By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
Impact Wrestling Final Resolution
Toronto, Ontario at Don Kolov Arena
Streamed December 9, 2023 on Impact Plus and FITE.TV
Tom Hannifan and Matt Rehwoldt provided commentary. This is the “final Impact wrestling event ever!” Hannifan exclaimed. They said it was a sellout, but based on how small the bleachers are across from the hard camera, attendance can’t be more than 400.
Impact Wrestling Pre-show:
1. PCO defeated Jessie V at 5:53. PCO was in the ring as the pre-show began; as Jessie V walked to ringside, PCO dove onto him, and they brawled on the floor. PCO hit a top-rope summersault onto Jessie, who was lying on the apron. In the ring, Jessie hit a frogsplash for a nearfall at 4:00. PCO hit a reverse DDT, then the top-rope moonsault for the pin. Satisfying squash.
* Backstage, Jake Something said he will beat Jason Hotch tonight. He’s excited about the change to TNA. Hotch came up behind him and struck him on the back with a chair. Seems like a bad idea to me…
2. Jack Price defeated Aiden Prince at 6:32. Price is Black (think an older Elix Skipper) and we’ve seen him a few times. Prince is white and looks a bit like GCW’s Tony Deppen and a bit like Ilja Dragunov. Price hit a dropkick for a nearfall at 3:00. Aiden nailed a brainbuster for a believable nearfall. Price hit a gutbuster/Lungblower over his knees for the pin. Okay action.
* Gia Miller interviewed Trinity and Jordynne Grace backstage. Gia asked them if they can be partners tonight when they are opponents at Hard To Kill. They lightly bickered.
3. Frankie Kazarian defeated Sheldon Jean at 6:21. They fought on the floor, where Jean rammed Kazarian head-first into the ring post at 3:00. In the ring, Kazarian nailed a springboard legdrop across the throat for a nearfall. Frankie ducked a superkick, applied a Crossface Chickenwing, and Sheldon tapped out. Good action.
Impact Wrestling Final Resolution Main Show:
1. “ABC” Ace Austin and Chris Bey defeated Eddie Edwards and Brian Myers (w/Alisha Edwards) to retain the Impact Tag Team Titles at 11:34. Bey and Myers opened, and Chris kept him grounded. Edwards dropped Bey stomach-first on the top rope at 3:30, and the heels began working him over. Alisha choked Bey in the ropes at 6:00 and was loudly booed. Ace finally made the hot tag at 8:00 and cleared the ring. He hit a springboard spin kick on Edwards for a nearfall. Edwards fired back with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall.
Myers speared Bey on the ring apron. In the ring, Edwards hit a backpack stunner on Ace, and Myers immediately hit a top-rope elbow drop for a nearfall at 10:30. This crowd was HOT. ABC flipped Edwards to the floor. Bey hit his springboard stunner, and Ace immediately hit The Fold/flipping neckbreaker to pin Myers. Good action.
* Trey Miguel and Zachary Wentz hit the ring and attacked Bey and Austin from behind, and they held the tag title belts above their head before throwing them down on their prone foes.
* Josh Alexander and Zach Sabre Jr. were backstage. Alexander said he recruited a perfect tag team partner. Sabre said when he heard who they would be facing, he couldn’t say no to this match. They flipped to ringside, where Rehwold excitedly said his “favorite Australian is back!” Hannifan had to remind him that Sabre is British.
* Alisha Edwards was on the mic and she bashed Toronto, saying she can’t understand them with their “stupid accents.” They were refusing to leave. This brought out Santino Marella! He told Alisha she has a match… right now! He introduced “hometown girl” Jody Threat!
2. Jody Threat defeated Alisha Edwards at 7:43. Rehwoldt was irate that this match was happening. Jody jumped on her and hit some punches, then a series of clotheslines in the corner. Eddie tried to cheat, but the ref saw it and ejected him. Alisha hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 3:00. Jody hit a sit-out powerbomb move for a nearfall. Alisha hit a Flatliner for a nearfall at 7:00. Jody then nailed the F5 faceplant for the pin. Decent, and it actually went longer and was more competitive than I would have imagined.
3. Tommy Dreamer defeated Deaner to retain the Digital Media Title at 11:35. Hannifan said Deaner is 1-0 lifetime against Dreamer. Deaner stalled and was booed. Deaner took control and worked over Tommy with some basic offense. He went for a second-rope elbowdrop at 8:00, but Tommy got a foot up to block it. Dreamer hit a bionic elbow, then a running stunner for a nearfall. Cody hit a Divorce Court armbreaker for a nearfall. He rolled to the floor and grabbed the title belt. The female ref warned she would disqualify him if he used it. Dreamer got a rollup for a nearfall. Deaer hit a clothesline, and he removed a turnbuckle pad. However, Dreamer did a slingshot into the exposed corner, then he hit a DDT for the pin. Not good at all, honestly. Let’s be honest… Tommy shouldn’t be doing singles matches this long at this point in time.
* Backstage, Wentz and Trey Miguel said they are excited for the return of TNA. Santino Marella walked up and he turned the next match into a tag match! Bailey will have a mystery partner!
