By John Moore, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)
TNA Unbreakable
April 17, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada at Cox Pavilion
Streamed live on TNA+ and TrillerTV.com
The show opened with a video package… Tom Hannifan and Matt Rehwoldt were on commentary. McKenzie Mitchell delivered the introductions for the main event…
Powell’s POV: I’m running a few minutes behind because someone foolishly thought AEW Collision needed an overrun. Anyway, I should be able to catch up quickly by speeding through video packages and entrances.
1. Zachary Wentz vs. JDC vs. Eric Young for a spot in the three-way to become the first TNA International Champion. Heels JDC and Young worked together early in the match. JDC ended the alliance by kicking and DDT’ing Young while performing a simultaneous move on Wentz that led to a near fall.
A short time later, JDC put Wentz down with a falcon arrow, but Young broke up the pin attempt that followed. Young performed a Death Valley Driver on Wentz and had him pinned until JDC broke it up. Young powerbombed Wentz at JDC and then put Wentz down with a piledriver and pinned him…
Eric Young defeated Zachary Wentz and JDC in a three-way in 8:50 to advance to the three-way for the TNA International Championship.
The updated brackets showed that Young had joined AJ Francis in qualifying for the three-way… The broadcast team spoke from their desk at ringside and through the card… Entrances for the next three-way match took place…
2. Ace Austin vs. Eddie Edwards (w/Alisha Edwards) vs. Steve Maclin for a spot in the three-way to become the first TNA International Champion. Rehwoldt referred to Maclin as “a man without a unit” (um, I know what he’s going for, but they should probably change that lingo to avoid Beavis and Butt-Head style laughter).
There was a cool spot where Austin was doing a handstand on the ropes when Maclin speared him through the ropes, causing Austin to land on Edwards, who was on the floor. There was a tower of doom spot a short time later with Austin on the bottom and Edwards taking the top bump. A “TNA” chant broke out. Hannifan asked how much they were willing to do to live forever.
Austin went up top and was crotched by Alisha while Hannifan reminded viewers that there are no disqualifications. Eddie went to the ropes and performed a belly-to-back suplex, yet had his feet hooked in the ropes. Maclin speared Eddie and then pulled him down.
Alisha tried to slap Maclin, who blocked it. She tried again and this time she ended up accidentally slapping Eddie. Maclin hit the KIA on Eddie and pinned him…
Steve Maclin defeated Eddie Edwards and Ace Austin in 9:55 to advance to the three-way for the TNA International Championship.
The updated brackets showed AJ Francis vs. Eric Young vs. Steve Maclin in the final three-way to become the first TNA International Champion…
Powell’s POV: An enjoyable match with a legitimate upset. I know I wasn’t alone in assuming that Austin would win the championship and have a moment with Chris Bey given that the show is being held in Bey’s hometown.
Backstage, Gia Miller interviewed Frankie Kazarian and Tessa Blanchard. Kazarian had the Call Your Shot trophy with him. Kazarian said Hendry fighting at less than 100 percent isn’t brave, it’s stupid. Blanchard said Masha Slamovich is overrated. She said Slamovich gets by on hype while she gets by on results…
Footage aired of the UNLV men’s hockey team being recognized at ringside until “The System” Moose, Eddie Edwards, Alisha Edwards, and JDC interrupted them…
Former San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman joined the broadcast team for the next match and promoted some MMA project that he’s involved with. Merriman got heat by telling the crowd that he’s not a believer when it comes to Joe Hendry.
Moose made his entrance for his open challenge against he best high flyer in Las Vegas over the weekend. The UNLV hockey team was shown in the crowd. Sidney Akeem (f/k/a Reggie in WWE) made his entrance and slapped hands with the hockey players…
3. X Division Champion Moose vs. Sidney Akeem in a non-title match. Moose was the early aggressor. Akeem performed a huracanrana and was on the offensive until Moose chokeslammed him. Moose bumped fists with Shawne Merriman.
Hannifan mentioned that Moose said he would give anyone who could beat him a title shot, so apparently the title is not on the line after all. Moose got into it with the hockey players and was shoved. Akeem came back briefly and took Moose down with a huracanrana on the floor.
Akeem rolled Moose back inside the ring and then performed a moonsault for a near fall. Moose ran up the ropes and went for a moonsault that Akeem avoided. Akeem did a bunch of back flips into a cutter and had Moose pinned, but Alisha Edwards pulled the referee out of the ring. The referee ejected Alisha from ringside.
