Impact Wrestling Review – April 20, 2023
Kicking off this week’s Impact with Highlights from Rebellion.
Tom Hannifan hyped the Changing Of The Guard ceremony for this week’s show, where Steve Maclin will be formally crowned Impact World Champion.
6 Man Tag Team Match
X Division Champion Trey Miguel, Mike Bailey & Jonathan Gresham vs. Time Machine (Kushida, Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin)
Alex Shelley & Jonathan Gresham starts the match off with a honorable handshake then both men ending up in a stalemate and handshake during the opening chain wrestling sequence. Mike Bailey & Chris Sabin tag in. Sabin dominated the chain wrestling sequence with arm drags and clunters then Kushida & Trey Miguel tag in.
Miguel hit Kushida with a back rake. Kushida came back with a PK to the left arm of Miguel. Motor City Machine Guns tag in to get the numbers advantage on Miguel. Time Machine traded rapid tags to take turns giving Miguel an arm wrench. Bailey tags in and took an assisted bulldog from Kushida. Time Splitters puts Bailey in a half crab and Crossface which allowed Sabin to hit Bailey with a basement dropkick.
Kushida tags in and softened up Bailey’s left arm with submission variations. Sabin tag in and continued to pummel Bailey’s left arm. Time Machine cut the ring in half on Bailey. Bailey tried to rally back with right hands but Shelley rallied back and continued to soften up Bailey’s left arm.
Bailey got a window of opportunity after a roundhouse to the chest of Shelley. Kushida knocked down Miguel & Gresham from the apron. Bailey fended off Kushida and Shelley with Tae Kwon Do kicks. Sabin & Kushida hit Bailey with a double cutter. Sabin hit Trey with a suicide dive heading into commercial break.
After the break Time Machine continued to have the advantage over Bailey. Bailey hits Sabin with a pump kick and took down Shelley with rapid kicks. Gresham tag in for the hot tag. Gresham & Kushida traded shoves with Gresham getting the upper hand. Gresham got near falls after a few roll ups on Kushida. Shelley broke up the last pin. Gresham hits Kushida with a moonsault, stunner, and German Suplex combo. Sabin accidentally hit Shelley with a PK after Gresham ducked.
Trey hit Sabin with a springboard dropkick. Miguel hit both Guns with a suicide dive. Bailey caught Kushida with a roundhouse when Kushida went for a handstand. Bailey hit Time Machine with a Asai Moonsault dive. Miguel tags in after Gresham had Kushida in an octopus hold.
Kushida counters Miguel,Bailey & Gresham’s moves and locks Miguel into a Hoverboard Lock. Trey got to the bottom rope. Time Machine had Miguel,Bailey & Gresham in submissions heading into break.
After a another break Bailey & Sabin had tags in. Sabin caught Bailey with a Helluva Kick. Sabin and Shelley traded forearms. Sabin caught Bailey with a knee. Bailey caught Sabin with a Spanish Fly for a two count. Bailey hits Sabin with a knee and standing Ultima Weapon. Sabin blocked Bailey’s tornado kick.
Sabin pounced on the top rope and hit Bailey with a super German suplex. Miguel kept shoving Gresham out of the way to tag in. Time Machine took advantage of this by dumping Miguel & Gresham off the apron.
Miguel held Sabin in place which allowed Bailey to hit Sabin with Ultima Weapon. Shelley trips Bailey off the apron. Both teams knocked each other out with kicks. Time Machine regrouped and hit their signature Basement Dropkick-Muta Lock combo. Sabin hits Miguel with the Cradle Shock for the victory.
Winners: Time Machine (Recommend)
Gia Miller interviewed Director Of Authority Santino Marella. Miller asked Marella if we’re going to see more of Marella in the ring after his successful return at Rebellion. Marella said he doesn’t want to get his hands dirty but we might see him back in the ring from time to time. Alisha Edwards showed up to rant about PCO to Marella.
Edwards asked Marella to deal with PCO. Santino asked Edwards why she wasn’t in ring gear because she had a match coming up. Edwards didn’t expect to be in a match. Edwards walked off mad. Johnny Swinger & Zicky Dice showed up. Dice claimed to have hired a proper opponent for Johnny Swinger. Dice said he had the travel and transportation covered. Marella said that was fine. Swinger & Dice roll off. Marella said it feels like he’s working with animals sometimes.
