By John Moore, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)

Impact Wrestling TV
Taped in Nashville, Tennessee at Skyway Studios
Aired October 6, 2022 on AXS TV

Highlights from last week’s Impact Wrestling show aired… Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt were on commentary…

1. Kenny King vs. Frankie Kazarian. The match started with an extended collar and elbow sequence. The commentary team talked about both men being former X Division Championsion. Kaz managed to get the first rally with a shoulder tackle and armdrag. King escaped a Chickenwing with his own armdrag. Both men traded armdrags and rollup attempts. Kaz escaped a Royal Flush and hitking wiht a kick into a clothesline.

Kaz crashed and burned off a legdrop after King baited him. King hit Kaz with a corkscrew plancha. King body slammed Kaz and hit him with a springboard leg drop for a two count. King hit Kaz with a sweep and buzzsaw kick for a two count. Kaz dodged and got a few rollups for a few two counts. Kaz hit King with a T-Bone into the buckle. Kaz ducked a roundhosue and gave King a few strikes. Kaz hit King with a modified spinning neckbreaker for a two count.

Kaz hit King with a body slam and returned the favor with a springboard leg drop for a two count. King sent Kaz into the middle buckle with a drop toehold. King hit Kaz with a T-Bone for a two count. King caught Kaz with an Eddy Gordo handstand kick (God bless Matthew Rehwoldt for also referencing Tekken). King hit Kaz with a Tiger Driver for a good nearfall. Kaz blocked a royal flush by grabbing the rope. Kazarian dragged King to the mat and put him in the Crossface Chickenwing for the victory.

Frankie Kazarian defeated Kenny King via submission in 9:20.

John’s Thoughts: A really good match between two veterans that almost felt like a mirror match. Mirror match in that both men were using very similar moves to end at logical stalemates. The outcome wasn’t in question due to Kazarian going after the X Division title at BFG, but I feel like Kenny King is one of the few Honor No More members that can take a loss or two (due to them actually giving him wins on occasion). Kenny King is someone I always felt was very underutilized, and had main event potential. I don’t fully blame the companies he ends up in though because every time he tends to build up steam he just disappears.

A Speedball Mike Bailey video aired. The narrator ran through some title defense statistics for Bailey. He noted that Bailey defended the title successfully 9 times in 110 days. The narrator noted that the single reign record for title defenses is held by Christopher Daniels with 13 defenses, but that record took him 182 days. The narrator noted that Bailey will have the record in little over a month if he keeps the same pace up. He noted that Frankie Kazarian is the latest roadblock in Speedball’s way. The narrator noted that Kaz is a successful X Division champion with 9 title defenses under his combined reigns. A Tale of The Tape graphic graphic aired for Kaz and Bailey to compare their X Division title reigns…

Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt checked in from the commentary table. They ran through upcoming segments as well as some advertised Bound for Glory matches…

Hannifan sent the show to an Eddie Edwards promo video package. The B-roll footage focused on Eddie getting a pinfall over Josh Alexander with Tom Hannifan saying that Eddie Edwards is the first person to pin Alexander since Moose did at last year’s BFG. Eddie said he’s going to become a 3 time Impact World Champion.

Eddie said people think that what happened at Victory Road was an accident, but people just forgot who Eddie Edwards is. Eddie said he’s a multi-time X Division and Tag Team Champion. Eddie noted that he’s pinned Bobby Lashley, Eric Young, Ace Austin, Rich Swann, The Hardys, The Dudleys, Marufuji for the Noah championship, and many more. Eddie said that Josh picked the wrong side by fighting against Honor No More as opposed to alongside Honor No More. Eddies said in the end he will walk out of Bound For Glory with the Impact World Title…[c]

John’s Thoughts: Two different video packages with Bailey and Edwards, but two very informative ones with a lot of good statistics to add ethos to their respective matches. While it’s still too little to late to make Eddie feel like a credible contender to the title, Impact did a good job boosting Eddie and spotlighting his career strengths. It’s “too little” in a sense that shoehorning Eddie in the BFG main event was a presumed impossible task because Eddie is just scratching the surface of his fresh reboot off of the dead Crazy Eddie persona. If anything, they could have built to a showdown next October (Rich Swann was actually the one who had the well built storyline with everyone constantly bringing up Swann’s contractually obligated rematch that he never got with Kenny Omega, and the built-in story of Swann redeeming himself after coming off as complacent in the mid-card).

