Impact Wrestling Review 18/5/23
This weeks action begins Before the IMPACT with this match:
The Design (Deaner & Kon) w/ Angels vs Johnny Swinger & Zicky Dice
Dice shows off his athleticism in the early going as he does a cartwheel in the middle of the ring. Deaner isn’t impressed and delivers a straight right hand to the jaw of Dice. Swinger and Kon engage in a test of strength, which Kon easily wins. Angels delivers a cheap shot to Swinger while Deaner has the referee distracted. Deaner then bites Swinger and The Design is in total control. Swinger avoids a diving headbutt from Deaner, allowing him to finally make the tag to Dice. The pace quickens as Dice pummels Kon in the corner with a series of fists. Kon quickly turns the tide and powerbombs Dice into the mat. Deaner finishes off Dice with The Antidote to win.
A decent match to kick things off. I still can’t take a Johnny Swinger and Zicky Dice match seriously though. It wasn’t the worst Swinger match I’ve watched though. Grade C-
IMPACT now goes Live!
Match 1: X-Division Champion Trey Miguel vs Laredo Kid
Laredo Kid battles the reigning X-Division Champion in our opening contest! Miguel is in control as he grounds the Luchador. Moments later, Kid counters a back suplex attempt and quickens the pace with a Michinoku Driver. Kid hits a springboard Moonsault to the spine of Miguel. Kid spikes Miguel on the top of his head for two. Miguel regains control with a dropkick to the back of the head. Kid counters the Lightning Spiral, prompting Miguel to rip off Kid’s mask. Miguel rolls him up to score the three count.
Awesome match, shame about the cheap finish with the removal of the mask, but obviously it's keeping within the character of Trey. Trey is such an incredible talent, I really hope he goes far in his career. Grade B+
After the match, Miguel holds the broadcast hostage as he says that he’s not going anywhere until he gets the respect that he deserves. Miguel’s X-Division Title challenger at Under Siege, Chris Sabin, confronts him in the ring. Sabin tells Miguel that if he wants respect, he better start giving it. Sabin says that Miguel disrespected every X-Division Champion of all time when he defaced the X-Division Title. Sabin vows to become the first-ever 9-time X-Division Champion at Under Siege. Miguel backs off as Sabin stands tall.
Backstage Segment: Gisele Shaw isn’t happy with Jai Vidal after he posted a selfie of him and Trinity last week. Trinity tells Vidal to stop being Shaw’s do-boy and that if Shaw has a problem with her, they can settle it in a match at Under Siege.
Backstage Segment: Sami Callihan and Rich Swann reflect on the ups and downs of their friendship over the last several years. Swann will join forces with Callihan to battle The Design at Under Siege.
Match 2: IMPACT World Tag Team Champion Ace Austin w/ Chris Bey vs Jason Hotch w/ John Skyler & Brian Myers
The early advantage goes to Austin as he connects with a side Russian leg sweep. Hotch sends Austin into the top rope, then gains control with a running clothesline. Hotch hits a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Austin bounces back by stomping Hotch face-first into the mat. Austin is setting up for The Fold when Myers distracts the referee, allowing Skyler to get involved. Bey neutralises Skyler at ringside but that doesn’t stop Myers from delivering a right hand to Austin. Hotch rolls him up to score the victory.
Another good match. I’m enjoying the mentor/mentee relationship between Brian Myers and the Good Hands and I always enjoy watching Ace Austin and Chris Bey. Looking forward to watching a tag team match between these two teams. Not a fan of the interference win, but overall a good match. Grade B+
Backstage Segment: Champagne Singh and Shera are back in the good graces of IMPACT World Champion Steve Maclin after they took out Heath last week.
Backstage Interview: Gia Miller interviews Jordynne Grace, but is interrupted by Alisha Edwards. Alisha claims that Jordynne Grace purposely knocked Deonna Purrazzo off the apron during their Knockouts World Tag Team Title opportunity last week.
