wrestling / TV Reports
Jeremy’s Impact Wrestling Review 9.7.23
Image Credit: Impact Wrestling
Loading...Hello everyone, and welcome to our live Impact Wrestling coverage right here on 411! Jeremy Thomas, taking over this week as Himanshu has other stuff going on tonight. Impact Wrestling is just a day away from Victory Road, and tonight we have a loaded card for the go-home show. Josh Alexander and PCO will take on Steve Maclin and Bully Ray in the main event, while Alisha Edwards and Trinity will sign the contract for their match at tomorrow’s show. We’ll also see Deonna Purrazzo battle Dani Luna ahead of her match with Jordynne Grace, Lio Rush take on Kevin Knight, SubCulture face off with Rich Swann and Sami Callihan, and more. Should be a fun show, and we’re gonna have a lot to cover tonight so let’s hop 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.
* We kick off with a recap of Alisha Edwards winning the battle royal to get her title shot against Trinity, plus the six-man tag team match with SANADA and Jake & Frankie getting the win. We see Steve Maclin’s return and attack of Josh Alexander.
* We’re LIVE in the Impact Zone as Deonna Purrazzo makes her way out to the ring.
Deonna Purrazzo vs. Dani Luna
The ladies lock up to start, Deonna backed into the corner and they break cleanly. Lock back up, Purrazzo with a wristlock countered by Luna into a headlock. They go into the corner, Luna rolls back and Deonna gets a roll-up attempt into an armbar but Luna immediately gets the ropes.
Lock back up, Luna with a bodyslam and Irish whip, she knocks Deonna to the mat. Deonna picked back up for a fallaway slam, then an avalanche in the corner and diving clothesline off the ropes for two. Luna with a suplex, hangs on a second but Deonna blocks the third. Purrazzo put on the apron but hits a forearm. Luna is on the apron now and they’re fighting; Donna with an armwringer off the apron that takes Luna into the apron and then floor! Back in the ring, Backstabber gets two for Deonna.
Deonna takes aim and charges but Luna with a foot up. They’re trading strikes, Luna goes for Luna Landing but Purrazzo slides off so Luna with a dropkick off the ropes. She grabs Deonna for a powerbomb but Deonna blocks it and takes the wrist — Luna nails her and hits the powerbomb for two.
Luna grabs Deonna for the Luna Landing, Deonna elbows out, hits a kick off the ropes and flips Luna around with an Exploder for a nearfall. Deonna is ready to finish it but Luna rolls her up. Deonna with a kick, kneelift, Russian legsweep, Fujiwara! Luna fights it for a couple but taps.
Winner: Deonna Purrazzo (6:05)
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: This was perfectly fine for an opening match. The obvious result here doesn’t take much away from a decent outing from both women.
* We get a vignette with Crazzy Steve saying you get what you deserve, which lasts through the ages because it’s true. Some feel they deserve more because the rules don’t apply to them. He’s not like everybody else. He is not crazy, he’s 1,000% aware of all of his action. And that’s why when he looked into Taurus’ eyes, he saw an ember of what was once a raging inferno. And he knew right then and there that he was going to do what everyone else did like Abyss and Rosemary — leave him alone and abandoned. So at Victory Road, he decapitates Decay and decimates their unholy alliance.
* Tommy Dreamer is talking about Impact coming up on 1000 episodea and how he’s putting it all on the line at Victory Road. He talks about how his dad took him to meet his first love in professional wrestling and how his mom and dad have supported him his entire career. He says they were front row for his WWE tryout in that same building and how they were there when he main evented it for ECW. He says seven blocks away, he said goodbye to his mom at a hospital. He says he’s blessed to have had her.
Heath walks in and says that he loves Tommy, but he’s going to put his career against Kenny because Kenny is talking junk? He says they all love him and respect him, but maybe he should take a step back, swallow his pride and re-asses. Dreamer nods and says Heath is right. It’s either gonna be the end, or finally something for him and another chapter he gets to write for Tommy Dreamer.
Champagne Singh & Shera vs. Joe Hendry & Yuya Uemera
Yuya starts off against Singh, who hits a kneelift to the side and batters Yuya into the corner. Yuya fires back but gets hit with a chop. Irish whip, Yuya up and over and takes Singh down with am armdrag and a bodyslam. Hendry takes in, whip into the ropes and JOYA hit some strikes before Hendry covers for two. Yuya tags back in, Hendry with a swinging bodyslam and Yuya with an elbowdrop for two.
