8 Ups & 5 Downs From IMPACT Wrestling Hardcore Justice 2021

By Adam Morrison /

4. Crate American Bash

Anything that is a version of a 2000 WCW stipulation bout is never a good thing; Matt Cardona and Johnny Swinger learned this in their Mystery Crate match, which was an easily identifiable rib on the infamous San Francisco 49ers match.

Swinger was a cheap heel throughout the match, working like he was on a classic British wrestling holiday camp. Hiding in the ropes, kicking Cardona in the !*$% and balls while distracting the referee, letting off a rat trap on himself, the whole lot – and it wasn’t good. For this sort of wrestling-related humour, you must have a live audience in attendance.

A framed print of Scott Hall – don’t ask - and a pair of brass knuckles were also in the crates, with the former Zack Ryder leaving with the fourth crate, later revealed to be containing a stack of action figures because lol, what a geek. He won the match via Radio Silence.

This was a nice way to get Matt Cardona on the card, but this should have been limited to the bout between Brian Myers and Jake Something. It was a dire, boring match that served no purpose. Matt should be above this sort of booking disaster.