Recapping American wrestling since 2013. Not only following the current stuff in WWE, Impact and ROH but also going back in time and doing stuff from back then as well.
Kalisto beats Lince Dorado to continue to the next round of the WWE Cruiserweight Championship Tournament. Kalisto and Lince Dorado show respect after the match.
We get a closer look at Roderick Strong.
We hear from Cedric Alexander and Mustafa Ali. Cedric says he is one step closer to WrestleMania, then Ali sneaks up on Cedric and tells him he has an 054 coming his way.
We hear from TJP, who checks his Twitter notifications before saying it sucks to dedicate 20 years to something only to be booed for succeeding. He says he did what he had to do to win, and this time he is doing it for himself, not the fans.
Next week: Akira Tozawa vs. Mark Andrews in a first round match-up in the WWE Cruiserweight Championship Tournament!
We get a closer look at Mark Andrews.
We hear from Akira Tozawa, who talks about his match with Mark Andrews next week. He says Mark Andrews is talented, but he cannot beat him, and says he is going to win before he fires the person next to him for saying Mark Andrews will win.
205 Live General Manager Drake Maverick meets with Drew Gulak and "The Premiere Athlete" Tony Nese. Drake asks Gulak what happened to him, saying he used to be the most rugged grappler until he pushed his Drewtopia and turned into "a goof." He also chews Tony Nese for wasting his own talent and potential just to count his abs. He tells them that the comedy act train has left the station, and next week, they will face each other in the first round of the WWE Cruiserweight Championship Tournament. He then says he will see which of the two of them will step up to the plate, then tells them both to get out of his office.
Roderick Strong bwats Hideo Itami to continue to the next round of the WWE Cruiserweight Championship Tournament.
Jimmy Uso and Naomi are competing for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, while Mandy Rose and Goldust are competing for Hire Heroes USA (which helps former military personnel succeed in the civilian world).
SmackDown Live General Manager Daniel Bryan is the special guest referee for the next match as per fan vote, with 62% of the vote.
Jimmy Uso and Naomi beat Mandy Rose and Goldust. During the match, Lana and Rusev are seen watching the match backstage. After the match, Rusev and Lana show up. Rusev says he and Lana are the best married couple around here, not Jimmy Uso and Naomi, and next week, they will not sing songs and hug unless the song is "Lana is the best, Lana number one." (The chant originated in an episode of the WWE Network series Ride Along.) Lana then announces that she and Rusev will crush Elias and Bayley before celebrating Rusev Day.
Commissioner Shane McMahon starts tonight's show. Shane says he would be ecstatic about tonight's main event, but he is not, as the match between Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn will have immense ramifications as the winner will face "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles for the WWE Championship. He does not feel that Owens or Sami deserve another shot at the WWE title, but there is someone who does, and that person is General Manager Daniel Bryan, whom he introduces to the ring. Shane says SmackDown Live is the land of opportunity, and that he and Daniel both signed on for that. They also agreed that they would listen to the fans, and says that when the fans feel somebody deserves an opportunity, it is up to them to decide if they deserve it. Shane feels that Daniel Bryan is not listening. The fans chant "Rusev Day!," and Shane says "Duly noted." He then says Daniel Bryan is not listening because he keeps giving Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn opportunities. He says that the fans feel that somebody else deserves the opportunity. Daniel Bryan says the referee made a mistake in the 2-on-1 Handicap Match at Royal Rumble, and he has made it up to him by pitting Owens and Sami against each other. Daniel Bryan says he thought Shane would give him a pay raise, but Shane tells him not to get too carried away. Shane says he looks forward to the main event, but what bothers him is Daniel's decision to reward that with a WWE title shot yet again. He finds it difficult to figure out why Daniel Bryan keeps giving Owens and Sami opportunity after opportunity. He understand what Daniel Bryan has done here, and says he has changed the WWE landscape with the Yes Movement. Although Daniel Bryan has had a similar career path to Owens and Sami, he is not Owens and Sami, and that the Yep Movement is a cheap imitation of the Yes Movement, and tells Daniel Bryan not to let them manipulate him anymore. He knows that Daniel Bryan feels for them, and that Daniel Bryan would like to compete in the ring again more than anything else. Daniel Bryan stops Shane, asking him what he thinks he is doing. Shane says it is obvious that Daniel Bryan is trying to live vicariously through Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Suddenly, AJ Styles shows up. Styles says that since last month, he has traveled 10,000 miles defending the WWE Championship and competing at the highest level because that is what he does. He says he was put on the planet to be phenomenal. Styles says he can deal with the trials and tribulations that come with it, and that he was built for the grind. What he cannot deal with, however, is SmackDown Live obsessing over Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. He is not just talking about Daniel Bryan, but also Shane McMahon, as every time they make a decision involving Owens and Sami, it involves him. He does not care who wins between Owens and Sami in tonight's main event, as SmackDown Live is the house that AJ Styles built. He tells Shane and Daniel to stay out of his way, as he controls his own destiny and is heading through Fastlane and towards WrestleMania as WWE Champion.
