John Pollock is joined by Nate Milton and Davie Portman for a review of Impact Wrestling’s Slammiversary pay-per-view as they crowned a new Impact champion and had multiple surprises.
The three provide an update on the state of Impact Wrestling going into this card, the promotion of the show around the surprises and whether expectations were met, the overall interest in the product, and how Impact has gone about producing shows during the pandemic.
Then, they break down the pay-per-view with the matches and segments that worked and some that missed the mark, including one terrible match. Plus, thoughts on all the names that showed up including EC3, Eric Young, the Motor City Machine Guns, and Heath…Just Heath.
I havent listened yet, but if they were, I’m glad. I go in and out with this company. I want to like it. I follow whats going on and tune in, if something sounds good. They had a big opportunity with this show. They clearly had viewers, that dont normally order their PPVs, I was one of those. They did absolutely nothing to make people want to come back.
This company has nothing to lose. They should be pulling out whatever they can, to get people talking and tuning in. MCMG are not going to pull in viewers. Heath Slater with basically no change, is not pulling anyone in. Eric Young in a main event title match and The Good Brothers laying out Madman Fulton are not bringing anyone in.
I do understand what you’re saying but I disagree in a way that I don’t want to see impact doing crazy things to get over. That’s been a problem in the past. Just bring in some good wrestlers, give me some compelling story lines and push new people. I feel like they did that for the most part last night despite a few questionable booking decisions. No I am kind of making your point because impact did promise a lot. I think I’m just satisfied with a solid impact show. I just hope they build off this slowly.
If that is the stuff you want, they’ve been doing that for a couple years now and I think doing a solid job of it. As much as I go in and out on the product, it isnt because I dislike it. It has actually been pretty solid since Callis and D’Amore took over. I’m just not a fan of some of the talents. They’ve done a good job though.
How long can you just go on doing a good job though, when you arent growing your fan base? They dont get many opportunities, to really get people talking about them. This was one of those opportunities.
It’s a very tough, relevant question you ask. I don’t know, I guess it Hass to be a balance of both. Consistently good shows with the occasional surprise. I just think bookers get into this hole where we have to do some crazy shit so people watch. For example, the horror show. Maybe I’m making your point, but it’s like that show is being sold on the fact that it’s Going to be crazy as shit as opposed to just be a good show. How many of the people who tune in for morbid curiosity tonight will tune in tomorrow and the next day? It’s certainly complicated. Totally understand where you’re coming from.
For me, I think Impact should be going all out and taking risks. I know there are a lot of people(many even on this forum) that will disagree, but I see a lot of good in wrestling. AEW & NXT are both really good to me. I can find something to enjoy on Raw and Smackdown, that I personally can say is good for what I enjoy. I see good on MLW & New Japan.
I’m into The Horror Show, because it is something different. I know that if you give Rollins and Mysterio 20 minutes and go out there and do their thing, they could have a killer match. I can see killer matches multiple times a week though. Give me a guy, trying to tear out another guys eye though? Sign me up. Its fucking stupid, but I’ll find something to enjoy about it. I havent been a hater of the Rollins character. He isnt great at it, but it gets me.
I think I just need something a little more, in this pandemic era. I’ve always been someone who is more into the angles and promos and stories, over the in ring stuff.
At the end of the day, the company promoted this as a show to remember forever. Similar to the Greatest Match Ever, they set themselves up for this. Impact played into the free agent frenzy, but didn’t deliver. Eric Young in the main event? I think the Heath thing was hokey, too. I hope he has more ideas for himself than the comedy shtick.
This is all based off the review btw, don’t watch Impact. So, I could be missing things. Either way, feels like Impact didn’t have the names to back up the promotion. I’m excited to hear how some of those guys do (especially Good Brothers)…but this felt like a bit much in one night? Impact now looks like the haven for low card WWE guys, makes it feel minor league (in my opinion).
It’ll be a lengthy process to rehabilitate a lot of them. And I’m sure 6 months from now most of the released talent will have a makeover. Tonight though specifically, it feels low rent to bring these failed names (WWE failed them) at once in iterations we recognize.
That would be great. I love the old days of TNA. I started watching since it started in 2002. The best years were around 2005 to 2006 from what I remember.
