nivvad Posted July 23, 2018 Report Share Posted July 23, 2018 When you talk about pairs of wrestlers in 2018 who have the best wrestling chemistry in 2018, Pentagon and Sami have to be up there. This was quite the brutal spectacle as both men just beat and battered each other from start to finish. The stuff with the spikes was absolutely insane to watch. I wouldn't say this was the most extreme match I have seen all year, but this was definitely one of the better ones, and easily the best Impact match in years, ****1/2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmartMark15 Posted July 24, 2018 Report Share Posted July 24, 2018 Fun, garbage brawl that goes for hardcore indie-style spectacle. In that sense, it makes for a great, fun watch. There are some fantastic moments in here. Loved Callihan's instant regret taking off his protective vest. Pentagon Jr getting blinded and breaking the ref's arm was hilarious and made for some great nearfalls. Gotta say that I see a lot of criticism leveled at Callihan on this forum. While I see where it's coming from, I can't help but praise his heel facial expressions. They're on full display as he's getting his head shaved. Classic arrogant, full of himself maniac brought low and humiliated. So satisfying. ****1/4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stiva Posted July 24, 2018 Report Share Posted July 24, 2018 Another wild brawl that, differentiated itself from the previous match by way of really vicious shit. I loved how we got some ROH 2005-07 callback spots with Homicide's drano in the tag match and then the railroad spikes here. What was interesting, as mentioned, was the quasi-comedy spots but they were still done in a way that heightened the violence; Callihan taking off the vest in a fit of hubris was a great character touch and then Pentagon straight up breaks the ref's arm when he was blinded. I loved that. Like the dude was so pissed off by getting dust in his eyes that he doesn't mess around this time and just breaks the guy's arm. And I LOVED how, even after realising he made the mistake, he was berating the ref for not using his broken arm to count. The piledriver through the chairs absolutely had to be the finish but that seems to be a running theme in Callihan's matches but hey, it all worked. Neat little post match work with Fenix helping his brother corner Sami and making him take his punishment. Another Slammiversary match that delivered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShittyLittleBoots Posted July 27, 2018 Report Share Posted July 27, 2018 A great, violent spectacle between two wrestlers who excel at having those. Great intensity & sense of hatred, especially by Callihan, and the image of him kicking out of the Package Piledriver with a bloodied face, spit dripping down, was just amazing. **** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap Posted July 30, 2018 Report Share Posted July 30, 2018 This was a fun spectacle match. It featured some high end violence in parts. It also featured some overbooking and some stuff that i felt brought it down from where it could have been. I am not a big fan of Callihan, but this is where he can shine (hate filled brawls where he can just be a shit head). I'll also give him this. He is always trying to do something new and creative. It doesn't always work for me, but he works hard to be different. This is the first TNA match I have watched in years and it was because I heard this show as great. **** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viking Hall Posted July 31, 2018 Report Share Posted July 31, 2018 Absolute insanity. Came for Pentagon, but ended up absolutely loving the entire match. A real lowbrow, violent brawl with some incredibly well done spots. If this is what Impact are aiming to bring then they may have just found themselves a returning audience member. Certainly not for the faint of heart, and certainly not politically correct in any shape or form but an absolute spectacle from start to finish. A bloodied **** from me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyPulis'Cap Posted December 27, 2018 Report Share Posted December 27, 2018 It seems rarer and rarer in today's wrestling world to really get across hatred in a match, but this had it in spades. Everything thing they did was frenzied, hate-filled, almost animalistic. You can sense the importance of the stakes and the rivalry and the match was wrestled to fit that. I thought the plunder and props they used kept on the right side of an intense fight without veering too far off into tired WWF Hardcore Title tropes or where they spent ages setting up spots. As others have outlined, I would've gone with the package piledriver spot through the chairs as the Sami 'arm break' spot is the only part that took me out of the match. Just tremendous stuff, a really visceral feeling match, and for once, a satisfying ending with the head shave and Sami's head shave. **** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superstar Sleeze Posted October 5, 2020 Report Share Posted October 5, 2020 Sami Callihan vs Pentagon Jr - Impact Slammiversary 2018 Mask vs Hair I am kinda surprised this has the rep it has. I thought this was not that much different you typical WWE Weapons match with the only difference being that used legitimately dangerous and real-sounding railroad spikes. It felt more like a Death Match in the sense that the violence was there for violence's sake not because these two truly hate each other. They always politely waited their turn pretty much at every spot. Even Josh Matthews pointed out, it is Pentagon's turn but Callihan is taking advantage. Ooooo that dastardly Callihan swinging his steel chair twice without Pentagon getting one shot in! Oh the humanity! But once Pentagon was ready, Callihan was sure to feed. The whole sitting in chairs and taking shots at each other. Pentagon repeatedly chopping that vest was so dumb. I am sorry I just did not feel the hate at all in this. Did Callihan tap a gusher? Yes! Were more violent weapons used than normal? Yes. That does not mean I felt the hate. The hate comes from the gut. It is shown through their urgency, always moving forward and swarming your opponent. The match was not all bad. There were some good parts. I liked early on when Callihan did challenge to slap his bare chest and Callihan got more than he bargained for. The way he fell to his knees and really sold it! I loved it! That's heel selling. It looked like a loser and you wanted him to be pummeled more. That was right out the Rick Rude playbook. Bravo! I wish the thumb gouge to the eyes were sold more. That could have made the match feel more hate-filled but Pentagon Jr is not good at that. My favorite part of the match by far was Pentagon get powdered in the eyes and then breaking the ref's arm while blind. Best use of the "You Fucked Up" Chant ever! That popped me good! I liked the finish stretch a good deal. I thought they built to it very well. Callihan's piledriver on the Chair was a great nearfall for him. Pentagon broke Callihan's arm and then Callihan never sold it at all during the post-match shaving, which was a massive bummer. Then the Package Piledriver for the win. Didnt feel the hate and disappointed Callihan didnt sell the arm post-match, but the powder in the eyes leading to the ref arm break was awesome! ***1/4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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