Reviews

TNA Impact Review – April 3, 2025

By TJR Staff • Published 4th April 2025
TNA Impact April 3

It was a night of announcements and surprises on this week’s TNA Impact as they head toward Rebellion with more NXT stars making their presence felt.

The show opened with the regular recap of lastweek’s TNA Impact, which focused on the Knockouts division and Jacy Jayne from NXT challenging Masha Slamovich, as well as Eric Young defeating Ace Austin. They were interesting highlights to include as they were probably two of the least captivating parts of last week’s much-improved show.

TNA Impact 3.4.25 from St. Joseph Civic Auditorium, St. Joseph, Missouri by Kristian Thompson

Here comes the TNA World Champion, Joe Hendry, to kick off the show on commentary.

Match #1: Elijah vs Frankie Kazarian

Kaz used his quickness to avoid Elijah’s power moves early but ran into a clothesline. Elijah did his top-rope walking routine. Kaz wriggled out of a powerslam by raking Elijah’s eyes. He took a breather on the outside but Elijah stalked him with chops. Kaz sent Elijah into the steel ring post. Kaz took a cheap shot at Hendry, then Kaz sent Hendry into Elijah. Kaz tossed Elijah back into the ring and rolled him up using the tights to win the match after 3 minutes.

Winner by pinfall: Frankie Kazarian

Analysis: *1/2 Wow, that was disappointing. Elijah has been on a nice roll since joining TNA but having him lose in 3 minutes here (even by cheating) wasn’t the way to go.

Hendry got into the ring after the match and brawled with Kaz. Security broke up the fight. Hendry tossed them around to get to Kaz and kept beating him down. Hendry was in a frenzy, taking more security out. Elijah pulled Hendry off Kaz and Hendry was holding his shoulder awkwardly afterwards. I’m not sure if that was legit or part of the angle yet. Hendry collected his championship and walked to the back.

Analysis: That was better than the match. They’re teasing Hendry’s opponent for Rebellion, but I’m guessing it won’t be Elijah.

The doctor was checking Hendry’s right shoulder. He couldn’t lift it. The doctor wanted Joe to get it scanned, which he reluctantly agreed to.

Analysis: Looks like it’s just part of the storyline and if the fighting champion Hendry can back it up.

There were highlights of The System’s segment last week which wasn’t even on TV, so this next segment might not make sense to some people.

The System: Public Firing

Eddie Edwards was in the ring with a microphone. The crowd was drowning him out with boos. He was getting frazzled. Edwards said he gave his teammates an ultimatum last week- they either get on board with his direction or they leave The System. Moose, JDC, Brian Myers and Alisha walked down to the ring. I’d laugh if he fired Alisha from The System. She deserves it the most. Edwards addressed JDC first. He said he had known JDC longer than Alisha. Edwards asked if JDC was in. He was. Edwards moved onto Myers. He listed their tag team accomplishments. Edwards called Myers his brother. He wanted to know where his loyalty lied. Edwards was having a little trouble with his microphone. Myers said he was in. Edwards asked if his wife wanted to stay in The System. Please say no. Unfortunately, she was still in. Edwards finally moved onto Moose. Moose defends his X-Division Championship in Ultimate X at Rebellion. The crowd wanted Moose to deck Edwards. Cody Deaner’s music hit. Oh no. Deaner said he had been waiting all week for someone from The System to get fired. He asked the crowd if they wanted someone fired? Of course, they cheered. Edwards called Deaner a loser and said that no one is getting fired. Deaner wasn’t sure that everyone was on the same page. He went into the ring. Deaner said Moose should ask the people what they thought. He wanted a public resignation from Moose. Moose said the people were right…and kicked Deaner down to the mat. The System beat Deaner up and posed in the ring.

Analysis: Yawn. That was very long and achieved very little. Having Deaner in this spot isn’t great. Get someone more exciting in there. We are 25 minutes into the show now without any wrestling.

Gia Miller was backstage with Masha Slamovich, Xia Brookside and Lei Ying Lee. They face Jacy Jayne Jasmyn Nix and Tessa Blanchard later on. Xia said Tessa is so unpopular in TNA that she had to go to an entirely different company to get tag partners. Slamovich told Blanchard that she doesn’t care who her partners are and Jacy and Jasmyn that they were going to send them back to NXT.

Analysis: Just announce Tessa vs Masha already!

They showed highlights from the excellent Joe Hendry: Immersed documentary that you can watch on YouTube.

