Himanshu’s Impact Wrestling Review 03.16.23

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 Bullet Club’s KENTA and newly crowned IMPACT Tag Team Champions Ace Austin & Chris Bey join forces against the team of IMPACT World Champion Josh Alexander, Frankie Kazarian & Rich Swann, The Death Dollz defend the Knockouts Tag Team Titles against The Coven — the team of Taylor Wilde & KiLynn King, Steve Maclin is in action against Heath and the team of Jonathan Gresham & “Speedball” Mike Bailey battles Black Taurus & Crazzy Steve of Decay. 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

PCO is seen in the desert screaming Eddie Edwards’ name.

Match 1: Jonathan Gresham and Mike Bailey vs Crazzy Steve and Black Taurus

Gresham and Steve lock up and Gresham pushes Steve against the ropes but Steve bites Gresham’s hand. Tag to Taurus and he hits a dropkick on Gresham for two. Tag to Steve and he bites Gresham’s arm. Taurus tags in but Gresham dropkicks him and tags to Bailey who hits combination kicks and a running shooting star press on Steve for two. Bailey goes for another kick but Steve catches his foot and bites it. Steve tags to Taurus who clears Gresham before hitting a backbreaker and a Samoan Drop before Gresham breaks up the pin. Bailey hits the tornado kick on Taurus in the corner followed by Ultima Weapon for the pin.

Result: Jonathan Gresham and Mike Bailey def. Crazzy Steve and Black Taurus by pinfall
Rating: ***½

Gia Miller is backstage with Josh Alexander, Rich Swann and Frankie Kazarian. Josh says they share 7 Tag Team Championship reigns, 7 X-Division Championship reigns and 3 World Championship reigns between them. Maclin comes in and says Josh has already beaten his partners and they aren’t threats to him. Swann takes offence to it and Maclin says he’s the no. 1 contender and he’ll prove it.

Gia Miller is backstage with Gisele Shaw who says she was close to beating Mickie James but Deonna Purrazzo was jealous of her because she beat Deonna. Johnny Swinger and Zicky Dice come in. Zicky suggests Swinger face Jai Vidal for his first win and Swinger says he can beat him in a minute or less.

Match 2: Steve Maclin vs Heath

Maclin and Heath lock up before Heath drops him. Maclin gets out of an armwringer and chops Heath. Maclin charges towards Heath in the corner who flips him out of the ring as we go to commercial.

Back from commercial and Maclin throws Heath out of the ring and into the guardrail. Maclin throws him back into the ring and covers him for two. Maclin hits a running knee on Heath on the ropes and covers him for two. Maclin heats a backbreaker on Heath for two. Maclin gets Heath in an Octopus Stretch before Heath gets out if it and hits a Leg Lariat followed by a powerslam for two. Heath hits a spinebuster for two. Heath rushes towards Maclin in the corner but Maclin catches him and sets him up on the turnbuckle and spears him. Maclin hits the KIA for the win.

Result: Steve Maclin def. Heath by pinfall
Rating: ***

The Death Dollz are backstage. Taya says magic is dangerous and they should stay from the Coven and Rosemary and Taya will fight them.

PCO is seen screaming Eddie’s name as we see a Las Vegas signboard.

Mike Bailey is backstage and Gresham walks up to him and said he knew what he was getting into but he didn’t know he would make such a good sidekick. Bailey says he hasn’t forgotten that Gresham beat him and he challenges Gresham to a match at Sacrifice.

Match 3: Johnny Swinger vs Jai Vidal

Jai Vidal drops Swinger and hits an elbow drop on him. Jai runs towards Swinger in the corner turnbuckle before slapping him. Zicky Dice tries to interfere but the referee sees it and sends him to the back. Swinger gets a Cobra Clutch but Savannah Evans pulls him out so referee sends them to the back as well. Deonna Purrazzo comes out from behind Gisele and attacks her. Vidal hits a running knee on Swinger for the three.

Result: Jai Vidal def. Johnny Swinger by pinfall.
Rating: **¼

The Design is backstage and Deaner says Sami Callihan came to them because he wanted to join The Design and with 5 steps he tries to earn their trust. People said it was a ploy but last week was step 6 and he lost. Callihan comes in and is angry for what happened. Deaner said step 6 was him taking punishment as a man. He asks Callihan if he is ready to take the punishment. Callihan says if that’s what it takes then so be it. Deaner says that’s the right choice.

PCO is seen screaming Eddie’s name as he looks at a sign of Sam’s Town.

Tommy Dreamer is backstage and Mickie walks up to him and says they’re going to be facing Bully and Masha next week and asks Dreamer if that’s a good idea a day before Dreamer has a Busted Open match against Bully. Jordynne Grace comes in and asks if it is a good idea for Mickie to face Masha who she barely scraped by a day before she faces Grace.

