wrestling / TV Reports
Himanshu’s Impact Wrestling Review 12.28.23
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 Twitter @Himanshu_Doi) and you know how this works. Tonight on IMPACT, we continue our special look-back at the greatest matches and moments of 2023 as the IMPACT Wrestling World Champion Alex Shelley defends his title against Nick Aldis at Slammiversary, “Speedball” Mike Bailey battles Will Ospreay at Bound For Glory and Mickie James battles Trinity for the Knockouts World Championship! 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: ALEX SHELLEY VS. NICK ALDIS for the IMPACT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Shelley and Aldis jaw at each other and Shelley spits water in Aldis’ face and lays into him in the corner. Aldis to the other corner and gets chopped, Shelley goes up for a ten-count of punches but Aldis catches him for a powerbomb. He goes for the Kingsley Cloverleaf in the center of the ring. Shelley is crawling but Aldis pulls him back into the center of the ring. Shelley crawls again and gets to the ropes finally, Aldis breaks on three. The challenger soaks in some boos for a moment and then turns around to grab Shelley, puts him in the corner for a chop. Whip hard into the opposite corner and Shelley hits the mat. Aldis grabs Shelley, but he hits a dropkick to the knee. Aldis grabs him for a pumphandle suplex and then a kick to the head.
Aldis grabs Shelley and puts him in the corner head-first, then hits a hard forearm to the back. Knee choke against the middle rope, and he snaps Shelley back to the mat. Irish whip across the ring, Aldis charges into a back elbow. Shelley leaps off but is caught for a suplex. The challenger grabs whips SHelley into the corner and charges, Shelley moves and then charges in for a dragon screw leg whip. Shelley up and goes in, he hits a hard kick to the inside of the leg and then wraps the leg in the ropes, hitting a leg whip on the other leg.
Shelly goes for the leg, Aldis kicks away but Shelley with an elbow drop to the leg. Shelley off the ropes with a basement dropkick to the leg, then grabs the leg to snap it between his shins. Shelley kicks away at the left leg, Aldis pushes him off and escapes to the apron — but Shelley with a dropkick to send him to the bottom. He goes for the baseball slide, Aldis traps him in the apron and hits some hard shots to the head. Aldis picks Shelley up and slams him spine-first into the ringpost, then picks him up for a snake eyes into the apron before resetting the ten-count. He finally rolls Shelley in and gets on the apron, grabbing Shelley for a suplex to the outside. Shelley blocks it and hits a stunner into the top rope. He goes over the top and stomps the arm. Shelley breaks the count and then comes out but gets raked in the eyes. Aldis grabs Shelley on his shoulder, but Shelley slips off and pushes Aldis into the ringpost.
Shelley works over the arm and then bends the fingers of Aldis through the turnbuckle fastener. Up on the apron, he stomps on the hand and then comes back into the ring to break the count before coming out and rolling Aldis in. Aldis goes for a kick through the ropes but is caught for a dragonscrew, Shelley in for a chop block. But Aldis gets a shot to the eyes, then slams Shelley’s head into the canvas. Aldis with a front facelock, Shelley escapes and works the wrist before dropping to his back and kicking the arm. Shelley is up and kicks at the leg of Aldis, he comes off the ropes but Aldis follows and hits a big lariat to kill the champion’s momentum. Cover gets two.
Aldis back up, he’s going up top as the crowd chants “Nick You Suck” Shelley up and cuts Aldis off, he goes up for a superplex and hits it. Shelley is up now but falls back to the mat. Shelley is back up, Aldis is up, Shelley ducks a shot and goes in with strikes. Aldis fires back but gets kicked and chopped, they’re trading shots now. Aldis reverses a whip into the corner, he charges in but Shelley grabs him and puts him face-first into the middle turnbuckle. Shelley sets up, goes for the superkick but Aldis blocks it, Kingsley Cloverleaf but he can’t turn it over. Small package from Shelley for two, Sliced Bread gets a nearfall, and Shelly right into the stretch. Aldis gets Shelley on his shoulders for two and goes for the Cloverleaf, but Shelley has the fingers and snaps them apart. Sliced Bread caught by Aldis into a piledriver for a nearfall. Aldis up top for an elbowdrop for two.
Aldis is frustrated and has grabbed the World Title belt, but Shelley nails him and grabs the title. The ref warns Shelley, Shelley gives in and hands the title over — Aldis with a low blow and Michinoku Driver. Cover but Shelley kicks out at the last instant. Aldis goes for the title again, the ref warns him — he swings, Shelley ducks and hits the DDT onto the belt. Superkick followed by Shell Shock gets the win.
