wrestling / TV Reports
Himanshu’s Impact Wrestling Review 01.11.23
Image Credit: Impact Wrestling
Loading...Hey there, TNA fans! It’s Thursday and that means it’s time for another episode of iMPACT! I’m Himanshu (you can follow me on Twitter @Himanshu_Doi) and you know how this works. Tonight on iMPACT, we take a special look at the Knockouts Ultimate X match, the X-Division 3-Way Title match between Chris Sabin, KUSHIDA and Vikingo, the Knockouts World Championship bout between Trinity and Jordynne Grace, the TNA World Championship match between Alex Shelley and Moose, plus 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
Match 1: Chelsea Green vs. Tasha Steelz vs. Lady Frost vs. Jordynne Grace vs. Alisha vs. Rosemary in an Ultimate X match
This was the first ever women’s Ultimate X match. Everyone stares at each other for a bit before Steelz and Grace go straight for the X. That’s broken up of course and it’s time for a bunch of quickly broken climbs. Grace and Rosemary are left alone in the ring as Savannah Evans (Steelz’s partner) comes to the ring. That doesn’t matter as Havok gives Rosemary a boost towards the X, only to have Green break it up with a missile dropkick. Green and Alisha climbs the same structure but then dive down onto everyone else instead of going after the X. Frost hits a dive of her own but Grace is right there to cut off a climb. Grace goes for the X instead so Frost jumps on her…to no avail as Grace hangs on. Well of course she’s that strong. Rosemary’s powerbomb to Frost is countered into a hurricanrana though, meaning Steelz has to pull Grace down instead. Green goes for the X this time but falls, landing on Steelz for a scary crash. Alisha whips out Kendra and beats up a variety of people before going up herself. Rosemary cuts that off with a spear, which winds up being a flapjack as Alisha lands face first. Steelz goes up but Grace goes with the chase to pull both of them down at the same time. With everyone else down, Frost goes up and moonsaults off the structure onto a bunch of people (who can be seen checking on each other). Back up and Grace, Steelz and Green all go up, with Grace falling down in a crash. The X is pulled down but it’s Steelz crashing down with possession for the win.
Result: Tasha Steelz wins the Ultimate X
Rating: ***
We see clips from Final Resolution where ABC beat Eddie Edwards and Brian Myers to retain their title and after the match The Rascalz attacked ABC.
Match 2: The Rascalz (Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz) vs. Mike Bailey & Trent Seven
The Rascalz hit some double teams on Seven early, but he kicks out of them. Miguel blocks the tag from Seven to Bailey, but Seven hits a big DDT Speedball finally gets that tag. Shooting Star gets two. Miguel gets a close 2 count on Bailey with a german suplex. Fans are chanting TNA. Bailey blocks Miguel off with a kick. Seven tags back in. He gets kicked into the corner. Seven powerbombs Wentz down for two. A doubleteam by Bailey & Seven leads to a close 2. Some double teams on Seven get a two count. ABC come down to ringside after some issues earlier. Seven with a burning hammer, Bailey with a Walking Weapon for the win.
Result: Mike Bailey & Trent Seven def. The Rascalz via pinfall
Rating: **½
Grizzled Young Veterans are seen walked the streets in suits cutting a promo. A person walking the street while talking on his phone bumps into James Drake and James Drake follows him and beats him down. Zack Gibson says when people talk about the success of TNA they will make sure that they are talking about the Grizzled Young Veterans.
MATCH 3: CRAZZY STEVE VS. TOMMY DREAMER FOR THE DIGITAL MEDIA CHAMPIONSHIP
Tommy Dreamer hits Crazzy Steve with the Bionic Elbow followed by a reverse DDT for two. Tommy goes for a Death Valley Driver but Steve pokes his eyes and hits a Cannonball onto Dreamer in the corner. Steve grabs his suitcase from ringside and brings a fork out of it. Steve goes to stab Dreamer but Dreamer catches his hand and bites it. Dreamer hits a cutter and grabs the fork. He hits the fork into Steve’s head and gets disqualified.
Result: Crazzy Steve def. Tommy Dreamer by disqualification
Rating: **½
Crazzy Steve is busted open and leaves the ring laughing.
Tom Hannifan hypes the three-way X-Division title match at Hard To Kill.