The New Day eat pancakes and answer fan questions on Twitter in the locker room.
Backstage, "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles runs into "The Artist" Shinsuke Nakamura. Nakamura tells him he will beat him at WrestleMania, then walks away. Styles shrugs it off.
Charlotte Flair beats Liv Morgan with the Figure Eight after Ruby Riott and Sarah Logan are ejected from the match for getting involved. After the match, Charlotte tells commentary "One down...two to go."
Renee Young is in front of Kevin Owens' dressing room door when Owens comes out. Owens says it is up to Sami Zayn and whether or not Sami can handle losing to him if their friendship endures.
The Bludgeon Brothers (Harper and Rowan) beat two unnamed opponents. After the match, The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) show up. The Usos give The Bludgeon Brothers almost the same treatment that The Bludgeon Brothers gave them last week, and walk past The Bludgeon Brothers as they enter the ring for the next match.
Before the next match, The Usos tell the crowd about what being locked down is all about. Instead of the traditional prison system experience, they talk about a state of mind, where the prison is mental instead of physical. They talk about the hunger of success and the thirst of being in the spotlight, as well as how nobody paid attention to them until they dropped their facepaint and bright colors for their current appearance.
The first-ever SmackDown Live Top 10 List is here.
10. "The Perfect Ten" Tye Dillinger
9. Randy Orton
8. Becky Lynch
7. The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso)
6. The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Big E, Xavier Woods)
5. Bobby Roode
4. Naomi
3. "The Artist" Shinsuke Nakamura
2. Charlotte Flair
1. "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles
The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Big E, Xavier Woods) is not happy about placing 6th on the SmackDown Live Top 10.
We hear from Aiden English. He says the mat is covered in canvas because that is where art takes place. He may be a singer, but Rusev is a very different animal. He tells Bobby Roode to prepare to lose the United States title, for Rusev is ready for his magnum opus.
Aiden English mocks Kansas City, Missouri through song as he introduces Rusev before the next match.
obby Roode retains the WWE United States Championship against Rusev. After the match, Bobby Roode is hit with an RKO out of nowhere, then hits Aiden English and Rusev with RKOs as well.
We hear from Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable, who call Breezango (Tyler Breeze and Fandango) "buffoons in costumes" and "clowns solving mysteries." They want to bring prestige back to the SmackDown Live tag team division, and wonder why Breezango is still part of it. If Breezango have the jokes, they have the punchlines. Last week, they targeted Breezango. This week, they target The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor). That match is next.
Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable beat The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor).
The New Day answer more fan questions on Twitter in the locker room. Xavier Woods and Big E agree that Kofi Kingston would be #1 on the SmackDown Live Top 10 if they were all ranked individually. Kofi says that he would vote for Woods and Big E in the Top 10.
Renee Young interviews Sami Zayn. Sami says it is his opportunity to step out of Owens' shadow, as Owens has won all the championships while he has never won one. He says that is fine as they are best friends. However, they have faced each other constantly, and both of them have each other well-scouted. Owens does not know if their friendship will survive, but neither does he.
Next week: Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin!
"The Phenomenal" AJ Styles guests on commentary for the next match.
Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn ends when "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles attacks both Sami and Owens on commentary when Sami gets in his face while asking him if he is seeing what is going to happen to Kevin Owens. After the match, Styles continues to attack both men, then General Manager Daniel Bryan shows up and declares that Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens will face AJ Styles in a Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship at Fastlane.
The show begins with Bray Wyatt. He says Elimination Chamber is coming, and last year, he won the WWE Championship. He plans to repeat his destiny, but his nemesis, Roman Reigns, stands in the way. He says Roman has fallen so far down the spiral that nobody recognizes him, as Roman lost at Royal Rumble and lost the Intercontinental Championship, and he still displays a bravado he can see through. Bray sees him as a failure waiting to be put out of his misery, and he is happy to oblige, for at the end of the spiral is something far worse than failure: him. We then hear from Roman Reigns, who says that failure is someone who cannot deal with adversity, and stays down after going down. He has had up and downs, but that is the mark of a great journey, not failure. His journey is going to continue into WrestleMania, and Bray Wyatt cannot stop him from becoming the next WWE Universal Champion.