Director of Authority, Santino Marella, was mock-clapping The System backstage. He let Moose know that Leon Slater was in Ultimate X along with Matt Cardona. Marella said everyone from The System would have matches next week.

Analysis: I haven’t been a huge fan of the recent Ultimate X matches. They have been too short. The line-up is fine so far. Moose should win.

Ariana Grace joined commentary for this women’s tag match, which I will cover summary style.

Match #2: Spitfire vs NXT’s Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson

Good for NXT- suddenly we have a women’s tag division in TNA. Spitfire were dominant early with quick tags and a few double-teams on Jackson. Legend and Luna faced off. No one really got the upper-hand in a power battle. Legend avoided a double-team and Jody Threat tagged in with a crossbody for 2. Legend backed into her corner to tag Jackson, who teed off on Threat with strikes. Luna tagged in. Somehow, Luna scoop slammed her tag partner instead of Jackson. Legend tagged in and hit a big boot on Luna. She slammed Luna’s head against the mat multiple times. Legend sent Luna into the bottom turnbuckle and tagged in Jackson. Jackson hit a flying forearm and tagged Legend in again. They tried for a double-team and Legend sent Jackson into Luna’s knees. This allowed Luna to finally tag out. She took down Legend with a head scissors and some clotheslines in the corner. Threat sent Jackson into Legend in the corner. She nailed an Exploder suplex on Jackson and double knees in the middle ropes. Legend snuck up from behind and went for a back suplex but Threat hit a dropkick into the back. Threat hit a stalling suplex on Jackson but Legend broke up the pin. Luna drop kicked Legend into the corner. She ran at Legend, who tossed her over the top rope. Legend nailed Threat with a right hand. She sat on the middle rope so Jackson could hit a crossbody through the ropes on Luna to the floor. The NXT team tried for the MK0 but Threat rolled up Legend for 2. She tried fighting them both off with chops. Threat moved and Legend nailed Jackson with a forearm. The referee slid into the ring which was really random and distracting at an important part of the match. I’m not sure where she’s been. Threat avoided a Legend attack in the corner. Legend caught a crossbody attempt. She tagged Jackson with Threat still in her arms. Jackson nailed the MKO for the win after 10 minutes.

Winners by pinfall: NXT’s Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson

Analysis: *** It was a solid tag team match that never got going to any great pace throughout the match. The fans were behind Meta-4 for the most part, even though they were playing the heels. It’s good that the NXT wrestlers are known by TNA fans, especially now that TNA is getting some of the more popular ones on TV and not just the lower-card wrestlers.

Let’s Hear from The Hardys

The Hardys face The Nemeths at Rebellion. I’m looking forward to that. Matt said at Sacrifice we all saw the real Nic Nemeth. Matt said they respected Nic but not anymore. He said that Nic’s actions scarred his kids. The camera zoomed into a real scar on his nose and Matt said he wouldn’t stop until Nic’s carcass was deleted. That’s a nice friendly phrase. Jeff said he loves Matt’s passion. He mocked The Nemeths for calling themselves the best brother tag team in wrestling. Jeff told the crowd that The Nemeths were insane if they think that they’re taking their titles and that they made a huge mistake by not finishing the job at Sacrifice. Ugh here’s The Great Hands with the interruption. John Skyler called The Hardys icons and legends. He was getting the ‘What?’ treatment. Skyler said it’s not 1999 anymore and they should step aside. Matt reminded him that in 1999 they were great and in 2025 they are the greatest team of all time. Skyler said the only great ones are the Great Hands. He said they are inspired by their leader, Mustafa Ali, to rise to the challenge and take The Hardys tag titles. Santino Marella came out to make the match.

Match #3: Non-Title Match: The Hardys vs The Great Hands

If The Great Hands win they will get a title shot. That’s not happening. The Hardys won an easy match in under 5 minutes with the Swanton by Jeff on Skyler.

Winners by pinfall: The Hardys

Analysis: ** A filler segment and match to get The Hardys on the show. You can’t just expect fans to think The Great Hands are going to beat The Hardys after they lose 80% of their matches.

Ryan Nemeth was pretending he was impressed backstage. Leon Slater told him to stop talking trash about The Hardys. He spoke really fast and I don’t think Nemeth understood him but they brawled and a match is set for next week.

They had an Injury Report segment, which seemed new. Hendry had a shoulder sprain. The doctor wasn’t sure if he could compete at Rebellion. He said if anyone could do it, he believes Hendry can.

