By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Impact Wrestling TV
Taped March 18-19, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 2300 Arena
Aired March 31, 2022 on AXS TV
[Hour One] A video package recapped recent developments of the Moose and Josh Alexander feud. It concluded with footage from Saturday’s Destiny Pro Wrestling event. Alexander was in the ring with his wife and children when Moose entered the ring wearing a hoodie and speared Alexander’s wife. Moose quickly left the ring while Alexander tended to his wife…
Alexander was shown walking backstage where he confronted Scott D’Amore, who told him that he sent Moose home. D’Amore said he was going to contact the Anthem board and was going to recommend stripping Moose of the Impact World Championship and firing him.
D’Amore told Alexander that he knows he feels. He added that he knew Alexander’s wife Jen before Alexander married her. Alexander shoved D’Amore against the wall and told him that he doesn’t understand because it wasn’t his family. Alexander said he needs closure in the ring. He said he needs to be the guy who takes the title from Moose. Alexander released D’Amore and said Moose better be paying attention to what happens tonight…
The Impact opening video played… Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt were on commentary, and David Penzer was the ring announcer…
Jonathan Gresham made his entrance with the original Ring of Honor Championship belt. He said people wondered by he came to Impact. He said it’s because he wants to share the essence of ROH and what professional wrestling is.
Gresham mentioned Honor No More. He said the foundation was built by men like him. He mentioned Samoa Joe, Bryan Danielson, CM Punk and Eddie Edwards. Gresham said Edwards is no longer the man he was back then because he represents something different.
Kenny King’s entrance interrupted Gresham. He told Gresham is a puppet and a stooge for ROH. He said Gresham is being used to bring prestige for their company. King said Gresham is called The Octopus because he’s all arms and no brains or balls. Gresham said he didn’t want Pure Rules or “that worthless piece of metal from a dead company.” King said he wanted to pound Gresham into the dirt…
Powell’s POV: King’s promo was good in terms of establishing that he and King have different perspectives on what transpired with ROH shutting down. I’d actually like to see Honor No More hit a little harder when it comes to expressing their frustration with the way things ended. Even if they are more forgiving as real people, it’s important to establish the anger in these characters that led to the formation of the Honor No More faction.
1. Original ROH Championship holder Jonathan Gresham vs. Kenny King in a non-title match. Gresham caught King’s leg over the ropes and gave him a dragon screw leg whip. Gresham went for a cross body block from the top rope, but King avoided it. Gresham came up selling his right knee. [C]
King set up for his finisher, but he sold left knee pain. King caught Gresham in an inside cradle for a two count. When both men stood up, King acted like his knee gave out. Gresham put him in a leg lock submission hold. The referee counted King’s shoulders on the mat, but he left his shoulders multiple times. Gresham maintained the hold as he stood up and King was unable to get his shoulder up.
Original ROH Championship holder Jonathan Gresham beat Kenny King in a non-title match.
Eddie Edwards ran out and attacked Gresham. Rocky Romero came out and helped Gresham clear Edwards and King from the ring…
Powell’s POV: A good match. King continues to lose matches, but it felt like he had a bit of an out in this case with his knee giving out. I assume that a tag team match still stem from the post match angle.
The broadcast team ran through the Impact Multiverse of Matches show that will take place on Friday in Dallas, Texas and is available for purchase via FITE TV. They switched to hyping matches for this edition of Impact…
“The Motor City Machine Guns” Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin were interviewed by Gia Miller in the backstage area about their rematch with Jay White and Chris Bey. Sabin spoke briefly about facing Tomohiro Ishiii at the Multiverse of Matches show before closing with a line about facing White and Bey… [C]
Deonna Purrazzo was interviewed by Miller in the backstage area. She also spoke about the Multiverse of Matches and said that as a double champion, she is the multiverse…
Johnny Swinger and Zicky Dice made their entrance for the “chump chump challenge.” Swinger said Dice is a good kid and he’ll be the next Adrian Adonis if he listens to him. Swinger said it was time for the chump chump challenge. Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson made their entrance…
2. Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson vs. Johnny Swinger and Zicky Dice. Gallows and Anderson dominated. Gallows performed a fallaway slam on Dice. Gallows splashed Dice in the corner and put him down with a kick. Anderson tagged in. Anderson and Gallows hit the Magic Killer before Anderson pinned Dice…
Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson beat Johnny Swinger and Zicky Dice.
