards. But no one cares, because it's Bryan Myers. Myers fights dirty and he's arrogant about it. Edwards gets fed up, pokes him in the eye, and bites his eyebrow, causing him to bleed.

Er… No Contest?


Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz are worried that Fire 'N Flava Fest might not be as "lit" as they're hoping it will be.  Johnny Swinger walks past in a leopard-print toga with some ring rats following him. He refers to Steelz and Hogan as "a couple of my exes." God bless you, Johnny Swinger. Hogan has an idea.


Matt Hardy hangs out with Private Party backstage, where he takes credit for their win last week. Hardy talks about the Tag Team battle royal on Dynamite next week. He offers Private Party a bonus on winning both championships. By bonus, he means he'll make more money due to his cut of their earnings.


Tenille Dashwood vs. Rosemary

Tenille Dashwood and Kaleb come to the ring, followed by Rosemary with Crazzy Steve. They have a match. Rosemary wins.

Winner: Rosemary

Yes! I am here for the Rosemary push!


Acey Romero and Larry D reunited backstage. Larry wants revenge on Rosemary for casting the spell on him that turned him into Lawrence D in the first place that eventually led to him shooting John E. Bravo (because he can't exactly get revenge on Taya, since shes gone from Impact). Rosemary and Steve arrive backstage after their match. Larry punches out Steve.


Johnny Swinger is hanging out in a makeshift casino backstage. He calls it "Swinger's Palace." Kieara Hogan and Tasha Steelz show up and offer him a ticket to Fire 'N Flava Fest. They want him to bring the "Swingerellas" to serve drinks. John E. Bravo and Fallah Bahh are here too, and they agree to let Bravo come but not Bahh. Everyone but Bahh leaves. Swinger calls him a Ham and Egger. I love that guy.


Deonna Purrazzo hangs out with Kimber Lee and Susan backstage, gloating over Tay Valkyrie leaving Impact and Kimber Lee and Susan beating Jazz and Jordynne Grace. Jazz and Grace interrupt. Susan wants a one-on-one match with Grace. Grace accepts.


Fire 'N Flava Fest

Alisha Edwards, who is the MC of Fire 'N Flava Fest, introduces the titular tag team champs. Steelz and Hogan come out. They cut a quick promo, gloating about winning the belts, and then they get the party started. The guests start complaining about the festival. They order the Swingerellas to pass out the catering. It's just slices of bread and cheese singles. Then the Swingerellas pour champagne (actually sparkling apple cider). Steelz and Hogan turn on their guests before they can turn on them. For some reason, there is a person in a Stay Puft Marshmallow Man costume sitting at ringside. Steelz believes it must be Fallah Bahh. She rips off the mask, but it's Neveah, who lays her out. Havok takes out Steelz in the ring. The tag champs retreat. Havok and Neveah trash the festival setip in the ring.

This segment was a complete train wreck. The wrestlers involved are cool and it had potential, but Impact wasn't ready to execute this. Maybe with a live crowd, it might have worked.


James Storm and Chris Sabin drink beers backstage and talk trash about Matt Hardy and Private Party. Storm says they're not done with them or with the Good Brothers. Sabin suggests they win the championships It looks like they're gonna stay a tag team for now.


Backstage, Steelz and Hogan gripe about the festival sucking. A ref comes up and asks them for a refund, but they refuse.


Cousin Jake vs. Joe Doering

Silent But Deadly head to the ring, followed by Cousin Jake. Jake and Joe Doering have a match. Doering murders him.

Winner: Joe Doering

Silent But Deadly assault Jake after the match, but instead of breaking his leg, Young puts an SBD towel on Jake. Is that, like, an invitation?


Commentary runs through next week's card: Jordynne Grace vs. Susan. Madman Fulton vs. Josh Alexander. Tasha Steelz vs. Havok. Matt Hardy and Private Party will be there. TJP vs. Rohit Raju (with Raju's mystery guest).


Moose, Chris Bey, Sami Callihan, and Ken Shamrock vs. Rich Swann, Willie Mack, Tommy Dreamer, and a Mystery Partner

Twitch commentary seems to think the mystery partner will either be Trey Miguel or someone from AEW. Trey, I suppose, because he didn't go to WWE with the rest of the Rascalz and when Dreamer, Mack, and Swann saw the mystery man earlier, they expressed a desire to "get lit." So now it's time for the reveal.

Moose heads to the ring first before a commercial break, and after the break, all the heels are there, while Dreamer and MAck are on the stage. Swann comes out, and then… yup, it's Trey Miguel, with a new look and new music! I'm glad to see him back. Impact treated him like a rising star and WWE would have buried him on the main roster. So anyway, they have a match, and as you might expect, Miguel gets the pin on Sami to make his return a triumphant return!

Winners: Swann, Mack, Dreamer, and Miguel

After the match, Shamrock and Callihan beat the crap out the referee.


Viewership tonight topped out around 7500, which is down from last week, not a good sign considering the ratings were already down last week despite higher Twitch viewership. Tonight was hit or miss, but still an entertaining wrestling show. Miguel was the perfect reveal at the end of the night. We've got enough former WWE jobbers in Impact. Miguel feels like an Impact star, so treating his return like a big deal elevates the whole company with him.


Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!

Jude TerrorAbout Jude Terror

A prophecy claims that in the comic book industry's darkest days, a hero would come to lead the people through a plague of overpriced floppies, incentive variant covers, #1 issue reboots, and super-mega-crossover events. Unfortunately, nobody can tell when the comics industry has reached its "darkest days" because it somehow keeps finding new lows to sink to. No matter! Jude Terror stands vigilant, bringing the snarkiest of comic book and pro wrestling clickbait to the undeserving readers of Bleeding Cool.
twitteremailwebsite
Comments will load 20 seconds after page. Click here to load them now.