By John Moore, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)
Impact Wrestling TV (Episode 1,003)
Taped in Memphis, Tennessee at Graceland Live
Aired October 5, 2023 on AXS TV
Highlights from last week’s Impact Wrestling show aired…
Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwodlt were on commentary. Dave Penzer was the ring announcer…
Entrance for the opening match took place…
1. Tasha Steelz vs. Killer Kelly (w/Masha Slammovich). Kelly crawled on the ground like a creeper and even tried to lick Tasha’s boot. Tasha gave Kelly a Buzzsaw Kick for a two count. Kelly recovered and worked on Tasha with clinch knee variations. Kelly hig Steelz with a delayed Fisherman Buster for a two count. Kelly hit Tasha with a big boot. Tasha blocked a PK and tripped Kelly on the apron. Tasha gave Kelly a draping DDT on the ringside floor.
Tasha hit Kelly iwth a Gamengiri combo and shotgun dropkick for a two count. Tasha put Kelly in a cravate. Kelly escaped with elbows. Tasha punched Kelly off the apron. Tasha gave Masha a baseball slide. The distraction allowed Kelly to get a two count.Tasha came back with a kick and got her own two count. Tasha worked on Kelly with overhead elbows and a camel clutch. Kelly escaped, but Tasha turned the move into a crossface.
Kelly came back with stiff forearms. Kelly reversed a Stratusfaction into shortarm lariats. Kelly hit Tasha with a headbutt and Butterfly Suplex. Kelly hit Tasha with an inverted cannonball for a nearfall. Kelly reversed a springboard elbow into a rear naked choke. Deonna Purrazzo ran out and pulled the referee away. Hannifan said the referee didn’t know if it was Deonna or Masha who dragged her (why would the referee assume Masha was betraying her tag partner?). Tasha hit a distracted Kelly with the Blackout (Crucifix Driver) for the win.
Tasha Steelz defeated Killer Kelly via pinfall in 8:33.
Hannifan noted that Tasha has just pinned one half of the tag team champions…
John’s Thoughts: A well wrestled match between former rivals. Back around a year ago, Tasha was the coward heel while Kelly had a strong debut. As much as I’m numb and tired of distraction finishes, I get it here in that at Kelly and Tasha both get to look strong. Not a huge fan of Tasha and Deonna forming a tag team because I feel like they’re the latest hodge-podge of singles wrestlers meant to slide into the women’s tag team division for the current PPV cycle.
Footage from the Before the Impact show was shown. Savannah Evans defeated Jessicka. The show then cut to John Skyler approaching Gisele Shaw, Jai Vidal, and Savannah Evans to ask Evans if she can be his tag team partner against Ace and Bey. Skyler said Evans was the first person he’s asked. Shaw pointed out that Skyler has been begging everyone online all week to be his tag partner and no one bit on his request.
Skyler then said that Evans was the first girl he’s asked. Jai told Skyler to get out. Shaw told Jai that he deserves punishment for costing her the match last week. Shaw said Jai Vidal can be Skyler’s tag team partner. John Skyler facepalmed and said he wish he had the girl, Savannah Evans, as a tag partner…
Gia Miller interviewed Jonathan Gresham and asked him why he cheated in last week’s match against Mike Bailey when it’s totally against everything he’s been preaching about. Gresham said that’s exactly why he did it, to prove that the referees aren’t doing their job and are allowing anything to happen, even breaking the rules. Mike Bailey walked in and talked about how he and Gresham were supposed to help raise each other as pro wrestlers last week and not complain about rules and regulations. Gresham glaired at Bailey in silence and walked away…
John’s Thoughts: Good heel logic for Gresham. I’m liking him turning his pure rules background into heel character development. I also couldn’t help but make the joke “This is why Gresham bailed from AEW” in regards to how AEW makes their referees look incompetent to the rules. I’m kidding folks!
