Hola Knockout fans and welcome to this week’s Impact Write-Up. Before diving into this week’s episode, I do want to start off by apologizing for not having a Write-Up to last week’s show. Things were just busy for me last week (and even busier during the weekend) to the point that I didn’t even watch last week’s Impact in its entirety. I don’t like making excuses but I do take fault for the lack of coverage for Impact. But we’re back this week and just in time to see what will unfold under the returning Karen Jarrett‘s regime.
Karen actually opens up this week’s show when she interrupts a meeting taking place backstage between some of the ‘big wigs’ of Impact: Dutch Mantel, Bruce Prichard, Jeremy Borash and Josh Matthews? Okay maybe he isn’t considered a ‘big wig’ but isn’t his wife Madison Rayne part of creative now? Surely she should’ve been included here.
In any event, Karen asks the guys to find Sienna so they can send her to the ring to meet with Karen. When Karen leaves, JB calls for a motion to have Josh replaced by Madison over at the commentary table permanently. A show of hands on who is enjoying this feud between Jeremy Borash and Josh Matthews?
When we meet up with Karen again, she is on her way to the six sided ring to address something she is ‘extremely embarrassed, discussed and ashamed’ to talk about. She name drops Maria Kanellis and says the self-proclaimed First Lady of Professional Wrestling had a nervous breakdown that was so deep, she left the company all together. Well… that’s one way of writing Maria off of Impact.
Because of this, there has been some unprofessional and bullying behavior taking place within the Knockouts locker room. Uh-oh, I guess this is why Karen was looking for Sienna earlier in the evening? Karen demands that Sienna bring her little finger down to the ring clear things up.
Sienna music hits and she fearlessly steps up to Karen to blankly ask if there are any problems between them. Karen responds by letting Sienna know she hasn’t heard one positive thing about her and that this apparent bullying will not be tolerated.
When Sienna begins to question who ratted her out to Karen, the first name that comes out is that “home wrecker” Allie! She then takes a jab back at Karen, implying that the only reason Karen is even in a place of power in Impact was because of who she is married to; à la Jeff Jarrett.
Karen is not having it! She tells Sienna to fallback, as the former enforcer of the Lady Squad has no idea of the hurdles Karen has had to jump throughout her time. To help ease down some of the animosity in the air, Karen offers a proposition to Sienna: the chance to apologize to Karen in 15 seconds or less.
Sienna challenges Karen’s proposition, prompting the latter to begin a 15 second countdown. Just as Karen hits the nine second mark, a mysterious man would interrupt Karen’s segment by heading to the ring and introducing himself as KM, an apparent rowdy cousin of Sienna.
KM is out to demand some respect for his family and decides to give Karen 15 seconds to apologize. The booming countdown from KM ends at the three count when Braxton Sutter and Allie enter the picture. Braxton attacks KM and clears him out of the ring but KM would be back as a furious Karen books him in a match against Braxton for later in the show.
In the meantime, we set up for Rosemary’s “Knockouts Burial Celebration” being hosted by Jeremy Borash. He invites the Knockouts Champion, who is already five months in her title reign, to join him in the ring. With nearly half a year as the Knockouts Champion, JB asks who else is left to try and take her on.
The Demon Assassin lists some of the evil deeds she’s pulled off towards her fellow Knockouts so far: retiring the Great Gail Kim, dashing Sienna’s hope, destroying Brandi Rhodes’ personal life and blackening out Jade’s soul. All that being said, Rosemary warns the rest of the Knockouts division to stay back.
One Knockout who bypasses Rosemary’s warning is ODB, who comes on down to join Rosemary in the six sided ring. Being this is the first encounter between the two, ODB introduces herself as one of the original Knockouts of Impact Wrestling and a former four-time ‘Knocked-Up’ Champion. ODB tells Rosemary had it not been for girls such as herself, Rosemary wouldn’t even be around. ODB goes on to raise her flask in toast of becoming a future five-time ‘Knocked-Up Champion’.
Rosemary dismisses ODB’s threats, calling her ‘unworthy’ and begins to head out backstage when suddenly a parade of other Knockouts block Rosemary’s path! These Knockouts include Brandi Rhodes, Rebel, KC Quinn, Madison Rayne, Diamanté and new faces to the Knockouts division MJ Jenkins and Amanda Rodriguez! YES to Madison for coming back as an in-ring competitor!
The parade of Knockouts force Rosemary back to the ring, where Madison is the first to demand a title shot, following by Brandi Rhodes who says Rosemary’s mind games have yet to work. Diamanté takes the mic and says she’s not about talking but about fighting! Dale pues Diamanté!
