Impact Wrestling is now just 9 days away from Slammiversary. Last night’s episode of Impact Wrestling added 2 new matches to the card and built towards several others already signed.

Impact Wrestling started off last night with King’s OGZ, so they sound like a good place for us to start too. Here are 9 takeaways from Impact Wrestling’s July 12th show:

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5150 Street Fight Scheduled For Slammiversary

After Homicide and Hernandez made short work of some local talent, King challenged Konnan’s LAX for Slammiversary. Even though Santana & Ortiz are the tag-team champions, however, King said they are not interested in titles at this time. They want LAX in a 5150 street fight.

King also explained why Homicide and Hernandez joined him. He said that when Konnan decided to bring back LAX he chose to bring in two new boys he could control rather than Homicide or Hernandez. Now the OGZ want to take out the new LAX.

Shotzi Blackheart Has Arrived In Impact Wrestling

A standout from RISE, Shotzi Blackheart was scouted by Impact management at a seminar run by the Illinois-based developmental promotion. Shotzi is a wild one with quite a lot to say.

Here are some quotes from her backstage interview with Alicia Atout:

“Being here has given me a one-track mind and that track is to prove I’m no phony-baloney”

“This mango is ready to tango”

“My mind is a machine, my body’s the bullets and Allie is my target”

She dropped her debut match to Allie but she was able to get in a fair amount of offense and show what she can do. Don Callis mentioned on commentary that Impact management would be foolish not to sign her.

Tessa Blanchard Attacks Allie

For the second week in a row, Tessa Blanchard interfered in a match involving Allie. The previous week, Blanchard came out to get revenge on Madison Rayne but was fended off by Allie who was teaming with her. This week it was Allie who was Blanchard’s target.

Following Allie’s victory over Shotzi Blackheart, Blanchard hit the ring and delivered a hammerlock-DDT. Shortly after the segment aired, Impact Wrestling management made the match between the two of them official for Slammiversary.

BREAKING: @AllieImpact and @Tess_Blanchard will battle for Knockouts superiority as they face one on one at Slammiversary on July 22nd! #IMPACTonPop pic.twitter.com/zQJdyrFzmm — IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) July 13, 2018

Matt Sydal Believes Organic Matter Beats Machines (he also mentioned his 3rd eye…)

Matt Sydal is not worried about having to defend his title at Slammiversary against an opponent so much bigger than he is, he’s been doing that his whole career. Sydal cut a backstage promo this week on Impact where he discussed why he feels he’ll be victorious against Brian Cage.

Sydal said they call Cage a machine but that is the very thing which will be his downfall.

“My opponent is a man who sees things completely mechanical but we live in an organic universe,” Sydal said. “When machines break, they fall apart but organic things they come back to life. No matter how hard you bury me down, I rise back up.”

Pro wrestling event alert. Card subject to change. Championships unlikely to change hands. @IMPACTWRESTLING @MrGMSI_BCage. ???? pic.twitter.com/zNdhgyhzRt — Matt Sydal (@findevan) July 12, 2018

Joe Hendry and Katarina May Not Have Grado’s Best Interests In Mind…

It’s starting to look as though Katarina may have ulterior motives as it concerns her relationship with Grado. That Grado has brought his “best friend” Joe Hendry into Impact is also an interesting development.

Josh Matthews noted on commentary that he follows Katarina on social media and she posts a lot of pictures but usually ones which feature only her and Hendry rather than Grado.

Eli Drake disposed of Grado in single’s action this week. After doing so, Drake tried to put the moves on Katarina only to be pushed away. Upon realizing Katarina was not interested in him, Drake attempted to inform Grado that something was going on between Hendry and Katarina.

Austin Aries Drops Truth Bombs On DeAngelo Williams

Austin Aries is a guy who doesn’t mince words. When DeAngelo Williams returned to Impact to talk about how his training with Moose is going, Austin Aries couldn’t help but get involved. After Williams called Aries “trash”, the Impact World Champion came out to confront him.

Aries ripped on Williams for not getting signed by an NFL team for next season. Then he ripped on him for never having won a Super Bowl. Finally, Aries knocked him in the head with a microphone and then beat him up with a chair.

Later in the show, Moose would call in to say he will be on the show next week to confront Aries.

Dear @nfl @CFL @xfl2020 @espn @TMZ_Sports @SBNation Find this guy a job! He proved on @IMPACTWRESTLING he can still be flattened and embarrassed, yet get up with some fight. Plus, he doesn’t belong in my ring, just like his bff @TheMooseNation. Love, “Hot Stuff” Austin Aries https://t.co/SIhuPiQnH5 — Austin Aries (@AustinAries) July 13, 2018

Madison Rayne Sit-Down Interview Turns Into Horror Film

It was just supposed to be a sit-down interview…

What seemed as though it would be a rather uneventful segment when we mentioned it in our preview for this episode, Madison Rayne’s planned sit-down interview turned into a macabre scene. Rayne’s interview had barely begun when ominous stuff started happening around the studio.

After foolishly stumbling into an open field to escape the paranormal activity, Rayne was surrounded by Yung’s undead brides. The undead brides whispered that her time had come. Then Yung herself appeared before the camera suddenly went black.

It's safe to say @realsuyung is getting the better of the mind games over @MadisonRayne ahead of Slammiversary… Sleep tight after watching this everybody. #IMPACTonPop pic.twitter.com/vPJIiBvvru — IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) July 13, 2018

Highlight-Filled Main Event

The night’s main event featured Pentagon and Sami Callihan building towards their Slammiversary Mask vs Hair match. It also featured 2 of the 4 wrestlers who will compete in the fatal 4-way.

Fenix and Rich Swann were on the same side in this match but will be in competition with one another at Slammiversary. Some of the highlights of this week’s main event might preview what is in store at Slammiversary when Fenix, Rich Swann, Taiji Ishimori and Johnny Impact face each other.

Can Sami Callihan Be Pinned?

This week’s main event featured a Lucha rules 6-man tag. On one side was oVe and Sami Callihan and on the other was Fenix, Pentagon Jr, and Rich Swann.

During this match, Callihan kicked out from Pentagon’s Fear Factor (package piledriver). Callis noted on commentary that he has never seen anybody kick out of that move. Callihan would also kick out of the spiked-piledriver move the Lucha Brothers use as a finisher.

If Callihan can kick-out of two of Pentagon’s finishers in a row, what will Pentagon have to do to beat him at Slammiversary?

Callihan certainly sounded confident in his chances at Slammiversary when we spoke to him yesterday on the Impact media call.

Impact Wrestling 7/12 Quick Results:

OGZ defeated Local Talent

Allie defeated Shotzi Blackheart

Eli Drake defeated Grado

Sami Callihan & oVe defeated Rich Swann, Fenix, & Pentagon

Also on the show:

the Desi Hit Squad had a backstage interaction with Fallah Bah and KM which will likely lead to a match.

Killer Kross will face Petey Williams next week.

Another video for a new Knockout aired. All we know of her so far is that she is somewhat “devilish”

A video package recapping the Eddie Edwards vs Tommy Dreamer feud aired.

Slammiversary XVI

July 22nd, 2018

Rebel Entertainment Complex

Toronto, ON, Canada