IMPACT WRESLTING REDEMPTION PREVIEW AND PREDICTIONS

Impact Wrestling looks to redeem themselves to the millions of harsh critics it has attracted with the appropriately named PPV event, Redemption, live, Sunday on April 22. For Impact fans, this is a much anticipated night, as it is the first major event under the latest regime of Don Callis and Scott D'Amore. The product has slightly changed, stars have come and gone, we have a new PPV name for the first time since 2005, but the mission remains the same, and that is the attempt at gaining their audience back and expanding upon that. With the arrival of Callis, Impact's reputation has greatly improved following good roster additions, unique partnerships, and the handling of Alberto El Patron's absence at a scheduled appearance. While these moves have garnered some positive buzz, the hole Impact is in, is far too deep for a couple of wise business decisions to repair. With that being said, we take a look at Impact's first PPV event of the year, Redemption.

PREVIEW This is a completely random, yet welcomed addition to Redemption. A match that just screams chaos involving 5 men that have either held or challenged for the X-Divison championship and "The Machine," Brian Cage, who may as well join the division. Ishimori recently left NOAH, so this was a surprise seeing him still with Impact. When Impact lost their relationship with The Crash, they also lost Garza Jr. so I am happy to see Ishimori not leaving the company just yet. Also, it looks like he got infected by "WWE First Name Loss" which is understandable. At least we won't have to hear Josh Mathews butcher "Taiji" anymore. Dezmond Xavier has not been seen in the company since 2017 in Canada. He started off hot, winning the World X Cup early on, but has lost steam since. He looks to gain some momentum Sunday night. Another shocking addition is El Hijo Del Fantasma. He has had a good run at this point and I look forward to seeing his future in Impact. He is a great wrestler with near-perfect English for a luchador. Brian Cage is the true x-factor in this match, he has one advantage that is pretty noticeable even in the graphic, and that is size. Cage is nearly 100 pounds heavier than his adversaries, however he is capable of just as much in the air. DJZ makes his long-awaited return to Impact also, as the former X-Divison champion has not been seen since April of 2017. Trevor Lee has recently bounced around from tag title matches to fat shaming feuds. PREDICTION This will be a fun spot-fest showcasing Cage's strength. Look forward to him throwing your favorite X-Division stars around and busting out some high-risk maneuvers himself. Brian Cage will pin Fantasma in about 9 minutes.

PREVIEW LAX captured tag team gold and have run through the shallow division in Impact. Eli Drake decided to cash in his Feast or Fired briefcase and add a team to the division. His partner of choice was none other than Big Papa Pump, Scott Steiner. Steiner was last seen in Impact in his infamous tag match where he sided with Josh Mathews to take on Jeremy Borash and Joseph Park at Slammiversary 2017. As audibly pleasing it is to listen to Konnan, Drake, and Steiner rant, they must all focus and lead their team to victory. I am happy to see Steiner back for a PPV, I will always appreciate Impact trying to make their PPV's feel different. PREDICTION I really have no idea what to expect out of this match. I can't tell you if it will be the worst thing ever or a wrestling classic but I can predict that we will not be getting new tag champs on Sunday night. LAX will retain in 10 minutes...maybe?

PREVIEW Matt Sydal captured the X-Division Championship from Taiji Ishimori after winning a Title vs. Title match at Crossroads. Sydal put the Impact Grand Title on the line in this affair and later rewarded his new spiritual advisor with the belt. This was later revealed to be the universally controversial, Josh Mathews. Sydal, once deemed a choke artist, has finally found his groove in Impact as Mathews has opened up his "third eye". However, the new tranquil attitude of Sydal may not be a match for the Feast or Fired winner, Petey Williams. Williams has not held the X-Division title since 2008 where he actually cashed in a Feast or Fired contract against Jay Lethal. The Canadian Destroyer looks to go 2/2 and replicate history as the X-Division legend seeks a victory at Redemption. PREDICTION I expect this match-up to go about 15 minutes. Matt Sydal is sporting a new gimmick and Petey, while great, is a veteran that does not really need the belt at this point. With that being said, this should be a good match, and if they don't overdo interference from Josh, it could be great. Look for Sydal to retain .