Roman Reigns beats Bray Wyatt to qualify for the Elimination Chamber Match. Matt Hardy is seen watching the match from backstage. After the match, Matt Hardy gets in the ring from out of the crowd, and hits Bray Wyatt with a Twist of Fate.
In the locker room, Jason Jordan is met by Seth Rollins. Rollins wants to know if Jordan is 100%, as this is the last time they will face The Bar and a repeat of Royal Rumble cannot happen. Jordan says he is 100%. Seth tells Jordan this is not about either of them, but what they can do together, and that they need to take the Raw tag team titles back.
Tomorrow night on Mixed Match Challenge: Mandy Rose and Goldust vs. Naomi and Jimmy Uso!
Before the next match, Scott Dawson re-introduces himself and Dash Wilder, and proclaim that they are tag team specialists. He then challenges Finn Balor to a tag team match with either Luke Gallows or Karl Anderson so they can show him how it is done. Finn Balor chooses Karl Anderson.
Finn Balor and Karl Anderson beat The Revival (Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder).
Backstage, Sasha Banks watches her match against Asuka from last week. Suddenly, Bayley shows up and says Sasha is being too hard on herself. Sasha says if she stops being hard on herself, she stops being herself. Sasha says she came close, and says she can beat her next time. Bayley asks for pointers, but Sasha says she's keeping her tips a secret. Bayley understands, then mentions in the Women's Royal Rumble Match. Sasha says it was every woman for herself, and says she will head to the Women's Elimination Chamber Match and win the Raw Women's title. Bayley, meanwhile, is focused on beating Asuka, saying that she can beat Sasha and that is Sasha can potentially beat Asuka, so can she.
205 Live General Manager guests on commentary for the next match.
Cedric Alexander and Mustafa Ali beat Drew Gulak and "The Premiere Athlete" Tony Nese.
General Manager Kurt Angle shows up. Angle talks about how history was made with the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble Match and how Asuka became the winner. He then addresses the first-ever Women's Elimination Chamber Match. Bayley, Mandy Rose, Mickie James, Sonya Deville and Sasha Banks will take on Alexa Banks for the WWE Raw Women's Championship in the Women's Elimination Chamber Match. Nia Jax may be absent from the match, but she will be taking on Asuka. If Nia Jax beats Asuka, she will be in the match for the Raw Women's title at WrestleMania, making it a Triple Threat Match. Suddenly, Alexa Bliss shows up, and she is not happy. Alexa tells Angle that what he is doing is not only wrong but completely unjust, and that it needs to stop. She does not consider this part of "evolution," and asks why the title is on the line in the women's match while it is not the case in the men's match. Alexa then asks if this is the case because she is a woman. Angle says that Brock Lesnar defended at Royal Rumble, while she has not defended since TLC in October. Alexa says she does not make the matches, and blames this on Angle before asking if he values Lesnar over her. She then says that this is not only hypocritical, but also sexist. Angle thinks that Alexa is trying to weasel her way out of the match, then asks the audience if they want to see Alexa Bliss defend the title in the Women's Elimination Chamber Match. The crowd chants "yes." Alexa tells the crowd to chant "yes" like sheep all they want, but she is the Raw Women's Champion and that she demands respect. She then leaves the ring, then Angle asks the crowd if they want to see the match again. Again, the crowd chants "yes."
We hear from John Cena, who says you have to have a plan to make it to WrestleMania. He has qualified for the men's Elimination Chamber Match, now he has to beat Elias and Braun Strowman tonight to enter in the match last.
WWE celebrates Black History Month by looking back on the WWE's recent trip to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee.
Asuka beats Bayley with the arm bar. After the match, Asuka extends her hand, and Bayley shakes it.
We hear from Sheamus and Cesaro. Sheamus announces that they will defend the Raw tag team titles against Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan. Cesaro is excited to beat them up again just like they did at Royal Rumble, and says that tonight is their last opportunity. Sheamus then says that they will kick both Seth and Jordan's heads off for good.
