Impact Wrestling: Final Resolution
December 12, 2020
by Samoa Rowe
From Skyway Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. This is the first TNA/Impact event under the "Final Resolution" banner since 2012, in case you were curious. Our hosts are Josh Mathews and Madison Rayne.
"Old School Rules" Match:
Tommy Dreamer vs. Larry D.
If Larry loses, he has to go to jail. That's reasonable. The stip isn't enough to motivate Larry early on as Dreamer controls the brawl and throws weapons into his face. Larry comes back with a chair shot and drops a mystery box over Dreamer's back. Larry accidentally punches a lid, but he recovers by stomping Dreamer's face into a tray. The box was full of chop sticks and other cooking materials, but Larry favors a cookie sheet. Dreamer escapes a chain choke but Larry superkicks his face. Larry misses an elbow drop and Dreamer swings a belt into his face while making a comeback. Larry really doesn't want to go to jail and limps to the top rope only to get stuck in a tree of woe. Dreamer dropkicks a chair into Larry's face, and it looks like Larry is heading to the slammer. Dreamer retrieves a table, but Acey Romero runs in to help his partner. XXXL set the table in the buckles, but John E. Bravo interrupts, only to get sandwiched. Romero misses a cannonball and goes through the table. Larry hits a sick headbutt on Bravo, but Dreamer returns with a kendo shot and DDT to win at 11:40. Totally serviceable brawl, and that stipulation is my kind of cheese, **¼.Winner: Tommy Dreamer
Dreamer performs a citizen's arrest on Larry. The anguished look on Romero's face is pretty funny.
Breaking news, AEW World Champion Kenny Omega's tour bus is in the parking lot!
The Sea Stars (Ashley Vox and Delmi Exo) vs. Havok and Nevaeh
Exo locks up with Nevaeh, with Exo getting the better of the exchange and hitting a rana. Nevaeh responds with a snapmare and bulldog. Timely tag to Vox, who ducks clotheslines to hit a dropkick. Vox doesn't see the tag to Havok, who toys with her, but misses a senton. Exo tags but takes Havok's backbreaker and Nevaeh's sliding clothesline. Exo gets worked over for a bit and absorbs a fair amount of punishment. Vox gets a hot tag and pulls the ropes to spill Havok to ringside for a tope, but Havok counters with a slam onto the apron. Exo helps with a Codebreaker on Havok and holds her in place for Vox's senton. The Sea Stars try to swarm Havok, who saves herself with an uranage on Vox. Havok makes a blind tag that Nevaeh didn't seem ready for, but they manage a tandem facebuster on Exo to win at 8:17. Enjoyable match that fell apart down the stretch, **.Winners: Havok and Nevaeh
Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz argue about whether or not Steelz should return a wad of money.
Tenille Dashwood and Kaleb with a K vs. Eddie and Alisha Edwards
Alisha looks like she's ready to yell at a grocery store clerk for asking her to wear a mask, and is eager to start against Dashwood, but Kaleb tags himself in. Eddie gets the better of Kaleb, hitting an atomic drop and overhead suplex. Tenille throws a shirt at Eddie, allowing Kaleb to hit a slick legsweep and gain the advantage. Eddie quickly comes back with a Blue Thunder Bomb. The women tag in and Alisha scores a quick Flatliner. Running bulldog by Alisha gets 2. Kaleb interferes, but Alisha punches him right in the face. Kaleb trips Alisha to give control back to Tenille. Eddie gets a tag and demands Alisha to make a tag, and then casually dodges Kaleb's diving attack. Eddie menaces poor Tenille and then piles Kaleb on her for some chops. Tenille stops Eddie's Tiger Driver, but Eddie avoids a double team, and Alisha interferes with a tornado DDT on Kaleb. Eddie dives onto Kaleb. Alisha prepares a dive when the set glitches, signaling Sami Callihan's hacker persona. The distraction allows Tenille to hit a Spotlight Kick and pin Alisha at 8:54. This was actually getting over pretty nicely before that sudden distraction finish, **½.Winners: Tenille Dashwood and Kaleb with a K
Eddie checks on Mrs. Edwards, but gets ambushed by a bat-wielding Sami Callihan. Sami leaves Eddie down with a package piledriver. Not satisfied, Sami goes after Alisha, but referees rush in to save her.
