8/25 IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT: Josh Alexander vs. Vincent, Knockouts Tag Team Championship, more

IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT
AUGUST 25, 2022 (RECORDED)
CHICAGO, IL AT CICERO STADIUM
AIRED ON AXS TV
REPORT BY DARRIN LILLY, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Impact Wrestling Announcers: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt

-Recap of Eddie Edwards winning the six-way match last week to become the number one contender at Bound For Glory

-Weekly show intro

(1) VXT (Deonna Purrazzo & Chelsea Green)(c) vs. JORDYNNE GRACE & MIA YIM — Impact Wrestling Knockouts Tag Team Title Match

Grace and Green started it out. Purrazzo tagged in and slapped Grace. They had an exchange, then Grace slapped Purrazzo. VXT double teamed Grace to get the upper hand. Yim tagged in and delivered kicks to Green. Yim chopped Green. Purrazzo clotheslined Mia to the mat. Green and Purrazzo tagged in and out to keep the advantage.

Deonna had Yim in a chin lock. Yim powered out and tossed Purrazzo to the mat. Yim was able to fight out of the corner and made the tag to Grace. Grace gave Purrazzo a spinebuster. Grace tagged out to Yim. Yim gave Green a German suplex for a two count. Grace chopped Green. Green gave Grace an elbow. All four exchanged big moves. Fans really got into that.

Grace did a dive on the outside to Purrazzo. Green took out Yim on the outside. VXT double suplexed Grace. Purrazzo pinned Grace for the win.

WINNERS: VXT in 7:00.

(D.L.’s Take: Grace surprisingly took the pinfall. Big win for Purrazzo heading into a number one contender’s match. Good match, but short.)

-Violent By Design promo. Eric Young said they weren’t winning the war, but at Emergence they got a taste of victory. He asked if the sickness was in remission or was it dormant. He talked about Time Machine. He said that VBD transcends time. He said tonight their time is up. Great production values for this segment. [c]

-Vincent approached Josh Alexander in the locker room to try to get in his head again.

-Rehwoldt and Hannifan appeared on camera and ran down the matches for the evening.

(2) KARL ANDERSON vs. MIKE BENNETT (w/Maria Kanellis)

If Anderson won, then Maria would be banned from ringside during the Tag Team Title match. Anderson had the early advantage with chops and kicks. Bennett came back with chops and kicks of his own. Anderson battled back and threw Bennett over the top rope. Bennett regrouped with Maria on the outside. [c]

Bennett had the upper hand after the break. Bennett did a lengthy criss cross on the ropes then poked Anderson in the eye. Bennett put Anderson in a chin lock. Anderson fought back with chops and clotheslines. Bennett super kicked Anderson and got a two count. Anderson gave Bennett a spinebuster for a two count.

Maria got on the apron to argue with the referee. Matt Taven came to ringside but got choke slammed on the apron by Doc Gallows. Anderson gave Bennett the Gun Stun and got the pin.

WINNER: Karl Anderson in 12:00.

(D.L.’s Take: Fun match that picked up at the end.)

-Anderson and Gallows went backstage and were greeted by Scott D’Amore. Anderson had his belt from NJPW too. Scott said that they would face Honor No More next week to see who was the best. Doc said they would win. Doc and Scott exchanged a Two Sweet. Scott urged them to shut Honor No More’s mouth next week. [c]

-Plug for upcoming Impact live dates.

-Clip of Killer Kelly defeating Savannah Evans from last week.

-Dr. Ross checked on Evans backstage. He said she might have some neck damage. Tasha Steelz was angry and walked off. Gia Miller stopped her and asked how Evans was doing. Tasha said not well and rattled off a string of insults about Killer Kelly. Kelly snuck up from behind and choked Tasha down.

-Brian Myers walked to ringside and joined the announce team.