Eddie Edwards comes to the ring. He says ever since the dismantling of Honor No More, he’s had to reassess. He made a conscious decision to let bygones be bygones. He said it’s time for him to focus on his future in IMPACT Wrestling. But they wouldn’t let him do that. But after last week it is officially over. A clip from last week plays where a car runs over PCO. Eddie says that video is a breath of fresh air. That signals a new birth for Eddie Edwards in IMPACT Wrestling.

PCO’s music plays and he comes out but Kenny King attacks him from the back. Eddie and King team up on him. PCO hits a chokeslam on King on the apron. Eddie hits PCO with a steel chair. King drives PCO into the steel steps. They pin PCO against the ring post with the steel steps but PCO throws the steps away. Eddie hits him with a kendo stick and King hits the Blockbuster off the top rope and Eddie hits a Boston Knee Party with a steel chair. They place a steel chair on PCO’s head and Eddie hits him with a kendo stick.

Vladimir Kozlov is backstage with Santino Marella. Dirty Dango walks in after Kozlov leaves and asks if that is who he thinks it is. Santino says his name is still trademarked so you can’t say his name. Joe Hendry appears. Hendry says he’s here to invoke a rematch clause. Santino says he’s the champion. Hendry says he’s doing it for Brian Myers because he never got a rematch after he lost the title. Santino books the match. Dango says he’s a big fan of Hendry and if Hendry ever needs a gunslinger he’s his man. Marella books them in a tag team match for next week against Moose and Brian Myers.

Match 4: Taylor Wilde and Kilynn King vs The Death Dollz for the IMPACT Knockouts World Tag Team Championship

Taya and Kilynn King start off and Taya whips King into the corner. Tag to Rosemary who hits a flapjack. Taylor tags in but Rosemary bites her head and Taya and Rosemary clothesline Wilde and King out of the ring as we go to commercial.

Back from commercial and King has Rosemary in a chinlock. Rosemary tries to fight out of it but is dropped. Tag to Taylor Wilde and she hits a forearm on Rosemary in the corner. Rosemary gets a tarantula on Wilde. Rosemary tags to Taya who hits a clothesline on King followed by a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Taya hits a hip attack in the corner on King followed by double knees for two. King hits a German Suplex and a pin but Rosemary breaks it up. Rosemary hits a spear on Wilde. King pushes Taya into Wilde who hits a forearm and King hits a pumphandle slam on Taya for the win.

Result: Taylor Wilde and Kilynn King def. The Death Dollz to win the IMPACT Knockouts World Tag Team Championship
Rating: ***¼

Match 5: Josh Alexander, Frankie Kazarian & Rich Swann vs KENTA, Ace Austin & Chris Bey

Kazarian and Chris Bey start off and have a quick exchange of pins. Bey tags to Ace and Kazarian tags to Swann and hip tosses Swann into Ace. Alexander and KENTA tag in. Josh Alexander hits a rolling senton. Chris Bey tries to interfere but Josh, Swann and Kazarian clear the ring as we go to commercial.

Back from commercial and Ace has Swann in an armlocks and cuts his fingers with a card and hides it into his sleeve. Tag to Bey and he punches Swann on the ground and tags to KENTA. KENTA and Swann clothesline each other. Tag to Bey and Kazarian. Kazarian hits a running forearm followed by a leg drop for two. Kazarian hits a double DDT on Ace and Bey. Tag to Alexander who hits a backbreaker on Bey and Swann hits a 450 but Ace breaks up the pin. Alexander hits a running crossbody on Ace on the apron. Bey is about to hit a crossbody on everybody outside the ring but Kazarian catches him with a cutter from the top rope onto everyone. Kazarian hits a DDT on Ace. Alexander goes for the C4 Spike but he gets distracted by Maclin at the entrance. Bey hits the Art of Finesse on Swann and Ace hits The Fold to get the win.

Result: KENTA, Ace Austin & Chris Bey def. Josh Alexander, Frankie Kazarian & Rich Swann by pinfall
Rating: ***¾

7.7

The final score: review Good

The 411

A big title change as the team of Taylor Wilde and Kilynn King win the IMPACT Knockouts World Tag Team Championship. PCO is still alive after being run over by a car so we know he's not human. Gresham and Mike Bailey had another very good match as a tag team so they're a team who can be solid contenders for the IMPACT World Tag Team Titles some day. Bullet Club delivered another great main event for IMPACT against Josh, Swann and Kazarian in a match-up that could easily headline a PPV. Another solid edition of IMPACT.