Cook’s Impact Knockouts Knockdown 2021 Review

Hey kids! If there’s a show featuring the Impact Wrestling Knockouts, there’s a pretty good chance I’ll be there to review it. Y’all know I’ve been down with the Knockouts since Day One. Let’s hook em up!

Cook’s Impact Knockouts Knockdown 10.9.21 Review

We open with Gail Kim & all the Knockouts in the ring together. Many of the male members of the Impact roster are standing outside the ring. Gail dedicates the show to all the wrestlers who have passed, and welcomes Lexie Fyfe, who is representing the friends & family of Daffney. Lexie introduces a 10-bell salute in honor of Daffney. Lexie leads a “Thank You Daffney” chant.

An opening montage features many of the past Knockouts. Love seeing Traci Brooks as the first one to appear, as she was the Original Knockout.

Melissa Santos ring announces. Veda Scott & Mickie James are on the call.

Knockouts Championship #1 Contender Tournament First Round Match: Lady Frost vs. Rachael Ellering: Tieup, Rachael gets the advantage into the corner. Another tieup, another standoff in the corner. Fistbump! Mutual respect! Ellering with the wristlock, Frost flips and reverses. Ellering reverses that, takes her down into an armbar. Ellering with the headlock, shoulderblock to Frost. Nearfall, another takedown by Ellering takes two. Headlock takeover, Frost is going to need to come up with something, and she gets the headscissors. Rachael gets out, goes back to the headlock. Frost finally finds some advantage with a headscissors, and kicks Ellering out of the ring. Frost teases the dive, but telegraphs it, and Ellering gets back into the ring and hits the elbow block for two. Big chop to Frost, and another one after the fans ask for it. Sadistic folks they are. Ellering with more shots in the corner. Big chop in the corner. Frost kicks one away and answers with chops of her own, reversals lead to a senton by Ellering for two. Whip into the corner, Frost does a nifty cartwheel into a dropkick for two. Now we’re seeing that gymnast background from Frost. Handstand double knees lead to two. Standing moonsault gets another two. Frost goes up top, but Ellering takes her off the ropes. Kicks missed, Frost hits one, but Ellering answers with a lariat and both are down. Both work their way up, Frost hits a forearm in the corner, then they follow each other into the corner with strikes. Ellering gets 2.9 with a spinning legdrop. Frost knocks Ellering into the corner with two kicks, hits a big move but Ellering fights right back. Rachael hits a spine on the pine for two. Frost selling that back and goes out to the apron. The referee wants some separation, but sure enough, Frost takes advantage. She hits a blockbuster for two. Frost going up top again, but Rachael blocks, gets her in the electric chair, drops her on the corner, then hits the Bosswoman Slam for the three count!

Winner: Rachael Ellering (approximately 12 minutes)
Match Rating: **3/4

We get a video package setting up Renee Michelle & Chelsea Green.

Knockouts Championship #1 Contender Tournament First Round Match: Renee Michelle vs. Chelsea Green: Renee is all about those diva poses. Chelsea is all about being a hot mess and winning tournaments, like she did at NWA Empowerrr. Tight lockup with these two. They rolling on the mat in a lockup here. No winner. Chelsea wins the second lockup by out-smarting Renee. Renee does not approve of people hurting her face. Can’t argue with her there. Renee leapfrogs nothing and ends up in a headlock takeover. Gets the reversal to the headscissors, but Chelsea goes back to the headlock. Shoulderblock, another headlock takeover. Japanese arm drag, shots in the corner, possibly cast-assisted. Now Renee’s targeting that arm after it goes into the post. She stomps Chelsea’s fingers, which might make it tougher for her to Tweet. Renee trips Chelsea up off the ropes and keeps targeting that arm. Bridging top wristlock! Chelsea fights out, but Renee with another shot to the arm. Chelsea answers with a pump kick, and both women are down. Chelsea goes for some covers to end the match. They don’t work. Chelsea with some clotheslines with the good arm. PK gets two. Renee blocks the Unprettier, hits a spin kick for two. That referee giving Renee the business. Renee’s neckbreaker is fought out of, and Chelsea hits the Unprettier for three.

Winner: Chelsea Green (approximately 9 minutes)
Match Rating: **1/4

Mercedes Martinez does some talking. Brandi Lauren, not so much.

Knockouts Championship #1 Contender Tournament First Round Match: Brandi Lauren vs. Mercedes Martinez: In case you haven’t been paying attention since whenever she was last in EVOLVE, Brandi has become possessed by Su Yung. These things happen in Impact Wrestling. Mercedes wastes no time hitting some offensive moves. Brandi does fight back. Hits a neck snap, does a zombie situp and stomps a mudhole in Mercedes. Martinez fights back, hits some moves while Brandi is on the middle rope. Hits the OG drop for the three count.