Gallows and Anderson headed backstage where Miller asked them why they took the challenge issued by Swinger and Dice. Anderson spoke about how they were back to beating people up. Gallows said they were screwed by Honor No More in the lumberjack match for the Impact Tag Titles last week. They also hyped their match against Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe at the Multiverse event…
In the parking lot, PCO screamed “Jonah” repeatedly… [C]
Powell’s POV: Poor Swinger and Dice. I thought this was going to be their night.
PCO was still screaming for Jonah. For reasons only Impact employees understand, music played as Jonah showed up and fought with PCO in the parking lot. Jonah powerbombed PCO and told him to stay down. Jonah picked up PCO anyway and punched him, then jabbed him with a sledgehammer. Jonah placed what appeared to be a concrete slab on top of PCO and then slammed the sledgehammer onto it.
PCO sat up and grabbed Jonah by the throat. PCO slammed Jonah’s head into a truck and then slammed a door on his body repeatedly. With Jonah down, PCO started shoveling dirt on top of him… [C]
Powell’s POV: A good brawl brought down a notch by the completely unnecessary musical score.
3. Josh Alexander vs. Madman Fulton (w/Ace Austin). The entrances were televised. Alexander dominated Fulton. Alexander suplexed and powerbombed Fulton, then put him in an ankle lock. Fulton tried to hold on for a bit, but he eventually tapped out.
Josh Alexander defeated Madman Fulton.
Afterward, Alexander held the hold while the referee pleaded with him. Alexander released the hold and caught Ace Austin sneaking into the ring, but Austin froze and then opted against entering the ring. Fulton hit Alexander while he was distracted. Alexander took Fulton down and reapplied the ankle lock, then wrenched on his foot. Austin watched from the stage and headed to the back…
Backstage, Trey Miguel asked Mike Bailey about his relationship with Ace Austin. “Ace is Ace,” Bailey said. Miguel pointed out that Austin just stood and watched his only other friend get his ankle broken. Miguel told him not to expect Austin to have his back. Bailey said he always expects the unexpected… [C]
Powell’s POV: A good segment. Alexander was more aggressive than usual to show his frustration over what Moose did to his wife. Austin shrugging off Fulton have his ankle snapped could set the stage for their split and a feud. I also liked the way that Miguel pointed out the obvious about Austin to Bailey, as the three of them will meet for the X Division Championship at the Rebellion pay-per-view.
Mickie James delivered a backstage promo that was joined in progress after the commercial break. James said it’s not about who the power couple, it’s going to be a real ass whipping because Chelsea Green clearly hasn’t had enough of them. James said it will be “the Mid-Cardonas against Al-dis”…
Gia Miller knocked on the locker room door of Cardona and Green. Cardona opened the door and was asked if he had an explanation for Green’s actions when she attacked Mickie James last week. Cardona took offense that Miller didn’t ask about his “historic reign” as the Digital Media Champion. Cardona called for Green, who said she will be getting her shot at James. Cardona said he and Green will face James and Nick Aldis at the Multiverse of Matches and will prove why they’re the power couple of pro wrestling…
[Hour Two] The battle royal entrants were in the ring when Savannah Evans and Knockouts Champion Tasha Steelz made their entrance. Evans was the final entrant in the match.
4. Knockouts Battle Royal for a shot at the Knockouts Championship. Tasha Steelz sat in on commentary for the match. The entrants included Evans, Lady Frost, Rosemary, Giselle Shaw, Alisha Edwards, Havok, Madison Rayne, Tenille Dashwood, Jessie McKay, and Jordynne Grace. Kaleb and Cassie Lee were at ringside. Hannifan said Lee wasn’t medically cleared to compete.
A group of wrestlers eliminated Havok. There was a comical spot where Kaleb caught McKay and saved her from elimination while his own team of Dashwood and Rayne were eliminated. Grace and Evans had a big showdown. Evans got the better of it and set Grace on the apron, then hit her with a big boot that eliminated her.
Rosemary, Shaw, and Frost teamed up to eliminate Evans. Frost hit Rosemary with a kick, which led to Steelz delivering the Caprice Coleman style “Oh, my God.” Rosemary and Frost ended up on the apron. Shaw tried to eliminate both of them, but Rosemary and Frost grabbed Shaw and pulled her over the top rope, which led to Frost also falling off the apron, leaving Rosemary as the winner.
Rosemary won a battle royal to become No. 1 contender to the Knockouts Championship.
