‘Impact Wrestling: Rebellion 2023’ PPV Review
Welcome to this review of Impact Wrestling’s Rebellion pay-per-view, right here on Nerdly. I’m editor Phil and we have plenty of big matches to get to, so let’s see if Impact can pull off another banger of a PPV!
Match #1: Champagne Singh & Shera def. Heath & Rhino
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Rhino goes for the Gore on Shera but Singh trips him up from the outside. Shera begins to wear down Rhino. Moments later, Rhino creates an opening but Shera knocks Heath off the apron to prevent him from making the tag. Rhino hits Singh with a belly-to-belly suplex, allowing him to finally make the tag to Heath. The pace quickens as Heath clotheslines Shera over the top rope to the floor. Singh pins Heath with his feet on the ropes and an assist from Shera to win.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #2: Knockouts World Tag Team Championship – The Coven (Taylor Wilde & KiLynn King) def. Death Dollz (Rosemary & Jessicka)
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Rosemary hits a running splash on King. Rosemary tries to bite her face off but King counters with a jawbreaker clothesline combo. King gets illegally involved from the outside, taking out Rosemary and keeping her team in control. The Coven begin to wear Rosemary down as they cut off the ring and prevent her from making the tag. Rosemary rises up from the mat as she fights back against Wilde. Rosemary makes the tag to Jessicka who enters the match with a burst of speed. Jessicka slams Wilde on top of her own partner. Rosemary spears King for a very close near fall. Rosemary ducks a kick from King, causing her to collide with Jessicka instead. Wilde makes the blind tag and hits the Wilde Ride on Rosemary. Wilde follows up with the swinging neck breaker to win.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: Ultimate X for the IMPACT World Tag Team Championship – A B C (Ace Austin & Chris Bey) def. Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley)
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Sabin repeatedly pulls Ace’s arm through the steel truss. Meanwhile, Shelley ties up Bey with a Figure Four Leg Lock. Sabin tries to climb up but Ace quickly pulls him down. Shelley hits a double clothesline on Ace and Bey. Everyone is down following a flurry of offense. Bey connects with the slingshot DDT on Shelley. Bey soars with a step-up Moonsault to the outside. Ace takes flight with the Soar to Glory, taking out both of the Guns. All four competitors climb across the cables towards the IMPACT World Tag Team Titles. We reach a stalemate as everyone falls to the mat below. A B C hit The Art of Finesse, followed by The Fold. Ace boosts Bey up towards the cables. Bey unhooks both titles, awarding the victory to A B C.
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #4: Joe Hendry, Dirty Dango & Santino Marella def. The Design (Deaner, Angels, Kon & Callihan)
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Marella is competing in his first televised match in 9 years as he nearly unleashes the Cobra on Angels. Moments later, Angels delivers a strong Irish whip into the turnbuckles. Marella turns it around with a deadlift Saito suplex, allowing him to make the tag to Hendry. Hendry’s power is put on display as he tosses Deaner, Angels and Callihan across the ring. He’s about to do the same to Kon but falls victim to the numbers game. Kon provides a distraction from the apron, and Deaner capitalizes. Dango hits a big back body drop on Angels. Marella is on fire as he re-enters the fray. The action is fast and furious, culminating with a double Fallaway Slam from Hendry. Callihan spikes Hendry with the Cactus Driver 97. Dango soars over the top rope, colliding with Kon and Angels on the floor. Deaner instructs Callihan to assault Marella with his signature baseball bat. Instead, Callihan turns on Deaner and takes him out. Callihan leaves the IMPACT Zone and The Design’s numbers advantage is over. Marella hits Deaner with the Cobra to win.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #5: Last Rites Match – PCO def. Eddie Edwards
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