Winner: Mercedes Martinez (approximately 3 minutes)
Match Rating: N/A

Now there was a Queen’s Crown match if I ever saw one. Mercedes will move on to face Rachael Ellering, which seems like fun to me.

Tasha Steelz & Jamie Senegal talk their upcoming match.

Knockouts Championship #1 Contender Tournament First Round Match: Tasha Steelz vs. Jamie Senegal: I’m personally not familiar with Jamie, but she definitely looked up to Daffney and the announcers love her. Steelz with the headlock, Senegal reverses. Series of reversals here. Tasha has the agressiveness advantage, but Senegal has the power behind her. Senegal goes outside, Steelz knocks her loopy with a kick. Senegal fights back briefly, but Steelz maintains the advantage. Back into the ring and a rear chinlock by Tasha. Senegal fights back, big kick, but Tasha nearly knocks her out of the ring. Senegal gets bent in half on the ropes and finally falls out of the ring. Tasha hits some big stomps on Jamie’s shoulder, which was hurt on the previous move. Some shots in the corner by Steelz. PK gets two. Big forearms by Tasha. Jamie fights back. Hosaka kick gets a two count. Modified 21 plex gets a 2 count for Senegal. Jamie goes for sliced bread, but Tasha sends her into the ropes. Big knee strikes, followed by a bulldog out of the corner for 2.8. Schoolgirl gets 2 for Jamie, but Tasha hits a Diamond Cutter for 2. Jamie blocks suplex attempts, but Tasha hits a crucifix bomb for three!

Winner: Tasha Steelz
Match Rating: **1/2

Tasha will face Chelsea Green in a semi-final.

Gia Miller talks to Gail Kim backstage. Gail is impressed with all the new competitors that have come in. They only pick the best of who’s out there. Gia asks Gail who will win the tournament, Gail gives a great non-answer.

Pick Your Poision Match: Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo (w/Matthew Rehwoldt) vs. Masha Slamovich: This is one I’ve been looking forward to. Deonna is definitely tremendous, but Masha has possibly the best name in the history of pro wrestling and has been impressive in what I’ve seen of her. Some early mat wrestling. Deonna has the edge on that front. She isn’t impressed yet. Masha is still confident, and offers one arm. Deonna takes the advantage, but Masha powers out of it. Belly to belly! Vertical suplex, and Deonna rushes outside. Mickie James is not happy with Rehwoldt’s presence at ringside, but she likes it when he gets taken out by a flying Slamovich. Deonna takes advantage with a kick. Slamovich gets back in the ring, but Purrazzo is ready to work that left arm. She does it to perfection before Slamovich eventually fights back. Deonna with the Koji Clutch! Close to the ropes though, and Masha’s foot finds them. Masha lands a spinning back kick and both women are down. Masha with the advantage, knee strike in the corner, big Owen Hart spinning heel kick off the ropes gets 2.75. Deonna fights out of the suplex attempt, big knee lift, Russian leg sweep into the Fujiwara armbar! Masha slides out, hits a Snow Plow! Cover gets two! Masha goes for the cradle piledriver, Deonna fights out, twists into a cross arm-breaker, Masha blocks and gets to the ropes. Deonna locks in the Venus De Milo, and Masha has to tap.

Winner: Deonna Purrazzo (approximately 10 minutes)
Match Rating: **1/2

Champ Champ moving on to Bound For Glory, which we see a commercial for afterward.

Knockouts Championship #1 Contender Tournament Semi-Final: Mercedes Martinez vs. Rachael Ellering: Gotta say I’m pretty excited for this one. Should have been the final! Code of Honor is adhered to. Some mat wrestling, where Rachael gets the advantage & Mercedes slides out of. Headlocks & armdrags exchanged, but eventually Martinez gets tired of that. Rachael’s all happy with this even wrestling, Mercedes…not so much. There’s a slap! Now Martinez goes to work. Series of butterfly suplexes, but Ellering blocks the third. They exchange strikes on the apron. Martinez hits a spear on the apron, as we all know is the hardest part of the ring. Rachael’s ribs are hurting, and Mercedes notices. Some kicks to the ribs and a DDT get a two count. Ellering keeps fighting though. She avoids the Fisherman buster, gets a couple of nearfalls. Martinez hits two knees in the corner, then a rope assisted neckbreaker gets two. Martinez with a modified Regal Stretch! Ellering gets to the ropes. Martinez hits some shots but misses a kick in the corner. Ellering with a sling blade and some strikes. Ellering with an STO, then a springboard legdrop gets two. Spinebuster from Martinez gets a two count. Rachael knocks Mercedes stiff with a shot, twisting suplex, Spine on the Pine gets a two count. Fans seem to be behind Martinez here. Big Bosswoman Slam from Ellering! Martinez rolls out onto the apron though, not a good place to be covered. Now the fans want these two to fight forever. There has to be a final! Ellering goes for the DVD, Martinez answers with a modified Fisherman Buster, then locks in a Guillotine choke, and Ellering taps!

