‘Impact Wrestling’ Review (Feb 23rd 2023)
Welcome to this week’s review of Impact Wrestling, which this week opens with a Before the Impact match that saw Kevin Knight defeat Jack Price. Let’s get into the review…
Match #1: Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley) def. Mike Bailey & Jonathan Gresham
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Before they face each other tomorrow night on Countdown to No Surrender, Mike Bailey and Jonathan Gresham join forces to battle the reigning IMPACT World Tag Team Champions, the Motor City Machine Guns! Shelley tweaks his knee in the early going, allowing Bailey to gain control with double team offense to the Guns. Gresham turns the Guns’ own offense against them, then traps Sabin in a pinning predicament for two. The Guns bounce back with a Magic Killer to Gresham but it’s not enough. Gresham hit a delayed vertical suplex, then makes the tag to Bailey. He ties up the legs of Shelley and simultaneously delivers an innovative suplex to Sabin. Bailey soars with a springboard Moonsault, colliding with Sabin on the outside. Gresham locks in the Figure Four on Shelley as Bailey drives his knees into his gut. Sabin powerbombs Bailey into Gresham, breaking up the hold in the process. Gresham inadvertently strikes his own partner, leading to the Dirt Bomb for three.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: Beat the Clock Challenge – Tommy Dreamer def. Jason Hotch
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Tommy Dreamer sets the time for tonight’s Beat the Clock Challenge between him and Bully Ray, where the winner will get to speak first during the LIVE Busted Open at No Surrender! Hotch hits a rolling neckbreaker for an early two count. Dreamer bounces back with a top rope Death Valley Driver to win in 1:15.
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #3: Allysin Kay def. Taya Valkyrie
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Allysin Kay competes on IMPACT! for the first time since 2018 as both she and Taya Valkyrie look to build momentum heading into their Knockouts World Tag Team Title match at No Surrender! Valkyrie locks in an early submission attempt but Kay makes it to the bottom rope. Valkyrie remains in control with a spear. Valkyrie hits running double knees in the corner. Kay connects with a big right hand but Valkyrie comes right back with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Kay spikes Valkyrie on the top of her head. Moments later, Marti Belle provides a distraction on the apron but is neutralized by Rosemary and Jessicka. Kay capitalizes with the AK-47 to win.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #4: Frankie Kazarian & Yuya Uemura def. Deaner & Callihan
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
The next step of Callihan’s initiation process will see him team up with the leader of The Design to battle Frankie Kazarian and Yuya Uemura! Callihan takes Kazarian off his feet with a running back elbow before Deaner demands to be tagged in. Moments later, the tide has turned following a flurry of double team offense, culminating with a rolling neckbreaker from Kazarian. Uemura hits the ropes but Deaner delivers a cheap shot from the apron. Deaner distracts the referee, allowing Kon to take out Kazarian with a clothesline. Deaner crashes and burns on a top rope headbutt attempt and Uemura makes the tag to a fired up Kazarian. The pace quickens as Kazarian hits a springboard leg drop on Callihan. This time it’s Angels who provides a distraction as Callihan connects with an Exploder suplex on Kazarian. Uemura unloads on both of his opponents, almost putting Deaner away with a top rope crossbody. Callihan has the match won but Deaner calls for the tag. Just as Callihan is about to tag him in, Deaner drops from the apron and leaves him to fend for himself. Kazarian locks in a submission, forcing Callihan to tap out.
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #5: Beat the Clock Challenge – Bully Ray def. Bhupinder Gujjar
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Now it’s Bully Ray’s turn to compete in the Beat the Clock Challenge! He must best Tommy Dreamer’s established time of 1:15 to earn the right to speak first during tomorrow night’s LIVE Busted Open. The Good Hands immediately provide a distraction, allowing Bully to drill Gujjar with his steel chain to score the victory with 0:45 remaining.
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #6: Monster’s Ball for the X-Division Championship – Trey Miguel def. Crazzy Steve
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
The X-Division Title will be defended in Monster’s Ball for the first time ever as the rivalry between Trey Miguel and Crazzy Steve reaches its boiling point! Of course, Monster’s Ball means there are no disqualifications, no count outs, and anything goes. Steve continues to play mind games with Miguel as his laugh can be heard echoing throughout the IMPACT Zone and fans are seen wearing masquerade masks. Steve hits a back body drop into multiple steel chairs. Miguel bounces back with a running dropkick but just as he’s about to use a trash can, Steve goes low with the staple gun. Steve places a trash can over Miguel and hits a running cannonball in the corner. Moments later, Miguel creates separation with a swinging neckbreaker. Miguel introduces a back of thumbtacks into the match but it comes back to bite him as Steve hits a Black Hole Slam. Both men are down following a double clothesline into the tacks. Steve retrieves “Janice”, the signature weapon of Abyss but Miguel fights him off. Steve instead sends him crashing through a table with the Death Valley Driver. Steve continues his violent assault with a Destroyer into a steel chair but it’s not enough to keep Miguel down. Steve uses Janice on the forehead of Miguel. Miguel delivers a low blow, then hits Roll of the Dice off the apron through a barbed wire board. Miguel drags Steve back into the ring and scores the pinfall to retain.
My Score: 4.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
Well this was one hell of a mixed bag of wrestling wasn’t it?! We got a superb opening match that lose half a point for featuring Jonathan Gresham but otherwise was a cracking start to the show. It was fantastic to see Allysin Kay back in action in an Impact ring again and I’m looking forward to more from her and tag team partner Marti Belle (a woman who should’ve gone onto bigger things than NWA aggggesss ago). Then we had the tag match between Frankie Kazarian and Yuya Uemura and [Sami] Callihan and Deaner, which was another fantastic match. Really, really good stuff. Then there was the main event, a Monster’s Ball match for the X-Division title. Jesus Christ! That was a pay-per-view worthy match on TV and one of my favourite Monster’s Ball matches since the Abyss era if I’m brutally honest. Speaking of old wrestlers from Impact (and TNA’s) past… What the actual F*CK were those Beat the Clock challenges? Two old-school wrestlers doing out of touch stuff that, truly, brought the entire show down a notch. I haven’t seen two matches so bad since the end of Bully Ray’s post-Ace & Eights run back in the day!