MATCH 4: MIKE BAILEY VS. KUSHIDA
Mike Bailey hits a running Shooting Star Press for two. Bailey and KUSHIDA exchange chops. KUSHIDA whips Bailey shoulder first into the post on the outside as we go to commercial.
Back from commercial and KUSHIDA picks Bailey and drops him knee first onto the floor. Bailey is on the apron and KUSHIDA slides out of the ring, but Bailey catches him with a springboard moonsault. Bailey gets an armbar on KUSHIDA and hits a moonsault double knees for two and goes for the armbar, but KUSHIDA gets his foot on the ropes. Bailey kicks KUSHIDA in the face and gets two. Bailey hits a tornado kick on KUSHIDA in the corner and goes to the top rope, but KUSHIDA catches him with a Hoverboard Lock. KUSHIDA hits the package driver for the win.
Result: KUSHIDA def. Mike Bailey via pinfall
Rating: ***¾
Tom Hannifan promotes the TNA+ App and the tickets for Hard To Kill, Snake Eyes and the shows in Orlando, New Orleans and Philadelphia.
Tom Hannifan hypes the Josh Alexander vs. Alex Hammerstone match at Hard To Kill.
Match 5: Josh Alexander vs. Jonah
They stare each other down until Alexander kicks him in the face to start. Alexander hammers away in the corner but gets knocked down for his efforts. Jonah’s backsplash misses so Alexander knocks him outside, where Jonah scores with some hard chops. Alexander ties the leg in the ropes and stomps down to take over, sending Jonah back outside. That goes badly for Alexander again, as Jonah drives him ribs first into the apron. Back in and Jonah drops him ribs first onto the top turnbuckle before tossing Alexander around with ease. Neither of them can get a backslide so Jonah drops him ribs first across the top rope instead. The over the shoulder backbreaker stays on the ribs but Alexander slips out to chop away. Some slaps to the face earn Alexander a heck of a forearm, but he’s fine enough to start kicking at the leg. Alexander dumps him over the top, with Jonah landing on his leg again. A hard right hand knocks Jonah into the front row and Alexander hits a huge dive to take him down again. That’s only good for a nine so Alexander goes right back to the knee. Alexander takes way too long going up so Jonah crotches him down. A top rope superplex drops Alexander again before a powerbomb plants him hard. Jonah’s clothesline turns Alexander inside out and a brainbuster gets two more. Some headbutts have Alexander busted open but he’s able to avoid a moonsault. Alexander manages a powerbomb before stomping on the ankle. The ankle lock makes Jonah tap.
Result: Josh Alexander def. Jonah via submission
Rating: ***¾
Tom Hannifan hypes the Trinity vs. Jordynne Grace Knockouts World Title match at Hard To Kill.
Match 6: Tasha Steelz w/ Savannah Evans vs. Deonna Purrazzo vs. Jordynne Grace vs. Mia Yim vs. Chelsea Green in a Queen of the Mountain Match for the IMPACT Knockouts Championship
Everyone eyes Tasha to start, so she powders and lets everyone else fight. Yim and Green fight while Grace takes on Purrazzo. Tasha and Evans set up a table outside of the ring. Purrazzo and Green take out Yim for a bit, and Yim then dives onto Evans and Grace. Tasha with a cannonball senton onto the other three, then Green with a cross body onto the pile and Purrazzo caps off the dive fest with a cannonball from the top rope onto everyone. Green covers Tasha in the ring and gets a pin after a minor botch, so Green can win and Tasha goes to the penalty box. Tasha wont get into the box, so Mickie tosses her into Evans and locks both of them in the box. Green misses a belt shot to Yim who lays her out with strikes and covers but Purrazzo breaks up the pin. There’s a ladder in the ring now as well. Grace starts stomping on Purrazzo, then holds her for Yim to kick. More double team work to Purrazzo and a double suplex to her then Yim covers for 2 as Grace breaks up the pin. Grace and Yim start trading words but remain on the same page for a bit. Purrazzo boots Yim then hits an elbow to Grace as Tasha and Evans are let out of the box. Tasha with a pump kick to Purrazzo then a Codebreaker to Grace. Stratusfaction from Tasha to Yim but she only gets 2 on the cover. Mickie gets after Evans for her interference, and Mickie ejects Evans. Tasha gets after Mickie and Green rolls her up for 2. Uppercut from Tasha to Green the a punt kick and Yim breaks up the pin. Yim lands a head kick to Tasha then a briding back suplex to Green that gets a 3 count. Green heads to the box and Yim can now win. Green kicks the door of the box into Mickie but does go into the box. Yim sets up the ladder and starts climbing with the belt but Purrazzo cuts her off. Grace attacks Tasha on the top rope as Yim whacks Purrazzo with the belt to knock her off the ladder, but Tasha jumps off the shoulders of Grace to hit Yim with a Cutter. Awkward landing for Tasha there. Purrazzo covers different women but can’t get a pin. Grace and Purrazzo square off and Purrazzo gets her in the Fujiwara armbar, then switches to grab Tasha in one as well. Green is out of the box and attacks Grace as Purrazzo switches to yank the arm of Tasha around the ladder and Tasha has to tap. Back to the box for Tasha and Purrazzo can now win. Green and Purrazzo team up to attack Grace but Grace fights back and smacks Purrazzo out of the ring then drop kicks her but is caught with a lungblower from Green. Green drops Yim with a forearm then hits a Curb Stomp into the bottom turnbuckle but she can’t pin Yim. Yim fights back with strikes and they separate. Green gets the belt and sends Yim into the corner then poses with the belt.
