9/1 IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT: Purrazzo vs. Slamovich, The Good Brothers in action, more

IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT
SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 (RECORDED)
DALLAS, TX AT THE FACTORY
AIRED ON AXS TV
REPORT BY DARRIN LILLY, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Impact Wrestling Announcers: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt

-Clips of Mickie James’ losses to Tasha Steelz and Chelsea Green, plus a recap of last week featuring Karl Anderson beating Mike Bennett.

-Weekly show intro.

(1) THE GOOD BROTHERS (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson)(c) vs. MATT TAVEN & MIKE BENNETT — Impact Wrestling Tag Team Title Match

Maria walked to the stage with Taven and Bennett but walked to the back during their entrance, per last week’s stipulation. All four wrestlers brawled at the start. Taven was thrown out of the ring. Anderson chopped Bennett. Doc chopped Bennett as well. Bennett made a comeback and tagged to Taven, who took the Good Brothers down. Taven dropkicked Anderson.

Bennett tagged in and knocked Doc off the apron. He chopped Anderson. Taven and Bennett double teamed Anderson. Doc eventually made the hot tag and cleaned house. Taven broke up the attempt at the Magic Killer. Anderson knocked Bennett to the outside. The Good Brothers double teamed Taven. Bennett broke up the pin attempt but got thrown out. Bennett threw Doc into the ring steps.

Bennett and Taven hit the Proton Pack on Anderson and Taven got the pin for the win and the title change. Maria came out to celebrate afterwards.

WINNERS: Matt Taven & Mike Bennett in 9:00 to win the Impact Wrestling Tag Team Titles.

(D.L.’s Take: Basic tag team match with a relatively clean ending. Not a surprise to see Taven & Bennett win considering the rumors that The Good Brothers contract had expired with Impact and were leaving. Taven & Bennett will make good champs.)

-Killer Kelly vignette. She talked about having the feeling about being watched. She said that she is finding out what makes Tasha Steelz tick. She said she would like to watch Tasha watch her. In-ring clips of Kelly were shown as well. Good segment. [c]

-Recap of the title change, followed by Honor No More celebrating backstage. Eddie Edwards said he had chosen the correct side in the battle. He said they couldn’t have any doubts and called out PCO. Vincent got in the middle and said there had been some miscommunication. Vincent said he would take care of Heath. Kenny King said they would celebrate tonight and he would beat Mike Bailey for the X Division Title tonight. Maria said she was mad at Scott D’Amore for robbing her the chance of being at ringside for the title change. She said she would be with King at ringside tonight though.

-Hannifan and Rehwoldt were shown at ringside and ran down the matches for the rest of the show.

(2) MIKE BAILEY (c) vs. KENNY KING (w/Maria Kanellis)

King took Bailey down. King clotheslined Bailey to the mat. They exchanged punches. King power slammed Bailey. Bailey fought back with chops. King chopped Bailey. Bailey gave King a rana and a chop, followed by a kick. King regrouped on the apron. Bailey booted King to the floor and chopped him on the outside. King gave Bailey a headbutt. Bailey gave King a series of kicks and floored him at ringside. King punched Bailey then suplexed him into the side of the ring. [c]

King had the advantage after the break. King gave Bailey a spinebuster for a two count. Bailey made a comeback with kicks. King accidentally gave the referee a spin kick and knocked him down. King gave Bailey a low blow and went for a pin but the referee was still down. Another referee ran in. King got a two count on Bailey. Bailey gave King a superkick. King knocked Bailey off the top rope. King pinned Bailey by using leverage from Maria.

Honor No More came out and celebrated with King. The first official had a conversation with the second official. The original referee saw the interference and overturned the decision. He restarted the match and banned HNM from ringside. Eddie argued with King at ringside as the bell rang again. Bailey did a moonsault on King on the outside. Bailey gave King a kick. He went for Ultima Weapon, but King blocked it. Bailey rolled up King for the pin.

WINNER: Mike Bailey in 15:00.

(D.L.’s Take: A much more exciting match than I thought. The way it was set up, it did look like a title change. Perhaps this will lead to a rift in HNM.)

