‘Impact Wrestling’ Review (Apr 6th 2023)
Welcome to this week’s review of Impact Wrestling, which this week opens with a Before the Impact match that saw Heath & Rhino defeat Champagne Singh & Shera. Let’s get into the review…
Match #1: Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley) def. TMDK (Shane Haste & Bad Dude Tito)
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Top tag teams collide in tonight’s opener! Haste attacks Shelley on the apron, allowing Tito to blindside Sabin at the opening bell. The Guns quickly turn the tide with slingshot crossbodies to the outside. Tito hits Sabin with a standing Blue Thunder Bomb, followed by a running cannonball from Haste to regain control. The Guns quicken the pace as Shelley makes the tag to Sabin. Haste gets caught with a tornado DDT from Sabin. Haste comes back with a modified back suplex to Sabin. Shelley pushes Tito off the top rope. Sabin dives through the ropes, colliding with TMDK on the floor. Everyone is down following a flurry of offense. Shelley traps Haste in a Crucifix, then Sabin transitions into a pin to score the victory.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: Mike Bailey vs. Jonathan Gresham (No Contest)
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
It’s the rubber match between Mike Bailey and Jonathan Gresham but the stakes are higher than ever – the winner will challenge Trey Miguel for the X-Division Title at Rebellion! Speaking of Miguel, he joins Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt on commentary. Gresham hits a dropkick, but Bailey comes back with a flurry of kicks. Both men are down as they collide with running crossbodies. Chops are exchanged in the middle of the ring before Gresham gains control with a springboard Moonsault, followed by a dive to the floor. Gresham locks in the Figure Four Leg Lock and they tumble to the outside once again. Miguel gets in their face at ringside as Bailey capitalizes with a springboard Moonsault to Gresham. Miguel hits a springboard dropkick to both competitors, ending the match in a no contest.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #3: Jody Threat def. Tara Rising
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Jody Threat makes her highly-anticipated IMPACT Wrestling debut! During the match, we see that Santino Marella has been attacked backstage. Threat hits multiple running uppercuts in the corner, followed by a brutal series of clotheslines. Rising counters a powerslam attempt but that only fires Threat up. Threat hits running double knees to the back. Threat connects with the F416 to score the dominant victory.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: Tommy Dreamer, Yuya Uemura & Darren McCarty def. Bully Ray & The Good Hands
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
NHL legend Darren McCarty joins forces with Tommy Dreamer and Yuya Uemura to fight back against Bully Ray and The Good Hands! Bully illegally knees Dreamer from the apron, allowing Hotch to gain control. Bully tags into the match once Dreamer is down but is quickly planted with a DDT. Dreamer makes the tag to McCarty, who enters the match with a burst of speed. McCarty brings the fight to The Good Hands, taking them down with a double clothesline. McCarty launches them both over the top rope, before Uemura soars with a double crossbody to the floor. McCarty challenges Bully to meet him in the ring but Bully retreats up the ramp. McCarty hits a Stunner on Skyler to score the pinfall victory.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #5: Eddie Edwards def. PCO
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
PCO finally gets his hands on Eddie Edwards in what promises to be a brutal grudge match! The bell rings and the fight is on. PCO picks him off the top rope with a Hurricanrana. The brawl spills to the floor where PCO counters a Tiger Driver into a back body drop. PCO continues the attack with a running clothesline. Back in the ring, Edwards turns the tide with a thunderous Superplex. Both men exchange chops before PCO drives him over the top rope to the floor. PCO dives through the ropes, colliding with Edwards on the outside. PCO hits a chokeslam on the hardest part of the ring. Moments later, he crushes Edwards with the De-animator. Edwards pulls the referee in harm’s way as PCO crushes him in the corner. Alisha Edwards comes down to ringside and in a shocking turn of events, cracks PCO over the head with a kendo stick. Edwards capitalizes with a buckle bomb, followed by the Boston Knee Party to win.
My Score: 3 out of 5
News of the Night:
- Motor City Machine Guns challenge reigning IMPACT World Tag Team Champions the Bullet Club to an Ultimate X match at Rebellion.
- Trey Miguel will defend the X-Division Title in a 3-Way Elimination match against both Jonathan Gresham and Mike Bailey at Rebellion.
- At Rebellion it will be Santino Marella, Dirty Dango and Digital Media Champion Joe Hendry versus The Design in a six-man tag team match.
- Josh Alexander relinquished the IMPACT World Title due to injury.
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
Another solid night of wrestling action from the folks at Impact. Jody Threat finally made her in-ring debut and we got five good matches across the board. I get why the Gresham/Bailey match ended in a no contest but one day those two will have to have an actual third match to determine the best of the duo. This week’s show did well to build matches and storylines for Rebellion, the next Impact pay-per-view and despite finishing with another Josh Alexander promo (you know I always prefer an actual main event to end a show) this was an all-round great episode of Impact yet again.