Irish whip, Singh counters and throws Yuya into the top rope and slams him down. Shera tags in, Yuya hung on the top rope and Shera kicks him in the head. Bodyslam from Shera, elbowdrop follows it up. Singh tags in, he gets whipped into an avalanche, Shera follows up and then throws Singh into a Flatliner for two.
Yuya fights back against Singh and hits a back elbow, then a forearm off the ropes. He gets the tag, Hendry comes in hot and lays out both Shera and Singh. Suplex on Singh and a kip up! Shera nails Hendry but gets picked up — BIG suplex! Hendry with a clothesline to Shera, goes to one on Shera but Shera gets the foot up and he gets clothesline. Yuya with a dropkick, Singh gets him on his shoulders. Yuya escapes, JOYA hit the One Hit Wonder for the pin.
Winner: JOYA (4:29)
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: I like these guys, but this wasn’t a particularly great match.
* Steve Maclin says that he and Bully Ray are getting everything they wanted and planned. Bully doesn’t think Steve truly — he can’t finish his sentence at first, but he doesn’t think Maclin gets it. Steve has everything he wanted, but Bully doesn’t want PCO; he wants Carl Ouellet. Neither of them have had any success with PCO. Cinder blocks, tables, fire, battery acid down the throat. He says Steve has it easy; Bully has to fight a monster that no one can keep down. He lit PCO on fire and he came back. He tells Maclin to do him a favor; trust him and be a good soldier. Steve is suck on trust. Bully says not to play his games. Steve says he’ll follow Bully’s lead, but if he has to take care of himself he will. He hopes Bully has his six.
* An Impact 1000 flashback looks at Gail Kim’s battles with Awesome Kong. We also get a video package for Will Ospreay ahead of his appearance at Bound For Glory.
* Gia asks Josh Alexander about his match tonight in tag team action with PCO against Maclin and Bully. Josh says he sees Maclin and sees red because they have unfinished business. But tonight is the tag match, and tonight he and PCO are going to make a statement and bring violence and mayhem to them.
SubCulture vs. Rich Swann & Sami Callihan
Swann & Andrews start off and Andrews with a waistlock, Swann counters into a wristlock. They do some counterwrestling, flipping out of wristlocks and go for the dropkick to each other. Show of respect, Andrews with armdrags but Swann catches one — so Andrews escapes and hits a new one. Webster tags in, they nail Swann with kicks in the corner and Webster goes for the leg, but is shot into the ropes. Some acrobatic countering until Swann hits a dropkick, tags in Calliahn and they hit Webster with a sidewalk slam and axe kick combo.
Webster comes off the ropes and collides with Callihan a couple of times to no avail. Callihan takes over and goes to tag Swann, but Andrews also tags in. My feed went wonky but it comes back with a dive to the outside by Webster as we go to break.
We’re back as SubCulture hit Swann with a double armdrag and then sequential standing moonsaults, a spinning senton gets two. Webster with a sitting abdominal stretch, Swann fights out of it and comes off the ropes into a dropkick. Andrews tags in, Swann hit with a snapmare/dropkick combo for two. Andrews with a bow-and-arrow submission, Swann powers his way out but is hit with a back suplex for two.
Webster tags back in, elbow to Swann’s back. Whip into the corner, Swann with a back elbow and kick to a charging Webster. Andrews pulls him out but Swann ducks a clothesline, gets in the ring and hits an enzuigiri. Callihan with the hot tag and comes in on fire. He catches both SubCulture members for a DDT and Flatliner combo for two. Callihan goes for the powerbomb, Andrews escapes hits an enzuigiri. Falcon Arrow and a cover but Swann breaks it up.
Andrews tags in but Callihan takes over, he picks up Callihan but is hit with Stundog Millionaire. Webster goes for a dive but Callihan dodges and takes him down. Swann and Andrews tag in, Andrews off the top into a superkick. Webster catches a superkick and hits a headbutt, Callihan hits the Cactus Driver. Swann kicks Andrews but is sent to the ramp, Callihan nails Andrews and Swann dives into the ring for a cutter! Callihan goes for the head kick and DVD combo, 450 finishes it.
Winner: Rich Swann & Sami Callihan (12:43)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Good match all in all. Everyone played to their strengths and it was chaotic in a good way. No complaints here.
* We get a battle royal recap moment where MK Ultra were eliminated. Gisele Shaw says she and the Shawntourage got screwed over by two teams being added to their title match. But she says they took care of MK Ultra in the battle royale and are showing they’re a threat to the Knockouts Division, whether singles or tag. At Victory Road, they’re claiming what’s theirs.