An interviewer knocks on Omega's tour bus, but it's Don Callis who answers. Don is offended by the intrusion and says that Omega is in the bus, but won't be involved with the show tonight. He's just visiting family, that's all, so go away. Seeing as Kenny is performing for AAA tonight, I'm guessing he either doesn't show his face, or they pretaped something.
Tasha Steelz, in possession of a fanny pack full of cash, comes to the ring to serve as special ring announcer. She puts herself over as a future Knockouts Tag Team Champion and introduces special referee, Kiera Hogan.
Hernandez vs. Fallah Bahh
Tasha also plays guest time keeper and rings the bell repeatedly, which confuses Bahh. Hernandez tries to take control but Bahh hits a crossbody block and falling headbutt. Bahh's head of steam is blocked by Hogan, so he moves her out of the way, but Hernandez rakes the eyes. Slingshot shoulder block by Hernandez. Bahh gets dropkicked to ringside and he tries to dodge a dive, but Hernandez improvises with a slingshot senton. Back to the ring, Hernandez hits a back senton for 2. Bahh answers with a running shoulder block and a hip check in the buckles. Bahh gets a visual pinfall, but Hogan refuses to count. Bahh tells her off, but then Hernandez hits a top rope splash for the win at 6:24. Total nonstop screwiness, *.Winner: Hernandez
Steelz opens her fanny pack but the money is gone! Hernandez is pissed and chases the women to the back.
Backstage interview with Chris Bey, who is getting his first ever Impact World title shot. Bey says he has belonged in the main event all along, he's going to put Rich Swann down and take his crown.
Eric Young (with Joe Doering) vs. Rhino
Rhino comes in hot and forces Young to take a quick time out. Young manages to gain the upper hand and attacks the head with Methodical Heel Offense. Rhino's punches hit harder and he nails a back body drop. Doering's distraction allows Eric to hit a neckbreaker and retake control. Young misses a moonsault, giving them both a breather. Belly to belly suplex by Rhino and a series of clotheslines. Eric blocks another suplex, but Rhino hits a TKO. Young blocks a whip and the referee takes a bump, giving Doering a chance to interfere. Eric prepares to use a mask as a weapon, but the Deaners run in. Cody Deaner then turns on Cousin Jake and knocks him down with the mask. Eric likes what he sees. Cody storms off, leaving Eric to clock Rhino with the mask for the win at 10:35. Middle of the road match, as both guys looked pretty cooked early, the main story was the late interference and swerve, **.Winner: Eric Young
Karl Anderson heads out to the tour bus. He's on the champion's list!
Defeat Rohit Challenge:
X Division Champion Rohit Raju vs. Manik
Rohit puts over his big year and that he's about to end 2020 undefeated in these challenges. Manik is a surprise opponent, and clearly is TJP, and he ambushes with a high crossbody. Corkscrew senton by Manik is good. Rohit answers with a running boot the chest, but Manik comes right back with a surfboard stretch stomp. Manik maneuvers into an octopus into a crucifix pin for 2. Rohit breaks out but Manik completely vanishes. Manik sneaks back for a neckbreaker for 2. Rohit misses a running boot but uppercuts Manik in a springboard before hitting a facebuster for 2. Rohit throws some kicks and nails a hard back suplex for another 2 count. Rohit tampers with Manik's mask during a heat sequence, but Manik saves himself with a GTS. Springboard DDT by Manik gets 2. Rohit hits a cannonball and double stomp to the back for 2. Manik goes for a crucifix, but Rohit thrusts himself in the ropes to survive. Rohit tries to bump the ref, but Manik rolls him up for the upset and title at 11:21! I wasn't feeling this at first, but I'll be damned if they didn't suck me in with the urgent pace and feeling of desperation the longer it went, ***.Winner and new X Division Champion: Manik
Backstage interview with Moose, who is still pretending to be TNA World Champion. He claims the Impact World title is second to his vanity belt, but he'll be happy to take it away from the winner of Swann vs. Bey.
