wrestling / TV Reports
Cazer’s Impact Wrestling Review 2.3.22
Image Credit: Impact Wrestling
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We’re back for another episode of Impact wrestling! Last week we had some great matches and interesting storyline progression. This week we have a continuation of that with the Bullet Club teaming up for an eight man tag against the odd pairing of Mike Bailey, Jake Something, Ace Austin and Madman Fulton. We’ll also see a rematch between Jonathan Gresham and Steve Maclin. Since Honor No More has been involved with Impact they’ve consistently been an issue for a number of Impact wrestlers and we finally saw some matches come from this feud. We’ll see that continue when Josh Alexander takes on Vincent. With all of this and more on tap it looks to be another solid episode of Impact.
Impact Wrestling Digital Media Championship
Matt Cardona vs. Jordynne Grace (c)
Matthew Rehwoldt lets us know that this is Cardona’s first ever singles intergender match. Good stuff from Rehwoldt doing his research. Cardona with a handshake to start this off showing some sportsmanship. Lockup early and Cardona forces Jordynne into the corner, she grabs the ropes forcing a break. Lockup again into a Cardona headlock, Jordynne sends him into the ropes but Cardona drops her with a shoulder block. Cardona shows some remorse and offers a hand up but Jordynne is fine and helps herself up. Grace with a headlock of her own and sent into the corner but Cardona moves, Jordynne with a roll up but Cardona kicks out. Grace goes for a shoulder block but Cardona’s too big. Cardona off the ropes and Grace drops down to trip him up she finally drops him with the shoulder block. Cardona sends Grace into the corner and eats and elbow to the face. Cardona goes for a neck breaker but Grace holds on. Cardona with a hell of a suplex into the corner and they sell this really well. Grace finally to her feet and Cardona with a suplex. Cardona with a legdrop to Grace and sends her into the turnbuckle as she gets up. Cardona tosses Grace into the opposing turnbuckle and she crashes face first to the mat. Cardona with a scoop slam then an elbow drop but Grace moves and Cardona keeps trying only to be foiled every time. Grace gets to her feet and Cardona drops her with a clothesline. Cardona off the middle rope and Grace sidesteps the missile dropkick. Cardona to his feet and Grace hits him with a spinebuster. Cardona gets up and Grace goes for a rollup but he stays on his feet so she kicks him in the back of the leg. Grace off the middle rope with a low drop kick to the knee, Cardona charges Grace and she drops him into the turnbuckle. She runs with the knees to the back and then hits an elbow in the corner. Grace with the vader bomb and for some reason the ref waits to count, finally he starts and we get a two count. Grace lifts Cardona up and hits him with some clubbing blows but he drops her with a boot to the face. Cardona shows sympathy but I don’t know this guys a scumbag in GCW. Cardona hits Grace with the re-boot in the corner but JORDYNNE KICKS OUT AT TWO! LETS GO! They got me there. Cardona lifts Grace up and charges her but she sends him to the outside of the ring. Cardona grabs the ring belt off the timekeepers table and tries to bring it into the ring. The ref has Jordynne’s back but she runs into a chair shot as the ref is handing the title out of the ring. I told you he was a scumbag. Grace to her feet and Cardona with radio silence for the win in 8:49.
Rating: ***
Review: That was a lot of fun. I actually anticipated Jordynne to win, i’m not mad at it especially if Cardona can be a heel. Jordynne looked awesome in this match. I like Cardona winning but I hope she gets a rematch down the line and wins. This was a decent back and forth with Cardona playing a good guy only to fool every one in the long run. I think Cardona being champion makes sense and can only help that championship as well.
– W. Morrisey is backstage attacking some guy and is asking where they are. He starts walking around backstage and sees The Learning Tree. He charges them and tosses Zicky through a door. Brian Meyers runs away and security stops W. Morrisey. This was weird because they presented it like something random was happening backstage but it was clearly pre-taped with some stupid music behind it. It wasn’t a bad segment overall though but Morrisey should be doing stuff to look badass to the live crowd not getting duped by Meyers.