-Brian Myers confronted Scott D’Amore backstage and demanded that he get his Digital Media Title back from Bhupinder Gujjar. Scott hyped him up and told him to get the belt back himself. Myers turned around and got immediately decked by Gujjar. Gujjar put the belt on top of Myers. [c]

-Rosemary, Taya Valkyrie, and Jessicka had drinks to celebrate Jessicka’s victory last week. Jessicka said it was time to regain the tag team titles. Rosemary said she wasn’t sure that Jessicka was ready not to be a distraction. Taya suggested that next week they have a test run during Taya’s match against Chelsea Green.

-Impact Wrestling Flashback Moment of the Week: Sami Callihan vs. Brian Cage from Impact TV 10/29/19.

-Gia Miller interviewed Aussie Open. They said they were here for world domination and they were on a quest for the Impact Wrestling Tag Team Titles. They said they would face Chris Bey and Ace Austin next week. Voices could be heard in the background. Gia ran over and saw Moose and Steve Maclin arguing. Maclin said that at Victory Road they could take out Sami Callihan. Gia asked Moose what was going on with him and Steve but he just kept walking. [c]

-Violent By Design promo. Eric Young told Joe Doering he would have his own path he had to walk but their paths would cross again. Doering said “you know it” and walked off. Young said he was following his own path. Deaner asked if Young was leaving him. Young said he could follow his own path or follow him. This was a nice touch to acknowledge Doering’s cancer diagnosis and write him off the show for now. I am wishing the best for Doering and his family.

-Mickie James walked to the ring. Mickie said she would try not to get emotional. She thanked the fans and Impact. She said November would be 24 years since she first stepped in the ring. Fans chanted “24 more”. She said she loved the business. She talked about bad times, such as being fired and feeling like she was being thrown out like garbage. She cried a bit. She said the fans inspired her to remember who she was.

Fans chanted “Mickie”. She said Impact was the place that gave Alexis Laree a chance in the beginning. She talked about beating Deonna Purrazzo to win the Knockouts Title and main eventing a PPV. She talked about losing the title to Tasha Steelz and being betrayed by Chelsea Green. She said it made her think she wasn’t good enough anymore so she went home. She said she had to dig deep and wonder what she had left to prove.

She said she wanted to give women new opportunities in wrestling. She said Impact had the best wrestlers in the world. She said she told herself if there was ever a time when she couldn’t hang with the rest of the women, she shouldn’t do it anymore. Fans chanted “you’re the greatest”. She said she is not retiring because she has to still test herself in the quest to be the best.

She said she wanted to earn a Knockouts Title shot. She offered an open challenge to the Knockouts roster and said at the end, she was coming for the title. She said there was a catch. She said if she loses in her journey or loses the title match, then that’s it and it’s the last rodeo. She said she wanted the fans to join her on this ride. She said the journey would end with her being Knockouts champion or her going home for good. Fans stood up and cheered.

-Gia Miller had a sit down interview with Josh Alexander. She asked for Alexander’s reaction to Mickie’s announcement. He called Mickie one of the greatest ever in Impact. Gia asked him about Eddie Edwards becoming the number one contender. Alexander said he never had a match with Eddie and he looked forward to it. He said they would find out who the best man is.

Gia asked them about HNM trying to invite him to join their team. Alexander said it was a waste of time because he owes everything to Impact Wrestling. He said there was no chance he would turn on Impact. Eddie walked and he said he wasn’t there to fight. Gia left and Eddie sat in her place. Eddie said he respected how loyal Alexander was to Impact. He said that Alexander was being a chump and everyone knows it but him.

Eddie said that Heath cut him off. Heath ran in and attacked Eddie. Tommy Dreamer and D’Lo Brown ran in to break it up. [c]

-Dreamer and D’Lo told Heath they understood but he needs to calm down. Scott D’Amore walked in. He told Heath he couldn’t have him attacking the number one contender, so he set up a match next week for Heath to face Eddie. Heath walked off and caught up to Alexander. Heath said he didn’t mean to cut off Alexander last week and that everything Eddie said was BS. Alexander said it wasn’t all BS because Heath did cut him off. Alexander walked off.

