IMPACT WRESTLING HITS & MISSES (7/20): Eric Young interview, Scott D’Amore, Gresham’s sitdown promo, Josh Alexander updates his injury status

IMPACT HITS AND MISSES
JULY 20, 2023
WINDSOR, ONT AT ST. CLAIR COLLEGE SPORTSPLEX
AIRED ON AXS TV (RECORDED)
REPORT BY JOHN LASLO, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

SCOTT D’AMORE IN RING – HIT

Slammiversary is the time for nostalgia matches and appearances. It’s a great way to celebrate the past and point to the future. Scott D’Amore deserves his flowers. Impact under his leadership has been consistent, and improving in many ways. I love the way the young hot shots came in and started things, and he brought in the veterans.

(1) RICH SWANN & SAMI CALLIHAN vs. THE GOOD HANDS (Jason Hotch & John Skyler) – MINOR HIT

I was really hoping that this would be a longer match. I think the Good Hands have the ability to put on really competitive matches. I hope that if Rich Swann and Sami Callihan continue to tag together that they at least settle on a single entrance music, if not a tag team name. While this ampersand team is made up of former title holders, a squash this quick doesn’t serve either team well.

ROLLING BACKSTAGE SEGMENT WITH HALF THE LOCKER ROOM – HIT

So we start with ABC talking about their upcoming match with Subculture. Then the Rascalz come in and start running their mouths. Then Chris Bey throws a punch, which causes a brawl, and it gets broken up by security and Scott D’Amore. Then immediately Swinger and Zicky Dice come in and get told that they have a ‘loser leaves town’ match next week. I really dug this, it was a really quick way to build up three different things going on at once. It’s a clever bit of writing.

ERIC YOUNG INTERVIEW WITH GIA MILLER – HIT

It didn’t take long for Nick Aldis to show up and it means that we’re going to get Nick Aldis vs Eric Young.

(2) JAKE SOMETHING vs. KEVIN KNIGHT -HIT

This was a really good match. Jake Something hasn’t lost a step, and Kevin Knight is really impressive. I wasn’t a fan of the picture in picture quick promo that Knight put in, it was a quick thirty seconds, it should have been full screen after the Jake Something promo. I’m very glad they got the chance to really shine during this match.Both of them got to show off their specialties in a single move where Knight jumped up to the top rope, and Jake Something caught him on the fly. Fantastic match.

(3) COURTNEY RUSH (w/Jessicka) vs. SAVANNAH EVANS (w/Gisele Shaw & Jai Vidal) – MISS

Another quick squash for designated pin eater Savannah Evans. She should be an unstoppable monster. If you’ve seen her work on the indies, it’s really impressive. I hope that sooner rather than later the Shaw-ntourage breaks up and we get a nice little feud between her and Giselle Shaw.

TRINITY VIDEO PACKAGE – MINOR HIT

It seems like Trinity is going to do the whole fighting champion thing.

Did you know that PWTorch VIP membership gives you access to an ad-free version of this website (mobile and desktop versions), an unmatched 35 year library of insider wrestling content in newsletter article and podcast formats, dozens of new VIP-exclusive podcasts throughout the month (that are easily compatible with Apple Podcasts App, Apple Car Play, and many other popular podcast apps), and more benefits. Check out details and sign up HERE.

COVEN VIGNETTE – HIT

I love the Coven, they are just slightly unhinged. It’s nice that they are kind of taking the place of the now ‘lost’ Decay.

JONATHAN GRESHAM SIT DOWN INTERVIEW WITH TOM HANNIFAN – HIT

This could be great. I see what Jonathan Gresham is saying, he’s known for the ROH Pure title, and then defending the RoH World Title on Impact using the Pure Rules. I think that Gresham bringing the Pure Rules culture to Impact would make for some really interesting stories and matches.

(4) SANTINO MARELLA vs. DIRTY DANGO – MINOR MISS

I’m going to be charitable here, Santino Marella really showed off his amateur chops, and now Bravo is back?

SHAWNTOURAGE and MKULTRA BACKSTAGE – HIT

This is going to be interesting. It seems like it is the Shawntourage against both MKULTRA and The Death Dollz, It also seems like Jody Threat also might have a link to the Undead Realm given the way that she returned Jai to the Shawntourage. I also have to take this time to say that the Shawntourage is a dumb name, it sounds like some dude named Shawn’s Entourage, I think if they dropped the N, and it was the Shaw-tourage, it would work better. MKULTRA is the perfect name for Masha Slamovich and Killer Kelly.

THE FAMILY FEUD BACKSTAGE – HIT

So it definitely looks like we’re going to get at least one Tracy Brooks vs. Alisha Edwards match.

(5) SUBCULTURE (Flash Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews/Dani Luna)(c) vs. ABC (Chris Bey & Ace Austin) — Impact Wrestling Tag Team Title match – HIT

I look at Subculture and ABC and I see the future. Much in the same way that back in 2010, I could look at Motor City Machine Guns and Generation Me…I mean the Young Bucks. I’m not surprised at the outcome, but it effectively clears the decks for a little while. This builds a furthering of animosity between ABC and the Rascalz without the tag team belts being the prize, its just a vengeance thing. With all the tag teams that have formed or been brought in, Impact can afford to put a bit of a shine on Subculture and throw a bunch of tag teams at them before ABC or the Rascalz go for the tag titles as part of their feud.

JOSH ALEXANDER ADDRESSES THE IMPACT FAITHFUL – MISS AND HIT

Straight up. This is a miss because there was no sound for those who tuned into AXS TV (I watch on YouTube, and didn’t experience this). Sound is basic. It doesn’t matter who is in the ring or what is going on, you need to have sound.

It’s a hit because while being a bog standard “Champ Returns to Reclaim Title They Never Lost After Injury” speech, Josh Alexander managed to bring in a lot of emotion. Then the ring filled with everyone who is in the running for the World Title right now, and all listed their grievances and qualifications. It was great, if you had sound.

FINAL THOUGHTS – MISS

I get it that this was a “talky” show, which is fine most of the time. You need to build up where you are going after all. However, it’s the basics that they missed. There was NO SOUND for people who actually took the time to watch this show on AXS TV. This wasn’t a live show where things could go wrong, it was pre-recorded. As long as this type of thing continues to happen, people will consider Impact the bush leagues. People will avoid the product because of this.

RECOMMENDED NEXT: 7/20 IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT: Josh Alexander returns, Something vs. Knight

OR CHECK OUT PROWRESTLING.NET’S HITLIST: Powell’s Impact Wrestling Hit List: Subculture vs. Ace Austin & Chris Bey for the Impact Tag Team Titles, Josh Alexander promo, Knight vs. Something, Dango vs. Santino

Subscribe to Wade Keller’s free podcasts by searching “Wade Keller” in your podcast app. They include a weekly flagship episode (blue-logo show) and the post-shows after Raw, Dynamite, Smackdown, and Rampage (red logo show) with a mix of best-of episodes too!