The show cut to a Speedball Mike Bailey promo vignette. Bailey was shown doing some bag work on a Tae Kwon Do heavy bag. Bailey was also practicing his TKD forms. Bailey talked about how he’s opened Pandora’s Box and fought many people with many different styles. Bailey said he has fought people from other companies too, like his next match against AEW’s Frankie Kazarian. Bailey said he’s already defended his title 9 times in short order. He said that Kaz is a legend himself, known as the future and the present. Bailey said that Kaz’s legacy will be buried in the past when Bailey beats him at Bound for Glory…

Mickie James joined the commentary team for the next match…

2. Mia Yim vs. Gisele Shaw. Yim started the match with a snapmare and a series of armdrags on Gisele. Yim sent Shaw to ringside with a huracanrana. Shaw shot a glare at Mickie at ringside. Yim rolled up Shaw a few times for a few nearfalls. Shaw fought out of a Guillotine Choke by sending Yim into the buckle. Shaw hit Yim with a jawbreaker on the top rope and then followed up with a Corkescrew Plancha.

Shaw hit Yim with a power Irish Whip in the corner and followed up with a series of running uppercuts for a two count. Hannifan noted that Shaw is in the intergender Call Your Shot match at BFG. Shaw hit Yim with a nice Final Cut Suplex for a two count. Yim rallied back with chops. Shaw came back with a Gamengiri and Draping DDT for a two count. Both men traded running elbows. Shaw hit Yim with a corkscrew roundhouse. Both women took each other out with stereo headbutts. Mickie joked that it was a meeting of the minds.

Yim hit Shaw with a kick combo and shotgun dropkick. Yim hit Shaw with a cannonball. Shaw grabbed the bottom rope for the two count. Shaw dragged Yim into the 2nd rope. Shaw hit Yim with a Backbreaker-Flatliner combo. Yim hit Shaw with Eat Defeat (Seoul Food) out of nowhere for the victory.

Mia Yim defeated Gisele Shaw via pinfall in 7:15.

Mia Yim and Mickie James faced off in the center of the ring. Tom Hannifan reiterated that their match is a Career Threatening Match where Mickie will retire if she loses…

John’s Thoughts: A good match and more competitive than I expected with Yim being Mickie’s BFG opponent in Mickie’s latest career threatening match. I’m not going to complain because this hopefully sets up Shaw to be a more credible women’s title or tag title contender down the road. Gisele Shaw has tended to be very clunky in the ring, but she was really good here. This is the best Gisele Shaw match I’ve seen so far and I’m hoping for more (Her 2nd best match was the one against Masha). No way Mia is winning tomorrow. I totally expect Mickie to either win the title or retire due to the title loss. I also am not sure if Mia Yim is in for the long haul given she’s a Paul Levesque presumed favorite, and her husband is in AEW; so I expect her to end up in one of the big companies. I do think that Mickie and Mia have a chance to tear the house down at Bound for Glory and I’m totally looking forward to their match.

A Call Your Shot Battle Royal hype vignette aired. The narrator noted that Moose won last year’s battle royal and cashed in his trophy the same night (a la WWE’s Money in the Bank). The following wrestlers cut quick promos to hype their entry in the match: Heath, Gisele Shaw, Bhupinder Gujjar, Johnny Swinger, Vincent, PCO, Sami Callihan. The narrator ran through the rules, which are essentially over-the-top Royal Rumble rules, but when two men are left, it becomes a singles match…

A Killer Kelly vignette aired. The video showed that at Victory Road Kelly lost her match against Tasha Steelz via DQ when Kelly choked Tasha with a chain that Savannah Evans tried to choke her out with a few seconds earlier. Lance Storm and referees had to run out to save the referee after Kelly choked him with the chain. Kelly said she thought she was done with Tasha, but there’s so much more to do. Kelly declared her entry into the Call Your Shot match. The ciematic transitioned to a regular camera when Tasha Steelz punched Kelly in the middle of her cinematic. Savannah Evans pinned Kelly to the floor and Tasha also declared herself in the Call Your Shot Battle Royal…

John’s Thoughts: More good video packages. Whoever is doing tonight’s vignettes, video packages, and cutscenes, Tony Khan really needs to get on the phone, Fire Andrade Almas, and give Andrade’s money to whoever is doing Impact’s television production. Tonight’s Impact, with their video packages, is well produced. The Killer Kelly one was really clever and I liked the transition from the cinematic to the angle at the end with Tasha beating down Kelly. I’m also happy to see that they’re putting heat on Tasha Steelz, who is one of Impact’s most underrated home grown talent.