Winner: Mercedes Martinez (approximately 15 minutes)
Match Rating: ***1/2

Hug of Honor afterwards!

Gia Miller checks in with Chelsea Green. Chelsea talks about her impressive resume, and how you never overlook your opponents. She’s not overlooking Tasha Steelz. Her performance never falls flat, just like her hair.

Knockouts Championship #1 Contender Tournament Semi-Final: Tasha Steelz vs. Chelsea Green: Tasha is all about showing the attitude early. Tieup goes nowhere. The second one goes the same place. Tasha with the headlock takeover. Headscissors by Green, then a headlock takeover. Series of nearfalls after a sunset flip attempt. Like, a bunch. Green with some arm drags, a dropkick sends Steelz outside. Steelz apparently went to the Larry Zbyszko school of stalling, but Chelsea chases her around. Back into the ring, Chelsea senda Tasha back outside, then hits a big tope. Tasha blocks the second attempt. Tasha with some big shots into the corner, a PK to a seated Chelsea gets two. La Magistral gets two for Green, then both women are down. They exchange strikes. Green hits a Play of the Day, but misses in the corner. Both women end up on the apron. Green misses a stomp but Steelz hits a cutter & both women end up on the floor. They end up on the top rope. Steelz knocked off, Green hits a missile dropkick. Crucifix bomb by Steelz gets two! Green hits an Unprettier for two! Green goes to the middle rope, hits a crossbody, Steelz rolls through for two. Pump kick by Steelz, she goes to the second rope, Green meets her, she goes for an Unprettier off the second rope but misses! Tasha hits a frog splash and gets three!

Winner: Tasha Steelz (approximately 15 minutes)
Match Rating: ***

Mercedes Martinez tells Gia Miller that Tasha’s downfall is her emotion & confidence. Mercedes is an OG and a badass. This legend is going to the top. Mercedes gonna send Tasha back to the pound.

Christy Hemme makes her way to the ring, not looking much different than she did in the mid-2000s. She announces the next inductee into the Impact Wrestling Hall of Fame…Awesome Kong! We get a video highlighting Kong’s run with the company. Kong makes her way to the ring as the fans chant “Hall of Famer” & “Thank You Kong”. Kong is overcome by the honor. She’s happy to see that the current Knockouts have the same tenacity that she did. Her main priority today is to pay homage to her friend & colleague, Daffney. She tells the fans to do something to open the door for the next generation, like Daffney did.

Taylor Wilde talks about her Monster’s Ball match with Daffney, and Daffney’s sacrifices to pro wrestling. Taylor is there in spirit, and so is Daffney.

Monster’s Ball Match: Savannah Evans vs. Kimber Lee vs. Alisha vs. Jordynne Grace: This should be impossible to call. Kimber & Alisha go outside while Jordynne & Savannah face off in the ring. Savannah with the pop up powerbomb. Kimber with some kicks to Savannah before finding a pool cue. Alisha with the trash can lid to Jordynne while Kimber wears Savannah out with the pool cue. Kimber empties out the trash can and throws it inside while Alisha & Jordynne keep going at it. Savannah gets the trash can placed around her, Kimber hits it with the pool cue, and of course Alisha breaks it up. Savannah falls out of the ring. Jordynne gets knocked off the apron & Kimber follows her out. Never mind, she’s finding a chair wrapped with barbed wire to put in the ring. Eddie Edwards is jealous of his wife getting to be in this match. Kimber is sent face first into that barbed wire chair. Her own fault for bringing it in and placing it in the corner. Alisha finds Kenny, and she also finds Kendra. Yes, the Edwards family has matching kendo sticks. What family doesn’t? Alisha wears Kimber out with Kenny & Kendra. Barbed wire to the face of Kimber Lee what the hell? Jordynne breaks up the cover. Savannah re-appears to exchange strikes. Jordynne places Alisha & Savannah in the corner to hit some shots. Vader Bomb to Savannah gets two. Jordynne has found a powerlifting plate under the ring. Kimber hits some kicks to Jordynne for a near-fall. Kimber has found a bag of thumbtacks. Oh boy. She empties out, tries to suplex Jordynne onto them, but Jordynne reverses and places Kimber on the top rope…Muscle buster to Kimber Lee in the tacks! Alisha comes back, hits a Downward Spiral! Alisha caught some tacks as well but gets a two count. Alisha gets that plate. Places it down, sets Jordynne up for a DDT, instead Jordynne reverses and bitchplants Alisha on it. Chalk from Savannah! Jordynne is blinded. Full nelson slam to Alisha, and Savannah gets the pinfall.