Analysis: I see what he did there. We are an hour into the show and I really can’t say that anything of note has taken place.

Let’s Hear from SDL & Mance Warner

SDL was calling their title reign the greatest of all time. They have never defended the title so that sounds insane. Warner could themselves stars and headliners. They showed a shot of them on the cover of TNA Weekly. Is that a thing? Thankfully Santino came out to break their shenanigans up. He called them gross. Santino said they can’t call themselves the Digital Media Champions. They can’t inherit the title. Santino said he’s taking the title and replacing it with the TNA International Championship at Unbreakable. There will be 3 triple threat qualifying matches, in tribute to the Samoa Joe vs AJ Styles vs Christopher Daniels classics. Santino tried to take the title off SDL. Sami Callihan attacked Warner with a baseball bat and choked him out on the stage. He launched Warner off the stage and threw a table.

Analysis: That’s a great announcement. The Digital Media Title wasn’t used much and especially not lately. There are 8 Americans and 1 Canadian in the tournament so there’s not much ‘International’ about it so far.

Mustafa Ali Intervention

Derek, a TNA employee and 3 months sober, was confronted and kidnapped by The Great Hands and Tasha Steelz. Mustafa Ali sat down with Derek. He congratulated Derek on his sobriety. Ali reminded Derek of a car accident he was in due to his drinking. He scolded Derek for moving on with his life when the family that he crashed into couldn’t. Ali berated Derek and called him a monster and an addict. He spat in Derek’s face.

Analysis: That was odd. I missed a chat between Santino and Derek before but perhaps he was a friend of Mike Santana, which is why Ali targeted him.

George Iceman was backstage with Heather-by-Elegance. He said Ash was on vacation (she was wrestling in Australia) but she would be back soon and better than ever. Iceman wanted to recruit Maggie Grace and give her a makeover. Heather said she just needs the right mentor.

Analysis: Grace was officially signed last week. The more Knockouts, the better I say and if they get over with this ridiculous Elegance character (like Ash and Heather) then they are worthy!

Santino, who was on TV a lot tonight, span the balls for the qualifying matches for Unbreakable: Eddie Edwards vs Ace Austin vs Steve Maclin.

There was a vignette for El Hijo del Vikingo who returns to TNA at Rebellion. He had a few appearances last year but unfortunately got injured.

Match #4: Tessa Blanchard, Jacy Jayne & Jasmyn Nix w/ Fallon Henley vs Masha Slamovich, Xia Brookside & Lei Ying Lee

Henley should’ve been in instead of Nix, as she’s much better. This is the main event of this evening’s show: 4 matches on the show and 2 of them women’s tag matches. There was a brawl early. Xia and Lee took out Fatal Influence with dropkicks to the floor. Slamovich did her twisting dive to take out Blanchard.

(Commercial break)

Lee and Jayne were legal. Lee had a wrist lock. She nailed a back elbow and a running knee. Lee lined up Jayne in the corner with a knee lift. She hit a bunch of right hands and an Exploder suplex for 2. Jayne escaped another slam and backed into the corner to take Nix. Nix went to work on Lee with stomps in the corner. She choked Lee out with her foot and nailed a neckbreaker for 2. Jayne and Nix double teamed Lee and Jayne tagged in for the 2 count following a running senton. Lee rolled to her corner to tag Xia and Nix tagged herself in. Xia hit a head scissors that sent Nix to the corner. She hit a running upper cut and then noticed Rosemary in the crowd. Xia hit the Broken Wings and a DDT for 2. Jayne distracted Xia so Nix hit a kick that sent her to the floor. Jayne tossed her back in and clubbed Xia across the back. She sent her hard into the corner and hit a cannonball for 2. Nix tagged in. Xia tried to fight her off but Nix went for a sleeper. Xia fought to her knees and used a monkey flip to get some separation. Slamovich tagged in. She took Nix and Jayne out with big boots in the corner. Masha nailed a Flatliner/DDT combo but Blanchard broke up the pin with a running kick to the head. Blanchard nailed a cutter. She ran into a kick from Lee. Nix hit a Pele kick on Lee. Xia nailed her with an Eat Defeat. Jayne hit a nice knee strike on Xia. She turned around into a spinning kick from Slamovich. Slamovich set up for Requiem but Henley got up on the ring apron. Blanchard ran in and hit the Buzzsaw for the win, after she made a crafty tag that the camera didn’t spot. The match lasted 9 minutes.