– Morrisey is backstage yelling at D’Amore and asks why his security is stopping him from getting Meyers. D’Amore says next week he can have Meyers in a no dq match. Morrisey says great now he just has to find Moose. D’Amore says he sent him to the hotel and Morrisey needs to wait until no Surrender. Morrisey says ‘Hotel?’ and walks away. We’re gonna get a hotel fight.
JONAH vs. Crazzy Steve
Decay has some weird history with Johnny Swinger which is why this match is happening as JONAH beat up Swinger last week. JONAH isn’t sure what to make of Decay and I don’t think anyone is at first. He tosses Steve and corners him but Steve shows no fear cracking his neck like a weirdo. JONAH in the corner and Steve with the punches in the corner but JONAH tosses him out. Steve with a headlock and then scales JONAH just to bite him on the face. JONAH catches STEVE with a strike in midair and follows it with a splash in the corner. Rosemary has words with JONAH before he lifts Steve up. Steve reverses into a headlock and hits some elbows before getting smashed into the corner. JONAH lifts Steve up and tosses him across the ring. JONAH with a running senton and climbs to the top with a HUGE splash. JONAH covers Crazzy Steve for the victory in 2:08.
Rating: N/A
Review: JONAH needs to stay looking like a beast so this was the right call for sure. I wouldn’t mind a match between him and TAURUS and it looks like this is what they’re building to.
Post match: JONAH tries to continue his attack on Crazzy Steve but Black Taurus makes the save and JONAH slowly makes his way up the entrance ramp.
– Gia asks Cardona what that’s all about and Cardona says he’s finally the digital media world champion. He says he’s gotta go. Gia asks what Chelsea will think about this? Cardona says he just made history and she’s asking about his spouse? Cardona tells Gia to ask Jonathan Gresham what it’s like to be married to a loser GOTTA GO. Heel Cardona is here!
– Kaleb is backstage with Madison Rayne and says they were almost Knockouts World Tag Team Champions. Madison says they weren’t almost champions because it was a non title match but soon she will be champions. She says eventually the Iinspiration will have a real match with the Influence not the bootleg version. Poor Kaleb. The Iinspiration shows up and they have a gift for Kaleb with a K. They tell him to open it when they leave and walk away. Madison says he doesn’t want that right. Kaleb opens the present and it’s a new phone with a background of the Iinspiration. I want a new phone from the Iinspiration.
Steve Maclin vs. Jonathan Gresham
Ian Riccaboni is here for commentary. If he’s at every set of tapings it’s pretty silly not to have him do the entire show even if it’s only on a short term deal. They’re pushing the fact that this is not a pure rules match and will be a fight. We’ve got Cary Silkin at ringside. Maclin starts out hot and spears Gresham into the corner. Gresham fights back and hits Maclin with a huricanrana. Both men to their feet and Gresham with a calf kick followed by a dropkick sending Maclin to the mat. Maclin drops Gresham with a shoulder block but Gresham with another calf kick. Gresham runs into a back elbow from Maclin but quickly back to his feet and locks Maclin in a headlock. Maclin reverses into a leg scissors but Gresham grapples out momentarily only to be locked back into the head scissors again. Back to his feet and more chain wrestling Gresham with a headlock but Maclin tries to suplex out of it. Gresham hangs on to the headlock maintaining control of the match with ease. Maclin off the ropes into a headlock takeover. Gresham rolls up maclin for two and right back into the headlock. Gresham fights to his feet and sends Gresham into the ropes to break the hold. Maclin grabs Gresham’s arm and pulls him throat first into the top rope as we go to commercial.
