5/26 IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT: Chris Sabin vs. Frankie Kazarian, Shelley vs. Miguel, more

IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT
MAY 26, 2022 (RECORDED)
KISSIMMEE, FL AT OSCEOLA HERITAGE PARK EVENT CENTER
AIRED ON AXS TV
REPORT BY DARRIN LILLY, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Impact Wrestling Announcers: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt

-Recap video of last week.

-Weekly intro video. The footage was different this week; there were clips of old TNA highlights included.

-An aerial view of the event center in Kissimmee, Florida was shown (which was a new touch).

(1) ALEX SHELLEY vs. TREY MIGUEL

The winner advanced to the Ultimate X match at Slammiversary. The wrestlers shook hands at the start. After trading the advantage, Trey took control after a series of moves. The action went to the floor. Shelley chopped Trey. Trey came back with a kick from the apron. Shelley fought back. Trey caught Shelley with a moonsault from the second rope to the floor. The match returned to the ring with Trey having the upper hand.

Shelley kicked Trey and worked on his knee. Trey fought back with slaps. Shelley leg whipped Trey, then kicked him in the back. Shelley put Trey in a crossface submission. Trey got his feet on the ropes to break the hold. Trey and Shelley had a collision and fell to the mat. Trey made a comeback on Shelley with a series of fast moves.

Trey put Shelley in a dragon sleeper. Shelley battled back. Trey gave Shelley a double stomp and got a two count. Shelley drove Trey into the turnbuckles. Trey and Shelley traded punches. Shelley chopped Trey while holding onto him. Shelley pulled Trey’s arm. Trey made a comeback and kicked Shelley. Shelley clotheslined Trey. Shelley gave Trey a brainbuster for a close two count.

Shelley and Trey went back and forth with two counts, until Trey got the pin after a rollup. Shelley stormed to the back. [c]

WINNER: Trey Miguel in 14:00.

(D.L.’s Take: Excellent match. It was fast paced throughout but really picked up at the end. I’m glad this was given plenty of time. Shelley has been tremendous in his return to Impact. Good to see Trey pick up a big win after rebounding from his X Division Title loss. He will shine in the Ultimate X match at Slammiversary. The end may have signaled a heel turn for Shelley.)

-Gia Miller interviewed the Briscoes and Josh Alexander. Mark said they were the baddest tag team on the planet. Jay talked about Violent By Design jumping them after the match last week. Alexander said he gets to send a message to Eric Young tonight. Alexander said he was the future of this company.

The Good Brothers walked up and had a standoff with the Briscoes. Doc said the Briscoes weren’t the real tag team champions until they beat the Good Brothers. Anderson said the Briscoes’ title reign didn’t count until they beat the Good Brothers. They argued and the Good Brothers walked off.

-Hannifan and Rehwoldt appeared on camera and talked about the upcoming matches.

(2) MASHA SLAMOVICH vs. HAVOK (w/Rosemary)

The wrestlers squared off at the start. Masha slapped Havok, then they traded punches. Havok knocked Masha down, then splashed her in the corner. Havok missed a charge and Masha gave her a spin kick. Masha gave Havok a series of punches and a kick to the back of the head, followed by another. Masha gave Havok a brainbuster for the win. Rosemary was stunned at ringside. Crazy Steve and Black Taurus came to the ring to check on Havok.

WINNER: Masha Slamovich in 2:00.

(D.L.’s Take: Wow, I didn’t expect that. A big victory for Masha that further established her as a major contender in the Knockouts division.)

-Backstage, wrestlers congratulated Trey Miguel, including Blake Christian and Alex Shelley. Shelley said he was proud of Trey, then he walked off. Kenny King walked up and mocked Trey and Christian. King called Christian a nobody. Christian challenged King to a match. Christian and Trey congratulated themselves after King left. [c]

-Rich Swann promo. He talked about wanting to beat Matt Cardona for the Digital Media Title. He also challenged Matthew Rehwoldt for a match because Rehwoldt attacked him in the Gauntlet for the Gold match.