(3) BHUPINDER GUJJAR vs. JASON HOTCH

Hannifan said that Hotch won the Gut Check event at the Arnold Classic to earn a contract (footage was shown of the event). Gujjar had the early offense. Hotch scratched Gujjar’s eyes. Hotch chopped Gujjar but Gujjar came right back. Hotch kicked Gujjar but got caught with a spinebuster. Gujjar speared Hotch from the second rope and got the pin.

WINNER: Bhupinder Gujjar in 3:00.

After the match, Myers walked in the ring. He talked up Gujjar, but said he was too busy to give Gujjar another shot. He hit Gujjar with a mic and decked him. Myers went for a pin, but referee Scott Armstrong wouldn’t count. Myers and Armstrong argued. Gujjar gave Myers the spear from the second rope. Armstrong counted a pin. Gujjar held up the title belt over the fallen Myers. The announcers noted that it wasn’t an official match, so Gujjar didn’t win the title. Gujjar walked off with the belt anyway.

(D.L.’s Take: Basically a squash. Disappointing because we didn’t really get to see what Hotch could do. Gujjar added some new moves and looked good.)

-VXT interrupted a conversation that Gail Kim was having. They bragged about their win. Deonna said she should be the number one contender because of her win tonight. Gail said that Deonna would face Masha Slamovich next week and the winner would face Jordynne Grace at Bound For Glory. Gail told Deonna “Good luck”. [c]

-Scott Armstrong told Bhupinder Gujjar that it was good that he put Brian Myers in his place. Scott said it wasn’t an official match, so Gujjar didn’t win the title. Gujjar said that if Myers wanted the belt, he could find him.

(4) JOSH ALEXANDER vs. VINCENT

After a lockup, Vincent didn’t break clean and got the advantage. Alexander suplexed Vincent. Vincent snapped Alexander’s neck on the top rope, then gave him a Russian Leg Sweep, followed by a senton. They exchanged chops. Vincent clotheslined Alexander, then stomped him. Fans chanted for Alexander. Alexander gave Vincent a German suplex.

Alexander tossed and booted Vincent. Alexander put Vincent in an ankle lock. Vincent made it to the ropes to break the hold. Vincent put Alexander in a choke. Alexander gave Vincent a Falcon Arrow, followed by the C-4 Spike for the pin.

WINNER: Josh Alexander in 4:00.

Eddie Edwards walked to the stage after the match. He talked about facing Alexander at Bound For Glory. He said they don’t have to be enemies. He said there is a much bigger war going on in wrestling. Fans booed Eddie and he told them to shut up. Eddie said he had chosen his side (Honor No More) to stand up to Impact Wrestling. He insulted the fans again and said they support “The Machine”.

He said the fans wanted wrestlers to be on their pitiful level. He asked what side Josh wanted to be on. Eddie walked closer to ringside. He said they could go to battle at Bound For Glory, but still team up in this war. Fans chanted “Walking Weapon”. Eddie got in the ring. He said they could go to battle and both win. He got interrupted by Heath giving him the Wake Up Call. Heath left the ring. Alexander looked down at Eddie.

(D.L.’s Take: Just a short back and forth match. Vincent got more offense then expected. I like the idea of the champion having quick matches like this to look dominant. The post-match angle added intriguing going into Bound For Glory.)

-Raj Singh and Shera promo. Raj said that Josh Alexander was lucky that Shera was injured when they wrestled. Raj said they were regrouping. The camera turned to look down a stairway and saw Moose arguing with Steve Maclin. Sami Callihan showed up and fought them. The brawl spilled outside. Maclin was bloody. They pulled out barbed wire from a nearby fence and attacked Sami with it. They wrapped Sami in the barbed wire and left him laying. [c]

-Masha Slamovich video package. Highlight clips were cut with her putting X’s on photos of other wrestlers. Great package to make Masha look like a big deal.

