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IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT
JANUARY 6, 2022 (RECORDED)
NASHVILLE, TENN. AT SKYWAY STUDIOS
AIRED ON AXS TV
REPORT BY DARRIN LILLY, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Matt Striker, D’Lo Brown
-Recap video including the contract signing with W. Morrissey, Matt Cardona, Moose, and Chelsea Green,
-Weekly intro video.
(1) TASHA STEELZ (w/Savannah Evans) & LADY FROST & CHELSEA GREEN vs. JORDYNNE GRACE & RACHAEL ELLERING & ROSEMARY (w/Havok)
Frost has a special entrance with a frost effect around the screen. These are the six competitors that will be in the Ultimate X Match at Hard To Kill. Tasha and Ellering started the match and traded the advantage. Frost and Ellering squared off next. Frost used her speed, but Ellering took her to the mat. Tasha and Rosemary traded punches.
Rosemary got the upper hand on Tasha. Tasha battled back with chops. Rosemary tied Tasha in the ropes, but got booted on the outside by Evans. Back in the ring, Tasha bulldogged Rosemary, then gloated. Ellering tagged in and clotheslined Tasha, followed by a senton. Frost tagged in and landed a kick on Ellering. Ellering took Frost down.
Grace and Ellering double teamed Frost. Tasha got a cutter on Ellering. Chelsea booted Rosemary to the mat. Chelsea landed a dive to the outside. Frost got a moonsault from the top rope to the floor on the pile. In the ring, Chelsea hit the Unprettier on Ellering for the pin.
WINNERS: Tasha Steelz & Lady Frost & Chelsea Green in 8:00.
(D.L.’s Take: An energetic start to the show. Everyone had spots to shine.)
-Video package with Moose, W. Morrissey, and Matt Cardona talking about their road to the main event of Hard To Kill. Clips were shown and dramatic music played underneath.
-Moose promo. He said he was stepping in the ring with two dangerous men that he has pissed off. He said to imagine what he is capable of doing to keep the Impact World Title. Moose said he is looking forward to the match so he can prove to everyone that he is the most dangerous man in the locker room and the greatest world champion. [c]
-D’Lo and Striker were shown on camera and ran down the matches for the show as well as matches for Hard To Kill.
-A promo aired for the movie The Free Fall, which is sponsoring Hard To Kill.
(2) JONAH vs. JAKE SOMETHING
The wrestlers locked up at the beginning. Jake was unable to knock Jonah off his feet the first time, but eventually succeeded. [c]
Jonah knocked Jake down and put Jake in a bear hug on the mat. Jake flipped over and charged Jonah. Jake knocked Jonah out of the ring with a shoulder tackle, followed by a dive to the outside. Jake and Jonah traded strikes. Jonah fired back with a clothesline that decked Jake. Jonah splashed Jake from the top rope and got the pin.
WINNER: Jonah in 9:00.
(D.L.’s Take: Decent “big man” match. Jonah’s streak as a monster continues.)
After the match, Josh Alexander ran down the ramp and attacked Jonah. They brawled and Alexander put Jonah in an ankle lock until security ran down to break it up. Alexander got loose and they fought again. Jonah got loose and cleared the ring of security. Jonah hit a senton on Alexander and ripped his shirt. Jonah landed another senton then brought a table in the ring.
They battled over the table. Jonah ran the table into Alexander’s ribs. Jonah put Alexander on the table, climbed to the top rope, and splashed him through the table. [c]
-Striker plugged upcoming Impact shows on the road.
-Video package on the Deonna Purrazzo vs. Mickie James feud.
(3) MASHA SLAMOVICH vs. SANDRA MOONE
Moone attacked Masha at the bell with punches and a dropkick. Masha battled back and knocked Moone down with a spinning back fist. Masha suplexed Moone. Masha finished her off with a Northern Lights Bomb and got the pin.
WINNER: Masha Slamovich in 1:00.
(D.L.’s Take: Short, but Masha made a good impression.)
-Steve Maclin promo. Maclin talked about taking actions into his own hands to get the title shot against Trey Miguel at Hard To Kill. He said that Gail Kim made a mistake. Gail Kim walked up and said that if Maclin doesn’t win, he will never get another title shot. [c]
-Gia Miller interviewed Chelsea Green and Matt Cardona. Chelsea said she was fine after being hit with the chair during the contract signing. She said she was worried that it would affect Matt going into the biggest match of his career. She blamed Moose for everything. Matt said he blamed Moose too for trying to play mind games. He said he will do anything to win.
Chelsea said Moose did all of this because he knows that Matt can beat him. She said she is sick of people calling Matt the underdog. She said she sees how hard he works. She said they might be the next Impact Wrestling power couple. She said we were looking at the next Impact World Champion.
-Mickie James walked to the ring and slapped hands with ringside fans. She joined D’Lo and Striker at the ringside commentary table.
(4) DEONNA PURRAZZO (w/Matthew Rehwoldt) vs. MERCEDES MARTINEZ
Deonna attacked Mercedes from behind before the bell. Deonna booted Mercedes then stomped her. The bell rang. Deonna continued to stomp Mercedes. Deonna clotheslined Mercedes. Deonna twisted Mercedes’ arms and put a knee in her back. Mercedes got out, but Deonna took her right back to the mat and stomped her.
