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The go-home episode to IMPACT Wrestling: Hard to Kill was an entertaining show, though it was hampered by a lack of clean victories. The build-up to the highly-anticipated bout between Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers and Rich Swann and The Motor City Machine Guns reached its crescendo with Swann and Anderson facing off in the main event of the night.
On the other hand, Tenille Dashwood and Rosemary went head-on in a fun encounter. The IMPACT Knockouts Championship contender Taya Valkyrie lost a match today, which derailed her momentum heading into the PPV. Moose destroyed his opponent in a gruesome manner, giving him an edge as he looks to challenge for the IMPACT World Championship once Swann finishes up his business with Omega and The Good Brothers.
That said, let's dive in and discuss some of the major talking points coming out of this week's episode of IMPACT Wrestling. Do share your thoughts in the comments section.
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#5 Rich Swann defeats Karl Anderson via roll-up on IMPACT Wrestling
Rich Swann and Karl Anderson faced off in the main event of this week's IMPACT Wrestling. With all the other competitors from the six-man tag match at Hard to Kill banned from the ringside, the two were left to fend for themselves here.
Swann's teammates, The Motor City Machine Guns, were watching the match from backstage, while Anderson's partners Gallows and Omega were viewing the action from the bus.
Anderson dominated the early stages of the match by thoroughly wearing down Swann and never giving him a chance to get the upper hand. However, the reigning IMPACT World Champion soon found his footing and picked up the victory via a roll-up.
The post-match saw Omega and Gallows barging into the backstage area and taking down Alex Shelly and Chris Sabin. Swann soon came back to take down the two, with Anderson also making his way. All the men got embroiled in a messy brawl, with the show going off-air abruptly. It felt a little disjointed, as if there was not enough time left to execute the whole angle.
While the match at Hard to Kill promises to be a barnburner, the reunion of Bullet Club on AEW Dynamite has raised the chances of The Young Bucks possibly making an appearance on the night. Apart from that, Swann's imminent challenger for the title, Moose, might also make his presence felt by talking down the champion. It's surely going to be a wild night for all fans out there at IMPACT Wrestling: Hard to Kill.
#4 Rosemary defeats Tenille Dashwood on IMPACT Wrestling
Rosemary and Tenille Dashwood locked horns this week on IMPACT Wrestling after Dashwood failed to convince the former to enlist her into her group. It was a fun encounter, though, with an ending filled with shenanigans. It's surprising how IMPACT Wrestling was going with minimal screwy finishes up until mid last year, but now, they have seemingly reverted to the old tropes.
Back to the point, the match between the two accomplished athletes was a highly-entertaining one, with The Demon Assassin finding help from Crazzy Steve to deal with Dashwood's crony Kaleb. The ending saw the former WWE Superstar try using a spray to vanquish Rosemary. However, The Demon Assassin was quick enough to use the spray on Dashwood to end the match with a spear.
It's clear that things between these two are far from over, and we can expect to see more one-on-one encounters from them in the coming weeks and months, with one of them also possibly finding their way into the title picture soon.
#3 Kimber Lee surprisingly defeats Knockouts Championship challenger Taya Valkyrie on IMPACT Wrestling
Taya Valkyrie took on the reigning champion Deonno Purrazzo's aide Kimber Lee in a singles match this week on IMPACT Wrestling. The bout itself was terrific, something that is expected from stars of their caliber but what was surprising was the outcome of the match. Lee came up on top by the end of it, handing Valkyrie a loss heading into her title match at IMPACT Wrestling: Hard to Kill.
Yes, Valkyrie lost via a roll-up, but it doesn't look good on a star to lose matches when they are challenging for the title. Also, with Su Yung seemingly joining hands with Purrazzo, the odds look stacked against the challenger come January 16.
Though the bout at Hard to Kill will be a competitive affair, IMPACT Wrestling will probably keep the title on Deonna Purrazzo as she has been fantastic in her role. IMPACT has barely scratched the surface of her potential. Feuds with the likes of Rosemary and Tenille Dashwood could produce some fun encounters down the line.
#4 Tommy Dreamer, Rhino, and others indicate what's to expect from their match at IMPACT Wrestling: Hard to Kill
Deaner and Tommy Dreamer faced off on this week's IMPACT Wrestling to hype up the six-man 'Old School Rules' match at Hard To Kill. While Dreamer was accompanied by his partners Rhino and Cousin Jake, Deaner had Joe Doering and Eric Young in his corner.
The match between Dreamer and Deaner on IMPACT Wrestling gave us a prelude to their clash at PPV. The match ended in disqualification, with all the stars getting involved in the fight. Though the referee had asked Rhino and Doering to leave the ringside, the interference from Cousin Jake played the spoilsport in the match.
Dreamer, Rhino, and Young already have prior experience in hardcore matches, though it would good to see the newer guys get the spotlight. Deaner, Cousin Jake, and Joe Doering would be looking to put up a great show on the night and learn while engaging in battle with the giants of the business.
#1 Moose solidifies his position as a legit threat to Rich Swann's World Championship on IMPACT Wrestling
Moose's 'I Quit' match at IMPACT Wrestling: Genesis against Willie Mack had a surprising ending. The self-proclaimed TNA World Champion himself uttered the two dreaded words after Swann promised him to give him a title shot. Though several fans have questioned this booking decision, some have lauded it for its inventiveness and audacious nature.
As a result, Moose is now next in line for a chance at World Championship, and his changed demeanor was visible on this week's IMPACT Wrestling. Facing Matthew Palmer, whom he failed to defeat in the stipulated three minutes last week, Moose brutalized him to the extent the referee had to stop the match.
Winning via referee stoppage, Moose showed the world that he could be the fiercest challenger Swann has faced as champion. With his involvement in the six-man tag match also a possibility, Moose is ready to showcase his capabilities as main event talent in IMPACT Wrestling and looks like a real threat to Swann's title reign.
