Himanshu’s Impact Wrestling Review 10.12.23

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 Twitter @Himanshu_Doi) and you know how this works. Tonight on IMPACT, Frankie Kazarian and Eddie Edwards finally settle their grudge in a Killer IMPACT match, a 5-Way goes down with Call Your Shot implications, Rich Swann and Sami Callihan challenge The Rascalz for the IMPACT World Tag Team Titles, Tasha Steelz takes on Courtney Rush and 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

Date: October 12th, 2023
Location: Graceland Live in Memphis, TN
Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matt Rehwoldt

Match 1: Rich Swann and Sami Callihan vs. The Rascalz for the IMPACT World Tag Team Titles

Swann hits a spin kick in Miguel followed by a running kick across the back. Swann sits Miguel down and hits another kick across his back. Swann hits an uppercut to the jaw followed by a splash for two. Tag to Sami who rakes his back. Wentz gets the tag as he and Miguel double team on Sami for two. Miguel gets the tag and he unloads punches on Sami. Miguel goes to the top rope and goes for a stomp but Sami moves out of the way and hits a clothesline. Sami tags to Swann who delivers a headscissors on Miguel onto Wentz followed by consecutive sentons to Wentz and Miguel on the outside. Wentz gets back in the ring and Swann goes to the top rope but Wentz catches him with a superplex for two. Wentz hits a running splash to Swann on the outside as we go to commercial.

Back from commercial and Miguel has Swann in a headlock. Swann gets out of it but Miguel turns him around and puts him in a stretch. Miguel hits a dropkick for two. Miguel grabs him in another headlock and tags to Wentz. Wentz whips Swann into the ropes but Swann counters with a single leg dropkick. Swann tags to Sami who hits a chokeslam on Wentz followed by a reverse chokeslam on Miguel for two. Swann and Sami hit punches in the corner on Miguel and Wentz and they all clothesline each other in the middle of the ring. Swann and Miguel exchange chops. Miguel hits an enzugiri. Tag to Wentz and they hit the Blockbuster on Swann for two. Miguel brings in the tag team title belt and the referee takes it away and Miguel looks to spray paint in Swann’s face but Swann moves away and Wentz gets spray painted instead. Sami gets the tag and hits the Cactus Driver on Wentz for a nearfall. Wentz hits a low blow when the referee isn’t looking. Wentz tags to Miguel and they hit the Hot Fire Flame for the win.

Result: The Rascalz def. Rich Swann and Sami Callihan to retain the IMPACT World Tag Team Titles
Rating: ***¾

Kenny King is backstage with Sheldon Jean and Kenny King says everybody is ducking him for his obligated rematch even though he got snuck from behind. Jean says he’s not comprehending this. He says they have a Heath problem. Kenny says Heath is going to have a health problem. He says he is going to atone for his sins and the sins of the father is going to leave the kids broke.

Gia Miller is backstage with Kilynn King and King says she is not going to get along with Jody Threat. She said King attacked Taylor Wilde with a tyre iron. Santino asked how she knows King attacked Taylor with a tyre iron. King said she did it and Taylor became dead weight to her. She said it’s no longer, “Long live the Coven”, it’s “Long live the King”.

Match 2: Eric Young vs. Jordynne Grace vs. Dirty Dango vs. Champagne Singh vs. Jake Something

Champagne Singh whips Jordynne into the corner and Dango goes for a pin but Singh pulls him out. Singh and Dango whip Grace into the ropes and drop her down with a back elbow. Jordynne slaps Singh in the corner but Dango attacks her from behind. Dango and Singh get a chinlock on Grace. Dango and Singh hit a double suplex on Grace. Dango goes to the top rope and Singh drops him down. Singh goes for a vertical suplex on Grace but Grace fights out of it and hits a German Suplex followed by a Juggernaut Jackhammer on Singh but Dango breaks up the pin. Something hits a spear on Dango in the corner followed by a powerbomb but Singh gets Something out of the ring and covers Dango for two. Something goes to the top rope but Singh catches him and looks for a superplex but Grace runs in and hits a powerbomb dropping them both down. Eric Young hits an elbow drop on Dango for two. Bravo flashes a flashlight on Eric Young and Young slaps Bravo down. Oleg Prudius shows up and takes out Singh and Young. Prudius drops Something. Dango pins him for the win. Dirt Dango will be No. 20 and Jake Something will be No. 1 in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet.

Result: Dirty Dango wins the 5-way match to get the No. 20 spot in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet
Rating: ***

Vignette for Crazzy Steve who says he’s both amazed and disgusted with Tommy Dreamer. He said he stabbed Dreamer in the back before Dreamer could stab his. He says Black Taurus and him are no longer. He says he’s going to teach Black Taurus about pain and misery.

Gia Miller is backstage with Mike Bailey and Mike Bailey issues an open challenge to anyone that thinks they’re on the level of Will Ospreay to step into the ring with Mike Bailey.