Before the next match, The Miz says that he encourages everyone to look at the sky tonight, as the constellation will look a lot like the WWE Intercontinental Championship. He says that the stars have aligned for 2018 and that it will be the year of The Miz, now that he has defeated Roman Reigns to take the title back on the highest-rated episode of Raw in almost three years, which he credits himself for. Miz then talks about how he beat Roman Reigns again to retain the Intercontinental Championship, saying that Roman could not overcome his overwhelming tide of momentum. He then says that the coach of the Philadelphia Eagles played his recent match for the players to inspire them to win the Super Bowl, then says the best is yet to come. Tonight, he will qualify for the men's Elimination Chamber Match for the right to face Brock Lesnar. At WrestleMania, the cameras will be rolling for his and Maryse's new reality show, Miz and Mrs., and his daughter will be born just in time for when he wins the WWE Universal Championship.
The Miz beats Apollo Crews to qualify for the men's Elimination Chamber Match.
Backstage, Seth Rollins meets with General Manager Kurt Angle, Jason Jordan and a medical doctor. Jason tells Seth that he cannot compete tonight as something does not feel right in his neck, and medical staff will not let him compete. Angle tells Seth he will forfeit the match, but all of a sudden, Roman Reigns shows up. Angle shakes his head yes. The match is still on.
Sheamus and Cesaro retain the WWE Raw Tag Team Championships against The Shield (Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) by disqualification when Jason Jordan strikes Sheamus and Cesaro as he tries to keep them from walking out of the match.
We hear from Braun Strowman, who says he will be the last one standing against John Cena and Elias tonight and at the men's Elimination Chamber Match. He tells Cena and Elias to get ready to get these hands, as nothing is going to stop him.
Backstage, Seth Rollins yells at Jason Jordan, calling him "a selfish son-of-a-bitch" and says the only thing he is sorry for is not legitimately hurting Jason Jordan himself. General Manager Kurt Angle tells Jason Jordan to go home and stay there immediately.
Nia Jax beats an unnamed opponent (who is later identified as Vanessa Floyd). Renee Young interviews Nia Jax after the match, and Nia Jax tells Asuka that she is the only woman in the locker room who does not fear her, and that she is the only woman Asuka cannot defeat. She says she will mess her face up so bad that she will wear her mask permanently, and when she is done with her, she will be "the empress of yesterday."
Mickie James gets a surprise win on Sonya Deville after stacking Sonya up. After the match, Sonya and Mandy Rose attack Mickie, and Alexa Bliss suddenly runs out to the ring and drags Mickie James out before helping her to the back.
Next week: Finn Balor vs. Bray Wyatt vs. Matt Hardy vs. Apollo Crews in a Second Chance Fatal 4-Way to qualify for the men's Elimination Chamber Match!
Before the next match, Elias plays guitar for the crowd before asking who wants to walk with him. Elias then calls Des Moines, Iowa "a no-name town," and says he usually flies over small towns like this one looking for anything better. When he beats John Cena and Braun Strowman, he will solidify himself as the final entrant in the Elimination Chamber Match. After that, he will grace WrestleMania. He then says it is a crazy reality that everything WWE will be his, as WWE stands for "Walk With Elias." Elias then says he turned down the Super Bowl halftime show to perform here, and says that was a mistake. He sings a song hoping that he can escape Des Moines. Elias then sings and plays guitar, saying Braun Strowman is just a man and not a monster, and is quickly jeered. He also sings that Brock Lesnar should fear him. The song is then interrupted by John Cena.
Elias beats John Cena and Braun Strowman after escaping a Braun Strowman powerslam and pinning Cena - who has just been powerslammed by Braun - to get the win and ensure he enters last in the men's Elimination Chamber Match. After the match, Braun Strowman lays out Elias with a running powerslam. He teases leaving, but then goes back into the ring and hits Cena with another running powerslam. Braun then picks up Elias and hits him with another running powerslam. After the crowd calls for it, Cena gets yet another running powerslam before Elias - who has rolled out of the ring - also gets another one.
Best Friends (Trent Barretta and Chuckie T) beat The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley) after The Briscoes (Jay and Mark Brisco) run in and attack Best Friends before attacking The Motor City Machine Guns. The Motor City Machine Guns retain the ROH World Tag Team Championships. After the match, The Briscoes zip tie Shelley to the middle rope and attack Chris Sabin in front of him.
We hear from "The Last Real Man" Silas Young, The Beer City Bruiser and Brian Milonis. The Bruiser tells ROH to step up to the bar, as Brian Milonis says that next week, he and The Bruiser will start bouncing people out of the bar. Silas Young says he cannot wait to see the proceedings, and says he will be right there with them.
