Himanshu’s Impact Wrestling Review 10.26.23

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, exclusive highlights from the Knockouts World Championship match as Trinity defended against Mickie James, and the epic showdown pitting Will Ospreay vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey. Plus, the IMPACT World Championship match between Alex Shelley and Josh Alexander will be shown in its entirety! 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 27th, 2023
Location: Cicero Stadium in Cicero, Il
Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matt Rehwoldt

Match 1: Mike Bailey vs. Will Ospreay

Chop from Ospreay is answered with a kick from Bailey. Ospreay with a monkey flip. Bailey with some kicks to send Will to the floor. Bailey hits his Perfect 10 moonsault to the floor. Back in the ring, Bailer with an elbow, but Ospreay sends him neck-first itno the top rope. Then to the floor so Ospreay can hit a crossbody. Back in the ring, Ospreay goes back to the chop. Backbreaker by Ospreay for a one count. Ospreay gets whipped off the ropes, but he slides into an abdominal stretch. Bailey hip tosses out but gets chopped again. Bailey with some kicks to Ospreay’s chest. Ospreay with a chop but runs into a boot. Bailey gets chopped down to the floor. Ospreay teases a dive, but Bailey evades Ospreay and hits a moonsault to the floor. Bailey with a dropkick off the top rope, then some kicks. Running shooting star press gets two for Bailey. Ospreay avoids some kicks but eventually gets leveled. Ospreay placed up top, Bailey follows him and ranas him down to the mat. Will avoids some kicks, lands some kicks of his own. Handspring off the ropes into a kick to Bailey’s head. Ospreay hits a forearm off the top rope for two. Running boot in the corner by Ospreay, then a kick to a bent over Bailey in the corner. Bailey gets out of a powerbomb attempt but gets kicked right in the face. Os-cutter is reversed into a backslide, then some non-stop kicks by Bailey. Poison rana by Bailey. Ospreay gets kicked down on the apron. Bailey tries to set something up but gets sent into the post. Ospreay hits the Os-cutter on the apron. I think that took more out of Ospreay, but both men are down on the floor now. Ospreay breaks the count first, but Bailey gets in just in time. Ospreay with a legdrop off the top rope. Another Os-cutter gets a two count. Hidden Blade is avoided by Bailey dropping to the mat. Ospreay with some cocky kicks to Bailey. Bailey just getting smacked around now. Bailey fights back, and both men hit repeated strikes to each other. Kicks are exchanged, as are slaps and more kicks and a Hidden Blade by Ospreay. Both men are down, so Will can’t capitalize. The fans want the match to continue forever, so they’re ok with this. Kicks to a kneeling Bailey, but the Os-cutter is blocked by Bailey’s knees. Ospreay gets kicked off the top rope, then Bailey hits the Ultimate Weapon. That gets a nearfall. Both men get to their feet. Ospreay runs Bailey over with an elbow, Bailey counters with a kick, then the double knees. Up top, Bailey goes for a super…ok, I don’t know what that was. A fisherman buster from the top rope, but it only gets two. Tornado kick by Bailey, he sets Will up for the Flamingo Driver, but Ospreay rolls out of it and hits a Styles Clash. It only gets two. A Storm Driver ’93 only gets two. Elbow pad is off now, and another Hidden Blade. A Storm Breaker finally finishes off Speedball.

