By Cam Cunningham

 

 

   With Sudden Impact only one week away, the pressure is starting to build in the Impact Arena. Impact Division Champion Aaron Neil opened the show by insulting the IZW World and lamenting the lack of attention being paid to his impending championship defense against Kevin Morgan. Jordan Jacobs, a man who has put the pressure on himself to win the Impact Player of the Year tournament and finally capture the IZW Championship, quickly interrupted the Bronze Bull. Neil cockily dismissed Jacobs as unworthy of the IZW title, but Jacobs was unfazed and challenged the Impact Division champion to an immediate match, goading Neil into putting his title on the line.

 

 

   Neil attempted to stall outside at the beginning of the match, but Jacobs followed and was able to use his kicks and countering ability to gain control early. “Lights Out” continued the attack inside the squared circle, but the Bull was able to snag Jacobs out of mid-air and hit a spinebuster to punish his smaller foe. Jacobs evaded several strikes from Neil and scored a leaping Yakuza kick to daze the champion, but his signature running knees were evaded and the Oklahoma Anaconda crashed painfully to the mat. A lariat from Neil ended another rally by Jacobs, and the Bronze Bull elected to resume his attack outside the ring. Jacobs avoided a disastrous powerbomb by climbing onto the ring apron and stunned Neil with a kick, then used the Impact Rules environment to deliver a chairshot to the champion. Neil quickly recovered and drove Jacobs’ face into the open chair. Jacobs dug down deep and connected with a series of calf kicks, followed by his signature Tentalizer and Countdown Knees. With the IZW world behind him, Jacobs ascended to the top rope for the Lightswitch, only to witness the Convict appearing from the entryway. Jacobs wasted no time in attacking the man he will face in a ladder match at Sudden Impact, but the Convict overpowered Mr. Young Talent and rolled him into the ring.. Neil quickly applied Greetings from Mt. Olympus to win Adrenaline’s opening contest.

 

 

   The next match featured IZW Tag Team Champion Luke Langley against “Greatness” Rage Logan, the first in a pair of preview matches for the title match between The Diamond Dogs and Nemesis at Sudden Impact. Logan outwrestled Langley early and delivered several stiff kicks and his signature shoulder block combo to the Future Hall of Famer. Langley reversed an Irish whip and evaded an up-and-over to throw Logan shoulder first into the turnbuckle. The Diamond Dog then focused his attack on Logan’s injured limb, repeatedly exploiting the weakness each time Logan attempted to mount any offense. A corner spear by Logan was met by Langley’s knee, and the Future Hall of Famer prepared to stomp “Greatness” from the top rope. Logan evaded, Langley rolled through, and the two men connected with simultaneous clotheslines. Logan struck first with a leaping clothesline and spinning heel kick, but Langley dumped his opponent to the apron. This only allowed Logan to hit a slingshot Yoshi Tonic, with Langley barely kicking out at two. Logan hooked Langley for a brainbuster, but the Diamond Dog spun out and launched Logan onto his head with a backdrop driver. Langley hoisted Logan onto his shoulders, but the Nemisis veteran slid behind and connected with a skull-rattling brainbuster. Logan went for the moonsault, only to be captured by Langley and fall victim to the Manhattan Project. Shockingly, this garnered only a two count, and an enraged Langley reigned punches down on Logan in the corner. Reaching into his last reserves, Logan slipped out and trapped Langley’s head against the top turnbuckle, making it an easy target for a superkick. Out cold, Langley slumped to the mat and Logan again ascended for the moonsault. Shawn McHale attempted to slide one of the tag title belts into the ring, and the distraction allowed Graham Bell to crotch Logan on the top rope. Langley took advantage with a small package, but the ringside antics backfired and Damien Morte slid in to roll Logan on top, exiting the ring just in time for the referee to turn and count the three, giving “Greatness” the victory in a very competitive bout.

 

 

   Incensed, the Diamond Dogs attacked Nemesis after the bell, but the momentum quickly turned in favor of the challengers. Bell pulled Langley out of the ring to prevent Nemesis from connecting with the London Bridge, and Nemesis appeared to have the upper hand as The Dogs sulked to the back. The tag champions were not through however, ambushing Nemesis as they attempted to leave, then laying them out with shots from the title belts in the ring.

 

 

   Damon Windsor and Shawn McHale addressed the IZW World. McHale claimed credit for assembling a historic card for Sudden Impact, and Windsor declared that IZW Champion Double D would never be able to make him quit. The Facilitator explained that he alone possessed the killer instinct to be IZW Champion. This brought out Double D to confront Windsor, and along with the fans, the champion reminded The Future Hall of Famer how he tapped out at Coronation. McHale stated that D would face The Convict in a non-title match in the evening’s main event. Windsor elected to leave the ring and take the night off from in-ring competition, but an intervening Kevin Morgan had other ideas. The Image of Fear called out Windsor for his recent losing streak and an impromptu singles match was underway as Windsor promised to make an example of his former tag team partner.