Impact Knockouts Championship: Deonna Purrazzo © (with Kimber Lee) vs. Rosemary (with Taya Valkyrie)
Purrazzo takes an early time out. Kimber Lee grabs Rosemary's ankle, but she hits Purrazzo with a spear anyway. Rosemary repeatedly knocks Deonna's skull to the mat and buckles. Purrazzo drives Rosemary shoulder-first into the ring post to take control. Rosemary breaks an armbar by throwing Purrazzo through the ropes. Rosemary traps Deonna in a tarantula, but then gets knocked off the apron. Purazzo gets her heat while Valkyrie watches in concern. Rosemary clubs the head to block a submission and nails a side slam. Rosemary rallies, hitting a sling blade and exploder suplex. Butterfly suplex by Rosemary gets 2. Purrazzo applies an armbar, but Rosemary counters into a DVD, but Kimber Lee pulls out the referee! Taya chases Kimber Lee in circles, but Purrazzo hits the Costra Nosa piledriver to win at 13:17. Routinely solid match, **¾.Winner and still Knockouts Champion: Deonna Purrazzo
Valkyrie clears Purrazzo and Lee from the ring, signalling that she's next in line for a shot at the Knockouts Championship.
Karl Anderson hangs out with AEW World Champion Kenny Omega and Don Callis in the tour bus. Omega is relaxed and happy to be reminiscing with old Bullet Club pal, Anderson, who needs to be reminded that he has a match soon. They challenge Karl to be the same guy who made a splash in the G1 Tournament and send him off with air machine guns.
Ethan Page (with Josh Alexander) vs. Impact Tag Team Champion Karl Anderson
There's a weird backstory where the Good Brothers played AJ Styles' old TNA theme to trick Page and then made him wrestle Swoggle in P1 gear. Now, if Page beats Anderson, the North get another shot at the tag team gold. They aggressively lock up and trade shots to the midsection. Anderson targets the face with punches and an uppercut, but Page returns fire. Alexander interferes, allowing Page to pull Anderson into a backbreaker. Page dishes out a prolonged assault to Anderson's back. Desperation back suplex by Anderson buys him some time. They slug it out and Karl overtakes the brawl and hits a senton. Spinebuster by Anderson gets 2. Page stays alive by targeting the back again and arm drags Anderson off the top rope for a cutter and 2. Leaping DDT by Anderson, but he has to take time to knock Alexander from the apron. He clotheslines Page for the win at 13:17. Huh, everything about this felt like it was leading to a Page victory. Surprising outcome aside, this was kind of a snoozefest, **.Winner: Karl Anderson
Alexander is upset that Page couldn't get the job done and storms out. Page melts down pleading to the cameras.
Impact World Championship:
Rich Swann © vs. Chris Bey
They seem to pace themselves for a long match with their tentative chain wrestling. The pace briefly quickens before Swann slows it down again after a dropkick. Swann's methodical offense is balanced with a somersault leg drop. Bey comes back with a rana into the buckles and makeshift 619, followed by a rolling neckbreaker for 2. Bey slows it down with a chinlock. Swann escapes but Bey nails a leg lariat and applies an abdominal stretch. Swann counters with a hip toss, Bey blocks a dive and nails a flying elbow to the small of the back. Desperation clothesline by Swann gives them a breather. Neckbreaker by Swann and a mule kick gets 2. Bey places Swann in a reverse tree of woe for a running dropkick. Torture rack TKO by Bey gets another 2. Leaping rana by Swann and a cartwheel moonsault gets a routine nearfall. Swann misses a back handspring splash, but Bey maneuvers into Code Red for 2. These false finishes aren't fooling anyone. They stumble through a strikefest until Swann's spin kick leaves them both down. They trade quick pin predicaments, but Bey hits an exploder variation for a close 2. The commentators aren't doing enough to help them, as Bey tries his best to look shocked. Swann blocks a springboard cutter with a handspring and kicks the head for another 2. Swann kicks Bey square in the forehead and finishes with the Phoenix Splash at 20:03. I wanted this to be great so badly, but it was frustratingly disjointed, they didn't earn their false finishes, and was missing something on an emotional level, **¾.Winner and still Impact World Champion: Rich Swann
"TNA World Champion" Moose comes to the ring to hand the Impact title back to Swann. I'm guessing this is our Hard to Kill main event?
Final Thoughts: Final Resolution 2020 was a major disappointment, especially coming off of last month's stellar Turning Point. You would think that with all the extra attention Impact is getting from the AEW angle, they'd have pulled out all the stops to put on a great special and keep their momentum rolling, but you'd be sadly mistaken.
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