wrestling / TV Reports
Himanshu’s Impact Wrestling Review 08.17.23
Image Credit: Impact Wrestling
Loading...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 Twitter @Himanshu_Doi) and you know how this works. Tonight on IMPACT, Rich Swann and Sami Callihan battle The Rascalz in the finals of the Tag Team Title Contenders Tournament, Deonna Purrazzo faces KiLynn King, Bully Ray goes to war with Black Taurus in a No DQ match, Eric Young goes one-on-one with Kon, Jessicka vs. Savannah Evans vs. Killer Kelly goes down in three-way action and so much more. 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
Date: August 17th, 2023
Location: Cicero Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matt Rehwoldt
Match 1: Deonna Purrazzo vs. KiLynn King
Kilynn King whips Deonna into the corner and elbows her. King carries Deonna on her shoulders and kicks her out to the floor. Deonna pulls Kilynn back first onto the ring apron. Back in the ring, Deonna goes for a Fujiwara Armbar but Kilynn counters into a pin for two. Deonna hits a pump kick and goes for a Queen’s Gambit but Kilynn gets out of it and hits a gutbuster followed by a DDT for two. Kilynn goes for a Gotch-style piledriver but Deonna gets out of it and hits a flatliner into a Koji Clutch. Kilynn counters it into a pin for two. Kilynn hits a Neutralizer but only gets two. Kilynn goes for the King’s Curse but Deonna reverses it into a Venus de Milo and Kilynn submits.
Result: Deonna Purrazzo def. KiLynn King by submission
Rating: ***¼
Gia Miller is backstage with Kenny King and Sheldon Jean and Kenny King asks how Johnny Swinger gets a title shot for the DMC title. He says Zicky Dice isn’t here to help him and he wants to get in the ring with Johnny.
Santino Marella is backstage with Kevin Knight and Bully Ray comes up to Santino and Bully says he’s tried everything and asks Santino for help from PCO. Myers and Moose show up and Bully tries to act tough and goes away. Moose names all the top guys in IMPACT and says they’re all cowards. Kevin Knight shows up and takes exception to Moose calling Kushida a coward and Santino books Moose vs Kevin Knight. Myers asks for a match against Shelley and Shelley shows up. Santino books Shelley vs. Myers for the title next week.
Match 2: Killer Kelly vs. Jessicka vs. Savannah Evans
Savannah Evans hits a German Suplex on Killer Kelly and goes for a pin but Jessicka breaks it up. Jessicka hits a running clothesline on a seated Savannah but Kelly breaks up the pin. Kelly gets on top of Jessicka with a sleeper hold but Jessicka throws her down. Savannah hits a DDT on Jessicka but Kelly breaks it up. Kelly hits Savannah with a Death Valley Driver onto Jessicka and pins Jessicka for the win.
Result: Killer Kelly def. Jessicka and Savannah Evans by pinfall
Rating: **
Vignette for Dirty Dango. He jokes about Jake Something’s wrestling name and asks what if Mike Awesome’s name was Mike Something. He says Jake is not even in the PWI 500. He says Jake will get a rub from Dango and then go back to performing in VFW halls. He asks if Jake’s Tinder profile also says Jake Something and Alpha Bravo looks it up.
Match 3: Moose vs. Kevin Knight
Kevin Knight goes to the top rope and Moose catches him and hits a Sky High for two. Moose goes for a powerbomb but Kevin Knight gets out of it. Knight goes to the top rope and goes for a double axhandle but Moose catches him and hits an uranage. Moose stomps on Knight. Knight goes for a DDT but Moose throws him outside the ring as we go to commercial.
Back from commercial and Moose goes to the top rope but Knight hits a dropkick followed by a headscissors. Moose goes a uranage but Knight hits a dropkick which sends Moose to the outside. Moose goes for a powerbomb on Knight but Knight hits a hurrancanrana. Knight goes back in the ring and hits a springboard Swanton onto Moose on the outside. Back in the ring Knight goes for a DDT but Moose gets out of it. Knight hits a Code Red for a nearfall. Moose hits a powerbomb followed by a Spear for the win.
