6 Ups & 5 Downs From IMPACT Wrestling (29 April)

1. The New Ace Of The X Division

A slight step down from their Rebellion three-way also including TJP, but Josh Alexander and Ace Austin’s X Division Championship clash was still a good bit of business.

They leaned heavily on their pay-per-view bout in terms of the same sort of sophisticated transitions to tell a decent narrative while wrestling a crisp style. One instance saw Ace attempt a drop toe hold that he turned into a few kicks to the back of the knee when the new champion refused to go down. Later on, Josh perfectly timed Ace’s corner Trouble in Paradise attempt by grabbing his ankle for an Ankle Lock.

‘The Walking Weapon’ disposed of Madman Fulton, before catching Austin mid-flight with a powerbomb across the knee. An Ankle Lock made Alexander’s first title defence a successful one.

Josh Alexander has cemented himself as a credible X Division Champion with this win. He not only defeated Ace Austin again, but he did so in convincing fashion. The way he cinched in the submission made it seem like there was no escape for Ace, whether he was in there for one minute or one hour. A quick tap out didn’t make Ace look weak; it merely made him realise the danger he was in. Little nuances like this go a long way in creating championship material.