We hear from Punishment Martinez, who says his life has been nothing but violence and anarchy. He earned his "Punishment" nickname on the streets by breaking bones and crushing skulls, and he is a two-time champion in full-contact martial arts. ROH has given him a platform to show his violence to the world. His time in ROH is about speaking through his actions, like torturing Jay White and beating "The Heavy Metal Rebel" Frankie Kazarian, "The Aerial Assassin" Will Ospreay and Jay Lethal. He says at Survival of the Fittest 2017, he proved he was on top of the food chain. He also says that Dalton Castle has received nothing but congratulations from his peers after Final Battle, and wants to be the first to grant him condolences as his time as ROH World Champion is dead.
"The Villain" Marty Scurll beats Shane Taylor. During the match, Scurll brings his umbrella to the ring, and Shane Taylor takes it only for referee Mike Posey to try to take it away from him. Scurll reaches under the ring for a bag, then pulls out some powder that he then throws into Shane Taylor's face for the win. After the match, Scurll calls out Punishment Martinez, but Martinez shows up out of the crowd from behind. Scurll predicts that Punishment Martinez will be victorious over Dalton Castle next week, then Scurll says the crowd can agree that they want to see himself as the new ROH World Champion. He asks for the first shot at the title if and when Punishment Martinez wins the title, and Punishment Martinez shakes his head "yes" before hitting Scurll with the South of Heaven choke slam as soon as Scurll turns his back.
The ROH Women of Honor Championship Tournament begins next week!
ext week: Punishment Martinez vs. Dalton Castle for the ROH World Championship! Coast To Coast (Shaheem Ali and LSG) vs. The Beer City Bruiser and Brian Milonis!
"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes beats Matt Taven. During the match, Vinny Marseglia and TK O'Ryan are tossed out of the ring by referee Todd Sinclair following constant interference. Matt Taven uses the opportunity to hit Cody with his walking stick, but Cody kicks Matt Tven in the groin and wins the match with an inside cradle. After the match, TK O'Ryan shows back up and attacks Cody from behind, then Vinny Marseglia whacks Cody's right hand with a steel chair. O'Ryan and Marseglia then lift Cody up so Taven can kick Cody in the groin and hit him with the Climax. Taven then removes Cody's ROH Ring of Honor and presses it against Cody's lips.
We see footage of an unknown person entering the Impact Zone.
For the first time since the Manhattan Center shows in midtown Manhattan, New York from 2015, the ring is now four-sided again.
Before the next match, we hear from "Reborn" Matt Sydal, who says that everything has been falling into place ever since he won the Impact Grand Championship. He says he has a special spiritual advisor showing him the path, telling him that the universe will conspire in his favor when he sets out to do what he is born to do. This is why there is no longer judges deciding who wins the belt, and why it is all up to him whether or not he keeps the title.
"Reborn" Matt Sydal retains the Impact Grand Championship against Fallah Bahh. (From here on out, matches for the Impact Grand Championship have no rounds and no judges, and are now just regular wrestling matches.)
Caleb Konley talks with Trevor Lee backstage. Trevor says he may not have the X Division title, but he is best known for good hair, a rock hard body and being five steps ahead of everyone else. He may not have the championship anymore, but he has a lot in store for the two of them.
Lashley beats KM.
Joseph Park is on the phone with Grandma Jenny when Jimmy Jacobs and Kongo Kong shows up. Jacobs says what happened with Chandler Park did not need to go as far as it did, but he will go that far again until he gets a match between Kongo Kong and Abyss next week. Joseph Park insists that Abyss will never come back, but Jimmy Jacobs says he is a princess and that he always gets what he wants.
The Pluto TV Rewind of the week is Abyss drowning Christian Cage in a pool as Father James Mitchell tells Abyss to stop.
Lashley says for months, he has been figuring out what to do between wrestling and mixed martial arts, and says he will still focus on both and do whatever he wants. He then runs into Eddie Edwards before leaving.
Kiera Hogan beats Laurel Van Ness in her Impact debut. During the match, Allie shows up an distracts Laurel Van Ness, allowing Kiera Hogan to beat Van Ness in a non-title match with a backslide pin.
The mystery person is seen making his way into the Impact Zone.
Mackenzie Mitchell interviews Alberto El Patron and Ethan Carter III. El Patron says that he is making Impact something important and that he is the real champion. He says he does not have to prepare for anything, as he is going against Johnny Impact and Moose tonight. Ethan Carter III says the main event goes through him because he is a Carter and the company needs him. He says El Patron may be a former world champion with a famous last name, but no last name supersedes his. He tells El Patron to follow his lead so they can make their way to another world title, but El Patron tells EC3 to follow his. After an argument over who leaves first, EC3 and El Patron shake hands, then EC3 leaves first.