Result: Alex Shelley def. Nick Aldis via pinfall to retain the IMPACT World Championship
Rating: ***3/4
Alex Shelley is announced as Male Wrestler of the Year. Alex Shelley has a phone-recorded promo where he says he couldn’t have done it without the fans.
Match 2: ABC VS. MOOSE & BRIAN MYERS VS. SUBCULTURE VS. RICH SWANN AND SAMI CALLIHAN for the IMPACT WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Bey and Andrews start off and go into a series of reversals. They leap around each other, Bey send back into the ropes and holds in, he catches Andrews with a big boot and Ace tags in, Willow in the Winds to Andrews. My feed went wonky for a moment but when we come back Webster has tagged in and they take out Bey, then hit a series of sentons on Austin for a two-count. Webster with a wristlock to Austin, who escapes into a waistlock, they counter and Webstr with a kick in the corner, then springboard moonsaults into Austin. Swann tags in and takes Webster down with a kick, Callihan in and hits a shoulderbreaker followed by a kick to the face.
Myers runs in and takes out Callihan, Moose is in too now. They grab Swann and Callihan for double powerbombs, Swann escapes ans superkicks Moose, superkicks Myers. he goes out to the apron, kick to Swann, then a dive onto Myers. ABC face off with Moose in the ring and he runs but they send him over the top, Bey dives onto Moose who catches him and powerbombs him to the apron. Austin goes after Moose, Myers and XXX get involved while inside the ring, Callihan grabs XXX and throws him onto the lot of them.
Back in the ring, Swann and Callihan have Webster and go for a double suplex. He escapes but gets battered with kicks, Callihan with a DVD and Swann with a rolling splash for two. Swann with a kick to Webster in the corner and charges but gets sent to the apron. Swann with a kick to the head, he goes for the 450 but Webster moves. Ace is in now and takes out Swann, drop-toe hold and kick to the back. Bey in, Swanna fights back but ends up on Bey’s shoulder for a kick/neckbreaker. Myers and Moose in and hit a double powerbomb. Moose forces the tag to Bey and grabs Swann, he throws Myers into a clothesline but Swann ducks and tags in Andrews. Andrews is going hard at Moose, off the ropes for forearm and another, a third but Moose catches him — Andrews his Stundog Millionaire. Webster with the top-rope senton but Callihan breaks up the pin.
Things have devolved to chaos now, SubCulture double headbutt Myers but Callihan hits then with a double clothesline. Bey and Swann trade kicks, Moose is in and goes up top, leaping — double cutter from Swann and Bey. It’s carnage around the ring now. Austin tags himself in and hits knees and a kick to Bey, Callihan charges but is hit with double superkicks from ABC. 1-2-Sweet on Webster. Myers made a blind tag and ABC are ready — the Rascalz are here and take out Austin, then Bey when he dives on him. Andrews takes out Myers, SubCulture up top — Webster with the top-rope splash for the pin.
Result: SubCulture wins via pinfall to win the IMPACT World Tag Team Championship
Rating: ***1/2
Match 3: 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 the 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, Michigan, then a Cradleshock gets the win.
Result: Chris Sabin def. Kenta via pinfall to retain the IMPACT X-Division Championship
Rating: ***1/2
Mike Bailey is announced as X-Division Star of the Year. Mike Bailey in a pre-recorded promo thanks the fans for voting him for two years in a row. He says it is the best division in all of pro-wrestling and he will continue on in 2024 in TNA.
Match 4: 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 targetd that left arm. Shelley also decides to work Alexander’s fingers for extra fun. 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 ring post with his arm instead of Shelley, and Shelley introduces that arm to another ring post. 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 ring post. Alexander doesn’t miss and Shelley’s chest is getting a bit red. Alexander targets Shelley’s knee with a figure four around the ring post. Shelley yanks a turnbuckle cover off trying to avoid a German suplex, but still gets suplexed anyway. Enziguri to the arm by Shelley. Shelley goes for the Border City Stretch out of a tiltawhirl, 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 for the win.
Result: Alex Shelley def. Josh Alexander via pinfall to retain the IMPACT World Championship.
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 & 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 submission to retain the IMPACT Knockouts World Championship
Rating: ***
Will Ospreay vs. Mike Bailey from Bound For Glory is announced as the Math of the Year 2023. Bailey says he leaves his all in the ring and he is looking forward to having the match of the year in 2024.
Match 6: Will Ospreay vs. Mike Bailey
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, Baily 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. 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 for 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: *****
