‘Impact Wrestling’ Review (Oct 12th 2023)
Welcome to this week’s review of Impact Wrestling, which this week opens with a Before the Impact match that saw Alan Angels defeat Laredo Kid. Let’s get into the review…
Match #1: IMPACT World Tag Team Championship – The Rascalz (Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz) def. Rich Swann & Sami Callihan
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Who will walk into Bound For Glory as the IMPACT World Tag Team Champions? The winning team will defend against ABC at the biggest show of the year. Wentz makes a blind tag, then hangs up Callihan on the ropes. Wentz hits the double knees, followed by a neckbreaker from Miguel. The Rascalz cut off the ring and begin to wear Callihan down with two-on-one offense. Moments later, Callihan creates separation with a big clothesline to Miguel. Swann is tagged into the match as the pace begins to quicken. Swann hits a diving senton, crashing into both of his opponents on the outside. Swann is perched on the top but Miguel slows him down. Wentz capitalizes with a Superplex to shut down Swann’s momentum. Miguel counters a Chokeslam from Callihan but he transitions into a reverse Chokeslam instead. Swann and Callihan bite the Rascalz before everyone collides in the middle of the ring. Miguel and Swann exchange strikes before the Rascalz almost put him away with a double team Blockbuster. Miguel creates a distraction with the title belt but inadvertently blinds Wentz with the spray paint. Callihan hits Wentz with an assisted Cactus Driver 97 for two. Miguel trips up Swann on the top as Wentz delivers a discreet low blow to Callihan. The Rascalz hit Hot Fire Flame on Callihan to win.
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #2: Dirty Dango def. Jake Something, Eric Young, Jordynne Grace & Champagne Singh
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
The winner of this match will enter the Call Your Shot Gauntlet at #20 and the loser will enter at #1! Young squares off with Something as the two exchange hard-hitting offense. Both men are down following double clotheslines in the middle of the ring. Dango and Singh create an impromptu alliance as they focus their attack on Grace. Both go for a pin attempt and begin to argue. They refocus and connect with a double vertical suplex on Grace. Dango heads to the top but Singh commits the betrayal and trips him up. Grace hits Singh with the Juggernaut Jackhammer but Dango breaks the pin. Something spears Dango in the corner, followed by a powerbomb. Singh dumps him to the outside and tries to steal the pin but Dango kicks out. Grace hits a Tower of Doom out of the corner but Dango breaks the pin with the Last Drop from the top. Young has Dango beat following a top rope elbow drop but Alpha Bravo pulls him off the pin. Young decks him on the floor but gets caught with a blindside assault from Singh. Out of nowhere, Oleg Prudius makes his shocking IMPACT debut and lays out both Young and Singh at ringside. Dango sends Something into a headbutt from Prudius, then capitalizes with the Dead End to win.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Tasha Steelz def. Courtney Rush
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
Tasha Steelz looks to continue her momentum before she and Deonna Purrazzo challenge MK Ultra for the Knockouts World Tag Team Titles at Bound For Glory! Rush hits a running splash in the corner. Purrazzo distracts Rush from the outside, allowing Steelz to gain control with a superkick. Steelz hits the Three Amigos, then taunts Jessicka from inside the ring. Rush rolls her up for two but Steelz quickly regains control with a pump kick. Both Knockouts are down following double clotheslines. Rush forgets that she’s in a singles match and tries to tag in Jessicka. Rush refocuses and locks in the Sharpshooter. Steelz crawls to the bottom rope in order to to break the hold. Steelz counters the spear into a cutter for three.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: 2 out of 3 Falls Killer IMPACT Match – Frankie Kazarian def. Eddie Edwards
The following is courtesy of impactwrestling.com:
The deeply-personal rivalry between Eddie Edwards and Frankie Kazarian will have its final chapter written in a 2 Out of 3 Falls Killer IMPACT match! The first fall must be won by pinfall, the second by submission and the third, if necessary, will be contested under Last Man Standing rules. Kazarian misses a springboard leg drop attempt, allowing Edwards to capitalize with the Boston Knee Party to score the pin, awarding him the first fall.
The second fall begins and Edwards fights off a Chicken Wing attempt, then sends Kazarian crashing to the floor with a back suplex. The fight spills to the outside where Edwards assaults him with a series of chops. Kazarian is busted open but that doesn’t stop him from firing back. Back in the ring, Kazarian quickens the pace with an explosive clothesline. Edwards shuts down his momentum with double knees, followed by a Boston Crab submission. Edwards hits a Backpack Stunner out of the corner but Kazarian transitions into a Chicken Wing to win the second fall by submission.
The third fall is underway as Kazarian hits a slingshot Hurricanrana on the floor. Kazarian introduces a plethora of weapons into the match. Kazarian assaults Edwards with repeated trash can shots but Edwards makes it back to hit feet at the referee’s count of 7. Edwards launches Kazarian into a ringside official, before connecting with another belly-to-belly suplex on the floor. Kazarian is back up at 8 and shows signs of life with his signature cutter. Edwards hits a hip toss into the steel steps. Turnabout is fair play as Kazarian connects with an Unprettier on the steps. Kazarian is perched on the top but Alisha Edwards cracks him in the head with Kendra, the kendo stick. Edwards follows up with thudding Superplex into a pile of steel chairs. They fight to the top of the ramp where Kazarian goes low and hits a Styles Clash on the stage. Kazarian makes Alisha pay by driving her through a table at ringside. Kazarian sends Eddie through a table with the Fade to Black. Edwards is down for the 10 count, awarding the final fall to Kazarian.
My Score: 4.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
Goddamn, this was one HELL of a show this week! A superb opening tag match kicked things off (I for one will be sorry to see Callihan go) then we got a great 5-person match (surprisingly good of a multi-person match IMHO) and a good women’s match that continued the overall storylines/battle lines being drawn in the division. Then we got the 2 out of 3 falls match… Which was fantastic! We’ve got Bound For Glory coming up and that match would have been a perfect end to a PPV never mind a regular TV episode. Madness! What a week for Impact to have when everyone else is talking about Tuesday night’s feud, they should be talking about Thursday night’s dominance!