Diamanté’s words ignite an all out brawl between the Knockouts that ends with ODB chasing Rosemary and taking her down at the entrance ramp just as the champion was looking for a quick escape.
BREAKING: NEXT WEEK on IMPACT a #Knockouts Battle Royal to determine a number 1 contender for @WeAreRosemary! #MakeImpactGreat pic.twitter.com/bxuRfDFBUZ
— IMPACT WRESTLING (@IMPACTWRESTLING) March 31, 2017
Because of what transpired between these Knockouts, it was announced later in the show during Karen’s trip to the bickering commentary table that a Knockouts Gauntlet Battle Royal Match will take place next week to determine a new number one contender for Rosemary’s title. So, did Amanda Rodriguez just not make the cut to be included in the promo graphic or will she not actually be in it?
Brandi Rhodes would appear on the show again but this time to try and support her husband Cody in capturing the Impact Grand Championship from her friend Moose.
However, shortly after Cody was awarded the win 0f Round Two (out of three matches), Brandi walked out on Cody when he turned to her for a good luck kiss. Brandi yells at Cody and says that he and Moose are acting like idiots before storming off. Spoiler alert: Moose defeats Cody in the third round and retains the title.
Sienna accompanies KM in his Impact debut match against Braxton and even helps him pick up the win when she provided an easy distraction towards Braxton by attacking Allie, who was at his corner. Post match, the cousins try and pass along some more torment onto Allie but the babyfaces fend them for themselves and cast the heels away.
The one thing Braxton and Allie haven’t been able to get rid of is Laurel Van Ness, who makes another ghastly appearance this week to give the couple who wrecked her the evil eye from the entrance ramp.
Laurel isn’t the only problem that Braxton and Allie will have to encounter. Fury will be unleashed upon Impact’s beloved couple come April 13th!
And finally, on this week’s main event, new Impact Tag Team Champions were crowned when LAX defeated Decay, Garza Jr/Laredo Kid and Reno Scum in a Fatal Way Tag Team match. Diamanté served as a neutralizer when Rosemary tried to get involved in. Could this win for LAX open the chance of seeing Diamanté capturing the Knockouts title one day?
Thought: So Karen Jarrett is back as an authority babyface figure?
I’ve seen a mix of different opinions when it comes to Karen – they either love or hate her on television. Personally, I’ve been one of those that actually liked Karen during her role as VP of the Knockouts; sorry but finding a way to get the Impact Zone to chant “Taco Tuesday” was pretty hilarious!
Still, that was years ago and back when she was running with her “Queen of the Mountain” attitude. Though Karen stayed pretty firm across Sienna during their encounter, it just didn’t have that same spark it did when Karen was the heel across the likes of Velvet Sky and Traci Brooks. Also, do we really need to see Karen have another run on Impact? On a positive note, Karen’s role here did write off Maria (most times there is no explanation when a star leaves) and she did give Sienna some mic time to continue this arrogant persona.
It’s too early for me to make any judgement on the sudden Sienna/KM pairing but, for now, it gives a pair for Braxton/Allie to feud with. Based on the ‘Fury’ vignette, it looks like Sienna has another trick for Allie/Sienna which she did previously mention to McKenzie Mitchell. This isn’t even including Laurel who is still lingering around! With so many numbers against Braxton/Allie, it makes me wonder if they’ll recruit some backup to help them out.
I’m a bit disappointed to see no Knockouts match this week but I really did enjoy Rosemary’s “Knockouts Burial Celebration”. Granted, Rosemary hasn’t had a full on fledge feud with anyone aside from Jade, which were more of “Best of” Matches than actual storyline, but through this segment, Impact helped elevate and highlight their Knockouts Champion – something we barely saw last year with title changes happening at a rapid pace.
I’m not too crazy about ODB returning, I just think there are better choices out there. HELLO, you did bring back Angelina Love, right!? But I understand why ODB is a safe name to go with: the Impact Zone/fans can easily get behind her and she’s an established name.
While I’m all for bringing in new names to the Knockouts division, my fear of throwing some of these new names in a battle royal/cluster style match is that’ll be in and out quickly before fans can even get to know them. Hell, even Madison said in her promo that she didn’t know most of the names who were with her in the ring! Of the newer names, Diamanté is probably the one fans can recognize in a line-up and that’s due to her LAX association but I would like to see Impact sort of go the NXT route of giving each competitor a chance to give a minute individual promo before the match. Let us get to know some of these girls Impact, whether they’re signed or not!
What did you think of this week’s Impact? Are you enjoying Karen’s new authoritative role? What do you think of the ‘fury’ that awaits Allie/Braxton? Let us know in the comments below!