4. Mike Bailey and Trent Seven defeated “The Rascalz” Zachary Wentz and Trey Miguel at 15:11. The Rasalz came out first, then Bailey, then Seven. Hannifan exclaimed, “We are no longer in Toronto; welcome to Mustache Mountain!” Bailey and Zachary opened, but Wentz ducked to the floor. Bailey kicked Wentz in one corner while Seven chopped Trey in another corner, and the Rascalz again rolled to the floor to regroup. Wentz chopped Seven on the floor, and he worked him over back in the ring. Trey applied a leglock around Seven’s head at 7:00. Wentz hit a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall.
Seven nailed a Dragon Suplex, but he couldn’t tag out. He hit a DDT on Trey. Bailey finally made the hot tag at 9:00 and he hit his Speedball kicks to the ribs on Trey, then a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall. Bailey hit an enzuigiri. Wentz hit a German Suplex on Bailey for a nearfall, and the crowd chanted “TNA!” Bailey hit his Crane Kick. Wentz lunged at him, but Bailey caught him with a hard kick to the sternum, and they were both down at 11:00. Seven re-entered and he hit a one-armed powerbomb then a sideslam on Wentz for a nearfall. Seven hit another Dragon Suplex on Wentz (while Bailey was hitting a superkick to Zachary’s chest!) for a nearfall.
Bailey hit a hard Mafia Kick on Trey on the ring apron. Wentz hit a German Suplex on Seven. Trey hit a spinebuster; Wentz hit a superkick and a doublestomp, allowing Trey to get a believable nearfall at 14:00, and Trey screamed at the ref. Funny. The Rascalz set up for their finisher, but Bey and Ace appeared to distract them. Bailey hit an Asai moonsault onto both Rascalz. Trent hit a Burning Hammer on Wentz, and Bailey immediately hit the Ultima Weapon to pin Wentz. That was really entertaining.
* Scott D’Amore got in the ring (while Bailey and Seven were still in it), and Hannifan said we weren’t expecting to see him. D’Amore talked about being in the Don Kolov Arena. He talked about meeting Santino Marella here, and signing Joshua Alexander in this building. He said it was here that he realized he needed to sign Mike Bailey, and later, seeing Trent Seven “tear the house down” here. He offered Trent Seven a contract! “Someone was dumb enough to let you go,” Scott said. Seven signed the contract, using Bailey’s back as a table.
* Backstage, Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley talked about their match later. Sabin said Josh and Zack are great singles wrestlers, but they are stepping into their arena.
5. Jake Something defeated Jason Hotch at 6:52. Hotch spoke on the mic as he walked to the ring. He proclaimed he doesn’t have a match anymore because his opponent “suffered a gruesome injury.” Jake charged into the ring and hit some shoulder tackles, but he sold his lower back injury. Hotch grounded Jake, but Jake hit a bodyslam at 2:30. He fired up and hit his clotheslines and running splash, then a spear into the corner. He set up for a powerbomb but his lower back gave out. Jake finally hit the powerball at 6:30, then the Black Hole Slam for the pin. Okay; I wouldn’t have minded if he had won in half that time.
6. Rhino defeated Moose via DQ at 1:42. They traded punches to open, and brawled to the floor in the first minute. They rolled back into the ring, where Moose hit a low blow uppercut in front of the referee to be disqualified. Rhino got on the mic and called for the match to be re-started as a street fight. Moose rejected it as he walked to the back, but he was told if he doesn’t compete, he will lose his world title shot.
6b. Moose defeated Rhino in a street fight at 7:48. Moose returned to ringside and they kept brawling in front of the fans. Rhino suplexed him onto the entrance ramp. Rhino accidentally chopped the ring post at 2:00. Moose got a chair and hit Rhino’s fingers, then his back with it. In the ring, Rhino powerbombed Moose through a table for a nearfall at 4:30, and the crowd chanted “TNA!” He hip-tossed Moose onto a ladder in the corner for another nearfall. The ref got bumped; Rhino hit a Gore for a visual pin. A second ref ran in and counted a nearfall at 7:00. Rhino went for a Gore, but Moose pulled a referee in front, and Rhino Gored the ref through a table in the corner. Moose hit his own spear for the pin.
* Frankie Kazarian spoke backstage, saying he was here when TNA was founded and he’s proud to be here again as the company reverts back to that name. He vowed 2024 would be his year.
7. Trinity and Jordynne Grace defeated Deonna Purrazzo and Gisele Shaw at 10:59. Deonna and Trinity started and the crowd was hot before they even locked up. Trinity immediately applied Starstruck, but Deonna quickly escaped. Grace entered and she dropped Shaw with some shoulder tackles. She held Gisele upside down for several seconds before dropping her stomach-first to the mat. she hit a Bulldog Powerslam, and Gisele scampered to the floor to regroup. Grace dove through the ropes onto the heels at 3:30!
