By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Impact Wrestling Rebellion
Aired April 23, 2022 on pay-per-view and FITE TV
Poughkeepsie, New York at MJN Convention Center
Impact Wrestling Rebellion Pre-Show
Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt checked in on commentary from ringside and turned it over to the French broadcast team briefly. Hannifan and Rehwoldt hyped the two pre-show matches and ran through the main card lineup. Dave Penzer was the ring announcer…
1. Eddie Edwards vs. Chris Bey. Prior to the match, the members of Honor No More (minus PCO) walked Edwards onto the stage, but they did not accompany him to ringside. A few minutes in, Bey knocked Edwards off the apron with a kick. Bey followed up with a flip dive onto Edwards on the floor.
A short time later, Bey countered out of a Tiger Driver into a pin for a good near fall. Edwards came right back with a backpack Stunner for a near fall of his own. Both wrestlers hit forearms and then Bey dropped Edwards with a cutter for another near fall. Bey went for a springboard move. Edwards held onto the ropes and then performed a Tiger Driver for a two count. Edwards followed up with another power move and scored the pin…
Eddie Edwards defeated Chris Bey in 9:20.
Powell’s POV: A good opener. It was slower than most Bey matches, but they did a nice job of increasing the pace as the match went on. For those who missed the news, Jonathan Gresham had to bow out of the show due to a concussion, so Bey replaced him in this match, which was moved to the pre-show. The X Division Title match was moved to the main card.
A video package focused on the Moose vs. Josh Alexander match for the Impact World Championship…
2. “The Influence” Madison Rayne and Tenille Dashwood vs. “The IInspiration” Cassie Lee and Jessie McKay for the Knockouts Tag Titles. Hannifan made a fuss over the champions choosing to make their entrance before the challengers. McKay and Lee dominated to start the match. They set up for a double team move on Rayne that was cut off by Dashwood.
Dashwood performed a crossbody block onto both opponents and then hit Lee with a running kick, which resulted in a two count. Dashwood wanted to use one of the title belts as a weapon, but the referee took it away from her. Rayne slid the other belt in the ring while the referee was distracted, but Lee ducked the belt shot attempt. Lee hit Dashwood with a spin kick for a two count. The Champions came back and hit a double team move on McKay, which led to the pin…
“The Influence” Madison Rayne and Tenille Dashwood defated “The IInspiration” Cassie Lee and Jessie McKay in 6:35 to retain the Knockouts Tag Titles.
The broadcast team closed out the pre-show by hyping the main card…
Powell’s POV: Another example of my ongoing theory that pro wrestling referees are not able to walk backwards while holding a belt or another object in their hands. They kept this brief and it was fine for what it was.
Impact Wrestling Rebellion Pay-Per-View
A video package opened the main card and then Hannifan and Rehwoldt checked in on commentary. Rehwoldt said the venue was sold out…
1. Jay White vs. Steve Maclin vs. Chris Sabin in a Triple Threat. Maclin wore face paint. White avoided contact early, but he eventually joined in. At 9:00, Maclin set up for a tower of doom spot that White and Sabin fought out of. Sabin tied up White in a tree of woe and then performed a missile dropkick on Maclin. However, Maclin tied up Sabin in the tree of woe and then speared White. Maclin went for another spear on Sabin, who sat up, causing Maclin to tumble to ringside, which drew a “holy shit” chant from the crowd.
White performed a half and half suplex on Sabin. White went for a Blade Runner, but Sabin countered into a pin for a close near fall. Sabin and White countered out of one another’s finishers, but Sabin eventually hit the Cradle Shock on White. Maclin returned and hooked Sabin into a pin…
Steve Maclin defeated Chris Sabin and Jay White in a Triple Threat. in 11:50.
Powell’s POV: A good Triple Threat. I kinda guessed that Maclin was going over when he showed in the face paint, but I could have been reading too much into that. Either way, it’s good to see him get a meaningful victory.
The French broadcast team was introduced again, and then the English broadcast team ran through the rest of the lineup…
Josh Alexander, his wife, and son were shown arriving backstage. His wife assured him that she and their son were fine. She recalled Alexander winning the Impact World Championship at Bound For Glory and having it ripped away. Alexander spoke about how Moose made things personal and said he wouldn’t be able to look at himself in the mirror if he didn’t get the job done.
