IMPACT HITS & MISSES (7/6): Swan & Callihan vs. Singh & Shera, Machine Gunns vs. Aldis & Lio Rush, Kazarian, Gresham, PCO, Trinity, Purrazzo

IMPACT HITS AND MISSES
JULY 6, 2023
ATLANTA, GA. AT CENTER STAGE
AIRED ON AXS TV (RECORDED)
REPORT BY JOHN LASLO, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

(1) FRANKIE KAZARIAN vs. EDDIE EDWARDS (w/Alisha) – MINOR HIT

This was a great match, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from these two former World Champions. They ratcheted up the tension through this match like the veterans that they are, and Alisha made herself known throughout the match, and even contributed to the end. However, I feel like this whole angle has been done just to build up to the Frankie Kazarian & Tracy Brooks vs. Eddie Edwards & Alisha Edwards at Slammiversary that Kazarian mentioned in another segment.

LIO RUSH BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW WITH GIA MILLER – HIT

I like that Lio Rush came in with eyes on the X-Division, because he is a great addition to an already stacked X-Division. Nick Aldis coming in to give him some advice is nice, and pairing the two of them together for the main event is a nice bit of symmetry with the Motor City Machine Guns- World Title and X-Division. While I don’t see Chris Sabin ever cashing in Option C on Alex Shelley, I do see Rush potentially turning it in on Aldis.

(2) RICH SWANN & SAMI CALLIHAN vs. CHAMPAGNE SINGH & SHERA – MISS

Champagne Singh and Shera deserved better than a squash of this level. Yes, both Rich Swann and Sami Callihan are former World Title holders, but this was unnecessary. All it did was make Singh and Shera look weak. If they had lost after a long battle, fine. They always need to seem like a threat, but after this, they don’t. Also, I would rather have had Madman Fulton and Jake Crist stick around, instead of Swann and Callihan teaming.

MOOSE AND BRIAN MEYERS BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW WITH GIA MILLER – MINOR HIT

I like the team of Moose and Brian Meyers. I don’t like that Meyers left the Good Hands behind. I think that grouping would have been good in the long run for all three.

DIRTY DANGO BACKSTAGE VIDEO – HIT

Dirty Dango isn’t wrong. I mean, he’s painfully correct, in many cases. Which is why it’s working. It’s old school, real old school. Throw back to Gorgeous George, or and even dropped a Classy Freddie Blassie ‘Pencil Necked Geek’ reference in one of these. It’s classic cheap heat heel, and I’ll be glad to boo him.

(3) JONATHAN GRESHAM vs. ANGELS (w/Deaner & Kon) – HIT

Match of the night, no doubt. Angels was wasted in AEW. This match was fantastic, and it was on demand to set up the Angels turn on the design. Angels had to go above and beyond what we’ve been used to seeing of him to EARN that respect from Jonathan Gresham. This match and the break up the Design is going to lead to some great matches, especially Angels vs Deaner. I think that’s been the problem with the Design from the beginning, Deaner was basically the hype man for Violent By Design, and switched to a more manager like position for The Design, but he’s always been a pretty good wrestler, and should have been in that position.

ABC BACKSTAGE – MISS

Ace Austin and Chris Bey spoke briefly about the challenges that they were going to be facing at Slammiversary, when they got interrupted by the Rascalz. Trey Miguel had been doing so well, and had an absolute historical X-Division run, but bring back Zach Wentz, and it’s like the last three years didn’t happen.

IMPACT AUSTRALIA TOUR PACKAGE – MINOR HIT

Kinda fun recap of what Impact did in Wagga Wagga, I kind of hope that Steph DeLander manages to make her way back to Impact outside of the Australian tour.

TRINITY & DEONNA PURRAZZO VIGNETTE – MINOR HIT

I like the idea of Deonna Purrazzo having an open challenge, it’s always been a great chance to show off independent wrestlers, new talents, and elevate veterans.

(4) PCO (w/Scott D’Amore) vs. THE GOOD HANDS (Jason Hotch & John Skyler) – MISS

Another squash for PCO. I mean I get that it should be almost impossible to beat PCO, or at least to make him lay down for a second. The Good Hands have been being built up for awhile and were legitimate challengers to the Tag Titles, but this took them down a bit. If this had been about ten minutes, I would have accepted it. PCO didn’t need this win, and the Good Hands couldn’t afford the loss.

BURN BABY BURN – HIT

So how do you remove PCO from competition? Apparently, like Mary Shelley’s creation, you bring out the torches. Just set him on fire. It was a little telegraphed since PCO was wearing a jacket that looked more like a modified fire fighter’s coat than his regular suit jacket, but yet again, I am astounded at the lengths that PCO is willing to go. I used to think that Mick Foley off the top of the Hell in a Cell 25 years ago was the most that any wrestler could or would sacrifice. Then I saw Nick Gage death matches in GCW. I shudder to think where PCO will take it to.

(5) COURTNEY RUSH (w/Jessicka) vs. GISELE SHAW (w/Savannah Evans & Jai Vidal) – MINOR HIT

I want to see a longer feud between the Death Dollz and Gisele’s entourage. This was a great match, and Courtney Rush really showed a marked difference in style from her time as Rosemary. While I was a big fan of the Decay version of the team, I’m starting to really appreciate the effort that both Rush and Jessicka put into doing things differently. I like how vocal that Jessicka has become compared to her time as Havok. While Gisele has been in the main event scene for awhile, I would love to see Savannah Evans and Jai Vidal feud with the Death Dollz.

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KENNY KING BACKSTAGE – MINOR HIT

I’m not a big fan of the whole ‘let’s make fun of Kenny King being a male stripper’ thing. It’s a bit of a double standard. No wrestler should be shamed or blamed for earning extra money for their looks. From Playboy to Only Fans to Customs, it’s been in the industry for a long, long time. I think that they are building to a potential Joe Hendry heel turn, because as King pointed out, he has no friends. Most of the things that Hendry does are funny, but mean. The match this built up, though, could be a great thing for Yuya Uemura. Especially since Uemura keeps having higher profile matches but losing. I would like to see him get the win.

(6) MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) vs. NICK ALDIS & LIO RUSH – HIT

Lio Rush showed up for this match in a balaclava and a winter coat, did no one tell him that while Impact is a Canadian Company, this match would be in Atlanta, Georgia in the middle of summer? This was a great match, and one of the few times that I felt that an Ampersand team could potentially beat a well established veteran tag team. I give that to the strength of all these performers in the ring. Rush getting the pin on Chris Sabin was a bit of a surprise in the end, but it really helps build their upcoming match at Slammiversary.

FINAL THOUGHTS – MINOR HIT

I think there were two matches that could have been cut, and a single good match in their place would have been more appropriate. I would have cut the PCO vs the Good Hands, it was just an excuse to get PCO out in front so that they could beat him to the back to set him on fire. Maclin and Bully Ray could have just jumped PCO anywhere and set him on fire there. Unnecessary weakening of the Good Hands right as they were starting to build momentum. Other than that, it was a great build up for Slammiversary.

RELATED: 7/6 IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT: Lilly’s report and analysis of MGMG vs. Aldis & Rush, PCO vs. Good Hands

OR CHECK OUT JASON POWELL’S IMPACT HITLIST AT PROWRESTLING.NET: Powell’s Impact Wrestling Hit List: Shelley & Sabin vs. Aldis & Rush, Kazarian vs. Edwards, PCO vs. Hotch & John Skyler

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