Impact Digital Media Champion Tommy Dreamer made his entrance for a promo. He took the mic and asked Crazzy Steve to come on out. Crazzy Steve made his entrance with his Feast or Fired briefcase. Tom Hannifan continued to sell fear at Steve’s entrance. Dreamer said that Steve attacked him from behind with the briefcase. Dreamer then said he and Steve have been friends for a long time. Dreamer noted that back in the Dixie Carter days, management paid for Dreamer’s hotel room and not the wrestlers, so what Dreamer did was allow wrestlers to crash in his hotel rooms for free, like Steve.
Dreamer then noted that after Steve left and came back, they teamed up together to fight alongside each other. Dreamer noted that Steve is legit blind. He said that Steve sees in shadows. Dreamer said Steve is a real life version of Marvel’s Daredevil where he uses sound to dodge. Dreamer said he’s never seen anyone do that, which makes Steve an inspiration. Dreamer said he can relate because he has a father who lost his sight. Dreamer said it hurt him to see what people would say about his father, but his father would always tell Dreamer to just relax.
Dreamer brought up the story of Steve telling Dreamer he doesn’t know how to drive due to his lack of vision. Dreamer said it may have been stupid, but he took Steve out one night to an empty parking lot to get driving lessons from Dreamer. Dreamer said Steve cried that night and he said it was the first time he felt normal. Dreamer said he wasn’t aware that Steve had to watch his parents struggle, but he can relate because he watched his parents struggle, even recently with his mom passing this year.
Dreamer said he loves Steve, but not only him, but the crowd also loves Steve. Dreamer said this business is all about creating moments for the fans. Dreamer said he’s happy to give Steve any match, any way he wants it, because Steve and Dreamer are friends. Steve gave Dreamer a hug. For some reason, Dreamer started crying in pain. The camera cut and showed Steve stabbing Dreamer in the back literally with a fork. The fork was then lodged in Dreamer’s jacket. Steve yelled that he’s not Dreamer’s friend.
Referees ran out to try to calm Steve down. Steve said the Digital Media Title is the beginning of him and the end of Dreamer. Steve laid the title belt on top of Dreamer. Steve waived and walked to the back with the Feast or Fired briefcase. Steve ended the segment by singing about how the angel of death was coming to Tommy’s room…
John’s Thoughts: Great segment. Every time I get tired of Tommy Dreamer programs, the guy find a way to cut an emotional promo to win me back. Dreamer might do well as an inpsirational speaker or preacher if he wants to go into another field. He was really good here in relating to Steve at a personal level and relaying that to the crowd. Steve continues to do great work with his dark and deep persona. Only thing that does hold things back is the “Digital Media” branding. Just do what AEW did and rebrand it to something like a TV title. Maybe even bring back the “Global” title branding that they used to use.
Dirty Dango got a televised entrance for the next match. As usual he took the mic so he can tell everyone “Man, do I hate pro wrestling”. Jake Something and Eric Young also got televised entrances…
2. Jake Something, Dirty Dango (w/Alpha Bravo), Champagne Singh, Eric Young and Jordynne Grace vs. Brian Myers, Mahabali Shera, KiLynn King, Jody Threat and Bully Ray. Dango and Threat started the match. Threat beat down Dango and draped him on the 2nd rope. Kilynn King tagged in and dared Dagon to chop her. Dango tagged in Singh. King tagged in Shera. Shera and Singh hugged each other and were on the same page. King punched Shera to forced him to tag in Threat. Threat bit Singh’s finger heading into picture-in-picture.[c]
Back from break, Grace hit King with a delayed vertical Suplex. Meyrs tagged in and ate a delayed vertical suplex from Grace. Grace then called in Bully Ray. Bully tagged in to square off with Grace. Bully reversed a suplex into a side power slam. Grace dodged an elbow drop and tagged in Eric Young, who body slammed Bully. Shera crotched Young to prvent him from hitting his signature elbow drop. King and Bully gave Young a double team suplex.