PCO catches Edwards off-guard with a big Tope Con Hilo. Edwards dives through the ropes with a shot of adrenaline, taking out PCO on the floor. PCO hits a jumping leg drop to the back of the neck. PCO launches himself off the top, crushing Edwards with the De-Animator. Edwards hits a Blue Thunder Bomb as PCO’s shoulder appears to be dislocated. PCO smashes his own shoulder into the steel ring post, popping it back in place. Both men exchange slaps in the middle of the ring. Edwards hits a Buckle Bomb but it has no effect as PCO immediately bounces back. PCO connects with the PCO-Sault. PCO catches him in mid-air and hits a chokeslam on the side of the ramp. Edwards kicks PCO off the ramp as he crashes back-first onto the floor. Edwards tries to place PCO in the the casket but is unsuccesful. They brawl up the ramp where Edwards clobbers him with a kendo stick. Edwards hits the Boston Knee Party and places PCO in the casket. PCO will not die as he prevents Edwards from closing the lid. Alisha blindsides PCO with a shovel. Edwards accidently superkicks his own wife. PCO uses the shovel on Edwards, then Chokeslams him into the casket. PCO shuts the lid to win.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #6: 3-Way Elimination Match for the X-Division Championship – Trey Miguel def. Jonathan Gresham and Mike Bailey
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Bailey goes for a dropkick on Miguel but he ducks, causing Bailey to hit Gresham instead. Bailey spikes Miguel while simultaneously locking in a Figure Four on Gresham. The pace quickens as Gresham hits Miguel with a driver. Bailey catches Gresham with a Poison Rana. Bailey counters Miguel’s Lightning Spiral as they both topple over the top rope to the floor. Miguel gets a piece of Gresham before hitting Bailey with a cutter on the outside. Back in the ring, Miguel delivers a running cutter to Gresham for a very close near fall. Gresham locks in a Figure Four on Bailey. Miguel hits the Meteora on Gresham to score the elimination. We’re down to two as Miguel locks in his own Figure Four. Bailey connects with a running Spanish Fly but it’s not enough to keep him down. Bailey crashes and burns on a Tornado Kick attempt. Bailey drives his knees into the ribs of Miguel. Miguel avoids Ultima Weapon, then rolls up Bailey with a handful of tights to win.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #7: Hardcore War – Team Dreamer (Tommy Dreamer, Frankie Kazarian, Yuya Uemura, Bhupinder Gujjar & Killer Kelly) def. Team Bully (Bully Ray, Moose, Brian Myers, Kenny King & Masha Slamovich)
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Moose and Frankie Kazarian begin the match for their respective teams. Kazarian sends Moose into the steel ring post. Kazarian hits the slingshot DDT, followed by his signature springboard leg drop. Moose assaults him with a trash can but Kazarian quickly turns it around. Brian Myers enters the match for Team Bully. Kazarian lifts Moose up and over the top rope, sending him crashing into his own teammate. Kazarian is about to suplexed through two tables when Bhupinder Gujjar evens the odds for Team Dreamer. Gujjar uses a cheese grater on Myers’ forehead. Kenny King is out next, once again providing Team Bully with the numbers advantage. Killer Kelly enters the match, as she uses a staple gun on King, Myers, Moose and even herself. Masha Slamovich joins the fray for Team Bully. Myers launches Kelly over the top rope into a sea of humanity on the floor. Slamovich soars through the air with a chair, taking out everyone on the outside. Yuya Uemura is out next as he brings the fight to Myers. Team Dreamer holds the ring before the leader of Team Bully, Bully Ray, enters Hardcore War with a table. Killer Kelly is defenseless against Team Bully when Tommy Dreamer joins Hardcore War as the final entrant. Kelly bites Bully as Dreamer attacks him with a kendo stick. Kelly and Slamovich break up a series of submissions with steel chairs. Kelly hits Slamovich with a Death Valley Driver into a chair. Dreamer redirects Moose, causing him to inadvertantly spear Bully. King takes out Gujjar with a huge Blockbuster. Kelly locks in the Killer Clutch on King but Slamovich breaks it up with the Snow Plow. Slamovich goes low on Kazarian but Dreamer makes her pay with a Piledriver. The Good Hands hit the ring to attack Dreamer. Kazarian sends Skyler crashing through two tables with the slingshot cutter. Bully tells the referees to hold the ladder for him but they turn him down. The referees gain a measure of revenge as they pummel him with fists. Dreamer hits the Dreamer Driver on Bully for two. Dreamer launches himself off the ladder with a crossbody, sending Bully through a table. Dreamer pins Bully to bring an end to their Hardcore War.