The show cut to the Impact Plus Flashback Moment of the week. This was from a TNA show in January 2003. Jeff Jarret was bloodied in the ring next to Jeremy Borash and a bunch of wrestlers. Jarrett had best some people to win the NWA Heavyweight Championship. Before Borash could congratulate Jeff, Raven beat down Jeff Jarrett and stole the NWA title. Vince Russo ran out to show that he sent Raven out to steal the belt (ugh, this is so WCW 2000)…

Tom Hannifan noted that Raven will be inducted into the Impact Hall of Fame pre-show…

Brian Myers was in a hallway and taunted Raj Singh and Mahabali Shera about how he’s the Digital Media Champion. One of Eric Young’s generic yellow hooded cultists got all up in their faces to annoy them by saying “I am violence”. Apparently his name is “Violence”. Security guards dragged the random person away. Myers said that yellow dude isn’t getting a title shot.

Myers then ran into former Ring of Honor head booker Delirious. Delirious said “blah ga bla bla bla bla Twilight zone Twilight Zone, bagablagaga” or something like that. Myers walked away in confusion. Myers walked into a random woman and assume she was Mantaur’s (Black Taurus’s) agent. Myers refused to give Taurus a title shot…[c]

John’s Thoughts: I forget that I loved Delirious’s old mumble gimmick, the one where if you listen close enough you can actually hear words. If nobody is going to hire this guy to book their wrestling promotion, I wouldn’t mind if Impact signs him and makes him their Digital Media Champion. Unlike a lot of Impact’s crappy comedy segments, Delirious falls in the same category as Johnny Swinger and Disco Inferno as “good Impact comedy”.

A Jordynne Grace vs. Masha Slamovich hype vignette aired…

Entrances for the next match took place…

3. Moose vs. Steve Maclin with Sami Callihan as the Special Guest Referee. Moose and Maclin traded right hands to start with Moose taking down Maclin wtih a shoulder tackle. Maclin came back with a double leg takedown and punches. Maclin got annoyed a bit when Callihan was actually counting for a rope break, but Callihan agreed to let them brawl. Maclin dumped Moose to ringside and hit him with a suicide dive. Callihan counted to three and then gave up on the ringside count. Callihan comically yelled “Wrestling!”.

Moose gave Maclin a suplex at ringside. Callihan comically asked Maclin “are you ok?”. The crowd chanted “Ref machine!”. Moose gave Maclin a Power Irish Whip into the buckle. Moose gave Maclin rapid right hands to bust open Maclin. Moose gave Maclin a running back elbow. Callihan gave Moose a “good job”. Moose wiped some of Maclin’s blood on Callihan’s striped ref shirt. Maclin rallied back with chops.

Moose ended the rally with a big boot. Maclin managed to get a breather after hitting Moose with a despiration clothesline. Callihan gave up on the countout at 4. Maclin blocked a Playmaker with a discus elbow. Maclin hit Moose with his signature Tree of Woe Spear. Callihan took his sweet time, saying “that looked like it hurt” and then going down for a really slow count. This pissed off Maclin. Callihan yelled “Two!!!”. After trading strikes, Moose hit Maclin with the Go To Hell (Sky High). Callihan distracted himself with the fans. Callihan claimed to Moose that he’s totally calling it down the middle.

Callihan threatened Moose to hit him or get DQ’d. Both men reversed each other’s finishers. This ultimately led to Moose hitting maclin with the spear. Moose had the visual pinfall, but at 2, Callihan gave Moose a thumbs down and a boot. Callihan did his Thumb’s up thing and hit Moose with a Cactus Driver. Callihan also hit Maclin with a Cactus Driver. Callihan rolled Maclin on Moose for the three count.

Steve Maclin defeated Moose via pinfall in 9:51.

Sami Callihan raised a knocked out Maclin’s hand in victory…

John’s Thought: Yo! That was the best match I saw all week. It was all the good kinds of stupid. Sami was actually amazing here. I can see some people not liking it , but I loved it (again, I love me some absurdity in my wrestling). This is the Death Machine we all need and deserve. His random ref-isms and quotes were stellar. Made Moose and Maclin the butt of the joke, but it had to be done. Here’s praying that the crazy Death Machine is here to stay, and Hacker Solomon Crowe is dead and buried. In all seriousness, I loved this. Moving along, I actually think that Sami Callihan should win the Call Your Shot match. Callihan’s the right person to run around and make the most out of Impact’s Money in the Cup trophy. I don’t think this would happen, but it would be cool to see a Champ vs. Champ match down the road with Callihan against his violent best friend Jon Moxley.