Scott D’Amore showed up and told Alexander that Moose knows he’s not better than him and that’s why he’s done some of the things he’s done. D’Amore encouraged Alexander to keep his anger and emotion in check. D’Amore told him to beat Moose and take what’s his…
A video package spotlighted the AAA Reina De Reinas Championship match…
2. Deonna Purrazzo vs. Taya Valkyrie for the AAA Reina De Reinas Championship. Valkyrie threw an early dropkick and played to the crowd before covering Purrazzo for an early pin attempt. She followed up with a snap German suplex off the ropes. Both women went to ringside where Purrazzo pulled Valkyrie into the ring post. Back inside the ring, Purrazzo picked up a two count. Valkyrie went for a Flatliner, but Purrazzo caught her in a submission hold briefly.
Both wrestlers went back to ringside where Purrazzo performed a Russian leg sweep onto the ring apron. Both women beat the referee’s count. They knelt in front of one another and let out primal screams while the broadcast team said that the champion and challenger hated each other. Purrazzo put Valkyrie down with a pump kick and then performed a standing moonsault for a two count. Purrazzo applied an armbar, but Valkryie reached the bottom rope to break it.
Valkyrie went for a move from the middle rope. Valkyrie caught her and powerbombed her. Valkyrie applied a submission hold that Purrazzo broke by reaching the ropes. Purrazzo picked up another near fall and then set up for the Queen’s Gambit, but Valkyrie stuffed it and ended up hitting the Road to Valhalla and scored the clean pin…
Taya Valkyrie defeated Deonna Purrazzo in 9:00 to win the AAA Reina De Reinas Championship.
Powell’s POV: A good match a decisive pinfall win for Valkyrie. This looked better on paper than it turned out to be. Maybe I just had my hopes up too high. Again, though, it was a good match and it’s not like they had enough time for it to be more than that.
Gia Miller interviewed Knockouts Champion Tasha Steelz in the backstage area while Savannah Evans stood by. Steelz welcomed back Valkyrie and said that while Valkyrie may have a title, Steelz said she has the title. She turned her focus to her title defense against Rosemary… A video package set up the X Division Title match…
3. Trey Miguel vs. Ace Austin vs. Mike Bailey in a Triple Threat for the X Division Championship. Hannifan pointed out that Austin lost the X Division Championship on the last two Rebellion pay-per-views. Austin mouthed off to both opponents, who then worked him over to start the match. It quickly became every man for himself.
There was a fun spot where Bailey did a handspring into the ropes only to have Austin pull his arms out from under him from the floor, then Miguel dove onto Austin at ringside. Bailey performed a moonsault from the middle rope in the ring and over the ropes onto both opponents on the floor.
Austin grabbed Bailey from the floor again a short time later, but this time Bailey kicked him. Miguel slid onto his knees in the ring and went through the ropes and hit Austin with a cutter on his way down to the floor. In the ring, Miguel rolled Austin into a pin for a two count. Austin ended up back at ringside. Bailey hit him with an Asai moonsault. Bailey returned to the apron and then Miguel leapt over the top rope and took Bailey off the apron with a huracanrana, which led to a deserved “holy shit” chant from the crowd.
A short time later, Bailey performed a flip off the ropes and drove his knees into the back of Austin. Bailey had Austin pinned, but Miguel broke it out. Bailey sent Miguel to ringside and then hit Austin with a kick. Miguel returned to the ring and rolled up Bailey, but then Austin rolled up Miguel for a two count. Miguel put Bailey down with a brainbuster and then followed up with a Meteora. Miguel had the pin, but Austin pulled the referee from the floor to break up the pin while Hannifan said there are no disqualifications. Austin hit The Fold on Miguel and scored the pin to win the title for the sixth time…
Ace Austin defeated Trey Miguel and Mike Bailey in 10:20 in a Triple Threat to win the X Division Championship.
Powell’s POV: This was a blast. I listed some of the highlights, but I couldn’t keep up with all of the crazy spots. I was correct in predicting an Austin win based on him taking the loss in a tag team match and then being taken out by a kick from Bailey on the go-home show. Once I saw that happen, I assumed that Austin would win with the logic being that what happened on Impact would essentially be erased by him winning the championship. Bailey is still fairly new to Impact, so I like the idea of keeping him in chase mode while he continues to gain popularity and momentum.