(3) JORDYNNE GRACE vs. CHELSEA GREEN

Grace chased Green around ringside. Green was able to get the upper hand, but Grace made a comeback and knocked Green to the mat with shoulder blocks. Green battled back, but Grace gave her knees to the head and a neckbreaker off the ropes. While they fought on the apron, Green raked Grace’s eyes. Green did a senton on Grace from the apron to the floor. [c]

Green stomped Grace into the turnbuckles and got a two count. Green hit Grace with a barrage of punches. They traded strikes until Grace gave Green a spinebuster. Green punched Grace and Grace slammed Green. Grace put Green in a sleeper. Grace punched and elbowed Green, then powerbombed her for a two count.

Green got out of the muscle buster and drove Grace headfirst into the mat. Grace bridged out of a pin attempt. Green rolled up Grace for a two count. Grace gave Green a series of clotheslines. Grace got out of the unprettier. Grace put Green on her shoulders but Green punched out. Grace gave Green the Grace Driver for the pin.

WINNER: Jordynne Grace in 12:00.

(D.L.’s Take: Very physical and fast-paced match. Both wrestlers shined and this preview match bodes well for the Queen of the Mountain match at Slammiversary.)

-Scott D’Amore was arguing with security backstage when Honor No More walked up. Mike Bennett complained that the Good Brothers injured his wife. They wanted a rematch with the Good Brothers. Scott said it would have been a good match, but the Good Brothers couldn’t face them because they would be challenging the Briscoes for the tag team titles. Eddie said if they don’t get what they want, then nobody does. Honor No More walked off. [c]

-Gia Miller interviewed Deonna Purrazzo. Deonna talked about Mia Yim coming after her. She said it was clear that she was the face of the Knockouts Division and she will continue to make history. Tasha Steelz and Savannah Evans walked up and interrupted. Tasha talked about winning the Ultimate X match and said she was the history maker. She said her and Deonna had something in common: Mia Yim. Tasha said Evans would take on Mia next week and she invited Deonna to ringside to take care of the Mia Yim problem.

(4) CHRIS SABIN vs. FRANKIE KAZARIAN

Kazarian received an enthusiastic ovation for his return. They gave a quick fist bump to start the match. Kaz took Sabin to the mat in a headlock. Kaz and Sabin exchanged pin attempts and rollups. Kaz took Sabin to the mat again. Sabin backdropped Kaz over the top rope to the floor. They traded punches on the floor.

Sabin kicked Kaz. Sabin caught Kaz with a crossbody block off the ropes. Sabin suplexed Kaz and got a two count. Sabin clotheslined Kaz to the mat and ran his head into the turnbuckle. Sabin chopped Kaz. Sabin put Kaz in a submission. Sabin gave Kaz a German suplex, then stomped him in the corner.

Kaz fought back with chops and a series of moves. Kaz got a two count. Kaz leg dropped Sabin on the apron. Kaz gave Sabin a slingshot DDT for a two count. Sabin kicked Kaz in the back of the head, followed by a boot. Sabin gave Kaz a tornado DDT for a two count. Sabin gave Kaz a German suplex off the ropes for a two count.

Kaz and Sabin collided with a crossbody block. As both wrestlers were on the mat, Honor No More ran and stomped both of them. Honor No More gloated afterwards. [c]

WINNER: No contest in 10:00.

(D.L.’s Take: An excellent match by those two veterans. The match was non-stop action all the way through and was evenly fought. Great match until the finish. I would like to see a rematch on PPV between the two to see a conclusive finish, but I have a feeling they may team up to go against Honor No More.)

-Honor No More celebrated backstage. They gloated about beating up the Impact veterans. Vincent said Impact was celebrating 20 years of lies. Heath and Rhino walked up and said they sounded stupid. Heath said Honor No More got fired and so did he, but Impact gave them another chance and they should be grateful. Rhino said Impact was the only one who gave him a chance in 2005. He said that Impact gives wrestlers opportunities. The argument escalated and security broke them up.

(5) BHUPINDER GUJJAR & W. MORRISSEY vs. SHERA & RAJ SINGH

Gujjar and Singh started the match. Gujjar caught Singh with a dropkick and sling blade. Morrissey tagged in and slammed Gujjar onto Singh. Morrissey dropped elbows on Singh and Gujjar followed with an elbow drop. Singh used a distraction from Shera to get the advantage on Gujjar. Shera and Singh tagged in and out to keep the advantage on Gujjar.