Back from commercial and Maclin with a backbreaker and covers Gresham for two. Maclin with a kick to the forearm and then with a double underhook into a backbreaker on Gresham. Maclin drops the knee into the back of Gresham. Maclin looking for a Boston crab but Gresham fights out and looks for a suplex but Maclin reverses around. Gresham sends Maclin to the outside. Maclin back into the ring and drops Gresham with an elbow to the face. Maclin covers for a two count before Gresham kicks out. Maclin with a kick to the back of the head and tries to go for the Boston crab again but Gresham fights out again sending Maclin to the outside. Maclin is pissed he hops into the ring and slaps Gresham. They exchange forearms. Gresham with a headscissors takeover sending Maclin into the ropes. Gresham goes for a moonsault but Maclin catches him and counters it into a bodyslam. Maclin goes for a cover but Gresham grabs the ropes. Maclin lays into Gresham with strikes and gets himself disqualified for not listening to the referees five count. The match ends in 11:52.
Rating: **
Review: This was such an awesome match and such a stupid finish. Last week Maclin broke rules endlessly and wasn’t disqualified in a pure rules match now in a regular match he’s disqualified for a five count? I get they wanted to protect Gresham and tell a story but there had to have been a better finish for that. Or at least have him hold the submission a tad longer.
Post match: Maclin locks in the boston crab forcing Gresham to tap but Honor No More hits the ring and beats down Steve Maclin. I’ve never been so happy to see Matt Taven. Josh Alexander slowly makes his way to the ring for his match with Vincent, shame he didn’t want to help Maclin. As much as I HATED the match finish I gotta give credit to this story with Gresham and Honor No More. I think they could’ve got there in a better way but it was still really well done.
Josh Alexander vs. Vincent
Taven teases grabbing Alexanders leg early giving Vincent the upper hand but Gresham quickly gains the upperhand and drops Vincent with a bodyslam. Josh lifts Vincent up in a firemans carry but Vincent uses the ropes to fall onto the apon. Josh drops him and hits his running crossbody to the back of Vincent. Maria distracts Josh giving Vince a chance to send him outside and then toss him into the chair and barricade. Vincent tosses Josh back into the ring and covers for a one count. Josh sends Vincent into the corner but he fights out and hits a suplex to Josh. Josh up to his knees and Vincent with a flatliner and covers for a two count. Cary Silkin is still ringside after the previous match. Vincent with an uppercut to Josh and then drops him with a scoopslam. Vincent with an elbow to Josh Alexander. Vincent grabs the wrists of Josh and pulls his arms across his chest with the knee in the back. Josh fights to his feet but Vincent hits him with a knee to the midsection. Josh fights out and sends Vincent into the corner but Vincent quickly fights out and locks in a standing guillotine in the middle of the ring. Taven tells the ref to ring the bell but Josh counters with a suplex out. Both men to their feet and then exchange strikes but Josh hits Vincent with an uppercut. Vincent with a kick to the midsection and sends Josh into the ropes but Josh chops Vincent so hard he hits the mat. Josh charges Vincent in the corner but eats an elbow. Josh with a rollthrough german and covers for a two. Josh goes for the c4 spike but Taven distracts. Vincent with a side russian leg sweep and climbs to the top rope, Vincent hits a swanton bomb that Tom Hannifan keeps calling redrum. Vincent covers and only gets a two count. Josh to his feet in the corner but Vincent hits him with a forearm. Josh traps Vincent’s ankle and locks in the ankle lock. Honor No More cause a distraction for Josh Alexander but he drops all of them off the apron. Maria distracts Josh giving Vincent a chance to roll him up for two. All of Honor No More are on the apron but the Impact Roster come out to even things up. We get a brawl outside the ring as Vincent taunts before going for the sliced bread #2 but the ankle gives way due to the ankle lock. Josh sets the ankle on the rope and drops a knee right on the back of his leg. Josh locks in the ankle lock and gets the submission victory in 10:28.
Rating: **3/4
Review: Josh Alexander is awesome so this was on par with his typical good matches. There was a lot of shenanigans from the outside guys and it’s odd the ref didn’t toss them out but oh well. I’m very excited to see Kenny King with Honor No More. Let’s get Kenny vs. Josh asap.