* The Rascalz say the Impact Tag Team Titles represent a lot of history, one people have been keeping the Rascalz from. So they said screw that. The Good Hands come in and say they think they deserve a tag team title shot, and Wentz says that they need to focus on the Machine Guns. Good Hands says maybe they talk about it after, and Wentz says maybe they should make sure the Rascalz come out of Victory Road with the titles.
Lio Rush vs. Kevin Knight
Lio takes a rest on the corner once the bell rings to play some mind games. Knight charges in but gets a boot to the head. Knight with a big dropkick, Rush plays keep away from Knight but eventually gets kicked in the head and goes to the outside.
Rush is pissed and grabs his title, going to head to the back. He gets on the ramp — but Knight grabs him and pulls him into the ring! Splash off the ropes for two.
Knight with a Euro uppercut in the corner, Rush staggers to a second corner where he eats another one. Rush tries to escape but gets grabbed by the fight. Rush pulls him in and hits a diving shoulderblock off the ropes for two.
Rush escapes to the outside for a breather but Knight follows and hits a chop. Another chop against the guardrail, Knight stalks Rush who hits a shot to Knight and rolls into the ring. Knight comes in but gets kicked in the gut, Rush with a chop in the corner but Knight fires back. Rush with a chop but Knight with a Euro uppercut followed by strikes in the corner. He splashes Rush and batters him, AXS TV screws up again and so it’s a good thing I have Impact Insider on YT, we’ll just have to wait for the stream there to catch up.
Okay we’re back caught up on YouTube, Rush thumbs Knight in the eye over the ref’s back and knocks him to the outside. Rush off the ropes and dives through onto Knight through the barricade, then goes to do it again as we go to break.
We’re back and Knight catches a kick by Rush, shoves him into the corner. Rush dodges a splash and Knight off the ropes into a clothesline for two. Rush grabs Knight and hits a forearm to the forehead, then wrenches on Knight’s face. Rush onto Knight’s back with a chinlock, Knight jockeys into a sitting position but Rush pulls him back down to the mat. Rush trying to keep Knight down, but he gets to his feet and slams Rush into the corner. Rush leaps back on Knight’s back but gets slammed back once more. Rush slaps Knight and goes up top, but Knight with a LEAPING RANA from the mat!
Knight clotheslines Rush, off the ropes for another one. He splashes Rush in the corner, up to the second rope for a shoulderblock, cover for a nearfall. Knight lies in wait, Rush to his feet, Knight goes for the DDT but Rush blocks it so Knight drills him with a forearm. Off the ropes for Rush into a dropkick, Rush folds up on the mat. Knight goes for a springboard crossbody but Rush moves, spin kick from Rush. Lio up top, Final Hour finishes it.
Winner: Lio Rush (Timing Problems, thanks AXS)
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Both men turned it on and they delivered big time. Both men are incredibly talented and this resulted in a really fun bout.
Rush attacks Knight after the bell and beats on him with punches and headbutts. He locks in the Hoverboard Lock and KUSHIDA comes in to nail Rush. KUSHIDA goes for the Hoverboard and Rush runs away.
* Dirty Dango and Alpha Bravo talk about Impact 1000. Dango says they’re doing it for Dixie. Dango talks about his match with Jake Something and talks some trash.
* We get a vignette for Jordynne Grace vs. Deonna Purrazzo. Grace sees a photo of Deonna with 0 – 4 listed on it, tears it up and walks away.
* Santino is in the ring for the contract signing segment. He hypes the Knockouts Title match and says they’re putting the pen to the paper and the paper to the pen. He introduces Alisha, who makes her way out with Eddie Edwards drinking some bubbly. Santino then introduces Trinity, who makes her way out with the title.
Santino says it’s champion’s prerogative of who signs first, and Alisha is signing first. Alisha says she can’t understand Santino’s stupid accent, and Santino says he knows his language is a little think. Alisha also says she can’t understand the Canadians’ stupid accents. But it doesn’t matter, because they need to understand her and so does Trinity. She says she’s been here a very long time, and everyone thought she was just a champion’s wife. But that’s not the case and things are changing. She thought she needed to change Eddie, but she needed to change. She says she beat nine Knockouts to become #1 contender. And Trinity is looking at the next Knockouts World Champion at Victory Road.
Alisha signs the contract and it’s handed over to Santino, who checks to make sure. He hands it to Trinity, who signs her name. Alisha says “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” She talked all that trash, and Trinity doesn’t have the decency to say a word? Trinity says she can’t understand Alisha’s stupid accent and laughs.
Alisha takes off her coat and the crowd chants “BOSTON SUCKS!” Trinity says in all seriousness, she respects what Alisha’s done. When she first arrived, she was excited about her potential opponents but honestly she overlooked Alisha. But ALisha has grabbed her attention and earned the opportunity. Alisha says she doesn’t need Trinity to tell her what she earned. Trinity walked in the door and was handed everything.