Winners by pinfall: Tessa Blanchard, Jacy Jayne & Jasmyn Nix

Analysis: **3/4 The two best competitors in the match were hardly in the ring so it wasn’t as good a match as it could’ve been, but it was a solid 6-woman tag. That’s two pinfall wins for Blanchard now over Slamovich as we await the official announcement of their Rebellion match.

Santino chose the next 3 names for the Unbreakable qualifiers: Sami Callihan vs Eric Young vs JDC.

Mike Santana found Derek backstage. Derek apologised. I think he was drunk. Santana was mad.

Analysis: That was it.

Santino chose the final 3 names for the Unbreakable qualifiers: Zac Wentz vs Mance Warner vs AJ Francis. Sami Callihan ran in and wanted to be traded into this match. Callihan said if he doesn’t give him Warner, then he’s not going to like what happens next. Santino agreed so that match will be changed.

Next week:
* Ace Austin vs Mustafa Ali
* Eddie Edwards vs Steve Maclin
* Cody Deaner vs Moose
* Leon Slater vs Ryan Nemeth
* The Rascalz vs The System
* Unbreakable Qualifier: Mance Warner vs AJ Francis vs Sami Callihan

Analysis: That’s a much better card than what we have this week. I’m looking forward to it.

Rebellion Main Event Announcement

Frankie Kazarian was already in the ring. He delighted in announcing that Joe Hendry was at the hospital injured. Kaz said he was sorry…sorry that he didn’t end Hendry’s career and take his title tonight. Kaz is calling his shot at Rebellion: Joe Hendry vs Kazarian for the TNA World Championship. He said he will finally become TNA World Champion. Ethan Page from TNA then showed up. Page was a Tag Team Champion in TNA with Josh Alexander. He is a former NXT Champion. Page said TNA has changed a lot since he was last there. He said there was actually fans in the building. I thought that was a shot at TNA but remembered that he left during the no-crowd era. Page stepped inside the ring. Kaz told him to hurry up and say what he needed to. Page liked how Kaz was going to take advantage of Hendry’s injury. He reminded Kaz that he has pinned Hendry already. Page said he knocked on Santino Marella’s door a few days ago (even though TNA work one day a week) and proposed an idea. Page said Santino granted him a TNA World Championship match at Rebellion. Kaz said he wouldn’t stand for Page coming back and stealing his spot. Page said he would give Kaz the first shot after he wins. Kaz went to attack Page with his trophy but Page kicked him in the head.

Analysis: I saw those spoilers, so this wasn’t as shocking as it would’ve been had I watched it live, but it’s great to see Ethan Page back in TNA. He’s had a great run since moving to NXT, but he’s not doing much on that show at present, so jumping on TNA TV for a bit is clever. After the show, they changed this to a triple threat match at Rebellion: Hendry vs Kaz vs Page. That would’ve been better if it had been done on the show.

Final Rating: 5.75/10

It was a mixed bag this week for me. There was the TNA International Championship Tournament announcement and good development in the World Championship scene, with an appearance from NXT’s Ethan Page. But the wrestling was fairly basic, with the best match being the opening women’s tag match. There were only 4 matches this week and none that I would recommend anyone would have to watch as they missed the show. Next week’s lineup looks really good. Sometimes, having a storyline or announcement-heavy show is fine, which is what they did tonight. That’s never going to rate as high as a show with great wrestling, but we have 3 weeks until Rebellion, so the card has to start taking shape. I also wish they announced more of their content on the show, rather than on X/Facebook. Since the show went off air, both the World Championship match and Knockouts Championship match were added to Rebellion with no fanfare whatsoever.

The next TNA monthly special is Rebellion from the Galen Center in Los Angeles, California on April 27th. Here’s the lineup so far.

* TNA World Championship: Joe Hendry (c) vs NXT’s Ethan Page vs Frankie Kazarian

* TNA Knockouts World Championship: Masha Slamovich (c) vs Tessa Blanchard

* TNA World Tag Team Championships: The Hardys (c) vs The Nemeths

* TNA X-Division Championship: Ultimate X: Moose (c) vs El Hijo del Vikingo vs Leon Slater vs Matt Cardona

Any feedback or comments are welcome. My email address is kristian.l.thompson@gmail.com in case anybody wants to get in touch with me and my Twitter/X handle is @thomok6 as well. Thanks for reading!