Powell’s POV: The creative forces put a little thought into the match in terms of creating a few key moments. This was fine for a battle royal. Rosemary is a good choice to challenge Steelz. Rosemary is popular and has had a lot of success in Impact, so it should mean something when/if Steelz beats her…
Highlights aired from the Before The Impact show of Black Taurus beating Deaner…
A Violent By Design video aired with Eric Young talking while Joe Doering and Deaner stood behind him. Young said they would take back their power and control and what Deaner lost… [C]
Hannifan and Rehwoldt were shown at their desk. Hannifan introduced Brian Myers, who was at his desk to prove “alternate commentary”..
5. Bhupinder Gujjar vs. Aiden Prince. Gujjar knocked Prince out of the ring with a shoulder block. Prince returned to the ring and was tossed back to the floor moments later. Prince tried to leave, but Gujjar stopped him and worked him over at ringside. Back in the ring, Gujjar slammed Prince and got a near fall. Prince got some offense,, but Gujjar eventually put him away with a spear from the middle rope.
Bhupinder Gujjar beat Aiden Prince.
After the match, Myers started heading toward the back, but W Morrissey came out and attacked him. Morrissey ran Myers into the ring post. The crowd called for tables. Morrissey set up for a powerbomb, but Myers grabbed the foot of Aiden Prince, who was still down at ringside. Myers escaped and ran to the stage. Prince shoved Morrissey, who responded by powerbombing him through Myers’ broadcast table…
Powell’s POV: The match was nothing special, but the crowd did come to life when Gujjar hit his finisher. The fans were also hot for Morrissey getting his hands on Myers and, of course, the table spot with Prince.
Jay White and Chris Bey were shown warming up… [C]
6. Masha Slamovich vs. Abby Jane. Jane’s entrance was not televised. A “Masha’s gonna kill you” chant broke out. Masha responded to it by turning away from Jane, who hit her from behind. Slamovich came right back with a suplex and went on to win the match with a Snow Plow…
Masha Slamovich defeated Abby Jane.
Powell’s POV: The usual squash win for Slamovich. Impact continues to show patience in the build of Slamovich. I still wish they would do some vignettes with her to establish her actual character.
The broadcast team hyped the Multiverse of Matches lineup. They also announced that IPWF would return for next week’s show…
Powell’s POV: Why?!? I realize some people get a kick out of Impact’s comedic throwback skits. Great. You want to run it on YouTube? Fine. Run an actual IPWF event at WrestleCon? Cool. But it’s not something I want to see replace the actual Impact show.
Jay White and Chris Bey made their entrance for the main event… [C] The Motor City Machine Guns made their entrance…
7. Jay White and Chris Bey vs. “The Motor City Machine Guns” Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley. White performed a DDT on Sabin. Bey hit Sabin with a clothesline from the top rope, then rushed to ringside and mugged for the hard camera. [C]
Bey accidentally speared White off the apron. Sabin hit Bey with a PK and then performed a dive from the apron onto White. Back in the ring, Sabin hit Bey with a missile dropkick. Sabin and Shelley hit Bey with the same move that they won the previous mach with, but this time Bey kicked out.
White went for a Blade Runner on Sabin, who avoided it. Bey kicked Sabin. White tossed Sabin to the floor next to Shelley, and then Bey performed a flip dive onto them. Bey laid on top of Sabin and held up the “too sweet” hand sign. Bey sent Sabin back inside the ring where White suplexed him. Bey performed a top rope splash and had the pin, but Shelley broke up the pin.
White barked at the referee even though it wasn’t even close this time around. Sabin rolled up Bey and got a visual pinfall while the referee was caught up with White. A short time later, Sabin avoided Bey going for his finisher. Sabin set up for Cradle Shock, but White returned and dropped Sabin with a wicked suplex. Bey performed a springboard cutter on Sabin and scored the pin.
Jay White and Chris Bey defeated “The Motor City Machine Guns” Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley.
Hannifan plugged the Multiverse of Matches while White and Bey celebrated their win to close the show…
Powell’s POV: Another strong match between these teams. They’ve traded wins, so I assume we’ll be getting a very welcome rubber match at some point. Overall, this was a good episode with the furthering of some storylines, hype for Multiverse show, and some good in-ring action. I will have more to say about Impact in my weekly audio review for Dot Net Members, and John Moore will be writing the Hit List this week.
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