King got a two count. Bully went for his signature Dudley punches, but Young blocked it with a dropkick. Grace and Treat tagged in. Threat rallied with right hands. Grace came back with two body slams. King tagged in. King caught Grace off guard after Grace thought Threat was still legal. King caught Grace with a high kick. Grace backdropped king. Shera and Something tagged in.
Jake cleaned house. Jake slammed Bully off the top rope. Jake slammed his tag partner Dango in the ring. Jake also slammed his tag partner Singh. Jake launched Dango on a pile of wrestlers at ringside. Jake hit Shera with Into the Void for the win.
Jake Something, Dirty Dango, Champagne Singh, Eric Young, and Jordynne Grace defeated Mahabali Shera, Brian Myers, Kilynn King, Jody Threat, and Bully Ray via pinfall in 10:18.
Hannifan reminded viewers that the winners will compete in a five person match where the winner gets the 20 spot while the loser gets the 1 spot in the Call Your Shot Battle Royal at Bound for Glory…
John’s Thoughts: Not much content here. Just lots of minor spots. I don’t blame it for not standing out because of all the weird heel-babyface dynamics to set up the subsequent match. What I do like is the one person who got to stand out a bit is Jake Something who continues to get a strong push ever since his return.
Gia Miller interviewed Josh Alexander and asked him if it was wise of him to pick a fight with Kon this week, just a few weeks before his title match against Alex Shelley. Josh said it isn’t a wise decision. He said it’s apparent that he’s not Impact champion and Alex Shelley has stressed that in recent weeks. Alexander said what he does is maintain a champion’s mentality. Shelley cut in and noted that a champion’s mentality can get you in a lot of physical trouble.
Shelley said he respect’s Josh and the standard that Josh set as champion. He said he has to face Josh at 100%. Shelley said that everyone knows Deaner will be in Kon’s corner. Shelley said he’s joining the commentary table to be an insurance policy to make sure Deaner doesn’t get involved and that Josh is a 100% by Bound for Glory…
A clip was shown of a bunch of fans with belts in their hands. A referee was coaching them on the rules of the fan’s revenge match…[c]
A hype package aired for the Trinity vs. Mickie James match at Bound for Glory…
Gia Miller interviewed Trinity and said that everyone knew that when Mickie James came back, she would be going after the title she never lost, and now she’s coming for the title at Bound for Glory. Trinity said she did notice Mickie side eye-ing the title a few weeks ago. Trinity said it’s only fair because Mickie never lost the title. Trinity said she has admired Mickie for years and even sees Mickie as a true friend. She said she owes it to Mickie at Bound for Glory to bring her best. Trinity said in the end, she’ll walk out of Bound for Glory, still, Knockouts Champion…
Entrances for the Fan’s Revenge match took place with the fans surrounding the ring. Skyler cut a pre-match promo. He said that people all the people in Memphis “insufferable pigs”. Skyler said that he admits that they all are. He said the ones who aren’t pigs are the ones with straps in their hands at ringside. He said he has a gift for them. He said when he tosses Ace and Bey to ringside, he hopes they beat them down with their “good hands”…
3. Ace Austin and Chris Bey vs. John Skyler and Jai Vidal in a fan’s revenge match. Bey and Skyler sized each other up to start. Skyler slipped to ringside and took a strap to the back from a fan. Bey put Skyler in a shoulder hold. Skyler dumped Bey to ringside. Bey was afraid of getting hit with straps, but the fans stood back. One fan gave Bey a too sweet. Bey took a selfie with another fan (the EC3 jacket guy who’s at every show). The fans attacked Vidal when he went to protest.
Bey gave Skyler chops and dumped him to ringside. Skyler stopped one fan, but was mobbed by the other fans with strap shots. Jai Vidal tagged in and made bey uncomfortable with a lapdance. Bey then tagged in Ace to swarm Vidal with strikes. Bey too sweeted more fans. Ace dumped Vidal to ringside to get hit by fans. Vidal was dumped to ringside, but the fans couldn’t attack him since he skinned the cat. Ace tripped Vidal off the rope to get him whipped by fans.