Tasha gets out of the box, but Green cuts her off with a Curb Stomp into the ladder, only for Yim to come off of the penalty box and drop kick Green into the ladder as well. Yim the runs up the ladder and hits a dive onto Purrazzo and Grace on the outside of the ring. Package Piledrive to Grace on the floor from Yim, then she pins Grace who has to go to the box. Now Yim sets up the ladder and starts climbing, but Tasha cuts her off and hits a super kick. Green headbutts Tasha down and starts climbing with the belt, Mickie cuts her off because they hate each other and Mickie lays out Green with a kick. Yim gets the belt and climbs again, but Purrazzo cuts her off then powerbombs her onto a second ladder. Tasha slams Purrazzo onto the ladder, then Green takes her out with a Flatliner onto the ladder. Green and Purrazzo both climb, Green has the belt though. Grace is out of the box but Yim shoves the ladder over and sends Green and Purrazzo all the way to the floor through a table. That was a wild looking bump. Grace hits Yim with a bridging German suplex, and Tasha gets on top of both of them as the 3 is counted, so the ref says they’re both able to win now. Tasha hits a neckbreaker onto Grace then sets the ladder back up. Tasha starts climbing with the belt, Grace cuts her off though and drills her with a Muscle Buster then pins her to send Tasha back to the box. Grace now climbs with the belt, it’s all clear for her and she hangs the belt to win.
Result: Jordynne Grace wins the Queen of the Mountain match
Rating: ****
Tom Hannifan promotes the tickets to the Philadelphia tapings.
We see a clip from Bound For Glory 2021 when Moose defeated Josh Alexander in front of Josh’s wife and son to win the IMPACT World Championship.
We see a clip from Against All Odds 2023 when Alex Shelley defeated Steve Maclin to win the IMPACT World Championship.
We get an in-studio sit-down interview with Moose and Alex Shelley with questions asked from the media. Alex Shelley says he is confident going into Hard To Kill. Moose says he will leave Hard To Kill as World Champion. Alex Shelley is asked if he’s under pressure. Shelley says he’s always under pressure and he’s not going to do anything different. Moose says he is going to evolve because he doesn’t need to scare Shelley. He just needs to show up. Moose is asked what the rebirth of TNA means to him. Moose says to Shelley’s credit, he led this company here, but Moose will take the company to bigger and better places. Shelley says he is the face of what TNA is becoming. He says he should’ve been Champion a long time ago but he cannot lose here. Shelley is asked what his goals as a Champion are. Shelley says he needs to prove that he is the elite and the wrestling God and that the title is defended in more countries than ever before. Moose is asked what it would be like to be the TNA Champion in the new era. Moose says this is the hardest working roster he’s ever been a part of. Moose says Shelley is going to see a monster Hard To Kill. Moose is asked if he could see he would be TNA World Champion. Moose tells Shelley he is going to take the keys from him and carry the company to the future. Shelley says this is his house. Moose says the title are his keys and he’s taking it. Shelley says he’s the reason that all of this exists and he’s the reason that TNA Wrestling is back.