Trinity says she could have gone everywhere but came here because she knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Eddie says don’t start that, don’t dare try to wave the Impact banner, they’ve been here longer than anybody! Alisha says Trinity is just jealous because she’ll have her man here, but even if Trinity’s man wanted to be here, he couldn’t.
Trinity says Alisha has some nerve as she turned her back on the company. So pipe down, fall back Mr. Alisha. Alisha throws water in Trin’s face, and the earrings come off! Trinity kicks Alisha in the head over the table and pulls her over to beat on her. It turns into a brawl with Alisha tossed into the corner. The crowd chants for the table, and Trinity clears it before grabbing Alisha for a powerbomb. Eddie comes in to grab Trinity and he powerbombs Trinity through the table! Alisha grabs the title and she & Eddie pose with it over Trinity. Frankie comes out to clear them out.
Set For Next Week:
– Impact 1000
* Tom and Matt run down the Victory Road card.
* The MCMGs say Victory Road is almost upon them, as is the fourth tag team title reign for them. Sabin says The Rascalz have embarrassed themselves, Impact and the titles for too long. Shelley says they have a long way to go to become the franchise team and they will take the titles at Victory Road.
Bully Ray & Steve Maclin vs. PCO & Josh Alexander
Maclin and Alexander start off and lock up, but break and talk shit. They trade slaps, Maclin with a kick but Alexander goes for the ankle lock. Maclin escapes and tags in Bully. Josh puts a finger up and goes to tag in PCO, much to Bully’s fear. PCO in now and Bully tags in Maclin.
Maclin attacks PCO and goes to whip him, PCO reverses and clotheslines him. Stomps to Maclin in the corner, followed by a shot to the back as we go to break.
Back from break and Maclin is chopping Alexander in the corner. Whip across the ring, Josh up and over, he hits an armdrag takedown into a shoulderlock. Maclin to his feet and fights out of the hold, Alexander with a knee and snap suplex, cover for less than one. Alexander with a chop in the corner, and another. PCO tags in and we get a whip into the ropes, double back elbow to Maclin. PCO grabs Maclin and turns to Bully, with Maclin taking over and getting a knee of the ropes. Maclin knee chokes PCO against the ropes, he goes into the ropes and gets nailed by PCO.
Josh tags in and batters Maclin in the corner. Maclin dodges a chop and hits several of his own. WHip across the ring, Josh with a back elbow and a charging boot to the head. Waistlock but Maclin goes for the tricep, he sends Josh into the ropes and hits a back elbow.
Bully in now and stomps on Josh. Shot to the head and one of the chest, Josh whipped across the ring but gets a back elbow on Bully. Front dropkick off the second rope, followed by a mounted 10 count of punches in the corner. Maclin comes in but gets decked. Bully takes over from the distraction through and hits the jabs — but Alexander gets him on his shoulders. Ray slips off to the apron and gets decked. Alexander into the ropes, but Maclin pulls the ropes down and Josh spills to the floor.
Maclin tags in and works over Josh on the outside. Back in the ring, Maclin with a two-count followed by knees and kicks to the back. Suplex by Maclin, cover gets two. Maclin goes into a chinlock to wear Alexander down but Josh back to his feet and hits a jawbreaker. Josh goes for the tag, Maclin blocks it and hits a backbreaker for a nearfall.
Bully tags in now and stomps on Josh’s hand. Short-arm clothesline and another. He goes for a third but Josh ducks and hits a German suplex. Both men down, the ref counts to five before PCO tags in as does Maclin. PCO beats on Maclin, sent into the corner and comes out with a lariat. DDT by PCO, Irish whip, Maclin ducks the lariat and takes a shot at Josh but gets knocked down. Maclin up to the second rope, PCO with a lungblower. PCO with a legdrop from the second rope, Maclin to the outside. PCO off the ropes and dives onto Maclin!
PCO is staring at Bully, who is backing away in fear. Bully runs into the ring and PCO follows, Bully yells “NO!” He extends a hand, and PCO goozles him! He goes for the chokeslam, PCO fights him off but Bully with a low blow and roll-up for three.
Winner: Steve Maclin & Billy Ray (10:53)
Rating: ** 3/4
Thoughts: Look, you either like PCO’s gimmick or you don’t. Either way, it plays well into Impact’s wacky style and as a match, it was fine. I wouldn’t call it great by any stretch but it told a decent story and Bully and Maclin getting the win makes sense to build the intrigue for tomorrow..
And with that, we’re done for the night!