Winner: Savannah Evans (approximately 12 minutes via pin)
Match Rating: ***

Tasha Steelz applauds Savannah for winning the Monster’s Ball. The difference between her & Mercedes is that she’s a tournament winner. She’s gonna drag her to Pettyville and knock her the hell out.

Knockouts Championship #1 Contender Tournament Final: Tasha Steelz vs. Mercedes Martinez: A bit of a standoff to start. Tasha tries to start things but Mercedes puts a stop to that. MM lands some shots in the corner. Standing vertical suplex, roll through into a butterfly suplex, another one, then the Royal Butterfly! Shades of Sara Del Rey, it gets two! Tasha evades a corner strike and lands some of her own. Big rana sends Martinez into another corner. Tornado DDT gets 2. Martinez fights back, hits a DVD for two. Martinez with some fists on the mat. Sets Steelz up for the OG Drop, Steelz hits a sunset flip for 2, then a cutter! Martinez misses a kick, Tasha hits one, dedicates it to Mickie, then gets dropped on the turnbuckle. Whoops. Choke in the corner by Mercedes, who has five, referee. Tasha catches Mercedes up on top, big rana! Stratusfaction by Steelz gets two! She sets up a moonsault but takes way too much time & Martinez rolls to the apron. Steelz gets a hold of Martinez..not sure what they’re setting up here. Martinez gets the upper hand, back into the ring, and sets up that OG Drop, hits it! Gets 3!

Winner: Mercedes Martinez (approximately 13 minutes)
Match Rating: ***

Absolutely the right winner for this tournament, and whoever is Knockouts Champion after Bound For Glory has a hell of a challenger to contend with. Gail Kim comes down to present the trophy & embraces with Mercedes.

Veda & Mickie talk about it. Mickie would be happy to defend the title against Mercedes after Bound For Glory. They throw to a video for the Tag Me In initiative, which 1000% deserves our support. Afterward, they throw it to the main event.

Knockouts Tag Team Title Match: Decay (Rosemary & Havok w/Crazzy Steve & Black Taurus) vs. The Influence (Tenille Dashwood & Madison Rayne w/Kaleb with a K): Melissa defying new school ring announcer etiquette & using note cards. I don’t hate it! Rosemary & Rayne start. Madison doesn’t really want any part of this, so Kaleb takes a picture of her & Tenille. Madison goes to the other side, sees the Decay members, goes back in so Rosemary can hit some moves. THERE’S A BITE TO THE FACE! T-Bone suplex by Rosemary, then a hammerlock. Tag to Havok. Double clothesline takes Rayne down. Havok sets her up, Rayne slips out, tags in Tenille, much to Tenille’s dismay. The Irish whip attempt by Tenille goes nowhere. Havok tosses Tenille by the hair a couple of times. Rosemary tags in, Tenille gets smashed in the corner a few times. Rosemary with the Candice Michelle style tarantula. Kaleb with the DISTRACTION, and everything leads to Madison clotheslining Rosemary on the outside. Back in the ring, Madison takes the offensive on Rosemary. Tenille gets two on Rosemary with a neckbreaker. Fans are not happy with Kaleb. Rosemary in the Tree of Woe getting her hair pulled. Emma Sandwich gets a two count. Rosemary hulks up, then there’s a double clothesline. Rayne & Havok get the tag, which doesn’t go well for Rayne. Havok with the boots to the face in the corner. Tenille breaks up the count. Rosemary back in, lifts Madison on her shoulders. Kaleb on the apron, Havok on the apron, Rosemary sent into them, the Influence hit the Collab, their finisher, but that referee was still distracted. Whoops. Havok takes them both on now. Combined Spear & Russian leg sweep gets the three count for Decay!

Winners: Decay (approximately 10 minutes)
Match Rating: ***

THE IINSPIRATION IS COMING AT BOUND FOR GLORY

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

Good showing for the ladies up & down the card tonight, and if I wasn't excited enough about things...THE IINSPIRATION IS COMING! Any promotion smart enough to book Jessie & Cassie is going to get nothing but hype from me. All hail the Knockouts.