Match Ratings:

  1. X-Division Title, Ultimate X: Austin(c) vs Bailey vs Zayne vs Everett vs King vs Miguel ***3/4
  2. Sabin vs Kazarian ****
  3. X-Division Title: Bailey(c) vs Miguel ****1/4
  4. Shelley vs Sabin ****1/4
  5. X-Division Title: Bailey(c) vs Bey ***3/4
  6. Bullet Club vs Aussie Open ***1/2
  7. X-Division Title: Bailey(c) vs Mascara Dorada ***1/2
  8. MCMG vs Aussie Open ***1/2
  9. X-Division Title: Bailey(c) vs Kazarian ***3/4
  10. Alexander, Kaz vs Aussie Open ***3/4

Digest

I just caught up on Alexander's run at the top and now it's time for a quick look at a handful of other pulls from the underrated company. Bailey's reign takes center stage but Aussie Open got a nice spotlight, too.

1. An Ultimate X match is up first with the X-Division Championship on the line. This one started Speedball's reign but also was a great contest that showcased everyone involved nicely enough.

2. Bad Influence's Kazarian took on MCMG's Sabin in singles action next in a fantastic battle of vets. It served nicely as a spotlight for TNA's past and Impact's present and was one of US TV's best bouts of the year.

3. Trey and Mike's X-Division match at Against All Odds worked nicely to show what the division is all about. A strong X-Division makes a strong Impact and the division is certainly strong right now. A fantastic spotfest!

4. Next, MCMG civil war with Sabin taking on Shelley with a shot at the Impact World Championship on the line. The limb work portion and technical aspects added nicely to things as they slow burned upward here providing for a must-see encounter between two pillars of modern tag team wrestling. I strongly recommend this one.

VBD attacked after setting up a KUSHIDA save.

5. Mike Bailey versus Bullet Club's Chris Bey with the X-Division Championship on the line was a strong TV title defense for Speedball. Bey takes a lot of L's, people. He also always looks good in doing so.

6. I love Ace and Bey being in Bullet Club. I also love seeing Aussie Open appearing stateside as they are easily one of the best teams in the game right now. This one was a spirited sprint and a strong TV tag match. I'd absolutely love a rematch with higher stakes. 

7. Mascara Dorada is back! A match against Bailey for the X-Division belt a few years ago would've been a MOTYC. Admittedly this wasn't that, but it was a very fun title defense on TV. Maybe a bigger spot for the two could make a better match, but there were glimpses of MD's old self on display and Speedball was clearly having fun. What's not to like. Borderline great and worth considering.

8. MCMG and Aussie Open? Yes, please! Borderline great tag team action here and a very fun spotlight match. The best word that I can think of is "professional". Impact and AEW needs to use Aussie Open far more often. 

9. Kaz had a good time in Impact, clearly. The dude turned back the clock and was working some top shelf contests this year for the company. Here, he and Speedball put in for a great one that used time very well. Kaz would turn over the title shortly after, sadly. It was his 6th time with the belt for those keeping track. Bailey's reign was worth checking out and ended on a high note either way.

10. We close with a strong tag team match that saw Kaz and Alexander defeat Aussie Open. Great, flowing content and a very entertaining, throwaway TV main event.

I have one more spotlight style post to make involving Impact content before I move on, but I must repeat my previous observations one last time here.

Impact is fun as hell!

The roster is stacked and I had to trim things down heavily to avoid my pull list for the set from being overbloated. I'm trying hard to catch up on things that interest me and I sincerely urge all fans, especially those that have turned their backs on this company completely, to consider checking out at least a handful of the matches reviewed here.

Thanks, as always, for reading.