Result: Will Ospreay def. Mike Bailey via pinfall
Rating: *****

Match 2: Call Your Shot Gauntlet

Jake Something is #1, while Eddie Edwards is #2. Not the best of news for either man, but they’ll still try their best. Edwards with some chops to Something. Something with some elbowblocks, then a slam to Edwards. Something maintains the upper hand on Edwards, whipping him into the turnbuckle. Kenny King is #3. Sheldon Jean wanders down to ringside with him, making me wonder why Alisha Edwards wasn’t allowed to stick around. I know which one I’d rather be looking at. Eddie & Kenny reprise their Honor No More partnership briefly to double team Something. Juventud Guerrera is #4. The Juice attacks Eddie & Kenny. He rolls through a sunset flip attempt and kicks Kenny. Sheldon provides a distraction so King can hit a spinebuster. Johnny Swinger is #5. King thought he ended Swinger’s career, but apparently not. King gets the upper hand on Johnny, but Juvi intervenes. Headscissors by Juvi, and he ends up eliminating Kenny. Crazzy Steve shows up and attacks Juvi and Johnny with his briefcase. Gisele Shaw is #6, but her entrance is ruined by security running down to try & get Steve outta there. Gisele eliminates Swinger, and Steve has a fork. Tommy Dreamer runs down and attacks Steve, and all heck has broken loose. Jody Threat is #7 and goes after Shaw. Shaw ends up on the apron, but her friends Jai Vidal & Savannah Evans prevent elimination. Kilynn King is #8 and goes right after Threat. Eddie vaults Juvi on the apron and ends up knocking him out of the match. The fans are mad. Sonny Kiss is #9, making their IMPACT debut. Gorilla press on Shaw, and she’s tossed onto Vidal and Evans, getting eliminated. Bully Ray is #10, and he’s in a pleasant mood as usual. Sonny does some dancing for Bully and invites him to join. Bully can do some dancing. Sonny jumps in Bully’s arms, Bully puts Sonny down. Matt Cardona is #11, making his IMPACT return. He immediately gets slammed by Bully, and Sonny does the Whassup drop. Bully tells Sonny to get the table, but Kilynn breaks that up, attacking Sonny. Jordynne Grace is #12 and squares up to Bully Ray. Eddie attacks Bully and Grace pairs off with Kilynn. Eric Young is #13, which seems like a proper number for him. Young hits Edwards with a DVD & Cardona with a piledriver. Edwards and Young pair off, Young ends up scoring the elimination there. Joe Hendry is #14 and goes right after Cardona. Vertical suplex and a kip up by Hendry. Brian Myers is #15, which is good news for Cardona. Hendry gets tossed right out. Cardona & Myers embrace, but Sonny attacks both of them. The Major Players eliminate Sonny. Heath is #17 and hits some Wake Up Calls to people before Myers tosses him out too. Frankie Kazarian is #18 and is quite motivated tonight. Cardona nearly gets eliminated but stays in. RICH SWANN is #19 and does some teaming with Kazarian early on. Jonathan Gresham is #20, and apparently he’s a dirty cheater now. That can only help in this sort of match. He eliminates Threat by using his t-shirt, then goes after Jordynne. Dirty Dango is #21, and is in no rush to hit the ring. Maybe he should have been even slower, since he immediately gets eliminated by Something. Oleg Prudius is enraged and he attacks everybody. Jonathan & Jordynne try to team up but it doesn’t go all that well. Swann gets eliminated, as does Young by the Major Players. Gresham gets dumped to the floor by Something. Something suplexes Cardona & Myers, then splashes them in opposite corners. Something gets low blowed by Myers and he gets eliminated. Cardona then turns against Myers and eliminates him. We’re down to KiLynn, Jordynne, Bully Ray & Cardona. Bully & Jordynne eliminate Cardona & King with stereo clotheslines, and it’ll be those two one on one.

Bully wants Jordynne to hit him harder. Jordynne fights out of a Samoan Drop attempt but gets clotheslined down. Bully misses in the corner, but Grace runs into his boot. Bully misses a senton. Grace with some backfists. Ray yanks her down by the hair. Ray misses the elbow drop and Grace hits more backfists. Ray misses a chop, Jordynne hits a Grace Driver and gets the three count.

Result: Jordynne Grace wins the Call Your Shot Gauntlet
Rating: ***

They show highlights from the Hall of Fame ceremony with speeches from Traci Brooks and Mike Tenay.