PREVIEW Just a few months ago, Allie was still that lovable underdog that you could root for while not expecting much in the W column. In recent weeks, Allie's inexperience has transformed after mistreatment from her ex-lover, Braxton Sutter, and attempted mind games by the former champion, Laurel Van Ness. Allie is too far into her Impact career to be easily manipulated anymore and she has the strap to prove it. Sutter seemed to take the separation pretty well as he has already found a new woman in quite possibly the polar opposite of Allie, Su Yung. We are unsure of how romantic this relationship is, but we can confirm that they do share a common interest, taking the championship away from Allie. PREDICTION I am unfamiliar with Su Yung's in-ring work so it is hard to speak on the quality of the match. I see this going about 9 minutes with Allie winning, but if there is one shocking result to look out for, it would be this one. Still, I do expect Allie to be victorious and perhaps enter a feud with her mentor Gail Kim. I am predicting some fishy activity from the Impact Hall of Famer following this match.

PREVIEW In one of the more unique matches on the card, Lucha Underground presents, Drago going head to head with Aerostar. This seems like a reaction to Impact having to cancel the original plan of Pentagon vs. Fenix. Impact was still looking to give the fans a neat match featuring talent from another company, and they did not disappoint. Drago was last seen on Impact television, at the Super X Cup. The Impact Zone adored him and it will be nice to see him back. Aerostar's lone appearance for the company was in the recent inter-promotional Twitch show. He was one of the most impressive acts of the night and definitely earned his spot on this PPV card. PREDICTION This will be a fast-paced, fun match that I don't see going too long. I expect just a sample of what you can find on Lucha Underground to attempt to draw new viewers. Drago is older but is still a capable performer and Aerostar is phenomenal. Drago is probably the bigger name, so I will pick him as the victor but this is really a toss-up. Drago in 8 minutes.

PREVIEW In undoubtedly the most personal feud featured on this show, oVe takes on the team of Eddie Edwards, Moose, and Tommy Dreamer. This heated rivalry began with oVe targeting the biggest stars in Impact. After taking out Lashley, long-time rival of Walking Armageddon, Eddie Edwards assisted him, following a proclamation of respect between the two. Edwards let his emotions get the best of him and got far too deep into warfare with Sami Callihan. Edwards soon defeated Callihan in a singles match which caused Callihan to commit the heinous act of striking Edwards' face with a baseball bat. Mr. AIP was rushed to the hospital where they treated his broken nose and orbital. This wasn't enough for Sami, as a few weeks later, he would stalk Eddie's wife Alisha at the hotel they were staying in. This caused Eddie to walk into Ohio alone, running off of pure revenge. He was welcomed by oVe at a Rockstar Pro event accompanied by hundreds of oVe fans. Edwards had walked into a brick wall consisting of crowd heckling and a brutal beatdown courtesy of the Crist brothers. 3 on 1 soon became 3 on 2 with the addition of Eddie's good friend, Moose. The numbers game was still far too much to overcome, causing Moose and Edwards to lure a hardcore legend to their team. Tommy Dreamer returned to Impact for the first time since 2015 to establish the first ever, House of Hardcore Rules match. oVe is the most violent group in wrestling but did Eddie Edwards and Moose find an equalizer? PREDICTION Contributing to a good variety on this card, we have a hardcore war between 5 good-great wrestlers in their prime and a guy that does these matches almost daily. I expect a really fun match here with great spots, nostalgia, and it could even feature some effective storytelling for a garbage brawl. Wrestlers do not usually win their own specialty matches and I feel that we still need one more Edwards vs. Callihan singles match. The only way this can be done is by giving oVe the win, so that is what I am predicting. This will go about 15 minutes and I see the Crists taking a pretty bad bump.

PREVIEW Redemption was built upon a man redeeming himself, a man reclaiming the championship that he "never lost". This man was none other than the controversial Alberto El Patron. His opportunity at redemption was on the horizon, but once again, he failed. Originally, the Lucha Underground vs. Impact Wrestling event was slated to feature an all-star tag team main event, consisting of Austin Aries and Fenix vs. Alberto El Patron and Pentagon Jr. With initially no explanation this was turned into a triple threat, identical to the one displayed in the graphic above. While someone lost an shot at gold, two wrestlers that displayed professionalism earned a chance at making history. Pentagon Jr. pinned Fenix at the Twitch event causing World Champion, Austin Aries to create the new main event, a rematch, but this time for the most coveted prize in Impact Wrestling. PREDICTION While it would create a buzz and be shocking, I just don't see an outcome other than Aries retaining in this three-way. The Lucha Underground stars are booked for the television tapings directly after this event, and in Canada in June, so it is not impossible. However, we do need to keep an eye out for the owner of the World Championship Feast or Fired briefcase, Eli Drake. This would be a perfect opportunity to cash in and defeat Aries in a similar fashion to the way he lost his title. I expect Aries to close the show with the title, but like I said, there is still a possibility that we will receive one more match following this.

IMPACT REDEMPTION