Three random wrestlers were trying to figure out who gets the last spot in the Call Your Shot match. They are apparently wrestlers that were in this year’s Impact Gut Check show (wherever they hell they show that). One had facepaint and called himself shogun. The caucasian guy won rock, paper, scissors and was about to go to Scott D’Amore’s office, but Joe Hendry walked out of the office saying that he got the last spot in the match. Joe Hendry led the wrestlers and production crew in his fun “I believe in Joe Hendry” song…[c]

John’s Thoughts: Hey, if the Death Machine isn’t going to win, the fan in me believes in Joe Hendry (I’m half serious about that. He shouldn’t win, but Joe Hendry’s awesome!). I hope he’s allowed to do his cover songs in Impact this time around (he didn’t last time, but shouldn’t you be able to if it’s a Fair-use parody?).

Zicky Dice wheeled Johnny Swinger to the ring in his WrestleMania mini-ring cart. They were apparently accompanying the former Swinger Girls to the ring for the next match. Their opponents were Taya Valkyrie and Jessicka. Rosemary still looks pissed. Hannifan reminded us that her name is Jessicka because she’s “Siiiick!”. Hannifan also noted that Swinger Girl 1 is “married” to John E Bravo via Wrestle House 2 (ugh, I actually watched that)…

4. Taya Valkyrie and Jessicka (w/Rosemary) vs. Unnamed Johnny Swinger Girls (w/Johnny Swinger, Zicky Dice). Swinger Girl 1 and Jessicka started the match, but Swinger Girl 2 was quickly tagged in. Jessicka and Taya used quick tags to give Swinger Girl 2 splashes and a meterora in the corner. Jessicka hit Swinger Girl 2 with the Sickishi Driver (Rikishi Driver) for the win.

Jessicka and Taya Valkyrie defeated the Johnny Swinger Girls via pinfall in 1:30.

John’s Thoughts: Jessicka has started to grow on me with all the effort and good energy she’s putting in the character. Havok has been a strong monster for about a decade, so this reboot freshens her up. I also think it’s freshened up Rosemary too who’s had a character transformation herself as the straight-man of the group.

Gia Miller interviewed VXT, Deonna Purrazzo and Chelsea Green, about defending their tag titles the next day against Jessicka and Taya. Green said Gia looked like a stick of butter. Deonna said Jessicka is repulsive. Green said they are going to leave everyone “vexed!” at Bound for Glory…[c]

Entrances for the next match took place. Hannifan noted that both teams represented in the next match have deep tag team championship history in both Impact and Ring of Honor (Don’t forget New Japan)…

5. Alex Shelley (w/Chris Sabin) vs. Impact Wrestling Tag Team Champion Matt Taven (w/Mike Bennett, Maria Kanellis). Taven tackled Shelley into the corner and pummeled him with right hands. Shelley came back with forearms. Shelley reversed the Climax. Taven rolled to ringside to avoid an armbar. Taven grounded Shelley with a dropkick. Bennett tripped Shelley. Sabin returned the favor by tripping Taven. Bennett dragged Shelley to ringside, but Taven accidentally gave Bennett a baseball slide when Shelley rolled away.

Shelley gave Taven a PK to the back at ringside. Shelley gave Taven an axe handle strike. Taven eye raked Shelley and gave him a few backbreakers for a two count. The show cut to commercial.[c]

Taven dominated for a stretch. Shelley got a breather after Taven missed a Lionsault. Shelley rallied back with strikes and a running knee. Shelley got a rollup into a Border City Stretch. Taven escaped. Shelley gave Taven shortarm chops. Taven came back with a crescent kick. Taven hit Shelley with a Lionsault for a two count. Shelley ducked a Disaster Kick and gave Taven a STO into the 2nd buckle. Shelley gave Taven a Tornado DDT.

Bennett grabbed Shelley’s leg, but Sabin took down Bennett at ringside. Shelley hit Taven with a superkick and Sliced Bread. Maria put Taven’s foot on the bottom rope for the rope break. After trading counters, Taven hit Shelley with a Disaster Kick. Shelley reversed a Frog Splash with knees for a two count. Maria distracted the ref which allowed Bennett to break up Shelley’s Shell Shock.

Taven rolled up Shelley for a two count. Taven hit Shelley with Just the Tip for a two count. Shelley reversed the Climax for the victory after hitting Shell Shocked.

Alex Shelley defeated Matt Taven via pinfall in 9:50 of on-air time.

