‘Impact Wrestling’ Review (March 17th 2022)
Welcome to this week’s review of Impact Wrestling, which this week opens with a Before the Impact match that saw The Good Brothers’ Karl Anderson beat Violent By Design’s Deaner. With that out of the way let’s get right into the main show and this review!
Match #1: Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley) def. Bullet Club (Jay White & Chris Bey)
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
IMPACT! kicks off in a big way with this first-time-ever tag team match between the Bullet Club and the reuniting Motor City Machine Guns! Shelley offer his hand to White but once again, he refuses to shake it. The Guns gain the early advantage with a double running kick to Bey. Sabin and Shelley lock in their own respective submissions on both members of the Bullet Club. White fights out of it and breaks up the submission attempt on Bey. Sabin dives through the ropes, colliding with his opponents on the floor. White trips up Sabin on the top rope, allowing Bey to dive over the top rope to the outside. Shelley avoids a double foot stomp from Bey, then plants him face-first into the turnbuckle. Sabin is on fire as he hits White with a back body drop, then picks Bey out of mid-air with a dropkick. Bey connects with a spin-out neckbreaker for a near fall. The Guns hit Skull and Bones on Bey to score the three count as White just misses the opportunity to break it up!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #2: Steve Maclin def. Rhino
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Rhino is out for revenge after Steve Maclin cost him his match against Eddie Edwards at Sacrifice! Anthony Carelli joins Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt on commentary. Carelli reveals Maclin’s motive for the attack: the constant rejection of his truth that Eddie Edwards was the one Team IMPACT couldn’t trust. Rhino charges at Maclin to gain the early advantage. Maclin chokes him up on the ropes, then delivers a series of strikes of turn the tide. Maclin hits a DDT for two. Rhino avoids a headbutt from the second rope, giving him the opportunity to recover. Maclin hits Rhino with a Gore of his own to win!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Bhupinder Gujjar def. Larry D
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Commentate-A-Pro Brian Myers provides alternate commentary from his very own announce desk as Bhupinder Gujjar looks to continue his winning ways against the returning Larry D! Gujjar takes out the leg of Larry, then follows up with a springboard elbow drop. Raj Singh makes his way to ringside and the distraction allows Larry to attack him from behind. Larry hits a spinning clothesline for two. Gujjar fights back with a Slingblade. Gujjar connects with his signature spear out of the corner to win!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #4: Triple Threat Match for the AAA Reina de Reinas & ROH Women’s World Championships – Deonna Purrazzo def. Gisele Shaw & Lady Frost
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
It’s the biggest Champ Champ Challenge ever as Deonna Purrazzo puts both of her titles on the line against Gisele Shaw and Lady Frost in a Triple Threat match! All three Knockouts exchange pin attempts in the opening seconds of the match, leading to a series of near falls. Shaw hits Purrazzo with a Hurricanrana but she gets taken out with a top rope crossbody from Frost. Shaw sends Purrazzo shoulder-first into the steel ring post, taking her out of the equation momentarily. Purrazzo locks in the Fujiwara Armbar on Shaw while Frost locks in a leg lock on Purrazzo. Frost hits the Snowball Fight cannonball on Shaw. Moments later, everyone goes for a ride as Purrazzo German suplexes Frost while she simultaneously German suplexes Shaw. Frost connects with a Blockbuster to Shaw but Purrazzo hits her Queen’s Gambit to retain her titles!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #5: JONAH def. Zicky Dice
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Zicky Dice looks to bounce back but standing in his way is the man who took out PCO with a vicious piledriver, JONAH! JONAH hits a clubbing blow to Dice, followed by the Tsunami splash to win in mere seconds!
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #6: Masha Slamovich def. Arie
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Arie offers to start the match with a handshake but Slamovich makes her pay with a back suplex. Slamovich hits a spinning heel kick in the corner, followed by the Snow Plow to score another dominant victory!
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #7: Josh Alexander def. Matt Taven
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Following last week’s confrontation between Josh Alexander and Honor No More, Alexander looks to deal a blow to the renegade group in tonight’s main event vs Matt Taven! Maria Kanellis joins Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt on commentary. Taven takes Alexander off the top as he targets his left arm. Taven hits a Flatliner, then floats over into a submission. Alexander connects with a German suplex but Taven shuts him down with a twisting neck breaker. Taven attempts a springboard Moonsault but Alexander gets his knees up to create separation. Taven avoids a C4 Spike and hits the Purple Thunder Bomb. Taven remains in control with Just the Tip. Alexander hits a running crossbody to the back of Taven. Alexander counters the Climax into an Ankle Lock but Taven gets to the ropes. Alexander connects with a Superplex, followed by the C4 Spike to win!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
Holy hell this was a great episode of Impact! The show opened with a brilliant tag team match, the Rhino/Maclin match totally surprised and the main event was another top-notch match. In between we got some good matches and two squashes that made sense given who was involved in them. The only thing that really disappointed was the Champ Champ challenge match – not because it was bad but because Gisele Shaw brought down the quality of the entire match which, had it just been Purrazzi and Frost, could have been as good as this shows opening and closing matches.
