Himanshu’s Impact Wrestling Review 01.19.23

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, the new Champion Mickie James will kick off the show, Kenny King will go one-on-one with “Speedball” Mike Bailey in a never-before-seen Pit Fight match in the main event, Taylor Wilde squares off with Killer Kelly and former Champion Deonna Purrazzo battles newcomer Ashley D’Amboise. 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

Mickie James comes out to the ring. She says the Last Rodeo may be over, but Hardcore Country lives forever because there’s a new champ in the house. Bully Ray’s music hits. Bully Ray points to the stage. Bully Ray says she didn’t tell her to talk, she told her to leave. Mickie said why doesn’t he do them all a favour and get out of her ring. Bully says it is not her ring. She was not in the main event of Hard To Kill, he was. He says not he and Josh Alexander, he was the main event. He was the guy that sold the place out. He was the one that did all the work. He says that before he came in, no one wanted to talk about IMPACT Wrestling. He says if it wasn’t for him, Josh Alexander would be a nobody. Mickie James says the only headline she’s seen is Bully Ray tapped out. Bully Ray says this was her last warning. Mickie says she knows what he thinks about women in this business, so if he wants her out of the ring, take her out of the ring. Tasha Steelz’s music hits and Tasha and Savannah come out. Tasha says she’s not the biggest Bully Ray fan, but she’s ready to see Bully Ray throw Mickie out. She says the real headline everybody should be talking about is that Mickie can still not beat Tasha Steelz. Bully Ray told Tasha not to take that crap from her. Tasha Steelz says she will take what’s hers and that is the Knockouts Title. Savannah Evans beats down Mickie. Kazarian and Jordynme Grace come out and Tasha, Savannah and Bully Ray bail out. Director of Authority Santino Marella comes out and says he figures out he needs to have a match her but he doesn’t know what that needs to be. Ernest “The Cat” Miller comes out. He says that he used to be the Commissioner in WCW. He says if these chumps cannot get along, let’s get it on. Bully Ray says he doesn’t listen to WCW rejects. Santino says he has the power to fire Bully. Santino says all six will be in a match right now.

Match 1: Mickie James, Jordynne Grace and Kazarian vs Tasha Steelz, Savannah Evans and Bully Ray

Jordynne Grace hits a scoop slam on Savannah Evans and points at Bully Ray. Savannah Evans attacks Jordynne from behind. Mickie James gets the tag and she hits a spinning kick on Savannah but Savannah takes her down with a clothesline for a two. Savannah Evans hits a butterfly suplex. Mickie James hits the Lou Thesz Press. Bully Ray pulls Mickie down by the hair as we go to commercial.

Back from commercial and Bully Ray gets the tag and hits a slam on Mickie James. He starts trash talking Mickie who is on the ground. Mickie slaps him and tries to tag but Bully drops her down. He tags to Savannah Evans who chokes Mickie in the corner. Savannah tags to Tasha and she has Mickie in a sleeper but Mickie gets out of it and drops Tasha down with a headscissors from the corner. Tasha hits a pump kick for two. Mickie tags to Jordynne Grace who hits a double knee on Tasha in the corner followed by a Vader Bomb but a pin gets broken up by Bully Ray. She takes Bully on her shoulders but Bully gets out and chops her down. Kazarian takes out Bully Ray. Mickie hits a Lou Thesz Press from the top on Tasha and pins her for the win.

Result: Mickie James, Jordynne Grace and Kazarian def. Tasha Steelz, Savannah Evans and Bully Ray
Rating: ***
Himanshu’s Hot Take: Solid match. Kazarian surprisingly got very little to show in this match. It was mostly centered around Mickie James and building her up before her next title defense.

Masha Slamovich’s music hits and she walks to the ring and hands a black envelope to Mickie James. It has a photo of Mickie marked with a X. Mickie pushes the photo in Masha’s face.

Santino is backstage and he thanks Ernest Miller for his help. Santino says he has an idea for a match. A Golden 6-shooter match for the No. 1 contendership to the World Championship. Santino finds Dirty Dango backstage and Maclin asks how Santino can put Rich Swann in a match after Maclin beat him. Santino asks if he has any advice. Maclin tells him to put him in a match with Dango. Santino agrees.

Match 2: Deonna Purrazzo vs Ashley D’Amboise

Deonna puts Ashley in an armlock but Ashley kips ups and gets out of it. Ashley hits a sunset flip and tries to pin Deonna but Deonna drops her knees on Ashley. Deonna puts Ashley in a modified bow and arrow submission. Deonna pins Ashley for two. Deonna hits a backbreaker and pins Ashley but pulls Ashley up before three. Deonna whips Ashley into the corner but Ashley gets out of the ring and hits a forearm on Deonna. Ashley rolls into the ring into a neckbreaker for two. Deonna hits a powerbomb followed by the Queen’s Gambit for three.

Result: Deonna Purrazzo def. Ashley D’Amboise
Rating: ***
Himanshu’s Hot Take: Solid showing for Ashley. She’s a student of the Damian Adams academy and I hope she gets signed by IMPACT very soon.

Gia Miller is backstage and she is looking for PCO. She asks PCO after everything that has happened between him and Eddie, what was going on right now. PCO screams and scares Gia away.

Ashley D’Amboise is backstage and Trey walks up to her and he says with some work, she could get better. Ashley thanks him. Trey asks if she was disrespecting him. Ashley asks if he was the one who defaced the X-Division Championship. Mike Jackson comes in and challenges Trey for the X-Division Championship. Trey says Mike and Ashley deserve each other.

