wrestling / TV Reports
Himanshu’s Impact Wrestling Review 02.16.23
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 @Himanshu_Doi) and you know how this works. Tonight, Eddie Edwards squares off against Heath, Steve Maclin collides with Rhino, Rich Swann goes one-on-one with Kenny King, Masha Slamovich battles Alisha ahead of her match with Mickie James on February 24th and The Bullet Club’s Chris Bey takes on Kushida. 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: Chris Bey vs Kushida
Bey challenges Kushida to a test of strength and kicks him instead. Bey whips Kushida into the ropes who returns with a springboard elbow and Bey gets out of the ring. Kushida kicks Bey as he tries to get back in the ring. Kushida grabs Bey’s left arm and drops him with a running facebuster. Bey gets out if the ring and Kushida is about to kick Bey from the apron but Bey moves out of the way and they both clothesline each other. The referee counts as they’re both down but they both get back at 9. Bey hits a dropkick to the left arm. Bey hits a springboard guillotine leg drop and goes for the cover but only gets two. Bey goes for the Art of Finesse but Kushida catches him with an armbar. Bey counters into a pin for two. They both exchange kicks and Kushida rolls up Bey for the win.
Result: Kushida def. Chris Bey by pinfall
Rating: ****¼
Himanshu’s Hot Take: Excellent match. If this match was any indication, you know that if given enough time at Multiverse United, the match between Time Machine and the Bullet Club is going to be an absolute banger.
Santino and Tommy Dreamer are sitting backstage. Bully Ray comes in and sits across Tommy Dreamer. Bully Ray tells Tommy to suggest Mickie to keep her mouth shut. Santino says their feud has been going on for 30 years. Bully Ray tells Tommy Dreamer to leave. They both argue for who goes first so Santino says next week, they will both have Beat The Clock Challenge match and whoever wins will get to go first.
Match 2: Maclin vs Rhino
Maclin tries to suplex Rhino but Rhino counters it with his own. Rhino takes down Maclin with a hip toss. He sets up for the Gore but Maclin gets out of the ring. Rhino goes for a chop on Maclin but Maclin gets out of the way and Rhino slaps the ring post instead. Rhino tackles Maclin in the corner and hits a belly-to-belly for two. Rhino goes for a Gore but Maclin moves out of the way and hits his own Gore for two. Maclin hits the Wake Up Call and covers for the three.
Result: Maclin def. Rhino by pinfall
Rating: **¾
Himanshu’s Hot Take: Decent match. Maclin winning with Heath’s finisher is interesting and I’m looking forward to seeing where that story goes in the future.
Gia Miller in a backstage interview with Masha Slamovich and Gia asks her about attacking Mickie James. Masha Slamovich replies in Russian and says she wants Mickie to get a front row seat and watch Masha break Alisha.
Zicky Dice comes out with Johnny Swinger and says he’s found someone who has a worse record than them and introduces Barry Horowitz who comes out and pats himself in the back.
Match 3: Johnny Swinger vs Barry Horowitz
Johnny Swinger gives Horowitz a poke in the eye. He is about to hit a neckbreaker but the Kiss Demon’s music plays and he comes out. Horowitz reverses into an Octopus Stretch and then pins Swinger by catching the tights for the win.
Result: Barry Horowitz def. Johnny Swinger by pinfall
Rating: **
Himanshu’s Hot Take: It was cool to see Barry Horowitz again. IMPACT does do the occasional comedy stuff like this which helps it stand out from other promotions on television. There is something for everybody.
Gia Miller interviews Moose backstage and asks him about Joe Hendry. Moose says he doesn’t get humiliated, he gets even.
Moose is seen going outside the building. He breaks the window of a car. Santino comes in and says that’s his car. He books Moose vs Joe Hendry in a Dot Combat match for the Digital Media Championship.
Match 4: Eddie Edwards vs Heath
Heath hits a leg lariat followed by a knee. Heath hits a powerslam for two. Heath hits a spinebuster for two. Heath goes to the top rope but Eddie cuts him off and hits a superplex and hits a Tiger Driver but only gets two. Heath reverses a Boston Knee Party into a pin but gets two. Eddie goes for a Diehard Flowsion but a thundering music plays which distracts Eddie. Heath hits the Wake Up Call for the pin.