The Machine Guns stood tall as Maria dragged Taven up the ramp…

John’s Thoughts: Good match, but Impact continues to book Honor No More to look weak as hell. What’s worse with the Kingdom is that they always have the numbers advantage, but their cheating ALWAYS backfires on them. It’s booking like this and their association with Eddie Edwards that keeps Eddie Edwards looking as an unworthy title contender. Heck, I think The Motor City Machine Guns look like the actual booking favorite to come out of Impact’s “Biggest show of the year” with the tag titles. Impact, on the other hand, protects the Motor City Machine Guns really strong, both as singles main eventers and a tag team. Can we get main event singles Mike Bennett and Matt Taven back? Please? Mike Bennett was sooooo good as a singles main eventer when he was “The Miracle” in Impact back in 2016.

Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt checked in from the commentary table. They plugged the NJPW Burning Spirit replay for after the show featuring Karl Anderson vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for the NEVER Openweight title on the Impact AXS show. The commentary team then ran through the Bound for Glory card…

Hannifan sent the show to footage from the end of one of their YouTube shows where Josh Alexander was being interviewed. Alexander noted that Edwards used to be the heart and soul of Impact and decided to go against Impact by choice. Alexander said Eddie is only making excuses at this point. Alexander said he’s leaving Bound For Glory as the face of the company and the world champion.

Hannifan and Alexander shook hands and ended the interview. Eddie Edwards showed up. Jimmy Jacobs, Lance Storm, Alisha Edwards, and security held Eddie back which allowed Josh to leave. Alisha and Eddie were left in the room. Eddie wondered if Alisha is on Josh’s side. Alisha said she’s on Eddie’s side, ride or die. Eddie said he’s trying to send his message, the message of Honor No More. Alisha said either “this” ends, or “we” do…

John’s Thoughts: Are they trying to set up an Alisha Edwards heel turn to cost Josh the title? Ewwwww. I hope not. I kinda just want Honor No More to dissolve so everyone can do bigger and better things.

Scott D’Amore’s theme played as he was in the ring to mediate the Knockouts Title Match contract signing. After doing a formal intro, Scott introduced Masha Slamovich first. D’Amore introduced Jordynne Grace next. D’Amore recapped the pick-your-poison feud that both women had and then framed it as a Title vs. Streak match. D’Amore gave Masha the first chance to speak and sign. Masha refused to speak and simply signed the contract.

D’Amore handed the mic and pen to Grace. Grace said she actually wants to speak. She said she respects Masha for kicking the door and making her goal clear: “defeat everyone and work her way to the top”. Grace said Masha succeeded and that’s why she’s in this match. She said she understands that Masha wants the belt, but Grace is not giving it up. She said Masha may be undefeated, but Grace is a former Knockouts World Champion. She said she’s also a former tag champion. Grace said she was also the inaugural Digital Media Champion. Grace said that makes her the first triple crown knockout in Impact history.

John’s Thoughts: Wait? So if someone wins the crappy WWE 24/7 title, they can become a Triple Crown Champ? I’m just joking, but the Digital Media title is legitamately trash.

Grace said Masha may be undefeated, but she hasn’t learned from loss. Grace said she’s going to give Masha that first lesson of defeat. Grace signed the contract. Scott was about to close the show. Masha stopped him and said random words in Russian. Grace wondered what Masha said. Masha translated herself and said “Masha’s gonna kill you”. Masha flipped the table on Grace and pummeled her. Masha set up the table on one leg. Grace rallied back with forearms. Masha escaped a Kinniku Buster attempt. Masha drove Grace through the table with a Snow Plow. Masha stood tall with the title belt to close the show…

John’s Thoughts: Impact tends to do these contract signings a lot (mostly since they build to a lot of random Impact Plus shows), but this was a good contract signing that showcased the contract in characters between the two women. Masha was good, being of a few words, and her few words had impact. Grace has never been the best promo in the world, but she was solid here in setting up her mission statement heading into her title defense. Impact better put the title on Slamovich because they’ve done an amazing job building up her buzzsaw persona. Masha vs. Mickie would have so much on the line if that’s the case.

Speaking of which, Jordynne Grace wasn’t the strongest character when they put the title on her, but Impact has done a way better job setting up her as a credible Bound for Glory wrestler than they did with Eddie Edwards. Lopsided “parity” booking has hurt Eddie and Honor No More, and I don’t get the logic of constantly making Eddie and HNM look weak heading into Bound for Glory. Again, I hope they aren’t going to do a screwjob with Alisha Edwards. Aside from that, this show was great. Thumbs up to the video production crew with all of those match logistics.