 

 

   Morgan out-powered Windsor early in the battle between the former members of Big Business. Windsor escaped to the apron and delivered a reverse hot shot to Morgan. The cerebral Facilitator targeted the neck of Morgan from this point on. Morgan tried to rally with shoulder blocks, but met the corner post head first for his trouble. Another comeback attempt by the Image of Fear was met with a knee lift and neckbreaker from the number one contender. Morgan powered out of a facelock from Windsor and hit a desperation spear. McHale attempted to intervene with Windsor’s briefcase and the distraction allowed Windsor to low blow Morgan behind referee PAUL SHOEMAKER’s back and victory seemed certain. However, Morgan countered the Silencer into.a Moment of Fear and was able to extend Windsor’s losing streak heading into Sudden Impact.

 

 

   Donni Giovanni spoke in a backstage segment about his renewed dedication and promised to drop the bada-boom on the IZW World. A subsequent segment showed Skylar Slice vowing to an obedient Nathan Estrada that she would become the Queen of IZW at Sudden Impact.

 

 

   Graham Bell was scheduled to face a presumably weakened Damien Morte in the second showcase match between the Diamond Dogs and Nemesis. The Tag Team Champions took the ring first, but only Rage Logan came out on the ramp to represent Nemesis. This proved to be an effective diversion as Morte snuck through the crowd and attacked Bell from behind, with Logan pulling out Langley before the Dogs could grasp the situation. Bell and Morte battled around the Impact Arena, with The Suicide Saint dictating most of the pace. Bell attempted to escape by rolling into the ring and using Langley as a shield. Morte showed no hesitation in flattening the good doctor, but the momentary diversion allowed Bell to hit Morte with a dive through the ropes. Bell slowed the pace and punished Morte with a series of elbow drops before locking on a Misawa-inspired facelock. Morte battled out but caught a calf kick to the face for his efforts. Morte perserved and was able to turn the tide of the match with several strikes, but Bell reversed a tornado DDT into the Kokiri Emerald. Morte was able to kick out, but was clearly on his last legs. Bell through his adversary to the outside, and goaded Logan into distracting the referee while Langley got some choice shots in. A sunset flip by Morte invigorated his offense, and he downed Bell with a series of strikes before hitting his signature inverted atomic drop - DDT combination. Morte moved to the top rope to finish Bell but was distracted by Shawn McHale leaping onto the apron. While Morte dispatched the Last Emperor with a double axehandle, Langley slid one of the tag team title belts to Bell. Distinguished official Martin Justice dutifully attended to removing McHale, allowing Bell to blast Morte with the belt. Much to the dismay of all three Future Hall of Famers, Morte kicked out. A desperate Bell crawled for the belt once more, but Logan pulled it away. While the official was insuring Logan did not interfere, Langley slid the second tag belt in. Changing tactics, Bell tossed the belt to Morte and feigned injury in an attempt to win via disqualification. Thinking quickly, Morte tossed the belt back to Langley and the referee went to remove the illegal Diamond Dog. This opening allowed Logan to slide the first tag belt into Morte, who used it to knock Bell out for a wild victory. Langley attended to the fallen Bell after the match, and Nemesis was quick to gain a measure of revenge for the attack they suffered earlier in the evening. Morte to hooked a neckbreaker and Logan struck with a moonsault to connect London Bridge, and Nemesis held the tag team championship belts high.

 

 

   Finally, the main event promised a battle between power and speed, as IZW Champion Double D took on the enigmatic Convict. D played to the Force and Convict jumped on the champion quickly. The normally dynamic D couldn’t seem to gain any traction against an extremely fit Convict. Despite a series of three shining enzuigiris from the Captain of the Force, the Convict maintained control and slammed D to the mat with a modified Sky High. D’s signature knee strikes in the corner were similarly cut short with a standing Proto-Bomb from The Convict. The Convict appeared to be in exceptional shape, perhaps losing weight in preparation for the Impact Player of the Year tournament ladder match with Jordan Jacobs. He clearly lost no power, as shown when he stopped a Double D hurricanrana attempt and applied a massive sitout powerbomb,  The IZW Champion again showed his tenacity, an attribute he will need in reserve at Sudden Impact, draping the Convict across the second rope with a tilt-a-whirl headscissors .A 6-1-Knee from D allowed him to drop The Convict with a quesadora bulldog, and the IZW Champion seemed poised for another miraculous comeback. D went for the sure victory with the Air Force crossbody, but the svelte Convict caught D in mid-air and slammed D to the mat with a Samoan drop. Rather than pursue a conventional victory, The Convict elected to send a message to Jacobs by pulling a ladder into the ring. Jacobs recieved the signal loud and clear, but was attacked by Aaron Neil. Kevin Morgan rushed to the ring, and Jacobs was able to hit a ladder-assisted Lightswitch on The Convict. With the match ruled a no contest. The Future Hall of Famers swarmed into the ring, shortly followed by Nemesis. The Covict, Neil and the FHOF rallied on the outside, but Nemesis and Double D delivered impressive dives and the fan favorites stood tall to end the final show before Sudden Impact.

 

 

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