(3) ALEX ZAYNE vs. MASCARA DORADA

Hannifan said the winner of the match would be next in line for an X Division Title match. Mascara is the former Gran Metalik in WWE. They wrestled to a stalemate early. Alex gave Mascara a rana on the outside and threw him into the railing. Alex kept breaking the count. They exchanged chops on the outside. Alex dropped Mascara on the apron. Alex dropped an elbow on Mascara. Alex gave Mascara a leg drop on the apron. Alex did a dive on Mascara on the outside. [c]

Mascara gave Alex a crossbody block, then threw him over the top rope. Mascara did a senton from the top rope to the floor on Alex. Fans chanted “Lucha”. Hannifan said the fans were turning the match into a house party. Mascara did a senton on Alex in the ring and got a two count. Alex battled back with a running elbow. Alex did a spectacular rana on Mascard from the top rope.

Alex kicked Mascara in the back of the head. Mascara gave Alex a DDT, followed by a Dorado Driver to get the pin.

WINNER: Mascara Dorada in 13:00.

(D.L.’s Take: An unexpected treat. Zayne is always good and Mascara had some spectacular moves. I’m looking forward to Zayne vs. Bailey.)

-Jordynne Grace said she would defend the title against Mickie James right now, but she knows Mickie wants to work her way up. Grace said she was about to find out who her number one contender would be, but she would be waiting for Mickie on the other side. [c]

-Highlight package of Yuya Uemura from NJPW, who is coming to Impact.

-Hannifan and Rehwoldt discussed the matches for next week:

• Aussie Open vs. Chris Bey & Ace Austin
• Chelsea Green vs. Taya Valkyrie
• Eddie Edwards vs. Heath

(4) DEONNA PURRAZZO (w/Chelsea Green) vs. MASHA SLAMOVICH

The winner of the match will face Jordynne Grace for the Knockouts Title at Bound For Glory. After an early lockup, Masha chopped Deonna. Deonna returned a chop. Deonna did a rana on Masha. Masha kicked Deonna and tossed her to the mat by her hair. Deonna escaped a Snow Plow attempt and regrouped at ringside with Chelsea. Masha threw Deonna back in the ring. Masha confronted Chelsea.

Chelsea grabbed Masha’s leg, but Masha kicked her off. Deonna used the distraction to knock Masha to ringside. [c]

Deonna stomped Masha in the corner. Deonna clotheslined Masha and put her in a headlock on the mat. Masha stomped Deonna and they exchanged pinfall attempts. Masha booted Deonna to the mat and followed with a running knee and spin kick for a two count. Both wrestlers exchanged punches on the mat. Masha gave Deonna headbutts. Deonna gave Masha a Russian Leg Sweep, followed by an armbar.

Masha reached the ropes to break the hold. Deonna threw Masha into the ring post and followed with a series of German suplexes. Deonna went for the Queen’s Gambit, but Masha turned it into an Air Raid Crash in the corner for a two count. Chelsea got on the apron. Deonna used the distraction to get the Queen’s Gambit on Masha for a pin attempt, but Masha kicked out at two.

Deonna went for an armbar but Masha came back with a spinning back fist, then kicked Chelsea at ringside. Masha gave Deonna the Snow Plow for the pin and the victory to become the number one contender. After the match, Jordynne Grace walked to the ring and faced off with Masha. Grace gave Masha an envelope that had a picture of Masha with a red X through it. They went face to face to end the show.

WINNER: Masha Slamovich in 15:00.

(D.L.’s Take: Good match and this was Masha’s longest match in Impact thus far. A victory over an established star like Deonna positions Masha very strongly as the number one contender heading into the Bound For Glory title match against Jordynne Grace.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: The Bound for Glory (and Victory Road) build continues. The Josh Alexander/Honor No More angle continues to build a little more each week. Honor No More got a long overdue title win to establish some credibility. The Mickie James promo was good and her angle has potential to be exciting, similar to Ric Flair’s retirement angle where if he lost, he had to retire. The segment with Joe Doering was a nice touch. Mascara Dorada looked good in his debut and is a fine addition to the Impact roster. Good main event to top off the show too.

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