Himanshu’s Impact Wrestling Review 02.23.23

Hey there, IMPACT fans! It’s Thursday and that means it’s time for another episode of IMPACT Wrestling. I’m Himanshu (you can follow me on @Himanshu_Doi) and you know how this works. Tonight, X-Division Champion Trey Miguel defends his title against Decay’s Crazzy Steve, IMPACT Tag Team Champions The Motor City Machine Guns battle the team of Jonathan Gresham & “Speedball” Mike Bailey. Bully Ray and Tommy Dreamer take part in a Beat the Clock Challenge with Dreamer going one-on-one with Jason Hotch and selecting a yet-to-be-named opponent for his longtime friend-turned-bitter rival Bully Ray, Allysin Kay collides with Taya Valkyrie, a member of The Death Dollz and co-holder of the Knockouts Tag Team Championship and The Design leader Deaner joins forces with Sami Callihan against the team of Frankie Kazarian & Yuya Uemura. So let’s jump right in!

As a reminder, the GoFundMe for Larry’s daughters is still active and if you can make a donation, that would be awesome. Thank you so much to everyone who’s done so thus far.

IMPACT Wrestling

Match 1: The Motor City Machine Guns vs Jonathan Gresham & “Speedball” Mike Bailey

Jonathan Gresham exchange elbows with Chris Sabin. Sabin and Shelley double team for a Magic Killer on Gresham for two. Sabin tries a suplex but is blocked and reversed into a stalling suplex of his own by Gresham. Gresham tags to Bailey who hit a combination of kicks on Shelley. Bailey gets a deathlock on Shelley and simultaneously hits a suplex on Sabin. Shelley gets to the ropes. Gresham gets a Figure 4 Leglock on Shelley before Sabin tags him in to be legal. Gresham and Bailey hit suicide dives on the Motorcity Machine Guns on the outside. Gresham gets a Figure 4 Leglock on Shelley but Sabin powerbombs Bailey onto Gresham to break it up. Sabin and Shelley hit the Dirt Bomb on Gresham for the win.

Result: Motorcity Machine Guns beat Mike Bailey and Jonathan Gresham
Rating: ****¾

A promo package airs on Josh Alexander and Rich Swann. Josh Alexander says he thinks bell to bell nobody on this planet can beat him.

Deonna Purrazzo promo and she thanks Gisele for being honest. She says she does her talking in the ring. She says the best revenge isn’t a bowl of chili, but a broken arm.

Match 2: Jason Hotch vs Tommy Dreamer

Dreamer hits a hiptoss. Hotch hits a neckbreaker for two. Hotch goes to the top rope but Dreamer hits a DVD from the top for the win in 1:15.

Result: Tommy Dreamer def. Jason Hotch
Rating: **

A promo package on Joe Hendry with the fans before the show. He asks fans who think would win in the Dot Combat match. They sing Joe Hendry’s theme.

Match 3: Allysin Kay vs Taya Valkyrie

Taya charges into Allysin Kay to start. Taya hits a chest slap on Kay. Kay reverses a whip into the corner but Taya throws her back into the corner and hits the double knees for two as we go to commercial.

Back from commercial and Allysin Kay teases a Stink Face on Taya but says she wouldn’t do it for free. Taya gets her onto the bottom corner hits a Stink Face. Taya hits a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Taya tries a powerbomb but Allysin Kay reverses into a Reverse Piledriver for two. Marti Belle distracts Taya and Allysin Kay hits the AK-47 for the win.

Backstage segment with Josh Alexander, Rich Swann and Santino Marella for a contract signing. Rich Swann wants to talk about last week but Alexander told him not to sweat it as they’re friends and Swann doesn’t have it in him. Swann takes offense to that and says he will bust his ass to get the title and when he regains the championship, it wasn’t Josh took his eye off the ball but Swann had it in him. Maclin comes in and says he’s going to win at No Surrender and calls Rich Swann a choke artist. Swann goes after Maclin before it is broken up by security.