Backstage, Honor No More members Eddie Edwards, Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, Kenny King, Vincent, and Maria Kanellis were backstage for a promo. Taven and Bennett spoke about winning the elimination match and becoming the new Impact Tag Team Champions…
An old school “coming soon” video aired and a TVMA listing was shown. The video included some numbers and letters that hinted at someone coming soon…
4. Jonah vs. Tomohiro Ishii. Jonah controlled the early offense and kept the pace slow with Ishii getting small bursts of offense that Jonah cut off. Rehwoldt compared Ishii to a boxer who takes punishment and waits for an opponent to make a mistake. At 6:00, Ishii went for a brainbuster, but he couldn’t pick up Jonah. Ishii was able to hit a basement lariat moments later.
At 8:30, Ishii fired up and targeted Jonah’s left knee. Jonah came back by pressing Ishii into the air and letting him fall to the mat. Jonah performed a senton for a two count. Jonah went for a powerbomb, but Ishii slipped out. Ishii dodged a charging Jonah and then put him down with a German suplex.
Jonah knocked Ishii down with a clothesline, but Ishii stood right back up. Ishii put Jonah down with a lariat and covered him for a near fall. Jonah and Ishii traded forearms and then Ishii put the big man down with an enzuigiri. Jonah blocked a basement lariat attempt and then ran through a regular lariat. Jonah knocked Ishii down. Ishii popped right up, but Jonah put him down with a headbutt.
Jonah powerbombed Ishii for a close near fall. Jonah picked up Ishii and put him down with a short-arm clothesline that produced another close near fall. Ishii came back with a headbutt, but Jonah put him down with a spear. Jonah went for a top rope splash that Ishii avoided. Ishii performed another basement lariat and picked up a near fall. Ishii threw two headbutts at Jonah and then put him down with a brainbuster for the clean pin…
Tomohiro Ishii beat Jonah in 14:35.
Powell’s POV: Another good match that fell a notch below my admittedly high expectations. It was quite the change of pace to go from the rapid fire X Division match to this slug fest. I was surprised to see Jonah lose given that Ishii took a loss to Adam Cole during his current run in the United States (Correction: I mistakenly wrote that Ishii lost to Minoru Suzuki, but he actually won that match).
A video package set up the Impact Tag Title match…
5. Eric Young and Joe Doering (w/Deaner) vs. Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson vs. Rich Swann and Willie Mack vs. Heath and Rhino vs. Matt Taven and Mike Bennett (w/Maria Kanellis) vs. W Morrissey and Jordynne Grace vs. Brian Myers and Matt Cardona (w/Chelsea Green) vs. Johnny Swinger and Zicky Dice in an eight-team elimination match for the Impact Tag Titles. The first two teams were Morrissey and Grace vs. Myers and Carona. Grace held up Cardona and then Morrissey hit him with a big boot.
Morrissey ended up at ringside where Green got in his face. Grace was rolled up and pinned by Cardona roughly 2:00 in (the cameras were focused on what was happening at ringside). Morrissey and Grace roughed up Myers and Cardona afterward. Morrissey also powerbombed Green through a table at ringside.
The third entrants were Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson. They took out Myers and Cardona in a matter of seconds, as the duo were still selling the beating from Morrissey and Grace.
The fourth entrants were Johnny Swinger and Zicky Dice. Anderson and Gallows won again in short order with another Magic Killer, this time on Dice.
The fifth entrants were Rich Swann and Willie Mack. They performed stereo flip dives from the ring onto Gallows and Anderson at ringside. Swann was isolated and eventually made a hot tag to Mack, who knocked Gallows off the apron and worked over Anderson. Mack performed a standing moonsault for a near fall. Anderson avoided a Stunner and put Mack down with a spinebuster for a near fall of his own. A short time later, Gallows tripped Mack while he was on the top rope. Gallows chokeslammed Swann onto the apron, then joined Anderson in hitting Mack with the Magic Killer, which led to Anderson scoring the pin.
The sixth entrants were Mike Bennett and Matt Taven. Maria Kanellis walked out with Vincent and Kenny King, and then Bennett and Taven attacked Gallows and Anderson from behind. Gallows fought with King and Vincent. Anderson went for a suplex, but Maria tripped Anderson (sort of) and then Taven fell onto him and scored the pin. Afterward, Taven did a dive onto a pile of wrestlers on the floor. Gallows and Anderson hit the Magic Killer on Taven.