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #8: IMPACT World Championship – Steve Maclin def. KUSHIDA
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
The bell rings and KUSHIDA immediately goes for the Hoverboard Lock. Maclin retreats to the outside in hopes of regaining his composure. Maclin slows the pace down and takes control. Maclin hits a back breaker, targeting the core of KUSHIDA. The fight spills to the outside where Maclin delivers a clothesline, followed by a thudding suplex. Maclin jumps off the apron with a flying knee. Back in the ring, Maclin hits an Olympic Slam for two. Maclin goes for another Olympic Slam but this time KUSHIDA counters into a handspring back elbow. KUSHIDA spikes him with a Fisherman’s Buster for a very close near fall. KUSHIDA avoids Caught in the Crosshairs and hits a Pele Kick on the ramp. Both men are down following a German suplex from Maclin. Maclin almost puts him away with a buckle bomb, powerbomb combo. KUSHIDA picks him off the top rope and locks in the Hoverboard Lock. Maclin makes it to the bottom rope, forcing KUSHIDA to break the hold. KUSHIDA drives him face-first into the French announce table. KUSHIDA is Caught in the Crosshairs. Maclin spikes him with the KIA but somehow KUSHIDA kicks out at two. KUSHIDA catches Maclin in the Hoverboard Lock but Maclin fights out of it. KUSHIDA locks in yet another Hoverboard Lock but this time Maclin hits a super KIA to win.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #9: Knockouts World Championship – Deonna Purrazzo def. Jordynne Grace
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Grace headbutts Purrazzo off the apron. Grace dives through the ropes, sending Purrazzo back-first into the steel guardrail. Grace hits the Juggernaut Jackhammer on the floor. Grace puts her strength on display as she hits a 20-second delayed vertical suplex. Purrazzo connects with a side Russian leg sweep, then momentarily locks in the Fujiwara Armbar. Grace breaks free but Purrazzo kicks her through the ropes. Purrazzo hits a Moonsault off the ramp to the floor. Purrazzo hits a Flatliner, then transitions into the Koji Clutch. Grace counters a Figure Four attempt into a Sleeper. Both Knockouts are down following a clash of heads. Grace hits a thunderous Spinebuster for two. Moments later, Grace connects with the Grace Driver but it’s not enough to keep Purrazzo down. Purrazzo hits Queen’s Gambit to score the pinfall.
My Score: 4 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
Last year I said that Rebellion wasn’t up to par with some of the year’s pay-per-views that had come before it. The same cannot be said for this year’s Rebellion, which managed to overcome the loss of not one but TWO champions to injury and create another superb show. Hell, even the Hardcore War match was good… Something I, honestly, did not expect. I think – for the most part – the right people won the right matches, though it’s going to be interesting to see just how long Maclin has the Men’s title given that Nick Aldis is apparently back in Impact – the place where, for many, he made his name. He’s come a long way since the British Invasion angle in the old-school TNA days but I think Macling represents something Aldis doesn’t. Maclin feels like a veteran, an underdog who’s scraped his way from the bottom of the ladder to the top and for Aldis to come up in challenge for the title – as possibly somewhat of an entitled character, with the backing of Scott D’Amore could really make for some enthralling TV. If Impact does it right. Plus, they should really play up the husband and wife champs – hell, make them despised heels who rule with iron fists!