(5) JESSICKA (w/Rosemary) vs. ALISHA EDWARDS

The usual Decay music played but was cut off for an upbeat song. Jessicka came out enthusiastically and celebrated with the fans. Alisha gestured that she liked Jessicka’s pink Battle Coat. Rosemary gave Jessicka battle paint to put under eyes. Alisha punched Jessicka, but Jessicka came back with her own punches and an elbow. Jessicka gave Alisha a sliding clothesline. Jessicka caught Alisha coming off the top rope and gave her a tombstone for the pin.

WINNER: Jessicka in 2:00.

(D.L.’s Take: The match was there basically to feature Jessicka’s new character. Fans were into it.)

-Time Machine was shown warming up backstage. [c]

-Footage of Tasha Steelz beating Mickie James for the Knockouts title and Mickie losing to Deonna Purrazzo and Chelsea Green, ending with the scene of her telling Gia Miller she was going home.

-Rehwoldt and Hannifan appeared on camera and talked about the matches for next week:

• Mickie James returns to the Impact Zone with an announcement
• The Good Brothers vs. Matt Taven & Mike Bennett
• Deonna Purrazzo vs. Masha Slamovich

-Sami Callihan stumbled to ringside, still wrapped in barbed wire and bloody. He was breathing heavily. He called Moose and Maclin stupid sons of bitches. He said this was a party and he likes to party. He invited them to have a three-way Barbed Wire Massacre match at Victory Road on September 23rd.

-Violent By Design came to the ring, followed by Time Machine. Hannifan talked about the Motor City Machine Guns teaming with Jay Lethal to take on Wardlow and FTR at AEW’s All Out PPV on September 4th.

(6) TIME MACHINE (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin & Kushida) vs. VIOLENT BY DESIGN (Eric Young & Deaner & Joe Doering)

Kushida and Doering started the match. Doering overpowered Kushida. Young tagged in and got double teamed by the Guns. The Guns double teamed Deaner. The Guns gave Young a double dropkick to the face on the outside. Doering slammed and elbow dropped Sabin. [c]

VBD had the advantage coming out of the break. They kept the advantage on Sabin. Sabin finally made the tag to Kushida. Kushida missed a kick and Young hit him. Shelley & Sabin double teamed Deaner. Shelley chopped Deaner. Sabin tagged back in and hit some moves on Deaner. Time Machine triple teamed Deaner.

Young made a comeback, but VBD got sent out of the ring by Time Machine. Sabin did a dive on Doering to the outside. Kushida did a dive on Young. Fans chanted “Impact Wrestling” after the exchange. Sabin gave Deaner a cutter. Deaner gouged Sabin’s eyes. Young suplexed Sabin, but Time Machine broke up the pin attempt.

Doering gave Kushida and Shelley a crossbody block. Doering slammed Sabin, Deaner gave Sabin a headbutt, and Young dropped an elbow on Sabin but only got a two count. Sabin backdropped out of a piledriver attempt from Young. Deaner stomped Sabin and knocked his partners off the apron. Kushida shielded Sabin from Deaner.

The Guns double teamed Deaner. Shelley and Kushida double teamed Young. All three went after Doering and took him down. Sabin and Kushida dropkicked Doering in the face. The Guns double teamed Deaner. Sabin gave Deaner the Cradle Shock and got the pin.

WINNERS: Time Machine in 20:00.

(D.L.’s Take: Action packed match. Lots of great double team and triple team moves from Time Machine. VBD got to shine as well. Great match to perhaps put an end to this feud.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: Good show. The build continues to Bound For Glory with contenders emerging for the titles and intrigue around the main event. The video packages continue to be very effective as well. There was no X Division match, so the match quality wasn’t as strong this week, but nothing was bad. A lot of matches were kept short to showcase certain wrestles or to build storylines. The main event was good and the Guns looked sharp as ever. Lots of momentum for them headed into Full Gear. A fun watch as usual.

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CATCH-UP: 8/18 IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT: Mike Bailey vs. Chris Bey, Heath vs. Kenny King, more