The seventh entrants were Heath and Rhino. Maria distracted Heath with a trip attempt, allowing Bennett to take offensive control. Taven tagged in and hit Heath with a missile dropkick and got a two count. Later, Taven ran toward Heath, but Rhino gored him and pinned him.
The eighth and final entrants were Eric Young and Joe Doering, who were accompanied by Deaner. Heath hit a Wakeup Call on Young and had him pinned. The referee spotted Young’s leg over the bottom rope and the announcers weren’t sure whether Deaner put it there because the cameras didn’t show it. Later, Rhino set up for a Gore, but Doering pulled him to ringside. Heath went for another Wakeup Call, but Young held onto the ropes. Young put Heath down with a piledriver and pinned him.
Eric Young and Joe Doering won an eight-team elimination match in 32:50 to retain the Impact Tag Titles.
Powell’s POV: This was the “get a bunch of people on the show” match of the night. It ate up a lot of time and did nothing for me, and I wish they would have just gotten this match out of the way at the start of the show. They didn’t even tell a story. The match just came down to the teams that entered seventh and eighth. If the champions were going to retain, why not have one of the babyface teams go on a run and then come up short due to the champions being fresh? Sure, it’s formula, but it’s better than nothing. The Impact tag division has produced some great matches and feuds over the years, but it feels ice cold right now. I was hoping that they were going to shake things up by putting the belt on either the Major Players (Cardona and Myers) or Taven and Bennett. Instead, Violent By Design retained and they didn’t do anything during the match to establish their next challengers will be. Of course, it’s possible their next challengers will be a team that wasn’t in the gauntlet, but this was just plain underwhelming.
A video package set up the Knockouts Championship match…
6. Tasha Steelz (w/Savannah Evans) vs. Rosemary (w/Havok) for the Knockouts Championship. Early in the match, Steelz ended up at ringside and backed into Havoc. Steelz turned around and slapped her. Havok responded by choking Steelz in front of the referee, who ejected Havok from ringside. Steelz took offensive control until Rosemary bit her ass (yes, really). Both wrestlers went for clotheslines simultaneously and stayed down for a moment.
Late in the match, Evans stood on the apron and jawed at the referee. Steelz picked up the Knockouts Title belt and the referee caught her. Evans entered the ring and put Rosemary down with a big boot and then left the ring. Steelz hit a Blackout on Rosemary for a near fall. Steelz threw a fit, but the live crowd clearly didn’t recognize this as a big spot given their flat reaction. Rosemary avoided a top rope move attempt by Steelz.
Evans climbed onto the apron and went after Rosemary, who sprayed green mist at her, which did get a pop. Rosemary speared Steelz and got a close near fall. Steelz caught Rosemary on the ropes. Steelz performed a springboard cutter and then slammed her to the mat and pinned her…
Tasha Steelz defeated Rosemary in 12:00 to retain the Knockouts Championship.
Powell’s POV: The match order for this event is really questionable. I don’t know if they felt like the Knockouts Title match needed to go on later than the AAA Reina De Reinas Championship match to make the Impact title seem more important, but I think it was a mistake because there wasn’t much mystery regarding the outcome given that Steelz is a fairly new champion. The crowd was flat for the majority of this match. In fairness, the tag team match really sucked a lot of energy out of the building.
The broadcast team hyped the Under Siege event for Impact Plus on May 7. Hannifan announced that Impact’s Slammiversary pay-per-view will be held on Sunday, June 19 (Father’s Day). He said Impact was going home. A video package aired and listed the show as taking place in Nashville, Tennessee. Rehwoldt said tickets for the show go on sale on Friday…
A video package set up the main event…
7. Moose vs. Josh Alexander for the Impact World Championship. Dave Penzer delivered in-ring introductions and Brian Hebner was the referee. The broadcast team helped tell the story that Moose tried to make Alexander lose his composure when they met in the middle of the ring, but Alexander took him down and threw knees at his side. Alexander went for an ankle lock, causing Moose to scurry to ringside.
