[2019-05-17-Impact Wrestling] Michael Elgin vs Rich Swann

[Superstar Sleeze]

Michael Elgin vs Rich Swann - Impact 5/17/19

Elgin recently debuted in Impact less than a month ago taking out the new champion, Brian Cage. Elgin is being pushed very similarly as Cage as a hybrid athlete, an athletic jock meathead. Cage is the babyface version and Elgin is the heel version. Elgin is hospitalizing wrestlers including Cage. Swann stood up to him and that's how we got here. This is coming from the ECW Arena, but there is no Hat Guy so it doesnt feel like the ECW Arena.

Very much a 21st Century workrate match with not much in the way of hooks but a whole lot of noizzzze. Elgin could be a great wrestler but he is too busy trying to prove he can hang when I would much rather see him bang. Swann is good craic but he aint the guy to carry this, mack. Workrate sequences to start. They kill time. Elgin catches Swann with an elbow to the back of the head and throws Swann on his head. Damn that looked nasty. I perked up. Elgin worked an alright heat segment. I liked the hope spot with Swann knocking him off only to have Elgin hit a ground to air anti-air dropkick to counter Swann. That was the only time Elgin's hybrid athleticism looked scary. It looked like nothing Swann could do would be able to beat Elgin as he a power and athletic advantage. Then Swann countered the Elginbomb with a DDT and the match just became a normal workrate match. Swann hit three dives to the floor and then a top rope elbow drop. Back from the break, they just do some inconsequential stand up wrestling. The lariats from Elgin at least looked meaty and impactful. The finish is Swann hits the 450 Splash (ugly, fell short), but misses Phoenix Splash. Elgin hits the Lariat and Elginbomb and only gets two. This is the move that hospitalized your World Champion and Rich Swann kicks out at two because it is a wrestling match. C'mon bro. Swanna hits  a couple Dragonrana because it is 2019, the second one was a pretty nasty spike. Somehow we end up on the floor. Elgin powerbombs Swann into the post three times. Oh shit! Some actual storytelling advancement. Instead of chasing "This is Awesome" Chants how about Swann misses the Phoenix Splash and it leads to Elgin powerbombing Swann mercilessly into the post. Protects Elgin's finish and makes Elgin look like a monster. I guess this was ok for 2019. ***