A vignette aired for new Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo. Deonna talked about how her current reign is not the age of the Virtuosa but the new age of the Virtuosa.
Alisha Edwards vs. Tara Rising
Alisha Edwards took down Tara Rising with a double leg takedown and punches. Edwards worked on Rising in the corner with chops and slaps. Edwards drags Rising by the hair across the ring.
Rising battled back with a boot but Edwards came back with a lariat. Edwards works on Rising at ringside with offense. Edwards hits Rising with an X Factor for the win.
Winner: Alisha Edwards
After the match Edwards put the boots to Tara Rising but Jody Threat ran out to run off Edwards.
Jody Threat was at the stairwell with Tara Rising. Threat thanked Rising for giving her a challenging debut. Threat told Rising not to be taken advantage of. Threat said she was going to make sure Edwards gets her comeuppance
Moose vs. Yuya Uemura
Moose tackles Yuya Uemura in the corner. Uemura came back with chops. Moose blocks a armdrag but Uemura got the armdrag and armbar after shoving Moose into the corner. Yuya hit Moose with a series of baseball slides. Brian Myers shoved Moose away to take Uemura’s plancha. Moose powerbombs Uemura on the apron. Moose works on Uemura with some offense.
Uemura went for a comeback but Myers grabs Uemura by the leg to allow Moose to nail Uemura with a big boot. Moose continued his momentum then Uemura hits Moose with a leg lariat. Uemura hits Moose with a top rope bulldog. Moose reversed an arm trap suplex with a hip toss.
Uemura hits Moose with a German and Saito Suplex for a two count. Moose staggered to his feet, but managed to dump Yuya off the top rope. Uemura recovers and hits Moose with a underhook belly 2 belly.
Uemura got a two count and he hits Moose with a top rope crossbody. Myers distracted the referee to prevent the pin count. Bhupinder Gujjar took down Myers and punch him. Uemura dodges No Jackhammer Needed and rolls up Moose for a two count. Moose gave Uemura a snake eyes on the ropes and nails No Jackhammer Needed for the win.
Winner: Moose
Jimmy Jacobs interviewed Nick Aldis & Aldis thanked the fans for welcoming him back to the company that started his career. He jokes about debuting in Impact with a really bad gimmick when he arrived in Impact at 21 years old. Aldis talked about spending 6 years in Impact with the best in the industry which led to him being a World Champion.
Aldis said even though he won the Impact World Title many years ago, he didn’t reach his full potential. Aldis said he left Impact and set the standard as to what it takes to be a World Champion. Aldis said he’s back in Impact and has his eyes set on Steve Maclin & the Impact World Title. Aldis said that Maclin is holding the legacy of Impact and the symbol of excellence in the sport.
Aldis said he’s carried that weight, the weight of the staff, wrestlers, and fans. Aldis said when Maclin crumbles on that weight, he’ll be there to pounce. Jacobs asked Aldis if he was attending the Changing Of The Guard ceremony. Aldis said he’s not attending because Maclin demanded that no one attend the ceremony. Aldis said that’s the champion’s prerogative and he respects that because he was once blessed with the champion’s prerogative. Aldis said he’s watching and will always be watching.
John Skyler talked about how he & Jason Hotch were attacked by Kazarian at Hardcore War even though they weren’t in the match which is why he’s challenging Kazarain to a 2 On 1 Handicap match. Skyler said that Impact was built brick by brick by two Good Hands.
2 On 1 Handicap Match
The Good Hands (John Skyler & Jason Hotch) vs. Frankie Kazarian
The Good Hands traded tags to get the numbers advantage but Frankie Kazarian fended off The Good Hands with chops and a dropkick. Jason Hotch managed to dump Kazarian to ringside and hit him with a suicide dive. Skyler hits Kazarian with a jackknife pin for a two count after Hotch hit Kazarian with a German suplex. Kazarian came back with clotheslines.
Kazarian hits Hotch with a clothesline and springboard leg drop. Kazarian put Hotch in a Figure 4 and rolls up Skyler for a two count. Skyler accidentally hits Hotch on the apron. Kaz slingshot Hotch in the ring for an cutter. Kazarian puts Skyler in a Crossface Chicken Wing for the win.