Post match: Kenny King hits the ring and hits Josh Alexander from behind before the Impact talent can make the save. King joins Honor No More to celebrate.
– W. Morrisey is walking the halls of a hotel and he finds Moose’s hotel room and we got ourselves a hotel fight! Lets go!! Awh c’mon Morrisey sent Moose right into the only Camera man at the hotel knocking out the feed. That was pretty cool and a smart way to end it and leaves me wanting more. Goofy or not that worked.
– Taven is backstage with Honor No More and says no one remembers who won the battles they only remember who won the war. Taven says there’s always waiting in the wings that have a chip on their shoulder. Kenny King says they all came together because they were lied to about honor. He says there’s no room for lies or honor. Vincent says that loss may have hurt but nothing can stop him and if impact wants a fight then roll out the red carpets. That was a really good promo from Kenny King.
John Skyler vs. Bhupinder Gujjar
Skyler with a headlock early but Gujar sends him into the ropes. Skyler with a shoulderblock and tells Gujar to stay down. Gujar with a kick to the midsection and a legdrop to the back of the head. Skyler rolls to the apron and Gujar grabs his head but gets hung up on the top rope. Skyler with a side russian leg sweep and covers Gujar for two. Skyler with the strikes to Gujar’s face and again yells for him to stay down. Skyler lifts Gujar up and hits him with a right hand sending him to the mat again. Skyler with a headlock but the crowd will’s Gujar to his feet. Gujar with a strike to the midsection but Skyler with a forearm to the back sends Gujar to the mat again. Skyler runs into a powerslam from Gujar. Gujar with a back elbow to Skyler. Gujar with a shoulderblock to the midsection. Gujar with a springboard elbow and covers for a two count. They tell us he has trained with the Great Khali. Skyler in the corner and Gujar with a splash in the corner. Skyler runs into the boots from Gujar and Gujar waits awkwardly on the top rope for a top rope spear. Gujar covers for the victory in 3:46.
Rating: *1/2
Review: They must’ve decided to change up Gujar’s name or something because they clearly overdubbed it every time they said his name on commentary and it was very odd. The match was fine and his finish could be cool if he could set it up quick and made it feel less awkward. It was short but it was fine, I do think he should’ve looked stronger if they want to make him a big deal.
Post match: Raj Singh comes out to celebrate Gujar’s victory but Singh is not interested in it.
– We recap Mickie James at the Royal Rumble and we see names like Lita and Michelle McCool on Impact television who would’ve thought.
– Mickie backstage with Gia and talks about all of the history she made but Tasha Steelz interrupts her. Tasha pretends to feel bad and tells her to save all of that for after No Surrender when she loses to Tasha. Tasha gives a speech as Mickie James to help her know what to say after Tasha wins the championship. Mickie says she wished Tasha wrestled half as good as she ran her mouth. Savannah gets into her face but Chelsea Green comes up and says it looks like it’s 2 on 2 now. Tasha says they don’t have time for Chelsea and walks off. Mickie says don’t worry about them and thanks her for being a great friend. Mickie says she would love to wrestle her and they can do it next week. Chelsea is so excited about her non title match for next week.
– The Quintessential Diva Gisele Shaw is coming soon.
Masha Slamovich vs. Kaci Lennox
Kaci goes for a clothesline early but Masha ducks it and drops Kaci with a spinning back kick. Kaci in the corner and Masha hits her with a big boot in the corner. Kaci to her feet and Masha with a backfist. Masha lifts Kaci up for a russian death device and gets the victory in :45.
Rating: N/A
Review: This was a typical squash. I’m excited for once Masha starts to really mix it up with some of the Knockouts division and isn’t just racking up wins over jobbers.
– Gia asks Deonna about her walking out of the State of the Knockouts address last week. Deonna said she left because she didn’t have to stay around to listen to Mickie James. Deonna runs down her accolades and tells Mickie she’s welcome for all Deonna is done. Deonna says she does her talking in the ring and for that she needs an audience so she issues an open challenge for next week. She says the age of the virtuosa will live on forever before walking away.