The Latin-American Xchange (Konnan, Santana, Ortiz, Homicide) appear for the first time since Barbed Wire Massacre III. Konnan celebrates LAX's victory in Barbed Wire Massacre III and tells Sami Callahan that if he wants peace, he had better prepare for war as LAX is always ready for a fight. oVe (Jake Crist, Dave Crist, Sami Callihan) - also making their first appearance since Barbed Wire Massacre III, also show up, and Callihan tells LAX they hate them as well as the fans because they hate everything, then says he would be lying if he didn't say that oVe respected them, as they have done it all. He then goes on to say that if their feud does not come to an end, someone will end up six feet under. He tells LAX they are taking back the tag team titles back before they take over everything. oVe then leaves, but as they do, Konnan says they rule over nothing and that LAX is the whole fish. Suddenly, Trevor Lee and Caleb Konley are seen coming out of the crowd and attacking Santana and Ortiz from behind with a Kendo stick and a metal pipe. They escape with the Puerto Rican before Konnan and Homicide get in the ring with a steel chair.
Mackenzie Mitchell interviews Moose and Johnny Impact. Moose says this is a new year and a new ring, but the same company, and that he and Johnny Impact are an all-star team. Johnny Impact says you can say a lot about Alberto El Patron and Ethan Carter III, but they are all-stars as they can go. He also has a special message for Alberto El Patron: tonight, they will take El Patron and EC3 to Slamtown.
The GWN Flashback Moment of the Week is Drew McIntyre vs. Ethan Carter III in an unsanctioned match.
Backstage, Eli Drake and Chris Adonis talk with each other. Eli Drake says he does not like surprises, but he wants to know who the special guest they have for The Facts of Life will be. Chris Adonis says this installment will be a look back at Eli's life called "The Facts Of Eli Drake's Life" and a celebration of Eli Drake retaining the Impact Global Championship. Eli Drake cannot wait to start the proceedings.
"The Machine" Brian Cage is coming to Impact!
Moose and Johnny Impact beat Alberto El Patron and Ethan Carter III. During the match, it is announced that the mystery person will be in the ring for "The Faces Of Eli Drake's Life," and that Kiera Hogan will get a Knockouts title shot next week against Laurel Van Ness.
Eli Drake and Chris Adonis show up for "The Facts Of Eli Drake's Life." The two of them celebrate Eli Drake's life with various video packages of Eli Drake's time as Impact Global Champion with Adonis calling Eli Drake the greatest champion, dresser and friend that ever lived. The third video is Chris Adonis wearing the turkey suit from last Thanksgiving, which irritates Adonis. Eli Drake tells Adonis that the cherry pie was delicious and that Adonis was the best-dressed man that night. Eli Drake then says he is the greatest champion, the best-dressed man, the best friend and the greatest man that ever lived, which means nobody can touch him. The last part proves deadly to Eli Drake, as Austin Aries makes a surprise return to Impact Wrestling for the first time since 2015. The crowd welcomes Aries back with a passion as he says "I missed you guys, too," before saying he could not help but hear Eli Drake call himself the greatest man that ever lived. He says that is impossible, because he is the greatest man that ever lived, not Eli Drake. He tells Eli and Adonis he has some facts for him: he is a six-time and longest reigning X Division Champion, a world tag team champion and a former Global Champion, all in this company, and while Eli Drake has been getting his clothes from the thrift store, he has gone all over the world. He then says they have never went face-to-face in the ring, and before Eli Drake can call himself the greatest man that ever live, he has to beat him first, and all Eli Drake has to do is name the time and place for the match. Eli Drake takes off his coat and scarf and tells Austin Aries he is the former champion while he is the one that matters, and says the best work he has done since leaving is at the commentary table. Eli Drake says he cannot stop being Eli Drake and being the champion, and if Aries wants to make the challenge right here and now, then...no. As Eli is about to leave, Austin Aries says Eli Drake "doesn't have a set of balls between his legs." Adonis suddenly attacks Aries from behind with the Global Championship, then Eli Drake calls for a referee. He pins Aries, but Aries kicks out at two, and Eli Drake argues with the referee. Aries fights back and knocks Adonis off the apron with a discus forearm before hitting Eli Drake with the brainbuster for thw win and to become the new Impact Global Champion in an impromptu match to end the show.