Winner By Submission: Frankie Kazarian
Knockouts Tag Team Champions The Coven & they holding hands in a dark room and playing with tarot cards. Kilynn King pulls out a random card and said it was not the age of The Virtuosa but the age of Aquarius. Taylor Wilde said that Deonna Purrazzo is a fraud. King said since they & Purrazzo were champions, it was time for The Coven to kick Purrazzo’s Virtu-ass. Wilde said it was the age of Aquarius. King turns to the camera and said Harmony & understanding, b*tches.
Digital Media Champion Joe Hendry took a mic for a promo. He hyped up Sheldon Jean as a Big Brother celebrity. He said even though Jean only lasted 4 weeks in the Big Brother house, the fans can live an eternity in Joe Hendry’s house if they say the 2 magic words I Believe.
Digital Media Title Match
Joe Hendry (c) vs. Sheldon Jean
Joe Hendry dominated with power offense to start the match off then Sheldon Jean came back with a delayed eye rake. Jean hits Hendry with a dropkick and went for some ground and pound. Hendry tried to rally back with right hands but took a knee.
Hendry counters a run with a cutter. Hendry hit Jean with a delayed fallaway slam then the camera zoomed on Hendry’s smile.
Hendry hit Jean with a right hand combo. Jean came back with a kick combination. Hendry took down Jean with a clothesline then he hits Jean with Standing Ovation for the win.
Winner & Still Digital Media Champion: Joe Hendry (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
New Impact World Champion Steve Maclin got out of his dressing room and was escorted to the ring by the random guys in camouflage shirts & they made their entrance. Maclin said his back was against the wall in February 2021 & Maclin said Impact gave him an opportunity.
He said he didn’t just walk into the door, he kicked the damn door down. Maclin said he made his mission clear from day one, to become Impact World Champion. Maclin said Josh Alexander was making a name for himself at the same time, which led to him becoming the longest reigning Impact World Champion. A walking weapon chant ensued, which Maclin allowed to occur. Maclin said that people were paying more attention to Josh Alexander while he was lying in the cut plotting his path to becoming Impact World Champion.
Maclin said his mission isn’t complete, because there’s one step left. He said his goal was to beat down Josh Alexander for the title in his home country. Maclin said this isn’t only a changing of the guard but an open challenge. Maclin asked someone to step up. Maclin said only Canadians are allowed to accept the challenge. Maclin dared a little kid in the crowd to accept his challenge. Impact Wrestling President, Scott D’Amore made his entrance.
D’Amore was stopped by the guards. Maclin told the guards to let D’Amore in the ring. D’Amore joked that Maclin had to order stooges to step aside even though this is Scott D’Amore’s ring. Maclin said he’s just giving American hospitality. D’Amore talked about Maclin running his mouth about opportunities but it was D’Amore who gave him those opportunities son. D’Amore congratulated Steve for becoming Impact World Champion.
D’Amore said that what he doesn’t like is how Maclin manipulates reality to suit his narrative. D’Amore said that even though Maclin claims that Alexander was ducking him, Maclin never took Alexander up on the many open challenges he laid out. D’Amore wondered if Maclin’s Canadian only challenge was to humiliate D’Amore’s home or to duck Nick Aldis. Maclin said D’Amore doesn’t get it and he does everything for a reason.
Maclin said he retreats tactfully. Maclin said D’Amore should understand this as a coach and pro wrestler. Maclin talked about D’Amore hitting a Canadian Destroyer a few weeks ago. Maclin said he was hoping D’Amore would take him up on his challenge. Maclin said D’Amore wants to talk about Nick Aldis and he wonders why D’Amore traded his balls for a headset. D’Amore said he lets his emotions get a hold of him sometimes.
He said he shouldn’t have been rude to Maclin at Rebellion. D’Amore said Maclin was a coward son of a bitch for hitting him from behind with the title belt. D’Amore said he’s made a ton of mistakes, but he doesn’t make the same mistake twice. D’Amore took off his suit jacket. He said Maclin tried to embarrass him in his country and wants to face a Canadian.
D’Amore said he has a perfect Canadian for Maclin to face at Under Siege PCO made his entrance. Maclin’s guards gave PCO clubbing blows to beat him down. The guards drags a table into the ring. Maclin was about to spear PCO through a table. PCO fended off the security guards.
PCO managed to plant Maclin with a DDT. Maclin crawled away to avoid a powerbomb. PCO turns around and spears 2 guards through the table then PCO & Maclin staring each other down to close out this week’s Impact.