Result: Heath def. Eddie Edwards by pinfall
Rating: ***
Himanshu’s Hot Take: They seem to be building to a program or at least a match between Heath and Maclin, while Eddie Edwards feuds with PCO. Maclin has to be the favourite to win the tournament, and while its sad to see Eddie Edwards not in contention, he’s been there before.
PCO shows up after the match and drops Eddie with a clothesline. He hits Eddie with a Reverse DDT and goes to the top turnbuckle but Eddie gets out of the ring.
The Design are backstage and Cody says Frankie questioned Callihan’s motives last week. He says the time to address that is next week when him and Cody face Yuya Uemura and Frankie, which will lead to Step 5. Callihan asks what Step 5 is. Alan Angels says Callihan will find out next week.
James Mitchell is backstage with The Hex. He says when the Death Dollz won the Knockouts Tag Team Titles, there were no gifts for him, which is why he brought in The Hex. Marti Belle says they have won titles all over the world and now they will in IMPACT. James Mitchell says he has to bid them adieu as one of the trade-offs of selling his soul is that he doesn’t get a lot of sleep. The Hex ask each other if they sold their soul.
Match 5: Masha Slamovich vs Alisha
Mickie James makes her way to the commentary table for this match. Alisha hits forearms on Masha but it has no effect on Masha and Masha drops her with a lariat. Masha hits a Snow Plow for the win.
Result: Masha Slamovich def. Alisha by pinfall
Rating: SQUASH
Himanshu’s Hot Take: A strong showcase for Masha. It was all that it needed to be.
After the match, Masha gets a Rear Naked Choke on Alisha. Mickie comes into the ring and pulls Masha out. Masha gets a Rear Naked Choke on Mickie James.
A promo with Crazzy Steve and he says whenever Trey Miguel sees the TM logo, he will remember the time Trey attacked Crazzy Steve. He says if Trey puts his title on the line, win lose or draw, Steve will leave him alone. He challenges Trey to a Monster’s Ball match.
Santino and Dirty Dango backstage with Jonathan Gresham and Mike Bailey and says he has booked them both for No Surrender. Dirty Dango says next week, they will both tag with each other against the Motorcity Machine Guns. Barry Horowitz comes up and asks Santino for the same deal as Johnny Swinger where he gets a shot at the World Title if he gets 50 wins. Santino says Horowitz will face Rhino next week. Horowitz says he’s good and he would rather go out on top with a 1-0 record.
Match 6: Rich Swann vs Kenny King
Rich Swann goes for a running knee in the corner but Kenny King catches him and drops him onto the turnbuckle and hits a lariat for two. Rich Swann hits a dropkick. Kenny King goes for a detailed vertical suplex but Swann reverses it into a DDT as we go to commercial.
Back from commercial and Rich Swann hits a swinging neckbreaker followed by a step-up back kick for two. Kenny King hits a spinebuster for two. Kenny King hits a Superman Punch and a powerslam for two. Rich Swann hits a Poisonrana for two. Rich Swann hits three straight spinning back kicks into the midsection of Kenny King and goes a kick on the seated Kenny King but Kenny reverses it into a single-leg Boston Crab but Swann gets to the ropes. Rich Swann and Kenny King go for kicks but both miss before both hit them and fall to the mat. Rich Swann hits a springboard cutter for two. Swann goes to the middle turnbuckle and goes for a Phoenix Splash but misses and King hits a Tiger Driver for two. Swann gets a roll-up for the win.
Result: Rich Swann def. Kenny King by pinfall
Rating: ***¾
Himanshu’s Hot Take: A very good match. Kenny King has been doing great stuff in his recent stint with IMPACT and put on another great match here. Rich Swann is an excellent babyface and really needs to be booked more in a singles capacity.
After the match, Kenny King attacks Rich Swann. He gets a steel chair from underneath the ring and is about to hit Rich Swann with it but Josh Alexander comes out and pulls it out and Rich Swann goes for a super kick but King moves and it hits Josh instead. Kenny King is smiling as he goes back.