In the ring, Deonna twisted Jordynne’s left arm, and the heels began working Grace over in their corner. Grace hit a spinebuster at 6:30 but couldn’t tag out. Trinity eventually got the hot tag and hit a top-rope crossbody block, then the splits across Gisele’s body. Trinity hit a piledriver out of the ropes for a nearfall, but Deonna made the save. Deonna hit a Mafia Kick on Grace. Deonna applied the Fujiwara Armbar in the center of the ring on Grace at 9:30. They traded rollups. Grace nailed a spinning back fist and a standing powerbomb. Trinity hit a Bubba Bomb on Deonna, and Grace immediately rolled up Deonna for the pin. Despite the comments in the pre-show, they never accidentally hit each other during the match.
* The babyfaces left. Gisele got in Deonna’s face, upset at her for the loss. They shook hands, but then Gisele grabbed her, applied a full-nelson, and turned it into a backbreaker over her knee. Is this the last time we see Deonna in Impact/TNA?
* Gia Miller interviewed Moose backstage. He said the new year brings the rebirth of TNA and the rebirth of Moose. He vowed he will be the new TNA world champion. The camera flipped back to ringside, where Hannifan and Rehwoldt told us that on Jan. 14 in Las Vegas, Kazuchika Okada will team with Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley to take on Moose, Brian Myers and Eddie Edwards in a six-man tag. (Alex Shelley will defend the title against Moose on Jan. 13.)
8. Joshua Alexander and Zack Sabre Jr. defeated “Motor City Machine Guns” Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley at 28:03. Alexander came out first in a hockey jersey, then Sabre (wearing his NJ TV Title belt), with the Guns out last. The crowd chanted “All these guys!” Sabin and Alexander opened with basic reversals. Shelley and Sabre tagged in at 1:30 and traded mat holds, with Zack twisting the left wrist. They traded European Uppercuts at 4:00. Sabin and Josh re-entered, and Sabin worked the left arm, and the Guns kept Josh in their corner. They hit front-and-back kicks at 7:00. Zabre entered and he stomped on Sabin’s elbow and began working over the left arm.
Sabre tied up Shelley on the mat and twisted his left ankle. The Guns hit front-and-back kicks on Josh. Sabin hit a standing neckbreaker on Josh for a nearfall at 11:30. Shelley tied Sabre’s arms in a straight jacket and Alex hit a Lungblower over his knees. Sabre put Alex’s head between Sabre’s feet, and he snapped the neck at 15:00. Josh tagged in and hit rolling German Suplexes on Alex. Shelley nailed the Flatliner into the second turnbuckle on Josh, and he went for the Border City Stretch, but Alexander immediately escaped. Sabin tied up Sabre on the mat. Sabin hit a Helluva Kick, then a second-rope tornado DDT for a nearfall at 18:00.
Sabre hit a snap suplex on Sabin for a nearfall, and his team worked Chris over in their corner. Sabin hit a top-rope crossbody block onto both men at 20:30. Sabin dove through the ropes onto both opponents. Sabin hit a top-rope missile dropkick while Shelley hit a Flatliner on Josh, with Chris making the cover for a nearfall. Josh went for the C4 Spike piledriver, but Alex blocked it. Shelley applied a Figure Four Leglock on Josh, while Sabin applied a Figure Four on Sabre. Sabre went for a crossarm breaker on Sabin, then he kicked at the left arm. Sabin caught Zack with a superkick at 24:00.
Sabin set up for Cradleshock, but Sabre escaped and he applied his modified Rings of Saturn double armbar on the mat. Nice. Shelley made the save. Josh applied an anklelock on Shelley. Sabre got an O’Connor Roll on Sabin for a believable nearfall at 26:30. Sabin hit a hard clothesline, then a running neckbreaker. Josh crashed into Sabre’s back! Josh nailed the C4 Spike piledriver out of nowhere to pin Sabin. A sharp tag match that just kept going and going and this crowd was into it throughout. Bravo.
* A video package aired of Will Ospreay’s highlights. Ospreay will face Joshua Alexander again on Jan. 13.
Final Thoughts: This show was built entirely around the main event and it sure delivered. All four looked great, and it felt special to see Shelley and Sabre lock up. And it certainly doesn’t hurt Sabin to take the pin there. The Bailey tag match is a distant second place. The crowd was happy with Seven as a mystery partner. The Bey/Austin tag match takes third. That said… a lot of the rest of the show felt like filler, more so than past Impact specials.
It feels like the Impact roster is a bit thin right now after the departures of Heath, Kenny King, Sami Callihan, Mickie James, etc. Trent Seven is a good start, and I hope some of the best wrestlers who were let go by WWE roughly 90 days ago are brought in. Certainly, Shelton Benjamin, Mustafa Ali and Dollph Ziggler should be under contract either here or in AEW by the end of January.
So… I was there in Chicago when the video aired announcing the company is reverting back to its TNA name. I hated the TNA name, right from when it began; it always elicited eye rolls when I said it out-loud to non-wrestling fans. To me, TNA was associated with bad ideas like King of the Mountain and Feast or Fired. I loved that the Impact name caught on, so I’m baffled by all the excitement for switching back.
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