Ace took a jawbreaker from Skyler. Vidal gave Ace a slap. Skyler tagged in and body slammed Ace. Ace tried to roll up Skyler but the referee was distracted with Ace. Ace was dumped to ringside and the fans didn’t attack him. Ace dumped Skyler to ringside and he took belt shots. Vidal tagged in and slammed Ace in the corner. Ace caught Vidal with a Disaster Kick. Bey and Skyler tagged in with Bey hitting Skyler with a backfist combo.
Bey mocked the Rascalz hand wiggle and gave Skyler a splash in the corner. Skyler was dumped to ringside. Skyler took belt shots from every fan while Bey kept him from entering the ring. Skyler threatened to hit the fans with a belt he stole, but Bey hit Skyler with a Flip Dive. Bey caught Skyler with an assisted Cutter in the ring. Ace hit Skyler with The Fold to give Ace the win.
Ace Austin and Chris Bey defeated John Skyler and Jai Vidal via pinfall in 8:22.
The fans entered the ring to Too Sweet with Bey and Ace. Bey and Ace posed with their Tag Team Title Feast or Fired briefcase…
John’s Thoughts: Not your technical masterpiece, but oodles of fun with this fan engagement match. The fans only attacking the heels makes total sense from a character alignment perspective. I’m pretty sure these were actual fans and not plants since we saw that EC3 Jacket guy fan who’s been attending every show since the Universal Studio days. Kudos to John Skyler who took all those belt shots like a champ. Hopefully he gets an ice bath afterwards to heal.
A highlight package aired to spotlight the long-running Eddie Edwards and Frankie Kazarian feud…
Entrances for the next match took place…
4. Moose (w/Brian Myers) vs. Bhupinder Gujjar. Moose whipped Gujjar to the mat and followed up with mounted punches. Gujjar escaped a power bomb, but took a Uranage from Moose. Gujjar dodged a spear in the corner and rallied iwth alternating hands. Gujjar hit Moose with a kick combo and flapjack. Moose dodged a knees trike and hit Gujjar wiht a discus lariat, power bomb, and Spear for the win.
Moose defeated Bhupinder Gujjar via pinfall in 4:54.
Steve Maclin made his entrance…[c]
Maclin confronted Moose and Myers in the ring. Maclin claimed that the briefcase and title shot is his. He noted that he took down the briefcase and the only reason Moose has it is because Rhino gore’d it out of his hands. Maclin asked Moose to hand over the briefcase. Moose asked Maclin if he things they’re stupid. Moose said Maclin is talking a whole lot of nonsense in a 2-or-1 situation. Moose asked Maclin where Maclin’s partner Bully Ray is?
Maclin said Bully is running scared from PCO, but he was the man that took care PCO at one point. Maclin demanded Moose hand over the title. The lights went out and lightning graphics aired on the big screen. PCO apepared in the ring and dumped everyone to ringside. THe segment ended with Steve Maclin protesting up the ramp. Rhino appeared out of nowhere and gave Maclin a gore at the top of the ramp…
Trey Miguel and Zachary Wentz were backstage where they spray painted the letter R on the Tag Team Title Belts. Santino Marella showed up and berated The Rascalz for defacing the title belts. Chris Bey and Ace Austin showed up and said they’re cashing in their title shot briefcase for a match at Bound for Glory. Sami Callihan and Rich Swann showed up and said they need a title shot.