Match 3: The Rascalz vs. ABC for the IMPACT World Tag Team Championship:

We start with Bey & Miguel going at it. Austin tags in for some double teaming. Several kicks to Trey lead to a two count. Go-behinds by Austin. Wentz tags in for some double teaming by the Rascalz. Wentz works Austin over in the ring. Austin fights back until Miguel hits a neckbreaker on the apron while Wentz distracts the referee. Wentz takes Bey out on the floor. Wentz with some elbows, then a armbar on Austin. Austin wants to tag Bey, but Miguel keeps that from happening. He knocks Bey off the apron, but Austin knocks both Rascalz to the floor before hitting the Soar to Glory at Bound For Glory. Bey finally gets the tag and deals with both Rascalz. Wentz gets elbowed down and chopped in the corner. Miguel blocks the brainbuster, but Bey hits the 2 for 1 special on them. Brainbuster on Wentz gets a two count. Bey goes up top, knocks Miguel down, but Wentz evades his move. Tag to Austin, a kick leading to a neckbreaker gets two on Wentz. 1-2-Sweet gets evaded and Bey gets the worst of it. Austin gets sling shotted into a superkick, then a stomp. Wentz dives onto Bey on the outside while the referee counts two. Miguel is very unhappy. Bey blocks an attempted double team on Austin, joins Miguel up top. Miguel with a meteora, Wentz with a senton on Austin, but Bey breaks up the cover from the top rope. Wentz gets the spray paint, but it’s Miguel that gets the paint in the eyes. The 1 & the 2 on Wentz gets 3 and we have new champions.

Result: ABC def. The Rascalz via pinfall
Rating: ***1/2

Match 4: Chris Sabin vs. Kenta for the IMPACT X-Division Championship

Tie up into the ropes and we get a clean break. Kenta offers a handshake but kicks Sabin in the gut. Forearms are exchanged, Kenta goes to the eyes and hits a big boot. Sabin fights back with a knee, takes Kenta outside and kicks him down. Runing cannonball off the apron by Sabin. Back in the ring, Sabin goes up top with a crossbody for two. Kenta goes back outside, Sabin follows him with a dive but Kenta avoids it. Kenta works Sabin over on the apron & barricade before rolling him back in the ring. Neckbreaker gets four two-counts for Kenta. Revrse chinlock by Kenta. Sabin briefly fights out but Kenta goes back to the chinlock. Back to the forearms, Kenta off the ropes into a dropkick by Sabin. Sabin vaults over the turnbuckle, goes up top and hits a missile dropkick. Big boot in the corner by Sabin, then a tornado DDT gets two. Kenta avoids a Cradleshock by raking Sabin’s eyes. Kenta tornado DDTs Sabin’s neck on the top rope, then comes off top with a stomp for two. Sabin drives Kenta into the corner, but misses a charge. Kenta hits a draping DDT. Boot in the corner, then a basement dropkick in the corner by Kenta. Sabin avoids the double stomp and enziguris Kenta. Sabin goes for th Cradleshock but Kenta uses the referee to get out of it. Kenta’s rope assisted rollup is foiled by the referee seeing it. Double stomp off the top by Kenta only gets two. Kenta says it’s time to Go 2 Sleep, but Sabin fights out of it. Kenta with some slaps, Sabin with a superkick. Enziguri in the corner by Sabin. Missile dropkick to Kenta’s back. Clothesline from Hell, Michgan, then a Cradleshock ends Kenta’s night.

Result: Chris Sabin def. Kenta via pinfall
Rating: ***1/2

Match 5: Trinity vs. Mickie James for the IMPACT Knockouts World Championship

Some chain wrestling to start, with Trinity getting the upper hand. Headlocks are exchanged. Trinity goes for her Starstruck submission, but Mickie headscissors her way out of it. The test of strength gives Mickie an advantage. Trinity fights back, hits a splits legdrop for two. Trinity evades a clothesline but gets kicked down by Mickie for two. Trinity with a kick of her own, but Mickie headscissors her out of the corner. Trinity with a headscissors of her own. Strikes are exchanged between the two, kicks are missed, crossbodies aren’t. Both women are down on opposite sides of ringside, they get back in on the nine count. Rear View gets a two count for Trinity. Mickie runs into Trinity’s backside in the corner, Trinity with some mockery and Mickie does her WrestleMania 22 pose. Pie in the Sky by Mickie gets two, Trinity with a rollup for two. Split legged moonsault gets two for Trinity. Mick Kick gets a two count. Trinity with a full-nelson bomb for a two count. She maintins a bodyscissors and rolls Mickie over for some nearfalls. Mickie comes back, hits a tornado DDT for two. Trinity goes for an X-Factor, but Mickie avoids it and rolls Trinity up for two. Kicks are exchanged. Mickie hits a Heat Seeker on Trinity, goes for the Mick DT and it’s blocked. A low headscissor driver gets two, and Trinity locks in Starstruck. Mickie tries to roll out of it, but Trinity locks it further in & Mickie has to submit.