Moose hit Akeem with a low blow while the referee was busy ejecting Alisha. Moose speared Akeem and the referee returned to make the three count…
X Division Champion Moose defeated Sidney Akeem in 8:55 in a non-title match.
Powell’s POV: This was fine for what it was. The crowd never really rallied behind Akeem. That’s the problem with doing an open challenge. The fans imaginations run wild, especially on a weekend when there are so many wrestlers in town, not to mention the working relationship with NXT. In other words, the crowd was respectful to Akeem, but I don’t know that he was at the top of anyone’s wish list. By the way, it took me a bit longer than anticipated, but I am caught up and am now watching live.
Backstage, Eric Young asked Steve Maclin if he was ready. Maclin indicated that he was and then told Young that he has nothing but respect for him. Young said the same. Maclin spoke about the title being on the line, and then Young said something that was difficult to make out after Maclin walked away…
Hannifan narrated an injury report on Joe Hendry’s shoulder, Sami Callihan’s eye, and Mance Warner’s eye. Hannifan said all three wrestlers are cleared to compete…
Entrances for the six-man tag match took place. Mike Santana made his usual entrance through the crowd…
4. Mike Santana, Matt Hardy, and Jeff Hardy vs. Mustafa Ali, Nic Nemeth, and Ryan Nemeth. Matt took a shot at Nic to start the match. The Hardys hit Poetry in Motion on both Nemeths and then cleared them from the ring.
A short time later, Matt was isolated by the heels. Matt put Ali down with a Sie Effect and made the hot tag to Jeff, who worked over Ryan. Jeff had Ryan pinned until Nic broke it up. Jeff performed a Whisper in the Wind on both Nemeths.
Ali hit Jeff from behind, and then Matt put Ali down with a DDT. Nic superkicked Matt. Santana hit a rolling cutter on Nic. Ryan took out Santana. Jeff hit a Twist of Fate on Ryan. Ali ended the rapid fire spots by putting Jeff down.
Santana roughed up Ali, who ran to the back while Ali followed. In the ring, Ryan picked up a couple of near falls on Jeff. Nic ran Matt through the ropes and into the ring post. Nic tuned up the band while his brother held Jeff.
Santana returned and pulled Nick to the floor and gave him a cutter. Matt put Ryan down with a Twist of Fate. Jeff went up top and hit the Swanton Bomb on Ryan and then pinned him to win the match for his team…
Mike Santana, Matt Hardy, and Jeff Hardy defeated Mustafa Ali, Nic Nemeth, and Ryan Nemeth in 12:40.
Powell’s POV: A crowd-pleasing win for the babyfaces. This had a fun house show feel to it. By the way, the building is well lit and there’s a good-sized and vocal crowd in attendance.
Backstage, Eddie Edwards and JDC left Zachary Wentz lying…
Victoria Crawford (Alicia Fox) was shown in the crowd. ’80s pop star Debbie Gibson was also in the crowd. Tim Malcom of “90-Day Fiancé” was also shown.
Powell’s POV: It looked like rock guitarist DJ Ashba was seated next to Gibson, but he was not mentioned by the broadcast team. It’s kinda weird that TNA has a working relationship with WWE and yet they couldn’t just use the Alicia Fox name.
Entrances for the mixed tag team match took place. Joe Hendry’s entrance was greeted with “We Believe” chants…
5. TNA Champion Joe Hendry and Knockouts Champion Masha Slamovich vs. Frankie Kazarian and Tessa Blanchard. Kazarian had the ring announcer remind the crowd that he is the King of TNA. Kazarian took a cheap shot at Hendry to start the match.
Hendry fought back and held up Kazarian while running around the ring before finishing his suplex. The broadcast team questioned whether it was a good idea given his injured shoulder, which was covered by athletic tape. Kazarian went to work on the bad shoulder.
A short time later, Slamovich was getting the better of Blanchard at ringside when Victoria Crawford grabbed her from behind. Blanchard took advantage of the distraction by hitting Slamovich.
Kazarian grabbed his Call Your Shot trophy and taunted Hendry with it from the floor. Blanchard hit a cutter on Slamovich and then hit a distracted Hendry. Kazarian made a blind tag and then kicked Slamovich from behind while she was trying to pin Blanchard.
Blanchard tagged in and cut off Slamovich from tagging out. Hendry eventually took a hot tag and worked over Kazarian. Hendry slipped out of a Fade to Black attempt and then hit an Olympic Slam for a near fall.
Kazarian caught Hendry in a chicken wing, but Hendry rolled into a pin position, which forced Kazarian to release the hold. Hendry hit a cutter and went for the pin. Blanchard ran in and booted Hendry’s head to break it up. All four wrestlers fought.
