Hola Knockout fans and welcome to this week’s Impact Write-Up. It’s been two weeks since Bound For Glory but we are still feeling and seeing the effects of Allie’s visit to the Undead Realm. Kiera Hogan will fight on behalf of her friend when she squares off with Su Yung on this week’s Impact. Elsewhere, the Knockouts Champion Tessa Blanchard responds to her Bound for Glory Taya Valkyrie after the latter made it known that she doesn’t respect the champ’s tactics to retain the title.
This week’s episode of Impact kicks off with Scarlett Bordeaux and her continued Open Talent Search. She’s sitting close by for match-up between Trevor Lee and Sami Callihan from the entrance ramp but opts to leave halfway through the match which is eventually won by Callihan. Maybe she should’ve stayed around to see Cage clean house against oVe?
.@Tess_Blanchard insists she can beat @TheTayaValkyrie no matter the circumstance and she plans to do that in a Knockouts Championship match NEXT WEEK.
See you next Thursday… #IMPACTonPop pic.twitter.com/sun65zOGdh
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) October 26, 2018
We move to a backstage encounter between Taya Valkyrie and the Knockouts Champion Tessa Blanchard. Blanchard calls out Taya for her claim that Blanchard needed a shortcut to beat her at Bound for Glory. Blanchard claims that she doesn’t care about Taya’s opinions but Taya claps back, reminding Blanchard that she was the one that busted in the room like a ‘chica loca’, so clearly, she does care. Blanchard will prove that she doesn’t need any shortcuts with a Knockouts Title rematch against Taya next week, which Taya accepts.
We check back in with Ms. Bordeaux, who is reviewing all of the fans open talent Impact ‘auditions’ from the bathtub! Reminder to those hopefuls watching from home to keep these video auditions clean as I can only imagine what else is being sent to Impact’s intern team!
.@JordynneGrace is #ComingSoon! #IMPACTonPop pic.twitter.com/FHVKovdcVa
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) October 26, 2018
Weekly reminder that Jordynne Grace is coming to Impact soon!
After chasing and beating down Moose from his Tag Team Match to a rooftop brawl, Eddie Edwards is seen sitting alone talking to his kendo stick when his wife arrives. Alisha Edwards is considered for her husband who continues to show a sign that he is losing his mind. Eddie plants a kiss on his wife, adding she indeed drives him crazy and walks out.
We move on to our Knockouts match of the week:
The action starts off as Su Yung makes her entrance. Kiera wastes no time and goes after the Undead Bride from the ramp. Kiera tosses Yung into the ring and hits a corner combination of a forearm, hip attack, and low running kick. She misses a charging attack but leaps to the second turnbuckle for a kick and hurricanrana. Follow up with a kick to the head for a two count.
Yung gains control after attacking ducking a clothesline and attacking Kiera from the ring apron. She tosses Kiera to a corner, placing her in the Tree of Woe for kicks to the back and a hanging neck breaker off the ropes for a two count. Yung introduces her bloody Mandible Claw glove but Kiera lands in forearms shots, a roll through and kick to the chest. Yung goes for a high kick but Kiera catches it and counters into a powerbomb for a near fall.
The action spills onto the entrance ramp, where Yung attempts the Panic Switch but Allie makes the save. Allie yells at Yung but once a stare down commences, Allie backs away, quietly telling Kiera ‘I can’t help you’ and runs to the back. Kiera regroups, lands forearms to Yung that sends her back to the ring but Yung is one step ahead and hits Kiera with a draping pedigree. Yung finishes Kiera off with the Panic Switch to pick up the win.
Thoughts: I liked that week saw developments with the Knockouts. I’m one of many of who pretty much said that Taya/Blanchard had the MOTN at Bound For Glory. At the time, I didn’t know how the much would play out simply because of the lack of build but I’m all for this feud to continue! I’m also still warming up to the idea of Taya being the rising babyface within the Knockouts division. I’ve felt for awhile that we needed a new top babyface with Rosemary being sidelined and Allie’s character taking a new turn, Taya can fill the bill. All I ask is for a little more edginess to her character.
I wasn’t expecting the Allie/Su Yung storyline to continue after Bound for Glory and I sure didn’t see this sort of supernatural theme play out in a new direction for Allie’s character. I don’t mind it, as it allows for more creativity, it is something different and it gives us a chance to see a second Knockouts feud outside the title picture. I guess my only concern would be how much of the supernatural stuff would be considered ‘too much’ for Impact. Based on spoilers, this match between Kiera and Yung was re-taped due to the first one having too much ‘voodoo(?) exaggeration?
Regardless I’m interested to see how things play out. Will it be Kiera’s turn to step up and ‘save’ Allie now? Should we expect another appearance from Rosemary soon? Will Allie turn heel under Yung’s ‘Demonic Powers’? How will Allie find her inner strength again to combat the Undead Bride?
One thing I’m still not sold on is Scarlett’s current role. It’s unlikely that she’ll actually manage anyone from these videos sent to Impact so I don’t see the point of her asking them to be sent – especially when Impact tapes their shows well in advance. Just pair her with a current member on the roster if you’re not going have her compete in the division… even though she is an apparent draw to fans from Mexico given the numbers of views her debut match in AAA has gathered since it was posted last month! Hopefully the new blood in Jordynne Grace will give us something fresh for the Knockputs.
Now on a personal note, I do want to note that this will be the final Impact Write-Up post. It’s been just a little over four years since my very first Impact Write-Up on the site and as a fan of the Knockouts, I’m so grateful to have had a platform to write about them. I’m in no way a perfect writer and I know I have missed the ball in doing them justice on more than one occasion – case in point, last week’s missed Write-Up.
But despite that, I’m thankful to anyone who has ever taken the time to read, agreed or critiqued, and shared their thoughts in regards to the Knockouts. Being a fan of Impact can be a roller coaster but lately, things have felt steady and more importantly, the Knockouts division truly feel like they have new life with their current generation of stars.
Here’s hoping that the new late time slot change on POP TV doesn’t hinder them!
What did you think of this week’s Impact? How would you book Allie’s current storyline? Are you excited for Jordynne Grace’s debut? Let us know in the comments below!
