‘Impact Wrestling 1000’ Review (Sept 14th 2023)
Welcome to this week’s review of Impact Wrestling, which this week opens with a Before the Impact match that saw Jody Threat defeat KiLynn King. Let’s get into the review…
Match #1: Feast or Fired – Briefcase Winners: Chris Bey, Crazzy Steve, Yuya Uemura & Moose
The following is courtesy of imapctwrestling.com:
Briefcases hang high above all four ring posts with three containing an opportunity at either the IMPACT World Title, IMPACT World Tag Team Titles or the IMPACT Digital Media Title – the other contains the infamous “fired” slip! IMPACT stars surround the ring and the fight is on. PCO dives through the ropes into a sea of humanity on the outside. Taurus hits KUSHIDA with a backbreaker. Laredo spikes Taurus with a Poison Rana. Bey uses the back of Skyler to give him a boost, allowing him to retrieve briefcase #3. Bey soars over the top rope, taking out everyone and securing his briefcase. There’s a Tower of Doom out of the corner as Callihan and Heath send everyone crashing down to the mat. Callihan and Heath square off before being targeted by the unhinged Crazzy Steve. Steve retrieves case #1 and drives a fork into the gut of Myers to secure his way to the floor. Moose is Caught in the Crosshairs of Maclin, followed by the KIA. Swinger locks in a Sleeper on Vidal. Callihan spikes Bravo with the Cactus Driver 97. Knight hits a springboard crossbody on Skyler. JOYA plant Kid with the One Hit Wonder. Hendry protects Uemura as he retrieves briefcase #4. JOYA play a game of keep-away, allowing Uemura to escape to the floor. Vidal wants to form an alliance with PCO but PCO makes him pay with a Chokeslam. Callihan pulls PCO off the top rope, sending him crashing back-first on the apron. Maclin retrieves the final briefcase but Rhino returns and Gores it out of his hands. The briefcase goes flying and Moose secures it on the outside.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Team 3D (Bully Ray & Devon) def. Desi Hit Squad (Rohit Raju & Champagne Singh)
The following is courtesy of imapctwrestling.com:
The most accomplished tag team in professional wrestling history, Team 3D, competes as a duo for the first time in 7 years! Devon brings the fight to both of his opponents with a double running clothesline. Team 3D hit Singh with their signature back suplex neckbreaker. Raju provides a distraction on the apron, allowing Singh to send Bully soaring off the top rope. Bully spears Raju before making the tag to Devon. The pace quickens as Devon hits Singh with a Spinebuster. Devon shows Raju What’s Up before getting the tables. Ray and Devon put Singh away with the 3D to win.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: Frankie Kazarian & Traci Brooks def. Eddie & Alisha Edwards
The following is courtesy of imapctwrestling.com:
The personal rivalry between these two husband and wife duos reaches its boiling point! The bell rings and Alisha slaps Brooks in the face. Brooks takes Alisha down, then begins pummeling her with strikes. Kazarian hits a slingshot Hurricanrana, taking out Eddie on the floor. Back in the ring, Alisha knees Kazarian from the apron. The distraction allows Eddie to gain control with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Moments later, Kazarian creates separation with a backstabber. Kazarian is about to tag in Brooks but Alisha pulls her off the apron. Alisha spikes Kazarian with a tornado DDT on the outside. Kazarian traps Eddie underneath his weight, then suplexes Alisha to turn the tide. Brooks enters the match with a burst of speed and delivers a spear to Alisha. Brooks counters a Backpack Stunner from Eddie with an eye rake. Brooks hits X Factor on Eddie, followed by a running knee from Kazarian. Brooks connects with Fade to Black to score the pinfall on Alisha.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: X-Division Championship – Chris Sabin def. Lio Rush
The following is courtesy of imapctwrestling.com:
Chris Sabin receives his rematch for the X-Division Title after Lio Rush stole it from him at Slammiversary! Rush knocks him off the apron with a handspring kick, then follows up with a dive through the ropes. Back in the ring, the referee is checking on Sabin but it appears that he’s playing possum as he rolls up Rush for two. Sabin is in control following a strong running clothesline. Rush bounces back with a springboard Hurricanrana. Rush slows the pace down as he ties him up with a submission. Rush hits a belly-to-back suplex for two. Sabin counters an Irish whip, then turns Rush inside out with a Missile Dropkick. Sabin goes for the Cradle Shock but Rush rakes his eyes to counter. Sabin retreats to the outside but Rush follows him with a springboard Moonsault. Rush continues the assault with a vertical suplex on the steel ramp. Moments later, Sabin soars with a Superplex off the top rope. Sabin hits a powerbomb for two. Rush avoids the Cradle Shock once again but Sabin locks in the STF instead. Sabin connects with the Clothesline from Hell, Michigan, followed by the Cradle Shock but Rush somehow kicks out at two. Rush rakes Sabin’s eyes on the top rope, then connects with the Final Hour for a near fall of his own. Sabin hits Shellshock, followed by the Cradle Shock to become a 10-time X-Division Champion.
My Score: 4.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4.5/5
I’m going to say it now, this was a near-perfect episode of Impact! We had a bigger venue, a bigger – and more vocal – crowd, and damn if the celebration of 1000 episodes of Impact didn’t hit things spot on. We got appearances by some Impact stars of the past – seeing all the Knockouts in particular, all together in one ring, was great. Team 3D reunited for a match against a reunited Desi Hit Squad; and Chris Sabin, who main-evented episode one of Impact all those years ago, main-evented this one. And won! Plus we got Traci Brooks, the OG of Imapct’s women’s division in actual action – with a wonderful surprise announcement that she’s being indicted into Impact Hall of Fame this year at Bound For Glory… And this is only week one of the 1000th episode celebrations! Way to set the bar high Impact!