Match 3: Trinity vs Knockouts World Tag Team Champion KiLynn King w/ Taylor Wilde
Trinity hits the running splits to the midsection of King. Trinity shows King some attitude when Wilde trips her up from the outside. King clobbers Trinity from behind to gain control. King puts her strength on display as she hits a clothesline. King distracts the referee, allowing Wilde to once again get involved from ringside. Wilde trips Trinity on the top rope but this time, she’s caught by the official who ejects her from ringside. Trinity soars with a crossbody off the top. Trinity builds momentum with a series of clotheslines, followed by a springboard dropkick. Trinity almost puts King away with a top rope Blockbuster. Trinity spikes her face-first into the mat but it’s not enough to keep King down. King comes back with the Death Valley Driver for a very close near fall of her own. Trinity locks in her Starstruck submission to win.
An OK match from these women. I think I expected more from Trinity’s debut, but it wasn’t a terrible match. Hopefully, Trinity will have an exceptional match at Under Siege and shows everyone that she is an amazing athlete.
After the match, Jai Vidal interrupts Trinity’s celebration and informs her that Gisele Shaw has accepted her challenge for a match at Under Siege. Vidal looks to deliver another message from Shaw in the form of a slap but Trinity counters with a head kick.
Backstage Segment: Steve Maclin, Champagne Singh and Shera deliver a brutal assault to PCO in the backstage area. In an attempt to take PCO out of action before their scheduled World Title match at Under Siege, Maclin smashes concrete blocks on his back with a sledgehammer.
Backstage Segment: Jessicka is confronted by The Coven while she waits for Rosemary to return from the Undead Realm.
Match 4: Jody Threat vs Sierra
Threat is in control following a seated senton from the top rope. Sierra creates an opening with a jawbreaker but Threat immediately regains control. Threat hits a German suplex, followed by the F416 to win.
A quick squash match. Nothing really of note to say about this one. Hopefully we will get to see matches with Jody Threat in them that are more evenly matched. Grade D-
Backstage Segment: Eddie Edwards tells Frankie Kazarian to follow his lead in tonight’s star-studded six-man tag team main event.
Backstage Segment: During a scuffle between Digital Media Champion Joe Hendry and Dirty Dango, it’s revealed that Dango was the one who attacked Santino Marella just a few weeks ago. Dango assaults Hendry and closes the case.
Main Event Match: Moose, Eddie Edwards & Frankie Kazarian vs Jonathan Gresham, Yuya Uemura & Alex Shelley
Gresham hits Edwards with a springboard Moonsault, then immediately dives through the ropes to take out Kazarian on the floor. Shelley gets two for one as he takes out Moose and Edwards with combination offence. Moose and Edwards bend the rules in order to gain control and warn Kazarian not to get in their way. Edwards locks in a Sleeper on Shelley, followed by the Boston Knee Party. The pace quickens as Uemura enters that match, who plants Moose with a bulldog off the second rope. Uemura hits Edwards with a back suplex for two. Edwards comes back with the Blue Thunder Bomb but he’s unable to follow up with the pin. Moose hits Uemura with a thunderous powerbomb for a very close near fall. The action is fast and furious as Kazarian catches Gresham with a mid-air leg drop. Kazarian spikes Shelley with the slingshot DDT for two. Edwards tags himself into the match and hits a Backpack Stunner on Shelley. The match begins to break down as everyone gets involved. Uemura launches himself off the top rope, taking out Moose with a crossbody on the floor. Tensions explode between Edwards and Kazarian as Kazarian takes him out with a clothesline. Shelley puts Edwards away with the Shell Shock for three.
A fast paced, action-packed main event. A bit unbalanced in the teams but that was always going to be the way with the participants involved. I am looking forward to the Number 1 contenders match at Under Siege between these men. A pretty good main event match. Grade B.
Overall, a good episode of Impact. There were some matches I didn’t enjoy, but that could have been due to my expectations of them and not a true reflection on the actual match itself. Getting more hyped up for Under Siege, hoping it will be a good PPV.