Deonna landed a kick and got a two count. Mercedes made a comeback and clotheslined Deonna, followed by a suplex and an STF. Rehwoldt got on the ring apron. Mercedes walked over to confront him. Deonna got the Divorce Court on Mercedes and worked on her arm. Deonna put Mercedes in an armlock on the mat and transitioned into a sleeper.
Mercedes got to her feet and broke the hold. Mercedes got a spinebuster on Deonna. Mercedes came back with punches and chops. They traded the advantage. Both wrestlers fell to the floor. [c]
-Deonna and Mercedes slugged it out. Mercedes knocked Deonna to the mat with a chop. Mercedes suplexed Deonna. Mercedes landed knees to the face and a DDT and got a two count. Mercedes got another knee. Deonna got a double armlock and Mercedes tapped.
WINNER: Deonna Purrazzo in 14:00.
(D.L.’s Take: This built to a good match. A strong win for Deonna headed into the title match. I’m glad they were given a lot of time.)
Deonna yelled at Mickie. Mickie checked on Mercedes, who had rolled to the floor. Deonna and Mickie faced off in the ring. Fans chanted for Mickie.
-All About I segment: This was the first episode of the IInspiration’s new talk show. Cassie and Jessie were joined by Jai Vidal. They said the Influence were inspired by the IInspiration. The Influence and Kaleb interrupted. The Influence said the talk show was a rip-off of them. A screaming and shoving match ensued. Tenille pulled Jessie’s hair. The Influence grabbed for the title belts. The IInspiration left. The Influence took a seat and said that was it for All About Me. [c]
-A replay of the Josh Alexander/Jonah angle from earlier.
-Backstage, someone was working on Alexander. Striker questioned if he would be ready at Hard To Kill.
(5) HERNANDEZ & JOHNNY SWINGER vs. ACE AUSTIN & MADMAN FULTON
All four wrestlers brawled at the start. Ace and Swinger faced off. Fulton and Ace double teamed Swinger. Ace suplexed Swinger and got a two count. Fulton lifted Swinger and choked him. Swinger fought out of the corner and tagged Hernandez. Hernandez ran wild on Ace and Fulton. Hernandez double suplexed Ace and Fulton.
Hernandez gave clotheslines to Ace and Fulton. Ace kicked Hernandez. Fulton dropped Hernandez and Ace followed up with a splash. Fulton got the pin on Hernandez.
WINNERS: Ace Austin & Madman Fulton in 3:00.
(D.L.’s Take: Mostly a showcase for Ace and Fulton.)
After the match, Fulton looked for a chair. Swinger tried to get them to stop, then he went up the ramp and left. Fulton put a chair on Hernandez’s head and Ace hit the chair. Ace and Fulton gloated afterwards.
-Gia Miller interviewed W. Morrissey backstage. Morrissey said he was alone when he came to Impact Wrestling last year. He had no friends or supporters. He said when he hit rock bottom, he did it alone, so he didn’t need anyone when he came to Impact. He said he didn’t need any fans, friends, or Moose. He said that on Saturday he will be alone and at the end of the night he will be the Impact World Champion and alone, just how he likes it. [c]
-Striker ran down the matches for Hard To Kill:
- X Division Title Match: Trey Miguel vs. Steve Maclin
- ROH Title Match: Jonathan Gresham vs. Chris Sabin
- Good Brothers and Violent By Design vs. Swann/Mack/Heath/Rhino/Eddie
- Knockouts Ultimate X Match
- Jonah vs. Josh Alexander
- Knockouts Tag Team Title Match: The IInspiration vs. The Influence
- Knockouts Title Match: Mickie James vs. Deonna Purrazzo in a Texas Death Match
- Impact World Title Match: Moose vs. W. Morrissey vs. Matt Cardona
(6) KARL ANDERSON (w/Doc Gallows & Violent By Design) vs. Heath (w/ Rhino & Rich Swann & Willie Mack & Eddie Edwards)
The winner of this match will get the advantage for his team in the match at Hard To Kill. As the match started, the wrestlers at ringside started fighting. Referee Brian Hebner threw out all the wrestlers who were at ringside. [c]
Heath had the advantage when the action returned. Heath landed punches in the corner. The action spilled to the floor and Anderson got the upper hand. Anderson put Heath in an armlock on the mat. Anderson stomped Heath. They traded punches. Anderson stomped Heath, then put him in an armbar. Heath came back with a clothesline.
Heath fought back with punches, an elbow, and a kick. Heath got a two count. Anderson took Heath down by the arm. Heath rolled up Anderson for a two count. Heath missed a charge and Anderson got a cutter for the win.
WINNER: Karl Anderson in 12:00.
(D.L.’s Take: Decent action, but it was a curious choice to end the go-home show with this match.)
Doc Gallows and Rhino got in the ring and brawled. They were followed by Violent By Design, Eddie Edwards, Rich Swann, and Willie Mack. The show ended with everyone fighting with weapons.
FINAL THOUGHTS: An effective go-home show with good action and video packages building up the matches. They had a nice build without giving away too much ahead of time. Hard To Kill looks to be a really good show on paper.
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S IMPACT TV REPORT: 12/30 IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT: Part two of 2021 recap, Moose vs. Edwards, Omega vs. Callihan, more
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