Blanchard held Slamovich from behind. Kazarian went for a clothesline that Slamovich avoided, causing Hendry to blast Slamovich mistakenly. Slamovich kicked Kazarian, and then Hendry hit him with the Mic Check and pinned him.
TNA Champion Joe Hendry and Knockouts Champion Masha Slamovich defeated Frankie Kazarian and Tessa Blanchard in 14:10.
After the match, the babyfaces celebrated their win…
Powell’s POV: I don’t really get the idea of having the champions beat the challengers heading into the title matches at next weekend’s Rebellion pay-per-view. At the very least, I thought Kazrian and Blanchard would get their heat back after the match. Perhaps that’s still to come.
Backstage, Mike Santana told Santino Marella that he knows Mustafa Ali will just run when they meet at Rebellion. Santino added the stipulation that falls count anywhere in the world…
Shots aired of the main event participants preparing for the match in separate backstage locations…
Former NFL player Morlon Greenwood, Andreas Hale of ESPN, and rapper Westside Gunn were shown in the crowd…
Ace Austin walked onto the stage and introduced his tag team partner, Chris Bey, who walked onto the stage and smiled. Bey and Austin shared a long hug. “On his own two feet,” Austin told the crowd. The crowd chanted Bey’s name. A “Thank you, Bey” chant broke out.
Bey got a mic and questioned whether he is or was, then said he is the Ultimate Finesser. Bey said it felt so good to be back in TNA. Bey said 172 days ago, he had an accident in the ring that changed the course of his life forever. He said he broke his neck and was paralyzed.
Bey called it the scariest and most embarrassing moment of his life. Bey said he was embarrassed because he wanted to finish the match and perform for the fans because he loves it so much.
Bey said he was able to have a successful surgery, but doctors told him that he had a very low percentage chance of walking again. Bey stuck a pose while Austin pointed at him. Bey said he worked tirelessly in PT and OT, and he thanked the people who helped him with that.
Bey said Austin was there for him. Bey said he loves Austin and then thanked him. An “ABC” chant broke out. Bey said that in his heart and in his mind, he thought he would never walk again. Bey said he had to remind himself of who he was and feel the energy of the fans. Bey said he beat the odds. He said he did it because of the fans and his TNA family.
“I’m standing right here,” Bey said. “Look at me now.” Bey said he had to borrow a line from the world champion. “We were able to do it because we believe,” he said. “Joe, I owe you 20 bucks for that.” A fan yelled, “We Bey-lieve.” Bey said he would put that on a shirt.
Bey said he had to remind himself that he’s unbreakable. He looked into the camera and motioned to the fans while saying “we are unbreakable.” Bey said TNA is unbreakable. Bey said all of this is the greatest story ever told. Bey thanked the fans and then hugged Austin…
Powell’s POV: I saw the footage of Bey’s appearance at his benefit show, and I assumed that he’d make this appearance, but that didn’t make it feel any less special. He is literally a walking miracle.
An ad aired for TNA Under Siege on May 23 in Ontario…
The crew started setting up the ring for the barbed wire massacre. Hannifan said viewer discretion was advised… A video package set up the barbed wire massacre match… Entrances for the match took place…
6. Sami Callihan vs. Mance Warner (w/Steph De Lander) in a Barbed Wire Massacre match. The ropes were wrapped with barbed wire and there were also barbed wire tables and other objects. Callihan wore a white shirt with a black tie in a tribute to Mick “Mankind” Foley.
Callihan performed a Death Valley Driver that put Warner through one of the barbed wire tables. Callihan pulled out a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire and slammed it over Warner’s left arm, which was already bleeding.
Warner had a bag handed to him and then he pulled out a Nintendo controller covered in barbed wire, which he then raked over the head of Warner, who came up bleeding. Callihan put the barbed wire in Warner’s mouth and pulled back on it.
Callihan charged Warner, who moved, and Callihan ran into one of the door boards, which then fell on top of him. Warner looked into the hard camera, showed off his blood, and yelled, “Yeah!” Callihan was also a bloody mess.
Callihan grabbed a barbed wire ball and raked Warner’s arms and head with it, then slammed it blow Warner’s belt. Callihan suplexed Warner on top of the ball. A short time later, Warner slammed Callihan through a barbed wire board that was set up on top chairs and then covered him for a near fall.
A ringside doctor wrapped Warner’s left arm. Callihan performed a cutter, but in the process he landed on top of the barbed wire board. A “holy shot” chant broke out. The referee pulled barbed wire from Callihan’s pant legs. Callihan pulled out a lemon, pulled down the wrap on Warner’s arm, and then squeezed juice onto his wound.