Result: Moose vs. Kevin Knight by pinfall
Rating: ***¾
Gia Miller is backstage with The Rascalz and Trey Miguel says Rich Swann and Sami Callihan don’t have a chance. Ace and Bey show up and Santino does too. Bey accuses them of paying off The Good Hands to interfere in ABC’s match. Santino says he cannot act on accusations but he can book them in a match next week.
Match 4: Kon vs. Eric Young
Deaner hits Eric Young with a steel chair and the match ends in a disqualification.
Result: Eric Young def. Kon by disqualification
Rating: **
Post-match, Deaner hits The Antidote on Eric Young onto a steel chair and sits on top of Eric Young.
We see a music video for Joe Hendry and Yuya Uemura working as a team wearing matching T-shirts.
Crazzy Steve continuation of last week’s sit-down interview with Tom Hannifan and Steve talks about his family. He says his father was an alcoholic and abused him verbally and physically. He says his mother was his biggest fan but she never lived a healthy day in her life since he was born. Despite that, she supported her son to be a pro-wrestler. He says he would scratch and claw to one day sign a contract with IMPACT and that dream came true in 2014. He says it should have been the happiest day of his life, but 3 weeks before he signed his contract, his mother took her own life. And when he came to IMPACT, he was supposed to paint his face and make people happy. He says he is no clown and he is not crazy. Tom asks why tell all this now. Steve says that’s exactly why we’re here.
Backstage promo by Chris Sabin who says he was excited to see Lio Rush. He says he’s coming for Lio Rush at Emergence. Samuray del Sol who says he’s here to make an IMPACT. Chris Sabin says Lio Rush isn’t here so how about they fight each other next week. Samuray del sol agrees.
Match 5: Bully Ray vs. Black Taurus in a No DQ match
Taurus goes after Bully Ray before the bell rings. Taurus gets Bully Ray in the corner and hits the 10 punches. Bully gets out of the ring and Taurus hits a crossbody off the top rope. Taurus throws Bully in the ring and throws steel chairs in the ring as we go to commercial.
Back from commercial and a table is set up in the ring. Taurus gets a steel chair but Bully Ray rakes his eyes. A ladder is set up in the corner and Bully looks to throw Taurus into it but gets throws into the ladder instead. Bully Ray hits a steel chair across Taurus’ back. Taurus hits a headbutt followed by a Samoan Drop. Taurus goes to the top rope and hits a twisting senton for two. Taurus sets up Bully on a ladder and goes up top for another twisting senton but Bully moves out of the way and Taurus crashes onto the ladder. Bully Ray pins Taurus for the win.
Result: Bully Ray def. Black Taurus by pinfall
Rating: ***
After the match, the lights go out and when they come back on PCO is in the ring. Bully Ray puts him through a table but PCO gets back up. Bully Ray runs away.
Backstage interview with Eddie Edwards and Eddie talks about his wife getting injured and there was no way he was going to bring his wife back into the building. Kazarian shows up and security keeps them out of the way. Kazarian tells him to settle it at Killer Kowalski’s wrestling school.
Match 6: The Rascalz vs. Rich Swann and Sami Callihan
Sami Callihan drops both Wentz and Miguel with a Flatliner and DDT combo. The Rascalz hit a codebreaker and neckbreaker combo on Callihan. Callihan hits a Cactus Driver onto Miguel. Swann gets the tag and he hits a superkick to Wentz and a headscissors onto Miguel on the top rope. Callihan hit a sideslam and axekick combo on Miguel for two. Swann goes for a 450 but Miguel moves out of the way. Wentz hits a double stomp onto Swann for two. Wentz gets the tag and Swann is tucked up in the corner and Wentz hits a 619 onto Swann. They all exchange superkicks and all go down. Swann hits an assisted cutter on Wentz for two. Callihan goes for a Cactus Special on Miguel but Miguel sprays the green spray on Callihan’s face when the referee isn’t looking and hits an assisted shooting star press with Wentz for the win.
Result: The Rascalz def. Rich Swann and Sami Callihan by pinfall
Rating: ***¾
Wentz and Miguel celebrate to close the show.