The match spilled over to ringside. Moose picked up Alexander in powerbomb position and ended up swinging him into the barricade twice before dropping him on the floor. Once both men were back inside the ring, there were dueling chants of “Walking Weapon” and “Moose” that were pretty even. Alexander took offensive control and threw repeated boots at the head of Moose while he was draped over the bottom rope. Hannifan said Alexander had to be careful to avoid disqualification. Alexander threw Moose back inside the ring. Moose rolled onto the apron on the other side of the ring. Alexander ran and dove at Moose to knock him off the apron again.
Back in the ring, Alexander performed a series of ten German suplexes without ever losing his grip around Moose’s stomach. Alexander set up for the C4 Spike, but Moose backdropped him instead. Moose ran into a big boot. Alexander climbed to the middle rope, but Moose dropkicked him and then performed a Sky High spinebuster for a near fall. Alexander came back with a German suplex, but Moose shot right up and returned fire. Moose went for a move from the ropes that Alexander avoided. Alexander applied an ankle lock that Moose broke by reaching the bottom rope.
Alexander stood over Moose and then leaned down and slapped him twice. Moose stood up and traded chops with Alexander. Moose got the better of the chops. Alexander responded with a forearm. Moose threw one of his own that knocked Alexander down. Alexander stood up and threw another, but Moose knocked him down again. Rinse and repeat, only this time Alexander stayed down and slapped Moose from his back. Moose picked him up and chokeslammed him and covered him, but Alexander kicked out at one.
Alexander threw his headgear at Moose and then fired up with chops. Moose headbutted Alexander, who came back with a big clothesline. Alexander hit the C4 Spike and went for the cover, but Moose put his foot on the bottom rope at the lat moment. A “this is awesome” chant broke out. Alexander showed frustration. Alexander set up for the same move again, but Moose drove him into the corner and threw punches at him and then bit his forehead. Moose placed Alexander on the top rope and then superplexed him. Moose covered Alexander for two count.
Moose went for a spear, but Alexander stuffed it and then put Moose down with a Styles Clash. Alexander applied the ankle lock. Moose teased tapping, but he eventually pulled himself to the corner and pulled off the turnbuckle pad. While the referee was clearing the pad from the ring, Moose kicked Alexander below the belt. Moose ran Alexander into the exposed turnbuckle, causing Alexander to spit out his mouthguard. Moose speared Alexander and covered him for a near fall. Hannifan said no one has ever kicked out of Moose’s spear.
Moose removed the top turnbuckle in the same corner as the other exposed turnbuckle. Moose gave Alexander a Buckle Bomb against the exposed turnbuckle. Moose went for a spear, but Alexander caught him with a knee to the head. Alexander hit the C4 Spike and scored the pin.
Josh Alexander defeated Moose in 23:55 to win the Impact World Championship.
After the match, Alexander’s wife and son joined him in the ring. Alexander’s wife put the Impact World Championship belt around his waist. Alexander played to the hard camera and then picked up his son as the show went off the air…
Powell’s POV: A strong main event and a good ending to highly entertaining six-month saga between Moose and Alexander that started at Bound For Glory. I’m happy they didn’t make the mistake of trying to stretch this out again. This needed to be Alexander’s night and it was. I wish they would have stuck with the post match celebration longer. They closed the show roughly seven minutes before the top of the hour, so it wasn’t like they were out of time. Anyway, it was a good main event and both wrestlers and the creative forces should be proud of the story that was told over the last six months.
Overall, this show looked really good on paper and it didn’t live up to my expectations. Again, my expectations were admittedly high and it’s not like this was a bad show by any means, but Impact has definitely delivered hotter pay-per-view events. On a somewhat related note, I don’t think Impact officials are doing themselves any favors by pointing the hard camera at the stage and keeping the crowd areas so dark. They said this was a sold out show. They also appeared to have a good crowd in Philadelphia for the recent tapings. It’s time to shake things up from a production standpoint to show off these crowds and creative a better and brighter atmosphere.
I will have more to say about this show in my same night audio review for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of it by voting for the best match and grading the overall show.
Hi i used be a hardcore impact fan and im not now not because I live in the UK and it gone from being the easiest promotion to keep up with in uk ten year ago to being one of the hardest. Ten year there was an annual uk tour, a prominent spot on free uk tv and the dvds were on sale on the uk high streets… I feel the AEW poisoned IMPACT booking…I just hope sami calihan comes back soon