Match 4: Deaner and Sami Callihan vs Frankie Kazarian and Yuya Uemura

Deaner hits punches on Kazarian. Kazarian tags to Yuya and Kazarian hits a spinning neckbreaker for two. Yuya has Deaner in an armbar but Deaner pulls his air and pushes him into his corner. Callihan tags in and digs his thumbs in Yuya’s eyes. Yuya hits a Pele Kick on Callihan. Yuya crawls for the tag but Callihan pulls him back and hits a scoop slam and tags to Deaner who goes for a head butt off the top but misses. Hot tag to Kazarian who cleans house and hits a springboard leg drop on Callihan for two. Tag to Deaner but Kazarian tags to Yuya who hits the belly to belly suplex on Deaner followed by a crossbody for two. Callihan asks for a tag and goes for a Cactus Driver 97 but Yuya gets out and tags to Kazarian. Kazarian goes for the chicken wing but Callihan hits a pop-up powerbomb and signals for the piledriver but Deaner asks for the tag. Just as Callihan goes for the tag, Deaner moves away. Callihan goes after Kazarian but Kazarian gets the chicken wing and Callihan taps.

Result: Yuya Uemura and Frankie Kazarian beat Deaner and Callihan
Rating: ***¾

A promo package where Jordynne Grace says Mickie James tapped and James denies it. Masha Slamovich says just because the “Last Rodeo” is over doesn’t mean she won’t end Mickie’s career. Mickie says Masha won’t be the one to take her Knockouts Title.

Backstage, Callihan asks Deaner how this is Step 5. Deaner said this was about loyalty and asks if Callihan wants to be a part of The Design. Callihan says yes. Deaner says Callihan has gone farther already than he thought he would. Deaner says he doesn’t choose The Design, The Design chooses him.

Match 5: Bully Ray vs Bhupinder Gujjar

This is a Beat The Clock Challenge and Bully Ray has to beat Dreamer’s time of 1:15. Hotch and Skyler come out to distract Gujjar and while the referee was distracted, Bully Ray wraps a chain around his fist and punches Gujjar and pins him for the win and beats the clock.

Result: Bully Ray def. Bhupinder Gujjar
Rating: *

Backstage, Gujjar apologises to Dreamer. Dreamer asks why, he should use that to make him great. He says he sees greatness in Gujjar.

Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt run down the card for No Surrender.

We see Crazzy Steve and Trey Miguel who have been without food, water or light for 24 hours being let out of the dark room.

Match 6: Crazzy Steve vs Trey Miguel in a Monster’s Ball Match for the X-Division Championship

Crazzy Steve hits a crossbody on Trey and headbutts him as we go to commercial.

Back from commercial and we see Steve setting up 4 chairs and tries to hit a suplex on Trey in them but Trey drops him on them with a drop toehold. Trey sets up Steve against the ring post and swings a chair at him but Steve moves out of the way and Steve flips him over onto the chairs. Trey throws trash cans into the ring and goes to hit Steve with a trash can but Steve staples him in the crotch. Steve places a trash can onto Trey and sets him in the corner and hits a cannonball onto him as we go to commercial.

Back from commercial and Trey brings a bad of thumbtacks and spreads them all over the ring but Steve hits a Black Hole Slam on Trey onto the thumbtacks. Steve goes for the cover but pulls Trey up before the 3 count. Trey sets up a table in the corner and both run into and stop themselves before crashing into the table and they clothesline each other into the thumbtacks. Steve is laughing. Trey Miguel pulls out a spike and Crazzy Steve brings out Janice. Steve swings Janice at Trey but misses and Trey hits the spike on Steve. Trey runs at Steve but Steve hits a Death Valley Driver on Trey onto the table for two. Trey sets up Steve on the top corner and hits a 619 onto him. Steve hits a Canadian Destroyer on Trey Miguel onto the thumbtacks for two. Steve grabs Janice and rubs it against Trey’s face. Steve points at the barbed wire board gets Trey in a powerbomb position but Trey low blows him and hits a Roll Of The Dice onto the barbed wire board from the apron. Trey Miguel throws Crazzy Steve into the ring and covers him for the win.

Result: Trey Miguel def. Crazzy Steve by pinfall.
Rating: ****½

8.1

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

If it's great wrestling matches that you enjoy, this is the episode for you. Three high-quality matches that you could've easily seen on a pay-per-view. You really can't go wrong with Bailey and Gresham against the Motorcity Machine Guns. Yuya and Kazarian had an excellent showing against Deaner and Callihan of The Design. Trey Miguel and Crazzy Steve defied expectations and had one of the most entertaining Monsters' Ball matches in a long time. It's great to see what IMPACT can do with a comparitively smaller roster.