Result: Trinity def. Mickie James via pinfall
Rating: ***

Match 6: Alex Shelley vs. Josh Alexander for the IMPACT World Championship

Alexander gets the advantage on the mat early, working Shelley’s arm. Shelley gets Alexander’s left arm twisted in the ropes. Alexander goes for the C4 Spike, Shelley goes for Shellshock, Alexander tries the ankle lock & Shelley reaches the ropes & exits the ring. Shelley with a dismissive gesture for the official before re-entering the ring. Shelley with a headlock, Alexander fights out, but Shelley has targeted that left arm. Shelley also decides to work Alexander’s fingers. Shelley grabs the referee for a second, then chops Alexander. Josh fights back with a shoulderblock, but gets kicked in the face a couple of times. Chop by Alexander. The two competitors exchange shots, Shelley ends up hitting that left arm of Alexander. Josh fights back with a big boot. Backbreaker gets a one count for Alexander, who locks in a bow & arrow. Shelley fights out, gets Alexander on the apron and knocks him to the floor. Stomp to Alexander’s left arm, Alexander yanks Shelley off the apron and tries to C4 Spike the man in the floor. Shelley backdrops his way out. Alexander ends up hitting the ringpost with his arm instead of Shelley, and Shelley introduces that arm to another ringpost. He wraps Alexander’s arm around the turnbuckle for more punishment. Alexander fights back, bouncing Shelley off the ring post and chopping him a couple of times. Shelley misses a chop and hits the ringpost. Alexander doesn’t miss and Shelley’s chest is getting a bit red. Alexander targets Shelley’s knee with a figure four around the ringpost. Shelley yanks a turnbuckle cover off trying to avoid a German suplex, but still gets suplexed anyway. Enzuigiri to the arm by Shelley. Shelley goes for the Border City Stretch out of a tilt-a-whirl, but Alexander reaches the ropes. Shelley hits a twisting neckbreaker on Alexander. Shelley with a straitjacket hold on Alexander targeting the arm & neck at the same time. Alexander blocks a kick, Shelley with some slaps and Alexander hits a clothesline. Alexander with an overhead suplex and he’s feeling it at the moment. Alexander runs into a boot, then gets flatlined into the middle turnbuckle. Shelley with a snap German suplex, hits the Sliced Bread, but Alexander rolls through and hits a Chaos Theory on Shelley for two. Shelley blocks the Spike, gets in the ropes but Alexander hits a dragonscrew on Shelley. Alexander runs towards Shelley, but Shelley manoeuvres him outside and hits a Shellshock into the barricade. Then there’s a Sliced Bread on the floor and Alexander is in trouble. Shelley rolls Alexander back in the ring, goes up top and hits a frog splash for two. Border City Stretch, but Alexander rolls out of it and goes to the ankle lock. Shelley spins out but gets worked into a kneebar. Shelley just punching his way out now, knocking Alexander’s headgear off. Shelley with a headbutt, a forearm. Alexander with some strikes of his own. Back & forth, Spike & Shellshock are reversed, Shelley finally hits the Shellshock, but Alexander is stirring. Superkick by Shelley, and another Shellshock spikes Alexander on his head. Alex Shelley retains the IMPACT World Championship.

Result: Alex Shelley def. Josh Alexander via pinfall
Rating: ****1/2

They show the “TNA is back” promo with Scott D’Amore addressing the crowd about TNA being back to end the show.

7.8

The final score: review Good

The 411

This was pretty much a Bound For Glory recap show, so it was great if you didn't watch the PPV, maybe not so much if you paid for it. All the best matches from the PPV aired for free on TV, so for those that didn't watch the PPV, definitely check this episode out.