Gujjar power slammed Singh and made the hot tag to Morrissey. Morrissey ran wild on Shera and Singh. Morrissey clotheslined Shera over the top rope and Gujjar followed with a dive onto Shera on the outside. Back in the ring, Morrissey choke slammed Singh. Gujjar tagged in and gave Singh the spear from the second rope for the pin.

WINNERS: Bhupinder Gujjar & W. Morrissey in 6:00.

(D.L.’s Take: Basic tag team match and a fun, satisfying win to tie up the feud — if it is indeed over.)

-Josh Alexander and the Briscoes were shown warming up backstage. [c]

-Gia Miller interviewed Moose. She asked if he would be able to focus on his tag team match next with Sami Callihan back. Moose said that Sami was a fraud and he was scared of Moose. Steve Maclin walked up. He said he needed Moose to get Sami out of his head before their tag match next week. Static came up on the screen and Moose backed up. Maclin told him to get Sami out of his head.

-Hannifan and Rehwoldt ran down the matches for next week:

• Moose & Steve Maclin vs. PCO & W. Morrissey
• Mike Bennett & Matt Taven vs. Heath & Rhino
• Savannah Evans vs. Mia Yim
• Rich Swann vs. Matthew Rehwoldt

-Violent By Design, the Briscoes, and Josh Alexander all made their ring entrances. [c]

(6) JOSH ALEXANDER & THE BRISCOES vs. VIOLENT BY DESIGN (Eric Young & Joe Doering & Deaner)

Alexander and Deaner started the match. Alexander arm dragged Deaner to the mat. Jay tagged in and went on the attack on Deaner. Mark and Deaner exchanged hard chops. Eric tagged in. He kicked and stomped Mark. Jay gave Eric a snap suplex. The Briscoes shoulder blocked Eric to the mat. Alexander gave a crossbody block to Doering on the floor.

Jay did a dive over the top rope to the pile on the floor. Mark did a rotating dive from the top rope to the pile of wrestlers on the floor. [c]

Violent By Design had the advantage on Jay. Alexander tagged in and faced off with Eric. Alexander chopped Eric and punched him in the corner as fans counted along. Deaner hit Alexander when he got caught on the ropes. Deaner dropped an elbow on Alexander and choked him over the rope. Eric punched Alexander and got a one count.

Eric kept Alexander trapped in their corner. Deaner drove Alexander’s neck into the turnbuckle. Alexander suplexed Deaner and got a two count. Alexander’s nose was busted open. Eric stomped Alexander. Deaner went for the pin on Alexander but he kicked out at two. Alexander fought out of the corner. Mark made the hot tag and ran wild on VBD.

Mark and Eric battled. Jay booted Eric to the mat and gave him a neckbreaker. Jay gave Eric a rana. Jay kicked Deaner. The Briscoes gave Deaner a neckbreaker and got a two count. The Briscoes called for the Doomsday Device. Eric hit Mark with the flagpole. Deaner gave Mark a DDT, but Alexander broke up the pin attempt.

Alexander went for the C-4 Spike on Eric but he got backdropped over the top rope. Doering gave Alexander a crossbody block on the outside. In the ring, Mark knocked down Deaner. Deaner hit Mark with the hockey mask. Eric tagged in and gave Mark a piledriver for the pin.

WINNERS: Violent By Design in 18:00.

(D.L.’s Take: Action packed match. Good win for VBD to keep them as a top unit. Alexander and Eric were in the match just enough for a teaser for Slammiversary. The match was a good way to give Eric momentum going into Slammiversary.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: The in-ring action was top notch this week on Impact with Trey vs. Shelley, Grace vs. Green, Kazarian vs. Sabin, and the main event. They were hitting on all cylinders. Masha quickly established herself as a force in the Knockouts Division with her decisive victory over Havok. It certainly appeared that the Bhupinder vs. Shera/Singh feud may be over. Great episode and it continued to lay the groundwork nicely for Slammiversary.

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CATCH-UP: 5/19 IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT: Impact Tag Team Championship, Laredo Kid vs. Mike Bailey, more