5 Most Insane Things Happening In Wrestling Right Now (April 27)
Time Is Money
In pro wrestling, do two kabongs make a right?
Sami Callahan wasn't the most popular performer recently (despite laughably boasting to the contrary), after dangerously mistiming a spot as thick-headed in conception as it was in execution. Swinging a baseball bat full force at Eddie Edwards' face, he scored the most unwelcome of home runs by actually hitting the poor f*cker.
The margin of error wasn't exactly minuscule, but the hardcore set piece was illogical in and of itself anyway. Wrestling requires suspension of disbelief even in deathmatch climbs, but the idea that a well-worked wallop wouldn't have even been the finish implied that neither exactly had their thinking caps on, let alone a safety helmet or two.
Impact Wrestling were rightly chastised for exploiting the spot, but have managed to pay the entire ugly escapade off with one of their most powerful angles in years. Consumed by rage against Callahan following empty vindication at the company's Redemption pay-per-view, Edwards inadvertently smashed his own wife in the face with a kendo stick. Well-handled, well-shot and well beyond what WWE would dare to do, they were finally attempting to be a serviceable alternative again.
Impact, interesting? In the good books? Insane.
A quick housekeeping note: regular readers will be stuck with me - the lesser of two Michaels - whilst head of this parish Michael Sidgwick takes paternity leave. In his absence, buy his book. It's not cheap being a Big Bad Booty Daddy, especially when you can't sell for sh*t anymore...
5. "IT'S ALIVE!"
...and the only thing Scott Steiner's fit to flog at this point is "the best smoothie in town" at your favourite local Shoney's.
Jeff Jarrett has just entered the wrestling's most high profile Hall Of Fame, Jeremy Borash's hard graft is currently helping rebuild Bray Wyatt, and Bobby's both Roode and Lashley occupy high level spots on Monday Night Raw. Is Impact Wrestling the beating heart of the industry yet again? Well, no, but its veins were at least on show for the first time in a long time at Sunday's 'Redemption' pay-per-view, and 'Big Poppa Pump' was flexing the hardest.
Rolling back the years with a f*cking brilliant (and only slightly terrifying) Frankensteiner on LAX member Santana, the 'Big Bad Booty Daddy' topped off an unexpectedly great display by scooping the brand new Impact Tag Team Titles with Eli Drake. He later interrupted a Petey Williams promo to reference not only their prior relationship but also pay homage to the chaotic fractions promo that's since made him a meme to a generation of younger fans.
It's these supporters Impact are openly courting, too. Josh Matthews opened up the event almost apologetically stating that "This is just the beginning, our work is never over. It’s one fan at a time. This, is Redemption." It's a long road back, but the Orlando outfit are already 66 and 2/3% of the way there.