Match 3: Tasha Steelz vs. Courtney Rush

Courtney goes for a Sharpshooter but Tasha gets out of it. Courtney whips Tasha in the corner and hits a splash. Courtney goes for a splash off the top rope but misses and Tasha hits a superkick. Tasha hits the Three Amigos and twerks. Courtney rolls her up for two and Tasha hits a pump kick for two. Tasha whips Courtney into the ropes and clotheslines her out of the ring. Tasha and Courtney clothesline each other. Courtney clotheslines Tasha and drops her with a scoop slam. Courtney goes for a Sharpshooter but Tasha gets out of it. Courtney hits a Bionic Elbow and locks in the Sharpshooter but Tasha gets to the ropes. Tasha hits a Codebreaker for two. Tasha hits a cutter for the win.

Result: Tasha Steelz def. Courtney Rush by pinfall
Rating: ***

A video package airs for Josh Alexander vs. Alex Shelley.

They show footage from New Japan where the team of Shelley, Sabin and Alexander lost to Okada, Tanahashi and Ishii.

Maclin is backstage and Bully Ray walks up to him and says two weeks ago Maclin called him soft, and asks if he called him soft against last week. Mackin says he did and Bully Ray says “cool” and leaves.

Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt run down the card for Bound For Glory and IMPACT next week.

Match 4: Frankie Kazarian vs. Eddie Edwards in a Killer IMPACT match

First fall is regular pinfall rules. Kazarian punches Eddie but Eddie drops him down. Eddie takes him in the corner and whips him in the opposite corner and chops him. Kazarian whips Eddie into the ropes and hits a scoop slam. Kazarian goes for a springboard leg drop but Eddie moves out of the way and hits the Boston Knee Party to go 1-0 up.

Second fall is submission only. Eddie whips Kazarian into the corner and Kazarian fights out of it and runs towards Eddie but Eddie turns him inside out for a facebuster. Eddie Edwards throws Kazarian over the top rope. Eddie gets out of the ring and chops Kazarian all around the ring. Kazarian’s chest is bleeding. Eddie throws Kazarian back in the ring and whips him into the ropes but Kazarian flips over him and drops him with a clothesline. Kazarian gets him arms in a submission but Eddie kicks him away to break it. Eddie hits a Codebreaker from the second rope and locks in a single leg Boston Crab but Kazarian gets to the ropes. Eddie gets Kazarian to the top rope and hits a Backpack Stunner but Kazarian gets a Chickenwing and Eddie taps immediately to go 1-1.

The final fall is Last Man Standing rules. Kazarian hits a hurrancanrana to Edwards outside the ring. Kazarian pulls out a trash can from below the ring and hits it across Eddie’s head. The fans chant “one more time” so Kazarian hits him again. Kazarian hits him a bunch of times with the trash can until he’s down. The referee counts to 7 before Eddie gets up and Kazarian hits a clothesline. Referee counts as Eddie gets up at 5 and Kazarian at 7. Eddie hits a belly to belly-to-belly suplex. Referee counts Kazarian and gets to 7. Eddie hits another belly-to-belly suplex. Referee counts down Kazarian until he gets up at 8. Back in the ring and Kazarian pulls Eddie back for a cutter. Eddie gets up at 7 and gets out of the ring. Kazarian pulls out a table from underneath the ring. Kazarian hits Eddie with a cookie sheet and sets up the table but Eddie punches him in the throat and gets a hip toss onto the steel steps. Referee counts Kazarian but Kazarian gets up at 6. Kazarian hits an Unprettier onto the steel steps. Eddie gets up at 7. Kazarian places Eddie on the table and goes to the top rope but Alisha hits Kazarian with the kendo stick. Eddie Edwards places a bunch of steel chairs in the ring and hits a superplex onto the chairs. Eddie hits Kazarian with a steel chair and gets out another table from under the ring. Eddie takes Kazarian up the entrance stage. Kazarian hits a low blow followed by a Styles Clash. Kazarian picks up Alisha Edwards and runs her through a table. Eddie throws Kazarian in the ring and calls in people to check on Alisha. Eddie has Kazarian on the apron but Kazarian picks up Eddie Edwards and hits the Fade To Black through the table on the outside. The referee counts them both but Kazarian gets up at 9 and Eddie doesn’t answer the call.

Result: Frankie Kazarian def. Eddie Edwards 2-1 in a Killer IMPACT match
Rating: ****½

7.8

The final score: review Good

The 411

A solid edition of IMPACT headlined by the Killer IMPACT match between Eddie Edwards and Kazarian. The Rascalz retained their tag team titles in a really good match against Sami Callihan and Rich Swann in what was Sami's last match in IMPACT (for now). It's unfortunate that IMPACT lose one more tag team with the departure of Callihan in an already depleted tag team division. Speaking of which, The Coven have broken up, which may not be good news for the Knockouts Tag Team division, but great for the singles as Kilynn King will get to shine by herself. The former Vladimir Kozlov debuted to help Dirty Dango win the 5-way match and that puts more weight behind Dango's act than just Alpha Bravo. Kazarian and Eddie Edwards had a great match to close out the show and end their feud. Kazarian has been doing some amazing work since returning to IMPACT. You wonder if it would've been a better idea to save this grudge match for Bound For Glory.