The Bullet Club vs. Ace Austin, Madman Fulton, Mike Bailey and Jake Something
Ace and Fulton trying to pull Bailey aside to keep him away from Jake it seems. Mike Bailey and Jay White start this match but Jay tags Bey in before the two can even touch. Bailey and Bey with some speed and acrobatics early before Bailey drops Bey with an armdrag. Bey rakes the eyes and tags in Jay White. Jay with the kicks to the midsection on Bailey in the Bullet Club corner. Tonga Loa with a shot to the throat of Mike Bailey while the referee is distracted. Jay with a suplex and Tama Tonga with a springboard senton onto Bailey. He hits another and Tonga Loa hits a senton. Finally Bey hits a springboard elbow. Bailey with a running kick to the face of Bey and tags in Jake Something. Fulton force tags himself in which upsets Jake. The Bullet Club sends Fulton to the outside then dropping Bailey and Ace to the outside. Bey with a dive to the outside but Fulton catches him and slams him back first into the ring apron. Fulton with some shots to the chest of Bey as we go to commercial.
Back from break and Ace with a suplex into a cover on Bey but he kicks out immediately. Ace tags in Fulton and Fulton gets to corner sleeper on Bey and lets him go before hitting him with a diving cross body and covers for a two count. Ace tags in and springboards off Fultons back into a kick to the face of Bey. Fulton with a shot to the back on Bey and Ace covers for two. Ace with a splash on Bey and stares down Jay White. Ace lifts Bey up and hits him with a suplex. Ace chases Bey into the corner but Bey sends him onto the apron. Ace with a shot to the face and gets back into the ring. Bey with a superman forearm to Ace. Ace with the submission and tags in Fulton. Fulton drops GoD off the apron before picking up Bey and tossing him into the corner. Fulton runs at Bey and goes face first into the middle turnbuckle as Bey moved out of the way. Ace Austin tags in but Bey hits a spin kick and Ace is hesitant to tag but finally tags in Mike Bailey. Jay White and Bailey exchange moves and reversals before Bailey hits Jay with his patented series of kicks and follows with a twisting moonsault for a two count. Jay to his feet and drops Bailey with a HUGE urinagi and covers for two. Jay lifts Bailey up but he fights back. Bailey drops Jay with a kick to the chest. Ace Austin forces the tag and Jake Something is getting pissed. Tama Tonga tags in and drops Ace with a couple drop kicks before Ace sideswipes one. Ace off the ropes and runs into a forearm from Tama Tanga. Fulton into the ring and Tama hits a dropkick but it doesnt drop him. Fulton grabs his face and sends him into the mat. Tonga Loa helps out and they hit the magic killer on Fulton. Tama Tonga with the cover on Ace but Bailey breaks the cover just in time. GoD catch Mike Bailey with a modified reverse DDT sending him to the outside. Bey to the top and goes for a frog splash on Ace Austin. Ace gets his knees up and blocks the frog splash from Bey. Ace to his feet and his only choice is to tag Jake. Ace offers the tag but moves his hand the last second. Bey with a jawbreaked to Ace and Jake chops him to make the tag. Bey gets powerbombed from Jake. Jake runs through all the members of the Bullet Club. Jake with a spear to Bey in the corner he sends Bey into the ropes but Jay White makes the save. The numbers get the best of Jake and Jay hits a half nelson suplex on Jake. Bullet Club lifts Jake up and Bey hits art of finesse. Bey covers and gets the victory in 16:49.
Rating: **1/2
Review: This was a fine multiman. I still have to ask how Steve Maclin got disqualified but we have so much leniency in tag matches. The Bullet Club winning makes sense but I don’t love Jake Something taking the pin in this scenario at least he looked strong and fell to the numbers but still it fits Ace Austins agenda.
Post match: The Good Brothers and VBD hit the ring and attack Bullet Club and we get a show closing brawl for the second week in a row.