Callihan noted that Wentz and Miguel cheated to get the titles to begin with. Swann noted that he and Callihan beat the former tag champs Subculture. Santino said he’ll lock in Ace and Bey for a title shot at Bound for Glory. Santino then said Callihan and Swann also make sense so he booked The Rascalz vs. Callihan and Swann for the tag titles for next week. Wentz didn’t like that Santino was just handing out tag team title shots…
A Chris Sabin promo aired. Sabin said he and Kenta share a lot in common. He said they’re both considered legends, they both started wrestling in the year 2000, and they both won championships all over the world. Sabin said he is a 10 time X Division Champion and no belt means more to him. Sabin said it’s not about where they’ve been or what they’ve done, but what’s gonna happen at Bound for Glory. Sabin said history will be made and at BFG Sabin will walk out X Division Champion…
Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt checked in from the commentary table. They announced the following segments for next week: THe Rascalz vs. Callihan and Swann for the X Division Tag Team Championships, Jake Something vs. Dirty Dango vs. Jordynne Grace vs. Champagne Singh vs. Eric Young for the first and last spots in the Call Your Shot Battle Royal, and Eddie Edwards vs. Frankie Kazarian in a Best of 3 Falls “Killer Impact Match”. Tom Hannifan sent the show to a trailer for a movie sponsor…
Alex Shelley made his entrance to join commentary. Entrances for the next match took place…
5. Josh Alexander vs. Kon (w/Deaner). Kon took down Alexander with a shoulder tackle. Alexander triped Kon with an Ankle Lock attempt. Alexander took down Kon with a flying shoulder tackle. The show cut to picture-in-picture.[c]
Alexander caught Kon with a missile dropkick back from break. Kon came back with a clothesline for a two count. Alexander gave Kon a front kick. Deaner distracted Alexander which allowed Kon to hit Alexander with a Spinebuster. Kon caught Alexander with an elbow drop for a nearfall. Kon bit at the forehead of Alexander. Alexander came back with a knee and abdominal stretch. Kon escaped by tossing Alexander’s back into the ropes. Kon worked on Alexadner with a shoulder nerve hold.
Alexander escaped and rallied with forearms. Kon escaped an initial German Suplex, but Alexander hit Kon with a German while Kon was running. Alexander caught Kon with a discus forearm for a two count. Kon avoided a moonsault from Alexander. Shelley noted that he wishes Alexander were more careful to be at 100% at Bound for Glory. Kon caught Alexander with a Choke Bomb for a nearfall. Alexander staggered Kon with an enzuigiri. Alexander put Kon in Fireman Carry, but Kon’s foot hit the referee. REF BUMP!!!
Alexander gave Kon shortarm chest chops and a crossbody to the back of a seated Kon. Deaner tried to hit Alexander with a chair, but Shelley took the chair away. Alexander accidentally hit Shelley with a right hand when Deaner dodged. Kon tossed Alexander back in the ring. Alexander reversed a choke slam into an Ankle Lock. After Kon escaped, Alexander used clinch knees to set up for the C4 Spike. Alexander hit Kon with the C4 Spike (Jay Driller) for the win.
Josh Alexander defeated Kon via pinfall in 12:47.
Shelley confronted Alexander about the right hand from earlier. Alexander explained that it was an accident and walked off. Shelley pulled Alexander in and left him lying with Shell Shock. Shelly closed the show sitting on the bottom rope and glaring at Josh…
John’s Thoughts: Decent enough match, but it felt a bit filler-ish given that no one expected Kon to stand a real chance. Why are The Design still a thing? Didn’t Eric Young end The Design a few weeks ago and they actually did angles to end that story? All of a sudden Deaner showed up last week and abruptly said that he’s going to restart the Design again. Ugh. I felt like this was more of a middle-of-the-show match, but at the same time, none of the other matches (aside from the opener, but that match was more formula setup) deserved to be in the main event either.
An okay episode of Impact, but a step down in terms of “good matches”. The best match of the night was probably the show opening women’s match. I would tell you guys to also maybe check out the “Fan’s Revenge” match because it sounds cringey on paper, but it turned out well in execution (and props to the fans for following the rules). Sorry for the late review guys. Work in the real world happens.
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