Match 3: Taylor Wilde vs Killer Kelly

Taylor whips Killer into the ropes and hits a knee. Killer Kelly does the same. Taylor does it again followed by a snap suplex. Kelly hits a pump kick for two. Taylor hits forearms on Kelly. Kelly catches both her arms but Taylor takes her down. Taylor hits a leg lariat for two. Kelly runs to Taylor on the outside but Taylor hits a double stomp on the apron and then goes for a pin for two. Kelly hits a vertical suplex on the corner turnbuckle followed by a hesitation dropkick for two. Taylor hits the Wilde Ride for two. Taylor and Killer exchange roll ups before Killer gets the Killer Clutch and Taylor taps.

Result: Killer Kelly def. Taylor Wilde
Rating: ***
Himanshu’s Hot Take: Interesting match-up. I’m not sure who the heel and who the face was here because both their characters have somewhat heelish tendencies. Taylor continues to look great on her return.

We see a clip from BTI where Cody ordered Sami to take out Delirious and Sami hit a piledriver on him. Sami is backstage and Cody tells him it will be a process. He tells Sami to win the Golden 6-shooter match and bring the World Championship to them. Kon says if he loses, there will be consequences.

Josh Alexander is backstage with Santino and Santino asks if Josh is happy with the Golden 6-shooter match. Josh says he is. Gisele Shaw walks upto Santino and she says she pinned the Death Dollz last week so she deserves another shot for the tag team titles. Santino says she needs a tag team partner and asks Alisha Edwards if she would be Gisele’s tag team partner and Alisha says no. Santino says he will work on it because nobody likes Gisele.

Match 4: Steve Maclin vs Dirty Dango

Dango hits a vertical suplex for two. Maclin hits a facebuster followed by a wrist-clutch clothesline for two. Maclin hits the knees on Dango on the ropes for two. Maclin gets a headlock and Dango gets out of it but Maclin hits a backbreaker for two. Maclin has Dango in a chinlock but Dango countered with a back body drop. Dango hits a side Russian leg sweep. Dango hits a leg drop for two. Dango hits a Falcon Arrow and goes to the top rope but Maclin gets out of the ring. Dango flies at Maclin on the outside. Dango throws Dango into the ring and hits the KIA got the win.

Result: Steve Maclin def. Dirty Dango
Rating: ***
Himanshu’s Hot Take: A surprisingly good match. Dango got a good amount of offense in. I’m surprised Dango hasn’t been signed by IMPACT as you would think he’s the kind of talent that would fit perfectly within that roster.

Gia Miller is backstage with the Major Players and Myers says they’re men and Ace and Bey are children in a man’s world. Moose comes in and says their bad luck started with Joe Hendry. Matt Cardona said he is coming for Hendry and his Digital Media Championship.

Dave LaGreca is having a sit-down interview with Tommy Dreamer. Dave said it has been difficult for him as Tommy and Bully are friends. Tommy cuts him off and says they were friends. Dave asks if this relationship can be mended. Tommy says no and says Bully says he got Tommy into IMPACT. Tommy will not deal with his negativity. Tommy says Bully knows Tommy will lose matches but he will not lose the war.

Tom Hannifan and Matt Rehwoldt run through the matches for next week.

The ring is being readied for the Pit Fight.

Match 5: Mike Bailey vs Kenny King in a Pit Fight

Both have MMA style entrances. There are no ropes on the ring. There are no pinfalls. They can only win by submission or KO. Bailey offers a fistbump but Kenny wouldn’t do it. Bailey takes Kenny to the ground. Kenny catches Bailey’s leg and takes him close to the edge of the ring. King kicks Bailey to the outside. King kicks Bailey as he tries to come back in. King throws Bailey into the steel steps. Bailey hits kicks onto King until King caught him and dropped him onto the ramp as we go to commercial.

Back from commercial and Bailey is bleeding as King hits knees on him followed by a Dragon Screw. King goes for a Scorpion Kick but Bailey counters with a bicycle kick. Bailey gets an armbar but King lifts him up and hits a powerbomb. Bailey gets the armbar again and hangs from the edge of the ring. King hits a Dragon Screw and Bailey falls outside. King hits a neckbreaker from the outside. King gets steel chairs from under the ring and throws it into the ring. Bailey goes to kick King but King gets out of the way and Bailey kicks the ring post. Bailey walks up the ramp and runs to the ring and hits a dropkick on Kenny who falls to the outside. Bailey hits a twisting splash from the top of the rope-less ring post to King on the outside. Bailey goes for the Ultima Weapon from the apron to King on the outside but Kenny counters with a kick followed by a backbreaker on the apron. King gets a leglock on Bailey but Bailey hits King with a steel chair. Bailey gets an armbar but hits a somersault double knees followed by forearms. Bailey places a steel chair on King’s head and hits a kick and the referee ends it.

Result: Mike Bailey def. Kenny King by KO
Rating: ****½
Himanshu’s Hot Take: A really good match. The great thing about this was that they didn’t try to make it a technical MMA-wrestling hybrid match that ran the risk of either being boring to watch or seem too hokey. They worked it like a pro-wrestling match and they had some high spots in there and built tension leading to the finish. They tried something different and kudos to them for still being able to make the match entertaining in a pro-wrestling environment.

7.8

The final score: review Good

The 411

Another good edition of IMPACT capped off with a great match between Mike Bailey and Kenny King. Three matches involving Knockouts this week as they set-up Masha Slamovich facing Mickie James for the Knockouts title, Ashley D'Amboise impressing in her match against Deonna Purrazzo and Killer Kelly getting a win over Taylor Wilde. The Knockouts might be the best booked women's division in North America today and that was certainly on display here tonight. Do check out the Pit Fight match as both men worked hard to do something different and still made it interesting enough in a pro-wrestling setting.