Callihan pulled out a bag of salt and laughed. Callihan grabbed a stapler, pulled Warner’s tongue out, and then stapled it to a board. “You suck f—” chants broke out. Warner stood up and held the board and then Callihan blasted it with a chair. Warner sold tongue pain while the fans chanted “holy shit.”
Callihan grabbed the bag of salt and then did his thumbs up, thumbs down bit. Warner low-blowed Callihan and then poured the salt over his back. De Lander handed a screwdriver to Warner. Callihan pulled out a spike. Both men hit the other man’s head with their respective weapons.
Callihan dumped barbed wire in the middle of the ring and then traded shots with Warner, who gouged his eyes. Callihan clawed Warner’s crotch. Callihan pulled out a sock and put it on his hand. Callihan picked up some barbed wire and then gave Warner the Mandible Claw. Callihan followed up with a Cactus Driver ’97 and scored the pin…
Sami Callihan defeated Mance Warner in 19:10 in a Barbed Wire Massacre match.
Powell’s POV: Both wrestlers delivered more than what was advertised and that will be enough to please fans who just wanted to see a violent bloodbath. The problem with the match is that the feud didn’t reach a point where it felt like this was necessary. Callihan’s popularity in TNA has dipped, and Warner just hasn’t generated major heat yet. So while both men worked hard and had a gory match, it just didn’t mean as much as it should have.
The crew started to clean up the ring and then a video package aired on next weekend’s TNA Rebellion pay-per-view… Magician Criss Angel was shown in the crowd… The broadcast team ran through the Rebellion lineup. Hannifan said the person who does not factor into the finish of tonight’s main event will challenge the new TNA International Champion at Rebellion…
Powell’s POV: Who thought it was a good idea to have a pay-per-view the weekend after WrestleMania?!? Putting that aside, Rebellion has a much stronger lineup than tonight’s show and looks good on paper.
Elijah was introduced and then he played his guitar on the stage. Elijah plugged his “Walk With Elijah Open Challenge” for Rebellion and then played a song called “In TNA We Walk This Way”…
Hannifan said the fan vote favors Steve Maclin winning the main event. They recapped the three-way qualifiers that set up the match. The new blue TNA International Championship belt was shown at ringside…
AJ Francis made his entrance. He showed a Chris Bey t-shirt and then spat on it and threw it on the ground for some easy heat. Steve Maclin’s entrance was next, followed by the over the top Eric Young entrance…
7. AJ Francis vs. Steve Maclin vs. Eric Young in a three-way to become the first TNA International Champion. McKenzie Mitchell delivered in-ring introductions for the match. There were a lot of open seats opposite the hard camera that were filled earlier in the show.
Francis caught Maclin on the middle rope and then tossed him across the ring. Francis performed a side slam on Maclin and went for the pin, but Young broke it up. Maclin battled back with a Busaiku Knee on Francis to knock him out of the ring and then hit him with a suicide dive.
Back in the ring, Maclin hit another Busaiku Knee. Maclin followed up with an Olympic Slam and covered Francis for a near fall. Francis came back with a Pop-Up Powerbomb for a near fall of his own. Francis went up top and was cut off by Young. Maclin joined them on the ropes, and then he and Young performed a double superplex on Francis. Francis came back with a double Death Valley Driver.
In the end, Francis set up for a chokeslam, but Maclin countered into a DDT. Maclin hit the KIA and then pinned Francis to win the match while Young was standing at ringside.
Steve Maclin defeated AJ Francis and Eric Young in a three-way in 13:40 to become the first TNA International Champion.
After the match, Santino Marella presented the new title belt to Maclin, who celebrated to close the show…
Powell’s POV: A decent match with some fun big man spots involving Francis. The new belt looks nice and I’m beyond happy that the company ditched the awful Digital Media Championship. I get the idea of trying to make the new belt feel prestigious by crowning the new champion in the main event, but it looked like a number of fans saw the mixed tag team match as the real main event and made an early exit. Of course, all of these wrestling shows are not only competing with each other, they are also competing with everything that Vegas has to offer.
Overall, the lineup for this show felt underwhelming for a WrestleMania weekend event. It turned out to be a solid show, but there should be better non-WWE shows in Vegas this weekend, and next weekend’s TNA Rebellion looks much better on paper. I will most likely have a live review of Rebellion, assuming I survive WrestleMania weekend. Fingers crossed. Speaking of Rebellion, the finish of the main event means that Maclin will defend the new title against Young next weekend.
