Impact Wrestling Hard To Kill 2020 Match Ratings From Sean Ross Sapp

Ken Shamrock defeated Madman Fulton
5.25/10

• The lighting of the ramp and ring is great, but the crowd isn’t lit well at all. It looks very ROH-ish.
• Ken Shamrock can still move around the ring pretty well, but he gets tired pretty quick.
• Ken Shamrock should not be able to do that dive better than the Usos.
• He does an odd waistlock slam on the floor and throws some SHOOT KNEES at Fulton’s face.
• OVE get ejected.
• They trade a few submissions, and Shamrock ends up getting the tap.
• Fulton tapped to the Rings of Saturn with his head. Shamrock seems a little bit confused.

X-Division Championship
Ace Austin defeated Trey Miguel
6/10

• This feud is primarily about Ace Austin making comments about Trey Miguel’s mother.
• Ace Austin had a very underrated 2019. He’s going to be a guys you see all over the place for the next 15-20 years. Already very good.
• Space Flying Tiger Drop from Ace Austin.
• I LOVE Ace Austin’s Bangarama move.
• These guys are throwing everything at the wall, and it’s amazing. The pace is incredible.
• Austin retains after a great corner head scissors. The Fold hits and he wins. That’s an amazing finish.
• After the match, he tries to get a kiss from Miguel’s mom. Miguel attacks.
• This match was good enough to want to watch again, but if it’s continuing with not much story advancement, I don’t need to see that much more.

Knockouts Championship
Taya (c) (w/ Bravo) defeated ODB and Jordynne Grace
6/10

• Jordynne Grace looks like she has TITLE VICTORY GEAR.
• Grace has Taya lifted with one arm while ODB hits a facecrusher off the middle rope. A really good spot. It took a little bit to set up, but ended up aces.
• Jordynne Grace’s slams look effortless.
• A good pop up knee hits for Taya.
• ODB fits right into this match. I know a lot of people watching this that don’t stay in the loop for IMPACT might see ODB as a third wheel, but she’s not. She’s working amazingly well with these two.
• Grace hits a senton and a Grace Driver on ODB, but Bravo distracts. Taya then steals the pin.

Rob Van Dam (w/ Katie Forbes) vs. Brian Cage doesn’t happen
SQUASH
Rob Van Dam defeated Daga
5/10

• RVD is backstage making out with Katie Forbes. He mistakes Daga for a fan.
• Last year, Rob Van Dam told me that he’d extended his agreement with Impact into this month. I haven’t heard whether or not it’s been extended further.
• Katie Forbes’ girlfriend distracts Cage, and RVD attacks. After working him over, he hits a Van Terminator and Cage is busted open.
• RVD tells the ref to ring the fuckin’ bell.
• Daga makes the save
• Daga gets a whole lot more offense than Cage did.
• The point of these matches is to show RVD can still do everything.
• He wins with a Five Star Frog Splash

Call Your Shot Trophy
Eddie Edwards (trophy holder) defeated Michael Elgin
7.5/10

• Elgin lays one in hard to Eddie Edwards.
• A great double suplex spot hits for both men.
• Edwards lands on his feet off a German suplex and does a Blue Thunder Bomb.
• Elgin’s sliding forearm hits amazingly well and follows up with his brainbuster.
• Eddie Edwards and Michael Elgin are going off! They’re slugging it out and going move for move.
• Elgin’s crucifix Last Ride sold me a ticket.
• Edwards survives a Buckle Bomb and wins with a sunset flip.
• This match was outstanding.

Moose defeated Rhino
6/10

• Rhino told me in our interview “If I hit a Gore and it doesn’t get the pin, then it’s a spear.”
• I’ve digged the build to this.
• Moose hits his NJN, but Rhino back body drops him onto the ramp.
• Rhino powerbombs Moose through a table.
• Rhino wears out Moose with a chair and superplexes him onto a bunch of them.
• Moose pulls the ref in front of him and they both get Gored through the table.
• Moose recovers and wins with his No Jackhammer Needed after a low blow.
• This was a fun match.

IMPACT Tag Team Championships
The North (c) defeated Willie Mack
7/10

• This is an ultimate spot for Willie Mack, he’s such a babyface. Rich Swann got hurt on Friday.
• As reported on Fightful Select, we’re getting a handicap match.
• Page is battling salmonella.
• All three of these guys are so good and innovative.
• Willie Mack ends up doing a SUPER Canadian Destroyer.
• The North overwhelm and get the win with their finish. This was a really good match.

Impact World Championship
Tessa Blanchard defeated Sami Callihan (c) to win the title
7.25/10

• Immediate Piledriver from Sami, immediate Magnum from Tessa.
• Blanchard does a great senton dive to the outside. When it happens later, Sami powerbombs her through a table.
• In the mean time, Blanchard has her knee worked over and sells it really well.
• She counters a piledriver on the apron with a Magnum.
• The body language, selling and verbal aspects of this match are really good.
• She Samoan drops Sami and sells the knee. She later hits a cutter.
• Tessa is playing the selling babyface perfectly. Sami Callihan playing the ruthless heel amazingly well.
• Sami Callihan just spit on the ref………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
• Callihan grabbed brass knuckles, but gets kicked in the balls. She hits Magnum for the fourth time and he kicks out.
• Blanchard kicks out of a piledriver. She hits a flying Canadian Destroyer and a Buzzsaw DDT to win.
• They cut off air RIGHT after.

Rating Guide
10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor

Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a “star rating,” which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive “TV match” lands at a 5. The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.
These are opinions, and incredibly inconsistent ones that may change upon a second viewing, or sitting on the match for a period of time. Don’t take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own!