TNA iMPACT! After The Bell (6/19/25) – Of Seeing 36 Candles

TNA iMPACT! Results (6/19/25)

• Eric Young w/Judas Icarus & Travis Williams defeated Sami Callihan
• The Elegance Brand (Ash and Heather by Elegance) (w/M by Elegance & The Personal Concierge) defeated Lei Ying Lee & Knockouts Champion Masha Slamovich
• Matt Cardona & The Home Town Man defeated The System (Eddie Edwards & JDC) (w/Alisha Edwards & Brian Myers)
• Champions Challenge Ten-Man Tag Team Match: Elijah, Joe Hendry, Leon Slater & The Rascalz (Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz) defeated X-Division Champion Moose, International Champion Steve Maclin, World Tag Team Champions The Nemeths (Nic Nemeth & Ryan Nemeth), and TNA World Champion NXT’s Trick Williams

Light The Candles

There was no better way to kick off the show than having Eric Young vs Sami Calihan. If you read my preview, you know these two men are everything TNA is about. Then, I didn’t tell you it would be a must-watch bout.

The Death Machine was unhinged, and so were Eric Young and The Northern Armory. Even before the bell, Young attacked with a chair. The match itself is a mess, with distractions and interferences from Williams and Icarus, and some eyes strangled.

Callihan reminded us of Joey Ryan (the nuts claw) for a few seconds. Eric Young grabbed the win with a Piledriver, but thanks to Icarus hitting Callihan with a chair.

Director of Authority Santino Marella announced that Mike Santana’s suspension is up next week, and he will face A.J. Francis in a Street Fight. Marella called out Tommy Dreamer and offered him a match against Mance Warner following their altercation last week.

Warner and Steph De Lander interrupted, but Dreamer set the table for Jake Something’s return, who assaulted Warner and sent him to retreat up the ramp. Nygma says: When I talked about Dreamer vs Warner, I wasn’t that wrong. And, when I say “carefully read the preview,” it’s because I told you “something” was coming.

Candles in The Wind

Mustafa Ali led the Order 4 Summit. He provided a performance evaluation for each member of the group. He demanded that Tasha Steelz never talk to “him” again.

She apologized. Jason Hotch told Ali that if he ever puts his hands on a woman, like he did to Tasha Steelz, he will be the first person to get in his face. Despite this excellent speech, Hotch reluctantly apologized. John Skyler criticized Ali for his lack of leadership and refused to apologize.

Ali promised consequences when they meet in a Call to Arms match next week. Nygma says: If no one has the balls to face Ali for what he says or does, I’m in.

Matt Cardona recruited The Home Town Man to face off against The System’s Eddie Edwards and JDC in tag team action. As usual, Alisha Edwards interfered. Eddie Edwards tried to rip The Home Town Man’s mask off, but he got rolled up for three.

After the match, Matt Cardona went face-to-face with Brian Myers, but The System wiped out Cardona and The Home Town Man in a post-match beatdown. Nygma says: Nothing because I will sound like a broken record…

Blow The Candles

Masha Slamovich and Lei Ying Lee made a great team, but the Elegance brand is four people. So, distractions and interferences were on the menu, with a glitter bomb attack from Heather on Lee. Killer Kelly, appearing at the top of the ramp, was enough to distract Slamovich and give the win to The Elegance brand.

Nygma says: Could it be enough to make Slamovich lose the Knockouts title?

A Ten-Man match, for me, is a mess in the making. Not only did TNA World Tag Team Champions The Nemeths (Ryan & Nic), TNA World Champion Trick Williams, X-Division Champion Moose & TNA International Champion Steve Maclin have to face Elijah, Joe Hendry, Leon Slater & The Rascalz (Zachary Wentz & Trey Miguel), but Frankie Kazarian was on commentary.

Did the Nemeths try to cheat? Absolutely. Did Leon Slater show he could beat Moose? Once again, absolutely.

Did Frankie Kazarian interfere? No. Did everyone get involved at some time? Of course.

Steve Maclin prevented Ryan Nemeth from using the TNA International Title as a weapon, but then proceeded to hit Nic with it. Hendry hit Ryan with the Standing Ovation, followed by the Highwayman’s Farewell from Elijah to win.

The Best of The Rest

• The IInspiration was watching the Elegance vs Slamovich/Lee match and made clear again they want the Knockouts Tag Team titles.
• Indi Hartwell confronted Tessa Blanchard after Blanchard hit her with a cheap shot during the 8-4-1 Match last week.

The Nygma’s Last Word(s)

One of the things I love the most about being a French writer in English is being able to give my language’s way of saying some English expressions. So, seeing 36 candles means seeing stars after a blow (it was also the name of a 1950s French TV show set “to make people forget their daily issues with smiles and surprises”). With this episode, I don’t know who saw the most stars, the wrestlers, the fans, or your Nygma.

As I said, the road to Slammiversary is a humpy-bumpy six-episode ride. The show was good, with nice wrestling, even if too many distractions and brawls. If this episode was supposed to be a birthday party, something I hate, the guests were appropriate, the cake was hard to digest, and the gifts did not seem to please the guests.

After all, it will probably be better on the 24th anniversary…

Till next week, may the Nygma be with you.

TNA Pittsburgh Tapings Card (June 20 and 21)

You can take it as a birthday gift, but TNA Wrestling yesterday revealed the loaded lineup for the tapings to come this Friday and Saturday. Here is all you have to know.

Friday June 20

• TNA Knockouts Championship Match: Masha Slamovich (c)vs Killer Kelly
• Mike Santana vs AJ Francis in a Street Fight
• The IInspiration vs Victoria Crawford & Tessa Blanchard
• Trey Miguel vs Nic Nemeth
• In Action: The Elegance Brand, The Hardys

Saturday, June 21

• The Hardys & The Rascalz vs First Class & The Nemeths
• Tessa Blanchard vs Dani Luna
• Victoria Crawford vs Indi Hartwell
• Ash & Heather by Elegance vs Harley Hudson & Myla Grace
• In Action: Mike Santana, Masha Slamovich

Friday and Saturday

• In Action: The System, Moose, Steve Maclin, Matt Cardona, Mustafa Ali, Joe Hendry, and TNA World Champion NXT’s Trick Williams