IMPACT HITS & MISSES (7/13): Final hype for Slammiversary PPV including Aldis, Lio Rush, Swann, Callihan, Moose, Meyers

IMPACT HITS AND MISSES
JULY 13, 2023
ATLANTA, GA. AT CENTER STAGE
AIRED ON AXS TV (RECORDED)
REPORT BY JOHN LASLO, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

(1) CHRIS BEY (w/Ace Austin) vs. ZACHARY WENTZ (w/Trey Miguel) – MINOR HIT

This was a decent match, and it did its job building up towards a program between the Rascalz and ABC. With Zachary Wentz getting the win over Chris Bey with a cheating win, there will be more to come. I’m not liking Wentz with Trey Miguel very much, Wentz feels frozen in time from his early twenties.

FLASHBACK TO BTI & BACKSTAGE SEGMENT WITH THE RASCALZ, SANTINO MARELLA, AND SCOTT D’AMORE – MISS

I’m not a fan of the Santino Marella and Dirty Dango feud, but that’s on me. I’m not a big fan of Marella in general. That isn’t the reason that this is a miss, though. BTI should be a place to show off new things and new wrestlers, not to further a feud that is ultimately going to end at a PPV (even if it isn’t this upcoming PPV). The other thing is that authority figures aren’t supposed to notice the cheating in the ring! It’s part of the social contract! The fact that the Rascalz aren’t being added to an already loaded match at Slammiversary means that there is probably going to be something more going on.

(2) “SPEEDBALL” MIKE BAILEY vs. KEVIN KNIGHT – HIT

Ok, to get it out of the way, I’ve never seen Mike Bailey have a bad match. Kevin Knight is Kushida’s other tag team partner outside of Time Machine. There was very little doubt in my mind that this would be a great match. It was just a matter if they would phone it in right before the PPV (spoiler, they didn’t). Knight really got to show off in front of his hometown in this match, and the absolutely astounding vertical leap that he has. This match got a “Fight Forever”, and a “THIS IS AWESOME” chant.

MASHA SLAMOVICH & KILLER KELLY VIGNETTE – HIT

The cinematography of these vignettes is impressive. Whoever is directing them deserves an Emmy. I am reasonably sure I know the reference that they were going with this, and if you also recognize it, I applaud your taste in foreign films.

(3) JOE HENDRY & YUYA UEMURA vs. KENNY KING & SHELDON JEAN – MINOR HIT

Look, this was a fine match. More Yuya Uemura doing great work and infuriatingly not getting a win. Sheldon Jean is coming along nicely, still pretty green, but getting in the reps. However, I do NOT like the whole shaming of Kenny King for being a male stripper. Look, I’m going to point out that right now SEVERAL of the Knock Outs have Only Fans or the like. It’s a double standard, it’s not fair. No one should be ashamed of doing this work. Not men, not women, no one. Every single wrestler has put more work in on the way that they look than I ever have. This particular song and dance really brings it into sharp clarity that Joe Hendry is a bully. He’s getting loud pops, but doesn’t mean that he’s the good guy. I have spent far more time talking about this than I intended.

IMPACT FLASHBACK OF THE WEEK – MISS

I pay money to watch Impact, and between the BTI segments and this flashback iit was building up Chris Sabin, who really doesn’t need the build, I’m not exactly happy about this. I understand that the people who watch on AXS TV are also seeing these, but it feels like filler on a show that had no need of it.

LIO RUSH VIGNETTE – HIT

Lio Rush is great. I feel that he’s been kinda adrift in the US for awhile, and found his footing in NJPW. Now, he’s showing up and showing off. Rush is one of those few talents that, much like Nick Aldis, can show up and be a credible threat out of the gate. No build up needed.

CHRIS SABIN BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW WITH GIA MILLER – HIT

Nice quick promo for the upcoming match at Slammiversary.

(4) RICH SWANN & SAMI CALLIHAN vs. MOOSE & BRIAN MYERS – MINOR HIT

I like the new Brian Meyers logo with the beard, it’s better than the mask. Meyers is the only one in this match who has not had the World Title. This was a great match where all the participants were on the same wavelength, and put on a hell of a show. I’m a tag guy, and this was exactly the thing that I want to see. While Moose and Meyers had a few miscues and some incidental contact, they also worked really well together to distract the ref and cheat.

SUBCULTURE VIGNETTE – HIT

A nice very short promotion for their match at Slammiversary.

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ALAN ANGELS VIGNETTE – HIT

With the aviator sunglasses, Alan Angels looks like the lead singer from a 70’s classic rock band. The leather jacket, and guitar background probably helped a bit with that. He’s really upped his game since coming to Impact. He’s better in the ring, better at talking, and has even gotten a little bit better at his presentation. He’s getting ready to take off.

NICK ALDIS VIGNETTE – MINOR HIT

Half review, half promotion for next week. However, there was a lot of rehashing the same things that he’s already said. He’s good at saying them, but it’s still the same things.

(5) DEONNA PURRAZZO vs. JODY THREAT – HIT

Did anyone think that it was going to be anyone besides Jody Threat? I love the robes that Deonna Purrazzo has been wearing to the ring lately. They are very art deco like something out of a Barbier painting, which fits her look and merch. This was a great match, their styles contrast really well. There were a lot of hard hitting basics, but it was exactly on point with its pacing. The main takeaway is that Jody Threat was a threat, there were a few spots where it seemed like she could legitimately win. While that didn’t come to pass, I can see bigger things in Threat’s future after this match.

END OF GO-HOME SHOW BRAWL – HIT

Would it even be a go home show without a huge brawl emptying out either the men’s or women’s locker room? The brawl really showed organically how all the various feuds and alliances in the Knock Outs division are set up. As each group came out it made sense given who they were fighting against, and it all lead back to Deonna and Trinity.

FINAL THOUGHTS – HIT

I have to say that I love all the review video packages to bring everyone up to speed on the various matches that are taking place at Slammiversary. They aren’t something I necessarily need to talk about all the time, but I want to specifically call them out here. They were top notch this week.

RECOMMENDED NEXT: IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT (7/13): Deonna Purrazzo open challenge, Knight vs. Bailey

OR CHECK OUT JASON POWELL’S HITLIST AT PROWRESTLING.NET: Powell’s Impact Wrestling Hit List: Knockouts Champion Purrazzo vs. Threat, Bailey vs. Knight, Wentz vs. Bey, Moose & Myers vs. Swann & Callihan